The Emporer's Tomb by Steve Barry

The story starts with our hero, Cotton Malone, getting a note about his friend and lover, Cassiopeia Vitt being detained and tortured.  He must find her.  


In the search for answers we learn a lot about Chinese history.  They are responsible for some very incredible inventions.  There is also a brotherhood of Unik's that was started very early on to be advisors to Emperors.  It was thought that as a person of no sex they would be more likely to give fair advise and not advise to further the careers of sons that they can not have.  Boy were the ancients wrong about that one.


Cassiopeia had been working to find the kidnapped  son of a friend.  Kidnapping of sons is very common in China due to their one child policy.  Another VERY bad chinese idea. 


Cassiopeia ends up saving herself and finding Malone.  Together they must fight a brotherhood of Unik's and other men of power in China to try and find a lost boy, a kidnapped and tortured friend and try and ensure that the old "legalistic" form of government doesn't prevail in China after the current leadership dies.  


Underneath it all is an age old mystery that and possible proof that oil is not in short supply but is constantly being replenished. Proof is vital to a country like China that is at the mercy of oil supplying countries.  It would also bring down the oil dynasties that want the world to believe we are in short supply and keeping oil prices ridiculously high.  To some, like the Russians, this theory in reality is thought to be true but has not been proven. Interesting.....  


I enjoy Steve Barry's style of writing and I especially love that I always learn about places and events that I had little or no knowledge of.