- #1
I'm not entirely sure why, but this is one of the novels I enjoy reading the most. Somehow it just hits the precisely right spot for me in terms of tone (pretty light-hearted) and balance of romance/action/slice of life. I suppose the fact that it's scifi instead of fantasy (though it does have fantasy elements such as psionic powers), which is my main genre, and also quite different in tone compared to the few other scifi stuff I've consumed previously, does help keep it fresh. The only thing that feels somewhat similar is I'm the Evil Overlord of an Intergalactic Empire, but as much a fan as I am of Mishima Yomu's works, I actually like this one quite a bit more. I'm just never bored for a moment, and I feel like I could keep reading this forever if it was sufficiently long. I'll probably re-read this many times in the coming years.As scifi, it's pretty soft, since the MC isn't too technologically savvy and leaves the complicated stuff for his crew, but it does provide enough explanations not to feel like the author pulled stuff out of his behind. He's clearly taken much inspiration from games such as Stellaris (and probably a lot from EVE Online, though I can't say for sure, as I've never played it), and of course popular shows and movies such as Star Wars. Psionic powers, body enhancements and advanced bladeforging technology that allow people to actually fight with swords against guns bring a nice element of fantasy reminiscent of the Jedi from SW. The settings are reasonably well developed, with each arc expanding the world and explaining more.The characters are interesting enough - hardly packed with layers and depth, but they're a fun bunch, the character interaction always entertains me. Naturally, most of the central characters are women, and by the latest chapter, the MC's harem (including all of his crew and a couple of them outside of it) is almost at double digits. The MC himself is very likable: he's good to his women and friends but merciless towards his enemies, not so smart that he'd feel difficult to identify with but not annoyingly dumb either, strong but not without rivals (except when it comes to piloting), masculine compared to your typical Japanese MC, and his moral compass is quite relatable.Well, in conclusion, it's well worth checking out if you feel like reading something light-hearted with a moderate amount of action, and don't dislike harems. I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea, but if you give it a shot, you're likely to find out pretty quickly whether it's up your alley or not.BTW, if you read the LN up to the latest volume, it's quite fine to continue with the WN afterwards - the LN adds a few scenes here and there, but you won't find yourself confused by any major continuity disconnects.