The Last Bannerman
By Alan Savage
This magnificent sequel to The Eight Banners opens in Imperial China in 1870.
The trading house of Barrington is firmly established in Shanghai; its illustrious family honoured by the Ch’ing dynasty it supports. Young Robert Barrington, the son of the Empress Dowager’s favourite, James, is summoned to the Forbidden City in Peking … and to the Empress Dowager’s bed.
When Robert’s formidable patron makes him a captain in China’s new navy, he sees action in the devastating Battle of the Yalu River. And as the fortunes of the Ch’ing ebb and flow, so too do those of the Barringtons.
Adrian, Robert’s brother, discovers pleasures more esoteric than working for the House, while their sister Helen experiences the savage cruelty of the Boxers. And impetuous Victoria, the youngest, flies in the face of all her family’s beliefs when she falls in love with a follower of Dr Sun Yat-sen — the outlawed revolutionary intent on overthrowing the Ch’ing …
The Last Bannerman is a compelling and thoroughly researched book, in which Alan Savage brings to life the final throes of the once mighty Dragon Empire, and the House of valiant Englishmen who upheld it. It’s a perfect choice for anyone interested in Chinese history, and those who enjoy a great family saga.
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