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After catching up to season 2 I decided that I may as well give the light novel a shoot since its still quarantine and I needed something to read. So I started with volume 8 which is what the second season didn't adapt (They only did the last story).
WITH ALL THAT ASIDE I'M GLAD I READ THIS SERIES. The way the author was able to flesh out characters and give them agency within the story was amazing. After some light research I came to learn that the reason for the bad reviews for ... the anime was indeed what everyone said was wrong about it. To much fan service and boring story. But from what I read in the book this was never the case.
The fan service isn't something you'll find often given that this book focuses on story and action quite a bit. The story is well defined by the author and he even explains the workings of the dungeon, what Ranking-up is and its' connection to the familia's deity, some minor politics between familias, and power level among adventurers.
The protagonist had some of the most interesting inner monologues which fleshed out his character and made me realize that I was reading about a naive kid with a dream to be a hero. But his motivations would slowly change, not for the sake of becoming a hero rather. The protagonist, Bell, would make decisions and face hardships in a way that would make him seem heroic while we the reader are privy to his inner thoughts and see why he makes the decisions he does.
And if you're worried about side characters then rest assured that they are not at all like what is in the anime. The anime could only show a surface level and even altered perception of the characters. In the the novel however you get to appreciate them more since they become more fleshed out.
Sadly the title is a turn off for a lot of people and rightfully so. I'm even embarrassed recommending it given the title. But there are few times a story and give me such a whirl of emotions that I nonetheless have to recommenced the series.
If you truly want to dive in then start from volume 1 chapter 1. Or you can try to watch the first 2 seasons and dive into volume 8, which is a nice read and then head to volume 9 which starts the intense Xenos Arc.