Shōgun, Part One

The Asian Saga, Book 1.1

De: James Clavell

Narrado por: Ralph Lister

By the #1 New York Times bestselling author and unparalleled master of historical fiction, James Clavell’s Shogun is soon to be a major FX/Hulu TV series!

Shogun, the classic epic novel of feudal Japan that captured the heart of a culture and the imagination of the world, is now available for the first time in serial format. Part One contains the first half of the complete novel.

After Englishman John Blackthorne is lost at sea, he awakens in a place few Europeans know of and even fewer have seen—Nippon. Thrust into the closed society that is seventeenth-century Japan, a land where the line between life and death is razor-thin, Blackthorne must negotiate not only a foreign people, with unknown customs and language, but also his own definitions of morality, truth, and freedom. As internal political strife and a clash of cultures lead to seemingly inevitable conflict, Blackthorne’s loyalty and strength of character are tested by both passion and loss, and he is torn between two worlds that will each be forever changed.

Powerful and engrossing, capturing both the rich pageantry and stark realities of life in feudal Japan, Shogun is a critically acclaimed powerhouse of a book. Heart-stopping, edge-of-your-seat action melds seamlessly with intricate historical detail and raw human emotion. Endlessly compelling, this sweeping saga captivated the world to become not only one of the best-selling novels of all time but one of the highest-rated television miniseries, as well as inspiring a nationwide surge of interest in the culture of Japan. Shakespearean in both scope and depth, Shogun is, as the New York Times put it, ‘'not only something you read—you live it.’‘

Also available: Shogun: Part Two

©1975 James Clavell (P)2015 Blackstone Publishing

Narration is excellent, plus, a must-have for more series background

Always a treat when a narrator can perform so many characters so well. Some reviewers say he’s over-the-top - I can see that, and at times I had to I lower the volume when Blackthorn and Yabushige become bellicose, which is often. But Ralph Lister is now a fav. On par with narrators of Cutting for Stone or The Power of One.

Love a great read before watching the series

Totally in love with the Japanese ways , especially the women and how humble but smart they are. I’m excited to hear the next book and begin the series. I have seen the Samurai movie with Tom Cruise and it’s very similar to the book.

excellent

fascinating story of ancient Japan. Shogun is well researched and exciting. highly recommend, especially for anyone visiting Japan. a classic.

Mesmerized, great book

Decided to listen to the books before watching the series, so glad that I did what a mesmerizing book!! 

Great story, unfortunate pronunciations

I don’t understand why no one told the narrator how to pronounce words like “Samurai” and “Conquistadores” correctly. Drove me a bit crazy.

Other than that, a highly entertaining listen!

Fantastic narration, intriguing story

This is a masterpiece of narration by Ralph Lister, who gives all of the characters a life of their own. I read some complaints about the audio levels being uneven, but as of listening to the full two part 50+ hour saga, in 2024 I didn't experience any of those issues. As for the novel, it's a fascinating tale of a stranger in a strange land and, I think, it avoids the "white savior" trappings of similar tales. I found myself wondering what it would be like reading this in the 1970's when many of the novels critiques would have been less prevalent. Certainly, it would have been interesting if he had placed a female character in an even more central role than Mariko, but many are depicted with admirable intelligence and courage.

Great Intresting story !! Transplants you to feudal Japan

Everything from the narrator to the writing is fantastic, Of you like the show you will love the book

Audible, please fix the mastering on this file

This file is in desperate need of an audio engineer. I would very much recommend reading this book, but find a different audiobook platform that has a better quality copy.

I wanted to read before, I watched the show

I like the story and the narrator a lot. sometimes keeping track of the characters is tough, so it may require another listen

Storytelling at its finest.

This book took up all my attention and after a slow start, for me, I could not stop listening!

The narrative is fresh and engaging with the character development and world building quite rich. One does get quite a feel for the time and place.

The narrator does an incredible job and makes the listening so very enjoyable.

Absolutely worth the listen!