The Emperor's Bones
Published on 24. August 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
736 pages
978-0-340-82815-1 (ISBN)
Description
Beautiful, headstrong and unconventional, Catherine Cabot is twenty years old when she arrives in China. Against an uneasy political background a bittersweet, triangular love affair develops between Catherine and Edmund and George Airton. And all the while, she is trying to uncover the truth of her past, unaware of the danger this might pose to her.
Who is Henry Manners, the mysterious man who once wrote to her mother, and who she knows now lives in China? Running in parallel is the extraordinary story of Yu-Fu-kuei, a Chinese revolutionary working as a Communist spy. She and Catherine met when they were at Oxford immediately after the Great War, and the friendship is deep and permanent.
As the Japanese mass themselves on the borders, waiting for an excuse to invade, Catherine, ignorant of a history steeped in hatred, unwittingly becomes the perfect tool to settle the scores of two men who will stop at nothing to wreak their revenge. And Yu-Fu-kuei discovers that love might be the strongest weapon that any warrior has.
Who is Henry Manners, the mysterious man who once wrote to her mother, and who she knows now lives in China? Running in parallel is the extraordinary story of Yu-Fu-kuei, a Chinese revolutionary working as a Communist spy. She and Catherine met when they were at Oxford immediately after the Great War, and the friendship is deep and permanent.
As the Japanese mass themselves on the borders, waiting for an excuse to invade, Catherine, ignorant of a history steeped in hatred, unwittingly becomes the perfect tool to settle the scores of two men who will stop at nothing to wreak their revenge. And Yu-Fu-kuei discovers that love might be the strongest weapon that any warrior has.
Reviews / Votes
THE EMPEROR'S BONES is the new blockbuster from the author of THE PALACE OF HEAVENLY PLEASURE, which was set in the Boxer Rebellion and was a truly sensational read. The time has moved forward nearly a quarter of a century to 1922, with Communism - both Soviet and Chinese - on the rise, warlordism rampant and a beautiful young nurse being buffeted by perils personal, political, emotional and financial. I'm 100 pages in and I now look forward to every moment of spare time between now and the end of the summer holidays in which to finish it. The author has lived and worked in China and Hong Kong for much of his life, and therefore has an acute ear for convincing dialogue: he has also clearly taken many of the huge range of characters from his own family, who have lived in China since the 19th century. The resulting combination of high politics, low cunning, passionate love-story and sweeping, cinematic Sino-saga will keep me very happy. * Andrew Roberts * 'This book is poetic and romantic in parts, harrowing and tragic in others. It's not exactly light, holiday reading, as it requires a hefty amount of concentration, but persevere when the going gets tough and you'll be richly rewarded.' **** * <i>Heat</i> * High drama, political intrigue, mopral quagmires, and a healthy dose of romance are key ingredients for rip-roaring adventure. Adam Williams' new epic THE EMPEROR'S BONES has the lot * <i>Time Out Beijing</i> * 'This book is poetic and romantic in parts, harrowing and tragic in others. It's not exactly light, holiday reading, as it requires a hefty amount of concentration, but persevere when the going gets tough and you'll be richly rewarded.' **** * <i>Heat * 'Epic novel . . . a convoluted crew of warlords, nationalists, communists and debonair English expats awaits ... in a story that suggests history is repeated not as farce, but as adventure and romance.' * <i>Financial Times * A blockbuster with a difference * <i>Daily Mail</i> * 'Bravo! What a magnificent achievement. I found myself absolutely gripped throughout first and foremost' * Rana Mitter * 'THE EMPEROR'S BONES is a swashbuckling novel with the right ingredients for a riveting read, and a movie too . . . A rollicking, action-packed, lusty tale of adventure. It's certain to be very successful, and it deserves to be. It would make an excellent film. Anyone who wants many hours of none-too-taxing thrills will enjoy it. But it's also very well-researched, and readers will receive a painless education in the politics of China in the 1920s while relishing the rolls in the hay, the grand set-pieces, and the rapid movement of characters and events across the landscapes of eastern China.' * <i>Taipei Times * High drama, political intrigue, mopral quagmires, and a healthy dose of romance are key ingredients for rip-roaring adventure. Adam Williams' new epic The Emperor's Bones has the lot' * <i>Time Out Beijing</i> * 'Heart-rending reading . . . A damn good read' * <i>South China Morning Post</i> * 'A blockbuster with a difference' * <i>Daily Mail</i> *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Hodder & Stoughton
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
1 map
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Weight
483 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-340-82815-1 (9780340828151)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Adam Williams, whose family has lived in China since the late nineteenth century, was born and raised in Hong Kong. For the last eighteen years he has been representative in Beijing of a Far East trading conglomerate. In 1999 he received an OBE for services to Sino-British trade. Adam lives in China and Italy and has three children. To find out more, visit Adam's website www.adam-williams.net or follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/_AdamWilliams.