Palace of Heavenly Pleasure - Couverture souple

The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure is a great epic, sweep of a book, driven by such a powerful cocktail of history, passion, plot and character that you will be drawn completely into the world created by Adam Williams and will not want to leave. This is a story told not only with brilliant imagination, but also with the knowledge and authority of an author steeped in the traditions and environment about which he writes. 'A fantastic read about the tensions and people in a forgotten corner of Britain's empire. (Humphrey Hawksley)

If you like derring-do, murderous characters, interesting sexual practices and intrigue, this is for you . . . indulge in a heady, passionate drama. (Sunday Express)

Absolutely wonderful (Penny Vincenzi)

'Absolutely wonderful - that very rare thing, a spellbinding novel which really draws the reader into its world' Penny Vincenzi (Called us direct with quote)

Storytelling of the epic kind - this 700 page tale about sinners and lovers in 1900s China will have you gripped (Heat)

'An epic tale pulsing with intrigue,adventure and romance.' - Live Wire

An epic historical and romantic story as well as an impressive first novel. (Sunday Mirror)

'The blockbuster of the summer, set in 19th Century China.' - Good Housekeeping

'With his colourful characters and Boxer Rebellion setting, Adam Williams has created a scintillating adventure polished by a dash of history . . .

What Williams makes of his characters is a rattling good read. Full of love and loss and guts and gore and derring-do, this is as good as an adventure story gets. Some novelists are adept at driving a story on through dialogue, while others find narrative more natural. Williams is a master of both. Ths is his first novel, yet technically accomplished.

Beyond a cracking story, well conceived and executed, is there more? Yes, much. ... He excels in communicating China's simultaneous similarity and strangeness.

Entertaining, engaging and informative,this book deserves to do well.' - The Times

'This is the essential summer read for anyone who enjoys a well-written, colourful and meaty historical novel of epic proportions with a long cast of vivid, engaging and diverse characters.' - Choice

A group of foreigners in the northeastern town of Shishan finds the status quo upset when Helen Frances, a young woman with a middle class upbringing but a fatal flaw, arrives and falls in love with the Hon Henry Manners.

The most astonishing range of characters awaits you in this novel; the wicked brothel-keeper Madam Liu and her sadistic son Ren Ren; the pragmatic missionary Dr Airton, the American zealot Septimus Harding, the equivocal Mandarin. Not to mention the wonderfully complicated anti-hero Henry Manners, the prostitutes Fan Yimei and Shen Ping, the Mongolian shaman. And the ing?nue, Helen Frances herself, whose innocence covers an unorthodox curiosity.