[2024] 多読/extensive reading challenge

I’m really glad I ordered some manga from Amazon Japan 4 days ago. I had a feeling stuff might become unavailable soon, so I ordered a bit earlier than I normally would. Looking again today, a bunch of manga (including three volumes I just ordered) are “temporarily out of stock”. My order has supposedly already shipped, so hopefully it arrives next week as it should.

3 Likes

Also, Japan’s now no longer shipping mail to most of the world. Including Australia, as of yesterday.

4 Likes

That’s exactly what I expected to happen. My shipment is still in Japan according to tracking, but hopefully just being out for shipping is enough. Guess I’ll find out soon enough.

2 Likes

Not to disappoint you guys, but I thought Japan had stopped shipping already more than a week ago?

(googles)

So it seems that some shipping methods are still available. Good luck with the delivery!

1 Like

Well Amazon is Amazon, so maybe they can still get stuff out. I even got a text from DHL about the shipment an hour ago, so it hasn’t been canceled yet at least.

3 Likes

:tada:

12 Likes

For those who are looking for inspiration: Japanese Times just published an article with book suggestions to conquer the isolation. They list English books, but as most of them are translations from Japanese, it should not be too hard to find out the names of the originals. Some are even old friends by now (hello 獣の奏者 and so on ^^) :slight_smile:

8 Likes

Yep, I assumed right. Also, damn, I took almost 2 weeks to read it (at 510 pages, it was a much longer book than the rest, but still).
So, I have now moved past the content of the anime, but I’m still going to tag @afunian just because :stuck_out_tongue: I do not know (nor really care, to be honest) if they make a new season, but that book is going to be hard to adapt; I assume they will either completely change the focus or simply skip it.
The premise: A war just started with one of the most powerful country in the world. All the strongest familia have been dispatched to the front line. The adventurers from the city being completely OP, daily life is basically unaffected as no one is worried about the outcome. Instead, the setting is mostly a way to get some of the main characters out of the way to put the spotlight on some neglected ones. And somehow to turn the whole thing into romantic comedy territory.
While that sounded good to me (I was especially happy about リリ getting more focus, and getting some answers to my theories about シエル even though I disagree with those answers), I feel it wasn’t handled very well. The author even noted in the あとがき that he had trouble with it, so I think he is aware of the issues.

Anyway, I won’t be able to read the next volume until the lock down in Tokyo goes away… I’m not sure when that’s going to be though. In other news, I can finally go back to 獣の奏者 :stuck_out_tongue:

6 Likes

Good thing you didn’t read this part when you first read 獣の奏者. I think N4 you would have died if you tried.

2 Likes

I guess it was all according to the 計画 then :ok_hand:

6 Likes

@Naphthalene (as well as anyone else), since you have read a million and one books, any good recs? I will read pretty much anything (all the way from This Light Novel Stinks to The Pigeon Training Self Help Book to Dictionary of Words Starting with the Letters HSP).

9 Likes

I hear this one’s pretty coo’.

8 Likes

I’ve posted a few meta-recs (articles and websites recommending books) so if you search this topic you might find some input

2 Likes

To add to the meta recommendations of @NicoleIsEnough, I usually google stuff like 男性/女性向けラノベ おススメ 一覧 for my daily dose of garbage.
For more highbrow stuff, I usually look at winners of literary prizes… but honestly after the last one (珠玉の短編… trigger warnings, like, all of them), I’m reconsidering.

6 Likes

I was just wondering, maybe we could make a collection of those recommendations somewhere? They are really hard to find in this long thread…

I cannot edit the OP unfortunately, but if we made it a drop-down under the books table, then everybody could add to that?

3 Likes

I think there’s a thread from @Radish8 about finding reading material. Maybe there? :thinking:

Edit: ah nevermind, it’s about finding resources to start reading. Hm.

Edit2: I forgot to say, but sure, adding a drop down about methods for finding books sounds good. I’m on my phone at the moment so I won’t add it right now, but if you have the time, by all means!

3 Likes

OK, I added something to the bottom of the books lists. Everybody, please feel free comment, or even better, to extend and enhance!

3 Likes

Thank you :pray: :bowing_woman:

2 Likes

My Japanese reading shelf is full :open_mouth: in fact overflowing.

I feel this is a landmark moment. I will have to rearrange my shelves to free up another space!

Also I bought Convenience Store Woman and o m g it is so teeny tiny?!

Kind of gutted that I didn’t buy Night Market in my last order, given that it finally got picked by the Intermediate Club, but I guess there’s no way I could have added it to my existing planned clubs anyway :pensive: so maybe it’s for the best. This way I can see whether you guys enjoy it before committing to a purchase :grin:

11 Likes

Going to start my first reading challenge. At first I will probably mostly use japanese.io. Good luck everyone!

7 Likes