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Battleforged #2
Contender
Continued to do list for the post 4. Fall in love with the girl ordered to kill you.5. Cash out the absolute FORTUNE you're holding so tightly that even the wrong thought could cause you to explode.6. Keep a VERY low profile and do NOT piss off the cutthroat goblin bankers who secretly rule Freetown.7. Especially don't piss off all your enemies with a COMPETING BANK!8. Ignore your own advice and see what happens before unlocking perilous secrets that could reshape an entire world!
Miraculously, Eric had done it, escaping a war-torn city with a beautiful woman by his side and a fortune to his name.
Now, all he needs to do is make it to Freetown safely, find a secure location to deposit his insane fortune before he literally explodes, and find an untainted pod he can use to evolve his class into something truly remarkable.
He just has to play it safe and keep his nose out of trouble, and his problems are over.
But if there’s one thing Eric’s really bad at, it’s staying out of trouble!
When Eric finds out that his closest friends are about to be swindled out of their own golden fortune, he knows he has to act, even if that sends an entire faction of cutthroat bankers after his head.
With high level assassins now doing everything they can to take Eric out, he's going to need every edge he can get just to survive the week, let alone ascend the ranks as a Contender where the competition is fierce, and falling down in the ranks means falling to your death!If you're eager for a fast-paced adventure with a protagonist determined to get the best of everyone trying to kill him and make a fortune while doing so, then I think you'll love Contender!
Miraculously, Eric had done it, escaping a war-torn city with a beautiful woman by his side and a fortune to his name.
Now, all he needs to do is make it to Freetown safely, find a secure location to deposit his insane fortune before he literally explodes, and find an untainted pod he can use to evolve his class into something truly remarkable.
He just has to play it safe and keep his nose out of trouble, and his problems are over.
But if there’s one thing Eric’s really bad at, it’s staying out of trouble!
When Eric finds out that his closest friends are about to be swindled out of their own golden fortune, he knows he has to act, even if that sends an entire faction of cutthroat bankers after his head.
With high level assassins now doing everything they can to take Eric out, he's going to need every edge he can get just to survive the week, let alone ascend the ranks as a Contender where the competition is fierce, and falling down in the ranks means falling to your death!If you're eager for a fast-paced adventure with a protagonist determined to get the best of everyone trying to kill him and make a fortune while doing so, then I think you'll love Contender!
- GenresFantasy
1152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 6, 2023
446 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 5, 2024
it’s okay
The underlying story is good, but the writing quality is below average.
The characters are all written with similar voices with little personality and language variation and its off putting. So many uses of “damn right” and “sweet” by every character reveals shallow writing and characterization.
More than half the length of both books 1-2 do not advance the plot and can be skipped. The whole Rica plot thread is juvenile and even a bit creepy with her professions of love after three days of trauma bonding…the first 200-300 pages could have been reduced to 30 pages…a similar shallow characterization occurred with Sam in the rift…the handling of these kids referring to one another as kung fu brothers or sifus, or apprentice/disciples was over the top lame and drove me to skip over much of the writting.
The books could use a good deal of editing and improved depth to compensate elsewhere.
there is genuine quality creativity with the blood magic and necromancy, especially flesh sculptung, but the way soul bound items are left behind and the shift away from bows, especially the bone bow, is a poor plot device to soft reset the character arcs…
Even with these shortcomings, there is enough entertainment value to be had to justify continuing to read while waiting for higher quality sequels to release
The underlying story is good, but the writing quality is below average.
The characters are all written with similar voices with little personality and language variation and its off putting. So many uses of “damn right” and “sweet” by every character reveals shallow writing and characterization.
More than half the length of both books 1-2 do not advance the plot and can be skipped. The whole Rica plot thread is juvenile and even a bit creepy with her professions of love after three days of trauma bonding…the first 200-300 pages could have been reduced to 30 pages…a similar shallow characterization occurred with Sam in the rift…the handling of these kids referring to one another as kung fu brothers or sifus, or apprentice/disciples was over the top lame and drove me to skip over much of the writting.
The books could use a good deal of editing and improved depth to compensate elsewhere.
there is genuine quality creativity with the blood magic and necromancy, especially flesh sculptung, but the way soul bound items are left behind and the shift away from bows, especially the bone bow, is a poor plot device to soft reset the character arcs…
Even with these shortcomings, there is enough entertainment value to be had to justify continuing to read while waiting for higher quality sequels to release
December 16, 2023
What could been.
So I enjoyed the first novel, up until the MC fled Junktown without finishing the corrupt mayor. That gave me pause. At the end of book one, I realized the author also wrote the silver fox and western hero stories, which made my trepidation spike. The MC of those stories never has good endings. This is MFing fantasy. If I want MC who get crushed by overwhelming odds, I’ll just Google resource rich countries irl, thank you very much.
The author’s shenanigans continue in this novel. It goes okay for about 30% of the book, however, as soon as things are going well, a big bad shows up and MC flees with his tail between his legs. You can skip from about 48% to 90% because all that goes on is the story tries to swap from a litrpg to a Xianxia cultivation story. I mean, it’s like a hard stop and start from one narrative to another.
Finally, an overarching theme that the author has in his works is the MC bailing on his love interest because big bad opponents show up. MC just writes em off. Hey MH Johnson, successful relationships require BOTH parties to work together, not just the protagonist! To imply otherwise shows a definite lack of understanding of healthy relationships. That’s my .02 cents.
If you’ve read all this “review”, you can tell I, as a reader, am majorly disappointed. There is so much potential in this fiction, but it never is developed. Outstanding universe and nicely unique MC, however the plot and protagonist never develop enough to make the reader become invested. Try to develop an emotional depth please. Stop just writing endless droning fight scenes that lead to just swiping right to try get to a story that never develops.
So I enjoyed the first novel, up until the MC fled Junktown without finishing the corrupt mayor. That gave me pause. At the end of book one, I realized the author also wrote the silver fox and western hero stories, which made my trepidation spike. The MC of those stories never has good endings. This is MFing fantasy. If I want MC who get crushed by overwhelming odds, I’ll just Google resource rich countries irl, thank you very much.
The author’s shenanigans continue in this novel. It goes okay for about 30% of the book, however, as soon as things are going well, a big bad shows up and MC flees with his tail between his legs. You can skip from about 48% to 90% because all that goes on is the story tries to swap from a litrpg to a Xianxia cultivation story. I mean, it’s like a hard stop and start from one narrative to another.
Finally, an overarching theme that the author has in his works is the MC bailing on his love interest because big bad opponents show up. MC just writes em off. Hey MH Johnson, successful relationships require BOTH parties to work together, not just the protagonist! To imply otherwise shows a definite lack of understanding of healthy relationships. That’s my .02 cents.
If you’ve read all this “review”, you can tell I, as a reader, am majorly disappointed. There is so much potential in this fiction, but it never is developed. Outstanding universe and nicely unique MC, however the plot and protagonist never develop enough to make the reader become invested. Try to develop an emotional depth please. Stop just writing endless droning fight scenes that lead to just swiping right to try get to a story that never develops.
December 22, 2023
Top notch
This series blends system and cultivation in a post apocalypse setting which I find refreshing. The corruption and political intrigue which is present on new worlds makes the choices for Eric early on and forces him to rise above.
This series blends system and cultivation in a post apocalypse setting which I find refreshing. The corruption and political intrigue which is present on new worlds makes the choices for Eric early on and forces him to rise above.
December 23, 2023
Very unique storyline
It's very rare to find a series that mixes magic and cultivation yet this series is doing just that !
It's very rare to find a series that mixes magic and cultivation yet this series is doing just that !
December 21, 2023
awesome read
That was a big book. Full of action and MC growth. I can’t wait to see where the MC ends up in the next book.
That was a big book. Full of action and MC growth. I can’t wait to see where the MC ends up in the next book.
December 19, 2023
Great one sitting read
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action.
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action.
December 14, 2023
Second Verse….Good as the first!
Great follow up. We all know there is never and end to these types of books. In rare occasions, that seems like a good thing. This is one of those occasions!
Great follow up. We all know there is never and end to these types of books. In rare occasions, that seems like a good thing. This is one of those occasions!
December 11, 2023
Kills it.
What a great book Two.
Are highly enjoyed this series. And I can't wait to read the next book period I highly recommend that you read this series if you want some good action.
What a great book Two.
Are highly enjoyed this series. And I can't wait to read the next book period I highly recommend that you read this series if you want some good action.
December 13, 2023
Well Written
Took an unexpected detour, and wow! I totally did not see that coming. Only negative is a major cliff hanger and I need to wait for book 3!
Took an unexpected detour, and wow! I totally did not see that coming. Only negative is a major cliff hanger and I need to wait for book 3!
January 6, 2024
The author has their own idiosyncratic style of overblown exposition and frankly stupid MCs. Sometimes I enjoy that more than others, and this is an "other". I read it on RR before giving up since the MC is literally too stupid to live, yet manages to carry on.
In the middle of a battle? Good time to forget everything you've learned about surviving combat and make a series of stupid mistakes that should get you killed. He (and other of the author's MCs) spend a lot of time "howling" or "sobbing" when something (not always bad) happens, but at least he manages to do it "silently" sometimes. Then there are the tactical pauses to monologue with the over-the-top villains. KInd of like a monologue-off.
Anyway, if you like the author's style you may enjoy this one more than I did. I shouldn't really complain too much though, since I keep doing this to myself.
In the middle of a battle? Good time to forget everything you've learned about surviving combat and make a series of stupid mistakes that should get you killed. He (and other of the author's MCs) spend a lot of time "howling" or "sobbing" when something (not always bad) happens, but at least he manages to do it "silently" sometimes. Then there are the tactical pauses to monologue with the over-the-top villains. KInd of like a monologue-off.
Anyway, if you like the author's style you may enjoy this one more than I did. I shouldn't really complain too much though, since I keep doing this to myself.
March 22, 2024
Good...bit oh so slow and over- explained.
This book of over 1000 pages, felt like 10000 pages. It was so over-explained that it ruins the pace and creates mind numbing boredom. Main character explains everything that he feels and happens to him, now and what could happen to him.... Then meets a side character and explains everything over again, then meets the same side character and reaffirms said information.... Add a new side character and repeat the same information. There were so many repeating info dumps that it became mind numbing because the reader gets it the first time. Bad pacing throughout the book. Very little plot movement for over 1000 page book. Very in depth explanation on game mechanics( not needed.) over and over.
Main character has a ton of plot holes to his abilities and it makes him dumb because he can't understand what the reader has known forever. Regardless of power .. always has an enemy that could easily kill him...dumb.
Has the world expands in the main character's power increases major plot holes start appearing from economic growth, enemies ability to constantly overcome any nuance, taking away any feeling of achievement of new powers as they become irrelevant. Like the first book that should have been at least two books maybe three. If you took out all the information dumps that were repeated continuously it probably is only one book.
It comes off as reading baseless filler that kills the pace. And for another thousand pages of material, very little plot movement.
This book of over 1000 pages, felt like 10000 pages. It was so over-explained that it ruins the pace and creates mind numbing boredom. Main character explains everything that he feels and happens to him, now and what could happen to him.... Then meets a side character and explains everything over again, then meets the same side character and reaffirms said information.... Add a new side character and repeat the same information. There were so many repeating info dumps that it became mind numbing because the reader gets it the first time. Bad pacing throughout the book. Very little plot movement for over 1000 page book. Very in depth explanation on game mechanics( not needed.) over and over.
Main character has a ton of plot holes to his abilities and it makes him dumb because he can't understand what the reader has known forever. Regardless of power .. always has an enemy that could easily kill him...dumb.
Has the world expands in the main character's power increases major plot holes start appearing from economic growth, enemies ability to constantly overcome any nuance, taking away any feeling of achievement of new powers as they become irrelevant. Like the first book that should have been at least two books maybe three. If you took out all the information dumps that were repeated continuously it probably is only one book.
It comes off as reading baseless filler that kills the pace. And for another thousand pages of material, very little plot movement.
October 21, 2024
DNF 18%
I have never wanted a character to be fridged so bad in my LIFE. I can only take sex being described as sharing/savoring/enjoying "sweetness" so many times before I go insane. Go ahead, fade to black, that's fine. Please stop it with this sappy, happy, family-time bs where Eric keeps getting blindsided by the cruelty of this new world between bouts of lovey dovey romance with a tone completely opposed to the gritty apocalypse happening around them.
I would have been THRILLED if that tone had been abruptly destroyed by the bleak reality of her or the child or both dying because he let his guard down and has a gigantic target on his back. But, no. And no, the author's note did not help. It made me want them to die so he could get back to training his butt off again.
I'm sorry. The series has good ideas, but watching two cardboard cutout characters smush faces and sometimes carry around a prop shaped like a child drained all patience I had with this bloated writing style.
I have never wanted a character to be fridged so bad in my LIFE. I can only take sex being described as sharing/savoring/enjoying "sweetness" so many times before I go insane. Go ahead, fade to black, that's fine. Please stop it with this sappy, happy, family-time bs where Eric keeps getting blindsided by the cruelty of this new world between bouts of lovey dovey romance with a tone completely opposed to the gritty apocalypse happening around them.
I would have been THRILLED if that tone had been abruptly destroyed by the bleak reality of her or the child or both dying because he let his guard down and has a gigantic target on his back. But, no. And no, the author's note did not help. It made me want them to die so he could get back to training his butt off again.
I'm sorry. The series has good ideas, but watching two cardboard cutout characters smush faces and sometimes carry around a prop shaped like a child drained all patience I had with this bloated writing style.
December 11, 2023
This is why
We can’t have nice things.
The first portion of the book is finishing off the business started in book one. Travel to Freetown, and somehow deal with all the gold. Then, the expected happens. MC can’t have nice things.
Then we get stuck in a seemingly unending training montage. finally, we get back to the fun stuff.
I feel like I was skipping way too many paragraphs to truly say that I enjoyed the book. Certain concepts get repeated far too often. Yes, the off world elites have stacked the deck.
There’s fascinating stuff going on and ideas on how to use different powers in ways that don’t show up in other books. But there’s also a level of hyperbolic drama that infuses the narrative.
We will see how I feel when the next book is released. If it was today, I might not buy it.
We can’t have nice things.
The first portion of the book is finishing off the business started in book one. Travel to Freetown, and somehow deal with all the gold. Then, the expected happens. MC can’t have nice things.
Then we get stuck in a seemingly unending training montage. finally, we get back to the fun stuff.
I feel like I was skipping way too many paragraphs to truly say that I enjoyed the book. Certain concepts get repeated far too often. Yes, the off world elites have stacked the deck.
There’s fascinating stuff going on and ideas on how to use different powers in ways that don’t show up in other books. But there’s also a level of hyperbolic drama that infuses the narrative.
We will see how I feel when the next book is released. If it was today, I might not buy it.
June 13, 2025
- 2 star for the unwanted woo-woo romantic vomit 🤢 could of cared less about this part. Skipped through the parts and can't understand why he would try to be in a relationship when orc's the human factions with bounties plus goblins out for his head but this kind of made me loose interest plus the mc falls for chicks way to fast first Suzy and now erika who is a single mother with a grandma why add this he will put them in danger could he just have some fun and leave it at that. But NO as usual eric doing to much. I'm really not feeling 😕 this romantic angle I know I said it before but it ruins the story for me I hate romance books but I love haremlit with male main character. Don't know if I want to continue 😕 listening it really slowed down the story. Then to no surprise his girlfriend and her friends almost die uggg I am done the mc continues to make foolishness decisions.
August 9, 2025
So who is Alex?
Loved the story. OP protag all the way. Kinda meh romance… really hate when the MC spends like a week of smexx with a girl and decide “this is it forever” like…????? Plot can be fast paced, level up can be fast paced, but please no more stupidly fast paced romances.
Four stars because even with all that above (which I’d still give five for) the BIGGEST issue I have is the Author themself to REPEATEDLY in this book and the next, forget the mcs name. Who is Alex? Where art this Alex and why is that even still in the book? I can forgive the random repeating words, the double spacing, forgotten capitals but Alex needs to stop. I’m in Book 3, ch 16 and Alex was switched with Eric no less than three times. In the midst of really important scenes no less!
Loved the story. OP protag all the way. Kinda meh romance… really hate when the MC spends like a week of smexx with a girl and decide “this is it forever” like…????? Plot can be fast paced, level up can be fast paced, but please no more stupidly fast paced romances.
Four stars because even with all that above (which I’d still give five for) the BIGGEST issue I have is the Author themself to REPEATEDLY in this book and the next, forget the mcs name. Who is Alex? Where art this Alex and why is that even still in the book? I can forgive the random repeating words, the double spacing, forgotten capitals but Alex needs to stop. I’m in Book 3, ch 16 and Alex was switched with Eric no less than three times. In the midst of really important scenes no less!
March 28, 2025
awesome and frustrating
So I love M. H. Johnson’s stories for the most part. The fight scenes, character progression, and world building are amazing.
There are a few things I hate though. The MC in his stories always experience astounding levels of discrimination, persecution, and suffering at all times. The more awesome the prize the less likely they will be able to benefit from it after attaining it! So frustrating! His MC’s spend so much time striving for awesome rewards only to find they don’t get to partake of them once they finally receive them?!?
It’s bad enough that despite loving most of the story I am not sure I want to keep reading anymore in this series.
So I love M. H. Johnson’s stories for the most part. The fight scenes, character progression, and world building are amazing.
There are a few things I hate though. The MC in his stories always experience astounding levels of discrimination, persecution, and suffering at all times. The more awesome the prize the less likely they will be able to benefit from it after attaining it! So frustrating! His MC’s spend so much time striving for awesome rewards only to find they don’t get to partake of them once they finally receive them?!?
It’s bad enough that despite loving most of the story I am not sure I want to keep reading anymore in this series.
December 10, 2023
Battleforged book2 is a great continuation to the series. I absolutely love how Eric and his various companions keep causing so many problems for those who cheated their way to ruling over a newly integrated world. I'm really looking forward to more books in this series. I just know Eric and his buddies are going to turn things around, and I for one, can't wait to see it.
February 14, 2024
Cultivation Shift
This one is about the integration of cultivation into the system pod classes. How does cultivation fit into earth? What is Erics sister doing and a new race emerges from the shadows. Initial scenes are giving Eric a princes to woo and protect, then it ramps up and enters cultivation. While cultivation is not my favorite genre the book handled it well enough but felt a bit disconnected from the overall plot and theme. It finishes strong and leaves one wanting more.
This one is about the integration of cultivation into the system pod classes. How does cultivation fit into earth? What is Erics sister doing and a new race emerges from the shadows. Initial scenes are giving Eric a princes to woo and protect, then it ramps up and enters cultivation. While cultivation is not my favorite genre the book handled it well enough but felt a bit disconnected from the overall plot and theme. It finishes strong and leaves one wanting more.
December 7, 2023
Another great MH system/cultivation fantasy
The system in this series is one of my favorite across all of the genre. I love the almost dreamlike quality of the ascensions in these books. Eric is a great character with one of the most interesting classes/ advancements that I have seen.
My one complaint is someday. I want his main character from one of the series to end up happy 😆😆. With that said, this is an amazing hero's journey.
The system in this series is one of my favorite across all of the genre. I love the almost dreamlike quality of the ascensions in these books. Eric is a great character with one of the most interesting classes/ advancements that I have seen.
My one complaint is someday. I want his main character from one of the series to end up happy 😆😆. With that said, this is an amazing hero's journey.
January 19, 2024
This one was a bit of a slog to get through. I found myself just skipping pages at a time to get through repetitive inner monologue. The amount of time the main character mentions HEMA, his mother is ridiculous. Every new character he meets and it begins all again.. the same backstory is told and the pity party starts again.
Even with those annoyances, I still enjoy the story and will be reading the next book.
Even with those annoyances, I still enjoy the story and will be reading the next book.
July 28, 2024
Tedious.
The first quarter of this book is made up a sappy, instalove teen romance that was very cringe worthy. When that (finally!) ends, things feel like they will pick up, but just end up getting tedious. How many ways can you say the same thing, kill the same boars, meditate, or look at peaches? I ended up skimming through the majority of the rest of this book. The final few chapters were ok, but overall it was not worth it.
The first quarter of this book is made up a sappy, instalove teen romance that was very cringe worthy. When that (finally!) ends, things feel like they will pick up, but just end up getting tedious. How many ways can you say the same thing, kill the same boars, meditate, or look at peaches? I ended up skimming through the majority of the rest of this book. The final few chapters were ok, but overall it was not worth it.
November 12, 2024
While I'm enjoying the story, I do find that the author can sometimes get lost on exactly what's going on, but I comment them on keeping 3 full separate systems running.
I also think that the crisis feel manufactured to continue the story.
Nonetheless, even with some of this, I still enjoyed it. Albeit less than the first book.
Ah, also, narration got really annoying by the end. Will probably switch to reading going forward.
I also think that the crisis feel manufactured to continue the story.
Nonetheless, even with some of this, I still enjoyed it. Albeit less than the first book.
Ah, also, narration got really annoying by the end. Will probably switch to reading going forward.
January 5, 2024
Won’t be reading the rest
I struggled through this second book to find the story, but the wall of words and sentences is just too much.
Needing to read 3 pages of inner monologue in a combat scene is just too much. And those sweet sweet have become obnoxious after reading this second book.
Good for those that love long winded tales.
I struggled through this second book to find the story, but the wall of words and sentences is just too much.
Needing to read 3 pages of inner monologue in a combat scene is just too much. And those sweet sweet have become obnoxious after reading this second book.
Good for those that love long winded tales.
February 13, 2024
Battle forged : Contender
A very complex story, with lots of twists and turns, combining cultivation and system traits.
The author, and I don't know how, has managed to bring these together and make a mighty growth and adventure story out of them.
You should read this series just to see how it finally ends!
A very complex story, with lots of twists and turns, combining cultivation and system traits.
The author, and I don't know how, has managed to bring these together and make a mighty growth and adventure story out of them.
You should read this series just to see how it finally ends!
July 28, 2024
Awesome Stuff
This story of a Hollywood brother and twin Son of a A list star and sister dealing with an unfortunate System was fantastic. Learning his mom is the Winter Queen, and only cares about his sister as a heir was omg. But him learning that he’s part fae was frustration. Great read nonetheless.
This story of a Hollywood brother and twin Son of a A list star and sister dealing with an unfortunate System was fantastic. Learning his mom is the Winter Queen, and only cares about his sister as a heir was omg. But him learning that he’s part fae was frustration. Great read nonetheless.
December 14, 2023
Bloated
This book takes slow burn to a whole different level. The amount of pages that could just be trimmed is insane. I felt like 1000 pages could’ve been summed up in a 100. This was terrible. My head literally hurts.
This book takes slow burn to a whole different level. The amount of pages that could just be trimmed is insane. I felt like 1000 pages could’ve been summed up in a 100. This was terrible. My head literally hurts.
December 30, 2023
ascension and struggle.
I do love a good book by M.H Johnson, plenty of pages to turn and a story that weaves in and out and around, always with triumph mixed bitter outcomes. Im a fan and always will be. Would love to see one of these books turned into a tv series.
I do love a good book by M.H Johnson, plenty of pages to turn and a story that weaves in and out and around, always with triumph mixed bitter outcomes. Im a fan and always will be. Would love to see one of these books turned into a tv series.
January 29, 2024
A nice read, although there are some parts in there that make it slow and boring as can be. Our hero continues on his path to both growth and self-destruction. The ending is quite nice, though now I need to wait for the next book.
February 5, 2024
Kept me on my toes, although I'm a little disappointed that Eric and Eliona haven't communicated much, even on the sly as he avoids their mother. The ending was really abrupt too and now I'm hanging to read the third book. BOO that.
February 14, 2024
Long, intriguing, very good
Johnson has written a very fun novel, with strong solid characters, and a great storyline. I will be enjoying the next in this series as soon as it comes out. Good Writing!
Johnson has written a very fun novel, with strong solid characters, and a great storyline. I will be enjoying the next in this series as soon as it comes out. Good Writing!
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