Wingrove's grandiose epic of high technology combined with ancient Chinese culture continues in this fourth Chung Kuo novel. The warning comes through a dying man's dreams: the prediction of a storm so deadly, it can destroy a world. And not one of the great ruling T'ang can predict its direction. TP: Dell.
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Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews
Fourth of Wingrove's Chung Kuo series of yarns (The White Mountain, 1992, etc.)--a vast epic of revolution and war in a relatively low-tech, overpopulated medium-future ruled by seven Chinese overlords, or T'angs. This time out, in 2209, the albino Dispersionist leader Stefan Lehmann gains control of the criminal gangs--the tongs and Triads--that order the existence of society's lower echelons. In North America, meanwhile, the House of Representatives begins to flex its political muscles; Europe also challenges the rule of the T'angs. And divisions between the T'angs themselves also grow deeper, as some progressives push for a relaxation of the Edict of Technological Control, and positive action to deal with the chronic overpopulation problem. More of the same: those already hooked on Chung Kuo will want to continue their acquaintance; the merely curious would do better to start with volume one--this is a heavy, tortuous series with a cast of thousands, and isolated installments are not readily intelligible. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"There'll always be a Kennedy family"...,
By
This review is from: The Stone Within (Chung Kuo Novel No. 4) (Mass Market Paperback)
...to paraphrase that old song "There'll Always Be an England". In this volume, two more forces of defiance against the Seven (a regionalized monarchy) add their efforts to that of the terrorist sector in previous volumes. There are the Triads of organized crime (which, like the Mob, got their start as a political underground--I hadn't known that) and a new semi-insurgent political party in America led by (would you believe?) a descendant of the Kennedys. Part of that movement consists of certain scions of corporate bigwigs, a Generation Gap scenario which makes this century's version add up to chump change by comparison. Plus, the disunity among the Seven grows worse, with some particularly ugly three-versus-four backstabbing which threatens to break into open conflict. And if you think a falling out among kings necessarily benefits the masses, think again! I don't agree in the least with other reviwers who compare this series to "Dune" or the "Foundation" saga--it might be future-oriented, but it's not nearly other-worldly enough for those comparisons. This is more about human nature as it exists on this world--you could set it in any era and it would work. Which makes any comparisons between Wingrove and Asimov or Herbert well wide of the mark. Try imagining Harry Turtledove's "alternate history" stuff and moving it a couple of centuries into the future.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Stone Within (Chung Kuo Novel No. 4) (Mass Market Paperback)
Unlike the reviewer from Kirkus, I found this to be an incredible disappointment after the taut and entertaining events of the previous novel. I had enjoyed all three novels to this point, but from here it seems to me that the impetus of the original idea was lost, leaving Wingrove to fulfill a contract that he had little heart to do. I could, of course, be completely wrong (it wouldn't be the first time) but from here on in the series Wingrove seems to lose all idea of character development - they all seem to do things on whims that fulfill the author's purpose (whatever that is) rather than operating as believable (albeit archetypal) individuals.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have,
By "xroomx" (Copenhagen East Denmark) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Stone Within (Chung Kuo, Book 4) (Paperback)
Take the chance and embark on a long journey with David Wingrove. You will not be let down. Problem is, you will see nothing of your friends or family for the next three months.But, that is what you are looking for in a book, isn't it?
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