Eight Skilled Gentlemen
by Barry Hughart

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Book Summary Information

• ISBN13: 9780385417105
• Condition: New
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Book Reviews of Eight Skilled Gentlemen

Book Review: Almost....
Summary: 4 Stars

The two find themselves in attendance at the Peking execution day, where the current royal execution is going for a record 1,071 clean decapitations. At the very last moment, a vampire ghoul makes a daytime appearance in hot pursuit of the city guard. This causes the Devil's Hand to miss his stroke, and Master Li jumps at the opportunity to investigate. Finding that one of the vampire's victims appears to be an august resident of the Forbidden City, Master Li confronts the Celestial Master (the wisest Confucian in the realm) and is invited to investigate what appears to be an impossible series of events.

Befriending a roving puppeteer and his beautiful daughter, Master Li and Number Ten chase across China looking for clues in what appears to be a complex smuggling plot that uses magical, golden cages as telephones. However, the cages are more than etheric portables, and the present holders of them keep meeting horrible fates at the hands of weird monsters and an ape. Who these creatures are, the purpose of the cages, and what any of this has to do with the annual Death Birds Ghost Boat Rain Race are the mysteries that Master Li has to solve.

This is a plot that sends the reader careening across the pages like a pinball in a bumper factory. The sense of the tale is always just beyond the reader's grasp as Hughart unfolds Number Ten's narrative at high pace. Readers who relish an orderly progression of development and characters that make dependable sense may find this a bit unsatisfactory. Hughart seems determined to exceed the more controlled chaos of 'Bridge of Birds' and this is not all for the good. I found the confusion a bit too ... confusing.

This is more of a burlesque, compared to Kai Lung's wry sarcasm, but it still works. Beware taking the plot for granted, since almost nothing is really what it seems. Hughart's ability to make impossible characters work is undeniable, and he has either a vivid imagination or access to a large collection of Chinese myths. While this tale is not up to the standards of 'Bridge of Birds' it is still a genuinely enjoyable read. And a pleasant change of pace for people for those who spend too much time with weightier tomes.

Summary of Eight Skilled Gentlemen

Literature & Fiction Books

• Subjects > Literature & Fiction
• Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Historical