4 ½ stars. The first 90% is fascinating. The last 5% not well done - just a summary. The ending was sad.Historical fiction based on actual leaders in 1600 Japan. I loved the thinking, planning, and strategising within the heads of many different characters. For example Yabu is alone with an injured man and thinks I could easily kill him and no one would know. Am I better off if he’s dead or alive? How will I benefit? If I do this then..., if I do that then ...When John first sees a fortress his thoughts are analyzing how defenders could defend it and how to attack it. He’s surprised at the size of the outer wall and the lack of cannon. This is a wonderful way for an author to describe something, instead of saying size, color, location.The swearing is fun. The words are of a different time.There is a lot of murder and death. For the smallest insult Samurai kill themselves or are killed. So much needless death.THREE NEGATIVES:There is a torture scene with a guy boiled alive. I wish I could forget I ever read that. I was disappointed with the lack of justice for the guy who ordered the torture. I was disappointed that when he later died, it was quick with no suffering.A couple falls in love but one of them dies toward the end. That sadness depressed me and stayed with me too long after the book.The weakest part was the ending. Throughout the book five rulers are joined against one. In the end there are changes with a final winner, but those changes and battles were not explained. I don’t know who changed and why, and how the end happened. It was too quickly told in a summary fashion, as if the author were tired of writing. I liked the political result, but it wasn’t explained. However, the first part of the book and the characters were so fascinating that it’s still one of the best books I’ve read and worthy of 5 stars.AMAZON REVIEWER Patrick Shepherd “hypepat” writes a beautiful description of what the book is about. I could not say it better. A portion of his review follows. “It is his portrait of the Japanese, his lovingly detailed characterizations of Toranaga, Mariko, Omi and their deeply intertwined interactions with the English pilot Blackthorne that defines and breathes life into this breathtakingly large and complex story of love, war, and political intrigue. These characters are not static. Each grows and changes as events unfold, most especially Blackthorne himself, growing from a totally self-centered 'barbarian' of unclean habits to a person who can appreciate the beauty, intelligence, and moral rectitude of others, who comes to care deeply for those around him, who comes to understand a philosophy of life totally different from that of his own culture.”NARRATOR - David Case:For the first hour or so I didn’t like him - his dry British voice. But later I found him excellent. I loved his emotional interpretations as John Blackthorne the main English character. I liked his voice for women. Some male narrators sound gay when doing women, not David Case. He does women well by softening his voice, not drawling the vowels. At first, some of the Japanese voices sounded strange as if he were holding his breath, but it grew on me. It was a way for variety.DATA:Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 48 hrs and 26 mins. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: 11 referred to no details. Setting: 1600 Japan. Book copyright: 1975. Genre: historical fiction.
Classic novel of western-Japanese interaction, but Clavell profoundly annoys me by falling into the Japanophile abyss. I don’t refer to the (forgivable) inaccuracies and anachronisms which are par for the course in this kind of historical fiction - e.g., language mistakes, the existence of martial arts that didn’t formally exist yet, the rewriting of major battles, etc. Others have already analyzed in painstaking detail how Shogun both adapts and botches history. No, what is more pernicious is the repetition of unfortunate cultural myths in the vein of “western civilization was barbaric and Japan was more civilized.” Just for example, the idea that contemporary westerners thought baths were unhealthy is highly exaggerated at best. Beyond outright myths, the crassness of westerners contrasted with the nobility of the Japanese is a strong theme of this book... and very romanticized when you consider the extraordinary art and literature being produced in the west, not to mention the economically-motivated warfare and meteoric rise of the merchant class in Japan around this time. To say nothing of the barbarity intrinsic to a feudal society in which the upper classes were legally permitted to slay or rape the lower classes for no reason.ANYWAY, all that ranting is more of a general anti-Japanophile reaction than a unique downfall of this particular book, which truth be told is very entertaining and at least inspired by actual events. I love stories of cultural exploration, when an author shows the perspectives of two strangers encountering the other for the first time and discovering their strengths and weaknesses. It serves as well in science fiction (think Star Trek) as it does in historical fiction, and it is in strong form here. James Clavell also creates engaging (albeit one-dimensional) characters with complex interpersonal relationships; the balance of power is one of the best subplots.One of the many reasons I limit this review to 3 stars is that it doesn’t form a complete story - the ending is a bit of a prelude to a sequel, and the book doesn’t follow a discrete arc so much as it happens to stop at a convenient point. Also, the book is far from great literature, indulging in sex and violence more than attempting to explore the human condition or any other lofty goal. Which, of course, is fine - just not deserving of the highest possible recommendation.
What do You think about Shōgun (2009)?
I have had this book for quite some time in my collection, probably over five years in fact and it wasn't until recently I picked it up, due to a good friend here on GoodReads who prized it as a favourite book. Strangely, I'd say that I have no real interest in Japan despite having read Memoirs of a Geisha and Tales of the Otori both which are set in Japan or Japanese based. I think Shogun has brought me out of the closet in that respect and I'm very interested now in reading more fiction set in Japan and perhaps also some non-fiction. I can see the appeal for many people who become obsessed with this side of the world. I thought it was a beautifully written book, though at the beginning I thought perhaps the necessary explanations of Japanese things to be a bit heavy handed at times. However it has an addictive quality - the story never stops, the characters are interesting and unpredictable. They say one thing and mean another, always plotting and planning and you can never be sure what will happen in the next few pages.The love story between Blackthorne and Mariko is one of the most beautiful, and best written love stories I have ever read. So beautiful, so true and so real that even now thinking of it, I feel personally touched.The characters are so real they live in you. It is a story that exists not within the pages but somewhere in that world between book and soul. I am so glad I read this. Edited to Say: Whenever I listen to the soundtracks of Memoirs of a Geisha or The Last Samurai I think of Shogun now, as I read it to that music. I am listening to it right now and I feel such longing to be reading this for the first time over again. It is strange how music and books and smells and other senses effect your memories.
—Fiona
So sorry, I am not worthy of the honor of reviewing this novel. If however, my Lord insists it, then I shall endeavor to offer up some humble thoughts regarding its mighty, even epic narrative. Neh? The scope is so vast, the characters and settings are so many, the head is liable to spin at times, so sorry. But the arc it follows is like a peregrine's path through the sky: long but fast and with vicious twists along what might otherwise have seemed a predictable path. I'm sure my Lord would agree that parts of the story can become quite tedious. I am not speaking of the slow-to-develop romance between Mariko and the Anjin-san nor even of the dueling political machinations of Toranaga and Ishido. No, Sire. This humble vassal speaks more to the text and how Japanese is interwoven with the barbarian words in so many places. And then how barbarian words come even to replace Japanese! Or barbarian words standing in for the words of other barbarian tongues! If you'll excuse this vassal's petulant tongue, Sire, it's enough to make one fart dust, so sorry. But these tedious affectations do blend in after a while, neh? and the narrative is quite the enjoyable one — full of so much intrigue and humor. A rousing and enjoyable tale of which I am not worthy to comment further. Please, I cannot live with this shame. Please allow me to commit seppuku at once.
—Rob
Il romanzo storico come genere non l'ho mai apprezzato granché, eppure 'Shogun' è uno dei libri più belli che abbia mai letto in vita mia.Basato su una storia vera, fornisce continui spunti per riflessioni filosofiche, teologiche e sociologiche; personaggi molto ben caratterizzati, nei quali ci si può letteralmente immergere grazie al narratore onniscente, che dà la possibilità di capire stratagemmi, motivazioni e psicologie.Un interessante confronto tra due culture diametralmente opposte che entrano in contatto in modo improvviso, per ricordare che chi è "diverso" dovrebbe suscitare curiosità, anziché odio.Gli spunti di riflessione sono davvero troppi per poter essere enumerati, il libro è lungo (900 pagine), ma talmente avvincente che i capitoli non risultano affatto pesanti. Perché, dunque, solo 4 stelle? Trovo che Clavell, ogni tanto, si dilunghi nel riportare dialoghi in larga parte superflui che spezzano un po' il ritmo della narrazione, inoltre la conclusione è decisamente troppo affrettata, per lo meno se la si raffronta alle dettagliatissime ottocentocinquanta pagine che la precedono.A chi è consigliato? A tutti, fondamentalmente, ma se siete interessati alla cultura orientale (Giapponese in particolare), alla filosofia Zen, alla Storia, o se avete semplicemente "sete di conoscenza", non potete esimervi dal dargli una chance.
—Jacopo
