Horizon, Bright Moon, Sabre

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Fu Hongxue was a cripple, born with a lame leg and subject to epileptic seizures. He was also one of the most powerful, legendary figures of the martial arts world, with a dull black saber that was second to none. His fame made him a frequent target of challengers, but whenever his saber left its sheath, only corpses would remain in its wake. One day, however, Fu Hongxue rescued someone whom he should have killed…and in doing so, set of a chain of events and a conspiracy that would rock the world.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Tianya Mingyue Dao
ขอบฟ้า จันทรา ดาบ
天涯明月刀
Related Series
Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword (Shared Universe)
Bordertown Wanderer (Shared Universe)
Flying Eagles in the 9th Month (Shared Universe)
Recommendations
Little Li’s Flying Dagger (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Disabled, autistic, vegetative, paralysed, mute or...
  2. No romance 3
  3. Fav Novels with Male MC
  4. high quality shorter novels
  5. Complete Novels To-Read

Latest Release

Date Group Release
01/23/15 Wuxiaworld c24
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c23
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c22
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c21
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c20
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c19
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c18
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c17
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c16
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c15
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c14
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c13
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c12
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c11
01/22/15 Wuxiaworld c10
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4 Reviews sorted by


Aicila
Aicila rated it
April 5, 2016
Status: --
Horizon, Bright Moon, Sabre was quite an interesting read. Fu Hongxue and a partner of sorts travel around, surviving assassinations as they work towards the figure at the end who seems to be pulling all the strings.

The length is quite good, not too long, and everything is relevant. There's no bloat which is prevalent in some more recently written stories (WNs in particular) so the read is succinct. The cast of characters was probably what disappointed me the most. There are many characters, and new ones appear all the time,... more>> yet not so many of them are particularly memorable. If I had read the story in one sitting, it may have been easier, but a couple of times I ended up confused as to who was who. The worldbuilding is also quite average, but I think that is pretty standard fare for wuxia. It's not disappointing, it just wont offer anything new.

Despite the flaws, both the story and dialogue are very entertaining. While the ending is slightly predictable, the manner in which it is done is very good and events that run through the entire story all seem to fall in to place near the end so everything ties up. As with many of the pre 1980's wuxia, the dialogue is intelligent and well written, and the quality of the translation ensures that the quality here isn't lost.

If you are interested in flashy fights and techniques in wuxia, this is maybe not for you. There is hardly any descriptions of the fights themselves as they are almost all over in a single instant due to how quick people are with the sword. It's not a bad thing however, as the tension is usually built up very well beforehand with good writing. That being said, there are certainly different techniques, many of which are quite interesting.

If other wuxia from around this period is something you like, you will probably like Horizon, Bright Moon, Sabre. If it's something that is new to you, it's not a bad place to start, although I think the start is a little weaker than some of the alternatives from the same period. Not that it is worse, it just takes a little longer to feel invested in the story. <<less
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Brasdf
Brasdf rated it
May 26, 2022
Status: Completed
A twisty tale of blood and betrayal and love and (and I can't believe I'm saying it) the mistreatment of women. I'm quite new to Wuxia novels, so I was surprised by some of the twists, not because they were truly surprising, but mostly because I didn't expect the story to go there. Honestly, I started this review with a 4/5, but the more I thought about it the less I liked it.

The translation is quite good to excellent, but sometimes there are misses. Like this :

“Although her appearance was... more>> ordinary and sedate, her jade-white hands were as beautiful as spring scallions, so soft as to appear boneless”

I already got used to the jade comparison, but spring scallions ? As beautiful as spring scallions?! Is this another Chinese thing ?

The story is relatively short, and looking back it is a bit too condensed. Some interesting but less important things about the characters were never explained, few of the relationships weren't developed enough to feel realistic. Some twists felt completely out of nowhere. The worst part is the character arc of the main protagonist is not particularly satisfying. He starts emotionally damaged, and he ends...

Also, for some reason, there was a surprisingly large amount of vomiting.

Spoilery complaints:

Spoiler

The MC is inconsistent. On the one hand he is highly prepared and well read, intelligent and careful but then a bit later he lets other people lead him by the nose several times for no clear reason. Why did he even spare Nanfeng in the first place ? This never gets explained well. What was he doing before this story ? Just walking around being depressed and moody ?

So after he gets betrayed multiple times, he gets depressed and becomes an alcoholic and an abusive boyfriend for a few weeks, then escapes in shame. That is quite a weird transition. All of that later part was only about a chapter. That is not enough. His relationship with the girl he abused is not okay. The fact she is so broken mentally that she loved him for abusing her slightly less is tragic.

I'm not trying to judge this by modern standards, where the MC should obviously be imprisoned, but the story ends at the MC and his abused girlfriend just all lovey-dovey on their reunion where in fact, one would expect something much more complicated. The MC has a lot of things to ask forgiveness for.

What part of the MC even made the nameless (!) flower girl fall for him ? When he slapped her down and then threw a lot of money at her ? Was it being drunk all the time ? This arc is horrible. Horrible. If a completely reasonable feminist reads this and concludes the author hates women, I have nothing to say against.

Obviously, once the flower girl became independent, it makes much more sense for her to find a normal loving man at around her age, instead of the more than twice her age emotionally unstable and abusive male lead. What does she care he is the strongest person in the world? He doesn't seem even remotely interested in earning an income, and he is an alcoholic.

Moving on. I'm pretty annoyed by the head of the Peac*ck manor guy. He just killed himself and let the male lead to save his lover and child and continue on the family legacy. Are you serious ? He didn't even tell them where to go, so they had to waste time on that. Presumably, if he went with them, they might have actually been saved. And if they were dead, then he could actually still find another wife and continue the family from new. It would also obviously would have helped the MC to avoid several traps. Plus, since the MC knows nothing about the traditions of the family, so he can't continue it even if he really wanted to. This was an insane cop-out.

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aovel
aovel rated it
September 25, 2018
Status: c24
Now, that was interesting.

The pace was good and the twists were sort of predictable but well executed. I've got to say this story is cool in sense that the main character isn't the perfect, godlike hero. He has flaws that balances out his greatness. I can't really explain it good but it's hard not to like and empathize with him.

24 chapters might seem short or long, depending on the reader but I think for this story it was just right. I love the ending, although the climax was easily predicted... more>> the road to the end was enjoyable just the same. This is a good read if you're into martial arts stories. Romance was not stressed but I've got to say, this story made my heart skip a beat at certain moments.",) <<less
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tedy2004
tedy2004 rated it
November 13, 2020
Status: c23
Was really great, though sadly it has become an utter disappointment. Didn't expect the author to prolong the novel that much with basic plots that shouldn't even be there.

... more>>
Spoiler

The novel started great, with ML being an expert with the sword saber as one of the strongest, traveling alone, and the fact that he had a friend Yan. However, everything seemed to go downhill when his friend Yan helped him escape from their pursuers. Their goal was to kill Gu Yungzu, a dangerous man that is affecting the world badly with his organization of assassins. After ML ran away from that place, the author decided to make him suffer "a little bit", he stayed at a prostitute's home where he didn't sleep with her, just company for him because she was lonely by being forced to be a tool and live this way, and he was lonely too, most importantly that ML was feeling guilty that Yan might have died, (ok plot) (in my opinion this is way too prolonged from here on>>) but he started drinking and drinking alcohol. Later, ML found out from a witness who saw what happened after Yan gave a chance to ML to escape from the assassins, he died shortly. ML began drinking more alcohol where after a while he left the prostitute's nest. ML began traveling alone again but now alcoholic and of course, the Demon Lord Gu Yungzu began to send him more people to kill him with the idea for ML to become an executioner person but miraculously the ML who was in a state of chaos, tragedy, hears the zither's disciple Gu Yungzu which was sent to ML to make him kill himself, cause the only one who can kill ML is Himself, (cause yea Gu Yungzu isn't the strongest guy after all, besides it's said that because ML has fallen in such a state then he doesn't even deserve his time or smth, Gu Yungzu is the type that cuts the root from the tree*). The ML is ambushed by a bunch of assassins then they run away, ML follows the disciple at a home, he uses the zither to sing a sorrow song which makes people have no hope to life and to accept death as the only choice. The ML retaliates by having the courage to endure in his life, not to die. shamelessly by suiciding. Finally, like after some trials from (the Demon Lord cliche, to make ML much stronger, and not to instantly kill him 7.7) Gu Yungzu, he calls ML, then ML comes and they put their fight tomorrow so that they may have a "REST" (I know this has become a 3-star genre of a novel, but after this author really disgusted me). Shortly resume* Then ML keeps walking around and meets a mysterious guy who tells him to walk forward and right where he will meet a tool woman for his needs 0.0, because he has anxiety and stuff and can't relax or smth, only through this yesyes... Ofc ML goes there and yea, GG WP. I gave up on the novel from that.

It is obvious the ML will win against the villain and he will be the strongest thing in the universe.

Rambling: Besides, you will see that author kept describing the world through like every people's action by betraying lying full of exaggerated darkness where there is no law or any principals and there isn't that much of world detail, it is true that in ancient times reality was very cruel, but in this novel, there is no appearance of an Emperor, only Gu Yungzu, a mysterious boss.

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P.S The Bed scene is not detailed, Angry*just the author saying ML's opinion about how he feels the poop.

I don't recommend it at all.

1 star for translation

1 star for his friend Yan, the only guy with kindness. <<less
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