Set in the turbulent days of the founding of Hong Kong in the 1840s, Tai-Pan is the story of Dirk Struan, the ruler - the Tai-Pan - of the most powerful trading company in the Far East. He is also a pirate, an opium smuggler, and a master manipulator of men. This is the story of his fight to establish himself and his dynasty as the undisputed masters of the Orient.
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'Intensely readable and exciting' (Sunday Telegraph )
'James Clavell is a teller of stories. They are complicated and exciting, and you are desperate to know what will happen to his characters because they are like the people you know from your own life and experience, set in strange and sometimes terrible circumstances' (John Simpson )
'Packed with action . . . gaudy and flamboyant with blood and sin, treachery and conspiracy, sex and murder . . . grand entertainment' (New York Times )
'James Clavell is a teller of stories. They are complicated and exciting, and you are desperate to know what will happen to his characters because they are like the people you know from your own life and experience, set in strange and sometimes terrible circumstances' (John Simpson )
'Packed with action . . . gaudy and flamboyant with blood and sin, treachery and conspiracy, sex and murder . . . grand entertainment' (New York Times )
About the Author
James Clavell, the son of a Royal Navy family, was educated in Portsmouth before, as a young artillery officer, he was captured by the Japanese at the Fall of Singapore. After the war Clavell worked in the film industry producing a number of successful films including To Sir with Love. He died in 1994.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read Shogun because of an interest in all things Japanese. Having liked Clavell's writing style so much, I decided to read more of his books. I wasn't disappointed. Tai-Pan is even better than Shogun. The characterisation is excellent and makes you love a character who is essentially a bit of a pirate. Now hooked on the fortunes of the Struan Company, I have to read the complete set.
Death and damnation to Tyler Brock and all his descendants!!!
Long live the Noble House.
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By J. Newton
Format:Paperback
Tai-Pan tells the true story of the largest trading company in Asia, and how he succeceded in making Hong Kong British.
The story itself cannot be summarised, I have never read a book with so much attention to detail. Dozens of subplots, Deadly Intrique,Manipulation,Sex,Politics,War,rivalries. Just an all round Epic which evryone must read!
The story itself cannot be summarised, I have never read a book with so much attention to detail. Dozens of subplots, Deadly Intrique,Manipulation,Sex,Politics,War,rivalries. Just an all round Epic which evryone must read!
Clavell creates rich characters which you will remember for many a year, Straun,Orlov and Quance stand out. He mixes Drama with Action, Action with Humor,etc and sub-plots which seem impossibly entwined.
You will be transported to a different world, one you will not want to leave.
One of the greatest books I have ever read, everyone should read at least once a year.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Initially when I picked up this book I expected to be slightly disappointed as I believed there was no way it could measure up to the awesome Shogun by the same author. How wrong I was! If anything this is even better and is a more rounded story featuring an ending, something which Clavell in Shogun seemed to forget to write.
Dirk Struan is a neatly nuanced hero and the wily Brock along with his betsial son Gorth make compelling brutish enemies. Tai-Pan is the kind of historical novel which does not deserve the scorn that is often poured on the genre. Quite simply, adventure storytelling at its best.
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
only bought this because I'd read Shogun and I thought well I'm gonna complete the Asian saga. As good as Shogun even if it's set in a different era ( almost 200 years later;... Read more
Published 1 month ago by charlie k
4.0 out of 5 stars
Modern Classic
I'm looking forward to finding the time to read this tomb along with Shogun it's literal content needs no review from me!!
Published 2 months ago by martin smith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Some sequels do match the first installment
James Clavell has to be one of the best authours of all time, forget Shakespeare, this guy has him licked. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Robert
5.0 out of 5 stars
tai-pan
If this is your first James Clavell read, then you are in for a treat. You will live in Japan for the duration of the novell
Published 14 months ago by johnl
5.0 out of 5 stars
A rollercoaster ride
Other reviewers have said it before me. Tai Pan is a heady mixture of larger-than-life characters, bawdiness, Machiavellian political machinations and frontier adventure with a... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Thomas JS Bishop
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth reading
Its a good book, but the start is very slow.Plus i didnt find the story as exciting as Shogun for example or Gaijin. But still a good read.
Published 23 months ago by Silvia
5.0 out of 5 stars
Even better than Shogun!
OK, so that depends on what you want from a novel, but whereas Shogun was about the evolution of a man (I understand the context within which he develops - but that is largely the... Read more
Published on 10 April 2011 by AdeG
5.0 out of 5 stars
Asian Epic of the First Order
Tai-Pan is an epic tale of the swashbuckling Dirk Struan, founder of a British trading company, Noble House. Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2010 by Howard Wright
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect condition and the book well read it years ago, is as good now...
Perfect condition and the book well read it years ago, is as good now as it was then if not better.
Published on 25 Aug 2010 by Aaron
4.0 out of 5 stars
Follow up to first book...
This book comes after the wonderful novel - 'Noble House' - so giving the reader more of the same great tales. Read more
Published on 24 July 2010 by Varalagom
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