Silent Reading / Mo Du by Priest -- a brief review (no spoilers)
Novel length: 180 chapters + 5 extras
My Rating: ā ā ā ā ā / 5
This series has to be one of my top fave books / series of all time. I legitimately think I could and would enjoy writing a lengthy thesis about it. It's a series that I enjoyed so much that I put off reading the last volume for MONTHS because I didn't want the series to end.
First and foremost this is a detective story. It involves police and politics, corruption and manipulation, wealthy overpowering the poor, and the list of potential trigger warnings for it is quite lengthy. There are some genuinely gruesome and upsetting content in the cases though most of it is seen afterwards and not experienced by the reader-- for example there's a scene where a girl encounters a killer but we don't see what happens and only find out about the aftermath as you read on.
This is also a story about love, friendship, trust, family, and relationships. The special investigation squad really feels like a found family and it is lovely to see them all working so hard to protect each other especially in the last volume when shit really hits the fan. There's positive and negative relationships of just about every kind. Some characters are close to their family and have a loving relationship while others despise or have trauma with theirs.
Finally it is a story covered and intertwined with theming and allusions. One of my favorite things about this series is how each book / volume is named after and related to another work of literature. I have not personally read all of them before but I admit I am curious to do so and return to Silent Reading and see how that changes my impression of things. Real quick here's a list of the novels in case you would like to look into them before starting Silent Reading;
The Red and the Black by Stendhal (1830)
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955)
Macbeth by William Shakespeare (1606)
Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1871)
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1844)
Without going into details here's a little bit about our main squad:
Fei Du - a rich young man with a traumatic past who is interested in psychology and has a keen analytical mind. He is incredibly intelligent and determined to figure everything out (from the cases to his repressed memories) with all he has even if it hurts himself in the process. He acts cold and calculating and is determined not to trust or let others too close.
Luo Wenzhou - the head of the special investigation squad, he appears carefree and lighthearted but cares so deeply. He wants to protect his little family of investigators no matter what. (He also has a cat named Luo Yiguo who is hilarious every time he shows up).
Tao Ran - deputy captain of the squad, he has strong big brother vibes. He's serious and kind and a good foil to the flippant and brash Luo Wenzhou. He's constantly shaking his head and hoping everyone can get along (at least for a little while).
Lang Qiao - part of the special investigation squad, she may not be as quick on analyzing the clues but she makes up for it by being decisive and taking action. (I really appreciated her not being fridged or a damsel -- in fact she often would rush into action and saved Xiao Haiyang a few times).
Xiao Haiyang -he starts out in another unit but gets transferred into the special investigation squad in the second book after having worked with them closely during the first book. He's new and has a lot to learn but his incredible memory helps him pick up on some clues that others have missed. His sense of righteousness is strong but his self preservation is weak.
Each volume revolves around a certain case that the special investigation squad and Fei Du find themselves wrapped up in. The characters and cases that they work on are complicated and nuanced, I felt a little like a detective myself as I would take notes while reading and try to piece together clues. This includes not only the current case but the little tidbits we would get about the main character's dark past and puzzling how it has affected him into who he is today as well as hints at a large scale conspiracy manipulated by some shadowy force that was directing the characters around to their whim. After reading each volume I would have a list of questions that I had generated that still remained and I hoped I would get more clues to in the next volume.
I also appreciated that the cases seemed to become more complicated and tangled as the series continued. Suspects and victims were not mutually exclusive, What seemed simple at first glance would be revealed to be a cover-up and the characters would pursue the loose strings and uncover what really happened.
Also there is a live action adaptation of the series called Justice in the Dark which is sadly caught up in legal issues. The first 8 episodes were aired and you can most likely find somewhere to watch them online just beware of malware when you search. The adaptation was actually the reason why I started reading the novels! I highly enjoyed the episodes that were released and while there are some differences between it and the source material it was honestly pretty minimal. I really liked the actors portrayals in particular that of Fei Du, Luo Wenzhou, and Tao Ran (even if the characters names were changed slightly).
(I believe there is also an audio drama and there was talk of a donghua in the works but I have not experienced either of them at this time.)
content warnings: please note that all of these warnings ALSO APPLY TOWARDS MINORS AND CHILDREN: sexual abuse and assault, brutal violence and physical abuse, mental and psychological abuse, animal abuse, death, murder, drug use, torture, dismemberment, neglect, human trafficking, cult-like brainwashing, manipulation, conspiracy, corruption, police, politics, trauma, cycle of abuse, social standing as an excuse to treat people as lesser (rich targeting the poor, strong targeting the weak, men targeting women, women targeting children, etc.)
I'm not fully sure if this falls under trigger warnings but I'm going to put it here anyway. There's a few times where FD acts cheekily towards LWZ and LWZ alludes to 'punishing' FD with sex. I believe both characters are aware that this is meant as a form of teasing and play between them and if FD did not consent LWZ would not continue. They both know if FD teases LWZ to this extent that he's egging LWZ on purposefully and is consenting (sometimes this is an attempt to distract LWZ from asking FD questions that FD does not want to answer). Ultimately we know that LWZ wouldn't harm FD but I felt it was worth a mention.
This series also unfortunately falls into the trope of one male character always tops and the other always bottoms -- to the extent that when the bottom complains or suggests switching roles the top acts offended or like he doesn't hear the other. It's like some bullshit pride thing that pops up from time to time in gay media that the bottom is less masculine because he's on the receiving end. Personally I think LWZ would thoroughly enjoy any type of act with FD as long as FD was doing it with him. And that's not to say a person can't have preferences-- I just get frustrated when the tops act insulted at the mere thought or implication of being the one on the receiving end.
I hoped so hard that we would get an English license but I didn't think it would happen before Seven Seas (another north american publisher) published Faraway Wanderers or Tai Sui!!! š„ŗš„ŗš„ŗš„ŗš„ŗš„ŗ I went through like ... The opposite of the five stages of grief when I saw the announcement a couple hours ago while at work. I was shocked, stunned, near shaking and near tears in disbelief and hope. I'm so EXCITED and cannot WAIT to see the art and to have these bad boys in my hands!!!
Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know by Cyan Wings -- a brief review (no spoilers)
80 chapters + 2 extras
My Rating: ā ā ā ā ā / 5
I went into this story fairly blind / un-spoiled as to the plot and characters and I really enjoyed it. If you like The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System I think you'll like this one. It's a pretty quick read (I read it over the course of 2Ā½ weeks) and it also feels a bit lighter of a read -- in the sense that there's not a bunch of twists and turns or faceslapping going around. There's still narrative weight to the characters' choices but it feels more focused on the emotions of the characters than on making a dogblood drama.
I also really enjoyed the cultivation meta in this book -- there were sections where we would get insight into why the main character did a certain thing and how he belived that would / could impact the universe / world / dao.
What kind of story is Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know?
This is a story that really breaks the fourth wall and doesn't take itself too seriously. Like Cyan Wings' other stories that I've read it is really funny and the characters are fantastic. If you like transmigration novels but dislike the trope of an all-powerful manipulative "System" that keeps that transmigrator in check then try this one! The main character is NOT a transmigrator but he does gain knowledge that breaks the fourth wall and there are times when he considers the people around them as if they were characters in a novel. Several of the main characters can also be read as asexual and / or aromantic which is really nice too.
Throughout the story the main characters are growing and learning more about themselves and each other -- there's several times when a character reflects on how they had misunderstood another character or not known what was really in their hearts. This leads to the story feeling very emotional and tender as you slowly get to know the characters. This is mainly in regard to the main character and his love interest but its true for some of the supporting cast as well.
Ultimately it feels like a story of two people (who whole-heartedly trust each other with their lives) slowly opening up and allowing themselves to be vulnerable with the other. There's also a good portion of the story that talks about heart demons and how that affects one of the characters -- it becomes a plot point even. It certainly takes the main pair a lot of work but once they are finally on the same page (ha) and treat each other as equals... it's very sweet and intimate.
Without going into details here's a little bit about our main squad:
WenRen E - Our main character. WRE is the leader of the XuanYuan demonic sect and an absolute badass. He somehow reminds me of both Yan Wushi from Thousand Autumns and Wei Wuxian from Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. He is arrogant and prideful but also cares SO MUCH about the commonfolk in the world. He is absolutely ruthless when he needs to be but he has a line that he does not cross and he forbids his minions from crossing it either. There's also a lot of times where he's sussing out why or how something works a certain way and his understanding of the dao and the universe felt profound.
Yin HanJiang - Our love interest. There's a specific post I've seen that is coming to mind but I can't remember how it's phrased... YHJ is loyal to WRE and ONLY WRE. He is submissive in the way a guard dog is -- he would follow WRE's every order and do everything in his power to protect him but at the same time he would not hesitate for a moment to attack anyone he viewed as a threat to WRE. At the beginning of the story he keeps a certain distance between himself and WRE but as the plot develops that distance becomes smaller and smaller.
BaiLi QingMiao - the protagonist of the book that appears in WRE's hand which serves as the impetus for the story. WRE finds himself frustrated and confused at her actions a fair amount of time but over the course of the story she too grows up and gains a new outlook on life.
Shu YanYan - a seductress demonic cultivator. She only dual cultivates with consenting partners and uses her cleverness to manipulate people. She also seems fairly uninterested in romance -- I think she alludes to not wanting to get her heart broken but she also seems very happy as things are with her various lovers.
Qiu CongXue - hands down my favorite character in the story. I liked everyone but QCX is always speaking her mind and stirring up trouble. She has strong himbo energy and I don't want to spoil anything about her, just know that anytime she comes up it's going to be great.
What is the plot of Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know?
One day a book suddenly appears in WenRen E's hand. This is notable because he is a very strong demonic cultivator and he didn't sense anything before the book appeared. So he looks at the book and decides to take it very seriously. He reads it. And he discovers that he is a character in a trashy romance novel, as is his most trusted subbordinate Yin HanJiang. He becomes very curious to find out if the other characters are real and if the events that happen in the book are destined to come true or if they can be changed. So he sets off and meets the protagonists of the novel and begins experimenting. Without spoiling things he is especially concerned about what happens to Yin HanJiang in the book. He also wants to know more about the novel's protagonists and their motivations.
ptsd, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, violence, manipulation and abuse, mention of torture, war, survivor's guilt, etc. The characters have some tragic backstories and there's some things in the novel that WRE reads that are disturbing -- but ultimately there's not "on screen" torture that the characters go through, the novel instead focuses on what's going on in the characters' psyche.
The Virtuous Omega Disguised as the Vicious Colonel by Little Baldy -- a brief review (no spoilers)
Novel length: 101 chapters + 3 extras
My Rating: ā ā ā ā ā / 5
I have recently finished my second read through of this novel and I have to say that it holds up! There were many things that were hinted at and set up ahead of time that went right over my head on a first reading that I caught on this second read.
I also really appreciate that while this is an ABO story the omega character is not paired / marked against his will and while there is some teasing from his partner for things to become intimate he does take a step back and say they can stop if the omega wants to.
What kind of story is The Virtuous Omega Disguised as the Vicious Colonel?
VODVC manages to strike a balance between a suspenseful thriller and a cheesy romcom. There are moments in the novel where you have to suspend your disbelief but they often lead to moments that incorporate cheesy tropes that you would expect from fanfiction. So if you're looking for something more gritty and serious this may not be for you. I very much enjoyed the cheesy tropes and found them a nice little break from the tension.
The setting is both interstellar and omegaverse. (Interstellar; a futuristic sci-fi with space travel and some more advanced technologies such as mecha. Omegaverse; people have evolved into having a secondary sex designation -- depending on the interpretation there may be female alphas who can inpregnate others and male omegas who can carry pregnancies). This novel also has transmigration as a topic though there is no system in place like you see in EPWCM or SVSSS.
There is also a lot of secret identity shenanigans going on which is always something I enjoy. Part of why this is a central part of the novel is due to one of the alien species having an ability that lets them possess a humans' body so there are several moments throughout the story where characters are scrutinized in order to discern if something isn't quite *right* about them.
Without going into details here's a little bit about our main squad:
Lan Yu aka Colonel K - The main character. Lan Yu is a transmigrator. In his home he was an omega actor who had just won an award when suddenly a storm caused him to transmigrate. He finds himself in the body of "Colonel K" who is known to be ruthless, reckless, and generally hard to get along with. As such, K has made many enemies. Lan Yu does his best to keep up the arrogant facade of this vicious colonel while internally he curses the original owner of the body (referred to as "The original Colonel K".) The body he inhabits is also an omega who has disguised himself as an alpha in order to serve in the army.
Colonel Lu RanKong - The love interest. Lu RanKong is a playful and friendly alpha and colonel who has often butted heads with K in the past. He takes his job seriously though he is more than happy to gloat when he is admired by reporters and civilians alike. He and Lan Yu are partnered together on sevel missions thoughout the novel and as they get to know each other slowly the bickering becomes less antagonistic and more flirtacious. He also has some secrets about his past that are unraveled as the story evolves.
There are many characters who show up for one or two missions but don't really get the same limelight or development. I don't want to spoil things so I won't draw attention to the minor characters who *are* relevant to the final mission.
Luo Yan - a character that shows up about 80% of the way though the novel. He is however very important as he is one of the aliens that can possess a human. Though him we learn a great deal about the aliens.
"The original Colonel K" - a character that haunts the narrative. Their previous actions and choices shaped the path that Lan Yu has to walk on. Lan Yu also wonders what happened to them, if they died and that's how he came to be in their body? There are a lot of mysteries surrounding this character and as the story progresses they are slowly revealed.
What is the plot of The Virtuous Omega Disguised as the Vicious Colonel?
The plot centers around Lu RanKong and Lan Yu's relationship, the missions they are assigned, and unraveling the secrets that surround "the original Colonel K". I really feel like each mission in the novel actively works towards worldbuilding, fleshing out the relationship between the two main characters, and setting things up for the climactic finale.
I also found each mission interesting -- they ranged from short missions to investigate something odd on another planet to longer term missions like going undercover in a prison. Along the way there's fun and silly scenes that help keep the overall mood of the novel on the lighter side. I haven't re-read all of Little Baldy's novels yet but this one really strikes me as a strong and fairly concise narrative with plenty of foreshadowing and hints that make the reader want to keep reading and see if their predictions were correct.
General content warnings for violence, guns, life and death situations, loss of and struggle for control over one's own body (due to the aliens that can possess people) -- this is used to fight and manipulate others but does not fall into the main characters causing lasting damage to each other or put them in a nonconsenting sexual situation. In one of the extras there is threat of violence to children (but they're okay don't worry!). There is also terrorist tactics (holding people hostage, strapping bombs to them, etc) in this novel.
ABO specific content: At one point Lan Yu gets drugged and it induces his heat however he is able to get to a safe location and take an inhibitor to ease and hold back the symtpoms for a while. Later on Lu RanKong starts getting intimate with Lan Yu as his heat returns -- Lan Yu is somewhat under the influence of his heat and the pheremones but Lu RanKong says they can stop if Lan Yu wants to. Lan Yu ends up deciding to let the heat run its course and consents.
please reblog with the novel quote that made you stare at the wall for 5 minutes before continuing because it was just that good. for scientific purposes (the scientist desperately needs a new book to eat)
There's so many good ones but here's two I saw before I started reading Silent Reading / Mo Du that intrigued me enough to pick up the books.
Luo WenZhou: "Have you done something to let me down these last few days?"
Fei Du: "One thing. I've adored you without permission. Sorry."
and here's one where LWZ is describing Fei Du;
"He was more like a kaleidoscope with a thousand linked-together little pieces of glass inside it, all placed at different angles, the light going through was refracted countless times. There was no way to trace it",
TGCF Special International Edition (Simplified Chinese) Set
I decided to get this set as I was already ordering Silent Reading and so I wanted to share some pics of what all the set includes :3c
I love the art and theme-ing of each volume as one of the three realms and while I can't read it (who knows maybe this'll inspire me to learn another new language) I am still quite pleased with this set.
So the part that wraps around the books has a little magnet to keep it shut but you can unfold it and see inside!
The book marked "above" for the heavenly realm -- and is the first volume of the set.
the book marked "middle / in between" for the mortal realm and is the second volume in the set.
finally the book marked "below" for the underworld / hell and is the third / final volume of the set.
the painted edges of the pages are outstandingly gorgeous. this cute little pouch had all the extra goodies in it.
teeny stickers and these cool holographic ... I'm not sure if they're bookmarks? the paper is rather thick and firm so I'm not sure if they would be good to use for that or not.
postcards! they're all pretty but I do wonder how they chose which ones to print and which size to print them. Like why not have ALL the covers and box set cover as postcards instead of just two of them?
I adore these and they are closer to what I would think of as a bookmark thickness. However with the diecut edges I'd be worried the little bits would get smushed or bent if not careful when using.
more pretty little art prints! I especially like the ones with a copper colored foil on them. The paper texture for all but the two shadowy hualian prints are a nice textured paper as well.
more stickers and some papercrafts
there's this long foldout poster that's quite lovely and the back of it has the same lineart in a different composition for a landscape orientation.
I like the art in this set so much it's really very tempting to get a lot of it framed. Like the dust jackets especially are just *flails hands around because I don't have the words*
Every Day the Protagonist Wants to Capture Me / EPWCM by Qing Duan -- a brief review (no spoilers)
Novel length: 80 chapters + 8 extras
My Rating: ā ā ā ā ā / 5
This is another of the first few danmei I read -- After The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System I either read this or How to Survive as a Villain next and loved them both. I've read this one twice and it was still very enjoyable the second time around. If you liked SVSSS or HSAV I think you'll like this one!
What kind of story is Every Day the Protagonist Wants to Capture Me?
This story manages to keep a funny upbeat rhythm while also putting the characters into some serious situations. The MC is relatable, the ML charming, and the supporting cast are fleshed out with more canonical gay couples by the end of the book! There is unfortunately a lack of female characters but that's not wholly uncommon in danmei :/
EPWCM is a story about growing up, taking responsibility, showing love through actions, and gay love saving the world. This is another story that (like SVSSS) due to the transmigrator (MC)'s actions the protagonist (ML) changes so completely that the plot of the original work goes off the rails.
(Note that the MC and ML are both cultivators under the same teacher and so call each other by "shixiong / da shixiong" [older / eldest martial brother] and "shidi" [younger martial brother] most of the time.)
Like SVSSS this is a xianxia setting. Also of note is that for the most part the other characters don't have a problem with the main couple being gay. There is a scene where one character can't wrap his head around it and the MC and ML's teacher stands up and tells him to get over himself and support his them (the MC and ML).
The one who balks the most at the gay relationship is the MC and I believe this is due to his growing up in modern day china. There's brief mention of characters needing to do what's right and continue the family line but ultimately the characters follow their hearts in the end.
Without going into details here's a little bit about our main squad:
Chu Yu - the main character. He was a normal guy in the modern world when one day he wakes up in the webnovel he was reading as the protagonist's childhood bully and da-shixiong. He's committed to his new role and feels a bit guilty about taking the "original" Chu Yu's place.
Xie Xi - the protagonist of the webnovel and the male lead. At the beginning of the novel he is very wary of his da-shixiong's sudden change of heart. After a while he learns to trust Chu Yu and then decides to protect Chu Yu. Due to Chu Yu's need to put himself in danger Xie Xi gets a bit of a yandere personality.
Chu Sheng - Chu Yu's older brother. He loves his dear baby brother very much and is very protective of him. He does not approve of Chu Yu and Xie Xi's relationship mostly because he doesn't want anyone to take his brother away. He has a romance with a medical cultivator named Fu Chongyi.
Lu Qingan - Chu Yu and Xie Xi's shizun [teacher]. A well known and badass cultivator in his own right, he is an aloof and peerless immortal. He has a romance in his past that he still can't let go of. (He and his love interest remind me of Lan Wanji and Wei Wuxian from MDZS.)
Third Shidi - ...I can't remember his actual name because it was only mentioned in the extras. For the rest of the novel everyone just calls him third shidi. He's also Lu Qingan's student and shidi to Chu Yu and Xie Xi. He mostly plays the role of comedic relief but later proves to be quite adept at talisman crafting.
What is the plot of Every Day the Protagonist Wants to Capture Me?
Chu Yu wakes up in the webnovel he had been reading and right away starts trying to prevent his character's tragic end by putting an stop to everyone bullying Xie Xi. After that he spends countless nights healing Xie Xi and strengthening his core while Xie Xi is asleep. Once Xie Xi learns what Chu Yu is doing his opinion of his da-shixiong changes and he vows to get stronger himself so that when he gets older he can protect Chu Yu.
There's tensions between the righteous and demonic cultivators which eventually lead to a war, a secret realm that can easily trap someone, a cult-like group of demonic cultivators who want to bring a demon lord back to life, and a strange cliffside that would just be perfect to fall or get pushed off of. There's also some in-sect disagreements and a cover-up that is unearthed as well as a glimpse into the Chu family's past as well as Lu Qingan's.
Overall I feel like this story has an interesting and interwoven plot that connects things in ways I hadn't anticipated during my first read. Reading it a second time there's some hints at things at the beginning that hit differently once you know what the connections are.
content warnings: genre typical gore and violence, bullying, torture, off screen sexual assault is mentioned in one of the extras -> for more about this please keep reading.
Please note that third shidi is sexually assaulted by someone drugged with aphrodisiacs -- I believe it's a fuck or die type situation. The assault is not described and takes place "off screen."
In the main text the assault is only hinted at -- there's a part where third shidi asks Xie Xi to go beat up the guy who attacked him. (I think it's even worded like that and the nature of the attack is not revealed until later). The person who attacked third shidi relentlessly continues to pester third shidi and wants to pursue him romantically.
In the extras about third shidi (BC Novels' translation chapters 85 and 86) the assault is not described in detail but iirc there's a brief mention of it -- this is where it's revealed that he was sexually assaulted.
If you would like to know what the third shidi extras are about please keep reading. I'll keep it somewhat vague that way you can still read them if you chose.
Third Shidi extras summary
Third shidi is taken captive and he is forced to spend time with his attacker. His attacker flirts with him but other than that wants to get to know third shidi. He also wants third shidi to give him a chance and get to know him in return. The extra ends with third shidi deciding maybe he's not so bad and giving him that chance.
Would anyone be interested in a costume Cdrama zine? Xianxia, historical, wuxia, and xuanhuan.
Interest Check
Iād be up for participating (fic)
Iād be up for participating (art)
I MAY be up for participating (fic)
I MAY be up for participating (art)
I couldnāt participate but Iād buy it
I canāt participate, but I might buy it.
No lol
Voting ended onSep 28, 2023
Not something Iād think too hard about putting together until the mini bang is over, and I would need some other mods of course. However, I have headed up a successful zine before.
I have watched the adaptations for both Dinghai and Guardian and enjoyed them quite a bit, to the point I am interested in reading the source material. However, I am struggling to make it through Dinghai and I thought I might share some of my thoughts.
Dinghai has both a donghua and manhua and I was so curious about the story that I consumed both a while back. Now that I'm finally reading the novel I kinda wish I had only watched the donghua. The manhua is gorgeous don't get me wrong, my problem is that the manhua followed the novel closely enough that I'm bored while trying to read it. sweatdrop I could perhaps do some searching, scrolling, and skimming to find where the manhua left off and start reading from there. But I've also already read the first book and that's the part of the donghua/manhua that I remember better. So currently, I'm still planning on reading the novel, it just feels a little bit of a chore until I get to the part I've not seen adaptations of.
On the opposite end of the spectrum I started reading Guardian a couple nights ago. And I am LOVING it. So far I'm about halfway through the first book (and not looking forward to having to wait until January for volume 2's release). There's a lot that is similar to the beginning of the drama. But there's also a lot that's different. The characters still feel like the ones I fell in love with in the drama but because the drama changed the setting to be a weird sci-fi twist it's got enough changes going on that I'm still enjoying it. I love spooky supernatural and horror stuff. I love mythology and fables. I am so excited to learn all about what's going on with this version of the story. There's also a good bit of Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan flirting and teasing each other even from the first time they meet. Finally, there's more powers and artifacts. Zhao Yunlan in the drama mainly had his special gun and his wit. But Zhao Yunlan in the novel has talismans and bottles to ghostbust spirits into and more!
This kinda reminds me how when the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime ran out of source material and Arakawa Hiromu told them to make up their own thing. The OG anime goes and does some WILD things but in doing so it made its own story. And Arakawa was able to finish her story in her own way. There's something to be said about having an adaptation be just that -- an adapted form of the original. By having Dinghai's manhua so closely follow the original novel I'm struggling to consume it. I certainly have been guilty of complaining when I go see a movie based on a book I read and then get frustrated at the differences. But I think when it's done right it can follow what's happened for me and Guardian. The adaptation got me just interested and curious enough to look into the book.
Would I recommend Dinghai's novel? Yes* (with the caveat that I have not yet finished reading it -- depending on how it ends I may have other opinions)
Just maybe not all three š Ā
Would I recommend Guardian's drama? Yes
Would I recommend Guardian's novel? Yes* (with the caveat that I have not yet finished reading it -- depending on how it ends I may have other opinions)
If you liked the drama I recommend the novel. If you liked the novel please know the drama is in my opinion some cheesy junk food and still enjoyable so long as that's your thing. I think the actors (in particular the ones for Zhao YunLan and Shen Wei) are so wonderful at all the extra things they put into their performances -- the tender looks, gentle touches, line delivery, little details to show just how gay and in love these two are (even if they can't smooch on screen).
Carrying a Hoe to Cultivate by Little Baldy -- a brief review (no spoilers)
Novel length: 68 chapters + 1 extra
My Rating: ā„ā„ā„ā„Ā½ / 5
This was one of the first webnovels I read and it holds a special place in my heart. It's a quick and easy read and if you enjoy novels like The Disabled Tyrant's Pet Palm Fish I think you'll like this author's works too.
This novel also includes a sex called "ger" which is masculine but able to give birth it's not quite ABO but it has some similarities-- more on that and content warnings under the cut.
What kind of story is Carrying a Hoe to Cultivate?
This story is a lighter read-- something to read when you need a break from the serious and angsty novels like ErHa, Silent Reading, etc. I really enjoyed this one my first go around because I'd never read anything quite like it. It's a transmigration novel with connections to both a xianxia / cultivation setting AND a peaceful farming setting (this is where the majority of the novel takes place).
Having read it a second time almost a year later I still enjoyed it but not as much as the first time. The first time I had no expectations and went in completely blind. The second time I vaguely remembered what things would happen and so for a good part of my re-read I was trying to remember or guess when a certain thing happened. It also made me realize that a lot of the plot really happens towards the end of the novel.
Most of the novel is farming and cute scenes with the MC and ML. I would say nearly all of the plot happens in or is related to the xianxia world so it takes a while to build up steam. (By plot I mean the truths the characters uncover while in the xianxia world and how it relates to and affects them. I have a hard time seeing the romance as "plot" personally.)
So what was it about this story that caught my eye? That would be the blending of genres. It is a fun little romp about peaceful farming and falling in love while at the same time the cultivators are looking for their missing sect leader. Without spoiling things I found the characters' backstories interesting and motivated me to keep reading to get the full picture.
Ultimately is this story going to inspire a lot of critical thinking? -- maybe not. But it's a delightfully silly interlude with a small bit of angst and suffering once you get to some flashbacks.
Without going into details here's a little bit about our main squad:
Xia Yi - the main character. He's fairly young and childish at times, but occasionally gets anxious or depressed when he thinks about his previous life and potential future.
Gu WenZhu - the love interest. He's a hardworking serious farmer who is easily flustered as Xia Yi acts differently than the other 'gers' he's met. He has a big heart and a wildly protective spirit and we love to see it.
System 179 - the one scrambling around trying to control the chaos. Something I really liked about this novel is that the system here had its own personality. It would be childish and pout, would listen to the town gossips, and tease Xia Yi about one thing or another. This really made the system feel like its own character and unique from other transmigration novels I've read.
Carrying a Hoe to Cultivate is a transmigration novel, however, when our main character Xia Yi transmigrated there was a bit of a hiccup. He was sent to a farming world with an additional sex designation (and mpreg) while the system assigned to him was set for a cultivation world. This leads to all sorts of shenanigans and before long people from the cultivation world crossover into the farming world. This leads to Xia Yi and his friends working together and figuring out the truth of what happened to connect the worlds in the first place.
(If you are worried about the mpreg just know that it is vaguely referenced and kinda handwaved in a 'it just works' way. The novel does not go into the how or physiology. It just happens.)
content warnings: violence, dismemberment, torture, ritualistic killing, death, murder -- this is predominant in a character's backstory that only comes up a little bit when they get their memories back. mild homophobia -- see below for more info.
This novel does not use ABO terminology but there is an additional sex designation ('ger') which is masculine that has heats and can give birth. Along with that means there's some gender politic-ing when the MC acts like he normally would but is seen as being shameless for a 'ger'.
There is also some mild homophobia in the cultivation world and briefly from the MC -- the cultivation world does not have the 'ger' gender and everyone acts all surprised and shocked when they find out Xia Yi and Gu WenZhu are together-- but they don't try to interfere or stir up trouble for them. The homophobia never leads to violence or discrimination-- its more a shock factor.
Peach Blossom Debt by Da Feng Gua Guo -- my thoughts
Novel length: 74 chapters + 4 extras
This is not a full review, these are merely some thoughts I have and why I do not include this novel on my recommendation list.
I really liked the concept behind this novel and really wanted to like it. However, I found myself struggling to continue reading several times.
I will say that I read a fan translation and it changed translators a few times so I had some problems here and there following along which may be partially due to that. I cannot attest to the translation published by Peach Flower House but if anyone has read that version I would love to hear your thoughts!
This is a novel where characters have several names and titles and I really should have kept some notes because with the way that the story kept jumping around between present day and flashbacks I could barely keep up.
What I remember of the plot is as follows; there's two gods in heaven who were gay and in a relationship with each other. They are sent to the human realm and reborn as humans without their memories and are forced to suffer in this lifetime as penance. Along with them is our main character who is a god tasked with arranging some of their suffering. When the plan dictated by heaven starts to go awry another god joins the main character to help-- he's the love interest. There's other characters that show up and add more chaos, flashbacks to when the MC and ML were in heaven and met for the first time, etc.
It all gets to be a big mess because the MC doesn't want to harm the two gods he's supposed to make suffer. And from his perspective the reason they must suffer is because they're gay and aren't supposed to be in a relationship. The main character also puts himself down a lot, talking about how boring, uninteresting, or untalented he is. You finally get to find out about the MC's past that even he has forgotten about in the EXTRAS of the novel which is used to tie up some of the plot. It really didn't feel like they were extras to me. It just felt like the next few chapters of the novel. In my opinion, if you stop reading at the end of the main text you wouldn't have all of the context this novel.
I got especially frustrated because at the end of the novel it seemed as if the reason why the two gods were being punished in the first place was NOT that they were in a gay relationship with each other. But for other unrelated reasons. So all the internalized panic that the MC feels at his feelings for the ML suddenly felt pointless. He'd been keeping his feelings to himself for so long because he felt he was unworthy of the ML and then during the mission whenever he got jealous of others flirting with the ML or when he wanted to act on his own feelings he would start to spiral into despair because if he did so he and the ML would end up like the two gods they're tasked with terrorizing now. And he didn't want to put the ML through that suffering. But it turns out all of that repeated spiraling was based solely on his understanding of the situation which was wildly uniformed.
I dunno, like perhaps that is a compelling story to some folks but to me I've had enough of dealing with homophobia in my daily life and I don't want to spend more time angsting about it -- especially when it turns out not to be the reason for the punishment to begin with. But even that I'm not 100% certain of due to how it was written.
I've also read that this author's work (including this novel) was taken and plagiarized by another author who ended up quite successful (even getting a drama made out of their version). So if you want to support this novel solely on the fact that their work was plagiarized I fully support that. These are just my opinions on the story itself. I really feel like it had a lot of potential to be a story that I loved but ended up just missing the mark.
The Disabled Tyrantās Pet Palm Fish by Xue Shan Fei Hu -- a brief review (VAGUE spoilers under the cut)
Novel length: 156 chapters
My Rating: ā„ā„ā„ā„Ā½ / 5
This novel is a fun silly romp with plenty of face-slapping and courtroom drama. Overall, this is a fun one and while I enjoyed it very much it is perhaps not one for everyone. Our main character is pretty OP and seemingly able to overcome any and all trials with his powers of being a CUTE MAGIC FISH.
Content warnings and some VAGUE SPOILERS in regard to the disability and representation under the cut.
What kind of story is The Disabled Tyrant's Pet Palm Fish?
DTPPF is a transmigration story. So anticipate all sorts of transmigration shenanigans and tropes. It's also a story that is clearly meant for fun and not to be taken seriously. But that doesn't mean that it doesn't have heart -- there were a few times I teared up and cried as I got hit right in the feels. This is also a story with mpreg -- something that I hadn't anticipated just from the title and synopsis.
(If you are worried about the mpreg just know that it is vaguely referenced and kinda handwaved in a 'it just works' way. The novel does not go into the how or physiology. It just happens.)
What about the disability? The tyrant is mute -- and there are some genuine moments of how he struggles with it. There's even a couple moments when he sort of uses his muteness to his advantage. It is an integral part of his character as it has changed how others treat and perceive him. It also affects his life in the imperial palace and his right of inheritance as one of the emperor's sons. It does not feel like an afterthought. That being said please check below the cut to see some more of my thoughts on this matter.
Overall while this story does have a good amount of courtroom intrigue, drama, and backstabbing I'm still left feeling that it's a fairly lighthearted and fluffy story. I think this is mostly due to how seemingly easily and consistently our main character and his love interest are able to solve the problems they run into. It was also terribly endearing as the reader to see the tyrant falling desperately in love and just wanting to tell the main character that he is loved and that he accepts him no matter what kind of creature he is.
Without going into details here's a little bit about our main squad:
Li Yu aka Xiao Yu - the main character of our tale, he is a modern young man transmigrated into a webnovel he had been reading... but as the protagonist's fish! He is tasked with helping the tyrant but how can he help when he is but a small fish? He gets creative and gains some special abilities that allow him to help cause chaos and help the tyrant before eventually he is able to regain his human form for a certain amount of time. (He is referred to as "Xiao Yu" at first by the tyrant as he is a "small fish" (xiao = small, yu = fish.))
Mu Tianchi aka Jing Wang - the protagonist of the novel Li Yu had been reading. His name is Mu Tianchi but is often referred to by his title "Jing Wang" especially at the beginning of the novel. He is said to have been born mute and as such he is not considered as a viable heir to the throne. This does keep him out of some courtroom drama but certainly not all of it. As the other brothers are fighting, scheming, and taking each other out Mu Tianchi does continue to prove to be very capable and difficult to manipulate. He also goes above and beyond when it comes to spoiling both "Xiao Yu" (the fish) and Li Yu (his human form).
Wang Xi - protagonist's eunuch / advisor / assistant / caretaker. He's incredible and deserves so many props. He would do anything to help Mu Tianchi and Li Yu. I don't have much to say about him other than I don't know what Mu Tianchi and Li Yu would have done if Wang Xi had turned against them.
Chu Yanyu - the original love interest of the tyrant in the novel. I won't spoil things but I will say I wanted to yeet this character every time he showed up. Just when you think you've seen the last of him he. keeps. showing. up.
What is the plot of The Disabled Tyrant's Pet Palm Fish?
The plot of The Disabled Tyrant's Pet Palm Fish follows Li Yu's journey on regaining his human form, helping prevent certain events he knows about from the novel, uncovering the conspiracies and mysteries from Mu Tianchi's past, and securing Mu Tianchi's place as crown prince. Meanwhile Mu Tianchi and Li Yu fall in love with each other of course.
I've only read this title once (so far) but unlike Silent Reading and Heaven Official's Blessing, I feel like DTPPF doesn't really have clear arcs in terms of where one book would end and the next would start -- I will be curious to see how Seven Seas splits this one up into volumes.
There are some characters that never get names. This is not the only webnovel I've read where this happens but every time it happens I'm a little disappointed. Like, on one hand it can be hard to keep track of a ton of characters and their names but... it also is just so weird to me whenever a character continues to show up but is only referred to as "the scarred man" or in the case of this novel "the princess of JinJue." She's a pretty great character but she never got a name!
I do hope that when Seven Seas releases their translation that they will include a character list like they have in other books to help keep track of everyone. Because when the emperor's sons are mentioned sometimes it's by their birth order or title and sometimes it's by name. And of course they all have similar names (they even share a generation name -- Mu TianZhao, Mu TianMing, Mu TianChi, Mu TianXiao, etc).
Click 'keep reading' to see more on the disability (VAGUE SPOILERS) and trigger warnings.
Disability representation in the novel
Without going into the HOW and WHY I feel it is important to mention that Mu Tianchi's disability is CURED pretty late in the novel. While I did find the outcome touching (when the main character hears the tyrant's first words and how the tyrant feels upon finally being able to speak) I think that this could be a touchy subject. I think that the novel could have not had the tyrant be cured and I would have enjoyed it just as much. And I imagine that if you're a person with a disability and or chronic illness that is reading a story where a main character struggles with his own -- only to end up magically and conveniently cured of his disability -- that it could be frustrating.
There is also discrimination against Mu Tianchi for his disability -- he isn't considered a viable heir for the throne because he is mute, even if he is the best choice. Also since he has this disability the other characters (and the tyrant himself) worry that his children would also be disabled.
content warnings: there's several times when jokes are made about bestiality (and a couple characters assume that Mu Tianchi's feelings towards his fish are not strictly platonic).
There is also various attempts of harm towards young children that might inherit the throne including poison, kidnapping, and threat of physical harm. Similarly, there are attempts at drugging (with aphrodisiacs, getting someone overly drunk, etc) and dubious consent situations -- (however this does not occur between our main couple). This is done in hopes of earning someone's favor, forcing them to take responsibility, and or moving up in rank and society.
There is also a character that was taken as a concubine (against her will) after her kingdom was defeated in war. All of this seems fairly standard to courtroom drama stories but I figured it would be good to mention. If you've also read this novel and think I've left some cw out let me know and I'll add them to this list.
Another user pointed out that the character of the JinJue princess is 16-- so there's some setting compliant marriages / relationships with folks who are under 18 years old. I would be surprised if she was the only character this applied to but I can't remember others right at this moment.
Okay! now that Iām done rereading Mo Du by Priest, time for an overall review on the entire series! WARNING: unlike my previous book by book review, this review WILL contain spoilers, even if theyre not major, cause itās more of an analysis than a review so beware!!
A piece of work about: a team of investigators, from the special crimes department, whose wildest wishes is not to spend the weekend working overtime; a sociopathic young CEO, who cant put the case behind his motherās death to rest; five elderly policemen from the previous generation, two of whom have died under suspicious circumstances; and a never ending series of crimes varying from kidnappings to trafficking to murder and maybe even serial killings. If this already sounds complicated, then dont worry, cause it gets even more and more complicated to a point where you find yourself juggling two, maybe even three, cases at a time.
Iāll start with the characters:
Luo Wenzhou: a charismatic, quick tempered captain of the investigation team whoās a lil too full of himself but he still has a heart large enough to embrace everyone he comes across. i absolutely adored his character, his dialogue and quips, his fatherly demeanor in which he lectures his subordinates before proceeding to do exactly what they were doing, then buying them all food so they can overlook his shamelessness. Luo Wenzhou is the sort to overcrowd the room with his boisterous, loud personality; the sort elders lectured all the time for getting in countless troubles, but still openly favored anyway. He is bold, capable, kind, creative with his insults, and even though heās always threatening to give everyone around him a beating, the most he does is smack them on the back of their head. His character is simple and easy to read, but definitely very lovable and warm.
Now meet Fei Du. Our beloved sociopath. Yes heās an actual sociopath (he is NOT a psychopath, cause psychopaths are born that way, and sociopaths are MADE that way during their childhoods, which leaves room for them to heal and reverse what they were forced to learn and unlearn it all, a very important point. While we certainly meet a lot of psychopaths in the series, the difference between them and Fei Du is that Fei Du, later on, unlearns everything that was forced down his throat and heals, which is one of the themes in the series). Now what I really love about this novel, is that while in every other danmei, thereās always one shy and and quiet character while their love interest is always the loud and extroverted one, in this web novel, they are both equally flirty, equally shameless, equally extroverted, and equally bold in everything they do. While Luo Wenzhouās charisma expresses itself in a more cocky, big handsome brave man type of way, Fei Duās charisma is a lot quieter and moreā¦seductive, sensual and silk-draped. His words are always as sweet as honey, heās the sort to send flowers and wear expensive strong cologne, drive up to your work place in an expensive chic car, and open the door for you. A true Gentleman, the very opposite of the Hero and Savior, Luo Wenzhou, whoās a lot more aggressive and rough and protective.
But Fei Duās character goes deeper than that. I absolutely loved how intelligent priest made him out to be, and i always looked forward to his explanations and deductions for every case, his chameleon like mindset and mirroring personality that seems to shift and change and adjust according to whom heās talking to and what he wants from the person heās around. His childhood is horrific, truly the most frightening backstory in any novel iāve read, it exceeded my expectations the first time i read the series and completely took me by surprise, nothing i couldve ever expected. He is extremely manipulative, and up until the last few chapters in the last book, you still cant trust him or deduce his motives or know where he stands. And yet, priest somehow manages to make him no less lovable than Wenzhou, cause even if you dont know whether heās evil or not, you still cant help but be fond of him.
I absolutely LOVE and ADORE fei du and luo wenzhouās dynamic, with the way they spent the first novel bickering and fighting back and forth, unable to so much as stand being in the same room as each other, to the way they started shamelessly flirting back and forth and one upping each other in the next book, building up so much tension between them. And even when they got together, they still retained a very interesting dynamic, their relationship never mellowed down, it was still very entertaining through and through. A perfect enemies to lovers. (Also side note, i feel like if you were to take priestās character Gu Yun from Shapo Lan, and split him in two, youād actually get fei du and luo wenzhou. I feel like they represent the two different sides of Gu Yun, the flirty and seductive young master everyone wants to sleep with, and the capable and bold leader everyone would follow loyally to any battle.)
The rest of the characters, aka Tao Ran and Lang Qaoi and Xaoi Haiying and Zhou Huajin and basically everyone, are my CHILDREN i will protect them with my BLOOD.
Now for the plot, well, iāve always been a mystery and thriller girl, so need i say more? All priest had to say was CRIME, and i came running. From the moment the first case presented itself, i knew this series was gonna become one of my all time favorites. Iām talking yellow āKEEP OUTā tapes, iām talking forensics complications and bloody crime scenes, Iām talking clues and hints and evidence and suspects and a classic āwho done itā. Every case was different from the last, so the series never felt repetitive or boring. Each time it was a different issue, a different pattern, a different plot twist. Priest definitely kept my nerves wrapped up in a twist throughout all five books, always on a look out for different clues and hints, always trying to put two and two together and figure things out along with the characters. She touched on topics from mass homicide to rape and pedophilia to prostitution and drug addiction to a wealthy family strife over inheritance to cults and the abyss behind victimhood and grief. I absolutely loved the range, how you could go from reading about the silly banter between the characters over what they should eat while they work overtime, to serious and deep discussions over trauma and justice, and what was the correct way to process grief and get over an event that ruined your life and the lives of everyone around you. Another thing that i loved, was how interactive the cases where. It felt like everything clicked, everything made sense, and nothing was overlooked. Every question i asked myself, a character in the book would ask and an answer would be presented, and every minor detail that was mentioned in the very beginning that i quickly forgot, was brought back later on and expanded on in more detail and care. It was an extremely fun read.
Finally, the overarching theme of the story, discussing the processing of trauma, grief, abuse and victimhood, as well as criminal psychology and the line between justice and self righteousness. I love how for every case presented, Priest always showed you the two sides to the same coin, the two paths anyone is presented with in the face of life altering events. Priest gives you the answer to questions like, why did Fei Du choose not to become like his father, an actual psychopath, why was he capable of undoing all the things his father taught him and why did he consciously CHOOSE that path, over simply following his fatherās path of psychopathy and greed and apathy and murder. Priest presents you with characters that are born into circumstances similar to Fei Duās, but with just the tiniest differences and alterations, they ended up on a complete different path, being on the opposite end of the interrogation room table, bearing handcuffs. But priest doesnāt give you all the answers right away cause whereās the fun in that? She leaves you wondering why fei du turned out different, or did he actually turn out different? Why didnāt he end up like all those other psychopaths who followed the lead of their parents? Till at last, she explains everything in the last book, and you put together a similar conclusion yourself just before everything is unraveled (if you guys want, i can do a whole meta analysis on fei duās character, cause he is one of the most interesting characters that iāve read about). Another example on the same circumstances but two paths concepts would be, without any major spoilers, the families of the deceased and the victims. Now i wont divulge into details not to insert any major spoilers, but whoever reads book 5, then reads the extras after the epilogue, will definitely understand what i mean. That was a brilliant stroke on Priestās part, definitely genius.
This whole installment was intriguing, intricately woven, complex and simply mind blowing. Youāll laugh, cry, get anxious, feel relief only to end up anxious again, attempt to solve the cases along with the characters, stay up late while going over the INTENSE interrogation scenes, and meet all sorts of criminals and personas as you dive deep into their psychological thought process and motives. This series is a DEFINITE 1000000/10 to me, my third favorite danmei (right after the dumb husky and his white cat shizun by meatbun and heavenās official blessing by mxtx). Also, thereās a pet cat :D
YES! I completely agree and canāt wait to go back to re-read Silent Reading in the future. There is definitely a lot of interesting things going on with Fei Duās character as well as everyone else in the series. From the victimās families to the antagonists each character feels fleshed out and real. I donāt think there was a single point where I felt like someone was flat or acting OOC -- thatās how well developed they were.Ā
Silent Reading is the only work by Priest that Iāve read completely through as of yet and I am so excited to dive into the next one. I may go with Tai Sui as it was translated by the same person as Silent Reading and they did such a great job.Ā
I know that the crimes in Silent Reading will be difficult for some readers but I canāt recommend the series enough.Ā
