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foxghost · 4 years

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Joyful Reunion, Chapter 3

Translator: foxghost @foxghost tumblr/ko-fi1 Beta: meet-me-in-oblivion @meet-me-in-oblivion tumblr Original by 非天夜翔 Fei Tian Ye Xiang Masterpost | Characters, Maps & Other Reference Index

Book 1, Chapter 1 (part 2)

“Bring me two bowls of Laba2 congee.”

Lang Junxia’s voice fades away, and all around warm lamplight filters in. Duan Ling is so sleepy that he can’t even open his eyes. He turns over groggily, but Lang Junxia pats him awake.

In the guestroom of a relay station, the waiter brings them two bowls of Laba congee. Lang Junxia hands it to Duan Ling, and once again, Duan Ling wolfs it down ravenously, his eyes darting this way and that, sneaking glances at Lang Junxia.

“Still hungry?” Lang Junxia asks.

Duan Ling watches him suspiciously. Lang Junxia goes to sit on the bed, but Duan Ling just shrinks back into the covers, all nervousness.

Lang Junxia has never taken care of children before; there’s a slightly puzzled expression on his face. He doesn’t have any candy on him to wheedle a child with either. He thinks about this for a moment, and unties the jade arc3 ornament on his belt. “This is for you.”

The jade arc is translucent and pure, looking like a cut-off piece of hard candy, but Duan Ling doesn’t dare take it. His gaze moves from the jade arc back to Lang Junxia’s face.

“If you want it, take it,” Lang Junxia answers.

His words are warm but his voice carries no emotion. Pinching the jade between his fingers, he hands it to Duan Ling.

With much trepidation, Duan Ling takes it. He turns it over and over in his hands to look at it. Then his gaze wanders back to Lang Junxia’s face again.

“Who are you?” Duan Ling suddenly thinks of someone, and asks, “Are you … are you my dad?”

Lang Junxia doesn’t reply. Duan Ling’s heard countless rumours about his dad. Some say his dad is a monster who lives in the mountains; some say his dad is a beggar; some say his dad will come back to get him eventually — that he’s meant to live surrounded by luxury.

But Lang Junxia answers, “No, sorry to disappoint you. I’m not.”

Duan Ling doesn’t think so either, but he’s not really all that disappointed. Lang Junxia seems to be thinking about something. When he comes back to himself, he tells Duan Ling to lie down and tucks him in. “Go to sleep.”

The howling blizzard turns into an echo by Duan Ling’s ears; Runan is already forty miles behind them, but Duan Ling is covered in cuts, and as soon as he falls asleep, he dreams of suddenly being beaten, then he proceeds to fall into a series of nightmares.

Sometimes he twitches all over, sometimes he cries out in fear, and never does he stop shuddering.

Lang Junxia made his bed on the floor at first, but over the latter half of the night, but when he notices that Duan Ling nightmares never seem to stop, goes to sleep next to him on the bed. Every time Duan Ling reaches out, he would let Duan Ling hold onto his big, warm hand. Only after several bouts of this does Duan Ling start calming down.

The next day, Lang Junxia calls for hot water and gives Duan Ling a bath, wiping his whole body clean. Duan Ling is all skin and bones, his arms and legs covered in scars. His old injuries haven’t healed yet and there are already new cuts over them. They sting terribly as he sits in the hot water, but he doesn’t think much of the pain. All of Duan Ling’s focus is on playing with the jade arc in his hands.

Duan Ling asks him, "Did my dad send you?’

“Shh.” Lang Junxia puts a finger in front of his lips. “Don’t ask. Don’t ask about anything. I’ll tell you a little bit at a time.”

“If anyone asks you, then you’ll tell them that your family name is Duan, and your dad’s name is Duan Sheng. You and I are from the Duan family in Shangzi. Your dad does business in Shangjing4 and Sichuan5 and entrusted you to your uncle’s family. As you’re older now, your dad’s sent me to come get you, to take you to Shangjing so you can start school. Got it?”

Lang Junxia puts medicinal ointment on Duan Ling’s injuries, helps him into a light, unlined garment, and wraps a sable coat that he swims in. He tells Duan Ling to sit down properly, and looks into his eyes.

Duan Ling is skeptical as Lang Junxia and he look at each other. Still, a short moment later, he nods.

“Now repeat it to me.”

“My dad’s name is Duan Sheng.”

They gallop towards the riverbank. Lang Junxia jumps off the horse, leads it to the frozen crossing, and walks next to him as it carries Duan Ling across the river.

“I’m from the Duan family in Shangzi…” Duan Ling repeats.

“I’m going to Shangjing so I can start school…” drowsy and nodding off, Duan Ling sways back and forth on the horse.

A thousand miles away, beneath Yubiguan, Li Jianhong struggles forward in the snow, limping and staggering.

He’s a mess of wounds and bruises, stumbling forward as he goes, many of his bones broken. The only thing keeping him company is the sword on his back and the red string hanging around his neck.

The red string is threaded through a pendant. The pendant is translucent and pure, a white flawless jade arc.

A gust of wind sweeps away the snow that’s fallen onto the jade and reveals a gentle glow in the dark.

Far, far away, at the other end of the world, from the other jade arc, it seems like a great force is calling him. It is the Xianbei mountains6 that even northern goshawk cannot fly across; it is the Dongquan river that fishes can never reach. That force is on the other side of the river. It is a yoke. It is also destiny.

That force seems to have its root in his soul; it flows in his veins, holding him up as he struggles onward.

Some voice seems to be gradually approaching him in the blizzard. Is it a pack of wolves running in the wasteland, or is it a whirlwind that can destroy the world?

“Benxiao7!” Li Jianhong howls.

A beautiful jet black horse with four white hoofs whips up powder as it gallops toward him.

“Benxiao—”

A warhorse’s neigh pierces the sky, rushing at Li Jianhong. Li Jinghong hangs from the reins, and mustering all his strength he throws himself onto the horse, to drape himself on its back.

“Go!” Li Jianhong shouts, and disappears into the blizzard alongside Benxiao.

They ford rivers and travel north. Gradually, the land along their journey becomes more inhabited. Lang Junxia teaches Duan Ling over and over not to tell any stranger about his previous circumstances, until Duan Ling can recite it by heart. Lang Junxia also tells him some interesting facts and anecdotes about Shangzi, and little by little Duan Ling forgets his anxieties and forgets his pain.

Duan Ling’s nightmares, like the injuries all over his body, gradually get better. By the time the cuts on his back scabs over, the other cuts have healed, and the scabs fall off, leaving behind nothing but faint traces, Lang Junxia finally finishes this seemingly endless journey, and Duan Ling sees the most prosperous city he’s ever seen.

Ocean’s colours reflect off towers, river sparkles off passing silks and carriages.8 Crossing over the western side of the Xianbei mountains, a streak of red shines through the endless wilderness as the sun sets; the Jin river wraps around the city like a twisting ribbon, glittering with the lustre of a glacier.

Shangjing is majestic and tall at dusk.

“We’re here,” Lang Junxia tells Duan Ling.

Duan Ling is all bundled up; this whole journey truly has been too cold. Duan Ling is wrapped in Lang Junxia’s arms, and the two of them look out to the distant Shangjing from the back of the horse. Duan Ling’s eyes close a bit. He feels very warm.

Night has just fallen as they reach the capital. Security is strict at the city gates; Lang Junxia hands over his papers and the guard notices Duan Ling.

“Where’d you come from?” The guard asks.

Duan Ling stares at the guard. The guard stares back.

“My dad’s name is Duan Sheng.” Duan Ling’s already memorised it inside out and backwards, and he answers, “I’m from the Duan family in Shangzi …”

The guard impatiently cuts off his autobiographical narrative. “What’s your relationship?”

Duan Ling turns to Lang Junxia.

“I’m friends with his dad,” Lang Junxia answers.

The guard scrutinises the papers over and over, but in the end he grudgingly lets the two of them inside.

The city is brightly lit; snow has piled up on both sides of the street. It is quite nearly the end of the year. A drunk by the road carries a lamp in one hand and a wine jug in the other. A songstress accompanies herself on the qin9 as she sings, and there are others, sitting or lounging, waiting outside seedy-looking taverns.

The uninhibited voices of courtesans greeting their customers spill into the night. An armed swordsman stops to look up at them. A terribly drunk rich merchant with a vibrantly-dressed woman under each arm sways back and forth and nearly overturns a noodle stand. A carriage clanks its way down the ice-covered street. With a shout of palanquin-bearers, luxurious tall palanquins leave the ground and move towards all corners of Shangjing like individual houses.

It’s forbidden to let one’s horse run on the main streets, so Lang Junxia makes Duan Ling sit on the horse and holds the reins as he walks. Duan Ling is all bundled up save for a single slit in his fur hat, through which he looks around at all of this curiously. Once they turn into a side street, Lang Junxia mounts the horse once more, and they kick up snowflakes as they gallop past imposing courtyard estates, into dark alleys.

They leave the music behind but the streets are bright all the same. Great big red lanterns hang on both sides of the quiet alleyway, the only sound being the ice cracking as their horse’s hoofs gallop past. Numerous secluded two-storey courtyard homes lean against each other at the end of the alley, lanterns hanging high above them, layer upon layer. Even this light bout of snow is blocked by their warm light.

They’re at a backdoor in a dark alley. Lang Junxia says to Duan Ling, “Come down.”

A beggar sits outside the backdoor. Lang Junxia doesn’t even bother looking at him. With the flick of a finger some change falls into the beggar’s bowl, clanging as they spin towards the bottom. Curious, Duan Ling turns his head to look at the beggar, but Lang Junxia turns him back and pats away the snow accumulated on his clothes and takes him inside. Lang Junxia knows the way and goes past the gallery in the garden, past the centre courtyard into a side wing, the bell-like clinks of hammered qin can be heard along the way.

Once they’re in a secluded parlour, Lang Junxia seems to relax. “Sit down. Are you hungry?”

Duan Ling shakes his head, and so Lang Junxia tells Duan Ling to sit on the low table before the stove, and he gets down on one knee to help Duan Ling take off his fur coat, shake the snow from his boots, and untie his ear-muffed hat. Then Lang Junxia sits down cross-legged and looks up at Duan Ling; there’s a hint of tenderness in his eyes, though it’s buried so deep that it seems to merely flicker by.

“Is this your home?” Duan Ling asks doubtfully.

“This place is called the Viburnum10. We’ll be staying here for now. In a few days I’ll take you to a new home.”

Duan Ling has never forgotten that Lang Junxia told him don’t ask anything, and so he asked very few questions on their journey, and kept a lot of his suspicions to himself like an uneasy, vigilant rabbit, but on the surface he appears rather calm — on the contrary, Lang Junxia would explain things to Duan Ling of his own accord.

“Are you cold?” Lang Junxia asks, then taking Duan Ling’s icy cold foot in his big hands, he rubs it. His brows furrow. “Your constitution is too weak.”

“I thought you weren’t going to come back again.” A girl’s silvery voice comes to them from behind Lang Junxia.

Duan Ling looks up towards the voice and realises that a pretty young woman wearing an embroidered coat has appeared outside the door, with two maids following close behind her.

“I went on a trip to get some things done.” Lang Junxia doesn’t even look around. He unties Duan Ling’s belt, turns to open their travelling bundle, takes out dry clothes, and changes Duan Ling’s outer garment. It’s not until he’s shaking out the gown that he finds the time to give the girl a glance. The girl walks into the room and stares down at Duan Ling.

Duan Ling gets a bit uncomfortable under her scrutiny, and starts to frown, but the girl speaks first. “Who is this?”

Duan Ling sits up straight and those words run through his head: I’m Duan Ling, my dad’s name is Duan Sheng…

Yet before he’s able to say them, Lang Junxia answers for him.

“This is Duan Ling.” Then Lang Junxia tells Duan Ling, “This is Miss Ding.”

Duan Ling turns to Miss Ding and cups one fist in the other hand according to the etiquette Lang Junxia taught him, and looks her up and down. That girl named Ding Zhi brightens with a smile. She puts both her hands to the left side of her waist and curtsies11, and says to him smilingly, “Greetings, Mister Duan.”

“Has that someone from the Northern Administration been by?” Lang Junxia asks absentmindedly.

“With dispatches from the border saying how the fighting’s been like under the Jiangjun mountains12, he hasn’t been by for a full three months.” Ding Zhi sits down at one side and tells a maid, “Bring us some snacks so Mister Duan can pad his stomach a bit.”

Then Ding Zhi picks up the teapot herself and pours a cup of tea, handing it to Lang Junxia. Lang Junxia takes it from her and takes a sip. “Ginger tea. It’ll help warm you up.” And he hands it to Duan Ling.

Throughout their journey, Lang Junxia was the one to taste everything that Duan Ling had to eat or drink first to see if it’s any good. Duan Ling’s gotten used to it, but when he’s drinking his tea he notices that Ding Zhi is looking at him with puzzlement, her beautifully clear eyes narrowing slightly as she gazes steadily at him.

After a short while, a maid brings them snacks. They’re all food that Duan Ling has never seen nor heard of before. Lang Junxia seems already well-versed in Duan Ling’s behaviour and reminds him, “Eat slowly. There will be dinner later.”

All along their journey, Lang Junxia has told him over and over that no matter what he was eating he mustn’t wolf down his food. It goes against what Duan Ling’s habits, but he can’t disobey Lang Junxia, and slowly he’s come to realise that no one is going to fight over food with him anymore. He immediately picks up a square of cake and takes time to chew it. Ding Zhi simply sits there, very still, as though nothing that happens in the parlour has anything to do with her.

It’s not until two boxes of food are set on the table, and Lang Junxia makes Duan Ling sit in front of the low table and tells him that he can start eating, that Ding Zhi takes the warmed wine jug from the maid and kneel down next to Lang Junxia to pour for him.

Lang Junxia raises a hand, blocking the cup with his fingers. “Drinking gets in the way of things.”

“It’s an imperial tribute from last month. Liangnan Daqu[^daqujiu].” Ding Zhi says, “You won’t try it? Madam made sure to have it ready here for when you came back.”

Lang Junxia doesn’t decline, and drinks one cup. Ding Zhi fills it up again; Lang Junxia drinks that too. Ding Zhi fills up the cup a third time, and once Lang Junxia finishes it he turns the cup over and sets it on the table.

Duan Ling stares breathlessly at Lang Junxia the whole time he drinks the wine.

Ding Zhi moves as if to pour for Duan Ling, and Lang Junxia reaches out and pinches her sleeve between two of his fingers, preventing her from doing so.

“You can’t let him drink wine,” says Lang Junxia.

And so Ding Zhi smiles at Duan Ling, I tried, her expression says.

Duan Ling really wants to try wine, but his compliance towards Lang Junxia overrides his thirst for wine.

While Duan Ling eats his dinner, his mind is constantly trying to figure out what sort of establishment this is, and what sort of relationship Lang Junxia have with this girl; his expression momentarily flickers, unable to stop himself from stealing glances between Lang Junxia and the girl — he just wants to hear them chat more.

Even now Lang Junxia hasn’t told Duan Ling why he’s brought him here. Does Miss Ding know? Why doesn’t she ask about his background?

Miss Ding looks at Duan Ling from time to time, like she’s calculating something in her head. Before long, Duan Ling puts down his chopsticks, and she finally starts to speak. Duan Ling feels like his heart’s been pulled up by a string all the way up to his throat.

“Is the food to your liking, sir?” Ding Zhi asks.

Duan Ling replies, “I’ve never had it before. It’s delicious.”

Ding Zhi starts to laugh. The maid takes away the food boxes. Ding Zhi says, “Please excuse me.”

“Go on then,” Lang Junxia says.

“How many days are you staying in Shangjing this time?” Ding Zhi asks.

“Once I settle down here I won’t leave again,” Lang Junxia answers thus.

Ding Zhi’s eyes seem to brighten, and she smiles, turning to the maid. “Take Lord Lang and Mister Duan to the guest court.”

The maid leads the way with a lantern. Lang Junxia wraps Duan Ling in his own wolf fur coat, picks him up, and through the covered gallery they come to a guest courtyard planted full of blue-green bamboo. Duan Ling can hear the sound of a cup smashing on the floor coming from not so far away, followed by a man’s drunken yelling.

“Don’t look around,” Lang Junxia tells Duan Ling, and carries him into the room. He tosses a simple instruction to the maid who follows them in, “You don’t need to wait on us.”

The maid bows out. The room is filled with a mild incense; Duan Ling doesn’t see a brazier, but it’s very warm. There’s a chimney outside that goes right into the ground, billowing smoke that signals the presence of an underground ‘dragon’ coal heater.13

Lang Junxia makes Duan Ling rinse out his mouth. Duan Ling is so tired he’s barely awake. He lies on the bed in a single unlined garment. Lang Junxia sits by the daybed. “I’ll take you out shopping tomorrow.”

“Really?” Duan Ling feels awake again.

“I’m going to sleep. I’ll be right next door.”

Duan Ling’s hand is still holding Lang Junxia’s sleeve, and he looks a bit disappointed. Lang Junxia is confused, but after watching Duan Ling for a bit he gets it — Duan Ling wants Lang Junxia to sleep with him.

Since they left Shangzi Lang Junxia has never been away from Duan Ling. They eat together during the day, and sleep together during the night. Now that Lang Junxia is going to go, Duan Ling can’t help but be afraid.

“Then …” Lang Junxia hesitates a little before saying, “Never mind. I’ll stay with you.”

Lang Junxia removes his shirt, revealing his bare, solid chest, and he gathers Duan Ling to him. Duan Ling put his head down on Lang Junxia’s sturdy and powerful arm, just the way he did before, only then do his eyelids get heavier, and he slowly falls asleep.

There’s a scent of male skin on Lang Junxia that smells good to him, as though Duan Ling has gotten used to his robe and his body, it feels like if he holds Lang Junxia as he falls asleep, he won’t have another nightmare. He has experienced too many things today, to the point where his brain is overloaded with too much information. Too many dreams, only one night, and no matter how dizzy the pace it feels like he can’t dream enough.

It stops snowing in the latter half of the night, and the world becomes extraordinarily quiet; dream after dream comes at him like mountains carried on a wave, and without knowing why, Duan Ling wakes. When he turns, all he manages to grab is a handful of warm bedding.

The Lang Junxia beside him has disappeared. His temperature remains on the blankets. Duan Ling starts to get nervous, and not knowing what to do, he climbs down the bed quietly, opens the door, and goes outside.

Light is spilling out from the next room over. Duan Ling walks through the hallway in bare feet, and goes on tiptoe to look through the window lattice.

It’s spacious and bright inside, with half the bed curtain hanging low. Lang Junxia is undressing with his back to the window.

His collar is buttoned all the way up to his adam’s apple, and he’s undoing them at a steady pace. He hangs his gown’s belt off to one side, and the garment falls away at once to reveal the expanse of his back, the fit, beautiful line of his waist and firm buttocks. His naked body is on full display, with contours like that of a muscular, slim, solid war horse. As he turns to the side, his erect male organ can clearly be seen.

Duan Ling holds his breath, and his heart beats wildly in his chest; he can’t help taking a step backwards, knocking over a flower trellis.

“Who’s there?” Lang Junxia turns to look.

Duan Ling hurriedly turns and flees.

Lang Junxia hastily wraps a robe around himself and comes out on bare feet. Duan Ling’s door closes with a bang.

By the time Lang Junxia comes in, Duan Ling’s already lying on the bed pretending to be fast asleep. Lang Junxia doesn’t know whether to be embarrassed, or simply to laugh; he goes to the water basin, wrings out a wet towel, drops his robe onto the floor, and wipes his naked body clean. Duan Ling opens his eyes, peeking at Lang Junxia’s every move. Lang Junxia turns away, and as though trying to placate some sort of agitated feeling, he wraps that rearing, aggressive thing in a cold wet cloth, and wipes it, making it docile.

The silhouette of a figure appears outside the latticed window.

“I’m going to bed. I won’t be over.” Lang Junxia says softly.

Footsteps sound, and grow distant. Duan Ling turns over to face the wall. Moments after, Lang Junxia puts on a pair of long underpants and gets under the covers, his chest against Duan Ling’s back. Duan Ling turns over, and Lang Junxia lifts his arm to let Duan Ling use it as a pillow. Duan Ling once more feels secure and he falls asleep snuggling into Lang Junxia’s chest.

Lang Junxia’s muscles, the temperature of his body and the smell of his skin, in dreams take Duan Ling back to a southern winter surrounded by the embrace of a fiery, scorching sun.

But on the same night, it is drizzling in Sichuan, tiny droplets coming down covering all that one can see.

Candlelight makes shadows of the window lattice dance through a long, covered gallery. Two silhouettes walk slowly beneath the gallery with two bodyguards trailing behind.

“Surrounded by cavalry twenty-thousand strong, and somehow they still managed to let him get away.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve already laid out a net. The road leading to Liangzhou and the northeast are sealed. He’s never going to be able to fly over the Xianbei mountains unless he grows some wings.”

“I told you that it was no good handing that job to them. That guy has been fighting wars outside the great wall for years. He knows the lay of the land. Once he’s in the forests we’ll never be able to find hide nor hair of him!”

“The one on that seat has already lost his mind — he doesn’t interfere in politics anymore, and the fourth prince is a sickly thing. Since you and I have already started this, there is no turning back. Even if he comes back right now, we can punish him for dereliction of duty. General Zhao, don’t tell me you’re scared?”

“Why you!”

The one being called ‘general’ is dressed head to toe in military gear — who else, but Southern Chen’s cornerstone, Grand Marshal of the celestial empire’s imperial forces, Zhao Kui.

The man walking abreast with him on the other hand, is dressed in the purple14 robes that signifies the highest ranking of officials, first rank, a dignified position without equal.

Outside the long gallery, their shadows are cast onto the screen wall, and both sink into silence. There are two bodyguards following them, their arms crossed, neither saying a word.

The bodyguard on the left has a white tiger inscribed tattoo on his neck. A conical bamboo hat covers half his face, revealing a curve at his mouth that isn’t quite a smile.

The bodyguard on the right is a big man, fully nine feet15 tall, and from head to toe the only thing that can be seen of him are his eyes — he’s wearing gloves, a mantle, a face mask, and occasionally he’ll glance up with his sharp and malicious gaze, his mind seemingly elsewhere.

Zhao Kui says coldly, “We must send someone to intercept him right now. We’re in the light. He’s in the dark. If this drags on I fear the situation may change.”

The dignified man replies, “If he’s outside Yubiguan, then that’s not a place either of us can deploy troops. For now the only thing we can do is wait for him to show himself.”

Zhao Kui heaves a sigh. “If he seeks refuge from the Liao and comes back with borrowed troops, then things will get a lot more complicated than they are now.”

“The Liao Emperor wouldn’t lend him troops.” The dignified man says, “Arrangements have already been made with the Southern Administration. He will die on the way to Shangjing.”

“You think he’s so simple.” Zhao Kui turns to the courtyard, facing the damp, eastern rain. The hair at his temples are already going grey. His eyes are fixed on the other man, and he enunciates every word. “Li Jianhong once had a mutt working for him. He’s mixed Xiangbei and Han. Though we don’t know his name or where he comes from, I speculate that he’s the man you’ve been failing to find. That Xianbei mutt comes and goes without a trace — so much so that no one even knows what his name is. He’s the last hidden go piece Li Jianhong holds.”

“If that’s really the case,” the dignified man replies, “then I expect Wu Du and Chang Liujun would probably like to meet with him. After all, not many people can be considered fitting adversaries. Have you heard about this man?”

The bodyguard wearing a mask replies, “I know of him but not his name. Some call him the Nameless One. He has an exceedingly unsavoury record — not at all easy to manage. He probably won’t do whatever Li Jianhong asks of him.”

Zhao Kui asks, “What sort of unsavoury record?”

“He turned against his master’s house, killed his master, a crime considered patricide; he betrayed those who studied under the same master, thus went against the natural order. He’s merciless and never leaves anyone alive.” The masked bodyguard says, “Blood wind black edge, one cut brings death. That phrase refers to him.”

“To an assassin that sounds rather normal,” the dignified man says.

“One cut brings death,” says the masked bodyguard in a low voice. “That implies he won’t let anyone explain themselves. An assassin’s job is to kill, but assassins don’t kill those they need not kill.”

“Even if he killed the wrong person, this guy wouldn’t even blink,” the masked bodyguard finishes.

“If I remember correctly,” the dignified man says, “Li Jianhong probably still holds Zhenshanhe. If he possesses Zhenshanhe, that implies this man also has to listen to his orders.”

The masked guard says, “Even if Li Jianhong has the sword, he still has to be able to use the sword, that he’s able to give an order.”

“Never mind.” Zhao Kui finally cuts off this vein of conversation.

It is quiet again in the back courtyard. A long time passes. “Wu Du,” Zhao Kui starts to speak.

The guard in the conical hat behind him makes a sound of acknowledgement.

“Head out tonight,” Zhao Kui says, “move through the night and make haste, don’t stop until you find Li Jianhong. Once you find him you don’t have to do anything, I will send someone else to go with you. When it’s done make sure to bring his sword and his head back to me.”

The corner of the bodyguard’s mouth turns up in a curve. He cups his hands in acceptance, turns, and leaves.

The carriage leaves the alley behind the Estate of the General. Distant lamplight reflects off the moist flagstones.

“Have you ever seen the Qingfengjian?” The dignified man’s voice asks.16

“Everyone who’s ever seen the Qingfengjian is dead.” The masked guard looks pensive, and with a flick of the horse’s whip he drives the carriage forward to escort the dignified man on his way.

“In your opinion.” The dignified man leans back on the carriage’s cushion and asks without much thought, “How is Wu Du compared to that Nameless One?”

The masked bodyguard replies, “Wu Du has cares, the Nameless One has no cares. Wu Du’s cares lie in his competitiveness — he can’t afford to lose and he can’t let things go. And the Nameless One has no cares.”

“Has no cares?” The dignified man says.

“Only those without cares, those without matters they care about can be considered competent assassins.” The masked bodyguard says without emotion, “One who takes another’s life must first lay down their own life. Once you have emotional attachments, the assassin would subconsciously cherish their own life, not daring to use up their life, therefore they’ll fail. Supposedly this Nameless One has no relatives. He’s not killing to get to a higher rank, and he’s not killing for reward either. Perhaps killing is nothing more than a hobby to him. That’s why he’s a cut above Wu Du.”

The dignified man asks another, “And between you and Wu Du?”

The masked bodyguard says calmly, “Well I would like to fight him once.”

“Too bad you won’t get the chance to do that anymore,” the dignified man says gracefully.

The masked bodyguard does not answer.

“Then … how are you compared to Li Jianhong?” That man once again blurts out a question.

“Whoa!”

The masked bodyguard reins in the horse, opens the carriage’s curtain, and helps the man step off the carriage. A lantern with the character “Mu” written squarely on it is hanging outside the estate.

The present Prime Minister of Southern Chen: Mu Kuangda.

“Myself, Wu Du, the Nameless One and Zheng Yan acting together,” the masked bodyguard replies, “may stand a chance against his highness the third prince.”

I do not monetise my hobby translations, but if you’d like to support my work generally or support my light novel habit, you can either buy me a coffee or commission me. This is also to note that if you read this anywhere else than on tumblr, do come to my tumblr. It’s ad-free. ↩︎

Laba congee. ↩︎

It looks like this. ↩︎

上京 literally means “upper capital” and was one of the 5 capitals of the Liao dynasty when part of China was ruled by the Khitans. (It’s situated in the modern Inner Mongolia Autonomous region, in the city of Chifeng. Click for map. (All this will be kept track of on my ref page linked at the top.) ↩︎

Sichuan. ↩︎

Xianbei mountains is a historic name, and it’s probably referring to the Greater Khingan Range. It’s just a metaphor for now, but you’ll need it later, so here’s the wiki page with a map. ↩︎

Benxiao’s full name is 萬里奔霄, or “Ten thousand miles, run towards the heavens”. ↩︎

Poetry from Li Bai. ↩︎

Generally refers to what we now call the guqin, but also used for the zither type of qin that stands up. ↩︎

The full name is 瓊花院 or the “Courtyard of Viburnum”, but a specific species of viburnum that is now extinct. It was only ever successfully cultivated in Yangzhou, and when Southern Song fell to the Mongolian Yuan dynasty, the flowers went extinct along with it. (This is entirely relevant information.) ↩︎

Left hand on the left hip, right hand over left hand, look down, bend slightly at the knees for one beat. ↩︎

This would be around modern Beijing. ↩︎

These were historically known to be used during the Qing dynasty in the palace, and they’re like floor heaters. ↩︎

Highest rank, dark-red-purple. Think dark magenta. ↩︎

The ancient measurement for feet is on average 23.5cm/foot. That would make him 211.5cm or 6 ft 11 inches tall. ↩︎

Qingfengjian, literally ‘nature-edged sword’. Alternatively, nature-coloured sword. See my old note about the Chinese word for black/green/blue/nature’s colour here. ↩︎

#相見歡 #fei tian ye xiang #joyful reunion #xiang jian huan #fox translates things #btw this will always update on a WEEKDAY #i have too many things already for weekend

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overthinkingkdrama · 4 years

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Hi! So, I’ve just recently gotten into K-Dramas, and... I have a small issue, and that is though I LOVE them in the beginning, by the end they always disappoint me? Like, they start lighthearted and fun, and then by the end suddenly everyone’s in mortal peril, and I don’t care? Or they start all fantasy, and then it’s all about the romance in the end? So... Could you possibly recommend me ones that are good, or tone consistent, throughout? Please?

Hi! Thanks for dropping by for recs. These are some of my favorite asks. I just love going back through my watch list and finding dramas that fit a given criteria. It gets more fun the more dramas I've seen.

The thing about Kdramas that makes them a uniquely sticky beast is that many of them are live-shot week to week, at least for part of their run, and often the scripts are not fully written before filming begins. Popular Kdramas will also occasionally receive extensions which can cause further pacing and plot issues and (sometimes) cause a story to sputter out entirely. With the increasing prevalence of entirely preproduced dramas there's been an increase in overall drama quality and consistency in past years. That being said, Kdramas are still a decidedly mixed bag in terms of overall production quality. So it pays to either drop things with extreme prejudice if you stop enjoying them and watch widely, or to have a good drama filter friend (like me!) to give you vetted recs. As a genre a lot of the more "classic" feeling dramas have a tendency to start really light hearted and then swing super dramatic in the latter half. That's something I occasionally like, but lucky for you not all dramas are like that!

Your ask doesn't really tell me what genre of Kdrama most appeals to you, so I went through my list and tried to find you wide a variety of dramas that I think of as being well-paced and tonally consistent throughout. I've also tried to limit myself to dramas that I rated highly on MDL, although my primary criteria was "good and tonally consistent" so this list of dramas is kinda all over the map. But then, so are my tastes. Also, I kinda got the impression from your ask that you're not a fan of the uber-melodramatic side of kdramas and you want something a little more restrained and less soapy, so I tried to steer away from those more makjang dramas but did not entirely succeed, lol. I gave a couple sentences of description so you can more readily narrow down what you're interested in, and if you would like a more thorough review of the dramas some of these have full reviews on my blog which I went ahead linked where they exist.

Age of Youth: A well written slice-of-life ensemble drama about a group of 5 college age women who end up boarding together. There are a couple moments of high drama/trauma toward the end of the show that might be a turn off. But other than the finale the tone is consistent. 9/10

Arang and the Magistrate: A dark fantasy fusion sageuk with a romance. I included this drama because it does a good job of developing the creepy worldbuilding and fantasy throughout. Though at points it can be a bit slow and the special effects are hella cheesy. 8/10

Argon: A tight, journalism driven suspense drama. Not always my genre but I found it very engaging, and at eight episodes it does not overstay its welcome. 8/10

Be Melodramatic: Another female-centric slice-of-life ensemble drama, though with an emphasis on fourth wall breaking comedy and clever dialogue. Very funny and heartfelt. 8.5/10

Cheese in the Trap: Maybe a controversial inclusion, but I very much enjoyed this drama. A slice-of-life college romance with psychological thriller elements. Some critics felt that the drama focused too heavily on the second male lead in the later half of the story, but YMMV. 8.5/10

Coffee Prince: Classic cross-dressing romance and still probably the best of its kind. A wonderfully nuanced and progressive handling of the subject matter, even after 13 years. Deals with serious subjects but doesn't go too melo with it. 8.5/10

Children of Nobody: My best of 2019, a dark psychological thriller about a child psychiatrist and a police detective who have to confront gray morality while attempting to track down a serial killer who only targets unrepentant child abusers. 9.5/10

Ex-Girlfriend Club: On the lighter side, a friends-to-lovers type romantic comedy about the writer of an autobiographical webtoon who has to figure out a way to get along with a group of his ex-girlfriends to make a movie based on his work. Only 12 episodes. 8.5/10

Go Back Couple: Also only 12 episodes (these shorter dramas tend to be better paced I find) a time-slip drama about a divorced couple who get the chance to relive their twenties and end up realizing they still have feelings for each other. This drama is both very funny and it had me bawling on multiple occasions. 9.5/10

Healer: A favorite of a lot of drama fans, this is an action-focused romance about an awkward soft boy with a secret identity as a highly skilled errand boy to criminals and an intrepid tabloid reporter who is his biggest fan. This drama is pretty tropey, but it's fun and the romance is great. 8.5/10

Hello Monster (aka I Remember You): A police procedural with a background love line about a criminal profiler looking for his lost brother and a detective looking for her father's murderer. One of my personal favorites. 10/10

Hit the Top (aka The Best Hit): A time-slip fish-out-of-water comedy about a 90s pop star who winds up in modern day Seoul and ends up befriending his biological son and meets old friends who his disappearance left in the lurch. 9/10

Incomplete Life (aka Misaeng): A realistic office drama that gave me real world work anxiety, focusing on a failed Go player who winds up an intern at a highly competitive shipping company and has to find a way to earn his keep even without the background and college education of his coworkers. Unbelievably well done ensemble drama. 9/10

Just Between Lovers: A romantic melodrama about two people whose lives were irrevocably changed by a tragic mall collapse that nearly killed them as children, meeting again as adults and finding comfort and healing in each other. A rough sit at times, but a wonderful love story with incredible acting. 9/10

Just Dance: High school, slice-of-life, drama about a dance club in a technical high school and a group of working class kids who reluctantly become involved in this club and befriend each other. Only 8 episodes (or 16 thirty minute episodes, depending on how you recon it.) 8.5/10

Life on Mars: Remake of the British show of the same name, this is a surreal time-slip police drama, about a forensics expert who gets shot in the head and wakes up in 1988. Or does he? He could also be dying on an operating table. It's hard to tell. Dark, suspenseful and trippy. 9/10

Matrimonial Chaos: An off-beat comedy about two dysfunctional couples who become inescapably mixed up in each others lives. One that's having a hard time getting divorced and another that's having a hard time getting married, and all the messy weird emotions that go along with that. This is another one of those, makes you laugh/makes you cry throughout dramas I have an affinity for. 9/10

Moment of Eighteen: A heartfelt high school drama about a straightforward but awkward loner who is forced to transfer to a new school, immediately earns the ire of a powerful student and experiences first love. Not my usual thing, but very well written with complex and likeable characters. 8/10

Mother: A cold and socially isolated woman becomes a temporary teacher and upon discovering one of her students is being severely abused and neglected, decides to pose as the child's mother and go on the run with her. Like Children of Nobody, this can be a bit of a rough watch because of the subject matter but it is very well done. 9.5/10

My Mister: A healing, human drama about a structural engineer in his 40s and a debt-ridden young woman in her 20s who end up crossing paths and saving each other from a miserable existence. My current all time favorite drama. Cannot say enough good things about it. Practically perfect in every way. 10/10

One Spring Night: A very restrained and naturalistic slow-burn romance about a woman who is about to get married and suddenly begins to question her relationship and a single father who had given up on love who find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another. 9/10

Prison Playbook: An ensemble slice-of-life drama centered on prisoners and correctional officers in their day to day lives. I find the actual het romances in this drama totally useless, but it's a large and talented cast playing a variety of lovable characters. 8/10

Psychopath Diary: Recent fave. A screwball black comedy about a mild mannered pushover who loses his memory and finds a diary that convinces him he's a psychopathic murderer, which gives him a huge boost of confidence from his new found identity, much to the chagrin of those around him and the actual owner of the diary himself. 8.5/10

Queen In Hyun's Man: A drama about a Joseon scholar who time travels to modern day Seoul and meets an actress who just landed a part playing the queen he served in the past. This one might be on the border line of too dramatic or tonally inconsistent, but it's got one of the most pitch perfect finales in Kdramas and the 45 min episodes keep it a snappy watch that doesn't drag or meander too much. 8/10

Reply 1988: A late 80s nostalgia drama about a group of families who all live off the same alley. Lovely family drama, comedy with a variety of romances. Long ass episodes especially later in the run, but I have rewatched the whole thing and I loved every minute of this show. 9.5/10

Save Me: A dark drama about a young woman who finds herself forced into a dangerous cult by her family, and is desperate to escape, and a group of 4 local young men who try to help her. One of the more unique and well done OCN thrillers. 9/10

School 2013: High school ensemble drama that launched a whole bunch of careers. In general I avoid school dramas (I know there have been three on this list so far, but those are like the only three, lol) but this show got me so invested in all these students and teachers. Also the two male leads are so shippable. 9.5/10

Secret Love Affair: A romantic melodrama about a piano prodigy from an underprivileged background who catches the eye of a married older woman and the two fall into a passionate affair. This drama involves cheating (obviously) but it's beautifully filmed and written and the music is to die for. 9.5/10

Signal: This is a supernatural crime thriller and a perennial favorite in the Kdrama community. An imbittered criminal profiler finds an antique police radio which allows him to speak with a police detective 15 years in the past, and uses this to crack cold cases and try to prevent brutal crimes from ever happening. 9/10

Six Flying Dragons: This one is a bit different from the others on the list, first of all because it's a more traditional historical drama, and secondly because it 50 episodes long. But it is so, so very good. And if you're looking for overall consistency in terms of storytelling and tone this drama has it in spades. 9/10

SKY Castle: A unique melodrama about a group of affluent competitive mothers who will go to any lengths to get they're children into the best medical schools, and a mysterious school coordinator with shady motives who gets brought in as a ringer to give them an edge. This show is kind of hard to sell but very entertaining and watchable. 7.5/10

Stranger (aka Secret Forest): The story of a stalwart prosecutor who, due to a childhood trauma is unable to feel the full spectrum of emotions, works with a bighearted police detective to root out corruption around a series of murders. This one’s rather cerebral and requires your full attention but the leads are amazing and there's a second season coming out this year I'm very much looking forward to! 9/10

The Nokdu Flower: Another sageuk drama about the latter years of the Joseon Dynasty surrounding three people who fall on different sides during the Donghak Peasant rebellion. Incredibly well written and involving historical drama. If you're not sure you're ready to commit to something like Six Flying Dragons, I think this would be another good entry point into the genre. The acting is amazing. 9/10

The Smile Has Left Your Eyes: A romantic melodrama and psychological thriller about a dangerous enigmatic young man on the cusp of becoming either a human being or a monster. He becomes involved in a fraught relationship with the sister of a police detective at the same time her protective older brother begins to focus on him as the prime suspect for a murder. High key moody and tragic if you're into that kind of thing (I am). 9/10

Touch Your Heart: On the complete other end of the drama spectrum, this show is pure unadulterated fluff, which managed to keep me giggling and swooning throughout the run, even though it's typically not my thing. An actress joins a law office as research for a role and falls for the ace attorney she's assisting. 8.5/10

WATCHER: Another OCN thriller about three different people with shady motivations who are connected to the same murder case and become involve in a corruption task force looking into dirty cops. One of those "trust nobody, everyone's a suspect" dramas with lovely complex characters and a fully engaging plot. 8.5/10

Sorry that got so out of hand! This is what happens when you don't give me a little more direction I guess. These are all dramas I quite enjoyed and I believe you will find something in there that will suit your fancy. This is a pretty accurate cross section of my tastes.

Happy watching!

Jona

#asks #answered #kdrama recs #this got stupid long #i got half way through writing my two sentence plugs and was like #omg why did i put so many dramas on this list #lemme just casually throw together a list of 30+ titles that’s what you want right #like wtf #oh well #hope you find something you like anon #i have no idea why i’m this way either

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markpauldaphotography · 4 years

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37 Books Every Gentleman Should Read

World Book Day is tomorrow as it is every 23 April. Commit yourself to reach back to the classics, then begin reading. Some book titles included in this list are expected, though there are a handful of surprises. And, if you're thinking what to read during a general free time on the sofa, or by a pool or an ocean, I've got you covered. A well-read gentleman is also a good conversationalist. It's the perfect excuse to get lost in a good book. Self-Control: Its Kingship and Majesty by William George Jordan The turn of the 20th century was the golden age of personal development books. In contrast to the self-help books of today, which are filled with flattering, empty, cliche platitudes, they’re direct, masterfully written, and full of profound and challenging insights that centre on the development of good character. Even in this golden age, one author stands supreme: William George Jordan. His Self-Control is full of beautifully written wisdom on self-reliance, calmness, gratitude, and more.

How to Be A Gentleman: A Timely Guide to Timeless Manners by John Bridges Being a gentleman isn’t just being a nice guy, or a considerate guy or the type of guy someone might take home to meet their mother. A gentleman realizes that he has the unique opportunity to distinguish himself from the rest of the crowd. He knows when an email is appropriate, and when nothing less than a handwritten note will do. He knows how to dress on the golf course, in church, and at a party. He knows how to breeze through an airport without the slightest fumble of his carry-on or boarding pass. And those conversational icebreakers―“Where do I know you from?” A gentleman knows better. Gentlemanliness is all in the details, and John Bridges is reclaiming the idea that men―gentlemen―can be extraordinary in every facet of their lives.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole A Confederacy of Dunces is one of my favourite books of all time. This New Orleans-based novel won author John Kennedy Toole the Pulitzer Prize. Its perfect comedy of errors is centred around the character of Ignatius J. Reilly, a lazy and socially ignorant, but very intelligent man, who still lives with his mother at the age of 30. A Confederacy of Dunces serves as a guide for what a man ought not to be while providing sound entertainment all the while.

Lord of the Barnyard: Killing the Fatted Calf and Arming the Aware in the Cornbelt by Tristan Egolf A literary sensation published to outstanding accolades in America and around the world, Lord of the Barnyard was one of the most auspicious fiction debuts of recent years. Now available in paperback, Tristan Egolf's manic, inventive, and painfully funny debut novel is the story of a town's dirty laundry -- and a garbagemen's strike that lets it all hang out. Lord of the Barnyard begins with the death of a woolly mammoth in the last Ice Age and concludes with a greased-pig chase at a funeral in the modern-day Midwest. In the interim there are two hydroelectric dam disasters, fourteen tavern brawls, one shoot-out in the hills, three cases of probable arson, a riot in the town hall, and a lone tornado, as well as appearances by a coven of Methodist crones, an encampment of Appalachian crop thieves, six renegade coal-truck operators, an outraged mob of factory rats, a dysfunctional poultry plant, and one autodidact goat-roping farm boy by the name of John Kaltenbrunner. Lord of the Barnyard is a brilliantly comic tapestry of a Middle America still populated by river rats and assembly-line poultry killers, measuring into shot glasses the fruits of years of quiet desperation on the factory floor. Unforgettable and linguistically dizzying, it goes much farther than postal.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson I saw the theatre production of Treasure Island at the National Theatre not once, not twice, but three times. Then, I read the book again with much delight. Pretty much everything we think of when we think of pirates comes not from the pages of history but from this book: treasure maps with “X” marking the spot, deserted islands, peg legs, parrots, and more. Published as a children’s tale (and a rather adult one at that), American novelist Henry James praised it as “perfect as a well-played boy’s game.”

The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton Read Hamilton's Federalist Papers, then read the Constitution. Composed of 85 articles, The Federalist Papers served to explain and encourage the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. The majority of the essays were penned by Alexander Hamilton and originally published in The Independent Journal and The New York Packet. While the Constitution lays out the laws of the land, these essays provide the 18th-century version of the ballot/blue books we get the mail around election time, explaining the laws that are being proposed. It is essential reading for any civically minded American. Forget the theatre production. Your Car’s Owner’s Manual Yep, that dusty book in your glove compartment. Come on, bring it out and get to know your car better. So, it’s not exactly “literature” but it’ll teach you something that will come in handy. Guaranteed. By the way, I was shocked to learn the battery in my Mercedes is located under the driver's seat. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith The fundamental work on free-market policies: “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.” Want an education in economics? This book is a great start.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie The granddad of books about people skills, the advice found in How to Win Friends and Influence People is still sound and applicable 80 years later. Carnegie writes about skills like making people feel valued and appreciated, ensuring you don’t come across as manipulative (which happens unintentionally more than we think!), and essentially, “winning” people to your viewpoints and ideas. While it can sound a little disingenuous in its description, these are true skills that people use every day, and this book is a great resource for boning up your social game.

The Republic by Plato The Republic is a Socratic dialogue, written by Plato around 380 BC, concerning the definition of justice and how a just city-state should be ordered and characterized. It is the great philosopher’s best-known work and has proven to be one of history’s most influential works of philosophy and political theory. In it, Socrates and other various interlocutors discuss the meaning of justice and examine whether or not the just man is happier than the unjust man, as well as the theory of Forms, the immortality of the soul, and the role of the philosopher in society.

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway Robert Jordan is a young dynamiter in the Spanish Civil War. He’s an American who’s volunteered to fight against Franco’s fascists and is sent behind enemy lines to take out an important bridge to impede enemy forces from advancing. He lives in a rudimentary camp with anti-fascist Spanish guerillas and comes to embrace their hearty way of life and love. And of course, there are some incredible battle scenes, which were informed by Hemingway’s own time as a correspondent in the Spanish Civil War.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac A defining novel of the Beat generation, On the Road, is fictional, but a semi-autobiographical account of two friends’ road trips across America, against the backdrop of a counter-culture of jazz, poetry, drug use, and the drunken revelry of back-alley bars. Along with their travels, they’re searching for what many young men are: freedom, ambition, hope, and authenticity.

Travels With Charley In Search of America by John Steinbeck To hear the speech of the real America, to smell the grass and the trees, to see the colours and the light—these were John Steinbeck's goals as he set out, at the age of fifty-eight, to rediscover the country he had been writing about for so many years. With Charley, his French poodle, Steinbeck drives the interstates and the country roads, dines with truckers, encounters bears at Yellowstone and old friends in San Francisco. Along the way, he reflects on the American character, racial hostility, the particular form of American loneliness he finds almost everywhere, and the unexpected kindness of strangers.

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway’s classic memoir of Paris in the 1920s. A Moveable Feast brilliantly evokes the exuberant mood of Paris after World War I and the unbridled creativity and unquenchable enthusiasm that Hemingway himself epitomized.

Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss After a terrible storm, the Swiss family Robinson becomes shipwrecked on a deserted island. With teamwork, ingenuity, and a bit of luck, the group strives to overcome nature’s obstacles and create some semblance of community and civility within their new environs. A truly classic survival and adventure tale.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand While there’s plenty of political, moral, and economic philosophy in this book, it’s coated in an action thriller of a story. Set in the near future, our protagonists are Dagny Taggart, heir to a transcontinental railroad empire, and Hank Rearden, the head of a steel company who’s invented a revolutionary new alloy. Together, they battle against evil government bureaucrats and socialists to hold civilization together, while all the while powerful industrialists are mysteriously disappearing, leaving behind only the cryptic phrase “Who is John Galt?” Though this book is associated with passionate libertarianism, the story is an interesting one to ponder no matter one’s political persuasions.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas The ultimate tale of betrayal and revenge. Edmund Dantes, days before marrying his beloved Mercedes, is brutally betrayed, arrested for treason, and consequently taken to a prison on an island off the French coast. The story goes on to tell of his escape from prison (don’t worry, it’s early in the novel and doesn’t ruin anything) and his becoming wealthy and re-entering society as an educated and sophisticated Count. He plots his revenge, eyes reclaiming his love, and ultimately…well, you’ll just have to read it.

Self-Reliance & Other Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson “Self-Reliance” contains the most prominent of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s philosophies: the need for each individual to avoid conformity and personal inconsistencies, and to follow their own instincts and ideas. You’re to rely on your own self versus going with the ebbs and flows of culture at large. Other essays in the collection focus on friendship, history, experience, and more. Is it just me, or is this Self Reliance a necessity in today's world? I'm anything except a conformist.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov There is nothing more manly than a bout with the Devil. Mikhail Bulgakov wrote this entertaining commentary on the social bureaucracy in Moscow during the height of Stalin’s reign. Lucifer himself pays the atheistic city a visit to make light of the people’s scepticism regarding the spiritual realm. The novel also visits ancient Jerusalem under Pontius Pilate’s rule. Even for the non-religious, this book will provide plenty of food for thought.

Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand This 1897 play follows French cadet Cyrano de Bergerac. He’s a poet, musician, and expert swordsman — a true Renaissance Man. Unfortunately, Cyrano has a tragically large nose, which hinders his confidence to the point that he’s unable to profess his feelings to Roxane and feels he isn’t worthy of anyone’s love. What is a man to do in such a situation? Read and find out.

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes It’s all well and good to be a dreamer, but a man must also be grounded in reality. It’s a lesson that Don Quixote comes to learn in the 17th-century eponymous book, which is widely considered to be the world’s first novel. Quixote, along with his squire Sancho Panza, travels the world in search of grand adventures and heroic deeds which would earn him the title of Knight. He continues against all odds, and in some cases, against all common sense. It’s funny, surprisingly easy to read given the fact that it’s over 400 years old, and can provide a man many lessons on the aspirations of heroism.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley This short, but ever-popular tale is a young woman’s take on humanity and horror. Mary Shelley was just 21 when Frankenstein was first published in 1818, and the book is widely regarded as the first popular science fiction/horror novel. While you surely know the monster and the story of mad scientist Victor Frankenstein bringing him to life, it’s a much darker and more philosophical book than what pop culture has made it out to be. You learn about science, ego, pride, and ultimately, what it means to be human.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Dickens should be a part of every man’s reading life, and A Tale of Two Cities is a good starter. It’s set in London and Paris during the French Revolution and depicts the plight of the French peasantry, their turn to violence towards the aristocrats who marginalized them, and the parallels to London society during the same period.

The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux In this travelogue, Paul Theroux recounts his 4-month journey through Europe, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia on the continent’s fabled trains: the Orient Express, the Golden Arrow to Kuala Lumpur, the Mandalay Express and the Trans-Siberian Express. His well-documented and entertaining adventures have come to be considered a classic in the travel literature genre. This journal satisfies the vicarious traveller and inspires the adventurous man.

The Iliad & The Odyssey by Homer These epic poems are some of the world’s oldest pieces of literature. They’ve been read, enjoyed, and studied for thousands of years, and for good reason. They are not only beautiful to the ear, but contain lessons that every man can learn about heroism, courage, and manliness. The Iliad takes place during a few weeks of the final year of the Trojan War and details the heroic deeds of both Achilles and Hector, as well as a variety of other legends and stories. The Odyssey, a sequel of sorts, is about the great warrior Odysseus’ voyage home after the Trojan War. He faces various obstacles in his return to Greece, and we also see how his family back home dealt with his assumed death.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway The novel that catapulted Hemingway to worldwide fame and success. The Sun Also Rises follows Jake Barnes and a group of ex-patriot friends through Spain and France, with plenty of wine-drinking and bull-fighting. The novel is a bit semi-autobiographical in that the main character is trying to deal with his war wounds — both physical and emotional — and escape to the supposed romanticism of travelling and eating and drinking to your heart’s content. Does Jake find happiness? You’ll have to read to find out.

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky While the book’s plot centres on an ageing, disinterested father and his three adult children, the substance found within goes much beyond that. Dostoevsky’s final and greatest novel, this book also involves spiritual and moral dramas and debates regarding God, free will, ethics, morality, judgment, doubt, reason, and more. It’s a philosophical work clothed as a novel — which of course makes Dostoevsky’s weighty ideas easier to digest. The McDuff translation gets rave reviews.

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli Written in the early 1500s, this is the classic guide on how to acquire and maintain political power (even if those methods are sometimes unsavoury) — a so-called “primer for princes.” Its precepts are direct, if not disturbingly cold in their formulaic pragmatism. It asks the classic question: “Do the ends justify the means?” A worthy read for any man wishing to better understand the motivations and actions that tend to rule modern politics.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Set among New York City elites in the roaring ‘20s, this book is considered one of America’s great literary products for a reason. Narrator Nick Carraway is befriended by his mysterious millionaire neighbour, Jay Gatsby, and proves to be a crucial link in Jay’s quixotic obsession with Nick’s cousin, Daisy. The metaphors, the beautiful writing, and the lessons one can garner about reliving the past all make The Great Gatsby worth reading, again and again. Our interview with NPR’s Maureen Corrigan is worth a listen. She is the author of So We Read On: How To Great Gatsby Came To Be and Why It Endures. We discussed her research into why a novel was written about Jazz Age New York that resonates with Americans nearly a century later.

1984 – George Orwell Read 1984, then go delete your Facebook account. Perhaps the most essential to re-read today, 1984 sets stage in an oppressive futuristic society monitored by the ever-watching Big Brother. Protagonist Winston Smith goes to work every day at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites and distorts history. However, Smith decided to begin a diary — an action punishable by death. Amid modern-day data mining, the fall of Net Neutrality, and lunatic leaders, we cannot forget the toll of tyranny and totalitarianism.

Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck Another assigned high school read you probably didn’t appreciate when you were sixteen, it’s time to revisit the ambling of George Milton and Lennie Small, migrant workers who search for jobs throughout California amid The Great Depression. And with all great novels, it’s been banned time and again for its mention of violence, swearing, racism, sexism, the works, but it’s an essential commentary on the nature of The American Dream, the dichotomy of strength and weakness, and the loneliness of isolation.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain Often called “the greatest American novel,” The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn proceeds Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and is renowned for its use of written vernacular in imitation of southern antebellum society. The story follows teenager Huck Finn and his friend Tom Sawyer as they navigate themes of race and identity. So, yeah, you should re-read that one today, especially given that the original novel has been the subject of censorship in schools for years.

The Poetry of Pablo Neruda If you need an “excuse” to read some of the best love poems ever written about oceans and women and the earth, say you’re brushing up on your dating one-liners. But the words by Chilean poet, diplomat, and politician Pablo Neruda are so much more than kindling. They are pure fire and combustion. This book will wake up your soul. It also mends broken hearts.

The Stranger – Albert Camus An ordinary man finds himself on trial after committing a murder in one of the greatest novellas of the 20th century. A dissection of morality and the philosophy of the absurd, The Stranger is particularly relevant today as we face a world of heightened sensitivity and, perhaps, a society that makes no sense to us.

The Call of the Wild – Jack London Try this: Take the novel on a long, boring, or otherwise dreaded journey. Close the last page a changed man (it’s that phenomenal) with a new outlook on struggle and bonds. Set in Yukon, Canada, during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, London writes of Buck, a dog that is abducted and forced into the chaos and brutality of frontier life. In a word: rugged. Secretly: a tear-jerker.

Lord of the Flies – William Golding A band of British boys are shipwrecked on an island and try to maintain order and normalcy the way governments do. As you might guess, it all goes terribly, terribly wrong. Lord of the Flies, the first novel from Golding, is a perfect glimpse at the nature of savage inclination. It’s a short read but it’s a damn good one.

Catcher In The Rye - J.D. Salinger We’ll bet you first glimpsed the vibrant red cover of Catcher in the Rye some time in high school. But don’t let your memory fool you into thinking it’s a kids book. Possibly the best coming-of-age tale in all of literature, Salinger writes of the young and relatable protagonist Holden Caulfield and his first-person commentary on the world as he struggles between embracing adulthood and hiding in his childhood memories.

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