The setting is Hong Kong, 1963. The action spans scarcely more than a week, but these are the days of high adventure: from kidnapping and murder to...
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reviews
Jul 04, 2007
Craig
rated it: 
In many ways, this is my favorite Clavell novel. I'm kind of a big sucker for it.
It's a huge, vastly sweeping epic contained entirely within a single week in Hong Kong. It's a blockbuster of a novel in every sense, bringing equal amounts of entertainment and intellectual provocation.
There's something else going on in this novel which gives it added joy for those who have devoured the rest of the Asian saga -- in Noble House, Clavell begins to tie together the charac More...
It's a huge, vastly sweeping epic contained entirely within a single week in Hong Kong. It's a blockbuster of a novel in every sense, bringing equal amounts of entertainment and intellectual provocation.
There's something else going on in this novel which gives it added joy for those who have devoured the rest of the Asian saga -- in Noble House, Clavell begins to tie together the charac More...
Nov 15, 2008
Ian
rated it:
Wow... this was a good book... no, scratch that... this was a GREAT book. It built upon all of his previous novels, including Shogun. It has to be one of my favorites of his.
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Aug 01, 2010
CD
rated it: 
Popular fiction bordering on great. As with many of James Clavell's works they could easily be viewed as dated rather than a period work or 'historical fiction'.
This view of mine is based on how Clavell relates the contemporaneous social and political views of the time in his works. Whether he was writing for the ages is doubtful, but the plot and story is timeless. Greed and intrigue and power are always sound subjects on which to build a tale.
Dated or not I've got to r More...
This view of mine is based on how Clavell relates the contemporaneous social and political views of the time in his works. Whether he was writing for the ages is doubtful, but the plot and story is timeless. Greed and intrigue and power are always sound subjects on which to build a tale.
Dated or not I've got to r More...
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Aug 09, 2011
A fascinating saga written with tremendous talent. Very interesting page turner and one of the best books I have ever read. Clavell includes a bank run, a bear raid, international intrigue, relationship/sexual tension, smuggling operations, natural disasters, multi-generational rivalry, blood oaths, espionogue and dramatic natural disasters in an extremely action packed period of little more than one week. A long book (as are all my favorites) but a very interesting read and one which I highl
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Mar 27, 2011
Andreas
rated it: 
The sequel to Tai Pan is set in the early 1960s, a time when Hong Kong had come into its own as an economic powerhouse with liberal laws allowing huge fortunes to be made and lost. The story focuses around Struan’s, the company founded by Dirk Struan from Tai Pan. The company is in trouble from several fronts, and both inter-company and political intrigue play a part.
Struan’s is rather obviously based on real life company Jardine Matheson, still one of the most important corporations i More...
Struan’s is rather obviously based on real life company Jardine Matheson, still one of the most important corporations i More...
Aug 03, 2011
As others have noted, this is a page-heavy book. The author must have a Russian great-aunt hiding around a corner as each book gets longer and longer. If it wasn't about Hong Kong and that I had read Tai-Pan, I wouldn't have read it (or finished it?). There is a fair amount of smut in the book, I imagine to keep it interesting and appealing to some readers. And it appears less 'historical' than Tai-Pan as well. As a Portugese descendant from a ShangHai family, I can only say that the Chinese rep
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Jan 01, 2010
Was reluctant to quit on this book as so many gave it high marks. At chapter 18 I'd just had enough. This very lengthy story with a cast of what seems like a thousand characters is told through dialog, the thoughts and private perspectives of these myriad characters and had little literary appeal for me. After 300 pages, I still don't know or understand what motivates them aside from money. I've enjoyed other novels that similarly read like screenplays, but those are one quarter the length
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Aug 17, 2011
Debbie
rated it:
The summer of 1990, I worked on a project in Phoenix, AZ. For 6 or 8 weeks, I flew every Sunday afternoon from Dallas to Phoenix and flew home Friday night. I was the only project team member in Phoenix, and my personality is not the kind to go out exploring on my own. So a summer of plane flights and evenings alone were the perfect time to read this book. I had a wonderful hotel room with a balcony facing northwest and almost every evening I would return to the hotel and sit out on the balc
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Aug 07, 2010
Kathleen
rated it: 
This is an well written book with an extremely complicated set of characters. I planned to read it while I was in Hong Kong for three weeks and I am so glad I did. As I read of places, I often came across them in my travels around the city. I felt that I was receiving an insight into the nature of the people past and present. I recommend reading it in Hong Kong. The main impression that I came away with is that no matter how complicated things get in life you need to just keep moving ahead and d
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Nov 02, 2009
Debbie
rated it:
Book five in the Asian Saga (by time period of the story, not publication date).
Ian Dunross is the current tai-pan of Noble house, the trading company originally started by Dirk Struan, a charismatic and ruthless businessman. Though the Noble House has controlled trade in Hong Kong for many years, the company is in trouble. An American businessman and a long-time rival scheme to take over the Noble House. Meanwhile, the various governments seeking to control Hong Kong engage in va More...
Ian Dunross is the current tai-pan of Noble house, the trading company originally started by Dirk Struan, a charismatic and ruthless businessman. Though the Noble House has controlled trade in Hong Kong for many years, the company is in trouble. An American businessman and a long-time rival scheme to take over the Noble House. Meanwhile, the various governments seeking to control Hong Kong engage in va More...
Jan 03, 2012
Kelsey
rated it:
I loved this book, but I wouldn't recommend it for casual readers. This 1400+ page epic only covers around a week or so, so there is a lot of information in it. There are multiple plots, backstabbing, and so many family relations mentioned that it's hard to keep track. Once you think you figure something out, everything is thrown upside down. This book never gets dull, and it keeps you hanging on right until the very end.
I've never read any other of Clavell's books, but I have read More...
I've never read any other of Clavell's books, but I have read More...
Jul 31, 2011
Jayne
rated it:
I usually like James Clavell, but I nearly gave up on this. It was so-o-o-o long, and it seemed to get hopelessly bogged down in complex share dealing. Incidentally, this was the first time I had heard of 'short selling', a concept which was quite topical in the UK while I was reading this, with every media outlet seeking to explain it in words of one syllable for the masses. (I didn't understand it then either). I missed the cultural clash that was evident in Clavell's previous Asia-based books
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May 03, 2010
Ahf
rated it:
I read this 30 years ago and it quickly became one of my favorite books. Upon re-reading I'm not loving it as much, (the violence is so hard and the writing isn't terrific) but I still find the anthropological theme, political intrigue and love story very engaging.
Best quote:(aproximately) after Markiko commits suicide she writes the Ajinsan a note that says that her christian self hopes she will find him in heaven despite their differences. Her Japanese self hopes that she will b More...
Best quote:(aproximately) after Markiko commits suicide she writes the Ajinsan a note that says that her christian self hopes she will find him in heaven despite their differences. Her Japanese self hopes that she will b More...
Sep 04, 2011
Cathy
rated it:
I loved this book ... but I will admit a clear bias. It is about my home town. Rarely can an author nail a culture in which he did not live but Clavell gets it. This semi-sequel to Tai Pan is gripping, like all Clavell's novels and once you pick it up, you don't want to put it down. His characters are interesting and feel like people you have met or wish you will never meet, depending on the circumstances. I suspect that people who have never been to Hong Kong may not find it as interesting as I
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Oct 25, 2011
Larry
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jun 19, 2009
James
rated it:
Noble house has become one of my favorite novels. This historical novel that is part of Clavell's "Asian Saga" contains large quantities of the Seven Deadly Sins, with avarice and lust leading the way. The story is set in mysterious Hong Kong in 1963, with its beautiful women, wealthy men, cultural clashes, and fascinating intrigue. A longtime feud between two of the largest financial houses revolves about Struan's - the Noble House - and its battle for economic survival. The plot is f
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Sep 09, 2009
Adah
rated it:
One of the best books I've ever read. I only dropped a star because of a few rather graphic sex scenes, but honestly, they helped to tell the story. The book is about Hong Kong during the 1960's, a freewheeling, money-grabbing, insane period in that city's history perfectly captured in this book. Tense, thrilling, extremely intricate, with some very bold characters and masterful, fearless storytelling. Clavell deserves to be a lot more famous than he is.
Dec 11, 2008
Sue
rated it:
This book is over 1000 pages, yet it kept my interest piqued the whole time. Clavell does an excellent job of entertaining and educating. The cultures of Hong Kong and the history of the businesses and race relations was very interesting. The plot was think and kept me wanting more.
I believe I'll read this one again someday. The sequil: Gai - Gin picks up where this one leaves off - carrying on the genereations and the rivalries.
I believe I'll read this one again someday. The sequil: Gai - Gin picks up where this one leaves off - carrying on the genereations and the rivalries.
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Jun 17, 2011
Tom
rated it:
Fantastic story with great characters and a compelling setting. Will have to pick up Shogun soon as I've enjoyed Tai-Pan and Noble house so much. Clavell's characters are sometimes so extreme as to verge on unbelievable (especially the Straun patriarchs who generation after generation seem to have no faults) but really that doesn't bother me when I'm looking for good story telling. If that's what you're after, I definitely suggest Clavell.
Oct 06, 2011
D.C.
rated it:
James Clavell is one of my favorite authors writing in a similar vein as James Mitchner. Nobel House essentially depicts a snapshot in time of high business intrigue set in Hong Kong in the early '60's. A terrific read, like all Clavell's books which include Tai-Pan, King Rat, one of his better known books: Shogun and another favorite of mine: The Whirlwind.
May 10, 2010
Sean
rated it:
A follow on to Clavell's Tai-pan, Noble House takes place in modern day Hong Kong. Follow the action closely as one week seems to last a month, with all the events and intrigue one could possibly pack into seven days. Ian's cool under pressure is certainly to be admired and imitated, and the excitement of his daily life in Hong Kong can only be aspired to.
Apr 27, 2011
Owen
rated it:
A magnificent snapshot of 1960s Hong Kong amidst the backdrop of a war between merchant houses, espionage, and romance.
But read this book if you want a story with fantastic details about the economics and culture of 1960s Hong Kong. The level of detail is astounding and its presented in a way in which you don't get flooded with too many unknown cultural nuances.
But read this book if you want a story with fantastic details about the economics and culture of 1960s Hong Kong. The level of detail is astounding and its presented in a way in which you don't get flooded with too many unknown cultural nuances.
Aug 04, 2010
Mustafa-Jafar
rated it:
Alan Moore once said 'Life isn't divided into genres. It's a horrifying, romantic, tragic, comical, science-fiction cowboy detective novel. You know, with a bit of pornography if you're lucky.'
Noble House is a sweeping thirteen-hundred page novel that spans a week in time, but includes business adventure and sabotage, natural disasters, high-stakes wagers, stock market gambles, fast cars, sensuous women, espionage, internation business and decades old rivalries. This story is basical More...
Noble House is a sweeping thirteen-hundred page novel that spans a week in time, but includes business adventure and sabotage, natural disasters, high-stakes wagers, stock market gambles, fast cars, sensuous women, espionage, internation business and decades old rivalries. This story is basical More...
Sep 03, 2009
Nathalie
rated it:
I loved this book. In fact I have read it twice. I learned more about Hong Kong than I ever knew before. I also learned how businesses were formed and run. It has everything; an exotic location, a love story or two or three, mystery. It held my interest from the front cover to the back cover with no slow spots.
Sep 25, 2011
David
rated it:
A great read with larger than life characters, intense emotions of love, hate, scheming, inscrutable Japanese, bold Westerners, nasty battles, samurais, ninjas, swords, cunning rascals, and battles. It's set in a land called Japan, but this is just shy of wizards and warlock fantasy. Great junk reading.
May 04, 2011
Adam
rated it:
Right up there with Shogun as his best novel - maybe even better. The ending still feels rushed, but maybe it's just that the pace of my reading increases with so much coming to conclusion at once.
Some notes:
--Maybe a little Ayn Rand-y in some spots where he glorifies capitalists and industrialists, at least these characters are a little more compassionate than Rand's
--He writes women fairly well.
--The Peter Marlowe character must be based on him.
--I wonder how acc More...
Some notes:
--Maybe a little Ayn Rand-y in some spots where he glorifies capitalists and industrialists, at least these characters are a little more compassionate than Rand's
--He writes women fairly well.
--The Peter Marlowe character must be based on him.
--I wonder how acc More...
Jan 05, 2009
Tim
rated it:
One of my favorites. A fusion of buisness and power combined with the melding of cultures. From america at its stronges and most arrogant, meeting with the clever buisnessmen of hong kong. Cutthroat? Read Tai Pan first. (probably king rat too)
Apr 10, 2009
Jeff
rated it:
Took me forever to finish.
I can't decide how much I like it.
Scary how closely parts resemble today's banking crisis.
I quite identified with the Linc Bartlett character.
Really the book's a gigantic soap opera with tons of male chauvinists
but the ladies get face in the end.
Clavell's more obviously a free market capitalist in this book
which reminded me of the Atlas Shrugged.
That was a minor turn off for me.
Clavell develops the characters s More...
I can't decide how much I like it.
Scary how closely parts resemble today's banking crisis.
I quite identified with the Linc Bartlett character.
Really the book's a gigantic soap opera with tons of male chauvinists
but the ladies get face in the end.
Clavell's more obviously a free market capitalist in this book
which reminded me of the Atlas Shrugged.
That was a minor turn off for me.
Clavell develops the characters s More...
Apr 01, 2008
Ian
rated it:
First off, this book is really long so be ready to commit a big chunk of time to read it. That being said, there are tons of plot lines so you never get lulled into boredom following one character for too long. I don't claim to know much about older Hong Kong culture but this book really makes you feel like you are in one something very different and intriguing (whether it has any factual basis or not I can only guess). Fantastic character development is definitely a strong suit for this book
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Jun 11, 2010
Bryan
rated it:
The weakest of Clavell's Japan novels. I didn't enjoy it near as much as Centennial and Tai Pan, but still rich history, characters and plotting as well as the usual healthy dose of foreign culture. This one takes place in modern Japan.
