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Lords of Dragon Keep
"Give me the incredibly short summary of what the hell is going on, please. The kind you could fit into a movie trailer."
“You’re trapped in a video game world based on a hack dark fantasy author’s rip-off of better books.”
“Uh huh. Maybe you could be a bit more detailed.”
Aragorn "Aaron" Bartkowski was a programmer working at Epic DungeoneeringTM, the world's largest fantasy video game company. Much to his surprise, he was selected to pick up the latest manuscript from reclusive author Larry C.C. Weis. Weis had been working on his newest book for over a decade and the good folk at Aaron's company had dibs on adapting it. Unfortunately, Weis was also a wizard and sent Aaron to the world that inspired his books.
Aaron proceeded to find himself in a Slavic mythology themed world where he's believed to be Weis' main character, Garland of Nowhere. Equipped with the powers of a RPG protagonist, Aaron must accumulate experience and equipment while navigating a setting that seems worse off than Game of Thrones and Dark Souls put together.
LORDS OF DRAGON KEEP is a LitRPG progression fantasy isekai that takes the grim out of grimdark with biting humor as well as intelligent exploitation of the rules. It has excellent world-building, a great supporting cast, a bit of romance, and lots of laughs. Oh and there's a talking raven.
“You’re trapped in a video game world based on a hack dark fantasy author’s rip-off of better books.”
“Uh huh. Maybe you could be a bit more detailed.”
Aragorn "Aaron" Bartkowski was a programmer working at Epic DungeoneeringTM, the world's largest fantasy video game company. Much to his surprise, he was selected to pick up the latest manuscript from reclusive author Larry C.C. Weis. Weis had been working on his newest book for over a decade and the good folk at Aaron's company had dibs on adapting it. Unfortunately, Weis was also a wizard and sent Aaron to the world that inspired his books.
Aaron proceeded to find himself in a Slavic mythology themed world where he's believed to be Weis' main character, Garland of Nowhere. Equipped with the powers of a RPG protagonist, Aaron must accumulate experience and equipment while navigating a setting that seems worse off than Game of Thrones and Dark Souls put together.
LORDS OF DRAGON KEEP is a LitRPG progression fantasy isekai that takes the grim out of grimdark with biting humor as well as intelligent exploitation of the rules. It has excellent world-building, a great supporting cast, a bit of romance, and lots of laughs. Oh and there's a talking raven.
419 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 23, 2024
46 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
C.T. Phipps
93 books670 followersC.T Phipps is a lifelong student of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. An avid tabletop gamer, he discovered this passion led him to write and turned him into a lifelong geek. He is a regular reviewer on Booknest.EU and for Grimdark Magazine.
He's written the Agent G series, Cthulhu Armageddon, the Red Room Trilogy, I Was A Teenaged Weredeer, Lucifer's Star, Psycho Killers in Love, Straight Outta Fangton, The Supervillainy Saga, and Wraith Knight.
Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blog...
Website: https://ctphipps.com/
C.T. Fanclub: https://www.facebook.com/groups/14917...
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ctphipps
He's written the Agent G series, Cthulhu Armageddon, the Red Room Trilogy, I Was A Teenaged Weredeer, Lucifer's Star, Psycho Killers in Love, Straight Outta Fangton, The Supervillainy Saga, and Wraith Knight.
Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blog...
Website: https://ctphipps.com/
C.T. Fanclub: https://www.facebook.com/groups/14917...
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ctphipps
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 23, 2024
Lords of Dragon Keep
(Dark Under master Saga #1)
By C.T. Phipps
This book is a fantasy, LitRPG, comedy, and another winner for Phipps. I have read other LitRPG, and its been hit or miss with them. I am not a gamer, but I raised four boys and watched endless games with them. What they don't tell you about the online game, Phipps will tell you in the book!
The book kept me giggling as life, behind the scenes, REALLY went on. No toilet paper? Naked mermaid? How do you make extra points if you follow your talking Raven's advice? The book is full of one or two liners that caught me off guard, which caused a smile or giggle to ensue. Other times, the whole situation was hilarious. But that is Phipps!
Recommend, especially to gamers. I think they would get the most fun out of this. Complete with stats!
(Dark Under master Saga #1)
By C.T. Phipps
This book is a fantasy, LitRPG, comedy, and another winner for Phipps. I have read other LitRPG, and its been hit or miss with them. I am not a gamer, but I raised four boys and watched endless games with them. What they don't tell you about the online game, Phipps will tell you in the book!
The book kept me giggling as life, behind the scenes, REALLY went on. No toilet paper? Naked mermaid? How do you make extra points if you follow your talking Raven's advice? The book is full of one or two liners that caught me off guard, which caused a smile or giggle to ensue. Other times, the whole situation was hilarious. But that is Phipps!
Recommend, especially to gamers. I think they would get the most fun out of this. Complete with stats!
August 30, 2024
A talented author can make a genre I’d normally not be interested in engaging, entertaining and even let me experience a bit the thrill that the fans of the genre love. That’s what I got when I read C. T. Phipps Lords of Dragon Keep.
I don’t read grimdark, don’t play dark fantasy/horror video games, and stopped watching Game of Thrones after the second season. I also don’t seek out LitRPGs where the protagonist is computer game coder who utilizes their knowledge to optimize/hack their character builds through a system interface. All these elements are central to this book, and yet, I had such a fun time reading this book.
Largely this is because Aaron, the book’s protagonist, figure out ways to solve the quests in ways that don’t involve mass killing. This isn’t achieved by a simplistic “everyone can be friends” but because Aaron treats the NPC as real people, with their own backstory and goals, and comes up with novel solutions. Although the main characters acknowledge, and even gripe, that the plot and quests are highly derivative (the two main female characters are obvious rifts on Arya and Sansa Stark) the way elements of GOT, Eldritch Scrolls, The Witcher, and other grimdark properties are mashed together results in complex world building and unpredictable story twists. It also helps that Phipps knows his source material and incorporates it into witty banter and great jokes.
In the book, Aaron (or Aragorn as his fantasy-obsessed parents named him) is magically trapped in the computer game he’s been programming which is based on a successful, but incomplete, dark slavic fantasy series, the Dark Undermaster. He discovers that the stories in the books are a fictionalize version of an alternative world ruled by a death god who is set on destroying the world, harvesting its mana, and invading Aaron’s world. Aaron is the latest in a long line shanghaied programmers who assume the appearance of the book/video game’s main character; most of these coworkers have died and respawned as ravens. So Aaron, along with a party of NPCs who know that their reality has been gamified, need to complete a series of quests and side quests in order to level up and save both worlds, or at least free them from the death lord’s machinations.
If there was one thing that decreased my enjoyment of the book, it was when the characters conversation veered into too much meta commentary and geeking out. It felt more like fans nerding out at a con, less like characters on an epic quest to save the world, or die trying. For other readers, especially fans of the genre, these sections might be the best part, they are hilarious.
The other thing readers should know about this book (especially if they’re recommending it to a 12-year-old gamer in the hopes of getting them to read a book) is that there is a fair amount of sex—not explicit, it’s all fade to black, but it is discussed, a lot. It is (mostly) respectful and there isn’t any shaming or misogyny; the women in the story are just as sexually adventurous/liberated as the men.
But neither of these issues hindered my enjoyment of the book, or stopped me from recommending it to my Witcher-obsessed friend.
I don’t read grimdark, don’t play dark fantasy/horror video games, and stopped watching Game of Thrones after the second season. I also don’t seek out LitRPGs where the protagonist is computer game coder who utilizes their knowledge to optimize/hack their character builds through a system interface. All these elements are central to this book, and yet, I had such a fun time reading this book.
Largely this is because Aaron, the book’s protagonist, figure out ways to solve the quests in ways that don’t involve mass killing. This isn’t achieved by a simplistic “everyone can be friends” but because Aaron treats the NPC as real people, with their own backstory and goals, and comes up with novel solutions. Although the main characters acknowledge, and even gripe, that the plot and quests are highly derivative (the two main female characters are obvious rifts on Arya and Sansa Stark) the way elements of GOT, Eldritch Scrolls, The Witcher, and other grimdark properties are mashed together results in complex world building and unpredictable story twists. It also helps that Phipps knows his source material and incorporates it into witty banter and great jokes.
In the book, Aaron (or Aragorn as his fantasy-obsessed parents named him) is magically trapped in the computer game he’s been programming which is based on a successful, but incomplete, dark slavic fantasy series, the Dark Undermaster. He discovers that the stories in the books are a fictionalize version of an alternative world ruled by a death god who is set on destroying the world, harvesting its mana, and invading Aaron’s world. Aaron is the latest in a long line shanghaied programmers who assume the appearance of the book/video game’s main character; most of these coworkers have died and respawned as ravens. So Aaron, along with a party of NPCs who know that their reality has been gamified, need to complete a series of quests and side quests in order to level up and save both worlds, or at least free them from the death lord’s machinations.
If there was one thing that decreased my enjoyment of the book, it was when the characters conversation veered into too much meta commentary and geeking out. It felt more like fans nerding out at a con, less like characters on an epic quest to save the world, or die trying. For other readers, especially fans of the genre, these sections might be the best part, they are hilarious.
The other thing readers should know about this book (especially if they’re recommending it to a 12-year-old gamer in the hopes of getting them to read a book) is that there is a fair amount of sex—not explicit, it’s all fade to black, but it is discussed, a lot. It is (mostly) respectful and there isn’t any shaming or misogyny; the women in the story are just as sexually adventurous/liberated as the men.
But neither of these issues hindered my enjoyment of the book, or stopped me from recommending it to my Witcher-obsessed friend.
September 21, 2024
Lords of Dragon Keep is a lot of things.
LitRPG. Progressive Fantasy. Portal Fantasy. Grimdark Fantasy. And finally, comedy.
It follows a computer fantasy rpg game programmer, Aaron, as he’s pulled into a grimdark fantasy game world that’s basically Westeros or Witcher-land (whatever it’s called) with the serial numbers scraped off. And the character he inhabits essentially this world’s version of a Witcher.
Aaron knows he’s in a game world, beholden to game rules, and so he tries to game the system that he’s had a hand in creating. He knows it if he goes on a murder spree, he’ll earn experience points and gain levels and powers fast. But Aaron isn’t a psychopathic murder hobo, and tries to play things a little differently.
But, spoiler alert: all is not what it seems. I’ll leave it at that.
This is the first progressive fantasy novel I’ve read, and I’m surprised how it scratched my role-playing itch. It was cool watching Aaron level up and seeing his stats increase. I found myself looking forward to guessing what new powers and spells he’d gain. And he’d always seem to grab a new spell that was not seemingly cool, and then he’d use it in some surprising/inventive way.
Lords of Dragon Keep is a lot of things, but the bottom line is: I dug it.
It’s clever, exciting, funny, and most importantly, it’s entertaining. It draws you in from the start and never lets you go.
So if you like any of those genres mentioned, give this book a shot.
LitRPG. Progressive Fantasy. Portal Fantasy. Grimdark Fantasy. And finally, comedy.
It follows a computer fantasy rpg game programmer, Aaron, as he’s pulled into a grimdark fantasy game world that’s basically Westeros or Witcher-land (whatever it’s called) with the serial numbers scraped off. And the character he inhabits essentially this world’s version of a Witcher.
Aaron knows he’s in a game world, beholden to game rules, and so he tries to game the system that he’s had a hand in creating. He knows it if he goes on a murder spree, he’ll earn experience points and gain levels and powers fast. But Aaron isn’t a psychopathic murder hobo, and tries to play things a little differently.
But, spoiler alert: all is not what it seems. I’ll leave it at that.
This is the first progressive fantasy novel I’ve read, and I’m surprised how it scratched my role-playing itch. It was cool watching Aaron level up and seeing his stats increase. I found myself looking forward to guessing what new powers and spells he’d gain. And he’d always seem to grab a new spell that was not seemingly cool, and then he’d use it in some surprising/inventive way.
Lords of Dragon Keep is a lot of things, but the bottom line is: I dug it.
It’s clever, exciting, funny, and most importantly, it’s entertaining. It draws you in from the start and never lets you go.
So if you like any of those genres mentioned, give this book a shot.
October 7, 2024
Lords of Dragon Keep is another snarky tale from C.T. Phipps that was compelling and fun.
Aragorn(Aaron to you) is a code-monkey working at a dead end job for a soulless video game company. When he gets roped into running an errand to meet the author responsible for his game's IP, everything goes sideways.
Soon Aaron is sucked into a land that is strangely similar to the story world of the game he spends his days toiling on. As Aaron adventures in this new setting he meets some of the locals, but are they just computer generated NPCs or real people? Is he inside a game or is this place real?
As always, Phipps writes stories that keepp the pages turning. His books are always enjoyable reads and this one was no exception. Despite not quite clicking with the LitRPG element(it's just not my thing) the book was fun and kept me entertained throughout.
If you are looking for a funny, well-paced story with some zingers that lovingly lampoon Game of Thrones you should check out Lords of Draon Keep.
Aragorn(Aaron to you) is a code-monkey working at a dead end job for a soulless video game company. When he gets roped into running an errand to meet the author responsible for his game's IP, everything goes sideways.
Soon Aaron is sucked into a land that is strangely similar to the story world of the game he spends his days toiling on. As Aaron adventures in this new setting he meets some of the locals, but are they just computer generated NPCs or real people? Is he inside a game or is this place real?
As always, Phipps writes stories that keepp the pages turning. His books are always enjoyable reads and this one was no exception. Despite not quite clicking with the LitRPG element(it's just not my thing) the book was fun and kept me entertained throughout.
If you are looking for a funny, well-paced story with some zingers that lovingly lampoon Game of Thrones you should check out Lords of Draon Keep.
October 27, 2024
If you're a fan of Dungeons and Dragons, this book is for you. If you're a fan of D&D style computer and video games, this book is for you. If you're a fan of humorous epic fantasy, this book is for you. If you're a fan of snark, of quips and of pop-culture Easter eggs, this book is for you. And if you like your adventures a little bit spicy, well, you know how this sentence concludes.
C.T. Phipps has once again written a novel that should please just about everyone. It's a fun romp that's difficult to put down. In Lords of Dragon Keep, we follow Aragorn "Aaron" as he's sucked into a popular computer game (based on an equally popular book series) and forced to save that world while starting at first level. I particularly enjoyed the leveling parts of this book, as I've done the same countless times, and I knew exactly what Aaron was going through. As you might expect, Aaron must assemble a party that is every bit as weird and wonderful as you'd like and, together, this group goes on the kind of quests you'd hope for, in the best of adventures.
The best part is, there's so much more to come!
C.T. Phipps has once again written a novel that should please just about everyone. It's a fun romp that's difficult to put down. In Lords of Dragon Keep, we follow Aragorn "Aaron" as he's sucked into a popular computer game (based on an equally popular book series) and forced to save that world while starting at first level. I particularly enjoyed the leveling parts of this book, as I've done the same countless times, and I knew exactly what Aaron was going through. As you might expect, Aaron must assemble a party that is every bit as weird and wonderful as you'd like and, together, this group goes on the kind of quests you'd hope for, in the best of adventures.
The best part is, there's so much more to come!
December 15, 2024
Lords of Dragon Keep is a satirical mish-mash of the most well-known fantasy books, shows, and games - notably Game of Thrones, The Witcher, DnD, and Elden Ring. It's the kind of book that becomes obscenely funny when you've consumed these big fantasy hits and get all the pop culture references. Without that context though, the book's humor would likely fall flat. Luckily, I have read enough books, played enough games, and watched enough TV to make Lords of Dragon Keep a perfectly enjoyable read.
The lead character, Aaron, is a game dev at Epic Dungeoneering, and he's stereotypically overworked and underpaid. When he meets the author whose books inspired the hit games that his company produces, he finds himself sent to the fantasy world that the books and games are based on. Like any other LitRPG, he finds that he's now a player character with stats, levels, and quests to complete. Unfortunately, he's not the first to be isekai'd, and the deck is stacked against him. Aaron has to play unconventionally if he's going to survive and ever go home.
I love the humor and the heart of this story. Aaron sees people where others saw NPCs, but he's also enough of a gamer to play some things to his advantage. I like his banter with the other characters, and I enjoyed reading some of the unconventional ways he solved quests. His party is full of fun characters, from horny, fellow developer-turned-raven Jon to the understandably prickly rogue Ania.
The plot is interesting enough to keep me engaged, and I liked how the side quests relate to the main quest. I definitely want to read more.
The lead character, Aaron, is a game dev at Epic Dungeoneering, and he's stereotypically overworked and underpaid. When he meets the author whose books inspired the hit games that his company produces, he finds himself sent to the fantasy world that the books and games are based on. Like any other LitRPG, he finds that he's now a player character with stats, levels, and quests to complete. Unfortunately, he's not the first to be isekai'd, and the deck is stacked against him. Aaron has to play unconventionally if he's going to survive and ever go home.
I love the humor and the heart of this story. Aaron sees people where others saw NPCs, but he's also enough of a gamer to play some things to his advantage. I like his banter with the other characters, and I enjoyed reading some of the unconventional ways he solved quests. His party is full of fun characters, from horny, fellow developer-turned-raven Jon to the understandably prickly rogue Ania.
The plot is interesting enough to keep me engaged, and I liked how the side quests relate to the main quest. I definitely want to read more.
September 11, 2024
I was given a copy and asked to give my honest review.
While I have read Portal fantasy before, including some that are genuine classics (Fionnovar Tapestry) and others I would just as happily never see again (Guardians of the Flame), this is my first LitRPG read.
From what I understand, LitRPG creates fantasy worlds with all the RPG tropes that we've become accustomed to in gaming (such as Hitpoints and AC) as actual rules for the world. It is different from my usual reading. It does however fit perfectly with Mr. Phipp's style of writing as it allows all the pop culture references that he is known for to fit perfectly in the context of the world (something that felt forced some times in in Space Academy series)
In general, I enjoyed this book as a light bubblegum read. He feels comfortable skewering all of the standard tropes (including those that appeal to the Incel crowd within the hobby) and pointing out how ridiculous some of them are.
While he is open-handed in his skewering of the various genre staples, the Witcher comes in for particularly effective shots... for many of the reasons that it deserves those shots.
I will be reading the next book.
While I have read Portal fantasy before, including some that are genuine classics (Fionnovar Tapestry) and others I would just as happily never see again (Guardians of the Flame), this is my first LitRPG read.
From what I understand, LitRPG creates fantasy worlds with all the RPG tropes that we've become accustomed to in gaming (such as Hitpoints and AC) as actual rules for the world. It is different from my usual reading. It does however fit perfectly with Mr. Phipp's style of writing as it allows all the pop culture references that he is known for to fit perfectly in the context of the world (something that felt forced some times in in Space Academy series)
In general, I enjoyed this book as a light bubblegum read. He feels comfortable skewering all of the standard tropes (including those that appeal to the Incel crowd within the hobby) and pointing out how ridiculous some of them are.
While he is open-handed in his skewering of the various genre staples, the Witcher comes in for particularly effective shots... for many of the reasons that it deserves those shots.
I will be reading the next book.
December 18, 2024
C.T. Phipps can always be counted upon to provide a rousing good story packed with plenty of humorous pop culture references. This time he tackles the double-edged sword of epic fantasy literature and role-playing games.
Aaron is a computer programmer at Epic Gaming—a rather heartless and authoritarian company that has become famous for translating a popular fantasy series into computer games. Aaron is a geek who learns that there is a lot more truth than fantasy in the series when he is manipulated into becoming the hero of the fantasy world.
The action is nonstop but also often nontraditional as Aaron’s basic lack of bloodthirstiness and inability not to think of the NPCs as people causes him to look for creative and non-violent resolutions to many of the problems.
Another thing I liked about the novel is that while Phipps is definitely writing a LitRPG, his focus is characterization, plot, and pop culture references—not the game system that dominates so many book in this genre. The system is there and important to the plot, but it also does not get in the way of the story.
I’m looking forward to the next one.
Aaron is a computer programmer at Epic Gaming—a rather heartless and authoritarian company that has become famous for translating a popular fantasy series into computer games. Aaron is a geek who learns that there is a lot more truth than fantasy in the series when he is manipulated into becoming the hero of the fantasy world.
The action is nonstop but also often nontraditional as Aaron’s basic lack of bloodthirstiness and inability not to think of the NPCs as people causes him to look for creative and non-violent resolutions to many of the problems.
Another thing I liked about the novel is that while Phipps is definitely writing a LitRPG, his focus is characterization, plot, and pop culture references—not the game system that dominates so many book in this genre. The system is there and important to the plot, but it also does not get in the way of the story.
I’m looking forward to the next one.
November 14, 2024
This is definitely a gamers' book. Any time I find a book by C.T.Phipps I know I'm in for a good time. I love his twists and humour. This book definitely keeps up his tradition of immersing us in a surreal world that we can oddly relate to. You have inane bosses, ridiculous expectations, a company that does dodgy deal and a main character who was saddled with the name Aragorn. Aaron, as he tries to get people to call him, is sent out to get a contract signed by the writer of some of the company's dubious games and Aaron makes the mistake of signing something himself. Next thing you know he finds himself in the game. This premise, in the hands of Mr. Phipps, it hilariously twisted around blowing old gaming tropes. He has a hapless hero just trying to survive the ultimate bad day at work, the type that involves skeletons and zombies. If you enjoy a good laugh with your fantasy adventure then make sure you pick up this book!
September 23, 2024
Witchfire Or Which Fire
You know the saying about Hell or high water? Yeah those are the choice levels in this story. Burn or drown. It's a dark romp through the stereotypes of RPGs, pop culture, and everything satirical.
It really ought to read like a mountain sized load of turdness but...
It's pure gold!
Constantly wrung surprised snorts of laughter from me. The storyline somehow stays perfectly cohesive despite going completely off the rails.
If you read to be entertained this book was written for you!
You know the saying about Hell or high water? Yeah those are the choice levels in this story. Burn or drown. It's a dark romp through the stereotypes of RPGs, pop culture, and everything satirical.
It really ought to read like a mountain sized load of turdness but...
It's pure gold!
Constantly wrung surprised snorts of laughter from me. The storyline somehow stays perfectly cohesive despite going completely off the rails.
If you read to be entertained this book was written for you!
October 28, 2024
A Hilarious Adventure
Lords of Dragon Keep is a thoroughly entertaining LitRPG novel with the perfect mix of humor, horror, and heart. It’s ideal for readers who enjoy dark fantasy but want a story that doesn’t drown in its own intensity. This is a world where the stakes are high, but the protagonist’s wit and savvy make it a joy to explore.
With excellent world-building, complex characters, and a refreshing take on isekai and RPG mechanics, this book is a must-read for fans of progression fantasy, video game-inspired worlds, and genre-savvy protagonists.
Lords of Dragon Keep is a thoroughly entertaining LitRPG novel with the perfect mix of humor, horror, and heart. It’s ideal for readers who enjoy dark fantasy but want a story that doesn’t drown in its own intensity. This is a world where the stakes are high, but the protagonist’s wit and savvy make it a joy to explore.
With excellent world-building, complex characters, and a refreshing take on isekai and RPG mechanics, this book is a must-read for fans of progression fantasy, video game-inspired worlds, and genre-savvy protagonists.
July 10, 2025
My first (finished) LitRPG! I liked the justification for the video-game setting. I'm not genre-savvy enough to say how common or unique it is, but my few previous forays into LitRPG ended with the game-setting breaking my suspension of disbelief, whereas this one worked well.
Lords of Dragon Keep is a really entertaining book, if politically incorrect at times. Its humor and darkness mix well. It parodies grimdark and is full of references, so familiarity with fantasy and the fandom surrounding it, especially A Song of Ice and Fire, enhances the experience.
Lords of Dragon Keep is a really entertaining book, if politically incorrect at times. Its humor and darkness mix well. It parodies grimdark and is full of references, so familiarity with fantasy and the fandom surrounding it, especially A Song of Ice and Fire, enhances the experience.
September 5, 2024
This was an interesting take on DND and the real world colliding into one.
The character grows along with the book and becomes a hero at the end of the book.
There were lots of unnamed references to other books/worlds and they come together in this book in a unique manner.
The visuals are great and the characters quite clear.
The character grows along with the book and becomes a hero at the end of the book.
There were lots of unnamed references to other books/worlds and they come together in this book in a unique manner.
The visuals are great and the characters quite clear.
September 13, 2024
Mr. Phipps is a consummate craftsman. It doesn't matter if he writes a book about zombies, super heroes, spies, or dragons you can be sure the book will keep you turning pages and missing bed time. Lords of Dragon Keep is no exception. If you are already a fan of litrpg- read it. If you haven't tried litrpg- read it. If you tried litrpg and didn't like it- read it, it will change your mind.
October 16, 2024
Funny and original
This book takes the classic iskeai experience, and is very bor.. ok who am I kidding? Theres nothing boring about dis book.
Everything is original, from the iskaei to the characters, world building and plot.
Be prepared for:
Alot of culture refrences u wont understand.
Original and funny plot.
Brain damage.
Final score:
10/10 would read again.
This book takes the classic iskeai experience, and is very bor.. ok who am I kidding? Theres nothing boring about dis book.
Everything is original, from the iskaei to the characters, world building and plot.
Be prepared for:
Alot of culture refrences u wont understand.
Original and funny plot.
Brain damage.
Final score:
10/10 would read again.
October 6, 2025
Good book for gamers or people into DnD or DnD-adjacent things. Writing style and skill was a pretty solid 3 star. Plot and premise was a one star. For me, the book felt too much like an underdeveloped character-insert fanfiction.
October 30, 2024
So much fun. Definitely my favorite of Phipps' books. Works as a great intro to LitRPG for anyone interested.
December 18, 2024
I really enjoyed the snarky self aware player dropped into a grim dark fantasy world with a snarky crow sidekick
October 16, 2025
LORDS OF DRAGON KEEP is a book that appeared from my mind fully formed like Athena from the head of Zeus. Specifically, the part of the myth where Hephaestus hits him in the head with an ax to get rid of a headache. I've wanted to do a humorous fantasy novel series for years and had just finished THE FALL OF SUPERVILLAINY, which has Gary briefly visit my dark fantasy WRAITH KNIGHT series. However, that didn't get it out of my system. Instead, I developed a taste for wacky fantasy shenanigans and decided to give a humorous parody of it a try. I was encouraged to do so by Michael Gibson (Villains Rule), Steve Caldwell (The Bookwyrm Speaks), and my frequent narrative collaborator, Jeffrey Kafer.
The book is an homage to Dungeons and Dragons fiction, Game of Thrones, the Witcher, Dragon Age, and just about the entirety of my fantasy diet since the Eighties. It's to high fantasy and grimdark what The Rules of Supervillainy was to superheroes and I hope people will check it out.
The book is an homage to Dungeons and Dragons fiction, Game of Thrones, the Witcher, Dragon Age, and just about the entirety of my fantasy diet since the Eighties. It's to high fantasy and grimdark what The Rules of Supervillainy was to superheroes and I hope people will check it out.
June 11, 2025
Super fun story. I love the humor and how it seems like the main character has a very good luck stat also lol. Can't wait to read the next one!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews