This is a powerful book.
It is an alternate world China in flames. China is despised as barbaric by the
Hesperians. The manner in which this alternate
China is treated is vaquely similar to the time of the Opium Wars. The characterizations of the warlords, the shaman,
smugglers, aristocracy and Hinterlanders all meld together in a powerful
montage of treachery and despair. The
destruction of a country for economic benefit and religious intolerance is
accompanied by a pantheon of repressed gods.
This is the second volume in the Poppy
War series. The author follows the
Cike who are touched by the gods and provided occult like powers. They story is their fight allied with the
Dragon Warlord, Vaisra, to overthrow the evil Empress. Vaisra
claims to be the champion of the people and wants to establish a republic.
The motivations of the main characters are layered and deceiving. About the time you think you have a handle on
who is going to do what you discover that another layer is emerging that is contradictory
to what you imagined.
Kuang is an artist painting a Esch/Picasso. There are times you are sure you recognize
what is being painted and know what direction it is taking and then…
The perception of what is being fought for or against changes
as you read.
This book makes you ponder the roots of conflict and
economics.
I highly recommend.
This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.
No comments:
Post a Comment