Tai-Pan (Asian Saga)

I did not expect to find another novel by James Clavell that I liked as well as Shogun or King Rat. But Tai-Pan is, indeed, that novel. This is a magnificent saga of the founding of Hong Kong by powerful British trading interests, which manipulate the British government towards establishing Hong Kong as Britain's trading outpost in the Far East. Even more, this is the story of an unforgettable fictional character, Dirk Struan, founder of The Nobel House, the leading British trading combine in China. Struan is determined to open up China to Western trade, and to "bring China into the family of nations." This novel is his story, and it is wonderfully told. Struan and the other characters in this novel spring to life, and this is an absorbing novel that is almost impossible to put down. Struan struggles to combine the best traits of the British democratic system and the wisdom of China, of which he notes, "the Chinese are a wise smart people, even if they don't build good cannons like Europeans..." and he admonishes his ship's crews to adopt Chinese practices of good hygiene and other sanitary practices. In this novel Clavell explains the opium trade, and how it came to be an evil that was nevertheless central to the China trade in these times. This is a novel of intrigue. Struan and his Noble House are locked in a life-and-death commercial and family blood feud with Brock & Sons, another powerful British firm that vies with The Noble House for primacy in trade with China. And the intrigue does not stop there--Clavell introduces us to a breathtaking 19th Century Russian scheme for world dominance in which Struan manipulates Britain, Russia, and the fledgling United States as the world of this time, the 1840s, is seen to be racked with war and political and economic conflict. This is a fabulous novel of China that no one should pass up. Five stars.

In our age of cultural decadence, political correctness, contempt for Western Civilization and the general destruction of the "hero" as an ideal - there stand a few voices that recall a time when Men still understood what honor and virtue meant, and acted upon it. James Clavell's Tai Pan is a book to read for all those starving for a vision of life possibilities and for the hero within us. Dirk Struan is a man who should be every boy's Father once in their lives, and for those of us not fortunate enough to know a man like this, Tai Pan fills the void perfectly. While not living by an expressed written philosophy, Tai Pan Dirk Struan is a man who stands for reason, individualism, science, objective ethics and free trade. In essense, Dirk is a Classical Liberal or Humanist in the true sense of the word. The story itself is a brilliant one and I find myself reading the book again every few years to remind myself of what a man Clavell was and what a wonderful world he created for us to live in. P.S. For those who believe that Clavell was a racist because he accurately transcribed what "Pidgin" (chinese-english lingo) sounded like, you are not reading the same book.

Unlike many of the previous reviewers, I have no particular connection to Asia or an extensive knowledge of Chinese history, rather I am merely a fan of exciting stories and great writing and if the novel is full of interesting facts, then all the better. Tai-Pan fits the bill. It is an engaging story about the European community in China just after the British have taken control of Hong Kong. It centers on Dirk Struan, a manipulative, shrewd, and charismatic man who happens to be the most powerful trader in Asia. There is intrigue, violence, romance and tragedy, but this all adds flavor to the epic story of how the British controlled their first stronghold in Asia. Clavell does an amazing job of creating realistic characters and incorporaring facts about the time period and his knowledege of the culture. Despite being a fictional account of this era, I learned a great deal about China, British trade and sailing in the 1800's. I would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys historical fiction or just great writing and good stories. Further, this book is at least as good as Shogun and is a critical component of the Asia Saga, so it is a must read for people who enjoy Clavell's other books.

This is a fictionalized account of the life of William Jardine (called Dirk Struan in "Tai-pan")- founder of the trading giant Jardine Matheson & Co. Ltd. This is the "Princely Hong" which is refered to as the Noble House of Hong Kong in Clavell's books. This book is riviting- and somewhat illuminating historically. If you long for the good old days- take a peek into the 19th century- you will change your mind real fast!This book grabs you from the first pages, and holds you till the last- it is a masterpeice!

Right behind Shogun as the best James Clavell book. Total excitement and adventure. A must-read