The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure

by Adam Williams | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0340827874 Global Overview for this book
Registered by WormyOne of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex United Kingdom on 3/14/2005
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11 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by WormyOne from Brighton & Hove, East Sussex United Kingdom on Monday, March 14, 2005
I'll be posting this on 24/3/05 as a controlled release to Mytilus, as part of a Not So Secret Easter Bunny. That's one to cross off your wish list Mytilus. Hope you enjoy it. Happy Easter.

Journal Entry 2 by Mytilus from Plymouth, Devon United Kingdom on Thursday, March 31, 2005
This is a super book that was sent to me by WormyOne as part of the NSSEB. Thank you!

I devoured this in two days and am hoping to offer this up as a ray, if there's interest.

Journal Entry 3 by Mytilus from Plymouth, Devon United Kingdom on Monday, April 4, 2005
Lovely. There's been enough interest for a little ray.

nut, Ireland (post int., but prefers Europe)
AnglersRest, U.K. (post int.)
adrienne10, U.S.A. (post int.)
coolboxuk, U.K. (post U.K)
Amanida, U.K. (post U.K.)
Scotsbookie (post int.)
Shelbycat (post ?)
Calalilly (post U.K.) (here...)

Journal Entry 4 by Mytilus from Plymouth, Devon United Kingdom on Thursday, April 14, 2005
Sent to nut today.

Journal Entry 5 by nut from Kilkenny City, Co. Kilkenny Ireland on Monday, April 18, 2005
Arrived today. Thank you, but oh dear, it's rather large. Is there a time limit? I don't think I'll get it finished in a month.
(after scrolling down to look at other messages) 2 days? Maybe there's hope for me, but I think it'll take quite a bit longer than two days!

Journal Entry 6 by nut from Kilkenny City, Co. Kilkenny Ireland on Thursday, April 28, 2005
I needn't have worried! Two day off sick from work helped though.

The amount of cruelty and sadism in the book does make me wonder about the author.

Hehehe I misread a review: "a Victoria Secret agent".

A fast paced and educational read. I never knew anything about the Boxer Rebellion before.

Journal Entry 7 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Friday, May 13, 2005
My, what a huge book! - it arrived today, this is 4th ring in the pile!
Will get to it ASAP!

Journal Entry 8 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Saturday, June 11, 2005
A huge book, which I wondered if I was going to finish.

There is a great deal of violence betrayal, history, romance, and was an intriguing book. I certainly agree with Nut about the author about his ability to write that amount of cruelty.

To be psoted off to adrienne10 in the US.

Journal Entry 9 by adrienne10 from Seattle, Washington USA on Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Rec'd whilst we were away on a small trip. I'm still working through the ring book ahead of this one. Wow! This is a really large book. As I've been an extra slow reader lately, I will likely be taking the full month on this one. Thanks for including me!

Journal Entry 10 by adrienne10 from Seattle, Washington USA on Thursday, August 18, 2005
Wow! I really enjoyed this book. Thanks so much for sharing it!

It took me about a week to read. I have not had lots of reading time available this summer as I had hoped. This book is a little ... well, quite massive. It made it harder to get it started since the size was so daunting. And honestly, the first chapter is dull. However, by Chapter 2 I was interested.

This is quite the romance/action/adventure/historical fiction novel. I would say of all the historical fiction I have ever read, I liked this one best. I work with 5 Chinese men, so it lent another aspect to reading the story. The writing is well done. There is a rolling, meandering way to it. The bit with letters broke up the writing. I see why he included it for story-telling and also because he wanted to borrow from his friend's family, but I think it should have been written another way. Or letters should have been included from the beginning.

I have coolboxuk's address and will get it in the mail. I apologize for how long I've had the book.

Journal Entry 11 by rem_XGD-219596 on Thursday, October 13, 2005
Received today safe and sound - going onto Mount Ring. Assume as I'm last there's no hurry...?

Journal Entry 12 by stpetersgroup from Chertsey, Surrey United Kingdom on Sunday, November 13, 2005
I knew it was going to take me a while to work my way through that amount of pages, but it was worth every minute of it. I really enjoyed it. Some of it invoked memories (some things in China never change I think), some was really good adventure and romance stuff, and all together it was just very readable. There wasn't any point in all those pages that I found boring, although I felt that towards the end the amount of lucky escapes of certain people seemed rather more to belong into the realm of fairytale than historical fiction. I understand the author's need to "account for every character" but maybe a couple of plots less towards the end would have done nicely. I did like the last chapter, though, with the new beginnings and the makings of a new very similar problem building up, anticipated by the same people again and ridiculed by anybody else. History repeats itself...

Now, do I understand right that this is a ray and therefore ends with me? Or does anybody wants it back??? Please shout if you do!

Journal Entry 13 by rem_XGD-219596 on Sunday, November 13, 2005
Oops, the stpetersgroup journal above is from me. I just hadn't logged out of the other addy (which I'm running for a book group at church). So if anybody wants this book back please contact COOBOXUK!

Journal Entry 14 by Amanida from Chertsey, Surrey United Kingdom on Saturday, December 17, 2005
Just received from coolbox, thanks! This looks like a bit of an epic, so it might take me a while to read.

Journal Entry 15 by Amanida from Chertsey, Surrey United Kingdom on Monday, January 16, 2006
Entertaining epic. I would like to have read a bit more about the Boxers themselves and tried to understand their point of view. The story was quite gripping and there were some horrible scenes - but what did the Boxers and Chinese really think about the executions?
I found the spoken language a bit modern - more of today than the historical setting.
The book travelled to Thailand and Cambodia with me and I read it on the beach in Koh Samui. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, most of the books I took with me contained a lot of blood and violence, and I got a bit tired of it, so that's why my rating is a bit low.
It's now parcelled up and ready to go to Scotsbookie as soon as I can get to the post office.

Journal Entry 16 by scotsbookie from Peebles, Scotland United Kingdom on Friday, January 20, 2006
Arrived safely today. I have one other ring I'm reading at the moment & then it will be next.

Journal Entry 17 by scotsbookie from Peebles, Scotland United Kingdom on Friday, February 10, 2006
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although it took me a while to read!

Packed with intrigue/romance/adventure/history/violence. Well written, it was obvious to me that the author new a lot about his subject.

I have PM'd Shelbycat for her details.

Journal Entry 18 by scotsbookie from Peebles, Scotland United Kingdom on Monday, February 20, 2006
On its way to Shelbycat today 20 Feb 2006. Sorry about the delay but this grotty cold has really got me down.

Journal Entry 19 by Shelbycat from Llanelli, Wales United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 22, 2006
I've just received this book in the post. I'll get on and read it asap, i should have it finished fairly soon :)

Journal Entry 20 by Shelbycat from Llanelli, Wales United Kingdom on Wednesday, May 31, 2006
I'm very nearly finished with this book and i have to say i really enjoyed it. It took me a little while to get into the characters etc. but now it's nearly over i'm quite sad.
I have one recommendation to future readers, and that is don't read chapter 16 anywhere public, i was in floods.
Sorry for keeping it so long, but as everyone says it's such a daunting book to look at, plus i had loads of books turn up at the same time (as usual).
I've contacted the next person on the list and will post this out asap.

Journal Entry 21 by calalilly from Waterlooville, Hampshire United Kingdom on Friday, July 21, 2006
Received in the post today, it does look a bit daunting but reading through the journals it sounds as if most people really enjoyed it so I am looking forward to starting it. I have several other rings to get through first though. The good thing is I'm on holiday soon so will find some time to relax and read books. Thank you Mytilus for this ray and thank you Shelbycat for posting it off to me.

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