Staff Pick
The Mo Dao Zu Shi (GDC/MDZS) donghua (Chinese animation) adaptation was my first introduction into Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s (MXTX) works and it became an instant favorite. The characters are lovable, engaging, and well-developed and nothing is just black and white in MXTX’s novels. She weaves us through the two lives of the protagonist, and along the way reveals the truth of his and other characters’ actions, both good and bad, and how it impacts the current dilemma their world is dealing with. And while the developing LGBT romance is not the focus of the story, the devotion shown between the protagonist and his partner never fails to warm my heart. This is definitely a story that can lend itself to multiples reads; foreshadowed details and hints are hidden throughout making the second read-through just as fresh. Rather than say anymore for fear of spoiling the story, I highly recommend any interested readers to experience MDZS for themselves. Recommended By Tiffany L., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Also known as MDZS, the blockbuster danmei/Boys' Love novels from China that inspired comics, animation, and the live-action series The Untamed--which amassed billions of views, including on Netflix This historical fantasy tale of two powerful men who find each other through life and death is now in English, for the very first time.
Wei Wuxian was once one of the most powerful men of his generation, a talented and clever young cultivator who harnessed martial arts and spirituality into powerful abilities. But when the horrors of war led him to seek more power through demonic cultivation, the world's respect for his abilities turned to fear, and his death was celebrated throughout the land.
Years later, he awakens in the body of an aggrieved young man who sacrifices 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 Wangji at his side, another powerful cultivator whose unwavering dedication and shared memories of their past will help shine a light on the dark truths that surround them.
This Chinese xianxia fantasy novel series built around the romanticized love between two men (danmei) has been translated into numerous languages and spawned a multimedia franchise that has taken the globe by storm, including the massively popular live-action series The Untamed available now on Netflix, YouTube, and more. The Seven Seas English-language edition will include exclusive, all-new covers from Jin Fang (jinzillaa), interior illustrations from Marina Privalova (BaoshanKaro), and a translation by Suika (yummysuika) with editor Pengie (pengiesama).