Asia is not just about manga. Thanks to the work of publishers, Asian literature is making its way onto the shelves of our bookstores. And as in parallel, the oriental imagination inspires many Western authors, the shelves of bookstores are full of works around Asia. Enough to arouse curiosity to which we humbly try to respond through this subjective selection of 10 novels. Happy reading!!!
Fantasy, Science Fiction
The chronicles of the strange Roman ofbailiff 
Johnny Kwan works as an exorcist in Hong Kong. A job that brings him to rub shoulders with deities, ghosts and demons. When contacted by a wealthy businessman fond of antiques, he engages in a dangerous affair where old gods come to disturb the order under Heaven. If you like Big Trouble in Little China, Chinese Ghost Story or Hellboy atmospheres, this masterfully written trilogy is for you. The Poppy War, R-F Kuang 
The Nikara Empire and Mugen Island have been fighting for centuries and again the island state threatens its neighbor. Rin, a young orphan, enters the prestigious military academy of Sinegaard to become a shaman. But the fire of war catches up with her and the young magician joins the imperial legions. An initiatory novel, a military epic, this first volume is above all the daring rewriting of the Sino-Japanese conflict, the Asia-Pacific war, transposed into a fantastic universe. A great success. Zhongghuo by David Wingrove 
XXII century, China dominates the world. 7 giant cities bringing together most of humanity on nearly 300 levels have been erected on each continent. At their head, one of the seven Tang, representing the authority of the Middle Kingdom. But the revolt rumbles, the lies of history fade away, and the empire trembles. Fascinating saga (9 volumes in English) but only 3 volumes in French due to the whims of the edition. But what a masterpiece anticipating Chinese power, new modes of control, the rewriting of history, all driven by a love for Chinese culture. A Dantesque saga.
Classic novels
At the Water's Edge : Shi nai'an 
They are 108 bandits who have become outlaws due to the corruption of officials and ministers. They will become heroes of the people multiplying adventures and exploits. This is one of China's most popular novels and one of the four classics of Chinese literature. It is at the crossroads of the adventures of Ulysses, Robin Hood and the Three Musketeers. A story that we can not let go. Yasushi Inoué's 
Takeda sword In the midst of the Sengoku era, Yamamoto Kansuke served the powerful Tekada clan. Despite his disability, this lame dwarf becomes his lord's strategist. Let yourself be carried away by this historical novel told by one of the greatest Japanese authors. A story worthy of the most beautiful pages of Alexandre Dumas or Victor Hugo, a dive into a heroic and brutal era. If you liked Ran or Kagemusha from Kurosawa, you will be delighted.
Policeman
China, hold your breath by Qiu Xialong 
In Shanghai, Inspector Chen suffocates like the entire population of the metropolis under air pollution. The protest is rising especially on the net, led by a well-known environmental activist. It is on her that the party asks the inspector to investigate while at the same time a series of murders perpetrated in the early morning agitates the police services. Inspector Chen's Investigations is the largest crime series written in Chinese. Each independent book is both an intelligent plot associated with an evocation of the changes and problems of China, a journey back in time where we follow the metamorphoses of the country and finally a love book to Chinese cuisine. A series that has never disappointed. Zhou Haohui 
death notice 1984, unexplained murders in Chengdu City lead to the dissolution of Special Unit 4/18. Twenty-two years later, another assassination provokes the rebirth of the 4/18 unit. The team embarks on the hunt for a killer as brilliant as invisible. The first volume of a trilogy, Obituary is inspired by Usual Suspect or Seven to offer us a dynamic, breathless story carried by a twirling style and a gripping story. A masterful opening. The Lord of Bombay by Vikram Chandra 
There are two of them. Ganesh Gaitonde the most powerful gangster in Mumbai has been on the run for years. Sartaj Singh, policeman at a small police station. When the latter is contacted by phone by the former godfather of the mafia, he does not suspect that he is embarking on an investigation on which the survival of the inhabitants of the metropolis depends. River novel (1,000 pages) that devours itself in one go. A total work that evokes as much the past of India as the traumas of society, the weight of spirituality and the journey of two men crushed by the weight of traditions and heritage. A phenomenal story that has not escaped the attention of Netflix.
Novels about everyday life
The Delights of Tokyo by Durian Sukegawa 
Sentarô is the manager of a small shop selling dorayaki, Japanese pastries. His life is turned upside down when he hires Tokue, an old lady with curiously deformed hands who will teach him how to prepare red bean paste with great care. Little by little, customers flock in number, the shop is no longer empty. College girls come to spend part of their free time in the shop, including Wakana, a discreet girl who befriends Tokue. But the old lady's physique has alerted some customers and her leprosy past is resurfacing. Here is a powerful, luminous novel about human relations and the weight of conventions in Japan. If the work has been brilliantly adapted to the cinema, the poetry of the words (congratulations to the translator) can only be grasped by reading. A humanist novel at the service of a universal story. Ogawa Ito-ERR:REF-NOT-FOUND-'s rediscovered love restaurant Following a heartbreak, a 25-year-old woman loses her voice. She chooses to return to her mother, an exuberant and offbeat person. To keep busy, she opened an atypical restaurant. She prepares dishes personalized to the needs and state of mind of her customers.She will then discover her gift: that of returning joy to people through cooking. The novel is first and foremost enjoyed as a declaration of love to the cuisine served by delicate, poetic and original descriptions. It then awakens the noblest part of humanity: self-giving, forgiveness, listening, mutual aid. A novel full of grace.
