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Forced Evolution
In a world ravaged by pandemic, one man's desperate quest for survival unleashes powers that could save humanity – or destroy it.
Welcome,
To Lance Lawthorn's apartment, where he was reassessing his existence, when a cosmic event shattered the ancient barrier that had long shielded Earth from mysterious energies. In an instant, his world—and every living being within it—was bathed in a magical force that humans were never meant to endure.
He had only wanted to break free from his nine-to-five routine and start his own business. Instead, he got his superhero origin story. While the world wrestled to adapt to its new normal, Lance struggled to get used to his enhanced strength, enhanced speed, enhanced senses, and a whole lot of problems he wanted nothing to do with. Now, he must navigate a world where power is measured in stats, and the line between hero and villain blurs with each skill gained.
Welcome,
To Lance Lawthorn's apartment, where he was reassessing his existence, when a cosmic event shattered the ancient barrier that had long shielded Earth from mysterious energies. In an instant, his world—and every living being within it—was bathed in a magical force that humans were never meant to endure.
He had only wanted to break free from his nine-to-five routine and start his own business. Instead, he got his superhero origin story. While the world wrestled to adapt to its new normal, Lance struggled to get used to his enhanced strength, enhanced speed, enhanced senses, and a whole lot of problems he wanted nothing to do with. Now, he must navigate a world where power is measured in stats, and the line between hero and villain blurs with each skill gained.
537 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2025
360 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 3, 2025
Great read
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action.
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action.
February 28, 2025
Fabulous
Honestly an excellently told Super Hero and 'System' origin story with great character development and payoff. I can't wait to read more in this series!
Honestly an excellently told Super Hero and 'System' origin story with great character development and payoff. I can't wait to read more in this series!
February 9, 2025
Fresh take on the genre
Not sure how this book even has any negative reviews. This book was great and I can’t wait for the next one. It’s a fresh take on the litrpg genre.
Not sure how this book even has any negative reviews. This book was great and I can’t wait for the next one. It’s a fresh take on the litrpg genre.
February 24, 2025
Since Amazon is being Amazon, this review will be only on GoodReads. As my Kindle app has decided (again) to not let me leave a review. Okay, that's not really the point of this.
I really wanted to love this book. Instead, I just really liked it. First the good. The book is very well written. It flows well and the characters are (mostly) pretty likeable. The MC has some major rough edges, but they get start getting smoothed down by the end of the book. Another major good thing about this book is that it is a bit different than moth LitRPG or GameLit books. Instead of doing the typical sci-fi or fantasy thing, it goes in a more mystery direction. It is a bit of a slow burn, but it's there and it is (for the most part) very well done.
The bad parts. Honestly they are more of personal preferences than they are genuine gripes. There are parts where the POV changes, that are rather jarring. I think it actually helps the story, but some people are going to find them jarring. There are a couple of choices made in the direction of the book that have serious WTF vibes, but again, I think those are more personal tastes than they are reasons to avoid this book.
Most people will like this book. Especially if you want something a bit different. In this case, different is a good thing. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book.
Highly recommended.
I really wanted to love this book. Instead, I just really liked it. First the good. The book is very well written. It flows well and the characters are (mostly) pretty likeable. The MC has some major rough edges, but they get start getting smoothed down by the end of the book. Another major good thing about this book is that it is a bit different than moth LitRPG or GameLit books. Instead of doing the typical sci-fi or fantasy thing, it goes in a more mystery direction. It is a bit of a slow burn, but it's there and it is (for the most part) very well done.
The bad parts. Honestly they are more of personal preferences than they are genuine gripes. There are parts where the POV changes, that are rather jarring. I think it actually helps the story, but some people are going to find them jarring. There are a couple of choices made in the direction of the book that have serious WTF vibes, but again, I think those are more personal tastes than they are reasons to avoid this book.
Most people will like this book. Especially if you want something a bit different. In this case, different is a good thing. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book.
Highly recommended.
February 9, 2025
One more try with litrpgs, this time a superhero one. Maybe it would be a little different than the usual "Wake up in a fantasy world and fight goblins and hamsters."
The writing was... okay, but "Lance Lawthorn" seemed like a Brett Easton Ellis character. He's a dude in some kind of tech startup, he flirts with his firm's marketing specialist and a hot Latina import, there's lots of kind of cringey dialog... And then a plague hits. A "shut down the world" kind of plague. This book was published post-Covid, and yet there was surprisingly little political commentary or realistic handling of logistics. Lance gets really sick, then his boss hooks him up with a mysterious "trial" vaccine that he has to pay $20K to get access to, when he's told he can't drink for 48 hours before taking it (and admits that he was drinking the previous night) he just grabs a needle and injects himself. The research lab throws him out on the street.
Uh, that's not how things work. That's not how any of this works.
Anyway, I was waiting for, you know, the superpowers. The litrpg. 11% of the way in, I guess we're almost there, but the writing was, once again, not good enough or the story interesting enough to make me care.
Litrpgs, it's not me, it's you.
The writing was... okay, but "Lance Lawthorn" seemed like a Brett Easton Ellis character. He's a dude in some kind of tech startup, he flirts with his firm's marketing specialist and a hot Latina import, there's lots of kind of cringey dialog... And then a plague hits. A "shut down the world" kind of plague. This book was published post-Covid, and yet there was surprisingly little political commentary or realistic handling of logistics. Lance gets really sick, then his boss hooks him up with a mysterious "trial" vaccine that he has to pay $20K to get access to, when he's told he can't drink for 48 hours before taking it (and admits that he was drinking the previous night) he just grabs a needle and injects himself. The research lab throws him out on the street.
Uh, that's not how things work. That's not how any of this works.
Anyway, I was waiting for, you know, the superpowers. The litrpg. 11% of the way in, I guess we're almost there, but the writing was, once again, not good enough or the story interesting enough to make me care.
Litrpgs, it's not me, it's you.
April 6, 2025
Well written just not my type
Main character is generally a good guy who is normal until the Apocalypse hits. Then he gets a power that lets him basically assimilate other people's powers. This change kind of makes the system feel broken and he's the only one who has this everyone else is just kind of getting stronger but there's not monsters or aliens to fight and he keeps letting the main antagonist get away with burning down his place almost killing him and then threatening again to kill him while he's literally in the MC s clutches!. Add to that the system that doesn't really make sense in calling him an antihero.. I have a book that I didn't finish at 60%.
Main character is generally a good guy who is normal until the Apocalypse hits. Then he gets a power that lets him basically assimilate other people's powers. This change kind of makes the system feel broken and he's the only one who has this everyone else is just kind of getting stronger but there's not monsters or aliens to fight and he keeps letting the main antagonist get away with burning down his place almost killing him and then threatening again to kill him while he's literally in the MC s clutches!. Add to that the system that doesn't really make sense in calling him an antihero.. I have a book that I didn't finish at 60%.
September 16, 2025
Interesting
A different take on a system apocalypse but very nice to read a different version, it was not like all the other cookie cutter apocalypse books this was more apocalypse meets superhumans with meditation and cycling power.
You have a protagonist who wakes up after a night drinking finding out that due to something unknown people have flu like symptoms and are dying, now lance the zero to hero has to go through a lot of problems physically and mentally but the story bumbles along quite nicely, stay with it as later it picks up speed.
A different take on a system apocalypse but very nice to read a different version, it was not like all the other cookie cutter apocalypse books this was more apocalypse meets superhumans with meditation and cycling power.
You have a protagonist who wakes up after a night drinking finding out that due to something unknown people have flu like symptoms and are dying, now lance the zero to hero has to go through a lot of problems physically and mentally but the story bumbles along quite nicely, stay with it as later it picks up speed.
March 2, 2025
This is trying to be an origin story. It is meant to show a character's development into the protagonist. It fails. The MC is never properly defined. He jumps between ideologies from the get-go. You never get a good understanding of who he is. So it never makes any sense of how he chooses to go. His power is so poorly defined that it just seems like a cheap plot device. And the ending is just tacked on. It in no way feels like a climax. Just a quick way to end a meandering book.
January 14, 2025
After Kaito and now this, I'll keep expecting great things from this author.
January 27, 2025
I found it enjoyable if you like comics
January 27, 2025
This was like system apocalypse meets Tony Robbins. “Oh boy! Now I can max out my reps! Time to start a new business!” Good for you but it’s not exactly riveting.
February 21, 2025
I thought it had some interesting ideas, but ultimately it just didn't quite do it for me. DNFed. Felt a bit boring, TBH. Those who enjoy a slow burn in a modern setting might enjoy it more.
March 5, 2025
Made it about 50% through but just didn't care enough about the MC and the way the story was going. YMMV if the premise appeals to you.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews