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Summary: The best book ever written! You go, Master Li!
Review: It's a sad state of affairs when the publishing world refuses to recognize and encourage a storyteller of Barry Hughart's caliber. This is my favorite book of all time and I've read it at least 50 times since 1984. I'm in love with Master Li...would love to have known him...even in his old age. What a wonderfully rich character. If you love a good story, well told, you should buy this book when it's available again..encourage the publishers to support more Master Li/Number Ten Ox tails.
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Summary: An enchanting fable of faith and fantasy
Review: Barry Hughart's masterful tale of an ancient China that never was is a must read for the lover of fantasy fiction. In a class with C.S. Lewis, and Peter Beagle, Hughart weaves a seamless spell of magic in this tale about Number Ten Ox and his quest to save the children of his village. I have read this book at least five times already, and savor the next time I can return to the wonderful world Hughart has created.
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Summary: Too funny for words, period.
Review: Some one above suggested this book was too flaky. I suggest that they go to hell. Maybe if they had read beyond page twenty-five, they would have realized that this is Great Literature. This book had me in stitches the first time I read it, and i was only nine years old. Four years later, I am am still laughing, and i am sure you will be too when you read about the whacky adventures of Master Li (the sage with a slight flaw in his character) and Number 10 Ox(not to be confused with the eminent author of The Classic of Tea). The aforesaid SUGGESTOR needs to get a life. that's all. I clasp my hands together and bow to the corners of the world.
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Summary: An amusement park of a book.
Review: This book is a joy to read. Very funny, well written with excellent characterizations. The other two books in the series are splendid as well. It has been a while since I have had so much fun reading a book. While it is true that the book is fantastic and cut loose from any framework of time and space, I have to say that it is a relief to read a fantasy that is not sword and sorcery or space opera. It is a world that is as refreshing and original as Narnia was when I first picked up The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe many years ago. I recommend this book and the others in the series whole-heartedly and without reservation.
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Summary: Very highly recommended
Review: This is a delightful book. The characters and story are strong, the oriental setting is refreshing and nicely created, and it is the funniest book I've read since "Confederacy of Dunces". The middle section I think is not quite as good as the wonderful beginning and ending sections. The only major complaint I have is that the idiot publishers seem to have let the sequels go out of print.
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Summary: TOO FLAKY. NOT RECOMMENDED
Review: I don't know if you could consider my review a fair review, being I didn't go beyond page 25, but I'm going to tell you why. It was too out there, too flaky. Going to find a wise man who can tell the village people "how a plague learned to count". Come on! It was like Neanderthal man asking questions in the only way he could relate. It's suppose to of taken place in the "Year of the Tiger 3,337 (A.D. 639) but you get, "....a Great Root of Power, if such a thing exists, will probable be worth it's weight in diamonds and look like a dog turd.", modern day garbage slang/terms. Some 92yr old woman calling YuLu "The Imperial prick" IT DID NOT JIVE. It did not flow in any way. I could see that even if it had a convincing story it would be a job to read, not a pleasure. I realize this book is billed as "A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was" but I found it to be FLAKY. Flat
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Summary: Superb, utterly delightful book
Review: I just wanted to comment that I have never seen another book on amazon get UNANIMOUS 5-star reviews from everyone who's reviewed it. I'd expect no less from this book. One of these days I'll get the "it doesn't have to be a very good goat" chapter memorized. Well, maybe not quite all of it.
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Summary: Breathtaking. . . excellent
Review: I think my local library did the right thing. They classified this book under the fiction section. Seriously, this is NOT your ordinary everyday book. Usually, I scoff at any book that's less than 500 pages. However, I really have to tip my hat to Mr. Hughart. Folklore, mystery, suspense, comedy and the everything else, all packed into this book. "Bridge of Bird" kept me interested and reading till the very end. . . very few authors have actually managed to keep my attention till the end. Hughart has done this. If you want a sound investment, this is it. I seriously encourage you to get this book before it goes out of print (like his other books).
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Summary: What can I say?
Review: Everyone else has already described this book perfectly. It's a wonderful story! One of my favorite books ever. It is a combination mystery, historical fiction, and fantasy, but no matter which genre you prefer, you're sure to love Bridge of Birds. Take my advice, and the advice of all these other reviewers, and read it! The ending is so surprising (you know... the duke of Ch'in...) I would never have guessed. This is one of those books that sticks in your mind for a long time after you've finished it, comparable to the His Dark Materials books. Those books are my favorite books ever, so for Bridge of Birds to be comparable to them, it has to be good! I was so glad to see that there are two sequels. I only hope I'll be able to find them at the library.
Rating:
Summary: A joy to read. Lasting pleasure.
Review: I have been an admirer of Mr. Hughart work for so many years. His work transports you on a gentle but stimulating rollercoaster of emotions. Get all three books. Then beg the publishers to commission more.******I would be willing to pay $ 100. for the next book. Imagine if just 3,000 fans each paid $100 for the next book. Or 5,000 people did, worldwide there must be many more of us. Let's convince B.H. to write just for us and forget the publishers. This is going to be the trend, let's start it. Author > People no middle man.
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