This review is spoiler-free!

To clarify, I'm writing this review after reading the first volume of this series. The next couple of volumes are supposed to be translated later this year, so I'll be focusing on the first one for now.

The prevailing feeling I had throughout my time with this book was "Maybe it gets better later on?"

To be clear, this isn't a good read. The plot sounds fine when you look at it as a whole, from a distance, but it's very poorly executed. Information is delivered in a haphazard fashion, the narrative is poorly paced, and the story jumps from scene to scene in a confusing and disordered manner. Characters are the same; if you were to describe them in a couple of sentences, they're ok, but the subpar writing doesn't benefit them at all.

One of the main gripes I have with the writing is the fact that the author didn't realize that having a first-person narrator immediately disqualifies you from being able to do surprise reveals that the main character KNEW ABOUT ALL ALONG. If the main character has plot-relevant knowledge, it's poor writing to think that he wouldn't even think about it until it's convenient for it to be revealed, and it's an especially bad fit with the first-person narration.

In the same vein, you can't suddenly pull out abilities and information that the main character had all along, and that would have been extremely handy for him to have used throughout the story, in the last couple of chapters, and expect readers to just go along with it (if you read the first volume you know what I'm talking about). And you most certainly can't proceed to forget all about this plot-shattering revelation in the literal next chapter!

So, venting aside, here's why I'm going to keep reading this series. The author had good ideas, but he couldn't implement them correctly; he had all the right pieces, but instead of putting together the jigsaw, they were tossed onto the floor. However, this is the author's first work; as I said, it's clear that he had some interesting ideas, although he failed in the execution. This can be chalked up to lack of experience. I trust that with some constructive criticism, and help from a good editor, the author can improve his writing and put his ideas onto paper in a way that will make them worth reading. I'll give the second volume a read when it's translated; if I see any improvement, I'll keep reading, and if I don't then I'll drop it like hot garbage. Whatever the outcome, I'll make sure to update this review when it happens.

In summary: having read the first volume, I can't recommend this series. It's not good. However, I'm willing to keep going and give the author another chance.

Thanks for reading!

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May These Leaden Battlegrounds Leave No Trace.

In typical light novel fashion, the long title relates to the overall plot of the story, which one will see immediately upon entering the novel.

This novel series has great potential. It has an interesting story, that, while not unique by any means, can still hold readers invested in the world it takes place in.

Unfortunately, I found the overall writing quality of the book lacking. Events that have little correlation to each other spring up in succession, leaving me feeling a bit confused at what was going on. There doesn't seem to be any plot consistency as continuity errors are numerous. The author writes down one thing as fact and then suddenly blows it away a few pages later without any explanation.

The characters are standard. They don't break any new ground and fit into your classic archetypes. That being said, they aren't terrible and serve as a decent set of eyes for the reader to peer through. The art is also average; it's not particularly memorable, but it gets the job done.

I will also note that despite some early comparisons when the series first came out, Leaden Battlegrounds is quite different than 86. They both share a setting of bloodshed and constant warfare, but that's about it.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this series. For all its faults, I still found myself eager to flip the page and see what happens next in the dreary world our protagonists found themselves in. I look forward to reading the next volumes and hope that as time goes on, the writing quality will improve, and the novel's great potential will be fulfilled.

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