It is the end of the 2nd Century, and Han Dynasty China is a divided place. Jiangdong - 'East of the River' - forms part of the south-eastern province of Yang, and it is far from prosperous. When the Yellow Turban Rebellion threatens to engulf the empire, the valiant 'Tiger of Jiangdong', Sun Jian, steps forward to fight for his underdeveloped region and the nation as a whole: his career takes him to the rebel-held northwest and the imperial capital, where the tyrant Dong Zhuo holds power. At the same time, others - such as Taishi Ci - fight for justice in an era where heroes are increasingly rare and power-hungry warlords are the norm. In the aftermath of the Dong Zhuo crisis, Sun Jian is inextricably tied to the nobleman Yuan Shu, who has increasingly dangerous ambitions: inevitable tragedy looms as Sun Jian is forced to fight the forces of Jing Province Governor Liu Biao, and the responsibility for the Sun clan's future soon passes to Jian's eldest son Sun Ce. Sun Ce would first serve Yuan Shu through lack of choice, but as the political twists and turns of the era offer new opportunities, Ce is able to follow a path that eventually builds the foundations for the famous 'Three Kingdoms era' that became part of history, myth and legend. | East of the River by T P M Thorne, Paperback | Indigo Chapters