One reviewer had commented that it's impossible to separate the reading
of this novel (Vol. 1) from his fond memories of its live-action
adaptation The Untamed. All I can say is I couldn't agree more with him.
Between the end of 2020 and the start of 2021 I had watched and re-watched the wildly popular TV adaptation on Youtube. It still left me wanting to watch for a third time.
As soon as Seven Seas Entertainment announced that an official English translation of the novel was released (i.e. on December 14, 2021), I lost no time in getting my hands on a printed copy at my local bookstore, not least because the novel achieved New York Times bestseller status a few days after release. Wow, the book cover art and the interior illustrations just blew me away! The book was worth the money just for the artwork alone.
The strengths of the novel (Vol. 1) that stood out for me included:-
- the subtle and witty bantering dialogues and hilarious interactions between the two lead characters (commonly referred to by fans as Wangxian, which combines one character from each of their names);
- the loyal and enduring friendship between them that survives a baptism of fire;
- the complex politics that surround the various cultivation clans and sects;
- the constant questioning of the meaning of good and evil; and
- the love and burden of the convoluted familial bonds (with blood ties or without) that encumber the main characters.
For Western readers who may not be familiar with wuxia or cultivation stories, I would recommend them to first watch The Untamed before starting the novel, because the huge cast of characters with foreign (hard-to-pronounce) names may be a tad confusing.
For me though, it was nothing less than a full 5-star read and I can't wait for the sequels to come out.
Between the end of 2020 and the start of 2021 I had watched and re-watched the wildly popular TV adaptation on Youtube. It still left me wanting to watch for a third time.
As soon as Seven Seas Entertainment announced that an official English translation of the novel was released (i.e. on December 14, 2021), I lost no time in getting my hands on a printed copy at my local bookstore, not least because the novel achieved New York Times bestseller status a few days after release. Wow, the book cover art and the interior illustrations just blew me away! The book was worth the money just for the artwork alone.
The strengths of the novel (Vol. 1) that stood out for me included:-
- the subtle and witty bantering dialogues and hilarious interactions between the two lead characters (commonly referred to by fans as Wangxian, which combines one character from each of their names);
- the loyal and enduring friendship between them that survives a baptism of fire;
- the complex politics that surround the various cultivation clans and sects;
- the constant questioning of the meaning of good and evil; and
- the love and burden of the convoluted familial bonds (with blood ties or without) that encumber the main characters.
For Western readers who may not be familiar with wuxia or cultivation stories, I would recommend them to first watch The Untamed before starting the novel, because the huge cast of characters with foreign (hard-to-pronounce) names may be a tad confusing.
For me though, it was nothing less than a full 5-star read and I can't wait for the sequels to come out.
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