You've sold me on that book now, Gene! I'll take a look when I finish my present research (which is not at all related to martial arts).

I've only read one Jin Yong book in Chinese so far, Liancheng Jue 连城诀, which wikipaedia tells me is entitled 'A Deadly Secret' in English. I got interested in that book after watching a 2005 or 2006 version of it (I think) done as a TV serial, and because it was a one book tale I guess.

I'm working my way, slowly, through 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' 射雕英雄传 at the moment. I got interested in this one from watching a wonderful series too: the 1983 one, which I saw dubbed into Mandarin years ago. I like this older version a great deal, so bought a copy of it while in China. I'd recommend that 1983 version, and the Return of the Condor Heroes made around the same time, to anyone.