Sons of Heaven — Terrence Cheng

Sons of Heaven is an epic novel set against the backdrop of one of modern historys most haunting events: the Tiananmen Square Massacre. In June 1989, the world watched in horror as Chinas military was mobilized to suppress a student movement that stood for peaceful democracy. Hundreds were killed; others say thousands. No one knows for sure.

But the image that remains most powerful is that of a lone young man, looking confused yet terribly brave, as he held his ground before a rolling line of tanks. Who was he, and why did he do what he did? No one has ever been able to determine his identity or fate. Within the pages of Sons of Heaven, in a stunning blend of history and fiction, Terrence Cheng has vividly created a life for this young hero and given him a voice.

Cheng imagines the young mans life as he goes away to America to complete his education. He falls in love with a beautiful young American girl who opens up to him a free life filled with opportunity. When he returns to China he is embittered and disillusioned; only the potential for political change seems to revive him. Also unraveled is the story of the young mans older brother, an ardent member of the Red Army, who is ordered to capture his little brother. In the end, their political differences turn deadly. On one level this is a novel of history as played out in modern China, but first and foremost, it is about the universal ties of family and the difficult process of boys learning to become men.

Also under scrutiny is the life and history of Deng Xiaoping, Chinas leader who is suspected of giving the final orders to turn the Peoples Army against its own people. What historical and political factors affected his decisions that fateful summer? Was Deng the monster that the world made him out to be?

A revolving narrative of family, faith, and courage, Sons of Heaven braids the lives of peasants and soldiers, politicians and gods. It is a powerful novel of one of the most memorable and moving moments of our time.

Praise for SONS OF HEAVEN

"This remarkably structured and textured debut epic seeks to attach a face to the mysterious man who, by stepping in front of the rolling army tanks, became the most recognizable symbol of the massacres. Cheng succeeds in his endeavor...a multifaceted and sophisticated portrait of the Chinese people is rendered. This is a rare findThis is not the first novel to center around Tiananmen, but it may be the best."Publishers Weekly (starred review)

[A] superb first novel...Sons of Heaven succeeds...because its focus is relentlessly personal, and moral."San Francisco Chronicle

Filled with carefully measured doses of history, romance, and adventureStylistically and thematically daring.Miami Herald

"Terrence Cheng enters history in such a profound and provocative wayhis retelling of the events in and around Tiananmen Square is subversive, lyrical, and full of control. Cheng is a painter and a cinematographer and a wordsmith all at once."Colum McCann, author of Dancer

"[T]his brave, insightful and gifted writer...seeks to compassionately understand these fictional (and actual but fictionalized) characters backgrounds, motivations and uncertainties to help readers grasp the moment from divergent perspectives."Eugene Weekly

"Compelling...powerful...a first-class thriller set on the stage of world history that is hard to put down."Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Cinematic...powerful."Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Who cannot think of those days in June 1989 without recalling the image of an unknown protester facing off against a tank...thanks to Terrence Chengs Sons of Heaven, we shall have an enduring reminder."Denver Post

"An irresistible peek...into the human face of modern China."USA Today

"The writing here is terse and often beautiful...this clash between polemic-heavy brothers glows with truth."Los Angeles Times

"[An] imaginative and minutely researche