The Bird That Drinks Blood (Korean: 피를 마시는 새 Peeru'l mashinuun saeh, abbreviated as 피마새 Pimasae) is a series of Korean fantasy novels by Lee Yeongdo. Set in the same world of Lee's previous work The Bird That Drinks Tears, the stories depict clashes between absolute power and free will with the backdrop of the Neo Arajit Empire (Korean: 신 아라짓 제국) that's ruled over by flying capital Skywhere (Korean: 하늘누리). The Empress Governheaven of the Empire secures the eternal empire against the Lekons and rebellious forces, but it is gradually revealed that behind the endless conflicts and confusion the Empress's ambitions and plots have played a major part as well. The story begins with four people; Jimen the Emperor Hunter and an one-eyed human girl Asil, whose dream of an independent nation of Lekons have been ruthlessly suppressed by the Empress, on whom they swore to wreak vengeance; the General-in-Chief Elsi who took the marches of a margrave who formed a faction to defy the Empress, and Jeong U, the margrave's daughter.
Korean press has compared Lee's the Bird series to J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth works, in the aspect that Lee constructed languages and created geography, vegetation, and history that pans several thousand years. "Moreover, unlike Tolkien who set the virtual history simply as a mythical battleground of good and evil, in Lee's world the moving history, politics, industries and cultural background are constructed in such great detail that this another world feels real and urgent, and sucks you in." The Korean overtones of the world was also acclaimed. The ancient language of Arajit is based on the Proto-Korean language. The undefeated general Elsi enjoys a game of baduk while other characters enjoy traditional Korean folk games such as Ssireum and Yut Nori, and Jeong U dresses in what is similar to Hanbok and wears a binyeo in her hair. The Empire's system of rank and office is modeled after that of Silla and Goryeo.
Read more about The Bird That Drinks Blood: Races, Rumors and Hopes For A Trilogy, or A Tetralogy
Famous quotes containing the words bird, drinks and/or blood:
“Some say that ever ‘gainst that season comes
Wherein our Saviour’s birth is celebrated,
This bird of dawning singeth all night long,
And then they say no spirit dare stir abroad,
The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,
So hallowed, and so gracious, is that time.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Who keeps the tavern and serves up the drinks? The peasant. Who squanders and drinks up money belonging to the peasant commune, the school, the church? The peasant. Who would steal from his neighbor, commit arson, and falsely denounce another for a bottle of vodka? The peasant.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)
“Lord Angelo is precise,
Stands at a guard with envy, scarce confesses
That his blood flows, or that his appetite
Is more to bread than stone. Hence shall we see
If power change purpose, what our seemers be.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)