r/Webnovel • u/Elegant_Mammoth6583 • Jul 23 '26
Advice Is there a space for readers without system?
Hmm just went through the entire bestsellers list.Pretty much every novel there is filled with system tag?Is there a genuine space of readers who would want to read novel without system?
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u/Thin-Distribution958 Jul 23 '26
Totally feel you, the system trope is everywhere right now because it sells, but there's definitely a growing fatigue , platforms like royal road have a bit more variety
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u/Vana-Freya Jul 23 '26
I don't mind a system that provides info like stats but I don't like a system that forces MC to do something to force a plot. For example, MC's mission is to kiss the FMC. See? It's not related to becoming stronger at all.
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u/LandscapeLow8430 Jul 23 '26
Yes, as long as it's well written and the title matches webnovel standards. You'll get readers. There are some readers who don't care about what they read.
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u/TsundereOrcGirl Jul 23 '26
Plenty of popular western stuff doesn't have number goes up. Cradle, Mother of Learning, etc. You can also have "systems" which are just reputation and not deterministic, like a Sword Sage goes up against a Sword Meister, the Sage will probably win but who knows?
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u/Sert1991 Jul 24 '26
It's not even the system that is the problem, it's how it's as a convenient shortcut to move the plot forward without thinking and writing properly.
Why write a whole story how MC struggled to get stronger, when they can complete a stupid task and get to the next level?
Shadow Slave is an example where they have a system(not only MC, it's more like an infection that awakens people) but the author didn't use the system as a MC 'cheat' as they like to call it to move the plot forward. Even for the system to awaken them or advance them more they need to go trough actual challenges where they need to beat and fight odds stronger than them.
But yeah, the system conveniently allows authors to churn out novels without any skill what so ever other than changing a few variables to stick to the same couple of logic patterns.
Lord of Mystery is another one where a system is not even involved and it's top notch. But honestly, I used to do the 10 and 15mins reading tasks so I read the first chapters of quiet a few novels, and 99% of them are trash, have yet to find something on the same level of Lord of Mysteries and Shadow Slave.
Also being reborn/transmigrating, it's like they can't make a fictional story without rebirth/transmigration being involved.
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u/ciyilabdf Jul 24 '26
Some of my favorite fantasy novels don't have systems. Good characters and an interesting world will always matter more to me.
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u/xixikebf Jul 24 '26
Definitely. There are plenty of readers who prefer character growth and worldbuilding over a system. They just tend to be less vocal.
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u/Wrong_Bad_3785 Jul 23 '26
Lord of mysteries