Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! (Light Novel) Vol. 2

Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! Light Novel #2

by Ryuto, リュート, Tetsuhiro Nabeshima (Illustrations)

Hiro blew them all away—literally—on his mercenary job clearing out a space pirate stronghold. Now, the military and a ton of smaller groups are all desperate to recruit him. Not only that, but a major biotech firm is salivating over his otherworldly DNA! All Hiro wants is to keep flying free with his beautiful companions, but how long can he dodge all the people who want to tie him down?

Genres: Light Novel, Science Fiction, Harem, Audiobook, Elves, Fiction, Fantasy

360 pages, Paperback

First published January 10, 2020

Reviews

[Hamed Manoochehri · Rating 3 out of 5]

در مقایسه با جلد اول وورلد بیلدینگش عمیق تر و داستان علمی تخیلی محکمتر بود. مشکل اینه که ما برای این چیزا اینجا نیومدیم.
Compared to the first volume it had a better world building and more of sci-fi plot. The problem is that we here NOT for those perks.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following their hardy clean-up of countless pirates and the like, Captain Hiro and his crew beat a hasty escape. Reputation intact and their ship's stores plenty full, Hiro, Elma, and Mimi have set their sights on another part of the empire to earn their keep. As one enters into REBORN AS A SPACE MERC…#2, all of the previous idiosyncrasies apply: Hiro is a skilled pilot in need of a challenge, his crew is appreciative and hardworking, a rough band of pirates lurks in every sector of inhabited space, and there's an irascible officer of the empire who desperately needs Hiro's help in one way or another.

REBORN AS A SPACE MERC…#2 incorporates much of the same or similar gusto of the first volume, but also takes a few impressive and much-needed liberties with genre storytelling. Readers of the previous installment who were disappointed with the author's comical fascination with all things domestic (e.g., clothes shopping, guild registration, finding a place to eat, restocking the ship), will surely be disappointed with the current volume. Captain Hiro takes his time touring a trading colony called Arein Tetrius. Once docked, he and the ladies tour food production factories, go shopping (again), and visit a regional hospital for a checkup. Is it all this mundane? Yes and no. The factories are awkwardly cryptic, the shopping expedition just barely escapes fashion kink, and the hospital visit introduces a sexy-but-gauche genetics researcher.

The story structure of this novel series appears to track the sentiment that every adventure encountered by Hiro and his crew emanates from the innocuous. For example, when Hiro goes in for a health checkup, and to get current on his vaccinations, the doctor acknowledges his DNA is a bit off (Dr. Shouko: "Your genetic data has a lot of stuff that we've never observed before," p. 73). Whoops. Who knew that being an alien from a separate universe would prove an average Japanese male was a genetic anomaly? That couldn't possibly foreshadow anything bad happening, could it?

Part of the novel's charm is how it brushes off these obvious broaches of pseudo ethics with a shrug and simply moves forward. REBORN AS A SPACE MERC…#2 permits its characters to slaughter thieves and pirates and to laugh in the face of danger. The novel pitches frequent conversation about Elma (an elf) and Mimi (a young human woman) either struggling or finding comfort in exploring the physicality of their relationship with Hiro. And the book dutifully gut-checks it's protagonists whenever they think they have enough cash to move up in life (Elma: "Add in maintenance costs, and you'll want around double that," p. 218).

Otherwise, this volume includes a few rather spectacular takes on the genre. The first is a pull-back-the-curtain moment, in which Hiro opens up about his misgivings as an intergalactic transplant. By confessing his origin to one of his crewmates, Hiro actively (deliberately) bridges his knowledge and awareness of his previous life with his current one (and lo and behold, he doesn't blip out of existence). By and large, isekai tales never do this. That REBORN AS A SPACE MERC…#2 can cohesively mold the narrative around such a plot point, is worthy of mention.

Another curious facet rests in Hiro's casual attempt to recruit Dr. Shouko to his ship. Shouko is a brilliant researcher with frequent bouts of bad luck. She has a few run-ins with the gang, some good and some bad, and finds herself admiring but apologetic to Hiro. When he asks if she'll join his crew, she lets him down gently but decisively. It's a simple but important exchange, because it shows readers that even if there's a tilt toward a harem in this novel series, it's not inevitable. Apparently, some female adult characters still have agency in this universe.

REBORN AS A SPACE MERC…#2 doesn't have near the level of action and exploration of the previous volume, but it does make an effort to fill in the usual gaps of domestic space life with a bit of excitement. A nuclear-powered, strength-boosting artificial exoskeleton? Sure, why not? A space colony in the shape of a swiveling cuboctahedron? Sounds good. A recently promoted lieutenant commander of the empire, drunk out of her mind and pining for adventure? Eh, whiny and not ideal, but it'll do.

[Tuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mix of space battleship moments along with fun character antics continued to be well balanced. Pirates were still treated as if they were the scum of the planetary systems explored and Serena was presented just as wild as she usually is, though this time she had a cute side to her like the other characters. We did see one of the aspects to the pirates that does put them into the bad guy bucket and that event led to the introduction of another girl for Hiro, the doctor Shouko. I liked how the characters on the Krishna saving her tied directly into their health evaluations and also how this event tied directly into one of the first non battleship fights we got to experience. I enjoyed it.

Overall just a fun and exciting volume. I probably would have had Hiro maintain his alibi versus making the full reveal that he was from a different universe, but with everyone easily believing him, and also with Shouko providing the evidence that he is not like everyone else, it might have been pointless to maintain the secret. Still, one wonders what other nefarious acts we will see play out now that his DNA is being used for other purposes.

[Tomcat]

Slow pace and poor dialogue.

A really slow volume with no action or anything memorable for the first half of the book. The dialogues are poor, banter between characters are just bad. The attitude and personality of the MC is forgettable, and the rest of the characters got almost no development. More than half of the book is about food, money and leisure trips. Even that action scenes don't have any impending danger for the crew, which makes them boring.

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, compared to the first book, it felt too slow paced for my preferences. I don't mind focusing on slice-of-life happenings in moderation, but this was too much especially for just the second book in a light-novel series before I've really come to care about the characters as much as I might have after a few more books.

[Tim Nielsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun entertaining sci-fi

I like the way the story is written it has humor it has action and it also has a little bit of spiciness but it's fade to Black and to me that's more of an adult story as opposed to some of the other stories that are written in light novels. Would like to read the next book I hope it comes out soon.

[Blake H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not enough development from the first book

Same old fight with some pirates and not as big or exciting. Still kept my interest though. Some new developments in tech but it never got to exciting. Still, it's a fun and easy read.

[Enzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A guilty pleasure of a mix of isekai and science fiction. Hiro has moved to a new universe and here he has extraordinary skills. He has joined two beautiful girls and after conquering a space sector has moved to a better location. His dream a home in a land based planet.

[Khen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less action than the last book and more dialogue, but still a fun read. We get to see a more perverted side of the mc and character development for the girls. And possibly more potential for his harem.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book

I am still enjoying this series. The world building is fun. The action and Sci-fi are awesome. On to book 3.

[Yudi Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great and cozy journey. starting of harem novel

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second volume. After reading the second volume, the conclusion is this novel like one piece, but the crews all girls and the environment is in the space.

[Zack Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

Fantastic book! I loved this book! Such amazing character development. I simply can not wait for the next book to come out!

[Edwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

The second book of this series is just as fun as the first book.
Plot is fast paced but interesting to continue reading.

Looking forward to the third book.

[slugbiscuit · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun and fast series. Light on plot so far, so feels mostly like episodic slice-of-life. Waiting to see what author wants to do with these characters.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action packed. Very little character development. I think the phrase is "All gas, no brakes"?? There is a trope in this series that must go over in Japan, cause I don't get it, but it is what it is.

[Andrew Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really it's a 3.5

[Pieter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hiro and his crew of two arrive in a new system. What follows is a slice-of-life story in which Hiro plays tourist, has a tussle with pirates and deals with terrorists of sorts. The world building seems a bit shallow (especially for a SF story) and the characters are not too deep. Technology works because it works, and there is no real rhyme or reason to the presence or absence of certain technologies or the impact on the world. Its immediate impact on the story is more important. Much like volume 1 it is an entertaining read, but nothing particularly special.

[Daniel St. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know what this series is, and I am who I am, so I came in with the right expectations. Volume 2 was not as fresh as the first, but it still delivered on the parts that make this series fun. This is not a literary masterpiece, and it does not pretend to be, but it is entertaining in its own straightforward way. The action is fun, and the “action” is quick, which keeps the pacing light and easy to read. On top of that, spaceship battles, power-suit sumo fighting, and genetically altered food monsters make for some ridiculous but enjoyable set pieces. The characters are not very deep, yet they work well enough to carry the story forward. Sometimes it feels a little too predictable, but it never overstays its welcome. Overall, this volume kept me entertained even if it did not blow me away, and I am still on board to see where the series goes next.