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Arcane Artificer #1
Arcane Artificer: A Crafting LitRPG Fantasy
In the quiet crafting village of Arthursberg, Dren’s life was little more than a routine of pain and drudgery. A mangled leg, a crippled arm, and a shattered future left him stuck at the post office, stacking boxes while his friends chased dreams he could only imagine.
But everything changes the day an explosion shakes the nearby forest. When everyone else turns a blind eye, Dren hobbles toward danger, determined to help. What he finds is an Artificer’s workshop—and a gift that will rewrite his destiny.
Granted the Artificer Class at Level 1, Dren is thrust into a world of possibilities where creativity meets combat. First, he must rebuild himself, constructing mechanical limbs to replace his broken body. But these upgrades don’t come easy. Resources are scarce, and the only way to get them is by diving into dungeons, facing lethal monsters, and risking it all.
As Dren levels up, he gains more than just XP. New schematics unlock, granting him the power to create ingenious machines and powerful constructs. But with every invention, he attracts attention, some good, some deadly. Allies will rally to his side, but enemies will stop at nothing to crush his rise.
From outcast to innovator, from invalid to adventurer, Dren’s journey will test his courage, ingenuity, and determination. Can he rise to the top and become the hero Arthursberg never saw coming?
But everything changes the day an explosion shakes the nearby forest. When everyone else turns a blind eye, Dren hobbles toward danger, determined to help. What he finds is an Artificer’s workshop—and a gift that will rewrite his destiny.
Granted the Artificer Class at Level 1, Dren is thrust into a world of possibilities where creativity meets combat. First, he must rebuild himself, constructing mechanical limbs to replace his broken body. But these upgrades don’t come easy. Resources are scarce, and the only way to get them is by diving into dungeons, facing lethal monsters, and risking it all.
As Dren levels up, he gains more than just XP. New schematics unlock, granting him the power to create ingenious machines and powerful constructs. But with every invention, he attracts attention, some good, some deadly. Allies will rally to his side, but enemies will stop at nothing to crush his rise.
From outcast to innovator, from invalid to adventurer, Dren’s journey will test his courage, ingenuity, and determination. Can he rise to the top and become the hero Arthursberg never saw coming?
- GenresFantasy
361 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 22, 2025
845 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
March 6, 2025
DNF. Not sure the author isn’t comfortable with English or just hasn’t matured in their writing but it was both cumbersome and extremely boring to read.
February 1, 2025
Good story outline
These books about Articifers are interesting. Kind of like magical engineers. First, I enjoyed this book. However, it read like either the author was in high school or English was his second language. The story constantly jumped, which means the flow was off. Instead of one thing leading to the next, you were constantly pulled by the author into the next bit. Hard to explain, but when you read it, you will know what I am talking about. Truly, it read like a Nintendo video game from the 80s. Which may have actually been the goal of the author. All of this said, reading it on Kindle Unlimited will both, compensate the author and not lighten your wallet, which is the happy medium where this book belongs. Congratulations on publishing a book!
These books about Articifers are interesting. Kind of like magical engineers. First, I enjoyed this book. However, it read like either the author was in high school or English was his second language. The story constantly jumped, which means the flow was off. Instead of one thing leading to the next, you were constantly pulled by the author into the next bit. Hard to explain, but when you read it, you will know what I am talking about. Truly, it read like a Nintendo video game from the 80s. Which may have actually been the goal of the author. All of this said, reading it on Kindle Unlimited will both, compensate the author and not lighten your wallet, which is the happy medium where this book belongs. Congratulations on publishing a book!
March 21, 2025
I would not recommend this to anyone older than seven. The language is not appropriate for someone younger than seven. Basically, nobody should waste their time on this book.
June 27, 2025
So so
Well it turned out to not be what I was looking for and I'm not sure that I can recommend it to anybody. Let me explain. I've never come across this author before. I do try and take it easy on the first book of a new series as in my experience it can be a shaky Endeavor even from a tried and true author. I do my best to try and separate the quality of the work from my personal taste. I had just finished reading The Alchemist by Roman and I forget his last name. I was looking for a story that had a character who built a lot of stuff as he or she progressed through the story. This book seemed to be the perfect fit. The thing is is that it didn't really come off as having a lot of depth. Not that it necessarily needed to but certainly more than what it showed. Our main character is disabled and the local community treats that as a person who is subhuman. Less than just not being helpful but an actual drain on resources I guess. The main character comes across person with an outcast ability at the moment of their death. That person passes on his abilities to our main character who then makes good use of them. The issue is that the character goes from 0 to Beyond hero in about less than 300 pages. The interactions are with a variety of different groups such as goblins who are eating humans. Our main character is like you shouldn't do that and the Goblins are like what we're hungry but okay we won't do it anymore. He saves a princess and she's like I want to help people and our main character is like well there if he's goblins and so she's like okay. The Village throws abuse on him for interacting with the goblins and the leader of the Town goes yeah but he's a good guy and the villagers are like yeah we've always liked him. It's just superficial. Now I may have spoiled a couple of things but that's not everything that happens in the book but keeping it to the goblin portion which is on the smaller side of the story should at least give you an idea of how the story unfolds in the depth of the interactions.
Well it turned out to not be what I was looking for and I'm not sure that I can recommend it to anybody. Let me explain. I've never come across this author before. I do try and take it easy on the first book of a new series as in my experience it can be a shaky Endeavor even from a tried and true author. I do my best to try and separate the quality of the work from my personal taste. I had just finished reading The Alchemist by Roman and I forget his last name. I was looking for a story that had a character who built a lot of stuff as he or she progressed through the story. This book seemed to be the perfect fit. The thing is is that it didn't really come off as having a lot of depth. Not that it necessarily needed to but certainly more than what it showed. Our main character is disabled and the local community treats that as a person who is subhuman. Less than just not being helpful but an actual drain on resources I guess. The main character comes across person with an outcast ability at the moment of their death. That person passes on his abilities to our main character who then makes good use of them. The issue is that the character goes from 0 to Beyond hero in about less than 300 pages. The interactions are with a variety of different groups such as goblins who are eating humans. Our main character is like you shouldn't do that and the Goblins are like what we're hungry but okay we won't do it anymore. He saves a princess and she's like I want to help people and our main character is like well there if he's goblins and so she's like okay. The Village throws abuse on him for interacting with the goblins and the leader of the Town goes yeah but he's a good guy and the villagers are like yeah we've always liked him. It's just superficial. Now I may have spoiled a couple of things but that's not everything that happens in the book but keeping it to the goblin portion which is on the smaller side of the story should at least give you an idea of how the story unfolds in the depth of the interactions.
February 9, 2025
Good
I enjoyed the storyline but as another reviewer mentioned, the writing style is…different. The writing is very simple and you feel as if you are walking down a very winding path that loops around a bit and takes a side trip before it takes you back towards the direction you were originally heading.
The MC is a disabled young man abandoned by family and friends who manages to come across a dying artificer and is gifted his lab in the forest. Now let’s talk about that dying artificer and the MC. As the old man lay dying in the hole in the ground (caused by an explosion), with both legs blown off and bleeding out, they had one of the most drawn out and extensive conversations I have ever read. If you didn’t know any better you would have thought it was a master and his apprentice just having an everyday conversation and not a mortally wounded man having a conversation with a stranger who came to see what had happened. Just strange.
Once gifted the lab, our MC learns and grows and even manages to become a bit of an adventurer. There is a book two out so I will read that and see what winding road that takes me down.
I enjoyed the storyline but as another reviewer mentioned, the writing style is…different. The writing is very simple and you feel as if you are walking down a very winding path that loops around a bit and takes a side trip before it takes you back towards the direction you were originally heading.
The MC is a disabled young man abandoned by family and friends who manages to come across a dying artificer and is gifted his lab in the forest. Now let’s talk about that dying artificer and the MC. As the old man lay dying in the hole in the ground (caused by an explosion), with both legs blown off and bleeding out, they had one of the most drawn out and extensive conversations I have ever read. If you didn’t know any better you would have thought it was a master and his apprentice just having an everyday conversation and not a mortally wounded man having a conversation with a stranger who came to see what had happened. Just strange.
Once gifted the lab, our MC learns and grows and even manages to become a bit of an adventurer. There is a book two out so I will read that and see what winding road that takes me down.
March 11, 2025
A village resident in a fantasy/magic world is injured for life in a mine explosive accident while just walking down the street. The town is prosperous due to mining copper, which is really valuable in this universe, and they assign him an easy government job. However, 90% of the residents despise him to the point of hatred because he is now handicapped and has a disfigured face.
One day he hears an explosion and goes to the source in the woods, where he finds a dying artificer who in a long and winding conversation, gifts the MC the equipment to start a character career. Lucky for everyone, he has just enough XP to start the career path and is instantly in a formal stats RPG game situation.
Where he gets completely overpowered, or it totally weak. At random. And everyone hates him more for no reason, until they love him.
And I suspect English is the author's second or third language. And he is not all that good at it.
One day he hears an explosion and goes to the source in the woods, where he finds a dying artificer who in a long and winding conversation, gifts the MC the equipment to start a character career. Lucky for everyone, he has just enough XP to start the career path and is instantly in a formal stats RPG game situation.
Where he gets completely overpowered, or it totally weak. At random. And everyone hates him more for no reason, until they love him.
And I suspect English is the author's second or third language. And he is not all that good at it.
February 24, 2025
I didn't get very far.
The final thing that turned me away was when Dren encountered a bard who talked and behaved like a YouTube personality.
Along the way, I noticed that the author has no understanding of some very basic economics. For example, Dren lives in a copper mining boom town, and he says rents are "nonexistent" because the town was generating so much wealth. Anyone who lives in New York or San Francisco could tell him that's not how it works.
How the author treats currency was jarring too. Dren makes thousands of "gold pieces" early on, which sounds like a lot, until we find out that a wagon might cost several thousand "gold pieces." No one expects a "gold piece" to have a value in measured in pennies. If the author had used a totally imaginary currency, saying something was worth "5000 Snergs," it wouldn't have been so disconcerting.
The final thing that turned me away was when Dren encountered a bard who talked and behaved like a YouTube personality.
Along the way, I noticed that the author has no understanding of some very basic economics. For example, Dren lives in a copper mining boom town, and he says rents are "nonexistent" because the town was generating so much wealth. Anyone who lives in New York or San Francisco could tell him that's not how it works.
How the author treats currency was jarring too. Dren makes thousands of "gold pieces" early on, which sounds like a lot, until we find out that a wagon might cost several thousand "gold pieces." No one expects a "gold piece" to have a value in measured in pennies. If the author had used a totally imaginary currency, saying something was worth "5000 Snergs," it wouldn't have been so disconcerting.
May 30, 2025
Clever world system, awkward execution
The premise is clever and enjoyable: boy learns artifice and gains access to a litrpg system to guide him. However, there are several things that are awkwardly introduced and followed through on, like why everyone in the town is cruel and abandons him completely, but he is perfectly fine with helping them and they seem to have no real problems with him the other half the time. The economy is a center point of the story, but it makes no sense and is completely wonky. The story includes several grim and cruel elements but then is all like haha life is happy now when he gets back to crafting, which makes the characters seem subtly psychopathic. Overall a nice read, but too many typos and weird contrivances of character development.
The premise is clever and enjoyable: boy learns artifice and gains access to a litrpg system to guide him. However, there are several things that are awkwardly introduced and followed through on, like why everyone in the town is cruel and abandons him completely, but he is perfectly fine with helping them and they seem to have no real problems with him the other half the time. The economy is a center point of the story, but it makes no sense and is completely wonky. The story includes several grim and cruel elements but then is all like haha life is happy now when he gets back to crafting, which makes the characters seem subtly psychopathic. Overall a nice read, but too many typos and weird contrivances of character development.
February 27, 2025
Interesting but simple in it’s application
The ideas of this story are interesting but the authors application is not much to be desired. The author skips out on many details that would enhance this story and world building. The main character (even has inventive as he can be) often acts like an idiot. He allows people to treat him poorly even when they need his help. And finally, this author seems to feel that leaving bullies who you know you could have defeated is a gallant act. When in actuality, it leaves the bully around to beat up all those who are not strong enough to defend themselves. I hope you fix that way of thinking in your future books.
The ideas of this story are interesting but the authors application is not much to be desired. The author skips out on many details that would enhance this story and world building. The main character (even has inventive as he can be) often acts like an idiot. He allows people to treat him poorly even when they need his help. And finally, this author seems to feel that leaving bullies who you know you could have defeated is a gallant act. When in actuality, it leaves the bully around to beat up all those who are not strong enough to defend themselves. I hope you fix that way of thinking in your future books.
February 15, 2025
Simple storyline
An okay read for a boring afternoon. Very predictable storyline but not bad. I gave it 3 stars because I get annoyed at all the reviews of 5 stars for undeserved books! If I were to give 5 stars to books like this one, what should I give to a Steven King novel. I wish Amazon and Goodreads would explain to customers that 5 stars means an outstanding book worth buying a leather bound edition. This book is okay and the author shows promise. I'll probably read more from him as he develops
An okay read for a boring afternoon. Very predictable storyline but not bad. I gave it 3 stars because I get annoyed at all the reviews of 5 stars for undeserved books! If I were to give 5 stars to books like this one, what should I give to a Steven King novel. I wish Amazon and Goodreads would explain to customers that 5 stars means an outstanding book worth buying a leather bound edition. This book is okay and the author shows promise. I'll probably read more from him as he develops
March 25, 2025
Loved It
This was my first by this , but definitely not my last. I , for the most part, liked Dren. What I hated was how he just accepted his nickname from even the people he did business with in town, but I understood his reasoning for not fighting them. But it was frustrating to read about it. I loved how he slowly built himself up from nothing; the story's pacing helped this greatly. Nothing was dragged out to bog the story down. It was just a true joy to read and I'm definitely reading the next book.
This was my first by this , but definitely not my last. I , for the most part, liked Dren. What I hated was how he just accepted his nickname from even the people he did business with in town, but I understood his reasoning for not fighting them. But it was frustrating to read about it. I loved how he slowly built himself up from nothing; the story's pacing helped this greatly. Nothing was dragged out to bog the story down. It was just a true joy to read and I'm definitely reading the next book.
September 16, 2025
The premise sounded great, and I was ready to dive into a fun crafting LitRPG. Unfortunately, the writing style made it tough to get through. The flow felt awkward, almost like it was translated or written by someone not fully comfortable with English, and that kept pulling me out of the story.
It’s a shame, because the idea itself is interesting, but I just couldn’t get into it and won’t be continuing past book one.
It’s a shame, because the idea itself is interesting, but I just couldn’t get into it and won’t be continuing past book one.
February 10, 2025
a bit on the boring side
I wanted to like this series but honestly it’s on the boring side. Also its system is very much on the simplistic side of the genre. Grammar, spelling and etc seem to be in order. It’s the story, characters, monsters that are all under powered…. Better luck next time.
I wanted to like this series but honestly it’s on the boring side. Also its system is very much on the simplistic side of the genre. Grammar, spelling and etc seem to be in order. It’s the story, characters, monsters that are all under powered…. Better luck next time.
February 18, 2025
Good story
A little young for me but I think others will like it. It had a couple of hiccups in the storyline. Was his whole leg cut off? Or only cut off from the knee down? some of the bullies targeted his bad leg and hurt his knee. Plenty of action. Character was likeable. His town was not nice to him driven by looks instead of how smart he actually is.
A little young for me but I think others will like it. It had a couple of hiccups in the storyline. Was his whole leg cut off? Or only cut off from the knee down? some of the bullies targeted his bad leg and hurt his knee. Plenty of action. Character was likeable. His town was not nice to him driven by looks instead of how smart he actually is.
February 21, 2025
Young adult, silly, simple read that will bore adults.
AI writing or the author is writing at 6th grade level. Weak story because so simple. Questionable morals for most of the characters. Very slow paced, plot armor everywhere that protects all the plot holes. Have no interest in reading more in the series as it's just for fifth to 8th graders in a reading level.
AI writing or the author is writing at 6th grade level. Weak story because so simple. Questionable morals for most of the characters. Very slow paced, plot armor everywhere that protects all the plot holes. Have no interest in reading more in the series as it's just for fifth to 8th graders in a reading level.
February 25, 2025
Better than expected
Not a huge fan of crafting based litrpg but this one ticks all the right boxes. Plenty of growth for everything the MC does including combat. Plenty of combat and adventure. Neat magic system. Cool abilities. Lots of humor. I was pleased with this book and will read any sequels.
Not a huge fan of crafting based litrpg but this one ticks all the right boxes. Plenty of growth for everything the MC does including combat. Plenty of combat and adventure. Neat magic system. Cool abilities. Lots of humor. I was pleased with this book and will read any sequels.
February 26, 2025
It's fun.
A good kindle unlimited read. Fun fantasy vibes, rpg elements and game-like mechanics. The writing itself is a little emotionless. Dren's inner monologue lacks human trivialities and minute thoughts, dialogue is sometimes very 1 tone and cliché. Relationships feel strange and other worldly. Still, I liked reading it.
A good kindle unlimited read. Fun fantasy vibes, rpg elements and game-like mechanics. The writing itself is a little emotionless. Dren's inner monologue lacks human trivialities and minute thoughts, dialogue is sometimes very 1 tone and cliché. Relationships feel strange and other worldly. Still, I liked reading it.
March 4, 2025
A lighthearted and enjoyable Short read
An extremely light hearted tale. It is unencumbered with a serious plot And instead just goes for amusement, Entertainment, And whimsy. A few inconsistencies abound (I mean, The cover art has the gauntlet on the wrong hand For crying out loud), But the whimsical nature of the story Just folds it in and you hardly notice.
An extremely light hearted tale. It is unencumbered with a serious plot And instead just goes for amusement, Entertainment, And whimsy. A few inconsistencies abound (I mean, The cover art has the gauntlet on the wrong hand For crying out loud), But the whimsical nature of the story Just folds it in and you hardly notice.
May 5, 2025
Decent
Interesting premise but could use more fleshing out, the interplay between the characters is pretty dull. As well as this the beginning of the book doesn't show Dren wanting a class but rather just wanting to be accepted and to be able to continue his career, everyone knowing about classes and having a class seemed to come out of left field. All together I enjoyed the premise but it could use some more world building
Interesting premise but could use more fleshing out, the interplay between the characters is pretty dull. As well as this the beginning of the book doesn't show Dren wanting a class but rather just wanting to be accepted and to be able to continue his career, everyone knowing about classes and having a class seemed to come out of left field. All together I enjoyed the premise but it could use some more world building
October 15, 2025
I finished the first chapter and could only think that this book must have been translated from another language, or written by somebody whose first language wasn’t English. There were several occasions when I had to reread a sentence, but it still didn’t make sense. Unfortunately it only got worse.
February 7, 2025
great story!
Not my usual reading book, but once I began reading I could not stop! It is about Dren, a one hand guy along with only one leg! But Dren is an Artificer! Follow Dren adventures! No harem so just a good old fashioned great story! Highly recommended!
Not my usual reading book, but once I began reading I could not stop! It is about Dren, a one hand guy along with only one leg! But Dren is an Artificer! Follow Dren adventures! No harem so just a good old fashioned great story! Highly recommended!
February 11, 2025
Very good
This book was a refreshing change from the usual hack and slash LitRPG. That's not to say that there is no action, but the main focus is crafting. If you are looking for something a bit different, pick this book up. You'll not regret it.
Highly recommended.
This book was a refreshing change from the usual hack and slash LitRPG. That's not to say that there is no action, but the main focus is crafting. If you are looking for something a bit different, pick this book up. You'll not regret it.
Highly recommended.
February 17, 2025
a cube of delight
What a delightful lighthearted story. An unfortunate boy growing into his potential with action, adventure, and artifice. Some of the world seemed hokey and improbable but I ignored it for the story’s sake.
What a delightful lighthearted story. An unfortunate boy growing into his potential with action, adventure, and artifice. Some of the world seemed hokey and improbable but I ignored it for the story’s sake.
February 20, 2025
A fun and interesting story
This was a fun story from start to finish. Well written world along with lovable characters. Enough tension to carry you through the book. Great epilogue!
This was a fun story from start to finish. Well written world along with lovable characters. Enough tension to carry you through the book. Great epilogue!
February 25, 2025
Dren's Den book 1
Well, this was a very nice first book of a series. We met Dren, and Salla, and Marvin, and a Princess, and a future King.
We investigated a dungeon and built a workshop.
Score!!!
Thank you !
Well, this was a very nice first book of a series. We met Dren, and Salla, and Marvin, and a Princess, and a future King.
We investigated a dungeon and built a workshop.
Score!!!
Thank you !
February 26, 2025
Fun read
A fun read about a young man over coming his disabilities and the poor boy the town held of him.
Overall the book is slightly juvenile and simplistic, but is entertaining and worth the read.
A fun read about a young man over coming his disabilities and the poor boy the town held of him.
Overall the book is slightly juvenile and simplistic, but is entertaining and worth the read.
March 9, 2025
So so
The main character was two dimensional really nothing to make him seen real, very little backstory just a few mentions nothing that you could get a feel on the character. Everything came to easy no struggle with learning anything. When he started preaching I had enough
The main character was two dimensional really nothing to make him seen real, very little backstory just a few mentions nothing that you could get a feel on the character. Everything came to easy no struggle with learning anything. When he started preaching I had enough
March 18, 2025
There are some fun elements at work here. I thought the cogbots were pretty cool and I enjoyed some of the adventures. I like that Dren is empathetic and kind.
The writing is not great and there are heaps of errors. It makes it a challenge to read, unfortunately.
The writing is not great and there are heaps of errors. It makes it a challenge to read, unfortunately.
April 27, 2025
A fun read.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was fun and engaging. The story and characters were incredibly interesting and entertaining. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. This book is definitely worth checking out.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was fun and engaging. The story and characters were incredibly interesting and entertaining. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. This book is definitely worth checking out.
May 7, 2025
Good Stuff
It’s almost too ya, but a very interesting storyline. This story of a kid who was blown up at ten and treated as a simpleton as an adult getting a chance to be an Artificer was an interesting read.
It’s almost too ya, but a very interesting storyline. This story of a kid who was blown up at ten and treated as a simpleton as an adult getting a chance to be an Artificer was an interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews