purpolmonster

[purpolmonster]

殺破狼 Sha Po Lang

Title: 殺破狼 / Shā pò láng Author: Priest Sha Po Lang was the second novel I've always heard of getting recommended (the first one was Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation) but never touched only because the genre was something I was very unfamiliar with so I was afraid I wouldn't like it. BOY AM I EATING MY WORDS NOW because this novel has made it to my top 3 favorites and you can guess where this review is heading.

Sha Po Lang is the story about Chang Geng, a boy living a seemingly boring life in a boring town. He lives with his mother whom he has a distant relationship with and there are only a handful of people he's close to such as his two neighbors whom he calls teacher and yifu (foster father). One day, the town gets attacked by barbarians and that's when Chang Geng's life is then turned upside down when he finds out that his mother, his two neighbors, and what he knows of his identity are not at all what he thought it was.

That's the gist of the summary I can tell you without going into further details and giving away spoilers (spoiler-filled review down below under the warning). But from the summary I gave, you can already tell that it's one of those stories wherein the main character goes into a huge life changing event and faces the reality he has been kept away from. And this story tackled Chang Geng's whole life so beautifully, from the prologue right down to the last extra.

One of the reasons I didn't touch this story was because its genre was described to be steampunk and at that time, I didn't know what it was but I thought it was similar to Mad Max (which I found out late was apparently NOT steampunk). And at that time, I was also invested in reading a certain theme like cultivation and so I pushed this one back a bit and kept it for future reading. I guess my timing was perfect because reading Sha Po Lang now was the nice break I needed from the world of cultivation stories and a step forward into exploring more themes.

With that said, this story is heavy on court politics, war, and love at a time of great battles and kingdom reformations. The steampunk part is through the use of the fuel they call Ziliujin which is used to power their weaponry and is considered like gold. Now, if all this bores you, I'm here to let you know that it wasn't. It was so well written that even as battles happened in this story, your eyes are glued to it and you're on the edge of your seat wanting to know who wins and who loses. And it was imperative you knew what tactics both sides were using to further understand the story.

The court politics in here are also something I like. It's not the usual stuff like poisoning the king and taking over the throne. No. It's much more than that.

And the romance? Oh my god you guys I have never- I have been tormented (in a very good way) for days by the love story between Chang Geng and Gu Yun. You get to read about it from when he was a child until he grows old. I loved how overprotective they both were of each other. They both go insane when one gets hurt. I also love how hilarious they can be. But the icing on top of this relationship is the trust. They trust in each other so much.

The two main leads also have a character development that just grows as the chapter pushes forward. They surprise you at the decisions they make and the care they give to the country, to their friends, and to each other.

One of my favorite things to read (and watch if it's a drama) is when the couples fight alongside each other, facing enemies together head on. That's Chang Geng and Gu Yun! I got fed so well by this imagery and if you enjoy reading about your ships in action, this is it. Sha Po Lang is for you.

It's not only Chang Geng and Gu Yun that makes Sha Po Lang an interesting read. Every character here is a favorite. Mine would have to be Shen Yi, Gu Yun's best friend. They both make me want a friendship like theirs where they grew up together, harboring the same love for their country but also knowing what it takes to save it from doom and all that stuff. Also, aside from the trust shown in the romance and love story between the two mains, the trust between friends here is very lovely.

I'm going to wrap up this none spoiler review by saying if you are looking for a story that's so interesting and entertaining that you'll find yourself losing sense of time at how enjoyable it is, if you're looking for a read where every chapter is engaging, read Sha Po Lang. It's a beautiful story about growth and love for country, family, and friendship that will have you linger on it even after you've read the novel.

Score: 10/10

WARNING FOR SEMI-SPOILER REVIEW DOWN BELOW

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One other thing that made me enjoy this novel immensely was the witchcraft involved in this story. This took me by surprise as I was not expecting a theme like this to mix in here but it added to the suspense, and man did it make Sha Po Lang a 10 out of 10 for me.

That and because, maybe I've read too many stories wherein half of the ensemble of characters introduced in a novel dies by the end so I was holding on to my hair hoping and praying they're all alive by the time I finish the novel. And *sobs* I can't believe everyone survived it. They're all alive and living happily ever after.

I love Sha Po Lang. This novel is sharing the top number one spot with TGCF and 2Ha in my heart.

#殺破狼 #sha po lang #SPL #priest #novel review

[purpolmonster]

二哈和他的白猫师尊 2Ha

Title: 二哈和他的白猫师尊 / Èr hā hé tā de bái māo shī zūn / 2Ha / The Husky and His White Cat Shizun Author: 肉包不吃肉 / Meatbun Doesn't Eat Meat

This novel is the very definition of don't judge a book by it's cover, title, and even author name. 2Ha is not fluffy. Although, well, it is fluffy in some instances. And the title is also sort of accurate. And the author name sounds funny and interesting which this story also is. Anyway, if you're confused and intrigued, I just want to say that 2Ha is the most daring, crazy, funny, angsty novel I've ever read. And that, my friends, is why this ranks as the top of my favorite danmei list so far.

2Ha is the story of Mo Ran who dies and leaves his somewhat tyrannical life and is reborn into the past. With his memories still intact, he lives to right the wrongs he thinks he made and vows revenge on his shizun whom he blames is the reason for him growing up into a tyrant. But all is not that simple when he finds out bits and pieces of the truth along the way of what happened to lead him to become a tyrant and that apparently, he's not the only one who got reborn into the past.

Okay, first of all, you've probably noticed by now that there is nothing in the summary about a dog and a cat. The title actually describes Mo Ran being the husky and Chu Wanning, his shizun, being the white cat. It describes Mo Ran's relationship with Chu Wanning as being like an adorable dumb dog with a snobbish, anti-social, somewhat arrogant cat so you can just imagine how that'd be like. (But really, I love them both a lot and think these two are so perfect together).

The plot in this story is craaazy. Like, it's really out of this world. The further you get into it, the more insane it gets. And I love it. The fact that it's crazy is the reason why I was able to push through and finish it even if the second half of this novel at the time I was reading it was only machine translated. As of this writing, this novel has only been translated until Chapter 152, I think. But the story is so intriguing and interesting, hair-raising, and so entertaining that I wanted to finish it to know how it ends.

But it's not for everyone. The themes in this novel is very dark. The translators were kind enough to warn you in every chapter that 2Ha has a lot of violence, murder, suicide, underage sex, rape, explicit sex, drugs, and more. So yes, it's not at all fluffy like the title or book cover makes it out to be.

So why did I even like it? Because it was interesting. The dark side of the story were all necessary. All the warnings there play a big part in this whole story. If you were to separate it from the story, you won't be able to get the complexities of Mo Ran's character and how you feel about him as you read through the entire novel. I've seen a lot of takes how maybe 2Ha can do without that much dark themes but in my opinion, it had to be there and it was important for readers to go through it to better understand and feel for the characters.

Meatbun is a very talented writer. I like the way she made you feel things just through the scenarios and words she puts out. She makes you laugh so hard at the funny scenes, enough that my sister from across the room would stare at me as I read and laughed out loud by myself. She makes you want to pull the two main leads together and bonk their heads or something. She makes you horny lmao and I say this as a compliment because the good sex scenes in here makes you pine after the two leads to just get it on. She twists your heart into making it hurt so bad at the sad scenes that even if I deem myself an emotionally strong person and wouldn't tear up easily over sad movies and stories, I admittedly shed a tear at this one. She made me feel so deeply in love with Mo Ran and Chu Wanning, and even the side characters like Xue Meng, his aunt and uncle, and more. It's like you want to reach down into the novel and save them all yourself so they don't have to suffer anymore.

But don't worry. I don't read novels that don't have a happy ending. So even if this is a bit spoilery, this novel ended on a good note. And I think I've mentioned this in one of my reviews that I like a story where it just twists your soul and your heart and then puts it back again. This is it. This is how 2Ha made me feel.

So do I recommend it? Yes! 2Ha is a favorite and is right up there with TGCF as one of my favorites. It has a crazy yet incredibly written plot that all comes together in the end. But do not push yourself to read this if you don't think you can handle the themes and warnings mentioned above.

Score: 10/10

#二哈和他的白猫师尊 #erha #2ha #the husky and his white cat shizun #husky and his white cat shizun #meatbun #meatbun doesn't eat meat #肉包不吃肉 #Novel Review

[purpolmonster]

天涯客 Faraway Wanderers

Title: 天涯客 / Tiānyá kè / Faraway Wanderers Author: Priest

I honestly do not know how to start this review without going "I don't know what the fuck went on in this story except I liked it." Is that strange? Because if it is, that's exactly how I felt while I was reading Tian Ya Ke.

As hilarious and confusing as that may sound, reading this novel was like a strange ride. Like many others, I read Tian Ya Ke because I loved Word of Honor and I couldn't move on from it afterwards. And what I got from Tian Ya Ke was a nice read and even though as I've mentioned it was confusing, I did truly enjoy it.

Tian Ya Ke is the story of Zhou Zishu who retires from his role as the leader of Window of Heaven, a special organization under the Crown Prince of Jin, to live a carefree life. In his travels, he meets Wen Kexing, chief of the Ghost Valley, where they get unintentionally involved in the world of martial arts (jianghu).

That is the simple explanation and the summary given by many. But in truth, what I felt like the real synopsis of Tian Ya Ke should be, is that it's a story about the jianghu's pursuit of a hidden treasure where everyone is embroiled in secrets and hidden plots of murder.

Where did the first summary come from? That's the hilarious part. Because Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing's involvement in this whole thing feels like a side story. But also not quite. I know. It's confusing. But reading Tian Ya Ke felt like I was reading a different main story and also having to focus on another side story which was more interesting than the main one.

What made this a read that I genuinely enjoyed was Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing's side of the story. The blatant flirting Wen Kexing showed to Zhou Zishu is a favorite. In fact, out of all the novels I've read, their conversations and how Priest wrote their dialogues are the funniest I've read and that's why I liked this story a lot. It was very entertaining.

There's also how powerful they both are. Zhou Zishu is that infamous assassin while Wen Kexing is that Ghost Valley chief everyone reveres and is just terrified of. They are both ruthless. Monstrous, in my opinion. But I also say that with so much admiration and respect for them both.

Aside from those two, I also loved Jing Beiyuan and the shaman Wu Xi. These two had little scenes in the novel but all of them just made me go heart eyes at them. Apparently, these two have a novel of their own called Qiye and is considered to be the prequel of Tian Ya Ke. So I don't know if the reason why some of the things in Tian Ya Ke are confusing for me is because I haven't read Qiye. But I will get to read that soon because this universe leaves you wanting more and more so I'm very much excited to get into that too.

I don't want this review to contain spoilers so I'll stop here. But what I can say is, though Tian Ya Ke might not have the most intriguing plot for me, it has a really interesting cp hahaha. Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing's chemistry in this is very funny and very enjoyable. Flirtatious. Sexy. Snarky. They make up for the whole confusing part of the story (for me).

This is the first Priest novel I read although this is not the first novel I've known from her. I knew that she wrote Guardian which I've seen but not read yet. I also know she wrote Sha Po Lang which I'm currently reading as of this time of writing. Tian Ya Ke makes me want to read more of her works and I'm definitely looking forward to get into all of them.

Score: 7/10 (for the plot) but 10/10 for cp

#天涯客 #Faraway Wanderers #tian ya ke #tyk #priest #novel review

[purpolmonster]

天官赐福 Heaven Official's Blessing

Title: 天官赐福 / Tiān Guān Cì Fú / Heaven Official's Blessing Author: 墨香铜臭 / Mò Xiāng Tóngxiù

I admittedly haven't read a lot of novels yet but this one takes the top spot on my list. At the time of this writing, I have only ever read five novels and yet nothing compares to the emotional rollercoaster this story gave me. It's action packed, which I love the most, wherein every chapter leaves you wanting to read more until you realize it's been an hour and you haven't placed the story down or took a breather at all. It also has it's fair share of comedy and angst (glorious angst!!!). Overall, it's one of the best love stories I have ever come across and one that I have found myself re-visiting from time to time that has me also consuming the manhua and donghua diligently.

Heaven Official's Blessing follows the story of the crown prince of Xian Le, Xie Lian, and his ascension to being a god. He's known as a laughingstock by the heavens since he ascended twice and gets banished back twice as well for reasons I will not mention since I would like to keep this review spoiler free. Eventually, his story begins as he ascends for the third time again (imagine that!) and in order for him to accumulate merits (god points), he is sent to solve a mystery at a village where he starts to unravel things, things that also concerns him as well. His involvement has also managed to capture the attention of one of the most frightening and powerful ghost kings, Hua Cheng.

This novel will take you on an adventure. A really wild, far away adventure that you will not be able to get off from. What I really love about the adventure is that the stuff here are hair-raising. It's creepy in that oh so good way that really makes me love MXTX's art of storytelling. It's so intriguing too. There are A LOT of characters here but let me tell you now that this is one novel where you absolutely cannot look up who's who on the wikia or wherever because each person just plays a majestic part in the scheme of things so it's best to keep the entire reading experience spoiler free.

The universe MXTX built here is so grand to me that it's so beautiful. You have heaven, the mortal realm, and then of course the ghosts and their areas of domain. Each place has their own flavor to the story. MXTX also wrote them in such a way that it's like you can imagine the scenery in your head.

The love story here is one of the things I admire in this novel. It's entirely different than the other couples MXTX has written. I'm not saying that the others are beneath the couple in this one. It's just different. For starters, the pining here is over 800 years. Wild, I know. But then again, these are gods we're talking about so it would make sense that there are hundreds of years of pining and angst involved. But I love it. The waiting makes it all so delicious.

And just like the rest of her characters in all of her novels, you'll come to love each character in this story and THAT is what makes this novel the top on my list. At first it made me think how gods should be perfect because hello, isn't that what they are and isn't that why they have that title? But the gods in this story are so interesting. Their backstories are an absolute delight to read and I thank MXTX for introducing such characters to me.

But mainly, I did enjoy this novel for its story about what's right and what's wrong, what things you can't control, what you'll do to survive, what you'd do for family, friends, and loved ones. Just, every part of this novel is divine and delightful.

I could go on and on about Heaven Official's Blessing but I'm afraid of spoiling too much. It's really so good that I even had my mom read it. And I would never recommend stuff to her since she's picky about stories and yet I feel like I can impress her with this. I know she'd love it. (I'll update this again once she finishes it.)

Heaven Official's Blessing has that hold on you where it hurts your heart and twists it up but then leaves you whole again. I love when a story does that to me. You'll feel frustrated, hopeful, hurt, happy, and sad. It's everything you ever want in a story that by the end of it, you're still stuck in their world holding a piece of each character close to your heart.

Score: 10/10

#天官赐福 #heaven offical's blessing #tian guan ci fu #tgcf #mo xiang tong xiu #墨香铜臭 #novel review

[purpolmonster]

魔道祖师 The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

Title: 魔道祖师 / Mó Dào Zǔ Shī / The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation / Founder of Diabolism Author: 墨香铜臭 / Mò Xiāng Tóngxiù

I belong to the many that checked out The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, also known as MDZS for short, after watching the drama The Untamed. Mostly because the drama left me with so much questions regarding backstories that I understand time constraints in production couldn’t discuss and portray better, and because the show was just so captivating and beautiful that I had to get into all the adaptations of it because I had a major withdrawal from the show.

MDZS is the story of Wei Wuxian and his life being the grandmaster of demonic cultivation which is obviously considered as a taboo in the story’s world. He is hated by many for his practices and ends up getting killed for it (this is not a spoiler since this is literally where the story starts). He gets reincarnated into someone else’s body after thirteen years and finds himself solving a mystery with an old friend Lan Wangji that could save the cultivation world. Of course there are tons of twists, realizations, duty and honor, walking down memory lane where the novel shifts to the past and present a lot, sweet, hot, and hilarious romance, and also finding family.

I love MDZS. It’s one of my favorites. There’s just something about the way Mo Xiang Tongxiu writes all of her characters that I really like. How the villains have every reason to go crazy and how the heroes themselves aren’t entirely a saint. My God, the things they go through to get to where they should be in the story just makes you feel for them in a way that’s so immersive that by the end of it all, it’s like a part of your soul is left inside the novel wanting to care for all of these people, antagonists included.

The world building is one of my favorites in all the novels I’ve read as well. It looks simple at first glance but the background stories behind each sect is what makes everything come alive. My favorite would have to be the history of the Qinghe Nies and the Gusu Lans. I won’t divulge much about it so this review doesn’t include spoilers. But again, these background stories for each clans help build a deeper understanding for the people living in these sects.

And the pining? There is such deep pining in here (and in all of MXTX’s stories so far) that has become a favorite trope of mine that I didn’t even know I loved so much until I read MDZS. It’s very touching but also angsty and it sits so right with the things I love in a story. And it isn’t just the pining in a romantic aspect here but the pining to find a semblance of family too.

MDZS is not for the faint hearted. The loss these characters go through here are so great that one might just have to pause the novel for a while and get back to it later. It kind of makes you want to ask the author if they’re okay or if someone hurt them for them to write such a heavy story like this. But MDZS also has a balance of comedy and lightheartedness to it that overall makes it an enjoyable read.

And as for the romance in this story? Because, well, this is a danmei novel. I find the awkwardness of it all, then the buildup of romance between the two, and again the pining, plus the trust formed along the way, and all the hot and hilarious sex afterwards, such a guilty pleasure. Thank God for MXTX writing extras for them because I don’t think I would have been able to properly relax afterward because it just made you want more. And to be honest, the extra chapters were such a joy that by the end of the whole novel I was just sated from all of it.

So yes, MDZS is worth all the hubbub. I have read the novel, watched the drama, read the manhua and checked out the animations. I have yet to listen to the audio drama one which I am told is also an excellent adaptation (that would be the next thing on my list of things to get into). So if you’re having second thoughts about starting this, this is the sign to get into it. Know that this story will take you on an adventure that’s totally worth spending your hours on.

Score: 9/10

#魔道祖师 #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #founder of diabolism #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #mo xiang tong xiu #墨香铜臭 #novel review