Sword Art Online: Progressive

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My enjoyment for SAOP volume 1 was just ineffable. The premise, characters, and pacing of the story was an upgrade from the original SAO itself; the latter substantiated by the fact that this novel published after Reki Kawahara, the author of this magnificent series, has palpably improved his writings. Furthermore, the myriad details which dawn the more auspicious personalities for our protagonists: Kirito & Asuna. Albeit taken aback by the notion of revitalizing the Aincrad series, there is gain from doing so; Reki Kawahara has improved his writings from the dozens of novels he had written in the past, and took those experiences, thus exploiting ... his eloquence in a much mature and fluid manner. Another virtue of this book is its translations. I envisage the translator putting in effort and consideration in choosing the words, and I rarely see any typos nor awkward sentences. In conclusion, it's a must-read if you enjoyed SAO, though felt like there were flaws. Then SAOP may perhaps be the key to change your perspective and enjoy what the premise of SAO in a better experience.

As of writing, I have read books one through six. I think the other reviews do a good job of explaining why this is good so I'd just like to get this out here. The original Sword Art Online was Reki Kawahara's first published story and it was written for a competition with a word limit and such. Which is why the source material and anime is presented the way it is and is as flawed as it is. Therefore I would say it's fair to say that with those problems in mind, the show and source material is good. The purpose of SAO Progressive ... is not to rewrite the source material. Reki is attempting to keep the Canon from the OG stuff as much as possible. Reki wanted to go more in-depth with the story but he couldn't so now he is. By Reki doing this, in my opinion, he fixes many if not all of the flaws that the source material and anime had. So if you didn't like the OG, but you're still interested in the concepts of Sword Art Online I would highly recommend reading Progressive as I think your gripes have been fixed while the core is still there. If you are an SAO fan or think it was good to begin with. I think you'll very much enjoy this series as well.

Sword Art Online Progressive Volume 8
(continuation of volume 7, Casino Floor, Published in English on June 7th. 2022.).

This is the 10th. Anniversary of the Sword Art Online franchise. It actually turns out that this year 2022, 10,000 players will get stuck into a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), called Sword Art Online, SAO, (on Nov. 4th. 2022). It is called a Death-Game by its author because the players must finish it or die trying…Without any pomp or circumstance, the author and his team (publisher, anime producer, etc.) have not really prepared anything special to celebrate the date in which the ... alternate reality world game started. They just have a second film (Scherzo of a Deep Night) launch scheduled for Japan and the U.S. For the rest of the World, the 10 year anniversary celebration will probably occur in 2023, if at all…
This Volume 8, was finished together with Volume 7 in 2020, the author and the Japanese publisher chose January 2021, for Volume 7 and March 2021 for Volume 8, Fifteen months later, the fans and readers of the SAO franchise in the rest of the World, get to read for the first time, Volume 8, which was delayed from it’s 31 of May original date, to the 7th of June, 2022.
Author is not launching or publishing any SAO volumes on the 10th. Anniversary of the Death Game. Anime producers did create a 10th. Anniversary logo (black and white) with half a face (that could be anyone and it is meant to be Kirito) and 10th. Anniversary, Animation Sword Art Online written at the bottom (from Kadokawa).
For me, Sword Art Online, was my first anime-light novel series. It had strong ethical values, a constant fight versus right and wrong, good versus evil. It was also the first time, venturing into the VRMMORPG/LitRPG genre that is so widespread today.

Changes point of view of narrator at the drop of a hat, without warning or direction.
ABEC’s illustrations of Asuna and Kirito, almost make them become other people, they look younger and different, almost as if his style of drawing changed in the middle of the Progressive series…
Volumes 7-8 were a two part volume, called Rhapsody of
Crimson Heat by the author. He uses “song” synonyms and styles in his SAO Light novel series since the beginning, he explained that he played with the idea of following a musical pace, style, etc. to tell his story. Author wrote in the “Afterword”: “to address the subtitle of the seventh-floor story, “Rhapsody” is a word that refers (among other things) to a free-flowing musical composition that is unbound by most traditional forms. My initial plan was for the seventh floor to consist of a number of independent events happening in succession, but the casino plot turned out to carry most of the weight on its own.”

Casino Floor was part of the 2 month Beta Test, according to the Progressive Series, but was not reached in the original SAO Light novel series or the anime series. (Because Beta-Testers only reached the sixth floor in the two month-time).
Author talks about the “Dark Elves - Keys Quest” will be present on Volume 9, but says that the Dark Elves arc started on Floor 3, on Volume 2 of the Progressive Series.
Volume 8, writes about foul play/ fraud, by one of the two families that are trying to gain control of the main Casino. The Progressive series deals with Asuna’s Hot-Bath fetish, and the fancy eating around the different floors that the game designers added to the SAO game. In part it was a way to change it up for the author, or to fill up the new Progressive series with bath and eating anecdotes.
Then there is a desperate quest to save a noble damsel, with vampires, poisonous snakes and even Dragons.
Knowing the author, another volume will probably be turned in, in December/January. So in English we will see it, by mid 2024. Because Volume 5-6 were a one floor, two part volume, and Volume 7-8 were also a one floor, two part volume, most probably this style of writing will continue.

If author/publisher weren't so lazy/greedy/bad to their fans/readers, this series could have been published in 4 Volumes, costing them half, and saving them 2-3 years in wait-time...I think author will abandon this series for lack of time at around volume 10-15.