Under Heaven

Tagging this book is difficult, because it's not really anything that can be labeled true fantasy. There's hints of magic, but mostly, it's a re-telling of the end of the golden age of the Tang dynasty of feudal China.

The story is mostly told from the view of the protagonist Shen Tai. Son of a famous general of the empire, he withdraws for the mourning period after his father's death to honor the dead of his people and those of their neighbors, the Tagurans, at the site of the greatest battle his father ever fought. Burying the dead and bringing peace to the ghosts for two years, Shen Tai receives a huge gift from the Tagurans, 250 Heavenly Horse that are considered priceless in the Kitai empire. This suddenly turns Shen Tai into a figure of importance, as he's thrust into imperial politics and warring factions inside it.

It didn't occur to me until I read the Wikipedia page about the Tang dynasty how close a retelling of the An-Lushan rebellion this is, but it's a tale I definitely enjoyed. Shen Tai and his sister, but also all other characters, are engrossing and interesting. I would have liked a lot more depth for Wen Zhou, more insight into why he made his decisions. He stayed a bit flat for me.

Other than that, it certainly scratched my itch to read something that's as close to Asian-themed fantasy as I can get, I suppose. It's an enjoyable story.

Under Heaven is historical fantasy. But not too fantastical; there’s just a touch of it to make the story interesting and, well, believable. There’s drama, mystery, romance, war, peace, intrigue and imperial inner games, all told through the unusual life of a guy who was meant to be, by all counts, very usual: a second son of an army general.

There’s a fantastic gift of precious horses, rare and extremely coveted throughout the empire, which is bestowed upon Tai, the main character. The gift for which his life is in danger, and at the same time more valuable than most other in the empire.

As Tai travels to the capital, escaping assassins sent to kill him and gathering friends along the way, we learn about the politics, the games and the times of the empire from long ago. The characters are captivating, the storytelling superb, the story so packed with twists and turns that you can’t put it down. Extremely enjoyable, fast paced read.