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Quest Academy #1
Silvers
A world infested by demons. An Academy designed to train Heroes to save humanity from annihilation. A new student’s power could make all the difference.
Humans have been pushed to the brink of extinction by an ever-evolving demonic threat. Portals are opening faster than ever, Towers bursting into the skies and Dungeons being mined below the last safe havens of society. The demons are winning.
Quest Academy stands defiantly against them, as a place to train the next generation of Heroes. The Guild Association is holding the line, but are in dire need of new blood and the powerful abilities they could bring to the battlefront. To be the saviors that humanity needs, they need to surpass the limits of those that came before them.
In a war with everything on the line, every power matters. With an adaptive enemy, comes the need for a constant shift in tactics. A new age of strategy is emerging, with even the unlikeliest of Heroes making an impact.
Salvatore Argento has never seen a demon. He has never aspired to become a Hero. Yet his power might be the one to tip the odds in humanity’s favor.
Humans have been pushed to the brink of extinction by an ever-evolving demonic threat. Portals are opening faster than ever, Towers bursting into the skies and Dungeons being mined below the last safe havens of society. The demons are winning.
Quest Academy stands defiantly against them, as a place to train the next generation of Heroes. The Guild Association is holding the line, but are in dire need of new blood and the powerful abilities they could bring to the battlefront. To be the saviors that humanity needs, they need to surpass the limits of those that came before them.
In a war with everything on the line, every power matters. With an adaptive enemy, comes the need for a constant shift in tactics. A new age of strategy is emerging, with even the unlikeliest of Heroes making an impact.
Salvatore Argento has never seen a demon. He has never aspired to become a Hero. Yet his power might be the one to tip the odds in humanity’s favor.
444 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2023
1232 people are currently reading
2419 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
August 5, 2023
This has SEVERE balance issues.
The setting is and sets the pace for everything else. The academy and it's set up is where it all falls apart. It is capitalism at its worst, pay to win non-stop. Inconsistencies abound in how the academy deals with issues, the author is very heavy handed in adding in tension and conflict. None of it feels natural, it is all put in with a crowbar. If Quest is really in charge of the academy, given the setting, he needs to be fired for incompetence if not outright negligence.
The setting is and sets the pace for everything else. The academy and it's set up is where it all falls apart. It is capitalism at its worst, pay to win non-stop. Inconsistencies abound in how the academy deals with issues, the author is very heavy handed in adding in tension and conflict. None of it feels natural, it is all put in with a crowbar. If Quest is really in charge of the academy, given the setting, he needs to be fired for incompetence if not outright negligence.
October 5, 2023
disappointed
I enjoyed the story other than the portrayal of women they are all described by their attractiveness and all seem drawn to the MC and basically throw themselves at him for example he makes some gloves for a girl her reaction is is to just strip on the spot and sleep with him even the teachers flirt and come on to him it’s frankly disturbing and annoying and takes what could of been an amazing book into a trashy anime style teenage boy lust fantasy hopefully they will tone it down for the next ones or at least make it more realistic. Would of been five star without all that nonsense
I enjoyed the story other than the portrayal of women they are all described by their attractiveness and all seem drawn to the MC and basically throw themselves at him for example he makes some gloves for a girl her reaction is is to just strip on the spot and sleep with him even the teachers flirt and come on to him it’s frankly disturbing and annoying and takes what could of been an amazing book into a trashy anime style teenage boy lust fantasy hopefully they will tone it down for the next ones or at least make it more realistic. Would of been five star without all that nonsense
July 20, 2023
Out of the park
This is a great piece of entertainment. Super fun story, with very strong character creation and development and glimpses of top notch world creation.
Academy/school story where you don’t really have a rise to power, since the main character start fairly high.
Think Gamelit+Drew Hayes Powereds
This is a great piece of entertainment. Super fun story, with very strong character creation and development and glimpses of top notch world creation.
Academy/school story where you don’t really have a rise to power, since the main character start fairly high.
Think Gamelit+Drew Hayes Powereds
July 31, 2023
This is a fun gamelit-adjacent story that feels like a mix of Super Powereds and something like Iron Prince. It's always a pleasant surprise to find a book I enjoy this much when picking up a new author.
Plot - 8/10, Character - 9/10, Setting/Mechanics - 8/10, Writing - 6/10, Enjoyment - 9/10
Our main character, Salvatore Argento, is a young man living in a dystopian future where demons have opened portals to the world. Humanity lives in various strongholds that run with future tech and essence, which works similarly to mana in many other stories. The demons are from an essence-rich environment and start flooding the planet with it to make things more to their liking. As a side-effect, humans develop superpowers. This allows the humans to start holding their ground and even consider retaking lost territory. As the world floods with more essence, each new generation of people is stronger than the last, so a retired group of heroes creates a Hero University to train the next generation. It's a great premise that mixes all the stuff you see in many System, Dystopian, and Magic School stories.
The characters were probably my favorite element of the story since we get a large cast, all with their own personalities and powers. Our MC, Sal, is the son of a merchant auctioneer family whose superpower is Skill Mastery. It allows him to temporarily copy the powers of anyone he sees (similar to Kakashi from Naruto). He has to be careful though, using someone else's powers carelessly could seriously injure him since his own body might not be built for it. Pretty much any power you can think of makes at least an appearance, including a superpower that functions like a System, cataloging everyone's abilities and strengths, and demons by level. This is where a bit of the Gamelit comes in.
I enjoyed the setting, cause who doesn't like a good Magic School in a dystopian world? I've gotta say first and foremost that I don't think this is LitRPG. Not because I'm some sort of gatekeeper, but because the System in this story operates more like appraisal software. There really aren't experience points or levels in the way of most games, though equipment and skills are rated as Common, Uncommon, Rare, etc. It still scratches the Gamelit itch to a degree though since all of the superpowers are categorized as Offense, Defense, and Support, so the idea of party composition has a game-like quality to it. Maybe these elements will play a stronger role in future books. Book 1 really only covers the first month of the school year, so there's potential for things to go any number of ways. But just be warned if you are a LitRPG fanatic coming for crunchy stats, that's not really what this story is about.
The writing was the weakest link and I struggled for a few pages to adjust. The proofreading and basic grammar was fine, with only a handful of errors jumping out at me throughout the entire book - the prose could use a professional line edit though. The first couple of pages threw me a curveball as Sal's parents are referred to by their first names with no real transition from the earlier description of Mom and Dad. I figured it out quickly enough, but it was a bit confusing for a paragraph or two as I thought a new/additional character was in the scene. Maybe it's a cultural thing, but young people usually don't think of parents by their first names, so it felt weird since Sal was our pov. There was also a lot of naming emotions rather than showing them and describing things that the MC couldn't have seen, which fudged the pov a bit.
"Both his parents looked at him, but their emotions were wildly different. Petro’s face was a mask of pride, while Sophia’s was filled with barely concealed apprehension."
Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, as I imagine that experience will iron some of these kinks out over time. It had me concerned like a yellow flag on the field for a bit, but once the story got going, you couldn't have paid me to put it down. Overall, the writing was still above what I consider genre average for the progressive fantasy and gamelit space, so it shouldn't discourage people too much.
I can't help but notice certain writing nits, but I really enjoyed this story. Once I settled into it, the story and the characters were great. The author balanced the character's OP ability well with the story and it's refreshing to see more stories from the "support" class perspective. I think the author also did a great job introducing and balancing the large cast of characters. Things could have easily gotten out of hand, but other than the early blip with the parents, I had no trouble keeping characters straight as the story progressed.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the Gamelit and Progressive Fantasy genres. If you enjoyed Super Powereds by Drew Hayes, then give this story a go. And vice versa. It's great to read stories that scratch all the itches while still feeling pretty fresh. While quite a bit different, I also couldn't help but think of Iron Prince and Path of Ascension just from the sheer scope of the skill development and training for an eventual war. So fans of those series might want to check this one out as well. I don't really keep track of my top 10 reads or anything, but I can comfortably say this is one of the best progressive fantasy/gamelit/magic school stories I've read recently.
I'm looking forward to the next installment of Quest Academy!
Plot - 8/10, Character - 9/10, Setting/Mechanics - 8/10, Writing - 6/10, Enjoyment - 9/10
Our main character, Salvatore Argento, is a young man living in a dystopian future where demons have opened portals to the world. Humanity lives in various strongholds that run with future tech and essence, which works similarly to mana in many other stories. The demons are from an essence-rich environment and start flooding the planet with it to make things more to their liking. As a side-effect, humans develop superpowers. This allows the humans to start holding their ground and even consider retaking lost territory. As the world floods with more essence, each new generation of people is stronger than the last, so a retired group of heroes creates a Hero University to train the next generation. It's a great premise that mixes all the stuff you see in many System, Dystopian, and Magic School stories.
The characters were probably my favorite element of the story since we get a large cast, all with their own personalities and powers. Our MC, Sal, is the son of a merchant auctioneer family whose superpower is Skill Mastery. It allows him to temporarily copy the powers of anyone he sees (similar to Kakashi from Naruto). He has to be careful though, using someone else's powers carelessly could seriously injure him since his own body might not be built for it. Pretty much any power you can think of makes at least an appearance, including a superpower that functions like a System, cataloging everyone's abilities and strengths, and demons by level. This is where a bit of the Gamelit comes in.
I enjoyed the setting, cause who doesn't like a good Magic School in a dystopian world? I've gotta say first and foremost that I don't think this is LitRPG. Not because I'm some sort of gatekeeper, but because the System in this story operates more like appraisal software. There really aren't experience points or levels in the way of most games, though equipment and skills are rated as Common, Uncommon, Rare, etc. It still scratches the Gamelit itch to a degree though since all of the superpowers are categorized as Offense, Defense, and Support, so the idea of party composition has a game-like quality to it. Maybe these elements will play a stronger role in future books. Book 1 really only covers the first month of the school year, so there's potential for things to go any number of ways. But just be warned if you are a LitRPG fanatic coming for crunchy stats, that's not really what this story is about.
The writing was the weakest link and I struggled for a few pages to adjust. The proofreading and basic grammar was fine, with only a handful of errors jumping out at me throughout the entire book - the prose could use a professional line edit though. The first couple of pages threw me a curveball as Sal's parents are referred to by their first names with no real transition from the earlier description of Mom and Dad. I figured it out quickly enough, but it was a bit confusing for a paragraph or two as I thought a new/additional character was in the scene. Maybe it's a cultural thing, but young people usually don't think of parents by their first names, so it felt weird since Sal was our pov. There was also a lot of naming emotions rather than showing them and describing things that the MC couldn't have seen, which fudged the pov a bit.
"Both his parents looked at him, but their emotions were wildly different. Petro’s face was a mask of pride, while Sophia’s was filled with barely concealed apprehension."
Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, as I imagine that experience will iron some of these kinks out over time. It had me concerned like a yellow flag on the field for a bit, but once the story got going, you couldn't have paid me to put it down. Overall, the writing was still above what I consider genre average for the progressive fantasy and gamelit space, so it shouldn't discourage people too much.
I can't help but notice certain writing nits, but I really enjoyed this story. Once I settled into it, the story and the characters were great. The author balanced the character's OP ability well with the story and it's refreshing to see more stories from the "support" class perspective. I think the author also did a great job introducing and balancing the large cast of characters. Things could have easily gotten out of hand, but other than the early blip with the parents, I had no trouble keeping characters straight as the story progressed.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the Gamelit and Progressive Fantasy genres. If you enjoyed Super Powereds by Drew Hayes, then give this story a go. And vice versa. It's great to read stories that scratch all the itches while still feeling pretty fresh. While quite a bit different, I also couldn't help but think of Iron Prince and Path of Ascension just from the sheer scope of the skill development and training for an eventual war. So fans of those series might want to check this one out as well. I don't really keep track of my top 10 reads or anything, but I can comfortably say this is one of the best progressive fantasy/gamelit/magic school stories I've read recently.
I'm looking forward to the next installment of Quest Academy!
November 3, 2024
DNF. Generic wish fulfillment with cardboard characters (in the case of the woman, uniformly attractive and all of whom (including teachers) are fascinated by the MC - who apparently can easily do anything). No suspense, no plot or character development, no logical building. Exemplifies the worst of the litrpg genre.
Sorry to be harsh: if you like this kind of thin maybe it’s adequate, but a 4.5 average rating is just absurd.
Sorry to be harsh: if you like this kind of thin maybe it’s adequate, but a 4.5 average rating is just absurd.
September 25, 2023
This is one of those stories where the story arcs go to die/disappear forever?? Maybe it's Attention Deficit Disorder, or a lack of conviction/organization by the author.
In a world that is being constantly attacked by Monster Stampedes, the only "monster attack" occurs when Sal was traveling with his family to the Quest Academy. Everything comes way to easy for the main character, there is no rule of equivalent exchange ( Sal can replicate any weapon/special ability by just analyzing it). There is no practice, no martial arts training, no weapons design classes, etc. to progressively learn to create weapons and systems.
Then, there are no real classes at this academy, no real adventurer-training, just a profit motive, sensual interests and liaisons of Sal, main character, and then a very long competition that takes the latter half of this first book. Student groups duel each other for no real purpose, author doesn't even mention prizes, grades, etc. Includes the "individual scores for the different teams dueling each other but these "students" never really encounter any monsters, what is the point of dueling other "human-students"??? Why would the students fight each other instead of fighting the monsters together???
Does the author try to cover too much ground, without really finishing anything??? There is little to no information about the "special ability system" in place in this Sci-Fi world, there is little to no world descriptions, explaining the geopolitical, territories, economic, social, religious, etc. systems in place in this other world. There are no maps, no real monster stampedes, no real monster hunts or things that adventurers usually do (dungeon delving, etc.) Sal's family has a progressive/totalitarian/Expropriatory set of values, and at the same time are one of the "richest families in this place" because they are in charge of the only auction hall???
Where I am going with this is, there is a lot of information, plot arcs missing from this first book, then there are a lot of inconsistencies, that make this book mediocre at best. Not worthy enough to read or invest the time to read.
I do not recommend this book or this series.
In a world that is being constantly attacked by Monster Stampedes, the only "monster attack" occurs when Sal was traveling with his family to the Quest Academy. Everything comes way to easy for the main character, there is no rule of equivalent exchange ( Sal can replicate any weapon/special ability by just analyzing it). There is no practice, no martial arts training, no weapons design classes, etc. to progressively learn to create weapons and systems.
Then, there are no real classes at this academy, no real adventurer-training, just a profit motive, sensual interests and liaisons of Sal, main character, and then a very long competition that takes the latter half of this first book. Student groups duel each other for no real purpose, author doesn't even mention prizes, grades, etc. Includes the "individual scores for the different teams dueling each other but these "students" never really encounter any monsters, what is the point of dueling other "human-students"??? Why would the students fight each other instead of fighting the monsters together???
Does the author try to cover too much ground, without really finishing anything??? There is little to no information about the "special ability system" in place in this Sci-Fi world, there is little to no world descriptions, explaining the geopolitical, territories, economic, social, religious, etc. systems in place in this other world. There are no maps, no real monster stampedes, no real monster hunts or things that adventurers usually do (dungeon delving, etc.) Sal's family has a progressive/totalitarian/Expropriatory set of values, and at the same time are one of the "richest families in this place" because they are in charge of the only auction hall???
Where I am going with this is, there is a lot of information, plot arcs missing from this first book, then there are a lot of inconsistencies, that make this book mediocre at best. Not worthy enough to read or invest the time to read.
I do not recommend this book or this series.
August 6, 2023
Book one?
I have yet to find any information on if this will be a series, but it should be.
This is one of the best Academy books that I have ever read.
There is so much that was mentioned in the book that has yet to be explored.
I'd happily dive back into this universe if more is ever written.
A few mistakes were found and I have listed them on Goodreads.
9/10
I have yet to find any information on if this will be a series, but it should be.
This is one of the best Academy books that I have ever read.
There is so much that was mentioned in the book that has yet to be explored.
I'd happily dive back into this universe if more is ever written.
A few mistakes were found and I have listed them on Goodreads.
9/10
October 3, 2025
Silvers (Quest Academy, #1) by Brian J. Nordon
A mechanically competent but narratively convenient debut that prioritizes power fantasy fulfillment over character development, revealing fundamental weaknesses in plot construction and protagonist agency.
World-Building and Premise: Nordon constructs a post-apocalyptic urban fantasy where demonic portals, towers, and dungeons threaten humanity's survival after sixty years of ongoing invasion. Quest Academy serves as humanity's training ground for "Heroes" who possess supernatural abilities classified into Offense, Defense, and Support categories. The world-building demonstrates solid foundational concepts—combining magical abilities with modern technology, structured educational systems, and clear existential stakes.
However, the execution reveals significant structural problems. Critics note that the Academy operates as "capitalism at its worst, pay to win non-stop," with inconsistencies in institutional management that strain credibility. The author's heavy-handed approach to creating conflict through institutional dysfunction undermines the logical framework necessary for effective fantasy world-building.
Protagonist Analysis and Character Development: Salvatore Argento possesses an extraordinarily powerful ability to perceive and copy magical abilities, functioning as both appraiser and skill mimic. His background as son of auctioneers provides narrative justification for his expertise with valuable objects and negotiation skills. Yet this backstory creates immediate character inconsistencies that plague the entire narrative.
Critical Character Flaws:
Behavioral Contradictions: Despite growing up helping parents with customers and negotiations, Salvatore displays anime protagonist social awkwardness—tongue-tied with women, intimidated by authority figures, unable to accept compliments. This fundamental inconsistency undermines character credibility from the outset.
Absent Self-Preservation: After suffering mind control that results in broken arms and ribs, Salvatore briefly considers crafting mental protection, then abandons the project to work on uniforms. This pattern—starting crucial projects then abandoning them for trivial pursuits—occurs repeatedly throughout the narrative.
Passive Agency: Rather than driving plot through personal choices, Salvatore consistently benefits from external forces aligning in his favor, reducing him to a passive recipient of narrative convenience rather than active protagonist.
Plot Construction and Narrative Convenience: The story suffers from what can only be described as systematic protagonist favoritism, where circumstances consistently align to benefit Salvatore regardless of logical probability or his personal choices. This pattern manifests in several problematic ways:
Convenient Power Escalation: Salvatore's ability to copy skills at "the highest degree" and then enhance others' abilities beyond their natural limits positions him as uniquely capable among all Heroes. Rather than earning this distinction through struggle or sacrifice, his superiority appears as inherent gift requiring minimal development.
Institutional Protection: Despite his overpowered abilities causing resentment among "Offense fighters," the Academy system consistently accommodates rather than challenges him. This removes meaningful conflict while reinforcing the protagonist's special status without corresponding responsibility.
Project Abandonment Pattern: The narrative introduces significant challenges (mental vulnerability, equipment needs, strategic advantages), establishes Salvatore's capability to address them, then allows him to abandon these pursuits without consequences. This pattern suggests an author uncertain about long-term story direction, resulting in episodic rather than cumulative plot development.
Technical Execution and Genre Elements: The book demonstrates competence in LitRPG/Progression Fantasy mechanics, incorporating statistical tables, leveling systems, and game-like terminology effectively. The 444-page length allows for detailed world exploration and character interaction, though notes of exposition-heavy opening sections that extend too long.
The inclusion of crafting elements and support-class perspective provides refreshing variation from typical combat-focused fantasy, with Salvatore's auction house sequences representing some of the book's strongest writing. However, the author's handling of romance elements and female character interactions receives mixed reception, with some finding them awkward or unrealistic.
Rating: ⭐⭐✩✩✩ out of 5 stars
April 4, 2024
Have you ever wondered what Harry Potter could have been if they fought with magic infused guns and against demons? I know, that might seem a bit far fetched, but crossing genres is one of my pet peeves. Follow me deeper into this kind of crossover!
A while ago, I stumbled upon this subgenre called Progression Fantasy. Quest Academy is my second series in this particular genre, and it helps me to define the genre borders better. If you never heard of this particular flavor of fiction - it's basically like playing a video game and leveling up your character.
Quest Academy takes this approach to the maximum at times, and while it seems that having a protagonist that is overpowered - or OP, as games enthusiasts would call it - is one of the common practices, Quest Academy isn't shy about making it clear upfront.
Another part that is at the heart and core of progression fantasy, is stats. And Quest Academy not only has them, but doesn't also shy away from representing them using actual, honest to God tables. When's the last time You've seen tables in fiction literature?
At some point, I waited for them to put tables into the tables.
Besides stats, there's also a lot of terminology that wouldn't be foreign in an actual video game. Levels, loot, even boss fights and dungeons - it's all there!
I've mentioned Harry Potter, but only as a reference point for the fact that the protagonist is a student at a school that teaches magic (kind of). The main difference is that we don't start with young kids, but teenagers (I don't recall if the age was ever wasmentioned, but probably around 16, 17, so actually young adults). This means we're getting all the grit about the world right from the batch, and not starting with book 3 like Harry Potter. There's even the mention of sexual intercourse! It's not happening "on the screen", more besides, so to say, but you know it's there. And the language isn't shy of using swear words.
That word is actually used multiple times.
So Quest Academy boldly goes where a lot of YA doesn't dare to go. Sadly, it's also pretty bold in the use of exposition. A bit too much for my tastes, I would have liked a little less handholding. Then again, I might misunderstand the needs of the YA audiences, being a "not so young anymore adult" myself.
I should probably admit that "Progressive Fantasy" is my own way of describing this subgenre, which just goes to show that I'm old. The cool guys are calling this LitRPG, because of mixing literature with the mechanics of role-playing games. But for me, I can't call it RPG if I don't get to roll a die.
Well then. 4 out of 5 dice from me, looking forward to the next installment!
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Read this review on the blog - the layout is better 😃.
******************************
A while ago, I stumbled upon this subgenre called Progression Fantasy. Quest Academy is my second series in this particular genre, and it helps me to define the genre borders better. If you never heard of this particular flavor of fiction - it's basically like playing a video game and leveling up your character.
Quest Academy takes this approach to the maximum at times, and while it seems that having a protagonist that is overpowered - or OP, as games enthusiasts would call it - is one of the common practices, Quest Academy isn't shy about making it clear upfront.
Another part that is at the heart and core of progression fantasy, is stats. And Quest Academy not only has them, but doesn't also shy away from representing them using actual, honest to God tables. When's the last time You've seen tables in fiction literature?
At some point, I waited for them to put tables into the tables.
Besides stats, there's also a lot of terminology that wouldn't be foreign in an actual video game. Levels, loot, even boss fights and dungeons - it's all there!
I've mentioned Harry Potter, but only as a reference point for the fact that the protagonist is a student at a school that teaches magic (kind of). The main difference is that we don't start with young kids, but teenagers (I don't recall if the age was ever wasmentioned, but probably around 16, 17, so actually young adults). This means we're getting all the grit about the world right from the batch, and not starting with book 3 like Harry Potter. There's even the mention of sexual intercourse! It's not happening "on the screen", more besides, so to say, but you know it's there. And the language isn't shy of using swear words.
That word is actually used multiple times.So Quest Academy boldly goes where a lot of YA doesn't dare to go. Sadly, it's also pretty bold in the use of exposition. A bit too much for my tastes, I would have liked a little less handholding. Then again, I might misunderstand the needs of the YA audiences, being a "not so young anymore adult" myself.
I should probably admit that "Progressive Fantasy" is my own way of describing this subgenre, which just goes to show that I'm old. The cool guys are calling this LitRPG, because of mixing literature with the mechanics of role-playing games. But for me, I can't call it RPG if I don't get to roll a die.
Well then. 4 out of 5 dice from me, looking forward to the next installment!
******************************
Read this review on the blog - the layout is better 😃.
******************************
July 22, 2023
4 stars but my finger slipped and I decided it would be petty to change it since I read the whole thing in one day.
October 5, 2025
Okay, let's address the elephant in the room right off the bat; the protagonist is definitely a Gary Stu.
The thing is, I kind of don't care.
I say kind of because a part of me knows this will cause major problems for the rest of the series if it isn't addressed, but I loved this story regardless.
It's set in a world facing an existential threat from a demon invasion. Sixty years of this invasion have seen the rise of superpowers that get used to either fight the war or support those who do.
Where this novel shines is that its protagonist isn't a warrior destined to fight on the front lines (at least right now... More on that later), but instead, a character with powers ideally suited to be in a supporting role. As the son of auctioneers, the protagonist has inherited the ability to see the inherent qualities of objects (and people to a lesser extent), allowing him to appraise items, which is a valuable skill in this world. An offshoot of this ability unique to him is that he can see the magic that gives people their powers allowing him to copy those powers to use for himself as long as he can remember them.
These abilities, plus a power he copies from another person later in the novel, set him up to become a genius-level crafter who can use his amazing skills to improve his life and humanity's chances against the demons.
I loved that this novel chose to focus on this role, as it's not the path most of these stories would have followed. Rather than becoming an OP superhero who single-handedly turns battles in mankind's favour, he focuses on becoming an inventor and businessman. This might be less flashy, but honestly, it's more realistic in having a bigger impact on a worldwide struggle than a single powerful warrior.
Because of this path being so unusual, this novel was a breath of fresh air in a genre that can be quite stale. This novelty put a huge smile on my face. Add some really enjoyable characters, relationships, world-building, and mountains of wish fulfilment, and suddenly, this story turns into something special.
All that being said, there are potential danger signs of what might be coming for this series. I already brought up the Gary Stu issue. I also get the impression from how this novel finished that the support class protagonist might take on a more traditional role in future books. I can see the temptation to get the protagonist out of the workshop and onto the battlefield, and I'm dreading that now-familiar story as I think it is the wrong direction to take this series. That's just speculation and hasn't happened yet, so I won't hold it against this book.
I loved every minute of this story and can't wait to see what happens next.
5-stars!
The thing is, I kind of don't care.
I say kind of because a part of me knows this will cause major problems for the rest of the series if it isn't addressed, but I loved this story regardless.
It's set in a world facing an existential threat from a demon invasion. Sixty years of this invasion have seen the rise of superpowers that get used to either fight the war or support those who do.
Where this novel shines is that its protagonist isn't a warrior destined to fight on the front lines (at least right now... More on that later), but instead, a character with powers ideally suited to be in a supporting role. As the son of auctioneers, the protagonist has inherited the ability to see the inherent qualities of objects (and people to a lesser extent), allowing him to appraise items, which is a valuable skill in this world. An offshoot of this ability unique to him is that he can see the magic that gives people their powers allowing him to copy those powers to use for himself as long as he can remember them.
These abilities, plus a power he copies from another person later in the novel, set him up to become a genius-level crafter who can use his amazing skills to improve his life and humanity's chances against the demons.
I loved that this novel chose to focus on this role, as it's not the path most of these stories would have followed. Rather than becoming an OP superhero who single-handedly turns battles in mankind's favour, he focuses on becoming an inventor and businessman. This might be less flashy, but honestly, it's more realistic in having a bigger impact on a worldwide struggle than a single powerful warrior.
Because of this path being so unusual, this novel was a breath of fresh air in a genre that can be quite stale. This novelty put a huge smile on my face. Add some really enjoyable characters, relationships, world-building, and mountains of wish fulfilment, and suddenly, this story turns into something special.
All that being said, there are potential danger signs of what might be coming for this series. I already brought up the Gary Stu issue. I also get the impression from how this novel finished that the support class protagonist might take on a more traditional role in future books. I can see the temptation to get the protagonist out of the workshop and onto the battlefield, and I'm dreading that now-familiar story as I think it is the wrong direction to take this series. That's just speculation and hasn't happened yet, so I won't hold it against this book.
I loved every minute of this story and can't wait to see what happens next.
5-stars!
July 24, 2023
It takes a bit
To find its footing.
First, the MC is ridiculously OP while also being a desk jockey with no athletic skills, which I guess is a way to balance him…but not. I mean, he can copy an *improved* version of anybody’s skill *and* craft weapons and armor that are *above* the level of experienced crafters. Oh, and fellow students and even some staff members want to sleep with him.
Really, every thing moves at such a hectic pace you just go with the flow. It compresses what would otherwise be a full semester of training and activities into only a month. You don’t really get a good feel for what classes are being taken or anyone else in the class outside of specific supporting characters and antagonists.
There is a non-binary character that appears almost solely to represent non-binary-ness. It may have been well intentioned, but their appearance in the narrative was so inconsequential as to be cringe-worthy.
I am interested in the next book, but I am also concerned that the MC’s progress will either overwhelm or be artificially neutered.
To find its footing.
First, the MC is ridiculously OP while also being a desk jockey with no athletic skills, which I guess is a way to balance him…but not. I mean, he can copy an *improved* version of anybody’s skill *and* craft weapons and armor that are *above* the level of experienced crafters. Oh, and fellow students and even some staff members want to sleep with him.
Really, every thing moves at such a hectic pace you just go with the flow. It compresses what would otherwise be a full semester of training and activities into only a month. You don’t really get a good feel for what classes are being taken or anyone else in the class outside of specific supporting characters and antagonists.
There is a non-binary character that appears almost solely to represent non-binary-ness. It may have been well intentioned, but their appearance in the narrative was so inconsequential as to be cringe-worthy.
I am interested in the next book, but I am also concerned that the MC’s progress will either overwhelm or be artificially neutered.
September 6, 2023
I’m glad I found Mr. Nordon’s first published book. The characters are well formed. The pacing is great. My interest was held captive. The story is great. The book is well edited and the grammar is excellent. I highly recommend this read to those with similar tastes in fantasy fiction as mine.
July 19, 2023
Addictive Read
This story has a world I want to see. One I want to walk through and only hope I could attend the academy. The MC is likable and relatable. I am rooting for him the whole time.
Give this one a read. If you do I am sure you’ll get hooked pretty quick and will joy it to the end.
This story has a world I want to see. One I want to walk through and only hope I could attend the academy. The MC is likable and relatable. I am rooting for him the whole time.
Give this one a read. If you do I am sure you’ll get hooked pretty quick and will joy it to the end.
July 20, 2023
Absolutely ridiculously good
Shotgunned in every spare moment I had today, I am now eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Great setting, brilliant pacing and a cast of characters that all have a realistic weight to their thoughts and actions.
Shotgunned in every spare moment I had today, I am now eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Great setting, brilliant pacing and a cast of characters that all have a realistic weight to their thoughts and actions.
May 3, 2024
Really enjoyable, almost 5/5 but something is missing and I can’t place it but damn fun.
October 6, 2025
crafting and academy. engaging skill up
July 20, 2023
Amazing New Series
Could not put this down, easily my favorite new series of the year! It is so much more than just combat and was perfectly balanced for my tastes.
Could not put this down, easily my favorite new series of the year! It is so much more than just combat and was perfectly balanced for my tastes.
March 16, 2024
5 To Trying Our Best.... And Winning Stars
Quest Academy: Silvers the first book in the series by Brian J. Nordon.
I have been finding some truly amazing new reads lately. I already wish this was a full 10 book series, so I could just dive in and fully explore the world building and system mechanics. I'm excited to see how far his time at the academy pushes the boundaries of what Sal believes himself capable of. Even now, it's almost being forced upon, even in his Support role, to go out and experience battle himself.
His ability is outstanding and so full of unexplored potential. The capability to copy and use other skills at the highest degree transitioning into unraveling the blockages in their power to make them even more powerful. To be able to bring about the next generations' fullest potential!
He is fighting against social stigma surrounding the Support classification and outlining their true capabilities. I find it so outrageous and funny that the Offense fighters are outraged that his using his abilities to win against them.
Beyond that, their war against the invading Demon world seems to be unveiling mysterious new discoveries. Even now, 60 years after they invasion began. I'm excited to unearth even more unknowns in the future.
Quest Academy: Silvers the first book in the series by Brian J. Nordon.
I have been finding some truly amazing new reads lately. I already wish this was a full 10 book series, so I could just dive in and fully explore the world building and system mechanics. I'm excited to see how far his time at the academy pushes the boundaries of what Sal believes himself capable of. Even now, it's almost being forced upon, even in his Support role, to go out and experience battle himself.
His ability is outstanding and so full of unexplored potential. The capability to copy and use other skills at the highest degree transitioning into unraveling the blockages in their power to make them even more powerful. To be able to bring about the next generations' fullest potential!
He is fighting against social stigma surrounding the Support classification and outlining their true capabilities. I find it so outrageous and funny that the Offense fighters are outraged that his using his abilities to win against them.
Beyond that, their war against the invading Demon world seems to be unveiling mysterious new discoveries. Even now, 60 years after they invasion began. I'm excited to unearth even more unknowns in the future.
Read
August 16, 2023Great academy book!
The author has somehow managed to make the main character both OP and the underdog - while being likeable. Other reviews will no doubt rave about to story but for me, that's the more incredible achievement🙂
The author has somehow managed to make the main character both OP and the underdog - while being likeable. Other reviews will no doubt rave about to story but for me, that's the more incredible achievement🙂
March 21, 2024
I'm not a great fan of fantasy books set in academies. Luckily this one doesn't dwell for long on the usual tropes of bullying and unrequited love. In a remarkable turn, it actually spends a decent length of time on the actual lessons. Some readers might criticize this as blatant exposition, but I found it relevant and interesting.
For those of you who remember the TV series "Heroes," you'll be reminded of the bad guy's ability to steal other people's powers. This book starts by letting the reader in on this same secret held by the protagonist. However, rather than a story of a young man overcoming great obstacles via a plethora of borrowed skills, the plot takes an almost immediate turn into an unfamiliar path.
I enjoyed the bulk of this book. One of the highlights was a heartwarming friendship/partnership that is crucial to resolving most of the plot's challenges. It seems likely that the series will soon focus on an ensemble cast, which can be a challenge to write successfully.
Despite the lack of tension in the last 20% of the story, I'll be happy to continue the series... when it is written.
For those of you who remember the TV series "Heroes," you'll be reminded of the bad guy's ability to steal other people's powers. This book starts by letting the reader in on this same secret held by the protagonist. However, rather than a story of a young man overcoming great obstacles via a plethora of borrowed skills, the plot takes an almost immediate turn into an unfamiliar path.
I enjoyed the bulk of this book. One of the highlights was a heartwarming friendship/partnership that is crucial to resolving most of the plot's challenges. It seems likely that the series will soon focus on an ensemble cast, which can be a challenge to write successfully.
Despite the lack of tension in the last 20% of the story, I'll be happy to continue the series... when it is written.
September 27, 2023
would recommend
Really surprised how good this book was. Liked the aspect of focusing on a “support” character. Only one thing I disliked was it threw In A they them , and a non binary character for what seemed like no reason and was 2 sentences long . I like to read to escape the real world .
Really surprised how good this book was. Liked the aspect of focusing on a “support” character. Only one thing I disliked was it threw In A they them , and a non binary character for what seemed like no reason and was 2 sentences long . I like to read to escape the real world .
September 19, 2025
At the macro level this book has some great ideas that feel like they are specifically tailored to me - like, its premise is that it takes place in a superhero school. Perfect.
At the micro level this book fails pretty severely. Besides inconsistent characterization, the pacing issues are pretty dreadful. For example, protagonist Sal goes from above average to MASSIVELY overpowered very early in the book, which halts all tension. Like, the progression fantasy/LitRPG genres revolve around the (generally) gradual ascent into massive OPness, so it's not very interesting to spend the vast majority of a book with an already OP character. At least, that's my (obviously correct) opinion.
Another major issue with this book is that it contains some REALLY weird attitudes towards sex, as well as insane amounts of misogyny. Sal views every single woman through the lens of sexual attraction - which is actually really weird, because men who surround themselves with as many women as he does tend not to be total pigs. Almost every single woman in this book is oversexualized, although this is inconsistent (tying into the weird pacing issues): a woman who is otherwise sexless suddenly hits on the protagonist for no reason, and then is suddenly relegated back to the friend zone. It's just weird.
The final huge issue I have with this book is that it takes a less-than-desirous approach to answering the question "what happens if LitRPG meets capitalism?" Money is the reason literally everything in this novel takes place, and not even in a critique-of-capitalism kind of way - but in a "this is final-stage capitalism to the nth degree" kind of way. It's actually impressive how unselfconscious this book is in its preoccupation with capital. I hate it.
So, will I read more in this series? Eh. I might eventually try out the second book, but I don't think it's for me. Maybe someone else could look past the issues, but I'm not sure I can.
At the micro level this book fails pretty severely. Besides inconsistent characterization, the pacing issues are pretty dreadful. For example, protagonist Sal goes from above average to MASSIVELY overpowered very early in the book, which halts all tension. Like, the progression fantasy/LitRPG genres revolve around the (generally) gradual ascent into massive OPness, so it's not very interesting to spend the vast majority of a book with an already OP character. At least, that's my (obviously correct) opinion.
Another major issue with this book is that it contains some REALLY weird attitudes towards sex, as well as insane amounts of misogyny. Sal views every single woman through the lens of sexual attraction - which is actually really weird, because men who surround themselves with as many women as he does tend not to be total pigs. Almost every single woman in this book is oversexualized, although this is inconsistent (tying into the weird pacing issues): a woman who is otherwise sexless suddenly hits on the protagonist for no reason, and then is suddenly relegated back to the friend zone. It's just weird.
The final huge issue I have with this book is that it takes a less-than-desirous approach to answering the question "what happens if LitRPG meets capitalism?" Money is the reason literally everything in this novel takes place, and not even in a critique-of-capitalism kind of way - but in a "this is final-stage capitalism to the nth degree" kind of way. It's actually impressive how unselfconscious this book is in its preoccupation with capital. I hate it.
So, will I read more in this series? Eh. I might eventually try out the second book, but I don't think it's for me. Maybe someone else could look past the issues, but I'm not sure I can.
July 21, 2023
I didn’t believe the review I read and I was wrong.
I read a review talking about how great the book was on Reddit and thought it was just going to be more trash written by 8 ghost writers or something.
I was wrong. This was a great story. The main character isn’t some pushover and he isn’t some ultra hero, he’s just some guy who didn’t have control of his ability and who gains a new way to handle it, then grows from there. He isn’t angst or whiny at all and he doesn’t pull and macho nonsense.
Sal is a decent guy who happens to be cynical and trying not to think the worst of situations while he gets stronger and learns not to move too fast in his work or in adapting to his now controllable appraisal ability. He’s reasonable and doesn’t seem it up with nonsense without being an asshole, and it just works.
I read a review talking about how great the book was on Reddit and thought it was just going to be more trash written by 8 ghost writers or something.
I was wrong. This was a great story. The main character isn’t some pushover and he isn’t some ultra hero, he’s just some guy who didn’t have control of his ability and who gains a new way to handle it, then grows from there. He isn’t angst or whiny at all and he doesn’t pull and macho nonsense.
Sal is a decent guy who happens to be cynical and trying not to think the worst of situations while he gets stronger and learns not to move too fast in his work or in adapting to his now controllable appraisal ability. He’s reasonable and doesn’t seem it up with nonsense without being an asshole, and it just works.
July 22, 2023
Top of the Academy
This is a great approach for such a new author and showcases writing beyond the fame they have. With any new series, the world building is a must-have, and this one is well thought out, and I found surprisingly indepth for the book size. Plenty of hints for the future and a concise breakdown about levelling/ skills are given. Without being too stat heavy, the mix of invention and action keeps this well paced and intriguing main characters involve the reader into the story. So yet another series/author to add to my massive list if must reads.
This is a great approach for such a new author and showcases writing beyond the fame they have. With any new series, the world building is a must-have, and this one is well thought out, and I found surprisingly indepth for the book size. Plenty of hints for the future and a concise breakdown about levelling/ skills are given. Without being too stat heavy, the mix of invention and action keeps this well paced and intriguing main characters involve the reader into the story. So yet another series/author to add to my massive list if must reads.
July 20, 2023
5 Stars hidden gem
Really enjoy the book.,lots of progression, love the characters, love the action truly enjoyed the book. The crafting is just amazing!!! Will continue to follow the series.
Really enjoy the book.,lots of progression, love the characters, love the action truly enjoyed the book. The crafting is just amazing!!! Will continue to follow the series.
December 19, 2025
Quest Academy is a 3/10 series that is almost an 8/10 series.
That may sound dumb and it probably is, but it is the only way I can articulate my thought on it without a long rant. Speaking of which, here is most of it.
This review is for the whole series up through book 6. I'll try to keep spoilers light, or at least vague.
Quest Academy is a series that Follows Salvatore Argento, but his friends call him Sal, as he goes through the titular Quest Academy. Taking place in a post-post-apocalypse setting where the world was mostly destroyed ~60 years ago by some kind of demonic invasion, the magic that said invasion brought infused the remnants of humanity with various kinds of superpowers/magic. Now able to at least hold back the demons humankind has somewhat stabilized and is trying to regain lost ground.
Sal has had the power so copy other's powers in a better form since he was a child but has had difficulties using it without hurting himself in some way. Once arriving at Quest Academy, he is able to combine some of the abilities he copied into a never-before-seen ability. Mythcrafter. The ability to intuitively craft items up to Mythic grade.
Now that the brief introduction is done.
This entire series has no sense of scale. You have first year students who have only been using their power for a few months who can allegedly fight things that most heroes who have been fighting for decades couldn't handle, and then that person would be seen as average for a first year, and then later in the series someone else will do that same thing but better in some way and no one will acknowledge it, or someone will do something far less than that and be seen as among the best in the academy. But then in a different scene a hero will pull something out of their ass that completely dwarfs everything seen up until that point and it will be forgotten before the end of that page. And in another a different first year will do something really minor and be praised as something completely unprecedented and then disappear form the series the following chapter.
And with gear, it's mentioned repeatedly that most students at the academy (even third years) mostly have common and uncommon ranked gear with a few rares. But every crafter we see on page cranks out epics and legendries with little to no effort. It at least makes sense for Sal, with that literally being his skill/ability/weave, but then everyone does it. Or at least all the named characters do. In the later books when Sal starts making machines that can craft on their own is when this completely, unrecoverably, breaks. Where his first one is able to make an epic grade items, which may not be as impressive as the legendries that others can make, but it can make them in minutes unlike people who (allegedly) take anywhere from days to months. But even that scale has its problems as it is repeatedly mentioned in the first few books that crafting is a slow meticulous practice that Sal is able to brute force his way through with his ability, but then later there are characters who take even less time than him on some builds. Although this is mostly due to the book taking place over a short period of time, as the build will take place over the course of 30+ chapters, but only like 2 days have passed during that time. So, I don't think it was intentional on the author's part.
Speaking of that. Time. Have you ever read/watched a long story that was a grand adventure where the story went from one end of the world to the other, with tons of story and action in between. The characters growing into new people and coming of age, learning lessons, and forging lifelong friendships, and at the end of it you noticed that only like 2 months had passed. This story is probably the worst case of that in storytelling that I have ever seen.
I have no idea how long a semester is at the academy, or when classes are, or how many there are in a day, or even how long they last, if they get weekends off, when the free periods are, if there are any holidays, and I can guarantee you that the author doesn't know either. There are major things that people will harp on about being done insanely fast, only for someone to do the exact same thing in less than a tenth the time and have no one acknowledge it. Or later in book 5 and 6 there is a background character that undergoes "a few months" of healing in about 4 weeks. Or at least I think it was 4 weeks, the books will sometimes randomly have time skips of a month or two that no one will acknowledge until several chapters after they happen, and it is not apparent in the slightest when they happen as it will still feel like no time has passed, other than a passing comment that a character either did some classes or crafted something during the time skip. And nothing will ever come from that though, the items crafted will at most be mentioned twice and the classes don't matter, and on the off chance they do they will appear later in the story anyways.
With nearly every chapter taking place either immediately after the previous or a few minutes/hours later, with the occasional one being the next day, it leads to there never being a chance for time to actually pass in any amount. But those time skips allegedly still happen.
The author has a horrible habit of forgetting things. Eventually he makes a trait of the main character that he is really forgetful/easily distracted, but it only somewhat works as the majority of plot threads throughout the series are still just dropped with no fanfare. Until a few books later when someone asked the author about it on discord so he will put in a paragraph or two about it and then never bring it up again. Every time a character is introduced, or plot is started, you can flip a coin on whether or not it will be forgotten by the end of the book. And there is no point in doing so between books, because there is an over 90% chance it will be.
Speaking of characters, that is both a highlight and low point of the books. The author is actually a rather skilled character writer most of the time, but he seems hell bent on doing everything he can to not write any character that isn't Sal or one of 3 characters he has decided to exist for that book. While I think it is normally a good idea for books to focus on a small handful of characters to focus on in a book and to have characters come and go; it leads to a larger feeling world and a feeling that the characters have lives outside of the main character/plot; the problem I have with it in this series is that it doesn't feel like characters aren't appearing because they are doing something else, it feels like the author just got distracted with something and forgot about them. With the exception of book 2 where this was done rather well.
While I'm not a big fan of Sal himself, I do enjoy most of his interactions with most of the other characters. The chemistry with his teacher/mentor upgrade is really fun; her teasing juvenile nature mixed with being an actually competent teacher leads to some really fun scenes. Barry is a character that I also don't like much but the way him and Sal bounce off each other is enjoyable. Sal's parents are both great, no real notes they are just genuinely well written parents.
Pacing. Crafting is a major part of the series. If I remember correctly the author actually had a post of his patron about it, how it was his favorite part to write. There is just one problem with it, it ruins the pacing of the series. You could replace a solid 80% of the crafting chapters with the words "And then they did that." and nothing in the story would change. This is more of a problem later in the books, but it gets really bad. To the point that you can skip the majority of the first 50-60% of both books 5 and 6 without losing anything. This is before counting the explanation chapters that have a bad habit of repeating information. Because whenever the characters explain what the thing does to multiple people rather than having a line like 'Sal explained what the {NAME} does to everyone' it goes through the hole explanation again, sometimes it will even do so multiple times in a single chapter. Although to be fair that is fairly rare.
With single purpose chapters being near omnipresent with the crafting segments. Where it will start with Sal planning a build, that's the chapter. He will ask someone for help, that's the chapter. They will plan the build, that's the chapter. They will plan the build some more, that's the chapter. They will prepare the materials, that's the chapter. They will look around at the materials, that's the chapter. They will talk about starting the build, that's the chapter. They will start the build, that's the chapter. They will talk about the build, that's the chapter. They will continue the build, there will be a small non-crafting related thing in this chapter. Then it will be revealed that the non-crafting thing from the previous chapter is actually all about crafting, that's the chapter. They continue the build, that's the chapter. The other person leaves, that's the chapter. Sal continues the build alone, that's the chapter. Sal continues the build alone, that's the chapter. Sal continues the build alone, that's the chapter. The thing is finished, that's the chapter. He appraises the thing, that's the chapter. He thinks about the appraisal, that's the chapter. He invites people to look at the thing and explain it to them, that's the chapter. And that is how nearly every crafting segment in the series goes after book 2.
Even the author himself has admitted that the books don't really "Come together" until the last third, which is something I agree with, but rather than trying to fix the that he just adds in another dozen crafting chapters for something that will not matter for the rest of the series. And it's not like it would be hard to fix, if he just took that last third and figured out what made it so good and then went back and rewrote the book with that in mind this 90% of the problems in these books would vanish instantly.
Now you may be saying "Oh, all he has to do is rewrite the books? Didn't you just say it would be an easy fix?" And the answer is YES. He is an author; his whole job is writing. He has already proven that he can write a book, he can write it again. And even if he doesn't want to do that, just a basic guideline would also fix most of these problems as well.
These are just the main problems I have with the series. I could keep going but most of them would devolve into quibbles over personal preference or nitpicks.
TLDR
Quest Academy is a series that has a lot of problems that massively harm the series, but almost every one of those problems can be fixed with a bit of effort, a willingness to do another largescale draft/rewrite of each book, and/or some basic planning.
That may sound dumb and it probably is, but it is the only way I can articulate my thought on it without a long rant. Speaking of which, here is most of it.
This review is for the whole series up through book 6. I'll try to keep spoilers light, or at least vague.
Quest Academy is a series that Follows Salvatore Argento, but his friends call him Sal, as he goes through the titular Quest Academy. Taking place in a post-post-apocalypse setting where the world was mostly destroyed ~60 years ago by some kind of demonic invasion, the magic that said invasion brought infused the remnants of humanity with various kinds of superpowers/magic. Now able to at least hold back the demons humankind has somewhat stabilized and is trying to regain lost ground.
Sal has had the power so copy other's powers in a better form since he was a child but has had difficulties using it without hurting himself in some way. Once arriving at Quest Academy, he is able to combine some of the abilities he copied into a never-before-seen ability. Mythcrafter. The ability to intuitively craft items up to Mythic grade.
Now that the brief introduction is done.
This entire series has no sense of scale. You have first year students who have only been using their power for a few months who can allegedly fight things that most heroes who have been fighting for decades couldn't handle, and then that person would be seen as average for a first year, and then later in the series someone else will do that same thing but better in some way and no one will acknowledge it, or someone will do something far less than that and be seen as among the best in the academy. But then in a different scene a hero will pull something out of their ass that completely dwarfs everything seen up until that point and it will be forgotten before the end of that page. And in another a different first year will do something really minor and be praised as something completely unprecedented and then disappear form the series the following chapter.
And with gear, it's mentioned repeatedly that most students at the academy (even third years) mostly have common and uncommon ranked gear with a few rares. But every crafter we see on page cranks out epics and legendries with little to no effort. It at least makes sense for Sal, with that literally being his skill/ability/weave, but then everyone does it. Or at least all the named characters do. In the later books when Sal starts making machines that can craft on their own is when this completely, unrecoverably, breaks. Where his first one is able to make an epic grade items, which may not be as impressive as the legendries that others can make, but it can make them in minutes unlike people who (allegedly) take anywhere from days to months. But even that scale has its problems as it is repeatedly mentioned in the first few books that crafting is a slow meticulous practice that Sal is able to brute force his way through with his ability, but then later there are characters who take even less time than him on some builds. Although this is mostly due to the book taking place over a short period of time, as the build will take place over the course of 30+ chapters, but only like 2 days have passed during that time. So, I don't think it was intentional on the author's part.
Speaking of that. Time. Have you ever read/watched a long story that was a grand adventure where the story went from one end of the world to the other, with tons of story and action in between. The characters growing into new people and coming of age, learning lessons, and forging lifelong friendships, and at the end of it you noticed that only like 2 months had passed. This story is probably the worst case of that in storytelling that I have ever seen.
I have no idea how long a semester is at the academy, or when classes are, or how many there are in a day, or even how long they last, if they get weekends off, when the free periods are, if there are any holidays, and I can guarantee you that the author doesn't know either. There are major things that people will harp on about being done insanely fast, only for someone to do the exact same thing in less than a tenth the time and have no one acknowledge it. Or later in book 5 and 6 there is a background character that undergoes "a few months" of healing in about 4 weeks. Or at least I think it was 4 weeks, the books will sometimes randomly have time skips of a month or two that no one will acknowledge until several chapters after they happen, and it is not apparent in the slightest when they happen as it will still feel like no time has passed, other than a passing comment that a character either did some classes or crafted something during the time skip. And nothing will ever come from that though, the items crafted will at most be mentioned twice and the classes don't matter, and on the off chance they do they will appear later in the story anyways.
With nearly every chapter taking place either immediately after the previous or a few minutes/hours later, with the occasional one being the next day, it leads to there never being a chance for time to actually pass in any amount. But those time skips allegedly still happen.
The author has a horrible habit of forgetting things. Eventually he makes a trait of the main character that he is really forgetful/easily distracted, but it only somewhat works as the majority of plot threads throughout the series are still just dropped with no fanfare. Until a few books later when someone asked the author about it on discord so he will put in a paragraph or two about it and then never bring it up again. Every time a character is introduced, or plot is started, you can flip a coin on whether or not it will be forgotten by the end of the book. And there is no point in doing so between books, because there is an over 90% chance it will be.
Speaking of characters, that is both a highlight and low point of the books. The author is actually a rather skilled character writer most of the time, but he seems hell bent on doing everything he can to not write any character that isn't Sal or one of 3 characters he has decided to exist for that book. While I think it is normally a good idea for books to focus on a small handful of characters to focus on in a book and to have characters come and go; it leads to a larger feeling world and a feeling that the characters have lives outside of the main character/plot; the problem I have with it in this series is that it doesn't feel like characters aren't appearing because they are doing something else, it feels like the author just got distracted with something and forgot about them. With the exception of book 2 where this was done rather well.
While I'm not a big fan of Sal himself, I do enjoy most of his interactions with most of the other characters. The chemistry with his teacher/mentor upgrade is really fun; her teasing juvenile nature mixed with being an actually competent teacher leads to some really fun scenes. Barry is a character that I also don't like much but the way him and Sal bounce off each other is enjoyable. Sal's parents are both great, no real notes they are just genuinely well written parents.
Pacing. Crafting is a major part of the series. If I remember correctly the author actually had a post of his patron about it, how it was his favorite part to write. There is just one problem with it, it ruins the pacing of the series. You could replace a solid 80% of the crafting chapters with the words "And then they did that." and nothing in the story would change. This is more of a problem later in the books, but it gets really bad. To the point that you can skip the majority of the first 50-60% of both books 5 and 6 without losing anything. This is before counting the explanation chapters that have a bad habit of repeating information. Because whenever the characters explain what the thing does to multiple people rather than having a line like 'Sal explained what the {NAME} does to everyone' it goes through the hole explanation again, sometimes it will even do so multiple times in a single chapter. Although to be fair that is fairly rare.
With single purpose chapters being near omnipresent with the crafting segments. Where it will start with Sal planning a build, that's the chapter. He will ask someone for help, that's the chapter. They will plan the build, that's the chapter. They will plan the build some more, that's the chapter. They will prepare the materials, that's the chapter. They will look around at the materials, that's the chapter. They will talk about starting the build, that's the chapter. They will start the build, that's the chapter. They will talk about the build, that's the chapter. They will continue the build, there will be a small non-crafting related thing in this chapter. Then it will be revealed that the non-crafting thing from the previous chapter is actually all about crafting, that's the chapter. They continue the build, that's the chapter. The other person leaves, that's the chapter. Sal continues the build alone, that's the chapter. Sal continues the build alone, that's the chapter. Sal continues the build alone, that's the chapter. The thing is finished, that's the chapter. He appraises the thing, that's the chapter. He thinks about the appraisal, that's the chapter. He invites people to look at the thing and explain it to them, that's the chapter. And that is how nearly every crafting segment in the series goes after book 2.
Even the author himself has admitted that the books don't really "Come together" until the last third, which is something I agree with, but rather than trying to fix the that he just adds in another dozen crafting chapters for something that will not matter for the rest of the series. And it's not like it would be hard to fix, if he just took that last third and figured out what made it so good and then went back and rewrote the book with that in mind this 90% of the problems in these books would vanish instantly.
Now you may be saying "Oh, all he has to do is rewrite the books? Didn't you just say it would be an easy fix?" And the answer is YES. He is an author; his whole job is writing. He has already proven that he can write a book, he can write it again. And even if he doesn't want to do that, just a basic guideline would also fix most of these problems as well.
These are just the main problems I have with the series. I could keep going but most of them would devolve into quibbles over personal preference or nitpicks.
TLDR
Quest Academy is a series that has a lot of problems that massively harm the series, but almost every one of those problems can be fixed with a bit of effort, a willingness to do another largescale draft/rewrite of each book, and/or some basic planning.
August 10, 2023
very good
I really enjoyed this whole book! You can tell it was written as a web serial, but characters growth was pretty good. I am ready for book two please!
I really enjoyed this whole book! You can tell it was written as a web serial, but characters growth was pretty good. I am ready for book two please!
April 6, 2024
First time reading the litrpg genre and I absolutely loved it!
August 24, 2023
This is the first book I've read by this author, and it was great.
Sal is the son of a man who runs an action house of the same name. He has some basic skills but nothing to write home about. Still, those skills are good enough to get nominated to attend Quest Academy.
Stuff starts happening right away. Sal's skills begin to come together in a unique way, and he learns more skills. While that's going on he learns that he has mandatory classes including combat and others. In this version of Earth, demons are taking over the world. Humans are fighting back but they need more. They need better weapons, armor, and pretty much everything else.
If it's not obvious I really enjoyed this. The story doesn't allow itself to get bogged down on any one thing before moving on to something else. This is basically university for kids with magic and crafters while humanity fights for its life.
The editing is very good and there are plenty of stats here. There are a few times when Sal will mention something he could do to make an item work better before moving on and forgetting all about it. The characters are a little naive but that checks out for college freshmen.
I'm really looking forward to book two. 5/5* Recommended.
Sal is the son of a man who runs an action house of the same name. He has some basic skills but nothing to write home about. Still, those skills are good enough to get nominated to attend Quest Academy.
Stuff starts happening right away. Sal's skills begin to come together in a unique way, and he learns more skills. While that's going on he learns that he has mandatory classes including combat and others. In this version of Earth, demons are taking over the world. Humans are fighting back but they need more. They need better weapons, armor, and pretty much everything else.
If it's not obvious I really enjoyed this. The story doesn't allow itself to get bogged down on any one thing before moving on to something else. This is basically university for kids with magic and crafters while humanity fights for its life.
The editing is very good and there are plenty of stats here. There are a few times when Sal will mention something he could do to make an item work better before moving on and forgetting all about it. The characters are a little naive but that checks out for college freshmen.
I'm really looking forward to book two. 5/5* Recommended.
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