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A Hero Born

(The Legend of the Condor Heroes #1)

Jin Yong,

Anna Holmwood (Translator)

4.02 · Rating details · 2,399 ratings · 579 reviews

China: 1200 A.D.

The Song Empire has been invaded by its warlike Jurchen neighbours from the north. Half its territory and its historic capital lie in enemy hands; the peasants toil under the burden of the annual tribute demanded by the victors. Meanwhile, on the Mongolian steppe, a disparate nation of great warriors is about to be united by a warlord whose name will endure ...more

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Paperback, 395 pages

Published February 22nd 2018 by MacLehose Press (first published January 1st 1957)

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Apr 06, 2019 Petrik rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-and-review-copies

ARC provided by the publisher—St. Martin’s Press—in exchange for an honest review.

A Hero Born is the start to Jin Yong’s highly praised classic series but a lot of the promising quality of the book seems to get lost in translation.

I’m genuinely sad with my ratings for this one, but I have to be honest that I have mixed feelings towards this novel. When I was around 5 years old, I used to watch The Legends of the Condor Heroes a lot with my parents. When I missed an episode, my parents would ...more

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Mar 02, 2018 Sean Smart rated it did not like it

I wanted to like this famous Chinese series, it looked amazing and a beautiful cover but maybe it’s the translation but it seemed amateurish and clumsy, I just couldn’t get in to this and I am so disappointed

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Jul 23, 2018 John Lloyd rated it liked it · review of another edition

I wanted to write a review since so many of the ones on GoodReads seem to have a political slant or seem to focus on the fact that the reader read something that was not "western". My viewpoint is from one who read this translation side by side with the original while asking questions to a friend who grew up with it over WhatsApp.

A Hero Born is not the Chinese "Lord of the Rings". There are other classic and modern works that better fit the moniker. Its the first novel in a series which is clo I wanted to write a review since so many of the ones on GoodReads seem to have a political slant or seem to focus on the fact that the reader read something that was not "western". My viewpoint is from one who read this translation side by side with the original while asking questions to a friend who grew up with it over WhatsApp.

A Hero Born is not the Chinese "Lord of the Rings". There are other classic and modern works that better fit the moniker. Its the first novel in a series which is closer to a western "young adult" trilogy than anything literary. The characters are straightforward, the plot is predictable and telegraphed in the first few pages, and the prose(especially in this translation) is basic. None of which is a bad thing provided your expectations are in line with what this book offers.

The plot is fun spanning a divided China and a rapidly unifying Mongolia. The book follows the story of a boy displaced by war in a foreign country who is being guided toward a destiny decided from birth. The story is light and exciting with around a third dedicated to in-depth martial arts. The book is rich with descriptions of the period and well annotated to explain things which may be ambiguous to foreign readers.

So why score the book only a three out of five? The first is the translation. Its literally quite correct but most of the character is lost in translation. Guo Jing's (the main character) development being the largest casualty. In the original work he comes off as a strong but simple fellow with little intellectual capacity. His tutors and sifu are upset with his lack of progress but there is a feeling of love and devotion. His archetype is meant to be a "lawful good" patriot with straightforward motivations. There are numerous points where the author uses wordplay to let the reader know that Guo Jing isn't very smart without it being revealed in the page. None of this comes across in English. Guo Jing reads as a simpleton that nobody would like except for their duty to him. Its a pity and drags down his story arc. This loss of translation extends to the fight scenes and explanation of moves which are less jarring in the original text. I hope there is a better translation.

The rest of my issues are with the story itself. Jin Yong's series of books is full of crazy and exciting story arcs. Guo Jing's is the one I found to be the most boring. "A Hero Born" ends on a cliffhanger meaning the reader will not get any closure until they read the next books. Its a pretty sour pill to swallow if you don't enjoy the book and I think readers should ahead of time. Especially when the climax was told to the readers about halfway through the book through clumsy storytelling.

So would I recommend the book? Sure. Would I recommend it before other books? No. If time or budget is a factor there are other books, including those by Jin Yong, which are more worthy of one's time. I think Guo Jing's story is best for a beach read, a road trip, or a long flight where you need something simple and fun to pass the time.
...more

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Jun 21, 2020 Dilushani Jayalath rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: chinese-novels

Being it the first time I am wading the waters of the wuxia genre, I am quite satisfied that I picked up this book. As it is the first time I thought of treading carefully in case I missed any important points. As per some of the reviews I have read i could comprehend that this was a hit or miss among non-Chinese fans and there maybe few reasons as to why that would be. The use of names and the some fantasy-like elements in regards to the Kungfu can clearly put some people away from the book but Being it the first time I am wading the waters of the wuxia genre, I am quite satisfied that I picked up this book. As it is the first time I thought of treading carefully in case I missed any important points. As per some of the reviews I have read i could comprehend that this was a hit or miss among non-Chinese fans and there maybe few reasons as to why that would be. The use of names and the some fantasy-like elements in regards to the Kungfu can clearly put some people away from the book but being a regular fan of Chinese dramas many of these did not in turn come as a surprise. These elements are one of the most used tropes in them and can be even deduced as a fan favorite among many.

The first story itself consists of four volumes in the English translation thus this can be taken as just the beginning of the story. As the name suggest this volume only touches on the points of our "Hero" being born at what really catapulted the real reason for his journey. This is just the beginning of a great saga created by the great story teller Jin Young.

One of the best factors of the story that caught my attention was how we are not only introduced to the Chinese Song culture but also the Jin culture and even the Mongolian. If I were to pick as which really captured my attention it would be the time Guo Jin spent in Mongolia. Since before I rather had affection to the Northern tribes of China (I loved Goodbye My Princess) as their loyalty and never ending simple life really does hold a certain charm towards me.

In fact do not expect to fall in love the characters or find any excuse for justice between them. As this is a book that was first serialized in the 1950's many typical tropes of Asian heroes are found here. Specially the stupid but overly loyal hero who ends up being the champion from his goodness alone (ahem ahem Naruto, Natsu). If one can look over these very few cliches, one would be awarded by journey that will completely captivate you.

The intricate web of characters woven together are indeed so delicately done that it is no surprise that one gets completely absorbed in it. The manner in which everything is written is indeed complex yet easy to comprehend and that in turn makes the story much better. At first I myself was scared with so many characters were being introduced through out the story but the manner in which each one is strung along the web is done in a manner that it flows natural and one would ultimately be bewitched by it.

Although this only the start of a great saga I can assure one would not be disappointed with it. Yes, the beauty of the book does get lost in translation, yet the translator has done a somewhat good job to catch the essence of it at the end. ...more

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Apr 04, 2018 RG rated it liked it

It was advertised as a Chinese LOTR but I feel like it has nothing similar at all. Its a style in itself, Wuxia, which is pretty much fable type chinese martial arts. Think crouching tuger hidden dragon. The story and historical elements were great. I found the dialogue a little cheesy or YAish, but I guess that might be the translation. My issue was all the different martial arts schools and moves. I think as a novel its sometimes hard to describe or visualize these moves. In my opinion its eas ...more

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Sep 21, 2019 Nursebookie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, arc-physical, st-martin-s-press, historical-fiction, epic-adventure, fantasy, epic, chinese-saga

When I heard that this epic historical book would finally be available in English, I could not wait to get my hands on this. Then the book gods answered my prayers and this was sent to me. This is the first English translation since this book was first published back in 1957 -‘exceptionally done by Anna Holmwood.

A Hero Born (Legends of the condor Heroes Book 1) is the first book in a 4 book series. A Bond Undone Book 2 (3/2020), A Snake Lies Waiting Book 3 (09/2020) and A Heart Divided is the F When I heard that this epic historical book would finally be available in English, I could not wait to get my hands on this. Then the book gods answered my prayers and this was sent to me. This is the first English translation since this book was first published back in 1957 -‘exceptionally done by Anna Holmwood.

A Hero Born (Legends of the condor Heroes Book 1) is the first book in a 4 book series. A Bond Undone Book 2 (3/2020), A Snake Lies Waiting Book 3 (09/2020) and A Heart Divided is the Final releasing (03/2021).

Jin Yong has been compared to as the Asian J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling and George R.R. Martin, but I beg to differ. His writing has a very distinct style and classical fantasy feel, a true saga about ancient China only Yong can describe about the sceneries, the story world and complex characters. Despite being set in the 1200's, the story has a universality and themes that make for an amazing epic story that include love, loyalty, honor, and of course its share of greed and corruption that everyone will enjoy to read.

Guo Jing’s wants to avenge his father’s death, who was killed before he was even born and grows up with his mother in Mongolian and looked after by the Great warlords of Temujin who would later assume the name Genghis Khan. He is trained by the seven freaks of the south. You get an awesome history lesson at the same while the fantastical story is interweaved into real historical events.

As I was reading this book I was so excited to embark in this journey of amazing storytelling about the great Chinese Empire and the Dynasties that are full of corruptions to the core, with the emergence of unlikely heroes that fight for their motherland and stories of courage, honor and justice. The book goes through Dynasties that rise and fall and a slew of characters who abide by a code of honor but have their own internal agenda. The book is filled with incredible kung fu fighting and battle scenes. I enjoy the imagery and the use of magic, medicine and poisons. Intertwined in this epic story are also stories of families and familial bonds, story of love and romance as well as brotherhood and patriotism for the country.

I highly enjoyed this epic saga based on real historical events and sleepless nights for the amazing stories of heroes I have loved. I enjoyed and looked forward to the illustrations scattered all over book as they bring quite an addition to the story as I conceptualize the location and visualize the characters and the time period. Book 2 just simply come fast enough.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for a complimentary ARC copy of this amazing book. My reviews are my own and voluntary. ...more

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Sep 12, 2019 Amanda Hupe rated it liked it

Shelves: 2019-reads, netgalley

This book has been advertised as the “Chinese Lord of the Rings.” When I first got the email when this book was being translated I knew I had to read it. A Hero Born by Jin Yong, Translated by Anna Holmwood is the first book in the Legends of the Condor Heroes Book 1. This epic begins with brothers in arms, Skyfury Guo and Ironheart Yang and Song patriots. The novel takes place in China 1200 A.D. during the Jin-Song Wars. When Guo and Yang are murdered, their wives give birth to sons but are sep ...more

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Aug 16, 2019 Lucia rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1-2-stars-read, fantasy, historical

A Hero Born is the biggest disappointment of the year for me. I admit, I picked it up because it was called "Chinese Lord of the Rings". But sadly, such comparison only resulted in me having enormous expectations that were not met.

Instead of epic powerful tale, all I got was boring story, poor storytelling and impersonal writing style that left me indifferent towards characters. Even fight scenes were super boring and I truly struggled to finish this book. I definitely will not continue reading ...more

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Apr 25, 2018 Bryn Hammond rated it it was amazing

Shelves: imagined-fiction

I hope the style of this catches on, in the way they have done this translation. It's very much a serial story, and strongly reminded me of the last 'novel' I read that first existed in serial installments in a newspaper: Sue's The Mysteries of Paris, with its episodic structure and high-excitement, sensational content. I know Dickens (and Dostoyevsky) published in serial too, but read now as novels, they don't come across as installment stories as Sue did, and as this 1950s Hong Kong serial doe I hope the style of this catches on, in the way they have done this translation. It's very much a serial story, and strongly reminded me of the last 'novel' I read that first existed in serial installments in a newspaper: Sue's The Mysteries of Paris, with its episodic structure and high-excitement, sensational content. I know Dickens (and Dostoyevsky) published in serial too, but read now as novels, they don't come across as installment stories as Sue did, and as this 1950s Hong Kong serial does. So I felt a certain caution about whether it fits in between covers as a novel in a set; and I wished they had done a giant book like Sue, which is 1300 pages in one hit. In short, does this work as a novel? I hope so, but it's an odd one. Readers need to be a bit flexible about what they expect.

It must also feel familiar to lovers of Dumas. I found it Three Musketeersy (above Lord of the Ringsy), and Count of Monte Cristo fans need apply too. Going back a bit, its interlaced structure, while a traditional storytelling method in China, is traditional in medieval European adventure story too.

To be honest I've been a bit shy of wuxia, where martial arts are added into historical settings. Hollywood action movies bore me to despair -- and books that try to be action movies are my nightmare. Even in my beloved television Xena, an early imitator of Hong Kong martial arts flicks, I glaze over at the fight scenes or make tea. Yet I happily read every move of these fight scenes even though they are half the content of the book. I can't actually explain that. Go to the original? And it was fun to have Qiu Chuji, whom you might know as the aged Daoist priest who met Chinggis Khan late in his career, as an irascible fighting hero, whose introduction was strongly redolent of cloaked, dark Aragorn before we know he's not a bad guy.

Talking of Chinggis, I enjoyed the Mongol parts, which tell the main events of the Secret History of the Mongols, if briefly: Temujin's relations with Ong Khan (Toghrul) and Jamuqa. I liked how genuine this telling was to the Mongol tellings, in its presentation of Temujin etc. I understand that Jin Yong incorporates a lot of content, like a bit of a fictionalised encyclopedia, much of which might pass by English-language readers including me. But I can vouch for being 'taught' the Secret History of the Mongols in an authentic way -- with our young hero Guo Jing inserted as Tolui's anda, present at big events etc. I like books that 'incorporate'.

The scary parts were scary. The big bads are not historical people (this saves the book from taking sides too much in history) but fantasy dark martial artists, pitted against the 'freaks' who are yet good. This is where it is most Lord of the Ringsy.

And also in its ... goodheartedness. Dammit, I like a book that is goodhearted, however many evils and evil freaks you throw at us. These martial artists are knights errant. They care about things and they live by a knightly code. Qiu Chuji is my favourite, whose irascibility and impatience makes him cause havoc in the wrong places. There is heart-tugging without sentimentality: emotional and tragic situations are given their due, which always lifts us above cartoon (like The Three Musketeers. Like Lord of the Rings). ...more

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Aug 03, 2019 Terence rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys

Two men who are brothers at arm's befriend a Taoist. The Taoist helps choose names for their unborn children and leaves them. These two men are betrayed and murdered. Their wives are captured and their family lines are in jeopardy. That's only the beginning of this generational tale.

A Hero Born is a story that struggles from things outside of it's control, at least in the US. It's an old book that was first published in the 1950s. On top of that it's translated into English which undoubtedly cos ...more

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Oct 05, 2019 Sarah added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, historical, net-galley

DNF. I feel guilty about not finishing this, because I don’t even think there is anything particularly wrong with it, except that we are just not jiving right now.

I attempted to read the introduction three times before I decided it was way too dry and skipped to the beginning. In the beginning, we meet two heroes, Skyfury Guo and Ironheart Yang, that feel earnest in their desire to be heroes, but also a little like SpongeBob and Patrick in their competence. I hate saying that- because I know thi DNF. I feel guilty about not finishing this, because I don’t even think there is anything particularly wrong with it, except that we are just not jiving right now.

I attempted to read the introduction three times before I decided it was way too dry and skipped to the beginning. In the beginning, we meet two heroes, Skyfury Guo and Ironheart Yang, that feel earnest in their desire to be heroes, but also a little like SpongeBob and Patrick in their competence. I hate saying that- because I know this is a cherished piece of literature in China, but the whole thing just felt a little cartoonish.

The part that I read was technically all backstory for the hero: what happened in the months leading up to his birth. I might have continued if the introduction were dropped and the back story was reduced to 10-15 pages. (If we’re looking at the blurb: “Guo Jing, son of a murdered Song patriot” this is as far as I got in the book, the murdered Song patriot.) If the pacing is this slow, 15% of the book is back story, I just don’t want to continue.

The action scenes weren’t very exciting to me. I read once, that the difference between a good action scene and a bad one, is that a bad one will only describe what is happening. Good action scenes will describe how a character feels when they are in the action. This is a case where the movements are described adequately, but entirely without feeling.

I had a hard time envisioning the setting and the characters. The villains, from what I read, seemed like they weren’t going to be very fleshed out at any point in time. Just hooded figures, evil magistrates, maybe a shadowy emperor or something. It’s a dated method of story telling. Understandable, since it was originally written in 1957, but also something I don’t want to read right now.

I might come back to this at some point, knowing what I know and skipping the back story because the premise does sound very exciting (Genghis Khan!) but it’s not going to be any time soon and I don’t want to leave the book unreviewed on NetGalley. I attempted it. I made it through 70 dense pages or so.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley who provided a copy in exchange for review. ...more

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Sep 17, 2019 Sherwood Smith added it · review of another edition

Shelves: wuxi-xianxia

Jin Yong is an enormous name in Chinese literature--and finally we're getting English translations of one of his most famous series, Legends of the Condor Heroes. This series has been filmed multiple times, and the books have been in print for half a century.

For us Westerners looking through the tiny keyhole of translated Chinese epics, this one I think serves as a good introduction. I cannot comment on the quality of the translation, but I believe that beginning with the tale of Guo Jin was a g ...more

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Sep 15, 2019 Kayla rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019-releases, arc, asian-rep, asian-readathon

Hey Ya’ll!

This is my spoiler free review of A Hero Born by Jin Yong. Released on September 17th in America, this story was translated from the original Chinese and was actually published back in 1957. Jin Yong is known as the Chinese Tolkein, and I’ve never read Lord of the Rings but I was taken completely by surprise by how much I loved this book. I gave it four stars. Let’s get into the review.

A big thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with this book in exchange for m ...more

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Mar 06, 2018 Mizuki marked it as to-read

Pre-review@0/03/2018:

Legends of the Condor Heroes honestly is not my favorite Jin Yong's novel, the sequel which comes after it: Condor Lovers (or The Return of the Condor Heroes) and this stand-alone novel: Proud Smiling Wanderer, are my most favorites. However, I still whole-heartenedly wish for this English translation to perform well so more Jin Yong's novels will see the daylight in the English world!

The publisher had marketed this book as an Eastern A Game of Thrones but I don't think it's ...more

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Jan 21, 2021 Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021-poc, 2021-translated

4.5 Stars
This is the start to an epic piece of classic Chinese fantasy. Other reviewers have criticized the translation, but I can only comment as an English reader. Personally, I really enjoyed this one. This series certainly has a potential to be a favourite once I have read more of the books. The story is a great combination of politics, martial arts and loveable characters. The narrative manages to feel like a sweeping epic while also offering an intimate focus on the main characters. I desp ...more

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Sep 07, 2019 Dee Arr rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, action

Written by Jin Yong (pen name of Louis Cha), “A Hero Born” relates the tale of Guo Jing. The eventful backstory leading to his birth and through the next 18 years is filled with colorful characters and extensive battle scenes.

The book would be a good fit for teenage boys craving action and adventure, and is reminiscent of martial arts movies. While I personally am not a huge fan of these flicks (and by extension, this book), one can’t help but get caught up in the story. Guo Jing is like a leaf Written by Jin Yong (pen name of Louis Cha), “A Hero Born” relates the tale of Guo Jing. The eventful backstory leading to his birth and through the next 18 years is filled with colorful characters and extensive battle scenes.

The book would be a good fit for teenage boys craving action and adventure, and is reminiscent of martial arts movies. While I personally am not a huge fan of these flicks (and by extension, this book), one can’t help but get caught up in the story. Guo Jing is like a leaf in the wind, being blown from one event to the next. Many of the scenes feature detailed battles, some of which go on for pages. It is easy to envision exactly what is happening, and the book flies by on a breakneck pace. The action and the plot form a cohesive element that powers the book from beginning to end.

Don’t look for deep characterizations here, it’s just not that type of book. Energy is focused on the entertainment, both in the battles as well as the participants. Groups of fighters are known by their individual as well as their group names. The Four Daemons of the Yellow River should strike fear in the heart of any of their enemies, and there was no way I was not going to get involved with The Seven Freaks of the South.

I would recommend not reading the CHARACTERS section in the beginning of the book. The list of names might seem overwhelming, and it really didn’t help me with reading the book. However, if you get caught up in the series, it will be a helpful reminder of who everyone is, as the individual descriptions are short but illuminating.

The book seemed to end, not necessarily as a cliffhanger, but certainly with a lot of strings left unraveled. I am guessing this is because there will eventually be twelve books that will tell the entire story, and where “A Hero Born” stopped must have been the most logical spot. I am not an expert on translated works, but since nothing in the text seemed jarring or out of place, I would consider the work to be satisfactory. Fun read, especially for those fans of kung fu movies. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance electronic copy of this book.
...more

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Sep 21, 2019 Sherwood Smith added it · review of another edition

Shelves: wuxi-xianxia

Jin Yong is an enormous name in Chinese literature--and finally we're getting English translations of one of his most famous series, Legends of the Condor Heroes. This series has been filmed multiple times, and the books have been in print for half a century.

For us Westerners looking through the tiny keyhole of translated Chinese epics, this one I think serves as a good introduction. I cannot comment on the quality of the translation, but I believe that beginning with the tale of Guo Jin was a g ...more

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Mar 24, 2018 enricocioni rated it really liked it

Shelves: funny, history, translated

When I first heard of this book, I was very excited. But then, when I first picked it up in my hands, I became concerned. First, two of the blurbs compared the whole Legends of the Condor Heroes series to the Lord of the Rings, and it never excites me to see that something is "the Lord of the Rings, but X"—because, leaving aside Tolkien's problematic race and gender stuff, I don't want to see something I've seen before, I want something that is entirely different. Second, as I was flipping throu ...more

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Sep 09, 2019 The Captain rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: abandon-ship

Ahoy there mateys! I tried multiple times (3+) to get into this book and just wasn't excited to keep reading. I am not really sure if this was because of me mood or the translation or the story itself. I am not adverse to trying again in the future because it sounds awesome. But I have come to terms with the fact that I am not going to read this before its release date of 9/17/19. I am however grateful to the publisher for the review copy. Happy reading and sailing! ...more

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Jan 20, 2021 Hadrian rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy, fiction, china

Jin Yong was one of the most beloved and widely known authors in the Chinese-reading world. The Legend of the Condor Heroes trilogy, of which this is the first part published in English, has yielded multiple film and TV adaptations. This, one of the earliest examples of his work, was first serialized from 1957 to 1959 in a Hong Kong newspaper.

Jin wrote wuxia fiction - to sum up, it is a broad and long-standing genre that generally refers to martial artists and their adventures. They have swords ...more

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Nov 27, 2020 Tammie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: translated

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this! The first 2 chapters (100 pages) are quite slow, but given that this is the first out of 4 books that is actually only the first book in a trilogy, I think that was to be expected. Once the story picks up, it becomes really addictive and is very enjoyable.

Do I think this is the most intellectual book? No. It's a classic wuxia novel and that's exactly what it delivers - the fight scenes are phenomenal and highly entertaining. The training sequences were top notch, 3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this! The first 2 chapters (100 pages) are quite slow, but given that this is the first out of 4 books that is actually only the first book in a trilogy, I think that was to be expected. Once the story picks up, it becomes really addictive and is very enjoyable.

Do I think this is the most intellectual book? No. It's a classic wuxia novel and that's exactly what it delivers - the fight scenes are phenomenal and highly entertaining. The training sequences were top notch, and it just made me so nostalgic for the TV show. I also loved all the character dynamics, especially between the Seven Freaks, and I really love Guo Jing as a character. Lotus is an absolute icon, and I hope she plays a bigger role in the next book!

I don't think this is a book for everyone in all honesty. The pacing and storytelling style is very different from western fantasy, and I've seen a lot of people call this the "Chinese Lord of the Rings". If that is what you expect going in, I'd recommend adjusting your expectations. You won't be getting that. Wuxia is a very specific genre, and while it is fantastical, there isn't really an equivalent in classic western fantasy. It's a genre that I am very nostalgic about, so I am definitely biased here, but I just think it's so much fun. There's kind of an overarching storyline, but individual scenes are kind of nonsensical and I think that's part of its charm.

This probably would be a full 4 stars if not for the translation. In full transparency, I have never read the original Chinese text, but I feel pretty confident in saying that this was not a great translation. There were some *choices* that were made, in terms of word choices, naming conventions, etc. that were just so questionable and really irritated me. On top of that, there were just a lot of phrases that were translated literally into English, and I don't think it worked. I also hated the way the appendix is done - there are these endnotes that add context to certain words/scenes, but instead of there being proper footnote/endnote notation, it's just all listed in the back with the page number where you can find the original reference, which seems like a backward way to present these translator notes.

All in all, I think if you are looking for an entry into the wuxia genre, I think this is definitely a great place to start if you can get past the sub-par translation. ...more

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Apr 29, 2018 G.R. Matthews rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this book. Different in style than a western style fantasy you can picture the various Kung-Fu battles and fights from the evocative name of each move!

(review on Fantasy-Faction.com soon!)

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May 05, 2019 Kate rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: chinese-lit, arcs, read-in-2019

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 ...more

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Jan 28, 2019 Glen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, firstreads, martial-arts-thriller

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A great novel about the Martial World, and umpteen kinds of kung fu. The Shaw Brothers made a number of movies based on these stories, but the source material is even better. For one thing, no bad dubbing.

Everything makes sense and moves along quickly. Nothing seems lost in translation. Highly recommended.

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Mar 06, 2020 Traveling Cloak rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Synopsis

Set in ancient China, in a world where kung fu is magic, kingdoms vie for power and the battle to become the ultimate kung fu master unfolds, an unlikely hero is born… in the first book in the epic Legends of the Condor Heroes series by the critically acclaimed master of the genre, Jin Yong.

After his father—a devoted Song patriot—is murdered by the Jin empire, Guo Jing and his mother flee to the plains of Ghengis Khan and his people for refuge. For one day he must face his mortal enemy i Synopsis

Set in ancient China, in a world where kung fu is magic, kingdoms vie for power and the battle to become the ultimate kung fu master unfolds, an unlikely hero is born… in the first book in the epic Legends of the Condor Heroes series by the critically acclaimed master of the genre, Jin Yong.

After his father—a devoted Song patriot—is murdered by the Jin empire, Guo Jing and his mother flee to the plains of Ghengis Khan and his people for refuge. For one day he must face his mortal enemy in battle in the Garden of the Drunken Immortals. Under the tutelage of Genghis Khan and The Seven Heroes of the South, Guo Jing hones his kung fu skills. Humble, loyal and perhaps not always wise, Guo Jing faces a destiny both great and terrible.

However, in a land divided—and a future largely unknown—Guo Jing must navigate love and war, honor and betrayal before he can face his own fate and become the hero he’s meant After his father—a devoted Song patriot—is murdered by the Jin empire, Guo Jing and his mother flee to the plains of Ghengis Khan and his people for refuge. For one day he must face his mortal enemy in battle in the Garden of the Drunken Immortals. Under the tutelage of Genghis Khan and The Seven Heroes of the South, Guo Jing hones his kung fu skills. Humble, loyal and perhaps not always wise, Guo Jing faces a destiny both great and terrible.

However, in a land divided - and a future largely unknown - Guo Jing must navigate love and war, honor and betrayal before he can face his own fate and become the hero he’s meant to be.

Review

If you look carefully, you will notice I used the publisher's synopsis for this book, something I rarely do. I enjoy writing synopses of books that I have read, because I consider every literary experience to the reader and writing a synopsis is my way of expressing what I got out of the story. For A Hero Born, however, I did not feel there was one version of the synopsis I wrote that accurately described the story. There is a very importation reason: I am not 100% sure I KNOW what happened exactly in this story, but this is not necessarily a negative.  I found A Hero Born to be a very entertaining book. The story was a whirlwind of activity. It felt very chaotic to me, jumping from one battle to the next, and even constantly changing circumstances during a battle. I did not mind that, though, as there was no lull in the action. It was full of Kung Fu fights with magic and different weapons. Every character had names for their Kung Fu moves, which is an aspect of the story that I absolutely loved.   The setting and characters mirrored the chaotic nature of the story, as well. It takes place in Ancient China, and the journey of the characters takes the readers on a tour of several different areas of the country. The descriptions and surroundings contributed nicely to the story. As for the characters themselves, there are just so many of them. I honestly had trouble keeping track, and I had to go back and read passages sometimes to remind of who was in the scene I was reading sometimes. This was both good and bad, because, while I would rather not have to backtrack to remind myself which characters are involved, there were times where I just kind of threw it to the wind, stopped caring, and just allowed myself to get lost in whatever awesome fight was right in front of me. Honestly, it felt a little freeing at times.  I felt a little overwhelmed with the Chinese history, culture, and traditions that were a big part of the overall story arc. There was a note from the translator at the beginning of the book that states the book was "considered... too foreign, too Chinese, for an English-speaking readership. Impossible to translate". While I do not agree with this statement on the whole, I can see why that it was made because there is so much Chinese culture embedded in the book that at times it felt like, while I was enjoying what I was reading, there was just something missing: a hole in my knowledge that kept me from appreciating it 100%.  Overall, A Hero Born was really good read. It was fun and entertaining, and, while I recognize I am not the original target audience, I am really happy the publisher took a risk by translating and publishing this series for a brand new generation. It is really important to have diversity in storytelling, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I recommend it for fans of fantasy, and especially those who enjoy East Asian stories. ...more

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Jun 28, 2018 Caroline Mersey rated it liked it

Shelves: review-copies

Sometimes you read a book and you realise that you don't have the right frame of reference to appreciate it fully. Jin Yong's A Hero Born (review copy from Quercus) is just such a book. This is the first time that this classic of Wuxia fiction has been translated into English. Anna Holmwood has done a fantastic job of translating the text, but I suspect there are whole layers of meaning and allegory that are invisible to a Western reader without further explanation.

A Hero Born is the first in th Sometimes you read a book and you realise that you don't have the right frame of reference to appreciate it fully. Jin Yong's A Hero Born (review copy from Quercus) is just such a book. This is the first time that this classic of Wuxia fiction has been translated into English. Anna Holmwood has done a fantastic job of translating the text, but I suspect there are whole layers of meaning and allegory that are invisible to a Western reader without further explanation.

A Hero Born is the first in the Condor trilogy, following two boys in 13th century China. Before their birth they were bonded to each other by their fathers, who were best friends and comrades in arms. The boys also become the subject of a rash bet about which school of martial arts can raise the best fighter, with each school pledging to train one of the boys ahead of a competition when they are older. But an attack on their village saw their fathers killed and their mothers separated. One flees north and raises her son amongst Genghis Khan's Mongolian Empire. The other's beauty catches the eye of a nobleman who lures her away with the promise of helping her get revenge on her husband's killer.

It's easy to see why this is regarded as a literary classic. It is woven through with Chinese history and it extols the principal Confucian virtues of benevolence, kindness, loyalty, courage and righteousness. The story principally follows Guo Jing as he grows up in Genghis Khan's tribe. He is trained by the Seven Freaks of the South in various aspects of martial arts and weapons, and the novel is riddled through with the names of various moves and techniques. They aspire to teach him the almost supernatural levels of skill familiar to Western audiences from wuxia films.

The Seven Freaks was where I struggled most with this book. To a Western reader they appear as grotesques and caricatures, and it is difficult to take them seriously as experts and teachers in their field. They are easily duped, and spend a lot of time fighting and arguing amongst themselves. They are not good teachers, and frequently get frustrated with the rather pedestrian Guo Jing. Yet we are apparently meant to revere and admire them.

Lying at the heart of this book is a story about a kind boy growing up far away from home and trying to make his way in a confusing world. The book is strongest in its critique of corruption and unfettered power, and the importance of the Confucian values. ...more

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Jun 05, 2019 Denar rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi-and-fantasy, fiction

I watched the Legends of the Condor Heroes 1994 when I was a kid on cable TV. Having learned that the series was based on great Chinese novels, I was intrigued to find the English translation at the bookstore, I picked it up on the spot. The translation is great, I could feel every punch and kick, the elements of the settings, the emotions of the characters and the flow of the story really touched the kung-fu fighting loving kid in me.

I highly recommend the book and can't wait to read the next ...more

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Mar 14, 2018 Runalong rated it it was amazing

My first Chinese fantasy tale and it’s so refreshing and often progressive in terms of action and the role of women. But most of al so my FUN

Full review at ‪https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...‬ ...more

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Aug 24, 2019 keikii Eats Books rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss-arc

To read more reviews like this, check out my blog at keikii Eats Books!

56 points, 3 stars

Quote:

"I don't care about getting revenge," she stuttered between sobs. "Even a hero like my husband was unable to defeat him. I'm just a wretched woman - how can I wait for him to be brought to justice? Just let me join my husband."

Review:
I have to say, it was quite a trip figuring out the ins and outs of this particular book. This originally came out in China in 1957, but this is the first time it ha ...more

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Sep 14, 2019 Jennifer (bunnyreads) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, netgalley-gr-giveaways-and-winners

Desperate to fulfil a promise to protect and train the children of the sworn brothers Ironheart Yang and Skyfury Guo, Qui Chuji, issues a challenge to The Seven Freaks of the South, to meet up again at their eighteenth birthday and prove which martial family taught the children best.

With a few detours and with war sweeping across the plains, we embark on a journey to train and get the kids to the meeting point on time… but before they can do any of that they will have to find them first.

This gen
Desperate to fulfil a promise to protect and train the children of the sworn brothers Ironheart Yang and Skyfury Guo, Qui Chuji, issues a challenge to The Seven Freaks of the South, to meet up again at their eighteenth birthday and prove which martial family taught the children best.

With a few detours and with war sweeping across the plains, we embark on a journey to train and get the kids to the meeting point on time… but before they can do any of that they will have to find them first.

This genre is pretty new to me outside of film but I loved getting to see some of the inspiration behind many of the movies and dramas, that I have seen. I’m also finding it a lot more difficult than I expected to review this translated classic.

I think this translation does well at capturing the mysticism and it sparks the imagination while still being accessible to the new to wuxia readers.
But there were points in the book that I found frustrating and I don’t know where to fault- if it’s because of the translation- I haven’t read the source, so I can’t say, or is it because the original is fifty years old and I am sure a bit dated now. At times though it was hard for me to keep up with the jumping around from one character to another character’s headspace. There are a lot of characters too so this was even more frustrating.

On the whole though, I loved the style- the silliness of some of the humor, the betrayals, the mythical moves with names like “open the window and push back the moon” and the strong themes of brotherhood and family honor and loyalties that transcend death. All things I enjoy in Chinese film and dramas to a degree are there and the beautiful illustrations were a huge bonus.

The story itself has a fable-like quality with the detours in the plot, as we see and hear about the Seven Freaks and their fight with Cyclone Mei, Qui Chuji and his battle with the Freaks. Charity tending to the wounded soldier- you know is going to go all wrong in the end, and all those little story arcs inside the big one kept me reading and were exciting but I also felt they could have been more cohesive in their presentation.

I can overlook most of that because I did enjoy the story, except for the way it ended. I knew that there was going to be several books to this series but I had hoped that the next story would be after the challenge from Qui Chuji was fulfilled- again hard to say where the fault lies but it was a disappointing place to end this arc.

There is a lot to love in this story though, and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to read this Chinese classic.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Press, for granting my wish for this book.
...more

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About Jin Yong

Jin Yong

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Louis Cha, GBM, OBE (born 6 February 1924), better known by his pen name Jin Yong ( 金庸, sometimes read and/or written as "Chin Yung"), is a modern Chinese-language novelist. Having co-founded the Hong Kong daily Ming Pao in 1959, he was the paper's first editor-in-chief.

Cha's fiction, which is of the wuxia ("martial arts and chivalry") genre, has a widespread following in Chinese-speaking areas, i ...more

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“But as the good-hearted young man discovers, a hero is not merely born, he is honed in the moments when his love and loyalty are the most sorely tested.”

― Jin Yong” — 6 likes

“A man weighing one hundred jin can eat ten oxen, each weighing ten thousand jin. He just needs time.” — 2 likes

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