"Under Heaven" Characters. Who do you like? Who not so much? *mark your spoilers*

[Brad]

Loving Shen Tai so far. He is handled so well, and I am buying how compentent he is in every facet of his life. The threat of his swordsmanship, his ability navigate his culture, how cultured he truly is, his intelligence, he's growing into all of it, and I am finding it a very natural expression.

[agata]

I enjoy how multilayered the characters are. Every single one is described with so many details, I always wonder whether he/she is only there for one chapter or is gonna be a recurring or even one of the main characters.

[Brad]

I've been wondering the same thing. The first time was the officer at the Kitan fort in the mountains. I half expect him to play a role later, but wouldn't be surprised if he never shows up again.

[agata]

Brad wrote: "The first time was the officer at the Kitan fort in the mountains."

I really liked the details about the vase and the tea. The way his thoughts are described is very special. I can picture him perfectly: an ambitious military man at the end of the world with the weirdest opportunity coming along...

[Brad]

... and finding himself oddly out of his depth, but still making something out of his discomfort?

[agata]

I just read Chapter V - the Bogü episode. I like how the young Shen Tai is presented here. He is nervous, feels overwhelmed: a young soldier with too much responsibility. So different from the man we already know. 

[Brad]

I reached Shen Tai's first fight in the alleyway, and was duly impressed with (view spoiler)[his bad assed ninja movie moves, running up the wall and taking out two foes with one push off and flip. (hide spoiler)] Pretty damn cool, but also written believably, and Kay's led us to a place, very carefully, wherein Shen Tai's skills are believable.

[agata]

Brad wrote: "I reached Shen Tai's first fight in the alleyway, ... , and Kay's led us to a place, very carefully, wherein Shen Tai's skills are believable."

Especially when he finds out that they got slightly rusty.

[Brad]

Exactly.

[agata]

I've now officially fallen in love with this book. Li-Mei's journey into the steppe is just fabulous: "They must be played, she thinks, kept in balance, the men here."
What a way to introduce a believably strong-willed woman!

[Brad]

I am about to begin that section of the story. I think I am going to love that old poet too.

[agata]

Yeah, the old poet is lots of fun.

[Brad]

He kind of reminds me of Athos in the Musketeers, at least when we first meet him. I can see him holding up in a cellar drinking the proprietor out of saki.

[agata]

Brad wrote: "He kind of reminds me of Athos in the Musketeers, at least when we first meet him. I can see him holding up in a cellar drinking the proprietor out of saki."

Yeah Athos. Great comparison! Part bon vivant, part drunkard and a good part scoundrel.

[agata]

Brad wrote: "Kay's led us to a place, very carefully, wherein Shen Tai's skills are believable ..."

I’m not even half through the book and it just occured to me, how much I already care for the main character. How dear he became to me. (Chapter xi) (view spoiler)[I dread the moment he’ll find out whether or how much his brother is involved in the attempt to kill him. And the confirmation that his old companion is the one who hired the assassins makes me sad.
"He'd been waiting for a different name, perhaps two, behind these assassins ... and had been deeply afraid to hear one of them spoken aloud..." (hide spoiler)]
So far I'm very impressed by GGK's skill to build up a character: slowly, deliberately, with great effect.

[J]

New to this type of discussion - I'd like to comment on the spoiler that agata mentioned - (view spoiler)[ especially the further revelation in Part 2 where we find out more about the forces behind the name that was mentioned and discover that Shen Tai wasn't wrong in what he originally thought (hide spoiler)]

Unlike so many of the multiple viewpoint novels coming out now, GGK has taken quite a bit of care to have the strands be unique and the main character in each worth following

[agata]

Julie wrote: "Unlike so many of the multiple viewpoint novels coming out now, GGK has taken quite a bit of care to have the strands be unique and the main character in each worth following"

I think, he even goes beyond that. Reading your comment made me think of GRRM's "Song of ice and fire". Every chapter there is from the POV of one of the characters. Most of them quite entertaining. At the same time they appear also very seperated.
What GGK does is to interweave things. I understand this is one of the main motifs recurring in most of his work. Like weaving a cloth. He brings all the elements of a novel together: characters and their development, plots, parts of the setting, actions, decisions, and their consequences, etc. And he interlaces all those different strands into something organic, flowing, evolving and at the same time engulfing.

[Brad]

I agree that his "weaving" is Kay's great strength. It is one of the things I love most about him, and it is in full display here. I also loved this weaving in Tigana, which was similarly dense (I mean this in a good way) and rich in its textures.

[J]

Well, I stayed up too late last night and finished. Partly because I found myself once again weeping uncontrollably at (view spoiler)[ the death of Wen Jian (hide spoiler)] and I needed to let my nose unstuff, and also because the book held my attention on the second read.

By the end, it really struck me that Wen Zhou is far "thinner" than the protagonists, almost a charicature of a villian.

[agata]

Julie wrote: "... it really struck me that Wen Zhou is far "thinner" than the protagonists, almost a charicature of a villian ..."

I haven't finished yet but so far I agree. I am a bit disappointed by Wen Zhou. Especially if he is to be the main antagonist. I am at chapter XX and now that the whole 'intrigue' has been uncovered - and I expected a little bit more of it - I wonder whether in the end Kay will be able to put all the plot strands together in a satisfying manner.

[Sandra]

agata wrote: "Julie wrote: "... it really struck me that Wen Zhou is far "thinner" than the protagonists, almost a charicature of a villian ..."

I haven't finished yet but so far I agree. I am a bit disappointe..."

Although I read and liked Under Heaven a lot, in my opinion, no where does he accomplish this quite as much as he does in The Lions of al-Rassan - a great and wrenching tragedy and masterpiece. I hope you will read it.

[agata]

Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "...no where does he accomplish this quite as much as he does in The Lions of al-Rassan - a great and wrenching tragedy and masterpiece. I hope you will read it...."

I already put that book on my "highly interesting and recommended stuff" list and am really curious - especially as it is set in an alternative version of crumbling Granada (I always had a soft spot for the Caliphate of Cordoba).

[Sandra]

agata wrote: "Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "...no where does he accomplish this quite as much as he does in The Lions of al-Rassan - a great and wrenching tragedy and masterpiece. I hope you will read it...."

I alrea..."

Good.

[J]

Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "agata wrote: "Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "...no where does he accomplish this quite as much as he does in The Lions of al-Rassan - a great and wrenching tragedy and masterpiece. I hope you will read it..."

I agree.
The Lions of al-Rassan and Tigana, which have already been mentioned by several are high on my list of "desert island I can read forever" books