Rating: 
Summary: A masterpeice of the highest order.
Review: After 6 readings I am still spellbound by the scope and adventure of Sho-Gun. Few authors even attempt a work of the scale and of those few succeed. This is a must-read. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: This has to be one of the greatest books i have ever read. Unfortunatly it is so good that I have to rush through the end because I started it during Christmas break and now that i am back at university I have no time to both study and read this book. This book takes precedent so i better finish it soon before i fall to far behind in school. I agree full heartedly with all the above reviews except for the one claiming that this book is racist. Although their are a lot of racial slurs in this book, these are things that would have been said by the characters in this era. To not include such things for "political correctness" would have been irresponsible of Mr. Clavell in his depiction of life in that era. To end on a good note, READ THIS BOOK. It is well worth your time even if you end up failing in school 8).
Rating:
Summary: Most definately his greatest work!
Review: This is THE greatest book I have ever read! Shogun has everything anyone could hope to find in a novel. Action, war, love, politics, history, and suspense are all rolled into one in this story set in the days of the warrior spirit where there was one purpose and that was to serve and possibly die for your lord. At a time of fighting for the title of Shogun along comes a man who quite possably changes history, by bringing new tools of destruction to the opposing forces, hatred toward the jesuit priests that control the slave trade, and along the way find true love in a world where love does not exist. I could go on and on, I've read the novel 14 times, but trust me you WILL love it!
Rating: 
Summary: What's the deal?
Review: The Tom Clancy of the 70's. This book is so overwritten it hurts. Racist beyond belief, I should add. The philosophy is supermarket tabloid stuff. This sucked.
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly engrossing historical fiction by a true master...
Review: Clavell kicks off the first in a series of Far East historical novel with "Shogun," and he does it with a style few living authors could duplicate. Although "Shogun" doesn't quite merit the definition of "classic literature," Clavell's 1100+ page book is definitely a cut above the average bestsellers about Asian culture.From the moment Blackthorne, a Dutch seafarer from the 1600's groping his way around the globe, is shipwrecked on the rocky coast of Japan, the reader is transported to a culture that is both inscrutable and fascinating. Clavell does a wonderful job of taking what is first an alien land and transforming it into a rich history of etiquette, intricacy, and utter betrayal. The Japanese customs, language, and personalities are lavishly described, while the endearing Blackthorne fumbles his way to cultural and linguistic fluency. Despite the inaccuracy of some of the finer details, "Shogun" as a package is dead-on, telling a story that has become part of the 20th century literary canon. The television adaptation was good, but the book is much, much better - and best of all, it's obscenely long, providing even the fastest of readers with a satisfying experience. If you have never tackled a book of this magnitude, "Shogun" is an excellent starting point. For the experienced reader, Clavell proves that he's more than worthy of your attention. Lose yourself in "Shogun" - I promise you won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: easily the best book i have read
Review: when i first picked up the book, i thought i was crazy to want to read it.
I had finished watching about half of the mini-series and i thought that there was no way possible the book could be as interesting as the movie, as some things are usually changed and they don't seem to be anywhere near the same vision the author had. I was greatly shocked and estatic that the book was even better than the movie. I admit that i never had an interest in japan or asia but after reading this book i find myself longing to see these places for myself. This book is truly an epic and i can't wait to read more of clavell's works.
Rating:
Summary: Hard to put down
Review: I was a missionary for the Mormon Church and served in Kobe from Aug 94- Aug 96. While ther I was able to see some of the castles and other shrines from the Shogunate period. Clavell's "Shogun" was an action packed adventure and showed some of the differences in the cultures of Japan and the western world. He keeps the action going so the reader wonders what is next
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent story at the cost of historical accuracy.
Review: When looked upon for its entertainment value, Shogun is an excellent novel. However, Shogun's storyline could never have taken place in the book's time period. Shogun is an attempt to merge an American love story with a Japanese setting. I'm not taking anything away from Clavell; I feel that he writes very well, but if you're searching for a book that's more historically accurate, try looking at Musashi and Taiko, both written by Eiji Yoshikawa
Rating:
Summary: Excellent interpretation of Japanese history
Review: Set at the end of the feudal period (c.1600), this novel is (very) loosely based on real events. Mr. Clavell's characterizations were true-to-life. The premise of the story is familiar to many through the TV mini-series. An English pilot guides a Dutch privateer to Japan in flight from the Spanish. Due to a variety of political pressures, religious and financial factors and mostly to his personal magnetism, courage, skill and luck the pilot (John Blackthorn) becomes a pawn and a personage. His patron, Toranaga,is Clavell's avatar of Ieyasu. Must read
Rating:
Summary: A True Epic
Review: From October,5,1996-January,3,1997 I was an exchange student in Japan. And during that time that I was over there I read the book Shogun from cover to cover. It easily became the longest book that I have ever read. But what was it that made me feel so great about the book? For starters, it is a very good book. Much like Michael Crichton, James Clavell's writing makes it so that you do not want to put the book down. But in a different way. I am using the comparison of Crichton because I have read many books by him, and so far I belive that I have been able to identify the Crichton style. He makes you wonder,'What will happen next?'.
Meanwhile, Clavell in the novel Shogun, not only makes you wonder what will happen next, but he drops hints as to what will come. But are they hints? That left me constantly watning to know what was realy going to happen. The characters are more alive in this book than any other that I have read. Even though the book was 1152 pages long, I actually wish it was longer!
Of course there is the great character plots and the sweeping tale of power that can be read in other rewiews, and that is the soul of the novel. I have never read a book that was so engrosing.
And back to my point of being an exchange student, I must say that there was an added zing to the novel because I was living just outside of Tokyo. It is an increadible feeling to be reading somthing that was to have happened 400 years ago, and to be right were the book took place. Example: Some amount of Shogun takes place in Yedo Castle. Yedo Castle is no longer standing, but its remains are what is now the Imperial Palace, smack-dab in the heart of Downtown Tokyo. And to know that I was at that very spot just a few hours before, and was now reading about it, was quite a feeling.
To sum it up; This review may seem a little choppy, but the book sure isn't. It is an epic that will live on in the great annals of literature for generations to come.
And one last tip. Even though the Novel is inspiring, it must be remembered that in Japan, an exchange student is not exactly a Daimyo. Even though it sounds like fun.
|
