Community The MetaCouncil Visual Novel Book Club

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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Welcome to the Visual Novel Book Club Meta(Council) thread!

This is a club for those who would like to read visual novels in a group setting.

Once a month we pick a visual novel, read it and comment about it in a new thread. It is an informal book club, so there is no fixed schedule; you simply read the novel at your own pace and share your thoughts along the way. Latecomers are encouraged to ask questions and share their thoughts in old threads.

If you have suggestions about the next visual novel(s) to read, then this is the place to share them. The current schedule is based on my own ideas and suggestions by participants, and the goal is to alternate between longer and shorter visual novels, so that participants have have an opportunity to catch up should they fall behind.


Rules
  • Please use spoiler-tags and take care to not spoil other members when answering questions.
  • Please keep the threads safe for work, even if you are reading a VN that is not safe for work.


The current book club



Book club schedule

The book-club is currently on hiatus.


Previous book clubs

DateTitleBlurb
2020-12Raging Loop
A heavy mist surrounds the secluded Japanese village of Yasumizu, preventing everyone from ever leaving. Ancient gods have come back to hunt the villagers down one by one. The feast has begun.
2020-11Jack-In-A-Castle
Search for the missing king, while dealing with the most troublesome king's hand, and some other jerks. You can kiss dudes.
2020-10The Letter
When seven people fall prey to a vicious curse, they will discover that horror rests not from the shadows lurking about, but within themselves.
2020-09Coffee Talk
A coffee brewing and heart-to-heart talking simulator about listening to fantasy-inspired modern peoples’ problems, and helping them by serving up a warm drink or two.
2020-08The Silver Case
In the bayside area of Kanto, a murder with unknown motivations sets off a series of seemingly random events bringing together peculiar individuals; a visual novel by Suda51.
2020-07CUPID
Love is both poison and cure, both knife and remedy.
2020-06G-senjou no Maou
Azai Kyousuke, the son of an infamous gangster, knows what he likes and lets nothing stand in his way in getting what he wants.
2020-05Enigma:
Discover the secrets of Enigma, a worldwide epidemic, and a forest on a lonely island that bears its name.
2020-04Seabed
Seabed is a yuri mystery VN told from three perspectives; three live in different worlds, that seek the same goal. To separate truth from illusion. To make sense of their own lives.
2020-03Eliza
Eliza is a visual novel about an AI counseling program, the people who develop it, and the people who use it.
2020-02Kara no Shojo
Play as a detective in the post-war reconstruction period of Japan. Uncover the mystery behind a series of bizarre murders in an interactive and complicated human drama. The trail of clues unfolds, one-by-one...
2020-01Narcissu 1st & 2nd (free), plus side stories (non-free)
2019-12Hatoful Boyfriend and Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star
2019-10Spooktober 2019: Read a spooky/horror visual novel of your choice!
2019-09Analogue: A Hate Story and Hate Plus
2019-08428: Shibuya Scramble


Other visual novel book clubs

A number of visual novel book clubs exist, some active and some inactive. These are the ones I am aware of:

The Visual Novel BookclubHosted by Slowbeef of let's play fame, this book club has covered a wide range of titles, ranging from Analogue: A Hate Story to Steins;Gate
Rokkenjima podcastsThe book club of the now defunct Rokkenjima community, dedicated to all things 07th Expansion (Umineko, Higurashi, etc). Highly recommended for fans of 07th Expansion.
Kazamatsuri podcastsThe book club of the now defunct Kazamatsuri community, dedicated to all things Visual Arts Key (CLANNAD, Little Busters, etc.). Like it's sister podcast from the Rokkenjima community, it is highly recommended for fans of developer.
Novel Not NewA casual bookclub with a queer focus, mostly covering visual novels, but with occasional looks at other types of games.
Kinniku PodcastA more losely run (and occasionally crass) bookclub than the above, Kinniku covers a wide range of popular visual novels.
EvaludateA podcast focused on otome games from a gay perspective.
Say It In RedA podcast with a focus on mystery VNs
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
878
1,313
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For the visual novel book club of September, we'll be reading two short visual novels by Christine Love, Analogue: A Hate Story and Hate Plus tells the story of the derelict colony-ship, the Mugunghwa, of the people on board, and of it's only survivors, the two AI constructs *Mute and *Hyun-Ae.

Please join the dedicated thread here:


As I wrote in the OP, this is also the place to share your suggestions for future book clubs.
 
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Theswweet

Dirty Weeb
Mar 12, 2019
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I know I jokingly asked in the December thread, but I think it would be cool if Baldr Sky was next month's VN instead of the current plan.
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
878
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I know I jokingly asked in the December thread, but I think it would be cool if Baldr Sky was next month's VN instead of the current plan.
I am definitely not opposed reading Baldr Sky for the book club, but it is also a fairly pricey new release so I don't know how many would be willing to pick it up this soon. I know Kvik has picked it up, per their comment in the VN thread, but are there anyone else?
 
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Kvik

Crossbell City Councillor
Dec 6, 2018
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Downunder.
I'm not opposed to it either, but if the Umineko-tier length is accurate it'll take me months to finish. :02eyes:
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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Both dives are supposed to be a "Very Long" games according to VNDB, meaning 50+ hours each, so one month per dive is probably a bit optimistic for the average reader here, judging by how long it took people to read a "Long" visual novel (428). So rather than making it the VN bookclub title of the month for the next many months, perhaps it would be better to make it a longer-running book club that can run concurrent with the monthly book-clubs. I don't mind also making a thread for the Baldr Sky club. What do you think?

I have a couple of shorter titles that I really want to read/finish before the end of January, but after that I would gladly jump into Baldr Sky along with the regular monthly book clubs.
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
878
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The fifth VN Book Club thread is now up and this time we will be reading Narcissu:

The Anthology project + DLC is for sale for another day and a half, so now is the last chance to get those cheaply if you want to join the book club.


Theswweet The offer still stands for a longer running book club for Baldr Sky, if you are interested. I already have a thread (mostly) prepared.
 

Li Kao

It’s a strange world. Let’s keep it that way.
Jan 28, 2019
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Any idea about the next VN ?
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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Any idea about the next VN ?
I haven't decided yet, but the plan is to go over everything that people have suggested so far one of next couple of days and decide on something. I would like to do a mystery VN, but that is not set in stone. Do let me know if you any suggestions, mystery or not.

There is also supposed to be a Steam Lunar Sale starting on the 23rd, so I might wait and see if there are any good discounts before making a final decission.
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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The visual novel for next month will be Kara no Shojo, a highly regarded detective/murder-mystery VN that is currently 50% off on Steam, and a title has has been suggested to me by several book club participants:


I am also in the process of putting together a longer-term schedule for the book-club. My intention is to alternate between longer and shorter VNs, so that it will be easier to follow along regardless of your reading speed or how busy you are. The schedule is of course subject to change should anyone have better suggestions along the way, so if you have any suggestions for visual novels that you would like to read in the book club, then please do let me know whenever you think of something.
 

Ascheroth

Chilling in the Megastructure
Nov 12, 2018
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It's like you read my mind :thinking-face:
Yesterday I was thinking about buying a VN in the sale and Kara no Shoujo was the top contender when going through my wishlist. This seals the deal then :D
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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The sixth VN Book Club thread is now up and as I indicated above, this time we will be reading Kara no Shojo:

I have also added a preliminary schedule for the book club for the remainder of 2020. You can find it in the OP.
If you have any suggestions for how to improve this/novels that you'd like to see in future book clubs, then please let me know!
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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The 7thVN Book Club thread is now up and this time we will be reading Zachtronics' Eliza:
 
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Kvik

Crossbell City Councillor
Dec 6, 2018
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Downunder.
I happen to have Eliza from last month's Humble monthly, but not sure if I can join for this month's club since I have enough on my plate already.

Root Double -- currently working my way through the true route.
Lamunation -- it's super silly but such a fun read.
Summer Pockets -- gorgeous artwork, great music like all other Key releases.

Definitely in for Raging Loop and G-senjou. though. As for suggestions, how about Fatal Twelve?


It's not a moege, even though the artstyle may cause a little bit of alarm.
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
878
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I happen to have Eliza from last month's Humble monthly, but not sure if I can join for this month's club since I have enough on my plate already.

Root Double -- currently working my way through the true route.
Lamunation -- it's super silly but such a fun read.
Summer Pockets -- gorgeous artwork, great music like all other Key releases.

Definitely in for Raging Loop and G-senjou. though. As for suggestions, how about Fatal Twelve?


It's not a moege, even though the artstyle may cause a little bit of alarm.
Yeah, that's quite a lot :sweaty-blob:

I quite enjoyed Sound of Drop by the same developer, so Fatal Twelve has been on my radar since I it launched. I'm honestly not sure why I didn't think of it before in this context, so thank you for suggesting it!
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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This is just a quick heads-up that most VNs in the current schedule are on sale for the next 40 hours or so.
However, most of these will probably go on sale before their respective months (see the schedule in the OP).

 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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The 8th VN Book Club thread is now up and this time we will be reading Seabed:
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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The 9th VN Book Club thread is now up and this time we will be reading ENIGMA:


ENIGMA: and several other planned book club titles are currently on sale:

 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
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Next month's title, The Devil on G-String is currently on sale for another 24 hours or so:


NSFW: The full version (with voices/18+) can also be purchased from Denpasoft with an addditional 10% discount, if you use the discount code 'StayInside' during checkout. The 18+ DLC for the Steam version is also discounted at the moment, for those who want that. But Denpasoft doesn't have regional pricing, so this is only useful if you pay EUR/USD on Steam.
 

Li Kao

It’s a strange world. Let’s keep it that way.
Jan 28, 2019
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Do the uncensored version comes in 4/3 ? I seem to recall they announced this more faithful version but don't know if they followed up on it.
 

Kvik

Crossbell City Councillor
Dec 6, 2018
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Downunder.
Hopefully I can finish both Lamunation and Summer Pockets in time for G-senjou reading club. I think I've read an hour or two of it in the past, but I totally forgot how the story goes, I might as well start from the top again.
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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The 10th VN Book Club thread is now up and this time we will be reading The Devil on G-String:
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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The 13th Visual Novel book club is now up and this time we will be reading Coffee Talk:


I have also added links to a number of other VN book clubs to the OP, for anyone looking for more.
 
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Exzyleph

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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The 14th Visual Novel book club is now up and this time we will be reading The Letter, or any spooky VN of your choice, in honor of Spooktober: