MattSpartan145

Fantastic!

Reviewed: 11-09-22

uhmm... I liked it. listen to it. In some ways it flips the story on its head. In others, it could be an alt ver origin story. Either way, it's great!

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so much fun. basically a 12 episode TV series

Reviewed: 07-27-22

So... people have been complaining about the mix. I honestly don't know what they mean, I imagine they are listening using their phone speakers or lower quality speakers. I mostly listened in my car or with my headphones. the mix was great!

As far as the story. If you like Supernatural, Dresden Files, Vampire Diaries. Anime.... just without the romance. You will like this. Go listen to it.

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Hyouka meets Monogatari feat Kyon

Reviewed: 06-03-22

So. If you recognize those names in my title then you've probably already given this LN a go.

It's simple, but fun. it has a quick wit and charm about it with a MC that just can't be bothered and has some serious RBF that her friend felt the need to rehabilitate her image.

it's a mystery series that won't leave you reeling and it's really meant for you to solve ahead of time, but is interesting to see how all the pieces fit together at the end.

Much like the Monogatari series you learn about characters from the way they speak and interact rather than actions. So if you enjoy battles of wit and a heaping helping of sarcasm and apathy. Then you will most likely like this book.

One other thing about the narrator. She delivers in a very strange way from what I'd expect from a LN. it's not bad. Just different. It grew on me and I think it gives a unique life to all the characters rather than generic anime girl A, B, and C.

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The new reader is great!

Reviewed: 02-16-22

Sad they changed readers, but honestly. You almost don't notice.

The story can sometimes be hard to follow because lots of time can pass with multiple things being retold from multiple perspectives.

But overall good. Can't wait for the next one!

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1 person found this helpful

whoa!

Reviewed: 01-20-22

This one is really good. And mostly taking place in one location really helps following along.

These books don't spend a lot of time "painting" the scene. which is great for pacing! No long, page after page discriptions of wallpaper. But it does sometimes means there are times where you can loose track of where exactly you are (especially since I listen on my drive to work). But overall it's not a big deal. particularly because Star Wars books are treating like radio plays with sound effects and the like.

I will say... Why do characters have different accents and some names are said differently? That was confusing especially since it's the same reader... Oh well. Not the biggest deal. This might be the best one yet! Wild Ride!

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uhmm.. More Overlord.

Reviewed: 12-28-21

If you made it to Vol 2... I'm assuming you like vol 1. Nothing new here. It's good.

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Different experience than the anime.

Reviewed: 12-02-21

It honestly is like a narrative text book. I feel like I learned something.

I don't have anything insightful to say other than I enjoyed it a lot.

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4 people found this helpful

It's Star Wars. I liked it.....uhm...

Reviewed: 11-10-21

TL;DR : Great characters and cool Edo-era inspired world are held back by flowery rhetoric and abstract world building. Star Wars fans will enjoy it, but I think they'd rather it had been a visual adaptation.

So, before getting started. I'll preface this by letting you guys know I listen to this on my way to work or shopping and I have been known to let my mind wonder. So let's get into it.

This is a continuation of the NON-CANNON Star Wars Visions story "The Duel" and barrows heavily from the likes of Akira Kurosawa and Samurai films of old. Thus leads to some interesting things with Star Wars. On one hand they have the liberty to do new things that hadn't been done and don't need to be bogged down by tons of exposition to world-building because... Well it's Star Wars. We know how it works.

The downside??? It's Star Wars and there are fundamental things that are different in this world that I feel could be better explained. The world... and the entire story for that fact is very abstract. I'm sure some of that is intentional. But it often left me confused on what was happening at any given time. The larger plot beats are easy enough to follow and the characters are great! But I very often didn't even know we're the characters need until I heard something like "and then they ran down the stairs of the Temple". When did they get to a temple?

I don't like a story that spends a lot of time "painting the picture", but this book spent so much time explaining how things felt and waxing poetic that I got lost in the minutiae of it all. Even I'm the Star Wars audio dramas you which are pretty much exclusively dialogue better balance grounding the scene without having characters spout of "we are on the bridge of the ship now".

Like, I said. I listen to this while going to work or doing other miscellaneous tasks, so it may just be me. And I think the characters are super strong and have fantastic chemistry! Learning about them through the way they interact is my favorite type of character writing. I just don't quite understand how we got from one plot point to the other. or quite how this world works vs the normal Star Wars one.

I think any Star Wars fan will like it. Samurai and all! And it does build and interesting world that I wish was a bit more clear to see.

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A series full of rambling that's So, So, Good.

Reviewed: 09-13-21

the more you read/listen/watch monogatari the more you realize that's it's a pretty bad mystery story. But! it's some of the best character writing you can get.

Mind you, this isn't character study per say.

But the characters are so we'll realized it's a joy to watch them tick and learn about them..Not from watching them overcome trials but seeing how they each react to things and the world around them. You learn about them in an almost organic way like you would just from simply being around a person.

I will say though, these single story books have the most "stuff" happening were the character grows and changes. So good, worth the listen, pick it up if you haven't already!

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New voice same Necromancer

Reviewed: 09-02-21

it's a bit different yeah, some voices are better while others I feel a little weaker. but it all just takes getting used to.

now for the book. it's great. and fun. the stakes are high as always, but the scale is smaller. like the start of a new season. it's familiar while still moving things forward. you've make it this far into the series... of course you are going to listen to this one too!

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