Review of Warriors of the Sun

[LinaMueller]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Warriors of the Sun" by M.J. Harilela.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Warriors of the Sun by M.J. Harilela is an intense and breathtaking C/T/M/H set in 1960s Hong Kong. For those unfamiliar with world history, China had to cede Hong Kong Island to the United Kingdom after losing the First Opium War. It is in a post-Japanese invasion (during World War II) context that this book develops. Anyone looking at the wealth of Hong Kong today doesn't realize that at the time, the place was a hotbed of corruption, triad gangs, and violence. In addition to this troubled environment, Hong Kongers had no assurance that China would not invade what was then a British colony.

The shadow organization Warriors of the Sun (no italics here, dear editor) was crucial in maintaining British rule in Hong Kong. One of the protagonists of the book is the leader of this organization. Still, the main issue is that there are so many characters that it is an arduous task to define who is the protagonist in this story. The reader will find romance, gambling, murder, corruption, love intrigue, and a luxurious high-society environment that contrasts with the violence and crime happening elsewhere in Hong Kong.

I found the descriptions of Hong Kong's macroeconomic and social reality incredibly fascinating. M. J. Harilela brilliantly described how Britain intelligently maintained order in her colony. Historical accounts are very reliable, detailing how brutal the Japanese were during their WWII invasion and how the Chinese were not satisfied with Great Britain dominating a territory they considered their own. All of this is seen from the perspective of Hong Kong's high society, faithful to British rule. The Kowloon Walled City reminded me of the movie Bloodsport. Great stuff indeed.

Five grammatical errors can barely be considered earth-shattering in a 403-page book. There are a fair number of swear words, but nothing extraordinary, especially considering that the book describes the actions of gangs and violent psychopaths. In the different chapters, the focus on the characters changes. There are so many other characters, which could have been a problem. However, the author managed to write a cohesive work and tie everything together in a distinctive way. So there is nothing negative to mention.

After reading the book carefully, it became clear that Harilela is a great writer and a person with excellent cultural background. Warriors of the Sun is an action-packed book full of suspense and a real page-turner. Undoubtedly, the most suitable score is four out of four stars. I recommend this book to those who like suspense and historical accounts. More sensitive readers should be aware as there are reports of violence, torture, and some initiation rituals that, although the author has said it is a creation of his mind, will repulse and disgust these people. Even if some of the details of these initiation rituals are fiction, anyone with the slightest judgment can imagine what actually happened in Kowloon Walled City before its demolition. There are several sex scenes and even a description of rape. Therefore, I do not recommend this book to anyone under 18.

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Warriors of the Sun
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[Uwe Neufeld]

What a topic! Just want to remind everyone that Hong Kong protesters in 2019 sang the U.S. Anthem and not the British. Hong Kongers wanted to be free from dictatorship and also from foreign rule.

[Dami Bassam]

This book is helpful, the author describe all catégories and economy& business in Honk Kong. We try to be with or not yet from dictatorship. The life is plenty of adventures and surprise, the choice is difficult to see regression or growth in all theme.

[Shelby Ayres]

The cover and title are stunning, though I do not understand how it fits with the contents of the book. I found it slightly misleading.

[NetMassimo]

This seems like an interesting book considering that it covers Hong Kong's history with all its complications. The plot seems really brutal, so I might need to be in the right mood to read the book. Regardless, thank you for your great review!

[Valeria Rotaru]

I'm glad that this book brings up a historical topic and puts it up for a heated discussion. The Opium War truly was a horrendous event. China was like the center where all the spheres of influence of the world were centered. Every imperialist nation wanted a tiny bit of it. But these also included Russians, French, German, and even Japanese. The British were not the only ones to be blamed for.

[noelhope]

This book has great content but I was not really drawn to it. Amazing review though.

[Eze Michael]

From this review, this book seems to possess historical information concerning what Hong Kong looked like before it was claimed from China. I'd love to read this book. Thanks for your honest review.