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クロックワーク・プラネット / Clockwork Planet (Novel) #1
Clockwork Planet: Volume 1
From the author of No Game No Life!
–I know this is sudden, but the world had already collapsed long ago. Earth had died, but the entire planet was reconstructed and reproduced using clockwork – “The Clockwork Planet.”
One day, a black box suddenly crashed into the house of Naoto Miura, a high school failure, from above. Inside was– an automata girl.
“For me to be forced to sleep for as long as two hundred years from just one little fault, has the intelligence of humanity still yet to exceed even that of a flea?”
A gearhead fantasy meshed together by Yuu Kamiya and Tsubaki Himana!
–I know this is sudden, but the world had already collapsed long ago. Earth had died, but the entire planet was reconstructed and reproduced using clockwork – “The Clockwork Planet.”
One day, a black box suddenly crashed into the house of Naoto Miura, a high school failure, from above. Inside was– an automata girl.
“For me to be forced to sleep for as long as two hundred years from just one little fault, has the intelligence of humanity still yet to exceed even that of a flea?”
A gearhead fantasy meshed together by Yuu Kamiya and Tsubaki Himana!
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2013
25 people are currently reading
179 people want to read
About the author
Yuu Kamiya
139 books198 followersKAMIYA Yuu
Name (in native language): 榎宮 祐
Associated Names:
KAMIYA Yu
Pix*SUKU
Pixel Phantom
Thiago Furukawa Lucas
Zodiac: Scorpio
Married to HIIRAGI Mashiro.
Thiago Furukawa Lucas, who is better known under his pseudonym, Yuu Kamiya, was born in Brazil and moved to Japan at the age of seven..
He is one of the first foreign manga artists to make it big in Japan from Brazil.
Name (in native language): 榎宮 祐
Associated Names:
KAMIYA Yu
Pix*SUKU
Pixel Phantom
Thiago Furukawa Lucas
Zodiac: Scorpio
Married to HIIRAGI Mashiro.
Thiago Furukawa Lucas, who is better known under his pseudonym, Yuu Kamiya, was born in Brazil and moved to Japan at the age of seven..
He is one of the first foreign manga artists to make it big in Japan from Brazil.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 8, 2019
This book really got my gears running, if you know what I mean. Like all of Yuu Kamiya books, I was hooked right from the start as its striking all my interests.
Clockwork Planet was no exception as right away I loved the theme setup of the book as its SciFi, futuristic, end of the world scenario.
This book is going through the journey of a "nothing special" boy who has an amazing talent and with a series of circumstances to possibly not only save a lot of people but possibly save all the people. This book goes trough Naoto's journey as being a loser highschooler to hero in a wonderful way. Naoto is a gear-nerd who really cares about mechanisms and automata. But unlike being a normal person, he has a superpower of extraordinary hearing being able to hear every part of a mechanism and noticing the smallest errors in it. With his dream coming true trough impossibly unbelievable coincidence he gets a perfect automata known as "The One Who Follows". But behind the scenes, the military was thinking of purging the city and killing everyone in it. Thus because of that with help of Marie Bell Breguet the greatest clocksmith alive he is able to save a city in a very interesting way really leaving a lot of thinking room after reading.
I really recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of SciFi, Steampunk, really set in the future world stories as it's a wonderful read.
Clockwork Planet was no exception as right away I loved the theme setup of the book as its SciFi, futuristic, end of the world scenario.
This book is going through the journey of a "nothing special" boy who has an amazing talent and with a series of circumstances to possibly not only save a lot of people but possibly save all the people. This book goes trough Naoto's journey as being a loser highschooler to hero in a wonderful way. Naoto is a gear-nerd who really cares about mechanisms and automata. But unlike being a normal person, he has a superpower of extraordinary hearing being able to hear every part of a mechanism and noticing the smallest errors in it. With his dream coming true trough impossibly unbelievable coincidence he gets a perfect automata known as "The One Who Follows". But behind the scenes, the military was thinking of purging the city and killing everyone in it. Thus because of that with help of Marie Bell Breguet the greatest clocksmith alive he is able to save a city in a very interesting way really leaving a lot of thinking room after reading.
I really recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of SciFi, Steampunk, really set in the future world stories as it's a wonderful read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2020
Have I got a lot to say...so where to start...
Well, the biggest thing I need to clarify is that I enjoyed my read. Kind of weird when I gave it three stars, but then again, I want to make it a 3.5/5 (but I can't because of the website). There was a plot in the story that fascinated me, definitely. The idea of a whole planet being rebuilt by just gears was intriguing, and you understand a little of that universe by the Core Tower and what ensued during the whole first book. However, I didn't feel like I got enough of the backstory and the tech side of the steampunk because of both the writing style and the translation style.
From the English translation side of things, I was distracted by how many grammatical/spelling errors there were. Now, I understand that my buying a first edition copy off of an outlet website had something to do with it, but I still am concerned as to why such a thing was printed without going through the works earlier. By my picky observation, only a few pages were spared from getting any markings. The common issue among them all was the use of "toward", "forward", "backward", and such. Most of the time, the translator was using the U.K. spelling of these words, which would be "towards", "forwards", and "backwards". Now, while I have no qualms about the way the U.K. does their spellings, I'd like to point out that on few occasions it was switched back to the American English spellings, I kid you not. And I would know this as a fact because the countless times these words were used throughout the book, I could make a drinking game out of it. Whether or not that was more of the author's choice, I wouldn't know. That was left up to the translators to tell us readers. I applaud the translators for keeping it as close as possible to the author's voice in the story, I just wish that there could've been more time to check these issues once more.
And the other common issue linked to the translators (sort of) was the POV. Whether it was the way the actual author was writing in his own POV, I couldn't tell. Sometimes it was written back and forth like it would merge into the character's POV for a moment( without much of a signal, I should point out) before going back to the omniscient viewpoint. I would like to point the finger at the translators for only three quarters of the time as things could've been easier to understand if they had gone back and italicized what was a character's thought. Concluding this, I would like to share my issue with the author's side of the blame.
Yes, I am aware (because I read the author's notes and such at the end) that the book was passed between three different people before it was published originally in Japan. Yes, I understand their difficulties of having to go through years of hardships to get it out to the world. I should know that because I feel that pain as a wannabe-author who can't finish their work. So that's why I feel like I'm standing on a thin line of wanting to blame the authors for certain things, yet understand that there is a big difference between literature in English, and literature in Japanese. As an American reader, I feel spoiled. The way the "young adult" books have been evolving into the "show, don't tell" mindset can make you feel stingy about your tastes when it comes to light novels. Now, there are a lot of light novels out there that are more in tune with that one English writing mentality. Though all are labeled "young adult", there is a good indicator that shows which of the youngest of adults are being catered to, and which books are trying to cater to all ages, but young adults, in general, the most. It's if they follow anything similar to that one phrase. The way that Clockwork Planet was written, in my opinion, seems to be for more of the "younger adults" because it doesn't seem to follow "show, don't tell". You have a lot of cases of where the author is reiterating what the reader (not so much a young adult anymore) has already understood. Descriptions of different characters are given once more after so long of reading, as though the reader was taking more time than others to read the book. I get that. It's not necessarily bad, but if you're reading this as much in one go, it's going to feel like a setback.
I would also like to add that, as this definitely pertains to the author and illustrator's choice, I did find it a bit offputting to be showcasing a "particular picture" of Marie before the beginning of the story, and of the detail where the automaton links to its master by sucking on a ring finger, and of how the main character can get "riled up" when it comes to mechanics in general. Number one, I read this book out in public a few times, and if that one picture were visible, I would've been in trouble. Number two, what happened in the story, I can understand what is meant for humor, and what the author wants to write for the male demograph of readers. I don't fall in that category, so that's mostly why it didn't come across the same way for a young boy. But I can read between the lines and give the benefit of the doubt. Those little factors didn't take away from the reading experience as much, thankfully.
All in all, I sincerely mean the best for the translators and the authors. I habor no ill will for the way the first edition was published, even though I had my irks. I really do hope that after a year of this being printed in the U.S.A. that they had corrected all of these grammatical issues (which I'm sure they did by now). I found most of the humorous scenes to be so, and I was interested enough in the plot to want to read the second book. I'm also hoping that more steampunk-iness will be showcased and the mishaps of exposing diabolic government coverups ensues. Most of the characters I could like, whether relatable is up to the next book, but overall, this was an entertaining read. This book I'd recommend for the "younger" of adult audiences who want a quick but hearty read, and/or interested in steampunk like I am. But also that they have a parent to help them understand what the few little "humors" mean (y'all know what I'm talking about. Can't have these young boys out in school and have that "picture" waving around where the teacher can see. That's a whole heap of mess I wouldn't want to watch on a good day).
Thank you for sticking around for the end of my little rant. If you've finished this, you're awesome, and I hope I made enough sense after so many times of going back and editing my mess. Take care!
Well, the biggest thing I need to clarify is that I enjoyed my read. Kind of weird when I gave it three stars, but then again, I want to make it a 3.5/5 (but I can't because of the website). There was a plot in the story that fascinated me, definitely. The idea of a whole planet being rebuilt by just gears was intriguing, and you understand a little of that universe by the Core Tower and what ensued during the whole first book. However, I didn't feel like I got enough of the backstory and the tech side of the steampunk because of both the writing style and the translation style.
From the English translation side of things, I was distracted by how many grammatical/spelling errors there were. Now, I understand that my buying a first edition copy off of an outlet website had something to do with it, but I still am concerned as to why such a thing was printed without going through the works earlier. By my picky observation, only a few pages were spared from getting any markings. The common issue among them all was the use of "toward", "forward", "backward", and such. Most of the time, the translator was using the U.K. spelling of these words, which would be "towards", "forwards", and "backwards". Now, while I have no qualms about the way the U.K. does their spellings, I'd like to point out that on few occasions it was switched back to the American English spellings, I kid you not. And I would know this as a fact because the countless times these words were used throughout the book, I could make a drinking game out of it. Whether or not that was more of the author's choice, I wouldn't know. That was left up to the translators to tell us readers. I applaud the translators for keeping it as close as possible to the author's voice in the story, I just wish that there could've been more time to check these issues once more.
And the other common issue linked to the translators (sort of) was the POV. Whether it was the way the actual author was writing in his own POV, I couldn't tell. Sometimes it was written back and forth like it would merge into the character's POV for a moment( without much of a signal, I should point out) before going back to the omniscient viewpoint. I would like to point the finger at the translators for only three quarters of the time as things could've been easier to understand if they had gone back and italicized what was a character's thought. Concluding this, I would like to share my issue with the author's side of the blame.
Yes, I am aware (because I read the author's notes and such at the end) that the book was passed between three different people before it was published originally in Japan. Yes, I understand their difficulties of having to go through years of hardships to get it out to the world. I should know that because I feel that pain as a wannabe-author who can't finish their work. So that's why I feel like I'm standing on a thin line of wanting to blame the authors for certain things, yet understand that there is a big difference between literature in English, and literature in Japanese. As an American reader, I feel spoiled. The way the "young adult" books have been evolving into the "show, don't tell" mindset can make you feel stingy about your tastes when it comes to light novels. Now, there are a lot of light novels out there that are more in tune with that one English writing mentality. Though all are labeled "young adult", there is a good indicator that shows which of the youngest of adults are being catered to, and which books are trying to cater to all ages, but young adults, in general, the most. It's if they follow anything similar to that one phrase. The way that Clockwork Planet was written, in my opinion, seems to be for more of the "younger adults" because it doesn't seem to follow "show, don't tell". You have a lot of cases of where the author is reiterating what the reader (not so much a young adult anymore) has already understood. Descriptions of different characters are given once more after so long of reading, as though the reader was taking more time than others to read the book. I get that. It's not necessarily bad, but if you're reading this as much in one go, it's going to feel like a setback.
I would also like to add that, as this definitely pertains to the author and illustrator's choice, I did find it a bit offputting to be showcasing a "particular picture" of Marie before the beginning of the story, and of the detail where the automaton links to its master by sucking on a ring finger, and of how the main character can get "riled up" when it comes to mechanics in general. Number one, I read this book out in public a few times, and if that one picture were visible, I would've been in trouble. Number two, what happened in the story, I can understand what is meant for humor, and what the author wants to write for the male demograph of readers. I don't fall in that category, so that's mostly why it didn't come across the same way for a young boy. But I can read between the lines and give the benefit of the doubt. Those little factors didn't take away from the reading experience as much, thankfully.
All in all, I sincerely mean the best for the translators and the authors. I habor no ill will for the way the first edition was published, even though I had my irks. I really do hope that after a year of this being printed in the U.S.A. that they had corrected all of these grammatical issues (which I'm sure they did by now). I found most of the humorous scenes to be so, and I was interested enough in the plot to want to read the second book. I'm also hoping that more steampunk-iness will be showcased and the mishaps of exposing diabolic government coverups ensues. Most of the characters I could like, whether relatable is up to the next book, but overall, this was an entertaining read. This book I'd recommend for the "younger" of adult audiences who want a quick but hearty read, and/or interested in steampunk like I am. But also that they have a parent to help them understand what the few little "humors" mean (y'all know what I'm talking about. Can't have these young boys out in school and have that "picture" waving around where the teacher can see. That's a whole heap of mess I wouldn't want to watch on a good day).
Thank you for sticking around for the end of my little rant. If you've finished this, you're awesome, and I hope I made enough sense after so many times of going back and editing my mess. Take care!
April 20, 2018
I recommend buying the ebook, not the paperback. Usually I prefer physical books for light novels, but in this case no. Usually I don't care if ebooks are cheaper, but in this case vols 1-3 are currently available, and most importantly, my copy of this book has started to rip. Not cool.
Go in knowing the prologue doesn't happen until vol 2.
This is a co-written book between the author of No Game No Life (who's illness is cancer!) and his friend of 10 years. Its sweet.
Is this a harem? It doesn't seem like it is, I checked tags and saw no harem or harem subtext (then I went on Seven Seas and it does say harem), but it doesn't quite feel like harem. There's a potential storyline that could lead to that, but so far it hasn't crossed the line yet.
For some reason the artwork bothered me, its not that its bad, but its kind of boring.
The characters are fun (if annoying at times), but they seem to work well off each other.
As for the plot, I'm not sure. Basically this is how the four meet, and the beginning of their partnership, in some ways it feels more like set up for the real story.
Go in knowing the prologue doesn't happen until vol 2.
This is a co-written book between the author of No Game No Life (who's illness is cancer!) and his friend of 10 years. Its sweet.
Is this a harem? It doesn't seem like it is, I checked tags and saw no harem or harem subtext (then I went on Seven Seas and it does say harem), but it doesn't quite feel like harem. There's a potential storyline that could lead to that, but so far it hasn't crossed the line yet.
For some reason the artwork bothered me, its not that its bad, but its kind of boring.
The characters are fun (if annoying at times), but they seem to work well off each other.
As for the plot, I'm not sure. Basically this is how the four meet, and the beginning of their partnership, in some ways it feels more like set up for the real story.
February 17, 2018
One thing I hate in light novels? A cold open spoiler section. This has a really bad one, since it takes place after the entire story of this first novel timeline wise. So if you had any suspicions about who would live or die, well, you get a lot of those answers within the first few pages. I felt the cold open was confusing too, so it may be worth skipping at the start.
The story itself is entertaining. It's got a SciFi setup, a world revolving around gears. This is fairly soft SciFi I think, as most of the "gear" science seems like magic. Between this and Species Domain, I'm getting my fill of fake science.
Relationships do develop over the course of the story. The backgrounds of these characters aren't touched on in much detail, and their family's are non-existent, but maybe they'll fill gaps in within future volumes. I'm interested to see if future volumes will add anything character building wise for the MC. He is a pretty selfish dude who doesn't care about anything besides his robots. It'd be nice to see him gain an attachment to a human in the future (maybe Marie).
The story itself is entertaining. It's got a SciFi setup, a world revolving around gears. This is fairly soft SciFi I think, as most of the "gear" science seems like magic. Between this and Species Domain, I'm getting my fill of fake science.
Relationships do develop over the course of the story. The backgrounds of these characters aren't touched on in much detail, and their family's are non-existent, but maybe they'll fill gaps in within future volumes. I'm interested to see if future volumes will add anything character building wise for the MC. He is a pretty selfish dude who doesn't care about anything besides his robots. It'd be nice to see him gain an attachment to a human in the future (maybe Marie).
February 23, 2015
Pretty good light novel from Yu Kamiya. Fairly generic start but enjoyable however the prologue especially has me interested in reading more of this series.
October 7, 2018
Very fun story, about the expected on fanservice and really heavy on adjectives
August 26, 2023
Ugh. it's hard to review this one. why? i'll explain.
So short version, the planet just stopped working one day and some guy essentially dug out the earth and replaced everything inside with gears and that made the Earth work again. Fast forward 1000 years and a kid with super hearing named Naoto finds a clockwork robot girl and she becomes his servant.
The other two main characters are marie, a child prodigy clocksmith, and her bodyguard Halter. Here's the thing, Halter and Marie are GREAT main characters. I find them interesting and their dynamic is unique as most of their back and forth is either funny, heartwarming, or at the very least, thought provoking. Halter is a 30' something cyborg while marie is a teenage prodigy who acts like a brat, but won't hesitate to get violent if she needs to. If the whole novel was about THESE two, this first book would easily be a 4/5, maybe even a 5.
The REASON it's not, are the other two characters. Naoto and the clockwork robot. OH MY GOD Naoto is one of the worst main characters i have ever come across in any form of media whatsoever. Like, i didn't think it was possible to be this awful of a person and still be considered "a hero". like, this guy makes Diaper boy from my hero academia look like kenshin.
He's selfish, cowardly, and all around just an awful awful character.
During the story, all of Kyoto is threatening to essentially be destroyed by the military, killing 20 million people, and Naoto just shrugs and says he doesn't really care as long as his clockwork robot is all right. he states at one point that he "Doesn't care if 20 or 200 million people die, as long as his robot is all right". like this is the kind of stuff a sociopath says. He has to be strong armed into helping people and only cares for his own selfish goals. If this is the hero, then who the hell is the villain?
Naoto is not only a terrible character, but my god he fulfills every stock character trope in the book. the nervous around girls and their bodies, he's loud for no reason at times, he's awkward, he even LOOKS generic. it just...god i hate this character.
The robot isn't much better as she's a very generic "i belong to him because he fixed a spring no one else could because he was granted the power of super hearing". because yes. since he was somehow BORN with an amazing super power, he gets a super powerful lady who literally plopped out of the sky. and of course she unquestioningly follows him. because of course she does.
man, i cannot stand the dynamic between those two. it's every anime ever and it's tiring.
So, i give this stuff so much flack. why did i give it a 3? Because Marie and Halter are good enough as a team to make me interested to read more. I LOVE marie and halter. they kept me reading and i was excited to keep going whenever they were on. when it was naoto and robot lady, i tried to get through it as quickly as possible. i didn't find their back and forths cute, and i didn't wish to spend any more time with them than i had to.
The world is pretty interesting though and i'm interested to see Marie and Halter do more. This is why i'm giving the second volume a chance. However, if Marie and Halter take more of a background role to Naoto, i will be IMMEDIATELY dropping it. I have no desire to see this turn into a Naoto: the harem show. if thats what happens, i will be stopping it. But i will say that if it stays the way it is, if Equal time being given to every character, i will continue reading volume 2 and beyond.
Here's hoping they stop making Naoto an awful piece of human garbage, or focus more on marie/Halter. i'll accept either.
Either way, thank your lucky stars you had marie and halter Yuu, or this would have either been the last volume i picked up, or an immediate dnf from me. As it is, they kept it above water with a 3 out of 5.
So short version, the planet just stopped working one day and some guy essentially dug out the earth and replaced everything inside with gears and that made the Earth work again. Fast forward 1000 years and a kid with super hearing named Naoto finds a clockwork robot girl and she becomes his servant.
The other two main characters are marie, a child prodigy clocksmith, and her bodyguard Halter. Here's the thing, Halter and Marie are GREAT main characters. I find them interesting and their dynamic is unique as most of their back and forth is either funny, heartwarming, or at the very least, thought provoking. Halter is a 30' something cyborg while marie is a teenage prodigy who acts like a brat, but won't hesitate to get violent if she needs to. If the whole novel was about THESE two, this first book would easily be a 4/5, maybe even a 5.
The REASON it's not, are the other two characters. Naoto and the clockwork robot. OH MY GOD Naoto is one of the worst main characters i have ever come across in any form of media whatsoever. Like, i didn't think it was possible to be this awful of a person and still be considered "a hero". like, this guy makes Diaper boy from my hero academia look like kenshin.
He's selfish, cowardly, and all around just an awful awful character.
During the story, all of Kyoto is threatening to essentially be destroyed by the military, killing 20 million people, and Naoto just shrugs and says he doesn't really care as long as his clockwork robot is all right. he states at one point that he "Doesn't care if 20 or 200 million people die, as long as his robot is all right". like this is the kind of stuff a sociopath says. He has to be strong armed into helping people and only cares for his own selfish goals. If this is the hero, then who the hell is the villain?
Naoto is not only a terrible character, but my god he fulfills every stock character trope in the book. the nervous around girls and their bodies, he's loud for no reason at times, he's awkward, he even LOOKS generic. it just...god i hate this character.
The robot isn't much better as she's a very generic "i belong to him because he fixed a spring no one else could because he was granted the power of super hearing". because yes. since he was somehow BORN with an amazing super power, he gets a super powerful lady who literally plopped out of the sky. and of course she unquestioningly follows him. because of course she does.
man, i cannot stand the dynamic between those two. it's every anime ever and it's tiring.
So, i give this stuff so much flack. why did i give it a 3? Because Marie and Halter are good enough as a team to make me interested to read more. I LOVE marie and halter. they kept me reading and i was excited to keep going whenever they were on. when it was naoto and robot lady, i tried to get through it as quickly as possible. i didn't find their back and forths cute, and i didn't wish to spend any more time with them than i had to.
The world is pretty interesting though and i'm interested to see Marie and Halter do more. This is why i'm giving the second volume a chance. However, if Marie and Halter take more of a background role to Naoto, i will be IMMEDIATELY dropping it. I have no desire to see this turn into a Naoto: the harem show. if thats what happens, i will be stopping it. But i will say that if it stays the way it is, if Equal time being given to every character, i will continue reading volume 2 and beyond.
Here's hoping they stop making Naoto an awful piece of human garbage, or focus more on marie/Halter. i'll accept either.
Either way, thank your lucky stars you had marie and halter Yuu, or this would have either been the last volume i picked up, or an immediate dnf from me. As it is, they kept it above water with a 3 out of 5.
July 6, 2019
I liked it. A fair bit actually.
1000 years ago, the earth died. One person, Y, had an idea to remake the world using clockworks. Time passes and we are at the present. Naoto is a reclusive high school student who has been obsessed with clockworks for as long as he can remember. He has a skill of 'hearing' when/where things aren't working right. One day a broken automata literally falls into his life and he's able to repair her, she is RuyZU constructed 1000 years ago by Y and has been broken for 200 years.
Marie Bell Breguet -- the youngest Meister ever and expert clockmaker shows up with her body guard. With some others from the meister's guild she attempts to find out what's going wrong in Kyoto.
Hijinks ensue -- Marie and Naoto are almost forced to work together to solve the problem and uncover what is going on which is more than meets the eye (or ear).
It was a fun, interesting ride. The premise is pretty decent, the action not so bad. And it certainly has set itself up for more story in future volumes. RuyZU apparently has a verbal abuse program which is mildly entertaining, but does get a tad old so I kinda hope they and "fix" that at some point, but otherwise an entertaining novel.
Verdict: If you think the premise of Earth being run by clockworks is interesting -- this is probably for you.
(Note: I know nothing about No Game, No Life [at the time of this writing] so I even though one of the authors wrote that, I can't comment on it]
1000 years ago, the earth died. One person, Y, had an idea to remake the world using clockworks. Time passes and we are at the present. Naoto is a reclusive high school student who has been obsessed with clockworks for as long as he can remember. He has a skill of 'hearing' when/where things aren't working right. One day a broken automata literally falls into his life and he's able to repair her, she is RuyZU constructed 1000 years ago by Y and has been broken for 200 years.
Marie Bell Breguet -- the youngest Meister ever and expert clockmaker shows up with her body guard. With some others from the meister's guild she attempts to find out what's going wrong in Kyoto.
Hijinks ensue -- Marie and Naoto are almost forced to work together to solve the problem and uncover what is going on which is more than meets the eye (or ear).
It was a fun, interesting ride. The premise is pretty decent, the action not so bad. And it certainly has set itself up for more story in future volumes. RuyZU apparently has a verbal abuse program which is mildly entertaining, but does get a tad old so I kinda hope they and "fix" that at some point, but otherwise an entertaining novel.
Verdict: If you think the premise of Earth being run by clockworks is interesting -- this is probably for you.
(Note: I know nothing about No Game, No Life [at the time of this writing] so I even though one of the authors wrote that, I can't comment on it]
March 9, 2019
Ranks as one of my favourite sci-fi light novels, Clockwork Planet is a crazy read that hooks me in from start to finish.
Having read the fan translations a few times, it's a pleasure to finally have officially translated copies for purchase in English and JNC does a good job at it as usual.
Kamiya Yuu is quite a big name in LN circles, and in this collaboration with his friend Tsubaki Himana, Clockwork Planet stands out in terms of the breadth of the idea of a world entirely run on *clockwork* and how human civilization adapts to it.
Indeed, suspension of belief is definitely required, but this is an idea that is rarely seen and it is really fun to imagine the world that Clockwork Planet presents to the readers.
Adding to it, the characters in the book are great, with the protagonist and deuteragonist presenting wildly contrasting ideas of "genius", but by both leveraging each other's strengths, amazing stuff really happens.
While it may seem as a generic "boy meets robot girl" story from cover and synopsis, this book is more than just that and hides a really charming and engaging storyline that uses tropes but never depends on it. Definitely a must-read.
Having read the fan translations a few times, it's a pleasure to finally have officially translated copies for purchase in English and JNC does a good job at it as usual.
Kamiya Yuu is quite a big name in LN circles, and in this collaboration with his friend Tsubaki Himana, Clockwork Planet stands out in terms of the breadth of the idea of a world entirely run on *clockwork* and how human civilization adapts to it.
Indeed, suspension of belief is definitely required, but this is an idea that is rarely seen and it is really fun to imagine the world that Clockwork Planet presents to the readers.
Adding to it, the characters in the book are great, with the protagonist and deuteragonist presenting wildly contrasting ideas of "genius", but by both leveraging each other's strengths, amazing stuff really happens.
While it may seem as a generic "boy meets robot girl" story from cover and synopsis, this book is more than just that and hides a really charming and engaging storyline that uses tropes but never depends on it. Definitely a must-read.
January 21, 2019
I'm one of the few people who didn't think the anime adaptation of this was too bad, and reading the first four episodes in light novel form was actually pretty fun. There were a lot of differences made by the adaptation staff in terms of how the story played out, along with dropping or adding a few plot points. The main four characters still have distinctive personality traits, and RyuZU continues to give me delight with how savage she is.
However, I don't think I'll continue reading the light novels of this franchise. At times, the writing got clunky with all of the exposition and restated info, making this drag. I also thought the translation wasn't the cleanest. There were some oddly chosen words, and the flow often came across as stilted. The rest of the first novel was fine, though.
However, I don't think I'll continue reading the light novels of this franchise. At times, the writing got clunky with all of the exposition and restated info, making this drag. I also thought the translation wasn't the cleanest. There were some oddly chosen words, and the flow often came across as stilted. The rest of the first novel was fine, though.
August 2, 2019
I enjoyed this semi-steampunk story of how a group of people come together to safe their world (our world, really, where clockwork mechanisms are used to replace everything from gravity and the weather once the planet died). Its an interesting concept and I enjoy the characters and their quirks. It can get repetitive at times, as new sections reintroduce you to characters or concepts, but I believe that is just part of it being a light novel as opposed to a traditional novel (I believe light novels are released slightly differently, though I am unsure)
I really enjoyed this light novel, which I hoped would be the case after watching half the anime. I don't know if watching the anime increased my enjoyment of the book, as I definitely believe this is one of those case that the book was able to explain things a bit better because you get to see what characters are thinking.
I really enjoyed this light novel, which I hoped would be the case after watching half the anime. I don't know if watching the anime increased my enjoyment of the book, as I definitely believe this is one of those case that the book was able to explain things a bit better because you get to see what characters are thinking.
March 26, 2020
if you ever look into the intricacies of an analog watch, the one that moves by lots and lots of gear beneath the simple watch face and feel amazed by it? well, this book might be for you
the earth is already dead, and to keep it still habitable, someone decided to replace all of the earth functions with gear, yes, the one that powered those watches that you usually see. It is an interesting and fresh look onto the science fiction genre
as expected of a light novel, the story is light, and I mean it. There is no overcomplicated plot or anything but although it is light, it is not boring at all. But even then, expect some "jumpy" scenes happened - confessing to someone mid-battle, really? - but goes past that and this is a pleasurable read.
the earth is already dead, and to keep it still habitable, someone decided to replace all of the earth functions with gear, yes, the one that powered those watches that you usually see. It is an interesting and fresh look onto the science fiction genre
as expected of a light novel, the story is light, and I mean it. There is no overcomplicated plot or anything but although it is light, it is not boring at all. But even then, expect some "jumpy" scenes happened - confessing to someone mid-battle, really? - but goes past that and this is a pleasurable read.
November 20, 2022
It has been a while I didn't get to read a light novel that feels like such an... "old school" light novel? The tone feels it will never take itself seriously, in a way that wants to be "pop and fun" but falls flat most of the time. The constant bickering and verbal abuse between pretty much all the main characters got annoying very fast. I was entertained enough to continue the series, but my expectations will be very, very low.
November 24, 2017
Yay!
Very good first volume, awesome concept and works well since the book has essentially 2 main protagonists along with many other main characters whom are enjoyable. I like the idea of this being written by 2 different authors and can't wait to continue with this series.
4.2
Very good first volume, awesome concept and works well since the book has essentially 2 main protagonists along with many other main characters whom are enjoyable. I like the idea of this being written by 2 different authors and can't wait to continue with this series.
4.2
June 15, 2020
Gong into this one (after reading the back) I was excepting a light funny book. What I got was a complex world building novel with some extreme characters. The further I got a long in book the more consumed by it I became. So a wonderful world, makes me want to know more about it.
December 2, 2020
Absolutely superb beginning. Like reading an anime, quirky, exciting and wonderfully colourful. The illustrations are fantastic too.
August 12, 2022
Interesting story, but the writing seems very juvenile and the authors are ignoring or don't know any physics.
May 29, 2018
Skip the first 35 pages.
CLOCKWORK PLANET is good -- if one fully discounts all the hemming and hawing wrought by weak pacing, indecisive and inconsistent narrative tactics, and a preponderance of genre clichés. But truthfully, CLOCKWORK PLANET is a good book. If one also recalls the should-be ethos that Prologues must forever be banned from contemporary fiction, CLOCKWORK PLANET is a slow-to-start but effectively structured light novel whose sizzling conclusion is well worth the wait.
The book's concept isn't as ingenious as its summary would have one believe, but the notion of a planet comprised wholly of clockwork features, gadgets, and parts is nonetheless intriguing. In addition, the notion that within such a world there exists a sixteen-year-old machinehead with a knack for discerning the slightest incongruities of such intricate works of gear art, is also quite intriguing.
Naoto Miura isn't very bright, but seeing as he hasn't had much of a chance at life, it's not entirely his fault. Poorly educated and absent social capital from every angle imaginable, Naoto's love of machines makes him a god-tier nerd and a superb loner. It's not a bad life, but it's certainly not a life worthy of recognition to any degree . . . until, of course, the kid is dragged into saving twenty million lives when the local military conspires with an international register of horologists to sink Kyoto into the ground.
CLOCKWORK PLANET cobbles an unlikely hero, in Naoto, together with a kid genius, Marie, as well as RyuZU, a beautiful automaton left behind from centuries of advanced mechanics. Naoto is self-defeating and a dork. Marie is full of arrogance and spite. RyuZU is a sadist with otherworldly functionality. Quite the team.
Japanese light novels come in all shapes and sizes, so to speak, and so it should be no surprise that CLOCKWORK PLANET has a rather familiar shape and size. The book's execution of a medium-high concept only slightly elevates the typical story of a shy, world-saving nerd and his tsundere romantic interest, plus the exploits of a spoiled rich girl whom is also fond of shielding her true intentions. But enjoying this novel isn't a question of enjoying genre convention . . . it's about whether the conventions employed do justice to the story concept.
The answer is mixed. Kamiya and Himana were rather ham-fisted in their worldbuilding. Plotholes abound. Gears and cogs and springs are whispered as giving life to a resource-depleted Earth, which sounds really cool, except, there's scant explanation as to how this actually occurs. The authors try to convince readers of a new technology that conduces gravity into energy, but the originality falls flat when there's no supporting information to back it up, particularly in light of the many needs of the modern world, specifically the use of oil and its many derivatives, like plastics and fuel. How do cars run? How do lights work? What about semiconductors and computational software? The authors don't explain any of this, and it's a pain the butt.
This lack of creative depth belies a much larger problem with the novel: the authors didn't do much research on how gears or gear-based technologies actually function. Claiming that things work just as organically once one throws the word "mechanical" in there is ridiculous . . . and yet it happens all of the time. Just what are mechanical flowers? Or earthquakes caused by gears? Artificially generated weather? Cool, sure, but again, the authors don't explain how it works, merely that it does.
It's shallow storytelling. And sadly, in the context of the given narrative, none of these facets of operational worldbuilding are mechanical in any rational sense (and definitely not steampunk), it's magic. And the fact that the authors refuse to call it as such is disingenuous.
All in all, CLOCKWORK PLANET, despite its profound inability to fully suspend the reader's disbelief in how the environment actually works, isn't a bad book. The prologue is horribly useless and the first 150 pages are weak and a little messy, but from page 200 forward, the drama is genuine. Naoto and Marie are up against the odds, and must combine their expertise to repair the clockworks that comprises the city's superstructure before all twenty million residents are murdered in cold blood. The drama is a healthy surprise after so much useless banter and clichéd characterization. That the authors manage to sustain the drama for so long, indeed for what amounts to some 40% of the book, is worthy of note.
CLOCKWORK PLANET is good -- if one fully discounts all the hemming and hawing wrought by weak pacing, indecisive and inconsistent narrative tactics, and a preponderance of genre clichés. But truthfully, CLOCKWORK PLANET is a good book. If one also recalls the should-be ethos that Prologues must forever be banned from contemporary fiction, CLOCKWORK PLANET is a slow-to-start but effectively structured light novel whose sizzling conclusion is well worth the wait.
The book's concept isn't as ingenious as its summary would have one believe, but the notion of a planet comprised wholly of clockwork features, gadgets, and parts is nonetheless intriguing. In addition, the notion that within such a world there exists a sixteen-year-old machinehead with a knack for discerning the slightest incongruities of such intricate works of gear art, is also quite intriguing.
Naoto Miura isn't very bright, but seeing as he hasn't had much of a chance at life, it's not entirely his fault. Poorly educated and absent social capital from every angle imaginable, Naoto's love of machines makes him a god-tier nerd and a superb loner. It's not a bad life, but it's certainly not a life worthy of recognition to any degree . . . until, of course, the kid is dragged into saving twenty million lives when the local military conspires with an international register of horologists to sink Kyoto into the ground.
CLOCKWORK PLANET cobbles an unlikely hero, in Naoto, together with a kid genius, Marie, as well as RyuZU, a beautiful automaton left behind from centuries of advanced mechanics. Naoto is self-defeating and a dork. Marie is full of arrogance and spite. RyuZU is a sadist with otherworldly functionality. Quite the team.
Japanese light novels come in all shapes and sizes, so to speak, and so it should be no surprise that CLOCKWORK PLANET has a rather familiar shape and size. The book's execution of a medium-high concept only slightly elevates the typical story of a shy, world-saving nerd and his tsundere romantic interest, plus the exploits of a spoiled rich girl whom is also fond of shielding her true intentions. But enjoying this novel isn't a question of enjoying genre convention . . . it's about whether the conventions employed do justice to the story concept.
The answer is mixed. Kamiya and Himana were rather ham-fisted in their worldbuilding. Plotholes abound. Gears and cogs and springs are whispered as giving life to a resource-depleted Earth, which sounds really cool, except, there's scant explanation as to how this actually occurs. The authors try to convince readers of a new technology that conduces gravity into energy, but the originality falls flat when there's no supporting information to back it up, particularly in light of the many needs of the modern world, specifically the use of oil and its many derivatives, like plastics and fuel. How do cars run? How do lights work? What about semiconductors and computational software? The authors don't explain any of this, and it's a pain the butt.
This lack of creative depth belies a much larger problem with the novel: the authors didn't do much research on how gears or gear-based technologies actually function. Claiming that things work just as organically once one throws the word "mechanical" in there is ridiculous . . . and yet it happens all of the time. Just what are mechanical flowers? Or earthquakes caused by gears? Artificially generated weather? Cool, sure, but again, the authors don't explain how it works, merely that it does.
It's shallow storytelling. And sadly, in the context of the given narrative, none of these facets of operational worldbuilding are mechanical in any rational sense (and definitely not steampunk), it's magic. And the fact that the authors refuse to call it as such is disingenuous.
All in all, CLOCKWORK PLANET, despite its profound inability to fully suspend the reader's disbelief in how the environment actually works, isn't a bad book. The prologue is horribly useless and the first 150 pages are weak and a little messy, but from page 200 forward, the drama is genuine. Naoto and Marie are up against the odds, and must combine their expertise to repair the clockworks that comprises the city's superstructure before all twenty million residents are murdered in cold blood. The drama is a healthy surprise after so much useless banter and clichéd characterization. That the authors manage to sustain the drama for so long, indeed for what amounts to some 40% of the book, is worthy of note.
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