Ni Kuang's ranking of Jin Yong's novels

[whiteskwirl]

Ni Kuang ranked Jin Yong's novels from best to worst in his book 《我看金庸小說》. I've listed his rankings below.

What do you think? Any placements you disagree with? Not sure why, but he omits "Sword of the Yue Maiden".

The Works of Jin Yong

1. The Deer and the Cauldron (鹿鼎記)
2. The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (天龍八部)
3. The Smiling, Proud Wanderer (笑傲江湖)
4. The Giant Eagle and Its Companion [ROCH] (神鵰俠侶)
5. Flying Fox on Snowy Mountain (雪山飛狐)
6. The Heaven Sword and the Dragon Sabre (倚天屠龍記)
7. The Eagle-Shooting Heores [LOCH] (射鵰英雄傳)
8. Book and Sword, Gratitude and Revenge (書劍恩仇錄)
9. A Deadly Secret (連城訣)
10. Ode to Gallantry (俠客行)
11. The Young Flying Fox (飛狐外傳)
12. The Sword Stained with Royal Blood (碧血劍)
13. Mandarin Duck Blades (鴛鴦刀)
14. The White Horse Neighs in the Western Wind (白馬嘯西風)

Originally posted here

[kidd]

Maybe he does not consider 'Sword of Yue Maiden' a novel since it's very short. The story is usually attach together with the 'Ode to Gallantry' novel.

[whiteskwirl]

Maybe he does not consider 'Sword of Yue Maiden' a novel since it's very short. The story is usually attach together with the 'Ode to Gallantry' novel.

I don't think it's that, because he says that Jin Yong has two short stories (短篇), and then he names "White Horse Neighs in the Western Wind" and "Mandarin Duck Blades". So he included short works in his list (not sure how he could think these two are 短篇 though, as one is 60,000+ characters and the other is 40,000+, but whatever), but not "Sword of the Yue Maiden" for some reason.

EDIT: Also, the two he does mentioned are always included with Flying Fox on Snowy Mountain.

[PJ]

[*]Mandarin Duck Blades (鴛鴦刀)

Funny translation

[PJ]

LOCH is obviously too low. It's been exposed here that Ni Kuang has a certain disdain with GJ and HR. But seriously, LOCH was JY's first truly epic novel, and it's one of his best even if you don't consider its importance in JY's career.

DOMD seems too high. However, I haven't read it so I'll let readers be the judge.

Other than that, the ranking seems ok.

[Han Solo]

Not a bad list.

Flip LOCH and Flying Fox, and it is just about right.

[LuNaR]

who is this ni kuang?

[junny]

Not sure why, but he omits "Sword of the Yue Maiden".

He made the list based on this couplet: 飛雪連天射白鹿, 笑書神俠倚碧鴛. "Sword of Yue Maiden" is not included in it.

Funny translation

Just a literal one. Wiki has it as "Blade-dance of the Two Lovers".

who is this ni kuang?

Science fiction and wuxia writer. He helped write part of DGSD, the part where A-zi went blind.

[kidd]

DOMD seems too high. However, I haven't read it so I'll let readers be the judge.

Ni Kuang like Wei Xiao Bao very much. So, this high ranking is unsurprising.

[PJ]

Ni Kuang like Wei Xiao Bao very much. So, this high ranking is unsurprising.

Yes, I recall that Mr. Ni found the rape scenes "touching"

[whiteskwirl]

Funny translation

For the English translations, I went with the official translations listed by the publisher. The exception to that is 鴛鴦刀 and 白馬嘯西風, because they're not listed in the copy of 雪山飛狐 I have on hand. So, for their English titles, I went with what is listed in the back of John Christopher Hamm's Paper Swordsmen.

[ChanceEncounter]

LOCH is obviously too low. It's been exposed here that Ni Kuang has a certain disdain with GJ and HR. But seriously, LOCH was JY's first truly epic novel, and it's one of his best even if you don't consider its importance in JY's career.

Book and Sword was probably JY's first 'epic' novel. LOCH is about right. He clearly set a good foundation that he expanded on in later and better books. I don't believe in raising the rank just because it was the 'first.'

[PJ]

Book and Sword was probably JY's first 'epic' novel. LOCH is about right. He clearly set a good foundation that he expanded on in later and better books. I don't believe in raising the rank just because it was the 'first.'

I believe we should give credit to breakthroughs.

Even if we don't, I think LOCH is still a better novel than HSDS. Of course, just my opinion.

[ChanceEncounter]

If that was the case, then DGSD should automatically be #1 because it introduced interwoven storytelling that differentiated itself from JY's previously linear writing. But as I said, we could probably make a lot of little bumps and dips if we rewarded every 'breakthrough' and penalized every recycle.

[PJ]

If that was the case, then DGSD should automatically be #1

It should be

But seriously, what I meant was "we should give some credit to breakthroughs". I certainly didn't mean to suggest that is the only consideration. The consideration needs to balance between innovation and other literary qualities.

[ChanceEncounter]

True, but JY's writing definitely improved from his early works. BXJ and Book and Sword were simply not very good works, considering. LOCH was better, but the fluidity of his writing and storytelling clearly improved by ROCH. I think it's easy to confuse story with protagonist sometimes. GJ was one of JY's best protagonists. But LOCH as a story was not as strong.

[PrinceKrillo]

I don't know (or care) who this "Ni Kuang" is and why in the hell anyone should give a crap about what he thinks ...

... but the fact that he has ranked a filthy piece of shit like The Return of the Condor Heroes at #4 ... while putting the most underrated Zha Liang Yong novel (Sword Stained with Royal Blood) at #12 is proof enough of his lack of intelligence.

Of course, the lack of appreciation for SSwRB is almost universal ... one of many examples of why people, by and large, are morons. Plain and simple.

SSwRB has likeable characters, a very history-centric story (which is important), and paints a great picture of the PIVOTAL FALL of China in 1644 (because the Qing Dynasty is NOT Chinese, and anyone who considers it to be is an IDIOT ... neither are Nationalists or Communists, so in effect, Chong Zhen/Li Zi Cheng = the last rulers in history that I will ever consider to be TRUE Chinese) and the historical figures that played a part.

The blind, biased morons, as usual, can't appreciate any of this.

The Legend of the Condor Heroes should rank highest out of the trilogy, not lowest. The fact that it's so low on his ranking proves that he's a biased moron, ranking the novel at #7 simply because ... what? He doesn't like the protagonists? What a F tool.

On that same note, it also proves just what a clueless idiot he is for obviously favoring an overrated, piss excuse for a wuxia couple like the feces-comparable Yang Guo and Xiao Long Nv (yuck) over the FAR superior, greatest wuxia couple there ever will be, Huang Rong and Guo Jing (Huang Rong is also the greatest fictional wuxia character ever, PERIOD ... that includes ALL works of wuxia, not just Zha Liang Yong's).

As for his top three ... while I agree that Cauldron, Wanderer, and Demi-Gods should comprise the top three ... I don't necessarily agree with that particular order.

Bottomline ... why the F should anyone care what some moron thinks about which novels are best and which are worst? Puh.

[tape]

I don't know (or care) who this "Ni Kuang" is and why in the hell anyone should give a crap about what he thinks ...

... but the fact that he has ranked a filthy piece of shit like The Return of the Condor Heroes at #4 ... while putting the most underrated Zha Liang Yong novel (Sword Stained with Royal Blood) at #12 is proof enough of his lack of intelligence.

Of course, the lack of appreciation for SSwRB is almost universal ... one of many examples of why people, by and large, are morons. Plain and simple.

SSwRB has likeable characters, a very history-centric story (which is important), and paints a great picture of the PIVOTAL FALL of China in 1644 (because the Qing Dynasty is NOT Chinese, and anyone who considers it to be is an IDIOT ... neither are Nationalists or Communists, so in effect, Chong Zhen/Li Zi Cheng = the last rulers in history that I will ever consider to be TRUE Chinese) and the historical figures that played a part.

The blind, biased morons, as usual, can't appreciate any of this.

The Legend of the Condor Heroes should rank highest out of the trilogy, not lowest. The fact that it's so low on his ranking proves that he's a biased moron, ranking the novel at #7 simply because ... what? He doesn't like the protagonists? What a F tool.

On that same note, it also proves just what a clueless idiot he is for obviously favoring an overrated, piss excuse for a wuxia couple like the feces-comparable Yang Guo and Xiao Long Nv (yuck) over the FAR superior, greatest wuxia couple there ever will be, Huang Rong and Guo Jing (Huang Rong is also the greatest fictional wuxia character ever, PERIOD ... that includes ALL works of wuxia, not just Zha Liang Yong's).

As for his top three ... while I agree that Cauldron, Wanderer, and Demi-Gods should comprise the top three ... I don't necessarily agree with that particular order.

Bottomline ... why the F should anyone care what some moron thinks about which novels are best and which are worst? Puh.

Oh the irony.

[kidd]

Oh the irony.

Haha. That is so true.

I don't know (or care) who this "Ni Kuang" is and why in the hell anyone should give a crap about what he thinks ...

Ni Kuang is the author of the Wisely science fiction series, and also the author of wuxia novels such as '6 Fingers Demon' and '13 Tai Bao'. He also wrote a section of Jin Yong's 'Demi God Semi Devil'.

[shortsight]

I don't know (or care) who this "Ni Kuang" is ...
... why the F should anyone care what some moron thinks about which novels are best and which are worst? Puh.

Haha, a very amusing post! You could have indirectly scold and alienating yourself from a lot of folks. You showed your disgust towards something and went on bashing, but at the same time, idolising another close to fanboyism ... a little childish in my opinion. What a rant you have there, cool down man!