So I just finished Shogun [WARNING:SPOILERS]

[Woosta]

So I just finished reading Shogun and I was kinda let down at the end... this whole book was from the point of the Anjin-san as he tried to get out of Japan and the first thousand pages were leading up to the big battle between Ishido's forces and Toronaga's... and while there were a few small battles I expected at least 10+ pages for the big battle. Another letdown was that there was no takeover of the Black Ship. I know the book is titled Shogun but I think that would've been good to include, now I'm forced to imagine what happened afterwards.

Toronaga was insanely smart though for doing what he did to Anjin-san, though I kinda hate him and I don't - I respect his knowledge and wisdom but he spoke about the Anjin-san like he owned him, controlled him, then said he was going to be his only real friend.

The death of Mariko was sad but I guess it had to happen in order for Toronaga to regain some balance. I enjoyed the interactions between Mariko and Blackthorne.

So, next up on my to read list is ( and I have purchased them):

Don Quixote
Anna Karenina
Les Miserables
War and Peace
Picture of Dorian Gray
The Brothers Karamazov

Which should I read next?

 

[BoomerD]

Les Miserables...good story, well written. MUCH better than the crappy movie they made from it.

I read Shogun over 20 years ago (I think) so much of the detail is lost in the fog of time, but it was perhaps my favorite Clavell novel.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Another letdown was that there was no takeover of the Black Ship. I know the book is titled Shogun but I think that would've been good to include, now I'm forced to imagine what happened afterwards.

Toronaga used 1 ninja to burn it down, and said he would do it again later. He planned to keep Anjin-san in Japan for the rest of his life, as a source of knowledge of the West.

Good book, the miniseries was a good adaptation as well.

King Rat, Tai-pan, and Whirlwind are also all worth reading though Shogun is his best book.

 

[Woosta]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Another letdown was that there was no takeover of the Black Ship. I know the book is titled Shogun but I think that would've been good to include, now I'm forced to imagine what happened afterwards.

Toronaga used 1 ninja to burn it down, and said he would do it again later. He planned to keep Anjin-san in Japan for the rest of his life, as a source of knowledge of the West.

Good book, the miniseries was a good adaptation as well.

King Rat, Tai-pan, and Whirlwind are also all worth reading though Shogun is his best book.

Yeah I know about that part, but what if say Blackthorne found out that Toronaga was behind the plans before they were at a level where it didn't matter anymore? Toronaga stated that he indeed would tell him one day... what if the guards on the ship defended against whatever Toronaga thought of, whether Omi-san betrayed Toronaga and the interaction between Blackthorne and the rest of the daimyos, ahh so much more I want to know.

 

[Howard]

I was pretty sad when Mariko had to die.

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to predicted that Toranaga wanted to become shogun.