This was a reread. I had first read the Chinese standalone novel ???? as a child, which was decades ago. As I've forgotten most of the details, but have only retained a vague impression of the main characters Huang Rong, Guo Jing, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu, probably as a result of watching several TV and movie adaptations while growing up, this rereading felt reading it for the first time.

These 4 volumes of The Return of the Condor Heroes (Chinese version), which is now considered as Part 2 in the Condor Heroes Trilogy, are being officially translated into English, and Volume 1 has been entitled A Past Unearthed and will be released on October 12, 2023, with 3 more Volumes awaiting release.

Part 1 of the Trilogy, or Legends of the Condor Heroes ?????, has been published in English in 4 volumes, and they are respectively entitled: A Hero Born, A Bond Undone, A Snake Lies Waiting, A Heart Divided.

Part 3 of the Trilogy, or Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber ?????, is in the pipeline for translation and publication. I had also read the Chinese standalone novel in my childhood and watched numerous TV and film adaptations. Of the 3 Parts in the Trilogy, Part 3 made the deepest impression on my mind and has been my favorite (again what I've retained in my memory is probably from screen adaptations).

My present thoughts about Part 2 in the whole (Return of the Condor Heroes ????):-

The main story line involves the tabooed romance between Yang Guo (son of Yang Kang the villain from Book 1) and Xiaolongnu the distant and beautiful hermit, also Yang Guo's kungfu master. It is a tabooed romance because in those times, love or marriage between a kungfu master and his/her disciple was forbidden and frowned upon by society in the same way as incest. Despite the social ban, the couple brave people's scorn and dive fearlessly into the relationship.

Around this main plot are woven numerous loose subplots of the couple's picaresque adventures in various cities and towns all over China, leading to a tragedy where both of them get fatally wounded by poison. Only one dose of antidote is available, and Xiaolongnu wants Yang Guo to take it and in an apparent suicide attempt, jumps into a deep lake, having left a message telling Yang Guo to meet her sixteen years later. Yang Guo is inconsolable and throws the antidote into the lake. He then begins to embark on an aimless journey until he stumbles on a huge magical earth-bound eagle who imparts formidable kungfu skills to him that also cures him. Subsequently, he gets to use the skills to help Guo Jing and Huang Rong to defend a strategic fort against Mongol invasion.

I found the story immersive and entertaining, the characters colorful and vividly painted, and the kungfu skills imaginative. The only nitpicking is that the plot structure seemed a bit loose, but it didn't take away the enjoyment overall.2023-releases asia-themed asian-wuxia-xianxia ...more8 s Tom van Veenendaal48 6

The adventures of the condor heroes from Legend of the Condor Heroes continue in Return of the Condor Heroes, albeit with a new generation of fighters. Jin Yong (pen name of Louis Cha) skilfully sets up new characters, interwoven with the continuing story of Guo Jing and Lotus Huang (originally Huang Ro). Return of the Condor Heroes is a succesful set-up, taking the series in a surprising new direction while remaining recognizable. It's an easy, pleasant read, skilfully plotted and unique, or uniquely interesting, to western readers in various ways.

The marketing, eager to emphasize the importance and popularity of these novels in Chinese culture, has made it out to be a sort of Chinese Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but such comparisons, and the 'fantasy' label, really don't belong. They're wuxia books, meaning picaresque adventure novels about kung fu experts in ancient China, these involving fantastical elements but also real events. Yet both novels also have an important secondary genre: Legend of the Condor Heroes was also a historical novel, the story starting with unrest between the Jin invaders and the Song Empire, while the Mongolians, who raise Guo Jing, become a potent and unexpected threat. The last part of Legend of the Condor Heroes contains more military tactics than kung fu. Return of the Condor Heroes, meanwhile, is a romance novel through and through, and this first installment does not mention politics at all. Ghenghis Khan has passed away in between novels, says the blurb, but there's no mention of him in the text itself. Instead, the burgeoning, forbidden romance between its protagonists takes up most pages.

Centering romance made me hesitate initially, but my trepidation was not neccessary. As in Legend of the Condor Heroes, the novels, although essentially for young adults, have more than enough to entertain more mature audiences, , say, Treasure Island. That goes even more for western readers, who will experience a slight culture shock that makes the novel doubly fascinating. There are parts of it that are really comical, especially in the romance department, but it's never laughable, often different and unique. For one thing, the woman is older, and is the younger man's martial arts teacher (shifu); she's also extremely cold, trained in hiding her emotions. The young man is headstrong and stubborn and mischievous, while also, especially when younger, prone to outburst of extreme emotion, and crying. When the two first meet, the young man is 14 and needs to be taken care of, and the older girl trains him in what are essentially women's martial arts, fleet and nimble. This is, of course, almost an exact reverse of what could normally be expected, yet this is done without betraying many of the expected gender dynamics. In some ways, as the young man grows older, he does take up the more traditional role expected of a male in burgeoning romance, and this tension between the master student relationship and their age difference and the expected gender roles of ancient China is really fascinating. More to the point, there's something genuinely touching about their romance, which is really the mark of a master, even if the book is no literary masterpiece. Do note there is an implied, horrific sexual act that is brushed aside to be resolved in later installments, and will turn your stomach if you are not prepared.

The two central characters are expertly drawn, memorable and colorful without resorting to caricature, or even unbelievability. The new plot, and villains, that are set up are great. What also really interests me about these novels is the way philosophy, albeit not particularly deep philosophy, is woven into them, as with Apothecary Huang, who renounced Confucianism. In this novel, the philosophizing is often about love and attachment: pride is continually punished, selflessness is needed in love. Almost every conflict in these books starts because of pride, and involves various misunderstandings. This can be irritating, and even almost alienating to western readers, but has to be placed in cultural context of ancient China, and especially the legend of martial masters, whether largely fictitious or not.

Readers watching along with the Shaw Brothers movie adaptations of these novels will find that this book is featured partly in The Brave Archer and His Mate (The Brave Archer 4), partially in the unofficial sequel The Dragon Maiden, although the latter should not be watched yet at this point, as it will spoil too much. There are also several television adaptations, and I myself, as fan of classic kung fu movies, suprisingly enjoyed watching the 1980s adaptation of Legend of the Condor Heroes by TVB, the television branch of shaw brothers, although I had to personally download subtitles and synch them one episode at a time. (See what I have to go through?) The Return of the Condor Heroes was also adapted in 1983, and is also on Youtube, once more without subtitles. To many, these are the definitive adaptations, although more come every decade. This is book one of a four book series, other translations to follow in the coming years. Happy reading and viewing.1 Ostap115

It's not a novel by itself but a first volume of the new and ongoing English translation of the second novel of the Condor Heroes trilogy. I's not as good as the first novel (or as any of the first four volumes in English translation): the protagonists are less endearing, the villains are less menacing, the character set and the geography are more limited and the adventures are less imaginative. But it's still a captivative story and lot of fun. I hope it's just a start and the next volume will be better.fantasy fiction history1 Michael BerensAuthor 3 books12

I loved the first four volumes of this series but was disappointed with this beginning to the next phase in the saga. I was more than halfway through the book before it began to hold my interest. The plotting is much more lopsided, and the conflicts felt a bit repetitive from the early books. Perhaps it will get better as it goes along, but it seems an awfully long set-up to get the story in motion. Oliver Kitchen82

It's the first quater of a story, I can't review one quater of a story, this is purely the introduction... a good introduction but I can't for a conclusive opinion of the whole from the first volume of a multi volume narrative.

It is a good introduction though. I hope the rest is good, I the Legend of the Condor Heroes books.1 comment John269 11

A rough start to the sequel, but builds up in a way that makes the other three seem promising! Amzon_Reader204 1 follower

A Very Good, Very Surprising Story.

I had lower expectations for this one than of the others in the series.

However; it turned out to be surprisingly good. Stroctoperry62

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