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A review by saepsi
太岁 [Tai Sui] by priest
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
lying face down on floor sobbing 10000000/5
I wanted to write a longer review but it’s been a few weeks and I still don’t know what to say. just thinking about parts of it is still enough to make me start tearing up now.
xi ping is definitely the emotional heart of the novel, but every single one of the large cast of characters is fleshed out (earning the 1mil wordcount lol). a lot of their stories are deeply tragic, but in a very beautiful and cathartic way; it never feels like tragedy for the sake of tragedy. also the relationships… there is no romance but the bonds of friendship/mentorship/family… some of them are healing, some are heartbreaking, some are very messed up, but they’re all so compelling you’ll feel so much.
the worldbuilding is so thematically rich, priest will slowly feed you pieces of the puzzle and the moment at the end when it all comes together is so so beautiful. you will be dragged into this world on the edge of your seat waiting to learn more about it. it’s also an incredibly comprehensive deconstruction of the cultivation genre that leaves no stone unturned in examining the power structures and effects on the insignificant ants left in the dust as well as on the immortals and rulers themselves. that being said, although familiarity with the genre as well as priest’s prior work adds a lot to the experience, I think even readers who don’t have that would get a lot out of it.
some main themes: the environment (have never had this many feelings about trees in my life), death and immortality, industrialization (the setting is steampunk transitioning into ‘true’ industrial society), different forms of inequality (based on class, gender, ethnicity, etc)
e. danglars’ translation is very well-written and does justice to the evocative descriptions of the world as well as translating some very complex systems in an understandable way. in conclusion, one of the best things I’ve ever read, highly recommended and a must-read for fantasy fans.
I wanted to write a longer review but it’s been a few weeks and I still don’t know what to say. just thinking about parts of it is still enough to make me start tearing up now.
xi ping is definitely the emotional heart of the novel, but every single one of the large cast of characters is fleshed out (earning the 1mil wordcount lol). a lot of their stories are deeply tragic, but in a very beautiful and cathartic way; it never feels like tragedy for the sake of tragedy. also the relationships… there is no romance but the bonds of friendship/mentorship/family… some of them are healing, some are heartbreaking, some are very messed up, but they’re all so compelling you’ll feel so much.
the worldbuilding is so thematically rich, priest will slowly feed you pieces of the puzzle and the moment at the end when it all comes together is so so beautiful. you will be dragged into this world on the edge of your seat waiting to learn more about it. it’s also an incredibly comprehensive deconstruction of the cultivation genre that leaves no stone unturned in examining the power structures and effects on the insignificant ants left in the dust as well as on the immortals and rulers themselves. that being said, although familiarity with the genre as well as priest’s prior work adds a lot to the experience, I think even readers who don’t have that would get a lot out of it.
some main themes: the environment (have never had this many feelings about trees in my life), death and immortality, industrialization (the setting is steampunk transitioning into ‘true’ industrial society), different forms of inequality (based on class, gender, ethnicity, etc)
e. danglars’ translation is very well-written and does justice to the evocative descriptions of the world as well as translating some very complex systems in an understandable way. in conclusion, one of the best things I’ve ever read, highly recommended and a must-read for fantasy fans.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Xenophobia, War
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide