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The Calamitous Bob #4
Welcome to Harrak
Ex-soldier and new witch Viv has led the exiled Kazarans in the recovery of their city. Now victorious and saddled with pesky concepts like 'democracy' and the 'rule of law', she has prepared for the return of the humiliated Prince Lancer for he cannot afford to let her live. The enemy army is strong, but she is ready, and with the knowledge of earth's guerilla warfare, the power of friendship, and a genocidal golem, the foes will have much to contend with if they even want to reach the city.
After all, it's not a war crime if there are no war laws.
After all, it's not a war crime if there are no war laws.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2023
192 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 11, 2023
Arthur is best dragon
This is good stuff. Progression without getting to absurd levels of power, a complex world, and solid writing. Bits of humor keep things quite lively while avoiding ridiculousness.
I especially like when a word I have never seen before shows up: fugacious. I have read some 6,000+ novels; it has never appeared.
The novel *could* use an editing pass. There were a few clear errors including one sentence that made no sense. Mostly clean, just needs a proofread to catch where a word or two got left out.
I eagerly await the next installment.
This is good stuff. Progression without getting to absurd levels of power, a complex world, and solid writing. Bits of humor keep things quite lively while avoiding ridiculousness.
I especially like when a word I have never seen before shows up: fugacious. I have read some 6,000+ novels; it has never appeared.
The novel *could* use an editing pass. There were a few clear errors including one sentence that made no sense. Mostly clean, just needs a proofread to catch where a word or two got left out.
I eagerly await the next installment.
July 4, 2023
good - bridge
Felt like a bridge book - but it was still good.
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 5/5
Narration: NA
Favorite line: “I always put my mouth where my mouth is,”
Felt like a bridge book - but it was still good.
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 5/5
Narration: NA
Favorite line: “I always put my mouth where my mouth is,”
December 28, 2024
This volume followed an odd structure compared to the usual 3-Act setup for stories. But we finally got our payoff from the long-simmering conflict with Prince Lancer.
I really enjoyed the first 30% of the volume, which was the climax volume 3 set up. I think each book has progressively revealed more of spell combat and how battles are fought in this world. I think the battle was amazingly done and the perspective taken was perfect to capture the feelings of the moment. For anyone who enjoys good battlefield scenes from the ground level, you will probably love the first part of this.
I think this series might also have some of my favorite mage vs mage spell battling. While there are a ton of gamelit and fantasy series out there with magic, few of them really dive into pure spellcaster vs spellcaster fights, so I appreciate how well this story does it. Previously, I think the highwater mark for me was Imperial Wizard by J Parsons. So if you are hungry for mage vs mage, then maybe check that one out, but be aware that it's a fairly different story than this series and your enjoyment may vary.
The remainder of the volume follows Viv as she journeys to the capital of magic in hopes of finding a solution to her black mana over-attunement issue. It's a combination of side questing, skill growth, and wrapping up of loose ends from the regional conflict.
It seems like the next volume will begin a new arc of sorts, though with the throughline of solving Viv's mana problem. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see where the next part takes us.
I really enjoyed the first 30% of the volume, which was the climax volume 3 set up. I think each book has progressively revealed more of spell combat and how battles are fought in this world. I think the battle was amazingly done and the perspective taken was perfect to capture the feelings of the moment. For anyone who enjoys good battlefield scenes from the ground level, you will probably love the first part of this.
I think this series might also have some of my favorite mage vs mage spell battling. While there are a ton of gamelit and fantasy series out there with magic, few of them really dive into pure spellcaster vs spellcaster fights, so I appreciate how well this story does it. Previously, I think the highwater mark for me was Imperial Wizard by J Parsons. So if you are hungry for mage vs mage, then maybe check that one out, but be aware that it's a fairly different story than this series and your enjoyment may vary.
The remainder of the volume follows Viv as she journeys to the capital of magic in hopes of finding a solution to her black mana over-attunement issue. It's a combination of side questing, skill growth, and wrapping up of loose ends from the regional conflict.
It seems like the next volume will begin a new arc of sorts, though with the throughline of solving Viv's mana problem. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see where the next part takes us.
June 22, 2023
Previously I started to feel the story becoming a little static (stuck in one location), thankfully there is a bit more adventuring and world building added into this book again but it is unfortunately not as well implemented as in the first installment.
This book suffers from some pacing issues and rather abrupt story changes that feel lacking in buildup which lead to the story feeling a bit disjointed and not as meaningful overall. Even the portion late in the story where Viv loses her cool just feels like a switch is turned rather than the result of a realistic buildup throughout the preceding events. Also while we meet some new additions to the story we seem to jump from one to the next without time for any kind of relational development.
This isn’t a bad read but it’s not on the same level as previous installments to the series.
This book suffers from some pacing issues and rather abrupt story changes that feel lacking in buildup which lead to the story feeling a bit disjointed and not as meaningful overall. Even the portion late in the story where Viv loses her cool just feels like a switch is turned rather than the result of a realistic buildup throughout the preceding events. Also while we meet some new additions to the story we seem to jump from one to the next without time for any kind of relational development.
This isn’t a bad read but it’s not on the same level as previous installments to the series.
October 23, 2023
Simply Brilliant
Most series start strong and then slowly lose steam over time. Some series start somewhat weakly and then hit their stride later in the first book or in the second book before declining. Very rare is the series that starts strong and gets even stronger over time.
Despite that, Welcome to Harrak is easily the strongest book in the series so far. From start to finish, it is an almost nonstop wild ride. I enjoyed the light political machinations in books 2 and 3, but I read some other reviews on them from people who did not.
Those people will be thrilled with this installment. Politics? Nope. It's pure chaos to almost a comical degree (and Vivianne knows it). It takes the series' unique blend of action, drama, and comedy to a new level.
Most series start strong and then slowly lose steam over time. Some series start somewhat weakly and then hit their stride later in the first book or in the second book before declining. Very rare is the series that starts strong and gets even stronger over time.
Despite that, Welcome to Harrak is easily the strongest book in the series so far. From start to finish, it is an almost nonstop wild ride. I enjoyed the light political machinations in books 2 and 3, but I read some other reviews on them from people who did not.
Those people will be thrilled with this installment. Politics? Nope. It's pure chaos to almost a comical degree (and Vivianne knows it). It takes the series' unique blend of action, drama, and comedy to a new level.
September 23, 2023
The book starts really well, but after the defeat of the Prince I think it loses it’s way a little. I found myself skip reading sections involving the battle with spiders and unfortunately the story became less and less convincing as it progressed.
It wasn’t bad, but it felt like a lot of it was ‘filler’ just trying to drag out the story, by the end I nearly gave two stars, but it was probably better than that.
It wasn’t bad, but it felt like a lot of it was ‘filler’ just trying to drag out the story, by the end I nearly gave two stars, but it was probably better than that.
May 29, 2024
Well-written LitRPG!
It is unfortunate when series come from RoyalRoad which are poorly paced, poorly written, and either slightly-to-terribly misogynistic.
But not so with The Calamitous Bob!
An excellent series that follows a female MC, The Calamitous Bob is a tale filled with goodness, inclusivity, and the cutest dragon. (All Hail Arthur!)
The fourth book continues the trend and I continue to highly recommend!
It is unfortunate when series come from RoyalRoad which are poorly paced, poorly written, and either slightly-to-terribly misogynistic.
But not so with The Calamitous Bob!
An excellent series that follows a female MC, The Calamitous Bob is a tale filled with goodness, inclusivity, and the cutest dragon. (All Hail Arthur!)
The fourth book continues the trend and I continue to highly recommend!
January 16, 2025
I wanted to reread book 1 before it went to KU and got pulled from RR, but then I just kept going in the re-read. I think by the end of this book (which I think I just reached on RR) I have passed where I had read to before - so it's all terra incognita from now on for me. The ends with the battle vs Price Lancer and then the wrap-up to show the knock-on effects afterwards.
August 9, 2023
Dude.
That was unspeakably well put together in places, and very good in the rest. I think I set this one down three times to utter, "WTF." This book in particular pays for some of the awkward bits of book one. Holy crap.
That was unspeakably well put together in places, and very good in the rest. I think I set this one down three times to utter, "WTF." This book in particular pays for some of the awkward bits of book one. Holy crap.
December 29, 2023
This is an entertaining ramble of a tale. It follows the story of Viv who is transported from her mundane life on Earth to a world where she can use magic. She has adventures. She makes friends. She gets involved in stuff. It's delightfully fun.
June 3, 2024
Okay but not good
Too much filler, the protagonist is way too psychotic against the spiders, the treason is utterly infeasible as the traitor and the arch priest had no chance to meet, the main plot feels very forced.
Too much filler, the protagonist is way too psychotic against the spiders, the treason is utterly infeasible as the traitor and the arch priest had no chance to meet, the main plot feels very forced.
August 18, 2024
This book is the real start of Viv’s kingdom building and it is a lot of fun (but also a lot of brutal guerrilla warfare). I think this series does a good job of balancing discovery of new fantasy world mechanics with importing “new” Earth techniques/strategies/technology.
June 10, 2023
It was alright
It wasn't a bad book, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the previous ones. I felt a lot happened but the plot itself didn't really progress very much.
It wasn't a bad book, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the previous ones. I felt a lot happened but the plot itself didn't really progress very much.
June 11, 2023
The fourth book of calamitous Bob
The writing holds up to what I’ve come to expect from Gilbert, and I have learned to expect a lot. I really recommend this series.
The writing holds up to what I’ve come to expect from Gilbert, and I have learned to expect a lot. I really recommend this series.
October 29, 2023
Entertaining
If you have read and enjoyed the previous three books in this series, you will undoubtably find book four just as entertaining.
If you have read and enjoyed the previous three books in this series, you will undoubtably find book four just as entertaining.
November 4, 2023
good book
Really looking forward to the next book in the series. If you want to read ahead, go to royalroad.com. I really enjoyed this book
Really looking forward to the next book in the series. If you want to read ahead, go to royalroad.com. I really enjoyed this book
November 9, 2023
I am actually further along than what this book covers, but I want to say that it has been a fantastic read so far.
March 26, 2024
Another super fun Bob entry. The books continue to improve and continue to just remain stupid fun.
November 4, 2024
This is such a great series and I'm loving every book of it. This one was probably the weakest to date, since much of it just travelling with stuff happening along the way, but it's still so good.
March 23, 2025
An excellent read.
April 20, 2025
I love this series so much. Her reaction to all the spiders might be my favorite part so far.
December 26, 2025
Another excellent entry in this series. More people, more intertwined stories, and more clever use of luck to lead the main character to situations that are fun to read.
August 10, 2024
ACTUALLY SCREAMING. BECAUSE THE FIRST 30% of this book where the Prince is dealt the COLD HAND OF JUSTICEEEEE????
PRIME FUCKING STUFF
PRIME FUCKING STUFF
March 2, 2025
The series is fantastic. Read it.
November 1, 2023
This book really dragged for me and I had to force myself to finish the last third. The whole story is a single journey where a bunch of bad stuff happens at random. A lot of the bad things were kind of unbelievable and just explained away as being caused by her 'luck' blessing. For example, she was captured by an entire army of 10,000 men after being betrayed by somebody under a practically unbreakable oath who's village and family she just saved. Really!? The village in the middle of nowhere just happened to be attacked by the herald of a dark god while she was there. And she was randomly teleported to the dark forest, but only her. Even the whole decision to travel the way she did was very suspect, like the author just needed to come up with a halfway plausible excuse for conflict. I love the first three books, but I kind of regret buying this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2025
Exciting! Cool! Fantastic! Add more adjectives as you like.
Some more really unexpected evelopments, cool people, cool enemies, love every bit of it.
Some more really unexpected evelopments, cool people, cool enemies, love every bit of it.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews