CompleteMartialArts.com - The Crocodile and the Crane: A Novel of Immortality and Apocalypse
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List Price: $21.95
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Manufacturer: YMAA Publication Center
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9781594390876
ISBN: 1594390878
Label: YMAA Publication Center
Manufacturer: YMAA Publication Center
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 336
Publication Date: 2007-10-25
Publisher: YMAA Publication Center
Studio: YMAA Publication Center
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Editorial Reviews:
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PRACTITIONERS OF A SECRET healing art that bestows immortality and more, Sanfeng and Zetian are brother and sister and have lived together in China for more than 3000 years. Now, in the near future of 2009, they face an enemy they recognize from their childhood, a terrifying disease that left them orphaned and alone in the world.The disease kills quickly and without mercy-victims die grimacing grotesquely-and as it spreads, it brings the siblings to the edge of apocalypse and pits them against each other in a battle for the world.They are joined in their global struggle by a famous American selfhelp guru, a naive but smart young publishing executive, a bitter Australian cop, and a beautiful Indonesian nurse with a secret the whole world wants to steal from her.This thrilling race against time offers a smorgasbord of Chinese history, an epic love story, and the trenchant tale of one very special, intimate, and gifted family. It is a warning against the pitfalls and perils of the modern world, and a clarion call to heed the wisdom of the ancients in new and ever more relevant ways-before it is too late.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Good Mix of Fantasy, Martial Arts, and Intrigue.
Comment: "The Crocodile and The Crane" is a complex novel turning on issues and interactions with the thrice shared protagonists of Chinese siblings Zetian and Sanfeng and the American Dalton Day. The lesser characters, plots, sub-plots and back-stories add to a very rich panorama and provide the necessary intrigue of the storyline. Without stealing the thunder of the other positive reviews, I found the narrative fast moving and believable. It is difficult to cover the thousands of years of history and character development of Zetian and Sanfeng in 332 pages but Rosenfeld delivers.
I also found the aspect of prolonged life through the specialized application of qigong to be believable without total suspension of disbelief. Once again, as in "The Cutting Season," Rosenfeld applies his understanding of medical knowledge (in this case infectious diseases) to create the futuristic impending doom necessary to tie all elements together to a satisfying conclusion of how qigong might save the world. A great work of fiction. 5 stars.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Thought Provoking
Comment: I enjoy reading but have never been very interested in the martial arts. I thought that the book was going to be very boring after reading the first chapter but I'm glad that I was persistent. I even stayed up late to complete the book because I was intriqued by the plot and characters.
Mostly, I found reading this book to be thought provoking and it makes me want to learn more about the culture and the art form. I enjoyed it and would suggest it to others. You don't need a martial arts background to enjoy the suspense and history.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ FOR ANY FAN OF MARTIAL ARTS LITERATURE!
Comment: For fans of martial arts/suspense literature Crocodile and the Crane is a MUST READ! I literally could not put this book down. The author effortlessly weaves together past and present events and seamlessly meshes Chinese history with Taoist and scientific theory. Rosenfeld hosts an interesting interplay of characters and provides rich details that allow the reader to personalize events in the story. The ever present thought of "What if?" kept entering my mind as I read the book. Vivid imagery and underlying sexual tones only add to the story. As I neared the end of the book I actually started reading more slowly because I didn't want the story to end. While I will admit I was bothered by several editorial mistakes (shame on Rosenfeld's editors) they did not detract from the storyline. If you like suspense, and have any interest in the martial arts, then this book is a must read!
J. Elam, blackbeltmom007
Customer Rating:
Summary: An OK read for a Sunday afternoon
Comment: Since I'm not a sports fanatic, I always look for books to read on Sunday afternoons. I had loved Rosenfeld's "The Cutting Season" and was looking forward to time to read this one. It was OK, but not great. Maybe it's just me. I'm not a Eastern philosophy enthusiast, but I do like to challenge myself. The pitting of good vs. evil is an excellent formula for a book and this one had it's moments. I did promise myself a trip to the library to read more of Rosenfeld's works...I think his story telling style is worth investigating further.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Crocodile & the Crane
Comment: I found The Crocodile and the Crane to be an entertaining and thought-provoking read. The story has an interesting perspective of the "end of times". Being a beginner in the practice of yoga, I particularly liked the emphasis of the mind body connection through the practice of Qigong. This book is a great combination of fact and science fiction.
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