planetarypan's review against another edition
3.0
I did not find this book as interesting as the first two. Maybe I read it too soon after the last one, but the twists and turns annoyed me. I felt like the story dragged more than the others as well. I still love the two main characters, but I can see why the author stopped writing the stories (I read somewhere that he felt he was getting repetitive, and I agree). Too bad Hughart didn't seem to publish anything else.
catwithakeyboard's review
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
davidscrimshaw's review against another edition
5.0
This was fun.
If you enjoy gentle humour, fantasy, and foreign culture, the chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, are rewarding.
But I have to admit that I was sad to learn that Barry Hughart had intended to write seven books, not only three, in the series, but had a falling out with his publishers. And now he's gone, so we'll never get more.
If you enjoy gentle humour, fantasy, and foreign culture, the chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, are rewarding.
But I have to admit that I was sad to learn that Barry Hughart had intended to write seven books, not only three, in the series, but had a falling out with his publishers. And now he's gone, so we'll never get more.
corbad's review against another edition
3.0
Unnecessarily opaque to the point of little narrative reward (even in the reveal), though Hughart’s fictional China remains an immersive and creative setting. A messy letdown from the previous two, but still unique and colourful enough to engage—just barely.
valjeanval's review against another edition
4.0
The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox are what would happen if Terry Pratchett decided to write a Sherlock Holmes style mystery series right after he finished reading a messload of Chinese folklore. I'm sure if I were a bit more of an expert on Chinese folklore, I'd find ways to pick the series apart, but I'm not, so I'm just going to enjoy them at face value. The tales are wonderfully twisty, full of funny non-sequiters, and rich in imagery.
Eight Skilled Gentlemen follows the same format as the previous two books, and admittedly that's sort of a problem. If you've read the first two, you can pick out the Big Bad basically from the moment of said Big Bad's appearance. That said, it's still fun figuring out exactly how Big Bad is pulling off his scheme and what exactly that scheme is. It's also fun to just hang out with Number Ten Ox, watching all the craziness that comes with unraveling ancient mysteries with Master Li.
Not my favorite of the series, but well worth it to spend a little more time with these characters.
Eight Skilled Gentlemen follows the same format as the previous two books, and admittedly that's sort of a problem. If you've read the first two, you can pick out the Big Bad basically from the moment of said Big Bad's appearance. That said, it's still fun figuring out exactly how Big Bad is pulling off his scheme and what exactly that scheme is. It's also fun to just hang out with Number Ten Ox, watching all the craziness that comes with unraveling ancient mysteries with Master Li.
Not my favorite of the series, but well worth it to spend a little more time with these characters.
caireann's review
2.0
Sadly, the weakest one from the trilogy about Master Li and Number Ten Ox. I found it less magical than the first one, mostly because it focused on politics, scheming and violence – things that, of course, were present in the previous books, but in different proportions. This book ravished in brutality and graphical descriptions of violence that simply made reading less pleasant. Still, it was a great plot, and both the characters were as interesting as before, it’s just that this part definitely wasn’t what I expected it to be.
aramsamsam's review against another edition
3.0
I wish Hughart hadn't broken his contract and written those other sequels for the Master Li series. While I had some trouble getting into this one, it had nothing to do with the book itself and everything with the other stuff going on in my life at the moment. I still enjoyed the book and the crazy ideas.
miramanga's review against another edition
5.0
I'm so very, very sad that this is the last book in the series. Barry Hughart is one of my favourite and most cherished authors and I haven't found another to compare to him in many, many years of reading..
This story is more action packed than the others and full of mythology and quirky characters. I have adored going on journeys with Master Li despite his slight flaw and I have fallen in love with Number Ten Ox three times over now.
Highly recommend all the books in this series.
This story is more action packed than the others and full of mythology and quirky characters. I have adored going on journeys with Master Li despite his slight flaw and I have fallen in love with Number Ten Ox three times over now.
Highly recommend all the books in this series.
heregrim's review against another edition
4.0
I loved it. Much like the other two in style and plot. I am sorry that there are no more, I miss Master Li and will be returning to these books often.