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The Chinese Spymaster #2
The Ninja and the Diplomat
***COMRADE BRODSKY REPORTS THAT THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC WILL ATTACK ASEAN***
The Chinese intelligence agency received this message from a trusted asset. He had just completed the sale of MANPADs, manually portable anti-aircraft devices, in Macau.
His customer was Carlos a.k.a. Hashim. Why buy arms for the Muslims in the Philippines?
A logistics manager suspected of stealing from the Chinese Army warehouse is found murdered. Twelve MANPADs and a dozen tactical nuclear devices are missing.
A high-ranking foreign ministry official, key to managing a brewing international crisis, is nearly assassinated when he meets with a cousin who lives in Taiwan.
Urgent deep analysis of all related data spotlights two men, the Boss and the Yakuza. One of them intends to wreak havoc on China. What is to be done?
This is volume 2 of The Chinese Spymaster series.
The Chinese intelligence agency received this message from a trusted asset. He had just completed the sale of MANPADs, manually portable anti-aircraft devices, in Macau.
His customer was Carlos a.k.a. Hashim. Why buy arms for the Muslims in the Philippines?
A logistics manager suspected of stealing from the Chinese Army warehouse is found murdered. Twelve MANPADs and a dozen tactical nuclear devices are missing.
A high-ranking foreign ministry official, key to managing a brewing international crisis, is nearly assassinated when he meets with a cousin who lives in Taiwan.
Urgent deep analysis of all related data spotlights two men, the Boss and the Yakuza. One of them intends to wreak havoc on China. What is to be done?
This is volume 2 of The Chinese Spymaster series.
280 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
1 person is currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Hock G. Tjoa
8 books91 followersHock G. Tjoa was born to Chinese parents and studied history at Brandeis and Harvard. He taught European history and Asian political thought at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. He is married and lives with his family in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California.
He published in 2010 The Battle of Chibi (Selections from The Romance of the Three Kingdoms) that he had translated, and in 2011, Heaven is High and the Emperor Far Away, A Play that he translated and adapted from Lao She's Teahouse. Both are part of his project to make more widely known traditional Chinese values. In 2013, he published The Chinese Spymaster and The Ingenious Judge Dee, a Play.
Agamemnon Must Die was published (see reviews) in 2014.
Another volume in The Chinese Spymaster series, The Ninja and theDiplomat was published in 2015.
I struggle to bring the Book of Job to life for my current writing project.
He published in 2010 The Battle of Chibi (Selections from The Romance of the Three Kingdoms) that he had translated, and in 2011, Heaven is High and the Emperor Far Away, A Play that he translated and adapted from Lao She's Teahouse. Both are part of his project to make more widely known traditional Chinese values. In 2013, he published The Chinese Spymaster and The Ingenious Judge Dee, a Play.
Agamemnon Must Die was published (see reviews) in 2014.
Another volume in The Chinese Spymaster series, The Ninja and theDiplomat was published in 2015.
I struggle to bring the Book of Job to life for my current writing project.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 25, 2020
My rating 3.5
The book “The Ninja and the Diplomat (The Chinese Spymaster # 2)” by Hock G. Tjoa is a solidly written political thriller, but I miss the action that would accompany the story. I have to admit that I expected a lot more from the very title of the book because the yakuza and ninja were included, and I got more of a story that ranged from good to less good. Although there are geopolitical intrigues, it is all a bit idyllic written to me because China and its supreme power are not very flexible, especially when it comes to their nuclear weapons. Conventional weapons yes, but I think they have quite a military hierarchy that would not allow it to play with its nuclear arsenal. We can see from the current situation that they keep every aspect under tight control, the fact that they have developed economically into a great power has not diminished their approach to solving internal problems. I think darkness would swallow anyone who goes a little closer to the nuclear arsenal. The story itself is conceptually well thought out, if it had a little more action with better visualization, and less storytelling that made me slow down reading this book would surely get a higher rating. Some characters are well elaborated and described, but some I think would need more description. All in all a good book, but nothing more than that, and I would recommend it to thriller fans.
The book “The Ninja and the Diplomat (The Chinese Spymaster # 2)” by Hock G. Tjoa is a solidly written political thriller, but I miss the action that would accompany the story. I have to admit that I expected a lot more from the very title of the book because the yakuza and ninja were included, and I got more of a story that ranged from good to less good. Although there are geopolitical intrigues, it is all a bit idyllic written to me because China and its supreme power are not very flexible, especially when it comes to their nuclear weapons. Conventional weapons yes, but I think they have quite a military hierarchy that would not allow it to play with its nuclear arsenal. We can see from the current situation that they keep every aspect under tight control, the fact that they have developed economically into a great power has not diminished their approach to solving internal problems. I think darkness would swallow anyone who goes a little closer to the nuclear arsenal. The story itself is conceptually well thought out, if it had a little more action with better visualization, and less storytelling that made me slow down reading this book would surely get a higher rating. Some characters are well elaborated and described, but some I think would need more description. All in all a good book, but nothing more than that, and I would recommend it to thriller fans.
December 15, 2015
The second volume of in Tjoa’s Chinese Spymaster Series is a fast-paced adventure with many characters shuffling in and out of the diplomat’s office. The spymaster, Wang, a mid-fifties aging yet svelte operative is in hot pursuit of his latest challenge: stolen stinger missiles and nuclear devices. He asks himself: “how are a Filipino rebel, a North Korean arms dealer, a Chinese logistics manager, and an Eastern European pimp connected?” The answers unfold over the next couple hundred pages as the reader is taken on dizzying tour to Beijing, Macau, Manila, Seoul, and a few other regional hiding spots to piece the clues together. Part history lesson, the book is a journey accompanied with ninja fights, torture, and murder, as Wang completes the connection.
The story is told from a third-person point of view, as we follow several characters along parallel tracks, before the story converges to resolution. We mainly follow Wang and his private thoughts as he sifts through the fragmented intelligence, while expounding upon the history on the area. At times the perspective gets confusing and the reader has to go back to understand who is speaking. Is it Wang or the omnipresent narrator? Several scenes in the text are further harmed as the point of view slips into an unidentified first-person, who seems to be dreaming. Little’s explained and readers are left to make their own connections. In one fight scene we’re told the loser is left unconscious, but then he remembers everything in the next scene, including the period in which he was out. Font changes and unexplained italicization compound the disjointed scenes, and the combination disrupts the flow. The history was interesting and the story works, but the reader has to be ready to chip in.
The story is told from a third-person point of view, as we follow several characters along parallel tracks, before the story converges to resolution. We mainly follow Wang and his private thoughts as he sifts through the fragmented intelligence, while expounding upon the history on the area. At times the perspective gets confusing and the reader has to go back to understand who is speaking. Is it Wang or the omnipresent narrator? Several scenes in the text are further harmed as the point of view slips into an unidentified first-person, who seems to be dreaming. Little’s explained and readers are left to make their own connections. In one fight scene we’re told the loser is left unconscious, but then he remembers everything in the next scene, including the period in which he was out. Font changes and unexplained italicization compound the disjointed scenes, and the combination disrupts the flow. The history was interesting and the story works, but the reader has to be ready to chip in.
October 11, 2015
This read was an exposure to a part of the world I know very little. However, you soon discover that China and its neighbors are not so different in terms of the threats to their safety and the lengths to which they have to go to secure their safety and survival. Nuclear devices are a threat to all nations now and will always up the stakes to the steps taken to neutralize their danger. This story seemed so well researched and real that I felt like I was seeing the story behind the news headlines. How arms deals are made and how even the nations making them will turn a blind eye to where they end up is an eye-opener. The action scenes was like imagining what a cross between the Jason Bourne movies with Bruce Lee would have looked like, pretty powerful and packed a punch! As this is book two, I didn't feel like I missed anything although maybe I should go check out book one. Great read.
October 1, 2015
This book was a blast from start to finish with plenty of action, geo-politics and intrigue.
There are some really vivid descriptions, in fact, that is one of the strongest elements of this book but the characters are also great. The pace was fast and kept me interested throughout, plus the maps and glossary helped a lot!
An entertaining read.
There are some really vivid descriptions, in fact, that is one of the strongest elements of this book but the characters are also great. The pace was fast and kept me interested throughout, plus the maps and glossary helped a lot!
An entertaining read.
October 23, 2015
If some books give you nothing and may endanger your brain by making it dumber (at least momentarily so), such is not the case with The Ninja and the Diplomat. You may not become smarter, but at least you will learn quite a bit. I did. For instance, I learned that today’s first economy, a.k.a. China, while modern and ambitious, is as much as ever attached to its ancestral customs. I learned that the neighboring Philippines have a separatist Muslim culture. I learned that Islamist terrorism is not necessarily motivated by religion, but rather by social justice. In other words, the terrorists of some are the liberators of others. Actually, being a native of the Basque Country, I kind of was aware of that one.
The basics of the yarn: twelve nuclear devices, among others, have been stolen from the Chinese army to be presumably sold to terrorist groups. These Chinese weapons are meant to be directed against China itself. A rather byzantine plot authored by one of China’s most obstinate enemies. Will there be a dozen Hiroshimas in China? Will this horrendous plot of mass destruction be deflected? Will the reader care, that’s the problem, for this yarn, as we shall see, is entwined with other threads and knotted unto itself.
It gets drowned into an infinity of political and strategic details, and into questionably useful subplots and lengthy dialogues. The abundance of characters, their psychologic underdevelopment, as well as the resemblance or sameness of their names, add to the confusion of the westerner not used to cope daily (not yet anyway) with Chinese culture. Rather than being plunged into the heart of the story, all this makes the reader feel like an inexperienced diplomat having to read reports from Chinese intelligence or examine strategies during meetings and conferences to avert danger. So when the occasional fight sequence comes (say, between the ninja and the woman with sad eyes), it might be interesting on its own, but not completely à propos in this analytic general mood and mode. Instead, it seems plastered there to convince the reader she is reading a novel.
But convinced, this reader is not. While I am grateful to the author for learning so much about such an important culture, all the more important these days because, let’s face it, the US is no longer número uno; while I feel somewhat smarter, I am wondering why Tjoa didn’t choose the non-fiction route. History and current events are popular and sell well. And, as just mentioned, it is crucial that we know more about the new superpower. Wouldn’t the author’s love for details and intricate analysis (for dissemination rather than centralisation) work better in that direction? Otherwise, should he insist on writing espionage fiction, I would suggest he read tons of Le Carré.
The basics of the yarn: twelve nuclear devices, among others, have been stolen from the Chinese army to be presumably sold to terrorist groups. These Chinese weapons are meant to be directed against China itself. A rather byzantine plot authored by one of China’s most obstinate enemies. Will there be a dozen Hiroshimas in China? Will this horrendous plot of mass destruction be deflected? Will the reader care, that’s the problem, for this yarn, as we shall see, is entwined with other threads and knotted unto itself.
It gets drowned into an infinity of political and strategic details, and into questionably useful subplots and lengthy dialogues. The abundance of characters, their psychologic underdevelopment, as well as the resemblance or sameness of their names, add to the confusion of the westerner not used to cope daily (not yet anyway) with Chinese culture. Rather than being plunged into the heart of the story, all this makes the reader feel like an inexperienced diplomat having to read reports from Chinese intelligence or examine strategies during meetings and conferences to avert danger. So when the occasional fight sequence comes (say, between the ninja and the woman with sad eyes), it might be interesting on its own, but not completely à propos in this analytic general mood and mode. Instead, it seems plastered there to convince the reader she is reading a novel.
But convinced, this reader is not. While I am grateful to the author for learning so much about such an important culture, all the more important these days because, let’s face it, the US is no longer número uno; while I feel somewhat smarter, I am wondering why Tjoa didn’t choose the non-fiction route. History and current events are popular and sell well. And, as just mentioned, it is crucial that we know more about the new superpower. Wouldn’t the author’s love for details and intricate analysis (for dissemination rather than centralisation) work better in that direction? Otherwise, should he insist on writing espionage fiction, I would suggest he read tons of Le Carré.
November 2, 2015
The Ninja and the Diplomat is a fascinating tale involving stolen nuclear weapons from China, a separatist group from the Philippines, an arms dealer, and numerous other actors each with their own subplot. My impression after reading this book is that the author has a deep understanding of Chinese and Asian history and politics, and was trying to craft a story to educate readers on the complexity of relations in Asia and the provide some historical context as well.
Overall, while I felt the plot was compelling, the story seemed a bit cartoonish and was lacking in suspense. At times the plot shifted from action scenes involving a ninja, to lengthy discussions between diplomats about Asian history and the fight over the South China Sea, to arguments between Filipino separatists. Throughout the story there is this underlying tension that a dozen nuclear weapons are on the loose and the Chinese Government is in pursuit to get them before they go off, but I just didn't feel the tension and suspense that would make this type of story believable. I also struggled a bit with the complexity of the story, there are over twenty characters and multiple organizations that are involved in the story and at times it was hard to follow the storyline.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story because the author injected very thought provoking discussions about the history and culture of China and other Asian countries in the region. The story touches on Confucius, to the China one child policy, to the fight over South China Sea and renewable energy, the ethnic make-up of China, and much more. I was impressed with how the author weaved these elements into the story and I felt I learned a lot of new things about Chinese history and have a better understanding of the Chinese perspective on U.S. foreign policy. I especially like the ending and Diplomat Yu's lecture about the ideal state. I liked this line in particular:
“You need power to govern well, and if you have power, why wouldn’t you use it to enrich yourself?”
I recommend this book to people who are interested in understanding Chinese history and to also get an understanding of the ethnic diversity and how that complicates politics in Asia. This is more than a mystery about stolen nuclear weapons, it is a history lesson, and well worth a read.
I was given a free copy of this book to provide an honest review.
Overall, while I felt the plot was compelling, the story seemed a bit cartoonish and was lacking in suspense. At times the plot shifted from action scenes involving a ninja, to lengthy discussions between diplomats about Asian history and the fight over the South China Sea, to arguments between Filipino separatists. Throughout the story there is this underlying tension that a dozen nuclear weapons are on the loose and the Chinese Government is in pursuit to get them before they go off, but I just didn't feel the tension and suspense that would make this type of story believable. I also struggled a bit with the complexity of the story, there are over twenty characters and multiple organizations that are involved in the story and at times it was hard to follow the storyline.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story because the author injected very thought provoking discussions about the history and culture of China and other Asian countries in the region. The story touches on Confucius, to the China one child policy, to the fight over South China Sea and renewable energy, the ethnic make-up of China, and much more. I was impressed with how the author weaved these elements into the story and I felt I learned a lot of new things about Chinese history and have a better understanding of the Chinese perspective on U.S. foreign policy. I especially like the ending and Diplomat Yu's lecture about the ideal state. I liked this line in particular:
“You need power to govern well, and if you have power, why wouldn’t you use it to enrich yourself?”
I recommend this book to people who are interested in understanding Chinese history and to also get an understanding of the ethnic diversity and how that complicates politics in Asia. This is more than a mystery about stolen nuclear weapons, it is a history lesson, and well worth a read.
I was given a free copy of this book to provide an honest review.
June 16, 2016
The Ninja, I've read two of Hock's other books and found them to be technically well-written, but slow and deliberate in their pace, and therefore, a little dull. I think he's changed it up with this book as it’s off to the races with action sequences in the first chapter of the book. Well done, Hock! This book is another in his Spymaster series, so I would encourage readers to start with the first one to have a better sense of understanding and continuity. The plot is intriguing and intricately woven. It involves a Russian arms dealer, captured during a dust-up that occurs in the first chapter, who was serving as a middleman in a deal to buy Chinese MANPADS. The plot takes us to the Philippine Islands in search of the missing weapons. I'm not sure that Hock has found the sweet stop between telling and showing. The character's dialog seems overlong and complicated--it's not a book you would want to read if you're not intently following the plot's development. Also, there is not a lot of description of the various settings. Conversely, there is an explanation of things that don't need to be explained, such as the-the difference pronunciation of last names in different dialects. While that knowledge might be interesting to some, it detracts from the pacing of an Action & Adventure novel. A police inspector investigates a warehouse and encounters a shadowy character. A fight ensues and the shadowy character, The Ninja, is introduced. I must say that the plot and plot devices are something that is so intriguing I wish I had thought of it. I won't spoil it for the reader, but in all honesty, I've never heard of such a weapon and I retired from the military, so again Kudos to the author for being inventive and unique. The book changes viewpoints to give us some background on the Ninja, focused at first on his rigorous training regime, because, hey, he's a Ninja. You learn about the Ninja's upbringing in the following chapters and I found it to be an interesting and inventive piece of character development. I got more involved in the plot at that point and burned through the rest of the book in a short period of time. What I find interesting is Hock's insider view of the workings of the various departments of the People's Army. I wonder if this knowledge is through personal experience or gleaned through research? It's a fascinating read, told at a methodical pace that Hock seems to like employing. Four stars for a well-written, exceptionally exciting book.
November 2, 2015
Hock’s well-crafted page turner serves up a hot dish on a cold premise: a conspiracy is hatched by one of China’s neighbors - and supported by rogue elements of other Asian countries - to weaken / destroy China by strengthening the dissident movements within - by providing arms, notably portable nuclear ones - to them!
What would Russia have to gain from a weak China? Why would Russia screw up its relations with its only friend in United Nations Security Council (both alternatively vetoing anything that U.S. and its allies conjure up)? Ignore that and the rest of the story is solidly intelligent.
Boris, the head of Russian Intelligence, is The Boss. His family has been friends with Yamato’s family for four generations. Yamato heads one of the Japanese mafia families. Viktor is Boris’s son. Ninja is Yamato’s adopted son. Only one of them survives in the end.
Russians use their own as well as Japanese Yakuza resources to get Chinese arms through corrupt / ill-informed mainland bureaucrats. These 12 anti-aircraft missile launchers are taken to Philippines, fitted with nuclear devices and then loaded back to China for twelve simultaneous attacks on places of significance by dissidents (Uyghur, Tibetan, etc.)
What follows is a race against time to stop the attacks. Ninja and Katya provide the kicks while Wang, Wong, Kim, Owyang and Li provide the brains. Somewhere in there are Koreans, Filipinos, agent within a Filipino dissident movement (Carlos / Hashim), Taiwan, Chinese code of honor, mismanaged development plans and World War II atrocities. Hock gives the tale a depth not usually seen in popcorn thrillers.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair, unbiased and non-reciprocal review.
What would Russia have to gain from a weak China? Why would Russia screw up its relations with its only friend in United Nations Security Council (both alternatively vetoing anything that U.S. and its allies conjure up)? Ignore that and the rest of the story is solidly intelligent.
Boris, the head of Russian Intelligence, is The Boss. His family has been friends with Yamato’s family for four generations. Yamato heads one of the Japanese mafia families. Viktor is Boris’s son. Ninja is Yamato’s adopted son. Only one of them survives in the end.
Russians use their own as well as Japanese Yakuza resources to get Chinese arms through corrupt / ill-informed mainland bureaucrats. These 12 anti-aircraft missile launchers are taken to Philippines, fitted with nuclear devices and then loaded back to China for twelve simultaneous attacks on places of significance by dissidents (Uyghur, Tibetan, etc.)
What follows is a race against time to stop the attacks. Ninja and Katya provide the kicks while Wang, Wong, Kim, Owyang and Li provide the brains. Somewhere in there are Koreans, Filipinos, agent within a Filipino dissident movement (Carlos / Hashim), Taiwan, Chinese code of honor, mismanaged development plans and World War II atrocities. Hock gives the tale a depth not usually seen in popcorn thrillers.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair, unbiased and non-reciprocal review.
October 7, 2015
The Ninja and the Spymaster
Every country has its spies and intelligence people, politicians who play by their own set of rules, and diplomatic compulsions to maintain a balance of power with their friends and foes. They work under a shadow of secrecy, with one hand not knowing what the other is doing. China is no exception.
The story opens with a bang. An arms dealer and his men are attacked in a hotel room. As your adrenal wakes up and gathers itself for a surge, the following chapters put it to rest. It is understandable that the writer needs those chapters to introduce the characters and the geopolitical situation but he does it in sentences a tad too long and descriptive.
Anyway, Spymaster and Ma get down to the business of tracking missing MANPADs and nuclear devices, and the reader gets a good look at the murky world of secret deals, betrayal, and the lure of money.
To sum up, the plot is good, the story is interesting, and Mr. Hock is obviously knowledgeable about how intelligence agencies function, and the situation in and around China.
In spite of all this, the book did not work for me. Maybe there was too much being said. Perhaps it was the characters; I could not relate to them. It also lacked the flow and the crispness that makes books of this genre into page turners. Having said this, this could be the book for readers who look for a lot of information about political situations, history, and clandestine arms supply.
I received a free copy of this book for an unbiased review.
Every country has its spies and intelligence people, politicians who play by their own set of rules, and diplomatic compulsions to maintain a balance of power with their friends and foes. They work under a shadow of secrecy, with one hand not knowing what the other is doing. China is no exception.
The story opens with a bang. An arms dealer and his men are attacked in a hotel room. As your adrenal wakes up and gathers itself for a surge, the following chapters put it to rest. It is understandable that the writer needs those chapters to introduce the characters and the geopolitical situation but he does it in sentences a tad too long and descriptive.
Anyway, Spymaster and Ma get down to the business of tracking missing MANPADs and nuclear devices, and the reader gets a good look at the murky world of secret deals, betrayal, and the lure of money.
To sum up, the plot is good, the story is interesting, and Mr. Hock is obviously knowledgeable about how intelligence agencies function, and the situation in and around China.
In spite of all this, the book did not work for me. Maybe there was too much being said. Perhaps it was the characters; I could not relate to them. It also lacked the flow and the crispness that makes books of this genre into page turners. Having said this, this could be the book for readers who look for a lot of information about political situations, history, and clandestine arms supply.
I received a free copy of this book for an unbiased review.
October 1, 2015
MIND TAXING ESPIONAGE AND WHAT A GOOD STORY!
This is almost real life story of threats to the Chinese nation, likely terrorist attack, the stolen nucear war head and the mission to recover and deactivate the threat using the Ninja, and following the diplomat and assets. “In battle, one does what one must do ‘in the moment.’ using diplomacy, right tactics and being combat ready without pressing advantages as they appeared brought success to the Spy master Wang, and the espionage team.
indeed “Combat is full of uncertainty” and those duels are quite comical and entertaining, but the message is clear, it is good to train and also to be disciplined.
The plots, interesting characters (Victor, comisinar Xiao shu, the captain, ninja or acting spy master? ) and scenes are breath taking but the story is a bit hard to follow or appreciate because of the style that differs from just a novel or fantasy work, it is written well but with a higher education and pre-exposure to trends in office and diplomatic operation appeals.
Indeed a good read, the hard to follow what do you expect from a Spy book, romantic suspense in spy masters Wang and Li sidekick affair. Wang must be more emotionaly confident!
This is almost real life story of threats to the Chinese nation, likely terrorist attack, the stolen nucear war head and the mission to recover and deactivate the threat using the Ninja, and following the diplomat and assets. “In battle, one does what one must do ‘in the moment.’ using diplomacy, right tactics and being combat ready without pressing advantages as they appeared brought success to the Spy master Wang, and the espionage team.
indeed “Combat is full of uncertainty” and those duels are quite comical and entertaining, but the message is clear, it is good to train and also to be disciplined.
The plots, interesting characters (Victor, comisinar Xiao shu, the captain, ninja or acting spy master? ) and scenes are breath taking but the story is a bit hard to follow or appreciate because of the style that differs from just a novel or fantasy work, it is written well but with a higher education and pre-exposure to trends in office and diplomatic operation appeals.
Indeed a good read, the hard to follow what do you expect from a Spy book, romantic suspense in spy masters Wang and Li sidekick affair. Wang must be more emotionaly confident!
December 2, 2015
I received a copy for an honest review.
The Ninja and the Diplomat is a political thriller that the author clearly did a lot of research and work to create. I can see that the author has a fantastic imagination, and put it to good use! The characters and situations were intriguing, and their stories interesting.
One thing that was hard for me, though, was that the pacing was not as well-done as it could have been. I felt that the plot dragged in the parts where folks were just moving about and talking. And the dialogue didn’t seem natural. In addition, there were little… bits missing from the scenes where fighting was put in; these situations needed to include more stimulus followed by response. Perhaps the author imagined the stimulus, but the reader needs to be able to see it as well. Readers needed to see cause, then effect. We need to be able to see what’s going, especially when the action is detailed and important.
Again, though, the story was imaginatively put together, and a very interesting look at what could be going on behind the scenes while the rest of us go happily about our own business ignorant of all that governments and organized criminals might be doing.
The Ninja and the Diplomat is a political thriller that the author clearly did a lot of research and work to create. I can see that the author has a fantastic imagination, and put it to good use! The characters and situations were intriguing, and their stories interesting.
One thing that was hard for me, though, was that the pacing was not as well-done as it could have been. I felt that the plot dragged in the parts where folks were just moving about and talking. And the dialogue didn’t seem natural. In addition, there were little… bits missing from the scenes where fighting was put in; these situations needed to include more stimulus followed by response. Perhaps the author imagined the stimulus, but the reader needs to be able to see it as well. Readers needed to see cause, then effect. We need to be able to see what’s going, especially when the action is detailed and important.
Again, though, the story was imaginatively put together, and a very interesting look at what could be going on behind the scenes while the rest of us go happily about our own business ignorant of all that governments and organized criminals might be doing.
November 27, 2015
I received a free copy for an honest review.
I found this an interesting read. For the readers of this type of book I'm sure it is great. However, that audience is probably small.
If you are a fan of the HBO show, "The Brink" and are more interested in the complex dealings the diplomats do, than the comedy parts, this book is a must read.
If you are mildly interested in the dealings that diplomats have to do to secure peace, you will probably find this book interesting.
The worst problem with this book, has nothing to do with the writing. The book had some mildly strange wording, but mild and consistent, so within a chapter or two you get used to it. The blurb for this book is frankly gibberish. Please ignore the author's description of the book, the actual writing is fine.
In my copy there were major formatting issues. I have informed the author and hopefully he will fix these issues.
As far as the book itself, I give it four stars, as it wasn't the type of book I would normally read, yet it kept my interest. For people interested in the the art of diplomacy, it is well worth taking a look at.
I found this an interesting read. For the readers of this type of book I'm sure it is great. However, that audience is probably small.
If you are a fan of the HBO show, "The Brink" and are more interested in the complex dealings the diplomats do, than the comedy parts, this book is a must read.
If you are mildly interested in the dealings that diplomats have to do to secure peace, you will probably find this book interesting.
The worst problem with this book, has nothing to do with the writing. The book had some mildly strange wording, but mild and consistent, so within a chapter or two you get used to it. The blurb for this book is frankly gibberish. Please ignore the author's description of the book, the actual writing is fine.
In my copy there were major formatting issues. I have informed the author and hopefully he will fix these issues.
As far as the book itself, I give it four stars, as it wasn't the type of book I would normally read, yet it kept my interest. For people interested in the the art of diplomacy, it is well worth taking a look at.
June 8, 2016
I found it hard to categorise this book. It tells the story of a ninja and a diplomat and at the same time it’s a commentary on the Chinese sociological and political view of the world.
The story involves the theft of some nuclear devices and what happens thereafter. There is plenty of martial arts action and intrigue involving players from Russia and Asia. There are some complex relationships involving people from different cultures in the intelligence community. There are plenty of ironic twists involving the various motivations of all these people.
This is a thinking person’s thriller, not a full on action adventure as such. This doesn’t detract from the story in my view. For me, this is a book for those who prefer their thrillers with a more reflective emphasis. You won’t find a body on every page and the pace is leisurely.
The story involves the theft of some nuclear devices and what happens thereafter. There is plenty of martial arts action and intrigue involving players from Russia and Asia. There are some complex relationships involving people from different cultures in the intelligence community. There are plenty of ironic twists involving the various motivations of all these people.
This is a thinking person’s thriller, not a full on action adventure as such. This doesn’t detract from the story in my view. For me, this is a book for those who prefer their thrillers with a more reflective emphasis. You won’t find a body on every page and the pace is leisurely.
July 31, 2016
Spymaster, intelligence agency, politics, diplomats, arm dealers, nuclear devices, assassination, intricate title, exciting plot, there seem to be so much to anticipate ...
Unfortunately, this book, for me, hasn’t worked. It hasn’t delivered the thrill of excitement for a book of such genre. The narrative, though graceful, is excessive, the dialogues, lengthy and elaborate, the characters indistinguishable and the pace ... too unhurried.
However, I liked the leisurely, measured narrative. It is distinct and rather elegant. Tjoa certainly knows a lot about China, her system and her people and has indulged himself in the book with delightful sketches here and there, either the setting of a room or the family life of a Chinese man. It felt sometimes like seeping caramel tea in a Chinese tea house ...
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, this book, for me, hasn’t worked. It hasn’t delivered the thrill of excitement for a book of such genre. The narrative, though graceful, is excessive, the dialogues, lengthy and elaborate, the characters indistinguishable and the pace ... too unhurried.
However, I liked the leisurely, measured narrative. It is distinct and rather elegant. Tjoa certainly knows a lot about China, her system and her people and has indulged himself in the book with delightful sketches here and there, either the setting of a room or the family life of a Chinese man. It felt sometimes like seeping caramel tea in a Chinese tea house ...
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 3, 2016
An exciting enough tale of Chinese intelligence operatives and their scramble to thwart a terrorist plot on the Main Land. The Ninja and the Diplomat, in my humble opinion, fails to live up to the action it promises in open scenes. I felt that the build up to the main action in the book take too long and then disseminates all too quickly. The tale also is seeped in Asian history, culture, and geography, which will please those who enjoy reading and learning about the culture. Tjoa has an excellent knack for setting up the imagery of the stage and overall the book is a good read. I will be seeking out the other volumes of The Chinese Spymaster series.
**disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Goodreads Giveaways.
**disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Goodreads Giveaways.
December 9, 2015
The Ninja and the Diplomat was a well-written book that I mostly enjoyed. The detail and forethought put into this book was quite impressive, and I give kudos to the author for that. The story itself was very interesting, for the most part, and ended the way I expected but hoped it wouldn’t. The downsides are that the details could mire down the story, making it drag and losing my interest at times. I loved the action scenes and felt the story could be better improved by adding more action and less dialogue. Overall, a good book that the author definitely put a lot of time and effort into trying to get just right. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves a good story about intrigue and history. There are plenty of interesting plot developments!
September 10, 2015
4 Stars
Theft of weapons and nuclear devices bring the Chinese Spymaster and various leaders of the Chinese government together to solve the theft, and where the most likely targets are.
A great story with good character interaction. The descriptions and details are amazing, and let the reader develop a clear picture as to what is occurring and when.
There is more detail than is necessary for the storyline, and a few minor grammatical errors that in no way detract from the story.
Theft of weapons and nuclear devices bring the Chinese Spymaster and various leaders of the Chinese government together to solve the theft, and where the most likely targets are.
A great story with good character interaction. The descriptions and details are amazing, and let the reader develop a clear picture as to what is occurring and when.
There is more detail than is necessary for the storyline, and a few minor grammatical errors that in no way detract from the story.
September 26, 2015
As author, I refrain from reviewing or rating this work.
But I will say it is intended to challenge the reader by its plot, setting, and the many concerns of Spymaster Wang that may not appear to be obviously related to national security. This is what I envision to be a realistic, perhaps idealized, view of the way things are.
But I will say it is intended to challenge the reader by its plot, setting, and the many concerns of Spymaster Wang that may not appear to be obviously related to national security. This is what I envision to be a realistic, perhaps idealized, view of the way things are.
November 8, 2015
This book was very interesting, I personally liked the first book (The Chinese Spymaster) better but this is still an amazing and very detailed book. The characters and the plot developed as the story went on, this fast paced book was a great read!
September 29, 2020
"Without superheroes, the Chinese intelligence agency plows through data, weighs possibilities, and tries to make sense of the actions of those who are intent on inflicting great evil, or making a profit, or whose intentions are good even as their actions lead to unintended consequences."
In THE NINJA AND THE DIPLOMAT, Hock Tjoa portrays his mastery of Chinese militia, warring culture, and geography. He writes of ninjas, spymasters, gangs, and arms dealers with the ease of a seasoned professional. He immerses us into the story immediately, beginning with a surprise attack on an infamous arms dealer.
Unfortunately I found the writing too disjointed to be fully immersed in this convoluted narrative. Abrupt switches in word tense, head-hopping, and run-on as well as fragmented sentences kept jerking me out of nearly every scene. There were also far too many subplots and characters -- some too similarly named, others too flat -- for me to really keep up with or fully relate to, though maybe that's simply a fault of my own.
The scope of this book is very admirable. The author has obviously invested copious amounts of time, energy, and research in the making of this book -- and that shows. He knows how to up the suspense and danger within the novel through numerous scenes of confrontation and conspiracy, though these were muted frequently by very drawn-out introspection or dialogue.
Lastly, I absolutely loved the symbolism of the red and white dragons biting each others' tongues and roaring in muffled tones -- "a red dragon and a white dragon, like Bolshevik and Menshevik revolutionaries eating their young"; this was such a vivid image for me and remained with me throughout the entire book.
In THE NINJA AND THE DIPLOMAT, Hock Tjoa portrays his mastery of Chinese militia, warring culture, and geography. He writes of ninjas, spymasters, gangs, and arms dealers with the ease of a seasoned professional. He immerses us into the story immediately, beginning with a surprise attack on an infamous arms dealer.
Unfortunately I found the writing too disjointed to be fully immersed in this convoluted narrative. Abrupt switches in word tense, head-hopping, and run-on as well as fragmented sentences kept jerking me out of nearly every scene. There were also far too many subplots and characters -- some too similarly named, others too flat -- for me to really keep up with or fully relate to, though maybe that's simply a fault of my own.
The scope of this book is very admirable. The author has obviously invested copious amounts of time, energy, and research in the making of this book -- and that shows. He knows how to up the suspense and danger within the novel through numerous scenes of confrontation and conspiracy, though these were muted frequently by very drawn-out introspection or dialogue.
Lastly, I absolutely loved the symbolism of the red and white dragons biting each others' tongues and roaring in muffled tones -- "a red dragon and a white dragon, like Bolshevik and Menshevik revolutionaries eating their young"; this was such a vivid image for me and remained with me throughout the entire book.
November 23, 2020
I enjoyed this one more than the first book in the series. The stakes are higher and involve a more direct and less speculative threat, and there is a bit more action. The threat comes from a villain slightly more reminiscent of a Bond villain, which makes the whole thing more fun.
It's helpful that there is a character list with descriptions at the beginning of the book, because they can be difficult to keep track of. There are a fair number of characters, all belonging to different government agencies. It took me a while to lock down who “the diplomat” is. It's obvious who the ninja is, at least.
There are several breaks from the story in which characters debate things like political philosophy, which is mildly relevant to the story, or climate change, which is not at all relevant to the story. The discussions are interesting, so it's not a huge issue, but there was that part of my brain that couldn't help but think, “But what's that ninja up to?”
The resolution at the end is clever, and I appreciate the way the stories converge, but the dialogue, particularly at the climax, didn't flow as well as it could have.
Overall it's a good read, and I would recommend starting with this one, as you don't need to have read the first book in order to follow the story.
It's helpful that there is a character list with descriptions at the beginning of the book, because they can be difficult to keep track of. There are a fair number of characters, all belonging to different government agencies. It took me a while to lock down who “the diplomat” is. It's obvious who the ninja is, at least.
There are several breaks from the story in which characters debate things like political philosophy, which is mildly relevant to the story, or climate change, which is not at all relevant to the story. The discussions are interesting, so it's not a huge issue, but there was that part of my brain that couldn't help but think, “But what's that ninja up to?”
The resolution at the end is clever, and I appreciate the way the stories converge, but the dialogue, particularly at the climax, didn't flow as well as it could have.
Overall it's a good read, and I would recommend starting with this one, as you don't need to have read the first book in order to follow the story.
October 1, 2020
This book is action packed and filled with thrills. I got a real sense of characters and scenery from the descriptive writing style. It really transported me to a place I know very little about. Places, even.
It was a decent read, but I was distracted at times by lapses in grammar, which was unfortunate.i still enjoyed the book overall.
It was a decent read, but I was distracted at times by lapses in grammar, which was unfortunate.i still enjoyed the book overall.
July 23, 2016
I knew I would enjoy this book as soon as I read "The tyranny of Aristotelian unities." This a politically rich thriller involving the intersection of weapons dealing, intelligence services, and geopolitical unrest set in multiple East Asian countries. Despite how those first two sentences must sound, this is a fast-paced story with plenty of physical action.
The writing is solid throughout, and downright masterful in parts. It is mostly purely functional, which keeps the pacing progressing rapidly. I personally would have preferred if it had slowed down and the author eased away from the functional to show some more of his flair and extend individual scenes. In this way, some smaller dramas and conflicts could be added to bring individual chapters more to life and augment the overarching one, and certain emotional scenes could be intensified. But that's a purely personal preference that not all readers would agree with.
The POV bounces between quite a few characters, some more identifiable than others. In some places I got the sense that the characters were less important than the content, which is educational and insightful. It effectively shows real and complex political issues from differing perspectives. If you prefer your politics in black-and-white and your fiction in good-versus-evil, you might not like this, but if you recognize reality then the style should appeal to you.
I was prepared to be annoyed by the inclusion of a ninja, which most media presents in a farcical caricature of reality. But to my relief, the author handles it well, providing a reasonable explanation of his presence and presentation of his abilities.
Might be a little hard for readers unfamiliar with the history and geopolitics of the region. As a former student of international relations, I found it quite interesting. The author provides a helpful map, but I still found myself wondering whether readers unfamiliar with things such as the circumstances and consequences of the American occupation of The Philippines could be thrown off.
Overall, I'd recommend this to readers who enjoy spy thrillers and anyone with even the slightest interest in Asian geopolitics.
The writing is solid throughout, and downright masterful in parts. It is mostly purely functional, which keeps the pacing progressing rapidly. I personally would have preferred if it had slowed down and the author eased away from the functional to show some more of his flair and extend individual scenes. In this way, some smaller dramas and conflicts could be added to bring individual chapters more to life and augment the overarching one, and certain emotional scenes could be intensified. But that's a purely personal preference that not all readers would agree with.
The POV bounces between quite a few characters, some more identifiable than others. In some places I got the sense that the characters were less important than the content, which is educational and insightful. It effectively shows real and complex political issues from differing perspectives. If you prefer your politics in black-and-white and your fiction in good-versus-evil, you might not like this, but if you recognize reality then the style should appeal to you.
I was prepared to be annoyed by the inclusion of a ninja, which most media presents in a farcical caricature of reality. But to my relief, the author handles it well, providing a reasonable explanation of his presence and presentation of his abilities.
Might be a little hard for readers unfamiliar with the history and geopolitics of the region. As a former student of international relations, I found it quite interesting. The author provides a helpful map, but I still found myself wondering whether readers unfamiliar with things such as the circumstances and consequences of the American occupation of The Philippines could be thrown off.
Overall, I'd recommend this to readers who enjoy spy thrillers and anyone with even the slightest interest in Asian geopolitics.
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