The once wealthy and powerful Ryuuzen clan has been all but destroyed. Their misfortune began in 1960, when a majority of the family was wiped out when their vacation villa was buried under a landslide. However, search and rescue teams discovered something even more shocking: A majority of the bodies they discovered showed obvious signs of having been mu*dered before the landslide.... more>>

As though it were a trigger, what came to be known as "The Curse of the Ryuuzen Clan" spread throughout the descendants of the family's only survivor. By mu*der, by su*cide, by accident... it seemed none who held the name "Ryuuzen" could live to see the age of 35, and now, the family has been reduced to a single woman, lying in a hospital bed, days away from death.

Kamo Touma was once just another of the endless parade of sleazy tabloid journalists looking to exploit a prominent family's tragedy to sell magazines, but Ryuuzen Rena's kindness melted his frozen heart, driving him to quit his old job and become an investigative journalist specializing in overturning cases of false arrest. Eventually, he and Rena were married, but now, the curse threatens to steal away their happiness.

Kamo prays for a miracle, and his prayers are answered by the Hourglass of Miracles, an artifact spoken of in rumors and urban legends, said to grant one wish to anyone who obtains it.

"Meister Hora", a guide for those who obtain the hourglass, tells Kamo there is only one way to break the curse and save Rena: He must travel back in time to the year 1960 and catch the culprit of the original Ryuuzen Family massacre.

Who was the culprit of the mu*ders that took place almost 60 years ago? Why did they steal away the lives of the Ryuuzen clan? What is the true nature of the "Curse of the Ryuuzen Clan?" And perhaps most mysteriously of all... What is Meister Hora's goal in all this?

Winner of the 29th annual Ayukawa Tetsuya Award. <<less

A young man walks alone through frozen land covered in snow and ice as far as the eye can see. Not for himself, not because... more>> he cares about his hometown, but in order to return to the only woman he loves - a fragile human fighting against a harsh environment. The extreme north of physical expression. <<less

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the gaming industry has seen an explosion in popularity. One of the most popular games ever released is Mystery Maker, a VR RPG where players can create baffling puzzles in a virtual space and challenge other players to solve them.... more>>

As a promotional stunt for the game's upcoming sequel, eight real life great detectives have been hand chosen by Kurata Chikage, executive director of MegalodonSoft, to challenge each other to a match in a demo of Mystery Maker 2. Among them are Kamo Touma, a magazine contributor well known for his investigative work overturning false convictions, and his wife's cousin Ryuuzen Yuki, a recently debuted mystery novelist.

However, on the day of the demo event, the detectives are all drugged. When they awaken, they find their smartwatches are locked to their wrists and they are shown videos of their families and loved ones being held hostage. They are contacted by a Gamemaster, who tells them that if they wish to save themselves and their families, they must play a death game called "Delicious Death for Detectives".

As scheduled, the eight of them will play Mystery Maker 2's demo, and the Detectives will challenge the mu*der puzzles created by the mu*derer. If the Detectives are not able to reveal the mu*derer and their tricks before the time limit, all players will be killed. However, if the mu*derer is exposed, both they and their hostages will be killed. And if a Detective makes an accusation but gets even the tiniest detail wrong, they will be mu*dered by the Gamemaster's secret accomplice, the Executioner.

Now the only way for the eight detectives to survive is to expose the mu*derer and Executioner lurking among them, even if they must risk their lives and those of their compatriots to do so.

Which is an especially big problem for Kamo, because he's the one who's been chosen as the mu*derer! <<less

Your game friend, whom you mistook for a man, is actually a shy girl with a complex over her white hair!?... more>>

A frustrating coming-of-age love comedy about a reclusive girl!

“Schwarz was a girl………..?”

Yuuma and Schwarz are partners in an online game. But when they meet face to face in real life…he finds out that person is a shy girl!

so he decided to try making friends for her, who has never been able to make one due to her natural white hair complex. He also try to avoid from betraying her by trusting her “as a friend” .However, the numerous of unconscious and intimate skinship gradually makes him aware of her as the opposite s*x.

A sweet and frustrating coming-of-age story is intertwined with a shy, white-haired beauty in this story. <<less

One day, Lee Ja-kyung, a hitman who stayed in Thailand, received a $5 million request. The person to deal with was Kang Il-hyeon, a gangster living in Korea.... more>>

There was only one condition.

However, Kang Il-hyun was never an easy opponent. Rather, his trap gradually tightens around his neck, and he found himself cornered…

Would Ja-kyung be able to kill him and return safely?

Or would he die just like this in Kang Il-hyun’s hand? <<less

This world is the world before the true savior “The Hero” appeared.... more>>

In this world, there are “Three Hopes.

The “Hero Licht,” the “Saint Milka,” and the “Sage Jamil” exist as the most powerful human beings fighting against the demons.

And…

*The title spoils the story… but there are no heroes in this world yet.

Therefore, unfortunately, there are many beings among the demons that cannot be defeated by them.

This story is not the cool story of the “heroes” you know, but the story before that. <<less

Shiraishi Gomichi, an ordinary high school student, has a secret. He has a memory of his previous life. In another world, different from this one, Morimichi was a 'hero" who saved humanity. However, this is only the story of his previous life. In this life, it was supposed to be a normal student life, but the appearance of Mai Shiina, a girl who moved into the same class as him, changes his ordinary life. She was a reincarnaited witch like Gomichi, who once plunged another world into disaster. They had killed each other many times in their previous lives, but when Gomichi asks her what she wants now, Mai tells him.... more>>

"I can't live without you!"
"What... ?" <<less

Popular for being filled with bugs, the virtual-reality game New Communicate Online (a.k.a. Nekomimi Neko Offline).... more>>

A die-hard fan of the game, Sagara Souma, is sent to the game world from the power of a mysterious device.

Though surprised by the sudden turn of events, Souma conveniently knows the laws of the world.

Mastering every bug, using the game’s logic against it, he is soon known as “Maverick Swordsman Souma.” <<less

Balsa the spearwoman is a wandering warrior, who takes on the task of saving lives, in atonement for a past sin. On her journey, she happens to save a prince, and is tasked with becoming his bodyguard. And he is going to need one, for his own father, the emperor, wants him dead.... more>>

Batchelder Award Winner <<less

"I expect a fox to come down this evening."... more>>

I, who spend my daily life working in a factory, saw a woman standing alone on a deserted mountain pass and called out to her without thinking.
She shakes her hair tied in one knot and turns her head to look at me. I was puzzled by her unrealistic words, but I felt nostalgic for her face and decided to wait for the fox to fall with her.

"Um, have we met before?"
"――――, I was sure you'll remember me."

《I》 traced my memories one by one as if I was counting them with my fingers.

A town in the countryside. The noisy sound of cicadas and the choking smell of grass. The summer festival at the shrine and the red and scarlet sleeves of the yukata. The "Fox Fireworks" that the two of us lit on fire together - those days when a new summer came around every year. <<less

The romantic comedy light novel series centers on the gaming lives of various high school students who play video games, including: Keita Amano, a lonely... more>> young man who loves video games; Karen Tendō, the beautiful president of the video game club; Chiaki Hoshinomori, who constantly fights with Keita; and Tasuku Uehara, who puts on a facade of being satisfied with his life in the real world, but he in truth loves video games. <<less

Shortly after her nineteenth birthday, Florence was told that she was incapable of bearing a child. It was a fatal flaw for the daughter of a nobleman.... more>>

She was about to give up on life, thinking that she would have to become the wife of a man who was not much older than her father.

Suddenly, Stanley, her father’s squire, who had been like a brother to her since she was a child, was chosen to be Florence’s fiancé.

“They say you and I are to be married.”

“‘Yes, sir. Yes, I’ve heard that.”

This is a story about two people who had a master-servant relationship, but gradually came closer to each other after their engagement. <<less

“Auto Memories Doll.” It’s already been a long time since that name was first popularized. It’s a machine that Dr. Orlando created that talks in a natural voice. At first, he only made it to help out his loving wife, but before long they spread out into the world. and companies were made to lend them out.... more>>

“I’m Violet Evergarden, the Auto Memories Doll who will rush to provide service anywhere you wish.“

That translucent voice comes from a robotic beautiful girl with blonde hair and blue eyes like she came out of a storybook. <<less

After the world was recreated countless times, a world that would not be destroyed was created. This marked the beginning of the City era.... more>>

From Berlin to Detroit, this series tells the stories of the unique cities that came to be in that world.

It was Kawakami's debut series and it takes place in the final era of Kawakami's light novels, which include Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon and Owari no Chronicle. <<less

A 34-year-old NEET otaku, chased out from his house by his family, found that his life is reaching a dead end. He then recalled that his life could actually have been much better if he had made better choices in the past.... more>>

Just when he was at the point of regret, he saw a truck moving at fast speed, and three high schoolers in its path. Mustering all the strength he had, he tried to save them and ended getting run over by the truck, quickly ending his life.

The next time he opened his eyes, he is reincarnated to a world of sword and magic as Rudeus Greyrat. Born to a new world, a new life, Rudeus decided that, “This time, I’ll really live my life to the fullest with no regret!” Thus starts the journey of a man yearning to restart his life. <<less

The mountain was once home to a dragon with fiery red eyes and a red mane.... more>>

Its breath scorched the forest, its claws cut through the rocky skin of giants, and its fangs devoured even devils with horns and wings.

One night, the soul of a sobbing child wandered to the dragon and settled on it.

The dragon, with its power approaching that of a god, is undaunted and will not yield to anyone.

However, the red dragon knew nothing of how to protect those who were much weaker than it, or how to hold on to the life that was dying. <<less

The mighty Katjvarna Empire is currently embroiled in a war with the neighboring Kiorka Republic.... more>>

Within an unspecified corner of this empire, a certain young man was reluctantly preparing to take the High Grade Military Officer Exam owing to mysterious circumstances. His name is Ikta.

As a man, Ikta abhors war, is slothful by nature, and worships the female form.

At the time, no one could have possibly predicted that a person like him would become a military figure worthy of being called a legendary general......

The young Ikta, armed with his superb talents as a soldier, struggles to survive in a world ravaged by war. This tale will recount his tumultuous life up until this point, as the curtains are drawn for a spectacular chronicle of fantastical warfare! <<less

The world revolves around me.... more>>

My name is Sakagami Kagura. I’m incredibly cute, unbelievably intelligent, and my manners are utterly flawless. No diamond in the world could compare to my illustrious beauty. You could say that I simply put the rest of the world to shame with both brains and beauty.

Regrettably, someone such as myself is beset by troubles at every turn, just as a ill-fated protagonist of a story might be. My tendency to attract such misfortune is perhaps my one and only flaw. Mournfully, I sigh, raising my chin slightly so as to better catch the illumination of the streetlights. Even sighing, I must look simply exquisite.

Then, I give the stuffed rabbit in my arms a squeeze and focus my gaze on the two individuals in front of me, the source of my most recent plight. One is a black-haired young woman, the kind that would be idiotic enough to walk the streets this time of night. The other is a quite literally wolf-faced man. Naturally, he has her cornered. A werewolf and his prey.

My duty is to exterminate such horrific, inhuman creatures before they can wreak havoc on human society — using puppets such as this little fellow here…

Winner of the 7th Shogakukan Light Novel Grand Prize. <<less

Kazuma Satou is a shut in who loves games, and his life ended suddenly… appearing before him is a beautiful girl claiming to be a... more>> goddess. Kazuma, who was transported into another world, worked hard to earn a living! He wanted to live a stable life, but was burdened with problems caused by the goddess he brought along to the different world with him. He was even targeted by the demon king’s army!? <<less

A man is stabbed by a robber on the run after pushing his coworker and his coworker’s new fiance out of the way. As he lays dying, bleeding on the ground, he hears a voice. This voice is strange and interprets his dying regret of being a virg*n by giving him the [Great Sage] unique skill! Is he being made fun of?!!... more>>

Piccoma Award 2021 <<less

One day, I – a high schooler – found a paperback in the hospital. The “Disease Coexistence Journal” was its title. It was a diary that my classmate, Sakura Yamauchi, had written in secret. Inside, it was written that due to her pancreatic disease, her days were numbered. And thus, I coincidentally went from Just-a-Classmate to a Secret-Knowing-Classmate. It was as if I were being drawn to her, who was my polar opposite. However, the world presented the girl that was already suffering from an illness with an equally cruel reality…... more>>

The best-selling, award-winning debut work by Yoru Sumino:

“Bestsellers 2016 (Overall) by NIPPAN” – 4th Place

“Bestsellers 2016 (Paperback Fiction) by NIPPAN” – 1st Place

“Bestsellers 2016 (Overall) by TOHAN” – 5th Place

“Bestsellers 2016 (Literary Books) by TOHAN” – 1st Place

“Bookstore Grand Prix 2016” – 2nd Place

“DA VINCI BOOK OF THE YEAR 2015” – 2nd Place

“Bestsellers 2015 (Literary Books) by TOHAN” – 6th Place

As of May 2017, this book has sold over 1.2 million copies. <<less

A scientist who lost his wife in an unforeseen accident.... more>>

He set out to create a clone of his wife because of loneliness.

But just before the birth of the clone, he was converted and the clone was discarded.

But then for a while. Scientists who are subjected to guilt will receive unexpected punishment.

The runaway of the science which does not stop. The sci-fi short short of two men who are crazy for love, depicting their sins and punishments. <<less

Born with a scary face Sakamoto Akizuki has always been feared in his school, however one night he witnesses a girl's death.... more>>

He is faced with a choice where he is asked a question by a mysterious person, "for half of your life span will you revive her?" After following through with his decision the girl is brought back to life and now begins the romantic comedy between Akizuki and the girl Yumesaki. <<less

"Hey, Yoshi-kun. I think you’re——"... more>>

Hearing that voice for the first time stopped me in my tracks. On my way home from school. On the playing field of our junior high, and at the bookshop in front of the station. And then in the empty lot where the white cat slept. Shiina Yuki, the strange girl who somehow knew all about me, always approached me like that.

We laughed, cried, got angry, held hands. Again and again, we repeated those disappearing memories and ephemeral promises. That’s why I never knew. I never knew the value of Yuki’s smiles or the meaning of her tears. Nor even the singular sentiment behind her many 'Nice to meet you’s.

This is a captivating, heartrending tale of meetings and partings. <<less

With the rising tide of steam power and machinery, who can come close to being a Beyonder? Shrouded in the fog of history and darkness, who or what is the lurking evil that murmurs into our ears? ... more>>

Waking up to be faced with a string of mysteries, Zhou Mingrui finds himself reincarnated as Klein Moretti in an alternate Victorian-era world where he sees a world filled with machinery, cannons, dreadnoughts, airships, different machines, as well as Potions, Divination, Hexes, Tarot Cards, Sealed Artifacts…

The Light continues to shine but mystery has never gone far. Follow Klein as he finds himself entangled with the Churches of the world—both orthodox and unorthodox—while he slowly develops newfound powers thanks to the Beyonder potions.

Like the corresponding tarot card, The Fool, which is numbered 0—a number of unlimited potential—this is the legend of “The Fool”. <<less