How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Volume 7

How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Series, Book 7

De: Dojyomaru

Narrado por: BJ Harrison

Having returned from the Star Dragon Mountain Range, Souma heads to the next destination on his diplomatic tour, the Republic of Turgis. While he is there to investigate the possibility of forming cordial relations with a neighbor they currently have no interaction with, Souma finds his attention drawn to the high level of the local blacksmiths, and a plan occurs to him.

Sensing that state level negotiations will be necessary to make his plan a reality, he succeeds in arranging a meeting with the republic's head of state. In order to make the negotiations fruitful, Souma demonstrates the kingdom's power to the republic.

"I will show the republic the 'gain' to be had from working with us, and the 'threat' to make them hesitate to oppose us."

Can Souma's secret plan move the republic?!

©2018 Dojyomaru; English translation copyright 2018 by J-Novel Club LLC; Original Japanese edition published in 2018 by OVERLAP, Inc.; Cover illustration by Fuyuyuki (P)2023 Tantor

Awesome

great story I love the epilogue always love hearing little stories that have no affects on the world but just serve to deepen relationships.

the story is getting good!

I live the story so far. I also like how much thought the author places on each character.

A very good series well done

The Realist Hero series is one of the best entries in this genre and the story in this volume takes us to another nation and shows Soma once again trying to find a workable solution to the issues his poor kingdom (but getting wealthier each day) faces.

Solid continuation of the other volumes.

I enjoyed this volume while it is not as high-packed as the earlier volumes. I still say this is a very worth listening to because it shows a lot of character development and relationships between all the main side characters. But one thing you will learn is that they were family. Family is important. Family, family, family. This series comes second to the fast and the furious when it comes to the need of family.

the series continues to build on itself without telling the same story over and over.

This is a refreshing take on the isekai genre that continues to introduce new concepts and characters without being overwhelming. The protagonist is flawed enough and recognizes his own flaws in a realistic humility. The only point I can say I do not like about the books is more my fault than anything else, since I've been listen to all the books in quick succession, I tend to drift out during the frequent recaps. I do not need to hear "This is the same light moss that is used in the street lamps" again.

Agood listen

I'll be honest, the book is worth the credits if you're a fan of the series. yeah you'll probably complain about one or two plot points but overall it was a very good book and I'd recommended.

honestly it's hard to say

if you're somebody who's reading my honest review it's really difficult to say what stood out the most however there were just quite a few things that I was bothered by in the story not just by this novel but honestly past number 3 a couple things The fact that the intermissions take place on a story that's only 8 hours long on an audiobook The fact that you already get your epilogue when you still have two and a half hours left I understand the importance of developing character plotlines but hours and hours to do it just seem like you're taking away from the overall story another thing that really bothers me is the author seems to really try to make it seem like Soma's accomplishments are not that big of a deal or that he's not really that special trying to at the same time puff up other people's accomplishments they even say things like his rule is peaceful or is not really that noteworthy when either talking about the future or about the kingdom as a whole however he's an incredibly complex character who does an incredible job And besides Marshall ability which could easily be rectified with his puppetry ability by developing mechanical puppets He's incredibly smart and comes up with ingenious ways of defeating his enemies again I feel like the writer is trying too hard to downplay his accomplishments while at the same time puffing up everybody else who doesn't actually do that much either way that's just my honest opinion still a decent read but I don't know if I'll reread it I don't know if it's that kind of story

get ready for a snooze fest

very boring story with no new info I really liked the first few books but it really fell off here

Awful Writing Style

What I like:
- The performer does an excellent job. My only complaint is the way he voices the character Kaede. He sounds like he's got something in his mouth as he speaks and it drives me nuts every time she's in the scene - despite her being one of the more likable characters, for me. She mind as well be wearing braces or something.
- The progression of the world, technology, and education. This was the main hook for me since book 1 and is still one of the 2 reasons I'm still listening through this series. The second reason is because I bought the volumes up to 10 thinking that I'd enjoy them, however...

What I hate about this series as the books progress:

- "Hey, did you bring that thing?" What feels like 10 minutes later, the author finally tells you what the **** "that thing" is. This sort of crap happens WAY too many times that it drives me nuts and I end up not caring what the heck "that thing" is every time this mystery box crap pops up. What's worse is that it's popping up more and more with each volume!!
- Descriptions of female characters come off a bit creepy at times. I won't touch the fact that the 5th wife looks like a 14 year old, apparently (as literally described by the author) and acts like one. Every time there's even something remotely wholesome, the author has to describe the breasts or the "slim figure" of the women. An example from a previous volume is something like: "She puffed out her not so ample bosom with pride." Maybe it's because I'm a gay man, but pointing out breasts, butts, and "slim figures" all the time when there's really no need to is creepy to me.
- There are moments throughout the series that really point out the author's fragile masculinity. In this one, the main character gets disgusted and uncomfortable when another male character slings an arm around his shoulders for a one sided bro hug. Like, really? Really, dude? Snowflake ****.
- The constant "Huh?", "Hm?", "Eh?" This sort of thing only works in visual mediums like animation or live action because you get to see what's making the characters confused. In novels, it's just aggravating. You're not showing us anything with these exchanges. If the character is confused, just say so like 'Souma was confused by the sudden appearance of Abraham Lincoln' or some such.
- The sheer lack of communication between characters. In the previous novel, 2 characters walk off stage to talk in private. Those same 2 characters pop up unexpectedly during the cube thing and we get an unnecessary flashback to when they were talking and Kaede is with them. Kaede says "I'll tell Souma about the plan", but did she? No. Instead she tells Souma "Oh, they're preparing for something." ZERO marks for communication. She could have just broke it down before all that and you could have just forgone having this unnecessary flashback. On top of that, she gets angry after at her fiance AFTER AGREEING THAT HE SHOULD RIDE RUBY. She agreed, and yet she gets pissed off at him. That is some manipulative mental abuse crap right there (and she became less likable in my eyes at that point). This isn't even the worst offender. Souma CONSTANTLY never tells his wives what's going on. He basically just winks and says, "You'll see!". This sort of crap is what fuels divorces, my dude. By not communicating with them, he's treating them more like trophy wives instead of like people who should be involved in what's going on. Absolutely awful!
- The amount of unnecessary flashbacks. Good lord, there are so many as the series progress. I don't need to know why the familiar adventurer party is visiting this country. I don't give a crap. They're adventurers, so of course they'll be adventuring. You don't need to tell me the exact details.
- I can't recall if it happened in this volume, but in the last volume Souma and the gang are staring at a floating cube, wondering what they should do for 10 minutes before said cube starts dropping bombs. This slow drag in momentum is aggravating because it's obvious the author is forcing tension. I swear, Souma could be driving towards the edge of a cliff and he'd be humming and hawing before slamming his foot on the breaks right after he flies off the cliff. All the while, the reader - primarily me, judging from the reviews - is screaming at him to do what is so obvious to do. I told my husband "It's like the author is taking writing style notes from Blue's Clues."
- The Otaku. I GET IT, YOU LOVE ANIME. Good lord, Souma references an anime at least 4 times per novel and it's getting really old. It's not cute, anymore, it's just incredibly cringe and takes me out of the novel. "I started whistling to -that- anime opening as we flew through the sky." All this does is continue to add my idea that Souma is a self insert of the author.
- Souma never grows as a character. He's always got the perfect plan or the perfect thing to say at just the right time. The man has no flaws - at least, according to his wives and the people around him (outside of him being a workaholic, which only plays into the "he's perfect" argument because "he cares so damn much about our country"). This makes him a really boring and unrelatable Gary Stu - which is one of the biggest problems in this genre. The man isn't interesting nor complicated, he just talks about interesting and complicated subjects to make him seem like he's interesting and complicated. He is a bland character for all the hetero men to project themselves onto.

What could be improved:
- I don't mind poly relationships in fantasy - when done believably. I understand this is fantasy and aimed as escapism for hetero men, but poly relationships can be so much more interesting and complicated. Once Souma acquires a wife, they become background noise - blending in with the family unit without any friction. I can count on one hand the amount of times there were any interesting friction scenes, however those scenes ended anticlimactically. Everyone dotes on Souma to his every whim despite him treating them like trophy wives. He's even told them to get him water, at one point, in an earlier volume without saying "please" or "thanks". He's also put them in real danger in the last volume and he gets away with it without them complaining (the scene where they fly into the storm). This plays into my last point: Souma never grows as a character.

I really want to enjoy this, but it's just making me miserable the more I progress through the series.

The long epilogue saved a wasted chapter

The previous book was so good that it felt like a culmination of all the previous entries. I really hope it because a feature length film however this entry completely hides in its shadow. virtually no personal or relational growth happened. and the southern continent and its people were utterly underwhelming. though like stated above, the epilogue was what I really wanted for this chapter and it did not disappoint.