Gai-Jin
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Review
'A passionate portrait of suffering ... a strange and gripping tale of a nation's deflowerment' (Nicholas Trelawney, Mail on Sunday )
'A grand historical perspective that makes us feel we're understanding how today's Japan came into being . . . absorbing . . . full of rich characters and complicated action' (New York Times )
'A world of intrigue, violence and betrayal, where the only certainty is that that no-one can be trusted' (Daily Telegraph )
'GAI-JIN is a major read' (Chicago Sun-Times )
'A herculean achievement . . . strong plot and strong characterisation' (Peter Guttridge, The Times )
'A grand historical perspective that makes us feel we're understanding how today's Japan came into being . . . absorbing . . . full of rich characters and complicated action' (New York Times )
'A world of intrigue, violence and betrayal, where the only certainty is that that no-one can be trusted' (Daily Telegraph )
'GAI-JIN is a major read' (Chicago Sun-Times )
'A herculean achievement . . . strong plot and strong characterisation' (Peter Guttridge, The Times )
The Times
'A herculean achievement . . . strong plot and strong characterisation'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I see that the collective verdict of this instalment of Clavell's epic saga is rather mixed. To add my own two-penneth I would offer that this is first and foremost a drama set within a highly specific historical context, and one whose main purpose is to illustrate the historical forces in operation at that highly portentous moment. The diplomatic wrangling and the internecine intrigue all take place within a framework that is conditioned by the global sweep of events. The American Civil War, British Sea Power, the Tai-Pai Rebellion on mainland China, shifting fault lines in the European balance of power, plague, famine, and above all the relentless machinations of money and business. All these factors are bought minutely to bare on the fortunes of this small and terribly exposed enclave of European adventurers, that clings to the edge of the alien and implacably hostile world of Shogunate Japan. To my mind the fact that many of the plot threads of the individual characters in the story are left unresolved only serves to highlight the fact that all these people were caught up in a web of forces vastly larger than themselves. All had severely limited choice and scope for action, given the constraints of the times, and the manners and mores imposed by their respective social systems, whether European or Asiatic. Having an interest in the historical developments that unfolded from this era I would even argue that the implicit conclusion of the tale is the Japanese naval victory against the Russian fleet at Tsushima in 1905, which marked the decisive arrival of Japan upon the world stage. Or even the vast misery inflicted by the Japanese adventures first in Korea and then in China and Manchuria that culminated in atomic devastation, and the ultimate defeat of the whole samurai worldview that is elaborated so engagingly in this and its sister novel, Shogun. Indeed, this is history at its most entertaining.
The writing style of Gai-Jin is not great, for which I would consider knocking off a star. I don't remember the writing for Shogun grating quite so often. But it is almost as if there is so much pressure to get the complexities of the plot, and the even greater complexities of the historical background, out onto the page that the quality of writing is reduced to a secondary priority. Considering the density of historical detail that has gone into the creation of this huge, bulging tapestry, I cannot do anything but give it an admiring five stars.
The writing style of Gai-Jin is not great, for which I would consider knocking off a star. I don't remember the writing for Shogun grating quite so often. But it is almost as if there is so much pressure to get the complexities of the plot, and the even greater complexities of the historical background, out onto the page that the quality of writing is reduced to a secondary priority. Considering the density of historical detail that has gone into the creation of this huge, bulging tapestry, I cannot do anything but give it an admiring five stars.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
After the fabulous and hard hitting Tai-Pan comes Gai-Jin. The saga of the Noble House of Struan continues with the grandson of the mighty Tai-Pan. Set in Japan this novel is full of Politics, Sex and Violence, with a full cast of really believable characters. The story is well written and takes all points of view in this tale. The book is easy to get lost in and makes you hungry for more of the same. After reading this book once you will be sure to read it a second time and still be amazed at the twists and turns of the plot. More of the same is needed!
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I recently came back to reading Gai-Jin after giving it up a few years ago as it was slow to get started. This time around I have definitely not been disappointed and my perserverence has been rewarded with a thoroughly engrossing read, filling me with knowledge and experiences of not only 19th century Japan, but also of Europe and imperial politics.
Don't read this book until you've read some other Clavell books, especially Tai-Pan and Shogun. Once you've read them definitely buy this one! They will give you some of the background and persuade you to carry on through some of the more pedestrian passages.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
James Clacell --- Gai-Jin
James Clavell - A brilliant author (very sadly now deceased - so no more books from this source) who writes fascinating and enjoyable novels. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Peter Western Gate
Another Clavell Asian epic - good but not great
I came to Gai Jin having read James Clavell's outstanding Shogun a while ago. Comparing Gai Jin against that sets the bar exceptionally high but the comparison is inevitable as... Read more
Published 8 months ago by David Herdson
A work of two parts
This starts like an extraordinary book, and stays so until about two thirds. Then the prose becomes incredibly annoying, imprecise, repetitive; the characters become... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Patrick 2N
Another Asian Epic
This was the first of James Clavell's books that I read, and, in hindsight, I should have started with Shogun or Tai-Pan. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Howard Wright
Gai-jin
Book arrived in excellent condition and delivery was in good time.
Have not had time to read book yet, hopefully in next two months
Gerald
Have not had time to read book yet, hopefully in next two months
Gerald
Published on 28 April 2010 by G. E. Chambers
Clavell's quality still there but this is a rambling, overlong affair
I've been reading this for months and I've finally given up about two thirds in.
Gai-Jin (meaning 'outside person', or 'foreigner' in Japanese) is based on an actual... Read more
Gai-Jin (meaning 'outside person', or 'foreigner' in Japanese) is based on an actual... Read more
Published on 16 Aug 2008 by Greshon
I didn't want it to end
I have just finished this book and wanted to see what other people had thought about it.
i was completely enthralled with all of the characters in this novel, the story lines,... Read more
i was completely enthralled with all of the characters in this novel, the story lines,... Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2007 by Simone Meek
Top notch
A fantastic and latently erotic novel with superb characterisation and a multitude of sub-plots. Rather than the narrative being "slow" at times, I found the plot to be... Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2002 by petelegowski@hotmail.com
Not up to his usual standard
I am a great Clavell fan, but this book was a let down. Buy Tai-Pan and then Noble House they are great novels. Read more
Published on 5 Aug 2001
Great Book
Maybe not as good as Whirlwind and Shogun, but still very good...my only fault would be that the story was terminated too early...I could have read on for ages!
Published on 5 May 2001
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