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Webtoon launched a new app called Yonder, which is dedicated to serialized fiction (both English language original and translated). pretty standard 1 free chapter a day (per novel i guess, not sure if there's a limit, i didn't try to go past 5), looks like ~30c per chapter. Unfortunately it's app only, and impossible to actually find anything on.
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Nov 8, 2022 09:00
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| # ? Apr 29, 2024 02:54 |
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LibrarianCroaker posted:Webtoon launched a new app called Yonder, which is dedicated to serialized fiction (both English language original and translated). its extremely unstandard actually unless you've been reading stuff off of asian websites with google translate. which i guess in this subforum, some people probably have, lol. anyway they've been trying to buy up English web serial authors but so far the reaction among the western web serial community has been either complete confusion that the business model even exists and violent rage that someone would dare try to use it. and hell, same. they've thrown a lot of cash around in the same way that like, microsoft or epic games would to try and build a platform... except webtoon doesn't have infinite money like that so we'll see what happens. personally i'm a little butthurt that i'll probably never get to read a fully edited w/ bonus chapter Practical Guide To Evil without spending like $150 on per 1/2 chapter views. my expectation is that they will blow a gently caress ton of money trying to attract native english writing to Yonder the way they attempted with the main webtoon app and it will absolutely not pay off at all lol Larry Parrish fucked around with this message at 10:08 on Nov 8, 2022 |
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Nov 8, 2022 10:05
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Stexils posted:yeah but they usually dont set up the job as the only one they can get or the MC needing the job for whatever reason, the character just inexplicably sticks around for no reason. I mean, the idea that there'd be better job alternatives or a functional social safety net in Japan does not seem like the background assumption that the intended readership would have. Black companies exist for a reason, and it's not because getting up and leaving is normally easy.
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Nov 8, 2022 13:18
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i never understood that. what, can they arrest you for no-call no-showing?
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Nov 8, 2022 13:21
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Larry Parrish posted:i never understood that. what, can they arrest you for no-call no-showing? It's more like you'll just starve and you won't get references (so you'll have to sign up for an even more insanely abusive job).
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Nov 8, 2022 13:23
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Larry Parrish posted:i never understood that. what, can they arrest you for no-call no-showing? You don't have enough time to find a new job, it's all occupied surviving. You don't have savings to live on while you find a new job, all your money goes to surviving. You can't crash at a friend's place, they're all barely surviving, if you even have them anymore, and space is hard to get anyway. It's the eternal trap of poverty, and given a chance, any corporation will trap you in it in an instant because it means you're a captive and they can do what they want.
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Nov 8, 2022 13:24
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idk this kind of just sounds exactly like those people who end up bouncing between Amazon and Oracle or w.e. while trying to pay back their hilariously expensive student loans. and i understand the impulse, because if you can escape those lovely companies it is a nice standard of living, but also it's not the end of the world to be a service sector slave like me.
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Nov 8, 2022 13:31
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Larry Parrish posted:idk this kind of just sounds exactly like those people who end up bouncing between Amazon and Oracle or w.e. while trying to pay back their hilariously expensive student loans. and i understand the impulse, because if you can escape those lovely companies it is a nice standard of living, but also it's not the end of the world to be a service sector slave like me. Amazon and Oracle wish they could be as intensely lovely as black companies.
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Nov 8, 2022 13:40
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Darth Walrus posted:I mean, the idea that there'd be better job alternatives or a functional social safety net in Japan does not seem like the background assumption that the intended readership would have. Black companies exist for a reason, and it's not because getting up and leaving is normally easy. but all wish-fulfillment comics/novels about black companies feature literally exactly that, the mc becomes immediately happier after leaving/being fired and finding out he was Being Held Back by his crappy boss/coworkers. which again, just makes him look like an idiot for putting up with the abuse.
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Nov 8, 2022 16:56
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well yeah, that's the fantasy element. in truth if you are in an exploitative, abusive job there are always people to replace you. that's exactly what happens when one of the interchangeable human cogs burn out, get sick, or die. this "oh no now our corporation/government agency/kingdom is ruined because we didn't treat this wimp better" poo poo is cathartic but it's still very silly.
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Nov 8, 2022 18:30
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NinjaDebugger posted:You don't have enough time to find a new job, it's all occupied surviving. You don't have savings to live on while you find a new job, all your money goes to surviving. You can't crash at a friend's place, they're all barely surviving, if you even have them anymore, and space is hard to get anyway.  , literally
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Nov 9, 2022 00:04
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Stexils posted:but all wish-fulfillment comics/novels about black companies feature literally exactly that, the mc becomes immediately happier after leaving/being fired and finding out he was Being Held Back by his crappy boss/coworkers. which again, just makes him look like an idiot for putting up with the abuse. Don't nearly all of those feature the protagonist being rescued by a literal miracle of some description, though? Getting superpowers, being reincarnated in another world, whatever? Can't think of many where they just walk out without the benefit of some brand new safety net.
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Nov 9, 2022 00:11
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Darth Walrus posted:Don't nearly all of those feature the protagonist being rescued by a literal miracle of some description, though? Getting superpowers, being reincarnated in another world, whatever? Can't think of many where they just walk out without the benefit of some brand new safety net. I can only think of one off-hand where the MC quit with some kind of modest savings. Of course he then immediately ends up working for a new company run by the Demon King’s army.
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Nov 9, 2022 00:14
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NinjaDebugger posted:Amazon and Oracle wish they could be as intensely lovely as black companies. I hear twitter is giving their best shot
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Nov 9, 2022 00:22
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Nemo2342 posted:I can only think of one off-hand where the MC quit with some kind of modest savings. Of course he then immediately ends up working for a new company run by the Demon King’s army. I mean to be fair the unbelievable part of that description to most people isn't the demon king part, and having the dedication and skills to make that happen while working an absolutely bottom of the barrel poo poo job is very much MC material.
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Nov 9, 2022 00:38
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there's a dozen or so where the abusive workplace was an adventuring party. on getting the boot, it is immediately obvious that the wimp was carrying them. then the wimp achieves instant, effortless success beyond their wildest dreams along with at least one uncomfortably young love interest.
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Nov 9, 2022 00:53
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right, there's also the really weird outlier where the mc really can't keep up and is holding his party back, so he leaves mostly amicably. then he starts doing dungeon dives by leading a small army of 100+ villagers he trained at the same time which is just so impossibly dumb i stopped reading.
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Nov 9, 2022 00:56
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The whole conceit leaves me torn, since I roll my eyes at “and then everyone realized how much they’d appreciate me!” but for some reason I’m a big mark for “former hero goes to work for the demon lord”
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Nov 9, 2022 01:00
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gimme the GOD drat candy posted:right, there's also the really weird outlier where the mc really can't keep up and is holding his party back, so he leaves mostly amicably. then he starts doing dungeon dives by leading a small army of 100+ villagers he trained at the same time which is just so impossibly dumb i stopped reading. It’s a shame because it’s one of the better takes on the concept. A lot of the other ones get real uncomfortable with the old party going to extremes to force the MC back into the party, so it was nice to have an amicable split for a change. nrook posted:The whole conceit leaves me torn, since I roll my eyes at “and then everyone realized how much they’d appreciate me!” but for some reason I’m a big mark for “former hero goes to work for the demon lord” That one is a good story too, though the author is driving me mad with not progressing the romance.
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Nov 9, 2022 02:21
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well, wuxiaworld has finally been delisted from novelupdates. you can still read free chapters by jumping through some hoops, but it's annoying enough that i may not bother after regressed demon lord finishes.
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Nov 23, 2022 06:38
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oh i see they have joined everyone else's monetization scheme
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Nov 23, 2022 07:26
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Oh man, that's hilarious. I remember years ago RWX making fun of qidian style monetization and now WW is jumping into it feet first. I especially appreciate the mental gymnastics needed to think that this is somehow a good thing for users. Can't imagine they'll ever get as many users out of ads as they did from novel updates but here we are. There is no way I'd have made it through even a tenth of the xianxia on WW if i was limited in how many chapters i could read per day.
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Nov 23, 2022 08:45
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I'm surprised at how few new novels they seem to have. Luckily I already read all the good ones. And the not so good ones.
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Nov 23, 2022 09:38
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Nemo2342 posted:It’s a shame because it’s one of the better takes on the concept. A lot of the other ones get real uncomfortable with the old party going to extremes to force the MC back into the party, so it was nice to have an amicable split for a change. yeah that one has a strong take on the concept but is just extremely boring afterwards. still better than most that are just boring all the time though Cynic Jester posted:Oh man, that's hilarious. I remember years ago RWX making fun of qidian style monetization and now WW is jumping into it feet first. I especially appreciate the mental gymnastics needed to think that this is somehow a good thing for users. Can't imagine they'll ever get as many users out of ads as they did from novel updates but here we are. the thing is i wouldn't mind paying some but these sites always get so ludicrously greedy about it
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Nov 23, 2022 17:18
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It's like how some manga are on KU so I don't feel bad buying the last 3 volumes for $8 each or whatever, but some publishers are like 'nah $12 a volume and there's also 14 of them'
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Nov 23, 2022 17:23
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Yinlock posted:the thing is i wouldn't mind paying some but these sites always get so ludicrously greedy about it I pay for no ads on RRL, even though I have an adblocker running. I also support a few of my favorite authors on Patreon. I will never pay to read on a chapter by chapter basis. Especially when you start gamifying it with poo poo like daily login rewards and daily quotas on how many chapters you can read.
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Nov 23, 2022 21:57
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Yeah this lol. Well I don't give RR money. But yeah. gently caress this chapter by chapter poo poo. I shan't be doing it, ever.
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Nov 24, 2022 00:02
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Chapter by chapter is fine when it matches the release rate of a series, ie when it makes no difference
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Nov 24, 2022 02:21
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Bumping this thread because the final chapter of Cradle is out. Due to an error with the publisher, if you pre-ordered it, you didn't automatically download it.
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Jun 10, 2023 06:15
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So I found one that goes very deep into the parody mode. First few chapters are very funny, but there is only a negligible chance of the story keeping that up. The Saint Whose Engagement Was Broken Runs a Cafeteria, Where the Beloved Demon King and Ninja Visit Today (Alternatingly) – The Odd Saint Is [Secretly] the Demon King’s Favorite https://www.novelupdates.com/series...kings-favorite/ quote:It was on our way back from the expedition to defeat the Demon Lord, which was a pastime for aristocratic sons. quote:The halo shone and spun, scattering wheat flour all around. Then I licked the flour and cast a defensive barrier on myself.
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Jun 10, 2023 11:40
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Reading the final Cradle, and one thing I like about Reigan Shen is how he's actually properly cautious/paranoid and acts in ways that make sense from his perspective, even if we as the readers might know otherwise. Like his whole concern about Eithan returning and loving him up if he kills his students - we know it's not an actual threat, but from his perspective it makes sense. He's also smart enough to realize how bullshit Lindon is and expect the very worst from the stuff he does (like early on when he think it's actually possible for all of Lindons friends to suddenly pop out as Monarchs lol). It's an interesting situation where the Monarchs are basically facing their own uphill challenge. I also generally like how this book is proceeding so far. Lindon is becoming ridiculous, but in a way that at least carries actual problems for him. Also the scene where Ziel kills the Weeping Dragon owned.
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Jun 20, 2023 05:35
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Ytlaya posted:Also the scene where Ziel kills the Weeping Dragon owned. Yeah that was good. Really liked his reaction too.
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Jun 22, 2023 03:35
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I finished the final Cradle. I liked it a lot overall. I think it was about as good as a single book finishing off the series could have been. Highlights IMO: - the aforementioned Ziel part - Malice getting killed and the specific way the story dealt with that. I really liked how Malice was a legitimately sympathetic figure, but there simply wasn't any alternative to killing her. The part where she and Mercy laugh about how evil she sounds (right before the situation was forced into a fight) was pretty sad. - Lindon and Eithan reunion was very heart-warming. IMO Eithan is the highlight of the entire series and generally a very good character. - The way the Daruman fight was resolved, with Eithan choosing to extend trust to Makiel, which in turn made Makiel do the same.
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Jun 22, 2023 04:11
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So I've got a friend who has been devouring books on Kindle Unlimited and Rainbow Road. Having just gotten a Kindle, I asked him for recommendations and he leapt to get me to download the first two Beware of Chicken books. I'm sure they're an old topic for this thread now. I'm midway through the second book, and so far it's... nice? I had never heard of Xianxia, Cultivators, or the larger Progression genres. I thought maybe the KU versions were missing some side chapters explaining things. The big issue I have is with, well, it's got about the depth of a Hallmark Christmas movie. The charm as well, in the good and the bad way. It's comfort food through and through, with challenges being something that maybe, maybe takes a few chapters to overcome. The MC thinks of a thing, and through innate powers he does it in a tenth the time an expert would take. And those innate powers include super powerful wuxia strength or the power of Canada redneck. There never seems to be any real challenges, or stakes. There's maybe the slightest hint of dark clouds on the horizon, but I can't imagine they'll end up anything more than a passing breeze for the one monk who has discovered the secret of balance. Anyway, does the series find its footing or does it remain a lovely-yet-incredibly-shallow pond? Either way, any similar vibing, more wuxia-esque, deeper ones that aren't just Numbers Going Up that you'd recommend? I'd ask my friend, but he's already super self-conscious about his reading and I don't want to discourage him. It's a heck of a sight better than doomscrolling social media.
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Jul 6, 2023 05:28
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things eventually get more complicated, he's still a big fish in a small pond, but the various side characters have their own adventures, like his giant magical cock goes wandering and gets into a bunch of sticky situations. EDIT: It appears even Russia has fallen to the isekai surge 
Tunicate fucked around with this message at 06:27 on Jul 6, 2023 |
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Jul 6, 2023 06:21
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There is eventually a good explanation for why things are working out so well for the protagonist and why nobody else is able or willing to do the same thing. Some bad stuff happens, but nothing too bad. Eventually the point of view shifts more to his buddies since he's not going to willingly leave his farm and family and they're off doing interesting things.
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Jul 6, 2023 09:21
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I mean, ultimately things are going so well because it's a deliberately comfortable, low-stakes story. That's the footing, there's no need to find it, it's there. Try Cradle instead, I dunno.
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Jul 6, 2023 09:43
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Yeah, Beware of Chicken was supposed to be something that turned Cultivation tropes on their head - if you haven't read other cultivation novels, you are going to be missing out on a lot of the nuance.
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Jul 6, 2023 14:08
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PJOmega posted:So I've got a friend who has been devouring books on Kindle Unlimited and Rainbow Road. Having just gotten a Kindle, I asked him for recommendations and he leapt to get me to download the first two Beware of Chicken books. I'm sure they're an old topic for this thread now. That's an accurate summary. The reason it is so beloved by genre fans is that most of the rest of the genre is truly terrible. Some of the most famous books in the genre are machine translated and/or feature the MC owning slaves as a positive. BoC is one of the rare good stories and so seems better in comparison. If you want to nudge your friend towards more traditional books, try recommending Cradle. Cradle is a trad-published xianxia story with a fairly traditionally "good guy" MC. Your friend will probably love it.
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Jul 6, 2023 15:51
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once the novelty of boc wears off, there's not really much else to it. the attempts at adding stakes and drama didn't work too well, imo.
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Jul 6, 2023 15:56
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