★★★★★ 4
Xianxia-inspired novel I can actually read
Format: Kindle
I've read (or attempted to read) several wuxia/xianxia stories in the past. This is probably the best of that genre that I've tried.
I know, such a titillating opening statement, but hear me out: this story is very good. NOT great, but not the typical "my eyes wish to bleed from my skull" experience, either.
Most Chinese fantasy is bad. I wish that were not so, hence me trying to find good stories. In general, the stories don't make a lot of sense, and the grammar and repetitive phrasing makes the translations a generally terrible experience. Coming from a background of looking at college student papers, I've had my fill of bad grammar and poor sentence structure; I don't need more.
With an English speaking author at the helm, however, this was a pleasant ride. There were a few grammatical errors but nothing to get my pants in a twist over. The story mostly makes sense, with only the two main characters occasionally speaking like locals throwing me off a bit, as well as the two of them growing so used to elements of their surroundings and quest rewards. It just felt a little unnatural in places.
My biggest gripe is how they suddenly sprout knowledge of city planning and infrastructure. That really felt out of character, and came out of left field.
Other than that, I think this was a solid first entry for this series.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2019
