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The Path of Ascension #5
The Path of Ascension 5
Matt, Liz, and Aster are now Tier 10.
That means it's time for the Pather tournament. There they will face people who are as strong as them for the first time.
But things are never easy.
With years of Luna's guidance they will have to compete twice. Once as themselves and again under a mask with restrictions meant to ensure they really are the strongest.
Don't miss Book 5 of this action-packed fantasy adventure that blends everything you love about LitRPG with Xianxia.
About the This is a mix between LitRPG and Xianxia. It's like a car that looks like a LitRPG with dungeons and skills, but the interior and engine are all Xianxia. It features a magic system and progression system that are logically and internally consistent, as well as realistic fight scenes and a rational MC.
That means it's time for the Pather tournament. There they will face people who are as strong as them for the first time.
But things are never easy.
With years of Luna's guidance they will have to compete twice. Once as themselves and again under a mask with restrictions meant to ensure they really are the strongest.
Don't miss Book 5 of this action-packed fantasy adventure that blends everything you love about LitRPG with Xianxia.
About the This is a mix between LitRPG and Xianxia. It's like a car that looks like a LitRPG with dungeons and skills, but the interior and engine are all Xianxia. It features a magic system and progression system that are logically and internally consistent, as well as realistic fight scenes and a rational MC.
638 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 13, 2023
1117 people are currently reading
492 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
December 18, 2023
This is the fifth book in a cultivation LitRPG in space. Read them in order.
This is the tournament book. At tier 10, the Empire's pathers converge for a tournament that happens every five years. It's time for Matt and Liz to go and compete. This is also where those who need to hide their identities adopt a mask to do so; this includes Matt and Liz who are dangerous enough that competing empires would wipe them out if they caught wind of their true capabilities. So we see Matt and Liz competing twice, once for their true identities where they sandbag to finish in the middle of the pack, and again in their masks as Quill and Torch—identities built to deliberately obscure their actual skillsets.
This is a fun story of the year of the tournament. Unlike your expectations if you are coming from cultivator stories with tournaments, this one follows almost none of those tropes. In the Ascension universe, there are over a million combatants entering the planet-wide contest (a planet built specifically to host the competition) and a lot happens to create friction between the competitors. Add rift diving as a part of the competition and individual brackets for different skillsets (including crafting), and it's way too diverse to support all the weird shenanigans of typical cultivator stories. I for one, really liked that the author didn't warp his vision to include the silly over-the-top weirdness of those tropes.
There isn't a lot of development for Matt and Liz, and yet I still enjoyed this way more than the previous where they advanced four tiers in the single book. I liked the creativity of the challenges and that the friend sphere expanded and deepened at the same time. This makes this story easily five stars and I enjoyed it immensely.
A note about this particular story: Yes, I'm way ahead of this storyline on the Royal Road site and still an avid follower. I picked this up to revisit the past for Matt and Liz and was just as engaged as I was originally reading this in thrice-weekly installments. It held together remarkably well as a single story. Also, it was way fun reading knowing the true identities of some of the side PoVs (Like the spies Allie and Zack).
A note about Chaste: Liz and Matt are a strong couple, absolutely devoted to each other and that includes sex. Probably. Unprovably, because any of that kind of thing happens off-page. So this is very chaste.
This is the tournament book. At tier 10, the Empire's pathers converge for a tournament that happens every five years. It's time for Matt and Liz to go and compete. This is also where those who need to hide their identities adopt a mask to do so; this includes Matt and Liz who are dangerous enough that competing empires would wipe them out if they caught wind of their true capabilities. So we see Matt and Liz competing twice, once for their true identities where they sandbag to finish in the middle of the pack, and again in their masks as Quill and Torch—identities built to deliberately obscure their actual skillsets.
This is a fun story of the year of the tournament. Unlike your expectations if you are coming from cultivator stories with tournaments, this one follows almost none of those tropes. In the Ascension universe, there are over a million combatants entering the planet-wide contest (a planet built specifically to host the competition) and a lot happens to create friction between the competitors. Add rift diving as a part of the competition and individual brackets for different skillsets (including crafting), and it's way too diverse to support all the weird shenanigans of typical cultivator stories. I for one, really liked that the author didn't warp his vision to include the silly over-the-top weirdness of those tropes.
There isn't a lot of development for Matt and Liz, and yet I still enjoyed this way more than the previous where they advanced four tiers in the single book. I liked the creativity of the challenges and that the friend sphere expanded and deepened at the same time. This makes this story easily five stars and I enjoyed it immensely.
A note about this particular story: Yes, I'm way ahead of this storyline on the Royal Road site and still an avid follower. I picked this up to revisit the past for Matt and Liz and was just as engaged as I was originally reading this in thrice-weekly installments. It held together remarkably well as a single story. Also, it was way fun reading knowing the true identities of some of the side PoVs (Like the spies Allie and Zack).
A note about Chaste: Liz and Matt are a strong couple, absolutely devoted to each other and that includes sex. Probably. Unprovably, because any of that kind of thing happens off-page. So this is very chaste.
February 4, 2024
Rating 4.0 stars
I really liked the first book. I had high hopes for the series after that first book but since then while I still like the series, it isn't as good as I was hoping for. It had a great balance in the first book with interesting characters, excellent world building, interesting magic system, a good crafting system, interesting fights and a pretty good story. The world building and the magic system are still excellent, and the crafting parts are still pretty good, but the character development has been lacking. The fighting is getting long and somewhat boring. Overall I still like the series but I was hoping it would end up on my favorites list and it just didn't quite make it.
I really liked the first book. I had high hopes for the series after that first book but since then while I still like the series, it isn't as good as I was hoping for. It had a great balance in the first book with interesting characters, excellent world building, interesting magic system, a good crafting system, interesting fights and a pretty good story. The world building and the magic system are still excellent, and the crafting parts are still pretty good, but the character development has been lacking. The fighting is getting long and somewhat boring. Overall I still like the series but I was hoping it would end up on my favorites list and it just didn't quite make it.
November 3, 2025
Re-read
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Re-reading the series within the year and it's still as readable and unputdownable. I love this series and love reading it. So now let's go on to the next book and let's rediscover Minkala.
Original Review
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I started reading the sample of this book and had to get the first one. I started reading it on the 12th Jan, and since then I have finished 5 of these and can't stop myself from reading. This is happening to me after a long time where all I want to do is read the book, and then the little sleep I get, I dream about the story and characters from the series. I am obsessed. This book was all about the Tier 10 competition, and there's not even a question about it; it was just superb. I am in love with these characters and am already 200+ pages in the 6th book. I loved this book if you still couldn't tell with all my rambling, mostly because I want to continue reading the book rather than keep on writing this review, but let's stop here and continue reading book 6, and then just Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put, I absolutely love reading, so I have made it my motto to Forever Keep on Reading. I love reading everything except for self-help books, even occasionally. I read almost all the genres, but YA, Fantasy, and Biographies are the most read. My favorite series is Harry Potter, but then there are many more books I adore. I have bookcases filled with books that are waiting to be read so I can't stay and spend more time on this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
-----------------------
Re-reading the series within the year and it's still as readable and unputdownable. I love this series and love reading it. So now let's go on to the next book and let's rediscover Minkala.
Original Review
----------------------
I started reading the sample of this book and had to get the first one. I started reading it on the 12th Jan, and since then I have finished 5 of these and can't stop myself from reading. This is happening to me after a long time where all I want to do is read the book, and then the little sleep I get, I dream about the story and characters from the series. I am obsessed. This book was all about the Tier 10 competition, and there's not even a question about it; it was just superb. I am in love with these characters and am already 200+ pages in the 6th book. I loved this book if you still couldn't tell with all my rambling, mostly because I want to continue reading the book rather than keep on writing this review, but let's stop here and continue reading book 6, and then just Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put, I absolutely love reading, so I have made it my motto to Forever Keep on Reading. I love reading everything except for self-help books, even occasionally. I read almost all the genres, but YA, Fantasy, and Biographies are the most read. My favorite series is Harry Potter, but then there are many more books I adore. I have bookcases filled with books that are waiting to be read so I can't stay and spend more time on this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
September 16, 2024
The plot holes are becoming larger and larger. AI is still worthless unless the author needs a crutch. I don't understand a tournament in which the strongest fighters intentionally hide their strength. One would think an AI strong enough to search trillions of records would be strong enough to identify people behind a mask. Also, how does Liz know any of the royals? The super duper king just spent five years on politics, which is like a third of her life before joining the Path. 15 years is supposed to be a short nap, so how has she had time to build relationships with any of these ancient people?
I don't understand how we're going to get very far when a full year takes a full book. Sure, we've skipped through a few years with some hand waving. But, 180 years is a long time.
I don't understand how we're going to get very far when a full year takes a full book. Sure, we've skipped through a few years with some hand waving. But, 180 years is a long time.
December 14, 2023
TOURNAMENT ARC
A very well done tournament, with multiple different challenges beyond 1v1 or team v team. Meeting some old friends and making new ones.
Also, some solid views into empire politics and Realm politics.
But next…MINKALLA. Pretty much the first time death is a real threat. 60% of people who enter Minkalla die. Kill teams targeting potential ascenders. No safety net.
Plus, it is just a fascinating design.
So, yeah, I’m getting the next one. Even though I already read it on RoyalRoad. AND joined Patreon just to get the last few chapters.
A very well done tournament, with multiple different challenges beyond 1v1 or team v team. Meeting some old friends and making new ones.
Also, some solid views into empire politics and Realm politics.
But next…MINKALLA. Pretty much the first time death is a real threat. 60% of people who enter Minkalla die. Kill teams targeting potential ascenders. No safety net.
Plus, it is just a fascinating design.
So, yeah, I’m getting the next one. Even though I already read it on RoyalRoad. AND joined Patreon just to get the last few chapters.
June 4, 2024
Imagine everyone around you gets some kind of superpower, but when it's your turn, you are stuck with something that is deemed detrimental even by the most benevolent AI. Want to know what it feels to bamboozle the heck out of a situation like this? Then step with me on the Path of Ascension!
Well, we can't choose the hand we're given, we simply have to play it to the best of our abilities.
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Read this review on the blog - the layout is better 😃.
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Path of Ascension is all about self-improvement in a distant future of humanity (and other types of beings). The story follows the main character - Matt - as he starts to find ways to turn his seemingly useless talent into something that will, sooner or later, rock the universe and all the great powers. It is an underdog story, where the underdog will inevitably turn into the top dog.
In the typical fashion of LitRPG, this is done with talents, levels (called tiers, in this case) and skills. And it is quite clear that the author has done some mathematics about his skills.
I like Matt - well, liking the MC is always something to be desired when reading a series. But I like him for the fact that he is down to earth, makes reasonable decisions and tries to come on top of a situation that seems utterly depressing at first. And he's far from the only likeable character throughout the story!
My opinion on Matt.
Of course, his bond Aster - an ice fox - and his girlfriend are great characters, too, but even some of the "villains" are actually likeable enough, and have a clear purpose they're following.
Another thing I really like is how breathing, living and fleshed out the world of this story feels like. It's almost like another character, and some chapters allow us to glance behind the curtain and see some of the intrigues played out on the higher levels.
Even the political stuff is intriguing enough!
On the downside are a few chapters that feel downright sluggish. Not everything moves the plot forward, and there is a lot of exposition. If that is not your style, you might want to skip - either the series, or a few pages here and there while reading. I think the pace could be better, but then again, this seems to be a common problem for the genre, and it isn't too bad here, overall.
All in all, one of the better LitRPG series so far, with detailed world building and really great characters. 4 out of 5 Phoenix feathers!
*This review is written for books 1 - 6 of the series*
Well, we can't choose the hand we're given, we simply have to play it to the best of our abilities.
******************************
Read this review on the blog - the layout is better 😃.
******************************
Path of Ascension is all about self-improvement in a distant future of humanity (and other types of beings). The story follows the main character - Matt - as he starts to find ways to turn his seemingly useless talent into something that will, sooner or later, rock the universe and all the great powers. It is an underdog story, where the underdog will inevitably turn into the top dog.
In the typical fashion of LitRPG, this is done with talents, levels (called tiers, in this case) and skills. And it is quite clear that the author has done some mathematics about his skills.
I like Matt - well, liking the MC is always something to be desired when reading a series. But I like him for the fact that he is down to earth, makes reasonable decisions and tries to come on top of a situation that seems utterly depressing at first. And he's far from the only likeable character throughout the story!
My opinion on Matt.
Of course, his bond Aster - an ice fox - and his girlfriend are great characters, too, but even some of the "villains" are actually likeable enough, and have a clear purpose they're following.
Another thing I really like is how breathing, living and fleshed out the world of this story feels like. It's almost like another character, and some chapters allow us to glance behind the curtain and see some of the intrigues played out on the higher levels.
Even the political stuff is intriguing enough!
On the downside are a few chapters that feel downright sluggish. Not everything moves the plot forward, and there is a lot of exposition. If that is not your style, you might want to skip - either the series, or a few pages here and there while reading. I think the pace could be better, but then again, this seems to be a common problem for the genre, and it isn't too bad here, overall.
All in all, one of the better LitRPG series so far, with detailed world building and really great characters. 4 out of 5 Phoenix feathers!
*This review is written for books 1 - 6 of the series*
January 21, 2024
This progressive fantasy continues with our protagonists Matt and Liz highly trained after years of ascending the path to Level 10.
Now they'll compete with other Pathers at that level and the problem isn't they aren't strong enough, but that they're too strong! You see, promising Pathers are assassination targets for the other Great Powers who do not want to face the in war.
So they adopt three false identities each and play under their 'real' identities, but using only a limited amount of power.
They want to walk a delicate balance. They want to hide their real powers and still qualify for high rewards within the tournament.
Meanwhile, we learn that spies from every government are seeking out their true identities by any means possible.
What will happen? Read and find out!
Now they'll compete with other Pathers at that level and the problem isn't they aren't strong enough, but that they're too strong! You see, promising Pathers are assassination targets for the other Great Powers who do not want to face the in war.
So they adopt three false identities each and play under their 'real' identities, but using only a limited amount of power.
They want to walk a delicate balance. They want to hide their real powers and still qualify for high rewards within the tournament.
Meanwhile, we learn that spies from every government are seeking out their true identities by any means possible.
What will happen? Read and find out!
August 9, 2024
4.5 stars. The author's coverage of the tournament was a good mix of quick summarization of less key events and lots of detail where needed. I did find the last chapter tedious and felt it could have been accomplished more succinctly and with fewer pages.
April 13, 2024
Absolutely average … wish I could drop this series but the world building is too good. If only the characters were half as good.
June 30, 2024
It took me a week to finish, but was worth it
August 10, 2025
The series is just getting better and better! All the variety of magic, skills, abilities, talent, and variations of power is mind boggling! Well done!👏🏽👏🏽
December 7, 2025
Best installment of the series yet. The tournament was a lot of fun. The different teams we’ve seen so far through the series finally get to be all in one place.
The false identities Quill and Torch were interesting. I don’t know why we really needed that. I want to see them go all out. I don’t care for the restrictions they put on themselves. I kept getting confused on which team can use which power.
I’m glad the secret identity act is over. Over all this book was amazing!
The Royals! Omg I love watching tier 50 shenanigans. Aunt Helena ❤️ I need her lore.
The false identities Quill and Torch were interesting. I don’t know why we really needed that. I want to see them go all out. I don’t care for the restrictions they put on themselves. I kept getting confused on which team can use which power.
I’m glad the secret identity act is over. Over all this book was amazing!
The Royals! Omg I love watching tier 50 shenanigans. Aunt Helena ❤️ I need her lore.
April 22, 2024
This is easily the best book in this series since the first, and I really enjoyed reading it. It was almost enough that I wanted to give it a fifth star, and if I had rated just the first half of this book, then I might have done that. However, I can't ignore the glaring problem with this book; this is a 638-page novel about a single tournament with a pre-ordained ending. In my mind, it's a story that could have been told in just 200 pages.
Don't get me wrong, this was a really fun read. It was awesome to see how far Matt and Liz have come since book one, and getting to watch them dominate the competition with half of their power locked away to hide their true identities was awesome. The issue is that it didn't really progress anything. We knew going in that Matt and Liz were going to win this thing, with everyone in power pretty much stating it outright at the beginning of the book. Therefore, there weren't any real stakes in the tournament itself, and this should have just been a fun pitstop in the larger story.
Two hundred pages, about a third of this book, would have been the perfect length for them to have some fun, show off how far they have come, set up some future alliances, and then move on to get going on the path of ascension again. This is a progression story at its heart, and neither of the main characters made any progress here. The most you could say for major plot points covered in this novel is that it introduces Matt and Liz to the major players in this universe, sets up their next story, and gives Aster a bit of a boost. As entertaining as this book was to read, that's not much as far as story progression goes.
It's a massive shame, as there was so much else to like here. Matt interacting with Liz' family, Matt adopting a fun and confident new personality for his alternate persona, the action in the tournament itself, and some fun new characters. This was all enjoyable stuff, but it essentially boils down to having too little butter to cover this much bread.
So it's four stars for this one. I am more eager to keep up with this series than I have been in a while, and this book is definitely a step in the right direction. Fingers crossed that this book is just the start of an upward trend, and there are better things to come. Considering my interest in this series was hanging by a thread before picking this book up, that in itself should tell you how much I enjoyed this series despite the above flaws.
Don't get me wrong, this was a really fun read. It was awesome to see how far Matt and Liz have come since book one, and getting to watch them dominate the competition with half of their power locked away to hide their true identities was awesome. The issue is that it didn't really progress anything. We knew going in that Matt and Liz were going to win this thing, with everyone in power pretty much stating it outright at the beginning of the book. Therefore, there weren't any real stakes in the tournament itself, and this should have just been a fun pitstop in the larger story.
Two hundred pages, about a third of this book, would have been the perfect length for them to have some fun, show off how far they have come, set up some future alliances, and then move on to get going on the path of ascension again. This is a progression story at its heart, and neither of the main characters made any progress here. The most you could say for major plot points covered in this novel is that it introduces Matt and Liz to the major players in this universe, sets up their next story, and gives Aster a bit of a boost. As entertaining as this book was to read, that's not much as far as story progression goes.
It's a massive shame, as there was so much else to like here. Matt interacting with Liz' family, Matt adopting a fun and confident new personality for his alternate persona, the action in the tournament itself, and some fun new characters. This was all enjoyable stuff, but it essentially boils down to having too little butter to cover this much bread.
So it's four stars for this one. I am more eager to keep up with this series than I have been in a while, and this book is definitely a step in the right direction. Fingers crossed that this book is just the start of an upward trend, and there are better things to come. Considering my interest in this series was hanging by a thread before picking this book up, that in itself should tell you how much I enjoyed this series despite the above flaws.
July 5, 2025
What a brilliant comeback.
We enter into the tier 10 Pather Tournament. Having a story arc to back this book made a world of difference compared to the previous one. With guidance for where the story was going it made everything have more purpose.
First of all. I love Matt and Liz’s alter egos for the competition. Quill is a sassy shit. And Torch was epic. It was incredibly to these two fight with such different styles than what they’ve shown over the series. It brought on a lot more creativity in how they delved rifts and faced other pathers. I massively enjoyed the change. My competitive nature could not handle seeing Matt and Liz purposely lose, but the reasoning why was perfectly understandable. I’m so excited for book six where they can combine their fighting styles.
I loved the competitions. Loved seeing old characters return. And my love for Mara and Leon is unmatched. They are the best parents. Can they step into real existence and adopt me please.
I love watching Aster grow. She’s a determined fox. I’m going to be crushed when she separates after tier 15. But so excited to see her human form and how she powers her bloodline.
The end chapters we get of Emperor Emmanuel are always incredible. Diving into the thoughts and actions of tier 50 allow the development of the approaching war is such an interesting way. He is such an interesting character, and a genuinely good person.
Very excited to see Matt and Liz and Aster team up with a certain powerhouse next book going to the “danger” planet to train. I want to see what amazing rewards they will get. I’m addicted to the rewards. And in excited to see how they use the rewards they earned in the competition. With them being able to combine their fighting styles there is so much potential for new and interesting fights.
A fantastic instalment to the Path of Ascension series. I forgive the lesser quality of book four now since it laid the foundation for an amazing book five.
Onto book six!
We enter into the tier 10 Pather Tournament. Having a story arc to back this book made a world of difference compared to the previous one. With guidance for where the story was going it made everything have more purpose.
First of all. I love Matt and Liz’s alter egos for the competition. Quill is a sassy shit. And Torch was epic. It was incredibly to these two fight with such different styles than what they’ve shown over the series. It brought on a lot more creativity in how they delved rifts and faced other pathers. I massively enjoyed the change. My competitive nature could not handle seeing Matt and Liz purposely lose, but the reasoning why was perfectly understandable. I’m so excited for book six where they can combine their fighting styles.
I loved the competitions. Loved seeing old characters return. And my love for Mara and Leon is unmatched. They are the best parents. Can they step into real existence and adopt me please.
I love watching Aster grow. She’s a determined fox. I’m going to be crushed when she separates after tier 15. But so excited to see her human form and how she powers her bloodline.
The end chapters we get of Emperor Emmanuel are always incredible. Diving into the thoughts and actions of tier 50 allow the development of the approaching war is such an interesting way. He is such an interesting character, and a genuinely good person.
Very excited to see Matt and Liz and Aster team up with a certain powerhouse next book going to the “danger” planet to train. I want to see what amazing rewards they will get. I’m addicted to the rewards. And in excited to see how they use the rewards they earned in the competition. With them being able to combine their fighting styles there is so much potential for new and interesting fights.
A fantastic instalment to the Path of Ascension series. I forgive the lesser quality of book four now since it laid the foundation for an amazing book five.
Onto book six!
January 1, 2024
Finally, Matt, Liz, and Aster are Tier 10. That means two major changes: the Tier 10 tournament that happens every few years for those Pathers in the right Tier bracket, and the fact that Liz's deal with her parents was only good until she hit Tier 10. And in order to prevent them from having too many advantages in the tournament, Luna insists they participate under masked identities . . .
To some extent, the tournament arc has it all. There are crafting bits (especially as Matt has taken on a persona, Quill, who is a talisman fighter). There are rift team-ups with old friends and new as they shoot for a bigger prize. And, of course, plenty of fights, with a large variety. From solo to team fights, from out-of-rift to in-rift, from one-and-done to wave battles to mazes. So despite the tournament taking a long time, since each various part is just different enough from what came before, it doesn't feel repetitive.
I like that we're meeting back up with some old friends like Fen. Some of the new introductions have less staying power than those previous teammates, so it's nice to see them able to catch up and team up once more. Even though this is ultimately a competition, that doesn't preclude them from being friends. Also, this is where Queen first shows up---and Matt realizes once more that Pathers compose of a lot of people with rather broken abilities.
Matt and Liz's alternate identities debuts here, and it's also interesting seeing how much they have to change for them. Matt, who is generally fairly even-tempered and friendly, now has to be an arrogant ass, and Liz, who has generally handled the more politically complex sides, is now a stoic warrior who barely speaks at all. This leads to some funny moments later on, as Matt's character garners more and more vitriol while Liz somehow procures a devoted fanbase.
Liz's family plays a rather large role, too. We've only seen glimpses of Mara and Leon previously, and as crazy as they seemed, in reality they're actually worse. Liz's apprehensions about her family entirely make sense once Matt is exposed to the two goofballs---and it's sweet to see how fast Matt takes to their familial affection, as he's been so long without any family of his own.
Overall, this is a great arc for the series, showcasing a breadth of character and action. I rate this book Highly Recommended.
To some extent, the tournament arc has it all. There are crafting bits (especially as Matt has taken on a persona, Quill, who is a talisman fighter). There are rift team-ups with old friends and new as they shoot for a bigger prize. And, of course, plenty of fights, with a large variety. From solo to team fights, from out-of-rift to in-rift, from one-and-done to wave battles to mazes. So despite the tournament taking a long time, since each various part is just different enough from what came before, it doesn't feel repetitive.
I like that we're meeting back up with some old friends like Fen. Some of the new introductions have less staying power than those previous teammates, so it's nice to see them able to catch up and team up once more. Even though this is ultimately a competition, that doesn't preclude them from being friends. Also, this is where Queen first shows up---and Matt realizes once more that Pathers compose of a lot of people with rather broken abilities.
Matt and Liz's alternate identities debuts here, and it's also interesting seeing how much they have to change for them. Matt, who is generally fairly even-tempered and friendly, now has to be an arrogant ass, and Liz, who has generally handled the more politically complex sides, is now a stoic warrior who barely speaks at all. This leads to some funny moments later on, as Matt's character garners more and more vitriol while Liz somehow procures a devoted fanbase.
Liz's family plays a rather large role, too. We've only seen glimpses of Mara and Leon previously, and as crazy as they seemed, in reality they're actually worse. Liz's apprehensions about her family entirely make sense once Matt is exposed to the two goofballs---and it's sweet to see how fast Matt takes to their familial affection, as he's been so long without any family of his own.
Overall, this is a great arc for the series, showcasing a breadth of character and action. I rate this book Highly Recommended.
July 16, 2024
Wow I had no idea that I was so far behind 🙃 in this series! Just now reading bk5 and when I finish there will 2 more books that I'll be able to read in quick succession. So yeah. Yay for me! Happy Dance!
War is looming presenting a darking future. But this book is about fun and games as Matt and Liz enter a tier 10 tournament. Not intentionally to tier up but to just have fun, get in on the rewards and beat all the contestants! Which of course is a reward few other can brag about! Aster on the other is not allowed to play with them and since she won't be outdone as an ice fox her path to grow is limited so instead of growing up she manages to take a needed sidestep and changes her core nature to a winter fox! So even if Aster doesn't have a lot of screen time everything she does is vital to the storyline.
So grab the book to keep up with Matt, Liz, Aster's shenanigans or should I say Quill, Torch, and Aster's antics. You might actually get whiplash watching me charge straight into book 6!
Here's a couple of quotes that amused me:
"Mara crumbled into a pile of ash, swept herself up with a dustpan, and put herself into a trash can."
“Oh, yeah. What are your cover identities’ names?” Matt smirked as Liz rolled her eyes. “I’m Shawn, Liz is Jules, and Aster is Lassie..."
"Can your Tier 15 guild leader cash the bill your mouth is racking up?”
War is looming presenting a darking future. But this book is about fun and games as Matt and Liz enter a tier 10 tournament. Not intentionally to tier up but to just have fun, get in on the rewards and beat all the contestants! Which of course is a reward few other can brag about! Aster on the other is not allowed to play with them and since she won't be outdone as an ice fox her path to grow is limited so instead of growing up she manages to take a needed sidestep and changes her core nature to a winter fox! So even if Aster doesn't have a lot of screen time everything she does is vital to the storyline.
So grab the book to keep up with Matt, Liz, Aster's shenanigans or should I say Quill, Torch, and Aster's antics. You might actually get whiplash watching me charge straight into book 6!
Here's a couple of quotes that amused me:
"Mara crumbled into a pile of ash, swept herself up with a dustpan, and put herself into a trash can."
“Oh, yeah. What are your cover identities’ names?” Matt smirked as Liz rolled her eyes. “I’m Shawn, Liz is Jules, and Aster is Lassie..."
"Can your Tier 15 guild leader cash the bill your mouth is racking up?”
January 3, 2024
When I read that there would be a tournament arc, I was a bit hesitant. There are very few tournament arcs that I actually enjoyed. In that regards, this volume was a happy surprise for the most part. For one thing, we get a varied amount of conflicts and rarely of characters posturing to one another. The addition of hard limitations and fake identities that are more than just a mask worked well even though I am not a fan of Quill's personality (if that was the MC's true personality I would have dropped the series long ago). The lack of true stakes, which is one reason I am not an overly big fan of tournament arcs, was not too bad here since it was more about interaction with others and character development than fighting anyway.
Having said that, by the end of the volume when we get into the solo part of the tournament we do get a lot of fights I just quickly glanced through. I tend to find these fights boring (even more so when there is no stake), and I don't care about knowing whom of the good people are stronger compared to one another. Compared to the page count though this was a small part.
Anyway, a fun addition to the series and looking forward to the next one: the dungeon exploration with no backup and a new addition to the team.
Having said that, by the end of the volume when we get into the solo part of the tournament we do get a lot of fights I just quickly glanced through. I tend to find these fights boring (even more so when there is no stake), and I don't care about knowing whom of the good people are stronger compared to one another. Compared to the page count though this was a small part.
Anyway, a fun addition to the series and looking forward to the next one: the dungeon exploration with no backup and a new addition to the team.
October 23, 2025
I had mixed feelings about the direction this book took, but overall the writing was great.
The secret identities are a bit of a mixed bag for me. On one hand, the alter egos are really well made. I really like Matt's talismans, and Liz actually getting to use fire after everything she's been through is rewarding to see.
At the same time, though, the books have really been hyping up the expansion of Matt's mana pool. He's mentioned multiple times in each book so far that when he reaches tier 8, he'll have enough base mana to cast unlimited fireballs. Then, when he hits tier 8, him, Liz, and Aster put on these other identities and forced to use a restrictive skill set. While the skill sets are really interesting, I was hoping to get to see more normal fantasy-esque magic usage. Luna barring the gang from using anything other than those restrictive skillsets is the part that ruined it a little for me. Not even in a privately instanced rift where there's zero chance of being seen? Idk. Hoping the identities can come off at least partly in time and Matt can get to the spellcasting he wants.
The secret identities are a bit of a mixed bag for me. On one hand, the alter egos are really well made. I really like Matt's talismans, and Liz actually getting to use fire after everything she's been through is rewarding to see.
At the same time, though, the books have really been hyping up the expansion of Matt's mana pool. He's mentioned multiple times in each book so far that when he reaches tier 8, he'll have enough base mana to cast unlimited fireballs. Then, when he hits tier 8, him, Liz, and Aster put on these other identities and forced to use a restrictive skill set. While the skill sets are really interesting, I was hoping to get to see more normal fantasy-esque magic usage. Luna barring the gang from using anything other than those restrictive skillsets is the part that ruined it a little for me. Not even in a privately instanced rift where there's zero chance of being seen? Idk. Hoping the identities can come off at least partly in time and Matt can get to the spellcasting he wants.
January 31, 2024
Path of Ascension book 5 is a pretty good book in the series. There's a lot more development in this one, and although there's still plenty of political stuff, it doesn't take over the story like it has done in a few of the previous books. A lot of the story isn't explained very well, but you are given hints and foreshadowing to (I assume) explain the answers of questions like: why do people *have* to leave the path, what exactly does falling off the path actually mean, and so forth. Many questions of this sort aren't actually addressed, but are hinted at, so I don't know if there will ever be real answers to those kinds of questions, but nonetheless, the book is a good addition to the series, and well worth the read if you're following the series already. New readers should not start here, go back to book 1 and begin at the start, trust me, it will make a lot more sense that way.
April 3, 2025
This book is very frustrating.
What was the point of spending the last four books progressing with these characters as they develop their power sets if we are going to throw it away for gimmicks when it finally counts? This misses the entire point of a tournament arc as the characters make up new power sets and just lol their way through the tournament while we read dozens of pages of side characters musing about politics. Creating a cool rival for Matt and then having him sandbag in the fight is such a baffling decision.
The entire mask thing may seem like a 'cool' idea on paper but it undermines everything. It is baffling that 'Matt arbitrarily throws out talismans' was stretched to an entire book (and possibly beyond). It is baffling to sideline Aster, it is baffling to spend more time listening to Fredrick think about geopolitics than we spend on the tournament. This entire thing is baffling. It feels like the author over-cooked their ideas and fundamentally doesn't understand why people read progression / power fantasy.
What was the point of spending the last four books progressing with these characters as they develop their power sets if we are going to throw it away for gimmicks when it finally counts? This misses the entire point of a tournament arc as the characters make up new power sets and just lol their way through the tournament while we read dozens of pages of side characters musing about politics. Creating a cool rival for Matt and then having him sandbag in the fight is such a baffling decision.
The entire mask thing may seem like a 'cool' idea on paper but it undermines everything. It is baffling that 'Matt arbitrarily throws out talismans' was stretched to an entire book (and possibly beyond). It is baffling to sideline Aster, it is baffling to spend more time listening to Fredrick think about geopolitics than we spend on the tournament. This entire thing is baffling. It feels like the author over-cooked their ideas and fundamentally doesn't understand why people read progression / power fantasy.
August 22, 2024
Still solid for what it is. Stakes seem to only get lower and lower as the books go on and no one finds out about the mc’s power. We’re led to believe he’s in sort of constant danger due to it but the secret has still not negatively impacted him, he’s just becoming more and more over powered.
I really appreciate the effort put into world building. Also massive props for giving the sidekick pet its own agency and addressing the psychological issues that could come with being born and jumping straight into fights to the death/how the world deals with them. The series is well written and really interesting, I just feel no need to keep reading at this point. There are no stakes shown, even if we’re constantly told how universe-changing the mc’s power is, everyone just gets stronger in fun cool ways.
I really appreciate the effort put into world building. Also massive props for giving the sidekick pet its own agency and addressing the psychological issues that could come with being born and jumping straight into fights to the death/how the world deals with them. The series is well written and really interesting, I just feel no need to keep reading at this point. There are no stakes shown, even if we’re constantly told how universe-changing the mc’s power is, everyone just gets stronger in fun cool ways.
January 2, 2024
Most boring version of the classic "Tournament Arc" I've ever encountered. If you read the first 4 and just imagine "Matt, Liz and tournament arc", you've just saved yourself reading the book. Nothing interesting happens.
The main draw of a tournament arc is usually our main characters pushing themselves to their absolute limit, but even that is just gone with them still hiding their powers 5 books in.
On top of that the writing in book 4 & 5 has a big drop in quality and the good old grating litRPG tradition of endlessly repeating walls of text has become more common.
All in all, not a great read.
The main draw of a tournament arc is usually our main characters pushing themselves to their absolute limit, but even that is just gone with them still hiding their powers 5 books in.
On top of that the writing in book 4 & 5 has a big drop in quality and the good old grating litRPG tradition of endlessly repeating walls of text has become more common.
All in all, not a great read.
May 22, 2025
I don't really like the direction this book is taking with the characters. Liz internally doesn't respect Matt's skill, as she thinks he just cheats with his ability to pump infinite mana into his AI. She thinks her work with alchemy is more difficult and should get more respect.
Then you have Luna and Kurt explicitly point out how much better Liz's combat prowess is, while stating that Matt will eventually fall in line with the rest of the pathers.
I don't know, this book keeps treating Matt like he's only good because of his mana regeneration abilities, not because of his willpower and determination. Maybe it's to hide an insane power jump in the future, but that seems unlikely.
Then you have Luna and Kurt explicitly point out how much better Liz's combat prowess is, while stating that Matt will eventually fall in line with the rest of the pathers.
I don't know, this book keeps treating Matt like he's only good because of his mana regeneration abilities, not because of his willpower and determination. Maybe it's to hide an insane power jump in the future, but that seems unlikely.
July 26, 2025
Path of ascension 5
IN THIS BOOK MATT AND LIZ FACE THEIR MOST AWAITED THING. THE TIER 10 TOURNAMENTS IN WHICH THEY PARTICIPATED ALONG WITH MILLIONS OF OTHER TIER 10’S. THEIR GOAL WAS TO WIN AND COME OUT ON THE TOP. THEY CONTINUOSLY PRACTICED BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT AND THEY EASILY DEFEATED EVERYONE IN BOTH SOLO AND TEAM COMPETITIONS. THEY’RE HARDEST COMPETITORS WERE QUEEN AND DIANA’S TEAM. YET WITH SHEER WILLPOWER THEY WON AND CLAIMED THEIR PORTABLE HOUSE AS THE REWARD.THEY THEN EXITED AND PUSHED THEMSELVES TO TIER 11 IN LESS THAN A YEAR. THEN AFTER A FEW YEARS THEY REACHED PEAK TIER 11 AND CONTINUED THEIR JOURNEY TO MINKALLA TO FACE THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGE YET.
IN THIS BOOK MATT AND LIZ FACE THEIR MOST AWAITED THING. THE TIER 10 TOURNAMENTS IN WHICH THEY PARTICIPATED ALONG WITH MILLIONS OF OTHER TIER 10’S. THEIR GOAL WAS TO WIN AND COME OUT ON THE TOP. THEY CONTINUOSLY PRACTICED BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT AND THEY EASILY DEFEATED EVERYONE IN BOTH SOLO AND TEAM COMPETITIONS. THEY’RE HARDEST COMPETITORS WERE QUEEN AND DIANA’S TEAM. YET WITH SHEER WILLPOWER THEY WON AND CLAIMED THEIR PORTABLE HOUSE AS THE REWARD.THEY THEN EXITED AND PUSHED THEMSELVES TO TIER 11 IN LESS THAN A YEAR. THEN AFTER A FEW YEARS THEY REACHED PEAK TIER 11 AND CONTINUED THEIR JOURNEY TO MINKALLA TO FACE THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGE YET.
February 2, 2024
Often confusing and backwards
The story is very enjoyable. The reason it's only 3 stars is because of all the distractions. The author keeps trying to force feed gender identity, sex, alcohol, and other distractions that are not organic at all in the storyline and often dont make any sense. In the earlier books the children in their preteens/teens are treated like they are adults, now that they are in their 30s they are being treated as if they are children (which they technically are when compared to the immortals). Many things just seem very backwards.
The story is very enjoyable. The reason it's only 3 stars is because of all the distractions. The author keeps trying to force feed gender identity, sex, alcohol, and other distractions that are not organic at all in the storyline and often dont make any sense. In the earlier books the children in their preteens/teens are treated like they are adults, now that they are in their 30s they are being treated as if they are children (which they technically are when compared to the immortals). Many things just seem very backwards.
April 29, 2024
DNF at 53%.
Where the first 3-4 books moved relatively quickly with both the story and character progression, the author in this one has slowed to a crawl, in order to explain in-depth every facet of the world. Enchanting, runes, how bond evolutions work, everything. It's absolutely tiring to spend 3-4 pages reading about how something in this world works; it'd be one thing if it was a rarity. It isn't. It's happening at least once a chapter, and as a result this book is painful to read for the most part.
Where the first 3-4 books moved relatively quickly with both the story and character progression, the author in this one has slowed to a crawl, in order to explain in-depth every facet of the world. Enchanting, runes, how bond evolutions work, everything. It's absolutely tiring to spend 3-4 pages reading about how something in this world works; it'd be one thing if it was a rarity. It isn't. It's happening at least once a chapter, and as a result this book is painful to read for the most part.
March 24, 2025
A bit of a chore to get through. I was on the fence after the last book, but saw this was a tournament book and thought, can't mess this up. Yeah, no.
The whole alter egos, hiding powers, fighting with new ones, and everything being drawn out was just so boring. Add in a bunch of politics just to slow it down some more, pass.
The series started out promising, but just went downhill for me. Looks like the next books continue the downward trend. It looks to be more of the same. So if you like the series, keep on reading, otherwise bow out now.
The whole alter egos, hiding powers, fighting with new ones, and everything being drawn out was just so boring. Add in a bunch of politics just to slow it down some more, pass.
The series started out promising, but just went downhill for me. Looks like the next books continue the downward trend. It looks to be more of the same. So if you like the series, keep on reading, otherwise bow out now.
June 11, 2025
Another top book in this series. IT centred around the level 10s tournament, which felt novel and never overdone. They had different brackets for enchanters, talismans, the different weapons, alchemy and then a team competition and individuals. This was great already, but with Matt (especially) and Liz needing to keep their talents hidden due to them eventually being huge players in the Empire, they nerfed their own abilities (and still did quite well) but made masked personas with a complete different skillset to compete with. Added new dimensions to fights
December 14, 2023
Tournament done right!
This has become one of my two or three favourite series and this book does not disappoint. Great approach to a tournament setup with a variety of interesting formats and contests. I'd say I'm looking forward to the next one but I broke down after the last book and joined this author's Patreon so I know that Minkalla is coming and it's an absolute treat. Looking forward to reviewing that next.
This has become one of my two or three favourite series and this book does not disappoint. Great approach to a tournament setup with a variety of interesting formats and contests. I'd say I'm looking forward to the next one but I broke down after the last book and joined this author's Patreon so I know that Minkalla is coming and it's an absolute treat. Looking forward to reviewing that next.
December 20, 2023
These books are fine, but they’d be a lot more enjoyable without having to hear in detail the history of everyone and everything no matter how irrelevant. 99 times out of a hundred they never come up again, but every so often a character will make an offhand reference to something and you have to flip back through it, “whose grandmother was that again?” At least tell us what’s going to be on the test, professor!
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