p911r

[danmeiarchive]

Carrying a Hoe to Cultivate by Little Baldy -- a brief review (no spoilers)

Novel length: 68 chapters + 1 extra

My Rating: ♥♥♥♥½ / 5

This was one of the first webnovels I read and it holds a special place in my heart. It's a quick and easy read and if you enjoy novels like The Disabled Tyrant's Pet Palm Fish I think you'll like this author's works too.

This novel also includes a sex called "ger" which is masculine but able to give birth it's not quite ABO but it has some similarities-- more on that and content warnings under the cut.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What kind of story is Carrying a Hoe to Cultivate?

This story is a lighter read-- something to read when you need a break from the serious and angsty novels like ErHa, Silent Reading, etc. I really enjoyed this one my first go around because I'd never read anything quite like it. It's a transmigration novel with connections to both a xianxia / cultivation setting AND a peaceful farming setting (this is where the majority of the novel takes place).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having read it a second time almost a year later I still enjoyed it but not as much as the first time. The first time I had no expectations and went in completely blind. The second time I vaguely remembered what things would happen and so for a good part of my re-read I was trying to remember or guess when a certain thing happened. It also made me realize that a lot of the plot really happens towards the end of the novel.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most of the novel is farming and cute scenes with the MC and ML. I would say nearly all of the plot happens in or is related to the xianxia world so it takes a while to build up steam. (By plot I mean the truths the characters uncover while in the xianxia world and how it relates to and affects them. I have a hard time seeing the romance as "plot" personally.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So what was it about this story that caught my eye? That would be the blending of genres. It is a fun little romp about peaceful farming and falling in love while at the same time the cultivators are looking for their missing sect leader. Without spoiling things I found the characters' backstories interesting and motivated me to keep reading to get the full picture.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ultimately is this story going to inspire a lot of critical thinking? -- maybe not. But it's a delightfully silly interlude with a small bit of angst and suffering once you get to some flashbacks.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who are the main characters?

Without going into details here's a little bit about our main squad:

Xia Yi - the main character. He's fairly young and childish at times, but occasionally gets anxious or depressed when he thinks about his previous life and potential future.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gu WenZhu - the love interest. He's a hardworking serious farmer who is easily flustered as Xia Yi acts differently than the other 'gers' he's met. He has a big heart and a wildly protective spirit and we love to see it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

System 179 - the one scrambling around trying to control the chaos. Something I really liked about this novel is that the system here had its own personality. It would be childish and pout, would listen to the town gossips, and tease Xia Yi about one thing or another. This really made the system feel like its own character and unique from other transmigration novels I've read.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is the plot of Carrying a Hoe to Cultivate?

Carrying a Hoe to Cultivate is a transmigration novel, however, when our main character Xia Yi transmigrated there was a bit of a hiccup. He was sent to a farming world with an additional sex designation (and mpreg) while the system assigned to him was set for a cultivation world. This leads to all sorts of shenanigans and before long people from the cultivation world crossover into the farming world. This leads to Xia Yi and his friends working together and figuring out the truth of what happened to connect the worlds in the first place.

(If you are worried about the mpreg just know that it is vaguely referenced and kinda handwaved in a 'it just works' way. The novel does not go into the how or physiology. It just happens.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click 'keep reading' to see trigger warnings.

content warnings: violence, dismemberment, torture, ritualistic killing, death, murder -- this is predominant in a character's backstory that only comes up a little bit when they get their memories back. mild homophobia -- see below for more info.

This novel does not use ABO terminology but there is an additional sex designation ('ger') which is masculine that has heats and can give birth. Along with that means there's some gender politic-ing when the MC acts like he normally would but is seen as being shameless for a 'ger'.

There is also some mild homophobia in the cultivation world and briefly from the MC -- the cultivation world does not have the 'ger' gender and everyone acts all surprised and shocked when they find out Xia Yi and Gu WenZhu are together-- but they don't try to interfere or stir up trouble for them. The homophobia never leads to violence or discrimination-- its more a shock factor.

[danmeiarchive]

The Virtuous Omega Disguised as the Vicious Colonel by Little Baldy -- a brief review (no spoilers)

Novel length: 101 chapters + 3 extras

My Rating: ★★★★★ / 5

I have recently finished my second read through of this novel and I have to say that it holds up! There were many things that were hinted at and set up ahead of time that went right over my head on a first reading that I caught on this second read.

I also really appreciate that while this is an ABO story the omega character is not paired / marked against his will and while there is some teasing from his partner for things to become intimate he does take a step back and say they can stop if the omega wants to.

Check for content warnings under the cut.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What kind of story is The Virtuous Omega Disguised as the Vicious Colonel?

VODVC manages to strike a balance between a suspenseful thriller and a cheesy romcom. There are moments in the novel where you have to suspend your disbelief but they often lead to moments that incorporate cheesy tropes that you would expect from fanfiction. So if you're looking for something more gritty and serious this may not be for you. I very much enjoyed the cheesy tropes and found them a nice little break from the tension.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The setting is both interstellar and omegaverse. (Interstellar; a futuristic sci-fi with space travel and some more advanced technologies such as mecha. Omegaverse; people have evolved into having a secondary sex designation -- depending on the interpretation there may be female alphas who can inpregnate others and male omegas who can carry pregnancies). This novel also has transmigration as a topic though there is no system in place like you see in EPWCM or SVSSS.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is also a lot of secret identity shenanigans going on which is always something I enjoy. Part of why this is a central part of the novel is due to one of the alien species having an ability that lets them possess a humans' body so there are several moments throughout the story where characters are scrutinized in order to discern if something isn't quite *right* about them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who are the main characters?

Without going into details here's a little bit about our main squad:

Lan Yu aka Colonel K - The main character. Lan Yu is a transmigrator. In his home he was an omega actor who had just won an award when suddenly a storm caused him to transmigrate. He finds himself in the body of "Colonel K" who is known to be ruthless, reckless, and generally hard to get along with. As such, K has made many enemies. Lan Yu does his best to keep up the arrogant facade of this vicious colonel while internally he curses the original owner of the body (referred to as "The original Colonel K".) The body he inhabits is also an omega who has disguised himself as an alpha in order to serve in the army.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colonel Lu RanKong - The love interest. Lu RanKong is a playful and friendly alpha and colonel who has often butted heads with K in the past. He takes his job seriously though he is more than happy to gloat when he is admired by reporters and civilians alike. He and Lan Yu are partnered together on sevel missions thoughout the novel and as they get to know each other slowly the bickering becomes less antagonistic and more flirtacious. He also has some secrets about his past that are unraveled as the story evolves.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are many characters who show up for one or two missions but don't really get the same limelight or development. I don't want to spoil things so I won't draw attention to the minor characters who *are* relevant to the final mission.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luo Yan - a character that shows up about 80% of the way though the novel. He is however very important as he is one of the aliens that can possess a human. Though him we learn a great deal about the aliens.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The original Colonel K" - a character that haunts the narrative. Their previous actions and choices shaped the path that Lan Yu has to walk on. Lan Yu also wonders what happened to them, if they died and that's how he came to be in their body? There are a lot of mysteries surrounding this character and as the story progresses they are slowly revealed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is the plot of The Virtuous Omega Disguised as the Vicious Colonel?

The plot centers around Lu RanKong and Lan Yu's relationship, the missions they are assigned, and unraveling the secrets that surround "the original Colonel K". I really feel like each mission in the novel actively works towards worldbuilding, fleshing out the relationship between the two main characters, and setting things up for the climactic finale.

I also found each mission interesting -- they ranged from short missions to investigate something odd on another planet to longer term missions like going undercover in a prison. Along the way there's fun and silly scenes that help keep the overall mood of the novel on the lighter side. I haven't re-read all of Little Baldy's novels yet but this one really strikes me as a strong and fairly concise narrative with plenty of foreshadowing and hints that make the reader want to keep reading and see if their predictions were correct.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click 'keep reading' to see trigger warnings.

General content warnings for violence, guns, life and death situations, loss of and struggle for control over one's own body (due to the aliens that can possess people) -- this is used to fight and manipulate others but does not fall into the main characters causing lasting damage to each other or put them in a nonconsenting sexual situation. In one of the extras there is threat of violence to children (but they're okay don't worry!). There is also terrorist tactics (holding people hostage, strapping bombs to them, etc) in this novel.

ABO specific content: At one point Lan Yu gets drugged and it induces his heat however he is able to get to a safe location and take an inhibitor to ease and hold back the symtpoms for a while. Later on Lu RanKong starts getting intimate with Lan Yu as his heat returns -- Lan Yu is somewhat under the influence of his heat and the pheremones but Lu RanKong says they can stop if Lan Yu wants to. Lan Yu ends up deciding to let the heat run its course and consents.