DISCLAIMER: this novel is not your average summoner novel. Do not read it expecting one- expect instead, a generally well written Lord of Mysteries inspired novel instead.
Though not obvious at first glance, this novel bears great resemblance to one of my (and many others) dearest novels; Lord of Mysteries (formerly Lord of the Mysteries). This, to me, is not a con, since the author of TGS didn't copy the plot of LoM, but instead used it as inspiration. Drunken Tiger manages to inherit many of LoM's strong points- consistent story development, rich background and predictably an interesting plot. However, one thing this novel did not learn from was LoM's immersive character monologuing. The protagonist of this novel is detached from the reader, and character design is something this novel struggles with.
The protagonist of TGS is a reincarnator from, presumably, our time. He used to be a historian (just like Klein!) but unlike Klein, he seems well versed in Chinese creation myth rather than Victorian/Tudor stuff. Xian Ping'an is the classic Chinese MC- composed, handsome and emotionless. It doesn't help that we don't get a monologue, nor do we get any hint as to what he thinks, thus contributing to the detachment factor. As for the supporting characters, I have little to say, other than this. They are very 2D. Drunken Tiger tries to have a diversified cast, but ends up with the same-old. Female characters who are all beauties, beefy males and the joker/clown character, whom in other novels is usually the fatty sidekick.
Story development is decent. The novel is well paced, but the lack of monologuing and insights is a hit to the development.
World background is great. You could, crassly put, call TGS "Lord of Mysteries, but Chinese instead of Victorian". What I mean by this is that while LoM focuses on a world based upon Victorian times, TGS focuses on a world where Chinese culture is widespread instead. Do NOT confuse this with nationalism. There is no nationalism within the first 40 chapters, Huaxia being a major power is a reasonable development and the author does not go out of his way to praise China. Anyway, the author integrates the creation myth of characters like Suiren and Youcha into the power system- something I find irresistibly charming, since other novels rarely dive deep into traditional Chinese culture, save for a rare few. The way summoning is incorporated into the third myth (no spoilers) is unique also, and I must say, those of you expecting anything like your cookie-cutter summoner/pet novel are in for a nasty surprise, since this novel is nothing like those- in a good way.
In conclusion, readers of LoM will be constantly be hit with dejavu whilst reading. TGS is a refreshing take of the summoner genre, and is 100% worth the read.
