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Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu (Novel) #1
Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu (Novel) Vol. 1
Shen Qiao is a devout Daoist priest who has spent his life honing his skills and spirit, leading his sect with martial talent, beauty beyond measure, and an earnest heart. His polar opposite, Yan Wushi, leads one of the most powerful demonic sects and is said to be unrivaled in his strength and cunning. Yan Wushi believes in the inherently selfish nature of all people—himself included—and that nobody is above committing dark deeds for their own benefit.
When a fight leaves Shen Qiao injured, blind, and with hazy memories, Yan Wushi takes in the defeated sect leader with a dark plan: test the limits of the man’s patience and faith in others to lure him onto the demonic path. Little does he know that he is about to meet the first immovable force of his life, and that two hearts can connect in unexpected ways. With the passing of a thousand autumns, who can stay eternal?
When a fight leaves Shen Qiao injured, blind, and with hazy memories, Yan Wushi takes in the defeated sect leader with a dark plan: test the limits of the man’s patience and faith in others to lure him onto the demonic path. Little does he know that he is about to meet the first immovable force of his life, and that two hearts can connect in unexpected ways. With the passing of a thousand autumns, who can stay eternal?
396 pages, Paperback
Published March 14, 2023
About the author
Meng Xi Shi
62 books211 followersAssociated Names:
* Meng Xi Shi (English)
* 梦溪石 (Chinese)
* เมิ่งซีสือ (Thai)
* Meng Xi Shi (English)
* 梦溪石 (Chinese)
* เมิ่งซีสือ (Thai)
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April 26, 2023Yan Wushi deserve his ass beat but he’s still bae
March 23, 2023
4.5 stars
An incredibly solid start to what I forsee being a new favourite series of mine. This is some very solid wuxia, with intertwining politics between the actual political leaders and the various sects, and the actions scenes are also very well choreographed and gripping. What I love most about the book is, of course, the characters. Shen Qiao must be protected at all costs. Yan Wushi is actually kind of the worst but also lowkey my favourite LOL. I also enjoy how much of a part philosophy plays in this book, and the exploration of humanity, especially when contrasting the two main characters' personal philosophies and ways of life. I can't wait to see how these characters develop and grow throughout the series.
I also wanted to make a note regarding the quality of the translation/overall production of the book - as someone who had a lot of criticisms regarding the first volume of MDZS published by Seven Seas, I'm really glad to see that they seem to have taken steps to improve their overall quality. The pronounciation guide actually makes sense here, and I also appreciated the section on historical/cultural context that was provided. I definitely recommend reading this (located at the back of the book after the cast of characters) prior to starting the book. I'm not sure how much is attributed to Meng Xi Shi's original text and how much is Faelicy's translation, but I also really enjoyed the writing in this book and thought the translation seemed very smooth.
All in all, highly highly recommend this if you're interested in wuxia novels.
An incredibly solid start to what I forsee being a new favourite series of mine. This is some very solid wuxia, with intertwining politics between the actual political leaders and the various sects, and the actions scenes are also very well choreographed and gripping. What I love most about the book is, of course, the characters. Shen Qiao must be protected at all costs. Yan Wushi is actually kind of the worst but also lowkey my favourite LOL. I also enjoy how much of a part philosophy plays in this book, and the exploration of humanity, especially when contrasting the two main characters' personal philosophies and ways of life. I can't wait to see how these characters develop and grow throughout the series.
I also wanted to make a note regarding the quality of the translation/overall production of the book - as someone who had a lot of criticisms regarding the first volume of MDZS published by Seven Seas, I'm really glad to see that they seem to have taken steps to improve their overall quality. The pronounciation guide actually makes sense here, and I also appreciated the section on historical/cultural context that was provided. I definitely recommend reading this (located at the back of the book after the cast of characters) prior to starting the book. I'm not sure how much is attributed to Meng Xi Shi's original text and how much is Faelicy's translation, but I also really enjoyed the writing in this book and thought the translation seemed very smooth.
All in all, highly highly recommend this if you're interested in wuxia novels.
April 10, 2024
4,5 'I'd say my A-Qiao but I know YWS doesn't share' stars
I was really looking forward to reading this book since I've watched donghua for the first time (and even more when I rewatched it for the third time 🤭) because I needed to know what happens next! (And I doubt we'll live to see season 2 😮💨)
I was a little concerned that I'll be lost in all the politics but since this wasn't my first wuxia (I was totally lost when I started reading Qi Ye and watching Who Rules the World), I think I did pretty well. And I really recommend checking out 'historical primer' section at the end first because it's very helpfull.
my gif
I wanted to start with something more coherent or some meaningfull part of the story but honestly who cares about that, lol. I'll just fangirl first!! Shen Qiao is not exactly the type of charachter I usually obsess about - Yan Wushi definitley suits my type better - but there's just something about Shen Qiao that makes me love him so much.
Art by 普兰儿
my gif
My poor precious baobei, who must be protected at all costs!! The whole world is against him and he never even hurt a fly 🥺 He always sees good in everyone and is willing to help in every situation. I really just want to put him somewhere safe, where no harm can come to him (right beside Chu Wanning because these men truly don't have any sense of self-preservation). However, he never gives up and is ready to fight 'till the end. He's definitely stronger than he seems.
my gifs
I'm really looking forward for him to get his internal power back entirely. He's already badass at what 30%? but I want to see him truly wipe the floor with everyone who thinks him weak now.
my gif
Art by 普兰儿
I already mentioned Yan Wushi as being more my type. Well, I'm a simple girl and I fall for bad boy vibes, haha. Add to this devil-may-care personality, sarcastic observations, smug attitude, over the top power and hottnes, tragic past (I'm sure he has it), and sexy voice (look, I do hear Wu Lei's voice in my ear when I'm reading, okey) and you get a very neat package 😏 and yes, he's little evil too.
my gif
Gif by ashinlae
What's happened so far, I can't really talk about their relationship. I mean, they are more like 'Shen Qiao trying to have peace and Yan Wushi annoying the hell out of him' so yeah, not even a relationship exactly, lol.
Gif by ashinlae
Truly a very charming start of... whatever they have going on between them. But no matter what, they still had some very cute (imo) scenes between them, such as Wushi carrying Shen Qiao around everytime he faints. Which is a lot and - being honest - most of the time it's something to do with Yan Wushi 😅
my gifs
my gif
And maybe they are not aware of this yet but they are kind of drawn to each other. Opposite attracts and all that, black and white, good and evil, yanshen are made for each other 💜🤍
my gif
Joke's on you, Yan Wushi. How many lifetimes were you cultivating your luck for getting a chance to be loved by such a pure-hearted person 💖
I'm so excited for the next vol, especially because this one ended practically in the middle of a scene and I need to know how it continues (I know from donghua but I need to read it!! haha). Anyway, I need more yanshen, simple as that 😄
P.S. I forgot to share one of my favorite songs. I'm always so emotional listening to it especially paired with this particular scene 🥹🥹
my gifs
4,5 'I'd say my A-Qiao but I know YWS doesn't share' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐
5 'Shen Qiao must be protected at all costs' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
currently reading
tbr
tbr
I was really looking forward to reading this book since I've watched donghua for the first time (and even more when I rewatched it for the third time 🤭) because I needed to know what happens next! (And I doubt we'll live to see season 2 😮💨)
I was a little concerned that I'll be lost in all the politics but since this wasn't my first wuxia (I was totally lost when I started reading Qi Ye and watching Who Rules the World), I think I did pretty well. And I really recommend checking out 'historical primer' section at the end first because it's very helpfull.
my gif
I wanted to start with something more coherent or some meaningfull part of the story but honestly who cares about that, lol. I'll just fangirl first!! Shen Qiao is not exactly the type of charachter I usually obsess about - Yan Wushi definitley suits my type better - but there's just something about Shen Qiao that makes me love him so much.
Art by 普兰儿
He lacked even a scrap of internal energy, recalled very little of his so-called martial arts, and would often forget all sorts of things. His health was poor: from time to time he'd cough up blood, and of top of that, he was completely blind.
my gif
My poor precious baobei, who must be protected at all costs!! The whole world is against him and he never even hurt a fly 🥺 He always sees good in everyone and is willing to help in every situation. I really just want to put him somewhere safe, where no harm can come to him (right beside Chu Wanning because these men truly don't have any sense of self-preservation). However, he never gives up and is ready to fight 'till the end. He's definitely stronger than he seems.
my gifs
He looked as if a gust of wind would blow him over.
But then the wind really did grow stronger, whipping at his robes until they rustled and flapped, and he simply stood there, firmly rooted. As if even a hundred calamities wouldn't be enough to break him.
I'm really looking forward for him to get his internal power back entirely. He's already badass at what 30%? but I want to see him truly wipe the floor with everyone who thinks him weak now.
my gif
Art by 普兰儿
I already mentioned Yan Wushi as being more my type. Well, I'm a simple girl and I fall for bad boy vibes, haha. Add to this devil-may-care personality, sarcastic observations, smug attitude, over the top power and hottnes, tragic past (I'm sure he has it), and sexy voice (look, I do hear Wu Lei's voice in my ear when I'm reading, okey) and you get a very neat package 😏 and yes, he's little evil too.
my gif
"I'll gradually train the once-sanctimonious and tenderhearted sect leader of Xuandu Mountain into a disciple of the demonic discipline. In the eyes of the world, he will become someone completely immoral. Wouldn't that be terribly intersting?"
His words left Yu Shengyan dumbfounded. "... What if he does wake up an idiot?"
"Then bury him alive. Anyweher will do." Yan Wushi replied, flippant.
Gif by ashinlae
What's happened so far, I can't really talk about their relationship. I mean, they are more like 'Shen Qiao trying to have peace and Yan Wushi annoying the hell out of him' so yeah, not even a relationship exactly, lol.
Gif by ashinlae
"Since you're awake now, we'll head out tomorrow", he said indifferentely.
"Do I have a choice?" asked Shen Qiao helplessly.
"You can choose to walk out on your own while you're still relarively unwounded, or we can fight another round. Then I'll take you with me after I injure and cripple you."
Shen Qiao had nothing to say to this.
Truly a very charming start of... whatever they have going on between them. But no matter what, they still had some very cute (imo) scenes between them, such as Wushi carrying Shen Qiao around everytime he faints. Which is a lot and - being honest - most of the time it's something to do with Yan Wushi 😅
my gifs
"This Shen asks Yan Zongzhu to bring him away with you."
my gif
And maybe they are not aware of this yet but they are kind of drawn to each other. Opposite attracts and all that, black and white, good and evil, yanshen are made for each other 💜🤍
my gif
"A-Qiao is so tender and attentive. If you ever find someone to love, I'm certain you'd be even more caring. Anyone lucky enought to be loved by you must have spent dozen of lifetimes cultivating their good fortune!"
Joke's on you, Yan Wushi. How many lifetimes were you cultivating your luck for getting a chance to be loved by such a pure-hearted person 💖
I'm so excited for the next vol, especially because this one ended practically in the middle of a scene and I need to know how it continues (I know from donghua but I need to read it!! haha). Anyway, I need more yanshen, simple as that 😄
P.S. I forgot to share one of my favorite songs. I'm always so emotional listening to it especially paired with this particular scene 🥹🥹
my gifs
4,5 'I'd say my A-Qiao but I know YWS doesn't share' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐
5 'Shen Qiao must be protected at all costs' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
currently reading
tbr
tbr
March 20, 2023
Yan Wushi!! You treat our A-Qiao better! Please!
Shenanigans between the protagonists aside, this series has a lot of strong points going for it:
✨ wuxia, so plenty of martial arts action.
✨ intense politicking with tidbits of actual historical figures and events woven throughout.
✨ really interesting exploration of humanity and its morality, i.e. Yan Wushi is adamant that all humans are evil by nature while Shen Qiao refuses to give up on humanity's goodwill even though his own kindness and trust are taken advantage of multiple times.
I found Meng Xi Shi's writing so lyrical, I love their descriptions of people, scenery, martial art styles etc. I do find it repetitive sometimes, hence the less than 5 stars rating, but that is probably a matter of translation as I can imagine it sounding less forced in Mandarin.
The cliffhanger at the end has me in a chokehold! For those of you who has the patience to hold off reading this until we get a little closer to volume 2's release, absolutely do so.
Shenanigans between the protagonists aside, this series has a lot of strong points going for it:
✨ wuxia, so plenty of martial arts action.
✨ intense politicking with tidbits of actual historical figures and events woven throughout.
✨ really interesting exploration of humanity and its morality, i.e. Yan Wushi is adamant that all humans are evil by nature while Shen Qiao refuses to give up on humanity's goodwill even though his own kindness and trust are taken advantage of multiple times.
I found Meng Xi Shi's writing so lyrical, I love their descriptions of people, scenery, martial art styles etc. I do find it repetitive sometimes, hence the less than 5 stars rating, but that is probably a matter of translation as I can imagine it sounding less forced in Mandarin.
The cliffhanger at the end has me in a chokehold! For those of you who has the patience to hold off reading this until we get a little closer to volume 2's release, absolutely do so.
March 26, 2023
A bit of a slow start, but the cliffhanger at the end promises a lot of interesting events coming up! Yan Wushi is a bastard, and I hope Shen Qiao will whoop his ass at some point! Honestly all I want from this series is for Yan Wushi to fall for Shen Qiao so badly he won't know what hit him (and hopefully Shen Qiao will reject him at first).
Rep: mc with low vision
Rep: mc with low vision
March 27, 2023
3/14/23
Happy release day!
And Happy reading :)
(for everyone except myself since I haven't purchased it yet Barnes and nobles you better still have this in stock
9/15/23
These books are going to be the death of me. $19.99, but damn still worth it :)
(Really happy for this license) :)
Happy release day!
And Happy reading :)
9/15/23
These books are going to be the death of me. $19.99, but damn still worth it :)
(Really happy for this license) :)
Read
November 6, 2023Dnf (at least, for now) @ pg 188
My first Wuxia novel. What can I say other than this genre really REALLY isn't for me. 😐 Or, maybe it's just this particular novel? I'm in no hurry to try another one, so it'll be a while before I actually find out.
I went into this this story knowing nothing other than what was written on the back cover. The synopsis sounded very interesting and I was excited to see how these people with very different worldviews interacted with each other and fell in love. Well, after almost 190 pages, I have to finally admit that I just don't care anymore.
There are so many characters introduced within these pages, all needing descriptions of who they are and how they're related to other people, cities, or sects. There were detailed histories and explanations of regions, towns, dynasties, sects, guilds, and schools of thought. So much information and not an inkling of romance in sight. In fact, the two main characters barely interacted at all and when they did, there was zero attraction between them. I know this'll change in the future, but it would've been nice to have something... anything!.. to keep me hooked until that time.
The main character, Shen Qiao, was dry and uninteresting, and I never actually opened up to him. And Yan Wushi was hardly there, so I have no actual opinion of him. This whole experience was just overall negative, but I'm not blaming the novel because I truly believe it's a matter of this genre not being a good fit for me.
I didn't think Wuxia's focus on politics or groups vying for political or spiritual power would be a problem, but in this particular story, I didn't care about any of these groups, nations, clans, etc. With no group to root for, no person to care about, and no semblance of romance to keep me interested, I have no choice but to shelf this for now. I may come back to it at a later time since I stupidly bought books one and two but for now I'm done. I'll be sticking to Xianxia from now on.
My first Wuxia novel. What can I say other than this genre really REALLY isn't for me. 😐 Or, maybe it's just this particular novel? I'm in no hurry to try another one, so it'll be a while before I actually find out.
I went into this this story knowing nothing other than what was written on the back cover. The synopsis sounded very interesting and I was excited to see how these people with very different worldviews interacted with each other and fell in love. Well, after almost 190 pages, I have to finally admit that I just don't care anymore.
There are so many characters introduced within these pages, all needing descriptions of who they are and how they're related to other people, cities, or sects. There were detailed histories and explanations of regions, towns, dynasties, sects, guilds, and schools of thought. So much information and not an inkling of romance in sight. In fact, the two main characters barely interacted at all and when they did, there was zero attraction between them. I know this'll change in the future, but it would've been nice to have something... anything!.. to keep me hooked until that time.
The main character, Shen Qiao, was dry and uninteresting, and I never actually opened up to him. And Yan Wushi was hardly there, so I have no actual opinion of him. This whole experience was just overall negative, but I'm not blaming the novel because I truly believe it's a matter of this genre not being a good fit for me.
I didn't think Wuxia's focus on politics or groups vying for political or spiritual power would be a problem, but in this particular story, I didn't care about any of these groups, nations, clans, etc. With no group to root for, no person to care about, and no semblance of romance to keep me interested, I have no choice but to shelf this for now. I may come back to it at a later time since I stupidly bought books one and two but for now I'm done. I'll be sticking to Xianxia from now on.
April 28, 2023
4.5 ⭐️ This was absolutely refreshing of a read for me! I have always been curious about this genre of novels and this one caught my eye particularly so I picked it up. I was already interested in the premise but it was way more than I expected in a very good way. It was interesting learning about the era and setting of this story as I read as I’m not entirely familiar with Historical China, so not only was I getting an exciting and drama filled chaotic story…I was also learning and exploring an new world and getting an understand of it’s politics to better understand the viewpoint of the characters and why certain things are how they are.
Shen Qiao’s story is so tragic and heart wrenching. This sweet man cannot get a break in the slightest! But he is so endearing in how he handles all this in such stride even when everyone and their grandma is trying to break his neck every 14 seconds. I love how despite his gentle nature he doesn’t take anyone’s shit and will fight to the death. I absolutely look forward to more of his growth. Yan Wushi is incredibly interesting but entirely too bored lmao. His boredom leading to the chaos that is happening now and it’s interesting how his fascination with Shen Qiao very blatantly starts as him just fucking with him and trying to break his good nature…but Shen Qiao is not having it. Yan Wushi is purposely setting him up for failure in everything…and honestly I enjoyed watching Shen Qiao overcome it and not succumb to being an evil shit 😌 I do look forward to learning more about Yan Wushi though…so far he’s just a mystery. An assholish mystery lmao.
I am absolutely looking forward to the next book 😌 This was an amazing start!!!
Shen Qiao’s story is so tragic and heart wrenching. This sweet man cannot get a break in the slightest! But he is so endearing in how he handles all this in such stride even when everyone and their grandma is trying to break his neck every 14 seconds. I love how despite his gentle nature he doesn’t take anyone’s shit and will fight to the death. I absolutely look forward to more of his growth. Yan Wushi is incredibly interesting but entirely too bored lmao. His boredom leading to the chaos that is happening now and it’s interesting how his fascination with Shen Qiao very blatantly starts as him just fucking with him and trying to break his good nature…but Shen Qiao is not having it. Yan Wushi is purposely setting him up for failure in everything…and honestly I enjoyed watching Shen Qiao overcome it and not succumb to being an evil shit 😌 I do look forward to learning more about Yan Wushi though…so far he’s just a mystery. An assholish mystery lmao.
I am absolutely looking forward to the next book 😌 This was an amazing start!!!
October 26, 2022
“The reason I am betrayed over and over again is not because I am too naive, but because I believe that kindness exists in this world.”
The ending of the book feels like the point where the story finally begins.
Thousand Autumns follows the tale of a kindhearted martial arts grandmaster and Daoist sect leader named Shen Qiao, who fell to his defeat after being betrayed by his closest friend. He was pulled away from the brink of death by the stonehearted and merciless Yan Wushi, the leader of the Demonic sect. This incredible favour of Yan Wushi was not done out of kindness or sympathy, but purely for personal entertainment and benefits. Still Shen Qiao, who became blind and lost much of his memories and martial powers upon waking up, expressed his sincere gratitude to the man who deserved none of it.
The reason why the first book didn't work out for me despite being written so meticulously, is because there were too many characters, and there were too many descriptions. Every few chapters, a bunch of new characters would be introduced, and to introduce them there would be paragraphs after paragraphs of backstory, but a few chapters later those characters would play some small role and leave. They will probably appear again later in the story, but still, having so many characters gets not only confusing but also boring. Especially because not all the characters are interesting to read about, nor are they always contributing something significant. And when they do contribute something significant, it becomes difficult to keep a track of it all.
In the few chapters in the beginning, I was enchanted by how wonderfully the fighting scenes were written, how vividly it was possible to imagine them. By the end of the book I still had the same opinion, except for the fact that at some point the scenes became way too repetitive. There were consecutive chapters in which the protagonist Shem Qiao would fight three of four different characters despite being in am extremely bad state physically, so the fight scenes started losing their glamour.
The political situations of the pugilistic world seems to be the main driving force of the story, so naturally, there are lots of descriptions related to it. The world building is done very well, and I like it when things are detailed. Still, in this book, there seemed to be too much info-dumping going on for several pages at a stretch. And I think part of it is because there are so many characters connected in so many different ways that explaining those connections in a few words is impossible. Hence I found myself skimming through a lot of the world-building jargon and have no idea how it will affect the journey of the future books.
However, Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi are both extremely well written characters. They walk different paths and have completely different ideals, but the one thing that makes them similar is the fact that both of them stay firm and true to their ideologies, and nothing can shake them away from it. No matter how badly and repeatedly Shen Qiao is betrayed, he will still look for kindness in the world. And no matter how much kindness Yan Wushi receives, he will still feel like humans are inherently bad and thus, he has no interest of showing any weakness for them.
All being said, the ending of the book was unexpected and exciting, and I'm really curious to see what happens next.
The ending of the book feels like the point where the story finally begins.
Thousand Autumns follows the tale of a kindhearted martial arts grandmaster and Daoist sect leader named Shen Qiao, who fell to his defeat after being betrayed by his closest friend. He was pulled away from the brink of death by the stonehearted and merciless Yan Wushi, the leader of the Demonic sect. This incredible favour of Yan Wushi was not done out of kindness or sympathy, but purely for personal entertainment and benefits. Still Shen Qiao, who became blind and lost much of his memories and martial powers upon waking up, expressed his sincere gratitude to the man who deserved none of it.
The reason why the first book didn't work out for me despite being written so meticulously, is because there were too many characters, and there were too many descriptions. Every few chapters, a bunch of new characters would be introduced, and to introduce them there would be paragraphs after paragraphs of backstory, but a few chapters later those characters would play some small role and leave. They will probably appear again later in the story, but still, having so many characters gets not only confusing but also boring. Especially because not all the characters are interesting to read about, nor are they always contributing something significant. And when they do contribute something significant, it becomes difficult to keep a track of it all.
In the few chapters in the beginning, I was enchanted by how wonderfully the fighting scenes were written, how vividly it was possible to imagine them. By the end of the book I still had the same opinion, except for the fact that at some point the scenes became way too repetitive. There were consecutive chapters in which the protagonist Shem Qiao would fight three of four different characters despite being in am extremely bad state physically, so the fight scenes started losing their glamour.
The political situations of the pugilistic world seems to be the main driving force of the story, so naturally, there are lots of descriptions related to it. The world building is done very well, and I like it when things are detailed. Still, in this book, there seemed to be too much info-dumping going on for several pages at a stretch. And I think part of it is because there are so many characters connected in so many different ways that explaining those connections in a few words is impossible. Hence I found myself skimming through a lot of the world-building jargon and have no idea how it will affect the journey of the future books.
However, Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi are both extremely well written characters. They walk different paths and have completely different ideals, but the one thing that makes them similar is the fact that both of them stay firm and true to their ideologies, and nothing can shake them away from it. No matter how badly and repeatedly Shen Qiao is betrayed, he will still look for kindness in the world. And no matter how much kindness Yan Wushi receives, he will still feel like humans are inherently bad and thus, he has no interest of showing any weakness for them.
All being said, the ending of the book was unexpected and exciting, and I'm really curious to see what happens next.
November 18, 2023
*inhales deeply*
I’m finally finished y’all. I can’t believe this took me like a month and half to read 😭 but Don’t think it had anything to do with the book itself. On the contrary, I loved this book (no surprise there honestly). It’s just with me starting university, getting my bearings there, homework and lectures and school readings, and my part time job, my brain is completely friedplease can this school year end already Every time I found time to read, I’d either chicken out and scroll through social media for hours or read ao3 (it’s the bane of my existence but i love it) So despite the actual struggle reading was for me, I still thoroughly enjoyed Thousand Autumns.
*rant over*
As I predicted before I even read this book, I truly was too dumb for this plot. This volume was very politics and lore heavy, so many names and people that the information went in one ear and out the other. But I think I got the gist of it (I’m probably being too confident about that but oh well) I did genuinely enjoy the political intrigue of the plot (especially that little cliffhanger, can’t wait to see where that goes), but my favourite aspects were the characters and the action scenes ofc.
So far my favourite character is the mc obviously. I love love love Shen Qiao so much. He’s genuinely a hilarious character without even meaning to be. He’s a pure hearted, righteous cultivator but he subtly and absolutely roasts Yan Wushi in such a polite and soft way. I can’t help but laugh when he’s observing and trying to figure out Yan Wushi’s actions, bc this man is just so confused. This man is truly a stronger person than I am, because how he has not bitch slapped Yan Wushi yet I’ll never know.
Shen Qiao fight scenes are my favourite part of this book so far. Despite him being blind, and losing most of his martial prowess in the beginning he’s still terrifyingly strong. I’m constantly hyping him up when he shows off his badassery in conflicts. Though he’s truly unfortunate and unlucky, but he’s still standing after being betrayed, being constantly on the verge of death, and putting up with Yan Wushi’s annoying ass all day. Not to mention the amount of times he be throwing up blood. Folks, I have found a character who throws up blood more than Shen Qingqui himself, cause jeez, he throws up a lot of blood.
Shen Qiao’s two states of being:
1. Look pretty
2. Throw up blood
Well, I guess I gotta share some of the limelight with Yan Wushi *sigh* I’m joking, he’s annoying at times but he’s still an amazing character. He's another terrifyingly strong character, who's not so nice but he’s also basically a petulant man-child; constantly teasing Shen Qiao, pestering Shen Qiao, pretending Shen Qiao is his kept man to get a rise out of him, well he truly mostly acts like that around Shen Qiao. I’d feel bad for Shen Qiao if it wasn’t such an amusing dynamic. I truly look forward to the day when Yan Wushi’s flirtatious teasing backfires on him and he realizes ‘oh shit, I’m in love with him’ but first he gotta learn to treat A-Qiao better or I’m throwing hands.
Their dynamic is truly a pleasure to read though. They’re basically just trying to figure the other out; their motivations, their nature, etc etc. And I’m constantly laughing when Yan Wushi is truly just a clingy, touchy guy towards ‘his A-Qiao’ causing everyone to think they’re a couple (poor Shen Qiao) and I’m eagerly anticipating when they’re relationship starts drifting into ✨real feelings✨ territory (and Yan Wushi better fall first bc I won’t accept any other way tbh)
The second volume is sitting on my bookshelf, silently judging me along with the rest of my physical tbr, but I’m genuinely debating whether I should start it yet. While I do desperately want to know more, I still got school and end of semester work, my birthday is coming up (which hopefully means more books as presents 🥺), and volume 8 of tgcf being released soon (which takes precedence if ykyk) so I’m thinking volume 2 of Thousands Autumns deserves a better chance than me not giving it my all but we’ll see where that goes 🤷🏼♀️
I’m finally finished y’all. I can’t believe this took me like a month and half to read 😭 but Don’t think it had anything to do with the book itself. On the contrary, I loved this book (no surprise there honestly). It’s just with me starting university, getting my bearings there, homework and lectures and school readings, and my part time job, my brain is completely fried
*rant over*
As I predicted before I even read this book, I truly was too dumb for this plot. This volume was very politics and lore heavy, so many names and people that the information went in one ear and out the other. But I think I got the gist of it (I’m probably being too confident about that but oh well) I did genuinely enjoy the political intrigue of the plot (especially that little cliffhanger, can’t wait to see where that goes), but my favourite aspects were the characters and the action scenes ofc.
But this flower was good-natured, always tenderhearted and compassionate. That's why it met with trouble after trouble. It seemed to bring all this trouble on itself, but it also anticipated and accepted the consequences of such tenderness. If others thought that softness was a weakness, then it was they who were truly blind.
So far my favourite character is the mc obviously. I love love love Shen Qiao so much. He’s genuinely a hilarious character without even meaning to be. He’s a pure hearted, righteous cultivator but he subtly and absolutely roasts Yan Wushi in such a polite and soft way. I can’t help but laugh when he’s observing and trying to figure out Yan Wushi’s actions, bc this man is just so confused. This man is truly a stronger person than I am, because how he has not bitch slapped Yan Wushi yet I’ll never know.
Shen Qiao fight scenes are my favourite part of this book so far. Despite him being blind, and losing most of his martial prowess in the beginning he’s still terrifyingly strong. I’m constantly hyping him up when he shows off his badassery in conflicts. Though he’s truly unfortunate and unlucky, but he’s still standing after being betrayed, being constantly on the verge of death, and putting up with Yan Wushi’s annoying ass all day. Not to mention the amount of times he be throwing up blood. Folks, I have found a character who throws up blood more than Shen Qingqui himself, cause jeez, he throws up a lot of blood.
Shen Qiao’s two states of being:
1. Look pretty
2. Throw up blood
Well, I guess I gotta share some of the limelight with Yan Wushi *sigh* I’m joking, he’s annoying at times but he’s still an amazing character. He's another terrifyingly strong character, who's not so nice but he’s also basically a petulant man-child; constantly teasing Shen Qiao, pestering Shen Qiao, pretending Shen Qiao is his kept man to get a rise out of him, well he truly mostly acts like that around Shen Qiao. I’d feel bad for Shen Qiao if it wasn’t such an amusing dynamic. I truly look forward to the day when Yan Wushi’s flirtatious teasing backfires on him and he realizes ‘oh shit, I’m in love with him’ but first he gotta learn to treat A-Qiao better or I’m throwing hands.
Their dynamic is truly a pleasure to read though. They’re basically just trying to figure the other out; their motivations, their nature, etc etc. And I’m constantly laughing when Yan Wushi is truly just a clingy, touchy guy towards ‘his A-Qiao’ causing everyone to think they’re a couple (poor Shen Qiao) and I’m eagerly anticipating when they’re relationship starts drifting into ✨real feelings✨ territory (and Yan Wushi better fall first bc I won’t accept any other way tbh)
The second volume is sitting on my bookshelf, silently judging me along with the rest of my physical tbr, but I’m genuinely debating whether I should start it yet. While I do desperately want to know more, I still got school and end of semester work, my birthday is coming up (which hopefully means more books as presents 🥺), and volume 8 of tgcf being released soon (which takes precedence if ykyk) so I’m thinking volume 2 of Thousands Autumns deserves a better chance than me not giving it my all but we’ll see where that goes 🤷🏼♀️
December 22, 2023
political danmei girlies i am gently cradling you in my hands in awe of your brain cells because thousand autumns turned my brain into mush and i know that it’s technically not even the most political heavy danmei out there
i’m a modern danmei girlie who occasionally reads historical/political-focused danmei but ultimately, even if i occasionally stray, i will always return back to my roots. that being said i had an inkling i wouldn’t enjoy this and i was right 😭
thousand autumns is by no means a bad or poorly written book, in fact the writing was lyrical and engaging, the author is also really good at priming the audience with historical background but unfortunately every single one of my brain cells refused to work whenever i tried to pick up this book. I read the primer in the back of the book, i wikipedia-ed the hell out of everything i didn’t understand, i even scribbled down notes!!! yeah don’t even ask me any plot relevant information because i ✨don’t know✨ and frankly at this point i’m just going to continue on with the series in hopes that by the end i start to understand something
i hope other people who like this genre and types of plots will appreciate thousand autumns for what it’s worth because it is a well woven story!!! i’m not super into the romance but yan wushu is a very entertaining bastard and shen qiao is a character i can root for (which means i desperately want yan wushi to leave him alone because he deserves better but at the same time i’m strangely into their weird dynamic)
i’m a modern danmei girlie who occasionally reads historical/political-focused danmei but ultimately, even if i occasionally stray, i will always return back to my roots. that being said i had an inkling i wouldn’t enjoy this and i was right 😭
thousand autumns is by no means a bad or poorly written book, in fact the writing was lyrical and engaging, the author is also really good at priming the audience with historical background but unfortunately every single one of my brain cells refused to work whenever i tried to pick up this book. I read the primer in the back of the book, i wikipedia-ed the hell out of everything i didn’t understand, i even scribbled down notes!!! yeah don’t even ask me any plot relevant information because i ✨don’t know✨ and frankly at this point i’m just going to continue on with the series in hopes that by the end i start to understand something
i hope other people who like this genre and types of plots will appreciate thousand autumns for what it’s worth because it is a well woven story!!! i’m not super into the romance but yan wushu is a very entertaining bastard and shen qiao is a character i can root for (which means i desperately want yan wushi to leave him alone because he deserves better but at the same time i’m strangely into their weird dynamic)
December 5, 2023
⋇𓇼⊹𖥸Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu𖥸⊹𓇼⋇
Shen Qiao is the famed disciple of Qi Fengge, who eventually became the Sect Leader of Xuandu's Violet Palace. When brutally defeated by Hulugu's disciple Kunye, he is thrown off a mountain and severely injured. Shen Qiao is saved by the powerful demonic sect leader Yan Wushi, who hopes to teach him about the faults in humanity. Shen Qiao is presumed dead but is now living his life as a blind man. As he cultivates his qi in order to reach the power he once had, Shen Qiao gets entangled in a long race between many sects to attain the knowledge within the Zhuyang Strategy. The mysterious and calculated Yan Wushi has a growing interest in testing Shen Qiao's boundaries and turning the righteous man into someone who is willing to learn the ways of demonic cultivation. Meng Xi Shi's Thousand Autumns is an intriguing historical fiction story that weaves fantasy elements and multiple conflicts with detailed storytelling.
Thousand Autumns is a captivating historical fiction with fantasy elements that features dynamic relationships and detailed world-building. I was surprised to find that romance was almost nonexistent in this book, as it was known for being a danmei. Romance not being the main focus was something I really enjoyed. It was refreshing to read a story where the relationship between the two characters, who will likely become lovers, develops slowly over the course of the story. Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao had a relationship very specific to them. I would describe it as Yan Wushi being intrigued by the prospect of turning Shen Qiao away from his virtuous morals, and Shen Qiao eventually relying on Yan Wushi but considering the two of them as not quite friends or allies but companions.
The world-building was what I found to be the most memorable. There was a lot going on, especially because this is both historical fiction and fantasy. It ties together several elements such as cultivation, sects, the three schools of thought, epic fight sequences, and multiple characters, both fictional and historical. The footnotes provided a lot of information, while the section at the back was very helpful. Reading this was both educational and enjoyable. I got to learn about the events that took place during this time. Learning more about Daoism, Buddism, true qi and cores, and so much more was such a great experience. (I hope I will remember at least a couple of things I learned, but there was a LOT of information within the appendix.)
My favorite character in the story was Shen Qiao. He is a man who experiences a lot of turmoil and trouble. Still, no matter how hard Yan Wushi and many events in the story try to change this righteous man, he still remains true to his values and beliefs.
Just a snippet of his compassion: "I can't predict the future— I couldn't have known he'd encounter But even if I had known, I couldn't take it out on him. Not with a clean conscience. " I honestly don't know how he showed such compassion to several people, especially . It seems a lot like many people are taking advantage of Shen Qiao throughout the story, yet I love that he is still in control somehow, and that is his ability to avoid temptation. Yan Wushi was also an interesting character who I honestly wasn't a huge fan of. I wanted to know where his beliefs stem from and why he has such a negative perspective on humanity. It felt like he was arguing some reasonable points, but it was unclear as to why exactly he felt this way. (Hopefully this is explored in future volumes.)
Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi are polar opposites. Yan Wushi is inconsistent and cares not for humanity nor its people. Shen Qiao is consistent, while Yan Wushi is a very mysterious and manipulating man. I honestly wouldn't be a fan of their romance if it were to begin at this point. Yan Wushi has been manipulative to Shen Qiao despite helping him out at points.
For example: "Yan Wushi did as he pleased and never considered anyone else's feelings. He only cared how it made him feel— whether Shen Qiao enjoyed it didn't matter. In fact, if Shen Qiao didn't enjoy it, Yan Wushi would find it quite amusing. Then he'd probably take it further."
I would love to see their relationship progress, but I also hope to see a positive difference in how Yan Wushi treats Shen Qiao.
I found that the large cast of characters managed to both add to and take away from the story. There are several characters introduced who play a small part in the story or enter only to exit quickly. Most of the characters feel flat, while others are intriguing. At the same time, all these characters make the story feel more believable and alive. The conflicts between people, between sects, and beliefs were intriguing. While certain beliefs people have are that in order to have purity, a person must separate themselves from the constructs and rigid roles of the world, there are counterarguments made to this that add more variety in opinion. "You, Shizun, even the older generations of sect leaders, your ideas aren't going to work anymore. How can only focus on our moral purity when there's so much unrest in the world?"
A excellent read. I will definitely pick up the other volumes.
✅PLOT
✅🆗CHARACTERS
✅PLOT TWISTS
Shen Qiao is the famed disciple of Qi Fengge, who eventually became the Sect Leader of Xuandu's Violet Palace. When brutally defeated by Hulugu's disciple Kunye, he is thrown off a mountain and severely injured. Shen Qiao is saved by the powerful demonic sect leader Yan Wushi, who hopes to teach him about the faults in humanity. Shen Qiao is presumed dead but is now living his life as a blind man. As he cultivates his qi in order to reach the power he once had, Shen Qiao gets entangled in a long race between many sects to attain the knowledge within the Zhuyang Strategy. The mysterious and calculated Yan Wushi has a growing interest in testing Shen Qiao's boundaries and turning the righteous man into someone who is willing to learn the ways of demonic cultivation. Meng Xi Shi's Thousand Autumns is an intriguing historical fiction story that weaves fantasy elements and multiple conflicts with detailed storytelling.
Thousand Autumns is a captivating historical fiction with fantasy elements that features dynamic relationships and detailed world-building. I was surprised to find that romance was almost nonexistent in this book, as it was known for being a danmei. Romance not being the main focus was something I really enjoyed. It was refreshing to read a story where the relationship between the two characters, who will likely become lovers, develops slowly over the course of the story. Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao had a relationship very specific to them. I would describe it as Yan Wushi being intrigued by the prospect of turning Shen Qiao away from his virtuous morals, and Shen Qiao eventually relying on Yan Wushi but considering the two of them as not quite friends or allies but companions.
The world-building was what I found to be the most memorable. There was a lot going on, especially because this is both historical fiction and fantasy. It ties together several elements such as cultivation, sects, the three schools of thought, epic fight sequences, and multiple characters, both fictional and historical. The footnotes provided a lot of information, while the section at the back was very helpful. Reading this was both educational and enjoyable. I got to learn about the events that took place during this time. Learning more about Daoism, Buddism, true qi and cores, and so much more was such a great experience. (I hope I will remember at least a couple of things I learned, but there was a LOT of information within the appendix.)
My favorite character in the story was Shen Qiao. He is a man who experiences a lot of turmoil and trouble. Still, no matter how hard Yan Wushi and many events in the story try to change this righteous man, he still remains true to his values and beliefs.
Just a snippet of his compassion: "I can't predict the future— I couldn't have known he'd encounter But even if I had known, I couldn't take it out on him. Not with a clean conscience. " I honestly don't know how he showed such compassion to several people, especially . It seems a lot like many people are taking advantage of Shen Qiao throughout the story, yet I love that he is still in control somehow, and that is his ability to avoid temptation. Yan Wushi was also an interesting character who I honestly wasn't a huge fan of. I wanted to know where his beliefs stem from and why he has such a negative perspective on humanity. It felt like he was arguing some reasonable points, but it was unclear as to why exactly he felt this way. (Hopefully this is explored in future volumes.)
Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi are polar opposites. Yan Wushi is inconsistent and cares not for humanity nor its people. Shen Qiao is consistent, while Yan Wushi is a very mysterious and manipulating man. I honestly wouldn't be a fan of their romance if it were to begin at this point. Yan Wushi has been manipulative to Shen Qiao despite helping him out at points.
For example: "Yan Wushi did as he pleased and never considered anyone else's feelings. He only cared how it made him feel— whether Shen Qiao enjoyed it didn't matter. In fact, if Shen Qiao didn't enjoy it, Yan Wushi would find it quite amusing. Then he'd probably take it further."
I would love to see their relationship progress, but I also hope to see a positive difference in how Yan Wushi treats Shen Qiao.
I found that the large cast of characters managed to both add to and take away from the story. There are several characters introduced who play a small part in the story or enter only to exit quickly. Most of the characters feel flat, while others are intriguing. At the same time, all these characters make the story feel more believable and alive. The conflicts between people, between sects, and beliefs were intriguing. While certain beliefs people have are that in order to have purity, a person must separate themselves from the constructs and rigid roles of the world, there are counterarguments made to this that add more variety in opinion. "You, Shizun, even the older generations of sect leaders, your ideas aren't going to work anymore. How can only focus on our moral purity when there's so much unrest in the world?"
A excellent read. I will definitely pick up the other volumes.
✅PLOT
✅🆗CHARACTERS
✅PLOT TWISTS
October 27, 2023
i was here to see the pair's angst, but i was presented instead with a lot of political affairs and the history of the Jianghu, which made it better but confusing at the same time. there's a lot of names, places, and terms stated in this book, so it's difficult to keep up sometimes.
if i don't get to see yan wushi wrecking havoc in the next book, i will STILL continue this, but with a dismayed heart
if i don't get to see yan wushi wrecking havoc in the next book, i will STILL continue this, but with a dismayed heart
February 9, 2024
ੈ✩‧₊˚ ➵ 4.5/5 ✧
'faintly uncomfortable, shen qiao canted his head away. "everyone holds evil thoughts inside their hearts; the difference lies in whether or not they act on it. why castigate them for being human?"'
'faintly uncomfortable, shen qiao canted his head away. "everyone holds evil thoughts inside their hearts; the difference lies in whether or not they act on it. why castigate them for being human?"'
April 22, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this and I have to admit that I found the writing to be just a but more sophisticated than some of the previous danmei that I've read. That's not to say it was significantly better than others in this genre, just a little bit more mature.
I also found that was I was so engrossed in the story surrounding the scroll that Shen Qiao inadvertently reads that when the plot twist with Xuandu Mountain pops up I was totally blindsided by it. Plus, given Shen Qiao's personality I never even really considered anyone at Xuandu Mountain having any different outlooks.
The action scene were really well done as well. Every fight was described so well it took very little for these scenes to come to life for me!
Overall just an excellent addition to any danmei fans collection!
I also found that was I was so engrossed in the story surrounding the scroll that Shen Qiao inadvertently reads that when the plot twist with Xuandu Mountain pops up I was totally blindsided by it. Plus, given Shen Qiao's personality I never even really considered anyone at Xuandu Mountain having any different outlooks.
The action scene were really well done as well. Every fight was described so well it took very little for these scenes to come to life for me!
Overall just an excellent addition to any danmei fans collection!
May 3, 2023
This was SO good! I went into this a teensy bit nervous because this premise sounded incredible but I didn't want to hype it up too much in case it didn't live up to the hype. I should not have been nervous though because hot DAMM this lived up to every expectation.
I love the politics and world of this story, I think it's one of my favorite plots in the Chinese fantasy books I've read so far. I love Shen Qiao and want to hold him forever. I don't love Yan Wushi, but I know that there are more volumes coming out so I am prepared for him to crawl into my heart.
I love the writing in this as well, it's so poetic and flowy and just phenomenal.
Overall, this is a great book and I could see this series becoming one of my all time favorites.
I love the politics and world of this story, I think it's one of my favorite plots in the Chinese fantasy books I've read so far. I love Shen Qiao and want to hold him forever. I don't love Yan Wushi, but I know that there are more volumes coming out so I am prepared for him to crawl into my heart.
I love the writing in this as well, it's so poetic and flowy and just phenomenal.
Overall, this is a great book and I could see this series becoming one of my all time favorites.
May 10, 2023
A good beginning to this series, it got me hooked only a few pages in. I like the characters and the story, both are interesting and well developed. I like how many notes there was to explain different words and phrases for people who isn’t Chinese, it made things easier to read. Now I will just have to wait for the next part to be released. Can’t wait!
March 26, 2024
For some reason this book took me a little longer to get into the swing of than the others I’ve read. It felt a little too heavy on the jargon in the first half so it felt there wasn’t actually much story.
However, the second half I loved. We got to know the main characters more and I love Yan Wushi but I think a bad guy is always interesting. Shen Qiao, I feel some sympathy for, all he wanted was to do his work and he’s been completely betrayed left, right, and centre!
I’m looking forward to see how these two get on later because right now it’s hard to see how they can ever be friends let alone together 😂
I particularly liked this part when Yan Wushi was talking to a rival “If you want to dress up like a celestial woman, you shouldn’t make expressions that belong on a whore… Other men might take to this act, but I find it repulsive. And next time we meet, you should cover your face to avoid spoiling my appetite.”
😆😆
He’s great, what a b*tch 😂
However, the second half I loved. We got to know the main characters more and I love Yan Wushi but I think a bad guy is always interesting. Shen Qiao, I feel some sympathy for, all he wanted was to do his work and he’s been completely betrayed left, right, and centre!
I’m looking forward to see how these two get on later because right now it’s hard to see how they can ever be friends let alone together 😂
I particularly liked this part when Yan Wushi was talking to a rival “If you want to dress up like a celestial woman, you shouldn’t make expressions that belong on a whore… Other men might take to this act, but I find it repulsive. And next time we meet, you should cover your face to avoid spoiling my appetite.”
😆😆
He’s great, what a b*tch 😂
February 25, 2024
Amé!! Este libro siento que no es de esos con los que fangirleas con los personajes y esas cosas, sino que es más para pensar, acá te presentan dos puntos de vista: el de Shen Qiao, que cree firmemente en la bondad de los seres humanos y vive conforme a ello; y la de Yan Wushi, que piensa que todos los humanos son corruptibles y va a dedicarse a demostrarle esto a Shen Qiao. Los dilemas morales que se nos presentan acá son bastante interesantes, y ya quiero ver cómo continúa esta historia!
March 20, 2023
The balance of political vs fighting vs gay was heavily skewed toward the political. If that's your thing, you'll probably like this danmei more than I did, but I prefer more mystery/monster fighting, and more romance or at least innuendo and implication. There's some, but not a lot.
April 7, 2024
I'm not even sure where to start with this review. I suppose the best place to start is to say that I absolutely loved this novel. I am smitten with Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi, especially the latter. Yan Wushi is someone with a "idgf" atttitude lol! In a weird way, it's refreshing to see in danmei. Someone who's just utterly selfish and only wants to entertain himself. We do have characters like this scattered throughout danmei, but Yan Wushi has a different vibe to him. He laughs at things that you'd think would upset him (like getting kicked out of an establishment), he's so tickled by Shen Qiao's positivity to the point where it's his absolute mission to to tease him about it nonstop. The way he treats SQ is both annoying as hell and hysterical.
And, in fairness to Shen Qiao, he manages to hold his own. Even though Yan Wushi confuses him to no end, he also seems to understand that he's just... a weirdo lol! He knows that Yan Wushi is out for himself and that he'll do whatever he wants, no matter how ridiculous.
It's genuinely the characters that make this story. There's a few other characters of note that I really enjoyed, but honestly SQ and YW steal the show. I've found in danmei that so many side characters steal my heart--Scum Villain being a perfectly example, but in Thousand Autumns all I wanted was more and more of SQ and YW. Everyone else seemed to just play into their story and add to their strange relationship.
The overall political plotlines were also buried under SQ and YW's relationship. Admittedly, I had a lot of trouble keeping up with all the various sects and names and relationships between counties and who was ruling which land and just... all of it. I think I referred back to the glossary way more than I had in other danmeis I've read just to keep track of everything. The politics in this story aren't uninteresting--like I'm fascinated with SQ's plotline of Xuandu mountain and his brother. But overall, it's confusing lol.
Even so, I loved this novel and I'm thrilled to move onto the next one!
And, in fairness to Shen Qiao, he manages to hold his own. Even though Yan Wushi confuses him to no end, he also seems to understand that he's just... a weirdo lol! He knows that Yan Wushi is out for himself and that he'll do whatever he wants, no matter how ridiculous.
It's genuinely the characters that make this story. There's a few other characters of note that I really enjoyed, but honestly SQ and YW steal the show. I've found in danmei that so many side characters steal my heart--Scum Villain being a perfectly example, but in Thousand Autumns all I wanted was more and more of SQ and YW. Everyone else seemed to just play into their story and add to their strange relationship.
The overall political plotlines were also buried under SQ and YW's relationship. Admittedly, I had a lot of trouble keeping up with all the various sects and names and relationships between counties and who was ruling which land and just... all of it. I think I referred back to the glossary way more than I had in other danmeis I've read just to keep track of everything. The politics in this story aren't uninteresting--like I'm fascinated with SQ's plotline of Xuandu mountain and his brother. But overall, it's confusing lol.
Even so, I loved this novel and I'm thrilled to move onto the next one!
April 29, 2023
There are only a handful of novels I can never move on from, and this reread just proved QQ is one of them.
January 11, 2024
I am a villain girl, always been, always will...but there's something about good guy Shen Qiao that draws me in. I can't wait to see how things develop from now on.
May 2, 2023
I smell enemies to lovers.
March 13, 2024
It was genuinely good, and I really enjoyed that cliffhanger but the problem is that it keeps repeating the same details over and over and I got a little frustrated 😔
April 2, 2023
These kind of novels are amazing very unique and are great reads I am really looking forward to the second volume of this story. The characters are very interesting I especially loved Shen Qian and Yan Wushi what I loved about Shen Qian was his calm gentle nature that can also be so much more than that I love his sense of justice. What I liked about Yan Wushi was how open he was about what he is trying to do which is corrupt Shen Qian he was interesting to read about. The story was really compelling it starts with Shen Qian losing a duel and being thrown over a cliff and being found and helped on a whim by Yan Wushi who just wants to corrupt him. As the story progresses more is found about Shen Qiao more detail to what happened to him and coming into many issues I just love this story looking forward to the next volume.
January 26, 2024
4.5/5stars
I LOOOOOVED this!!
I'm ngl I was worried MXTX would ruin me for all other Danmei cause how could it get better than mdzs/tgcf/svsss??? But this blew me away I absolutely loved it. This story is pretty straight forward and easy to follow (which I personally prefer - I'm not a big fan of fantasy politics and such) and the main two characters are so funny and interesting together. To me, Shen Qiao reminds me a lot of xie lian (but a bit less sassy and a bit more reserved) and Yan Wushi reminds me of Wei Wuxian and that combination together is wonderful lol
I can't wait to read more!!
I LOOOOOVED this!!
I'm ngl I was worried MXTX would ruin me for all other Danmei cause how could it get better than mdzs/tgcf/svsss??? But this blew me away I absolutely loved it. This story is pretty straight forward and easy to follow (which I personally prefer - I'm not a big fan of fantasy politics and such) and the main two characters are so funny and interesting together. To me, Shen Qiao reminds me a lot of xie lian (but a bit less sassy and a bit more reserved) and Yan Wushi reminds me of Wei Wuxian and that combination together is wonderful lol
I can't wait to read more!!
March 25, 2024
This was about 350 pages of "setting the scene". And while I didn't mind it, it did kind of drag on at times.
To start off with this book is very technical, you are introduced to many names and places throughout and usually without much hand-holding. I'm also not sure if it's the writer's style or if it's just a so-so translation but plot elements and characters motivations were repeated constantly. There were also just weird moments of grammar and sentence structure that stood out every now and then.
There is also a lot of politics being thrown at you incessantly. I'm sure a lot of this setup will have more weight in later books but it seemed to slow down the book in places where it probably shouldn't have been.
The characters were for the most part interesting. Yan Wushi, the demonic sect leader, is probably the most interesting. His cruel and selfish personality making his actions ambiguous and often more intriguing to think on. But even sometimes he comes off as a little too self-serving to be truly compelling. At least for now.
Shen Qiao, the fallen pure-hearted sect leader, is for the most part a punching bag for the entire cast throughout. Due to a catastrophic injury he is mostly blind and has had his powers cut off from him. And while he does still engage with enemies and showcase what little power he has left every battle tends to end the same way, him even more injured and setting his recovery back even further. Or with Yan Wushi stepping in to make sure he doesn't die.
The rest of the cast didn't really have any standouts. They would mostly be introduced, hang around for a couple of chapters, and then leave with a promise of seeing them again later.
I'm definitely interested in seeing where this one will be going, even with the somewhat lackluster cliffhanger at the end.
To start off with this book is very technical, you are introduced to many names and places throughout and usually without much hand-holding. I'm also not sure if it's the writer's style or if it's just a so-so translation but plot elements and characters motivations were repeated constantly. There were also just weird moments of grammar and sentence structure that stood out every now and then.
There is also a lot of politics being thrown at you incessantly. I'm sure a lot of this setup will have more weight in later books but it seemed to slow down the book in places where it probably shouldn't have been.
The characters were for the most part interesting. Yan Wushi, the demonic sect leader, is probably the most interesting. His cruel and selfish personality making his actions ambiguous and often more intriguing to think on. But even sometimes he comes off as a little too self-serving to be truly compelling. At least for now.
Shen Qiao, the fallen pure-hearted sect leader, is for the most part a punching bag for the entire cast throughout. Due to a catastrophic injury he is mostly blind and has had his powers cut off from him. And while he does still engage with enemies and showcase what little power he has left every battle tends to end the same way, him even more injured and setting his recovery back even further. Or with Yan Wushi stepping in to make sure he doesn't die.
The rest of the cast didn't really have any standouts. They would mostly be introduced, hang around for a couple of chapters, and then leave with a promise of seeing them again later.
I'm definitely interested in seeing where this one will be going, even with the somewhat lackluster cliffhanger at the end.
September 20, 2023
To explain, I usually love any book that comes from the Seven Seas Entertainment. To me they are similair in style and story, though plot and characters differ.
I just feel like this one was too focused on the politics and less focused on fighting compared to others.
It wasn't bad just not my preffered style.
To conclude, I gave this one 4 stars. Hopefully volume two will reveal more romance and fighting.
I just feel like this one was too focused on the politics and less focused on fighting compared to others.
It wasn't bad just not my preffered style.
To conclude, I gave this one 4 stars. Hopefully volume two will reveal more romance and fighting.
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