Outlaws of the Marsh, new edition Vol. 7: Predator and Prey

Outlaws of the Marsh is a tale of heroism and villainy, of courage and cruelty. But unlike Western stories of similar tone and structure that place those forces at odds with each other and present a story of good versus evil, Outlaws tells the story of those contradictory forces. Thus the conflict of the story isn't solely between characters; it is within the characters themselves as they struggle to find the balance between benevolent virtue and violent impulse. To this point in the story, we've seen this struggle manifested most pointedly in two characters. Both are capable of benevolence and violence, but one (Lu ZhiShen) is quick to strike, while the other (Lin Chong) resorts to violence when all else has failed.

In the characters of Wu Song, we now have a character of outsized physical proportions capable of Lu ZhiShen levels of violence who also adheres to a strict, Lin Chong-like moral code. Like the two characters before him, Wu Song is in exile, and while the reason for his exile is reckless violence (much like Lu ZhiShen), Wu Song is a man capable of love and loyalty who is eager to return home to the family he left behind (much like Lin Chong). Along the way he will encounter two unforeseen adversaries: one is the murderous tiger who hunts travelers, the other is the scheming sister-in-law who preys on Wu Song with almost as much vigor as the tiger. Of course, as there is no way of reasoning with a predatory animal, the tiger meets its end at the hands of Wu Song's incredible physical strength. The threat posed by Pan JinLian, however, cannot be met with the same kind of violence. She is the wife of Wu Song's brother, and as much as her advances insult his code of honor, Wu Song loves his brother and regards JinLian as family. As a result, he exercises incredible restraint, calmly - though with tremendous force and the unspoken threat of something sinister - urging his brother to keep a close eye on his wife even as she hurls false accusations at him.

© 2026 JRM + (E-bog): 6610001310707

Oversættere: Jonathan Evans

Udgivelsesdato

E-bog: 1. august 2026