For those of you unfamiliar with Mr. Hughart's singular creation, they're tales of a China that never was, with Master Li in a Holmesian role, and Number Ten Ox his attendant Watson. The books are an unmitigated joy on every level.

Reading Hughart's endearing historical fantasy trilogy, first published almost 20 years ago, is much like 'wandering blindfolded through a myth devised by a maniac,' in the words of Master Li, the greatest and most frequently intoxicated wise man in a colorful seventh century 'China that never was.' Their rollicking adventures pit them against everyone from murderers and thieves to emperors and gods. Numerous Chinese legends, filtered through Ox's simple perspective, blend seamlessly into both lighthearted and heartrending.