- #1
This is my first Murim novel so I am not sure if other Murim's are like this. But I have read a couple of Wuxia/Xianxia/Xuanhuan novels which is the equivalent genre among CN. A rough trend I've noticed is that while Wuxia/Xianxia novels are more character-driven, usually at the expense of having vague or ill-defined power system, Xuanhuan's tend to focus more on the fantasy aspect and flashy powers. I feel like Childhood Friend of the Zenith belongs to the former category, but with the added bonus of having a more clear and simple power system.Another thing I personally appreciate is that the novel is not h**ny, for a novel in the harem genre. This is best reflected in the illustrations of the female characters. In most harem novels, the female characters are drawn either in suggestive poses or outfits for fanservice irrelevant of their personality. Here, the illustrations feel like they respect the character and setting rather than being made for the h**ny.The one thing that really puts me off about this novel is how the MC is an adult in a child and the young girls liking him. At the very least, MC doesn't make any moves on the girls, but the reason for that does not seem to be due to any age gap issues but because of his own emotional scars from his past life.What's worse is that even when an old master knew MC was an adult in a child, he didn't bat an eye at the issue and was actually jealous that MC was popular with girls. The worst thing is that this issue is never addressed within the story as far as I read, and gives the impression that the author is just willfully turning a blind eye to it.It bothers me so much cause there is a lot of fluff slice of life romance with the girls and MC and it constantly reminds me of how weird the setup is. When the story focus on the fights, adult characters (which are genuinely interesting), overarching plot / mystery, previous life backstory etc., is when it actually becomes interesting.