MXTX Books Vol. 1: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System, Heaven Official’s Blessing 💖

^{Image from Seven Seas Entertainment Twitter @gomanga}

And the wait is over! Thank you so much to Seven Seas Enetertainment for providing me with digital copies of each MXTX book — Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System, Heaven Official’s Blessing — for an honest review via Edelweiss. All reviews are in reference to the first installment in each series which are already all available in stores! Here’s a handy Book Depository link 😀

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi Vol. 1 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù

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Legends were merely legends.

Unless you’re Wei Wuxian! 😀

I had such such a wonderful time being able to read MDZS as an official! English language novel! This edition was so so beautiful: from the chapter headings to the illustrations throughout. I still was very much in love with this story and its characters (shoutout to my favorite boy Jingyi) and it was lovely getting to experience it again with a new English translation. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are both gay disasters in very different ways and this first part sets up their relationship so so well, I love it so much. And the mysteries! The investigations! The intrigue and scheming! Brilliant.

A little note about the translation: very much appreciated that sobriquets/honorifics weren’t translated to English! That was such a little detail that made this a richer reading experience for me. There were a few widely used common terms in regard to world-building and places that were different, though, which took a bit of getting used to but that I ultimately loved since, as is my understanding, they were more accurate to the original novel. I also didn’t mind the English colloquialisms much.

I also really loved the characters/locations guide! It’s such a useful reference piece for new and old readers both 😀

Now onto waiting for vol. 2 and mentally preparing myself for Yi City arc \o/

The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong Vol. 1 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù

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[System loading…]

To the people who think SVSSS isn’t worth reading: you’re wrong.

I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much while reading a MXTX book tbqh? It was such a joy to be able to read the SVSSS official English translation–which was wonderful, by the way–and experience Shen Yuan’s rage at novel tropes 😀 This edition and its illustrations were also so beautiful!

The transmigration premise was so much fun and the execution was very well done despite being a bit slow at times. I had such a great time, personally, reading about Shen Yuan being forced to live Shen Qingqiu’s life and having to endear himself to Luo Binghe to avoid his fate. The chaotic energy of the System was the best part and the comments regarding the plot made by Shen Yuan himself were gold.

Once again, the characters/locations guide was very much welcome as a point of reference!

Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu Vol. 1 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù

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Body in the abyss, heart in paradise.

Still finding it a bit surreal I get to read the TGCF English version and experience Xie Lian and Hua Cheng meeting and spending time together :’D The translation here was so smooth and the illustrations throughout were beautiful–and a few actually made me laugh!

I do love and find the world-building here quite complex and intriguing! Some of the imagery during Banyue arc was so eerie to me, personally, and I had such a great time reading about Xie Lian and Hua Cheng figuring things out together. Xie Lian is such a good bean and Hua Cheng’s entire ghost personality is wonderful. Their interactions together were also so sweet!

I did very much enjoy how the serialized chapters were structured here: it provided a smooth story with clear stopping points in a way that didn’t necessarily happen in the other books. It added quite a bit of tension and mystery to the plot and kept me very engrossed in what was happening.

And one more time: the characters/locations guide was very welcome as a reference point while reading.

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