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Overpowered Dungeon Boy #1
Overpowered Dungeon Boy: Book One
A romping fast-paced fantasy adventure with a ridiculously overpowered main character in the trope of Shrek and One Punch Man.
Book One of a completed duology.
A monster dungeon is all Thomas has ever known. After all, he was born there. Now, at age 14, he’s been solo-clearing all 100 floors of the dungeon for years. The last of his family and friends are about to die off as an eternal void beast tirelessly pursues them. Will they ever escape?
Thomas’ strength is unparalleled, but what does it matter when you’re trapped in an endlessly repeating prison? He would love nothing more than to see the sky for the very first time and find a safe place to settle down. Fate has much more in mind, but her best efforts only go so far when it comes to the overpowered dungeon boy.
Meanwhile, Nell Windborn lives in a tiny village, clustered on the side of the hundred-league-tall cliff. When the villagers run out of water, they attempt a daring plan, only for their best-laid plans to go awry. Nell can’t save them alone, but maybe she won’t have to, as strange new visitors drop from the sky.
Book One of a completed duology.
A monster dungeon is all Thomas has ever known. After all, he was born there. Now, at age 14, he’s been solo-clearing all 100 floors of the dungeon for years. The last of his family and friends are about to die off as an eternal void beast tirelessly pursues them. Will they ever escape?
Thomas’ strength is unparalleled, but what does it matter when you’re trapped in an endlessly repeating prison? He would love nothing more than to see the sky for the very first time and find a safe place to settle down. Fate has much more in mind, but her best efforts only go so far when it comes to the overpowered dungeon boy.
Meanwhile, Nell Windborn lives in a tiny village, clustered on the side of the hundred-league-tall cliff. When the villagers run out of water, they attempt a daring plan, only for their best-laid plans to go awry. Nell can’t save them alone, but maybe she won’t have to, as strange new visitors drop from the sky.
- GenresFantasy
Audible Audio
First published May 18, 2023
451 people are currently reading
552 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin Barreth
5 books22 followersHi, I’m Ben. I live in Kansas City with my wife and three kids. I’m a software developer for CarePortal and I strive to reflect Jesus with my life. I write fantasy stories that are fun, fast-paced, and full of adventure.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
July 16, 2023
This book is a good example of why I struggle with multiple point-of-view characters. The story never got off the ground and I finally had to call it quits just shy of the 20% mark (60~ pages).
I usually expect a book to grab me in the first couple of chapters in some fashion. Instead, this book had what felt like three separate prologues. There were multiple pov characters and each of them was in a different location and got a bunch of exposition with establishing scenes.
The writing was fairly clean, aside from a wordy overreliance on adverbs and a failure to capitalize proper nouns. This is a flaw that seems to be more and more prevalent with self-published authors.
Putting the proofreading and grammar aside, the author writes as if he's making scenes for a television show. He gives lots of attention to specific small movements so the reader can really visualize every little flourish. Kudos in the sense that this level of visual description flowed smoothly and didn't get in the way of my imagination. But at the end of the day, it bogged scenes down by being overly descriptive for things that actually didn't matter much. Just because something might look cool visually doesn't mean it's impactful to the scene or story. This overly descriptive writing had the side-effect of making "exciting" action scenes feel boring.
Nearly all of the dialogue was expositional as well and came in the form of As you know Bob, yada, yada, yada... conversations purely for the reader's benefit. The book attempted to justify these conversations by setting our main pov as a boy raised in a dungeon with his exiled father. But the kid is 14 years old, so there was plenty of time to have any of these conversations before the current point in time. So if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's still an As you know Bob.
I started skimming, hoping that the story would show signs of movement, but instead I only got two more pov characters. This book wasn't for me.
I usually expect a book to grab me in the first couple of chapters in some fashion. Instead, this book had what felt like three separate prologues. There were multiple pov characters and each of them was in a different location and got a bunch of exposition with establishing scenes.
The writing was fairly clean, aside from a wordy overreliance on adverbs and a failure to capitalize proper nouns. This is a flaw that seems to be more and more prevalent with self-published authors.
Putting the proofreading and grammar aside, the author writes as if he's making scenes for a television show. He gives lots of attention to specific small movements so the reader can really visualize every little flourish. Kudos in the sense that this level of visual description flowed smoothly and didn't get in the way of my imagination. But at the end of the day, it bogged scenes down by being overly descriptive for things that actually didn't matter much. Just because something might look cool visually doesn't mean it's impactful to the scene or story. This overly descriptive writing had the side-effect of making "exciting" action scenes feel boring.
Nearly all of the dialogue was expositional as well and came in the form of As you know Bob, yada, yada, yada... conversations purely for the reader's benefit. The book attempted to justify these conversations by setting our main pov as a boy raised in a dungeon with his exiled father. But the kid is 14 years old, so there was plenty of time to have any of these conversations before the current point in time. So if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's still an As you know Bob.
I started skimming, hoping that the story would show signs of movement, but instead I only got two more pov characters. This book wasn't for me.
June 29, 2023
Book one
This book just couldn't hold my attention. After days of picking it up and then putting it back down, I'm giving this one up as a lost cause.
I'm going to give it two stars because there wasn't anything really wrong with the writing that I saw. This book just wasn't for me I guess.
This book just couldn't hold my attention. After days of picking it up and then putting it back down, I'm giving this one up as a lost cause.
I'm going to give it two stars because there wasn't anything really wrong with the writing that I saw. This book just wasn't for me I guess.
July 17, 2023
Slow and confusing start but worth the read
A lot of holes in the story as you go through time and characters in the beginning but everything starts to make sense towards the middle.
Love Gina; definitely the best character.
Thomas' story after dungeon life is very similar to One Punch Man.
A lot of holes in the story as you go through time and characters in the beginning but everything starts to make sense towards the middle.
Love Gina; definitely the best character.
Thomas' story after dungeon life is very similar to One Punch Man.
September 3, 2023
4.5 stars. I quite liked it, and there is some real humour in spots, but it suffers from too many POV. It does a better job of managing that than a lot of books, and you can see how some of these characters are going to come together.
The MC is indeed OP, and that is a tricky concept to execute well. His backstory justifies his overall precociousness (he's 15 at the end of the book) and he doesn't have a 100% handle on his abilities which provides a bit of balance. I will say that his power level is proportional to the scale of the threat in the outside world, so it's not going to be a cakewalk for the "good guys". On to book 2, so we'll see where this goes. Hopefully less POV-hopping.
The MC is indeed OP, and that is a tricky concept to execute well. His backstory justifies his overall precociousness (he's 15 at the end of the book) and he doesn't have a 100% handle on his abilities which provides a bit of balance. I will say that his power level is proportional to the scale of the threat in the outside world, so it's not going to be a cakewalk for the "good guys". On to book 2, so we'll see where this goes. Hopefully less POV-hopping.
December 28, 2023
If you can get beyond the fact that this story is told by the seat of the author's pants (that lacks a main theme and lacks proper story arcs), it is a really good YA (Young Adult) Fantasy-Dungeon-Delving Story. There is a part in this first book that is narrated twice (When Dungeon-ina/Gina transforms into a Space-Bag-all-powerful-side-kick-dog...
It's creative, entertaining and tries to be funny (with p*nis and testicle jokes). It is short for all of the content that it covers. Because there are Six-Eight different stories told at the same time (From the Elf Monarchy, from the nobles, from Thoma's perspective, the different Gods, etc. etc. etc.) there are too many things happening at once and no common thread to bind the story together (Lacks cohesion).
This first book and the series do not have maps, no inside illustrations, no character summaries. The Dungeon and World descriptions are above average, but there is still little to no (Geopolitical, Geographical, Religious, Social, Economic, etc. descriptions of the systems in place in this fantasy other world. For example, the languages they speak, the currency (legal tender) they use, the food common in those places, the religion(s) that they follow, the political power in place, the geographical delineations of the territories, etc.
Because Thomas is a 15 year-old orphan, there are several instances where the author hints that Thomas might be interested in an elf (the thing is they are centuries old) and because of this, Thomas might need therapy, to treat a possible Elektra syndrome (into ancient women) (to replace his missing Mom), etc....
It's creative, entertaining and tries to be funny (with p*nis and testicle jokes). It is short for all of the content that it covers. Because there are Six-Eight different stories told at the same time (From the Elf Monarchy, from the nobles, from Thoma's perspective, the different Gods, etc. etc. etc.) there are too many things happening at once and no common thread to bind the story together (Lacks cohesion).
This first book and the series do not have maps, no inside illustrations, no character summaries. The Dungeon and World descriptions are above average, but there is still little to no (Geopolitical, Geographical, Religious, Social, Economic, etc. descriptions of the systems in place in this fantasy other world. For example, the languages they speak, the currency (legal tender) they use, the food common in those places, the religion(s) that they follow, the political power in place, the geographical delineations of the territories, etc.
Because Thomas is a 15 year-old orphan, there are several instances where the author hints that Thomas might be interested in an elf (the thing is they are centuries old) and because of this, Thomas might need therapy, to treat a possible Elektra syndrome (into ancient women) (to replace his missing Mom), etc....
March 17, 2024
good, well edited, YA
It’s a bit silly in some aspects, but I guess that comes from the YA framing, and I don’t really mind a magical dog that turned into a bag of holding but is still sort of a dog.
If there is still a king in this world, I’m wondering where he is because the evil wizard seems to be in charge of everything.
Something that I find sadly refreshing, is how well edited this is. So many books these days, even books by talented authors, aren’t. It flows very nicely.
There are a lot of out of place phrases, and a few words, from our world that these people really shouldn’t know about. The one that comes to mind most, and I have complained about this in reviews for other books, is the overused word “clue”. It’s a word from Greek history that other cultures who aren’t from earth just shouldn’t have.
It’s a bit silly in some aspects, but I guess that comes from the YA framing, and I don’t really mind a magical dog that turned into a bag of holding but is still sort of a dog.
If there is still a king in this world, I’m wondering where he is because the evil wizard seems to be in charge of everything.
Something that I find sadly refreshing, is how well edited this is. So many books these days, even books by talented authors, aren’t. It flows very nicely.
There are a lot of out of place phrases, and a few words, from our world that these people really shouldn’t know about. The one that comes to mind most, and I have complained about this in reviews for other books, is the overused word “clue”. It’s a word from Greek history that other cultures who aren’t from earth just shouldn’t have.
August 23, 2023
[Comments refer to both volumes of this story, which is complete after book two.]
Super-strong Thomas, raised in a dungeon, goes on adventures in a world where most people are much, much weaker.
It's a quick, enjoyable read, but I wouldn't necessarily call it "light-hearted"; the best point of comparison might be horror-comedy. The world is pretty grim -- we meet one of the other POV characters trying to escape from someone who kidnaps children to drain their blood -- and much of the comedy comes from Thomas casually, gorily dispatching the threat which has just dismembered a disposable side-character. Some readers are going to experience tonal whiplash.
Good pacing, fun characters, and nice for one of these stories to be so self-contained instead of dragging on forever.
Super-strong Thomas, raised in a dungeon, goes on adventures in a world where most people are much, much weaker.
It's a quick, enjoyable read, but I wouldn't necessarily call it "light-hearted"; the best point of comparison might be horror-comedy. The world is pretty grim -- we meet one of the other POV characters trying to escape from someone who kidnaps children to drain their blood -- and much of the comedy comes from Thomas casually, gorily dispatching the threat which has just dismembered a disposable side-character. Some readers are going to experience tonal whiplash.
Good pacing, fun characters, and nice for one of these stories to be so self-contained instead of dragging on forever.
August 14, 2023
With a book title like that, I went in hoping for a fun, quick read and that's what I got. Although, the initial few chapters didn't really draw me in. The odd humor really seemed out of place, but as I kept reading, it did make a bit of sense. What really got me hooked was the introduction of Gina (pet companion, who is overpowered too :D), Nell (and her village) and a few more side characters as the story progressed. The main character Thomas took me a while to appreciate.
There was a refreshing rejection of world-level quest by Thomas. But it didn't last, as he's still heading towards it by the end of the book.
There was a refreshing rejection of world-level quest by Thomas. But it didn't last, as he's still heading towards it by the end of the book.
August 21, 2023
overpowered dungeon, boy, good book, good world building, likable, characters
How could you not love this book, an overpowered MC. That’s the best. Great character development, good pacing, as well as good world building. Most of the characters are likable, except for the nerdy soldier boy. The only issue I have with the story is there should’ve been more fighting with the MC once he reached the outside world. Good book will read the next one in the series, the story is quite refreshing. Not many stats in fact, no stats. Don’t know if any will be introduced in the next books in the series or not but the book is well worth the read.
How could you not love this book, an overpowered MC. That’s the best. Great character development, good pacing, as well as good world building. Most of the characters are likable, except for the nerdy soldier boy. The only issue I have with the story is there should’ve been more fighting with the MC once he reached the outside world. Good book will read the next one in the series, the story is quite refreshing. Not many stats in fact, no stats. Don’t know if any will be introduced in the next books in the series or not but the book is well worth the read.
February 16, 2024
Whoa! That Was GOOD!!
I was pleasantly surprised at how good this book is!
High stakes, an evil mage, monsters, magic, and an over powered character... what more do you need?
The story is a little mix of fantasy and sci-fi. The setting is certainly fantasy, but the adventure and magical abilities read like the powers/abilities seen in video games.
Thomas has grown up in a dungeon, so seeing him interact with the outside world is entertaining. The people he meets are well developed in their own way, and the plot is well driven.
No unnecessary nude scenes or rude language, this book is a great adventure for young readers to enjoy!
I look forward to book 2!
Christa
I was pleasantly surprised at how good this book is!
High stakes, an evil mage, monsters, magic, and an over powered character... what more do you need?
The story is a little mix of fantasy and sci-fi. The setting is certainly fantasy, but the adventure and magical abilities read like the powers/abilities seen in video games.
Thomas has grown up in a dungeon, so seeing him interact with the outside world is entertaining. The people he meets are well developed in their own way, and the plot is well driven.
No unnecessary nude scenes or rude language, this book is a great adventure for young readers to enjoy!
I look forward to book 2!
Christa
September 5, 2024
This book is true to its title. If OP protagonist are not your thing then you should avoid.
The tone is light. In fact, the book could be classed as middle-grade. With likeable characters and a sufficiently evil antagonist, the plot chugs along at a good pace.
The magic system is all over the place and inconsistent at several points. (Does he need ambient mana or not?). But it makes little difference to the readers enjoyment. The world-building is mostly undefined (in book one) but it becomes clear that the current civilization arose after some kind of apocalypse.
The book is short and I was happy to continue with book two.
The tone is light. In fact, the book could be classed as middle-grade. With likeable characters and a sufficiently evil antagonist, the plot chugs along at a good pace.
The magic system is all over the place and inconsistent at several points. (Does he need ambient mana or not?). But it makes little difference to the readers enjoyment. The world-building is mostly undefined (in book one) but it becomes clear that the current civilization arose after some kind of apocalypse.
The book is short and I was happy to continue with book two.
June 30, 2023
Very good
Very good job of weaving multiple plot lines into one cohesive story. Each plot line has complete characters with believable motivations and enough detail to be a story on i's own, but it becomes more than the sum of its parts as a whole. The grammar and pacing are exceptional... I ended up reading the whole story in an afternoon. The only downside is that there isn't any real conclusion in this book... it obviously is book 1 of a series.
Can't wait for the next installment.
Very good job of weaving multiple plot lines into one cohesive story. Each plot line has complete characters with believable motivations and enough detail to be a story on i's own, but it becomes more than the sum of its parts as a whole. The grammar and pacing are exceptional... I ended up reading the whole story in an afternoon. The only downside is that there isn't any real conclusion in this book... it obviously is book 1 of a series.
Can't wait for the next installment.
October 9, 2023
came out of left field
The thing about these stories is that it’s always the same material and archetypes reused over and over. That’s what makes it a genre.
But what separates this book from the rest is it’s heart. It taps into this special mythical vein of the likes like the Jungle Book and it’s emotionally unflinching and grounded with how some of the characters handle their situations.
Definitely among my top 10 series of the dozens of books I’ve read this year. It’s worth diving into.
The thing about these stories is that it’s always the same material and archetypes reused over and over. That’s what makes it a genre.
But what separates this book from the rest is it’s heart. It taps into this special mythical vein of the likes like the Jungle Book and it’s emotionally unflinching and grounded with how some of the characters handle their situations.
Definitely among my top 10 series of the dozens of books I’ve read this year. It’s worth diving into.
September 21, 2025
What YA fantasy adventure books should be!
This is a YA read that's so enjoyable. It reminds me of a bloodier Taran Wanderer series. His characters are exquisitely crafted and remind me of the care and feeding that Drew Hayes puts into his creations. Kudos to you Ben.
Compelling characters couple with a can't-put -it-down narrative makes for a weekend of reading fun like I haven't had in some time!
I just discovered Benjamin Barreth a few days ago and have already burned through two of his books. I can't wait to dive into the test of his catalogue. Part two is next!
This is a YA read that's so enjoyable. It reminds me of a bloodier Taran Wanderer series. His characters are exquisitely crafted and remind me of the care and feeding that Drew Hayes puts into his creations. Kudos to you Ben.
Compelling characters couple with a can't-put -it-down narrative makes for a weekend of reading fun like I haven't had in some time!
I just discovered Benjamin Barreth a few days ago and have already burned through two of his books. I can't wait to dive into the test of his catalogue. Part two is next!
July 26, 2023
Ok thats different
Mega OP but kinda fun. MC Can't be touched by fate or her sisters the because the MC is dungeon born. Good story premise but sad beginning. I would think the MC would want revenge a little more than he does but hes getting there. I'm intrigued about the mana core\sole crystal duality and its long term story effect. This could be fun switching people from one to another. So looking forward to next book.
Mega OP but kinda fun. MC Can't be touched by fate or her sisters the because the MC is dungeon born. Good story premise but sad beginning. I would think the MC would want revenge a little more than he does but hes getting there. I'm intrigued about the mana core\sole crystal duality and its long term story effect. This could be fun switching people from one to another. So looking forward to next book.
November 14, 2023
This is a captivating fantasy adventure reminiscent of "One Punch Man," featuring Thomas, a young and incredibly powerful boy raised in a monster-filled dungeon. His journey is an exciting blend of challenges and aspirations to explore a world he's only heard stories of. Ideal for fantasy enthusiasts, this book skillfully combines action, suspense, and emotional depth. With its vivid storytelling and engaging characters, it stands out as a really fun, light, and easy read, perfect for a delightful weekend escape.
August 2, 2023
Dungeon Boy Difficulties
Hey, he's not exactly One Punch Man, though he is able to resolve issues fairly quick. Dungeon Boy comes from an unexpected place with unexpected accessories, isn't trying to do amazing things and is easily misunderstood. He IS... pretty much just trying to figure out what's happening. It's a tale of mutual consternation. Write MORE Benjamin, MORE I tell you!
Hey, he's not exactly One Punch Man, though he is able to resolve issues fairly quick. Dungeon Boy comes from an unexpected place with unexpected accessories, isn't trying to do amazing things and is easily misunderstood. He IS... pretty much just trying to figure out what's happening. It's a tale of mutual consternation. Write MORE Benjamin, MORE I tell you!
August 14, 2023
Decent, but distracted
Pretty much everything about the structure of the prose was great. Well written, believable and engaging characters. However, the multi-povs too so long to come together it started distracting from the plot of the book. Hopefully it's not at a place that the second book will be less split.
Pretty much everything about the structure of the prose was great. Well written, believable and engaging characters. However, the multi-povs too so long to come together it started distracting from the plot of the book. Hopefully it's not at a place that the second book will be less split.
January 27, 2024
Refreshing Read
Finally an author that can write with a strong main character. None of this weak main character taking forever to go through self doubt and finally break through. I like Thomas, done the hard yards in the dungeon, doesn't fit into any box and has a good heart. Personifying the goddesses was a nice twist and making Thomas immune. Look forward to the next book.
Finally an author that can write with a strong main character. None of this weak main character taking forever to go through self doubt and finally break through. I like Thomas, done the hard yards in the dungeon, doesn't fit into any box and has a good heart. Personifying the goddesses was a nice twist and making Thomas immune. Look forward to the next book.
June 21, 2023
Great read!!!
I love the characters, they all have lived such heartbreaking lives you really feel for them. I cannot wait for the next one. This is one of the best books I have read in quite some time.
I love the characters, they all have lived such heartbreaking lives you really feel for them. I cannot wait for the next one. This is one of the best books I have read in quite some time.
July 4, 2023
A very good read try it
A very good read the story is excellent the telling is very compelling and addictive I enjoyed this book and can only recommend it to anyone who like s this genre now looking forward to the next one in this set.
A very good read the story is excellent the telling is very compelling and addictive I enjoyed this book and can only recommend it to anyone who like s this genre now looking forward to the next one in this set.
July 12, 2023
Excellent start!
Characterization is good, I love that Karma, Fate, Chance and Luck are all represented! Thomas is an interesting guy and I'm really looking forward to watching his growth.
Characterization is good, I love that Karma, Fate, Chance and Luck are all represented! Thomas is an interesting guy and I'm really looking forward to watching his growth.
July 13, 2023
Exciting story
I liked the magic and all the action. The fighting was intense and the characters were interesting too. Although the main character was overpowered, he doesn't have an attitude.
I would recommend this book.
I liked the magic and all the action. The fighting was intense and the characters were interesting too. Although the main character was overpowered, he doesn't have an attitude.
I would recommend this book.
July 17, 2023
Very good read
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who like LitRPG and progression type of books with over powered MC funny situations and an excellent time.
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who like LitRPG and progression type of books with over powered MC funny situations and an excellent time.
July 28, 2023
Great new series! I will definitely be following this author
Interesting magic system. I haven't found a character I hate yet except maybe the main protagonist. Can't wait to see where two takes the story.
Interesting magic system. I haven't found a character I hate yet except maybe the main protagonist. Can't wait to see where two takes the story.
July 28, 2023
An absolute blast
This book was a very fun read. It's like Derek from the System Universe series got trapped in the body of a 15 y/o boy without all the cynicism.
It's well worth the read.
Highly recommended.
This book was a very fun read. It's like Derek from the System Universe series got trapped in the body of a 15 y/o boy without all the cynicism.
It's well worth the read.
Highly recommended.
August 8, 2023
This simplistic and predictable OP MC tale is saved by its humor and pacing and was surprisingly fun to read relative to other soft LitRPG. Definitely recommended if the blurb sounds like something you're interested in.
August 14, 2023
There are more than a few clunky bits in the book, but the inventive (often delightfully weird) choices sprinkled throughout add a lot of charm. I liked how the OP character was exuberant and honorable—my kind of power fantasy. I’m going to read book two to see where it goes. 2.75
September 1, 2023
growing MC
The story is wobderful. An MC growing not inpower but maturity. I like the viewpoint and the cast of characters. It also helps that its a finished story with no room for fillers.
The story is wobderful. An MC growing not inpower but maturity. I like the viewpoint and the cast of characters. It also helps that its a finished story with no room for fillers.
September 2, 2023
Oof
Really had a hard time getting into this. Author starts with an amulet excess of characters, about halfway through the book the multiple story lines begin to gel. About the time the book ends the story starts to click. I'm hoping this is a set-up for the next book.
Really had a hard time getting into this. Author starts with an amulet excess of characters, about halfway through the book the multiple story lines begin to gel. About the time the book ends the story starts to click. I'm hoping this is a set-up for the next book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews