Spice and Wolf, Vol. 1 (light novel) Kindle Edition

This begins Holo and Lawrence's long journey together some times slice of life others mercantile scheming and at others action adventure all some how wound together seamlessly into a single narrative

Rating system:1 star = did not like2 star = it was okay3 star = liked it4 star = really liked it5 star = it was amazingThis is an interesting series. I'd heard it was mostly commerce themed, so I wasn't sure if I would like it, but it was actually intriguing to read. Some of the stuff went over my head, so I'm sure it's not for everyone. This particular volume had a lot of talk about the value of money based on the purity of the metal and how it can fluctuate as well as how you can profit from that, for example. They don't always tell you everything, though, sometimes you have to connect some of the dots yourself to figure out what they mean.The story was good, especially toward the end.This is the first volume, so a big chunk of the first few chapters was world building and getting to know the two main characters and how they interact with each other.The characters seem well thought out, and their banter is amusing. I see potential for character growth for Lawrence. I get the feeling Holo will be a catalyst for that.

I've read 4 of the novels so far, and watched both seasons of the anime. Yes, in the end Spice & Wolf is a love story. But the setting, the protagonist, and the drama itself surrounding the "they fall in love" theme is all very different from what most other stories present these days. See, Spice & Wolf doesn't try to be an action, "knight saves damsel", or even "girl has superpowers and it's awesome" type of story. It's a down to earth, joyfully playful tale of a merchant (yes, a simple merchant) and how he met a transcendental wolf named Holo, who takes the form of a girl.From that description, you would probably think the story revolves around her and her abnormal powers; but no, it's mostly about...wait for it...MONEY! Yes, Spice and Wolf is unique (at least to me) in that the main drama the protagonists face is monetary schemes; and so you get this very peculiar mixture of the problems faced in a developing love relationship and those of a Renaissance merchant living day by day from his hard work in the field of finances. The financial drama in which the protagonists plunge themselves is quite intricate, and often revolves around financial concepts that affect our very world today, yet they are presented in a way more akin to a mystery novel than a lecture from Harvard. Boring things like price speculation and return on investment are suddenly transformed into the very sword and shield of a knight fighting for his damsel's love, yet the roles are often exchanged and it is Lawrence who finds himself needing saving.Laurence has many characteristics often seen in other "anime" stories, like his inexperience in love, which gives him the typical shyness of male protagonists often found in animes. However, he is also a very clever merchant who has confidence in his work and is not afraid of climbing the economic ladder. He is a hardworking person with a purpose, which differs greatly from the "I don't care about anything, the wind carries me", "I'm a delinquent", or even "I don't want to pilot this robot, why was I chosen?" attitude that anime protagonists often show.For her part, Holo also presents many characteristics often seen in anime female protagonists, like her "tough and clever" attitude counterbalanced by her soft spot that emerges when faced with her loneliness and longing for her home. Yet she is also playful and honest in her relationship with Lawrence, most of the time taking the initiative to advance their love relationship in original ways, not so much as "I'm gonna suddenly kiss you now" but rather more like "I'm going to test you through a complicated commodity inflation scheme to see if you trust me" type of thing.Their relationship has a "homely" feeling to it, and gives the impression that it could really happen in the real world compared to the often exaggerated, idealistic relationships of most anime. All in all, I highly recommend Spice & Wolf, more so to adults than teenagers.

Story is well paced. The translation is solid. There were some typos that sucked me out of the story however. Wish the editor did a better job on that.

The audiobook of Spice and Wolf is fantastic. If you've loved the anime, manga or novel your in for a treat. The performance brings the world of Spice and Wolf to life. Grab yourself a nice drink and get comfy as you listen to the tale of how a merchant named Lawrence meet a wise wolf called Holo. Listening to it like a radio drama is a fantastic way to experience story once more.

As fantasy goes, excellent read. The concept of traveling merchant as the protagonist, the relatable feelings of things beyond control, draws the reader in for a great story!

I discovered Spice and Wolf during my study abroad in Japan. I watched the anime first, and originally thought it was from a manga. After finding out the source was a novel and discovering it would be translated, I determined to buy it.And I wasn't disappointed. It starts off like your typical magical girl story, with some guy finding a weird girl in his bed (or in Lawrence's case, his cart - the bed of the travelling merchant!) and I cringed at about half a page at this point, because rather disappointingly, Lawrence couldn't help noticing how darn cute and adorable and pretty she was. Luckily, it really did only last about half a page and then it resumed being fabulous.Spice and Wolf follows the trials and tribulations of Lawrence, a travelling merchant, and his wolf-god companion, Holo. The two of them are on a journey to the North, to return Holo to her homeland there. But it's a long way off, and Lawrence has to make a living. Quite often, the struggles faced by the two of them are economically, politically or religiously complicated (or all three!) and I find myself having to think twice about the situations and how they plan to get out of them more than once, every single time I re-read or rewatch.There's not much I would recommend to ANYONE, but Spice and Wolf is one of those rare things.

I simply adore this series, from the setting, the plot to the characters. I find this novel to be a joy to read.The story follows Laurence (a travelling merchant, who stumbles upon the goddess Holo. From there they strike a deal, in exchange for taking her along on his travels she will use her wit and cunning to increase his profits. The story then revolves around their journey together.I would highly recommend anyone to give this series a try. There is also the anime and manga too if thats what youd prefer, all of which are great.

I have not seen the anime yet, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. It has a slow pace but it does a wonderful job in depicting the strange relationship between Lawrence and Holo. And no need to worry about the cover anymore as the original covers are being used (thank god). It would be 5 stars for the novel...However:As others have mentioned, this book really needs a proofreader. There are several typos throughout the whole book, the translations themselves are surely not perfect but still fine imo. This was my first light novel and I definitely recommend it.

It is always good when i actually can find something to read, to be honest I got this book thinking: '' You got nothing better to do,just give it a shot... how bad can it really be?'' This was ever so strong because I never saw nor read anything about Spice and Wolf... And I was surprised. When reading the synopsis I got really bored, so when I noticed how hooked i was in the first 50 pages I was really taken aback.It's a easy read and a very fun at that, that characters while not complex, were not empty stereotypes with no personality and if you have the slightest interest in commerce I am sure you will like it.

Apart from the degree in economics I feel Ive obtained from this series, the characters, interactions and story of this series is outstandingly entertaining, it takes a bit to.get into and get your head around the logistics of whats happening sometimes but the entire thing is definitely worth it