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The Legend of the Condor Heroes #2
A Bond Undone
THE CHINESE "LORD OF THE RINGS" - NOW IN ENGLISH FOR THE FIRST TIME.THE SERIES EVERY CHINESE READER HAS BEEN ENJOYING FOR DECADES - 100 MILLION COPIES SOLD."Jin Yong's work, in the Chinese-speaking world, has a cultural currency roughly equal to that of "Harry Potter" and "Star Wars" combined" Nick Frisch, New Yorker"Like every fairy tale you're ever loved, imbued with jokes and epic grandeur. Prepare to be swept along." Jamie Buxton, Daily MailIn the Jin capital of Zhongdu, Guo Jing learns the truth of his father's death and finds he is now betrothed, against his will, to two women. Neither of them is his sweetheart Lotus Huang.Torn between following his heart and fulfilling his filial duty, he journeys through the country of his parents with Lotus, encountering mysterious martial heroes and becoming drawn into the struggle for the supreme martial text, the Nine Yin Manual. But his past is catching up with him. The widow of an evil man he accidentally killed as a child has tracked him down, intent on revenge. Meanwhile, his true parentage at last revealed, Yang Kang, the young prince Guo Jing must face in the Garden of the Eight Drunken Immortals, is forced to choose his destiny. Will he continue to enjoy the life of wealth and privilege afforded to him by the invader of his homeland, or give up all he has known to avenge his parents?Translated from the Chinese by Gigi Chang
545 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1957
272 people are currently reading
4710 people want to read
About the author
Jin Yong
850 books768 followersLouis Cha, GBM, OBE (born 6 February 1924), better known by his pen name Jin Yong (金庸, sometimes read and/or written as "Chin Yung"), is a modern Chinese-language novelist. Having co-founded the Hong Kong daily Ming Pao in 1959, he was the paper's first editor-in-chief.
Cha's fiction, which is of the wuxia ("martial arts and chivalry") genre, has a widespread following in Chinese-speaking areas, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His 15 works written between 1955 and 1972 earned him a reputation as one of the finest wuxia writers ever. He is currently the best-selling Chinese author alive; over 100 million copies of his works have been sold worldwide (not including unknown number of bootleg copies).
Cha's works have been translated into English, French, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese, Malay and Indonesian. He has many fans abroad as well, owing to the numerous adaptations of his works into films, television series, comics and video games.
金庸，大紫荊勳賢，OBE（英語：Louis Cha Leung-yung，1924年3月10日－2018年10月30日），本名查良鏞，浙江海寧人，祖籍江西婺源，1948年移居香港。自1950年代起，以筆名「金庸」創作多部膾炙人口的武俠小說，包括《射鵰英雄傳》、《神鵰俠侶》、《鹿鼎記》等，歷年來金庸筆下的著作屢次改編為電視劇、電影等，對華人影視文化可謂貢獻重大，亦奠定其成為華人知名作家的基礎。金庸早年於香港創辦《明報》系列報刊，他亦被稱為「香港四大才子」之一。
Source: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E9%87...
Cha's fiction, which is of the wuxia ("martial arts and chivalry") genre, has a widespread following in Chinese-speaking areas, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His 15 works written between 1955 and 1972 earned him a reputation as one of the finest wuxia writers ever. He is currently the best-selling Chinese author alive; over 100 million copies of his works have been sold worldwide (not including unknown number of bootleg copies).
Cha's works have been translated into English, French, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese, Malay and Indonesian. He has many fans abroad as well, owing to the numerous adaptations of his works into films, television series, comics and video games.
金庸，大紫荊勳賢，OBE（英語：Louis Cha Leung-yung，1924年3月10日－2018年10月30日），本名查良鏞，浙江海寧人，祖籍江西婺源，1948年移居香港。自1950年代起，以筆名「金庸」創作多部膾炙人口的武俠小說，包括《射鵰英雄傳》、《神鵰俠侶》、《鹿鼎記》等，歷年來金庸筆下的著作屢次改編為電視劇、電影等，對華人影視文化可謂貢獻重大，亦奠定其成為華人知名作家的基礎。金庸早年於香港創辦《明報》系列報刊，他亦被稱為「香港四大才子」之一。
Source: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E9%87...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
May 9, 2024
Lotus Huang is cunning, kind and quite adorable. Her culinary craftiness is unparalleled, her loyalty unmatched. And her kung fu is phenomenal. As would be expected from the daughter of Apothecary Huang, one of The Five Greats.
Instantly, I love her. Almost as much as she favors the hapless, bumbling Guo Jing. Hopelessly smitten, courageous, yet frightfully foolish, he seems to be her quintessential companion. Until family histories have been sorted out.
Lotus was very young when her martial sister, Cyclone Mei, followed a path of dishonesty and deception. First, falling in love with the wrong man, then helping him steal a Martial Manual of such importance that Shifu, permanently crippled her and banished the two from Peach Blossom Island forever.
While the Chinese martial-arts world is vast, it is also oddly intimate. It is not an astounding coincidence when Guo Jing traps himself in a cave inhabited by the embittered Cyclone Mei, causing secrets to be spilled; dark intentions revealed.
Initially, I felt a bit like I was reading a mash-up of Dragon BallZ and Avatar, The Last Airbender. I’ve no idea what is happening, but I’m into it. It didn’t take long, however, for me to figure out who’s who and become fully invested in Mr. Yong’s marvelous martial world.
This review was written by jv poore for Buried Under Books, with huge thanks for the Advance Review Copy to add to my favorite classroom library.
Instantly, I love her. Almost as much as she favors the hapless, bumbling Guo Jing. Hopelessly smitten, courageous, yet frightfully foolish, he seems to be her quintessential companion. Until family histories have been sorted out.
Lotus was very young when her martial sister, Cyclone Mei, followed a path of dishonesty and deception. First, falling in love with the wrong man, then helping him steal a Martial Manual of such importance that Shifu, permanently crippled her and banished the two from Peach Blossom Island forever.
While the Chinese martial-arts world is vast, it is also oddly intimate. It is not an astounding coincidence when Guo Jing traps himself in a cave inhabited by the embittered Cyclone Mei, causing secrets to be spilled; dark intentions revealed.
Initially, I felt a bit like I was reading a mash-up of Dragon BallZ and Avatar, The Last Airbender. I’ve no idea what is happening, but I’m into it. It didn’t take long, however, for me to figure out who’s who and become fully invested in Mr. Yong’s marvelous martial world.
This review was written by jv poore for Buried Under Books, with huge thanks for the Advance Review Copy to add to my favorite classroom library.
April 4, 2020
This series is my first foray into the fictional world of martial arts. A Bond Undone is the second in the Legends of the Condor Heroes series. I devoured the first action packed book (A Hero Born) of the series in a day and couldn’t wait to start the next.
While I still enjoyed the action in this one and found some of the kooky characters endearing, I found others just plain annoying and/or confounding. While the majority of the male characters in this series are conniving and narcissistic (which does occasionally get old), the one kind hearted character, Guo Jing, is consistently described as bring ‘stupid’ and ‘slow’. And bless his heart, he is! While most of the time I found him sweet and endearing, his gullibility and inability to follow what’s going on around him did get frustrating. However, it was the female characters that caused me the most frustration and anger. They’re either written as swooning...hmmm, nicest word? idiots! yes, they’re either swooning idiots that literally can’t/won’t live without their love or as 3 year olds in a grown woman’s body, temper tantrums and all. That definitely got old! As for the conniving men, they themselves didn’t bug me, after all, what would a fantasy series be without villains for the heroes to fight? It was that some of the female characters continually believed they were good, honorable men no matter how many times they did something slimy. However, all that said, I have to remind myself that this book was written in a very different time (1950’s), when women were little more than props to make men’s lives easier and were rarely given credit for having a brain.
Even with my frustration, over the female characters In particular, I still give this book four stars. Cha weaves history in with fantasy and very unique, fictional characters with real historical figures. The series begins in 1205 right before the Mongel conquest of China, so of course the Great Genghis Khan is one of those historical figures and definitely the most well known. I’ve always had a fascination with Genghis Khan and the Mongol empire, it was actually that part of the book’s summary that had me adding this to my TBR shelf. After reading it, I understand why Louis Cha (pen name Jin Yong) is often called China’s Tolkien. He is exceptionally talented at world building and his prose is so lyrical and poetic. This is the first time the series has been published in English as it was feared too much would be lost in translation for Westerners to be able to enjoy the beauty of it. So I have to give translator, GiGi Chang, credit too as she was able to capture that beauty. Those of us here in the U.S. have definitely been missing out. So, long review long (but finally ending): this is a great series and I can’t wait for the next two volumes! I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.
While I still enjoyed the action in this one and found some of the kooky characters endearing, I found others just plain annoying and/or confounding. While the majority of the male characters in this series are conniving and narcissistic (which does occasionally get old), the one kind hearted character, Guo Jing, is consistently described as bring ‘stupid’ and ‘slow’. And bless his heart, he is! While most of the time I found him sweet and endearing, his gullibility and inability to follow what’s going on around him did get frustrating. However, it was the female characters that caused me the most frustration and anger. They’re either written as swooning...hmmm, nicest word? idiots! yes, they’re either swooning idiots that literally can’t/won’t live without their love or as 3 year olds in a grown woman’s body, temper tantrums and all. That definitely got old! As for the conniving men, they themselves didn’t bug me, after all, what would a fantasy series be without villains for the heroes to fight? It was that some of the female characters continually believed they were good, honorable men no matter how many times they did something slimy. However, all that said, I have to remind myself that this book was written in a very different time (1950’s), when women were little more than props to make men’s lives easier and were rarely given credit for having a brain.
Even with my frustration, over the female characters In particular, I still give this book four stars. Cha weaves history in with fantasy and very unique, fictional characters with real historical figures. The series begins in 1205 right before the Mongel conquest of China, so of course the Great Genghis Khan is one of those historical figures and definitely the most well known. I’ve always had a fascination with Genghis Khan and the Mongol empire, it was actually that part of the book’s summary that had me adding this to my TBR shelf. After reading it, I understand why Louis Cha (pen name Jin Yong) is often called China’s Tolkien. He is exceptionally talented at world building and his prose is so lyrical and poetic. This is the first time the series has been published in English as it was feared too much would be lost in translation for Westerners to be able to enjoy the beauty of it. So I have to give translator, GiGi Chang, credit too as she was able to capture that beauty. Those of us here in the U.S. have definitely been missing out. So, long review long (but finally ending): this is a great series and I can’t wait for the next two volumes! I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.
September 30, 2023
I read this second installment of Legend of the Condor Heroes in Chinese, as I wanted to savor Jin Yong's writing in the original.
Like A Hero Born, this volume is also action-packed with a mind-blowing panoply of martial arts feats, while the story follows Guo Jing's breathless adventures in Southern China in the company of his beloved, Lotus. They stumble across the supreme kung fu grandmaster and Beggar Clan Chief, Count Seven, and in no time they hit it off with each other. He accepts them both as his disciples.
Back stories of the villainous Cyclone Mei as well as of Lotus's father, the vicious lone wolf Apothecary Huang titled as Lord of the Peach Blossom Island, are disclosed. Just as Guo Jing feels secure in Lotus's love for him, he happens upon a formidable contender from the far west, who has the support of Lotus's father. This contender is also the nephew of one of the four supreme kung fu grandmasters - Viper Ouyang, who is a matchless expert in the use of poison.
There was a passage that particularly caught my eye, and it was a description of Apothecary Huang's hallucinating flute melody called "Ode to the Billowing Tide". The writing in Chinese is quite magical. I've checked the English translation in A Bond Undone and found it equally good. Below is the English translation:
The song began as a perfectly calm sea, undisturbed by even the gentlest ripple. Then, the tide crept closer, the water moved faster, churning and frothing. The once gleaming mirror now splintered into white spray and snowy crests. Fish leaped, gulls swooped, the wind howled. Water sprites and sea monsters stole forth as the tide swelled. Icebergs drifted by. The sea boiled, bubbling and steaming. Mermen and mermaids frolicked in the undertow, intermingling, embracing, their lovemaking more arousing and sensual than it could ever be on land. As the tide receded, a dark current prowled unseen beneath the calm surface, tugging, pulling with each ebb and flow, ensnaring its heedless listeners.
Like A Hero Born, this volume is also action-packed with a mind-blowing panoply of martial arts feats, while the story follows Guo Jing's breathless adventures in Southern China in the company of his beloved, Lotus. They stumble across the supreme kung fu grandmaster and Beggar Clan Chief, Count Seven, and in no time they hit it off with each other. He accepts them both as his disciples.
Back stories of the villainous Cyclone Mei as well as of Lotus's father, the vicious lone wolf Apothecary Huang titled as Lord of the Peach Blossom Island, are disclosed. Just as Guo Jing feels secure in Lotus's love for him, he happens upon a formidable contender from the far west, who has the support of Lotus's father. This contender is also the nephew of one of the four supreme kung fu grandmasters - Viper Ouyang, who is a matchless expert in the use of poison.
There was a passage that particularly caught my eye, and it was a description of Apothecary Huang's hallucinating flute melody called "Ode to the Billowing Tide". The writing in Chinese is quite magical. I've checked the English translation in A Bond Undone and found it equally good. Below is the English translation:
The song began as a perfectly calm sea, undisturbed by even the gentlest ripple. Then, the tide crept closer, the water moved faster, churning and frothing. The once gleaming mirror now splintered into white spray and snowy crests. Fish leaped, gulls swooped, the wind howled. Water sprites and sea monsters stole forth as the tide swelled. Icebergs drifted by. The sea boiled, bubbling and steaming. Mermen and mermaids frolicked in the undertow, intermingling, embracing, their lovemaking more arousing and sensual than it could ever be on land. As the tide receded, a dark current prowled unseen beneath the calm surface, tugging, pulling with each ebb and flow, ensnaring its heedless listeners.
May 7, 2021
4.5 stars
This was so much fun! And I think switching to a new translator for the second book was a good call. It read much more smoothly. This is a series of classic Chinese fantasy, being translated into English for the first time. It's filled with fantastical kung fu fight scenes, romantic melodrama, murderous villains, long held grudges, and the purity of young love. It can be over the top, but it's a good time and holds up reasonably well despite some eye-rolling moments like the glorification of chastity as having almost supernatural benefits. Though at least this seems equally true for men and women. I'll probably continue on with the series!
This was so much fun! And I think switching to a new translator for the second book was a good call. It read much more smoothly. This is a series of classic Chinese fantasy, being translated into English for the first time. It's filled with fantastical kung fu fight scenes, romantic melodrama, murderous villains, long held grudges, and the purity of young love. It can be over the top, but it's a good time and holds up reasonably well despite some eye-rolling moments like the glorification of chastity as having almost supernatural benefits. Though at least this seems equally true for men and women. I'll probably continue on with the series!
January 24, 2019
Described as the Chinese Lord of the Rings, A Bond Undone is the second novel in the Legends of the Condor Heroes series, and it's another complex and beautifully woven tale from the most popular contemporary Chinese writer of the modern era. I admit the writing style takes a little time before you are fully immersed in this fascinating story of love, loss, revenge and heart vs head decisions. Translated from Chinese by Gigi Chang, I never felt that anything was lost in translation as I often do with these type of books, and everything flows perfectly from one page to the next.
It's crucial, in my opinion, to have read the first book as this is basically a continuance of the happenings from book one; you'll definitely benefit from reading them chronologically. The author creates an authentic world which is so, so absorbing, and due to the vivid prose, it almost feels as though you are living in the world with the characters rather than just peeking into their lives. You really need to have your wits about you as it is a challenging read due to the number of characters and intricate plot, however, you are rewarded with an intriguing story after which you long for the next instalment.
Many thanks to MacLehose Press for an ARC.
It's crucial, in my opinion, to have read the first book as this is basically a continuance of the happenings from book one; you'll definitely benefit from reading them chronologically. The author creates an authentic world which is so, so absorbing, and due to the vivid prose, it almost feels as though you are living in the world with the characters rather than just peeking into their lives. You really need to have your wits about you as it is a challenging read due to the number of characters and intricate plot, however, you are rewarded with an intriguing story after which you long for the next instalment.
Many thanks to MacLehose Press for an ARC.
April 6, 2020
This book is all about martial arts. I think in some parts of this book could be less wordy. The book has some really cool pictures. I liked parts of this book and parts of this book was very boring. I won an acr copy of this book from a goodreads giveaway.
March 18, 2020
A BOND UNDONE
I have been looking forward to this read since I read the first book last year - A Hero Born from the Legends of the Condor Heroes series by what many has dubbed as the Chinese Lord of the Rings. This is the first time this has been translated to English since its first publication in 1959.
The translation by Gigi Chang is truly impeccable and flows beautifully into the English language, and made for a great reading experience for me. Thank you for the explanations which helped in furthering my understanding and enjoyment of the story.
This second book continued right where the first book ended as Guo Jing was to be married but not to his beloved, Lotus Huang, just as he learned the truth about his father’s death.
Just like the first book, tis story continues to be filled with action pack fighting wuxia style – with fancy names for the moves, which I truly enjoyed reading about as well as the cultural idiosyncrasies. Guo Jing is a character I really loved as well as the romantic element with Lotus Huang.
I had fun reading this installment and look forward to the next books in this epic adventure.
I have been looking forward to this read since I read the first book last year - A Hero Born from the Legends of the Condor Heroes series by what many has dubbed as the Chinese Lord of the Rings. This is the first time this has been translated to English since its first publication in 1959.
The translation by Gigi Chang is truly impeccable and flows beautifully into the English language, and made for a great reading experience for me. Thank you for the explanations which helped in furthering my understanding and enjoyment of the story.
This second book continued right where the first book ended as Guo Jing was to be married but not to his beloved, Lotus Huang, just as he learned the truth about his father’s death.
Just like the first book, tis story continues to be filled with action pack fighting wuxia style – with fancy names for the moves, which I truly enjoyed reading about as well as the cultural idiosyncrasies. Guo Jing is a character I really loved as well as the romantic element with Lotus Huang.
I had fun reading this installment and look forward to the next books in this epic adventure.
February 1, 2022
Probably more of a 4.5 though.
My listening of this audiobook has been going on for a while but it wasn’t because I didn’t like it; mostly just that I needed to be in the right mood to appreciate it. And I’m glad I picked it right back up in the new year in earnest and finished it pretty quickly.
I’m someone who hates physical exercise and the most I can do is walk for a little while, but even that needs some motivation. And it was this audiobook which became my walking companion, biding me to walk some more when I didn’t want to. And I have to agree, on some days, I didn’t even realize how long I had walked because I was too engrossed in the story. Whatever minor quips I had with the translation in the first book, I didn’t feel any of that this time and I just enjoyed this full on martial arts story. Ofcourse the descriptions of the martial art techniques or the Taoist philosophies aren’t always easy to grasp but nonetheless they didn’t take away from the wonder that some of the scenes evoked and I was thoroughly entertained. This was also a book of reunions, partings, revelations and betrayals and I loved how the author manages to incorporate so many elements while also ensuring there’s a fight scene for every situation.
I couldn’t help but be reminded of the most recent cdrama I watched, Sword Snow Stride when reading about the adventures of Guo Jing. The character of the drama, Xu Fengniang and Guo Jing are diametrically opposite in personalities but they are equally underestimated by everyone. In a similar vein, both seem to acquire new shifus as they travel and I just find it very funny. Guo Jing is such a sweet, open hearted but naive young man and I am always in disbelief that some of the top martial masters just end up teaching him their skills. And he never even realizes how strong and powerful his skills have become.
But Lotus or Huang Rong is the perfect companion for him. She is sharp, cunning, cheerful, and a skilled martial artist herself. She may not want anything to do with the wulin than having her father’s approval and Guo Jing’s love, but she still ends up playing a significant part in ensuring GJ survives as well learns more martial arts. They both are just so earnest and innocent in love and I can’t help but root for them wholeheartedly.
There are villains too many in this series but I adore the many jianghu heroes who fight for pride but also respect each other and tell stories of their past exploits. So many of them become related to Guo Jing in some way or the other and I like how humble he remains and eager to learn from them all. I especially liked one of the five greats and the Beggar Sect’s leader Count Seven Hong’s interactions with Guo Jing and Lotus - they felt like a lovely little found family always grumbling and sniping at each other but only with affection.
In conclusion, I probably enjoyed this more than A Hero Born but that’s probably because I felt more familiar with the world this time around. While a lot happened in this book, it also felt like nothing significant actually didn’t happen but that doesn’t matter - this is the coming of age story of Guo Jing and I love traveling along with him on his adventures. I’m very excited to get to the next one because that one promises to be more tense and angsty and dangerous. In the meantime, I’m also excited to watch the 2008 drama adaptation starring Hu Ge and just see how this story unfolds on screen.
My listening of this audiobook has been going on for a while but it wasn’t because I didn’t like it; mostly just that I needed to be in the right mood to appreciate it. And I’m glad I picked it right back up in the new year in earnest and finished it pretty quickly.
I’m someone who hates physical exercise and the most I can do is walk for a little while, but even that needs some motivation. And it was this audiobook which became my walking companion, biding me to walk some more when I didn’t want to. And I have to agree, on some days, I didn’t even realize how long I had walked because I was too engrossed in the story. Whatever minor quips I had with the translation in the first book, I didn’t feel any of that this time and I just enjoyed this full on martial arts story. Ofcourse the descriptions of the martial art techniques or the Taoist philosophies aren’t always easy to grasp but nonetheless they didn’t take away from the wonder that some of the scenes evoked and I was thoroughly entertained. This was also a book of reunions, partings, revelations and betrayals and I loved how the author manages to incorporate so many elements while also ensuring there’s a fight scene for every situation.
I couldn’t help but be reminded of the most recent cdrama I watched, Sword Snow Stride when reading about the adventures of Guo Jing. The character of the drama, Xu Fengniang and Guo Jing are diametrically opposite in personalities but they are equally underestimated by everyone. In a similar vein, both seem to acquire new shifus as they travel and I just find it very funny. Guo Jing is such a sweet, open hearted but naive young man and I am always in disbelief that some of the top martial masters just end up teaching him their skills. And he never even realizes how strong and powerful his skills have become.
But Lotus or Huang Rong is the perfect companion for him. She is sharp, cunning, cheerful, and a skilled martial artist herself. She may not want anything to do with the wulin than having her father’s approval and Guo Jing’s love, but she still ends up playing a significant part in ensuring GJ survives as well learns more martial arts. They both are just so earnest and innocent in love and I can’t help but root for them wholeheartedly.
There are villains too many in this series but I adore the many jianghu heroes who fight for pride but also respect each other and tell stories of their past exploits. So many of them become related to Guo Jing in some way or the other and I like how humble he remains and eager to learn from them all. I especially liked one of the five greats and the Beggar Sect’s leader Count Seven Hong’s interactions with Guo Jing and Lotus - they felt like a lovely little found family always grumbling and sniping at each other but only with affection.
In conclusion, I probably enjoyed this more than A Hero Born but that’s probably because I felt more familiar with the world this time around. While a lot happened in this book, it also felt like nothing significant actually didn’t happen but that doesn’t matter - this is the coming of age story of Guo Jing and I love traveling along with him on his adventures. I’m very excited to get to the next one because that one promises to be more tense and angsty and dangerous. In the meantime, I’m also excited to watch the 2008 drama adaptation starring Hu Ge and just see how this story unfolds on screen.
December 10, 2019
Again a great entertainment. Seems like this volume is translated a bit better than the first one so there are no bumps while you read. The greatest regret is that the main story line follows Guo Jing who is a bit too good to be true. Simple, pure, kind, respectful, caring, faithful, persistent etc etc. Even the fact that he is not too smart is his advantage. On the other hand there is Lotus Huang, witty and talented girl who will lie just to escape dangerous situations. She is aware of her charm and is not afraid to use it for her benefit. You rarely see such a well-written female character. I hope third volume will be more about her than him.
Want to read
October 2, 2020Ah, I must admit Legends of the Condor Heroes is not my favorite book in the trilogy.
October 4, 2020
book 2 has a different translator and overall i think this translator did a better job, although i now have different complaints from the first book.
the good: the dialogue is no longer as flat and lifeless as in the first book! i still feel that there’s a lot of shade thrown by various characters that doesn’t quite manage to sound sufficiently shady in the translation, but this translator definitely does a much better job of conveying the characters’ tones and attitudes. it’s a marked improvement and makes the english version more fun and enjoyable for sure. sometimes it’s taken too far though, which brings me to...
the bad: none of this is relevant to people who only read the translation, which i assume would be most people, but as someone who read the original and translation side by side, it bothered me a LOT when the translator would add or change things that didn’t match to the original. there were several examples of additional dialogue and internal monologues and backstory that either never existed in the original or was completely changed. most of these additions and changes seemed to be focused on making lotus, apothecary huang, and cyclone mei more sympathetic.
i don’t much mind the new dialogue lotus got since they were generally just a few lines here and there. i did notice that they all made her seem more romantic/sweet/considerate than she actually was, but whatever, it’s not a big deal.
what really boggles my mind is all the stuff about apothecary huang and especially cyclone mei. paragraphs after paragraphs of backstory and ongoing events either were created out of thin air or contradicted what the original said. now, not having yet finished the entire book, it’s possible that some of the backstory that i hadn’t been in the chinese version had been moved up in the translation from a section later in the book. so i’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for that and update if i end up coming across the additional details later.
but this isn’t possible with the ongoing events. to be fair this translator kind of got screwed over by the previous one because for some reason the previous translator was also not a fan of telling cyclone mei and hurricane chen’s story faithfully. in the first book, the history between the twin dark foul winds and ke shifu was slightly tweaked, and the fact that hurricane chen had the nine yin manual written on his skin which was then cut off his corpse by cyclone mei was never mentioned. in the original, hurricane chen never told cyclone mei where the manual was, and she only found it after he died and she lost his sight by feeling all over his body until she discovered the words on his chest.
but it could’ve been easily corrected. the former never comes up again, and the translator could’ve added the information about the latter when cyclone mei was recounting her adventures in mongolia. but instead of faithfully following jin yong’s story, the english translation has a totally different tale regarding the whereabouts of the nine yin manual. instead of having cyclone mei carrying it around on a piece of her dead husband’s skin, she got handed the manual as a book.
in both versions zhu cong steals it from her, but in the original he has no idea what it is and gives it to guo jing along with the dagger it was wrapped around. cyclone mei was tasked by apothecary huang to get it back by all costs and to kill anyone who’d learned from it. then guo jing took the manual with him to peach blossom island where zhou botong recognized it for what it was.
in the english translation, it was snatched back immediately by cyclone mei and returned to apothecary huang, who later saw that she’d added poetry and notes to it. he never tasked her with finding the book or killing herself and her disciple.
like obviously it’s not really a huge deal in the grand scheme of things since it doesn’t actually change the story significantly. but i wonder why it was necessary. do they object to the idea of skinning someone and then carrying the skin around? or is it because they feel apothecary huang and cyclone mei should be portrayed more sympathetically? all the changes to the backstory and events put these two characters in a better light and provide more insight and details into their thoughts and their history.
anyway, personally i don’t like how this translation is less faithful to the original than the first book, but i think the improvements in the writing more than makes up for it.
also there must be some kind of formatting issue with the ebook because the first two sentences of every section always had capitalization errors.
the story itself is even more entertaining now that we’re following guo jing around on his adventures. many absurd and ridiculous things happen one after another. sometimes i’m so engrossed in the story i forget to switch between the two versions. and since switching between two books is not exactly convenient, i would’ve given up on this whole thing long ago if i found the story boring.
anyway, back to the story. it’s ridiculous how there are always incredibly powerful martial artists falling over themselves to teach guo jing kung fu. it’s also funny that everyone constantly remarks on how dumb guo jing is, including himself. but despite his lack of intelligence, he’s very likable; he’s honorable and hard-working and determined. luckily for him, clever, devious lotus is there to help, though she’s definitely more immature and prone to emotional outbursts.
zhou botong is the standout character for me. i found his antics hilarious. unfortunately he’s also terribly childish which means he can be cruel and selfish with his pranks, but it’s hard to hold it against him for long given how much he makes me laugh. i guess i have a childish sense of humor; i kept cackling while reading next to wesley, but he never thought it was as funny as i did when i told him what made me laugh.
in addition to martial masters constantly teaching guo jing new tricks, they were also always running into each other and starting fights. tbh i generally skim the fights because there are tons of them and i just want to know who wins without sitting through the descriptions of who used what moves. but now they’re not as boring because it’s more about how people’s personalities and worldviews influence the way they fight. definitely helps that guo jing finally had teachers who actually explain their martial arts philosophy to him, unlike the freaks (who are completely focused on the physical aspect) and elder ma (who told him absolutely nothing).
so yeah the story amuses me greatly and i want to know what’s next. i have book 3 but i’m already dreading finishing that and being left with no translation for the last part. i should focus on improving my chinese and stop relying on the translation so much, but sometimes i just want to know what happens without having to work so hard for it...
the good: the dialogue is no longer as flat and lifeless as in the first book! i still feel that there’s a lot of shade thrown by various characters that doesn’t quite manage to sound sufficiently shady in the translation, but this translator definitely does a much better job of conveying the characters’ tones and attitudes. it’s a marked improvement and makes the english version more fun and enjoyable for sure. sometimes it’s taken too far though, which brings me to...
the bad: none of this is relevant to people who only read the translation, which i assume would be most people, but as someone who read the original and translation side by side, it bothered me a LOT when the translator would add or change things that didn’t match to the original. there were several examples of additional dialogue and internal monologues and backstory that either never existed in the original or was completely changed. most of these additions and changes seemed to be focused on making lotus, apothecary huang, and cyclone mei more sympathetic.
i don’t much mind the new dialogue lotus got since they were generally just a few lines here and there. i did notice that they all made her seem more romantic/sweet/considerate than she actually was, but whatever, it’s not a big deal.
what really boggles my mind is all the stuff about apothecary huang and especially cyclone mei. paragraphs after paragraphs of backstory and ongoing events either were created out of thin air or contradicted what the original said. now, not having yet finished the entire book, it’s possible that some of the backstory that i hadn’t been in the chinese version had been moved up in the translation from a section later in the book. so i’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for that and update if i end up coming across the additional details later.
but this isn’t possible with the ongoing events. to be fair this translator kind of got screwed over by the previous one because for some reason the previous translator was also not a fan of telling cyclone mei and hurricane chen’s story faithfully. in the first book, the history between the twin dark foul winds and ke shifu was slightly tweaked, and the fact that hurricane chen had the nine yin manual written on his skin which was then cut off his corpse by cyclone mei was never mentioned. in the original, hurricane chen never told cyclone mei where the manual was, and she only found it after he died and she lost his sight by feeling all over his body until she discovered the words on his chest.
but it could’ve been easily corrected. the former never comes up again, and the translator could’ve added the information about the latter when cyclone mei was recounting her adventures in mongolia. but instead of faithfully following jin yong’s story, the english translation has a totally different tale regarding the whereabouts of the nine yin manual. instead of having cyclone mei carrying it around on a piece of her dead husband’s skin, she got handed the manual as a book.
in both versions zhu cong steals it from her, but in the original he has no idea what it is and gives it to guo jing along with the dagger it was wrapped around. cyclone mei was tasked by apothecary huang to get it back by all costs and to kill anyone who’d learned from it. then guo jing took the manual with him to peach blossom island where zhou botong recognized it for what it was.
in the english translation, it was snatched back immediately by cyclone mei and returned to apothecary huang, who later saw that she’d added poetry and notes to it. he never tasked her with finding the book or killing herself and her disciple.
like obviously it’s not really a huge deal in the grand scheme of things since it doesn’t actually change the story significantly. but i wonder why it was necessary. do they object to the idea of skinning someone and then carrying the skin around? or is it because they feel apothecary huang and cyclone mei should be portrayed more sympathetically? all the changes to the backstory and events put these two characters in a better light and provide more insight and details into their thoughts and their history.
anyway, personally i don’t like how this translation is less faithful to the original than the first book, but i think the improvements in the writing more than makes up for it.
also there must be some kind of formatting issue with the ebook because the first two sentences of every section always had capitalization errors.
the story itself is even more entertaining now that we’re following guo jing around on his adventures. many absurd and ridiculous things happen one after another. sometimes i’m so engrossed in the story i forget to switch between the two versions. and since switching between two books is not exactly convenient, i would’ve given up on this whole thing long ago if i found the story boring.
anyway, back to the story. it’s ridiculous how there are always incredibly powerful martial artists falling over themselves to teach guo jing kung fu. it’s also funny that everyone constantly remarks on how dumb guo jing is, including himself. but despite his lack of intelligence, he’s very likable; he’s honorable and hard-working and determined. luckily for him, clever, devious lotus is there to help, though she’s definitely more immature and prone to emotional outbursts.
zhou botong is the standout character for me. i found his antics hilarious. unfortunately he’s also terribly childish which means he can be cruel and selfish with his pranks, but it’s hard to hold it against him for long given how much he makes me laugh. i guess i have a childish sense of humor; i kept cackling while reading next to wesley, but he never thought it was as funny as i did when i told him what made me laugh.
in addition to martial masters constantly teaching guo jing new tricks, they were also always running into each other and starting fights. tbh i generally skim the fights because there are tons of them and i just want to know who wins without sitting through the descriptions of who used what moves. but now they’re not as boring because it’s more about how people’s personalities and worldviews influence the way they fight. definitely helps that guo jing finally had teachers who actually explain their martial arts philosophy to him, unlike the freaks (who are completely focused on the physical aspect) and elder ma (who told him absolutely nothing).
so yeah the story amuses me greatly and i want to know what’s next. i have book 3 but i’m already dreading finishing that and being left with no translation for the last part. i should focus on improving my chinese and stop relying on the translation so much, but sometimes i just want to know what happens without having to work so hard for it...
January 31, 2021
4.0 Stars
This was a strong sequel that was nearly as good as the first book in the series. I loved that this volume heavily featured a female martial artist who has become one of my favourite characters. For me, this book encapsulates so many of the elements of fantasy that I love. This series blends together humor, action, politics, plot twists and a lot of kung fu action into an engaging story. I normally don't like that many fight scenes in my fiction but these were entertaining and easy to follow. The magic is quite subtle and blends well with martial arts, making it all feel very grounded. I would highly recommend this series to any fantasy reader looking for a new epic series to pick up.
Sidenote, does Guo Jing remind anyone else of Goku from DBZ? LOL
This was a strong sequel that was nearly as good as the first book in the series. I loved that this volume heavily featured a female martial artist who has become one of my favourite characters. For me, this book encapsulates so many of the elements of fantasy that I love. This series blends together humor, action, politics, plot twists and a lot of kung fu action into an engaging story. I normally don't like that many fight scenes in my fiction but these were entertaining and easy to follow. The magic is quite subtle and blends well with martial arts, making it all feel very grounded. I would highly recommend this series to any fantasy reader looking for a new epic series to pick up.
Sidenote, does Guo Jing remind anyone else of Goku from DBZ? LOL
April 9, 2022
This is a tighter story than the first and starts out with a bang. It’s so refreshing reading something with tropes you have no idea about. Again, the action scenes, which are many were fantastic and felt completely different in characterization despite the frequency.
As I see it, one of the most pronounced differences is the difference in how embodiment is handled when coupled with martial prowess. The mind is generally divorced from physical contest; skill is repetition/training and talent. Their philosophy or ideas or morality are divorced, generally. Unless it’s a fable or parable, or something like that. Here people’s prowess and style of defence or offence could be derived from many things, and there is almost always a connection to their approach to life and lived experience. This makes most fights about notions on lived experience themselves embodied in people as a fight, which makes them far more interesting. Also, people aren’t typically out to specifically kill the opponent (though not always).
But because characters are mythologized, often actual historical figures, and they represent ideals they espouse, it becomes transparently a novel of ideas. There is melodrama and “good” versus “evil” you’d expect in classic fantasy, but it feels like a lot more holistic approach and less, say, puritanical. A lot of the time characters are expected to change, rather than be eliminated. Ideas butting heads, retreating, having to be introspective and change who they are and thus their approach to succeed against an opponent they were once defeated by. Then the mental approach is married to the body, where the body has to learn the new approach as well. Sometimes taking years to internalize the change and be able to outwardly manifest the reflection.
The one area that’s disappointing, and I think everyone can expect to see if they know when it was written is how women are characterized. They are numerous and eclectic, which is probably better than most 50s western fantasy. But also embody pretty sexist qualities that is in-line with western lit. They generally have to find ways of getting their way that are different to how men go about it and their lives centre men.
What was really neat about this one is there’s a Manuel that can make the person who studies it well, and internalizes the information well, a powerful, maybe unstoppable warrior. And I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that in a wuxia movie. Maybe Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon… or Hero? I can’t recall. But it’s neat reading this progenitor of the genre and seeing characters and different elements show up as recognizable to me despite only seeing the very popular films brought over for an English audience.
Continues to be really well paced and poetic, with good flow. Still amazed it’s able to make this amount of fights interesting. And the fights themselves very fun as well. Dynamic and tense. I’ll continue, for sure.
As I see it, one of the most pronounced differences is the difference in how embodiment is handled when coupled with martial prowess. The mind is generally divorced from physical contest; skill is repetition/training and talent. Their philosophy or ideas or morality are divorced, generally. Unless it’s a fable or parable, or something like that. Here people’s prowess and style of defence or offence could be derived from many things, and there is almost always a connection to their approach to life and lived experience. This makes most fights about notions on lived experience themselves embodied in people as a fight, which makes them far more interesting. Also, people aren’t typically out to specifically kill the opponent (though not always).
But because characters are mythologized, often actual historical figures, and they represent ideals they espouse, it becomes transparently a novel of ideas. There is melodrama and “good” versus “evil” you’d expect in classic fantasy, but it feels like a lot more holistic approach and less, say, puritanical. A lot of the time characters are expected to change, rather than be eliminated. Ideas butting heads, retreating, having to be introspective and change who they are and thus their approach to succeed against an opponent they were once defeated by. Then the mental approach is married to the body, where the body has to learn the new approach as well. Sometimes taking years to internalize the change and be able to outwardly manifest the reflection.
The one area that’s disappointing, and I think everyone can expect to see if they know when it was written is how women are characterized. They are numerous and eclectic, which is probably better than most 50s western fantasy. But also embody pretty sexist qualities that is in-line with western lit. They generally have to find ways of getting their way that are different to how men go about it and their lives centre men.
What was really neat about this one is there’s a Manuel that can make the person who studies it well, and internalizes the information well, a powerful, maybe unstoppable warrior. And I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that in a wuxia movie. Maybe Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon… or Hero? I can’t recall. But it’s neat reading this progenitor of the genre and seeing characters and different elements show up as recognizable to me despite only seeing the very popular films brought over for an English audience.
Continues to be really well paced and poetic, with good flow. Still amazed it’s able to make this amount of fights interesting. And the fights themselves very fun as well. Dynamic and tense. I’ll continue, for sure.
April 28, 2019
There's a song that goes, "I know she still loves me, but I don't think she likes me anymore." I'd say that sentiment sums up my feelings regarding this series so far: I'm enjoying reading it immensely, but I don't really like it. Let me explain.
This book picks up directly after the cliffhanger ending of the first book, A Hero Born. Everything that I said about that novel (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) is also true about this novel. Charles Dickens lite, coincidence, thin narrative, little description of the setting, extensive descriptions of kung fu fighting: all of these combined into one novel is enough to make me roll my eyes. But it's also a very good look at Chinese culture and norms, both the good and the bad. This is the single most valuable aspect of this novel--and not to be overlooked--which hopefully gets people examining their own culture and norms in an objective way. If anyone has ever wondered why some Chinese people act a certain way (positively or negatively) in certain situations, this is a good place to start looking for a little understanding. And to that, the translator does a good job explaining things within the text or, additionally, in the appendix. There's no need for the reader to be intimidated by anything.
The overall themes of rivalry and honor from the first novel are continued in this one, but it also delves into loyalty, pride, redemption, suicide, faux sincerity, desire for fame, and the obligation to defend your associates. However, as a counterbalance to all of that heavy stuff, there is the main character, Guo Jing: dim-witted and without natural ability, but honest, respectful, and hard-working. Within the melee of Jin Yong's larger-than-life characters is where the greatest fun can be found.
It's a quick read, quite funny at times, and easy enough to understand. If anything, I think the translation of book two is more accomplished. It's a wonderful world Jin Yong has created with his different kung fu schools, their code of conduct, the names, and their wild personalities. I can't quite call it a wonderfully decadent dessert, but it is a favorite junk food. It's okay to indulge in it on occasion.
EDIT: Here's some additional information about the Bagua that may help understanding Taoist theory, as well as the layout of Roaming Cloud Manor.
https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworl...
This book picks up directly after the cliffhanger ending of the first book, A Hero Born. Everything that I said about that novel (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) is also true about this novel. Charles Dickens lite, coincidence, thin narrative, little description of the setting, extensive descriptions of kung fu fighting: all of these combined into one novel is enough to make me roll my eyes. But it's also a very good look at Chinese culture and norms, both the good and the bad. This is the single most valuable aspect of this novel--and not to be overlooked--which hopefully gets people examining their own culture and norms in an objective way. If anyone has ever wondered why some Chinese people act a certain way (positively or negatively) in certain situations, this is a good place to start looking for a little understanding. And to that, the translator does a good job explaining things within the text or, additionally, in the appendix. There's no need for the reader to be intimidated by anything.
The overall themes of rivalry and honor from the first novel are continued in this one, but it also delves into loyalty, pride, redemption, suicide, faux sincerity, desire for fame, and the obligation to defend your associates. However, as a counterbalance to all of that heavy stuff, there is the main character, Guo Jing: dim-witted and without natural ability, but honest, respectful, and hard-working. Within the melee of Jin Yong's larger-than-life characters is where the greatest fun can be found.
It's a quick read, quite funny at times, and easy enough to understand. If anything, I think the translation of book two is more accomplished. It's a wonderful world Jin Yong has created with his different kung fu schools, their code of conduct, the names, and their wild personalities. I can't quite call it a wonderfully decadent dessert, but it is a favorite junk food. It's okay to indulge in it on occasion.
EDIT: Here's some additional information about the Bagua that may help understanding Taoist theory, as well as the layout of Roaming Cloud Manor.
https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworl...
August 29, 2021
Das Cover mag ich wieder sehr gerne, denn es passt unglaublich gut zur Geschichte und natürlich auch zu dem Cover von Band eins. Ich freue mich jetzt schon, wenn alle drei Bücher nebeneinander stehen werden.
Auch der Schreibstil hat mir wieder gut gefallen, denn er ist wieder flüssig, seeeehr detailreich - was ich persönlich sehr mag - und auf jeden Fall auch spannend. Ich muss jedoch zugeben, dass ich wieder eine Weile gebraucht habe, um wieder so richtig in die Geschichte reinzukommen, was aber auch zum Teil daran liegt, dass ich Band eins schon vor einiger Zeit gelesen habe - ich würde also empfehlen, die Bücher zeitnah nacheinander zu lesen, um möglichst wenig zu vergessen. Auch in diesem Band muss man sich wieder so einige Namen merken, aber ich finde das geht nach ein paar Seiten eigentlich sehr schnell.
Bei den Charakteren muss man immer mal wieder daran denken, zu welcher Zeit das Buch spielt und auch, wann das Buch geschrieben wurde (1959) - besonders bei den weiblichen Charakteren, da war ich hin und wieder echt unzufrieden, wie sie beschrieben wurden. Ansonsten kann ich aber sagen, dass die Charaktere wirklich interessant geschrieben sind und wirklich sehr detailreich.
Insgesamt wieder ein gutes und sehr detailreiches Buch das den Vergleich: Der chinesische Herr der Ringe durchaus verdient hat. Ich kann mir vorstellen, dass der Schreibstil im Original soagr noch genialer ist, als in der Übersetzung - leider werde ich das wohl nie nachprüfen können :D. Jetzt freue ich mich schon sehr auf band drei dieser interessanten Reihe. Ich kann die Bücher bisher auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
Auch der Schreibstil hat mir wieder gut gefallen, denn er ist wieder flüssig, seeeehr detailreich - was ich persönlich sehr mag - und auf jeden Fall auch spannend. Ich muss jedoch zugeben, dass ich wieder eine Weile gebraucht habe, um wieder so richtig in die Geschichte reinzukommen, was aber auch zum Teil daran liegt, dass ich Band eins schon vor einiger Zeit gelesen habe - ich würde also empfehlen, die Bücher zeitnah nacheinander zu lesen, um möglichst wenig zu vergessen. Auch in diesem Band muss man sich wieder so einige Namen merken, aber ich finde das geht nach ein paar Seiten eigentlich sehr schnell.
Bei den Charakteren muss man immer mal wieder daran denken, zu welcher Zeit das Buch spielt und auch, wann das Buch geschrieben wurde (1959) - besonders bei den weiblichen Charakteren, da war ich hin und wieder echt unzufrieden, wie sie beschrieben wurden. Ansonsten kann ich aber sagen, dass die Charaktere wirklich interessant geschrieben sind und wirklich sehr detailreich.
Insgesamt wieder ein gutes und sehr detailreiches Buch das den Vergleich: Der chinesische Herr der Ringe durchaus verdient hat. Ich kann mir vorstellen, dass der Schreibstil im Original soagr noch genialer ist, als in der Übersetzung - leider werde ich das wohl nie nachprüfen können :D. Jetzt freue ich mich schon sehr auf band drei dieser interessanten Reihe. Ich kann die Bücher bisher auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
February 10, 2019
A Bond Undone
(Book 2) continues from the immediate aftermath of Book 1 (A Hero Born). It’s as though I had turned the page to seamlessly reveal another next chapter rather than opened an entirely new book.
Once again Guo Jing and his generous heart are at the mercy of treacherous scheming. He has inadvertently become a target for envy and revenge and is invited to confront all manner of challenges on his travels, in addition to a few welcome surprises.
Some of these events help to nurture his ever growing repertoire of Martial Arts, despite the best efforts of those whose morals clash so violently with his own teaching.
Guo Jing’s reputation and skill appears to evolve from his encounters with bizarre flukes of fate. My particular favourite this time was a meeting with ‘The Hoary Urchin’ who, despite his unwavering dedication and conviction to the Martial Arts, frequently displays his displeasure by unleashing a spree of humorous, childish tantrums.
With its torrent of strikingly memorable characters and majestic, graceful narration I found myself contentedly lost amongst the pages A Bond Undone.
Two books into this series and I’ve discovered it can be quite addictive. Now I find myself impatiently awaiting the next instalment…
(Huge thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this title, which it is has been my pleasure to read and review.)
Once again Guo Jing and his generous heart are at the mercy of treacherous scheming. He has inadvertently become a target for envy and revenge and is invited to confront all manner of challenges on his travels, in addition to a few welcome surprises.
Some of these events help to nurture his ever growing repertoire of Martial Arts, despite the best efforts of those whose morals clash so violently with his own teaching.
Guo Jing’s reputation and skill appears to evolve from his encounters with bizarre flukes of fate. My particular favourite this time was a meeting with ‘The Hoary Urchin’ who, despite his unwavering dedication and conviction to the Martial Arts, frequently displays his displeasure by unleashing a spree of humorous, childish tantrums.
With its torrent of strikingly memorable characters and majestic, graceful narration I found myself contentedly lost amongst the pages A Bond Undone.
Two books into this series and I’ve discovered it can be quite addictive. Now I find myself impatiently awaiting the next instalment…
(Huge thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this title, which it is has been my pleasure to read and review.)
June 18, 2024
Jälleen loistavaa kiinalaista wuxian fantasiaa. Tää osa lähti vähän tahmeasti käyntiin ja ensimmäinen kolmannes oli vähän turhan pitkää joutokäyntiä. Tarinan lähtiessä lopulta kunnolla käyntiin ahmaisin tän teoksen muutamassa päivässä. Hahmoihin syvennytään enemmän ja näillä alkaa olla jo vahvempia persoonnallisia piirteitä. Guo Jing on loistava esimerkki hahmosta, joka on hellyttävällä tavalla hölmö tyhjäpää. Hän ja Huang Rong ovat kuin malliesimerkki kultainennoutaja/musta kissa -pariskunnasta. Tarina etenee jälleen vaivattomasti eteenpäin eikä siinä ole mitään pakottamisen tuntua. Sattumuksia käy tosi usein mutta toisaalta randomilta vaikuttavat käänteet tekee tarinasta kiinnostavan.
September 1, 2022
Recensione completa -> https://thebooksblender.altervista.or...
November 26, 2023
Despite fuzzy character motivations (unless every single character is some kind of Chaotic Neutral creature that changes their mind, as well as their allegiances on a whim), and despite a few interminable fight sequences, I'm enjoying this series. I like how Kung Fu is treated almost as a form of magic, and love the poetic nature of the training and philosophy. And I enjoy how different this feels from so much of what I have read. Although I'm taking my time with this series, I look forward to the third book to see where Guo Jing and Lotus Huang's story takes us.
August 7, 2020
This one was hard to get into, as it picks up RIGHT were the last one left off, and does very little to catch the reader up. Probably my fault for no re-reading the first book. Regardless, this series is fantastic action packed adventure, I love all the characters (there are SO MANY), and I'm dying to know what happens next. Happily, the third book will be released next month. Hazzah!
November 25, 2024
De los mejores libros he leído. La combinación perfecta entre pelea, trama amorosa y política.
El único fallo, si debo reseñar algo negativo, es que la sociedad descrita, con nuestras gafas moradas actuales no sobrevive. Pero ni los roles de género me parecen algo negativo en la historia. 🫶🫶🫶 encima la cara de buena gente que tiene el autor????? ya solo por el buengentismo que transmite se merece que esté en la mejor sala del cielo 🌌
El único fallo, si debo reseñar algo negativo, es que la sociedad descrita, con nuestras gafas moradas actuales no sobrevive. Pero ni los roles de género me parecen algo negativo en la historia. 🫶🫶🫶 encima la cara de buena gente que tiene el autor????? ya solo por el buengentismo que transmite se merece que esté en la mejor sala del cielo 🌌
February 23, 2020
I liked this book a bit better than A Hero Born. Partly bc I think the whole "will Yang Kang and Guo Jing meet and fight/become sworn brothers plotline?" was oddly less interesting than just Guo Jing and Lotus's adventures travelling the jianghu, picking fights with people, getting separated and reuniting time and time again, and learning new martial arts skills. Also, Guo Jing really just collects teachers like some people collect stamps, doesn't he? Not even on purpose! Count Seven Hong is probably my favorite of his teachers so far, and I love that he didn't even want to teach Guo Jing and Lotus basically swindled him into it.
Guo Jing picks up martial arts pretty quickly for someone who everyone calls slow lols. Of course, Guo Jing not being the brightest is a fun plot element, but seriously--anyone who can learn a whole eighteen-move system of martial arts in about a month, even with a really clever teacher, is not someone I'd call naturally untalented. Well, he's a good boy.
Guo Jing picks up martial arts pretty quickly for someone who everyone calls slow lols. Of course, Guo Jing not being the brightest is a fun plot element, but seriously--anyone who can learn a whole eighteen-move system of martial arts in about a month, even with a really clever teacher, is not someone I'd call naturally untalented. Well, he's a good boy.
May 4, 2020
Jin Yongin kiinalaista taistelulajeihin keskittyvää wuxia-kirjallisuutta edustavan Kotkasoturien tarun aloitti vauhdikkaasti Soturin oppivuodet. Silti minua hieman pelotti avata sarjan toista tiiliskivimäistä osaa Yhdeksän yinin totuus. Olihan kirjojen lukemisen välissä kulunut vuosi, ja arvelin, että laaja henkilöhahmojen ja erilaisten taistelukoulukuntien kaarti voisi olla vaikeaa muistaa. Aluksi näytti, että pelkoni oli aiheellinen: jatko-osa vyöryttää vanhojen tuttujen lisäksi kasan uusia hahmoja ja vielä lisää uusia taistelulajimestareita lempinimineen. Melko pian nimet kuitenkin palautuivat mieleeni ja Yong kuljettaa kerrontaansa niin epähienovaraisesti kädestä taluttaen ja melkein loukkaavasti lukijoiden heikkoon käsitytyskykyyn luottaen, että nopeasti olin taas kärryillä ja kärryt täydessä vauhdissa.
Kotkasoturien tarussa osat eivät niinkään keskity muodostamaan itsenäisiä osia selkeine tarinankaarineen ja lopputaisteluineen, vaan taistelu on kirjoissa peruskauraa, josta osa on leikkimielistä kisailua ja osa verisempää mättöä. Yhdeksän yinin totuus jatkaa suoraan siitä mihin edellinen osa jäi ja loppuu myös kesken ja epäilemättä jatkuu taas seuraavassa. Soturin oppivuosissa eri koulukuntia edustava munkki ja seitsemänä kummajaisena tunnettu soturijoukko kouluttivat molemmat lapsen, joiden oli määrä vartuttuaan ratkaista kaksintaistelulla menneet vääryydet ja kunnianloukkaukset. Jatko-osan alkusivuilla koko kaksintaisteluajatuksesta luovutaan ja sen sijaan keskiöön nousee kaksi muuta konfliktia: poliittiset ja kansalliset kiistat sekä päähenkilön (kummajaisten kouluttaman nuoren Guo Jingin) halu avioitua muiden tahdon vastaisesti vaarallisen kungfumestarin tyttären Huang Rongin kanssa.
Yhdeksän yinin totuus nostaa kierroksia edellisestä osasta, jossa vasta seurattiin Guo Jingin varttumista. Edelleen Guo Jingin koulutuksella on romaanissa tärkeä osa, mutta veijarimaista huumoria, taistelun melskettä sekä nopeasti viuhuvia yllätysjuonenkäänteitä ja konnankoukkuja riittää. Taisteluliikkeiden kuvaus on yhtä runollista kuin edellisessä romaanissa, ja saa seurakseen myös lyyristä ruokien ja ruuanlaiton kuvausta. Jännitystä ja kiinnostavia toimintaelokuvamaisia juonia riittää, mutta miinusta Yong saa yliselittelystä, jollaiseen lapsillekaan suunnattu kirjallisuus harvoin sortuu. Kirjojen koko on myös niin massiivinen, että karsittavaa olisi ollut. Silti varmasti minun on pakko lukea seuraava osa, enkä pistäisi pahitteeksi, jos jokin tv-sarja-adaptaatio löytyisi myös suomalaiselle yleisölle suunnatuista suoratoistopalveluista.
Arvio löytyy myös blogista Siniset helmet:https://sinisethelmet.wordpress.com/2...
Kotkasoturien tarussa osat eivät niinkään keskity muodostamaan itsenäisiä osia selkeine tarinankaarineen ja lopputaisteluineen, vaan taistelu on kirjoissa peruskauraa, josta osa on leikkimielistä kisailua ja osa verisempää mättöä. Yhdeksän yinin totuus jatkaa suoraan siitä mihin edellinen osa jäi ja loppuu myös kesken ja epäilemättä jatkuu taas seuraavassa. Soturin oppivuosissa eri koulukuntia edustava munkki ja seitsemänä kummajaisena tunnettu soturijoukko kouluttivat molemmat lapsen, joiden oli määrä vartuttuaan ratkaista kaksintaistelulla menneet vääryydet ja kunnianloukkaukset. Jatko-osan alkusivuilla koko kaksintaisteluajatuksesta luovutaan ja sen sijaan keskiöön nousee kaksi muuta konfliktia: poliittiset ja kansalliset kiistat sekä päähenkilön (kummajaisten kouluttaman nuoren Guo Jingin) halu avioitua muiden tahdon vastaisesti vaarallisen kungfumestarin tyttären Huang Rongin kanssa.
Yhdeksän yinin totuus nostaa kierroksia edellisestä osasta, jossa vasta seurattiin Guo Jingin varttumista. Edelleen Guo Jingin koulutuksella on romaanissa tärkeä osa, mutta veijarimaista huumoria, taistelun melskettä sekä nopeasti viuhuvia yllätysjuonenkäänteitä ja konnankoukkuja riittää. Taisteluliikkeiden kuvaus on yhtä runollista kuin edellisessä romaanissa, ja saa seurakseen myös lyyristä ruokien ja ruuanlaiton kuvausta. Jännitystä ja kiinnostavia toimintaelokuvamaisia juonia riittää, mutta miinusta Yong saa yliselittelystä, jollaiseen lapsillekaan suunnattu kirjallisuus harvoin sortuu. Kirjojen koko on myös niin massiivinen, että karsittavaa olisi ollut. Silti varmasti minun on pakko lukea seuraava osa, enkä pistäisi pahitteeksi, jos jokin tv-sarja-adaptaatio löytyisi myös suomalaiselle yleisölle suunnatuista suoratoistopalveluista.
Arvio löytyy myös blogista Siniset helmet:https://sinisethelmet.wordpress.com/2...
September 27, 2021
A ‘Bond Undone’ is the second novel in the ‘Legend of the Condor Heroes Saga’. There are four novels in the translated to English version of the Legend series, and these four novels being lengthy, with in depth worldbuilding, a cast of many characters, and supernatural/magic abilities, and were dealing with an epic fantasy, though one set in a mythological version of China and Mongolia.
I thought the first novel ‘A Hero Born’ was a masterpiece and easy to see how it’s an instant fantasy classic. ‘A Bond Undone’ isn’t quite as strong, in fact I found it meanders a lot, but I’ll get to that. First a quick spoiler filled synopsis from memory.
Cool. I was able to summarize it for the most part (pats self on back). Because, man, this can be a tough read, especially when more and more and more kung fu is thrown at you, including the Eight Trigram, and methods of I-Ching, and your brain is supposed to visualize what’s going on with these moves. And that’s the major drawback. There is a lot of awesome plot and story, but it constantly seems like you must wade through chunks of this, whereas the first novel, it seemed more seamless transition from explanations and theory to action. I don’t particularly enjoy reading overly descriptive magic systems or blow by blow fight scenes. I feel like Jin Yong is an exception and he does these well enough to keep them interesting, but even there are times where he doesn’t pull them off, and I slip into boredom reading.
My second problem was the jokiness. Now, I love the character of Zhang Botang. I thought he was interesting, and complex, a prankster who regrets being deceived and had, whose bitter and somewhat out for revenge, and uses Guo in his plot. But even this got carried away. The pranks were childish, and they took a lot of the menace out of a cool antagonist such as the Venom. The Venom and his snake army make a fantastic villain, and I hate snakes, so the descriptions of the herded snake army made my skin crawl. (“Why did it have to be snakes…”) But the last act makes The Venom, and Huang seem like fools. It annoyed me.
The novel ends on another cliffhanger, a cool one, though strange out of nowhere, why would Huang have a deadly ship laying around unless its for people trying to leave the island or something?
EDIT: Also Lotus IS A MARY SUE. Seriously this girl might as well be the Grandmaster of all Grandmaster's and Empress of the World Chosen One.
The main problem I had was after the first book seeming like such a cool epic adventure, this one just doesn’t have as much happening. It’s more of a character study, maybe, but I was hoping for more adventure like the first. It’s very good, mostly saved by the third act, and by interesting new characters such as the Beggar and the Hermit but comes up kind of a weak sequel. I can hope the third one comes back stronger and returns to the sense of grand scope.
I thought the first novel ‘A Hero Born’ was a masterpiece and easy to see how it’s an instant fantasy classic. ‘A Bond Undone’ isn’t quite as strong, in fact I found it meanders a lot, but I’ll get to that. First a quick spoiler filled synopsis from memory.
Cool. I was able to summarize it for the most part (pats self on back). Because, man, this can be a tough read, especially when more and more and more kung fu is thrown at you, including the Eight Trigram, and methods of I-Ching, and your brain is supposed to visualize what’s going on with these moves. And that’s the major drawback. There is a lot of awesome plot and story, but it constantly seems like you must wade through chunks of this, whereas the first novel, it seemed more seamless transition from explanations and theory to action. I don’t particularly enjoy reading overly descriptive magic systems or blow by blow fight scenes. I feel like Jin Yong is an exception and he does these well enough to keep them interesting, but even there are times where he doesn’t pull them off, and I slip into boredom reading.
My second problem was the jokiness. Now, I love the character of Zhang Botang. I thought he was interesting, and complex, a prankster who regrets being deceived and had, whose bitter and somewhat out for revenge, and uses Guo in his plot. But even this got carried away. The pranks were childish, and they took a lot of the menace out of a cool antagonist such as the Venom. The Venom and his snake army make a fantastic villain, and I hate snakes, so the descriptions of the herded snake army made my skin crawl. (“Why did it have to be snakes…”) But the last act makes The Venom, and Huang seem like fools. It annoyed me.
The novel ends on another cliffhanger, a cool one, though strange out of nowhere, why would Huang have a deadly ship laying around unless its for people trying to leave the island or something?
EDIT: Also Lotus IS A MARY SUE. Seriously this girl might as well be the Grandmaster of all Grandmaster's and Empress of the World Chosen One.
The main problem I had was after the first book seeming like such a cool epic adventure, this one just doesn’t have as much happening. It’s more of a character study, maybe, but I was hoping for more adventure like the first. It’s very good, mostly saved by the third act, and by interesting new characters such as the Beggar and the Hermit but comes up kind of a weak sequel. I can hope the third one comes back stronger and returns to the sense of grand scope.
April 2, 2020
My favorite so far from the series!
Oh, you Hoary Urchin, are my favorite too 😁
Oh, you Hoary Urchin, are my favorite too 😁
April 7, 2020
A Bond Undone is a picaresque adventure novel featuring two young lovers, Guo Jing and Lotus Huang. They travel around China, learning kung fu from the masters, saving people, getting saved. Lotus ran away from her father who is one of the great masters of kung fu. Guo grew up in Mongolia where he developed skills from them and now is developing his skills in kung fu.
There are pirates, kidnappings, grand battles, stories, myths, and all sorts of adventures as they go from place to place, learning more and more. They meet most of the greatest kung fu masters and come away for the better most of the time, though the book ends on quite a cliffhanger that puts that all into question.
If you think of A Bond Undone as a picaresque, where the characters’ adventures are all that matters, then this is a good picaresque. But trying to describe it as a story is hard. It seems aimless other than in developing Guo Jing’s skills. People talk all too much about what they are doing and why they are doing it, like an archvillain at the end of a Bond movie keeping their prey alive long enough to be rescued.
This is the second in a series. I don’t plan on reading the rest, though. I didn’t really care for the vast majority of people. All the great masters are petty grudge holders who will nurse their desire for revenge for decades. A bigger clutch of pettiness would be hard to find.
I think people who love action-adventure stories will enjoy A Bond Undonebecause that is what it is. The characters do not mature in terms of their ethics, self-control, or maturity. They master their martial art without mastering their emotions. What kept my interest through this very long book was the little bit of humor provided by Lotus, a young woman who is sassy to the bone.
I received an ARC of A Bond Undone from the publisher through Shelf Awareness
A Bond Undone at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Jin Yong on Wikipedia
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
There are pirates, kidnappings, grand battles, stories, myths, and all sorts of adventures as they go from place to place, learning more and more. They meet most of the greatest kung fu masters and come away for the better most of the time, though the book ends on quite a cliffhanger that puts that all into question.
If you think of A Bond Undone as a picaresque, where the characters’ adventures are all that matters, then this is a good picaresque. But trying to describe it as a story is hard. It seems aimless other than in developing Guo Jing’s skills. People talk all too much about what they are doing and why they are doing it, like an archvillain at the end of a Bond movie keeping their prey alive long enough to be rescued.
This is the second in a series. I don’t plan on reading the rest, though. I didn’t really care for the vast majority of people. All the great masters are petty grudge holders who will nurse their desire for revenge for decades. A bigger clutch of pettiness would be hard to find.
I think people who love action-adventure stories will enjoy A Bond Undonebecause that is what it is. The characters do not mature in terms of their ethics, self-control, or maturity. They master their martial art without mastering their emotions. What kept my interest through this very long book was the little bit of humor provided by Lotus, a young woman who is sassy to the bone.
I received an ARC of A Bond Undone from the publisher through Shelf Awareness
A Bond Undone at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Jin Yong on Wikipedia
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
March 12, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
A Bond Undone is the second book in the Legends of the Condor Heroes series by Jin Yong. Originally published in 1959, this reformat and re-release from Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint is 544 pages and available in hardcover, audio, paperback, and ebook formats.
This is an action epic in the wuxia style. As such, it's a nonstop martial arts movie set against a lush background of honor, love, filial duty, power, moral obligation vs. personal desire and expectations. The story picks up immediately after the first book in the series and I wouldn't recommend it as a standalone. (In fact, this review was delayed because I tried to read it without having read the first book, and couldn't understand much of what was going on, so I had to go back and read book one).
It reads well in translation although the non-stop action and grandiloquent style can take some time to get into. I highly recommend the series to lovers of martial arts and campaign epic fantasy. It's nice to see these books being released in translation to a new generation of readers.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
A Bond Undone is the second book in the Legends of the Condor Heroes series by Jin Yong. Originally published in 1959, this reformat and re-release from Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint is 544 pages and available in hardcover, audio, paperback, and ebook formats.
This is an action epic in the wuxia style. As such, it's a nonstop martial arts movie set against a lush background of honor, love, filial duty, power, moral obligation vs. personal desire and expectations. The story picks up immediately after the first book in the series and I wouldn't recommend it as a standalone. (In fact, this review was delayed because I tried to read it without having read the first book, and couldn't understand much of what was going on, so I had to go back and read book one).
It reads well in translation although the non-stop action and grandiloquent style can take some time to get into. I highly recommend the series to lovers of martial arts and campaign epic fantasy. It's nice to see these books being released in translation to a new generation of readers.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
January 24, 2020
Received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
After reading "A Hero Born" I looked up some info on the sequels and the summaries I found made it sound as if they were really different books as far as tone and where the story seemed to be going. I'm glad to say that it is not exactly the case, as this one starts immediately where the last novel left off and wastes no time at all getting into the action.
There are a lot of interesting bits, for example, a thing I wasn't expecting for sure is learning Cyclone Mei and her late husband's backstory in detail and from her point of view. Guo remains a honest fool, and I love him for it. He kind of reminds me of the typical Anime hero that's great at fighting but is dumb as rocks and kind of child-like. Think Goku or someone like that.
The writing is as dynamic as in the last novel, and it's still a lot of fun. Just like martial arts movies in the same genre, it's full of comedy, action, feats of daring, and interesting characters whose cultural idyosincrasies result in some surprising narrative twists because their motivations and aims are not necessarily what a Western reader might expect.
Sometimes it gets a bit confusing due to the amount of info you have to keep straight, especially regarding the names of a bunch of characters who are often mentioned due to their reputations but don't have big parts to play on this story, but I think that does not really detract from the fun of the story.
I enjoyed the first one so much that I was sure to read both sequels unless they turned out to be of much lesser quality, but this one actually got me excited again.
My only gripe is that I would have preferred to be able to read the series back to back in order to have the characters and events fresh on my mind, instead of reading one and then the other months and months later when I've read a bunch of stuff in between and I don't have the details fresh on my mind, but that's hardly the book's fault. I mean, it's understandable that we have to wait for the translations, especially since they are very good translations, like I mentioned on my review for the first volume. You hardly ever come across the typical strange sounding sentence that makes you suspect that you lost something in translation, like you often do when reading translations between two languages that are so removed from each other.
After reading "A Hero Born" I looked up some info on the sequels and the summaries I found made it sound as if they were really different books as far as tone and where the story seemed to be going. I'm glad to say that it is not exactly the case, as this one starts immediately where the last novel left off and wastes no time at all getting into the action.
There are a lot of interesting bits, for example, a thing I wasn't expecting for sure is learning Cyclone Mei and her late husband's backstory in detail and from her point of view. Guo remains a honest fool, and I love him for it. He kind of reminds me of the typical Anime hero that's great at fighting but is dumb as rocks and kind of child-like. Think Goku or someone like that.
The writing is as dynamic as in the last novel, and it's still a lot of fun. Just like martial arts movies in the same genre, it's full of comedy, action, feats of daring, and interesting characters whose cultural idyosincrasies result in some surprising narrative twists because their motivations and aims are not necessarily what a Western reader might expect.
Sometimes it gets a bit confusing due to the amount of info you have to keep straight, especially regarding the names of a bunch of characters who are often mentioned due to their reputations but don't have big parts to play on this story, but I think that does not really detract from the fun of the story.
I enjoyed the first one so much that I was sure to read both sequels unless they turned out to be of much lesser quality, but this one actually got me excited again.
My only gripe is that I would have preferred to be able to read the series back to back in order to have the characters and events fresh on my mind, instead of reading one and then the other months and months later when I've read a bunch of stuff in between and I don't have the details fresh on my mind, but that's hardly the book's fault. I mean, it's understandable that we have to wait for the translations, especially since they are very good translations, like I mentioned on my review for the first volume. You hardly ever come across the typical strange sounding sentence that makes you suspect that you lost something in translation, like you often do when reading translations between two languages that are so removed from each other.
December 4, 2025
The second book in the series of The Legends of the Condor Heroes and this time with a different translator.
I can't speak much on the quality of the translation as I can't read Chinese, but the writing style and the flow of the text is really good - improved as compared to the first book in the series.
A Bond Undone deals much more with romance than the first book, intertwining 3 romance tales inside of the series usual martial arts setting. It reads much more as a "coming of age" story than the first book and honestly, the teenage romance can get a bit old by the end of the book. The cover and some of the wider discourse around this book (series) does a disservice to the reader. This is very much NOT Chinese Lord of the Rings - nor does it try to be anything of the sort. If anything, comparing to Western fantasy, this series reminds me most of the early Wheel of Time books.
Guo Jing is still very much a lovable oaf in this book and I've been told that it's somewhat of a flaw of the translation - his honest character doesn't translate over as well. His lack of knowledge and understanding of kung fu is very much to the benefit of the reader - it's a great reason for the writer to explain concepts in an easy to understand format or to gloss over some of the more esoteric concepts. I think with the benefit of current cultural insight he makes much more sense when you think of him as an archetypical Himbo.
Overall, it's a good read! The wuxia action is top notch and there's some interesting plotlines that seem to be brewing in the background.
I can't speak much on the quality of the translation as I can't read Chinese, but the writing style and the flow of the text is really good - improved as compared to the first book in the series.
A Bond Undone deals much more with romance than the first book, intertwining 3 romance tales inside of the series usual martial arts setting. It reads much more as a "coming of age" story than the first book and honestly, the teenage romance can get a bit old by the end of the book. The cover and some of the wider discourse around this book (series) does a disservice to the reader. This is very much NOT Chinese Lord of the Rings - nor does it try to be anything of the sort. If anything, comparing to Western fantasy, this series reminds me most of the early Wheel of Time books.
Guo Jing is still very much a lovable oaf in this book and I've been told that it's somewhat of a flaw of the translation - his honest character doesn't translate over as well. His lack of knowledge and understanding of kung fu is very much to the benefit of the reader - it's a great reason for the writer to explain concepts in an easy to understand format or to gloss over some of the more esoteric concepts. I think with the benefit of current cultural insight he makes much more sense when you think of him as an archetypical Himbo.
Overall, it's a good read! The wuxia action is top notch and there's some interesting plotlines that seem to be brewing in the background.
March 13, 2020
It’s obvious why this author is the Tolkien of the East.
It’s a long-winded tale with a plethora of characters. Since I was coming in without any prior knowledge from the first book I struggled a bit to figure out who everyone was, but honestly the plot was so great I really didn’t feel hindered.
Frankly, most of this book is martial arts. If you took out every single fight the book would be like 100 pages and completely lackluster. The fights were nonstop, but they were everything I could’ve wanted—they furthered the plot, but they were also just surprisingly gorgeous reads. I sort of thought a lot of the beauty of martial arts would be lost in literary form, but I was very happily wrong.
Even without reading the first book I highly recommend this one. It’s magical and gives such a fresh taste on fantasy.
It’s a long-winded tale with a plethora of characters. Since I was coming in without any prior knowledge from the first book I struggled a bit to figure out who everyone was, but honestly the plot was so great I really didn’t feel hindered.
Frankly, most of this book is martial arts. If you took out every single fight the book would be like 100 pages and completely lackluster. The fights were nonstop, but they were everything I could’ve wanted—they furthered the plot, but they were also just surprisingly gorgeous reads. I sort of thought a lot of the beauty of martial arts would be lost in literary form, but I was very happily wrong.
Even without reading the first book I highly recommend this one. It’s magical and gives such a fresh taste on fantasy.
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