Whats the fastest red flag you've seen when reading

[Topgun1908]

Also if your "genius MC" is so stupid it hurts my brain...

The other day I was reading a book where the mc was actually decently smart and kind of ruthless. Then one chapter later they were trapped inside of an ordinary prison cell and did nothing to escape. They wanted to escape but remarked how powerless they were. This mc could summon fucking meteors and do whatever they wanted with magic but they met their biggest enemy, a locked wooden door.
I hate stupid smart mcs which is why i tend to make my characters only surface level smart where I can use common sense or simple googling to figure out how knowledgeable they should be about something.

 

[Alski]

Fastest red fag for me would be certain titles. Things like going full caps lock on it, or making the title a sentence like some generic Japanese fantasy story.

 

[T.K._Paradox]

Anything with homoerotic tones, just not my thing.

Also most Smut and Harem novels. If I am reading them I either know the author personally and want to support them or someone recommended me it.

I can't stop reading till I completed a story otherwise I feel uncomfortable.

 

[kingsky123]

isekai smartphone really threw me for a loop when he solved problems using everything BUT HIS SMARTPHONE

 

[BearlyAlive]

Missing simple things like "the" repeatedly. "Boar charged at me. Boar ran into tree." Also you're/your.

For story it's about unbelievably (in)competent MCs or those whose only personality trait is PERVERT.

Also harem-seeking MCs or any kind of harem in general unless it's obviously a fake harem to fish for views and the central pairing is all but officially established. I can appreciate the author for tricking those harem-butas

 

[Gryphon]

Also harem-seeking MCs or any kind of harem in general unless it's obviously a fake harem to fish for views and the central pairing is all but officially established. I can appreciate the author for tricking those harem-butas

In that case shameless self promotion here with My Succubus Roommate where the story is much more than the MC getting his dick wet. Honestly, I'm kind of on the verge of changing most of my tags because the actual story ignores about half the tags and genres I have listed.

 

[Exivac]

I feel that somehow makes it even more scarier, the only thing worse than murderers is a world which considers murders to be normal, but I know that's just me being a whiny brat. I know many who enjoy GB, and prefer the one which go into detail and turmoil of changing genders.

As for that "succubus", you have read her? I am scared to go that path, so, how is it?

I didn't read her... I don't want to either. So don't...

The best way I can explain it is I don't like Rudeus for his character. I like Rudeus because of his growth as a character as he matures and slowly becomes a better person. Also the anime has god tier animation. I'm planning on picking up the light novels but I'm poor as hell.

I use an app for LN... Have them free

 

[2021]

rape is one

 

[Kenjona]

Sometimes I stay away from the cover. Sometimes, I stay away from the title. Sometimes I stay away after reading the synopsis. I figure if the author doesn't care about the title or the synopsis to make simple corrections (punctuation, spelling, grammar), then the rest of the story will likely be filled with the same.

Assuming the above are good and it seems to be a genre I am interested in, I will give the first chapter a try. A good chapter can make or break a person's interest in following the story.

If I am really lucky, a story can catch my interest in the first few lines. It is like the author is passing out small bite-sized treats that I nibble on. The story tastes sweet, or spicy, or simply makes me curious for more.

As an example, one such story is here on ScribbleHub. It's about someone who dies and is transmigrated as a dungeon core.

I recommend folks give it a try, even if you read just one chapter. Note that it does have R-18 (adult) chapters at times, so reader discretion is advised.

Blue Core - Chapter 1, Day 2.

This times 100.

For me, it will be the first few chapters of how wimpy the MC acts in a CN/ KR. Funnily, I can accept such a behaviour in JP because beta JP MCs syndrome, the entire island nation is designed to churn cookie cutter citizens, so I can just say to myself "it's Japan".

I can't do that to CN novels, especially in xianxias, because I know that deep down, the mainlanders are all murderhobos and them being lethargic is odd.

Then there is the other spectrum of being too murderhobo. Like, a peasant child who got sold as a mining slave suddenly found the guts to murder a man with no drawbacks whatsoever, then proceeds with murdering more and more while the story is just a wall of text is taxing for me. I need murderhobos, but I also need them to be believable murderhobos.

I hate reading weeb works (chans, sans, go eat a body pillow godammit) but I can tolerate it.

Just an FYI, sometimes when you kill someone, you actually do not have an existential crisis over it. If only because you can justify it in your mind, as it was the right thing to do. But then again, what do I know.

 

[Deeprotsorcerer]

Just an FYI, sometimes when you kill someone, you actually do not have an existential crisis over it. If only because you can justify it in your mind, as it was the right thing to do. But then again, what do I know.

This. Some people kill and then freak out because they didn't have a crisis for it, this can be seen in some service members that operate weapons that produce a body count beyond visual range which allows them to stay away from the imagery. It's the same thing that would make it easier for you to press a button to kill a man than to beat him to death with your bare bones hands.

 

[TheDark0ne]

Chinese VR/Cultivation novels

Courting Death!!

 

[bigbear51]

This whole thread is just basically an "it's okay when we do it". And people wonder why I find them so laughable in literally any other complaint thread *cough* NTR knee jerk *cough*

 

[ElliePorter]

Mou......

Ne, ne. Sunset-kun... *Dies from being flustered*

 

[Park_NamByul]

If it's not BL/Boy's Love I won't read it thought it has to be good in many aspects for me to continue reading it till the end. I don't care about other things that much. Also, if there is a story which can make me stay hooked for more than 10 minutes then I'm in.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Earlier in this thread, I said I avoid red flags in a story by looking at the tags.

Since the thread replies transformed from 'how quickly' to 'what they avoid', let me share mine as well:

1). System--I feel like the characters aren't human with computer game-like limitations. Unless the character gets transported into a game.

2). Smut--for some reason, I prefer my adventure-fantasy stories as adventure-fantasy. A little dose of ecchi is tolerable, but a full blown sexual chapter bordering porn takes away my immersion and feels so awkward.

3). Rape--'Nuff said. As a lawyer who works with molested and abused children, this brings back the trauma of my past cases (yes, even I was affected hearing awful and tragic stories like those). Although, of course, it's different matter when this element is used to develop the story, or just mentioned in passing.

4). Non-romance. Well, I'm a sucker for romance, so I'm kind of turned off if the lead characters don't develop feelings for each other. However, for this one, I can still enjoy the story enough not to drop it.

5). Edgy characters--been there, done that. I mean, I was once angry with how the world works until I realized I don't know how the world works. Then, when I finally got an idea how, the lesser angry I became. My anger turned into, 'instead of being angry, I'd rather get up from my bunker and do something worthwhile with my life'. So, even in writing, I tend to avoid writing edgy boys now.

 

[Deleted member 22388]

I can geuss if the character will have something powerfull or I know that sub-character has a backstory that relates to the story within, of course if its in comedy Chinese/ Japanese isekai theme.

One time my friend told me this character is powerful and has a company dog.
I geussed the dog was some kind of powerfull being and I was right. Lol.

At that point I know where the story goes and just quit it there, because of time and decision since I'm not interested in such genre in the first place.

 

[Theirl]

well my red flag is full nationalist rant in chinese novels(mainly when they treat any non chinese as a joke),full blow racism(again i read some weird chinese novels), those wish full fillment fan fiction(i really dislike when someone make a fan fiction and everything go as planed and there is no consequences to their action) and when a normal novel change the focus to full smut

 

[CarburetorThompson]

well my red flag is full nationalist rant in chinese novels(mainly when they treat any non chinese as a joke),full blow racism(again i read some weird chinese novels), those wish full fillment fan fiction(i really dislike when someone make a fan fiction and everything go as planed and there is no consequences to their action) and when a normal novel change the focus to full smut

-10000000 social credit

 

[Theirl]

-10000000 social credit

oh noooo... all hail our great leader xin jing ping... super idol is best music...