Have just had a weeks cruise and had saved this book to read, read it In a week and could not put it down.
The descriptions of China and the people was wonderful, feel very sorry I have read it and wish there was another book by Edward Rutherford I could now start reading.
Have read all of this authors books and each one was amazing,cannot recommend this book high enough
Read it.

China is a very informative eventful work of historical fiction covering the Opium Wars and the Boxer Rebellion to the final days of the empire including the conflicts.
The book has a range of interesting characters from peasants to emperors at different levels of power within society and with different perspectives, historical events are explained in good detail.
I finished this book feeling I had learnt a lot with the amount of history and geography included.
A book I would recommend.
My thanks go to the author, publisher and Netgalley in providing this arc in return for a honest review.

The pace of this book from page 1 indicated how long it was going to be, looong !

The story basically good, but this author so needs to be helped by his Editor to produce a short snappier story.

The lesson from the master, in my view, early Wilbur Smith, is for something to actually happen on every page,, an action, a discovery, a new relationship,...... but this doesn't happen with this book.

Aficionados of the works of Edward Rutherfurd will not be disappointed with his latest book "China". Whilst only dwelling on events in the second half of the 19th Century, it paints an informative picture of the life (styles) of all from the Emperor down to paupers. We learn of the Opium Wars and the conflicts between Britain and China. (We wanted tea in exchange for Opium, grown in other parts of our Colonies.) The poor often subjected themselves to physical and emotional torture in the hope of securing a better future. The feet of young girls were bound to limit their growth because it was believed that it would make them more attractive to wealthier men, whilst some young men were castrated in the hope that, as eunuchs, they might secure employment in one of the Royal households.
Militarily, Chinese forces were no match for the British, whose demands to control aspects of trading had to be met. Some Chinese who were shipped to America, returned with descriptions of a new world like, for example, the big iron beast that travelled on rails an could pull tons of material. The attitude of Chinese rulers was well, maybe, "but for us here". How times have changed.
Rutherfurd's book shows the cultural differences between a China historically built on dynasties and internal power struggles and a Britain used to arrogantly demanding all before it for national and personal benefits.
It perhaps helps to explain current differences between China and the UK.

I recommend "China" unreservedly for the quality and balance of its writing and for what all of us can learn from the experiences he describes.

Well, I tried.

I've read a few Rutherfurd books and enjoyed them all. I love how he uses storytelling to teach me something new. But try as I might, I could not get into China. I actually expected this one to be my favourite, as I'm more well-versed in European history than I am China's, but it was a struggle to push through each chapter.

As with all Edward Rutherfurd epics, China is an easily enjoyable read, that never asks too much of the reader. The plot is always very easy to follow, and unfolds at a pace that allows you enough time to take in the vast array of characters, without slowing down at all.

Unlike other Rutherfurd titles, China takes place within a relatively short time of 100 or so years. We are used to stories from Rutherfurd which span millennia, usually passing through countless generations of families. With China we get only a generation or 2, with the main characters staying throughout the storyline. While this allowed these characters to grow and develop so much more than in a usual Rutherfurd book, I feel like it actually took away some of the magic I usually come to expect from these books.

I’ve come to enjoy his books where we’re treated to unfolding history as well as the more personal stories. China is still a very good book, however id love to see any future books going back to his previous centuries spanning method.

The kingdom of China is closed to outsiders, the Emperor rules a huge land mass and does not need to trade with barbarians. The British are desperate to get hold of China tea but cannot afford the price in silver so they smuggle opium into the country which leads to conflict. The Manchu dynasty is under threat from both the barbarians and also a sect from the south who threaten the rulers. This is a time when fortunes can be made or lost.
Normally Rutherfurd writes novels that are vast in terms of time scale but here the time is shortened, around 50 years in the 19th Century, but where the changes are massive. As ever he weaves the stories of a group of families together and because the timeframe allows it the characters are fully developed. There is the English merchant and his missionary cousin, the eunuch, the general and the peasant. This period of Chinese history is fleshed out in an incredibly readable way and the sheer length of the novel does not seem much of an issue as the stories are so fascinating. Another triumph for a favourite author

A hugely informative saga covering the many aspects of Chinese history during the Manchu dynasty. The ancient traditions and war mongering. The economic decisions related to the sale and trading of hugely profitable tea, and catastrophic results of the opium war. Bizarre traditional practices such as binding children’s feet. Every aspect of this hugely dynamic country is described and related by Edward Rutherford who leaves no stone unturned in his research particularly in-depth characterisation which brings every page to life. To gain perspective of modern China through its past by reading this novel will enhance knowledge of the history, customs and conventions of Chinese societies and communities. Every aspect of this long and enriching book brings alive a country steeped in traditions and practices awareness of which will enhance our understanding of events and decisions made in more recent times. A cracking read of a hugely interesting subject which richly deserves its place beside this author’s previous works. Many thanks to Author, Publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to thoroughly enjoy this ARC.

China by Edward Rutherfurd is an epic tale of China in the 19th Century. The beginning is when the Chinese Empire finds that Western powers approach overpowering them.
Like Rutherfurd's other books, this was an epic historical fiction. It's so comprehensive with a lot of depth, lots of interesting characters very well developed. the story is super impressive. I can't fault it. It's truly impressive. An author I'm in awe of.
Thanks a lot for this copy.

This is a vast historical novel, based on real events that took place in China between 1839 and 1903.

Several characters are introduced in the course of the novel, including British merchant John Trader, his missionary cousin Cecil Whiteparish, a Chinese eunuch Lacquer Nail, a peasant woman Mei-Ling, a soldier Guanji, and an administrator Shi-Rong. At certain points, their stories intertwine. All play out against the backdrop of the Opium Wars, the Taiping rebellion, and finally the Boxer rebellion and its aftermath.

Edward Rutherfurd weaves his narrative skilfully between the main characters, and is able to convey the differences of culture and belief that cause so much of the disaffection between China and the outsiders they view as barbarians.

I particularly enjoyed the stories of Lacquer Nail and Mei-Ling, but all the stories sustained their interest. John Trader is the main character, who seems almost peripheral at the start but takes on a more central role as events progress.

For anyone interested in Chinese culture and history, this novel would be a good place to start.

I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Hodder & Stoughton, in return for an honest appraisal.

A fantastic epic tale of China through the historical times of the opium wars and the Boxer rebellion.

Edward Rutherfurd is well known for novels of this kind and this one doesn't disappoint. I have to admit that this is a part of history that although I had heard of I was not at all familiar with so I’m not able to verify the historical accuracy.

The story flows through this period in history following two main characters, the eponymous John Trader who sets out to make his fortune importing opium to China and a court eunuch nicknamed Lacquer Nail. Both have an interesting story to tell which helps to give a human touch to this very interesting period of Chinese and British history.

An excellent read that I am more than happy to recommend.

Edward Rutherfurd's "China" is epic in every sense of the word. It's a brilliantly fictionalised account of the history and culture of the country. I particularly enjoyed the insight into rural and Palace life. Rutherfurd pulls no punches and effectively conveys the brutality of war. He also shines a light on how truly awful, self-serving and exploitative the British are. This is the first book I've read from this author and I look forward to reading more.

Another masterpiece from this remarkable storyteller.

From the first words I was once again under Edward Rutherford’s spell just as I had been when reading his previous books.

I knew nothing about the Opium Wars nor the Boxer Uprising in China. Thanks to meeting some extraordinary characters, both Chinese and British I now know about these disgusting wars. It never ceases to amaze me how cruel we humans can be.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

I have read other books by this author and this book did not disappoint. Very informative and well written clearly showed the breath of China’s history.

I've read several books by Edward Rutherfurd and always enjoy them immensely. He has a special talent for capturing the atmosphere of a culture and drawing the reader into that world.

China isn't as generational as the previous books I've read, though it does follow the progression of one generation. It focuses on the Victorian era opium trade, a period that particularly interests me, and goes on to depict the progression of China and its relationship with the rest of the world up to the end of the Victorian era. We see this era from several points of view, including Chinese characters and English and American traders. There's even an evangelist.

Through the Chinese characters we get a look inside their culture of the time and the changes the Europeans especially forced upon them. The family hierarchy, the duty of a daughter-in-law, foot binding, different Chinese peoples, the class system and the power of an Emperor are all brought to life. This is the sort of thing I read Rutherfurd's books for. To get inside a time and culture and experience it as closely as a modern reader can.

Through the traders we get a clear picture of the contrasts between Chinese and Western culture and how it developed over the time frame depicted. We also learn how the opium trade worked to an extent as well as how it related to other trade with China, for tea, silks, spices etc.

There were several characters who drew my sympathies; Mei-Ling, Neo, John Trader, Lacquer Nail the eunuch, yet some of these were enemies of others and my allegiance changed according to whose chapter I was reading at the time. It's a long book, but a fascinating ride and well worth the time investment.

I'll look forward to seeing what Rutherfurd comes up with next.

This is an epic historical fiction novel. With wonderful characters. Starting with the opium trade from the British and the various war's. Its that good I didn't want the book to end. The flow of the book is excellent with a story that keeps you turning the pages. I truly recommend the authors books. They are all wonderful. I loved the sections about the emperor courtesan and the eunuchs and the summer Palace wow.

Beautifully crafted, populated with a range of diverse and interesting characters, and set against the political complexities of the Opium Wars, "China" is a real epic read.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, I've been hooked deeply into each of the individual stories, bought into the lives of the characters, and experienced powerful emotions as the narrative progressed.

I love a dramatisation which fits around real history and real people - and this book fits exactly in that genre. Enchanting and intriguing characters, some real, some not, who provide a possible account of life during these complex times. Brilliant.

I have read other novels by this author, so was really excited to see this book. However, for me it did not live up to the sweeping sagas of 'London' and 'Sarum'. I found it in parts to be disjointed, jumping around the characters. I also found it rather preachy, giving us a potted history of China that in parts was quite hard going. It certainly didn't grip me as his other books have done.

But having said that, it was overall a good read, and I understand much more about China in the nineteenth century than I did before. Once I got in to a particular character's story, I was engrossed. It was just confusing to then leave them for a few chapters to consider events from someone else's standpoint. I also thought the final chapters concerning the Boxer Rebellion were rather rushed, with an historian's keenness to provide information rather than tell a story at the forefront.

The characters range from simple Chinese women to an empress, from westerners involved in the opium trade to missionaries. There is a eunuch, a pirate, a concubine, merchants and warriors. The opium wars, the Taipeng rebellion and the Boxer rebellion are all covered, along with the role of the westerners in forging modern China.

It was an interesting tale, with a lot of detail and facts. Not a book you'll rush through, but I was glad I persevered.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! It’s been a long time since Edward Rutherfurd’s last novel was published (Paris in 2013), but China is so good I think it’s definitely been worth the wait. It’s slightly different from his earlier novels – all of which I have read and enjoyed – because whereas those previous books follow the history of a country, city or region over a period of many centuries, this one covers a much shorter period, telling the story of China in the 19th century. At nearly 800 pages, that decision to concentrate only on one century allows for more character development and more time spent exploring each historical event or incident in detail.

Beginning in 1839, the first few sections of the novel deal with the First Opium War, taking us through the complicated background to this conflict from the perspectives of several different characters: Shi-Rong, secretary to Commissioner Lin, the man responsible for trying to end the illegal import of opium into China; John Trader, a British merchant who has become involved in the opium trade to improve his financial situation so that he can marry the woman he loves; Nio, a Chinese pirate and opium smuggler; and John’s cousin Cecil Whiteparish, who is a missionary. This range of viewpoints helps to build a full picture of the events leading to the Opium Wars and what happens in the aftermath. These characters and their families appear again and again throughout the novel as the years go by and they are drawn into other key events such as the Taiping Rebellion and the Boxer Uprising.

In a novel of this length, it was inevitable that I would find some parts much more interesting than others – for example, the chapters involving Nio’s adopted sister Mei-Ling who makes the decision to have her little girl’s feet bound while her husband is in America working on the railroads were particularly compelling. However, my favourite sections of the book were those narrated by ‘Lacquer Nail’, a eunuch in the service of the Empress Dowager Cixi. I’m not sure whether it’s because Lacquer Nail is the only character whose story is told in the first person instead of third, but he really comes to life in a way that some of the others don’t. I could have read a whole book about his adventures alone.

Like all of Rutherfurd’s novels, this one is clearly the result of a huge amount of research; as well as the coverage of major political and military events, we are given lots of fascinating little snippets of information on Chinese folklore, crafts such as calligraphy and pottery, and the details of the tea ritual and other traditions. There are also some beautiful descriptions of the various locations in which the action takes place, including Guangzhou (Canton), Hong Kong, Macao and, in Beijing, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. I think anyone with even the slightest curiosity about China, its history, geography and people, will find a lot to interest them in this book – just be aware that it’s quite a commitment and will take a while to get through, even for the fastest of readers!

If China doesn’t appeal, I can highly recommend almost any of Edward Rutherfurd’s other books, particularly Sarum, Russka and his two novels about Ireland.

An epic story covering the period that the controversial Empress Dowager Cixi came to prominence in the royal chinese household and eventually unofficially ruled China, but this isn't just a story about the Empress. Edward Rutherford introduces us to many characters , western opium traders, ordinary chinese people, warriors, officials, eunochs and pirates. At the start of the book the different stories seem completely seperate but as the book progresses they are cleverly woven together, each character playing their part in the portrayal of China at this time.

A long read, but definitely worth it.

I was given a copy of China by NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.