I’ve discovered about shogun recently when the new film trailer dropped, I instantly was interested as I’m hooked on Japanese culture and learning actively Japanese.
The book was a fire, intense, stressful to read, dramatic and tragic but also partially satisfying with a dry aftertaste.
It’s so strange that I didn’t know that there was a book based on William Adam’s life although a lot of fiction in shogun still it highlights a lot William’s life, what I found satisfying is that in reality William Aka Anjin-san didn’t loose his lover as ( spoiler alert) he did loose Mariko in the book, that was a shocking twist, and the twist of toronaga who had burnt Erasmus in order to keep the barbarian in Japan, I’ve rarely cried over a book, but I’ve been crying for quite a long time on this boon.
Now I’m filled with sadness as such a wonderful book came to it’s end.
by EmotionalPatience540
3 Comments
You should carry on then with the rest of Clavell’s Asian Saga. “Tai-Pan” next, then “Gai-Jin”, “King Rat”, “Noble House” & finally “Whirlwind”. It is heck of a story.
I do feel you give away a bit too much in your description. (Toronaga bit). It is basically the major twist/revelation of the whole book.
That being said, Shogun is probably the book that I’ve re-read the most. I’m probably at 4-5 readings by now. I read it every couple of years.
There was the excellent mini-series in the 80’s with Richard Chamberlain. Check it out if you dig the story.
James Clavell’s Tai-Pan is also very good.
“Lose” not “loose” my guy ❤️.
Shogun is definitely one of my favorite novels.