Anime/Manga Light Novel recommendations for a first time reader?

Hey, so I've never really touched Light Novels before. For the Light Novel veterans of the section, what would you recommend to a newbie who hasn't touched this area before?

I've watched SAO, Accel World, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, DanMachi, Durarara!! and Kyoukai no Kanata as anime which I think are all adapated from Light Novels.

Genre I'm not picky aside that I'm not really looking for anything fan service-y like High School DxD.

Would prefer things that haven't been adapted into anime yet since I am probably going to get through the ones that are already adapted.

I've read only one light novel so far. Properly. Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria. Good stuff.
Rest of the popular ones either already have an anime adaptation or are gonna get one at some point. This one probably won't because of how dark it gets at points. So yeah. Really engaging story - keeps you on your toes at all times and it is a complete work so there's no fear of it leaving you off on a cliffhanger.

If you liked SAO and Mahouka then it should be fine to start from wherever their respective anime ended and continue from there, the later SAO volume arcs are honestly good to read and while Mahouka can drone on and on at times I didn't think it was a terrible read.

Zero no Maria is good but is a bit dark so watch your step. Also it's like part mystery so don't be surprised if you get confused at some points. Gekkou is also a nice dark mystery read, only a volume long but introduces and wraps up everything it needs to quite nicely.

Mushoku Tensei is the one I'd say towers above all else but it's a very long read so you'd need to invest a lot of time into it. Any manga and/or anime adaptations could never do it justice. It's originally a web novel but easily one of the highest quality web novels out there. Pretty sure it held the top spot on whatever site it was posted on for a very very long time until it finished.

If you want a short but sweet read however, there's Tabi ni Deyou, Horobiyuki Sekai no Hate made that's only one volume long, pretty simple but pretty nice. It's about a Boy and a Girl who travel in a dying world, but it's quite light-hearted despite the setting.

I'd suggest Yahari but the whole thing so far has been adapted afaik, so just go watch that if you want. The books are more interesting IMO but the anime adaptation was done pretty damn well.

there are other ones but I don't think they're good enough and/or far enough along in translation to recommend. Enjoy reading.

Zero to Hako is great, but it's kinda confusing at the start. If you wanna go for something friendly I'd suggest maybe No Game No Life :)

Crackin355 said:

Mushoku Tensei is the one I'd say towers above all else but it's a very long read so you'd need to invest a lot of time into it. Any manga and/or anime adaptations could never do it justice. It's originally a web novel but easily one of the highest quality web novels out there. Pretty sure it held the top spot on whatever site it was posted on for a very very long time until it finished.

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Wha- never heard of this! Is it being translated by anyone in particular? Sounds promising

The full web novel is translated on Baka-tsuki. No idea who translated the earlier chapters but near the end Pielord picked it up.

They both have anime series but Spice and Wolf and Welcome to the NHK are very good reads. The latter is quite a lot different to the anime so it's worth reading even if you've seen it. They both have a decent, readable, level of translation too which is pretty rare.

Despite being both adapted into anime already, I think that you should try A Certain Magical Index and The Devil is a Part-Timer LNs, since they're fun and fairly accessible reads for someone just getting into LNs.

In Index's case, the anime covers the first 9 or 10 novels while skipping some details that are in the LNs, and some of the arcs in the LNs get dramatically shortened compared to arcs around them in the anime since those story arcs are heavily dependent on elements that can only be conveyed well in text form.

Can't comment on how the The Devil is a Part-Timer LN compares to its adaptations since I've only touched book one of the LN and none of its adaptations, but the first volume is quite a bit of fun.

There's a lot of good choices out there. It's a golden age of Light Novels and Web Novels accessible to the English reader.

Do not lock yourself in Japanese Light Novels though. There are some great Korean ones Like Legendary Moonlight Sculptor and Ark. Chinese Wuxia and Xianxia have also gotten a huge following with Stellar Transformations and Coiling Dragon.

The best part is, Chinese and Korean WN/LNS have totally different tropes than JP ones with shameless MC's, slow cultivation and clan politics

Some have already been recommended here that have gotten anime or manga adaptations.

As for non adapted ones Mushoku Tensei, and Tate No Yuusha are available from start to finish.

But it also depends on the genre you are looking for, currently the reincarnation, transported to another world and fantasy/game like settings are very popular so if that's your thing go search. :)

I should go make a list later though.