/lit/ - Literature

I read that.

It was interesting and the prose was quite good.

>>3878732
Overly long
very contrived plot
unrealistic in that an outsider gained such access
a simple retelling of actual Japanese history would have been more interesting.

>>3879213
Why is it unrealistic considering that it is based on actual Japanese history? It is based on William Adams. The north side of Tokyo station is named after his second mate Jan Joosten. Both of them served Tokugawa Ieyasu and became samurai of high rank.

Of course, the author takes huge liberties, but nothing is that inaccurate. The only annoying thing is the black/white moralizing of who is good/bad and "tee-hee foreigner has a big dick". Otherwise it's quite a fun page turner.

The only people who call it out as "inaccurate" are people who are trying too hard and don't really know their shit to begin with. Musashi is plenty corny itself and is based on "real Japanese history" by a Japanese author.

>>3879229
To follow up, Shogun is a great light read. If you enjoyed it, I would recommend reading Taipan and then Noble House which focuses on the development of Hong Kong.

Gaijin is boring as fuck though, so I wouldn't read it unless you really end up loving Clavell.

Great stuff, one of my favorite novels.

>>3879229
F'ckin destroyed

Wanted to read this when I was 12 due to my inner weaboo, but couldn't handle it. I think I'll try again soon.

>>3878732
pretty good as far as books with raised lettering go. there were some cringey tropes though that surfaced from time to time in his development of character, plot, and some of the word choices he made. i still remember him using the idiom "like so many [x]" to describe things in the book. i also think he exoticised the culture too much.

now that i think about it, the whole book seems to be like a vicarious western conquering of japan. i don't know how to feel about this

>>3879229
>>3879232
Sorry my opinion differed from yours.
I agree that it is a light read which is why I also think that, and over 1,100 pages in the paperback, it is overly long.

>>3879232

King Rat is also really good

Actually reading it, page 380 so far. 9/10 Violent and beautiful.

>>3878732
I thought it was a pretty good book.

i preferred tai pen

>>3879379
That's fine that your opinion differed, but if your opinion hinged on it being historically inaccurate or any poorer a reflection of Japanese history than Japanese themselves write, then you'd do well to revisit it.

If you just didn't like the book, or it was too long for your tastes, more power to you.

>>3879377
Conquering of Japan? Did you read the book? Japan broke that man and made him its bitch. Granted a well fed and sexed bitch. But a bitch none the less!