Back after a long hiatus. This is an update regarding a friend's book suggestion: The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox. It's a collection of three books by Barry Hughart set in the ancient China of folklore and legend. I am now reading the first book, Bridge of Birds, in which Number Ten Ox meets Master Li and a whole bunch of freaky shenanigans go down with dancing ghosts, invisible Hands of Hell, tiger-masked despots, misers, monks, and a woman of limited beauty but immeasurable charm who wraps every man she sees around her finger simply by smiling at him.
I am thoroughly enjoying the humor and grace with which the stories are told, the style being more reminiscent of a fireside folktale than that of your typical epic fantasy. From the moment Master Li Kao slops onto the scene in a drunken stupor, and recovers enough to say, ``My surname is Li and my personal name is Kao, and there is a slight flaw in my character. You got a problem?'', I fell in love. Add to that the fact that a beloved friend read me the first four chapters aloud to get me started, and what resulted was complete enchantment!
Which brings me to the real point of this post. Read out loud, and find someone who will read aloud to you. The exchanges that result are magical! Better yet if you can find a read-aloud partner with a good voice.
(Cover copyright: Kaja Foglio, 1998. Source: fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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