I desperately need to know which SQC's novels currently have the best finished translation (doesn't matter whether locked or not; among all works, not just 188 series). I would like to avoid MTL or AI slop and put such novels aside until I get my Chinese on a good level.
https://x.com/iQIYI_Thailand/status/2070379026490020061?s=20
This will be the 2nd Thai live action 188 adaptation after Professional Body Double. No other details yet. To be honest I wasn't a huge fan of the 1st Thai 188 drama, so I'm skeptical that this will turn out good, ILWAI is even more bonkers than PBD. But at least the cast looks fine.
Left to right: Li Wenxun, Li Wenxun's brother, Li Yu, Jian Suiying, Jian Suilin, Bai Xinyu & Li Xuan
Decided this was worth a separate post instead of me just commenting in the weekly discussion post.
One of SQC's best non-188 novels finally has a complete TL - and at a glance it looks like dedicated work from the translator, there's a (much needed because there are sooo many characters and concepts) glossary and the translator included screenshots from the manhua version as well.
Here's a good review of the novel for those who don't know about it: https://www.reddit.com/r/DanmeiNovels/comments/1hsov5x/underrated_novel_audio_drama_recommendation_jiang/
Warning for the angst-lovers: be aware that this is perhaps SQC's most wholesome couple. I realized upon re-reading that there's a bit of a Yuan Yang-Gu Qingpei dynamic over them, the ML has brawns rather than brains, while the MC is all brains and skill.
We even get a bit of smut, though I'm not sure there's any in the main story (wasn't in the raws I found when I read two years ago), I only checked out the extras to see if the TL was alright.
I usually struggle with xianxias because of the length and often repetitive plots, but the plot here is really good. Tropes include slow burn romance (IMO the romance between the main couple is as well-developed as in Blazing Armour), found family, inter-species romance (this time sadly no tail play like in >!Dragon Blood!<), cute gong (he's basically selling meng through a lot of the book), smart shou.
It also has one of the best endings of a SQC book, though it might leave you frustrated because probably half your ships won't happen (this book has so many ship-worthy pairings).
The translator included a very useful glossary, but I recommend only looking up each of the divine beasts as they get revealed, since otherwise it's a bit spoilery. This novel uses a lot of Chinese mythology though, so it's useful to look up characters as you read. A lot of characters have two names and this novel has a huge cast.
Link to all the TLs: https://www.novelupdates.com/series/jiang-chao-ge-and-the-spirit-weapon/
