It's difficult to find people who will agree about Sword Art Online, whether the quality of the series or that of smaller aspects of it. It's difficult for me to predict how much you will enjoy it, but I will recommend it provided its flaws do not repulse you.
The plot involves the eponymous virtual reality massively multiplayer online RPG that's revolutionary in the world, but has two problems- the players can't log out until the game is cleared, and if they die in the game, they die in real life.
The story is quite easy for gamers to get into, with many references to various aspects of gaming. There are many themes in it that can resonate with non-gamers, such as understanding other people and dealing with guilt.
The action is entertaining and involves a good amount of strategy by the heroes. Some of the climactic battles, however, tend to get resolved by Deus ex Machina, which can kill some of the tension and excitement, occasionally resulting in cases in which the hero suddenly works his way out of a hopeless situation. The setting is nicely fleshed out, although a fair number of the details and nuances, particularly with regards to character thoughts, are only found in the light novel version.
Kirito, the protagonist, is a highly divisive character, given that he starts out as one of the most competent people in the setting and continues upward from there, often achieving rare or virtually impossible power-ups (although some would put it less charitably). How much you think this makes him a Gary Stu and how much you think this kills the drama will largely determine how much you like him.
Asuna, Kirito's Love Interest, is controversial in a somewhat similar way, for different reasons. She has come a long way from someone who never touched a video game before, and accomplishes a great deal in her own right, but plays second fiddle to Kirito. Whether it says more about her or him, and whether this is acceptable is a matter of personal opinion.
Naturally, the romance between the two is quite controversial, especially with various other potential pairings for Kirito, but if you like both of the characters, it will likely be at least tolerable.
All in all, SAO is not for everyone, but if what you read sounds appealing, it's worth a look, and if the major points of contention do not turn you off, I believe you will enjoy it, as I did.
Potentially Quite Enjoyable
It's difficult to find people who will agree about Sword Art Online, whether the quality of the series or that of smaller aspects of it. It's difficult for me to predict how much you will enjoy it, but I will recommend it provided its flaws do not repulse you.
The plot involves the eponymous virtual reality massively multiplayer online RPG that's revolutionary in the world, but has two problems- the players can't log out until the game is cleared, and if they die in the game, they die in real life.
The story is quite easy for gamers to get into, with many references to various aspects of gaming. There are many themes in it that can resonate with non-gamers, such as understanding other people and dealing with guilt.
The action is entertaining and involves a good amount of strategy by the heroes. Some of the climactic battles, however, tend to get resolved by Deus ex Machina, which can kill some of the tension and excitement, occasionally resulting in cases in which the hero suddenly works his way out of a hopeless situation. The setting is nicely fleshed out, although a fair number of the details and nuances, particularly with regards to character thoughts, are only found in the light novel version.
Kirito, the protagonist, is a highly divisive character, given that he starts out as one of the most competent people in the setting and continues upward from there, often achieving rare or virtually impossible power-ups (although some would put it less charitably). How much you think this makes him a Gary Stu and how much you think this kills the drama will largely determine how much you like him.
Asuna, Kirito's Love Interest, is controversial in a somewhat similar way, for different reasons. She has come a long way from someone who never touched a video game before, and accomplishes a great deal in her own right, but plays second fiddle to Kirito. Whether it says more about her or him, and whether this is acceptable is a matter of personal opinion.
Naturally, the romance between the two is quite controversial, especially with various other potential pairings for Kirito, but if you like both of the characters, it will likely be at least tolerable.
All in all, SAO is not for everyone, but if what you read sounds appealing, it's worth a look, and if the major points of contention do not turn you off, I believe you will enjoy it, as I did.