| skinkmasterreturns | 14 Jun 2009 5:08 a.m. PST |
Of course,I have heard of "Shogun",and seen the TV movie,which I really liked. However,I decided to give his books a try,and have started "Tai-Pan". Wow,its a great book,and looking at Amazon,I have a few more to come. Any thoughts? |
 John the OFM  | 14 Jun 2009 6:39 a.m. PST |
I read most of his novels a long time ago, and enjoyed them all. The book "Shogun" is even better than the movie. I hope you saw the long uncut vrsion. |
 Gungnir | 14 Jun 2009 7:28 a.m. PST |
Read all his books, love them. Shogun was a great television series, got it on DVD now. |
| Daffy Doug | 14 Jun 2009 7:32 a.m. PST |
I read Shogun and King Rat, back in the day, and found both interesting enough to get through them easily enough. But I don't remember much, so perhaps the bulk was forgettable. I am mixing up a book that I think was called "Manchu", but that title isn't turning up anything: and I thot it was a Clavell novel, but it isn't. Ring any bells?… |
| GoodBye | 14 Jun 2009 7:41 a.m. PST |
I've read Shogun, Tai-Pai and King Rat all during my days in the Submarine force. They are all great reads. D~ |
| Sue Kes | 14 Jun 2009 9:53 a.m. PST |
All greast books, he's sadlly missed. Try reading them in story order – Shogun is the first. Although the film was much better than I had expected (inspired, in places), the book has more depth and can cover a lot more of the side stories. The sheer complexity and deviousness of some of the characters takes your breath away! |
| Connard Sage | 14 Jun 2009 4:12 p.m. PST |
Try reading them in story order – Shogun is the first. Do you mean chronological order? Shogun is set in 1600 but it was written after Taipan and King Rat. King Rat was supposedly semi-autobiographical. Clavell was British and was captured in Malaya and ended up in Changi prison He also co-wrote the screenplay for The Great Escape |
| Eclectic Wave | 15 Jun 2009 7:40 a.m. PST |
Nobel House is really good, I like it better then Shogan, BUT it's 1500+ pages long, there are dozens of characters, some of which you don't read about for 400 pages and suddenly are back in the story, and the time period that Nobel House covers is only 7 days! It is a tough read. And it helps to have read Taipan first (I didn't). |
| skinkmasterreturns | 15 Jun 2009 4:13 p.m. PST |
Noble House is my next one,I just ordered through interlibrary loan. Tai-Pan is quite good so far. I've been to that part of China,so it has special meaning for me. |
| iouliared | 28 Jun 2009 3:30 p.m. PST |
One rainy Cape Cod day I started to read a copy of Tai-Pan some other renter left behind at our cottage. Great stories, now I have to find Noble House and I will have read them all. Saw the made for tv series Shogun 20 years before I every got to the book. Another great book. |
