I came into Bridge of Birds skeptical and a bit weary of ancient China as a setting after a month or so with Mo Yan. Fortunately, I lasted longer than just the first glance, because Bridge of Birds was a surprising blast of fresh air.

Though it's couched in the language of a myth, the book is actually a dense and intensely enjoyable bit of fantasy. Li Kao and Number Ten Ox are great, real characters that navigate a world of ghost, beasts and gods.

It's a lot of fun, and a nice digestible size to boot.