I haven't read yet the novel, so I don't know if it's a reliable adaptation, but the production, the actors, the background and the music are stunning and it deserves a watch. Excellent leading characters that made the story come to life. I recommend this drama for all those who like political dramas, with little to no break from the main plot of the story, which I'm telling you, this happens very rarely in Chinese dramas! Very satisfying end for all characters and it makes me re-watch and re-watch. Also, I loved the fact that the romance was very limited, almost non-existent in this drama! It would have taken from the good story-line that is more based on brotherhood, family, revenge and the desire for the truth to be known by the population. Also, the brotherhood of this drama is off the charts!! I have re-watched it multiple times and I'm seriously not getting bored at all! The OST is gorgeous and the fact that the main song is sang by the main character makes it even better. If you ever decide to watch Nirvana in Fire, you will need to watch maybe around 3 episodes to catch exactly what is going on, since at the 1st episode there are many characters introduced which are all important to the final plot.