Drawing the Sword

Du LiangPLA Literature and Art Publishing House2000

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Word count
358.2K words
ISBN
9787503311864

Tags

History Historical Fiction Military CareerAnti-Japanese WarLiberation WarProfessional SoldierWeb NovelWartimeNew ChinaRevolutionary History Themes

Summary

Suitable for readers interested in military history, the War of Resistance, and soldier-themed fiction. Its highlights are the gritty, vivid, daring, and somewhat roguish soldier image of Li Yunlong, and the blood and infectiousness of the "sword-drawing spirit"; the battle scenes are solid and the character relationships are tense. The shortcoming is that the latter half involves heavy narrative about a particular historical period with a somber tone, and the feel differs greatly from the first half's satisfying plot; some readers may find the pacing oppressive, and the language carries obvious period colloquialisms and crude expressions.

Editor's review

Suitable for readers interested in military history, the War of Resistance, and soldier-themed works. Its highlights are the rough, vivid, daring, and somewhat roguish soldier image of Li Yunlong, and the blood and infectious spirit brought by the "spirit of drawing the sword"; the battle scenes are solid, and the character relationships have tension. Its weakness is that the latter half involves heavy narrative set in a specific historical period, with a rather sorrowful tone; the wish-fulfillment feel contrasts sharply with the first half, some readers may find the pacing oppressive, and the language also carries obvious period colloquialisms and crude expressions.

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Reading tips

  1. Start with the first half's battle sections, such as the Battle of Lijiapo, to feel Li Yunlong's character and the core of the "sword-drawing spirit."
  2. While reading, note the contrast between Zhao Gang, Chu Yunfei, and Li Yunlong to appreciate the portrayal of soldiers from different standpoints.
  3. The latter half involves a particular historical period; read it with historical context to understand the narrative purpose of the tragic ending.

About the publisher

PLA Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1951

The PLA Literature and Art Publishing House is a publisher distinguished by books and periodicals on military-themed literature and art. Judging from its titles in our catalog, its publishing covers social fiction, documentary literature, historical reading, biography and suspense, ranging from war novels such as Behind Enemy Lines to biographies and historical works such as Young Marshal and Chiang Kai-shek and The Scholar-General Xiao Hua, as well as works on modern military and regional history like The Sichuan Army Leaves the Gorges, Chengdu Street Fighting 1932 and Struggles for Supremacy in Sichuan; The True Colors of a Detective represents its suspense strand. Its authors include Feng Zhi, Wang Chaozhu, Tian Wenyi, Li Jing, Zhang Chenggong, Yang Haibo and Mo Ran. Public information on its signature series and full publishing scale is limited; this profile, based on the ten titles in our catalog, summarizes its emphasis on both military and historical narrative.

FAQ

Is the novel Drawing the Sword the same as the TV series? No. The TV series mainly adapts the first half, while the novel also covers experiences and the ending after the founding of New China, making it more complete and heavier.
Is Li Yunlong based on a real person? Author Du Liang stated that Li Yunlong is not based on one specific person but is a composite of the brave soldiers on the anti-Japanese battlefield.
Should I watch the series or read the novel first? Either works; watching the series first is an easier entry, while reading the novel first lets you read the latter half not filmed for TV.

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About the author

Du Liang Author · Chinese · 1954

Du Liang (born 1954) is a mainland Chinese writer and screenwriter from Xuyi, Jiangsu. His pen name derives from the ancient name of Xuyi. He published his first novel, Drawing Sword, in 2000, and later wrote Blood Romance, Wolf Smoke over Beiping, Rongbaozhai, and The Great Collapse, several of which were adapted into television series. He has received the Feitian Award for Outstanding Screenwriter. His novels are mostly set against modern and contemporary Chinese history, with a vigorous style that interweaves character and the fate of the times; the soldier figure in Drawing Sword and the coming-of-age story in Blood Romance have left a deep impression on readers. Publicly available information about his early life and creative career remains limited, and readers chiefly know his style and influence through these works.