description Noble House Overview
Noble House is a 1981 novel by James Clavell, part of his Asian Saga series that includes 'Shogun' and 'Tai-Pan.' Set in Hong Kong during the early 1960s, the story spans one week in the high-stakes world of international finance and trade, centered on the struggle of Ian Dunross, the tai-pan (supreme leader) of Struan's trading company. At over 1,000 pages, the novel weaves together themes of business rivalry, cultural identity, and political intrigue against the backdrop of Cold War geopolitics. The book was adapted into a 1988 television miniseries starring Pierce Brosnan.
help Noble House FAQ
What is the central conflict in James Clavell's Noble House?
The novel follows Ian Dunross as he tries to protect Struan's, the powerful Hong Kong trading house known as the Noble House, from financial and political threats. American businessman Linc Bartlett, rival taipan Quillan Gornt, banks, spies, and Communist agents all become entangled in the struggle.
Where does Noble House fit in Clavell's Asian Saga?
Published in 1981, Noble House is part of the Asian Saga alongside Shogun, Tai-Pan, Gai-Jin, King Rat, and Whirlwind. Its 1960s Hong Kong setting places it generations after the founding of Struan's depicted in Tai-Pan.
Do I need to read Tai-Pan before Noble House?
Noble House can be read independently because its immediate banking and espionage plot is self-contained. Reading Tai-Pan first adds context for Struan's, the Brocks, and the inherited rivalries that shape Ian Dunross's decisions.
Was Noble House adapted for television?
Yes. NBC broadcast a television miniseries titled Noble House in 1988, with Pierce Brosnan playing Ian Dunross and John Rhys-Davies playing Quillan Gornt.
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