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Title: Judge Dee at Work: Eight Chinese Detective Stories (Judge Dee Mysteries) by Robert Hans Van Gulik, Robert Van Gulik ISBN: 0-226-84866-3 Publisher: University of Chicago Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 1992 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $8.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (2 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Wonderful Chinese detective stories - 7th Century style!
Comment: I first became aware of the Judge Dee stories after reading the short story "He Came with the Rain" in a historical mystery collection. I loved the story so much that I promptly went to Amazon.com to find more Judge Dee novels and stories. This collection of eight short stories is particularly interesting as it covers about 20 years in Judge Dee's career through several of his postings. The stories are extremely interesting, both for the wealth of historical detail as well as the actual mystery content. Judge Dee as a District Magistrate is the leading civilian authority but I found stories such as "The Red Tape Murder" particularly interesting when he clashes with military authorities. This gives Dr. Van Gulik the opportunity to introduce snippets about ancient Chinese history, particularly about the clashes with Korea and the Tartar offenses on China's Western borders. This is a period of Chinese history where very little is known - almost a sort of Chinese Dark Ages - so it is wonderful to learn more about that time, also about the social customs of the era, which I found surprisingly modern, with the exception of the accepted practice of polygamy! If you are interested in historical mystery fiction, I would highly recommend the series. Also try the Sister Fidelma series about a mystery solving nun in Dark Ages Ireland - it is equally atmospheric!
Rating: 5
Summary: Sketches of the Judicial Life: China,Seventh Century
Comment: The wonderful thing about these stories is the sense of time and place which comes through in all of them. We find ourselves easily transported to seventh century China, and the world of a highly organised empire, with its representative in the various cities which serve as venues for the stories, the Magistrate, in the person of Judge Dee.
Robert Van Gulick's picture of Chinese life, crafted from his own extensive study of China, both underpins and overlays these elegant detective stories. Those inhabiting these stories are truly the inhabitants of the places: walking through the streets, eating at the restaurants, working in the Tribunal, and interacting with all classes of their highly stratified society.
The characters are well developed, from Judge Dee himself to his various colourful assistants and lieutenants, who do most (but not all) of the Tribunal's leg work. Criminals, victims, witnesses, and others along the way complete the fascinating tableaux.
There are references to the various Judge Dee novels at the beginning of each story providing a context within the magistrate's career. Numerous line drawings by the author gently illuminate the stories.
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Title: The Monkey and the Tiger: Two Chinese Detective Stories by Robert Hans Van Gulik ISBN: 0226848698 Publisher: University of Chicago Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 1992 List Price(USD): $8.00 |
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Title: The Willow Pattern (A Judge Dee Mystery) by Robert Van Gulik ISBN: 0226848752 Publisher: University of Chicago Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 1993 List Price(USD): $10.00 |
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Title: The Lacquer Screen: A Chinese Detective Story (A Judge Dee Mystery) by Robert Hans Van Gulik ISBN: 0226848671 Publisher: University of Chicago Press Pub. Date: 01 January, 1993 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: The Phantom of the Temple: A Judge Dee Mystery (Judge Dee Mystery) by Robert Hans Van Gulik ISBN: 0226848779 Publisher: University of Chicago Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 1995 List Price(USD): $9.00 |
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Title: The Red Pavilion (A Judge Dee Mystery) by Robert Van Gulik ISBN: 0226848736 Publisher: University of Chicago Press Pub. Date: 01 May, 1994 List Price(USD): $8.00 |
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