Whirlwind (novel) - Definition and Overview

Whirlwind is a novel by James Clavell, first published in 1986. It forms part of The Asian Saga.

Set in Iran in 1979, it follows the fortunes of a group of Struans helicopter pilots in the turmoil surrounding the fall of the Iranian monarchy and the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini. Like many of Clavell's novels, it is very long and is composed of many interweaving plot strands involving a large cast of characters.

A much shorter version of the story, focussing on a single pair of characters, was published in 1994 as Escape: The Love Story from Whirlwind. The back cover of the first edition bore a message from the author humorously dedicating the book to anyone who had ever complained that his books were too heavy.