Accel World, Vol. 1: Kuroyukihime's Return - light novel

One never knows how an English translation of a light novel will turn out, but I'm pleased to say that Yen Press did a fantastic job with Accel World, Vol. 1. The light novel adheres closely to the early episodes of the anime with little deviation (though the light novel predated the anime's release in Japan), but we do get inside the thoughts of our main character, Haru, a little more here. The action scenes are handled well and written with a dynamic quality that really gets you visualizing Haru's battles in the Accelerated World. Fans might like to know that there's also an afterword by author Reki Kawahara, all of the original illustrations by HIMA are included, and there's even a 'commentary' (as they call it) by Japanese author and game creator, Minoru Kawakami. Included as well are some very interesting art renderings at the end of the book depicting the characters in a vastly different visual style than what they appear in HIMA's illustrations and in the anime. It's a rougher, edgier look which, personally, I wish the anime had used -- particularly the Kuroyukihime design. A great read, and thankfully an excellent translation. Perhaps one of the better Japanese novel translations I've read in quite some time, right up there with the Dirty Pair novels, the Koga Ninja Scrolls, and the revised edition of the Gundam novel trilogy (a gold-standard for Japanese-to-English translations). As fans of anime, manga, and those interested in Accel World, please support this novel and purchase it for the modest price on Amazon or at your favorite retailer. Show Yen Press that we would like future light novel installments, not only of Accel World, but of the countless light novels not yet translated. There are numerous Gundam novels that have yet to see proper translation, along with current popular titles like High School DxD and Steins;Gate. EDIT: I forgot to make one note...and I sincerely hope that someone from Yen Press, or a publisher of English-language translated light novels reads this. However, this may be an issue solely with Amazon's listings...but in the future, it may be best to clearly state the term "Light Novel" with regards to the book's title, as to avoid confusion between manga and light novel volumes. As it is, titles like "Accel World, Vol. 1 Kuroyukihime's Return" could easily be mistaken for a manga when ordering online -- especially if the buyer is not informed enough regarding the product. This was not an issue for me, but it does seem like English-language publishers tend to shun the term "light novel."

This book is written by the same author who did Sword Art Online, and despite being the less commercially popular of the two series', I feel that this one is vastly more interesting. It takes place in the same world as SAO, but several generations in the future. The author kills it with the world building and sets up a very believable technological future. The main character is flawed as a person, but that only endears me to him more since I know he will have to undergo an amazing transformation as the story goes forward. Localization is pretty decent. It's hard to translate for a setting ingrained in Japanese culture but the translator does a good job of conveying the important parts. Notes for terminology and cultural information would have been nice, but you could still get by without. The one thing that makes me sad is the way they translated Ash Roller's dialogue since he's known for talking funny (his character is supposed to have a terrible grasp of English, but uses it as slang anyways). In any case, I highly recommend the read. It's superior to the anime and manga, and is after all, the original source material. BUY IT! You'll feel MEGA LUCKY!!!

This is the first light novel I've ever read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story seemed at first to be somewhat cliched, but the writing style and world-building really captivated me. As far as plot, there were moments where I expected something to turn out a certain way, but was completely surprised and caught off guard by what happened next. In the end, I have to say the story was well thought out, and very moving. It was a journey that made me both laugh and cry (for real). The author is adept at humor and drama alike. On another note, the author's vision of the state of technology in the future and the part it plays in people's daily lives will appeal to fans of "hard" sci fi, as it's (for the most part) very plausible and convincing. The characters are likeable, even the nerdy, antisocial protagonist with a huge inferiority complex. I don't particularly identify with the protagonist, but there are lessons, tastefully embedded in this tale, that have universal value. I'm hooked on this series now. I bought and read vol. 2, The Red Storm Princess, and just ate it up. I can't wait until they translate and release the third one. I highly recommend these books.

Love reading the extra detail from this. The anime could only do so look much and this was great. The love the betrayal.

Bought this after getting anime because I was hungry for more, and it did not disappoint. What the anime grants in visual beauty, the book offers up in further insight into the mind and life of Haruyuki, and expansion on the points of this world. Well written, well organized, and well paced, this is an excellent read.

Great Quality for a light novel that served as the inspiration for an anime. Quality wise the only issue for this was that the translator seemed to want to go for "directing" instead of "direct linking" which sounds awkward in terms of the lingo in the universe. It raises a consistency concern especially considering they never say "bursting" but always say "burst link." Nice extras included the color pages at the front of the novel, as well as an afterward from the author and a short story of sorts from a game programmer and artist who offered a different take on Accel World. All in all for the price it is a great novel and one that easily kept me hooked for the many days after it arrived. I look forward to Volume 2.

Best Accel World Light Novel ever!

So much better than the anime. It's translation is average, with a few errors; but the story still shines through brightly!

Item shipped fast and perfect conditions

O plot é a parte mais importante. Ninguém liga para as fantasias do Haru sobre a Kuroyukihime pelada no banho

Every fan of Accel World anime should read the light novel, because you really know what the main character feels and thinks, and you see the story from another point of view. Just amazing. I'm still reading because I'm italian and english lexicon used in this book isn't very common. But at least I'll learn english better! XD I suggest reading Accel World light novels to everyone wants to deepen Accel World's plot, universe, and characters, too. In my opinion this english version is good for people like me that don't know japanese but understand english quite well.

Muy bueno, es la novela original de la serie, espero conseguir los siguientes números, el envió fue muy rápido, lo recomiendo.

The book arrived in good condition rather than some damage on the edges . But cannot blame the author for that! This is a nice and well written story about a ..................................................................................................................................! Well not including spoilers .. This is an awesome book by Kawahara sensei and the illustrations by HIMA are extremely beautiful . Yen press certainly did a good job with their translations , and the presentation of the book was extremely brilliant and it has all the colour pages included in the original Japanese editions . It also has some nice extras. Perfect for any one who loves interesting and science fiction stories . A must buy for all accel world and SAO fans! Note: This is NOT the MANGA for Accel world but the original LIGHT NOVEL vol 1