Solo Leveling, Vol. 1 (manga) by Chugong

Solo Leveling, Vol. 1 (manga) (Solo Leveling (Manga), #1)

by Chugong

The official English print publication of the popular Korean webcomic!
E-class hunter Jinwoo Sung is the weakest of them all. Looked down on by
everyone, he has no money, no abilities to speak of, and no other job prospects.
So when his party finds a hidden dungeon, he's determined to use this chance to
change his life for the better...but the opportunity he finds is a bit different
from what he had in mind!

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4.5 of 5 stars

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Summary:

Jinwoo Sung has a reputation among the other hunters and dungeon adventurers – he's known as the Weakest Hunter of All Mankind. Yeah, quite the blow to one's ego. Yet Jinwoo can't give up this job, as his mother's hospital bills keep on climbing.

The latest job should have been a simple one. After all, it wouldn't have been that dangerous if they had let Jinwoo join the team. Unfortunately, there's a rare dungeon-within-a-dungeon situation, and given the danger, they can't just leave it be.

Review:

Full transparency: I originally read a lot of Solo Leveling on Tapas. I'm now rereading it in preparation for diving into the anime adaptation. I figure it'd be fun to read through the actual volumes and see how they break up the arcs!

Solo Leveling Vol. 1 is a solid start to the series. We get all the keystrokes (how the world operates, what a Hunter is, why levels matter, etc.) and Jinwoo. There are a few other noteworthy characters, but Jinwoo's situation steals the show.

Right away, I fell in love with how clever Jinwoo was. He may not be the strongest Hunter (obviously, he isn't), but he's the only one in the crew who put two and two together while in the second dungeon, and it was brilliant to watch it all happen.

All things said and done, Solo Leveling Vol. 1 was a great dive back into this world. It's compelling and tense in equal measure, with a dash of character development and drama. In other words, it's worth the read.

Highlights:
Manhwa
Originally on Tapas
Dungeon Adventures
Video Game Mechanics

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 25 March, 2024: Finished reading
  • 25 March, 2024: Reviewed