How often do you read light novels?

[shinta|hikari]

This is a survey on how often people who do read light novels actually read them.

Posting the type of light novel you prefer is also welcome and recommended.

If you do not read light novels at all, there is no reason to vote, so I removed the 0 choice from the poll.

[Kraco]

I have read some of the translated Strike Witches volumes. I can't immediately remember other light novels I'd have read. Maybe they lost a lot in translation, but honestly as literature they were the worst written pieces of fiction I've ever touched (not the most boring by far, though). And I used to read a lot in my younger days. I suppose lots of manga would be as bad if written as pure text (with only the occasional picture), but somehow the quality of writing is sufficient for the comics media. The same goes for great many VNs. Due to that history of having read lot, I can't really stomach so poorly written prose, whereas I had no earlier history of manga, let alone VNs, which allowed me to read through some less than stellar works.

So, I have read very few of them, and that won't change.

[shinta|hikari]

Addicted.

LNs can vary greatly in terms of quality. Some are like Fate/Zero, while some are like Campione.

I perfectly understand your standpoint. I just can't get enough of cute lolis to stop burning my eyes.

[Ryllharu]

Most of them are garbage, so I read only specific series, and usually only if I've already watched the anime adaptation if it has one. Due to the release pace, that puts me at one a month on average (probably less).

I mostly stick to Haganai and Chrome Shelled Regios. I may pick up Mondaiji-tachi.

[shinta|hikari]

I find that the more popular ones aren't really that good or even suck. There are less popular ones that are really good, but they aren't fit for anime adaptation due to the narrative style, so I guess that is part of the reason they will never really be known worldwide.

I personally love mystery LNs like Utsuro no Hako Zero no Maria and Tsukumodo Antique Shop. Haruhi mystery reads like garbage in comparison.

Mondaiji has gotten pretty interesting and is being translated at a good pace.

[Kraco]

I have actually been considering reading Mondaiji since the manga adaptation was barely longer than the anime, and the characters really interested me.

[MasterOfMoogles]

I don't really know how to answer the poll, since I tend to read them in bursts. I tend to do most of my reading on plane trips or vacations where I'll knock out several volumes at once.

Let's see, I've read:
SAO
Fate Zero
Haruhi
Gekkou
Zero no Maria
Index - I'm on volume 16
Heavy Object - I've read 1-6, looks like there is more now. Kamachi writes super fast.
A Simple Survey
Tsukumodo Antique Shop - not sure how many of these I read. Maybe 2? Looks like there is way more now.

So a decent amount. Index is currently on the top of the queue, since it starts getting really interesting after the anime ended.
I really don't like Kamachi's writing style, though.

[shinta|hikari]

You can just average them by the year and answer the closest.

[KrayZ33]

I prefer the "first-person narrative style", if that's a thing.
which is why - if I read a light novel - it's something like Haruhi or SNAFU
Its more interesting to explore the "world" from the perspective of a single individual either exclusively or at a time, as long as the POV doesn't change all too often.
However, even the lowest Novel/Time ratio in this poll wouldn't fit. Anime adaptions work on me. I watch it first and if its interesting enough, I'll check out the LNs and whenever they are not written in "first person" (in most cases its obvious what kind of narrative style is used by watching the anime first) I'll either read the manga or wait for a second seaon :/

Like "MOM" already said (heh..), I read them in bursts too if enough material is available

[Kraco]

Maybe reading the Mondaiji VN wasn't a good idea, after all. It really captured my interest, despite the poor quality of the text that at times was barely understandable, but above all it made me want a second season, and preferably a third as well, of the anime. Which I know will never happen.

[DarthEnderX]

I've never read one, and there's no option on the poll for little ol' me.

[MasterOfMoogles]

Well clearly you have some work to do then.

[shinta|hikari]

edit 3:
Worth pointing out that this is based on a novel. Not light novel. Novel.

You say this as if it means something. There are as many trashy novels as there are light novels, and the same can be said for stories on the other side of the spectrum.

If you're saying that novels usually target an older demographic as opposed to LNs, then okay.

[Ryllharu]

It does mean something. First episode alone and we have Kumiko going through more character development than the average tsundere/kuudere character from a light novel goes through in an entire season.

Moreover, there is a depth and complex depiction to her reactions and words, something that is probably described in substantially more detail that you'd see in 1 out of every 50 LNs.

Light novels are generally not merely bad, they're terrible. I can only name two series I even enjoyed reading the LN, and the writing in one of them was largely nonsensical, a huge step down from the nearly nonsense anime.

The anime/OVAs/movies based on actual novels? I can name few that are even bad.

[shinta|hikari]

Statistically that's true because very few novels are ever animated. It's very selective.

On the other hand, LNs are being adapted left and right regardless of quality. Popularity is the usual standard, and that's not a good one.

Generalizing that LNs are bad is like saying anime is bad (you know, because trash anime are all over the place, that's fact). You just have to read the better ones to understand.

I'd actually agree with you if you're merely pushing the statistic that novels are likely to get a better adaptation than LNs. I don't agree with generalizations, especially from someone relatively unfamiliar with the medium.

[Ryllharu]

Unfamiliar with LNs? I'm quite familiar with how shitty most of them are, thanks. There are more than enough available on Baka-tsuki and elsewhere, and there was a period that I was trying a large number of them to find anything decent to read. Didn't have any luck, couldn't get through the first volume of most.

I'm only following two at present, likely to drop one of them because as mentioned above, it is a confusing mishmash and inferior to its own anime.

If you wanted to imply I am unfamiliar with VNs, that's true.


edit:
Probably should flag these posts to a mod to have them moved to a more appropriate thread.

[shinta|hikari]

Have you read Utsuro no Hako Zero no Maria, Fate/Zero, Kara no Kyoukai, Tsukumodo Antique Shop, Biblia Koshodou No Jiken Techou, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Oregairu, Spice and Wolf, Rakuin no Monshou, Baccano, Vamp!, Durarara!, etc?

If you have, let's agree to disagree.

If you haven't, please do not generalize.

There are a lot of crappy LNs, but the same applies for anime, manga, comics, novels, tv shows, etc. Labeling a medium as crappy after having tried a couple of bad ones is hasty.

EDIT: I added a few I remembered to the list to serve as recommendations for those who read this post after it has been moved.

EDIT2: I can't believe I forgot Ryogo Narita!!!

[Ryllharu]

F/Z: Yes, but let's not pretend that much of the franchise's appeal hasn't been dramatically improved by VA performance and visuals.
Kara no Kyoukai: Barely coherent mess, it is amazing how much better the films are.
Haruhi: Ugh, please don't even start with how terrible that's got.
Yahari Wordspam: Let's agree to disagree right there.
Spice and Wolf: See F/Z.

As for the others that I haven't read, let's also not pretend they aren't derivative of other, more popular manga series over the years. From the descriptions alone it is pretty obvious.

[shinta|hikari]

Let's not pretend you know anything about things you haven't even read.

EDIT1: You know what, after re-reading your replies, let's just agree to disagree.

EDIT2: I wrote a bunch of stuff but I cleaned it out because of EDIT1.