What do you think?
Rate this book
Shadowborn Exile
Shadowborn Exile: A LitRPG Progression Fantasy
A powerful shadow warrior ventures deep into darkness to save his home in this action-packed progression fantasy from the author of the Pilgrim series.
Attica was born to slay monsters. As a Vanguard of the Shadowborn, he grew up hunting the radiant horrors—terrifying light beasts known as Flashwraiths—that stalk the Spiralrealm. Armed with a living Shade, he prowled the gloom between tiers, culling the unnatural to protect his people.
But when the Settlement falls to a devastating Flashwraith assault, Attica is cast into the abyss he once defended against. His sole opportunity for redemption is via a doomed mission. He must retrieve the shattered Crown of Shadows and destroy the prophesied Child of Light.
Meanwhile, the Spiralrealm is unraveling. Power is shifting. And the only path forward is through monsters, madmen, and something far the truth.
Dark Souls meets The Last of Us in the first volume of Shadowborn Exile, a gripping LitRPG series set in a world of twisted beasts, primordial forces, and brutal choices.
Attica was born to slay monsters. As a Vanguard of the Shadowborn, he grew up hunting the radiant horrors—terrifying light beasts known as Flashwraiths—that stalk the Spiralrealm. Armed with a living Shade, he prowled the gloom between tiers, culling the unnatural to protect his people.
But when the Settlement falls to a devastating Flashwraith assault, Attica is cast into the abyss he once defended against. His sole opportunity for redemption is via a doomed mission. He must retrieve the shattered Crown of Shadows and destroy the prophesied Child of Light.
Meanwhile, the Spiralrealm is unraveling. Power is shifting. And the only path forward is through monsters, madmen, and something far the truth.
Dark Souls meets The Last of Us in the first volume of Shadowborn Exile, a gripping LitRPG series set in a world of twisted beasts, primordial forces, and brutal choices.
380 pages, Paperback
Published January 6, 2026
36 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Harmon Cooper
144 books369 followersHarmon Cooper is the author of over sixty fantasy works. His bestselling series include Pilgrim, War Priest, Cowboy Necromancer, and Tokens and Towers.
His series, The Feedback Loop, is one of the earlier GameLit works first published in 2015. An earphone award winner for the series Death's Mantle, Harmon won the LitRPG/GameLit Audiobook of the Year award for Sacred Cat Island, narrated by Legends and Lattes author Travis Baldree.
Harmon write progression fantasy, cultivation fantasy, and LitRPG/GameLit.
His series, The Feedback Loop, is one of the earlier GameLit works first published in 2015. An earphone award winner for the series Death's Mantle, Harmon won the LitRPG/GameLit Audiobook of the Year award for Sacred Cat Island, narrated by Legends and Lattes author Travis Baldree.
Harmon write progression fantasy, cultivation fantasy, and LitRPG/GameLit.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 5, 2025
A wonderful start to this new LitRPG Progression Fantasy series.
Shadowborn Exile tells the story of Attica, an Ashling poised to be a Vanguard after his Trial at age eighteen. He's successful, but with the loss of an eye due to fighting Flashwraiths. He is then given the name of Attica, the Lone-Eyed Wolf.
This book, in my humble opinion, elevates the author's writing up a level or two. He was always a really good author, but this work is something very special. It's so poignant in parts that I felt physical pain, and the way Attica torments himself with his feelings towards the Flashwraith 'Child of Light' is excruciating. The worldbuilding of the Shadowy Spiralrealm is *chef's kiss*, while the storyline and characterisations grabbed me from the first page. This is a beautifully powerful piece of work, and I'm so looking forward to seeing where it leads.
Shadowborn Exile tells the story of Attica, an Ashling poised to be a Vanguard after his Trial at age eighteen. He's successful, but with the loss of an eye due to fighting Flashwraiths. He is then given the name of Attica, the Lone-Eyed Wolf.
This book, in my humble opinion, elevates the author's writing up a level or two. He was always a really good author, but this work is something very special. It's so poignant in parts that I felt physical pain, and the way Attica torments himself with his feelings towards the Flashwraith 'Child of Light' is excruciating. The worldbuilding of the Shadowy Spiralrealm is *chef's kiss*, while the storyline and characterisations grabbed me from the first page. This is a beautifully powerful piece of work, and I'm so looking forward to seeing where it leads.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Wow! This was a really good book. I will admit that it took me a bit to get into the story, but once I got into it, I could not stop listening! The narrator really did a good job. His voice was pleasant to listen to.
This was my first LitRPG, so it took me a minute to get used to the pacing. I'm a gamer who has dabbled in Dark Souls, so I was excited to see how the story unfolded. Learning about the world lore and the different creatures was very entertaining. And I know this is a series, so there's got to be world building, but I was honestly hoping for more info dumping. This world is so interesting! I just want to learn more!
The only issue I really had was that I didn't feel any chemistry between Attica and his partner. It didn't feel, to me, that she was actually interested in Attica, let alone loved him. I thought he had more chemistry with one of his party members! This isn't a romance, so it didn't really affect my view on the story overall.
The fighting scenes were awesome and really kept drawing me back in whenever there were slower parts. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, and that actually caught me off guard because I was so into the story and hadn't realized it was ending so soon. So now I definitely got to read the next one!
The characters were loveable, and the story shows you just what a father would do and how far he'd go for his family. Whether that be family by blood or by choice. It also makes you ponder what is good and what is bad? It's really all relative, isn't it?
This was my first LitRPG, so it took me a minute to get used to the pacing. I'm a gamer who has dabbled in Dark Souls, so I was excited to see how the story unfolded. Learning about the world lore and the different creatures was very entertaining. And I know this is a series, so there's got to be world building, but I was honestly hoping for more info dumping. This world is so interesting! I just want to learn more!
The only issue I really had was that I didn't feel any chemistry between Attica and his partner. It didn't feel, to me, that she was actually interested in Attica, let alone loved him. I thought he had more chemistry with one of his party members! This isn't a romance, so it didn't really affect my view on the story overall.
The fighting scenes were awesome and really kept drawing me back in whenever there were slower parts. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, and that actually caught me off guard because I was so into the story and hadn't realized it was ending so soon. So now I definitely got to read the next one!
The characters were loveable, and the story shows you just what a father would do and how far he'd go for his family. Whether that be family by blood or by choice. It also makes you ponder what is good and what is bad? It's really all relative, isn't it?
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a new take on the LITRPG genre in a good way. We start with. very young Attica, on his test to become a Vanguard, a defender of his settlement. When he is successful, he receives a new name, Lone-Eyed Wolf. We jump forward seven years and Attica is grown and has a family, but tragedy and massacre happen and the monsters that lingered outside no longer linger. Devastated and exiled, he does what he must to track the monsters responsible, but in-between death and exile his senses are opened and his grey world is flooded with color.
This was such a different take for me, it was interesting to see how the author wove the LITRPG parts into this complex world and story. There is a moment in the first third, that the author had me in tears, which was an absolute first for me and his writing. I stuck it out, rather than throw my Kindle, and I understand why the choices were made. The characters that Attica finds on his way are most fascinating and I am.very interested to see where the author takes us next.
“The best way to show my remorse is to get revenge,”
This was such a different take for me, it was interesting to see how the author wove the LITRPG parts into this complex world and story. There is a moment in the first third, that the author had me in tears, which was an absolute first for me and his writing. I stuck it out, rather than throw my Kindle, and I understand why the choices were made. The characters that Attica finds on his way are most fascinating and I am.very interested to see where the author takes us next.
“The best way to show my remorse is to get revenge,”
December 17, 2025
realized pretty early that I’m used to a much more straight-forward LitRPG experience: clearer systems, more immediate structure, that “oh we’re leveling right now” feeling. This leaned far more into dark epic fantasy, and because of that I felt a little detached from the LitRPG side right from the start. Unfortunately, once I lost that initial connection, it was hard for me to fully re-engage.
That said, I can absolutely see this becoming someone else’s next obsession. The worldbuilding alone is genuinely impressive, dense in the best way, and you can tell an incredible amount of thought and care went into the setting, lore, and overall atmosphere. If you love darker, slower-burn epic fantasy with rich worlds and aren’t married to rigid LitRPG mechanics, this will likely hit way better for you than it did for me.
Not a miss… just not my lane. And I fully respect how hard this will land for the right reader.
That said, I can absolutely see this becoming someone else’s next obsession. The worldbuilding alone is genuinely impressive, dense in the best way, and you can tell an incredible amount of thought and care went into the setting, lore, and overall atmosphere. If you love darker, slower-burn epic fantasy with rich worlds and aren’t married to rigid LitRPG mechanics, this will likely hit way better for you than it did for me.
Not a miss… just not my lane. And I fully respect how hard this will land for the right reader.
February 13, 2026
DNF @64%
This sadly was not for me. I was absolutely bored out of my mine. I don't want to fully say Lit-RPG isn't the genre for me, so I will have to find another book to see if it's really me or not.
It was too predictable. The stereotypical man who use to be part of a "Guild" or "group" of some sort but he was retired and happily married and a child on the way or the the said child is only a baby/toddler. Then BOOM the said family gets murked and the MC now wants revenge on his dead family...... yadda yadda. In all honestly, if the characters were set up in a way we could connect to them, the impact would have been more hurtful. He just felt like a 2D character, no true feelings or thoughts. So I couldn't get into the rhythm of the book.
I was told to read another Lit-RPG so I will be trying it out before I decide that genre is just not my fave to read.
I received the ALC from Podium Audio. This review is my true and honest thoughts
This sadly was not for me. I was absolutely bored out of my mine. I don't want to fully say Lit-RPG isn't the genre for me, so I will have to find another book to see if it's really me or not.
It was too predictable. The stereotypical man who use to be part of a "Guild" or "group" of some sort but he was retired and happily married and a child on the way or the the said child is only a baby/toddler. Then BOOM the said family gets murked and the MC now wants revenge on his dead family...... yadda yadda. In all honestly, if the characters were set up in a way we could connect to them, the impact would have been more hurtful. He just felt like a 2D character, no true feelings or thoughts. So I couldn't get into the rhythm of the book.
I was told to read another Lit-RPG so I will be trying it out before I decide that genre is just not my fave to read.
I received the ALC from Podium Audio. This review is my true and honest thoughts
January 13, 2026
Adventure in a grim and dark world
It's about 30% in when things get really moving. Before that point is good and gets Attica started. Well done beginning. Now that I've read it, I definitely felt some echoes back to playing Dark Souls and Twilight Princess. It's definitely a twilight realm devoid of color and little light. It took some adjustment. I liked the stories pacing and it really had a feeling of travelling through some cross between ancient devastation and a land of the dead. Dust, mist, and quiet. Interesting characters and challenges. Well done first story to a series with promise. Definitely different. I like the symbiotic shadow that all the Vanguards have. Plus, Attica's shadow is blessedly not a chatterbox. I was surprised that the story worked so well and stayed interesting throughout.
It's about 30% in when things get really moving. Before that point is good and gets Attica started. Well done beginning. Now that I've read it, I definitely felt some echoes back to playing Dark Souls and Twilight Princess. It's definitely a twilight realm devoid of color and little light. It took some adjustment. I liked the stories pacing and it really had a feeling of travelling through some cross between ancient devastation and a land of the dead. Dust, mist, and quiet. Interesting characters and challenges. Well done first story to a series with promise. Definitely different. I like the symbiotic shadow that all the Vanguards have. Plus, Attica's shadow is blessedly not a chatterbox. I was surprised that the story worked so well and stayed interesting throughout.
January 29, 2026
Ex Tenebris in Lucem
From Darkness into Light
Historically, Hadrian was known for construction of a Wall primarily to control movement and prevent raids.Historically, Attica is more known by a Prison Riot, a rebellion for better conditions, a rallying cry for solidarity against oppressive authority, rather than a region of Greece.
Join Attica, the main character of Harmon Cooper's Shadowborn Exile, as he travels the travails and breaks the bonds of Hadrian's Rules and explores the out of control realms of the Spiral, where light is not automatically equated with good, and the lesser of evils is safety in darkness.
From Darkness into Light
Historically, Hadrian was known for construction of a Wall primarily to control movement and prevent raids.Historically, Attica is more known by a Prison Riot, a rebellion for better conditions, a rallying cry for solidarity against oppressive authority, rather than a region of Greece.
Join Attica, the main character of Harmon Cooper's Shadowborn Exile, as he travels the travails and breaks the bonds of Hadrian's Rules and explores the out of control realms of the Spiral, where light is not automatically equated with good, and the lesser of evils is safety in darkness.
Review of advance copy received from Author
WOW WOW WOW!!! This story pulled me in immediately and was almost literally impossible to put down! I've really enjoyed every book I've read by this author, but this one was really above and beyond! It's definitely darker than I normally read, but the bits of hope all throughout kept it from being dreary. I love the characters, the magic system, the world, all of it! Seriously, this one is an absolute must-read for anyone that loves epic, dark fantasy and/or LitRPG!
January 6, 2026
Shadowed read
Exciting new world from the imagination of Cooper as we explore different levels of this new place. With fantastic creatures and an unusual story we progress through the chapters to save the realm and Wolfs family.
Another brilliant addition to my collection and I reckon a worthy successful series with cool art.
Exciting new world from the imagination of Cooper as we explore different levels of this new place. With fantastic creatures and an unusual story we progress through the chapters to save the realm and Wolfs family.
Another brilliant addition to my collection and I reckon a worthy successful series with cool art.
Review of advance copy received from Author
There is no shadow without light.
I found it interesting that the this world was like and older picture in white, black, and gray. I was saddened that Attica lost his family. as a father I understand that.
I found it interesting that the this world was like and older picture in white, black, and gray. I was saddened that Attica lost his family. as a father I understand that.
January 8, 2026
Best Work Yet
Thrilling and engaging from start to finish. This is my favorite series of Cooper’s already! Do yourself a favor and give it a try!
Thrilling and engaging from start to finish. This is my favorite series of Cooper’s already! Do yourself a favor and give it a try!
February 1, 2026
Another excellent story. Sit back, grab a drink and get ready to immerse yourself.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews