Feb 16, 2022 4:34 PM
Light + Web Novels 2022 - 2023
Anime Relations:
Ookami to Koushinryou, Ookami to Koushinryou II
PREVIOUS (2020 - 2021)
Nightfall (CH Web Novel)
Xianxia, Action, Adventure, Romance, Drama, Politics, Military, Isekai?
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: C+
Nightfall starts off as a revenge story with some Wuxia elements, allowing ordinary martial artists (especially archers) to not just be cannon fodder throughout. However it is a painfully slow burn that many will struggle to get through. Gradually introducing the world, countless named characters and the many sects/factions they are a part of. All of that backdrop without providing a real hook to keep readers invested. And even the revenge plot stalls out to focus on more highfalutin things like: calligraphy, philosophy, theology, cultivation and contemporary jokes. Eventually when a lot of what was foreshadowed begin to unravel, the story begins to pick up and the youths of the story rapidly develop. The focus isn't just on the young ones, as all characters I could remember are not as simple as I initially thought. Most notably the MC Ning Que, who is not only ruthless & calculation but also extremely shameless & witty. Nevertheless Nightfall is a fairly unique Xianxia novel full of continuous ups and downs. Unfortunately the way the author handles world building, makes the reading experience rather tiresome. With many details & plot points added for world building, yet feel like filler content due to how little they affect the story. Until this typical revenge story ends up becoming an insane romantic tale, of religious devotion that will make or break it for some.
Chronicles of Primordial Wars (CH Web Novel)
Xuanhuan, Isekai, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Kingdom Building
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: A-
Most MCs struggle when Isekai'd into a medieval like fantasy world, whereas Shao Xuan is forced to adapt, and learns to thrive within a Stone Age civilization. Surprisingly this author managed to get me invested in this story set during the least eventful period of humanity, especially with how dim-witted the other characters can be. But the college student with the body of a child, Xuan kept the story engaging by incorporating some "new age" ideas like: fishing, animal companionship & food variety. The focus here is less on filling this primitive hunter gatherer society with modern knowledge (like most Isekai) and more on the world building, surviving disasters and ancestral worship. With the known world revealing more of its secrets, to both the reader and tribe, as it continues to expands. Becoming rather chaotic, as many events spiral out of the MC's control. Then things quieten down rather late into the story, providing enough breathing room for some Kingdom Building. Though rather simplistic and not up to my standards, I simply cannot dislike it, since the novel offers a unique experience. Even though it has no real ending.
A VIP as Soon as You Log In (KR Web Novel)
LitRPG, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Harem, Comedy, Crafting
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: B-
A VIP as Soon as You Log In doesn't do much to elevate itself from its middling title. A Korean WN, where Kang Shin-Hyuk, merges with the reincarnated soul of a VIP Blacksmith, allowing him to boost his mediocre status and join our world's Superhumans, in the usual monster hunting & dungeon/gate defence. Now under the moniker of "Anvil", when not digesting the legacy of a stellar blacksmith, the MC is stuck dealing with a gaggle of girls or out on a lucky mission. Yet this competent heroic crafter is written to be so dense at times, whilst the characters that surround him are thirsty as f@£k. Honestly this feels like the author Toika is writing EER-lite. With the same basic premise, tons of lucky coincidences and a heavy focus on artifact crafting. But this time offering a calmer rollercoaster experience of lesser highs & lows. A decent attempt that failed to wow me but managed not to piss me off, so I doubt I'll remember it.
Lazy Dungeon Master (JP Light Novel)
Dungeon Management, Isekai, LitRPG, Fantasy, Action, Romance, Comedy
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: C+
Okay, time for some Dungeon Keeping, and like most modern Isekai, the author assumes you know the drill. Failing to explain any back-story on why the Japanese MC (Keima Masuda) is such an inhumane foot-fetishist. Who arbitrarily seems unfazed by watching brutal massacres & r*pe, whilst partaking in a little slavery. But beyond that, it follows a formula I've gotten used to... Assimilate with a rudimentary dungeon core, learn the various rules & mechanics, experiment, clear first major threat with ingenuity and then things expand from there. And honestly I had some fun with this one. Tantalizing illustrations unsurprising for a Doujin artist. Seeing Keima balance the serious side of a Dungeon Master with that of a slow life Adventurer / Land Owner. Constantly shifting character perspectives to flesh out the world and other characters, however there are times when it was done needlessly. And the inconsistency of the author, left the story feeling like an assortment of random events, with barely a sense of progression.
Swallowed Star (CH Web Novel)
Xuanhuan, Sci-Fi, Supernatural, Action, Adventure, Romance
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: B-
An alternate timeline where a Covid virus prolifically spreads around Earth and killed about a third of all life. But what it did not kill made all lifeforms a heck of a lot stronger. Swallowed Star follows the diligent Luo Feng, equipped with the basic protagonist perks of: accelerated growth, lucky chances & a rare ability. Making the early monster hunting and PvP enjoyable, although feeling rather lacking. Until the real levels of cultivation are revealed. Which honestly scales to an absurd degree, with everything eventually being measured in km, light years & eras. But before then there's a great deal of focus on VR, allowing Luo Feng to avoid any real danger for a great majority of the story. Cultivating and partaking in trials to get stronger, with the occasional killings; as we embark on a journey into space, the wider universe and beyond. Unfortunately there are very few interesting recurring characters throughout that journey, as the ladies (especially love interests) rapidly become irrelevant, whilst all the guys are out there simping or snitching. In the end the story becomes a predictable race for the MC to raise his cultivation to the appropriate level, in order to save the world/universe/whatever and unlock the "true endgame" we'll likely never see.
The Legend of Sun Knight (CH Light Novel)
Fantasy, Comedy, Action, Adventure, Mystery, Drama
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: B+
Began reading The Legend of Sun Knight just knowing that it was highly rated and good to read when in need of something light-hearted. Didn't expect to have so much fun following the amusing facade of 12 Paladins (Holy Knights) and the absurd religious practises they have to uphold, whilst finding elaborate ways to circumvent such strict traditions. Although not all Holy Knights are as fleshed out as the titular Sun Knight, at least they aren't as one-dimensional as their names would imply. Beyond the initial hook; there's mystery, political intrigue and party adventures galore. The novelty of it all does begin to wear thin, but the cynical Sun Knight remains a fun characters to follow. And the major plot twists would keep most readers on their toes, as this author had me questioning certain tropes regarding the typical Demon King.
Hail the King (CH Web Novel)
Isekai, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Harem, Military, Kingdom Building
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: C+
Hail the King is a weird Isekai where an ordinary student dies and reincarnates into the body of the retarded King Alexander, in an absurdly large fantasy world. This simple setup becomes a lot more absurd when he's able to unconsciously slip into the actual Diablo 2 Gameworld, to gain power & items that can somehow transfer over to the body of Alexander. Honestly if it wasn't for the prospect of some adequate Kingdom Building, I'd have stopped reading then and there. Unfortunately that aspect of the novel feels diluted by the fact that this is basically; 2 completely different stories, with 2 separate power systems, being forcibly merged into an engaging Frankenstein of a story. And I don't know if it's the fault of the author or translator but the MC comes across as immature, with his dialogue and romantic interactions. But there's no ambiguity with the author's fault in making all villainous characters out of the same annoyingly vile sheet of cardboard. At least some of the side characters remain relevant, right up til the inner conflicts between European Football teams and the final race wars.
Spice and Wolf (JP Light Novel)
Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Drama, Business Management
Volumes / Chapters: (v18/c86) - (???/???)
Grade: B
Now that I need to learn some Economics, Spice & Wolf is probably the most engaging read, when it comes to the subject matter. Especially for a medieval fantasy world, with each volume focusing on the type of trade deals that's prevalent during that era. But beyond the currency speculation and flip trading; the budding romance between the Spice (Lawrence) & Wolf (Holo) kept things engaging, with their playful banter. Unfortunately for such a cutthroat merchant, Lawrence is honestly too much of a soft-touch for my liking. Constantly getting the both of them caught up in local politics and trade disputes during their travels. And either being forced to make some tough decisions or leaving it up to Holo save the day. And then rapidly wrapping everything up in a nice neat bow, every 1 or 2 volumes. The author certainly manages to change up this formula every now and then. And there are some side stories sprinkled about to give side characters some love. But this is all about the banter between Spice & Wolf.
The Wizard World (CH Web Novel)
Isekai, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Crafting
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: C
Noble young master, Angele Rio dies and has his body inhabited by a Chinese Reincarnator with a Biochip. Where have I heard that before? Well sadly in this case the Chinese man lacks the desire to bring modern ideas to this backwards medieval fantasy world and lacks the competency to infer, plot or scheme. Constantly leaving himself open to the whim of death seeking adversaries and the all mighty Biochip. Well at least Angele isn't OP and once the Wizardry kicks into full gear we get some pretty good battles. As he adopts a fairly unique combat method (Metal Mastery) with strengths and glaring weaknesses. Until the 2nd half, when the story shifts again, he switches specs to speedrun breakthroughs (Ancestral Bloodlines), old characters are forgotten and the MC must be strong enough to navigate through the chaotic mess that follows.
Castle Kingside (Rewrite) (EN Web Novel)
Isekai, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Medical, Military, Kingdom Building
Volumes / Chapters: (v2/c121) - (???/???)
Grade: B+
Dimitry is a modern day Physician who somehow was forcibly Reincarnated into a medieval style fantasy world. I came into this story blind, but when it began with the MC literally having to work his way up from the absolutely bottom of society, I knew I was in for a slow burn. But after the author demonstrated his content rich chapters of extensive medical knowledge via Dimitry, I was there for the long haul. Even with how frustrating the set-backs could be, constantly hampering progress. Dimitry starts off as a witty Back Alley Physician; working his way up to Criminal Butcher, then Jade Surgeon and beyond. Whilst finding unique ways to merge this fantastical world's magic, with modern day medical and general scientific knowhow. There are quite a few fascinating female characters that aid in his endeavours, though very few male ones, which is a shame. Here's hoping the story continues as I'm very much invested in the progress of all the well developed characters and those that have yet to be fully realized.
Divine Throne of Primordial Blood (CH Web Novel)
Xuanhuan, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance, Concocting, Sect Building
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: A-
Su Chen is a prominent youth of a mid-tier clan and is on the fast track to becoming an arrogant young master, when all of a sudden a strange old beggar blinds him. Now humbled by the ordeal, Su Chen now has to struggle to cultivate and emancipate himself from his annoying clan. What follows is an epic tale within a world that revolves around the aristocratic power of Ancient Beast Bloodlines and Su Chen embarking on his grand ambition to upend the status quo. I've always enjoyed these civilization uplifting stories, especially one with an intelligent, scheming MC that would do anything to achieve a noble goal. Be it intellectual theft, human experimentation, destabilizing society or genocide. His amoral obsession over searching for ways to advance humanity, no matter the source, is what defines his character. Plus there are a few multilayered side characters that aren't simple throwaways, although some may dislike that the story becomes somewhat of a harem. And that unfortunately the author begins to get lazy, with physical conflicts just springing up from some random stupid interaction and a particular cheat item that allows the MC to circumvent so many issues, for an affordable price. But when all is said and done, this Xuanhuan novel tells a fairly unique story that ends up feeling like the prelude to a Xianxia cultivation adventure.
A Practical Guide To Evil (EN Web Novel)
YA, Fantasy, Military, Politics, Romance
Volumes / Chapters: (v6/c43) - (???/???)
Grade: B-
A long time has passed since I last blindly dove into a YA novel and this particular story (which I think is a YA novel) is about Catherine Foundling. A 16 year old orphan who's unfortunate circumstances have her stumbling into villainy, but that depends on how one interprets it. All in all she's inducted as the ruthless Black Knight's "Squire", a role that comes packaged with superhuman abilities. Because this world's power system is based on distilling the power of Good & Evil into Roles (Class). As long as one acts the part, like a Wandering Bard able to go wherever they please to gather stories, almost anything is possible.
Most interesting thing about the story is how it deconstructs a lot of the common tropes found in a Fantasy Tale about Good triumphing over Evil. Yet here it can also be frustrating to read from the perspective of an MC on the side of Evil, constantly on the back foot, with people withholding vital information just to create some easy tension. Or the constant wars, with losses that seem so endless it almost feels meaningless. However what kept me going through all the bullshit, was the impeccable writing (surprisingly liked the Interludes) and seeing Catherine and her companions eventually come into their own roles. Even if she's usually on the business end of a well-trained sword or swept up in the machinations of a superior foe. It ALMOST makes it worth it to see her finally dish out her own schemes and machinations. "Almost" is the key word here.
Isekai Tensei Soudouki (JP Light Novel)
Isekai, Fantasy, Action, Harem, Kingdom Building, Business Management
Volumes / Chapters: (v14/c61) -HIATUS-
Grade: B
Here's a Kingdom Building Isekai where the one unique aspect is that the MC has a fractured soul. Containing: Baldr Cornelius the host body, Oka Masaharu the chuuni Highschool Reincarnator & Oka Sanai an old Edo War General. The way it's handled is fairly unique, but with the true purpose of allowing the MC to handle himself on the battlefield and have enough modern knowledge to revolutionize the kingdom.
Besides his young age this MC has the complete package to almost trivialize any hardships, be it economically, militarily or politically. And normally this would be a huge negative, but after reading several sadistic Western novels in a row, this Light Novel came as a breath of fresh air. And although the tale of brutal strife and enthronement is pieced together by some absurd coincidences, it doesn't prevent it from eventually becoming a compelling read for those who desire stories of territory enrichment. With a good helping of varied battles, on land and in the high seas. I just wish the author would've been a bit less gung-ho about cramming any downtime with Japanese harem nonsense. Even if the exasperating harem eventually graduates into genuine romance, before the abrupt hiatus.
Black Tech Internet Cafe System (CH Web Novel)
Xuanhuan, LitRPG, Isekai, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Action, Comedy, Business Management
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: C+
Found myself a fun cultivation novel, with weird game elements. As Fang Qi is transported into a Xianxia fantasy world and forced to run a successful modern internet cafe, by some mysterious pretentious system. Warping the minds of unsuspecting cultivators and turning them into junkies, of what seems to be the author's favourite bits of entertainment from the late 1990s - 2020. The reader is meant to empathize with pro-gamer Fang Qi, who's forced into this predicament, with little to no reason why. Yet he's written to be far too competent a main character, constantly dabbing on noobs, that he comes across as a Gary Stu. At least there are more than enough side characters to pick a couple favourites from. But just like how the NPC-like side characters spew out the same trite dialogue, the novel and its concept gradually loses its novelty. The author does try to spice things up with the usual face slapping, some research & development and the occasional war. But one can never forget that even when the situation looks grim, at its heart, this is a comedy.
The Mech Touch (EN Web Novel)
Sci-Fi, VR, Xuanhuan, Military, Adventure, Business Management, Politics, Crafting, Clan Building
Volumes / Chapters: (v9/c5500) - (???/???)
Grade: A-
Found this novel by chance as I was in the mood for some engineering. And though this happens to be a Mecha, Sci-fi Space Opera, with a distinct focus on Crafting. The author manages to keep the technology mostly within the realm of theoretical possibilities. As the story follows Ves Larkinson. A competent, but genetically inadequate and annoyingly naive young man; who's forced to rely on a cheating {Mech Designer System}, to overcome a lot of the arduous requirements of becoming a formidable Engineer in multiple fields. With the author often struggling to convincingly contrive competitive or life threatening scenarios, for Ves and his ever growing pool of companions to overcome. Whilst gradually shifting his mundane personality into a bit of a paranoid sociopath. At least the companions in question have strong enough personalities that they can steer the story in any manner of direction. But often following the predictable adage of "What can go wrong, will go wrong."
Then concepts like Metaphysics & Spirituality are introduced to muddy the Sci-Fi waters, with Cultivation. And throughout this slow paced story, there's a great deal of build-up that could lead to nowhere important, or surprising outcomes either way. The Starlight Megalodon arc being the perfect example, as the ramifications of that arduously long adventure are so far reaching that a 1,000 chapters after its conclusion the author can still pull off a surprising payoff. Not sure I can say the same regarding all the dysfunctional relationships that I struggle to take seriously, as there's such a glut of domineering women that I wonder what the author is trying to say about Gender Norms & Transhumanism. In some cases this author is able to pull off some really novel ideas, with some fantastic pay offs. Eventually delving into Clan Building with more depth & intrigue than most Kingdom Building novels around. Just not sure it can completely make up for the excruciatingly slow pacing, having chapters of long-winded procrastinations and the ideas that fail to connect to readers.
The Unexplored Summoner://Blood-Sign (JP Light Novel)
Supernatural, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Action, Comedy, Drama
Volumes / Chapters: (v2/c18) - (v10/c80)
Grade: D
Mysterious Multinational Megacorp. "Toy Dream" has been revitalizing dying cities by turning them into Amusement Parks. Summoners are able to call down powerful "Materials" (summons) into "Vessels" (people with talent), using an "Incense Grenade" to create an "Artificial Sacred Ground" and do battle. Artificial Sacred Grounds last 10 mins, battles are controlled via "White Thorns" (regenerating resource) and Summoners are basically un-target-able throughout the battle. It's the needlessly convoluted plot & battle system that made this formulaic Sci-Fi Supernatural story a pain to get into. As I'm constantly asking "why?" Why 216 petals & 10 thorns? Why is the MC's super power being a Super White Knight? Why do ordinary people simply forget Summoners? When I observed how the author had to waste time explaining all the mechanics of the world, at the end of chapters & the beginning of volumes, rather than telling a good story. I simply gave up. Not even the overpowered yandere White Queen was enough to retain my attention.
A Monster Who Levels Up (KR Web Novel)
Supernatural, LitRPG, Action, Adventure, Harem, Mystery, Crafting
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: C+
Anyone coming into an obscure WN like this would know the drill by now. It's a S.Korean WN, set in our modern world and there's a system in play. Pretty standard fair, with the main hook this time being the MC (Kim Sae-Jin) transforming into low-tier Monsters that obvious end up overpowered in some way. Why though? Why does it matter. I came into this story looking for some dumb fun and that's what I got out of it. Watching the MC unlock countless abilities and expand his revenue stream beyond looting bodies. I even enjoyed seeing the lamentations of the TL, due to all the Korean "Kims" and dumb ideas the author comes up with. But the world building is treated like an afterthought and the calamitous events are routine at this point. And yet with how brain-dead the story and characters can feel at times, it still manages to pull off a well thought out final arc. Minus the epilogue.
Lord Xue Ying (CH Web Novel)
Xuanhuan, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: B+
A fairly typical IET cultivation story, initially with Knights & Mages. Following the titular character "Xue Ying", on his quest to save "x" by becoming stronger. We have intense training in spear arts, death seeking adventures and the usual arrogant Cultivators looking for a face slap. But what took me aback is the shear speed of progression, as it feels like the MC is near the peak less than 100 chapters in. But alas the journey of cultivation is never ending. Going from Mortal, to Transcendent, to Deity and beyond; with an engaging overarching plot at each realm. The best aspect about the story being that it never feels bogged down for too long. Sure that does mean that the story is lacking in plot twists and major setbacks for Xue Ying; nevertheless better that than slogging through an endless bloody war campaign, like in many similar web novels. Towards the end, things like measurements of "distance" & "time", lose all meaning and all that matters is the Dao.
Dungeon Builder: The Demon King's Labyrinth is a Modern City (JP Light + Web Novel)
Dungeon Management, LitRPG, Fantasy, Action, Harem, Kingdom Building
Volumes / Chapters: Completed + (Sequel: 30 chapters)
Grade: B-
I can't help but be reminded of Lazy Dungeon Master as I read this novel. But where this novel differs; is that instead of being lazy and having a weird fetish, the MC is a gun otaku. Being as blank a slate as imaginable, the MC happens to be prime self-insert material. From the loli-tastic companions, with the sexy mentor, to the Dungeon Mechanics and the City Building aspect. I honestly wonder what novel popularized all these tropes I've been finding in recent Dungeon Management novels. But at least the city building & the method behind the acquisition of companions helps give this novel enough depth to keep me compelled. Nevertheless it also made the MC so obscenely overpowered that barely anything was a challenge. Allowing the author to easily rush to some form of conclusion. In the end, this is one of the more enjoyable Dungeon Management novels, just slightly better than Lazy Dungeon Master.
As for the sequel... It seems to be more of the same but with the author having to contrive a flawed way to get this overpowered MC out of the frying pan and back into the fire. All just to get readers feeling some tension, for a few chapters.
Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss (CH Web Novel)
Xuanhuan, Josei, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance, Concoction, Medical
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: B-
First time going for a WN with an autistic Female Lead. Who had her soul transmigrate into the body of another world's spoiled young lady (Jun Wu Xie). Now with a new lease on life, she plans to uplift her once powerful family. Not with the quackery that is commonly practised in this world. But with her "advanced" medical knowledge and her propensity to stumble across useful companions. Unlike the average male cultivator, who spends most of his time arduously cultivating & surviving lucky chances. This girl doesn't waste her time. Mercilessly slapping some faces in as many ways one can possibly imagine. So merciless that I'd rank her up there, with the most murderous & psychopathic male MCs. Shame the dumb overarching plot of "find map, get strong" just has her stumbling across one formulaic situation after another. Trying to be smart with plots & schemes, against the same maniacal villains who do nothing but blackmail & monologue. It isn't helped by how needlessly immature the character interactions are, but I can't be sure how much of that is the author's fault or the fault of the translator. In the end, I enjoyed it a great deal, except those flaws that grew more pronounced towards the end, when all the build-up is made irrelevant.
Common Sense of a Duke's Daughter (JP Web Novel)
Isekai, Josei, Fantasy, Romance, Kingdom Building, Politics
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: C+
I'm going from one female oriented novel to another. From a brutal female-led cultivation WN. To a story with a typical "Overworked Office Lady Isekai'd into the role of a Otome-game Villainess" WN. Huge contrast between the two. This one following a not all that villainy MC (Iris Lana Armelia), the daughter of a duke. She's immediately cast aside to do her own thing, whilst obtaining the authority of a Feudal Lord. Which helps to quickly ramp up towards a startling amount of Kingdom Building, where the MC uses her modern knowledge to manage and uplift the territory. Focusing more on the various systems the MC puts in place, like tax reforms, than army building. Frequently switching to the POV of others, to get their thoughts on the matter and developing a budding romance. Which unfortunately takes a lot of time away from developing the MC and messes with the flow of the story. But nothing messes with the story more than the horrendous translations. Making this a good story that falters a bit towards the end and nevertheless offers a terrible reading experience.
Perfect World (CH Web Novel)
Xuanhuan, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Clan Building
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: D+
Perfect World is a tough cultivation novel to get into, with both the world building and cultivation aspect done rather haphazardly. Requiring one to suspend their sense of disbelief. Opening up with toddlers able to battle and slaughter grown adults. Followed by a senseless amount of death, in a turning point event. From there the author did a good job making Shi Hao into a sympathetic hero, but then decides to lean heavily into the comedy and make the MC nothing but a stupid thieving brat. That is surrounded by stupid kids & adults alike. Including his own blood & kin.
It isn't until halfway into the story that the now 20yr old Shi Hao begins to mature and have a few memorable friends. Nevertheless this novel is all about the battles. While the battles themselves are well-paced, they are constantly instigated by fools with poor memory, who can't remember what happened the last time the MC made a breakthrough. Moreover the rapid pacing of the cultivation is plain absurd. With teenagers and their million year old peers, being on the same level. Only for the author to repeat constant reminders of an impending catastrophe and when it finally occurs, it ends up being more of the same, which isn't all that bad. Yet the Dumb Final Showdown and a million year old baby was the last straw... F**k this novel.
Throne of Magical Arcana (CH Web Novel)
Xuanhuan, Isekai, Supernatural, Science, Mystery, Action, Adventure, Romance, Politics
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: B+
Throne of Magical Arcana is an Isekai, where Lucien is thrown into a world of Arcane Sorcery & Religious Zealotry. From beginning to end we get to see quite a few of the ideas, the author had, that were later fleshed out in his future novels (LOTM). With Lucien starting from the absolute bottom of society, does indeed make following his rise as a musician and the arduous journey into the circles of sorcery worth it in the end. Where it has spellbinding & thought-provoking fights, between intelligent individuals, who rarely try to just brute force their way into victory. But magical battles barely make up a quarter of the story. As apart from classical music, one most have an appreciation of the "Scientific Method" that increasingly has a more important role when peering into common magic principles. This also means the latter half of the story unfortunately focuses more on theoretical scientific papers & arguments and less on the practical applications. Because only when the focus shifts to the practical applications do we get to experience some awe-inspiring spell battles and a technological revolution that scratches my Kingdom Building itch. And though rather anti-climatic, the ending does seem fairly appropriate, by providing a scientific explanation on the nature of the MC's reincarnation. Followed by an extended Epilogue.
Tyranny of Steel (EN Web Novel)
Isekai?, Kingdom Building, Politics, Military, Romance, Harem, Smut, Supernatural
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: B+
Tyranny of Steel... A rather apt title I must say. Had to double check the date, when this "Isekai-esque" novel began. With the MC getting caught up in the US Army's chaotic pullout from Afghanistan. Now sent back in an alternate Medieval timeline, the Baron heir Berenger (Julian Webber) finds himself caught up in: a strife for succession, religious reformation, territory expansion, subterfuge & espionage. All whilst using his future knowledge for some accelerated technological developments in his family's territory. Filling up a good amount of downtime, in-between all the wars and intrigue. It's fascinating seeing Berenger's lofty status rapidly warp his once humble personality, but his extreme Germanic nationalism and unhealthy proclivities are a bit irksome. Leading to a tiresome amount of illicit encounters that comprise at least two dozen pornographic "tags". Yet there are only a few Kingdom Building novels as engaging as this one. With a heavy focus on well researched territory development and a sordid harem that kind of makes sense. Even though his territory develops so fast that he can practically steamroll anything by the halfway point and the only true threat the MC's nation could have (Japan) was so heavily gimped it wasn't funny. In another timeline, maybe the author would have made the opponent's situation more identical in the beginning, providing at least some suspense to the inevitable outcome.
Pursuit of the Truth (CH Web Novel)
Xianxia, Action, Adventure, Mystery, Drama, Pill Concocting
Volumes / Chapters: Completed
Grade: B-
"The goal of cultivation is not mere everlasting life, but it is to pursue the truth." - Su Ming
Pursuit of the Truth is a Xianxia that feels a lot like Er Gen's other novels, but set in a more primitive cultivation world. Where Su Ming somehow cheats his way into becoming a Berserker, one of the cultivators of this world. From then it becomes a sort of coming of age story. Shifting focus onto the mysterious origins of this amnesiac MC. And it does get gut wrenching to see the frustrations & lamentations of Su Ming; a young man with no true memories, no home, no family or kin. Which the author milks for all its worth, to keep the slow paced story compelling, as it undergoes drastic changes from each advancement in cultivation realm. Realms that become confusing once we switch from Berserkers, to Immortal Cultivators and then other races. Sure it's interesting how the world incorporates Daoist Immortals into the story and how they are perceived by the savage Berserkers. What's not so great is how the author fails to incorporate a single compelling female character. No love interest, family, companion or anything of the sort. And how Er Gen is still inept in writing large scale battles, without relying on suicidal explosions and how unnaturally long the author drags out the inevitable reveals.
Posted by
Master10K
| Feb 16, 2022 4:34 PM |
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