Post by caiyi on Jul 11, 2014 3:09:56 GMT
I'm currently reading this novel up to chapter 5.
I don't know how it will go later, but, up to where I read, the main character (not just lead female) and protagonist seems to be Yun Lei. Yun Lei already appeared in the prologue when she's a little kid. Then years later, readers were introduced to her first. We then follow her adventure to the city and seeing her met Zhang Dan Feng (I assume he's ZDF, but, his name is not revealed yet up to where I read) and others. It's kinda refreshing to read because most wuxia novels I read, the protagonist is a guy and readers follow his journey and meet other characters, including the female lead, together with him. The other novel I read that centered on the girl is 'Big Shot Hero' (大人物) by Gu Long.
It's also interesting to read that ZDF first admire YL for her heroism.
書生面色略變,卻微微一笑,掩飾神情,又搖了搖頭,道:「金刀寨主與沙家父子自然是不可同日而語,只是要說他就是真豪傑嘛,也還未見得!」雲蕾氣道:「好,普天之下,只有你才是豪傑!」一怒衝出樹林,忽見眼前人影一晃,只聽得書生笑道:「小兄弟,慢走,我說你才是豪傑。」
This is also a rare thing in wuxia. Female characters are seldom linked with the word 'heroism' (豪傑). There are many description used for female character, 'beautiful', 'gentle', 'sweet', 'intelligent', 'cool','haughty', seductive', etc, but, not 'heroism'. Even when a female character is addressed by others as 'nu zia' (女俠), it's only a title. The author seldom let her display heroism.
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Another thing I notice is that characters in the novel, no matter they are on the good side or bad side, kill people very easily. Like I've pointed out in this topic in another forum , General Zhou and the monk just killed everyone that blocked their way, even those who are concerned with their welfare.
Excepts from my entry in wuxia_niche
This seem to be the way with more classic/conventional writers. Compare this to this scene in 'Hunter's Prey' (烏金血劍):
這時慕農蕉雨劍法全力展開,守在出口處,皇府侍衛一波一波攻了上來,紛紛中劍退開,慕農為人慈悲,即管在這等關頭,都只是刺中對方無關重要的穴道,雖使對方失去作戰能力,卻於性命無損。
Mu Nong took care not to harm the soldiers/guards fatally.
Newer writers seem to pay attention this detail more to show that the good guys really have a good heart. Gu Long also paid attention to this more modern sensibility. CLX and LXF both avoid killing people as much as possible, and HML hated the sense bloodshed. But, characters in older novels seem trigger happy and can kill at the drop of a hat.
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More on Yu Lei. Earlier when I commented about the treatment of Yu Lei towards Shi Cui Feng and lamented SCF's fate, I didn't know about Yun Lei's actual plan. I thought she would just went on with the marriage and leave Shi Cui Feng hanging when her real gender is revealed/discovered. I didn't know she has plan to marry by proxy for Zhou Shan Min. She still shouldn't have done that (SCF should be given a choice to choose her own husband), but, at least, she has good intention and Zhou Shan Min seems a nice guy.
I don't know how it will go later, but, up to where I read, the main character (not just lead female) and protagonist seems to be Yun Lei. Yun Lei already appeared in the prologue when she's a little kid. Then years later, readers were introduced to her first. We then follow her adventure to the city and seeing her met Zhang Dan Feng (I assume he's ZDF, but, his name is not revealed yet up to where I read) and others. It's kinda refreshing to read because most wuxia novels I read, the protagonist is a guy and readers follow his journey and meet other characters, including the female lead, together with him. The other novel I read that centered on the girl is 'Big Shot Hero' (大人物) by Gu Long.
It's also interesting to read that ZDF first admire YL for her heroism.
書生面色略變,卻微微一笑,掩飾神情,又搖了搖頭,道:「金刀寨主與沙家父子自然是不可同日而語,只是要說他就是真豪傑嘛,也還未見得!」雲蕾氣道:「好,普天之下,只有你才是豪傑!」一怒衝出樹林,忽見眼前人影一晃,只聽得書生笑道:「小兄弟,慢走,我說你才是豪傑。」
This is also a rare thing in wuxia. Female characters are seldom linked with the word 'heroism' (豪傑). There are many description used for female character, 'beautiful', 'gentle', 'sweet', 'intelligent', 'cool','haughty', seductive', etc, but, not 'heroism'. Even when a female character is addressed by others as 'nu zia' (女俠), it's only a title. The author seldom let her display heroism.
------------------
Another thing I notice is that characters in the novel, no matter they are on the good side or bad side, kill people very easily. Like I've pointed out in this topic in another forum , General Zhou and the monk just killed everyone that blocked their way, even those who are concerned with their welfare.
Excepts from my entry in wuxia_niche
I'm currently reading 萍蹤俠影錄 (I'm reading several books at the same time ). I'm still at the prologue chapter. There are 2 passages that disturbed me.
Passage 1
雁門關外號角長鳴,只見先前那名用蒙汗藥偷施暗算的旗牌官攔上前來,高聲叫道:「周大人,你可得三思而行,別要自誤前程!」周健一聲不響,突然一躍而起,揮刀一斬,將那旗牌官斬為兩截,奪了兩騎快馬,與謝天華奔出轅門,關外官兵,無人敢擋。
That subordinate (旗牌官) obviously cares for General Zhou. That's why he said '你可得三思而行,別要自誤前程!'. But, General Zhou just chopped him into half. No hesitation or anything. Seems very ungrateful. Is it because he's nameless minor character, so, his life is not valuable and deserves no a second thought?
Passage 2
那兩個欽差嚇得面青唇白,腿都軟了。那和尚一路打到堂上,左後一抻,兀鷹抓雞似地提起了一名欽差,罵道:「雲大人捨命逃回,你們還要將他弄死,是何道理?」「卜」的一禪杖,敲在他的頭上,甩手一摔,腦漿塗地,死於階下。另一名欽差嚇得神智昏亂,兀自叫道:「反了,反了!冒犯欽差,該當何罪?」那和尚放聲大笑,又一把將他抓了起來,罵他道:「兀這廝鳥,欽差值得我少錢一斤?」禪杖往地上一插,硬生生地將他撕成兩片。
Poor soldiers. They are not bad guys. They are just doing their job. And the monk seem too bloodthirsty and merciless for a monk.
Passage 1
雁門關外號角長鳴,只見先前那名用蒙汗藥偷施暗算的旗牌官攔上前來,高聲叫道:「周大人,你可得三思而行,別要自誤前程!」周健一聲不響,突然一躍而起,揮刀一斬,將那旗牌官斬為兩截,奪了兩騎快馬,與謝天華奔出轅門,關外官兵,無人敢擋。
That subordinate (旗牌官) obviously cares for General Zhou. That's why he said '你可得三思而行,別要自誤前程!'. But, General Zhou just chopped him into half. No hesitation or anything. Seems very ungrateful. Is it because he's nameless minor character, so, his life is not valuable and deserves no a second thought?
Passage 2
那兩個欽差嚇得面青唇白,腿都軟了。那和尚一路打到堂上,左後一抻,兀鷹抓雞似地提起了一名欽差,罵道:「雲大人捨命逃回,你們還要將他弄死,是何道理?」「卜」的一禪杖,敲在他的頭上,甩手一摔,腦漿塗地,死於階下。另一名欽差嚇得神智昏亂,兀自叫道:「反了,反了!冒犯欽差,該當何罪?」那和尚放聲大笑,又一把將他抓了起來,罵他道:「兀這廝鳥,欽差值得我少錢一斤?」禪杖往地上一插,硬生生地將他撕成兩片。
Poor soldiers. They are not bad guys. They are just doing their job. And the monk seem too bloodthirsty and merciless for a monk.
This seem to be the way with more classic/conventional writers. Compare this to this scene in 'Hunter's Prey' (烏金血劍):
這時慕農蕉雨劍法全力展開,守在出口處,皇府侍衛一波一波攻了上來,紛紛中劍退開,慕農為人慈悲,即管在這等關頭,都只是刺中對方無關重要的穴道,雖使對方失去作戰能力,卻於性命無損。
Mu Nong took care not to harm the soldiers/guards fatally.
Newer writers seem to pay attention this detail more to show that the good guys really have a good heart. Gu Long also paid attention to this more modern sensibility. CLX and LXF both avoid killing people as much as possible, and HML hated the sense bloodshed. But, characters in older novels seem trigger happy and can kill at the drop of a hat.
------------------
More on Yu Lei. Earlier when I commented about the treatment of Yu Lei towards Shi Cui Feng and lamented SCF's fate, I didn't know about Yun Lei's actual plan. I thought she would just went on with the marriage and leave Shi Cui Feng hanging when her real gender is revealed/discovered. I didn't know she has plan to marry by proxy for Zhou Shan Min. She still shouldn't have done that (SCF should be given a choice to choose her own husband), but, at least, she has good intention and Zhou Shan Min seems a nice guy.