Shōgun. Volume 1, 2

A novel in 2 volumes.
The beginning of the 17th century. A Dutch ship shipwrecks off the coast of Japan. The surviving crew members are captured and accused of piracy. Among the captives is the Englishman John Blackthorne, who knows geography, military affairs, and mathematics exceptionally well and possesses a strong character. Their fate is to be decided by the local governor, whose arrival the whole village is awaiting. Rumors of the talented captain reach Lord Toranaga-no Minowara, one of the most powerful men in Japan. Toranaga takes Blackthorne under his protection, nurturing treacherous plans to use his knowledge in the struggle for power. To survive in a foreign country, the Englishman studies its language and customs, becomes a samurai, but he cannot shake the thought that someday he will manage to return home...