Have you guys ever done this before? To read a novel solely because it's mediocre? Recently, I've tried that with Appraiser's Job, and well, what can I say, it was mediocre. Unsurprisingly, the mind-numbingly brain-dead normalcy of the novel brought my mental state to something almost akin to Zen. The utter lack of any true emotion in the writings was reflected in my own consciousness, the silence in my mind pervasive into every inch of my head; and I felt enlightened. So rarely, do I come across an experience as genuine and pure in it's lack of emotion as this. I was wondering if anyone else here has shared my experiences before?
To experience tranquility. It helps you understand that there's nothing truly that's a waste of time.
I actually do that so much that I hate it. If I know something is going to have a deep plot, lots of twists and action involved, I bookmark it but keep throwing it back from reading it because I feel like I'm not ready to pour my heart out at reading something at the moment. Same with completed novels. I feel like I have to take a marathoning journey when I pick up a completed novel so I can't start it unless I'm ready and have the rest of my time for it. For that reason I'm more likely to just start reading a newly picked up novel with around 10 or so chapters translated with a slice of life generic plot right away when I find it just after reading the summary. But if it's something I'm actually interested in or completed, I read all the reviews, but don't start it until...well, I don't know.
It’s like eating instant noodles really. Even though it’s not healthy for you, even though you may have tons of better food that you prefer eating, even though you know it’s cheap af, you still eat it because you just miss the taste from time to time.
eh? ppl read webnovels for a different reason? like 8/10 webnovels are so loose that you can already predict the whole arc without risking mistake....
I am also reading a mediocre series (sorry author if it feels i am betraying/bad mouthing you) but not reading because of it's mediocrity but more because i want to see what happen next: https://www.scribblehub.com/series/12429/the--year-great-sage/ Normally any isekai with MC using his modern knowledge to create better things is one of my favorite plots but for some reason when i read this series, i can't help but have this bland taste when i read it. For some reason when i read it i also have this sickening feeling that it's fake, not real, characters are machines or just author playing/miming the role of every character. Maybe it's just me though. Or maybe it's because author post too many "MC uses his modern knowledge" moments. Or (i think it's that) it's because for some reason the series don't have a unique feeling to itself and is too generic or too perfect... wait maybe it's that... it's too perfect... (MC is OP as hell)
I don't have enough patience for that, I really tried with a lot of novels and reached far but I couldn't endure till reaching enlightenment. Some of these I even tried without caring that the reviews were so bad and I'm not ashamed to say that I got disappointed every time. I tried with PMG, with the beautification mage, with ATG and countless novels but never could I reach that state of tranquil and enlightenment before rage quiting and dropping them.
ehm? I read novels for op characters and face slapping. most of them have variations of the same plot
I feel you, but normally when I read mediocre novels I choose the much shorter ones, like max 20 chapters in total. A wholesome short story even without an interesting narrative is always healing, but reading novels with over 50 chapters in total with absolutely no interesting development is frustrating and brain-damaging at times.
Sounds like reading the plot summary on wikipedia. It tells you what happens but without any emotion or drama in the delivery.
Yes, I do that. Why? Because I only want to fill my time with something. I don't need to read Shakespeare. This isn't my damn job. I just read whatever that keeps me from being bored.
I've tried more than a few mediocre novels, though it's not so much that I like them as because I don't dislike them. There are several things that will make me drop a novel right away. In particular, I can't stand stupid whiny self-pitying MCs, and I'm not fond of arrogant narcissistic MCs... which rules out almost all CN and JN, and the majority of novels in general. So when I find a mediocre novel with nothing I really hate in it I'll read it for around 100 chapters hoping it gets better. Speaking of which... I'm at chapter 98 of 10 Years After right now...
Isn't this a pretty standard practice? There's nothing wrong with mediocrity, and indeed this standard is better than an awful lot of webnovels out there. It's inevitable in the best of situations, and it's going to be far more common when most of the books are written by complete amateurs. Right now, I'm reading "Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear" and "Make My Abilities Average" even though these books probably aren't even good enough to be considered mediocre. The thing is, they're such breezy and effortless reads that there's not a whole lot of reason to drop them and they can be fun from time to time.
Honestly pretty much all the novels I read online are "meh". Someone else said it, but I'm really just looking for something to kill time with. I have some standards, and it does have to have some small trace of an actual plot, but I'm not looking for an amazing, award winning novel or anything.
The issue is length. I think length plays a role Look at SooHo, it is a mediocre but... It is only 116 chapters. It ended before I got too frustrated.