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The God Machine #1
The God Machine
A scrappy young off-worlder fights for his life while searching for his missing family in this thrilling LitRPG fantasy series from the author of Ascendant.
When Luke Bennet wakes in a world where time flows differently than it does on Earth, he discovers his family, gone missing over the last year, has been dead for a hundred years here. Left to survive in the wilderness as marmots, murderous goblins, giant spiders, and a two-ton raccoon all try to kill him, Aros’s latest off-worlder must depend on his newly acquired System to help him level up and live to fight another day.
When Luke finally wends his way to civilization, the locals think he’s a Guardian—whatever that means. Soon he’s brawling in a fight club to earn his keep and hone his skills. But danger finds him both in and outside the ring, and now the dreaded inquisitors are on his tail. With the beautiful, sharp-tongued Zea by his side, he’ll have to up his stats and locate the God Machine as quickly as possible if he wants to bring his family back.
But nothing’s as it appears in this new city, and Luke’s own System seems to be trying to manipulate him. If he can’t trust it, who can he trust?
When Luke Bennet wakes in a world where time flows differently than it does on Earth, he discovers his family, gone missing over the last year, has been dead for a hundred years here. Left to survive in the wilderness as marmots, murderous goblins, giant spiders, and a two-ton raccoon all try to kill him, Aros’s latest off-worlder must depend on his newly acquired System to help him level up and live to fight another day.
When Luke finally wends his way to civilization, the locals think he’s a Guardian—whatever that means. Soon he’s brawling in a fight club to earn his keep and hone his skills. But danger finds him both in and outside the ring, and now the dreaded inquisitors are on his tail. With the beautiful, sharp-tongued Zea by his side, he’ll have to up his stats and locate the God Machine as quickly as possible if he wants to bring his family back.
But nothing’s as it appears in this new city, and Luke’s own System seems to be trying to manipulate him. If he can’t trust it, who can he trust?
- GenresFantasy
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2023
222 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 16, 2023
It was a little interesting, though also creepy, to have the protagonist follow missing family members into a system world but with time dilation such that they're already all dead. It evokes several interesting questions that I was looking forward to finding out about.
And I was engaged with the action while Luke is isolated in a dangerous valley full of aggressive wildlife and even more aggressive goblins. Solving problems while growing stronger in a world with a skill and level system is good power-fantasy action and I was down with that, even though the author is one of those who can't help going into opponent PoV. Really, goblin PoV isn't interesting and I felt added nothing to the story.
And I was looking forward to Luke finally making it out of the valley and finding humans. Until he found humans and the worldbuilding took a turn. Here's my issue: I want exploring and growth and if you can throw in a sense of wonder while you're at it, outstanding. So populating your world with a pantheon who want to kill all outsiders on their world, and giving their priesthood absolute civil, spiritual, and social power just feels cheap. Worse, it cuts off all the fun types of exploration possible and makes everything about oppression and hiding and secrets. Sure, there's tension and that's probably what such authors are going for. But it's overpowering the story, for me, so I hate it more than a little.
Which was enough for me to bog down at the three-quarter mark. I just put the book down one night and can't be bothered to pick it back up. That's a story fail, right there. I'm going to give this a second star because the writing was adequate to the task and I was fairly interested in many of Luke's motivating aspects. I'm a little sad it didn't work out, but not sad enough to continue with the oppressing, joy-killing manhunt nonsense.
And I was engaged with the action while Luke is isolated in a dangerous valley full of aggressive wildlife and even more aggressive goblins. Solving problems while growing stronger in a world with a skill and level system is good power-fantasy action and I was down with that, even though the author is one of those who can't help going into opponent PoV. Really, goblin PoV isn't interesting and I felt added nothing to the story.
And I was looking forward to Luke finally making it out of the valley and finding humans. Until he found humans and the worldbuilding took a turn. Here's my issue: I want exploring and growth and if you can throw in a sense of wonder while you're at it, outstanding. So populating your world with a pantheon who want to kill all outsiders on their world, and giving their priesthood absolute civil, spiritual, and social power just feels cheap. Worse, it cuts off all the fun types of exploration possible and makes everything about oppression and hiding and secrets. Sure, there's tension and that's probably what such authors are going for. But it's overpowering the story, for me, so I hate it more than a little.
Which was enough for me to bog down at the three-quarter mark. I just put the book down one night and can't be bothered to pick it back up. That's a story fail, right there. I'm going to give this a second star because the writing was adequate to the task and I was fairly interested in many of Luke's motivating aspects. I'm a little sad it didn't work out, but not sad enough to continue with the oppressing, joy-killing manhunt nonsense.
Currently reading
February 3, 2024Hmm
I'm of two minds about this book. The first third is really good. The plot is fresh and interesting and it makes you want to read more. But the middle third is basically fight club and there's no stat increases and no levels, which wouldn't be so bad... EXCEPT they put the stats after every single chapter!!! S0, all you're reading is the exact same thing over and over again. It only serves to highlight how little the MC has improved and how little has changed in 200 pages. Not the setting, not the stats and not the plot. so it would be better to just take those out instead of padding the word count to just completely copy and paste the exact same table chapter over chapter. That got really frustrating.
There was also really frustrating parts where you read other perspectives that didn't have any bearing on how the story was going. We didn't need to know what goblins were plotting and planning in their perspective when they were gone after 50 pages..we didn't need their perspective when it didn't go anywhere, imo. I really like the other series by the author so tried this one and was disappointed tbh. After a great 30%, the rest was only skim worthy, with the mc only falling two levels, no additional skills and not much knowledge and the rising action ending a few words before the abrupt end of the book. I don't think I'll read the next.
I'm of two minds about this book. The first third is really good. The plot is fresh and interesting and it makes you want to read more. But the middle third is basically fight club and there's no stat increases and no levels, which wouldn't be so bad... EXCEPT they put the stats after every single chapter!!! S0, all you're reading is the exact same thing over and over again. It only serves to highlight how little the MC has improved and how little has changed in 200 pages. Not the setting, not the stats and not the plot. so it would be better to just take those out instead of padding the word count to just completely copy and paste the exact same table chapter over chapter. That got really frustrating.
There was also really frustrating parts where you read other perspectives that didn't have any bearing on how the story was going. We didn't need to know what goblins were plotting and planning in their perspective when they were gone after 50 pages..we didn't need their perspective when it didn't go anywhere, imo. I really like the other series by the author so tried this one and was disappointed tbh. After a great 30%, the rest was only skim worthy, with the mc only falling two levels, no additional skills and not much knowledge and the rising action ending a few words before the abrupt end of the book. I don't think I'll read the next.
December 13, 2023
Book one
This was well written and edited. I only found one mistake and I will list it on Goodreads.
How far would you go to rescue your family from death on a totally different planet?
When the MC learned that his missing family had all been sent to another planet and died, he vows to bring them back.
Stuck in a valley full of monsters and goblins our hero must level up and get stronger.
Okay so a couple small problems with the story.
The author is probably not a hunter since all the kills mostly go to waste. Granted his starting location wasn't the best, and the goblins did destroy his efforts in the valley.
I'd still be skinning everything I could. Lots of meat going to waste, but it's not like you can smoke it while on the run.
Biggest issue is with the stat pages at the end of every single chapter. They aren't needed and are just used to bump up the page count. Almost dropped this to three stars because of it.
However I found that the story was good enough to stop that from happening.
7/10 You can keep reading this story on Royalroad.
This was well written and edited. I only found one mistake and I will list it on Goodreads.
How far would you go to rescue your family from death on a totally different planet?
When the MC learned that his missing family had all been sent to another planet and died, he vows to bring them back.
Stuck in a valley full of monsters and goblins our hero must level up and get stronger.
Okay so a couple small problems with the story.
The author is probably not a hunter since all the kills mostly go to waste. Granted his starting location wasn't the best, and the goblins did destroy his efforts in the valley.
I'd still be skinning everything I could. Lots of meat going to waste, but it's not like you can smoke it while on the run.
Biggest issue is with the stat pages at the end of every single chapter. They aren't needed and are just used to bump up the page count. Almost dropped this to three stars because of it.
However I found that the story was good enough to stop that from happening.
7/10 You can keep reading this story on Royalroad.
October 22, 2023
There are plenty of LitRPG books these days. I tended to avoid books with too many stat screens, prefering cultivation novels and those with minimal stats. I still don't like detailed stats, but don't mind them much these days. For this book, I was drawn in by the premise that the main character has to deal with the System itself.
The writing was easy to follow. The pacing was good throughout, with plenty of action and some twists here and there. The ending was great, though I would've prefered another chapter or epilogue that explained a few things. Another thing I liked were the POV chapters from side characters and antagonists. The main character Luke did reasonably well to adapt in this hostile world and I hope he'll grow as a character.
The writing was easy to follow. The pacing was good throughout, with plenty of action and some twists here and there. The ending was great, though I would've prefered another chapter or epilogue that explained a few things. Another thing I liked were the POV chapters from side characters and antagonists. The main character Luke did reasonably well to adapt in this hostile world and I hope he'll grow as a character.
October 11, 2023
The others reviews are correct, this MC is a YA an a total moron, he has way to much plot armor. Let me give you a couple examples 1 ) Decides to sleep out in the open of a hostile world 2 ) Keeps attacking the Goblins when they outnumber him greatly 3 ) He trusts this super predator bird way to much. 4 ) The system even told him that his brother was killed by them and he was 15 levels higher than the MC.
Then you have the author that didn't want to flush out any Magic system and keeps the MC as a melee meat head.
Then you have the author that didn't want to flush out any Magic system and keeps the MC as a melee meat head.
October 14, 2023
Fun read
This book was a lot of fun. It's well written with a couple really likeable characters. It's rather stat heavy, but not so much as being distracting.
If I had one small quibble, it would be that you really don't need stat lists when there is no stat change. Though, having the stats at the end of each chapter does help with the flow of the story.
I'm looking forward to the next one. So much, that I might even read ahead on Royal Road.
Highly recommended.
This book was a lot of fun. It's well written with a couple really likeable characters. It's rather stat heavy, but not so much as being distracting.
If I had one small quibble, it would be that you really don't need stat lists when there is no stat change. Though, having the stats at the end of each chapter does help with the flow of the story.
I'm looking forward to the next one. So much, that I might even read ahead on Royal Road.
Highly recommended.
October 20, 2024
Started slow and the proprietary skill system was not very appealing. But the longer I stuck with it the more I grew to like it. Good characters and overall writing from the Author. Just stick with it when the first chapters don't make much sense and you will start to get the gist of the plot. Thankfully not vulgar in language and no sex scenes. I enjoyed the book and am starting the 2nd book. I can recommend the book to everyone.
October 12, 2023
Excellent LitRPG isekai with MC mace user
This was an excellent read. The main character is very believable and makes choices that make sense in the moment. There are a couple twists that I didn't see coming and they added to the story.
The author clearly is setting the scene for much more and I look forward to seeing what develops.
There is no harem element.
This was an excellent read. The main character is very believable and makes choices that make sense in the moment. There are a couple twists that I didn't see coming and they added to the story.
The author clearly is setting the scene for much more and I look forward to seeing what develops.
There is no harem element.
February 10, 2024
Good read
Nothing groundbreaking for the genre but a good read with good characters who develop and learn from mistakes... most the time. The character flaws make them lovable and I enjoyed that their answers weren't "the best" answers available. Made the read interesting and less predictable.
Nothing groundbreaking for the genre but a good read with good characters who develop and learn from mistakes... most the time. The character flaws make them lovable and I enjoyed that their answers weren't "the best" answers available. Made the read interesting and less predictable.
May 26, 2024
A log of actions, not a story. With glowing missing parts like a guy killing animals and sentient creatures never feeling anything except 'ah, extra 2 xp!'. But reminiscing about his family all the time.
December 11, 2025
Killing sapient humanoids by shitton ain't an issue for our MC. That’s just XP, nothing personal.
..but inheritable bloodlines suddenly derail him into "racism bad" moral stance? Where did that come from?
..but inheritable bloodlines suddenly derail him into "racism bad" moral stance? Where did that come from?
October 8, 2023
Great Read
This is a great LitRPG entry. Light on the numbers but fun story and awesome characters. Well worth the read and I’ll be picking up the next once it’s out.
This is a great LitRPG entry. Light on the numbers but fun story and awesome characters. Well worth the read and I’ll be picking up the next once it’s out.
December 3, 2023
nice
Good clean LitRPG. System and world building are well done. A mixture of portal and LitRPG. Main character is not overpowered.
Good clean LitRPG. System and world building are well done. A mixture of portal and LitRPG. Main character is not overpowered.
May 19, 2024
Good book
Pretty good book. Great story line. Good characters. I liked the whole story and look forward to reading the rest of his books.
Pretty good book. Great story line. Good characters. I liked the whole story and look forward to reading the rest of his books.
May 29, 2024
It's not a bad story. But the author made this dude such a f*king idiot.
July 24, 2024
Dnf
Boring,.took 3 days to get to 10%, it was so boring. Cured my insomnia boring. Just couldn't find anything to hold my interest
Boring,.took 3 days to get to 10%, it was so boring. Cured my insomnia boring. Just couldn't find anything to hold my interest
May 20, 2025
Lame I hate when the mc just whines to go home boo boring
January 6, 2026
Decent, will probably continue the series.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews