Review: The Ravages of Time

What is history? History is usually told from the point of view of the writer, or the writer's boss, usually the government in power during the compilation of such history. But for the history writers, the must remain neutral, never take side and present them as according to whatever information and evidence that they have like the Records of the Three Kingdoms compiled by Chen Shou.

Thing is slightly different with historical novel. It usually take sides so that they will have a good guy versus bad guys situation in the story. With this, they can make it dramatic. This is what happen to the other source of Three Kingdom stories, which is more widely known compare to Records of the Three Kingdoms .

The historical novel "Romance of The Three Kingdoms" is written by Luo Guanzhong during the Ming Dynasty. Since Ming acknowledge the legitimacy of Shu-Han as the successor of the Han Dynasty, as a novelist, Luo made Shu-Han as the protagonist. But how true this stay with the history? Some say the novel has 70% historical and 30 fictional. And the fictional part I think is more on the characterization. Shu-Han will always have political correct people. Cao-Wei and Dong-Wu will always have stupid, evil and morally corrupt people. Well, the side is rather obvious right? But since it is just a novel, people accept it, and what happen next is bad. People starting to accept the side that Luo provided in the novel. Only Shu-Han is good, handsome and intelligent. Others are bastard.

For centuries people has lived and accept what Luo presented us, until now, we have another fictional product that tells the story from the other side. This time, Chen Mou tell us the story of Three Kingdom through the point of view of Zhuge-Liang's nemesis, Sima-Yi.

Despite the century long battle between the three forces, at the end, is the Sima families that sit on the throne for the unified China. So what can be a cooler protagonist for Three Kingdom other than Sima-Yi? He has courage, he has wits!

This will be the main premises for Chen Mou's The Ravages of Time. This is an ongoing comic books series. Although it is a Hong Kong production, but it is presented in Japanese Manga style. Chen redesign most of the more prominent characters, especially those that has no historical records of their look like Zhang Fei (his traditional look, mannerism and temper is the idea of Luo).


While keeping the main plot, major event and death of major character as accurate as possible. For those blank area not found in historical record, Chen make use of this creativity and write a sensible and enjoyable plot.

If in the Romance of The Three Kingdom we have to wait until the appearance of Zhuge-Liang to have some very cool conspiracy, tactic, in Ravages of Time these cool schemes already exist at the very beginning of the story.

In a way I think this is more believable. No way in the bloody world only Zhuge-Liang alone know about military strategy and political plot. Others must also know as well. The difference is only he is the genius in these areas.


It is not hard to find that Cao Cao is a very celebrated character among the historian. Most historical review about him is rather positive. But through the pen of Luo, he is made to become one of the most despised villain.


But in Ravages of Time, Cao Cao is far more cooler than Liu Bei. In fact the protagonist is one of his more useful people.


So for those who already bored with Luo's point of view, Ravages of Time is a very good alternative. In a way, it is like a "What if" universe for Three Kingdom period.


Art wise, it is more manga like, and it is detail enough you will enjoy it even just looking at the pictures. So far, i didn't see any nudity, but there's tonees of violence.


Try it, you will get addicted....hahaha...