In the fourth book in the epic Chung Kuo series war is brewing between the T'angs and the House over ultimate power over Earth and it's several billion inhabitants.
Ice and Fire
Chung Kuo 4
by David Wingrove
Atlantic Books
January 2012
This novel picks up right where book 3 the
Middle Kingdom leaves off. Originally published in the 80s this is actually the second part of the original story (books
1 and
2 of the newly numbered series are prequels.) Here we find multiple characters with multitudes of plot points and relationships deftly interacting with each other to build towards later novels and the ultimate showdown.
Li Yuan - a young ruler who is infatuated with his murdered brother's widow. Ben Shepherd, descendant of Shepherd the wise architect and advisor to the original ruler of Chung Kuo is far too smart, eerily so, to stay in the background. Kim Ward, genius child saved from the Clay - the underground between Chung Kuo and the Earth that was. A madman who has gone to ground to stay in power and running the armed side of the House in secret. And a General who fell from grace when the T'ang's son was killed on his watch who may or may not find his way back to power - even if it means disrespecting the House and alienating it further. To shake things up more, Kim has found the Aristotle File, the true history of the Earth, and it's getting around. With the real version of history available it is likely only a matter of time before the population of imprisoned and unhappy masses rise up.
While the story is fascinating at times I found two huge drawbacks. First, there is the language barrier. After four books you'd think you got all the names down but you likely wont. Many names are similar and with dozens of characters you can find yourself referring to a list of players every so often that can be unsatisfying.
The largest issue in this book was how it grew steadily darker - specifically with torture and torturous rape scenes that Wingrove spent quite a lot of time on. Sex happens. Torture happens. Rape even happens. If that is required for moving the story forward then ok. But this dwelling on the sexual torture of a wife of a villager for a whole night - all night spelled out, for instance, and then dealing with the gory results of tears, damage and destruction of her body afterward was not necessary. And that's not the only instance.
Previously, I'd been a big proponent of this series but the turn here towards a darker more violent for the sake of violence has softened my recommendation. I'll read the next one but not with the excitement I read the first three with.
