Spider World series by Colin Wilson

The Spider World series is a Science-Fiction series written by Collin Wilson, the series once only four books The Tower, The Delta The Magician and The Shadowland. The first novel The Tower got split in to three novels when published by Ace Books The Desert, The Fortress and The Tower. The Delta, The Magician and The Shadowland remain the same as when they were first published.

For full reasons I will list both series in there entirety's starting with the original four books.

The Tower (the original first book for Spider world) by Colin Wilson

The Chronicles of Master Li and Number ten Ox by Barry Hughart

This is a trilogy of novels chronicling the miss-adventures of Master Li a man with a small flaw in his character and his trusted side-kick and confidant Number Ten Ox. The trilogy starts with A Bridge of Birds: A novel of an Ancient China that Never Was -

Bridge of Birds By Barry Hughart