×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
REVIEW: So I'm a Spider, So What? Novel 5




Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
gaptoothsailor



Joined: 22 Jan 2015
Posts: 100
Location: New York
PostPosted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:50 am Reply with quote
This volume was amazing, and it felt like the close of the real "beginning" of the story. The fact that Baba was able to flesh out this world and characters to this extent, and still leave a remarkable amount of intrigue and mystery is so impressive! I had to start reviewing this novel on my blog so that I could get out all my feelings. This is definitely my favorite "serious" isekai series right now
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ultimatehaki



Joined: 27 Oct 2012
Posts: 1090
PostPosted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 6:01 pm Reply with quote
I caught up with all the volumes this past month (1-5) and I find the author's way of story telling cheap and annoying. The big bombshells of the story is finding out a characters' name. That's it. No hype plot twist or surprises, we simply find out the name of characters we've been following since volume 1.

I didn't feel surprised or like I solved a great mystery I just felt annoyed at the fact it took 5 freaking volumes to learn the name of the MAIN [expletive] CHARACTER, and the differing timelines honestly just spoils itself. Like we learn who Wrath is and he still hasn't shown up in the past timeline so now no matter what happens we at least know he's gonna be perfectly fine at least up until the elf village battle and probably further depending on how the next volume goes, same with Sophia.

I just don't know why you would tell a story in such a self-destructive manner like this. And having to go back to past volumes to try and put names to people who were talking but nameless is annoying as well.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5821
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 4:55 am Reply with quote
I have found the author's story, and writing style quite good. So I'm a Spider is one of my most favorite LN's. Can't wait for the next one, and am glad the reviewer likes this series.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
linkhuesitos15



Joined: 26 Jun 2018
Posts: 88
PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 5:06 pm Reply with quote
ultimatehaki wrote:
The big bombshells of the story is finding out a characters' name. That's it. No hype plot twist or surprises,

Her name couldn't be less important to Wakaba that was only a shock for her classmates and the teacher.
Also who said that the two plotlines and Wakaba's name were the biggest bombshells?

The important questions are:
- What happened in the 10+ years gap between plotlines?
- Why Wakaba wants to destroy humanity?
- What's Wrath story?
- Why Wrath (a justice lover boy) become a demon general?
- Why the Word of God Religion wants to destroy the Goddess Religion when the Pope admited that both religions follow the same god?
- What kind of information Taboo has?
- What is the System?
- What's the relationship between the Pope, Potimas and Ariel?
- What was D name on the classroom?
- etc.

The focus of Shun story is to tell the "who they were" and "what they became" of his classmates, meanwhile Spider story show "what made them change".
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18138
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 9:26 pm Reply with quote
linkhuesitos15 wrote:
The important questions are:
- What happened in the 10+ years gap between plotlines?
- Why Wakaba wants to destroy humanity?
- What's Wrath story?
- Why Wrath (a justice lover boy) become a demon general?
- Why the Word of God Religion wants to destroy the Goddess Religion when the Pope admited that both religions follow the same god?
- What kind of information Taboo has?
- What is the System?
- What's the relationship between the Pope, Potimas and Ariel?
- What was D name on the classroom?

Concerning the two I bolded:
I don't at all get the impression that Wakaba is out to destroy humanity. spoiler[I got the impression that her parallel minds are spinning off on their own using some of her most extremist thoughts.] She more implies that she doesn't think the people of this world are capable of saving themselves from whatever she knows is coming from Taboo.

As for the other one, it's hardly unusual for two religions who follow the same god to want to destroy each other. Just look at all of the blood shed between various Christian denominations over the centuries.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
linkhuesitos15



Joined: 26 Jun 2018
Posts: 88
PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 11:59 pm Reply with quote
Key wrote:

spoiler[I got the impression that her parallel minds are spinning off on their own using some of her most extremist thoughts.]

That's indeed part of the reason but not at all. Wakaba also had hatred towards humanity deep inside her due to being Ariel's granddaughter (Wakaba's hatred towards dragons also comes from Ariel) but it was boosted after her paralell minds absorbed part of the queen's soul.

Quote:
it's hardly unusual for two religions who follow the same god to want to destroy each other. Just look at all of the blood shed between various Christian denominations over the centuries.

It's true but what I meant was that there's an even deeper and darker reason for that war. spoiler[The Word of God Religion existance is deeply entwisted with the True purpose of the System.]
But in other side of things is also true that The Goddess Religion is kind of heretic for the Word of God Religion.

Note: The following part is never refered on the Light Novel (both english and Japanese) and it's exclusive of the Web Novel, So I don't count it as spoiler (of the Light Novel). If you think otherwise tell me to mark it as spoiler.
spoiler[The Goddess Religion praises to all the divine beasts. The divine beast are:
- The Spider (Ariel)
- The Dragon
- The Elf
- An unknown blind beast
- The Goblin
Ariel (The Oldes Divine Beast) is literally Satan because she betrayed the Goddess' creed which is "Offer Protection for Humanity and all weak living beings" (Ariel have all the slaying titles in Calamity tier).

And because the Country of Sariella was allowing the tributes to Wakaba who was mistaked as The Spider Divine Beast. On the eyes of the Word of God followers they were making tribute to the Fallen Divine Beast (Satan).]


[EDIT: Spoiler added. - Key]
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18138
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 8:02 am Reply with quote
^
I went ahead and tagged it because it's still possible that it could come up in the LNs, even with Baba saying that things were being changed. If it doesn't then I hope we'll eventually see an explanation, as that brings the whole situation more sharply into focus.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
Merxamers



Joined: 09 Dec 2013
Posts: 720
PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:13 pm Reply with quote
I feel completely bamboozled; i was one of those who felt so clever putting together that we had 2 different timelines, and that Wakaba was the Demon Lord, at the end of volume 2, only to be proven *mostly* wrong for reasons i can't really get mad about.

Quote:
That has served this series well, as it has turned the world-building into the construction of a fascinating puzzle.


this is a great way to put it; each volume gives the readers more pieces about the larger puzzle of this world, and the more the picture comes together, the more questions arise. I'm honestly excited to see where this is all leading, and i appreciate that even among the moral grayness of the different factions, a lot of the characters have personal motivations that are easy to get behind, even if it puts them at odds with each other. For example, from the beginning I've like Ms. Oka and her struggle (her story would be enough for a great series on its own!). Now that we know the elves are almost certainly not good guys, and that most of her students no longer trust or like her, I want to see how this conflict plays out. She just wants her students to not die, dang it!

Great volume, excellent series.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group