The Guardian Novel
Jan. 21st, 2019 06:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rheasilviaThe m/m novel the Guardian series is based on can be read online – most of it has already been translated into English. It has a large fanbase, and many Guardian fans enjoy both canons. However, before reading the novel as a fan of the series, it may be good to know one thing:
The Guardian novel is very different from the Guardian series.
If you decide to check out the novel, I would strongly recommend reading it as its own thing, entirely independent of the series. Because otherwise, things get weird.
The series diverges from the novel significantly, in ways that go far beyond what censorship would have required. Sure, because of the censors, the world of the series was remodeled from a straightforward fantasy setting to scifi-fantasy. The explicit m/m relationship at the heart of the novel became a non-explicit gay romance, and Zhao Yunlan stopped smoking and took to lollipops (which I find infinitely more charming, and is also – ironically – occasionally borderline indecent).
But the series did not stop there. It blazed entirely new ground, both in terms of plot and characterization. It basically dismantled the novel and built select parts of it back together with a lot of original elements. Thus, the series isn't a scifi version of the novel, but rather something new that shares some of the novel's building blocks.
Most relevantly, at least for me: The series‘ Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei are not at all the same people that the novel features under the same names. Their relationship is also very different.
Trying to reconcile the two canons isn’t possible; they are simply too different. Trying to make the series and novel characters match up also doesn’t work. So I recommend letting both canons stand for themselves and enjoying them on their own merits. They are simply two separate things, and that’s okay. :-)
(Personally, I stopped reading the novel because I much prefer the series' characters and their relationship, and didn’t want the novel’s versions in my head. Conversely, some fans of the novel are disappointed in the series, which makes perfect sense – not the same story, not the same characters.)
ETA: For anyone looking for an English translation of the novel -anotherslashfan has made me aware of this post by dtriad, where they list all of the translations they are aware of. As anotherslashfan noted, the translations by dtriad and foxghost give something of the flavor of the original novel.
The Guardian novel is very different from the Guardian series.
If you decide to check out the novel, I would strongly recommend reading it as its own thing, entirely independent of the series. Because otherwise, things get weird.
The series diverges from the novel significantly, in ways that go far beyond what censorship would have required. Sure, because of the censors, the world of the series was remodeled from a straightforward fantasy setting to scifi-fantasy. The explicit m/m relationship at the heart of the novel became a non-explicit gay romance, and Zhao Yunlan stopped smoking and took to lollipops (which I find infinitely more charming, and is also – ironically – occasionally borderline indecent).
But the series did not stop there. It blazed entirely new ground, both in terms of plot and characterization. It basically dismantled the novel and built select parts of it back together with a lot of original elements. Thus, the series isn't a scifi version of the novel, but rather something new that shares some of the novel's building blocks.
Most relevantly, at least for me: The series‘ Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei are not at all the same people that the novel features under the same names. Their relationship is also very different.
Trying to reconcile the two canons isn’t possible; they are simply too different. Trying to make the series and novel characters match up also doesn’t work. So I recommend letting both canons stand for themselves and enjoying them on their own merits. They are simply two separate things, and that’s okay. :-)
(Personally, I stopped reading the novel because I much prefer the series' characters and their relationship, and didn’t want the novel’s versions in my head. Conversely, some fans of the novel are disappointed in the series, which makes perfect sense – not the same story, not the same characters.)
ETA: For anyone looking for an English translation of the novel -
anotherslashfan has made me aware of this post by dtriad, where they list all of the translations they are aware of. As anotherslashfan noted, the translations by dtriad and foxghost give something of the flavor of the original novel. 
no subject
Date: 2019-01-30 03:42 pm (UTC)Yeah, that's also something a lot of Chinese novels and dramas do
Absolutely - Asian media in general has a preference for redeeming antagonists, as far as I know. I first noticed it in Korean and Japanese dramas, and have - without any actual evidence - ascribed it to a culture informed by the Buddhist mindset (causing pain is itself a consequence of suffering, people must ideally be led to inner balance to end the general suffering, while causing further pain only increases the problem) rather than the Christian one (there is good and evil, and evildoers must be crushed).
I am swimming in unfinished canon for Guardian so much that I really can't decide what I like about which part, and where I would have liked each character to go, morality-wise.
I have many dilemmas about interpreting Guardian myself, but fortunately I am entirely content with the morality of the drama's characters. That really works for me. :-)
the Guardian novel punishes their villains pretty badly (Li Qian is the only one I have seen so far)
I did not know this, and I am very glad the drama chose to go a different route. I really like the role Li Qian in particular continues to play throughout the series.
(Also: LOL! Your icon! *g*)
no subject
Date: 2019-01-30 08:38 pm (UTC)ascribed it to a culture informed by the Buddhist mindset
Yes, that makes a lot of sense!
(Also: LOL! Your icon! *g*)
I only have two Guardian icons in use, and wanted to use a grey character for a change. :D
no subject
Date: 2019-01-31 12:33 am (UTC)My Guardian icons are growing in number daily! I am fighting to prevent them from taking over all of my icon spots at this point. :-) I mean, clearly I need one for every occasion, soooo...
no subject
Date: 2019-02-10 09:27 am (UTC)No idea where they were going with it, honestly.