danmei but the plot grossly overpowers the romance. centered around the "system" concept, but paced and crafted so neatly.
the writing rekindled my belief that hope and optimism and humanity, rationality and empathy can truly triumph a system designed to eliminate these traits.
it so happened that i was looking for an escape when i read this. i needed that mindset shift.
This book offers a well-rounded experience, from the plot and characters to the ending. The ten games the main character takes part in are described in great detail and make perfect sense in terms of the storyline.”
I can't possibly explain everything I feel about this book but I'm extremely satisfied with the ending. I think what I'm feeling right now is what sports fans feel when their team wins. Or something similar to that.
If you like smart, sort of over-powered and principled protagonists and if you like seeing them fight against an immense overwhelming force by using sheer determination and humanity, yes, then this book is for you. If you want to have faith and hope in humanity, yes, this book is for you. If you are tired of cynicism and all those grimdark takes on systems, yes, this book is for you.
I'm very impressed with the way Qing Se Yu Yi (the author, also known as Cyan Wings) deals with system tropes. Almost all unlimited flow and system fictions I've read always left me disappointed because they never properly deal with the system. And by that, I mean the main characters might "win" the game, and the system might be explained but even then, they don't revolt against the system. There's no fight against the machine. This seems to be the case, except for QSYY's system books such as Mr. Melancholy Wants to Live a Peaceful Life and this one, High Energy QR Code.
The main protagonists are flawed but extremely likable, and the side characters are also well-developed. The worlds and the stories make sense. You get immediately thrown into the plot, so don't worry about having to "warm up" to anything. Just jump right in.
There are ten arcs in total, with the original Chinese book having 1700 pages. If translated into English, I reckon this book will have about 3000 pages. It took me three full days to finish this, half in English and half in Chinese. But I promise it's all worth it.
I have some minor gripes with this story, namely transphobia and misgendering. But that's a mixed bag because the characters are very respectful, just a little misguided.