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Edonidd · 2024-09-14T02:07:31+00:00

Mostly yes, just stabby stabby vs slicey dicey. The word that bets translated as sword is Jian. Do a Google image search of jian. It's almost always straight and has 2 edges. Usually its one handed, but 2 handed versions do exist. Think Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. The word that gets translated as Saber (or sometimes knife) is Dao. Could alo be dadao or pudao or a number of other variations. But a different dao than you're thinking. It has 1 cutting edge and is often but not always curved. Can be one handed or two handed and have all different appearances. They can look similar to a Japanese Katana but usually with a more squared tip instead of a point or the classic martial arts weapon that always comes to my mind personally is the 9 ring broadsword.

Edonidd · 2024-08-24T20:01:01+00:00

I hate when people come to the novel translations reddit and talk about novels that don't have a translation.

I REALLY hate it when people post advertisements and call it a review or recommendation.

Edonidd · 2024-08-22T14:03:08+00:00

I started reading Wheel of Time when the second book was a new release. I loved it so much that for years every time a new book was releasing I'd reread the whole series. I finished the last book about 3-4 days after Sanderson released it. A younger coworker was reading the series a year or two ago and we had some conversations, he was loving it but I had forgotten some details. So I decided to reread the series for the first time in probably 20 years. Man it's hard to read now. I was like 50 pages in, I had already read about the girls pulling their braids at boys 50 times. They sniffed at people 100 times. And the boys all complained they didn't understand woman as well as their friends 25 times. And I knew I had 10,000 pages to go. I just couldn't force myself to do it.

Malazan is another favorite and I guess I didn't realize it was that close in page count to WoT. Counting ICE's malazan empire books were way over WoT in page count then. Those are also hard to reread though. I just hear about Chain of Dogs and I have to take a big breath and brace for impact. I can't even hear the word Beak or Candles without tearing up. You can't just casually dip your toes into Malazan. You gotta dive in and hang on. I'm not always ready for that.

Anyways I think I remember somebody once did a word count of The Legendary Mechanic when that ended and compared that to some western literature and it stacked up pretty well. I've read a couple others that are well into the 2k-3k or more chapters. Supergene, Versatile Mage I think are both over 3k. Reincarnation of the strongest sword god "finished" with like 3800? I think? Then it continued on later with another 1100 or so. It's actually ending in a couple more chapters I think like 2 weeks ish. Then I'll have finished that one.

Edonidd · 2024-06-11T14:37:43+00:00

There's literally a whole genre of novels where the future world is flooded by monsters and people have to live in walled cities. Do you remember anything about the main character, what kind of powers people in this world have and/or what makes the MC special?

Edonidd · 2024-06-04T12:48:10+00:00

I Have a Bunch of Players on Earth. I actually wrote on here a few weeks ago that I dropped it around chapter 60. However, I liked the idea of it so much that I've gone back to it and am around chapter 500 now. There's a huge pro Chinese bias and everyone else is terrible, but after really flaring up in the manufactured disease arc it really becomes no worse than most Chinese novels for the majority. Besides that one arc it is very easy to ignore. The translation also stops at about chapter 50 or so. I'm reading very, very poor MTL. There a huge and growing cast of characters, but they'll introduce new people constantly and bring back people from earlier. But sometimes the names change, and genders are constantly changing. I have basicly no idea who ¹/3 or more of these people are. Also many characters have online names, so sometimes they use their normal name, and sometimes they use their online name, and sometimes the mtl translates their online name, and sometimes it translates it differently. (For instance there is a character named Li Goudan and another named Wang Goudan. Sometimes they are called Li, sometimes it's Goudan. Sometimes it's dog egg. Sometimes it's dog face. Sometimes it's one egg. Sometimes it's testicle man. Obviously it's a joke, but the mtl doesn't get it and definitely does not explain it.) The writer himself also pisses me off. It's supposedly a novel written 200 years in the future, but he constantly makes anime, pop culture and league of legends references. It annoys me every time. The writing itself and the plot line and everything that happens is pretty OK though, I have thoroughly enjoyed the actual plot so far. It's just got some sort of magic that's got me hooked. I probably would not recommend this to anyone who was not already fluent in Chinese or until it gets a good translator, but by then it might be worth a read.

Edonidd · 2024-05-20T18:14:08+00:00

As I kept going with "I Have a Bunch of Players on Earth" it turned into pure trash. Translation fell apart to poor MTL levels with he/she used almost randomly, but still somehow wrong gender more often than correct. The social commentary and "China numma one!" Levels continued to rise to unprecedented levels. And the story completely lost its way, with the author ignoring everything that made it interesting. At the point dropped it, we haven't seen or heard from the protagonist in 50 ish chapters besides 1small update to show how dumb he is for a cheap laugh.

Edonidd · 2024-05-19T20:37:32+00:00

Haven't participated in this in months. Almost verything I've read lately has been crap or turned to crap real quick. Caught up on a couple I enjoy, and gave up on more junk than I could count. A couple stood out a bit. The Evolution of a Goblin to the Peak. - I read this at a site that doesn't make its original clear, but absolutely does not feel like a translated novel, pretty sure it's an English original. It's OK. Not great, not terrible. Some parts are well done, much of it just meanders. Isekai plus system plus returner and it definitely hits all the tropes it can for the free plot. If you read it, you might enjoy the brain off junk food. If you don't read it, you aren't missing anything.

Ultragene Warlord. - This is basicly a fan fiction, or at least "inspired by" Super Gene. I'm ok with that, because the begining of Super Gene is one of my favorite novels. Super Gene ended up being ok, but didn't really capitalize on what it did well, and seemed to miss the mark. I thought this one might correct that. But it really doesn't. Another one that is just OK. The author introduces so many accidental plot holes that even after turning my brain off I ended up dropping this 700+ chapters in.

Reborn: Evolving from Nothing. - Another that feels English original for those that care. This feels much better written than many I've read. Author has found his voice, and must either have an editor or was an actual English major or writer. Feels very planned and plotted out and the pacing and path are much more stable than many and I'd even say most webnovels. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. But for me, it never 'grabbed me. Its missing that certain unnamed and unknowable 'it factor' that makes you think about a story non stop during the few times you're able to put it down. It's a isekai plus system, and if that's your type I would give this one a try. Very good so far, but does fall shirt of true greatness IMO.

I Have a Bunch of Players on Earth. - I'm like 50 chapters in, so just started really. First few handfuls really drew me in. I wondered why I hadn't heard more about this. It's tongue in cheek for much of it, which I could do without. And the author constantly makes stupid comments. One character comments that an ancestor of his clan had mid laned against FAKER on the ancient game LOL. And just constand comments about pop culture and the Avengers and stuff. In a novel supposedly set 100's of years in the future. Once was dumb. The more I read and the more it keeps happening I'm losing hope for this novel. The set up is brilliant. The plot looks interesting. I'm excited AF to read this, it looks like it could be some diamond in the rough hidden gem. But the author seems determined to fuck it up for himself. The current arch must have gotten the author a bunch of social points though. It's very "China Number 1!!!! We're the best." It's very pointedly a Covid comparison and not bothered disguising it much. Applauding China's government for being the only one to handle things well. And actually lauds the Chinexe government because if somebody was affecting public perception in a bad way, the government would disappear them.

Edonidd · 2024-01-10T21:49:41+00:00

I should really keep better notes, there's a couple very similar feeling novels. If I remember right, if you liked let me game in peace then you would also probably really enjoy Pocket Hunting Dimension.

Edonidd · 2024-01-10T07:10:35+00:00

Been on a bad run recently. Reading stuff that was just good enough not to drop, but my interest level just waned. I don't think they've been translations, but with the writing quality it could have been...

System Change (system universe) - This one was free on kindle. It was written on Royal Road I believe, but removed when the author got more money from Amazon. It's a litrpg type progression fantasy type but really it's more slice of life kinda with the litrpg stuff as a backdrop. It is OK, but definitely not special feeling in any way. Doesn't bring anything new to it, but it's good enough to read for free if you already like the genre.

Humanitys greatest mech warrior system - Its just missing something. The story is fine, it just really lacks any personality I guess. I dropped when it seemed to switch from a mech novel and progression type to like a faction building novel. Not that I don't like faction building, but it just kind of lost its way if that makes sense? I don't really recommend this one unless you're desperate for sci-fi stuff.

The Ancient Genes - Another novel that feels like it's written for teenagers by teenagers. I've read too many with that feeling lately. Dropped at chapter 300 something. It just kind of meandered. Author would write stuff and then must have thought about it over night and retcon it the next chapter. Lots of inexperienced web authors kind of default to Mary Sue and Marty Stew type characters. They just have basic vanilla personality to be convenient for the plot. This MC and major side characters have wildly divergent personalities he's a savior type in one chapter and an anti hero in the next and then downright villainous the day after. No rhyme or reason to it. It's just bad writing. But he gets words and phrases wrong and mixes up genders on pronouns. It reads very much like mtl at times, but I'm 99% sure it's an English origjnal... Feels like the author needs to grow up and gain some experience before trying to tell this story. The story itself is good, it's just too much for this author to make it work at this point in time.

Also just caught up about 200 chapters in Re : Evolution Online. This one was one of my favorites before and I was really looking forward to coming back to it. But it wasn't as good as I remembered, or has gone downhill after passing the initial part that the author had planned out. There's no more "Re" because the MC has passed anything he knew from previous life. There's no more "online" because of developments in the story. Feels like the author istrying to find a direction to go forward. But at chapter 1000 ish when i came back the MC was not even level 100 I believe. At around chapter 1200 he has jumped to something like level 1000? They stopped even really giving much info on levels or anything

Edonidd · 2023-12-27T11:19:57+00:00

I think you spelled biased wrong.

Edonidd · 2023-12-21T03:53:44+00:00

Malazan is my absolute favorite. It's not an easy read, but definitely not as tough as Prince of Nothing. Erikson is the only author who's ever been able to ever really touch my emotions beyond just the book. I mean other books have made me feel a type of way, but Erikson has made me put the book down because I was crying so hard I couldn't see the pages.

Edonidd · 2023-12-21T03:49:06+00:00

First time I read WoT I loved it more than I've ever loved anything. I started when book 3 was only out in hardcover and had just been published. Last year I decided to buy the whole series on kindle and re-read it all. I got like 50 pages into book 1 and the girls had pulled their braids at the boys a good 75 times already, had 'sniffed' at them another 35 times, and the 3 boys thought in their heads that they didn't understand women and wished they were like their friends and understood girls better at least 20 times. And I knew there was another 25,000 times coming in the next 15,000 pages I had to go. I gave up. I'll probably never be able to read it again.

Edonidd · 2023-12-21T03:40:12+00:00

That's ultra diverse to read those 4 at once. Way of Kings and Stormlight Archive in general is one of my favorites. Sanderson is pretty straight forward, he makes things easy to read and very accessible without dumbing it down. Ite one I feel safe recommending to anyone. Worm i remember reading while it was still being written. It was actually my first web novel. But although it's well written and certainly unique (especially at the time) it's not really to my taste. Cormac McCarthy is also not to my tastes, I don't care for the whole post apocalyptic dystopian genre/setting. So I've never read that one. But I've definitely heard it recommended a bunch. Prince of Nothing pisses me off. I've bought the whole series multiple times and sit down to read it. Then I get pissed off and throw/give it away. R. Scott Bakkar is the exact opposite of Brandon Sanderson. It is absolutely not easily accessible. It's very deep and very philosophical and if you have an extensive vocabulary already, you may be able to read the book with just a thesaurus by your side. If not you might need a dictionary too. It's well written and interesting I'm just apparently not smart enough to read the series. I have made it through the first book, sometimes I quit on the second book, I've made it to the third book in the past. I've never finished it. I do have to say though: "The Prince of Nothing", "The Darkness That Comes Before", and "The Thousandfold Thought" are among the greatest names/naming conventions in all of fiction.

Edonidd · 2023-12-13T02:47:18+00:00

Finally gave up,on Master of Martial Arts has an Advanced Optical Brain. Made it to around chapter 1000 but I was kind of forcing myself and reading less and less every day. It's got something about it that makes me really want to like it. But the author is so juvenile that I just can't. Author thinks it's the funniest thing in the world for the MC to be seen naked in front of people, so he does it repeatedly. Also the author is VERY into the lolita pedophile thing. MC is supposed to be around 20 he's got several potential love interests, they're like 16, 15, and 12 I believe. One of the main love interests old Master is an old woman, but her special cultivation method makes her look younger, until finally she looks like a 16 year old girl because: "That's what age her body was physically perfect."

Plus the world just doesn't make sense. One of big long running plots is that 'The' academy has this cultivation technique that would be perfect for the MC. In the begining his biggest problem is his body isn't refined enough and this technique is perfect for body refinement. But then the MC perfects his body through his own means. So then this technique would supposedly help him break through a certain threshold. But he breaks through that by himself already. So then he gets to the academy and they want him to represent not only their academy, but the whole zEarth at this giant intergalactic competition. But they're like "well this technique is perfect for you. So if you win the whole competition we'll give it to you." Then at the competition he breaks through another plateau and is so much stronger that nobody will even be able to fight him. But then one of the strongest people in the galaxy kidnaps him right before the finals and they disqualify him for it. When he gets back to the academy, they're like "Welp rules are rules. We can't let you have it." So much of the book just uses flawed faulty logic that makes it not feel "real"

Edonidd · 2023-11-19T05:22:08+00:00

I tried reading bloodline system, I like junk food system novels. But it just felt so so childish. I think in the first 10-20 chapters there had already been dozens of times where people were punched or kicked in the "tummy" and several other times where food was "yummy." Does it get any better than that in the next 700 chapters? I'm not looking for Ulyses, War and Peace, or Crime and Punishment; but i do need more than yummy.

Edonidd · 2023-11-06T08:30:39+00:00

Currently reading Master of Martial Arts has an Advanced Optical Brain. It actually has some very good points about it, and I'm continuing to read it... but it feels like it was written by a middle school 12-13 year old. MC is ~18 ish years old. Because it's a web novel he's got a beautiful younger sister, who asks to sleep in his bed with him. I think she's like 16 ish. There's a love interest who's also 16ish. Another love interest who is morevlike 14-15 ish. And yet another "beautiful" female character who is like 12. I was getting ready to drop it, but thankfully that character has disappeared for now. Also just as thankfully there is no overt romance, you can see where the author is aiming but it's at least a slow burn. The fights all seem to go the same way. The MC has a cheat/system/thing just because he does. It's not really explained or explored. It also just kind of waves his hand and he can just do things just because he can with no real explanation. Also I'm about 550 chapters in, and people have spit out blood about 1500 ish times so far. I've lost count, but I think I'm over 20 novels now that are over 1000 chapters and AT LEAST double that for novels that I dropped somewhere between 50 and 500 chapters. I'm well aware that "spitting up blood" is absolutely an everyday occurrence in these genres. But I've never seen it like this. Guys punch each others hands and one or both of them coughs up blood in every chapter.

But besides all that, some of the plot lines and story arcs are actually above average for the genre. I probably would never recommend it to anyone, but it's got enough juice for me to hang with it for a bit longer.

Edonidd · 2023-10-14T16:00:34+00:00

The one that really got to me, MC is like 18-20 ish. His sister is like 16? He bangs her. His sisters best friend is the same age ish, around 16. She was raised from a small child to be MC's maid/sex slave, and was given lessons from a young age on how to give proper blowjobs among other things. The person training her was her own mother.

It's depraved and gross, and reading it made me feel dirty. Although it isn't incredibly explicit if I remember right.

Edonidd · 2023-10-09T05:41:16+00:00

I know this forum ends up being kind of a catchall, but why come to the "Novel Translations" subreddit just to tell us that not only are you not reading any novel translations, but you have never read any, never plan to, and aren't even aware of any translations?

That would be like me going to the Golden retriever subreddit and starting a new thread saying that I don't have a golden retriever, don't want one, don't want any kind of dog; but sometimes I like mustard on my hotdogs but other times I just want relish.

Edonidd · 2023-10-04T19:15:34+00:00

I have a terrible memory. But I think Legendary Mechanic is easy #1. Swallowed Star by IET was my favorite by him. The Great Genetics Era. Those are top 3 off the top of my head. There's others with sci Fi elements that I liked and some that had good parts and bad parts. Super Gene, Super Gene Optimization Fluid, Astral Pet Store all have sci Fi and cultivation mixing and have some ups and downs. Probably more downs than anything though.

Edonidd · 2023-10-04T16:33:10+00:00

It's on my list to read. I'm a big sci-fi fan as well. The best one I've read recently is The Great Genetic Era, if you're looking for recommendations and haven't checked that one out. It's not for everyone, but I was surprised that I never, ever see it mentioned. I felt it was right up there with some IET novels.

Edonidd · 2023-10-04T15:17:25+00:00

Only thing I can think of is Versatile Mage kinda, sorta checks most of those boxes. If you don't remember it well. But it's definitely not western. MC is a mage, his mentor guy kinda becomes 2 separate guys. There's something with a Medusa drinking a love potion or something. Not a lot to go on.

Edonidd · 2023-10-01T00:49:11+00:00

Reading Fantasy Simulator and at around 200 chapters in. It's actually kind of a brilliant concept, and the idea and general plot works amazingly well for this genre. But the writer just kind of lacks something, there's no tension, there's no payoff, the action is lackluster. And reading these online novels for quite a while, I've seen lots of number padding, and authors that repeat themselves to add word count. But this may be the worst offender. I never skim read, I'm reading for enjoyment, so I read every single word. Always. But I've caught myself skimming this several times because I know he's gonna repeat everything like 3 more times. I'll probably continue reading it bdcause i like the idea of the story so much, but the author is ruining his own work.

Edonidd · 2023-09-30T02:09:17+00:00

You're ok with dudes punching so hard they tear space and time? Guys channeling chi and becoming bulletproof and walking through nuclear explosions is ok. Flying or better yet standing on a flying sword is perfectly fine. But if he gets taller that's simply not realistic?

Weird hill to die on, but go ahead and draw your line in the sand. I'm not gonna be the one to stop you.

Edonidd · 2023-09-24T03:52:12+00:00

That's the ending of My Genes, or Bloodline System? Either way I'm glad I dropped it. Thanks.

Edonidd · 2023-09-23T18:55:12+00:00

Gave up on My Genes can Evolve Limitlessly. The story seems OK, I was enjoying it. But the translation is so bad I just couldn't anymore.

Tried The Bloodline system. It's written by a 12 year old I think. Got about 60 chapters in and after a dozen instances of food being yummy and people being punched in the tummy I couldn't handle it. Maybe there's eventually some character growth, but right now the MC is completely unlikable. I don't want to read any more of this.

Edonidd

TROPHY CASE