“E-rank hunter Jinwoo Sung has no money, no talent, and no prospects to speak of—and apparently, no luck, either! When he enters a hidden double dungeon one fateful day, he's abandoned by his party and left to die at the hands of some of the most horrific monsters he's ever encountered. But just before the last, fatal blow…PING! [Congratulations on becoming a Player.]” (Yen Press)
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Starting off as a ‘web novel', “Solo Leveling” saw a surge in popularity within its native Korea, which lead to the book being published in print and an acclaimed webtoon. Unsurprisingly, the series is now being published in English with Yen Press releasing both the novel and manwha. While adoration does not necessarily equate to quality, the first book establishes that the accolades and fandom around the series is deserved.
The work has an idyllic flow that is absorbing, while also injecting a mature perspective to the fantasy/action genre. Not just in content and language used, the series maturity also comes from the prose of Chugong and his balance of fantastical and character building. Arguably, protagonist Jinwoo Sung is not a ‘good' person in the traditional sense of the superhero archetype. Flawed but still charming, his insecurities and uncertainties make him an endearing hero. As a result, seeing how his persona changes as he slowly inches towards unfathomable power offers a deeply engaging character study.
Drawing heavy inspiration from video games, specifically RPG, the novel succeeds in not isolating those outside of the fandom while simultaneously sprinkling in insider lingo and humour. It is not uncommon to find series inspired by video games to become focused on ‘gamer speak' isolating audience outside of the fandom. Thankfully, Chugong avoids this route by keeping the focus on character building. Overall, “Solo Leveling” captures that perfect balance of fan service and proper literature that many authors struggle to find.
Not to be overlooked, the descriptive ability of Chugong shows a similar understanding of necessity over indulgence. Essentially, the author gives the reader a good explanation of the creatures and the world without getting bogged down in minute details. This compliments the flow of the novel, giving several trials for Jinwoo to complete within the first volume.
“Solo Leveling” was a page turner, and at 315 pages I found myself getting through the series in a couple days. There is a great sense of reward as you get to see Jinwoo level up and the new problems that arise as he heads towards godlike power. The only negative, having to wait for the next book as two major conflicts get introduced in the closing chapters.
This book is indeed a riveting journey that masterfully blends action, character development, and a unique narrative to create an enthralling experience.
Agreed. I would love to see more Korean novels be translated.