Solo Leveling

by Chugong

Synopsis:

The murders of several distinguished S-rank hunters rock the world, and Jinwoo knows it's only a matter of time before the perpetrators strike again. The declaration of war comes earlier than expected, however, in the form of a colossal gate looming in the skies above Seoul. With the Hunter's Association of Korea struggling to adjust to its new normal and the Monarchs picking off the top hunters one by one, will Jinwoo be able to keep everyone safe from the biggest disaster mankind has ever faced?

Volume seven of Chugong’s Solo Leveling light novel is a little bit uneven. The plot is really accelerating at this point, with Jinwoo ready to fight all comers, Monarchs or Rulers, and the mystery about Jinwoo’s father being resolved as well… but the pacing doesn’t work amazingly, with an interlude in the middle of pitched battle while Jinwoo essentially watches a flashback of what happened to the original Shadow Monarch.

I don’t know how I’d prefer that section to be done — maybe the flashback was necessary! But it feels a bit rushed, like the author has to suddenly cram in all the info we need to make the upcoming conflict make sense. Obviously an extended flashback with Jinwoo just watching wouldn’t be super enjoyable, but… maybe we should’ve seen stuff from Ashborn’s point of view again?

All the same, the final chapters of the book ratchet things back up again, with Jinwoo’s minions appearing, and then the beginning of the end — perhaps for the whole world. It genuinely feels high stakes, and I think does it better than the manhwa for my tastes. I felt a bit choked up when Jinwoo asks what his future will be. Knowing how the story ends makes that more poignant, of course.

Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)

Solo Leveling

by Chugong

Synopsis:

Having witnessed the staggering power of the Shadow Monarch, Jinwoo can't wait to level up and reach those heights, and what better way to do so than to mobilize his army of soldiers against an S-rank dungeon's worth of giants? Saving a country abandoned by the rest of the world has its benefits—international renown, the expansion of his guild, an invitation to the most prestigious hunter conference in the world—but perhaps the most unexpected bonus is a run-in with another Monarch who brings not-so-welcome tidings. If he's to be believed, a war is coming that not even Jinwoo is strong enough to stop…

Volume six of Chugong’s Solo Leveling features Jinho’s father’s illness, the kidnap of Jinho, the revelation that Jinwoo’s father (or something that looks like him) is running around doing something thus-far inscrutable, and the fate of Gunhee Go, so it’s a hard hitter as far as Jinwoo’s development goes. It ties up some loose ends with Dongsoo Hwang, and starts to introduce the endgame here.

That means it’s possibly one of my favourite volumes so far, and I think a lot of this was more affecting in this format than it was in the manhwa, somehow. The way that Jinwoo’s incredibly high perception stat makes him more susceptible to Jinho’s feelings as well is an interesting touch, and that scene between them was really cute. (Though, c’mon, Jinwoo! Let him hug you! You’re bros now.)

Jinwoo’s biggest challenges are approaching, and I honestly can’t wait to dig in. I feel like the pacing is a bit different than the manhwa — same sequence of events, but with slightly different weights, I guess? — and is ratcheting up a bit slower, but it’s definitely ramping up.

Oh, and Jinwoo’s fight against Thomas Andre hits a bit differently I find — in the manhwa it felt more like he might be a match for Jinwoo, and here it isn’t even close.

Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)

Solo Leveling

by Chugong

Synopsis:

Jinwoo's received some amazing gifts from the system, but the latest one might prove to be the greatest one yet—a key to the double dungeon where it all started. Perhaps a second visit might provide him with answers for once. He's got some time to kill until he can use the item though, but before he can tackle another gate, unexpected movement from the shadow soldiers guarding Jinah sets his alarm bells ringing...

I’d slightly misremembered how things would come together in volume five of Chugong’s Solo Leveling, so I didn’t quite get the longer-form explanations I was craving — though those will come with time. Various things happen in this book, but the main feature is Jinwoo’s return to Cartenon Temple, to come face to face with the person who created the system.

I really loved the scene with the other hunters leaving Jinwoo to sort everything out and just smoking, tearing up and blaming the smoky atmosphere. There is some genuine tension in this volume — we’ve heard dark warnings about the nature of Jinwoo’s power, after all, and we see part of this volume through the eyes of characters like Haein and Jinchul — and that scene is a lovely way of showing its release.

Of course, there’s more going on, and the world doesn’t solely revolve around Jinwoo. We’re beginning to see a much larger plot taking shape here, and I can’t wait to get to those bits.

Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)

Solo Leveling

by Chugong

Synopsis:

"IT'S SHOWTIME."

The news has made headlines—"Korea and Japan join hands to exterminate the terrifying magic beasts on Jeju Island once and for all!" It's a monumental moment for the people of the country…and it has absolutely nothing to do with Jinwoo. Instead, the newest S-rank hunter's number one priority is bringing his recently recovered mother back home where she belongs at last. When the situation on Jeju Island takes a devastating turn for the worse, though, will the country's top hunters be strong enough to save the day without him?

Volume four of Chugong’s Solo Leveling covers the Jeju Island arc, and it’s a lot of fun — the other S rank hunters are so outclassed, even Ryuji Goto, and then Jinwoo swoops in… It’s wish fulfilment, there’s never any real chance that Jinwoo’s going to lose (or allow all Korean hunters to die), and it’s so satisfying to see that come to fruition.

I know others find that without any tension (because we know Jinwoo won’t lose) — or at least minimal tension, because some does come through from Haein Cha etc — the series isn’t so fun, but that’s a feature not a bug to me.

Speaking of bugs, hurrah, Beru! He’s super cute in the manhwa, a weird thing to be saying about a scary insect shadow soldier, so I’m curious about how he is in the source material too.

Plus, with the next volume (and a return to Cartenon Temple), we’re getting close to getting some explanations of what’s going on, so I’m very much looking forward to that.

Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)

Solo Leveling

by Chugong

Synopsis:

JINWOO SUNG, OFFICIALLY S RANK

Leveling up in C-rank dungeons has become next to impossible for Jinwoo. But an E-rank hunter attempting anything higher? Well, that would raise some serious red flags…so the time has come for a reevaluation. And when the results are back, it’s official-Jinwoo is the tenth S-rank hunter from South Korea! An entirely new world, brimming with powerful magic beasts and elite hunters, is now open to him. But before he can immerse himself in it, there’s something absolutely vital he has to do…

Volume three of Chugong’s Solo Leveling covers Jinwoo’s re-evaluation, his time with the mining squad (and meeting with Haein Cha), and some more of his time in the Demons’ Tower. His time with Esil is still pretty funny (dude, she probably has a crush on you!) and I continue to love watching him just get more and more overpowered.

I feel like some things are maybe better handled here, in that I feel like we’ve been hearing about Jeju Island for longer in the light novel than we did in the manhwa, so it just makes sense that it’s the next thing on the horizon.

There’s nothing groundbreaking and new here: if you’re getting tired of Jinwoo’s overpowered adventures, then you probably want to stop here. If you’re enjoying that, and it’s just how Jinwoo will win and not can Jinwoo win, then this continues to be super fun.

Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)

Solo Leveling

by Chugong

Synopsis:

ARISE! Once dubbed the Weakest Hunter of All Mankind, Jinwoo is now…well, something else entirely. Armed with his mysterious system, he’s currently powerful enough to single-handedly clear dungeons that once would have proven life-threatening. He just has to ready himself to take on the Demon’s Castle-and what better way to do so than finishing a quest? Exclusive new weapons and skills from an assassin-class job may be just what Jinwoo needs… but the system seems to have other plans for him!

As with volume one, volume two of Chugong’s Solo Leveling novel has been adapted pretty closely by the manhwa I’ve already read. There are a few details that I don’t remember popping up, and maybe a bit more detail for side characters’ and their thoughts — I don’t remember Park Heejin having quite so much detail in the manhwa, for example — but mostly the adaptation was very faithful.

Despite the story being so familiar, it’s fun to get more of Jinwoo’s point of view, especially as he starts to really get to grips with being a Player, and figure out things like his job change quest. It’s still such fun to read about him subverting the system a little bit (e.g. by going to the penalty zone for four hours to extend his timer, albeit that’s a bit accidental on his part) — and of course to watch his journey toward being so absolutely OP he could probably rip down a bit of sky and beat someone with it. He’s not there yet here, but he’s gonna get there.

The scene between him and Jinho when Jinho says Jinwoo’s like a big brother and Jinwoo says he’ll consider Jinho a brother then is so cute, too.

As with the first book (and indeed the manhwa), it’s fun light reading.

Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)

Solo Leveling

by Chugong

Synopsis:

THE WEAKEST HUNTER OF ALL MANKIND!

E-rank hunter Jinwoo Sung has no money, no talent, and no prospects to speak of-and apparently, no luck, either! When he enters a hidden double dungeon one fateful day, he’s abandoned by his party and left to die at the hands of some of the most horrific monsters he’s ever encountered. But just before the last, fatal blow… PING! [Congratulations on becoming a Player.]

Having read the manhwa adaptation of Chugong’s Solo Leveling, I decided I wanted to give the light novel a try and just start with getting volume one. This might’ve been a mistake: I started it on Christmas morning and instantly knew I was going to want to read the whoooole series in pretty short order. Luckily, I was saved: someone bought me volumes two and three for Christmas.

As that story suggests, it’s a pretty quick read, and not that different from the manhwa if you’ve read that first. You get a little bit of extra insight into Jinwoo’s thoughts, but it’s amazing how much the manhwa manages to directly translate into that format. You get maybe a liiiittle bit more of the side characters as well in volume one.

Honestly, this first volume is probably the most I ever felt Jinwoo facing real peril, which makes sense. Once he’s figured out the system and started leveling up, he’s got the protagonist’s halo. When he’s still just an E rank hunter — the worst hunter of all mankind — then he could genuinely die.

Mostly, the fun of this series is watching Jinwoo go from zero to hero to obscenely overpowered, and enjoy the nods to typical video game systems as you go. It’s really not that deep, it’s just fun. That’s the same in both the light novel and the manhwa, but it’s fun to experience it again in another format, and actually more so than I thought it might be.

Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)