The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox
by Barry Hughart
Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox (Collections and Selections — Omnibus 1-3)
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Description
Reading Hughart's endearing historical fantasy trilogy, first published almost 20 years ago, is much like wandering blindfolded through a myth devised by a maniac, in the words of Master Li, the greatest and most frequently intoxicated wise man in a colorful seventh century China that never was. Slow, strong and good-hearted peasant Number Ten Ox initially seeks Master Li's help to cure a bizarre plague and soon becomes his sidekick. Their rollicking adventures pit them against everyone from show more murderers and thieves to emperors and gods. Numerous Chinese legends, filtered through Ox's simple perspective, blend seamlessly into tales both lighthearted and heartrending. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
nessreader they share a cheerful and violent cynicism, ornate language, and are set in cultures that are based on literary genres rather than historical periods (chinoiserie for Hughart and Bertie Wooster goes pulp noir for Bonfiglioli) More importantly, I think they'd appeal to the same sense of humour.
20
Limelite Similar humorous picaresque with quirky characters and adventure.
Limelite Another alternative history with fantasy medieval Chrysanthemum kingdom setting, only featuring women's sisterhood. Magic, potions, adventure, and legendary characters.
Member Reviews
“You Peking weaklings call these things flies?” he yelled. “Back in Soochow we have flies so big that we clip their wings, hitch them to plows, and use them for oxen!”
It would be hard to find a more original fantasy series than The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox by Barry Hughart. Set in "an ancient China that never was," the series is a delicious concoction of Chinese mythology, detective fiction, epic fantasy quests, and ghost stories, sprinkled with generous helpings of ribald humor and romance.
The Kindle edition I read is an omnibus edition of all three novels featuring the humble narrator Number Ten Ox and his master, the sage Li Kao, who has "a slight flaw in his character." The first book in the series, Bridge show more of Birds, won the World Fantasy Award in 1985, and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award in 1986. Bridge of Birds was followed by The Story of the Stone in 1988 and Eight Skilled Gentlemen in 1991.
This was my third reading of Bridge of Birds, and the first time I had read any of its sequels. Bridge of Birds is clearly the gem of this collection, a stand-out novel in every way. It has great narrative voice, it's by turns funny, suspenseful, and heartbreaking, and it's the kind of grand epic adventure that I really love. The plot summary from Goodreads describes it well:
When the children of his village were struck with a mysterious illness, Number Ten Ox sought a wiseman to save them. He found master Li Kao, a scholar with a slight flaw in his character. Together, they set out to find the Great Root of Power, the only possible cure.
The quest led them to a host of truly memorable characters, multiple wonders, incredible adventures—and strange coincidences, which were really not coincidences at all. And it involved them in an ancient crime that still perturbed the serenity of Heaven. Simply and charmingly told, this is a wry tale, a sly tale, and a story of wisdom delightfully askew. Once read, its marvels and beauty will not easily fade from the mind.
The author claims that this is a novel of an ancient China that never was. But, oh…it should have been!
The story is complex and detailed enough that I found myself just as enthralled with it this time as I was the first two times I read it.
The Story of the Stone, on the other hand, was a bit of a letdown, and Eight Skilled Gentlemen is definitely the weakest of the three stories. Both stories lack the the epic plot of Bridge of Birds, but they still have many of its positive qualities: enjoyable banter between the two main characters, colorful secondary characters, exotic creatures and monsters, and a light-hearted humor. The biggest problem I had with both sequels was getting lost in all the esoteric ancient lore. Some of it was relevant to the story, but most seemed like baroque decoration that bogged the narratives down.
Still, all three novels are tremendously entertaining, and the first two even have moments of tremendous depth and poignancy. The price of the omnibus is worth it for Bridge of Birds alone, with The Story of the Stone and Eight Skilled Gentlemen a nice bonus. show less
It would be hard to find a more original fantasy series than The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox by Barry Hughart. Set in "an ancient China that never was," the series is a delicious concoction of Chinese mythology, detective fiction, epic fantasy quests, and ghost stories, sprinkled with generous helpings of ribald humor and romance.
The Kindle edition I read is an omnibus edition of all three novels featuring the humble narrator Number Ten Ox and his master, the sage Li Kao, who has "a slight flaw in his character." The first book in the series, Bridge show more of Birds, won the World Fantasy Award in 1985, and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award in 1986. Bridge of Birds was followed by The Story of the Stone in 1988 and Eight Skilled Gentlemen in 1991.
This was my third reading of Bridge of Birds, and the first time I had read any of its sequels. Bridge of Birds is clearly the gem of this collection, a stand-out novel in every way. It has great narrative voice, it's by turns funny, suspenseful, and heartbreaking, and it's the kind of grand epic adventure that I really love. The plot summary from Goodreads describes it well:
When the children of his village were struck with a mysterious illness, Number Ten Ox sought a wiseman to save them. He found master Li Kao, a scholar with a slight flaw in his character. Together, they set out to find the Great Root of Power, the only possible cure.
The quest led them to a host of truly memorable characters, multiple wonders, incredible adventures—and strange coincidences, which were really not coincidences at all. And it involved them in an ancient crime that still perturbed the serenity of Heaven. Simply and charmingly told, this is a wry tale, a sly tale, and a story of wisdom delightfully askew. Once read, its marvels and beauty will not easily fade from the mind.
The author claims that this is a novel of an ancient China that never was. But, oh…it should have been!
The story is complex and detailed enough that I found myself just as enthralled with it this time as I was the first two times I read it.
The Story of the Stone, on the other hand, was a bit of a letdown, and Eight Skilled Gentlemen is definitely the weakest of the three stories. Both stories lack the the epic plot of Bridge of Birds, but they still have many of its positive qualities: enjoyable banter between the two main characters, colorful secondary characters, exotic creatures and monsters, and a light-hearted humor. The biggest problem I had with both sequels was getting lost in all the esoteric ancient lore. Some of it was relevant to the story, but most seemed like baroque decoration that bogged the narratives down.
Still, all three novels are tremendously entertaining, and the first two even have moments of tremendous depth and poignancy. The price of the omnibus is worth it for Bridge of Birds alone, with The Story of the Stone and Eight Skilled Gentlemen a nice bonus. show less
This is an omnibus edition of three books set in sixth century China. Each book is a detective story with a mystery which Master Li, the ancient sage, and number ten Ox, his peasant friend and assistant have to solve.
Its very engagingly written, and convincingly plunges you into ancient China, but its very long - 650 odd pages. I probably should have just bought the first book separately. Mildly recommended.
Its very engagingly written, and convincingly plunges you into ancient China, but its very long - 650 odd pages. I probably should have just bought the first book separately. Mildly recommended.
This omnibus edition comprises
1) Bridge of Birds,
2) The Story of the Stone, and
3)Eight Skilled Gentlemen.
The first novel is one of the best fantasies I have read. The second is very, very good, and the third is well worth reading.
It is a story about Master Li (a sage with a slight flaw in his character) and Number ten Ox, his peasant friend and assistent. They solve mysteries and crimes in sixth century China, and their antics and the world they live in are extremely quirky and interesting. Even more quirky and fascinating are the characters that populate this world, up to and including the Celestial Beaurocracy.
You fall in love with the characters, sympathize with their trials and tribulations, try to figure out what Master Li is show more thinking, and become immersed in their lives and in trying to help. The books have a purity and honesty of feeling that is rare these days.
While Barry Hughart only wrote three novels to my knowledge, I am happy he managed to produce these three objects of beauty and delight. show less
1) Bridge of Birds,
2) The Story of the Stone, and
3)Eight Skilled Gentlemen.
The first novel is one of the best fantasies I have read. The second is very, very good, and the third is well worth reading.
It is a story about Master Li (a sage with a slight flaw in his character) and Number ten Ox, his peasant friend and assistent. They solve mysteries and crimes in sixth century China, and their antics and the world they live in are extremely quirky and interesting. Even more quirky and fascinating are the characters that populate this world, up to and including the Celestial Beaurocracy.
You fall in love with the characters, sympathize with their trials and tribulations, try to figure out what Master Li is show more thinking, and become immersed in their lives and in trying to help. The books have a purity and honesty of feeling that is rare these days.
While Barry Hughart only wrote three novels to my knowledge, I am happy he managed to produce these three objects of beauty and delight. show less
This is a compendium of three excellent books which take place in a historical China that didn't exactly exist. In the books, which are set in China's distant past, mythical creatures and deities rub elbows with peasants and Confucian scholars. The books are a combination of historical mystery, farce and historical fiction. This is a brilliant, hilarious compelling collection everyone should read.
Definetely not my cup of tea. And I had such high hopes for this that it hurts. Besides, almost every reviewer here seems to just love this book.
I've read only the first part of the Chronicles, Bridge of Birds, and finishing it was almost a chore (I hate leaving books unfinished). I don't think I'll be reading the other two anytime soon, specially considering that everyone agree that they are not as good as the first one. And I didn't like the first one, so...
I think my problem with Bridge of Birds is that it is a fairy tale. I expected (wanted!) fantasy, but not the kind of extremely naïve, childish and innocent fantasy of a fairy tale. The characters have no development at all, things happen just because the story needs those things show more to happen to be able to go on, there are dozens of deus ex machina, everything is over the top, extremely exagerated up the point of being grotesque, there's no sense of continuity, time, distance, strength, everything that needs to be bended and twisted for the characters to reach the extremely predictable outcome is bended and twisted as needed.
I didn't like it one bit. show less
I've read only the first part of the Chronicles, Bridge of Birds, and finishing it was almost a chore (I hate leaving books unfinished). I don't think I'll be reading the other two anytime soon, specially considering that everyone agree that they are not as good as the first one. And I didn't like the first one, so...
I think my problem with Bridge of Birds is that it is a fairy tale. I expected (wanted!) fantasy, but not the kind of extremely naïve, childish and innocent fantasy of a fairy tale. The characters have no development at all, things happen just because the story needs those things show more to happen to be able to go on, there are dozens of deus ex machina, everything is over the top, extremely exagerated up the point of being grotesque, there's no sense of continuity, time, distance, strength, everything that needs to be bended and twisted for the characters to reach the extremely predictable outcome is bended and twisted as needed.
I didn't like it one bit. show less
FANTASTIC! Ran into this book at an eclectic store in Spokane, WA, called Boo Radly's. It lived up to everything that the cover said about it.
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Author Information
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Series
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox
- Original publication date
- 1998
- People/Characters
- Li Kao; Number Ten Ox
- Important places
- China
- Important events
- Tang Dynasty (618 | 907)
- Dedication
- [Bridge of Birds]
For Ann and Pete
[The Story of the Stone]
This is one for the Sacred and Solemn Order of Sinologists
[Eight Skilled Gentlemen]
For Derk Bodde, Göran Aijmer,
and all the other pioneers
who almost got it right - First words
- [Bridge of Birds]
I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the corners of the world.
[The Story of the Stone]
Jen Wu is a day Master Li sets aside for my literary endeavors, and I was pleased that it was cold and rainy and fit for little else than splashing ink around.
[Eight Skilled Gentlemen]
I have no intention of setting down the disgusting details concerning Sixth Degree Hosteler Tu. - Disambiguation notice
- Contains the novels: Bridge of Birds, The Story of the Stone, Eight Skilled Gentlemen
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 568
- Popularity
- 52,025
- Reviews
- 8
- Rating
- (4.33)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 3
