From a short gloassary at the start of the book:

"Chen: to stand still; to gallop at full speed.
Wan: a small mouth. Some say a large mouth.
Pee: a dog under the table; a dog with short legs; a short-headed dog.
Maou Tsaou: a scholar not succeeding and giving himself over to liquor."

The rest of the book carries on from there. Witty whimsey and none the worse for that. ( )

After years of searching for a writer to challenge Tolkien to the fantasy throne, someone suggested this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A great read! ( )

I don't think I've read such a completely fun book in a very, very long time. Bridge of Birds is one of those amazing fantasy novels; while you read it, it seems so simple and light a story, and then when you finish, you realize how wonderfully the author captured the world in his imagination. Hughart is hilarious- truly, deeply so. He writes with a completely unself-conscious air of fun, and it is magnificent. He also introduces us to several memorable characters, some heroic and good, and others despicable and violent. All wonderfully written. I really haven't read much "Eastern" fantasy before, my only notable venture being Across the Nightingale Floor, by Lian Hearn. But Hughart doesn't bog his story down with honor or ancestors or decrees or anything of the sort- he just writes a really good story. After reading this one, I'm excited to see Guy Gavriel Kay's next offering, which is also said to be based in Ancient China. Though I am a big GGK fan, I don't think his novel will be as light and entertaining as Hughart's. I can't say enough good things about this book. The banter is so witty, the characters so heart-warming, and the plot so engaging that I really couldn't put it down. Highly recommended! ( )

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 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.

This is a book that my husband brought into the relationship. It was something he read in college and thought I should read, so I added it to the queue. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by it. I was expecting some sort of obtuse, hard-to-read, Chinese fable style tale. Instead, I got a very funny, very farcical, very easy to read fantasy novel. It was really a quite delightful story.

"My surname is Li and my personal name is Kao, and there is a slight flaw in my character."� ( )