The Sanguo Yanyi – Chapter 47 February 26, 2010
Posted by D.J. Raspe in Uncategorized.2 comments
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY LIKELY CONTAINS SPOILERS. BUT I’M SURE YOU KNEW THAT BY NOW. IF NOT, PAY MORE ATTENTION! :p
With Chapter 47, the ploys of Zhou Yu, acted upon by various Wu officers, are presented to Cao Cao. Ever wonder why a Shu-Han loyalist like myself holds someone like Zhou Yu, who has tried time and time again (according to the novel) to slay Liu Bei and especially Zhuge Liang, in such high honor and respect? The man was brilliant, both in history and in literature. If he were alive today, and living in America, serving some upstart revolutionary army instead of serving the Sun Family of the Sanguo Period, I have little doubt that the Federal Republic and all its armies would be crushed. I think Zhou Yu really was that damn good at his job. He was the Erwin Rommel of his day, a loyal and brilliant officer whose subordinates loved him because he not only was one of the greatest talents of the day, but also because he was chivalrous, conducting himself with honor and integrity. (more…)
The Sanguo Yanyi – Chapter 46 February 13, 2010
Posted by D.J. Raspe in Uncategorized.2 comments
WARNING: THESE PRE-COMMENTARY DISCLAIMERS ARE GOING TO LOOK A LOT COOLER ON THE NEW SITE I’M BUILDING 
Chapter 46 sees a continuation of the web of ploys and schemes which so characterizes the Battle of Chi Bi. In the last chapter, Zhou Yu used Jiang Gan (who had been sent over to try to sway Zhou Yu over to Wei, and more importantly, away from Wu) as an unwitting weapon against Cao Cao, which resulted in Cao Cao being tricked into executing his two most capable, if despicable, naval Commanders, Cai Mao and Zhang Yun. (more…)
The Sanguo Yanyi – Chapter 45 February 6, 2010
Posted by D.J. Raspe in Uncategorized.4 comments
WARNING: IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I WROTE ONE OF THESE COMMENTARIES, SO I MIGHT BE A BIT RUSTY. 
Annnnnd I’m back. Miss me? Probably not, but you might have missed some of my content, such as the Sanguo Yanyi audiobook. So I guess I’ll just dive right in here.
Chapter 45 is an amusing chapter to me. It introduces Jiang Gan, a man unfortunate to be intelligent enough and have enough of a reputation as a persuader for Cao Cao to consider sending him to attempt to sway Zhou Yu over to his side. He’s also unfortunate enough to have suggested the whole notion himself, guessing incorrectly that their association as former students under the same master would cause Zhou Yu to betray the Sun Family. This bad judgment would cost Cao Cao the battle (and it does a great job of illustrating how the Mandate of Heaven turns against those who act against Heaven’s Will. This is why Yuan Shao, so capable an officer early in the novel, fell when he attacked Cao Cao, and it is why Cao Cao’s own southern expedition into Wu is also doomed to fail. (more…)
