He Who Fights With Monsters 2 (HWFWM #2)[December 27, 2024]

[Yanique, Thread Master]

This is a Buddy read for He Who Fights with Monsters 2 by Shirtaloon starting on December 27, 2024.


Happy Reading!

[Nirkatze]

Thank you!

Anyway. Series!
1. He Who Fights with Monsters (July 27) [link]
2. He Who Fights with Monsters 2 (Dec 27)
3. He Who Fights with Monsters 3 (Jan 27) [link]
4. He Who Fights with Monsters 4 (Feb 27) [link]
5. He Who Fights with Monsters 5 (Mar 27) [link]
6. He Who Fights with Monsters 6 (Apr 27) [link]
7. He Who Fights With Monsters 7 (May 27) [link]
8. He Who Fights With Monsters 8 (Jun 27) [link]
9. He Who Fights with Monsters 9 (TBD)
10. He Who Fights with Monsters 10 (TBD)
11. He Who Fights with Monsters 11 (TBD)

Audio: All are Audible Exclusives.
Ebook: All on KU, #11 currently on Royal Road pre-publication

[Soo]

I'm here with popcorn and some commentary. This is one of my "just for fun" series reads. My next in series is like #9. XD

[Nirkatze]

We always appreciate your commentary, Soo... especially when you share your popcorn...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Been reading book 1 the past 2 days, so I should be good to go for this one around the start date, or New Year by the latest-ish...

[Nirkatze]

Started! Still really enjoying the MCs laid-back sense of humor. And the way he'll purposefully and unapologetically pepper his speech with pop culture references that he knows his in-world audience won't understand. Through Chapter 11 (view spoiler)[and so far Iain's predictions on Sophie/Belinda's predicament turning into a mentorship is going swimmingly.

And apparently Jason and Cassandra went to find a hammock. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Up to chapter 31… I like the growing cast of POVs… other perspectives on Jason, concurrent storylines, etc… real Wandering Inn feel is growing…

[Nirkatze]

Ditto that--Up to Chapter 38 now, and I really appreciated (view spoiler)[the conversation Jason had with (don't remember who? Sophie?) about why he acts the way he does--including the pop culture reference dropping I mentioned earlier... rather nice having that acknowledged.

Also seems like the bigger questions are starting to be poked at--how did Jason end up here?--and also seems like it'll be easier solved than WI's... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Have you read the blurbs?... I did, and (view spoiler)[book 4 to 6 take place back on Earth, so clearly the Phoenix Stone triggers and sends him back... which means he loses access to all his LitRPG world friends... which I assume is part of why people don't like books 4-6 as much?...

Also, events clearly transpire to send him back to the LitRPG world for book 7+...

When I first learned this, I started worrying this was one of tho "trilogy series"... where every 3 books shifts to a new world and basically all new characters... it's one of my biggest concerns with giving Completionist Chronicles another try... every 3 books the MC gets shunted to a new world with new rules and new power structures... it's kinda like a slower version of DCC, where the rules change every single book... from the blurbs of THAT series, one trilogy is a town/base-building LitRPG basically... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

No, I haven't read any blurbs... for anything, really, lol...

Up to Chapter 52, and not surprised... (view spoiler)[There's been a lot of talk about the Phoenix stone in his inventory, and how it'll be activated one day... and how Jason wants to go home and "see the world with new eyes"--but then come back. I'm definitely curious to see how that turns out.

The whole Scythe quest sequence so far is reminding me a lot of Ghostwater... Interesting seeing the team have to team up with different folks... some good, some assholes, some maybe new to stay... (hide spoiler)]

Funny quote sequence: "What's Christmas?"
"Oh, it's a religious holiday we appropriated to boost the economy once a year."

[Nirkatze]

Finished! These are a lot of fun. (view spoiler)[I really enjoy Jason's humor--and the fact that it isn't the whole book. Like, I feel like BuyMort has an off-the-cuff humor feel to the whole thing, and even when it tries to go deep it doesn't really go deep. Jason's humor is openly discussed, and I like the conversations it spurned on identity and acceptance.

But I also just enjoyed the humor.

The tournament was fun, though the results were fairly predictable. I enjoyed the level-ups and seeing the team grow. Sophie and Belinda were fun additions--newbies needing induction into the Way of Jason. The bad guys were satisfactorily grrrrr--I'm especially curious about the guy at the end, I think that was Cassandra's brother? Seems like a dumb asshat, but now he's part of the group who accidentally summoned Jason...? and they're bent on some apocalyptic city-destroying. Sounds fun. (hide spoiler)]

Well, I 100% want to continue, and I'm assuming Iain does too. This was originally Saar's BR, so I'd like to hear from Saar on scheduling, but I definitely want to get at least through June on the schedule!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Same, altho I haven't finished yet, since I failed to read at home after work, yet again, despite my plans to the contrary... will finish today, most likely...

[Saar The Book owl]

Nirkatze wrote: "Finished! These are a lot of fun. I really enjoy Jason's humor--and the fact that it isn't the whole book. Like, I feel like BuyMort has an off-the-cuff humor feel to the whole thing, and even when..."

I'm still reading the first book and will definately read the second. If you want to continue, please, feel free to set a date and I'll join when I can :)

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

A strong indicator of a great book/series, is how much I want to just keep listening on work breaks instead of browsing Goodreads / Youtube… this series is definitely getting there…

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Saar, queen of trying new series :D

[Saar The Book owl]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Saar, queen of trying new series :D"

Haha, I don't know about that, Iain. That's all the fault of this group! I've never searched more for new series/books than this year. And also wanted to take part in BR's, but sometimes lacking in time. I definately will make more time for BR's.

[Saar The Book owl]

Timelord Iain wrote: "A strong indicator of a great book/series, is how much I want to just keep listening on work breaks instead of browsing Goodreads / Youtube… this series is definitely getting there…"

I've got that too, but not with audiobooks. If I like a book/series so much, then I'm desperately longing for some extra free time or just put all the stuff aside to be able to read.

[Nirkatze]

I read at stoplights!! While washing dishes! While walking down hallways! It's amazing how many scraps of time you can find in a day...

And then of course, with audiobooks and good headphones, see how many scraps of minutes you can just tap-tap listen...

If you think you'll be able to join us, Saar, I'll keep the 27th of the month and schedule out until June. ^_^ That'll bring us to vol 8. Or I can just schedule to March and we can see if we need to skip a month to catch up or something.

[Saar The Book owl]

You can schedule until June, if that's easier, Nirkatze. I've made a tracker to list the BR's better, so it's okay.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "Finished!..."

Finished, as well... (view spoiler)[that ending... what the fuck... pausing mid-combat like that, lol...

Yea... Thadwick is Cassandra's brother... and joins the Reaper cultists because they make him feel powerful, since he's annoyed at his family and Jason... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Yeah, this author seems fond of that kind of ending so far... though I did feel like the primary plot for the volume was wrapped up, then we were given a hook for the next...

[Nirkatze]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "You can schedule until June, if that's easier, Nirkatze. I've made a tracker to list the BR's better, so it's okay."

Thank you! Requests made through June, on 27th of the month.

I like scheduling to June and Dec, not only because of the easy halfway mark, but also because I'm on break during those times and have the energy to check in and update. ^_^

[Nirkatze]

Links are live through June, top post updated.

[Marie]

I finished it too. I re-read the first book since it has been a while and there are so many characters introduced there. I actually enjoyed it a bit more on re-read as I was already used to Jason's personality and didn't have to think if I liked him or not.

Book 2 was even better and I liked how it expanded the universe. (view spoiler)[Knowing diamond rankers travel between worlds
and the otherworldly enemy introduced.

I love the humor even if it can go a bit overboard with Jason just messing with people. I noted down this paraphrased exchange:

Emir: Bah, children are a waste of time...
Constance: I want kids.
Emir: And we have a lot of it so we can afford to waste some 😅

There is this part where Sofie is physically attacking Jason which seems to be this trope in anime where for some reason MC gets attacked by girls for some comedic relief or enforcing enemies to lovers energy? But then she actually gets told off for doing that and apologizes. I really liked that. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Marie wrote: "I finished it too. I re-read the first book since it has been a while and there are so many characters introduced there. I actually enjoyed it a bit more on re-read as I was already used to Jason's..."

(view spoiler)[Sofie's the girl that Jason got out of predatory situation, right?... and trained to be a full-fledged adventurer?...

There's definitely the setup of a potential enemies to lovers or similar situation with that pairing, but from what I understand Jason shoots it down at some point and the plot moves on and is never a thing, which is nice...

I think Jason's failed romance with the bully's sister is the only time he pursues a relationship in the series, from what I noted on the wiki...

Other than his affair with Clive's Fictional Wife... (hide spoiler)]

[Marie]

Idk if I find it nice. Also, some warning for full series spoilers 😅

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I find subverted tropes/expectations nice... and I see spoilers to check if romance is on the table in a series... lots of people have lots of opinions about the quality of romance writing among male authors, fantasy authors, indie authors, LitRPG authors, etc...

Clive's Fictional Wife is a running joke already at this point...

Sorry if my other things were too much of a spoiler

[Nirkatze]

re: Sofie, not quite a full series spoiler, it's more a small not-even sub-plot in book 3--what I remember if you want to know: (view spoiler)[Sofie talks a few times about having a crush on Jason with her friend... Belinda? And compares herself to women Jason has dated/hit on, comes up with conclusion that she has no chance. I remember Belinda later having a conversation with Jason, and confirming that he's not interested in her, and that even if he was, since he's her indenture holder and they have a sensei-student relationship, it'd be wrong and skeevy, so nothing's going to happen. And that's the end of anything there. It didn't feel like a big part of the story. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

such a small part of the story I forgot to even mention it in my previous comment of apologies...