“Root Double – The light novel that is based on the hit PC and console game of the same name!”

That’s the first thing I saw when I came across Root Double for the first time on Bookwalker.

I’ll be honest here that I never heard of the game before. Maybe because games like visual novels aren’t really my jam. And if I ever going to play a game like visual novels, I can’t guarantee if I can sit still while playing a game like that.

I was already feeling antsy when I had to view the skits in Persona 5: Dancing in the Starlight, let alone a visual novel.

Okay, I don’t remember what it was called. But if you play Persona 5: Dancing in the Starlight, I’m sure you know what I’m referring to.

Will I ever play a game like visual novels in the future? I don’t know. But for now, I don’t see myself playing this type of game anytime soon.

In case you’re wondering, you can buy the game right here on Steam.

But if you’re like me who prefers to read, then it doesn’t hurt to grab the light novel version instead.

And here I am with the light novel in my hand, literally since I got the ebook from Bookwalker.

What Root Double is all about

Here’s the book description that I got from Amazon.

Based on the epic survival video game with over 30 full-color illustrations!

When disaster strikes an isolated research city, Captain Watase Kasasagi is deployed with his elite rescue squad to handle an underground nuclear reactor meltdown.

Yet the disaster is not entirely what it seems. Radioactive contamination and massive explosions become the least of the squad’s concerns when the facility suddenly goes into complete lockdown—and they aren’t the only ones inside. Now they’re hearing voices, rescuing schoolgirls who shouldn’t be there, and finding corpses that had nothing to do with the meltdown!

Will Watase be able to save the other survivors before it’s too late? Or will the voices make them turn on each other first?! Find out in this fast-paced survival thriller!

What attracts to me to this light novel in the first place

I won’t deny that what got me attracted to this light novel in the first place was that the book was available at a discount on Bookwalker at that time. And the fact that it provided a full sample for one chapter made me eager to give this light novel a read even more.

But then again, it was pointless for me to download the sample if the light novel isn’t the type of books that I want to read.

And thankfully, the light novel does have an interesting book description. And that’s another factor that drives me to have a look at this light novel.

The main character is in a special force? Check.

Something bloody is about to happen? Check.

These are the things that seal the deal for me the most. As much as I love discounts and a full sample chapter, I won’t bother with the manga and the light novels at all if it doesn’t meet my preferences.

Curious what kind of books I prefer to read? Well, I explain my preference in one of my blog posts right here.

You should read that blog post if you’re curious about the type of books that I recommend on my blog. I read a lot of books. But not all books made it to my recommendation list.

What makes Root Double worth reading

Yes, I have a penchant for the main character who is in a special force and the story that hints something bloody and nasty is about to happen to everyone involved.

If you’re into this type of story, then this should give enough reason for you to give it a try.

But of course, none of it matters if the story is just plain horrible.

That’s where the good news comes in: the story is interesting and enjoyable even for someone like me who never played the game before.

All the questions that have been popping out at the beginning of the story do get answered as the story is progressing.

What’s more, the story gets even more interesting when they came across their dead comrades and the people that none of them recognized.

Didn’t I tell you that something bloody and nasty awaits them? That’s what I’m talking about.

With the story is leading you from one mystery to another, it’s hard to put the book down because you just want to know what will happen next.

Well, at least for me, though. I realize that I can’t seem to put the book down because I’m curious about what will happen next. And I also hope that I can get the answers to the questions in the next few chapters as well.

Yes, I’m impatient. But who cares.

What I didn’t expect about the light novel

Okay, I’m going to go out of the limb here for talking about the ending.

Don’t worry, I won’t reveal what eventually happened in the end. Heck, I don’t even know how the story even ends since I never played the game before.

Remember when I say that the story is filled with so many questions and mysteries?

Yes, you do get your questions answered. But not everything, though. So, it’s possible that you may feel dissatisfied with the ending since this light novel doesn’t have your usual light novel ending.

What do I mean by that?

In most cases, each book in a light novel series tends to have a different story arc. So, the ending for the book tends to be the end of the story arc and not necessarily the end of the series unless it’s the final book.

Even my Trigger Locked series follows the same format too. It may be a series, but each book can be a standalone novel too. You can begin with any books you like. But if you want a better understanding, it’s better for you to read from the beginning.

In Root Double’s case, what you get at the end of the book is a cliffhanger instead.

That means you can only get a complete ending in the final book. Until then, expect to see a cliffhanger in every book.

You can say that the ending for each book in Root Double is more like the ending in the manga.

Does it disappoint me? Well, it does because I was expecting the book to have your usual light novel ending, not the manga-style ending.

But fortunately, on my side, I finally made peace with it even though it took me a while at first.

Who should give this light novel a try

If you have the same penchant as I am or you’ve played the game before and loved it, then there’s no doubt that you will enjoy reading Root Double.

Never played the game before?

Well, you can still read this light novel even if you’ve never played the game before. Take it from someone who never played the game and just jump straight to reading the light novel.

So, don’t worry so much about it and give the light novel a go especially if you enjoy the premise as much as I am.

Where to buy the light novel

It’s too bad that the English version of the light novel is only available as an ebook.

I don’t know if it will be released in print or not. But for now, you can only get it as an ebook.

If you’d like to buy this light novel, you can buy the ebook right here on Amazon:

Buy Root Double light novel on Amazon

You can also buy the light novel on Bookwalker too. That’s where I got mine from:

Buy Root Double light novel on Bookwalker

Over to you

What do you think about Root Double? Will you consider giving the light novel a try? Or do you prefer to get the game instead?

Let me know in the comment below.