Gentleman Of China

When an author publishes around 80 novels over the course of his career, it might be expected that quality lies somewhat in quantity's shadow. However Robert Standish provides a pleasant surprise, with a well written, tightly constructed novel that explores the divide between East and West in Republican China. I won't kid you, he's not Graham Greene. His dialogue can clunk a little at times, and he's not given to descriptive passages, which tends to limit his ability to evoke time and place. He expounds on his central theme just a little too much. Nevertheless, Standish turns in a thoughtful and entertaining novel which was a pleasure to read.