This book was very good and I loved it. Sometimes though, the translation seemed off and some sentences did seem to not make complete sense. But overall, I really liked reading it and after putting it off for half a month, I was right back and could follow along where I had left off.I love MXTX's writing style, it does feel unique, though it looks like it is sometimes too much telling the story instead of showing it, but luckily it doesn't put me off. Loved reading this novel after waiting a long time! 

I mean I love this story to bits! I devoured the Untamed and all iterations ever since. I have read the fan translation of this and also enjoyed myself a lot reading this. However, i gotta say, the translation is not very good. Some sentences just do not make sense in English and my friends who read with me had difficulty even understanding the story in parts and I feel like that could definitely be done better (I heard the German translation is p good, gotta check it out asap). Ah, but Wei Wuxian is such a menace as always so I still had my fun :D

What am I supposed to say? I really don't know, I just know one thing: that I love, love, love this story and the characters and the world and everything to bits and pieces. So it was just natural for me to love the first volume of the source material. Thus: 5/5 Stars. Let me nevertheless try to put my thoughts into order. To be honest, there were things that bugged me a little bit, so I will start with those: 1. The first few pages I had some problems with the writing style. It just felt very different from the typical - let me say - "western" writing I am used to. It is much more descriptive and telling than showing and insightful. It is hard to describe what I want to say, but maybe some of you felt the same. After the first 30 pages or so, however, I got quickly used to it, and by the end actually really enjoyed it a lot. 2. While being a great deal better than the inofficial translation, at least in my opinion, there were some passages that felt a bit inelegant. However, I am not one to judge, since I can't read the original novel (not yet! I am still slowly working on my Chinese q__q) 3. The pronounciation guide at the end of the book might be helpful, but it just felt like a clumsy solution. Imo they should have stayed with Pinyin and explain that a bit. One last thing: I would still recommend watching the TV show or the donghua first. The story and the characters can get quite confusing, and I don't know if I would have understood everything if I hadn't seen the TV adaption first. That's it for the "negative" things, now on to the (countless) positive ones: 1. Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian. Need I say more. I just -- has there ever been a dynamic like theirs? I feel like crying just thinking about it. And the book shows all the emotion and their relationship wonderfully, in its unique way, without much introspection but rather between the lines, which makes you imagine a lot more, which hurts even more, which....* sigh * 2. The world, the story, the characters! Although it is hard to completely grasp it in the beginning, the world building, the whole xianxia theme with the clans and sects, and the complex web of characters involved in such an intricate story - I just really dig it. And btw, so far I found the storytelling and the order in which things were told much more easier to follow than in the TV show. The book worked much more straight-lined, with fitting flashbacks at the right moments. Also: the novel is way darker and creepier, which I am absolutely delighted in! 3. The physical book itself. The quality is just superb, the illustrations are wonderful and the publishers/translators/editors did a marvelous job with the appendix and all the extra information (which in hindsight is a blessing, just being able to have an overview of which character belong where). I need to stop here, because I really don't have the words to express my love for this story. Despite its obvious flaws I can't give it anything less than five stars. I apologize (not really though). Also, I just can't wait for May to arrive and the second volume to be released.

What am I supposed to say? I really don't know, I just know one thing: that I love, love, love this story and the characters and the world and everything to bits and pieces. So it was just natural for me to love the first volume of the source material. Thus: 5/5 Stars. Let me nevertheless try to put my thoughts into order. To be honest, there were things that bugged me a little bit, so I will start with those: 1. The first few pages I had some problems with the writing style. It just felt very different from the typical - let me say - "western" writing I am used to. It is much more descriptive and telling than showing and insightful. It is hard to describe what I want to say, but maybe some of you felt the same. After the first 30 pages or so, however, I got quickly used to it, and by the end actually really enjoyed it a lot. 2. While being a great deal better than the inofficial translation, at least in my opinion, there were some passages that felt a bit inelegant. However, I am not one to judge, since I can't read the original novel (not yet! I am still slowly working on my Chinese q__q) 3. The pronounciation guide at the end of the book might be helpful, but it just felt like a clumsy solution. Imo they should have stayed with Pinyin and explain that a bit. One last thing: I would still recommend watching the TV show or the donghua first. The story and the characters can get quite confusing, and I don't know if I would have understood everything if I hadn't seen the TV adaption first. That's it for the "negative" things, now on to the (countless) positive ones: 1. Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian. Need I say more. I just -- has there ever been a dynamic like theirs? I feel like crying just thinking about it. And the book shows all the emotion and their relationship wonderfully, in its unique way, without much introspection but rather between the lines, which makes you imagine a lot more, which hurts even more, which....* sigh * 2. The world, the story, the characters! Although it is hard to completely grasp it in the beginning, the world building, the whole xianxia theme with the clans and sects, and the complex web of characters involved in such an intricate story - I just really dig it. And btw, so far I found the storytelling and the order in which things were told much more easier to follow than in the TV show. The book worked much more straight-lined, with fitting flashbacks at the right moments. Also: the novel is way darker and creepier, which I am absolutely delighted in! 3. The physical book itself. The quality is just superb, the illustrations are wonderful and the publishers/translators/editors did a marvelous job with the appendix and all the extra information (which in hindsight is a blessing, just being able to have an overview of which character belong where). I need to stop here, because I really don't have the words to express my love for this story. Despite its obvious flaws I can't give it anything less than five stars. I apologize (not really though). Also, I just can't wait for May to arrive and the second volume to be released.

Resurrection and Revenge Kurzbeschreibung: Wei Wuxian was once the most outstanding man of his generation, a talented and clever young cultivator who harnessed martial arts, knowledge and spirituality into powerful abilities. But when the horrors of war led him to seek a new power through demonic cultivation, the world's respect for his skills turned into fear and his eventual death was celebrated throughout the land. Years later he awakens in the body of an aggrieved young man who sacrificed his soul so that Wei Wuxian can exact revenge on his behalf. Though granted a second life, Wei Wuxian is not free from his first, nor the mysteries that appear before him now. Yet this time he'll face it all with the righteous and esteemed Lan Wanji at his side, another powerful cultivator, whose unwavering dedeication and shared memories of their past will help shine a light on the dark truths that surround them." The first book of the series, filled with beautiful illustrations and witty remarks. The two leads captured my heart in an instand and rang the bell for a wonderful slow burn with lots of sarcasm, misunderstandings and devotion. This series will destroy my poor heart ... and I'm all here for it!

Wer asiatische Fantasy und queere Liebesgeschichten mag und für wen diverse Formen von Manga und deren animierten Freunden keine Fremdwörter sind, der ist hier goldrichtig und gut aufgehoben. Ich kenne die Serien und teilweise den Manwha aber in reiner Textform hat Mo Dao Zu Shi noch mal etwas ganz anderes. Ich mag die Charaktere und die Art Geschichten zu erzählen. Mo Xiang Tong Xiu schreibt ganz ruhig, aber trotzdem wundervoll träumerisch und manchmal fast schon bittersüß. Werde jetzt direkt zu Band zwei greifen. Aber lege jedem der asiatische Fantasy mag diese Reihe sehr ans Herz. Irgendwie entschleunigt es ohne dabei langweilig zu sein. Mo Dao Zu Shi bietet Liebe, Freundschaft, Intrigen, Verrat und einen Krimi vor atemberaubenden Kulissen. Und wer sich mit den Begriffen und Bamen nicht auskennt: zumindest die englische Versionen bietet ein ausführliches Glossar zu den Charakteren und bestimmten Philosophien aus dem asiatischen Raum, sodass man sich nie alleine gelassen fühlt. Wer sich die volle Breitseite an Emotionen geben will hört dabei direkt den Soundtrack der Serien.

The main character gets new born, and gets confronted with his cruel past. His worst enemy seems to have feelings for him, and his best friend hates him. He killed a lot of people and did horrible things, now he's back, and nobody knows it yet... The perfect mixture from drama, thriller, a lot of mysterious relationships and other dirty secrets. Writing Style 10/10 just the names are complicated 😅 Read it!!

Ich kenne bereits den Donghua zur Novel, aber dennoch fiel es mir zu Beginn nicht so leicht mich in die Geschichte einzufinden. Dies lag vor allem an einigen englischen Begriffen, die mir noch unbekannt waren und an die ich mich erst gewöhnen musste. Bei Heaven Official's Blessing hatte ich diese Schwierigkeiten nicht. Der erste Zeitsprung hat es dann aber wieder leichter gemacht und so konnte hdie Geschichte mich auch zunehmend catchen. Wei Ying ist so ein energischer, lustiger und cleverer Charakter und war mir auf Anhieb sympathisch. Und der Arme Lan Wangji tut mir ja wirklich etwas leid - all die Neckereien, die er durchmachen muss.😂 Es ist wirklich toll die Novel zusätzlich zum Donghua zu lesen, da man viel mehr von den Gedanken der Charaktere mitbekommt und die Story dadurch greifbarer wird. Einiges ist anders als in der Serie, was zusätzlich für Spannung sorgt. Der Humor kommt nicht zu kurz.

Lange, lange hab ich an diesem ersten Band gelesen. Was aber eher an meiner Konzentration in Kombination mit der englischen Sprache und einem komplexen Worldbuilding mit vielen verschiedenen Namen für jeden Charakter und den Verbindungen der Clans etc. lag. Ich empfehle es definitiv nicht für Englisch Leseeinsteiger. Zudem brauch‘ ich immer ewig für inhaltliches, was ich eigentlich schon kenne. Da ich hier den Manhua bereits gelesen habe, kannte ich die grobe Handlung und bin eher auf spätere Verläufe sehr gespannt. Gleichzeitig war das aber auch mein Glück, da ich dadurch einige Charakternamen besser zuordnen konnte. Auch, wenn ich mich schwer tat, bin ich froh, nicht die deutsche Version weiterverfolgt zu haben, da diese keinen hilfreichen Guide für Verständnis- Fragen bereithält. Inhaltlich bekommen Lesende bei Mo dao zu shi viel geliefert. Magie, Geister(-beschwörung) und Charaktere, die grundverschieden und furchtbar spannend sind. Intriegen, Verbindungen, die erst mit der Zeit ans Licht kommen, sowie einen großen Fall, der gelöst werden will. Da kommt beim Lesen alles auf, nur keine Langeweile. Zudem lieb ich einfach, wie sich Lang Wanji und Wei Wuxian annähern und wir mit der Zeit immer mehr Details aus der Vergangenheit bekommen. Die beiden sind einfach großartige Hauptcharaktere.