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Title: Gai-Jin by James Clavell ISBN: 0-440-21680-X Publisher: Dell Pub. Date: 03 April, 1994 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.96 (56 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Gai-Jin simply has a different flavor than Tai-Pan/Shogun.
Comment: Living in the shadow of Tai-Pan's Dirk Struan or Shogun's Lord Toranaga, the characters in Gai-Jin are far less heroic than in the previous novels, which makes it a different read than perhaps what's expected. Clavell fans may be disappointed that the Europeans in the book lack Dirk's epic qualities, but the character's limitations and weaknesses add to the interest as they try to get through situations that the legendary Struan may have wrapped up with little difficulty. Similarly, the centuries between Shogun and Gai-Jin have seen Toranaga's supreme feudal state slide into a corrupt bureaucracy, and the proliferation of firearms have made the samurai class much less invincible to the West. Where Shogun's Englishman Anjin-san was educated in the "superior" ways of Japan's strength and culture, Gai-Jin's Japanese characters have to face the culture-shock of the barbarian's "superior" technology and firepower. All in all, Gai-Jin is not Shogun 2, nor is it Tai-Pan rehashed. They've already been done. It is simply a less epic novel that has more flawed characters in the volatile situation of an industrialized West meeting the ancient East.
Rating: 4
Summary: "Gai-Jin" worth the effort
Comment: Lots of negative comments are listed here regarding "Gai-Jin", which is in equal parts sequel to Clavell's "Shogun" and "Tai-Pan." Indeed, I'd strongly recommend reading both of those novels before tackling "Gai-Jin," which builds tremendously on the characters and histories established in those works. All I want to say is this: I don't read Clavell for historical accuracy, nor am I offended by his supposed racist portrayals of Asian characters. This book, like all of Clavell's others, breaths tremendous life and will suck you into its many-layered web if you give it a chance. It's intense, so funny, so wonderfully dense, lots of action and intrigue, immensely informative, and oh so insightful into the cultural war of 1860's Japan. If it's less than historically accurate, I could care less --- this is a huge novel, a great story, a wonderful read. Pick it up, treasure it, give it a chance.
Rating: 3
Summary: Okay, not great
Comment: Sometimes amusing, sometimes irritating. Too often the writing seems to be there only in order to show off mr Clavell's research that he however hasn't put in perfect use, as others have pointed out.
I have a question. Why Angelique? Why do I have to suffer trough the mewlings of the airhead? And however unearthily beautiful, do all the men of the book really have so unified taste as to drool after the self-centered bimbo?
I liked the Japanese characters much better than the gai-jin. Was rooting for the shishi all the time.
I love to read about the samurai era Japan, but next time I'll pick a Japanese author.
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Title: Tai-Pan by JAMES CLAVELL ISBN: 0440184622 Publisher: Dell Pub. Date: 01 September, 1986 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Noble House by James Clavell ISBN: 0440164842 Publisher: Dell Pub. Date: 01 October, 1984 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: King Rat by James Clavell ISBN: 0440145465 Publisher: Dell Pub. Date: 01 September, 1986 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Shogun by James Clavell ISBN: 0440178002 Publisher: Dell Pub. Date: 01 September, 1986 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Whirlwind by James Clavell ISBN: 0380703122 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: October, 1987 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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