Review by _martinnoahtan_ -- Conflict on the Yangtze

[_martinnoahtan_]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Conflict on the Yangtze" by Greg Kater.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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As a Chinese, a grandson of a Nationalist officer, the book offers me an opportunity to take a glimpse of China at the time. My grandfather, who came from a small town by the Yangtze River, told me many stories about his life as a boy and young adult. Therefore, I picked up a copy and began to explore the country with the protagonists.

Conflict on the Yangtze is a historical fiction written by Greg Kater. The story is about two Australian intelligent agents, Jamie Munro and Jack O’Brien, who were sent to China to track down a drug smuggling operation in 1946. The backdrop of the story is in chaotic China shortly after World War Two. The country was in the middle of a civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists.

The agents embarked a long journey to Shanghai from Darwin via Manila, the Philippines, and Itazuke Air Base, Japan. Once Jamie and Jack arrived in Shanghai, Lee Drake, a British and Chinese mixed operative, received them. Familiar with the local language, culture, and the latest political situation, Lee introduced them to what kind of adventure they might await during their investigation.

Apart from the mission they were assigned, the Australian folks got to feel the metropolitan vibe and the scenery of the countryside in rural China. Besides, they learned about the local culture and tasted the local cuisine. After an overcrowded train ride, the group boarded a boat and cruised along the Yangtze to approach their target.

The story covers a wide range of locations across the Asia Pacific region. The people Jack and Jamie met came from different ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. The author skillfully integrated regional accents and vernacular English phrases from non-native English speakers in the dialogues throughout the book. For example, mixing with ‘r and 'l' for Chinese and Japanese and pidgin English for Filipinos.

The book is exceptional. It definitely deserves a perfect 4 out of 4 because the story and the characters are well developed. The book is nearly flawless in terms of editing, I could only stop a few minor errors, which do not compromise the quality of the book.

There are some violent scenes throughout the book because China was still at war and the drug smugglers are also trying to stop their investigation. So, they need to kill potential enemies to protect themselves, but the passage accounts only account a small portion of the story. Those who are sensitive about gunshots and stabs can skip the scenes. Anyone who is interested in East Asian history is recommend to pick up a copy.

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Conflict on the Yangtze
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[Jasy95]

Thanks so much for this great review! I love it when books take you on an adventure through various geographic locations and cultures. I'll consider giving it a read!

[_martinnoahtan_]

Thanks so much for this great review! I love it when books take you on an adventure through various geographic locations and cultures. I'll consider giving it a read!

I'm glad that you find this review helpful. The journey is even more interesting through the Mr. Kater's storytelling style.