Most Helpful Customer Reviews
132 of 140 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Modern medieval anti-hero of the establishment., October 8, 2003
When this novel was first published in 1979, the leading critics had a difficult time classifying the work. It wasn't exactly an espionage thriller or an epic, but it seemed to touch upon many genres and themes. ~Shibumi~ is a fictional biography more than anything else, for its central character, Nicholai Hel, is the tale's main concern. A minor character in the story sums up the protagonist superbly at the end of the book by calling him half saintly ascetic, half Vandal marauder - a medieval anti-hero. Nicholai Hel is your vintage 'man-against-the establishment' with a mind like a steel trap and the tastes and lifestyle of an 18th century aristocrat. His pedigree is a throw back to the German/Russian elite, where generations of breeding and culture have contributed to his unusual character. Nicholai is a man without a country, a natural mystic, philosopher, linguist, master of Go, a complex Japanese board game of high strategy, and most importantly, a self trained assassin for hire who is expert in the arts of naked/kill. More than this, he is a seeker of spiritual perfection, his ultimate goal being that hard to define state or condition known as Shibumi. Trevanian (Rodney Whitaker) is a first rate writer. His technical skill in the craft well exceeds many leading 'thriller' writers of today. When one reads about the art of naked/kill, the mystical states of Nicholai Hel, or even the machinations of the CIA and their unscrupulous methods for creating and combating terror, one gets the distinct impression that the author knows exactly what he's talking about and must have access to some kind of inside information. His writing is almost too believable. Throughout the reading, I had to continue to remind myself that this novel was written in 1979, well before the general public had any concern about terrorism. Other than the main character, this tale is about corruption in governments, who will go to any lengths to secure oil rights in the Middle East. The book is also about technology, which has aided civilization in many ways, yet has eroded our basic values. In many respects, Nicholai Hel is a modern Luddite, despising machines in all their forms, and the waste they create. Nicholai Hel is an 'everyman' character, a representation of the virtuous individual, alone and pitted against the dangerous technological and consumerist values of the herd. In the end, however, does Nicholai Hel win this battle over the modern, vulgar, techno-centred majority and finally attain 'Shibumi'? This work should be considered a classic, for it has a timelessness about it, and can be read many times, for it will continue to offer intellectual stimulation as well as pure entertainment for many years to come.
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55 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Even though it's been said before..., July 22, 2001
I had never intended to add my own review to the (mostly excellent) list of reviews already submitted regarding this masterpiece. I have read Shibumi many times over the past several years; I keep coming back to it for the beautifully crafted and evocative descriptions, the witty dialogue, and the succinct, yet poignant philosophical insights. There's not much for me to add that hasn't already been said, but I feel compelled to answer this book's critics from Oceanside and elsewhere: Query: Nicholai Hel as the stereotypic hero of the mass-market thriller novel genre? He who eschews electricity and other modern conveniences, who views his automobile as a necessary evil, and whose primary pleasures in life are meditation and continuing devotion to the improvement of a garden he knows will never be perfect? No, I don't think critics of this book are turned off by the fact that Hel is identical to every other action hero they've encountered. I suspect that the real animosity comes from the fact that Trevanian's criticisms of contemporary society hit a little too close to the mark. Let me state for the record that I am an American and readily acknowledge myself to be guilty of some of the afflictions of contemporary American society that Trevanian elucidates. But critics of this book, such as those from Oceanside, remind me of the passage early in Shibumi where Otake-san reminds young Nicholai that the modern novellist will not dare create a truly superior hero, because "in his rage of shame the (modern man) will send his yojimbo, the critic" to defend him. Regarding the precious philosophical insights and social commentary of the book, I suspect that some unsophisticated readers find themselves in a situation analogous to that of the novice reader who tries to comprehend Nicholai's satirical description (published under a pseudonym) of the Masters' game of Go. I have read many of the modern "thrillers" by Clancy, Ludlum, Crichton, Clavell, et al. By and large, these authors are good story tellers and produce compelling reads. Not a one of them, however, rivals Trevanian in terms of artistic brilliance. He can turn a phrase unlike any other contemporary author that I have read. And while Trevanian's oeuvre may never have the cultural importance or influence (due in part to his tongue-in-cheek approach and the obvious enjoyment he derives from writing) of a Stendhal, Balzac, Dostoevsky or Hardy, the indignation and bewilderment he inspires in the culturally immature certainly serves as a backhanded compliment to him and his work. His other books, especially The Main, are also brilliant.
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stands the test of time, February 23, 2006
Looking through a few of the reviews here, I felt compelled to make a few comments.
On the subject of Shibumi, it is not portrayed as a "spaced out" state of mind as some have alluded (that was reserved for the portrayal of "mysticism"). It is an intangible quality which someone of a certain way of life possesses.
I believe that while certain parts of the book appear to lean toward bigotry, they are valuable in that they both reflect common attitudes at the time of writing and in many cases cleverly parody these.
The lack of focus, the abstractness the constant metaphors and reflections are precisely what the book is about to me, charging full on down a track of "building satisfying plot" would miss part of (my perceived) point of the book.
The opening chapter reads like a crappy spy novel. Don't be put off by it. I returned to the book recently having not read it for many years and almost put it back down, assuming my fondness for it must have developed when my reading habits were less refined. I'm glad I persevered. This book definitely makes my top 5 :)
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