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Tearmoon Empire, Vol. 10

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By Nozomu Mochitsuki and Gilse. Released in Japan as “Tearmoon Teikoku Monogatari” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Madeleine Willette.

This volume starts off with something we have rarely seen in this series: the actual beginning of a new story arc. For some reason or another, the author and publisher of this title are very bad at making climaxes in this series happen at the end of the volume itself, so we have the next book start with the climax instead or an epilogue chapter rather than the next arc. But here, at last, we start off with something new: Mia, Rafina, and company headed off to Equestria, there to meet up with the chiefs who make up that nomadic people. Or at least, they are until Mia and Rafina, our for a ride, are beset by bandits. The head of the bandits turns out to be the daughter of one of the tribe leader, and there’s a good reason that her people are reduced to this: a poor harvest means they’re hard up for food. Something that Mia understands all too well…

I’ve been complaining about the narrator for a while now, so it’s time I turned around and mentioned the points where I do appreciate it. The manga doesn’t really use a narrator, making Mia far more sympathetic, but the new anime adaptation (which so far is excellent) is definitely playing it up. It was a highlight of the early books, but grew a bit wearying as we began to see Mia genuinely growing as a person. Where it works best in this book is when it’s looking at everyone else’s thoughts – seeing Ludwig or Rafina staring at Mia talking about what is inevitably food, and thinking that this is the point when they realize that she’s not a great sage but a massive faker… and then they leap to a different conclusion to support their own love for Mia, and the narrator is disappointed once more. This is funny as hell.

Bel, as always, gets little to to in this volume, but for a change what she does get is fantastic. We haven’t paid quite as much attention to her past… which is to say, the Bad Future #3… in a while, but that does not mean that she isn’t constantly dwelling on it, especially given that her entire existence is something of a secret. But now she’s best friends with Citrina, and may finally be able to reach out and make promises without getting her hopes dashed by everyone promising to come back and then dying on her. (There is some mild subtext between her and Citrina, which I’m content to ignore, partly as they’re both 10 and partly as I’m sure it’s unintentional, but…) She also says she’s going to tell Citrina about her secrets when they get back to the Empire, which should be very interesting if it happens, and might be the start of a new arc.

But first we have to end this arc, which of course does not neatly wrap up here. Is Abel’s sister irredeemably evil? Can Mia possibly win a horse race riding a horse the narrator repeatedly compares to Mia herself? And did we just see the start of a Rafina x Malong ship? The next book is… for once, not that far away! Also, go watch the anime.

Surviving in Another World As a Villainess Fox Girl!, Vol. 2

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By Riia Ai and Mucha. Released in Japan as “Scenario Nante Iranai! Rival Chara no Kitsunekko” on the Shousetsuka ni Narou website. Released in North America by Cross Infinite World. Translated by Miki “Zombie” Zuckerman.

I will admit, my memory is not that great. I’m fine when a book comes out so frequently that I can retain everything easily, like Bookworm. But when a series catches up, it can be a struggle for me to recall what was happening before, or who the minor characters are. And this goes double for when it’s been a year since the first volume, as I’ve forgotten almost ALL the main characters. All I recalled from the last book was the basic plot, and the two “reincarnated from Japan” characters. I also recalled they mentioned that the “heroine” would be appearing soon, something that filled them with dread. Well, she’s here, and her annoying, obviously evil behavior was making me twitch, and reminding me that the writing and characterization in the first book were not the best. But we then got to the twist, and I also remembered that yeah, the author’s ideas are what’s worth remembering. They work well.

Miku is settling in at the guild, and going on fun errands with Macro, who talks bluntly but she can see the good in him. Unfortunately, she’s almost immediately kidnapped and taken off in a cart. There she meets Laura, a Sound Butterfly girl who can combine her powers with Miku’s to help them escape the gang’s clutches! Back at the guild, it’s revealed to Miku that Laura is the heroine of the game that Claire has always said this is, and that means that Miku is that much closer to dying… especially since Miku has finally realized that she’s fallen in love with Macro! And Laura suddenly declares that she too is in love with Macro (after, oddly, declaring that she’s in love with Ektor and then backtracking on it), and is so sad that she’s going to have to win his heart and have Miku tragically lose! Is Laura really as evil as she seems?

No, thankfully, though it took me a while to cotton on. I’ve seen this sort of heroine before, in I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss, and I assumed Laura was similar to Lilia, in that she can’t see the events as anything but achievements in a game. And to be fair, Laura is doing her level best to be as evil-sounding as possible, just to turn everyone against her. Laura’s true identity works much better, and also allows Miku to be able to change her fate and survive. That said, this book still has a Miku-shaped hole in the middle of it. She’s very nice, and I admired her resolve towards the end, but she’s just not as affecting to m as she should be. The same applies to Claire and Ektor, whose not-romance is thuddingly predictable in the best “Th-there’s no way I’m interested in this jerk!” way.

This is the final volume, so I will not have to stretch my memory come next October. I do recommend reading the series for its interesting take on “villainess” books and point of view, but it feels like a series by someone whose writing still has room to improve.

The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor, Vol. 3

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By Sasara Nagase and Mitsuya Fuji. Released in Japan as “Yarinaoshi Reijō wa Ryūtei Heika o Kōryaku-chū” by Kadokawa Beans Bunko. Released in North America by Cross Infinite World. Translated by piyo.

When I was younger and more emo, I would sometimes write things that I knew people would hate just because I wanted to amuse myself watching their reaction. Not my finest moment, let me tell you. Sarasa Nagase is not quite that bad, but there’s a sense when reading this series that she knows that no one wants to deal with the fact that Jill is 11 years old (10 in the first two volumes). the characters in the book are disgusted by it. Judging by the afterword, the readers are not very happy with it either. So of course, it is ground in our faces throughout this book how these two are over the moon for each other but Jill is so, so underage. It’s a shame, because otherwise this would be a terrific LN series to recommend, especially if you like kickass women, because Jill does kick ass. But any time you have to say “she’s not 11 technically”, that’s not great, Ryan.

Having won over two of his family, Hadis is still dealing with the fallout of everything else that happened in the second book. Everyone just seems to default hate him, and he can’t introduce Jill as the Dragon Consort because it will come out that she’s from Kratos and cause even more uproar. Into this mess wander more family members: Natalie, the second princess, who has low self-esteem but is otherwise the most normal and put-together of the royals; Frida, the young third princess, who is shy but also very good at magic; and, most importantly, Vissel, Hadis’ older brother, and one of the few people that he trusts. Which makes it a shame that, as Jill knows from her prior life, Vissel will be the big betrayal that leads to Hadis finally snapping. How’s Jill going to solve THIS mess?

To be honest, mostly by hitting things. The villainess books as a genre run the spectrum of different types of heroines, some of them crafty and long-term planner sorts, some of them massive improvisers, and some who rely on their large pool of allies. And then there’s Jill, who has never mean a problem she cannot beat the shit out of. She is definitely on the “dumb muscle” side of the equation, which is sometimes a problem, but honestly, “straightforward talk and occasional violence” genuinely seems to be the way to go in this case. She also claims that she’s absolutely terrible at romantic things, and so is Hadis, but the two of them make up for any conscious effort by pure subconscious effort – they don’t so much flirt as scream their passion at each other at massive volume. Which is adorable, of course, but… again, Jill is 11.

There’s several more books in the series out in Japan, but after three in a row over the last six months, which is highly unusual for Cross Infinite World, it appears we’re taking a break before the next one. If you can get over its biggest hurdle – and I don’t blame you if you can’t – this is worth reading purely for Jill’s force of personality.