| Binding: Mass Market Paperback |
| EAN: 9780345380371 |
| ISBN: 0345380371 |
| Label: Ballantine Books |
| Manufacturer: Ballantine Books |
| Number Of Items: 1 |
| Number Of Pages: 416 |
| Product Group: Book |
| Publication Date: 1992-11-23 |
| Publisher: Ballantine Books |
| Sales Rank on Amazon: 182,259 |
| Studio: Ballantine Books |
| UPC: |
Source:Product Description
During the grand opening celebration of the new American headquarters of an immense Japanese conglomerate, the dead body of a beautiful woman is found. The investigation begins, and immediately becomes a headlong chase through a twisting maze of industrial intrigue and a violent business battle that takes no prisoners.
Average Customer Review: 4.0
Total Customer Reviews: 135
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful:
Rating: 4
Summary: Dark Foreshadowing of Present Times
During current times when the whole economic structure of our country is in collapse and when presidential candidates speak of the middle class like it's an endangered species, one should read or perhaps reread this book. It sets a murder mystery in a time when the Japanese were buying up many American businesses although the Japanese were not alone in doing this (Germans, British, etc, etc). They were taking their newly acquired companies and often reincorporating them in places like Luxembourg that could provide large tax advantages (i.e. less tax income for the US). The book suggests that these practices weakened the economic spine of this country. The murder mystery itself is set against some rather interesting cultural aspects that lend some interesting qualities.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful:
Rating: 4
Summary: Sinister look back at US in the 90's
I am not a hard-core Crichton fan, but have read enough of his books to expect a combination of mystery, cutting edge science and some "historical/political" message. You get all three in this novel. As others have said, this is a treatise on Japan...the culture, how they do business, and a good one at that...not very flattering to us in the US and, hence, some of the pans by others. Well, folks, the Japanese may not have taken over the US, but, now in the 2000's, we are still open to outside investment. Lessons may not have been learned and Budweiser has gone to the Belgians. Putting the politics aside, the mystery surrounding the murder relies heavily on being guided by the hero, Conner, and his understanding of the Japanese mind. So folks, you will not be bored by REALLY knowing who dunnit before the end of the book...though you may guess. The use of advanced digital recording and processing is no longer so new, but still an interesting addition to the detectives' bag of tricks. I do agree with some reviewers in that the characters were a bit exaggerated, so only 4 stars. Recommended as a good read for mystery and social commentary.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful:
Rating: 2
Summary: didn't come true
Many of the predictions in this book about the Japanese "taking over America" by buying it up have not come true. Indeed, with Japan's current economic decline the alarmist tone of this book is quite laughable. I remember reading it at the time and being somewhat skeptical, but in 2008, this book has almost no relevance except as an example of fear-mongering from a prior decade. The mystery story itself is only so-so. Stick to Jurassic Park or the Andromedia Strain.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful:
Rating: 3
Summary: It's okay...
As with every review here, it is merely an opinion. So first let met try to find and build a little rapport with a few of potential readers. The Micheal Crichton books which I immensely enjoyed and considered enjoyable reading were Airframe, Disclosure, and Timeline. Airframe, being an immensely captivating read. Disclosure, being one of the few books that led to two sleepless nights of reading. And Timeline, an excellent departure from your typical "Thriller" novel, with a unique and somewhat timeless storyline.
With that said, Rising Sun was a bit of a disappointment. The story is not nearly as suspenseful or intriguing as the above titles. The pace is not nearly as fast, nor are the plot twists as captivating or unexpected as his better novels. The plot is, for the most part, quite linear. There are very few moments when you will wonder (or care) what will happen next. Most times it is quite clear where it is going, and there are VERY few times when a plot twist occurs that you didn't see coming. In other words, no "Cliffhanger" chapter endings, or parts of the story you a waiting in suspense to be resolved.
There are two elements in this book that lead to those disappointments. The first is the redundant use of the word "Japan" and the "Japanese". It is possible that at the time of this writing it was a groundbreaking topic, and an exposing of the corporate Japanese influence and involvement that was a hot topic and a newsworthy concern in the early 90s but seems rather outdated today. In almost every chapter, if not every page, some reference to the Japanese and how their culture/business practices are incorporated, and how they differ from the United States'. It may not sound like much of a big deal, or perhaps a slightly awakening topic to those who have no clue about these differences, but it is too say the least, redundant.
The second aspect, is the emergence of the Thriller genre competitor, Dan Brown. While some may disregard this as an issue to this actual story or book itself, it is hard to read books like the Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, and Deception Point, and then transition to a story such the Rising Sun, where the writing, subjects, and incredible plot just does not compare.
But despite the cliches, and exhausting explanations of trivial (i.e. corny) and somewhat outdated Japanese business practices, the book is worth a read. But no highly recommended.
If you were looking for a Micheal Crichton that while still dated but is in easy competition with today's modern thrillers, Airframe and Disclosure are sure fire bets.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful:
Rating: 2
Summary: Outdated
I found this to be one of Crichton's most disappointing books. When it was published, it may have found an audience that could relate, but with a currently different economical situation, most of the story is too outdated for a reader to appreciate. The mystery is thrilling, but Crichton ruins it with characters like Graham, who fits the racist anti-Japanese stereotype, and Connor, the enigmatic, all-knowing Sherlock Holmes. Even Connor treats the Japanese like a bit cruelly, referring to them the way a scientist would describe the characteristics of a strain of bacteria. I can see how certain qualities of Asian culture can be annoying, especially in business, but had Crichton written with a bit more diplomacy, his book would be a lot more popular today.
