I don't have much this week, but when playing around with AI last week I had it generate synopses at some point. Some of them were hilarious so for this week I just want to share some.

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Ascendance of a Bookworm as a 90s forth wall breaking comedy movie:

Cue the quirky 90s synth music and flashy title card.

Meet Myne, a modern-day bookworm extraordinaire, who just had the unluckiest day ever—crushed to death by her towering book collection. Record scratch. Yup, you heard that right. But instead of the afterlife, she wakes up in the body of a frail little girl in a medieval world where books are rarer than a TV remote that actually works.

Myne looks directly at the camera, eyebrows raised. “Seriously, who writes this stuff?”

Myne's new medieval world is all about swords, sorcery, and an alarming lack of good hygiene. But for Myne, the real tragedy is the lack of books. She pulls out a parchment and quill, giving the camera a deadpan look. “This is what they call a book here. I mean, come on!”

Determined to bring the joys of literature to the masses—or at least get herself something decent to read—Myne sets off on a series of zany misadventures. From negotiating with clueless nobles to outsmarting a guild of suspicious craftsmen, she’s on a mission to revolutionize this bookless backwater.

Montage of Myne getting into all sorts of 90s-style hijinks: almost setting the village on fire with a homemade printing press, getting tangled in a huge scroll, and facepalming at the medieval methods of paper-making.

But it’s not all laughs and giggles. Myne’s got a condition called the “Devouring,” which sounds serious but mostly means she’s got to achieve her dreams before her body gives out. Talk about a deadline! Myne, with a mischievous grin, holds up a sundial. “Tick-tock, am I right?”

Along the way, she’s joined by a quirky cast of characters:

• Lutz, the loyal sidekick with big dreams and an even bigger heart.
• Benno, the savvy merchant who’s more interested in profits than prose.
• Ferdinand, the stern but secretly soft-hearted priest who can't believe he's getting roped into her schemes.

Together, they bumble, stumble, and somehow manage to start a literary revolution, one hilarious mishap at a time.

Myne winks at the camera, a stack of freshly printed books in hand. “Who says you can’t judge a book by its cover?”

So, grab your popcorn and settle in for “Ascendance of a Bookworm,” the 90s comedy romp that proves even a bookworm can change the world—one page at a time.

Freeze frame on Myne holding up a book, while the rest of the cast strikes a pose around her. Roll credits.

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Spice and Wolf: A Tarantino-Esque Synopsis

Welcome to the gritty, fast-talking world of "Spice and Wolf," where medieval trade meets modern swagger in a whirlwind of gold coins and razor-sharp wit. Our story kicks off with Lawrence Kraft, a sharp-dressed, smooth-talking merchant with an eye for the next big score. Enter Holo, a feisty, no-nonsense wolf goddess disguised as a sultry young woman, complete with ears and a tail that hint at her wild side.

The unlikely duo teams up in a blaze of bartering brilliance, tearing through bustling bazaars and backwater towns with a mix of charm, brains, and a little brute force when necessary. Holo’s centuries-old wisdom and wily instincts are the perfect foil to Lawrence’s street-smart hustle, creating a partnership as volatile as it is lucrative.

Their journey is a rollercoaster of high-stakes deals and dangerous liaisons, peppered with colorful characters straight out of a rogue’s gallery. From crooked guild leaders to cutthroat competitors, everyone’s out to make a quick buck or stab you in the back. Lawrence and Holo navigate this treacherous terrain with a blend of sardonic humor and ruthless efficiency, leaving a trail of broken hearts and busted heads in their wake.

Amid the chaos, sparks fly between the merchant and the wolf, their banter crackling with sexual tension and mutual respect. But beneath the surface, there’s a deeper game at play. Holo’s true nature must remain hidden, a secret that could spell their doom in a world where gods and monsters are more than just legends.

"Spice and Wolf" is a pulse-pounding, adrenaline-fueled saga where every deal could be a double-cross, and every smile hides a knife. In true Tarantino fashion, it’s a wild ride through a world where the stakes are high, the dialogue is snappy, and the heroes are anything but clean-cut. Buckle up for a tale of love, betrayal, and cold, hard cash—because in this game, it’s all or nothing.

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Reincarnated as a Slime: A 70s Adult Film-Inspired Synopsis

In a world where fantasy and forbidden pleasures collide, an ordinary man meets an untimely end and is about to discover that being reborn as a slime in a magical realm opens the door to tantalizing escapades and seductive encounters.

As the slime begins to explore this new world, it encounters a cast of voluptuous and enchanting beings—each more alluring than the last. From bewitching sorceresses to fierce, curvaceous warriors, every meeting promises a blend of peril and passion. With its newfound powers, the slime shapeshifts and adapts, becoming whatever it needs to be to survive and thrive in this sensual, mystical land.

Through steamy alliances and seductive battles, the slime carves out a kingdom of its own, attracting followers with its irresistible charm and unparalleled power. Each encounter is a pulse-pounding blend of danger and desire, as the slime learns that in this world, every conquest is both a challenge and a pleasure.

• Toradora!
• Reincarnated as a Sword
• Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis
• The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain
• The Evil Queen’s Beautiful Principles

English is not my first langue and the lack of finely polished prose when crafting my reviews is the sole thing holding this community back. In order to not further subject you fine people to my peasant words, I decided to employ the help of an artificial ghostwriter to spruce up my works for this week’s Midweek Discussion. At least that was my initial course of action, but as hillarious as the results were it doesn’t leave much space open for discussion. So I decided to do start a little quiz instead. I spruce up light novel titles instead for you all to guess:

1. "I have ascended to unparalleled strength, wielding diminutive incantations to obliterate all opposition."
2. "The leisurely adventures of a seasoned herder, who has embarked upon her journey at an unconventional juncture in time."
3. "Culinary Adventures: Preparing Delectable Dishes from Exotic Game Ingredients"
4. "A Symphonic Odyssey through the Land of the Afterlife: A Tale of Perilous Travel to an Altered Universe."
5. "Tired of this languid existence? Having been reborn as a preeminent Elven being, my current state is one of profound ennui."

This should be enough to get the guessing going. Feel free to add your own so that I get to guess as well. (prompt was simply "Rewirte the following to make it sound more eloquent: [TITLE]”)

edit: Answers:

spoiler

1. I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells (I left out the "Failure Frame” because the AI kept it unchanged)
2. A Late-Start Tamer’s Laid-Back Life (yeah, don’t ask me where the journey in a unconventional time stuff came from)
3. Cooking with Wild Game
4. Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody (love the Rhapsody turning into “Symphonic Odyssey” and thought it would be the easiest to guess because of it)
5. Enough with This Slow Life! I Was Reincarnated as a High Elf and Now I’m Bored (Ennui is my new favorite word)

Digital Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-07-17 | Making Magic: The Sweet Life of a Witch Who Knows an Infinite MP Loophole | 8 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-17 | The Conqueror from a Dying Kingdom | 7 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-18 | I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! | 7 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-18 | Ripping Someone Open Only Makes Them Bleed | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-18 | The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior | 7 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ |

Physical Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-07-16 | Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! | 9 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-07-16 | The Case Files of Jeweler Richard | 8 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 |

Audio Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-07-16 | Ishura | 4 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-07-16 | Overlord | 13 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-07-16 | The Saga of Tanya the Evil | 11 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-07-16 | your name. | 1 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-07-18 | I Want to Eat Your Pancreas | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 | | 2024-07-18 | The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 |

If anyone wants to help with placing pixels then feel free.

I'm running out of ideas, so this week it's a free4all.

Want to tell me how retarded your sister is? Have at it! Need to convince me that Saiki is the best Band Maid member? Already sold! Gawr Gura: gremlin or genius? Why not both! Have something cool to show off? I love seeing pictures of cool stuff.

You get the drift. Have something you always want to get off your soul, this is your chance.

Digital Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-07-08 | Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire ♀ | 11 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-10 | Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 5 | 11 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-10 | BLADE & BASTARD: Dungeon Chronicle | 4 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-10 | The Death of the Skeleton Swordsman: Dominating as a Cursed Saint | 1 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-11 | Magic Stone Gourmet: Eating Magical Power Made Me The Strongest | 6 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-11 | The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash | 7 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-11 | Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs | 12 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-12 | A Livid Lady's Guide to Getting Even: How I Crushed My Homeland with My Mighty Grimoires | 2 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-12 | Ascendance of a Bookworm: Fanbook | 4 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-12 | I Surrendered My Sword for a New Life as a Mage | 7 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ |

Physical Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-07-08 | Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 5 | 4 | J-Novel Club | 📖 | | 2024-07-08 | Full Metal Panic! Short Stories | 4-6 | J-Novel Club | 📖 | | 2024-07-08 | Otherside Picnic | 7-8 | J-Novel Club | 📖 | | 2024-07-09 | Loner Life in Another World | 9 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-07-09 | Reincarnated Into a Game as the Hero's Friend: Running the Kingdom Behind the Scenes | 2 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-07-09 | Vampire Hunter D | 30 | Dark Horse | 📖 |

Audio Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-07-11 | Classroom of the Elite: Year 2 | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 |

Another week, another episode of the crowd pleaser Midweek Discussion. This time let's discuss the other half of what makes a light novel a light novel.

Most of the time I have to say that I don't really give much thought to the illustrator. I might read an LN and think, oh "That art style looks good" or "That design is interesting", but most of the time I won't even remember the name of the artist even in those cases, and if they were silently replaced I would be oblivious to it. That doesn't mean that the illustrations are irrelevant though. The art style alone has a big influence of how I perceive a text. The artwork on the cover will set the tone with which I read that novel. I will interpret a scene differently if there is a derpy artwork on the cover versus a grimdark one for example. Sure the prose can overcome the

But there are exceptions. Illustrators that I find absolutely essential to a series. You Shiina (no, not you! the illustrator /sigh) is one such example, but that's too on the nose. So I would like to point out so-bin instead. The illustrator of the Overlord series. His artwork stands out so much amongst the mass of LN illustrations. You could just get a glimpse of an Overlord illustration and immediately recognize from which series it comes.

This does not only apply to the cover illustrations but also the in-chapter illustrations as well (one more because I couldn't choose just the two examples).

TL;DR: so-bin good.

So, my questions for this week are:

• do you have favorite illustrators and who are they?
• how important are the illustrations to you?
• what are good examples (I admit that's just an excuse of a question for me just wanting to see pretty pictures)
• what would you like to see more in LN illustrations? For example, I would like to see more establishing shots instead of just key moments or character introductions.

Digital Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-07-01 | In Another World With My Smartphone | 29 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-01 | The Banished Former Hero Lives as He Pleases | 2 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-01 | When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace | 11 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-04 | Classroom of the Elite: Year 2 | 9 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-04 | Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling | 7 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-04 | Too Many Losing Heroines! | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-07-05 | I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic | 2 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ |

Physical Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-07-02 | Raven of the Inner Palace | 6 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 |

Audio Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-07-04 | Loyal Soldier, Lustful Beast | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 | | 2024-07-04 | Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! | 9 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 |

No books are allowed here this week. Tell me how you spend your free time when you're not reading.

When I'm not reading or watching anime I'm usually playing games. This used to be my main hobby but for the last several years I kinda lost interest and are now just playing in bursts whenever something catches my fancy. I'm finishing up the last bits and bobs of Shadow of the Erdtree right now and I might start Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance next. Just like the non-remake version, I played it for about 30 minutes and then something else caught my eye. This time I want to pick it back up and not just forget it again, but my backlog is insane and it feels more like an obligation than something I actually want to do (which takes a lot out of the fun of the whole thing).

I also started to get into cooking for the past 5 years or so and are currently in my creative phase where I try to come up with new stuff instead of following recipes. It's not good honestly...

Digital Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-25 | As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World | 5 | Kodansha | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-26 | Heavenly Swords of the Twin Stars | 2 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-27 | An Introvert's Hookup Hiccups: This Gyaru Is Head Over Heels for Me! | 7 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-27 | Back to the Battlefield: The Veteran Heroes Return to the Fray! | 4 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-27 | Earl and Fairy | 6 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-27 | Raven of the Inner Palace | 6 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-27 | Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court | 7 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-28 | Another World Survival | 9 | Hanashi Media | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-28 | Chillin' in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers | 14 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-28 | Chivalry of a Failed Knight | 2 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ |

Physical Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-25 | As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World | 5 | Kodansha | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-25 | The Dawn of the Witch | 6 | Kodansha | 📖 |

Audio Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-27 | Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation | 18 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 | | 2024-06-27 | Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation | 19 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 |

Reading through D-Genesis which is an extreme example of a LN written from multiple POVs got me thinking about this. I can't think of a single instance where I like the multiple POV type of writing. I enjoy a bonus chapter from a fresh POV well enough, but in the main body I want to follow a single protagonist and I find it tiresome to emotionally adjust to a new protagonist in short order.

What do you all think about this? Are there any LN with multiple POVs that are good?

Digital Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-17 | D-Genesis | 6 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-18 | Miss Savage Fang | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Unimplemented Overlords Have Joined the Party! | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Kept Man of the Princess Knight | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody | 10 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten | 7 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Sugar Apple Fairy Tale | 6 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Phantom Thief Red | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Online! | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | My Magical Career at Court: Living the Dream After My Nightmare Boss Fired Me from the Mages' Guild! | 4 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-18 | The Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess | 7 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | You Are My Regret | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Liar, Liar | 4 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Kunon the Sorcerer Can See | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I'll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too | 5 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Demons' Crest | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Days with My Stepsister | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Date A Live | 12 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Canine Detective Chris | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Babel | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-20 | RVing My Way into Exile with My Beloved Cat: This Villainess Is Trippin' | 2 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-20 | Loner Life in Another World | 9 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-20 | A Tale of the Secret Saint | 6 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-21 | I Could Never Be a Succubus! | 3 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ |

Physical Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-18 | Babel | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Unimplemented Overlords Have Joined the Party! | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Kept Man of the Princess Knight | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody | 10 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten | 7 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Sugar Apple Fairy Tale | 6 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire | 3 | Yen Press | 📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Phantom Thief Red | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Online! | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Miss Savage Fang | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Liar, Liar | 4 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Kunon the Sorcerer Can See | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I'll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too | 5 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells | 10 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Demons' Crest | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Days with My Stepsister | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Date A Live | 12 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Canine Detective Chris | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | Black Summoner | 2 | Yen Press | 📖 | | 2024-06-18 | The Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess | 7 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-06-18 | You Are My Regret | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 |

Audio Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-20 | At Night, I Become a Monster | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 |

Which LN has the best ad?

My pick would be Re:Zero. The first season is so well done that I had to pick up the LN to see how it continues.

Digital Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-11 | The Dawn of the Witch | 6 | Kodansha | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-11 | You Like Me, Not My Daughter?! | 6 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-13 | Reincarnated Into a Game as the Hero's Friend: Running the Kingdom Behind the Scenes | 2 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-13 | The Case Files of Jeweler Richard | 8 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-14 | After-School Dungeon Diver: Level Grinding in Another World | 2 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-14 | Now I'm a Demon Lord! Happily Ever After with Monster Girls in My Dungeon | 9 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-14 | The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows | 3 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ |

Physical Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-10 | Ascendance of a Bookworm: Short Story Collection | 1 | J-Novel Club | 📖 | | 2024-06-10 | My Friend's Little Sister Has It In for Me! | 9 | J-Novel Club | 📖 | | 2024-06-10 | Slayers | 13-15 | J-Novel Club | 📖 | | 2024-06-11 | Disciple of the Lich: Or How I Was Cursed by the Gods and Dropped Into the Abyss! | 7 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-06-11 | True Love Fades Away When the Contract Ends – One Star in the Night Sky | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 |

Audio Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-11 | 86--EIGHTY-SIX | 9 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-06-11 | Bungo Stray Dogs | 1 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-06-11 | I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level | 3 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-06-11 | Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! | 5 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-06-11 | Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid | 9 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-06-11 | So I'm a Spider, So What? | 9 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-06-11 | Sword Art Online | 13 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-06-11 | The Executioner and Her Way of Life | 3 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-06-13 | I'm in Love with the Villainess: She's so Cheeky for a Commoner | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 | | 2024-06-13 | Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA | 5 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 |

I had a day off on Monday so my wetware got confused and thought it's only Tuesday. That's why I don't have anything prepared for the Midweek-Discussion. I call a lazy day and just ask y'all what your favorite "normie book" is. We've seen a few already on April 1st but where they your favorite?

I would start with my favorite but I cannot in good conscience tell you about it because it will never get to the last book in the trilogy and letting readers hang is probably somewhere listed in the Geneva Conventions as a war crime. It's been over a decade and I still made myself depressed again just thinking about it right now, so go on and tell me about your favorites to cheer me up.

Digital Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-03 | An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride | 17 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-03 | Cooking with Wild Game | 24 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-03 | Goodbye, Overtime! This Reincarnated Villainess Is Living for Her New Big Brother | 1 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-05 | Black Summoner | 17 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-05 | The Invincible Summoner Who Crawled Up from Level 1: Wrecking Reincarnators with My Hidden Dungeon | 1 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-06 | Riku Can't Be a Goddess | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-06-07 | Finding Avalon: The Quest of a Chaosbringer | 3 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ |

Physical Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-06-04 | Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear | 18 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-06-04 | The Mimosa Confessions | 1 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-06-04 | Yes, No, or Maybe? | 3 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 |

Audio Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------|

Last week I read a book where the protagonist did the usual Hollywood good-guy thing where he refused to kill the antagonist because that would be bad, I guess. All while watching how the baddie killed hundreds and possibly thousands of innocents all around him. Not to mention all the suffering and death he caused leading up to that confrontation. But no, watching hundreds of civilians get slaughtered while trying to talk the villain down is okay as long as MC doesn't tarnish his fickle morality by killing someone. I mean, at which point can a hero say "you know what, you deserve to die"?

And while seething in a lot more anger about stupid MCs than is justified, I was thinking about MCs that are realist enough to actually pull the figurative trigger on a villain. There aren't that many that I can think of. Even those who are supposedly "villains" are villains in title alone. It's like finding a unicorn when you stumble upon a MC who actually kills a named character. After all, we already established that an infinite number of unnamed civillians/henchmen doesn't count when it comes to hero morality. Cutting through 100 nameless hired guards who are only doing their jobs is okay as long as MC realizes that he isn't that guy just when he towers over the defeated mega villain.

What's your stance on those heroes? Do you have good examples? Bad ones?

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For everyone who is like me dreading the end of Ascendance of a Bookworm, here is the cover of the first Spin-off series.

The Blessing of Liefe: Leave This Magical Letdown Alone!

It is said that Liefes are only capable of conjuring the most difficult and least useful of spells... but that won’t stop Yui from doing what she loves! Despite being born a Liefe, Yui adores magic and learning all she can about it no matter the challenge. The more difficult spells, the better! If only her noble father approved. Deemed a failure to the family name, young Yui and her mother are banished from their own home... but she won’t let that stop her either! After years of struggle and devotion to her studies, Yui is accepted into one of the most prestigious magic academies in the kingdom. Here she will learn from the best magical practitioners in the world—if she can survive amongst all the pompous nobles with more bluster than brains. Constantly ridiculed and undermined by her privileged peers for being a Liefe, will Yui be able to study in peace and prove them wrong? And what ancient mysteries will her research uncover? That is, if the academy doesn’t stop her first...

The Royal Hostage Has Vanished: The Black Wolf Knight Yearns for the Persecuted Princess

Upon his nation’s victory against the Kingdom of Sylvario, Brigandian knight Ark McGuine is sent to collect Princess Sonia of Sylvario, whose hand in marriage had been offered in exchange for lesser financial reparations. But when she doesn’t arrive by the agreed date, he’s forced to spearhead an investigation into why. As a horrible tale of mistreatment and negligence comes to light, he grows more and more drawn to a woman he’s never met, but it all ends tragically: Princess Sonia perished on the way to her new home from her country’s own capital, and her own family members were at fault! Ark eventually returns to Brigandia, despairing over a love that could have been...until he runs into a girl named “Nia” in his own kingdom’s capital who looks exactly like the princess!

The Hero and the Sage, Reincarnated and Engaged

In a world ravaged by war and conflict, Hero Raid Freeden and Sage Eluria Caldwin clashed time and time again over fifty long years as the strongest soldiers of their respective nations. However, their long-standing rivalry came to an inevitable yet bitter end with Eluria’s sudden death. A thousand years later, Raid finds he has been reincarnated—and so has Eluria! The world may now be at peace, but the two have an unsettled rivalry between them and the mystery of their reincarnation looms ominously over their heads. There’s so much that needs to be done, so they decide to...get engaged and attend the Royal Institute of Magic together?!

The Poison King: Now that I've Gained Ultimate Power, the Bewitching Beauties in My Harem Can't Get Enough of Me

Thirteen years ago, a terrible monster called the Poison Queen attacked the Jade Kingdom. A brave party of adventurers defeated her, but in the process one of them was stricken with a curse. In order to survive, she had to pass it down to her own son. Scorned as a cursed child since birth, Caim Halsberg is hated by everyone except his late mother and Tea, a maid working for his family. While his father and twin sister reside in their mansion, Caim is forced to live alone in a forest hut. But everything changes when a certain doctor helps him to overcome the curse and claim its power. Having now become the Poison King, Caim goes on a journey to achieve his one wish—but he never imagined that his poison would have quite the peculiar effect on the beauties he meets!

Dagashi-ya Yahagi: Setting Up a Sweets Shop in Another World

From the day he was born until the moment he died, 25-year-old Yusuke Yahagi never had a say in his life. Even after being hit by a truck and sent to a new world, he was given a job he hadn’t asked for: a dagashi-ya. But the cheap and tasty snacks that line his shop are different from those back in Japan. From Curry Rice Crackers to Anzu Sticks, each item comes with its own special effects. Unfortunately, this new world has no idea what dagashi are! It’s up to Yahagi to teach them about the wonders of dagashi as he builds a new life for himself, selling his stat-boosting snacks to help adventurers in need and earning loyal customers—like the lively pink-haired Meryl, the mysterious man in the silver mask, and maybe even a witch or two...?

The Fake Hero Crashes the Party

A Demon Lord has arisen, and the world awaits a hero. In a peaceful village, two young boys—Foyle Austin and his best friend Yu—have long dreamed about being heroes, but the legends say there can only be one. Their paths forward seem decided when the goddess declares Foyle a “Hero,” while leaving Yu’s destiny unclear. But Foyle has a secret only he knows. The role given to him by the goddess is actually “Fake Hero.” Far from being destined to overthrow the Demon Lord, defeat awaits him at the true hero’s hand, and Foyle has a good idea who that will be. When Foyle expels Yu from his party, he cements his role as the true hero’s adversary. His powers begin to fade as his friend grows ever stronger. Foyle clearly won’t be the one to save the world, but after an encounter with a mysterious elf in need of help, he sets out to prove that even the villain can be a hero to someone.

The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World

Betrayed by his allies and on the verge of death, the strongest exorcist, Haruyoshi Kuga, desired only one thing—to be happy in his next life. Using the secret art of reincarnation, he was transported to another world. Reborn as Seika Lamprogue, third son of a distinguished family of magic scholars, he’s found to have no magical power whatsoever, which is an unacceptable shame in a family of mages. However, he soon comes to realize that his new world’s magic is nothing compared to the sorcery he mastered as an exorcist. With his control over divination, curses, and legions of youkai who serve him, his life in this new world should be a breeze! The only question is: how can he make use of those powers while laying low to avoid another untimely demise?

For me, it’s often hard to say what makes good world-building. I’m good at pointing out what I don’t like, but when I find a series that has good world-building in my opinion I often find myself hard-pressed to put a finger on what exactly makes it good in comparison. But let’s try anyway. Post specific examples of something that elevates one series' world-building in your opinion.

As is customary I will start: Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World does a lot of things that I would consider good world-building but it does one specific thing that I find dreadfully lacking in 99% of other series (even those I love to death). ReZero has in-world proverbs. When characters say them for the first time we, as the reader, don’t understand them but we (well, most of us) are intelligent enough to get the meaning from context. I have no idea why a magmarin is laughing when it's full of holes or how it feels to be a bazomazo bein' flung back an' forth but adding those simple lines adds so much to the world by giving the illusion that there is a whole history/fable/story behind those sayings. That this world exists outside the character's direct sphere of influence and has existed long before. And this is just the beginning. Those specific proverbs above come from a character that is part of a different culture than the people we have seen up to his point of introduction. By throwing around a bunch of new proverbs that sound so far off from what we heard so far, Nagasaki really drives home that this character has his own set of values and views on what’s normal. That’s not only incredible and intelligent world-building but also fucking great prose. It’s “show, don’t tell” in text form.

Digital Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-05-20 | Butareba -The Story of a Man Turned into a Pig- | 3 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-20 | The Apothecary Diaries | 11 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-20 | Taking My Reincarnation One Step at a Time: No One Told Me There Would Be Monsters! | 5 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-20 | I Don't Want to Be the Dragon Duke's Maid! Serving My Ex-Fiancé from My Past Life | 2 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-20 | Record of Wortenia War | 24 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-21 | A Certain Magical Index NT | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices | 5 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | The Irregular at Magic High School | 22 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | The God of Nishi-Yuigahama Station | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | The Girl I Saved on the Train Turned Out to Be My Childhood Friend | 6 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy | 10 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Spy Classroom | 7 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Reign of the Seven Spellblades | 11 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Young Lady Albert Is Courting Disaster | 6 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-21 | My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1 | 5 | Kodansha | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Horror Collector | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Guillotine Bride: I'm just a dragon girl who'll destroy the world. | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Durarara!! Side Stories?! | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody | 21 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Brunhild the Dragonslayer | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Banished from the Hero's Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside | 11 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Astrea Record: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Tales of Heroes | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Wolf & Parchment: New Theory Spice & Wolf | 8 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-23 | Holmes of Kyoto | 18 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-23 | Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! | 9 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ |

Physical Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-05-21 | A Certain Magical Index NT | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | The Irregular at Magic High School | 22 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | The God of Nishi-Yuigahama Station | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | The Girl I Saved on the Train Turned Out to Be My Childhood Friend | 6 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy | 10 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Spy Classroom | 7 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Reincarnated as a Sword | 14 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Reign of the Seven Spellblades | 11 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1 | 5 | Kodansha | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices | 5 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me! | 4 | Yen Press | 📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Horror Collector | 3 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Hell Mode | 4 | Yen Press | 📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Guillotine Bride: I'm just a dragon girl who'll destroy the world. | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Durarara!! Side Stories?! | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody | 21 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Brunhild the Dragonslayer | 1 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Banished from the Hero's Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside | 11 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Astrea Record: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Tales of Heroes | 2 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Modern Dungeon Capture Starting with Broken Skills | 2 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-05-21 | Wolf & Parchment: New Theory Spice & Wolf | 8 | Yen Press | 🖥️📖 |

Audio Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-05-23 | Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation | 16 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 | | 2024-05-23 | Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation | 17 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 |

Tell me how a series would change if MC were the villain. Who would be the new hero and how would the plot change?

And since today is Bookworm day I'll start with the obvious:

Ascendance of a Bookwyrm: Urano Motosu, once a book-loving and kind-hearted girl, reincarnates as Myne, a fire-spewing dragon. After a century as a recluse in her dragon hort full of books she accidentally burns everything down in a fit of rage when she reads a romance novel and her favorite ship doesn't sail. Desperately crying over the ashes of her lost hort she hatches a new plan. She transforms into the body of a little girl and tries to blend in with the human civilization of the Ehrenfest duchy. She begins to develop a book industry and finds promising authors but becomes quickly disillusioned with this new environment and its injustices. She realizes that her efforts to spread knowledge and literacy have been in vain, as the nobles and clergy continue to exploit and oppress the common people. Feeling betrayed and frustrated, Myne's desire for change and justice morphs into a thirst for power and control as she turns back into her dragon form and forces everyone to write and print books for her ceaselessly after she overthrows the ruling class and becomes the new supreme ruler.

As Myne's power grows, the Yurgenschmidt descends into chaos. Entire duchies are destroyed, innocent people are burned by a angry Bookwyrm for the slightest typos or when the wrong (in Myne's opinion) ships sail. The nobles and clergy, who once oppressed the common people, are now forced to flee or go into hiding. The people are caught in the middle, suffering under Myne's tyranny. Some of those people who once admired and respected Myne are shocked and terrified by her transformation. Her former friends and allies, including Benno and Lutz, are forced to confront the monster she has become under the guidance of the resistance leader Ferdinand. They must band together to stop her, but Myne's cunning and magical prowess make her a formidable foe indeed.

Trash of the Count's Family is a Korean isekai web novel series written by Yoo Ryeo Han in the Action, Comedy, and Fantasy genres. The story follows the main character, Kim Rok Soo, who wakes up in a different world and inhabits the body of a minor villain named Cale Henituse. As the plot deviates from the original novel, Kim Rok Soo becomes entangled in various conflicts. The novel is still ongoing but is currently on hiatus due to the author's family circumstances. It features elements like alchemy, artifacts, beast companions, and a cautious, clever protagonist. The novel has garnered praise for its masterful storytelling and engaging plot, making it a popular choice among readers

Web Novel: LINK1 | LINK2

More info: https://www.novelupdates.com/series/trash-of-the-counts-family/

Is also been adapted in a web comics series : https://trashofthecountfamily.com/

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Digital Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-05-13 | Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon: My Trusted Companions Tried to Kill Me, But Thanks to the Gift of an Unlimited Gacha I Got LVL 9999 Friends and Am Out For Revenge on My Former Party Members and the World | 7 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-13 | Isekai Tensei: Recruited to Another World | 7 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-13 | The Frontier Lord Begins with Zero Subjects | 3 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-15 | Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 5 | 10 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-15 | From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman: My Hotshot Disciples Are All Grown Up Now, and They Won't Leave Me Alone | 3 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-15 | Invaders of the Rokujouma!? | 44 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-16 | Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells | 10 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-16 | Private Tutor to the Duke's Daughter | 12 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ | | 2024-05-17 | By the Grace of the Gods | 14 | J-Novel Club | 🖥️ |

Physical Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-05-13 | Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 5 | 3 | J-Novel Club | 📖 | | 2024-05-14 | Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord: Production Magic Turns a Nameless Village into the Strongest Fortified City | 2 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-05-14 | Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentōshō | 5 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 📖 | | 2024-05-14 | The Apothecary Diaries | 1 | Square Enix Books | 📖 |

Audio Releases

| Date | Title | Volume | Publisher | Format | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------|-------------| | 2024-05-14 | Baccano! | 1 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-05-14 | Goblin Slayer | 3 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-05-14 | Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? | 3 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-05-14 | Reign of the Seven Spellblades | 1 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-05-14 | Spice and Wolf | 9 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-05-14 | The Saga of Tanya the Evil | 10 | Yen Press | 🎧 | | 2024-05-16 | The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent | 9 | Seven Seas Entertainment | 🎧 |

It’s that time of the week again. This time it’s about books you hate to read but still keep reading. Usually I drop a book when I don’t enjoy it but currently, I’m reading a series (Mythical Hero's Otherworld Chronicles) that I absolutely despise with a passion but I still keep grabbing new volumes for some reason that I might need to get checked out.

Does anyone of you have something like that or am I the only masochistic weirdo out here?