Shibumi

Rating:
Summary: A very disappointing book!
Review: Shibumi came with so much hype and rave reviews behind it that I could hardly wait to open the pages of this the "Great Trevanian's" spy novel.

I started reading and reading, waiting to be pulled in to the best spy novel since the world was created.

Sadly, it just never happened.

Some of Shibumi was good, other parts were not. Some parts were just completely unbelievable. Many parts that did not seem that important to the story seemed to go on forever.

Like I said, a very disappointing book and one I was glad to be done with and throw in the garbage.

In a side note, I would appreciate it if some of you who read this review would give me a "helpful" vote. I am trying to become a top notch reviewer.

Rating:
Summary: INTRICATELY IMAGINED
Review: The overriding quality is intelligence: we are under Trevanian's spell from the opening pages.

Rating:
Summary: Etchebar found! ...
Review: Unapologetic in its lacerating observations on human pretense and behaviour, Trevanian's Shibumi continues to draw legions of admirers even after more than two decades of its initial publication.

Nicholai Hel remains Trevanian's most compelling character. In many ways, he may have been responsible for all the peculiar (and sometimes embarassing behaviour) and many teens who first encounter the book. As with many Trevanian fans, I have dreamed of visiting the Basque region, particularly Etchebar, it being the home of the primary protagonist. I made it this year documenting all the places mentioned in the book through extensive photos of which I would be happy to share.

Suffice it to say that not only the book, but its setting as well is absolutely moving. Trevanian reveals more of his autumnal sentimentality in The Summer of Katya, and as per my visit to Salies and Sauveterre-de-Bearn (supposed Alos of the famous Fete of the Drowned Virgin), the setting embodies the terminal ambience of the book.

Rating:
Summary: found the village of Etchebar!
Review: A truly moving book, Shibumi has probably compelled many readers to venture into the pays-basque region as a sort of pilgrimage. I did. I traced Hana Stern's steps to Etchebar documenting the entire way through photos. Abense-de-haut is beautiful, as are Etchebar, Lichans, The Gnome's St. Jean de Luz etc....

Rating:
Summary: Even though it's been said before...
Review: I had never intended to add my own review to the (mostly excellent) list of reviews already submitted regarding this masterpiece. I have read Shibumi many times over the past several years; I keep coming back to it for the beautifully crafted and evocative descriptions, the witty dialogue, and the succinct, yet poignant philosophical insights. There's not much for me to add that hasn't already been said, but I feel compelled to answer this book's critics from Oceanside and elsewhere:

Query: Nicholai Hel as the stereotypic hero of the mass-market thriller novel genre? He who eschews electricity and other modern conveniences, who views his automobile as a necessary evil, and whose primary pleasures in life are meditation and continuing devotion to the improvement of a garden he knows will never be perfect?

No, I don't think critics of this book are turned off by the fact that Hel is identical to every other action hero they've encountered. I suspect that the real animosity comes from the fact that Trevanian's criticisms of contemporary society hit a little too close to the mark. Let me state for the record that I am an American and readily acknowledge myself to be guilty of some of the afflictions of contemporary American society that Trevanian elucidates. But critics of this book, such as those from Oceanside, remind me of the passage early in Shibumi where Otake-san reminds young Nicholai that the modern novellist will not dare create a truly superior hero, because "in his rage of shame the (modern man) will send his yojimbo, the critic" to defend him. Regarding the precious philosophical insights and social commentary of the book, I suspect that some unsophisticated readers find themselves in a situation analogous to that of the novice reader who tries to comprehend Nicholai's satirical description (published under a pseudonym) of the Masters' game of Go.

I have read many of the modern "thrillers" by Clancy, Ludlum, Crichton, Clavell, et al. By and large, these authors are good story tellers and produce compelling reads. Not a one of them, however, rivals Trevanian in terms of artistic brilliance. He can turn a phrase unlike any other contemporary author that I have read. And while Trevanian's oeuvre may never have the cultural importance or influence (due in part to his tongue-in-cheek approach and the obvious enjoyment he derives from writing) of a Stendhal, Balzac, Dostoevsky or Hardy, the indignation and bewilderment he inspires in the culturally immature certainly serves as a backhanded compliment to him and his work. His other books, especially The Main, are also brilliant.

Rating:
Summary: Different, fascinating novel
Review: It isn't often that you can sing the praises of a novel that has at its central character a professional assissin, living in rural Basque country, and whose daily obsessions are caving and the Japanese way of Shibumi. But this is a really great novel, which draws these apparently dissimilar threads together into a truly compulsive read.

Not only is our anti-hero quite fascinating in his own right, but we are given an insight into his life and history - the path that was made for him by virtue of his birth and the times in which he has lived. In the present, we have the fascinating distractions of his caving, and of course his enemies - who make this a truly thrilling story.

It is a riveting book - a "read it in one night to see what happens" type of book. It is Trevanian's best book by far.

Rating:
Summary: Shibumi does not exist in the prose of this novel.
Review: A most disappointing experience indeed. While the glimpse of war torn Shanghai was of interest in the development of Hel's characterization, the remainder of the book holds no magic. The story will be of interest to those people hooked on spy novels where the hero is the strong silent type who develops extrasensory powers of perception in his traumatic formation from persecuted, incredibly intelligent, sensitive young man to deadly assasin. All the predictable elements are there: an overdeveloped sense of righteousness, vengeance, incredible wealth & seclusion, excellent taste in clothing, sports, and women, and of course well-endowed and highly skilled in the most contemplative and spiritual copulation techniques--not entirely understood by us foolish (vacant?), smelly American women but yet fully appreciated none the less. These qualities are all for naught except for the existence of the antagonists who are, of course, the most common and most predictable of villains: Big money and the ugly Americans. I had the misfortune of reading this book on the airplane during the Memorial Day weekend. I was embarrassed to be found with this book in my hand for two reasons. It is a visceral book lacking art and the constant American bashing that spilled from every page was a poignant contrast to the hallmarks of the weekend with the media highlights of veterans statements and memories. The unfortunate realization however is that this novel achieved national bestseller status in America which often requires little more than the abilty to spin a yarn of smut and greed. Hmmm, maybe Trevanian is onto something here in the opinions expressed regarding American culture. That would be too bad.

Rating:
Summary: You need to have half a brain for this one
Review: It's quite unfortunate that O'Reilly apparently endorsed this book. You see, reading most novels is slightly more difficult than reading the stock market quotes in the Wall Street Journal or reading People Magazine or the Drudge Report. Anyway, the book is excellent.

Rating:
Summary: IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A DISAPPOINTING BOOK
Review: I heard about this book, I believe it was from the book called "The O'Reilly Factor" by Bill O'Reilly. He thought the book was good. After reading Shibumi, I have to say I will now question O'Reilly's judgement a bit more than I have in the past. Maybe I went into this book with expectations set too high, I don't know, but I can say, after reading it, that I did not care for this book. The book was not very realistic and rambled in certain areas. For example, in one area it goes on and on about exploring a cave, which did not have that much to do with the story. The ending left a lot of questions and was unbelievable, in my opinion. I don't want to get into everything, so I will just say that book was not that good. It was not terrible, but just not very good. Quite overrated from the way I see it.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating "Thriller" is Pure Poetry
Review: Nicholai Hel, the illegitimate son of a Russian countess, was born in Shanghai where he became the ward of a philosophical Japanese general. He grew to manhood as the student of a legendary master of Go, the Japanese board game that takes chess to a spiritual level.

With such a bizarre background, is it any wonder that Hel became the world's most accomplished assassin, the killer of dozens of targets? Now, however, Nicholai has retired to his grand chateau in the Pyrenees, content to live the rest of his life among the Basque with his Eurasian concubine.

Of course, we know, as seasoned readers, that there's no way Hel is going to be allowed to rest in peace. The Mother Company -- the super-secret cartel that actually controls the world's governments -- is determined to make use of Hel, one way or another.

If this description of "Shibumi" sounds different from your average thriller, that's because Trevanian is not your average thriller writer. In many ways this book is more reminiscent of the works of James Clavell than Robert Ludlum. There's certainly a healthy component of action and suspense in "Shibumi," particularly when Hel goes on spelunking adventures in forbidding mountain caves. What's more notable, though, is the history and poetry that the author brings to his story. He has obvious regard for and knowledge of the peoples and places that he describes in such lush detail.

I only wish Trevanian wrote more books. I recommend them all to you.