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Etherious: The System's Descent #1
Fresh Beginnings
When you've hit rock bottom, the only direction to go is up.
Getting hit by a truck didn't Isekai Arthur ward, but he did wake up in a world forever changed.
When Earth evolves, passing a threshold few even knew existed, humanity is whisked away by the Grand System to engage in an educational Tutorial to bring them up to speed, the introduction of the new energy source that has been made Ether.
Arthur Ward is left behind, bleeding out on the sidewalk.
The world has evolved; upgraded, and mankind must change with it in order to survive. Animals have become deadly monsters that prowl the streets, dimensional incursions are a constant threat and Arthur is forced to adapt or die.
With new rules to live by and a path to redemption before him, Arthur now has a way to right his wrongs. At least he thinks so. After all, nothing is quite impossible when you can rewrite reality itself.
The path to power, however, is a slippery slope. Achieving his goals will test Arthur in ways he'd never expected.
This is the first book in a LitRPG Fantasy series with 800,000 views on Royalroad. Perfect for fans of Defiance of the Fall, The Primal Hunter, and Road to Mastery!
Credits to my brother for the beautiful front cover, made with one of his Mandela artworks. It's not the usual kind found in this genre, but I loved it.
What to
-MC with multiple magic affinities
-A main character who has learned Muay Thai
-Combination of human progression mixed with monster core consumption
-Title collection
-No Harem
Getting hit by a truck didn't Isekai Arthur ward, but he did wake up in a world forever changed.
When Earth evolves, passing a threshold few even knew existed, humanity is whisked away by the Grand System to engage in an educational Tutorial to bring them up to speed, the introduction of the new energy source that has been made Ether.
Arthur Ward is left behind, bleeding out on the sidewalk.
The world has evolved; upgraded, and mankind must change with it in order to survive. Animals have become deadly monsters that prowl the streets, dimensional incursions are a constant threat and Arthur is forced to adapt or die.
With new rules to live by and a path to redemption before him, Arthur now has a way to right his wrongs. At least he thinks so. After all, nothing is quite impossible when you can rewrite reality itself.
The path to power, however, is a slippery slope. Achieving his goals will test Arthur in ways he'd never expected.
This is the first book in a LitRPG Fantasy series with 800,000 views on Royalroad. Perfect for fans of Defiance of the Fall, The Primal Hunter, and Road to Mastery!
Credits to my brother for the beautiful front cover, made with one of his Mandela artworks. It's not the usual kind found in this genre, but I loved it.
What to
-MC with multiple magic affinities
-A main character who has learned Muay Thai
-Combination of human progression mixed with monster core consumption
-Title collection
-No Harem
430 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 20, 2024
About the author
EmEs
5 books17 followersI started writing on scrap pieces of paper in a maths lesson. One paper became many, then I bought a lined book, and before I knew it, I had a story on my hands.
Things snowballed from there, and here we are now. Hopefully you enjoy my work and I welcome all feedback. Thank you for checking out my story.
Etherious: Power's Price coming out soon.
Things snowballed from there, and here we are now. Hopefully you enjoy my work and I welcome all feedback. Thank you for checking out my story.
Etherious: Power's Price coming out soon.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
September 15, 2024
Not too shabby
Book started out kind of slow, but quickly took off. If you like apocalypse litrpg or OP MC, then this book series is for you!
Book started out kind of slow, but quickly took off. If you like apocalypse litrpg or OP MC, then this book series is for you!
September 8, 2024
Excellent litrpg
He does have a couple of character traits that contradict, so look past these (wants to be intelligent but is often seeming perhaps not so much). That's the niggle out the way.
It's a fun power progression litrpg that is solid and gives what readers of this type of story want.
If you liked Azerinth Healer, Primal Hunter and perhaps the first few books of Defiance of the Fall, maybe even Randidly Ghosthound, then you will like this. Takes a minute to get going and the early delay is worth powering through. It has reasons lol.
He does have a couple of character traits that contradict, so look past these (wants to be intelligent but is often seeming perhaps not so much). That's the niggle out the way.
It's a fun power progression litrpg that is solid and gives what readers of this type of story want.
If you liked Azerinth Healer, Primal Hunter and perhaps the first few books of Defiance of the Fall, maybe even Randidly Ghosthound, then you will like this. Takes a minute to get going and the early delay is worth powering through. It has reasons lol.
March 9, 2025
I wanted to like it
So the story starts off pretty well and I like how the protagonist was given a boost it was done well.
And then shortly thereafter the writing just turns to crap. He's only got one weapon and he gives it up with absolutely no resistance and then there's excuses. He doesn't try to experiment or use any of the magic he gets until it's a life or death situation even though there's literally no reason not to. Just lots of contradictions like he's faster by far than everything but significantly slower wolves are able to get in front of him with no explanation given. It's just poorly thought out and poorly written.
So the story starts off pretty well and I like how the protagonist was given a boost it was done well.
And then shortly thereafter the writing just turns to crap. He's only got one weapon and he gives it up with absolutely no resistance and then there's excuses. He doesn't try to experiment or use any of the magic he gets until it's a life or death situation even though there's literally no reason not to. Just lots of contradictions like he's faster by far than everything but significantly slower wolves are able to get in front of him with no explanation given. It's just poorly thought out and poorly written.
December 14, 2024
A very good and nice read.
I'm happy to say this was a surprisingly fun read. The story went in a direction with the classic healer build, which made it an engaging change of pace. Good job, author. I can't wait for book 2.
I'm happy to say this was a surprisingly fun read. The story went in a direction with the classic healer build, which made it an engaging change of pace. Good job, author. I can't wait for book 2.
January 26, 2025
Book one
You can tell that this is a web serial, information can get repeated multiple times in just a few chapters. This is because of the time between chapter publications.
Good story though.
I liked the way the author handled the switch to different characters. Very easy flow that didn't seem to hurt the story. It actually makes the story a bit better.
Only read this if you like very OP characters.
7/10 Going to binge this story. Three books published plus lots more on Royalroad.
You can tell that this is a web serial, information can get repeated multiple times in just a few chapters. This is because of the time between chapter publications.
Good story though.
I liked the way the author handled the switch to different characters. Very easy flow that didn't seem to hurt the story. It actually makes the story a bit better.
Only read this if you like very OP characters.
7/10 Going to binge this story. Three books published plus lots more on Royalroad.
December 15, 2024
Read This!
No seriously, if you are a fan of system LitRPG, you should read this book.
OP MC, System, Magic, learning how things work, what's not to like?
But what really stands out about this book is the prose. So much better than the standard LitRPG.
No seriously, if you are a fan of system LitRPG, you should read this book.
OP MC, System, Magic, learning how things work, what's not to like?
But what really stands out about this book is the prose. So much better than the standard LitRPG.
July 15, 2025
This was a really solid first book in a new System Apocalypse series (albeit very light on the apocalypse element of that sub-genre). Despite a very familiar set-up to other books, it manages to step ahead of the competition by delivering a character-led story that gets you invested in the protagonist and his journey early on.
About the only thing holding it back is that the protagonist has a habit of making stupid decisions at times. So far, this hasn't significantly hindered the plot or my enjoyment of the story, but if it continues like this, then it feels like it's only a matter of time.
It is a small issue though, and definitely not one worthy of removing a star from this review. So it's an easy 5-stars this time round, and I look forward to what comes next in this series.
About the only thing holding it back is that the protagonist has a habit of making stupid decisions at times. So far, this hasn't significantly hindered the plot or my enjoyment of the story, but if it continues like this, then it feels like it's only a matter of time.
It is a small issue though, and definitely not one worthy of removing a star from this review. So it's an easy 5-stars this time round, and I look forward to what comes next in this series.
March 3, 2025
I wasn't really feeling it. Started out pretty good, but lost me at the 37% mark.
The protagonist is whipping out a massive drowning bubble on a group of higher level enemies while he himself is low-leveled, which kinda bothers me. Feels a bit unbalanced.
Also, when it comes to drowning bubbles in magic systems, it always annoys me when enemies just can't swim out of them. It's water and it's not that far to the edge of the bubble.
Anyhow, I didn't finish it.
The protagonist is whipping out a massive drowning bubble on a group of higher level enemies while he himself is low-leveled, which kinda bothers me. Feels a bit unbalanced.
Also, when it comes to drowning bubbles in magic systems, it always annoys me when enemies just can't swim out of them. It's water and it's not that far to the edge of the bubble.
Anyhow, I didn't finish it.
November 10, 2024
a great read !
Very well told story, I can’t wait for part two. The protagonist is likable and relatable and the story pacing is well done.
Very well told story, I can’t wait for part two. The protagonist is likable and relatable and the story pacing is well done.
November 5, 2024
A litrpg with fascinating world building and magic.
A litrpg with fascinating world building and magic. If you're looking for a new litrpg/progression fantasy read, I recommend checking this book out. The book isn't perfect, but I rated it 5 stars because it was a fun read.
A litrpg with fascinating world building and magic. If you're looking for a new litrpg/progression fantasy read, I recommend checking this book out. The book isn't perfect, but I rated it 5 stars because it was a fun read.
February 4, 2025
A terribly unimpressive main character. This has a contrived plot that is in no way driven by the main character. He is a glorified NPC, nothing more. There is a lot here, and it very much feels crammed in haphazardly.
October 3, 2026
This was an enjoyable System Apocalypse style book that delivered on the basic expectations without tripping too hard into the usual pitfalls.
Story - 8/10, Characters - LOL/10, Setting & Magic - 8/10, Writing - 7/10, Enjoyment - 8/10
Story
I might be a sucker for a System Apocalypse story and it takes some significant issues to ruin my enjoyment of one. The premise here follows a somewhat standard path of a MC getting an unlucky/lucky start that sets them up for OP power as the story progresses. In this series, Earth has been inducted into the System and all humans are whisked away for a 5-day tutorial to gain some basic levels and information to help them acclimate. All humans other than our MC, who got hit by a car during the teleportation sequence. Luckily, the System revived him, but he was left alone to fend for himself and collect ether by killing mutated animals in order to jumpstart his System after it used too much energy healing him. It was a fun premise to kick off the series.
Characters
So this is where a reader might struggle with this book. There are multiple oddities regarding the characterization. Some people might find them dealbreakers, but despite being a person who generally focuses on Character first and Plot second, I found these things more funny than annoying.
Our MC, Arthur Ward, is an American living in America, as is explicitly stated multiple times. But our author doesn't seem to be American and really does an unconvincing job writing one. Maybe it was the constant non-American spelling for words, the idea that selling a single gun would even begin to pay for a medical procedure, or the presumption that someone who didn't have the income to pay for bills would be attending medical school, there were so many cultural inconsistencies stacking up that it was hard to keep a straight face. It went from being eyebrow raising to bordering on unintentional comedy.
Arthur's backstory felt like a mixed collection of traits chosen during character creation of a videogame rather than a real person's history, and the author didn't provide any convincing details to change that. Arthur spent some time on the wrong side of the law, so he was skilled in the art of breaking into cars, but later couldn't tell that if a car was a Mercedes or not.
His first thoughts regarding obtaining a weapon involved raiding a museum and he thought that a biker's leather jacket was the best body protection you could get without restoring some ancient "mediaeval" chestplate. Evidently he's never heard of a stab-proof vest or basic plateholders which can be obtained from any public safety outfitter.
Then we have the supporting cast, mostly female, who are given POV scenes only to show them thinking about how animalistic our boy's presence was. At times, I wasn't sure if I was reading a pulpy romance novel. She whispered the name aloud into the empty air as if tasting the sound it made in her mouth. LOL.
It's clear that the author is enamored with the MC, and he wants the reader to be as well, but it was just being pushed a bit too hard to not feel corny. Arthur is also a bit dense, his lack of common sense always blamed on not attending the Tutorial, but I would question the lack of scientific method employed by an alleged medschool student when experimenting with his new System powers.
Okay, despite everything I mentioned above, let me reiterate that I found these things funny more than annoying and while I'm not sure I'd say it augmented my enjoyment of the story, it didn't detract from it either. Reader experiences might vary.
Setting & Magic
I don't have much to say about the setting, other than one might question how familiar the author is with American locations. This is a System story taking place on modern-day Earth, so really a reader can fill in much of the setting for themselves.
The System mechanics and levels were pretty fun so far. There's nothing to really set it apart yet, but we're only one volume deep at the moment so there's nothing wrong with that.
Writing
Similar to what I went over in the Character section, there might be some things about how the author writes that annoy people. There's quite a bit of melodrama as the author really wants us to believe the MC is something special despite not quite giving us enough reasons to agree.
But otherwise, the writing was pretty clear and with only a handful of grammar/proofreading issues. The scenes flowed and generally weren't confusing other than during some dialogue scenes where the quotations closed prematurely.
Enjoyment
Overall, I enjoyed this and I think any reader looking for a System Apocalypse story will find a lot to like here. The question for me will be where it goes in future volumes and whether it can maintain enough forward progress to make it past my usual Volume 4 slump or not. I also hope the supporting cast develops a bit as it was mostly just a revolving door. But I will definitely check out the next volume either way.
**Returning thoughts after reading Volumes 2 and 3**
Fair warning, this is another series that makes extremely slow forward progress. Maybe by the end of Book 10, the author will cover what should have been one genuine plot arc. As it is, each book seems to be about 70% fluff, dragging out what should be a minor side quest until it fills an entire volume. The numbers go brr with each new reward the MC barely works for and then he basically spends half his time salivating over his own stat sheet. I've decided to stop after Volume 3. Reader experiences will vary.
Story - 8/10, Characters - LOL/10, Setting & Magic - 8/10, Writing - 7/10, Enjoyment - 8/10
Story
I might be a sucker for a System Apocalypse story and it takes some significant issues to ruin my enjoyment of one. The premise here follows a somewhat standard path of a MC getting an unlucky/lucky start that sets them up for OP power as the story progresses. In this series, Earth has been inducted into the System and all humans are whisked away for a 5-day tutorial to gain some basic levels and information to help them acclimate. All humans other than our MC, who got hit by a car during the teleportation sequence. Luckily, the System revived him, but he was left alone to fend for himself and collect ether by killing mutated animals in order to jumpstart his System after it used too much energy healing him. It was a fun premise to kick off the series.
Characters
So this is where a reader might struggle with this book. There are multiple oddities regarding the characterization. Some people might find them dealbreakers, but despite being a person who generally focuses on Character first and Plot second, I found these things more funny than annoying.
Our MC, Arthur Ward, is an American living in America, as is explicitly stated multiple times. But our author doesn't seem to be American and really does an unconvincing job writing one. Maybe it was the constant non-American spelling for words, the idea that selling a single gun would even begin to pay for a medical procedure, or the presumption that someone who didn't have the income to pay for bills would be attending medical school, there were so many cultural inconsistencies stacking up that it was hard to keep a straight face. It went from being eyebrow raising to bordering on unintentional comedy.
Arthur's backstory felt like a mixed collection of traits chosen during character creation of a videogame rather than a real person's history, and the author didn't provide any convincing details to change that. Arthur spent some time on the wrong side of the law, so he was skilled in the art of breaking into cars, but later couldn't tell that if a car was a Mercedes or not.
His first thoughts regarding obtaining a weapon involved raiding a museum and he thought that a biker's leather jacket was the best body protection you could get without restoring some ancient "mediaeval" chestplate. Evidently he's never heard of a stab-proof vest or basic plateholders which can be obtained from any public safety outfitter.
Then we have the supporting cast, mostly female, who are given POV scenes only to show them thinking about how animalistic our boy's presence was. At times, I wasn't sure if I was reading a pulpy romance novel. She whispered the name aloud into the empty air as if tasting the sound it made in her mouth. LOL.
It's clear that the author is enamored with the MC, and he wants the reader to be as well, but it was just being pushed a bit too hard to not feel corny. Arthur is also a bit dense, his lack of common sense always blamed on not attending the Tutorial, but I would question the lack of scientific method employed by an alleged medschool student when experimenting with his new System powers.
Okay, despite everything I mentioned above, let me reiterate that I found these things funny more than annoying and while I'm not sure I'd say it augmented my enjoyment of the story, it didn't detract from it either. Reader experiences might vary.
Setting & Magic
I don't have much to say about the setting, other than one might question how familiar the author is with American locations. This is a System story taking place on modern-day Earth, so really a reader can fill in much of the setting for themselves.
The System mechanics and levels were pretty fun so far. There's nothing to really set it apart yet, but we're only one volume deep at the moment so there's nothing wrong with that.
Writing
Similar to what I went over in the Character section, there might be some things about how the author writes that annoy people. There's quite a bit of melodrama as the author really wants us to believe the MC is something special despite not quite giving us enough reasons to agree.
But otherwise, the writing was pretty clear and with only a handful of grammar/proofreading issues. The scenes flowed and generally weren't confusing other than during some dialogue scenes where the quotations closed prematurely.
Enjoyment
Overall, I enjoyed this and I think any reader looking for a System Apocalypse story will find a lot to like here. The question for me will be where it goes in future volumes and whether it can maintain enough forward progress to make it past my usual Volume 4 slump or not. I also hope the supporting cast develops a bit as it was mostly just a revolving door. But I will definitely check out the next volume either way.
**Returning thoughts after reading Volumes 2 and 3**
Fair warning, this is another series that makes extremely slow forward progress. Maybe by the end of Book 10, the author will cover what should have been one genuine plot arc. As it is, each book seems to be about 70% fluff, dragging out what should be a minor side quest until it fills an entire volume. The numbers go brr with each new reward the MC barely works for and then he basically spends half his time salivating over his own stat sheet. I've decided to stop after Volume 3. Reader experiences will vary.
February 28, 2025
Excellent
Excellent book. Although it has a relatively slow start, it quickly evolved into an entertaining read. The only thing that may have detracted a little was that while it was supposedly written from the perspective of someone born and raised in the US, the word use seemed like it came from someone foreign to the US. Regardless, I enjoyed it. Thanks.
Excellent book. Although it has a relatively slow start, it quickly evolved into an entertaining read. The only thing that may have detracted a little was that while it was supposedly written from the perspective of someone born and raised in the US, the word use seemed like it came from someone foreign to the US. Regardless, I enjoyed it. Thanks.
January 15, 2025
Ruthless and practical
Arthur is ruthless, intelligent and not automatically top dog in the fight. I enjoyed his struggle and his approach to issues within his capabilities. I'm all in for the next one
Arthur is ruthless, intelligent and not automatically top dog in the fight. I enjoyed his struggle and his approach to issues within his capabilities. I'm all in for the next one
January 28, 2025
A joy to read
As t the title says, this book was a joy to read. It is standard LitRPG, but there are some differences that really make it pop. Do yourself a favor, and read this one.
Highly recommended.
As t the title says, this book was a joy to read. It is standard LitRPG, but there are some differences that really make it pop. Do yourself a favor, and read this one.
Highly recommended.
February 6, 2025
Fun Read
Having read a lot of system apocalypse books, this book has slightly different takes on what happens to the world and what happens to the MC as an OP character. It kept my interest all through it, and I am excited to start the next book.
Having read a lot of system apocalypse books, this book has slightly different takes on what happens to the world and what happens to the MC as an OP character. It kept my interest all through it, and I am excited to start the next book.
February 27, 2025
Excellent
Significantly better than many other new littpg series that have been released recently. Similar to, but different enough, from the giants. Very much looking forward to the next one.
Significantly better than many other new littpg series that have been released recently. Similar to, but different enough, from the giants. Very much looking forward to the next one.
February 13, 2025
Refreshing
While the story has a similar set up to many Litrpgs this one has its own unique style and feel to it that was honestly a breath of fresh air
While the story has a similar set up to many Litrpgs this one has its own unique style and feel to it that was honestly a breath of fresh air
February 15, 2025
enjoyable read
Great first book with only a few minor spelling errors excited for the next one can’t wait for this series to continue
Great first book with only a few minor spelling errors excited for the next one can’t wait for this series to continue
Read
February 16, 2025Fun read
An interesting book. Good character development. A protagonist that is relatable however over powered. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
An interesting book. Good character development. A protagonist that is relatable however over powered. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
February 22, 2025
Nice book .
Good book one, going to read the next book right after this.
Looking forward to reading the next four books in the series.
Good book one, going to read the next book right after this.
Looking forward to reading the next four books in the series.
February 24, 2025
Great book
Stellar work from Em Es. Lots of action and adventure, magic and monsters. Looking forward to reading the next one.
Stellar work from Em Es. Lots of action and adventure, magic and monsters. Looking forward to reading the next one.
February 24, 2025
really enjoyable
Fun Mc with an interesting expanding world and a unique predicament they find themselves in. I found myself excited to see just what the Mc would do next!
Fun Mc with an interesting expanding world and a unique predicament they find themselves in. I found myself excited to see just what the Mc would do next!
February 27, 2025
wow
I was really impressed. The book started of unassuming and them bam I was hooked. Great characters and awesome story line.
I was really impressed. The book started of unassuming and them bam I was hooked. Great characters and awesome story line.
March 12, 2025
Great read
A new take on the System, i really enjoyed this book.
MC is relatable and well written.
Shows several viewpoints but feels seamless.
A new take on the System, i really enjoyed this book.
MC is relatable and well written.
Shows several viewpoints but feels seamless.
March 13, 2025
No harems
Interesting MC, female characters that are not one dimensional and plenty of action. Can't wait to see the author progresses the various plot lines.
Interesting MC, female characters that are not one dimensional and plenty of action. Can't wait to see the author progresses the various plot lines.
February 19, 2025
Good read
I enjoyed the book very much, kept me engaged throughout the entire book. Will be reading the second book in the series next
I enjoyed the book very much, kept me engaged throughout the entire book. Will be reading the second book in the series next
March 9, 2025
Brilliant
Arthur is a likeable character. I really liked the whole story, and am looking forward to the next book 👍👍👍
Arthur is a likeable character. I really liked the whole story, and am looking forward to the next book 👍👍👍
January 23, 2025
very enjoyable
Really enjoyed this book and its differences from many others in the genre while also still being a part of the tropes that are the genre. Definitely recommend reading.
Really enjoyed this book and its differences from many others in the genre while also still being a part of the tropes that are the genre. Definitely recommend reading.
March 4, 2025
Solid Read
Solid read. It’s a take on system stuff that I haven’t really read. Characters are well crafted and not always predictable which is nice amongst the sea of litrpg books.
Solid read. It’s a take on system stuff that I haven’t really read. Characters are well crafted and not always predictable which is nice amongst the sea of litrpg books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews