The Faraway Paladin: The Lord of the Rust Mountains

eBook, 203 pages

English language

Published July 27, 2017 by J-Novel Club.

ISBN:: 978-1-7183-0804-6
ASIN:: 1718308043

(1 review)

It’s been some time since Will became the Faraway Paladin. Will and Menel have defeated the demons and chimera who wrought havoc on the lives of the villagers of Beast Woods, and smiles are finally starting to return to everyone’s faces again.

But order has not completely been restored to this faraway land; strange things are happening, starting with plants blooming out of season and dying at random. At Duke Ethel’s request, Will and Menel are off to investigate, not knowing that their journey will lead them to an ominous prophecy and the Rust Mountains, the capital of the dwarves.

1 edition

Muse reviewed The Faraway Paladin: The Lord of the Rust Mountains by Kanata Yanagino (The Faraway Paladin, #3.1)

Review of 'The Faraway Paladin: The Lord of the Rust Mountains' on 'Storygraph'

4 stars

After a book of William kicking butt, taking names, and living the isekai power fantasy dream, I respect this volume for having the insight to look at William as a character and say, "Oh, he's a coward." It's one thing to notice that reading about an overpowered hero wears thin after a while thanks to a lack of tension. It's another to dig down to another layer and tie character growth to it, having William admit that he hasn't been truly scared since the Stagnate fight in volume one. He takes on fights that he knows that he can win, but is that really bravery? Can he be called a hero when all of this came easily to him? In his previous life just the possibility of failure was enough to make him give up - is he still that person?

While I loved the first volume, I felt a …

After a book of William kicking butt, taking names, and living the isekai power fantasy dream, I respect this volume for having the insight to look at William as a character and say, "Oh, he's a coward." It's one thing to notice that reading about an overpowered hero wears thin after a while thanks to a lack of tension. It's another to dig down to another layer and tie character growth to it, having William admit that he hasn't been truly scared since the Stagnate fight in volume one. He takes on fights that he knows that he can win, but is that really bravery? Can he be called a hero when all of this came easily to him? In his previous life just the possibility of failure was enough to make him give up - is he still that person?

While I loved the first volume, I felt a bit of a disconnect in the second, and the third entry made me realize what it was. Faraway Paladin is at its best when William directly confronts the wish fulfillment fantasy of the genre he inhabits. Yes, his life is better this time around, but has he grown from these new experiences? This volume sets up a fantastic full circle moment via the dwarves, their history, and William finally admitting that victory is no longer the point for him - it's about doing the right thing. He sees Al start to rise to the legacy that he wants to achieve through the training that he gives him. He sees the town he protected become a place where people don't just survive, but thrive. He sees that even when he wasn't sure of himself, his friends were sure that he'd make the right decision eventually, and believed in him. And now he gets to come back home for the first time on his way to face his biggest challenge yet.

While I already know the conclusion thanks to the anime, the extra character introspection offered by the novels makes these moments all the more compelling. By successfully tying together these themes of growth and choosing to move forward despite fear, the author has crafted something a bit bigger than the archetypal "the knight goes to fight the dragon" tale. And I love this series all the more for that.

Subjects

Fantasy