Unbound

Colorado author John Shors has the gift. It is as simple as that. In BENEATH A MARBLE SKY he created a stunning love story woven through the interstices of the 16th century Hindustani building of the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the world, a place on earth where Paradise touches mortals in a magnificent mausoleum for the beloved wife of the Emperor. Not only it this a symphonic novel of surpassing craftsmanship and beauty, it is also a book that informs the reader about the differences between Muslim and Hindu religions, about the Persian Empire, about customs of caste, of worldviews, of architecture, and of the myriad flavors of a land too few of us understand. He continued this quality of writing in BESIDE A BURNING SEA, DRAGON HOUSE, THE WISHING TREES, CROSS CURRENTS, TEMPLE OF A THOUSAND FACES and now with UNBOUND.John has secured his place among popular American novelists of the decade with this his seventh novel that combines a growing respect of the beauties of the globe and the intricacies of the manner in which characters seemingly misplaced in locales seek to find themselves only to discover that their place in the confusion of the world is close at hand, partially shaded by nature’s vagaries.With UNBOUND John invites us to China in the year 1548 and while his prose visually creates the Great Wall of China, his story is once again about love and commitment and resolution that will tie husband and wife together despite the separation of the Mongol invasion threat that separates them. An aspect of John’s passion for history, romance and communication of his thoughts is evident in his pausing to offer an Author’s Note at book’s inception: ‘The Great Wall of China is one of the most awe-inspiring creations of humanity. But why was the legendary fortification built? And who built it? Modern scholars tell us that the Great Wall is not actually a single wall, but a collection of ramparts that were raised over a two-thousand-year period. Running from east to west near the northern border of China, the Great Wall was created to protect the Chinese from nomadic tribes, mainly the Mongols and Manchus. Early sections of the Great Wall were little more than barricades of branches, dirt, and rocks. As the centuries passed, the skills of the builders improved, and by the time of the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), the Great Wall was constructed more as an endless series of small, connected castles than a featureless barrier. Several million Chinese died building the Great Wall. Some of them were criminals. Others were soldiers. Many were pressured into work through laws designed to reward hard labor with tax exemptions. Everyone toiled under dangerous and often besieged conditions, creating an unrivaled fortification that, if its parts were added together, would stretch for more than five thousand miles. Once I chose to write a novel about the Great Wall, I was faced with a variety of options in terms of time and setting. I decided to place my story toward the end of the Ming Dynasty. At this time, China had about 150 million people, yet was vulnerable to Mongol attacks. Fierce, mobile, and unrivaled horsemen, the Mongols had struck fear into the hearts of the Chinese for generations. Rather than send armies north to meet and likely be defeated by their foe, the Ming leaders decided to reinforce and expand the Great Wall—a strategy that would become arguably the most ambitious building project in history. UNBOUND is loosely fashioned after the famous Chinese legend of a husband and wife who became swept up in the undercurrents of the Great Wall’s creation. At the time that Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was captivating audiences in the West, within China the story of Fan and Meng was being told with equal reverence. The tale of their epic struggle has been since shared from generation to generation, enduring the passage of time with as much resiliency and grace as the stones upon which they are said to have suffered. So it is the setting, not the characters, in this novel that is based on historical fact.’There are many reasons to select books to read. Selecting UNBOUND celebrates our intellect, our passion, our need for knowledge of the past, and our luxuriating in brilliant prose. Highly recommended on every level. Grady Harp, August 17

John Shors once again brings Asian history alive. He doesn't take sides – there are good guys and bad guys everywhere, but rather, he deals with people just trying to live their lives during tumultuous time periods. This story, set when the great wall divided the Chinese and the Mongols, introduces many endearing characters. I especially like Ping, a young thief, who assists Meng to find her husband working on the great wall. Their friendship is quite modern as he accepts her traveling disguised as a man and she accepts his assistance though he is a known thief. They learn from each other and become better people due to their enlightening friendship. Though John's words paint the story well, I could also imagine this to be a theater production, with a grand great wall set rotating to represent what happens on the Chinese side and the Mongol side. Beautiful costumes and strong characters. Perhaps even a musical as the emotions sweep you from tender love to jealousy to angry battles. It is always a pleasure to see what John comes up with. He researches well, and his stories are highly readable. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next, he is in his prime. I highly recommend Unbound.

Ever since reading John Shors first book, Beneath a Marble Sky, I have waited anxiously for each succeeding book to be released. Each book is unique and makes you feel as if you are transported back to that place and time. His latest book, Unbound, is a spellbinder from the very beginning. He brought the Ming Dynasty and the Great Wall of China to life through Fan and Meng and several other characters. Some characters you cheer for and some you boo, but the writing is such you can imagine the person, the place and you feel as if you are there with them.

I've read several novels by John Shors, and really enjoy his work. He hasn't come out with a new book in a few years, and I've been eagerly awaiting the release of his Great Wall novel. I'm happy to say that the wait was well worth it. Unbound is a wonderful story that benefits from memorable characters and a fast-moving plot. I haven't been to the Great Wall of China, but it came alive within this novel, and I could visualize each scene. This is a beautiful story, and I wish that I hadn't just finished it!

The best thing about this book was learning some things about the history of the Great Wall of China. However, I thought it read read like a young adult novel. I also found the story to be a bit repetitive at the beginning. Overall, I felt that the characters could have been much more developed. They had great potential!

I was fortunate to have seen a small section but large tourist attraction of the Great Wall while visiting China. It was an interesting setting for this story. Very good character development which is a requirement for me to give any book a high rating. That compensated for the annoyance in the early part of the book of the author retelling events . It gave me the impression that it was written for a younger reader that might forget what they already read. The plot and characters were not that complicated. I thought perhaps it was a device to portray the characters as lower ranking. Either I got used to it or it ended as the story progressed. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Chinese history of the war with Moguls or romance,

1548, the Middle Kingdom of China is ruled by the Ming dynasty, who replaced the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty in 1368. The Mongols continue to threaten, and while the Great Wall provides protection, it needs constant maintenance.In this novel, Mr Shors has recreated a version of the legendary Chinese love story of Meng Jingnu and her beloved Fan Xiliang. Fan leaves, for a period of three months, to work on the Great Wall. But he does not return, and after he is missing for twelve months, Meng sets off to find him. Meng has unbound feet, extremely unusual for any woman of rank during this period. It is only because of her unbound feet that Meng, disguised as a man, can consider undertaking this journey.Meanwhile, at the Great Wall, Fan works alongside a young Mongol captive, Bataar. General Yat-Sen holds their lives in his hands.The story shifts between Meng’s journey to the wall and Fan’s life on it. There are other stories as well: the concubine Yehonala, Bataar’s father Chuluun and Meng’s co traveller Ping.Meng’s journey is eventful. Fan’s existence at the Great Wall is fraught with danger. Meng’s letters to him have been intercepted by Yat-Sen whose greed and jealousy lead him to destroy what he cannot possess.And the ending? I finished the novel satisfied.Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I travelled to Beijing recently for the first time and this book seemed like the perfect way to get excited to visit the Great Wall of China - a MUST read if you will be visiting! The book is extremely well-researched so as I walked on the Great Wall, the details from the book stuck with me and I felt immersed in the experience. The story itself is simply wonderful -- it is based on the famous ancient Chinese love story of the characters Fan and Meng. In fact, the fable is so famous I had many lovely conversations in China about the original story and I was glad I had read the book to appreciate it! Reading this brought my Great Wall experience to life and I'm so grateful I stumbled upon the book before my trip. Definitely recommend!!

So captivating & descriptive

Excellent reading.