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Slumrat Rising #1
A Starbrite Man: A Cyberpunk LitRPG
In a magical dystopia, one young man would sell his soul to save his siblings—and the Starbrite Corporation is buying—in this all-too-real urban fantasy.
Seventeen-year-old Truth Medici scavenges for scraps to eat; weathers his parents’ abuse; and battles derelicts, killer pimps, and demons in the soul-crushing stretch of desperation he calls home. Even the cops steer clear of the toxic Harban slums.
But just across the canal live the magical elite, with their wealth, flying carpets, gorgeous mages, and custom spell beasts, all thanks to the patronage of the almighty Starbrite Corporation. Getting there, and taking his three vulnerable siblings with him, is Truth’s only dream.
When Truth’s performance on the Starbrite Aptitude Test surpasses all expectations, it’s the start of a new life. Granted use of the System Astrologica, his access to spells, cultivation tonics, and knowledge—not to mention real food—is limitless. But in Harban, even dreams come with a price tag . . .
Turns out, something more than power has been implanted in Truth. Something beyond his control. As the motto goes, “A Starbrite Man Is Always Ready.” But for what? Truth is about to find out. Because he’s not just fighting to break free from the slums and save himself and his sibs anymore. Now he’s fighting the world itself.
The first volume of the hit cyberpunk fantasy series—with more than 900,000 views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!
Seventeen-year-old Truth Medici scavenges for scraps to eat; weathers his parents’ abuse; and battles derelicts, killer pimps, and demons in the soul-crushing stretch of desperation he calls home. Even the cops steer clear of the toxic Harban slums.
But just across the canal live the magical elite, with their wealth, flying carpets, gorgeous mages, and custom spell beasts, all thanks to the patronage of the almighty Starbrite Corporation. Getting there, and taking his three vulnerable siblings with him, is Truth’s only dream.
When Truth’s performance on the Starbrite Aptitude Test surpasses all expectations, it’s the start of a new life. Granted use of the System Astrologica, his access to spells, cultivation tonics, and knowledge—not to mention real food—is limitless. But in Harban, even dreams come with a price tag . . .
Turns out, something more than power has been implanted in Truth. Something beyond his control. As the motto goes, “A Starbrite Man Is Always Ready.” But for what? Truth is about to find out. Because he’s not just fighting to break free from the slums and save himself and his sibs anymore. Now he’s fighting the world itself.
The first volume of the hit cyberpunk fantasy series—with more than 900,000 views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2023
166 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 22, 2023
Incredible writing
This story had me hooked from the beginning. The world building, the characters, the dialogue. The world is such an awesome blend of modern and mystical.
I am not good at writing reviews, all I can say is this slaps.
This story had me hooked from the beginning. The world building, the characters, the dialogue. The world is such an awesome blend of modern and mystical.
I am not good at writing reviews, all I can say is this slaps.
March 8, 2024
One of my favorites
Gritty Setting, clear motivation and some grim without being ugly. The MC made sense to me, I understood him but he wasn’t G Sue.
I finished the book very much invested in the story.
Gritty Setting, clear motivation and some grim without being ugly. The MC made sense to me, I understood him but he wasn’t G Sue.
I finished the book very much invested in the story.
December 4, 2023
This is a great book. With a horrible cover. It's funny, sad, dystopian and much more. Might be one of my favorite mc's. No whining over small things, taking the blows and getting back up. Really enjoyed this book. The start is slow, but its worth the slow start for the comedic gold later on in the book, together with all the other emotions there book pulls out.
November 11, 2023
Good read
Fast paced, good quality and an interesting MC. The setting was a bit different too than the normal LitRPG, which is a plus. Would recommend.
Fast paced, good quality and an interesting MC. The setting was a bit different too than the normal LitRPG, which is a plus. Would recommend.
December 2, 2023
Phenomenal narration, glacial progression, fantastic world building.
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 3/5
Narration: 5.5/5
Favorite line: NA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 3/5
Narration: 5.5/5
Favorite line: NA
December 13, 2023
Relatable. I also can't get the voice out of my head telling me to kill and calling me ugly.
June 10, 2024
It's a solid book with some fun ideas, but despite showing signs of self awareness it never really thinks its thoughts all the way down. It also has some weird instances of fatphobia.
March 30, 2024
While I found the first two-thirds of the book somewhat enjoyable, I struggled to maintain interest towards the end. Much of the narrative felt bogged down by lengthy philosophical musings and repetitive ramblings that did little to advance the plot or develop the main character. Instead of offering new insights, the author seemed content to reiterate information the reader (and protagonist) already knew, without adding any depth or nuance. Additionally, there was an excessive amount of exposition and lore-dumping, which detracted from the overall pacing and engagement.
One of my major gripes was the disproportionate focus on trivial details, such as the intricate descriptions of local foods, while pivotal plot points, , were glossed over. The lack of emotional depth and introspection following such significant events left me feeling disconnected from the story. Moreover, the protagonist's nonchalant attitude was perplexing.
Regrettably, these issues have dissuaded me from continuing with the series. It's disheartening to see a promising action-driven LitRPG devolve into meandering philosophical discourse, especially when the initial premise focused heavily on the protagonist's progression. This sudden shift in tone and narrative direction can be jarring for readers, resulting in a disjointed and unsatisfying experience.
Furthermore, the secondary characters introduced throughout the book lacked depth and originality, resembling generic NPCs rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. With the narrative predominantly revolving around the protagonist, there was little room for meaningful character development or interpersonal dynamics beyond his inherent power.
Overall, while the premise held promise, the execution fell short of expectations. I would caution prospective readers against expecting a cohesive and immersive storytelling experience, as the narrative fails to deliver on its initial premise and potential for character-driven depth.
One of my major gripes was the disproportionate focus on trivial details, such as the intricate descriptions of local foods, while pivotal plot points, , were glossed over. The lack of emotional depth and introspection following such significant events left me feeling disconnected from the story. Moreover, the protagonist's nonchalant attitude was perplexing.
Regrettably, these issues have dissuaded me from continuing with the series. It's disheartening to see a promising action-driven LitRPG devolve into meandering philosophical discourse, especially when the initial premise focused heavily on the protagonist's progression. This sudden shift in tone and narrative direction can be jarring for readers, resulting in a disjointed and unsatisfying experience.
Furthermore, the secondary characters introduced throughout the book lacked depth and originality, resembling generic NPCs rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. With the narrative predominantly revolving around the protagonist, there was little room for meaningful character development or interpersonal dynamics beyond his inherent power.
Overall, while the premise held promise, the execution fell short of expectations. I would caution prospective readers against expecting a cohesive and immersive storytelling experience, as the narrative fails to deliver on its initial premise and potential for character-driven depth.
January 25, 2024
Well, that was fun.
So, I'll be honest, I skipped this book a few times on Audible because the summary just didn't seem all that interesting. Seemed like a cyberpunk grimdark kinda feel and with a plot that made it seem like there would be a lot of whining and questioning one's goals, ect ect, moral conflicts and AI awareness questions..
Luckily it was not. Like another reviewer said, I liked this Mc because he isn't whining all the time and when he gets knocked down he gets back up. So many good books have the MC constantly checking their morals, and monologuing over their viewpoints. Not our MC, Not Truth. He is so lazer focused that he really has only two skills and almost all the story is him just interacting with others and actually DOING things. Very little self inspection and wailing over his choices or status in life. He's more about doing something about his status then railing against without action for hours on end.
Now, I will say this story has a lot of 'build up' it's slow at the start. However most books where you're constantly waiting for the 'good part' the part where they get powers, or the unique features that makes the a MC or the chosen one thing happens. In this book the build up is actually interesting and engaging. You're not just waiting for it to get on with the main story. In fact I'd say that until the last 2 hours of the book, the whole book is basically build up.
So if you're looking for just a fun engaging book with some mysteries but that don't hang over the story with unbearable tension but just seem like curious interest while you enjoy the book, this is a great one. For the first book there is no 'big bad' no 'huge threat'... 'no great conspiracy' that pushes the story forward. It's just the MC trying to get more money to keep his sibling safe. That's it but the story of how he does it, is just so good.
A Starbrite Man is always ready, but are you?
So, I'll be honest, I skipped this book a few times on Audible because the summary just didn't seem all that interesting. Seemed like a cyberpunk grimdark kinda feel and with a plot that made it seem like there would be a lot of whining and questioning one's goals, ect ect, moral conflicts and AI awareness questions..
Luckily it was not. Like another reviewer said, I liked this Mc because he isn't whining all the time and when he gets knocked down he gets back up. So many good books have the MC constantly checking their morals, and monologuing over their viewpoints. Not our MC, Not Truth. He is so lazer focused that he really has only two skills and almost all the story is him just interacting with others and actually DOING things. Very little self inspection and wailing over his choices or status in life. He's more about doing something about his status then railing against without action for hours on end.
Now, I will say this story has a lot of 'build up' it's slow at the start. However most books where you're constantly waiting for the 'good part' the part where they get powers, or the unique features that makes the a MC or the chosen one thing happens. In this book the build up is actually interesting and engaging. You're not just waiting for it to get on with the main story. In fact I'd say that until the last 2 hours of the book, the whole book is basically build up.
So if you're looking for just a fun engaging book with some mysteries but that don't hang over the story with unbearable tension but just seem like curious interest while you enjoy the book, this is a great one. For the first book there is no 'big bad' no 'huge threat'... 'no great conspiracy' that pushes the story forward. It's just the MC trying to get more money to keep his sibling safe. That's it but the story of how he does it, is just so good.
A Starbrite Man is always ready, but are you?
December 20, 2025
This is brilliant. Dystopian, noir, gritty, and humorous in places, grimdark in others.
The world is awesome. Its a techo-magic based world. Everything is powered by angels or demons. Talismans [spell formations often powered by a minor demon, do everything you would expect in a futuristic sci-fi thriller] and it's blended so well.
The MC named "Truth" is a teen living is the slums, with abusive and negligent parents, scavenging and fighting for scraps to feed his younger siblings, and taking beatings to try and protect them. He dreams of passing his SATs, joining Starbright the premium magic company as a talisman maintainance engineer, and saving his siblings from his parents, prostitution, and desperation.
During his Mandatory national service he finds out he is gifted at fighting, and an expert on every weapon system as soon as he's shown it. So instead of being a maintainance guy he joins starbrights paramilitary instead.
It is well written, wondrous, storytelling, addictive read. The MC has faults, but the series is about him growing and learning, so they fit the series well.
NOTE: Persevere past book 2 the rest of the series is worth it.
Quick summary of the series so far.
Book 1 Brilliant
Book 2 some important plot development, and explanation around spells and demons, around a very annoying whimpy, pathetic, elongated, love story, where the MC is too broken to let the woman he loves touch him.
Book 3 The insurgency and sabotage begins. Its fun wholesome killing with some introspection, sedition, excellent story telling. Great book
Book 4 is awesome. The battles and stakes ratchet up a notch. Some overpowered action and some barely surviving by the skin of his teeth stuff.
Book 5 feels like filler. Its fun to read, but nothing exciting to speak of really happens, its more introspection and good deeds with the odd fight of no real consequence.
Book 6 not out at time.of writing.
The world is awesome. Its a techo-magic based world. Everything is powered by angels or demons. Talismans [spell formations often powered by a minor demon, do everything you would expect in a futuristic sci-fi thriller] and it's blended so well.
The MC named "Truth" is a teen living is the slums, with abusive and negligent parents, scavenging and fighting for scraps to feed his younger siblings, and taking beatings to try and protect them. He dreams of passing his SATs, joining Starbright the premium magic company as a talisman maintainance engineer, and saving his siblings from his parents, prostitution, and desperation.
During his Mandatory national service he finds out he is gifted at fighting, and an expert on every weapon system as soon as he's shown it. So instead of being a maintainance guy he joins starbrights paramilitary instead.
It is well written, wondrous, storytelling, addictive read. The MC has faults, but the series is about him growing and learning, so they fit the series well.
NOTE: Persevere past book 2 the rest of the series is worth it.
Quick summary of the series so far.
Book 1 Brilliant
Book 2 some important plot development, and explanation around spells and demons, around a very annoying whimpy, pathetic, elongated, love story, where the MC is too broken to let the woman he loves touch him.
Book 3 The insurgency and sabotage begins. Its fun wholesome killing with some introspection, sedition, excellent story telling. Great book
Book 4 is awesome. The battles and stakes ratchet up a notch. Some overpowered action and some barely surviving by the skin of his teeth stuff.
Book 5 feels like filler. Its fun to read, but nothing exciting to speak of really happens, its more introspection and good deeds with the odd fight of no real consequence.
Book 6 not out at time.of writing.
November 21, 2024
This book just wasn't for me. The author built an interesting, dark world, there was a surprising amount of humor, and even the character was intriguing, but I think it was the plot that bugged me, or lack thereof. The MC accomplished his goal and then a bunch of stuff happened and I didn't really care, almost quitting multiple times. Then, at 10 hours out of 14 there was a twist that seemed promising at first and I thought "wait... Was THIS the inciting incident and everything before was unnecessary and should've been cut/compressed?". But, no, I quickly remembered the actual inciting incident and even though the plot/MC got a new, stronger direction, I still found myself not caring and just wanting to DNF the book. Hell, even the world, as interesting as it was at times, felt totally random in what would be fantasy and what sci-fi.
Like I said, it just wasn't really for me and I can't really put my finger on why, but I probably won't ever try to finish the series. Still, I love exploring new stories for their unique worlds and characters, and the author definitely delivered on that, so thank you author.
Edit: I think one of the main underlying issues for me was the mix of a grim dark world with an evil megacorp and an idiot MC constantly getting dumped on by the grim dark world in humorous ways. The world with a different MC would be more interesting to me, as would the MC put in a different world. In retrospect, it's honestly a pretty cool approach to a grim dark story, so maybe I will try the series again in the future.
Like I said, it just wasn't really for me and I can't really put my finger on why, but I probably won't ever try to finish the series. Still, I love exploring new stories for their unique worlds and characters, and the author definitely delivered on that, so thank you author.
Edit: I think one of the main underlying issues for me was the mix of a grim dark world with an evil megacorp and an idiot MC constantly getting dumped on by the grim dark world in humorous ways. The world with a different MC would be more interesting to me, as would the MC put in a different world. In retrospect, it's honestly a pretty cool approach to a grim dark story, so maybe I will try the series again in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2024
Everything in this world is run by magic. For transportation, you can ride on a magic carpet. Clean water isn't piped into your home, instead you need a talisman. You need talismans for just about everything, from cooking to lighting. Weapons are also magic - guns don't need gunpowder, in fact, they don't even use bullets. This is one of the few authors that really thought about how a magical world might work, and followed that idea to spectacular conclusions.
Truth lives in the slums of a major city where the divide between the have's and have not's are enormous. His sole ambition is to join Starbrite Corporation so he can get his younger siblings out of the slums. The first few chapters were all about his crushing desperation as the clock ticks down to the big test to enter Starbrite.
He is not a deep character, and yet I couldn't help but root for him. As the story goes on, it becomes obvious that he is shaped the way he is by an intentional plan. To say he goes through some major changes is an understatement. I love that he isn't a whiner, but always gets back up to try again. I do foresee more changes in him as the series continues.
Toward the end of the book, he does become more self-aware. I'm looking forward to see how he grows, and what kind of decisions he makes in the next book.
NOTE: Truth is a terrible name. Half the time I thought the author was making a point about truth, instead of using the character's name.
Truth lives in the slums of a major city where the divide between the have's and have not's are enormous. His sole ambition is to join Starbrite Corporation so he can get his younger siblings out of the slums. The first few chapters were all about his crushing desperation as the clock ticks down to the big test to enter Starbrite.
He is not a deep character, and yet I couldn't help but root for him. As the story goes on, it becomes obvious that he is shaped the way he is by an intentional plan. To say he goes through some major changes is an understatement. I love that he isn't a whiner, but always gets back up to try again. I do foresee more changes in him as the series continues.
Toward the end of the book, he does become more self-aware. I'm looking forward to see how he grows, and what kind of decisions he makes in the next book.
NOTE: Truth is a terrible name. Half the time I thought the author was making a point about truth, instead of using the character's name.
November 19, 2025
This is a really unique book, and one I’m interested in but with reserves.
The setting is a lot of fun, and quite different from most LitRPG books. It is this setting that most interests me in the book. The characters are okay, but nowhere as defined as the world it takes place in. I can tell a lot of work went into this world building. There are enough dystopian tropes to make it feel common, but still different enough to give it a fresh feel.
The main character is a very troubled person, but it never gets to the point of annoyance with naval gazing. It is a fine balance that so far the author has done a really good job with, and it leaves a lot of room for character growth without having to start with a disliked main character.
The magic system is not really defined, but is used all the time in every aspect of life, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I’d prefer there to be more definition if it is being used so often, but maybe that will just come as the series progresses.
The aggressive dystopian feel is tempered with just enough free will to give me hope for the future books, but I’m also hoping the series will back off the political and social subtexts. This is the main reason I avoid dystopian novels. This genre is seemingly meant for a very specific group of people who all feel the same politically and socially, and I don’t belong to that group. So far it hasn’t been horrible though, and I’m looking forward to book two.
The setting is a lot of fun, and quite different from most LitRPG books. It is this setting that most interests me in the book. The characters are okay, but nowhere as defined as the world it takes place in. I can tell a lot of work went into this world building. There are enough dystopian tropes to make it feel common, but still different enough to give it a fresh feel.
The main character is a very troubled person, but it never gets to the point of annoyance with naval gazing. It is a fine balance that so far the author has done a really good job with, and it leaves a lot of room for character growth without having to start with a disliked main character.
The magic system is not really defined, but is used all the time in every aspect of life, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I’d prefer there to be more definition if it is being used so often, but maybe that will just come as the series progresses.
The aggressive dystopian feel is tempered with just enough free will to give me hope for the future books, but I’m also hoping the series will back off the political and social subtexts. This is the main reason I avoid dystopian novels. This genre is seemingly meant for a very specific group of people who all feel the same politically and socially, and I don’t belong to that group. So far it hasn’t been horrible though, and I’m looking forward to book two.
September 9, 2024
Will probably continue with series, but not rushing for now...
very minor spoilers IMO (dont know how to do this one otherwise):
Good:
MC is no-nonsense well meaning type. Made me care about him & his siblings wellbeing in this gritty environment.
Some deep lines about 'slavery' in here.
Bad:
Overall, just felt aimless / all over the place. We get some than boom all that is fawked & MC is I dont know where. As if the author shook up the Etch-a-sketch because he did not have a plan or wanted a blank slate.
very minor spoilers IMO (dont know how to do this one otherwise):
Good:
MC is no-nonsense well meaning type. Made me care about him & his siblings wellbeing in this gritty environment.
Some deep lines about 'slavery' in here.
Bad:
Overall, just felt aimless / all over the place. We get some than boom all that is fawked & MC is I dont know where. As if the author shook up the Etch-a-sketch because he did not have a plan or wanted a blank slate.
August 25, 2025
Not your average LitRPG with minimal stat tracking and character progression, which fits the story well. Has a slow lead-up to introducing the 'system', opting to paint a very rich cyber-dystopian world and insurmountable obstacles of the lowly and poor beneath the shiny elite. The magic system is interesting through its use of trapping demons or angels for everyday power sources to run technology or be weaponized for military purposes. The gulf between levels is huge, and the populous remains in the single digits, most never reaching level 2.
The MC is very well developed, though no other character had any kind of dimension. Still, it worked. There's quite a few philosophical tangents which I found interesting, but suspect others would prefer to glaze over.
There's a lot going on inside the MC's head, with voices not his own which made it difficult to follow what was going on at points until two-thirds of the way into the book.
Overall, it’s a different LitRPG and I found it an entertaining break from the traditional approach. I'll be looking forward to book #2.
The MC is very well developed, though no other character had any kind of dimension. Still, it worked. There's quite a few philosophical tangents which I found interesting, but suspect others would prefer to glaze over.
There's a lot going on inside the MC's head, with voices not his own which made it difficult to follow what was going on at points until two-thirds of the way into the book.
Overall, it’s a different LitRPG and I found it an entertaining break from the traditional approach. I'll be looking forward to book #2.
September 16, 2025
Outstanding.
Minus 1 star for annoying gender and pronoun crap!
The book is about a young man from the slums in a dystopian world who works hard to feed and protect his siblings against the predators around and even their own dysfunctional and abuse parents.
The protagonist is a no nonsense character with strong will who will do everything for his siblings but still has moral standards.
The plot is a great blend of dystopia, cynical if realistic views on both corporate systems and society and some philosophy (even though i didn't enjoy the paradoxical dreams).
The story is well paced and never gets boring. It is harsh, exotic, thoughtful and sometimes humorous. Apart from the gender and pronoun parts, it is really nice. It is very sad that the story goes down hill that much in book 2!
Criticism and comments
"sent blind" should be "scent blind"
Omg - i so hate the ridiculous pronouns fetish and the use of they/them for single persons!
The Mc's permanently confused sexuality is annoying. Did the author have to include this to get published?
It's funny that the MC absolutely forgot his earlier politeness training in his last mission..
Minus 1 star for annoying gender and pronoun crap!
The book is about a young man from the slums in a dystopian world who works hard to feed and protect his siblings against the predators around and even their own dysfunctional and abuse parents.
The protagonist is a no nonsense character with strong will who will do everything for his siblings but still has moral standards.
The plot is a great blend of dystopia, cynical if realistic views on both corporate systems and society and some philosophy (even though i didn't enjoy the paradoxical dreams).
The story is well paced and never gets boring. It is harsh, exotic, thoughtful and sometimes humorous. Apart from the gender and pronoun parts, it is really nice. It is very sad that the story goes down hill that much in book 2!
Criticism and comments
"sent blind" should be "scent blind"
Omg - i so hate the ridiculous pronouns fetish and the use of they/them for single persons!
The Mc's permanently confused sexuality is annoying. Did the author have to include this to get published?
It's funny that the MC absolutely forgot his earlier politeness training in his last mission..
June 4, 2024
Absolutely loved it!
Slumrat Rising by Warby Picus is a criminally underrated masterpiece that transcends both the dystopian and LitRPG genres with its riveting storytelling and profound themes. Warby crafts a world that is both hauntingly bleak and irresistibly compelling, drawing us into Truth's struggles and triumphs.
The prose is straightforward but powerful, the plot is gripping, and the emotional depth is extraordinary.
The Starbrite Man is a must-read for anyone who appreciates powerful, thought-provoking storytelling. I immediately proceeded to devour the sequel, The Man from Nag Hamadi, and now I'm almost caught up on Royal Road and plan to subscribe on Patreon.
100% recommended!
Slumrat Rising by Warby Picus is a criminally underrated masterpiece that transcends both the dystopian and LitRPG genres with its riveting storytelling and profound themes. Warby crafts a world that is both hauntingly bleak and irresistibly compelling, drawing us into Truth's struggles and triumphs.
The prose is straightforward but powerful, the plot is gripping, and the emotional depth is extraordinary.
The Starbrite Man is a must-read for anyone who appreciates powerful, thought-provoking storytelling. I immediately proceeded to devour the sequel, The Man from Nag Hamadi, and now I'm almost caught up on Royal Road and plan to subscribe on Patreon.
100% recommended!
November 8, 2024
Honestly, I don't know where to start with this one. Someone said gritty, kindof agree with that BUT it is very much written like a Russian fantasy book. The Russians follow a template of writing, first, they must always make the MC suffer, break them down, and slowly very slowly build them up all at the same time making the reader/listener deal with the nonsense. This book is the same, the MC is not likable,
Spoiler.
Spoiler.
November 21, 2025
This isn't cyberpunk in the least. I'd have given this a 2 if it wasn't for the false advertising. This is an alternate universe, there is no technology as literally everything runs (poorly) on magic items.
Pretty much every element is randomly tossed in to the book, there is some cultivation, some LitRPG, it checks the boxes for sex, for talking about food, a completely OP Larry Stu MC and all the other "modern audience book must have this" items. Otherwise the writing is fine, and the fact that it only checks the LitRPG box rather than spam you with constant level ups and meaningless random numbers is a plus.
However, if you're looking for magic and cyberpunk and actual RPG, the almost 50 old FASA and WizKids Shadowrun novels are a good start.
Pretty much every element is randomly tossed in to the book, there is some cultivation, some LitRPG, it checks the boxes for sex, for talking about food, a completely OP Larry Stu MC and all the other "modern audience book must have this" items. Otherwise the writing is fine, and the fact that it only checks the LitRPG box rather than spam you with constant level ups and meaningless random numbers is a plus.
However, if you're looking for magic and cyberpunk and actual RPG, the almost 50 old FASA and WizKids Shadowrun novels are a good start.
August 23, 2025
3 1/2 out of 5. This is a lot more literary than the standard litrpg book. This book deals with themes of poverty and corporate greed, but not in a preachy way. The story is pretty bleak, but I wouldn't say grimdark, the MC has clear motivations and is in general likeable and making positive progress.
There is a lack of direction of the overall story. The MC fixes most of his first act problem in the first half and there is a bunch of events that are not plot important (almost slice of life) throughout the book. I nearly dropped it at about two thirds of the way but then there a twist two thirds of the way along that might promise the direction that the rest of the series will take that kept me reading, but I am not sure if it will go anywhere.
There is a lack of direction of the overall story. The MC fixes most of his first act problem in the first half and there is a bunch of events that are not plot important (almost slice of life) throughout the book. I nearly dropped it at about two thirds of the way but then there a twist two thirds of the way along that might promise the direction that the rest of the series will take that kept me reading, but I am not sure if it will go anywhere.
August 1, 2025
The first half of the book was a by-the-numbers coming of age story, with an interesting magic system. The protagonist is relatable and even likeable. His goals make sense and he makes decisions consistent with his character. All good.
Then the second phase starts and we get a look under the hood. The "system" is not what it seems. Has young Truth sold his family into slavery? What a great twist.
Is it just me, or is every second novel these day an allegorical warning of the pitfalls of capitalism?
Then the second phase starts and we get a look under the hood. The "system" is not what it seems. Has young Truth sold his family into slavery? What a great twist.
Is it just me, or is every second novel these day an allegorical warning of the pitfalls of capitalism?
July 12, 2024
Super fun book! I love the cyberpunk genre for how it exemplifies the horrors of capitalism if gone unchecked for any longer. This spends a lot of time in the world exploring a character indoctrinated into capitalism to the point where I was starting to get worried it was pro capitalism. Luckily we get to the good part and he decides its time to burn down the system. I will for sure be reading the next book.
August 14, 2025
First half was amazing. I got a bit lost in the second
I really enjoyed the authors description of the hard life the MC had in the slums. He made that environment come Alive.
The second half was a bit harder to follow, I think some of it is that the changes of scenes aren't sign posted vigorously and then I have to re read it. Things like at the end of the sentence in the middle of a paragraph saying he moved to another location.
I really enjoyed the authors description of the hard life the MC had in the slums. He made that environment come Alive.
The second half was a bit harder to follow, I think some of it is that the changes of scenes aren't sign posted vigorously and then I have to re read it. Things like at the end of the sentence in the middle of a paragraph saying he moved to another location.
October 16, 2025
Доста ме разочарова тази книга, защото започва супер интересно, с добро повествование и стил, за разлика от хилядите шаблонни лит-рпг-та. За съжаление това е само началото и в момента, в който главния герой получава достъп до "системата", всичко си влиза в шаблонните рамки от които нищо интересно не може да излезе. Имам чувството, че някой е направил лоботомия на автора след първите няколко глави.
October 16, 2025
Well written in the genre. High marks for that.
There are chapters that are just Misery/Degradation-porn. I skipped over those as CBA to listen to the narrator degrade something for 5 minutes. It is a very dark world, but it's consistent.
Some bits I didn't care for, though, and I will have to see how book 2 continues it. Otherwise, it's a well-written Russian LITRPG if you read those back in the day.
There are chapters that are just Misery/Degradation-porn. I skipped over those as CBA to listen to the narrator degrade something for 5 minutes. It is a very dark world, but it's consistent.
Some bits I didn't care for, though, and I will have to see how book 2 continues it. Otherwise, it's a well-written Russian LITRPG if you read those back in the day.
December 23, 2024
A little bit slow in terms of pacing. The main plot point is at about two third of the way through, but the author would have been better to have it at a third of the way through. The extra third of bloat really kills the pacing and doesn't add much to the story.
I still think it's worth reading but could have used some structural editing to tighten it up.
I still think it's worth reading but could have used some structural editing to tighten it up.
August 17, 2025
This was enjoyable, but I could see the story improving a lot. Too much was left unresolved, which may be an issue inherent to turning a web-series into a novel, rather than forming the story as a novel from the start. I did like the storyline and the characters were interesting; though, it suffers from the “protective big brother trope.”
5/10. Not bad but not great either.
5/10. Not bad but not great either.
December 16, 2025
Before you start this series you need to be prepared to skip large parts of it. I don’t recommend listening to it. The author continues to ramble about his philosophy of this fake world, which we, as readers, don’t really care about.
The plot is really good and it interesting and realistic characters, so just skip the chapters of non-sensical philosophy.
The plot is really good and it interesting and realistic characters, so just skip the chapters of non-sensical philosophy.
December 27, 2025
entertaining but rambling
No idea where this book is going if I didn’t read a lot of other litrpg I’d have no idea what’s going on. Author doesn’t really explain the ‘system’ he’s working into his world very well. Lots of loose threads not quite sure if it’s part of the larger story I’m missing or just side points.
No idea where this book is going if I didn’t read a lot of other litrpg I’d have no idea what’s going on. Author doesn’t really explain the ‘system’ he’s working into his world very well. Lots of loose threads not quite sure if it’s part of the larger story I’m missing or just side points.
November 10, 2023
Book one
Well I know that this one is being written on Royalroad. It's why I grabbed the book.
The deeper you get into the story the more interesting it gets.
I don't really have anything bad to say about this book and plan on going straight to book two.
8/10
Well I know that this one is being written on Royalroad. It's why I grabbed the book.
The deeper you get into the story the more interesting it gets.
I don't really have anything bad to say about this book and plan on going straight to book two.
8/10
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