Solo Leveling Vol. 1
Author: Chugong
Publishers: Yen Press
Age Group: Older Teen
Genre: Action, Fantasy
Type: Light Novel
*The first light novel covers manhwa volumes X-X
Content Warnings: Lots of Violence
Spoilers ahead
Plot
What Happens when you’re the weakest hunter in the world? Obviously, you’re sacrificed so the other hunters can escape. This happens to Jinwoo, our protagonist. Sure, he did say they could… doesn’t mean he wants to die.
Only….he didn’t? Now he has a video game screen with daily quests and stats. He didn’t re-awaken as a hunter, but he can level up. Other hunters can’t do that. His life may get easier now that he can get some good money for his family, but his challenges against stronger monsters, special quests, and other hunters is just beginning.
Character Development
Jinwoo is a positive person that keeps chugging along doing his (metaphorical) 9-5 as a hunter. He gets hurt a lot and is the weakest hunter of all time (so others have monikered him). Yet, after each healing and hospital visit, he gets back up to do it all over again. Jinwoo accepts every challenge, so when he has the option to accept becoming a ‘player’ he does so.
Over the course of the first novel, Jinwoo changes as his stats increase and appearance changes. He goes through a character arc discarding old parts of his personality that humanized him such as his empathy, positivity, and naiveté to more logical, headstrong, and realistic. All things he needs to succeed if he goes against other hunters. He doesn’t care who his challenger is, he will defeat them by any means necessary.
Jinwoo is our classic underdog to overpowered protagonist with an intellect and luck to match.
Jinoh is a newly awakened hunter from the Yoo family that owns a large corporation. He’s your standard rich kid that has it all, but he’s got a sincere heart and the drive to prove himself to his family. His goal is to become the guild master for the Yoo Guild (which his father is trying to make the first son create). He feels inferior but he strives to do better. When he comes across Jinwoo, he recognizes his skills and tries everything to get him on his side (more like being an annoying bother until Jinwoo says yes). He becomes our loyal side-kick for Jinwoo.
There are many secondary characters that provide background and worldbuilding to antagonists for Jinwoo. Each has a purpose that moves the story and helps us understand Jinwoo better as he becomes less human and more of a killing machine.
World-building
We start with a modern Korea, but with a twist. Gates have opened up around the world that have monsters and loot in them. A percentage of the populace also awakened with special magical abilities that make them hunters. They’re the only ones that can go into the gates, defeat the monsters and bosses, and come back out to earn money. It’s a great service as it provides safety to the general public and the loot helps advance technology. If you’re a high ranked hunter (the ranks being E, D, C, B, A, and S) you can earn enough to be some of the richest people in the world.
At the same time, we learn that hunters aren’t infallible. They’re just people like us. We get hit with that really quick as Jinwoo and the hunter’s party go into a double dungeon without making sure it’s safe to do so. Half their party dies and Jinwoo is left as a sacrifice so that last couple of them can escape before the doors close.
There are LitRPG elements as the reader gets to see Jinwoo’s stats after becoming a player. We get to be his shadow as he levels up, defeats monsters (and monstrous humans), and tries to take care of his sister.
Themes
Don’t mess with and underestimate the underdog, they always come back to bite.
Observations & Predictions
Jinwoo will become an OP protagonist, but we’ll still cheer him on as he faces each obstacle. We will figure out why he was chosen as a ‘player’ and what that means. Perhaps there will be a bit of a romance, but it will take a back seat to protecting those around him.
Jinoh, hopefully will become less annoying. He seems good at clerical work, so maybe he’ll retire from being a hunter to run logistics for the Guild he and Jinwoo create.
Is it worth reading? You’ll be thrown in the car for the ride. So, yes.
Recommendations
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Opposite Character Arc:
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