Un hermoso acercamiento a la cultura japonesa

james clavell really enjoyed writing about cock rings eh?

tv show better

Exactly as described: “The Epic Novel of Japan,” however pretentious that may sound. Pushed along by a huge cast of well-developed characters and lots of different perspectives, each with their own intricate plots and schemes all expertly interwoven. Can drag on a bit just by its sheer size, and suffers a bit from its depiction of “great man history,” but all in all this is about as good as historical fiction gets.

** spoiler alert ** This book was exceptional. I've always been a fan of feudal Japan (and samurai, ninjas, etc) but this book shed some interesting light that I was unaware of. Some of it may be falsified, but perhaps not. I still loved every moment I spent reading the words on the pages. It was a shame what happened to Mariko-san. I thought it fascinating how far ahead the Japanese were able to plan, and the tricks and treacheries they planned. There were a lot of characters to remember, and a lot of complex political things going on, but I didn't find it troublesome to follow along. I truly wish I could have experienced the world at a time like this.

clearly one of the best books ever/ i really enjoyed it/ makes you feel a whole bunch of different feelings/ i cried/ the end was really nice/ also now i know some Japanese words yay

Took me forever to read as its long and dense, but totally worth it. Everything here is top class - the plot, the writing on feudal Japan, and one of my all time fav characters, Mariko, who will forever have my heart for being so kick ass. The novel is complex but an excellent look into Japan’s past, despite being fiction.

If you like Shogun, read Lord of the Golden Fan. It's Shogun but shorter and better. I'm dead serious. Shogun is so rambling and long that while the story itself is interesting, the narrative is difficult to endure.

So sorry I didn't like this well enough to give it more than a 3 star rating. I will not offer to commit seppuku though. Full of cliches and very polite arguing (that usually ends up with someone getting their head chopped off). There's not much food though. Some pickled vegetables and raw fish. An occasions pheasant gets to rot and stink up the town. I couldn't keep up with who was the top guy. There was lots of talk of pillowing, a little love, some dancing and singing, and one very lucky duck.

A book that inspires, that changes values. Shows a different take on handling conflicts, war tactics, deception, dignity and respect. It depicts Bushido through a westerner's eyes, bringing it closer to the outsider, the non Japanese.

Fascinating book, but did get a bit long towards the end. He managed to create a beautiful picture of ancient Japan, and the action and political intrigue was very gripping.

Good, but not as good as Tai Pan