What do you think?
Rate this book
Overlord #4
オーバーロード 4 蜥蜴人の勇者たち
平和な蜥蜴人の集落に、無慈悲な死の軍勢が迫る。
種族を守るため、愛する雌と生きるため、立ち上がる蜥蜴人。
一方、アインズの「実験」のため、出撃するアンデッドの大軍。
指揮官はナザリック第五階層守護者‘凍河の支配者’コキュートス。
る弱肉強食の容赦なき世界を目撃せよ。
種族を守るため、愛する雌と生きるため、立ち上がる蜥蜴人。
一方、アインズの「実験」のため、出撃するアンデッドの大軍。
指揮官はナザリック第五階層守護者‘凍河の支配者’コキュートス。
る弱肉強食の容赦なき世界を目撃せよ。
432 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2013
244 people are currently reading
850 people want to read
About the author
Kugane Maruyama
120 books359 followersMARUYAMA Kugane
Name (in native language): 丸山くがね
Name (in native language): 丸山くがね
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
November 6, 2018
I loved this book, we switch from Nazarick’s to the heroes of the marsh and the epic quest of uniting the tribes in order to fight the common enemy that has given them a grim warning. We meet many characters inside the tribes but there’s only four that really matter, against them we get to see and remember that Nazarick is not a good oriented organization but they’re not so truly evil, save for Demi… he’s something else… that business with the sheep… damn. We find out the struggle of Ainz’s efforts for developing his family so they won’t blindly follow orders like simple NPCs, he wants them to judge and develop their own personalities and take their own decisions, we get to see much of Ainz’s salaryman past in here.
July 23, 2017
Read this review (and others) at: https://literatureislife.com/2017/07/...
The Lizardman Heroes plays out fairly differently from the previous books in the Overlord series. The premise of this story is that Ainz is sending an army to attack various lizardman villages. However, eight days prior to the attack they give the lizardmen a heads-up about this. While there are scenes here and there following Ainz’s group, most of the book is from the lizardman characters point-of-view. Having read the last three books, we as readers know these guys are just going to get slaughtered. The lizardmen, however, do not know this and that makes them interesting as characters.
For what will probably be one-shot characters, the lizardmen were incredibly well developed. The Lizardman Heroes goes into detail about how their society works, the history of their culture, the individual history of the key lizardman characters, and more. Even a love story manages to work its way in there on the eve of this massive battle. Most of the book is the central lizardman character, Zaryusu, trying to shore up his people’s defenses. This seemingly impossible task of getting everyone to work together is their only hope for survival and it is incredibly well written.
Titling the book “The Lizardman Heroes” is a very apt name. Zaryusu and the other lizardman do genuinely believe that they have a chance. They see this giant army that outnumbers them 3-to-1 incoming and know if they fight smart, they can win. This leads to some other character development as well, with Cocytus. Ainz put Cocytus in charge of the invasion as a learning opportunity for our favorite icy bug man. Ainz’s fight against Shalltear in the last book demonstrated that while the floor guardians are strong, they do not fight smart. They are so used to overwhelmingly overpowering opponents that they do not fight well tactically. Getting them to cover these weaknesses to avoid another incident like with Shalltear seems to be one of Ainz’s goals.
While Ainz’s group is not the focus in this book, we do see enough of them to get more character development. Ainz himself is shown to be furthering various goals to strengthen his power base while simultaneously starting to feel the pressure of being a ruler. Giving the characters challenges they cannot just solve with epic magic spells is very important here. If every book is just them one-siding every fight they are in, Overlord will get stale very fast. While the lizardman perspective was a different and somewhat slower approach, it was a way of keeping the series fresh. Still, getting back to focusing on Ainz’s group in the next book will be good too.
The Lizardman Heroes plays out fairly differently from the previous books in the Overlord series. The premise of this story is that Ainz is sending an army to attack various lizardman villages. However, eight days prior to the attack they give the lizardmen a heads-up about this. While there are scenes here and there following Ainz’s group, most of the book is from the lizardman characters point-of-view. Having read the last three books, we as readers know these guys are just going to get slaughtered. The lizardmen, however, do not know this and that makes them interesting as characters.
For what will probably be one-shot characters, the lizardmen were incredibly well developed. The Lizardman Heroes goes into detail about how their society works, the history of their culture, the individual history of the key lizardman characters, and more. Even a love story manages to work its way in there on the eve of this massive battle. Most of the book is the central lizardman character, Zaryusu, trying to shore up his people’s defenses. This seemingly impossible task of getting everyone to work together is their only hope for survival and it is incredibly well written.
Titling the book “The Lizardman Heroes” is a very apt name. Zaryusu and the other lizardman do genuinely believe that they have a chance. They see this giant army that outnumbers them 3-to-1 incoming and know if they fight smart, they can win. This leads to some other character development as well, with Cocytus. Ainz put Cocytus in charge of the invasion as a learning opportunity for our favorite icy bug man. Ainz’s fight against Shalltear in the last book demonstrated that while the floor guardians are strong, they do not fight smart. They are so used to overwhelmingly overpowering opponents that they do not fight well tactically. Getting them to cover these weaknesses to avoid another incident like with Shalltear seems to be one of Ainz’s goals.
While Ainz’s group is not the focus in this book, we do see enough of them to get more character development. Ainz himself is shown to be furthering various goals to strengthen his power base while simultaneously starting to feel the pressure of being a ruler. Giving the characters challenges they cannot just solve with epic magic spells is very important here. If every book is just them one-siding every fight they are in, Overlord will get stale very fast. While the lizardman perspective was a different and somewhat slower approach, it was a way of keeping the series fresh. Still, getting back to focusing on Ainz’s group in the next book will be good too.
February 28, 2018
Moving is hard. We’ve all done it and we’ve all hated it. It’s stressful, it takes up all of your free time, and all of your books get stuck in boxes. Including the brand new, released-two-days-before-moving-day copy of one of your favorite fantasy light novels. But the boxes are finally empty and Overlord, Vol 4 has been read! Overlord, Vol 4: The Lizardmen Heroes by Kugane Maruyama is a high fantasy adventure following characters who, in another story, would probably be bad guys.
If you’ve watched the anime and, like my husband, don’t like reading about the events you’ve already seen, start the light novel series here. This is the first whole novel with events not seen in the anime. In this volume we see Nazarik go up against the Lizardmen, a society of lizard-people that live in a nearby swamp. Nazarik is low on support, general supplies, and test subjects and some not-quite humanoids will fit the bill just fine.
This installment in the Overlord series is different than previous titles in several waves. The most obvious is, perhaps, our main character. The story opens with Ainz returning from the events of book three to check in with the inhabitants of Nazarik, dole out new orders, and leave again. His role as an adventurer gathering information and making a name for himself never ends, and he is trusting Cocytus and the other denizens of Nazarik to fulfill his plans.
Ainz is missing from large portions of the book, off doing other probably interesting but not as narratively important things. While I did miss seeing events from his point of view for the majority of the book, I did find myself greatly enjoying seeing events through the eyes of the floor guardians and others. They are characters often seen, sometimes through their own eyes, but very often in down time. Think of the short intermission sections. These sometimes convey important points, if only personality wise, but they are most often short, concise, and humorous.
We also see a lot more of the day to day workings of Nazarik. Previous volumes mentioned the trials and tribulations of finding themselves in a different book, but this is the first volume where those repercussions were so blatant. Nazarik is short on certain supplies, the materials being unattainable one way or another in their current world. Corners are being cut, alternative methods and materials explored, and, though the lizardmen have done nothing to Nazarik, it is easy to understand why Ainz needs them.
Several new characters are introduced within this book, namely the lizardmen heroes spoken of in the title. When not following the perspective of Cocytus or other Nazarik inhabitants we follow Zaryusu and several other lizardmen who are preparing for an attack by unknown foes. The lizardmen had their own culture, their own history, and their own personalities. For only being introduced in this book and not having every chapter follow their point of view exclusively they were extremely fleshed out.
I really enjoyed the lizardmen and their culture, or sometimes lack of culture. I liked that, while they could speak, they weren’t very human-like or had a human-like culture at all.
It is easy to see the lizardmen as the heroes of the tale despite all the time we’ve spent with Ainz and his subjects. They are heroes, explorers, leaders, and are under threat of attack. Nazarick is filled with vampires, demons, and all manner of creatures and people normally found under the ‘bad guy’ umbrella, and their intentions aren’t always pure or for the greater good. They are in it for them.
Yet, as the story unfolds and we learn more of the lizardmen’s culture and history it becomes apparent that these creatures aren’t necessarily the wholesome obvious ‘good guys’ that we, or at least I, at first saw them as. This is a civilization that’s seen recent war. Recent civil war at that. While they don’t want to be wiped out or subjugated by unknown enemies, the lizardmen don’t necessarily mind another war either. These aren’t just cute lizardpeople trying vainly to defeat an enemy that the reader knows they probably don’t stand much of a chance against. These are creatures that are complicated and don’t fall into the black and white good and evil scheme seen in so many books. There’s a little bit of gray in there, and that makes them only feel all the more real.
When Ainz does come back into the story we see an aspect of him not really seen since the first volume. The stress of running Nazarick, of being a good leader, of doing the correct thing in regards to leading his people, is beginning to get to Ainz. His normally suppressed human tendencies and feelings are much more readily seen here. The immense pressure of running a small kingdom is getting to him.
I can’t help but feel that this book sets up for future events in some ways. There are still questions as to how human, for lack of a better term, the inhabitants of Nazarick really are. Where does their original NPC programming end? It’s a complicated issue, and one which, perhaps, we’ll see more of eventually.
I definitely enjoyed this book. There was a lot of character development as far as Nazarik citizens were concerned. The internal struggle of Ainz was brought more to the forefront than it has been in several books. And the newly introduced characters were interesting and quite likable.
However, having Ainz left out of much of the novel made the book a bit difficult to really get into. In some ways it was like starting out from square one. This is, no doubt, simply because we are following a brand new character and are introduced to a completely new place and society. If this proves problematic for you, stick with it. The book is definitely an installment worth reading. The pacing, while a bit on the slow side in the beginning, ramps up quite a bit as the book moves along, ending in a series of exciting battles. So stick with it, take your time if you need breaks between learning about a handful of new characters and a new civilization.
Definitely pick up Overlord, Vol. 4: The Lizardmen Heroes by Kugane Maruyama. This is an excellent installment in one of my favorite ongoing series. It shows events in multiple viewpoints, some of which aren’t often explored. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series, which should be released in September (as far as I remember). If you like high fantasy, or are a fan of the anime, absolutely read this book. If you don’t like multiple points of view this may be a book to skip.
This review originally found on Looking Glass Reads.
If you’ve watched the anime and, like my husband, don’t like reading about the events you’ve already seen, start the light novel series here. This is the first whole novel with events not seen in the anime. In this volume we see Nazarik go up against the Lizardmen, a society of lizard-people that live in a nearby swamp. Nazarik is low on support, general supplies, and test subjects and some not-quite humanoids will fit the bill just fine.
This installment in the Overlord series is different than previous titles in several waves. The most obvious is, perhaps, our main character. The story opens with Ainz returning from the events of book three to check in with the inhabitants of Nazarik, dole out new orders, and leave again. His role as an adventurer gathering information and making a name for himself never ends, and he is trusting Cocytus and the other denizens of Nazarik to fulfill his plans.
Ainz is missing from large portions of the book, off doing other probably interesting but not as narratively important things. While I did miss seeing events from his point of view for the majority of the book, I did find myself greatly enjoying seeing events through the eyes of the floor guardians and others. They are characters often seen, sometimes through their own eyes, but very often in down time. Think of the short intermission sections. These sometimes convey important points, if only personality wise, but they are most often short, concise, and humorous.
We also see a lot more of the day to day workings of Nazarik. Previous volumes mentioned the trials and tribulations of finding themselves in a different book, but this is the first volume where those repercussions were so blatant. Nazarik is short on certain supplies, the materials being unattainable one way or another in their current world. Corners are being cut, alternative methods and materials explored, and, though the lizardmen have done nothing to Nazarik, it is easy to understand why Ainz needs them.
Several new characters are introduced within this book, namely the lizardmen heroes spoken of in the title. When not following the perspective of Cocytus or other Nazarik inhabitants we follow Zaryusu and several other lizardmen who are preparing for an attack by unknown foes. The lizardmen had their own culture, their own history, and their own personalities. For only being introduced in this book and not having every chapter follow their point of view exclusively they were extremely fleshed out.
I really enjoyed the lizardmen and their culture, or sometimes lack of culture. I liked that, while they could speak, they weren’t very human-like or had a human-like culture at all.
It is easy to see the lizardmen as the heroes of the tale despite all the time we’ve spent with Ainz and his subjects. They are heroes, explorers, leaders, and are under threat of attack. Nazarick is filled with vampires, demons, and all manner of creatures and people normally found under the ‘bad guy’ umbrella, and their intentions aren’t always pure or for the greater good. They are in it for them.
Yet, as the story unfolds and we learn more of the lizardmen’s culture and history it becomes apparent that these creatures aren’t necessarily the wholesome obvious ‘good guys’ that we, or at least I, at first saw them as. This is a civilization that’s seen recent war. Recent civil war at that. While they don’t want to be wiped out or subjugated by unknown enemies, the lizardmen don’t necessarily mind another war either. These aren’t just cute lizardpeople trying vainly to defeat an enemy that the reader knows they probably don’t stand much of a chance against. These are creatures that are complicated and don’t fall into the black and white good and evil scheme seen in so many books. There’s a little bit of gray in there, and that makes them only feel all the more real.
When Ainz does come back into the story we see an aspect of him not really seen since the first volume. The stress of running Nazarick, of being a good leader, of doing the correct thing in regards to leading his people, is beginning to get to Ainz. His normally suppressed human tendencies and feelings are much more readily seen here. The immense pressure of running a small kingdom is getting to him.
I can’t help but feel that this book sets up for future events in some ways. There are still questions as to how human, for lack of a better term, the inhabitants of Nazarick really are. Where does their original NPC programming end? It’s a complicated issue, and one which, perhaps, we’ll see more of eventually.
I definitely enjoyed this book. There was a lot of character development as far as Nazarik citizens were concerned. The internal struggle of Ainz was brought more to the forefront than it has been in several books. And the newly introduced characters were interesting and quite likable.
However, having Ainz left out of much of the novel made the book a bit difficult to really get into. In some ways it was like starting out from square one. This is, no doubt, simply because we are following a brand new character and are introduced to a completely new place and society. If this proves problematic for you, stick with it. The book is definitely an installment worth reading. The pacing, while a bit on the slow side in the beginning, ramps up quite a bit as the book moves along, ending in a series of exciting battles. So stick with it, take your time if you need breaks between learning about a handful of new characters and a new civilization.
Definitely pick up Overlord, Vol. 4: The Lizardmen Heroes by Kugane Maruyama. This is an excellent installment in one of my favorite ongoing series. It shows events in multiple viewpoints, some of which aren’t often explored. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series, which should be released in September (as far as I remember). If you like high fantasy, or are a fan of the anime, absolutely read this book. If you don’t like multiple points of view this may be a book to skip.
This review originally found on Looking Glass Reads.
October 20, 2020
Nice world building.
June 12, 2024
Slow beginning, hated the lizardmen in the beginning but they actually grew on me after HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF THE FCKERS but anywas. The end was phenominal and I cant WAIT to read the next book. :^)
December 27, 2020
Interesting and disappointing at the same time.
The largest problem in this volume is that it has a very small, limited scope, and the titular Overlord is almost entirely absent from the story. So, while it is okay, it's a different fit from the rest of the series, notably by comparison with the previous volume.
The largest problem in this volume is that it has a very small, limited scope, and the titular Overlord is almost entirely absent from the story. So, while it is okay, it's a different fit from the rest of the series, notably by comparison with the previous volume.
June 15, 2025
This volume took a sharp turn in a new direction — and honestly? I really enjoyed it.
Most of the story is told from the perspective of the lizardmen, especially a new character named Zaryusu Shasha, and I found myself growing surprisingly attached to him. His relationship with his brother was wholesome, and I loved learning about the different lizardman tribes and their customs. It gave the world a totally different texture.
At first, I thought the lizardman POV might get repetitive, but it didn't — it added real emotional weight to their situation. The fear they feel when Ainz threatens them, especially when the warning arrives via a powerful weather spell, really sells how terrifying and godlike he is from their perspective.
We also meet several new and fun characters from Nazarick:
A penguin butler named Éclair (yes, really)
A charming myconid sous-chef who hates Shalltear
And glimpses into Floor 9, filled with lounges, bars, and all sorts of luxury.
I laughed out loud when Zaryusu met Crusch Lulu, the albino female druid from the Red Eye tribe — and instantly decided he wanted to marry her. Their romance was unexpectedly adorable. But Red Eye’s backstory? Brutal. They had to resort to cannibalism to survive. That was chilling.
We also meet Zenbel Gugu, the leader of the Dragon Tusk tribe — a monk-class beast of a lizardman. His duel with Zaryusu was fantastic, especially because Zaryusu won through clever strategy and the powers of his weapon, Frost Pain.
The alliance of the lizardmen tribes felt earned and exciting, and the intermission with the mysterious girl No Death-No Life and the awakened demigod from the Slane Theocracy added a cool layer of tension for what's to come.
One of the biggest emotional moments for me was Rororo. That sweet hydra deserves the world. His backstory genuinely made me emotional, and during the battle he was the real MVP. If he had died, I would’ve cried.
The big fight with Cocytus’s army was excellent. I loved that Cocytus was given restrictions and was basically set up to fail and that he knows it. The final battle with the elder lich was intense, and getting the POVs of all three lizardmen leaders made it even better. They only barely won — and mostly by luck.
Afterward, Ainz shows up in person, and his overwhelming power just melts the atmosphere. When he freezes the lake which was something that never had happened in their history — the lizardmen completely broke. He radiates pure death in their eyes.
Also: Shalltear getting way too excited about being used as Ainz’s chair? Hilarious. And Ainz scrambling to keep up with Albedo and Demiurge’s theories and playing it off like it was all part of his plan? Always a great bit.
The final scene with Crusch Lulu and Ainz felt like a deal with the devil moment, and the writing in that scene was top-tier. You can feel the unease.
Seeing most of the book from the lizardmen POV and then shifting back to Ainz in the final chapters was super effective. It recontextualized everything and reminded us how small the lizardmen really are in the grand scheme.
This volume is definitely a slower burn, but it’s so full of worldbuilding, character moments, and clever shifts in perspective that it never felt dull. I'm hyped to see Sebas take the spotlight next.
Most of the story is told from the perspective of the lizardmen, especially a new character named Zaryusu Shasha, and I found myself growing surprisingly attached to him. His relationship with his brother was wholesome, and I loved learning about the different lizardman tribes and their customs. It gave the world a totally different texture.
At first, I thought the lizardman POV might get repetitive, but it didn't — it added real emotional weight to their situation. The fear they feel when Ainz threatens them, especially when the warning arrives via a powerful weather spell, really sells how terrifying and godlike he is from their perspective.
We also meet several new and fun characters from Nazarick:
A penguin butler named Éclair (yes, really)
A charming myconid sous-chef who hates Shalltear
And glimpses into Floor 9, filled with lounges, bars, and all sorts of luxury.
I laughed out loud when Zaryusu met Crusch Lulu, the albino female druid from the Red Eye tribe — and instantly decided he wanted to marry her. Their romance was unexpectedly adorable. But Red Eye’s backstory? Brutal. They had to resort to cannibalism to survive. That was chilling.
We also meet Zenbel Gugu, the leader of the Dragon Tusk tribe — a monk-class beast of a lizardman. His duel with Zaryusu was fantastic, especially because Zaryusu won through clever strategy and the powers of his weapon, Frost Pain.
The alliance of the lizardmen tribes felt earned and exciting, and the intermission with the mysterious girl No Death-No Life and the awakened demigod from the Slane Theocracy added a cool layer of tension for what's to come.
One of the biggest emotional moments for me was Rororo. That sweet hydra deserves the world. His backstory genuinely made me emotional, and during the battle he was the real MVP. If he had died, I would’ve cried.
The big fight with Cocytus’s army was excellent. I loved that Cocytus was given restrictions and was basically set up to fail and that he knows it. The final battle with the elder lich was intense, and getting the POVs of all three lizardmen leaders made it even better. They only barely won — and mostly by luck.
Afterward, Ainz shows up in person, and his overwhelming power just melts the atmosphere. When he freezes the lake which was something that never had happened in their history — the lizardmen completely broke. He radiates pure death in their eyes.
Also: Shalltear getting way too excited about being used as Ainz’s chair? Hilarious. And Ainz scrambling to keep up with Albedo and Demiurge’s theories and playing it off like it was all part of his plan? Always a great bit.
The final scene with Crusch Lulu and Ainz felt like a deal with the devil moment, and the writing in that scene was top-tier. You can feel the unease.
Seeing most of the book from the lizardmen POV and then shifting back to Ainz in the final chapters was super effective. It recontextualized everything and reminded us how small the lizardmen really are in the grand scheme.
This volume is definitely a slower burn, but it’s so full of worldbuilding, character moments, and clever shifts in perspective that it never felt dull. I'm hyped to see Sebas take the spotlight next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2020
I will admit, I was a bit wary about reading this novel because I really found this part of the anime to be boring. And to be honest, this book felt really out of place in the series. Even the author admits it in his afterword. That said, it was a lot different from what one would expect in a light novel, and in that case is still interesting in this case.
The protagonist's further shift to being 'in character' really stands out in this volume. Even when he is trying to be kind to the lizardmen, he is using terror and cruelty. It is interesting to see how people outside the tomb view his actions on the world and just how terrible it can be. It is a great insight and will be a good stepping stone for his continual shift into his character's persona as time goes on. It also continued to highlight just how overpowered everyone is and how that stacks up to others in the world they find themselves.
But in the end, this book is just okay. It felt a lot like the author got bored with the story he was telling and wanted to try something else out without losing the Overlord series in itself. There are also elements that were raised that from a quick google search, never get resolved. (like the fact they are using humans to make parchment using essentially perpetual torture.) I hope the next novel is better, and more interesting, when compared to this one. The sheer scope of the characters involved in this series is quite amazing, and there are a lot of things that can be done with them, so I am curious as to how everything plays out.
I guess we'll see...
The protagonist's further shift to being 'in character' really stands out in this volume. Even when he is trying to be kind to the lizardmen, he is using terror and cruelty. It is interesting to see how people outside the tomb view his actions on the world and just how terrible it can be. It is a great insight and will be a good stepping stone for his continual shift into his character's persona as time goes on. It also continued to highlight just how overpowered everyone is and how that stacks up to others in the world they find themselves.
But in the end, this book is just okay. It felt a lot like the author got bored with the story he was telling and wanted to try something else out without losing the Overlord series in itself. There are also elements that were raised that from a quick google search, never get resolved. (like the fact they are using humans to make parchment using essentially perpetual torture.) I hope the next novel is better, and more interesting, when compared to this one. The sheer scope of the characters involved in this series is quite amazing, and there are a lot of things that can be done with them, so I am curious as to how everything plays out.
I guess we'll see...
August 30, 2020
In my somewhat contrarian opinion, Volume 4 is one of the greatest Overlord volumes. For the first time, the characters who we followed as protagonists for the past few volumes start out as distant and ominous antagonists. We follow and get invested in the lives of a few tribes of lizardmen, and feel genuinely sad when many of them are killed by the "main" characters. If volumes 1 and 2 of Overlord kept up a feeling of stakes and suspense despite the main character already starting at the height of their powers through deceptive narration and gradual escalation, volume 4 achieves this by shifting the focus of the narration to more fragile subjects. Aside from this, Maruyama demonstrates his ability to juggle a large ensemble cast well in Volume 4, and does not skimp on the magnificent revelations of Nazarick's power.
July 19, 2017
I review Light Novels on YouTube
Click on the link to view my Review of Overlord Volume 4
Click on the link to view my Review of Overlord Volume 4
March 10, 2023
The day begins much like any other for the lizardmen. Until the ominous black cloud appears out of nowhere with a warning – The Great One is coming in eight days, with a great army, and you will be destroyed. Naturally, the members of the lizardman tribe are alarmed. Who wouldn’t be? Zaryusu is a member of the village, a traveler who happens to be in the village when the message arrives. He goes to see his brother Shasuryu, who is head of the village. A meeting is called to decide what to do. According to the messenger, they will be the second lizardman village to be destroyed. So there must be others who have survived. What to do?
After much discussion, they decide that Zaryusu will travel to the other villages and attempt to arrange an alliance with them. Surely, they will be stronger together than separately against this unknown menace. The first village he visits is the Red Eye village, where he seeks an audience with their leader, who turns out to be an albino female lizardman named Crusch Lulu… and Zaryusu finds himself instantly attracted to her. She seems amenable to his suggestions and determines that she will go with him to talk to the other villages. In the Dragon Tusk village, he encounters a big guy named Zembel, who challenges him to a fight.
But when the time comes for the promised army to return, the sheer numbers alone are daunting, and it will take everything the lizardmen have to defeat this unknown enemy… who is actually none other than Ainz Ooal Gown and his followers from the Tomb of Nazarick.
This volume of Overlord is a definite departure from the first three in that we are introduced to and get to know the intended targets, the lizardmen. And that makes a great deal of difference. I have supported and applauded Ainz in everything he did previously, but here I found myself hoping he didn’t really mean to attack them, and that he certainly wouldn’t hurt them, as I came to know and like these lizardmen. I know that Ainz’s guild was known as PK, which means they would fight other players. I tend to avoid those fights myself, whether in D2 or WoW. But until now, I’ve never really thought about what that means in these books, and I have to admit to finding myself a little disturbed at the attitude that is taken toward these lizardmen who have done nothing to warrant being attacked simply as a matter of subjugation. I hope Ainz reconsiders his strategy and chooses a path of peace and prosperity rather than war. I understand he doesn’t know exactly who or what he is up against. And I have to wonder if there are other actual players out there doing the same thing he is. Definitely opens up some moral issues, which I expect will be addressed in future volumes.
I have been getting each volume from the library until now, but I love these books so much that I have decided to purchase them. I already have volume 5 and look forward to reading it.
After much discussion, they decide that Zaryusu will travel to the other villages and attempt to arrange an alliance with them. Surely, they will be stronger together than separately against this unknown menace. The first village he visits is the Red Eye village, where he seeks an audience with their leader, who turns out to be an albino female lizardman named Crusch Lulu… and Zaryusu finds himself instantly attracted to her. She seems amenable to his suggestions and determines that she will go with him to talk to the other villages. In the Dragon Tusk village, he encounters a big guy named Zembel, who challenges him to a fight.
But when the time comes for the promised army to return, the sheer numbers alone are daunting, and it will take everything the lizardmen have to defeat this unknown enemy… who is actually none other than Ainz Ooal Gown and his followers from the Tomb of Nazarick.
This volume of Overlord is a definite departure from the first three in that we are introduced to and get to know the intended targets, the lizardmen. And that makes a great deal of difference. I have supported and applauded Ainz in everything he did previously, but here I found myself hoping he didn’t really mean to attack them, and that he certainly wouldn’t hurt them, as I came to know and like these lizardmen. I know that Ainz’s guild was known as PK, which means they would fight other players. I tend to avoid those fights myself, whether in D2 or WoW. But until now, I’ve never really thought about what that means in these books, and I have to admit to finding myself a little disturbed at the attitude that is taken toward these lizardmen who have done nothing to warrant being attacked simply as a matter of subjugation. I hope Ainz reconsiders his strategy and chooses a path of peace and prosperity rather than war. I understand he doesn’t know exactly who or what he is up against. And I have to wonder if there are other actual players out there doing the same thing he is. Definitely opens up some moral issues, which I expect will be addressed in future volumes.
I have been getting each volume from the library until now, but I love these books so much that I have decided to purchase them. I already have volume 5 and look forward to reading it.
May 31, 2017
The lizardmen tribes thought little of the outside world, until the day an unwelcome visitor appeared with a message: in eight days, their villages will be destroyed. With the threat of annihilation upon them, a lizardman traveler named Zaryusu sets out on a desperate mission to unite the tribes. But can their efforts save them from the armies of Ainz Ooal Gown?
The series shifts gears in this book, telling most of its story from the point of view of the lizardmen Ainz intends to conquer. Having gotten a good taste of Ainz's power in the last three books, there's little doubt how this will eventually go . . . which is why it's fascinating that most of the story humanizes so well those Ainz sees as little more than statistics.
I love the details about their culture and society, about the five tribes and their last war, about the day to day worries about food shortages and the new inventions that might disrupt their former way of life. Zaryusu's solitary existence hasn't bothered him until he meets Crusch, the head of another tribe. So there's a bit of romance in play too as the two of them fumble around getting to know each other in the shadow of certain death.
There's also some scenes carrying forward previous plot threads, like Shalltear's reaction to having been under mind-control. Ainz is also still interested in running experiments, and those range from completely understandable (wanting to see what the ACTUAL area-of-effect is on some of his larger spells so he can more effectively use them) to the more villainous (wanting to wipe out the lizardmen for trivial causes).
It's interesting that Ainz has trouble reacting to anyone not in Nazarick as beings with their own lives, hopes, and dreams, which is something this plot highlights extremely well. He mentioned in Carne village about how humans seem to him like ants, or perhaps like a pet once he's talked with them for a bit. Whether it's an effect of being undead, or his humanity being overstressed by not actually getting to sleep, or him thinking too much in game terms isn't clear.
Actually, I really liked the detail about sleeplessness basically driving him insane. His body may not need it anymore, but his mind desperately wants a break from all the stress. And sure, he's very likely overreacting (again), but the problem has always been a lack of intelligence about the world around him. He is PROBABLY overreacting, but he can't be sure, and if he's wrong he'll lose everything left that he cares about.
And at the end of the day, things not going as he expected might be best for everyone involved.
I do hope Ainz and the rest can grow in this new world. I'd love to see Ainz picking up new magic (although making time to study would be a problem), or Cocytus figuring out how to become an able commander as well as an excellent warrior, and so on. Either way, it's going to be a long and impatient wait for me until the next book arrives. I rate this book Highly Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
The series shifts gears in this book, telling most of its story from the point of view of the lizardmen Ainz intends to conquer. Having gotten a good taste of Ainz's power in the last three books, there's little doubt how this will eventually go . . . which is why it's fascinating that most of the story humanizes so well those Ainz sees as little more than statistics.
I love the details about their culture and society, about the five tribes and their last war, about the day to day worries about food shortages and the new inventions that might disrupt their former way of life. Zaryusu's solitary existence hasn't bothered him until he meets Crusch, the head of another tribe. So there's a bit of romance in play too as the two of them fumble around getting to know each other in the shadow of certain death.
There's also some scenes carrying forward previous plot threads, like Shalltear's reaction to having been under mind-control. Ainz is also still interested in running experiments, and those range from completely understandable (wanting to see what the ACTUAL area-of-effect is on some of his larger spells so he can more effectively use them) to the more villainous (wanting to wipe out the lizardmen for trivial causes).
It's interesting that Ainz has trouble reacting to anyone not in Nazarick as beings with their own lives, hopes, and dreams, which is something this plot highlights extremely well. He mentioned in Carne village about how humans seem to him like ants, or perhaps like a pet once he's talked with them for a bit. Whether it's an effect of being undead, or his humanity being overstressed by not actually getting to sleep, or him thinking too much in game terms isn't clear.
Actually, I really liked the detail about sleeplessness basically driving him insane. His body may not need it anymore, but his mind desperately wants a break from all the stress. And sure, he's very likely overreacting (again), but the problem has always been a lack of intelligence about the world around him. He is PROBABLY overreacting, but he can't be sure, and if he's wrong he'll lose everything left that he cares about.
And at the end of the day, things not going as he expected might be best for everyone involved.
I do hope Ainz and the rest can grow in this new world. I'd love to see Ainz picking up new magic (although making time to study would be a problem), or Cocytus figuring out how to become an able commander as well as an excellent warrior, and so on. Either way, it's going to be a long and impatient wait for me until the next book arrives. I rate this book Highly Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
August 17, 2017
Forgettable and honestly a chore to read. The English translation for this entire series has been forced and verging on the unnatural, but volume 4 has outdone them all. I assume that this is partly due to the quality of the source material but I'd assign most of the blame to the translator. This is translation by the numbers with sentences seemingly translated word for word with very little effort put into making the prose feel natural. While it appears to be accurate, it reads like a machine translation at times.
Sadly, the bigger let-down is the storyline: it just isn't interesting. The large and established main cast from the previous entries in the series is barely present, forced to make way for half a dozen two-dimensional lizardfolk that we simply do not care about. The unbalanced power level of the main cast in this new world is this series' main selling point and that means that we simply do not really care about a bunch of new characters whose sole purpose is to be toyed with before being destroyed. The romantic subplot between two of those new characters is downright juvenile. In the end, nothing of real importance happens in this one. The entire Lizardmen affair could have been covered in a single chapter. The battle against them is explained as an experiment by the main character. The parallel with the author's experiment with writing an invasion story where the protagonist is the evil one disturbing a peaceful race is obvious, and made explicit in the author's afterword.
The few chapters devoted to Life at the Evil Base show promise but are overwrought and overwritten. Ultimately, this is an experiment that should have been left on the web.
Sadly, the bigger let-down is the storyline: it just isn't interesting. The large and established main cast from the previous entries in the series is barely present, forced to make way for half a dozen two-dimensional lizardfolk that we simply do not care about. The unbalanced power level of the main cast in this new world is this series' main selling point and that means that we simply do not really care about a bunch of new characters whose sole purpose is to be toyed with before being destroyed. The romantic subplot between two of those new characters is downright juvenile. In the end, nothing of real importance happens in this one. The entire Lizardmen affair could have been covered in a single chapter. The battle against them is explained as an experiment by the main character. The parallel with the author's experiment with writing an invasion story where the protagonist is the evil one disturbing a peaceful race is obvious, and made explicit in the author's afterword.
The few chapters devoted to Life at the Evil Base show promise but are overwrought and overwritten. Ultimately, this is an experiment that should have been left on the web.
June 23, 2023
This one is easily my favorite Overlord volume yet!
I loved the approach of having most of the story told from a different perspective than the protagonist for the majority of the volume. When the story did return to Ainz, it made his voice and personality stand out more, which was really interesting to me.
I also just really loved the cultural exploration of the lizardmen. I didn't remember them being all that complex in the anime, but their culture was actually incredibly interesting in the novel. I loved reading about all the different types of tribes and the history between them, it makes me kind of sad that they're petty much going to be absent from the series this point forward.
My only real complaints about this book are my usual complaints about the way women are written here and there, and a few lines that just kind of irked me. There was this one thing Maruyama kept saying at least a few times in this book: "He/she had a chill, but not because of the cold, but because they were scared!" And every time I read that line, I was instantly taken out of the book. I wouldn't be so bothered by it if it only showed up once, but I saw that line about three times, which is way too much for a corny line like that.
Overall though, despite my issues with some of the writing, I still enjoyed this one quite a lot. It's easily my favorite in the series so far, but I'm hopeful that future entries will be able to top it.
I loved the approach of having most of the story told from a different perspective than the protagonist for the majority of the volume. When the story did return to Ainz, it made his voice and personality stand out more, which was really interesting to me.
I also just really loved the cultural exploration of the lizardmen. I didn't remember them being all that complex in the anime, but their culture was actually incredibly interesting in the novel. I loved reading about all the different types of tribes and the history between them, it makes me kind of sad that they're petty much going to be absent from the series this point forward.
My only real complaints about this book are my usual complaints about the way women are written here and there, and a few lines that just kind of irked me. There was this one thing Maruyama kept saying at least a few times in this book: "He/she had a chill, but not because of the cold, but because they were scared!" And every time I read that line, I was instantly taken out of the book. I wouldn't be so bothered by it if it only showed up once, but I saw that line about three times, which is way too much for a corny line like that.
Overall though, despite my issues with some of the writing, I still enjoyed this one quite a lot. It's easily my favorite in the series so far, but I'm hopeful that future entries will be able to top it.
October 9, 2020
Contrary to what others have posted, this was my favorite Overlord novel so far.
In novel #4, we get to experience the world from the eyes of a completely different caste of characters. We get to learn of the issues they face, their strengths, and their weaknesses. I enjoyed the new "main" characters, even if the rest of the characters were shallow and/or temporary. This novel allows us to see Nzarick through the eyes of an outsider. Instead of Nzarick being the "home team," we're now rooting for their enemies.
I do agree with other reviewers that the "romance" between two of the main characters was juvenile. The story would have been better off and more appreciated without it, or with it toned down at least. It could also have been better explained via exposition.
However, I disagree with other reviewers that the lizardmen themselves were pointless. The ending of the novel results in a major change to the Nzarick organization. While it is seemingly not important in this novel, it is the direct result of this story, and I believe it will play a major role in a future novel.
In novel #4, we get to experience the world from the eyes of a completely different caste of characters. We get to learn of the issues they face, their strengths, and their weaknesses. I enjoyed the new "main" characters, even if the rest of the characters were shallow and/or temporary. This novel allows us to see Nzarick through the eyes of an outsider. Instead of Nzarick being the "home team," we're now rooting for their enemies.
I do agree with other reviewers that the "romance" between two of the main characters was juvenile. The story would have been better off and more appreciated without it, or with it toned down at least. It could also have been better explained via exposition.
However, I disagree with other reviewers that the lizardmen themselves were pointless. The ending of the novel results in a major change to the Nzarick organization. While it is seemingly not important in this novel, it is the direct result of this story, and I believe it will play a major role in a future novel.
August 29, 2025
Este volumen es una joya narrativa porque invierte el espejo y nos obliga a mirar el rostro de los monstruos que hemos llegado a admirar. Por primera vez, Nazarick no es el protagonista, sino una calamidad que avanza como una plaga de sombras sobre la tierra, un poder implacable ante el cual toda resistencia parece fútil.
La gran ironía es que, tras acompañar a Ainz y sus guardianes en sus conquistas, ahora nos encontramos en la otra orilla, viendo su "grandeza" a través de los ojos de sus víctimas. Su juego de estrategia es, para los hombres lagarto, una lucha desesperada por la supervivencia. Es aquí donde la historia brilla, mostrándonos la perfecta antítesis: la fuerza abrumadora y casi divina de Nazarick contra la frágil pero feroz unidad de un pueblo que se niega a desaparecer.
Ver a las tribus de hombres lagarto unirse contra un enemigo común, alzando sus lanzas contra un dios oscuro, fue un espectáculo de coraje admirable. Su resistencia es como una solitaria fogata en medio de un invierno infinito: pequeña, desafiante y condenada, pero hermosa en su desafío. Este tomo no trata sobre la victoria, sino sobre la nobleza de la lucha contra lo imposible.
La gran ironía es que, tras acompañar a Ainz y sus guardianes en sus conquistas, ahora nos encontramos en la otra orilla, viendo su "grandeza" a través de los ojos de sus víctimas. Su juego de estrategia es, para los hombres lagarto, una lucha desesperada por la supervivencia. Es aquí donde la historia brilla, mostrándonos la perfecta antítesis: la fuerza abrumadora y casi divina de Nazarick contra la frágil pero feroz unidad de un pueblo que se niega a desaparecer.
Ver a las tribus de hombres lagarto unirse contra un enemigo común, alzando sus lanzas contra un dios oscuro, fue un espectáculo de coraje admirable. Su resistencia es como una solitaria fogata en medio de un invierno infinito: pequeña, desafiante y condenada, pero hermosa en su desafío. Este tomo no trata sobre la victoria, sino sobre la nobleza de la lucha contra lo imposible.
February 22, 2019
3.75 stars. If I read only the beginning half I would have given this a 3 stars, but the latter half brought it back for me. The story this time focused more on new characters as they struggle to fight against an unstoppable enemy(our protagonist). I think seeing the war from the side of the invader's side is extremely interesting, especially when taken into account that the author took an entire book to only focus on this one aspect of the world.
He's really dedicated to flushing out nearly all the nitty-gritty details about the world he's building and that's exactly why I love this series. Our protagonists are becoming conquerors of entire species and even though I'm rooting for a group that would do anything and everything as long as it's for the good of their guild, it is for that reason that it is entertaining to read as our protagonist goes through different issues in order to reach their goals. Even if they need to torture, extort, and kill people to revive them just in order to kill them again.
He's really dedicated to flushing out nearly all the nitty-gritty details about the world he's building and that's exactly why I love this series. Our protagonists are becoming conquerors of entire species and even though I'm rooting for a group that would do anything and everything as long as it's for the good of their guild, it is for that reason that it is entertaining to read as our protagonist goes through different issues in order to reach their goals. Even if they need to torture, extort, and kill people to revive them just in order to kill them again.
May 16, 2024
One of my favorite volumes for sure. The Lizardmen were a fun and interesting group to learn about. They have their own struggles living in the marsh. The Lizardmen were very well developed! Enchanted items finding their way into the hands of the Lizardmen and them treating them like treasures helped the world building quite a bit to me! It was very thrilling to see Zaryusu going from tribe to tribe working his way up the social ladder and rallying everyone together! Zaryusu's weapon Frost Pain is such a badass weapon, really stuck out to me. The final push against Iguva=41 was very intense! Rororo falling, Crush Lulu healing last second, and Zaryusu unleashing his final Icy Burst to conceal himself for the final blow made the whole experience unforgettable. Cocytus taking a liking to the Lizardmen for their tenacity and commending them for it made it even more heartbreaking watching him cut them down one after another. For being a relatively minor section of the story, the Lizardmen Heroes was very well rounded, and had a great conclusion!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2019
Summary
Basically this book is about a guy who gets transfered into a frictional world or a game where he is overpowered and has ~42 overpowered followers who thinks he (Momanga or something like that later he becomes Ainz) is the greatest and the best. One of my best Frictional novels I have ever read.
It joins togather comedy with the seriousness and also answers about the reality of socitey. It's fun when his followers overpraise him about something he dosen't Know.
For example one of his Smartest follower Demurgus thinks Momanga is smarter than him their conversetion goes like.
Momanga: So everything is fine right?
Demurgus: Oh how smart of you My lordyou found something was wrong So fast? You are talking about that right?
Momanga: Yes that?
Demurgus: That is amazing?
Momanga: Oh, Can you solve That?
Demurgus: Of course that is not a probelm.
Momanga (on his heart): "But i dont know what that is?"
Basically this book is about a guy who gets transfered into a frictional world or a game where he is overpowered and has ~42 overpowered followers who thinks he (Momanga or something like that later he becomes Ainz) is the greatest and the best. One of my best Frictional novels I have ever read.
It joins togather comedy with the seriousness and also answers about the reality of socitey. It's fun when his followers overpraise him about something he dosen't Know.
For example one of his Smartest follower Demurgus thinks Momanga is smarter than him their conversetion goes like.
Momanga: So everything is fine right?
Demurgus: Oh how smart of you My lordyou found something was wrong So fast? You are talking about that right?
Momanga: Yes that?
Demurgus: That is amazing?
Momanga: Oh, Can you solve That?
Demurgus: Of course that is not a probelm.
Momanga (on his heart): "But i dont know what that is?"
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2021
A bit different than the other books in the series. This one takes the perspective of one who must go up against the might of the overflowing power of Ainz Ooal Gown!
This is a quick and easy read with very little flourish. The writing style is a simple translation so don’t expect any ground breaking word play. I still enjoy the relaxing read and the exposition is placed at acceptable intervals within the confines of few chapters. There’s not really much to condemn here other than the few grammatical errors that slipped by in translation. All in all this made for a progressive episode in the saga of lord Ainz.
I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
This is a quick and easy read with very little flourish. The writing style is a simple translation so don’t expect any ground breaking word play. I still enjoy the relaxing read and the exposition is placed at acceptable intervals within the confines of few chapters. There’s not really much to condemn here other than the few grammatical errors that slipped by in translation. All in all this made for a progressive episode in the saga of lord Ainz.
I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
December 14, 2017
Centrado na vila de lagartos que Momon quer destruir e mostra que na verdade ele esta querendo ver se seus guardiões podem aprender coisas nova ... ou adquirir novas habilidades.
Fala muito pouco sobre Nazarick em geral. O foco 90% é nos lagartos tentando se proteger da invsão de Nazarik.
Existem pequenos detalhes como Momon recrutando pessoas para Nazarick, a fabrica de criação de scroll, a base dummy de Nazarick esperando ser atacada.
Faz mais parecer uma historia paralela que algo realmente Overlord.
Fala muito pouco sobre Nazarick em geral. O foco 90% é nos lagartos tentando se proteger da invsão de Nazarik.
Existem pequenos detalhes como Momon recrutando pessoas para Nazarick, a fabrica de criação de scroll, a base dummy de Nazarick esperando ser atacada.
Faz mais parecer uma historia paralela que algo realmente Overlord.
December 12, 2017
3.5/5 Stars
A tiny bit better than the novels preceding it and I am still being quite generous with the score. Too much telling and not enough showing, but the plot actually had enough layers within it to keep it entertaining. I must say though, my patience is starting to wear a bit thin with the lack of skill progression from the writing, it's like he is not even trying to improve the way he writes. Maybe that is just the way things go with Light Novels?
As always though, absolutely excellent artwork within the book.
A tiny bit better than the novels preceding it and I am still being quite generous with the score. Too much telling and not enough showing, but the plot actually had enough layers within it to keep it entertaining. I must say though, my patience is starting to wear a bit thin with the lack of skill progression from the writing, it's like he is not even trying to improve the way he writes. Maybe that is just the way things go with Light Novels?
As always though, absolutely excellent artwork within the book.
July 8, 2018
Wszyscy się zachwycają Overlordem, a ja nie. Nie będę ukrywać - naprawdę podoba mi się wykreowany przez autora świat, to że przedstawia czytelnikowi opowieść z punktu widzenia antagonistów, tych złych, a nie tych dobrych i to, że w ramach w zasadzie 100 stron był w stanie wykreować bardzo żywych i realnych bohaterów, przedstawić ich historie, motywacje itd. Jaszczuroludzie to wspaniała rasa i naprawdę autor dał sobie radę z ich kreacją, ale poza tym... Przyznam, że tom mnie trochę nudził. Bardzo dużo myśli bohaterów, bardzo mało realnych wydarzeń. Mam nadzieję, że kolejny tom to zmieni ;)
February 8, 2020
That's the fourth book in the series, you would expect more of the same. That is not the case here. This book is mostly from a different perspective than our villain/hero. That is certainly okay. I believe the pace of the title was also slower than the previous three. I really enjoyed the title and we'll start the next book in series today.
February 10, 2021
L'ha fatta troppo lunga.
Non erano necessarie oltre 400 pagine ci stava benissimo in 300. Battaglie lunghissime. Troppo lunghe ci ho messo quasi tre ore solo a finire la prima battaglia tra i Lizards e l'esercito di Cocytus.
Spero che la prossima novel sia migliore. Ora mi prendo una pausa dalla serie Overlord. Questa mi ha stremato come Novel.
Non erano necessarie oltre 400 pagine ci stava benissimo in 300. Battaglie lunghissime. Troppo lunghe ci ho messo quasi tre ore solo a finire la prima battaglia tra i Lizards e l'esercito di Cocytus.
Spero che la prossima novel sia migliore. Ora mi prendo una pausa dalla serie Overlord. Questa mi ha stremato come Novel.
January 20, 2022
"No somos Omniscientes ni todopoderosos. Solo queda actuar según el momento. De haber estado en tu lugar, quizá yo habría hecho lo mismo. Pero no quiero consolarte, pues no existen las respuestas correctas. Lo único que podemos hacer es caminar aunque lastimemos nuestros pies con remordimiento y dolor. Así que camina y ya"
December 11, 2024
The lizzerd men arc is dogshit I skipped this book and moved to the next one towards the end cause its so boring. I dont care about the lizards there boring as fuck there culture is lame the characters that arent from Nazzerick are boring as shit and thats a huge focus of this book. 1/10 would never recommend this book the rest of the series is fine but this book is trash
July 16, 2017
It feels like a side story, focusing heavily on the Lizardmen, with a bit of world building on the Tomb of Nazarick.
These books are so well written that I struggle to put them in the same category as other light novels. Other series side stories get 2 stars, but the Overlord saga gets 4 :)
These books are so well written that I struggle to put them in the same category as other light novels. Other series side stories get 2 stars, but the Overlord saga gets 4 :)
December 3, 2019
Lots of battle scenes, which isn't really my thing. But I liked seeing how the lizardmen thought and acted as well as knowing more of the strategy on both sides. Don't ask me any of the lizards' names though as the only one I can remember is Crusch!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews