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My Best Friend is an Eldritch Horror #1
Blackmist: My Best Friend Is an Eldritch Horror, Book 1
Damien nearly ended the world. Now, his mistake might be the only thing that can save it.
Good things come to those who wait. Damien Vale didn’t, and he ended up bound to an Eldritch creature from beyond the reaches of space. It has lived since the dawn of time, seen the world born and destroyed countless times, and wants to be called Henry.
Unusual companion or not, Damien was still determined to go to a mage college and study magic. He wants nothing more than to live normal life as a researcher, but if Henry’s true nature is revealed, he’ll be killed.
To top it all off, Damien’s teacher is a madman from the front lines of war, his alcoholic dean suspects something is awry with his companion, and Blackmist might possibly be the worst school in history. Damien has to prevent the end of the world, but he isn’t even sure he’s going to make it through Year One at Blackmist.
Blackmist is a slice-of-life mixed with LitRPG in a magic school setting. A slow-build power fantasy from Actus, the best-selling author of Morcster Chef . It's perfect for fans of Cradle , Iron Prince , and Mage Errant .
Good things come to those who wait. Damien Vale didn’t, and he ended up bound to an Eldritch creature from beyond the reaches of space. It has lived since the dawn of time, seen the world born and destroyed countless times, and wants to be called Henry.
Unusual companion or not, Damien was still determined to go to a mage college and study magic. He wants nothing more than to live normal life as a researcher, but if Henry’s true nature is revealed, he’ll be killed.
To top it all off, Damien’s teacher is a madman from the front lines of war, his alcoholic dean suspects something is awry with his companion, and Blackmist might possibly be the worst school in history. Damien has to prevent the end of the world, but he isn’t even sure he’s going to make it through Year One at Blackmist.
Blackmist is a slice-of-life mixed with LitRPG in a magic school setting. A slow-build power fantasy from Actus, the best-selling author of Morcster Chef . It's perfect for fans of Cradle , Iron Prince , and Mage Errant .
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First published September 27, 2022
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About the author
Actus
61 books197 followersActus has been writing fantasy stories since the age of twelve, and he's been telling them since he could talk. He's currently working on three main series - Morcster Chef, Steamforged Sorcery, and My Best Friend is an Eldritch Horror. You can find his works on RoyalRoad & Patreon as well as on Amazon.
In addition to his passion for writing, Actus is capable of clearing a two story building with a single jump. That isn't true, but writing about himself in third person gives Actus delusions of grandeur.
In addition to his passion for writing, Actus is capable of clearing a two story building with a single jump. That isn't true, but writing about himself in third person gives Actus delusions of grandeur.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
September 9, 2025
Не знам защо много автори на магическо фентъзи отделят толкова време на самия процес на учене и "усещане" на магиите - дето главният герой си седи на гъза и просто мисли за магическите сили и как ставало това и онова, как енергията я усещал като топка, па после се опитвал да я премести и т.н. и т.н. и т.н.... и т.н. и т.н. и ОЩЕ Т.Н. От мен да го знаят това е съвършено безинтересно.
В едно от тия произведения всъщност главният герой, който в началото на книгата заварваме объркан да седи на върха на някаква скала, без да знае как се е озовал там и защо, прекарва ПЪРВИТЕ ПЕТ ГЛАВИ, което е около 100 страници... да седи на същата тази скала, без да прави нищо, освен да МИСЛИ за магията която е открил в себе си и да "открива" нови и нови свои умения. Докато седи и мисли. Това не е за тази книга де, просто се отплеснах.
Самият роман Blackmist има някои интересни идеи, но се точи прекалено бавно в стил "slice of life", което явно не е моето четиво.
В едно от тия произведения всъщност главният герой, който в началото на книгата заварваме объркан да седи на върха на някаква скала, без да знае как се е озовал там и защо, прекарва ПЪРВИТЕ ПЕТ ГЛАВИ, което е около 100 страници... да седи на същата тази скала, без да прави нищо, освен да МИСЛИ за магията която е открил в себе си и да "открива" нови и нови свои умения. Докато седи и мисли. Това не е за тази книга де, просто се отплеснах.
Самият роман Blackmist има някои интересни идеи, но се точи прекалено бавно в стил "slice of life", което явно не е моето четиво.
January 2, 2023
4.5/5
Fun filled Progression Fantasy
Blackmist is a finely written slice of life fantasy with minor litRPG elements.
It has interesting characters, intriguing plotlines and some genuine LOL moments that make you love this book despite some minor criticisms you might find.
Will definitely read the sequel as soon as it releases...
Fun filled Progression Fantasy
Blackmist is a finely written slice of life fantasy with minor litRPG elements.
It has interesting characters, intriguing plotlines and some genuine LOL moments that make you love this book despite some minor criticisms you might find.
Will definitely read the sequel as soon as it releases...
October 19, 2022
Good book, no real conflict
Overall, the writing and magic system in the book are reasonably interesting. The characters are mostly one dimensional and don’t have much depth, but are also mildly interesting. The writing is well done, but the pacing is rather slow. my biggest complaint about the book is that there’s no conflict to drive the story. There’s no villain, no drama, no real or immediate threat. There is the hand wave the threat of the destruction of the mortal plane that is constantly waived off as being potentially thousands of years away, making it a non-issue.
In my opinion, good conflict drives a story. The story has very little conflict. What do I mean by conflict? I mean a dramatic want with a dramatic obstacle. This book doesn’t have that neither character, nor anyone he cares about has any significant danger or discomfort that they face.
Without this conflict, the story arc is fairly flat. The main character wants to learn magic, and is a prodigy at doing so. If Henry, being in his soul, slowly eroded it or constantly made him do something dramatic to keep his soul intact The story would’ve been significantly more interesting. Even the bully Noble at the beginning of the story does a dramatic about face as soon as he realizes that Damien is powerful. That Removed any superficial young adult drama that could’ve been used. The author could’ve used some romantic tension between the main character at his roommate he could’ve had the teacher find out about his eldritch horror companion. Instead, there is simply a smooth path ahead of the main character with you, obstacles, and tons of assistance which makes things easy.
Overall, the writing and magic system in the book are reasonably interesting. The characters are mostly one dimensional and don’t have much depth, but are also mildly interesting. The writing is well done, but the pacing is rather slow. my biggest complaint about the book is that there’s no conflict to drive the story. There’s no villain, no drama, no real or immediate threat. There is the hand wave the threat of the destruction of the mortal plane that is constantly waived off as being potentially thousands of years away, making it a non-issue.
In my opinion, good conflict drives a story. The story has very little conflict. What do I mean by conflict? I mean a dramatic want with a dramatic obstacle. This book doesn’t have that neither character, nor anyone he cares about has any significant danger or discomfort that they face.
Without this conflict, the story arc is fairly flat. The main character wants to learn magic, and is a prodigy at doing so. If Henry, being in his soul, slowly eroded it or constantly made him do something dramatic to keep his soul intact The story would’ve been significantly more interesting. Even the bully Noble at the beginning of the story does a dramatic about face as soon as he realizes that Damien is powerful. That Removed any superficial young adult drama that could’ve been used. The author could’ve used some romantic tension between the main character at his roommate he could’ve had the teacher find out about his eldritch horror companion. Instead, there is simply a smooth path ahead of the main character with you, obstacles, and tons of assistance which makes things easy.
December 4, 2024
Did I know what LitRPG was 3 days ago? Absolutely no.
I picked up this book because I saw (and am reading) the manhwa version on webtoons.
The book makes for an interesting enough reading. It is fast to read; the characters are mostly unidimensional, but overall, they are enjoyable. I appreciate that the RPG is kept to a minimum (other than stats and some fights, it's mostly a story about a being from the void becoming the companion of a teenager).
May I interest you in:
🪄 fantasy
🪄 magic users
🪄 magical companions
🪄 young adult
🪄 quests/adventures
I picked up this book because I saw (and am reading) the manhwa version on webtoons.
The book makes for an interesting enough reading. It is fast to read; the characters are mostly unidimensional, but overall, they are enjoyable. I appreciate that the RPG is kept to a minimum (other than stats and some fights, it's mostly a story about a being from the void becoming the companion of a teenager).
May I interest you in:
🪄 fantasy
🪄 magic users
🪄 magical companions
🪄 young adult
🪄 quests/adventures
December 28, 2022
A decently fun book written for a younger age group than me. It's also a good highlight of why I don't like reading in the LitRPG genre. A lot of time was wasted on leveling up and checking stats and collecting resources and having a battle that determined standing. All of which distracted from the important point that something very wrong was going on in the world. The book barely edged into it and to learn more I will have to read more in the series only I don't want to because the LitRPG stuff is boring to me.
I started to say that was ironic because I was willing to watch animes that do this, but on further reflection, I'm not. Mostly I reject such animes for the same reason. It can be part of the flavor, but it can't be the whole sauce. So this book is too much of only one flavor. I do think it was written pretty well, but I'm out.
I started to say that was ironic because I was willing to watch animes that do this, but on further reflection, I'm not. Mostly I reject such animes for the same reason. It can be part of the flavor, but it can't be the whole sauce. So this book is too much of only one flavor. I do think it was written pretty well, but I'm out.
April 19, 2023
Not Really LitRPG
I picked this book because I have been on a LitRPG kick lately. I was hoping for characters going into a game world, or different world, where they would find a problem they would need to face , or a challenge to overcome. Instead I find myself in a cultivation storyline with characters making contracts with beings from other planes of existence and then going on to either training at universities where they would learn the magic they would need to fight for their world or contribute to society.
Don't get me wrong, this is a fun romp, but it's not what I was looking for in a story at this point in time.
I picked this book because I have been on a LitRPG kick lately. I was hoping for characters going into a game world, or different world, where they would find a problem they would need to face , or a challenge to overcome. Instead I find myself in a cultivation storyline with characters making contracts with beings from other planes of existence and then going on to either training at universities where they would learn the magic they would need to fight for their world or contribute to society.
Don't get me wrong, this is a fun romp, but it's not what I was looking for in a story at this point in time.
November 2, 2022
I'm not sure if it was this book which billed itself as "slice of life", but in either event, it largely was, and pretty YA as well.
Those two elements, while not exactly strikes, are not my favourite elements. This contributes to my fairly "meh" appreciation of this book. What was more of a problem is that not much of any note happened; see "slice of life", above.
The author is trying to set things up here, but imo they didn't set the hook (for me, at least) so I'm not sure I'll carry on. I think I expected more Lovecraft and less Harry Potter.
Those two elements, while not exactly strikes, are not my favourite elements. This contributes to my fairly "meh" appreciation of this book. What was more of a problem is that not much of any note happened; see "slice of life", above.
The author is trying to set things up here, but imo they didn't set the hook (for me, at least) so I'm not sure I'll carry on. I think I expected more Lovecraft and less Harry Potter.
July 21, 2024
Ratings: - 4 stars
August 1, 2025
I kind of just expect that any litRPG/videogame-esque fantasy I like at this point is going to be at least a *little* stupid.
TL; DR: A fantasy journey that has all the flavor of a litRPG, but skips the isekai you usually find. Blackmist is a fun and interesting romp through magic, eldritch horror, and slice of life that focuses on its slow growth, but doesn’t let it drag down the story.
I was a little surprised with how much I liked this; the reviews set me up a little for failure, but so far, I’m enjoying the snark, the magic, and the various characters. One of the coolest and most interesting parts for me has been exploring the various characters, especially our three main ones.
Characters: I already told you, but the rest of the side characters are cool too. I’m really interested in Mark and Delph and how we’re going to delve into deeper parts of them. Again, the main three are the bread and butter for me, and I crack up at many of the Eldritch beings’ choices and responses.
Setting: Academia, what can go wrong?
Story: It’s been pretty good so far, but I’m looking for more in the coming books. So far, we’ve gotten a lot of setup and teasers and I’m excited to see them come to fruition.
Writing: I expected it to be dorky and uncomfortable. The usual method for quirky god descending with human humor feels overwrought and weak when it comes to this kind of fantasy. Here, it works for some reason. I haven’t been put off yet, and I hope I don’t get there. Here’s to some more great humorous writing.
I’m glad I picked this collection up for a steal on the audible store and the next five should provide me a fun distraction for a while. I hope to continue to be subtly impressed.
4.4 🌟
TL; DR: A fantasy journey that has all the flavor of a litRPG, but skips the isekai you usually find. Blackmist is a fun and interesting romp through magic, eldritch horror, and slice of life that focuses on its slow growth, but doesn’t let it drag down the story.
I was a little surprised with how much I liked this; the reviews set me up a little for failure, but so far, I’m enjoying the snark, the magic, and the various characters. One of the coolest and most interesting parts for me has been exploring the various characters, especially our three main ones.
Characters: I already told you, but the rest of the side characters are cool too. I’m really interested in Mark and Delph and how we’re going to delve into deeper parts of them. Again, the main three are the bread and butter for me, and I crack up at many of the Eldritch beings’ choices and responses.
Setting: Academia, what can go wrong?
Story: It’s been pretty good so far, but I’m looking for more in the coming books. So far, we’ve gotten a lot of setup and teasers and I’m excited to see them come to fruition.
Writing: I expected it to be dorky and uncomfortable. The usual method for quirky god descending with human humor feels overwrought and weak when it comes to this kind of fantasy. Here, it works for some reason. I haven’t been put off yet, and I hope I don’t get there. Here’s to some more great humorous writing.
I’m glad I picked this collection up for a steal on the audible store and the next five should provide me a fun distraction for a while. I hope to continue to be subtly impressed.
4.4 🌟
March 20, 2023
Good book, the author worked his way around setting the world and plot, the synopsis and tittle might give an expectation that it’s not completely truthful, wither way it doesn't deviate too much from the truth. Something to note about this book is that despite been in a 'fantasy setting' it has a heavy influence from Chinese cultivation novels, the way the system and method of growth is established.
September 12, 2024
Wasn't as much of a litrpg as I thought it would be but nevermind that, a good start for an interesting story anyway. Can't wait to read more! 4,5/5
September 9, 2025
The voice acting of the audiobook version I listened to on Audible was a little rough to get used to for the first chapter or so. But overall this book was a solid read. Enough action to keep me interested, but not super intense either.
December 31, 2022
I took a chance and it paid off
This author is unknown to me. I took a shot off a recommendation and it is a solid read. I enjoyed it and will follow this series.
This author is unknown to me. I took a shot off a recommendation and it is a solid read. I enjoyed it and will follow this series.
November 30, 2022
The setup for the story is excellent, with a great sub story going on with the Eldritch Horror and whatever else might be out there, but the magic school stuff is pretty basic if serviceable. I suspect it'll get better as the story progresses beyond that.
October 13, 2022
Combat Hogwarts, not expected.
First I'll get the negatives out of the way.
There's alot of plot armor and "this works this way because I say so" even if it makes no logical sense. The second, and this is strictly personal preference, is the MC is a young teenager and then a 17 year old later on. The author stays true to the emotions and thoughts of a 17 year old, however as someone in their 30s I find the MC to be incredibly annoying. Impatient, foolish, impulsive, etc. As I said, the author does a good job illustrating the mind of a 17 year old, but to me it's just not relatable and I found myself disliking the stupidity of the MC because of that.
Pros wise, the story and pacing is well written, the theme is relatively fresh, there's no info or stat dumping to pad the pages, the side characters are remotely interesting but not too much so. Henry, the eldritch monster is fairly likable and I applaud the author being able to humanize that which is unfathomable, I actually found myself liking Henry far more than anyone else.
Conclusion? It's a good book for younger readers, or folks who enjoy coming of age type stories. There are only 3 typos I saw, the editing is fairly good, and the theme is enjoyable. Not nearly as dark as I was hoping, and the MC is an idiot kid, but it was fairly enjoyable. The loss of a star is strictly from the regrettable plot armor issues that break immersion by making you want to pull your hair out.
First I'll get the negatives out of the way.
There's alot of plot armor and "this works this way because I say so" even if it makes no logical sense. The second, and this is strictly personal preference, is the MC is a young teenager and then a 17 year old later on. The author stays true to the emotions and thoughts of a 17 year old, however as someone in their 30s I find the MC to be incredibly annoying. Impatient, foolish, impulsive, etc. As I said, the author does a good job illustrating the mind of a 17 year old, but to me it's just not relatable and I found myself disliking the stupidity of the MC because of that.
Pros wise, the story and pacing is well written, the theme is relatively fresh, there's no info or stat dumping to pad the pages, the side characters are remotely interesting but not too much so. Henry, the eldritch monster is fairly likable and I applaud the author being able to humanize that which is unfathomable, I actually found myself liking Henry far more than anyone else.
Conclusion? It's a good book for younger readers, or folks who enjoy coming of age type stories. There are only 3 typos I saw, the editing is fairly good, and the theme is enjoyable. Not nearly as dark as I was hoping, and the MC is an idiot kid, but it was fairly enjoyable. The loss of a star is strictly from the regrettable plot armor issues that break immersion by making you want to pull your hair out.
February 12, 2023
There are things that just do not make sense in this fantasy-horror-magic-school book series. The main character Damien (Yes! like the Omen's Damien, the Anti-Christ character in that book and movie series)... at age thirteen creates a special rune (without any real rhyme or reason) and summons one of the most powerful Eldritch Horrors, "It Who Heralds The End Of All Light" called "Henry". I find it hard to believe, that the main character has a name related to the Anti-Christ while one of the biggest demons, that could wipe out all of humanity in an instant is called "Henry" (like Fonzy or Dr. Jones)... Damien gives half of his mind and soul up, to have a contract signed with "It Who Heralds The End Of All Light" who believed that a 13 year old child had at that age and time the power to vanquish (the terrible and all-powerful demon)...
Supposedly Damien has this incredible desire to learn magic, but from 13-17 years of age, doesn't do a single thing about it, not even ask his Mom for help or books, Damien just tries and tries to wake up "Henry" but to no avail... In the moment of truth, at the exam to test "magic potential", Henry shows up by himself, without being really summoned and starts taking over Damien's life. Although the name of the magic school (with only the combat class) is Blackmist, the grand demon "Henry is not a blackmist" but a demon that constantly lives within Damien. He can travel outside as a "blackmist" to see the world (because there is really nothing to restrain him and Damien does not have character or strength to stop him) and this is moment of the story when "Henry finds out that there are currently 5 Mega Demons out and about in the World and that it's just a matter of time before they destroy the World.
So, the theme of this Fantasy-horror-magic-school story is that Damien, without any magical ability or skill (he just knows some basic runes), needs to "urgently" learn magic and become all powerful to stop the Greater Demons, that are unleashed from destroying the World.
The magic school is a little bit too similar to Harry Potter's (with the students that have rivalries, dorms and duels)...the author finds nothing wrong with rooming Damien with a girl called just Sylph (no last name) (does not explain anything about her, or the other characters, by the way), who is probably the most experienced and strongest in magic at the first year of this "magic school"... The author does not explain how magic works in this "other World"... Somehow with the spirit familiars, the students and magicians "borrow their power"...But it's not like that all of the time, because there is one particular person, that does not have a "familiar" and can cast magic...(who I will not name for spoiler's sake)...then Damien who could not even "boil magical water" seems to be able to do it all in an instant and at the drop of a hat?? This part of Damien's magical abilities lack real balance and actual learning, merit of having learnt, etc. etc. etc.
So, the worst possible Eldritch Horror, does whatever he wants, in this World thanks to Damien letting him out...and "Henry" instead of destroying the entire World and ending this fantasy novel series once and for all, slowly but surely teaches Damien the magic that he needs to "protect his conversations", "have a magic place to train", etc. etc. Is that how a mega-demon is supposed to behave? It seems that Henry wants to destroy the other 5 demons more than this World. Which is contradictory to his life-long desire to destroy the World???...Was Henry corrupted/deflated by Damien his "best-friend"???
The author could take this story "anywhere"... Damien doesn't really learn from his teachers, he learns from Henry, so why go to the Magic School??? Sylph doesn't have any money, and Damien hasn't worked a day in his life and yet, Damien pays for Sylph's meals and things??? Did the author forget to write the part in about Damien being affluent or winning the lottery in another world???It's a magic school story, and the main characters seem to have only one class?? (combat class)??? What happened to the "alchemy", "rune", "dark-magic", etc. etc. classes???? Did the author not see/read the whole Harry Potter series??? Or was it boring to write all about the other teachers and other classes?? Then, the students participate in a "competition"...But they are studying only the "combat class"???
Same thing happens with the RPG-game-like system this story "should have" but doesn't really include it... the "students" have a way to "read their stats" (HUD-head's up-display), but do not have a leveling system, a magic grimoire-like for learning spells, they do not even use a "staff or a wand/broom" to "empower" and direct those spells (or fly)...do not use a mage's robe, or any other equipment that is typical in magical school stories...So, is Blackmist "college" (that is a one-class school) a "Gladiator-Mage Dueling School"???
The author seems to be on the "younger side", so maybe the inconsistencies of this fantasy story are because of a lack of reading classic literature novel background, lack of emotional intelligence and a lack of rational/logical classes at least in High-School/University level... Knowing how to write, and knowing what to write are as important as having all that is written make sense (rational, logical and use common sense). Having just two, without the third part, makes it a three-legged-stool that can fall at any moment...
Supposedly Damien has this incredible desire to learn magic, but from 13-17 years of age, doesn't do a single thing about it, not even ask his Mom for help or books, Damien just tries and tries to wake up "Henry" but to no avail... In the moment of truth, at the exam to test "magic potential", Henry shows up by himself, without being really summoned and starts taking over Damien's life. Although the name of the magic school (with only the combat class) is Blackmist, the grand demon "Henry is not a blackmist" but a demon that constantly lives within Damien. He can travel outside as a "blackmist" to see the world (because there is really nothing to restrain him and Damien does not have character or strength to stop him) and this is moment of the story when "Henry finds out that there are currently 5 Mega Demons out and about in the World and that it's just a matter of time before they destroy the World.
So, the theme of this Fantasy-horror-magic-school story is that Damien, without any magical ability or skill (he just knows some basic runes), needs to "urgently" learn magic and become all powerful to stop the Greater Demons, that are unleashed from destroying the World.
The magic school is a little bit too similar to Harry Potter's (with the students that have rivalries, dorms and duels)...the author finds nothing wrong with rooming Damien with a girl called just Sylph (no last name) (does not explain anything about her, or the other characters, by the way), who is probably the most experienced and strongest in magic at the first year of this "magic school"... The author does not explain how magic works in this "other World"... Somehow with the spirit familiars, the students and magicians "borrow their power"...But it's not like that all of the time, because there is one particular person, that does not have a "familiar" and can cast magic...(who I will not name for spoiler's sake)...then Damien who could not even "boil magical water" seems to be able to do it all in an instant and at the drop of a hat?? This part of Damien's magical abilities lack real balance and actual learning, merit of having learnt, etc. etc. etc.
So, the worst possible Eldritch Horror, does whatever he wants, in this World thanks to Damien letting him out...and "Henry" instead of destroying the entire World and ending this fantasy novel series once and for all, slowly but surely teaches Damien the magic that he needs to "protect his conversations", "have a magic place to train", etc. etc. Is that how a mega-demon is supposed to behave? It seems that Henry wants to destroy the other 5 demons more than this World. Which is contradictory to his life-long desire to destroy the World???...Was Henry corrupted/deflated by Damien his "best-friend"???
The author could take this story "anywhere"... Damien doesn't really learn from his teachers, he learns from Henry, so why go to the Magic School??? Sylph doesn't have any money, and Damien hasn't worked a day in his life and yet, Damien pays for Sylph's meals and things??? Did the author forget to write the part in about Damien being affluent or winning the lottery in another world???It's a magic school story, and the main characters seem to have only one class?? (combat class)??? What happened to the "alchemy", "rune", "dark-magic", etc. etc. classes???? Did the author not see/read the whole Harry Potter series??? Or was it boring to write all about the other teachers and other classes?? Then, the students participate in a "competition"...But they are studying only the "combat class"???
Same thing happens with the RPG-game-like system this story "should have" but doesn't really include it... the "students" have a way to "read their stats" (HUD-head's up-display), but do not have a leveling system, a magic grimoire-like for learning spells, they do not even use a "staff or a wand/broom" to "empower" and direct those spells (or fly)...do not use a mage's robe, or any other equipment that is typical in magical school stories...So, is Blackmist "college" (that is a one-class school) a "Gladiator-Mage Dueling School"???
The author seems to be on the "younger side", so maybe the inconsistencies of this fantasy story are because of a lack of reading classic literature novel background, lack of emotional intelligence and a lack of rational/logical classes at least in High-School/University level... Knowing how to write, and knowing what to write are as important as having all that is written make sense (rational, logical and use common sense). Having just two, without the third part, makes it a three-legged-stool that can fall at any moment...
July 12, 2025
I'm not a fan of magic academy stories but this one was okay. The style of learning was laughable and the student oversight was non-existent but the premise was fine.
There are several open mysteries by the end of book one, so I plan to read at least the next book in the series. Who knows? Maybe it'll overcome my prejudice.
There are several open mysteries by the end of book one, so I plan to read at least the next book in the series. Who knows? Maybe it'll overcome my prejudice.
January 22, 2023
The beginning is fantastic. Then the adolescent dreams of living in the same room with a pretty girl and white-knighting made the story line too trivial. I dropped the book at 10%.
April 21, 2025
This is a decent story and it's finished! (6 books (70+hrs) and Audible selling it for max 1 credit (I bought it on sale now for 8$). As always, 3 stars is a rating which is totally ok* and if you like cultivation/litrpg you will like it too. A different system (no levels) or grades, but numbers on magic power, control, physical power and endurance (which is actually only how long you can run stat, no more health or similar.) The stats parts is completely abandoned after a few books.
I think the premises for the plot is pretty original for a very limited genre regarding the overreaching arch, but that is true for most genres. (good vs evil etc) This has an original twist. The first 4 books (out of 6) is more than ok. But there are some problems, atleast for me to be able to rate it as a middle of the pack despite as said the plot and decent humour. All in all I did like it that's important BUT:
there are ALOT of inconsistency. Like which year and in school they are in. I thought year 2 was very quick, and I think MCs where in year 3 for atleast 2 books, Before suddenly in book 5 and 6 they were year 2 students until end. A very strange thing that noone noticed. There are other examples aswell which changes or some relations between some characters suddenly change. I may have missed it, but after it is introduced in last book, it is mentioned pretty often so I don't think so. Such things (especially the year 2 thing) annoy me every time it is mentioned. Also something that makes the basis for one book, suddenly change later. I also think the ending was very short in comparison to the whole "build up", imo really the last third of book 6 is actually mostly everything that has been built up in 5 books, cramped in and then I mean EVERYTHING. I wouldn't say I could write it better, but I am pretty sure I could make a better "disposition" (maybe wrong word, a plan for what should happen when and how much room it should get.)
Atleast I have never read a book with 4 epilogues..
I am very happy the author didn't made the romance part anymore than he did. (I think one kiss, described as " she kissed him and he liked it". I have a feeling if the author did it wouldn't be good. I am not sure how many times "I was just about to suggest that" is used when one suggest something to underscore how equal they are or how good they fit together. But as said, far better than some attempt at romance in this genre.
I would think you would like it if you like fantasy/litrpg/cultivation or Isekai. not that I know the difference between some of those description and often are blurry. (And often mixed imo). It is not the best, but it is not that long and as said, atleast audible have it cheap in one collection. I am satisfied with value for money 🤡
I listen to the audiobook and the narrator isn't very good with voices. If you don't follow who is speaking when, a dialogue sounds like a small party. However they wasn't that different and the voices of the characters change so often, that you doesn't notice that he trying to do them different after awhile.
* (I rate only books I would recommend strongly to everyone no matter genre with 5 stars, 4 stars is my favorites in one genre I would recommend to someone curious of a genre and probably mention to people looking for something to read. 3 is most books and series. On the lower part is 2 and 1! 1 is a keep away rating . I wish I never had used time on the book and I would only mentioned it if I was to talk about my worst reading experience. 2 is books that maybe someone who likes books I hate, may like. At least I would think someone may!! have a different experience than me.
I think the premises for the plot is pretty original for a very limited genre regarding the overreaching arch, but that is true for most genres. (good vs evil etc) This has an original twist. The first 4 books (out of 6) is more than ok. But there are some problems, atleast for me to be able to rate it as a middle of the pack despite as said the plot and decent humour. All in all I did like it that's important BUT:
there are ALOT of inconsistency. Like which year and in school they are in. I thought year 2 was very quick, and I think MCs where in year 3 for atleast 2 books, Before suddenly in book 5 and 6 they were year 2 students until end. A very strange thing that noone noticed. There are other examples aswell which changes or some relations between some characters suddenly change. I may have missed it, but after it is introduced in last book, it is mentioned pretty often so I don't think so. Such things (especially the year 2 thing) annoy me every time it is mentioned. Also something that makes the basis for one book, suddenly change later. I also think the ending was very short in comparison to the whole "build up", imo really the last third of book 6 is actually mostly everything that has been built up in 5 books, cramped in and then I mean EVERYTHING. I wouldn't say I could write it better, but I am pretty sure I could make a better "disposition" (maybe wrong word, a plan for what should happen when and how much room it should get.)
Atleast I have never read a book with 4 epilogues..
I am very happy the author didn't made the romance part anymore than he did. (I think one kiss, described as " she kissed him and he liked it". I have a feeling if the author did it wouldn't be good. I am not sure how many times "I was just about to suggest that" is used when one suggest something to underscore how equal they are or how good they fit together. But as said, far better than some attempt at romance in this genre.
I would think you would like it if you like fantasy/litrpg/cultivation or Isekai. not that I know the difference between some of those description and often are blurry. (And often mixed imo). It is not the best, but it is not that long and as said, atleast audible have it cheap in one collection. I am satisfied with value for money 🤡
I listen to the audiobook and the narrator isn't very good with voices. If you don't follow who is speaking when, a dialogue sounds like a small party. However they wasn't that different and the voices of the characters change so often, that you doesn't notice that he trying to do them different after awhile.
* (I rate only books I would recommend strongly to everyone no matter genre with 5 stars, 4 stars is my favorites in one genre I would recommend to someone curious of a genre and probably mention to people looking for something to read. 3 is most books and series. On the lower part is 2 and 1! 1 is a keep away rating . I wish I never had used time on the book and I would only mentioned it if I was to talk about my worst reading experience. 2 is books that maybe someone who likes books I hate, may like. At least I would think someone may!! have a different experience than me.
November 7, 2023
In this book, a young boy named Damien wants to enter magic school, which you can't do unless you summon a companion, beings from other realms, to bond with. Impatiently, Damien summons one such being, but the act goes wrong and this thing he summons ends up being something straight out of Lovecraft. Now in his late teens and getting into magic college, Damien must balance his school life with being bonded with an eldritch abomination who prefers to be called Henry. A very interesting premise, but how is the story?
Honestly, it's weird. The book feels incomplete. Most of the book is about Damien training to get stronger, until a tournament later on, and that's about it, not much else going on. It doesn't help that first years like Damien seem to have one class and just that one class, with is battle training, so that limits things. And the school is so weird. It's as big as a town, it has portals to go places, and said portals make people sick with how jarring the teleportation is; the cafeteria is stocked with all sorts of food, but the only free meal is essentially vomit on a plate, and the student dorms are nothing but dark small caves with two beds, a sink and a shower, and nothing else; any additions like a curtain for the shower or even a door or a way of illumination during the evening must be added by the students themselves. Feels like such a subpar school at best for a first year. That and each student has a companion, like Damien has Henry, which is what helps them do magic, but we never actualy meet or even see these companions other than Henry. And then there's a number of grammar mistakes too.
I'd say the saving grace of the book is the characters. Damien is a fairly likable protagonist and works hard for his goals, and his roommate and new friend Sylph starts aloof but gets better as the story progresses. Their teacher is a tough but entertaining drill sergeant type, and even fellow students like Mark, Nolan, Reena and Loretta are good enough characters who show engaging personalities, with Nolan and Reena specially getting a nice bit of character development. But of course, it's Henry who steals the show. We get to learn of Henry's goals, but then Henry gets his own development that is quite engaging, and he's also very snarky and humorous, always getting the best lines of dialogue.
Overalls, this is a flawed book, especially as the beginning of a series, but the characters made it engaging enough that I'm curious to see what comes next, so I'll be checking the next book out.
Honestly, it's weird. The book feels incomplete. Most of the book is about Damien training to get stronger, until a tournament later on, and that's about it, not much else going on. It doesn't help that first years like Damien seem to have one class and just that one class, with is battle training, so that limits things. And the school is so weird. It's as big as a town, it has portals to go places, and said portals make people sick with how jarring the teleportation is; the cafeteria is stocked with all sorts of food, but the only free meal is essentially vomit on a plate, and the student dorms are nothing but dark small caves with two beds, a sink and a shower, and nothing else; any additions like a curtain for the shower or even a door or a way of illumination during the evening must be added by the students themselves. Feels like such a subpar school at best for a first year. That and each student has a companion, like Damien has Henry, which is what helps them do magic, but we never actualy meet or even see these companions other than Henry. And then there's a number of grammar mistakes too.
I'd say the saving grace of the book is the characters. Damien is a fairly likable protagonist and works hard for his goals, and his roommate and new friend Sylph starts aloof but gets better as the story progresses. Their teacher is a tough but entertaining drill sergeant type, and even fellow students like Mark, Nolan, Reena and Loretta are good enough characters who show engaging personalities, with Nolan and Reena specially getting a nice bit of character development. But of course, it's Henry who steals the show. We get to learn of Henry's goals, but then Henry gets his own development that is quite engaging, and he's also very snarky and humorous, always getting the best lines of dialogue.
Overalls, this is a flawed book, especially as the beginning of a series, but the characters made it engaging enough that I'm curious to see what comes next, so I'll be checking the next book out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2023
All Damien Vale has ever wanted was to learn magic. Hating that he couldn't summon a companion at a young age, he did so at 13 without training or supervision and received an eldritch horror. Henry, as It Who Heralds The End Of All Light likes to be called, slept for the next four years and emerged as Damien started his first year at Blackmist, one of the realm's mage academies. Damien must keep Henry a secret or risk both their lives, but letting Henry exist at all risks the entire mortal plane. Damien just wants to learn magic, but the weight of everything hangs over him along with surviving the first year of school.
This was a fantastic start to a YA fantasy series that has a fun and unique premise. I was attracted to the book because of the promise of an eldritch horror as a "best friend," and I was not disappointed. The Old Ones or elder gods or Void creatures are very Lovecraftian, but to keep Damien's sanity, the persona of Henry emerged and that is what Damien interacts with. And since Damien is a teenager, it is also how Henry acts, which amuses me greatly. A teenage eldritch horror! Damien is a clever and determined character, and despite everything he's dealing with, he just wants to learn magic. He pushes himself to his limits in repetitive use of spells to train and how to draw or cultivate magic as well as physical training. Henry helps him along, because he, too, wants to learn the things he doesn't know. I love the cast of characters. Damien's roommate, Slyph is my favorite, but I like Mark the wild boy and Delph the relentless professor too. There aren't any petty teenage school tropes which I'm so thankful for. There are also different types of magic compared to other books in the genre. Not just Dark and Light or the other elements, but Sky, Space, and Void. It's not a fast-paced story, but it doesn't linger either. I'll be picking up the other books in the series and see where Damien and Henry's journey takes us next.
This was a fantastic start to a YA fantasy series that has a fun and unique premise. I was attracted to the book because of the promise of an eldritch horror as a "best friend," and I was not disappointed. The Old Ones or elder gods or Void creatures are very Lovecraftian, but to keep Damien's sanity, the persona of Henry emerged and that is what Damien interacts with. And since Damien is a teenager, it is also how Henry acts, which amuses me greatly. A teenage eldritch horror! Damien is a clever and determined character, and despite everything he's dealing with, he just wants to learn magic. He pushes himself to his limits in repetitive use of spells to train and how to draw or cultivate magic as well as physical training. Henry helps him along, because he, too, wants to learn the things he doesn't know. I love the cast of characters. Damien's roommate, Slyph is my favorite, but I like Mark the wild boy and Delph the relentless professor too. There aren't any petty teenage school tropes which I'm so thankful for. There are also different types of magic compared to other books in the genre. Not just Dark and Light or the other elements, but Sky, Space, and Void. It's not a fast-paced story, but it doesn't linger either. I'll be picking up the other books in the series and see where Damien and Henry's journey takes us next.
September 20, 2025
pretty good
I really enjoyed the story but I think a lot of that might be due to a great narrator for the audiobook. What I liked is that the magic system is cool. The characters were interesting and the idea of binding an eldritch horror as your companion is great.
What’s not as great is nothing feels very fleshed out and not everything makes sense to me. First, everyone had a companion yet you don’t learn about a single normal companion nor does one ever leave their summoner. They clearly can as described in the story and yet no one ever does.
Forcing students to go to a random school there first year just seems dumb and like a plot device without a valid reason given. Also the college seems to suck. The free meal is apparently so bad that no one will eat it (except the Mc of course) which doesn’t make sense to me. Like sure maybe you want to force them to hunt their own food or something, but seems arbitrary. Same with the crappy rooms without a door. And the classes were just one, combat which makes it feel like not a real school. It’s hinted that additional classes will happen now that they are ranked. But again this just feels like an arbitrary plot device. And I think they are only adding one class per student that is assigned not chosen.
There is very little drama while at school. He doesn’t have conflict with any students or any teachers, it’s just smooth sailing for the most part. Nothing wrong with that, just feels like a missed opportunity. Turning Nolan into a boot licker just because Damien had a strong result from the test was a bit disappointing. Never got that moment of a bully getting put in there place, which sure is a cliche, but it’s done a lot for a reason. It’s interesting.
I really did like the story despite my complaints. Hope the story gets more fleshed out in the next books.
I really enjoyed the story but I think a lot of that might be due to a great narrator for the audiobook. What I liked is that the magic system is cool. The characters were interesting and the idea of binding an eldritch horror as your companion is great.
What’s not as great is nothing feels very fleshed out and not everything makes sense to me. First, everyone had a companion yet you don’t learn about a single normal companion nor does one ever leave their summoner. They clearly can as described in the story and yet no one ever does.
Forcing students to go to a random school there first year just seems dumb and like a plot device without a valid reason given. Also the college seems to suck. The free meal is apparently so bad that no one will eat it (except the Mc of course) which doesn’t make sense to me. Like sure maybe you want to force them to hunt their own food or something, but seems arbitrary. Same with the crappy rooms without a door. And the classes were just one, combat which makes it feel like not a real school. It’s hinted that additional classes will happen now that they are ranked. But again this just feels like an arbitrary plot device. And I think they are only adding one class per student that is assigned not chosen.
There is very little drama while at school. He doesn’t have conflict with any students or any teachers, it’s just smooth sailing for the most part. Nothing wrong with that, just feels like a missed opportunity. Turning Nolan into a boot licker just because Damien had a strong result from the test was a bit disappointing. Never got that moment of a bully getting put in there place, which sure is a cliche, but it’s done a lot for a reason. It’s interesting.
I really did like the story despite my complaints. Hope the story gets more fleshed out in the next books.
July 27, 2023
Not a litrpg and not a magical school series.
Good YA Progression fantasy.
This is...not what I was expecting but it was also a fun read.
There are basically no real litrpg mechanics besides some stats that don't matter - the hesitantly called 'system' is a observational/passive view rather than an active provider of stats. The numerical stats themselves do not have clear effects and could be removed entirely without change to the story. They don't hurt it but due to the way stats are shown (a pasted status sheet every few chapters without a visible way of seeing what changed) I find myself skipping over them. If the stats had more effect I'd have preferred a endurance 0.3->0.45 style system instead.
On the magic school side there certainly are a few vibes - more mage errant than harry potter but the vibes are there. The reason it doesn't feel like a magic school despite its location and vibes is because there is only one class in the first book (combat class) and a second as of book 2-3.
The only class the students are taking is combat and physical training. That being said...the story is still fun. The combat is well written - lots of fun spells used in rapid succession with good descriptions.
I liked it much better than similar stories and I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
Good YA Progression fantasy.
This is...not what I was expecting but it was also a fun read.
There are basically no real litrpg mechanics besides some stats that don't matter - the hesitantly called 'system' is a observational/passive view rather than an active provider of stats. The numerical stats themselves do not have clear effects and could be removed entirely without change to the story. They don't hurt it but due to the way stats are shown (a pasted status sheet every few chapters without a visible way of seeing what changed) I find myself skipping over them. If the stats had more effect I'd have preferred a endurance 0.3->0.45 style system instead.
On the magic school side there certainly are a few vibes - more mage errant than harry potter but the vibes are there. The reason it doesn't feel like a magic school despite its location and vibes is because there is only one class in the first book (combat class) and a second as of book 2-3.
The only class the students are taking is combat and physical training. That being said...the story is still fun. The combat is well written - lots of fun spells used in rapid succession with good descriptions.
I liked it much better than similar stories and I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
January 27, 2025
This review is based on the entire six book series rather than just the first book. This is a YA fantasy series set in a fantasy world where magicians summon companions for themselves and a teenage boy inadvertently summons a void creature that wants to end the world. He has to make a contract to keep it under control and also not let anyone know about the type of his companion. This book and series is a mix of low stakes slice of life focused mainly on a magic school and high stakes conflicts with the world at stake. The magic school felt more like a combat school as that seemed to be the focus. The humor was OK but the Delph character was a little annoying at times. Romance was very light and chaste. The pacing was OK but the series did drag for me at times which may be due more to the YA. The ending of the series was mostly satisfying. I'm going to rate all the books as 4 stars to help counterbalance the Goodreads rating system that hurts indie authors but if I was being honest this would probably be a 3 star series for me.
I personally would not consider this series to be LitRPG but perhaps only light progression at best. There is no system but there is a mild "numbers go up" mechanic that comes from bracelets provided by the magic school. However, I can't say I know all the categories or types of LitRPG so maybe I'm wrong.
I personally would not consider this series to be LitRPG but perhaps only light progression at best. There is no system but there is a mild "numbers go up" mechanic that comes from bracelets provided by the magic school. However, I can't say I know all the categories or types of LitRPG so maybe I'm wrong.
October 19, 2022
Eldritch hurrah!
Overall this book was well written and enjoyable. There are a few editorial mistakes (most frequently was extraneous words in sentences or characters being referred to by the wrong name: the MC's name is Damien and he's called Dorian for one chapter early on... took me a bit to figure out there wasn't a new character randomly popping into the scene)).
It's a pretty good progression fantasy; the MC bonds to an OP familiar (the eldritch horror) but the author manages to avoid the instantly-over-powered trope and while the MC still has many advantages there are some very real risks he has to avoid as well. The LitRPG elements are extremely light...they show up only as a stat sheet for the MC as a way of tracking progress and without any reference (i.e. the reader is not told if 5 is an average number or if there's a max, etc.).
Plot wise, there are some macro level antagonists at a global level, but very few posing a direct conflict with the MC personally. Hopefully things shake up in future installments and this book is intended more as an introduction to the characters and world/setting.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and will pick up a sequel when it drops.
Overall this book was well written and enjoyable. There are a few editorial mistakes (most frequently was extraneous words in sentences or characters being referred to by the wrong name: the MC's name is Damien and he's called Dorian for one chapter early on... took me a bit to figure out there wasn't a new character randomly popping into the scene)).
It's a pretty good progression fantasy; the MC bonds to an OP familiar (the eldritch horror) but the author manages to avoid the instantly-over-powered trope and while the MC still has many advantages there are some very real risks he has to avoid as well. The LitRPG elements are extremely light...they show up only as a stat sheet for the MC as a way of tracking progress and without any reference (i.e. the reader is not told if 5 is an average number or if there's a max, etc.).
Plot wise, there are some macro level antagonists at a global level, but very few posing a direct conflict with the MC personally. Hopefully things shake up in future installments and this book is intended more as an introduction to the characters and world/setting.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and will pick up a sequel when it drops.
January 8, 2023
Calling this an litrpg adventure feels like an insult to litrpg fans. I wish authors would stop doing this. It feels like the worst kind of clickbait.
I mean, there is a device they can check their stats, and they do throughout the story. However, it was very badly done. The MC would just go "I wonder how I've improved", look at the stats and go "oh wow I've improved a lot". And then move on. And honestly, when the numbers are going from 0.4 to 0.9 and 12 to 13, I ain't going to remember that on a stat screen.
Only once or twice did the MC mention WHAT improved, but never talked about "oh I went from an 0.4 in x to 0.9, that's not bad.. and should increase my.." or whatever. It wasn't part of the narrative. The story would loose literally nothing by removing that stat screen and instead feeling the aether pool or whatever. But then, they'd need to talk about it wouldn't they?
And that really sucks, because if the book didn't have "LitRPG adventure" in the title, I'd have enjoyed these two books a lot more than I did. It would be a great slice of life, slow paced, progression fantasy.
It also makes me hesitant to read any of the authors other books. They all got LitRPG adventure in the title.
I mean, there is a device they can check their stats, and they do throughout the story. However, it was very badly done. The MC would just go "I wonder how I've improved", look at the stats and go "oh wow I've improved a lot". And then move on. And honestly, when the numbers are going from 0.4 to 0.9 and 12 to 13, I ain't going to remember that on a stat screen.
Only once or twice did the MC mention WHAT improved, but never talked about "oh I went from an 0.4 in x to 0.9, that's not bad.. and should increase my.." or whatever. It wasn't part of the narrative. The story would loose literally nothing by removing that stat screen and instead feeling the aether pool or whatever. But then, they'd need to talk about it wouldn't they?
And that really sucks, because if the book didn't have "LitRPG adventure" in the title, I'd have enjoyed these two books a lot more than I did. It would be a great slice of life, slow paced, progression fantasy.
It also makes me hesitant to read any of the authors other books. They all got LitRPG adventure in the title.
April 12, 2024
I was craving for a magical academy book and this one was satisfactory on that front. I especially liked the idea of portals and other magical stuff being used to make things easier for students and staff alike. I even liked the weird accommodation arrangement, where students were free to modify them to suit their needs. However, the food thing didn't make sense - it was okay to make it paid and the cost didn't even seem expensive, but it's just bizarre to expect those without the means to put up with the gross free meal (I think it was there more for the humor/weird aspect, but it was jarring for me). Also, it might not be the norm across the different schools, but main character's mom not preparing him for such things was kinda odd.
My other main complaint was about the Eldritch Horror, but the second half improved that situation. So, I'll just go with the flow and not think too much about it. Overall, the book was mostly a fun read despite the ever present danger. The worldbuilding was light on some important details, but I suppose that'd be touched upon in the sequels.
My other main complaint was about the Eldritch Horror, but the second half improved that situation. So, I'll just go with the flow and not think too much about it. Overall, the book was mostly a fun read despite the ever present danger. The worldbuilding was light on some important details, but I suppose that'd be touched upon in the sequels.
November 13, 2024
"Blackmist" is the first novel in the Eldritch Horror series and what a great start! Damien is a smart young kid, who also happens to be quite impatient. Well aren't we all. But his impatience ends up having consequences. While performing a summoning for a familiar he ends up calling a Void creature. This Eldritch Horror is truly powerful and seeing that he is in the mortal plain of existence decides not to kill Damien but use him in order to stay. Damien did make a mistake but he had backup which fouls the Horror's idea. The Horror calls itself "Henry" and they end up making a deal or truce. Damien gets to live and to grow and to learn. While Henry assist him and explores this mortal plain fully. Once Damien enters the Academy things turn interesting. Henry has his ideas about learning and encounters that both of them were used that fateful day!
October 4, 2022
I picked this book up because I've enjoyed books by Actus before, and I'm waiting for next book in the Morcster Chef series! But I found that Blackmist was soooooooo Damn Good that now I hafta wait for the next book in this series 😶😆. Of course Peter Berkrot voice narration is on par-excellent!
The book starts when Damien (MC) accidently summons an eldritch horror and they slowly but surely develop a working (and perhaps even friendly!) relationship. The book is kinda an awesome slice-of-life, mixed with a magic school (having a Harry Potter-esk feel, except with an eldritch horror familiar).
I wouldn't even classify it as a YA. It is YA but it doesn't exhibit any of the classic tropes usually found this genre!
There is so much action that you'll be engaged thoughout the entire book. So yeah once you start you may find that you can't put it down, repeating to yourself "Just 1 more chapter over and over!" LOLOL
So pick-up not only Blackmist but try the Morcster Chef as well and then you'll find yourself in the same boat! 😆
The book starts when Damien (MC) accidently summons an eldritch horror and they slowly but surely develop a working (and perhaps even friendly!) relationship. The book is kinda an awesome slice-of-life, mixed with a magic school (having a Harry Potter-esk feel, except with an eldritch horror familiar).
I wouldn't even classify it as a YA. It is YA but it doesn't exhibit any of the classic tropes usually found this genre!
There is so much action that you'll be engaged thoughout the entire book. So yeah once you start you may find that you can't put it down, repeating to yourself "Just 1 more chapter over and over!" LOLOL
So pick-up not only Blackmist but try the Morcster Chef as well and then you'll find yourself in the same boat! 😆
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