Take a photo of a barcode or cover
King Rat is a very different entry from the previous three entries, and based on what I can tell of book 5, it's different from that as well. This entry does not hew too closely to the legacy of Anjin (from book 1) and the Noble House (books 2-3, and at least 5). While this book does have a central character that's a descendent of a previous character from a different book, that connection is the only thing (as best as I can tell) that ties King Rat to the other entries.
But what prevented me from loving King Rat is not what actually occurred in this book, but part of a larger disturbing trend I have noticed with James Clavell's depiction of Asian females. In short, I think Clavell had an Asian girl fetish. By now, I have noticed that almost every single Asian females in his books are often depicted as promiscuous; sexually incapable of fending themselves from the white protagonists in his books; emotionally immature; and lacks self control.
When Mariko succumbed to Anjin in Shogun, I didn't think much of it... two people spending a lot of time together, two main protagonists to drive the plot, it seems inevitable. Plus, I have felt that the setting of the book (feudal Japan) was both too far in space and time for me to notice anything out of the ordinary.
In Tai-Pan, Clavell's depiction of May May was one of emotionally immature, sexually uncontrollable, unrefined, sorely lacking of class and grace. Even then, I still felt that her character was too far in time from me to really make an accurate assessment of her as a character.
In Gai-Jin, Angelique stood in stark contrast to the other Japanese females depicted. She was a victim (at the hand of a Japanese male!) that overcame her circumstances and came to dominate the European men around her. Tess Straun overcame incredible odds in a male-dominated society and essentially ruled the Noble House in the face of her son incessant claims of being the tai-pan. Compared to the Japanese females, the European females were heads and shoulders more impressive. Almost every Japanese females in Gai-Jin were courtesans or consorts. Even the lone Japanese female samurai was at times emotionally and mentally immature.
In King Rat, there were fewer Asian females, seeing the story is set in a POW camp in Singapore during WW2. But again, here, the Asian females were pretty much all incapable of fending off the white protagonists, many explicitly going against their own family and fathers just so they can lay with the white protagonists. This being set in Singapore, I can definitely say that this kind of behavior is far far out of what is acceptable norm in that society. The way James Clavell wrote it, it smacks of white paternalism and Asian girl fetish. And it is disgusting to say the least. It gives off the image of a Caucasian guy fawning over how submissive an Asian girl can be.
At this point, I am committed to finishing out the series. I am nothing if not interested in seeing how the Noble House turns out in this series. But more than that, I am eager to see if James Clavell's depiction of Asian females will be more balanced. If anyone is looking to start this series, at this point I cannot in good faith recommend it. But if you've invested in this as much as I have, I think it's a series worth finishing out.
But what prevented me from loving King Rat is not what actually occurred in this book, but part of a larger disturbing trend I have noticed with James Clavell's depiction of Asian females. In short, I think Clavell had an Asian girl fetish. By now, I have noticed that almost every single Asian females in his books are often depicted as promiscuous; sexually incapable of fending themselves from the white protagonists in his books; emotionally immature; and lacks self control.
When Mariko succumbed to Anjin in Shogun, I didn't think much of it... two people spending a lot of time together, two main protagonists to drive the plot, it seems inevitable. Plus, I have felt that the setting of the book (feudal Japan) was both too far in space and time for me to notice anything out of the ordinary.
In Tai-Pan, Clavell's depiction of May May was one of emotionally immature, sexually uncontrollable, unrefined, sorely lacking of class and grace. Even then, I still felt that her character was too far in time from me to really make an accurate assessment of her as a character.
In Gai-Jin, Angelique stood in stark contrast to the other Japanese females depicted. She was a victim (at the hand of a Japanese male!) that overcame her circumstances and came to dominate the European men around her. Tess Straun overcame incredible odds in a male-dominated society and essentially ruled the Noble House in the face of her son incessant claims of being the tai-pan. Compared to the Japanese females, the European females were heads and shoulders more impressive. Almost every Japanese females in Gai-Jin were courtesans or consorts. Even the lone Japanese female samurai was at times emotionally and mentally immature.
In King Rat, there were fewer Asian females, seeing the story is set in a POW camp in Singapore during WW2. But again, here, the Asian females were pretty much all incapable of fending off the white protagonists, many explicitly going against their own family and fathers just so they can lay with the white protagonists. This being set in Singapore, I can definitely say that this kind of behavior is far far out of what is acceptable norm in that society. The way James Clavell wrote it, it smacks of white paternalism and Asian girl fetish. And it is disgusting to say the least. It gives off the image of a Caucasian guy fawning over how submissive an Asian girl can be.
At this point, I am committed to finishing out the series. I am nothing if not interested in seeing how the Noble House turns out in this series. But more than that, I am eager to see if James Clavell's depiction of Asian females will be more balanced. If anyone is looking to start this series, at this point I cannot in good faith recommend it. But if you've invested in this as much as I have, I think it's a series worth finishing out.