Serial Saturday: New Journey Old Soul Chapters 1-20 by Vhiyungrang

This week for Serial Saturday I’ve got a Fantasy story for you all, what you thought I only was going to do LitRPGs? It’s The New Journey of an Old Soul Chapters 1-20 by Vhiyungrang!

Plot Synopsis: The story of a soul seeking new adventure in a new life. A secret wish to find some things he never really found in his old life. Will the universe have other ideas for him again?

Plot: Let me get this out straight away, this isn’t a story for children and it contains some topics and subjects that may make you uncomfortable. I won’t say more than that there are sex scenes (although they add nothing to plot so skipping is completely ok). As for the plot this combines some concepts from Eastern Fantasy (Xuanhuan) into Western Fantasy although if you are expecting Coiling Dragon you will be sorely disappointed.  The plot is pretty damn amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed this story’s first arc which is covered in these 20 chapters. This novel is completed just so you are aware.

Characters: Nelah is our main lead, and I find him to be quite enjoyable. The rest of the cast is also quite good as well.

Overall: A solid story, and a must read. That is, if you can stomach some uncomfortable subjects.

For those who like: Eastern Influences, Fantasy, Reincarnation, Awesome Plot, Fantastic Cast of Characters.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above, or some uncomfortable subjects.

Personal Status: Completely Read.

TNT: Praise the Orc Chapters 1-40 by Lee Jungmin

This week for Translation Necessary Thursday I’m covering the first set of chapters in a recently fully translated series. It’s Praise the Orc Chapters 1-40 by Lee Jungmin!

Plot Synopsis: Praise the Orc! is about Jung Ian, a cafe owner with a dark past, jumping into the world of virtual reality in order to protect his sister from any predators. However, things may not be as simple as they seem, as the world and its inhabitants proved to be much deeper than he believed them to be. Witness as he explores the lands of Elder Lord as an orc, a species labeled as the “game creator’s mistake”.

Plot: The plot is pretty good, although it’s very light on the LitRPG aspect. There is almost no explanation of skills and stats, which I find to be a bummer as that’s part of the charm of the LitRPG genre. However it does have tons of character development, so that isn’t terrible at all. There is almost no romance in these first few chapters, although there is some hints at a possible romantic sub-plot.

Characters: Ian is a pretty awesome main character, although I find that the lack of interaction with his sister Yiyu more than a bit disappointing. Especially when you compare the series to something like Legendary Moonlight Sculptor where Weed is constantly grubbing for money in order to pay for his sister’s education. Even worse is the fact that he starts playing Elder Lord to protect his sister from lechers.

Overall: A decent LitRPG, but lacking in some critical areas. You could do worse, but there are better series out there like LMS or Ark.

For those who like: LitRPGs, Korean Novels, Action, Adventure, Decent Plot, Great Lead Character.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.