Sealed Divine Throne – Eastern-Fantasy Book teaches individual perspectives on life (REVIEW)

Story: 8.6/10

World-building: 9.4/10

Execution: 9/10

Entertainment: 9.2/10

Language: English, Mandarin 

Today, I would like to introduce an Eastern Fantasy book/ web novel or to be more specific, a Chinese novel, Sealed Divine Throne, also known as Shen Yin Wang Zuo, which roughly translates to ‘Divine throne’ in Chinese and is written by author’ Tang Jia San Shao’ who is also famous for his other work Douluo Dalu.

PLOT

The story follows the adventures of a young man named Qin Yu, who transmigrates to a Fantasy world of cultivation where he becomes a renowned cultivator, gaining powerful abilities through spiritual cultivation. Qin Yu desires to become an immortal/god to protect his loved ones.

However, in his path, many challenges and battles await, and as the story progresses, readers can feel that the protagonist inches ever so close to his desired goal. Along the way, he makes allies and enemies and must navigate complex political situations and power struggles.

The story has various elements like action, adventure, romance, and fantasy combined to make the story more diverse while also including many other subgenres, which give the story a more detailed plot.

Overview

I would like to discuss some points that I have learned from various individuals and reviews regarding the web novel Shen Yin Wang Zuo. And also, since I have read it myself, I can present my thought as clearly as possible in this review.  

Initially, I felt that the novel presented the complexity of good and evil. However, his goodness can also be attributed to his Scion of both Light physiques (a physique that is generally represented by good/pure in this novel) and his naivety.

As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that he has the choice not to become a jaded and cynical adult like every other person; he starts to conjure his thoughts, creating his own growth period. It is important to note that he was not even 10 years old in the initial chapters when the critique was made, whereby he had said something hypocritical, which the readers did not receive well.

Furthermore, he was relatively passive in his younger years. Hence, I agree that he could be classified as the “ridiculously generic good” protagonist, a common trope in any Oriental novel.

It is quite ironic as 99% of Chinese novel protagonists are often self-centred and enjoy doing things that would make them villains if they were not the main characters. In other words, it is rare to come across a Chinese novel protagonist that is genuinely good.

My Opinion

These are my opinion-based thoughts which I want to share with you all. 

However, be warned as there can be some revealing plots that some people might regard as spoilers, but I’ll try to be careful as much as possible. And no, I would not include any major plot points, so be relieved. Let’s start.

As the story progresses, the protagonist becomes more proactive and starts to strike out more of his character. However, some readers have criticized that he kills Demons because his father once told him they are pure evil or something along those lines.

They feel that the protagonist is too “good” in many ways, which can be negative. I believe that this criticism stems from several elements that are not satisfactorily considered.

One of these elements is the story’s beginning, where the Alliance propaganda brainwashes the protagonist.

However, it is more complicated than this. As the story progresses, readers discover the real reason behind the Human vs Demon war, which is the central point of this web novel. The demons are invaders and, quite frankly, the much superior force throughout most of the narrative thus far. The humans are essentially livestock raised by demons.

Finally, it becomes apparent that the MC’s “Goodness” results from a unique trait that is revealed later in the narrative. It is a bit of a cop-out by Tang Jia San Shao, known for creating “Upright and Clean Jade” MCs. However, it works in this instance.

I have read many of Tang Jia San Shao’s works, and this web novel stands out the most. It has its flaws, but the good points outweigh them. This novel is clean and easy to read, without the two-faced shadow that exists within books in general.

I am referring to human corruption, which can be exhausting to read. Shen Yin Wang Zuo is like a breath of fresh air compared to other novels in this genre. And along the way, you get to feel and learn how to create your perspective in life, which is a plus point for me. 

Are you tired of reading about Arrogant Young Masters, who are so dumb that you wonder how they survived the entire novel without being assassinated? Are you bored of the squabbling and underhandedness that seems to be inherent in Chinese publications? If so, then this might be the perfect web novel for you.

However, as always, it depends on the reader’s taste. If you like it, then you will love it. If not, it is better to move on to other web novels waiting to be explored. You can find free web novels on Novelbreak that offer thousands of categories.

Conclusion

The story’s plot is well executed and seems engaging enough to leave readers wanting more and more. World-building has that vast sense of the elements that can easily captivate readers. Since author Tang Jia San Shao is a veteran in this field, his story execution does not leave a sliver of dissatisfaction behind.

I might be slightly biased here as this is one of my loved books, but you can try to check for yourself.