The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu

Blind. Tom Lin’s debut novel titled, The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu, is like no American Western you’ve ever read. The novel is set alongside the tracks of the Central Pacific Railroad during its construction, and protagonist Ming Tsu has embarked on a journey to settle scores. Lin draws a landscape we thought we knew with descriptive and vivid language that makes it seem new and fresh. We learn how Ming has been wronged and watch him as he is led by a blind prophet through the desolate West. I found myself becoming hungry and thirsty as Ming runs short of food and water. I felt satisfied when Ming carried out frontier justice. I marveled about how Lin helped me see revenge as a path toward love, the driving force behind Ming’s journey. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu from amazon.com.