A review by braynard
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

 I was first introduced to this story through Tumblr. First I saw some fanworks for the TV adaption The Untamed. Some research led me to the initial English translation online, which no longer existed at my time of finding. That quickly led me to the ‘official’ English translation published by Seven Seas. Because the workers of Seven Seas were striking at the time, I ended up buying my copy secondhand. 

Despite all these hurdles, I was pretty excited about the book. The series had a huge following on Tumblr, and, for some reason, my brain interpreted this as a sign of quality. After my brief time watching Supernatural, I should have known better. 

It wasn’t a terrible book. Aside from some cultural differences and some overt homoerotic moments, it was a pretty standard adventure story. I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it. Honestly, if I hadn’t gotten my expectations up so high, I might have liked it better. 

If you like it, great. I’m happy for you. If you are interested in reading, try going in blind. But I would say don’t expect anything fantastic. 

Sorry. 
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/10 
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