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2011 Spanish novel by Antonio Garrido From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Corpse Reader is a novel in a mix of several genres, has elements of historical thriller, realistic, medical fiction, and science fantasy by Spanish author Antonio Garrido, based on the work of Sòng Cí, considered to be the founder of CSI-style forensic science.[1] It tells the story of a young man of humble origin whose determination led him from his position as a gravedigger in the Fields of Death of Lin'an to a position at the prestigious Ming Academy.[2]
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First edition (Spanish) | |
| Author | Antonio Garrido |
|---|---|
| Translator | Thomas Bunstead |
| Published |
|
| Publication place | Spain |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 494 |
| ISBN | 978-1-612-18436-4 |
The novel was first published October 5, 2011 in Spain as El Lector de Cadáveres[3] and was then translated by Thomas Bunstead and published May 25, 2013 in United States as The Corpse Reader.
The book is about a forensic elite who, even at the risk of their own lives, had a mandate that no criminal should go unpunished. Sòng Cí was the first of them, a young man of humble origin who rises to high position.
Most of the novel takes place the Imperial Court.[4]
Garrido became interested in Ci Song while attending a conference in New Delhi, as he was curious about the individual seen as the first coroner and the historical beginnings of forensic discipline. As he continued to research he uncovered information about Judge Feng and a Dutch sinologist, which Garrido incorporated into the book.[7] The documentation period was twelve months longer to gather information in the political, cultural, social, judicial, economic, religious, military and sexual fields, together with exhaustive references in the fields of medicine, education, architecture, food, furniture, clothing, measurement systems, currency, state organization and bureaucracy in medieval China of the Song Dynasty. Garrido attended to an autopsy accompanied by Dr. Juan Jose Payo Barrose, forensic doctor and director of the Institute of Legal Medicine of Alicante. All in order to describe with details, he wanted to feel with his own skin the same sensations that Cí Song should have felt because he thought that was the only way to transmit to the audience what Ci had experienced.[8]
The novel has received reviews from outlets such as The Japan Times and Ars Technica, the latter of which stated that it was a "refreshing break from the urban-noir fetish that is so common in conventional thrillers and crime books".[9][10] AudioFile reviewed the English audio adaptation narrated by Todd Haberkorn, praising his pronunciation and timing.[11]
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