“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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Great series, oldies but good!
Read it long ago.
Great book!! It may be long – but it is well worth reading!
i saw the movie on TV and decided to get the book-at a great price-to read. do they match? i have not read the book, so the rating is based on the movie. if you haven’t seen the movie, READ the book. you will be glad you did. i decided i have enough to read at this time, i’ll read later, if i ever do. the movie and the author are worth reading the …
James Clavell’s Shogun takes place in Japan and it is marvelous historical fiction.
Fascinating novel about Japan
A tad hard to get through but a great historical novel. If you love adventure and history, this book is for you! (I am partial to Japanese authors as I am 1/2 Japanese and love to explore my culture), but this book is fascinating for everyone who loves adventure and history
I had trouble keeping the character’s names straight, but it was still an interesting read. I read it a few years ago.
Read multiple times, saw the movie several times. Do I need to say more?
Tremendous story filled with historical references, incredible characters.
One of the best books I’ve ever read. I highly recommend it. It immerses you in the ancient Japanese culture, and introduces you to characters you will really care about.
This entire series was amazing. Read them all twice. You learn so much about the culture in addition to being entertained. Don’t think that the movies are better than the books… they are not!
Extremely well written; hard to put down. Fascinating account of the early years in Japanese history.
One of the best historical fiction novels of all time, Shogun takes you into feudal Japan and makes the place as real as your neighborhood, but quite a bit more thrilling. A mammoth of a novel, but one which can be read in a few sittings — it is just that engaging. I’m getting the urge to re-read it right now.
Some people love James Clavell’s work and others hate it. I love James Clavell’s work.
I read this book long ago when it first came out and loved it. It’s one of my favorites. It’s such a different time period, different country, different values and way of life. It was so interesting learning about that culture in that time period and how a “white” guy learns how to fit in and end up loving it there. Highly recommended.
Best of the best
A must read. Greatbook.
One of the best books I’ve ever read. I like reading about other cultures. I grew up in a diverse neighborhood and was always curious about other kids and their families and life styles. Also I felt the characters were believeable.
Gives insight into the Japanese class structure & values of feudal Japan. It’s a long read but well worth it.