Liu Bang: outcast, bandit, bureaucrat of the Qin Dynasty; a man who gained control of an army and then an empire. Definitely a tale of "old" China when warlords could carve out kingdoms and rule as princes.
For the uninitiated - this will be a labourious tale as there is much background detail and history to be set up prior to Liu Bang's ascension to the imperial throne. Names will be completely unfamiliar if this is not your thing. However, once things do get going, it is a tale of political intrigue, mutiny, courtly backstabbing, general posturing, rivalries and divided loyalties, murder and rebellion. Usual stuff!
The story of Liu Bang is told quickly over the course of short snappy chapters, similar to a diary entry or memoir - and at least you know where and who your are with as the story progresses. It is divided into three parts: early life; wars of succession; reign as emperor. It is punctuated by corresponding events happening elsewhere in the world - a bit like an almanac.
The novel wraps up with a clan history, a timeline, a who's who of a dynasty that lasted 400 years.
No comments:
Post a Comment