- Paperback: 271 pages
- Publisher: Corgi, London (18 July 1986)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0552126462
- ISBN-13: 978-0552126465
- Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 10.6 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 251,390 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Synopsis
The first of two volumes recounting the memoirs of Number Ten Ox, the ex-peasant disciple of Master Li, this tale is set in a "China that never was". "Bridge of Birds" won the "World Fantasy Award for Best Novel" in 1984.
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First Sentence
I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the corners of the world. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the corners of the world. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
"Bridge of birds" is a fantasy fiction that is told in the style of a chinese fable. The magic and monsters have a sinister quality like those of greek myths; designed to entertain children and unsettle adults. The plot is itself like a chinese puzzle; the twists and turns are simple and yet effectively surprising. Also thrown into the mix is a gentle wit, that all-in-all goes to make this truly one of the best little stories I have ever had the pleasure of reading. This book should be deemed to be a modern classic, it is easily equal to the likes of "Gulliver's travels". Its a real gem.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is a fairy tale built for the Orient - or more precisely, a fairy tale with an Oriental flavor written for the enjoyment of poor, deprived Occidentals who have never had the benefit of hearing some of these Chinese legends. Starting with Number Ten Ox (whose name is appropriately descriptive) and his village of Ku-fu, we are dropped into a China of ancient history. The village children, stricken with a strange malady that leaves them comatose and rigid, force Number Ten Ox to seek a scholar to unravel the mystery of their affliction. What he ends up contracting for is ancient Master Li Kao, who has a 'slight flaw in his character', which is all Ox can afford. Master Li determines that the only thing to save the children is the Great Root of Power, and Li and Ox proceed directly to attempt to obtain this Great Root. Thus begins an extraordinary set of tales that leads from the Imperial Palace to brothels to an enchanted destroyed city.
Along the way we meet quite a cast of characters: Ma the Grub, Henpecked Ho, the gross (in multiple ways) Ancestress, the greedy Duke of Ch'in, Doctor Death, and the jade-loving Lotus Cloud. Each is unique, though often specifically drawn as semi-caricatures; each adds their bit to this tapestry that includes the secret of immortality, the link between Heaven and Earth, invisible monsters, maze-filled dungeons that guard incredible treasure, where one's heart should be carefully hidden away.
Some of the tales herein are real Chinese legends, some are products of Hughart's own fertile imagination, but all are told with a large dollop of humor sketched in broad strokes and a not-so-obvious underlying morality that is quite relevant to every reader. The style may bother some people, as it is written to deliberately evoke that sense of 'Chinese' that many Americans have as a background image of that land and people, but I felt it was an excellent method of evoking that sense of 'different' and 'fairy' at the same time. A few of the tales fell a little flat with me, and at times I thought that Hughart went a little too 'over-the-top' with his outrageous situations and characters, but the overall level of writing kept me nicely adsorbed and grinning quite a bit.
There is an overlying mystery, a puzzle to be solved, that connects all these tales, and leads to the final resolution of the story. In the course of working our way through these stories, there seems to be a large amount of coincidence in play, a definite sense of deux-ex-machina to each tale's resolution, but the end of the book proves that all these 'coincidences' are really part of a carefully thought-out overall plot design.
I figured out the puzzle quite a bit before the end, but that did not lessen the final emotional impact of the ending, which presents a gorgeous image, an image which is eminently fitting with the rest of the book, and made me wish for a few more tales from this land of not-quite-real ancient China.
---Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Not for those who like a simple and obvious plot, the story is billiantly convoluted with wonderful characterisation and a mix of innocent and knowing humour.
The story starts with the children in the little village all falling deathly ill, and a desparate search to find the cause and cure. With wonderful scams and fantastic escapes our odd heros, wily old Likao (who has a slight flaw in his character) and his giant, but innocent stooge, Number 10 Ox, journey across the land and into dreadful perils to find the cure.
Can they save the sleeping children? Of course; but not without danger, hilarity,and fantastic challenges. For the intellectual who is in touch with their inner child.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ancient Chinese Whodunnit-Fantasy
I really enjoyed this story, as I did the other book in this series that I have read. I look forward to buying and reading the third. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jo
Simply Enchanting
One of the most enchanting books I have ever read...and subsequently re-read many, many times.
In fact it's probably my favourite work of fantasy fiction ever and I've read a... Read more
In fact it's probably my favourite work of fantasy fiction ever and I've read a... Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2008 by Nick C
A Warm Delight in a Cold World
I won't take you through the plot, others before me have done a much better job than I could do. What I want to do is give you feeling of this book. Read more
Published on 4 Sep 2008 by Ms. L. Turnbull
Due adventures from the plague *
Fantasy with a touch of humour is uncommon. There are two excellent writers who have carved a significant niche in the fantasy field. Read more
Published on 28 Dec 2004 by Stephen A. Haines
A book for reading and rereading a dozen times!
I tried several times without success to get past the first page. Once I eventually did I couldn't put it down and spent my week's holiday at the seaside reading this incredible... Read more
Published on 9 Sep 2004 by Yoness inc.
Bridge of Bored
Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart is a modestly entertaining novel, by turns amusing and dull as a textbook. Read more
Published on 18 Jun 2004 by Patrick Burnett
Novel of scope and beauty
I read this ten years ago, loved it, but lost the book soon afterwards...got it recently from Amazon and have re-read it several times since! Read more
Published on 25 May 2001
A "Indiana Jones" paced kind of story set in ancient China
One of my favourite ever stories. A fabulous (in all senses) story, stuffed with exotic period detail, uniquely notable characters and a pacy plot. Read more
Published on 30 Aug 2000 by "itsabitavaswizz"
Ancient China mystery/fantasy with transcendent denouement.
The 'slight flaw' in 100-year-old Master Li's character is as large as the ancient China in which this fantastical magical mythical mystery story is played out. Read more
Published on 10 Dec 1998
Exciting,action packed adventure.
I have now read all three in this series and would love a fourth. Number 10 Ox is an innocent guided through nightmare senarios by the crafty sage(with a slight flaw in his... Read more
Published on 30 Nov 1998
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