Here some of my favorite novels, i tend to like novel without romance, harem, ecchi, or tragedy tags. I also like stories with great side characters rather than just focusing solely on MC. So if you look for those harem seeking protag and usual face slapping novel then sorry~ this isn't for ya...... more>>

P.S (edit 12/21) i removed all novel with romance hints, enjoy~ <<less

A list of memorable stories I read on novelupdates that covers mostly survival stories, reincarnation in non-human beings, second chances in other worlds and novels that felt unique in some way.... more>>

More often than not, stories I included had some grim parts to them. Where I find it necessary, I'll put a warning. 

Some stories are simply positive. Not everything needs to be dark. <<less

I love novels with exciting action and a survivalist story especially ones with female leads! That's what this list is. It's ordered from most to least liked novel (I rated them too) and at the end are novels I've yet to read.... more>>

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~P.S. Worm is a webnovel that features a dark story centering a girl with certain powers and her dangerous adventures. It's not on NU (cause it's not a translated novel), but you can find it on parahuman's website 

Also, Survive Romance and 7 seeds are good survival manga <<less

List of Yaoi and Shounen Ai novels about zombie apocalypse

Get that harem sh*t out of here.... more>>

A BL reader's curated guide (with comments) to exciting non-BL stories with either no M/F romance or very little late romance. And NO idiotic, horndog MCs!!! <<less

This list is specifically for second chances/age regression in fantasy, historical or VRMMO settings. 
- Not transmigration stories (see: https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/16246/)
- Not time loop stories (see: https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/10681/)
- Not second chances in modern society (see:  https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/10745/)... more>>

I'll start with a big recommendation for:
1. Metaworld chronicles - wonderful series with well developed characters, magic, monsters and dragons, all set to a really well explored alternate modern Earth fuelled by magi-tech. It's the best in the genre and you should try it out!
2. Selena's Reign - only around 20 chapters out so far, but they're really well done. Beautiful descriptions (though sometimes a bit verbose) and the best depictions of a late 18th century setting that I've seen in an online fantasy. Read this for the magical second chance messiah in a gritty, Louis XIV->Napoleon type time frame world.
3. The Calamity of a Reborn Witch - more of a shoujo take on things, it's filled with political plots and conspiracies of a cinderella type heroine in a rather dark fantasy world
4. Forgotten Conqueror (this was on hiatus for a long time but restarted on the author's site) <<less

These are the novels that I personally enjoyed, though some of them might not be my favorites, they still had enough influence stay in my heart as a decent novel at the very least... well, most of them. (Also I'm actually back now 2022, got burnt out after reading too much reincarnation paradise)[2023 here, uhhh, oops]... more>>

*Rest of description is for when you enter the list*
{I'm back and ready to fix my younger self's s*upid tastes, some are pretty good though}

(My reviews will not be consistent with the list because I go into the read deeper rather than just a overview, make sure to check my oldest comment, it is also the most liked one, it has the unpublished reads)

[S tier is a 5 star read, A is a 4.5 star read, B tier is a 4 star read, C tier is a 3.5 star read, D tier is a 3 star read, E tier is a 2 star read, F tier is a 1 star read] 

[SS and X tier are special. SS is consistency and intrigue, and X is the top 3 with the SS tier also being applied] 

(exaggerated tier which is a new special tier has been added, this is when I give reads that just started a good tier even when there isn't enough chapters to properly review it, the tier of the read will most probably change someday)

(The special tiers will now be accompanied by a regular tier, Exagg. tier will be accompanied with a Z)  <<less

Bl, bg, and no romance.  Genre’s pretty diverse.  I consider all of these top tier yummy food with good plot and fleshed out characters.  Not... more>> all of these are complete but some are good enough for me erode my brain and mlt.  Hope u all find smth u like.  (List incomplete) <<less

These are the novels that make me excited to see what the mc will do next.... more>>

Growth~mythical beings~solo mcs etc. <<less

LIST 1 - 10 ARE THE TOP 10 NOVELS I’VE READ. FYI, my standards are exquisite, meticulous and flawless. You can trust my list. ... more>>

SO FAR, I HAVEN’T READ THE REST AFTER #11 BUT THIS LIST GENERALLY HAS GOOD REVIEWS AND ABOVE 4 STAR RATINGS. 

#ANTI BRAINDEAD MCs ALLIANCE. 
#SOME ARE BL

#HANDSOME MALE PROTAGONISTS <<less

1st List -
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/44031/... more>>

3rd List -
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/61691

I am doing this list for people like me who enjoy family and friendships or gets entrained by MC building there organizations directly or indirectly—
(Unedited) They are all in alphabetic orders, # or A-Z

There will also master-follower relationship or master-disciple relationship being recovered or building up between them…

And some overstate themselves even though they are OP or haven’t released their power-

There are no romance nor harem but there might be people around them having favorable impressions on them or bad reputation trying to be fixed or just leaving it…

I will try to put on novels that I’m sure there isn’t any romance nor harem and have already read them so to be double sure and some are recommended to me and had told me there isn’t :>

Any that are involve with the tag romance is explained in the bottom ^^*

Loving family for the beginning, knowing, and get transmigrated in a novel or another world ✌️

MC - Main Character
OP - Over Powered
OG FL - Original Female Lead
FL - Female Lead
OG ML - Original Male Lead
ML - Male Lead
BL - Boy’s Love
GL - Girl’s Love
GB - Genderbend <<less

Stories with a close friendship/relationship between two male characters that is not romantic in nature.

If you are interested in my list, please leave a comment.... more>>

If not, I'm sorry for you wasting your time <<less

I really like ✓unique (world building/game rule/setting), ✓logical development, ✓solid plot, ✓all character in the novel have a life of their own that not serve for the purpose of the plot and finally a ✓logical MC. If there are at least two of these qualities, LINNIL APPROVE!!... more>>

I like to read various genre I don't care if it's ✮shoujou, ✮shounen, ✮yaoi or ✮harem, if only there is my require qualities~

This list order by my like, it not depend on the novel quality though. >wOb <<less

1. got transferred or got isekai'ed... more>>

OR 

2. Second chance

i am 17 y.o kid so this list might not be your taste,

after 3rd. the number is useless <<less

Some of my best picks of this category. Each one of these novels are absolute powerhouses in their own right.... more>>

I don't necessarily judge by the strength of the main character but it just so happens that things usually only progress when the mc actually has the capability to do something (and isn't being an idiot all the time).

Preferences (relevant cos not everyone has the same criteria for a good novel with a female mc)

- physically strong mc & strong mentality/fortitude

- comedy/ not always serious/ author is able to understand how absurd the mc's situation is sometimes

- no sexism or unreasonable prejudices

- no filler (unless it's to build background or comedic relief)

- no family drama (as in no neglectful fathers, evil stepmothers, sisters or other unholy b*tches that go on for 200ch that you see too often in chinese period novels)

- great pacing

- enjoyable <<less

Stories based in or around the apocalypse, making to keep track of them most of them have a romance element, mostly CN, excluding most harem and shounen type novels... more>>

The comments like 'dropped'or 'pass' are some of my reading list notes so I could search apocalypse tag excluding everything I put in this list by labelling these as my 'apocalypse reading list' <<less

*in my opinion... more>>

Kinda but not really in order. If you've got similar taste, rec me stuff in the comments! 

I read a pretty wide range of genres, but in general I avoid harem, bad-end/tragedies (real life is depressing enough lol), and yandere (they creep me out). You might find some of the above on this list, but they'd have to be really good.

Updates whenever I read something good (fairly often bc I read an insane amount), but I'm pretty selective about what goes onto this list specifically. Check my reading list for the others that aren't quite at the this level. <<less

IN THE PROCESS OF FIXING THIS READING LIST! C= C= C= C= C=┌(;・ω・)┘... more>>

this list has the novels for those who want:

- romance novels (comedic undertone, light reading, lots and lots of FLUFF) 

- no romance novels (where romance doesn't bu*t into an amazing plot and makes you want to dry heave)

- misunderstanding novels (specifically ones that evoke laughter or amus**ent)

warning: all of these novels have (or will have) my opinion and terrible descriptions !! 

i hope you have fun reading 

(*￣▽￣)b <<less

Novels that I’ve read and enjoyed, exclusively for brain dead readers. I read without using my brain so take it with a grain of salt.... more>>

[Open to recommendations]

(Not in order; Possible yaoi and shounen ai warning)

Continued:  https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/49132/ <<less

The best I've seen so far.... more>>

Tierlist

S and A tier are ordered

S Tier 1-20

A Tier 21-45

B Tier The Rest <<less

Don't expect many harems with characters who can't think for themselves or fall in love with the MC before page 1. Many might have a slow moving plot... have to invest yourself into the characters to find the tragic, beautiful and poignant!... more>>

First, some English original webnovels that are superb and easily googleable (in order of best characters, not necessarily plot): 
1. Trailer tr*sh
2. Iron Teeth
3. Castle Kingside (rewrite)
4. Metaworld Chronicles
5. The Good Student
6. Worm (Parahumans)
7. AnimeCon Harem (18+)
8. Mother of Learning
9. Selena's Reign
10. Double Blind: A modern litRPG
11. Tidal Lock (unfinished)

Note that I've been recently pruning and updating the list to remove some that were just good stories with average characters and move them over to new lists that are top of their genre. You can see all my rec lists at https://www.novelupdates.com/user/10378/tallrice/ <<less

My biased tastes, I would include perfect run, mother of learning, and the last orellen which are all on royal road. Also the cradle series. ... more>>

Of course im missing reverend insanity and other stuff, but trust me ive read a wicked sh*t ton of web novels including RI but these are just my personal top faves.  <<less

I've been going on a journey from A to Z due to lack of novels for me to read, as it felt like I read everything. Like I read way too much on this site... I just hit 650 reviews... though most of them were just a few words / sentences... I decided to finally make a reading list of what I think the best novels on this site are for male readers. Some stories were worse off in quality, but they were interesting enough to keep me reading.... more>>

I USUALLY ignore 4 types of novels

1. Romance focused

2. Historical focused

3. Female Leads

4. Dropped novels

Now, before u get mad, I only included ones that I CONTINUED liking. Because many times, the story quality ends up dropping the farther along the story is. I read a lot, so I'm very picky. Like when I first came to this site, I literally loved isekai, vrmmo, cultivation novels so much because everything was new... but now... there are comparisons... Another possible reason your novel isn't here, is that the novel is just new, and I have not read it yet as it was released after I went past that point alphabetically.

Please note the list will change in the future. I only read up the translation at the time of reading, so some of these books may be removed due to later chapters ruining the story.

Although I have read and liked a few FL Romance focused novels, I will not be including them to this list to be non biased, as I have not read enough of those to be picky about them. <<less

Finding good fantasy weak(or not so weak)-to-strong novels is a pain. Therefore, this list has been made to help you find the good stuff without having to touch manure!... more>>

Individual reviews are work in progress. If you have suggestions, please give them, I need more reading material. I also recommend checking out anything by Vihyungrang, Andur, or LupineKing on Royal Road. <<less