The Curse

Name: The Curse
ISBN: 9787549317172

夏龙河Jiangxi Higher Education Press · ChinaMar 2025

3.2

Word count: 221K words
Chapters: 88
ISBN: 9787549317172

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Summary

Jin Sanjiao drug lord Wu Yaozu has retired from the underworld, yet misfortune keeps piling up. Both of his sons, not yet ten, hang themselves in the back garden. On the advice of a Burmese monk, he travels secretly to China to pay respects to his ancestors. Deep in the mountains he comes upon an ancient temple and stumbles onto many secrets of his forebears. After numerous twists, he discovers that the root of his unending nightmares is the heirloom jade pendant he wears. Passed down from the late Ming dynasty, this pendant marks both the beginning and the end of the blood-and-tears feud between his ancestor Wu Sangui and the Ming dynasty. After surviving one near-fatal ordeal after another, the pendant finally returns to where it belongs. Ghost Nail, guardian of the Ming loyalist bloodline, at last finds fulfillment and his proper end.

Editor's review

Poison Curse is a novel by Xia Longhe that blends historical suspense with adventure. Its distinctive narrative angle and solid historical backdrop give it a clear identity among comparable works. This is not a thrill-driven adventure story for its own sake: through an invented ancient curse, it threads together fragments of history spanning thousands of years and explores the complex relationship between civilization, power, and human nature. Xia Longhe brings a measure of historical knowledge to the book, weaving in imaginative readings of ancient sorcery culture, tribal legends, and certain unsolved historical cases, which gives the story a weighty cultural foundation. In terms of pacing, the novel lays dense groundwork in its early sections to build a mysterious atmosphere and a complex web of relationships, then gradually accelerates, with the convergence of multiple threads delivering a strong impact. In characterization, the protagonist faces not only external life-and-death crises but also inner moral dilemmas and a struggle over identity, lifting the character beyond a simple hero template. Some readers may feel, however, that the boundary between research and invention in the historical and legendary material is somewhat blurred. Overall, Poison Curse suits readers who are not satisfied with surface-level puzzle-solving and hope to feel historical depth and cultural texture within a tale of danger. It offers an immersive reading experience, carrying readers between an imagined curse and the shadows of real history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in ancient Chinese mystical culture and historical legend
Suspense fans who enjoy slow-burn setup and stories rich in atmosphere and historical weight
Readers open to creative blending of fictional narrative and historical background
Readers who appreciate characters facing complex moral choices and inner growth

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking fast pacing, frequent action, and immediate puzzle-solving
Readers who want historical fiction grounded entirely in strict factual research

Reading tips

While reading, pay attention to the book's multifaceted interpretation of the core concept of 'curse': it is both the engine of the plot and the key to understanding the theme.
The book touches on multiple historical and legendary backgrounds. If unfamiliar, brief reference is fine, but do not dwell overly on factual accuracy; the point is to absorb the overall context it creates.
In the middle and later sections, watch for how the many earlier seeds are gradually brought together and drive the story toward its climax.

About the publisher

Jiangxi Higher Education Press China · Founded in 1989

Jiangxi Higher Education Press publishes in popular reading fields such as mystery and suspense fiction and science fiction, as well as higher education and vocational textbooks and academic works. Representative titles in the catalog include Xia Longhe's *The Curse* and Long Yuanming's *Legend*; the two authors are known respectively for suspenseful storytelling and science-fiction imagination, offering a glimpse of the press's author resources and editorial focus in genre fiction. Public information is limited, and with only two titles currently listed, the catalog cannot fully reflect the press's overall publishing profile. It does confirm, however, that the press has a practical presence in mystery/suspense and science fiction, emphasizing narrative tension and genre expression while balancing textbook and academic publishing with expansion into the popular reading market.

版权信息
第一章圣地之约
1 古刹
2 迷路
3 又见老和尚
4 龙脉
5 丽莎失踪
6 “水手”坟
7 古道地图
8 地下室
9 逃脱
10 远古的记忆
第二章出道
1 山坳的尸体
2 妹妹的希望
3 天刀
4 夜袭
5 山中的女人
6 沙瓦
7 鬼钉
8 驱鬼
9 名将之后
10 英俊少年
11 大明遗孤
12 遗民
第三章异象
1 玉佩
2 鲜花
3 速递公司
4 黑猫
5 曼珠沙华
6 大明村
7 茅草屋
8 毒咒
第四章较量
1 逃亡
2 树林
3 假大姐
4 蛇鼓
5 大明锦衣卫
6 厨子赵金
7 三合会的白纸扇
第五章寻找新通道
1 鬼豺
2 豺狗的阴谋
3 蛇的袭击
4 尸骨
5 蛇堂
6 遭遇土著
7 审讯
8 营救
9 恩怨
10 迷路
11 偷东西的猞猁
12 密林中的坟墓
第六章寻找玉佩
1 玉佩的秘密
2 奇异的耍蛇人
3 现在的三合会
4 玉佩
5 一品夫人
6 神秘佛祖寺
7 东明公司
8 杀人
9 藏兵洞
第七章古道
1 找到洞口了
2 山洞里的尸体
3 三合会的影子到
4 尸体的秘密
5 回家
第八章重回古道
1 圣地的秘密
2 雄伟计划
3 神秘杀手
4 诡异死人
5 恐怖事件
6 蛇惑
7 蛇战
8 古怪的小屋
9 神秘人影
10 神秘的房子
11 鬼屋
12 四十二具白骨
13 见到公孙常的孙子
14 五行乱阵
15 生死一搏
第九章玉佩

FAQ

Is this book adapted from real history?

The core story framework and the 'poison curse' premise are the author's artistic invention, though they incorporate some cultural elements and legendary fragments that exist in history, along with imaginative interpretations of unsolved mysteries. It is not a strictly historical documentary novel.

Is the book difficult to get into?

Moderately so. Although it involves some historical and cultural background, the author conveys this through dialogue and plot development, so it does not fundamentally hinder understanding of the main story. Readers need only follow the protagonist's steps of exploration and puzzle-solving.

What genre does the story lean toward?

The overall style leans toward historical suspense adventure, combining puzzle-solving and detective elements with humanistic reflection. Atmosphere is prominent, and the plot advances through layered setup and suspense rather than pure sensory stimulation.

Comments

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About the author

夏龙河 Author

Xia Longhe is an author about whom limited public information is available; five of his works are currently known. Representative titles include Nanming Jinyiwei, Xiyu Gongnü, Da Qin Dieju (Part One: Destroying Powerful Zhao), Du Zhou, and Chang Ye Xing. Judging from these works, his writing spans several genres, with common categories including otherworld fantasy, suspense and mystery, and social fiction, suggesting a tendency to move between historical settings, speculative worlds, and realistic themes. Elements such as the Jinyiwei, the Western Regions, and the Qin state indicate an interest in historical and espionage narratives, while Du Zhou and Chang Ye Xing lean more toward suspense and atmospheric storytelling. Since basic details such as his biography, nationality, and dates of birth and death remain unconfirmed, this description is based solely on the works and categories available, without speculation about his life or achievements.