The First Special Branch

Name: The First Special Branch
ISBN: 9787539667683

孙志保Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

3.3

Word count: 154K words
Chapters: 17
ISBN: 9787539667683

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Summary

This novel on a revolutionary theme tells the moving and inspiring story of how Anhui Province’s “First Special Branch” was founded amid brutal repression and led the masses in revolutionary struggle. In 1922, young students Cao Chunzhen and Xu Yitong, then studying at Shanghai University, were sent by the Party organization to Caodianji in Shoukang County, Anhui Province—their home region—to carry out secret Party-building work. They fully mobilized local workers and peasants, launching a series of actions including the Dasong Pharmaceutical Factory workers’ strike and the Yuanhua Village peasants’ tax resistance; they established trade unions and peasant associations, recruited local young people into the Party, and founded Anhui Province’s first rural Party branch, the “First Special Branch.”

After Chiang Kai-shek launched the April 12 counter-revolutionary coup, Party members of the First Special Branch led by Cao Chunzhen formed the Northern Anhui Guerrilla Brigade, launched the famous Mabu Uprising, and, using the Bagong Mountains as their base area, waged a desperate struggle against the reactionary government and reactionary secret societies, winning a series of victories. In the end, Cao Chunzhen led her troops to join forces with the Red 25th Army and set out on a new revolutionary journey.

Editor's review

First Special Detachment is a novel by Sun Zhibao centered on a contemporary Chinese special operations unit. Grounded in solid military knowledge, it vividly depicts the formation, training, and conduct of top-secret missions by a mysterious special forces team, showcasing soldiers' loyalty, courage, and spirit of sacrifice. Sun Zhibao is not a professional writer by background, but his deep accumulation of life experience and distinctive focus on military themes lend the work a gritty, authentic texture, with tight plotting and a well-paced narrative rhythm.

The book's core reading value lies in its effective combination of professionalism and storytelling. It is not a simple power-fantasy military fiction but rather, within a relatively credible framework, explores human nature, duty, and faith under extreme conditions. The attention devoted to tactical detail, teamwork, and psychological portrayal satisfies military enthusiasts' appetite for accuracy, while its fleshed-out ensemble of characters and the camaraderie forged through life-and-death trials carry genuine emotional power. As a work released by a regional literary and art publishing house, it reflects mainstream literary publishing's continued exploration of realistic subjects, especially hardcore military themes, offering readers a serious alternative to popular online military fiction. At its core, the story is a contemporary interpretation of what makes a hero and what it means to shoulder a mission, and it carries a certain intellectual depth.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in modern military and special operations themes
Readers of realistic fiction who enjoy character growth and team spirit
Those who wish to understand the professional realities and inner world of soldiers
Readers looking for a tightly plotted, suspense-tinged story with mainstream values

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer light entertainment and purely fantastical settings
Readers indifferent to military detail and professional description who seek pure emotional drama

Reading tips

It can be read as military literature with a documentary flavor, focusing on characters' choices and transformations under extreme pressure.
The book may contain considerable specialized terminology and tactical description; there is no need to grasp every detail—follow the storyline and emotional core.
After reading, consider the balance between reality and fiction, and the contemporary value of dedication and sacrifice the work embodies.

About the publisher

Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1984

Founded in 1984, Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House is a professional literary and art publisher. Its collection of 389 titles spans classic works, essays and miscellaneous writings, Eastern philosophy, folk literature, classical literature and design. Representative books include Lao She's Camel Xiangzi, Laozi's Dao De Jing, Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and the Shakespeare drama collection featuring Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth and Othello, with Zhu Shenghao's translations adding luster to the series. Its author resources range from classic Chinese and foreign writers such as Lao She, Laozi, Luo Guanzhong and William Shakespeare to translators and authors including Zhu Shenghao, Li Chensen and Liang Sicheng. The publisher is characterized by its balance of Chinese and foreign literary classics with traditional culture titles, combining scholarly value with popular reading. Public information is limited, and the above is based mainly on the books in the collection.

版权信息
第一部
第一章
第二章
第三章
第四章
第五章
第六章
第二部
第一章
第二章
第三章
第四章
第五章
第六章
第七章
第八章

FAQ

Is this book a true work of documentary literature?

Not entirely. It is a novel artistically crafted against a realistic military backdrop; the characters and specific plot points are largely fictional, though the author strives for authenticity in professional detail and the portrayal of soldiers' spirit.

How is the pacing? Is it too technical to understand?

The pacing is generally fast, driven by mission progression. Although it contains professional military description, the author balances readability, and the core plot and character relationships are clear, so non-military readers can follow the main thread.

Does Sun Zhibao have other well-known works?

Sun Zhibao is a relatively low-profile writer, and First Special Detachment is one of his more representative works. His writing focuses mostly on realistic subjects, especially the military and police fields, though his public profile is lower than that of some bestselling authors.

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About the author

孙志保 Author

Sun Zhibao is a Chinese author of books, about whom publicly available information is currently limited, and whose writing career remains to be further understood. The library holds one work by this author, titled First Special Branch, which is commonly classified as a social novel. Based on the available information, Sun Zhibao's writing touches on social themes, using realistic social life as its backdrop and presenting social relations and the spirit of the times through the development of characters and events. The title First Special Branch suggests that the work may revolve around the establishment and activities of a certain grassroots or specific organization, and it appears to carry a strong narrative quality and a sense of social observation. Since no clear records exist regarding the author's biography, nationality, dates of birth and death, or English name, this introduction makes no speculation on these points. Overall, Sun Zhibao's creative profile can currently be grasped only through this single work, and its thematic orientation is consistent with the positioning of a social novel, making it suitable for readers interested in realistic themes and social narratives. Should more materials become available, further commentary on the author's writing style and influence could be added.