Gai-Jin Part 1 Of 3

Asian Saga: Publication Order #6, part 1 of 3

by James Clavell

Grand in scope and scale, filled with the richness and passion of two great histories coming together, Gai-jin is the long-awaited sixth novel in James Clavell's magnificent Asian Saga. Sweeping us back to the enigmatic and elusive land of his best-selling Shogun, he weaves an extraordinary tale of Japan, now newly open to gai-jin - foreigners - and teeming with contradictions as the ancient and the modern meet in a clash of cultures, of nations, of generations. It is 1862, and in Japan's Foreign Settlement of Yokohama, reverberations from an explosive act of violence will forever alter - and connect - the lives of the major characters. Malcolm Struan, at twenty, is heir to the title of tai-pan of the most powerful and bitterly contested English trading company in the Orient, the Noble House. Malcolm's fate, and that of his family's legacy, become inextricably intertwined with that of a beautiful young French woman, Angelique Richaud. Desired by many, loved purely and passionately by Malcolm, Angelique will hold the future of the Noble House in her hands. Intricately interwoven into the story of the struggle for control of the Noble House is a powerful parallel story of the Land of the Gods, Japan, a country ripped apart by greed, idealism, and terrorism as groups of young xenophobic revolutionaries, ronin, attempt to seize the Shogunate and expel the hated gai-jin from Japan. One man, Lord Toranaga Yoshi, a direct descendant of the first Toranaga Shogun, attempts not only to protect the Shogunate, but to usher it, and Japan, into the modern age. Amid the brutality and heroism, the betrayals and the stunning romance, a multilayered, complex story unfolds. Here the dark and erotic world of the pleasure houses - the Ladies of the Willow World, spies, and terrorists - meets the world of pageantry and power - monarchs and diplomats. And here East meets West in an inevitable collision of two equally powerful cultures as James Clavell creates a vibrant and authentic

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

James Clavell, born Charles Edmund Dumaresq Clavell was a British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and POW. Clavell is best known for his epic Asian Saga series of novels and their televised adaptations, along with such films as The Great Escape, The Fly and To Sir, with Love.


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James Clavell. (2007, November 10). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:16, November 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?t...

Reviews

[Josef Komensky]

Great story of several European collonists traders, soldiers,and spies who are settled in European fort/ town in eighteen something still feudal Japan.

While Europe and USA are at the top of the industrial revolution is Empire of Nippon deep in the middle ages and the country is torn by a civil war many each other fighting samurai clans. Then there is " Sonno Joi !!!" A motto that is used by Shi Shi a movement of low level samurai called Ronin Who are convinced that the white Devils must die and that putting all white Devils back into the sea will be the ultimate solution to all problems of the empire.

Then there are chines an ancient enemies of the empire of the rising sun who are only overjoyed when white or the yellow blood is spilled and who hope to be the laughing third party that will tak all.

This book is very complex full of intriges, and complex diplomatic plots but also full of bravery and true friendship.

It is also book about clash of tree different and mighty civilizations/ cultures the Wester European, The Imperial Japan and Imperial China.

There is also great description of how the terrorist things inpersonated in the members of the Sono Joo movement.

Every character has some of other skeleton in its closet. Everybody have some hidden agenda there has been for ne with exception of doctor .... and Malcolm Stewan / The Tai Pan nobody to relate to, nobody to relate with.

On the other hand could be this book be seen as a very detailed guide o Japanese Historyf history language and culture.

[Simeon Nushev]

Уь1

[Йордан Съйнов]

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