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The Legend of the Condor Heroes #4
A Heart Divided
Guo Jing and Lotus have escaped Qiu Qianren's mountain stronghold on the condors' backs, but Lotus carries a wound that will surely kill her. Their only hope lies in the healing powers of the King of the South. Little do they know that to seek an audience with this mysterious figure will place them all in mortal danger. Meanwhile, many li away on Peach Blossom Island, a plan has been hatched that could tear the two lovers apart for good. And, with Moon Festival approaching, Guo Jing is honour bound to take part in a long-awaited martial contest at the Tower of Mist and Rain in Jiaxing.
Yet the greatest threat to their happiness stems from Guo Jing's past. He is still betrothed to Genghis Khan's daughter. Rejoining the Mongol army could help him to avenge his father - but it may force him to take the field against the soldiers of his true homeland, splitting his heart and soul in two.
Yet the greatest threat to their happiness stems from Guo Jing's past. He is still betrothed to Genghis Khan's daughter. Rejoining the Mongol army could help him to avenge his father - but it may force him to take the field against the soldiers of his true homeland, splitting his heart and soul in two.
591 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1957
148 people are currently reading
1354 people want to read
About the author
Jin Yong
850 books768 followersLouis Cha, GBM, OBE (born 6 February 1924), better known by his pen name Jin Yong (金庸, sometimes read and/or written as "Chin Yung"), is a modern Chinese-language novelist. Having co-founded the Hong Kong daily Ming Pao in 1959, he was the paper's first editor-in-chief.
Cha's fiction, which is of the wuxia ("martial arts and chivalry") genre, has a widespread following in Chinese-speaking areas, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His 15 works written between 1955 and 1972 earned him a reputation as one of the finest wuxia writers ever. He is currently the best-selling Chinese author alive; over 100 million copies of his works have been sold worldwide (not including unknown number of bootleg copies).
Cha's works have been translated into English, French, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese, Malay and Indonesian. He has many fans abroad as well, owing to the numerous adaptations of his works into films, television series, comics and video games.
金庸，大紫荊勳賢，OBE（英語：Louis Cha Leung-yung，1924年3月10日－2018年10月30日），本名查良鏞，浙江海寧人，祖籍江西婺源，1948年移居香港。自1950年代起，以筆名「金庸」創作多部膾炙人口的武俠小說，包括《射鵰英雄傳》、《神鵰俠侶》、《鹿鼎記》等，歷年來金庸筆下的著作屢次改編為電視劇、電影等，對華人影視文化可謂貢獻重大，亦奠定其成為華人知名作家的基礎。金庸早年於香港創辦《明報》系列報刊，他亦被稱為「香港四大才子」之一。
Source: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E9%87...
Cha's fiction, which is of the wuxia ("martial arts and chivalry") genre, has a widespread following in Chinese-speaking areas, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His 15 works written between 1955 and 1972 earned him a reputation as one of the finest wuxia writers ever. He is currently the best-selling Chinese author alive; over 100 million copies of his works have been sold worldwide (not including unknown number of bootleg copies).
Cha's works have been translated into English, French, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese, Malay and Indonesian. He has many fans abroad as well, owing to the numerous adaptations of his works into films, television series, comics and video games.
金庸，大紫荊勳賢，OBE（英語：Louis Cha Leung-yung，1924年3月10日－2018年10月30日），本名查良鏞，浙江海寧人，祖籍江西婺源，1948年移居香港。自1950年代起，以筆名「金庸」創作多部膾炙人口的武俠小說，包括《射鵰英雄傳》、《神鵰俠侶》、《鹿鼎記》等，歷年來金庸筆下的著作屢次改編為電視劇、電影等，對華人影視文化可謂貢獻重大，亦奠定其成為華人知名作家的基礎。金庸早年於香港創辦《明報》系列報刊，他亦被稱為「香港四大才子」之一。
Source: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E9%87...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
September 6, 2021
3.5 Stars
I am happy to finish the conclusion of the first Condor series. I didn't love it quite as much as the first three books, but that may be because I read this one rather than listened to the audiobook. I definitely plan to reread it via the audio experience because I find it helps me to envision the action. I enjoyed the relationship between our two main characters along with the inclusion of a major historical figure. This was a fun conclusion, but not quite as epic as I expected. Again, I look forward to revisiting to entertaining kung fu series.
I am happy to finish the conclusion of the first Condor series. I didn't love it quite as much as the first three books, but that may be because I read this one rather than listened to the audiobook. I definitely plan to reread it via the audio experience because I find it helps me to envision the action. I enjoyed the relationship between our two main characters along with the inclusion of a major historical figure. This was a fun conclusion, but not quite as epic as I expected. Again, I look forward to revisiting to entertaining kung fu series.
August 29, 2021
I have said so before, and I will say it again: this is like Dickens or even Tolstoy in scale and vision, but with kung fu and adventures! The saga spans wide all across China torn between Song and Jin Empires, raided by Mongols, corrupt, ravaged by war and dangerous, but so so beautiful and poetic.
I love love love every single word of it — and not just because it is wuxia, and I am forever the kung fu girl.
The story is masterful, the characters are beautifully written and they change and grow before our eyes in the familiar style of European psychological prose while remaining aligned with Chinese tradition, interesting, whimsical, loveable, funny, scary or despicable. The events unfold at a rapid pace, one dangerous encounter after another, from happy chance meeting to a tragedy and then to another happenstance. It's beautiful, well written, awesomely translated (All hail Gigi Chang! Shelly Bryant! Anna Holmwood!). (And omg the audio version? I am forever in love with Daniel York Loh, he is brilliant!)
And the only thing that's missing to make this insanely popular is a Netflix dramatisation (I am hopeful). This is a fucking treasure people, I can't stop gushing about these books. The next one is being translated even now, there are 10, I think, in total, and I am going to hoard them all and escape the world with them, because they are a perfect forget-it-all fuck-reality getaway transport into a different, wonderful and colourful world.
I love love love every single word of it — and not just because it is wuxia, and I am forever the kung fu girl.
The story is masterful, the characters are beautifully written and they change and grow before our eyes in the familiar style of European psychological prose while remaining aligned with Chinese tradition, interesting, whimsical, loveable, funny, scary or despicable. The events unfold at a rapid pace, one dangerous encounter after another, from happy chance meeting to a tragedy and then to another happenstance. It's beautiful, well written, awesomely translated (All hail Gigi Chang! Shelly Bryant! Anna Holmwood!). (And omg the audio version? I am forever in love with Daniel York Loh, he is brilliant!)
And the only thing that's missing to make this insanely popular is a Netflix dramatisation (I am hopeful). This is a fucking treasure people, I can't stop gushing about these books. The next one is being translated even now, there are 10, I think, in total, and I am going to hoard them all and escape the world with them, because they are a perfect forget-it-all fuck-reality getaway transport into a different, wonderful and colourful world.
August 27, 2021
A Heart Divided is book 4 in Jin Yong’s Legends of the Condor Heroes and the last of the series. Before I get too deep into the review, let me direct to my reviews of the first three books in the series here: A Hero Born, A Bond Undone, and A Snake Lies Waiting. I recommend digging into those reviews, because I think it is interesting seeing how my views on this series have changed.
I originally got into this series with A Hero Born, and I just thought it was a cool book with lots of great martial arts fights. And it is definitely that. But three books later, and having traveled the full journey, I see there is so much more to it. This transformation in my thinking began with A Snake Lies Waiting (book 3 in the series). The first two books did an amazing job of grabbing my attention and introducing me to the characters and their various relationships. There are many characters and so much interrelational dealings that at times it was hard to keep track. But, it is so important to stick with it, and I give a lot of credit to Yong for the way the author was able to develop the character set and the story that by the third book things had become second nature to me.
And I say that is perfect timing, because the last two books of the series are really when stuff hits the fan. Particularly in A Heart Divided, the characters reap the consequences of their actions. Up until now there was a lot of set up for the big fights to come, but now that the time for those fights has arrived reality has started to set in for everyone involved. This is where the depth of the story comes in. Rivals, friends, enemies, allies, lovers, masters, students, parents, kids, cousins, husbands, wives, emperors, generals – everything comes into play as the story plays out, and the tension that has been building for a lifetime is about to get its final payoff.
I am not exaggerating when I say “lifetime”, either, as it has literally been that for some of the characters, Guo Jing in particular. The narrative in book 1 begins with Guo Jing as a very young boy watching his father get murdered for being loyal to the Song Empire. I think watching Guo Jing grow up has been my favorite aspect of this series. He goes from boy to young man to adult in the span of four books. He learns so much about the world, experiencing love and loss in spades, having to make difficult choices along the way, always trying to do the right thing while guarding his honor and the honor of those about whom he cares at the same time. It is not an easy series for him, but so much of it goes back to this being a time of war for the Empire and that is the cause of many difficulties. I have to say that in the beginning of the story I did not feel much of an emotional connection to him, but throughout the series and experiencing all of the trials and tribulations right along with him that connection grew to be quite strong. In the end, I really cared about what happened to Guo Jing and where he ended up.
Part of the reason why I did not recognize the depth of the story from the beginning is that I was not focusing much on the ongoing war. Much more of the story centered around the war in A Heart Divided than the other 4 books combined, and I liked the extra drama this brought to Guo Jing’s journey. The title of is a double – nay – triple (?) entendre, referring to the questions Jing encounters. He has a lot at stake in the outcome of the war, and so it becomes another layer of suspense in an already seemingly bottomless abyss of anxiety.
I also want to shout out the translators, listed as Anna Holmwood, Gigi Chang, and Shelly Bryant. I do not know much about translating texts, nor can I speak a word of Chinese, but the decisions made by the translators of these texts are really evident to me. In my opinion, they did not try to Westernize the language too much, leaving in words and phrases that represent the Chinese culture being presented by the author, Jin Yong. There are so many times where I thought, “what is this character trying to say” because the phrasing did not fit within the English language template in my head. I was left to figure it out using the surrounding context, and by doing so the book demands a certain level of focus and adjustment to the language. I am really grateful for that, because it meant I was much more invested in every detail of the story.
A Heart Divided is the perfect ending to a series that has only gotten better with each subsequent release. It stays true to the other three books in the series with great martial arts battles, continued character growth, and a story full of suspense. Even better, it improves upon all of these aspects and gives the readers a fitting ending. I definitely recommend this series.
I originally got into this series with A Hero Born, and I just thought it was a cool book with lots of great martial arts fights. And it is definitely that. But three books later, and having traveled the full journey, I see there is so much more to it. This transformation in my thinking began with A Snake Lies Waiting (book 3 in the series). The first two books did an amazing job of grabbing my attention and introducing me to the characters and their various relationships. There are many characters and so much interrelational dealings that at times it was hard to keep track. But, it is so important to stick with it, and I give a lot of credit to Yong for the way the author was able to develop the character set and the story that by the third book things had become second nature to me.
And I say that is perfect timing, because the last two books of the series are really when stuff hits the fan. Particularly in A Heart Divided, the characters reap the consequences of their actions. Up until now there was a lot of set up for the big fights to come, but now that the time for those fights has arrived reality has started to set in for everyone involved. This is where the depth of the story comes in. Rivals, friends, enemies, allies, lovers, masters, students, parents, kids, cousins, husbands, wives, emperors, generals – everything comes into play as the story plays out, and the tension that has been building for a lifetime is about to get its final payoff.
I am not exaggerating when I say “lifetime”, either, as it has literally been that for some of the characters, Guo Jing in particular. The narrative in book 1 begins with Guo Jing as a very young boy watching his father get murdered for being loyal to the Song Empire. I think watching Guo Jing grow up has been my favorite aspect of this series. He goes from boy to young man to adult in the span of four books. He learns so much about the world, experiencing love and loss in spades, having to make difficult choices along the way, always trying to do the right thing while guarding his honor and the honor of those about whom he cares at the same time. It is not an easy series for him, but so much of it goes back to this being a time of war for the Empire and that is the cause of many difficulties. I have to say that in the beginning of the story I did not feel much of an emotional connection to him, but throughout the series and experiencing all of the trials and tribulations right along with him that connection grew to be quite strong. In the end, I really cared about what happened to Guo Jing and where he ended up.
Part of the reason why I did not recognize the depth of the story from the beginning is that I was not focusing much on the ongoing war. Much more of the story centered around the war in A Heart Divided than the other 4 books combined, and I liked the extra drama this brought to Guo Jing’s journey. The title of is a double – nay – triple (?) entendre, referring to the questions Jing encounters. He has a lot at stake in the outcome of the war, and so it becomes another layer of suspense in an already seemingly bottomless abyss of anxiety.
I also want to shout out the translators, listed as Anna Holmwood, Gigi Chang, and Shelly Bryant. I do not know much about translating texts, nor can I speak a word of Chinese, but the decisions made by the translators of these texts are really evident to me. In my opinion, they did not try to Westernize the language too much, leaving in words and phrases that represent the Chinese culture being presented by the author, Jin Yong. There are so many times where I thought, “what is this character trying to say” because the phrasing did not fit within the English language template in my head. I was left to figure it out using the surrounding context, and by doing so the book demands a certain level of focus and adjustment to the language. I am really grateful for that, because it meant I was much more invested in every detail of the story.
A Heart Divided is the perfect ending to a series that has only gotten better with each subsequent release. It stays true to the other three books in the series with great martial arts battles, continued character growth, and a story full of suspense. Even better, it improves upon all of these aspects and gives the readers a fitting ending. I definitely recommend this series.
June 6, 2022
I really did miss not having an audiobook for this one but I was also very glad for finally getting to the conclusion of the Legend of the Condor Heroes.
This was definitely a lot more action packed and enjoyable than I found the third book and I read it pretty quickly. However, I did find that I enjoyed the action sequences and the descriptions of the various martial arts moves on audio more than reading. Coming to the plot and characters, I guess there were points which weren’t as satisfactory as I hoped they would be, especially the character arcs of Yang Kang or Mercy Mu. I grew to like Guo Jing a lot more in this book - seeing him fight so much for his love even if he can’t articulate it in words, never lose his devotion for Lotus despite challenging circumstances , trying to find a path and purpose in his life which would be more than just killing people using his superior martial arts skills - it was all very heartening to read and I felt happy that I followed him on this journey throughout. I still have conflicting feelings about Lotus and I can only say that she’ll always keep Guo Jing on his toes. I enjoyed the addition of King Duan and his four generals, their backstories and our couple’s interactions with them were all very interesting. Count Seven Hong also grew in my regard and the one monologue he has towards the end was just spectacular.
I have truly come to appreciate how seamlessly the author integrates historical figures into this action and adventure story and all scenes with Genghis Khan in this book were quite impactful. I guess I was expecting more explosive scenes towards the end and because it didn’t feel that way despite some cool fight scenes, I’m not feeling that high which comes with the end of a beloved series. But I’m still very glad to have gotten to know these characters and this world, and it’s also made me more excited for The Return of the Condor Heroes, whose translation I hope we will get soon. Until then, it’s gonna be a wait and I’m yet unsure if I wanna watch the adaptations in the meantime.
This was definitely a lot more action packed and enjoyable than I found the third book and I read it pretty quickly. However, I did find that I enjoyed the action sequences and the descriptions of the various martial arts moves on audio more than reading. Coming to the plot and characters, I guess there were points which weren’t as satisfactory as I hoped they would be, especially the character arcs of Yang Kang or Mercy Mu. I grew to like Guo Jing a lot more in this book - seeing him fight so much for his love even if he can’t articulate it in words, never lose his devotion for Lotus despite challenging circumstances , trying to find a path and purpose in his life which would be more than just killing people using his superior martial arts skills - it was all very heartening to read and I felt happy that I followed him on this journey throughout. I still have conflicting feelings about Lotus and I can only say that she’ll always keep Guo Jing on his toes. I enjoyed the addition of King Duan and his four generals, their backstories and our couple’s interactions with them were all very interesting. Count Seven Hong also grew in my regard and the one monologue he has towards the end was just spectacular.
I have truly come to appreciate how seamlessly the author integrates historical figures into this action and adventure story and all scenes with Genghis Khan in this book were quite impactful. I guess I was expecting more explosive scenes towards the end and because it didn’t feel that way despite some cool fight scenes, I’m not feeling that high which comes with the end of a beloved series. But I’m still very glad to have gotten to know these characters and this world, and it’s also made me more excited for The Return of the Condor Heroes, whose translation I hope we will get soon. Until then, it’s gonna be a wait and I’m yet unsure if I wanna watch the adaptations in the meantime.
June 3, 2021
I received an advance review copy from St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin) through Netgalley; all opinions are my own and honest.
★ 3.5 stars ★
In terms of plot and themes, this felt rather different from the previous books in some ways while being a logical conclusion in others. While I didn't love all the math and was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of riddles and poems, I do have to give props to the translators for making all the verses work in a different language (though I haven't read this in the original Chinese so I can't judge whether/how much nuance was lost in translation). Honestly I never really enjoy a love triangle, but at least there is genuine conflict — a question of honor and keeping one's word, vs. True Love (I Guess) — and none of the characters is vilified for their role in the whole situation. The narration gets quite heavy on the moralizing/philosophizing in the last section or so, but there's still plenty of martial arts action.
Ultimately, this installment delivers the culmination of this series, coming full circle while demonstrating how far the heroes have come ... and it sets up the sequel series.
★ 3.5 stars ★
In terms of plot and themes, this felt rather different from the previous books in some ways while being a logical conclusion in others. While I didn't love all the math and was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of riddles and poems, I do have to give props to the translators for making all the verses work in a different language (though I haven't read this in the original Chinese so I can't judge whether/how much nuance was lost in translation). Honestly I never really enjoy a love triangle, but at least there is genuine conflict — a question of honor and keeping one's word, vs. True Love (I Guess) — and none of the characters is vilified for their role in the whole situation. The narration gets quite heavy on the moralizing/philosophizing in the last section or so, but there's still plenty of martial arts action.
Ultimately, this installment delivers the culmination of this series, coming full circle while demonstrating how far the heroes have come ... and it sets up the sequel series.
May 27, 2022
A Heart Divided is the fourth book in The Legend of the Condor Heroes series and is filled with martial arts and adventures. I'm not familiar with the series but after I've been gifted a copy of this book I found I enjoyed it. Martial arts is not a typical topic I'd read about, but I was caught up in the characters and the different moves.
The book is 591 pages and I felt certain parts dragged, but since it's the end of the series I understand why so much detail is included. A character list and illustrations are included which enhances the reading experience. The character list is especially helpful since there are many characters to keep up with. A Heart Divided is translated from Chinese by Gigi Chang and Shelly Bryant. The world-building is detailed and the reader is taken on a journey to finish the final chapter of this series.
My opinion is based on this book alone since I'm not familiar with the series, but after what I've read, this book is rich in descriptions and characters and I'm curious to see how the series began. It's interesting to read something that isn't your typical read, that way you discover a whole new territory, a whole new adventure and characters that keep you entertained.
Thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for this gifted copy.
The book is 591 pages and I felt certain parts dragged, but since it's the end of the series I understand why so much detail is included. A character list and illustrations are included which enhances the reading experience. The character list is especially helpful since there are many characters to keep up with. A Heart Divided is translated from Chinese by Gigi Chang and Shelly Bryant. The world-building is detailed and the reader is taken on a journey to finish the final chapter of this series.
My opinion is based on this book alone since I'm not familiar with the series, but after what I've read, this book is rich in descriptions and characters and I'm curious to see how the series began. It's interesting to read something that isn't your typical read, that way you discover a whole new territory, a whole new adventure and characters that keep you entertained.
Thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for this gifted copy.
September 20, 2022
A significant bummer about this series is that I don't think the rest of the books are getting translated. But, man, I would read these books forever. Just love them.
This book continues following our many lovable heroes and villains, but it goes on wild digressions that pull in huge conflicts, like the Mongol conquest and the death of Genghis Khan.
Too much to say, really, and so I'll have more to say later at my newsletter. But this is just fantastic.
This book continues following our many lovable heroes and villains, but it goes on wild digressions that pull in huge conflicts, like the Mongol conquest and the death of Genghis Khan.
Too much to say, really, and so I'll have more to say later at my newsletter. But this is just fantastic.
October 9, 2021
Although I did love this book, it felt a bit less epic than the previous two books. However, it resolved many of the conflicts and misunderstandings of the plot, and that was a good thing to see.
I’m glad this will continue with The Return of the Condor Heroes, because I’d like to see more of the characters and their adventures.
I’m glad this will continue with The Return of the Condor Heroes, because I’d like to see more of the characters and their adventures.
January 31, 2022
Can’t wait this book to end.
The worst book in the serie.
I think I just lost my patience with the characters.
The worst book in the serie.
I think I just lost my patience with the characters.
August 11, 2016
本書主要說明一個男孩子在學習武功的經歷，這孩子就是郭靖。他在學習武藝的過程中遇上不少挫折，也遇到許多武林高手，就如同一個個難關。但他能從錯誤中學習，努力鍛練，而渡過難關，才是我看這本書的最大得着。此外，他寫作了此書啟發了我的創新思維，鼓勵我平時思想要有創意，才能開啟新的思維空間。在故事裏，他創作了一套有1號拳法，又創作了一式式的掌法，也正是吸引了我的注意。最後，在我的閱讀「生涯」裏，金庸這位作家的書籍是首個作家的書能讓我百看不厭，因此我認為這書簡直就是中國史上的巨著，所以我鼓勵大家必定要看這本書。
May 22, 2022
I don’t know how to feel about this. It has taken me five weeks to finish this, but it has nothing to do with the quality of the writing and story, which is top notch, but more the realisation that when I make it to the final page, that’s it! The series is over.
This story went in such a different direction than I expected and yet, I’m still satisfied with the outcomes, and that ending certainly brings a tear to the eye. It still has a lot of kung fu involved whilst being light in the sheer epic of the battles in the previous three books, although I’ll admit that nothing will ever top that stand on the hill with Guo Jing and Genghis Khan against their betrayers. However I loved the treatment of almost all the characters in this final book, and even though upset about The Seven Freaks of the South, it made sense to the outcomes of Guo Jing and Lotus at the end.
I can’t say much more- my mind is still processing that the series is over.
This story went in such a different direction than I expected and yet, I’m still satisfied with the outcomes, and that ending certainly brings a tear to the eye. It still has a lot of kung fu involved whilst being light in the sheer epic of the battles in the previous three books, although I’ll admit that nothing will ever top that stand on the hill with Guo Jing and Genghis Khan against their betrayers. However I loved the treatment of almost all the characters in this final book, and even though upset about The Seven Freaks of the South, it made sense to the outcomes of Guo Jing and Lotus at the end.
I can’t say much more- my mind is still processing that the series is over.
August 3, 2022
Martial arts action and insight into Chinese culture can be found in this installment of the Legends of the Condor Heroes. What galled me about the hero Guo Jing was his rigid adherence to honor when dealing with Viper Ouyang whose character fits his snake nickname. Guo Jing promises not to kill this treacherous man for the sake of his love Lotus Huang and puts himself in danger of being killed. Viper Ouyang comes back from death as often as Freddy Krueger with just as murderous intent to maim and kill. The man is a sociopath that Guo Jing spares in the name of love and a moral duty to do good even if it seems foolish. I agreed with Lotus Huang that you can't treat a dishonorable man like the Viper with the same as an honorable man.
October 6, 2021
Great finish to a great series. It was a lot of fun.
Want to read
August 29, 2022I almost have the entire collection of these new translation in hardcover - so pretty. Only one missing ...
September 24, 2024
Wow!!! Smashing conclusion to Legends of th Condor Heroes. The best volume yet--number four. Best insight and perspective to characters thoughts and mindsets.
December 30, 2021
A HEART DIVIDED
Excellent novel and final chapter to the series. Refreshing after the meandering of the middle chapters to have it get back to what I loved about A Hero Born.
Wow! After liking but not loving ‘A Bond Undone’ and being disappointed and annoyed by ‘A Snake Lies Hidden, I’m so glad that Jin Yong is back here in full form with ‘A Heart Divided’. I loved this, and I usually despise love stories or romance taking center stage in a book, but this was so engaging with a massive backdrop, and different types of things happening. What I mean by that is, yes, there is the martial arts you expect from this series but there’s so much more. I’m going from memory so I might get some names, things wrong.
Ok this is a long review, but I’m so glad that the story got back on track in a big and satisfying end. Madam Ying and King Duan’s chapter would have to be my favorite, an incredibly strong start to the novel, then it maintains its energy from there and continually surprises. I loved being in this world and these characters grew on me, even the ones who kind of annoyed me at times, grew on me. I enjoyed it greatly and will have to come back to more tales of the Condor Heroes in the future.
Excellent novel and final chapter to the series. Refreshing after the meandering of the middle chapters to have it get back to what I loved about A Hero Born.
Wow! After liking but not loving ‘A Bond Undone’ and being disappointed and annoyed by ‘A Snake Lies Hidden, I’m so glad that Jin Yong is back here in full form with ‘A Heart Divided’. I loved this, and I usually despise love stories or romance taking center stage in a book, but this was so engaging with a massive backdrop, and different types of things happening. What I mean by that is, yes, there is the martial arts you expect from this series but there’s so much more. I’m going from memory so I might get some names, things wrong.
Ok this is a long review, but I’m so glad that the story got back on track in a big and satisfying end. Madam Ying and King Duan’s chapter would have to be my favorite, an incredibly strong start to the novel, then it maintains its energy from there and continually surprises. I loved being in this world and these characters grew on me, even the ones who kind of annoyed me at times, grew on me. I enjoyed it greatly and will have to come back to more tales of the Condor Heroes in the future.
November 14, 2021
I'm making this a general review of the whole tetralogy. Wow, where to start. I enjoyed this reading mightily for two main reasons, it's an easy read in terms of the language used, and it's wonderfully well documented.
Reading it was a breeze but what really captured my attention is how well Jin weaves historical facts with the characters of the novel while, at the same time, running a parallel world of martial artists (wulin). From a storytelling point of view, it's hard to switch from one to the other and back and it's a testament to Jin's masterful storytelling skills.
Another facet I loved was how well documented it is, dragging you to an incredible era within China's history, but at the same time, expanding on the existing sources and imagining how mighty heroes used the secret texts of the time. I always wondered how people from the epoch interpreted the cosmological and obscure Taoist manuals, and Jin brings this to life with his wonderful fantasy. And that's the thing, sometimes it's hard to unravel Jin's interpretation from the real historical sources because he braids it so masterfully.
On to the less marvelous aspects, well, it's a rather clique book with a very simple narrative that's easy to read but won't leave a durable mark from the literary perspective. It's definitely no Lord of the Rings as they claim. It's something else, as entertaining and interesting as Tolkien but on a different plain altogether.
While some characters are borderline comic, others are very well defined, even within their simplicity. Here is where you can see what do the Chinese culture feels is important in someone's character vs. the western vision. At some points, it felt that this book has influenced the behavior of a whole generation, in a similar way that the notion of Budo spread like wildfire after WWII in Japan.
That said, the two middle books felt a bit reiterative, and while some scenes were fun to read, eventually it's more of the same. This last volume felt a little rushed, trying to tie up many open plots in a brief amount of time and it shows.
Overall, I highly recommend this book if you like martial arts and Chinese culture. It's a really fun book, hard to put down and very well researched but with plenty of fantasy in it. This particular translation is pretty good from what I could gather so give it a try.
Reading it was a breeze but what really captured my attention is how well Jin weaves historical facts with the characters of the novel while, at the same time, running a parallel world of martial artists (wulin). From a storytelling point of view, it's hard to switch from one to the other and back and it's a testament to Jin's masterful storytelling skills.
Another facet I loved was how well documented it is, dragging you to an incredible era within China's history, but at the same time, expanding on the existing sources and imagining how mighty heroes used the secret texts of the time. I always wondered how people from the epoch interpreted the cosmological and obscure Taoist manuals, and Jin brings this to life with his wonderful fantasy. And that's the thing, sometimes it's hard to unravel Jin's interpretation from the real historical sources because he braids it so masterfully.
On to the less marvelous aspects, well, it's a rather clique book with a very simple narrative that's easy to read but won't leave a durable mark from the literary perspective. It's definitely no Lord of the Rings as they claim. It's something else, as entertaining and interesting as Tolkien but on a different plain altogether.
While some characters are borderline comic, others are very well defined, even within their simplicity. Here is where you can see what do the Chinese culture feels is important in someone's character vs. the western vision. At some points, it felt that this book has influenced the behavior of a whole generation, in a similar way that the notion of Budo spread like wildfire after WWII in Japan.
That said, the two middle books felt a bit reiterative, and while some scenes were fun to read, eventually it's more of the same. This last volume felt a little rushed, trying to tie up many open plots in a brief amount of time and it shows.
Overall, I highly recommend this book if you like martial arts and Chinese culture. It's a really fun book, hard to put down and very well researched but with plenty of fantasy in it. This particular translation is pretty good from what I could gather so give it a try.
October 10, 2024
what a super satisfying finale to a super long series!!!!!!! oh man i had my doubts but it was fun AND funny from start to end
this week, i finished the exciting finale of the very long 4-book Condor Heroes wuxia series
my parents told me that this was wildly popular when they were teenagers. it was like their harry potter. i had my doubts but after finishing the whole thing i understand why everyone loved it. it’s just so entertaining and funny, once you look past the blatant nationalism and confucianist drivel. tbh my eyes glazed over when the characters started reciting poetry and i skipped to the fighting. there is a lot of fighting. so much!! everyone in this book is hot-tempered and will fight you on sight. they would fight the sun if they could. but they also have sad backstories. if you are like me and cannot really understand the historical context, just treat the series like something pulpy and enjoy the spectacle. genghis khan is pretty cool here. and birds are large enough to carry a person. imagine that!
as someone whose mandarin skills are passably conversational at best, it took awhile to get used to the translated names. and there were SO MANY because it is a wuxia series so every kungfu move has a super long name. my parents assure me that it all sounds much cooler in the original language tho hahaha. like what is The Haughty Dragon Repents? i love the move but this translation gives me cognitive dissonance.
ok but i have to say that my favourite character is Lotus/黄蓉 bc she is surprisingly a feminist icon with both brains and beauty, going around defeating scores of unlikeable mansplainers or old men who look down on her for her age or gender. she’s so free of stuffy conventions and doesn’t put marriage on a pedestal, it’s admirable.
after all my effort, i have a few key takeaways:
1️⃣ you can succeed in life so long as you have a super clever girlfriend.
2️⃣ if a snake is squeezing you to death, u should bite it to drink its blood so that u can level up.
3️⃣ u don’t have to forgive or spare yr enemies if they are irredeemably evil. just yeet them off a cliff.
4️⃣ don’t swear brotherhood with anyone bc the heavens can and will test you.
this week, i finished the exciting finale of the very long 4-book Condor Heroes wuxia series
my parents told me that this was wildly popular when they were teenagers. it was like their harry potter. i had my doubts but after finishing the whole thing i understand why everyone loved it. it’s just so entertaining and funny, once you look past the blatant nationalism and confucianist drivel. tbh my eyes glazed over when the characters started reciting poetry and i skipped to the fighting. there is a lot of fighting. so much!! everyone in this book is hot-tempered and will fight you on sight. they would fight the sun if they could. but they also have sad backstories. if you are like me and cannot really understand the historical context, just treat the series like something pulpy and enjoy the spectacle. genghis khan is pretty cool here. and birds are large enough to carry a person. imagine that!
as someone whose mandarin skills are passably conversational at best, it took awhile to get used to the translated names. and there were SO MANY because it is a wuxia series so every kungfu move has a super long name. my parents assure me that it all sounds much cooler in the original language tho hahaha. like what is The Haughty Dragon Repents? i love the move but this translation gives me cognitive dissonance.
ok but i have to say that my favourite character is Lotus/黄蓉 bc she is surprisingly a feminist icon with both brains and beauty, going around defeating scores of unlikeable mansplainers or old men who look down on her for her age or gender. she’s so free of stuffy conventions and doesn’t put marriage on a pedestal, it’s admirable.
after all my effort, i have a few key takeaways:
1️⃣ you can succeed in life so long as you have a super clever girlfriend.
2️⃣ if a snake is squeezing you to death, u should bite it to drink its blood so that u can level up.
3️⃣ u don’t have to forgive or spare yr enemies if they are irredeemably evil. just yeet them off a cliff.
4️⃣ don’t swear brotherhood with anyone bc the heavens can and will test you.
July 17, 2025
One thing I find interesting about these books: every time the characters encounter a piece of art--a painting, a poem, a piece of calligraphy-- there's a very particular rhetoric around what makes art good: it is concise, it is executed with exemplary skill, it encodes something true about the world, it fits into a true account of our cultural history. General Tso's poem about the frosts over Panda Inn is good because those frosts were really there, over Panda Inn, and because General Tso was a great patriot, and we ought to understand the importance of his retreat from Panda Inn. These moments are very strange for two reasons. One of them is that the poetry, as translated here, is generally mid-to-inept. (Tangentially, there's a riddle-poem where the solution is a word spelt as an acrostic, and somehow this didn't deserve an endnote about what was actually going on.) The other is probably the bigger thing: that is plainly not the aesthetic mode of the book you are reading, which is clearly not concise, was written rapidly with a view to selling papers, commits great falsehoods w/r/t history (Genghis Khan's conquest of Samarkand did not hinge on wisdom in a kung fu manual) and w/r/t basic mimetic virisimilitude (you can't form a barrier in the air with your qi). As with many things about this experience, I hoped this would add up to something over the course of the reading but I left thinking Louis Cha just didn't think it through.
There's a lot less time-wasting in this volume, at least. The first episode is its own little quest narrative where Lotus Huang and Guo Jing have to find Duan Zhixing, the last of the four living great masters, the once King of the South, who is the only person who can heal Lotus's wounds; this involves meeting a witch in a swamp who gives them a cryptic series of instructions where they learn on the way to Duan's they will meet four disciples, the fisher, the logger, the farmer, and the scholar, each of whom turns out to bar their path in a slightly cryptic way: not for the first time I wondered if Louis Cha had read Malory or some other version of the Arthurian cycles, or whether this sort of thing was a case of parallel development. Anyway, this little quest is a tangent but one that's in aid of resolving some dangling plot points, unlike the annoying hundred pages of shipwreck betrayal that commenced the last volume. The witch, Madam Ying, it turns out, is the one love affair Zhou Botong had, which is why he's been so anti-women the whole time; she had his kid, even though she was at the time Duan's consort; when someone killed this kid Duan couldn't bring himself to heal it, and after that moral failure he has resigned from the world, which is why he hasn't appeared in the previous 1,300 pages. We later learn that the guy who killed the kid was Qiu Quanren--the genuine Qiu, the one who injured Lotus in the previous book, not the false Qiu who appeared in book two--but by that time I'd kind of lost track of what possible motivation he had for it. A lot of this stuff just happens to happen.
Guo Jing goes back to the Mongols after his first shifus are massacred by Viper Ouyang and Yang Kang. This would be good except there's another really over-egged misunderstanding where all the evidence arranges itself for Guo to think Lotus's father is responsible, and Lotus's father is of course too proud to correct the mistake, and so on, and so on, and that's another two hundred pages we get to extend this right there. The martial competition said shifus set up at the start of book two finally happens, except that all but one of them are dead; Wanyan Honglie also just has the army attack everyone involved. Lotus Huang figures out Yang and the Viper are responsible and largely tricks Yang Kang into a death I think was deliberately anticlimactic but who knows. She's captured by the Viper (for, I think, the first of three times in this book) and Guo searches for her, can't find her, that's when he goes back to the Mongols, she secretly finds him, having escaped; they end up leading the Mongol conquest of Samarkand. Guo realises indiscriminate civilian slaughter is bad. Lotus goes back on the bit of characterisation I liked in the last book, where she understood that Guo Jing was in a double bind because he'd given his word to marry Khojin, and instead becomes a sort of stock character jealous wench. I felt like we hit the new translator hard at this point, because people stopped saying things like "it is what it is" and started saying things like "tright-ploth"; the narrator stopped saying things like "fog" and started saying "brume." This stopped after a couple of chapters, though. On the whole I think I preferred that parallel version of the book better.
Guo finds out Genghis Khan wants him to lead an invasion of Song China, and threatens to kill his mother if he won't; his mother kills herself to get him out of this double bind; characters from book one collude to help him escape the Mongols. This high melodrama stuff is pretty good. Less good: everyone assembles for a big dust-up on Mount Hua, the sequel to the one years previous to determine the greatest martial artist, and when Viper Ouyang arrives he's been driven mad after Lotus tricks him into studying the corrupted version Nine Yin Manual she had Guo write somewhere in book three. This feels like it ought to be much cooler than it is; unfortunately we've long crossed my personal rubicon for kung fu silliness, and Viper standing on his head and inverting his qi meridians is not the most interesting kind of insane. Also, the Zhou Botong-Madam Ying thing is resolved with him running down the mountain shitting himself and her chasing after him and out of the book.
Between the silly parts we get Cha really remembering he has themes and telling the reader about them very overtly. Guo Jing spends a chapter wondering if the martial arts are bad actually, if the capacity for violence is not of itself bad; actually I quite like the way this resolves, with Qiu Quanren facing down people who want to kill him with a 'can you justify every act of violence you've done' argument and walking away before Count Seven Hong appears and tells him he's killed two hundred and thirty seven people and they all deserved it. Guo eventually does decide that yes, he can use violence to defend the weak and his motherland. I had passed the point of caring, really; partly because of the banality of the argument, partly the banality of the writing, at least in this translation. "The thought of the inevitable Mongol invasion dragged Guo Jing's spirits down even further." The book ends with a quick leap to a future point: Genghis Khan, dying, calls Guo Jing back for a final conversation where Guo tells him actually conquering other nations at the cost of massive civilian suffering is not heroism. Earlier Khan has told him, you are Han, it was wrong for us to expect you to be Mongol. That's about the level, ultimately, and I don't really think the grand historical irony--Cha's readers know in two generations China will be led by the Mongols--does much for it.
There's a lot less time-wasting in this volume, at least. The first episode is its own little quest narrative where Lotus Huang and Guo Jing have to find Duan Zhixing, the last of the four living great masters, the once King of the South, who is the only person who can heal Lotus's wounds; this involves meeting a witch in a swamp who gives them a cryptic series of instructions where they learn on the way to Duan's they will meet four disciples, the fisher, the logger, the farmer, and the scholar, each of whom turns out to bar their path in a slightly cryptic way: not for the first time I wondered if Louis Cha had read Malory or some other version of the Arthurian cycles, or whether this sort of thing was a case of parallel development. Anyway, this little quest is a tangent but one that's in aid of resolving some dangling plot points, unlike the annoying hundred pages of shipwreck betrayal that commenced the last volume. The witch, Madam Ying, it turns out, is the one love affair Zhou Botong had, which is why he's been so anti-women the whole time; she had his kid, even though she was at the time Duan's consort; when someone killed this kid Duan couldn't bring himself to heal it, and after that moral failure he has resigned from the world, which is why he hasn't appeared in the previous 1,300 pages. We later learn that the guy who killed the kid was Qiu Quanren--the genuine Qiu, the one who injured Lotus in the previous book, not the false Qiu who appeared in book two--but by that time I'd kind of lost track of what possible motivation he had for it. A lot of this stuff just happens to happen.
Guo Jing goes back to the Mongols after his first shifus are massacred by Viper Ouyang and Yang Kang. This would be good except there's another really over-egged misunderstanding where all the evidence arranges itself for Guo to think Lotus's father is responsible, and Lotus's father is of course too proud to correct the mistake, and so on, and so on, and that's another two hundred pages we get to extend this right there. The martial competition said shifus set up at the start of book two finally happens, except that all but one of them are dead; Wanyan Honglie also just has the army attack everyone involved. Lotus Huang figures out Yang and the Viper are responsible and largely tricks Yang Kang into a death I think was deliberately anticlimactic but who knows. She's captured by the Viper (for, I think, the first of three times in this book) and Guo searches for her, can't find her, that's when he goes back to the Mongols, she secretly finds him, having escaped; they end up leading the Mongol conquest of Samarkand. Guo realises indiscriminate civilian slaughter is bad. Lotus goes back on the bit of characterisation I liked in the last book, where she understood that Guo Jing was in a double bind because he'd given his word to marry Khojin, and instead becomes a sort of stock character jealous wench. I felt like we hit the new translator hard at this point, because people stopped saying things like "it is what it is" and started saying things like "tright-ploth"; the narrator stopped saying things like "fog" and started saying "brume." This stopped after a couple of chapters, though. On the whole I think I preferred that parallel version of the book better.
Guo finds out Genghis Khan wants him to lead an invasion of Song China, and threatens to kill his mother if he won't; his mother kills herself to get him out of this double bind; characters from book one collude to help him escape the Mongols. This high melodrama stuff is pretty good. Less good: everyone assembles for a big dust-up on Mount Hua, the sequel to the one years previous to determine the greatest martial artist, and when Viper Ouyang arrives he's been driven mad after Lotus tricks him into studying the corrupted version Nine Yin Manual she had Guo write somewhere in book three. This feels like it ought to be much cooler than it is; unfortunately we've long crossed my personal rubicon for kung fu silliness, and Viper standing on his head and inverting his qi meridians is not the most interesting kind of insane. Also, the Zhou Botong-Madam Ying thing is resolved with him running down the mountain shitting himself and her chasing after him and out of the book.
Between the silly parts we get Cha really remembering he has themes and telling the reader about them very overtly. Guo Jing spends a chapter wondering if the martial arts are bad actually, if the capacity for violence is not of itself bad; actually I quite like the way this resolves, with Qiu Quanren facing down people who want to kill him with a 'can you justify every act of violence you've done' argument and walking away before Count Seven Hong appears and tells him he's killed two hundred and thirty seven people and they all deserved it. Guo eventually does decide that yes, he can use violence to defend the weak and his motherland. I had passed the point of caring, really; partly because of the banality of the argument, partly the banality of the writing, at least in this translation. "The thought of the inevitable Mongol invasion dragged Guo Jing's spirits down even further." The book ends with a quick leap to a future point: Genghis Khan, dying, calls Guo Jing back for a final conversation where Guo tells him actually conquering other nations at the cost of massive civilian suffering is not heroism. Earlier Khan has told him, you are Han, it was wrong for us to expect you to be Mongol. That's about the level, ultimately, and I don't really think the grand historical irony--Cha's readers know in two generations China will be led by the Mongols--does much for it.
September 16, 2021
"Being a hero can't save your life"
Yay! I finally got to finish Jin Yong’s influential and wonderful Legends of the Condor Heroes (1957-59), as the fourth and final volume of the classic wuxia epic, A Heart Divided, capably translated into English for the first time by Gigi Chang and Shelly Bryant (2020), recently became available on Audible.
The last volume starts where the third left off: the young soulmates Guo Jing and Lotus Huang are escaping from the Iron Palm Gang, when Guo Jing carries his terribly wounded lover into a black swamp, desperate to find help for her. There they find a bizarre woman, Madam Ying the Supreme Reckoner, prematurely aged after ten years in the swamp spent mastering her own Weatherfish Slip kung fu technique and trying to solve abstruse mathematical problems, all in her effort to get revenge. “For more than a decade, Madame Yang had been curdling in shattered dreams of lost love, growing ever more bitter and spiteful.” Thus, when she sees the earnest young lovers, she wavers between helping them and relishing their plight. How should Guo Jing and Lotus interpret her recited poem about love prematurely turning the hair white like the white plumes on mandarin ducks who mate for life? Or her saying things like, “It’s human nature to stand by and do nothing. Any fool can beg.” Should Guo Jing and Lotus believe her assertion that Lotus has but three days to live and that the only person who can save her is three days’ distance?
Many other questions are raised in this last volume of the epic:
What will Guo Jing and Lotus do about his dilemma, knowing that they are soulmates but that he promised to marry Genghis Kahn’s daughter Khojin? What will happen when Genghis Kahn sets his sights on Guo Jing’s Song Empire in the south? Which martial master will win the twenty-year reunion competition on Mount Hua? Will everyone’s worst nemesis Viper Ouyang ever get his just deserts? Will the love triangle between Soul Light, the Hoary Urchin, and Madam Ying get resolved? Will Guo Jing return his scheming and lying blood brother Yang Kang back to “the path of righteousness”? Will he finally get revenge on the slimy Jin prince Wanyang Honlie for the murder of his parents or reunite with his first martial mentors, the Six Freaks of the South? Will he find a way to live in the world with kung fu when fearing that his pursuit of martial excellence has only brought harm to other people?
The way such questions are answered is satisfying but sad, and the tone of this last volume is darker than that of the first three, because the entire epic depicts the maturing of Guo Jing and Lotus Huang from innocent teenagers full of the joy of life into more seasoned twenty-year-olds who have experienced soul damaging personal loss and hardship as well as the suffering that war wreaks on common people.
Though it is a darker book than the previous three, it still contains plenty of pleasures. For example, the love between the good, optimistic, and blockheaded Guo Jing and the reckless, brilliant, and scheming Lotus is, as ever, sweet and moving (“I’d rather know no kung fu than see you hurt again”), though it does turn sad (“The more adventures we have together the more memories we'll have to share when we're apart”) and even becomes a little scary (“He wondered at the havoc that love could wreak on the heart”).
There are many colorful kung fu repertoires (e.g., Dog Beating Cane, Dragon Subduing Palm, Cascading Peach Blossom Palms, Exploding Toad) and moves (e.g., Crunch Frost as Ice Freezes, Strike Grass Startle Snake, Flip the Mangey Dog Away). Many lines like, “He then let fly with a Dragon in the Field,” “He aimed at the Great Sun pressure point at the temple,” and “He launched a Hearty Laughter, hooking a finger in the corner of Viper’s mouth.” A panoply of weapons, from the expected (hands, feet, swords, spears etc.) to the exotic (metal fans, iron flutes, scribe brushes, exorcist staffs, martial phlegm, etc.). Needless to say, there’s a lot of imaginative, varied, and suspenseful action, from one-on-one kung fu duels to sieges of great cities.
There are many beautiful and vivid descriptions, like “it [a finger] was as lithe and agile as a dragonfly dipping its tail into water,” and “Perched on the very brink above the jagged rocks below, she resembled a white camellia shivering in a storm.”
There are many memorable aphorisms, such as “Emperors and generals are the bane of the people,” “It is in the nature of cruel and evil men to hate anyone who is their opposite,” “Virtue, loyalty, and integrity are more important than martial or literary prowess,” and “In victory or defeat, to earth we return.”
There is plenty of Jin Yong’s entertainingly outrageous “sheer coincidence,” impossible chance meetings that feel perfectly inevitable.
The audiobook reader Daniel York Loh reads the lines of the large and varied cast of characters with enthusiasm and distinctive personalities and moods and agendas without over-dramatizing and reads the base narration with perfect understanding, pacing, and emphasizing. His readings of all four volumes enhance and unify the texts of their three different translators.
An Appendix: Notes on the Text closes the audiobook, concisely explaining things like lyric poetry, the kingdom of Dali, “rice” paper, jade, a famous translator from Sanskrit into Chinese, spirits in Hinduism and Buddhism, Genghis Kahn, Samarkand, the Confucian canon, and the author Jin Yong (1924-2018) and his works (300 million in legal sales, 1 billion in pirated).
A Heart Divided is a complex novel of many genres: bildungsroman, love story, murder mystery, martial arts novel, historical novel, military novel. Perhaps most affectingly it’s an anti-war novel. The romance of Genghis Kahn unifying the Mongols and conquering a vast empire in the first volume is here starkly revealed to be a vast atrocity, as Guo Jing and Lotus travel past abandoned villages on roads lined with human skeletons. Lotus says, “I know what soldiers are like. You feast on common people.”
A Heart Divided concludes Legends of the Condor Heroes (which has been called the Chinese Lord of the Rings but which is a very different classic) with a somber poem:
Embers in the flames of war,
Few homes left in villages poor.
No rush to cross the river at dawn,
The flawed moon sinks into cold sand.
Yay! I finally got to finish Jin Yong’s influential and wonderful Legends of the Condor Heroes (1957-59), as the fourth and final volume of the classic wuxia epic, A Heart Divided, capably translated into English for the first time by Gigi Chang and Shelly Bryant (2020), recently became available on Audible.
The last volume starts where the third left off: the young soulmates Guo Jing and Lotus Huang are escaping from the Iron Palm Gang, when Guo Jing carries his terribly wounded lover into a black swamp, desperate to find help for her. There they find a bizarre woman, Madam Ying the Supreme Reckoner, prematurely aged after ten years in the swamp spent mastering her own Weatherfish Slip kung fu technique and trying to solve abstruse mathematical problems, all in her effort to get revenge. “For more than a decade, Madame Yang had been curdling in shattered dreams of lost love, growing ever more bitter and spiteful.” Thus, when she sees the earnest young lovers, she wavers between helping them and relishing their plight. How should Guo Jing and Lotus interpret her recited poem about love prematurely turning the hair white like the white plumes on mandarin ducks who mate for life? Or her saying things like, “It’s human nature to stand by and do nothing. Any fool can beg.” Should Guo Jing and Lotus believe her assertion that Lotus has but three days to live and that the only person who can save her is three days’ distance?
Many other questions are raised in this last volume of the epic:
What will Guo Jing and Lotus do about his dilemma, knowing that they are soulmates but that he promised to marry Genghis Kahn’s daughter Khojin? What will happen when Genghis Kahn sets his sights on Guo Jing’s Song Empire in the south? Which martial master will win the twenty-year reunion competition on Mount Hua? Will everyone’s worst nemesis Viper Ouyang ever get his just deserts? Will the love triangle between Soul Light, the Hoary Urchin, and Madam Ying get resolved? Will Guo Jing return his scheming and lying blood brother Yang Kang back to “the path of righteousness”? Will he finally get revenge on the slimy Jin prince Wanyang Honlie for the murder of his parents or reunite with his first martial mentors, the Six Freaks of the South? Will he find a way to live in the world with kung fu when fearing that his pursuit of martial excellence has only brought harm to other people?
The way such questions are answered is satisfying but sad, and the tone of this last volume is darker than that of the first three, because the entire epic depicts the maturing of Guo Jing and Lotus Huang from innocent teenagers full of the joy of life into more seasoned twenty-year-olds who have experienced soul damaging personal loss and hardship as well as the suffering that war wreaks on common people.
Though it is a darker book than the previous three, it still contains plenty of pleasures. For example, the love between the good, optimistic, and blockheaded Guo Jing and the reckless, brilliant, and scheming Lotus is, as ever, sweet and moving (“I’d rather know no kung fu than see you hurt again”), though it does turn sad (“The more adventures we have together the more memories we'll have to share when we're apart”) and even becomes a little scary (“He wondered at the havoc that love could wreak on the heart”).
There are many colorful kung fu repertoires (e.g., Dog Beating Cane, Dragon Subduing Palm, Cascading Peach Blossom Palms, Exploding Toad) and moves (e.g., Crunch Frost as Ice Freezes, Strike Grass Startle Snake, Flip the Mangey Dog Away). Many lines like, “He then let fly with a Dragon in the Field,” “He aimed at the Great Sun pressure point at the temple,” and “He launched a Hearty Laughter, hooking a finger in the corner of Viper’s mouth.” A panoply of weapons, from the expected (hands, feet, swords, spears etc.) to the exotic (metal fans, iron flutes, scribe brushes, exorcist staffs, martial phlegm, etc.). Needless to say, there’s a lot of imaginative, varied, and suspenseful action, from one-on-one kung fu duels to sieges of great cities.
There are many beautiful and vivid descriptions, like “it [a finger] was as lithe and agile as a dragonfly dipping its tail into water,” and “Perched on the very brink above the jagged rocks below, she resembled a white camellia shivering in a storm.”
There are many memorable aphorisms, such as “Emperors and generals are the bane of the people,” “It is in the nature of cruel and evil men to hate anyone who is their opposite,” “Virtue, loyalty, and integrity are more important than martial or literary prowess,” and “In victory or defeat, to earth we return.”
There is plenty of Jin Yong’s entertainingly outrageous “sheer coincidence,” impossible chance meetings that feel perfectly inevitable.
The audiobook reader Daniel York Loh reads the lines of the large and varied cast of characters with enthusiasm and distinctive personalities and moods and agendas without over-dramatizing and reads the base narration with perfect understanding, pacing, and emphasizing. His readings of all four volumes enhance and unify the texts of their three different translators.
An Appendix: Notes on the Text closes the audiobook, concisely explaining things like lyric poetry, the kingdom of Dali, “rice” paper, jade, a famous translator from Sanskrit into Chinese, spirits in Hinduism and Buddhism, Genghis Kahn, Samarkand, the Confucian canon, and the author Jin Yong (1924-2018) and his works (300 million in legal sales, 1 billion in pirated).
A Heart Divided is a complex novel of many genres: bildungsroman, love story, murder mystery, martial arts novel, historical novel, military novel. Perhaps most affectingly it’s an anti-war novel. The romance of Genghis Kahn unifying the Mongols and conquering a vast empire in the first volume is here starkly revealed to be a vast atrocity, as Guo Jing and Lotus travel past abandoned villages on roads lined with human skeletons. Lotus says, “I know what soldiers are like. You feast on common people.”
A Heart Divided concludes Legends of the Condor Heroes (which has been called the Chinese Lord of the Rings but which is a very different classic) with a somber poem:
Embers in the flames of war,
Few homes left in villages poor.
No rush to cross the river at dawn,
The flawed moon sinks into cold sand.
January 3, 2025
Wow. What an ending to a great series. Literally so much happens in this book that it is hard to summarise and give a review.
Something that has been happening in the background but comes to the fore here is the invasion of Genghis Khan. We knew it was coming, and now it takes up a lot of the plot here. This allows the book to show the horrors of war, and how Guo Jing and his entangled relationship all need to get resolved. This is a part of the book I really enjoyed.
Actually, something that really happened here was the drama and tension of Guo Jing and Lotus Huang. They both absolutely go through the wringer here, and just when you think it couldn't get worse it does. A Heart Divided is a great name for this book, as it really is the heart, the body and the soul that gets beaten up again and again.
The action was great as always, and the prose style still had that amazing fable quality to it. I really liked the character progression in this one though, something that was far better than in previous books in the series. Guo Jing really grows up and learns a lot more about how the world works and how he can fit into it whilst keeping just and righteous.
This is one of the best series I have ever read, and I see in the back that the sequel series is being translated.
I am so pleased my brother bought this for me for my birthday randomly. What a find!
Something that has been happening in the background but comes to the fore here is the invasion of Genghis Khan. We knew it was coming, and now it takes up a lot of the plot here. This allows the book to show the horrors of war, and how Guo Jing and his entangled relationship all need to get resolved. This is a part of the book I really enjoyed.
Actually, something that really happened here was the drama and tension of Guo Jing and Lotus Huang. They both absolutely go through the wringer here, and just when you think it couldn't get worse it does. A Heart Divided is a great name for this book, as it really is the heart, the body and the soul that gets beaten up again and again.
The action was great as always, and the prose style still had that amazing fable quality to it. I really liked the character progression in this one though, something that was far better than in previous books in the series. Guo Jing really grows up and learns a lot more about how the world works and how he can fit into it whilst keeping just and righteous.
This is one of the best series I have ever read, and I see in the back that the sequel series is being translated.
I am so pleased my brother bought this for me for my birthday randomly. What a find!
October 2, 2024
I should rate this book two stars, but I'm giving it three stars because I am trying to put it in the rifht perspective.
First, I will say what I had the feeling throughout the whole saga but didn't say it yet.
This is a children's book.
It may not seem so at a first glance, because of the length of the work, and of the richness of its writing. Children today would not be likely to read such a work. But it was written back at a time when reading was more popular and education better. This is a book for children who like to read and are quite literate.
The reasons why it's a children's book is that most of what happens in the story is so full of naivety that an adult reader simply cannot digest it. It goes beyond a genuine sense of suspension of disbelief, to the point that the whole world seems incredibly small and completely centered around the main characters. It is amazing how often the characters meet the usual guys over and over again. In particular, at the end, the event makes the reader feel like China is insignificant, and the whole world, not just the plot, revolves around the main characters. At some point in the story, Khojin thinks: "No, she shouldn't search for me. How do you find one person under this vast sky?" This question appears ridiculous considering all the apparently random encounters between the main characters and the usual friends or foes throughout the four books, and the answer appears to be: "You definitely do if it's functional to the story".
Another reason why it is a children's book is the degree of Mary Sue and Gary Stu that are infused in Lotus Huang and Guo Jing. The worst example is when .
There are also some significant contradictions, details that the author blatantly chooses to ignore. For example, Lotus Huang's Hedgehog Armor is incredibly dangerous and everybody gets savagely hurt and bleeding just by touching her lightly, except when she rushes to hug her father.
At some point, the book takes a darker and interesting turn at some point, leaving a feeling of mystery that gets solved much later in the book. Apart from that, it is the usual, exceedingly long, continuous series of fights among the same old guys.
So, summing up, if I try to read it with an adult's eyes, it deserves two stars, but if I consider it a children's book then I can rate it better. Still too long though.
Also, now I can finally say, once and for all, that this book contains no fantasy whatsoever. There are some fantastic elements, but they are not achieved by means of supernatural explanations, as in fantasy, but rather through kung fu, use of inner strength, and the like.
If I may draw a final line, there is a big mistake when this book is presented as "the Chinese Lord of the Rings". At most, it would be the Chinese Hobbit.
First, I will say what I had the feeling throughout the whole saga but didn't say it yet.
This is a children's book.
It may not seem so at a first glance, because of the length of the work, and of the richness of its writing. Children today would not be likely to read such a work. But it was written back at a time when reading was more popular and education better. This is a book for children who like to read and are quite literate.
The reasons why it's a children's book is that most of what happens in the story is so full of naivety that an adult reader simply cannot digest it. It goes beyond a genuine sense of suspension of disbelief, to the point that the whole world seems incredibly small and completely centered around the main characters. It is amazing how often the characters meet the usual guys over and over again. In particular, at the end, the event makes the reader feel like China is insignificant, and the whole world, not just the plot, revolves around the main characters. At some point in the story, Khojin thinks: "No, she shouldn't search for me. How do you find one person under this vast sky?" This question appears ridiculous considering all the apparently random encounters between the main characters and the usual friends or foes throughout the four books, and the answer appears to be: "You definitely do if it's functional to the story".
Another reason why it is a children's book is the degree of Mary Sue and Gary Stu that are infused in Lotus Huang and Guo Jing. The worst example is when .
There are also some significant contradictions, details that the author blatantly chooses to ignore. For example, Lotus Huang's Hedgehog Armor is incredibly dangerous and everybody gets savagely hurt and bleeding just by touching her lightly, except when she rushes to hug her father.
At some point, the book takes a darker and interesting turn at some point, leaving a feeling of mystery that gets solved much later in the book. Apart from that, it is the usual, exceedingly long, continuous series of fights among the same old guys.
So, summing up, if I try to read it with an adult's eyes, it deserves two stars, but if I consider it a children's book then I can rate it better. Still too long though.
Also, now I can finally say, once and for all, that this book contains no fantasy whatsoever. There are some fantastic elements, but they are not achieved by means of supernatural explanations, as in fantasy, but rather through kung fu, use of inner strength, and the like.
If I may draw a final line, there is a big mistake when this book is presented as "the Chinese Lord of the Rings". At most, it would be the Chinese Hobbit.
May 1, 2021
I bought the series only because it is the only English translation, and I want my children to be able to read it. Otherwise, I would not have bought this version. They are slightly different from the version I read in my mother-tongue, which was the translation of the original edition back in 1960s (I heard that Jin Yong edited his stories several times).
Before you read this review further, I need to point out that my review has a couple of spoilers, although they are not directly related to the story.
The main things that cause me to give a 3 star rating are:
a) Why did the translator have to English-ize the names? They would not normally change Pietro to Peter when translating a Russian book, or Patel to Headman when translating an Indian book, or Kali to Rosebud when translating a Greek book, for examples. This English-ization of names may be unintended, but it feels not right when translators do this mostly only to Chinese books (I am not a Chinese, by the way).
b) I have not read the whole 4 books. However, I read in passing that in the beginning of Book 1 the translator changed tenses from present tense to past tense, making me think that it was a flashback, although actually it was not.
c) There were not just grammatical errors, but also an incoherent bit, e.g. in the 6th line from top, on page 548 of Book 4, the sentence goes 'He turned to Apothecary Huang, "King Duan, do you concede?" ' Here Apothecary Huang was suddenly called King Duan, who was a different character in the story.
It could be that the edited version Jin Yong wrote had all those mistakes and the translator simply translated them obligingly, or it was the translator who made the mistakes. But I found these just by chance, when reading a few pages in passing. If I read the whole set, I can imagine myself sighing a few more times.
I do hope that for the other Jin Yong books, the copyright holder would choose an excellent translator like John Minford. I read his translation of "The Deer and the Cauldron", and I found no shift of tenses, no grammatical errors, and the story still gave the same sense as the version I read in my childhood (although he also English-ized the names too).
I acknowledge, though, that Jin Yong's novels, especially the Condor Trilogy, were fabulous. I have read all of them more than 5 times. Yet, my view about the protagonists changed several times. As a child and then teenager, I praised the protagonists totally. But when I became an adolescent, I started to have some reservation. And finally, when I have lived a couple more decades, I suddenly realized how clever Jin Yong was with his Condor Trilogy. For example, I asked myself several times, who was actually smarter: Guo Jing or Huang Rong (Lotus Huang)? When I finished with my thinking, I raised my thumbs for the author.
Before you read this review further, I need to point out that my review has a couple of spoilers, although they are not directly related to the story.
The main things that cause me to give a 3 star rating are:
a) Why did the translator have to English-ize the names? They would not normally change Pietro to Peter when translating a Russian book, or Patel to Headman when translating an Indian book, or Kali to Rosebud when translating a Greek book, for examples. This English-ization of names may be unintended, but it feels not right when translators do this mostly only to Chinese books (I am not a Chinese, by the way).
b) I have not read the whole 4 books. However, I read in passing that in the beginning of Book 1 the translator changed tenses from present tense to past tense, making me think that it was a flashback, although actually it was not.
c) There were not just grammatical errors, but also an incoherent bit, e.g. in the 6th line from top, on page 548 of Book 4, the sentence goes 'He turned to Apothecary Huang, "King Duan, do you concede?" ' Here Apothecary Huang was suddenly called King Duan, who was a different character in the story.
It could be that the edited version Jin Yong wrote had all those mistakes and the translator simply translated them obligingly, or it was the translator who made the mistakes. But I found these just by chance, when reading a few pages in passing. If I read the whole set, I can imagine myself sighing a few more times.
I do hope that for the other Jin Yong books, the copyright holder would choose an excellent translator like John Minford. I read his translation of "The Deer and the Cauldron", and I found no shift of tenses, no grammatical errors, and the story still gave the same sense as the version I read in my childhood (although he also English-ized the names too).
I acknowledge, though, that Jin Yong's novels, especially the Condor Trilogy, were fabulous. I have read all of them more than 5 times. Yet, my view about the protagonists changed several times. As a child and then teenager, I praised the protagonists totally. But when I became an adolescent, I started to have some reservation. And finally, when I have lived a couple more decades, I suddenly realized how clever Jin Yong was with his Condor Trilogy. For example, I asked myself several times, who was actually smarter: Guo Jing or Huang Rong (Lotus Huang)? When I finished with my thinking, I raised my thumbs for the author.
May 21, 2024
I wasn't able to write a review of A Snake Lies Waiting because I lost access to my Goodreads account around the time I finished it. I think the review would be fairly similar to this one, though...
I've come to the end of Legends of the Condor Heroes, and I'm glad I made my way through the whole saga (I think 2000+ pages). It's interesting to read a popular story in a genre that I haven't really encountered in literature before, and I enjoyed a lot of the stories. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis the story puts on the value of learning, tactics, and strategy in kung fu - probably simply because I'm a newcomer to the genre, I hadn't expected so many pages of martial artists ruminating on how to develop new techniques to counter their opponents' skills. It's also a delight how much other skills - cooking, music, even mockery - are cherished by the characters. It drives home the (very useful) translator's note on one of the earlier volumes reminding readers that "kung fu" in its original meaning could refer to any remarkable skill achieved through practice/rigor.
The story itself if fine, but I have to admit I've struggled a bit in the fourth book (and even parts of the third, if I'm being honest). The fact that the Legends were originally published serially, in newspaper format, become more and more evident as the narrative sprawls, introducing (and improbably bringing back) more and more characters with ties to the existing ones. Sometimes this is compelling - Consort Liu, a woman who's introduced in the beginning of this book, is a great character (more so than Zhou Botong, the already established character she's unfortunately and somewhat bizarrely attached to) - but at other times it starts to feel wearisome. Every individual episode passes fairly quickly, but it starts to feel at times like they don't add up to much. (I forgot how one fairly major character died a few chapters after his death.)
The end of A Heart Divided takes some surprising twists and turns, returning Guo Jing to the Mongol society of his upbringing with vastly improved martial skills and a greatly expanded perspective on the world. This is one of the most interesting parts of the book because, like the first volume of the story, it both touches on actual history and allows Yong to grapple openly with larger themes. The saga ends on a surprisingly dour note, with a character who's achieved extraordinary martial ability reflecting on the horrors of war and rather ambivalent about the violence that's pervaded the previous 1900 or so pages. It's an unexpected but not unwelcome twist, and seems to nod toward the paradox that one can't escape violence without committing violence. Bleak, for sure, but in the ending of the story there's a gleam of hope in the beauty of interconnected lives and true love, as well.
I've come to the end of Legends of the Condor Heroes, and I'm glad I made my way through the whole saga (I think 2000+ pages). It's interesting to read a popular story in a genre that I haven't really encountered in literature before, and I enjoyed a lot of the stories. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis the story puts on the value of learning, tactics, and strategy in kung fu - probably simply because I'm a newcomer to the genre, I hadn't expected so many pages of martial artists ruminating on how to develop new techniques to counter their opponents' skills. It's also a delight how much other skills - cooking, music, even mockery - are cherished by the characters. It drives home the (very useful) translator's note on one of the earlier volumes reminding readers that "kung fu" in its original meaning could refer to any remarkable skill achieved through practice/rigor.
The story itself if fine, but I have to admit I've struggled a bit in the fourth book (and even parts of the third, if I'm being honest). The fact that the Legends were originally published serially, in newspaper format, become more and more evident as the narrative sprawls, introducing (and improbably bringing back) more and more characters with ties to the existing ones. Sometimes this is compelling - Consort Liu, a woman who's introduced in the beginning of this book, is a great character (more so than Zhou Botong, the already established character she's unfortunately and somewhat bizarrely attached to) - but at other times it starts to feel wearisome. Every individual episode passes fairly quickly, but it starts to feel at times like they don't add up to much. (I forgot how one fairly major character died a few chapters after his death.)
The end of A Heart Divided takes some surprising twists and turns, returning Guo Jing to the Mongol society of his upbringing with vastly improved martial skills and a greatly expanded perspective on the world. This is one of the most interesting parts of the book because, like the first volume of the story, it both touches on actual history and allows Yong to grapple openly with larger themes. The saga ends on a surprisingly dour note, with a character who's achieved extraordinary martial ability reflecting on the horrors of war and rather ambivalent about the violence that's pervaded the previous 1900 or so pages. It's an unexpected but not unwelcome twist, and seems to nod toward the paradox that one can't escape violence without committing violence. Bleak, for sure, but in the ending of the story there's a gleam of hope in the beauty of interconnected lives and true love, as well.
May 31, 2025
This is a review of the entire Legend of the Condor Heroes. As my first foray into the wuxia genre in novel form, I am glad to say I am not disappointed and left me wanting to explore more, as evidenced by my TBR list now being full of wuxia novels.
I very much resonated with the themes of this entire novel. Themes about loyalty, brotherhood, patriotism, and its consequences, set along a backdrop of the Jin invasion of the Song Dynasty, and it worked out beautifully. There was a part where Guo Jing reflected on what has happened so far and questioning everything he ever knew was right or not because he did grow up under Genghis Khan and he always put loyalty and honor above all else and was heavily conflicted when was honestly one of my favorite parts of the book, to be topped off nicely in the very end when .
I also really enjoyed learning a lot of history along the way as it ties very much into the story. Like how Genghis Khan, when he was known as Temujin, was shot in the neck with an arrow and Jebe, the one who shot the arrow, was added into the army. I also enjoyed learning about the Seven Immortals of Quanzhen, all based on real historical figures who did actually each started a branch of Taoism, and also disciples of Wang Chongyang and also liked their fictionalized personas.
Only a few sticking points for me, such as the names of characters being translated like Lotus Huang and Cyclone Mei which honestly sound worse than Huang Rong and Mei Chaofeng. I'm not a fan of these translations but I could live with it but I'm also more annoyed at the inconsistency of who gets translated names and who doesn't as Guo Jing and Yang Kang get to keep their Chinese names. I can't comment on the quality of translation itself however as I do not speak Chinese. Also found a few parts like the island and inn part in A Snake Lies Waiting to be pretty weak but do have some funny moments in there.
Overall, highly recommend as along with the themes, characters, and learning history, I also very much enjoyed how action packed it is and how imaginative the martial arts moves are.
I very much resonated with the themes of this entire novel. Themes about loyalty, brotherhood, patriotism, and its consequences, set along a backdrop of the Jin invasion of the Song Dynasty, and it worked out beautifully. There was a part where Guo Jing reflected on what has happened so far and questioning everything he ever knew was right or not because he did grow up under Genghis Khan and he always put loyalty and honor above all else and was heavily conflicted when was honestly one of my favorite parts of the book, to be topped off nicely in the very end when .
I also really enjoyed learning a lot of history along the way as it ties very much into the story. Like how Genghis Khan, when he was known as Temujin, was shot in the neck with an arrow and Jebe, the one who shot the arrow, was added into the army. I also enjoyed learning about the Seven Immortals of Quanzhen, all based on real historical figures who did actually each started a branch of Taoism, and also disciples of Wang Chongyang and also liked their fictionalized personas.
Only a few sticking points for me, such as the names of characters being translated like Lotus Huang and Cyclone Mei which honestly sound worse than Huang Rong and Mei Chaofeng. I'm not a fan of these translations but I could live with it but I'm also more annoyed at the inconsistency of who gets translated names and who doesn't as Guo Jing and Yang Kang get to keep their Chinese names. I can't comment on the quality of translation itself however as I do not speak Chinese. Also found a few parts like the island and inn part in A Snake Lies Waiting to be pretty weak but do have some funny moments in there.
Overall, highly recommend as along with the themes, characters, and learning history, I also very much enjoyed how action packed it is and how imaginative the martial arts moves are.
March 29, 2022
I was very excited when I saw this book on the shelves, especially I had just finished Book 3 and wanted to know the next part of the story. I feel like this installment was one of my favs in the series ( maybe with second one). It has epic historical battles, clever strategies, math riddles, comedy gold, phlegm, revenge, the three trials (tm), martial philosophy, and the good old existential crisis! Guo Jing's conversation with Genghis Khan at the end....very good, I feel that scene will stay with me for a while. All story arcs of this story portion tie together very nicely, while paving the way for the next story.
Some notes:
1. The translation for the battles managed to capture the grand scale of the invasion and maintained enough interest and tension ( I had fun anyways, I do like some strategy and formation in my battles), especially when compared to the martial artist spat festival in that old inn ( Book 3).
2. I felt that the poetry portions read more smoothly in this book...or I just got used to the poetry haha
3. Again, very grateful for the historical/cultural notes at the end. Else, I would not get the math problems haha
4. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just...chose one of the formats for the names and just stick with it for every character. My brain did so many flip flops because Guo Jing is (Last name, original Chinese given name in pinyin, male character), while Lotus Huang is ( translated given name, last name, female character)... but we have Penance Yang ( translated given name, last name, male character)???? There doesn't seem to be a rule for who gets what format. Translating names also leads to some....awkward names ( I.e. Lily Li....sounds like a character from H*rry P*tter, poor Charity Bao sounds like a Chinese Dim sum restaurant). Since there is already a character list and profile in the beginning, just use the original pinyin and format, include the meaning of the names, and trust the readers. Don't underestimate us!
Anyways, I love this series, even with its ups and down. Hopefully more works will be translated ( "Return of the Condor Heroes" first????? *sparkles...though I would also love to see a translation of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils".....
Some notes:
1. The translation for the battles managed to capture the grand scale of the invasion and maintained enough interest and tension ( I had fun anyways, I do like some strategy and formation in my battles), especially when compared to the martial artist spat festival in that old inn ( Book 3).
2. I felt that the poetry portions read more smoothly in this book...or I just got used to the poetry haha
3. Again, very grateful for the historical/cultural notes at the end. Else, I would not get the math problems haha
4. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just...chose one of the formats for the names and just stick with it for every character. My brain did so many flip flops because Guo Jing is (Last name, original Chinese given name in pinyin, male character), while Lotus Huang is ( translated given name, last name, female character)... but we have Penance Yang ( translated given name, last name, male character)???? There doesn't seem to be a rule for who gets what format. Translating names also leads to some....awkward names ( I.e. Lily Li....sounds like a character from H*rry P*tter, poor Charity Bao sounds like a Chinese Dim sum restaurant). Since there is already a character list and profile in the beginning, just use the original pinyin and format, include the meaning of the names, and trust the readers. Don't underestimate us!
Anyways, I love this series, even with its ups and down. Hopefully more works will be translated ( "Return of the Condor Heroes" first????? *sparkles...though I would also love to see a translation of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils".....
December 3, 2022
This fourth and last book of the Legend of the Condor Heroes was a bit of a slog, but I'm glad to have finished. Jin Yong's works are wildly popular in the Chinese speaking world (factoring in bootleg copies, the translator of this book surmises that over 1 billion copies of his works have been sold). Much of his appeal stems from the fact that his novels are brimming with Chinese history and culture. He routinely references classical texts, poems, technologies, historical figures, mythology, art, and even food. His Chinese is also supposedly very elegant (as a native English speaker I'm not in a position to judge). Unfortunately, the latter cannot be translated into English, and the former cannot be appreciated by most English speakers. I've studied Chinese culture and history quite extensively, but even I could not enjoy these works (although I appreciate them). Strip away the cultural allusions and elegant Chinese prose and this story will strike most Western readers as kind of lame. In English it reads more like a TV action drama than a well-developed novel. This is a "wuxia" (martial arts) novel, so I expected fighting, but there is far too much fighting for my liking. It reminds me of many Western comic books--attractive to young boys with short attention spans but not to serious readers. And in fact this was originally written as a serial novel, which requires more flashiness in each chapter than a traditional novel to keep readers coming back. The plot lacks the complexity of a traditional Chinese novel like Dream of Red Chambers. I also cannot stand the two main characters. Guo Jing is incredibly naive (unbelievably so) and incapable, whereas his love interest Lotus Huang (Huang Rong) is intelligent and well-trained in martial arts. As a result, she is always teaching him, nagging him, and getting him out of trouble. I suspect this novel is more enjoyable if read in Chinese by a native Chinese speaker. I can see why it has never taken off in the English-speaking world.
April 6, 2024
An excellent book to finish the series. Ok, it's not Faulkner or Steinbeck or Tolstoy. As for the number of plotlines (which are all finally tied up at the end) and number of characters, especially with their multitudes of names (is it Apothecary Huang, Eastern Heretic or Lord of Peach Blossom Island or one of the Five Greats? yeah, all the same guy), it rivals Dostoevsky. It does pale in comparison to Dostoevsky in terms of literary merits or intense social or psychological discussion. But the action, excitement and pacing is off the charts
This one had more depth in terms of social issues, especially at the end with its critique of war and what constitutes heroes, and the vanity of one's choices (reminiscent of Ecclesiastes). The social discussions never slowed the pacing. While the content was heavy, it never felt heavy-handed or preachy.
No one since time began has come close to the Great Khan's military prowess, but your might - the might of one man - was built upon a mountain of white bones and a sea of widow's and orphans' tears. ... But wherever you rode on your conquests, you left a pile of corpses as high as any mountain. Do your achievements outweigh your sins?
As I see it, having blood on one's hands does not make one a hero.
Taoism is loosely sprinkled throughout, and occasionally ties into Christian beliefs. For example, Qiu Quanren's verbal challenge on Mount Hua mirrored Jesus's challenge "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." (John 8:7-11)
The primary romance conflict (Guo-Lotus-Khojin) was resolved. Loosely, it was a love triangle, but the conflict arose out of honor (being a man of one's word) versus an affair of the heart. We know how Guo feels, but Guo is not brave enough to tell Khojin or the Khan. Only when he is caught sneaking away does the romance conflict get, inadvertently by the way, permanently resolved.
And still, I wish I had a map.
4.5/5 stars.
This one had more depth in terms of social issues, especially at the end with its critique of war and what constitutes heroes, and the vanity of one's choices (reminiscent of Ecclesiastes). The social discussions never slowed the pacing. While the content was heavy, it never felt heavy-handed or preachy.
No one since time began has come close to the Great Khan's military prowess, but your might - the might of one man - was built upon a mountain of white bones and a sea of widow's and orphans' tears. ... But wherever you rode on your conquests, you left a pile of corpses as high as any mountain. Do your achievements outweigh your sins?
As I see it, having blood on one's hands does not make one a hero.
Taoism is loosely sprinkled throughout, and occasionally ties into Christian beliefs. For example, Qiu Quanren's verbal challenge on Mount Hua mirrored Jesus's challenge "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." (John 8:7-11)
The primary romance conflict (Guo-Lotus-Khojin) was resolved. Loosely, it was a love triangle, but the conflict arose out of honor (being a man of one's word) versus an affair of the heart. We know how Guo feels, but Guo is not brave enough to tell Khojin or the Khan. Only when he is caught sneaking away does the romance conflict get, inadvertently by the way, permanently resolved.
And still, I wish I had a map.
4.5/5 stars.
October 22, 2021
What an ending! I've been fortunate enough to read all four of this classic series for the first time thanks to the English translations and I feel lucky to have done so.
The Legends of the Condor Heroes series has so much to give, particularly stunning fight scenes, sweeping epic story lines, and complex interwoven character relationships. Some cultural dynamics haven't translated as well to the modern era (which I wouldn't hold against it) and there are parts that drag (due to my lack of Chinese classical knowledge) but neither of those are worth considering this book as less than great.
It was fantastic to see the completed story lines for characters followed throughout the thousands of pages in this series. Guo Jing and Lotus, their shifus, their enemies, their friends and allies, more characters than I can recount here. The Mongolian story line in particular really takes a step forward in this fourth book but I more so appreciated seeing the conclusion of certain characters' stories. I won't mention who though because spoilers.
All in all, I'm very glad to have read it. I was surprised to learn at the end of the book that this is only a temporary ending. Apparently there's a fifth book that includes main characters like Guo Jing but jumps to the future generation. I'm very curious to see what my favorites have been up to in the decades in-between this book and that one. I highly recommend this whole series and can't wait for more!
Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.
The Legends of the Condor Heroes series has so much to give, particularly stunning fight scenes, sweeping epic story lines, and complex interwoven character relationships. Some cultural dynamics haven't translated as well to the modern era (which I wouldn't hold against it) and there are parts that drag (due to my lack of Chinese classical knowledge) but neither of those are worth considering this book as less than great.
It was fantastic to see the completed story lines for characters followed throughout the thousands of pages in this series. Guo Jing and Lotus, their shifus, their enemies, their friends and allies, more characters than I can recount here. The Mongolian story line in particular really takes a step forward in this fourth book but I more so appreciated seeing the conclusion of certain characters' stories. I won't mention who though because spoilers.
All in all, I'm very glad to have read it. I was surprised to learn at the end of the book that this is only a temporary ending. Apparently there's a fifth book that includes main characters like Guo Jing but jumps to the future generation. I'm very curious to see what my favorites have been up to in the decades in-between this book and that one. I highly recommend this whole series and can't wait for more!
Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.
November 8, 2023
Solid story and characters were fleshed out well. Full of the action and martial prowess I have to expect from these books. Over the top stunts and impossible feats for anyone not in a wuxia novel. It was an enjoyable read and it ended with all the loose ends tied up. Though I will say that the ending did feel a little rushed just in how abruptly it ended.
I have to say I think between Count Seven and the Eastern Heretic they are my favorite characters. Huang is just the fatherly badass and I loved him.. though turning all the slaves on his island into deaf mutes was not super nice of him.. hes just hard to hate. Count Seven, no matter his eccentricities, was a joy whenever he was present. The back and forth with the other characters was fun to read and I spent this book hoping nothing happened to him. Venom on the other hand keeps getting near missed and his nephew/ son got what was coming to him. Yang Kang definitely did not live up to his fathers reputation by playing whatever side he thought would get him what he wanted. Venom was just a well written bad guy.
Jin Yong created a very wide range of characters all with their own fleshed out backstories and storylines. Obviously I am going by the translated version which, I would imagine, did its best to remain true to the original material. While I probably won't reread this story anytime soon I feel I came out of it with a good story and time well spent.
I have to say I think between Count Seven and the Eastern Heretic they are my favorite characters. Huang is just the fatherly badass and I loved him.. though turning all the slaves on his island into deaf mutes was not super nice of him.. hes just hard to hate. Count Seven, no matter his eccentricities, was a joy whenever he was present. The back and forth with the other characters was fun to read and I spent this book hoping nothing happened to him. Venom on the other hand keeps getting near missed and his nephew/ son got what was coming to him. Yang Kang definitely did not live up to his fathers reputation by playing whatever side he thought would get him what he wanted. Venom was just a well written bad guy.
Jin Yong created a very wide range of characters all with their own fleshed out backstories and storylines. Obviously I am going by the translated version which, I would imagine, did its best to remain true to the original material. While I probably won't reread this story anytime soon I feel I came out of it with a good story and time well spent.
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