Log Horizon (Light Novel)

The Log Horizon light novel series was first released in web format by Mamare Touno. Nine volumes have subsequently been published, with tenth to be released on September 30, 2015. Hara Kazuhiro illustrates the published novels.

Yen Press has licensed the series for its light novel publishing section, Yen On. The first volume was released in April 2015, with a volume being published every three months.

Overview

 * The Catastrophe arc
 * Covered in volume 1.

Elder Tale is a long-lived, highly popular MMORPG that has millions of players. On the Japanese release of the twelfth expansion pack, an extraordinary event occurs that finds the players logged into the game at that time inside a world that looks just like the game's. Despite having many superhuman abilities such as revival after death and massive stamina, this world has its deterrents, such as flavorless food and the inability to return to the real world. Shiroe and his two friends adjust to living in this new world with the Crescent Moon Alliance, a guild whose members are friends with Shiroe.


 * Saving Serara arc
 * Covered in volumes 1 and 2.

The Crescent Moon Alliance reveals that one of its young members is trapped in another player city and their strongest members must embark on a mission to save her. Realizing their slim chances of getting to and from Susukino in a reasonable time frame, Shiroe's Party decides to go in the guild's stead. After reaching Susukino, Shiroe realizes that Serara's benefactor is his old friend Nyanta. With Nyanta and Serara's help, the group fights their way out of Susukino and head back to Akiba. Along the way, Nyanta reveals that he has discovered a way to create flavorful food, and Shiroe realizes that the People of the Land, commonly regarded as NPCs devoid of personality and life, now are just as real as they are.


 * Round Alliance arc
 * Covered in volume 2.

Upon returning to Akiba, Shiroe is alarmed by Maryelle's explanation of the changes in Akiba since he had left. The major guilds rule the city and take all the best resources for themselves, leaving smaller guilds and solo players in the dust. Even worse, a malevolent guild called Hamelin has tricked and enslaved younger players in order to make a profit off of their EXP Pots. Realizing that two kids he had been mentoring prior to the Catastrophe, Minori and Tohya, had been taken in by this guild, Shiroe decides to step up and do something about it after some encouragement from Nyanta. With the rest of his party, sans Serara, he forms Log Horizon and, with the Crescent Moon Alliance, begins to take action. He revitalizes the economy with Nyanta's newfound cooking method and, with that, acquires the power and leverage to call a meeting with Akiba's strongest guilds. The guilds, with the exception of one, agree with Shiroe's call for a form of this government in this lawless world, and form the Round Table Alliance.


 * Summer Training arc
 * Covered in volume 3.


 * Return of the Goblin King arc
 * Covered in volumes 3 and 4.


 * Libra Festival arc
 * Covered in volume 5.


 * Fallen Guardian arc
 * Covered in volume 6 and runs concurrently with the Gold of the Kunie arc.


 * Gold of the Kunie arc
 * Covered in volume 7 and runs concurrently with the Fallen Guardian arc.


 * Route 43 arc
 * Covered in volume 8.


 * Go East! arc
 * Covered in volume 9, volume 11, and another future volume. Volume 9 runs concurrently with volume 5 and volume 11 takes place a bit before volume 10.


 * Homesteading the Noosphere arc
 * Covered in volume 10.


 * Collapse of the Round Table arc
 * Covered in volume 12.

Localizations
There are several different official translations for the light novels.


 * English - Publisher: Yen On; Translator: Taylor Engel
 * Chinese (Simplified) - Publisher: Guangzhou Tianwen Kadokawa
 * Chinese (Traditional) - Publisher: Kadokawa Taiwan
 * French - Publisher: Ofelbe; Translator: Marie-Saskia Raynal
 * Korea - Publisher: Daewon C.I.; Translator: Min Yu Seon (민유선)

Resources
There are some notable differences between the web and novel versions. As of the moment, the web version is still being updated. However, translation projects for the novels appear to be focused on the published versions.

Official Sites:
 * tounomamare.com: Mamare's official site
 * Web novel: A site where Mamare publishes the initial version of the Log Horizon chapters. (Currently on volume 10.)

Translation Projects:
 * skythewood: He has completed everything up to volume 7, but will not continue with volume 8's translation because Yen Press licensed the series.
 * iforgot: An independent project starting from Volume 1. More sporadic updates.