Reincarnated as a Sword, Vol. 1 begins as a sort of meh light novel with nothing that in any way subverts expectations. The talking sword even uses that by saying things like, "If this was a light novel, I would have an Identify spell. Ah, there it is." But then, the sword meets a slave girl, and the story becomes a whole lot better.

Fran, the cat girl, doesn't have a lot of backstory, but she is 12-years-old, so that makes sense. She is an orphan, she was captured by slavers, and her clan (the Black Cat Clan) has never had a legendary warrior. It isn't a lot, but it is enough to explain her situation and her goals. Before the sword became a sword, he was a nerdy guy in his 30s in Japan. No girlfriend, not much of a life. His life is fleshed out enough that we can believe it was true, but there isn't a lot of depth there.

Where this book shines is in the relationship between the sword and the girl. Of course, with her being a cute cat girl, one would immediately expect that he lusts after her, but that is ABSOLUTELY NOT the case. The sword thinks many times that he does not think of her that way and would die if he ever did. It is really clear. He very much behaves like a father, and their relationship becomes very sweet. Yes, there are stereotypical things, like her eating a lot, but he is happy to cook for her, and her enjoyment of the food makes him happy. I found it really refreshing to have a man (former man, now sword) shown as a parent.

There is little more to say about the setting. The points where it deviates from expectations are in service of the plot. The LitRPG part is clear.

The plot is pretty minimal also and focused mostly on the basics of getting Fran established as an adventurer and them fighting monsters.

The most frustrating part was the lack of depth in the challenges that the characters face. During difficult fights, the sword might say, "Oh, no! This looks bad." But then decides that he can handle it and the fight is over with little danger. The one time there was real danger, the solution was so clear that it robbed the scene of any tension it might have had.

So, basically, the only thing this book has going for it is the relationship between the characters. Will I keep reading? Yes. Their relationship is so refreshing and sweet that I am happy to read (or in my case "listen to") more.

Should you read it? Well, if you like LitRPG and don't need a lot of sophistication, it might work. Give it until the girl and the sword meet. The first couple of chapters aren't great.