Wasteland Warlords 2: A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG Adventure

Wasteland Warlords #2

by James A. Hunter, Eden Hudson

“Out here, power is key. Getting it, using it, keeping it. Without power, you’re nothing but fertilizer.”Two months ago, Clay Jaeger, his wife Alex, and his chainsaw-toting brother Joe came to the Infested Zone on a kill a Dungeon Lord. What they found along the way was a land of opportunity. Gold-dropping monsters, magical weapons, and best of all, freedom—all there for the taking. If they can live long enough to grab it. Surviving in the wasteland has been a constant fight, but thriving in it, that will take something more. Not just power, but the brains to use it in ways nobody’s seen before. When a deposed Dungeon Lord sends them on a once-in-a-lifetime quest, Clay sees the chance to turn that power to his family’s advantage. But what on the surface looks like the Jaeger clan’s ultimate opportunity might actually be the meat grinder that gets them all killed. Especially if the overpowered Incant who’s been chasing them has anything to say about it. The epic adventures inside the Rogue Dungeon universe continue with Wasteland Warlords 2. Grab this next installment from best selling authors eden Hudson and James Hunter now.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Novella, Humor, Science Fiction

159 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2023

About the author

James Hunter is a full-time ink slinger, a member of SFWA, and the bestselling author of Vigil Bound, Rogue Dungeon, Shadowcroft Academy, Bibliomancer (The Completionist Chronicles Expanded Universe), and the litRPG epic Viridian Gate Online! In addition to writing, James also runs Shadow Alley Press, an industry leader that specializes in publishing LitRPG, Fantasy, and selection Science Fiction.

James is a former Marine Corps Sergeant, combat veteran, and pirate hunter (seriously). He’s also a member of The Royal Order of the Shellback—’cause that’s totally a real thing. And a spaceship captain, can’t forget that. Okay … the last one probably isn’t true. When not writing or spending time with family, James occasionally finds time to eat and sleep.

Find out more about James Hunter at www.ShadowAlleyPress.com

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasteland Warlords 2
By James A. Hunter and Eden Hudson
This continues the story from book 1. I didn't find it as fun as book one but still worth the read. This time there is more than one warlords they have to deal with. First they save a talking pig that is a dragon warlord that was cursed. She needs help. The group promises to help. This ends up more complicated than they expected. The bad part of the story is that the book is a cliffhanger! I hate cliffhangers! I took a star off for that.

[Jeremy Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a strong continuance for the story, character development and overarching world progression. The characters have quirky interactions with one another and enough personality to bring about quite a few laughs and truly brings the players to life. This book is an amazing entry in the saga and I look forward to the hilarious hijinks as the party delves evermore into the wasteland in search of more dungeons and loot!

[Andy Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasteland Warlords 2

Clay and his family have had their first successful run at a dungeon boss and received the powers to match. Unfortunately, they also made a very powerful enemy who is determined to see them pay in blood. It’s hard to plan a dungeon run when you are on the run!

This continues to be a really fun series! Another entertaining character is added to the family. The book was rather short at under 4 hours, but all six of the books are included with the Audible subscription. I’m glad that I downloaded all 6! Needless to say, Travis Baldree does an amazing job with the narration.

Content warning: language

[Robert & Kristen Giegling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking Awesome

I was completely hooked reading the first book in this series and let me tell you this one was just as good. This series has become one of my all time favorite book series. Could not put it down and read nonstop until I finished it. I seriously cannot recommend this series enough. Due yourself a favor and start reading this series immediately.

[Adam Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The hijinks continue

The crew continue their adventure to become incants, and they’re still being chased by Gearmonger. And they’ve got a lead on another dungeon lord, but their bacon will be in the fire if they can’t get the incant off their tail and get a plan in place for the new dungeon. Just as amusing as the first one, and there’s plenty of humor and action to go around!

[Matthew Winburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A significant improvement over the first installment. The characters are reacting more to their environment and acting like characters more than plot points. The books still feel too short for real development in them and even when looking at 2 they are mostly the same. I hope they become more involved in the next 4 books.

[Bill Philibin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 Stars)

OK, I am getting used to the style a little more... and I do like it. The writing is good, and of course, Travis Baldree does an excellent job of narration.

The character growth from last book to this one was good, and the world is starting to make a little more sense. There are new characters added and everything comes together.

I'll be continuing the series.

[Danny Moody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since this is a short story, I feel like some of the world building was lacking in the first book. We got a lot more of that in the first book. If you’ve read Rogue Dungeon, that helps too. The story was fast paced and entertaining.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clay, Alex and joe are travelling in the wastelands with Griff and chonk intent on bringing down some dungeon lords so that they gain in power, as power is all in the wastelands. Alex is already an incant but Clay and Joe still need to up their stats. They discovered that this land was one of many opportunities for those able to see these, as well as one which offered them the freedom they really wanted. However it was also a land full of monsters, and creatures out for their blood, and presently they were being hounded relentlessly by an incant who they called gearhead. They had stolen from him, and he was hellbent on getting revenge. So they were on the move all the time trying to get out of his area, when they come across a teacup sized pig who Alex fell in love with immediately so added to their family. They called it Bacon Bits even though it kept insisting that it was really a giant blue wyrm who was under a curse and needed help to get back her dungeon. This was a quest they could undertake in fact, however meantime they came across the Sook and Tajira, the catwoman who ruled this caravan of traders and merchants, and who gave them another quest. She wanted them to acquire for her The Greater Saltshaker of the Troll Gourmet as a trade for giving them a gadget which would obscure them from gearhead. So they accepted the quest, and embarked on a scary adventure into a funhouse, which was full of traps and riddles. This book is a real fun read, Joe is such a character and I absolutely love our new addition Bacon Bits. The fun house is scary as they all nearly lose their lives in this place, but they use their brains rather than their brawn, to solve this challenging quest which they had to finish as the catwoman held Griff as hostage and the family looked after their own leaving none behind. Onward to episode 3 as this is getting too exciting and nerve wrecking.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very similar to book 1, if you enjoyed it you'll probably enjoy this one. Since some of the world building and introductions were done in book 1, book 2 is able to get up to speed a little more quickly. The gang are on the run from gearhead, and are looking for a way to turn the rest of the party into incants. A couple new characters are introduced, and there is a fun dungeon (murderous carnival). A decent quick read but I hope the future books flesh themselves out a bit more.

[Cmoore · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are just delightful nuggets of goodness! They're funny and action-packed. Coming in at 3 hours they're perfect for a short commute or just whenever! I was definitely hooked on our intrepid threesome since book1, as they search for Dungeon Lord's to face down and of course powering up... So go for bacon and get book 2 of Wasteland Warlords and enjoy Travis Baldree's awesome narration power.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great litRPG!

The characters are awesome, the world well-described and the dangers are astronomical! I highly recommend it. Now, I must get book 3, enjoy!

Read via Kindle Unlimited

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasteland Warlords continues to be a really fun series with some strong writing that manages to balance all of the elements on display. Creative and funny with a quirky cast of characters. Excited to dive into more in the future.

[Daniel Read Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first one, but still entertaining. Chonk needs more time in the spotlight!

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book got me interested and the second hooked me... Lets go!!! 4.5/5

[Michael Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the first one but still super solid. Going to stick with the series.

[Scott Shjefte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful Incant get taken down in a dungeon amusement park. Borrowed with Kindle Unlimited, read with Alexa audio assist.

[Mikeal Gallaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second instalment of the Wasteland Warlords series proves that James Hunter knows exactly how to build on a successful foundation without losing the grit that made the first book stand out. While his later works, like Discount Dan, lean into the absurdity of the system, this sequel keeps its boots firmly planted in the irradiated soil of a traditional post-apocalyptic epic. It successfully expands the scope of the world, moving from local skirmishes to a broader conflict that threatens to reshape the power balance of the entire wasteland.

The greatest strength of this sequel is the way Hunter handles faction politics and "warlord" management. We get a much deeper look at the various tribes and civilisations struggling to survive, and the author does a fantastic job of making their motivations feel pragmatic rather than just cartoonishly evil. The action sequences have also received a significant upgrade; the vehicular combat and large-scale raids are choreographed with a level of clarity and intensity that makes you feel the grit between your teeth. Hunter’s ability to manage "army-scale" tactics, something he excels at in his LitRPG work, was already being refined here.

Character-wise, the protagonist continues to evolve into a leader who is forced to make increasingly impossible choices. The "price of power" is a heavy theme in this book, as the hero realises that winning a war often means losing a part of yourself. This psychological weight balances out the high-octane violence, providing an emotional anchor that keeps the story from becoming just a series of explosions. Seeing the fallout of the first book's events ripple through this story adds a layer of continuity and consequence that is often missing from faster-paced genre fiction.

The four-star rating reflects a narrative that is tight and professional, though it does follow some of the more familiar beats of the genre. While it doesn't necessarily reinvent the post-apocalyptic wheel, it polishes that wheel to a high-gloss finish. It is a satisfying, beefy sequel that raises the stakes and leaves the world in a state of chaotic transition. For fans of James Hunter's earlier, darker work, this is a must-read that highlights his talent for creating heroes who are as tough as the wasteland they inhabit.

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one picks up where the last left off. Adrenaline time! Fun with no heaviness andlittle need for thought. Fun!