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Climbing the Ranks #1
Climbing the Ranks 1
When the Towers arrived, without warning, without communication of intent or indication of reasoning, chaos ensued...
Decades later, enchantments from the Tower and mana cores from the creatures within power the most advanced technologies in the real world. What was once a puzzling mystery has become a necessary part of economic growth.
For Arthur Chua, the Malaysian Beginner Tower has always been his objective. Climbing the Tower is the only form of escape available for one without money or connections. He's not looking to be a hero or famous, just a survivor. Fate, on the other hand, has other plans for him.
At long last, the reason for the arrival of the Towers will be revealed, and humanity will once again experience a seismic shift when the truth appears.
Of course, Arthur's going to have to survive long enough for that to happen...
Decades later, enchantments from the Tower and mana cores from the creatures within power the most advanced technologies in the real world. What was once a puzzling mystery has become a necessary part of economic growth.
For Arthur Chua, the Malaysian Beginner Tower has always been his objective. Climbing the Tower is the only form of escape available for one without money or connections. He's not looking to be a hero or famous, just a survivor. Fate, on the other hand, has other plans for him.
At long last, the reason for the arrival of the Towers will be revealed, and humanity will once again experience a seismic shift when the truth appears.
Of course, Arthur's going to have to survive long enough for that to happen...
741 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2023
180 people are currently reading
2431 people want to read
About the author
Tao Wong
140 books964 followersTao Wong is the author of the A Thousand Li progression fantasy series and the System Apocalypse LitRPG series, among others. His work has been released in audio, paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats, and translated into German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and several other languages. He was shortlisted for the UK Kindle Storyteller Award in 2021 for A Thousand Li: The Second Sect. In 2026, the first three books in the A Thousand Li series will be republished in hardcover by Ace Books.
When he’s not writing or working, he enjoys practicing martial arts, reading, and dreaming up new worlds. He lives in Toronto, Canada.
When he’s not writing or working, he enjoys practicing martial arts, reading, and dreaming up new worlds. He lives in Toronto, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 15, 2024
Is this the same Tao Wong who writes A Thousand Li? It feels like a completely different author.
The book isn’t terrible, but it doesn’t have anything interesting about it. The characters are whatever, there’s no humor, the fight scenes are boring. There’s not much progress. The MC isn’t overpowered, but he’s still an idiot. He never seems to do anything clever and his only advantage seems to be his ability to get his ass kicked, and the book is mostly that happening over and over again. His only advantages come from lucky breaks that feel very unlikely.
And then the end is totally unsatisfying.
The book isn’t terrible, but it doesn’t have anything interesting about it. The characters are whatever, there’s no humor, the fight scenes are boring. There’s not much progress. The MC isn’t overpowered, but he’s still an idiot. He never seems to do anything clever and his only advantage seems to be his ability to get his ass kicked, and the book is mostly that happening over and over again. His only advantages come from lucky breaks that feel very unlikely.
And then the end is totally unsatisfying.
March 28, 2024
DNF at around 60 %.
I wrote out a long review and it just kept getting longer and longer, so I deleted it, dropped another star, and decided on a quick summary of my thoughts.
While I appreciate the non-western setting, it was poorly developed and rather superficial, unless the goal was to say that everyone in that culture is corrupt, violent, murderous, and just huge assholes.
The MC is portrayed as knowledgeable and competent, but he can't make his own decisions and just keeps getting beaten up and kidnapped.
There are a bunch of women who are portrayed as competent, but they are mostly killed off while the much weaker MC survives.
The women constantly talk about killing him, but he eventually develops Stockholm Syndrome and constantly makes terrible attempts at humor and horrible attempts at rhyming. Even so, he doesn't hesitate to scoop up the thing they wanted, says it was an accident, promises to let them make the decisions about it, and immediately start deciding things on his own.
When he decides to name his new Clan after a fruit, I decided to put it down for good.
I wrote out a long review and it just kept getting longer and longer, so I deleted it, dropped another star, and decided on a quick summary of my thoughts.
While I appreciate the non-western setting, it was poorly developed and rather superficial, unless the goal was to say that everyone in that culture is corrupt, violent, murderous, and just huge assholes.
The MC is portrayed as knowledgeable and competent, but he can't make his own decisions and just keeps getting beaten up and kidnapped.
There are a bunch of women who are portrayed as competent, but they are mostly killed off while the much weaker MC survives.
The women constantly talk about killing him, but he eventually develops Stockholm Syndrome and constantly makes terrible attempts at humor and horrible attempts at rhyming. Even so, he doesn't hesitate to scoop up the thing they wanted, says it was an accident, promises to let them make the decisions about it, and immediately start deciding things on his own.
When he decides to name his new Clan after a fruit, I decided to put it down for good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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January 17, 2024Thanks for checking out Climbing the Ranks!
Did you know you can read the serial for free on my site at starlitpublishing.com/blogs/climbing-the-ranks?
If you've finished Book 1 already, you can start Book 2 at Chapter 144.
Did you know you can read the serial for free on my site at starlitpublishing.com/blogs/climbing-the-ranks?
If you've finished Book 1 already, you can start Book 2 at Chapter 144.
December 5, 2023
This can be read for free on https://starlitpublishing.com/ and the second book is being worked on so there are some more chapters to read.
The author gave me the link and said it won't show up on KU so that other fans can read it for free.
The story itself is pretty good. Some mistakes, but I'm reading the rough draft.
The manglish? Not sure if that is correct. Can be confusing at times since it isn't always translated.
The character's proclivity for rhyming can get annoying.
Otherwise I would say I'm hooked.
It's an interesting world that I would love more detail on.
I find the characters interesting enough that I keep reading.
That is what matters when it comes to writing, that you want to keep reading.
In my opinion this is the best book that this author has written to date.
8/10
The author gave me the link and said it won't show up on KU so that other fans can read it for free.
The story itself is pretty good. Some mistakes, but I'm reading the rough draft.
The manglish? Not sure if that is correct. Can be confusing at times since it isn't always translated.
The character's proclivity for rhyming can get annoying.
Otherwise I would say I'm hooked.
It's an interesting world that I would love more detail on.
I find the characters interesting enough that I keep reading.
That is what matters when it comes to writing, that you want to keep reading.
In my opinion this is the best book that this author has written to date.
8/10
April 9, 2025
There's a lot happening, which I love, but sometimes it's so jam packed it feels sluggish. Which makes me sad because I really do enjoy epic style stories. But I really struggled with this one. The story was good but I just couldn't stay focused in it. Even listening to it as an audio, I felt like I couldn't lose focus for a moment, which was a bit exhausting for me.
Plus it might be a bit daunting for people to want to read the series because this book is over 700 pages and the second is over 800. So with that being said, I would have loved if this could have been a longer series because it's harder to recommend bigger books to the people I know.
I've heard so much about his A Thousand Li series soooo my hope is I can find a copy to start reading!
Plus it might be a bit daunting for people to want to read the series because this book is over 700 pages and the second is over 800. So with that being said, I would have loved if this could have been a longer series because it's harder to recommend bigger books to the people I know.
I've heard so much about his A Thousand Li series soooo my hope is I can find a copy to start reading!
December 5, 2023
good, if a bit slow
Honestly, I’m not entirely sold on this one. The prose is good, the narrative stays focused, and the characters stay true to their place. And I do like the bits of language (Malay?) that provide a unique flavor.
But. Too often, those bits of language aren’t easily defined by the surrounding dialogue. And the MC doesn’t really have a strong, purpose or drive, until he gets the macguffin.
I’m just not certain that I can wholeheartedly recommend this new series. It’s a fascinating world and I am curious to see it develop. But I need the MC to be more dynamic.
Honestly, I’m not entirely sold on this one. The prose is good, the narrative stays focused, and the characters stay true to their place. And I do like the bits of language (Malay?) that provide a unique flavor.
But. Too often, those bits of language aren’t easily defined by the surrounding dialogue. And the MC doesn’t really have a strong, purpose or drive, until he gets the macguffin.
I’m just not certain that I can wholeheartedly recommend this new series. It’s a fascinating world and I am curious to see it develop. But I need the MC to be more dynamic.
October 15, 2023
Backed the Kickstarter and smashed through the ebook in a couple of days. Addictive as always and love the localised cultural touches. Excited to see where this goes.
(First time using BookFunnel and it’s not bad at all. Read on iphone)
(First time using BookFunnel and it’s not bad at all. Read on iphone)
December 24, 2025
Climbing the Ranks 1 (Climbing the Ranks #1) by Tao Wong
A culturally distinct entry in the Tower Climber subgenre that trades generic fantasy tropes for a gritty Malaysian setting, though the experience is occasionally marred by pacing slumps and a protagonist whose personality quirks may test the reader's patience.
Protagonist Profile: Arthur Chua
Arthur is a refreshing deviation from the standard "chosen one" archetype found in LitRPG. He is not a hero by destiny, but a survivor by necessity. Arthur Chua is defined by his preparation; he enters the Tower not with a sword and a dream, but with a backpack full of supplies and a decade of research. However, this competence is counterbalanced by a polarizing character flaw: a nervous tic that manifests as compulsive, often terrible rhyming. While intended to add levity or distinctiveness, it frequently undercuts the tension of his "gritty" survival arc. He is a character who oscillates between hyper-competence—navigating complex politics and deadly traps—and frustrating passivity, often surviving through luck rather than the agency his preparation suggests.
Setting and Mechanics:
Wong’s decision to ground the narrative in a Malaysian context is the novel's strongest asset. The use of "Manglish" (Malaysian English) and local cultural touchstones provides a texture often missing in western-centric progression fantasies. The magic system is a hybrid of LitRPG (stats, blue boxes) and eastern Cultivation (mana cores, meditation), creating a "hard magic" framework that feels earned rather than given. The Towers here are not just dungeons; they are economic engines that drive the disparity between the rich and the desperate poor, giving Arthur’s climb a tangible socio-economic weight.
Climbing the Ranks 1 is a competent, often engaging start to a series that suffers from "Book 1 Syndrome." The author struggles to balance the crunchy stat-heavy mechanics with character dynamism. While the world-building is top-tier, the protagonist's forced humor and the narrative's tendency to bog down in technical explanations prevents it from being a perfect ascent.
Rating: ⭐⭐✩✩✩ (2.0/5) — A solid foundation with excellent cultural flavor, held back by uneven pacing and a divisive main character.
April 6, 2024
Rating 2.0 stars
This started off okay. There were some issues but nothing too bad. As the book progressed though, I got more and more annoyed with the issues I mentioned. Because of that, the star rating kept dropping. It was probably 3.5 stars for the first part, then down to 3, then 2.5, and by the end, even though I finished the book, I realized I didn't like it. So, what were the interesting parts? This is a tower climb and cultivation book but instead of being based in Chinese culture like most I have read, this one comes from Malaysian culture. This was something new and I was interested at first. It got old real fast. The narrator was using an overexaggerated accent (IMO). There were multiple words that were used that I assume were from the Malaysian language before the English translation was used. As I mentioned, it was sort of interesting at first but got annoying fairly quickly. There were many of the standard tropes, but it seemed like that is all there was. I couldn't really understand the world building. In general, magical towers appeared in the world and people can go in these towers to gain power, and strength. Because of automation, there isn't much work for people in the outside. The world was set up in that basic way. The rich and powerful control the world and everyone else is screwed. So, the MC goes in the tower for a better life. Overall this is a miss for me.
This started off okay. There were some issues but nothing too bad. As the book progressed though, I got more and more annoyed with the issues I mentioned. Because of that, the star rating kept dropping. It was probably 3.5 stars for the first part, then down to 3, then 2.5, and by the end, even though I finished the book, I realized I didn't like it. So, what were the interesting parts? This is a tower climb and cultivation book but instead of being based in Chinese culture like most I have read, this one comes from Malaysian culture. This was something new and I was interested at first. It got old real fast. The narrator was using an overexaggerated accent (IMO). There were multiple words that were used that I assume were from the Malaysian language before the English translation was used. As I mentioned, it was sort of interesting at first but got annoying fairly quickly. There were many of the standard tropes, but it seemed like that is all there was. I couldn't really understand the world building. In general, magical towers appeared in the world and people can go in these towers to gain power, and strength. Because of automation, there isn't much work for people in the outside. The world was set up in that basic way. The rich and powerful control the world and everyone else is screwed. So, the MC goes in the tower for a better life. Overall this is a miss for me.
February 5, 2024
Decades ago, the Towers first arrived with no warning or indication of their purpose. Now, the Towers are challenges – people line up for their chance to enter the tower and fight through each level to gain the top. Arthur Chua’s goal has always been climbing the Malaysian Beginner Tower, his only chance at changing his life. His goal is merely to survive and make the top of the tower, but Fate has another plan.
I enjoyed that this LitRPG didn’t get too heavy into the stats at the beginning of the book, but instead focused on the characters, their interactions, and the parameters of the tower. Then, once we were well situated, it became a bit more focused on the stats and technicalities. This was a great way to get the reader engaged in the story and characters while including the RPG aspects. However, by the last three-quarters of the read, it became much more focused on stats and technicalities to the detriment of the characters, the plot, and my enjoyment.
I also quite liked the interesting cultural aspects that were included in the book and added to the immersion of the world. The book focused on some diverse aspects of games, from monster fighting to building a clan from almost nothing. The protagonist wasn’t entirely likeable (he was a teenage boy doing and thinking teenage boy nonsense and rhymed a lot), but there was some growth and he was somewhat more tolerable by the end.
Unfortunately, this book began to slow down and become more boring for me around the three-quarters mark. I think this was partially due to the over-focus on stats and technicalities, but also because the characters spent a lot of the time planning and talking rather than things really happening. There were also quite a few instances of awkward wording/phrasing throughout the read.
Overall, this was a good LitRPG that started off stronger than it finished. I’m still interested to see where the sequel goes and to see if we learn more about the tower, and hopefully the pacing will be a bit more even. My thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I enjoyed that this LitRPG didn’t get too heavy into the stats at the beginning of the book, but instead focused on the characters, their interactions, and the parameters of the tower. Then, once we were well situated, it became a bit more focused on the stats and technicalities. This was a great way to get the reader engaged in the story and characters while including the RPG aspects. However, by the last three-quarters of the read, it became much more focused on stats and technicalities to the detriment of the characters, the plot, and my enjoyment.
I also quite liked the interesting cultural aspects that were included in the book and added to the immersion of the world. The book focused on some diverse aspects of games, from monster fighting to building a clan from almost nothing. The protagonist wasn’t entirely likeable (he was a teenage boy doing and thinking teenage boy nonsense and rhymed a lot), but there was some growth and he was somewhat more tolerable by the end.
Unfortunately, this book began to slow down and become more boring for me around the three-quarters mark. I think this was partially due to the over-focus on stats and technicalities, but also because the characters spent a lot of the time planning and talking rather than things really happening. There were also quite a few instances of awkward wording/phrasing throughout the read.
Overall, this was a good LitRPG that started off stronger than it finished. I’m still interested to see where the sequel goes and to see if we learn more about the tower, and hopefully the pacing will be a bit more even. My thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
November 24, 2023
I've read Towers of Heaven before and have always been on the lookout for a good tower climber. Also a big fan of Tao Wong after his ATL & SA series, so this was a no brainer for me to pick up.
The book is different in having a Asian setting being based out of Malaysia. Plus it also has a cultivation element in addition to traditional LitRPG making for a good hybrid.
We get into the story with a light and brief background and dive right to the adventure. Arthur is a decent chap with the tower being his last gamble at a good life which is non-existent in outside world as wealth is concentrate at the top leaving the rest to scrap supporting roles. And from the get go, things don't go his way and his plans to rank up. The writing is a bit more start, gritty and realistic than others I've read in this genre. Arthur is really put through the experience winger and many a time finds himself barely surviving encounters. He's smart, but not otherwise the classic "I will lead and save others" type MC. He still does enough and gets the right amount of breaks without plot armor to make for realistic progression. The book moves at a fast pace and threw some curveballs I didn't see coming. I certainly did not expect the way the book ended moving a direction that I couldn't predict.
There are few minor flaws that made this a 4 rather than a 5 star read. First off, the way he progresses is gritty, but has an slight element of repetitiveness in his near death survival encounters. Arthur does share some character traits from John (SA series) but has enough nuance to maki him unique, but personally I really wanted some bit of traditional heroism from him (probably my own expectations rather than a flaw in the book). Other aspect is the Malaysian slangs/terms used which took me away a bit from the flow as I had to look them up for context. A footnote or superscript or something would go a big way in retaining immersion.
Still I really liked this read and because of the new direction in the climax, eagerly awaiting next in series.
The book is different in having a Asian setting being based out of Malaysia. Plus it also has a cultivation element in addition to traditional LitRPG making for a good hybrid.
We get into the story with a light and brief background and dive right to the adventure. Arthur is a decent chap with the tower being his last gamble at a good life which is non-existent in outside world as wealth is concentrate at the top leaving the rest to scrap supporting roles. And from the get go, things don't go his way and his plans to rank up. The writing is a bit more start, gritty and realistic than others I've read in this genre. Arthur is really put through the experience winger and many a time finds himself barely surviving encounters. He's smart, but not otherwise the classic "I will lead and save others" type MC. He still does enough and gets the right amount of breaks without plot armor to make for realistic progression. The book moves at a fast pace and threw some curveballs I didn't see coming. I certainly did not expect the way the book ended moving a direction that I couldn't predict.
There are few minor flaws that made this a 4 rather than a 5 star read. First off, the way he progresses is gritty, but has an slight element of repetitiveness in his near death survival encounters. Arthur does share some character traits from John (SA series) but has enough nuance to maki him unique, but personally I really wanted some bit of traditional heroism from him (probably my own expectations rather than a flaw in the book). Other aspect is the Malaysian slangs/terms used which took me away a bit from the flow as I had to look them up for context. A footnote or superscript or something would go a big way in retaining immersion.
Still I really liked this read and because of the new direction in the climax, eagerly awaiting next in series.
February 7, 2025
I very much enjoyed this story, even though it felt needlessly drawn out at times.
Our main character conquers the pitfall of many hero's from adventure stories, mysterious over competence, by simply stating that he's been preparing and training most of his life to tackle this challenge. But the author leaves room for mysterious and struggle by pointing out that they really don't know what happens in the towers, and have only vague descriptions from the few survivors who make it out to go on.
The world building is good, enough to explain why the towers are a thing, what role they play, and the reasons for joining.
I could have done with a more succinct explanation of cultivating energy from the tower. After a while it starts to feel like someone describing the specific workings of their digestive system in detail, from chewing to... the last part. I start skipping over that after he spent those days under a log when out in the forest.
The overall story grows very well, it flows from build up to climax to development. The battles are beautifully described and highly visual, even if our hero really doesn't have any right to be as good as he is, despite his preparation.
I enjoyed the tension that gets introduced with the final arc about the clan seal. The whole leap of faith process that goes into it, and how it brings all the different people together was really well done. It rings very true for tribal formation.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book and seeing how the adventure continues!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Our main character conquers the pitfall of many hero's from adventure stories, mysterious over competence, by simply stating that he's been preparing and training most of his life to tackle this challenge. But the author leaves room for mysterious and struggle by pointing out that they really don't know what happens in the towers, and have only vague descriptions from the few survivors who make it out to go on.
The world building is good, enough to explain why the towers are a thing, what role they play, and the reasons for joining.
I could have done with a more succinct explanation of cultivating energy from the tower. After a while it starts to feel like someone describing the specific workings of their digestive system in detail, from chewing to... the last part. I start skipping over that after he spent those days under a log when out in the forest.
The overall story grows very well, it flows from build up to climax to development. The battles are beautifully described and highly visual, even if our hero really doesn't have any right to be as good as he is, despite his preparation.
I enjoyed the tension that gets introduced with the final arc about the clan seal. The whole leap of faith process that goes into it, and how it brings all the different people together was really well done. It rings very true for tribal formation.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book and seeing how the adventure continues!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 2, 2024
This review is mostly for my own benefit, so that I can remember my thoughts.
I'll stop this audiobook around 3 hours in (16%). I was hesitant to continue and the reviews from others shows that it won't get any better. I deeply dislike the accent that the narrator chose for all characters, like a bunch of budget Apu's. I think that regardless of setting, the local language should not be presented as accented. The story is being told in English, so let the locals speak clear English. It's the same regardless of location. I read a lot of LitRPG from Russian authors and I would put down any series that has the characters speaking in some 80's Hollywood Russian accent.
The story itself also seems to not go anywhere. I like the tower setting , but other than that there is nothing to keep one interested. The character is uninteresting, the magic system seems uninteresting, I can't follow the types of monsters being fought because the narrator semi-spits out the malay names each time, and so on.
The whole "everyone is a low budget movie-criminal" style reminds me of old kung-fu movies, but in a bad way.
I'll stop this audiobook around 3 hours in (16%). I was hesitant to continue and the reviews from others shows that it won't get any better. I deeply dislike the accent that the narrator chose for all characters, like a bunch of budget Apu's. I think that regardless of setting, the local language should not be presented as accented. The story is being told in English, so let the locals speak clear English. It's the same regardless of location. I read a lot of LitRPG from Russian authors and I would put down any series that has the characters speaking in some 80's Hollywood Russian accent.
The story itself also seems to not go anywhere. I like the tower setting , but other than that there is nothing to keep one interested. The character is uninteresting, the magic system seems uninteresting, I can't follow the types of monsters being fought because the narrator semi-spits out the malay names each time, and so on.
The whole "everyone is a low budget movie-criminal" style reminds me of old kung-fu movies, but in a bad way.
February 2, 2024
Far too long for the story being told here. It livens up in the 2nd half of the book when the true nature of the series is revealed but the 'adventure' before that is really boring.
It's not my first time reading Tao Wong so to be honest I'm a bit confused as to why he went for the longer text here, this would've been stronger if its length was more in line with the previous books of his I've read.
Also the protagonist is right on the edge of being too bland, besides an annoying trait of saying terrible rhymes there really isn't much personality to be had here. Even his motivations for entering the magic tower that kills most people who go inside aren't any more detailed than those for someone taking a normal job irl. It's just a way to move up in the world and make money, he leaves relatives behind but assures us they won't mind too much and that's about all the mention we get of them.
I've hovered and left his as a 3/5 but it's the typical progression fantasy book 1 where if the sequel carries over any problems it'll sour the memory of book 1 and probably leave it feeling more like a 1-2 star read.
It's not my first time reading Tao Wong so to be honest I'm a bit confused as to why he went for the longer text here, this would've been stronger if its length was more in line with the previous books of his I've read.
Also the protagonist is right on the edge of being too bland, besides an annoying trait of saying terrible rhymes there really isn't much personality to be had here. Even his motivations for entering the magic tower that kills most people who go inside aren't any more detailed than those for someone taking a normal job irl. It's just a way to move up in the world and make money, he leaves relatives behind but assures us they won't mind too much and that's about all the mention we get of them.
I've hovered and left his as a 3/5 but it's the typical progression fantasy book 1 where if the sequel carries over any problems it'll sour the memory of book 1 and probably leave it feeling more like a 1-2 star read.
January 6, 2024
This book was my first adventure into this genre and it was great. Fun characters, engaging plot that begged to be devoured. Easy to digest information that never felt overwhelming and concise chapters made it easy to make progress on. There’s a lot of knowledge and lore constantly being thrown at you but it never comes off as overwhelming or burdensome to the plot, it’s just little tidbits here and there. The main character is funny and relatable to most young men, it’s cool to see him transform throughout the book but not lose sense of originally drew us into him. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is looking to jump into the LitRPG realm or for someone who loves DnD or RPG video games. My only critique would be that it seems the main character has a lot of plot armor and I’d love to see them face greater setbacks in an effort to raise the stakes. Thank you for the ARC!
November 28, 2024
I was a little torn on how to review this book, it was an easy read but it wasn't the best out there in this genre and the characters, especially the MC can be really annoying. Also, really, the weak guy who seems to pride himself on being the goofball (who might as well be making manglish dad jokes for how funny they aren't) and has a thing for rhyming survives when competent female characters don't...and then he gets the big item to become a chosen one and now they have to keep him alive...just how many other tropes do you want to throw in?
It's good enough to have me not wanting to quit reading though and I will be reading the next book to review so it can't be all bad.
I didn't pay for the book and wrote this review of my own free will ...and it's definitely better than some I've read in this genre so giving it an average rating seems fair.
It's good enough to have me not wanting to quit reading though and I will be reading the next book to review so it can't be all bad.
I didn't pay for the book and wrote this review of my own free will ...and it's definitely better than some I've read in this genre so giving it an average rating seems fair.
October 31, 2025
DNF'd at 27%
I'm not gonna write a long review, because most of it would end up comparing it's content and format to C & K web novels I believe this was inspired by. I have a lot of complaints about those types of stories, but no one's here to read about that.
Despite having short chapters, it felt like it dragged on too long. This was originally a serial, and I think the pacing suffers a lot from that. It's great for periodic updates, but not a long novel format.
I think the mc was annoying. His whole rhyming shtick was meant to be quirky, but it just came off as cringy.
That said, I love the Malaysia rep! It's a setting you don't ever see in these types of books! Unfortunately, I think that's the best thing about this book.
I'm not gonna write a long review, because most of it would end up comparing it's content and format to C & K web novels I believe this was inspired by. I have a lot of complaints about those types of stories, but no one's here to read about that.
Despite having short chapters, it felt like it dragged on too long. This was originally a serial, and I think the pacing suffers a lot from that. It's great for periodic updates, but not a long novel format.
I think the mc was annoying. His whole rhyming shtick was meant to be quirky, but it just came off as cringy.
That said, I love the Malaysia rep! It's a setting you don't ever see in these types of books! Unfortunately, I think that's the best thing about this book.
December 19, 2023
Three and a half
I really like the beginning of this book, right up until he gets sucked into someone else’s problem. Then the story is more politics and bullshit than cultivation. The smattering of manglish was difficult/impossible to parse through context and google was a bust. The MC has a weird tic/habit that was at best mildly annoying for both the reader and the characters.
Otherwise the writing was good. A few editing issues, wrong names used etc. I will likely read the sequel but am not a fan of the cliff ending.
I really like the beginning of this book, right up until he gets sucked into someone else’s problem. Then the story is more politics and bullshit than cultivation. The smattering of manglish was difficult/impossible to parse through context and google was a bust. The MC has a weird tic/habit that was at best mildly annoying for both the reader and the characters.
Otherwise the writing was good. A few editing issues, wrong names used etc. I will likely read the sequel but am not a fan of the cliff ending.
December 24, 2023
Climbing the Ranks 1
Tao Wong
This is the first book in a new series.
Our hero in this tale is Arthur. There is a tower life at the top of the tower is affluent. Life at the bottom is poverty. Arthur lives at the bottom of the tower with no hopes of ever gaining wealth except by climbing. While Arthur is smart, he does not see himself as a leader. Once Arthur enters the tower it becomes the focus.
In my opinion author Tao Wong is using this book as a political and societal statement of the haves vs the have nots.
Tao Wong
This is the first book in a new series.
Our hero in this tale is Arthur. There is a tower life at the top of the tower is affluent. Life at the bottom is poverty. Arthur lives at the bottom of the tower with no hopes of ever gaining wealth except by climbing. While Arthur is smart, he does not see himself as a leader. Once Arthur enters the tower it becomes the focus.
In my opinion author Tao Wong is using this book as a political and societal statement of the haves vs the have nots.
February 20, 2025
For someone that enjoys a good RPG, my general avoidance of the LitRPG category doesn't make much sense. I guess I find they're not done very well most of the time. Fortunately, Tao Wong does it well. I smashed through this book in four days. It was fun, it was exciting, and it set the stage for a great series. A couple of small editing misses kept it from 5-stars, because it broke immersion to have to process the slip. Otherwise, marvelously done. It's a fun ride and absolutely worth the read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 3, 2024
Cultivating is not all it is cracked up to be
Another great beginning by the author. It reminds me a little of the early chapters of system apocalypse and a thousand li.
We meet the loner MC. We meet various people from a variety of ways of life. We see the MC encounter great challenges. And we end at the transition to the next level /floor/world/dimension.
Information is rare. Cooperation is rare. Nearly everyone seems very violent. And some may be less help than expected.
Another great beginning by the author. It reminds me a little of the early chapters of system apocalypse and a thousand li.
We meet the loner MC. We meet various people from a variety of ways of life. We see the MC encounter great challenges. And we end at the transition to the next level /floor/world/dimension.
Information is rare. Cooperation is rare. Nearly everyone seems very violent. And some may be less help than expected.
March 18, 2025
A fun LitRPG
Arthur is not a great hero. He's barely a hero at all, in fact, but almost against his will he finds himself in a position where lots of people are depending on him even though he's still very much the underdog. It's interesting if not exactly deep world building, but you can see it setting up for much more complicated scenarios in the future as Arthur gains power and becomes more of a player and less of a pawn. Well written and very much worth reading.
Arthur is not a great hero. He's barely a hero at all, in fact, but almost against his will he finds himself in a position where lots of people are depending on him even though he's still very much the underdog. It's interesting if not exactly deep world building, but you can see it setting up for much more complicated scenarios in the future as Arthur gains power and becomes more of a player and less of a pawn. Well written and very much worth reading.
August 22, 2025
Creative but also rambling
The story doesn’t go in the usual direction. The hero doesn’t have everything work out and his people don’t all support him. And the magic system is very thorough.
But the story regularly is paused for the rambling thoughts of the hero. And it dragged a bit for me.
Fun but not something I’ll keep reading.
I do love some the other works of this author.
The story doesn’t go in the usual direction. The hero doesn’t have everything work out and his people don’t all support him. And the magic system is very thorough.
But the story regularly is paused for the rambling thoughts of the hero. And it dragged a bit for me.
Fun but not something I’ll keep reading.
I do love some the other works of this author.
January 6, 2024
I am coming to release that I have a love/hate relationship with ship with web novels. A lot of really cool concepts but most need serious content editing. Their plots feel directionless and wandering. This book is no different. It sounds awesome and has moments but aside from survival there wasn’t much of a plot. The dialogue was confusing too. Too many foreign words.
December 11, 2023
Another great story from Tao.
Another great story from Tao. World building good and tight and plenty of action. Almost dystopian background with plenty of flavor-able Asian influences.
Another great story from Tao. World building good and tight and plenty of action. Almost dystopian background with plenty of flavor-able Asian influences.
October 22, 2024
What an amazing first book in the series! Arthur is a quirky, fun and adventurous soul. The friends he makes along that way are priceless. Climb the tower, and you will become powerful. I am waiting to see what Arthur becomes as he progresses up the tower.
December 4, 2023
Very good read
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who like LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action and building.
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who like LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action and building.
March 15, 2024
Slow read, and a little disjounted. Read 75% before loosing interest.
March 24, 2024
Kinda slow and the MC seems to be a bag of contradictions. Too much focus of poverty
March 26, 2024
*Standing Ovation*
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