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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
It has taken me about a year to get around to reading the second book in James Clavell’s Asian Saga, being hugely impressed with Shogun I was very much looking forward to reading Taipan and the rest, but like everyone my reading piles have grown out of control and it was lost amongst the shuffle. This month I decided to read something long for a change to the shorter books I have been reading and it was about time to return to Asia.
Needless to say I absolutely loved it, it was everything Shogun was and more. I preferred the characters in this book and the plot. It was hugely entertaining and a lot of fun and suspense seeing the machinations of Struan against the likes of Brock and Gorth and how the Taipan ran his ship and Noble House. Just like in Shogun there was the love story to contend with, a not so forbidden love story but one that would be frowned upon in England at the time.
I found this to be a tighter and easier read than Shogun, a lot of smiles to be had at the Pidgin English in the book. The end was surprising and bittersweet, especially the very last words of Culum, though he is the son of Dirk Struan after all.
I am looking forward to reading Gaijin as it looks to be more or less a direct sequel to Taipan, it will be very interesting to see the future fortunes of the Noble House. Hopefully it wont take me as long to get around to it as it did Taipan.
Needless to say I absolutely loved it, it was everything Shogun was and more. I preferred the characters in this book and the plot. It was hugely entertaining and a lot of fun and suspense seeing the machinations of Struan against the likes of Brock and Gorth and how the Taipan ran his ship and Noble House. Just like in Shogun there was the love story to contend with, a not so forbidden love story but one that would be frowned upon in England at the time.
I found this to be a tighter and easier read than Shogun, a lot of smiles to be had at the Pidgin English in the book. The end was surprising and bittersweet, especially the very last words of Culum, though he is the son of Dirk Struan after all.
I am looking forward to reading Gaijin as it looks to be more or less a direct sequel to Taipan, it will be very interesting to see the future fortunes of the Noble House. Hopefully it wont take me as long to get around to it as it did Taipan.
adventurous
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I found Tai-Pan to be quite similar to Shogun in a lot of ways, though they were distinct stories, but after reading both I have to say I think Tai-Pan did it better!
This book takes us to Hong Kong, where Dirk Struan, a Scottish trader, is the Tai-Pan. Dirk bore a lot of similaires to Blackthorne (the main character in Shogun), they both are impossibly clever and seem to always make the right move, which does get tedious, but I found him a bit more complex than Blackthorne so he has the leg up there.
I think the thing that got me so invested in this book were all the various side characters, and their web of relationships and motives. I think I both liked and disliked almost every character (to varied extents) for some reason or another, which I really enjoy while reading because it feels more real and keeps you engaged as you never fully know who you’re rooting as situations play out.
The ending filled me with mixed emotions, it felt inevitable, was disappointing but also promising. It left a lot unfinished, and I’m torn as to whether it’s better unfinished (which is also how Shogun ended, though most of the story was more wrapped up), or if the story will actually go on in the next book.
The books in this series are long and dense, definitely taking me much longer than usual to get through , but honestly are very worth the read, and I’m eager to pick up the next book!
This book takes us to Hong Kong, where Dirk Struan, a Scottish trader, is the Tai-Pan. Dirk bore a lot of similaires to Blackthorne (the main character in Shogun), they both are impossibly clever and seem to always make the right move, which does get tedious, but I found him a bit more complex than Blackthorne so he has the leg up there.
I think the thing that got me so invested in this book were all the various side characters, and their web of relationships and motives. I think I both liked and disliked almost every character (to varied extents) for some reason or another, which I really enjoy while reading because it feels more real and keeps you engaged as you never fully know who you’re rooting as situations play out.
The ending filled me with mixed emotions, it felt inevitable, was disappointing but also promising. It left a lot unfinished, and I’m torn as to whether it’s better unfinished (which is also how Shogun ended, though most of the story was more wrapped up), or if the story will actually go on in the next book.
The books in this series are long and dense, definitely taking me much longer than usual to get through , but honestly are very worth the read, and I’m eager to pick up the next book!
adventurous
challenging
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a well told, if a bit meandering, story of the beginning of Hong Kong (and, relatedly, the end of Macau). I mistakenly assumed that this book would be similar to a Michener or a Rutherford, extending several generations, but the entirety of the book takes place across a single year, 1840 to 1841. The main thrust of the story was decidedly a "clash of cultures" storyline, as Western nobles and rogues meet their Eastern counterparts, and are haltingly able to make themselves understood to the other. There is a significant amount of racism in this book, but more of a kind of the 1840s (where the book takes place) rather than from the 1960s (when the book was written).
My main criticism with this book is that it about twice as long as it needs to be, as there are so many threads that just seem to float, unresolved, or just happenstance resolve themselves. The entire book doesn't resolve via a deus ex machina, so it is still a complete book. I just think there is a lot of extra weight that, while it adds flavor and realism, it tends to add a lot of noise to the main plot. I admit that I am surprised to find that this is the shortest of Clavell's books, but I do look forward to reading his others in the future.
My main criticism with this book is that it about twice as long as it needs to be, as there are so many threads that just seem to float, unresolved, or just happenstance resolve themselves. The entire book doesn't resolve via a deus ex machina, so it is still a complete book. I just think there is a lot of extra weight that, while it adds flavor and realism, it tends to add a lot of noise to the main plot. I admit that I am surprised to find that this is the shortest of Clavell's books, but I do look forward to reading his others in the future.
When I first started this book, I was unsure. I almost put it down, but plugged on. Very glad I did. It was up there as being one of the best books I have read. It was difficult to put down and had me thinking all the time. You won't be disappointed. Just give it enough time for the characters to develop.