The stone road — A exotic Chinese fantasy story
First off, I would like to publicly apologize to Mr. Matthews. Mr. Matthews gave me his book to review 3 months ago and the quote “time fills itself up” has never been more appropriate in this case. My procrastination is truly a sight to behold. I am so sorry Mr. Matthews for being a slow intolerable snub :)
Now let’s talk about this amazing book! The stone road is set in a magical world in ancient China. Reading the book makes you truly appreciate the Chinese culture; be it the graphically described clothing or the beautifully illustrated monuments.
The book begins by showing us a territorial dispute between two kingdoms inside the Chinese empire; Wubei and Yaart. However these kingdoms have finally decided to start holding peace talks. Simultaneously, we are introduced to our two protagonists; Zhou, a diplomat of Wubei and Haung, an apprentice from Yaart training to become a master spy.
The initial quarter of the book is filled with insane diplomatic exchanges. Through the double narrative, we see how both sides are trying to stay one step ahead of the other. The amount of backstabbing and lying going on is absolutely insane! (how did you come up with that Mr. Matthews?!). Here is one of the nicest quotes, during those negotiations; “Most of it will be lies. You should be astonished how often people lie to those that they should trust” — A character to Haung.
Speaking of other characters, the supporting characters in the story are awesome. They truly develop alongside the protagonist and of course help the protagonists develop immensely.
The contrast in personality between the two protagonists is also outstandingly well written. This is further enhanced when each character is presented with similar existential dilemmas. The choice taken by these characters in these situations are well depicted and the pretext prior to the dilemma is perfectly written.
Coming back to our story, after the negotiations between the two kingdoms, us readers are made to believe that all is well… But is that really the case? Read the book to find out!
What I loved: I loved the vulnerability of both these characters. Unlike many other books, where I know the protagonist will never die, in the stone road, I often feel as if the protagonists may die.
What can be improved: The transitions between the narratives is as smooth as a baby’s buttock. However, I felt that sometimes the transitions were a bit too smooth and I got lost as to whose story I was reading
Rating: 4.5/5
Purchase the stone read from amazon.com; https://www.amazon.com/Stone-Road-Forbidden-List-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHNPY28
