I don't know why, I've always had a fascination for cultures whose information isn't much out in public domain. China being one of them and Russia another. That doesn't mean I ascribe to the Communist ideology or how they are as present day countries. I'm very fascinated about their history and their culture and the way they have done things.

The House of Eight Orchids was somewhat like that. It took over me for the time I listened to it. I did request this book from NetGalley but forgot to download it in time. Thankfully, there was an audiobook on Scribd, saving me face.

I loved diving into John and William's world. How the Eunuch Chang controlled their lives, the adventures John went through while searching for his brother William. I have a few grouses about how a few characters were treated but I don't want to give out spoilers. To think about one figure who controlled things in Chongqing the way Eunuch Chang did was really fascinating. That's the thing about Chinese culture, they give importance to things like loyalty. Just observing how their society worked based on different experiences was a fascinating joyride.

I learned quite a bit about the history of Chongqing after the Japanese bombings. I think when we look at the history of countries, we only focus on the big cities but smaller cities have their stories as well.

Given that these are covid times and we can't really travel, reading books like these mentally takes us to another country and city. In that sense, I loved the book. I can't help feel sad for the end, I thought it would be more dramatic than it actually was but, I have no grouses. I did enjoy the story.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. Awesome storytelling. Compelling characters and gripping plot. Looking for more from this author.

House of eight orchids is a throwback to the Great action adventure historical novels of the sixties( think Maclean or Hammond Innes-he’s that good ). Recommended.

House of Eight Orchids by James Thayer is an adventure tale with suspense and intrigue that unfortunately never rises to the level of its potential or the depth of its characters. Its most potent flaw is in its inherent racism. What could have been a tale of one man's journey back to his self becomes a book about American versus Chinese. One good and one evil, you can tell who is good and who is bad simply from the color of their skin.

At the age of five and three, John and William Wade are kidnapped off the streets of Chungking, China in 1912. They are the sons of the American Consul and they are taken by the city's master criminal, the Eunuch Chang. The Eunuch raises the boys and soon they are his most trusted disciples. The youngest, William becomes an artist and master counterfeiter. John is trained to become an assassin and together they grow up in Eunuch Chang's House of Eight Orchids.

Twenty-five years have passed and the young men know no other life then the one they live with Eunuch Chang and his criminal gang, The House of Eight Orchids. This all changes when Chang arranges the kidnapping of a young Chinese actress to sell into slavery to a rich businessman. The actress attempts to seduce John into freeing her but his loyalty to the Eunuch is too strong. But the younger William gives in and tries to escape with the young actress. Knowing that the Eunuch Chang will punish his brother, John has no choice but to go after his brother and protect him from the Eunuch's wrath.

John's journey from loyal ward of the crime lord to his own brother's protector is predictable. that is perhaps what is so often failing in this novel. It is predictable. All the bad guys are Chinese. The Eunuch and his gang, the Businessman who looks to use the actress as his sex slave and even her father who tries to swindle John after he saves her. Even the actress herself, who lies and uses any man who can get her what she wants. While John and William have an inherent nobility about them. They begin to question the criminal acts of the Eunuch Chang and even go against him to save the actress. The American Doctor who works selfishly to save the poor Chinese villagers from the abusive and violent Chinese army and gangs of criminals. She of course is American. Then the American gunship and its sailors who take on the Chinese army and Chinese gangs to help save John and fight against. Chinese bad. American good. Not just American...white American. Its that blatant and that obvious and from an author of Thayer's ability and reputation, it's also insulting.

This was acceptable perhaps forty or fifty years in the past, or so we would like to tell ourselves but if what is happening in modern movie making and other thrillers set in Asia are any indication, nothing has changed. Take the new movie coming out about the Great Wall of China protecting the people from monsters or dragons. A battle that seems to need Matt Damon to fight it. The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly that needs Americans to fight Dragons and the evil Chinese Government.

House of Eight Orchids is a good book that simply does not rise above its self imposed limitations.