Shibumi

Rating:
Summary: Nicholai Hel -- simply the best character ever created!
Review: By far my top of the list! Loved it so much I named my first son Nicholai -- though I hope he won't follow the same lifestyle :-))... Shibumi is an international joy ride of every imaginable intrigue!!

Rating:
Summary: Classy and entertaining
Review: Classy book! I want MORE MORE MORE! Sexy. Stylish. Educational, even

Rating:
Summary: Imperfect but worthwhile
Review: I've heard that Trevanian is a pen name. That should tell the reader what Shibumi has in store for their experience. It is an experiment in character development. The plot is secondary; the focus is as it should be, centered on Hel as an individual to admire, and perhaps to be emulated. It may not change your life, but it might help you to better appreciate the experience you have

Rating:
Summary: I laughed, I cried, I felt it as if I were in Niko's shoes.
Review: I was never big on reading until I realized how deep my thirst for knowledge and understanding was...This book quenched that thirst. Trevanian is simply an exquisite author. The theme as it was desribed to me by a workmate had me expecting something different, but what I got was something so much more than what I expected: The life story of an assassin, but it had so much more to do with the unique experiences of a unique character. I was intrigued and am certain that I will read ALL of his novels. I HIGHLY recomend this book to anyone, even if the theme doesn't interest you at first.

Rating:
Summary: Trevanian is a man of Shibumi...
Review: I've read Shibumi perhaps 10 times, and never been bored. I think the reason for this is that it's a book that's worth 10 books. Seriously, I believe that any other writer could (or rather would) manage to write 10 books with the ideas and characters of Shibumi..

Rating:
Summary: One of best books I've ever read and I read a lot.
Review: On the surface, this is a thriller about a world-class assassin, Nicholai Hel. But Shibumi is to spy thrillers what Moby Dick is to Wildlife and fisheries manuals. As others have described, this is a many-tiered novel, exciting on one level, political, personal, erotic, mystical, allegorical, and entirely wonderful. I've read it maybe 5 times--prolly half the final number for me. It isn't that it's hard to understand; rather it's oddly calming. Don't read it unless you have some inner steel--it does make some demands on reserves of strength.

Rating:
Summary: All other spy novels pale by comparison
Review: I first read Shibumi shortly after it was published, in 1980 or 1981. At the time, my belief was that this was the finest spy-thriller novel I had ever read. To date, this has not changed and all other novels in the genre are boring and silly by comparison. After reading Shibumi, I read the "Sanction" series by Trevanian; one can easily trace his development to Shibumi, which is clearly the culmination of the author's synthesis of the elements of his overall style. One would think this would be perfect fodder for a huge Hollywood production, following "The Eiger Sanction" into a Trevanian series. However, Shibumi is so layered and complex, even Hollywood could not find a way to strip it down and (thankfully) let it stand alone as a marvelous work of a master

Rating:
Summary: Trevanian is an artist of language and culture.
Review: My wife gave me "Shibumi" as a gift eleven years ago, after I discovered Trevanian via his "Sanction" novels. I am not ashamed to admit that I became smitten with this enigmatic author. What separates Trevanian from everyone else in the genre (and I've read them all) is his incredible mastery of the language. His unparalleled skill at painting lavish, bright, splashy, intricate, dark, moody, labyrinthine, open, brisk, mobile, clear, evocative pictures with the same words that lie flat and mordant in the hands of other writers. Trevanian is the Master Craftsman and "Shibumi" is his defining work

Rating:
Summary: Philosophy in essence, Police novel in cover
Review: With a police-style disguise, this is really about life and its fundamental values. The first chapter is like a tunnel: one might think this is an ordinary adventure. But when the reader crosses it, finds a delicious narrative: With Shibumi I discovered the Go game, the sport of speleology, and the unforgotten Le Cagot. I enjoyed the erotism and misticism, too. I knew it ten years ago, and today I still remember it in detail: I'm writing this review with the memories that Shibumi printed on me. I recommend it for young people: This is a collection book. A book behind another

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've read
Review: I received my first copy of this book from a friend, and it was dogeared. Since then I've bought 3 more copies and given them to friends of mine, after reading them myself! I re-read this book regularly. The only other novel I can compare it to in terms of detail and characterization is Shogun, another favorite.

This book has action, history, mysticism, romance, scathing social commentary, and always a sense of humor. I recommend it to everyone who asks