A Tale Of Two Loves...And I Don't Even Have To Choose Between The Two!

When I was in high school, I became a little obsessed with Asian culture. It began when my parents decide to engage in the process of adopting a Chinese baby girl. Sadly, the process was abandoned shortly thereafter, because my mom became ill for an extended period of time, and unable to complete the process. But that didn’t stop my fascination with Asian art and culture. 

And then I had to opportunity to travel to Hong Kong and China the summer before my senior year, through a mission trip funded by the cult. I don’t say many positive things about my cult upbringing, but it is because of the cult that I was able to make this journey. I suffered much during my years with the cult, but when I think of climbing the Great Wall of China, touring the Forbidden City in Beijing, riding the train in Hong Kong, and even eating a really unappetizing meal of pig stomach, it kind of all feels worth it.
 

During high school and college, I read everything that I could about Asia. Specifically China, as I was fascinated by their existence under communist rule. To see a people that were known to be so polite and docile become so vicious and extreme in enforcing their governmental ideals...Wow. Isn’t this the culture that gave us Buddhist Zen teachings of peace and harmony, live life for yourself and don’t harm others, or some shit? What the heck, guys? I was on a quest to understand how and why. Maybe because at that time in my life I felt very controlled by others, oppressed by religion, and was both horrified and fascinated at how far people will go in a society ruled by oppression. 

Among the various books I read, my favorite is The Autobiography of Tibetan Monk, by Palden Gyatso. Imprisoned by his communist brethren simply for being a monk, he is forced into decades of degradation and hard labor. (I’ll even let you all in on a closely held secret: I cried like a baby while reading this book…more than once, actually. See, I do have a heart!) If you enjoy stories of hardship and perseverance, I highly recommend this book.

But as wonderful as that book was, this post is to discuss a different book. I bring up my love for Asian art and culture, because I have found a series that so brilliantly combines that love with another love of mine: science fiction and fantasy. Most of the Asian sci-fi and fantasy that I’ve picked up over the years leans more toward the Japanese anime style, which is cool, but not necessarily my style. Mostly because it’s more suited for graphic novels. Maybe I’m too simple, I don’t know, but graphic novels overwhelm me; too busy, distracting rather than enhancing the story.  

Over a year ago a friend gave me the Detective Inspector Chen series, by Liz Williams. I put them on my book shelf to read sometime, and over the months they became buried under mounds of other books I’d put on the shelf to read sometime. Earlier this year I finished the Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks. And my friend, knowing how much I loved the Night Angel Trilogy (click here to read about my unhealthy love affair with those books), reminded me of the Liz Williams books. Said they were similar, in that you kind of have to forget everything you know, be willing to immerse yourself in a world so different from your own.

There are four books in the Detective Inspector Chen Novels: Snake Agent, The Demon in the City, Precious Dragon, and The Shadow Pavilion. There is actually a fifth, The Iron Khan, which came out in January of 2011 and is already out of print, therefore rare…and expensive. So I have not had the pleasure of the fifth book.

Two pages into Snake Agent, though, and I knew these books were going to be winners. Not only is Williams’ prose beautiful and captivating without being superfluous, but her dialogue is full of humor and wit. I don’t know a lot about Williams as a person, but it seems clear to me she has a deep connection to Southeast Asia and China, and an affection for its peoples. She pokes good natured fun at their overly polite mannerisms, often capturing those moments with some dry humor. Even in the heat of battle, Detective Inspector Chen will not abandon his sense of propriety. 

I am also a fan of the great characters Williams has created to surround Chen. Most notably, for me, is Badger. And just like the name says, he’s a badger…that talks, of course. There is also the demon Zhu Irzh, Chen’s wife, Inari, and a cast of villains that never fail to both fascinate and entertain. All of these characters are wrapped up in a world that is intricately woven in the various religions of Southeast Asia and China. The mythology of Williams’ world really becomes a character unto its own, so well crafted, providing the perfect punctuation to her characters’ lives. 

This series will satisfy both traditional and modern science fiction/fantasy lovers. It perfectly blends an old world vibe with urban fantasy flair. So if you’re looking for some summer reading material to keep you company on the beach, or on the couch in your air conditioned home, consider the Detective Inspector Chen Novels by Liz Williams. 

And if you happen to find that fifth book, The Iron Khan, remember that  caring is sharing, yeah?