Helpful Score: 1
NICHOLAS HEL
Born in the ravages of World War I China to an aristocratic Russian mother and a mysterious German father, raised in the spiritual gardens of a Japanese Go master, he survives the destruction of Hiroshima to emerge as the world's most artful lover and its most accomplished - and highly paid - assassin. Genius, mystic, master of language and culture, Hel's secret is his determination to attain a rare kind of personal excellence, a state of effortless perfection...shibumi.
Born in the ravages of World War I China to an aristocratic Russian mother and a mysterious German father, raised in the spiritual gardens of a Japanese Go master, he survives the destruction of Hiroshima to emerge as the world's most artful lover and its most accomplished - and highly paid - assassin. Genius, mystic, master of language and culture, Hel's secret is his determination to attain a rare kind of personal excellence, a state of effortless perfection...shibumi.
Helpful Score: 1
Born in the ravages of World War 1 China to an aristocratic Russian mother and a mysterious German father, raised in the spiritual gardens of a japanese Go Master, he survives the destruction of Hiroshima to emerge as the worlds's most artful lover and it's most accomplished and highly paid--assassin, Genius , mystic ,master of language and culture. Hel's secret is his deterination to attain a rare kind of personal excellence, a state of effortless perfection---shibumi. Now living in a isolated mountain fortress with his magnificent Eurasian mistress. Hel faces his most sinister enemy--a supermonolith of espionage and monopoly. The battle lines are drawn: ruthless power and corruption on one side and on the other SHIBUMI
I absolutely love this book! I give it away and recommend it to friends and strangers! The author goes off on political tirades now and then, and since it is the only book of his I have read so far, I'm not sure if it was just the character development or his own views. Either way, the main character Nicholai Hel fascinates me, as does the idea of shibumi. I will admit, the characters hold this story for me, but the intrigue is also captivating. He weaves a good mystery, Mr. Trevanian does. I hope you like it as well.
Although the book shows a publication date of 2005 or so, I read this at least 25 years ago and still remember it as hilarious and a real page turner. I read parts of it aloud to my kids and husband and we all laughed, and everyone in my family read it subsequently and loved it. I can't believe that it has such a mediocre rating from other reviewers. Unless it is a different version! I want the book to pass on to a friend that I think would also like it.
a lon time favorite book about a man of in China post WWI raised in a Go garden. filled with assasins and mystics, it is the best this author has to offer.
Written in 1979.
we should all strive for shibumi.
AND the pleasures of the razor too!
AND the pleasures of the razor too!
Born in the ravages of world war 1 China, to an aristocrat Russian mother and a mysterious German father, raised in the spritiual gardens of a Japanese Go Master.....
Now living in an isolated mountain fortress with his magnificent Eurasian mistress. Hel faces his most sinister enemy.
Now living in an isolated mountain fortress with his magnificent Eurasian mistress. Hel faces his most sinister enemy.
Nicholai Hel is the world's most wanted man. Born in Shanghai durning the chaos of WWi, he is the son of an aristocratic Russian mother and a mysterious German father and is the protege of a Japanese Go master.
