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Wyldbound #1
Wyldbound: Volume 1, Portal Progression Fantasy
He wanted a simpler life. He got a deadly forest, a fire-breathing lizard, and a goddess who won’t take no for an answer.Caleb Holt was just out for an evening run when the world split open and swallowed him whole. Now he’s lost in the Gloamwood—a brutal, enchanted wilderness where magic is alive, monsters hunt by moonlight, and the only law is survival.
Worse? He’s bonded to a baby firedrake with attitude, and a primal goddess is whispering in his dreams.
If Caleb wants to make it out alive—let alone get home—he’ll have to become something more than human. A Gloamwarden. Her weapon.
But far beyond the forest, an ancient evil is stirring. One that’s already claimed a kingdom.
Veilguard Serida Vayne is no stranger to shadows. Assigned to protect a fugitive prince from his tyrant brother, she uncovers a conspiracy tied to forbidden magic and a forgotten god. Her investigation will collide with Caleb’s fate—and the forest will never be the same.
Monsters. Magic. Mayhem. And a firedrake named Snarla.
WYLDBOUND is an immersive progression fantasy with heart, grit, and teeth. Perfect for fans of Iron Prince, Cradle, and The Wandering Inn.
Author’s Wyldbound is a slow-burn progression fantasy series. The story builds gradually, with a focus on character, atmosphere, and world-building before ramping into high stakes action. If you’re looking for a hyper-fast, stat-heavy LitRPG, this may not be the series for you. But if you enjoy immersive worlds, steady progression, and character-driven adventure, welcome to the Gloamwood.
Download now and lose yourself in the forest.
Worse? He’s bonded to a baby firedrake with attitude, and a primal goddess is whispering in his dreams.
If Caleb wants to make it out alive—let alone get home—he’ll have to become something more than human. A Gloamwarden. Her weapon.
But far beyond the forest, an ancient evil is stirring. One that’s already claimed a kingdom.
Veilguard Serida Vayne is no stranger to shadows. Assigned to protect a fugitive prince from his tyrant brother, she uncovers a conspiracy tied to forbidden magic and a forgotten god. Her investigation will collide with Caleb’s fate—and the forest will never be the same.
Monsters. Magic. Mayhem. And a firedrake named Snarla.
WYLDBOUND is an immersive progression fantasy with heart, grit, and teeth. Perfect for fans of Iron Prince, Cradle, and The Wandering Inn.
Author’s Wyldbound is a slow-burn progression fantasy series. The story builds gradually, with a focus on character, atmosphere, and world-building before ramping into high stakes action. If you’re looking for a hyper-fast, stat-heavy LitRPG, this may not be the series for you. But if you enjoy immersive worlds, steady progression, and character-driven adventure, welcome to the Gloamwood.
Download now and lose yourself in the forest.
- GenresFantasy
492 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2025
133 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 7, 2025
DNF 50%, Not more beuracracy!
**
If I had known before I started the book, I would have moved on. What part of magical powers, a goddess, and stranded in a fantasy wilderness says homicidal magical DMV?
**
A few things first before my reason for dropping.
The book is well written from what I can tell and I recommend it if my gripes don't throw you off. Even if they do, if you feel like it might still be worth a try, I recommend it.
The snarky 'surfer dude' god actually appears less and less. Also, he's more detached and 'vibing' than snarky. He can be largely ignored with little issue.
Other characters, the "girl bosses," are real and it's true. More page space is spent with them than the MC. I didn't mind as much because the kingdom intrigue was decent and I liked the one veil gaurd. Though I was reaching close to my limit at the point of this review.
This story spends more time setting up the situation for the dramatic tension than developing the MC or his abilities. It was coming close to crossing another of my annoyance thresholds. Many stories like to throw MC's into impossible situations and then plot armor their way out. I don't mean difficult situations. I mean there is no reasonable way for any of it to work out even with the golden fingers but it does because otherwise the author couldn't sell more books. (The nuance of what that looks like is a discussion for another time.) This hadn't quite crossed that line yet but developing a problem more than the solution is headed down that road.
Now for my reasons for dropping:
There will be minor spoiler that I will keep to a minimum.
These are my own opinion and for my own sanity and enjoyment. Not everyone will see them in the same way.
****
The first half of the book spends so much time setting up a difficult political situation that makes you feel powerless. I was eager to spend more time with the MC who gets to determine his own fate (the major premise of most modern fictional books).
Then we find out that he has to answer to what amounts to the magical DMV and they will hunt you down and kill you if you don't follow their unilateral rules and pay their demanded fees. That's right. Licensing and immense initial & annual dues.
If I had known before I started the book, I would have moved on. What part of magical powers, a goddess, and stranded in a fantasy wilderness says homicidal magical DMV?
I'll ignore the orginizations validity or lack there of for this review.
I also didn't appreciate the wierd s*x thing with magical balance and self enticing magical burn out. Not deal breakers on their own but with everything else I lost interest. The s*x thing looked like it might develop into an interesting commentary on the importance of meaningful relationships or solid internal approaches but it could go in a wierd or frustrating direction just as easily. I guess I'll never know unless I finish the book series... oh well.
**
If I had known before I started the book, I would have moved on. What part of magical powers, a goddess, and stranded in a fantasy wilderness says homicidal magical DMV?
**
A few things first before my reason for dropping.
The book is well written from what I can tell and I recommend it if my gripes don't throw you off. Even if they do, if you feel like it might still be worth a try, I recommend it.
The snarky 'surfer dude' god actually appears less and less. Also, he's more detached and 'vibing' than snarky. He can be largely ignored with little issue.
Other characters, the "girl bosses," are real and it's true. More page space is spent with them than the MC. I didn't mind as much because the kingdom intrigue was decent and I liked the one veil gaurd. Though I was reaching close to my limit at the point of this review.
This story spends more time setting up the situation for the dramatic tension than developing the MC or his abilities. It was coming close to crossing another of my annoyance thresholds. Many stories like to throw MC's into impossible situations and then plot armor their way out. I don't mean difficult situations. I mean there is no reasonable way for any of it to work out even with the golden fingers but it does because otherwise the author couldn't sell more books. (The nuance of what that looks like is a discussion for another time.) This hadn't quite crossed that line yet but developing a problem more than the solution is headed down that road.
Now for my reasons for dropping:
There will be minor spoiler that I will keep to a minimum.
These are my own opinion and for my own sanity and enjoyment. Not everyone will see them in the same way.
****
The first half of the book spends so much time setting up a difficult political situation that makes you feel powerless. I was eager to spend more time with the MC who gets to determine his own fate (the major premise of most modern fictional books).
Then we find out that he has to answer to what amounts to the magical DMV and they will hunt you down and kill you if you don't follow their unilateral rules and pay their demanded fees. That's right. Licensing and immense initial & annual dues.
If I had known before I started the book, I would have moved on. What part of magical powers, a goddess, and stranded in a fantasy wilderness says homicidal magical DMV?
I'll ignore the orginizations validity or lack there of for this review.
I also didn't appreciate the wierd s*x thing with magical balance and self enticing magical burn out. Not deal breakers on their own but with everything else I lost interest. The s*x thing looked like it might develop into an interesting commentary on the importance of meaningful relationships or solid internal approaches but it could go in a wierd or frustrating direction just as easily. I guess I'll never know unless I finish the book series... oh well.
November 15, 2025
Is a joke
It’s a book about a guy who likes being a survivalist who gets transported to a new world, that doesn’t sound so bad right? The problem is everything is wrong and the author clearly doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Ahhh yes mc, just eat random berries you’ve found in the forest it’ll be fine. Stuff like that, if you’re going to write a book about a survivalist maybe spend 30 minutes looking stuff up so you don’t spout random contradicting and incorrect information. It’s annoying to read especially when it makes the mc look daft.
It’s a book about a guy who likes being a survivalist who gets transported to a new world, that doesn’t sound so bad right? The problem is everything is wrong and the author clearly doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Ahhh yes mc, just eat random berries you’ve found in the forest it’ll be fine. Stuff like that, if you’re going to write a book about a survivalist maybe spend 30 minutes looking stuff up so you don’t spout random contradicting and incorrect information. It’s annoying to read especially when it makes the mc look daft.
February 10, 2026
3.6 Even The Most Clandestine Schemes She'd Paper Work Like Dead Skin Stars
Wyldbound is the first book in this Portal Progression Fantasy series by Joseph McRae Palmer.
Caleb is transmigrated right into the middle of danger. Scary forest, that changes when you're not paying attention, filled with creatures and their corrupted counterparts. He's called into a goddess' service; protecting the Gloamwood, and ridding it of the Blightlings, symptoms of an emerging greater threat. Luckily he stumbles on a young firedrake to walk this new path beside him.
Chronos deserves his own origin story. How he reached his level of competence without losing his surfer lingo and mannerisms needs to be explored. I would love background on all of the gods and goddesses introduced in this book. But mainly C.
It has been fun getting to know Serida, Caleb, and Alaric. Their path forward is still a mystery in how it will unfold, but they are finally finding each other in this intricate world. Will they progress as friends, or enemies? Dorian is the true enemy of all, in these pages. Usurping the Throne, amassing a cult following, trying to unearth a great evil to possess unimaginable power.
The magical system that governs the cantor designation is new and interesting, to me. Bonding with a Wyldkind grants you access to the magic of the world. From there you must prove yourself worthy of advancing beyond each core. How the magic works beyond this function I would like to know. Transmutation seems to be more a difficult extension of this bond. Could there be a connection between this extension and the god that sleeps beneath the wood?
Its not unheard of that emotion plays a role in one's abilities and how they manifest. When the concept was introduced as being of a more sexual nature *cue eyeroll*, I predicted i would never reach the ending of this book. But there are no explicit sex scenes. The way that passion builds is the true focus, and how one harnesses it for their cultivation. That there's also a magical governing body claiming the opposite in an effort to restrain the cantors true potential, shouldn't surprise anybody.
Wyldbound is the first book in this Portal Progression Fantasy series by Joseph McRae Palmer.
Caleb is transmigrated right into the middle of danger. Scary forest, that changes when you're not paying attention, filled with creatures and their corrupted counterparts. He's called into a goddess' service; protecting the Gloamwood, and ridding it of the Blightlings, symptoms of an emerging greater threat. Luckily he stumbles on a young firedrake to walk this new path beside him.
Chronos deserves his own origin story. How he reached his level of competence without losing his surfer lingo and mannerisms needs to be explored. I would love background on all of the gods and goddesses introduced in this book. But mainly C.
It has been fun getting to know Serida, Caleb, and Alaric. Their path forward is still a mystery in how it will unfold, but they are finally finding each other in this intricate world. Will they progress as friends, or enemies? Dorian is the true enemy of all, in these pages. Usurping the Throne, amassing a cult following, trying to unearth a great evil to possess unimaginable power.
The magical system that governs the cantor designation is new and interesting, to me. Bonding with a Wyldkind grants you access to the magic of the world. From there you must prove yourself worthy of advancing beyond each core. How the magic works beyond this function I would like to know. Transmutation seems to be more a difficult extension of this bond. Could there be a connection between this extension and the god that sleeps beneath the wood?
Its not unheard of that emotion plays a role in one's abilities and how they manifest. When the concept was introduced as being of a more sexual nature *cue eyeroll*, I predicted i would never reach the ending of this book. But there are no explicit sex scenes. The way that passion builds is the true focus, and how one harnesses it for their cultivation. That there's also a magical governing body claiming the opposite in an effort to restrain the cantors true potential, shouldn't surprise anybody.
February 8, 2026
4.0 out of 5 ⭐
Wyldbound is one of those stories that feels like stepping through a foggy doorway and landing somewhere both strange and strangely welcoming. Caleb begins as a math-loving analyst stuck in the grind of coffee, work, and sleep, until an unnatural fog drops him into a completely different world. From there, the adventure begins.
Palmer’s writing is beautifully descriptive, painting a world that’s easy to sink into. His humor lands well, and the characters each have their own spark. I was a little unsure about Chronos at first, but he quickly became one of my favorite encounters. Snarla was absolutely adorable, and Thistlewick added some much-needed levity. Serida, on the other hand, felt grounded and capable, which balanced Caleb’s newcomer perspective nicely.
There are some clear portal fantasy and light LitRPG elements that I enjoyed, though I did find myself wishing we had spent more time with Caleb early on to really flesh him out. A few sections felt slightly flat or stretched longer than they needed to, which pulled me out of the story at times.
That said, the writing itself is strong and immersive, and the world is well crafted. It feels like the first step into something bigger, and I’m curious to see where the series goes next.
Wyldbound is one of those stories that feels like stepping through a foggy doorway and landing somewhere both strange and strangely welcoming. Caleb begins as a math-loving analyst stuck in the grind of coffee, work, and sleep, until an unnatural fog drops him into a completely different world. From there, the adventure begins.
Palmer’s writing is beautifully descriptive, painting a world that’s easy to sink into. His humor lands well, and the characters each have their own spark. I was a little unsure about Chronos at first, but he quickly became one of my favorite encounters. Snarla was absolutely adorable, and Thistlewick added some much-needed levity. Serida, on the other hand, felt grounded and capable, which balanced Caleb’s newcomer perspective nicely.
There are some clear portal fantasy and light LitRPG elements that I enjoyed, though I did find myself wishing we had spent more time with Caleb early on to really flesh him out. A few sections felt slightly flat or stretched longer than they needed to, which pulled me out of the story at times.
That said, the writing itself is strong and immersive, and the world is well crafted. It feels like the first step into something bigger, and I’m curious to see where the series goes next.
November 11, 2025
COMPLIANCE. Caleb loves the elegant beauty of mathematics but settled into an analyst position with an insurance agency to earn a living. Unfortunately, life is just an endless cycle of shower, work and sleep with coffee events mixed in for fuel. Then one evening on a much-needed run, an unnatural fog forms around him, plunging him into darkness, to eventually awaken in unknown land.
This is beautifully written and drenched in vivid descriptions of an extraordinary world. I absolutely love Palmer’s humor and the unique way he brings each character to life. I can’t remember the last time I read anything this enchanting. I will admit to being slightly put off with the initial introduction to Chronos, but he quickly grew to be one of my favorite character encounters. This is the first installment in a series and I am already diving into the next one with anticipation.
This review is based on a free advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Many thanks to BookSirens for providing the ARC and to Joseph for the opportunity to review this fantastically written story.
This is beautifully written and drenched in vivid descriptions of an extraordinary world. I absolutely love Palmer’s humor and the unique way he brings each character to life. I can’t remember the last time I read anything this enchanting. I will admit to being slightly put off with the initial introduction to Chronos, but he quickly grew to be one of my favorite character encounters. This is the first installment in a series and I am already diving into the next one with anticipation.
This review is based on a free advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Many thanks to BookSirens for providing the ARC and to Joseph for the opportunity to review this fantastically written story.
October 25, 2025
4.25 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
What an interesting, magical wonderful story about Caleb and his baby firedrake Snarla, several gods as well as one peculiar god and several magic wielders called cantors and veil guards. Their stories all run on separate trails only to converge in due time. Hopefully to win in the fight against Dorian and evil.
The author created a strange world with some bizzare monsters. Very well written with creative world building. Can’t wait to read more about all of them, but especially about the baby firedrake.
If you like magic, gods, monsters, and curious realms, this one is for you! Love it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What an interesting, magical wonderful story about Caleb and his baby firedrake Snarla, several gods as well as one peculiar god and several magic wielders called cantors and veil guards. Their stories all run on separate trails only to converge in due time. Hopefully to win in the fight against Dorian and evil.
The author created a strange world with some bizzare monsters. Very well written with creative world building. Can’t wait to read more about all of them, but especially about the baby firedrake.
If you like magic, gods, monsters, and curious realms, this one is for you! Love it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 17, 2025
Not for me
I am sure some people will enjoy this book, its just not for me. The 2 biggest reasons are the snarky "god" commenting every few chapters and the second is the MC felt really flat.
I am sure some people will enjoy this book, its just not for me. The 2 biggest reasons are the snarky "god" commenting every few chapters and the second is the MC felt really flat.
August 17, 2025
Awesome book cover & the story is too!
I am just saying this is for me is the best part of reading this series so far and I've only until October for the next book. I'm so excited like the song said. A new fan!
I am just saying this is for me is the best part of reading this series so far and I've only until October for the next book. I'm so excited like the song said. A new fan!
September 7, 2025
While I did enjoy the story I wish the MC had been more of the main focus. He started to feel a bit like a side character but even with that I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by BookSirens*
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by BookSirens*
January 9, 2026
Good read
I enjoyed reading this book and I recommend this book to anyone who likes weak to strong MC and interesting things that come together. LitRPG type elements and slow burn romance.
I enjoyed reading this book and I recommend this book to anyone who likes weak to strong MC and interesting things that come together. LitRPG type elements and slow burn romance.
July 31, 2025
Totally awesome!
I can hardly wait for the next book But again this 1 stands on its own merits. No sex no frills just a damn good story.
I can hardly wait for the next book But again this 1 stands on its own merits. No sex no frills just a damn good story.
October 1, 2025
I didn't enjoy the writing style, which is rather clipped. You might!
October 29, 2025
Worth a read
Not of a slow start but soon picked up the pace and very enjoyable and worthwhile read. Really want book 2
Not of a slow start but soon picked up the pace and very enjoyable and worthwhile read. Really want book 2
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews