Light Novels!!!!!

Personal Statement:

So over the years I've become quite the light novel reader. I've been able to get much deeper into a characters mind and personality and understand them on a level that just isn't supplied via anime. History of the world, weapon design, purpose of quests, more character development, etc. is all found in light novels. Now I do read some raw books, but because I have to self translate, and I suck horrendously at kanji, I've given up most of my books. It took me a while to get use to searching for translated books online, but it was well worth the effort. So here is what I can contribute to spread the love which is light novels... Eh, this is mostly for me to try and see if there are anymore light/visual novel sites out there that I don't know about from you guys, bahahahahaha........... Anyways.

Purpose of this thread:

This thread was only created to spread the joy that is a light novel. Light novels give the writers a much larger and cheaper pallet to explain their ideas and story. Characters sometimes act very differently than they would in an anime or manga, but that's only on the surface. Most anime are adaptations of light novels so if you find yourself a fan who is craving for more juicy adventure a light novel may be your only choice. This thread is mainly a hub to be used in order to give others an entrance into the world of rare light novel translations.

Links:

Baka-Tsuki | is a site where fans collaborate to translate light novels and visual novels. Any accept just about anyone after an application process. They do not host American licensed light novels or games, so everything that you could buy in a store in English will not be hosted. SIDE NOTE: This site also does have an android app (WN, you will be proud.), so you can access it wherever you go. You can also download the translations via PC or phone to save it for a lengthy plane ride or day trip. Hell, I'm at work right now doing all this. So you can imagine how much of this I read personally.

Zaregoto.PB | is a site purely dedicated to the translation of the Zaregoto light novels. Zaregoto is NisioisiNs first book ever. Nisio is the writer of the Katanagatari and Monogatari series. Zaregoto is a murder mystery collection of stories through the point of view I. The sidekick of the famous hacker and computer programmer Kunagisa Tomo. Throughout the stories they encounter new friends and many new foes whom take them along in countless life threatening adventures. The story is written in the same fashion as you'd expect from NisioisiN, where he has a heavy use of word play and conversation. Almost everything that is spoken of or pointed out in the story is relevant, a big Chekhov's gun fan if you will. If you love the Monogatari series, NisioisiN, or just plain overly engineered writing, then you will love this. SIDE NOTE: The website is down for construction, and will be down a while longer. The team only consists of around 4 translators and the books are incredibly difficult to translate because of the overuse of kanji. So be patient, and it will be worth the wait.

Yandere Translations | is a visual novel translating circle. They have set the standard for in game translations and have an enormous team to work on several VNs at once. You can join them in their IRC channel for better news updates. This site houses the translation for the coveted, 'Majide Watashi Ni Koi Shinasai'. It is an eroge, but it is actually one of the best made visual novels I have ever read. It is fun, exciting, yes erotic, and has so much character development. You really do take over the role of the MC, Yamato. There is an anime adaptation, which is... To put it nicely, shallow. Though the manga is actually amazingly well done. SIDE NOTE: The main editor of the site, I think his name was Shinji, started a new job last winter so he really only has a couple hours a week to push final products out the door. So be patient and you will be rewarded. He always comes through somehow.

SuiminChuudoku | is a new up and coming translation site which is ran by a small number of die hard fan. Unlike other translations sites, SCD often uploads eBook and .PDF file formats of their translations for those of us who have a tablet that can accomodate. I'm really all in for supporting these guys as they are the only group currently working hard to translate 'Zaregoto', one of my favorite stories of all time. They also host translations for 'Phenomeno', 'To Aru Hikuushi he no Tsuioku' and 'Tsuki no Sango'. These are all very hard to find translations so let's give them our support! Their translation page can be found here.

I do have a few more sites which translate light/visual novels, but those dedicated to one series or one game. That is my excuse. Because relaly it's just because I don't have the website URLs on my work PC.

Anyways, hopefully someone has a lot of fun with this.

--Updated 08/02/13--

I myself have never read a light novel. I have heard of them but not much. From what you are saying there is plenty of character development which is something I love to see. So I can't say much other then where should I begin?

By... "TheAwsome"

 Likely the best place to start would be with an anime you already have watched. Likely something that actually doesn't show much of what the characters are thinking, as opposed to what they are saying. E.G. Monogatari would not be a good place to obtain more depth. The show is almost entirely dialogue driven and you are constantly hearing Araragi's thoughts mid conversation. For that series I would read the light novel because I am either too lazy to wait for the animated adaptations or I enjoy the conversations and want more of them. But if you watch a show such as Sword Art Online and loved it, but want to understand more of the game mechanics, then read the light novel. It does not expand upon the story so much, but it does give you much more depth in the character relations as well as understanding the world they were thrown into. Another example would be if you really disliked the Infinite Stratos story, you might like the light novel more. There is so much more that happens between the students and the MC than what it shows in the show. Characters in the show fall in love for no good reason, but in the light novel the events are much more substantial and don't just happen over night. More scenarios are played out which give a more natural birth to the affection.

I would really start with a show that you already love and want more information or something that you're semi interested in, or don't understand why it's popular. If you start with something new, then the experience is kind of null. It's just reading another book at that point.

So if you peruse the list, name them out here and I can try my best to suggest something.

 Okay that I like. Love that properly comes about. Yeah when I saw that Anime I wondered why they fell in love it made dis-like the Anime a bit on that aspect of it. It seems that light novels don't have restrictions like Manga and Anime which can only be so long. This seems to give the creator plenty more to do and he/her have an audience to work with allowing him/her to better the characters and the story.

By... "TheAwsome"

 Exactly as you just put it. Light novels do not ever reach the celebrity status of a hit anime, but they are enormous in sheer numbers. Editors are not as harsh when it comes to publicizing them, and they do  not have nearly the corporate control that manga has.

If you want to learn about a show which you love....

I would suggest, if you loved Baccano!, to read the light novel. It will show you their entire world and actually their entire lives. From beginning to end it will answer everything you want to know about the show. You will not be disappointed. Plus, you already have a visual reference to what the characters look and an audible reference to what they sound. All you need is their stories at that point. Heads up though, it's long. Very long. But well worth it.

If you want something new, though not listed on the sites, try Bungaku Shoujo. The light novel series was so popular and critically acclaimed that it received an animated movie for it's finale. Currently there is only one more book to be released in the US. I have read the first seven, and it is definitely one of my favorite stories of all time.