Reincarnator

Description

Links are NOT allowed. Format your description nicely so people can easily read them. Please use proper spacing and paragraphs.

Humanity has been gradually transported to the Abyss by a bored god to compete against other races and monsters. The problem is… humanity failed. In a last desperate push, the strongest survivors chose a comrade to travel as far as possible back in time.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Hwan Saeng Jwa
환생좌
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
The King of the Battlefield (45)
Master Hunter K (17)
Everyone Else is a Returnee (16)
Dungeon Hunter (13)
The Second Coming of Gluttony (13)
I am the Monarch (13)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Damn good novels
  2. For the chuunibyou guy inside us all: male centric...
  3. MY Favorite Second Chance Korean Novels
  4. Novels that I have read
  5. World Hopping Novels

Latest Release

Date Group Release
03/28/24 NovelUtopia c478
03/26/24 NovelUtopia c477
03/26/24 NovelUtopia c476
03/26/24 NovelUtopia c475
03/24/24 NovelUtopia c474
03/24/24 NovelUtopia c473
03/24/24 NovelUtopia c472
03/24/24 NovelUtopia c471
03/22/24 NovelUtopia c470
03/20/24 NovelUtopia c469
03/20/24 NovelUtopia c468
03/17/24 NovelUtopia c467
03/17/24 NovelUtopia c466
03/16/24 NovelUtopia c465
03/16/24 NovelUtopia c464
Go to Page...
Go to Page...
Write a Review
192 Reviews sorted by


Zeikfried
Zeikfried rated it
April 19, 2020
Status: c483
I read all the reviews of people saying the ending wasn't so great... I wish I believed them. I went from 5/5 to 4/5.

The story is still a cut above most fiction in the same genre: The characters are fairly well-developed, the plot is interconnected, the abilities are somewhat innovative...

But the pay-off at the end is so abysmally scant. Things that seemed important in the first arc do indeed so up again, but they're so thread-bare the author could have replaced the final battle stuff with just about anybody.

There's 6... more>> more chapters till the end. I hope it's good. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Trolltractor
Trolltractor rated it
March 25, 2020
Status: --
What could have been a great read, instead was a confusing and jarring read. If the novel was written in a more coherent manner, without jumping from place to place without any explanation or apparent links, then this novel could have been 5 stars. I have kept reading, not for the author's writing style, but for the premise and themes of the novel. It is hard to immerse yourself in the story when you are constantly forced to different components, rather than being led, something that the top sellers/ more... more>> popular stories do.

Overall, I rated this a 2/5 star novel:

5/5 for the ideas and premise of the novel.

2/5 for plot.

1/5 for coherency.

-2 stars for the disappointment of something that promises a great story and doesn't deliver. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Ciledug
Ciledug
March 8, 2020
Status: c345
Spoiler

I'm very dissapointed with the roundabout way to save humanity, it's clear the no.1 threat to humans are clementine and his army so they should send one of the trio to the past and kill clementine as soon as possible when he just entered red zone and also for a numaha ring to suddenly dissapeared without explanation when hanso in egg form is a nonsense way to degraded hanso's strength, with it's ability to nullify physical resistance hanso could use it more often to 1 hit kill everything in season 2

All of hanso's efffort in red, oren, yellow, and green zone are definitely a joke, all of world tree blessing, ehnanced body surgery, mana pool, and ain blessing are useless, millions of hanso's army who have those benefit and go up to green zone and above are still got killed, massacred, r*ped, s*aved, and eaten by clementine's army even they don't have benefit like hanso's army

[collapse]
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Levia
Levia rated it
December 2, 2018
Status: c421
I love this novel. The introduction, the setting, the MC, the story, and the pace.

Since I found it I binge read for 4 days to finally finish it. Honestly I feel empty after catching up to the latest update. I tried to search for the raws but it’s hard to find.

MC is overpowered, clear-thinking and have a very mature personality. He didn’t completely rely on his memory but tries his best.

Quoting from the story :

... more>>
Spoiler

He’s no king of humans, he walks on the most difficult path, the most dangerous path. With his talent he could be one but he choose to be vanguard

[collapse]

welp it’s not the exact words but thats what I remember.

I love it but there are some parts that I don’t like about it. Not to the point I drop it but it’s not into my taste

Spoiler

the world is divided by 7th layer, starting from the 3rd layer the sci-fi elements had appeared. At first it was fine but progressing to the next level it just turned to complete scifi as main genre not fantasy/game.

[collapse]

anyway is a worthwhile to read <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Yung_lane
Yung_lane rated it
March 19, 2018
Status: c57
Only up to chapter 24, but i'd prefer to give it a 3.5, from my subjective experience I don't really enjoy the way it's progressing.

Essentially, the main character, Hansoo, feels like he's a tour guide for people who end up near him, his nonchalant indifferent attitude is explained to be the result of him trying to please the requests of his four companions before he was chosen as the one sent back in time. However it feels, how do I say? Not quite boring but not fun either, mundane perhaps.... more>> While people aren't really dragging him down, it appears like they're chained to his ankles, while it's expected that people are going to leech off him, it seems like it's going to be a repetitive encounter and it's just not enjoyable to read. Also the author's view of human nature is so.... dreadfully boring, he paints every human as greedy and their thoughts don't really deviate much from character to character, I feel like I'm just seeing recycled interactions.

First and foremost point of reading is to enjoy it! For me anyway...I might come back to it, since people have rated it so highly however it might just not be my cup of tea : (

** from 24-57
Now I see why it's rated so highly, this is defs a 4.2 - 4.5, really enjoying it now~!
It'd be cool to see some vulnerable emotions from Hansoo <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
rhianirory
rhianirory rated it
August 21, 2017
Status: Completed
this starts out at a solid 4 and degrades to a 2.5 by the end so I compromised. The writer's abilities seem to get worse rather than better as he tried to make his story more appealing to the mainstream masses and only managed to piss off the smaller but very loyal following he'd captured with the first 200 or so ch. He basically killed everything I enjoyed about the story from the beginning and replaced it with "Boom! Wow!" instead. Irritating.
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
elementalcobalt
elementalcobalt rated it
August 21, 2017
Status: --
Humanity was gradually sent to a harsh RPG-like world that functions as a tutorial for the opening of the Abyss. The Abyss finally opens, and unsurprising when you're given a tutorial you don't even know why you're taking, humanity lost the war. In a last dish effort, 1 of the 4 strongest surviving humans is sent back to the moment he was dragged into the RPG world to try to change humanity's fate. Thus, he starts going down the checklist, completing tasks in order to enhance humanities survival.

The novel has... more>> absolutely no characterization. There is no core cast of recurring characters or even villains. The MC is all, and since he barely interacts with anyone, he has virtually no personality either. People will show up, sit around for 1-2 chapters, and then leave. Some die. Some don't die, but simply stop being mentioned seemingly at the author's whim. The MC works his bu*t off to acquire powerful artifacts, only to discard those artifacts a few chapters later.

The story has no balance, and you'll never feel like he's growing, either on an emotional level or a physical level. Every 30-50 chapters, it seems like all of his progress just gets reset. We're told he is in a more powerful area with more powerful enemies, but it's seemingly pointless.

When you are introduced to characters, they are all awful people. This is one of those ultra-pessimistic 'humans are tr*sh' novels, which is a really strange direction to go in a novel where we're supposed to be rooting for him to save humanity. Why should I care about arses saving other arses?

In the end, the story is just sloppy. It's a story filled with plotholes, dropped plotlines, and unfocused narrative. It creates too much, can't figure out what to with it, and then pushes you forward just hoping you'll forget about how inconsistent it is. For example, The Mad King, the head of a future PK guild, had no logical means of existing. I mean, think about it. They start with a group of 100 people. Maybe 50 survive if they're lucky. Then they get split up into groups of ten or so people at random, have to get to these canoes and select an island. At this point, this Mad King has managed to gather an army of 200+ people. HOW? There was no humanly possible way this character could form the army he did and do the things he does.

Don't expect harem, that requires a girl to stay longer than two chapters. Don't expect action, unless you like the sound effects of people slamming dolls together, because that's how interesting this is. Don't even expect epic moments. He usually skips the most epic fights and zooms to after he's done. I give it two stars because it does have a good start, but the longer you follow it, the worst it gets. I think people who like this story get carried away by the idea of the story, rather than the story itself... because the story itself leaves much to be desired. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
lordofthebooty
lordofthebooty rated it
April 21, 2017
Status: c274
I would rate it 5 stars but the translation speed is dropping at a scary rate. There has been a few times where you wouldn't get a chapter in a few weeks, sometimes a month. Other than that, it is a great novel. The MC is one of the last humans in this race-war, and they use dragon magic to send him back in time, right before the great wars start occurring. He has to start all over again at square one, back in tutorial mode with the other humans... more>> that were abducted.

MC goes up each level, doing his best to pave a way for humanity's future survival. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Illisaide
Illisaide rated it
March 30, 2017
Status: c180
The scenarios and background and world-building is amazing! Absolutely top notch! It's been MONTHS and yet that world still features in my daydreams.

The eerie settings, the historical details, the sheer racial DIVERSITY and their diverse racial characteristics, sinister facets of adored traditional fantasy species, the social details and how the differences between them influence how they react to each other and coexist, the exploration of the depths of desperation, the sheer fridge horror! Each species has a different mindset influenced by their abilities and each stage/world is a bit... more>> of a culture shock for me. I mean, in the 3rd? world/setting for example,
Spoiler

sure, most fantasy stories have people living in trees, but they're mostly the same as a typical village on earth. Maybe at different heights if the trees are too big. This one has a single tree which supports thousands of people. Not very original, but it also deals with predators who live and eat/prey on said tree. You have hive-minded predators that can grow stronger than you just by biting a chunk of your arm, can breed said strength into their offspring and number in the thousands each time they attack... And they're held back by a giant snake with eyes the diameter of a two story house and near impenetrable skin. It doesn't Hunt humans, but it does suck the majority of the tree sap which is the only food/water source in this place. Not so bad, right? A ready food source and as long as you stay below the line where the snake lives, you don't have to worry about battling much.

Except the human population is getting exponentially bigger and there's a giant species of fish in the sea that eats said giant tree's roots more quickly than the tree grows more, making less and less nutrition reach the top. The swarm lives at the top and eats the leaves more quickly than they grow, which means less sap is made to nourish the tree and those who live on it. Of course the snake gets bigger the more it feeds which means it needs more and more sap as time goes on. This tree is the only source of safe nourishment. See the problem? Plus a hidden calamity as well.

That's not even counting the various monsters all over the tree, the lack of shelter, the poison rain, the dwindling spots to drill for sap/food, the guilds and their tyranny, the calamity religion/worshipers, the crazy ones who think the world they fell into is a game and tries to player kill everyone, and of course, the complications of several people with the ability of mind control and not knowing who they are or even if you yourself are controlled.

Now imagine living there. No currency means you can't buy or sell. No mines, no forges, no way of production. The entire typical social structure of Earth is null and void. (Having a small village is out of the question when you can't produce, buy, sell or trade) So how do you interact? How does the social structure work?

And each world has it's own unique circumstances.

See why I might get a tiny bit of culture shock?

[collapse]
The sheer world-building as mind blowing!

So why the low score? Because the MC is almost completely uninteresting!

I get it: he's seen everything there is to see and is amused by things others would find horrifying, thus, he isn't moved by much and doesn't change. However that means the characters around him must be interesting. And they are! The problem is they don't stay around long enough for me to get attached and continue the story solely for them. And I can't get attached to the MC at all because he's not emotionally stirring.

He's not pitiful enough for me to feel sorry for him. He's too ruthless for me to like him. He's too methodical for me to feel his struggles. He doesn't feel enough for me to empathize. And of course, HE DOESN'T HAVE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!

That might be because he's designed as an OP character. I like OP characters, but mostly because I get to read the reactions of the people around them to their curb-stomping. To be fair, this LN has them too, but those people are so rare and they drop out of the storyline so quickly. And when they do make a reappearance (if they do, I have only counted two, and each only once), it's mostly a summary of what they did in the MC's absence and missing him. Of course, that fills in the background really well and adds much more plot and depth to the story, but there is such a thing as too detailed. With this much detail, it doesn't read as an OP story (in fact, it reads more as a detective story where you only get to read the unbiased notes of a case). AKA, no curb-stomping, which takes most of the fun out of an OP character.

And since the story is mostly from a limited 3rd POV focused on him? Not fun. And I read LNs for fun.

If only one could get the world-building details without having to slog through the MC's activities...*sigh*

Thank you for reading my rant.

Also, kudos to those of you who read the entirety of it (including spoiler) and still made it to the end. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
TheDeadOne21
TheDeadOne21 rated it
March 29, 2017
Status: c256
This is one of my very few five star novels, hence why I'm going to review the novel. The main character is extremely methodical, to a point that many may find jarring or annoying. There is no point in this novel where you would or should shed tears for the MC. The character development doesn't allow any emotional or ethical conflicts to arise. As the title implies, main character is The Reincarnater, meaning that he has experienced everything before. As one of the last humans to have lived, pretty much... more>> all feelings are gone when he watched everyone he had loved and cared for ripped apart and/or mu*dered by other humans and monsters. While many may not like this aspect, it does allow for much faster plot progression. Don't expect everything to be explained in the mc's life like a Chinese novel. Smaller fights that are not integral to the plot are skipped in favor of moving on to the next chapter of the story. Most characters are not retained for an extended period of time as the MC does not take the time to personally groom and carry them with him. Most are left to their own devices as discarded until they catch up to him. The last con to this would be the subpar translations at some parts of the novel. While it can be annoying and somewhat difficult to read a sentence here and there, the translator did not have an editor for the majority of the series, so I personally don't mind. I don't particularly want to spoil the plot by describing the environment the MC goes through, I would say this is at least one of the top 2 Korean novels on NU, debatable for number 1. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
KMQT
KMQT rated it
December 5, 2016
Status: c232
At the beginning it is very good, but by the time of the later arcs it starts getting boring. Many times the author just makes the "bad guy" become stronger through luck, and it just ends up becoming more chapters of boredom because you know that the MC will end up killing him. MC acts like a pu*sy most of the time, and spares people that try to betray him. The beginning is good, but action starts to dull fast.
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Zalpha
Zalpha rated it
October 7, 2016
Status: c206
Top notch story, seriously, seriously good! I have never read anything quite like this. It reminds me of the book: Lord of the Flies and the movie series: SAW but set in a real life game ellement environment. The game concepts of runes for stat points instead of levels is really unique as well a game machanics like guilds are all rather intresting! Overall this story is Dark but leaves me wanting to know more and I can't blame the MC for anything because that world is just so messed... more>> up. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Densus
Densus rated it
October 4, 2016
Status: c204
Well, I believe the purpose of those WN/LNs out here is to entertain the reader. In this sense, Reincarnator does a very good job. Starting off with an interesting premise of travel in time for the sake of saving the entire race, author writes refreshingly consistent story. Take into account that the MC of this story does not purely rely on plot armor, and his character progression though limited, but still lets the reader to have a continuously positive image of the MC. Add to that an interesting world-building as... more>> well clear power structures and mechanics, and one gets a very charming story that just leaves you with the desire of wanting to read more of it. Personally, I believe it is one of the most enjoyable stories out here at Novel Updates. Amount of the entertainment it brings might be on par with World of Cultivation and ISSTH, but much faster paced compared to the other two.

Sorry for the lengthy review, just thought that this novel really deserves much more attention). Enjoy your read! <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
douchi
douchi rated it
September 8, 2016
Status: c198
During the first about 90 chapters it is indeed a survival game novel but around that point the novel slowly turns into a survival fantasy using game elements to evaluate some stuff. Well, at the very least, the atmosphere of a game elements novel is lost. What impact this change has as a result is debatable. I would say, if you aren't disappointed by that development - as I am - you will continue to enjoy the story. The novel is a bit over-hyped but even with a few plot... more>> holes it feels intelligent, detailed, at times even epic and the fast pace balances the op MC out. However, if the plot holes keep accumulating and the pace won't slow down more often the author might not be able to keep up this level of quality.

Also mind that reading the novel requires a little bit of focus as you have to memorize quite a few names which might appear later on, and to not get overly confused by the irregular writing style. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Guymaioh
Guymaioh rated it
July 28, 2016
Status: c169
Loving this!!!!

As far as going back into the past goes, this one is off the scale! The RPG elements aren't overbearing and the evolution of the character follows a strict regime that is planned and altered as the story progresses. The basis of the story is clear cut and it's clear what the protagonist is aiming for, however how he gets to the "starting point" of the real story is so intriguing as he himself doesn't know whether this will pan out well. If you also like the dark side... more>> of the human nature, this is also a good read. Humans at their worst mainly, but also why they have come to be like this. A big theme of this novel is "environment dictates your actions".

The arcs are developped thoroughly, and can be long winded at times - but this is necessary in order to gain a better understanding. Although the element of wonder has diminished, as the story advances, we come to realise that soon things will not be as simple as in the beginning (which is better for us) and will get far more complicated than just getting stronger! <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
miles118
miles118 rated it
June 24, 2016
Status: c135
One of the best novel I have ever read. It has my favorite MC I have ever seen in any fiction.
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
NoFear911
NoFear911 rated it
April 11, 2016
Status: --
Final rating at chapter 79: 3/5

The goods:
- Engaging and unique story. Mainly because the MC was running from dangers to dangers, trying to fulfil objectives in an efficient manner.
- What's better than Berserk and Dark Souls? Berserk and Dark Souls combined into Reincarnators. To be exact, everything in this novel is trying to kill everyone in an escalating scale.
- Then nicely implemented Game-elements and giant bosses. What else?
- Ah, yes. Dark and dark. In the near future of darkness, there is only deaths. The sad*st author... more>> did not hesitate to twist everything and kill named character horribly. The only one equipped with the mighty Plot Armor so far is the MC.

The bads:
- characters have little to none distinct features or backgrounds, that includes even our MC. Worse, other characters than MC have n depth. Their names are put there as convenient pieces to advance the plot.
- Also, the other purpose for named characters are either to let readers know which ones got killed or which ones shall be temporary allies. Be glad, none of your favourite characters is going to be killed (at least for now)
- Writing style: Sudden jumps in perspectives and conversations will make your head explode. Many times, many times I did not know what the heck happened largely due to the crappy writing style. And sometimes, bad English too.
- Events advanced too fast. You will likely have no breathing room to understand and answer lingering questions.
- Plot holes, plenty of them <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
rdawv
rdawv rated it
April 8, 2016
Status: --
As of Ch.50.

Our MC Kang Hansoo came back from a future apocalypse, chosen from the last survivors of mankind to fulfill a mission. He returns to a time before the apocalypse called The Abyss had begun proper. Hundreds of humans were abducted and thrown into an Otherworld proving ground called The Tutorial as a prelude to the disaster, where they are expected to fight the dangerous environment and each other in a deadly survival game...

To put it simply: it is a story about how a guy goes through the challenges... more>> and killing monsters relying on previous experiences, almost like how a person plays a RPG and getting all the secrets by following a walkthrough/FAQ on his second time.

There are power-ups, leveling and items involved.

All the characters are pretty much twisted. The MC himself is a cynical person who is dedicated in accomplishing his goals, even if it means putting the needs of the many (the future of humanity) over the few (those trapped in The Tutorial with him). The author cleverly circumvents the usual "I will build up a force/convince people to prepare for the coming danger!" in other time-travel stories by laying a caveat: the more people who knows about The Abyss, the faster it arrives. Thus the MC is pretty much forced to keep everything to himself. The reader has to keep this mind and not be exasperated whenever the MC turns down offers of alliance or coldly leaves others to their fates.

The story is broken down into arcs of several chapters each with its own cast of characters. While this means each arc has a resolution, it also meant there are few long-term characters. The characters are quite forgettable once they are done, but they were given personalities and motives during their appearance. Though, one can also say that their personalities and motives are the same few variations on selfishness and greed.

On the whole, the story is intriguing. A dark and grim tale, it's almost like a damning look on how a sudden and drastic change of environment can bring out the worst in people. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
MarketResearchReading114
MarketResearchReading114 rated it
January 21, 2024
Status: --
The character emotionally is a blank slate, but the emotions of the cast are elevated enough that you feel that he's sort of a decent sort of mellowing agent as every thing ramps up and his calmness seems to be the only element that lets rising tension come back with a emotional relief valve.

I like it, its absolutely excellent.

**
200+ chapters later and I have to say, its a wild ride the entire time, the detail is impeccable and it feels good. There are some common beats where someone is... more>> impressed and terrified and in awe, which feels a little too repeated but it's kind of a small issue.

**
There is an issue in the arc I'm in, and its that our strong understanding of the emotional beats our protag is following have been disrupted. It's kind of a root being re-potted, its a vulnerable time for the reader here and I think its one of the reasons why I took a break from it.

Very brave creatively, and I think its decent, but ultimately the personality tilting in a way that feels like it could be signalling even further deviations is signalling warning signs to me.

That sort of sense of unease, after 300 ish chapters is kind of something I find very disruptive and unpleasant. I think we'll see if they land the plane, but it is the perfect time in the story to create such a shift. Just one of those sort of things that can make you uneasy.

Re-contextualizing a protagonist is a very dangerous thing for a narrative, and its in the realm of ret-conning in that sense of how unappealing it is, at least to me.

Given that we don't know the tone shift's final landing spot, I could see them missing the mark. Our disrupted sense of the signaling and how they thread future content threads at least in this moment is kind of shaky. You might not like the protagonist even if its a subtle shift in perspective at this point. <<less
1 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
BigOnii
BigOnii rated it
June 13, 2022
Status: Completed
Rating: 4/5

Why you should read:

    • if you enjoyed reading 2nd coming of gluttony, you will enjoy this!!
    • Time travel and reincarnation.
    • Climbing tower theme and levelling up!
    • Action packed!
    • Each "level" of the tower is its own interesting world. Enjoyed the diversity and the "adversaries". Never a dull moment.
    • MC is smart, ruthless but not psychotic. He has his priorities and knows his mission is important. MC becomes OP.
    • Fully translated K-Novel, just under 500 chapters. Doesn't drag on and on! My god I hate reading 2k + chapters of plot repeats.
Why you may not like

    • No romance. There were decent chances/ opportunities but makes sense author didn't pursue it.
1 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Leave a Review (Guidelines)
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.