“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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Read this book so long ago but can still recall the excitement of reading the book. One of Clavell’s best.
Exciting adventure.
This is one of my all-time favorites! I loved it enough to read it more than once. I love books that let get a peek into another time or another place. This was both.
“Shogun” is a classic. I read it eons ago when it was first published and it stayed in my mind for years. The characters were so vibrant. I look forward to reading it again soon as I purchased a Kindle copy.
Have you noticed how everyone always says”the book is so much better than the movie” ? This is a wonderful illustration that proves the fact.
I loved the movie,thought it was very entertaining,but it doesn’t hold a candle to the book.Reading the book gives you all of the nuances and subplots,helping understand the world Michener created and the …
Watched the series had to read the book the book is great
This is a must read… Excellent story-telling that creates exciting characters and vivid scenes in your imagination….. All of J. Clavell books in this Shogun series, I’m my opinion, are must reads, however, if you only choose one, choose this one….. You won’t be disappointed!…..
This book is a little difficult to get hooked into but if you can get through the first 100 pages you’ll not put it down till you’re done. It is one of my all time favorite books. I recommend it to any and everyone looking for something interesting to read.
Read this in my twenties, should read it again.
This book is a classic for good reason.
Historical, informative, and throughly entertaining.
Loved this book. I’ve read it twice and have saved it with my favorite books.
An amazing story of what Japan was like in the year 1600. An astounding group of characters and cultures that are forced into each other’s lives. Very good.
Exciting adventure that reveals a world long ago and far away. Fascinating, gripping, completely engrossed in the characters and learning about feudal Japan from the perspective and an English seaman around 1600. Thrilling. Highly recommend.
A great historical adventure novel. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
I read this book 35 years ago. It’s one of my three all-time favorites.
One of my favorite all time reads. The historical fiction keeps you captivated from beginning to end
This is a sweeping novel of early Japanese culture. Very much like Michener’s novels, but much better in my opinion. A struggle for power and a look at feudasl Japan.
It is the story of a trading company pilot of the sailing ship days, shipwrecked on Japan, and inculcated into the culture of medieval Japan. It is a contrast of the cultures of Japan and Elizabethan England, but first and foremost it is an absorbing and well told story.
A fascinating story of the western European encounter with Japan.