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The Upgrade Apocalypse #1
The Upgrade Apocalypse - Book 1
When a group of former classmates gather for their ten-year reunion, old grudges resurface as old flames rekindle--and then things go straight to Hell. As a shower of comets brings an invasion of reunion-crashing undead, the surviving alumni must band together in this litRPG apocalypse filled with dark humor, horror, and loot cards!
Join the survivors as they navigate a game of life, death, and more death, leveling skills and stats as a world-governing system urges them to struggle on for the sake of glorious battle.
Welcome to Hell on Earth. Welcome to the Upgrade Apocalypse!
Warning: This book contains apocalyptic adventures, creative cursing, jokes about the apocalypse, an interesting card skill system, horror monsters to fight or flee from, and character deaths when they fail their save throws.
Join the survivors as they navigate a game of life, death, and more death, leveling skills and stats as a world-governing system urges them to struggle on for the sake of glorious battle.
Welcome to Hell on Earth. Welcome to the Upgrade Apocalypse!
Warning: This book contains apocalyptic adventures, creative cursing, jokes about the apocalypse, an interesting card skill system, horror monsters to fight or flee from, and character deaths when they fail their save throws.
- GenresFantasy
661 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2023
558 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 6, 2023
I didn't even make it to the apocalypse, really. The prologue informed me well-enough that the author has a hard time coming to the point (pages of tedious dialogue for what amounts to a paragraph of information that doesn't even matter). But then we meet our central characters with enough PoV hopping to prove that none of them are anybody I'd voluntarily spend time with.
Maybe the contrast of having a douche-bro on-page was supposed to make the other milquetoast weenies be more sympathetic in contrast? Fell flat for me, at any rate. But then the author starts killing random folks with meteors that rain down in oddly selective ways (plowing through entire buildings but only random "chunks" falling on a dancefloor to create havoc) and I decided I'd had enough random developments.
One star and I'm glad I got out before my brain started hurting any more.
Maybe the contrast of having a douche-bro on-page was supposed to make the other milquetoast weenies be more sympathetic in contrast? Fell flat for me, at any rate. But then the author starts killing random folks with meteors that rain down in oddly selective ways (plowing through entire buildings but only random "chunks" falling on a dancefloor to create havoc) and I decided I'd had enough random developments.
One star and I'm glad I got out before my brain started hurting any more.
March 12, 2023
all bad
All the characters are jerks. No heroes, just immature, overgrown children with issues they can’t get past.
Meanwhile, the author is throwing every trope and quote that can be jammed in. Between naming actual genre authors, referencing SF mainstays (Trek, Dr Who, etc), forcing everything to be a snerk, doubling down on stereotypes…this is a hot mess.
And it’s worse because the concept is so easy. High school reunion? Plenty of drama. Apocalypse? Plenty of drama. Unfortunately, the author is trying to force even more drama.
Then there is the wandering viewpoint. It randomly changes who is the principle, sometimes in the same scene.
Editing doesn’t begin to cover what this needs.
All the characters are jerks. No heroes, just immature, overgrown children with issues they can’t get past.
Meanwhile, the author is throwing every trope and quote that can be jammed in. Between naming actual genre authors, referencing SF mainstays (Trek, Dr Who, etc), forcing everything to be a snerk, doubling down on stereotypes…this is a hot mess.
And it’s worse because the concept is so easy. High school reunion? Plenty of drama. Apocalypse? Plenty of drama. Unfortunately, the author is trying to force even more drama.
Then there is the wandering viewpoint. It randomly changes who is the principle, sometimes in the same scene.
Editing doesn’t begin to cover what this needs.
August 9, 2023
Liked it but tons of mistakes
A couple of things about this. There’s a whole section in the beginning of the story that is pretty important and it seems like it’s completely missing. I kept flipping back and forth thinking I hadn’t paid attention for something but no, it happened.
There was another section that people that weren’t even part of the story for a whole “side quest” just showed up in the middle of the conversations.
I have a very low bar for what I accept on stuff that I’m reading, but those shouldn’t be in a final product like this.
With all that said, it was entertaining despite pulling my reading fugue away.
A couple of things about this. There’s a whole section in the beginning of the story that is pretty important and it seems like it’s completely missing. I kept flipping back and forth thinking I hadn’t paid attention for something but no, it happened.
There was another section that people that weren’t even part of the story for a whole “side quest” just showed up in the middle of the conversations.
I have a very low bar for what I accept on stuff that I’m reading, but those shouldn’t be in a final product like this.
With all that said, it was entertaining despite pulling my reading fugue away.
March 15, 2023
Book one
This is just a horrible book. I dropped it around the 130 page mark.
None of the characters are realistic, to much flirting and talk of booze. Even the rich bad guy is over the top corny bad.
Yet another character that has no problems eating human meat. The card said dead flesh which is any kind of meat, but the character goes straight for carving up a human corps and chowing down with no problem.
An interesting idea ruined by really horrible characters.
.05/10 ridiculous characters ruined a good idea.
This is just a horrible book. I dropped it around the 130 page mark.
None of the characters are realistic, to much flirting and talk of booze. Even the rich bad guy is over the top corny bad.
Yet another character that has no problems eating human meat. The card said dead flesh which is any kind of meat, but the character goes straight for carving up a human corps and chowing down with no problem.
An interesting idea ruined by really horrible characters.
.05/10 ridiculous characters ruined a good idea.
April 26, 2023
Not for me.
I do not like books that constantly switch perspectives. The main characters honestly kinda boring with ever trope I felt annoying being thrown in. Not reading anymore in this series.
I do not like books that constantly switch perspectives. The main characters honestly kinda boring with ever trope I felt annoying being thrown in. Not reading anymore in this series.
March 12, 2023
KU Review
Definitely a different apocalypse story. While the initial focus was survival, there are definitely StarCraft type elements embedded for future books. Be interesting to see how this one continues.
As the title says this is a review for Kindle Unlimited and as such is a reflection of my enjoyment of the book and in no way reflects cost to value analysis.
Definitely a different apocalypse story. While the initial focus was survival, there are definitely StarCraft type elements embedded for future books. Be interesting to see how this one continues.
As the title says this is a review for Kindle Unlimited and as such is a reflection of my enjoyment of the book and in no way reflects cost to value analysis.
March 25, 2023
Due to health and other life issues finishing this book took me much longer than it should have so instead of finishing it up and reviewing it within a few days of release at most like I wish I could have here we are 2 weeks later. I ended up splitting it about 50/50 between reading and listening to the audio-book. I personally enjoyed this book, the system reminds me loosely of Genshin Impact and other Gacha games where you combine items (in this case cards) to increase levels and ranks of equipment though the rules in this are a little loose, so while I do recommend this to system apocalypse fans I withhold that recommendation if you don't like the Gacha equipment system (even if there are no character pulls). The characters don't really have a ton of time for growth with things going on back to back so they each come off their own type of extreme or stereo-types of daytime soap operas. Some of the skill choices may confuse or put people off but I'm pretty sure they were picked with book 2 and whatever the eventual end game is in mind by the author(s) and they make more sense in the last few minutes of the book. That being said for the most part the characters have unique skill sets in comparison to the rest of the genre. As far as audio-book narration goes Daniel Wisniewski and Elizabeth Plant did a fantastic job of distinguishing the characters, there are enough characters that might make distinguishing them difficult in text but their performance did that amazingly well, especially Lucy, where does one go to meet a girl like Lucy? Plot aside, if you enjoy or don't enjoy any of the particular mechanics I listed above you should be able to tell if this book is for you. I look forward to the next one.
July 11, 2023
3.5 stars
The world building, monsters and system in the book are easy to read and the character's all have a different voice. That said, most of them are not really that likeable. The love interest of the ML is an alcoholic, which puts all of their interactions and intimacy on an ick level. Not to mention the ML eats dead flesh and there's not a mouthwash or toothbrush mentioned..so yeck. Also, the book had all the main characters hear that a woman didn't want to get intimate in the middle of the apocalypse because she didn't want to risk getting pregnant and still, the two main couples are doing the deed a few times shortly after. The fight scenes and planning to fight are pretty descriptive but it feels like every fight scene is intercut when pages of snarky dialogue which wears a bit after the first few times. The bad guy human doesn't resonate as a real threat and everything that happens to him to make him more powerful feels like plot vs earned and he can't really carry as a villain imo.i had to give more stars bc I'm going to read the next book and that says something about the writing. Charles Dean's new series is what brought me to this one and I'd recommend that one over this one.
The world building, monsters and system in the book are easy to read and the character's all have a different voice. That said, most of them are not really that likeable. The love interest of the ML is an alcoholic, which puts all of their interactions and intimacy on an ick level. Not to mention the ML eats dead flesh and there's not a mouthwash or toothbrush mentioned..so yeck. Also, the book had all the main characters hear that a woman didn't want to get intimate in the middle of the apocalypse because she didn't want to risk getting pregnant and still, the two main couples are doing the deed a few times shortly after. The fight scenes and planning to fight are pretty descriptive but it feels like every fight scene is intercut when pages of snarky dialogue which wears a bit after the first few times. The bad guy human doesn't resonate as a real threat and everything that happens to him to make him more powerful feels like plot vs earned and he can't really carry as a villain imo.i had to give more stars bc I'm going to read the next book and that says something about the writing. Charles Dean's new series is what brought me to this one and I'd recommend that one over this one.
July 23, 2023
Didn't particularly love this book, but what drove it down to a 2 star from a... I guess a 3.5, was very specifically Lucy.
The ONLY reason I knew she was supposed to be funny was because the story's POV said she was a witty comedian. Without that, I would have thought she was just an alcoholic catty bitch.
Like, I'm not trying to be insulting about the character , she just truly was never funny, although there were a few times that I felt like she made a quip where the author was holding up a "laugh now" sign, which was to say "this is a comedian, which means her quips are funny".
There were a few times before it was stated that she was a comedian where she just had these insulting lines, and I guess those were supposed to be funny, but they just weren't. I only realized later they were supposed to be funny after, once it was said, repeatedly, that she was a comedian.
TLDR: I would have mostly ignored Lucy if I wasn't repeatedly told that she was supposed to be funny, and now that I didn't find her even remotely funny, it became more and more irritating the more "on screen" time she had.
The ONLY reason I knew she was supposed to be funny was because the story's POV said she was a witty comedian. Without that, I would have thought she was just an alcoholic catty bitch.
Like, I'm not trying to be insulting about the character , she just truly was never funny, although there were a few times that I felt like she made a quip where the author was holding up a "laugh now" sign, which was to say "this is a comedian, which means her quips are funny".
There were a few times before it was stated that she was a comedian where she just had these insulting lines, and I guess those were supposed to be funny, but they just weren't. I only realized later they were supposed to be funny after, once it was said, repeatedly, that she was a comedian.
TLDR: I would have mostly ignored Lucy if I wasn't repeatedly told that she was supposed to be funny, and now that I didn't find her even remotely funny, it became more and more irritating the more "on screen" time she had.
June 23, 2023
DNF
Started out fun with all the pop culture references with Star Trek and various LitRPG authors. The banter was also fun at first. I also enjoyed the way the cards tended to have a theme based on the person’s personality that looted them.
Unfortunately it just got boring. The story is mostly about the drama and interpersonal relationships between the various people from the high school reunion. Which just isn’t my jam.
I also didn’t like the overall setup for the card system. At first people can only have two cards. Granted with leveling and time this can change. The problem is that this made fights repetitive and boring because the characters are just spamming the same two skills.
I stopped about 60% of the way through. It just wasn’t for me. The book and series has potential. For me personally it was just taking too long to get there.
Started out fun with all the pop culture references with Star Trek and various LitRPG authors. The banter was also fun at first. I also enjoyed the way the cards tended to have a theme based on the person’s personality that looted them.
Unfortunately it just got boring. The story is mostly about the drama and interpersonal relationships between the various people from the high school reunion. Which just isn’t my jam.
I also didn’t like the overall setup for the card system. At first people can only have two cards. Granted with leveling and time this can change. The problem is that this made fights repetitive and boring because the characters are just spamming the same two skills.
I stopped about 60% of the way through. It just wasn’t for me. The book and series has potential. For me personally it was just taking too long to get there.
May 17, 2023
Help me read more books
Rather amusing tale. Lots of jokes, (I especially liked the women who really liked gardening one). Unfortunately, it borrows several things from other LitRPG books, such as the flesh portals, and the jellyfish monsters floating in the sky, but overall, I liked the story, and laughed a lot, (yes, even at 03:00 when my wife was sleeping next to me). A pretty good first in series, though I'm wondering just how gone the main character is, I'm sure he'll riggle out of it somehow.
If you like earth invasion type LitRPG stories (those are generally my favorite), then you'll likely like this story. Looking forward to the next one.
Rather amusing tale. Lots of jokes, (I especially liked the women who really liked gardening one). Unfortunately, it borrows several things from other LitRPG books, such as the flesh portals, and the jellyfish monsters floating in the sky, but overall, I liked the story, and laughed a lot, (yes, even at 03:00 when my wife was sleeping next to me). A pretty good first in series, though I'm wondering just how gone the main character is, I'm sure he'll riggle out of it somehow.
If you like earth invasion type LitRPG stories (those are generally my favorite), then you'll likely like this story. Looking forward to the next one.
March 13, 2023
Not for me...
I have really enjoyed Mr Deans other series but this one just sucked. The only reason for five stars is because of his other works. Perhaps the next book or next series will be better, but this one is just full of idiots, that and some people that are in other places are suddenly chiming in to the conversation. Maybe this is what happens when you have more than one author collaborating on a book and it gets past those who should be fixing those type of mistakes. IDK not being an author, or editor. Hopefully the next series he does will be better
I have really enjoyed Mr Deans other series but this one just sucked. The only reason for five stars is because of his other works. Perhaps the next book or next series will be better, but this one is just full of idiots, that and some people that are in other places are suddenly chiming in to the conversation. Maybe this is what happens when you have more than one author collaborating on a book and it gets past those who should be fixing those type of mistakes. IDK not being an author, or editor. Hopefully the next series he does will be better
March 13, 2023
I want to like this but
The starting characters are way over blown characterization. Some get more fleshed out as it moves along but not really. It feels forced. There are times when people who are not with the group but are back in the parking garage are suddenly there and talking like they did not stay behind. Timer detonator suddenly became a remote control detonator. I was hoping for better. 😢
The starting characters are way over blown characterization. Some get more fleshed out as it moves along but not really. It feels forced. There are times when people who are not with the group but are back in the parking garage are suddenly there and talking like they did not stay behind. Timer detonator suddenly became a remote control detonator. I was hoping for better. 😢
March 15, 2023
An interesting start
Rather than the traditional single MC, there's really two MCs and some perspective shifts to the various other characters. While i didn't get all closure I would have liked for some of the threads, overall an enjoyable read. The system does seem much more difficult than other system books typically have, but since it seems like it's designed to help farm worlds, i can see where it wouldn't be easy for the natives.
Rather than the traditional single MC, there's really two MCs and some perspective shifts to the various other characters. While i didn't get all closure I would have liked for some of the threads, overall an enjoyable read. The system does seem much more difficult than other system books typically have, but since it seems like it's designed to help farm worlds, i can see where it wouldn't be easy for the natives.
April 5, 2023
Fun Author Collab
It’s always interesting when you have multiple different authors collaborating on a story like this. Especially when you know both of their works/styles already. You can see different parts that you know were written by each and it’s fun catching little things like that. Anyways, enjoyed the story. Nice take on the SystemApoc style. Can’t wait to see what happens next with the group.
It’s always interesting when you have multiple different authors collaborating on a story like this. Especially when you know both of their works/styles already. You can see different parts that you know were written by each and it’s fun catching little things like that. Anyways, enjoyed the story. Nice take on the SystemApoc style. Can’t wait to see what happens next with the group.
July 16, 2023
This book is horrific - not only can I not recommend this book, but I'd now actively avoid anything else the author has written (and I had previously read a number of his other books). The content is just blatantly offensive - he was trying to ensure we understood how horrible a character was, but the way he went about doing so was... bad and did not add to the story (which was not that great on it's own).
November 7, 2025
I think the author is an incel lol calling the character Brad and having him be hilariously mean and stupid , having the mean female character be snarky and referring to her “ curves” . The main male character being a white knight but also an a hole . Also I don’t know why there was so much nonsense talking about, just yap yap yap about nothing of significance . I don’t even make it to the major action cus the beginning was such drivel .
March 17, 2023
Not very entertaining
I got about 15% in. The characters were annoying at best, and awful at worst. Someone turned full psychopath inside the first hour of the events in the book. Overall not an enjoyable few chapters. No major editing errors that i came across at least, so some points there.
I got about 15% in. The characters were annoying at best, and awful at worst. Someone turned full psychopath inside the first hour of the events in the book. Overall not an enjoyable few chapters. No major editing errors that i came across at least, so some points there.
April 7, 2023
really good with a few timing concerns
Over all I enjoyed the system, most characters and plot the only thing this book doesn’t that kept it from 5 stars is sacrifice momentum for some excessive joking. The tangents are fun and endearing bubinfeel like they happen just a tad to often that I find myself skipping ahead to get back on track. Honestly 4.5/5!!!
Over all I enjoyed the system, most characters and plot the only thing this book doesn’t that kept it from 5 stars is sacrifice momentum for some excessive joking. The tangents are fun and endearing bubinfeel like they happen just a tad to often that I find myself skipping ahead to get back on track. Honestly 4.5/5!!!
April 14, 2023
This book is good but with more thought behind it, it could have been great.
This is a card based litrpg book but very quickly the card based system is ignored. This could have been done so much better through better application of the card system. Weird card combos would have been fun.
There are long stretches that felt like fluff or filler.
Over all its good but it's not a 5 star book.
This is a card based litrpg book but very quickly the card based system is ignored. This could have been done so much better through better application of the card system. Weird card combos would have been fun.
There are long stretches that felt like fluff or filler.
Over all its good but it's not a 5 star book.
April 23, 2023
Overly descriptive and dull
It's a fairly standard plot with no real character development. Somewhat confusing at times and littered with way too much scene description throughout, I found myself skipping ahead thinking "yeah, yeah, get on with the story" quite often. There are much better books out there with similar stories.
It's a fairly standard plot with no real character development. Somewhat confusing at times and littered with way too much scene description throughout, I found myself skipping ahead thinking "yeah, yeah, get on with the story" quite often. There are much better books out there with similar stories.
May 13, 2023
Worth reading!
So this is a post apocalypse system style LitRPG that takes place on earth. It is light on stats but focuses on character interactions.
I recommend reading it!
The only thing that really bothered me were the odd bits of real life info such as author's names that are jammed in which really breaks immersion.
So this is a post apocalypse system style LitRPG that takes place on earth. It is light on stats but focuses on character interactions.
I recommend reading it!
The only thing that really bothered me were the odd bits of real life info such as author's names that are jammed in which really breaks immersion.
May 15, 2023
Tries too hard
I like the world and the powers and the characters are likeable and the villains hateable. But damn if there isn't just way too much attempt at humor. It goes from nand on and on and you wonder if the story is going to progress at all. I will be trying book 2 and hopefully this will ease up but the book is well worth reading
I like the world and the powers and the characters are likeable and the villains hateable. But damn if there isn't just way too much attempt at humor. It goes from nand on and on and you wonder if the story is going to progress at all. I will be trying book 2 and hopefully this will ease up but the book is well worth reading
November 6, 2025
Trope fest. The characters in this book are awful.
The entire early section is contrived. We are supposed to believe all these "adults" are going to a high school reunion and most of them act like they've never left high school. The dialogue is awful.
I got to about 20% and had to give up on it. It was incredibly bad.
The entire early section is contrived. We are supposed to believe all these "adults" are going to a high school reunion and most of them act like they've never left high school. The dialogue is awful.
I got to about 20% and had to give up on it. It was incredibly bad.
March 17, 2023
This was ok, but I'm not really much of a fan of the system used for this book. I also didn't like that it had two main characters and quite a few side characters all grouped together. It was perfectly fine, but didn't hold my interest as much as it should.
March 26, 2023
Great!!
Great start to a new Apocalypse series! Constant action and group banter lol. Tons of fun for the whole family.... lol okay maybe just the tons of fun part haha.. Card loot/skill system with regular leveling as well and stats. Good group dynamics and character development
Great start to a new Apocalypse series! Constant action and group banter lol. Tons of fun for the whole family.... lol okay maybe just the tons of fun part haha.. Card loot/skill system with regular leveling as well and stats. Good group dynamics and character development
April 2, 2023
A must-read Appocalypse book
Wow, I loved every chapter ! Keeps upu enthralled from the first chapter to the last paragraph. Great characters, awesome story cant wait for the next books. It's really well narrated as well.
Wow, I loved every chapter ! Keeps upu enthralled from the first chapter to the last paragraph. Great characters, awesome story cant wait for the next books. It's really well narrated as well.
May 12, 2023
Really good
I really liked this book, the ending not so much. It just reminds me of a quote from Dodgeball. Though if any authors can pull it off, these guys can.
Highly recommended
I really liked this book, the ending not so much. It just reminds me of a quote from Dodgeball. Though if any authors can pull it off, these guys can.
Highly recommended
August 5, 2023
Interesting magic/game system. Card systems are gaining popularity and this one is well done. The story was alright. I do not tend to like these overly light-hearted, comedic LitRPGs. The characters were all too much and not likable at all.
August 18, 2023
I really hated this book. The banter was awful and the authors’ insistence on referencing characters’ boob size on each page was incredibly cringy. Not sure how a book with so many negative eviews still comes out with an average four str rating
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews