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Creature Farm #1
Isekai Farming
Plant Crops. Raise Monsters. Liberate the village.
Each day, Owen rises with the sun. Creatures cheer as he shovels food into the trough. Enchanted plants dance and sway while he waters their stalks.
This is a strange, wild world. A place where mushrooms can sprout sentience. A place where forest slimes make the best pets. It’s cozy. Simple.
But that’s the tip of the monster-farming iceberg.
The more his creatures work, the stronger they become. They grow and grow, morphing into unbelievable, frightening beasts.
And when the chores are done, he heads into town and mingles with villagers—his new friends. They tell of a mysterious, dangerous force high in the mountains. Owen doesn’t realize it yet, but he was pulled into this world for a reason.
This is his new life.
Life on the creature farm.
Each day, Owen rises with the sun. Creatures cheer as he shovels food into the trough. Enchanted plants dance and sway while he waters their stalks.
This is a strange, wild world. A place where mushrooms can sprout sentience. A place where forest slimes make the best pets. It’s cozy. Simple.
But that’s the tip of the monster-farming iceberg.
The more his creatures work, the stronger they become. They grow and grow, morphing into unbelievable, frightening beasts.
And when the chores are done, he heads into town and mingles with villagers—his new friends. They tell of a mysterious, dangerous force high in the mountains. Owen doesn’t realize it yet, but he was pulled into this world for a reason.
This is his new life.
Life on the creature farm.
371 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2024
About the author
Tristan Rye
5 books8 followersFarming sims…citybuilders…there’s nothing better than slipping into a cozy world after a long day.
These are the vibes I want to bring to my stories. You can read these books with a glass of warm tea.
Sit back and enjoy!
For new release notifications, join my mailing list at www.TristanRye.com
These are the vibes I want to bring to my stories. You can read these books with a glass of warm tea.
Sit back and enjoy!
For new release notifications, join my mailing list at www.TristanRye.com
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 18, 2026
I want to clarify that I didn’t dislike this, just had some critiques.
TL; DR: A cozy isekai litRPG that relies on a combination of creatures and wholesomeness to carry it over the finish line. A solid start to a storyline is a great plus, but sometimes, it feels like it forgets itself.
Again, I enjoyed this book, but the complaints I have are what’s holding it back. From the statements I’ve heard from other people, the series improves as it goes and I think most of the issues I have will naturally phase out as it goes on, but I have to point out the negatives.
Characters: Actually a good selection of people; I don’t think I have any complaints about the cast at all. The MC seems like he doesn’t forget that he has a decent life in the other world and it does weigh on him. The female characters don’t seem unrealistic, though there is a bit of the “new guy hot” syndrome going around. The critters are great and I like them all, not in love as I have been in other series, but certainly quality all around.
Setting: I find myself much more curious about the world/between worlds than I expected to be. MC seems intent on returning or at least, resolving his life in the other world, and it has indeed piqued my interest as to how he’s going to do that.
Story: The story is pretty good, again, I appreciate the inner turmoil and honestly, it’s nice to read a cozy litRPG that’s not determined to have multiple POVs from time to time. Things flowed naturally and it felt like each and every step was a natural progression to the next. Also, the book definitely got better as it went on.
Writing: This is the big knock, and it’s not that so many things were wrong, it’s just the ones that were did indeed disrupt my reading experience. I’ll try to highlight my major issues without sounding too critical because honestly, it’s a great first book, I’m just grading a little harsher than most would for a first book.
1. There’s quite a bit of “show don’t tell” that needs to be had with the lore of the world, but a lot of that is resolved and I think will be naturally fixed in the next book.
2. There are some…inconsistencies with the farming where boy wakes up, disappears for the day, then returns home. This is really noticeable in the not-winter month when I haven’t noticed him milking the milk cow at all for a good week or two. I may be being nitpicky there, but I did have an issue with it.
3. There are sometimes where the author falls into “he said, she did, they stated” etc that was cleaned up a lot by the end, so I didn’t knock too badly for that.
Overall, I did really like this book and will more than likely read the next two, so props to the author for a job well-done. Likable characters and a quality story are tough to wrangle and you did a great job with both. Can’t wait to get the rest of the trilogy sometime.
3.4 🌟
TL; DR: A cozy isekai litRPG that relies on a combination of creatures and wholesomeness to carry it over the finish line. A solid start to a storyline is a great plus, but sometimes, it feels like it forgets itself.
Again, I enjoyed this book, but the complaints I have are what’s holding it back. From the statements I’ve heard from other people, the series improves as it goes and I think most of the issues I have will naturally phase out as it goes on, but I have to point out the negatives.
Characters: Actually a good selection of people; I don’t think I have any complaints about the cast at all. The MC seems like he doesn’t forget that he has a decent life in the other world and it does weigh on him. The female characters don’t seem unrealistic, though there is a bit of the “new guy hot” syndrome going around. The critters are great and I like them all, not in love as I have been in other series, but certainly quality all around.
Setting: I find myself much more curious about the world/between worlds than I expected to be. MC seems intent on returning or at least, resolving his life in the other world, and it has indeed piqued my interest as to how he’s going to do that.
Story: The story is pretty good, again, I appreciate the inner turmoil and honestly, it’s nice to read a cozy litRPG that’s not determined to have multiple POVs from time to time. Things flowed naturally and it felt like each and every step was a natural progression to the next. Also, the book definitely got better as it went on.
Writing: This is the big knock, and it’s not that so many things were wrong, it’s just the ones that were did indeed disrupt my reading experience. I’ll try to highlight my major issues without sounding too critical because honestly, it’s a great first book, I’m just grading a little harsher than most would for a first book.
1. There’s quite a bit of “show don’t tell” that needs to be had with the lore of the world, but a lot of that is resolved and I think will be naturally fixed in the next book.
2. There are some…inconsistencies with the farming where boy wakes up, disappears for the day, then returns home. This is really noticeable in the not-winter month when I haven’t noticed him milking the milk cow at all for a good week or two. I may be being nitpicky there, but I did have an issue with it.
3. There are sometimes where the author falls into “he said, she did, they stated” etc that was cleaned up a lot by the end, so I didn’t knock too badly for that.
Overall, I did really like this book and will more than likely read the next two, so props to the author for a job well-done. Likable characters and a quality story are tough to wrangle and you did a great job with both. Can’t wait to get the rest of the trilogy sometime.
3.4 🌟
October 24, 2025
A cozy LitRPG escape with heart and humor
This series was exactly what I needed: a gentle, low-stress portal fantasy with small-town charm and just enough whimsy to make me laugh, tear up, and breathe a little easier. Isekai Farming is the kind of book I reach for when I want a break from heavier fantasy... something comforting, well-written, and quietly sweet.
After a near-drowning, Owen wakes to find himself in a quiet, fantastical world after a cave exploration turns harrowing, unwittingly sending him through an underground river and through a portal. From there, he’s tasked with building a life in a remote village, earning his keep by caring for dragons, mushroom folk, slimes, and children alike.
The story is both heartwarming and sweet, ideal for younger readers who enjoy gentle adventure and imaginative worldbuilding. The charm runs deeper than that, though, and older readers will find plenty to love in its quiet rhythms and subtle emotional beats.
I’ll definitely be watching for more from this author.
This series was exactly what I needed: a gentle, low-stress portal fantasy with small-town charm and just enough whimsy to make me laugh, tear up, and breathe a little easier. Isekai Farming is the kind of book I reach for when I want a break from heavier fantasy... something comforting, well-written, and quietly sweet.
After a near-drowning, Owen wakes to find himself in a quiet, fantastical world after a cave exploration turns harrowing, unwittingly sending him through an underground river and through a portal. From there, he’s tasked with building a life in a remote village, earning his keep by caring for dragons, mushroom folk, slimes, and children alike.
The story is both heartwarming and sweet, ideal for younger readers who enjoy gentle adventure and imaginative worldbuilding. The charm runs deeper than that, though, and older readers will find plenty to love in its quiet rhythms and subtle emotional beats.
I’ll definitely be watching for more from this author.
October 16, 2025
Did not finish
This is a day by day journal recording... who cares?
Dull grey MC surrounded by dull grey support characters. The characters were so blah that I couldn't remember who was who within a single chapter.
I gave up at around 50%. It's the second encounter with redcaps and thinking, 'hmm, too bad he didn't die, if he had something would have happened.'
So why 3 stars? 1=So offensive that the author, and anyone that enjoyed the book should be deeply, deeply ashamed. 2=Not offensive but so poorly written that it hurts my brain to read making me worry that my IQ could take a permanent hit if I keep reading (though occasionally there are such train wrecks that I can't stop reading). 3=Personally didn't like for reasons (like this one). 4-5=I liked the book.
I can't recommend this one. Tom out
This is a day by day journal recording... who cares?
Dull grey MC surrounded by dull grey support characters. The characters were so blah that I couldn't remember who was who within a single chapter.
I gave up at around 50%. It's the second encounter with redcaps and thinking, 'hmm, too bad he didn't die, if he had something would have happened.'
So why 3 stars? 1=So offensive that the author, and anyone that enjoyed the book should be deeply, deeply ashamed. 2=Not offensive but so poorly written that it hurts my brain to read making me worry that my IQ could take a permanent hit if I keep reading (though occasionally there are such train wrecks that I can't stop reading). 3=Personally didn't like for reasons (like this one). 4-5=I liked the book.
I can't recommend this one. Tom out
December 15, 2025
Too much like a game, when it is supposed to be reality. He teleports to this world, he does not enter some full-dive virtual reality game. The people he runs into don't act like people, they act like NPC's and there are a bunch of encounters that seem to follow a game type script.
He's constantly got a guide voice in his head. I hate his.
The stupidity is very high. The MC lives right next to a forest full of intelligent monsters.... and he doesn't lock his door. A monster literally just walks in and steals his stuff. This is too retarded for me.
Money situation makes no sense. The way everything has an inherent price makes no sense.
The rate at which he makes money, and how time passes do not correctly follow. For example, he forages at the beach and makes 470 gold in one afternoon. Then he spends the next bunch of days foraging, but then it gives his overall gold, and it didn't increase.
DNF 51%
He's constantly got a guide voice in his head. I hate his.
The stupidity is very high. The MC lives right next to a forest full of intelligent monsters.... and he doesn't lock his door. A monster literally just walks in and steals his stuff. This is too retarded for me.
Money situation makes no sense. The way everything has an inherent price makes no sense.
The rate at which he makes money, and how time passes do not correctly follow. For example, he forages at the beach and makes 470 gold in one afternoon. Then he spends the next bunch of days foraging, but then it gives his overall gold, and it didn't increase.
DNF 51%
April 30, 2025
A charming book with great understanding of farming games that delivers on exactly what it offers.
While the beast elements got frustrating at times, the book is titled creature farming so despite my misgivings, I won't doc points for that.
The start of the book felt like it was a tutorial, with random villagers showing up, gifting starter gear and dropping some lore or a plot hook. While very "drive the plot forward" -y it made sense within its world and inspiration which was a charming way of introducing needed elements.
The cast of characters was suitably big, adhering to the general tropes of romantic interests.
That is probably my biggest criticism, it was a book of tropes, I didn't feel any new paths were being laid, or new ideas put forward. it was however a solid rehashing and knitting together of these tropes and a charming read.
I knew I was hooked when I felt myself get frustrated with the priorities and actions of the main character, (nothing major mind you) and started thinking what I would do instead.
While the beast elements got frustrating at times, the book is titled creature farming so despite my misgivings, I won't doc points for that.
The start of the book felt like it was a tutorial, with random villagers showing up, gifting starter gear and dropping some lore or a plot hook. While very "drive the plot forward" -y it made sense within its world and inspiration which was a charming way of introducing needed elements.
The cast of characters was suitably big, adhering to the general tropes of romantic interests.
That is probably my biggest criticism, it was a book of tropes, I didn't feel any new paths were being laid, or new ideas put forward. it was however a solid rehashing and knitting together of these tropes and a charming read.
I knew I was hooked when I felt myself get frustrated with the priorities and actions of the main character, (nothing major mind you) and started thinking what I would do instead.
December 16, 2024
Ultimately I really enjoyed this book and am eagerly awaiting the sequel!
It starts out pretty rough, and the vibe for the first few chapters is that things are just happening to advance the plot, rather than happening for a reason. After a few chapters though, the book finds its groove and that is much less of an issue.
If you enjoy Stardew Valley you will most likely enjoy this book! It has definitely inspired me to start playing again.
It starts out pretty rough, and the vibe for the first few chapters is that things are just happening to advance the plot, rather than happening for a reason. After a few chapters though, the book finds its groove and that is much less of an issue.
If you enjoy Stardew Valley you will most likely enjoy this book! It has definitely inspired me to start playing again.
April 15, 2025
It is not awful, but incredibly repetitive. Also feels a bit "haremy", which I feel is a tactic used to make up for a poor story line. The animals and the farming are fun but they have like 300 festivals....that are incredibly generic. Actually that word completely describes this book, generic. The idea overall was great, just poorly developed. Will not continue the series. Onto my next adventure, Happy Readings!!!
May 13, 2025
If you’ve ever played Stardew Valley, read this!
Did not expect the book to be THIS good when I started reading it. Seriously, gamers and non-gamers alike, you NEED to read this, trust me.
Just read it— you’ll be glad you did!
(Sorry if this isn’t a fancy review, but I figure other people will do this justice better than I can so I may as well encourage others to pick this up.)
Did not expect the book to be THIS good when I started reading it. Seriously, gamers and non-gamers alike, you NEED to read this, trust me.
Just read it— you’ll be glad you did!
(Sorry if this isn’t a fancy review, but I figure other people will do this justice better than I can so I may as well encourage others to pick this up.)
May 17, 2025
Gentle and Sweet
This story was comforting to read. Just enough tension and a sprinkle of light danger to keep it interesting. Progress was good but not crazy. Mysteries investigated, but the memories of what was left behind not neglected and even viewed with growth.
This story was comforting to read. Just enough tension and a sprinkle of light danger to keep it interesting. Progress was good but not crazy. Mysteries investigated, but the memories of what was left behind not neglected and even viewed with growth.
May 21, 2025
Great Story!
I’ve read a lot of cozy/LitRPG fantasy and this is one of my favorites. I love the low stakes. It’s just easy to read and enjoy. And the creature companions! You just can’t go wrong with a mushroom companion! I can’t wait to read the next book.
I’ve read a lot of cozy/LitRPG fantasy and this is one of my favorites. I love the low stakes. It’s just easy to read and enjoy. And the creature companions! You just can’t go wrong with a mushroom companion! I can’t wait to read the next book.
June 15, 2025
I had a lot of fun with this first book. There were some spots of repetitiveness at times, sure, but that was nothing compared to the comfort of being back in my favourite games, only in book form. For fans of Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon.
September 27, 2025
Quite enjoyable story. Super low stakes, with enough of a hook of an overarching story to keep the interest going through the next book.
I intend to pick it up when I want something slower paced, but quite well crafted.
I intend to pick it up when I want something slower paced, but quite well crafted.
January 15, 2026
I needed a book to allow me to escape from reality, and this served my wish well. It is based on farming games and delivers perfectly. The author managed plenty of creative touches. I was never bored, and enjoyed the trip through four seasons.
March 2, 2026
truly cozy
Reminds me of playing Harvest Moon. Haven’t read this type Isekai type of Litrpg before. And it was and interesting read. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Reminds me of playing Harvest Moon. Haven’t read this type Isekai type of Litrpg before. And it was and interesting read. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
April 16, 2026
Harvest moon and stardew valley
Harvest moon and stardew valley and a warm wholesome read
With monster pets really enjoyed for a easy read while my head was busy to let me get my jobs done
Harvest moon and stardew valley and a warm wholesome read
With monster pets really enjoyed for a easy read while my head was busy to let me get my jobs done
May 30, 2026
loved this book
I really enjoyed and loved this book, I’m so glad I stumbled across this series and author! I found myself unable to put it down and wishing it was an actual video game that I could pick up and play.
I really enjoyed and loved this book, I’m so glad I stumbled across this series and author! I found myself unable to put it down and wishing it was an actual video game that I could pick up and play.
July 5, 2026
This could have been amazing but the mc was so boring 😴 and kept whining about going home hone to what all he did was play farming games at home and search for treasures in a dying town with 2 of his friend boring 😴 DNF I wanted to like the but its like listening to paint dry
April 17, 2025
The writing feels off?
I don't know why but the way it's written just feels off to me, maybe it's because I'm used to a 3rd POV...
I don't know why but the way it's written just feels off to me, maybe it's because I'm used to a 3rd POV...
July 2, 2025
2.5☆
August 22, 2025
Satisfying
I liked the slice of life theme and the pace of the story. I would recommend this book to people looking for a relaxing read.
I liked the slice of life theme and the pace of the story. I would recommend this book to people looking for a relaxing read.
August 28, 2025
If you want to have Stardew Valley as a book - this is what you need to read.
November 17, 2025
Stardew Valley in book form and I am here for it
January 9, 2026
Slow but fun
Simple characters in a simple village. Nice slice of life with a bit of monster hijinks. I’m definitely going to try the next book in the series.
Simple characters in a simple village. Nice slice of life with a bit of monster hijinks. I’m definitely going to try the next book in the series.
January 19, 2026
Basically a stardew valley novel. I found the amount of characters and love interests hard to keep track of.
January 24, 2026
DNF
Chapter 6
Little kids book
Chapter 6
Little kids book
March 2, 2026
DNF. This book just wasn’t readable. I’m not sure if it was AI or just regular bad writing but between the present tense and the flat and repetitive prose I bounced off pretty quickly.
March 18, 2026
I picked this book up because I wanted cozy and harvest moon vibes. I got what I wanted so I'm happy with that.
June 29, 2026
DNF Again will try reading it instead???? 🤷🏼♀️
August 11, 2026
It was good
Nothing over the top fantastic but I enjoyed it fairly cozy and generally nothing wrong with it
Just nothing special
Nothing over the top fantastic but I enjoyed it fairly cozy and generally nothing wrong with it
Just nothing special
April 3, 2026
A really enjoyable read, the main reason for deduction of a star is because I have one isekai issue that can really make it hard for me to sink into the cozy vibes - and that's when we see the isekai happen and know that they are leaving people behind to forever wonder what happened/mourn them. I love cozy fantasy because I'm a Grade A overthinker, but that kind of start in Chapter 1 is a but rough on me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews