Ombre su Shanghai

Sun Piao #2

by Andy Oakes

Sun Piao viene dimesso dall'ospedale psichiatrico di Ankang, nel quale era stato ingiustamente rinchiuso, e torna al lavoro in polizia con un ruolo diverso. Si trova a dover risolvere il caso di una serie di omicidi apparentemente slegati uno dall'altro, ma che si rivelano invece collegati da un sottile filo di interessi politici ed economici. È un incarico scomodo e pericoloso, che mette a repentaglio la sua stessa vita. E mentre i suoi amici e colleghi vengono brutalmente eliminati, nella sua ricerca per rendere giustiza ai compagni e alle donne uccisi, Sun Piao risale fino ai massimi vertici militari cinesi, portando alla luce prove che i suoi stessi superiori vogliono nascondere… e così facendo si troverà coinvolto in una terribile lotta di potere tra la vecchia e la nuova guardia del Partito Comunista.

Genres: Fiction, Crime

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Andy 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.

Reviews

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what a page turner!

Great story for those who have an interest in China.

[Geoff Battle · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

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!