Honor and Duty

by Gus Lee

Kai Ting knows what it means to become an American and lose all that is Chinese. It happened to his father, a former officer in Chiang Kai-shek's army, who never came to terms with his new life in the United States. Now, as a West Point cadet in the 1960s, Kai has a golden chance both to retain his heritage and to become undeniably, gloriously American.

But the Point has dangerous preconceptions about Asians, especially as the war in Vietnam escalates. Kai walks on a razor's edge...and falls into the dark pit of a cheating scandal. Suddenly, he must learn a new tribal behavior, a new etiquette. And his very survival depends on learning it fast....

Genres: Fiction, Asian American

434 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1994

Reviews

[Sam Hagadorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried. I can't remember the last time I was vested enough in a character to care enough to cry. And it wasn't even because a major character died! Gus Lee brings West Point alive in such a way that you are there with Kai Ting so that his successes are your successes; his failures are your failures. But this book is more than one cadet's journey - it is a window into the military, into West Point, and the relationship between sons and fathers. This is a must-read.

[Mark Ritter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started slow but really picked up midway through. Went from a solid 4-star to a 5-star on back side when some spoilers happened. Unfortunately, came back to a 4-star with weaker ending. Liked the Chinese Tao woven into story but didn’t need as many Chinese terms just to prove the point. Good read. Makes me want to try his first novel

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gus Lee writes a moving novel that on the surface appears to be about life at West Point in the 1960's. There is a subplot about a cheating scandal, but the novel is about so much more than that. It is about trying to find your place in life. It is about maintaining honor when all about you so many have set their own honor aside. It is about recognizing that your ultimate duty is to be true to yourself. It is about striving to please parents, officers, and friends. It is about love lost and new loves. It is about being raised to be an American in a Chinese family.

Essentially, West Point is simply the setting for a novel about life in general. In some ways this novel is a look at the 60's themselves through the eyes of a military cadet who happens to be of Chinese descent. Likely, this novel is semi-autobiographical for Lee, because he writes with a realism and a passion, as well as an understanding of the military terms and abbreviations. In fact, at first I was put off by a glossary of those terms and abbreviations, thinking that a good writer would find a way to explain them without forcing the reader to the back of the book.. by the end of the book I agreed with its inclusion.. there simply was no way to stop and explain those terms everytime one presented itself, and to refuse to use them would have been utterly ridiculous.

This was a hard book to finish-- I kept hoping it would end differently, but I would almost bet that this sets the stage for the next novel which will likely take the hero to Vietnam (or maybe not).. I was heartbroken in places for the hero.. Lee didn't pull any punches.

Perhaps the most interesting scene for me, and heart wrenching scene,was when Kai prepared to pay his respects to family of a former classmate who had been killed in Vietnam, but is waved off by another cadet and realizes that seeing an oriental face, even in West Point dress uniform, would not have been helpful at that point. By including that moment in time we see that Kai is both on the inside and yet still remains a bit of an outsider, regardless of the fact that the majority of his fellow cadets thinks he is just grand.

Really good stuff..

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think China Boy is "better" although that is like saying one tasty, expensive wine is "better" than another. Both are amazing, but China Boy "read" better for me, but both books are masterful in their honesty and sense of narrative. I got mad when it ended though--Kai's story is not finished, and this reader wants more!

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The depth of the character development of Kai was amazing, refreshing. It is interesting how our cultures so differently prepare us for the lives where we are supplanted.

[Darren Sapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really two and one-half stars, but not two. What happens when deep-seated Chinese cultural beliefs meet the strict Western moral code of West Point? Having written prolifically on issues of morality and ethics, Gus Lee might disappoint those looking for a great West Point story.

[Scott Semerar]

so far , so good