THE SECOND SON OF HEAVEN

by C.Y. Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 19, 1990

Yet another Chinese epic from the author of China Saga, Plower Drum Song, etc., this one tackling the rise and fall of a 19th-century peasant who embraced Christianity and initiated a holy war against the hated Manchu Emperor. Hung Shiu-ch'uan was deemed destined for greatness at his birth, when a comet rode the skies to mark the occasion. His parents and community pamper and prepare him for a high government position but lack the resources to buy him the necessary degree. Frustrated that years of training have been wasted, Hung has a vision and declares himself to be the second son of God, the younger brother of Jesus Christ. He gathers followers and converts around him and, with the help of able assistants, builds a fighting force that he unleashes against corrupt local officials, with such success that he begins to envision himself as the Heavenly Emperor. Eventually he establishes his throne in the city of Nanking and continues--over a number of years--the battle for the control of all China. European trading interests, particularly the British-backed opium trade, are increasingly threatened by this upstart who fights in the name of the Christian God to eliminate the drug-induced oppression of the Chinese; and the Manchu Emperor is provided with a British commander, Charles George (China) Gordon, whose unorthodox tactics and single-minded efficiency make him a legend, more than a match for Hung's leadership, which is beset by infighting and corruption. Panoramic and fast-paced, but an uneven patchwork of thinly veiled historical commentary and dramatic incident. A breezy bit of narrative hopscotch.

Pub Date: June 19, 1990

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Morrow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1990

Categories: FICTION