Koushun Takami's notorious high-octane thriller envisions a nightmare scenario: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part... more>> of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violet exploitation when first published in Japan—where it became a runaway best seller—Battle Royale is a Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world. <<less

Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, also known as Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain, is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong (Louis Cha). It was... more>> first serialised in Hong Kong between 9 February and 18 June 1959 in the newspaper Ming Pao. The novel has a prequel, The Young Flying Fox, which was released in 1960. Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain is one of Jin Yong's shortest novels, with only 10 chapters. The chapters are labelled in numerical order, instead of Jin Yong's typical style of using a short phrase or duilian as a chapter's heading. <<less

The Book and the Sword is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong (Louis Cha). It was first serialised between 8 February 1955 and 5 September 1956 in the Hong Kong newspaper The New Evening Post.... more>>

Set in the Qing dynasty during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735–1796), the novel follows the quest of the Red Flower Society, a secret organisation aiming to overthrow the Qing government, and their entanglements with an Islamic tribe in northwestern China. The "book" in the title refers to a Qur'an that was stolen from the tribe while the "sword" refers to a sword given to the protagonist, Chen Jialuo, by his first romantic interest, Huoqingtong. Historical figures such as the Qianlong Emperor, Zhaohui (兆惠), Heshen, Zheng Xie and Fuk'anggan also make appearances or are mentioned by name in the novel. One of the female protagonists, Princess Fragrance, is loosely based on the Qianlong Emperor's Fragrant Concubine.

This novel was Jin Yong's debut, and it quickly established him as one of the new masters of the wuxia genre.Alternative English titles of the novel include Book and Sword: Gratitude and Revenge and The Romance of the Book and Sword. <<less

The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre was first serialized by Jin Yong in newspapers from 6 July 1961 to 2 September 1963.... more>>

The book is the third of the Condor Trilogy. The story has undergone two revisions. The second edition was released in 1979 and and the third edition was published in 2005.

Set in the late Yuan dynasty, the story revolves around a pair of priceless and extremely powerful weapons, the Heaven Reliant Sword (倚天劍) and Dragon Slaying Saber (屠龍刀), which are coveted by many martial artists in the jianghu. Either or both of them are thought to allow their wielder to rule the wulin (martial artists' community), according to a widely circulated mantra which goes, "Honoured by the wulin, the precious Saber slays the Dragon. It commands the world. Who dares to disobey? If the Heaven Reliant does not appear, who can challenge it?" (武林至尊，寶刀屠龍，號令天下，莫敢不從！倚天不出，誰與爭鋒？). The origins of this mantra are not known at the beginning of the story.

The protagonist, Zhang Wuji, is of mixed heritage: His father, Zhang Cuishan, is an apprentice of Zhang Sanfeng, the highly revered leader of the Wudang Sect; his mother, Yin Susu, is the daughter of Yin Tianzheng, the chief of the "unorthodox" Heavenly Eagle Cult. He spent his childhood on a reclusive northern island, where he was born, with only his parents and his godfather, Xie Xun, to keep him company. When he is about 10 years old, he returns to the Chinese mainland with his parents. They soon find themselves the target of several martial artists, who try to force them to reveal the whereabouts of Xie Xun and the Dragon Slaying Saber. His parents refuse and commit su*cide. At the same time, Zhang Wuji is wounded by the Xuanming Elders, but he survives after seeking medical treatment from Hu Qingniu, an eccentric physician. <<less

The Legend of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong was first serialized in newspapers from 1 January 1957 to 19 May 1959.... more>>

The book is the first of the Condor Trilogy. The story has undergone two revisions. The second edition was released in December 1975 and and the third edition was published in June 2002. <<less

A woman stood on the Immortal Killing Terrace. Turning around, she jumped off without regret. A man standing by a bronze mirror witnessed her death with his own eyes.... more>>

Three hundred years later, in the East Sea Dragon Palace, she and he unexpectedly meet again.

Another lifetime, another world. Facing the man who betrayed her, she, indifferent as the wind, does not know why he is using his cold hands to stroke her eyes again and again.

Three lives, three worlds. She and he, is it their fate to bear this entangling love-line? <<less

The Deer and the Cauldron, also known as The Duke of Mount Deer, is a novel by Jin Yong (Louis Cha) and the last of... more>> his works. The novel was initially published in Hong Kong as a serial, and ran from 24 October 1969 to 23 September 1972 in the newspaper Ming Pao. Although the book is often referred to as a wuxia novel, it is not archetypal of the genre, since the protagonist, Wei Xiaobao, is not an adept martial artist, but rather, an antihero who relies on wit and cunning to get out of trouble. Another alternative title of the novel is On Ruding Mountains. <<less

The story is about friendship and love, deception and betrayal, ambition and lust for power. In the middle of it all is, Linghu Chong, an... more>> orphan who is the senior student of Yue Buqun, leader of Huashan Sect, and the protagonist of the story. The story deals with his journey and development as a swordsman and his witness to the various intrigues which take place in the martial world of the story. <<less

When the alien Mimics invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent... more>> out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he gets a message from a mysterious ally--the female soldier known as the Full Metal b*tch. Is she the key to Keiji's escape or his final death? <<less

For Tohko Amano, a third-year high-school student and self-styled “book girl,” being the head of the literary club is more than just an extracurricular activity. It’s her bread and butter…literally! Tohko is actually a literature-gobbling demon, who can be found at all hours of the day munching on torn out pages from all kinds of books. But for Tohko, the real delicacies are hand-written stories. To satisfy her gourmet tastes, she’s employed (rather, browbeaten) one Konoha Inoue, who scribbles away each day after school to satisfy Tohko’s appetite. But when another student comes knocking on the literary club door for advice on writing love letters, will Tohko discover a new kind of delicacy?... more>>

Bungaku Shoujo won Kadokawa Shoten’s 2007 light novel award for light novels under the mystery category.

Placed 7th (2007) and 3rd (2008) on “このライトノベルがすごい!” (This Light Novel is Amazing!) without an anime nor manga associate.

Novels:

– Main story:

1. Book Girl and the Suicidal Mime

2. Book Girl and the Famished Spirit

3. Book Girl and the Captive Fool

4. Book Girl and the Corrupted Angel

5. Book Girl and the Wayfarer’s Lamentation

6. Book Girl and the Undine Who Bore a Moonflower

7-8 Book Girl and the Scribe Who Faced God

– Short stories:

1-4. Bungaku Shoujo to Koisuru Souwashuu (Episode)

– Gaiden:

1. Bungaku Shoujo Minarai no, Hatsukoi

2. Bungaku Shoujo Minarai no, Shoushin

3. Bungaku Shoujo Minarai no, Sotsugyou

– Last Volume:

Hanjuku Sakka to Bungaku Shoujo na Henshuusha (Muse) <<less