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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
And then a hero is born...
After his father, a Song patriot, was murdered, Guo Jing and his mother fled to the plains and joined Ghengis Khan and his people. Loyal, humble and driven, he learned all he could from the warlord and his army in hopes of one day joining them in their cause.
With the help and guidance of his shifus, The Seven Heroes of the South, Guo Jing returns to China to face his foe and carry out his destiny. But in a land divided by treachery and war, betrayal and ambition, he’ll have to put his courage and knowledge to the test to survive.
Thank you Goodreads and St. Martin's Press for a chance to read this!
I was excited when I first heard they were going to have this book translated into English and then I saw it on goodreads as a giveaway. I was so excited for a chance to win this. When I got the email saying that I won I couldn’t wait for it to arrive.
I was able to finish the book but it was and it wasn’t what I was expecting. The fight scenes were hard to follow. I think someone who is more familiar with different styles of fighting would enjoy them more. Some of the moves were hard to picture. It was slow in the beginning but picked up. All around it’s not a bad story. maybe down the road I will try reading this book again and will be able to see and appreciate it more. Happy reading everyone!!
After his father, a Song patriot, was murdered, Guo Jing and his mother fled to the plains and joined Ghengis Khan and his people. Loyal, humble and driven, he learned all he could from the warlord and his army in hopes of one day joining them in their cause.
With the help and guidance of his shifus, The Seven Heroes of the South, Guo Jing returns to China to face his foe and carry out his destiny. But in a land divided by treachery and war, betrayal and ambition, he’ll have to put his courage and knowledge to the test to survive.
Thank you Goodreads and St. Martin's Press for a chance to read this!
I was excited when I first heard they were going to have this book translated into English and then I saw it on goodreads as a giveaway. I was so excited for a chance to win this. When I got the email saying that I won I couldn’t wait for it to arrive.
I was able to finish the book but it was and it wasn’t what I was expecting. The fight scenes were hard to follow. I think someone who is more familiar with different styles of fighting would enjoy them more. Some of the moves were hard to picture. It was slow in the beginning but picked up. All around it’s not a bad story. maybe down the road I will try reading this book again and will be able to see and appreciate it more. Happy reading everyone!!
En una China en la que el imperio Song ha sido invadido por los Yurchen, los ciudadanos tienen que sobrevivir a los impuestos y vejaciones a los que son sometidos. En este contexto conocemos a Guo Jing, un chico que se cría con los mongoles, bajo el mando de Gengis Kan, y que recibirá entrenamiento en kung fu para enfrentarse a un oponente desconocido y cumplir así una apuesta hecha tiempo atrás.
Con esta premisa entramos de lleno en una historia de fantasía kung fu, lo que es llamado género "wuxia", que se basa en el relato de las aventuras de héroes de las artes marciales chinas.
Nos encontramos con una narrativa épica, en la que observamos cómo se va forjando un héroe. Guo Jing es un muchacho puro, de buen corazón, que detesta hacer daño, pero que pondrá todo su empeño en aprender las técnicas de kung fu más increíbles para satisfacer a sus maestros y cumplir con su deber.
El autor nos crea una imagen casi cinematográfica de las escenas de lucha, de tal forma que te parece estar viendo el enfrentamiento en persona. Aunque al principio me resultó un poco confuso por los nombres tan variopintos que tienen las técnicas, que reciben una traducción literal.
Debo decir que he disfrutado mucho esta historia. Era la primera vez que leía algo de género wuxia y a medida que iba leyendo, me iba enganchando más y más.
No deja de ser una historia de fantasía épica, que sigue la estructura del viaje de un héroe lleno de virtudes que debe enfrentarse a su destino, pero todo lo concerniente a su origen y su entrenamiento me han resultado muy interesantes.
Eso si, debo ponerle una pega a este libro y es que me ha dejado con mal sabor de boca por su final. De repente cortan la historia y te dejan prácticamente a mitad de una escena quedando en el aire todo. Espero que al menos tarden poco en publicar el siguiente.
Con esta premisa entramos de lleno en una historia de fantasía kung fu, lo que es llamado género "wuxia", que se basa en el relato de las aventuras de héroes de las artes marciales chinas.
Nos encontramos con una narrativa épica, en la que observamos cómo se va forjando un héroe. Guo Jing es un muchacho puro, de buen corazón, que detesta hacer daño, pero que pondrá todo su empeño en aprender las técnicas de kung fu más increíbles para satisfacer a sus maestros y cumplir con su deber.
El autor nos crea una imagen casi cinematográfica de las escenas de lucha, de tal forma que te parece estar viendo el enfrentamiento en persona. Aunque al principio me resultó un poco confuso por los nombres tan variopintos que tienen las técnicas, que reciben una traducción literal.
Debo decir que he disfrutado mucho esta historia. Era la primera vez que leía algo de género wuxia y a medida que iba leyendo, me iba enganchando más y más.
No deja de ser una historia de fantasía épica, que sigue la estructura del viaje de un héroe lleno de virtudes que debe enfrentarse a su destino, pero todo lo concerniente a su origen y su entrenamiento me han resultado muy interesantes.
Eso si, debo ponerle una pega a este libro y es que me ha dejado con mal sabor de boca por su final. De repente cortan la historia y te dejan prácticamente a mitad de una escena quedando en el aire todo. Espero que al menos tarden poco en publicar el siguiente.
2.5/5stars
Rounded up to 3 star cause I DO NOT WANT THAT RATING TO DETER PEOPLE!!
This book... was fine. I think it would work much better in its original language (obviously) but, IN MY OPINION, similarly to Game of Thrones, it would work better as a TV show or a movie. I'm pretty sure it is a chinese drama and I'm interested in watching this.
Cause unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to care about this because of the writing/translation. It was just SO simply written it was impossible to care about the characters or what was happening. There was no voice to this book - all the characters seemed basically the same. And i was constantly at an arms length away from everything because of the writing.
So, unfortunately I think the translation really ruined this story because the premise was super interesting and gripping, but the writing was just TOO simple and stilted.
Rounded up to 3 star cause I DO NOT WANT THAT RATING TO DETER PEOPLE!!
This book... was fine. I think it would work much better in its original language (obviously) but, IN MY OPINION, similarly to Game of Thrones, it would work better as a TV show or a movie. I'm pretty sure it is a chinese drama and I'm interested in watching this.
Cause unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to care about this because of the writing/translation. It was just SO simply written it was impossible to care about the characters or what was happening. There was no voice to this book - all the characters seemed basically the same. And i was constantly at an arms length away from everything because of the writing.
So, unfortunately I think the translation really ruined this story because the premise was super interesting and gripping, but the writing was just TOO simple and stilted.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Dos patriotas exiliados se encuentran con un maestro del kung-fu, este encuentro marcará tanto sus vidas como la de sus descendientes.
Dinámica, imaginativa y emocionante. Todo un despliegue de artes marciales, filosofía taoísta e historia de China enmarca una aventura dinámica y adictiva.
Dinámica, imaginativa y emocionante. Todo un despliegue de artes marciales, filosofía taoísta e historia de China enmarca una aventura dinámica y adictiva.
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
General Overview
A novel of peaks and troughs, I found some parts of A Hero Born truly engaging, and was sadly lost by others.
Style
Written in a very standard fashion, Mr Jin Yong does an acceptable job of starting an epic series with this book. It may be my lack of understanding of some of the key roots of Chinese tales, which this series will clearly rest in, but the dialogue and interactions felt stilted at points. The characters through were also a mixed bag. Some feeling like Mary Janes, and others very well presented and well round actors to the story. Once again, I am not sure if this is an issue of the authors, or him keeping to the style of story he wishes to tell.
Story
Following the deaths of two adapts in martial arts, a Buddhist monk sets a wager with a band of practitioners of the same arts. In years to come, the two children of these fallen heroes will meet and fight to decide who is the better master.
A great premise, and a great story at points because of this. The main narrative follows one of these children and their Shifu's. It is colourful. but not as deep or moving a piece as I would expect. I never felt as much connection to the protagonist as I would expect. Some sections, mainly those involving Mongols, were great. But, the end of this piece just felt off to me. It came out of nowhere, and though it is still only the first in the series, there was no cathartic end, or set up for whatever the next in this series will hold.
Final Thoughts
I'm glad I gave A Hero Born a go, but won't be trying out later books in the series.
A novel of peaks and troughs, I found some parts of A Hero Born truly engaging, and was sadly lost by others.
Style
Written in a very standard fashion, Mr Jin Yong does an acceptable job of starting an epic series with this book. It may be my lack of understanding of some of the key roots of Chinese tales, which this series will clearly rest in, but the dialogue and interactions felt stilted at points. The characters through were also a mixed bag. Some feeling like Mary Janes, and others very well presented and well round actors to the story. Once again, I am not sure if this is an issue of the authors, or him keeping to the style of story he wishes to tell.
Story
Following the deaths of two adapts in martial arts, a Buddhist monk sets a wager with a band of practitioners of the same arts. In years to come, the two children of these fallen heroes will meet and fight to decide who is the better master.
A great premise, and a great story at points because of this. The main narrative follows one of these children and their Shifu's. It is colourful. but not as deep or moving a piece as I would expect. I never felt as much connection to the protagonist as I would expect. Some sections, mainly those involving Mongols, were great. But, the end of this piece just felt off to me. It came out of nowhere, and though it is still only the first in the series, there was no cathartic end, or set up for whatever the next in this series will hold.
Final Thoughts
I'm glad I gave A Hero Born a go, but won't be trying out later books in the series.