Defection 1949
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Summary
Editor's review
At the narrative level, the novel adopts a polyphonic structure with multiple parallel threads, using Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beiping as its stages, organically combining high-level strategic maneuvering with grassroots intelligence activities. It offers both thrilling clandestine warfare and profound analysis of the psychological states of intellectuals, officers, and merchants of the old era at history's crossroads. Mo Ran's prose is cool and tense, with a high degree of fidelity to historical detail—such as the social atmosphere of old Shanghai and the internal operations of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics—demonstrating the author's research credentials.
It should be noted that this book is not a fast-paced espionage story aimed at pure thrill; its pace is relatively steady, focusing more on the logic of characters' psychology and the plausibility of historical circumstances. For readers familiar with works such as "Lurk" and "Kite," this book offers another narrative perspective closer to history's complexity—it explores not only "victory" but also the individual cost behind victory and the folds of the era. The book's ethical reflection on the act of "subversion" and its attention to the fate of tiny individuals caught in the tide of history constitute its distinctive literary texture.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in exploring the history of the hidden front on the eve of the founding of the PRC
- Espionage literature enthusiasts who prefer deep psychological characterization over pure action sequences
- Readers hoping to understand multiple historical perspectives and complex human portrayals
- Readers of historical fiction who enjoy combining real historical backgrounds with fictional narrative
Not a good fit for
- Entertainment-oriented espionage readers seeking fast pacing and strong plot twists
- Readers lacking basic familiarity with the framework of modern and contemporary history
Reading tips
- It may help to consult a timeline of key historical events of 1948–1949 while reading
- Pay attention to the book's gradual portrayal of psychological shifts among figures within the old regime
- You may compare relevant memoirs or historical sources to examine the interplay between the novel's fiction and historical reality
About the publisher
Northern China Women & Children Publishing House focuses on books for women and children. Its current catalogue contains 488 titles, with common categories including foreign literature, classic works, examination books, Eastern philosophy, and essays and miscellaneous writings. Representative books include The Old Man and the Sea, The Short Stories of Hemingway, The Little Prince, The Diary of Anne Frank: A Must-Read for Growing, Lost Girls, Master-Recommended World Classics: Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Complete Sherlock Holmes, and Selected Prose of Lu Xun. Authors represented include Ernest Hemingway, Anne Frank, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and Hans Christian Andersen, as well as Ren Xiaohong, He Zong, Zhou Lixia, and Liu Xixian. Judging from the catalogue, the press combines translations of foreign literary classics with reading for young people, and also covers examination books, Eastern philosophy, and essays. Public information is limited, and its publishing characteristics require further confirmation.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 作者前言
- 引子 黄龙溪码头，少将失踪
- 第一章 山雨欲来
- 1、武侯祠里的“攻心术”
- 2、爱在黎明前
- 3、他只想做个闲云野鹤
- 4、凤凰山机场的＂天之骄子＂
- 5、中央军校的秘密行动
- 6、曾与共产党为敌，他沉浸在痛悔中
- 7、他暗中寻找共产党
- 8、他不想接触共产党
- 9、共产党在成都的地下指挥部
- 第二章 天若有情
- 1、应变会议
- 2、报馆精英
- 3、商会会长的家宴
- 4、望江楼上的约会
- 5、寻找孙中山留下的一本书
- 6、不该消逝的电波
- 7、葡萄美酒夜光杯
- 8、千钧一发
- 第三章 无边落木
- 1、川西游击队里的“双枪孟二小姐”
- 2、水磨坊
- 3、盼望已久的接头
- 4、龙泉山上
- 5、迟来的相见
- 6、仓促起义
- 7、反策动
- 8、双方的教训
- 第四章 锦江春色
- 1、爱之上
- 2、热血染红半天云
- 3、东篱菊下
- 4、长相思
- 5、他不愿把成都炸上天
- 6、原来是同志
- 7、回到党的怀抱
- 第五章 曾经沧海
- 1、两个将军的对垒
- 2、两代人
- 3、不成功的会面
- 4、往事如烟
- 5、肺腑之言
- 6、怎一个情字了得
- 7、劝降未遂
- 8、无处不在的军统
- 第六章 云破月来
- 1、风雨飘摇，蒋介石逃至成都
- 2、军校阅兵中的炮车瘫痪事件
- 3、又一次暗杀计划
- 4、叛徒出卖
- 5、自卫队成了香饽饽
- 6、一计方成，又生一计
- 7、监狱里的秘密“采访”
- 8、十二桥的枪声
- 第七章 高江急峡
- 1、军统噩梦
- 2、名伶归天
- 3、冒死进见
- 4、英勇的侍卫长
- 5、她的血洒在川西平原上
- 6、军校大行动
- 7、“川保”成立，偷袭机场
- 8、敢死队出发，他逃离了大陆
- 第八章 沉舟侧畔
- 1、电厂保卫战
- 2、救赎
- 3、风险与机会并存
- 4、他倒在黎明前
- 5、潜伏名单
- 6、定婚宴上的秘密行动
- 7、锦江畔
- 第九章 昨夜星辰
- 1、“防总”撤离
- 2、慌不择路的众生相
- 3、真空状态下，自卫队起义
- 4、整编中的阴谋
- 5、一触即发的哗变
- 6、相逢在王建墓
- 7、牺牲
- 第十章 人间正道
- 1、平息叛乱
- 2、入城式 ——满城尽带黄金甲
- 3、亲人啊，你在哪里？
- 4、第十八个戴绒线帽的老年人
- 5、国民党官兵上演“万人大裸奔”
- 6、女特务的覃花梦碎
- 尾声 别“洞”观景，看江山如画
- 后记
FAQ
How does this book differ from well-known espionage works such as "Lurk" and "The Message"?
How faithful is the book's reconstruction of its historical background?
Is this book suitable as a history book or as literature?
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About the author
Mo Ran is a Chinese author of books, about whom limited public information is available; details such as dates of birth and death, nationality, and an English name have not been clearly recorded. Ten of the author's works are held in the collection, including Flowers Heavy on the Brocade City, Good Rain Knows the Season, The Golden Age, Counterintelligence 1949, The Great Aircraft Chronicle, Fusion, Chinese Financiers, and The Youthful Years. The works span a considerable range of subjects, and the common categories include social fiction, war and military fiction, and alternate-world fantasy, showing that the author's writing is not confined to a single field: there are social narratives close to real life that portray the changes of the times, military-themed works drawing on the historical background around 1949, and imaginative writing with an alternate-world flavor. Judging from the titles, the author pays attention to realistic issues such as urban life, finance, and industry, and tends to reflect social progress through the fates of characters. External material on the author's personal experience and writing style is currently limited, and readers may learn more about the author's writing through the works mentioned above.
