The Crocodile and the Crane: A Novel of Immortality and Apocalypse

Arthur Rosenfeld succeeds in blending martial arts action and philosophy in this fast paced thriller. As I moved through the worlds of his characters facing crisis and uncertainty, I found myself thinking about their circumstances in the context of the philosophical perspectives introduced by the author throughout the novel. On the surface, Zetian and Sanfeng are good and evil, however, we learn that the Yin and Yang are not black and white. Imbalance has created a worldwide crisis and we gain greater understanding as we read how the characters of this novel gain understanding, and ultimately accept the need for a new equilibrium. Balance is a theme discussed throughout this novel, yet it is a subtle balance that this world needs and that is what Rosenfeld brings to us in the Crocodile and the Crane. You will read this once because you will not want to put it down. You will read this again and again because you will want to remember the wisdom.

Some 3500 years ago a blacksmith roamed China with his two children. One reason they wandered as much as they did is to keep people from noticing how slowly they aged and how healthy they were. Gao the Blacksmith had discovered a secret of meditation and movement that had amazing benefits. Zetain and her brother Sanfeng practiced the same secrets. Of course, discovery was inevitable, angry villagers suffering from a plague turned on Gao, and the children fled, surviving on their wiles and the special powers their 'qigong' practice gave them. 3500 years later, they have become secretive powers in the oriental world, and now, for the second time, the original plague has returned to threaten the world. While Sanfeng and Zetian play key roles in this tale the real heroes are Dalton Day an unlikely gongfu instructor who has stumbled on a number of Gao's secrets, Leili Musi, whose son is an early victim of the deadly disease, and Monica Farmore, who has drawn the assignment of helping Dalton Day during a tour of Hong Kong to publicize his new book. There are quite a few other interesting characters, but these are the people who will either save or destroy the world. Zetian is a cruel and materialistic woman who cares not at all what happens to the world. She is opposed by her brother who has set in motion plans that will bring a glimmer of hope to a world dying from a disease that seems to have no cause. The others are the pieces in the complicated game of chess that Gao's children are playing. Rosenfeld does an admirable job of keeping the plot moving without getting bogged down in various metaphysical and environmental discussions. Don't get me wrong, these do happen, but the author establishes a balance that keeps up the reader's interest. The tension builds slowly, but steadily. He introduces some interesting ideas (look up apoptosis) that make this more than yet another 'plague ends the world' story. I also appreciated the tour of Hong Kong and Indonesia as well as the insights into how well the world deals (or doesn't deal) with a major health crisis. This is the second of Rosenfeld's novels that I've read (the first was The Cutting Season, a tale of a doctor who is more than a little handy with swords). This story is more maturely written and works on more levels than the first. Since they are completely unrelated tales I would recommend The Crocodile And The Crane for starters. [Review copy provided by the author]

Steeped in Chinese mythology, the Crocodile and the Crane is a brilliant epic that's both highly entertaining and very enlightening. The author takes full advantage of his decades of martial arts experience to weave an exotic yet believable tale. Despite the apocalyptic theme, all of the characters feel real. Readers will build an emotional connection with all of them, even the bad guy (err, gal). Since Rosenfeld has mastered the art of pacing, feathering in just enough detail to ensure that readers understand what is going on without giving away too much or belaboring the point, the more than 300 pages breeze by in record time. It's a truly captivating read. The basic premise of the book comes from qigong, a real-life martial art known for its ability to increase practitioner's health and vitality. More than 3,000 years ago a Chinese master named Gao developed the ultimate qigong, a variant that bestows virtual immortality upon its practitioners. Before being killed in battle he taught it to his two children, Sanfeng and Zetian, swearing them to secrecy. Like yin and yang, they couldn't be less alike. Sanfeng is empathic, relishing life while Zetian is sociopathic, caring only for herself. In the near future a horrific plague known as the Banpo Smile resurfaces. This scourge rapidly destroys its victims through apoptosis, the programmed destruction of their cells. Sanfeng and Zetian's secret qigong allowed them to live through the plague in their youth, so they know that it will save them again. While Sanfeng wants to share this secret knowledge his sister is vehemently against doing so. A climatic battle places the fate of the world in their hands. Other players in this thrilling drama include Dalton Day, a gongfu (kung fu) teacher and author whose own martial art closely mirrors Gao's secret form, Leili Musi, a nurse whose son is the plague's first victim, Monica Farmore, a marketing exectutive at Day's publisher who's heritage is more than she knows, and Reggie Pritt, a police captain who's love for Monica is imperiled by the events. This thoroughly researched and well written book is a wonderful read. Martial artists and aficionados of Chinese culture/history may appreciate it even more than other kinds of readers, yet it should prove entertaining for all audiences. Very highly recommended! Lawrence Kane Author of Martial Arts Instruction and Surviving Armed Assaults; co-author of The Way of Kata and The Way to Black Belt.

This is Mister Rosenfeld's second book written in the new "Martial Arts Fiction" genre (new to the Western literary scene, anyhow). Where "The Cutting Season" was over-the-top, breaking the "rules" and seemingly intended primarilly for maximal reader entertainment; "The Crocodile and the Crane" is more subtle, mature, educational, and rather brilliant. While the writing style is similar, the tone is much different. I must admit that, upon hearing the basic premise, I thought I would not care to read this book -- but if you can get past the symbolic metaphor of a style of Tai Chi that makes the practitioners "immortal" you'll find that the story is exceptionally well written and quite entertaining. A significant portion of the story deals with the concept of human overpopulation pushing Gaia's carrying capacity -- which means that medical advances and easy living have resulted in more people than nature has intended -- thus a mysterious worldwide pandemic which seems to be neither bacterial or viral. There are numerous references to Eastern philosophy, history, art, medicine and mysticism -- and of course martial arts. These topics were well researched, which will be greatly appreciated by any readers holding similar interests. My only complaint is a very brief reference by a character to someone she knew who had enacted the "JATO rocket car" urban legend (reported as "fact" in the fictional Darwin Awards series, but since debunked by both Snopes and Mythbusters). Said reference was only a scant paragraph, but it was distracting and could've been edited out. I especially enjoyed the epilogue, in which the "evil" character's motivations were finally revealed as she passes through a multi-staged afterlife quite different from the Judeo-Christian model. That ended the tale on a truly satisfying and uplifting note. In conclusion, this was a great book -- far better than most of the drivel on the bestseller lists -- and if you have any interest at all in ancient Eastern culture I highly recommend that you check it out.

I received this book as a gift and recommend it unconditionally. Even those not familiar with martial arts will get caught up in the suspenseful action and surprises Arthur Rosenfeld, the author, has in store for his audience. Rosenfeld presents a very original premise that is beautifully written, giving his audience a great reading experience that is well-researched and that captures one's interest from the first to the last page. He ties up all the loose ends very cleverly. The events are crafted so realistically it is difficult to remember this is a work of fiction!