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Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang (Novel) #1
ฆ่าหมาป่า เล่ม 1
ในแคว้นต้าเหลียงอันยิ่งใหญ่ ซึ่งเจริญรุ่งเรืองด้วยสิ่งอำนวยความสะดวก
อย่างหุ่นจักรกลและเครื่องจักรไอน้ำที่ใช้ถ่านหิน
รวมถึงเชื้อเพลิงหายากอย่างทองคำเหลวม่วงในการขับเคลื่อน
เด็กหนุ่มนาม ‘ฉางเกิง’ อาศัยอยู่ในเมืองเล็ก ๆ ตรงชายแดน
เมื่อครั้งฉางเกิงยังเยาว์วัยได้ลอบหนีออกไปเที่ยวเล่น
นอกประตูเมืองตามลำพัง ทำให้พบเข้ากับฝูงหมาป่าจนเกือบเอาชีวิตไม่รอด
ดีที่ ‘เสิ่นสือลิ่ว’ ผ่านมาช่วยไว้ทัน
จึงกราบเป็นพ่อบุญธรรมเพื่อทดแทนบุญคุณช่วยชีวิต
แต่แล้ววันหนึ่งกองทัพอนารยชนนอกด่านลอบบุกเข้ามาโจมตีเมือง
ชีวิตของฉางเกิงเกิดการเปลี่ยนแปลงอย่างใหญ่หลวงภายในค่ำคืนเดียว
ราวกับว่าชีวิตในเมืองเล็ก ๆ แห่งนี้เป็นเพียงภาพลวงตา
ยามนี้เขาไม่ได้เป็นเพียงเด็กหนุ่มที่มีชาติกำเนิดธรรมดาอีกแล้ว
กระทั่งมารดา หรือแม้แต่พ่อบุญธรรมน้อยของเขาเองก็มีสถานะเปลี่ยนไป...
อย่างหุ่นจักรกลและเครื่องจักรไอน้ำที่ใช้ถ่านหิน
รวมถึงเชื้อเพลิงหายากอย่างทองคำเหลวม่วงในการขับเคลื่อน
เด็กหนุ่มนาม ‘ฉางเกิง’ อาศัยอยู่ในเมืองเล็ก ๆ ตรงชายแดน
เมื่อครั้งฉางเกิงยังเยาว์วัยได้ลอบหนีออกไปเที่ยวเล่น
นอกประตูเมืองตามลำพัง ทำให้พบเข้ากับฝูงหมาป่าจนเกือบเอาชีวิตไม่รอด
ดีที่ ‘เสิ่นสือลิ่ว’ ผ่านมาช่วยไว้ทัน
จึงกราบเป็นพ่อบุญธรรมเพื่อทดแทนบุญคุณช่วยชีวิต
แต่แล้ววันหนึ่งกองทัพอนารยชนนอกด่านลอบบุกเข้ามาโจมตีเมือง
ชีวิตของฉางเกิงเกิดการเปลี่ยนแปลงอย่างใหญ่หลวงภายในค่ำคืนเดียว
ราวกับว่าชีวิตในเมืองเล็ก ๆ แห่งนี้เป็นเพียงภาพลวงตา
ยามนี้เขาไม่ได้เป็นเพียงเด็กหนุ่มที่มีชาติกำเนิดธรรมดาอีกแล้ว
กระทั่งมารดา หรือแม้แต่พ่อบุญธรรมน้อยของเขาเองก็มีสถานะเปลี่ยนไป...
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First published September 1, 2016
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February 4, 2025
'Rarely have anyone loved each other as much as Chang Geng and Gu Yun.'
a little about the setting. imagine the xianxia setting without cultivation and magic. now add there ships flying on local fuel, flying armor, iron armored robots on the same fuel and a hefty submarine, as well as many small ones, wooden carrier pigeons on magnetic traction and a bunch of other miracles of technological progress in which the chinese succeeded thanks to the most valuable mineral called “violet liquid gold”, also known as ziliujin.
a kind of steampunk without steam, but on ziliujin. in general, the world itself is unique and, remarkably, it is based on pure realism, without any magic, except for some fucked up witchcraft, but even then it is built on taking substances of eerie origin, defeating of the central nervous system with poisons, the recipe for which was lost over the years, and the religious beliefs of possessed barbarians. so yea… forget about magic.
'But one day as I came back to camp from patrol, I saw these dead trees had met spring, a flower bud was raising from the ash, blooming overnight. It is both pitiable and endearing. The army is filled with those that does not know how to appreciate beauty... wishing I could cut several branches of plum blossoms in the Marquis's manor myself in the early spring of next year.'
the characters. you know, i won’t write about the fact that the characters are deep and ambiguous, black and white, morally grey or whatever. this is common sense, this is Priest. the characters are amazing and memorable, heartfelt, you want and you can understand them, see them through their eyes, live their lives, be in their shoes and on their side. my favorites are Gu Yun cause he is fucking hilarious, okay? and obviously Shen Yi cause im a girl.
the little prince, cursed and doomed to suffer and bring suffering to everyone around him, destroy everything he touches, and end his life in madness and an incessant nightmare. and the invincible marshal, isnt he just a ball of sunshine? both him and his Yifu bear the heavy burden of disability, both stand for each other.
'Do you trust me? Zixi, as long as you say the word, I will climb any mountain of swords and wade through any sea of flames.'
the humor is obviously on point.the way that Shen Yi and Zi Xi banter is sending me. the humor is just what i like, if you read erha and loved it, you will probably cackle a lot here. Priest has an ideal sense of humor and sarcasm, more sarcasm than humor and its hitting all the right spots. i would like to say a special thank you to the translators, who let the story pass through themselves and put in an unreal amount of effort to convey everything exactly as the author wrote. it’s difficult, believe me, it's really fucking difficult. let us build a shrine in their and Priest’s honor and offer prayers.
so the main question, what the hell is this novel about? not about war, not about the intricacies of palace intrigue, and not even about love, as it might seem. like many modern works, it is about the fact that the fate of the world often depends on one person and what actions he performs and what paths he chooses. and that even the most terrible monster in the world, a devil capable of destroying everyone and everything, needs someone nearby. whoever at the right moment will hug you, warm you with your love and shelter you from evil, lift you out of the snow and press you to your iron armour and envelop you in the aroma of a medicinal concoction.
concluding this with one of my favorite moments:
'Zixi, I’m not trying to curse you. But have you considered what you’ll do if something comes between the two of you in the future?'
Gu Yun was silent for a long while. 'I have. I don’t know.'
For once, Shen Yi didn’t know what to say. The grandest declaration of love in the world would have been less shocking to him than these five words.'
its tragic at times, funny af and extremely complex
edit:
that was my second reread of vol.1, but this review is based on the whole series and is spoiler free!
Want to read
June 23, 2023YES!!! CHANGGU AND PRIEST'S NOVELS ARE FINALLY COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please, if you've loved the novels Seven Seas has already licensed, and you want to keep digging in this danmei world, you can't miss Priest's novels!!!! They are more plot heavy/centric than Mxtx's novels, but the romance is still there and it is so sweet and well-done.
Sha Po Lang is set in steampunk ancient china and even though the plot can be very complex and hard to follow at times, you can notice how much care the author put into this novel with all the political schemes and the setting (inspired by real China's history).
The main couple has my whole heart, they are so good to each other and the hurt/comfort makes you cry. However, this first volume won't have that much romance since we meet Chang Geng in his teen years, and he is being taken care of by Gu Yun, the nation greatest strategist and his yifu, by the late emperor's command.
In case someone is curious about 'yifu/yizi' dynamics I'm gonna put here a link that wonderfully explains these terms!
Yifu and Yizi terminology link
and here's the carrd of the novel for more information on the triggers and contents of this novel:
Spl info carrd
IM SO EXCITED FOR THE RELEASE OF THIS NOVEL!!!!! PRIEST WORLD DOMINATION IS COMING 😌
Please, if you've loved the novels Seven Seas has already licensed, and you want to keep digging in this danmei world, you can't miss Priest's novels!!!! They are more plot heavy/centric than Mxtx's novels, but the romance is still there and it is so sweet and well-done.
Sha Po Lang is set in steampunk ancient china and even though the plot can be very complex and hard to follow at times, you can notice how much care the author put into this novel with all the political schemes and the setting (inspired by real China's history).
The main couple has my whole heart, they are so good to each other and the hurt/comfort makes you cry. However, this first volume won't have that much romance since we meet Chang Geng in his teen years, and he is being taken care of by Gu Yun, the nation greatest strategist and his yifu, by the late emperor's command.
In case someone is curious about 'yifu/yizi' dynamics I'm gonna put here a link that wonderfully explains these terms!
Yifu and Yizi terminology link
and here's the carrd of the novel for more information on the triggers and contents of this novel:
Spl info carrd
IM SO EXCITED FOR THE RELEASE OF THIS NOVEL!!!!! PRIEST WORLD DOMINATION IS COMING 😌
February 19, 2025
PROPER RTC🧡
but I have to say….. with all the spectacular events that happens, this book is basically just setting the scene for more compelling future installments. and here are some words to encompass this amazing series: premodern China, political intrigue, warfare, steampunk with sprinkles of magic, prophecy, betrayals, disabled mc, godfather/son relationship, six years age gap and the best cast of side characters.
⛔️ I can’t stop thinking about how a deaf and blind person FROM BABYHOOD can learn speech? or even what letters traced on his hand might mean or sound like?! this is one of the things that aren’t important in this story but will break my mind and make me pause for days!!!!
but I have to say….. with all the spectacular events that happens, this book is basically just setting the scene for more compelling future installments. and here are some words to encompass this amazing series: premodern China, political intrigue, warfare, steampunk with sprinkles of magic, prophecy, betrayals, disabled mc, godfather/son relationship, six years age gap and the best cast of side characters.
⛔️ I can’t stop thinking about how a deaf and blind person FROM BABYHOOD can learn speech? or even what letters traced on his hand might mean or sound like?! this is one of the things that aren’t important in this story but will break my mind and make me pause for days!!!!
⋆｡°✩ @trice let's gooo......
April 28, 2025
5 'His little yifu' stars
I admit this book wasn't high on my anticipated books list and when it was announced for translation, I was even a little sad that it wasn't some other Priest's book (yes, I'm still waititng for Tian Ya Ke and Qi Ye). But since it's one of the most beloved Priest's novels and I was kind of intrigued by steampunk, I decided to give it a go. And I LOVED it! I should've trusted Priest's writing, since she totally won me over with TYK & QY.
The plot is more political. It's all about court intrigues, military campaigns, peace offerings and so on. And of course, we also have steampunk elements, which I especially liked. I haven't read a lot of steampunk books, so I can't say if this is a frequent theme in them but I like how the novel focuses on the positive and even more on the negative aspects of iron puppets use and it's inpact on economy and the problems with violet gold, which is equivalent of fuel. Anyway, I'm not sure where I'm going with that but I just wanted to mention it because I found it interesting. But let's go onto charachters now.
Our protagonist is a boy Chang Geng, who lives in a gods forgotten town on the border and is kind of content with his unimportant life. But one day the world turns upside down and he is revealed to be of imperial blood and his beloved, useless godfather turns out to be The Marquis of Anding aka the whole imperial army in one person.
Is it predictable of me that I have to start with Gu Yun but of course he intrigued me first. I agree with Chang Geng that he's equally annoying as he is totally someone to obsess about.
Fanart by ertoveria
Yes, he's infuriating most of the time but he can also be very caring and sweet and he adores Chang Geng and would do anything for him. On top of that he's half-blind and half-deaf and still being the top general, so I think he's to be exused to be grumpy sometimes. (Also, I'm sympathizing with his migraines because I've had really horrible headaches when I was reading this book.)
And, yes, I forgot to mention that he's super hot, and sexy, and a total badass 🥰🤤
So, after that revelation Gu Yun and Chang Geng go to the capital, where Chang Geng is accepted as the Fourth Prince and still in Gu Yun's care. But nothing exactly goes smoothly because it's the first time being a "father" for Gu Yun - and considering his miserable childhood, he really doesn't know what he's doing. As for Chang Geng it's even more difficult because the feelings he has for his young godfather are far from being purely innocent.
I quickly warmed up to Chang Geng too. I really feel sorry for him and his sad childhood. He always fears abandonment becasue the one person that should love him unconditionly, was rejecting him from the start. That's why he put all his hopes in his yifu. The one person he's supposed to take care for, the one person that will never leave him. However, Chang Geng never predicted that his useless little yifu is actually the illustrious Marshal Gu, who therefore probably doesn't need his care. So his happy place became just another one of his many frustrations.
I mean, I totally understand him. Gu Yun really is out there, testing patience of every single person in one kilometer radius, with every action he does. Sometimes, I'm seriously surprised that he's still alive. Also, this was said in a very not sexual way but I wonder if Gu Yun will ever regret saying this, when in the future Chang Geng could easily interpret this in a very different way. Anyway, no matter the differences, the frustrations, the many misunderstandings, this duo still very much adore each other's company.
Fanart by AnryMary art studio
Aren't they adorable? 🥰🥰 I know many readers think about their relationship as very problematic since Chang Geng is 15 at the present. But as I said, Gu Yun sees him only as his ward, nothing more. As for Chang Geng, well he's a teenager, a very mature one, and yeah, he has a big crush on him and Gu Yun was kind of his sexual awakening. I see nothing wrong here but that's just my point of view.
Fanart by 一撇子大鱼
Well, well, we have a biter in the making. Join the club, baby 😆😆 Anyway, despite his desires, Chang Geng doesn't go through with them. He himself realizes that his obsession is maybe going too far. So, nothing happens between them at this point, apart from some innocent affection.
However, I think that no matter how much he's trying to resist his feelings, he sees Gu Yun as his and no one will take him away from him. What can I say, this guy is really intense.
And yet again, I have no idea where I'm going with this review. There are so many things about the plot I want to talk about but I'll leave this for the next vol's review. Maybe. If I'll be done fangirling about changgu 😊
Just two mentions before I finish. Cao Niangzi and Ge Pangxiao are really great sidekicks. They are prepared to follow their Chang-dage anywhere and they actually help a lot, instead of being in the way. Also, I like how Cao Niangzi made an art out of admiring beautiful men 😌
Yeah, Liao Ren will also have to wait for the next review(s) but I have lots of thoughts about him as well. He's very interesting charachter and it's so funny to read about how Gu Yun absolutely can't stand him. Poor guy didn't even do anything but I think it's not that hard to get into Marshal Gu's list of annoying people.
And for the end - Shen Yi. He's such an amazing husband material. He can cook, he can fight, he even knows (most of the time) when it's time to shut his mouth. I'm in love 😍
And I need more of Gu Yun and Shen Yi's scenes together, especially when they are acting like an old married couple 😄
5 'His little yifu' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 'Gu Yun needs all the hugs' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 'All is fair in love and war' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 'War and love' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 'changgu in love' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I admit this book wasn't high on my anticipated books list and when it was announced for translation, I was even a little sad that it wasn't some other Priest's book (yes, I'm still waititng for Tian Ya Ke and Qi Ye). But since it's one of the most beloved Priest's novels and I was kind of intrigued by steampunk, I decided to give it a go. And I LOVED it! I should've trusted Priest's writing, since she totally won me over with TYK & QY.
The plot is more political. It's all about court intrigues, military campaigns, peace offerings and so on. And of course, we also have steampunk elements, which I especially liked. I haven't read a lot of steampunk books, so I can't say if this is a frequent theme in them but I like how the novel focuses on the positive and even more on the negative aspects of iron puppets use and it's inpact on economy and the problems with violet gold, which is equivalent of fuel. Anyway, I'm not sure where I'm going with that but I just wanted to mention it because I found it interesting. But let's go onto charachters now.
Our protagonist is a boy Chang Geng, who lives in a gods forgotten town on the border and is kind of content with his unimportant life. But one day the world turns upside down and he is revealed to be of imperial blood and his beloved, useless godfather turns out to be The Marquis of Anding aka the whole imperial army in one person.
Meeting his eyes, Shiliu dismounted from his horse and bent slightly to offer Chang Geng his hand. "Your subject, Gu Yun, has arrived late. Please forgive me, Your Higness."
Is it predictable of me that I have to start with Gu Yun but of course he intrigued me first. I agree with Chang Geng that he's equally annoying as he is totally someone to obsess about.
Most of the time, Gu Yun didn't believe he had done anything wrong. And even when he occasionally managed to locate his conscience, he didn't neccessarily know what he had done wrong.
Fanart by ertoveria
Yes, he's infuriating most of the time but he can also be very caring and sweet and he adores Chang Geng and would do anything for him. On top of that he's half-blind and half-deaf and still being the top general, so I think he's to be exused to be grumpy sometimes. (Also, I'm sympathizing with his migraines because I've had really horrible headaches when I was reading this book.)
Gu Yun stood braced on the koi-carved proe of the red-headed kite, half leaning against the frame of the private cabin's door, and turned his body to draw the bow.
His thin clothing flapped in the hot wind raised by the fire pinions, his entire person giving off an air of insouciant carelessness, like he was shooting with his eyes closed.
And, yes, I forgot to mention that he's super hot, and sexy, and a total badass 🥰🤤
"Yifu, there are certain traditions for New Year's Eve that must be obsereved. Someone has to stay to watch over the house, I- ah!"
Brooking no complaints, Gu Yun bundled Chang Geng up in that outer robe, hoisted him over his shoulder like a yelping rafter beam, and carried him out of the room. "You're so particular for a little whelp."
So, after that revelation Gu Yun and Chang Geng go to the capital, where Chang Geng is accepted as the Fourth Prince and still in Gu Yun's care. But nothing exactly goes smoothly because it's the first time being a "father" for Gu Yun - and considering his miserable childhood, he really doesn't know what he's doing. As for Chang Geng it's even more difficult because the feelings he has for his young godfather are far from being purely innocent.
Chang Geng's heart ached, and this ache stoked the fire inside him. Stewing in anger, he deftly removed the cloak from around his shoulders and wrapped it around Gu Yun without so much as a by-your-leave. Gu Yun had to lean down to meet him, but he didn't duck away, indulgently allowing Chang Geng to fasten the collar and accepting this sulky gesture of filial piety with a radiant smile.
For Chang Geng, this could be considered a rare instance of peaceful sleep.
Of course, it would have been even better had he not awoken to discover he had fallen asleep on the Marquis of Anding's arm, rendering it numb, or that he had spent the night constantly burrowing into the man's arms.
I quickly warmed up to Chang Geng too. I really feel sorry for him and his sad childhood. He always fears abandonment becasue the one person that should love him unconditionly, was rejecting him from the start. That's why he put all his hopes in his yifu. The one person he's supposed to take care for, the one person that will never leave him. However, Chang Geng never predicted that his useless little yifu is actually the illustrious Marshal Gu, who therefore probably doesn't need his care. So his happy place became just another one of his many frustrations.
"Is there something bothering Your Higness so early in the morning? It's all right. Please feel free to vent your frustrations on my body if it helps ease your anger."
I mean, I totally understand him. Gu Yun really is out there, testing patience of every single person in one kilometer radius, with every action he does. Sometimes, I'm seriously surprised that he's still alive. Also, this was said in a very not sexual way but I wonder if Gu Yun will ever regret saying this, when in the future Chang Geng could easily interpret this in a very different way. Anyway, no matter the differences, the frustrations, the many misunderstandings, this duo still very much adore each other's company.
Chang Geng had thought he would be able to remain in control before his godfather, but he had overestimated himself.
He sucked in a breath, then impulsively stepped forward and embraced Gu Yun.
All of Gu Yun's temper melted away in an instant.
He returned Chang Geng's embrace and patted him on the back a few times.
Fanart by AnryMary art studio
Aren't they adorable? 🥰🥰 I know many readers think about their relationship as very problematic since Chang Geng is 15 at the present. But as I said, Gu Yun sees him only as his ward, nothing more. As for Chang Geng, well he's a teenager, a very mature one, and yeah, he has a big crush on him and Gu Yun was kind of his sexual awakening. I see nothing wrong here but that's just my point of view.
He saw himself bend down and kiss Gu Yun's forehead, brow, nose... all the way down to his lips. Those lips surely wouldn't be very soft, or very sweet - they would probably even be bitter, like the medicinal scent that never faded from his body. Chang Geng also very much wanted to bite him.
Fanart by 一撇子大鱼
Well, well, we have a biter in the making. Join the club, baby 😆😆 Anyway, despite his desires, Chang Geng doesn't go through with them. He himself realizes that his obsession is maybe going too far. So, nothing happens between them at this point, apart from some innocent affection.
Taking advantage of Gu Yun's blindfolded eyes, Chang Geng blatantly stared at him until Gu Yun felt along his arm and patted the top of his head. Chang Geng closed his eyes and barely managed to resist the urge to nuzzle into his touch.
However, I think that no matter how much he's trying to resist his feelings, he sees Gu Yun as his and no one will take him away from him. What can I say, this guy is really intense.
[...] he never expected anyone in the world could say something so murderous as "fellowship is fellowship, but if you dare touch a hair on Gu Yun's head, I'll slaughter you on the spot" in such a refined and erudite manner.
And yet again, I have no idea where I'm going with this review. There are so many things about the plot I want to talk about but I'll leave this for the next vol's review. Maybe. If I'll be done fangirling about changgu 😊
Just two mentions before I finish. Cao Niangzi and Ge Pangxiao are really great sidekicks. They are prepared to follow their Chang-dage anywhere and they actually help a lot, instead of being in the way. Also, I like how Cao Niangzi made an art out of admiring beautiful men 😌
Cao Niangzi thought he [Liao Ren] was practically a walking lotus flower. If you put him in a potted arrangement, his beauty would be immortalized for a hundred generations, and a single glimpse would be enough to leave one relaxed and joyful for days.
Yeah, Liao Ren will also have to wait for the next review(s) but I have lots of thoughts about him as well. He's very interesting charachter and it's so funny to read about how Gu Yun absolutely can't stand him. Poor guy didn't even do anything but I think it's not that hard to get into Marshal Gu's list of annoying people.
And for the end - Shen Yi. He's such an amazing husband material. He can cook, he can fight, he even knows (most of the time) when it's time to shut his mouth. I'm in love 😍
"Excuse me for misspeaking - but isn't slandering the imperial court the perfect small talk to accompany a meal? I was just saying."
And I need more of Gu Yun and Shen Yi's scenes together, especially when they are acting like an old married couple 😄
5 'His little yifu' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 'Gu Yun needs all the hugs' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 'All is fair in love and war' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 'War and love' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 'changgu in love' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 25, 2023
I think those illustrations added a few decades to my life
August 16, 2023
what a blast reading this was! as a novice reader of a steampunk novel, i admit it's difficult to understand how the mechanisms invented in this novel work at first. also, it's hard to imagine how things look even if they were already described in extensive detail because, as what i've said, it's my first time encountering such terms.
i would like to first talk about the worldbuilding of spl (at least based on what i've read so far in this first volume). the great liang (i assume this is an allusion to china) became prosperous after the discovery of violet gold, which became the fuel for advanced mechanisms in spl e.g., giant/red kites, heavy/light armors, etc. the unearthing of such a one-of-a-kind mineral would eventually invoke both internal and external turmoil to get their hands on this vital product. i liked that the story is not confined to only great liang (china) but also diverges to foreign influences such as the countries from the west border (europe maybe?) and the east border (japan?) that have yet to cross arms with great liang. the first volume only introduced a brewing coup from foreign forces (this is only one scene, and there's not much about it), the failed revolt of the barbarians, and the internal revolt devised by prince wei, the second prince. although great liang is thriving because of violet gold, it does not stop foreign products from invading the heart of their culture, which the previous emperor resolved by making replicas of the foreign products. i remembered reading from one of my assigned papers in my previous class that after mechanical production comes mechanical reproduction—the mass-produced products of foreign replicas, but i digress.
on the other hand, i am intrigued by the two protagonists, gu yun and chang geng, and their weird relationship as adoptive father and son. all i can say is GU YUN IS SO HOT MARRY ME. i'm also quite disappointed since i'm also interested in shen yi, a side character, but i guess since this is the first volume, the worldbuilding and history should be introduced and laid out first before the backstory of the characters.
all in all, this is such a great read. there's not much romance as of now, just a few spasms of chang geng's adulterated desire towards his adoptive father (so weird) which maybe because of his curse, the longing for a family that turns into obsession (not to the extreme point), or he is just going through puberty. they were not kidding when they said priest is more focused on the plot and worldbuilding than the romance itself (and i'm here for it).
i don't know if i should wait for volume 2 to come out or read a fan translation right now 🥹
i would like to first talk about the worldbuilding of spl (at least based on what i've read so far in this first volume). the great liang (i assume this is an allusion to china) became prosperous after the discovery of violet gold, which became the fuel for advanced mechanisms in spl e.g., giant/red kites, heavy/light armors, etc. the unearthing of such a one-of-a-kind mineral would eventually invoke both internal and external turmoil to get their hands on this vital product. i liked that the story is not confined to only great liang (china) but also diverges to foreign influences such as the countries from the west border (europe maybe?) and the east border (japan?) that have yet to cross arms with great liang. the first volume only introduced a brewing coup from foreign forces (this is only one scene, and there's not much about it), the failed revolt of the barbarians, and the internal revolt devised by prince wei, the second prince. although great liang is thriving because of violet gold, it does not stop foreign products from invading the heart of their culture, which the previous emperor resolved by making replicas of the foreign products. i remembered reading from one of my assigned papers in my previous class that after mechanical production comes mechanical reproduction—the mass-produced products of foreign replicas, but i digress.
on the other hand, i am intrigued by the two protagonists, gu yun and chang geng, and their weird relationship as adoptive father and son. all i can say is GU YUN IS SO HOT MARRY ME. i'm also quite disappointed since i'm also interested in shen yi, a side character, but i guess since this is the first volume, the worldbuilding and history should be introduced and laid out first before the backstory of the characters.
all in all, this is such a great read. there's not much romance as of now, just a few spasms of chang geng's adulterated desire towards his adoptive father (so weird) which maybe because of his curse, the longing for a family that turns into obsession (not to the extreme point), or he is just going through puberty. they were not kidding when they said priest is more focused on the plot and worldbuilding than the romance itself (and i'm here for it).
i don't know if i should wait for volume 2 to come out or read a fan translation right now 🥹
May 5, 2024
What in the everloving masterpiece did I just read?
For the first time in my danmei history I failed to gather a plethora of quotes for this review because I was simply too invested in this book. If I could just paste this entire book in my review, because each scene was simply too amazing to summarize within a line or two, I would.
Let’s start with the setting. A steampunk epic. Yes, you heard me right. A setting that integrates history with a futuristic steampunk-esque technological approach, creating this wonderful combination to give the reader a giddiness that only a good setting could.
And of course, who could forget the plot. A seamless introduction to the political intrigue of the setting, while also introducing the stories of our characters and their relationships. This book kept me hooked all throughout. The mysteries, the secrets—oh god the secrets that makes me both frustrated beyond words and teeming with excitement—between characters and to the readers, and the relationships.
But nothing could compare to the characters. Truly some of the most interesting characters I’ve read and I can feel that they will only grow on me in the coming volumes. They are perfectly imperfect. They are flawed, they struggle, they are frustratingly complex.
Our main character, Chang Geng, our little future troublemaker, struggling with his own secrets and curse. Being thrown into a completely different ball game of the Capital, struggling with the adjustment, but most importantly struggling with his growing feelings and desire towards his Yifu.
And his Yifu, Gu Yun (ohmygodthismanissohot), the oblivious flirt and tease who has no idea the effect he has on Chang Geng. Who has his own biases and flaws. Who struggles with a disability and struggles with being open and honest about his issues and feelings. Who obviously cares about our MC but does not know how to properly express that.Who looks so goddamn not with that monocle on.
And Gu Yun’s right-hand man, trusted friend and ally, Shen Yi. Who has to deal with the burdensome man-child Gu Yun, though I truly admire their relationship and can see the care shared between them.
But the art, props to the artists of spl, because they were gorgeous. My particular favourites being that of Chang Geng struggling with the effects of the wu’ergu and that of Gu Yun looking hot with that monocle, and bow and arrow.
Overall, I can see this series quickly becoming another favourite of mineand subsequently draining my wallet
For the first time in my danmei history I failed to gather a plethora of quotes for this review because I was simply too invested in this book. If I could just paste this entire book in my review, because each scene was simply too amazing to summarize within a line or two, I would.
Let’s start with the setting. A steampunk epic. Yes, you heard me right. A setting that integrates history with a futuristic steampunk-esque technological approach, creating this wonderful combination to give the reader a giddiness that only a good setting could.
And of course, who could forget the plot. A seamless introduction to the political intrigue of the setting, while also introducing the stories of our characters and their relationships. This book kept me hooked all throughout. The mysteries, the secrets—oh god the secrets that makes me both frustrated beyond words and teeming with excitement—between characters and to the readers, and the relationships.
But nothing could compare to the characters. Truly some of the most interesting characters I’ve read and I can feel that they will only grow on me in the coming volumes. They are perfectly imperfect. They are flawed, they struggle, they are frustratingly complex.
Our main character, Chang Geng, our little future troublemaker, struggling with his own secrets and curse. Being thrown into a completely different ball game of the Capital, struggling with the adjustment, but most importantly struggling with his growing feelings and desire towards his Yifu.
And his Yifu, Gu Yun (ohmygodthismanissohot), the oblivious flirt and tease who has no idea the effect he has on Chang Geng. Who has his own biases and flaws. Who struggles with a disability and struggles with being open and honest about his issues and feelings. Who obviously cares about our MC but does not know how to properly express that.
And Gu Yun’s right-hand man, trusted friend and ally, Shen Yi. Who has to deal with the burdensome man-child Gu Yun, though I truly admire their relationship and can see the care shared between them.
But the art, props to the artists of spl, because they were gorgeous. My particular favourites being that of Chang Geng struggling with the effects of the wu’ergu and that of Gu Yun looking hot with that monocle, and bow and arrow.
Overall, I can see this series quickly becoming another favourite of mine
October 2, 2023
If I liked Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu, Vol. 1 for the best descriptions on cultivation lore and best fights, I liked Stars of Chaos for the worldbuilding. You have Ancient China, combined with the industrial revolution and mecha machines. It shouldn't have worked, but I loved it!
Romance wise, this seems to build up to an age gap trope. Volume 1 covers 2 years and it starts with one MC being 13, and the other 22. Their relationship is godfather - godson.
Sounds gross, but hear me out:
I don't know how many volumes or how many years the book will cover, but I feel the teenager will become one bada*s warrior and I'm here for it.
Romance wise, this seems to build up to an age gap trope. Volume 1 covers 2 years and it starts with one MC being 13, and the other 22. Their relationship is godfather - godson.
Sounds gross, but hear me out:
I don't know how many volumes or how many years the book will cover, but I feel the teenager will become one bada*s warrior and I'm here for it.
January 7, 2024
5 stars
I haven’t read all of Priest’s novels yet, but from the ones I did read ShaPoLang has been my absolute favourite. Diving into its official English translation didn’t change this at all. I LOVE Gu Yun and I adore Chang Geng. I tried to make this book last as long as possible, reading only one or two chapters at a time.
I know a lot of people find it too slow, but I love that the relationship between the MCs actually changes a lot over time. I also love the court politics and how the reader slowly realises what is happening and why. In my teens and tweens I read a lot of steampunk novels and many of them were intriguing and good, but there was never one with a same sex couple. That’s another reason why ShaPoLang (I should try and get used to Stars of Chaos) is so dear to my heart.
The language flows even in English flawlessly and I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in Mandarin (with its poetic ways). Priest’s sense of humour is top notch (I haven’t found a Danmei yet, I didn’t laugh out loud over while reading it) and - of course - drama plays a huge role in this book.
One can definitely say that the romance is one-sided in the first book here and it’s absolutely hilarious that Chang Geng’s crush is visible from a mile away for the reader but not for his half blind and often deaf Yifu. I’m looking forward to seeing that change. I wish the publishing schedule for each volume was closer together. At least we’re not that far away from volume two being published.
I haven’t read all of Priest’s novels yet, but from the ones I did read ShaPoLang has been my absolute favourite. Diving into its official English translation didn’t change this at all. I LOVE Gu Yun and I adore Chang Geng. I tried to make this book last as long as possible, reading only one or two chapters at a time.
I know a lot of people find it too slow, but I love that the relationship between the MCs actually changes a lot over time. I also love the court politics and how the reader slowly realises what is happening and why. In my teens and tweens I read a lot of steampunk novels and many of them were intriguing and good, but there was never one with a same sex couple. That’s another reason why ShaPoLang (I should try and get used to Stars of Chaos) is so dear to my heart.
The language flows even in English flawlessly and I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in Mandarin (with its poetic ways). Priest’s sense of humour is top notch (I haven’t found a Danmei yet, I didn’t laugh out loud over while reading it) and - of course - drama plays a huge role in this book.
One can definitely say that the romance is one-sided in the first book here and it’s absolutely hilarious that Chang Geng’s crush is visible from a mile away for the reader but not for his half blind and often deaf Yifu. I’m looking forward to seeing that change. I wish the publishing schedule for each volume was closer together. At least we’re not that far away from volume two being published.
November 3, 2025
I remember crying so hard the first time I got the physical copy of 杀破狼, and I'm not even exaggerating. I love ChangGu so much it's actually insane. Sha Po Lang is one of Priest's most famous works, and honestly, it deserves every bit of that reputation. What makes this novel so special to me is how grounded it is. Even with all the steampunk tech and mechanical wonders, it never loses sight of the people—the suffering, the lands, the reality of war. It's not just fantasy, it feels like history, with all its weight and consequences.
I was giggling and aching at the same time while reading this first volume because there's so many hints, lies, and foreshadowings scattered everywhere that I completely missed the first time. Rereading it just hits differently. I really get why Chang Geng gets so mad at his silly little Yifu; it's infuriating and tender all at once.
“But if you truly know what kind of road you wish to walk, you shouldn’t worry too much. So long as I’m alive, I’ll have the strength to sweep any obstacles from your path.” This line destroyed me a little more than intended because as you know, the Marquis of Anding Gu Yun, never fails in his words. He's a menace, sure—all sarcasm, teasing, and arrogance—but underneath that is someone who's built so many walls just to survive. His sharp tongue is both a weapon and a defense mechanism. And every time he lets it down, you feel it.
“If a man living in the world cannot even manage the little plot around him, what need is there for him to cast his gaze so far?” This line... it says everything about Chang Geng's journey. He has such a long way to go. He can't protect or care for his Yifu if he doesn't understand the pain of the world, or his world first. He is a very, very interesting character. And I don't want to spoil too much, but my god, his love is just so peak. His love for Shiliu transforms nations. And I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO YAP ABOUT IT OMG!
I was giggling and aching at the same time while reading this first volume because there's so many hints, lies, and foreshadowings scattered everywhere that I completely missed the first time. Rereading it just hits differently. I really get why Chang Geng gets so mad at his silly little Yifu; it's infuriating and tender all at once.
“But if you truly know what kind of road you wish to walk, you shouldn’t worry too much. So long as I’m alive, I’ll have the strength to sweep any obstacles from your path.” This line destroyed me a little more than intended because as you know, the Marquis of Anding Gu Yun, never fails in his words. He's a menace, sure—all sarcasm, teasing, and arrogance—but underneath that is someone who's built so many walls just to survive. His sharp tongue is both a weapon and a defense mechanism. And every time he lets it down, you feel it.
“If a man living in the world cannot even manage the little plot around him, what need is there for him to cast his gaze so far?” This line... it says everything about Chang Geng's journey. He has such a long way to go. He can't protect or care for his Yifu if he doesn't understand the pain of the world, or his world first. He is a very, very interesting character. And I don't want to spoil too much, but my god, his love is just so peak. His love for Shiliu transforms nations. And I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO YAP ABOUT IT OMG!
April 1, 2024
4.5
AND I AM DONE. I FINISHED IT. FIRST BOOK DOWN.
Now let's get to business.
I really liked the book. I truly, truly did. It was a fantastic start to this story, it caught my attention like a vice and didn't let go. The characters were all interesting and compelling, they were so flawed but you could see why they were the way that they were.
I especially liked the dynamic between Gu Yun and Chang Geng; one hopelessly oblivious and being a merciless tease while the other has their sanity quite literally hanging my a threat and everything that has happened has NOT helped at all. This guy needs a break. All and all, this story is good.
But here's the thing: you truly need to wear the "Critical Hat" on for this one. As my mom once told me, everyone has their prejudices and their stereotypes and what is important is to keep an open mind and learn. And I get that. But it rubbed the wrong way SO MUCH the way everyone kept referring to those tribes as "barbarians" constantly comparing them to wild animals. I honestly couldn't tell whether the author wrote them like that to be malicious to the actual people they were inspired from or if they were purposely written like that as a critique for how we dehumanized others. Which is why I recommend the "Critical Hat". No hate, just a warning to keep this in mind.
I also didn't really like the way the book treats Ge Pangxiao and Cao Niangzi. While not completely, the narrative jabs them every once in a while like they are creeps, like they are weird for being an overweigh kid and a crossdressing kid (who, mind you, wasn't a choice of their part, it was their parents decision because they though it was a chance of survival, why is it making fun of that???"
Other than that, in terms of story telling, world building, pacing, among other things, I say this was a good story and I will definitively continue it.
AND I AM DONE. I FINISHED IT. FIRST BOOK DOWN.
Now let's get to business.
I really liked the book. I truly, truly did. It was a fantastic start to this story, it caught my attention like a vice and didn't let go. The characters were all interesting and compelling, they were so flawed but you could see why they were the way that they were.
I especially liked the dynamic between Gu Yun and Chang Geng; one hopelessly oblivious and being a merciless tease while the other has their sanity quite literally hanging my a threat and everything that has happened has NOT helped at all. This guy needs a break. All and all, this story is good.
But here's the thing: you truly need to wear the "Critical Hat" on for this one. As my mom once told me, everyone has their prejudices and their stereotypes and what is important is to keep an open mind and learn. And I get that. But it rubbed the wrong way SO MUCH the way everyone kept referring to those tribes as "barbarians" constantly comparing them to wild animals. I honestly couldn't tell whether the author wrote them like that to be malicious to the actual people they were inspired from or if they were purposely written like that as a critique for how we dehumanized others. Which is why I recommend the "Critical Hat". No hate, just a warning to keep this in mind.
I also didn't really like the way the book treats Ge Pangxiao and Cao Niangzi. While not completely, the narrative jabs them every once in a while like they are creeps, like they are weird for being an overweigh kid and a crossdressing kid (who, mind you, wasn't a choice of their part, it was their parents decision because they though it was a chance of survival, why is it making fun of that???"
Other than that, in terms of story telling, world building, pacing, among other things, I say this was a good story and I will definitively continue it.
August 7, 2023
Sha Po Lang was on top of my Danmei TBR, i absolutely love Qi Ye ( Lord Seventh ) by Priest and everyone keep saying SPL is their fav book from Priest and i was beyond happy when Sevenseas decided to publish this and immeditely started it the day i receive the physical book (which is own the prettiest design) 😍
Book 1 felt more like the introduction for the worldbuilding and characters, i love Chang Geng and Gu Yun (our 2 main characters) at the first Introduction but the STEAMPUNK mixed with old Chinese culture really stole the show like WOW 😍 i expected to see more romance tho but i guess i will get it in the next book
Overall Priest didn’t disappoint me 😊
Book 1 felt more like the introduction for the worldbuilding and characters, i love Chang Geng and Gu Yun (our 2 main characters) at the first Introduction but the STEAMPUNK mixed with old Chinese culture really stole the show like WOW 😍 i expected to see more romance tho but i guess i will get it in the next book
Overall Priest didn’t disappoint me 😊
March 21, 2024
I really liked the relationship between Chang Geng and Gu Yun, especially those humorous moments! Lots of twist and turns, so it kept me thinking throughout! Definitely will read the next volumes!
September 16, 2024
Sha Po Lang was the first Priest's series I've read, and it had blown my mind with the steampunk and the intricate plots. Rereading it 5 years later, I was pleasantly surprised to find how much I still love this.
Yes, quite a lot of brain juice is needed to read this book, especially in the beginning. And most of the time, I was still confused about the various gadgets description (I'm thinking along Iron Man and Mortal Engines? 😂), but who cares. The story never lags unnecessarily; there's enough action, angst, and even comedy to keep me entertain.
Of course, the main attraction is our main couple. We've got ourlust love-plagued and cursed-plagued cinnamon roll, Chang Geng, and our shameless Marshall--who hasn't realized yet that the reason he stole a little girl's flute is because he's drinking vinegar.
Priest also excels in making all the side characters memorable and unique. From the nagging Shen Yi, the loyal Ge Pangxiao, to the sassy crossdresser Cao Niangzi, and the beautiful monk whose personal hygiene is questionable--they all left a deep impression on me.
All in all, this is a very strong opening of a series.
Yes, quite a lot of brain juice is needed to read this book, especially in the beginning. And most of the time, I was still confused about the various gadgets description (I'm thinking along Iron Man and Mortal Engines? 😂), but who cares. The story never lags unnecessarily; there's enough action, angst, and even comedy to keep me entertain.
Of course, the main attraction is our main couple. We've got our
Priest also excels in making all the side characters memorable and unique. From the nagging Shen Yi, the loyal Ge Pangxiao, to the sassy crossdresser Cao Niangzi, and the beautiful monk whose personal hygiene is questionable--they all left a deep impression on me.
All in all, this is a very strong opening of a series.
February 18, 2025
“Sir, regardless of whether it’s an ignorant child or a sickly old man, they all have things they can teach you. No matter who you meet, it is always a fortuitous encounter.”
This review is based on my second time reading Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang, Vol. 1, and I have to say, it’s just as compelling as the first. Priest’s writing stands out in so many ways, but one thing I really appreciate is how she avoids unnecessary repetition. Every scene is carefully crafted, with descriptions that feel vivid and purposeful, drawing you into the world without redundancy. Even though I usually avoid steampunk and mecha, Priest’s storytelling is just too good to pass up. The pacing is consistent, and every moment holds weight—there’s never a dull scene. It’s one of those books that proves fiction can still teach you something, whether about strategy, politics, or human nature.
For what feels like a short book, Volume 1 manages to cover so much ground. I love how the time skip is handled—it moves the story forward while still giving us enough details about what happened in between. Chang Geng is such an interesting protagonist; he’s young and burdened with pain and confusion, yet he still cares deeply for Gu Yun. He wrestles with uncertainty but remains incredibly decisive when it matters. And then there’s Gu Yun—smart, playful, shameless, and undeniably cool, but also carrying his own regrets. The moment where he wanted a wooden flute but wasn’t given one, so he sneaked out to steal one from the children, was such a funny yet telling glimpse into his character. Moments like these make him feel so human.
What makes Sha Po Lang special isn’t just the plot—it’s how well Priest brings her characters to life. Their relationships, their struggles, and even their smallest interactions feel meaningful. Even though this volume is just the beginning, it’s already clear that Chang Geng and Gu Yun’s bond is something worth following. This book took me by surprise the first time I read it, and on my second read, I love it even more.
Date Read: 2023.12.28
Re-read: 2025.02.14
This review is based on my second time reading Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang, Vol. 1, and I have to say, it’s just as compelling as the first. Priest’s writing stands out in so many ways, but one thing I really appreciate is how she avoids unnecessary repetition. Every scene is carefully crafted, with descriptions that feel vivid and purposeful, drawing you into the world without redundancy. Even though I usually avoid steampunk and mecha, Priest’s storytelling is just too good to pass up. The pacing is consistent, and every moment holds weight—there’s never a dull scene. It’s one of those books that proves fiction can still teach you something, whether about strategy, politics, or human nature.
For what feels like a short book, Volume 1 manages to cover so much ground. I love how the time skip is handled—it moves the story forward while still giving us enough details about what happened in between. Chang Geng is such an interesting protagonist; he’s young and burdened with pain and confusion, yet he still cares deeply for Gu Yun. He wrestles with uncertainty but remains incredibly decisive when it matters. And then there’s Gu Yun—smart, playful, shameless, and undeniably cool, but also carrying his own regrets. The moment where he wanted a wooden flute but wasn’t given one, so he sneaked out to steal one from the children, was such a funny yet telling glimpse into his character. Moments like these make him feel so human.
What makes Sha Po Lang special isn’t just the plot—it’s how well Priest brings her characters to life. Their relationships, their struggles, and even their smallest interactions feel meaningful. Even though this volume is just the beginning, it’s already clear that Chang Geng and Gu Yun’s bond is something worth following. This book took me by surprise the first time I read it, and on my second read, I love it even more.
Date Read: 2023.12.28
Re-read: 2025.02.14
October 17, 2025
Given that Priest is one of the most well known and beloved authors in the danmei community, I have wanted to read her work for quite sometime now. After much consideration, and a helpful poll from my danmei friends on Goodreads, I finally settled on Stars of Chaos as my first Priest novel.
Overall, though this certainly isn’t one of my favorite danmei novels thus far, I still really enjoyed it. I found the characters lovable and the world building interesting. Steampunk mixed with a historical Chinese setting is certainly something unique. I was highly intrigued from the get go by the concept of these sort of steampunk “mech” type suits used by the military in the world of Stars of Chaos. That sounded pretty badass to me, especially in the historical setting of ancient China.
In large part, this first volume seemed to be mostly set up for the rest of the series. It introduced the reader to the world, the characters and some key elements and players that I assume will have an impact on the overall narrative. For a series with multiple volumes, I don’t necessarily mind that. Although, I will say that plot wise, Stars of Chaos didn’t really grab my attention right off the bat just because so much of it felt like initial set up rather than jumping straight into the action.
There certainly was a decent amount of action earlier on in the story and I really enjoyed that, but it was still very much part of the set up. It served to establish characters, their relationships, backstories and motivations, etc. It isn’t until later in the novel that things start to pick up and a greater threat appears to loom on the horizon.
I found most of the characters in Stars of Chaos very interesting, sympathetic and endearing right from the start. I especially really liked the main character, Chang Geng. I felt extremely sympathetic towards him given his rough upbringing and various plot related challenges he faced, which I won’t spoil. Ge Pangxiao was also a character that I found very endearing and funny despite the fact that I do feel like the book is a little insensitive towards his weight and body type. It bothered me that the poor kid was referred to on more than one occasion as “Little Porker” along with various other insensitive names. Nevertheless, I thought Ge Pangxiao was cute and resourceful. Gu Yun was a character that I was a bit unsure of at the beginning due to his arrogant, flippant and often insensitive attitude towards others, but he quickly grew on me as glimpses of his true self and background began to show through his tough exterior. Given that I’ve personally been dealing with some issues with my vision recently, I also felt a sort of kinship and sympathy for Gu Yun who is nearly blind. Thankfully, my issues aren’t nearly that severe but I feel like dealing with the problems I’ve been experiencing over the past few months gave me a much greater understanding and sympathy for this character.
For this first book, it definitely seems like the focus is on the characters, and to a lesser extent the world building and set up. I certainly enjoyed that aspect, but I’m hoping that later volumes are more narrative driven as well. I do personally like having the focus on the main characters and their personal as well as relationship development, but I also like to have a little more of a focus on plot development too.
Speaking of relationship development, I was aware before I started reading Stars of Chaos that there is a fairly significant age gap between the main couple. I was also aware that this relationship was between a child and his guardian. This made me a little uncomfortable but I decided to go for it anyway. I usually don’t mind age gaps as long as both characters are legal consenting adults by the time the romantic relationship actually starts. However, I’m not entirely sure how I feel about a relationship between godfather and godson. Chang Geng and Gu Yun aren’t actually father and son and I don’t think that they are blood relatives (I may be wrong about this, they may be distant relations), but given that Gu Yun is acting as Chang Geng’s guardian, it feels a little weird for me. Gu Yun does often refer to Chang Geng as his “son”, so that throws me off a bit. However, there doesn’t seem to be any type of grooming going on and Gu Yun doesn’t appear to have any inappropriate feelings towards Chang Geng at this point in the story while he’s still underaged.
All in all, I’m not quite hooked on Stars of Chaos yet, but I am at least intrigued enough to see where this story goes in the next volume. Priest did a good job introducing the characters and setting up the world. I’m especially invested in Chang Geng’s story and curious to see what becomes of him in the future. There seem to be hints of a much larger plot and darker schemes on the horizon. Hopefully, the next volume will really hook me into this story and get me more deeply invested.
Overall, though this certainly isn’t one of my favorite danmei novels thus far, I still really enjoyed it. I found the characters lovable and the world building interesting. Steampunk mixed with a historical Chinese setting is certainly something unique. I was highly intrigued from the get go by the concept of these sort of steampunk “mech” type suits used by the military in the world of Stars of Chaos. That sounded pretty badass to me, especially in the historical setting of ancient China.
In large part, this first volume seemed to be mostly set up for the rest of the series. It introduced the reader to the world, the characters and some key elements and players that I assume will have an impact on the overall narrative. For a series with multiple volumes, I don’t necessarily mind that. Although, I will say that plot wise, Stars of Chaos didn’t really grab my attention right off the bat just because so much of it felt like initial set up rather than jumping straight into the action.
There certainly was a decent amount of action earlier on in the story and I really enjoyed that, but it was still very much part of the set up. It served to establish characters, their relationships, backstories and motivations, etc. It isn’t until later in the novel that things start to pick up and a greater threat appears to loom on the horizon.
I found most of the characters in Stars of Chaos very interesting, sympathetic and endearing right from the start. I especially really liked the main character, Chang Geng. I felt extremely sympathetic towards him given his rough upbringing and various plot related challenges he faced, which I won’t spoil. Ge Pangxiao was also a character that I found very endearing and funny despite the fact that I do feel like the book is a little insensitive towards his weight and body type. It bothered me that the poor kid was referred to on more than one occasion as “Little Porker” along with various other insensitive names. Nevertheless, I thought Ge Pangxiao was cute and resourceful. Gu Yun was a character that I was a bit unsure of at the beginning due to his arrogant, flippant and often insensitive attitude towards others, but he quickly grew on me as glimpses of his true self and background began to show through his tough exterior. Given that I’ve personally been dealing with some issues with my vision recently, I also felt a sort of kinship and sympathy for Gu Yun who is nearly blind. Thankfully, my issues aren’t nearly that severe but I feel like dealing with the problems I’ve been experiencing over the past few months gave me a much greater understanding and sympathy for this character.
For this first book, it definitely seems like the focus is on the characters, and to a lesser extent the world building and set up. I certainly enjoyed that aspect, but I’m hoping that later volumes are more narrative driven as well. I do personally like having the focus on the main characters and their personal as well as relationship development, but I also like to have a little more of a focus on plot development too.
Speaking of relationship development, I was aware before I started reading Stars of Chaos that there is a fairly significant age gap between the main couple. I was also aware that this relationship was between a child and his guardian. This made me a little uncomfortable but I decided to go for it anyway. I usually don’t mind age gaps as long as both characters are legal consenting adults by the time the romantic relationship actually starts. However, I’m not entirely sure how I feel about a relationship between godfather and godson. Chang Geng and Gu Yun aren’t actually father and son and I don’t think that they are blood relatives (I may be wrong about this, they may be distant relations), but given that Gu Yun is acting as Chang Geng’s guardian, it feels a little weird for me. Gu Yun does often refer to Chang Geng as his “son”, so that throws me off a bit. However, there doesn’t seem to be any type of grooming going on and Gu Yun doesn’t appear to have any inappropriate feelings towards Chang Geng at this point in the story while he’s still underaged.
All in all, I’m not quite hooked on Stars of Chaos yet, but I am at least intrigued enough to see where this story goes in the next volume. Priest did a good job introducing the characters and setting up the world. I’m especially invested in Chang Geng’s story and curious to see what becomes of him in the future. There seem to be hints of a much larger plot and darker schemes on the horizon. Hopefully, the next volume will really hook me into this story and get me more deeply invested.
August 21, 2023
I think this will definitely be one of my new favorite series, I absolutely loved reading this book! I love how sci-fi is mixed with Chinese history, it’s a bit like Iron Widow only not entirely the same level of modernness.
I also love the story it was really interesting and the characters are likable. I sense that the romance will be amazing when it finally happens. Can’t wait to read the next book!
I also love the story it was really interesting and the characters are likable. I sense that the romance will be amazing when it finally happens. Can’t wait to read the next book!
December 21, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
Reducing half a point for everybody, including the narrator, poking fun at Ge Pangxiao for being fat, especially in the first half of the book. And the “funny” situations he stumbles into. Like, really? Am I being too sensitive or did anyone else feel the same? Not forgetting his name “chubby youngster” (according to character guide), which adds to the ridicule. There were some other uncomfortable things as well which I won’t be touching, since I ain’t feel like it… These might not be considered bad writing, per se, but I choose to review based on how entertaining I personally find the story.
Otherwise I really enjoyed the read. I certainly found it tough to put the book down. Most characters had real nice depth to them and the main characters were very interesting. Following the complicated relationship between Gu Yun and Chang Geng evolve and grow through the few years felt fascinating to me.
The feelings Chang Geng develops towards his precious Yifu, and the way he learns to understand said feelings, creates a whole other dimension to the already multifaceted youth. Reading the story, at times I found him very mature for his age but then his naïveté shone through again and I was reminded of how he’s yet a child.
Gu Yun in turn is this super human with a handicap and a compelling backstory. He somehow reminds me of Gojo Satoru from Jujutsu Kaisen with his great powers and ridiculously funny personality, with a more serious side to him as well.
To me the world building was more than adequate and many a time whilst reading about a new character or place I had this urge to learn even more. I’d love to get to know more about the world politics and get some more insight into the minds of some supporting characters.
Heard grand praise for this series as well as the writer. Looking forward to starting the second part of the series.
P. S. It’s my first time posting a review, I think, so pwease be kind? <(*^*)>
Reducing half a point for everybody, including the narrator, poking fun at Ge Pangxiao for being fat, especially in the first half of the book. And the “funny” situations he stumbles into. Like, really? Am I being too sensitive or did anyone else feel the same? Not forgetting his name “chubby youngster” (according to character guide), which adds to the ridicule. There were some other uncomfortable things as well which I won’t be touching, since I ain’t feel like it… These might not be considered bad writing, per se, but I choose to review based on how entertaining I personally find the story.
Otherwise I really enjoyed the read. I certainly found it tough to put the book down. Most characters had real nice depth to them and the main characters were very interesting. Following the complicated relationship between Gu Yun and Chang Geng evolve and grow through the few years felt fascinating to me.
The feelings Chang Geng develops towards his precious Yifu, and the way he learns to understand said feelings, creates a whole other dimension to the already multifaceted youth. Reading the story, at times I found him very mature for his age but then his naïveté shone through again and I was reminded of how he’s yet a child.
Gu Yun in turn is this super human with a handicap and a compelling backstory. He somehow reminds me of Gojo Satoru from Jujutsu Kaisen with his great powers and ridiculously funny personality, with a more serious side to him as well.
To me the world building was more than adequate and many a time whilst reading about a new character or place I had this urge to learn even more. I’d love to get to know more about the world politics and get some more insight into the minds of some supporting characters.
Heard grand praise for this series as well as the writer. Looking forward to starting the second part of the series.
P. S. It’s my first time posting a review, I think, so pwease be kind? <(*^*)>
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2025
still peak
September 18, 2023
I wish I wasn't writing my review 10 days after finishing on approximately 2% brain juice, because this book is so cool and deserves a proper review. The world building is so interesting, the steampunk elements surprising, but the main characters are the ones who captured my heart. Chang Geng, my sweet and stubborn child. Gu Yun, you intelligent bastard. Their soft moments were so cute!
Also that one illustration of Gu Yun with the monocle and shooting an arrow changed the trajectory of my life.
Rep: hard of hearing mc with low vision, mute side character, trans/gnc side character
Also that one illustration of Gu Yun with the monocle and shooting an arrow changed the trajectory of my life.
Rep: hard of hearing mc with low vision, mute side character, trans/gnc side character
January 8, 2025
[ rtc. ]
November 19, 2024
I immediately fell in love with Chang Geng and Gu Yun!! I sure hope nothing happens to them….😭🙏
May 27, 2024
It’s been a good opening a lot was explained and it was good to be introduced to the characters. I already like Gu Yun he seems impossible which I love lol
January 13, 2025
This one has a lot of political intrigue and focuses on military stuff quite a lot. The world was interesting, I like the steampunk vibe.
I liked all of the characters a lot too.
I liked all of the characters a lot too.
November 6, 2025
this was funnier than i expected
July 28, 2023
Stars of Chaos is Chinese BL fantasy set in a slightly more modern alt-history Empire than the other books in the genre I’ve read. Westerners (spearheaded by the Pope!) have established trading and diplomatic relations with the Empire, and there’s new, exciting steam technology powered by violet gold. There are airships—with kites instead of balloons—and automatons among other things. The army especially makes use of these inventions, keeping the Empire powerful. But everyone covets the violet gold, making it worth wars and treachery.
Chang Geng is thirteen when barbaric northerners invade his small rural town, breaking a peace that’s lasted fourteen years, to stop the Empire draining their huge reserves of violet gold. But their presence in his town isn’t random: they want Chang Geng.
Turns out, Chang Geng’s life has been a lie, and he’s a more important person than he thought. Not that he believes a word of it, a great cause of internal conflict for him. But even worse is to learn that his godfather—so elected because he once saved Chang Geng’s life—isn’t who he’s claimed to be either.
Chang Geng is whisked off to the Empire’s capital to live with his godfather there. The story follows the pair trying to come to terms with their new life as a family. Gu Yuo is utterly unsuitable for a father figure; he’s too young and selfish, and he’s mostly absent with the army anyway. But when, at fifteen, Chang Geng tests his limits by setting off to see the world, Gu You follows, only for the pair to stumble on a coup.
The story is advertised as a boylove romance, and it’ll likely head there eventually. In this first volume, Chang Geng rather abruptly becomes aware of his feelings for his godfather, a cause of great agony for him. Gu Yuo, however, sees him only as a child, and isn’t interested in men anyway. He has his own troubles to deal with, issues that he hasn’t shared with Chang Geng, making the boy mistrust him.
Chang Geng and Gu Yuo were interesting characters, more nuanced than in average web novels. The side characters were fun and had a proper role in the story. Narrative was more coherent too, with no internal inconsistencies that so often plague these stories. Either it’s written as a novel and not serialised first, or it’s been properly edited for a book.
I don’t know how many volumes there are in the story, but if each take only a couple of years of their lives, it’ll be a long time before it reaches the romance part. But I’m here for it.
Chang Geng is thirteen when barbaric northerners invade his small rural town, breaking a peace that’s lasted fourteen years, to stop the Empire draining their huge reserves of violet gold. But their presence in his town isn’t random: they want Chang Geng.
Turns out, Chang Geng’s life has been a lie, and he’s a more important person than he thought. Not that he believes a word of it, a great cause of internal conflict for him. But even worse is to learn that his godfather—so elected because he once saved Chang Geng’s life—isn’t who he’s claimed to be either.
Chang Geng is whisked off to the Empire’s capital to live with his godfather there. The story follows the pair trying to come to terms with their new life as a family. Gu Yuo is utterly unsuitable for a father figure; he’s too young and selfish, and he’s mostly absent with the army anyway. But when, at fifteen, Chang Geng tests his limits by setting off to see the world, Gu You follows, only for the pair to stumble on a coup.
The story is advertised as a boylove romance, and it’ll likely head there eventually. In this first volume, Chang Geng rather abruptly becomes aware of his feelings for his godfather, a cause of great agony for him. Gu Yuo, however, sees him only as a child, and isn’t interested in men anyway. He has his own troubles to deal with, issues that he hasn’t shared with Chang Geng, making the boy mistrust him.
Chang Geng and Gu Yuo were interesting characters, more nuanced than in average web novels. The side characters were fun and had a proper role in the story. Narrative was more coherent too, with no internal inconsistencies that so often plague these stories. Either it’s written as a novel and not serialised first, or it’s been properly edited for a book.
I don’t know how many volumes there are in the story, but if each take only a couple of years of their lives, it’ll be a long time before it reaches the romance part. But I’m here for it.
August 18, 2021
สนุก....ขอร้องไห้แป๊บ ;_____; ดีใจที่ได้อ่าน แงๆๆๆๆ
ช่วงนี้เป็นอะไร หยิบนิยายสนุกโคตรๆ ติดกันสองเรื่องแล้วนะ มีความสุขจังเลย (ความสุขเดียวท่ามกลางสภาพบ้านเมืองที่เลวร้าย)
เพิ่งได้อ่านงานพีต้าเรื่องนี้เป็นเรื่องแรก ขอสมัครเป็นติ่งพีต้าตอนนี้ทันมั้ย ซื้องานพีต้าทุกเรื่องแต่ดองทุกเรื่องเหมือนกัน 55555555
❤️❤️❤️ ดีใจที่เลือกหยิบเรื่องนี้ขึ้นมาอ่าน รักเรื่องนี้มากอ่ะ ชอบไปหมดทุกอย่างทั้งพล็อต เซตติ้งในเรื่องที่แปลกใหม่ รักความเท่สุดใจขาดดิ้นของนายเอก ความอ่อนโยนของพระเอก รักความเข้มข้นของเรื่อง ทุกองค์ประกอบมันดีมากๆๆๆๆ ❤️❤️❤️
✨setting ในเรื่องนี้เป็นจีนโบราณ แต่มีความแปลกไปจากเรื่องอื่นๆ คือเป็นแนว steampunk มีเครื่องจักรกลไอน้ำ มีหุ่นเหล็กต่อสู้กัน อ่านแล้วตื่นตาตื่นใจมาก มีเครื่องจักรทำนาแทนคนด้วย แล้วก็เวลาออกศึกก็จะมีทัพเกราะหนัก เป็นเครื่องจักรกล เค้าบรรยายออกมาได้ว้าวมาก เป็นภาพจินตนาการที่ล้ำโคตรๆ แต่ไม่รู้สึกติดขัดตรงไหนเลย คุณพีต้าผสานความจีนโบราณกับความทันสมัยของพวกเครื่องจักรออกมา��ด้ลงตัวมากๆ
✨ความสัมพันธ์พระนายเรื่องนี้คือจุดขายเลย คือความกร๊าวใจของเด็กหนุ่มที่คิดไม่ซื่อกับอี้ฟู่(พ่อบุญธรรม)ของตัวเอง แต่จะบอกว่าสำหรับเราไม่ได้รู้สึกว่าผิดศีลธรรมหรืออะไร เพราะพระเอกออกแนวจับพลัดจับผลูต้องมากราบนายเอกเป็นพ่อบุญธรรม และตั้งแต่แรกพระเอกก็ไม่เคยมองว่านายเอกเป็นพ่อบุญธรรมอะไรขนาดนั้นอยู่แล้ว เหมือนอยู่กันแบบพี่ชายน้องชายมากกว่า ที่แน่ๆ คือเค้ารักกันม้ากกกกกกกกกกก พระเอกพยายามหักห้ามใจสุดๆ รู้สึกผิดบาป แต่ใจมันไปแล้วอ่ะ
✨เราสงสารพระเอกมากๆๆๆ น้องเป็นคนดี เป็นคนกล้าหาญเข้มแข็งแต่ก็อ่อนโยน ถึงจะเจอเรื่องเลวร้ายมามากมายแต่ก็ยังคงความเป็นคนจิตใจดีไว้ได้ เป็นสัตตบุรุษที่แท้ทรู แต่น้องมีจุดอ่อนคือท่านโหวกู้อวิ๋น พ่อบุญธรรมของตัวเองนี่แหละ รักเค้ามากจนห้ามใจไม่ได้ ต้องเก็บความลับนี้เอาไว้ให้ลึกที่สุด😭😭😭😭😭
✨ส่วนกู้อวิ๋นคือนายเอกที่เท่กร๊าวใจที่สุดแล้ว หน้าตางดงามเป็นเอก บู๊ก็เก่ง บุ๋นก็ได้ แต่โคตรกวนตีน แล้วก็เป็นคนไม่ละเอียดอ่อนมากๆ ด้วยความที่เกิดมาในตระกูลแม่ทัพ โดนเลี้ยงมาอย่างโหด อายุยังน้อยก็ต้องเข้าไปใช้ชีวิตในสนามรบแล้ว ทำให้โตมาเป็นคนแข็งแกร่งมากกกกกก ชื่อเสียงเลื่องลือไปทั้งแผ่นดิน แต่เราสังเกตเห็นมุมอ่อนโยนเล็กๆ ของท่านโหวนะ และนางจะมีให้ลูกบุญธรรมของตัวเองเท่านั้น สำหรับเรากู้อวิ๋นในเล่มนี้ก็รู้สึกพิเศษกับพระเอกแล้ว แต่แค่ไม่รู้ตัวว่ามันคือความรู้สึกแบบไหน (วันที่เค้ารักกันแล้วดิชั้นจะจุดพลุ!)
เราว่าเรื่องนี้จะแมสในไทยมากกว่านี้ถ้าออกเล่มต่อไปอย่างต่อเนื่อง (อันนี้มาปีละเล่ม ไม่ไหวนะ คนก็ลืมเนื้อเรื่องกันหมดแล้วสิ)
ตอนนี้เครียดอย่างเดียวคือ ชั้นจะมีชีวิตอยู่จนได้อ่านเรื่องนี้จนจบมั้ยนะ 😭😭😭😭😭 ขอมาปีละสองเล่มก็ยังดีนะ ;____;
ช่วงนี้เป็นอะไร หยิบนิยายสนุกโคตรๆ ติดกันสองเรื่องแล้วนะ มีความสุขจังเลย (ความสุขเดียวท่ามกลางสภาพบ้านเมืองที่เลวร้าย)
เพิ่งได้อ่านงานพีต้าเรื่องนี้เป็นเรื่องแรก ขอสมัครเป็นติ่งพีต้าตอนนี้ทันมั้ย ซื้องานพีต้าทุกเรื่องแต่ดองทุกเรื่องเหมือนกัน 55555555
❤️❤️❤️ ดีใจที่เลือกหยิบเรื่องนี้ขึ้นมาอ่าน รักเรื่องนี้มากอ่ะ ชอบไปหมดทุกอย่างทั้งพล็อต เซตติ้งในเรื่องที่แปลกใหม่ รักความเท่สุดใจขาดดิ้นของนายเอก ความอ่อนโยนของพระเอก รักความเข้มข้นของเรื่อง ทุกองค์ประกอบมันดีมากๆๆๆๆ ❤️❤️❤️
✨setting ในเรื่องนี้เป็นจีนโบราณ แต่มีความแปลกไปจากเรื่องอื่นๆ คือเป็นแนว steampunk มีเครื่องจักรกลไอน้ำ มีหุ่นเหล็กต่อสู้กัน อ่านแล้วตื่นตาตื่นใจมาก มีเครื่องจักรทำนาแทนคนด้วย แล้วก็เวลาออกศึกก็จะมีทัพเกราะหนัก เป็นเครื่องจักรกล เค้าบรรยายออกมาได้ว้าวมาก เป็นภาพจินตนาการที่ล้ำโคตรๆ แต่ไม่รู้สึกติดขัดตรงไหนเลย คุณพีต้าผสานความจีนโบราณกับความทันสมัยของพวกเครื่องจักรออกมา��ด้ลงตัวมากๆ
✨ความสัมพันธ์พระนายเรื่องนี้คือจุดขายเลย คือความกร๊าวใจของเด็กหนุ่มที่คิดไม่ซื่อกับอี้ฟู่(พ่อบุญธรรม)ของตัวเอง แต่จะบอกว่าสำหรับเราไม่ได้รู้สึกว่าผิดศีลธรรมหรืออะไร เพราะพระเอกออกแนวจับพลัดจับผลูต้องมากราบนายเอกเป็นพ่อบุญธรรม และตั้งแต่แรกพระเอกก็ไม่เคยมองว่านายเอกเป็นพ่อบุญธรรมอะไรขนาดนั้นอยู่แล้ว เหมือนอยู่กันแบบพี่ชายน้องชายมากกว่า ที่แน่ๆ คือเค้ารักกันม้ากกกกกกกกกกก พระเอกพยายามหักห้ามใจสุดๆ รู้สึกผิดบาป แต่ใจมันไปแล้วอ่ะ
✨เราสงสารพระเอกมากๆๆๆ น้องเป็นคนดี เป็นคนกล้าหาญเข้มแข็งแต่ก็อ่อนโยน ถึงจะเจอเรื่องเลวร้ายมามากมายแต่ก็ยังคงความเป็นคนจิตใจดีไว้ได้ เป็นสัตตบุรุษที่แท้ทรู แต่น้องมีจุดอ่อนคือท่านโหวกู้อวิ๋น พ่อบุญธรรมของตัวเองนี่แหละ รักเค้ามากจนห้ามใจไม่ได้ ต้องเก็บความลับนี้เอาไว้ให้ลึกที่สุด😭😭😭😭😭
✨ส่วนกู้อวิ๋นคือนายเอกที่เท่กร๊าวใจที่สุดแล้ว หน้าตางดงามเป็นเอก บู๊ก็เก่ง บุ๋นก็ได้ แต่โคตรกวนตีน แล้วก็เป็นคนไม่ละเอียดอ่อนมากๆ ด้วยความที่เกิดมาในตระกูลแม่ทัพ โดนเลี้ยงมาอย่างโหด อายุยังน้อยก็ต้องเข้าไปใช้ชีวิตในสนามรบแล้ว ทำให้โตมาเป็นคนแข็งแกร่งมากกกกกก ชื่อเสียงเลื่องลือไปทั้งแผ่นดิน แต่เราสังเกตเห็นมุมอ่อนโยนเล็กๆ ของท่านโหวนะ และนางจะมีให้ลูกบุญธรรมของตัวเองเท่านั้น สำหรับเรากู้อวิ๋นในเล่มนี้ก็รู้สึกพิเศษกับพระเอกแล้ว แต่แค่ไม่รู้ตัวว่ามันคือความรู้สึกแบบไหน (วันที่เค้ารักกันแล้วดิชั้นจะจุดพลุ!)
เราว่าเรื่องนี้จะแมสในไทยมากกว่านี้ถ้าออกเล่มต่อไปอย่างต่อเนื่อง (อันนี้มาปีละเล่ม ไม่ไหวนะ คนก็ลืมเนื้อเรื่องกันหมดแล้วสิ)
ตอนนี้เครียดอย่างเดียวคือ ชั้นจะมีชีวิตอยู่จนได้อ่านเรื่องนี้จนจบมั้ยนะ 😭😭😭😭😭 ขอมาปีละสองเล่มก็ยังดีนะ ;____;
December 8, 2023
This book is basically:
50% narrative
30% action
20% dialogue
That, unfortunately, is not the way to keep my attention. Max 30% narrative. So much of the story went over my head because there were just paragraphs and paragraphs of descriptions and history that left my mind wandering. Give me more dialogue! There are more smoother ways to weave worldbuilding into the story.
I think I had the same problem with TYK, because the only reason I remember anything about it is because of the live action drama. No matter how much I want to like the books, Priest's writing style is just too dry for me. Or her stories just work better as live action dramas.
I have Guardian on my shelf so I'll give that one a chance as well. Priest is so beloved, I really want to share the same excitement with everyone.
50% narrative
30% action
20% dialogue
That, unfortunately, is not the way to keep my attention. Max 30% narrative. So much of the story went over my head because there were just paragraphs and paragraphs of descriptions and history that left my mind wandering. Give me more dialogue! There are more smoother ways to weave worldbuilding into the story.
I think I had the same problem with TYK, because the only reason I remember anything about it is because of the live action drama. No matter how much I want to like the books, Priest's writing style is just too dry for me. Or her stories just work better as live action dramas.
I have Guardian on my shelf so I'll give that one a chance as well. Priest is so beloved, I really want to share the same excitement with everyone.
March 24, 2024
ahhh so good. i read eng tl spl last year (i was rushing to read it before cdrama will get out, clown time i see).
im just in love with the steampunk element and how the story flows just mmmm my jam. im so happy spl got official translation - i can finally mark all my fave part and mark important moments for characters.
next volume is supposed to be out on january 16 so happy bday gu yun! ♥
im just in love with the steampunk element and how the story flows just mmmm my jam. im so happy spl got official translation - i can finally mark all my fave part and mark important moments for characters.
next volume is supposed to be out on january 16 so happy bday gu yun! ♥
January 17, 2025
[reread]
5 ⭐ for the amazing world building, memorable and unique characters, and complex relationships.
RTC
5 ⭐ for the amazing world building, memorable and unique characters, and complex relationships.
RTC
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