Sons Of Heaven: A Novel - Hardcover

Cheng, Terrence

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1425753760 ISBN 13: 9781425753764

Publisher: Xlibris, 2007

Synopsis

"Sons of Heaven"" is an epic novel set against the backdrop of one of modern history's most haunting events: the Tiananmen Square Massacre. In June of 1989, the world watched in horror as China's military was mobilized to suppress a student movement that stood for peaceful democracy. Hundreds were killed; others say into the thousands. No one knows for sure.

But the image that remains most powerful is that of a lone young man, looking confused yet terribly brave, as he held his ground before a rolling line of tanks. Who was he, and why did he do what he did? No one has ever been able to determine his identity or fate. Within the pages of "Sons of Heaven," in a stunning blend of history and fiction, Terrence Cheng has vividly created for this young hero a life, and given him a voice.

Cheng constructs the young man's life as he goes away to America to complete his education. He falls in love with a beautiful young American girl who opens to him a free life filled with opportunity. When he returns to China he becomes embittered and disillusioned; only the potential for political change seems to revive him. Also portrayed is the story of the young man's older brother, an ardent member of the Red Army, who is ordered to capture his sibling. In the end, their political differences turn deadly. On one level this is a novel of history as played out in modern China, but first and foremost, it is about the universal ties of family and the difficult process of boys learning to become men.

Cheng also scrutinizes the life and history of Deng Xiaoping, China's leader who is suspected of giving the final order to turn the People's Army against its own people. What historical and politicalfactors affected his decisions that fateful summer? Was Deng the monster that the world made him out to be?

An unsettling and powerfully lacerating story of family, faith, and courage, "Sons of Heaven" weaves the lives of peasants and soldiers, politicians and gods, into a timeless snapshot of one of history's most memorable and heartrending events. With this unforgettable, psychologically acute novel, Terrence Cheng confirms that he is a daring and important new voice in fiction.

About this title

Review

?A vivid and imaginative fictional account of the events of Tianamen Square in June 1989... a compelling read.?Kirkus Reviews ?A ripping good story about a headline event of great power and resonance.?Library Journal ?Tragic?Packed with emotion and desperation, Cheng's novel speaks for a man who needed a voice. ?Booklist ?(An) imaginative and minutely researched chronicle of the Tiananmen Square Massacre.?New York ?Vivid and provocative?multifaceted and sophisticated?a rare find.?Publishers Weekly (starred review)

About the Author

Terrence Cheng's first novel, "Sons of Heaven," was universally critically acclaimed. "Publishers Weekly" said it is "a rare find: historical and political without being pedantic, and briskly entertaining without being cheap, simplistic, or contrived," while "Library Journal "called it "a ripping good story." Cheng was a James Michener Fellow at the University of Miami, where he earned his MFA. He lives in New York City.

Edition details

• Publisher: Xlibris
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1425753760
• ISBN 13: 9781425753764
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208