House of 8 Orchids by James Thayer

Published by Thomas & Mercer on January 5, 2016

House of 8 Orchids follows the arc of a good adventure novel: a roguish but likable protagonist goes on a journey, overcomes life-threatening obstacles, and learns something about himself along the way. The time and place (China during the Second Sino-Japanese War) add color to the story, while a variety of convincing secondary characters add to its sense of authenticity.

John and William Wade, the children of an American diplomat, were kidnapped in Chungking in 1912. The story begins in 1938. John and William both serve Eunuch Chang, who presides over the House of 8 Orchids. Eunuch Chang kidnaps orphans and fosters their talents for nefarious purposes. William’s talent as an artist makes him a skilled forger. John is trained as an assassin and a thief. Less fortunate orphans are relegated to the Rough Boys, a group whose members develop their muscles rather than their minds.

The latest addition to the House, via kidnapping, is Wu Luli. Unlike most of Eunuch Chang’s victims, Wu Luli is a woman of some prominence in Chinese society. Chang plans to sell her for a good price. William is quite taken with her and that leads to trouble for both William and John.

John’s trouble takes him on an adventurous journey across China that involves Japanese bombings, bandits, monks, Chiang Kai-shek’s army, a brave American doctor, the United States Navy, and villagers who are victimized by both the Chinese and Japanese armies (and by gangsters). At the same time, it is a journey of self-discovery, as John is forced to make a compromise between the unsavory values he learned from Eunuch Chang and his observation that the people he admires are more inclined to help strangers than to harm them. He also learns something about his past that may or may not inspire him to redefine his identity.

James Thayer paints a detailed picture of the Chinese countryside and enlivens the story with Chinese legends. The story has the feel of a modern legend, filled as it is with folk beliefs and rural Chinese traditions, feats of daring and acts of grace. As you would expect from a legend, everything is a bit oversized, from John’s ability as a knife fighter to a dog that is as big as a small horse.

Adventure novels typically work their way to a predictable ending and this one is no exception. It is nevertheless a satisfying ending and the story holds a surprise or two as it speeds toward its conclusion. House of 8 Orchids isn’t a deep novel but its entertainment value is heightened by its setting and its strong characters.

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