Ulabasu

Let’s start from the beginning—not the creation, though that’s where the book starts. I really liked how the author portrayed Lucifer/Samael in the first few chapters. It genuinely feels like he’s someone who once had free will but then had it taken away. At the same time, however, it’s a little confusing because it also feels like he still has free will. If he truly didn’t, how could he even think about rebelling, making someone sad, or hurting others? And how could the other angels judge him for rebelling if they also don’t have free will? Essentially, I picture a lack of free will as either slavery or robotic behavior, but the main character doesn’t feel like either of those. This contradiction makes it hard to understand his internal logic. Another interesting aspect is how the author attempts to portray Lucifer as a semi-caring father figure. While I understand that it’s not my book and the portrayal doesn’t need to align with my personal view, I do find it an intriguing choice. In my mind, Lucifer would more likely be vengeful or uncaring. Without free will, he wouldn’t have responsibility for his actions—since a lack of agency removes personal accountability. This could lead to an absence of empathy or remorse, as his actions wouldn’t truly be his fault. On the other hand, if he does have agency, at what point does he realize it? Would it be when he faces the consequences of his actions for the first time, or would it happen at some other pivotal moment? These questions don’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, but I hope they might serve as constructive criticism or spark ideas for future development. I genuinely hope the author keeps writing because this story has a lot of potential. For readers considering whether to pick up this book, I’d say it’s definitely worth a read—especially if you’re interested in unique portrayals of complex characters like Lucifer.

Honestly, so far, I have enjoyed the book. However, there are some notable issues that have affected my reading experience. One of the main problems is inconsistency in the writing. For example, I’ve noticed instances where a character is referred to with female pronouns, but context dictates they are male. Then, the pronouns switch back to male, only to reference the character as female again shortly after. Another issue is the pacing. The story feels long and drawn out, and while progression is present, it isn’t clearly outlined. For instance, in the beginning, the protagonist is drugged and brainwashed by his clan but ends up learning skills they didn’t anticipate. He eventually breaks free, kills the entire clan leadership—including the clan head—and rescues his mother, who initially appears to care deeply for him. However, about 20 chapters later, her attitude shifts drastically. She no longer seems to care about him and is focused solely on using him for political marriages and rebuilding the clan. She justifies this by believing that, once he matures, he will understand and possibly even thank her one day. As readers, we can see that the protagonist deeply values freedom and the pursuit of knowledge. However, he also doesn’t seem to communicate his desires or dreams to others, which causes misunderstandings and damaged relationships. For example, there are characters who initially care for him but lose interest because they don’t understand him. His mother, for instance, seems to love him at first but becomes focused on controlling his future, such as arranging political marriages and using him to rebuild their clan. This shift feels especially strange given her own history—having just escaped a place that severely restricted her freedom and choices, she should, theoretically, empathize with his desire for free will. Instead, she appears to disregard how important freedom is to him, and it’s unclear whether this stems from the protagonist’s inability to express his values or from her intentional disregard for them. Adding to the complexity, the protagonist often complains about being lectured and talked down to during his classes. While this frustration is understandable, especially given his past, it seems contradictory. He clearly benefits from these lessons, gaining skills and knowledge that are crucial for his survival, yet his complaints come across as ungrateful. This dynamic sometimes feels more like arrogance than justified rebellion. Given that he’s a child who managed to kill the leadership of his old clan, one would expect his teachers and peers to approach him with caution rather than condescension, possibly out of fear of provoking him. However, the story portrays them as endlessly lecturing him, which eventually drives him to leave home, journeying across multiple continents. Unfortunately, these new settings often lack engaging storylines, and the narrative largely abandons his original home of Japan after a dragon tells him he doesn’t owe anyone anything. This abrupt shift feels odd and underdeveloped. Overall, I like the book, but reading it can be challenging. The lack of defined paragraphs, confusing dialogue that doesn’t clearly indicate which character is speaking, and the protagonist’s apparent isolation from meaningful relationships make it harder to connect with the story. He seems to have no one who truly cares for him beyond what they can gain, and he, in turn, doesn’t seem to care much about others. Despite its flaws, many of the premises are well thought out and intriguing. I just wish the story were more engaging and relatable.