Mission Madness

Book excerpt: A mix of reality, adventure and madness that takes you on a wild trip to China and Tibet! The Norwegian filmmaker Eldar Einarson has written an entertaining short novel about a trip to China in 2010. He had just signed a major deal with a Chinese TV station when political circumstances ruined the arrangement. To extricate himself from a complicated situation, he quickly undertook a new project that initially seemed hopeless. It is delightful to see how Einarson effectively uses his joy of storytelling to describe this crazy setup. Everything revolves around a woman, Bai Hu, whom he meets by chance and who has good contacts in the military. Together, they eventually end up in an airship over the Yar-Lung Valley in Tibet, where he is supposed to photograph her with the mountain god Yar-lha-sham-po using a Russian-developed bioelectrographic camera. The journey also provides insight into lesser-known parts of China's history. Furthermore, the liquor-loving kung-fu master's description of the creation of the universe gives quantum physics a run for its money. Einarson also cleverly weaves in other aspects of his wandering life, such as when he was in the middle of a political intrigue in Sri Lanka. The story of the finger trick that was perceived as a miracle is delightful. He blends his experiences with myths and fiction in a way that works very well. This short novel is full of surprises, and the ending is no exception. The photos Einarson took over the Yar-Lung Valley revealed something that the Chinese Air Force classified as Top Secret, and the reason for this classification provides a beautiful conclusion to this fantastic story. What a crazy, crazy story that gets better the further into it you go. Really entertaining! It also gives a captivating insight into aspects of China that are probably not well known. – Eric Scobie (Author, Editor, Journalist) I was entertained throughout and liked how Einarson blends historical, personal, and mystical events. This is good! – Victor Bøe Isaksen (Screenwriter)