The LN reading program is still going on for July, but I will post the August schedule now so that there is enough time for people to pick up the official release. Anyone who wishes to join in can read either (or both) of these books to discuss from week to week.
Yen Press just released volume 1 of Durarara!! on July 21st, so you can either order the book online (Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository) or try getting a copy at your local bookstore (e.g. Barnes and Noble) if that is a possibility.
Durarara!! — by Ryohgo Narita (art by Suzuhito Yasuda)
Synopsis:Â The Ikebukuro district in Tokyo is full of interesting people. A boy longing for the extraordinary. A hotheaded punk. An airheaded pseudo-stalker. An information broker who works for kicks. An underground doctor who specializes in truly desperate patients. A high school student infatuated with a monster. And a headless rider on a pitch-black motorcycle. Their story may not be a heartwarming one, but as it turns out, even weirdos like these sometimes fall in love.
As for The Witch’s House: Diary of Ellen, you can find an English translation for it here on vgperson’s Tumblr blog (or here as a .pdf file). If you'd like a Japanese copy of the book, you can order it online (Amazon — Books Kinokuniya).
The Witch’s House: Diary of Ellen — by Fummy (art by Oguchi)
I will note that this is a special book, in that it is a prequel for a Japanese indie horror game made with an RPG Maker program. This game (titled The Witch’s House) was also translated by vgperson into English, and can be played for free here (which is officially supported by Fummy, the creator of the original game). I recommend giving it a try if you’re interested! It only takes a few hours to play through, and a walkthrough is included (on the linked site) if you get stuck on one of the puzzles. I recommend playing through once, and then going back to get the “true ending.”
Synopsis: The young Viola visits a mysterious house in the woods. She soon discovers its dangerous nature and must find a way out. But the house is ever-changing, and death could be lurking anywhere…
Of course, this is all optional–I imagine the novel will still be perfectly readable if you don’t play the game. There is also a full playthrough here on Youtube without commentary, if you’d prefer to watch someone else go through the game (with both the regular and true ending included).
Here is a general idea of the schedule for our discussions (which I’m moving to Mondays):
- August 10th -- discuss the first act
- August 17th -- discuss the second act
- August 24th -- discuss the third act
I will have a reminder in the sidebar of how far to read each week, along with further details in the monthly news post.
The discussions will take place in the comments section of the weekly posts. There will be two books up for discussion, but you're free to choose to read just one (i.e. if you only have time for one novel, or you're only interested in one of them). If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment here.