Shogun by James Clavell Book Review & Reaction | a Perfect Use of Stranger in a Strange Land 

FYI, Humble Bundle currently selling the entire Asian saga audiobook set for $18, or the first 4 for $10.

This is the book that got me into reading, i glad you got to enjoy it and review it

Rocking review, and man that opening, OUTSTANDING graphics and narration, Mike-sama.

I'm currently reading Musashi, I think you would enjoy it (also a Japanese historical epic)

Shogun is certainly in my top 10 books of all time. Have yet to see the tv series but I will binge it shortly.

Now you’ve checked Shogun, Lonesome Dove, and Pillars of the Earth off your TBR list, what is your next big read?

Awesome review! You got me to pick it up recently and I’ve been LOVING IT!! I’m a little ways into Part 2, and I’m just loving all the different POVs and how thrumming with life it all is.

Mike, 🎉 your voiced 🎙 intros are exceptional and captivating, man! 📖 📚 ⛩️🌅

A top 10 of all time for me for sure! I'm glad that we agree that the readers looking for the big battle of Sekigahara didn't actually understand what the book was all about. Its absence was perfect, and I absolutely loved the ending of this book without it. I haven't finished the Hulu series yet, but I hope they capture the essence of the last scene with Blackthorne and Torunaga, which really sticks in my head.

I just finished the audiobook Saturday morning. What a great journey. Loved every minute of it. Now to enjoy the show

So glad you loved it. Top 5 book for me. And the reading excerpt was chef's kiss...

I just finished the book. And I am sad it’s over. What an incredible story. I wanted to finish the book before starting the show. Can’t wait to start!

Read Shogun 3 times. Great historical epic. Great writing.and great story. Some of his other books are good too. Best wishes.

Mike, I love your statement about historical fiction, thanks for clarifying that. I totally think the same. Lot of people criticise, claim that the book is far from historical accuracy. I think a goal of a good historical fiction is that should inspire you to seek what really happened in that time, even if you alter the reality for concept of the story. From that point of view, the author did a good job. You should try the Tai Pain as well (reimagination of the foundation of Hong Kong). I am sure you would love it.

Really good work with the intro Mike!

If I can get through enough of my reading schedule, I will be sneaking Shogun in for April! Then I will watch the series ASAP! Cannot wait to dive in. Will

A very impressive, insightful review. I remember loving the book as a young man. "Stranger in a Strange Land" indeed.

Really loved the book, so glad you highlighted it! Actually thought the ending was great, maybe because I was aware we wouldn't see the battle, but it really didn't feel like that sort of book anyhow. Thought the revelations at the end were incredibly satisfying

I just finished rereading Shogun after 20 plus years because of you and enjoyed it as much as when i was in my 20s. Now i'll wait for you to pick up Tai Pan and Noble House that by the way i liked them even more. Take care.

This book was so great! I loved lonesome dove too. I read Congo right after Shogun and definitely felt jolted by how fast paced Congo was in comparison!! I loved the slow character development in Shogun and definitely felt the wa! lol

So glad you enjoyed it! I read it last year and it is now a top 10 book for me. Are you going to continue the series?

I am going to start reading this book. Look forward to it!

The show is so good. I want to read the first few books ASAP because of it. I’ve heard the book differs from the show which I expect but it reminds me of GoT and the ASOIAF series. Bringing more people to the attention of the book series is always welcome.

This and Swan Song are my two favorite stories of all time. I live in Tokyo (and have lived here on and off since 2000), and watching the miniseries as a high school student in the 90s kept me motivated to study. I watched it almost every night as I studied Japanese with my Cortina language book and tapes (there were very few resources back then). I fantasized about what William Adams's life must have been like: the voyage, the wonder of reaching "the Japans," the loneliness, the homesickness . . . I put a huge map of Japan on my wall and fantasized where I would live one day. Of course, I get here and it's full of weeaboos. LOL (Not so much the case in 2000, but definitely the case today! haha). Shogun wasn't the reason I started studying Japanese (that was the movie "3 Ninjas Kick Back"--LOL), but it was the reason I stuck with it, and is probably the reason I am here today. A quote from Father Alvito comes to mind: "May God have mercy on you, for God is my judge, Pilot, I believe you'll never leave these islands" (Part 2, Chapter 44, page 318).😅😱 I read a good portion of the book back then, but I put it down when I discovered the miniseries. I have just now picked it up again, and I had totally forgotten that you get other characters' perspectives in it. Loving it. Also, I was lucky enough to come across that hardcover edition when it came out, so I was able to snag a copy. I loathe movie tie-in editions, especially when they replace the other versions. And in the case of Shogun, they split it into two parts to charge double the price; for the Kindle version, it doesn't even go into the Asia Saga collection with the other Kindle books in the series. Unfortunately, I didn't buy the Kindle version of Shogun before they changed it. 😓 Anyhow, if you are interested in the real-life Blackthorn, the book "Samurai William: The Englishman Who Opened Japan" by Giles Milton is pretty fascinating. Another excellent book is "Pars Japonica: The First Dutch Expedition to Reach the Shores of Japan . . . Brought by the English Pilot Will Adams, Hero of Shogun" by William de Lange. Another miniseries based on James Clavell's book "Noble House" with Pierce Brosnan is also great! The romance is a bit cringe in today's terms, but I love the story. The book is also on my bucket list. Sorry for the long comment . . . I got carried away. I just love Shogun so much. 😂

your intros are so fire dude

Ok, you convinced me. Now I have to read the book 😂😂. I was thinking the same, the show feels too fast paced and I feel I need to read to enjoy more and get to understand those looks on their faces.

I read this book back when it was first published and I really enjoyed it. I've been thinking of rereading it recently, and your videos the last couple months have finally pushed me into doing so! I could not find the nice edition you have, so I wound up buying the series tie in edition. The cover may not be the best but the text is still the same! Since you liked Shogun so much, have you heard of the author Eiji Yoshikawa? He's a Japanese author who writes historical fiction and several of his books have been translated into English.

I first read Shogun when the original miniseries came out. I'm planning to reread it again.

Ne or ね means hey in English if it helps. Awesome video Mike. I love your intros. Pure fire. I'm starting this in may. I hope to be finished before Christmas 😅😂

I just started part 3 Liking it so far. I hope you're right about the names because it's a struggle. Hoping it slapps as hard as Pillars of the Earth and Lonesome Dove.

I just read this book again after forty+ years. It was still totally engrossing, and I enjoyed it very much. I did get a bit tired of the constant repetition of "neh." LOL Next up, I'll re-read "Tai-pan." I remember loving this one, too.

I was intending to read this like you Mike, split it into three. It was just too good though, I powered through and read it all in one go. It was excellent. Probably in my top three books of all time.

Just picked up the book after watching the Show, I want to soak up every page, every conversation because I am so intrigued by the characters and the overall story and message. It will take me 6 months probably haha

this was already on my radar but just officially added to my Master TBR and will be getting it asap!

Been watching the tv show and it definitely makes me want to read the book!!

@mikesbookreviews Do you plan to continue on with the next book in the series? Like you, Shogun has been on my radar for years, and I keep saying that I’m going to read it one day. Perhaps soon!

Hey Mike enjoy the eclipse tomorrow 😊

Mike recommends Gone With the Wind. Read it, loved it. Mike recommends Lonesome Dove. Read it, loved it. Mike recommends Shogun. Quickly added to TBR. Mike recommends thousand-page epic. Will read it, will probably love it.😄

Where can i buy that version of the book? I live in Germany, it's one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, keep up the good work🙌

It was great. I loved the ending. I enjoyed the slow burn of it.

There are not many books better than this one, in my opinion. So glad you loved it too. Happy reading, Mike.

I did read Shogun about 25 years ago. It's great. Also (in case you like to read more of James Clavell.' King Rat is also a good read.

The real life figure from this book is actually from my hometown. My brother is going to Japan in the summer on an exchange trip funded by the council to uphold the cross cultural connection he made.

I’ve read Shogun 4 or 5 times… it is one of my favourite books. This, Taipan and King Rat are my top three of Clavell’s Asian saga

Loved this book as a young man and the new series is fantastic! Curious if you have read the companion books to Shogun, I believe they are Taipan and King Rat.

Like you, I was lucky to buy this beautiful hardcover edition when it came out. I like this book so much that I ended up deciding to learn Japanese and moving to Japan in the 90s to study. I have the other volumes in the Asian saga and want to read Gaijin next. Are you planning to read the other volumes too?

I did like the book version of shogun even though it took me a long time to finish I haven't watched the new tv adaptation yet but I'm planning to

I haven't read the book so I'm not sure how this next piece of information will reflect on it, but I wonder if clavells experience as a japanese POW altered his view of the Japanese and it's culture or maybe his experience inspired him to research how the country got to where it was in the 30's/40's.

I read this book both in 1979 and again recently to re-acquaint myself with the book after such a long time. I still loved the book but had a harder time with the love scenes as Clavell wrote them the second time around. All the Latin "I love thee" etc...I found myself rolling my eyes here and there as I don't think romance scenes were Clavell's strongest. The second part was the ending, I just don't know if Clavell decided he couldn't keep going and decided to wrap it all up with an info dump? The big battle was summed up in a few sentences, Toranaga's future was summed up in a few chapters, it was shockingly abrupt. Overall, I loved this book in 1979 and again in 2024, still a great novel. **spoiler*** I did love, after so many protestations from Toranaga that he didn't want to be Shogun, at the very end of the book, we find out, his whole life was dedicated to becoming Shogun. That his life was dedicated to moving chess pieces to get to this point...blew my mind, and snapped into place how masterful the character was written and portrayed.

1000% agree there is so much source material. Why not make that? Easy money..

Noble house is a masterpiece. Almost consider it better than Shogun though it’s different

Anyone know if they plan to reprint that black covered book? All I see is the one with the fox show cover which is bleh

I read Shogun at least 30 years ago and thought it was one of the best books I’d ever read. Could do a reread but watching the series so probably won’t. I like historical fiction for the reason you said, it has prompted me to look up a lot of things that I otherwise wouldn’t have known about.

Are there multiple books?

I love historical fiction and would say it’s my favorite genre, even though I struggle to find the next great book. Certainly Ken Follett and Short gun, for me, set the standard. Ken’s newer stuff isn’t good and don’t care for some of the political narratives. But Pillars and even the first book in Century Trilogy is great (book 2 is not good, book 3 is near garbage). And just about everything from John Jakes is wonderful.

I was going to try and read steady from start to finish but found that I needed a break after pg 750. Loving the read, but was too much in the beginning trying to hash out the Japanese names and terms. (Not too different from reading Malazan 😄)

Love the book loving the tv show to

Awesome book and awesome TV show you like anime you have to watch blue eye samurai

Nice review! I think the whole asian saga is very good but first three books are best . Some like Noble House the best, but I think you have to be into business world and cold war era spy stuff to really enjoy that. Whirlwind was a bit chore, althouhgh interesting setting. Clavell always writes great characters and politicing is top notch. Gai-Jin is the most similar to Shogun, from different time of Japan. My asian saga list: 1. Shogun. 2. Gai-Jin 3. Tai-Pan 4. Noble House 5. King Rat 6. Whirlwind.

Didn’t you already made a video or two on it? Haha

Now let’s put Tai-Pan on! You have to continue, Mike! Maybe they are not direct sequel… or are they? Only a few decades are passing later between the books and it’s always China - Japan region. The same families are in the business.

Haven't read the book but the show is next level. Shogun and 3 Body Problem are both shows I dove into without reading the book and am enjoying both a lot. Shogun 9\10, 3 Body Problem 8/10.

Looking forward to reading this one! Have heard the show is awesome!

I'm recording the show to watch at my time

Just finished Black Water and you believe Shogun is even better? I think it might be my next read.

It’s incredible that a 1,300 page book can have so few major events and yet still be riveting all the way through. I was also disappointed it wasn’t 2,000 pages.

I was wonder about that, in the latest episodes i am feeling that John is getting sided, i feel this could easily be Mariko or Toranaga story. The other thing I'm worried about is we already have 7 out 10 episodes so far and this do not look like is getting to a end, it literally seems like theres still more seasons to come... Has the Series really already cover 70% of the book? Or the Series will not align to the book's ending?

Lonesome Dove or Shogun?

The only thing holding me back from reading it is the fact that its part of a series. I shy away from series books because I prefer, one book one conclusion. There are so many amazing books to read out there I dont have time to invest in a series. Can Shogun stand alone on its own and provide a strong enough resolution at the end to satisfy reading it without reading the second?

What happened to reading toll the hounds?

James Clavell was in a Japanese prison camp. King Rat is based on his experiences there.

Well well well 1st

It's definitely in the top 3 of all time books for me. I love it. I find tv series Blackthorn a bit of a bafoon but otherwise I like it.

Second

Neither dances with wolves or last samurai are white savior stories.

The actual history is better than the show AND the book

I read it at your suggestion - thank you - over the course of a week, since it was a library book. I hope some versions include a map of feudal Japan because that would've really have helped me follow the politically intrigues better. That said, by the end, I found that I had become so feudal Japanese in outlook that I that I didn't care about the fate of the characters - life, death, its all the same. It's just karma. Enjoyable, educational, but with a not quite great, for me.