Review: Read this book with a cup of Chinese black tea, of course! (High Mountain Keemun, perhaps?)
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 4, 2012
The Fifth Beauty by Ellison James is a short story that is based on Chinese legends and mythology. Not being familiar with Chinese literature, I don't know how much of the story is based on real legend, and how much is the author's imagination. While I wouldn't classify this as erotica, it certainly has an adult sexual theme and isn't intended for minors (on a hotness scale of 1-5, I'd give it a 3). The story is about the overthrow of a Chinese magistrate in ancient China by his trusted scribe, with the assistance of a succubus named Azra.The writing is topnotch. I saw some editing mistakes, but nothing serious. While reading, I got the same kind of vibe that I got from watching the Chinese film Hero. It's a story about a faraway place, in a time long ago, about a culture that's very different from the modern-day Western World. The author captures this foreign world and brings it to life for the reader without getting bogged down in details.I would have liked a better explanation for the appearance of the dark forces in this story. At first, I thought maybe they were sent by the opposing general. While I thought the epilogue was interesting, I don't think it was necessary, and I thought that Taijin would want nothing to do with Azra, yet he did have a yearning for her. I suppose that was a testimony to the seductive powers of the Huli Jing.Fantasy and mythology are not really my thing, but this was a short read and I enjoyed the story. If you like reading stories from those genres, then I think you'll like The Fifth Beauty. If you are looking for a graphic erotic tale, this may not satisfy you, but if stories of eroticism offend you, then this isn't the read for you, either.