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Our Comeback Tour is Slaying Monsters
"We're getting the band back together, you want in?"
Against his better judgment, Kyle Moretti — the least notable member of the once-world famous boy band, Never Boy Land — says yes.
He’s prepared for the drama and clashing egos that drove the band apart four years ago. What he isn’t expecting is for a VR publicity stunt to teleport the band to the magical land of Mythreal.
The good news? They're greeted by Souffy, an attractive young mage, a true fangirl in the making. The bad? She's in trouble with the law, and Kyle's bandmates have no clue how to cope with a real magical world — they don't play "nerd games"...
Against his better judgment, Kyle Moretti — the least notable member of the once-world famous boy band, Never Boy Land — says yes.
He’s prepared for the drama and clashing egos that drove the band apart four years ago. What he isn’t expecting is for a VR publicity stunt to teleport the band to the magical land of Mythreal.
The good news? They're greeted by Souffy, an attractive young mage, a true fangirl in the making. The bad? She's in trouble with the law, and Kyle's bandmates have no clue how to cope with a real magical world — they don't play "nerd games"...
473 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2024
5 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Kim Smuga-Otto
1 book3 followersLife takes strange turns. Trained as a scientist and journalist, Kim Smuga-Otto somehow ended up writing a story about a boy band who saves fantasyland. In addition to being the author of the Boy Bands & Dragons series she writes short science fiction and fantasy and co-hosts a writing advice podcast, Words to Write by. She lives with her husband and two children in Santa Cruz, California.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 9, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
4.5 Stars rounded up to 5
This was my first time reading a lit-rpg so I had no idea what to expect going in, so i cannot say if this is a good example of the genre but this was a heck of lot of fun that had me smiling throughout.
What really stood out for me was the way it translates some well know trappings in terms of presentation and structure that you see in CRPG's along with some of the sheer chaos you get in tabletop games, with characters fitting their niches perfectly while still allowing character arcs for the main cast, as well as having more than a few easter eggs dotted throughout.
Worth noting her, this is the first book in the series, and largely focuses from the POV one of the band along with that of key 'NPC' characters, with future books focussing on other members POV.
If you are a fan of RPG's in any medium, or are just long for a fun quest driven narrative, I think this is one well worth consideration, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series when it is arrives.
4.5 Stars rounded up to 5
This was my first time reading a lit-rpg so I had no idea what to expect going in, so i cannot say if this is a good example of the genre but this was a heck of lot of fun that had me smiling throughout.
What really stood out for me was the way it translates some well know trappings in terms of presentation and structure that you see in CRPG's along with some of the sheer chaos you get in tabletop games, with characters fitting their niches perfectly while still allowing character arcs for the main cast, as well as having more than a few easter eggs dotted throughout.
Worth noting her, this is the first book in the series, and largely focuses from the POV one of the band along with that of key 'NPC' characters, with future books focussing on other members POV.
If you are a fan of RPG's in any medium, or are just long for a fun quest driven narrative, I think this is one well worth consideration, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series when it is arrives.
September 30, 2024
I was given an ARC of the book (to give a review) and I enjoyed it a lot. The characters have memorable personalities, each with enough flaws that they're not cookie-cutter, but not so many that they feel tragic or edgy. The writing is light-hearted and has enough Millennial jokes to fit perfectly with the boy band theme and take the reader back to the NSYNC/BSB days.
I would give the book a 4.5/5 instead of a 4 if I could. The book starts slow because of the number of characters, the backstories, and the world-building. It made it hard to engage with the story's first act, but the book is the first part of a series, so that's to be expected.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book if you're into a fantasy book that doesn't take itself too seriously, has a simple but vibrant world, and well-fleshed characters.
I would give the book a 4.5/5 instead of a 4 if I could. The book starts slow because of the number of characters, the backstories, and the world-building. It made it hard to engage with the story's first act, but the book is the first part of a series, so that's to be expected.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book if you're into a fantasy book that doesn't take itself too seriously, has a simple but vibrant world, and well-fleshed characters.
October 18, 2024
3.5 stars
Thanks to the Author. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
This is a nice book, with a lot of nice things in it. We have a nice world-building, nice characters, and a nice story. I had fun reading it and I am curious to see what would happen next, especially because the author said at the end of the book that the plan is to have each book follow a different POV, and I want to read the one with Cole’s POV so bad!! (The next one in line is Oscar, so I don’t know how much I would have to wait, but… I am not going anywhere!).
I think that this can be considered a lightnovel. It has some LitRPG elements in it, but they are not a lot, to be honest, I think that this book would have been amazing with more LitRPG elements in it, but this may be my geek side perking up, or maybe some more progression fantasy vibes. I would have loved those, too! Anyway, I am not saying that the book is bad, not at all. It is the perfect book to take a break with and have some fun! And even if we don’t have a lot of LitRPG/Progression fantasy elements in there, we have an important factor that links this book and the other two genres: it is quite long (not the longest book ever, but it is long) and yet, it doesn’t feel like it at all. It is strange, and I don’t really know the reason, but the majority of books I have read in these genres are all quite long but they don’t feel like work. They are not demanding, they always read smoothly, and pretty fast, too. And this book was exactly like that!
Anyway, back to the book itself. We have a former boy band who is planning a big reunion but the members are isekai’d in a magical world, and they are the Otherworld Heroes who will save the world! Each one of the boy band members becomes a class from an RPG, so we have the wizard, the warrior, the ranger, the cleric, and the rogue. The main POV in this one is from the wizard, Kyle, but we get other POVs too, from time to time, especially by Souffy, who is a wizard (not certified yet, but this won’t stop her) and the one who welcomes the heroes in this new world. She is their guide, of a sort, and she will help them in their quests.
Also, she is a great character! We will meet other secondary characters in this new world, and all of them are quite interesting, I would have loved to see more of them around, but still… I enjoyed what I got.
And talking about characters, the boy band members are all so cute! Every one of them has his own personality, they all have strengths and flaws, and they all are depicted as real persons, I really liked their friendship. They can be so sweet. And they are all quite supportive. Sure, they have their problems and their differences and all, but still, they are always supportive, not only between them, but toward everyone, and this was such a nice feature!
This was a comfort read, but I think that this was at the same time a strength and a weakness for the book. On one hand, it is a really relaxing reading, it is fun, sweet (but not too much), it has action, it has some drama, it has everything it should have, and it flows nicely. But, on the other hand, it is all quite predictable, it has no highs and lows. And I am not really saying that this is a bad thing, but it is just that it is one of those books that I enjoyed reading, I never thought about DNF it, I was never bored and I had fun with it, but now that I am done, I am done. (But, to be honest, this is a feeling I had with a lot of LitRPG). And it is not really a bad thing, but it is just something to keep in mind. If you want something to take a break with, this one is perfect! It is relaxing, it is enjoyable and it has a lot of good things in it, but if you are in the mood of something more demanding, something that would keep you company for a long time, even once you are done with it, maybe you should try something else.
All in all, I had fun and I am interested in continuing the series. I especially enjoyed the characters, and I hope to be with them again! And it was fun following them around moving from quest to quest!
Thanks to the Author. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
This is a nice book, with a lot of nice things in it. We have a nice world-building, nice characters, and a nice story. I had fun reading it and I am curious to see what would happen next, especially because the author said at the end of the book that the plan is to have each book follow a different POV, and I want to read the one with Cole’s POV so bad!! (The next one in line is Oscar, so I don’t know how much I would have to wait, but… I am not going anywhere!).
I think that this can be considered a lightnovel. It has some LitRPG elements in it, but they are not a lot, to be honest, I think that this book would have been amazing with more LitRPG elements in it, but this may be my geek side perking up, or maybe some more progression fantasy vibes. I would have loved those, too! Anyway, I am not saying that the book is bad, not at all. It is the perfect book to take a break with and have some fun! And even if we don’t have a lot of LitRPG/Progression fantasy elements in there, we have an important factor that links this book and the other two genres: it is quite long (not the longest book ever, but it is long) and yet, it doesn’t feel like it at all. It is strange, and I don’t really know the reason, but the majority of books I have read in these genres are all quite long but they don’t feel like work. They are not demanding, they always read smoothly, and pretty fast, too. And this book was exactly like that!
Anyway, back to the book itself. We have a former boy band who is planning a big reunion but the members are isekai’d in a magical world, and they are the Otherworld Heroes who will save the world! Each one of the boy band members becomes a class from an RPG, so we have the wizard, the warrior, the ranger, the cleric, and the rogue. The main POV in this one is from the wizard, Kyle, but we get other POVs too, from time to time, especially by Souffy, who is a wizard (not certified yet, but this won’t stop her) and the one who welcomes the heroes in this new world. She is their guide, of a sort, and she will help them in their quests.
Also, she is a great character! We will meet other secondary characters in this new world, and all of them are quite interesting, I would have loved to see more of them around, but still… I enjoyed what I got.
And talking about characters, the boy band members are all so cute! Every one of them has his own personality, they all have strengths and flaws, and they all are depicted as real persons, I really liked their friendship. They can be so sweet. And they are all quite supportive. Sure, they have their problems and their differences and all, but still, they are always supportive, not only between them, but toward everyone, and this was such a nice feature!
This was a comfort read, but I think that this was at the same time a strength and a weakness for the book. On one hand, it is a really relaxing reading, it is fun, sweet (but not too much), it has action, it has some drama, it has everything it should have, and it flows nicely. But, on the other hand, it is all quite predictable, it has no highs and lows. And I am not really saying that this is a bad thing, but it is just that it is one of those books that I enjoyed reading, I never thought about DNF it, I was never bored and I had fun with it, but now that I am done, I am done. (But, to be honest, this is a feeling I had with a lot of LitRPG). And it is not really a bad thing, but it is just something to keep in mind. If you want something to take a break with, this one is perfect! It is relaxing, it is enjoyable and it has a lot of good things in it, but if you are in the mood of something more demanding, something that would keep you company for a long time, even once you are done with it, maybe you should try something else.
All in all, I had fun and I am interested in continuing the series. I especially enjoyed the characters, and I hope to be with them again! And it was fun following them around moving from quest to quest!
October 20, 2024
Note: I received an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.
A 2010’s boy band, Never Boy Land, derailed by COVID, reunites to play a virtual concert in an online video game. Instead of a virtual concert stage, the band members find themselves in the magical realm of Mythrial where they discover they are the heroes who must save the world from a great evil. Souffy, a badass wizard with unexpected powers, is their guide to Mythrial.
Mythrial is an imaginatively drawn world, with dryads, goblins, and magical creatures I hadn’t seen before (with the caveat that I am not a gamer). The illustrations were fun and added to the characters.
I loved the relationship between the band members, especially Kyle, the “smart” one, who spent the time after the band broke up studying physics, and Tristan, the star of the band who went on to become an A-list movie star. For Kyle, the band was the best time of his life, but he’d always felt as if he contributed less than the other members. His discovery of his own capabilities, as well as his importance to the band, are the heart of the story.
I’m not a boy band fan, although I have a lot more respect for them now. I read this book hoping for a fun read, snappy dialog with a bit of snark, a magical world, and interesting characters. That’s exactly what I got. I’ll definitely be reading the next one.
A 2010’s boy band, Never Boy Land, derailed by COVID, reunites to play a virtual concert in an online video game. Instead of a virtual concert stage, the band members find themselves in the magical realm of Mythrial where they discover they are the heroes who must save the world from a great evil. Souffy, a badass wizard with unexpected powers, is their guide to Mythrial.
Mythrial is an imaginatively drawn world, with dryads, goblins, and magical creatures I hadn’t seen before (with the caveat that I am not a gamer). The illustrations were fun and added to the characters.
I loved the relationship between the band members, especially Kyle, the “smart” one, who spent the time after the band broke up studying physics, and Tristan, the star of the band who went on to become an A-list movie star. For Kyle, the band was the best time of his life, but he’d always felt as if he contributed less than the other members. His discovery of his own capabilities, as well as his importance to the band, are the heart of the story.
I’m not a boy band fan, although I have a lot more respect for them now. I read this book hoping for a fun read, snappy dialog with a bit of snark, a magical world, and interesting characters. That’s exactly what I got. I’ll definitely be reading the next one.
October 11, 2024
Boy bands… and me? Ordinarily, yeah no, but…. I find I quite like the litRPG I’ve read, so I requested a review copy of this from the publisher through BookSirens.
Boy bands, fan girl … some things I don’t understand (never understood - no judgement, just don’t understand), so, yeah, there’s a fan girl…in the other world (though to them, the band is from the “other world”. ) And she’s integral. And, and… to paraphrase Malcolm Reynolds, she ain’t weak, and that’s not nothin’.
I like the pace of the world and character building. And as the LitRPG story developed, I saw less and less P & G (it’s still there later on) and more R, though the cavalier band members were definitely a different perspective. I think it fun that they take everything in stride.
I like the character sheet cards - nice addition, perhaps we’ll get updates in the successive books? I do think Micah’s bow is drawn wrong, recurve and not a longbow - more specifically, a Scythian composite bow (I looked up the types) - but I still like the cards.
So there will be four more in the series, each focusing on a point of view of a different member. I look forward to seeing how this plays out.
Boy bands, fan girl … some things I don’t understand (never understood - no judgement, just don’t understand), so, yeah, there’s a fan girl…in the other world (though to them, the band is from the “other world”. ) And she’s integral. And, and… to paraphrase Malcolm Reynolds, she ain’t weak, and that’s not nothin’.
I like the pace of the world and character building. And as the LitRPG story developed, I saw less and less P & G (it’s still there later on) and more R, though the cavalier band members were definitely a different perspective. I think it fun that they take everything in stride.
I like the character sheet cards - nice addition, perhaps we’ll get updates in the successive books? I do think Micah’s bow is drawn wrong, recurve and not a longbow - more specifically, a Scythian composite bow (I looked up the types) - but I still like the cards.
So there will be four more in the series, each focusing on a point of view of a different member. I look forward to seeing how this plays out.
September 1, 2025
Won this in a giveaway!
This starts with a crazy great opener. The story leans into the cheesiness of a boy band comeback with the more logical, less popular member who feels overlooked.
Then, it goes full isekai/character(s) transported to another world. I found the book a little long (480 pages), but it paced well. Kyle's narrative, he's your basic everydude, is the primary one, but other povs are added as the story progresses. I enjoyed the characters' personalities and motivations, including the fantasy ones like Souffy.
Kyle does have a touch of 'nice guys finish last' energy, but he's transparent about his insecurities, so it doesn't fall into misogynistic redpill thinking. His, at times, strained relationship with his best friend Tristian (also the most popular and successful of the group) is a constant issue. He's someone he cares deeply about but also resents a little. This balance kept Kyle likable.
The integration of the RPG elements made this unique, but it could have just as easily been set in the real world and still kept my interest. Characters wield mana, spirit energy, and get sorted into RPG classes like Warrior or Mage! There are also different fantasy peoples (species?) and monsters to meet.
I'm pretty sure this is an Adult novel with YA energy (a fun adventure, not overly graphic but deals with adult situations), but I could be wrong.
I think the author's humor and the character dialogue worked well. The magic and fight scenes had stellar descriptions, and I always understood what was happening. My ebook copy also included illustrated character sheets, which was a nice bonus. I didn’t know what to expect, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
4.5
This starts with a crazy great opener. The story leans into the cheesiness of a boy band comeback with the more logical, less popular member who feels overlooked.
Then, it goes full isekai/character(s) transported to another world. I found the book a little long (480 pages), but it paced well. Kyle's narrative, he's your basic everydude, is the primary one, but other povs are added as the story progresses. I enjoyed the characters' personalities and motivations, including the fantasy ones like Souffy.
Kyle does have a touch of 'nice guys finish last' energy, but he's transparent about his insecurities, so it doesn't fall into misogynistic redpill thinking. His, at times, strained relationship with his best friend Tristian (also the most popular and successful of the group) is a constant issue. He's someone he cares deeply about but also resents a little. This balance kept Kyle likable.
The integration of the RPG elements made this unique, but it could have just as easily been set in the real world and still kept my interest. Characters wield mana, spirit energy, and get sorted into RPG classes like Warrior or Mage! There are also different fantasy peoples (species?) and monsters to meet.
I'm pretty sure this is an Adult novel with YA energy (a fun adventure, not overly graphic but deals with adult situations), but I could be wrong.
I think the author's humor and the character dialogue worked well. The magic and fight scenes had stellar descriptions, and I always understood what was happening. My ebook copy also included illustrated character sheets, which was a nice bonus. I didn’t know what to expect, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
4.5
October 27, 2024
I received an ARC of this book and asked for an honest review. I’m not a gamer, but my kids and at grandchildren are, and I just finished reading Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zein, which immerses the reader into the role-playing gaming world. In addition to that, I have three daughters, so it would have been impossible to be unaware of the boy band craze. I mention these things because, although I don’t consider myself a regular fantasy reader, I was well prepared for the gaming/boyband/fantasy world created by this author, and thoroughly enjoyed the adventures of Kyle and his friends.
The book started slowly, but world building is like that, and the author had a lot of characters to introduce. Once we met everyone and the boys found themselves inside a video game, the story moved more quickly, and I was hooked. The new characters added depth to the story, and the interactions that followed felt organic. Of course, once the band and friends make it through their quest, we learn that that wasn’t actually their real quest, and off we go again on a new adventure.
This was a good read, and I highly recommend it.
The book started slowly, but world building is like that, and the author had a lot of characters to introduce. Once we met everyone and the boys found themselves inside a video game, the story moved more quickly, and I was hooked. The new characters added depth to the story, and the interactions that followed felt organic. Of course, once the band and friends make it through their quest, we learn that that wasn’t actually their real quest, and off we go again on a new adventure.
This was a good read, and I highly recommend it.
May 15, 2025
This was a fun, entertaining, and still thought-provoking read! Just like in the RPG games my children (now young adults) play, the boy band characters get to try and fit into roles that challenge them to go beyond their comfort zones. I also gained a new respect for boy bands.
I loved the witty dialogue, the tension between "our" world and Mythreal, the surprising plot twists, great character and world building, and the RPG stat pages with drawings at regular intervals. Changing the narrator's voice is brilliant and seamless.
The story had me in its grip, and I can't wait for the next one with Oscar, even though I would love to hear more from Kyle!
I will get a copy for our school library (where our D&D books are checked out regularly), and also as campaign inspiration for our three children.
I loved the witty dialogue, the tension between "our" world and Mythreal, the surprising plot twists, great character and world building, and the RPG stat pages with drawings at regular intervals. Changing the narrator's voice is brilliant and seamless.
The story had me in its grip, and I can't wait for the next one with Oscar, even though I would love to hear more from Kyle!
I will get a copy for our school library (where our D&D books are checked out regularly), and also as campaign inspiration for our three children.
December 20, 2024
It starting off really slow… introduction here & there… it started to change the pace around the last 1/4…
The story follow a group of boy band that’s been suck into a game, getting talents like tracker, wizard. Swordsman, archer and healer. They have to complete an unknown quest.
It’s a multi pov’s and at least 4-5 more series to come…
I received an e-advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story follow a group of boy band that’s been suck into a game, getting talents like tracker, wizard. Swordsman, archer and healer. They have to complete an unknown quest.
It’s a multi pov’s and at least 4-5 more series to come…
I received an e-advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 15, 2025
Great Adventure
This was such a fun and exciting adventure. It is set in a video-game like fantasy world that is action packed. It is a great first book. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out. I loved it.
This was such a fun and exciting adventure. It is set in a video-game like fantasy world that is action packed. It is a great first book. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out. I loved it.
August 7, 2025
Bought the book a few months ago. Just started it last week and couldn’t put it down. Completely captivating, inventive and creative. Looking forward to the next one!
January 4, 2025
Absolutely charming! A perfect cozy read for the end of the year, it's a perfect balance of outlandish goofiness with an underlying seriousness. I'm absolutely tuning in for the next book.
The only thing I'd wish for this book is a little less telling vs showing, and to maybe have a few more women in the story that aren't so man centric (love you Souffy but I'm begging you to stop thinking abt Tristans looks for a quick sec)
The only thing I'd wish for this book is a little less telling vs showing, and to maybe have a few more women in the story that aren't so man centric (love you Souffy but I'm begging you to stop thinking abt Tristans looks for a quick sec)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews