This really has it all from great action, likeable cast of characters, a couple of mysteries to keep you thinking while you read, and characters can actually get in real danger.  The fact that characters can die manages to keep up the stakes so you actually feel a bit of thrill when they encounter dangerous situations.  Also, I really appreciated that the main character had a lot of growing to do, and we actually got to see him change.... more>>

recommended for people who like: game-like progression, dark fantasy <<less

Excellent read, for a story where the main character knows the original ending of the story, things never end up getting stale.  Problems are handled in a variety of ways, rather than just fighting things all the time, and the main character has a grand plan that we get to see slowly build up and play out.  The payoff when things go well is satisfying because we see the steps our protagonist takes to get there, but things don't always go as predicted and it keeps the feeling of pressure throughout.... more>>

recommended for people who like: game-like progression, genre-blending (modern, fantasy, xianxia) <<less

Highly enjoying this series, although the start is a little slow, it feels like it helps establish a good atmosphere for the rest of the story.  The author obviously improves after the first 100-200 chapters and the story keeps getting better.  One of the fun things about this series is how many problems can't be solved through fighting, so the main character has to get creative with the skills they have available.... more>>

recommended for people who like: lovecraftian horror, noir, detective, pirate <<less

A surprise hit, this novel follows a likable main character put into the body of a barbarian in the setting of a game he's been playing for 10 years.  However, the game wasn't some super popular VRMMO, instead, it was a niche super challenging game with a small player base. This isn't the typical reincarnated into a game you know so you're OP setting, and the MC is struggling from the start.  While the MC may know a lot about the game, there are plenty of surprises for him and the reader.  One part that some people will love and others may hate is that the main character is in a situation that forces him... more>> to act out the role of a barbarian, including being blunt, and sometimes acting s*upid.  That said, the main character is actually really good at socializing even given this constraint, and many find this unique setting to add more than it subtracts.

recommended for people who like: isekai, game-like progression, dark fantasy <<less

Early on can pretty much be summarized as Hogwarts for cultivators, but it works out.  This means a likeable teenage cast going to school to get learn magic powers (cultivation), building friendships and rivalries, and getting into some trouble along the way.  This whole section is a lot of fun, but eventually the characters leave the school and that's where some people start to have issues as there can be several chapters at a time that follow characters completely unrelated to our main character in order to set the stage for things that are happening on large scale.  These can be pretty frustrating if you just want to follow one main character, but they do... more>> set up later conflicts and they will eventually become an important part of the main story.

recommended for people who like: xianxia, harry potter, fantasy, war, lots of characters. <<less

This takes a lot of what made I Shall Seal the Heavens great and makes it even better with more comedy. Reading this will take you on adventure through many different sects and environments, meeting all sorts of interesting characters along the way.... more>>

recommended for people who like: xianxia, comedy <<less

The first Chinese novel I ever read, so it holds a special spot for me because of that.  I think the first few novels are excellent, love seeing the main character rise from nothing to one of the biggest names around.  A few of the problems for me are that it really drags on, it feels like the first few volumes are well planned out, but later on things become loose and there are more filler chapters which bog down story.  Also, while there is a romance, it's doesn't feel very well built up and it ends up being used to drive some later plot points which makes the whole thing feel weaker because of... more>> that. It eventually ends up feeling like DBZ with power ups that take multiple chapters long, it would be nice if we could get a DBZ Kai style editing.

recommended for people who like: xianxia <<less

Quite funny at times, which makes the serious moments stand out even more.  This story follows an overpowered villainous main character, who gets sent back in time after dying to the hero and decides to live a life doing "kind" acts.  The comedy typically comes from how sadistic he is even while doing genuinely good things.  The main character does build a party of unique and likable members to take with him, and the story does have a few twists. Overall, it's a fun story, but it can get a bit repetitive at times, and as often happens when you have an overpowered main character, there aren't many times where you are concerned about whether... more>> he'll win a fight.

recommended for people who like: comedy, fantasy, villainous MC <<less

recommended for people who like: xianxia

Extremely unique, this novel has you more excited for the sections of financial empire building than the dungeon diving and combat.  The main character is a cut-throat guy who gets sent back to before he's even born to prevent the modern world as we know it from falling apart after monsters start appearing.  As mentioned earlier, the highlight of the story and the vast majority of the intro of the novel is the focus on building up a massive war fund, and while this might not initially seem interesting to many on this site, it's actually so well written that it can easily grab the attention of people who may not think this is for... more>> them.  The problem this novel runs into is that the combat just doesn't hold up by comparison, it's fine, and the fights are gritty and dark, but it's not the author's strong suit.

recommended for people who like: game-like progression, modern fantasy, finance <<less

Initially, I really enjoyed getting to know the game world, and the main character was so weak that everything is a struggle, which makes it fun to watch them overcome the obstacles.  The problem I ran into is that there really isn't any risk of anything bad happening, and once the main character progresses far enough it feels like there's no longer a challenge. Part of the problem of having a number 1 player as a rival is that if the main character catches up to them, then there's no competition left.... more>>

recommended for people who like: game-like progression, comedy <<less

This is a xianxia parody, with a main character who goes around intentionally pissing people off to get "rage points" that he can spend on upgrades.  The main character is a shameless pe*vert who enjoys trolling pretty much everyone around him, and would be hard to read if it weren't for the fact that the world often trolls him as hard has he troll the people around him.  Sometimes you're cheering for the protagonist, other times you're against him, but it's usually pretty funny.... more>>

recommended for people who like: comedy, face-slapping, xianxia <<less