The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Haruhi Suzumiya, #1)

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The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Haruhi Suzumiya #1)

by Nagaru Tanigawa, Noizi Ito (Illustrator), Chris Pai (Translator)

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 1,444 ratings · 134 reviews

Haruhi holds the fate of the universe in her hands . . . lucky for you she doesn't know it!

Meet Haruhi - a cute, determined girl, starting high school in a city where nothing exciting happens and absolutely no one understands her.

Meet Kyon - the sarcastic guy who sits behind Haruhi in homeroom and the only boy Haruhi has ever opened up to. His fate is now tied to hers.

Me...more

Paperback, 224 pages

Published April 1st 2009 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (first published 2003)

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Aug 04, 2011 Kyle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ah, the memories of watching the Haruhi Suzumiya anime all came back as I read through this first novel in the series. Obviously, the novel goes into much more detail than the show.

And since I've watched the anime, I already knew what was to come, and the "surprising" events didn't catch me off guard, although it still was enjoyable to read.

It's a light read, which slowly starts off normal enough. The reader gets insight into the mind of Kyon, as it is through his perspective that he is the narr...more

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Jun 17, 2011 Colin Bruce Anthes rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I found the anime series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, I was ecstatic. This comic splash with compassionate characters seamlessly travelling from cosmic science fiction to familiar high school nostalgia was a masterpiece. I was eager to read the books. “What I find incredible,” I said to a friend of mine, “is that it’s so much more than genre fiction.”

I have now read the first three books. They are no more than genre fiction.

The usual, of course, is for film and TV adaptations to capt...more When I found the anime series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, I was ecstatic. This comic splash with compassionate characters seamlessly travelling from cosmic science fiction to familiar high school nostalgia was a masterpiece. I was eager to read the books. “What I find incredible,” I said to a friend of mine, “is that it’s so much more than genre fiction.”

I have now read the first three books. They are no more than genre fiction.

The usual, of course, is for film and TV adaptations to capture a part or an essence of the book, and then for the full effect one digs up the cover. But Haruhi is just the opposite. With magnificent visual and musical schemes, and some of the most creative, detailed voice acting I’ve ever heard, the full effect is definitely in the series. The words themselves are not much different from what’s written in the books, but the scripts are perfectly timed out. They pair crackling dialogue that slims down Kyon’s weighty inner monologue, with priceless pauses and reactions to create a flow that doesn’t exist in the books. There’s more to it, and all of it’s better.

The greatest difference is in the character of Kyon himself. In the series, he is a well rounded and likeable character. He is reserved and secretly sarcastic, but he stands tall and interacts without too much difficulty. He has a teenager’s raging hormones, certainly, but it is also believable that he could get a girl to like him, and so there is some romance in his lust. He over-controls his too-normal life, and doesn’t willingly sign up for adventures, which makes the wildness of the other characters good for him. It is believable that he gets to care for them, and his surprised discovery of what is actually good for him is fascinating. He is far more interesting than your standard straight man character because his clever inner monologue is a secret he shares with the audience. Unlike a film noir script, Kyon is never as witty with other characters as he is with us, not even with his longtime best friends. We are his best friends, and so we can invest in his story more personally.

In the books, Kyon is reduced to a leering, undercutting creep. Forget those seamless shifts from cosmic to domestic storytelling; Kyon is so casual, reluctant, sarcastic, and horny that even most extreme situations have an “and then this happened too” feel to them. Rather than interrupting the action to crack up the audience with his real thoughts, delivered with energy and surprise, Kyon goes on and on in his amusing but rarely hilarious sarcasm. A universe-threatening super-being surrounds him with beautiful girls because that’s really what it would take.

I saw someone on Goodreads post that Haruhi has absolutely no plot. Reading the books, this is true. There are sequences of events to see girls in skimpy costumes and to make sarcastic jokes. But the series not only seemed to have plot, it had two plots happening simultaneously. The question of “what will happen next?” was there throughout.

I’ve given all the books I’ve read 4 stars because, while they are just genre fiction, they are readable and enjoyable genre fiction, and they get bonus marks for sparking one of the best shows I’ve ever had the good luck to see. Long live Haruhi!
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Feb 02, 2013 D.M. Dutcher rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: japanese

It's all right, but the anime so flawlessly adapts the book that you see nothing really new, and even miss out on things.

Kyon is a cynical teen who is disenchanted with the world. Soon, he meets a girl named Haruhi who boldly announces she wants nothing to do with normal humans; only time travelers, espers, and aliens are good enough for her. Kyon talks to her, and suddenly he's roped into her club, the SOS Brigade. It might be easier to find time travelers and espers than Kyon thinks though. Co...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Lottie Eve rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya(such a long title!) is a very delightful, fun, and quick read that will bring a smile to your face. I recommend it to readers the age of 13 and up. I would say for all ages but there are a couple of scenes that are little mature(although not to over the top).

This book is filled with delightfully fun characters. Haruhi is a very entertaining character. She is funny and a will go to extremes to get what she wants and when I say extreme I mean extreme(no wonder nob...more The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya(such a long title!) is a very delightful, fun, and quick read that will bring a smile to your face. I recommend it to readers the age of 13 and up. I would say for all ages but there are a couple of scenes that are little mature(although not to over the top).

This book is filled with delightfully fun characters. Haruhi is a very entertaining character. She is funny and a will go to extremes to get what she wants and when I say extreme I mean extreme(no wonder nobody wants her to find out her powers). She is a very random and upbeat character that will keep you entertained for a long while. Kyon is a very fun and generous narrator. He tells the story very well and never tells too much about himself which is a good things because the story is about Haruhi. He can be a bit on the sarcastic side a times but it is always in the right places and never really gets old. It is funny how he is the only normal person in the club. The rest of the characters: Mikaru Asahina and Itsuki Koizumi, and Yuki Nagato are also very entertaining and fun characters.

The story is a very light-hearted story. Every chapter is a short story about the S.O.S Brigade member’s adventures. There are some exciting parts but mostly the story is very light-hearted and humourous. The mystery behind Haruhi’s powers is something I am definitely curious and I want to know more about it. There are a lot of paranormal events that occure in this book which are very enjoyable to read. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a very fun and light-hearted story so if you are looking for a story filled with meaning and substance than you will not get it here. If you are a person looking for a light and entertaining read than this is a book for you!

The writing is very simple and readable which is to be expected since this is a light novel. The writing is very understanable and you do not have to think to hard a while reading. The way the story is told with each chapter having its own short story(the short stories do come together as a story though) makes it very easy to find a stopping point. The art that is scattered through the pages is very pretty and has its own style to it. I believe that the writing makes this book very rereadable.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Susuzmiya is a very quick and fun read that will cheer you up and make you laugh. The book is a very light and rereadable. I will certainly be getting the next books in the series!

I give The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 4 out of 5 Stars
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Oct 01, 2012 Zachary Rawlins rated it 4 of 5 stars

First off, what a lovely cover and outer design. I bought the entire series based on the incredibly pleasing look and feel of the set, and I am happy that I did.

This is a superior translation, with the original illustrations preserved and presented, largely in color. Although I have to confess that I am not a fan of the character design in this series, the books are faithful to the original material. The editing is excellent, the dialog flows and is largely free of artifacts and errors in transl...more

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Oct 05, 2011 Juwairiah Omar rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Melancholy of Hiruhi Suzumiya! That title poped right out at me in my search for a good graphic novel that would turn heads! The plot is simple. Kyon is a highschool student. He enters high school. And than come Hiruhi Suzumiya. A strange girl who is over energetic and never stops until she gets what she wants. And not only that>did i mention she has a thing with Aliens, Espers, time travelers and anything strange!! At first Kyon does not want tp believe think that these things exists but...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Chibineko rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aliens, comedy, cool, cute, funny, moe, sos-brigade, light-novel

I'd initially been introduced to this series via the fan translations of this volume & the anime, but I'm glad to say that I got the chance to read the official translation. It's an entirely different thing to read the book with the illustrations.

If you're not familiar with the series then you're in for a treat. This is one of the better light novels available on the market, being both lighthearted & serious at the same time. It's rather hard to dislike the titular character, to be hone...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Jay H rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-it, japanese-translated

I read this novel because I wanted more of the story after watching the anime, and because books always have more to offer than their movie/tv show counterparts. Well it was a huge disappointment. Everything, and I mean every single scene in the book was incorporated into the anime so there was nothing new, and the writing was so bland that it left almost no motivation to finish the book. I do feel that a lot of the voice is lost in translation, but even so there could've been so much more to of...more

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Jun 11, 2010 Sydney →☺ rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Someone looking for a light book

As soon as I watched the anime for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, I was instantly confused. I gave it up for a long time because I had no idea what was going on. Eventually, I read the manga for this and I immediately loved it. I knew that I didn't give it enough of a chance, and I went back and watched the entire series -- it was amazing. Not too heavy, but very entertaining and humorous. So when I learned there was a book for this, I was instantly nervous it would be ruined or shoved into...more

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Jun 18, 2009 Mallory rated it 1 of 5 stars

I’ve never been a big fan of manga, which is probably why I’d never heard of this novel until quite recently. Apparently, it’s more or less the Japanese incarnation of Twilight. Not so much because of vampires and romance, but moreso because it’s a sub-par novel that has become an international craze. At least enough of a craze for its English translation to have a display near the front of Borders. When I mentioned it to my manga-nerd friends, they knew exactly what I was talking about. The nov...more I’ve never been a big fan of manga, which is probably why I’d never heard of this novel until quite recently. Apparently, it’s more or less the Japanese incarnation of Twilight. Not so much because of vampires and romance, but moreso because it’s a sub-par novel that has become an international craze. At least enough of a craze for its English translation to have a display near the front of Borders. When I mentioned it to my manga-nerd friends, they knew exactly what I was talking about. The novel has been adapted into a graphic novel, as well as an animated TV show. I figured it was about time for me to get my claws into it.

The plot of the novel caught my eye, and was the reason I picked it up in the first place. The narrator, Kyon, attends his first day of high school and meets Haruhi Suzumiya, a beautiful and sour young lady who soon becomes infamous for her strange behavior and self-proclaimed disinterest in “ordinary humans.” Together, Kyon and Haruhi start up the SOS Brigade, whose aim is to find espers, aliens, and time-travelers. More importantly, the SOS Brigade is supposed to keep Haruhi occupied so that she won’t destroy the world with the amazing power that she unknowingly wields. As Kyon gets dragged along for the ride, he discovers that his life is not as ordinary that he thinks, and probably never will be ordinary again.

My biggest beef with this novel is how much it tells and how little it shows. I don’t want Tanigawa to tell me that Haruhi is angry. I want to figure out that she’s angry by the way she slams her books on the desk. I don’t want Kyon to say that he’s hot, I want the imagery of his sweat-soaked school uniform. The lack of this type of description made the book very boring for me, and it took me over two weeks to finish its 224 pages, just because I couldn’t read more than a few without losing interest.

Beef number two was the overuse of similes. Tanigawa is apparently very fond of them, and they’re not particularly good similes. Sometimes there were several in the same paragraph (like college kids crammed into a phone booth?).

I was disappointed. The premise of the novel was very good. There were times when the novel surprised me with phenomenal insight just when I was about to throw it in the trash. Unfortunately, Tanigawa failed to expand on the more interesting aspects of the plot, and mostly stuck to describing the characters mundane day-to-day school lives in lifeless detail.

One more thing, it irked me how every main character in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya seemed to be uncommonly beautiful. I like to see flaws in my characters. It makes them more real. Mikuru Asahina could have had a crooked nose from a childhood accident. Or Haruhi could have had frizzy, untameable hair. But they didn’t. Tanigawa described them all as being close to perfection, and that annoyed me to no end.

Why are you so popular, Haruhi? Maybe I’ll just never understand what draws the masses. At any rate, this will probably be the last time for a while that I’ll try anything manga-related.(less)

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May 13, 2009 Andrew rated it 2 of 5 stars

"Summary: On the first day at a Japanese high school, an irrepressible girl announces her lack of interest in 'ordinary humans' and proceeds to form a club dedicated to finding aliens, time travelers, and other forms of supernatural life, with the intention of having fun with them."

In 2003, Kadokawa Shoten published Nagaru Tanigawa's The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. The novel captured the collective imagination of Japan's otaku, and adaptations in manga, anime and video game formats quickly fo...more "Summary: On the first day at a Japanese high school, an irrepressible girl announces her lack of interest in 'ordinary humans' and proceeds to form a club dedicated to finding aliens, time travelers, and other forms of supernatural life, with the intention of having fun with them."

In 2003, Kadokawa Shoten published Nagaru Tanigawa's The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. The novel captured the collective imagination of Japan's otaku, and adaptations in manga, anime and video game formats quickly followed. To date, Tanigawa has written nine installments in the "Haruhi Suzumiya" series. The English translation is published by Little, Brown and Company and Yen Press.

Perhaps something was lost during translation, but the text comes off reading slightly flat. It's also apparent that the translator attempted to retain the feel of Japanese syntax, but it ultimately results in a choppy read for English-speaking audiences. Occasionally, it's difficult to ascertain whether the narrator -- a teenage boy only referred to by his childhood nickname "Kyon" -- is directly speaking to the reader or actually speaking to characters in the story.

In terms of plot, Melancholy resembles a pastiche of nods to pop culture and genre standbys. For example, the central relationship between Kyon and Suzumiya resembles the one shared between The X-Files' Dana Scully and Fox Mulder, respectively. Tonally, comparisons can easily be made to Douglas Adams' work. Whether these comparisons are flattering will differ from reader to reader.

As far as the story's pace goes, it may move a little slowly for those already familiar with Haruhi Suzumiya through her various adaptations. There are only minor differences between them and the source text, and it may leave the reader wanting for some new revelation about the characters. Kyon may be the only character that readers will gain new insight from, but it's partly due to the expansive nature of the medium of the novel.

Overall, the reader comes away really wanting to like the The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Tanigawa puts all the elements of a light, whimsical fantasy into play, but they just don't seem to coalesce by the end. Kyon, the narrator that the audience is supposed to identify with, never quite comes off as being particularly sympathetic or charismatic. He's not quite Arthur Dent. He's not quite Holden Caulfield. However, it feels as though Tanigawa is trying to mold Kyon into that hybrid form. Maybe the same criticism can be leveled at the novel's other characters, as well. The story is in need of more wit and less of the broad, outrageous comedic hi-jinks on parade.

On the other hand, I acknowledge that perhaps I'm not exactly Tanigawa's target audience. As long as one steps into Haruhi Suzumiya's world not expecting "Haruki Murakami For Kids," they should find themselves mildly diverted for an afternoon.(less)

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Jul 24, 2011 Ella rated it 2 of 5 stars

The story is unique and extraordinary but I still didn't enjoy reading it. Some parts became boring. So I was not motivated enough to finish the whole book. Also, I wasn't feeling the story. Kyon narrates the story but it's like.... I don't exactly know how to explain but I just wasn't feeling it. It just felt like a story was being told to me without any feeling.

The characters were interesting though. They all have different personalities. Like Haruhi, she's mysterious but very bossy. Asahina's...more

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Jun 19, 2009 Monk rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: world_builders, philosophy, humor, modernlit

This novel was the translation of the novel that made the name Haruhi Suzumiya a hit in Japan. It has since become serialized in not only novel format, but also in Manga and Anime as well.

For anyone who's seen the anime or read the manga, congratulations - you pretty much got the same thing again. That said, the novel isn't bad. It covers the life of Kyon after becoming ensnared in the strange life of Haruhi Suzumiya, a girl who is obsessed with transcending the mundane world. In her words, her...more

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Jul 02, 2009 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: story-driven readers, mystery-lovers

Shelves: humour, science-fiction, series, japanese

This is a review of the Haruhi Suzumiya light novels, volumes 1-7. I'd give the first few only 3 stars because they aren't as involved as the later ones: you reach the best parts as the puzzle pieces mount and create a bigger and bigger picture. The reason I didn't give the series five stars is that some stylistic choices don't translate well into English. Kyon is an extremely introspective narrator; metaphors are frequently "bloated" according to English standards; the plot unravels so slowly t...more This is a review of the Haruhi Suzumiya light novels, volumes 1-7. I'd give the first few only 3 stars because they aren't as involved as the later ones: you reach the best parts as the puzzle pieces mount and create a bigger and bigger picture. The reason I didn't give the series five stars is that some stylistic choices don't translate well into English. Kyon is an extremely introspective narrator; metaphors are frequently "bloated" according to English standards; the plot unravels so slowly that you don't know where you are until you're practically tripping over the solution, i.e., each chapter has a long period of rising action, a confusing climax, and a swift dénouement. Another feature of the novels is how details are purposefully left out to add mystery and suspense (beyond the nickname "Kyon," we are completely ignorant of the narrator's real name, the sequence of events in which the story is told is jumbled even without time traveling, and who could North High's back-up esper possibly be?).
These elements of Tanigawa's style distinguish it from science fiction series where action is more important than story. (Ironically, the SOS Brigade is out to avoid an excessively action-packed world precisely because Haruhi gets inspired by this type of science fiction.) The lull of mundane moments gives the supernatural elements an edge and keeps them fresh when they come into play.
Over time I got used to the pattern, and grew to enjoy each segment of the series more than the last. The pattern of a meandering story that crystallizes into a tightly-knit problem is crucial because the struggle between the supernatural with the mundane might be the very biggest overarching theme the series contains. I've come to enjoy Kyon's stream-of-consciousness narration (though Asahina's praises get old), the diverse allusions to everything from books (Hyperion) to mathematical equations (the Euler characteristic) to candy mascots (Peko-chan of Fujiya), the way climaxes unfold like a detective story, and best of all, the character development. Tanigawa can create inscrutable characters as well as bewildering plots.
I was wary of amusingly-arranged stock characters until I was well out of the chapters covered in the anime. I have been pleasantly surprised, but the reader runs the risk of falling into the trap of superficiality they set for Haruhi. Every moment that wipes the smile off Koizumi's face, gets Nagato to show a spark of emotion, or allows Asahina to drop the ditz act is very rewarding. Instead of merely knowing what they are, what is most relevant is how their identity within the SOS Brigade will shape their choices when Haruhi's not looking. Getting to know this third, most realistic dimension of their personality, beyond their masks and mission objectives, is part of why it is so effective to tell the tale from Kyon's perspective and not Haruhi's. Her antics are only half the show: the other half is observing how the rest of the SOS Brigade deals with it.(less)

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Aug 31, 2009 E. Anderson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Attention American Rearers: You WILL experience culture shock while reading this novel. If you are unfamiliar with the inner-workings of Japanese private schools, the way sexuality is portrayed in their books and films, or have never read an imported comic book, you’re going to have to keep an open mind when reading The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. But, if you’re willing to try something different, this novel is a real treat. One boy’s mundane existence is thrown upside down when he starts hig...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Eadwacer rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the story about a girl who can change the world just by wanting. It has appeared in a wide range of media in a wide range of countries. So far, I have read most of the light novels (there are ten in the series), watched both seasons anime, and scanned a couple of the manga. It’s a fun concept, somewhat flawed in the execution. This review is specifically about Volume 1, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Three years before the start of the novel, Haruhi Suzumiya (then in middle school) r...more This is the story about a girl who can change the world just by wanting. It has appeared in a wide range of media in a wide range of countries. So far, I have read most of the light novels (there are ten in the series), watched both seasons anime, and scanned a couple of the manga. It’s a fun concept, somewhat flawed in the execution. This review is specifically about Volume 1, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Three years before the start of the novel, Haruhi Suzumiya (then in middle school) realized her small personal world was not all there was, that her city was bigger, Japan was far bigger, and the world was infinitely bigger than she thought. She immediately became depressed. As Douglas Adams once said, “in a universe as big as this one, the last thing you need is a sense of perspective”. Suzumiya also, unknowingly, at that point, developed the power to change the world to be more like what she wants it to be. The key word is, ‘unknowingly’. The novel tracks what happens when she gets to high school. The main POV character is a high school classmate of Suzumiya’s, nicknamed “Kyon” (we never learn his real name). Kyon, by the way, is the Japanese name for a small barking deer, which is why he keeps complaining about people using it.

Fast forward three years from this back story, and Kyon (sorry) and Suzumiya are in the same freshman class in high school. In the class introduction she says she’s not interested in normal people, just espers, time travelers and aliens. She dragoons Kyon into helping her start a new club, the SOS Brigade, with the mission of seeking out such people. She equally imperiously recruits three other students, more or less at random — Yuki Nagato, Mikuru Asahina, and Itsuki Koizumi — as members. They turn out to be, unbeknownst to her, an alien, a time traveler, and an esper, respectively. Only Kyon is normal. The novel, and the series, revolve around all four working to keep Suzumiya happy, because whenever she gets bored there’s a good chance the universe will end.

The choice of Kyon as the POV character was a good one. Suzumiya would have come over as too self-centered, and the others would have had internal processes that would be hard to capture. Plus, the writers would have had to come up with a whole new world (say, Asahina's future), and that would have turned the novel into a totally different object. He is observant, acerbic, and totally underwhelmed by Suzumiya's powers. Perhaps because this is high school and not middle school, he's not embarrassed around girls.

One of the interesting things about the novel is watching the non-romance between Kyon and Suzumiya. He's not interested. She's got too many other things going and refuses to let teen hormones get in her way. And yet, when she is unconsciously (literally, she's asleep) starting to change the world, it's just Kyon that she brings with her into the Sealed Reality. And when he tells her he likes the world the way it is, that he really liked her in a ponytail, and gives her a long kiss, he immediately finds himself back in his own room, having fallen out of bed. Next day at school, he finds that the world hasn't changed, but that Suzumiya (complaining about a horrible nightmare), is wearing a ponytail.

I liked the book, and I'm no longer a teen. I think it would be a great weekend read, or an e-reader. It lacks depth and gravitas, but that's why they are called "light novels".(less)

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May 23, 2011 Sean O'Hara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, kidlit, science-fiction, j-lit

The Meloncholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is about a 14 year old Japanese schoolgirl.

(Well, there's a surprise. When was the last time you came across a light novel that didn't have a teenage girl as the protagonist? Japanese authors write about schoolgirls the way Americans write about middle aged white guys.)

True. Although to be fair, Haruhi isn't really the protagonist. She's more a force of nature. The real protag of the story is the narrator, Kyon. He doesn't want to be the hero -- he'd rather be a...more The Meloncholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is about a 14 year old Japanese schoolgirl.

(Well, there's a surprise. When was the last time you came across a light novel that didn't have a teenage girl as the protagonist? Japanese authors write about schoolgirls the way Americans write about middle aged white guys.)

True. Although to be fair, Haruhi isn't really the protagonist. She's more a force of nature. The real protag of the story is the narrator, Kyon. He doesn't want to be the hero -- he'd rather be a Nick Carraway type, watching interesting action from the sidelines and occasionally hanging out with the real hero. But on the first day of high school, he's assigned a seat in front of Haruhi and is thus sucked into Cloudcuckooland.

Haruhi is the sort of weird girl who, in an American movie version, would be played by a young Winona Ryder/Christina Ricci type. She hates the ordinariness of her life and wishes to encounter something interesting -- aliens, espers, sliders, time travelers. She'll talk to her fellow students just long enough to determine there's nothing interesting about them, then ignore them. But Kyon somehow gets past her defenses and she ... "takes a liking to him" isn't quite it. Drafts him as her first buttmonkey captures the relationship quite well. Soon Haruhi, inspired by one of Kyon's offhand remarks, decides to form a new school club, the SOS Brigade (that's the "Save the World by Overloading it with Fun Haruhi Suzumiya Brigade," which has to be the worst acronym since Calvin founded Get Rid of Slimy Girls).

Instead of chartering the club the proper way, Haruhi simply takes over the Literature Club, which has only one member, a girl named Yuki Nagato. Haruhi also shanghais an upperclassman, Mikuru Asahina who happens to have the qualities Haruhi wants in an SOSer -- i.e., big boobs. Later, when she hears about a mysterious transfer student named Itsuki Koizumi (all transfer students being mysterious in Haruhi's mind), she pressgangs him into the Brigade as well.

So what does the Brigade do? It's complicated, but mostly it involves Haruhi forcing Mikuru into revealing outfits (which wouldn't be so bad if she didn't do it in front of the guys. Yeah, for a YA novel, there's some real ickiness here.) They also make occasional weekend excursions to hunt mysterious phenomenon, though they fail to find any, much to Haruhi's frustration. Which is ironic, because it turns out every Brigade member beside Kyon is a mysterious figure working for mysterious organizations who were sent to keep an eye on Haruhi.

And why does Haruhi need to be surveilled? That's really complicated and should best be discovered by reading the book (though skip the back cover, because it gives away the big secret).

Apart from the supernatural elements, the book reminds me a lot of my high school years, when walking across the library could end with me getting shanghaied into a bizarre adventure with women of questionable sanity. Ah, those were days.(less)

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Jun 16, 2010 Malia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. The narrator (poor Kyon) has a sarcastic edge to him despite finding out that the world quite literally revolves around the emotions of one bored bossy chick. Haruhi is a funny and slightly twisted character and I dig that. The book lost me whenever they tried to incorporate the supernatural or the scientific phenomena because it was done so badly like a half ass afterthought. Luckily it only came up a bit in the middle but then it kinda ruined a few chapters near the end. T...more

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May 05, 2012 Sean rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books

Light novel indeed. This is a short book and it's meant to be. That isn't a bad thing, but if you want more meat, especially if you have seen the anime, then you definitely have to grab the sequels alongside this one.
The story takes the perspective of Kyon, a first-year Japanese high school student. The first day he meets Haruhi Suzumiya, a strange character to begin with. His almost unintentional friendship with her puts him into the worst situations; ones that deals with the supernatural that...more

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Oct 23, 2009 Jayd rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book was amazingly, incredibly poorly written. I can't blame it on translation; No translator could have done this awful a job. The main character is an absolute shmuck. He's complaining about things constantly - that or he's being perverted. The amount of adjectives shoved into every single one of his sentences is astounding, especially when you look at his passion (or lack thereof) for school, and his one or two word sentences. His opinion is that if someone is different, they should chan...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Yasiru marked it as to-read

For the longest time I considered light novels as a whole not worth getting into because I'd come across a succession of sub par anime series based on them (the names have almost all deserted me, save Shakugan no Shana). The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, with all its metafictional delights, I had thought was one of those rare original anime series which seem to come out of nowhere and topple every expectation on their way to memorable heights, but not so it seems- there's this light novel serie...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Lindley Walter-smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

First of all, I'm really glad some Japanese light novels are making it into English. And there was a lot to like in this one - the science fiction plot, the ambiguity about who is the real source of power and strangeness - everyone in the novel seems to think it's Haruhi, but it's amazing that every event turns out to play to exactly what Kyon wishes for - are really original and enjoyable. There was a lot I found appealing and fascinating.

What wasn't appealing and fascinating was the relentless...more

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Mar 18, 2009 Jackie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This a great book. One of my favorites. I don't know how the translation holds up, since I read it in Japanese. I'm really, really happy they're translating it like this, though. It's just such a great story with such great characters. Haruhi and Kyon are two of my favorite characters in any genre.

This book is, at heart, a slice-of-life school comedy. It has slapstick comedy, situational comedy, and Kyon's witty, sarcastic, far-too-well-read-for-his-character narration. It also brilliantly brin...more

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Jul 12, 2012 水色書庫 rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first volume from the infamous (?) Haruhi Suzumiya series. I was familiar with most of the plot thanks to its anime adaptation, but boy wasn't it a great feeling to recap all the shocking scenes and revelations about each SOS member on papar all over again!

Haruhi is actually one of those rare series I enjoy a lot despite lack of love for its heroine. Yet one has to admit that only when all characters are gathered in front of Haruhi as one entity (Team SOS) do we get to see the best...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Halida rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, japan

Written in Kyon's point of view, this book tells about the beginning of everything: how Kyon met Haruhi Suzumiya, an eccentric, self-centered high school student who has no idea about her power; the forming of SOS Brigade, an afterschool club activity whose members are actually non-humans except for Kyon; and Kyon's knowledge of an imbalanced world that relies on Haruhi's mood and thoughts.
I think all characters in this book are likeable. And despite of being such a cynical and sometimes pervert...more

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Mar 13, 2009 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young_adult, sci-fi

I have no interest in ordinary humans. If there are any aliens, time travelers, sliders, or espers here, come join me. That is all.

I wish I had the good sense to introduce myself this way on the first day of high school. I may have ended up with cooler friends...

Kyon gave up his dreams of finding anything supernatural or out of the ordinary long ago. Until his first day of high school where he meets the oddest girl he's ever known. Haruhi Suzumiya may be cute, but she's totally out of her mind....more

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Apr 13, 2012 Kenneth Mugi rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Nobody

Recommended to Kenneth by: My wife

Shelves: teen, science-fiction, translated-works, japanese

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya(TMHS) is a difficult novel to review because it has a complicated history of how it ended up on my reading shelf. I became interested in reading TMHS after watching a Japanese animated series based on the novels. In this series the plot, character, writing and animation were all top class. It was so unique and enjoyable that I have already watched both seasons three times despite buying it in late 2011.

Not only that, TMHS (the anime & novels) were a sensati...more The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya(TMHS) is a difficult novel to review because it has a complicated history of how it ended up on my reading shelf. I became interested in reading TMHS after watching a Japanese animated series based on the novels. In this series the plot, character, writing and animation were all top class. It was so unique and enjoyable that I have already watched both seasons three times despite buying it in late 2011.

Not only that, TMHS (the anime & novels) were a sensation in Japan that have created at least two spin-offs and launched the career of Aya Hirano. During my last visit to my wife's home country, Miyuki (who is also a fan) picked up the Japanese version of the novel and told me it had one the prestigious Sneaker award. Then, after she had actually read the novel, we filled our suitcase with four more books in the series.

Unfortunately, this translated version did not live up to the hype. Even worse, it was an incredibly frustrating experience because I could see that all the problems lay within the translation. Asides from the seemingly disconnected sentence layout and difficult to follow dialogue, there seemed to be a complete lack of understanding from Chris Pai (the translator) about the nuance of either language. It's as if Chris did not comprehend the meaning behind certain Japanese words (they are highly contextual) nor how the natural flow of how English dialogue and internal conversation should sound.

I believe this all stems back to Chris not being a writer. He (She) does not know how to build tension in English nor how to build character. Instead what we get is a direct 'grammar' translation from Japanese to English that fails to work because of the opposing grammatical structures. Instead of naturalistic characters and clever witticism, we get a hyper-articulate kid who makes no sense because of their word choice or metaphors.

Reading this version of TMHS made me wonder if I was browsing through another world. None of the characters I loved (or enjoyed) existed in this Universe and half the time I wished to throw the book against the wall. It's an incredible shame because the Anime (and the series) was considered revolutionary in Japan and has enough cross-over appeal to target Western Markets.

I would only suggest this to another reader if they enjoyed being beaten with a literary stick every single page. Instead of wasting (only) ten dollars, purchase the anime for a few more and take the journey you deserve to have with Kyon and the gang. (less)

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Feb 22, 2011 Jamie Fahlgren rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, urban-fantasy

I found this for fairly cheap and picked it up out of curiosity. I'm not really a big fan of the anime, so I've sometimes wondered if there's something about it that I'm just missing. While I wasn't really in for any surprises as far as the plot was concerned, I am happy to report that I liked the light novel better than the show.

Largely, I think this is due to the fact that the book is much shorter than the show. Haruhi comes off as less "spoiled brat that needs to be taken care of by more inte...more

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Aug 02, 2009 Josh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: light-novel

I waited a really long time for this book to come out but had forgotten about it completely this year until I came across it in the book store.
I had originally seen bits and pieces of the anime, as most Americans have, and was anxious to read the original novel. While I enjoyed it as a whole, the anime is pretty much an exact play-by-play of the book. Even the dialogue is nearly identical between the two, which is good for hardcore fans, I suppose.
To be honest, I didn't find the book as hilariou...more

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Nov 09, 2009 John Paul Baila rated it 5 of 5 stars

a book that has a lot more to it than just some humorous fantasy. the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya has a pretty straight forward story line, however it engages in multiple theories of philosophy having to do with time, paradoxes, and many interesting thoughts involving sci-fi and fantasy. many of these theories are bluntly expressed in the story while some are not so easy to see. if given some thought, these ideas can cooperate with everyday life and it become clear that the author want us to s...more

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About Nagaru Tanigawa

Nagaru Tanigawa (谷川流 Tanigawa Nagaru)

Nagaru Tanigawa is a graduate of the Kwansei Gakuin University School of Law. In 2003, he won Kadokawa's Grand Prize for Literary World for his work on the Haruhi Suzumiya series.

More about Nagaru Tanigawa...

Books by Nagaru Tanigawa

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Volume 1

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (Haruhi Suzumiya, #4)

The Boredom of Haruhi Suzumiya (Haruhi Suzumiya, #3)

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Volume 2 (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

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“As I looked at her from the side, I became newly aware of the softness of the curves of her face. Nagato said she was the "potential for evolution." According to Asahina, she was a "time warp." Koizumi treated her as "God." Then what about me? What did "Haruhi Suzumiya" mean to me?
Haruhi was Haruhi and nobody else. I wasn't going to use such overblown language to dodge the question. But I didn't happen to have a decisive answer. Isn't that natural? If someone points to the classmate sitting behind you and asks, "What is she to you?" How are you supposed to respond? ... No, sorry. Guess that's still dodging the question. Haruhi wasn't just a classmate to me. Of course, she also wasn't the "potential for evolution" or a "time warp," much less "God." She couldn't possibly be.” — 15 people liked it

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The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Haruhi Suzumiya #1)

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