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At the beginning of the 17th century, a Dutch shipwreck occurs off the coast of Japan. Surviving crew members are captured and accused of piracy. Among the prisoners is an experienced navigator, an Englishman named John Blackthorne, who possesses a strong character and extensive knowledge of geography and military tactics.

Hold on, hold on��

When I began reading the book, I initially believed that the English sailor was indeed the main character of the novel. However, upon closer examination, I realized that he is merely expendable material for the Japanese politics of that time, a pawn for influential Japanese figures. John Blackthorne neither influences the historical narrative nor the plot of the book. Therefore, he is undoubtedly a secondary character. Moreover, the novel is titled "Shogun," implying, of course, Toranaga.

I decided to read this novel in order to delve deeper into the nuances and better understand certain aspects of the intricate political game played by the main characters. Essentially, it's a historical novel with real prototypes in Japanese history, which adds special value to it. John Blackthorne also had a historical prototype, an English sailor named William Adams, after whom a district in Tokyo, Anjin-chō, was named. The voluminous text, two thousand pages long, turned out to be captivating, with a wealth of interesting information presented in a very accessible language within the context of the plot.