I.F Rowan

This was a free e-book given in exchange for a review. This book is as a collection of short stories and novellas.

This was an interesting book. Dao Shi is a con-man who makes his living exorcising non-existent demons from the homes of gullible clients. But things are not always as they seem, as Dao Shi discovers when he encounters a real demon. Suddenly his whole world is changed, not just by the realization that there are demons, but by the understanding that not all demons are from the spirit world. Finding himself on the wrong side of politicians and emperors, he must flee his home, and in the process exorcise not just the demons of the spirit world but the demons of his life as well.

Rowan writes with an easy style that captures the readers imagination and moves us into this erstwhile con-man's world of intrigue and spirits as we follow this unlikely hero on a quest to discover the truth about his world and his life. Somewhere along the way the reader will find themselves beginning to sympathize with Dao Shi, for he represents all of us who feel powerless in the face of forces beyond our control. Hoping against hope that he can overcome each trial, the reader is drawn deeper and deeper into the book. Then we, too, encounter Underworld, hoping to find answers.

My only real problem with this book is that I wanted to read more and felt like I was left with the conflict unresolved. I would recommend the book and the author, but would like to see a conclusion to Dao Shi's journey.… (más)

Welcome to the Underworld is a collection of four short stories centered around Dao Shi, an out-of-favour former historian turned charlatan exorcist in a sort of ancient China. The first story, Looking for Goats, Finding Monkeys, introduces Dao Shi and the sort of world in which he resides, opening with a fake exorcism to lay a family's ghost of an ancestor. (Please not that though he largely fakes the exorcisms, he views it as a service to the family so they can move on and focus properly; these are not done out of greed or malice.) In the first story we also learn that demons are occasionally real, and that a little knowledge can go a long way with the right handling. The second tale, The Turning of the Tiles, introduces a second plot involving the Imperial government and the death of his son. The second plot is continued through the third and fourth stories, becoming more of the focus of the tales.

I really enjoyed these stories - their pacing is excellent for the length; the slow discovery of the main character is built into the story revealing him more and more as they go and events never feel forced or glossed over*. The stories are told in the first person, making the reminisces feel more genuinely sentimental, and the main character, Dao Shi, views himself with a self depreciating eye, with wry humour giving his narration a nicely human and very believable feel. Banter between characters is excellent, no awkward stiltedness except where you'd expect it (in front of ranking government official, for example.) All in all, an excellent read.

Minor editing issues - a missing word and possibly some typos need mild editing to give this excellent little collection a high polish.

Overall rating: 4.5 or 5 stars. Mr. I. F. Rowan, I'd like more stories, please.

*Though I'd also like to know more about the former soldier who was begging in that first story; it felt like there should be more there from the time spent on him.

Review copy supplied by the author as part of LibraryThing's Member Giveaway program.… (más)

This story is about Dao Shi, a charming man whose only talent is, according to him, deception. He is greedy and self-serving but he is kind in his own way. He ekes out a living as a fake exorcist but soon finds out that spirits and demons might really exist. Dao Shi soon attracts the attention of the government who wants to use his "powers" but he's not all that happy about being used as a pawn...

I.F Rowan did an amazing job creating a dark mysterious world that has just enough humor to keep it from being depressing. For example, in a fit of terror, a family tries to run away from their house. After an awkward silence, the wife notes that they are in the closet. The story is told in first-person so readers are treated to Dao Shi's subtle but hilarious side comments. Threatened by government officials or by evil ghosts, he'll always have something to say. Even so, the story is fast-paced and engaging. I was halfway through the book before I realized it!

A lot of the secondary characters are overshadowed by Dao Shi and falls flat. They just aren't very memorable to me. Because the story was originally published as four separate stories, there is not much cohesion in the story. There's plenty of action but not much that is central to the plot. Dao Shi still has a long way to go before he finds out what happened to his son. Also, while I wouldn't say this is a bad thing, Rowan likes to use a lot of big words. Bring a dictionary with you if you're the type of reader who doesn't like to skip over unknown words.

Pro: believable and complex main character, action-packed, unique world and story, fast-paced, hilarious!
Con: somewhat flat secondary characters, no real progress in the central plot

Overall, this book is an absolute delight to read. It is especially a treasure for such a cheap price. I would recommend this book to adults and young adults but probably not to our younger readers. Dao Shi lives in a pretty cruel world and he does quite a few questionable things. As a heads up, this book is more like an introduction to Rowan's books rather than a full-length novel. He'll write more if enough readers want to hear more about Dao Shi's adventures so let's keep our hopes up!

Received this book for free in a giveaway in return for an honest review… (más)