The second volume of the Occultic;Nine light novel series begins right where the first volume left off. The plot really begins to pick up in this volume, and I was thoroughly engaged until the very end, which was sadly a bit of a cliffhanger.
The first volume of Occultic;Nine was mainly focused on the introduction of the main cast, and this pays off in the next installment. Because the reader has a greater understanding of the main characters and their motivations, Volume 2 is able to explore the plot in greater detail, and most of it is told in Yuta Gamon’s perspective. The reader follows him in his attempts to solve mysteries, with the help of the other eight main characters.
The second volume’s story is delivered in the same style as the first volume, where one of the nine main characters tells the story from their perspective. In contrast with the first installment however, the second book features more chapters in Yuta’s perspective, and fewer chapters in the perspectives of the other characters. It seems to me that Yuta is becoming much more important as the main protagonist, and the other main characters are beginning to gather around him.
The reader is given plenty of room to make their own theories about the many mysteries and strange occurrences in the world of Occultic;Nine. In my opinion, this aspect of the series is its greatest strength.
The mysteries in question are often based on Japanese urban legends and mythology, and are interesting and creepy in nature. English readers may occasionally find themselves a little lost if they were not previously familiar with the myths and legends mentioned, but thankfully, the book does a great job at familiarizing its audience with its content.
The Tips list is once again present, and serves to explain some of the book’s terminology. A humorous afterword by Chiyomaru Shikura (the author) is included, where he teases the reader with a few possible resolutions to the story.
Overall, Occultic;Nine’s second volume is a strong continuation to the first, with many thrilling developments to the story. The third volume of the series is scheduled to be released on July 31, 2018 in paperback form. The digital version of volume 3 is currently available on J-Novel and Amazon Kindle.
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