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Despite the fact that critics were many at times sniffy, James Clavell was undeniably a master storyteller, whose accomplishments were unique. Clavell used to write long, literate escapades which were set in a place and time that very few people knew about. Many of these books ended up becoming bestsellers.
Order of Asian Saga Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King Rat | 1962 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Tai-Pan | 1966 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Shogun | 1975 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Noble House | 1981 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Whirlwind | 1986 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Gai-Jin | 1993 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Escape | 1995 | Description / Buy |
Chronological Order of Asian Saga Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shogun | 1975 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Tai-Pan | 1966 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Gai-Jin | 1993 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | King Rat | 1962 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Noble House | 1981 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Whirlwind | 1986 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Escape | 1995 | Description / Buy |
By making use of his wartime experience, Clavell was able to form outstanding characters who were quite realistic. Born in Sydney, Australia James Clavell was the child of Richard Clavell, a commander stationed in Sydney to assist in setting up the Royal Australian Navy. When James Clavell turned nine years old, the family was reposted back to England, where he joined Portsmouth Grammar School. James Clavell left England immediately after the outbreak of the war; he decided to fulfill the duty instilled in him, by the family’s long tradition of serving in the army.
Due to his eyesight, James Clavell could not join the Air Force and the Navy. Thus his only option was the Royal Artillery. In the year 1941, the Japanese Army captured James Clavell together with several other officers and shipped him all the way to one of the most brutal jails in China, Changi Jail in Shanghai. During this period, James Clavell was only 18 years old.
Out of 15 men, James Clavell was the only person to survive disease, torture, and malnutrition at the jail. By developing an attitude of dominating his surrounding, James Clavell was able to survive for quite a long time. Towards the end of the war, James Clavell served as a distributor before relocating to Hollywood, where he served as a scriptwriter.
Asian Saga Books into Movies
Four installments in the Asian Saga series were adapted for television and film. All the four adaptations performed extremely well, with even some receiving Emmy and Academy Award nominations. They include; Shogun, King Rat, Tai-Pan and Noble House.
Best Asian Saga Books
After the publication of Shogun, author James Clavell saw it fit to apply the name Asian Saga to the series. The main reason why Clavell opted for the name Asian Saga, was to narrate to the world, the stories of the Anglo-Saxons during the war in Asia.
Shogun: In Shogun, author James Clavell introduces the readers to a new hero, John Blackthorne. Shogun begins as the giant Englishman, John Blackthorne arrives in Japan, with the hopes of finding riches and also become the most trusted consultant to Toranga; an extremely powerful warlord, more mightier that the emperor. As one of the most self-confident individuals, John tries to put to an end to Portugal’s hold on Japan and to also encourage trade with Queen Elizabeth’s merchants.
According to many Portuguese and Japanese Catholics, John Blackthorne is a barbarian, who must be thrown out of Japan to a non-papist hell. Throughout Shogun, the readers will encounter assassins, severed torsos, tragic love, intrigue, excrement, high honor, torture, ritual suicide and breathless haikus. When John Blackthorne manages to save Toranga’s life on more than three occasions, Toranga decides to elevate Blackthorne to the status of Samurai.
Moreover, he is given a fief and finally made a chief defender. As John continues to stay in Japan, his Japanese born lover continues to teach him about inner harmony, as he continues to grow more and more Eastern. Apart from being sellable, Shogun is also quite engrossing and at times predictable.
TaiPan: Unlike Shogun which is set in Japan, TaiPan is set in China, during the turbulent days of Hong Kong’s conception. TaiPan is the story of one Dirk Struan, the ruler of one of the most powerful trading companies in the far-East. Apart from being a ruler, Dirk Struan is also a master manipulator and an Opium smuggler.
Tai Pain is a narrative revolving around Dirk Struan struggles to establish himself and also his dynasty as well, as the unequivocal masters of Orient. Apart from being strategic, TaiPan is also a historical, intriguing and character-driven narrative. All the characters including Dirk Struan were well developed.
Other Book Series You May Like
The “Fourth Element” series is a spellbinding trilogy, which has been set in ancient Persia. In the Fourth Element, author Kat Ross introduces the readers to Nazfareen, a girl hailing from the four clans. Nazafreen is one of the few people who know that the King’s Waterdog, have the ability of leashing out Daevas, vile creatures, who can destroy the undead. When scouts begin to look for fresh talent, Nazfareen decides to take the chance with the hope of rising through the ranks.
What Is The Next Book in The Asian Saga Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Asian Saga Series. The newest book is Escape and was released on October, 5th 1995.