In the distant past, a time of magic and swordplay, there lived Harold, the mightiest lich of all, a master of arcane sciences, and a challenger of gods. After reaching the pinnacle of his power and finding it surprisingly bland, Harold waged a cataclysmic war against the gods, aiming to shatter the very system that confined him.
Then, he took a nap.
An incredibly long nap that ends with a jolt, thanks to an unwitting adventurer who trips into Harold's crypt. Blinking into the torchlight, Harold finds a world he barely recognizes. No more swords and sorcery, but a universe buzzing with cultivation, celestial sects, and far too many pretentious dialogues about the path to godhood.
Harold is no naïve cultivator, he's an ancient lich with a single to slide back into his uninterrupted eternal slumber. But the cacophony of quarreling sects and smug martial artists seems determined to keep him awake.
Undeterred, the sleep-deprived overlord is ready to confront this brave new world. After all, no aspiring deity, no grandiose sect, and certainly no self-righteous martial artist is going to rob him of his beauty sleep.
A bird that likes comfy and happy things, and also knives. Once ate a god’s eye and awakened the ability to see all that is good in the world. Known to steal shiny ideas and baubles. Currently forbidden from writing his own bios.
Dead Tired 1 By Ravensdagger This is a hoot! This made me snicker, giggle, and laugh out loud. It made me doubt my ethics since I laughed at parts that were a bit evil, but boy, it was funny. A skeleton named Harold. He is a wizard who had gone a round of some kind with Death. He picks up a butler that is beyond unusual but my favorite character. Then they pick up their test subject, a little girl. They have quite the adventure! Can't wait to read book 2.
This is kind of a power fantasy, but not in the sense of growing powerful. Harold, our main character, starts off entirely overpowered having already pretty much conquered the world and gotten bored enough to decide to sleep until the end of the universe when he figures something interesting will happen. And then someone disturbs his rest and he decides to take a look around for curiosity sake and he'll go back to sleep. Should only take a day or two.
Only his defining characteristic is a deep curiosity. He considers himself a scientist and experimenter and when he discovers things have gone from his days with a system and classes and such to a kind of cultivator sect system with accompanying arrogance he becomes intrigued. He's not some isekai so all he really knows is that these fellows are being completely inefficient and he wants to understand why. The plot is off to the races from there.
Harold isn't nice. He's a lich after all. But his curiosity can bend to helping others in a kind of off-handed way. For example, when the importunate girl he has named "limpet", who wants to learn as an apprentice, breaks through his general disregard it is by becoming a test subject to see if he can level her up and what it will take given that she can't see the system the way he does (even though it seems to be working as he expects behind the scenes).
So the strengths of this is in having a world I liked exploring and a cast of characters I liked exploring it with. Yeah, there aren't many challenges Harold can't overcome (I mean, he defeated the entire pantheon of gods before taking a nap), but he isn't actually pursuing power. He's pursuing knowledge and doing it with a careful deliberation all while rollicking around the countryside interrogating sect masters, hunting down the new pantheon, and exploring ancient ruins. And his companions all have their own interests and motivations and watching them bounce off each other over the course of the story was fantastic.
Seriously, this was five stars from start to finish and it didn't hurt that it delivers some laugh-out-loud moments along the way. I'm definitely interested in continuing the series.
A note about Chaste: Harold has zero prurient interests, even to experiment. He's a lich. He doesn't have the needs. And those who choose to be in his vicinity have better things to do (like staying interesting enough to stay alive). So this is pretty chaste.
Very interesting premise. Very lackluster execution. 2.5 stars
The author describes this as "A comedy about a Lich in a Wuxia world doing Science!". Unfortunately, it’s really just an adventure story about a really overpowered lich doing stuff, things, and other aimless insignificant nonsense. There is no plot (or science). The story is entirely uninteresting, with entertaining bits sprinkled in occasionally.
This probably is a lot more entertaining for those who particularly enjoy puns and caricatures. If instead you were expecting a deconstruction, combination or exploration of Wuxia or the D&D system this book utilizes... you’re going to be very disappointed.
I read this entirely because Jeff Hays was a narrator for this audiobook -- there were several so he wasn't the only one but that's fine. I also tend to like snarky undead characters and this looked to fit two bills at once.
This is the story of an old wizard who maxed out all of his stats. This enraged him. He can't level up any further so what's the point of life? Not a lot, at least in his perspective. So, he went off to go conquer the Gods. He did that. Then he killed Death which may have been a mistake because now he's bored and can't die. So, he decided to go to sleep until the end of time and then wake up to witness it. Pretty metal goals NGL. Then some asshole woke him up.
He kills the dude, but then figures it's been about 2,000 years since he put himself to sleep so why not walk around a little, explore the world and how it's changed, and then go back to sleep? He turns the poor dude who woke him up into an undead butler who calls him Daddy. When he tried to get the kid to stop calling him Daddy, the kid switched to Bone Daddy (this lich has a classic skeleton appearance as the cover suggests). He didn't like that either, but let it go before it got worse.
Bone Daddy is a jerk. He's very self absorbed because he knows he's the highest level being around, and this leads him to treats people as things. That's the root of all evil, after all. He's got a sense of humor but it doesn't always mesh with mine, lol. He's written to be snarky dad-joking lich to take the edge of his pure evil/selfishness. It kind of worked, but again, I didn't totally gel with his humor which is surprising considering it was mostly word play and dad jokes.
Bone Daddy treats magic like science. He goes as far as to dissect warlocks to see how their magic works. He has a deep respect for the process of experimentation and documenting results. It's like watching a mad scientist/wizard. Since he's awake now he needs an apprentice, and so he's helping level up his little helper he named Limpet. She's so devoted to him that she agrees to be his test subject and willingly is treated like trash and thanks him for it. She does gain a lot of knowledge and training. So, perhaps it's worth the suffering and ill treatment? I dunno, I would have dipped a long time ago, but slowly, hopefully in a way he didn't notice me leaving. She has a goal to go kill some dude but you don't know why at first. The audiobook gives her such a sweet innocent voice but she's chanting these seriously destructive spells and it's a funny combination. It's kind of like if Louise Belcher from Bob's Burgers suddenly went evil.
Some of the humor here made me groan, and the way the laugh was done in the audiobook actually annoyed me. There are a ton of puns that are so bad I almost didn't realize what the pun was because it didn't feel like an actual joke. Other things landed very well and they were more of the off hand remarks that weren't laid up liked a joke. If that makes sense. It's like the jokes were overworked or over emphasized. There are also a number of pop culture references up to an including a version of "these are not the X you're looking for", which may or may not appeal to you. I'm usually fine with it as long as it's not constant, and it wasn't.
I think this would appeal to people who like master/apprentice relationships, but if they wanted to watch an evil duo and not a hero and hero in training.
I mean, many of ravens Dagger works are pure power fantasies without any deep meaning or even that good of a worldbuilding (Stray cat strut for example makes absolutely no sense as a cyberpunk with the existence of vanguard), but... this is shallow even for that.
Here we start, with the guy already omnipotent and undefeatable and all experienced, so why read the story? What possible plots could there be that its just not the most repetitive (You are strong? Ha, look at true power xianxia bullshit) and since they guy is already a litch, already took down the gods, already god tired of power (and how becoming a litch made him capable of killing gods, since he was already max level before that? )...
This is the most pointless character I had ever read in my entire life. Holy fuck
Well, the humor in this book is kind of painful given it is heavily puns but, having said that, I really enjoyed the book, and the only big problem is there is no book 2 yet so I finished wanting to continue the story and zip. Regardless it was a fun read and kind of a unique spin on LitRPG in that the primary character is maxed out on levels, so you are really seeing his apprentice advance and not him. No sex, or romance (yet) which is fine, decent action, and an interesting spin on someone who starts out in God mode. I'm still struggling with wanting to read book 2 which I truly hope comes out, but I recommend this book if you want something a bit different and can tolerate a crap ton of puns.
The dismissive tone and terrible attempts at Dad jokes annoyed me. E.g. "My pocket dimension is hidden in my pocket. Ha ha ha ha ha."
I kept hoping the author would realise that the plot could be driven by the addition of Cultivation techniques to Harold's existing maxed-out System skills.
It's a snarky fantasy adventure story. Harold, the undead lich (a wizard skilled in necromancy), is curious as to what has happened in the world since his deep sleep of a few thousand years. The humor and silly puns in the book aren't for everyone. Also, you'll have to continue with the series to see what happens next.
A good read after you finished something serious. This book does not take itself too serious, there are barely any real stakes since the main character is just the most powerful being and no one comes even close to him. Aside from him, the other characters really shine for me and i am invested to see where they are going in the future. Decent world building, absolutely would read a second part.
I enjoyed listening to this book! It’s so much fun. The story was well-written, witty, clever, and very entertaining. The puns were gold! I enjoyed them so much. The characters were all interesting. Alex is my favorite. He’s sooo adorable. The narrators did great! They made it more fun to listen to.
the book felt like only the first 10chapters of a longer book tho (which gets rectified by the next book picking up right where this one ended but do keep this in mind)
the entire read was also rather light. if you want deep emotional turmoil this book isnt going to satisfy that. its a fun read and it wants to be nothing else
Funny wacky overpowered. This was a fun read. Having the undead "Harold" a.k.a. OP god killer awakened feels to be the perfect premise for a world changing adventure.
A not that interesting book trying to rest on it doing mediocre puns. decent writing, just nothing.... Novel.(hahahaha, and that's the level of the puns.)
But I have complaints. The jacket cover says he was woken a lot. In fact it was only once. A few attempts to find him before he got up, like an annoying snooze alarm would have been much more amusing.
And lastly and this is a major one for me. They left the dog in the dungeon.
The main character is a lich who has been sleeping for a few millennia and awakens to find things to be very different in the world. But, no really, he’s not a bad guy. Just a misunderstood scientist.
So, I don't much like first person. I think it's come into a vogue where it's not useful in the least. But in this story, it's being used for some of its actual purposes. 1) The first person narrator is actually narrating a story, Ismael style. 2) Also like Moby Dick, one had to keep in mind that the narrator is unreliable.
It's a fun adventure for an explicitly OP character. I like the unhinged curiosity of the lich MC. I like the gender-fluid battle butler cum maid. It's good light reading.
OK I love a good necromancy as anybody… this one is very amusing. I love the fact that you have the western version of necromancy and magic, and you have the cultivators of the eastern mythology, and they are kind of clashing… But really the cultivators don’t stand a chance. It’s punny deep… full of dad jokes… That are kind of undead. I like the characters. And the fact that this is kind of a murder mystery/you’ve done it, but civilization has died… Not a person… Per se.
Dead Tired is the first book of the series by Ravensdagger.
Alex, the Death Maid of Bone Daddy, is definitely my favorite character to enjoy within these pages. They were entertaining to come to understand. I do love a maid that kicks major booty, no matter what. Their little eccentricities only enhanced my enjoyment of this marvelous creation.
Next was the natural curiosity and vast knowledge of the main character. To continuously explore simply for the sake of further understanding the inner workings of any device, place, or system of gaining power? Perfection. My curiosity enjoys like mindedness.
Harold is a character I only hope to learn more about. The intricacies of his phylacteries and wide assortment of magics is fascinating. Pairing that with a foreign if somewhat evil neutral moral fiber only adds to the experience. Take his treatment and teaching style of Fenfang, or limpet. It could be seen as cruel, but there is a noticeable fondness growing in his dealings with her. If only in saving himself the hassle of finding and teaching a new 'Test Subject'.
I am most excited to discover further interactions with these new and surviving old gods. They have stolen gifts he gave companions, and sources of his power and life force to grow their own powers or standing is sure to become something of further contention. It is exhibited already by the final chapter, and this insect God mother depicted.
I really don't have that much to say about this series. The author carries a sharp tale with a consistent application of a style of humour very reminiscent of the Morning wood series, but without the crass. The magic system is central but discreet. The dig on wuxia is appreciated 😏 and supported 😁. I like the mentorship ploy as an method to still have some character "growth". The limpet is very useful in that regard. The plot isn't groundbreaking, but does not have to be; the caustic humour is the first protagonist after all.
Where this book really shines though, is the narration! I don't think I've enjoyed Justin Thomas James's work as much as I have this time. Soundbooth Theaters are killing it.
In short, I liked it. It was short and sweet and I want more of it.
If you looking for a book with a griping plot, character conflicts, suspense, seriousness, or emotional impact, Don't read this book.
Dead Tired is a book about a meandering journey that provokes humorous situations. It's a comedy at heart and It does well at that. Tho I would recommend the audio book because imo a lot of the timing of the humor doesn't land as well when read on paper. The bad puns are kinda funny but to me the real selling point is the hilarious character interactions and character moments.
5 stars because the book made me laugh out loud multiple times. Dead Tired does what it aims to do well.
A little bit of this and that all blended into a fun read.
The setting and the humor combined with a over powered main character lead you to a slice of life feel that is very enjoyable. The pace is fast and everything is constantly moving forward. The bit of mystery, especially at the end, helps provide a direction to the overall plot. This is a solid read and I very much am looking forward to more.
It is an interesting take on the OP character. Learning, growing and waking up in the new system. Sadly I liked the side characters of Limpet and Alex far more than Harold the main. The idea is interesting and the setting intriguing with someone outside of the sects but the puns and the ohohoho's broke the flow for me. I will probably keep reading more out of curiosity of the world and his companions than anything.
Interesting premise, combining the currently hyped martial-arts and cultivation novels with a classical undead overlord scheme with a bit of post-apocalyptic setup. However, while the characters are pretty interesting, the plot is pretty much a repetition of "1. strong enemy plops up, 2. Overpowered main character kills them". The pace is also pretty slow and filled with internal monologues. After reading the second book, my estimate is a 5 book series at least to finish the current objectives.
It was an enjoyable, easy read, a well thought out story, and I will definitely move on to the next book if/when it comes out. Overall, I would rate it 4 stars.
If you like stories similar to Beneath The Dragon Eye Moons (by Selkie Myth), Vainqueur The Dragon (by Maxime J. Durand), and/or Themis Files (by Sylvain Neuvel), you would probably like Dead Tired.
Be warned, there are very minor spoilers ahead.
The story starts when Harold, a character who loves to learn and research, wakes up from his extraordinarily long nap. He is very powerful and doesn't really face any physical challenges. Instead, the story focuses on the narrative and uncovering what happened while Harold was asleep, and sprinkled in with Harold's magic lessons to his limpet, a girl who has a similar inquisitive mind but is a bit preoccupied with a desire for revenge (the narrative doesn't focus on it though, and will probably be something important in a future book). The magic is based on science, and as someone studying astrophysics in college, the author seems to be pretty informed, and it gets my stamp of approval.
The author, Ravens Dagger, seems to have learned quite a bit from his previous stories, and Dead Tired shows his growing expertise. One of the issues I have had with his previous stories is that the pacing feels off, but with Dead Tired, I feel that Ravens Dagger has found a pretty good pacing. And the narrative itself, which explores the world and how it compares to its past, is pretty interesting. Also, one of the big questions in the book is why people aren't able to access the system anymore. In between the world-building is some humor (there are quite a few puns) mixed in with some pretty good character development.
I would say Harold resonated with me quite well in that he is a researcher, and so am I. The humor was fun, and the world-building and pacing were excellent. The narrative is well-developed. It's a pretty easy and fun read; it did make me think about a few things, and the story was well thought out, but there also wasn't anything super deep. Overall, I would rate it 4 stars.