Three Kingdoms: A Historical Novel

This is what I was promised: Condition: New
BRAND NEW,GOOD QUALITY AND FAST DELIVERY. ALL HAVE FREE TRACKING NUMBER WITH REGISTERED.

What I really get is a broken case, and two of the volumes are not in a good condition. Still the inside is good and the product is what I asked for.

So the books are apparently not new, or the delivery is of a very bad quality. Also I had some problems with the delivery at first, but the communication with the seller is really good, and he solved the problems quick and efficiently.

I would recommend this seller and the product, but I would care to ask for a good condition of the product before i ask for it...

This review is of Volume 1 the University of California Press edition of the 2-volume paperback unabridged translation by Moss Roberts, ISBN 9780520224780. I've read the translation in a different printing (3-volume hardcover Foreign Languages Press (FLP) edition, published in China), and of course the story and characters are beyond 5-star quality. The Roberts translation has a lot more detail than the newer Yu/Iverson translation published by Tuttle, BTW.

I bought this edition because I'm planning to teach from the first 30-40 chapters of the novel, and I wanted a copy I could both mark up freely, and also assign to any students who will be reading the story in English. So I was quite peeved to see that even though the cover says "with Notes and an Afterword," this volume doesn't contain any of the footnotes (endnotes, actually) pertaining to the 70 chapters it holds. UC Press has arranged it so that you have to buy BOTH volumes if you want to get explanations relating to the material in the first volume alone. Surely they could have split the endnotes between the two volumes -- but that wouldn't milk as much money from readers.

Also be aware that this edition is larger in length & width than a usual trade paperback -- it's more like textbook-sized. The font is relatively small, the margins narrow, making the text dense on the page: not at all the "page-turner" it should be. I strongly recommend the FLP edition: all notes in Volume III, but faster-reading layout of the pages, plus occasional maps and woodcut illustrations (none in this US edition). What a shame that such a great novel and good translation are so poorly -- and exploitatively -- presented.

the store seems to have combined more than one translation here, but DO buy the Moss Roberts translation sold by Foreign Languages Press. I have just finished reading volume 1 of this translation, comparing it word for word with a Japanese translation of the original medieval Chinese. The original language is hard to read, but Roberts nails it. I believe it will be hard to surpass the accuracy of this translation. The Beijing edition, the cheap one available here, contains all of the useful footnotes available in the UC Press edition, and relatively few typos. This classic epic novel is well-known to almost all educated people in East Asia, and if you have the time to focus on the text and remember the names of the characters, it is more engaging and thought-inspiring than a hundred books of political philosophy. Run, don't walk!

It's not that often that I find English translations of Chinese classics that I truly like. Even a very good translation can make you cringe at times because a phrase that's just strange, probably because it's not very translatable. Time to time there are precious gems that really struck me, like Cyril Brich's Peony Pavilion, which I thought truly preserved all the beauty and wit of the original, without being too literal. Moss Roberts's Three Kingdoms is another, but this time maybe not for being a reflection of the original, but for helping me look at the novel with a fresh eye altogether.

First thing first, I am not a big fan of Luo Guanzhong's venerable novel. I admit, it's a good novel from a story telling perspective. There are an insane amount of historical material and legends out there, and it's almost impossible to string together a full story of the Three Kingdoms period, but Luo Guanzhong achieves it. There are many other semi-historical "romances" out there in China, but with the possible exception of Romance of Sui-Tang (which actually covers a shorter period of time and waaayyyy less material), nothing can equal Luo Guanzhong's work in terms of turning thousands of names into one coherent, captivating story.

Now, my complaints, other than the normal harp about characters being nothing like who they are in history books, lie with the style. Luo's ROTK is probably the first in China's vernacular fiction literature, therefore it is actually a lot less vernacular than all others in the same genre. At the same time, Luo's language is not exactly standard official classical Chinese either. It's this weird combination of classical and vernacular. When compared to Red Chamber, or even Water Margin, Luo's ROTK prose appears extremely terse, dry, borderline boring. When compared back to great works of history such as Shi Ji or Sanguo Zhi or even Tang fictions, Luo's prose lacks that kind of precise elegance and punch of real classical Chinese.

That is why the English translation was actually more enjoyable to read for me than the original. First of all, it's an easire and more fluid read. The style reminded me of Ivanhoe and I thought that was simply brilliant. There is no better style to carry an exotic saga of lords and retainers and battles and strategies. The translator also did not try overmuch to emphasize the oriental exoticism of the story. His translation is very matter-of-fact, and you don't notice the foreignness (probably until a proper name pops up lol), you just notice the fascinating people and events unfolding. Also, an English translation just allows me to look at it with a fresh eye. It lifts the story into a more fictional realm for me, and it's actually more enjoyable that way being more distinctively separated from real history.

Robert's translation comes at Three Kingdoms from an academic vantage. His afterword is exception as are his notes very thorough. His prose is exceptionally readable and delightfully entertaining

That said, this edition itself is somewhat frustration to use. All the notes appear at the end of volume 2, meaning you'll need to carry around both books and constantly flip between pages to take advantage of them. If you are interested in the text as an academic work, this is very frustrating; of course if you just want to read, this keeps all the research out of your face. I would have liked to have seen Robert's hard work more prominent in the work--footnotes instead of end notes and more maps and figures.

With that said, this is without question the best translation of the Sangouzhi tongsu yanyi. The question is which version do you want to read. This is probably the best and more affordable option. There is also a cheaper 4-volume paperback and an expensive Chinese-English parallel text version. Don't read the abridged version unless you have a professor who is afraid to assign a 1,000 page novel to undergrads :)

This is an amazing historic, literary work. It is similar to Homer's Iliad and Odyssey (Based on history, but has many fictitious moments). This is my personal favorite set of books. I chose my major because of this work. Moss Roberts does a fantastic translation of a literary work that has helped shape China. The book opens with Liu Xuande (Liu Bei), Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei declaring their brotherhood. This work flows with strategy, both militaristic and political with many vying for power, with an unlikely force winning. In the end, the shadows are the way to gain overall power. This set comes with 2 books, with the first having a green cover and no real extras, and the second has a blue cover, with the conclusion and many extras, including definitions of titles, places, etc. Notes are also contained within the second volume, which greatly help in understanding the flow and historical background of the work, and a chronology of events is also placed in the second volume, with many other extras also included. Overall, an amazing translation of an amazing historic, literary work.

This translation of "Three Kingdoms", one of China's four great classical novels, is extremely accurate and reads excellently and fluently. Roberts finds a middle ground between fidelity and spirit. The language used is not archaic, yet the translation is faithful. It remains one of the best translated texts of Chinese literature ever. Roberts must be congratulated for translating a book that reads as well as it did in the original written six centuries ago.

Trouble is, the version Roberts translated wasn't, textually, what Luo Guangzhong really wrote. It was a text embellished by Mao Lun and his son Mao Zonggang at the start of the Qing Dynasty circa 1660, 150 years after the most ancient extant text was established, that of the Jiajing Renwu edition (1522). The 1522 edition (preface dated 1494) is known as the "Sanguo Tongsu Yanyi" (abbreviated TS by Roberts).

All credit to Roberts, he discusses, with great scholarly attentiveness, the differences between the 1660s Mao edition and 1522 Jiajing Renwu (Tongsu) edition in an informative afterword. Roberts said that the differences and literary merits were disputed amongst scholars. But for people wanting to read a version truer to Luo Guanzhong's vision, the Maos' version is certainly an embellishment, if not an outright revision. The differences are not minor.

The question we should ask today is, should we be reading the Maos' revision of the original novel in c. 1660, or Luo's own (written around 1400)? There are people who advocated the Mao version as the superior, more literary edition. This is no different from scholars who used to "edit" Shakespeare to make him more palatable to the tastes of their times.

What the Maos did was to add their own judgments to the text. Luo's TS version of 1522 paints a more accurate historical version of the characters, from the historical annals Sanguo Zhi. Some people may argue the characters might be drier, but the Maos' changes reflect their own tastes and political allegiances. The Maos were clearly pro-Liu and anti-Cao. Cao Cao became Public Enemy No 1, Liu Bei the embodiment of righteous dynastic rule; Guang Yu and Zhuge Liang were deified. They divided the book into 120 chapters (the TS version was in 24 scrolls and 10 parts each (ie. 240 parts). The Maos changed 10-20% of the text. The effect is cumulative in such a long work as Three Kingdoms. The characterizations are changed quite drastically.

To Roberts' credit, he does provide footnotes where the 1660 revised edition differs from the 1522 version. He is right too that the Maos edition remains the most printed and read version in China, such was its influence. But to go back to the root of Luo Guanzhong's vision, one must translate the 1522 edition.

Frankly, the 1660s version isn't that bad. It's an embellished version, more literary, and may suit certain people's tastes better. For one thing, the line: "The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide" isn't in the older version. But since the 1522 edition almost definitely represent Luo's work more faithfully, readers should have their selection. Since Professor Shen Bojun's magisterial edition of the Jiajing Renwu version appeared nearly two decades ago (which corrects technical errors, ie. errors in dates etc), the task shouldn't be that arduous. 80% of the text is already in the 1660s version. Voice of hope, however idealistic: give us the Jiajing Renwu version and the Sanguo Zhi (the full historical annals) please, Mr Roberts!

Imagine my surprise when my eleven year old son placed a few names from a video game (Dynasty Warriors) into Google and came up with biographies of real Chinese warlords. Investigating I found that the game was based on Chinese Literature, a historical book written in the 1200s about 3rd Century China by Luo Guanzhong. My son promised he would read the book if I ordered it. The book as ordered is printed in China and is broken into four 600 page sections. I did buy it and with his background from the game he sailed through all 4 sections in record time with nothing but high praise. I have read it myself and highly recommend it to anyone. We have also purchased the TV serialized DVD collection, in Chinese with English Subtitles, which is absolutely facinating viewing for those who have read the original books. The DVDs require staying power there are 58 of them put out by Chinese government TV studios. The recording quality and the subtitle errors are a bit of a deterent to all but real Three Kingdom Fans. If you are expecting a slick Hollywood film don't buy the DVDs.

I first became interested in the Three Kingdoms book after buying Dynasty Warriors 3, a game by Koei that interperts history from this era into an action game. First of all, DO NOT buy the abridged version of this book. Buy the full length book. If you're someone who complains about the size of books, don't buy this book as it has 2000+ pages (veries from version to version.)
The book Three Kingdoms is about near the end of the Han Dynasty when the Chinese empire's future lay in the balance. Three such rulers struggle for control over the land. It begins with three men, Liu Bei (styled Xuande), Guan Yu (styled Changsheng), and Zhang Fei (styled Yide)take and oath in a peach garden, pledging brotherhood. The story takes off from there.
Yes, most events in this story did once happen, no, not all characters in this story exist. Mainly unimportant characters (with a couple exceptions, such as Diao Chan) whose names are mentioned once. But most characters (such as Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Sun Quan, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Lu Su, Zhuge Liang, Zhao Yun, and others) once did exist.
Now, with the many names in the story, it can get confusing. Such as sometimes Moss Roberts calls them by their styled names, such as Liu Bei, Moss Roberts calls Xuande, so each time you read something about Xuande, it is Liu Bei, do not get confused. Many names are alike, like Xu You and Xun You. Zhao Yun (styled Zilong) is often called Zhao Zilong, not Zhao Yun, don't get him confused with another person. So as you can see, names are often alike, and sometimes style names as used.
Although a great book, there are many errors. I found Xuande often printed as Xuade, and no it is not a different person. Although not a big issue, it becomes a problem when this happens:
There is a man named Xu Chu, and a man named Xu Shu. Once, when refering to Xu Chu, Moss Roberts had it: Xu Shu. Obvisouly an error, although at first I was confused, and thought he was indeed talking about the real Xu Shu, when he meant Xu Chu.
So, in all, this book is for someone who isn't afraid of long books, and many names. It is easy to get lost, so try your best not to. Over all, it is safe to say this book is comprised of about 70% fact, and 20% fiction. Keep that in mind, also.

Like many other reviewers, the way I first found out about this book was through the Dynasty Warriors video game. I decided to try reading the unabridged version, though somewhat daunted by the size. I did expect the book to be interesting, but I also thought it would be difficult reading. Little did I expect for the book to far exceed my expectations! The Three Kingdoms is a fascinating look into the history (albeit somewhat fictionalized) of China during a roughly 100 year period between 180-280 AD, during which the Han Dynasty fell(the Han was the longest lasting and most powerful dynasty according to the Afterword).

The book is full of stories of honor, courage, and loyalty; as well as betrayal, cowardice, and deception. Three Kingdoms is not just a book about wars, although battle is featured prominently in the book--it spends equal or greater amounts of time peering into the political intrigue, power-struggles, and military strategy. The book is loaded with characters, which presents probably the greatest challenge to a Western reader. Learning the names of the main characters might come easier than you might think, and there is a helpful list of main characters in the back of the fourth volume (though even many of those listed there appear only momentarily in the novel). I would also suggest reading the foreward and at least the beginning of the afterword in the fourth volume before beginning the book--it will give helpful background information.

The storytelling in the Three Kingdoms is so compelling that I often found myself practically cheering for my favorite characters, and often laughing out loud at peculiar victories or witty dialogue. The beginning of the book focuses on Liu Bei (Xuande) a man of admirable character and virtue, but often frustrating leadership. The main body of the book deals with Zhuge Liang (Kongming), who is Liu Bei's military strategist. Kongming is definitely the most fascinating character, and his strategies and manipulation are delightful to watch unfold. The book also has scores of heroes and villains, and gives insight into the values and virtues that were highly regarded by the Chinese. Towards the end of the book the storyline briefly begins to sag as most of the main characters die off, and yet the characters Jiang Wei and Deng Ai redeem the end of the book, and still carry on the suspense and excitement that was stronger and brighter in the first 3/4ths of the novel. All in all I was disappointed when I finished, ONLY because there wasn't more to read! I would definitely read this book again and recommend it to anyone who wants to read a true epic of Chinese history.

Much better than Game of Thrones. I read this book about ten times now. I can't get over how good it is. I've read over ten thousand books in my life time, and I have to say this is probably my favorite out of all of them.

One of the greatest of epic novels. I received this book as a gift, and I'll treasure it forever. I know I'll return to it several times in the future to reread it. The book is as long as five novels, but it's more fun than almost any five novels you could choose. The epic sweep through 110 years of Chinese history is amazing. The narrative is swift and compelling. The battles are spectacular and exciting. The characters--especially Kongming, Cao Cao, and Lord Guan--are wonderfully memorable and alive. The English translation, aside from a few typos and misspellings, is good. I don't speak Mandarin, so I wish someone would make a movie version of the story in English, or provide a subtitled version of one of the many Chinese screen adaptations. If I have one problem with the book, it's the character of Xuande. He's weak and indecisive, and lacks the qualities needed in an epic hero. It's hard to see what the other characters saw in him.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a book mixed with both fictional and real life heroes and villains in a time of civil war in ancient China. The video games, TV shows, and movies that are based off of this book have a lot similarities with this book. This book inspired me to learn more about my Asian roots and to major in Asian history.

Many of the events in the book are true, but since the book is historical fiction, some of the events that took place have been altered or never happened. The same applies with the personalities of many of the characters in the book. The best thing to do is to read both the factual and the historical versions of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Even though I know this to be the case, I enjoy the book overall. The book made me realize that there are heroes and villains in every team and in every force, no matter what side is considered "a hero" and which side is considered "a villain." The book made me realize that love and relationships can have its ups and downs, and the book taught me how different people dealt with stressful situations, ambushes, strategies, and losses of lives.

There is tons of action for action lovers, there is romance, both happy and tragic, for all of the lovers out there that love love stories, and there is tons of information about China that people who are into Chinese and Asian culture can look into. I recommend this book to those that love literature, history, and Chinese culture.

Like many people I first heard of this novel through the games from Koei. I played romance of the three kingdoms on my Nintendo when I was in high school. A few years ago I started playing the dynasty warriors series of games on the playstation. I had always wanted to read the novel, and I'm glad I did. The story starts around 185 AD, just at the end of the Han dynasty. It continues until the end of the Han dynasty in 220, and finally to the reunification of china around 280. The principle characters are rulers, generals, and politicians that make up the Wu, Wei, and Shu kingdoms.
The book is really fast read, considering that the book is 2400+ pages long, it really didn't take that long to read. It is interesting and something is always going on. I don't think I would have enjoyed being a third century Chinese general. They have a pretty short life. It was kind of sad when character that I really like got killed, but considering the time span of the novel it was bound to happen. The novel does focus on the time period from 185-220, after that things start going pretty quick and after 235 AD the story is essentially over, except for a few details.
I can't recommend it enough, you could read it 50 times and still get something out of it. If I were stuck on a desert island, this would be one of the books I'd like to have. Now all I need to do is visit china and see some of this stuff from the book

Last year a friend of mine recommended this masterpiece of Roberts to me to sharpen my English and I found it's a masterwork as excellent as that of the original author about 500 years ago.

It's said that the literature works belong to their own ethnic groups, their languages and can't be translated without losing or adding the meaning. But this epic translated by Roberts completely grasps the meaning of Chinese, both literal meaning, culture meaning and history background meaning of words, not only the surface meaning but also the deep meaning------the meaning in English is just the same as that in Chinese, no more and no less. If a Chinese author translated this middle-ages novel to modern Chinese as Prof. Roberts to modern English, he can do no more and better than Prof. Roberts.

30 years ago as a boy I read this Chinese epic of Luoguan Zhong but ignored the last 15 chapters whose content is about how "traitor" overwhelmed "loyalists" and not "political correct". But this English version read I from the 1st word to the last word including the annotation which contains many Chinese history events and lores even common Chinese don't know.

The shortcoming of this translation is to non-Chinese readers, especially the English name of the people/place in this history fiction. I think western readers will be easily confused because when 30 years ago I firstly read this book I was also confused except tens of the main roles.

But the translation of title is so cool. "''"(['kau'tsu]the earliest ancestor of this dynasty) and "'''''"([tai'tsu'wu'hug'di]the 1st emperor and the founder of this dynasty with many martial merits) is translated to "Augustus"-------the only and very correct translation I think. In Chinese books about Julius Caesar Augustus in Rome history, "Augustus" is simply transliterated to "''''"[au'gu'si'du], because hardly a corresponding ancient Chinese title can be found , "'''''" is the fittest one.

[This review is actually for the unabridged Moss Roberts translation]
This book lives up to its reputation as a source-book for Chinese adventure, politics, history, culture and just plain swashbuckling fun. For the translator, it is a work of a lifetime - this comes from an amateur sinologist who remains daunted by the original texts of works such as Three Kingdoms. Roberts joins David Hawkes in the all-time Chinese translation hall of fame.
For those interested in an introduction to the drama and adventure that provide the framework for Chinese thinking about large issues such as nation-building and nation-destroying, love, honor, war and peace, this is the ultimate guidebook. Long before Gibbon wrote the "Decline and Fall ..." and Asimov wrote the Foundation series, the Chinese were obsessed with the process of dynastic change and transformation in their own country. It is impossible to overstate the role of this work in Chinese culture -- it is as if everyone in the West actually grew up reading -- and loving -- the Iliad and the Odyssey. In the sweep of history, though, the personal is not lost. Personalities large and small march across the scene and the reader is swept up in their strivings to find a place and something to strive for as the structure of the world turns upside down. For the great Han Dynasty is falling, and no one knows what new configuration will take its place. Military and political geniuses, opportunists, men (and woman, who play a significant role) of cruelty and vision emerge to strive in a chaotic arena, seeking to make their mark on the new order to come. In this sense, Three Kingdoms is a human story which repeats itself again and again, but this is one of the bejewelled versions.
Roberts' translation is accompanied by extensive endnotes, which are fascinating to the Sinologist, but which cannot help but distract from the action. Reserve them for later perusal. Finally, the translator has done a tremendous job of translating the poetry in the book - often used to eulogize heroes and martyrs who give their lives out of loyalty to their leaders or who go down fighting in a losing cause. These bits of verse help to cast the necessary sense of the futility of human strivings which pervades this work and the Chinese sensibility generally. The heroes see their own deeds as tiny drops in a great river of history, and their names to be forgotten in years to come. If Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang only knew how Luo and Roberts have extended their memory in times and worlds they could never have imagined.

One of the greatest of epic novels. I received this book as a gift, and I'll treasure it forever. I know I'll return to it several times in the future to reread it. The book is as long as five novels, but it's more fun than almost any five novels you could choose. The epic sweep through 110 years of Chinese history is amazing. The narrative is swift and compelling. The battles are spectacular and exciting. The characters--especially Kongming, Cao Cao, and Lord Guan--are wonderfully memorable and alive. The English translation, aside from a few typos and misspellings, is good. I don't speak Mandarin, so I wish someone would make a movie version of the story in English, or provide a subtitled version of one of the many Chinese screen adaptations. If I have one problem with the book, it's the character of Xuande. He's weak and indecisive, and lacks the qualities needed in an epic hero. It's hard to see what the other characters saw in him.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a book mixed with both fictional and real life heroes and villains in a time of civil war in ancient China. The video games, TV shows, and movies that are based off of this book have a lot similarities with this book. This book inspired me to learn more about my Asian roots and to major in Asian history.

Many of the events in the book are true, but since the book is historical fiction, some of the events that took place have been altered or never happened. The same applies with the personalities of many of the characters in the book. The best thing to do is to read both the factual and the historical versions of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Even though I know this to be the case, I enjoy the book overall. The book made me realize that there are heroes and villains in every team and in every force, no matter what side is considered "a hero" and which side is considered "a villain." The book made me realize that love and relationships can have its ups and downs, and the book taught me how different people dealt with stressful situations, ambushes, strategies, and losses of lives.

There is tons of action for action lovers, there is romance, both happy and tragic, for all of the lovers out there that love love stories, and there is tons of information about China that people who are into Chinese and Asian culture can look into. I recommend this book to those that love literature, history, and Chinese culture.

Like many people I first heard of this novel through the games from Koei. I played romance of the three kingdoms on my Nintendo when I was in high school. A few years ago I started playing the dynasty warriors series of games on the playstation. I had always wanted to read the novel, and I'm glad I did. The story starts around 185 AD, just at the end of the Han dynasty. It continues until the end of the Han dynasty in 220, and finally to the reunification of china around 280. The principle characters are rulers, generals, and politicians that make up the Wu, Wei, and Shu kingdoms.
The book is really fast read, considering that the book is 2400+ pages long, it really didn't take that long to read. It is interesting and something is always going on. I don't think I would have enjoyed being a third century Chinese general. They have a pretty short life. It was kind of sad when character that I really like got killed, but considering the time span of the novel it was bound to happen. The novel does focus on the time period from 185-220, after that things start going pretty quick and after 235 AD the story is essentially over, except for a few details.
I can't recommend it enough, you could read it 50 times and still get something out of it. If I were stuck on a desert island, this would be one of the books I'd like to have. Now all I need to do is visit china and see some of this stuff from the book

Last year a friend of mine recommended this masterpiece of Roberts to me to sharpen my English and I found it's a masterwork as excellent as that of the original author about 500 years ago.

It's said that the literature works belong to their own ethnic groups, their languages and can't be translated without losing or adding the meaning. But this epic translated by Roberts completely grasps the meaning of Chinese, both literal meaning, culture meaning and history background meaning of words, not only the surface meaning but also the deep meaning------the meaning in English is just the same as that in Chinese, no more and no less. If a Chinese author translated this middle-ages novel to modern Chinese as Prof. Roberts to modern English, he can do no more and better than Prof. Roberts.

30 years ago as a boy I read this Chinese epic of Luoguan Zhong but ignored the last 15 chapters whose content is about how "traitor" overwhelmed "loyalists" and not "political correct". But this English version read I from the 1st word to the last word including the annotation which contains many Chinese history events and lores even common Chinese don't know.

The shortcoming of this translation is to non-Chinese readers, especially the English name of the people/place in this history fiction. I think western readers will be easily confused because when 30 years ago I firstly read this book I was also confused except tens of the main roles.

But the translation of title is so cool. "''"(['kau'tsu]the earliest ancestor of this dynasty) and "'''''"([tai'tsu'wu'hug'di]the 1st emperor and the founder of this dynasty with many martial merits) is translated to "Augustus"-------the only and very correct translation I think. In Chinese books about Julius Caesar Augustus in Rome history, "Augustus" is simply transliterated to "''''"[au'gu'si'du], because hardly a corresponding ancient Chinese title can be found , "'''''" is the fittest one.

[This review is actually for the unabridged Moss Roberts translation]
This book lives up to its reputation as a source-book for Chinese adventure, politics, history, culture and just plain swashbuckling fun. For the translator, it is a work of a lifetime - this comes from an amateur sinologist who remains daunted by the original texts of works such as Three Kingdoms. Roberts joins David Hawkes in the all-time Chinese translation hall of fame.
For those interested in an introduction to the drama and adventure that provide the framework for Chinese thinking about large issues such as nation-building and nation-destroying, love, honor, war and peace, this is the ultimate guidebook. Long before Gibbon wrote the "Decline and Fall ..." and Asimov wrote the Foundation series, the Chinese were obsessed with the process of dynastic change and transformation in their own country. It is impossible to overstate the role of this work in Chinese culture -- it is as if everyone in the West actually grew up reading -- and loving -- the Iliad and the Odyssey. In the sweep of history, though, the personal is not lost. Personalities large and small march across the scene and the reader is swept up in their strivings to find a place and something to strive for as the structure of the world turns upside down. For the great Han Dynasty is falling, and no one knows what new configuration will take its place. Military and political geniuses, opportunists, men (and woman, who play a significant role) of cruelty and vision emerge to strive in a chaotic arena, seeking to make their mark on the new order to come. In this sense, Three Kingdoms is a human story which repeats itself again and again, but this is one of the bejewelled versions.
Roberts' translation is accompanied by extensive endnotes, which are fascinating to the Sinologist, but which cannot help but distract from the action. Reserve them for later perusal. Finally, the translator has done a tremendous job of translating the poetry in the book - often used to eulogize heroes and martyrs who give their lives out of loyalty to their leaders or who go down fighting in a losing cause. These bits of verse help to cast the necessary sense of the futility of human strivings which pervades this work and the Chinese sensibility generally. The heroes see their own deeds as tiny drops in a great river of history, and their names to be forgotten in years to come. If Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang only knew how Luo and Roberts have extended their memory in times and worlds they could never have imagined.

Three Kingdoms is a terrific book on many levels. It can be read as a story book of the heroic culture of China in the past, or as a strategem. No matter how you may read the 3 Kingdoms, it is by far a book that almost any fan of literature will cherish. The book is centered around the destruction and rebuilding of a kingdom. The Shu in western China, led by Liu Bei; Wei in the northern heartland controlled by Cao Cao and Wu in the south that was established by Sun Jian, expanded by his son Sun Ce and later stabilized by his brother Sun Quan. The epic has at its core, filial duty, sacrifice, honor, and deception. I highly recommend reading Moss Roberts translation of the Three Kingdoms. By far it is the most comprehenisive edition translated into English. It is a must read to fully understand the ancient culture of China. By understanding the past culture of China, we can better understand the writings of post-modernist American-Chinese writers of the present.

Guanzhong Luo's _Three Kingdoms_ begins with the dissolution of the Han Dynasty and sweeps a broad arc to the consolidation of the Wei. Historic kings, ministers,and legions of heroes struggle in its pages. The story can be appreciated on the level of adventure, military strategy (Mao Tse-tung was said to carry this book with him on campaigns as a guide), or philosophy, as the protagonists are guided by principles of Confucianism, Taoism, and Five-Phases Cosmology. This epic is loved throughout Asia, with anecdotes from its pages being used to entertain and instruct. Moss Roberts' wonderful scholarship ensures the integrity of this translation.

First off, you have to read the full translation of this book. I read the 1976 abridged version of Three Kingdoms translated by Moss Roberts first and thought it was pretty good, but felt that the story wasn't developed enough and lacked cohesion. Then a few years ago I finally found and purchased the full unabridged version published by the University of California Press and also translated by Dr. Roberts. This is the full-blown epic from start to finish with all the details and many of the translation errors of the previous editions eliminated. The prose was also improved and flows eloquently throughout the book's entire 3000+ pages. Three Kingdoms is the tale (part historical, part legend and myth) of the fall of the Later Han Dynasty of China. It chronicles the lives of those feudal lords and their retainers who tried to either replace the empire or restore it. While the novel actually follows literally hundreds of characters, the focus is mainly on the 3 families who would eventually carve out the 3 kingdoms from the remnants of the Han. The Liu family in the Shu kingdom led by Liu Bei, The Cao family in Wei led by Cao Cao, and the Sun family in Wu eventually led by Sun Quan. The book deals with the plots, personal and army battles, intrigues, and struggles of these families to achieve dominance for almost 100 yrs. This book also gives you a sense of the way the Chinese view their history: cyclical rather than linear (as in the West). The first and last lines of the book sum this view up best: "The empire long united must divide..." and "The empire long divided must unite..." If you are at least a little interested in Chinese history (ancient or modern) and culture this book is a must read.

I read the 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' for the first time in 1992. I never finished it because the books were so thick. This condensed version is wonderful, because you can read the important sections in the book and finish the book in no time. The translation is also very clear and fluid. It is a pleasure to read this book.
On the content, the book outlines the story of the three warring kingdoms at the end of the Han dynasty (about 200 AD). The hero of the novel is Liu Bei, the leader of one of the three kingdoms. The novel is imbued with various elements, such as: heroism, loyalty, history, combat strategies and tactics (which you will marvel on), good (justice) versus evil (tyranny), and even romance. It is an amazing book, which is a must read for all businessmen in the Asian region.
The book also include the editor's commentaries at the end that include a discussion on the authenticity and sources of the novel.

Luo Guanzhong and others have contributed one of the most significant true war stories to ever been discovered and documented to date. Through their findings I have been able to observe how Chinese history was within the years of the Han dynasty, and the costs of war. From reading this remarkable historical novel, I have discovered a whole new world and have witnessed the costs of war. A world of tragedy, warfare, political and turmoil brought to peace by some of the most intelligent minds and valiant hearts. The reader first enters the scene at the brewing eye of the storm. Bandits have begun to break out across the country, causing local lords to rise up in defense of the Han. Soon, the major characters of the story are revealed, characters of great virtue and grand intentions. Over the next few years, certain lords gain massive power and begin to stake claims and glory for themselves, totaling disregarding the needs of the failing Han dynasty. Eventually three specific lords rise up among the others, forming three unique and distinct kingdoms, Shu, Wu, and Wei. These three kingdoms or dynasties; Shu led by Liu Bei, Wu by Sun Quan, and Wei by Cao Cao, all have certain advantages over the other two. Varying from wily strategists, massive amounts of manpower, and significant terrain advantages. Over the course of the next few decades these kingdoms clash for power over China. Who comes out the victor? Which Kingdoms rises above the others? Enter the Three Kingdoms.

Three Kingdoms is truly a book I look forward to reading again. Among its greatest strengths were the awe-inspiring plot, the well-developed characters and discovering the strategies and tactics of the older times. I recommend this excellent historical read to any whom have an interest in history, warfare or China. This is definitely one of the greatest historical novels known to date.

I bought the book with some background of the subject(s) so I had a good idea of what it would be like. It is written differently than most American writers' style, which may be weird to somebody that does not realize how authentic the subject and writing actually is. The book is very detailed and for anyone that loves Chinese history of the 150-200 AD period, this book will give you a good description of it.

The characterization and background of the main parties is very in-depth and you get a great idea of the temperaments for all the main characters.

What keeps me from giving this a 5 star rating is that some words are missed due to translation errors, as well as some poor attempts at dramatizing certain moments. Other than those few awkward moments, I am really enjoying the books. I love the story, characters and overall cultural depictions.

This book is a truly epic tale of ancient civilization. It is a historical fiction of roughly 180-280 AD (the period of the fall of the Han dynasty), with Liu Bei and "Peach Garden" brothers set as the heros. The plot of this 2000+ page tale centers around the political and military exploits of various leaders of the age. The dissolving the dynastic rule, the rise of warlords, and the subsequent consolidation into three major kingdoms. The story telling is superb, in echoing themes from earlier chapters, and for thematically bonding disparate events and characters. The story also mixes in many different observations into the nature of morality, politics, leadership, and loyalty. This translation seems to be based on the Mao edition, the footnotes are helpful for understanding the historical allusions and identifying where the fiction differs from history. This printing has a fair number of typos, that are sad, but not very detracting from the story.

the other reviews probably say enough about the Three Kingdoms for me not to repeat them. I came to this novel after playing the old Koei games, and I loved reading it.
My only problem with the box set is that the books' format seemed very poor to me. After paying 50 bucks (with shipping), it was a little disappointing to realize I only got three (yes three, though the entire novel was there. I have no idea why it says "4-Volume Boxed Set") little paperbacks, with a very very small typeset on filmy paper that is very easy to smudge and smear. Also, there are more typos than there are hairs in Cao Cao's beard. Distracting.
I don't think you should let this deter you from reading the three kingdoms. But perhaps, if you know you're going to love it, you might want to wait until a much higher class version comes out than the one from the university press I got.

Imagine my surprise and joy to see that there was finally a Kindle Moss Roberts "Three Kingdoms" edition. Imagine my disappointment when it showed up and I finally realized that this was the abridged version.

I really can't rate this because it may be a wonderful abridged version, but the store wants at least one star. If I had paid attention when I snapped this up, I would have known what I was getting and no harm, no foul.

Four GREAT Chinese classics roam over Chinese Literature, and among those (Romance of the three kingdoms, Dream of the Red Chamber, the Monkey King, and ShueyHudran), Romance of the three kingdoms is deemed as second place, right after the Dream of the Red Chamber. It is a work in the plot of the Three Kingdoms history book, which is written in ancient Chinese and is thus very hard to comprehend. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms however, is a very intriguing accomplishment. However, if one read the translation version, one must bear in mind that there are lots names very similar. I myself have read the Chinese version, which made it much easier to comprehend. The storyline is an adventure, and a great warning to imperialism. The three kingdoms stand in enmity and eventually none of them won. This is the Three-Kingdom tragedy, and the end of the Three-Kingdom dynasty. Lots of symbolism and fables to be interpreted. Very thoughtful and comprehensive, all plot tied up extremely conherently. The characters, as far as I know, are all real. China could not have thrived without the greatness of the Three Kingdoms, for it developed numerous Chinese proverbs, numerous location names, and numerous Gods to be worshiped. It is one of the greatest classics in the world, and it must be savored - every bit of it.

You should. Three Kingdoms is the number 2 bestseller in the history of mankind after King James Bible. Couple billion readers cannot be wrong so have your faith in this book.

Three Kingdoms.... I read it about 8 times now. Everytime I read it, I learn something new or see a different point of view according to my own maturity.

You can talk about Tolkien, Jordan, Martin and other masters of fantasy novels but unless you read this one, you don't know what the hell you are talking about.

Part fiction, part history, get ready to immerse yourself in epic that is equal to none. You have just found the book of your dreams.

I first became familiar with the Three Kingdoms period through the video game "Romance VII" (on PS2). Through the game, I was able to understand what each charecter is capable of doing, which illustrated a clear narrative of the basic concepts involved. After playing "Romance VIII" & "Romance X", I more or less understood what the novel had to offer. After playing these games, I decided to go to the main source - the novel. While reading the novel, I started associating the images and scenarios from the games with the text. Although you will know how most events will unfold, the endless names, ranks, locations and procedures, will make sense; which without, you will be bored to death. So to sum things up, I highly recommend you play some of the romance games (in particular "Romance X") so to know how significant some events (like the meeting of the brothers, or the battle with the 'strongest man under heaven') are.

I first was introduced to this story by first playing the the game Dynasty Warrriors 2 for Playstaion 2.... Even though I am not finished with the three volumes so far it has been excellent and very detailed for an a historical story that happened about two millenia ago. I am now on the second volume and won't stop till I get to the end. One thing about these books is that it is very difficult readed and not that easy to follow at times because the names of the people can get confusing the chinese has their names, last name first and given names following and also the people in this story sometimes are called by a second name which is common in the chinese culture. One would have to read these books at least two more times after the first to get the story down because according to my mother my grand father had read the same story in China and told my mom that he had to read it a few times to fully understand this complex time in the history of pre-feudal China and a story still being studied militarily and historically to this day. In a nutshell dispite the difficult read and complex story which I found to a challenge it is excellent and did not before starting expect it ot be easy, is excellent for someone who wants to be challenged whether or not they have played the game or who just is intrigued by an important time in the history of China. It is good for people just learning about this country or for some who like me have played the game and is caught by the intriguing story that the game was based on.

"What of the typos and errors?" whine some reviewers. "Or the tediousness of the story as a whole?", cry others. One even proposes the introduction of a television show based upon the events of the Three Kingdoms, so as to alleviate the "dullness" within this epic. So, before I begin my review, I must submit a brief warning:
If you possess the attention span of a five year old, have the vocabulary skills of a newborn (all errors can be corrected mentally, within seconds of their discovery)or prefer movies to books, than this is not for you. Hopefully anyone that suffers from all three ailments has not defiled this book by even considering its purchase. Enough ranting. To the book itself.
This is a passport to the ancient China of lore, where great heroes mingled with Taoist sorcerers, where the pageantry and lavishness of the Emperor's court was matched only by the suffering of the peasants at the other extreme. This is the China of the treacherous yet mighty Lu Bu, the wise Zhuge Liang, and the ambitious Cao Cao. And lastly, this is the China of the Three Kingdoms: Wu, Wei and Shu.
From the rout of the Yellow Scarves in the opening scenes of the novel to the fall of Wu and the unification of the Empire over a hundred years later, this story flows seamlessly, intricately weaving the clash and bloodshed of battle with the scheming and intrigue that fills the tale's early pages. This is a blend of fiction and fact, after all, so Luo Guanzhong does not have the ability to twist the plot in any one direction (though Liu Bei emerges as a hero to Cao Cao's brutal villain)and so some of the lesser fights are told matter-of-factly.
However, there is something about The Three Kingdoms - the Taoist magic, the great warriors, the colorful picture that the author paints of palace life - that keeps it fresh, and wipes away the dryness that fills other legends. While Jiang Wei's endless string of defeats at the end of the novel appears to grow old, it is only because the reader has grown so attached to the Kingdom of Shu that its losses are your losses, and so, when Liu Shan capitulates so suddenly, you are disgusted. But it had to occur, did it not? As promised in the novel's opening line:
"The empire, long united, must divide. The empire long divided, must unite. So it has been..."

I'll admit, I purchased this novel because of the addictive Playstation 2 games put out by Koei that are based on the Three Kingdoms story and characters. Even being relatively familiar with the characters and plot, I found the novel to be very difficult to digest, if only because hundreds of characters are introduced (and often killed or left behind) every few pages. The storyline is vivid and interesting, and this is an excellent novel. This version is very helpful due to extensive endnotes and a preface and afterword that fleshes out the background and meaning of the novel. I would recommend it to anyone who's interested in political and military adventures, but you should be prepared to invest substantial amounts of time in reading it.

I have just finished reading this book and was moved to make a comment. First of all, I want to say that this is a complete version of "Three Kingdoms", not an unabridged one.
The Foreign Language Press published this English translation made by Moss Roberts, in four volumes and 2340 pages, which include many notes, several drawings and some maps. The edition was very carefully done.
About the content, I just can say that it is a monumental painting of humanity made through the light of a very difficult time in China history.
One hint: at the end of volume four, a list of principal characters is included, which results very useful along the reading.
As always, thanks to the store that brought this book to my hands.

The story itself is amazing, the translation lively and I like that it had little pictures once in a while to give me a picture in my head of what these characters looked like.

HOWEVER...There are quite a few spelling mistakes, out-of-place words, and mixed up letters (b,d and p,q). I bought a set directly from China so I'm not sure if the edition for sale in North America has these flaws. They don't cause any major comprehension problems, but they're frequent enough for me to knock off 1 star.

Still, this is the translation you should get, even if their proof-reader should have been fired.

It is an excellent novel and the translation is great. When I read the story, I felt like I traveled back to the history, and witnessed the events unfolding in front of my eyes. The story depicts the loyalty, integrity, sacrifice, friendship, betrayal, treachery and human fragiltiy. Today, I can not imagine someone can match the characters of Lord Guan and zhao Zilong for their loyalty, integrity, courage, and sacrifice. I was also amazed , perhaps, intrigue about the Emperor Xian who somehow could not seek the service from Li Xuande and his people. Perhaps, the Chinese history would have a new twist if Emperor Xian had used Li Xuande to protect the Han dynasty. Sum it up, the reasons or culprits that led to the collapse of the Han dynasty or any other dynasties later in Chinese history were due a weak ruler, abuses of power from eunichs, or misuse of talents in the court. The irony is nobody could imagine that, in the end, the entire realm was united by Sima Yan to found the Jin dynasty but not by Cao cao, or Li Xuande or Sun Quan as the three main characters in the story of the three kingdoms that fought against one another.

This is the unabridged version and truly a masterpiece. I was familiar with a very small portion of the history during this time period before I read it, so that encouraged me to try it out. If you love epic stories, this is a great one. Guanzhong based his novel on solid historical facts while adding some fictional elements in order to bring out the characters and events for the reader. I've heard it said, and I agree with it, that it is 70% history and 30% fiction. Addtionally, this is a must read for any fans of the Dynasty Warriors gaming series. My recommendation is that if you have any interest in this period of Chinese history or stories of heroics and loyalty-to-the-death, buy it, and I guarantee that you wont regret it.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is my favorite Chinese literature. This is one of the best classic's in Chinese history. This 4 volume set tells you one of the bloodiest war in ancient China. This is a MUST READ if you are into Chinese classics. From the uprising of Shu, Wei, and Wu and the to the unification of the whole three kingdoms.