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The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox #1-3
The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox
Omnibus edition including the three novels in the series.
652 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1998
279 people are currently reading
2298 people want to read
About the author
Barry Hughart
7 books265 followersHughart was educated at Phillips Academy (Andover). He attended Columbia University where he obtained a bachelor's degree in 1956.
Upon his graduation from Columbia, Hughart joined the United States Air Force and served from 1956 to 1960 where he was involved in laying mines in the Korean Demilitarized Zone. During Hughart's military service he began to develop his lifelong interest in China that led him to plan a series set in "an Ancient China that never was." His connection to China continued after his military service, as he worked with TechTop, a military surplus company that was based in Asia, from 1960 to 1965.
From 1965 to 1970 Hughart was the manager of the Lenox Hill Book Shop in New York City.
Hughart lived in Tucson, Arizona until his death in 2019 at the age of 85.
Upon his graduation from Columbia, Hughart joined the United States Air Force and served from 1956 to 1960 where he was involved in laying mines in the Korean Demilitarized Zone. During Hughart's military service he began to develop his lifelong interest in China that led him to plan a series set in "an Ancient China that never was." His connection to China continued after his military service, as he worked with TechTop, a military surplus company that was based in Asia, from 1960 to 1965.
From 1965 to 1970 Hughart was the manager of the Lenox Hill Book Shop in New York City.
Hughart lived in Tucson, Arizona until his death in 2019 at the age of 85.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
July 5, 2019
After considerable searching and expense, I procured this hardcover edition.
It is actually three books:
"The Bridge of Birds," ( my review)
"The Story of the Stone" (my review)
and
"Eight Skilled Gentleman" (my review)
The first is the most marvelous, in my opinion, and was even more amazing on my July 2019 re-read for the marvelous way the author pulled a mythological adventure tale together into a very beautiful and moving ending. I definitely felt echos of Princess Bride.
It is actually three books:
"The Bridge of Birds," ( my review)
"The Story of the Stone" (my review)
and
"Eight Skilled Gentleman" (my review)
The first is the most marvelous, in my opinion, and was even more amazing on my July 2019 re-read for the marvelous way the author pulled a mythological adventure tale together into a very beautiful and moving ending. I definitely felt echos of Princess Bride.
December 12, 2010
I loved these books so much that I published this one.
All three novels concern the same two primary characters, but can be read completely independently. Bridge of Birds, the first of the three, is such a just generally appealing and interesting novel that I sold it "satisfaction guaranteed" at my bookshop. You don't care for it? Bring it back for a full refund. In 16 years and over 1,500 copies of the paperback sold, I had two people take me up on it. (And one of them said he did kinda like it, but really wanted the cash.)
The frustration at that time was that folks would come rushing back, delighted with this new find of theirs and ask what else this author had written.
"The good news is, there are two more books. The bad news is, you can't have them." Both of the later books had gone out of print shortly after publication, and were astonishingly expensive in the used book market.
That's why, in 1998, while looking for a really big thing to do to celebrate 10 years in the bookstore business, I decided to contact Mr. Hughart, hire a book designer (the amazing Robert Garcia), and take my friend Kaja Foglio up on her years-ago idea to illustrate these books if there was ever a chance. We published an omnibus edition of all three novels, with a color cover, and six full page black and white illustrations.
While the collection we published is also now out of print, Bridge of Birds has always been available, and the other two have been showing up in sporadic reprints.
Set in "a China that never was", these books have elements of both fantasy and mystery novels, but fit best into the "just try it and see if you like it" genre.
All three novels concern the same two primary characters, but can be read completely independently. Bridge of Birds, the first of the three, is such a just generally appealing and interesting novel that I sold it "satisfaction guaranteed" at my bookshop. You don't care for it? Bring it back for a full refund. In 16 years and over 1,500 copies of the paperback sold, I had two people take me up on it. (And one of them said he did kinda like it, but really wanted the cash.)
The frustration at that time was that folks would come rushing back, delighted with this new find of theirs and ask what else this author had written.
"The good news is, there are two more books. The bad news is, you can't have them." Both of the later books had gone out of print shortly after publication, and were astonishingly expensive in the used book market.
That's why, in 1998, while looking for a really big thing to do to celebrate 10 years in the bookstore business, I decided to contact Mr. Hughart, hire a book designer (the amazing Robert Garcia), and take my friend Kaja Foglio up on her years-ago idea to illustrate these books if there was ever a chance. We published an omnibus edition of all three novels, with a color cover, and six full page black and white illustrations.
While the collection we published is also now out of print, Bridge of Birds has always been available, and the other two have been showing up in sporadic reprints.
Set in "a China that never was", these books have elements of both fantasy and mystery novels, but fit best into the "just try it and see if you like it" genre.
February 7, 2017
I own an old paper copy of this omnibus published in the late 90s; when I pulled it off the shelves for a reread, having been reminded of its existence by another work altogether, I found the print had shrunk sadly over the years, so I bought a new copy for my Kindle. Much better for my eyes, and possibly yours.
So far I have only reread the first of the three novels in the collection, Bridge of Birds, of which, it turns out, I had forgotten nearly everything, so it was just like reading a new book. Picaresque fantasy adventure told as a first-person memoir by Number Ten Ox, who is more-or-less the Watson to Master Li's Sherlock, in a more-or-less Tang China setting. (On which I imprinted long ago with the Judge Dee stories of Robert Van Gulik, but that's another subject.)
The children of Number Ten Ox's village are felled by a paralytic poison (very slow acting, fortunately for the convoluted plot,) and Ox is sent to Peking to hire the only sage he can afford, Li Kao, an ancient genius-lunatic with, as he repeatedly explains, "a slight flaw in his character", to attempt to find a cure. This proves, eventually, a very happy chance for Ox, his village, and the reader.
Recommended.
Ta, L.
So far I have only reread the first of the three novels in the collection, Bridge of Birds, of which, it turns out, I had forgotten nearly everything, so it was just like reading a new book. Picaresque fantasy adventure told as a first-person memoir by Number Ten Ox, who is more-or-less the Watson to Master Li's Sherlock, in a more-or-less Tang China setting. (On which I imprinted long ago with the Judge Dee stories of Robert Van Gulik, but that's another subject.)
The children of Number Ten Ox's village are felled by a paralytic poison (very slow acting, fortunately for the convoluted plot,) and Ox is sent to Peking to hire the only sage he can afford, Li Kao, an ancient genius-lunatic with, as he repeatedly explains, "a slight flaw in his character", to attempt to find a cure. This proves, eventually, a very happy chance for Ox, his village, and the reader.
Recommended.
Ta, L.
April 4, 2008
The only complaint I have about this volume of Barry Hughart books is that Hughart never wrote any more.
I bought The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox from the Science Fiction Book club, largely because of the name. If you're into Princess Bride-style humor and dungeon crawls, these are the books for you.
I bought The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox from the Science Fiction Book club, largely because of the name. If you're into Princess Bride-style humor and dungeon crawls, these are the books for you.
June 3, 2007
This book is a set of three novels, so it's hefty. But it's a delight to read, set in a magical China of long ago. The Chronicals are presented in first person by Number Ten Ox, a large and self-deprecating accolyte of Master Li, who has a slight flaw in his character (Master Li is an inverterate drunk, murderer, and thief). Together they right wrongs, fight evil, poison, stab, and deviously sprint their way through many adventures. As humble as Number Ten Ox presents himself, he still seems to find time to describe his significant abilities with the ladies. I recommend this for the humor, the fast pace and the well-crafted exotic local.
April 25, 2009
Chronicles is a monster of a book. It's really a trilogy: three relatively short novels, originally published separately but collected in this edition. And it probably should be read as three individual works. All of these works weave together Chinese literature, philosphy, and folktales in fascinating tales--even going back to the "aboriginal" inhabitants of China, and their forgotten religions. (I know little about Chinese mythology, so this may be fictitious). If all you know about Chinese myth is dragons and a trickster Monkey, you've got a lot to look forward to.
The first of the three book, "Bridge of Birds", is the best. It starts out as a relatively simple mystery: who has poisoned the children of Ox's village, and how will they find the mysterious Great Root of Power, which is the only thing that will cure them? But partway through, after several unsuccessful adventures, Master Li reveals that the stakes are much larger: the story of the poisoned children is inextricably bound up with the disappearance of the Princess of Birds from Heaven, and the gods have arranged things so that Li and Ox can't cure the children without first finding the Princess and restoring her. When these two stories lock together, Bridge of Birds changes from a simple adventure/quest to a story about love and the power of love in many different forms.
On the dustjacket, the author writes that he didn't write more because Ox/Li had become a formula, and he didn't want to write that way, so he quite. A wise decision--the third book, Eight Skilled Gentlemen, is the weakest, but also provides a beautiful and satisfying end to the series. It's not clear where Hughart could have taken the series that wouldn't have been "more of the same". In a recent interview in the New York Times, Joyce Carol Oates said "If you’re going to spend the next year of your life writing, you would probably rather write “Moby Dick” than a little household mystery with cat detectives." I suspect Barry Hughart felt the same. When you've taken a story as far as you can, it's time to stop.
The first of the three book, "Bridge of Birds", is the best. It starts out as a relatively simple mystery: who has poisoned the children of Ox's village, and how will they find the mysterious Great Root of Power, which is the only thing that will cure them? But partway through, after several unsuccessful adventures, Master Li reveals that the stakes are much larger: the story of the poisoned children is inextricably bound up with the disappearance of the Princess of Birds from Heaven, and the gods have arranged things so that Li and Ox can't cure the children without first finding the Princess and restoring her. When these two stories lock together, Bridge of Birds changes from a simple adventure/quest to a story about love and the power of love in many different forms.
On the dustjacket, the author writes that he didn't write more because Ox/Li had become a formula, and he didn't want to write that way, so he quite. A wise decision--the third book, Eight Skilled Gentlemen, is the weakest, but also provides a beautiful and satisfying end to the series. It's not clear where Hughart could have taken the series that wouldn't have been "more of the same". In a recent interview in the New York Times, Joyce Carol Oates said "If you’re going to spend the next year of your life writing, you would probably rather write “Moby Dick” than a little household mystery with cat detectives." I suspect Barry Hughart felt the same. When you've taken a story as far as you can, it's time to stop.
March 31, 2012
It is hard to say what made me read this trilogy (in one volume) every night way beyond the time I was sleepy. The books are hardly classic thriller page turners. The main characters don't immediately strike you as deep or well-developed, on the opposite: they appear almost as cartoon characters, exaggerated to a ridiculous degree. And if you've been bored to death by the singing and poetry in Tolkien J.R.R.'s books, well, you stumble across a lot of poems, songs and random side-notes in these stories.
Nonetheless. The Chronicles Of Master Li And Number Ten Ox were funny. They hold intriguing riddles and questions. These stories touch the heart - and are lighthearted at the same time. Those characters I maligned above? They make you wish you had met them.
Read this unique trilogy, you'll enjoy the fairytale that pulls no punches and mixes the real, down-to-earth with the unquestioning acceptance of the divine in ancient China.
Nonetheless. The Chronicles Of Master Li And Number Ten Ox were funny. They hold intriguing riddles and questions. These stories touch the heart - and are lighthearted at the same time. Those characters I maligned above? They make you wish you had met them.
Read this unique trilogy, you'll enjoy the fairytale that pulls no punches and mixes the real, down-to-earth with the unquestioning acceptance of the divine in ancient China.
January 4, 2014
The only thing that I dislike about these books is that there aren't any more of them! Why aren't there more of them? I love these books SO MUCH - how can I explain? First of all, I love stories that take place in ancient China and, especially, those that incorporate the myths, legends, and deities of ancient China. The main characters of Li Kao (who has a slight flaw in his character! ;)) and Number Ten Ox (who is a pure soul, even though he has an enormous weakness for the ladies). I don't just love these characters, I adore them! Their adventures are fascinating and the villains are scary, and there is such a unique interconnectedness of the mysteries with the legends. I will see Master Li hopping on Ox's back and putting his feet in Ox's pockets as they run after each new mystery or away from something that wants to kill them forever. I devoured all three books while in Hawaii and it kept my attention enough that I wanted to read, even while the ocean beckoned.
February 10, 2015
Bridge of Birds - 5 Stars
Set in mythic China, Bridge of Birds is a picaresque fable with similarities to The Princess Bride, the Sherlock Holmes stories, and Jack Vance's tales of Cugel the Clever. While it starts off with a rather simple premise--involving a search for a magical medicine for afflicted village children--the book's final chapters reveal that the entire story was no simple MacGuffin fetch quest, but in reality something far more original and carefully constructed.
All of Hughart's characters, including the crafty scholar Master Li Kao and earnest bumpkin Number Ten Ox, are well-drawn and appealing, if generally amoral. The heroes are Magnificent Bastards in a corrupt world. Still they manage to do a tremendous amount of good in between heists, swindles, and the occasional murder. The setting is colorful as well, encompassing both the exotic and decadent heights of the imperial lifestyle and the grubby desperation of the peasant class. The book hand-waves historical accuracy, set in "an Ancient China that never was", but Hughart still presents a fascinating world that I enjoyed spending time in.
Packed with cliffhangers and abrupt reversals of fortune, Bridge of Birds is (to borrow cheesy movie review-speak) a romp from beginning to end. I found myself grinning at many points during the story, and never wider than during the book's conclusion, which was thoroughly satisfying. All loose ends are tied up neatly, with characters and locales revisited in such a way that it highlights just how far we've traveled with Li Kao and Number Ten Ox. I rarely give out five stars, but this book is definitely worth sharing.
The Story of the Stone - 4 Stars
It was great to read more about Master Li and Number Ten Ox's exploits, but I can't help feeling like it didn't quite live up to its predecessor.
While Bridge of Birds is more of a traditional fantasy adventure, The Story of the Stone ends up more like a murder mystery. While investigating an apparent forgery, the protagonists come upon the scene of a killing, along with hints that the killer may be the Laughing Prince, a long since deceased despot.
The premise is interesting, but the story that follows has even more meanderings, red herrings, and side treks that Bridge of Birds. The adventures described are always entertaining--the heroes' visit to a number of the Chinese hells stands out in particular--but with so much misdirection and dead ends I found myself losing the plot at times. It turns out there's a reason for all this, revealed (in true mystery novel fashion) as a climactic twist.
Master Li and Number Ten Ox continue to entertain, but Master Li's idiosyncrasies in particular seemed somewhat muted in this novel compared to the first one. Perhaps it was due to the spotlight time given to newly-introduced characters Moonboy and Grief-of-Dawn.
The Story of the Stone didn't wow me as much as Bridge of Birds, but then again very few books do. This is still an interesting novel and very much worth a read.
Eight Skilled Gentlemen - 3 Stars
While still a pleasure to read, Eight Skilled Gentlemen hews disappointingly close to The Story of the Stone's formula. As with the last book, there's a barrage of digressions, false starts, betrayals, and red herrings. While individual scenes are invariably entertaining--one where Number Ten Ox and Master Li have to dispose of a corpse was stomach-churningly hilarious--I felt they didn't quite come together to form a single cohesive book.
That being said, Master Li and Number Ten Ox have earned a place in my heart as two of my favorite characters, and it seems a great loss that there won't be any more adventures starring them.
Set in mythic China, Bridge of Birds is a picaresque fable with similarities to The Princess Bride, the Sherlock Holmes stories, and Jack Vance's tales of Cugel the Clever. While it starts off with a rather simple premise--involving a search for a magical medicine for afflicted village children--the book's final chapters reveal that the entire story was no simple MacGuffin fetch quest, but in reality something far more original and carefully constructed.
All of Hughart's characters, including the crafty scholar Master Li Kao and earnest bumpkin Number Ten Ox, are well-drawn and appealing, if generally amoral. The heroes are Magnificent Bastards in a corrupt world. Still they manage to do a tremendous amount of good in between heists, swindles, and the occasional murder. The setting is colorful as well, encompassing both the exotic and decadent heights of the imperial lifestyle and the grubby desperation of the peasant class. The book hand-waves historical accuracy, set in "an Ancient China that never was", but Hughart still presents a fascinating world that I enjoyed spending time in.
Packed with cliffhangers and abrupt reversals of fortune, Bridge of Birds is (to borrow cheesy movie review-speak) a romp from beginning to end. I found myself grinning at many points during the story, and never wider than during the book's conclusion, which was thoroughly satisfying. All loose ends are tied up neatly, with characters and locales revisited in such a way that it highlights just how far we've traveled with Li Kao and Number Ten Ox. I rarely give out five stars, but this book is definitely worth sharing.
The Story of the Stone - 4 Stars
It was great to read more about Master Li and Number Ten Ox's exploits, but I can't help feeling like it didn't quite live up to its predecessor.
While Bridge of Birds is more of a traditional fantasy adventure, The Story of the Stone ends up more like a murder mystery. While investigating an apparent forgery, the protagonists come upon the scene of a killing, along with hints that the killer may be the Laughing Prince, a long since deceased despot.
The premise is interesting, but the story that follows has even more meanderings, red herrings, and side treks that Bridge of Birds. The adventures described are always entertaining--the heroes' visit to a number of the Chinese hells stands out in particular--but with so much misdirection and dead ends I found myself losing the plot at times. It turns out there's a reason for all this, revealed (in true mystery novel fashion) as a climactic twist.
Master Li and Number Ten Ox continue to entertain, but Master Li's idiosyncrasies in particular seemed somewhat muted in this novel compared to the first one. Perhaps it was due to the spotlight time given to newly-introduced characters Moonboy and Grief-of-Dawn.
The Story of the Stone didn't wow me as much as Bridge of Birds, but then again very few books do. This is still an interesting novel and very much worth a read.
Eight Skilled Gentlemen - 3 Stars
While still a pleasure to read, Eight Skilled Gentlemen hews disappointingly close to The Story of the Stone's formula. As with the last book, there's a barrage of digressions, false starts, betrayals, and red herrings. While individual scenes are invariably entertaining--one where Number Ten Ox and Master Li have to dispose of a corpse was stomach-churningly hilarious--I felt they didn't quite come together to form a single cohesive book.
That being said, Master Li and Number Ten Ox have earned a place in my heart as two of my favorite characters, and it seems a great loss that there won't be any more adventures starring them.
December 30, 2014
On the one hand, it feels very 80s fantasy framed in uncomfortable Orientalism. I'm assured it's an affectionate and well-researched approach, and it is really nice to read a fantasy set somewhere other than Europe or Europe-ish. But there are definitely elements that have been stretched to the breaking point to fit a Western framework-- with a style of narration that comes off like Aravis and Lasaraleen in The Horse and His Boy-- and I'd be interested to hear how others feel about the appropriation and parody.
That said, the first book in particular is a brilliantly crafted yarn, beautifully told. The storytelling is captivating, and feels like sitting in the warm grass listening to a Jack Tale told by a master, where you lose track of your senses and almost feel the vivid environments described. The other two books tend to follow its formula but are also fun to read. Well worth picking it up.
That said, the first book in particular is a brilliantly crafted yarn, beautifully told. The storytelling is captivating, and feels like sitting in the warm grass listening to a Jack Tale told by a master, where you lose track of your senses and almost feel the vivid environments described. The other two books tend to follow its formula but are also fun to read. Well worth picking it up.
August 7, 2013
A nice twist on the usual sword and sorcery fantasy trope. This time Middle Earth makes way for ancient China. Instead of orcs, elves and trolls we get mandarins, bonzes and ginseng.
Li Kao is an ancient scholar with "a slight flaw in his character" accompanied by Number Ten Ox, his "esteemed former client and current assistant".
From there it's a caper meets Sherlock Holmes with a supernatural thriller bent and a bit of Hope and Crosby roadtrip thrown in for good measure.
Bridge of Birds gets a solid 4 stars but I continued on with The Story of the Stone and Eight Skilled Gentlemen included in the omnibus edition. Halfway through I was at the unfortunate point where you find yourself reading just to finish.
Li Kao is an ancient scholar with "a slight flaw in his character" accompanied by Number Ten Ox, his "esteemed former client and current assistant".
From there it's a caper meets Sherlock Holmes with a supernatural thriller bent and a bit of Hope and Crosby roadtrip thrown in for good measure.
Bridge of Birds gets a solid 4 stars but I continued on with The Story of the Stone and Eight Skilled Gentlemen included in the omnibus edition. Halfway through I was at the unfortunate point where you find yourself reading just to finish.
June 27, 2025
I originally bought the first and third of Hughart's books in the 1990s. This rather massive tome (I think it's about 650 pages) collects all three of them.
There are many reviews of these hilarious and profound novels, but I want to focus on the author's autobiographical note which appears on the dustjacket of this edition. I never knew anything about him, and the sketch he gives of the part of his life, and the state of mind, that gave rise to these stories is poignant and sincere. That led me to a deeper dive, and I found http://www.barryhughart.org/ which collects more information about him.
There are many reviews of these hilarious and profound novels, but I want to focus on the author's autobiographical note which appears on the dustjacket of this edition. I never knew anything about him, and the sketch he gives of the part of his life, and the state of mind, that gave rise to these stories is poignant and sincere. That led me to a deeper dive, and I found http://www.barryhughart.org/ which collects more information about him.
June 17, 2012
Master Li and Number Ten Ox wander ancient China having adventures. Terms such as "rollicking" may apply.
I can see why people like this series, but it never quite clicked for me. Part of it may have been Ox's voice, which is fittingly stolid but doesn't quite convey excitement. Another part may have been the sheer implausibility of the adventures, which -- I mean, points for creativity, but suspension of disbelief was really difficult.
I can see why people like this series, but it never quite clicked for me. Part of it may have been Ox's voice, which is fittingly stolid but doesn't quite convey excitement. Another part may have been the sheer implausibility of the adventures, which -- I mean, points for creativity, but suspension of disbelief was really difficult.
January 24, 2019
I can't recommend these books highly enough, they're *AMAZING*. Comedic, with strongly-drawn characters, and a beautiful, entertaining version of Mythic China.
March 22, 2015
I thought these were hilarious when they first came out, and upon re-reading hold up nicely. Number Ten Ox is endowed with both brawn and brains (or at least, he's a quick learner), and though the author pokes vicious fun at traditional Chinese story tropes he steers clear of racial stereotypes. I at least didn't think the satire was too heavy handed--at least in the first volume. In the others it did seem to become too much of a good thing, and I don't think you'll miss anything significant by skipping when the narrator goes off on a ceremonial or mythological riff. Hughart crafts a storyline that can carry the weight. Also, he makes sure that both the Good and the Bad guys get JUST what they deserve.
Sample lines:
"I will not describe the ceremony of the burial in detail because I would have to begin with the 3,300 rules of chu etiquette, which would send my readers screaming into the night, but I will mention that the body of my beloved had been covered with quicksilver and "Dragon's Brains," and that I had been quite disappointed when I had discovered that the latter was merely Borneo camphor."
"The supernatural can be very annoying until one finds the key that transforms it into science."
"Our first order of business will be to find a deranged alchemist, which should not be very difficult."
"Master Li turned bright red while he scorched the air with the Sixty Sequential Sacrileges with which he had won the all-China Freestyle Blasphemy Competition in Hangchow three years in a row."
(From Story of the Stone):
"Constipation is a godsend for a medical examiner."
"And is not your father the ulcerous, flatulent, maggot-infested fellow Hong the Hopeless, who takes pride in the fact that he has failed the examination for village idiot sixteen years in a row?"
(From Eight skilled gents)
"Who has made off with my costly silk trousers? My pure velvet loincloth?"
Sample lines:
"I will not describe the ceremony of the burial in detail because I would have to begin with the 3,300 rules of chu etiquette, which would send my readers screaming into the night, but I will mention that the body of my beloved had been covered with quicksilver and "Dragon's Brains," and that I had been quite disappointed when I had discovered that the latter was merely Borneo camphor."
"The supernatural can be very annoying until one finds the key that transforms it into science."
"Our first order of business will be to find a deranged alchemist, which should not be very difficult."
"Master Li turned bright red while he scorched the air with the Sixty Sequential Sacrileges with which he had won the all-China Freestyle Blasphemy Competition in Hangchow three years in a row."
(From Story of the Stone):
"Constipation is a godsend for a medical examiner."
"And is not your father the ulcerous, flatulent, maggot-infested fellow Hong the Hopeless, who takes pride in the fact that he has failed the examination for village idiot sixteen years in a row?"
(From Eight skilled gents)
"Who has made off with my costly silk trousers? My pure velvet loincloth?"
September 13, 2011
If you've never read the adventures of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, chronicled in the fantasy novels Bridge of Birds, The Story of the Stone, and Eight Skilled Gentlemen, you've missed one of my favorite series of books in all of fantasy. They take place in "a China that never was," and Barry Hughart was inspired to write them when he discovered that some gods and goddesses of ancient China actually were born in stories.
Subterranean Press has released a new compilation of the three books, The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox. There's also a previous collection done by Dreamhaven Press/Bookstore, as well as the individual novels. In the course of their journeys, I laughed out loud a lot, and I wept. I was too young when I found Bridge of Birds, and it just didn't pull me in, so I set it aside. A relative picked it up, loved it and encouraged me to give it another try. I am so glad I did.
I think you'll find it worth a try, too.
Yes, of course there will be ebook editions. I think the Kindle is already available. (It is, but to get the third book, you need to buy the compilation. Only the first two are available on Kindle separately.) A Nook version is coming, too.
Subterranean Press has released a new compilation of the three books, The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox. There's also a previous collection done by Dreamhaven Press/Bookstore, as well as the individual novels. In the course of their journeys, I laughed out loud a lot, and I wept. I was too young when I found Bridge of Birds, and it just didn't pull me in, so I set it aside. A relative picked it up, loved it and encouraged me to give it another try. I am so glad I did.
I think you'll find it worth a try, too.
Yes, of course there will be ebook editions. I think the Kindle is already available. (It is, but to get the third book, you need to buy the compilation. Only the first two are available on Kindle separately.) A Nook version is coming, too.
June 16, 2011
The adventures of Master Li Kao and Number Ten Ox described here are absolute jewels that make you thirsty for more. As the whole thing, the stories as well as the pure fun that can be derived from reading them, exceeds our capacity (severely restricted by present-day boring stuff presented in the garb of 'fantasy') for either, bitter disappointments arise in our mind on three counts:
1. Thanks to the inept publishers in 1980-s, this series has come to an unfortunate halt, with only 3 'chronicles' rather than the estimated 10, making us appreciate how lopsided the business can be (another example can be found in the case of Frederick Brown mystery library, supposed to be published by Stewart Masters).
2. The ususally top-rate publishing standards of Subterranean Press are sorely missed here, as the book is full of typographical mistakes and skipping lines.
3. Editorial functions in the shape of annotations (at least in the last novel) would have enabled the works to authenticate themselves as descriptions of "a China that never was" in a more authentic manner.
Now that this book is being re-released by the Subterranean Press in a typo-free fashion, I recommend all lovers of fantasy & adventure to them, as soon as they are available for purchase.
1. Thanks to the inept publishers in 1980-s, this series has come to an unfortunate halt, with only 3 'chronicles' rather than the estimated 10, making us appreciate how lopsided the business can be (another example can be found in the case of Frederick Brown mystery library, supposed to be published by Stewart Masters).
2. The ususally top-rate publishing standards of Subterranean Press are sorely missed here, as the book is full of typographical mistakes and skipping lines.
3. Editorial functions in the shape of annotations (at least in the last novel) would have enabled the works to authenticate themselves as descriptions of "a China that never was" in a more authentic manner.
Now that this book is being re-released by the Subterranean Press in a typo-free fashion, I recommend all lovers of fantasy & adventure to them, as soon as they are available for purchase.
April 22, 2012
This is some really good stuff here. Barry Hughart's version of China is amusing, adventurous, entertaining, occasionally sexy, and often romantic (in the old sense, not in the kissy kissy love love style). I think of the three books, I'm most satisfied with Bridge of Birds, partially because it's the first and thus everything was fresh and new, but also because it just seemed to hang together better. Barry Hughart says he's not writing any more of these books because he was afraid they would fall into a rut, and by the third book I could sort of see what he meant, although it was a very nice rut with some excellent humor and adventure.
That said, if you're at all interested in Fantasy adventure novels involving a 100 year old criminal mastermind who took up private eyeing because criminal masterminding was too easy, and a big strong man named 'Ox', then these really are the best ones to read.
That said, if you're at all interested in Fantasy adventure novels involving a 100 year old criminal mastermind who took up private eyeing because criminal masterminding was too easy, and a big strong man named 'Ox', then these really are the best ones to read.
January 1, 2018
By far one of the best fantasy series I've read. Hughart's development of character with a strong eye toward humor is second to none. His ability to have his readers laugh in the face of deadly plot twists staring his characters in the face time and time again, make this collected work a treasure. If you haven't discovered the joy of Number 10 Ox and his mentor Master Li, who has a small flaw in his character, then you have not experienced the most exquisite of emotional rides that can be parallelled only by throwing oneself over a waterfall with nothing but two feather pillows, and coming out alive bedecked with jewels and the most interesting of maidens on your arm. Even that description does not do enough justice to the stories to fully appreciate their intricate storylines and development.
February 12, 2012
I thought the first was the best, but all three were charming and memorable. The Bridge of Birds is based on a Chinese myth about the stars that is still celebrated. The character of Master Li is masterful and Number Ten Ox makes an excellent Watson to Li's Holmes. The story is a mystery within another mystery that combines a treasure hunt with the unmasking of a terrible monster.And it is laugh-out-loud funny. Do be aware, however, that they are set in a storyteller's China, not reality. Bridge of Birds won fantasy awards, but I think many mystery readers would enjoy the stories, especially anyone who liked the Judge Dee stories by Robert van Gulik.
July 6, 2012
This very large book is comprised of 3 novellas. I managed to read only the first, Bridge of Birds. I enjoyed the world it was set in, liked many of the characters, hated (as we were meant to) some other characters, watched while some despicable characters changed, and wondered how it would all tie together. Well it did, and quite nicely. I felt this was a fairly innocent book (despite the gruesome tortures and murders, and the sexual escapades)and if I had to describe it in just a few words would say "charming" and "enchanting."
March 3, 2013
This was an interesting reading experience. I only read the first story and while think I liked it I don't really feel compelled to read the other ones. I appreciate what the author does and there were moments where I felt really engrossed but for the majority of the time I felt academically detached. It reminded me of Candide which is not a bad thing. I think if I do get a chance to read the other stories I will enjoy them more as I will be more familiar with the style and characters but I'm not sure if I'll bother.
September 7, 2010
To be honest, I felt that this series got worse as it went along, which makes it somewhat hard to rate the compilation. Bridge of Birds was fantastic, easily a five-star book. The Story of the Stone didn't come together quite as well, IMHO, but it still had many elements I enjoyed. And I found Eight Skilled Gentlemen generally uninteresting, other than the character of Hosteler Tu.
January 16, 2013
Entertaining historical fantasies set in a magical-realist 7th century China. Four stars for the first book, Bridge of the Birds, which introduces the great character of Master Li, a centenarian scholar with "a flaw in his character." The other two books in this anthology don't quite live up to the promise of the first, but overall it's quite diverting.
May 29, 2018
These books are like nothing else I've ever read. It's like the author took a bunch of Sherlock Holmes tropes and turned them on their head, and then put the protagonists in an old, fantastical China. Definitely worth the read.
May 9, 2015
Rollicking is the best word I can think of to describe this book. It's crammed to the gills with action and tongue in cheek humor. It's not deep, but it is an very enjoyable read if you are in the mood for something light.
November 8, 2015
This is an omnibus edition, and very large. Of the 3 books, the first was by far my favorite, but they all had a uniquely magical setting, and were executed terrifically.
Strongly recommended, at least for the first book.
Strongly recommended, at least for the first book.
June 20, 2013
One of the best books I've ever read. A Taoist fantasy novel reminiscent of Journey To The West. Amazing.
July 23, 2012
These are my favorite fantasy novels ever. Simply perfect.
October 4, 2015
Co-worker recommended as a good airplane read... he was right... an amusing little romp.
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