A Hero Born

Jin Yong
Oct 11, 2019

Touted as a Chinese Lord of the Rings, Jin Yong's A Hero Born, makes it's debut English translation. This story follows Guo Jing who was born during the Song empire. After his father, a Song Patriot, is murdered, he is taken up into the Mongolian steppes. There he is raised in Genghis Kahn's army before meeting The Seven Heroes of the South who tell him he is fated to fight in a competition to determine who is the greatest master. Filled with historical intrigue and epic kung fu battles, A Hero Born will delight fans of Wuxia stories like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 8 diagram pole fighter, and Hero. This novel is not for the casual reader as it is full of Chinese historical context and mythology. In addition, no Wuxia master would be complete without special moves with their own names like Seize the Basket by the Handle and the dreaded Nine Yin Skeleton Claw. A Hero Born is the first book in Jin Yong's twelve-volume epic.

Reviewed by Library Staff