- #1
I don't usually write reviews on stuff I read due to multiple, although redundant in this particular case, reasons. But once it just so happens to be so disappointed by something I do have to cool myself down somewhat, so here we are. But, first and foremost I do need to clarify this is not a hate review, as much as it would seem like it since I'll be complaining the entire time.Now, onto the review itself. I do love the premise of it. Just reading the summary (and by that I mean the title, since from quite a while ago already, the titles of jap novels became the summary in itself) was enough to get me hooked. A gritty, cruel, depresive world with monsters (cough youkai) everywhere, and the MC just a truly average man trying to survive in it, with no cheats or systems or other bull like that? Oh, boy, sign me in.Unfortunately, as much as the ideea of it sounds more than promising, the execution of it is lackluster at best. My first complaint is that it gets wrong what, to my overwhelming surprise, most other garbage tier Isekai got right all this time, without me even knowing it. It keeps reminding you it's a game. Again. And again. And yet again. My short term memory is lackluster at best, but even so I don't think there was 1 chapter up till now where it didn't remind you of it. Followed then by more info dumping about it being a game, and the backstory of it. Which ties to the second complaint. Info dumps every chapter. I don't mind them in general, but when you read the 7th time about that same place, or thing, or the fact it's a game, with about 50-80% what you already knew before, you get tired of it. You most probably know about that saying "show, don't tell". Well, this novel tells you so much your ears will drop dead from hearing all of it. Coupled together, those 2 are already enough to ruin my immersion in the world, no matter how much it's premise hooked me.Then, there is the MC itself. Which is, quite frankly, a canon fodder s*ave, but it's called a servant because it makes it sound more acceptable. My problem with it is, other than the overly exaggerated narration about the game (and it must have gotten to me as well since it's the 3rd time im mentioning it), surprisingly not the fact he's meek and servile. I mean, it's hard to be another way when you're basically a s*ave, and a bullied one at that. One many people wouldn't blink an eye if he cough ascended, or rather some would even welcome it. But where I draw the line is the cliche goody 2 shoes type of guy. The "innocent hero" archetype, so commonly seen as the staple of japanese MC. No desires (other than being a hero, oh, well, surviving in this particular case). No negative feelings towards other people (not even suppressed at that, even with all the bullshitery that happens to him). No personality. Don't get me wrong now, I don't especially want an evil, borderline psychotic, selfish MC, like the kinds of, let's say, Fang Yuan from RI, but picture me this: dark, gritty world, normal people are literally food for youkai, stuck as a s*ave for a family where scheming against each other seems like an everyday occurrence and, more often that not, it's other servants like him who play the price for it. And yet, the MC is the basic, soulless, goody 2 shoes japanese protagonist. What a way to shatter all your suspension of disbelief, ain't it? The only thing that lacks is him buying s*aves, like in every other garbage self insert Isekai (altho he can't do so when he is one himself), or start praising about the power of friendship and whatnot.And, last, but not least, the author tries to make the novel more "inteligent" than it actually is, but fails miserably, it only manages to complicate everything and highlight my earlier points even more. The fact the translation is readable at best, looking like only 1and a half steps above MTL, surely doesn't do it justice either. But oh, well, that's not something I should complain about when my knowledge of japanese is non-existent, although, still, the quality of it doesn't make the experience more pleasant. But I should stop here before this "review" becomes a novel itself.Final note? 5 tears out of sadness and disappointment (out of 10), cuz it could have been so much more, and yet the end result can't be called anything but average, and missed potential. But since I can't vote a 2.5* here (or I'm a noob and don't know how, especially on mobile), I'll generously round it up to a 3. And hope it won't get worse as I continue reading it when more chapters become available.
