Green Dragon, White Tiger [Paperback]

Annette Motley (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fearful of uttering such treason, a seventh century astrologer predicts that the second daughter of General Wu will one day ascend the Dragon Throne to rule China. Hot-tempered and intelligent, Black Jade's spirit and luminous beauty attract the eye of Shin-Min, the reigning Son of Heaven, and she joins his court as a concubine. At his death, Pheasant, the weak-willed son who succeeds, takes his father's favorite concubine as his own, until her growing influence persuades him to make her empress, despite the objections of many in the court. Ambitious, sensual and on occasion wantonly cruel, Black Jade expertly plays on Pheasant's uncertainty, gathering the reins of government in her own capable hands. His death and the brief, unlucky reigns of four sons are branching paths that lead to a single destiny. A bejeweled struggle for power, this first novel is modeled on the life of the historical Empress Wu. The lively air that energizes the early chapters is gradually lost, but Motley does draw a sumptuous portrait of passion and pomp in an exotic milieu. 40,000 first printing; $40,000 ad/promo.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

In the 7th century A.D. the Empress Wu ascended the Dragon Throne to become the only woman to rule China. This novel begins that incredible story with a prophesy made for an infant named Black Jade. The central thread of the novel follows how that destiny comes to fruition. The often cold-blooded struggles and intrigues of court life are presented with great care, but the Empress is given perhaps too much sympathy. Her image, though powerful and passionate, it rather shallow. Also, romance is overused, detracting from a novel that is rich in the historical details of ancient Chinese culture: a world of exquisite, delicate beauty and viciously rigid social structure. Andrew Peters, Pioneer Multi-Cty. Lib., Norman, Okla .
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 585 pages
• Publisher: Onyx (February 2, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451400615
• ISBN-13: 978-0451400611
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 3.8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,880,369 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I should have read this sooner..., December 23, 2006

By 

Lilly Flora "by Lilo Drandoff" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Green Dragon, White Tiger (Paperback)

I'd actually had this novel recommended to me by several reliable sources before but had only gotten around to reading recently it because I'd never really been into reading fiction set in Asia. Lately though, I needed a change and this seemed perfect. Still I had my worries. All the fiction I'd read about China had seemed impossibly foreign to me-I just couldn't relate to it. The culture was too different; the way the books were written was too different. But in this book I found a good compromise, a story about Asian history told in a western fashion. And it is fantastic.

"Green Dragon, White Tiger" tells the story of Black Jade, a Chinese girl who is of the minor nobility who lived in the 7th century. When she was very young, around 2, an astrologer made a prediction that she would be the first woman to rule the empire of China as empress in her own right. Her father was an influential general in helping the current emperor win his throne and is good friends with the ruler. When the emperor comes to visit he is enchanted by the beauty of 13 year old Jade and makes arrangements for her to come and be his concubine when she is older. The death of her father and the subsequent mistreatment of Jade at the hands of her half-brothers pushes this date up some years. Soon she is the emperor's favorite concubine, not only for her beauty, but her keen political brain. When he dies he asks her to advise his unsure son and help him rule. Eventually she marries the son and becomes empress.

What I liked best was that Jade never really schemes to be in power-she is genuinely a hard worker who understands the problems of government and applies her self to fix them. As for becoming the favorite concubine of two emperors-the first was true love, the second was not really her choice at all. She was likeable, never a power hunger scheming, behind the scenes type, which some many women-in-power in historical fiction turn out to be.

Like I said, this book tells the story almost from a western viewpoint. The dialog, terms of use, general language and just the common feel of things comes off as rather, well, western. I was also surprised by the amount of freedom Jade and the other concubines seemed to have in the imperial harem (they could even have young men in under certain circumstances) and some things, like the wedding ceremony, were almost identical to that of middle ages Europe (especially the bedding of the bride.) I don't know if that's because there really were that many similarities between the east and the west or because the author wanted this book to be approachable to people like me and made it familiar feeling for them. I did get the sense this was well researched though and it was certainly very well written. I loved this book. Highly recommended.

Five stars. I liked this so much I bought all the author's other books,

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Green Dragon, White Tiger, December 22, 2000

By 

Amy N. Stewart (Tucson, Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Green Dragon White Tiger (Hardcover)

This is a fascinating (and fictional) account of the greatest Chinese Emperess~ Empress Wu. Ms.Motley has done a superb job in her research and portrayal of the times. There is little written about this incredible Empress who held the Mandate of Heaven as no other Emperor ever did. I highly recomend it!