Don't be put off by the 1200-plus page count or the cast of over a hundred characters. There's no denying the book can be hard work with this much information and this many protagonists, but it's so much more rewarding than almost every other book you could find on this site once you get going.

Reminiscant of Ernest Hemmingway and Graham Greene, with emotions and lives torn to pieces in times of conflict, you will not so much read a story as live another life through the pages of this exceptional novel. Add it to your shopping cart this instant.


Almost as good as Shogun   November 17, 2003
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

His only novel not playing the far east. This tells the story of a small helicopter outfit, supplying the iranian oil rigs with everything needed. The company belongs to Struan's Noble House, too, the boss is Andrew Gavallan, Ian Dunross' nephew. It depicts the events just before and during the revolution, toppling the Shah, and about all the trouble that came for S-G Helicopters due to the fightings between the different iranian factions (muslim fanatics, soviet-led communist rebels and local tribes) and between all of them and any non-iranian person. There's romance, too, thanks to two threads, one about a finnish pilot of S-G Helicopters and his iranian wife, trying to escape via Turkey, and the other one with another pilot who has also an iranian wife. This is also a very good book by Clavell, full of action, adventure, suspense, romance and exotic places and people.


Non-stop Excitement   May 5, 2001
 3 out of 12 found this review helpful

I have read all of James Clavells books, and this one is excellent. One of his best.