Sword Art Online, Vol. 19: Moon Cradle

Sword Art Online #19

by Reki Kawahara

After three hundred years of conflict, a new era begins for the Underworld. The Lost Child of Vecta, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, has defeated the Dark God and given the world its first taste of peace. The human realm and dark realm have begun to intermingle, sparking the beginning of a much-needed cultural exchange. But while some see this as an opportunity to bury the hatchet and move forward, others are determined to sow the seeds of chaos anew. High in Central Cathedral, Apprentice Integrity Knight Ronie Arabel's heart sinks as she receives foreboding words from Swordsman Delegate Kirito:
"At this rate, there's going to be another war."

Genres: Light Novel, Manga, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction

200 pages, Paperback

First published February 10, 2017

About the author

Kawahara Reki (川原礫) is the writer of Sword Art Online and Accel World. He also uses the pen name Kunori Fumio. His hobby is cycling.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

After last book, of course I've wondered what Kirito and Asuna were doing "all those years" they spent in the Underworld before they managed to wake up again, but I wasn't dying to get a day by day story about it. And after the last book which was so full of action and emotion, this was just... Boring. It's too slow, and don't get me wrong, but I've never loved Roni or Tiese enough to follow them around all book long.
They usually annoy me most of the time because they're infatuated with the guys. So half of this book was like "Oh I love Kirito so much, but of course I can't say anything because he has Asuna... but oh I love him so much". The other half were comments on how great his incarnation is. Kirito is back to his usual "I can do it everything" attitude so he's now basically a God and I'm not sure how great that is.
The whole problems with the Dark Territory could maybe be interesting, but we'll have to see.

[Tuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although volume 18 ended with a beautiful poster commemorating Kirito, Eugeo, and Alice's time as kids in Rulid Village and a tease about the Inter-intelligence war, Kawahara resorted to his usual tendency post arc conclusion of writing an additional sidestory volume to help connect us with the world and the characters. Indeed, Volume 19 starts the two volume Moon Cradle focusing on one year or so after Kirito and Asuno were left locked in the Underworld for 150-200 or so years. Honestly, I would have preferred this to be in the main Alicization story line instead of coming afterwards but I can understand that maybe it would have affected the pacing a little since that story was focused on Alice, and for a bit told from her point of view.

Speaking of points of view, this volume is told mainly from Ronie's point of view, Kirito's page of one or two months. It seems, that since the middle of Alicization, that Kawahara has enjoyed telling the story from everyone's perspectives but Kirito's. Remember, of course, that Kirito was practically a vegetable who could do nothing more than respond based on muscle memory for two or so volumes and Alice, as well as everyone else became the focus.

For this volume, Ronie provides a glimpse into how Kirito and Asuna are changing the world around them, and how she has to embrace her own feelings and weaknesses regarding initiating the cascade of events to lead to disrupting everyone's life at school. Fortunately, Ronie is an interesting character who offers a glimpse of how everyone sees these people from another world as well as showing how artificial fluctlights can have feelings too. Even more so, we see a further blend of concepts that were present in Kawahara's other story, Accel World, with the power of the imagination (incarnation) leading to system breaking world altering phenomenon.

I enjoyed the story as an extended epilogue to the Alicization arc and the mystery that the volume is focused on is compelling. Seeing how those in power in both the human territory as well as the dark territory have to embrace their new world is exciting. Perhaps my favorite was the attempt at peace and unity following the rebellion of the four emperors, the attempt at following up on a few of the couples (Iskhan and Scheta), and also seeing how Kirito and Asuna have brought modern conveniences into the world. Lastly, the action is interesting as Ronie is a great swordsperson who is continuing the Aincrad style as beautifully as Eugeo did.

Overall this was a good epilogue and gives me faith that its conclusion in the following volume will be incredibly strong.

[Vivianne Junco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Para aquellos que nos estabamos preguntando que hicieron Asuna y Kirito dentro de Underworld en esos doscientos años (20 minutos del mundo real), aquí está la primera parte de todo eso :) así que se podrán imaginar la felicidad mientras leía.


Aquí han pasado un año y tres meses desde el final de la guerra con el mundo real y se ha establecido un proyecto de intercambio entre el territorio oscuro y el mundo humano -el cual ahora está regido por un "Consejo de Unión del MH", que se estableció después de terminar la Rebelión; adivinen quienes son los líderes del susodicho consejo, jaja, sí, Kirito y Asuna, huelga decir que me gusta mucho su intervención aquí, ya saben con sus aportes a tecnología y eso-. Adicional, me encantan los tips que van apareciendo en la lectura acerca del terrirorio oscuro, la ley del más fuerte, las luces que usan, la razón detrás de querer invadir el territorio humano -que me parece más que valedera- y lo parecidos que los "subhumanos" son a los habitantes del TH, porque en el fondo TODOS somos iguales, solo queremos nuestro bienestar y el de nuestras familias-.

Por otro lado, en Underworld están en la época del "Baby boomer", así que tanto Fanatio como Scheta/Iskahn ya tuvieron descendencia -y Kirito dice que el mundo ahora es más inseguro, comprendo totalmente a qué se refiere-, el punto es que cuando el Taboo Index es saltado de una forma super grave en el mundo humano, Kirito tiene que viajar a Obsidia junto a Ronnie, su antigua valet en la Academia de Espadachines, para prevenir al Comandante de la Armada y buscar juntos una solución, que no se da, pero sí terminan dándonos una pista significativa de quienes podrían ser los causantes de lo que podría convertirse en una guerra casi tan grande como la que tuvieron con el mundo real.

Espero con ansias, poder leer el siguiente volumen.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

So after volume 18 ending the Alicization arc of SAO, I was so ready to move on. Seeing that we still in Underworld was a hit. But Kirito and Ausna are together... so it'll be okay, right? Nope. Kirito and his former page Ronie are the focus here. *sigh* And frankly, the majority of this volume is just dull. Kawahara tells us we have one more volume of it, so it's something of a two-part story. I'd have rather had one longer book and just wrap the whole thing up.

I consider myself an SAO fan, but this time I was a little disappointed. Not massively, but it didn't leave me racing to grab the next volume. It's in my 'to read' pile, but it isn't on the top and it isn't cutting in line to get there.

[Nishes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Speedread

It was fun reading and I am also wondering how many girls gonna fall for the Kirito in spite of knowing He only loves Asuna. Well, it is so perplexing. I speedread it because seeing yet another girl falling for him was bit annoying to assimilate in this volume. I expect Kirito and Asuna moments in next volume not his page unnecessary lingering feelings. It is not like she met him for long times. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading it.

[kerrycat · Rating 5 out of 5]

this one is a lot of Ronie (some Tiese) and Kirito (a little Asuna) - and mentions of our Blue Rose boy that did, of course, bring tears to my eyes. I especially liked seeing how certain Underworld heroes have paired off and even become parents . . . and how others can't move forward because of their love for (again) a perfect Blue Rose boy we all miss more than we can say.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read about what happens after the War of the Underworld. But why all the focus on Ronie? She didn’t seem like much of a character to start with, just another girl in Kirito’s army of them 🙄. Still...looking forward to how this series wraps up in the last volume. Would’ve rather seen Eugeo stick around...

[Ethan Harter · Rating 5 out of 5]

"At this rate, there's gonna be another war," (Kawahara 33). It is through this line that Ronie grasps the current situation of the Underworld. Peace does not last forever, and it is only a matter of time before the tension between monsters and humans gives. Kirito is aware of this and looks for a way to get monsters and humans to understand each other.

[Sarah Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading about the perspective in the Underworld, I wondered for a long time what Kirito did in the underworld after he was trapped there. After reading this im definitely hopping into the other light Novels! I came from the anime so i already knew what went down previously 😄 A good quick read in my opinion if you enjoy the anime and the other light novels 📖

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Sword Art Online, but don’t care that much about Ronie so it was a bit of a slog to get through this one. The same plot line would have been much more engaging if it had featured Kirito and Asuna working together instead.

[anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro que se basa en los días, donde kirito y asuna están en el interior de underwolrd a una velocidad de 5 millones de veces más rápida que el mundo normal.

[Eldon Siemens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciate this extension to the characters in the Alicization arc. In some ways it's nice to just stay in this works for a bit and enjoy a slower pace.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️

[Bernardo Mangampo]

Up

[Eugeo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall good

[Ricardo Matos · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of focus on a minor character that wasn’t that interesting to begin with. Another love struck maiden to add to Kirito’s harem. The story is a murder mystery that is mildly intriguing

[gemma · Rating 1 out of 5]

this was where i gave up

[Nguyen Hong Thai · Rating 4 out of 5]

tập đầu tiên 4sao vì dìm Kir&Asu quá mức để đẩy Ronie lên làm main, nhma cực kỳ thú vị nếu như bạn yêu mến cái kết của Alicization và tò mò về giai đoạn 200 năm trong Underworld <3 <3

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, The story a bit weird and seems like a filler here.

[Angela Auten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume was definitely interesting

[Joses L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

200 years in Underworld... pacing too slow perhaps but good set-up book. 9/10

[Chris Flynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm on the fence with this one and am just barely giving it a 3. It has some nice world building elements, but the story feels very slow and the characters they chose to focus on would have been better left as supporting characters instead of being forced to POV characters. Hopefully the sequel/continuation in vol. 20 can redeem this

[Tegan · Rating 2 out of 5]

After the action packed War of the Underworld this addition to SAO was for me slow, tedious and boring.

Other then maybe following on a bit of politics involved with the peace between the human and dark realms nothing much progressed the story.

We are introduced to a new villain on the last few pages who's efforts to start another war are round about and bumbling and stoop so low as baby kidnapping.

A highly anticipated book that was a let down.
Am I still looking forward to the next one-yes but really hoping its better

[Candy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even 90% through the novel, the author is still explaining the early Alicization volumes???
You've got to be kidding me. No one will start this series by reading the 19th book!

The plot isn't really interesting, too.

(It's been a long while since I read the 18th. Has it always been like this?)

At this point, maybe the Progressive series would be a better read.

[Scott Mattson · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I feel, that the Alicization and war of the Underworld dragged on way too long. This new arc sets up a nice new story. The Characters are mostly the same, the setting is also the same. It's a short book, and some nice action. I am hoping the next few books are at least this good.