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Sun Piao #2
Citizen One
Moving closer, the frame filled slate grey. The stone topography of chin, cheek, a gagged open mouth, blind upturned eye. Entombed in concrete, a girl naked and torn...
The Olympic Games - China's chance to shine on the world stage. The Shanghai stadium the pride of a nation. Until the bodies of young women, raped and mutilated, are found buried in the foundations.
Recently released from a psychiatric hospital for Chinese dissidents, Chief Investigator Sun Piao formerly of homicide has been demoted to the vice squad. But when the body of a close friend and colleague is found, tortured, crucified and posed as the star of the People's Republic, he's determined to track down the killer.
Following the evidence leads him to encounters with the highest levels of cadre in Chinese society - and the most dangerous. His only hope is to approach the mysterious and powerful Citizen One...
The Olympic Games - China's chance to shine on the world stage. The Shanghai stadium the pride of a nation. Until the bodies of young women, raped and mutilated, are found buried in the foundations.
Recently released from a psychiatric hospital for Chinese dissidents, Chief Investigator Sun Piao formerly of homicide has been demoted to the vice squad. But when the body of a close friend and colleague is found, tortured, crucified and posed as the star of the People's Republic, he's determined to track down the killer.
Following the evidence leads him to encounters with the highest levels of cadre in Chinese society - and the most dangerous. His only hope is to approach the mysterious and powerful Citizen One...
518 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
1 person is currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Andy Oakes
4 books2 followersAndy Oakes is a youth counsellor who works amongst highly disengaged young people to sort out drugs and alcohol issues. Oakes was previously a defense engineer, photographer, and a small business owner. He received a Calouste Gulbenkian award in 1972 to complete a photographic study of young people within an inner city setting and the resulting exhibition travelled the UK and appeared in several major galleries for the next eighteen months.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 9, 2016
Wow, what a page turner!
Great story for those who have an interest in China.
Great story for those who have an interest in China.
June 14, 2017
The timing couldn't be better for a novel which invites readers to delve in to a crime story which starts with a naked girl being found in the concrete foundations of the Olympic Shanghai Stadium. Oakes has clearly done his homework in to Chinese culture and creates a dismal portrait of suppression, corruption and the clash between capitalism and communism. In the middle of those conflicting ideals is Chief Investigator Sun Piao and his sidekick Big Man, working against the corruption, and for their own survival. The plot offers the expected twists, and at times, due to the unfamiliar ground is a little confusing. That said Oakes works hard to explain the scenario at several points.
Oakes writing style is quite unique, at times slowing the action down in to a version of 'bullet time' (a la The Matrix) to heighten suspense, which is an interesting idea. The plot itself is well thought out and pacing is ok, however there a couple of detractors which should be noted. Firstly, at times the book has a distinctly documentary feel, which although adds background to the scenario, does disjoint the story. Secondly the Olympic thread seems to have been inserted afterwards as a sales mechanism, not an integral part of the story. This is a shame, since it's definitely a big part of the book's sales pitch. Overall, Citizen One is a solid entry in to the crime genre, with a fresh approach and is well written.
Oakes writing style is quite unique, at times slowing the action down in to a version of 'bullet time' (a la The Matrix) to heighten suspense, which is an interesting idea. The plot itself is well thought out and pacing is ok, however there a couple of detractors which should be noted. Firstly, at times the book has a distinctly documentary feel, which although adds background to the scenario, does disjoint the story. Secondly the Olympic thread seems to have been inserted afterwards as a sales mechanism, not an integral part of the story. This is a shame, since it's definitely a big part of the book's sales pitch. Overall, Citizen One is a solid entry in to the crime genre, with a fresh approach and is well written.
December 30, 2021
Citizen One by Andy Oakes is a terrible book. The characters are all one-dimensional and the plot is predictable. The writing is amateurish and the author's attempt at creating a "badass" protagonist falls flat. Overall, this book is not worth your time - avoid it at all costs!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews