Moon Blossom Asura: The Ruthless Reincarnated Mercenary Forms the Ultimate Army: Volume 2 - Dropped in the second chapter of the volume. Downplayed sexual assault. When the victim reported the incident to their guild leader she even praised the perpetrator for it. When asked why he did that to the girl the following conversation happens: “Good job, Reko! If you’d groped Salume, I would’ve gotten actually mad at you. If you’d touched Lumia, she would’ve punched you. Iina’s Iina. Your judgment was sound.” “Eh heh heh.” Reko looked happy. “WHY ARE YOU PRAISING HIM?! I thought you were gonna scold him!”.
Taking My Reincarnation One Step at a Time: No One Told Me There Would Be Monsters! Volume 4 - This series is has a meek MC that is scared of monsters even though she is overpowered and has nothing to fear, just like Campfire Cooking. But compared to Campfire Cooking here MC is endearing and the “oh I’m scared”-schtick isn’t annoying. Reading through this volume I was trying to feel out where the difference is and I think it’s because MC isn’t dumb. She knows that she would be perfectly fine, she’s just scared of bugs and doesn’t want to go into a place where there are giant versions of it. Anyway, the characters are likable and are slowly fleshed out. Especially the female sidekick got more background info this volume with the introduction of her family. - 7/10
D-Genesis: Three Years after the Dungeons Appeared Volume 4 + 5 - It’s been a while and I completely forgot how jarring, frequent, and on-the-nose the obscure references are. The picture of the author I have in my head from reading this series is someone who interrupts everyone mid-sentence in the most condescending tone to correct some tidbit they said. The “Uhm Akshually…” type. That’s how this series reads. Here is an spoiler free excerpt as an example:
“I know she’s an employee of the GIJ, but what’s the story on how the JDA wound up recommending her?” I eyed the No. 103 noodles, rethinking how a porous bronze-cut pasta would pair with tonight’s sauce, and returned them to the pantry in favor of Buitoni No. 71, which I added to the pan. In my mind, there were two brands that ruled the home-meal pasta heap—the smooth Buitoni, and the rough and porous De Cecco. Ever since Nestle Japan’s cessation of direct-market sales of Buitoni, the former had been hard to come by, which had put De Cecco on top, as it was both tasty and cheap. “Well, she has an FGA diploma from the Gemological Association of Great Britain and a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America. She’s supposedly a gifted appraiser.”(5)”
Why the fuck is there a tangent about noodle and their sales distribution in the middle of a completely unrelated discussion. And that’s just one example. The entire series is this way. I could have opened a random page and there would be a good chance for some pseudo-sophisticated rambling. I like the idea of building a company around the emergence of dungeons well enough, but the prose is just unbearable.-3/10 dropped again (until I forget that I dropped it an pick up the next volume in a year)
Downplayed sexual assault
Okay, um…maybe book burnings aren’t as bad as I thought.
I wouldn’t quite go that far. That whole book burning thing is a touchy subject where I live and there are series that are a lot worse in that regard (cough MT cough), but when something makes me feel uncomfortable reading it I rather drop it. I don’t think that those kind of LNs are intellectually challenging enough that I would gain anything worthwhile from reading them even though I’m uncomfortable.
I’m being a tad sarcastic, but that’s still a big fucking yikes.
That D-Genesis excerpt is rough. What the hell is the point of that? I wonder what the translator must be thinking when they see something like that. This tangent reminds me of a while back when I was reading Moby Dick and there is a whole section of that book that reads like a wikipedia page on sperm whales. I ended up just losing interest during that portion of the book and moving on to a different one. However, I will say that at least information on sperm whales was not completely unrelated to the main plot of the book.
And talking about sperm whales isn’t a brand sponsorship. Just like the noodle brands there was another part a little later that stood out like an ad:
Dean grabbed his Jabra Evolve 80 headset and switched to video call. He had purchased the headset because he was enthralled by its active noise-canceling capabilities, but around his family’s home in Kingston, there was hardly much noise to cancel. About all it was good for was covering up the sounds of his air conditioner or computer fan, and music alone would drown those out. Still, he rather liked the headset, including the busy light, currently reflected in the window and visible only to him.
When I read this I had to think about the movie Wayne’s World with the jokes about brand sponsorships. Who knows, the author might have a sponsorship with Buitoni and Jabra. Maybe there is a 75% off code for 3 years of Nord VPN and a special offer from Raid Shadow Legends.
Taking My Reincarnation One Step at a Time: No One Told Me There Would Be Monsters! Vol 4
Finished reading it on monday or tuesday. Similar experience to previous three volumes. Everyone has aphantasia, and the editing was awful.
4/10I have picked up some games and finally got a job, so I won’t have that much time to read. (Just started reading Sky Crawlers and after first chapter everything seems very good. I like very tactile language and high EQ of main character)
Gratulations on getting a new job!
Thank You! It means a lot to me.
Bookworm Part 5 - Vol.05 to 08
I am finally caught up with Bookworm. After about a month and a half of reading nothing but Bookworm I am at a loss of what to read.
Invincible Little Lady - Vol 05
Read the latest in this series, didn’t enjoy it as much as some of the previous books, but good if you just want some wholesome fluff.
Bookworm part 5
Come suffer with us at [email protected] or post some fanart or memes in [email protected]
I really like The Conqueror From a Dying Kingdom as it is similar in a certain vibe from bookworm. It has more mature themes but:
- MC isn’t OP
- MC has very good menagment skills
- MC builds stuff to help him succeed
- Doom is looming on the horizon(Myne can die at any moment from devouring and whole kingdom is going to fail)
And after you have tried to chase the same feeling as bookworm you will return with a reread (forshadowing there is splendid)
Edit: don’t read vol 6 until vol 7 releases. Cliff hanger is too much for my human soul.
I am avoiding the Prepub , Side stories and Fanbook until I reach my limit. Usually for series I really enjoy I try to keep 1 book behind for those dark days where you need something to get you through.
I did have a look through [email protected] after catching up. I will have to spend some more time over there.
Thanks for the recommendation, I will have to look at it.
Edit: don’t read vol 6 until vol 7 releases. Cliff hanger is too much for my human soul.
I should have heeded your call. Now I’m suffering until the next volume.
At least in volume 6 we have confiramtion that they found the thing they ware looking for. And the scene when Yuri told Mylo about it was superb.
I am finally caught up with Bookworm. After about a month and a half of reading nothing but Bookworm I am at a loss of what to read.
Can I interest you in Cooking With Wild Game? I believe that this is the series that is closest to Bookworm. Granted I’m the only one who is saying this but I’m not delusional, so hear me out:
- both series start with very low stakes (Myne: “I want to make paper to make a book”; Asuta: “I want to cook for this one person as thanks for saving me”) and then slowly develop into casting ever larger and larger circles.
- both are the opposite of the usual isekai power fantasy with the MCs being severely weaker (both physical and socially) than the people around them
- both are raisin their standing due to their own hard work and not through some god given power
- the development in both is very slow and character-driven instead of plot-driven
- both are at the core a story about a class divide with the isekai MC breaking up the status quo
- both feature a loveable cast who come with their own lives, motivations and wants
- both have relatable characters that don’t constantly look down on themself or have an inflated ego
- both actually use the isekai aspect for the story instead of just using it a narrative crutch
- META: both use the bonus chapters to flesh out the story with POVs of side-characters by showing what is happening behind the scenes outside of MCs direct involvement (see my point about side characters having their own motivations and wants)
I really don’t think that there is another series that shares so many similarities with Bookworm as Cooking With Wild Game.
/end of sales pitch
And now just between us: Wild Game is a lot slower than Bookworm so this seems to be a turn-off for many. It’s not exactly conflict-free but the what conflict there is is less dark compared to Bookworm. There is also some suspension of disbelief needed initially since the basic premise is that the tribe of people MC lands in has never tried to prepare food for better taste instead of just nutritional value. But I would argue that this is a very low hurdle if you can live with someone being transported to another world.
Thanks, yeah I remember you recommended it before.
Wild Game is a lot slower than Bookworm so this seems to be a turn-off for many.
I don’t mind a slower series, I enjoy Death march (Note - there is quite a bit of fan service and the MC has quite a few young girls with him but continues to go on about how he only likes older ladies) which took a volume to cover 1 week preparing to just leave for another city.
It does sound fairly similar. I will have to add it to my list.
and the MC has quite a few young girls with him but continues to go on about how he only likes older ladies
Ah, the times I argued on reddit about whether or not Death March was a harem. Especially when the anime was announced people over there just dismissed it as a harem show. Yes, he has a party of girls with him but there was never any ambiguity about him seeing them only as companions/daughter figures. He never tried to touch them or did lust after them in his inner monologues. But for the r/anime crowd, it was a harem when there were girls in the party and that was that.
Yeah it’s like Myne.
He collects daughters
Myne collects fathers
Sword Art Online Progressive vol 1: I really liked this one. Like, I was expecting generic dumb SAO fun, but it actually digs in to nuances of the system and community in a way that really makes it feel like a story in a world, not just a power fantasy. Plus Kirito being an awkward teenager is much better than… the main series.
Roll over and die vol 3: I feel like this series gets more interesting as it goes on, and the main characters see actual development and have to fight internal conflicts, but it also feels like stuff just comes out of nowhere pretty regularly. And so many of the villains are just comically evil. It’s a bit hard to judge whether it’s actually good, but I definitely enjoyed volume 3 more than the first two. I’m almost done volume 4 and this is still holding so far, but in this series it feels like it only takes one weird sequence to shift my feelings on it so who knows how I’ll feel in a few chapters.
Roll over and die
Was that the series with both the MC and sidekick getting so absurdly mistreated as a backstory? With the monsters that have some spiral face?
Yep, that’s the one!
I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic: Vol 1 (pre-release, unfinished)
If there was a Mary Sue contest, not only would the protagonist of this light novel win, all the other contestants would turn out to be attractive women who would then join his harem and magically become even more attractive. This novel follows a reverse of murphy’s law. Anything that can go right will do so in the most beneficial way possible. What conflict exists only hurts the side characters responsible and then benefits the MC.
It started out as low stakes fun, then became annoying, now I’m curious to see how much more ridiculously lucky the MC can get. 3/5
I Don’t want to Be the Dragon Duke’s Maid! Serving My Ex-Fiancé from My Past Life: Vol 1
It was enjoyable enough. Somewhat tropey, reincarnated female protagonist has special powers and must overcome a dark plot from her past life to complete a love story. The draconic sexual dimorphism induced gender inequality subplot seemed interesting but felt underused. The confrontation at the end was underwhelming. 3/5
The 100th Time’s the Charm: She Was Executed 99 Times, So How Did She Unlock “Super Love” Mode
Vol 1: This was actually a lot better than I expected from the title. A somewhat tropey, execution triggered, time loop story. The special ability gimmick she unlocked after death 99 made it work for me. 3/5
Vol 2: The first half was fine, a modest twist on the usual school arc. But the second half ruined the whole series for me. Unwarranted physical abuse and forced marriage plots can work if the story does the legwork to set the stage and make them palatable. This story did not. 1/5
Enough with This Slow Life! I Was Reincarnated as a High Elf and Now I’m Bored: Vol 1
I read Vol 1 and now I’m bored. Nothing wrong with the story, and the writing is above average (especially compared to the others in this comment.) It is a low stakes, slice of life, travel story, and so the plot moves/restarts before anyone other than the MC can really develop as a character, and the MC isn’t very interesting… (Seems like that might get better in Vol 2.) 3/5 (but I could see it as 4/5 if the story picks up from here.)
and so the plot moves/restarts before anyone other than the MC can really develop as a character,
The series does something I don’t see often by creating character attachment to side characters through the MC instead of the side characters themself. I think Frieren was a clear inspiration for this series. Although Frieren does it a lot better. I think that’s because Frieren is a loveable dork and seeing her miss a passed-away character makes the reader feel it as well, while the MC in this series is rather bland and most of the time the same gimmick does not hit for him. But since I haven’t read any other LN that works in that way I find it refreshing enough to keep reading and when the gimmick hits, it hits good.
