First impressions, new titles, Sept 2022
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Looks like I'm going to be following everything in this batch, except Rebuild World, where I didn't care for the LN.
Mythical Hero: Decent execution. Points deducted for feeling a bit too much like an Altena rip-off, and the pace of events after she drags him back to the fort feel decidedly 'Don't think about this too much, we're fast-forwarding'. But the suggestion that he's been on this train before is a definite plus, even if it feels a bit Prince Caspian.
Hookup Hiccups: I enjoy HS romcoms done well, but that's a fairly high bar for me; I've enjoyed less than half of what JNC's licensed there in the last couple of years. This one is clearing the bar so far - sweet without trying too hard or going for emo melodrama.
Making Magic: Towards the lower end of this batch, but still entertaining. Hope the golem manages to mature and come less cutesy. The flash-forward doesn't bother me at all; this looks to be very much a story you read for the journey, not the destination.
Peddler in Another World: It's a conceit I enjoy, but hopefully we start seeing some consequences and reactions. The mayor was more than a little OTT.
Reincarnated as an Apple: Um. I'm giving this one some rope, at least. It can be fun when it goes full gonzo silly, but the MC was really annoying at the start, and the adventurer is a character type that grates on me.
Invincible Lady: As with others, I'm reminded of Make My Abilities Average with an origin from Leadale thrown in. I do really feel for the MC, though, and the way her OP-ness makes it hard for to live normally definitely helps.
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I guess I have a few different thoughts from others here. I'm currently reading three series (just don't have time or interest in the others):
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Making Magic - So far this is my least favorite of those I'm reading. The writing is borderline. It's not Leadale bad, but there's too much telling, and not enough showing. The overall tone is far too glib for my taste. If the protagonist doesn't prove to be an unreliable narrator (in which case the glib attitude can be an important part of the character building) I will probably drop this series. FWIW, I couldn't even finish the first book of I've been killing slimes for 300 years, and this is worryingly similar so far.
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Invincible Little Lady - So far so good. I'm a sucker for secretly OP protagonists. I think this is part of why I still really enjoy Death March. An OP protagonist changes the nature of the story by removing a set of subplots that annoy me and adding others that I find fun. For example, the reader never has to worry about some petty villain taking her hostage, but if one attempts to you can be certain the outcome will be hilarious. Out-and-proud protagonists completely shape the world around them - everyone bends over backwards to extoll their virtues, for example - in a way that usually just degenerates to adolescent wish-fulfillment. As long as the protagonist manages to keep her abilities reasonably private - enough that most people interact with her as a normal girl - I will probably keep reading.
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Mythical Hero - So far this is my favorite of those I'm reading. It's mechanically much better written than the others and I like that it's built up several mysteries so far. I get a strong hint of Altina from the princess character, which I consider a positive since that was another well-constructed series. I am a bit concerned with how overly-trusting and immodest the princess is proving to be, but I will give it chance to see how that develops. I sincerely hope it doesn't degenerate into a bunch of long descriptions of how red the protagonist's face is because he saw a flash of underwear or other coming-of-age tropes.
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@kuali Peddler and Little Lady are the only ones I've read so far aside from Rebuild and your comments basically sum up my own feelings perfectly. (Especially the worry about the direction Peddler could go.) But I'm happy to give them a chance for the time being.
@Libri-Liberorum said in First impressions, new titles, Sept 2022:
Rebuild World: I'm still reading the LN, although it isn't a favourite, so I'll read this too. Curiously, given the LN, I don't see a "fan service" tag.
I'm both surprised and not by the lack of tag at the same time. It's basically been Alpha that does the fan service so far (and boy howdy does it go extra hard in the manga by virtue of it actually being illustrated) and yet it's not a trait I'd use to define the series.
I'm treating it as an LN supplement since getting to see the visuals outright is a joy and from what's been published it's quite gorgeous.
@Shaun__ said in First impressions, new titles, Sept 2022:
I don’t read romance unless it is so perverted I would be embarrassed to be seen in public with it, so I completely skipped the romcom.
Ok, I snorted reading this.
A part of me is also feeling very attacked. And part of that part of me reads Now I'm a Demon Lord! Monster Girl Dungeon. -
I've read them all now.
Mythical Hero: It is very Altina. Maybe a keeper, but the princess/MC relationship is lacking all subtlety.
Hiccups: The best so far, I expect I'll at least finish the first volume. It feels like a 2-3 volume story - there is only so far you can stretch a simple romance plot.
Making Magic: Not promising, looks very bland.
Peddler: It needs some characters to engage me in a way they haven't so far.
Apple: Like peddler, I'm still waiting for characters to hook me.
Little Lady: Unpromising premise, but the characters are OK, so this is taking second place of this collection.On the "Peddler" premise, here is a story idea I came up with a while ago (which anyone is free to steal.) A modern MC finds a portal to another world, as in Peddler. The other world is medieval tech level. There is no magic. (Or, perhaps low level magic comes in as a Big Reveal in volume 4.) The MC and a band of friends become ... superheros! Yes, this is firmly in the superhero genre. Their superpower is modern tech. (Plus perhaps some good but realistic physical abilities, e.g. someone is national judo champion.) Expect lots of teamwork, electronic spying, kevlar armour, instant radio communication. I'd avoid firearms, as lethal force doesn't fit the superhero genre. Also play up the values dissonance between modern and medieval culture. Do the heros save the king from a coup, given that the king is moderately despotic? How about relationships with the church, which is a mix of honest well meaning folk and corrupt ones? Have a local who early on stumbles on their secret as their Alfred. Optionally, this Alfred finding out the truth about the heroes is how the story opens.
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@Libri-Liberorum said in First impressions, new titles, Sept 2022:
A modern MC finds a portal to another world, as in Peddler. The other world is medieval tech level. There is no magic. (Or, perhaps low level magic comes in as a Big Reveal in volume 4.) The MC and a band of friends become ... superheros! Yes, this is firmly in the superhero genre. Their superpower is modern tech. (Plus perhaps some good but realistic physical abilities, e.g. someone is national judo champion.)
Sounds a bit like Merlin from the Safehold series except the tech is even more advanced than contemporary tech. It's even isekai, though not alternate universe isekai :P ...actually I'm starting to see a lot of parallels with the isekai premise in it now.
My talking sword has a point. And is also right.
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@Gamen I'm more just disappointed that it looks like the next book in that series isn't going to be forthcoming any time soon after the latest volume ended the way it did.
Anyway, not too surprising when you consider most isekai just uses the isekai for background purposes to write up a plot where "MC is thrust into a weird and wonderful land that isn't earth". "Earth was blown up by aliens and you're the last member of society of that high tech society on a colony planet that regressed" fulfills essentially the same purpose in setting up a medieval fantasy world.
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@Libri-Liberorum said in First impressions, new titles, Sept 2022:
Mythical Hero: It is very Altina. Maybe a keeper, but the princess/MC relationship is lacking all subtlety.
What's your thought on the very heavy hints that the princess is the old emperor in a gender-swap reincarnation?
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@jpwong I think Isekai is more a shortcut so the author can write from a POV they know and one they know their intended readers can relate to.
Couldn't say if that's better or worse tho'
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@Libri-Liberorum said in First impressions, new titles, Sept 2022:
Mythical Hero: It is very Altina. Maybe a keeper, but the princess/MC relationship is lacking all subtlety.
Given that I'm going through mad DT's waiting to see when... if... we get more Altina... I'm tempted in spite of myself
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@xdrfiredogx There's def some altina flavor going on, but also OP protag going on, so it's at least its' own mix of things.
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I'm finding Reincarnated as an Apple amusing so far. I hope I keep enjoying it.
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Making Magic was rather disappointing. It spent most of the text on describing that this is a bog standard dragon quest style fantasy setting. But it threw a dash of spice in there at the end of part 2 with the rescued party's perspective throwing in some potential plot threads, so I'll see where that goes.
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This series when jokes aside.
Apple Isekai and another LN/Manga duo to JNC for the win. :D
Now someone just needs to invent a Pen Isekai and JNC's Pikotaro -
Add Mythical Hero to my read list: While nothing about it is leaping out at me the prose is plenty well constructed and makes it a pleasant read. While I'm not yet especially gripped it hasn't done anything to give me huge concerns and is thus the one I'm most optimistic for between it, Little Lady, and Peddler. I'm confident I'll be able to give it a full volume try out.
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@Windsagio said in First impressions, new titles, Sept 2022:
- Making Magic: I really really love series like this, the tone is my favorite for LN's probably. Teto's definitely a winner so far, and I like the evolution bit. I know some people were turned off by the flash-forward, but I'm not one of them. From the start of a book like this you nothing TOO terrible is gonna happen.
Kinda late to the party here but I think that people complaining about the prologue are missing the point. It's the journey and not the destination that make an adventure great. Knowing the end state doesn't really undermine the process of getting there. Especially when the series blurb describes itself as lighthearted.
If anything, the prologue just served to make me more interested in what happens between now and then. She apparently has saved multiple persecuted groups as well as turned a rather large wasteland area into what's effectively some kind of rare creature nature preserve.
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Finally got around to reading Peddler- ehhh I don't know about this one. It has hints it's going to have tropes I really don't like but we'll see. I also don't like how the protag still hasn't even asked his 8 year old helper about her home life/parents/anything even with multiple hints that there's something going on, and how little he thinks about her safety and carrying 10 silver coins walking home alone.
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@Drenok I can stomach the vending machine one because it's basically a sentient traveling item shop and handled kind well (still would never recommend or go out of my way to search for it) but I can't see how becoming an apple can work. I'm more likely to read the one that became a hot spring.
