A Loyal Character Dancer 英文原版

　　’Thisisafascinatingandthought-provokingread,richinde*ionsofdeliciousmeals,beautifulgardensandimpossiblycrampedhousing.Nottobemissed.’GuardianQui’ssecondmysteryisatreatSt.LouisPost-DispatchAKnockout.PoisonedPenBooknews’Aluminescentsynthesisofathrillerandaliterarynovel.’IndependentAnotherwonderfulnovelfeaturingInspectorChenoftheShanghaiPoliceBureau.MaureenCorrigan,WashingtonPostAsequelthatinmanywaysisevenmoreimpressive…webegintorealisethatChenisideallysuitednotonlytopoliceworkbutalsotothefineartofpoliticalsurvival.[Qui]hasmovedfromthepoetic,exoticmilieuofhisfirstbook(althoughplentyofbothelementsremain)intoatougher,wider,probablymorecommercialandmodernvisionofChinaasseenbyAmerica.ChicagoTribuneThemiracleisthat,whileheprovidesgoodsuspense,QuiXiaolonghastranscendedhisgenre[while]fulfillingallgenreexpectationsbysolvingandlinkingtwotriad-relatedcrimecases.Persimmon’Asequelthatinmanywaysisevenmoreimpressive’ChicagoTribuneEnchanting…ShanghaiunderthemasterfulliterarytalentsofQiuXiaolong,isdescribedwithbreathtakingrealism…[contains]alltheelementsforagoodcrimedrama.TampaTribuneLikeable,admirableChenmakesasturdyprotagonist,butit’sChinaintransition-alwaysinteresting,oftenbewildering-thatgetsthestarturnhere.KirkusReviewsUnusualin[its]vividsenseofanauthorexploringanaliengenre,fusingitwithChineseliterarytraditionsandtakingitwithhimtostrangenewplaces…Chen’slifeisadelicatedancebetweentryingtobeanhonestcopandtryingtostayontherightsideoftheparty.JanuaryMagazineThetravelogueaspectsofthisnoveldon’toverwhelmitscriticalintelligence.Themurderandmayhemprovideacoverstoryforalargerinvestigationofsocialmysteries-inthiscasethefateofeducatedChinese,manyofwhoselivesweremadeawakingnightmarebytheculturalrevolution,andthefutureofChinesecommunismitself.ChicagoSunTimesThecombinationofancientandmodernChinesehistorywithmodernpoliceworkhasproducedanexcellentproceduralnovel,filledwithatmosphereandcarefullyillustratinglifeinChinatoday.InspectorChenislikeable,thoughtful,andappealing.DallasMorningNewsThesequeltoDeathofaRedHeroine,whichwontheAnthonyin2001forbestdebutnovel,QuiXiaolong’slatestmysteryisanotherwinner…Ifyoulikemysterieswithbothabrainandheart,readALoyalCharacterDancer.RockyMountainNewsAnotherwonderfulnovelfeaturingInspectorChenoftheShanghaiPoliceBureau.MaureenCorrigan,FRESHAIR,NPR,andThThemiracleisthat,whileheprovidesgoodsuspense,QuiXiaolonghastranscendedhisgenre[while]fulfillingallgenreexpectationsbysolvingandlinkingtwotriad-relatedcrimecases.PersimmonIntriguing…Gangwars,rampantprostitution(eveninKaraokeclubs!),andtheslavishgreedandtrend-suckingofChina’srisingentrepreneurialclassalmostovercometheerudite,butneverpedantic,detective’sbeliefinhiscountry’sancientwisdomandcurrentpotential.RaleighNewsandObserverIntriguing…Gangwars,rampantprostitution(eveninKaraokeclubs!),andtheslavishgreedandtrend-suckingofChina’srisingentrepreneurialclassalmostovercometheerudite,butneverpedantic,detective’sbeliefinhiscountry’sancientwisdomandcurrentpotential.RaleighNewsandObserverQui’sbookscarrysatisfyingcharacterisationsandaringofauthenticityaboutlifeinChina.JapanTimesEngagingrealismandcharm,evenwhileshowingtheundersideofChinaintransition.Publisher’sWeeklyWhenIreadQuiXiaolong’sDeathofaRedHeroineIwasenchanted…Now,withALoyalCharacterDancerQuihasgivenusanevenmorelyricallywritten,wide-ranging,bitersweetstory.S.J.Rozan,MysteryNewsWhatarelief!BooktwointheInspectorChensagameetsthehighexpectationsarousedbyQuiXialong’sfirst…adamngoodmystery-apoliceproceduralofthefirstwater.TheMidwestBookReviewThecombinationofancientandmodernChinesehistorywithmodernpoliceworkhasproducedandexcellentproceduralnovel,filledwithatmosphereandcarefullyillustratinglifeinChinatoday.InspectorChenislikeable,thoughtful,andappealing.DallasMorningNewsAnunlikelybutverylikablepairofstrangelyassortedcops-ShanghaipoliceinspectorChenCaoandU.S.MarshalServiceInspectorCatherineRohn.Therearelurkingtriadsandinternationalintrigue-mongers,there’sexoticbackgroundandhistory…theplotiswonderfullycomplex.TheCourier-GazetteThetravelogueaspectsofthisnoveldon’toverwhelmitscriticalintelligence.Themurderandmayhemprovideacoverstoryforalargerinvestigationofsocialmysteries-inthiscasethefateofeducatedChinese,manyofwhoselivesweremadeawakingnightmarebytheculturalrevolution,andthefutureofChinesecommunismitself.ChicagoSunTimesLikeable,admirableChenmakesasturdyprotagonist,butit’sChinaintransition-alwaysinteresting,oftenbewildering-thatgetsthestarturnhere.KirkusReviewsEngrossinginsightsintocontemporaryChinainanintricatemystery.Booklist’Withstrongandsubtlecharacterisation,QuiXiaolongdrawsusintoafascinatingworldwherethegreatestmysteryrevealedisthemysteryofpresent-dayChinaitself’JohnHarvey’Thisisaluminescentsynthesisofathrillerandaliterarynovel’BarryForshaw,Independent

 

　　Qiu Xiaolong was born in Shanghai. He was selected for membership of the Chinese Writers’ Association and published poetry, translations and criticism in China. He has lived in the United States since 1989 and has an M.A. and Ph.D. in Comparative Literature awarded by Washington University. He has been the recipient of the Missouri Biennial Award, the Prairie Schooner Readers’ Choice Award, a Yaddo and a Ford Foundation Fellowship. He lives in St. Louis with his wife and daughter.