異邦人、ダンジョンに潜る。3 狂階層のロラ

The Otherworlder, Exploring the Dungeon Light Novel #3

by Hinagi Asami, 麻美 ヒナギ, Kureta (Illustrator)

異邦人よ、最凶が待ち受けるダンジョンを攻略せよ!

かけがえのない仲間・アーヴィンとゼノビアを失ったソーヤたちは、喪失感を抱えながらも、再びダンジョンへ挑む。そして今、一行は最大の試練に直面していた。第十九階層【狂階層】。その一帯は、行方不明者が続出し、恐ろしい魔が棲むという超難所。さらに魔の手はラナにもおよび……。激闘に次ぐ激闘、試される絆。苦難の先にソーヤが手にするものとは!? 興奮必至のシリーズ第3弾。

Genres: Light Novel

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 5, 2020

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly upset. Not sure why, but this series was really clicking with me and after rating all 3 books five stars I find out the series was axed and I will be getting no more.

[Pablo García · Rating 3 out of 5]

The least thing on the author's and main character's (Souya's) mind is "Exploring the Dungeon". Ironic if you consider that it's on the title of this Sci-Fi/Fantasy light novel series. Priority one is still eating Japanese Food in another world, so if you like foodie or glutton light novel series this series might be good for you. The second priority by the author and main character is creating a sexy and women filled harem-retinue. Although Lana is married to the main character, and in Japan (in the real world there is no polygamy that is allowed), both the author and main character pretend that nothing is wrong (even though main character was sent from Japan as a soldier-mercenary)... So, there is really no seduction, and most interactions with the harem-retinue are sensual innuendos and body rubbing (in the first 3 books)... The main character has already mentioned not going back to Earth once his "tour of duty is over in a year's time"...
The reason why the main character is in this other world is for a mineral that is only available on the 56th floor. But with all the eating and sensual innuendos, there isn't even time that this main character and his harem-retinue actually delve into the dungeon (Tower of Legions)... It is necessary to remind everybody that the reason why the first Earthling soldiers failed in this other world, was because they deviated from their mission (enslaved locals, created war, seeked power, etc.) In Book 2 they delved from the 11th level of the Dungeon to the 14th. In this Book 3 they are supposed to delve 5 floors and try to reach the 20th floor. The thing is they spend more time trying to recruit more harem-retinue members than actually rising in the Dungeon... It all feels like filler to me...
The author and publisher should get a better illustrator. The light novel series does have a map of this other world, (no map of the Dungeon Floors) and does have "half-finished" illustrations from the current illustrator... This Book 3 has 5 chapters and close to 250 pages long. Being a Dungeon delving series, I think the author could have improved by a lot the action within the Dungeon Tower...The actual delving of the Dungeon Tower took hours and less than 10 percent of this Book 3 around the 80 percent mark, the thing is with that title and with it not being about the dungeon, then this light novel series is being misrepresented/deceitful...

[Pieter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Souya is struggling with his emotions after how things ended in the previous volume, although even outside the dungeon he is not getting all that much peace. Still, at some point he needs to enter the dungeon and to make things worse, the levels they are about to enter are known for an entity that kidnaps one adventurer per years, most often elves and it is about a year ago that the last person went missing.

The story is a great mix of humour, making a bit of fun of the fantasy tropes of various LNs, and a grimmer overall story with some great characters thrown in the mix. I also like the romance developing between Lana and Souya, feels a lot more natural than is common in the genre. The pacing feels a bit off, a long drawn out start and a quick end, but it is not too bad. I do find some of the background events and number of overpower monsters a bit confusing: who defeated what and when? Not too important for the story of Souya, just a bit distracting.

All in all, a solid addition to the series. I hope there is going to be a fourth volume, while technically a complete story, it still ends on a bit of cliff-hanger as a way to start of the next volume. As long as there is no next volume, I am going to ignore the last three pages or so.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real shame that this series was dropped. Love the fact that there are actual stakes in this series, and the slow revealing of the setting and main plot are very well done. What a cliff-hanger for a series that will never be continued!

All that said, I take a star off for some of the plot points as they are unveiled feel a little abrupt; I'm guessing this is a consequence of reading a translation. In general, a book has to really show me something to get a 5 star, and the fact I was even thinking about it for this one speaks highly of it.

In summary, Translator did a good job. Author did a good job. Series is well worth the read even with the discontinue and the cliffhanger ending.

Note:
- 1 star = I disliked it
- 2 star = It was okay
- 3 star = I liked it
- 4 star = I really liked it
- 5 star = It was a favorite

[aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume three of the Otherworlder series finds Souya's group in a bit of a mess following the happenings from the prior volume. They are a bit broken down and having some problems getting back to adventuring after one of the their own fell. This time they realize they need to continue up and in order to do that they must cross over floor 14 which holds a great evil that has been ending the lives of specifically elves for some time. This is another fun (although, sadly I just found out its the last) volume of the series and I'm a bit bummed that they weren't able to continue with the English light novelization.

[Karsun B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This better not be the last one I'm too invested in this series.