One of the world's greatest fantasy novels Monkey King: Journey to the West is the inspiration
for the new blockbuster game Black Myth: Wukong . Published in a sparkling modern translation
and available in the Penguin Clothbound Classics series this is the perfect introduction to
the seminal Chinese classic. A shape-shifting trickster on a kung-fu quest for eternal life
Monkey King is one of the most memorable superheroes in world literature. High-spirited and
omni-talented he can transform himself into whatever he chooses and turn each of his body's 84
000 hairs into an army of clones. But his penchant for mischief repeatedly gets him into
trouble and when he raids Heaven's Orchard of Immortal Peaches the Buddha pins him beneath a
mountain. Five hundred years later Monkey King is finally given a chance to redeem himself: he
must protect the pious monk Tripitaka on his journey in search of precious Buddhist sutras that
will bring enlightenment to the Chinese empire. Joined by two other fallen immortals - Pigsy
a rice-loving flying pig and Sandy a depressive river-sand monster - Monkey King does battle
with Red Boy Princess Jade-Face the Monstress Dowager and all manner of dragons ogres
wizards and femmes fatales navigates the perils of Fire-Cloud Cave the River of Flowing Sand
and the Water-Crystal Palace and is serially captured lacquered sautéed steamed and
liquefied - but always hatches an ingenious plan to get himself and his fellow pilgrims out of
their latest jam. Comparable to The Canterbury Tales or Don Quixote Monkey King is at once
a gripping adventure a comic satire and a spring of spiritual insight. With this new
translation by the award-winning Julia Lovell the irrepressible rogue hero of one of the Four
Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature has the potential to vault with his signature
cloud-somersault into the hearts of a whole new generation of readers.
