Gai-Jin

A disappointing follow-up to Shogun

It is hard to believe that the late James Clavell, author of the magnificent Shogun, was same person who wrote this pot boiler. This is a dressed up 'bodice ripper', or should I say 'nightdress ripper' which belongs on the romance shelves. Unfortunately there is no strong male character to be modeled on the cover by Fabio, but our heroine manages to have every man in the small settlement panting after her from the first chapter. The story involves a young, beautiful, penniless French fortune hunter who is sent alone to the Yokahama settlement to snair the heir to Noble House. Within a day or so she and her party are attacked by Shishi, a Japanese Al Queada trying to forment rebellion and return Japan to the closed feudal society that it once was. Next day she is raped while drugged (the torn nightdress) then she finds herself pregrnant and has to seek an abortion through an intermediary, who then has a hold on her. This is all supposed to happen in mid-Victorian days! The background is filled in with a pale imitation of the Japanese power struggle which made Shogun so gripping. This book proves that Mr. Clavell should have retired after Shogun and enjoyed his fame.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very good.

While this is not my favorite in the asian saga, it is quite good. My biggest complaint is that in an attempt to maintain some of the special characters, the book becomes less readable. (Tokaid? for example.) I would hope that the publisher would rectify this in the eBook version.

Great Book

I bought the james clavell paper back collection for a friend. He can't stop reading them. Excellent books so he says. I read alittle bit I can see what hes talking about. James Clavell is an excellent writer.

Disappointing

Characters are one dimensional. Plot is unengaging. If you want to read interesting historical fiction, try the Edward Rutherford books instead.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good, but not as good as Shogun

This was a very good book, definatly a notable Clavell novel, not as good as Shogun. I was a little dissapointed with the way it ended...and was very depressed after finishing where as from Shogun, it was sad, but at the same time, inspiring. There is a great deal of drama and was written more for the female audience.

One of Clavell's best

I thoroughly enjoyed Gai-Jin. For a book that was a necessary connect in the asian series it turned out to be a page turner from the very beginning.

Gai-Jin is one of the Best!

A story of Japan in the 1860's discribes the life of the Gai-Jin, Shogun, and Shishi in a book of 1234 pages.

Excellent!

This book is excellent. I recommend it as highly as I do Shogun and The Noble House (also by Clavell). I read this on vacation and loved every minute of the book. I recommend that you read Shogun before reading this book, as there are a few references in this book to the characters in Shogun. Great dramatic fiction! Clavell is one of the few authors who can write 1000 + pages without writing superfluously. Get the book!

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