can Shogun still be read?

I need a fat paperback for a plane flight or two. I previewed Shogun. About 5% in. I'm more than happy to wear my bestseller filters, but does it ever get up enough thriller momentum that a person could possibly ignore the Orientalism (inscrutably sensualist rock gardening!) and the Orientalist sexism (oh you gentlemen are so large teehee!) and do these people EVER stop saying "so sorry"?

If I have to ask that's probably not a good sign, huh.