Knights Apocalyptica: A LitRPG Adventure

Knights Apocalyptica #1

by Zach Skye

The Apocalypse came. Chaos reigns. A new generation of magic-wielding Knights rises.
The Earth met its end, bathed in holy fire. Rifts spill monsters into our world. Ravaging everything. Destroying civilization as we knew it.

Now, the Kingdom of Cindrus is the last bastion of humanity. The last vestiges of a broken people clinging to life deep underground.

But not all hope is lost. Erec has been blessed by the Goddess. From a line of disgraced nobility, he seeks to reclaim his family’s honor and join the prestigious academy – the institution that trains the next generation of Knights.

With a power that brings him to an uncontrollable Rage, and an old-world AI aiding him, Erec seeks to reconquer the world with the remains of human-kind.

Knights Apocalyptica is an action packed, apocalypse LitRPG from debut author Zach Skye. Loaded with progression, a detailed system, power armor, a magic academy, and so much more, it's perfect for fans of The Iron Prince, Bastion, and 12 Miles Below.

Available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible narrated by the legendary Roger Clark (Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2)!

Genres: Litrpg, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Audiobook

608 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2024

Reviews

[Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best author I've read from

This book grabs your attention so fast and so well that I haven't stopped talking about it since I started reading the story and words used to tell you what is going on are so encapsulating you can't stop

[Vance Holt · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were lots of things I really enjoyed about this story. The premise was interesting. I like the mix of magic and tech. The characters were fun. I especially liked the interactions between Collin and the rest. He's a good side character. I don't really like him as a person (although he is growing on me) but he makes for an interesting and fun story.
I didn't like the amount of swearing. It gets worse the further you read. I suppose that's because things get harder. But I don't like all the f-bombs. If you plan on using them liberally, then I'd rather be warned early before I get invested in the book. Or a much better option is you could simply be more creative with the writing.
Also, I had trouble with some of the battle scenes. Yes, battle is violent. However, I personally would have preferred some more big brain moments. The planning and work up to a single hit is more interesting to me than a page of crushing bloody fighting. One is just smacking each other around, the other has tension. Especially, if it doesn't always work so the reader doesn't know if all this set up is going to plan out.
All that being said, I did really get invested in the story. The author does have that "it" factor that makes a great read. And I did put off chores and adulting so I could keep listening.

[MrG LikesBooks&Booze · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel takes an interesting approach to both progession and post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy.
People work to gain entrance into one of the orders of knights and fight to protect their homes using mechanized armor that combines science and mysticism.
The interplay between the characters is interesting and at times a bit confusing, but in a realistic and enjoyable way.
I enjoyed the story, and the way this wrapped up opened more doors and created more questions that we want the answers too. I am eagerly awaiting the second volume in this series.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starts out fine before quickly becoming an endless internal monologue of the mc vs his rage.

A bit of an exaggerated impression:
"Eric started to brush his teeth. The beast inside him cried out for fury. To destroy the plaque in glorious battle. It demanded he scour the enamel until his gums painted his smile in blood. But no, this was not who Eric wanted to be. He pushed down the beast and put down the toothbrush. Even now the inferno raged at the white froth being rinsed down the sink, untainted by the blood it so desired."

Imagine this but every other paragraph.

[Kyle · Rating 2 out of 5]

If the old "and then he got angry" was a book this is it. The setting is okay but getting angry being a super power has been overdone for decades and this main character angers his way out of his problems constantly. Pretty much to win and become super skilled he just needs to be angry. Very young adult. Starts off alright but gets worse and worse towards the end.

Really the guy should probably be locked up or pushed out of service early on but gets away with a lot.

Was tough to finish the last 30%

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've got mixed feelings. On the one hand, when it isn't bogged down with endless training montages, and when Erection isn't being a paranoid anti-social miseryguts it's quite entertaining. But a lot of the time Erector is either jumping to conclusions or suspicious that everyone around him is out to get him and it's a bit of a drag.

All in all, very Fallout inspired. Not really good or bad, just is. It was enjoyable enough, but I likely won't be reading the sequels. Just a bit too long for my taste.

[kieran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good But Misleading

It's a good series but I feel it oversells the magical academy aspect of it all. The academy is barely relevant with almost nothing being learned before the backdrop changes into something else entirely.

This is a great read but it does one of the things I hate which is makes promises early that do not feel delivered.

So I probably will read the second but it's definitely can be a jarring read

[John #Audible · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is very much a YA book ( Teen level ) , You have been warned. You even have your typical teen rage, all the time. You lost me when Dukes are sitting on Thrones, yeah right give me a break. Dukes have offices, they are not Royals!! Plus that craphole town is not big enough to have a Dukedom much less 2 of them.

[Michael Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

Different take on the apocalypse genre mixing knights tech and magic together and making it work in a fantastic story of a young boy growing into a man, looking for redemption after his mother left him his brother and father to God knows where he seeks redemption and to ask her the question why?

[Enzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Erec is going to face the most important test of his young life. The test to join the Knight Academy has been his only task. But during his first test day outing, he stumbles onto a secret facility. The AI housed in this facility really changes the story.
I really enjoy the whole Fallout kinda back of the series.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magitech meets Fallout

Well written with likable characters, this book is heavily inspired by Fallout and the Brotherhood of Steel in particular. The progression system is expansive but seems a bit shallow, and the world feels well developed despite being a bit derivative.

[Saros · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun adventure

Eric is a second son to a discarded house and a bersker at that. He's plagued with his temper and the Go Getter attitude of a Cave Johnson ass AI in his head.

The prose is good, skips over stuff from time to time, but I had fun with what I experienced.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off really well but towards the second half it just become OP hero worship. Cheesy and boring. DNF at 87%

[Jace March · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome read

I really enjoyed the story. Definitely a unique mix of magic and tech set in a post apocalyptic setting. Will definitely be getting the next book.

[Roh Bawt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really didn't like the MC.

[Dantegideon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The set-up is interesting but unfortunately it goes in a very predictable direction, and the protagonist is quite unlikeable so I didn’t really feel like tagging along.

[Wetdryvac Wetdryvac · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely rage fueled power-leveling madness.