This is a well-conceived, well written alternate history of nineteenth century Imperial China.  Mr. Duncan captures the essence of the decaying Qing dynasty and the effects this decline has on the empire.  Though not an exact duplicate of the historical figures involved (Hong Xiuquan, the leader of the Taiping rebellion and Empress Dowager Cixi, among others), there is always the presence of Chinese culture and history.

This is a long novel, and requires patience.  The reader is rewarded with entry into a fascinating and evocative fantasy world, just like Marco Polo entering China for the first time.

A very enjoyable book, though it requires attention to truly appreciate it.  Excellent job, Mr. Duncan.

The multidimensional plot line is revealed slowly with a host of characters. Let me start with two small points. The story is slow burning, it does not hasten to uncover, but it is not without action. So many things happen that you, at some points, are unsure where the story is going. It is always moving forwards, but is not an epic in the sense that there is a united purpose. Additionally, there are a ton of characters that have multiple names! I read in the reviews that some people could not adapt to the amount of named or their uncharacteristic aspect, like sunlight or firstborn. The characters also undergo name changes, so I can definitely empathize there. The names can get very confusing. However, this does not detract from the story, as each chapter is a different person, so there is little fear of being confused for long.