Discussion Should I read Main Character Hides His Strength

Discussion in 'Novel Discussion' started by Cosmic_, Jul 11, 2017.

  1. Cosmic_

    Cosmic_ [Novel Addict] [Lazy Writer] [Meh Editor]

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    I read the first few chapters and it didn't have anything that really made like it. Does it get better? I'd always been meaning to get to more of it, but don't because the novel isn't the type I usually read. Most of my novels are usually slice of life or comedy. My usual novels are light and have romance so I just wanted to ask if it gets better. Any fans of the novel please give me ha push to read it. There are lots of times when I just push off reading novels that I end up loving and this novel is one of the strong ones where I'm hesitating. Also want to ask how bad is the gore and dark elements.

    Note: I've read KR novels like Everyone's a Returnee and Dungeon Defense before though
     
  2. Tiken

    Tiken Well-Known Member

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    Well, bear with it, as long as you read, you'll start to understand each of his actions and the background.
     
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  3. elengee

    elengee Daoist Ninefaps

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    It stays about the same throughout the story.
     
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  4. Ninth Mountain

    Ninth Mountain Bezgranichnyy

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    Definitely better than most Japanese stuff out there. Imo better than EER. The things I said probably did not help but I suggest just pushing through the first arc and think about it after
     
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  5. Kanna Kamui

    Kanna Kamui Well-Known Member

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    I dropped it coz i dont feel any danger for the MC since hes the strongest person everytime he encounters problem that he cant solve with magic he just uses his hammer then its over .
     
  6. hungry_machiavellian

    hungry_machiavellian Well-Known Member

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    Tbh I didn't like the first arc as much but the following story is good
     
  7. Redmi

    Redmi Well-Known Member

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    MC is 'cursed', therefore no possibility for any romance, or rape for the matter. No Chu Feng-like character here.

    What I like about the novel is that from the MC POV, every problem is just like nails; there's nothing a hammer cannot handle. What's there not to like about MC Hammer?
     
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  8. StormHawk

    StormHawk I’m Back To Drop Bombs

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    At least he's not Beta MC
     
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  9. lnv

    lnv ✪ Well-Known Hypocrite

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    Its good, but its not exactly slice of life or comedy. So it might not be your thing if that is what you are looking for. (That is not to say there isn't comedy, but its on the mild side)
     
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  10. Varno

    Varno True Member

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    Tell you the truth, you wouldn't be missing anything special. Characters aren't well pronounced and I think it could describe the environment the story takes place in better.
    Though with all it's faults it does feature a very physically dominant main character, so if your into that give it a try.
     
  11. penguinleecher

    penguinleecher Well-Known Member

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    I'm up to the current chapter, it's one of my favorite novels. I would call it similar to Seoul Station's Necromancer, but instead the MC never returned to Earth and the world is not cheery. I agree that it is kind of like a mystery with the amount of background the author grants you.

    MC is trying to manipulate from behind the scenes to accomplish the things he cannot accomplish using his brute strength. He may not lose battles, but he can fail and he can lose the war. It's hinted that there are people of similar power to him, in different ways.
     
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  12. naviet

    naviet Well-Known Member

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    If u enjoy it then read it. If u not, dont continue read it. Use your own interest, judgement when reading.
     
  13. Comet_Vomit

    Comet_Vomit Well-Known Member

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    I would say it's a worth read , the first part is a bit boorish though .....

    Also he's the new op brick mc just that instead of a brick he has a stolen from the dwarves hammer :3
     
  14. Stark3

    Stark3 Well-Known Member

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    Maybe I was just unfortunate / insatiable(?) enough that I was reading Main Character Hides His Strength, Master Hunter K, King of the Battlefield, Everyone Else is a Returnee, and one or two other KR novels concurrently. Anyway, I eventually found Main Character Hides His Strength a bit too bland ... also, (at the time at least) he kept putting artificial limits on himself for whatever plot device and it was just frustrating.
     
  15. Trent

    Trent ☕ Ursine Tea Zealot ☕

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    If you don't like it yet, I doubt you'll like it later, since the tone stays the same throughout. The story's more an exercise in world-building and character portrayal.

    It's not particularly dark and gory, especially for the material. The torture scenes are broadly described, just to show that it happened, and the head and body destruction are casually and quickly mentioned, not focused on.
     
  16. keklel

    keklel Well-Known Member

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    I'd say it's much better than EER but not quite on par with Dungeon Defense, at least not in terms of the plotting and scheming aspects. It's a much simpler story and doesn't demand as much mental involvement.

    Character relationships are also much more developed in Dungeon Defense.

    It is superficially similar to SSN but the plot and characterization are on completely different levels. SSN is written almost like a parody in terms of how ridiculous and outlandish the situations are (all terrorists in the middle east wiped out by one undead army...really?) whereas MCHHS is much better thought out. The characters in SSN are all one dimensional idiot villains (portrayal of the North Korean leader in SSN comes to mind) or bend over backwards to serve the MC (everyone in the MC's team) - not so in MCHHS. In MCHHS characters have their own motivations to do stuff and just feel much more real.

    I'd say MCHHS is much closer to early Reincarnator in terms of feeling. It is not as intense because there are not as many random characters and there is not nearly as much psychology as in early Reincarnator. Also the setting is not as exciting as early Reincarnator, but it is more coherent and fits together more nicely. As the story progresses, Reincarnator kind of goes from one place to the next whereas in MCHHS it feels like more and more pieces of a jigsaw puzzle is being revealed. It leaves a nice aftertaste and the novel feels like it just keeps getting better and better.

    Examples?

    I agree that characterization isn't its main focus and there are almost no significant characters other than the MC after almost 80+ chapters. The environment however I think is given an adequate description (I'm the kind who doesn't like infodumps) slowly over time, as needed.

    I would contend however that to develop proper, full characters you would need to have a very slow story like M E M O R I Z E, and I feel that the focus of MCHHS is to tell stories, rather than develop characters. For example in a children's fairy tale the characters are glossed over in a few words yet they tell a coherent message. That's why I think not being heavily devoted to characterization is not really a weak point of the story after having read it for 80+ chapters. It fleshes out characters just enough to tell the story and that in my opinion is a sign of masterful storytelling.

    This is not that kind of story so you probably wouldn't like it. There are very few SOL moments in the story (Sungchul's cooking moments notwithstanding), almost no comedy moments, and zero romance. That's just so far but the way it's going, I seriously doubt it's going to change much in these aspects.
     
  17. penguinleecher

    penguinleecher Well-Known Member

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    I agree with you. Also, have you read Experimental Log of the Crazy Lich? I like it although the translator has stopped for several months. I feel the MCs in each are trying to do similar overarching/grand plans, though ELCL is like SSN in that the tone can be very silly at times. MCHHS really does not hold back on how gritty and serious everyone is.
     
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  18. LeeEzekiel

    LeeEzekiel Well-Known Member

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    Emotionless loner ubermensch MC, a la Reincarnator and King of the Battlefield. It's like reading the journal of a cynical robot while countless weaklings die in the background. Many like it, but I find it too similar to everything else in the "Korean Survival Game" genre. If I had read it first, then I probably would love it. Give it like twenty chapters or so - it's pretty easy to read at least.

    Dungeon Defense is a novel that transcends classifications, though, so I feel that it's unfair to compare Main Character Hides His Strength to it.
     
  19. moridin84

    moridin84 Well-Known Member

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    I was initially very interested in Main Character Hides His Strength. However, at some point, it got kind of boring. It's not bad, just lacking in excitement. Bland is a good word for it actually.

    I used to put this and MEMORIZE on the same level but still MEMORIZE has my interest. Though that might because it's only translated up to chapter 40~ while this is at 80+


    If anyone knows anything that can compare to Dungeon Defense please let me know about it.