A boy named Reiji is brought by a summoning ritual to another world, a world of magic and monsters. In this world, the king tasks him with defeating the Demon Lord, who has destroyed many kingdoms and now threatens to wipe out all humanity. As the chosen hero, he learns the ways of magic and progresses with great speed, determined to bring an end to the Demon Lord’s terror.
This book is not about him.
This book is about his friend Suimei Yakagi, an expert magician capable of astounding feats far in advance of anything in the other world (hence the book’s title.) Angry at having been accidentally summoned alongside Reiji, he seeks a way back to his home dimension — all while hiding from Reiji and his friend Mizuki Anou that he has magical abilities.
The magic in this other world is too far behind, and this light novel, translated from the original Japanese, is a good way to kill time.
Unlike what is typical for books of this sort, the protagonist Suimei Yakagi isn’t some down-on-his-luck otaku or socially awkward shut-in. Instead, he is a mage of exemplary skill who is kind but aggressive, never allowing others to disrespect him while at the same time showing compassion for those weaker than himself. His determination and forthrightness carry the story forward; when there’s an obstacle, he takes the bull by the horns. At the same time, he isn’t awkward around women, though he isn’t obsessed with them, either — and thus he catches the eye of one of the female court mages, Felmenia Stingray.
A note on Felmenia: there is a stereotypical character type in these sorts of novels called the “tsundere,” who treats the male lead with great anger and even violence while secretly harboring romantic feelings for him, or warming up to him over time (for a good western example, Helga from the old Hey Arnold cartoon fits the type to a T.) At first, Felmenia appears to be one of these types, but then Suimei does something unusual, something rarely done to most tsunderes by protagonists, that snaps her out of it. It’s quite heartening to see.
That being said, the book has many flaws. Right at the beginning, there is far too much infodump. Much of the prose tells rather than shows, blunting the emotional effect of many of the passages. Suimei is a Mary Sue (Mei Sui?) of the worst sort, coming by very few actual challenges within the castle — even the final battle is rather lackadasical. Had the author focused on challenging Suimei more, this book would’ve improved greatly; instead, we get a sort of wish fulfillment that makes for very unsatisfying stories.
But all in all, the book is a good way to kill time. As implied by the term “light novel,” it’s good for light reading — it won’t knock your socks off, but it isn’t completely terrible, either. A recommend, but only barely.
This was probably the most Secret King light novel I read in my recent dive into the LNs. While I appreciate the attempt to do something other than tread in the well-worn footsteps of John Carter, I found the opening uninteresting and Suimei unlikeable. That said, I’d read this again before Arifureta.
This was probably the most Secret King light novel I read in my recent dive into the LNs.
I agree, hence why I called him a Mary Sue.
I found the opening uninteresting and Suimei unlikeable.
The intro is easily the book’s weakest part, and I don’t blame you for disliking Suimei.
That said, I’d read this again before Arifureta.
I just so happen to have bought volume 1 of Arifureta at the same time I bought this book.