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Title: Tienkuo

Subtitle: The Heavenly Kingdom

Author: Li Bo

Narrator: Jack Nolan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-05-17

Publisher: Steven A. Leibo

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In Tienkuo: The Heavenly Kingdom, author Li Bo has drawn on his knowledge of East Asian civilization to transport listeners to 19th-century China. There a massive civil war is tearing the Qing dynasty apart.

At the heart of the rebellion is the mysterious Taiping Tienkuo, the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace. The Heavenly Kingdom is the center for the Taipings, a religious and political movement determined to overthrow Confucian rule and establish a government based on semi-Christian beliefs. Leading the revolt is a man who claims to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ himself.

The Heavenly Kingdom is home to the devout, the zealous, and the courageous. Some regard them as mere rebels but others as visionaries.

For Jason Brandt, the son of a Hong Kong missionary, the Heavenly Kingdom holds an undeniable allure. Accompanied by his best friend, Wu Sek-chong, and the beautiful and stubborn Black Jade, the young man sets off to see the Heavenly Kingdom for himself.

In the great journey ahead, all three travelers will be tested as they confront their hidden desires and doubts. Could there be catastrophic consequences in the gripping adventure unfolding before them?

Members Reviews:

Captivating story, great introduction to modern Chinese history

A labor of love, revised and refined over a twenty-five-year period, Steven Leiboâs _Tienkuo: The Heavenly Kingdom_ is a fantastic introduction to late imperial/early modern Chinese history (Qing Dynasty). The story takes place during the Taiping Rebellion (approximately 1850-1864), an uprising of Chinese peasants against the Qing Dynasty government led by a failed Chinese exam candidate who proclaimed himself to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ. With this captivating historical event as its backdrop, the story revolves around the shared adventures of three figures: Jason Brandt, Wu, and Black Jade. Jason is a particularly compelling character; although he is a son of a Western missionary, he has been raised in China, knows the language and customs, and thus in some ways is more Chinese than Western, especially in his thinking, habits, and general worldview. Through the figure of Wu, we get a nuanced view of the intricacies of traditional Chinese society, such as the social hierarchies and the changing economic realities of early modern China. Black Jade is the most interesting figure; as a strong and independent Chinese woman, her personality, actions, and desires are in conflict with the traditional Confucian restrictions on her gender. As I donât want to spoil the story for others, I will say that the novelâs progression offers insight into numerous sub-topics of this era, besides the Taiping Rebellion itself: Chinaâs quasi-colonial status during the post-Opium War period (including Christian missionary activities, Sino-Western relations, as well as the political, social, and racial implications of nineteenth century imperialism), and traditional Chinese society during the Qing era (Confucianism, the Civil Service examination system, filial piety, ancestor worship, the plight of women in traditional Confucian society). This novel provides a solid background and fascinating context conducive to understanding Chinese history; a great read for historians, undergraduate students and lovers of historical fiction.