Friday, January 16, 2009

A Song of Ice and Fire in a Chinese Wiki

冰与火之歌

  《冰与火之歌》系列
  共七部:
  第一部《权力的游戏》(A Game Of Thrones) 
  第二部《列王的纷争》(A Clash Of Kings)
  第三部《冰雨的风暴》(A Storm Of Swords)
  第四部《群鸦的盛宴》(A Feast Of Crows)
  第五部《魔龙的狂舞》(Dance with Dragons)
  第六部《凛冬的寒风》(The Wind of Winter)
  第七部《春晓的梦想》(A Dream of Spring)(原先为 A Time for Wolves「奔狼的年代」)

  作者已经完成并出版的为前四部,其中前四部已经由重庆出版社引进发行,翻译用心,质量非常优秀。
外传 《邓肯与伊戈》 系列
《雇用骑士》(The Hedge Knight)
《效忠剑士》(The Sworn Sword)

Translation on the titles have minor variations. 《权力的游戏》 is "A Game of Power" and 《冰雨的风暴》 is literally "A Storm of Icy Rain".

My take on the variations: the term 'power' is more salient to a Chinese audience. Struggle for the throne (singular) in Chinese historiography often meant a rebellion caused by grass roots discontent, natural disasters befalling the populace that nevertheless is perceived as a supernatural portent for dynastic change. Although the world of Westeros is on the verge of a supernatural cataclysm, it is not enough of a smoking gun for the events in the world of Ice and Fire. Hence, the story does not quite fit in the Chinese literary memory as something of a struggle for the 'throne'.

"Icy Rain"? or sleet? No idea.

"A Clash Of Kings" - see the Warring States, the Three Kingdoms, the Northern and Southern Dynasties. In short, yes, it is in the Chinese literary memory and hence would cause no dissonance.