- Hardcover: 432 pages
- Publisher: Century (1 Jun 2001)
- ISBN-10: 0712680640
- ISBN-13: 978-0712680646
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 16.3 x 4.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,586,138 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Water Touching Stone
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Given the critical and commercial success of Eliot Pattison's debut The Skull Mantra, which painstakingly limned contemporary Tibet's harsh beauty and defiant fatalism through the stoic perspective of Shan Tao Yun, a Chinese bureaucrat imprisoned in a Himalayan labour camp, it's no wonder the author's second novel, Water Touching Stone, returns to this hauntingly scarred country. But Water Touching Stone also widens the author's geographical and social scope. Shan must find a killer who is stalking orphan boys in the high mountains and deserts of the Xianjiang Autonomous Region.
Gendun, the senior lama at the monastery that has given Shan sanctuary, announces to his student: "You are needed in the north. A woman named Lau has been killed. A teacher. And a lama is missing." Though reluctant to leave the gentle presence of the monks who are balm to his crippled soul, Shan realises he has no choice.
It turns out that Lau had taken upon herself the care of the zheli, a group of orphaned children from all corners of Xianjiang, and strove to help the children retain a sense of native identity in the face of the Poverty Eradication Scheme, which is Beijing-speak for the destruction of the herding clans and the transformation of the western steppes into a region of exploitable resources. Shan wonders whether officials from the People's Brigade (perhaps the "Jade Bitch", Prosecutor Xu Li), or the feared secret police "knobs" from Public Security decided to put a stop to her subversive activities. But when the children from the zheli begin dying amid horrific tales of the "demon" that came for them, bleak politics must grapple with darker imaginings.
The novel sports a practically Dickensian cast of characters, which might overwhelm the narrative by sheer numbers, yet Pattison manages to add depth to even the most minor of characters, and at the moments when the troupe threatens to become completely unwieldy, he deftly redeems the situation with moments of quiet poetry. --Kelly Flynn --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Review
"Intriguing...compelling."--"The San Francisco Chronicle"
"Few mystery sequels have been awaited with as much anticipation as this one."--"Publishers Weekly"
"Water Touching Stone is a mystery but it is more than just a who-done-it...another triumph for fans of the Edgar Award-winning author."--"The Midwest Book Review"
--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.
"Few mystery sequels have been awaited with as much anticipation as this one."--"Publishers Weekly"
"Water Touching Stone is a mystery but it is more than just a who-done-it...another triumph for fans of the Edgar Award-winning author."--"The Midwest Book Review"
--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a gripping and poignant thriller; it was impossible to put down. The plot centres around the sudden death of a teacher and tension mounts as her pupils start to become the focus of further attacks. Shan, a disgraced former Chinese investigator becomes involved in the race to stop the killings. But in order to do so, Shan must also overcome the inevitable suspicion and prejudices of the Tibetans.
The characters are beautifully drawn and rounded and the descriptions of the landscapes vividly painted. EP manages to weave an understanding of the Tibetan culture and traditions into his plotline, and the effects of China's invasion. I can't wait for his next book....
The characters are beautifully drawn and rounded and the descriptions of the landscapes vividly painted. EP manages to weave an understanding of the Tibetan culture and traditions into his plotline, and the effects of China's invasion. I can't wait for his next book....
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Patterson is just a great writer! The scale of detail and his obvious love of Tibet make this a very evocative series - He has a more literary style than most thriller writers and that's probably affected his sales but i for one can hardly complain - a literary writer who can actually do plots as well, perfect!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Once I got going, I couldn't put this book down. The setting for this thriller is Tibet, and initially it took me a bit of time to learn and get accustomed to some of the customs and terms. From then on, I was completely engrossed as Shan, a disgraced former Chinese detective searches to find the killer of a small child and prevent further deaths. The plot itself is gripping, full of unexpected twists and turns. In addition to which the book gives an insight into the political, religious and cultural issues facing Tibet as China claims it as part of its territory. The characters are well drawn, convincing and sympathetic. When I got to the end of the book, I found myself missing them all!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
is it as good as skull mantra
I read skull mantra a long time ago and enjoyed it enormously; sequels often disappoint and so I put off reading this for a long time; but its the same wonderful format - a jolly... Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2010 by Val T
Memorable
Eliot Pattison is a beautiful writer, but don't be mislead by references in other comments to his high litterary skills. Read more
Published on 20 Sep 2008 by Mrs. J. A. Palfree
character driven mystery
This story has some sections where it just draws you in and the story unfolds before you, where you look up from the book to be surprised by not being in Tibet. Read more
Published on 11 April 2008 by Wyvernfriend
Beautifully written and a gripping read
I found this book impossible to put down and would recommend it to anyone - and do. Regularly! The plot was intricate, with lots of sudden twists and turns that kept me reading... Read more
Published on 3 Jun 2003
A lyrical tale of the Tibetan and Chinese question
A facinating and lyrical book, well worth the read. Eliot Patterson paints a vivid picture of life in a part of the world we hear so little about
Published on 9 Sep 2001 by jean.e.harrison@btinternet.com
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