Reki Kawahara

Read the novel that ignited the phenomenon! In the year 2022, gamers rejoice as Sword Art Online - a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) like no other - debuts, allowing players to take full advantage of the ultimate in gaming technology: NerveGear, a system that allows users to completely immerse themselves in a wholly realistic gaming experience. But when the game goes live, the elation of the players quickly turns to horror as they discover that, for all its amazing features, SAO is missing one of the most basic functions of any MMORPG - a log-out button. Now trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, their bodies held captive by NerveGear in the real world, users are issued a chilling ultimatum: conquer all one hundred floors of Aincrad to regain your freedom. But in the warped world of SAO, "game over" means certain death - both virtual and real...

Sword Art Online 1: Aincrad

Vilde

I'm a huge fan of Sword Art Online having seen the anime (both SAO and SAO II and SAO Ordinal Scale), and having read parts of the SAO manga. I still find it a bit difficult to navigate between the manga and light novels of SAO. 

I love the concept (regardless of how horrible it is) of SAO, seriously, it is so interesting. My favourite arc is definitely the Aincrad arc, as that arc is the most intriguing for me. I do want to acknowledge the criticism that SAO have received, a lot of it I agree with; like how the characters are, the writing and pacing. But nonetheless, the concept of SAO and the Aincrad arc is just so fascinating, although it could have been executed in a better way. 

Having seen the anime, I pretty much knew everything happening, although the timeline to the anime makes more sense then the numbering of the light novel volumes. But, I will give the light novels the benefit that they provide more depth and background, although there are errors in the continuity (as the author is now backtracking SAO through SAO: Progressive). But those are minor when you look at the Sword Art Online light novels. However, if you're looking towards the Sword Art Online: Progressive light novels (expands the Aincrad arc), you should be prepared for a lot differences betweeen the "original" SAO and the expanded version of the Aincrad arc.

In the year 2022, gamers rejoice as Sword Art Online - a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) like no other - debuts, allowing players to take full advantage of the ultimate in gaming technology: NerveGear, a system that allows users to completely immerse themselves in a wholly realistic gaming experience. But when the game goes live, the elation of the players quickly turns to horror as they discover that, for all its amazing features, SAO is missing one of the most basic functions of any MMORPG - a log-out button. Now trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, their bodies held captive by NerveGear in the real world, users are issued a chilling ultimatum: conquer all one hundred floors of Aincrad to regain your freedom. But in the warped world of SAO, "Game Over" means certain death - both virtual and real...

Sword Art Online: Aincrad (manga)

Courtney ✿ @librarycutie

i will never get tired of this story. sword art was the first anime i fell in love with and have watched it over five times, i really wanted to read the manga and i thought kirito was drawn a lot cuter than in the anime. i love the story, it’s always been so fascinating to me, it almost makes me wish that we had something similar to this—minus the fact you’re trapped and you can actually die in this world because i would be dead in a few hours.

Eva O

Jacky

Christine LuBean

Linked up and logged into the deadly VMMORPG "Sword Art Online" in both the real and virtual worlds, Kirito is stuck in a hell of one man's making, and like everyone else, unable to escape until the game is beaten. But while some players are crippled by fear and others throw themselves into completing the game, still others relax into everyday life in the face of their cruel predicament and live to the best of their ability...laughing, crying, but always enjoying the game. Among them are four women who make a mark upon the solo adventurer that Kirito has become: Silica, the beast-tamer; Lisbeth, the blacksmith; Yui, the mysterious orphan; and the tragic Sachi, never to be forgotten by the black swordsman...

Sword Art Online 1: Aincrad

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