This was a reread. I had first read the Chinese standalone novel as a
child, which was decades ago. As I've forgotten most of the details, but
have only retained a vague impression of the main characters like Huang
Rong, Guo Jing, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu, probably as a result of
watching several TV and movie adaptations while growing up, this
rereading felt like reading it for the first time.
These 4 volumes of The Return of the Condor Heroes (Chinese version), which is now considered as Book 2 in the Condor Heroes Trilogy, are being officially translated into English, and Volume 1 has been entitled A Past Unearthed and will be released on October 12, 2023, with 3 more Volumes awaiting release.
Book 1 of the Trilogy, or Legends of the Condor Heroes, has been published in English in 4 volumes, and they are respectively entitled: A Hero Born, A Bond Undone, A Snake Lies Waiting, and A Heart Divided.
Book 3 of the Trilogy, or Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber, is in the pipeline for translation and publication. I had also read the Chinese standalone novel in my childhood and watched numerous TV and film adaptations. Of the 3 Books in the Trilogy, this Book 3 made the deepest impression on my mind and has been my favorite (again what I've retained in my memory is probably from screen adaptations).
My present thoughts about Book 2:
The main story line involves the tabooed romance between Yang Guo (son of Yang Kang the villain from Book 1) and Xiaolongnu the distant and beautiful hermit, also Yang Guo's kungfu master. It is a tabooed romance because in those times, love or marriage between a kungfu master and his/her disciple was forbidden and frowned upon by society in the same way as incest. Despite the social ban, the couple brave people's scorn and dive fearlessly into the relationship.
Around this main plot are woven numerous loose subplots of the couple's picaresque adventures in various cities and towns all over China, leading to a tragedy where both of them get fatally wounded by poison. Only one dose of antidote is available, and Xiaolongnu wants Yang Guo to take it and in an apparent suicide attempt, jumps into a deep lake, having left a message telling Yang Guo to meet her sixteen years later. Yang Guo is inconsolable and throws the antidote into the lake. He then begins to embark on an aimless journey until he stumbles on a huge magical earth-bound eagle who imparts formidable kungfu skills to him that also cures him. Subsequently, he gets to use the skills to help Guo Jing and Huang Rong to defend a strategic fort against Mongol invasion.
I found the story immersive and entertaining, the characters colorful, and the kungfu skills imaginative. The only nitpicking is that the plot structure seemed a bit loose, but it didn't take away the enjoyment overall.
These 4 volumes of The Return of the Condor Heroes (Chinese version), which is now considered as Book 2 in the Condor Heroes Trilogy, are being officially translated into English, and Volume 1 has been entitled A Past Unearthed and will be released on October 12, 2023, with 3 more Volumes awaiting release.
Book 1 of the Trilogy, or Legends of the Condor Heroes, has been published in English in 4 volumes, and they are respectively entitled: A Hero Born, A Bond Undone, A Snake Lies Waiting, and A Heart Divided.
Book 3 of the Trilogy, or Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber, is in the pipeline for translation and publication. I had also read the Chinese standalone novel in my childhood and watched numerous TV and film adaptations. Of the 3 Books in the Trilogy, this Book 3 made the deepest impression on my mind and has been my favorite (again what I've retained in my memory is probably from screen adaptations).
My present thoughts about Book 2:
The main story line involves the tabooed romance between Yang Guo (son of Yang Kang the villain from Book 1) and Xiaolongnu the distant and beautiful hermit, also Yang Guo's kungfu master. It is a tabooed romance because in those times, love or marriage between a kungfu master and his/her disciple was forbidden and frowned upon by society in the same way as incest. Despite the social ban, the couple brave people's scorn and dive fearlessly into the relationship.
Around this main plot are woven numerous loose subplots of the couple's picaresque adventures in various cities and towns all over China, leading to a tragedy where both of them get fatally wounded by poison. Only one dose of antidote is available, and Xiaolongnu wants Yang Guo to take it and in an apparent suicide attempt, jumps into a deep lake, having left a message telling Yang Guo to meet her sixteen years later. Yang Guo is inconsolable and throws the antidote into the lake. He then begins to embark on an aimless journey until he stumbles on a huge magical earth-bound eagle who imparts formidable kungfu skills to him that also cures him. Subsequently, he gets to use the skills to help Guo Jing and Huang Rong to defend a strategic fort against Mongol invasion.
I found the story immersive and entertaining, the characters colorful, and the kungfu skills imaginative. The only nitpicking is that the plot structure seemed a bit loose, but it didn't take away the enjoyment overall.
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