On Friday afternoon of Anime Expo, J-Novel Club announced the winners of its first JNC Original Light Novel Competition. First announced at Anime Expo 2023, the competition aimed to give English-language writers a chance to compete by submitting their original light novels and the best ones that made it would be considered for future publication.
One Grand Prize, three First Prizes, four runner-up prizes, and one BOOK☆WALKER Prize winning works were chosen from over 450 novels submitted.
All prizes include monetary awards, as well as future publication by J-Novel Club. Additionally, the BOOK☆WALKER Prize winning work will get special promotion and an exclusive sales window on BOOK☆WALKER. The Grand Prize work will not only be published by J-Novel Club, but also translated into Japanese and published by KADOKAWA, paving the way for a possible manga adaptation in the future.
J-Novel Club has also announced that it will holding another competition this year, with details on submission being revealed in the near future. Free previews of all 20 finalists will also be available to read for free on J-Novel Club’s website. The slate of winning titles and authors is featured below.
Grand Prize Winner:
ATLAS: Her, the Combatant, and Him, the Hero
By John W. Rohman
Story Summary:
When “Hero” is just another job, who fights for those who can’t pay up? For those of the Substrata, born beneath the notice of the well-to-do, there’s only one place that’s always hiring. Welcome to Secret Society ATLAS, Combatants. Try not to die.
JNC Judge’s Comment:
ATLAS is a great example of a work that both surprised and wowed all of us at JNC.
Eschewing the common fantasy, overpowered setting for a real sci-fi feeling mega-corporation far future, with awesome mecha (exo-suit) battles against sentai-esque “heros”, all wrapped up in a relatable story about struggling with prejudice and just trying to make ends meet, gave us a fresh feeling while still undoubtedly a “light novel” through and through. Any entry with a Guts-sized greatsword… ahem, chainsaw sword, is going to the top of the pile and this one stayed there the entire competition.
First Prize Winners:
Beautiful Daydream
By Quadrilian
Story Summary:
I am me. I love girls.Maybe that’s a weird way to start things off, but it’s core to my identity. It’s who I am. There’s no better place to start if you’re talking about my story. A story about stories. A story about a single step.
JNC Judge’s Comment:
This story holds its cards close to its vest, and what a hand it is. This is a harem romantic comedy light novel. This is a bishoujo game style light novel. This is a psychological treatise on self love. This is an essay on writing theory as it relates to Japanese novels. This is a scream into the darkness, and a burst of light from the heavens. It demanded to be read again as soon as we finished it.
An Unruly Summon
By Cathfach
Story Summary:
An embattled king summons an otherworldly hero to defend his starving kingdom from a demonic invasion. Alas for him, the summoned hero seems rather determined to ignore his carefully prepared script, spoiling the plans of humans and demons alike.
JNC Judge’s Comment:
Hey look, it’s an isekai! And there’s a hero that’s summoned from… well, not Japan anyway. Probably Canada or something, I dunno it’s not that clear. Oh and did I mention there’s like a Demon Army to destroy and a kingdom to save? Yeah, it’s that story again. Or wait, no, it’s… not. It’s something new! Something familiar, but with a fresh perspective. This is exactly the type of work we hoped would get written: the type of “Japanese-style light novel” that takes the tropes of what’s so popular and rearranges those bones into something incredibly entertaining.
Clockwork Clues: When Death Comes Ticking
By Laura M. Drake
Story Summary:
Kyra can Slip through time but can’t escape her controlling father and arranged marriage. After discovering a murder, she defies her upbringing and uses her power to solve the mystery alongside a dashing detective and a socially inept server bot.
JNC Judge’s Comment:
Steampunk! Murder mystery! Romance! But don’t think that all you need for a great novel is some high quality ingredients, the chef (author) must be skilled to mix them up into a tasty dish and this is some good clocking food! (Did I mention we loved the world-building-through-language-usage in this book?) With a strong, yet vulnerable main female lead who truly drives the story through her actions and convictions, you’ll be rooting for her from the very first page to the last.
BOOK☆WALKER Prize Winner:
The Adorable Dungeon Master
By Hunger
Story Summary:
Lucia Morales is 22 years old. One day a turf war between rival gangs brings tragedy, but that’s only the beginning. Lucia is reborn in another world as a character she created in a game, and she’s super cute!
BOOK☆WALKER’s Comment:
The Adorable Dungeon Master was everything we didn’t know we needed. The opening moved some of us to tears, and once the story started, we were sucked in. We were able to visualize Lilac’s world with ease, and we can’t wait for everyone to read the rest once the full story is published! We loved every single one of Lilac’s interactions with the inhabitants of the dungeon, and we absolutely loved her personality. She’s just so likable! (Not to mention, her inner dialogue was hilarious.) We’d love to see more of Team Apple!
Runner-Up Prize Winners:
Promised to a Dragon By Selena Pigoni
Story Summary:
Princess Rhiannon flees her new fiancé after her father breaks her previous engagement to a dragon. Along the way, she meets a bard who shows her a world of magic. He wins her heart, but can he save her from the dragon’s wrath and the jealous fiancé?
JNC Judge’s Comment:
Are you in the mood for an awkward and sweet love story between a runaway princess and a shy, reclusive dragon-man who just wants to sing? I mean, who isn’t? This is the perfect kind of book for our J-Novel Heart label, showcasing smart and consistent worldbuilding (witches, fairies, dragons, magic!) with sweet, progressive romance that feels earned and makes you want to keep reading to see what happens to these two sweethearts, rooting for them all the way.
The Young Lady is the Substitute Harvest Goddess
By Gabihime
Story Summary:
Demeter Serraffield is dreading her apprenticeship to a lecherous nobleman. One
night, she is summoned by a harvest goddess from another world… but not to
become a farmer, or even a hero. She has to be a harvest goddess too!
JNC Judge’s Comment:
This entry was maybe the most divisive winner of this year’s competition. To call it “stardew valley fanfiction” would be an injustice. To say it took guest judge Frog’s advice to “embrace your fetishes” a bit too close to heart (looking at you sexy old man), would be ignoring the massive world-building-power-leveling. To say it aims at a lowest common denominator of our reader base who only wants happy stories where nothing bad happens and the toilets are powered by MAGIC would paper over the highest-level prose we received in the entire competition. I fear for what this author might create if she were to use her powers for evil. But thankfully, she is using them to create this instead. Phew.
It’s Tough Being a Necromancer
By Jan Olexa
Story Summary:
Edgar is an apprentice necromancer whose life is about to turn upside down. Join him as he faces horrors from this world and beyond – from bargaining with the dead to fleeing from the Church – all to fulfill his master’s ever so unreasonable demands.
JNC Judge’s Comment:
One judge compared the feel of this book to Slayers. Another compared it to Konosuba. I think that sums up just how well constructed this comedy about undead girls and the inept necromancer who keeps stumbling into them quite well. You’ve got a ghost, a vampire girl, a ghoul… All of them are hilarious, full fledged people(?) who have a fun dynamic that reminds us of the best comedy ensembles, and the large action set-pieces that get them working together are amazingly well constructed and all tie in to each other perfectly.
The Dragon and the Blade Saint: This Isn’t Where We End
By garry
Story Summary:
Kill the Blade Saint, save her clan. This is the only thought in Mitaelshuroxa’s mind as she travels back in time to prevent the slaughter of the elder dragons at his hand. However, she’ll quickly find that nothing is ever as simple as it seems.
JNC Judge’s Comment:
This entry has been described as “the finalist which was most like the light novels which are popular these days”. And it’s true! The world building is complex, but well utilized, the characters are crazy overpowered but also held back, the comedy is 100% manga-style, and the setting is basically anime hogwarts. The action is consistently cool, and gets just serious enough to let you feel how big the stakes of everything will become. This will scratch that itch. No, not that one, the other one. Yeah, right there.
Oooh.
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