Bridge of Birds
by Barry Hughart · first published 1984
86% recommend14% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Fast-paced comic adventure with a detective-story structure, set in an invented ancient China. Readers praise its storytelling, wry humor, and charming lead pair. A good pick for fans of comic fantasy.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
A fictional work of a China that never was. Chinoiserie.
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Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
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…there's continuity between them, they mostly stand alone - right now I'm reading the latest, where he has to rig an election for a council of wizards, while an old flame does the same for the other side. Bridge of Birds, Barry Hughart. The first of three gorgeous fantasy detective novels set in magical medieval China. Find them, read them, possibly love them. The Iron Dragon's Daughter, Michael Swanwick. A changeling's…
on “Entitlement issues (2009)” ↗…brutal than savage bears and who crouch beside the few paths in order to murder an unarmed hunter and steal his roots. Hopefully things don't get that bad in the misty mountains. The book that's from, Bridge of Birds, is a uniquely charming (but not very subtle) picaresque.
on “In Appalachia, a Plan to Save Wild Ginseng” ↗In fiction: Bridge of Birds, by Barry Hughart. Easily some of the best storytelling I've ever read. 1/3 comedy, 2/3 adventure, in an ancient China that never was. http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0345321383/ Homer's epics. I prefer…
on “What books would you recommend reading? Why?” ↗Bridge of Birds, by Barry Hughart Set in "an ancient China that never was", Bridge of Birds is a humorous, epic tale of adventure as Master Li and Number Ten Ox attempt to cure the children of Ku-fu, and uncover a vile…
on “Ask YC: Favorite fantasy novel(s)?” ↗The Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart The Princess Bride by William Goldman The first is insanely superior. The second just really really good.
on “Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.” ↗"Bridge of Birds" by Barry Hughart was great. It's a hilarious "detective" novel set in a fictional ancient China. One of the two main characters is an 80 year old sage with a drinking problem and the ability to con almost…
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011” ↗Pretty Ping is the name of a minor character from Barry Hughart's utterly excellent book Bridge of Birds. https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/958087-bridge-of-birds...
on “PrettyPing” ↗Barry Hughart's Bridge of Birds. Set in a mediaeval China that never existed (but should have), it's the story of how village peasant Number Ten Ox and the ancient sage Master Li (who has a slight flaw in his character) go on a quest…
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗It's a nice idea, but really, bookmarks aren't enough. I can still distinctly remember reading a site which had Barry Hughart's typewritten notes for his novels (_Bridge of Birds_, _The Story of the Stone_, and _Eight Skilled Gentlemen_), and I considered saving the files for the image scans, but didn't figuring they would always be available. Since then, he has passed away and…
on “Hoarder: Self-hostable bookmark-everything app” ↗