Translator Fogel (U. of California, Santa Barbara) brings this sweeping historical novel to English readers in an unabridged format. Chin, a modern Japanese author, portrays the story of a quasi-religious and social movement that attempted to overthrow the Qing dynasty in the 19th century, using the fictional Lian family to tie together a story containing dozens of historical figures, such as Hu Linyi, Feng Yushan, and Lin Zexu. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Written by one of Japan' most popular modern authors, this is a lively, readable, and immensely entertaining fictional portrayal of one of the epochal events of the nineteenth century.
