Shogun

Rating:
Summary: Any one who picks up this book can't put it down
Review: One the best and most gripping books I have read in a long time. Unforgettable, full of anything the avid reader would want.

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Summary: I love this book so much that I read it twice in two months.
Review: I like how James let Toranaga or Yabu say one thing but think another. I also like how he let Mariko die in that explusion, because he was making you think that he was going to let Blackthorne take her back to England. He is the best author that I know. This out of all books (beleive me i've read many) is my favorite.

Rating:
Summary: SHOGUN IS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT
Review: IN an nutshell, SHOGUN is by far the best book i have ever read. There isnt one boring moment and it is full of suspense, love, death and to a lesser extent humour- does anyone know of any similar books?

Rating:
Summary: Deska Dommo ,
Review: A well-written book though maybe not historically nor linguistically perfect was an excellent read. Readers wishing to criticize it should spend more time criticizing history books and non-fiction! Characters are well thought out and continuity is kept with them throughout the book. Definitely a recommend

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: James Clavell is a master of literature. The book is phenomenal. I've noticed that other readers mentioned ethnic slurs portrayed in the book. Maybe its not realized, but medieval Japansese culture probably wasn't politically correct.

Rating:
Summary: inadequately researched and poorly-written
Review: This book has many historical inaccuracies. The writing is gripping like any best-seller should be, but does not have the literary quality to make it a work of art. The language used is as simplistic as a sixth-grader's, and does not use this to any advantage other than making it very easy to read for the unintelligent masses.

Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put it down. It dominated my thoughts and dreams.
Review: This exciting and engrossing book deals with the first Englishman in Japan in 1600 and with Japanese unification. It left me enthused with the samurai lifestyle and ancient Japan. This is the best book that I have ever read.

Rating:
Summary: Probably my favorite book
Review: Truly amazing. I cannot recommend it more highly

Rating:
Summary: IT'S UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
Review: Shogun is absolutely the BEST book I have ever read in my life. I started it out because I was really bored; I never intended to actually finish it. But I was instantly swept away into another place and time, and the characters seemed like good friends (or enemies, for that matter.) I actually cared what happened to them. So who cares if the historical and linguistic details weren't 100% accurate?? This book is still unbelievably well-written, provocative, exciting, and can be serious or even funny at times. I would choose a side whenever there was a battle or something going on, and every victory or defeat was like my victory or defeat. I became immersed in the Japanese culture and actually have more respect for it now. Although the book may have a few ethnic slurs, it only protrays the characters' feelings and doesn't represent what the author thinks about the cultures. Besides, the Japanese culture is treated with a lot of respect by Blackthorne especially at the end. It was really upsetting when people would commit seppuku so easily, but I guess that's just part of the story. Okay, so if you want an epic novel filled with war, excitement, intrigue, romance, etc. etc., pick up Shogun and you won't be sorry. (If the first 400 or 500 pages seem tedious, KEEP ON GOING ANYWAY!) Once you really get into the book, you'll be swept into the saga of Blackthorne, Toranaga, Mariko, and all the other colorful characters. Sayonara, and have a good time reading!

Rating:
Summary: Good? Heh.
Review: Good? This book is not good. This book, this author, are both tremendously, a**-kickingly wonderful. I'm a fast reader. I'll read a two- to three hundred book in an afternoon, and this book took me the whole weekend. A new, and welcome, experience for me. The plot contained well thought, cunningly crafted suprises that kept me reading until the very last page, wondering what happened, if Blackthorne ever got home at all. I've been told this is his very best book. I'd believe it; no mortal could create two such works. Ever.