Customer Reviews

CHUNG KUO: THE MIDDLE KINGDOM

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

This series is fantastic. It is compared to Herbert, Asimov, etc. Frankly, I think it's better. The plot is gripping, almost without exception, to the point that my heart races when I'm reading it. The characters are complex, varied, and believable. The setting is ingenious; the breadth of the author's understanding of Chinese culture mind-boggling. I have read the series once already, about eight years ago; and now I'm through book III again.

As I read the other reviews, I see that for the most part readers either love it or hate it. The negative criticism I see includes the following: it is too complex, with too many characters; it is too violent, and sex especially is mixed with violence too often; and it is racist and sexist.

My response: indeed, the story is complex, but it is equally tight. If you enjoy--and can hold in your mind--a richly textured world, you will savor its breadth. If you want something less meaty, you won't have to look far: water covers most of the earth.

Next: the book is violent--graphically so. If you have a weak stomach, don't read it. The story is not all sugar and spice. It's a story of social and political revolution, not romance. Some of the characters are really nasty, and do really nasty things, just like real-life historical and contemporary characters. But in contrast are numerous scenes and episodes which are quite touching and beautiful; they are expressions of the author's depth of soul and endearing sense of humanity.

And the sex...well, much of it is violent, as (like it or not) it is in real life; but what the critics fail to acknowledge is the many sweet, truly romantic and beautiful episodes of love-making that are portrayed.

Likewise with the criticism that the book is sexist or racist: I suppose the reader will see that for which he or she is looking. Those who insist that the women in the book are degraded fail to remember the numerous heroines who impress the reader with their strength and intelligence; or they assume that the author's depiction of a patriarchal society is the description of his wished utopia.

Do not apologize, Mr. Wingrove. Your readers will either appreciate your achievement and thank you for not patronizing them; or they will condemn you for not giving them the politically-correct narcotic they desire.

Unlike the majority of the reviews present here, this one is being written after only having read the first book in the series. (Chung Kuo) As has been stated many times before, you will either LOVE this book or you will HATE it. The book is definitely not for the weak of heart (or stomach). I have seen many of the so-called "Death Videos" out there without too much trouble. However, the depiction of sado-masochistic sex left me nothing short of sick. I have no doubt that, had I not been reading the book on an empty stomach, I would have vomited as soon as finished that particular passage. This is one of those few times that I seriously wonder about the mental stability of the author. The passage in question is there in order to imbue you with a deep hatred for one of the major antagonists in the story which at least partially justifies the brutality of it.

The two biggest complaints I have seen (other than the violence) has been the plot/character structure and the stereotyping/racism/etc. In terms of plot twists, character depth, and other issues, you had better be prepared. The character list which was thoughtfully provided by the author is 4 pages long. (One name per line) I found myself flipping back to the list often, yet I found it rather engaging. It truly shows the breadth of thought of the author.

In adressing the issue of racism/sexism/etc, there is not much to be said. If you truly believe that ancient China was NOT racist and sexist, perhaps you should check out "The Little Engine That Could." For those who can view the world as it is, the book is a depiction of what would happen if (when?) ancient Chinese culture became the world norm as opposed to the current Americanized world culture.

To address the issue of all women being treated as sex objects, etc, I have found that the majority of the female characters portrayed are quite cunning, some much more so than their male counterparts.

If you are a reader of science fiction or any sort of political intrigue, I implore you, find the book at your local library. If you get offended by it, or if you can't quite keep up with the multitude of characters, you won't have wasted any money. However, if you enjoy it, you will be drugged by it. You will find yourself sitting up WAY past your bedtime to read it. I will confess that, for 3 days, I went on 2 hours of sleep per night because of this book. This one is definitely a keeper.

I'm rather sad to find out that the rest of the books in this series are out of print, not that I won't track them down eventually, but this is a brilliant beginning.

It's two hundred years in the future and China rules the world. Not only do the Chinese dynasties rule everything, but they've changed history so that they've always ruled everything. Dispersionists fight to overthrow the system, but in many ways they are more corrupt and evil than the actual system itself.

Akin to Dune in that you can't completely side with anyone, this book depicts a world of cutthroats and diplomats. You'll find yourself siding with the people trying to uphold the system simply because they have honor and integrity while the rebels are vicious creeps. Ultimately the best character in this book is Chen, the trained assassin that helps expose DeVore's manipulations (but doesn't catch him). However, this is a large canvas and something that can't be taken in all at once. It's one of the best books about horrible people that you will read in a long time.

Re-reading this book after many years since I first finished it, I realized that this book is actually a horror novel, but one that isn't done that well. The book first appears to be a standard "rebels vs. dictators" story, but it turns out to be a much more complex dystopia, and that is what makes it interesting and keeps the reader engaged as the series goes on.

The problem is that, ultimately, the dystopia is a very disturbing, horrifying world, but Wingrove can't develop that as fully as it needs to be. There are a lot of emotionally heart-wrenching episodes -- eg., entire families are executed -- but Wingrove glosses over these events with just passing mention and instead prefers to concentrate on individual episodes of sadism. In the end, passages of cheap sadistic porn just leave the reader feeling embarrassed for all involved and wondering why, if the author wanted to horrify me, he didn't depict the enormous emotional/human toll that the characters inflict on their world.

Although Chung Kuo presents the reader with a fascinating view of a future dominated by Chinese culture, it does so at such a ponderous pace that it is hardly worth the voyage. The book is a saga of political intrigue which plays itself out in endless meetings filled with knowing looks and nods between more than 100 characters. Occasional scenes of brutal violence are completely out of balance with the rest of the narrative, and never make up for the generally slow pace.

It is nearly impossible to find a character that the reader will care about. Part of the problem is that Wingrove treats most of them as chess pieces: they are there only to serve a function in the big political game. As soon as they've played their part, they're gone. The next time something needs to happen, a new character is introduced. Another problem is that few characters have any admirable traits; they are all some kind of murderer, rapist, or political backstabber. Female characters are all either virgins or whores, and never of any consequence.

We never know which side we're supposed to hope will win the big struggle for control. Both sides have their relevant points and philosophies as well as their own despicable characters. It is hard to care when one side has the upper hand on the other. It's like watching two old men you don't know playing chess in the park. Who cares if the one with the blue hat wins?

This is a review for those considering reading the whole series. It's a long, compelling one - know what you are getting yourself into! First of all, Wingrove's prose style is excellent. It will keep you turning page after page, into the wee hours of the morning. Secondly, he does have quite the feel for intertwining layers of complex symbolism into the story. Most of the symbolism was over my head (one would need quite a grouding in chinese culture and specifically poetry to fully appreciate it), but that which I understood contributed very well to a grand sense of order. Thirdly, and finally - the downfall, for me. Wingrove presents a world that is highly negative. Certainly he tried to give all viewpoints of human philosophy a fair place - and succeeds very well in this. However, the overall setting starts out dreary and oppressive, and then just becomes steadily and steadily worse, until you are hit with one atrocity after another. At the end of book VII, the state of the earth is ... umm ... quite hideous. I am not reading book VIII - partly for the horrible reviews that it recieved from customers, and also because I am simply tired of staying up all night filling my head with grotesque visions of the future of humanity. Although apparently it has a happy, but ill-executed and out of place ending. I've had enough - I don't want to go there. In all, the journey was worthwhile, but the books will never be reread, and thus will not remain on my shelves. Free at last, I will now read something that is, at least, half-cheery! :)

This is a political SF epic in the same vein as Dune, spiced with Chinese culture. Unlike Dune, it takes place in the near future (a couple of hundred years rather than thousands), so the society is somewhat more identifiable to the modern-day reader. Like Dune, it's filled with colorful characters and complex political intrigue deciding the fates of billions.

Although I woudn't quite rate the level of writing here as "literature", it's certainly higher than that of the bulk of popular novels, especially SF. Smooth sailing all the way. I found this book especially tough to put down- in addition to following the thrilling twists and turns of the plot, I was enthralled by the colorful descriptions of the future worldwide society saturated with Chinese culture.

Another feature which makes Chung Kuo stand out is the ambiguity of the characters and their causes. Initially, the two sides of the conflict seem pretty clear-cut. However, as the story progresses, we find that the line between good and evil is severely blurred, and ask the age-old question, "Does the end justify the means?". What feelings are brought out in the reader by an evil character fighting the good fight? A man of honor fighting to preserve an oppressive status (Chung) quo? [Sorry :) ] If you read this novel, you will find out.

Despite the (very) occasional moments of sexual depravity mentioned by other reviewers, I am eagerly looking forward to the second book in the series. (And the number of SF series which held my attention long enough to read more than one book can be counted on one hand.)

It's not surprising that this mammoth 8-volume novel hasn't won a wider audience. It's brilliantly written, brimming with fresh ideas and unusual characters. Set in a future world ruled by a world-spanning Empire, it depicts a vast global city ruled by seven T'angs. Han Chinese are the rulers; Europeans control several major corporations but their power is subordinate to the T'angs. Where are all the other races? Let's just say it's not an oversight by the author.

The plot centers on the struggle by European "Dispersionists" who seek to overthrow the rule of the T'angs. In the midst of this war, which is just getting started in this first volume, Kim Ward, a brilliant scientist, and Ben Shepard, an artistic genius, are on their path to revolutionizing society.

Chung Kuo is like no other SF or fantasy series in that it's one continuous narrative in eight parts. The volumes need to be read in sequence; although they do resolve some plot threads so that each book is a satisfying read, they aren't stand-alone pieces set in a common universe.

So why isn't this series more popular? It's brutally violent in one or two places, and one of them is in this volume. Wingrove acknowledges that this sequence cost him readers, but felt it was necessary. Overall the tone is very dark, and it's frequently difficult to tell the "good guys" from the "bad guys" (and sometimes it's flat out impossible). This is a grim, often apocalyptic world, and it's clearly too much for some people's tastes.

It's only fair to mention that a lot of people were very upset about the ending. It's not strictly kosher to mention that here, but I'll just say that I've never read an SF novel that took this direction.

Wingrove's writing is solid and vivid, compellingly readable. Although there is a large cast of characters it's not hard to keep track; the listing at the beginning of each volume is very accurate.

The current listing shows used copies beginning at one cent. With shipping that will be a couple of bucks more, but it's still the steal of the century. This is one of the best SF novels ever written, completely unique. I'd recommend getting the first book; if you're not hooked after that, no harm done. But more people need to read this; it's great stuff.

Apologists for the series seem to argue that you "either love or hate" the books. Well, as is obvious from the title of this review -I disagree. It is possible, and I would argue desirable, to give the series its due without glossing over its flaws.

I read the first 5-6 books in this series in the late 1990s. Nearly 10 years later, I still think about its various elements. This is rare and I believe it speaks to the scope of Wingrove's imagination and vision. Of particular resonance for me are the concept of the "shell" and the magnificant empire building. I also appreciate the fact that while the characters may lack nuance, they are not one dimensional. Further, for me, the multitude of characters and subplots was a plus because there always appeared to be someone or something interesting developing. (Caveat -by about book 4, even I was getting tired of unresolved plotlines while the stage just kept getting larger and larger.) And, while the violence in the series is startling to say the least, I felt that it fit into the context of the work.

However, much as I enjoy many aspects of the series, the blatant racism exhibited by Wingrove made successive books harder and harder for me to read. In a world where the Chinese reign supreme, every character who is innovative, creative, rebellious, and of significance is Caucasian. In fact, Li Yuan, the emperor who was touted as a prodigy and a genius in the first book quickly reveals himself as an ineffective minor player. Meanwhile, Wingrove goes on and on about how the Chinese are effective Mandarins but are incapable of anything "new." In fact, he describes the Chinese culture of Chung Kuo as a rehash and homage to the Chinese culture of hundreds of years ago. The absurdity of such a concept may be made more obvious if it was analogized to depicting that 100 years into the future, the world is ruled by Europeans who base every aspect of society on the costumes and morales of Medieval Europe with its emphasis on religion, obedience to the church, sexism, monastaries, serfs, nobles, and fiefdoms. In such an imaginary world, of course it can be argued that sexism and classism "makes sense," but what doesn't make sense is the idea that people would stand for such a thing after centuries of philosophy emphasizing the rights of the individual.

Yet, for Wingrove, it is perfectly acceptable to posit that a world ruled by the Chinese would resemble a "hive" world where individual Chinese make has little difference as the ants in an anthill, and the agents of change are all Caucasian. It reminds me of a comment by a former high school teacher of mine who commented that the "Japanese are great at copying things and making small improvements, but unlike Americans, they are incapable true innovation." To remark upon such stereotypical distortions of entire peoples is not about being "politically correct" it is about correcting that should be obvious lies. Somehow it did not surprise me to find out that Wingrove considers Chinese culture to be the most "alien" one he can think of.

I read this when it first came out and was lucky enough to be able to purchase all except the last at a reasonable price. This was published in 1989. Some of these reviews are from 20 years later. If nothing else, that should speak volumes to anyone that reads science fiction. Most of the stuff out there is a read and discard. This series is a keeper. If you have to suffer through the first one, then pass it on. You don't get it. Its a journey to be enjoyed. And its a long one, well worth traveling more than once. Rates with Stevenson, Gibson, Herbert, and Brin. If you are a hard core Star Trek fan where the story is sweet, you know the ending and the moral of the story takes 30 minutes, then you don't even want to try and read this. But if you read Heinlein more than once, you should enjoy this. Enjoy the ride for the ride. Don't over analyze but do see how it relates to government today. Enjoy