So Many Precious Books, So Little Time: Giveaway: The Concubine Saga by Lloyd Lofthouse

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Giveaway: The Concubine Saga by Lloyd Lofthouse

The Concubine saga combines two of Lloyd Lofthouse's books into one glorious read, My Splendid Concubine and Our Hart. I had the pleasure of reading them both. They fictionalize Robert Hart, known as the 'Godfather of China's modernism'. A man I knew nothing about before I read Lloyd Lofthouse's account of him.

Hart was born in Ireland and in 1854 we went to China to work for the British Consulate as an interpreter. Before that he had a reputation for drinking too much and womanizing and he was determined to change his ways and grow up in China.

He hired a Chinese tutor to learn the language and customs. He learned that it was customary for foreign men to have a concubine while in China. While he was conflicted with the ethics of it he did get a concubine, actually two. Sisters, Ayaou and her younger sister Shao-mei. The two sisters did not want to be separated. Hart loved both of them but was deeply in love with Ayaou.

Hart and Ayaou have children together and their eunuch servant, Guan-Jiah becomes a surrogate uncle for the children. Robert became the deputy commissioner of customs for the Ch’ing dynasty in his late 20's. and it kept him away from his family for long stretches at a time. He was indispensible to the dynasty and work for them in to his senior year. They fondly referred to him as "Our Hart".

Lloyd Lofthouse does a great job pacing the story and keeping the reader engaged. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I highly recommend The Concubine Saga to historical fiction lovers who are interested in Chinese culture.

About Lloyd Lofthouse:

Lloyd Lofthouse is the author of My Splendid Concubine and Our Hart [combined in this single volume], which earned honorable mentions in general fiction at the 2008 London Book Festival, 2009 San Francisco Book Festival, 2009 Hollywood Book Festival, 2009 Los Angeles Book Festival, 2009 Nashville Book Festival and was a finalist in historical fiction for the National Best Books 2010 Awards. Lloyd Lofthouse grew up in Southern California, served in the Vietnam War as a U.S. Marine and lives near San Francisco with his wife and family with a second home in Shanghai, China.

Here's your chance to win a copy of The Concubine Saga! If you live in the U.S., you will have your choice of a print or Kindle copy. If outside the U.S. you will receive the book in Kindle. Be sure to follow the tour for the entire month of June for extra chances to win! This giveaway ends on June 30,2012.

Lloyd Lofthouse is also holding a giveaway:

Leave an approved comment on one or more Blog posts found at Lloyd Lofthouse.org or iLook China.net
between May 30, 2012 and June 30, 2012
during "The Concubine Saga" Web Tour
and automatically be entered into a drawing
to win a limited edition, signed and numbered hard-cover copy of the novel.
(NOTE: only one limited-edition, hard-cover copy is available to give away)

a Rafflecopter giveaway