Forum - View topicREVIEW: Spice and Wolf vol. 1 (novel)
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cucuc
Posts: 12 |
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Isuna Hasekura is a man. I've seen people listing proofs for that, including his own writing and a photo.
The misunderstanding seems to originate from Japan, and is indeed widespread, but the Japanese Wikipedia already got his gender correct. |
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pachy_boy
Posts: 1341 |
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Even after watching the Anime, I'm looking forward to reading my copy. There were bits and pieces of the Anime I didn't always follow, particularly the dialogue value of coins, so I'm hoping it'll be easier to digest reading it in book form. And I don't read enough books in comparison to my manga list, so I'm trying to get back into that.
And for anyone who wants the original Japanese cover, look no further than Right Stuf while supplies last: http://www.rightstuf.com/cgi-bin/catalogmgr/3x3=3gmwEqfyMhkNdA/browse/item/84058/4/0/0 |
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neocloud9
 Posts: 1178 Location: Atlanta, GA |
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Yeah, that's the problem. Even though they changed the cover to appeal more directly to the general public, it's been shelved with the manga in every bookstore I've come across! Kinda seems to defeat the purpose of changing it in the first place... Ah, well. I ordered the slipcover edition from RightStuf, so I guess it's all good. I really enjoyed the novel, as I did with the anime too. It's just an all-around good series. I'm very happy with the attention it's been getting. This series definitely deserves it. |
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jenthehen
 Posts: 835 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio |
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I am so happy about the cover art on this novel. I LOVE that it has the potential to appeal to a wider audience - I've heard of some bookstores shelving it in the sci/fi/fantasy section, so maybe it WILL work. Also, in all the bookstores where I go, they have TONS of manga/light novels out in the open, so people might notice the cover and be intrigued.
I also just love the touch of realism that this cover gives to the story that the animu illustrations does not (not that I don't love anime style art, of course!) I've just started reading this novel (after watching Funimation's release of the anime), and I notice already that there are many more nuances in Holo's character - I really like it so far! |
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 9902 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC |
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Both Isuna Hasekura and Jū Ayakura are men (photograph taken by yours truly; from left to right: fan who got the first autograph, Ayakura, Hasekura, Holo cosplayer), although Hasekura might look slightly feminine when he has his ponytail loosened. |
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kel aka gandy
 Posts: 77 |
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Really? Because I bought it at Barnes and Noble and it was definitely in the SciFi/Fantasy section and not with the manga. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18508 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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I have corrected the gender confusion in the review.
Man, I was sure that Isuna was a female name, too. . . 
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neocloud9
Posts: 1178 Location: Atlanta, GA |
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Not in the Atlanta area, at least. I went to two Barnes & Nobles, one Borders and one Waldenbooks. And it was shelved in the manga section every time. I'm glad to hear other stores are stocking it properly, though! |
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Calli
Posts: 38 |
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There's at least one typo in my copy -- the bottom of page 33, 'qiute' for 'quite.' I suppose I should be relieved there aren't more, given recent trends in books, but that's not something to be thrilled about. (On the other hand, I haven't heard about Yen Press cutting editors loose.)
As for my own thoughts...I'm not sure whether I'll pick up the second one. The style didn't click with me; too much filtering and narratorial intrusion, which ended up holding all the characters, especially Lawrence, at arm's length. Also, the book's climax spoiler[(wolf-form Holo turning her back on a critically wounded Lawrence, then relenting at the last second)] might have been more effective in serial form, but here it felt like cliche and cheap manipulation rather than the emotional sledgehammer it was likely meant to be. On the other hand, it is a first novel; it's a rare one that isn't rough around the edges. I don't know for certain about the Sioux Falls B&N since I ordered my copy from RightStuf, but given that the Haruhi novels were (correctly) stocked in YA and not manga, I'm guessing Spice & Wolf is sitting in the SF/Fantasy section. I doubt Waldenbooks has it at all; they didn't have the Haruhi novels anywhere in the store. |
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walw6pK4Alo
 Posts: 9322 |
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And I know that Borders stocks it with manga, so there goes half your argument.
Properly? What is properly? I was under the impression that light novels were for mangaka that can't draw. If nothing else, the manga section is the right place for it to go. I'm convinced this "wider audience" thing is a load of bull. If someone doesn't like manga, they're going to get an eyefull of it upon opening the first goddamn page. As for the price, $10.99 would seem about normal for a Quality Paperback. But most fantasy titles are either printed in the hardcover for much more or the mass market versions for slightly less. Either way, it's certainly priced better than manga if you go by how much time you can put into it. |
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machetecat
 Posts: 396 |
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I will say that Yen's cover convinced me to buy it. If it had been that cover pic with Holo, I would have just waited until I could get my hands on the anime, but the cool-as-hell cover, along with that whole economics part of the story I keep hearing about, sealed the deal, so I'm gonna say it's working...
I'm so glad this review is positive. I pretty much ordered this novel on a whim, and I'm glad my Border's giftcard didn't go to waste. Btw, Borders' website also lists the light novel as a manga. |
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einhorn303
 Posts: 1180 |
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Yeah, there's a big difference between a Trade Paperback (which can go from 12-18 USD) and a Mass Market Paperback (which can go from 5-8 USD). Compared to the TPB science fiction novels I read, especially the more niche smallpress ones, this book is very fairly priced. Still can't forgive the atrocious cover. |
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jenthehen
Posts: 835 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio |
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Wait ... what? Where was I making an "argument"?? I was just expressing how I felt about the cover and what I had heard about where it was shelved. I'm also really impressed that you know where every single Borders in the world stocks its books - congrats on that! Are you being a jerk just for the sake of being a jerk? |
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Calli
Posts: 38 |
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Trade paperback means retailers can return unsold copies intact for a full refund. It is not an indication of quality one way or the other, though it's often mistaken for that (and some vanity presses prey on or actively sow that confusion, too) -- there are good TPBs and crappy TPBs. That said, I'm pretty happy with Spice & Wolf's quality - wish the paper was a bit better, but the cover doesn't feel like it's going to bend off after a handful of readings the way some other TPBs I've seen and read do, and in general it feels like a pretty sturdy book. The alternate cover feels like it's made from sterner stuff than the usual hardcover dust jacket, too - I actually kept it on while reading instead of removing it like I usually do.
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Sheleigha
 Posts: 1674 |
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The real question: Will the next volumes in the series come with limted edition covers? Seems evident enough that many copies were sold on Rightstuf (including mine...) due to this nice slip cover
 Perhaps, Yen will make it a permanent thing... or at the least Rightstuf will supply it as limited through their orders.
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