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The success of FX’s Shōgun has introduced many people to the novel of the same name by James Clavell. And with this new attention to this novel, we decided to review the novels and see if you should read Shōgun or skip it!
Shōgun Summary
John Blackthorne and the crew of Erasmus find themselves on the shores of Japan and imprisoned by the local authorities. Few people from Europe have set foot on Japan and in the early 17th century, Blackthorne has led his starved crew to Japan but where do they go from here?
Blackthorne and his crewmates are held prisoners but Blackthorne is treated with respect by the villagers. Lord Yabu plans to use the weapons and the ship to train his own army in secret but his liege Lord Toranaga, Lord of the Kantō finds out and sends his most trusted man to seize the ship and have Blackthorne brought to Osaka.
What follows in Blackthorne getting caught in the middle of a power struggle in Japan as Toranaga and Lord Ishido fight to become the rule Japan. Ishido has the supporting of the remaining three members of the Council as Toranaga is left alone and fighting to survive.
Will Blackthorne make it back to Europe or will he and his crew be imprisoned or killed in Japan. Can Blackthorne be able to return to his ship? Will Blackthorne be able to oppose the Protestants that are already in Japan and claim Japan for Great Britain? Or will Blackthorne be stuck in Japan for the remainder of his life?
Background Information
The novel by Clavell is based loosely on events that took place in the 17th century but should not be relied on historical accuracies. John Blackthorne is based on William Adams, a pilot who navigated to Japan and became an advisor and later a samurai. This is ultimately historical fiction and should be treated as such.
The novel also has some big inaccuracies such as 17th-century samurai using socket-bayonets and the addition of carrier pigeons, both which didn’t exist in Japan in the 17th century.
Commentary
The two-part novel by Clavell is a great historical fiction novel and makes you feel like you are in Japan in the 17th century. We feel just like Blackthorne, a foreigner in hostile territory who can’t understand the locals. Blackthorne is not the perfect protagonist but his character development throughout the books was one of my favorite parts of the story.
The novel is ultimately about a power struggle in Japan and Blackthorne is caught in the middle of it. Clavell does an amazing job of explaining all of the politics and why Toranaga does what he does. The payoff is worth it as everything comes together and you can see how all of the webs led to events that follow.
Shōgun TV Show
Earlier this year, Shōgun was released on FX in February and it was well received. The show ended up winning 18 Emmys and actress Anna Sawai became the first Japanese actress to win an Emmy and was followed by Hiroyuki Sanada winning the best actor award. Winning 18 Emmys is a new record and has everyone talking about Shōgun and what the future holds.
Conclusion
Shōgun might go down as one of the best TV shows of the 2020s and I am all for it. That means more people will give the novels a chance and it is an adventure unlike anything else. Clavell wrote two amazing novels that will be seeing a lot of success because of the show. Only time will tell if this series duology goes down as one of my favorites but it is one that I enjoyed a lot and was glad I gave it a chance. Happy reading!
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