In the waning days of the Shang dynasty in ancient China, an epic battle begins between forces loyal to the corrupt Shang king and the rebels of West Qi. The leader of the Shang army, Grand Tutor Wen, desperately recruits a host of demons, immortals and Daoist magicians to his side. They build ten magic traps to ensnare the West Qi rebels. But the legendary Jiang Ziya, aided by Nezha and the immortals of Mount Kunlun, use deception, magic and raw strength to disable the traps and lead a counterattack against the king's forces.
This book, the third in the series, is based on chapters 35 through 50 of The Investiture of the Gods. It is a compelling tale of honor, ambition, and divine struggles, with rich storytelling and vivid imagery. This high-stakes saga explores the clash between gods and humans, and the trials of those who must choose between loyalty to the king and their own honor.
Now Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang have retold this epic story to make it accessible to Chinese readers of all levels, using a limited vocabulary, simpler sentences, and fewer proper nouns. Each page of Chinese is also shown in phonetic pinyin. Words not included the HSK4 list of commonly used words are defined where they first appear in the text. A full English translation and glossary are included in the back of the book. And a free audiobook is available on YouTube and the Imagin8 Press website.
Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang are co-authors of dozens of best-selling books for English-speaking people learning Chinese language and culture, including the best selling 31-volume Journey to the West series and innovative translations of the Dao De Jing, Art of War, and San Zi Jing. Their books are available at www.imagin8press.com and from most online booksellers.
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A GUIDE TO DIFFERENT FORMATS
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Our Last King of Shang books, a retelling of the classic novel The Investiture of the Gods, are available in several different formats, depending on what you're looking for. They are listed below. You can find more information about each of these books at www.imagin8press.com.
The Last King of Shang -- in English
• Available in: paperback and ebook
The Last King of Shang -- in Simplified Chinese
• Available in: paperback and ebook
The Last King of Shang -- in Simplified Chinese, pinyin and English
• Available in: oversized hardcover ("coffee table" size) and ebook
The Last King of Shang -- audiobook - in spoken Chinese
The Last King of Shang, Books 1 through 6 - a series of six paperbacks, in Simplified Chinese, pinyin and English
• Available in: paperback and ebook
Investiture of the Gods, Books 1 and 2 - a series of two paperbacks, in English
• Available in paperback and ebook
