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Wandering Warrior #1
Judge
A divine quest to deliver justice. One year to accomplish his mission. After nineteen planets, there’s something different about this one.James Holden has reached the maximum level there is for a human. That’s perfect, because he’s the only one of his a wandering warrior, without control of his destination, tossed between universes by gods who’ve failed to tell him why. James is the lone Judge on a new world in need of someone to balance the scales. He isn’t afraid to do so with extreme prejudice. As the Chief Justice, he has to right the wrongs the innocent can’t fix themselves.As James quickly discovers, the roots of corruption run deep. Guilds choose to protect themselves rather than the people. Monsters roam the wilderness unchecked. Judgment is usually a decision between right and wrong, but nothing is ever that simple. This time, being the strongest human won’t be enough to punish the guilty. James might have to recruit some new blood, even if he prefers to work alone.On his twentieth world, he is going to win, no matter the cost. James will have to find a way to break past the limits of the system if he’s going to have a chance at making a difference.
400 pages, ebook
First published August 7, 2023
287 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Michael Head
8 books152 followersMichael Head is the author of the Threads of Fate series. He was severely injured while serving in the military, and used his time recovering to rediscover his love for books. After medically retiring, Michael went back to college to finish his degree and become a professor. When the coronavirus shut down his school, his wife encouraged him to finally take the leap and try writing his own books. He found his experience in combat allowed him to write detailed and realistic fight scenes. Those battles, combined with his attention to detail and ability to plan vast, elaborate, and comprehensive worlds, make for fast-paced and thrilling books. With, of course, the occasional touches of humor and sarcasm thrown in the mix.
He currently lives in Texas where his wife, who is still currently serving in the military, is stationed. His days are filled with hiding from their three daughters, two dogs, and three cats. He is also losing an ongoing war with the neighborhood squirrels, but he will continue to fight until the bitter end.
To connect with Michael, visit his Facebook Page at:
https://www.facebook.com/author.micha...
For more content, including advanced chapters in the next book, maps, and artwork, check out his Patreon Page at:
https://www.patreon.com/michael_head
To receive Michael’s monthly newsletter, with updates on his progress and any new releases, sign up at:
https://sendfox.com/author-michael-head
He currently lives in Texas where his wife, who is still currently serving in the military, is stationed. His days are filled with hiding from their three daughters, two dogs, and three cats. He is also losing an ongoing war with the neighborhood squirrels, but he will continue to fight until the bitter end.
To connect with Michael, visit his Facebook Page at:
https://www.facebook.com/author.micha...
For more content, including advanced chapters in the next book, maps, and artwork, check out his Patreon Page at:
https://www.patreon.com/michael_head
To receive Michael’s monthly newsletter, with updates on his progress and any new releases, sign up at:
https://sendfox.com/author-michael-head
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 28, 2024
This was a pretty fun book with a great premise. I think a person's enjoyment will depend on how they like the main character.
Plot - 9/10, Character - 5/10, Setting & Magic - 7.5/10, Writing - 7/10, Enjoyment - 5/10
The plot follows a 27-year-old man from modern Earth who is whisked into a portal and deposited on another world. The gods of the universe have tasked him with being a Judge and, with the help of a gamelit-style System, shaping various worlds for the better within a one-year time limit. The MC gets transported to a new world every year, regardless of his success in each world. It's a great premise and it had me hoping for a gamelit version of an interdimensional Judge Dredd.
The MC is not Judge Dredd, unfortunately. He doesn't display the same level or competence of stoicism that I might expect of an interdimensional Judge with 20 worlds of experience under his belt. His name is James Holden, which is the name of a main character from the Expanse. It's another comparison that doesn't help this MC. He also cracks jokes and makes what he thinks are witty references all the time like he wishes he could have been Deadpool when he grew up. Also an unfavorable comparison since I think Deadpool is funny, but the MC here just seemed juvenile and trying too hard doing things that he thought were cool but would be embarrassing like watching a kid do the Naruto run at a department store.
So needless to say, the MC never portrayed a convincing Judge character for me, or a convincing character using poor humor as a defense mechanism to bottle up trauma from traveling worlds. I would honestly say that the MC was an albatross around the neck of this story, and that I might have enjoyed it more with nearly any other character in his place.
Moving on to things I can talk more positively about, I liked the setting and magic. The abilities were fairly grounded and specific, with associated sigils or hand gestures. There was a good mix of enemies and monsters to fight, and they were handled well. The setting is described on the surface level in this first book, but considering the MC is a stranger in a strange land, it works.
The writing was functional, with no real proofreading mistakes that jumped out at me. There were some clarity issues at times when multiple people were in dialogue scenes. The biggest drawback was the amount of unnecessary repetition and redundancy at times, but it wasn't anything more gratuitous than is normal for gamelit. If you read a lot outside of gamelit, these things might draw the eye and annoy you, but ultimately it didn't detract too much from the story.
While this was a mixed experience for me, it was almost entirely because I didn't like the MC. The premise was interesting, and the plot was solid. I think this is a worthwhile read for anyone who reads the blurb and finds it interesting. Just be warned that the MC is a typical snarky gamelit MC who undermines the tension from any scene with his lame one-liners and jokes. For people who actually enjoy snarky characters, this will probably be a great read.
Plot - 9/10, Character - 5/10, Setting & Magic - 7.5/10, Writing - 7/10, Enjoyment - 5/10
The plot follows a 27-year-old man from modern Earth who is whisked into a portal and deposited on another world. The gods of the universe have tasked him with being a Judge and, with the help of a gamelit-style System, shaping various worlds for the better within a one-year time limit. The MC gets transported to a new world every year, regardless of his success in each world. It's a great premise and it had me hoping for a gamelit version of an interdimensional Judge Dredd.
The MC is not Judge Dredd, unfortunately. He doesn't display the same level or competence of stoicism that I might expect of an interdimensional Judge with 20 worlds of experience under his belt. His name is James Holden, which is the name of a main character from the Expanse. It's another comparison that doesn't help this MC. He also cracks jokes and makes what he thinks are witty references all the time like he wishes he could have been Deadpool when he grew up. Also an unfavorable comparison since I think Deadpool is funny, but the MC here just seemed juvenile and trying too hard doing things that he thought were cool but would be embarrassing like watching a kid do the Naruto run at a department store.
So needless to say, the MC never portrayed a convincing Judge character for me, or a convincing character using poor humor as a defense mechanism to bottle up trauma from traveling worlds. I would honestly say that the MC was an albatross around the neck of this story, and that I might have enjoyed it more with nearly any other character in his place.
Moving on to things I can talk more positively about, I liked the setting and magic. The abilities were fairly grounded and specific, with associated sigils or hand gestures. There was a good mix of enemies and monsters to fight, and they were handled well. The setting is described on the surface level in this first book, but considering the MC is a stranger in a strange land, it works.
The writing was functional, with no real proofreading mistakes that jumped out at me. There were some clarity issues at times when multiple people were in dialogue scenes. The biggest drawback was the amount of unnecessary repetition and redundancy at times, but it wasn't anything more gratuitous than is normal for gamelit. If you read a lot outside of gamelit, these things might draw the eye and annoy you, but ultimately it didn't detract too much from the story.
While this was a mixed experience for me, it was almost entirely because I didn't like the MC. The premise was interesting, and the plot was solid. I think this is a worthwhile read for anyone who reads the blurb and finds it interesting. Just be warned that the MC is a typical snarky gamelit MC who undermines the tension from any scene with his lame one-liners and jokes. For people who actually enjoy snarky characters, this will probably be a great read.
May 15, 2024
Judge by Michael Head
Judge is a fast paced epic fantasy filled with supernatural creatures and magical powers. James Holden is part of a Guild tasked with the duties and responsibilities to uphold justice and punish the guilty. Transported from Earth to other worlds, he desires to go home and see his family again, but in the meantime, he takes his duty as a judge to be extremely important, often delivering justice with a heavy hand, at least to the outside world. During his journey, he encounters many others, and a few aid him in his quests.
I loved the world building that Michael Head created. The images he created are full of mystery and mystic, while also being extremely entertaining. I loved the characters, although my favorite is the Wearbear, and his Carebear powers. While there was definitely a lot going on in the book, and could easily have become too much or too out there, it didn’t. The author was able to make it work. The mix of humor in the story was great. I definitely look forward to see where James Holden and his band of magical friends goes in the future. I also liked the way you got power updates as the story progressed, and although he was at max power, he was constantly still learning and earning throughout. It gave an interesting twist, that even though he was a judge, he too could be judged, and that even with his extensive powers, he was not invincible.
I enjoyed the narrator. Neil Hellegers did a great job pulling me into the story.
Judge is a fast paced epic fantasy filled with supernatural creatures and magical powers. James Holden is part of a Guild tasked with the duties and responsibilities to uphold justice and punish the guilty. Transported from Earth to other worlds, he desires to go home and see his family again, but in the meantime, he takes his duty as a judge to be extremely important, often delivering justice with a heavy hand, at least to the outside world. During his journey, he encounters many others, and a few aid him in his quests.
I loved the world building that Michael Head created. The images he created are full of mystery and mystic, while also being extremely entertaining. I loved the characters, although my favorite is the Wearbear, and his Carebear powers. While there was definitely a lot going on in the book, and could easily have become too much or too out there, it didn’t. The author was able to make it work. The mix of humor in the story was great. I definitely look forward to see where James Holden and his band of magical friends goes in the future. I also liked the way you got power updates as the story progressed, and although he was at max power, he was constantly still learning and earning throughout. It gave an interesting twist, that even though he was a judge, he too could be judged, and that even with his extensive powers, he was not invincible.
I enjoyed the narrator. Neil Hellegers did a great job pulling me into the story.
April 27, 2024
3.5⭐
An enjoyable read, but it just didn't stand out for me. It has some hints of developing into something more interesting in the following installments.
James Holden has been transported from Earth under mysterious circumstances to become a Judge. Each year he is sent to a new world to resolve injustices that are on too big a scale for the world to resolve them without outside intervention. Now, on his 20th world, he still doesn't have much of a clue who is behind his status and abilities. But this new world might finally have some answers.
James is an interesting character. He is not completely likable, but he is relatable. We get a picture of his past life, where he is constantly having to abandon his newly built life every year. Any bonds he makes are broken forever over and over. Not to mention his fights often lead to losses along the way. That kind of life would grind down on anyone. He is very blunt with people, and if that results in a fight, then so be it. He definitely needs to work on his people skills. Even so, he does manage to attract some people who share his goal of bringing the world's evildoers to justice.
His abilities as a judge are interesting. He can switch on this persona that instinctively knows the right punishment. In that state, he cannot be pleaded with, so afterward, a harsh punishment can weigh on him a bit. Besides that, he has all kinds of fighting, healing, and crafting abilities that make him strong enough to deal with most enemies, without making him too overpowered. He can still get defeated if he is not careful. The book is a LitRPG, so expect the usual levels and stats system with some fresh ideas.
The mystery of his function and abilities is what makes me most interested in following up with the series. He gets various quests along his journey, one of them being figuring out his situation.
The audiobook narration was not exceptional, but the voice was fitting to the character.
I received an ALC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
An enjoyable read, but it just didn't stand out for me. It has some hints of developing into something more interesting in the following installments.
James Holden has been transported from Earth under mysterious circumstances to become a Judge. Each year he is sent to a new world to resolve injustices that are on too big a scale for the world to resolve them without outside intervention. Now, on his 20th world, he still doesn't have much of a clue who is behind his status and abilities. But this new world might finally have some answers.
James is an interesting character. He is not completely likable, but he is relatable. We get a picture of his past life, where he is constantly having to abandon his newly built life every year. Any bonds he makes are broken forever over and over. Not to mention his fights often lead to losses along the way. That kind of life would grind down on anyone. He is very blunt with people, and if that results in a fight, then so be it. He definitely needs to work on his people skills. Even so, he does manage to attract some people who share his goal of bringing the world's evildoers to justice.
His abilities as a judge are interesting. He can switch on this persona that instinctively knows the right punishment. In that state, he cannot be pleaded with, so afterward, a harsh punishment can weigh on him a bit. Besides that, he has all kinds of fighting, healing, and crafting abilities that make him strong enough to deal with most enemies, without making him too overpowered. He can still get defeated if he is not careful. The book is a LitRPG, so expect the usual levels and stats system with some fresh ideas.
The mystery of his function and abilities is what makes me most interested in following up with the series. He gets various quests along his journey, one of them being figuring out his situation.
The audiobook narration was not exceptional, but the voice was fitting to the character.
I received an ALC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 24, 2023
When I first started reading this I was thrown for a loop. The MC (James) takes the hand of a noble. He just does it, and more amazing, he gets away with it. As it turns out he's the Judge with a capital J, who's sent to different worlds to bring them back into balance.
Which is very similar to the Doorverse Chronicles by Kyle Johnson. Except this book is grittier and uglier than the previous book.
James follows the clues as he tries to find what is wrong. And there is a lot wrong. He just needs to get to the source. I'll stop the recap here. I liked this. There are plenty of big bads to fight and the author keeps things moving while adding in some humor. When James first uses his skill, he almost seems like someone pretending to be like a Judge, but by the end all that changes.
The editing is okay. The stats are plentiful, and the story is what makes this shine. I'll definitely read book two when it comes out. 5/5
Which is very similar to the Doorverse Chronicles by Kyle Johnson. Except this book is grittier and uglier than the previous book.
James follows the clues as he tries to find what is wrong. And there is a lot wrong. He just needs to get to the source. I'll stop the recap here. I liked this. There are plenty of big bads to fight and the author keeps things moving while adding in some humor. When James first uses his skill, he almost seems like someone pretending to be like a Judge, but by the end all that changes.
The editing is okay. The stats are plentiful, and the story is what makes this shine. I'll definitely read book two when it comes out. 5/5
August 12, 2023
Good new series
I read the author’s previous series which I thoroughly enjoyed, so preordered this one. I was NOT disappointed! Good character and progression, good humor. Highly recommend!
I read the author’s previous series which I thoroughly enjoyed, so preordered this one. I was NOT disappointed! Good character and progression, good humor. Highly recommend!
February 14, 2025
For a being that has saved twenty worlds from corruption and disasters, James Holden seems both under and over powered. Sure he's stronger than most of the locals but he's not the bullet-proof monster that should stride the plains like a god. There are limits apparently... limits that he's only now breaking.
The plot is a little one-dimensional. James wanders; he runs into arrogant and corrupt officials; he kicks their asses. What makes the book more interesting is the team of helpers he is accruing like snow sticking to a rolling stone. Individually they are; desperate, earnest, sceptical, and antagonistic. This creates some much-needed tension.
While I don't classify this book as great literature, I'd be happy to continue the series.
The plot is a little one-dimensional. James wanders; he runs into arrogant and corrupt officials; he kicks their asses. What makes the book more interesting is the team of helpers he is accruing like snow sticking to a rolling stone. Individually they are; desperate, earnest, sceptical, and antagonistic. This creates some much-needed tension.
While I don't classify this book as great literature, I'd be happy to continue the series.
August 28, 2023
Good book overall, but the smug, flippant MC loses it a star. He's not super OP, and his relative power is explained by his backstory, so that much works. This book also suffers from something I really hate: the enemy who won't die. That doesn't hurt its rating, although a recurrence in future books certainly would.
The book universe seems complex, and I like being dropped in the middle of that curve without having to trudge through the 19 worlds the MC suffered through before this one. I will give book 2 a shot on that basis.
The book universe seems complex, and I like being dropped in the middle of that curve without having to trudge through the 19 worlds the MC suffered through before this one. I will give book 2 a shot on that basis.
September 24, 2023
Book one
This was pretty dang good. Writing and editing are top notch.
You have plenty of action, some loot, and a decent set of characters.
The supporting cast didn't really pull me in. At times I felt that the MC would have done better just being by himself instead of with a group.
I was able to put this down at times, but always came back for more.
No mistakes to list on Goodreads and you won't find this series on Royalroad.
Look forward to book two.
8/10
This was pretty dang good. Writing and editing are top notch.
You have plenty of action, some loot, and a decent set of characters.
The supporting cast didn't really pull me in. At times I felt that the MC would have done better just being by himself instead of with a group.
I was able to put this down at times, but always came back for more.
No mistakes to list on Goodreads and you won't find this series on Royalroad.
Look forward to book two.
8/10
September 5, 2023
This is a fun ride.
There is a lot of story here. The setting is quick but had depth. The characters are fun and have plenty of room to grow. All in all, this is a great start with a bunch of growth potential.
There is a lot of story here. The setting is quick but had depth. The characters are fun and have plenty of room to grow. All in all, this is a great start with a bunch of growth potential.
September 21, 2024
Audiobook
- Narrator is not a positive for this book, in my opinion the authors writing style makes for a poor fit for Neil Hellegers the narrator. Although one can get used to it. =/)
Main Character:
If you are into self defeating foolish cringe asshole MC's... then well this is for you. Oh yeah and lets not forget the seeming obligatory pop-culture references or the like, from an earth the mc has been away from for 20+years, which he spouts out in painful attempts at something like humour. Also the author has the MC do contrivedly stupid and moronic things that just destroys any sense of his agency.
-LOGIC & PLOT HOLES -
Here are a few early suspect plot logic issues. I had to turn my brain off after a while to get through this story, it is far to fuzzy at times and FYI this tendency to fudge things continues into book 2.
1. Been to 20 worlds over 20 years and is a pauper somehow. On the whole the story suffers from an MC who all to often does not live up to his supposed background.
2. MC has mastered multiple crafting professions including Blacksmith and Runesmith and so on but is somehow incapable of making a proper firearm because apparently metallurgy/basic materials knowhow isn't included in any of his professions. Oh yeah and the guy is from modern day earth.. so he'd only need deductive reasoning to solve such a basic issue. Its just utter contrived nonsense.
3. The MC has been on this new world, #21 for him, for 2+weeks but very oddly has not done the most basic things, like a basic function check of magic/spell functionality and mana regeneration properties of the new world. All while He has been out in the back of beyond most of this time which seems like the perfect time and place for such. I think important things like these to be priorities for any person with the MC's background on day one. Not something anyone would leave for part way into the third week while beset by a ton of issues not least of which is the obvious poor state of etheric/mana energy in said world. So yeah more contrived poor story telling.
- Continuity and flow of character: progression, power scaling, character ability. -
Yeah its not great its more like an ekg of a distressed sick person or the seismographic readings during a long drawn out earthquake.
The story is still fairly readable but I found it too annoyingly contrived in execution with all mentioned above and the pervasive abuse of happenstance for drama throughout which just hurts the credibility of the tale as told and by the last tenth or so of the second book the author is straight into deus ex machina asspull territory with the mc just getting auto upgraded with little to no action on his own part. More or less total sockpuppet fubar mode.
This review works for both books one and two.
- Narrator is not a positive for this book, in my opinion the authors writing style makes for a poor fit for Neil Hellegers the narrator. Although one can get used to it. =/)
Main Character:
If you are into self defeating foolish cringe asshole MC's... then well this is for you. Oh yeah and lets not forget the seeming obligatory pop-culture references or the like, from an earth the mc has been away from for 20+years, which he spouts out in painful attempts at something like humour. Also the author has the MC do contrivedly stupid and moronic things that just destroys any sense of his agency.
-LOGIC & PLOT HOLES -
Here are a few early suspect plot logic issues. I had to turn my brain off after a while to get through this story, it is far to fuzzy at times and FYI this tendency to fudge things continues into book 2.
1. Been to 20 worlds over 20 years and is a pauper somehow. On the whole the story suffers from an MC who all to often does not live up to his supposed background.
2. MC has mastered multiple crafting professions including Blacksmith and Runesmith and so on but is somehow incapable of making a proper firearm because apparently metallurgy/basic materials knowhow isn't included in any of his professions. Oh yeah and the guy is from modern day earth.. so he'd only need deductive reasoning to solve such a basic issue. Its just utter contrived nonsense.
3. The MC has been on this new world, #21 for him, for 2+weeks but very oddly has not done the most basic things, like a basic function check of magic/spell functionality and mana regeneration properties of the new world. All while He has been out in the back of beyond most of this time which seems like the perfect time and place for such. I think important things like these to be priorities for any person with the MC's background on day one. Not something anyone would leave for part way into the third week while beset by a ton of issues not least of which is the obvious poor state of etheric/mana energy in said world. So yeah more contrived poor story telling.
- Continuity and flow of character: progression, power scaling, character ability. -
Yeah its not great its more like an ekg of a distressed sick person or the seismographic readings during a long drawn out earthquake.
The story is still fairly readable but I found it too annoyingly contrived in execution with all mentioned above and the pervasive abuse of happenstance for drama throughout which just hurts the credibility of the tale as told and by the last tenth or so of the second book the author is straight into deus ex machina asspull territory with the mc just getting auto upgraded with little to no action on his own part. More or less total sockpuppet fubar mode.
This review works for both books one and two.
February 14, 2024
James Holden was seemingly a regular dude from Earth, but for reasons unknown to him he was sucked into a multi-world adventure decades ago. He has been tasked with travelling from world to world, acting as Judge of those worlds and their inhabitants and meting out justice as he sees fit. Though his body no longer ages, he gets more powerful as he journeys, and we meet him at what he believes may be his peak strength after having served as Judge in 20 worlds. However, this newest world may be just what he needs to gain even more power, and it just might be his least favorite world yet.
This story has a LitRPG framework where James experiences a leveling system with stats, spells, achievements, etc. I agree with the reviewer who said that James somehow feels "both under and overpowered." He also comes off as holier than thou and kind of douchey-- I know I'd be annoyed if some dude marched in an acted like he can immediately see all the issues with myself and my world, its systems and morality, after being there for like 30 seconds. And he lacks enough self-awareness to make this quality something I can overlook or even appreciate. I'm seeing parallels to Dungeon Crawler Carl, not least of which is James's overall personality and consequences-be-damned morality. The difference here is that James's split second decisions don't have any real consequences for him. So, it sort of feels like there are no stakes, but his actions can and do negatively impact bystanders.
I enjoyed the pacing of the story. The book's universe and the design of his quest are interesting, but I feel like I only get a whiff of their complexity in this intro. I'm torn on whether I'm happy with where we were dropped into this story or if I wish we'd been able to watch James become a Judge, fall in love, and explore the first 20 worlds.
I don't think I'll personally continue with this series, but I think it will appeal to lots of folks, and I could even see if being an option for those struggling through a Dungeon Crawler Carl hangover.
The narrator was fantastic.
This story has a LitRPG framework where James experiences a leveling system with stats, spells, achievements, etc. I agree with the reviewer who said that James somehow feels "both under and overpowered." He also comes off as holier than thou and kind of douchey-- I know I'd be annoyed if some dude marched in an acted like he can immediately see all the issues with myself and my world, its systems and morality, after being there for like 30 seconds. And he lacks enough self-awareness to make this quality something I can overlook or even appreciate. I'm seeing parallels to Dungeon Crawler Carl, not least of which is James's overall personality and consequences-be-damned morality. The difference here is that James's split second decisions don't have any real consequences for him. So, it sort of feels like there are no stakes, but his actions can and do negatively impact bystanders.
I enjoyed the pacing of the story. The book's universe and the design of his quest are interesting, but I feel like I only get a whiff of their complexity in this intro. I'm torn on whether I'm happy with where we were dropped into this story or if I wish we'd been able to watch James become a Judge, fall in love, and explore the first 20 worlds.
I don't think I'll personally continue with this series, but I think it will appeal to lots of folks, and I could even see if being an option for those struggling through a Dungeon Crawler Carl hangover.
The narrator was fantastic.
October 26, 2025
Seriously Fun and Entertaining
This book caught me by surprise. I was put off by the beginning and set the it down for a few months. After finishing another book series, I decided to give Wandering Warrior another read and ended up finishing the whole thing in 3 days.
I won't spoil any of the plot, but what I most enjoyed about trying this book was:
Clean writing; many books I've read from Kindle Unlimited have been riddled with obvious spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors. The team behind Wandering Warrior did a great job and I can remember only 1 error clearly throughout the entire text.
Little repetition; The Michael Head has been able to weave a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining narrative that remains engaging until the very end, without having to repeatedly mention countless things happening unimaginable times beyond comprehension that were without comparison. The story remained clearly communicated and easy to follow and understand.
OP Protagonist that isn't invulnerable, all powerful, or immortal. All of the characters feel alive and jump off the page with true development over the course of the events.
Thank you so much, Michael Head, for gifting us with this fascinating tale of fantasy and fun.
This book caught me by surprise. I was put off by the beginning and set the it down for a few months. After finishing another book series, I decided to give Wandering Warrior another read and ended up finishing the whole thing in 3 days.
I won't spoil any of the plot, but what I most enjoyed about trying this book was:
Clean writing; many books I've read from Kindle Unlimited have been riddled with obvious spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors. The team behind Wandering Warrior did a great job and I can remember only 1 error clearly throughout the entire text.
Little repetition; The Michael Head has been able to weave a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining narrative that remains engaging until the very end, without having to repeatedly mention countless things happening unimaginable times beyond comprehension that were without comparison. The story remained clearly communicated and easy to follow and understand.
OP Protagonist that isn't invulnerable, all powerful, or immortal. All of the characters feel alive and jump off the page with true development over the course of the events.
Thank you so much, Michael Head, for gifting us with this fascinating tale of fantasy and fun.
March 7, 2024
This book reminded me of a strange mix of Ready Player One and Quantum Leap along with other supernatural things. I enjoyed thins book. The main character James has quested to do to accomplish higher stats and to move onto a new world. His end goal is to make it back to him own world. But he is in some kind of strange game that tries to kill him along the way. In this world he is in he comes across corrupt rich people and he rectify what they have done wrong in a form of punishment. Along the way of trying to fulfill his quests for this world he comes across a Lyceum touched girl and he is teaching her his ways of magic so that she can help him fight the evil in the world. The first soldier that comes to kill James is sorely mistaken and loses his hand in punishment and is drug along the way with James to finish his quest. Though all the hardships they go though the soldier that first tried to kill James redeems himself and becomes a Judge himself when he proven himself.
Though the adventure was not over at the end of this book it keeps you wanting to know more. Can not wait for book 2
Though the adventure was not over at the end of this book it keeps you wanting to know more. Can not wait for book 2
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2024
3.5 ⭐ The LitRPG novel “Judge” by Michael Head follows the main character James Holden who is a judge traveling different realms to enact justice. But in this realm he encounters new enemies and allies that complicate things and set him on a path to uncover hints about his personal mystery.
I liked Holden as a character that is powerful but constantly underestimated by strangers. I wouldn't however describe the protagonist as a memorable character. The underlying mystery that I won't spoil here was intriguing. In addition the side characters were unique and had their own story arcs.
The plot itself and the world didn't stand out to me in comparison to other LitRPG’s.
Especially the narration by Neil Hellegers was excellent and elevated the book. His voice and narration style was a great fit for the character.
It's a solid book that was very easy to read and enjoy but probably won't linger in my mind for long.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Tantor Audio for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I liked Holden as a character that is powerful but constantly underestimated by strangers. I wouldn't however describe the protagonist as a memorable character. The underlying mystery that I won't spoil here was intriguing. In addition the side characters were unique and had their own story arcs.
The plot itself and the world didn't stand out to me in comparison to other LitRPG’s.
Especially the narration by Neil Hellegers was excellent and elevated the book. His voice and narration style was a great fit for the character.
It's a solid book that was very easy to read and enjoy but probably won't linger in my mind for long.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Tantor Audio for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2024
I quite enjoyed that. The premise of a "wandering" Judge that gets sent to new worlds by mysterious gods to mete out justice and improve the local quality of life is very engaging. It's also very refreshing to start a story at the (presumptive) peak of the character's power; this isn't an origin story in the sense that 3/4 of the book builds to the character discovering their true power. This book hits the ground running.
My main criticism revolves around aspects of the story feeling rushed. The supporting characters all feel a little flat to me; they fall into their roles rather easily, the cute cat girl sidekick is oddly proficient, one character packs 10 pounds of redemption into a five-pound bag, the dialogue is a little head-scratching at times and some of the scenes feel a little jerky and unnatural.
Still, all in all, it was a fun ride and I'm looking forward to the next book.
My main criticism revolves around aspects of the story feeling rushed. The supporting characters all feel a little flat to me; they fall into their roles rather easily, the cute cat girl sidekick is oddly proficient, one character packs 10 pounds of redemption into a five-pound bag, the dialogue is a little head-scratching at times and some of the scenes feel a little jerky and unnatural.
Still, all in all, it was a fun ride and I'm looking forward to the next book.
August 15, 2023
Breath of Fresh Air
This is a great series, and although Head is a famous author, I haven't read his books yet, that's going to change. Having a dream and then writing this book but giving us a new start compared to other LitRPG series where we start with a newbie who has to learn the world mechanics, etc, is standard.
Doing it the opposite way with an experienced warrior/mage/judge, etc, gives a wealth of knowledge but also a lot of background history to explore and regrets which have shaped him. Loved the pop culture references and how this flows into a larger whole whilst still hinting at deeper truths that may have surprising repercussions. Also having such a super powerful character means we can bull doze and run riot over a lot of his enemies which makes for some great action scenes.
Hoping that this starts a new chapter of fans and a lot more from this series.
This is a great series, and although Head is a famous author, I haven't read his books yet, that's going to change. Having a dream and then writing this book but giving us a new start compared to other LitRPG series where we start with a newbie who has to learn the world mechanics, etc, is standard.
Doing it the opposite way with an experienced warrior/mage/judge, etc, gives a wealth of knowledge but also a lot of background history to explore and regrets which have shaped him. Loved the pop culture references and how this flows into a larger whole whilst still hinting at deeper truths that may have surprising repercussions. Also having such a super powerful character means we can bull doze and run riot over a lot of his enemies which makes for some great action scenes.
Hoping that this starts a new chapter of fans and a lot more from this series.
July 7, 2023
No trial, no jury, only… JUDGEMENT!
If you took Clint Eastwoods, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly… but smashed it together with a Judge Dredd and Robocop level of IDGAF. A creative introduction at a point in a characters development that you normally wouldn’t get until multiple books into a series. WW: Judge, has great dialog, humor, and level of crusty OP MC that leaves you laughing and wondering if you’d act the same way if you were put through the same situations. Monsters are not the only thing lurking in this world, but vast and deep guild corruption give you an immersive experience that you’ll enjoy. This is a LitRPG adventure you’re going to want to add to your collection for sure.
If you took Clint Eastwoods, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly… but smashed it together with a Judge Dredd and Robocop level of IDGAF. A creative introduction at a point in a characters development that you normally wouldn’t get until multiple books into a series. WW: Judge, has great dialog, humor, and level of crusty OP MC that leaves you laughing and wondering if you’d act the same way if you were put through the same situations. Monsters are not the only thing lurking in this world, but vast and deep guild corruption give you an immersive experience that you’ll enjoy. This is a LitRPG adventure you’re going to want to add to your collection for sure.
August 13, 2023
Awesome read!
Wandering Warrior: Judge hits all the right notes and has become an instant favorite of mine!
From the moment I dove into the story I was hooked on James' journey. He's the kind of character that grabs you by the heart and doesn't let go.
The setting was brilliantly crafted and vividly immersive with a system that added an extra layer of enjoyment for me. The pacing was spot-on, seamlessly blending action-packed moments with character-driven development.
If you're a fan of isekai, captivating characters, and an action-packed narrative, you won't be disappointed. This book has cemented its status as one of my favorites, and I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Wandering Warrior: Judge hits all the right notes and has become an instant favorite of mine!
From the moment I dove into the story I was hooked on James' journey. He's the kind of character that grabs you by the heart and doesn't let go.
The setting was brilliantly crafted and vividly immersive with a system that added an extra layer of enjoyment for me. The pacing was spot-on, seamlessly blending action-packed moments with character-driven development.
If you're a fan of isekai, captivating characters, and an action-packed narrative, you won't be disappointed. This book has cemented its status as one of my favorites, and I can't wait for the next book in the series!
September 19, 2024
This was good! The story was cohesive and progressed nicely, the MC someone I wanted to succeed, and the mystery something I want to see solved.
The “snarky system” trope always aggravates me, but in reading this I’ve found it’s not the snark I don’t like, but the mean spirited-ness of it. Instead, this system made me laugh. The comment about majestic dinosaurs in particular lol. If only other litrpg’s could corner sarcasm without the bite.
Actually, the humor in general was right up my alley. I’m guessing the author is right around my age. It’s casual and subtle- well maybe subtle isn’t the word, but less in your face and distracting. Stupid.
The “snarky system” trope always aggravates me, but in reading this I’ve found it’s not the snark I don’t like, but the mean spirited-ness of it. Instead, this system made me laugh. The comment about majestic dinosaurs in particular lol. If only other litrpg’s could corner sarcasm without the bite.
Actually, the humor in general was right up my alley. I’m guessing the author is right around my age. It’s casual and subtle- well maybe subtle isn’t the word, but less in your face and distracting. Stupid.
May 21, 2024
Judge
James wakes up in another world. Again. This is in fact, the twentieth time. Each time, he gets one year. One year to correct society and judge the wicked. He has long since maxed out his level. Now if he only knew why he was doing this.
This was a really fun start to a new series! James is incredibly over powered, but there certainly are still challenges for him. The side characters are amazing. I’m partial to Private Murphy myself. Neil Hellegers does an amazing job with the narration!
Content warning: language
James wakes up in another world. Again. This is in fact, the twentieth time. Each time, he gets one year. One year to correct society and judge the wicked. He has long since maxed out his level. Now if he only knew why he was doing this.
This was a really fun start to a new series! James is incredibly over powered, but there certainly are still challenges for him. The side characters are amazing. I’m partial to Private Murphy myself. Neil Hellegers does an amazing job with the narration!
Content warning: language
April 22, 2024
First and foremost I really did enjoy this book. The only thing I will say is at Parts it felt a little disjointed with the memories and adding things that were not talked about at the time it's not a big deal but for instance the playing around with the slap skill it never talked about the MC playing around with it yet in the Lich fight he said he played around with it in his free time. Just a little disjointed but other than that great story can't wait for the next book.
August 9, 2023
Great book
Really easy to read great pace to the story , the main character develops really well the game mechanics are well written and add to the interest loved the world building great action scenes , and the main protagonist is driven and has his own way of doing things keep them coming !
Really easy to read great pace to the story , the main character develops really well the game mechanics are well written and add to the interest loved the world building great action scenes , and the main protagonist is driven and has his own way of doing things keep them coming !
August 12, 2023
Good, but I'm not sure
I didn't know where to start on this. I did like this book. The MC is a bit hard to like. He's not a jerk, but more weary. The bad guys are really bad. Almost evil. It's not bad, but the ending sucked. That's my only caveat, but it's a big one.
Recommended, but with a major caveat.
I didn't know where to start on this. I did like this book. The MC is a bit hard to like. He's not a jerk, but more weary. The bad guys are really bad. Almost evil. It's not bad, but the ending sucked. That's my only caveat, but it's a big one.
Recommended, but with a major caveat.
August 13, 2023
Fun
This book captured my attention immediately and held it throughout. The main character has flaws that are not insurmountable and makes questionable decisions that cause you to scratch your head and say "huh?"
It's still a fun read though and I look forward to the next installment.
This book captured my attention immediately and held it throughout. The main character has flaws that are not insurmountable and makes questionable decisions that cause you to scratch your head and say "huh?"
It's still a fun read though and I look forward to the next installment.
September 5, 2023
Beautiful kick off
Judge Dread fantasy style ported to different worlds against his violation to bring judgment and cranky and irritated about it... Micheal and I have shot the tin can numerous times but this is the first book of his I have read.. Brilliant writer... Highly recommend
JD Glasscock
Author of the Series Blood Brothers and the Dream
Judge Dread fantasy style ported to different worlds against his violation to bring judgment and cranky and irritated about it... Micheal and I have shot the tin can numerous times but this is the first book of his I have read.. Brilliant writer... Highly recommend
JD Glasscock
Author of the Series Blood Brothers and the Dream
September 20, 2023
pretty good
This is a fun read. I like the MC. That said, the other characters are a bit one dimensional. There needs to be more character development. One moment a character may be an enemy. The next minute they’re Allie’s with little in between. Also Jess’ character is complete unbelievable.
This is a fun read. I like the MC. That said, the other characters are a bit one dimensional. There needs to be more character development. One moment a character may be an enemy. The next minute they’re Allie’s with little in between. Also Jess’ character is complete unbelievable.
September 24, 2023
Great.
Great action. The MC actually acts like an MC who has been to multiple worlds and has experience. He doesn't act like an immature teenager like a lot of Isekai MCs. He's powerful without being ridiculously OP.
The story progresses well and there's good set up for a sequel. Read it. Can't wait for Book 2.
Great action. The MC actually acts like an MC who has been to multiple worlds and has experience. He doesn't act like an immature teenager like a lot of Isekai MCs. He's powerful without being ridiculously OP.
The story progresses well and there's good set up for a sequel. Read it. Can't wait for Book 2.
November 15, 2023
Welcome to the party
What a fun and amusing story! Take someone with more power than patience and give them a mission that is nigh impossible. Yep, it's either the recipe for disaster or the formula for a good book. We are all fortunate that it is the latter here.
A great start to a series and I'm looking forward to more.
What a fun and amusing story! Take someone with more power than patience and give them a mission that is nigh impossible. Yep, it's either the recipe for disaster or the formula for a good book. We are all fortunate that it is the latter here.
A great start to a series and I'm looking forward to more.
October 28, 2024
Good stories and character development with some humor.
Poor ending.
Should be stand alone book even if it continues in a series but it's abrupt ending with an Epilogue 1 & 2 and Author's note, still did not make for any desire of continuance.
Broke a cardinal rule of writing which left the readers unsatisfied.
Poor ending.
Should be stand alone book even if it continues in a series but it's abrupt ending with an Epilogue 1 & 2 and Author's note, still did not make for any desire of continuance.
Broke a cardinal rule of writing which left the readers unsatisfied.
August 28, 2023
I love a great story
A story of Good VS. Bad. With struggle after struggle and little by little the warrior is strengthened and help slowly added to his side, Good should conquer over evil! Right?
A story of Good VS. Bad. With struggle after struggle and little by little the warrior is strengthened and help slowly added to his side, Good should conquer over evil! Right?
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