What do you think?
Rate this book
Death: Genesis #5
Death: Genesis 5
A young warrior enters a deadly realm to become the ultimate champion in the battle of good against evil in this post-apocalyptic fantasy for fans of RPGs.
Zeke Blackwood was one of the most powerful beings in the Radiant Isles, wielding supernatural abilities earned through countless battles. A unique fusion of human and demon, he waded through oceans of blood as he fought against a tide of undeath that consumed the hearts and souls of everyone it touched. Now, with the Isles lost, Zeke and his companions have ascended to the Eternal Realm. Transformed by their ascent and scattered across the lands, each must endure their own trials as they struggle to cope with their new powers in an unfamiliar world.
Awakening in a frozen landscape, Zeke is enslaved by the remnants of a formerly mighty dwarven civilization and must once again traverse a labyrinth of tunnels inhabited by vicious kobolds, indomitable golems, and a host of other monstrous creatures. Along the way, he tests his untapped magical and combat skills in an ongoing quest to gain ever more power. With each victory, his strength grows as he struggles to defy his captors and plan an escape to reunite with his friends.
Meanwhile, those friends—his soul-bonded dire bear, Pudge; the undead Talia Nightingale; and the alchemist Tucker—encounter allies and enemies of their own. But Zeke’s former lover, Abby, has chosen a different path. Guilt-ridden after betraying Zeke, she has fallen under the thrall of the Radian Host, servants of the Sun Goddess. Indoctrinated to serve their crusade, Abby suffers through brutal training to become their weapon—and Zeke may be their eventual target . . .
Zeke Blackwood was one of the most powerful beings in the Radiant Isles, wielding supernatural abilities earned through countless battles. A unique fusion of human and demon, he waded through oceans of blood as he fought against a tide of undeath that consumed the hearts and souls of everyone it touched. Now, with the Isles lost, Zeke and his companions have ascended to the Eternal Realm. Transformed by their ascent and scattered across the lands, each must endure their own trials as they struggle to cope with their new powers in an unfamiliar world.
Awakening in a frozen landscape, Zeke is enslaved by the remnants of a formerly mighty dwarven civilization and must once again traverse a labyrinth of tunnels inhabited by vicious kobolds, indomitable golems, and a host of other monstrous creatures. Along the way, he tests his untapped magical and combat skills in an ongoing quest to gain ever more power. With each victory, his strength grows as he struggles to defy his captors and plan an escape to reunite with his friends.
Meanwhile, those friends—his soul-bonded dire bear, Pudge; the undead Talia Nightingale; and the alchemist Tucker—encounter allies and enemies of their own. But Zeke’s former lover, Abby, has chosen a different path. Guilt-ridden after betraying Zeke, she has fallen under the thrall of the Radian Host, servants of the Sun Goddess. Indoctrinated to serve their crusade, Abby suffers through brutal training to become their weapon—and Zeke may be their eventual target . . .
- GenresFantasy
Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2024
103 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 10, 2024
Interlude book's are truly awful..
Most Fantasy readers will hopefully understand what I'm trying to say easily. This is a good series I have enjoyed so far, but I hate to read a whole book that just lays the ground work for the next book, with nothing truly good happening in this book,i am a bit disappointed and feel cheated.
Most readers will buy this and hope things happen and get really enjoyable in the next book, as I to do. But if things don't firm up my next book will be the last....
Most Fantasy readers will hopefully understand what I'm trying to say easily. This is a good series I have enjoyed so far, but I hate to read a whole book that just lays the ground work for the next book, with nothing truly good happening in this book,i am a bit disappointed and feel cheated.
Most readers will buy this and hope things happen and get really enjoyable in the next book, as I to do. But if things don't firm up my next book will be the last....
January 12, 2026
A Necessary, If Divisive, Bridge to a Vast New World [3.5/5 Stars]
Realm ascension in LitRPG is often a promise of glory. For Zeke Blackwood in Death: Genesis 5, it's more of a frozen, brutal reset. After the cataclysmic events of the previous book, Zeke and his companions are scattered across the Eternal Realm. Zeke himself awakens enslaved to a fallen dwarven civilization, forced to battle through monster-infested tunnels once again. This installment acts as a hard pivot, leaving the familiar conflicts of the Radiant Isles behind for a daunting new beginning. It's a 3.5 out of 5 stars from me—a foundational book brimming with potential that demands patience through a slow, fragmented build.
Key Themes: Scattered Foundations and New Grinds
Found Family, Fractured: The central "found family" dynamic is physically shattered. Separated from his soul-bonded dire bear Pudge, the undead Talia, and the alchemist Tucker, Zeke's journey is one of isolation and determined reunion. The theme explores how bonds are tested by distance and vastly different trials, with each character's solo growth hinting at a more powerful whole in the future.
Power Reset and Recalibration: Ascending to a higher realm often means starting over, and Searcy embraces this classic trope with a gritty twist. Zeke, once a powerhouse, is stripped of context and status, enslaved, and forced to test "untapped magical and combat skills" against new horrors. The theme is one of humbling re-earning, questioning what true power means when your old achievements are irrelevant.
Betrayal and Divergent Paths: The emotional core of the new conflict stems from Abby's choice. Guilt-ridden and indoctrinated by the servants of the Sun Goddess, she is being forged into a weapon, with Zeke potentially in her sights. This explores the lasting damage of betrayal and sets up a tragic, inevitable confrontation that adds a compelling layer of personal stakes.
Character Analysis: Parallel Struggles
Zeke Blackwood: Stripped of his agency, Zeke's development here is about resilience and adaptation. His struggle isn't just against monsters but against the dehumanization of slavery, forcing him to strategize an escape while navigating an entirely new ecosystem of power. Some readers felt his personal screen time was limited, but his chapters focus on raw, determined survival.
The Scattered Companions: Pudge, Talia, and Tucker get their own point-of-view chapters, encountering unique allies and enemies. This expansion is a double-edged sword—it wonderfully broadens the world but, as several reviews noted, can make the narrative feel "disjointed" as you're constantly switching perspectives.
Abby: Her storyline is this book's most polarizing element. Readers are deeply split; some find her "guilt-ridden" training arc with the Radiant Host to be a tedious drag, while others are intrigued by the moral complexity of her new path. One reviewer's plea, "Enough with Abby," sums up the faction that finds her chapters a slog.
Writing Style & Pacing: A Structural Gamble
Searcy's prose remains gritty and action-focused, but the narrative structure is the book's biggest talking point. The choice to follow multiple, separated character threads in a new realm creates a specific pacing challenge. The first half can feel slow, as it's essentially laying the groundwork for four different storylines simultaneously.
Many readers on Goodreads criticized this, calling it an "interlude book" that feels like "nothing truly good happens" and that it "just lays the ground work for the next book". The constant POV switching was cited as creating a "disjointed reading experience". However, this approach succeeds in its core goal: it makes the Eternal Realm feel vast, dangerous, and alive with simultaneous stories. The payoff is in the world-building, not a single driving plot.
What I Liked/Disliked
Liked:
The Bold Realm Shift: Moving the entire cast to a new, unexplored world is a brave refresh that injects long-term potential into the series. The "scope of the story has expanded enormously".
Pudge and Side Stories: The non-Zeke chapters, particularly those involving other companions, offer delightful variety and introduce fascinating new corners of the universe.
High Stakes Setup: The clear establishment of Abby as a future antagonist and the sheer scale of the new realm create palpable anticipation for the series' future.
Disliked:
The Slavery Arc Trope: Zeke's enslavement felt like a predictable and "over done" narrative beat for many, including myself. It's a slow-burn plot device that tests patience.
Pacing and Payoff: The criticism that this feels like a 400-page setup is valid. The narrative fragmentation means the book lacks a cohesive, climactic punch, ending just as the characters' individual journeys are gaining momentum.
Abby's Divisive Arc: Whether you enjoy this book may hinge on your tolerance for Abby's storyline, which consumes significant page time on a character many readers have grown to dislike.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Final Verdict: Death: Genesis 5 is a necessary transitional novel that sacrifices immediate gratification for expansive world-building. It's the book equivalent of meticulously setting up a new game board.
You should push through this book if: You are committed to the long-term Death: Genesis saga. If you appreciate detailed world-building and don't mind a slower, parallel-narrative structure that plants seeds for future arcs, this is an essential, if uneven, read.
This might be your DNF point if: You prefer fast-paced, linear plots centered solely on Zeke. If the previous book's flaws (like certain character dynamics) frustrated you, this installment amplifies the structural elements that could lead to burnout. One frank review advised you could "skip the entire book and you won't have missed anything really important".
For series loyalists, it's a mandatory bridge. For those craving consistent action and momentum, it's a frustrating detour. I'm invested enough in the new scope to continue, but I sincerely hope Book 6 brings the band back together for a more focused and explosive reunion.
Realm ascension in LitRPG is often a promise of glory. For Zeke Blackwood in Death: Genesis 5, it's more of a frozen, brutal reset. After the cataclysmic events of the previous book, Zeke and his companions are scattered across the Eternal Realm. Zeke himself awakens enslaved to a fallen dwarven civilization, forced to battle through monster-infested tunnels once again. This installment acts as a hard pivot, leaving the familiar conflicts of the Radiant Isles behind for a daunting new beginning. It's a 3.5 out of 5 stars from me—a foundational book brimming with potential that demands patience through a slow, fragmented build.
Key Themes: Scattered Foundations and New Grinds
Found Family, Fractured: The central "found family" dynamic is physically shattered. Separated from his soul-bonded dire bear Pudge, the undead Talia, and the alchemist Tucker, Zeke's journey is one of isolation and determined reunion. The theme explores how bonds are tested by distance and vastly different trials, with each character's solo growth hinting at a more powerful whole in the future.
Power Reset and Recalibration: Ascending to a higher realm often means starting over, and Searcy embraces this classic trope with a gritty twist. Zeke, once a powerhouse, is stripped of context and status, enslaved, and forced to test "untapped magical and combat skills" against new horrors. The theme is one of humbling re-earning, questioning what true power means when your old achievements are irrelevant.
Betrayal and Divergent Paths: The emotional core of the new conflict stems from Abby's choice. Guilt-ridden and indoctrinated by the servants of the Sun Goddess, she is being forged into a weapon, with Zeke potentially in her sights. This explores the lasting damage of betrayal and sets up a tragic, inevitable confrontation that adds a compelling layer of personal stakes.
Character Analysis: Parallel Struggles
Zeke Blackwood: Stripped of his agency, Zeke's development here is about resilience and adaptation. His struggle isn't just against monsters but against the dehumanization of slavery, forcing him to strategize an escape while navigating an entirely new ecosystem of power. Some readers felt his personal screen time was limited, but his chapters focus on raw, determined survival.
The Scattered Companions: Pudge, Talia, and Tucker get their own point-of-view chapters, encountering unique allies and enemies. This expansion is a double-edged sword—it wonderfully broadens the world but, as several reviews noted, can make the narrative feel "disjointed" as you're constantly switching perspectives.
Abby: Her storyline is this book's most polarizing element. Readers are deeply split; some find her "guilt-ridden" training arc with the Radiant Host to be a tedious drag, while others are intrigued by the moral complexity of her new path. One reviewer's plea, "Enough with Abby," sums up the faction that finds her chapters a slog.
Writing Style & Pacing: A Structural Gamble
Searcy's prose remains gritty and action-focused, but the narrative structure is the book's biggest talking point. The choice to follow multiple, separated character threads in a new realm creates a specific pacing challenge. The first half can feel slow, as it's essentially laying the groundwork for four different storylines simultaneously.
Many readers on Goodreads criticized this, calling it an "interlude book" that feels like "nothing truly good happens" and that it "just lays the ground work for the next book". The constant POV switching was cited as creating a "disjointed reading experience". However, this approach succeeds in its core goal: it makes the Eternal Realm feel vast, dangerous, and alive with simultaneous stories. The payoff is in the world-building, not a single driving plot.
What I Liked/Disliked
Liked:
The Bold Realm Shift: Moving the entire cast to a new, unexplored world is a brave refresh that injects long-term potential into the series. The "scope of the story has expanded enormously".
Pudge and Side Stories: The non-Zeke chapters, particularly those involving other companions, offer delightful variety and introduce fascinating new corners of the universe.
High Stakes Setup: The clear establishment of Abby as a future antagonist and the sheer scale of the new realm create palpable anticipation for the series' future.
Disliked:
The Slavery Arc Trope: Zeke's enslavement felt like a predictable and "over done" narrative beat for many, including myself. It's a slow-burn plot device that tests patience.
Pacing and Payoff: The criticism that this feels like a 400-page setup is valid. The narrative fragmentation means the book lacks a cohesive, climactic punch, ending just as the characters' individual journeys are gaining momentum.
Abby's Divisive Arc: Whether you enjoy this book may hinge on your tolerance for Abby's storyline, which consumes significant page time on a character many readers have grown to dislike.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Final Verdict: Death: Genesis 5 is a necessary transitional novel that sacrifices immediate gratification for expansive world-building. It's the book equivalent of meticulously setting up a new game board.
You should push through this book if: You are committed to the long-term Death: Genesis saga. If you appreciate detailed world-building and don't mind a slower, parallel-narrative structure that plants seeds for future arcs, this is an essential, if uneven, read.
This might be your DNF point if: You prefer fast-paced, linear plots centered solely on Zeke. If the previous book's flaws (like certain character dynamics) frustrated you, this installment amplifies the structural elements that could lead to burnout. One frank review advised you could "skip the entire book and you won't have missed anything really important".
For series loyalists, it's a mandatory bridge. For those craving consistent action and momentum, it's a frustrating detour. I'm invested enough in the new scope to continue, but I sincerely hope Book 6 brings the band back together for a more focused and explosive reunion.
March 12, 2024
I can't actually believe this but this book was so bad I had to DNF it when there was 4 hours and 30 minutes left and I had really forced myself to continue till that point. I really love this series. But whatever the hell this book was I never want to see more of it. Seriously too many POV's and to little actual plot progression. Also a Slave arc really? That's so over done I can't even understand what the author was thinking. Skip the entire book and you won't have missed anything really important.
March 6, 2024
like nothing happens
The book is fine. It is just rather boring. I always dislike slavery arc because they are usually distasteful and always very slow. That exactly what happened here. This whole book could probably have been summarized in the length of one chapter without much detail lost. So as I finish the book I feel it dragged on and almost nothing happens.
The book is fine. It is just rather boring. I always dislike slavery arc because they are usually distasteful and always very slow. That exactly what happened here. This whole book could probably have been summarized in the length of one chapter without much detail lost. So as I finish the book I feel it dragged on and almost nothing happens.
March 13, 2024
I enjoyed the book. Seems a bit more of a setup book for future ones.
Enough with Abby. I didn't like her in the earlier books, hated her in the last book, but was hopeful I didn't have to hear about her anymore. Nope, still have to suffer with her storyline, which is even worse to listen to.
Well here is hoping she dies soon so I don't have to read/listen about her anymore.
Enough with Abby. I didn't like her in the earlier books, hated her in the last book, but was hopeful I didn't have to hear about her anymore. Nope, still have to suffer with her storyline, which is even worse to listen to.
Well here is hoping she dies soon so I don't have to read/listen about her anymore.
March 24, 2025
I tried to give this series another try what a waste I only cared about zeke and pudge.. but it spent more time on abby and the nasty zombie girl ( hated them both )it changed back and forth between characters in a confusing hot stinking mess. I found myself skipping through to get to zeke or pudge Dnf..
March 6, 2024
love the series but
The disjointed nature of switching between characters for each chapter created a disjointed reading experience that I did not enjoy. I still see the potential of the storyline but the writing style of this book was not for me. Still worth the read though.
The disjointed nature of switching between characters for each chapter created a disjointed reading experience that I did not enjoy. I still see the potential of the storyline but the writing style of this book was not for me. Still worth the read though.
April 11, 2024
Just jump at your problems and hit it with a club
I cannot wait for Zeke, pudge, Talia , tucker to meet up. Everyone is getting their power up so what's to come with the blood wraiths and master. Will Zeke move all kobolds inside the tower?
I cannot wait for Zeke, pudge, Talia , tucker to meet up. Everyone is getting their power up so what's to come with the blood wraiths and master. Will Zeke move all kobolds inside the tower?
March 7, 2024
The step up - MC ascends and the story revolves around his adjustment to the power imbalance. Very good.
Rating; 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Narration: 5/5
Favorite line: na
Rating; 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Narration: 5/5
Favorite line: na
March 9, 2024
As starts to a new arc go,
This one is pretty good. The separate view points, the involved stories and the personnel growth all make for a very, very good start.
This one is pretty good. The separate view points, the involved stories and the personnel growth all make for a very, very good start.
March 10, 2024
Good book
It was another good book. Could have skipped Abys side story but love the rest. Give the series a go.
It was another good book. Could have skipped Abys side story but love the rest. Give the series a go.
March 11, 2024
Great book! Enjoy!
March 23, 2024
I hate... I LOATHE Abby
February 4, 2025
The book picks back up with a new world to explore. It's a great transition in the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2025
Great Addition!
Another great addition to this series. I like the progression the MC is making as he continues to grow more powerful. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
Another great addition to this series. I like the progression the MC is making as he continues to grow more powerful. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews