It’s time for light novel notes!
I’m going to stop posting recent releases (I have those covered here), but I will go over what’s coming out soon. (Or in the case of The Violet Knight, what has just barely released.)
The Violet Knight volume 1 (ebook)
Amazon
Release Date: September 12, 2016
Strike the Blood volume 4 (paperback, ebook)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository
Release Date: September 27, 2016
My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong as I Expected volume 1 (paperback)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Overlord volume 2 (hardcover, ebook)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Kagerou Daze volume 5 (paperback, ebook)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Accel World volume 7 (paperback)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Note: The release date for the third Seraph of the End omnibus appears delayed — that will release on November 8th.
Site News
- Reminder: Did you know you can submit your own reviews for a light novel? Now is your chance to become internet-famous, at least among people who visit this site!
- Plans for the future: I am thinking of putting together LN Notes posts more often, and having them be shorter. Does that sound good to all of you?
- I really want there to be more light novel discussions. I’ve tried having a summer reading program for two years now, where we could all chime in on six different books. But I feel like I need to find a better way to encourage people to share their thoughts on… anything. I have two ideas, and I’m willing to try them both:
- Pick a series, and set up a discussion for each volume as they come out. (If you’re wondering what series I have in mind, it’s My Youth Romantic Comedy. The first volume releases in a couple weeks.)
- Find someone who will want to discuss a specific LN at length, and go from there. Basically, a quality over quantity approach using guest-collab posts to create discussion. (Feel free to email me if this sounds like something you would be interested in taking part in at some time over the next… six months?)
English Light Novel News
- Reminder: Vertical recently announced a license for a Seven Deadly Sins light novel. It is expected to release in English in May 2017.
- Udon Entertainment will be releasing an English translation of a Street Fighter novel. It is called Street Fighter: The Novel.
- Do you want to see Isuna Hasekura, the author of Spice and Wolf? He will be appearing at New York Comic Con, which will be held from October 6th to 9th.
- Speaking of Spice and Wolf, Yen Press recently announced a collector’s edition hardcover omnibus of the seventeen volumes — preorders sold out quickly, but fortunately there will be a second printing. Keep your eyes peeled for that!
Japanese Light Novel News
- In Japan, the 18th volume of Sword Art Online has released, concluding the “Alicization” story arc. A new story arc for the series will begin next year.
- Ryohga Narita has revealed that he is working on the final volume set in 1935 for the Baccano! series.
- Which will you choose: Death or Kiss? You will get the chance to do just that, when a Re:Zero video game releases in Japan.
- How are things looking for the upcoming Zaregoto OVA adaptation? You can take a look at all the characters and how they compare to their LN counterparts here. (Also check out its trailer here.)
- A certain magical author, Kazuma Kamchi, has published a light novel every month for the last 24 months! An LN stack like that is one heavy object. To write so many books, he must come from an intellectual village.
- Makoto Shinkai’s latest anime film, Your Name, is currently making a big splash in Japan. The book (also written by Makoto Shinkai) is doing just as well, apparently.
- A slightly different kind of LN -> anime adaptation: The Other World Dining Hall will be about an unusual restaurant.
Links to Recent Reviews and Articles
- First off, an interesting article going over all the top-selling light novels in history. Some of the titles that make the list may surprise you!
- OASG is hosting a contest: win a copy of the first volume of My Youth Romantic Comedy!
- Some of their recent reviews: Log Horizon (vol 5), Seraph of the End (vol 1), and My Favorite Song (vol 1).
- Lots of August Hail reviews to check out, including Re:Zero, Qualidea of Scum and a Gold Coin, and Manuscript Screening Boy and Manuscript Submitting Girl. Also, be sure to look at this post going over a year’s worth of light novel reading.
- For those of you following Re:Zero, I suggest reading this article by Frog-kun. It focuses on the translation of the first light novel volume, as well as the anime.
- At Logistics, an article titled “Reasons Why I Like The Rising of the Shield Hero.”
- And at Toxic Muffin, an article regarding web novels and “chuuni delusions.”
- At Anime Tengoku, reviews of Sword Art Online (vol 8) and A Certain Magical Index (vol 8).
- From Cardigan Chrissie, a review for Chain Mail: Addicted to You.
- At Sleepless Book Junkies, a quick Kino no Tabi review.
- And at Hopeless Procrastinator, an in-depth No.6 review.
- Not exactly light novel-related, but might still be of interest: a look at the covers for A Study in Charlotte, comparing its US release to its Japan release. You might notice how in Japan, it basically looks like a light novel cover? This is actually quite common for English YA novels, when they are published in Japanese.
And that's all I have for now! Please feel free to post links to more light novel-related articles, and to share your thoughts on this feature or anything else for the site.