Romance of the Three Kingdoms (novel): Difference between revisions

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* [[Doorstopper]]: 800,000 words and 120 chapters. Most publishers break it up into multiple books just to make things easier.

* [[Dramatization]]: One early editor referred to it as 70% fact and 30% fiction, which is more or less accurate: Luo Guanzhong's sources included not only historical records, but period Chinese operas, poetry and folktales as well. Some of the most memorable scenes in the book never really happened; [[That Other Wiki]] has [[wikipedia:List of fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms|a list]], of course.

* [[Stealth Parody]]: Despite having been written to satisfy the Imperial guidelines, Luo Guanzhong managed to sneak in a few subversions on the nature of loyalty. Blink and you'll miss them, though.

* [[Very Loosely Based on a True Story]]: The Chinese are generally faithful to their adaptations of the novel; [[Dynasty Warriors|the]] [[Ikki Tousen|Japanese]], [[Koihime Musou|less]] [[Ryofukochan|so]], with [[Romance of the Three Kingdoms (anime)|a notable exception]].

 

* [[Abnormal Limb Rotation Range]]: Sima Yi. (Though unusually compare him to a Wolf rather than an Owl)

* [[Abusive Parents]]: Liu Bei's infant son, Liu Chan, was lost at Chang Ban, so Zhao Yun made a selfless charge into enemy lines to bring the kid back. So what does Liu Bei do? He ''throws his kid to the ground'', pissed that he nearly lost a great general. {{spoiler|The kid later grows up and loses the kingdom, and is considered by most readers to be completely useless.}} Probably because he was dropped on his head as a kid. In a major example of [[Values Dissonance]], ''no one'' in the story calls Liu Bei out on this. Then again, he's the one who quoted lore as saying that "[b]rothers are as hands and feet; wives and ''children are as clothing''. You may mend your torn dress, but who can reattach a lost limb?"