Currently Reading
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I’m listening to the audiobook of Fuminori Nakamura “The Boy in the Earth”. I have read or listened to all his other books except the latest one “Cult X” which I started but couldn’t quite get into. I love his miserable depressing existential noir. This is a good one too. Nice and short (over halfway done already) but piles a lot of misery in a short space.
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I'm thinking of reading I Want to Eat Your Pancreas, but I'm wondering if it'd be a better experience to go into the movie blind. Any thoughts/reccomendations?
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Aaaaah just finished Empty Box 5 - hands down my favorite Light Novel I’ve read. So so so so so good. I’m excited to read the next volume but bummed that it’s ending soon.
Also reading John Steinbeck’s “Winter of Our Discontent” which I read decades ago and am blown away by how good it is. I’m going to go through and re-read a number of my old favorites.
Then also Potion Loli 2, Average Abilities 5 and Outbreak Company 8. All entertaining so far.
Finished No Game No Life 7 yesterday. Man 6 was so good, this was nowhere near as good, but it did end better than it started.
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My current list with my views on them:
- Arifureta (revenge is a dish best served GORE)
- Death March (Travel with OP MC)
- Overlord (Dungeons and Skeletons)
- Outbreak Company (Moe, moe, moe)
- Realist Hero (re-reading it as it deserves it)
- Saga of Tanya the evil (Damn you Being 'X')
- Asterisk War (Watered down Stratos)
- Mirai (really good)
- Infinite Stratos (goddamn Ichika)
- into Another World with my Smartphone (God is great)
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reading Reborn as a Vending Machine
it's goofy
I like it
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I am currently reading Elf Bride and regretting my decision. While there is some enjoyment to have, the writing is mediocre and few characters are just annoying.
Put danmachi volume 13 on hold because the story is split in 2 books, might as well wait for volume 14 before I suffer through that quagmire. Volume 12 was good, but now we are back to "writing for convenience". Where the author does whatever he wants with the story as long as it is convenient for him/her.
Youjo Senki volume 5 was great, I love how things are slowly falling apart as MC is trying his damnest to prevent it.
So I am a spider, so what volume 5 was great, looking forward to the next volume.
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Speaking of what am I reading, I need to order the latest volumes of SAO and Devil is a Part-Timer.
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@smiley_101 said in Currently Reading:
My current list with my views on them:
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6. Saga of Tanya the evil (Damn you Being 'X')I just finished binge-watching the anime yesterday and enjoyed it, though I have to say Being X
I'm tempted to read the LNs next, though some reviews at Amazon say the translation isn't that good (poor writing) and that the interludes from the so-called "heaven" point of view break the flow of the narrative. I suppose I could skip over those sections.
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@harmlessdave LN's translations are fine but the explanations (about scientific equipment and war) just drags on and on. The Second volume is quite tiring especially but from the third volume it becomes less thorough but explanations are still there.
You can try it if you want, I like this series because of Tanya (sort of anti-hero) and I still haven't watched the anime.
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I’m listening to the audiobook of Goodbye Things a book on Japanese minimalism that I read when I got rid of 80% of my stuff. It’s good to be reinspired.
Konosuba 5- always hilarious. Probably this and A Sister’s All You Need are my favorite comedy LNs. There’s a bit in there with a monster that looks like an injured helpless girl that had me rolling with laughter.
How NOT to Summon a Demonlord 2 - Trying to catch up with some of the JNC volumes I’ve picked up. Reading this at the same time as Konosuba makes me realize they’re actually kind of similar in tone, but this is more ecchi. Like it much more than I remembered.
Strongest Gamer 2- also liking this better than I remembered liking vol 1. Just a fun simple LN, kind of a pity this is the end for the series.
Average Abilities 5 - I think I like shorts volumes better than most people as I find this easy fun and don’t mind the sidetrack from the main plot. Not all the stories are equally good but I especially liked so far the spices and the Inns stories.
Infinite Stratos 2 - aaaand since it’s on catch-up and I’m trying to read second volumes of series I read the first of, I’m reading this but I don’t know if I can do it. I just do not like the writing style. I think I actually like the anime better here as Ichika May be clueless there but he’s not both bitter and clueless, which is how I find him here.
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Just finished Saving 80k Gold vol. 1 yesterday. Another fun FUNA. So far I ten to like their first volumes best and continue to enjoy the series quite a bit, but this first volume and Potions and Abilities all have a special something.
Currently I’m reading
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Classroom of the Elite vol. 2: About halfway done and still think this is a top tier series
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Paying to Win vol. 5: A great start to the volume, hadn’t realized how much I’d missed these characters. Funny, I started reading this two days before it hit catch-up
-Reincarnated as a Sword vol. 1: So far I’m finding this kind of dull but I’m still early on and hopefully it picks up.
- Born a Crime: Trevor Noah’s autobiography of growing up in Apartheid era Africa. I’m liking the details of life and his views on race and youth and his overall candor and humor.
I’ve finished 75 novels so far this year so my Good Reads 100 book challenge should be a cinch to complete, even if I take a few months off reading.
My secondary goal is to chip away at my purchased but not read light novels list. Once I realized that I have the Spice and Wolf hardcover collection and that effectively added 15 books to the list, I have a long way to go. 102 currently. Until that list gets down I probably won’t read too many chapters here at JNC (though I will try to get Outbreak Company and Potions read before they expire).
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I've been reading the Elf Bride series since it's on catch-up, and I've enjoyed the first 3. I was happy to see that removing "slave" from the title wasn't whtewashing since
@the-green-death said in Currently Reading:
-Reincarnated as a Sword vol. 1: So far I’m finding this kind of dull but I’m still early on and hopefully it picks up.
To me it stayed ok-to-pretty-good rather than getting great, but Fran does grow a little as she starts to recover from being a mistreated slave.
I enjoyed it enough to pre-order volume 2. It's a second-tier series for me, below must-buy ones like FUNA's, Death March and Realist Hero, but I read a LN in less than an evening so having more to read is a good thing.
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@harmlessdave I thought it got better and by the end I found it a pleasant time waster. I haven’t ordered vol. 2 but I suspect I’ll get to it at some point, it was fun enough to stick with.
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Gonna give this thread a bump because is some kind of cosmic karma, I'm getting not one, but two Christmas themed volumes this year. Most of you know that Full Metal Panic"'s current volume is Christmas themed, but when I cracked open the recently released volume 15 of Devil is a Part-Timer I was surprised to see that it is also Christmas themed. For that, once got to say "Thank you, Yen Press" even though there's probably no chance this was intentional.
Emi in a green Santa outfit. Wow. Just wow.
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I am always looking for fellow fans to talk about my favourite series How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom. But I am also checking out plenty of other stuff we could chat about. Currently I am reading:
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How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom - my favourite series I am convinced could be worth more than an anime adaption. (I wish there would be a Lord of the Rings-like movie adaption of that!!!)
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In Another World With My Smartphone - more or less a surprise for myself. While the story is not that good, I love the pace it is told.
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That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime - The concept got me hooked when it was freshly new. I am still with it.
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The Rising of the Shield Hero - Same reasons as with Slime. The start got me a little off, by how dark it was. But the way the hero is handling the challenges is awesome.
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Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody - I picked it up after reading the recommendation by @HarmlessDave. Similar reasons to Isekai Smartphone why I like it.
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Ascendance of a Bookworm - I got put off at first, going by the title alone. But when I gave it a go, I found a surprisingly interesting story behind I am still following.
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If It’s for My Daughter, I’d Even Defeat a Demon Lord - something I should mention here, since I enjoyed it a lot. Has a disappointing ending, though.
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My Next Life as a Villainess All Routes Lead to Doom! - Love RomCom!
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Reincarnated as a Sword - It starts horrible. Later on it is more fun and enjoyable as a semi-action novel.
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The Dirty Way to Destroy the Goddess's Heroes - I love the humour behind it. <3
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The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious - I can identify myself with the hero.
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Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! - Feels as little like reading a tourist report mixed with fantasy. I wish I could be the Elf who visits Japan, though. But dreamland is cool too!
Aside of those there are some more stuff which I am just starting to read and cannot say much about them yet.
Altina the Sword Princess (good start - wait, it is by the same author who wrote How not to Summon a Demon Lord?)
Arifureta From Commonplace to World's Strongest (hm...)
Classroom of the Elite (somewhat different than the fantasy stuff I usually prefer)
Goblin Slayer (why do people consider it too explicit in the beginning?)
Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash (got interested after watching the great anime)
JK Haru is a Sex Worker in Another World (curiousity)
Seirei Gensouki Spirit Chronicles (mixed feelings so far)
Restaurant to Another World (makes me hungry for Japanese food)
Seriously Seeking Sister! Ultimate Vampire Princess Just Wants Little Sister (a one-shot, I assume - I hope there will be more)
Sexiled (two volumes out so far - it feels more so~so - too much emphasis on sexist)
Spice and Wolf (never got interested when it was new - giving it another try these days)
The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life (I like it)
The Greatest Magicmaster’s Retirement Plan (uncertain)
The World's Strongest Rearguard Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker (fun)
Woof Woof Story I Told You to Turn Me Into a Pampered Pooch, Not Fenrir! (woof?)If that sounds a lot to you - I have been told my reading speed is unusual. People assume it must be a side effect of Asperger-traits. But I cannot really tell, since I cannot tell the difference. Feel free to involve me in discussions about the novels we share interest in.
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Ahh a dangerous topic has been summoned! Hello, for those who don't know me I live and breath books.
In no particular order:
- Observation Record of a Self-proclaimed Villainess’ Fiance (this is a reread since my physical JPN vols finally came in)
- I Swear I Won't Bother You Again!
- Common Sense of a Duke's Daughter
- The Villainess Is Being Doted on by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country
- Villainous Daughter Aims for the Last Boss
- A Slight Smile is Very Charming
- My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
- Ascendance of a Bookworm
- Full Metal Panic
- Princess Bibliophile
- The White Cat That Swore Vengeance Was Just Lazing on the Dragon King’s Lap
- I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!
- I’m Not a Villainess!! Just Because I Can Control Darkness Doesn’t Mean I’m a Bad Person!
- The Consequences of Having a Master-Servant Relationship With a Yandere After Reincarnation
- It Seems Like I Got Reincarnated Into The World of a Yandere Otome Game
- Red Data Girl
- Earl & Fairy
- The Beginning After the End
- They Say I Was Born a King's Daughter
- Prince of Silk & Thorn
- Three Lifetimes
- Dragon Prince's Bride
- Heavens Official Blessing
- Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivations
- The Scum Villain's Self Saving System
- Startling Surprises With Every Step
As you can see I read a lot of...Villainess Noble Girl titles...Some I am reading the official translations for and some I own the physical volumes now, so I'm testing my patience and practice skills on translating them against various fan-translations. Bu Bu Jing Xin (Startling) I'm reading bc I'm a serious masochist who didn't learn from the first time I read it/watched the original drama...
Strictly speaking I'm also reading a bunch of webtoons and manga. For non-LN I'm in the midst of "Daughter of Shades" by Sylvia Mercedes, "Pirate Throne" by Carysa Locke and "And All the Stars" by Andrea K Host (plus the beta reading for a few other books I can't name).
For me the serialized format works well, as it means I can read many series at once on rotation rather then worry I can't finish a book due to time.
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I buy Premiums for these J-Novel Club series:
Cooking with Wild Game
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom
In Another World With My Smartphone
Infinite Dendrogram
Lazy Dungeon Master
Me, a Genius? I Was Reborn into Another World and I Think They've Got the Wrong Idea! - Note: does not get an ending
Mixed Bathing in Another Dimension
My Next Life as a Villainess
Tearmoon EmpireI will also start getting the Premiums for "Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill" once they add the bonus content to volume 1.
I read the part releases for many other J-Novel Club titles but don't enjoy them enough to want to own them.
Aside from the J-Novel series I also purchase:
The World's Strongest Rearguard -- kind of a "reborn in a video game with a harem" series, but somehow manages to distinguish itself in a low-key way. I think this series works better if you like turn-based RPG's because the battles are structured in that way. In terms of comparisons perhaps it is something like a cross between Infinite Dendrogram (game mechanics -based) and Mixed Bathing (general tone).
Re: Zero -- the anime (which I also own) is a very faithful adaptation but the Novels are still worth reading.
The Rising of the Shield Hero -- a step up from the (fairly decent) anime but a somewhat awkward localization by the publisher.
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I just finished the first volume of The Greatest Demon Lord is Reborn as a Typical Nobody and it was probably my least favorite Light Novel of the year. Nothing original here (which isn’t always a problem), but with mediocre writing and flat characters too. Only big thing going for it was good at and short chapters, I like short chapters.
Before that I read the first volume of The Dirty Way to Destroy the Goddess’ Heroes. Which was per good, but not as funny as I’d hoped (wanted more Konosuba-style humor- that’s my favorite humor LN).
Before that I read volumes 5-10 of Asterisk War. I started reading the series early in my light Novel reading career and liked the brisk pace and action writing and hadn’t read enough to be annoyed by the cliches. I took a few years away between volumes but picked up 5 which I bought ages ago and had a great time. I think the series gets better and better as it goes along and the works building is pretty great IMO. Those who wrote it off early on might be more impressed later (or nit, obviously taste is subjective).
Overall finished 121 books this year, 93 of which were light novels. Most I’ve read in a year and I had a lot of fun.
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@serah said in Currently Reading:
People assume it must be a side effect of Asperger-traits.
I believe it is a side-effect... every Asperger's person I know reads voraciously.
I never could get into Smartphone. Maybe it's because I watched the anime first but the MC is just way to OP, all the girls have to be in love with him, and there are no male characters in the party. I know that describes 80%+ of the isekei genera but there is something about how Smartphone does it that grated on my nerves. In contrast, I like Death March in all it's forms -- anime, manga, and light novel. Maybe it has something to do with the fact the the MC is trying to downplay/hide his OP from everyone. Arifureta is another that has an OP MC but he isn't trying to save anyone -- to the point where he'll use his own classmates as meat-shields, and he's not oblivious to the concept of feeling.
Arifureta Zero has my endorsement because the the party actually includes more than one male character, and there is no harem. In fact, the party currently has more males than females. Something I didn't expect to find in shonen fantasy works.
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@farmerdad I absolutely understand what you mean. Long story short every story with an overpowered main character which gets every challenge handed easily is a boring thing on the long road. Especially when the overpowered character already acts God-like at such ease (invading even God's realm by "accident"). I got that impression fairly quick after my initial liking for those kind of stories. The first stories of that kind I got hooked were "The Rising of the Shield Hero" and "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime".
In retrospect, the only reason why I kept reading Isekai Smartphone is only for the pace of how quick it is released. As if I compare a really good novel with a high class movie like "Star Wars" or "Lord of the Rings", a good novel with a prime time TV movie, and that kind of Isekai Smartphone like a weekly aired sitcom. I am reading it due the lack of the real good stuff being released as often and fast as Isekai Smartphone is. And at some point, I just went with the flow since the way it is written makes it really easy to read.
Interesting enough, I have read with the forums that a lot of people seem to pick up light novels because there is an anime related to it. In fact: I have never watched any anime related to a light novel. With a few exceptions I cannot see any anime out of a light novel would be fun - but that is probably also due the fact that those anime are behind a pay-wall for me.
I am fairly surprised though, how many titles I recognise from light novels nowadays. Most series were not even any popular when I picked the books years ago. When I started years ago with stuff like "How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom" or Shield Hero - no one I know ever heard anything of them, making me believe it is a niche only thing.
I imagine, people who are fed up with overpowered main characters but still liking Isekai might be attracted towards the kind of novels like "How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom" or "Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash". "Ascendance of a Bookworm" might be another pick, but for different reasons in the difference of genre.
