Reading a book is a lot like getting to know a person. Chances are, you won't like most people, you'll meet people who are perfectly charming but don't interest you in the least bit, and it'll take a fair amount of time for you to get to know them. I hate so many books, and I quit so many of them part-way through, because I hate them. I've quit a novel recently, and I hate it so much, and I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't, it only fulfilled my suspicions further the further along I read. And I was only a quarter of the way through! It makes me wonder, what makes me hate a book so much? Let's list them: Protagonists that are not characters. I'm so tired of blank slate character that have to prove themselves, that are weak and become strong throughout the coarse of the novel. Is it so much to ask to follow a character that has an already established past and character? I want to read a story about something happening! Not about the establishment of a character! That's so boring! Over embellishment to the point of redundancy or over obviousness. Like how about having characters that are more than just one thing? I get that that character is brave or smart. How about showing other facets of their personality. They focus so much on how they want to portray the character instead of letting the character portray themselves. I get that this setting is shitty and that people are shitty. You've made your point. Can we please get on to something new. There are a lot of things that make a book unbearable or intolerable. But I think it all comes down to the writer's point of view on the world. I think the worst writers are the ones with the most set views. Or writers with the most simplistic, one-sided views. If a writer is pessimistic, or boring, or depressing, then it'll reflect in their work. If they are incapable of understanding people outside of themselves, then it'll reflect in the work. And I hate to say that some people shouldn't write novels. But they suck so much. I should give more examples and specify what I mean. But that's all I've got for now.
So basically you hate CN novels... Instead of Light Novels/Web Novels, try to read western published novels, they tend to have better story (mainly because it has editors, most of your problem with novel are caused by the lack of good editor)
Im afraid that they are not. As tempting as it sounds, most writers aren't retarded. They just found settings/tropes/cliches that they liked or found profitable (harem, self-insert MCs), and proceeded to copy paste it in their works, just like the character Zaimokuza in Oregairu did. As long as they sell, the quality of novels will keep going down.
When I saw "novel" rant, there was a small part of me hoping this was going to be an unusual or imaginative rant. I was disappointed when it turned out to be just another rant on novels.
Genre saturation is real these days. A lot of these novels are way too similar these days and unfortunately the diamonds in the rough will get harder and harder to find as more author's decide for the quick cash grab over new approaches.
Sounds like you read something shitty... But i understand where you're going with this. I, myself always seems to get stuck reading something with a one dimensional character with absolutely no depth and growth. Not to mention its always the same cliche setting of "the world is shitty to you, so you must get strong and get revenge and get revenge anddd get revenge" yes i'm talking about most CN out there. Im not looking for something entirely original, everything out there is cliche but a bit twist cant hurt. I mean every arc there's a bloody peanut gallery and fodder character that basically the same as the last arc.
Have you tried Reverend Insanity/Daoist Gu? I can't recommend it enough. Oh, and The Legendary Mechanic/Transcendental Mechanic And Half Prince, IF you like comedy.
It's a capitalism problem. If people are consuming trash, trash will be produced for them to keep consuming. Happens to most things, not just novels. Just remember how many Transformers movies were made. It's because ppl paid for it, mostly kids and their parents, but still, they paid. 'Self inserted MCs that go through egomaniac power trips and collect mindless vaginas' sells, hence these plots will be produced. And we find these plots both in China and Japan, which means it's not a local thing. Rage also sells, a lot. That's why you'll see so many revenge stories, faceslapping and betrayed 'heroes'. They see what 'catches' and abuse it. It's a business, not a craft anymore. I believe the only solution is to support the novels that appeases you. Money talks, and if you only let the ones that like the above speak, you can't complain about losing your voice. I believe the greatest example is yaoi. Over the years the genre boomed in NU. I'll take a wild guess here and say it's because the readers are supporting their favorite genre, so Authors and Translators replied.
I don't see the reason as to why this hinders a good story. If so, please do explain. I think that's more of consumerism than that of capitalism.
A reason why many people might, could, or would be turned off by that "already strong" bit is, depending on what you mean by strong, is that could leave less room for more character development. One of the defining aspects of many novels is the development of the core character(s). Otherwise, you have what is essentially a Gary Stu or Mary Sue.
It is in my reading list, but i havent started reading it yet, mainly because i am too tired of CN novels tropes
Uhm, I also think that characters should feel more real rather than generic fill in. That said, I am a bit confused about you wanting characters to "already be developed". Half a story is always character development. People will always change with time, there is no way around it. Well unless you are one of those CN MCs that happens to know everything from the day you are born. If you want a character that simply is already "fully developed", and then introduce everything as flashbacks or what not. That is gonna be boring. Because you won't grow attachment to the character. It's one of those things that might sound good in theory but will get boring quick in practice.
Then you should definitely read it, it's anything but the usual cn novel. p.s. There were a few parts I didn't like during volume 1 (first 200 chapters), mostly near the end of it, and I tend to drop novels at the drop of a hat so I almost dropped the novel back when I read it at first even though I liked the previous 150+ chapters. But I ended up reading on and it's not really any plot hole with hindsight, since you get a lot of information that explains some of the weirdness much later on. (Especially by 1300+ or whatever it just makes a lot more sense.) So definitely give the novel a try, and unless you really don't like the novel for some reason, and try to not drop it out of impulse. p.p.s oh and most characters have brains, the MC, enemies, and even "allies". Those who don't tend to not live very long, and I'm not talking about "smart" as in how a lot of authors will praise their own MC for being clever but then their actions are anything but that... Well there's Reverend Insanity and Reincarnator to take some examples. But yeah they're usually second chance/rebirth novels/etc. And I'll admit I'm a huge sucker for those tropes so I can be biased This isn't actually completely true though, the character itself doesn't have to change, but there can be some "character development" or at least something similar by being exposed to the character over time. Take Reverend Insanity for example, you won't know how low Fang Yuan can go before reading some 400+ chapters, and there's still going to be points 1000+ chapters that can still surprise you. So you still get slowly exposed and grow attached (assuming that you haven't already dropped the novel early on because of hating how evil the MC is) even though Fang Yuan never really changes.