CompleteMartialArts.com - Jian
|
List Price: $27.00
Our Price: $24.30
Your Save: $ 2.70 ( 10% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Fawcett
|
Average Customer Rating:  
|
|
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780345466815
ISBN: 0345466810
Label: Fawcett
Manufacturer: Fawcett
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 556
Publication Date: 1995-03-01
Publisher: Fawcett
Release Date: 1995-03-01
Studio: Fawcett
|
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
"Brilliant...Perhaps no other piece of fiction since SHOGUN illuminates the mind, machinations, and mores of Eastern peoles with the style and intensity of JIAN."
THE MIAMI HERALD
Jake Maroc is the top agent for the Quarry, the secretive government agency. Nichiren, Jake's sworn enemy, is a cold killer with a deadly secret. Shi Zilin is a wily Communist minister, a survivor of eras in turmoil. Which one of them will emerge the true Jian--the consummate warrior, the man who excels, the supreme master of the arts of love and combat, strength and wisdom?
Four ancient pieces of jade are the key to unlocking the grand scheme of the Jian. The price is Hong Kong--glittering jewel that sets the KGB, the Communist Chinese, and the Americans in a deadly battle.
From the Paperback edition.
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Best of Lustbader
Comment: Among the many novels that Lustbader has written, I appreciated this one the most. In typical Asian exoticism, Lustbader delivers well with this novel. There is a great deal of intrigue as the three main characters of the story are destined to encounter one another through intricate web of espionage and suspense involving the emergence of China as a modern power. In addition to the attack and counter-attacks of the two main protagonists in the story is the classic game of strategy Go or Weiqi as it is called among the Chinese. I found that Lustbaders use of the game was well placed and as it served as a metaphor for the combat which took place throughout the novel. The cultural depth which Lustbader writes is impressive indeed. He writes with one who has done his research especially in the area of Asian martial arts and eastern philosophy.
The book has several sexually graphic accounts and if one does not care for such content the book should be avoided or at least a skipping over of such passages is needed.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not Free SF Reader
Comment: Two men who knew each other in their younger days come into conflict. Jake Maroc was a Chinese agent for a covert organisation, and also a martial arts guru. Nichiren is now a ganglord, and has a woman that is important to Jake.
Both are likely to do silly things in the coming conflict and a cooler head has to try and stop the flow on effects from being ridiculous.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A concept and education worth learning
Comment: I loved this book. The story is well told, the characters are believable and the action is intense. I read JIAN before traveling to Hong Kong and it provided much depth to my experience -- it would surely add to anyone's knowledge of the Chinese in today's business world as well. I liked the "master of every art" concept so much that I named my company JIAN, and have been developing business productivity software tools ever since. Also, I have practiced martial arts for many years and this book adds much to the thinking behind the fights -- useful whether you practice or not. I even wrote a business book called, "Business Black Belt." Thanks Eric.
Customer Rating:
Summary: DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE
Comment: I don't see the hype. This is the first and only novel by EVL I plan on reading. I find his writing tedious and decriptive to a fault. I have no problem with description, but it ended up being a history lesson rather than a adventure story. I wanted the story to move along, but it kept getting bogged down with politics of various subjects. Now I'm sure there are a few out there who think that EVL is too deep for most, but I disagree, in the course of the book there were numerous [personal]scenes which are so graphic.
I guess EVL was told by his editor to add them in order to sell a few more copies. Don't waist your time folks. In Lustbader's defense, I must admit the story is very well thought out and complex, but I think EVL should of told it to a person who could have put it down on paper better. Clancy and Ludlum don't need [intercourse] scenes to sell books. It would be ok to describe one in detail then mention; they went to bed and then woke up, but not go into such detail for every encounter beacuse we get the point. EVL had about 5 of them,to add his creativity to. I have no problem with [personal] scenes. But I can read [other publishings]for that, here I just want a good story...
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Worthy Read
Comment: I'll start this off by saying this is the first EVL book I've read, that halfway through it I picked up two more, and that I plan on reading as many as I can get my grubby little hands on. While some of the plot twists were painfully transparent, they were written in such a way as to keep the reader hooked long enough to find out for sure. The insight into Chinese culture Jian provided was valuable enough to make the book worth the read in much the same way as Chrighton's Rising Sun was for Japanese culture; the masterful plot was just an added bonus. The graphic sex got a little repetetive, but the scenes were short enough that the book didn't get bogged down in them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
