Recommend any Gu Long books?

[skywise]

Hi fellow members,

I've been a long fan of wu xia. So far have read most of Jin Yong's novels. Just started reading some Gu Long books. The ones I've read so far are: "Jue Dai Shuang Jiao" and "Feng Yun Di Yi Dao" and "The Seven Weapons". Thought they were very good and quite different to Jin Yong's novel. Gu Long's books are certainly not as epic but they are very absorbing and intense.

So to cut a long story short, anyone know other good Gu Long title to continue my enjoyment of his books? Tx for the help.....

[Ian Liew]

Lu Xiaofeng's books 3 (Embroidery Thief),4 and 5 (The Duel) are excellent reading. 1 and 2 (Golden Hawk Kingdom) aren't bad either, but those next three are just too good to miss.

[Noodles]

I haven't read much Gu Long novels but all the ones I've read so far have been pretty good except possibly maybe Flying Dagger, Return of the Flying Dagger (I lost interest after the first few chapters. Maybe it gets better but I'm not dying to find out...)
Little Li's Flying Dagger, Sentimental Swordsman Ruthless Sword is a good read. Two of its sequels are pretty good reads also, Bian Cheng Lang Zi, the Bordertown Wanderer and Jue Yue Ying Fei, Eagles Flying in September. I'm reading Eagles Flying in September at the moment and it's very enjoyable. Full Moon Curved Sabre is also a nice novel.

[TigerWong]

In addition to what others have said and what you have already read, some others I like are:

- CLX: Books 1 - 5 are pretty good
- The Fists (Don't know if you've already read that as part of 7 Weapons)
- Sword and the Exquisiteness
- Further Tales of the Martial World
- Big Time Celebrity
- White Jade Tiger
- Xiao Shiyi Lang (Books 1 and 2)
- 2 guilty pleasures of mine... Tale of a Remarkable Sword and The Lovers' Arrows

Noodles: You're not missing much... Return of the Flying Dagger is arguably the worst GL novel I've read.

[skywise]

Thanks, for the suggestions guys, it's much appreciated. Now it's off to find these books!

[Ken Cheng]

With all due respect to Ian, he got the volume numbers and stories mixed up in the LUK SIU FUNG novel series. Vol. 1 was the GOLDEN ROC KINGDOM'S TREASURE, which introduced the major characters of the saga. Vol. 2 was THE EMBROIDERY THIEF. Vol. 3, probably the jewel of the LUK SIU FUNG novel series, was THE DUEL. Vol. 4 was THE SILVER HOOK CASINO, which I didn't think was that great. Vol. 5 was THE PHANTOM VALLEY, which was the basis of TVB's LUK SIU FUNG Series III (THE BATTLE OF MO DONG). Vol. 6's title I'm not sure of, but it's the novel where Luk Siu Fung and Co. battle against the supervillain Gung 9. Vol. 7 (the last LUK SIU FUNG novel) was SMILE OF THE SWORD GOD.

[duy]

i personally like book 1 to 5, especially book 2, sad ending. however, book 6 is very weird, as well as book 7. Can some1 clarify me about book 6, so LSF got together with that girl? and wat happen 2 that girl in book 7. For some reason, i felt like book 1 to 5 is pretty smooth and have the same tone; but book 6 n 7 are jus different.

[koorinohime]

i really liked 1, 2 and 5 of LXF. yea he got together w. that girl in 6... it wasnt bad.. just different...
and yes, book 2 was sad

[Ian Liew]

Originally posted by Ken Cheng
With all due respect to Ian, he got the volume numbers and stories mixed up in the LUK SIU FUNG novel series. Vol. 1 was the GOLDEN ROC KINGDOM'S TREASURE, which introduced the major characters of the saga. Vol. 2 was THE EMBROIDERY THIEF. Vol. 3, probably the jewel of the LUK SIU FUNG novel series, was THE DUEL. Vol. 4 was THE SILVER HOOK CASINO, which I didn't think was that great. Vol. 5 was THE PHANTOM VALLEY, which was the basis of TVB's LUK SIU FUNG Series III (THE BATTLE OF MO DONG). Vol. 6's title I'm not sure of, but it's the novel where Luk Siu Fung and Co. battle against the supervillain Gung 9. Vol. 7 (the last LUK SIU FUNG novel) was SMILE OF THE SWORD GOD.

Oh..

Yep, that is correct, I was counting by physical books, not by stories. ROC is two books long, Embroidery Thief is only one book, while Duel is another two books - so I automatically considered them to be books 1-5, but I agree that Ken's way of counting them is more accurate, since my LXF book collection isn't actually labelled 1,2,3,4,5.. sorry for the confusion

And oooh yes, Ken worded it perfectly.. the Duel is really the jewel of the series, but you should read the other two stories as well to get a good feeling for the characters. I read the Silver Hook Casino, and although it was rather funny in parts, all it did t the end was make me feel very miserable and sad for all the pretty girls in the book who didn't survive. Fang Yuxiang, Ding Xiangyi and Chu Chu were all girls of complete class, and I felt the same hatred Lu had for Fang Yufei at the end when he took it personally to kill Fang in order to avenge the three of them. Silver Hook Casino had some very interesting characters, but sadly the plot wasn't as bright and enjoyable as the preceding three.

Never read the rest for fear of the same sad feeling.

[TigerWong]

Originally posted by skywise
Thanks, for the suggestions guys, it's much appreciated. Now it's off to find these books!

If you are going to delve into the Dagger Lee sequels, as Noodles suggested, one thing you might consider is reading it in the order they were written, rather then the order they occured.

Eagles Flying In September - Ye Kai's story
Horizon, Full Moon, Sabre - Fu HongXue's story

and then, their prequel:

BorderTown Wanderer - Ye Kai and Fu HongXue team-up

I'm reading BorderTown Wanderer now (although I already know the story from the excellent TVB adaptation - The Black Sabre), and I'm impressed by how Gu Long seamlessly incorporates all the flashbacks and past references in Ye Kai and Fu HongXue's individual stories into a great story of it's own. I wonder if Gu Long already had the entire saga in mind when writing the other two. It also make for an interesting read if you already have a sense of the types of legendary characters Ye Kai and Fu HongXue will become. Sorta like watching Stars Wars: Episode 1 and already having a sense of who Darth Vader and Yoda are.

Even on its own, Bordertown Wanderer is a great, suspenseful mystery.

[Noodles]

Wow, didn't know that Bordertown was written after the two... must say that I'm impressed. Now I know why the ending seems to be better paced than some of his other novels I've read.

[PJ]

"I wonder if Gu Long already had the entire saga in mind when writing the other two"

I find it interesting that GL mentions Fu Hong Xue in SEPTEMBER. Was it written after "Tianya Mingyue Dao?"

[PJ]

anyway, I recommend a less glorious adventure titled "Meteor, Butterfly, Sword." Very exiciting with many plot twists (as usual).

[TigerWong]

Originally posted by PJ
"I wonder if Gu Long already had the entire saga in mind when writing the other two"

I find it interesting that GL mentions Fu Hong Xue in SEPTEMBER. Was it written after "Tianya Mingyue Dao?"

I believe September was written before Tianya. Ye Kai mentions Fu HongXue in September, but Fu HongXue also mentions Ye Kai in Tianya, which makes me believe that perhaps GL had the whole story in his head the entire time.

[Dagger Lee]

Sentimental Swordsman Ruthless Sword. You wouldn't want to give Da Ren Wu a try. it's quite boring with little action.

[Alucard]

I want some advice before I regret it
Is Nu Jian Kuang Hua a good novel?

[Du Gu seeking a win]

Originally posted by Ken Cheng
Vol. 6's title I'm not sure of, but it's the novel where Luk Siu Fung and Co. battle against the supervillain Gung 9.

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¶

Vol. 6 is 'The Phoenix Dances on the Ninth Level of Heaven' (Feng Wu Jiu Tian).

I have a question about that book. Is Feng San mentioned or is he one of the protagonists (besides LXF) in that book?

In 'Ming Jian Feng Liu' (The Sword and its Exquisiteness - translated by Athena - I'm reading up to chapter 19 now) Feng San taught Yu Peiyu the stance:

行云布雨，凤舞�天 - xing4 yun2 bu4 yu3 , feng4 wu3 jiu3 tian1
Travelling on clouds bestowing rain, The phoenix dances on the ninth level of heaven (Athena's translation)


Travelling on clouds spreading rain, the phoenix stirs up the ninth heaven (my version - I believe the 1st and 2nd phrases have a 'cause & effect' relationship)

[TigerWong]

Originally posted by Du Gu seeking a win
¶

Vol. 6 is 'The Phoenix Dances on the Ninth Level of Heaven' (Feng Wu Jiu Tian).

I have a question about that book. Is Feng San mentioned or is he one of the protagonists (besides LXF) in that book?

In 'Ming Jian Feng Liu' (The Sword and its Exquisiteness - translated by Athena - I'm reading up to chapter 19 now) Feng San taught Yu Peiyu the stance:

行云布雨，凤舞�天 - xing4 yun2 bu4 yu3 , feng4 wu3 jiu3 tian1
Travelling on clouds bestowing rain, The phoenix dances on the ninth level of heaven (Athena's translation)


Travelling on clouds spreading rain, the phoenix stirs up the ninth heaven (my version - I believe the 1st and 2nd phrases have a 'cause & effect' relationship)

I don't remember Feng San being mentioned.

[Du Gu seeking a win]

Originally posted by TigerWong
I don't remember Feng San being mentioned.

¶

Hmmm, I need more info about that title (Feng Wu Jiu Tian), I mean, what kind of relationship the title has with the story. Probably about someone who is in the same martial arts school of Feng San? Hence use the same stance? Can't imagine Gu Long put such a unique title at random, without meaning.

[TigerWong]

Originally posted by Du Gu seeking a win
¶

Hmmm, I need more info about that title (Feng Wu Jiu Tian), I mean, what kind of relationship the title has with the story. Probably about someone who is in the same martial arts school of Feng San? Hence use the same stance? Can't imagine Gu Long put such a unique title at random, without meaning.

The title has nothing to do with a particular stance, as far as I can tell. Maybe it's a reference to LXF (the Phoenix) causing turmoil on the island?