# FREE Today & Tmorrow Oct 10th & 11th - The Nan Tu at Amazon



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Today & Tomorrow Oct 10th & 11th at Amazon*



*The Nan Tu - Southern Swallow Book II*

*by Edward C Patterson
Kindleboard Book Profile for The Nan Tu
"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series -- The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny -- the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.

About the Author
Edward C. Patterson has been writing novels, short fiction, poetry and drama his entire life, always seeking the emotional core of any story he tells. With his eighth novel, The Jade Owl, he combines an imaginative touch with his life long devotion to China and its history. He has earned an MA in Chinese History from Brooklyn College with further post graduate work at Columbia University. Born in 1947, a native of Brooklyn, NY, he has spent four decades as a soldier in the corporate world gaining insight into the human condition. He won the 1999 New Jersey Minority Achievement Award for his work in corporate diversity. Blending world travel experiences with a passion for story telling, his adventures continue as he works to permeate his reader's souls from an indelible wellspring. His novel No Irish Need Apply   was named Book of the Month for June 2009 by Booz Allen Hamilton's Diversity Reading Organization. His Novel The Jade Owl   was a finalist for The 2009 Rainbow Awards. *

  

*Contents

Part I: The Silken Thread

Chapter One: The Dragon's Teeth
Chapter Two: Ying-t'ien
Chapter Three: Magnolia House
Chapter Four: The Yellow Door
Chapter Five: The Phoenix Pavilion
Chapter Six: A Fine Procession
Chapter Seven: A Dream of Days Past
Chapter Eight: In the Huai Valley
Chapter Nine: The Outlaws of the Golden Marsh
Chapter Ten: The River Huai
Chapter Eleven: The Viceroy
Chapter Twelve: The Jackal
Chapter Thirteen: From the Sapphire Hall
Chapter Fourteen: The Ride of Sun Bearer
Chapter Fifteen: The Tiger Eye Inn
Chapter Sixteen: The House of Master Sui
Chapter Seventeen: At the Yang-chou Ya-men
Chapter Eighteen: The Flotilla of Heaven
Chapter Nineteen: K'ang Yu-wei's Dilemma
Chapter Twenty: An Empire of One

Part II: Ming-shou

Chapter One: The Citadel
Chapter Two: The Hall of Divine Purification
Chapter Three: Recalcitrant Dames
Chapter Four: The Miao-Liu Mutiny
Chapter Five: The Hero of Shao-xing
Chapter Six: A New Era
Chapter Seven: West Lake
Chapter Eight: Xing-shan
Chapter Nine: Wall Monkeys

Part III: Scattered Seeds

Chapter One: The Fricative
Chapter Two: Queen Wu's Mirror
Chapter Three: A Difference of Opinion
Chapter Four: Jackal and Hound
Chapter Five: The Descendants of T'ai-tsu
Chapter Six: The Road Diverges
Chapter Seven: A Sack of Turnips
Chapter Eight: The God of War
Chapter Nine: The Furnace of Lung-chung
Chapter Ten: Cross the River!
Chapter Eleven: Fateful Decisions
Chapter Twelve: Ning-po
Chapter Thirteen: The Emperor Flees to the Sea
Chapter Fourteen: Dragon Oil

Part IV: The Anchorage

Chapter One: The Road to Li-chou
Chapter Two: The Triumph of Distrust
Chapter Three: The Protector
Chapter Four: Shui-ching
Chapter Five: The Min Delegation
Chapter Six: The Keeper
Chapter Seven: The Way East
Chapter Eight: Lung-hua
Chapter Nine: Li-chou
Chapter Ten: Fading Dragon
Chapter Eleven: Shao-xing*​
The first book in the series, The Academician, is also available on the Kindle, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UE7D96, for $ .99.

Come enjoy this work which has been in progress for 37 years (2 Books down, two to go).

Edward C. Patterson


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## AppleHeart (Apr 10, 2009)

Just saw this, 1-clicked and will check Kindle when I get home. Yeah! Nice cover, loved it!

<doing a jig>

When's the next one due?

ebc

edited to add something


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

AppleHeart:

Looking forward to your feedback on it. 

Thanks

Ed Patterson


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## JennaAnderson (Dec 25, 2009)

Ed - I love the covers of your books. Do you paint them yourself?

Jenna


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Thank you Jenna:

I create them myself generally as a Photoshop collage and then sprinkle some pixie dust on them (from some other programs). I love doing the covers myself. (Bobby's Trace's cover is the exception - that's a stock cover, the orgiinal one  made being not to my liking).

Thanks again
Ed Patterson


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## JennaAnderson (Dec 25, 2009)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thank you Jenna:
> 
> I create them myself generally as a Photoshop collage and then sprinkle some pixie dust on them (from some other programs). I love doing the covers myself. (Bobby's Trace's cover is the exception - that's a stock cover, the orgiinal one made being not to my liking).
> 
> ...


They are very eye catching.

I sprinkle a little pixie dust on my request forms at work. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. 

Jenna


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Thanks Jenna:

I try to make a cover organic to the work.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Although I have a Master's degree in Sinology and did doctoral work on Sung Dynasty history and culture, *The Nan Tu * had me running for my research books, since there's quite a bit of warfare and, when there's warfare, an author needs to get the armor, the colors, the weapons and siege caft engines correct. The Sung was the first period in Chinese history where explosives were used in warfare (not effectively, but the early prototypes of bombs, grenades and things called "firelances", as well as dragon's oil, tear gas, and boarding studs - not spoiling it here). Since there's a sea battle, I had to delve into Chinese sea-going and river sailing vessels - rigging and sailcraft etc, because that was not on my plate up at old Columbia U.

I think that this is perhaps the most exciting work I've ever written and should put you on ground level in the 12th Century during the whirlwind of events that shaped Modern China's emergence. This was the China that Marco Polo stumbled across 75 years after, when he was employed by Kublai Khan as a spy. PLUS, it's the source of my fantasy world - The Jade Owl, which is embedded in this tale as it was in the first book, *The Academician*. I hope my readers enjoy it.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The first week and a half out and The Nan Tu is being embraced. No reviews yet, but it's a nice long rad, so digestion is the thing.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_The Nan Tu - Southern Swallow Book II _ is featured today at http://glfictionexcerpts.blogspot.com/


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Here's a snippet from *The Nan Tu*. It depicts an iconic scene in Chinese history (every Chinese schoolchild could tell you about it), but here's my take on it. To help it along - Comet is the Emperor's horse, and Su P'ing is his eunuch (the Emperor's, not the horse's). Nan Ya is the book's protagonist, Li K'ai-men and the River is the Chang Chiang, which is known in the west as the Yang-tze. Enjoy:

============================
Tears streaked down Emperor Kao's face as he stared through the mist, a sad mist, which clung to the glade and over Comet's lifeless body. Beside the stalwart beast, Su P'ing had succumbed also, lying face-up, eyes bulging, lips already blue as the toxin overtook him. Kao trembled, sitting with his knees close to his chin. He had slain the black water snake that had killed his faithful horse and the loyal eunuch, whose name he could scarcely recall. Still, a chill crept across Kao's flesh as he wept more for the horse than the servant, but also for himself - for his current state, his utter abandonment. The river was just down the road. If he had made it that far with Comet and Su P'ing in tow, he could have crossed and, once across, he could have fulfilled his plan. Now, he would be no more than one of thousands upon the road.

He thought to drift toward Yang-chou. At least he could recoup there - perhaps rouse K'ang Yu-wei to outfit him as a fugitive - hide him in an ox-cart and allow him to escape responsibility. Kao longed for the simple days of his princely state - rides in the park, fine food, a lotus-footed wife in his bed and the wanton wailing of a baby. Perhaps that was his sorrow now. He wanted to hear babies crying - sons from these consorts that Li K'ai-men had assembled.

_They want me dead_, he thought.

He would have obliged gladly if it wouldn't give them satisfaction. His guard couldn't protect him and his only defense was a brave consort wielding a guitar. He was even mortified at the ease of his escape. Now, alone, he was unable to do more than stare at his friend - Comet. He couldn't even call the eunuch to his side, to help him to his feet and adjust his robe. He felt their absence, these fleas that had pestered him, but now, once gone, sorely missed. Not even the physician lingering with the vial of blue orchid juice nagged him now. Just these cold corpses - Su P'ing, Comet and the snake.

As he stared through the mist, deciding whether to live or die, he saw another horse and was stirred. It was the color of earth and had a golden mane. He recognized it - Sun Bearer. He leaped to his feet.

"Hoy!" he shouted.

He thought he heard a whicker, but it was only the buzzing of the midges and the distant murmur of migrants upon the road.

"Hoy! Nan Ya!"

He could see Sun Bearer and upon his back, Li K'ai-men dressed in his riding leathers and gazing beyond him as if searching, but not finding.

Kao brushed himself off, and then moved closer, his sandals filled with the muck of standing puddles. The closer he came to the vision, the more like a vision it appeared - a waking dream. He thought he heard a murmur -

_My lord, I am coming_.

It was Nan Ya's voice. No doubt, and there was a whickering and a snort. Kao waded through the water, not caring whether other serpents lay in wait for his soft flesh. He reached the other side. Nothing.

"Nan Ya!" he shouted. "Hoy!"

He whirled about, feeling the air, helplessly trying to confirm his sanity. He had seen the horse and its rider.

"Su P'ing," he shouted. "Did you see him also? Su P'ing?"

Then he remembered and gazed back at Comet and the terrible evidence of his abandonment. He trembled again, staggering through the glade, kicking the muck until he lost his sandal in the water. He reached for it, but it was gone. He searched and searched, but couldn't find it.

"Su P'ing!" he shouted. "My sandal, Su P'ing. I need you to . . ."

He knelt, the tepid stream flooding his robes. He wept, shaking his hands, and would have stayed there until his body joined horse, servant and snake, but for a strange light drifting through the mist upon the glade. Perhaps it was Nan Ya after all.

"Hoy!" came a voice.

"Hoy," Kao answered, standing now, stepping toward the light.

"Do you have silver?" the voice asked.

Kao could see a lantern emerge, and then a hand - then an arm. These were carried in a flatboat - a small flatboat. It occurred to Kao that this was not a glade, but a stream that came from the great river.

"Do you have silver?" the man asked again. He was a tall man and didn't look trustworthy.

_So this is how I shall die_, Kao thought. _A rogue shall strike me down for silver that I don't have. Heaven will be satisfied that the Dynasty shall be at an end._
"Why do you ask?" Kao called.

"If you wish to ride in my boat, you must have silver."

"Can you help me cross the River?"

"I will take you, young sir," said the boatman. "But I've mouths to feed at Chia-ling-xie and can't take you without silver." He paused. "I might consider copper, if there is enough of it."

"All I have is a dead horse and a dead servant."

"A servant?" the man asked. He lifted the lantern high, spotting the corpses. "Your servant may rot for all I care, but your horse looks like a fine beast."

The boatman swung the lantern about, and suddenly three more boats emerged from the mist. They plodded ashore, their owners disembarking. They inspected poor Comet's body.

"Will you take me?" Kao asked.

"It would be nice if you had something better than horseflesh for payment. Any man who travels on the back of so fine a beast and has a servant must have silver, I should think."

"Well, you're wrong," Kao answered. "I stole the beast and the servant was a rogue who did my bidding. I would have sold both for my passage across the River. But as you see, we came upon misfortune."

"Their misfortune, young sir," the boatman said. He lowered the lantern and poled the flatboat towards his potential passenger. "Come aboard. Horseflesh's worth something, dead or alive. My sons will make short work of it while I take you across."

"Thank you, sir."

"Ah, a man with manners." He pulled Kao up on the planks. "Well, part of your passage is that you shall row. Take that . . ."

He hesitated, staring at the Emperor's long fingernails, beauties sculpted with silver and gold. "You do have silver, I see."
Kao shuddered, but took up the oar. He knew that he might lose his fingers or perhaps an arm in this passage. However, the boatman fell silent and didn't utter another word. Perhaps he feared the consequences of mistreating a solitary gentleman lost beside a dead horse and a servant, and sporting good manners and an imperious hand.
====================================================
Come read book I The Academician and then Book II The Nan Tu (2 more to come in this link to the Jade Owl Legacy).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Nan Tu means Southern Migration in Chinese and its set during the great diaspora in the early 12th Century when the Empreror Kao-tsung moved his court south to avoid capture from the invading Jurchen armies.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

This is not your stoggy history novel. Just climb on the back of Li K'ai-men's horse, Sun Bearer and take a ride on the wild side.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

This is the second book in the Southern Swallow Series (Book I is The Academician).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The story of Li K'ai-men continues

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Just received a most exciting review from Alan Chin at The Examiner.com, I needed to share with y'all right away.

http://tinyurl.com/ydqw9v5

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Reduced today to $ .99 The Nan Tu - The Southern Swallow Book II

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00322P1N4

Remember also that Book I - The Academician is also at $ .99. (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UE7D96)

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Although I have doctoral creidts in Sinology and have researched the 12th Century extensively, I still had to dive into a raft (no pun intended) of material on Chinese sailing and sea-going vessels of the Sung period as the Nan Tu includes several nautical sequences.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Got two great reviews up on Amazon for The Nan Tu.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Sung Emperor's, for the most part, were an intelligent lot and cultured, but for all their astuteness, they managed to almost lose the Chinese Empire to a small band of horseman.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

If you are a Jade Owl readr, I suggest that you pick up the Southern Swallow series to augment your information on the hoot bird. The series starts with The Academician.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

This update will add the Table of Contents for _The Nan Tu _ and I shall also update the OP:

*Contents

Part I: The Silken Thread

Chapter One: The Dragon's Teeth
Chapter Two: Ying-t'ien
Chapter Three: Magnolia House
Chapter Four: The Yellow Door
Chapter Five: The Phoenix Pavilion
Chapter Six: A Fine Procession
Chapter Seven: A Dream of Days Past
Chapter Eight: In the Huai Valley
Chapter Nine: The Outlaws of the Golden Marsh
Chapter Ten: The River Huai
Chapter Eleven: The Viceroy
Chapter Twelve: The Jackal
Chapter Thirteen: From the Sapphire Hall
Chapter Fourteen: The Ride of Sun Bearer
Chapter Fifteen: The Tiger Eye Inn
Chapter Sixteen: The House of Master Sui
Chapter Seventeen: At the Yang-chou Ya-men
Chapter Eighteen: The Flotilla of Heaven
Chapter Nineteen: K'ang Yu-wei's Dilemma
Chapter Twenty: An Empire of One

Part II: Ming-shou

Chapter One: The Citadel
Chapter Two: The Hall of Divine Purification
Chapter Three: Recalcitrant Dames
Chapter Four: The Miao-Liu Mutiny
Chapter Five: The Hero of Shao-xing
Chapter Six: A New Era
Chapter Seven: West Lake
Chapter Eight: Xing-shan
Chapter Nine: Wall Monkeys

Part III: Scattered Seeds

Chapter One: The Fricative
Chapter Two: Queen Wu's Mirror
Chapter Three: A Difference of Opinion
Chapter Four: Jackal and Hound
Chapter Five: The Descendants of T'ai-tsu
Chapter Six: The Road Diverges
Chapter Seven: A Sack of Turnips
Chapter Eight: The God of War
Chapter Nine: The Furnace of Lung-chung
Chapter Ten: Cross the River!
Chapter Eleven: Fateful Decisions
Chapter Twelve: Ning-po
Chapter Thirteen: The Emperor Flees to the Sea
Chapter Fourteen: Dragon Oil

Part IV: The Anchorage

Chapter One: The Road to Li-chou
Chapter Two: The Triumph of Distrust
Chapter Three: The Protector
Chapter Four: Shui-ching
Chapter Five: The Min Delegation
Chapter Six: The Keeper
Chapter Seven: The Way East
Chapter Eight: Lung-hua
Chapter Nine: Li-chou
Chapter Ten: Fading Dragon
Chapter Eleven: Shao-xing*​Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

If you want excitement, come read _the Nan Tu _ and take the Ride of Sunbearer.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I received a wonderful review posted on Amazon from Todd Fonseca of TMBOA.com. Come take a read:

http://www.amazon.com/Nan-Tu-Southern-Swallow-ebook/product-reviews/B00322P1N4/ref=cm_cr_pr_recent?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

If you haven't read Todd Fonseca's review of the Nan Tu, please take a peeked.

http://www.amazon.com/Nan-Tu-Southern-Swallow-ebook/product-reviews/B00322P1N4/ref=cm_cr_pr_recent?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

Thanks
Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

For readers of the Southern Swallow series - good news. There will be five books in this series. The last book, in planning, became so massive, I needed to split it in two.   In the meanwhile, start the Academician and enjoy The Nan Tu

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Nan Tu - Southern Swallow Book II
480 Pages
Li K'ai-men is now the Emperor's right hand man, but separated from his family, Li's career has become a liability. With the court on the move Southward, invasions coming from the north, rebellions percolating in the South and a cauldron of political intrigue roiling at every turn, the Sung Dynasty doesn't look long for this world. However, Heaven is not ready to close it down yet . The Nan Tu is the extraordinary tale of the Southern Migration that will leave you yearning for more . . . and there is more in this five book series, this being only book two.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Nan Tu - Southern Swallow Book II
480 Pages
Li K'ai-men is now the Emperor's right hand man, but separated from his family, Li's career has become a liability. With the court on the move Southward, invasions coming from the north, rebellions percolating in the South and a cauldron of political intrigue roiling at every turn, the Sung Dynasty doesn't look long for this world. However, Heaven is not ready to close it down yet . The Nan Tu is the extraordinary tale of the Southern Migration that will leave you yearning for more . . . and there is more in this five book series, this being only book two.

Here's what reviewers say about The Nan Tu - Southern Swallow Book II

"As with The Academician, this story is a vivid, imaginative, and often humorous romp through a pivotal point in Chinese history. Book II blossoms into a tense tale of intrigue, court politics, treachery and war. The plot is much more complex that the first book, and more interesting. It kept me up several nights, not wanting to put it down. The author's consummate skill at crafting prose and his well-researched details kept me fully engaged until the last page. I would recommend this read to anyone who enjoys multifaceted characters, humor, and a well-crafted story. " - Alan Ch'in - Rainbow Reviews

"Edward C. Patterson's ability to eloquently produce book after book, not only about the China series, but his other books of different subjects, amazes me. The Nan Tu is an amazing second book in the Southern Swallow books. This is a masterful book and I cannot wait for the next installment " - ellen George, Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer

"In this Book 2 of the Southern Swallow Series, Edward C Patterson takes the reader once again to ancient China and the historical events which split a great country into two dynasties. Patterson's trademark character study and development further shine in this offering. Those who enjoyed The Academician - Southern Swallow - Book I will enjoy this chapter of the tale as well. The Southern Swallow Series provides the back story of the relics that are front in center in the Jade Owl series. The key difference between the two series is The Jade Owl relies much more on the fantasy elements to drive the story, while The Southern Swallow Series is steeped in 12th century Chinese history. Overall, The Nan Tu is an engaging and educational addition to Patterson's vast collection of works." - Todd Fonseca, TMBOA.com

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

And for the frugal, this book is only $ .99. At 440 pages, that quite a nice bang for almost a buck.   (Everyone's price conscious lately)

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I had great enjoyment with this one, because it involves details 12th century warcraft, including a seige, a field battle, a river cross (no mean feat in China), a sea battle, a rebellion and a mutiny. (Whew - this is the war portion of this 5 book series). I particularly loved revealing the battle gear and the unusual weaponry of the Sung Empire. It all started here.

Ed Patterson


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## daveconifer (Oct 20, 2009)

If you added some "navel" action you could compete with Jeff Hepple's books...


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I have lots of naval action in this one as the Emperor K'ao flees before the invading Jurchen and winds up on his fleet off the coast near Ning-po. In fact, the Sung court stays afloat for six months. I had fun with the navel weaponry - like dragon oil and vertical deck spikes. The Sung had the largest navy in the World in the 12th Century. he Yuan (Mongols) inherited it and invaded Japan, and the Ming had the famous exploring expeditions that circumnavigated the globe. Then, one day, they burned the entire fleet - too expensive. That was that! Poof.  

Note: I have a ship on the cover.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The firs book in the series, _The Academician_, just got great review on Amazon, from the reviewer of the Boogle:

http://www.amazon.com/Academician-Southern-Swallow-Book/product-reviews/144149975X/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#RV0FYTLYEA7G1

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

There's some heart wrenching stuff in this novel, for those who like their history with some himan emotion.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Academician is also discounted to $ .79. Get them both for only $1.58.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Battle of the Forge happens in this book. Bring you gear.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Tis one has been discounted by Amazon to $ .79. Come and get it!!  

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Reduced to $ .79 by Amazon (as is Book I - The Academician) because the darn thing is selling not only here, but on the Nook!

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Yes, yes, this is the part of Chinese history when the Emperor flees t the sea, hops a bopat and rules the country from off-shore (for a time) before returning the life of a nomad government. I knew you knew that.  

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

This is one of my fastest paced books.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Among many things, this novel has some very feisty women who prove themselves capable in a period of strife and warfare.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

This is high adventure, history and fantasy rolled into one.

Ed Patterson


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## pdallen (Aug 3, 2010)

Lyrically written and heartfelt as well, from the short excerpts I've read. It is on my list of buys once I have a kindle.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> This is high adventure, history and fantasy rolled into one.
> 
> Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Thanks P D

Remember that this is book 2.

Ed patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Southern Swallow series Book II


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Anyone interested in the details of mass hysteria. This is the book for you.  

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Here's an excerpt from The Nan Tu

Tears streaked down Emperor Kao’s face as he stared through the mist, a sad mist, which clung to the glade and over Comet’s lifeless body. Beside the stalwart beast, Su P’ing had succumbed also, lying face-up, eyes bulging, lips already blue as the toxin overtook him. Kao trembled, sitting with his knees close to his chin. He had slain the black water snake that had killed his faithful horse and the loyal eunuch, whose name he could scarcely recall. Still, a chill crept across Kao’s flesh as he wept more for the horse than the servant, but also for himself — for his current state, his utter abandonment. The river was just down the road. If he had made it that far with Comet and Su P’ing in tow, he could have crossed and, once across, he could have fulfilled his plan. Now, he would be no more than one of thousands upon the road.

He thought to drift toward Yang-chou. At least he could recoup there — perhaps rouse K’ang Yu-wei to outfit him as a fugitive — hide him in an ox-cart and allow him to escape responsibility. Kao longed for the simple days of his princely state — rides in the park, fine food, a lotus-footed wife in his bed and the wanton wailing of a baby. Perhaps that was his sorrow now. He wanted to hear babies crying — sons from these consorts that Li K’ai-men had assembled.

They want me dead, he thought. 

He would have obliged gladly if it wouldn’t give them satisfaction. His guard couldn’t protect him and his only defense was a brave consort wielding a guitar. He was even mortified at the ease of his escape. Now, alone, he was unable to do more than stare at his friend — Comet. He couldn’t even call the eunuch to his side, to help him to his feet and adjust his robe. He felt their absence, these fleas that had pestered him, but now, once gone, sorely missed. Not even the physician lingering with the vial of blue orchid juice nagged him now. Just these cold corpses — Su P’ing, Comet and the snake.

As he stared through the mist, deciding whether to live or die, he saw another horse and was stirred. It was the color of earth and had a golden mane. He recognized it — Sun Bearer. He leaped to his feet.

“Hoy!” he shouted.

He thought he heard a whicker, but it was only the buzzing of the midges and the distant murmur of migrants upon the road. 

“Hoy! Nan Ya!”

He could see Sun Bearer and upon his back, Li K’ai-men dressed in his riding leathers and gazing beyond him as if searching, but not finding. 

Kao brushed himself off, and then moved closer, his sandals filled with the muck of standing puddles. The closer he came to the vision, the more like a vision it appeared — a waking dream. He thought he heard a murmur — 

My lord, I am coming. 

It was Nan Ya’s voice. No doubt, and there was a whickering and a snort. Kao waded through the water, not caring whether other serpents lay in wait for his soft flesh. He reached the other side. Nothing. 

“Nan Ya!” he shouted. “Hoy!”

He whirled about, feeling the air, helplessly trying to confirm his sanity. He had seen the horse and its rider.

“Su P’ing,” he shouted. “Did you see him also? Su P’ing?”

Then he remembered and gazed back at Comet and the terrible evidence of his abandonment.  He trembled again, staggering through the glade, kicking the muck until he lost his sandal in the water. He reached for it, but it was gone. He searched and searched, but couldn’t find it.

“Su P’ing!” he shouted. “My sandal, Su P’ing. I need you to . . .”

He knelt, the tepid stream flooding his robes. He wept, shaking his hands, and would have stayed there until his body joined horse, servant and snake, but for a strange light drifting through the mist upon the glade. Perhaps it was Nan Ya after all.

“Hoy!” came a voice.

“Hoy,” Kao answered, standing now, stepping toward the light.

“Do you have silver?” the voice asked.

Kao could see a lantern emerge, and then a hand — then an arm. These were carried in a flatboat — a small flatboat. It occurred to Kao that this was not a glade, but a stream that came from the great river.

“Do you have silver?” the man asked again. He was a tall man and didn’t look trustworthy.

So this is how I shall die, Kao thought. A rogue shall strike me down for silver that I don’t have. Heaven will be satisfied that the Dynasty shall be at an end.

Edward V. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The world of 12th Century China comes apart, but it is an age of heroes.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I'm finding that readers are getting both Book I and Book II together. Good deal.  $ 1.98 for 900 pages of reading.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

This second book of the series will bring you ground level to the source world of modernity, but like all revolutionary moments in history, it's a maelstrom.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Southern Swallow - BOOK II 
_*THE NAN TU*_ 
(480 pages)
"This is a story about loyalty, duty and honor. Loyalty (and love) from scholar to his emperor, from servant to master, from lovers to each other, and from all to country and ancestors. A vivid, imaginative, and often humorous romp through a pivotal point in Chinese history." - Alan Chin, Rainbow Reviews

"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

We sometimes look at the past with condescension. However, 12th Century China was, in many ways, more modern than we could ever imagaine outselves.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Kindleboard Book Profile for The Nan Tu*


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The third book in the series, _*Swan Cloud*_, is scheduled for release in the Summer of 2012. It's a work of intrigue, mystery and relates the fate of one of China's most famous heroes, General Yueh Fei, who has long since been diefied as the Household God of War.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Thought I'd let all know, I'm still around and will be back at my normal level by Wedensday.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

If ou ever wondered about Chinese warcraft, particulatly at sea, the *Nan Tu * takes you there.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Nan Tu is the story of the great Chinese Southern Migration (the Nan Tu).
Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Here's an excerpt fromThe Na Tu, a section called The Enemy's Bow:

General Chang Chun clenched the bow in his left hand, while his right hand fed the arrow. His right eye shut as he found the distant straw man target in his sights. He tugged at first, but then pulled back, the tension on the bow curvature yielding an audible creak - the sound of the old oak that might have given it life. Chang Chun's teeth clenched as he took aim, and then . . . whoosh. Out it went, an arrow spinning toward its destination, catching the shoulder of the straw man. A soldier standing to the general's right laughed.

"It's a difficult thing to handle, this barbarian bow," Chang Chun said.

He arched his back, his rippling bare chest sweaty and glistening in the sun. He shook his head at the straw man as if he wanted to shake the stuffing out of it for defeating him. However, he knew that this dumb thing didn't elude him. The Jurchen bow tested him.

"Another try perhaps, my lord," said the adjutant.

"No, Lin Tze. Give me my own weapon."

Lin Tze grinned, but had the fine polished crossbow at hand. He thrust it into Chang Chun's hands, and then forked over an arrow. Chang Chun inserted the arrow, and then lowered the weapon to the ground. Gripping the firing string and using his foot flush to the front edge of the crossbow; he stretched the mechanism until it caught. He did this easily, although many an archer struggled loading the device. Firmly fitted with the arrow, Chang Chun raised the crossbow to his shoulder, and then quickly aligned his eye through the sights. Whoosh! The arrow flew toward its target, piercing the straw man's heart.

"Now, that's more like it," Chang Chun said. He laughed.

"I don't know what interests you in the Jurchen bow, my lord. It's an unsteady weapon and inferior in all respects."

Chang Chun raised his arms, and a valet began to dress the General in armor - an array of black lacquered plates with silver fittings. 

"That might be so in a triple formation," Chang Chun said. "But these Jurchen fight on horseback and our crossbows are useless on horseback, Lin Tze. Why, the new recruits can hardly manage the thing in formation."

He grinned, his glance latching onto red banners of his command tent. The valet wrapped the general's scarlet surcoat around his shoulders.

"Do you think you can reload a crossbow in the saddle?" Chang Chun asked his adjutant.

"The saddle's for lances and swords," Lin Tze said.

"Exactly, unless you're a follower of the Jackal. Then you latch your legs around your beast and fire with leisure at your enemy. They even manage to hang from the stirrups and shoot from beneath their horses. Did you know that?"

"How barbarous."

"I admire their skill," Chang Chun said, returning his crossbow to Lin Tze. "I mean, I couldn't hit that target standing still, even at a moderate distance."

"You struck it, my lord."

"Not a proper strike, Lin Tze." Chang Chun reached for his helmet, a silver and gold goblet with leather and mail flaps and a great red plume. He held the helmet under his arm, and then struck his heart with his fist. "Not a killing strike. But I shall practice until I either can do it or learn how to defeat the mechanism."

"A noble pursuit, my lord."

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

This is the road novel of the seires. Action and travel will give you a tour of China during the Sung Dynasty (12th Century), a surprisingly modern period.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Chinese History has been influenced heavily by Imperial women and in the Nan Tu there's a pip of an old tartar — The Empress-Dowager Yang Yu-yuan, fondly called by her nephew, the Emperor, the Old Dragon.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Happy Holidays from the Emperor Kao, Empress Dowager Yang Yu-yuan, K'ang Yu-wei and Li K'ai-men.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

This is the troad trip portion of the series - a whole country on the move.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Although this series reflected my educational background (Silogy), with a specialty in Sung Dynasty History, it is still a fantasy novel and adjust to The Jade Owl Leacy.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Here's the opening paragraph to _*The Nan Tu*_:

We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, either under the cold towers of Ch'i-chou or within the remnant palaces at Ying-t'ien, the world hung by a silken thread. The barbarians were poised to cut that thread. Who could prevent it? The new emperor, my lord, Prince Kang? He ascended the throne like a parrot in a cage, looking for a nod to do so. My master, Li K'ai-men? He had a clear eye, a keen mind and a bag of paranormal tricks, but he couldn't stay the tide. Would it be the generals? They proclaimed their worth and vitality. Yet, not one could guarantee our safety. I did know one thing. This vast land - this land in disunion and turmoil would not be put to rights by me - K'u Ko-ling, poor son of a cowcumber farmer from Gui-lin. I had already lived several lives beyond most piss ant farmers, and now was set to take my ease on the battlements, watching the world crumble. When it did, I would touch my master's hand and find some recourse in his secret magic, but as long as he remained the Grand Tutor to the Emperor Kao, I was stuck in the latrine.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I'm happy to report that the _*Southern Swallow * _ series is being read by Chinese readers. A reader in Bei-jing wrote to me and asked if the protagonist, Li K'ai-men is based on the poet-official Su Shr (Su T'ung-po). I was thrilled as this is the first time any reader saw the connection. I was also pleased that the reader marveled at the historical accuracy. Of course, I chuckled at this, especially since Li K'ai-men rides a miraculous flying horse in the _*Nan Tu * _ - but even that is somewhat accurate, being based on events in a Yuan Dynasty Novel, _*Outlaws of the Marsh * _ and a miraculous traveler who can cover 800 _li_ (miles) in a single day. It had something to do with vegetables and a unique incantation. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Gung-xi Fa-tsai - the Year of the Rabbit.  

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Did you know at one point in China's history that the capital was a boat off the coast, where the Emperor held court until it was safe to go ashore?

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Here's an excerpt from _*The Nan Tu*_:

K'ang Yu-wei turned toward the array of navvies who lined the way to the poop deck. Suddenly, Chang Chun appeared, hail and hearty, coming to the old gentleman with outstretched hands as if he were welcoming him to a wedding.

"Master K'ang," he crowed. "You're back among us, praise be to Guan-yin. And . . ." Chang Chun surveyed him. "Astonishing. You're as lithe as a young man of forty, sir. Your hair is white, but your face is . . . smooth. Your back, straight."

K'ang Yu-wei regarded Nan Ya.

"It's all his doing," he said.

"Well, that explains it," Chang Chun chuckled.

Li K'ai-men didn't appreciate such credit and feared that it opened up the wound that bled between him and Chang Chun. But suddenly, K'ang Yu-wei turned toward the sea - sighing, his lips trembled as if he tasted the salty air.

"This is not the gift you might think it is," he said, his voice trailing. "I looked forward to old age, the bones creaking; the breath shortened. I longed to retire to my cottage at Lake Tung-ma, with my children and their children taking their turns with me. Now the world's reversed and I grow younger every day. Some day I'll need to recall my studies and seek an infant's suck toy. This is not the way it should be. If the sun never sets, the soul burns until the brilliance and luster spends it into haze. For me, the days shall go on unending and uncounted until the world is an unhappiness that no man can bear. There once was a time when I was young and happy, and a time when I longed for death's sweet peace, every man's right under Heaven. Now, General Chang, happiness has been replaced by habit and I can see no end."

K'ang Yu-wei sighed again, and then glanced back to Nan Ya, who knew.

"And that, sir," K'ang said. "That explains it."

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Did you know that China in the 12th Century was more advanced and Modern than China in the 15th Century? Come see some things that were forgotten.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

"Cross the River" came the shout from the Northern General Tsung Tse. But the Enperor Kao knew better and wisely chose to save the ruling house and thus . . . the Empire.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I am currently working on Book three of The Southern Swallow series - Swan Cloud.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Great Migration during the Sung literally moved millions of souls into South and South Central China, transforming the nation forevr.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

What readers say about The Nan Tu

"As with The Academician, this story is a vivid, imaginative, and often humorous romp through a pivotal point in Chinese history. Book II blossoms into a tense tale of intrigue, court politics, treachery and war. The plot is much more complex that the first book, and more interesting. It kept me up several nights, not wanting to put it down. The author's consummate skill at crafting prose and his well-researched details kept me fully engaged until the last page. I would recommend this read to anyone who enjoys multifaceted characters, humor, and a well-crafted story. " - Alan Ch'in - Rainbow Reviews

"Edward C. Patterson's ability to eloquently produce book after book, not only about the China series, but his other books of different subjects, amazes me. The Nan Tu is an amazing second book in the Southern Swallow books. This is a masterful book and I cannot wait for the next installment " - ellen George, Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer

"In this Book 2 of the Southern Swallow Series, Edward C Patterson takes the reader once again to ancient China and the historical events which split a great country into two dynasties. Patterson's trademark character study and development further shine in this offering. Overall, The Nan Tu is an engaging and educational addition to Patterson's vast collection of works." - Todd Fonseca, TMBOA.com

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Na Tu owes an inspirational debt to the novels of the late Yuan and early Ming Dynasty, both structurally and context.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

And book III - Swan Cloud is coming in early Fall 2011.

Edward C, Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) covers one of the most dynamic slice of Chinese history during the Sung Dynasty.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I am proud to continue the historical series that has occupied 37 years of my attention; since my dissertation days at Columbia U.:
from the author of No Irish Need Apply, Look Away Silence and The Jade Owl
THE NAN TU - Southern Swallow Book II- Edward C. Patterson
480 Pages

"We all lived in the shadow of K’ai-feng’s ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K’u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K’ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom. 

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There’s love and destiny - the destiny of Li K’ai-men’s relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.

"This is a story about loyalty, duty and honor. Loyalty (and love) from scholar to his emperor, from servant to master, from lovers to each other, and from all to country and ancestors. A vivid, imaginative, and often humorous romp through a pivotal point in Chinese history." - Alan Chin, Rainbow Reviews

Here's an excerpt from The Nan Tu:

K’ang Yu-wei turned toward the array of navvies who lined the way to the poop deck. Suddenly, Chang Chun appeared, hail and hearty, coming to the old gentleman with outstretched hands as if he were welcoming him to a wedding.

“Master K’ang,” he crowed. “You’re back among us, praise be to Guan-yin. And . . .” Chang Chun surveyed him. “Astonishing. You’re as lithe as a young man of forty, sir. Your hair is white, but your face is . . . smooth. Your back, straight.”

K’ang Yu-wei regarded Nan Ya.

“It’s all his doing,” he said.

“Well, that explains it,” Chang Chun chuckled.

Li K’ai-men didn’t appreciate such credit and feared that it opened up the wound that bled between him and Chang Chun. But suddenly, K’ang Yu-wei turned toward the sea — sighing, his lips trembled as if he tasted the salty air.

“This is not the gift you might think it is,” he said, his voice trailing. “I looked forward to old age, the bones creaking; the breath shortened. I longed to retire to my cottage at Lake Tung-ma, with my children and their children taking their turns with me. Now the world’s reversed and I grow younger every day. Some day I’ll need to recall my studies and seek an infant’s suck toy. This is not the way it should be. If the sun never sets, the soul burns until the brilliance and luster spends it into haze. For me, the days shall go on unending and uncounted until the world is an unhappiness that no man can bear. There once was a time when I was young and happy, and a time when I longed for death’s sweet peace, every man’s right under Heaven. Now, General Chang, happiness has been replaced by habit and I can see no end.” 

K’ang Yu-wei sighed again, and then glanced back to Nan Ya, who knew.

“And that, sir,” K’ang said. “That explains it.”

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

In 12th Century China, the Sung Dynasty appears to have been destroyed, and yet it's heart flickers in the grip of a twenty-year old prince, who, reluctant as his is, assumes the throne. The world looks to him, but he decides to do that which is unpolular - migrate to high ground, to the south, in a mass move that begins an action packed adventure for both his court and his supporters. The second of five books in the Southern Swallow series, _*The Nan Tu*_, follows the life of the scholar-official Li K'ai-men, his coterie and family as he soldiers the burden of a recalcitrant Emperor transforming him into a ruler of worth. The work is authentic to a fault, right down to the arrows launched in battle and the sails on the ocean-going junks. If you're looking for something different (no vampires or slueths), here it is.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Steverino (Jan 5, 2011)

非常有趣！

Very interesting!


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Book III is on its way - so pick up your copies of the first 2 books to be ready.

Edward C. Patterson


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## jabeard (Apr 22, 2011)

Oh, fascinating! I love Chinese historical fiction. Definitely need to check this out.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Thanks, JA

The series begins with the Academician.


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## jabeard (Apr 22, 2011)

Okay, I'll start there, then.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The world upturns.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I shall take you to a place and on an adventure that you have never experienced before.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

How do you hold a dynasty together. It's not easy. Could find out.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

. . . and the Emperor flees to the sea.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Now FREE for the month of July as part of Smashwords Summer Sale. http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7815 In fact, this entire series is FREE for July.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Still on sale.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Week 4 of the Smashword summer FREE sale begins.

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/EdwardCPatterson for list of books. For this one use code SSWSF for FREE copy.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Summer sale ends tomorrow.

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/EdwardCPatterson for list of books. For this one use code SSWSF for FREE copy.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Here's an excerpt:

Lord Wu clapped and two servants rushed to aid him to his feet. Li K'ai-men stood also, as did K'u Ko-ling from his sour beer and bitter melon corner. 

"My elder brother was unfortunate in his children. His only son joined the ancestors at an early age, but he had three daughters. Two now tend their father in his fate in the northland and, I fear, they are prostitutes in the Jurchen camps."

Li K'ai-men gasped.

"It's true, Li K'ai-men. Word has come that the court has been molested. The nobility has been demoted to common folk and the royal line has been made to serve. The princes are now stable boys, while the princesses are made to spread their legs for every foot soldier that needs relief. The Jurchen have raped us in many ways and will continue to do so, I fear. However, one precious soul has been spared and she is in my care."

He clapped again and the servants retreated to a screen that shrouded an alcove. They removed the screen, revealing a back-turned lady, attired in a plain sky-blue robe edged with rose petal appliqués dotting down to the hemline. Her raven hair was triple coiffed, her neck exposed above her collar. She turned, facing her inquisitor.

Li K'ai-men expected to witness beauty, rare and worthy of ducal blood, but her face was plain, although amply powdered. Her cheeks had a hint of rouge. Her eyes were golden, but squinted. Her nose, flat, receded into her high cheeks. No beauty this. She would never meet His Majesty's strict requirement for consorts. Still, she stepped forward with all the grace of a lady born to sunlight. Nan Ya bowed.

"Lady Wu," he said.

She approached her uncle, touching his hand as if she were his daughter. His smile lit the room. A strong bond was evident between them. Indeed, Lord Wu was parting with his rarest treasure. Lady Wu bowed to Li K'ai-men, although she was not required to do so.

"Is this the famous Nan Ya who comes to regard my poor qualities to serve the Son of Heaven?"

"It is so," Li K'ai-men said. "If Lord Wu proposes it, we cannot but be content with his desires."

She smiled.

"I am a simple girl," she said. "I am plain and, as you can see, will never rival the beauties of Lo Shan."

"Hush," Lord Wu said. "You outshine the immortals themselves."

"I fear not, uncle. However, I will not put it to the test. I am sure that when His Majesty sets his eyes upon me, he will choke on his fish bone."

"Hush."

"Lady Wu, you are passing fair and more gracious than the many ladies I have gathered to His Majesty's inner sanctum."

"I am also outspoken and might prove too shrewish for the Imperial ear."

"I will not dispute her in that," Lord Wu said. "She has an opinion on everything, and insists upon her way."

"Truly," Li K'ai-men said.

Now this was different. The dozens of ladies that he had inspected were beauties with heads as empty as snuff bottles. If they had any opinions, they applied them to methods of moving through the consort ranks to queen and empress. However, perhaps when Heaven withheld classic looks it compensated with a sharpened intelligence.

"I can play the p'i-pa and I sing sweetly, but I am better at the game of Xiang-chi and am handy with a brush."

"Truly? His Majesty is a master at Xiang-chi."

"Then he has met his match," Lord Wu said. "My niece has never let me win. She clears the board like a general in battle."

"Battle, you say."

"I am also versed in many books on state craft."

"That will not do," Li snapped. However, he realized that such sentiments were better thought than expressed. "I mean, the city of women is never taxed by state business. They are never consulted."

"Pity," she said. "Still, if asked I would speak my mind. Does His Majesty oppose the free exchange of thought?"

"Among his women, if it concerns needlework and poetry, His Majesty is most supportive. However, he might humor you, but will ultimately regard it as an amusement. He has a counsel of state to help steer the course."

Lord Wu frowned. Li could read his mind after their recent discussion on the lack of any governance among the current office holders. Perhaps this woman could do better.
"I understand, my lord. I know that when I leave my uncle's house, I am no longer the Lady Wu, the daughter of Wu Nien-fei, but a lowly woman in service to His Majesty."
"Niece," Lord Wu said. "You are the descendant of Emperors - the stuff of nobility. I send you to His Majesty as a gift, because you will radiate any place you find harbor, as you have radiated my house and heart." He turned to Nan Ya. "She shall also bring an honorarium of three hundred catties of silver, forty bolts of silk, seven dragon steeds of the variety bred by my brother's groomsmen, and sixteen serving ladies to be disposed of as His Majesty sees fit."

Li K’ai-men smiled. He knew that even if Lady Wu had a dog’s face and a rat’s tail, she would now be most acceptable to the Son of Heaven. Her honorarium would outfit at least five barges for the journey south. He bowed. Lady Wu matched that bow.

Edward C. Patterson
author of The Nan Tu


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

If you like travel, adventure, fantasy and historic verity (especially in China - 12th Century), this is your cup of _ch'ai_. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Included in this book is the history of the little known mutiny of the guardians of the Imperial women.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Have you ever wondered how people lived in a different time and place. Fabstasy, you might say. How about - China.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Southern Swallow series is The Jade Owl's Back Story.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The third book - _*Swan Cloud * _ - is scheduled for publication late-October 2011.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Yes, the third book is coming in a few weeks, so start your journey today.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

A country at war tries to keep its sovreignty. Heck of a fight.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I just uploaded Book III of this series - Swan Cloud.

Edward C. Pattrson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Book III - Swan Cloud is available now.

Three of five in 12th Century China.

  ​
Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Book II of this Chinese Epic

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Southern Migration includes a sea battle.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Sung Dynasty was the first Chinese regime to use dynamite in warfare.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Political turmoil is a familiar scene in China, but during the 12th Century it had a distinct modern feel to it.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Now that *Swan Cloud * has joined it's two sister books *The Academician * and *The Nan Tu * at the $ .99 price. So you can have a 1,200 page read across three books for only $2.97. What a bargain.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

A defining moment for China and modern history.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

You might get whiplash at this breakneck speed at which Chinese history unfolds - but its a memorable ride.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

An epic novel of China.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Modern China began in the year 927. Come feel the experience.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The five books of The Southern Swallow Series cover (from AD 927 - 972:

The Academician - The Rise of Li K'ai-men, kniown as Nan Ya and his early career and loves
The Nan Tu - The Invasion of North China and the Migration to the South
Swan Cloud - The Trial and Fall of General Yueh Fei 
The House of Green Waters - The Exile to Hai-nan Island
Vagrants Hollow - Old age and a reall to duty, and in service to the Jade Owl

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

12th Century China is probably the most cosmopolitan period of Chinese history util the modern day.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

FREE March 4-10 at Smashwords.

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/EdwardCPatterson

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The biography of Li K'ei-men is set against the background of The Jade Owl legacy to produce this parallel epic series.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Sung China 1127 - 1132 AD

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The sweep of China's history has fascinated me from the first time I read Pearl S. Buck through a doctoral tract in Sinology at Columbia Univrsity. I neer pursued it as a career (Mammon beckoned), but it has been my passion, evident in The Southern Swallow series.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Li K'ai-men also appears in the Jade Owl legacy series.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Historical fiction with a dash of fantasy and the backstory for the Jade Owl legacy series.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Historical novel of events that few in the west are familiar with amkes this series an exciting entry in the genre.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

He was His Majesty's shadow.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The grand pagaent of history continues.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The life and times of Nan Ya, aka Li K'ai-men, will take you back to a time lost to memory until now.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

An historical epic that will keep you glued to the pages.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

This series contains the back story for The Jade Owl Legacy.

Edward C. Pattreson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The pageant of Chinese History is celebrated within these pages.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Although written in a different style, The Southern Swallow series lays the foundation for the Jade Owl Legacy series.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

In 12th Century China, society was in the full bloom of rennaisance. It was the flowering of Chinese civilization. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I'm on a History fiction panel this Sunday at the eFestial of Words. I'll be sharing my views on the Historical novel.

http://www.efestivalofwords.com/portal.php

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Mutiny and Mayhem in 12th Century China

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a sigle step

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Start the full sweep of the Jade Owl Legacy today, with both series.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Thirty-seven years in the making.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Time travel goes two ways, you know.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

An adventure 37 years in the making.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Life is life, whrther during the 12th Century in Sung China or 21st Century America. We are all tied together by the ribbon of time.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Nan Tu  - Southern Swallow Book II: The Ultimate Road Trip - Migration


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Join me in Sung Dynasty China - come smell the aromas and the stinks. See you there.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Three books in the Nan Ya series (Southern Swaoolow) down - two to go.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The world was ripe in 1127 in China to burst anew with an elegance far beyond any time known to civilization until that time. This was China's rennaisance.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Great new review on Amazon for the series:

Awesome Series, December 17, 2012 
By Teresa Shaw (SANTA ROSA, CA, US)

http://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B00322P1N4/

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Happy Western New Year to all my fans and readcers.

Edward C. Patterson
Readers Rock!


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The 4th Book in this series is called *The House of Green Waters* and should be published by year end 2013.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

He was a scholar and studebt — an Academician, and he rose to become one of the most powerful forces behin the dragon throne. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Yesterday marked the 971st annniversary of Yueh Fei's execution.

Edward C Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

A Chinese adventure like no other you've taken.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Book IV - The House of Green Waters, should be ready by the end of this year.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The more things seem different, the more they are the same.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The world of Sung China waits you. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The great migration of 1127 is an event most Westerners don't know. Here's your chance.  

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The life and times of Li K'ai-men is a revelation on Chinese history during the Sung Dynasty. The Nan Tu covers an important period. Still, this is not a history lesson, but an exciting adventure novel, as all life is.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The Emperor Flees to the Sea

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Action - war and battles, abound in this one.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

This epic is a wild road trip, a mutiny, a sea battle, an insurrection and several action battles.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

A touch and go period of Chinese History is painted in detail, with the Sung court fleeing for its existence.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Come experience the Battle of P'i-chia Cove.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Chinese history like you've never seen it before.

Edward V. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

A Migration, An Invasion, Two Mutinies and a Tale Like None Other

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

On the Way to War
from The Nan Tu

Chang Chun sang a war song to match the drummers that beat a steady rhythm for the march.

“Ts’ao Ts’ao sat on the Gao-xien walls,
He played his p’i-pa and scratched his balls.
He spit at the troops of old Sun Ch’ang,
Thumbed his nose and again he sang —
Alone I am, you son-of-a-bitch,
It’s best to scratch when you have an itch;
So throw your troops against my walls
And find out why I scratch my balls.”

Chang Chun roared. and then glanced to Lin Tze, who joined him in the refrain:

“Wu Wu be my blade and thrust,
Keep these sons of whores in view,
As my lance, their helmets bust.
They were many, but now they’re few.”

“Join in,” Chang Chun shouted to Li K’ai-men, and then turned to the nearest soldiers in the formation. “Join in. It’s always good to call the war gods with song.”
He grinned as he heard the voices join in, disjointed at first, but then with enthusiasm.

“Wu Wu be my blade and thrust,
Keep these sons of whores in view,
As my lance, their helmets bust.
They were many, but now they’re few.”

Chang Chun peered ahead through the plumes of dust. He saw the vanguard of Han Shr-chung’s army on the eastern road, while Lu Yi-hao’s force had circled around and now was on the southern road. 
It’s a good thing, Chang Chun thought. My warrior brethren have rallied to the cause. 
Honor Heaven’s will, came a voice in his head, and he thought this strange. It chased away the next verse of the song. He glanced suspiciously at Nan Ya. 
But no. It’s my imagination. 
Li K’ai-men looked forward at the same approaching dust. 
My imagination. 
Chang Chun sat tall in the saddle, and then raised his hand, halting the behemoth army that trailed him.
“Lin Tze,” he said.
“Yes, my lord.”
“Ride ahead and greet my brothers in arms. Pay them my respects and report back to me.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Nan Ya, do you know my brothers in arms?”
“I’ve met Han Shr-chung, lord. Lu Yi-hao, I know not.”
“No one knows Lu Yi-hao, but no matter. We’ll halt here until we receive directions for a palaver.” He grinned, and glanced back at his army. The dust was settling over a sea of scarlet. “I need to piss.”
Chang Chun dismounted, calling for a soldier to hold his horse. He had expected Nan Ya to dismount and join him in this relief, but the Grand Tutor must have had an ironclad bladder. Chang Chun shrugged. He marched to the road’s edge, and then down the embankment to the fields.
It’s a good day to kill Wall Monkeys, he thought.
Chang Chun scanned the field, the rice beards glistening in the sun. It was a good sign that the earth still bloomed despite the troubles. The rains had been plentiful and the taxes just might support an army, if the court was sober enough to collect it. He added his own yellow rain to the paddies.
“A fine day to kill mutineers,” came a voice.
Chang Chun smiled and continued to urinate, the stream arching. Han Shr-chung stood beside him, loosening his britches, whipping his own dragon out to water the rice.
“My thoughts precisely,” Chang Chun said. 
He glanced down at his colleague’s crotch.
“Surprised, Chang Chun?” Han asked. “They took my balls, but left my drain intact. And I can still piss further than you in any contest.”
“Is it a contest, Han Shr-chung?” Chang Chun laughed. “I thought we were equals among men.”
“Be careful not to drench your boot,” said the third voice. Lu Yi-hao adjusted his robe and joined the irrigators. “Ah, that feels good, gentlemen. You could have used my bladder as a water bomb.”
Chang Chun didn’t glance to the third commander — the one eyed green clad warrior, who managed to out piss them all. 
“It seems the Emperor has gotten into a wee jam,” Chang Chun said.
“He does that,” Han Shr-chung said. “He’s often ambivalent to his duties.”
“Quite like his father,” Lu Yi-hao remarked. “But who are we to judge them if Heaven has made its choice. There, I’ve said it.”
“I hate to disagree with you, Lu Yi-hao,” Han Shr-chung said. “I’ve known this prince since his diaper flap days. He’s nothing like his father.”
“Has the right stuff, you think?” Chang Chun asked.
“Indeed, he does,” Han said. “However, despite a knack for practical skills, he lacks the full Imperial polish.”
“You mean he likes to do things his way and meddles more than the officials would like him to meddle.”
“Correct.”
“Sounds like my kind of Emperor,” Chang Chun said. “However, if he’s so clever, why’s he so far south when his Empire’s so far north?”
“A better question, friend Chang Chun,” Han said. “A better question would be why he has lost his throne to a three-year old boy and an old dragon of a woman.”
“That’s easy to resolve,” Lu Yi-hao said. “Hang-chou is manned by what . . . a few thousand sentries, while we have three armies.”
Han Shr-chung snorted, and then finished pissing. He fussed with his britches, and then turned his back to his colleagues.
“These armies should be about more important business, gentlemen. There are rebels north of K’ai-feng and Liu Yu threatens from Ch’i-chou. The Jackal’s retreated, small thanks, but he’ll return and in full force.”
Chang Chun finished also. He didn’t care for Han Shr-chung’s priorities. As a military man, it was expected that the battlefield was a better place than the palace. However, battles weren’t fought for battle’s sake . . . or were they?
“General Han,” he asked. “Are you saying that we shouldn’t have positioned our armies here to save this Imperial pup’s ass?”
“Of course we need to save him, but I was just saying . . .”
“The sentiment is well taken, Han Shr-chung,” Lu Yi-hao said, joining them. “Do we know the situation at hand?”
“Somewhat,” Chang Chun said. He gazed at the banners flapping on the road’s crest. “Nan Ya rides with me.”
“If Nan Ya’s with you, how can he know more than you do?” Han Shr-chung asked.
Chang Chun pondered this. 
True.
“They say he’s a fa-shr, a student of Han Lin.”
“Which can mean anything,” Han Shr-chung said.
“It doesn’t matter now,” Chang Chun replied. “I believe he was receiving his information from one of the Emperor’s Chamberlains, a chap named Fu Lin-t’o. Whatever methods they used, and it’s beyond my guessing, these communications have become muddled. Nan Ya’s silent now.”
“Fu Lin-t’o?” Lu Yi-hao asked. He grinned. “I know this man. He’s not just the Emperor’s Chamberlain. He is . . . well, he’s Li K’ai-men’s companion.”
“I’ve heard this,” Chang Chun said.
“Who has not?” Han Shr-chung said. “He’s a gentleman and if the communications have ceased between these two, I can tell you why. Fu Lin-t’o and the old Governor-General of Yang-chou, K’ang Yu-wei, have wandered into my camp. Last night. They’re with me.”
“K’ang Yu-wei?” Chang Chun asked.
“Much changed too, I must say. His hair’s stark white.”
“He’s old,” Lu Yi-hao said. “I met him when he turned over his province to me. White hair means he’s growing older. I’m surprised he’s still spy enough to gallop about the countryside.”
“His hair’s white, General Lu, but he’s hardly frail. In fact, he could win our pissing contest if we gave him a chance.”
The three men laughed, partly out of humor, partly out of nerves — a laughter that trailed to silence, followed by a long pause. Chang Chun let the moment grow until it became too pregnant to go full term.
“So, gentlemen,” he said. “We may not know much about the situation, but we know that these Wall Monkeys can’t hold Hang-chou against our force. When we draw close to the city, they’ll shit their robes and capitulate.”
“Are you positive that they won’t just murder the remains of the dynasty and call it a draw?”
Chang Chun mulled this over. They all did, no one daring to speak. Finally, Lu Yi-hao spit on is hand and extended it.
“I swear under Heaven that I have no designs upon the throne. I’m loyal to His Majesty and serve him in all things.”
“May He live ten thousand years,” Han Shr-chung said, grasping Lu Yi-hao’s hand.
“Indeed, may He live ten thousand years,” Chang Chun said, joining in the handshake. “This Emperor’s served well.”
“Let’s face it,” Han Shr-chung said. “We’re clever . . . in fact, you two may even have greatness within your souls, but are we masters enough to continue the line? I, for one, would need to adopt.” He laughed. 
“So,” Chang Chun said. “Shall we join our banners, our cavalry and archers and resolve this wee matter at Hang-chou?”
“Unless you want to shit also, Chang Chun,” Lu Yi-hao said. “We’ll wait upon you in that case.”
“I swear to Heaven,” Chang Chun declared. “I’ll hold my innards until we’ve restored the throne to this wayward boy.”
The three commanders climbed up the crest to the road. Quietly, and soberly, they parted to their respective banners. Chang Chun reached his mount, Lin Tze immediately attending him.
“Your orders, my lord,” he asked.
“No more singing,” Chang Chun said. “Silent drums until we see the walls of Hang-chou.”
“The strategy, my lord?”
“None.”
“None?”
“These Wall Monkeys’ll surrender to us when they first see us.”
“And if not?”
Chang Chun glared at Lin Tze.
“If they don’t, Lin Tze, then the city of the Kings of Wu-yueh shall fall.”

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE for the entire month of July at Smashwords.com. 
The Nan Tu
Book Two of The Southern Swallow Series
by 
Edward C. Patterson

Use coupon SW100 upon check out and enjoy
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1094*​
*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.

**

Use the same coupon for all 19 of my books - also on FREE promotion for this Month
Edward C. Patterson​*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

12th Century China Breaks Apart

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Today and Tomorrow August 29th and 30th at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 [/url​

*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.
482 pages

Edward C. Patterson*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Today and Tomorrow October 3rd and 4th at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 [/url​

*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.
482 pages

Edward C. Patterson*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Today ONLY November 6th at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 [/url​

*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.
482 pages

Edward C. Patterson*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Today and Tomorrow - December 7th and 8th at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 [/url​

*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.
482 pages

Edward C. Patterson*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Today and Tomorrow - January 16th & 17th at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 [/url​

*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.
482 pages

Edward C. Patterson*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Today and Tomorrow - February 24th & 25th at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 [/url​

*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.
482 pages

Edward C. Patterson*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Today and Tomorrow - April 7th & 8th at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 ​
*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.
482 pages

Edward C. Patterson*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Thursday & Friday May 22nd & 23rd at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 ​
*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.
482 pages

Edward C. Patterson*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Thursday & Friday July 3rd & 4th at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 ​
[size=12pt]*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.

482 pages

[size=14pt]The Southern Swallow Series:

The Academician
The Nan Tu
Swan Cloud
The House of Green Waters
Vagrants Hollow

Edward C. Patterson​*


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Today & Tomorrow Oct 6th & 7th at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 ​
[size=12pt]*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.

482 pages

[size=14pt]The Southern Swallow Series:

The Academician
The Nan Tu
Swan Cloud
The House of Green Waters
Vagrants Hollow

Edward C. Patterson​*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*FREE Today & Tomorrow Oct 10th & 11th at Amazon*

*The Nan Tu*
*by *  
*Edward C. Patterson*

*Book II of the Southern Swallow series*

 ​
[size=12pt]*"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southern Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time.

482 pages

[size=14pt]The Southern Swallow Series:

The Academician
The Nan Tu
Swan Cloud
The House of Green Waters
Vagrants Hollow

Edward C. Patterson​*


----------

