My enjoyment for SAOP volume 1 was just ineffable. The premise, characters, and pacing of the story was an upgrade from the original SAO itself; the latter substantiated by the fact that this novel published after Reki Kawahara, the author of this magnificent series, has palpably improved his writings. Furthermore, the myriad details which dawn the more auspicious personalities for our protagonists: Kirito & Asuna. Albeit taken aback by the notion of revitalizing the Aincrad series, there is gain from doing so; Reki Kawahara has improved his writings from the dozens of novels he had written in the past, and took those experiences, thus exploitinghis eloquence in a much mature and fluid manner. Another virtue of this book is its translations. I envisage the translator putting in effort and consideration in choosing the words, and I rarely see any typos nor awkward sentences. In conclusion, it's a must-read if you enjoyed SAO, though felt like there were flaws. Then SAOP may perhaps be the key to change your perspective and enjoy what the premise of SAO in a better experience.