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A review by donsmilo
I'm Bai Xiaochun by Deathblade, Er Gen
5.0
Rating the whole series. I quit on chapter 950/~1300.
This was a great 5 star book until chapter 920, when it lost its way and the main character felt like a different person.
For the first few million words this book was good. The characters were varied, consistent, and interesting. The world building was minimal and served to enhance the story of the characters. The story was interesting and, although there are repeating elements, the interactions between the characters kept things fresh and interesting as the main character was always meeting new people and/or the same people in different contexts.
The reason I quit is that the main character completely changed.
Up until the 900s the main character feared death and wanted to live forever. He got into lots of interesting conflict, but it was always him being dragged into it. Yes, he took risks, but it was always him making the best out of an anyways bad situation. The author attempts to show a transition into more of a risk taker using dialogue, where the main character expresses joy at having done exciting things, but the mc never goes looking for trouble. His catchphrase at the end of every situation is "nothing is more valuable than my poor little life."
However, in chapter 900, the main character suddenly goes looking for trouble in a TRIAL BY FIRE to get a longevity increasing medicine. Excuse me? The main character, who has been dragged kicking and screaming through the past 2,000,000 words, is now looking for trouble? No. This isn't the same person.
"But Alex, he was changing as a person, and this is a continuation of that change."
It's too drastic though. Previously he was talking about having fun AFTER being in danger. That's very different compared to seeking death. He also took risks, but only after he was dragged into danger. The idea of, "I'm gonna die so I might as well look for more benefits just in case I live" is different from "lemme go kms instead of being happy at home."
"But Alex, he was trying to extend his longevity, so this is in character."
No. He already had a longevity of close to 5,000 years. It took him a dozen years to become the best pill master in the world, and another dozen to become the best necromancer. The idea that in 5,000 years, he can't make his own +1000 year lifespan pills or find a safer solution is ludicrous. He is uniquely suited to help himself live longer without dying.
"But Alex, he was looking for his girl."
He literally said that he stopped caring that much about her. Also he has relations with at least two other girls, who are frankly more fleshed out characters. He also isn't one of those "sacrifice everything for love" types of main characters. He doesn't even acknowledge things between himself and people he boinked, so it's out of character for him to get himself killed for a girl.
Also I don't care about this arc.
Every other arc had high stakes, but this arc has "cool pill lmao"
This was a great 5 star book until chapter 920, when it lost its way and the main character felt like a different person.
For the first few million words this book was good. The characters were varied, consistent, and interesting. The world building was minimal and served to enhance the story of the characters. The story was interesting and, although there are repeating elements, the interactions between the characters kept things fresh and interesting as the main character was always meeting new people and/or the same people in different contexts.
The reason I quit is that the main character completely changed.
Up until the 900s the main character feared death and wanted to live forever. He got into lots of interesting conflict, but it was always him being dragged into it. Yes, he took risks, but it was always him making the best out of an anyways bad situation. The author attempts to show a transition into more of a risk taker using dialogue, where the main character expresses joy at having done exciting things, but the mc never goes looking for trouble. His catchphrase at the end of every situation is "nothing is more valuable than my poor little life."
However, in chapter 900, the main character suddenly goes looking for trouble in a TRIAL BY FIRE to get a longevity increasing medicine. Excuse me? The main character, who has been dragged kicking and screaming through the past 2,000,000 words, is now looking for trouble? No. This isn't the same person.
"But Alex, he was changing as a person, and this is a continuation of that change."
It's too drastic though. Previously he was talking about having fun AFTER being in danger. That's very different compared to seeking death. He also took risks, but only after he was dragged into danger. The idea of, "I'm gonna die so I might as well look for more benefits just in case I live" is different from "lemme go kms instead of being happy at home."
"But Alex, he was trying to extend his longevity, so this is in character."
No. He already had a longevity of close to 5,000 years. It took him a dozen years to become the best pill master in the world, and another dozen to become the best necromancer. The idea that in 5,000 years, he can't make his own +1000 year lifespan pills or find a safer solution is ludicrous. He is uniquely suited to help himself live longer without dying.
"But Alex, he was looking for his girl."
He literally said that he stopped caring that much about her. Also he has relations with at least two other girls, who are frankly more fleshed out characters. He also isn't one of those "sacrifice everything for love" types of main characters. He doesn't even acknowledge things between himself and people he boinked, so it's out of character for him to get himself killed for a girl.
Also I don't care about this arc.
Every other arc had high stakes, but this arc has "cool pill lmao"