Wenyu Lake by John H. Zane (Book Review)

Title: Wenyu Lake
Author: John H. Zane
Publisher: ‎ Bedford Street Books
ISBN: 979-8218495282
eBook ISBN: 979-8330391363
Genre: Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, Political Fiction
Availability: Paperback or eBook
Language: ‎ English
Paperback: ‎ 262 pages
Item Weight: 13.8 ounces
Dimensions: 6 x 0.59 x 9 inches

Review:

Mohandas K. Gandhi once said that the Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed. In John H. Zane’s Wenyu Lake, we see this aspect of man’s greed play out and one man’s determination to stop it.

The story begins with the protagonist Tao Lin, a scientist and inspector for the Chinese State Environmental Protection Administration or SEPA, ruminating over the choice to continue revealing his findings about the degradation of Wenyu Lake.

After investigating a small village around the lake, with his work being hindered by the village’s police, Lin is brought to a meeting with Cao Xiaoping, the mayor of Meiyu, and Gao Bing, the owner and operator of The Golden Prosper Spice Seasoning Works, where they reveal the Economic Development Plan that would not only bring eyes to their home but would destroy the marshland that acted as the “lungs” to Wenyu Lake.

And from there, is where the story truly begins…

As someone who is interested in the environment and the adverse effects that the human race has caused, Wenyu Lake caught my attention. I don’t often see fiction tackle such a subject along with a story set in China. I was immediately taken with Tao Lin as a character. He struck me as a man of virtue who is dedicated to his craft. He honored his morals, despite his wife, Tao Chen, lamenting about their social standing and why he would refuse a bribe from his former childhood friend, Gao Bing.

His character is further established when we see his dedication to his craft, knowing that his findings would prove a heavy burden to not only him but his daughter, Tao Xiaoyu, who is being bullied at school. Lin is so committed to doing the right thing when it comes to his job and Wenyu Lake, that he is willing to do anything to preserve it as he understands that once that corner is turned, there is no going back.

John Zane does a wonderful job keeping not only Lin but all of his characters internally consistent throughout the story. Everything that each character does throughout makes sense according to their world views but to China and the culture that it brings.

The suspense aspect of the story ramps up at a believable pace, from Lin being stalked during his time in the small village, to being falsely arrested, to being forced to flee for his life due to the dangers that follow after he makes a decision that is sure to leave readers stunned.

The writing is splendid. The author does a magnificent job of worldbuilding and giving the readers descriptions and character motivations without lore dumping or getting too descriptive to where the plot is secondary to those things, which can be hard to balance, but John Zane does it well.

With an engaging plot, interesting and consistent characters, strong world-building, and a satisfying ending with a good overall message, Wenyu Lake earns an environmentally friendly recommendation from me. ★★★★★ – Elijah B. (Explore Authors Magazine)

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