Scan barcode
ricksilva's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Tang Dynasty administrator Dee is working on a cold case in the frontier town of Lan-Fang when he gets word of a murder by decapitation. But when it becomes apparent that the head and the body don't match, the judge realizes he has a double murder on his hands.
The plot is clever, if perhaps a notch more convoluted than it really needed to be, but the steps to getting to the solution are fun. Dee's lieutenant Ma Joong, who handles all of the dangerous work with cheerful enthusiasm, is the one who really steals the show in this story. Ma Joong eagerly dallies with various girlfriends in between moments of peril, including a surprisingly wholesome friendly relationship with his former girlfriend in the Tartar quarter of town.
There are some fun interactions with the various suspects, and as usual in this series, impressive attention to detail when it comes to Tang Dynasty culture, whether it be the intrigues of aristocrats or the everyday life of the working class.
The plot is clever, if perhaps a notch more convoluted than it really needed to be, but the steps to getting to the solution are fun. Dee's lieutenant Ma Joong, who handles all of the dangerous work with cheerful enthusiasm, is the one who really steals the show in this story. Ma Joong eagerly dallies with various girlfriends in between moments of peril, including a surprisingly wholesome friendly relationship with his former girlfriend in the Tartar quarter of town.
There are some fun interactions with the various suspects, and as usual in this series, impressive attention to detail when it comes to Tang Dynasty culture, whether it be the intrigues of aristocrats or the everyday life of the working class.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Violence
theano_'s review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
quynh23's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
cspiwak's review
4.0
Typical I stalment in the judge dee stories. Couple of related interlocking mysteries, mild action, puzzle and satisfying resolution bit in this one about tantric Buddhism, which I hadn’t really encountered (Sting doesn’t count)
More...