Dead at Daybreak

Book Description

The newest headspinning thriller from breakout South African crime writer Deon Meyer: the story of an ex-cop who has seven days to solve a seemingly unsolvable crime--the answer to which lies in his own dark past. When Smit, an antiques dealer, is burned with a blowtorch then killed execution-style with a single shot to the back of the head, former cop Zatopek "Zed" van Heerden is called in to investigate the unusual circumstances of the murder. Zed is still obsessed with the betrayals of his own past but must fill in the blanks of the victim's life. Who tortured and killed Smit, and who was he in the first place? Not the man whose papers he carries, that much is certain. Zed can never be sure of the loyalties of the people with whom he is dealing--his own past reputation ensures that--and he soon finds himself uncovering secrets that the security services of many countries would like left alone.

Customer Reviews:

A brutal murder, an empty safe and a missing will.......2006-01-15

A brutal murder, an empty safe and a missing will - this is the central theme around which this thrilling who-dun-it from South African Deon Meyer evolves. The unlikely hero takes the form of Zatopek "Zet" van Heerden, a former policeman who once excelled in Police Science, but now is a lonely, aggressive alcoholic, bent on self destruction. It is also well known that the safest place to be when Zet fires a gun is directly in front of the target.

Zet was on the scene when an accused serial killer fatally shot his partner and mentor, but this is not the only skeleton in his closet. The author skillfully ties in his past and present, so we soon get a picture of what makes Zet tick.

At the beginning of the story, a drunken tussle with a group of five men lands Zet some jail time, but a former colleague links him up with attorney Hope Beneke, who has a job for him. Hope's client is Wilhelmina Johanna "Wilna" van As, significant other of Johannes Jacobus "Jan" Smit, the unfortunate target of the aforementioned murder and robbery. Zet has seven days to recover the missing will before Wilna loses her inheritance, and the investigation takes every ounce of his considerable skill.

It immediately becomes obvious that nothing can be taken at face value, and that the case goes back nearly two dozen years to 1976. Time is running out, the situation is getting desperate and the players are bringing out the big guns.

A richly embellished tale, laced with murder, mayhem, intrigue, a little romance and a lot of cooking.

Amanda Richards, January 14, 2006

Well done psychological crime thriller.......2005-10-04

Generally speaking, I don't like novels where the hero carries around a lot of psychological baggage as a backstory. Deon Meyer's Zet van Heerden, a former police orficer turned failing private investigator, carries a backstory that would have a Freudian analyst turning cartwheels.

To Meyer's credit, he controls the backstory and although he comes close to overdoing it at several points, he does rein himself in time. It's a personal bias of mine, no doubt, but I think "Dead at Daybreak" would have been a better novel without spending so much time on van Heerden's psychological problems.

Even with that reservation, "Dead at Daybreak" is an engrossing mystery. Sprung from the local jail by attorney Kemp, who apparently holds van Heeren in low regard, he is deposited at the office of Hope Beneke, a young woman lawyer who has but seven days to recover a will that was stolen in a grisly execution style murder. If the will is not found, Wilna van As will collect nothing from the estate of the deceased, with who she has lived and worked for more than a decade.

Once a rising star in academic criminology, van Heerden leeft the academy and joined the police force. After the death of his partner and mentor, he embarked on a downward slide of alcohol and anger. His mother, a famous artist, is still there to lend him moral support.

Van Heerden is convinced that he is a failure and on several occasions comes to Beneke and quits. But each time he is pushed forward by a new idea. Seven days and they are passing quickly.

Van Heerden uses his network of old police and criminal contacts and the story of the murder begins to unravel as new threats to van Heerden, his mother, lawyer Beneke and others are introduced.

Meyer is skillful writer. His plot is imaginative, sometimes coming close to straining credulity, but almost always staying within the boundaries that keep the reader interested.

At the end, a plot nearly a quarter of century old is revealed. The police, military intelligence, even the CIA have become involved. All together it adds up to a fascinating mystery.

Jerry

(4.5) One man's heart of darkness.......2005-09-07

Meyer's second work of fiction, Dead at Daybreak, is set in South Africa, as was his impressive first novel, Heart of the Hunter, once more proving that greed and murder are universal, humanity equally flawed anywhere in the world. Zet van Heerden is disenchanted with life since his partner's death, having quit the force, spending his days in alcoholic oblivion. His old cronies in the department think it is Nagel's death at the hands of a serial killer that has pushed van Heerden over the edge, but it is more than that, an unbearable guilt that the disillusioned detective carries in his heart.

When van Heerden, now a private investigator, receives a call from attorney Hope Beneke, he begrudgingly accepts an assignment to recover a handwritten will, stolen from Johannes Smit, an antiques dealer who was tortured with a blowtorch before being shot, execution-style, in the back of the head. Smit's specially built safe is empty, but nothing else in the house has been touched. The antique dealer's live-in partner, Wilna van As, has only seven days to find the will and claim the estate. Zet's job is made more difficult by the time restriction, his frustration mounting with each dead end. But when he discovers there is no paper trail for Smit prior to starting his business, the PI turns his attentions to Smit's activities pre-1983, opening a Pandora's box of killers, intelligence agents, mercenaries and assorted desperadoes, all of whom will do anything to keep certain information quiet, threatening van Heerden's life and those around him. Suddenly, Zet is pursued by faceless assassins and determined intelligence officers in an accelerating cat-and-mouse game that quickly degenerates into violence.

The chapters counting backward from day seven, the prose moves back and forth between present and past, the investigation of Smit's murder reopening old wounds, bringing to the surface what the protagonist so desperately wants to suppress. Within the plot of Dead at Daybreak, Meyer creates a parallel universe, the police procedural translated into a struggle to contain the despair that has crippled van Heerden's spirit. Forced to look into his darkest motivations, Zet sees only the evil, unforgiving and without compassion for himself, his concentrated self-denial usurps his waking life, poisoning the present and the future; only the jailer can unlock the cell. Ironically, van Heerden's mother and Hope Beneke have the patience that may foster his resurfacing, as both women allow him the freedom to escape from a moral quagmire of his own making.

Constructing a picture of a man in conflict, Meyer ties art to life in a subtle marriage of music, passion and imagination, giving a sense of purpose to suffering: "I didn't realize how finally, how dramatically the morning of my life would spill me over the edge like so much flotsam". In this fascinating drama, personal morality overlaps professionalism in a moral quagmire, the characters sharply drawn with complicated motives. Even Tiny Mpayipheli, the hero of Heart of the Hunter, makes an appearance, lending his critical support to van Heerden on the final bloody leg of their journey. Insightful and psychologically taut, this South African thriller is compelling, a thoughtful examination of denial and personal responsibility and the acceptance of human limitations. Once again, Meyers displays his impressive skills as an observer of human nature, with all its misplaced passions and yearning for compatibility with the interior landscape of the heart. Luan Gaines/2005.

A wonderful thriller!.......2005-09-05

This is South African Deon Meyer's second thriller. His first release was Heart of the Hunter in 2004.

Former Afrikaner cop, Zatopek "Zet" van Heerden is a drunk. He"s in jail sleeping off a huge hangover after a fight with five (yes, five) dentists. This is definitely a man with a past and a lot of problems. In other words, he does not play well with others.

Hope Beneke is an attorney who hires Zet to locate a missing will. An antiques dealer, Johannes Smit, was killed execution style and his safe was emptied. As Zet tries to stay sober and learn more about Smit, he discovers the man did not exist prior to 1983. Zet attempts to learn who Smit was but there are others who will stop at nothing to prevent that. Things begin to happen and Zet's survival depends on what he can do in seven days.

Armchair Interviews says: Deon Meyers is a master storyteller. His action-packed novel is filled with scintillating tension, the characters are multi-dimensional and compelling and the plot is exciting. This book just plain sizzles and I can"t wait to get my hands on Heart of the Hunter. I am a new fan.

"What had driven him to take the wrong turnings to nowhere, to seek the dead ends?".......2005-08-27

Zapotek "Zet" van Heerden is beaten, bruised, and sleeping off a drinking binge in a South African jail when he is hired to work as a private detective for attorney Hope Beneke. Hope's client is the lover of Johannes Jacobus Smit, an antiques dealer who was tortured with a blowtorch before being shot and killed. His safe, reportedly containing two million dollars, has been emptied, and his will, purportedly leaving everything to his lover, has been stolen. If it cannot be found within a week, everything will go to the state.

Living on the edge and decidedly antisocial, Zet van Heerden is fighting numerous personal demons. Once honored as an intelligent and resourceful crime fighter, he feels responsible for the death of his mentor, Nagel, who was shot in front of him. Filled with rage which he does not even try to control, he now lashes out at the world and then escapes into an alcoholic stupor.

As van Heerden tries to unearth the will and information about Smit's past, he also investigates events from 1976, when Smit was in the army, and from 1983, when Smit accumulated an enormous amount of cash. During his research, Zet is haunted by two other cases--one from 1991, involving the murder and mutilation of a woman who lived behind him when he was a teenager, the event which led him to join the police force, and the recent tragedy involving Nagel's death, which led him to leave the force.

As van Heerden's family background, his past love life, and the events which have brought him to his present state unfold, the reader comes to appreciate how disturbed van Heerden really is and to feel sympathy for him. A wide variety of peripheral characters in various police organizations add to the depth of the novel and expand its scope, as van Heerden must deal with the Murder and Robbery division, a "friendly" gangster with a large security force, the Urban Anti-Terrorist Force, the military Defense Force, and the American consular office.

Meyer resists the temptation to turn this compelling psychological mystery and character study into a quasi-love story, choosing instead to involve the reader less through romance than through intriguing and alternating stories, time periods, and points of view. Details about South African life and the individual characters give immediacy and emotional intensity to the action, and Meyer's deliberate withholding of key information keeps the various mysteries fresh and exciting. The conclusion is satisfying on all levels, making this unusual and psychologically astute mystery far more intriguing than the typical police procedural. n Mary Whipple

Average customer rating:

Dead At Daybreak
Deon Meyer
Manufacturer: Clipper Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1841977446

Average customer rating:

Dead At Daybreak
Deon; Van Biljon, Madeleine Meyer
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OU7YXM

Average customer rating:

Dead at Daybreak
Deon Meyer
Manufacturer: Coronet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000OEFHD2

Customer Reviews:

slow but gratifying.......2007-04-12

Having read some of the other reviews of this clanbook i have to agree that yes it did take me longer to read this one than some of the other ones. And in places i did seem to get confuised as to what was actually going on but i found that the Inquisitor's and templars represented here show a great aspect of the Dark Ages game. I for one am going to try and pick up a copy of Dark Ages Inquistor at the first possible oppertunity after reading this book. You wont find any deep insight to the workings of the clan in this book cuz well i dont think that as a clan they are organised enough and Zoe is a rather uneducated ravnos fledgling, at least shes not as annoying in this book and has grown up a bit.

Tinkers and Saints.......2005-04-20

This book picks up the story of Zoë, who was Gregory the Wonder Maker, a character developed originally in Settite. With Gregory's death, Zoë left Andreas' caravan, and not she is on her own, making her way across the face of Europe toward Paris. Only her determination to take revenge on the red-robed monks that took the life of her second father, gives her the motivation to proceed with her life. Taken too young, and by Gregory, who despised his own vampire nature, Zoë can only hunt successfully in the heat of her beast. Control of her vampire nature still eludes her.

Not only are the obstacles of daylight and vampire territoriality in her way. Those she seeks to kill are by no means amateurs in the game of killing the undead. For all the compulsiveness of her bloodlust her odds of killing Isidro and the other Red Brethren are minimal and her story is one of fruitless searching and frustrated attempts at execution. When her path crosses that of Anatole, the mad Malkavian from Lasombra she is at her wits end.

Anatole steps in as a substitute father, but he has his own agenda as a vampire seeking to put an end to heresy among his king. Zoë, who has already been introduced to the basics of Settite religion must now cope with the peculiar Christianity of Anatole and the vampires who follow his path. Zoë's own feelings are often lost in the welter of conflicting ends and means. Yet eventually she is ready to make her own coming of age voyage and find those bits of love that are a vampire's due.

As a story, Ravnos moves slowly. It takes a while for Zoë to move beyond her initial haplessness and take an active role in the story. In addition, the intricacies of both human and Cainite church politics are best suited to those who love fine detailing even at the cost of action and flow. Still, Ravnos is no dry catalogue of facts but one of those tales that actually focus on the character development of a vampire. Since the book extends the story out of the limited arena of Constantinople it is also a key turning point in the series and a statement of broader themes.

The problem isn't in the writing craftsmanship.......2003-10-03

Blame the publisher -- this book is very hard to read because the font is extremely thin (narrow lines) and they have printed it very, very small -- and then used paper which isn't quite white enough.

The net effect is a terrible headache while trying to read under artificial light. Many people would not be able to get through it just for that.

The writing however is entirely competent, strong, controlled and forceful. The author has used all the correct imagery -- carries the scenes forward with dispatch -- gives enough but not too much description and emotional interaction.

The subject matter is -- well, it's part of this Dark Ages series and if you like this kind of thing, this has to be a winner of a novel. It is however, very very dark.

The protagonist, Zoe, is a vampire who has seen her sire murdered by a religious fanatic whose order stands against vampires on principle -- nevermind THIS vampire sire made beautiful things and that there are some vampire sects that don't always kill when they take blood. This religious sect murders all vampires without a second thought.

So Zoe sets off across the landscape of an alternate 13th century France to chase down and take revenge on the man who murdered her sire.

We join her near the end of her quest when she meets another vampire who takes responsibility for her vampire education, and she becomes attracted to him and his philosophy.

I won't tell you what she does when she confronts her moment of revenge -- but to get there you have to somehow decipher 283 pages of invisible print (and yes, I squinted my way through it page after page, I admit, couldn't quit until I knew) -- but all through those pages the main, repeated, obsessive subject is revenge.

There are other points of view given, but the story doesn't wander and the revenge theme is tightly focused through everything in the book. If books about revenge interest you, I'd recommend finding a copy of this in a library before buying it -- just to be sure you can see the print.

Live Long And Prosper,
Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Put my name in the amazon search engine to find my books.

Average customer rating:
Dark Ages Clan Novel Series: Nosferatu, Assamite, Cappadocian, Setite, Lasombra, Ravnos, Malkavian, Brujah, Toreador, Gangrel, Tremure, Ventrue and Tzimisce (set of 13 books)
Janet Trautvetter , Andrew Bates , Stefan Petrucha , David Niall Wilson , Sarah Roark , Kathleen Ryan , Gherbod Fleming , Ellen Porter Kiley , Myranda Kalis , and Tim Waggoner and Matthew McFarland
Manufacturer: White Wolf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000OIYKN6

Product Description

The complete series of 13 novels, sold as a set.

Average customer rating:

The First Mage War

Imititation Book...Zero For Originality!

Another Great read

GATHERING FLAME HAS SOME SPARKS

Great Space Opera and a great prequel

The Gathering Flame: The Prequel to Mageworlds (Mageworlds, No 4)
Debra Doyle , and James D. MacDonald
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Alternate History | Anthologies | Arthurian | Contemporary | Epic | General | Historical | History & Criticism | Magic & Wizards | Series
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Long Hunt (Mageworlds)

By Honor Betray'D (Mageworlds, Book 3)

Starpilot's Grave (Mageworlds, Book 2)

The Stars Asunder

A Working of Stars (Mageworlds)

ASIN: 0812534956

Customer Reviews:

The First Mage War.......2003-01-10

The Gathering Flame (1995) is the fourth novel written in the Mageworlds series. At this time, however, it is the third in internal chronological sequence, following A Working of Stars and preceding The Price of the Stars. Five hundred years before, a Great Working was performed to bridge the eiran across The Gap Between. The only surviving Mage from that Circle, Arekhon Khreseio sus-Khalgath sus-Peledaen, had returned to his lover Elaeli Inadi syn-Peledaen, known as the Maestra Elela Rosselin, on Entibor and now serves her descendants as Ser Hafrey, the Armsmaster.

The Mages have begun raiding across the Gap Between and threaten Entibor. Perada Rosselin has just inherited the title of Domina of Entibor and, in the company of Ser Hafrey and Nivome do'Evaan of Rolny, is traveling from Galcen to Entibor to receive her crown. On the way, she takes a side-journey to Waycross on Innish-Kyl in order to converse with Jos Metadi, the leader of a fleet of privateers attacking Mage conveys. Perada wants Jos to command her fleet against the Mages and is offering to take him as her consort if he will become her General of Armies. Metada turns her down and tries to leave, but finds the door locked from the outside. Escaping the building by the back way, Jos and Perada are fired upon by unknown assailants and flee to Metada's ship, the Warhammer. Errec Ransome, an Adept who survived the Mage attack on Ilarna, is the navigator on the Warhammer, Nannla and Tillijen are the gunners, and Ferrdacor the Selvaur is the engineer.

This novel tells the backstory of the First Mage War and the formation of the Republic. It shows why Errec Ransome is called the Breaker of Circles, how Entibor was Lost, and what caused the Rolny enmity toward the Rosselin-Metadi clan. It also gives some background on the other planets involved in the original trilogy.

This novel may be a prequel, but it throughly enjoyable in itself. Recommended for all Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys interstellar politics and intrigue.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Imititation Book...Zero For Originality!.......2002-05-31

These writers must write by committee. They're imitators, not innovators. This is a poor substitute for a BOOK. This isn't crab meat, it's imitation Krab flavored.

Another Great read.......2002-05-22

The characters are intensely personal. You almost know their thoughts and want to help them in their trials.

GATHERING FLAME HAS SOME SPARKS.......2002-05-14

This 4th novel which tells you how the forst 3 novels began is a fun and good read but lacked some of the character detail somewhat. The mutual love that Jos Metadi and Perada developed seemed to happen much too quickly from two people who saw the universe in such diverse ways. It seemed that they were going at each other and the next chapter - were having kids! That would have been better told if their relationship would have unfolded slowly. Errec Ramsome as usual, stole the show again as the mysterious adept. His story and character dominate this book byt far. Another thing that I did not understand was why was not the 1st born the heir apparent? It seemed that Perada had to have another child, but for what reason?
Overall a good read, but not as good as the first trilogy.

Great Space Opera and a great prequel.......1998-10-24

From it's opening scenes, The Gathering Flame moves quickly and excitingly through the introducing of the main characters and smoothly catches us up with how they got to be the people they are. Besides wanting to read this story I bought it specifically to take to a SciFi Con and have signed by Doyle and MacDonald. Despite the obvious distractions of traveling 800 miles and an extremely enjoyable Con, I couldn't rest upon returning home until I finished this book. Pick it up, you won't want to put it down.

The Gathering Flame: The Prequel to Mageworlds

Average customer rating:

The Gathering Flame: The Prequel to Mageworlds
Debra; MacDonald, James D. Doyle
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXWC5U

Average customer rating:

Good introductory book

Okay, but get it from the library

Big disappointment

Great for first-timers, only wish there were more pictures

Not authentic enough

Chinese Cooking for Dummies
Martin Yan
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Chinese | Asian | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Cooking, Food & Wine | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
For Dummies | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Martin Yan Quick and Easy

The Everything Chinese Cookbook: From Wonton Soup to Sweet and Sour Chicken-300 Succulent Recipes from the Far East (Everything Series)

Martin Yan's Chinatown Cooking: 200 Traditional Recipes from 11 Chinatowns Around the World

The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook

Everyday Chinese Cooking: Quick and Delicious Recipes from the Leeann Chin Restaurants

ASIN: 0764552473

Book Description

Have you ever had a craving for fried dumplings or hot and sour soup at midnight? Ever wonder how your local Chinese takeout makes their food taste so good—and look so easy to make? Still don’t know the difference between Sichuan, Cantonese, and Mandarin cooking? Discovering how to cook the Chinese way will leave you steaming, stir-frying, and food-styling like crazy!

The indescribably delicious cuisine of a fascinating country can finally be yours. And in Chinese Cooking For Dummies, your guide to the wonders and magic of the Chinese kitchen is none other than Martin Yan, host of the award-winning TV show Yan Can Cook. In no time at all, you’ll be up to speed on what cooking tools to use, how to stock your pantry and fridge, and the methods, centuries old, that have made dim sum, Egg Fu Young, Kung Pao Chicken, and fried rice universal favorites. You’ll also be able to:

Think like a Chinese chef—usin g the Three Tenets of Chinese Cooking
Choose and season a wok, select a chef’s knife, plus other basic tools of the trade
Find the essential ingredients—and ask for them in Chinese with a Chinese language (phonetic) version of black bean sauce, hoisin sauce, plum sauce, bamboo shoots, and more
Cook using a variety of methods—including stir frying, steaming, blanching, braising, and deep frying

And with over 100 recipes, arranged conveniently like a Chinese menu, Chinese Cooking For Dummies lets you select from any column in the comfort of your own kitchen...which is when the fun really begins. Imagine putting together your ideal meal from the book’s rich offering of recipes:

Delectable morsels—including Baked Pork Buns, Spring Rolls, Potstickers, Steamed Dumplings, and Shrimp Toast
Seafood dishes—including Sweet and Sour Shrimp, and Oysters in Black Bean Sauce
Poultry dishes—including Moo Goo Gai Pan, Kung Pao Chicken, and Honey Garlic Chicken
Pork, beef, and lamb dishes—including Sichuan Spareribs, Tangerine Beef, and Mongolian Lamb

With sixteen pages of tempting, full-color photographs, several black-and white illustrations, and humorous cartoons, Chinese Cooking For Dummies gives you all of the basics you’ll need, letting you experience the rich culinary landscape of China, one delicious dish at a time—and all, without leaving a tip!

Amazon.com

Won Ton Soup, Kung Pao Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork, Fried Rice, Mu Shu Pork--Chinese takeout again? Not with Chinese Cooking for Dummies, which brings the experience of the Chinese restaurant to your home, including everything but the big, exotic fish tank. Author Martin Yan, an award-winning celebrity chef, has put together everyone's favorite Chinese recipes all in the comfortable, familiar Dummies format, including his own signature brand of humor.

To get the full experience, the book requires an up-front time investment of reading before cooking, and includes background on Chinese history and its influence on Chinese cooking. It is long, but if you have the time, it is worth the read. Yan provides a window to the Chinese philosophy on cooking--the delicate balance of complementing flavors, textures, shapes, and cooking techniques--which makes it easier for the Westerner to better understand that what they're doing is more than frying rice.

The book is filled with more than 100 recipes as well as excellent preparation and handling tips for seafood, poultry, pork, and beef. Much of this information easily transcends cuisine borders to foods of all nationalities. As for presentation, Yan has provided fascinating instructions for easy-to-make garnishes that enhance the appearance of a traditional Chinese meal but don't require an art degree. The Chinese may boast of 3,000 varieties of rice but he recognizes that his reader is probably only going to use a couple of these. Another staple of Chinese cuisine, the sauces, are included, with recipes for sweet and sour sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese mustard, and black bean sauce. He recommends making sauces in batches, and offers storage instructions that make it possible to keep the various concoctions for weeks. This allows for a quick Chinese stir-fry, or other favorite dish, in a matter of minutes.

Practical and easy aren't often associated with Chinese food, but Martin Yan makes it seem so simple you may never order takeout again. --Teresa Simanton

Customer Reviews:

Good introductory book.......2007-06-27

I gave it four stars because I wasn't wild about the recipes, but then all I really know is what I eat in the chinese restaurant.

The information on the proper use of the seasonings and description of the chinese vegetables is very helpful. His directions are very good.

I started using sesame oil and learned that it should be added at the end.

Okay, but get it from the library.......2006-06-27

If it's been said before that this book is too "Americanized," that may be true, but I'd suggest that this book doesn't go far enough -- even in that direction. While a "fun" book, the actual recipes themselves do not adequately cover a typical American-Chinese restaurant or takeout-menu; for example, Mongolian Beef and Sesame Chicken (two of the most popular dishes served, among others) are mysteriously and conspicuously missing from the book. The majority of the recipes will probably be unfamiliar. That's too bad, since it seems clearly aimed at someone who would want American takeout style Chinese cuisine. While Yan has a few good ideas here, there are far better books out there with more of what you're looking for.

Big disappointment.......2003-07-11

About three years ago I decided to learn authentic Chinese cooking. I purchased several books. This one was the most disappointing. I enjoyed Martin Yan when I saw his TV cooking shows. I had high hopes for this book but was disappointed to say the least. Recipes are very mediocre, a couple downright bad. It appears to me that Martin Yan is not trying to present simply great Chinese food but instead modifying recipes to appeal to what he thinks Western tastes would like.

Great for first-timers, only wish there were more pictures.......2003-06-18

Four main things to comment on:

1) You definitely feel Martin Yan's personality in these pages. Great broad yet brief background on regional influences on Chinese cooking.
2) Equally good broad yet brief explanation of basic ingredients and also the prep and cooking techniques.
3) Recipes are pretty easy and you are welcome to buy most of the basic sauces rather than make them from scratch.
4) Only wish there were pictures with each recipe.

On to the details.

On the first point, if you like his PBS shows, you'll enjoy reading this book. It has his wit and its easy to imagine him speaking to you, cleaver in hand. The background info about different regions is brief yet insightful. For example, you will not learn the history of each region, but you will have some insight about the differences between menus at The Canton Cafe versus Larry's Peking Palace.

On the second point, if you're a complete novice to cooking (let alone Chinese cooking), there's enough info about equipment, technique, and ingredients to get you going. He also provides lots of pragmatic advice - substitute ingredients and make-shift cooking supplies when you have limited options.

On the third point, recipes are easy AS LONG AS YOU'RE PATIENT. Unlike some other cuisines, most of this book involves stir frying and that means you MUST have your ingredients prepped before you start throwing things into the wok. There's no time to measure and chop once you start because the "cooking" stage only takes 2-3 minutes :) I found cooking, in general, to be much easier if I have everything premeasured and ready-to-go in little dishes, just like on the TV shows.

On the fourth point, like most "Dummies" books, this one is printed with very few color pictures. And the ones that are provided are bunched together in an insert in the middle of the book - several glossy pages showing finished dishes. Where some areas, such as explanation of techniques, are adequately accompanied by illustrations, I really prefer to have pictures with each recipe. And if not step-by-step, then at least one showing the finished dish. Alas, that is the one area I found lacking.

In summary, great book and more pictures would've made it even better.

Also, one bit of advice - don't expect to get stir-frying right the first few times. It does get a lot easier after a few tries though.

Not authentic enough.......2002-07-15

Overall, this book offers a quick overview of Chinese cuisine, specifically one of many provinces, Canton. However, as a Chinese, I have tried many of the recipes in this book and found that the directions were too complicated to follow, especially preparing for the sauces. And after half an hour to 45 minutes of long arduous preparation, I find that the dishes were less than palatable and authentic. I would say if you like Americanized Chinese foods, go right ahead and try it. The Lemon Chicken dish is recommended. However, if you are looking for more authenticity and sophistication, try other ones.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books