English Title: .hack//G.U.
Japanese Title: .hack//G.U.
Author: Tatsuya Hamazaki
Illustrator: Yuzuka Morita
Translator: Gemma Collinge
Genre: Sci-fi, Adventure, Fantasy
Original Run: 2007 – 2008
English Run: 2009 – 2011
Volumes: 4
English Publisher: Tokyopop
Volumes Published in English: 4 (COMPLETE)
Synopsis: “The World” is a massively multiplayer online game played by more than twelve million people across the globe. Within this virtual world Haseo, a PK (Player Killer), continues an endless fight. Everything he does is for the sake of the girl Shino, who back in the real world, is hospitalized by an unexplained coma. However, on finally meeting with his sole lead, a PK called “Tri-Edge,†Haseo is dropped back to Level 1 by a mysterious power! Can Haseo save Shino now that he has lost all of his abilities? Tatsuya Hamazaki, writer of the scenario for the .hack//G.U. games, now turns his hand to its novelization!
Volume 1 – The Terror of Death
Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Book Depository — RightStuf
Volume 2 – Borderline MMO
Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Book Depository — RightStuf
Volume 3 – Harald’s Archetype
Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Book Depository
Volume 4 – 8-Dimensional Thoughts
Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Book Depository — RightStuf
Note on the .hack chronology:
.hack//AI Buster (light novels) → .hack//SIGN (anime) → PS2 video games (Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, Quarantine) → .hack//Another Birth (light novels) → .hack//ZERO (light novels) → .hack//Legend of the Twilight (manga) → .hack//Roots (anime) → PS2 video games (G.U. Rebirth, Reminisce, Redemption) → .hack//CELL (light novels) → .hack//Link (manga) → .hack//Quantum (anime)
More exhaustive explanations on the franchise can be found on TV Tropes and Wikipedia.
Any broken links or incorrect information? Any thoughts on these light novels?
Leave a comment!
[…] Similar Setting (digital world): Sword Art Online, .hack//Another Birth, .hack//AI Buster, .hack//Cell, .hack//G.U. […]
[…] Connections with Video Games: Devil May Cry, .hack//Another Birth, .hack//AI Buster, .hack//Cell, .hack//G.U. […]
[…] Suggestions for Further Reading Same Author (Reki Kawahara): Accel World Similar Setting (digital world): Accel World, .hack//Another Birth, .hack//AI Buster,.hack//Cell, .hack//G.U. […]
[…] Setting (digital world): Accel World, .hack//Another Birth, .hack//AI Buster, .hack//Cell, .hack//G.U., Sword Art […]
[…] Connections with Video Games: Devil May Cry, .hack//Another Birth, .hack//AI Buster, .hack//Cell, .hack//G.U., Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar […]
[…] world): Accel World, Sword Art Online, .hack//Another Birth, .hack//AI Buster,.hack//Cell, .hack//G.U. Similar Subgenre (fantasy adventure): Adventures of Duan Surk, Brave Story, Guin Saga, Moribito, […]
[…] Connections with Video Games: Devil May Cry, .hack//Another Birth, .hack//AI Buster,.hack//Cell, .hack//G.U., Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar […]
[…] Birth, .hack//AI Buster, .hack//Cell, .hack//G.U. -- virtual reality […]