Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Ballantine (1985), Paperback
Description
Number Ten Ox brings Master Li Kao back to his village of Ku-fu to find the cure for a mysterious sleeping plague that has struck the villagers' children.
Media reviews
The Christian Science Monitor
"This is a very funny book, and in Number Ten Ox we have a narrator whose ingenious outlook lends reality to the most fantastic of adventures..."
User reviews
LibraryThing member lorax
This is one of my very favorite books. It's difficult for me to articulate just why I love this book so much; there are so many reasons, and I end up sounding like I'm gushing mindlessly. The characters are wonderful, the plot is charming, it's funny and heartwarming and heartbreaking by turns, the
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writing is wonderful, the scenery vivid and imaginative, and it's filled with fantastic (in both senses of the word) folktales and marvelous (and recurring) supporting characters, many of whom are redeemed in surprising ways. All I can do is list superlatives. The plot seems simple enough, a quest for a powerful ginseng root to save the children of a village, but gradually it piles up into something rich and beautiful, with ghosts and labyrinths and evil dukes and magical trinkets and the wisest man in the world. Every time I read it, I cry at least twice (always at the same places), and I rarely cry at books. The two sequels, I should add, are very good indeed but cannot possibly compare to _Bridge of Birds_. Show Less
LibraryThing member M.G.Harmon
I first came across a reference to Master Li and Number Ten Ox in a book by Spider Robinson, The Free Lunch. Spider Robinson, a writer I admire, loved these two characters enough to give them a place in the mythic-China zone of Dreamland, a near-future theme park. This peaked my interest so I did
It’s hard to label this wonderful book. Technically it’s mythic-historic fantasy. It’s a comedy, a tragedy, a picaresque quest-adventure. The main character is a large and innocent peasant, abbey-educated, who politely introduces himself to the reader in the first lines: “I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the four corners of the world. My surname is Lu and my personal name is Yu, but I am not to be confused with the eminent author of The Classic of Tea. My family is quite undistinguished, and since I am the tenth of my father’s sons and rather strong I am usually referred to as Number Ten Ox.”
To save the children of his village, Number Ten Ox journeys to Peking in search of a wise man on the Street of Eyes. He finds the ancient scholar and reprobate, Master Li: “My surname is Li and my personal name is Kao, and there is a slight flaw in my character.” The two of them commence upon a quest (and crime-spree) that takes them across ancient China in pursuit of the Great Root of Power, a mythic plant. In the process they and the reader meet the most amazing collection of characters I have ever encountered.
Bridge of Birds will render you helpless with laughter and bring you to tears, the end cannot be anticipated or described, and you will never forget it. Find it. Read it. Share it with all your friends.
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some research and found Barry Hughart’s splendid three-book set, The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox. The first book in the little series is Bridge of Birds.It’s hard to label this wonderful book. Technically it’s mythic-historic fantasy. It’s a comedy, a tragedy, a picaresque quest-adventure. The main character is a large and innocent peasant, abbey-educated, who politely introduces himself to the reader in the first lines: “I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the four corners of the world. My surname is Lu and my personal name is Yu, but I am not to be confused with the eminent author of The Classic of Tea. My family is quite undistinguished, and since I am the tenth of my father’s sons and rather strong I am usually referred to as Number Ten Ox.”
To save the children of his village, Number Ten Ox journeys to Peking in search of a wise man on the Street of Eyes. He finds the ancient scholar and reprobate, Master Li: “My surname is Li and my personal name is Kao, and there is a slight flaw in my character.” The two of them commence upon a quest (and crime-spree) that takes them across ancient China in pursuit of the Great Root of Power, a mythic plant. In the process they and the reader meet the most amazing collection of characters I have ever encountered.
Bridge of Birds will render you helpless with laughter and bring you to tears, the end cannot be anticipated or described, and you will never forget it. Find it. Read it. Share it with all your friends.
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LibraryThing member atimco
After hearing high recommendations for this book from various LTers, I was looking forward to discovering a story that would introduce a fresh new setting into the fantasy scene: ancient China. It was that, but not in the way I was expecting. I envisioned court politics, lofty gods, and heroic
This sometimes bawdy, sometimes blackly humorous, sometimes deadpan, sometimes heroic, sometimes tragic tale sprawls in all directions and seems quite episodic until the final reveal, when all the pieces suddenly click into place and the full picture emerges. It reminded me of Douglas Adams' books in that way, utterly absurd and silly and random until the moment the story catches you off guard by becoming deadly serious. Some of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books are like that, too. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed seeing the story unfold uninterrupted.
Apparently this is the first in what became a series featuring Li Kao and Number Ten Ox. I'm not sure if I liked this enough to seek out the others. It was certainly entertaining and kept my interest, but the casually bawdy flavor and occasional gallows humor weren't really my taste. And to be fair, I'm probably still disappointed that it wasn't the high fantasy I was expecting.
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battles — inferred, I think, from the poetic title. What I was not expecting was Number Ten Ox, strongest in his family, saving the children of his village with the help of Li Kao, a beggarly scholar with a slight flaw in his character. Their wild adventures and misadventures take them from the poorest of taverns to the most luxurious pleasure city in the country, all in pursuit of the Great Root of Power that will reverse the poison the children unwittingly ate. This sometimes bawdy, sometimes blackly humorous, sometimes deadpan, sometimes heroic, sometimes tragic tale sprawls in all directions and seems quite episodic until the final reveal, when all the pieces suddenly click into place and the full picture emerges. It reminded me of Douglas Adams' books in that way, utterly absurd and silly and random until the moment the story catches you off guard by becoming deadly serious. Some of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books are like that, too. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed seeing the story unfold uninterrupted.
Apparently this is the first in what became a series featuring Li Kao and Number Ten Ox. I'm not sure if I liked this enough to seek out the others. It was certainly entertaining and kept my interest, but the casually bawdy flavor and occasional gallows humor weren't really my taste. And to be fair, I'm probably still disappointed that it wasn't the high fantasy I was expecting.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
An unusual Asian adventure fantasy that was both light hearted and riveting. Bridge of Birds is a book that I am sure I will find as hard to forget as it is to slot into a particular genre. Mixing Chinese history with fairy-tales, it’s myths and legends are delivered in beautifully written prose
The book details the adventures of simple villager Number Ten Ox and his scholarly master, Li Kao as they embark on a quest to find the cure for the children of the village who were accidentally poisoned. Along the way they meet with many strange and varied characters, Find themselves in many difficult situations and ultimately rescue a goddess from her earthly imprisonment. Told with tongue-in-cheek slyness and imparting both wisdom and morality lessons that are slightly askew, I found myself giggling often. The characters in this book are original and engaging. Li Kao is a delight, even with his oft claimed “slight flaw” in his character.
For such a short book, there is a lot packed into its pages and I found it a very satisfying read. If you are looking for something a little different in the line of fantasy, this could be the book for you.
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with spell bounding descriptions.The book details the adventures of simple villager Number Ten Ox and his scholarly master, Li Kao as they embark on a quest to find the cure for the children of the village who were accidentally poisoned. Along the way they meet with many strange and varied characters, Find themselves in many difficult situations and ultimately rescue a goddess from her earthly imprisonment. Told with tongue-in-cheek slyness and imparting both wisdom and morality lessons that are slightly askew, I found myself giggling often. The characters in this book are original and engaging. Li Kao is a delight, even with his oft claimed “slight flaw” in his character.
For such a short book, there is a lot packed into its pages and I found it a very satisfying read. If you are looking for something a little different in the line of fantasy, this could be the book for you.
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LibraryThing member Cecrow
Number Ten Ox is as strong as his name implies, a naive peasant but no ignorant simpleton. It is on his strong shoulders (literally) that he must procure a wise man with the knowledge to address a plague in his village. Of course the illness is more easily diagnosed than resolved and very soon Ox,
LibraryThing is responsible for this find. A while ago I posted a message to the Fantasy Group, seeking fantasy novels set in Asia. "Bridge of Birds" with its Chinese setting was cited again and again, and within two chapters I was thanking everyone who recommended it. Barry Hughart is a rare fantasy author in that he successfully brings in-depth knowledge of a foreign culture and the right touch of humour. Asian settings are a rarity for this genre, running against the grain of medieval Europe. Comedies in the fantasy genre are prone to being spoofs, but this novel succeeds on the scale of "The Princess Bride".
Number Ten Ox is fairly conventional at first sight, and Master Li Kao is quite the character from the moment he's introduced, but neither is a cardboard cut-out and reveal hidden layers. The story is brisk, and nearly every page features an incident or line that made me shake my head and smile, even snicker out loud. Some of the comedy is bawdy, but not much worse than a Shakespeare play. Its only fault is that the comedy resorts more often to farce as the story progresses. Fantasy elements are introduced only gradually but increase continuously, which may turn off some readers most charmed by the style of initial chapters that don't rely on it so heavily. A few scenes felt rushed, and some journey descriptions are skipped entirely: in one paragraph they're here, in the next they've travelled there. That's fantastic if you hate travelogue, but it can feel abrupt. I had very little problem with these minor flaws however, and deeply enjoyed this story and its immensely satisfying ending. Do read it if you can find it.
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in the company of Master Li Kao (he of the "slight flaw in his character"), is receiving a series of illuminating lessons in the workings of the world as the pair go in search of the cure. Little do they know they are embarking on "the right quest for the wrong reason".LibraryThing is responsible for this find. A while ago I posted a message to the Fantasy Group, seeking fantasy novels set in Asia. "Bridge of Birds" with its Chinese setting was cited again and again, and within two chapters I was thanking everyone who recommended it. Barry Hughart is a rare fantasy author in that he successfully brings in-depth knowledge of a foreign culture and the right touch of humour. Asian settings are a rarity for this genre, running against the grain of medieval Europe. Comedies in the fantasy genre are prone to being spoofs, but this novel succeeds on the scale of "The Princess Bride".
Number Ten Ox is fairly conventional at first sight, and Master Li Kao is quite the character from the moment he's introduced, but neither is a cardboard cut-out and reveal hidden layers. The story is brisk, and nearly every page features an incident or line that made me shake my head and smile, even snicker out loud. Some of the comedy is bawdy, but not much worse than a Shakespeare play. Its only fault is that the comedy resorts more often to farce as the story progresses. Fantasy elements are introduced only gradually but increase continuously, which may turn off some readers most charmed by the style of initial chapters that don't rely on it so heavily. A few scenes felt rushed, and some journey descriptions are skipped entirely: in one paragraph they're here, in the next they've travelled there. That's fantastic if you hate travelogue, but it can feel abrupt. I had very little problem with these minor flaws however, and deeply enjoyed this story and its immensely satisfying ending. Do read it if you can find it.
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LibraryThing member Smiler69
In a small Chinese village, all the children within a certain age group are felled by a mysterious poison that seems to have the ability to count. Because of his strength and pureness of heart, Number Ten Strong Ox, also known as Lu Yu, sets out to find a sage who will help them find the elusive
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Great Root of Power, which is the only remedy that will bring the children out of their coma-like state, which, if left untreated for too long will spell their death. When Number Ten Ox goes to the nearest town with all the village's savings to find the wise man who will lead him to the cure, he finds the only such man his meagre purse can afford to be Master Kao Li, an impossibly old drunken man who also happens to be an uncommonly clever scholar with "a slight flaw in his character". Soon the two embark on a series of fantastical adventures of mythical proportions in which they must cheat death time and again with with their combined brains and brawn to save them from countless death-traps, a giant invisible killer and several psychotic characters. This is a fun ride in which imaginary fables and adventure play a large role, making for a compulsive reading experience. So why not a higher rating? I couldn't say really, but perhaps the fact that it came so highly recommended by many LTers set impossibly high expectations. Still, a recommend read for those who enjoy fantasy served up with a good dose of humour. Show Less
LibraryThing member killianjune
This is definitely one of my all-time-favorite books. It's touching, exciting, scary, mysterious, hilarious...everything in this book is done so well! I've given this to a lot of people, and all have said they enjoyed it. Number Ten Ox and Master Li are the most interesting characters I've read
You'll love the ending and you'll love the journey getting there.
Read This Book!
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about in ages. You'll love the ending and you'll love the journey getting there.
Read This Book!
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LibraryThing member veevoxvoom
Rarely do you come across a book as delightful as this one. I mean, people throw around the description 'delightful' to things that are anything but. You want real delightful? Read this book.
Bridge of Birds is a fairy tale about Number Ten Ox, a young man in a mythical Ancient China whose
Bridge of Birds is a fairy tale about Number Ten Ox, a young man in a mythical Ancient China whose
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village's children have been poisoned. To cure them, he buys the help of a cunning and drunken scholar, Li Kao, and off start their adventures for the Great Root of Power that will counteract the poison. Bridge of Birds reads like a compilation of many Chinese folk tales. It's full of clever and witty dialogue, comedic characters, fantastical imagery, and genuine tenderness. For all his exaggerated humour, Hughart manages to capture nuances of Chinese society, little things here and there that I recognized from my own experiences in China. Bridge of Birds reminds me of an adult version of the books I was given as a child by my grandparents in Yinchuan. Mmm. Nostalgia. Show Less
LibraryThing member iayork
A Recent Favorite Discovery: This novel of an 'Ancient China that Never Was' is a brilliant gem of interweaving storylines that made me both smile and cry. It was alternately silly and beautiful, so much so that I want to use overblown adjectives to describe it. Basically, it was about a man
When first starting the novel, it seemed a simple quest novel, usual for the fantasy genre. As it went on, it seemed more like a series of connected short stories with the same characters with perhaps an overarching goal for the main character. Then it went on some more, and it began to quickly connect. Characters once met were met again, and again. They changed, told their stories, and moved on, leaving the book and the main character changed.
By the time the book was over, I just sat there crying yet smiling with happiness at having read it and at the gorgeous ending. If you are not sobbing at that time, or when one of the characters has his letter to his daughter read, you are a much stronger person than me. I turned this book over to my husband who upon finishing agreed that it was a shame that the author did not have a large list of books for us to dive into.
Someone who reviewed this said it was not an accurate representation of ancient China. It truly is no more accurate in describing ancient China than modern fantasy novels describing medieval life or the Dark Ages, but as you read it, you realize that's not what you're reading it for. The way it glosses over facts and grittiness makes it a stronger work.
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looking to find a cure for a disease affecting the children of his village, but it turns out to be so much more. When first starting the novel, it seemed a simple quest novel, usual for the fantasy genre. As it went on, it seemed more like a series of connected short stories with the same characters with perhaps an overarching goal for the main character. Then it went on some more, and it began to quickly connect. Characters once met were met again, and again. They changed, told their stories, and moved on, leaving the book and the main character changed.
By the time the book was over, I just sat there crying yet smiling with happiness at having read it and at the gorgeous ending. If you are not sobbing at that time, or when one of the characters has his letter to his daughter read, you are a much stronger person than me. I turned this book over to my husband who upon finishing agreed that it was a shame that the author did not have a large list of books for us to dive into.
Someone who reviewed this said it was not an accurate representation of ancient China. It truly is no more accurate in describing ancient China than modern fantasy novels describing medieval life or the Dark Ages, but as you read it, you realize that's not what you're reading it for. The way it glosses over facts and grittiness makes it a stronger work.
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LibraryThing member ChrisRiesbeck
I was torn for the first few chapters. On the one hand the writing was fluid, and the characters and situations amusing, despite the use of the "children in danger" trope. On the other hand, the Tom Jones style sex romp plays poorly these days, and one adventure after another can quickly become
Highly recommended.
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tedious. But I can see why this is a favorite of so many readers. The themes deepen, the interconnections between adventures become manifest, and the author somehow never loses his balance on the tightrope of homage vs parody. He gradually reveals the larger mysteries and eventually resolves them.Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member stefano
If you let X be P/F where P is how much pleasure a book has given you and F how famous it is, this book is by far the book with the highest X I have ever read. Its X is a couple of orders of magnitude greater than the next greatest X I have encountered. This is a book that causes me to well up with
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tears of joy every time I think of it. A book that I will one day translate in my mother tongue as a devotional exercise. Its appeal is difficult to describe. I will approximate by saying that it describes more convincingly than anything else I've read the virtual point of personal fulfillment to which we all long and explains how it lies outside our plane of existence. And it is extremely funny. Show Less
LibraryThing member FicusFan
I really wanted to like this book. I like books rooted in the historical and as a subject I enjoy China, I also like humor and fantasy. But somehow the book just didn't work for me.
The central issue of the story, the deathly illness of the children was obviously just a literary ruse to send the 2
The whole problem for me was I never cared about what happened to any of the characters. The characters never had any life in them, and it was a superficial, almost life-less attempt to tell 'fairy tales'.
I didn't see any humor, and in fact the stories were filled with nasty bits of hate and violence. The book was broken up into multiple short stories that told about each quest.
The best I can say is that the book was mercifully short
The central issue of the story, the deathly illness of the children was obviously just a literary ruse to send the 2
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main characters out on quest after quest. They were never in any danger, and I never really cared about them.The whole problem for me was I never cared about what happened to any of the characters. The characters never had any life in them, and it was a superficial, almost life-less attempt to tell 'fairy tales'.
I didn't see any humor, and in fact the stories were filled with nasty bits of hate and violence. The book was broken up into multiple short stories that told about each quest.
The best I can say is that the book was mercifully short
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LibraryThing member kpolhuis
This is one of those moments that leave me feeling frustrated and helpless. Bridge of Birds was supposed to be the first of seven books that Hughart was going to write about these memorable characters, Number Ten Ox and Li Kao. Sadly, his publishers screwed him over money and Hughart threw up his
The story is intricate and subtle, there's adventure, humor, sadness, all put together in such a way to feel the beauty and joy of the conclusion. Everyone should read this book!
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hands after the third novel and wrote no more. What a tragedy! Once I read this first wonderful book I found the others online, and I am so glad I did! The story of an ancient China that never was had me laughing, crying,and feeling that special way that a beautifully written book always has me feeling, complete with sadness that there will never be anymore written.The story is intricate and subtle, there's adventure, humor, sadness, all put together in such a way to feel the beauty and joy of the conclusion. Everyone should read this book!
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LibraryThing member lauranav
What an absolutely wonderful story. The narrator is so subtle and humble, and yet so clear in his descriptions of people and places and events.
The story begins with a tragedy; due to the greedy actions of two swindlers all of the children in the village between 8 and 13 fall comatose. Our
The story begins with a tragedy; due to the greedy actions of two swindlers all of the children in the village between 8 and 13 fall comatose. Our
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narrator, Number Ten Ox, is sent to find a wise man to explain how a plague learned how to count. This is how he meets Li Kao, a wise man with a slight flaw in his character. The two team up to find the cure for the children, with Li Kao's wisdom (and his slight flaw) matching perfectly with Number Ten Ox's pure heart. We meet many different characters and see our two heroes accomplish great and impossible feats. The humor can be subtle and is often laugh-out-loud funny. A very fine ride indeed! Show Less
LibraryThing member camillahoel
This book is delightful. It is full of delights. Good books are usually difficult to describe (because what makes them good is their distinctiveness), but I will try not to fall into "this is good, you have to read it", which is what comes most naturally at the moment, but which is not always
The story is set in what I can only describe as the idea of ancient China. It has the very fitting subtitle "A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was", which neatly hints (to me, at any rate) at precisely this setting in the Idea, rather than any accurate depiction of the historical period. It is not alternative history, per se; rather, it draws on history, fairy tales and heavily ingrained Western stereotypes of Chinese wisdom, to create a beautiful, ludic, funny novel.
There is a sage with a slight flaw in his character, a scary Duke of Chi'in, monsters, ghosts, legends, a misplaced piece of the Great Wall, cryptic clues, a cave of music and an Old Man of the Mountain.
The language is occasionally delicious, and always good. It is lyric and playful in turns and the whimsical style appealed to me from the beginning. Fitting perfectly into my idea of China, there is a definite fascination with lists of strange things, but this never detracts from the narrative. What I found most tiresome was the incessant need to travel from one place to another, and return at regular intervals to the village; but I can see how it was necessary to the plot.
I was somewhat disturbed, in the beginning, but the apparent episodic tendency of the book. It seemed to be based around plot coupons, and to have embraced this lack of plotting in the introduction of a series of moments of sheer whimsy. This was counterbalanced fairly quickly, however, by indications that there was a plan to it which would draw together things I could not connect. Much of the apparent whimsy came together and turned out to have purpose in the end, and that does not detract from its delightfulness in my view. I like a well spun plot.
That said, there is much in the book which signals a love for the strangeness of language, a rejection of conventional logic, and certainly the idea that what is perhaps most coveted in the world of Sensible People is not worth the cost and that wisdom and Wisdom are rather distinct. It is a counter-current novel; it is easy to read, yet strangely erudite; it is fantasy mixed with history; and it is a Postmodern Western take on Ancient China.
I liked it a lot.
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terribly persuasive. The story is set in what I can only describe as the idea of ancient China. It has the very fitting subtitle "A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was", which neatly hints (to me, at any rate) at precisely this setting in the Idea, rather than any accurate depiction of the historical period. It is not alternative history, per se; rather, it draws on history, fairy tales and heavily ingrained Western stereotypes of Chinese wisdom, to create a beautiful, ludic, funny novel.
There is a sage with a slight flaw in his character, a scary Duke of Chi'in, monsters, ghosts, legends, a misplaced piece of the Great Wall, cryptic clues, a cave of music and an Old Man of the Mountain.
The language is occasionally delicious, and always good. It is lyric and playful in turns and the whimsical style appealed to me from the beginning. Fitting perfectly into my idea of China, there is a definite fascination with lists of strange things, but this never detracts from the narrative. What I found most tiresome was the incessant need to travel from one place to another, and return at regular intervals to the village; but I can see how it was necessary to the plot.
I was somewhat disturbed, in the beginning, but the apparent episodic tendency of the book. It seemed to be based around plot coupons, and to have embraced this lack of plotting in the introduction of a series of moments of sheer whimsy. This was counterbalanced fairly quickly, however, by indications that there was a plan to it which would draw together things I could not connect. Much of the apparent whimsy came together and turned out to have purpose in the end, and that does not detract from its delightfulness in my view. I like a well spun plot.
That said, there is much in the book which signals a love for the strangeness of language, a rejection of conventional logic, and certainly the idea that what is perhaps most coveted in the world of Sensible People is not worth the cost and that wisdom and Wisdom are rather distinct. It is a counter-current novel; it is easy to read, yet strangely erudite; it is fantasy mixed with history; and it is a Postmodern Western take on Ancient China.
I liked it a lot.
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LibraryThing member AssaphMehr
One of the best fantasy detective/mystery novels out there. In a market populated by dark fantasy and horror detectives, this book stands unique in one important aspects - charm.
It is an absolute pleasure to read, striking a great balance between the naive Number Ten Ox and the Cynical Master Li,
This is a book of inspired (and inspiring) writing.
It is an absolute pleasure to read, striking a great balance between the naive Number Ten Ox and the Cynical Master Li,
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between the rational and the fantastical, between China that was and China that could have been.This is a book of inspired (and inspiring) writing.
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LibraryThing member ama_bee
probably my favorite book. yes, i'n a big nerd.
LibraryThing member narikui
What a fantastic book! Entirely engrossing. It has exactly the right combination of mythical elements, gods and godesses, mystery, romance and adventure!
It works, firstly, as a mystery novel. The nature of the mystery is to find the cure to a dreadful poison. However, as the story unfolds another
It works, also, as a beautifully described tour of ancient chinese customs (although some might be fanciful).
And finally, it works on just the level of hearing what Li Kao has to say..
It works, firstly, as a mystery novel. The nature of the mystery is to find the cure to a dreadful poison. However, as the story unfolds another
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mystery reveals itself that entwines itself with this one. It works, also, as a beautifully described tour of ancient chinese customs (although some might be fanciful).
And finally, it works on just the level of hearing what Li Kao has to say..
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LibraryThing member celticchrys
If you like humorous fantasy, read this book. Do you like The Princess Bride? Then this book is for you! I recently acquired this book primarily because it had glowing reviews and I found it for a good price. I was very glad that I did! I was glued to the pages and laughing out loud. This novel
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weaves together many traditional folk tales into a novel. It is brilliantly done. You can tell that is what the author did, but it is so amusing that you want to applaud him for it. Thievery, adventure, love, puzzle-solving, and riddles abound! Show Less
LibraryThing member delphica
(Book 2 in the 2008 Book Challenge)
When I first picked this up, I read a few pages and was nervous that I was going to find it a bit too cloying. The style is a little hard to describe, but like a Westerner's view of how an ancient Chinese fairy tale would sound - with lots of simple, hand-wringing
Grade: A-
Recommended: Very light, fun fast reading for people who like adventure/quest stories and don't mind some fantasy touches. I will add that while most of the characters are stock to begin with, the female characters lack any substance whatsoever, so if that would bother you, be forewarned. Oh, and also good for fans of clever narrative asides.
When I first picked this up, I read a few pages and was nervous that I was going to find it a bit too cloying. The style is a little hard to describe, but like a Westerner's view of how an ancient Chinese fairy tale would sound - with lots of simple, hand-wringing
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peasants and beautiful concubines and wicked misers hoarding exotic treasures. But I quickly got caught up in the action -- our protagonist is a young man who seeks the assistance of the only wise elder he can secure at a discount, and together they set off to locate the rare antidote of a poison that has been accidentally consumed by the village children. Which of course turns into a giant scavenger hunt with clues and misdirection and puzzles to solve. The plot just rocks along, and despite the fact that the characters start out as caricatures (and frankly, many of them stay that way), I was surprised by how worked up I got over their various troubles and triumphs. One of the most interesting things about this book is that it seems so very fake and so very compelling at the same time.Grade: A-
Recommended: Very light, fun fast reading for people who like adventure/quest stories and don't mind some fantasy touches. I will add that while most of the characters are stock to begin with, the female characters lack any substance whatsoever, so if that would bother you, be forewarned. Oh, and also good for fans of clever narrative asides.
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LibraryThing member amwin
one of my favorite books of all time -- I recommend this book to everyone, and I have never had someone say that they didn't like it
LibraryThing member drneutron
The Bridge of Birds is very high on my list of favorite books. I love the mixture of lyrical prose, comedy and the feel of a Chinese folk tale that Hughart brings. I first read it back in the 80's when it first came out. The book holds up nearly perfectly on re-reading it some 20 years later.
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Highly recommended! Show Less
LibraryThing member jnicholson
Hughart unfortunately only wrote 3 of his 7 planned mysteries set in a version of ancient China. This, the first story, is heavily rooted in a piece of mythology involving the translation of a mortal girl into an immortal consort of a god. With a tightly plotted mystery and compelling characters,
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this is one of my all-time favourites. Show Less
LibraryThing member Shirezu
I had been meaning to read this book for a long time now. I finally purchased a copy of the trilogy last year once I found out it was available on Kindle. I still hadn't found the time to pick it up but received a push when the Sword & Laser group decided to read it as the February pick.
Ok so as
I love history and mythology and as always when dealing with China the two themes are intricately woven together. The story was at times philosophical, sometimes a little dark and then other times laugh out loud. I though Master Li was a great character as was Ox and the host of side characters and villains.
I'm glad I finally read this book, it deserves all the praise I've heard for it and highly recommend it.
Ok so as
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you can see it's not February (here) and I've already finished it. In fact it took less than 24 hours. Why? Because it was amazing. I loved this book from start to finish and the only reason I haven't started the next one yet is because I have other books I need to read.I love history and mythology and as always when dealing with China the two themes are intricately woven together. The story was at times philosophical, sometimes a little dark and then other times laugh out loud. I though Master Li was a great character as was Ox and the host of side characters and villains.
I'm glad I finally read this book, it deserves all the praise I've heard for it and highly recommend it.
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LibraryThing member veracite
Truly delightful and as well made as a centrepiece by the finest of patissiers.
Awards
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — 1986)
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 1985)
Language
Original publication date
1984
Physical description
288 p.; 6.92 inches
ISBN
0345321383 / 9780345321381