This novel reads like fascist propaganda and I'm not a political person. I feel like someone is trying to brainwash me when I read this. In one arc the reward for doing well in battle is beheading the enemy general and all the kids are super happy to have the reward of participating in an execution. Every chapter they talk about how you should be proud to go and die for the state... what? This novel reminds me of starship troopers, except it isn't satire. Does it stay like this for the rest of the novel? I'm on chapter 186.
As far as Xianxia stories go, if you get past the propaganda, it’s not a bad story. But honestly you’re reading Xianxia. If the character hasn’t already murdered thousands, than it’s already a unique story. Propaganda wise for me, it was the whole military self sacrifice thing. It was taken too far and drama turned up to 11. Quite off putting. But a lot of people like this story since for all its faults, it’s still a lot better than than the face slap/ revenge cycle fests every other Xianxia seems to be.
There are definitely things to like about the story, I wouldn't have read 186 chapters otherwise but the whole political aspect is just so overwhelming and takes me out of the story every time. I think I've read "die for the glory of the star federation" and "humans are the strongest battle race in existence" like 50 times already in 186 chapters.
Nope, not quite. the first arc’s theme is self sacrifice though, and the MC himself stays more than willing to sacrifice himself pure heartedly for his beliefs, while becoming more realistic and cunning. Later on, the MC’s entrenched views are broken again and again. Things are rarely black and white.
But the self-sacrifice theme gets taken too far sometimes... Around chapter 700 (I think) during the devil invasion, a powerful soldier sacrifices himself to save a dying baby in front of the MC. And he fails. In the middle of a losing fight where they are already have a quantity problem. At some point it just become needless drama. It's consistent through most arcs like this too. I also didn't like the 'crafting system'. Its just a new skin on lego blocks and the vast majority of details are just handwaved away.
Yep, i guessed it is going to be a shitty novel when author tried to convince me that MC should be proud about a country which gave him nothing. He was rised by random old man in big pile of junk and i should really believe that people like this will care about country? Pff, poor stupid chinese.