Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5836
Location: Virginia, United States
Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 1:24 pm
"Her Majesty's Swarm" by 616th Special Information Battalion
Published by J-Novel Club.
I have read Volume 1 and Volume 2 of the light novels. Volume 1 entertained me enough to read the second volume that came out recently.
As ANN's encycloypedia summary mentions, it is about a high school girl who arrives in another world, a fantasy medieval world. She doesn't remember her name or much about her time on Earth. But she finds herself in charge of a hivemind of insect creatures, much like the Zergs from Starcraft.
Can the Queen of the Arachnea maintain her humanity, despite being the center of the hivemind. My opinion is spoiler[not very well], but much can be said about Ains from Overlord also. spoiler[Kind of hard to hang onto it, when everyone around is not human, or sees humans as something to eat or hate.]
Series is interesting enough for me to continue on with it. Author or this Battalion has teased us about spoiler[higher level beings, who may be playing god games with the populace of the medieval fantasy world.]
So it makes for an entertaining read, but I wouldn't say great or good. Probably wouldn't be interested in a manga adaptation, unless the artwork was really up there.
Also, you'll never see spaghetti meatballs the same way ever again. (content warning of sorts)
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5836
Location: Virginia, United States
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:42 am
Volume 3 came out. We got pirates and the push into the Popedom of Frantz.
Also the spoiler[Empire of Nyrnal makes its move against the Arachnea.]
The Queen of the Arachnea debates with herself about fighting for her humanity or just going with the flow of the Arachnea. It seems that every time the Queen decides to let her more humane human side shine through, something bad happens (perhaps by design) and then it is meatball time. Though the Queen has to deal with the constant pressure of the hive mind to keep her sense of self, it seems there is a glimmer that the Arachnea themselves are seeing a bigger world, than just the basic instincts.
The higher level beings (gods?) are here too again. Whether this is a god game or a classic good vs evil battle, not much more is done to illuminate these gods.
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