Hi guys, I have a question about Dungeon Defense. Does Dungeon Defense get better again? I mean, the first volume was simply amazing, but now Ive bin through 3/4 of volume 2, and it drives me crazy. Wheres the grandios puppet-master from volume one, all I see at the moment is an annoying, unnecessary brutal (and lovecrazy ?) MC, totally the opposide from the genius and calculating mastermind from volume one. And the "flashback" storytelling is pretty annoying. Does it get better again, more like Volume 1? Greeting FunkyWizard
You can only trust the author in series like this, because the MC doesn't have to tell u word by word what he is planning.
So volume 3 gets better (MC gets more like his "old self" from volume 1 again?)? Does the storytelling change to "real-time" again and not this "so let me tell you a story" crap, if you know what I mean :/ ?
I dropped it in the middle of volume 3, same reason as you. Things like "Hang on, it gets better in volume 5!" just doesnt cut it for me.
This story was never on the MC the moment it leaves Vol 1. The true purpose of this novel was for the reader to read of the madness of the world, with the MC just watching a show while it happens. It doesn't become a "let me tell you a story". it's becoming THE story, moment to moment.
I personally believe that Dungeon Defense gets a lot better after Volume 2 as he finally begins to play with higher stakes
If you want to see Dantalian as puppet master, then read volume 2. Volume 2 is a roller coaster, read the last chapter and you will understand how Dantalian play around with us (reader) and Barbatos. If you read the chapter carefully, you will realize that most of volume 2 events are flashbacks (see the date in the POV). In my opinion, All the 5 volume are great, but Volume 2 is the best (it may start weak, but it has the greatest impact, especially the last chapter). Volume 3, 4 and 5 are great, there are many cool scenes like volume 1, but they are predictable.
The author knows his stuff, and each character is in fact well developed and have their own share of problems. The Volume 2 works as a filter for the audience, the story has a target audience reason why people consider it a masterpiece while others think of it as trash. So if you felt that the Volume 2 was bad then the rest will be bad for you. Simple as that.
Volume 2 is basically Unreliable Narrator made manifest. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UnreliableNarrator The events are not untrue, but they are presented in a very misleading way (with some IMPORTANT elements left out) since you are basically sharing Barbatos' point of view. And if you consider that Dantalian merely wanted to prove to Barbatos that he is competent, while still getting her to underestimate him, even the final "revelation" is suspect... Volume 3 onwards is full of the scheming we love, but be warned that the story is still much darker and more brutal than Vol 1. Dantalian doesn't get to be the lazy goofball that stays in bed all day anymore since he's constantly surrounded by massive threats that seem to be far beyond his level. It's only in Volume 5 where the comedic tone really comes back, and even then there's gallons and gallons of blood accompanying it. The game elements also pretty much disappear, but IMO the novel is all the better for it.