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The Story of the Stone (The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, #2)

Barry Hughart

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Oct 06, 2010 Micha rated it liked it

Shelves: books-2010

I have read multiple reviews that basically say "his book is good, but it wasn't as good as his first book." My opinion n that is that the first book has real heart, and that is a difficult shoe to fill. Every single character in Bridge of Birds has something to share of themselves and most had a story to tell. Even those who you thought were just a minor character became someone you could sympathize with (my personal favourite character was Doctor Death).

I think where this book has trouble rea I have read multiple reviews that basically say "his book is good, but it wasn't as good as his first book." My opinion n that is that the first book has real heart, and that is a difficult shoe to fill. Every single character in Bridge of Birds has something to share of themselves and most had a story to tell. Even those who you thought were just a minor character became someone you could sympathize with (my personal favourite character was Doctor Death).

I think where this book has trouble reaching its audience is that there is very little to tie us to the characters in this novel. I admit it! I was hoping to learn more about ur main characters and possibly to see cameos from some of the side characters from before. I am always impressed when an author can include a very minor character from the first novel in the series and enrich the story's world more by letting that character have further involvement with the sequels plot, but there was nothing like that in this novel! There is absolutely NO repeating of minor or side characters from the first novel, and what made the book a little more bland to me was the lack of real connection to the new existing side characters, which really surprised me because characters SEEM to be this author's strength.

We don't learn more about our main characters, Master Li and Number Ten Ox; they do not evolve or grown in any way and to top it off the quest is somehow less noble and feels a bit more forced. At times I have wondered what the actual quest WAS, not because the author really stirs away from it, but rather because it isn't as firmly reinforced to the reader as the previous novel. Please don't misunderstand, there is a plot and they DO let us know what it is - but ... somehow I find myself wondering - is that really all we're doing here? It just didn't seem like enough to me, but perhaps it was enough for Master Li.

Having said all of this though, I must also mention that it's strength lies in the fact that Mr. Hughart is a very entertaining writer who created a wonderfully rich world where fable saturates everyday life. What it lacked in substance it made up for in enthusiasm for its own story. There is still something of merit within the novel's walls and I would still make a recommendation of this book, however I might suggest that one reads this book (and possibly the third) before Bridge of Birds. ...more

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