Dec. 5th, 2009
Review - Eight Skilled Gentleman
Dec. 5th, 2009 05:05 pmIt's a bit disappointing that this trilogy goes from a strong start, in the shape of Bridge of Birds, to something that certainly doesn't match up to that. There were parts I liked about Eight Skilled Gentlemen, but I do think the trilogy got weaker with each successive book. Probably a good thing that it stopped being published, or so wikipedia tells me. On the one hand, I've become fond of Number Ten Ox and Li Kao -- on the other, not much new is being done with them. Again, I don't know exactly how, but I guessed who the bad guy would be, just like with The Story of the Stone. It's pretty much, "Who do you like most and want to be a good guy? It's him."
There were some beautiful parts, as in Bridge of Birds, but I felt like a lot of the humour and beauty was confined to that first book. Which is sad.
There were some beautiful parts, as in Bridge of Birds, but I felt like a lot of the humour and beauty was confined to that first book. Which is sad.