web-novel-recs

[web-novel-recs]

A danmei lover's biased and incomplete het web novel rec list

@mercipourleslivres thanks for inspiring me!

When it comes to Chinese web novels, I mainly read danmei. I tend not to care too much for OP heroine with a hero who dotes on her for no reason as she fights with 14 year olds narratives, nor inner courtyard fights. BUT!!! There are some het web novels I like and so here is my biased and incomplete rec list. Most of these don't have OP heroines, and very little to none courtyard fights.

Before I start, my favorite het web novel authors are: Gong Xinwen, Mo Shu Bai, Peng Lai Ke, and Jiu Lu Fei Xiang. I have yet to read anything bad by them.

Anyway, rec list:

1000 Miles of Bright Moonlight - one of my ultimate favorites, this would make such an epic drama! A smart as hell heroine, a hero who is a monk and a warrior (but also terminally?) ill and such a vivid world and amazing secondary characters (heroine’s brother is possibly my favorite supporting character of all time) and so much angst and happy ending. This has an amazing romance but it’s not romance-centric if it makes sense - ML doesn’t appear for a while. But once he does, it’s worth it!

Accompanying the Phoenix - the one that just got adapted into The Legend of Shen Li, this is high adventure and cottage core and funny and tragic and powerful ML being putty in the hands of capable FL and just EVERYTHING.

Apocalypse Arrival - Gong Xinwen’s novels are made just for me. Her heroines are always powerful as fuck and rescue abused MLs. In this novel, our heroine who lives in the post-apocalyptic world, wakes up right before that apocalypse happens. She forms a survival crew and also rescues ML who has miraculous blood and has been drained of it and is now hunted after the rescue for it. SO GOOD!!!

Black Moonlight Holds the BE Script - so fucked up, so good, with monster hero who learns to love and be human and heroine who learns to love and be human (but from the other side, her tower of perfection.) Much better than the drama which I did enjoy.

The Blue Whisper - the drama was so-so, but the novel is a bona fide angst masterpiece, which really delves into what it feels like to be imprisoned or to love.

Counterattack of the Cannon Fodder Chambermaid - I remember starting this and loving the realistic feel and the heroine and wanting to stab the hero and @mercipourleslivres telling me to be patient. She was right, by the end I was on board with both the hero (who was abused and is rather autistic-coded) and the OTP. Anyway, heroine is a servant who was a concubine in the last life and got killed as part of a rich family’s harem intrigues. In this life, she just wants to keep her head down but her life gets derailed anyway. She gets sold away and eventually made a servant in the household of an exiled prince who takes a fancy to her and she endures it because what choice does she have? All she wanted was to serve out her term and become a small time merchant. This is quite realistic about lack of options for women, especially lower class women or upper class male attitudes (ML is never vicious or mean to FL but it does not initially occur to him to wonder if she fancies him or enjoys being his concubine or w/e.) It is a DELIGHTFUL slow burn tho as they grow to love each other and grow together and become one of the most wholesome cnovel couples out there.

Dandere General and His Lord - hi there, Gong Xinwen! God, I love this one. Heroine transmigrates from modern world into a brutal slave-holding world at war (think something like Warring States era.) Our heroine transmigrates into the body of a noblewoman who just hung herself. When she comes to, she discovers that woman’s twin brother was the ruler of a city poisoned by a rival claimant and the besieging army of said claimant is about to take the city and original occupant of the body and the rest of the family chose suicide as a way to avoid dishonor. Our heroine refuses, schemes with advisors to pass as the brother and rally the troops. Once the invaders are defeated, she keeps on the masquerade and rides off to one of the never-ending wars “she” is summoned to. Our hero couldn’t be farther from this. A slave and a son of a slave, he’s escaped a horrific, starving childhood during which he narrowly avoided being murdered or raped, and ended up in the army. When the story opens, he distinguished himself in battle and as a reward, he and a few of his fellow slave warriors are invited to a banquet, where they are given some alcohol and to be playthings of any nobles who want them. One of them does not survive this but ML is lucky - heroine feels terrible and so “claims” him for herself. Instead she just tends to his wounds and sends him back. She does not fancy him or anything, she is just a human being with a conscience. And the story goes from there.

Demon King's Repayment - another delicious Gong Xinwen tale with a powerful ML dedicated to capable FL. This one is a great fantasy plot (I keep imagining it as an animated series) and a sprawling cast of amazing secondaries (and secondary OTPs - there is, I swear, an OTP that is Dong Hua x Feng Jiu done thru GXW lens) to boot.

Doomed to Be Cannon Fodder - I hesitated to put this one on the list because by the end I was not keen on how misogynistic novel got to original female lead but it was one of my earliest novels and I loved it for 90% and it’s fucking hilarious at times. Heroine transmigrates as bit villainess into a novel, all she wants is not to die, but her new attitude of “pls stay away” catches the attention of her terrifying general husband. Honestly, imo still worth it.

Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir - my n1 novel on this list, smart and fierce and don’t really read this for romance because it does not start until really late, but ice cold heroine x ice cold hero both of equal brains and ruthlessness is everything. I went from loathing the ML to finding him fascinating to adoring him (and yet he softened around the edges only for FL, he never became “nice”) and loved FL throughout; secondaries are epic. If you read only one non-danmei web novel, make it this one.

The Emperor’s Beloved Ugly Girl - my n2 novel on this list. Our heroine is the unlucky laundry maid A’Chou. She is a di daughter of an upperclass family but her family got destroyed in one of the political upheavals of the time and A’Chou, only a small child at the time, was the only survivor and was made an enslaved laundry maid. Due to various events, at the start of the novel she is a laundry maid in a minister’s household and the minister’s beloved daughter is having a fit because she’s supposed to marry the former Crown Prince which may have been great a few years back but Crown Prince had since been deposed, tortured, imprisoned and now is living in the middle of nowhere under conditions that are too meager to be called house arrest. And he’s seriously crippled too. Understandably, the young lady doesn’t want to marry him! She’d rather kill herself and so she does. And so, a desperate plan is hatched - why don’t we pretend the laundry maid is the di daughter of the minister’s household and send her off? And so A’Chu is sent as the bride. She arrives to discover a broke, seriously injured man on the verge of death…and we go from there. This is so gorgeous and tender and slow in just the right way and like AAAAAA! Secondary OTPs (one of which is MM) are also epic.

Futu Tower - the drama (Unchained Love) was a mess but the novel is such a lovely, dark exploration of coming back to life, for the ML from his dark revenge-strewn path and for heroine from not being allowed wishes of her own. She is a tribute bride, he’s a (fake) eunuch, they are both servants who use themselves to achieve goals and find peace and happiness together.

The Grand Princess - a tale where both members of the OTP reincarnate as their younger selves after killing each other in their 50s, and get a new start, this is smart and slow and so good in portraying old souls in young bodies. Their rediscovery of not just each other but themselves and their passion for living is just AAAAAA!

Heroine Saves Gentleman - Gong Xinwen novel so we have a tough martial artist lady saving a very upper class scholar and it goes from there. If elegant gorgeous ML being saved and protected (and lovingly dommed) by awesome FL is your bag, pls come right in.

Husband Be a Gentleman - schemer meet schemer. He’s an idle prince she’s perfect daughter, in reality both are wolves out for blood. Mmmm. Very OTP gets together early and is us against the world.

I’ll Be the Male Lead’s Sister in Law - one of my all time favorite novels. Heroine is made to marry a disabled nephew of the emperor. He used to be a victorious god of war but went mad and now is basically locked away and kept as a beast. GOD I LOVE THIS NOVEL SO MUCHHHHH! So much hurt/comfort and awesome OTP and after he eventually recovers, all he wants to do is to fight and murder things and dote on wifey. MMM. He’s honestly one of my fave MLs.

I Married a Disabled Tyrant After Transmigrating - if you have a Florence Nightingale complex, this is for you. Heroine wakes up as tribute bride to an almost dead dragon lord and slowly nurses him back to life as his rivals try to murder him. They are both utter adorable babies!

Let the Villain Go - another Gong Xinwen novel, this and Apocalypse Arrivals are AUs of each other. Heroine is surviving in the apocalypse, ML is the “bugbear” of the world but in reality just reacting to all abuse and torture and after she accidentally saves him, devotes himself. Fun fun fun!

Long Wind Crossing - Amazing ML and FL who grow together, clever plot, arranged marriage to love etc etc. Oh, and one point he feeds her his blood to keep her alive, what’s not to love? (Adapted into Chang Feng Du/Destined)

Lost You Forever - this is a short but delicately wistful tale of trauma and loss and love, wrapped in a high fantasy setting but so relatable despite it.

Love In Another Life: My Gentle Tyrant - so so fucked up in the best way! ML cannot live with OR without heroine. It opens on them banging in jail night before her execution (ordered by him) with corpses of men he killed for trying to defile her cooling nearby. If you want healthy relationships with respectful boundaries, gentle and considerate male leads who are modern men in period clothes, OP heroines who have everyone help them and are OP to the max, fluff and wholesomeness, that is about the worst book for you.If you want complexity, dysfunction, darkness, pain and an absolutely lyrical even if fucked up story, come right IN!!!!I am so fucking in love with the melancholy heroine, with ruthless psycho hero and the endless regret and devotion and paaaaain!

The Marquis Is Innocent - our heroine is a beautiful woman married to a warlord who hates her family. (Yes, this was gonna be The Prisoner of Beauty until SZE tax scandal.) Except she's a transmigrator from the future who knows how it ended last time around and has no interest to end up this tragically. This is in my top 5 - FL is smart but believably so (and doesn't have super battle powers) and ML is a believable period warlord. The way their relationship develops so gradually and the way his character changes so gradually as well (and the way they slowly fall in love, her slower than him) is just amazing. It is such a smart, nuanced, gorgeous slow burn. With some gonzo sex scenes :P

Mulberry Song - you like tragic endings? Come right IN! This is short and heartbreaking and wistful and very what-if.

Nightfall (Ever Night) - so long but also so smart and unusual and bloody and tho it’s not primarily a romance, you will never see another ML who loves his FL as much as Ning Que does his Sang Sang. 

Offering Salted Fish to Master - in some ways, this novel is a mess, but I am recommending it because this is a rare example of "nope he's 100% a villain and murderdude and odd, but he does love the heroine" that the author commits to.

Pihanjin - yet another awesome PLK novel, this is once again, like with Marquis, a ruthless man and a beautiful woman getting a second chance on a second go-around. FL is a lot more wounded this time around though. If you LOVE watching ML grovel and slowly, gradually win FL over, this one is for you.

Princess Agents - a dark tale with an incredibly competent and militarily powerful/ruthless heroine and two terrifying men who love her (but neither is as terrifying as she is.) There is an OTP switch halfway through that shockingly makes sense and it's just SO SO GOOOOOOOD

Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage - this is probably the one “typical” novel on this list, heroine is reborn as her youngest self and gets revenge on those who wronged her last time around. It is really really well-written and heroine is competent, hero is doting and powerful etc. It’s not a trope I tend to love but I do when it’s done THIS well.

Rebirth of the Tyrant’s Pet: Regent Prince is Too Fierce: Borgias cnovel style! Our heroine was empress in last life and put her husband on the throne tho he did not love her. However, he had her executed and had his half-brother carry out the orders and heroine died horrifically. She opens her eyes and she’s a little girl again. The OTP this time around is heroine and half-brother executioner. Why do I love it? Heroine is smart and tough but also this is a rare rebirth novel where heroine does NOT decide to seek revenge for past life wrongs because they haven’t happened yet! In fact, she sees ML abused and stands up for him because he’s a kid and no kid should be mistreated and this go around he hasn’t done anything wrong. She also gets and likes her former life husband. Anyway, this is fakecest galore because she’s supposed to be their half-sister and while she knows (from past life) she is not, they do not and fall for her anyway. ML is especially gonzo, at one point carving chunks of his flesh to save her. He’s feral and unhinged and she’s the one person he worships because she protected him and like - it’s all awesome. (I love secondary ML too.)

Reborn to Love Lord Qiansui - yes, this is a eunuch novel! If you like gender tropes reversals, this one is for you. Heroine is a tough martial artist, hero is a smart as hell and powerful eunuch. A real eunuch. Heroine finds out she owes him her life and decides to protect him. This is a total delight and an awesome love story between two really scarred people. And yes, there is sex - heroine literally reads manuals on pegging :P

Return of the Swallow - so freaking long! But really good. Heroine is neither transmigrator nor reincarnator, just a smart period woman. She is a lost family daughter taken back in. Her father is a minister in a dying empire (father-daughter relationship is one of the best things in this novel), her OTP is enemy general, and the smartness and the awesomeness of this all knows no bounds.

Seven Unfortunate Lifetimes - probably the wackiest JLFX novel I read, this is quite different from Love You Seven Times drama that was adapted from it. Our deity protagonists go through a bunch of lives figuring out they fancy each other. It's light like a souffle but just as delicious.

To Be a Virtuous Wife - some people prefer 8 treasures trousseau but I never warmed up to that one. This one is so good, with smart people (who actually enjoy sex, a ratity) and a perfect mix of plot and romance.

Transmigrator Meets Reincarnator - my very first web novel. A lot lighter than a lot of the ones on this list but a total delight. Heroine transmigrates into a novel as the heroine; she has no interest in drama or chasing true love, she just wants to live a nice life with her nice husband. Too bad for her, her husband has reincarnated into his younger self and remembers how she betrayed him, so is not interested. This one is funny and light and romance doesn’t start till late on but a total delight!

Wishing You Eternal Happiness - this is tied with Dreamer as my favorite het web novel ever though it couldn’t be more different from Dreamer, with its hard-edged and hard-souled protagonists ruthlessly cleaving their way to the world and, eventually, each other, its smart cynical air. Except in one thing - the world of Wishing is just as bloody and dark. Its two protagonists are gentle, deeply wounded souls who may find salvation in each other but even something as basic as safety almost seems out of reach.

Jliafu, our heroine, is neither a modern-day transmigrator, nor some exotic princess or demoness. She is very much a period woman of her time, from a weathy merchant clan, whose beauty is her curse. You can tell the novel’s tone from that utterly bleak opening chapter where she, a favorite concubine of a capricious dying emperor, is ordered to be buried alive with him and is not even given the “grace” of white silk but slowly suffocates in the coffin, scrabbling at the lid. There is no grand threats of vengeance on her part, not dramatic opera events. Just despair and death. The whole introductory chapter is haunted by emotional ghosts - the empress’ unrequited love for the monster on the imperial bed (turning into desire for Jiafu’s suffering after he dies), the emperor slowly dying in his prime after waging too many wars, and his fear of being haunted by Pei Youan, a brilliant if sickly minister who died of illness long ago on one of imperial campaigns. There is no triumph for anyone, only loss.

When she wakes up as still a young woman, all she wants is to escape the same fate. There are no plans for power or revenge, only a desire for survival. And so she latches on asking for help from Pei Youan, the only man in her past go-around who showed any consideration and desire and ability to protect her, though he barely knew her. Pei Youan is probably my favorite het web novel ML. Despite his brains and ability, he drifts through life. In modern terms, he clearly has depression. One of the biggest, best joys of the novel is watching these two very good, very quiet, very wounded people discover happiness and love with each other. I sort of want to cry just thinking about it, tbh.

The Yandere Came During the Night - a bit of fluff that’s oddly delightful. Heroine is reborn as a (fake) sister of ML, she hurts her legs saving him and the “siblings” form a bond that ends up in fakecest delight. They are both smart and efficient and he becomes a sexy marquis etc.

[web-novel-recs]

Super, super late reply, but I was tagged by @variabels to list 5 anime/manga recs. Thanks for the tag! (I also love Durarara and Baccano ヾ(•ω•`)o)

I’m gonna list mainly Chinese media in this list, though, because that’s what I consume more. And ha! How brave, asking an ND person like me for recs. Prepare to be bombarded by my rambling!

Starting off with the media currently featured in my header (excluding Blue Lock coz most of my mutuals already know that)...

1. The Earth is Online (danmei* novel)

* Danmei - Chinese boys love stories

The plot basically: Everyone on Earth is pulled into a death game.

A good intro to the unlimited flow* genre. Each instance is thrilling and complex. The boys love aspect is not much, as it focuses on plot, but it’s definitely not subtle. The characters are also quite diverse. Most UF novels just focus on the Chinese characters and revolve around what happens in China, but this one actually features those from other countries. I also like how the protagonist isn’t treated as the entire world’s savior. Other people around the world are also doing their part.

Where to read: An official English release is coming out in 2024. Translations will be done by luckkoi, the fan translator. As such, they've taken down their translations online. There's an alternate translation by @leonsrightlations , but only a few chapters are out right now. There are several completed translations online, but they're all edited mtl (machine translation). If you don't mind that, you can go google it. I recommend the one by Rainbow Mushroom. Their translations require a password, though, and you can find that on their Discord server.

* unlimited flow - Chinese genre of web novels where the protagonist is pulled into different instances to complete challenges which, if failed, would result in punishment or even death. It’s basically the death game genre, but instead of just one game, there are multiple.

2. Legend of Hei movie + Legend of Luo Xiaohei series sequel (donghua*)

(I downloaded this video from YouTube years ago. I can no longer find it there, so I’m reuploading it here…)

* Donghua – Chinese anime

A story about the young cat demon Xiao Hei and his quest to find a new home after humans destroyed his old one. Cute cat + cool powers + awesome fighting scenes + clean and crisp animation.

You can watch this on Netflix, but it’s not available in all countries. There’s an English and Japanese dub available, but I strongly recommend watching it in the original Chinese. (I can send you the full movie with English subtitles if you want). The series, which takes place after the movie, can be watched on YouTube. S1 of the series is more slice of life, but s2 is action-packed.

3. Low Tide in Twilight (BL manhwa)

That BL trope where the bottom has a mountainload of debt, while the top gives him a way out… except, not really, coz the male lead Taeju is partly the creditor, and he’s forcing Euihyun into a relationship with him in exchange for money.

Typical BL story with an initially toxic couple, but better. Complex characters, and a manhwa that relies more on the art to tell the story instead of the words. Also, Taeju gives off that same annoying but hot vibe as Kaiser. What more do you want?

4. Link Click (donghua)

The title (时光代理人) would be literally translated as “Time Agents.” I have no idea why the official English title is Link Click.

The plot basically: Two guys with time-related powers run a photography shop, where they accept orders from clients to dive back in time through a photo.

Funimation did this donghua so dirty by not promoting it more back when it aired in 2021. The English subs were also terrible.

Did you know that it used to rank #20 in MAL, surpassing MP 100 S2, Jujutsu Kaisen, and many other mainstream anime? Now, it’s ranked #41 on MAL, lower than before, but still pretty high for a donghua on MAL. That’s just how good it is.

Here’s a link to the blu-ray version with fansubs. Just pick the normal English track option and not English (CR).

Edit: OKAAAY, it turns out that link has the episode order all mesed up. Just ask me if you need an HD copy with good fansubs.

5. White Cat Legend 2020 (donghua)

Title (大理寺日志) would be literally translated as The Journal of Dali Court.

Another cat boy donghua! Can you tell I just love cats?

The plot: Chen Shi travels from the countryside to the big city to search for his missing brother and inadvertently ends up working at Dali court under the cat guy Li Bing.

Slice of Life + Comedy + Drama + Supernatural + Mystery + Action

Baiting you with a hot guy gif~

It's a historical show btw, so expect some references to real-life events.

The animation is also really smooth in this one! You can watch it on YouTube. Here's a link to episode 1.

Season 2 is also out! I'm yet to watch it, though. I should really do some time...

----

Tagging some mutuals to check these out, and also to list 5 recs (no pressure)~

@potato-longsocks @echarie @takeunknownroadnow @gachagon @bachirasbodyguard @blonde-batgirl @oo-mi-ru-oo @www98vikitoo @whiteapplesandblackblood

I recommend creating your own post instead of adding your recs in a reblog. My post is already pretty long. Turn this into a long thread, and we'll be a menace on the dashboard haha

[web-novel-recs]

do u have any manhwa/webnovel recs? preferably stuff like orv but its ok if its different too :D <3

I actually have a whole list of different series I'm currently reading if you're interested in that, but if you want my personal ORV-ish picks...hmm. "Stuff like ORV" is a big range. Are you focused more on the genre, or the themes? The tropes, or the message? All of the above? IDK, so I'll just do my best to recommend a varied handful to you.

I have to preface this with: This is a tall order, anon. Honestly, I don't think any of these are on the same level as ORV. ORV is a whole different beast. But, one comes close, and the rest at least share a few similarities. So, here we go~!

✨ BIDOKJA'S "STUFF LIKE ORV" RECS ✨

NOTE: Links lead to MangaUpdates and NovelUpdates unless marked with an asterisk (*). These pages contain links to official and unofficial English releases, so you can choose whichever you want.

SSS-Class Revival Hunter (Novel / Manhwa) Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Supernatural Tropes: Deities, Future Knowledge, Game Elements, Hunters, Missions/Quests, Regression/Time Travel, Tower Climbing CW: Suicidal actions -> If you read only one thing on this list, read Revival Hunter. It's the only series I feel can stand on the same stage as ORV as a whole. Highly recommend the novel first, but the manhwa is a great adaption too.

My S-Class Hunters (Novel* / Manhwa) Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Supernatural Tropes: Deities, Dungeons, Future Knowledge, Game Elements, Hunters, Regression/Time Travel -> Definitely recommend the novel more here. I think the manhwa is doing an alright job of adapting it, but it makes some...unique editing choices.

Those are the two I feel are the best in quality while having some overlap with ORV. For a longer list of recs, check below the read more.

Whether the series below share more or less in common with ORV than the ones above, they're series that I feel aren't quite as good in quality. This is, of course, only my personal opinion. Plus, quality level isn't equal to enjoyment level. So don't hold back and check them out! Things in bold are ones that I personally enjoyed the most, regardless of "quality."

I Woke Up as the Villain (Novel / Manhwa)

Level Up With the Gods (Novel / Manhwa)

The Live (Manhwa)

Lout of the Count's Family (Novel / Manhwa)

The Player Who Can't Level Up (Novel / Manhwa)

Regressor Instruction Manual (Novel / Manhwa)

Return to Player (Novel / Manhwa)

Solo Leveling (Novel / Manhwa)

The Stars Are On My Side (Manhwa)

Thumbs Up, Level Up (Novel / Manhwa)

Tyrant of the Tower Defense Game (Novel / Manhwa)

The World After the Fall (Novel / Manhwa)

[web-novel-recs]

Book of the Week: Full Level Bigshot Only Takes the Career Path

Author: Li Wenjiu (李温酒)

Genre: rebirth, modern setting, entertainment industry with a side of business, danmei

Rating: T

My Synopsis: If you thought that “Little Madman…” sounded interesting but want something lighter and fluffier? “Full Level Bigshot” might be the novel for you! After dying alone and at a young age after competing with his half-brothers for the role of chairman of their father’s company, Zhao Yao is reborn and promptly decides that he’s done working himself to death. Instead, he would much rather spends the rest of his days focusing on his health, which means tackling the pesky problems he picked up from his first life like unhealthy eating habits and an inconvenient distrust of others. Enter Pei Mingzhan: a childhood friend-turned-film-emperor on the verge of retiring back to his family business before Zhao Yao re-enters his life. Can love be the solution to Zhao Yao’s problems?

My Review: it’s not for nothing that I mention “Little Madman…” in this review, as the novels are by the same author. However, despite covering similar ground in both novels, the two stories are actually vastly different. Zhao Yao has a different family dynamic than Chen Qizhao had to his family, making for interesting tensions and changes, and Zhao Yao had different circumstances to his life and death that made the changes in how he tackled his own mental health problems compared to Chen Qizhao believable. It’s also just a fluffier novel that was easy to read through without too much suspense. The main pairing is super cute, with Pei Mingzhan’s attempts at wooing Zhao Yao without overstepping and Zhao Yao turning to the internet for help figuring out romance. Also, Pei Mingzhan is a little shit and should probably be paying his PR team more than he is 😂

This translation is much better than Little Madman’s, but be aware that some paragraphs randomly repeat, like the translator was editing to see which wording worked better and just… forgot to delete the extra.

Translation: complete except for the extras

Chapts. 1-34:

Chapts. 35-102 + 2 extras (translation was moved to word docs, so the novelupdates links don’t work):

[web-novel-recs]

why you should read yohaji: the powerpoint

send this to ur friends ur family ur hamster tape it to ur forehead etc etc

[web-novel-recs]

Thoughtz on 'Choose Your Heroes Carefully'.

Dont let the sho-ai/bl tag fool u, its quite grim w fairly intense conceptz that ive never considered regarding the gacha game genre.

First the art. Its pretty good! Mc n ml are gorgeous, n their sheep companion is my all time fav (SUPER CUTE. LIKE EXTREMELY SO). U can see the art gradually improve overtime, tho it leavez a LOT 2 b desired, esp their usage of csp assets that oftentimez look very off n redundant.

The story however, is VERY interesting 2 me. It heavily touches on the morbidity of the gacha game concept when brought into real life. Have u ever thought abt those low-rarity, fairly weak characterz uve pulled on a gacha game? When was the last time uve made use of them? Do u even think abt them at all? Also, have u ever used auto-mode during battle in those gamez?

I highly recommend this if that intriguez u. I went into it blind after only seeing the cute cover n the unexpectedly grim topic got me in a fuckin chokehold. Its fairly new n as far as i know NOBODY is talking abt it lol.

[web-novel-recs]

[hand up] I'd like to know what Tai Su is! I've almost read all of MXTX's books and I see withdrawal looming on the horizon so I'd love to be sold on a new rec. What's the premise? Does it have an official translation?

Oh boy do I have an answer for you

The short version of this answer is that Tai Sui is a no-romance steampunk xianxia cultivation novel about a very silly rich boy who cons and fumbles his way into discovering all the ways that immortality is kinda fucked up, actually. It's hilarious and heartbreaking and has some of the wildest, most in-depth worldbuilding I've ever seen, as well as some of the most insanely deep and compelling platonic relationships. There's no official translation, but there's an extremely good fan translation by E. Danglars.

If you'd like to know more about the story and/or why I think it's so damn good, you can click that link up above and read my much longer rec post.

Tai Sui's pretty different from MXTX's stuff in some ways, especially since it's not a danmei, but it was also basically my own first foray into the word of non-MXTX web novels, so I know from experience that transition can work out well :).

[web-novel-recs]

What Tai Sui is and Why Everyone Should Read It

So if you follow me, over the past couple weeks, you've probably noticed me obsessively screenshotting and posting about a book called Tai Sui. And now that I've finished it, I'd like to try and convince y'all to give it a chance.

What Is Tai Sui?

Tai Sui is a chinese web novel—a relatively unpopular work by the very popular author Priest (author of Guardian and Sha Po Lang, among others). Unlike a lot of the most popular web novels on tumblr, it's not a danmei. It's in fact rather important to the plot and themes that there is almost entirely no romance, but I promise you, it is absolutely worth it regardless.

What is Tai Sui About?

Tai Sui is a steampunk xianxia cultivation story. For those unfamiliar with xianxia and cultivation, this is a particular genre of Chinese historical fantasy.

The official summary of Tai Sui reads as follows:

“If I had a choice, I would only want to be a little insect in the mundane dust, born in confusion, dying in mediocrity, never seeing the light of day beneath the fog of Jinping City.

Better than taking this wrong road to heaven.”

You may have noticed that this summary is not in fact really a summary. It gives you a glimpse into the story's themes, mood, and destination, but it doesn't exactly tell you what happens in it.

That's because Tai Sui is one of those works that's incredibly hard to summarize. The story is incredibly wide in scope and changes massively over its course, to the point that any summary that encapsulates the whole thing is going to feel like a spoiler. However, I can try my best to add a little detail without giving too much away.

Tai Sui is the story of Xi Ping—an obnoxious, trouble-making rich boy with no interest in cultivation—who gets unwittingly involved in a plot to resurrect the "evil god" Tai Sui. This plot pulls him into the cultivation world against his will and, over time, threatens to rewrite everything he is.

Tai Sui is the end of immortality.

Why Should You Read Tai Sui?

Tai Sui is one of the most compelling stories I have ever read. It is a love letter to the power and promise of the whole world and its many mundane people. It also has some of the best worldbuilding I have ever seen.

Tai Sui is written in omniscient perspective, and though Xi Ping is very much the main character, as the story progresses, we spend more and more time alongside characters that aren't him. By the time the novel ends, his entire continent is at stake, and we the audience know that continent and its troubles inside and out from countless angles. Everyone from the immortal demigods of the cultivation world to the most wretched, miserable paupers is given a grand sense of emphasis.

Tai Sui is a deconstruction of the cultivation genre. It establishes a magic/cultivation system and its history, lets the main character live in that system for a while, and then dives deep into that system's depths. It looks at the cultivation genre, at the idea of people who leave behind their status as mortals for greater things, and asks "How does this really work?" and "Is this how the world should be?"

Tai Sui is the story of countless people who were never supposed to be powerful coming together to make the world a better place. It's well written (and very well translated), exciting, heartbreaking, and incredibly beautiful. It's also funny as hell.

I cannot recommend this story enough.

Warnings/Caveats

As I said before, Tai Sui is a deconstruction of the cultivation genre. If you're unfamiliar with this genre, while the book is certainly readable, you are going to be thrown head first into the deep end with the tropes and terminology at play. It's absolutely worth the learning curve, but it will be kind of a lot. Maybe do some light googling about what a cultivator is before you pick it up. (Or just ask a fan. I think most of us would happily explain anything that would win a new reader).

There are portrayals of people/cultures in Tai Sui that are heavily inspired by minority cultures in real-world China, and some of these portrayals play into pretty harmful stereotypes. It's not SPL "Barbarian" or TGCF Banyue levels of racist, but it's something to be aware of and careful about. I'd really recommend reading from the perspectives of those from the cultures in question (including but not limited to the post I linked) for more about the issues I'm talking about.

Tai Sui's English translation is 930,000 words long. I believe this is a strength, since its length is what allows it such an incredible scope. It is also a fucking daunting commitment, and I acknowledge that.

Finally, while Tai Sui doesn't need too many trigger warnings, it does contain some pretty viscerally upsetting depictions of inequality and mistreatment, as well as a few instances of violence toward children. You can't uplift without first seeing what the people need uplifting from, and hooboy. They need it.

There's also some scenes that are technically rather violent, but the goriness is not presented as gore, if that makes sense. It never feels intensely or overly violent in the way some fantasy novels do.

Links

If all my gushing and propagandizing has convinced you to give it a try, you can find the original Chinese version (where you can buy chapters to support the author) on JJWXC.

The complete English translation is free on the website of E. Danglars, who does a truly incredible job with the translating.

Happy reading :).

[web-novel-recs]

Review: Her Tale of Shim Chong

Summary: Her Tale of Shim Chong (referred to as Her Tale from here on) is a Korean manhwa written by Seri and illustrated by Biwan. Set in feudal Korea, Her Tale is a historical, girls' love retelling of classic Korean novel The Tale of Shim Chong. It tells the story of Shim Chong, a beggar who is desperately trying to make ends meet to feed her and her blind father, and the soon-to-be second Madame Jang, who has been sold into marrying the Chancellor to give her family a better position. After a chance encounter, they build a friendship -- and eventually more -- that transcends class boundaries. But not everyone is happy with the Chancellor's new wife, and Chong's presence is far from welcome in the royal palace. When the Chancellor falls into a mysterious coma after the wedding night, his children make plans to oust Madam Jang, and it may be up to Shim Chong to save not only their relationship, but their lives.

Minor spoilers under the cut:

The Good: This writing in this manhwa is, overall, excellent. Chong and Madame Jang are complex characters with a variety of competing wants, needs, personalities, and flaws that elevate the conflicts in the story and bring them to life in an extraordinary way. As a result, their relationship is very realistic, developing organically thanks to their dazzling chemistry. But, not all is easy in this story; as our protagonists grow closer, they are met with fierce opposition, sometimes from each other, that adds much needed drama to the story. In particular, Jang's daughter-in-law and Monk Sumin are incredibly effective antagonists, each challenging Chong and Jang in unique ways. The long term conflict -- the raging waters of the Indangsoo Sea -- is also an ever-present threat, growing and growing until the characters in the story have no choice but to take drastic action. All of this is brought to life by Biwan's incredible art, which injects a vibrancy to the story that elevates it from a great story to an unforgettable one.

The Bad: Despite how much I clearly love this story, Her Tale does have some shortcomings, the most glaring of which lies in the pacing. This story has, putting it lightly, a lot of ground to cover and, though it is a solid 81 chapters long, there is not enough time to cover it. This results in some major plot points being resolved incredibly fast, particularly at the end of the story, and other plot points being seemingly dropped with no explanation. A good example of this is in the first half of the story, when it is revealed that Madam Jang may be poisoning the Chancellor and causing his coma. Initially, this seems like it is going to be a big deal in the story, but at a certain point, it is dropped and never brought up again. This leaves the audience no insight into why Madam Jang would potentially do such a thing, despite the crucial fact that the Chancellor's coma is actively making her life harder. Additionally, while some of the antagonists are well-written to the point of being lifelike, others are antagonistic to the point of being over the top, making them feel cartoon-ish and overall clashing with the tone of the rest of the story.

The Overview: All in all, Her Tale is an excellently written and plotted story that drew me in and raised the bar for what it means to tell a visual yuri/girls love story. Shim Chong and Madam Jang will stick with me for a long time and I really look forward to rereading this series sometime in 2024. It says something that my biggest criticism of the series is a complaint about the pacing, which ultimately boils down to wanting more of the story. I truly can not recommend Her Tales enough and will certainly be looking for more girls love stories by Seri in the near future.

Overall rating: A-

[web-novel-recs]

I went on a ride and it said you have to enjoy red flags to ride in Case File Compeduim

8/10 🚫🌶️😈🚩🎢

The Sell: Do you enjoy two main characters who are both traumatized? Who are both very unwell mentally and red flags? 🚩 Do you like true crime? Do you like the in denial gays and age gaps? This is the book for you. Now disclaimer here it does get into some descriptions of horror in there also non con dubcon kissing. The thing is if you pick up this book wanting a red flag you are getting it. I’d say I was happier when I thought of the book as being alt reality since the mental health and hospital stuff was a bit wild for me. But I still had a good time. I’ll likely continue reading the series. I like characters I don’t trust and am a bit skeptical of. But the book was easy to read and every chapter had turns I wasn’t expecting.

I had to take off some points because 1 the pictures on the inside of the book weren’t jiving with what was in my head (idk maybe it’s just me 🤷🏻‍♀️) 2 sometimes it was hard to telll which character was incharge of the narrative which is important because as I said I think He Yu and Xie Qingcheng are off their rockers. 3 you can tell the delusion that He Yu hates Xie Qingcheng is false while Xie Qingcheng actively wants He Yu out of his life most of the time. It’s very weird idk hopefully it gets better but was muddling for the points

[web-novel-recs]

Manhwa Recommendation

TITLE: The Palace of Bardo

STATUS: Completed

GENRE: supernatural, fantasy, reincarnation, historical, dark BL

PRECAUTIONS:

Trigger warnings present, but not overly graphic to leave you messed up. But the plot gradually becomes more uplifting as it progresses. If you're comfortable with intense themes and enjoy beautifully crafted historical fiction, you're in for a treat.

SUMMARY:

This historical bl revolves around a complex love story between an emperor and his slave. This is a reincarnation story- years ago, the emperor (ML) who literally is villain incarnate develops an obsession towards his architect (MC). Needless to say, everything ends up in a huge mess. Fast forward to 100 years later, they’re reincarnated. Poor mc is back to how it all it started, he is imprisoned by the emperor, now the only difference is that the MC remembers everything, the ML has no clue why he’s  obsessed with MC.

What I liked about it

First and foremost THE ART – WOW. Some of the landscapes are stunning, frame worthy. Love the symmetry and level of details are exquisite

Love the unique concept, It's a departure from the usual reincarnation trope where the main characters are destined for each other but tragically separated. Here, there's no romantic idealism—the MC has faced numerous wrongs from the ML. With reincarnation as a theme, the story delves into whether redemption is possible for ML.

The KID- its hilarious some scenes where both ML and his kid are vying for attention from MC

I’d recommend this if you’re looking for a story that keeps you captivated, The angst, the slow burn and the fluffy side stories in the end, its worth a read. If you're comfortable with the trigger warnings, the story's depth makes it a worthwhile experience.

[web-novel-recs]

Why you should read Mist [Unlimited] if you liked ORV

If you haven't heard of it before, Mist [Unlimited] (薄雾［无限) is an action-adventure sci-fi webnovel of 106 chapters by Chinese author Wei Feng Ji Xu (微风几许) and i'm here to tell you why in my humble opinion you should read it if you liked reading Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint (and if you haven't read orv yet. well what are you doing)

Mist follows Ji Yushi, a 25-year-old "Recorder" whose job is to travel in time and record future events so that the present can be prepared for them. He also suffers from "hyperthymesia", a condition in which he remembers... everything. Literally can't forget stuff, which is both a blessing and a curse. He gets transferred to another team led by captain Song Qinlang, a notorious homophobe - or is he? And then they get into situations where they basically have to complete missions or they die etc etc you know how it is. Anyway here's a link to the carrd with more info and link to translations.

And here's how it managed to fill the void in my heart after finishing orv:

Frail-looking MC who turns out to be super cunning and big brained

MC with such a good memory it comes off as almost prophetic knowledge about the world he finds himself in

No literally, he remembers every single detail of everything with the same energy as kim dokja remembering everything that happens in the novel, and uses that to his advantage

Cold and aloof yoo joonghyuk-esque "classic protagonist" ML who seems like he looks down on others and doesn't speak much and acts like he resents the MC...

...but actually turns out to be very kind and soft, especially towards the MC

Mc has known ML for much longer than the other thinks

Absolute power couple when they work together

They have to complete missions Or They Die

Missions involve different kinds of worlds with unique characters and well-crafted settings

Parallel worlds that are interconnected in ways you wouldn't have foreseen

Very clever resolutions to the missions, that really shows the capabilities of our main characters

Strong team-spirit among the main cast of characters!

The missions seem to be set up by a system or existence somehow beyond humanity

A mystery of where the world that they find themselves in actually originates from, which ends up being closer to home than expected

ML has a Tragic Backstory(tm) that seriously reminds me of kim dokja's once it gets revealed, including heavy themes about family

Very similar themes about finding one's place in the world and *gasp* being loved by others, in all senses of the word

I'm trying to say this without spoiling too much but the ending of Mist literally reminds me of orv's epilogue and if you've read to the end of orv you know that's a strong statement but it really did manage to evoke in me the same range of human emotions and also the way it's set up is really similar down to the very time loops and paradoxes!!! I can't tell you any more though!!!!

There's probably more i can't think of right now, please do read Mist it's an absolute delight and an Experience(tm)

[web-novel-recs]

You Should Watch The Spirealm/致命游戏

What is it?

A 2024 cdrama based on the danmei webnovel Kaleidoscope of Death. It's a censored version of a BL novel, with thriller, mystery, and horror aspects, 38 45-minute episodes.

What's it about?

A young man accidentally gets drawn into a virtual reality video game that involves passing tests in a series of doors. Once you start playing, you cannot stop and if you die in the game, you die in real life. He meets a frustratingly mysterious, competent, and attractive man in the doors who recruits him to be part of his game solving team. Well, specifically to be his partner. Lots of gay subtext ensues as they fight through door after door seeking to get to the final door in order to end the evils of the game. (The book is a little different, as it's more supernatural.)

So basically it's a infinite flow deadly game situation, with m/m romance.

Main Characters:

Lin Quishi/Ling Juishi (novel/drama versions of his name)- Our protagonist. A smart graduate in computer science, good at games. Well meaning but a little naive to start out.

Ruan Nanzhu/Ruan Lanzhu - Our love interest. In the novel he crossdresses often and he presents as a woman for the whole first arc. Super intelligent, expert at the game, extremely flirty but reserved at the same time. Got one look at Lin Quishi and said That One.

Other Characters, aka the Found Family:

Ruan Nanzhu's team consists of a pair of twin brothers (one young and dumb and one uptight), a hot doctor vet, a woman whose main job seems to be cooking dinner, and a not-so-stable dude.

Then there's Li Dong Yuan, a rival player who becomes reluctantly-tolerated friend, and his cute female assistant. And Tan Zao Zao, an actress who hires the team to help her in the games and also sticks around persistently.

They're pretty much all delightful and some may start off silly/annoying and end up breaking the hell out of your heart.

Okay, but what's the VIBE?

Big Guardian vibes. The team of lovable scamps investigating weird supernatural (?) type mysteries? While the boss and the guy he fell for have a situationship? Totally. This definitely has more of a horror feel than Guardian, though, even though they tone things down from the novel.

Each door is its own setting, and some are more scary than others. So one is a mental hospital, one is a traditional village, one is a gothic manor, etc. Lots of tragic female ghosts who have been wronged and are getting revenge. The one that really creeped me out was the one with the children with the eggs. It does a lot of creepy rather than really horror. It's not truly gory at all, as it was made to air on Chinese TV and they have strict limits to violence.

The camerawork and set decor is really nice, actually. It looks great most of the time and a lot of the effects seem to be practical. It looks a lot better than Guardian is what I'm saying, if not quite to a film level.

How Gay is It?

Oh MY GOD. Okay look, this show was NOT supposed to be released, but thank whoever put it up for that two hours. It's really incredibly blatant, like really as much as Word of Honor was, although because the plot is focused elsewhere it's maybe not quite as in your face. But the actors UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT and there's so much longing and SO much implication. After a while, everyone basically just treats the main couple as a couple even thought it's never talked about.

I mean episode one there's Only One Bed and at the end of their first meeting Ruan Nanzhu gives Lin Quishi a RING. I mean, the flirting is also BLATANT. I also just find this a really romantic show, despite the Not Talking About It thing.

Is it a Happy Ending?

So, It's Complicated. I'm trying not to spoil anything and this show is pretty easy to have spoiled for you. There's definitely a good bit of tragedy in this show in general. Characters die and it's really sad. Like, this is a plot with stakes and if no one we liked ever died, it wouldn't be the same.

I will say I consider this show to have a happy ending, but you do go through some pain first. Essentially the main couple does have a separation, but there is a reunion before the end. There's also a scene that will give Guardian fans fucking PTSD, but the show does a fix-it on its own, okay? I do feel that I have to warn for that, though.

Where can I watch it?

The show is legally available on Viki with a subscription. Obviously there are other ways to find it as well, and links went around before it was picked up by Viki so check tags if you need those.

I really hope this encourages some people to watch this show, as it's really well made and a great time. It's one of a very small number of danmei adaptations we've gotten, but a lot less people have watched it since it's modern and had a weird release. Honestly, it's well written and acted and filmed and you should give it a shot.

(All gifs by @ruanbaijie, thank you very much for allowing me to use them. Check out their blog, there's such gorgeous stuff there!)

[web-novel-recs]

Hey yall! I asked a bunch of #BeefLeaf lovers for fic recs and compiled them all into a color-coded spreadsheet!

Link below if you’re interested!

PS - I can and will update if you read something you want added!

[web-novel-recs]

I have been in a kdrama slump for sometime 💔 I NEED SOME RECOMMENDATIONS

[web-novel-recs]

EPUB file is now available!

Well, we said we would take a rest, but fate (and excitement) didn't allow us! Ah well, I'm sure Lloyd will compensate for the overtime.

This has been a frantic labor of love, and we hope everyone can enjoy the novel on their own reader of choice! (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

You can find the files here.

Please make sure to read the "Read Me" file first, and while we can't promise perfection, please let us know if you encounter any issues!

[web-novel-recs]

I'm about halfway through book one right now, and while it's a really good novel so far, I'd like to add that there is an attempted rape scene in the first couple of chapters (between the main character and a minor character). There's darker elements as well (mainly characters killed right in front of the main character), but that scene specifically turned me off of continuing Little Mushroom for a long while because I was not prepared for it at all. It's really good, just beware!

You should read Little Mushroom

Hey guys! As followers know, I've just finished reading this cnovel and I'm here to do a formal rec of it.

What is Little Mushroom?

It's a chinese danmei (BL) novel by the author Shisi, originally published online, now available in official English translation from Peach Flower House.

What's it about?

This is a post-apocalyptic dystopian sci-fi novel where the protagonist is a mushroom.

What??

Yeah, he's an actual mushroom. Most of the Earth is a wasteland of radiation and mutated monsters, which means things are WEIRD AS FUCK. He comes from a particularly weird and dangerous place, and somehow he achieves sentience. His spore (child? infant? egg?) is stolen by a human and he finds a dying human called An Ze so he takes this human's form and memories and becomes human-shaped and calls himself An Zhe. Then he goes seeking out more humans to find and save his spore.

Okay, and this is a romance? With a mushroom?

Yes. Though this is honestly one of the danmei I've read that is lightest on the romance. Really the star of the show is the world-building and questions about humanity and ethics.

Characters:

An Zhe: The most adorable mushroom ever. You will love him. Everyone loves him. He's just a little mushroom trying to navigate a weird human world without the humans discovering he's really a "monster."

Lu Feng: The Arbiter, a judge authorized to kill anyone on sight that he suspects of being contaminated with xenogenic (monster) genes. And he does, a lot. Seemingly cold and unfeeling, hated by many if not most of the human population because he, yanno, keeps killing people, even if it's necessary to protect what remains of humanity. He spares An Zhe, though.

Other characters: Well, most of them don't last long. It's a vicious world. There's a lot of death. There are some nice side characters towards the end, though.

Why should I read this?

Look, it's just a really great book, okay? It's a book about a fairly grim future for humanity, and the things humanity is forced to do to survive, and dystopian elements and the struggles that result. It's about big ethical questions and big existential questions about whether humanity deserves to live and what the point of struggling to survive is...whether there is any hope for humanity and whether there's any point to hope at all.

And it's all told through the POV of a mushroom. Come on!

For all that, it's not a dark novel. The first half in particular feels pretty light, mostly because of the POV, granted. It's really funny in a lot of parts, but the undertone, the background is always this fairly grim stuff. Really unique juxtaposition. The second half gets deeper and really digs into the existential questions. And yeah it made me cry towards the end.

Minor spoilers from here on

But it does have a happy ending for the main characters and the romance, and a hopeful if not entirely happy one for humanity as a whole.

The romance is fairly light on the ground in this. An Zhe is a mushroom and he doesn't really understand sex or romance or have much interest in it for most of the book, despite people constantly trying to GET him interested. Lu Feng is clearly in the background developing feelings, but An Zhe is oblivious and just worried about his mushroom concerns, yanno? Eventually there are feelings-realization and they end up together, but it's still doesn't feel like a traditional romance. I'd say it's very ace friendly even if there are hints of sexual off-screen stuff.

Other reasons to read it:

It's short for a cnovel, and it flies by. This was my main vacation reading that I took to the pool and it was perfect. And I FLEW through vol 2 in a couple of sittings.

It's got a very nice translation and you should support this lesser known novel getting an English publication from a publisher that isn't Seven Seas.

Where do I buy it?

Both physical volumes are available from Peach Flower House. Or you can get ebooks from various ebook sellers, including Amazon. (Right now Amazon also has the paperbacks, but when I was buying they didn't.)

More Info.