Might as well strike while the iron is hot, now that I got my book translating mojos back after a good 4 year hiatus. I posted the final chapter of Lost You Forever, my favorite C-romance novel of all time, but that’s not the final thing Tong Hua wrote for this story. She left an epilogue and it feels like … Continue reading →
The God and Goddesses of the fantasy romance novel Lost You Forever live thousands of years to our human tens of years, and their loves and losses are beyond epic and earth shattering. But the relationships and connections Tong Hua wrote in this novel were so nuanced and subtle that years later I’m captivated by the first line. The novel … Continue reading →
Taiwanese entertainment and cultural news was rocked heading into this weekend with news that a beautiful and best-selling first time young author had committed suicide. 26 year old Lin Yi Han hanged herself in her bedroom and was discovered by her husband of two years. Her debut novel Fang Si Chi’s First Love Paradise was just published in February of … Continue reading →
As the journey of Lost You Forever comes to a close, with it all the various narrative threads are tied up one by one. This is the second to last chapter of the novel, and each chapter translating has been a laborious love affair for me, the love of a well-written tightly constructed yarn and the love of an unforgettable … Continue reading →
I can’t believe it’s finally time for the final countdown as this chapter 49 of Lost You Forever marks the third to last chapter of the sprawling novel. There were definitely moments along the way I nearly burned out or simply wanted to quit, but my perseverance is your continued reward along this gripping journey much as Xiao Yao’s tenacity … Continue reading →
Normally the maybe death of a main character I love would make me sad but the end of the last chapter of Lost You Forever was a release for me much like it was for the leads. When Xiao Yao killed herself and took Zhuan Xu along with her, so it seems, it felt like a relief that they could … Continue reading →
A good story makes the most out of its fictional conundrums, weaving intricate webs of conflict that leads to a cathartic payoff. The beauty and tragedy in Lost You Forever is that the conflict happens around characters that I love, and if I were to splice the three male leads together into one super character then that would be the … Continue reading →
Don’t say I didn’t warn you, but this chapter of Lost You Forever is intense and rough. So get your tissues ready and expect it to hurt and hurt really really bad right where the heart is. LYF has been a sadness train for many episodes now, ever since Jing fell into the river and Xiao Yao’s so close happy … Continue reading →
The last chapter of Lost You Forever was so action packed everyone needed to take a breather to assess the current impasse. Jing is likely dead, so Xiao Yao is depressed, and Xiao Yao being depressed makes Zhuan Xu upset, but then he’s probably not all that upset since in the long run Jing’s not his romantic rival anymore. Sadly … Continue reading →
I’m always torn between my all-consuming love for one particular male lead in Lost You Forever, and my just one step below love for the other two male leads. Unlike other Tong Hua novels, there is genuinely no one I dislike among the suitors vying for leading lady Xiao Yao’s heart – I get Zhuan Xu and all his choices … Continue reading →
There’s another long-awaited novel to movie adaptation officially in the works that’ll make fans of the source novel very happy. Readers of the of fantasy period C-novel Three Lives Three Worlds, Ten Miles Peach Blossoms (三生三世，十里桃花) will finally see their beloved story moved to the screens, and in big screen format as a movie rather than the expected small screen drama … Continue reading →
Three volumes of Lost You Forever and finally I’m seeing the end of the road ahead, with less than ten chapters left of a novel that has really taken an unforgettable bite out of my soul. A few years ago I probably would have had the energy to power translate the entire thing like I did with Da Mo Yao, … Continue reading →
A good story has peaks and valleys, ebbs and flows that keep the intensity flowing through a long windy journey. If the lovers get their happy ending too early, then what’s the lure to keep readers following along when there is no compelling obstacles left to overcome. Despite all signs pointing to impending wedded normalcy for our intrepid leading lady … Continue reading →
