Shan Sa - Empress

[robot_mel]

I read this book in French a couple years ago but re-read it in the English translation for bibliogoth. It's a good historical fiction. It has all the main events of Wu Zetian's life, though an interesting interpretation on the reasons behind the events and whether she did or didn't do certain things.

I thought it was interesting that she came across as such a sexual creature, and that all the rumors about her sex life were confirmed (and more that were never said were admitted to) but that all the claims about ruthlessness that went along with her rise to power were denied. Personally I would have liked to see her a little more like Livia in I Claudius. But it was still fun for a novel, and nice to see her using translations of the actual edicts that Wu gave.

One thing I did find rather annoying was the translation of most (but not all) of the Chinese names. In particular I don't know why Chang An had to be referred to always as Long Peace whereas every other city was given the transliteration of its name. Similarly having Tai mountain instead of Mount Tai, when all the other mountains were referred to as Mout X seemed rather annoying.

Still a good read, not one to be taken as history, but still an enjoyable novel.