Haohui Zhou

https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/three-books-set-in-chengdu-death-notice-and-fate....

There is a certain genre about killers who are superbly able to outwit the forces of law and order – The Silence of the Lambs is the most obvious, but I also recently read Thirteen by Steve Cavanaugh – and there were several scenes where I found it very difficult to suspend my disbelief – though a couple of these are in fact fairly well grounded in local scenery, a murder carried out in full view of the police in front of the Deye Building in Citizens’ Square, and another historical gruesome death at Mount Twin Deer Park, none of which are locations that I have been able to identify on the map. The series is a good enough example of its kind, the tensions between cops from the city and periphery, university graduates and non-graduates, and men and women, all well portrayed against a somewhat implausible backdrop; the means and motivation of their opposition remaining unclear.… (mehr)

https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/three-books-set-in-chengdu-death-notice-and-fate...

There is a certain genre about killers who are superbly able to outwit the forces of law and order – The Silence of the Lambs is the most obvious, but I also recently read Thirteen by Steve Cavanaugh – and there were several scenes where I found it very difficult to suspend my disbelief – though a couple of these are in fact fairly well grounded in local scenery, a murder carried out in full view of the police in front of the Deye Building in Citizens’ Square, and another historical gruesome death at Mount Twin Deer Park, none of which are locations that I have been able to identify on the map. The series is a good enough example of its kind, the tensions between cops from the city and periphery, university graduates and non-graduates, and men and women, all well portrayed against a somewhat implausible backdrop; the means and motivation of their opposition remaining unclear. The situation is sufficiently generic that the first book was adapted without difficulty into a film made and in 2023 this year.… (mehr)

So, I'm really glad I read this. However, I'm also glad I've finished it. The author did some serious research and I sincerely appreciated that. The story was solid. Kind of a detective story with a demon twist. But I really struggled off and on with this one. It was entertaining for sure, but there were parts that felt like they lasted a bit too long. It may have been a translation issue, because I felt like I couldn't always connect with the writing. I wanted it to be scarier, I'll admit that, but once I accepted that it wasn't truly going to be the horror or suspense that I expected I was able to enjoy it more.

If you do read this one, think of it more as historical fiction with a supernatural kick.… (mehr)

Zhou Haohui is the second Chinese author I have read, after Cixin Liu, and he is promising! Valley of Terror is a mystery-thriller that blends crime, action, adventure and history in almost equal parts with a bit of science. It begins with an unidentified phobia terrorising a lot of unrelated people in the city of Longzhou - even killing some. Chasing the trail of the disease, Chief Inspector Luo travels to the wilderness of Yunnan, accompanied by a renowned psychologist and a bumbling, controversial historian. The team is followed by a mounting count of dead-bodies and the threat of being attacked by a maleficent spirit from the seventeenth century out for revenge. The plot is gripping and the simple narration does nothing to diminish the tautness. Though the parts about the blood-vial and the curse sounded far-fetched, I quite enjoyed this novel and am inspired to read more Chinese authors in the coming year.… (mehr)