Are you wondering what Web Novels and Light Novels are, where you can read them, or just want to learn more about them? If your answer is Yes, then you have come to the right place!
Below are the frequently asked questions and their answers. There’s also some general information about them, and where you can read and discover those novels.
CN are Chinese web novels.
KR are Korean web novels.
JP are Japanese web novels.
EN are English web novels.
EX are web novels in other languages.
Table of Content
- Light Novel FAQs
- Web Novel FAQs
- Anime FAQs (coming soon…)
- Manga FAQs (coming soon…)
Light Novel FAQs
Q. What are Light Novels?
A light novel (Japanese: ライトノベル) is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting high school and middle school students (young adult demographic). A distinguishing characteristic of light novels is that they are illustrated with an anime or manga art style and are often adapted to those media.
Q. When did Light Novels become a thing?
Popular literature has a long tradition in Japan. Even though cheap, pulp novels resembling light novels had existed for years in Japan, the creation of Sonorama Bunko in 1975 is considered by some to be a symbolic beginning.
Q. What are some of the popular Light Novels?
According to a famous Japanese source, BookWalker, some of the best selling light novels are, in no particular order,
1. Rising of the Shield Hero
2. How NOT to Summon a Demon King
3. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
4. I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level
5. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
6. Overlord
7. Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life
…and many more!
Q. Where can I read Light Novels?
There are various sources you can find light novels to read. The most famous one, and recommended is to buy the English or your local language print/e-book of the light novels on Amazon. This way, you can support the author and the publishers while enjoying light novels you love.
But we understand that many of the light novels might not be officially available in English or your local language, so in that case, you can check out Baka-Tsuki, the biggest source of fan-translated light novels that are free to read. Bonus points for there being no ads on Baka-Tsuki. Yay!
Other than that, you can also head over to NovelUpdates to search for light novels that might be listed in their directory. From there, you can go directly to the fan translators’ site and read the light novel from the source.
Web Novel FAQs
Q. What are Web Novels?
A web novel or webnovel is a novel solely published on the internet. Web novels exist in both free-to-read and pay-to-read formats. Moreover, most of the web novels are written and published as serials, one chapter at a time. Web novels have become hugely popular in China in recent times, with revenues topping $2.5 billion USD.
Q. When did Web Novels become a thing?
Web novels date back to the earliest days of the World Wide Web, including the extremely popular The Spot (1995-1997). The Spot resulted in the birth of many other similar sites, but most didn’t last long. Most of those earlier sites are no longer in existence, having turned into relics of past remembered by none.
Q. What are some of the popular Web Novels?
Some of the popular web novels include, but are not limited to,
1. The King’s Avatar [CN]
2. Release That Witch [CN]
3. Library of Heaven’s Path [CN]
4. Pure Love X Insult Complex [JP]
5. The Death Mage Who Doesn’t Want a Fourth Time [JP]
6. Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku [JP]
7. Everyone Else is a Returnee [KR]
8. The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor [KR]
9. The Second Coming of Gluttony [KR]
Q. Where can I read Web Novels?
There are the various source you can read web novels at, including, but not limited to,
1. RoyalRoad.com [Original Web Novels — EN]
2. Tapas.io [Original Web Novels — EN]
3. WuxiaWorld.com [Translated Web Novels — CN and KR]
4. ScribbleHub.com [Translated and Original Web Novels — CN, KR, JP, and EN]
5. Webnovel.com [Translated and Original Web Novels — CN, KR, EN, EX]
6. MoonQuill.com [Original Web Novels — EN]
Some More things to know about Novels:
Cultivation
The process of improving health, increasing longevity and growing powerful. This is accomplished by cultivating Qi and training in martial & mystical arts. In many of these novels, the ultimate goal of cultivation is to become Immortal or attain godhood.
XianXia and XuanHuan
Similar to xianxia, Xuanhuan may contain immortal cultivation. However, unlike xianxia, which is more focused on becoming immortal and tighter on Chinese mythology, Xuanhuan is a broader, more loose genre. Basically, if it’s a cultivation-based story, yet it contains elements of western fantasy, such as sci-fi, or magic that’s not inherently eastern, then it is a xuanhuan.
Face
That was all for the FAQs. If you still have any questions, hit us up through the contact page and we will do our best to answer you. 🙂
Anime and Manga FAQs will be coming soon, so stay tuned.