During the Western Han Dynasty period, wolf girl Yu Jin is saved by a Han man under Western Xiong Nu’s Chanyu. Following him in the learning of literate and martial arts, grew up alongside the princes of the Chanyu. When Xiong Nu undergoes political change, young Yu Jin is forced to come to Chang An. On the way, consecutively meets the gentle and refined Meng Jiu and handsome Huo Qu Bing. Along with Yu Jin and her chance encounters and inevitable encounters with them time after time, all the behind the scene entanglements vividly appear on the paper. There is the budding of first love’s seed, there is the invigorating and moving of love’s long ballad, furthermore there is the whirlpool of political struggles…
[Ebook][Audiobook] [Radiodrama] [Eng Translation] [Đại mạc dao] [대막요] [Drama with Eng Subs]
I would have felt the happy ending of this novel had it not ended with a Meng Jiu scene. Totally broke my heart.
*This is my 1st c-novel translated into Engllish. It introduces me to another new obssession & I am glad I got addicted, heehee. When I read it I like it very much but after listening to a few other c-novels, I find this book slightly above average only. The introduction in the dessert is breathtaking & memorable but later I feel Yun Zhong Ge’s intro is even better. After Yu Jin hooked up with Huo Qu Bing, I lost interest in the story. The only thing that kept me reading is Meng Jiu. In the 1st volume, I like HQB better as he is sunny & funny. Then I start to appreciate MJ in volume 2 as he did so much for YJ without expecting anything in return. The only tears I shed in this novel is for MJ alone only.
My exact thoughts.This was also my first c-novel. Perhaps it’s because I never felt much strongly towards HQB, so the OTP never really left a print in my heart. At one moment I really didn’t like Meng Jiu because Jin Yu had already hooked up with HQB and he trying to get her to go back to him. My last feeling towards Jin Yu was exactly that of his subjects.
Still, Tong Hua could have spared us that scene at the end. If ending on a happy note with Jin Yu and HQB, it would have been more happier. The Meng Jiu scene could have been put before Jin Yu’s happy ending. I couldn’t sleep after reading that scene. T_T
At the end of the book, Huo Qu Bing got overshadowed by Meng Jiu. Just felt so bad for him, if he had missed his chance with Jin Yu because he doesn’t love her, then I can overlook, but the guy didn’t want to drag her into his life. But I agree with her going with Huo Qu Bing, Jin Yu can’t wait around for him forever. She has her own feelings too.
The romantic me thinks Jin Yu should have waited for MJ a bit longer. She hooked up with HQB, less than a yr after MJ’s rejection right? I mean not as dramatic as forever but at least a few yrs like Yang Guo waited for Xiao Long Nu for 15 yrs. I can understand one needs to seize the chance of the moment or else you might not get a 2nd one & live to regret, yet I feel her change in affection is too soon. Probably I am bias because Hu Ge is MJ & not HQB:P
Meng Jiu or Huo Qu Bing?
I’m strictly on the Huo Qu Bing-ship. While I liked Meng Jiu for his sacrifices in the second part, I feel like Yu’er gave him enough chances and he didn’t understand her well enough. If he did, he would have known that she cared more about him than having children, and it wouldn’t have taken him until she decided to leave him for him to accept her. After Yu’er returned to Chang An, I was really annoyed that he continued to chase after her even when she told him that she belonged to Huo Qu Bing.
I love HQB for his directness in his pursuit of Yu’er and he stayed by her side even after he found out about her love for Meng Jiu. I always felt that Yu’er was more uninhibited when she was with HQB, while with Jiu Ye, she tried to be more lady-like and feigned illness just to exchange letters with him.
My favorite scene is the archery contest with Yi Zhi Xie and the resulting chase. I could really feel the strength of Yu’er and Huo Qu Bing’s love in that final kiss. 😀
Two things that I felt HQB did wrong was not telling Yu’er that Meng Jiu was searching for her and refusing to tell Meng Jiu where Yu’er was or even if she was safe. It must have taken a lot of effort for someone as proud as Jiu Ye to kneel in front of Housekeeper Chen just for any news of Yu’er, but because of HQB’s orders not to tell Jiu Ye anything, he treated shamefully and hustled out of the Huo Estate.
I also felt that Yu’er liked Meng Jiu because of the fatherly feeling he gave her. He reminded her of her father when he took care of her by cleaning her earlobes and feeding her medicine. The depths of her feelings for HQB were buried under the feelings she developed for Meng Jiu during that year they spent together. HQB was the one she turned around to gaze at in the desert, HQB was the one she looked for when she arrived in Chang An, and HQB was the one she hoped to see in the room at the end of the hallway when she was going to meet the man who had been looking for her.
Yah that part my liking for Meng Jiu just dropped to the bottom. It was like a taint on a piece of art. If he had not went to Jing Yu after she already considered herself Huo Qu Bing’s woman, he would have been perfect. Totally ruined my impression on him that moment. Really rolled my eyes at that moment. It doesn’t matter if it matters or not to you whether or not she slept with another man, her heart already turned to him. You only put out that argument that you don’t care if she feels that she is not worthy to be by your side because she’s been with another man, but that’s not the case at that moment.
But, still the character who left the biggest impression to me in this novel would still be Meng Jiu.
haha you really remind me a lot of parts that got muddy in my Meng Jiu scarred memory!!
I felt HQB did those things out of his desire to not regret, whereas look at Jiu Ye he can only deal with the pain of missing his chance with the girl he has given his heart to. I think that’s the worst.
Never held any bad feelings for HQB because I wouldn’t put those things he did (or didn’t do) as betraying his morals or end justifies the means but it’s love and because it’s love it’s every man for his own. Jin Yu doesn’t owe Jiu Ye anything, she gave him her all while she was waiting for him to turn around and accept her but he didn’t and she moved on. Jiu Ye sacrificing for her in the second part, it’s of his own free will and no one forced him to. It’s just!!! After happy ending for main couple, Tonghua just had to show us Jiu Ye suffering… *tears hair out*
I have nothing against HQB. In fact I quite like him also but he is just a typical male lead like in so many books. Moreover he is based on a historical person. Whereas the 2nd male leads in other books are not as well drawn out as MJ in that they are either bad, bland or boring, not as giving & self-sacrificing as MJ.
MJ’s effort in trying to win back JY despite knowing she is with HQB doesn’t lessen her appeal to me because I can understand his painful regret & try his best to make right his wrong decision. He never gives up on JY until the very end when he is assured HQB can give JY happiness is commendable. As for him rejecting JY at the beginning, it is because of his sacrificial nature which makes him thinks he is not good enough for JY due to her handicap.
Different readers with different personality & life experiences will relate differently to both of the male leads. However I feel Tong Hua can create equally memorable & good first & 2nd male leads. In fact sometime, I don’t even know who is leading, haha…
haha, I like and dislike it when the second male lead is a wonderful man. It’s like the top of your hand is flesh and the bottom of your hand is flesh also. No matter which way she goes, I feel pain still.
Why don’t these authors do us a favor and give the 2nd male a girl also? even a open ending for the 2nd male?
I think the other reason why MJ rejects JY is also because of his political position, he doesn’t want to drag her into what he is suffering. But, he doesn’t understand that she loves him enough to stand in it with him and the political background is still there whether JY is with MJ or with HQB.
I’ve read through the whole book and I like it very much. I like Meng Jiu’s character and his love to Yu Er but the character who really leaves impressions to me is Li Yan. I like her story but not her ending but I glad that she finally realize that revenging does not benefits her or anyone.
*high 5* I find Li Yan to give the biggest impression also. I find her very sad, but at least she did what she wanted to. I also felt the li Yan in dmy and yzg is different.
after reading the last chapter i really want to know what did meng jiu meant when he said he wonder what huo qu bing expression would be when HQB and Yiu er arrived at the place with the sign of the gold desert with blue yue shang spring to pick up their son? is he trying let HQB know that that spot was also where he met Yiu er??
I’m so looking forward to the drama after reading Da Mo Yao, ironically this the only Tong Hua’s novel I have read so far and I really like the storyline! 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60zoIi65gwk
Another trailer fresh from the oven. Why do they come out in droves when I am at my most busy? The trailer looks good and I can see it is staying true to the novel. But the music is not that nice. Also, the trailer is a bit disorganized & confusing. I am a HG’s fan but I don’t know why I find Eddie is looking more attractive, lol. I guess it is the styling which makes HG looks kind of pale, gaunt & sickly which is what his character supposed to be. It took me a while to get used to Eddie’s new name:P
@Peanuts, watching the trailer, they changed the ending. Instead of the book’s ending, they have Huo Qi Bing died. I guess that’s why the series finally has been approved to be aired
Are you sure that is the ending? I remember there is a fake death in the novel. I think Karen said the drama will follow the book to the very end which is why Huo Qu Bing’s name has to be changed. If he will die in the drama in accordance to history, why changed his name?
@Peanuts, I’m not sure if that is the ending scene but Tangren had experienced delay to get this series approved because Huo Qi Bing is a real-life character so his ending must be true to the history. I once thought that the was about to be cancelled. I know that they change the title but have no idea about the name changing.
Woah, please don’t kill HQB off! Although I like MJ more than HQB, but if they really kill him off, it would be hard for us to continue the story with Yun Zhong Ge. I mean if HQB dies, how on earth will Yun Ge get to this world?
Yun Zhong Ge the drama has no connection to Ballad of the desert the novel bcos in the drama yun ge is not the daughter of HQB. Drama is seldom faithful to the novel especially when it is produced by YU zheng.
My understanding is Eddie is no longer HQB in the drama if you pay attention to the trailer. because of the name change, I doubt he will die.
I see…. Haha You’re right with Yu Zheng’s production, Peanuts. Since they had the names changed, I guess they probably won’t kill HQB off? Because they don’t have the need to follow the history.
And I have read on spcnet.tv forum that they have changed the dynasty of the drama to Southern Dynasty too.
Thanks for posting the link to the trailer, Peanuts! 😀
Well the trailer looks OK even though it took me a while to figure out just who the characters were talking about since I didn’t recognize the new names. I always liked Meng 9’s character so I’m glad to see Hu Ge playing his part. The trailer really makes you wanna ship Meng 9/Jin Yu, doesn’t it? 😀 I’m looking forward to Hu Ge impressing me with his acting skills 🙂
In other news, Liu Shishi and Nicky Wu have come out as a real life couple. Looks like 4ye and Ruoxi have found love in real life too 😀
From what I read from Koala’s blog seems like 大漠谣 finally has an airing date! June 2014! Can’t wait to see how the drama differs from the novel!
丁噹 – 白頭吟「星月傳奇」主題曲
Just finished watching the youtube version of da mo Yao……I’m just sooo sad again…poor jiu Ye…..
But it has abit of difference tho….Li yan didn’t die of illness…she jumped..and the guys who were with jiu Ye at theend were also different guys I think?? And shi da ge died as well…prob from testing the poison?
But I honestly didn’t like the costumes…and not much nice scenery like bbjx…. Oh well….
From the start, I didn’t like the general’s character. He is too arrogant and pushy. I totally support Jiu Ye, I know why he pushed her away though it is very frustrating but since he regretted and hope to win her back, I was hoping it will be him for her. She should have waited, I mean how can you get over someone you love so quickly. Just because there is another guy available who is in love with you. If she truly love Jiu Ye, she would stick to it till the end, or at least for a long while. I only cried for most of Jiu Ye’s scenes. (I didn’t read the books, just watched the drama)
After that, I had to watch more of Hu ge’s drama since I felt so bad for his character in this series. LOL
The new drama Lang Ya Bang, his character have very close styling and manners to this Jiu Ye’s character. They are both sick too.
@kago this hamster agrees! I like HQB okay and I’m fine with female leads chosing someone I don’t ship. I just have a fundamental problem with the way she moves on so quickly from the man she professes to love so deeply. Like, okay, so you think 9Y doesn’t love you, but why does that translate into hooking up with the first guy who offers? Was she that emotionally unstable? I also did not like how she kept pulling 9Y into helping her and her hubby later on. Even if he does it willingly, I would never ask. Your crap is none of his business anymore the moment you reject him, yo! All in all, the main reason why I dislike this book is because of the female lead. The guys aren’t perfect and one can argue for or against either of them, but the girl promptly goes onto my blacklist.