English Title: Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World Japanese Title: キミと僕の最後の戦場、あるいは世界が始まる聖戦 — “Kimi to Boku no Saigo no Senjou, Arui wa Sekai ga Hajimaru Seisen” Author: Kei Sazane — 細音啓 Illustrator: Ao Nekonabe — 猫鍋蒼 Translator: Jan Cash Genre: Action, Fantasy, Romance Original Run: May 2017 – ongoing English Run: September 2019 – ongoing Japanese Publisher: Fujimi Fantasia Bunko English Publisher: Yen On (Yen Press) Volumes in Japanese: 7 (In Progress) Volumes in English: 1 (In Progress) Average Price Per Volume: Paperback $11 — Kindle $8 — Nook $8
Synopsis: A great war has raged for years between the scientifically advanced Empire and Nebulis, the realm of the witches-until the youngest knight ever to receive the title of the Empire’s strongest meets the princess of the rival nation. Though they are sworn enemies, the knight is taken by her beauty and dignity, and the princess is moved by his strength and way of life. Will the fighting between them ever be allowed to end?
Why Shouldn’t a Detestable Demon Lord Fall in Love?!
A new light novel series released its first volume in English recently, titled Why Shouldn’t a Detestable Demon Lord Fall in Love?! — courtesy of Sol Press. I was fortunate enough to get the chance to interview Adam Haffen, the editor of this book! So without further ado, let’s start with an introduction and then dive into the questions, which will hopefully give you all a better idea of how light novels are prepared for their releases in English.
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Adam: My name is Adam and I’m the editor-in-chief and publishing manager at Sol Press. As an editor, my job is to take our translations and polish them up. More than just fixing errors, I get to rearrange, reword, and sometimes even rewrite lines in order to make the text sound natural and pleasing. I also became the publishing manager just in time for our release of Why Shouldn’t a Detestable Demon Lord Fall in Love?! It’s my job to handle everything related to publishing our books; creating files to send to distributors and our printer, sending said files to the people they need to be sent to, I take care of it all. I’m hoping that I can use my new role to make our releases the best they can be.
Cho: How would you describe the role of an editor in the translation and publication of a light novel? Do you work closely with other Sol Press team members? Or the original author?
Adam: If you ask me, editors are the ones who make light novels enjoyable to read. Translations can be… stiff without proper editing, which is where I come in. I find and correct errors, but I also rework the text so that things flow smoothly, characters have consistent voices, and so on. I’m fortunate enough that Sol Press lets me work incredibly closely with the entire localization team, from the project manager and translator all the way down to the typesetter and QA team. We have a direct line of communication open 24/7 that allows anyone to discuss anything relating to a project, from asking for help with getting a line just right to making sure all the images look great. I personally go to my team members just about every day with questions, be they questions about why a line was translated a certain way, if a change I’m making could use touching up, and more. Being able to communicate with the original author is much more difficult and is, unfortunately, not something I’ve gotten to do just yet, but I don’t think it’s impossible.
Cho: What is the typical day of a light novel editor like? How similar would you say it is to other editing jobs?
Adam: Light novel editing is all about flow. For me, I get to take the translation I’m sent and, using a word processor, make it read like a real book. I’m in charge of things like formatting, which gives me a lot of freedom to make things perfect. Light novels are also far different than visual novels or manga, with the most prominent difference being that freedom. Whereas visual novels and manga are heavily line-based (though both come with their own sets of challenges not present in light novel editing), light novels are paragraph- and even section-based. This makes for a much more labor-intensive workday, but it lets me get the book to read exactly how I want it to read.
Volume 1
Cho: How does Why Shouldn’t a Detestable Demon Lord Fall in Love? volume 1 compare to other projects you have worked on? Did Detestable Demon Lord present any unique challenges?
Adam: I found Detestable Demon Lord to be one of the more unique and fun projects I’ve gotten to work on. It’s very lighthearted and cutesy, but the characters are so endearing and never failed to make me smile. That said, the characters also presented the biggest challenge for me. Two characters in particular, Marie and Myuke, are three and twelve years old respectively. Having to get their lines, especially the larger and more serious ones, to serve their purpose while making them sound like what a child of that age would sound like stumped me more often than not. Fortunately, I have a nephew not much older than Marie and some cousins around Myuke’s age to use as inspiration for them. I’m very close with my family, so I get to interact with kids about Marie’s and Myuke’s ages a fair bit, so I hope using what I’ve seen from my family to help with their lines paid off.
Cho: How would you describe Nekomata Nuko’s writing style? Any particular writing quirks that stood out to you?
Adam: Nekomata Nuko has a rather straightforward writing style. They’re not much of one to use a lot of literary devices, and they can be almost too straightforward at times, but they’re able to tell an entertaining, adorable story nonetheless. They do have this very odd quirk with the way they write numbers, though. Instead of writing them “normally,” so to speak, they like to write them out one digit at a time. To give an example, the character Anima is said to be 130 years old, but rather than using the standard kanji for 130 (百三十), they write it as “one three zero” (一三〇). I have absolutely no idea why this is, but they do this with every number they write and it’s just baffling to me.
Cho: In recent years, there have been several light novel series about demon lords (or other dark overlords) who are portrayed sympathetically. What do you think makes this premise appealing to readers? And in what ways might Detestable Demon Lord stand out from the crowd?
Adam: What gets me about these sympathetic demon lord stories, and what I think gets a lot of other people about them, is that it’s all about a character who’s supposed to be evil and all-powerful turning into what is basically a giant mushball because they’ve found someone or something that makes them want to become a better person–or, demon lord. The idea that these hardened creatures who could take over the entire world can have much deeper, more profound emotions is a great way to set up a character for development. As for what sets Detestable Demon Lord apart from similar stories, I think the biggest thing is that this one isn’t quite like what I just described. In Detestable Demon Lord, you have a character that has no desire to be strong or evil or to take over the world, you have a character with a sad past who just wants to live a peaceful, happy life and finds the opportunity to do so. In addition, it’s about much more than just “boy meets girl” or anything like that; Detestable Demon Lord is about Anima’s entire family and their livelihoods as well. It doesn’t stop at just “I love this person and will use my power to protect them,” it extends into Anima wanting to be good to every member of his family and helping them grow, both as individuals and as a family. Seeing the entire family as they care for each other and grow is so nice, and I think it’s something no other story of this type offers.
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A big thanks to Adam Haffen for taking the time to answer these questions!
If you have anything you’d like to ask or comment on, please do so. And don’t forget, Detestable Demon Lord volume 1 is now available to buy in various ebook formats, as well as in paperback off Amazon.
The small port town of Lotto Valentina, situated on the outskirts of Naples, is not quite what it seems. As a serial killer takes their twenty-seventh victim, the town is abuzz with rumors. At the same time, in a large private library in town, the young Huey Laforet attends alchemy classes in secret—disaffected from the rest of the world, including his classmate Monica Campanella, as he flips through books during lessons. But his quiet life of avoidance is quickly intruded upon when a new student comes to town—Elmer C. Albatross.
1705: The Ironic Light Orchestra is the eleventh volume in the Baccano!series, written by Ryohgo Narita featuring artwork by Katsumi Enami. Yen Press’s English release once again features translation by Taylor Engel, and was released physically and digitally in September 2019.
We’re back with more Baccano!, but the story has yet again jumped to another timeline. Compared to the previous time this happened, in 2001: Children of Bottle, this is a jump to the past—predating even the fateful ship ride to the new world which started the crazy sequence of events in the 1930s. In this novel we see the meeting of 15-year-old Huey and Laforet who, five years later, would gain immortality together on board the Advena Avis. In the afterword, Narita explains this novel as functioning like a side story more so than an active part of the plot, but I do think it’s an important look into these characters—especially for two as interesting as Huey and Elmer. Their friendship had been referenced and alluded to in previous books, so it was enjoyable to see how the two met.
As always, we get new characters. Monica Campanella is the most notable and, from what I’ve seen around, is a fan-favorite. The pretty young teen is the closest thing Huey has to a friend at the beginning of the story, and harbors a large crush on him. Comparatively, Huey sees her as little more than an annoyance; aware of her feelings, but (seemingly) with none of his own. She herself is a strong addition to the ever-growing cast, and I look forward to (likely) seeing more of her. Her shy demeanor shrouds the true depth of her character, and we only see a small part of it revealed in this book. The other main addition is the eccentric nobleman, Esperanza Boroñal. A dedicated lover and protector of the world’s women, he is unabashedly prejudiced whenever having to interact with other men. Paired with his painted-on facial stars that give him a distinctly odd look, he’s given little respect despite being the ruling Noble of the town. He is the reason that Elmer finds his way to Lotto Valentina, and his connection to many of the people in town is ripe to explore. We also have another young girl named Niki introduced, stuck in the middle of the town’s problems and being abused by her boss. Her character is the one that is essential to the plot of the The Ironic Light Orchestra, but not the Baccano! story itself. We also have the necessary cameos of familiar characters, tying together these events with the future we’ve seen.
Of course, much of the book is focused on the characters we’re most familiar with: Huey and Elmer. Although being seemingly opposites, the two have more in common than Huey expects. Most notably: being the son of a witch. The death of his mother five years before is what fuels Huey’s hatred for the world; sure that the fault lies with the entirety of humanity. Seeing this side of his personality—so different from the fascination he has in humanity during the 1930s—is both compelling and humanizing. Huey has always existed as an enigma within the story thus far, so it’s refreshing having his life expanded. In the same sense, we can see how Elmer’s previous life experiences made him into the ‘smile monster’ others see him as. Hiding both cunning and lack of empathy behind his easy-going personality, we get a pretty direct indication of why.
Aside from being an opportunity to introduce and explore the nuanced and complicated relationship that Huey, Elmer and Monica have, the main plot of the book is about the mysterious slew of killings happening in the town—the only clues? A white mask covers the face of the perpetrator, and any witnesses are the next to die. It’s the seedy underbelly of the community bubbling up, yet the news of the multiple murders has not reached further outside to neighboring towns. Lotto Valentino has dark secrets to hide, and a community willing to do anything to protect their freedoms. The disconnect between the upper classes and the commoners is distinct, and the fine line of plausible deniability and outright aggression cranks up the tension. When things inevitably breaks down, it seems like the natural conclusion to the set up.
As always, Baccano! is a delight. Although the story breaks away from the main plotline, it’s a welcome change of pace after the three-volume long arc of the previous books. It also helps set the stage for what we know is coming in the future, and it’s yet again a testament that Narita can juggle so many characters and switch settings without issue. Although Lotto Valentino is on the other side of the world (and three hundred years in the past!) from New York, it all feels like the same story. If you’re a fan of the character interactions of the series with little concern to the actual events of the plot, this will definitely be right up your alley. I’m sure we’ll see more from the little town of Lotto Valentina in future books too.
The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life
English Title: The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life Japanese Title: 生き残り錬金術師は街で静かに暮らしたい — “Ikinokori Renkinjutsushi wa Machi de Shizuka ni Kurashitai” Author: Usata Nonohara — のの原 兎太 Illustrator: ox Translator: N/A Genre: Fantasy, Slice of Life Original Run: September 2017 – ongoing English Run: October 2019 – ongoing Japanese Publisher: Kadokawa Shoten English Publisher: Yen On (Yen Press) Volumes in Japanese: 5 (In Progress) Volumes in English: 1 (In Progress) Average Price Per Volume: Paperback $11 — Kindle $8 — Nook $8
Synopsis: A girl out of time, a fish out of water. Alchemists used to be a dime a dozen in the Kingdom of Endalsia, so Mariela was never particularly special. But her skills were put to the test one fateful day when a horde of monsters came stampeding from the nearby forest. In a desperate attempt to escape the horror, the young alchemist put herself in a state of suspended animation that lasted just a little longer than she’d planned — an entire two hundred years! Needless to say, there have been some big changes, and biggest of all: Mariela is now the sole alchemist in the entire kingdom. Her one wish in this strange new environment is to get back her quiet, leisurely, low-key lifestyle!
This month for Lost’s character evaluations we are looking at something a bit different. Though it may have been the Japanese light novel that popularized the genre for western audiences, Chinese and Korean light/web novels have been slowly and steadily making their names known. Out of those, one Korean novel in particular has been standing out, popularized due to its adaptation as web comic. That novel is Only I Level Up or Solo Leveling by Jang Sung-Lak. The main character of this series is Seong Jin-Woo, a weak young man living in modern day Korea with a fantastical twist. We will look at his Motivation, Growth, and Impact to find out whether or not this individual has the components we’re looking for in a compelling character.
Synopsis: 10 years ago, after “the Gate” that connected the real world with the monster world opened, some of the ordinary, everyday people received the power to hunt monsters within the Gate. They are known as “Hunters”. However, not all Hunters are powerful. My name is Seong Jin-Woo, an E-rank Hunter. I’m someone who has to risk his life in the lowliest of dungeons, the “World’s Weakest”. Having no skills whatsoever to display, I barely earned the required money by fighting in low-leveled dungeons… at least until I found a hidden dungeon with the hardest difficulty within the D-rank dungeons! In the end, as I was accepting death, I suddenly received a strange power, a quest log that only I could see, a secret to leveling up that only I know about! If I trained in accordance with my quests and hunted monsters, my level would rise. Changing from the weakest Hunter to the strongest S-rank Hunter!
Going into motivation from that synopsis is a pretty straightforward endeavor. Seong Jin-Woo begins the story as a weak but endearing young man, desperate to make a living through being a Hunter. He is encouraged by several colleagues and friends to give up this lifestyle that puts him near death several times, but with his mother’s medical bills increasing by the day, for an otherwise average individual he feels he has no alternatives. However, when the party he is exploring with finds a secret area in a D-rank dungeon and the people around him keep dying left and right, it is Seong Jin-Woo who uses the observation skills he gained from years of fighting foes stronger than himself that keep the people around him alive. Solving riddle after riddle until there is only one left, Seong Jin-Woo feels like they are all going to make it, until one by one the people who had relied on him run for the exit and leave him to die. Resigned to his fate he resolves to die with a weapon in hand, and then everything stops and a screen appears letting him know he has cleared a secret quest called “Courage of the Weak.” He survives, and from that day on is given quests every day that allow him to level up. He faces challenge after challenge, enemy after enemy, but he remembers all too well what it felt like to be weak and chooses to never feel that way again. That is his Motivation. The strong can protect the weak. The strong do not suffer from betrayal. The strong can find the medicine to heal their mother. The strong do not need to fear the unknown. It is a simple Motivation, but compelling nonetheless.
Growth in this series is not particularly complicated. He starts at E-rank, and grows to be S-rank. There, job done, I’m gonna go get a coffee. Easy as that would be, Seong Jin-Woo’s Growth has a fair amount of complexity to it seperate from the leveling system in the world. He begins the series as a normal person. Diligent, depressed, incorrigible, and ultimately fruitless. He does what he does because he feels he has to, and has no real hopes for the future. After he gains his leveling system though, over time he begins to change. Not just his strength, but his personality. He grows in confidence, becomes slightly aggressive, and overall becomes apathetic towards the world and people who aren’t close to him. While undercover in an A-rank dungeon the group he is traveling with gets attacked by overly powerful beings. As he watches them fall one by one he does little to help his fellow humans. Only after asking the leader, who is on the verge of death, whether they would like to be saved does he step in and clear the room for them. This is a massive departure from the kid who risked his life and worked hard to save as many people as he could in that secret area. Is it just a sense of detachment from growing too powerful, or perhaps a hatred for humanity brought on by experiencing betrayal after betrayal. Or, perhaps, it has something to do with being a “Player?” Whatever the cause is the change is there and very noticeable. I for one am interested to see what he will grow into.
And so we come to Impact. As you may have guessed from the few pieces I’ve done so far, when it comes to Impact I find overpowered characters to usually be lacking. Their choices do not tend to have weight because the world around them provides no challenge or true opposition to their goals. Solo Leveling is somewhat different in that regard though. While it is true that compared to most challenges in the average world he is vastly overpowered, that is somewhat balanced by his personal leveling system. It works like in any game, in order to gain levels later on you need more experience, and thus need to face more powerful enemies or quests. For Seong Jin-Woo, when the world does not provide those enemies, the system provides them for him. Personal dungeons or class change quests whose difficulty scales to match his level, forcing him several close calls. Early on though there was more personal Impact. The small Impact of when he decided to lie about his new strength, the Impact around facing death in his first personal dungeon, the Impact of when he first took a human life. All of those moments changed him, carried weight, and little by little became pillars of the story. None more than the Impact of that very first dungeon. As he grows in strength the Impact of his choices diminishes, less firsts for him to accomplish and less fear of facing stronger enemies. My hope, as I have not finished the series yet, is that there will be more significant events going forward and that it will not just ride the initial wave until the end. While I would still enjoy that series, it would be to a lesser extent than I do now.
So where does that leave us? Well we have Seong Jin-Woo, a young man who awakened to tremendous power after falling into despair, motivated to keep growing stronger as he loses his humanity piece by piece in a world that is becoming less dangerous for him by the day. When I put it all together like that it doesn’t paint the best picture, but all the same this character fascinates me. Perhaps it is the shock of that initial brutality that cemented him in my mind as the underdog, causing me to view him that way even as his power increases exponentially. I find myself poised, excited for every new chapter, waiting with bated breath for the next moment his world falls into crisis. The story as it stands feels as though the character is building up for something, perhaps the S-rank dungeon that is rampant on Jeju. Whatever it may be I find this character compelling and his story intriguing. I look forward to finishing it soon and hope this analysis has helped.
While I wish I had a link for an English translation that supported the author, unfortunately I could not find one. If you would like to read the translated Web Novel you can go to WuxiaWorld, and the comic is available on MangaLife.
English Title: Root Double -Before Crime *After Days Japanese Title: ルートダブル -Before Crime * After Days- Author: Souki Tsukishima & Tora Tsukishima — 月島総記 Illustrator: Mikeou — みけおう Translator: Charis Messier Genre: Action, Horror, Game Adaptation Original Run: August 2012 – April 2013 English Run: September 2019 – ongoing Japanese Publisher: Kodansha BOX English Publisher: Cross Infinite World Volumes in Japanese: 4 (In Progress) Volumes in English: 1 (In Progress) Average Price Per Volume: Kindle $9 – iBook $9 – Kobo $9
When disaster strikes an isolated research city, Captain Watase Kasasagi is deployed with his elite rescue squad to handle an underground nuclear reactor meltdown.
Yet the disaster is not entirely what it seems. Radioactive contamination and massive explosions become the least of the squad’s concerns when the facility suddenly goes into complete lockdown—and they aren’t the only ones inside. Now they’re hearing voices, rescuing schoolgirls who shouldn’t be there, and finding corpses that had nothing to do with the meltdown!
Will Watase be able to save the other survivors before it’s too late? Or will the voices make them turn on each other first?! Find out in this fast-paced survival thriller!
Volume 1
Volume 1 — Root After Amazon — iBook — Nook — Kobo
Released September 30, 2019 — ASIN: B07VFN5CHJ
Tanya Artemiciov has lost her job as a Mage. The reason for her eviction is pretty straightforward: women aren’t really suited to be Mages, so it’s better she stop adventuring whilst she’s still young enough to nab herself a husband. Angry and betrayed, she decides to cause some harmless destruction in the wastelands—but inadvertently releases a centuries-old Sorceress called Laplace in the process! Now, the two have teamed up so Tanya can get revenge on her sexist ex-party leader, and Laplace can challenge how much the world has changed (for the worse) in the time she’s been sealed away. Come join these ladies as they bring some hope for equality in this dungeon crawler (and maybe fall in love too) with Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress!
This fantasy comedy with a feminist twist is J-Novel Club’s most recent yuri title; written by Ameko Kaeruda and featuring illustrations from Kazutomo Miya. The digital release of the novel was released October 2019 with translation from Molly Lee.
There’s not much going right in Tanya Artemiciov’s life when she accidentally releases the legendary Sorceress Laplace from her sealed imprisonment within a mountain. After being booted out by her party leader (and childhood friend) to allow her to ‘settle down and start a family’, the Mage can’t help but vent her anger by blowing things up in the wastelands. This sorceress, Laplace, challenges her to a tussle in order to gauge the Mage’s strength, and the two ultimately decide to band together after Tanya successfully blows Laplace up with a powerful explosion spell, and Laplace encourages her to change class to the fabled Magi-Knight—the strongest of all classes.
Meeting Laplace is an interesting experience. The legends call her a multitude of things—terrible, dangerous, Dragon whore—but Tanya can’t seem to understand why. Is the French-speaking, self-obsessed young woman spoiled? Yes. Over the top? Absolutely. But she doesn’t seem like the type of person deserving to be sealed in a mountain for 300 years. The result is witnessing the discrepancy of ‘common knowledge’ in society in the present, and the realities of the past—how the world has changed, and why. This extends to issues of gender divide between classes too: how girls are encouraged to become Healers, because of their ‘nurturing instincts’, how Healers have the lowest pay grade of all adventurers, and the false belief that skimpy outfits are necessary to allow for “mana absorption”. When the two go shopping for new clothes early on, there’s little choice for women and it never goes on sale. It’s incredibly obvious to see the real-world parallels Kaeruda is making (the dreaded “Pink Tax”), and although the writing is far from being subtle, some messages have to be overt to be successfully noticed.
After deciding to team up, the girls need to register their new party in order to join the upcoming tournament where Tanya is hoping to get her revenge against Ryan, her ex-party leader. There’s a skill level assessment as part of the process, which leads to an interesting interaction between the duo and the young woman behind the desk, Nadine. She makes the assumption that neither could be above level 20 or 30, as that’s typically how high women score. It’s a small part of the overall story, and seemingly just functions as comedy for the situation, but it represents the toxic beliefs that women can hold about themselves (and women in general). It’s easy to just dismiss societal sexism as “men are all assholes and hate women!”, but that ignores how pervasive these problems run—even amongst those of us whose lives are actually negatively affected by this type of thinking. I think it’s a great addition to an already fun book, and gives the book more credibility against naysayers who’d dismiss it for being “SJW garbage”.
Incidentally, the skill level test gives them an incredibly high score for both Tanya and Laplace, and their team Lilium overall. So high in fact that it disqualifies them from being eligible for the tournament. Trying to find a loophole in the system, Nadine agrees to join their party (her abysmal Healer level dragging down the team average to a lower level) if they agree to her condition: help a young, orphaned girl get into the Mage institute by helping her study for the exam. Both Tanya and Laplace have their reservations about it, but soon enough find themselves mentoring the young girl (and looking after her many siblings). This particular exam storyline is probably the largest reason the book was written, as it’s was certain real-world events that Kaeruda credits in the afterword as inspiring her to write. It also reveals that Tanya wasn’t just a lady Mage, but the first lady Mage to enroll in the academy—making her much more accomplished than she readily admits or believed (and makes her firing all that more egregious). After this, Nadine joins the team, and the three are set to kick some butt in the tournament—and prove that women are just as capable as men at being adventurers.
So far, I haven’t really mentioned the yuri element, but it’s definitely featured. Our main duo share numerous kisses throughout the book, and the rationalization of ‘transferring Mana’ is as convincing as it always is in light novels (ie, not at all). Laplace is very openly interested in Tanya (and women in general) despite her teasing tone, but as of yet there’s been very little in the way of grand announcements of love. Despite this, the two have a very familiar rapport of a rom-com couple, with Tanya overreacting to Laplace’s eccentricities and aggravations. Also, in line with the genre, there’s a fair amount of violent interactions played for laughs—Full Metal Panic-style.
Sexiled is a fun fantasy comedy featuring likeable, capable characters and biting commentary on sexism, with a yuri twist. Although obvious in its messages, there was never a point that felt like it was saying something that wasn’t true to real-life experiences or media representation for women: assumption of life goals (and shame if otherwise), women’s achievements being credited to men, shifting goal posts to favor boys, the weaponization of sex, and the wage gap. None of the characters have to say “men are the worst!” because the men they’re talking about will prove it themselves, without prompting. Most important of all is the disappointment and betrayal of a trusted friend—I only mentioned it briefly, but Ryan and Tanya are childhood friends; they grew up together and started adventuring together, and Tanya always did her best for him as he lead the party, even when he’d shortchange her owed wages or take credit for her achievements. She had thought he supported her too, but his dismissal and trivialization of what she contributed to the team hurt her more than if it had just been comments from a random passerby. In that situation it forces you to question the entire relationship thus far—and prompts the frustration at realizing how much was excused up until that point.
The book is a lot of fun and covers multiple obvious disparities between the treatment of the different sexes, both in this fantasy world and the real one. Hints towards future conflicts, confrontations and possible expansion of Lilium are made toward the end, so I’m definitely looking forward to the next one! Plus, it’s satisfying in that wish-fulfillment way of meting deserving characters their comeuppance; something that doesn’t ever seem to happen in reality. There’s a big possibility this book will be panned as anti-men propaganda within certain communities—but let’s be honest: they were never going to like it anyway. If you’re a fan of fun dungeon crawler comedies, yuri stories or JK Haru-style feminist light novels, give this one a shot.
Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress!
English Title: Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress! Japanese Title: 女だから、とパーティを追放されたので伝説の魔女と最強タッグを組みました — “Onna dakara, to Party wo Tsuihou Sareta no de Densetsu no Majo to Saikyou Tag wo Kumimashita” Author: Ameko Kaeruda — 蛙田あめこ Illustrator: Kazutomo Miya — 三弥カズトモ Translator: Molly Lee Genre: Yuri, Fantasy, Comedy Original Run: February 2019 – ongoing English Run: October 2019 – ongoing Japanese Publisher: Overlap Novels (Overlap) English Publisher: J-Novel Club Volumes in Japanese: 2 (In Progress) Volumes in English: 1 (In Progress) Average Price Per Volume: Kindle $7 – iBook $7 – Kobo $7 Note: Also available to read online through a J-Novel Club subscription. This series is currently digital-only.
Synopsis: Tanya Artemiciov is a talented Mage-class adventurer who just got kicked out of her party by a sexist scumbag. So what’s a girl to do? Go to the wasteland and blow stuff up of course! One small problem though: she inadvertently frees a mythical Sorceress named Laplace who was sealed away for the past 300 years… Surprise! Turns out this so-called “wicked” Sorceress is actually pretty cool. Laplace wants to start a party of her own, Tanya wants revenge, and the solution is obvious: team up. It’s time to kick ass, kiss girls, and dismantle the patriarchy!
Reviews of Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress!
English Light Novels: Vol 1
A Case Suitable for Treatment: Vol 1
Illustrations Sampler
If you liked Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress!, you might also want to try…
JK Haru — fantasy story with similar social commentary and feminist themes
It has been another two months since the events of book 2, and Kaname had been surprised and touched by the sudden beach vacation Sousuke had suggested for the two of them during the upcoming break—she even bought a new swimsuit (not that she’d ever admit it). Unfortunately things don’t quite go to plan as Sousuke and the rest of Mithril is called to the De Danaan for an emergency mission, and both teens join Tessa on her state-of-the-art submarine as instructed. But when the mission goes awry thanks to terrorist infiltration, all three have to work together to keep everyone from dying at the bottom of the ocean. How will things turn out in Full Metal Panic: Trembling Into the Blue?
Shouji Gatou’s Full Metal Panic!returns with this third volume subtitled Trembling Into the Blue thanks to J-Novel Club. Released September 2019, it is once again translated by Elizabeth Ellis and features illustrations by Shikidouji. This is the final book going to be included in the first 3-in-1 omnibus, slated for release in January 2020.
With this novel, Gatou mentions returning to the tone of the first—a serious life-and-death situation, with high tensions and Sousuke focused in the middle of it all. It’s not that the previous book was boring, but there was a definite difference between the two (which I mention in my review). I appreciate the return to form with this story line, and although some elements are still heavy-handed, I think it’s just a part of the author’s writing style. A lot of the first third introduces a deluge of new characters, and it’s not hard to guess at their importance later—each are part of the Special Response Team and AS pilots, like Sousuke, with distinct and diverse personalities and backgrounds. None of them really manage to have any dimension beyond the simple motivations we’re told, but it serves it’s purpose to the story.
Here we have Tessa worried about a new mission on a small island—where previous teams of US soldiers were wiped out entirely. There are rumors of a powerful AS called Venom, who strikes so quickly that it’s impossible to fight it. But on the way there, the crew takes the time to throw a party—a joint celebration of the submarine’s first birthday, and Kaname’s first (conscious) experience onboard. There are games and merry-making abound, and Sousuke explains that the original party (arranged to be at a Mithril base) was what he was inviting Kaname to in the first place.
The fun is over once they arrive at their destination, and sixteen-year-old captain sends in a team of only the best; each AS operator a veteran and Sousuke controlling the crew’s only Lambda driver-equipped AS, Arbalest. Once on the island, Sousuke comes face-to-face with the red AS Venom, and it confronted with his old nemesis Gauron—decidedly not dead from the events of the first novel. There’s a fierce battle fought between both sides, and the teen soldier finds himself choking on his fear of losing more people close to him, unable to engage the Lambda driver like he once was. His insecurities are only exacerbated after Mao sustains a serious injury, and although Mithril ultimately wins the fight, he feels like a failure.
After detaining Gauron, the plans are to hand him over to US authorities for further questioning and processing. No one is afraid of the terrorist as he is: broken, beaten, and with only one leg; but things quickly turn after traitors within the crew help him to escape—allowing him to take control of the submarine’s control center, and everyone on board. He’s half-crazy, with little care for self-preservation, and so very willing to sink the De Danaan in a suicidal blaze of glory, taking all aboard with him.
Happily, with this book we see each of our main characters—Sousuke, Kaname, and Tessa—working together with their various skills. I mentioned in the previous book that the way Tessa behaved at times made it hard to believe she was in charge of several hundred elite soldiers and a billion-dollar submarine, but thankfully that was not a problem here. There are still uneasy tensions between the girls, but it doesn’t feel as juvenile or mean-spirited as the previous book either. Tessa and Kaname aren’t strictly friendly, but they’re willing to work together without issue when the stakes are high. I also enjoyed seeing Sousuke struggle with his feelings of insecurity, and the possibility he might not be able to protect the important people in his life. Being confronted by Gauron, who represents his past and his failures, gives the boy more depth aside from just being an elite soldier following orders. There’s a lot more of Sousuke’s past to dig up in the future, and I can’t wait to see how the light novels handle it.
Full Metal Panic! Trembling Into the Blue is a solid continution, and improves on all the major issues I had with the previous book. There’s definitely still symptoms of the era present in the writing, but nothing egregious pulled me out of the tension of the story. It is an odd experience seeing Bill Clinton being referenced as ‘the current US President’ in the afterword though. For fans of mecha series and the Full Metal Panic! franchise as a whole, this book successfully executes the most beloved elements whilst also steadily setting the stage for something more in the future. Here’s hoping volume 4 continues the trend.
Gee’s Rating:Highly recommended, especially for pre-existing fans.
There Was No Secret Evil-Fighting Organization (srsly?!), So I Made One MYSELF!
English Title: There Was No Secret Evil-Fighting Organization (srsly?!), So I Made One MYSELF! Japanese Title: 世界の闇と戦う秘密結社が無いから作った（半ギレ）– “Sekai no Yami to Tatakau Himitsu Kessha ga Nai kara Tsukutta (Hangire)” Author: Hagane Kurodome — 黒留ハガネ Illustrator: Cut — カット Translator: Taishi Genre: Sci-fi, Comedy Original Run: February 2019 – ongoing English Run: October 2019 – ongoing Japanese Publisher: Overlap Novels (Overlap) English Publisher: J-Novel Club Volumes in Japanese: 2 (In Progress) Volumes in English: 1 (In Progress) Average Price Per Volume: Kindle $7 – iBook $7 – Kobo $7 Note: Also available to read online through a J-Novel Club subscription. This series is currently digital-only.
Synopsis: Kinemitsu Sago suddenly finds himself able to wield telekinesis out of the blue one fateful day. However, unlike in works of fantasy, no beautiful girl barges into his life, no secret organization knocks on his door, and in fact, absolutely nothing out of the ordinary happens at all. Eventually forced to come face to face with the reality that his life would remain unremarkable, he snaps and decides to make the extraordinary happen with his own hands! Follow along as he creates it all: a secret organization filled with espers, forces of darkness that threaten the world, protagonists, heroines, rivals, action, romance, and so much more! If *you* had almighty telekinesis, what would *you* do?
The World’s Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country’s Novice Seeker
English Title: The World’s Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country’s Novice Seeker Japanese Title: 世界最強の後衛 ～迷宮国の新人探索者～ — “Sekai Saikyou no Kouei: Meikyuukoku no Shinjin Tansakusha” Author: Towa — とーわ Illustrator: Huuka Kazabana — 風花 風花 Translator: TBA Genre: Action, Fantasy Original Run: November 2017 – ongoing English Run: October 2019 – ongoing Japanese Publisher: Kadokawa Books (Fujimi Shobo) English Publisher: Yen On (Yen Press) Volumes in Japanese: 5 (In Progress) Volumes in English: 1 (In Progress) Average Price Per Volume: Paperback $15 — Kindle $8 — Nook $8
Synopsis: After living life as a corporate lapdog, Arihito is reborn in a fantasy world. Strangely, the class he’s assigned is the very ambiguously titled Rearguard. It seems weird, but Arihito soon figures out that though it isn’t flashy, he’s gained the ability to do just about everything in battle, from assisting attacking and defending to healing! As he begins his new life, he quickly gathers curious companions: his old supervisor who’s younger than he is, a mysterious demi-human mercenary girl, and a gorgeous high-level swordswoman. With this bevvy of interesting ladies in his party, his journey as the greatest supporter that’s ever lived!
Urano is a self-described book addict. She jokes with her childhood friend that she’d be happy dying under an avalanche of books—that is, until she actually does! It seems the bookish university student has reincarnated as a sickly six-year-old in a fantasy world…that doesn’t have any books! Now, the young girl is struggling to try and reunite with her beloved books, despite the prohibitive cost, her failing health and the overwhelmingly low literacy level of everyone around her.
Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything to Become a Librarian! is yet another Narou-published web novel to have made the transition to a published release. Written by Miya Kazuki, the light novel features illustrations by You Shiina. Originally published online from 2013 to 2017, TO Books later acquired the story for a print release in Japanese in 2015. J-Novel Club has licensed the series in English, translated by Quof. This first volume landed on digital platforms in May 2019, and the print edition followed in September 2019. The series also has an anime adaptation by Ajia-do Animation Studio currently airing, and a manga adaptation (also licensed by J-Novel Club).
Like a lot of J-Novel’s recent Narou isekai licenses, this is one that has a lot of positive online buzz about how it shirks the usual tropes of the genre—and indeed, Myne is incredibly atypical to the usual types of protagonists we come across. Her original self, Urano, was the type of person who would happily spend an entire day reading; tuning out everything and everyone around her as she consumed endless books. Having just landed her dream job at her university’s library, her celebrations are cut short when she is buried under a mountain of her personal collection during an earthquake. Next thing she knows, she’s waking up as the sickly youngest daughter of a new family in a new world—one where books are rare treasures for only the uber-rich to enjoy.
This book (and I assume series as a whole) is not one for fans looking for high-stakes fantasy action and adventure. Instead, we get a methodical world-building plot as we follow our protagonist through her many attempts at navigating both society and her weakened body, whilst trying to create her own books. Myne is the definition of a sickly child—struck with fever whenever she exerts herself even slightly, and so malnourished she’s barely the size of a regular three-year-old. Her family both dote on and love her, but they really aren’t sure how to handle the ‘reincarnated’ girl once she starts trying to take initiative on things. I can’t say that our protagonist is totally likeable at this point—her selfishness, complaints and single-mindedness often grating on the nerves—but you can definitely understand why Urano is having such a hard time adapting, and her frustrations about it.
The first half of this book she spends building her strength and vocabulary in order to have a little bit more independence and understanding, as well as learning this new world’s alphabet and how to read. Despite inheriting Myne’s memories, she was a child who was confined to bed for most her life and doesn’t have much understanding of words or the world around her. Even more problematic is that her family is lower-class and not expected to be able to read or write—the fact that her father knows how to ‘somewhat’ read is the main reason he’s the highest-ranking solider on guard posting (and why they so readily hired Otto for his ability to do paperwork). It works well as a device to introduce the audience to the world in tandem with our protagonist, and as she slowly interacts with the world, her knowledge steadily grows.
She quickly learns that there’s no way she could get access to books in her current situation. Even the paper and ink she’d need to make her own are prohibitively expensive. Over the course of this novel she tries numerous pre-paper written record techniques, but they all fail due to difficulty, her own lack of skill or unexpected destruction. She has her amassed knowledge from her previous life of reading, but not much in way of actual application of that knowledge, so it is nice to have the reminder that just reading a book won’t make you an expert.
She does have one advantage though—her willingness to read, write and do math make Myne an oddity amongst her peers. Her insistence on hygiene and cleanliness standards are unusual too, but her high literacy gives her the opportunity to interact with the world in a far different way compared to her peers and family. As we see towards the end, although nothing Myne does or knows is inherently unusual for a young woman in modern-day Japan, it makes all the difference as a six-year-old low-class child within this fantasy world, and people are starting to notice.
The Part 1 on the title isn’t just for show, and in fact this first arc, Daughter of a Soldier, will be three parts long by the end. That’s not to say this book is short though—quite the opposite! And I’ve heard they only get longer from here. It took a while for me to warm up to Myne, but by the end I was thoroughly invested in wanting to see more of her journey towards her dream.
Ascendance of a Bookworm is the type of isekai for fans who enjoy exploring the minutiae of fantasy settings, and the extreme struggle of adapting to such a different situation it would be for a modern person. The story introduces a range of interesting elements I’m sure will be capitalized on later down the line, and although it takes a while for the plot to actually start, the rewards for those who persevere are great. I can definitely understand why the series has gained such notoriety.
Life has settled down (for the most part) after the high stakes of the De Dunaan hijacking. Kaname is preparing for exams, and Sousuke is trying to adapt to a normal life for the first time since Gauron’s defeat. But not all things are calm, and Sousuke soon finds himself at odds with his new orders!
Full Metal Panic! Ending Day by Day (Part One) is the fourth volume in the series, written by Shouji Gatou and illustrated by Shikidouji. The English release comes from J-Novel Club, with translation by Elizabeth Ellis. The digital book has a October 2019 release.
You may notice that this particular FMP volume has ‘part one’ in the title, and indeed this book feels like a transition from the previous book and the buildup to something larger. Rather than having a full plot introduced and resolved here we have multiple events introduced without a conclusion—understandable considering the usual style for these types of multi-book story arcs. It allows for a thorough ‘setting of the scene’ without confining it all to one larger volume. If you dislike having to wait to see the resolution, I would recommend postponing your read of this book til after volume five is available.
But just because this is only the first half doesn’t mean we don’t get some action and excitement along with it. Yes, the book opens with somewhat mundane day-to-day shenanigans with exam, car and haircut comedy at the expense of Sousuke, but the infiltration mission was exciting and granted us some fun interactions between, and dimension to, the supporting cast. Both also worked well as examinations on Sousuke’s shifting mentality—his self-doubt and fear of failure, still ever-present even during peace.
Although this series has never shied away from these themes, they’re brought front and center here—the actual psychological impact being an elite soldier has at such a young age (especially for a kid as responsible as Sagara). Sousuke is becoming acutely aware that he isn’t well-adjusted, and that always being ready for a fight is far too often a detriment in normal life. We also get the introduction of the shadowy Wraith, an intelligence officer who has also been assigned to Kaname’s safety from afar.
Wraith as of now is just one big question—we, like Sousuke, don’t know anything about them; not even their motivations. After the various dangers the teen girl has been subjected to thus far, it’s not unreasonable to question whether this mysterious new player is invested in her safety at all. Sousuke doesn’t have much time to question it though, as immediately afterwards he’s being called to the field. There are forces within and outside of Mithril conspiring against them, and it calls to question how prepared they are to fight Amalgam.
As mentioned, this book feels like a chance for the audience to catch their breath after the intensity of the previous novel. This part one both resolves some hanging plot threads, as well as opens up new avenues to explore. Many may want to wait for the second half to be released before jumping in to this book, but I have to commend Gatou’s cliffhanger here! It definitely makes me want to read more. With Gauron’s chapter completed in the previous book, Ending Day by Day (Part One) feels like a natural continuation, leading into new beginnings for these characters. A mix of high-octane action and quiet character introspection that Full Metal Panic! has perfected.
The Otherside is a dangerous place. When reclusive university student Sorawo Kamikoshi is rescued from a creepy wriggling monster by Toriko Nishina, the two young women decide to team up in order to explore the nightmare-filled space together. But Toriko’s interest is far larger than just a fascination with the supernatural—she’s looking for her missing friend; one who disappeared in the weeks before.
Otherside Picnic is the first novel in this ongoing horror series, written by Side-by-side Dreamers author Iori Miyazawa. The novel features illustrations from shirakaba, and was released digitally in English by J-Novel Club in September 2019. Translation was provided by Sean McCann.
For those familiar with internet horror and popular creepypasta tales, Miyazawa does their best to blend each terrifying monster encounter into a cohesive story, with reasonable success. This is a departure from the author’s previous novel and genre that J-Novel released, but for those looking for a spooky read this Halloween, this is a strong choice.
We open the book with the near-death of our protagonist, Sorawo Kamikoshi, who had discovered the Otherside during one of her expeditions around abandoned buildings. She’s a self-described occult fan, and spent her teen years searching haunted sites—partly for personal interest, partly for avoiding going home. Before she’s able to sink into the nothingness though, she’s rescued by another young woman, Toriko Nishina, who helps Sorawo regain her senses and defeat the mysterious wriggling Kunekune that is attacking them.
Once they’d reached safety back in the real world, Toriko explains what had led her to the Otherside in the first place—her friend and mentor, Satsuki, had been studying the mysterious unknown space up until a few months ago, when she disappeared. Now, worried for the other woman’s safety, she’s decided to recommence Satsuki’s research whilst hoping for a clue to where and why she may have disappeared. Bargaining with the potential profit to be gained from selling Otherside artifacts, Sorawo agrees to help in the search—even though the fear has gripped her mind.
The two aren’t totally unscathed after the Kunekune fight though, as Toriko now has translucent fingers on one hand, and Sorawo has one bright blue eye. Through this eye she’s able to see the reality of the Otherside monsters—breaking through the illusions, and ultimately showing their weak spots. The only problem is fear clouding her judgement; the abnormal terrors haunting her.
The book is structured in a fairly orderly way, with each new monster getting a dedicated chapter as Miyazawa expands on the urban legends that these monsters inhabit. There’s mention of the elevator game, Hasshaku-sama and February Station that those who enjoy Japanese creepypastas will recognise. That final urban legend is probably the chapter and scenario I find most effectively scary in the book—a stranded US military group, slowly being hunted down by their own weapons; unable to catch the train to freedom for fear of being devoured. The tension was slow but methodical, actively skin-crawling as you read more and more.
That also brings up how well the author manages to build the threat within the novel. It’s very rarely the monsters that really strike fear in readers (although the premise would fall apart without them). Instead, it’s the human madness that the girls can’t trust—both in strangers and each other. There are also hints as who Toriko really is, with her fearless attitude and firearm prowess.
The larger plot of finding Satsuki-san doesn’t find its conclusion here—but as an ongoing series, that’s no surprise. Instead, the more specific theme of the novel is overcoming fear, which is developed and resolved in a satisfying way. There are hints towards the relationship between Toriko and Sawano built up here too, as well as potential expansion on the relationship between Satsuki and the mad-scientist Otherside researcher Kozakura. Like with other recent yuri light novels, this one is taking it’s time to build our protagonists’ relationship.
Otherside Picnic is a spooky start to the newest horror light novel series by Iori Miyazawa. The book introduces a well-balanced mix of urban myth and action-adventure that is perfect for those looking for the slow-burn, high stakes tension of J-horror this Halloween As the beginning of the series, it introduces the world and characters well, and I look forward to volume two.
Gee’s Rating: Recommended for a good scare!
You can purchase the ebook online via sites like Amazon. This is an affiliate link, so a small percentage of sales goes toward this site.
After serving his Giba burgers to the Ruu clan, and giving Granny Jiba a new lease on life, Asuta now has to try and convince the head of the family, Donda, that food has more value than just pure sustenance! Now, presented with the challenge of serving the perfect meal and with the many members of the Ruu family divided on taste, Asuta truly has to embrace the responsibilities of serving food for other people.
EDA’s Cooking with Wild Gameis an ongoing light novel featuring illustrations by Kochimo. The series is available digitally from J-Novel with translation by Matthew Warner, and this second volume was released in its entirety on digital platforms April 2019.
With the end of the previous book, we see our protagonist feeding the powerful Ruu clan his unusual foreign foods, far beyond the normal type of meals the clan has endured until this point. The start of this book picks up quite literally where the previous ended, with the various members of the Ruu family sharing their thoughts on the meal. For those who liked it, they gift Asuta their blessings of giba horns—a sign of true gratitude and respect. He ends up collecting seven sets of horns in all, with a majority of the family having loved the juicy, tender meal of giba-mince burgers.
Not everyone is as enamored though, and the head of the family, Donda, despises the soft meal; calling it poison for a hunter’s soul. His two oldest sons have a similar distaste, as well as middle sister Lala. The negative feedback upsets Asuta, and he’s eager to make his critics eat their words—formulating a plan to satisfy their contrarian tastes. Thus starts his plans and experimentation, before offering to cook the Ruu family a meal again—this time sure to satisfy everyone. Not one to back down from a challenge, or to be shown up, Donda Ruu gives Asuta one last chance to make a meal; this time for a wedding party of a neighboring family. It’s a real trial by fire, and the Japanese teen has to make sure to not only win over his previous critics, but another stubbornly traditional family head as well!
There’s not a huge amount to summarize in this novel because it really is incredibly straightforward. We see Asuta trying varied cooking techniques with the limited tools he has, and his own realization that being a chef means cooking for others—not just himself. I mentioned in my review of the previous novel that although the premise of Wild Game isn’t wholly original, and that there were a lot of problems I had with the gratuitous descriptions of the female form, there was also potential. The themes of family and challenging gender roles within a strictly gendered society are both things I personally believe this premise and setting could tackle, but unfortunately there’s even less of it in this novel compared to the previous. It’s explained that within the timeline of the books it has only been a 16 day period from Asuta’s arrival in this ‘other world’, but it feels like much, much longer—thanks in part to the plot dragging to a snail’s pace on a constant basis. The overtly gratuitous descriptions of the female characters has only gotten worse, and if I have to read one more description of Vina’s sexy coquettish behavior this decade, it’ll be too soon. Oddly, it isn’t just the beautiful young Ruu daughters (or Ai Fa) of a similar age to our protagonist that get this treatment—even their mother, a woman well into middle-age, is repeatedly physically described whenever she appears. This may be a relic of the online publishing format of the web novel, but it’s something I feel like a more critical editor could have prevented from reaching the published books. (On the Japanese side—I don’t blame the English translation for this.) Repetition is boring, and it feels like a weak attempt to pad the narrative to reach the needed page count.
This is exacerbated by the fact that there is an early scene where Asuta unknowingly enters the bathing area looking for Ai Fa whilst she and all the Fuu sisters are washing. It’s a scheme by the sisters’ youngest brother to get Asuta married into the family, as tradition dictates that any man who sees an unwed girl naked must take responsibility and get married to protect her virtue. It’s a plot device to introduce unnecessary tension between the girls and Asuta, and his emphasis that he ‘only’ saw Ai Fa naked doesn’t really make the situation any less contrived. At least the strange infatuation with Ai Fa’s smell was absent here. (Although who knows for the future!)
The last quarter-ish of the book is dedicated to a prologue short story, set two years prior to Asuta’s arrival. We see Ai Fa having to become self-sufficient after her father’s death, as well as her rejection of the Suun family heir and that aftermath. It expands on the backstory her character was given in the previous book, but I’m not sure it worked in making Ai Fa an interesting or empathetic character overall. It is refreshing to see her unwavering belief in her choices and actions—not willing to accept the idea that she was somehow responsible for nearly being assaulted, which others are trying to push in an attempt to keep the peace. But for all that is good, it’s hard to believe that she so easily transitions to her new life without a father. Sure, there’s the acceptance that all hunters will die in the forest, but we’re supposed to believe it’s only been two days since her father’s death and she’s past mourning it? At fifteen and all alone in the world? Ai Fa’s an incredibly independent and capable young woman, but her internal dialogue doesn’t feel genuine to such a life-changing event. It’s also incredibly annoying reading her endless emphasis that ‘she’s not even pretty’ which, from my experience, will always feel like fishing for reassurance.
The second book in this series unfortunately dropped many of the potentially interesting themes presented in the first in exchange for excruciatingly mediocre fish-out-of-water humor and nudity jokes. The main plot line of convincing the stubborn authorities set in their ways was solved exactly as expected, and with an ease that immediately removes any tension. Even the short story addition to Ai Fa’s past doesn’t give us much more likable insight to her character, even when she’s claiming her independence. I’m clearly not the target audience for this book, but even the small bit of goodwill from the previous volume was squandered pretty immediately here.
Gee’s Rating:Not recommended, unless you’re really desperate to read about a mother’s greying hair and strong figure five times.
With the merchant Benno funding her attempts at making paper, now Myne and her friend-cum-business partner Lutz have the resources to try and create plant-sourced paper. Between the two children working hard on achieving their dreams—of becoming a librarian and traveling merchant, respectively—and the massive potential Myne’s Urano knowledge has in the new world she’s found herself in, it seems that Benno’s not the only one trying to capitalize on her ideas.
Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything to Become a Librarian! continues its Daughter of a Solider arc with this second volume, written by Miya Kazuki and illustrated by You Shiina. Originally published via J-Novel Club’s digital subscription platform, the ebook was released in July 2019 with translation by Quof. The print edition followed in November 2019.
This book is a direct continuation of the previous, and I would highly-discourage anyone from reading this book before that one (if for some reason you felt compelled to do so). After meeting with Otto’s merchant friend (and brother-in-law) Benno at the end of the previous book, the two young kids strike up a deal with him. In exchange for Myne’s all-in-one-shampoo formula, the decorative hairpins she designed, and the future exclusive sale and control of plant-based paper in his store, the merchant will fund everything the pair needs for production. It’s a huge step towards getting a proper workshop, and with the monetary help they can now focus on making usable paper familiar to Myne’s modern sensibilites. The contract with Benno is a turning point for the story, not just in how much more support our protagonist is getting with her ideas, but also reveals (to her) the existence of magic exclusive to the noble class.
As both Myne and Lutz are pre-baptismal kids, they’re not in a position to become merchant apprentices; so to circumvent this issue Benno registers them with the Merchant’s Guild as temporary members. It allows him to purchase any of their products they may produce before the baptism, whilst also allowing an easier transition for them to join his store once they come of age. It is fairly unprecedented for him to do so though, which catches the attention (and annoyance) of the Guildmaster. In an attempt to hide the real reason Benno wants Myne to join his shop (ie, the paper and her other amazing ideas), he admits to her creating the floral lace hairpin. The calculated admittance forces the Guildmaster into approving the memberships, because he wants to buy one himself. Myne learns that her hair accessories drew the attention of everyone during her sister’s baptism, and the Guildmaster’s own granddaughter, Frieda, has wanted one ever since.
Thus starts Myne’s new life as a merchant. With her membership approved, and Benno paying for tools and materials, she can now start making paper properly. She also has additional income coming from sales of her hairpins, and the ability to save money thanks to the Guild. Together, Myne and Lutz work hard trying to find the best type of wood to use for the paper—and discover one purely by chance. Only problem? It’s both dangerous and rare. With winter looming and the opportune conditions to make paper narrowing, the two kids work hard to maximise their productivity and profit.
Part of this is making the hairpin for Frieda, who has her baptism in the first week of winter. She’s a somewhat eccentric girl—in love with collecting and counting money, as expected from such an influential merchant family—but she was also stricken with the same disease as Myne: the Devouring. Thanks to the love and toil from her grandfather though, the other girl has ultimately been cured, which initially gives Myne hope for herself. That’s quickly dashed though when she discovers that there is no real ‘cure’ for the affliction—only ongoing, highly-expensive treatments for the rest of her life, which her family could never afford. It’s a scary realisation for the reincarnated Urano, but she just decides to work towards achieving her goal of making books in the time she can.
One of the major roadblocks for the previous book, in my opinion, was just how selfish and bratty Myne could often come across as. It was understandable listening to her frustrations about her weak body and lack of knowledge, but often times she seemed to have little awareness about the people around her, unless they were directly improving her life. Thankfully, I never had that problem with this book. Although she still gets annoyed at her inherent physical weakness, it doesn’t feel like the other people around her are mere bit-players to utilize. Her relationship with her parents and sister grows a lot closer and more genuine, and her friendship with Lutz and Frieda, and business dealings with Benno all help her form proper connections with other people—something she never achieved in her Urano days.
I wanted to highlight Lutz here, because he is really the first person Myne found a bond and commonality with in her new life. From a neighboring family to Myne’s own, he’s the youngest of four brothers and the same age as our protagonist (at least physically, that is). In the previous book, their close age and proximity meant that he was put on ‘Myne duty’ whenever she joined the kids in the forest, making sure she didn’t over-exert herself. It’s a role he continues to carry out through this arc, accompanying her on every outing possible to keep her out of trouble (and prevent the high possibility of sickness). It isn’t just a one-sided partnership though, as Myne was the first person to take Lutz’s dream of being a traveling merchant seriously, and works to help him reach goals others would assume impossible. Within society children are expected to go into the same trade as their parents—which would mean carpentry and craftsmanship for the young boy, like his father and older brothers. When she introduced him to Benno, Myne was sure to emphasize the young boy’s vital role in their partnership—she being the brains, he the brawn—securing him a future he otherwise never could have. She also works hard to teach him to read and write, do math, and comport himself politely, all in preparation of becoming an apprentice merchant. He’s also the first one to realize that Myne isn’t the young sickly girl he had know from a year before, and questions her about the change. He’s a bright kid stuck in a pretty terrible situation, with the willingness to work as hard as possible to get out of it; something he and Myne have in common, and are doing together. I’m a sucker for these types of partnerships, and there’s no surprise at the budding romance potential here (although Myne continues to be her oblivious self).
Benno is another great addition to the cast, not only giving an older perspective, but an experienced insight into what merchants actually have to do. His gruff attitude hides his caring and protective nature towards the young kids; mentoring them to be able to survive the cutthroat world of business. There is also many, many hints to why his personality is the way that it is—past complicated relationships and struggles. Again, it’s nice to see the cast continue to be fleshed out, and Bookworm‘s steady, natural growth and world-building lends itself to a rich setting and characters.
Finally for notable characters would be Frieda, the slightly-older girl who also once suffered from the Devouring. Because of her illness, she had been coddled and bed-bound most of her life, which didn’t lend itself to her making friends. Myne is the first girl her age she has the opportunity to get closer to, and their shared health issues give them more relatability to each other than just a seller-customer relationship from the hairpin commission. Although Myne may find the girl (and her family) far too dangerous to handle on her own, you can tell that she values having someone to talk to about the sickness who really knows what it’s like. It’s still early days for their friendship, but I can only hope Kazuki continues to expand on the potential.
Ascendance of a Bookworm builds wonderfully from the first volume with this continuation, and also kickstarts the story itself. Whereas volume one lay the groundwork for our heroine exploring the new world around her, this second volume we see the start of her actively interacting with the world and impacting the people around her. The start of her life as a business partner and manufacturer is really cool to see, and will appeal to fans of the purposeful and detailed economics of Spice and Wolf. The main events of this book also end on a major cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to see the conclusion of this particular story arc in the next volume.
Gee’s Rating: Greatly Recommended
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Why Shouldn’t a Detestable Demon Lord Fall in Love?!
English Title: Why Shouldn’t a Detestable Demon Lord Fall in Love?! Japanese Title: 嫌われ魔王が没落令嬢と恋に落ちて何が悪い！– Kiraware Maou ga Botsuraku Reijou to Koiniochite Nani ga Warui! Author: Nekomata Nuko — 猫又ぬこ Illustrator: teffish Translator: David Prileszky Genre: Fantasy, Romance Original Run: August 2018 – ongoing English Run: September 2019 – ongoing Japanese Publisher: HJ Bunko (Hobby Japan) English Publisher: Sol Press Volumes in Japanese: 3 (In Progress) Volumes in English: 1 (In Progress) Average Price Per Volume: Kindle $8 — Other Digital Releases $10
Synopsis: This is the story of a detestable Demon Lord and his wonderful new wife, a destitute damsel! Our Demon Lord, Anima, is the strongest in all the world, feared by the denizens of the realm. He’s forced to spend his days in solitude until, completely out of the blue, he gets summoned to another world! The one who summons him is none other than Luina, an exceedingly poor girl who runs an orphanage. The two of them quickly fall in love, with Anima swearing to use his power to protect his newfound family!
English Title: SCP Foundation: Iris Through the Looking Glass Japanese Title: 鏡の国のアイリス -SCP Foundation- — Kagami no Kuni no Airisu — “Iris of the Mirror Country” Author: Akira — 日日日 Illustrator: Sidu — しづ Translator: Jackie McClure Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror Original Run: September 2018 – ongoing English Run: October 2019 – ongoing Japanese Publisher: Hifumi Shobo English Publisher: Seven Seas Volumes in Japanese: 1 (In Progress) Volumes in English: 1 (Caught Up) Average Price Per Volume: Paperback $14 — Kindle $8 — Nook $8
Synopsis: An ordinary boy encounters the paranormal when a photo of the same girl starts inexplicably showing up in every book he opens. One day, the girl reaches out and pulls him into the photo to her location: a cell in a top-secret facility belonging to the SCP Foundation, an organization dedicated to the research and containment of people, objects and phenomena that defy reality! Even worse: they’ve deemed him a threat to be contained, and he’s going to have to work with them if he ever wants to see the outside world again!
Note (from Wikipedia): “The SCP Foundation is a fictional organization documented by the web-based collaborative-fiction project of the same name. Within the website’s fictional setting, the SCP Foundation is responsible for locating and containing individuals, entities, locations, and objects that violate natural law (referred to as SCPs). The real-world website is community-based and includes elements of many genres such as horror, science fiction and urban fantasy.” Visit the SCP Foundation website to read many of the stories writers have shared online.
After
collapsing at Benno’s store, Myne comes face-to-face with her
impending death from the Devouring. Now with the knowledge of what is
happening to her, and her prospective survival, she has to make the
decision about how she wants to spend the rest of her life. But all
hope may not be lost after she makes a surprising discovery at her
baptism!
We’ve reached the
conclusion of the Ascendance
of a Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything to Become a Librarian!
Daughter of a Solider arc in this third volume. Written by Miya
Kazuki and illustrated by You Shiina, the English release was
translated by Quof, and originally published via J-Novel Club’s
digital subscription platform. The ebook was released in September
2019 with a print edition to follow in January 2020.
Once again, this book continues directly after the previous, and therefore is recommended only to readers already following the series. At the end of the last book, our heroine Myne collapsed in Benno’s office—the Devouring finally overwhelming her small body and eating her from the inside. In a rush to save her life, the merchant is forced to find help from where he least wishes it: The Merchant Guildmaster. Using one of the old, near-broken magic tools the old man had procured for his granddaughter’s treatment, the Devouring has been pushed back and reduced once again, enough to save Myne’s life. It’s not a permanent solution though, and her life expectancy is only around another six months.
Waking up in the Guildmaster’s home, Myne is left under their care until she fully recovers. It’s here that she has to weigh her options; Frieda, her friend who also suffers from the Devouring, has made a deal with a noble to ensure her survival—signing away her freedom once she comes of age to become their ‘kept woman’. For children outside of the noble class, it’s the only option they have to stay alive; magic tools are so obscenely expensive, there’s no hope for the lower classes ever affording one. Being faced with this possibility, Myne decides to keep her freedom and die at home with her family and friends. For Myne, who has already experienced death through Urano, she’s not afraid of that eventuality.
Her collapse also forces her to assess her future prospects—however short they may be—as an apprentice merchant. With her sickly body and low strength, she isn’t well suited to the physical labor the job would entail, and she wouldn’t be able to rely on Lutz all the time either. She’s well aware that any preferential treatment she may get would only inspire jealousy within the workers and other apprentices of the store, so she instead decides to me a work-at-home scribe. The new plan allows her to stay firmly within her physical limits, and allows her free time on the days Lutz has off from his apprenticeship for the two to keep making their paper and other potential products.
Of course, the revelation of Myne’s impending death, and her calm acceptance of it, does not go over so smoothly with the people who love her. Her family is understandably heartbroken, defeated in the face of the class divide and their own inability to get her the things she needs to survive. There is an incredibly powerful moment concerning her father Gunther’s grief at the news, and it’s wonderful to see how Kazuki has allowed these characters to grow into their own people, and not just props for the plot.
But, regardless of her death, there are other things to be done before that. After avoiding being pulled into Frieda’s family store, Myne accidentally shares another unknown product with the shrewd young girl and her chef: pound cake! Sugar is a new import to the town, and no one knows how to cook with it, so the girl’s simple cake recipe (chosen for its simplicity thanks to our protagonist not knowing weight measurement or conversion) is an exciting, unknown treat. There’s nothing like cake on the market at all, and so Frieda jumps at the opportunity to monopolize the idea. It’s a testament to how much Myne has grown in her bargaining skills that she doesn’t just give all of her information for free, and soon the two girls have various contracts in place for year-long exclusivity rights for the recipe.
This is the first time we’ve seen Myne dealing with merchants who aren’t Benno, and so its also the first time she’s considered diversifying where her ideas could be monetized. Benno has been a supportive benefactor, but his store (actually headed by his sister) specializes in clothing and accessories—which the hairpins and rinsham (all-in-one shampoo) fit under, but not her other product ideas. Unbeknownst to the younger girl, he’s preparing to open another store fully under his control where other products could be sold, and he has been working hard trying to establish a plant paper guild in preparation for manufacturing. The new product has already caused ire for the vested interests in the paper market (ie, the parchment guild), pushing more deals and compromise to allow Myne and Lutz’s plant paper to eventually be sold.
The paper manufacturing process itself is perfected in this book, and finally the two kids have the chance to share and sell a high-quality product before joining Benno’s store. With baptism looming for the two kids as well, the winter is filled with Myne, her mother and sister making the young girl her outfit for the ceremony. As is usual for families like her own, the dress is a hand-me-down from her sister—the biggest problem is just how much smaller she is than her sister. Thus starts Myne’s invention of ruffles and pleats, making her dress totally unique and eye-catching, in an attempt to make it fit better. She also makes a new design for a hairpin; one that will work better for her long, straight hair. The resulting outfit causes even more ruckus than her sister’s did, and all eyes are on the strange young girl with the big ideas on her special day.
The baptismal rites are the first time Myne has been exposed to religion in this new world—and the first time she’s seen (or realized the existence of) the Bible-esque religious text. For those with knowledge on the history of publishing (including Myne, of course), it’s well known that religious texts were the very first books to be made, thanks to the high cost and labor-intensive production of even just one page. It would often take a plethora of monks and priests-in-training to hand write each page of parchment, and later bound with lavish materials and embellishments. The book Myne discovers at the ceremony is no different. (For another light novel series about this topic, check out Wolf and Parchment: New Theory Spice and Wolf.)
Because of this, and the discovery of a chained library further within the temple, Myne immediately decides she wants to join the church (silly Glico pose prayer and all). It’s a rash decision that she doesn’t fully understand the implications of, but surprisingly there’s far more benefit to her than just the availability of books. The church has magical tools that need regular mana infusions, but far fewer nobles are sending their children to live in service to the gods. It’s a situation with mutual benefits (for the foreseeable future at least), and Myne is dead-set on becoming a shrine maiden. Thus ends the first arc of Bookworm, which ended up much, much longer and more involved than I think anyone expected. The end to this novel leads perfectly into setting up the next arc, and the new perspective and situation lends itself to so much potential. I look forward to starting the next!
Ascendance of a Bookworm is a slow-but-steady world-building marvel. It may take readers a little while to warm to Myne at first, but the payoff for patient readers is one of the best isekai light novels being released right now. If you are a fan of quieter slice-of-life isekai or fantasy stories like The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life or Spice and Wolf, I would greatly encourage you to try this one out!
With the war between the Principality of Wiltia and the August Federation over, military hero Lud “Silver Wolf” Langart has left his life of piloting Hunter Units to open a bakery in the quiet border town of Organbaelz—only problem, he has no customers thanks to his scary face! All hope is not lost though, when a mysterious young beauty pleads to become a waitress for the shop. Little does Lud realise, his new waitress Sven isn’t exactly what she seems.
The Combat Baker and Automaton Waitress volume 1 is the first in an ongoing series by SOW, and illustrated by Zaza. Originally a BookWalker Global exclusive in 2017, the digital release by J-Novel Club has now been made available on digital platforms as of September 2019. The book is translated by David Musto, and has previously been reviewed by Cho.
The Great Europea War has finally ended, bringing an unsteady peace to the region. Now, free from his duties as a soldier, Lud Langart is trying to open his bakery Tockerbrot and start his new life. Things don’t go too well for the former Captain despite his efforts, as his military background make him an unwelcome addition to the small town, and his rough, scarred face kills any remaining goodwill. His only customer is a young boy named Jacob, who insists on paying for his bread—and the only one aware of how delicious the bakery’s goods are.
It’s Jacob who encourages the gruff soldier that he needs a ‘fairer’ face for customers, and although Lud is pessamistic on the idea that any young girl would want to waitress for him, he’s surprised a few weeks later by the mysterious Sven. With beautiful silver hair and ruby-red eyes, the girl begs for the job—ready and willing to devote her life to Lud forever-after. The reality is that Sven is actually an Automaton, filled with the AI personality Avei from Lud’s Hunter mecha during the war. Over the years together the two formed an unbeatable partnership, and the AI grew to truly care for the man who gave her a name and thus individuality. Feeling lost and abandoned after the war, Avei jumps at the opportunity to rejoin her ‘master’—her newfound body a top-secret military project.
Despite the existence of wacky hijinks in the story—where Sven doesn’t quite understand human strength, or gets a little too overprotective of Lud—the story doesn’t feel like a comedy, or even a relaxed look into the daily life of the bakery. There’s a pervasive unrest within the town of Organbaelz, and tensions are bubbling just below the surface. Part of the newly-established region of Pelfe, the citizens don’t accept being annexed into the Principality of Wiltia. The townspeople see Lud as an outsider, a part of the military who brought death and destruction to their town only a few years prior, and refuse to buy his bread.
Aside from Jacob and Sven, the bakery’s only ally seems to be Marlene—a sister at the church who looks after the town’s war orphans—who welcomes the leftovers to feed the children. The church and Marlene play a pretty crucial role in this book, not only in the actions throughout the plot, but as an avenue for Lud to truly face the consequences of the actions he took a part in. All’s fair in love and war, but the reality of a country in and recovering from conflict is never pretty. Together, Lud and Sven (as Avei) very likely created more orphans than they could ever know—and the ex-soldier now accepts the disdain and hatred as his earned fate, willing to bear the burdens of his choices.
For Sven, she has a much harder time reconciling human emotions—not understanding how the master she loves so much could be hated by others for doing his job well. She takes it upon herself to try and convince the townspeople to try and buy the amazing array of breads, and doesn’t fully understand the nuance of upset and hurt and betrayed that the war caused. She may look human, and she definitely has a wider emotional range than the other copies of her program, but Sven (or Avei) has a long way to go before she can fully appreciate how people survive after trauma.
Later we get some insight as to why Lud decided on becoming a baker, and I think this scene gives the character some much-needed motivation and depth beyond the ‘tough soldier with a heart of gold’ trope that has become prevalent within light novels of the past few years. I can only hope Sven gets a similar sort of development in future novels, because right now her personality is painfully one-note in the ‘crazy over-protective girlfriend’ way.
There’s a lot of directions this premise could have gone, especially with a title like The Combat Baker and Automaton Waitress, so I’m glad it surprised me with a purposeful exploration of the impacts of war and survivors guilt, even if it’s dressed in a maid outfit. The book was far from perfect though, and the first half really had me struggling to read it. There’s an amateurish quality to the writing, and Sven’s utter delight in servitude to Lud is grating to read (although understandable within context). Thankfully the dynamic between them keeps the baker at a near-constant confusion at the girl’s actions and undying love—but it also makes Lud look like a clueless idiot. Sven is anything but subtle, and the plot suffered in order to keep Lud ignorant of her true identity. I can’t really say if I enjoyed this book, but I can appreciate what it was trying to do.
But the major issue I have is that for a book that has multiple plots, conflicts and characters introduced, if doesn’t feel like much happened at all. I think this was due in part to the amateur writing style, as important scenes lacked ‘impact’—it felt like the writer struggled with building the tone of each scene.
Overall, The Combat Baker and Automaton Waitress was surprise. The novel was a mixed-bag of ideas, some better executed than others, and with some surprising poignancy when it’s trying.
Lost
