As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World 5

As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill To Rise In The World (Light Novel) #5

by Miraijin A, Touzai (artist), Jimmy (illustrator)

Ars Louvent, petty lord and former Japanese businessman, hasn't been reincarnated into the easiest of circumstances. He's not much of a strategist and certainly isn't a fighter, but he does have one trick up his a skill called Appraisal, which he uses to gather a host of capable retainers from all walks of life to aid and protect him! After successfully fending off a massive invasion of his territory, Ars has two clean up the mess left in the war's aftermath and find even more talented individuals to bring to his side! There's nobody who Ars won't consider as a potential retainer-not even former foes-but when he meets a mysterious trio with a seemingly colorful history, he might just find his most unlikely allies yet. Who could they be, and what influence will they have on Ars and his rapidly-growing county?

Genres: Light Novel, Fantasy, Fiction

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 25, 2024

Reviews

[Sandra (I don't read, I devour.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enter not Japan! And since this series is kind of being ignored by Goodreads, I will give you a synopsis. Ars, with the help of his retainers, has defended his territory. When he is looking for new talent, he comes across a group of three siblings that have problems of their own. They're also trying to find and defeat several groups that from a thieving/slaving band, to a ring of more traditional thieves in the city who have an uncanny habit of disappearing without a trace.

I like the dynamic between the siblings, I like their quirks. And of course, the protagonist is still charming. I love political intrigue kingdom builders like this. I can kind of see where this is eventually going, but I just want to see how we get there.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It's easy to talk about bringing in wealth and prosperity for everyone, but making it happen never seems to be quite that simple." (Zaht, page 262)

The soldier speaks the truth. As do many of the secondary characters peppered throughout REINCARNATED ARISTOCRAT v5. The war for control of the duchy is settled (for now), and the border rumblings with nearby adversaries are settled (for now), so what else is there for Ars Louvent to do but to buckle down and actually run his territory?

REINCARNATED ARISTOCRAT v5 is a bit of a reset for the novel series. The primary cast is firmly in place, and readers are comfortable knowing these characters will tend to their jobs quite well. But new challenges lingering on the horizon will surely require new solutions (and new people to strategize and apply those solutions). Ars takes a deep breath and takes command of the County of Canarre: he lowers taxes, increases spending on infrastructure and defense, expands his cabinet of civilian-facing officials, and hits the streets and scouts for fresh blood.

But again, in this slight reset of Ars' various experiences in this fantasy world, the coming challenges are somewhat nebulous and unclear: Will Seitz attempt another border incursion so soon? Will Ars' allies keep their confidence in the child after he succeed so quickly on such a large scale? Is Canarre growing too large too fast, and will the spike in crime and food insecurity overwhelm its officials? Will suspicions of Lord Couran Salemakhia's pettiness spill over and into the worries of those with more and more to lose? The current novel isn't for resolving these issues, but for clueing readers into the characters who might solve them.

To that end, this novel is entertaining, more only in a general sense. Readers take a backseat to Ars' ongoing investigation into building out the County of Canarre's greater roles of need. Including, for example, a chatty politician who connects with the people and deals with their issues quickly. Enter: Virge Sammado, a highly talkative fellow with "a natural-born silver tongue"; Virge's high politics and low ambition make him a perfectly malleable rando. He's comically annoying, but admittedly good-hearted.

REINCARNATED ARISTOCRAT v5 also does a bit of mixing and matching of Ars' needs. He needs to bolster the county's defenses but lacks the manpower. He needs to shut down a recent spate of kidnappings but lacks insight into the underground. He needs to improve the intelligence and leadership qualities of his military governance but lacks a breadth of meaningful opportunities to exploit.

And while many of these needs seem like a nice fit, not all of them are. Coaxing a trio of foreign-born fighters to join Ars' cabinet might sound like a good idea, but the author goes through great lengths to let readers know that some folks may have very good reasons for refusing to serve someone who may not have always earned their authority. REINCARNATED ARISTOCRAT v5 is a bridge of sorts, but readers would do well to pay attention to the nuances of governance, decision making, and peer support at the heart what drives the series' expanding cast of characters.

[Sandra (I don't read, I devour.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enter not Japan! And since this series is kind of being ignored by Goodreads, I will give you a synopsis. Ars, with the help of his retainers, has defended his territory. When he is looking for new talent, he comes across a group of three siblings that have problems of their own. They're also trying to find and defeat several groups that from a thieving/slaving band, to a ring of more traditional thieves in the city who have an uncanny habit of disappearing without a trace.

I like the dynamic between the siblings, I like their quirks. And of course, the protagonist is still charming. I love political intrigue kingdom builders like this. I can kind of see where this is eventually going, but I just want to see how we get there.