Web Novel megathread: 90% fantasy settings, 90% repressed nerd fantasies

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > VEGETA > Web Novel megathread: 90% fantasy settings, 90% repressed nerd fantasies

«‹›134 »

blastron: Dec 11, 2007; Don't doodle on it!

The English-language Web Serial Megathread in TBB just got restarted so that the OP could actually be updated, which is an excellent reminder that I should do some tidying of my own. If anyone has any new recommendations or doesn't think something on that list is still worth keeping up there, let me know.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 01:35

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 15, 2024 02:10

gimme the GOD DAMN candy: Jul 1, 2007

i'll write up a few summaries for the stuff i've been reading lately. the ones in the op seem fine, though some of them aren't actively being translated any more. here's a few for starters:

A Will Eternal: a more recent work by Er Gen, who also wrote I Shall Seal the Heavens. A young man with an amazing talent (for making himself unwelcome) joins a cultivator sect, where he discovers a natural aptitutde for alchemy (making drugs with bizarre and generally comical results). Less murder and more shenanigans than ISSTH, at least thus far.

All Things Wrong: yet another vrmmo wn, but with a silly twist. The protagonist was unable to buy the vr equipment for the hot new mmo due to his criminal record, so he decided to build his own! While successful in logging on, nothing else works right. Basic game systems have opposite effects, good and bad. Follow him on his journey to fail so hard that he reaches the top.

Spirit Realm: a fairly standard wuxia wn, but well done. For me, the appeal is how every single plan the protagonist makes goes horribly wrong. He still more or less lucks his way into ultimate power as per the genre, but it is absolutely never the way he intends. It is a power fantasy starring the walking, talking manifestation of Murphy's Law. I'm not entirely sure that's what the author is going for, though.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 02:14

Sindai: Jan 24, 2007; i want to achieve immortality through not dying

I gave up on Spirit Realm after the protagonist decided he was going to stop being nice to anyone and just murder at the first provocation, and immediately afterwards everyone started thinking about how much cooler and sexier he seemed.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 03:02

gimme the GOD DAMN candy: Jul 1, 2007

Sindai posted:

I gave up on Spirit Realm after the protagonist decided he was going to stop being nice to anyone and just murder at the first provocation, and immediately afterwards everyone started thinking about how much cooler and sexier he seemed.

that was a very brief phase, and he figured out shortly afterward how to keep his inner psychopath/wuxia protagonist in check.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 03:19

Sing Along: Feb 28, 2017; by Athanatos

I stumbled on a few of these and holy hell it's like I've been sucked into a black hole of the trashiest and nerdiest yet most addictive garbage I've ever seen. I couldn't have even comprehended that poo poo like this existed but now it's what keeps me going.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 04:45

gimme the GOD DAMN candy: Jul 1, 2007

this is the garbage fiction for garbage people thread, friend

# ? Aug 25, 2017 04:59

Sing Along: Feb 28, 2017; by Athanatos

gimme the GOD drat candy posted:

this is the garbage fiction for garbage people thread, friend

its sinking in

# ? Aug 25, 2017 05:01

FriggenJ: Oct 23, 2000

Socks4Hands posted:

its sinking in

One of us!

# ? Aug 25, 2017 12:46

Truga: May 4, 2014; Lipstick Apathy

gimme the GOD drat candy posted:

nah, he's a max level d&d wizard. 9th level spells and all the bullshit that entails.

This is why I liked the eberron d&d setting idea. Everything is powered by magic, it's like electricity in real life, and everyone has access to it at any time through various magical devices. Suddenly makes wizards far less broken when literally anyone can buy a Hat of Deflect Level Nine Bullshit at a pawn shop that's rechargable at the power socket in your room.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 13:38

Getsuya: Oct 2, 2013

Anyone want to weigh in on how I should translate the title of this wn?
Japanese is: 異世界でもふもふなでなでするためにがんばってます
Straight translation: Doing My Best for Snuggles and Petting in the Otherworld

Possibilities: Working Hard for Snuggles in the Otherworld
Doing My Best to Snuggle Everything in the Otherworld
Working Hard for Otherworld Snuggles

Alternatives welcome. The story is about a person reborn as a kid in an Otherworld whose only ambition is petting/snuggling with every fantasy creature ever.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 16:43

Meme Emulator: Oct 4, 2000

I love Doggos! Giving Goodboys puppers rubrubs from the Underworld (contains Light Slavery)

# ? Aug 25, 2017 16:50

Fallorn: Apr 14, 2005

Meme Emulator posted:

I love Doggos! Giving Goodboys puppers rubrubs from the Underworld (contains Light Slavery)

I am down with this.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:02

nielsm: Jun 1, 2009

I will pet everything in this other world!

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:14

Getsuya: Oct 2, 2013

nielsm posted:

I will pet everything in this other world!

Ooo I really like that one! Thanks! It's more active and natural than the more literal translations.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:25

Emmideer: Oct 20, 2011; Lovely night, no?; Grimey Drawer

Getsuya posted:

Anyone want to weigh in on how I should translate the title of this wn?
Japanese is: 異世界でもふもふなでなでするためにがんばってます
Straight translation: Doing My Best for Snuggles and Petting in the Otherworld

Possibilities: Working Hard for Snuggles in the Otherworld
Doing My Best to Snuggle Everything in the Otherworld
Working Hard for Otherworld Snuggles

Alternatives welcome. The story is about a person reborn as a kid in an Otherworld whose only ambition is petting/snuggling with every fantasy creature ever.

I Was A Touchless Virgin Who Reincarnated, So Let's Snuggle Everything!
Otherworldly Cuddling With Cute Critters
Reincarnated Kid Must Cuddle Cute Critters
Motivation for Snuggling: Hellhounds, Dragons, and Skeletons, Oh My!
So what if my only dream is to hug fantasy creatures?!

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:27

Argue: Sep 29, 2005; I represent the Philippines

Cuddly-Wuddly Fluffy Fantasy

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:33

Emmideer: Oct 20, 2011; Lovely night, no?; Grimey Drawer

Home is Where the Hug is: Another World and Working Hard!

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:38

Law Cheetah: Mar 3, 2012

is it wrong to snuggle otherworld critters in a dungeon?

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:39

Emmideer: Oct 20, 2011; Lovely night, no?; Grimey Drawer

Live Fast, Hug Hard

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:40

Sindai: Jan 24, 2007; i want to achieve immortality through not dying

Socks4Hands posted:

I stumbled on a few of these and holy hell it's like I've been sucked into a black hole of the trashiest and nerdiest yet most addictive garbage I've ever seen. I couldn't have even comprehended that poo poo like this existed but now it's what keeps me going.

Speaking of which, Zhu Yao loving calls out a whole genre:

quote:

�It�s not that I don�t want to help you, but you have seen it yourself as well. No matter which world, slaughter and schemes were widespread, and all practitioners even viewed killing stealing treasures as common occurrences. It�s as if as long as they could raise their own cultivation and ascend, everything they do is right and proper.� She heaved a deep sigh, and sternly said. �Realmspirit, I have long wanted to ask you. Just what does the so-called �cultivation� in that world, actually cultivates? And the Heavenly Dao they strive towards, what kind of Dao is it? Why are those people who kill countless others able to live an enjoyable and long life, while good people like the girl Ying Luo are not treated well, causing even their future lives to be implicated as well?�

�Could it be that the so-called Heavenly Dao, is the Dao of massacre? I just can�t understand! IN the world I live in, there�s nothing more important than life itself. Killing others, to people like us, is something very terrifying, and something that we can never forget or tolerate. But in that world, in the eyes of most practitioners, it has already become part of their daily lives. The aspect of life is the same, but why is it that on this side, it�s prioritized over all others, while on that side it�s being looked down upon to such an extent?�

�It�s as if kindness and tolerance are seen as disgraceful by the common people. Realmspirit, don�t you think there�s a very huge problem with such a world? Be it Xiao Yi or Yi Ling, no matter how extreme their beliefs are, when traced back to the roots, they are both influenced by that world. If the world is as such, then there will similarly be another bug existence that can destroy the world in the future. The girl Ying Luo was right. The true Devil isn�t the Devil Race, but in the hearts of all practitioners.�

�Realmspirit, if you want to talk about bugs, then the true bug is the Heavenly Dao that created all these and connived them. If we see the Three Realms as a game, the problem lies in the main engine. No matter how well the additional procedures are fixed, it�s impossible to stop the entire game from collapsing. Realmspirit, what are getting me to fix? The Heavenly Dao?�

My Disciple Died Yet Again is real good

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:44

Emmideer: Oct 20, 2011; Lovely night, no?; Grimey Drawer

Sindai posted:

Speaking of which, Zhu Yao loving calls out a whole genre:

My Disciple Died Yet Again is real good

Holy hell that's nice, I need to go back and continue reading that series. I can't wait for the eventual shift in Xianxia where the majority of authors start recognizing and subverting these trends.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:48

Desuwa: Jun 2, 2011; I'm telling my mommy. That pubbie doesn't do video games right!

blastron posted:

The English-language Web Serial Megathread in TBB just got restarted so that the OP could actually be updated, which is an excellent reminder that I should do some tidying of my own. If anyone has any new recommendations or doesn't think something on that list is still worth keeping up there, let me know.

Of my recommendations "death flags show no signs of ending" could be removed, at least as far as my opinion goes. I stopped reading it and no one discusses it.

One to add would be Akuyaku Reijo Ni Koi Wo Shite. Maybe someone else who has read it can do a better job selling it than I can.

A man gets reincarnated as a slums child and ends up serving as the butler to a pair of noble siblings. It's a game world, but it's not a game he was familiar with so he doesn't realize it until later, and those noble children end up being the designated petty villains that get taken out by the protagonist before dealing with the demon lord. It doesn't have levels or stats and actually does something with the idea of being a character in a game with a pre-determined plot. I find it changes things up enough to avoid getting stale and there are some significant events with real consequences that you rarely see in the genre.

Desuwa fucked around with this message at 17:56 on Aug 25, 2017

# ? Aug 25, 2017 17:52

Emmideer: Oct 20, 2011; Lovely night, no?; Grimey Drawer

Desuwa posted:

Of my recommendations "death flags show no signs of ending" could be removed, at least as far as my opinion goes. I stopped reading it and no one discusses it.

One to add would be Akuyaku Reijo Ni Koi Wo Shite. Maybe someone else who has read it can do a better job selling it than I can.

A man gets reincarnated as a slums child and ends up serving as the butler to a pair of noble siblings. It's a game world, but it's not a game he was familiar with so he doesn't realize it until later, and those noble children end up being the designated petty villains that get taken out by the protagonist before dealing with the demon lord. It doesn't have levels or stats and actually does something with the idea of being a character in a game with a pre-determined plot. I find it changes things up enough to avoid getting stale and there are some significant events with real consequences that you rarely see in the genre.

Yeah, I said before, but I think that's a good series. I second this recommendation.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 18:11

Grouchio: Aug 31, 2014

Re Zero's 5th Arc is being translated again! :woop:

# ? Aug 25, 2017 18:13

nielsm: Jun 1, 2009

Getsuya posted:

Ooo I really like that one! Thanks! It's more active and natural than the more literal translations.

I hate the translations "ganbaru" usually bear. Is the "just appearing to make an effort is good enough" some cultural thing? Because that's what it appears like to me, and it feels really unnatural to read that. In English you never proudly proclaim you "will try", to be proud you will do it. "Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Yes it sort of changes the meaning but not really. You still set out to make your best attempt to solve it, I think it's just the cultural outlook at the idea of doing something that may not have perfect success rate.

nielsm fucked around with this message at 18:22 on Aug 25, 2017

# ? Aug 25, 2017 18:19

Emmideer: Oct 20, 2011; Lovely night, no?; Grimey Drawer

Crossposting from the new Web Serial thread:

I'm going to recommend The Dao of Magic, an english xianxia love letter written primarily in a stream-of-consciousness style, about an absurdly powerful "brain" cultivator that is smited by gods down to a lower realm with magic instead of qi. He needs to rebuild his foundation from scratch while preventing a qi-based apocalypse, with the help of some disciples. I think the non-MC characterization is weak, but I still find it to be a gripping series.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 18:24

Getsuya: Oct 2, 2013

nielsm posted:

I hate the translations "ganbaru" usually bear. Is the "just appearing to make an effort is good enough" some cultural thing? Because that's what it appears like to me, and it feels really unnatural to read that. In English you never proudly proclaim you "will try", to be proud you will do it. "Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Yes it sort of changes the meaning but not really. You still set out to make your best attempt to solve it, I think it's just the cultural outlook at the idea of doing something that may not have perfect success rate.

Maybe Japanese folks think saying 'I will do this' would be too much like bragging? I dunno. I do think your version makes more sense and sounds more natural in English.

# ? Aug 25, 2017 20:06

TheFireMagi: Nov 6, 2011; ...She's behind me, isn't she?

Desuwa posted:

Of my recommendations "death flags show no signs of ending" could be removed, at least as far as my opinion goes. I stopped reading it and no one discusses it.

One to add would be Akuyaku Reijo Ni Koi Wo Shite. Maybe someone else who has read it can do a better job selling it than I can.

A man gets reincarnated as a slums child and ends up serving as the butler to a pair of noble siblings. It's a game world, but it's not a game he was familiar with so he doesn't realize it until later, and those noble children end up being the designated petty villains that get taken out by the protagonist before dealing with the demon lord. It doesn't have levels or stats and actually does something with the idea of being a character in a game with a pre-determined plot. I find it changes things up enough to avoid getting stale and there are some significant events with real consequences that you rarely see in the genre.

I decided to try out this series on account of this recommendation, and although I'm only about halfway through the translations, I can confidently say that it owns so far. It has a darker tone than many of these types of stories usually have (at least in my experience) but handles it fairly well. Would definitely recommend reading to others as well.

# ? Aug 26, 2017 01:04

Depressing Box: Jun 27, 2010; Half-price sideshow.

TheFireMagi posted:

I decided to try out this series on account of this recommendation, and although I'm only about halfway through the translations, I can confidently say that it owns so far. It has a darker tone than many of these types of stories usually have (at least in my experience) but handles it fairly well. Would definitely recommend reading to others as well.

Thirding the recommendation. It checks a few important boxes for me:

The protagonist isn't all-powerful, and can experience real loss.
The protagonist isn't infallible, and sometimes makes the wrong choice.
Characters besides the protagonist get to do cool stuff.

# ? Aug 26, 2017 03:00

lurksion: Mar 21, 2013

jon joe posted:

Crossposting from the new Web Serial thread:

I'm going to recommend The Dao of Magic, an english xianxia love letter written primarily in a stream-of-consciousness style, about an absurdly powerful "brain" cultivator that is smited by gods down to a lower realm with magic instead of qi. He needs to rebuild his foundation from scratch while preventing a qi-based apocalypse, with the help of some disciples. I think the non-MC characterization is weak, but I still find it to be a gripping series.

I am supremely amused by the internal shouting to do stuff.

lurksion fucked around with this message at 05:18 on Aug 26, 2017

# ? Aug 26, 2017 05:04

Emmideer: Oct 20, 2011; Lovely night, no?; Grimey Drawer

lurksion posted:

I am supremely amused by the internal shouting to do stuff.

gently caress OFF NEWTON. GO UP, NOT DOWN!

# ? Aug 26, 2017 05:27

Arkeus: Jul 21, 2013

jon joe posted:

Crossposting from the new Web Serial thread:

I'm going to recommend The Dao of Magic, an english xianxia love letter written primarily in a stream-of-consciousness style, about an absurdly powerful "brain" cultivator that is smited by gods down to a lower realm with magic instead of qi. He needs to rebuild his foundation from scratch while preventing a qi-based apocalypse, with the help of some disciples. I think the non-MC characterization is weak, but I still find it to be a gripping series.

I tried that, but I got really annoyed very quickly at how self absorbed the whole thing was.

The MC spent a thousand years in another world before, but still constantly think about newton/einstein/earth sport teams/etc. He doesn't even know the name of the world he spent 1000 years in... but talks about how he spent all his time there 'learning everything he could'. I'm not sure if it's on purpose either, but he basically makes all the usual assumptions about "doing things randomly is obviously the optimal way to go" and always seemed to be right about random guesses in the past, and continues to seem to be so now.

As for the plotting/story, it just seems to be all about gloating on how much smarter he is than others, and it appears to read more as a basement-dwelling nerd thinking how much better he is than everyone else and how he understands the world better without ever connecting to anyone than anything else.

# ? Aug 26, 2017 08:27

Wrist Watch: Apr 19, 2011; What?

Arkeus posted:

The MC spent a thousand years in another world before, but still constantly think about newton/einstein/earth sport teams/etc. He doesn't even know the name of the world he spent 1000 years in... but talks about how he spent all his time there 'learning everything he could'. I'm not sure if it's on purpose either, but he basically makes all the usual assumptions about "doing things randomly is obviously the optimal way to go" and always seemed to be right about random guesses in the past, and continues to seem to be so now.

As for the plotting/story, it just seems to be all about gloating on how much smarter he is than others, and it appears to read more as a basement-dwelling nerd thinking how much better he is than everyone else and how he understands the world better without ever connecting to anyone than anything else.

Speaking of Everyone Else is a Returnee, the translator decided to forgo sponsored chapters for the last book and just release two chapters a day from chapter 325 onwards, so that's going to be wrapping up in the next month or two.

Honestly, its really lost a lot of the charm that drew me in initially now that the main character's become a literal god, but I've stuck with it this far and I might as well finish this ride out.

# ? Aug 26, 2017 08:41

Emmideer: Oct 20, 2011; Lovely night, no?; Grimey Drawer

Arkeus posted:

I tried that, but I got really annoyed very quickly at how self absorbed the whole thing was.

The MC spent a thousand years in another world before, but still constantly think about newton/einstein/earth sport teams/etc. He doesn't even know the name of the world he spent 1000 years in... but talks about how he spent all his time there 'learning everything he could'. I'm not sure if it's on purpose either, but he basically makes all the usual assumptions about "doing things randomly is obviously the optimal way to go" and always seemed to be right about random guesses in the past, and continues to seem to be so now.

As for the plotting/story, it just seems to be all about gloating on how much smarter he is than others, and it appears to read more as a basement-dwelling nerd thinking how much better he is than everyone else and how he understands the world better without ever connecting to anyone than anything else.

Self-absorbed is probably a great word for it, yeah. I would say I find it amusingly self-absorbed, though.

# ? Aug 26, 2017 15:08

jwang: Mar 31, 2013

Just got caught up with Fall in Love with the Villainess, recommended earlier in this thread. Great read, excellent build-up of the world and how it differs from the anticipated game version.

Also picked up Omni-magician, hopefully it doesn't turn into poo poo. It seems interesting though, as the basis of spells is rooted in programming code structure. Hopefully it wouldn't turn into your typical Chinese Muscle Wizard story.

Update on Omni-magician: as of chapter 21, the MC has become Iron Man.

jwang fucked around with this message at 03:37 on Sep 5, 2017

# ? Sep 5, 2017 00:28

Law Cheetah: Mar 3, 2012

nielsm posted:

I hate the translations "ganbaru" usually bear. Is the "just appearing to make an effort is good enough" some cultural thing? Because that's what it appears like to me, and it feels really unnatural to read that. In English you never proudly proclaim you "will try", to be proud you will do it. "Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Yes it sort of changes the meaning but not really. You still set out to make your best attempt to solve it, I think it's just the cultural outlook at the idea of doing something that may not have perfect success rate.

im not 100% sure what youre getting at but isnt the whole point of yoda saying that to luke that yoda is like delivering some high level wisdom. like luke was saying poo poo that people say all the time and yoda is being this enlightened master showing how it should be. like, the scene wouldnt exist if yoda was just enforcing the status quo. he was teaching luke something to break him out of his complacency.

someone intensely saying "i will try" seems really natural to me

# ? Sep 5, 2017 04:46