So we got our first level 9999 opponent, I wonder if C will break the level cap.

@Jon-Mitchell

@Jon-Mitchell said in An Unruly Summon Vol. 1 Discussion!:

the rest are competent, have agency , and badass in their own unique way

as I said I personally believe that this already happened, Wendy is clearly her own character and has no need for Thomas, same goes for Christine, who even if she is already dead had her agency from the start, and got to shine from part 5, the only one we've yet to see act on her own is Minoru since she appears until the end and spent most her time unconscious but even Mary, she seems to be a bit cocky and out spoken seeing as she made remarks over the language Chris and Wendy use even if they are nobles and she would know not to talk over them

@sorvani That is indeed a good sign. Thanks.

I quite enjoyed the short story from the crown prince's point of view. He seemed like a bit of a cipher before, as seen from Patience's perspective, so it was nice to see what he was actually thinking--especially about Patience herself.

The illustration with both Patience and Albert was a surprise to me. Considering how often Patience is called small, both by herself and others, I was expecting a greater difference in heights between her and Albert, especially since Albert is older than her by a couple of years.

An anime was also announced last month.

Kinda felt like the author realized they were tired of writing this series. I mean, right at the start we got an entire war arc skipped over and the rest of the volume was making sure all the various story beats got nice bows. All in all it was fine, but I doubt I'll remember I read this in a few years.

@wanderer_1204 said in Long Story Short, I’m Living in the Mountains Vol. 3 Discussion:

Ooh a chicken POV chapter. Unfortunately it was too short. I would have liked to know more about the supernatural features of Sano's mountain.
I am looking forward to seeing their winter.

Way too short, but was still a good reminder that Yuma really is Best Girl, in this and many other series.

I feel sorry for the lady knight but it doesn't feel she has any real chance of winning. I'm one curious about the mysterious swordsman, thoug.

I actually thought this volume was more interesting than some in the middle of what we have of the series translated so far. I felt the plot was moving along nicely with some developments in personal relationships... I was thinking of dropping the series, but still wanted to finish this one and was glad I did.

So we one more volume left. I'll be extremely disappointed if this end with Liz winning against Demiutgos by herself and Hiro failing even in his new life.

@kurosov said in The Troubles of Miss Nicola the Exorcist Vol. 3 Discussion!:

@yzh4rjdzob6 said in The Troubles of Miss Nicola the Exorcist Vol. 3 Discussion!:

But in the end, it was just.. bleh. Using the doppleganger to frame the framer is very unsatisfying. With how it ended, I'm more curious as to how the Char/Emma switcharoo turned out..

Even with the doppelganger in play this could have been more interestingly written.

Imagine if instead of the main cast setting her up it was written that her up her own actions causing one of the 7 wonders and the bad karma with all those grudges on her was the catalyst for the part developed second doppelganger to fully form and that one incriminated her before being made into a familiar for Char.

Or the doppelgänger plan hits a few snags while they act it out. For example, Nicola & Co need to make sure it's not imprisoned and executed before it can switch back with the vice president.

The flip side of solving this without using a doppelgänger is that it makes the protagonists look like they're holding an idiot ball. The doppelgänger option is available to them. It doesn't make sense not to use it.

I think the entire setup should have been different. More specifically, a problem that can't easily be solved by throwing Ernst, doppelgängers, shikigami, flawless-otome-suitor-powers, and concealment magic at it. The solution should include these things, as appropriate, but it can't be enough.

This volume felt like a reverse Umineko no naku koro ni until the reveal that the murder really was done without the assistance of the supernatural. (Both series have closed room murder mysteries in a setting where the supernatural actually exists. But it's not certain whether the culprit used mundane methods or supernatural powers to commit the crime. Either way, the protagonists need to explain how it could have happened without the influence of nonhumans.)

What annoys me is that this lady is the second homicidal vice president to pop up within the span of three volumes.

Also, I appreciate how the first chapter mook baddie became the MVP of the entire series. Gemini is adorable.

I was convinced that Ferlin was going to be a new heroine, but I guess being more interested in Siegfriend doomed her in the end. Still, I appreciated that she was killed after going berserk and becoming too dangerous, less so the fact that Erich wasn't able to do so by himself.
Speaking of our protagonist, I hope we won't have to wait too long before seeing what he's truly capable of, sometimes it feels the author started the story with an overpowered protagonist in mind and then decided writing a newbie would be more interesting.
Next volume we should have female Mika back, I hope we'll get an answer of at least a solid hint if she's in love with Erich and we should expect an harem ending outside of the Hendersons.

So this time it was maids.
Caim's sister didn't wet herself but now is a wanted fugitive. Will their father try to reach Caim for help?

@karasutengu said in From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman Vol. 8 Discussion!:

@Geezer-Weasalopes said in From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman Vol. 8 Discussion!:

Inviting him to a hot springs?
You shameless hussy, you!

Way to go girl way to go! Keep it up...

And she sure did in this part. As my Australian friend used to say to his missus - "Good on ya, sheila". (And no, Shelia was not her name)

@Pieta said in Miss Nicola the Exorcist Vol. 1 Discussion!:

For an isekai, the book shows an uncommon amount of interest in the other world. It's not just that it is "reminiscent of historical Europe" as a lot of novels put it - Nicola places it somewhere in the 19th century, but also notes that it is not our 19th century based on various anachronisms, like coed schools. The book also touches on differences in etiquette and behaviour, like how backchanneling which is expected in Japanese conversations would be considered rude here, or how even the way knocking before entering works differently. I really like other worlds being treated as actual worlds with unexpected sides to them so this was right up my alley. And overall, the book seems surprisingly well-researched*, for example the five rules for dealing with spirits touch on both Japanese and world folklore in ways that I could recognize, which was a pleasant surprise. The way Nicola mixes western and Japanese occultism, with neither being a perfect fit for the other world, was also intriguing.

*) Mostly, then there's a plot point that depends on the West not having a concept of witching hour, unlike Japan, which, well...

Plot-wise, once it gets through the opening shenanigans, it's pretty good. I especially liked the first half, with the two sisters, one alive and one dead, both being drawn to action independent of the other when overhearing the same heartless comment by the man who caused the suicide of the older one. I only wish the eventual outcome for that man had a lot more teeth.
In the second half, the unknown narrator's first-person horror dreams being mixed with the third-person story were a great touch that kept the tension high.
And there's more than one great "tiny detail that actually turns out to be important" moment.

I agree with all of this. The main reason I pushed through the slower start was because it touches on the various anachronisms and differences in culture. Most isekai royal academy stories just plop the characters in a strangely-modern school with strangely-modern uniforms (I'm pretty sure historical Europeans would throw a hissy fit over the short skirts.)

Once the occult stuff picked up it went from good to great.

@pcj said in The Countess Is a Coward No More! Vol. 3 Discussion!:

@Makine said in The Countess Is a Coward No More! Vol. 3 Discussion!:

Wait wait wait. How is this the same writer as Lady Bumpkin? Lady Bumpkin is like a degree of magnitude better written.

Maybe this one is older and their writing has improved since then?

I'm late and I've not read Bumpkin, but alternatively -- perhaps the editor(s) on that one had more say and/or talent?

Heaven knows my prior flaccid attempts at creative writing before and after someone else provided feedback were markedly different.

Let’s get the topic back on track. Thank you

@Propagandist said in Butareba Vol. 7 Discussion:

Thanks to the team for another release. I'm not following weekly, but I buy every ebook when they come out (and when I notice they come out).

Managed to snag the earlier volumes for this series thanks to the Kadokawa sale. Otherwise I would’ve had to wait till I have unused monthly coins before getting the ebooks (which would’ve taken much longer since I’m actively following another series).

Wow, the first time I read a light novel that finished. 😅

Grimdark finally showed up.