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杀破狼 [Sha Po Lang]
In the age of the Great Liang Dynasty, the lives of the people were made convenient with steam-powered machines that run on a fuel named Violetstream Gold. Chang Geng, who lived in a small countryside village, shared a distant relationship with his mother while his stepfather was away most of the year round, and the only people he was close to were two little kids, the village teacher, and his yi fu – adoptive father. But his life was flipped upside down one day following the barbaric Man tribes’ invasion, and it turned out that his entire identity had been an illusion – not only was Chang Geng himself not the country boy he thought he was, but also his mother, his teacher, and even his beloved yi fu…
1400 pages, Webnovel
First published September 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
August 29, 2023
"On the battlefield, whoever doesn't want to die, will die first."
okay first of all, if u read this book expecting a grand romance or something, don't bc this isn't a romance. it is but the story is soo much more than that- honestly i think the romance covers barely 20% of the book.
but was that in any shape or form a turn off?? fuck no i loved it sfm. ngl this book is very different from all other danmei i've read so far and idk if it's this book or priest's writing in general but it rly doesn't matter bc it's become one of my fav priest book already.
the book is soo plot heavy you get chapters and chapters of war and planning and everything without the main characters even meeting each other for years sometimes but at the end of the day, u could still feel the love they have for each other and something about it makes me go feral in the best ways possible. and honestly even the politics and scheming was so fun i didn't even mind the lack of romance.
"If you want the stars, I will not give you the moon. Even if it is rainy or cloudy, I will still put up a ladder to the sky to pick them up for you."
alexa play 'tere vaste'- sorry🙏🏼😭
anywayyyy, gu yun, my beloved zi xi, the most relatable and FUN bastard to ever exist. i can see i can totally see why chang geng is so in love with this man and when he has his monocle on i die inside bc how hotter could he be have u seen the fanarts i want him i want him sb it's a need atp
also he reminds me of my baby wwx sfm don't ask why it's the ✨ vibes ✨
i'm pretty and i know it?? everyone would be dead alr if it wasn't for me?? shameless flirts and oblivious fucks who can't see the effect they have on their love interests?? terrify everyone with their little flutes??? would rather die than tell anyone they need help???
look at me saying don't ask me why and then still listing many of the reasons they're similar 😭
also i just got to know that gu yun's va in the audio drama is the same as wwx's va in the donghua and do u see where this is going????
"As long as I am still alive for one more day, whether he is insane or brainless, I will take care of him until the end."
but he's so much more than just a fun character. my man is loyal asf, the way once he loves you, he'll do everything and anything for you. his love and devotion for chang geng had me gasping for air.
"If you lose, I'll bear the infamy of eternity with you. If you want to die, I'll be buried with you."
people died. i died.
dhwjkskakaksksk i've literally been dying for this part. chang geng, light of my life, fire of my loins. i'm such a slut for this man it's not funny.
despite him being younger than me for half of the book he's been haunting my dreams (and in a very good way, mind you) for the 3 months it took me to finish this novel and i don't think i'm gonna forget him anytime soon.
i've read my fair share of danmei but there's no debate chang geng is the best book husband of all times idcidc plus the hottest mf to ever exist. add that stupidly insaneee and manipulative brain he's got there and i'm sat i've never sat as fast as i did for him.
hessohothessohothessohothelp
"I say, doctor, why are you still scared of blood?"
"I am scared of your blood."
the way he loves gu yun i need him i want him i'd fight anyone for him
get you a man who'd change the whole ass kingdom just so the love of his life could breathe 😮💨 this man did everything the moment he realised what he feels is love- literally what didn't he do just so he can keep gu yun safe while making sure the curse he suffers from never affects him oh god i'm sobbing idk if i wanna be him or be with him (spoiler: i wanna be with him)
"I'll be fine as long as you're fine."
my man's so gone
"I don't care what other people say. As long as I'm alive, I will protect him."
ngl i was v skeptical at first to even read this novel bc of the relationship the main characters had in the start. gu yun was acc chang geng's foster father initially.
but the way their relationship developed was so beautiful and i don't wanna go into heavy detail bc i'm trying
"I believe that as long you are willing, there is nothing in the world that can defeat you, including this body."
not me ranting about the romance after saying there's no romance in the book 😭 but atp i shouldn't even be surprised and like i said, the book is plot heavy and sometimes the translation didn't help at all and i acc had to go through two translations at times to really understand what was going on so i hope i'll understand it all more when i start the official translation
also i knowww i always keep the story and side characters for the official translation's reviews but i have to mention bc shen yi and gu yun remind me sm of pre sunshot campaign wwx and jc and that makes me so soft and so happy but sad bc shen yi and gu yun are what wwx and jc were robbed of
and miss chen??? hello wen qing 2.0????? i love that woman sfm and anyway, yes i loved this book and now i really wanna read all priest books and
October 3, 2021
Reread this after listening to the audio drama.
In this novel, the two main characters are Guyun (general/marshal) and Chang Geng (son of the Emperor and a woman from the Hun tribes). Guyun is Chang Genge's foster father. China is fending off the Japanese, the English, and the Huns (mainly through war), and each of these kingdoms has their own steampunk technologies (very cool to read). This is a tale that focuses mainly on politics. The way the Japanese, the English (the Pope was in this novel!). The depiction of Huns was unfortunately very racist.
This is one of my guilty pleasure reads although I am critical of the Chinese imperialism, othering of non-Chinese, purity of bloodlines and very problematic and racist portrayals of Central Asians.
I did love the two leads though... and I loved the respective journeys each of them took. I especially loved how Chang Geng overcame the curse that plagued him. The curse could very easily be read as an allegory for severe childhood abuse, and I really did love the process of removing the curse: he would repeatedly revisit traumatic childhood scenes and in surviving them and returning to the present, he was no longer haunted by these terrible memories -- very like the somatic forms of therapy -- and he even remembered the better moments with his abusive mother, memories he previously had had no access to.
I loved also the huge change that Chang Geng underwent in this novel, marked by the change in his relationship with Guyun (beautifully captured in the different terms he addresses Guyun with, from 十六 to 义父 to 子熹). I loved that chapter, 'Ten Years'.
In this novel, the two main characters are Guyun (general/marshal) and Chang Geng (son of the Emperor and a woman from the Hun tribes). Guyun is Chang Genge's foster father. China is fending off the Japanese, the English, and the Huns (mainly through war), and each of these kingdoms has their own steampunk technologies (very cool to read). This is a tale that focuses mainly on politics. The way the Japanese, the English (the Pope was in this novel!). The depiction of Huns was unfortunately very racist.
This is one of my guilty pleasure reads although I am critical of the Chinese imperialism, othering of non-Chinese, purity of bloodlines and very problematic and racist portrayals of Central Asians.
I did love the two leads though... and I loved the respective journeys each of them took. I especially loved how Chang Geng overcame the curse that plagued him. The curse could very easily be read as an allegory for severe childhood abuse, and I really did love the process of removing the curse: he would repeatedly revisit traumatic childhood scenes and in surviving them and returning to the present, he was no longer haunted by these terrible memories -- very like the somatic forms of therapy -- and he even remembered the better moments with his abusive mother, memories he previously had had no access to.
I loved also the huge change that Chang Geng underwent in this novel, marked by the change in his relationship with Guyun (beautifully captured in the different terms he addresses Guyun with, from 十六 to 义父 to 子熹). I loved that chapter, 'Ten Years'.
Want to read
January 26, 2022First webnovel of 2022 and also, my first Priest. So excited!!
November 16, 2018
Out of all Priest's works so far, this is without a doubt my favorite. The sheer epic-ness of this story made me re-read 3 times, though admittedly the antagonist (Emperor and court lackeys) were so frustrating and causing so much trouble for the MC (who tries to remain optimistic/positive) frankly stopped me from completing my 3rd re-read. Any Chinese reader would know the MC's situation was modeled after the Song Dynasty, where General Yue Fei was doing all he could to protect his country and innocents from invasion while the imperial court just keep backstabbing him out of paranoia/greed/selfishness. While things may be a bit simplified compared to reality, the tragic end Yue Fei faced still strikes an emotional cord with many Chinese. Good thing this was an HEA. Romance as usual takes the backseat, but I like my BL plot-first and don't care as much for romance.
Of all Priest's MCs, General Gu is probably the one who is most tired and had to suffer from the most BS from so-called allies, and his LI Chang Geng also goes through the most mental suffering. The alternative title《间接性虐狗记》dubbed by Priest is very fitting.
Of all Priest's MCs, General Gu is probably the one who is most tired and had to suffer from the most BS from so-called allies, and his LI Chang Geng also goes through the most mental suffering. The alternative title《间接性虐狗记》dubbed by Priest is very fitting.
July 29, 2022
5 brilliant and only that stars
Just go ahead and kill me why don't you, what's the point in making me so emotional?
Just go ahead and kill me why don't you, what's the point in making me so emotional?
July 17, 2024
If you lose, I will share your burden of infamy for all eternity. If you die, I will accompany you in death
Um what am I supposed to do with my life now? Just go on living? WHEN I JUST FINISHED THIS MASTERPIECE?! Oh no I didn't finish it, it finished me. Cause what do you mean Changgu don't exist?? Reality don't do this to me😭
Hats off to Priest for creating this beautiful, complex, intricate story. Even in the midst of such a complicated plot, none of the character development felt half baked and the ROMANCE 🤩 Do NOT get me started on how well it was all written. Even if the plot was extremely heavy, it wasn't in a way that was confusing or overwhelming. It just requires all your concentration😂 5 stars don't feel anywhere close to being enough for this book. Seriously, best danmei I've ever read (forgive me tgcf) wish i could erase it all from my mind and read it again for the first time. Its been almost a decade since I last read a book that's left me hungover for so long.
Special mention to my baby Chang Geng🤧❤️I am so gone for this guy, like how does he think of all those schemes😩 bro literally changed the whole country so that his man could have a peaceful life❤️he could do no wrong pls.
Tbh the characters' initial relationship had me a bit wary to start this book, but it was written so spectacularly that you don't even feel uncomfortable when they transition into their sappy lovey dovey mess😂Changgu has my heart and I'll be thinking about them till I die probably.
I'll come back later to edit this review so that's its not such a messy rant but pls do yourself a favor and go read this book, you can thank me later
July 21, 2020
I've been wondering ever since I finished this novel, and ended up in a state of total and utter heartbrokenness, why is it that c-novels do this to me... What is it in their writing or story that makes it almost unbearably painful for me to finish them. I mean, I'm bad with endings and changes, all kinds of them and since I can remember, seriously, I have issues. But even though I love authors like MXTX, Tong Hua or Priest, I still have many western and asian authors I love more, and yet whenever I read their books they never get to torment me like this. I think Winterson's last novel is probably the exception but that's because it's focused on the English romantics and that's a soft spot for me. But whenever I near the ending of any c-novel, decent ones of course, mostly wuxia/xianxia/fantasy, I hurt so badly it's crazy and then the aftermath is long and tortuous, the mourning is endless and I feel overcome by grief and start questioning myself about everything. I think it might have to do with the fact that these novels are usually really long, not this one I think, but I mean TGCF or 2HA have around 3.000 pages, and thus they take long to read and you pour all your energy, emotions and everything into the story for a long time, a bit like the process of playing a long RPG (It took me around 200 hours to finish FFXV) and therefor the connection is too intense. Also, because of their length, the character depth and development is insane and thus you spend a long time with the characters and fall totally for them. Besides, the stories usually span for a long time, decades, centuries even sometimes and portray the rise and fall of eras, kingdoms, etc. with a focus on greater good and plenty of heroism, yet full of questioning and deep reflection about all the themes I hold close to my heart, loss, time, death and so on. I think, western authors, including myself, tend to spend way too much staring at our own navels... It's shameful. And probably that's why it's unusual for western novels to have too many characters, unlike Chinese in which you have so many some times it's hard to keep track of who's who for a while, specially at the beginning.
Ok, so I was that damaged by this novel as to rant like this instead of writing a proper review, but I'll still try.
SPL is amazing. It's beautifully written, fast paced, touching and complex. It's a lot more difficult than the usual wuxia/xianxia novels I love because it focuses mainly on politics in a period of instability in which the kingdom is invaded by different fronts and must also deal with internal struggles and corruption. There are whole chapters dedicated 100% to military campaigns or to the plots of the ministers in the court and there's also the hidden forces in jianghu moving the pieces in the darkness. The events take place in an alternative version of the Song Dynasty in which there are all kinds of mecha and technology so it's steampunk in a Chinese setting, which I thought was quite different. The imagery reminded me a bit of Clamp's Clover. At some points it's quite heavy. The romance, although the main strength that keeps the main characters moving forward and facing all kind of dangers, along with the utopia of peace and stability for everyone, is not the main focus at all. This is quite a tense novel and I was really anxious through all the reading thinking everyone was going to be torn to pieces and the battles would be lost and the schemes would bring the decent ones down, so I suffered a lot through it but at the same time it was so very good.
Ok, so I was that damaged by this novel as to rant like this instead of writing a proper review, but I'll still try.
SPL is amazing. It's beautifully written, fast paced, touching and complex. It's a lot more difficult than the usual wuxia/xianxia novels I love because it focuses mainly on politics in a period of instability in which the kingdom is invaded by different fronts and must also deal with internal struggles and corruption. There are whole chapters dedicated 100% to military campaigns or to the plots of the ministers in the court and there's also the hidden forces in jianghu moving the pieces in the darkness. The events take place in an alternative version of the Song Dynasty in which there are all kinds of mecha and technology so it's steampunk in a Chinese setting, which I thought was quite different. The imagery reminded me a bit of Clamp's Clover. At some points it's quite heavy. The romance, although the main strength that keeps the main characters moving forward and facing all kind of dangers, along with the utopia of peace and stability for everyone, is not the main focus at all. This is quite a tense novel and I was really anxious through all the reading thinking everyone was going to be torn to pieces and the battles would be lost and the schemes would bring the decent ones down, so I suffered a lot through it but at the same time it was so very good.
December 14, 2023
i already expected it to be plot-driven, but i never thought that there were just a few scenes where i'm giggling and kicking my feet in the air. this book is heavy on political and court plays. it also does not lack an in-depth explanation of the military, economics, and technological developments. honestly, i would've enjoyed more the political feuds and other concepts if it's gripping enough to make me lose my mind, make my jaw drop, and leave me speechless because of some plot twist or anything, but sadly, it's NOT GIVING. all the talks feel so monotonous, and as someone who lacks knowledge about this and admittedly finds them uninteresting, it's difficult to take in the information and keep my focus on the story.
i FEEL SO DEPRIVED OF THE ROMANTIC SCENES OF CHANGGU but anyway i still commend priest's intricate writing and constructing the heavy plot of spl. their mind is just something i would've traded if i could because of how amazing spl came out to be.
i FEEL SO DEPRIVED OF THE ROMANTIC SCENES OF CHANGGU but anyway i still commend priest's intricate writing and constructing the heavy plot of spl. their mind is just something i would've traded if i could because of how amazing spl came out to be.
February 28, 2020
Ah when I first picked this up I almost dropped it 5 chapters in because of...what the two MCs were to each other at the beginning.
but I continued reading because the setting and plot seemed very, very interesting so I told myself "hey whatever if it weirds me out too much, I'll leave".
and that, folks, is how I met one of my favs.
This book is 75% plot and 25% romance. The plot is extremely intricate, it doesn't have huge plot twists if that's what you're looking for, but fun to read nonetheless. Extremely political plus lots of scheming, which makes this book a pretty heavy read. Defs not good for skimming
The romance? I love it. Not the main focus but it blends so well with everything else. The relationship development is mature and grounded which is why it never really weirded me out. It is also a great contrast to their harsh world.
The character development is beautiful, they both grow so much throughout the novel (which spans across many years) and it is wonderful seeing their way of thinking naturally change with age. They both felt so human, they're great by themselves and they're great together.
I do think that theres abit too much exposition in some parts, but I won't say anything else about the author's writing because, well, it is a fan translation and I'm just happy that there is one....
It is a beautiful and heartwrenching story about corruption, greed, devotion, duty, and love. It is about growing up and finding your purpose and reason to keep living despite the pain.
(I could write essays but lets not)
but I continued reading because the setting and plot seemed very, very interesting so I told myself "hey whatever if it weirds me out too much, I'll leave".
and that, folks, is how I met one of my favs.
This book is 75% plot and 25% romance. The plot is extremely intricate, it doesn't have huge plot twists if that's what you're looking for, but fun to read nonetheless. Extremely political plus lots of scheming, which makes this book a pretty heavy read. Defs not good for skimming
The romance? I love it. Not the main focus but it blends so well with everything else. The relationship development is mature and grounded which is why it never really weirded me out. It is also a great contrast to their harsh world.
The character development is beautiful, they both grow so much throughout the novel (which spans across many years) and it is wonderful seeing their way of thinking naturally change with age. They both felt so human, they're great by themselves and they're great together.
I do think that theres abit too much exposition in some parts, but I won't say anything else about the author's writing because, well, it is a fan translation and I'm just happy that there is one....
It is a beautiful and heartwrenching story about corruption, greed, devotion, duty, and love. It is about growing up and finding your purpose and reason to keep living despite the pain.
(I could write essays but lets not)
December 31, 2021
5 estrellas xq le agarre una dependencia emocional terrible JISXIKJSA anyways changgu soulmates
April 12, 2021
Well, this was a bit disappointing. I came into this novel knowing next to nothing of the story or the author, but I'd gotten a few very good recommendations for it and was eager to read it. Maybe I set my expectations too high, maybe I expected something completely different, maybe this just wasn't for me. Because the whole reading experience was just... flat.
The novel is VERY heavy on the politics and court intrigue, and quite militaristic - some parts reminded me of my grandfather and his cronies chatting about at the park, they were all military men. I'm okay with politics and court intrigue, love it, but not when a novel is written as if it was a history compendium. I need emotion, I need that uuuughhhhh while I'm reading, the racing of my heart, the numbing of my scalp, the tingle on my fingers. This novel failed to deliver. It was dry and flat like a 10th grade history book. Just an exposition of fact after fact, event after event in what could have been a very heart-racing story.
As for the romance angle, well. It was barely there, so if you go into this hoping for a love story that shatters your heart and twists your innards, this isn't it. Their kisses - as few as there were - failed to even make a dent, and in some parts, I had to go back and reread after a few lines, thinking 'wait, when did they kiss?'. The couple didn't move me at all, their entire relation felt a little contrived - and I blame Gu Yun for that - there was just no feeling, no emotion in it for me. I wasn't invested in them as a couple at all.
Also failed to relate to the characters because they lacked depth, for me. A lot of telling, no showing, I never felt as one with either of them, and frankly, didn't root for them. Didn't dislike them, either, but I wasn't in love. They weren't the world, for me. I wanted to suffer their pains, I didn't. They remained characters from start to end, not people.
As for the world building, spot on and pristine, so detailed and well-fleshed, very well done. That was the best part of the novel for me, that incredible world building. It saved the rest.
I didn't dislike this novel, at all, but also didn't love it. Felt too long for the little it gave, and could have been done with less filler chapters. Am definetely going to read more of Priest's work just to see if it's Sha Po Lang or her writing style that don't work for me, am rather curious with some of her earlier work, actually.
The novel is VERY heavy on the politics and court intrigue, and quite militaristic - some parts reminded me of my grandfather and his cronies chatting about at the park, they were all military men. I'm okay with politics and court intrigue, love it, but not when a novel is written as if it was a history compendium. I need emotion, I need that uuuughhhhh while I'm reading, the racing of my heart, the numbing of my scalp, the tingle on my fingers. This novel failed to deliver. It was dry and flat like a 10th grade history book. Just an exposition of fact after fact, event after event in what could have been a very heart-racing story.
As for the romance angle, well. It was barely there, so if you go into this hoping for a love story that shatters your heart and twists your innards, this isn't it. Their kisses - as few as there were - failed to even make a dent, and in some parts, I had to go back and reread after a few lines, thinking 'wait, when did they kiss?'. The couple didn't move me at all, their entire relation felt a little contrived - and I blame Gu Yun for that - there was just no feeling, no emotion in it for me. I wasn't invested in them as a couple at all.
Also failed to relate to the characters because they lacked depth, for me. A lot of telling, no showing, I never felt as one with either of them, and frankly, didn't root for them. Didn't dislike them, either, but I wasn't in love. They weren't the world, for me. I wanted to suffer their pains, I didn't. They remained characters from start to end, not people.
As for the world building, spot on and pristine, so detailed and well-fleshed, very well done. That was the best part of the novel for me, that incredible world building. It saved the rest.
I didn't dislike this novel, at all, but also didn't love it. Felt too long for the little it gave, and could have been done with less filler chapters. Am definetely going to read more of Priest's work just to see if it's Sha Po Lang or her writing style that don't work for me, am rather curious with some of her earlier work, actually.
May 25, 2023
[DNF at %61]
nope and and the fact that it took me almost 7 months to finally dnf this says a lot😵💫
not for me tbh i didn’t like the romance, and the plot
nope and and the fact that it took me almost 7 months to finally dnf this says a lot😵💫
not for me tbh i didn’t like the romance, and the plot
August 11, 2020
DNF @ Chapter 100
Plot: Ancient-China flavored steampunk mecha politics-plot ft. a gay romance.
1. As far as I can tell Priest writes plot-heavy stories with a romance subplot and under general circumstances this would totally be my thing. However, the plot heavy bits are pretty logistically intricate and include a lot of visual components, which means that I find it very hard to pay attention unless I'm attached to the characters. And uh- I'm not, for the most part.
2. I need to make a note here about how I think this story would be absolutely perfect for a visual adaptation because I think it has the potential to be really good in that medium.
3. One of the protagonists is very entertaining- Gu Yun is a combination of hilariously self-centered and suicidally loyal and he really appeals to my tastes. I enjoyed almost all scenes with him in it, and I think I'd have been very into the story if it explored the emotional aspects of his fucked-up relationship with the empire a lot more?
4. Everyone else is pretty meh. Most notably our actual protagonist, a lost prince with a crush who is calm and levelheaded and usually has about as much of a personality as a wet paper bag. I think I may be being a bit mean here, but it's pretty obvious that the only thing Chang Geng cares about is getting into Gu Yun's pants. An ambition which is both fair and perfectly understandable because Gu Yun is amazing, but that only makes it so much more irritating that Chang Geng is the narrator for most of the story. He doesn't really give a crap about anything except his relationship with his adoptive fake-dad, and once that is settled all of my fucks dry up and I have none left to give.
5. The bone of impurity thing was amazingly creepy in a very good way and that was the only other part of Chang Geng that was interesting so part of me wants to finish the story but most of me is content to wait for the live action adaptation even if I already wince at the thought of a mecha populated world given c-drama special effects. Yikes.
6. The emperor is pretty fascinating in a oh-boy-i-want-to-burn-all-shit kinda way. But again, this would translate really well into the visual adaptations because we don't get enough focus on him in the story? Idek.
Plot: Ancient-China flavored steampunk mecha politics-plot ft. a gay romance.
1. As far as I can tell Priest writes plot-heavy stories with a romance subplot and under general circumstances this would totally be my thing. However, the plot heavy bits are pretty logistically intricate and include a lot of visual components, which means that I find it very hard to pay attention unless I'm attached to the characters. And uh- I'm not, for the most part.
2. I need to make a note here about how I think this story would be absolutely perfect for a visual adaptation because I think it has the potential to be really good in that medium.
3. One of the protagonists is very entertaining- Gu Yun is a combination of hilariously self-centered and suicidally loyal and he really appeals to my tastes. I enjoyed almost all scenes with him in it, and I think I'd have been very into the story if it explored the emotional aspects of his fucked-up relationship with the empire a lot more?
4. Everyone else is pretty meh. Most notably our actual protagonist, a lost prince with a crush who is calm and levelheaded and usually has about as much of a personality as a wet paper bag. I think I may be being a bit mean here, but it's pretty obvious that the only thing Chang Geng cares about is getting into Gu Yun's pants. An ambition which is both fair and perfectly understandable because Gu Yun is amazing, but that only makes it so much more irritating that Chang Geng is the narrator for most of the story. He doesn't really give a crap about anything except his relationship with his adoptive fake-dad, and once that is settled all of my fucks dry up and I have none left to give.
5. The bone of impurity thing was amazingly creepy in a very good way and that was the only other part of Chang Geng that was interesting so part of me wants to finish the story but most of me is content to wait for the live action adaptation even if I already wince at the thought of a mecha populated world given c-drama special effects. Yikes.
6. The emperor is pretty fascinating in a oh-boy-i-want-to-burn-all-shit kinda way. But again, this would translate really well into the visual adaptations because we don't get enough focus on him in the story? Idek.
April 23, 2021
This was utterly spectacular. The politics, the war, the tidbits of romance and adorable sprinkled in makes this extraordinary. Priest's writing really is quite beautiful and hats off to the wonderful translator for their hard work translating this masterpiece. Tbh, I was pretty intimidated with all the talk of politics in this, but surprisingly enough, I enjoyed it immensely even though some of the more complicated antics of the court quite literally floated over my head.
I'd say it was because of the characters, Chang Geng and Gu Yun especially. Watching them overcome hardships and gruesome scheming all for maintaining peace in the country they all dearly loved was heart-wrenching. Especially when some annoying disloyal good-for-nothing scum were doing there very best to ruin all their hard work, just for some measly coin. ugh it was so satisfying watching Chang Geng take them down with nothing but his glorious mind. *applauds*
Now for what made me love this novel so much more was these two coming to terms with their feelings towards each other (well mostly Gu Yun, poor guy was traumatised). And when I say this is a slow-burn, I mean sloooooooooww, which explains why some readers might not enjoy this as much, with the addition of all the politics and war strategies, but let me tell you, CHANGGU IS LOVE ❣ so keep pushing through if you feel bored. I never really was.
May 5, 2021
This is one of the best books ever, I loved every little thing about it and am sad that I already finished it 🤧
October 14, 2023
Es un placer para mi informarles qué HE TERMINADO DE LEER SHA PO LANG Y SOY LIBRE.
Me encanto, es precioso, es perfecto.
Chang Geng es el verdadero voy a arreglar el mundo para que sea más gentil con mi hombre y lo logro sjxjdjd verdadero girlboss gaslight además.
La reforma económica y política es la historia de amor aaaaa.
Me encanto, es precioso, es perfecto.
Chang Geng es el verdadero voy a arreglar el mundo para que sea más gentil con mi hombre y lo logro sjxjdjd verdadero girlboss gaslight además.
La reforma económica y política es la historia de amor aaaaa.
August 5, 2023
Another winner from Priest.
I didn’t know steampunk fantasy and Chinese wuxia could mix, but Priest makes it natural here. It’s also her most riveting book I’ve read so far. The action and the fun is literally non-stop. The romance is also featured more prominently than her other books, which is a plus.
Overall, highly recommended.
I didn’t know steampunk fantasy and Chinese wuxia could mix, but Priest makes it natural here. It’s also her most riveting book I’ve read so far. The action and the fun is literally non-stop. The romance is also featured more prominently than her other books, which is a plus.
Overall, highly recommended.
June 21, 2020
4 stars
December 26, 2020
4.5
"But at the very end of the Bone of Impurity, there was one Gu Yun."
woah. WOAH!!!!!! that was such a great story, told so well, built so well, and i love it SO MUCH. there were surely a few times where i found myself skimming, but that's just because this is so political and it involves so many great things it might become tiring at times. NOT A BAD THING, THOUGH. THIS IS AMAZING.
for starters, i love chang geng and gu yun so much. i love them as individuals, and i love them as a couple. although i didn't actually care about many characters aside from them, i felt they were all very carefully crafted. priest is an incredible author, and i love the way things develop in the story--not only the characters, but each part of it separately. besides, chang geng and gu yun are such special persons, and their personalities are so great. I LOVE IT!!!!!!
this is also incredible for people who love good action scenes and very well-planned conflicts. i'd like to myself as fitting in that category. even if it's kind of exhausting to go through all those ups and downs in the battlefield, it brings a realistic light to the story, and it complements the characters greatly.
well, that's it. i love it. I LOVE IT. i'll cherish them in my heart from now on.
"But at the very end of the Bone of Impurity, there was one Gu Yun."
woah. WOAH!!!!!! that was such a great story, told so well, built so well, and i love it SO MUCH. there were surely a few times where i found myself skimming, but that's just because this is so political and it involves so many great things it might become tiring at times. NOT A BAD THING, THOUGH. THIS IS AMAZING.
for starters, i love chang geng and gu yun so much. i love them as individuals, and i love them as a couple. although i didn't actually care about many characters aside from them, i felt they were all very carefully crafted. priest is an incredible author, and i love the way things develop in the story--not only the characters, but each part of it separately. besides, chang geng and gu yun are such special persons, and their personalities are so great. I LOVE IT!!!!!!
this is also incredible for people who love good action scenes and very well-planned conflicts. i'd like to myself as fitting in that category. even if it's kind of exhausting to go through all those ups and downs in the battlefield, it brings a realistic light to the story, and it complements the characters greatly.
well, that's it. i love it. I LOVE IT. i'll cherish them in my heart from now on.
April 9, 2021
The main story is full of angst, war, scheme, politic & steam punk machine. But the extra give such sweet happy ending for all the characters.
I love how it's about 2 people with such horrible and painful childhood, shaping them to be such a strong characters. They can rule and break the world, but what they really want is just living in peace for thousand years to come.
I love how it's about 2 people with such horrible and painful childhood, shaping them to be such a strong characters. They can rule and break the world, but what they really want is just living in peace for thousand years to come.
September 12, 2023
read this. DO NOT look up anything about it. just read it. it's only like 1400 pages. do it right now i'm very extremely serious.
April 10, 2021
i came for mister monocle man and stayed for mister monocle man!
i swear my brain is temporarily out of order after spl steampunk wartime shenanigans THAT WAS A DOOZY!!! albeit an extremely well-written doozy! bottom line is don't go in expecting a casual read!!
spl started off w a bang and i loved how priest went about introducing the characters, assembling their little squad, building the world (steampunk universe!!). vols 1 & 4 were my personal favorites to read bc i thought they were both very well-paced and developed. i won’t lie, vols 2 & 3 do require a comprehensive re-read on my part. i swear those chapters gave me hs history class flashbacks (more like anxiety-induced heat flashes) and a part of me was like NO THANKS. reading about all these incompetent individuals in positions of power w their priorities all out of whack making the stupidest of comments had me internally raging up a storm….
if you're looking for intense political intrigue, this is *the* book for you. but for me personally it was too reminiscent of current world affairs for me to digest w/o having an aneurysm. then again i do think my reaction is a testament to how well priest captures the pointless discussions and biased decision-making in politics so....it's me, not priest ;)
but the yearning??? ALKSJDFLAJDFLKJ A GODDAMN BUFFET distance truly makes the heart grow fonder (*insert intense yearning here*) chang geng’s yearning was done so well that ngl i almost felt a little disappointed when they officially got together. i mean his yearning doesn’t stop but it’s a whole different form of yearning, ykwim? XD their first two(?) interactions had me a little hmm… bc i felt like there was so much left unsaid btwn them but once gu yun brought up a few elephant-in-the-room points, i was fully back on board!
with regards to their relationship itself, i think it was done very tastefully. it works for numerous factors but one, gu yun is a pretty shitty at playing the fatherly role, as in he really doesn’t know how to take care of others (rather chang geng is the one always taking care of him lol). he's too busy showing off his funeral-worthy off-key dizi playing Face with tears of joy plus he can be such a brat sometimes (i say this endearingly bc i wholeheartedly simp for characters like him but also if i met someone like gu yun irl, i’d 100% have the urge to smack him a few times w a bat). ultimately the only one who can handle him is chang geng (and vice versa) so they HAVE to be together. also i liked how gu yun spent a good chunk of time adamantly refusing to consider the possibility of them being together and insisting that chang geng rethink his feelings. obv it’s not the kindest thing to discount someone’s feelings for you but if gu yun immediately dropped his things to jump into chang geng’s arms, i prolly would’ve dropped the book. instead, gu yun doesn’t develop feelings until years pass and they grow as individuals separately from each other. also chang geng is the op gong w super m tendencies who has his yifu wrapped around his little finger GU YUN DOESN’T STAND A CHANCE AGAINST MR. PRETENDS-TO-BE-DOMESTICATED THIRSTY WOLF LMAO
anyway first half of the novel had me falling in love w chang geng as a character and second half had me doing the same for gu yun (plus i shared a birthday w him this year so ofc we have that kindred connection heh)
and boy did i LOVE the main side characters!!! chen qingxu (one of the best female characters i’ve read abt in a while. soooo excited to see her in the live action adaptation!!!), liao ran (my fav mute monk who hates bathing hehe), cao chunhua (deserves the mvp award for tricking everyone thru the power of disguise), shen yi (absolute husbando material w the best bromance w gu yun), and ge chen (the cutest and very skilled mechanic/engineer w cheeks you just wanna squeeze). now i just wish we had more moments of shen yi + ge chen nerding out together over new technologies.
but yeah PHEW this is a lot of thoughts coming from my smol baby brain so i'll end it here before my head combusts, but i'd like to say spl is a very worthwhile read and everyone should check it out!!! also make sure to take notes while you read, you can thank me later ;)
i swear my brain is temporarily out of order after spl steampunk wartime shenanigans THAT WAS A DOOZY!!! albeit an extremely well-written doozy! bottom line is don't go in expecting a casual read!!
spl started off w a bang and i loved how priest went about introducing the characters, assembling their little squad, building the world (steampunk universe!!). vols 1 & 4 were my personal favorites to read bc i thought they were both very well-paced and developed. i won’t lie, vols 2 & 3 do require a comprehensive re-read on my part. i swear those chapters gave me hs history class flashbacks (more like anxiety-induced heat flashes) and a part of me was like NO THANKS. reading about all these incompetent individuals in positions of power w their priorities all out of whack making the stupidest of comments had me internally raging up a storm….
if you're looking for intense political intrigue, this is *the* book for you. but for me personally it was too reminiscent of current world affairs for me to digest w/o having an aneurysm. then again i do think my reaction is a testament to how well priest captures the pointless discussions and biased decision-making in politics so....it's me, not priest ;)
but the yearning??? ALKSJDFLAJDFLKJ A GODDAMN BUFFET distance truly makes the heart grow fonder (*insert intense yearning here*) chang geng’s yearning was done so well that ngl i almost felt a little disappointed when they officially got together. i mean his yearning doesn’t stop but it’s a whole different form of yearning, ykwim? XD their first two(?) interactions had me a little hmm… bc i felt like there was so much left unsaid btwn them but once gu yun brought up a few elephant-in-the-room points, i was fully back on board!
with regards to their relationship itself, i think it was done very tastefully. it works for numerous factors but one, gu yun is a pretty shitty at playing the fatherly role, as in he really doesn’t know how to take care of others (rather chang geng is the one always taking care of him lol). he's too busy showing off his funeral-worthy off-key dizi playing Face with tears of joy plus he can be such a brat sometimes (i say this endearingly bc i wholeheartedly simp for characters like him but also if i met someone like gu yun irl, i’d 100% have the urge to smack him a few times w a bat). ultimately the only one who can handle him is chang geng (and vice versa) so they HAVE to be together. also i liked how gu yun spent a good chunk of time adamantly refusing to consider the possibility of them being together and insisting that chang geng rethink his feelings. obv it’s not the kindest thing to discount someone’s feelings for you but if gu yun immediately dropped his things to jump into chang geng’s arms, i prolly would’ve dropped the book. instead, gu yun doesn’t develop feelings until years pass and they grow as individuals separately from each other. also chang geng is the op gong w super m tendencies who has his yifu wrapped around his little finger GU YUN DOESN’T STAND A CHANCE AGAINST MR. PRETENDS-TO-BE-DOMESTICATED THIRSTY WOLF LMAO
anyway first half of the novel had me falling in love w chang geng as a character and second half had me doing the same for gu yun (plus i shared a birthday w him this year so ofc we have that kindred connection heh)
and boy did i LOVE the main side characters!!! chen qingxu (one of the best female characters i’ve read abt in a while. soooo excited to see her in the live action adaptation!!!), liao ran (my fav mute monk who hates bathing hehe), cao chunhua (deserves the mvp award for tricking everyone thru the power of disguise), shen yi (absolute husbando material w the best bromance w gu yun), and ge chen (the cutest and very skilled mechanic/engineer w cheeks you just wanna squeeze). now i just wish we had more moments of shen yi + ge chen nerding out together over new technologies.
but yeah PHEW this is a lot of thoughts coming from my smol baby brain so i'll end it here before my head combusts, but i'd like to say spl is a very worthwhile read and everyone should check it out!!! also make sure to take notes while you read, you can thank me later ;)
March 15, 2023
okay this was my second reread and somehow it still felt like reading it for the first time, i will never stop being amazed by priest's brain because??? help?? how do you flesh out an entire country's life over ten years so well? she gives us a handful of characters who all have different personal motivations and goals and those people end up shaping an entire country and an entire generation's life in that country (and, well, neighbouring countries too), and it's all wrapped up in this beautiful romance that makes my heart ache.
i gotta say though, the fan translation has been revised a little and that combined with the fact that i've read it twice before made it a lot easier to understand all that scheming.
anyway, obviously five stars, if i could give it six, seven or ten, i would.
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finished my first but definitely not last reread and this book is still my all time favourite, 5/5 stars. i don't even know what to say, i love every character so much and i'm still so, SO impressed by the plot and the worldbuilding. i feel like i'm not smart enough to understand all the scheming that goes on behind the scenes lol (which means that i'm just going to have to read it again i guess).
anyway: all of you, read sha po lang if you want a great story that's essentially about two people trying to fix an entire country while almost everyone else is working to stop them. also, the power of love, the military, technology and a tactical genius defeating white people.
special thanks to the translators because they did a wonderful job and without their hard work, I never would have had the chance to read sha po lang. thank you!
(my original "review" or more like enthusiastic rambling can be found below)
------------------
guys. GUYS. this book. this fucking book.
i can't remember the last time i finished a book and had the urge to immediately go back and reread it but i definitely want to read this one again. I can't even express with words how much i love these characters and how much i care about them, but that's not the only reason i loved spl so much.
The WORLDBUILDING. Holy shit. The politics, the economy, the way a country changes during 10-15 years, the way whoever's in charge can affect an entire country's development, the powerplays, the cause and effect, the technical advances, it's.... oh my god, it's masterful, I could never.
it's honestly so impressive that priest was able to touch on so many subjects and include so many aspects of a nation's history and connect it to personal stories and the way those affect each other dkdjkfjdkfjsd LISTEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, i'm really bad at describing things that I love but this book is HUGE and so well-written and so masterfully plotted and thought out i'm gonna cry if i think about it too long.
also, i would die for these characters but what else is new
i gotta say though, the fan translation has been revised a little and that combined with the fact that i've read it twice before made it a lot easier to understand all that scheming.
anyway, obviously five stars, if i could give it six, seven or ten, i would.
-------------------------------
finished my first but definitely not last reread and this book is still my all time favourite, 5/5 stars. i don't even know what to say, i love every character so much and i'm still so, SO impressed by the plot and the worldbuilding. i feel like i'm not smart enough to understand all the scheming that goes on behind the scenes lol (which means that i'm just going to have to read it again i guess).
anyway: all of you, read sha po lang if you want a great story that's essentially about two people trying to fix an entire country while almost everyone else is working to stop them. also, the power of love, the military, technology and a tactical genius defeating white people.
special thanks to the translators because they did a wonderful job and without their hard work, I never would have had the chance to read sha po lang. thank you!
(my original "review" or more like enthusiastic rambling can be found below)
------------------
guys. GUYS. this book. this fucking book.
i can't remember the last time i finished a book and had the urge to immediately go back and reread it but i definitely want to read this one again. I can't even express with words how much i love these characters and how much i care about them, but that's not the only reason i loved spl so much.
The WORLDBUILDING. Holy shit. The politics, the economy, the way a country changes during 10-15 years, the way whoever's in charge can affect an entire country's development, the powerplays, the cause and effect, the technical advances, it's.... oh my god, it's masterful, I could never.
it's honestly so impressive that priest was able to touch on so many subjects and include so many aspects of a nation's history and connect it to personal stories and the way those affect each other dkdjkfjdkfjsd LISTEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, i'm really bad at describing things that I love but this book is HUGE and so well-written and so masterfully plotted and thought out i'm gonna cry if i think about it too long.
also, i would die for these characters but what else is new
September 20, 2021
"A person's pain lies in the inability to let go. The more you hold onto, the fuller your hands will become, the harder it will be to walk on."
Sha Po lang nos habla de un príncipe y un mariscal medio sordo y medio ciego, juntos se la pasan salvandole el trasero al país llamado La Gran Liang y al emperador que solo causa pena ajena, veremos sus aventuras juntos, guerra tras guerra contra los occidentales que siendo fieles a sus personajes quieren colonizar todo, a los bárbaros que son muy bárbaros y maldijeron a Chang Geng, a los nobles ricos que como siempre son los que se encargan de hundir al país, y uno que otro personaje secundario que hace el villano en turno.
Obviamente nuestros protagonistas se enamoran lo cual al principio fue medio ??? No voy a decir porque pero con el tiempo me acostumbré y me gustó muchísimo la pareja, el angst en esta historia no viene por el romance si no por la pesada trama política y agradezco eso porque mi parejita estuvo mínimamente bien la mayor parte de la historia
Personajes:
Gu yun: el mariscal medio sordo medio ciego, el emperador siempre desconfío de el apesar de haber crecido juntos, pero Gu Yun tiene un corazón bueno. Este personaje por mucho fue mi favorito siempre fue un placer leerlo
Chang geng: al principio no sabía que esperar de el pero su personaje da un cambio enorme y entonces empieza lo mero bueno, de todos los personajes el fue el más rico y profundo a la mitad de la historia tuve una teoría sobre el y se cumplió casi hasta el final
Li Feng: das pena ajena mijo, no lo podía odiar, Chang Geng era su hermano y entendía que no lo viera como tal porque no crecieron juntos pero lo salvó de muchas y ni así podía confiar en él ni quererlo un poco, por el contrario Gu Yun creció junto a el como familia y ni así lo quiso, siempre desconfío de el y lo vio como peligro apesar de que casi muere mil veces por defenderlo, simplemente nunca confío en nadie y su final bien merecido
Shen Yi: cásate conmigo te amo mucho eres un rayito de sol
Miss Chen: CASESE CONMIGO SEÑORA
en conclusión: la trama es muy pesada pero conforme avanzas la historia de acostumbras y te va gustando, priest seguro es INTJ no encuentro una explicación lógica para que alguien escriba una historia así por diversión, en fin, leanse Sha Po lang pero no sin antes ir preparado para la guerra
Sha Po lang nos habla de un príncipe y un mariscal medio sordo y medio ciego, juntos se la pasan salvandole el trasero al país llamado La Gran Liang y al emperador que solo causa pena ajena, veremos sus aventuras juntos, guerra tras guerra contra los occidentales que siendo fieles a sus personajes quieren colonizar todo, a los bárbaros que son muy bárbaros y maldijeron a Chang Geng, a los nobles ricos que como siempre son los que se encargan de hundir al país, y uno que otro personaje secundario que hace el villano en turno.
Obviamente nuestros protagonistas se enamoran lo cual al principio fue medio ??? No voy a decir porque pero con el tiempo me acostumbré y me gustó muchísimo la pareja, el angst en esta historia no viene por el romance si no por la pesada trama política y agradezco eso porque mi parejita estuvo mínimamente bien la mayor parte de la historia
Personajes:
Gu yun: el mariscal medio sordo medio ciego, el emperador siempre desconfío de el apesar de haber crecido juntos, pero Gu Yun tiene un corazón bueno. Este personaje por mucho fue mi favorito siempre fue un placer leerlo
Chang geng: al principio no sabía que esperar de el pero su personaje da un cambio enorme y entonces empieza lo mero bueno, de todos los personajes el fue el más rico y profundo a la mitad de la historia tuve una teoría sobre el y se cumplió casi hasta el final
Li Feng: das pena ajena mijo, no lo podía odiar, Chang Geng era su hermano y entendía que no lo viera como tal porque no crecieron juntos pero lo salvó de muchas y ni así podía confiar en él ni quererlo un poco, por el contrario Gu Yun creció junto a el como familia y ni así lo quiso, siempre desconfío de el y lo vio como peligro apesar de que casi muere mil veces por defenderlo, simplemente nunca confío en nadie y su final bien merecido
Shen Yi: cásate conmigo te amo mucho eres un rayito de sol
Miss Chen: CASESE CONMIGO SEÑORA
en conclusión: la trama es muy pesada pero conforme avanzas la historia de acostumbras y te va gustando, priest seguro es INTJ no encuentro una explicación lógica para que alguien escriba una historia así por diversión, en fin, leanse Sha Po lang pero no sin antes ir preparado para la guerra
January 13, 2022
What an amazing story. I loved it and once I realised how epic it would be and how wonderful the characterisation of our MCs was, I never wanted for it to end. I really could have read more of Chang Geng’s scheming mind getting reduced to quivering and speechlessness in front of his Yifu, of Gu Yun with his bottomless vigour and cockiness and his way of never losing face, of Shen Yi - everyone’s mother hen - who was lost for words in the funniest ways, Chen Qingxu with her endless patience for all the male idiots in her life (haha, at least she has needles to use them thoroughly on everyone), Cao Chunhua who was hilarious for reasons I don’t want spoil and so on. Yes, of course there are more interesting characters - especially some of the villains had motivation one could relate to (🤔at least I could).
I loved the steampunk elements, the machines and flying or moving mechanical devices all running with Ziliujin and how the hunt for it pushed the plot. I had such fun with all the schemes and counter-schemes and how it all came across in the flowery translation because it gave of this feeling of grandeur. This book seemed ancient and modern at the same time and I guess that was the intention of its author and its translator (they did a marvellous job and I loved all the explained references).
I wished my Mandarin - which is still meagre after I’ve been learning it for about a year and a half - was better and I could read the original novel. Tbh, I can’t see how I’ll ever get there, but this is the second book that really makes me yearn for it. (The other was 天官赐福，Heaven Official’s Blessing)
But back to this book. It’s my favourite of Priest so far, maybe because it was so rich and plot-driving in a political way and definitely more than “just” a danmei novel.
Don’t except explicitness from this one - the translator says so from the start (so this is not a spoiler I think 🤔) but a rich and vast story of two people and how their lives are entwined with each other and their country. Because let’s be honest, each MC’s love for their country, Great Liang, is as important as their love for each other.
Better skip this one if that’s not the story you want to read.
Everyone who enjoys this kind of story, please recommend some more like this to me. 😊 谢谢您！
I loved the steampunk elements, the machines and flying or moving mechanical devices all running with Ziliujin and how the hunt for it pushed the plot. I had such fun with all the schemes and counter-schemes and how it all came across in the flowery translation because it gave of this feeling of grandeur. This book seemed ancient and modern at the same time and I guess that was the intention of its author and its translator (they did a marvellous job and I loved all the explained references).
I wished my Mandarin - which is still meagre after I’ve been learning it for about a year and a half - was better and I could read the original novel. Tbh, I can’t see how I’ll ever get there, but this is the second book that really makes me yearn for it. (The other was 天官赐福，Heaven Official’s Blessing)
But back to this book. It’s my favourite of Priest so far, maybe because it was so rich and plot-driving in a political way and definitely more than “just” a danmei novel.
Don’t except explicitness from this one - the translator says so from the start (so this is not a spoiler I think 🤔) but a rich and vast story of two people and how their lives are entwined with each other and their country. Because let’s be honest, each MC’s love for their country, Great Liang, is as important as their love for each other.
Better skip this one if that’s not the story you want to read.
Everyone who enjoys this kind of story, please recommend some more like this to me. 😊 谢谢您！
August 13, 2022
My old review has disappeared!
I've read Sha Po Lang twice in fan translations and honestly, this has got to be the best novel Priest has ever written. I've only got to compare it to half of Qiye and TYK, but still.
Since SPL has been optioned for official English translations, I really hope they do a good job but it is inevitable that more nuance will be lost.
Priest writes the most delectable found family dynamics and her characters are not all good people, but you understand that they can be complicated, just like people are in real life. Except for Shen Yi. Shen Yi is nothing but golden, the long-suffering best friend of an absolute maniac.
I love how relatable Gu Yun is despite being the young general of a gigantic, steampunk-equipped Song dynasty army. He takes to his role as a foster father with all the gusto of a 20-something, where he bribes and tries tricks on Chang Geng who is only 9 or so years younger than him and way too old to fall for jazz hands.
The sexiest part of the plot is not the romance, which is sweet, funny and very, very slow-burn - but the internal war of politics and the external war against attempted colonisation from the West. The romance is something I am most worried about in translation, because I just know their going to translate "yifu" as "father" and the tiktok girlies are gonna come at us all with discourse!
But when the official translations do come out, I hope all my bookish friends will read it. Here's a handy checklist.
1. It's gay!
2. Historical steampunk
3. There's cool fight scenes
4. Long-suffering, hilarious besties bromance
5. 20-something protagonists
6. Morally grey prince with dark powers who just wants his love interest a general, to be safe and sound so he starts reforming an entire kingdom.
7. Cross-dressing
8. Coloniser bashing
9. Great cast of secondary characters
10. Sexy politics
I've read Sha Po Lang twice in fan translations and honestly, this has got to be the best novel Priest has ever written. I've only got to compare it to half of Qiye and TYK, but still.
Since SPL has been optioned for official English translations, I really hope they do a good job but it is inevitable that more nuance will be lost.
Priest writes the most delectable found family dynamics and her characters are not all good people, but you understand that they can be complicated, just like people are in real life. Except for Shen Yi. Shen Yi is nothing but golden, the long-suffering best friend of an absolute maniac.
I love how relatable Gu Yun is despite being the young general of a gigantic, steampunk-equipped Song dynasty army. He takes to his role as a foster father with all the gusto of a 20-something, where he bribes and tries tricks on Chang Geng who is only 9 or so years younger than him and way too old to fall for jazz hands.
The sexiest part of the plot is not the romance, which is sweet, funny and very, very slow-burn - but the internal war of politics and the external war against attempted colonisation from the West. The romance is something I am most worried about in translation, because I just know their going to translate "yifu" as "father" and the tiktok girlies are gonna come at us all with discourse!
But when the official translations do come out, I hope all my bookish friends will read it. Here's a handy checklist.
1. It's gay!
2. Historical steampunk
3. There's cool fight scenes
4. Long-suffering, hilarious besties bromance
5. 20-something protagonists
6. Morally grey prince with dark powers who just wants his love interest a general, to be safe and sound so he starts reforming an entire kingdom.
7. Cross-dressing
8. Coloniser bashing
9. Great cast of secondary characters
10. Sexy politics
March 8, 2021
This one has solidified Priest's position as one of my favorite authors, their works are exceptional.
Where do I begin? The mix of steampunk and supernatural elements in a historical setting plus the heavy political intrigue won me over from the start. I also loved the contrast between the protagonists' personalities that made their interactions all the more captivating, as well as the fact that above all else they had a common goal - protecting the country, bringing prosperity for generations to come, and, further on, building a future in which they could live peacefully together.
The author has also made a wonderful job in showing how people, especially those at the top, use themselves to measure others, and thus are unable to believe that someone could be driven by anything other than personal gain.
A lot of passages in this novel are hard to digest for this very reason - even when Gu Yun and Chang Geng do their utmost for the general good, in the eyes of the nobility they must have hidden intentions. Even in the face of disaster, a small number of individuals are willing to sacrifice the majority in order to maintain the status quo. It does ring a bell.
Sha Po Lang is a story about maturing, letting go, and finding reasons to persevere. The main characters' beliefs are not unshakeable, they do question themselves - their duty, their value, their ability - but those are the moments they realize they are each other's strength and also what makes them human. So if you are willing to go through lots of schemes and political/military talk, I strongly recommend picking this up (the action scenes are great btw).
Where do I begin? The mix of steampunk and supernatural elements in a historical setting plus the heavy political intrigue won me over from the start. I also loved the contrast between the protagonists' personalities that made their interactions all the more captivating, as well as the fact that above all else they had a common goal - protecting the country, bringing prosperity for generations to come, and, further on, building a future in which they could live peacefully together.
The author has also made a wonderful job in showing how people, especially those at the top, use themselves to measure others, and thus are unable to believe that someone could be driven by anything other than personal gain.
A lot of passages in this novel are hard to digest for this very reason - even when Gu Yun and Chang Geng do their utmost for the general good, in the eyes of the nobility they must have hidden intentions. Even in the face of disaster, a small number of individuals are willing to sacrifice the majority in order to maintain the status quo. It does ring a bell.
Sha Po Lang is a story about maturing, letting go, and finding reasons to persevere. The main characters' beliefs are not unshakeable, they do question themselves - their duty, their value, their ability - but those are the moments they realize they are each other's strength and also what makes them human. So if you are willing to go through lots of schemes and political/military talk, I strongly recommend picking this up (the action scenes are great btw).
December 20, 2020
My general, some people are predestined by fate. With only one glance, you will never be able to escape.”
Yes. I'm crying. Yes. This book is amazing.
I don't know how to start this. There's SO much to talk about... But first, can we talk about Priest's amazing writing? This author knows how to write a story and build war, emotions and characters. Perfection. The steampunk in this book is so original, good and amazing.
Gu Yun and Chang Cheng's relationship is one of the healthiest I've ever seen. They're... real. They felt so real the entire novel, that I can't count how many times I cried over them. Everything about them is soft, love, respect and admiration.
They trust each other in a way that got me crying. Their relationship really changed over the novel, and what a delightful journey it was. The slow burn was * chef's kiss *.
Also, this book is so political. It felt like I was reading a history book, learning everything about it. I really loved the way everything was connected to the characters and how they were so smart, but capable of fails. They are all humans in this novel — Except Chang Cheng because he's a god — and I truly loved it.
I'll never forget this book and these characters. Gu Yun and Chang Cheng are deeply in my heart. They were indeed meant to be (That ending! I cried my eyes out...)
Peace. Can't wait for the drama adaptation.
Yes. I'm crying. Yes. This book is amazing.
I don't know how to start this. There's SO much to talk about... But first, can we talk about Priest's amazing writing? This author knows how to write a story and build war, emotions and characters. Perfection. The steampunk in this book is so original, good and amazing.
Gu Yun and Chang Cheng's relationship is one of the healthiest I've ever seen. They're... real. They felt so real the entire novel, that I can't count how many times I cried over them. Everything about them is soft, love, respect and admiration.
They trust each other in a way that got me crying. Their relationship really changed over the novel, and what a delightful journey it was. The slow burn was * chef's kiss *.
Also, this book is so political. It felt like I was reading a history book, learning everything about it. I really loved the way everything was connected to the characters and how they were so smart, but capable of fails. They are all humans in this novel — Except Chang Cheng because he's a god — and I truly loved it.
I'll never forget this book and these characters. Gu Yun and Chang Cheng are deeply in my heart. They were indeed meant to be (That ending! I cried my eyes out...)
Peace. Can't wait for the drama adaptation.
November 9, 2021
Oh querido sha po lang❤, me tomó muuucho tiempo acabarla, la empezaba un tiempo y luego la dejaba, la empezaba de nuevo y de ahí la volvía a dejar xD por si se preguntan sobre si es pesada... pues, de que es pesada, lo es y en especial si no estas acostumbrado a leer sobre conclifctos políticos, historia y hasta economía, pero superando eso la historia es muy buena, es una novela steampunk; es decir resalta muchos las máquinas y tecnologías retrofuturistas en medio de guerras (desde mi punto de vista, priest es la mejor contandolas, es muy específica narrando las batallas, la tensión y el climax durantes estos sucesos). Con respecto al romance, es lento como cualquier novela de Priest, y aunque no es tema central, sus momentos son muy intensos y profundos y vale la pena esperar y disfrutar cada uno de ellos (uno de los protagonistas, Gu Yun, es un comandante y marques de la orden y el otro, Chang Geng, esta relacionado con la realeza pero ha sido cuidado por Gu Yun desde pequeño como su hijo adoptivo, aunque como tal ni el mismo lo se ve así xD).
Los extras fueron mis favoritos❤ me encantó como priest te señalaba que los libros de historia podrían decir una cosa sobre estos sucesos, pero la realidad era otra y solo los protagonistas y nosotros los lectores lo sabemos *inserte and the history will call them...🎶*
Los extras fueron mis favoritos❤ me encantó como priest te señalaba que los libros de historia podrían decir una cosa sobre estos sucesos, pero la realidad era otra y solo los protagonistas y nosotros los lectores lo sabemos *inserte and the history will call them...🎶*
October 7, 2022
4.5/5
Gu Yun laughed and dragged him outside: "I have made progress, I'll take you to see the new Yanhui Town. Today, there are no irrelevant people, just the two of us."
[Extra chapter: Autumn festival]
برای اینکه بتونم واسش یه ری ویوی درست و درمون بنویسم حتما باید یه دور دیگه بخونمش.
راستش من اصلا اهل خوندن کتابهایی نیستم که سیاست و رزم پلات اصلی شون رو تشکیل میده. اما تعریف این ناول رو زیاد شنیده بودم. با خودم گفتم حداقل میتونی یه بار به همچین ژانری فرصت بدی و نتیجه جالب بود. با اینکه یه سری جاهاش گیج میشدم اما در نهایت شا پو لانگ رو دوست داشتم.
بخش زیبا و هم زمان دردناکش این بود که لاین های آیکانیک داستان قرابت معنایی پیدا میکردن با اتفاقات و حوادثی که الان توی این کشور داریم زندگی شون میکنیم. به همین خاطر، خوندنش هم دلگرم کننده بود هم خشمم رو برانگیخته میکرد.
و رابطه ی چانگ گنگ و گو یون، قسم میخورم که تا حالا رابطه ی هیچ دو نفری مثل این ییفو و پسرخونده نبوده. محبت و علاقه و فداکاری، وابستگی در عین دور بودن و جداهایی های متعدد، فراموش نکردن عشق در حالی که بار سنگین هدایت ارتش و سلطنت روی دوش هاتونه قطعا کار آسونی نیست. اما چانگ گو انجامش دادن. هرکدوم " بارها تا پای مرگ رفتن و اون رشته ای که به مو می رسید اما پاره نمیشد " هم بودن. داستان اصلی رو که خیلی وقت پیش تموم کرده بودم اما امروز بالاخره موفق شدم چپترهای اضافیش رو هم به اتمام برسونم. و همونطوری که پریست توی صفحه آخر نوشته بود، منم خوشحال بودم که همه چیز جایی تموم شد که داستان شروع شده بود.
Gu Yun laughed and dragged him outside: "I have made progress, I'll take you to see the new Yanhui Town. Today, there are no irrelevant people, just the two of us."
[Extra chapter: Autumn festival]
برای اینکه بتونم واسش یه ری ویوی درست و درمون بنویسم حتما باید یه دور دیگه بخونمش.
راستش من اصلا اهل خوندن کتابهایی نیستم که سیاست و رزم پلات اصلی شون رو تشکیل میده. اما تعریف این ناول رو زیاد شنیده بودم. با خودم گفتم حداقل میتونی یه بار به همچین ژانری فرصت بدی و نتیجه جالب بود. با اینکه یه سری جاهاش گیج میشدم اما در نهایت شا پو لانگ رو دوست داشتم.
بخش زیبا و هم زمان دردناکش این بود که لاین های آیکانیک داستان قرابت معنایی پیدا میکردن با اتفاقات و حوادثی که الان توی این کشور داریم زندگی شون میکنیم. به همین خاطر، خوندنش هم دلگرم کننده بود هم خشمم رو برانگیخته میکرد.
و رابطه ی چانگ گنگ و گو یون، قسم میخورم که تا حالا رابطه ی هیچ دو نفری مثل این ییفو و پسرخونده نبوده. محبت و علاقه و فداکاری، وابستگی در عین دور بودن و جداهایی های متعدد، فراموش نکردن عشق در حالی که بار سنگین هدایت ارتش و سلطنت روی دوش هاتونه قطعا کار آسونی نیست. اما چانگ گو انجامش دادن. هرکدوم " بارها تا پای مرگ رفتن و اون رشته ای که به مو می رسید اما پاره نمیشد " هم بودن. داستان اصلی رو که خیلی وقت پیش تموم کرده بودم اما امروز بالاخره موفق شدم چپترهای اضافیش رو هم به اتمام برسونم. و همونطوری که پریست توی صفحه آخر نوشته بود، منم خوشحال بودم که همه چیز جایی تموم شد که داستان شروع شده بود.
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