About the book: 1988 / Dedicated to the sacred and mysterious order of Sinologists Barry Hewart's magnificent first novel, "Bridge of Birds", made him one of the most notable flowers on the literary field of recent times. The adventures of the Venerable Master Li, an aged sage "with a slight flaw in character" and the Tenth Ox, a simple country boy with impressive muscles and a more subtle intellect than he gives himself credit for, have won acclaim among fantasy fans and, importantly, critics, winning the prize for "Best Mythopoetic Novel 1986". In the new novel, Barry returns to the world of Bird Bridge and his unforgettable heroes. Master Li and the Tenth Bull must follow a trail of vice and death that leads from the dirty wine shops of Beijing to the misty hills of rural China, and reach the gates of Heaven itself. They are called upon by the abbot of a humble monastery in the Valley of Sorrow to investigate the brutal murder of a monk and the theft of a mysterious manuscript from the monastery's library. Suspicion soon falls on the dishonest Laughing Prince Liu Shen, ruler of the Valley of Sorrow, whose monstrous fantasies turned his name into legend - but the Laughing Prince died seven hundred and fifty years ago. Faced with an unsolvable mystery, Master Li and the Tenth Ox hire two assistants: Moon Boy, a very a handsome (and very strong!) young man, the best sound specialist in China, and his beloved Grief of the Morning, a charming young prostitute who - the only one in China - can make Moon Boy do what they want him to do. All four set out in search of a solution, meeting demons, ghosts and murderers along the way. However, as a result, they find something even stranger. The journey of Master Li and the Tenth Ox will surprise, frighten and delight you - a journey through the wonderful, mystery-filled ancient China that never was... but should have been!