Dungeon Defense

Description

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Do you know how this world ends?

Become the hero and defeat the 72 Demon Lords. The game that was boasted as the absolute hardest strategy game, 『Dungeon Attack』.

I used to be the ‘hero’ who had accomplished everything in this game, but after answering a suspicious survey, I found myself in the game as the weakest Demon Lord, 「Dantalian」.

With only my eloquent tongue and my memories of conquest as a hero—.

In order to survive as Dantalian. I shall tear this world apart.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Deonjeon Dipenseu
ダンジョンディフェンス
던전 디펜스
Related Series
Dungeon Defense (WN) (Web Novel)
Recommendations
The Lazy King (13)
My Death Flags Show No Sign of Ending (12)
Dungeon Hunter (9)
The Second Coming of Gluttony (9)
Your and My Asylum (9)
Sevens (8)
Recommendation Lists
  1. enjoyed my time
  2. An actual attempt at ranking
  3. Novels That I Have Read Over The Years
  4. Peak Villains
  5. Op Mc / simulation systems

Latest Release

Date Group Release
11/26/17 Shalvation Translations v5 afterword
11/26/17 Shalvation Translations v5 intermission
11/23/17 Shalvation Translations v5c4
11/11/17 Shalvation Translations v5c3
10/28/17 Shalvation Translations v5c2
10/17/17 Shalvation Translations v5c1
10/09/17 Shalvation Translations v5 prologue
10/06/17 Shalvation Translations v5 illustrations
02/03/17 Shalvation Translations v4 afterword
02/03/17 Shalvation Translations v4 intermission
02/03/17 Shalvation Translations v4c5
01/29/17 Shalvation Translations v4c4
01/21/17 Shalvation Translations v4c3
01/13/17 Shalvation Translations v4c2
01/04/17 Shalvation Translations v4c1
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316 Reviews sorted by


APlankOfWood
APlankOfWood rated it
December 22, 2016
Status: v3 afterword
If I were to recommend this novel to someone than I would do so with the term "Villain worship." If you like to see evil people being evil, than this novel is the absolute apex. The meat of the series is exploring the depths of the mind of an evildoer. The MC of this series is evil. Not in the way that they are misunderstood, or going about a good cause in a misguided way. The MC is truly evil, delighting in the suffering of others.

Rather than say... more>> "He's evil because evil!" the brilliant writing goes into depth about his past and mentality, showing how he became so demented, and how he rationalizes all of his sadistic actions. To the point that you can't help but empathize with the MC.

If you are the kind of person who always hopes for good to win in the end, and always plays nice in games that have a good/evil system, then this is not the series for you. But, if you ever like to revel in the devilishness of the antagonist, or play the dastardly route in a game, then you will love this series to death. At the time that I am writing this, the fourth novel is soon to come out, and I can't wait! <<less
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makenai89
makenai89 rated it
November 28, 2016
Status: v3 afterword
Dungeon Defense is a really breath-taking and awesome novel. So far, the title is perhaps rather not suitable as the plot is as far from dungeon-y adventures as possible. I feel it is like Overlord with less hesitation and more insanity.

The story tells about an MC who was born in a rich (?) but f*cked-up family. He is obviously not sane (as was his parents, I suspect), but a genius through and through. Later, he got sick of the world and decided to be (wealthy) NEET, but then got transported... more>> to a game-like world. In the new world, he becomes one of the poorest and weakest Demon Lord. However, the one who possess the body of that deadbeat demon is a psychopath anyway, so it is not long before he begins twisting the world with his little finger, all the while fornicating with his mistresses and killing unfortunate mortals.

I envision a bad turn for us readers in the future. Despite some unexpected development, things went too well for our MC. We could possibly find out in the end that the story was all just the MC's hallucination due to drunk and drugs, and he dies pitifully in his room. Or merely the adventures he experiences inside his head while lounging in a hospital somewhere after being dragged out by his half sister. Regardless, till the latest chapter (end of vol.3), it is a great read. <<less
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Project Eden
Project Eden rated it
October 18, 2016
Status: v3c6
The story is so deliciously Machiavellian. The tune of the story is something akin to cloak and dagger style with psychological thriller. The way plot leads you on and flip your expectation is breath taking. Beneath all that is the undercurrent of cold logic and ruthlessness that you don't often see in novels.

The MC is a skilled orator and manipulative mastermind who can control any situation like a musician does to instrument. He can quickly assess the situation by singling out key individuals and their goals. As shown on Vol.... more>> 2 illustration, MC is truly earned the title of False Prophet. If you liked Lelouch vi Britannia from Code Geass and Light Yagami from Death Note, you'll definitely enjoy reading about MC.

This is one of few novels where MC truly shows his competence in regards to his intelligence, ruthlessness and manipulative skills. When writing out intelligent characters, authors often have trouble with "show, don't tell" advice but this novel really lives up that advice. Story actually shows how manipulation and cunning plans that slowly spreads like poison and before anyone notices it, the killing blow is dealt. <<less
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kaluk1321
kaluk1321 rated it
September 17, 2016
Status: v3c2part2
I made an account just to give this 5 stars.
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TL;DR:
This is by far the best novel i've ever read. Absolutely loved it. Realistic violence at it's best.
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So far i've read (I'm gonna list the most popular ones in a fashion of better -> worst imo) :
* BTTH | ATG | MGA | ISSTH | TMW | TDG |
* Overlord | Mushoku Tensei | The New Gate | Sword Art Online |
* The Moonlight Sculptor | Ark |

And let me say that... more>> none of those come close to how great this novel is. Let me state the PROS since there are no CONS to me:
+ No s*upid/generic/hyprocritical/dickless/humble MC crap.
+ The harem is actually good. I absolutely hate harems because they are usually poorly written. However ladies and gents here we have a good one. And it's not like they are all madly in love with him like so many others and it's not because he's banging someone that there is actually love involved. So yeah this comes to another PRO.
+ Realistic s*x. The author spare us of describing every s*x scene like a scenery going through long lines and every detail like if s*x is something one does like it's the most precious thing in the world. Unless you're a eunuch, s*x is a normal thing one does many times.
+ Realistic violence. Have you ever read about wars? Are they pretty? No they are not. And this novel shows that, and when I say wars it's not only those fought in a field with 2 armies but psycological wars as well. Wars where torture is used as something to achieve your objective. So yeah there is torture/humiliation and again it's realistic.
+ Awesome plot. I would compare the quality to Overlord which I consider one of the good ones. I'm not gonna say anything else about it because it's better for you to read it, what are you waiting for? To be honest I think I was just ruined by previous novels which were targeted at teens so I always thought novels were lacking something especially chinese novels. Everything seemed childish or just badly written. But anyway I would say this novel is targeted at mature audiences, and has extreme violence/torture/gore and one of the best love story ever which I will not spoil. Give it a chance and you'll not regret it. <<less
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Kasinki
Kasinki rated it
September 14, 2016
Status: v3c2
I registered to NU just to review this light novel, and Dungeon Defense will be the ONLY one I review until something as BRILLIANT, as UNIQUE and totally ORIGINAL novel like it came to be translated. I don't think I need to dive in on what are the tags and all that because you can just scroll down, you lazy mofo, and you'll see there are HUNDREDS other reviews that would help explain it to you, and (almost) ALL of them (with exception of sounen fags) agrees with this notion:... more>> Dungeon Defense is the sh*t to read these days, it is mother f*cking lit. It's like smoking weed while banging a chick while swimming in a pool - it's f*cking awesome.

If you have been reading light novels as much as I am, and if you are also a veteran that have went through so many genres from light-heart comedy to light/serious romance to adventure to dark fantasy to gender-bender to anything and everything imaginable, then you are probably bored out of your mind right now because the number of novels with ACTUALLY ORIGINAL content that is actually WELL THOUGHT and MIND BLOGGING is fewer than the number of times you've banged a chick.

Which means it is probably less than 0, but that's beside the point. Here's the point about Dungeon Defense: it is almost impossible for another novel to live up to its amazing story writing. Stories such as that dastardly lovable slime Rimuru, or Re:monster or Mushoku Tensei or Naofumi or the laughter-inducing, amusing Kumo are EPIC, but you can be damned sure other authors would try to copy it, and use some aspects of those universes to use in their own. Hell, it's probably already happening. You can see parts of these epic novels recreated in other novels. After all, what makes them interesting is the characters and the world setting, and all this can be reproduced again! But what Dungeon Defense hinges on, the reason why it is so f*cking amazing and it has such a high rating, is because the story-writing - that one aspect of a story that no one beside the author can create - is something COMPLETELY unprecedented. It is so well-thought that the phrase 'well-thought' is an understatement to how f*ckingly well-thought it is. ALL the characters have depth, even minor/side character ones. Like come on, who the hell thought the goblin had would do that? You're lying if you say you knew it'll end that way. The situations, how the plans unveil, the narrative, all of them are deep and colorful. It is both ENGAGING and AMUSING. You could laugh for hours due to how amazingly satirical the conversation and thoughts are at times, and at other times you would be flabbergasted, kept on the edges of your seat by the circus show the MC creates.
Hence,
If you are a shounen f*g that would prefer mindless action, THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. This is for those who appreciate the aesthetics of story-writing, the one aspect that most light novel authors disregard. This is for those who enjoy being pleasantly surprised, because you WILL realize that all of your predictions are WRONG because you may be smart, but the author is a fvcking genius that would blow your mind away with the ingenious narrative and story that Dungeon Defense offers, with built-ups that lead into a climax that is simply unforeseeable.

Dungeon Defense has content that is as engaging as classic English novels. It's THAT good. You miss one sentence or one paragraph, you skim one conversation or some details, and you WILL miss something big.

That is how f*ckingly well-thought, how fresh, and how unique this novel is. So go and f*cking read it, you will not regret the experience. Unless you're a shounen fag, in which case go buy a brain and THEN read the novel. It's worth it, I tell you. <<less
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FinalEclips3
FinalEclips3 rated it
August 25, 2016
Status: v2 afterword
This deserve to be nothing but 5 star. Do not judge this till you've finished reading at the very least 2 volumes
Pros and maybe cons:
- Unique writing style (At the very least I've never seen it elsewhere and I do read quite a lot regardless of original language)
- Great story line even though it uses the overly used other world reincarnation setting
- Great characters and character development unlike most other world reincarnation novels that focus on mainly the MC
- Words/chapter is quite long (Might... more>> not appeal for some people who prefer it short)
- Translator is a korean who is kindly translating it from korean to english for us english readers so expect good translation quality
- MC has one heck of a personality and twisted brain
- No OP MC from the kickstart that just goes around killing people with one hit

Conclusion: Just read it, it won't disappoint <<less
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Shwarz
Shwarz rated it
August 25, 2016
Status: v2c4
Each novel tend to have one or two flaws, I never thought a day would come that I would appraise a novel so high!

The MC is rotten to the core, he will stop at nothing to impose his authority, in short, he's a hardcore S, but instead of physical pain, he enjoys breaking his opponents minds and status.

A must read, if you have yet to read it, seriously, what the f**k are you waiting for?

Here the MC will solve all of his problem with his brain, so if you're looking... more>> for some action, then again, this novel is NOT for you.

@CaptainToast read the whole volume before judging.... <<less
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MystiKnight
MystiKnight rated it
August 6, 2016
Status: v1 afterword
Absolutely exhilarating.

While the 'Teleported into a game' gimmick has been done to death, 'I am the demon lord' has... Well, its been done quite a lot too.

Dungeon Defense, however, executes the concept amazingly.

Dantalian is an amazing protagonist. He's extremely quick-witted and absolutely exudes charisma. Even if you are turned off by his more humorous lazy facade, I undoubtedly believe that few can resist his captivating charm whenever he takes a situation seriously. I have to admit, I have a very weak spot towards more controversial or unheroic protagonists, and he... more>> often reminds me of Shinnosuke Arisu (Mokushiroku Alice) and Ikta Sorlok (Alderamin) who are some of my favourites, so I may be impartial towards Dantalian.

Of course, Lapis Lazuli helps to round out the cast. 'Lala' shares Dantalian's intelligence and provides a perfect conversation partner for him, and their back and forth banter is always lively, funny, and most importantly entertaining. Her deadpan works well to keep Dantalian's near-maniacal tangents in check and keeps the text from devolving straight into romcom filth.
Spoiler

And the reveal of her character during the Volume 1 intermission sets her up to be a much deeper character than usual light novel heroines

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I won't comment on the plot too much (I'm the kind of person who prefers strong characters to a compelling story). The way the protagonist uses his knowledge of the game he's in allows for some pretty fun schemes - not to mention, as he's fundamentally playing the villain, he has a lot of freedom to work with.

I've never read a korean novel before, but Dungeon Defence has set an astronomical standard (that could just be because it isnt saturated with anime tropes). An amazing and refreshing read. I have very high expectations for it. <<less
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spaceman
spaceman rated it
July 27, 2016
Status: v1 afterword
A great novel with a great writing style and the translator is also good. The different POVs actually enhance the readers experience. The characters are not bland and the MC is smart, cunning and cruel. He is not a crybaby who is reluctant to kill enemies and does what needs to be done. Great execution and a likable story and plot.
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aszuria
aszuria rated it
July 27, 2016
Status: v5
Our MC is suddenly transported into a game world and becomes the hero who saves the world! Jokes, he's a good-for-nothing demon lord who wishes to make the world his stage and all the men, women and demons are merely players. Equipped with superior intellect and acting skills, we follow on his path and watch how everyone dances within his palms. A few flaws I can currently think of is the lack of a similar rival of sorts however its too early in the novel to complain, and I feel like the MC is going to be one of those who are too intelligent and somehow all plans go accordingly. In the future I hope to see some unexpected failures which would make the climax even more thrilling.

Edit: Great dialogue... more>> and interaction between characters. We also start with major power coming into play with schemes flying around. <<less
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DevianT
DevianT rated it
July 26, 2016
Status: v1c5 part2
Just read finish till the latest. Man I understand what Shalvation (TL) mean when he explained ... more>>
Spoiler

"This site was basically made to translate the Korean Light Novel known as Dungeon Defense. As a Korean citizen who’s actually better at English than he is Korean, I’m doing this translation as a method to understand Korean better (I’m like below average level).

Anyways, I hope you guys are able to at least get some entertainment out of this novel, because I sure as heck did. I normally don’t read light novels made in Korea, but this one was too amazing to pass up."

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This novel is really interesting and got different POV to let you understand the story and process. Just like review from 'I your Father'*but for this one it would be a crime to not do so* It's really a crime not to share such good novel to other people. Many thanks to Shalvation to translate thus novel :D <<less
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kinunatzs
kinunatzs rated it
July 26, 2016
Status: v1c5
One of the best cunning, smart and cruel MC I ever read and the plot just keeps go interesting with how manipulative the MC is. The main Wifu is a good support for the MC to me too.

Anyway I recommend reading
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shadowtrap2010
shadowtrap2010 rated it
July 25, 2016
Status: v1c5
Actually good enough for me to keep reading! It has a way of grabbing my attention, as well as stir my curiosity make me wish to know what going to happen next!

This is not really action type story but a kind of mysterious story where you try to deduct what going to happen next or how to solve it instead of OP and kill them all kinda story!
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iftybito67
iftybito67 rated it
November 20, 2022
Status: v5 afterword
If I had to say in one sentence then it would be, reality is often disappointing. It started great but then soon fell into absolute and utter chaos. The author himself doesn't know what to do with the characters.

Firstly, if you read a few chapters, you will see there's a window that pops up at every crucial decision he takes. But the problem starts after volume two. There is no popup window anymore. He took multiple crucial decision in volume 2 but there are no more window pop up. I... more>> guess god just forgot.

Secondly, the inconsistency of the characters are just plain flat out weird. The main character that swore that he wont fall in love suddenly finds himself madly in love with someone. Just like that. And guess what she also loves him, suddenly. How convenient. The demon lord who was his first victim is suddenly a genius, one of the most feared demon lord is suddenly his ally, characters super powerful are suddenly at the mc's grace even though they can do pretty much everything that the MC doesn't.

Thirdly, and most importantly, the amount of unnecessary garbage that the author writes. Pages and pages of useless character monologue, literally thousand after thousand words of, for a lack of a better word, absolute garbage. A character will think about the sky for half a chapter, think about their homeland for half a chapter, think about what they think for half a chapter and mind you, these chapters are 20000 words-ish. It is so excessive that you can skip a whole 20000 word chapter and just be completely fine understanding the story. It is amazing how much garbage can someone write for absolutely no reason.

Fourthly, the author seems to overestimate himself too much. He thinks he is some kind of poetic genius. Using useless analogy times and times again. You can skip through all of this and do yourself a favor. For example, "the volume of the swamp decreased by the amount of water that the corpse could take in its mouth." Yes that is correct Sherlock but does it make the story any better? No. Did you say it for any good reason? No. It this the first time you did it? No. Times and times again you will find the author using analogy that is once again, garbage. The numbers being by the thousands. If the author wrote what actually he should write then the story would've been less than half the length of what it is now. Then, the author uses black pages, black fonts, without any spacing? For some reason? Sometimes? And guess what, these are also full of garbage that doesn't contribute shite to the story. Furthermore, good luck trying to read it. He thinks using black pages somehow makes the story better or something, If he had good storytelling capabilities he would've not had the use these kind of useless measures that do not work in the first place. You might say that the author having these liberties makes a light novel, a light novel. Yes, I agree, but only when they are useful and the story demands it. If its just going to be another obnoxious representation of author's pure incompetence, then I don't want it

All in all, I can say, while this story had amazing potential, the author ruined the story. It could've been something way more amazing but the more you read through, the more you realize it is not. <<less
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Bwapples
Bwapples rated it
February 8, 2022
Status: v5c4
This isn't really a literary masterpiece of sorts that most people praise it to be but may be appealing to you if you aren't an avid reader of English literature.
The novel utilizes the narrative perspective of characters to allow readers to infer information while showcasing the character's (narrator) knowledge and intents. This allows readers to construct a stronger understanding of the interactions between characters and their motives.

This approach to writing has a severe downside in that there's a severe lack of information regarding the world around the characters. From... more>> cities filled with demons, and human settlements, there is little that is revealed to the audience. Furthermore, there is a distinct lack of any genuine character development with characters solely focusing on their traumas and how they're molded by it.
This novel simply devolves into a power fantasy that attempts to gratify its readers while masquerading as a classy literary masterpiece. <<less
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Nordenfang
Nordenfang rated it
May 7, 2018
Status: v5 afterword
A lot of people seem to rag on his personality change in volume 2 but the way I see it there is somewhat a decent justification for it.

It is mentioned that if the world follows the path that the game originally took which was the death of all the demon lords then the world would be destroyed. So, in order to prevent that Dantalian needed to mantain the balance of power between the Demons and Humans. The best way to do that is to have authority and be able to... more>> control everything as you want. An alternative option was to severely weaken the humans but if he does that then unseen circumstances could arise such us a hero rising from the turbulent times to save mankind and if that happens and it isn’t the same hero as the one from the game then Dantalian wouldn’t have the advantage of his game knowledge which could be very bad for him. And so, he chases after Authority in order to save the world he now lives in.

Losing his supposed lazy and shut-in nature is because he has to lose it in order to save the world. In Volume 1 he was not in a position to do anything other than deal with the current problems around him and then carve out his own place on the stage, and only then could he start moving. So since he could not make any careless moves at te time due to his lack of authority, power, or backing of any sort as well as his enemies in the background, he appeared quite slovenly and lazy as he bided his time and moved things into place slowly. But in the following volumes where he has ample authority and a place on the stage he becomes much more free to act. And so he acts in order to save the world.

Personally I found the novel very fun. Especially the volume 3 interactions between Elizabeth and Dantalian. <<less
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Steviason
Steviason rated it
March 17, 2018
Status: --
I got to the end of volume 2 (however after I reached the end I quickly skimmed the rest of the volumes). Anyways the premise sounds interesting but the question of why is never really answered. The MC's father says "you will have a harsher life than I", "you are more devilish than I", and so forth. Which holds very true for the MC. BUT WHY?

Where is the explanation for it because I don't see it at all. The MC is a psychopath just like everyone of his waifus are... more>> but WHY is he a psychopath just because he is or did something happen to make him a psychopath? It is implied he became a psychopath because of his mother but were not told or shown WHY he became a psychopath. This is the aspect that the author outright ignores which is a problem because the novel keeps going back to this idea of something happening to make him a psychopath, the novel keeps trying to justify the MC being a psychopath without ever actually giving a justification. An this is also a problem with the other main characters to; why are they broken psychopaths? It comes off as their histories and personalities being a after thought; you could easily write a better story but still do the same premise by just changing the character's personalities.

the closest we got for a justification for the MC being a psychopath is the scene where his mother emotionally abuses and torments the other children and his father refuses to help his half siblings. However, as far as we know he himself never experienced this because he is her child.

an for his first waifu, we get the explanation that cross breeds are just utterly sh*t upon and are even rejected by s*avers in the s*ave trade business because no one wants to deal with cross breeds. (Which by the way would not ever happen. S*avers love outcast of societies because they are easier to tame and easier to get away with and abuse and etc.) But this does not really explain anything its like saying that poor guy is a psychopath because his poor.

his second waifu found in the s*ave cage it is a bit more understandable since she was r*ped or nearly r*ped about 20 different times by her own family. But its only barely more understandable. R*pe victims can broadly be fit into three categories, 1) the get over it type "I was r*ped and did something about it and who cares I was r*ped?" 2) the self loathing r*pe victims which are generally the brainwashed ones "it was my fault the pastor/Islamic preist/jewish preist/hindu preist/whatever was right I seduced him" 3) the submissive victim. The victim that submits to her rapist, treatment, and etc. Which is by far more common than most people think. Ask Sweden and the UK were this topic has become taboo because of certain groups.

most r*pe victims are either 3 or 2 or a mixture of both of them. So what type is she? She comes off as the #1 type. But this alone does not explain her personality. Her pessimistic trait can be explained by this but not the rest of her character traits. She is not shy, rather she is lazy, trusting, and fairly open when she is introduced.

it comes off ass their personalities and history were after thoughts to the author. There is no exploration of their personalities.

people who are not born as psychopaths or sociopaths don't just become these things. An its passed off as "o its their ideology and how pessimistic they are"<---its not a philosophy though; psychopathy is not a ideology. It is internal mannerisms and internal inner workings/thoughts. A psychopath and sociopath can be apart of any ideology. An its not because they are pessimistic. What the main characters are however, is psychopathic sadist.

putting the whole psychopath aside the main characters are also sadist. An I don't mean the s*xual type of sadist. They get a certain level of joy from watching the other characters become their pawns/s*aves and seeing them fall apart. They treat it as a circus performance of "whos next".

for instance in the first volume what happens is the MC tells his first waifu nicknamed lala to go sit/stand somewhere in the rear because the performance is about to start. While another demon lord is calling for a trial to be held against him. During the entire thing the MC is going "yeah boy, lets see how far I can push her (other demon lord) buttons and get away with it." an during the second trial held against him that night he uses knowledge he has from the game to literally force another character into silence as he edges the other demon lord on. The end result was the goblin who got called in as a witness committing su*cide and taking all the blame to protect the other two.

an what does the MC say? He literally says "well that has sullied the mood and ruined my amus**ent" as the other demon lord has a mental breakdown essentially. The entire time he did not take the trial seriously and saw it as entertainment for him as he played around with them. An this is certainly not the last time the MC does this to the other characters seeking amus**ent from their problems, mocking them, and taking advantage of them.

which would not be a problem if we were properly explained to as to WHY he and the others are this way. What made him this way? A f*cked up family is not good enough because my father did some very shitty things to my sisters and my extended family on my fathers side are a bit.. Loose in the head themselves. A f*cked up family is not good enough to explain why the MC is the way he is; its just not. His family was not even that bad if I'm being honest here; his family situation coulda been a whole lot worse. <<less
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Sonkoso
Sonkoso rated it
January 23, 2017
Status: v4c2
Dungeon Defense is part of a genre we've all come to dread. And that is, MMO World Changes.

Just me saying those words may have given you a groan of dread. This particular category of novels has garnered itself an infamy for being poorly written, with shallow characters and OP abilities that help catapult the MC way ahead of everyone else.

Whatever preconceived notion you have of this genre before going into this book... shred it into pieces. Rip it apart until your mind is ready and open for the blowing... more>> it is about to receive.

Let us first talk the main character. He's cynical, socio/psychopathic, and highly calculative. His story begins in our world, Earth, specifically Korea. After the death of his father, he has shut himself off from the rest of the world; not from grief, but from joy. He is overjoyed that his father is dead, and he no longer has to have any ties to the rest of his family.

As he is living the life of a shut-in, a survey for a game he enjoyed popped onto his monitor. After a series of questions, some rather strange and others completely ordinary, it finally leads to one last inquisition: "Do you think you could change the ending?" And, after a brief moment of calculation, he answers yes. And then everything changes.

He is transported to the world of the game, a realm occupied by humans, Kings, demons, and Demon Lords. Our protagonist occupies the body of one such Demon Lord, Dantalion, Ranked 71st out of 72. Demon Lords are beings birthed from pure Mana, and are the embodiment of the World's Will. They are revered as Messengers of God by other Demons, and worshiped accordingly. The catch? Dantalion is the weakest of them all.

A lot of you are used to the protagonist starting weak, but eventually becoming stronger and stronger until they're able to rip the world asunder with their bear hands. If this is what you're looking for, then keep searching. Because the MC is weak, and even until the point I've written, is still weak. But, that weakness in and of itself, is his strength.

Because of his lack of power, he must rely on his intellect to survive. And this is where the plot and characters shine.

In most other books that have a "genius" main character, the rest of the cast is dumbed down, made to make s*upid decisions that normal people, let alone smart people, would never make. That is never the case here. Other characters are intelligent, each one scheming and plotting to come out on top in a war of politics and strategy. Each one makes brilliant moves and choices that you yourself would probably make. The thing?

Dantalion is ahead of them all.

The closest thing I could compare him to for intellect would be Shiro and Sora from No Game No Life, combined. And even then, I would say that he is marginally smarter than they are. He is ruthless, cunning, and will spare no one should they plot against him.

Do not misunderstand, he is not unconditionally evil. He's a bastard, a son of a b*tch, a spawn of satan, but if you show him respect, he will in turn show respect back. He does not actively seek to destroy all others. His goal is conquest, and what is the point in ruling the world if there's no one left to rule?

Each novel is fantastic. Each book is a game of chess, each one with a different opponent, a separate character to conquer. The Second novel in particular is exemplary, because not only is he playing against a different enemy, he is also playing against you.

All in all, this novel is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of its genre. It is by no means a book for everyone. If you are under the shounen persuasion, and you are expecting spectacular fights and flashy abilities, you will be sorely disappointed. But if you are looking for an intelligent, thought provoking battle of words and tactics, this may be the novel for you. <<less
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VSoullis
VSoullis rated it
September 27, 2016
Status: v3c4 part1
One of the best translations I have read featured on this site and a must read that sets a high quality as a standard. The story is astounding and interesting and the grammar is perfect. The chapters are long and the characters are interesting. If you have not read this, then I would compare this to something akin to Death Note except with Demons and Armies and an interesting game mechanic instead of a notebook. Both Author and Translator need congratulations and I am still as excited to read more... more>> as I was when I first started reading. <<less
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Tarroyn
Tarroyn rated it
September 13, 2016
Status: v3c2
I've been waiting for enough material to really write a review about, and finally, I feel like there is enough content for me to review.

Dungeon Defense is very similar to many of the novels commonly seen on NU, but it is distinctly different as well. The tone of dungeon defense is remarkably more dark than usual for web novels, but it doesn't reach the point of darkness for the sake of being dark, a la Akame Ga Kill. The writing is surprisingly good for a "light novel", bordering very closely... more>> to an actual novel. The setting takes a common trope and twists it somewhat, but it also fails in a couple of places to truly sync with the nature of the characters and the story. The main example is the premise that the world ends when every demon lord is killed, which takes the character of our protagonist, who is certainly not a hero, and twists it into the idea that he is saving the world.

That being said, the story is not significantly damaged by these mistakes. The characters are consistent in their ideologies, and the story manages to be very exciting, though our protagonist does not step onto the battlefield.

Worldbuilding 4/5:

The world is logically and systematically constructed, except for some idiosyncrasies that detract from the main pull of the story, which is the characters. Although it is a very common world, almost trope-like, Dungeon Defense explores the trope beyond the surface, making the world significantly more interesting than it usually is.

Characters 5/5:

Dungeon Defense contains some of the best designed and most interesting characters of any series on NU. Characters are given importance, uniqueness, development, and most importantly of all, intelligence. In many novels, the characters are described as smart or genius, but don't truly act so, but in Dungeon Defense it is very clear that every character that has authority has such for a reason beyond "I have more power than you". Characters develop very well, as new situations put them under new stresses that really describe the characters beyond the tropes that they were originally built upon.

Story Development 3/5:

The story of Dungeon defense is plodding in many ways. There is development, but it is mostly done in sudden reveals, which, while fun at first, becomes quite tiring after a time. The story is very much character driven, but the characters' interactions are so meticulously described that the story can plod along at times. Furthermore, Dungeon Defense really enjoys the idea of limiting the reader's information to emphasize the sudden changes or the characters' genius, which also causes the story to falter. However, the progression is very strong volume to volume, giving it at least some development, unlike series that suffer from similar issues (Overlord).

Enjoyment 5/5:

This is pretty self explanatory. Dungeon Defense is exciting and enjoyable to read, has solid comedy, decent action, and just the right amount of drama to make it fun to read.

I cannot recommend Dungeon Defense to everyone, because its not really in the typical style of novels that people on NU like. However, I do recommend that you try it if you enjoy political-type novels, and do not mind lacking action or the protagonist not being incredibly strong. <<less
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