Rating: 
Summary: bogged down with war politics
Review: I was riveted by the first third of this book but felt bogged down with war politics in the later parts of the book. This prevented me personally from rating it as excellent however, anyone interested in war strategy and especially ancient Japanesse war strategy should love this book.
Rating:
Summary: Samurai
Review: I bought this book thinking it would be about the honorable warriors of fuedel Japan. Alas, i was let down, it was more of a love storie than about battles. I didn't like the book very much. But im 13 and I may not have fully understood its signifigance.
Rating: 
Summary: Makes My Top 10 All-Time List
Review: This rates up with the best books I have ever read. The book looks imposing (more than 1200 pages) but once you start you will be about 500 pages into it before you know it.Super-rich in history with one of the most interesting characters, Anjin-san (Japanese for Mr. Pilot). Anjin-san is marooned in feudal Japan and makes a decision to change his Western thinking and fit in to the totally foreign but alluring Japanese society. He is drawn into a forbidden love with a Japanese noblewoman, while battling jealous Japanese nobles and fanatical Jesuits. He earns the trust of Lord Torenaga who is a wise tactician in the art of waging war and diplomacy. Can Anjin-san survive the constant perils he is put into and win the hand of the woman he loves? Trying to find the answers to these questions left me spellbound by this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Epic
Review: James Clavell's epic novel "ShoGun" is an all time historical classic of Feudal Japan and the adventures of John Blackthorne. John Blackthorne is the navigator of a ship that has followed a Portuguese map towards an uncharted land in the South Pacific, with the hopes of finding treasures. Blackthorne and his crew are close to death and even closer to mutiny when a storm destroys their ship and washes the men onto the shores of the uncharted land. Unfortunately, for most of the crew, this land is inhabited by natives and these natives are anything but primitive. The hierarchy of Feudal Japan is greatly divided at this time and warring leaders hope to conquer their way to become Shogunate over its entirety. Lord Toranaga, the ruler over the area where Blackthorne washed-up, quickly realizes that he can use Blackthorne's seafaring abilities in his conquest. Blachthorne suddenly finds himself caught in the greatest power struggle in Japanese history and unbeknown to him; Blackthorne is to become one of the major players in this struggle. "ShoGun" is a tale of culture, love, war, deception and glory. Where lines are never drawn in the sand, but on people's backs. ShoGun is not a quick read but the dialogue and suspense of this Epic will keep the pages turning.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: Epic? Novel? History? Cultural Lesson?
All of the above! This is an incredible work on numerous levels. On the surface, it's a historical fiction about the power struggles in Feudal Japan as the country comes to grips with Western influence. Lord Toronaga is a fictional character based on Tokugawa, the 3rd major unifier of feudal Japan. On a second level, the book sets the stage for Clavell's Asian Saga. Seeds are planted here that appear throughout his novels. On a third level, the book is a treasure of Japanese culture. For those new to Japanese culture, the behaviors and interactions of the characters seems very foreign. Even back then, how could civilized people think like that? Guess what - they think like that now too! And Blackthorne - the prototypical Gai-jin - he set the standard for foreigners struggling in that culture. On a personal level, this is a book that grew with me. It fueled an interest in Japanese culture and history. In the years following my first pass of Shogun, I read quite a bit of Japanese history, and saw the accuracy of the story. Later, when I lived in Japan, I found my understanding of the culture radically improved by the lessons learned in the book. And to think, I bought this because "I need a thick book to pass time on all these plan rides!"
Rating:
Summary: The essential historical fiction
Review: There are two types of Clavell fans, those who think Tai-Pan is his best work and those who think Shogun is his best work. I'm one of the latter. I'm not knocking Tai-Pan at all, it's a great book as well and should be read, but nothing grabs you and takes hold like Shogun. For 1,150 pages you are held captive to one of the most sweeping , grand epics ever concieved. The characters are fully realized and fascinating. Toranaga is one of the shrewdest characters in modern literature. Blackthorn is an excellent vehicle to enter a new world in which the reader is unfamiliar, and an excellent protaganist. I dare anyone not to go online and look up anything on medieval Japan whil reading this. Or rent a Kurosawa film. Actually you don't need anything like that because the descriptive writing is so good. Like the explanation of a tea ceremony or the chapter in the "Willow World" This is not for people who like a quick read. Be prepared to stay awhile, but if you are like me, you will love every page of it.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Breathtaking
Review: When I first picked this thing up (which was recommended by a friend) I first thought "Oh, good. This should keep me busy for quite sometime..." WRONG!! I read it at a rate of about 100-150 pages a day (plus, I was reading another novel for school at the same time). Excellent. Lots of action, love, and even ninjas! Clavell is an incredible narrorator. So what if there were a few discrepencies? It is all based on the adventures of real-life Brittish pilot William Adams (John Blackthorne). One of the only love stories that has ever choked me up (I almost cried). It will change your whole idea of romance, and you'll start to think of John aka Anjinsan and Mariko when you hear your fav. love song. I also loved how it showed the contrast between cultures, and teaches us to respect everyone. Check it out, it's well worth the $[money]! Now on to Taipan, Noblehouse, Gaijin, King Rat...I just found a new favorite author!
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book
Review: I loved this book it is one of the best books I have ever read. It had such great detail and a very interesting plot. I would highly recommend reading this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: more than five star
Review: the best novel i've read, nothing compares with this one, it's like time travel. very informative. must read for novel afficionados.
Rating:
Summary: breathtaking experience
Review: James Clavell is a great storyteller but he doesn't know much about human psychology. The reader may get the impression from this story that the Japanese are some sort of an alien race of suicidal maniacs. This cannot be farther from the truth. All human beings are genetically close to each other. The self-preservation gene is just as common among the Japanese as it is common among majority of human beings. A person may sacrifice his life for a blood relative (evolutionary scientists have found out that the likelihood of this sacrifice is determined by the percentage of genes shared by the particular individuals), but it is highly unlikely that one will be willing to jump off a cliff to save the life of a cruel overlord. From evolutionary point of view, this doesn't make any sense.
I am not saying that the Japanese don't have their cultural peculiarities but in all cultures we see manifestation of same basic human traits: we value friendship; we love our children; we respect our parents; we love to gossip; we strive to achieve power and accumulate wealth; we love ourselves.
Ritual suicide, or any other form of suicide for that matter, has never been popular in Japan. They may not have had the taboo, which Christianity imposes on self-destruction, but they certainly didn't kill themselves in any greater numbers than westerners did.
It was the patriotic Japanese poets and writers of 1930s who romanticized the ritual suicides. However, it was never widely practiced in Japan at any time. It is just another myth of 20th century pop culture (and so are the horns on Vikings' helmets).
Despite his superficial knowledge of history and human psychology, James Clavell proves to be a great novelist. I couldn't put this book down. The story is simply breathtaking. Read it!
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