金庸先生的《射雕英雄传》英译本今年二月份已由英国MacLehose Press出版，译者是Anna Holmwood。好友托人从英国帮我带回一本，出差路上，带着感动与欣喜，用另一种文字重温熟悉的故事，感觉很是不同。
中国的武侠小说究竟能不能译成外语？这个问题，就像中国诗词能否译成外语一样，讨论多年，也还是没有定论。 武侠小说 Anna Holmwood 在译本前言中这样写道：Many have considered Jin Yong's world too foreign, too Chinese, for an English-speaking readership. Impossible to translate. And yet, the story of love, loyalty, honor and the power of individual against successive corrupt governments and invading forces is as universal as any story could hope to be. The greatest loss that can occur in translation can only come from not translating at all. 说得真好。
出版社为了吸引英语读者的眼球，唤起他们的认知，特意在封面上印上《爱尔兰时报》的一句评论：“中国的《指环王》”。感觉有点画蛇添足。