The official manhua (comic) adaptation of the New York Times bestselling danmei novel by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. Featuring stunning art by STARember, the webcomic produced by BILIBILI COMICS is now available in English print for the first time.
Four Tales and Four Calamities.
As the heavenly court wraps up its investigation of Xuan Ji, the Ghost Bride, Xie Lian starts a search for the bandaged boy bearing the scars of the plague that destroyed his kingdom eight hundred years ago. But with the trail gone cold, he’s forced to turn his attention to more pressing He’s a god without a temple or worshipers, and he seems to have caught the attention of a powerful ghost king who is one of the infamous Four Calamities.
When Xie Lian returns to the Mortal Realm to establish a shrine, he meets a red-clad young man with strange knowledge of all the gods and ghosts—including Xie Lian himself, the long-forgotten Crown Prince Who Pleased the Gods.
Volume 2 includes episodes 15–27 of the original webcomic based on the webnovel Tian Guan Ci Fu published on JJWXC.
“If it were me, I wouldn’t care if the person I chose destroyed my ashes or scattered them for fun.”
I got this copy with a little dent at the top edge of the spine, which honestly made me so sad. I was really disappointed about it, especially because I’m the kind of person who likes my books pristine and always makes sure I don’t damage them. I was even given an excuse for why it arrived that way, but at that point I just didn’t have the energy to send it back. I wanted to read this book so badly. And honestly, I think I’ve gotten less picky about book damage as my collection has grown. My cats have already damaged a few of my books, and now I kind of look at those little damages differently. They’re annoying, but they also make those copies feel more special and personal to me. Anyway, I love the cover and the dust jacket for this one. They’re both so stunning!
I know people have very different opinions about STARember’s art, but I think I’m one of the few who really loves it. I love the characters in the novel, I love how they look in the donghua, and I love STARember’s versions of them too. Ugh, Inklore calling this “the comic” still annoys me, though. Could’ve just said manhua. There are already so many versions of TGCF, and this is exactly how people get confused between this and the donghua comic. Anyway, the art inside is so lovely. I especially love the scenery pages because there are quite a few where it’s basically just a beautiful illustration and I could stare at them forever. I also really love how STARember doesn’t rush the facial expressions. She’ll sometimes spend half a page on an eye, a smile, or some tiny change in expression, and I love that. It makes the reading experience feel unhurried, and those little expressions give the scenes so much more weight.
I did notice quite a few differences in the translation and some scenes compared to the novel, but they weren’t really jarring to me. I’ve read the TGCF novel multiple times, so I’m just much more used to the translation and wording from that version. I also think the pacing is really good for a manhua. If you haven’t read the novel, I can see some parts feeling like a lot of information being thrown at you, but I personally like how everything moved along. The transitions between chapters were really smooth too, and I like how it balanced the lore with actually moving the story forward. And because this is TGCF, there were definitely plenty of moments where I was sitting there feeling all the “kilig”. I already know these characters and this story so well, but I still had such a good time seeing them in this version.
"En el reino fantasma existe una costumbre... Si un fantasma comienza a tener sentimientos por alguien, le confiará en mano sus cenizas para que cuide de ellas"
I have always wanted to be a part of the danmei community, but my physical reading has waned a bit in the past 2 years. Once Heaven Official’s Blessing makes its way to audiobook, I will be the first in line to read them. So when it was announced that the manhua would be released in the US, I was ecstatic! The minute I received the first volume, and I do mean the minute, I read it in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. The same goes for the second volume.
The adaptation from the source material, as far as I am aware, is exact. But what this has that the other does not is some of the most breathtakingly beautiful artwork that has ever been made. Each panel is like a masterpiece painting in and of itself. The characters are so gorgeously depicted that you can’t help but fall in love with them from the moment they come across your page.
I absolutely love this series and it’s so hard that I can’t just jump into the next book. But I’m waiting patiently to find out what happens next.
Thank you to Inklore Publishing for gifting me a finished copy of the book.
I enjoyed this one more than the first volume as it felt like it wasn't as much setup in this volume. I would say not a lot happened but it was an enjoyable little ride. We met our other half of our could I am pretty sure. We get some daily life so we fall more in love with Xie Lian more as he seems so kind and thoughtful. The art is again just so beautiful. I can't wait for romantic things to occur with both the beauty of the art. (wind in hair, catching someone as they fall type of things).
I will say that I think there is a lot of world building which isn't my favorite.
Que tal queridos lectores hoy quiero contarles sobre el tomo dos del danmei que he estado leyendo y es que es un libro precioso.
En este segundo tomo seguimos la historia del Príncipe Heredero, Xie Lian que ahora a ascendido pero no tiene seguidores por lo que baja a la tierra para construir su propio templo y entonces conoce a un joven que parece saber mucho.
Esta parte de la historia se va desarrollando mas lento pero le da mas desarrollo a los personajes si bien se nota que es un enlace entre el primero y lo que sucederá en el siguiente te lleva a ver la interacción entre los personajes y los pequeños detalles que van creando el desarrollo de su historia además te deja con la intriga de lo que tendrá que enfrentar después.
Una historia preciosa que te mantiene enganchado desde el inicio y que se va muy rápido pues es bastante ligero, ademas las ilustraciones son realmente hermosas y te sumerges por completo queriendo más.
No puedo evitar amar el dibujo, tanto detalle y tan hermoso, con colores llamativos y absorbentes.
Continuamos con la travesía del Príncipe Xie Lan, cumplió entonces vuelve a ser parte del Reino Celestial, cosa que parece chiste, estoy segura que le tienen maña. Se interesa por Hua Cheng y le gustan sus mariposas.
Nos presentan al San Lang, un chico que sabe mucho del Reino Celestial y sus ocupantes, que acompaña a Xie Lan en una noche compleja y se queda en el templo, básicamente es multiusos porque le hace un cuadro, comida e incluso una puerta, aquí claramente está tratando de demostrar algo.
Bueno avanzamos en la historia, pero sigo con más dudas que respuestas. Nuevamente recalcar que es de los mejores dibujos que he visto.
Never getting over how gorgeous STARember’s illustrations are. I remember being amazed back when I was reading this on Bilibili’s app. It’s even more amazing having it in my hands. Something about the way everything comes to life in these illustrations. Down to even the night sky and the flowers feeling like something I can reach out and experience for myself.
So gorgeous, and so interesting—I just wish these volumes were longer! It feels like so little happens in each one (and like collecting them would result in, idk, 200 volumes or some such on my shelves?!).
I think this may be my new fave series. I am behind on reading the chapter books, but I am really liking the art and graphics. Of course, the beautiful sprayed edges too! I liked the fall vibes of this one too.