1980: Starting with Enlisting in the Army

Let me point out the biggest problem with this book, and many people may disagree with me, but the protagonist is indeed a selfish person. Everything he does is for his own benefit. While it's true that everyone looks out for themselves, this constant self-interest is unsettling.

Then he served in the army for a year and then retired. It turns out he just came to the army to get some merit so he could find a job later. He kept saying this wouldn't work and that wouldn't work. You're 20 now, not 60. Don't make excuses for yourself. If you're even afraid to study, what's the point of being reborn? Going back to farming would be much better, just like in your previous life. If you don't want to change, then don't try to change. Taking shortcuts...

Of the first 50 chapters of the military story, less than 10 actually cover the actual enlistment. The military training is only briefly mentioned in one chapter (shooting), another chapter (other training), then one chapter about joining the unit, one chapter about a reunion with comrades, two or three chapters about meritorious service in flood relief, and then the promotion and demobilization.

The biggest flaw in this book is the protagonist's decision to serve only a year, earn merit, get injured, and then retire. It's too pragmatic and hurts many readers' feelings about military life. Even if it were the third year, it would have been easier to accept. How deep can the camaraderie built in that year be?

This is a bait-and-switch tactic. If you're looking for a story about joining the army, don't bother reading this. The author deliberately had the protagonist go in, get a little humiliation, and then leave.

This book is unreadable. The author has problematic thinking. He got into the army through back channels, only received a second-class merit award in less than a year, and then deserted. What does he take the military for?

The pacing is a bit slow, but the flavor is just right; seasoned bookworms should enjoy it. However, to be honest, many newcomers might lack patience in the early stages.

The first thirty or forty pages are used to set the stage for entering the army. Then, three or four pages depict a few months of life in the army, followed by a direct discharge for meritorious service. Your protagonist is only 20 years old, practically reborn, and has only served a few months (since 1981), yet he's already in such a hurry to retire. Are you hoping to die early? What kind of military-themed story are you using?

I couldn't even look at the second one. They say you need to be in junior high or high school to be eligible for military service? What kind of nonsense is that? Writing "elementary school and junior high" would have been better.

That's enough. There's no need to write anything more. It's too opportunistic. The protagonist should just go back to his wife, have kids, and repeat his old life. A second-class merit won't get him far. Only disabled veterans are supported for life. What kind of ability does this protagonist have, who's just trying to get by and gain merit?