Novoland

Novoland (Chinese: 九州; pinyin: Jiǔzhōu), is a fictional universe, with a known world of 3 continents and 9 provinces; divided into the prosperous Eastern Land and the nomadic Eight Tribes. It spans a history of 10000 years divided into 10 eras and about 16 dynasties.

There are 30 books written for this universe, with 7 principal authors writing novels for it. The project was started in early 2000s, inspired by the film Lord of the Rings.

Dynasty

• Xian Dynasty (燹朝), year 350
• Chao Dynasty (晁朝), year 800
• Ben Dynasty (贲朝), year 175
• Yin Dynasty (胤朝), year 770
• Xie Dynasty (燮朝), year 220
• Sheng Dynasty (晟朝), year 185
• Duan Dynasty (端朝), year 314
• Zheng Dynasty (徵朝), year 280

Geography

Northern Continent

Shang Province (殇州)

The Shang Province is located in the West of the Northern Continent, and the land is mostly occupied by Titans. Shang is bounded on two sides by sea (Huan Sea & _), and to the North is the vast snow-capped mountains of an ice cold continent; on the eastern border is the Han province and the Fire and Thunder Plains. It has an area of 25000km². Shang can be split into three main terrains: Shang Plains in the North, Mangu mountain ranges in the East, and Tianchi mountain ranges in the West. The Mangu mountain ranges are the tallest in the Northern Continent, with an average altitude of over 10000 chi (1 chi = 1/3 metre).

The Central and Eastern areas of Shang are mostly flat, and long periods of erosion have formed many vast and smoothly rolling plains with some small hills scattered throughout. The Western area is a volcanic belt, collectively named the Ice and Fire Earthsea, and has tens of large active volcanoes and many more smaller or dormant volcanoes. Even further West are volcanic island groups located in the Boundless Ocean.

This is a land of ice and fire, and the corresponding climates are changeable too. The Shang Plains have a cold climate, with low temperatures in summer and lots of rain. No matter if it is winter or summer, it can still rain or snow. The plains are not suitable for trees to grow, so shrubs and tundra and plants are the most common vegetation. The South-Western areas have plenty of geothermal energy, visible woody plants make up small forests, and weed meadows grow near hot springs and places protected form the wind. The climate of plains in the Central-Eastern area of Shang is slightly more complicated than the Han province, with mostly coniferous forests and little broadleaf trees. Forest steppes and grasslands are distributed along the Han border.

The Shang Prefecture is ruled by the Giants, long time enemies of the humans.

Han Province (瀚州)

Han is frequently translated as sorrow, spite, rancor, regret, resentment or grief, among many other attempts to explain a concept that has no English equivalent. The Han Province reflects this by being a barren and desolate land with only a small fertile area in the middle. The entrance / exit between the Han Province and Tianqi City of the Zhong Prefecture is protected by a fortress at the Shangyang Pass.

Ning Province (宁州)

Eastern Continent

Zhong Province (中州)

Ruled by the humans, its Capital is Tianqi City. The seven dynasties so far have been Zhao, Xi, Yin, Xie, Ben, Cheng, and Duan.

Lan Province (澜州)

Wan Province (宛州)

Yue Province (越州)

Western Continent

Yun Province (云州)

Lei Province (雷州)

Races

• Humans/Ren (人族)
• Titans (aka Giants)/Kuafu (夸父)
• Dwarves (aka The Wise)/Heluo (河络)
• Spirits (aka Charmers)/Mei (魅族)
• Merfolks (aka Oceaniders)/Naga (鲛族)
• Winged Tribe (aka Soarers)/Yu (羽族)

Astronomical concept

There are 12 primary stars in the universe of Novoland.

• Sun (太阳)
• Bright Moon (明月)
• Dark Moon (暗月)
• Miluo (密罗)
• Yinchi (印池)
• Suizheng (岁正)
• Genbai (亘白)
• Guxuan (谷玄)
• Liezhang (裂章)
• Tian'he (填盍)
• Huan'hua (寰化)
• Yufei (郁非)

Most Influential Authors

Jiang Nan (江南)

• Novoland: Eagle Flag:

• Novoland: Eagle Flag 1 - Wasteland (九州·缥缈录I·蛮荒)
• Novoland: Eagle Flag 2 - Ancient Clouds and Teeth (九州·缥缈录Ⅱ·苍云古齿)
• Novoland: Eagle Flag 3 - Famous Generals (九州·缥缈录Ⅲ·天下名将)
• Novoland: Eagle Flag 4 - War Against Chenyue (九州·缥缈录Ⅳ·辰月之征)
• Novoland: Eagle Flag 5 - Lifetime Alliance (九州·缥缈录V·一生之盟)
• Novoland: Eagle Flag 6 - Soul of Leopard (九州·缥缈录VI·豹魂)

• Novoland Assassin's Kingdom - Sunflower (九州·刺客王朝·葵)
• Novoland Assassin's Kingdom - Lotus (九州·刺客王朝·莲)
• Novoland: Maneuver - Dragon Slayer (九州·捭阖录·屠龙之主)
• 九州·飘零书·商博良
• 九州·飘零书·归墟

Pan Haitian (潘海天)

• Novoland: The Dark Veld (九州·白雀神龟) (2006)
• Novoland: Rock Labyrinth (九州·铁浮图) (2007)
• Novoland: Tales of the Dead (九州·死者夜谈) (2008)
• Novoland: Advance of the Dark Moon (九州·暗月将临)

Jinhezai (今何在)

• Storm of Prophecy (海上牧云记)
• Legend of Winged Tribe (羽传说)

Zhan’an (斩鞍)

Unlike other authors, he focuses on commoner’s tales rather than heroes and monarchs.

• Novoland: Traveler (九州·旅人)
  • 九州·怀人
  • 九州·柏舟
  • 九州·流火
  • 九州·白驹
  • 九州·博上灯
  • 九州·山中鼓
  • 九州·水晶劫
  • 九州·落花溪
  • 九州·崔罗石
  • 九州·秋林箭
• Novoland: Tales of Beauties (九州·朱颜记)
• 九州·青蘅传

Tang Que (唐缺)

He wrote mostly short novels telling a single event rather than long epics.

• Novoland: Hero (九州·英雄) (2007)
• Novoland: Trace of the star (九州·星痕) (2009)
• 九州·云之彼岸 (2009)
• 九州·龙痕 (2009)
• Novoland: Revival (九州·轮回之悸) (2010)
• 九州·丧乱之瞳 (2011)
• 九州·魅灵之书 (2011)
• Novoland: The Son of Darkness (九州·黑暗之子) (2013)

Live adaption

Year	English Title	Chinese Title	Notes
2015	Hua Xu Yin: City of Desperate Love	九州·华胥引	Based on the novel of the same name by 唐七公子
2016	Novoland: The Castle in the Sky	九州·天空城	Based on an original story
2017	Legend of the Naga Pearls	鲛珠传	Set in the same premise as Novoland: The Castle in the Sky
2017	Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy	九州·海上牧云记	Based on the novel of the same name by Jin Hezai
2019	Novoland: Eagle Flag	九州·缥缈录	Based on the novel of the same name by Jiang Nan
2020	Novoland: The Castle in the Sky 2	九州·天空城2	Sequel to Novoland: The Castle in the Sky
TBA	Novoland: Pearl Eclipse	九州·斛珠夫人	Based on the novel of the same name by Xiao Ruse

References