Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #750833 in Books
• Published on: 1997-08
• Released on: 1996-05-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9789622017337
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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About the Author

Jin Yong is one of the best-known Chinese writers of this generation. He is an honorary fellow of St. Antony's College, Oxford and Wynflete Fellow of Magdalen College, also at Oxford.

Olivia Mok teaches translation at the City University of Hong Kong.

Customer Reviews

OK read but not the author's best
This book is a pleasant read but certainly not amongst the author's better efforts. The translation perhaps does not do justice to the original work in Chinese. Anyway, if you can, grab The Deer and The Cauldron, of which 2 books were already released in the trilogy, (Oxford University Press in HongKong, not the other OXford Univ. Press sites which do not do justice to this great book by not listing it.). Another wonderful read in this genre is the Blades From the Willows trilogy by HuanZhuLouZhu (publisher: Wellsweep, in UK, sold in US by Cheng and Tsui), translater: Robert Chard. Again 2 of the 3 books are available, although only 1 is available in the US. If you can grab a hold of either of these gems, be prepared for a treat. I have read many, many science fiction and fantasy books, from Tolkien to McCaffrey to Pratchett etc., and found that the Chinese Martial Arts novel genre is just as engrossing and entertaining as any I've read. Works like these should not be limited to the Chinese-literate but be translated to English to be enjoyed by the Chinese-illiterate as well.

Appalling translation
The translation of this work is at best clumsy and frequently appalling. As a previous reviewer notes much appears to have been carried out using, poorly, a dictionary. Thus we have "knife" used to refer to what in English is commonly called a sabre. The reason being (I assume) that the character used to describe the weapon commonly means knife. Frequently, she has chosen arcane language. Thus we get "myrmidon" to describe a senior captain/bodyguard; the translater not appreciating that the term when used in English literature is either jocular or derogatory. Some phrases and clauses are meaningless. It all reflects badly on the editorial team at the Chinese University Press in Hong Kong and, unfortunately, tells one much about the standard of English here. Where does this leave the reader? Frankly, I cannot understand how anyone could give this book a high rating other than out of a desperate desire to read something of this genre. The Deer and the Cauldron is far superior. This book can only be recommended to somebody who is prepared to persevere with the translation out of an interest in martial arts literature.

Addictive piece of work
The whole setting boils down to the root of misunderstanding between 4 families who served the Emperor. The Wu family went through hardships, facing the endless revenge from the other 3 families, and lasted for 100 years. Finally the whole truth comes out at the top of the snowvy mountain, where the treasure buried by the Emperor 100 years ago! What were the secrets? Why was the misunderstanding not resolved before? Who was right? Who was wrong? Who betrayed who? Sworn Brotherhood, loyalty, betrayal, and more. Answers are revealed but the ending will require your deepest imagination and this is the best part of the story. If you are interested in knowing more about Chinese martial arts novel,this Jin Yong novel is a good introduction. Not his best work, I agree but once you finish this one, you will be asking for more! Others to look up for would be The Deer and the Cauldron, published by Oxford University Press.