Whirlwind

Whirlwind is by far my second favourite of Clavell's novels. Like Shogun - and unlike some of the other novels in the series - Whirlwind abounds with compelling characters and engrossing sub-plots. If you are going to read through Clavell's work chronologically (and I do recommend this approach) I suggest you commit to following through to the end or you will miss one of Clavell's finest pieces. Clavell's mastery of historical fiction is incontestable: Whirlwind is one of the finest examples of his talent.

So very, very sad to be finished with Whirlwind knowing that I'll never truly know how the Noble House winds up. Of course with the tech boom of the 80s, I'm sure Struan-Dunross-MacStuan-Gallavan(?) made out just fine. What I loved about Whirlwind and the Asian saga in general is how Clavell really let us get inside the minds of these people. From learning about the 'Wa' in Shogun to 'Joss' in Tai-Pan to 'God is Great' in Whirlwind, I feel like I have gained valuable insight into the thought process of the Japanese, Chinese and Iranians. But philosphies aside, Clavell is a master storyteller. So much fun to be caught up in both a story and the characters involved. 1200 pages, not nearly long enough!Whirlwind is a great read. While Shogun will remain my favorite (prolly because I read it first) I would encourage anyone and everyone to read this gripping tale of Persian turmoil. Of course, you gotta read the saga in order though!

With this book Clavell was able to give you a good front seat view of the revolution in Iran. To accomplish this feat Clavelluses helicopter pilots of American,British,Canadian,and Finnishbackgrounds who are all stationed in Iran at the outbreak ofthe Iranian revolution. You live with this crew while they worryabout getting out of Iran alive and back to their homes. You arealso shown the Iranian view of the revolution and the effectsthat it will have on Iran. Despite being a long book(1100 pages)this book will hold your interest from beginning until the end.This book will give you a good insight into the Iranian revolution. Read it. It is interesting.

I have read all of Clavell's novels in the Asian Saga, and although Shogun, Noble House and King Rat are more influential, Whirlwind was my personal favorite. The tale of a British helicopter company associated with the Noble House, with pilots of American, British, Canadian, Finnish, and Australian nationalities who become involuntarily immersed with the Iranian Revolution of 1979 is an incredible in-depth story. Complex, with many stories within the story that slowly unravels in this 1100 page epic. Clavell is able to write about the mysterious country of Iran in great detail, that to read the novel is a learning experience in itself. Because so much is going on simultaneously, however, one can become lost in the complexity of the story. Nevertheless, Clavell manages to weave the story together so that the novel concludes in an epic fashion, leaving the reader emotionally drained, yet satisfied. Unfortunately, with Clavell's death, Whirlwind is not able to be expounded upon. Clavell never was able to finish off his Asian Saga, and there are many loose ends in the book that you expect to be covered in future novels, but never will.