Pixi Reads

Prepare for a full dive! Even in the future, all the advances and innovation in the world can’t change the dynamics of the school playground. And for Haruyuki Arita, a fat kid in junior high, that means he’s destined to always be at the bottom of the food chain, prime pickings for the school bullies. But when he is approached by Kuroyukihime, a beautiful and aloof upperclassman, Haruyuki’s life is turned on its head as he dives into Brain Burst, a mysterious computer program, and the Accelerated World with her help. It’s in the Accel World that Haruyuki casts off his depressing reality and takes hold of the chance to become a Burst Linker, a knight to protect his princess!

My husband recommended this series to me as one that is similar to Sword Art Online, another series we both love and takes place in a video game. AccelWorld is similar, but the game is more augmented reality than a game you enter or sit in front of a television to play. I learned real fast in this book, AccelWorld is short for Accelerated World, and the program is called Brain Burst. The augmented reality takes place in mere minutes, but to those playing, may seem like ages. It is also addicting, with a catch.

For the battles you win, you gain points but those points come from your opponent who just lost. If you lose all your points, you can never again enter Brain Burst. Obviously the players want to avoid loosing all their points.

For Haruyuki, our main character in this volume, it’s even more addicting. The hottest girl at school has chosen him of all the students to introduce to this world. Plus, she is in danger. She can not easily enter this world because she is being hunted. Once one of the highest level players, she fought a battle and became the number 1 enemy in this world. Now it seems, one of the players has found her out, and is coming for her. She needs Haruyuki’s help in finding the person and stopping them.

I’m not sure how much I like this series yet. This is just the first book, and it’s a light novel meaning it is short. All we get is basically the introduction and then we need to pick up the next book. This volume does end with one epic battle. If I can expect more battles like that in the remaining books, I will be recommending this. For now, I have Vol 2 on my wishlist. We shall see if I get it for Christmas or if I end up getting it myself in 2020.