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Notes -
The majority of Xianxia is pure slop. Chapters rushed out on a near daily basis, both by the author and paid/volunteer translators who sometimes do a questionable job at translating them.
But that's true of any genre! Most novels are slop! Superhero novels, YA novels, romance novels. The majority of books are barely worth reading, and what people advocate for are cherry-picked examples.
That being said, there are excellent novels. I've name-dropped a few. Beyond the power fantasy, they have great plots, characters and world building. Chinese fantasy is also alien to Western sensibilities, or at least refreshingly different. Most Xianxia protagonists are refreshingly pragmatic, manifestations of Will to Power without the moping and navel-gazing of their western counterparts.
They get the girl. They get girls (consent is questionable). They are more than happy to slaughter their foes and exult in the lamentations of their women and children. They want to be powerful, exceed the limits of biology, ascend to godhood, and punishment for their hubris is something they prepare for and seek to overcome.
Western fantasy has gotten stale for me, but Xianxia hasn't. And when you find a good novel, you can probably spend half a year reading it, given how long they tend to be.
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