King Rat, Tai-Pan, Shogun

by James Clavell

King Rat, Tai-Pan, Shogun (Boxed Set) Paperback – Box set, January 1, 1980 by James Clavell (Author)

Genres: Historical, Fiction

1000 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

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

[Sally Bushnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books really taught another culture starting in the 1600's. They were fastinating cruel and strange. The TV seies was the PITS!!! which really let these wonderful stories down. When I finished Shogun I felt I'd lost a friend. I read them 20 years ago but have never forgotten the impact they had on me.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always fascinating to learn how people lived in the past. Especially other cultures. The Japanese and Chinese were fascinating. We called them uncivilized when they were so advanced. Brutality, honor, duty, respect, some passion thrown in. I have read these books 3 and 4 times. It is so great how a simple tea ceremony with seemingly innocent conversation is really about an assassination.

[Jennifer]

Shogun is one of my all-time favorite books. I really enjoyed King Rat, too, and will never forget the book's intense scenes (gotta say dysentery would be miserable!). Tai Pai was good, but didn't hit me like Shogun.

[James Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clavell will teach you about Hong Kong and Southeast Asian cultures. When you are finished, you have a grasp on how things work there. The stories are captivating and great reads. I read them while jumping between Malaysia and Hong Kong for a year.

[Barry Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave this book a chance. Read 20 per cent but cannot go on. Not worth the drudgery of the writing. Is probably a great story but…. I think this is the first book I ever gave up on. Maybe one day I’ll get back to it? Will not try the next two novels at this point.

[Wendy Sweney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic writer. I have reread Tia Pan until the copy is ragged.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly Amazing. This was an eye-opening and saturating series. Shogun and Tai-Pan were clearly my favorites. The visual imagery in King Rat can be gruesome at times however the entire series is definitely worth the experience. Read all 5 books.

[Eva Sterner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is for Taipan only. Shogun is rated elsewhere, and I have not read King Rat in over 29 years. Taipan is excellent. Unfortunately, Clavell did not know how to end the book, and sort if Blazing Saddled it.

[Jim Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fanatastic! You are there with the characters living each day, learning to speak Japanese and Chinese by the end of the book.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shogun definitely deserves 5 stars. I didn't really enjoy taipan. I thought it was too drawn out. King rat is a good light read

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Especially liked Tai Pan having lived in Hong Kong.

[Kay Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un-put-downable!

[Bello Ahmed]

dealing with people and business politiking.