Question How open-minded should I be If I start reading CN novels?

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by ATrueStory, Oct 13, 2019.

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How open-minded should I be If I start reading CN novels?

  1. Try it! You'll like something.

  2. No. Just No.

  3. It is your duty to read CN novels.

  4. Try and bleach your brain afterward.

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  1. Sabruness

    Sabruness Cultured Yuri Connoisseur

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    If you read enough, you'll eventually find something you like. Just... you'll probably need a lot of brain bleach before that point.
     
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  2. KukiAme

    KukiAme Well-Known Member

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    if you don't mind "YOU COURTING DEATH !!" sentence repeated over 1 trillion, i think it's okay XD
    beware of racism tho- i know not all CN novels like that. but you know.. a few. a few writers don't know the difference about Nationalism / Patriotism and Racism -.-
     
  3. caffeinefocus

    caffeinefocus Well-Known Member

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    Definitely give them a try. You might find something that appeals to you as there are several of them available in various genres. Gotta warn you, though: sometimes, even if you've only read a handful of them, it'll feel like you've read them all. Longer ones are repetitive and full of fillers and infodumps. More on the telling rather than the showing, too. There are authors that can make the tropes and cliche work somehow, but there are several that can't. Try to limit your rationality when it comes to characterization, especially when it comes to the MCs, you'll get less frustrations that way.

    Most CN novels are easier to drop and stop reading, courtesy of their repetitive plot lines and longer chapters, and you'll feel less to no guilt about doing it as there are several more that you can read next. That's a definite advantage.
     
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  4. onnyfp

    onnyfp Well-Known Member

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    Why do you want to enjoy reading the trash ones though?
     
  5. GDLiZy

    GDLiZy Wise Deepsea Mermaid

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    It's a joke. :blobangel:
     
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  6. Kaminomikan

    Kaminomikan 神のみ感

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    OP they are so bad that you won't be able to stop... you will end with a "hit in the face on sight" list where you will be adding author after author.
     
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  7. An Anime Addict

    An Anime Addict (≧▽≦)/̵͇/'̿'̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ (▀̿̿Ĺ̯̿▀̿ ̿)

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    Never heard of a better description for cn novels(y)
     
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  8. KukiAme

    KukiAme Well-Known Member

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    if you read the gems then you can't find the will to enjoy the trash one anymore
    if you eat high class food you can taste shit anymore
     
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  9. Westeller

    Westeller Smokin' Sexy Style!! Staff Member

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    If you read Japanese novels then you know there are certain story patterns you see repeated over and over again. Enough that you'd honestly probably categorize them as a "type" of novel, or a genre. Isekai transmigration stories, for example: Some guy dies, is reborn to a new life in a medieval swords & sorcery world, and finds himself surrounded by a harem of girls. All romcom no actual romance.

    Sound familiar? Well, it should.

    CN novels have a "type" you'll see fairly often, too, and it's that "type" that, like JP isekai novels, gets a lot of disdain or hateful commentary. So you can judge by how you feel about the JP stories. If you think they get a bad rap and are actually fun to read, you'll probably feel the same about the CN version. If you think they're okay at first but you get tired of them, you'll probably feel that way. If you hated them from the beginning for whatever reason, well, maybe you'll hate the "generic" CN novels, too.

    To be clear, the actual contents are different. For CN, the patterns are more about cultivation worlds, 'arrogant young masters', tournament arcs and some other things. It's more conceptually similar to the situation with JP novel criticism than literally similar. It's the patterns, the tropes and cliches, that people criticize more than the actual content itself.

    Regardless, you should also know that there are plenty of JP novels that aren't "generic" isekai stories, and, likewise, there are plenty of CN novels that don't fall into the "generic" bin for CN. There's no reason to lump all CN novels together, and there definitely is good reason to try some out. You might like them - the generic, the different, or both.
     
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  10. Hacalyhd

    Hacalyhd Well-Known Member

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    CN novels sadly are a pile of bullsh*t hiding a few diamonds.

    I am not saying you should not try them, there are genuine good novels in the mix, but:
    1. If a novel has the Male Protagonist, Xianxia/Xuanhuan and Harem tags:
    1.1 with a Harem-seeking Protagonist: You get a horny sleazebag who somehow nearly all the heaven-defying beauties fall for.
    1.2 without said tag: You get a new waifu every other story arc, because the MC left his old one behind to train in a stronger region.

    2. If it's a story about a female transmigrator you'll most likely find the following things:
    - The FMC used to be some "supersoldier", genius doctor and/or knows how to cook way better than anyone in her new world.
    - The FMC is nearly perfect / clearly better than her peers
    - There will be at least a love triangle with two overqualified men, from which she will after snubbing them for some time, pick one only to stay friends with the other.

    3. If you read one good novel, there will DEFINITELY be one that copies the plot idea 1:1, only to make it worse. My favorite example is Cultivation Chat Group (which I highly recommend) and Red Envelope... something:
    Same plot - MC is a modern day student who happens to join a chat group of immortals only to start cultivating himself. The main difference is, that CCG is a comedic story about a cultivators in the modern world WITHOUT the harem tag, while RE.. is a story about a guy joining the gods in their divine realm and somehow being faster than "some" of them at snatching red envelopes, only to raise his affinity with them by sending them store-bought milk, because they love it and can't get it and it MUST be so damn valuable. All while trying to bang as many chicks as possible.
    My point being: Unless you like that sort of thing, stay away from the Harem tag, because the average CN novel with a harem tag propably shows as much interest and/or respect for the women besides the difficulty the MC had to conquer them as the average JP novel with the R-18 tag.

    If you want a few recommendations, I suggest you open a separate thread stating your preferences in a novel, because despite my rants, there are some really good novels hidden among the masses.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2019
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  11. Amaruna Myu

    Amaruna Myu ugly squid dokja (●´∀`●)

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    I like my Chinese bl
    cultivation novels get pretty mainstream and harem-y
    the vr/game types are decent enough
     
  12. Nightow1

    Nightow1 Well-Known Member

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    That and the fact that a small block of Chinese words can unpack into huge sentences in English. It's like Chinese is the zip file and English is the unpacked version. And their language is "descriptive" so you WILL get a lot of "scenery writing" and hyperbole.

    OP, I'd recommend you start with something light and funny like comedy so it doesn't sour your experience of the entire genre right off the bat. I'd recommend Library of Heaven's Path, it's not too racist or nationalistic so it should go down better than things like I'm Really A Superstar or The World Online (bleh).

    Build up your stock of tolerence before diving into the dumpster helps a lot.
     
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  13. Jojo775

    Jojo775 Honorary Algae Knight

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    What drawing style if you're reading novels... CN novels aren't a genre, they have their weak points but so do Korean and Japanese web novels. You're probably talking about xianxia and the like, while there are some exceptions worth reading especially for new readers, you can also read more serious and realistic novels.

    TOP CN novels are Coiling Dragon, Cultivation Chat Group(hiatus on translation) and World of Cultivation

    Still great but not top:
    Monarch of Evernight
    Stellar Transformation(this is the classic that started all these translations by the legendary he-man on some forum)
    Tales of The Reincarnated Lord(dropped but worth it, slow start, kingdom building)
    Renegade Immortal

    Good: Martial World
    Release That Witch
    True Martial World(you gotta learn about dao of the brick)
    Doulou Dalou(I just hate the game elements in a non game world, otherwise I'd rate it higher but it's probably not your pet peeve)
    Against The Gods (you're gonna love it or hate it)
    I Shall Seal The Heavens(there is some gold humor here and epic fights but some arcs are so boring)
    I'm Really a Superstar(comedy gold but drop after ~200 chapters coz it gets repetitive and disgusting, even offensive)

    Warning, rankings on Novel Update don't mean shit. Even if you find a novel that a 1000 users rated in average of 4.5 it still might be trash. Stay away from Reincarnator, Gods and Devils World, Emperor's Domination, The Novel's Extra, I am The Monarch, The Amber Sword, Hail The King, Bringing The Farm to Another World, Long Live Summons...
    Those are some popular and very overrated trash novels,
    and for all that is good and pure, don't even try reading a single CN fanfic. Here's my list if you want epic fanfics https://www.fanfiction.net/u/9071421/
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2019
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  14. Feng Tian

    Feng Tian Well-Known Member

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    Chinese novels are somewhat of a double edged sword and honestly: Out of the big 3 (KR, JP, C) it has the highest failure rate. 99% are complete garbage and the rest is not that great either. Illogical settings, retarded characters, unlikeable hypocritic assholes as MCs (at least admit your a cunt like Leylin from WMW, ty) and often the word protagonist isnt even applicapble.


    I would consider neither CD, and especially not MoE, to be top tier. Both are fairly mediocre.
    CD and RI might be good xianxia, but this genre is default garbage. Many of the tropes are illogical and detrimental to the world building. I wouldn't rate any of Er Gens works above "mediocre".
    MoE is good enough until it reaches ch 600ish, where it goess utter and complete retard, destroying most things which made it great to begin with. I'd argue that CoS, by the same author and one of his earlier works, is drastically superior.
     
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  15. mir

    mir Well-Known Member

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    It's like reading Google translate.
    While you are reading, it hurts your eyes and your brain, but it's fun enough that you do it anyway.
    Until the long term effects set in and you feel some regret as you mourn your grammar.
    I'm still not entirely sure what CN novels effect. Maybe the ability to distinguish B.S., maybe the warping of your normal idea of right and wrong, maybe the habit I hear people get where they skim chapters instead of reading them, or maybe just the disappointment when you find out that there are no beauties made of Jade in our world? :ROFLMAO:

    As a reader of Google translated novels, I cannot discourage you, and you will most likely have fun.
    But as a reader of Google translated novels, and an owner of destroyed grammar sense, I cannot encourage you either.
    Just do what you feel like :blobReach:
    (and prepare the bleach)
     
  16. LordCorwin

    LordCorwin Supreme Book Lord; Leader of the Fiction Faction

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    I find that to be in the correct frame of mind to read CN novels, especially Cultivation novels, it helps to let your brains dribble out of your ear first and store them for later when you actually might need them.
     
  17. JadeWhiteSkin

    JadeWhiteSkin please rescue~

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    just dont read too many in a short period of time
     
  18. Innieminnie

    Innieminnie Secret Parrot, Hidden Dodo

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    Pretty good female protagonists Minus points for domineering all around perfect mans, and best assassin/doctor/poison mistress proffesion
     
  19. Ratatoskr

    Ratatoskr [Aruruu's proud dad] [The False Gentleman]

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    Try read a few CN that you think you like, make that as a base line. Then find anything similar.
    For example, try reading The Lord of Mysteries. Its one of the best few that i'm currently have my attention on.
     
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  20. Jojo775

    Jojo775 Honorary Algae Knight

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    You are free to recommend what you think are the best web novels instead of just saying what I said is wrong. I haven't been reading them for quite a while, only reading Black Iron's Glory now.
    You might be right about MoE, I put it on hiatus and haven't continued so I wouldn't know.
     
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