The Outlaws of the Marsh — Luo Guanzhong

The legendary account of 108 "Stars from

Heaven" who, faced with a corrupt bureaucracy, flee to Liangshan

Marsh, from a fortress there  thwarting minions of the evil regime

while continuing to serve the emperor. In its mix of politics,

military tactics, action, martial arts, magic, and even the bawdy (the

chapters on Wu Song laying the groundwork for Jin Ping Mei), this

beloved novel is an unsurpassed classic in any language.