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Five Golden Coins Vol. 1: A Men's Fantasy Adventure
Five betrayers destroyed the kingdom. Now it’s my duty to slay them and seize the keys to the goddess’ prison.
My name is Clive. Snatched from death by a mysterious goddess, I find myself fighting to save her kingdom. I must slay the five betrayers to retrieve their golden coins—the keys to her prison. Power and wealth beyond measure will be mine if I succeed.
Fortunately, I don’t believe in the goddess’s honeyed promises.
I will forge my own path to freedom. A snow oni banished from the battlefields that defined her life, a half-elf merchant turned fire mage, and a slime knight determined to uphold her chivalry and honor will join my quest. Guided by a blind shrine keeper, the goddess’s proxy, we aim to slay the betrayers and free ourselves from the ruler’s grasp.
When you’re trapped in a crooked game run by a vengeful goddess, the only things you can trust are the women at your side and the weapon in your hand.
My name is Clive. Snatched from death by a mysterious goddess, I find myself fighting to save her kingdom. I must slay the five betrayers to retrieve their golden coins—the keys to her prison. Power and wealth beyond measure will be mine if I succeed.
Fortunately, I don’t believe in the goddess’s honeyed promises.
I will forge my own path to freedom. A snow oni banished from the battlefields that defined her life, a half-elf merchant turned fire mage, and a slime knight determined to uphold her chivalry and honor will join my quest. Guided by a blind shrine keeper, the goddess’s proxy, we aim to slay the betrayers and free ourselves from the ruler’s grasp.
When you’re trapped in a crooked game run by a vengeful goddess, the only things you can trust are the women at your side and the weapon in your hand.
653 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 5, 2025
About the author
M.E. Thorne
54 books91 followersAn up-and-coming author writing sci-fi, fantasy, and exciting adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 15, 2025
I just...
I dunno dude, I feel like this book is just trying too hard to be Dark Souls. Not only is the story similar in feel to the Dark Souls games but the world mechanics are ripped from them too. Like, a LOT of mechanics just straight from the game.
They don't add anything to the story, and unless you've played the games before, you'll probably just find them weird and a detraction from the story overall.
The author really does try to make it all work in the context of the world, though, so if you can ignore that, you'll probably enjoy.
I dunno dude, I feel like this book is just trying too hard to be Dark Souls. Not only is the story similar in feel to the Dark Souls games but the world mechanics are ripped from them too. Like, a LOT of mechanics just straight from the game.
They don't add anything to the story, and unless you've played the games before, you'll probably just find them weird and a detraction from the story overall.
The author really does try to make it all work in the context of the world, though, so if you can ignore that, you'll probably enjoy.
March 28, 2026
Interesting beginning to a new world with new rules and underlying system. The MC mysteriously ends up in a maze filled creatures and other players. These continuously spawn and die as some fare better then others and some prey on others. It is because some were preying on others that the MC meets his first love interest, an Oni pictured on the cover. He comes to her rescue as three others are trying to kill her and rob her. They decide to team up. Once they leave the maze they are giving their own version of a base village. They see other player as white silhouette running around. Apparently this is like a large MMOG (Massive multiplayer online game) except each player or team plays in their own version of the world, each version overlaps over the others as far as the land. They can see others playing (white silhouettes) and blood spots on the floor mark where others have died, but for the most part they don't interact with each other, unless they are part of the same team. You can, if you are in trouble, send of a rescue flare and anyone nearby is encouraged to join your version of the world and rescue you, going back to theirs afterward. It is possible to join others in the Tavern, and the Bizarre where players sell things and buy things from each other. Other then that you are alone in the world, unless you are part of a team. There are no NPC's. The main story is the Goddess has been betrayed by her five upper echelon and has been imprisoned. Each betrayer has a golden coin, you need all five to release her from her prison. Time is fractured in this world as well. There is no night and day cycle, and according to the author some areas maybe in the present or past. There is no way of knowing so that part doesn't matter. The MC doesn't trust the Goddess is telling the whole truth. The story is enjoyable if not a little bit confusing.
February 13, 2025
This was a pretty strong opening to a new series.
The MC wakes up in another world after apparently having died. Clad in only a t-shirt and shorts, he's told to select a class, which he selects melee. Given a spear and a buckler, he's now on his own. He rescues an Oni from other humans bent on killing others, and they team up. Thus begins the adventures of the MC.
The MC was decent. We don't get a ton of personality from him, other than drive and being stalwart. The book is fairly combat heavy, with some base-building and minor economic factors. It reads at times as a diary of adventures in an MMO, which the world is kind of based upon with its levels and classes.
The MC has 2 lovers by the end of a quite lengthy book. The relationships consist of meet, battle, hang out some, have sex, who's next. The Oni that is first wants the MC to have a harem, and teases whomever they come in contact with to join. And pretty much anyone they meet is female and a potential partner. There is literally nobody else but potential lovers that the MC has met. That's a drawback for me.
The world building is pretty decent as it unfolds, which is a plus. Some serious thought went into what is going on, and the MC is trying to fit the snippets he's learned into a picture he can understand. There's not nearly enough yet, but it is intriguing.
I will definitely read the next book, but I hope the MC actually meets and interacts with non-love interests at some point. Otherwise, it will feel very stilted as if the MC is being railroaded into only those who will join them.
The MC wakes up in another world after apparently having died. Clad in only a t-shirt and shorts, he's told to select a class, which he selects melee. Given a spear and a buckler, he's now on his own. He rescues an Oni from other humans bent on killing others, and they team up. Thus begins the adventures of the MC.
The MC was decent. We don't get a ton of personality from him, other than drive and being stalwart. The book is fairly combat heavy, with some base-building and minor economic factors. It reads at times as a diary of adventures in an MMO, which the world is kind of based upon with its levels and classes.
The MC has 2 lovers by the end of a quite lengthy book. The relationships consist of meet, battle, hang out some, have sex, who's next. The Oni that is first wants the MC to have a harem, and teases whomever they come in contact with to join. And pretty much anyone they meet is female and a potential partner. There is literally nobody else but potential lovers that the MC has met. That's a drawback for me.
The world building is pretty decent as it unfolds, which is a plus. Some serious thought went into what is going on, and the MC is trying to fit the snippets he's learned into a picture he can understand. There's not nearly enough yet, but it is intriguing.
I will definitely read the next book, but I hope the MC actually meets and interacts with non-love interests at some point. Otherwise, it will feel very stilted as if the MC is being railroaded into only those who will join them.
September 13, 2025
This is a story about playing a video game, The main character is playing the game. The story is a description of his progress in the game. I'm not a gamer, I found it moderately interesting but redundant as the character progressed by overcoming obstacles and opponents and prizes , which helps him advance in the game.
The descriptions of the battles, the prizes and the continued growing in strength of the author and his partners are superfluous. I understand their importance but not the need to be continuously documented in the story.
There's a second volume. I'll pass. I suspect how it's going to end,
The descriptions of the battles, the prizes and the continued growing in strength of the author and his partners are superfluous. I understand their importance but not the need to be continuously documented in the story.
There's a second volume. I'll pass. I suspect how it's going to end,
September 19, 2025
I'm not sure, if I didn't know anything about souls then I might think this was fine. It's just a little to blatant, I'm not into fan fiction, so maybe that's part of it, but there are just too many things that are not tweaked enough to not make it feel like I'm reading a souls book...Still, like I said, it's fine if you didn't know about the source material.
February 7, 2025
Holy $πit 10/10
This book is like the best parts of fromsoft and taking bits of nostalgia from all the games and putting them in print best fun I have had in a longtime and the spice was nice too 10/10 fluffy tail addict approved
This book is like the best parts of fromsoft and taking bits of nostalgia from all the games and putting them in print best fun I have had in a longtime and the spice was nice too 10/10 fluffy tail addict approved
February 19, 2025
Fantastic Start To A New Series
A wonderful opening salvo to a new series but a amazing author. This book while on the chunkier side had really good pacing. The characters are really well done. This is a big recommend from me.
A wonderful opening salvo to a new series but a amazing author. This book while on the chunkier side had really good pacing. The characters are really well done. This is a big recommend from me.
February 17, 2025
Great start
Great start I really liked the way this is going and can't wait for the next one in the series
Great start I really liked the way this is going and can't wait for the next one in the series
February 19, 2025
Can't wait for the next one
Waiting for the next book is always the worst. Great story so far. The mystery continues to unravel itself. Yes
Waiting for the next book is always the worst. Great story so far. The mystery continues to unravel itself. Yes
September 7, 2025
Fun read
Reminded me of souls like, doing coop with friends, but a fresh touch in it and with fun litrpg + romance.
Reminded me of souls like, doing coop with friends, but a fresh touch in it and with fun litrpg + romance.
October 20, 2025
An amateur Elden Ring fanfic with some likeable characters that boink like highschoolers in a convenient videogame world.
November 13, 2025
Great start to a great series
Thorne has done well with this book and it sets itself apart from others in the genre with its different approach and theme. Love it
Thorne has done well with this book and it sets itself apart from others in the genre with its different approach and theme. Love it
March 2, 2026
An excellent start to a series
This was every souslike rolled up into an adventure of harems, eldritch fantasy and weirdly enough, city building. Loved it. Already started on 2.
This was every souslike rolled up into an adventure of harems, eldritch fantasy and weirdly enough, city building. Loved it. Already started on 2.
March 4, 2025
This was a bit too simplistic and predictable.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews