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Barry Hughart: Bridge of Birds (1985, Del Rey) 4 stars

A fictional work of a China that never was. Chinoiserie.

Review of 'Bridge of Birds' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a lighthearted fun tale told in an intriguing setting with some fascinating characters. In the end, it's a fantasy tale that reads like a retelling of old myths. I look forward to continuing the adventures of Master Li and Number Ten Ox. I do wonder: is the tale of the Princess of Birds and the Star Shepherd a real legend in ancient China or is it completely made up?

Unfortunately, I've learned that the author discontinued the books after having trouble with publishers. Each of the 3 books can stand on it's own so it's not really a trilogy or series, but there was a reference in Bridge of Birds to an adventure they would have but that never got written. Nevertheless, I would still highly recommend this book to anyone interesting in some lighthearted fantasy with a hint of China.

As always, my full review is on my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2014/04/book-review-bridge-of-birds-by-barry.html