Jin Yong Reading Order: Where to Start and How to Continue

Where Do I Start?

With 15 novels to choose from, new readers often feel overwhelmed. Here are three recommended reading paths depending on your preferences.

Path 1: The Classic Route (Recommended)

Start with the most accessible novels and build toward the more complex ones:

1. Legend of the Condor Heroes — The perfect introduction
2. Return of the Condor Heroes — Direct sequel, darker and more romantic
3. Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber — Completes the trilogy
4. Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils — Jin Yong's philosophical masterpiece
5. The Smiling, Proud Wanderer — Political themes and moral complexity
6. The Deer and the Cauldron — Jin Yong's most unconventional novel

Path 2: Chronological Order (By Story Setting)

| Historical Period | Novel | |---|---| | Song Dynasty | Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils | | Song-Jin Wars | Legend of the Condor Heroes | | Song-Mongol Wars | Return of the Condor Heroes | | Yuan-Ming Transition | Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber | | Ming Dynasty | The Smiling, Proud Wanderer | | Qing Dynasty | The Deer and the Cauldron |

Path 3: By Length (Short to Long)

For readers unsure about commitment:

1. Sword of the Yue Maiden (short story) — 30 minutes
2. Blade-Dance of the Two Lovers (novella) — 2-3 hours
3. A Deadly Secret (short novel) — 1-2 days
4. The Legend of the Condor Heroes (full novel) — 1-2 weeks
5. Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (epic) — 2-4 weeks

The Connected Universe

Several novels share characters and settings:

The Condor Trilogy (射雕三部曲):

1. Legend of the Condor Heroes
2. Return of the Condor Heroes
3. Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber

These three novels span 100+ years and should be read in order.

Which Translation?

For English readers, translation quality varies significantly:

• Anna Holmwood's A Hero Born (Condor Heroes Book 1) — Excellent literary translation
• Fan translations available online for most novels — Variable quality but complete
• Gigi Chang's translations — Faithful but sometimes stiff

The "Don't Start Here" List

Some novels, while excellent, are poor starting points:

• The Deer and the Cauldron — Deliberately subverts the genre; confusing without context
• Sword Stained with Royal Blood — Early work, not representative of his best
• Ode to Gallantry — Unusual structure that requires genre familiarity

Final Advice

The most important thing is to just start. Any Jin Yong novel can be read independently (with the exception of the Condor Trilogy, which should be sequential). Once you finish your first, you'll know whether you want to read them all — and most readers do.