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A Cast of Thousands and Nearly as Many Plotlines
Three friends were separated by circumstances as children. Baili Dong Jun was haunted by his friend's unjust death and in true adolescent rebellion rejected his father's guidance and sought his own way of life, even though he was coddled and much beloved. Ye Ding Zhi, whose military father won too many battles and gained too many accolades and had to be contained by the Emperor by false accusations of treason, had escaped his family's massacre and grew up on the run. Yi Wen Jun was the pawn of her sect: to gain favor and power, she was offered to the Emperor's son in marriage even though she'd been promised to Ye Ding Zhi when they were children.
The Good:
• Hou Ming Hao suited the role of the dashing Liquor Diety. His exuberance, friendship, and loyalty never diminished.
• He Yu was excellent in the role of a man pushed beyond his limits.
• The camaraderie of the wuxia world was enjoyable.
The Bad:
• With so many characters (MDL says the cast had 212 members), I had a hard time figuring out who was whom and if I'd seen them before or if they were new.
• I know I'm supposed to admire Prince Langya, but he was an enabler of horrible things all coated with the false respectability of doing it for the greater good. I will allow that he held the same standard for himself, so he wasn't a hypocrite. But he was wrong. Enabling evil, even with the best of intentions, only strengthens evil and brings ruin upon the innocent.
• After Baili Dong Jun got the girl of his dreams, she was relegated to the role of arm candy in the drama. I wanted her to match him in terms of strategy and determination instead of sitting passively in a pretty white dress.
I couldn't decide on whether to put Yi Wen Jun in the good or bad category. I despised her even while sympathizing her predicament. Without her, there wouldn't have been much of a story, but it would have been a happier one. She was a self-centered coward, but she was a powerless pawn.
I added a half star for the character of free-wheeling, loyal Baili Dong Jun as portrayed by Hou Ming Hao. (Because he reminds me of my departed cat. Hey, it's my rating—I can be capricious.)
The Good:
• Hou Ming Hao suited the role of the dashing Liquor Diety. His exuberance, friendship, and loyalty never diminished.
• He Yu was excellent in the role of a man pushed beyond his limits.
• The camaraderie of the wuxia world was enjoyable.
The Bad:
• With so many characters (MDL says the cast had 212 members), I had a hard time figuring out who was whom and if I'd seen them before or if they were new.
• I know I'm supposed to admire Prince Langya, but he was an enabler of horrible things all coated with the false respectability of doing it for the greater good. I will allow that he held the same standard for himself, so he wasn't a hypocrite. But he was wrong. Enabling evil, even with the best of intentions, only strengthens evil and brings ruin upon the innocent.
• After Baili Dong Jun got the girl of his dreams, she was relegated to the role of arm candy in the drama. I wanted her to match him in terms of strategy and determination instead of sitting passively in a pretty white dress.
I couldn't decide on whether to put Yi Wen Jun in the good or bad category. I despised her even while sympathizing her predicament. Without her, there wouldn't have been much of a story, but it would have been a happier one. She was a self-centered coward, but she was a powerless pawn.
I added a half star for the character of free-wheeling, loyal Baili Dong Jun as portrayed by Hou Ming Hao. (Because he reminds me of my departed cat. Hey, it's my rating—I can be capricious.)
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