temple of a thousand faces by john shors

Each pines to return home to their loved ones. He is as much a slave as Bataar, the captured Mongol boy who must serve him. A skilled stone craftsman responsible for the upkeep of six miles of the wall, Fan was conscripted shortly after his marriage to Meng. The central action of the novel takes place during two weeks in October. “After all, could a shield of stone forever keep an ocean at bay? For the Mongols were no different than an irresistible force of nature.” Millions died in that effort to create and repair a wall that still thrills today in certain tourist-friendly places. The famous Wall that stretched from the ocean through the mountains to the steppes had imperfections in its armor so the Emperor conscripted millions of skilled workers and slaves to save the empire. In 1548 the Ming Empire faced a growing famine within its borders and the likelihood of an invasion from the Mongol hordes as they swept down from the North. Thematically, she becomes freer the further she moves away from home. The title is an allusion to the practice of foot binding among upper class women, and is contrasted with Meng, a woman of low rank, who uses her mobility-literally and figuratively-to search for her beloved husband Fan. As with most folktales, there are many versions with conflicting endings, and Shors has chosen one that best fits his themes. The novel is based on the traditional Chinese folktale of Fan and Meng. His latest and most expansive novel Unbound is set in ancient China on the Great Wall.

The setting in each of his novels is integral to the story and functions as a central character. Beneath the Marble Sky featured the Taj Mahal, the most exquisite example of love in the world, while Angkor Wat anchored Temple of a Thousand Faces. John Shors’ thoughtful novels are all set in the exotic Far East, underpinned by universal themes of a search for love and the bonds that bring people together.

Temple of a thousand faces by john shors