Q2 (Chapters 33 - 63) - Question 2

[John]

Q2, Question 2 - Half way done - how is it going? Are you enjoying it? Bored? Dreading the next volume?

[Patrick]

The introduction of Zhuge Liang in the story made it even more captivating. Even though there are still myriads of characters which come and go, it has become easier to follow the main protagonists and their schemes/moves/dreams of getting control of the whole kingdom. I felt that the second book contained much more plotting and clever scheming than the first one, which was probably more militaristic and battle-focused.

[John]

After what ended up being a longer break than I was originally planning, I got back into it after a couple of chapters. As Patrick says, following the story in this volume is much easier because while characters come and go, there are fewer major characters being introduced. This largely reflects the warlordism that erupted following the eunuchs' plot during the early phase of the Three Kingdoms period.

Volume I began the process of consolidating these warlords (and we think mergers in our day and age can be painful) which culminates in Volume II with the establishment of the Three Kingdoms, the Wei (the North), the Wu (the South) and the Shu-Han (the West or the Riverlands). So fewer contenders for power, fewer supporting generals and advisors, fewer characters to keep track of.

[[deleted user]]

Unlike you guys I am dreading the next volume, I am finding it very repetitive and I think I know where the X-Files got their legendary slogan "Trust No-one" everyone is scheming against each other and double crossing is rife.

Some of the schemes are amusing but it is just too much the same.

[John]

Book wrote: "Unlike you guys I am dreading the next volume, I am finding it very repetitive and I think I know where the X-Files got their legendary slogan "Trust No-one" everyone is scheming against each other..."

The underlying fighting does tend to get somewhat repetitive, but there are significant developments in the story in the next book.