Webnovel Review: When an Alpha is Marked by One of His Own Kind

Title: When an Alpha is Marked by One of His Own Kind
Author: 早更鸟
Chapters: 100 chapters + 3 extras
Publication: 2020
Summary from Novel Updates:

Within the industry, everyone knew Team DG’s captain Lu Zhe and Team BLX’s top laner Shen Qiao didn’t get along. They said it was due to hormones. They said it was a basic AA incompatibility.

Lu Zhe once said of Shen Qiao: “Obsessed with kills. Lone wolf.”

With a cold smile, Shen Qiao said of Lu Zhe: “Command’s mediocre. Shitty jungler.”

But then…

When Team DG, champions of the last tournament season, stumbled during the Spring Tournament and fell during the semifinals, someone cut through the furious cursing and swearing that had consumed the internet and leaked the news—

Shen Qiao was going to be traded. He was joining Team DG.

When that news came out, the internet roared.

Did Shen Qiao and Lu Zhe fight today?

On esports forums, trolls and haters placed their bets. It was endless, until Team DG won its second world championship crown.

Half a month after the tournament.

The players of Team DG hosted a livestream: “The lodgings were awful. Captain and Qiaoqiao had to share a room. Aren’t we pitiful?”

Shen Qiao, sitting next to the monitor, glanced over through hooded eyes. He caught a glimpse of a bullet comment and echoed it out loud: “Did we fight?”

He lifted a hand to his neck. “We fought.”

Lu Zhe approached with a cup of black tea. Just in time to see Shen Qiao touch the bite mark on his throat. He added:

“We even broke the bed.”

2 STARS - IT WAS OKAY

MY REVIEW: 

The writing could use some improvement. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, which was a shame for an esports novel. A lot of the matches were skimmed over. For the actual league matches, the writing didn't really heighten the tension of a championship match either. Then, the writing became mechanical about telling what the characters did in the game but showing none of the emotional tension between the team players. There wasn't much suspense or build up to get you hooked into the matches. 

Also, the writing really bothered me in the beginning because the author kept on using metaphors to describe every. little. detail. about the main leads. It got so repetitive reading about how their eyes lit up like stars or how their voices slowed down to be sarcastic. 

As for the couple, I think there could have been more backstory on how they actually got together and broke up instead of the little tidbits of info mentioned. I think doing so would have really made their reunion hurt more in hindsight. 

This book had potential, but unfortunately, it fell through. You can find a better esports or ABO novel elsewhere.