I Read Books: The General's Envoy
This sequel to The Viceroy’s Captain finds John Caspasian of the Ghurka Riles assigned to the consulate in Shanghai, 1927. Chiang Kai-Shek, notorious communist*, is on the march, his Northern Expedition will soon be arriving, threatening the International Settlement. Looking for a counter, they send Caspasian upcountry to make contact with up-and-coming warlord General Mok, known for his brutality (nothing particularly unusual there) and also his former Russian Armoured Train, called (sigh) ‘The Dragon’.
There’s adventures in warlord-era China, a better Warlord and his beautiful daughter, the Westerners have plots and plans and corrupt schemes, and Caspasian runs into an old wartime buddy and their meeting is not as heartwarming as might be hoped.
Read This: For scheming historical adventure
Don’t Read This: If heroic deeds in warlord era China are uninteresting to you.
* True story: Chiang Kai-Shek enjoyed the support of both Russian and Chinese communists until [SPOILERS] his 1927 purge of communists, leading directly to the Chinese Civil War.
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