Just wondering if anyone else on the forums are fans of the Judge Dee mysteries by Robert van Gulik, and if so, do they have any particular favorites?
Best all.
Oh yes, I love those and have read, I think, almost all RvG wrote (genuine Chinese detective stories I have passed as I'm not sure if they have ever been translated).
My favourite? I think I have to go with Chinese Nail Murders, not the best whodunnit but I loved the atmosphere of that one...
But generally I don't read detective novels in "whodunnit" spirit anyway, I am usually more interested in other factors.
My favourite? I think I have to go with Chinese Nail Murders, not the best whodunnit but I loved the atmosphere of that one...
Yes, that one is very well done and rather different in feel from the others, what with Judge Dee's confusion over the coroner's wife (and her tragic fate).
And the murder technique was something different, too.
The technique I knew pretty much immediately, as I had already before come across a story where it was used. But the way it was handled and the coroner's wife were indeed great.
Also the other stories were interesting, the dining in the wintry garden and all that...
Generally a dark book full of human drama.
And your favourite?
The technique I knew pretty much immediately, as I had already before come across a story where it was used. But the way it was handled and the coroner's wife were indeed great.
Also the other stories were interesting, the dining in the wintry garden and all that...
Generally a dark book full of human drama.And your favourite?
Right now I'd say that {i]The Red Pavilion[/i] is my favorite, though that may change as I read more of the novels. I really enjoy its look into the "world of flowers and willows".
Oh yes, I love those and have read, I think, almost all RvG wrote (genuine Chinese detective stories I have passed as I'm not sure if they have ever been translated).
Same here! :)
Right now I'd say that The Red Pavilion is my favorite...
And here again! I was especially fond of Crab and Cancer (don't know if the two names are correct in English, as I've read Gulik in German) and their fighting style!
A fantastic series all in all though!
Red Pavilion is the one of the two books of the series I haven't read (the other one is the first short story compilation Dee Goong An), glad to hear there is still something to look forward to in the series...
Of other books...all the five Chinese smthng Murders books were great, Lake one perhaps as second favourite. And Murder in Canton, with its ending as one of the more gripping moments in the series (I won't spoil it in case others haven't read it).
Right now I'd say that The Red Pavilion is my favorite...And here again! I was especially fond of Crab and Cancer (don't know if the two names are correct in English, as I've read Gulik in German) and their fighting style!
A fantastic series all in all though!
In English their names are Crab and Shrimp. But yes, great work on that book, especially the fight scene where Shrimp takes down half a dozen attackers.