Eight Skilled Gentlemen

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Eight Skilled Gentlemen
Eight Skilled Gentlemen.jpg
Author Barry Hughart
CountryUSA
LanguageEnglish
SeriesChronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox
SubjectChina -- Fiction
GenreHistorical Fiction, Fantastic Fiction
Publisher Doubleday
Publication date
1991
Media typeBook
Pages255
ISBN 0-385-41709-8
OCLC 22509949
813/.54 20
LC Class PS3558.U347 E37 1991
Preceded by The Story of the Stone;
Also published in omnibus edition: The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox . 

Eight Skilled Gentlemen is a novel by Barry Hughart, first published in 1990. It is the third, and final, part of a series set in a version of ancient China that began with Bridge of Birds and The Story of the Stone .

Novel Narrative text, normally of a substantial length and in the form of prose describing a fictional and sequential story

A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, normally written in prose form, and which is typically published as a book.

Barry Hughart, is an American author of fantasy novels.

China Country in East Asia

China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia and the world's most populous country, with a population of around 1.404 billion. Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers (3,700,000 sq mi), it is the third- or fourth-largest country by total area. Governed by the Communist Party of China, the state exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four direct-controlled municipalities, and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

Contents

Plot summary

In this novel, Li Kao and Number Ten Ox are attending the execution of a notorious criminal (about whose capture the less said the better, according to the chronicler) when into the public square bounds a "vampire ghoul" who soon meets a fiery demise. Master Li is given the case by the "Celestial Master" who soon becomes a main suspect. The plot involves everything from a conspiracy involving fake tea to dog-brides, puppeteers to magic birdcages, assorted pre-Chinese demons and gods, and the hooded and ancient Eight Skilled Gentlemen.

A jiangshi, also known as a Chinese "hopping" zombie, is a type of reanimated corpse in Chinese legends and folklore. "Jiangshi" is read geung-si in Cantonese, Phi Dip Chin in Thai, cương thi in Vietnamese, gangshi in Korean, kyonshī in Japanese, and "hantu pocong" in Malay and Indonesia. It is typically depicted as a stiff corpse dressed in official garments from the Qing Dynasty, and it moves around by hopping, with its arms outstretched. It kills living creatures to absorb their qi, or "life force", usually at night, while in the day, it rests in a coffin or hides in dark places such as caves. Jiangshi legends have inspired a genre of jiangshi films and literature in Hong Kong and East Asia.

Zhang Daoling Taoist leader

Zhang Ling, courtesy name Fuhan, was an Eastern Han Dynasty Taoist figure credited with founding the Way of the Celestial Masters sect of Taoism, which is also known as the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice.

Eight Immortals group of legendary xian (immortals) in Chinese mythology

The Eight Immortals are a group of legendary xian ("immortals") in Chinese mythology. Each immortal's power can be transferred to a vessel (法器) that can bestow life or destroy evil. Together, these eight vessels are called the "Covert Eight Immortals" (暗八仙). Most of them are said to have been born in the Tang or Shang Dynasty. They are revered by the Taoists and are also a popular element in the secular Chinese culture. They are said to live on a group of five islands in the Bohai Sea, which includes Mount Penglai.

The plot also involves a subject rarely mentioned in fiction, the pre-Chinese aborigines and their gods.

Indigenous peoples Ethnic group descended from and identified with the original inhabitants of a given region

Indigenous peoples, also known as first peoples, aboriginal peoples or native peoples, are ethnic groups who are the original settlers of a given region, in contrast to groups that have settled, occupied or colonized the area more recently. Groups are usually described as indigenous when they maintain traditions or other aspects of an early culture that is associated with a given region. Not all indigenous peoples share this characteristic, as many have adopted substantial elements of a colonizing culture, such as dress, religion or language. Indigenous peoples may be settled in a given region (sedentary) or exhibit a nomadic lifestyle across a large territory, but they are generally historically associated with a specific territory on which they depend. Indigenous societies are found in every inhabited climate zone and continent of the world.

Reviews

The Washington Post called this book "a refreshing change from the dull and endless parade of Celtic myth that dominates the fantasy marketplace." They compare his writing to Ernest Bramah's Kai Lung novels and Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee mysteries. [1]

<i>The Washington Post</i> Daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C.

The Washington Post is a major American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., with a particular emphasis on national politics and the federal government. It has the largest circulation in the Washington metropolitan area. Its slogan "Democracy Dies in Darkness" began appearing on its masthead in 2017. Daily broadsheet editions are printed for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.

Ernest Bramah English author

Ernest Bramah, whose name was recorded after his birth as Ernest Brammah Smith, was an English author. He published 21 books and numerous short stories and features. His humorous works were ranked with Jerome K. Jerome and W. W. Jacobs, his detective stories with Conan Doyle, his politico-science fiction with H. G. Wells and his supernatural stories with Algernon Blackwood. George Orwell acknowledged that Bramah's book, What Might Have Been, influenced his Nineteen Eighty-Four. Bramah created the characters Kai Lung and Max Carrados.

Kai Lung (開龍) is a fictional character in a series of books by Ernest Bramah, consisting of The Wallet of Kai Lung (1900), Kai Lung's Golden Hours (1922), Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat (1928), The Moon of Much Gladness, Kai Lung Beneath the Mulberry Tree (1940), Kai Lung: Six (1974) and Kai Lung Raises His Voice (2010).

School Library Journal states "This is a mystery story for those who don't read mysteries, a fantasy novel for people who don't read fantasy, and a good time for anyone." [2]

<i>School Library Journal</i> US monthly magazine

The School Library Journal is an American monthly magazine with articles and reviews for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with a focus on technology and multimedia. Reviews are included for preschool to 4th grade, grades 5 and up, and teens. Both fiction and non-fiction titles are reviewed, as are graphic novels, multimedia, and digital resources. Also included are reviews of professional reading for librarians and reference books.

Publishers Weekly described the book as "Superbly written and narrated in the humorously observant voice of Number Ten Ox, this is a book not to be missed." [3]

<i>Publishers Weekly</i> American weekly trade news magazine

Publishers Weekly (PW) is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of Book Publishing and Bookselling". With 51 issues a year, the emphasis today is on book reviews.

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References

  1. ↑ Hand, Elizabeth (January 27, 1991). "Murder and the Mandarins". The Washington Post. Bookworld Section: X8.
  2. ↑ Chauvette, Cathy (1991). "Eight Skilled Gentlemen". School Library Journal. ISBN   0385417101.
  3. ↑ "Eight Skilled Gentlemen". Publishers Weekly. 1990. ISBN   0385417101.
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