![]() Evil characters throw away their honor and deceive good people in order to achieve their goals. Good characters fight honorably they are also quick to defend their honor and the honor of those who can’t fight for themselves. ![]() For the most part, the rules of honor are clear. Second is the interplay of honor and family. Think Dragon Ball Z, without aliens, except DBZ seems to have been inspired by wuxia (Chinese martial arts genre), which came first. The martial arts techniques are outrageous, dangerous, and wholly entertaining. The world is rich in culture from the common people’s everyday life to the opulence of the courts to the nuances of the martial arts world. Physically, the author takes readers across the Song Empire, Jurchen Empire, and Mongolian Steppes another location is also briefly mentioned. Two things in particular stand out to me with this book.įirst is the grand scale of the worldbuilding. However, the English translation is engaging and worth reading, especially for individuals who are unable to access the original works.įans of fantasy, historical fiction, and stories featuring contests (in particular one-on-one or one-on-multiple-opponents challenges) may enjoy this book. Some characters’ family names are listed first (as in Guo Jing), which is the traditional form of presenting names in China some are provided second (as in Skyfury Guo, the protagonist’s father). It does feel as though some nuances are missed in translation-for example, the significance of Chinese names, as the characters are chosen to form a specific meaning. Told through multiple perspectives (primarily those of martial artists, but including a few others), it explores the many reasons why an individual chooses to fight, the importance of acting with honor, and the complex family ties that bind us. As Guo Jing comes into his own as a young man and martial artist, various political factions plot to gain power in opulent courts both in the north and in the south, empires sit on the verge of rising or falling, and martial artists fight-whether or not to bring honor and glory to their name and their sect, at least to prove their might.Ī Hero Born draws on a rich history of Chinese culture. ![]() Set against a turning point in Chinese history, A Hero Born takes readers from the Song Empire to its Jurchen neighbors in the north to the Mongolian steppes and back again. Due to circumstances surrounding his father’s death, he is fated to one day battle an opponent with whom he’s shared a connection since he was in his mother’s womb. What he doesn’t know is that the martial arts world is watching his growth. A brave and loyal, if not the brightest, boy, Guo Jing receives training from various instructors, including a group of martial arts masters who are honor bound for personal reasons to train him in their ways. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Ī Chinese martial arts fantasy epic from one of the most widely read Chinese writers, A Hero Born opens Jin Yong’s Legends of the Condor Heroes series, which is a classic of its time.įollowing the death of his father, Guo Jing grows up on the Mongolia steppes alongside of Genghis Khan’s army. I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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