Mr. Clavell was born in Australia to British parents. He lived an adventuresome life, even being interred in a POW camp and later spending time in Changi prison.
When he became an author, it must have been a shock to him, just how gifted he was at it. If you added Tom Clancy's name to Clavell's, you might have the only two writers who are in a class by themselves. All the other great ones are probably a notch down. Of course, that would be a matter of opinion.
Clavell didn't write many books, but seemed to write really huge novels. In fact, I laid this hardcover on the scales and it weighed in at 4 pounds. At 1206 pages, it is a feast that will last several weeks to those of us who work for a living.
You know that I hate the high prices that are charged for books. They have gotten a bit out of hand, especially E-Books. Yet this book is worth about any price. It is a work of art. As a writer I stand in awe of the skill and intricacy involved in it's weaving. The vast amount of research involved to produce something of this nature boggles my mind. I did a lot of research on Mexico, for instance, for Spam and Rice, and I can tell you that it is hard work, but this had to be a herculean effort for Clavell. As it was in Shogun, you are immersed into a culture to the point where you begin to learn a few words in the language, you know the characters like old friends... or enemies. Ha, ha.
Of course Shogun was about 1600's era Japan and a daring sailor named Blackthorne who journeyed to the fabled Japans. My goodness, what an epic film they made out of that book! By all means see it and read the book.
But, back to Noble House, a novel about China and especially about Hong Kong. Well, you say, what sort of book is it? A thriller? Yes. A spy story? Certainly. It is also about intrigue, high finance, corporate raiding, hostile takeovers, stock market manipulation, crime, murder, natural disasters.
An American millionaire named Linc Bartlett comes to Hong Kong with his assistant Casey Tcholock. It is in the 1960's and their Par-Con Industries hopes to make a deal, a partnership, with The Noble House. Headed by the fierce Ian Dunross, The Noble House is the elite company in Hong Kong. Their name is Struans, actually, but since they are #1 in everything they touch, they are known as the Noble House.
Their chief enemy is Quillan Gornt. His company has hated the Noble house for several hundred years. He wants the deal with Par-Con and he wants to destroy Dunross. He wants to be the Tai-Pan. Let's stop there a moment. Though the term once meant that you were in charge of a public toilet, it meant to the Europeans who ran a piece of the business world of Hong Kong at that time, that you were the top dog, the big kahuna. The person of absolute authority.
A personal aside about language in Clavell's books. I was in Niagara Falls, Canada, a number of years ago and the streets were packed with every nationality, as always. A Chinese lady said something to her friend about me and she used the term Quai Loh. I was very familiar with the term from the books and had to smile. Barbarian, foreign devil, whatever. Just a guy, lady.
But the business backdrop was very interesting indeed. Toss in a few KGB spies, kidnapping, Chinese triads, gambling nearing religious fervor, horse racing, secret reports bought and stolen, fires, earthquakes; it is a sumptuous buffet of a book. No wonder it weighs four pounds. If I had to, I would happily give a thousand dollars to enjoy it. It is that good. I remember finding out that it was going to be coming out in the stores in the 1980's. I recall taking a day of vacation so I could be there at a Booksellers that morning. I stood at the crowded doorway and saw stacks of the hardcovers and was thrilled to know that I would have one that day. When I made it to the stacks and picked one up, my hands shook with excitement. I had enjoyed Shogun and Tai-Pan that much. Do yourself a favor and check out this excellent author.
One more thing. In the book, Dunross's first predecessor as Tai-Pan was Dirk Struan, a bloody pirate and active during the ill-famed opium/silver trade centuries ago. Dirk had broken four brass coins in half, as part of a bargain with a wealthy chinese man. Each succeeding Tai-Pan of the Noble House was required by blood oath to swear to give the possessor of any half coin, when presented...anything he asks for! At the starting of this book, there are still two of those coins floating around and Dunross doesn't know who has them. Think about what a great twist this is for a writer. It could go anywhere.
Well, I have rambled on, but it is a subject I love. Goodnight, and should you find a brass coin, snapped in half, don't give it to a Quai Loh like me! Ha, ha.
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