Light Novels, aren't they great!
Light Novel are amazing that it’s like ‘reading a book’ while remain true to one’s otaku spirit. I am really glad that Yen Press has liscended 2 Dengeki Bunko Title’s, Spice & Wolf, and Kieli (novel).
Other publishers have delayed their Light Novel titles and really just stopped selling it. Dame you TP, VM, 7s. However I am confident that Yen Press will indeed continue to see their light novels without stop because “Hachette Book Group” are ‘tailgating’ them.
Please, Yen Press, steal Shakugan no Shana(novel) from Viz Media .
I picked up the Haruhi novel. I was a bit disappointed that it didn’t really have anything in it that wasn’t also in the aminoo (though I guess I should have expected that), but on the whole it was an entertaining read.
Yen Press’s honcho Kurt Hassler made a rather bold statement in an interview published by Anime News Network the other day…
Between the [Haruhi] manga and the light novels, which one do you expect to sell more, by what kind of ratios?
Ratios are hard to say. I expect the novel is going to outsell the manga, which is aggressive since the manga has already been a best seller in the market. It’s been hugely successful even in a year when everyone is sort of trembling. I do expect that the novels are going to do better than the manga. Ultimately, the goal is to drive fans between the two mediums. In the novel, there is an excerpt of the manga; in the first volume of the manga, there is an excerpt of the novel.
…Which took me by surprise, and by reading the comment thread, I wasn’t alone. Given the medium’s relative immaturity stateside, I’m sure there’s many fans who haven’t considered giving them a try yet - if they even know that they exist and are being translated and released. But even if it doesn’t come to pass (as I expect it won’t), it should at least give fans of the medium assurance that Yen Press is going to stick by the medium for a while yet. I wish them luck.
I don’t know whether to call it lucky or disgracful but I haven’t seen the animation so reading the first haruhi novel was a blast. Also thanks for posting that interview link.
What is Yen Plus’s function in all this?
“…It’s a marketing tool. That is, at the end of the day, it’s a marketing tool.”
O GOD!!! I’ve been had!?
I bought the Haruhi manga and light novel. I enjoyed both equally, but the light novel was more exciting in my opinion.
Here’s a review of the first volume of Kieli, which Yen Press has been sampling to us in the last three issues. The reviewer seems to dig the story, but takes exception to some awkward writing in the book, saying…
The sad truth, though, is that the wording—the absolute crux on which any novel is built—is unforgivable. I want to say that it might not be the translator’s fault. The source material could be just as patchy, but I will never know.
In my opinion, if the “source material is patchy” and doesn’t read well in the target language, part of the job of a good translator is to improve it, even if it means providing something less than a literal translation. That being said, as someone who holds a degree in English literature, I didn’t really notice anything really atrocious about what I’ve read of Kieli so far. The samples the reviewer quotes do seem spotty, though.
Light Novels are cool in the sense that they have crazy supernatural elements, or awesome battle scenes, or their just plain moe. To me, Kieli, so far, dosn’t really get “there”, that or I just personally don’t like it. I might drop a note once i’m done reading it(Vol 1).
The color pages are sweet.(Kieli)
Review-er
The sad truth, though, is that the wording—the absolute crux on which any novel is built—is unforgivable. I want to say that it might not be the translator’s fault. The source material could be just as patchy, but I will never know.
Lol
On Yen Press’s blog, they’ve announced they’re going to release the Spice & Wolf light novel with an original cover, different from the Japanese release. OH NOES!
The replies from weeaboo in the comment thread are rather predictable. Here’s my comment, assuming it’s been approved by the time you click that.
When Yen Press had a different cover art for the Kieli, a Light Novel, I thought wouldn’t need to walk the path where i would need to have a under-aged, moe, female character on my front cover to enjoy a book. (Same with Haruhi Light Novels)
Now that Spice & Wolf has this new cover art, I feel sick. The new cover art is bad. Also, now I need to go to the “S-titled Fantasy books” at my local bookstore to pick S&W up, right next to STAR WARS!!!!….lol…..
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