I've read this book three times and it never gets old! It is a fictional account of life in a WW2 Japanese POW camp that is based on James Clavell's own personal experiences during the war. The book center on a conflict between an American and British officer and the British Officer's attempts to thwart the American soldiers efforts to make life as comfortable as he can for himself, even if it comes at the expense of others. This is a great story with very well developed and interesting characters, set against the backdrop of pain and suffering that is only truly understood at the end of the ordeal. ( )

En el campo de concentración de Changi, en Singapur, a finales de la SGM, se hacinan oficiales británicos, australianos, neozelandeses, norteamericanos y algunos canadienses, bajo la estricta supervisión de los japoneses. El mayor problema de los prisioneros, consiste en la falta de alimentos y medicinas; sólo los más fuertes, logran sobrevivir, y entre ellos, se halla Rey, un cabo norteamericano, hábil para toda clase de canjes. Entre los diversos "negocios" del norteamericano, figura la cría de ratas... James Clavell logra captar el lado humano de cualquier guerra - en este caso la de la SGM - a través de personajes, bien descritos, muy humanos y complejos.

Here's what I wrote after reading in 1988: "A story of survival of Allied POW's in a prison camp in Singapore. Showed starkly that survival, and man's strong instinct for it, is often brutal and lacking compassion. The most memorable character? "The King", the American Corporal who adapted royally to the camp and shrunk to his former self when it dissolved." ( )

Desaťtisíc mužov na ploche necelého kilometra - to bol zajatecký tábor Changi pri Singapure v posledných rokoch druhej svetovje vojny. Hlad, špina, choroby a smrť. Ľudia žijúci na najnižšej úrovni existencie spomínali na život pred vojnou - na ženy, deti, milenky, na normálny svet ľudských hodnôt. Do budúcnosti hľadeli s obavami. Boli ako potkany: natlačení na kopu, vyhladovaní, bezohľadní a neľutostní.
Len jediný sa vedel prispôsobiť: Kráľ, vždy najedený, silný, vyobliekaný a čistý. Americký desiatnik, ktorý sa vyšvihol na nekorunovaného vládcu tohto malého sveta a mal všetko. Slúžili mu takmer všetci bez rozdielu hodnosti a spoločenského pôvodu. A nenávideli ho. Aj v tomto malom, zdanlivo uzavretom svete pracovali obyčajné ľudské vášne. Tvrdo a neúprosne. lakomstvo, túžba po moci, nenávisť. Až do nečakaného rozuzlenia. ( )

Seeing a similarly titled review here, I recalled reading this book in the 1960s (or there about, it was many years ago and there was movie adaptation later).

I remember it highlighted some 'cultural' issues (American:British and British:British) in a closed and desperate environment, but don't remember enough to comment further other than to say it must have been written well enough. The story wasn't the kind I found above average though, or I would remember it better. ( )