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Chung Kuo #5
Beneath the Tree of Heaven
The spellbinding saga of the future continues in the year 2211. The Seven T'ang, the ruling dictatorship of the solar system, is weakened by the birth of a special child, and the forces of rebellion and change are spreading from the mega-cities of Earth to a secretive, planet-wide conspiracy on Mars. For generations the T'ang have controlled with mind manipulation and teams of black-clad assassins. But the human urge for freedom cannot be stilled by murder or seduction. Now, as a mad, blood-thirsty ruler plots a coup from within the T'ang, Hans Ebert, his famous face obscured forever behind a mask, begins a new fight for power and love on the red soil of Mars. Revolution may finally free the long-shackled masses, or it may spread unimaginable destruction sufficient to level a world--and the hopes of all worlds to come. The Chung Kuo series brings future centuries to life, portraying men and women caught between great powers fighting for dominance...and yearning for ageless passions for all that life holds dear.
608 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
2 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
About the author
David Wingrove
50 books164 followersDavid Wingrove (born September 1954 in North Battersea, London) is a British science fiction writer. He is well-known as the author of the "Chung Kuo" novels (eight in total). He is also the co-author (with Rand and Robyn Miller) of the three "Myst" novels.
Wingrove worked in the banking industry for 7 years until he became fed up with it. He then attended the University of Kent, Canterbury, where he read English and American Literature.
He is married and, with his wife Susan, has four daughters Jessica, Amy, Georgia, and Francesca.
Between 1972 and 1982 he wrote over 300 unpublished short stories and 15 novels.
He started work on a new fictional project called A Perfect Art. Between 1984 and 1988, when it was first submitted, the title was changed twice, becoming first A Spring Day at the Edge of the World and then finally Chung Kuo, under which title it was sold to 18 publishers throughout the world.
A prequel to the Chung Kuo series, called When China Comes, was released in May 2009 by Quercus Publishing, which also re-released the entire series: "The series has been recast in nineteen volumes, including a new prequel and a new final volume. After a series launch in May 2009, Quercus will embark on an ambitious publishing programme that will see all nineteen volumes available by the end of 2012."
He has plans for a further a novels, a a first person character novel called Dawn in Stone City and three very different novels: The Beast with Two Backs, Heaven's Bright Sun, and Roads to Moscow.
Wingrove worked in the banking industry for 7 years until he became fed up with it. He then attended the University of Kent, Canterbury, where he read English and American Literature.
He is married and, with his wife Susan, has four daughters Jessica, Amy, Georgia, and Francesca.
Between 1972 and 1982 he wrote over 300 unpublished short stories and 15 novels.
He started work on a new fictional project called A Perfect Art. Between 1984 and 1988, when it was first submitted, the title was changed twice, becoming first A Spring Day at the Edge of the World and then finally Chung Kuo, under which title it was sold to 18 publishers throughout the world.
A prequel to the Chung Kuo series, called When China Comes, was released in May 2009 by Quercus Publishing, which also re-released the entire series: "The series has been recast in nineteen volumes, including a new prequel and a new final volume. After a series launch in May 2009, Quercus will embark on an ambitious publishing programme that will see all nineteen volumes available by the end of 2012."
He has plans for a further a novels, a a first person character novel called Dawn in Stone City and three very different novels: The Beast with Two Backs, Heaven's Bright Sun, and Roads to Moscow.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 14, 2020
Book 5 of 8. Beneath the Tree of Heaven begins on Mars where we check in with the exile Hans Ebert and Howard DeVore, as Hans discovers the existence of long lost exiles, the Osu, descendants of African colonist who survived the genocide of their kind on Earth eking out an existence in the Martian wastes, a family of Japanese space traders (also survivors of genocide back on Earth) and a sentient AI devoted to Taoism,. DeVore meanwhile breeds a tragic revolt on Mars.
On Earth things grow worse as the T'ang slowly lose control of their cities and civil war looms urged on by a madman in their midst's, well The Ministry, guardians of the great sin at the heart of Chung Kuo's foundation plot to overthrow the Seven, when disaster strikes City North America it tips the scales and sets the world on fire.
Decent read for those who've come this far (for the love of God don't let this be your introduction to the series), as we're definitely picking up speed. Characters are getting a good deal more rounded and Wingrove seems to limiting himself (relative to earlier entries) to only a handful of view point characters which helps keep the pace going even if its bound to disappoint when a favorite is no where to be seen.
On Earth things grow worse as the T'ang slowly lose control of their cities and civil war looms urged on by a madman in their midst's, well The Ministry, guardians of the great sin at the heart of Chung Kuo's foundation plot to overthrow the Seven, when disaster strikes City North America it tips the scales and sets the world on fire.
Decent read for those who've come this far (for the love of God don't let this be your introduction to the series), as we're definitely picking up speed. Characters are getting a good deal more rounded and Wingrove seems to limiting himself (relative to earlier entries) to only a handful of view point characters which helps keep the pace going even if its bound to disappoint when a favorite is no where to be seen.
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October 23, 2025The spellbinding saga of the future continues in the year 2211. The Seven T'ang, the ruling dictatorship of the solar system, is weakened by the birth of a special child, and the forces of rebellion and change are spreading from the mega-cities of Earth to a secretive, planet-wide conspiracy on Mars. For generations the T'ang have controlled with mind manipulation and teams of black-clad assassins. But the human urge for freedom cannot be stilled by murder or seduction. Now, as a mad, blood-thirsty ruler plots a coup from within the T'ang, Hans Ebert, his famous face obscured forever behind a mask, begins a new fight for power and love on the red soil of Mars. Revolution may finally free the long-shackled masses, or it may spread unimaginable destruction sufficient to level a world--and the hopes of all worlds to come. The Chung Kuo series brings future centuries to life, portraying men and women caught between great powers fighting for dominance...and yearning for ageless passions for all that life holds dear.
June 22, 2024
DNF. The writing itself is competent, but the story is not satisfying. The first few chapters introduce a number of characters and some plot. Then all that is resolved in chapter 4. Now I don't have anything to look forward to in this story. Considering this is the 5th part of an 8-book epic, with this very hasty resolution to the introductory conflict, it doesn't leave any curiosity for the rest of it.
March 29, 2020
After the detour of the previous book, Wingrove destroys two cities at once and resolves slow plot leads in a few pages. Whilst the historical parallels (especially the classical ones) belabour themselves, the overall worldbuilding carries us forward. A series for lockdown!
September 22, 2017
Writes terribly well but the plots seem to have too many inexplicable turns. This is a horrible sage but it is dangerous future history that demands a read simply to avoid the possibility
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June 17, 2019Finito nel 01/gen/1970 00:00:00
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August 11, 2009I'm not done with this one but I have already formed two firm opinions about it: First, it is not as good as the previous books in the Chung Kuo series; Second, it is missing about thirty pages starting at the point where Jelka Tolonen is captured. The missing pages appear to be the fault of Dell, since the book is not obviously damaged and since about thirty pages are duplicated later on in the book. Needless to say, I was annoyed.
August 12, 2013
Not my favorite at all. After what started as easily one of the best high tech series I've ever read, in this novel, we see many of the core story begin to unravel in a bad way, unfortunately , the next book doesn't fix the ship's course either
September 4, 2016
Random pick at the library, always hoping for a pearl ;)
Really could not get into this book though I'm not easily discouraged. Maybe I should have started with the first one but if you have to force yourself to read a book it really isn't worth the candle is it.
Not my cup of tea Mr. Wingrove.
Really could not get into this book though I'm not easily discouraged. Maybe I should have started with the first one but if you have to force yourself to read a book it really isn't worth the candle is it.
Not my cup of tea Mr. Wingrove.
May 27, 2010
Go references: pp. 43-49,68,84,91-93,111,189,365,423,428,439-442,452-454,468,493,497-498,500-501,507-508,530,551. [UK paperback:]
July 5, 2011
very good book in the series
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews