Shōgun
Hey there, Peter here. Recently, I just started a new book 'Shōgun'. Shōgun is a Japanese word for a ruler in the feudal times (medieval era). The Shōgun has the highest authority in Japan, sometimes even higher than the son of god (Emperor).
This book is obviously set in Medieval Japan. The story circles around an English pirate, John Blackthorne and his Dutch crewmates. Their job was to rob coastal Spanish towns in the New World during the war between the Alliance of English and Dutch against the Spanish. Unfortunately, his ship was shipwrecked on the Japanese Coast and they were taken hostage by the local Japanese Daimyo (lord). Blackthorne encountered a Catholic Portuguese monk (also an enemy of the English). Of course, the two were hostile towards each other. During his trial at the local court, he was extremely aggressive and broke the wooden cross of the Portuguese Monk. He and his crews were sent into the prison. Now the crews have to fight their way out of their custody.
My opinion on this book: even though this book is quite thick and old, I find it very amusing to read. This book highlights the cultural difference and what the two sides thought about each other. They called each other 'barbarians' and 'savages'. It seems that right now they are having trouble understanding the difference in their cultures.
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