“Only by living at the edge of death can you understand the indescribable joy of life.”After Englishman John Blackthorne is lost at sea, he awakens in a place few Europeans know of and even fewer have seen—Nippon. Thrust into the closed society that is late sixteenth-century Japan, a land where the line between life and death is razor-thin, Blackthorne must negotiate not only a foreign people, … people, with unknown customs and language, but also his own definitions of morality, truth, and freedom. As internal political strife and a clash of cultures lead to seemingly inevitable conflict, Blackthorne’s loyalty and strength of character are tested by both passion and loss, and he is torn between two worlds that will each be forever changed.
Powerful and engrossing, capturing both the rich pageantry and stark realities of life in feudal Japan, Shōgun is a critically acclaimed powerhouse of a book. Heart-stopping, edge-of-your-seat action melds seamlessly with intricate historical detail and raw human emotion. Endlessly compelling, this sweeping saga captivated the world to become not only one of the bestselling novels of all time but also one of the highest-rated television miniseries, as well as inspiring a nationwide surge of interest in the culture of Japan. Shakespearean in both scope and depth, Shōgun is, as the New York Times put it, “…not only something you read—you live it.” Provocative, absorbing, and endlessly fascinating, there is only one: Shōgun.
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So memorable
This novel is a masterpiece, and easily one of the best books I have ever read (along with Clavell’s Tai-Pan) James Clavell’s writing style is nothing short of masterful, and his characters and stories stick with you for years. I highly recommend this book.
An old favorite, and formative. Culture clash, forbidden love, language, politics, war, everything. This is a titanic book, and well-deserving of its status as a classic.
I’ve never been afraid of long books. I think I’m drawn to them. Shogun is certainly long at 1,153 pages. Thank goodness for ebooks. I just can’t hold a book this size for a prolonged reading session. Shogun was so masterfully written that I feel transported to 17th Century feudal Japan. James Clavell has an amazing talent of pulling the reader …
This is one of the books that I reread every couple of years. Each time, I read with a special focus on a different character, and each time I get a whole new level of depth on the story. Even minor characters have importance to this story if you read deeply enough. Though it’s a work of fiction, the historical background and cultural detail …
There is no way that a 1000+ page book should be so compulsively readable. The first time I read this one, I was hooked from the first line: “The gale tore at him and he felt its bite deep within and he knew that if they did not make landfall in three days they would all be dead.” I sat there and read 300 pages in one sitting and finished this …
It was wonderful hearing how the Japanese viewed the English, Spanish & Portuguese that were the first Europeans to visit that nation. And the Europeans viewed the Japanese in the same light (as barbariens) as they were viewed. The conflicts are inherent with clash of religious ideas extends through the Catholic priests, Jesuits and Buddhists …
I have read Shogun several times. It is one of my favorite novels. It is a very realistic depiction of what could have happened during the birth of the Tokugawa (Toranaga in the novel) Shogunate which ruled Japan for many generations. The characters are complex and well rounded, the plot lines are interesting and convoluted, the action is exciting …
Of course Shogun came out a long time ago but everyone was mesmerized by it and hated for it to end. My friend’s brother said, “where can I sign up to be Japanese”? One of my all-time favorite books. I strongly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t read it. It’s historical fiction at its finest. If only we held to that standard today .
READ READ READ! For those who love a good long novel…this has history, culture, great characters and plot drama…AND a bit more. If you fall in love with this book, Clavell’s other stories set in Asia all have little kernels that end up being tied together in Noble House. I love the 3 Musketeers scale of sweeping adventure and the intimate …
If you just want to get totally lost in a great, exciting page-turner of ancient history, this is for you. How fast can you get it?
I read this book years ago, but it is one that can be read today with interest in a culture far removed from the western world.
Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and Shogun is one of my favorite reads. This is an incredibly complex, rich read. I lived in Japan for three years, and found that Clavell’s descriptions of ancient Japanese culture were quite accurate and well researched. This is definitely not a book to pick up and read over the weekend, but if you have …
Totally immersive. My favorite Clavell novel.
An epic historical novel of power, colliding cultures, and love.
A masterpiece of historical fiction by a man, who imprisoned by the Japanese in WWII, went on to delve into their history and culture, bridging the differences, all while offering his readers an adventure tale on par with those of Sir Walter Scott, James Fenimore Cooper & Victor Hugo. I’ve read and reread this work. One of the most satisfying …
Fascinating, scintillating, consuming.
I reread this book after many years. I am so glad I did. I remembered not to get hung up in some of the details. I read for the wonderful devious plot and the beautifully drawn characters. What a pleasure!
I loved this book.
I’ve loved this book since I read it in the 1980s, when it fueled a still-active interest in Japanese culture & history. I periodically re-read my old, battered copy just because my “old friends” are still there, living their fascinating lives. It’s really quite like the actual history of that time, though most of the names have changed “to …