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Saturday, September 21, 2019

BOOK REVIEW: A Hero Born - Legends of the Condor Heroes Book 1

TITLE: A Hero Born

SERIES: Book 1 of the Legends of the Condor Heroes

PUB Date: 9/17/19 (English Translation) orig pub 1957

PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press

GENRE: Historical Fiction, Epic Saga, Classical Fantasy

AUTHOR: Jin Yong

TRANSLATED: Anna Holmwood

THOUGHTS: When I heard that this epic historical book would finally be available in English, I could not wait to get my hands on this book. Then an amazing thing happened that I received this ARC copy. This is the first English translation by Anna Holmwood since this book was first published back in 1957.

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

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

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

I highly enjoyed this epic saga based on real historical events and sleepless nights for the amazing stories of heroes I have loved. The illustrations in the book are quite an addition to the story and visualization of the characters and the time period. Book 2 cannot come soon enough.

SYNOPSIS from publisher:

The epic Chinese classic and phenomenon published in the US for the first time!

A fantastical generational saga and kung fu epic, A Hero Born is the classic novel of its time, stretching from the Song Empire (China 1200 AD) to the appearance of a warlord whose name will endure for eternity: Genghis Khan. Filled with an extraordinary cast of characters, A Hero Born is a tale of fantasy and wonder, love and passion, treachery and war, betrayal and brotherhood.

And then a hero is born...

After his father, a Song patriot, was murdered, Guo Jing and his mother fled to the plains and joined Ghengis Khan and his people. Loyal, humble and driven, he learned all he could from the warlord and his army in hopes of one day joining them in their cause. But what Guo Jing doesn’t know is that he’s destined to battle an opponent that will challenge him in every way imaginable and with a connection to his past that no one envisioned.

With the help and guidance of his shifus, The Seven Heroes of the South, Guo Jing returns to China to face his foe and carry out his destiny. But in a land divided by treachery and war, betrayal and ambition, he’ll have to put his courage and knowledge to the test to survive.