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The Game at Carousel #2
The Invitation: A Horror Movie LitRPG
Five heroes trapped in a horror movie must find their way out—and avoid dying for good—in the second installment of this imaginative LitRPG series.
Since they were lured to the festival at Carousel, Riley (the Film Buff), Antoine (the Athlete), Camden (the Scholar), Anna (the Final Girl), and Kimberly (the Eye Candy) have lived through entire horror movie plots. So far, Riley’s survival strategy is working. He’s high on his Moxie, Hustle, and Savvy stats. But his Mettle and Grit have dropped dangerously low, leaving him vulnerable. If he gets caught by a killer, he’s done for. Plus, no one seems to understand what use Film Buffs are to begin with. What good is knowing the killer is coming if everyone else does too?
Worse, the stakes are only getting higher. Die in a successful storyline and you’ll be back for the next one. But die in the wrong storyline and you won’t come back at all. Because Riley has learned the secret of that behind them every step of the way is a man with an ax, there to ensure any wrong storylines are immediately culled. And now Riley’s beginning to think Carousel itself may be talking to him . . .
The second volume of the hit LitRPG horror series—with more than three million views on Royal Road—now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!
Since they were lured to the festival at Carousel, Riley (the Film Buff), Antoine (the Athlete), Camden (the Scholar), Anna (the Final Girl), and Kimberly (the Eye Candy) have lived through entire horror movie plots. So far, Riley’s survival strategy is working. He’s high on his Moxie, Hustle, and Savvy stats. But his Mettle and Grit have dropped dangerously low, leaving him vulnerable. If he gets caught by a killer, he’s done for. Plus, no one seems to understand what use Film Buffs are to begin with. What good is knowing the killer is coming if everyone else does too?
Worse, the stakes are only getting higher. Die in a successful storyline and you’ll be back for the next one. But die in the wrong storyline and you won’t come back at all. Because Riley has learned the secret of that behind them every step of the way is a man with an ax, there to ensure any wrong storylines are immediately culled. And now Riley’s beginning to think Carousel itself may be talking to him . . .
The second volume of the hit LitRPG horror series—with more than three million views on Royal Road—now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!
361 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 9, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
December 18, 2025
2.5
Was a little enjoyable but just so repetitive. I found the scenes inbetween stories were so boring and that the pacing seemed off. I like how it kinda feels like an anthology though. Along with the plot twist at the end that just makes me want to read the next one even though they drag on soo much. I also enjoyed the second storyline we followed with the Shade. I thought that was fun.
Was a little enjoyable but just so repetitive. I found the scenes inbetween stories were so boring and that the pacing seemed off. I like how it kinda feels like an anthology though. Along with the plot twist at the end that just makes me want to read the next one even though they drag on soo much. I also enjoyed the second storyline we followed with the Shade. I thought that was fun.
September 2, 2026
Consider this rating a 9/10
Is it five star material? No, absolutely not. But I enjoyed it immensely.
Game at Carousel is a slasher/horror LITRPG that pays homage to all the genre. A group of distant characters gets catfished to go to a haunted town in which they need to act as horror movie characters and tropes in order to survive. Even if one person finishes the performance, the team survives. But if everyone dies... They die for real.
This second book is better than the first in all regards and it actually managed to make me scared on a couple of scenes. It's a joy to read, and like the other titans in the genre: utterly addicting.
Jumping straight into book 3 after writing this review.
Is it five star material? No, absolutely not. But I enjoyed it immensely.
Game at Carousel is a slasher/horror LITRPG that pays homage to all the genre. A group of distant characters gets catfished to go to a haunted town in which they need to act as horror movie characters and tropes in order to survive. Even if one person finishes the performance, the team survives. But if everyone dies... They die for real.
This second book is better than the first in all regards and it actually managed to make me scared on a couple of scenes. It's a joy to read, and like the other titans in the genre: utterly addicting.
Jumping straight into book 3 after writing this review.
November 27, 2025
I wasn't a fan of the first book, but a big fan of the concept, and I am happy I decided to keep going.
It immediately starts fleshing out the side characters, making them feel like real people. Even the main character reads as a more fluent individual, and following his actions this time around is much more pleasant for me as a reader.
Excited to see where this will lead, the world building and RPG elements are certainly curious.
It immediately starts fleshing out the side characters, making them feel like real people. Even the main character reads as a more fluent individual, and following his actions this time around is much more pleasant for me as a reader.
Excited to see where this will lead, the world building and RPG elements are certainly curious.
May 5, 2026
05/05/26 Notes:
Plot flow was a little stiff, but I was entertained by story elements and reveals. Fun for those who enjoy horror stories/movies and songs.
Plot flow was a little stiff, but I was entertained by story elements and reveals. Fun for those who enjoy horror stories/movies and songs.
June 5, 2026
This one was extremely solid, although it was a bit more disjointed in pacing and content. I do still really enjoy the characters and the plot, but it wasn't quite as succinct and polished.
Here's hoping the final book is a standout! I am so curious where this whole thing is headed.
Here's hoping the final book is a standout! I am so curious where this whole thing is headed.
December 9, 2024
More of the same. Now it tuned from horror to acting. Bit weird.
July 16, 2025
This series is causing my stress and anxiety levels sky rocket as much as any horror movie I’ve watched.
It is such a unique concept. And I love it. The individual “horror” storylines in book two gave me the creeps. Genuinely. The Stragglers story was very old school horror creepy, just knowing something was wrong and about to happen at any second. And the end story in the facility was literally a movie in my head. Like it could be a movie. Such an interesting story of its own with twists, sacrifice, emotional drama. Loved it.
And the overarching storyline of the mystery of Carousel is growing even more interesting. I’m desperate to know if the “missing” people are truly gone forever or if they can be rescued again. What are the forces behind it all. Are the NPCs maybe actually victims or just puppets created by whatever entity is controlling Carousel.
Every single character is well made. They’re all likeable. They each have interesting trope abilities, so much so that during every horror situation I’m right along with them trying to think of all they’re capable of and what they can do to survive.
Book two has provided book three with some many potential storylines to happen. I’m excited to unravel more of this mystery. And excited to watch these characters attempt to survive more classic horror stories.
Onto book three!
It is such a unique concept. And I love it. The individual “horror” storylines in book two gave me the creeps. Genuinely. The Stragglers story was very old school horror creepy, just knowing something was wrong and about to happen at any second. And the end story in the facility was literally a movie in my head. Like it could be a movie. Such an interesting story of its own with twists, sacrifice, emotional drama. Loved it.
And the overarching storyline of the mystery of Carousel is growing even more interesting. I’m desperate to know if the “missing” people are truly gone forever or if they can be rescued again. What are the forces behind it all. Are the NPCs maybe actually victims or just puppets created by whatever entity is controlling Carousel.
Every single character is well made. They’re all likeable. They each have interesting trope abilities, so much so that during every horror situation I’m right along with them trying to think of all they’re capable of and what they can do to survive.
Book two has provided book three with some many potential storylines to happen. I’m excited to unravel more of this mystery. And excited to watch these characters attempt to survive more classic horror stories.
Onto book three!
October 8, 2026
I start my reviews at the three star mark.
I read the first book last year during spooky season, so reading the second one now seemed appropriate. It's been in the to read pile for a long time, longer then it deserved honestly. This is an imaginative take on the horror/litrpg cross over. The smaller scenes are being used to stitch together - slowly, in pieces - a picture of the larger plot of what is Carousel. The author finds a clever way to deal with his main character experiencing death as opposed to always fading to black and getting filled in later.
All set against the real horror that the longer players are experiencing: accepting and just going with it.
Honestly, the work that has to be done to make this make sense and work impresses me more then the writing - and I think the writing is more then capable. There are some slow moments and I'm not sure the big reveal at the end is as compelling as the author wants it to be, but I'm very satisfied by the book and will read the next book before I get out of October so I can keep some momentum going in this series.
I'm not sure I'm actually the intended reader - I dislike horror movies (it's my wife who loves them), but I'm interested in the tropes and ideas, so I find it somewhat fascinating to watch them be deconstructed and put back together. Very curious as to the bigger picture once we get more info on it.
I read the first book last year during spooky season, so reading the second one now seemed appropriate. It's been in the to read pile for a long time, longer then it deserved honestly. This is an imaginative take on the horror/litrpg cross over. The smaller scenes are being used to stitch together - slowly, in pieces - a picture of the larger plot of what is Carousel. The author finds a clever way to deal with his main character experiencing death as opposed to always fading to black and getting filled in later.
All set against the real horror that the longer players are experiencing: accepting and just going with it.
Honestly, the work that has to be done to make this make sense and work impresses me more then the writing - and I think the writing is more then capable. There are some slow moments and I'm not sure the big reveal at the end is as compelling as the author wants it to be, but I'm very satisfied by the book and will read the next book before I get out of October so I can keep some momentum going in this series.
I'm not sure I'm actually the intended reader - I dislike horror movies (it's my wife who loves them), but I'm interested in the tropes and ideas, so I find it somewhat fascinating to watch them be deconstructed and put back together. Very curious as to the bigger picture once we get more info on it.
April 16, 2026
3.3/5
The third instalment of Game at Carousel was good but not great in my opinion. I love the theme and mechanics of the book. The characters are growing on me and I love the way Riley is thinking out side the box. The Storylines were decent. I really liked the campfire storyline over the KSRL one but that comes down to preference. Both were enjoyable and entertaining. I do think that the story lacks some depth and growth. The characters are growing minimally to the point that they are starting to get shallow. The story itself was very so so until the last 1/4 of the book. It ended on a huge set up and its possibilities are endless. Something I’m excited for. I just would like some more depth to take place. Something more excited to happen. The story is also, a bit bleak. There is no comedic tension breaker or jokes to help with the darkness of the book. I originally, thought this was a strength over other LitRPG book but, I think it might be a detriment. Overall, it was a good instalment and kept me motivated to continue to book three but, it was more of the same content. Here’s to hoping book three is better (which I heard it was)
The third instalment of Game at Carousel was good but not great in my opinion. I love the theme and mechanics of the book. The characters are growing on me and I love the way Riley is thinking out side the box. The Storylines were decent. I really liked the campfire storyline over the KSRL one but that comes down to preference. Both were enjoyable and entertaining. I do think that the story lacks some depth and growth. The characters are growing minimally to the point that they are starting to get shallow. The story itself was very so so until the last 1/4 of the book. It ended on a huge set up and its possibilities are endless. Something I’m excited for. I just would like some more depth to take place. Something more excited to happen. The story is also, a bit bleak. There is no comedic tension breaker or jokes to help with the darkness of the book. I originally, thought this was a strength over other LitRPG book but, I think it might be a detriment. Overall, it was a good instalment and kept me motivated to continue to book three but, it was more of the same content. Here’s to hoping book three is better (which I heard it was)
September 6, 2026
After desperate pleading from my friend, I decided to give this series another shot despite the first book having the distinct dishonor of being my one and only 1-star review ever on this site.
So imagine my surprise when, by some miracle, this sequel ended up being… not bad at all. Perhaps I just had more realistic expectations going in this time around, but I can also confidently say this book improved on the first in a lot of ways: the characters were more fleshed out, the world-building and game mechanics more finely-tuned and developed, and the horror storylines far more suspenseful and interesting! The anthology storyline, in particular, was intricately woven and riveting; so much so that it even gave me that lovely sense of unease that any good horror work rightfully should.
Granted, this wasn’t perfect by any means. The writing and dialogue, in particular, often still felt very stiff, surface-level, and even juvenile in a lot of ways. Nevertheless, I’m glad I was persuaded to stick with this series and give it another chance. For such a unique horror-LitRPG synthesis concept, I’m glad to see progress between installments and only hope it continues into the third book.
So imagine my surprise when, by some miracle, this sequel ended up being… not bad at all. Perhaps I just had more realistic expectations going in this time around, but I can also confidently say this book improved on the first in a lot of ways: the characters were more fleshed out, the world-building and game mechanics more finely-tuned and developed, and the horror storylines far more suspenseful and interesting! The anthology storyline, in particular, was intricately woven and riveting; so much so that it even gave me that lovely sense of unease that any good horror work rightfully should.
Granted, this wasn’t perfect by any means. The writing and dialogue, in particular, often still felt very stiff, surface-level, and even juvenile in a lot of ways. Nevertheless, I’m glad I was persuaded to stick with this series and give it another chance. For such a unique horror-LitRPG synthesis concept, I’m glad to see progress between installments and only hope it continues into the third book.
September 23, 2024
for the audiobook:
As I wrote in my last review: " Really interesting premise. I was hooked the first 3 hours, then it got a little repetitive and started spinning it's wheels. Some decent horror storylines, but pretty mediocre character building. I think the biggest disappointment is the potential of this idea and how many of the horror story lines just seem mediocre, this might be a case of where the "litrpg" method really takes away from the overall story."
there was some movement in this book, some better character building, but again, the horror storylines just fall kind of flat - like a Vincent Price anthology from the 60s. I will still check out the 3rd book, but I still can't help but feel that this idea was squandered in the litrpg format, which is a shame.
As I wrote in my last review: " Really interesting premise. I was hooked the first 3 hours, then it got a little repetitive and started spinning it's wheels. Some decent horror storylines, but pretty mediocre character building. I think the biggest disappointment is the potential of this idea and how many of the horror story lines just seem mediocre, this might be a case of where the "litrpg" method really takes away from the overall story."
there was some movement in this book, some better character building, but again, the horror storylines just fall kind of flat - like a Vincent Price anthology from the 60s. I will still check out the 3rd book, but I still can't help but feel that this idea was squandered in the litrpg format, which is a shame.
July 8, 2026
This series essentially takes horror movie tropes and turns them into abilities and stats, it's one of the most unique litrpgs I've read. Characters act out the "movies" for Carousel, so there's individual stories to enjoy, and there's also a greater mystery in between. (This would make such a great boardgame. So many possibilities) I find it incredibly compelling, and I'm super excited book 4 has finally been announced for publication.
I originally read the first two books on royal road a couple years ago, and decided to reread book 2 in preparation for book 3. (Book 9 has just started on the platform) I'm glad I did, there's been a lot of changes, and for the better. I own the audiobooks, but tbh I find some of the voices grating (especially Camden) so I switched to kindle. Ymmv
I originally read the first two books on royal road a couple years ago, and decided to reread book 2 in preparation for book 3. (Book 9 has just started on the platform) I'm glad I did, there's been a lot of changes, and for the better. I own the audiobooks, but tbh I find some of the voices grating (especially Camden) so I switched to kindle. Ymmv
July 16, 2024
5/5.
The Invitation might be just as good as its predecessor, the Bystander, if not better. Riley and his friends have gotten stronger, more experienced, and better at navigating Carousel, but there are still many secrets they don't know. I loved the growing, complex layer of mysteries that Riley and gang slowly uncover, the storylines that only grow in danger, and the tropes and aspects and powers they gain that are vital for their survival. And that ending... Perfection. So good! Can't wait for the next one.
The Invitation might be just as good as its predecessor, the Bystander, if not better. Riley and his friends have gotten stronger, more experienced, and better at navigating Carousel, but there are still many secrets they don't know. I loved the growing, complex layer of mysteries that Riley and gang slowly uncover, the storylines that only grow in danger, and the tropes and aspects and powers they gain that are vital for their survival. And that ending... Perfection. So good! Can't wait for the next one.
February 28, 2025
Do I enjoy a good horror and mystery story? Yes. Was this book nicely paced? Yes. Did I enjoy the whole ride? Absolutely.
If you enjoy horror, mystery and thrillers then this is a fun book. I very much enjoyed the author dipping into other genres for the games while keeping a horror undertones.
If you enjoy horror, mystery and thrillers then this is a fun book. I very much enjoyed the author dipping into other genres for the games while keeping a horror undertones.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2025
This book was really enjoyable and probably my favourite book of the series so far. The beginning starts out weak but it gets so much better and improves upon the characters and lore that we weren’t privy too in the first book. I really enjoyed the characters however I do wish we could see what the characters think of Riley.
July 6, 2026
This is very similar to the first book for me - I enjoyed the horror stories part of it and was a bit meh about the actual overarching plot of what is going on in Carousel. I did enjoy how the side characters (especially the friend group) are getting more development and having their own character arcs too. This is a fun series, and I'm going to continue it.
3.5 stars!
3.5 stars!
February 1, 2025
This sequel addressed the issues I had with book 1! Added nice background details and overarching lore, let you see some of the characters in smaller and more applied instances, and showed new powers being used in context rather than infodumping.
June 12, 2025
Alright this is maybe building to something! The little breadcrumbs are a great dopamine snack to the larger plot arc and the individual set piece stories are often fun in their own right. This is pretty good!
October 16, 2025
Great Horror LitRPG
Fantastic LitRPG built partially around a TvTropes-like system of horror elements. Fascinating world building and very satisfying "level up" system. Highly recommend!
Fantastic LitRPG built partially around a TvTropes-like system of horror elements. Fascinating world building and very satisfying "level up" system. Highly recommend!
March 9, 2026
Very Fun!!! 🤩
Can’t wait to read the last book, book 2 had me reading faster and faster. I couldn’t put it down. The horror in the book is so fun and intense. This book is a lot more emotional 😭
Can’t wait to read the last book, book 2 had me reading faster and faster. I couldn’t put it down. The horror in the book is so fun and intense. This book is a lot more emotional 😭
June 3, 2026
I found this one a bit more repetitive and less interesting than the first one. Also, felt pretty confused throughout one of the storylines in this book and just didn’t enjoy a good 1/4 of the book unfortunately. Still enjoy the plot and the setting, hopefully book 3 picks up a bit for me.
July 28, 2026
Twice the scares and twice the fun!
I really enjoyed this sequel. It really does a great job of expanding they mythos and making the characters more dynamic. I love a story where I can't predict the plot twists and this book did it so well. Can't wait to read the third one!
I really enjoyed this sequel. It really does a great job of expanding they mythos and making the characters more dynamic. I love a story where I can't predict the plot twists and this book did it so well. Can't wait to read the third one!
October 13, 2026
The game at carousel continues as Riley and the gang continue to run storylines but something is weird. A couple of the stories aren’t following the normal plot everyone is used to.
If you like horror and litrpg don’t skip out on this one.
If you like horror and litrpg don’t skip out on this one.
August 7, 2024
This happened to me once. Messed up my whole week.
August 8, 2024
fantastic
I love this series! Wish there were more litrpg like this. Character focused with an amazing terrifying world! Go Torros!
I love this series! Wish there were more litrpg like this. Character focused with an amazing terrifying world! Go Torros!
September 2, 2024
Just as amazing as the first one! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator does an amazing job presenting all the characters. Such a unique story. I love it! Can’t wait for book 3.
September 4, 2024
Excellent!
Even better than the first one! If you liked book #1, you'll love this one. Too bad it's already finished and that the next one isn't out, yet!
Even better than the first one! If you liked book #1, you'll love this one. Too bad it's already finished and that the next one isn't out, yet!
February 11, 2025
Continues to be a very fun take on the LitRPG genre. Some fun surprises, especially towards the end. I mean I don't really have much to say about this other than it was fun.
February 22, 2025
I absolutly love The Game at Carousel series! Horror movie tropes in a LitRPG space. What's not to love? It's a don't miss if you're a horror or movie geek!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews