Customer Reviews

Tai-Pan (Asian Saga)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having first read Shogun, I was distraught at what I considered to be a slow start. With so many characters, I was even a fan of the antogonist at first. However, after about the fifth chapter I was a Struan fan for life. Fast-paced and sexy. It is a must read for historical fiction fans.

King Rat got all of the Good reviews and Shogun got the big miniseries deal, but if you love Jame Clavall this is the one. The sweep of history with blood, sex and big business, this is the Count of Monte Christo breaking the Paris Stock Exchnage and Indiana Jones fighting his way through China. Turn the first page and read, "Buy a coffin..." if you can stop this really isn't for you, if you can't there's good news and bad, there are more books but the master is dead. No matter the ones he finished before his death are all delicious and low carb. Read this first and then read Noble House, Whirlwind and Gai Jan and you'll start the new year right. Be a complete rat and buy Tai Pan and give it as a gift. This works especially well if you own a bookstore, because once read the rest surley have to follow. James Clavell, writer, Hong Kong Dan and gentleman...and perdition to his enemies!

What Nelson B. DeMille does for Biblical times, James Clavell does for Asian sagas. And like those action packed films of yore, Tai-pan is a big, sprawling and somewhat overwrought adventure. Circa 1840 the English are trading with China but not allowed to settle anywhere within the country. Portugal has had the colony of Macao for two centuries, but the English, a generation after Trafalgar are straining at the bit for digs commensurate with their power and prestige.

Traders and shippers who have made England the wealthiest and most powerful nation of the 19th century are tired of their lack of muscle. Led by the Tai-Pan or Supreme Leader, Dirk Straun the novel combines overarching themes like English toff v. upstarts and personal rivalries among the traders. And what would our Tai Pan's vision be? Why the colony of Hong Kong and thereby unfettered access to mainland tea and silk. Founding the colony requires what seems like a cast of thousands and certainly a few too many story lines. Complaints that it is bloated are not unfair. The 800 pages could trim 200 easily. Having saiid that, it's still a terrific read.

The Horatio Alger hero is good enough to be admired, but greedy enough be despised. He is talented and generous but also arrogant, immoral and merciless when crossed. Complex is the perhaps the kindest description of Straun. He does after all procure the tea and silk of China by foisting opium on the Chinese people. And when the Emperor occasionally objects to Westerners turning his people into junkies, the traders are on the sidelines fanning the flames of war. Some reviewers have complained that Taii Pan is too action packed. To that I say nonsense. It's the a great example of the historical adventure genre.

Add to the mix an appreciable amount of fascinating information about the Middle Kingdom (19th century China), cultural clashes and the two most common human attributes--lust and greed--and you have a splendid week's reading.

Different than SHOGUN, but still a very fine piece of historical fiction, TAI-PAN tells of the founding of Hong Kong. This is the second installment in the "Asian Saga", both chronologically (after Shogun) and by order of publication (after King Rat). This is the first book to focus on The Noble House, a powerful international trading company featured throughout the rest of the series, and loosely based on the real Jardine Matheson Holdings trading firm. This book is mostly about the founder of The Noble House, Dirk Straun, and his trails, triumphs, and brilliant moves to become one of the most powerful merchants in the world. Dirk Straun is a wonderful character, the pinnacle of confidence, competence, and power. While not always on the moral high ground, he's a character that you just can't help loving. This is a roller-coaster of a story, and you'll find yourself celebrating the high points and mourning the low points of Straun's journey. I don't believe Straun is based on any historical character (unlike John Blackthorne from SHOGUN), but he's easily one of my favorite characters from any book I've read. The surrounding characters are great too (especially Tyler Brock and May May) and all contribute to earning this one an easy 5-star rating.

As a historical fiction, this book succeeds brilliantly. You'll come away having learned a lot about the setting, about international trading, and about China of the time. Taking place in the early 1840's, this story tells of colonial expansionism and the founding of Hong Kong after the much-maligned Treaty of Nanking (all historically accurate). International politics and the future of England and China serve as the back drop for this tale, rooting the book in real-life and serious scenarios. Mostly though, it is the drama of everyday life for the China Traders that drives the story and make this book a must-read. Love, life, death, and hate are what get the focus in this story, as ancient grudges and rivalries have a constant presence and complicated relationships lead to heart-ache, tragedy, and sometimes happiness. The story takes place in a time when life was cheap, and disease and death were constant companions. Many great characters are lost along the way in this one, as Clavell keeps you guessing about the outcome, almost to the point where you're afraid to turn the page at times. Clavell also doesn't waste any space here, and though the book is 600+ pages of small print, it doesn't feel like a long book and you'll want to jump right into the next one (Gai-Jin) as soon as you finish this wonderful book.

James Clavell is one of my favorite authors of all, and TAI-PAN is one of his best. Very highly recommended!

James Clavell was a master story teller. We lost a great writer when he passed away!!

Be careful when you pick up this book - it may get stuck in your hands and can be hypnotic...