I read this book in college. It was a gift from one of my friend’s who was a great fan! Well it didnt seem too interesting from the preface. What could be so different about a sailor shipwrecked lands in japan and gets adventure. But I did read and it had me glued to it till the end. James Clavel hasnt just written a great story against an exotic backdrop he has written it beautifully.
Shogun is an oriental cruise which offers rich culture, a beautiful romance, a glimpse of politics in Japan in an around the year 1598.The story is spun around a fascinating time in history when christainity was introduced in Japan through Christain missionaries and when the enchanting samurai culture still prevailed.
While reading this book I found myself totally captivated by the rich and vivid descriptions of the Japanese culture. The story begins with an English sailor John Blackthorne who is shipwrecked in Japan.
Just like blackthorne I too was thrust in a totally unfamiliar society which I began to know and appreciate. A society in the middle of a political struggle of plots and schemes. Slowly the culture as described by James Clavel got to me as it did with John and we both get totally enchanted by it. Of course John gets to play with most of the dangers, gets to be a part of samurai rituals, even gets the title Anjin San, while I simply get to read with pleasure all this happening in a book beautifully written by James Clavell.
When I started reading this book I was prepared for months of reading and trying hard to finish this book but what I got was - 3 days of continuous reading, sleepless nights, adventure, suspense, lots of action and thrill, an instense love story, lots of unattended lectures, meals in a state of trance and a climatic end!!!!
All the characters of James Clavell are intense. This book has many characters and scenes that I have never forgotten. Shogun is perhaps one of the best books by James Clavell, though Tai Pan comes quite close. Other good books by him are Nobel House, gai-jin and King Rat. You like one you’ll sure read them all! Happy reading!!