Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan Hardcover – August 3, 2012

...but most of the time, people just seem to talk out of their...well, you know. Anyway, I was fortunate to find online this gem of Eiji Yoshikawa, "Taiko", while looking up data on the Warring States period of Japan. In the middle of the sixteenth century, Japan had fallen on hard times, as regional warlords has plunged the land into the chaos of civil war. Out of these dark times rose three men who would shape the nation and, ultimately, bring peace to the country... Oh, but I wax maudlin. The fact is, "Taiko" is an outstanding book, not so much for its portrayal of the battles and intrigues of this period (though there are many), but more for its personal portrayal of its three main protagonists. Hideyoshi, the Monkey, who rises out of poverty to serve and then rule his country, is written vibrantly and, more important, as a human. We see his successes and failures in both love and war, and watch as he ultimately rises (after many struggles), to become "Taiko", the supreme ruler of Japan under the Emperor. There is also Ieyasu Tokugawa, the emotionless ruler of a threadbare province, forced to bide his time until he too can take over the reins of his nation (and indeed, the Tokugawa shogunate ruled Japan for 250 years, until the Meiji restoration). But my favorite character by far is the brutal, rash, and charismatic Nobunaga Oda. It is he that sets the wheels in motion to end the chaos by destroying Yoshimoto Imagawa, the powerful yet inept ruler of a border province. A pure but hard man, his iron way would ultimately lead to his downfall, but here he is shown less as the "Demon King" which many think him to be, and more of a human created and driven by the circumstances to which he must face up. I find this book fascinating. While this book isn't "Three Kingdoms", it's not trying to be. The influence of that great work is clearly there, but Yoshikawa wants to tell more of the life of his heroes, and not merely of their famed actions. Thus, this book has much wider appeal. Incidentally, I don't think that the names are anything alike, except in the fact that our lack of familiarity may make them run on each other. Don't let such a criticism frighten you away; the author kindly lists the important players of each book before the reader reads it. So, give this book a try; I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I've always been interested in Japanese medieval history. This novel is an excellent, in-depth account of the consolidation of the various regions of Japan leading up to the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. At over 900 pages it take a commitment to see this book through to the end. The names (to a Westerner) are sometimes confusing and too similar to keep straight all the time, but I think it is worth the effort to get a insightful view of this period of Japanese history.

Love books about feudal Japan, it gave a great in depth look at the civil wars there and had an amazing plot I loved it 👍

The way this author writes and presents his storytelling is on another level, his descriptions into the most simple concept as dying is vividly explained and gave me many different feelings. He explains the seasons changing with such colorful words that I can actually see, smell and hear, the winds of the seasons. The authors story telling and writing is superb!The story of Taiko itself is a long well thought out book based on real history of Japan, non fiction but fiction in the story, the characters in the story are brought alive with their personalities. About two years ago I read 'Musashi,' and was amazed how such a masterpiece could be created, I found out about this book and immediately bought it and started reading it. The story starts a bit slow and I actually felt myself losing interest in the beginning, but the plot and the premise of the book were just being created, I kept pushing through and was hooked.The main Characters, Hideyoshi, Nobunaga like previously stated are brought to life. I had feelings of anxiety during some parts of the book because of no prior knowledge of Feudal Japan. This book really gave me a history lesson in Japan, and after finishing the book I Found myself researching the aftermath for hours and hours on end.This book is for you if you like a fun story filled with real events and excerpts of wisdom you can get from each character/ author. Excellent read!

Todo o processo de compra e envio desse livro foi perfeito.Ele foi enviado e recebido em uma velocidade absurdamente rápida, (uma observação para o parceiro JADLOG que foi extremamente competente). O livro veio extremamente bem embalado, sem nenhum tipo de dano, em perfeitas condições. Realmente os envios de mercadoria da Amazon, são um diferencial, e deveriam ser todos copiados como um verdadeiro padrão de qualidade.Em relação ao livro, quem já leu algo do Yoshikawa, sabe que ele possui uma forma singular de escrever, e pra mim ele lembra muito a escrita do Bernard Cornwell, principalmente quando se trata de descrever batalhas. Esse livro é baseado e um período extremamente importante da história do Japão, a ascensão de Oda Nobunaga, pela ótica de Toyotomi Hideyoshi.Todos os acontecimentos principais antecedem a batalha de Sekigahara, narrada no seu outro livro Musashi.O livro é enorme, e bem pesado, carregar ele pode ser um incomodo. O livro possui uma proteção de capa removível e a sua capa e rígida e muito bonita, toda branca com o brasão de Hideyoshi.

I recommend this book whole heartedly. It is a great read and gives a human dimension to the actions of Hideyoshi and other leaders during the Sengoku period. It is an incredible piece of research and imagination that must have taken a lot of time and effort.

This is a long novel. The story is unfolding slowly and is full with details.Great reading for everyone who's interested in Japanese history and culture.

Une mine d'informations sur la vie au Japon , au temps des Samouraïs.

This covers a critical phase of Japanese history with masterful authority and at the fast pace of a thriller. The great daimyos of feudal Japan become human beings here instead of dry characters in a history.