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ELIAS - SYSTEM-BOUND: BOOK ONE - An Isekai LitRPG
ELIAS : SYSTEM-BOUND - BOOK ONE
LitRPG-style Fantasy Progression
Getting dragged into an alien world was not high on Elias Critchley’s to-do list.
One moment, he’s trying to avoid eye contact with people on the school bus. The next, he’s suspended mid-air in a bizarre tutorial and dumped—naked—into a dangerous, System-bound world where survival is far from guaranteed.
With nothing but his sarcasm, stubborn streak, dry wit and a few skills from his old life, Elias must navigate a world that feels like the games he used to play… only now, dying doesn’t come with a respawn.His first party member? A girl from his previous life, and not one he liked. His second? A battle-happy axe enthusiast with more enthusiasm than survival instinct. Together, they face mutant rabbits, corrupted forests, and a System that clearly enjoys watching him suffer.
Elias didn’t choose this game—but he’ll level up on his own terms… or die trying.
Perfect for fans of Ice Lord, Arcane Ascension , He Who Fights with Monsters , and The Wandering Inn , this coming-of-age LitRPG adventure is packed with humour, heart, and just enough chaos to keep you turning the pages.
UK English
LitRPG-style Fantasy Progression
Getting dragged into an alien world was not high on Elias Critchley’s to-do list.
One moment, he’s trying to avoid eye contact with people on the school bus. The next, he’s suspended mid-air in a bizarre tutorial and dumped—naked—into a dangerous, System-bound world where survival is far from guaranteed.
With nothing but his sarcasm, stubborn streak, dry wit and a few skills from his old life, Elias must navigate a world that feels like the games he used to play… only now, dying doesn’t come with a respawn.His first party member? A girl from his previous life, and not one he liked. His second? A battle-happy axe enthusiast with more enthusiasm than survival instinct. Together, they face mutant rabbits, corrupted forests, and a System that clearly enjoys watching him suffer.
Elias didn’t choose this game—but he’ll level up on his own terms… or die trying.
Perfect for fans of Ice Lord, Arcane Ascension , He Who Fights with Monsters , and The Wandering Inn , this coming-of-age LitRPG adventure is packed with humour, heart, and just enough chaos to keep you turning the pages.
UK English
- GenresFantasy
348 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2025
313 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 5, 2025
This was written In a different country than the United States based on the word choices used. Lots of lumbered instead of encumbered. The reason I dropped this book instead of finishing it has more to do with the secondary character than anything else. She's 15 years old Has no problem running around butt naked in front of 16 year-old boy Goes from demanding to helpful To having a screaming fit At the drop of a hat. She also seems to have no problem sleeping knowing that there is something out there watching them. That does not fit any girl I have ever met in my entire life.
I know you're Supposed to suspend belief for these kind of stories But I'd like my characters to at least be realistic.
16 year-old boy probably would have done a little bit of staring When she was all naked and things had calmed down. She didn't try to cover herself didn't seem, didn't have any problems being naked in front of him and he just ignored it. I think he would have looked, Honestly I think any 16 year-old boy Would have at least taken the time to check her out.
I think this was written for a younger audience And not one with a more functioning brain.
I don't mean that as an insult, I just think that this child has a lot of skills That most 16 year olds in this day and age are not gonna have unless they're from some 3rd world country Where they're still living in the jungles. Do I know how to nap a spearhead Yes. I also read non Non stop. I also practice what I read He was taught by his dad Supposedly. Why would his dad bother teaching him this? I can understand his dad teaching him how to hunt how to track But not how to make weapons in this modern age. It's just wasn't my style.. This review is my opinion in my opinion alone Yours can differ. It's perfectly fine if your opinion is different than mine. I hope that everybody else that tries this book enjoys it. I did not.
1/10 Mostly because the female character comes across Very mentally unstable. Her personality just keeps changing. And she wasn't realistic.
I know you're Supposed to suspend belief for these kind of stories But I'd like my characters to at least be realistic.
16 year-old boy probably would have done a little bit of staring When she was all naked and things had calmed down. She didn't try to cover herself didn't seem, didn't have any problems being naked in front of him and he just ignored it. I think he would have looked, Honestly I think any 16 year-old boy Would have at least taken the time to check her out.
I think this was written for a younger audience And not one with a more functioning brain.
I don't mean that as an insult, I just think that this child has a lot of skills That most 16 year olds in this day and age are not gonna have unless they're from some 3rd world country Where they're still living in the jungles. Do I know how to nap a spearhead Yes. I also read non Non stop. I also practice what I read He was taught by his dad Supposedly. Why would his dad bother teaching him this? I can understand his dad teaching him how to hunt how to track But not how to make weapons in this modern age. It's just wasn't my style.. This review is my opinion in my opinion alone Yours can differ. It's perfectly fine if your opinion is different than mine. I hope that everybody else that tries this book enjoys it. I did not.
1/10 Mostly because the female character comes across Very mentally unstable. Her personality just keeps changing. And she wasn't realistic.
December 17, 2025
Typical mediocre isekai power fantasy, where the main character is primarily focused on leveling.
What brings this one down is the age of the participants. Eli's 16, and the other kids are 13-15. It's simply not believable that kids that age are effective in combat with primitive weapons like spears, axes, and bows. All of those take muscle to use effectively, and none of them have any muscle. Elias in particular is singled out as being short and scrawny.
Of course none of the kids have any training at all, and yet they're highly effective. It'd be one thing if the RPG system somehow were guiding them, but no, they're just kids flailing around the way kids do when they pick up a stick and have no idea how to use it correctly.
It's particularly disconcerting once they start taking quests from adults. Why full-grown adults can't handle a rat infestation as well as a bunch of untrained teenagers is not clear.
It doesn't help that I didn't like Elias much. The first half of the book has him teamed with a girl from his class he doesn't like. While it's true that she's self centered, he's extremely unpleasant to her as well. Their relationship doesn't do either of them any credit.
That's a plotline that's abruptly just dropped halfway through the book when she leaves the group, and we never see her again. The subplot seemed quite pointless. Maybe the author revives it in a later book, but I have no interest in continuing to read the series.
What brings this one down is the age of the participants. Eli's 16, and the other kids are 13-15. It's simply not believable that kids that age are effective in combat with primitive weapons like spears, axes, and bows. All of those take muscle to use effectively, and none of them have any muscle. Elias in particular is singled out as being short and scrawny.
Of course none of the kids have any training at all, and yet they're highly effective. It'd be one thing if the RPG system somehow were guiding them, but no, they're just kids flailing around the way kids do when they pick up a stick and have no idea how to use it correctly.
It's particularly disconcerting once they start taking quests from adults. Why full-grown adults can't handle a rat infestation as well as a bunch of untrained teenagers is not clear.
It doesn't help that I didn't like Elias much. The first half of the book has him teamed with a girl from his class he doesn't like. While it's true that she's self centered, he's extremely unpleasant to her as well. Their relationship doesn't do either of them any credit.
That's a plotline that's abruptly just dropped halfway through the book when she leaves the group, and we never see her again. The subplot seemed quite pointless. Maybe the author revives it in a later book, but I have no interest in continuing to read the series.
October 23, 2025
Honestly this was a happy surprise,i read this book at a first glance. Mc was reasonably written and believable in every way from his previous skills to his new world skills. definitely loved the intro into being mentally prossesed into a new world was a great touch that got rid of unneeded filler that other authors do. *Ps for anyone reading this review there is a character at the start that you'll hate but they will leave halfway in the book.* (Kinda wish the mc had a much deserved blowout and kicked them to the curb once they reached civilization) I understand that, That character was there to create a comparison on how friendly his new friends are but if they stayed thatd be the deciding factor if I was going to keep reading or drop the book, once they left I immediately download book 2&3 fingers crossed that character doesn't come back and stays as an afterthought.
October 21, 2025
ELIAS - SYSTEM-BOUND is the first book in this series, and while it's not as good as some I've read recently, it certainly is better than others I've read recently, so I'd say that isn't a bad rading. Nonetheless, I did like this one, a person thrown into difficult circumstances, tries to help others, even at the detriment of his own build. But, it all seems to work out for him, so by the end of the book, he's training others in the ways of the world, which I always like in these kinds of books. I liked this one, and I'm very likely to read more in this series.
August 4, 2025
A fun, entertaining read.
System Bound was enjoyable. Not many books in the litrpg genre are from the perspective of teenagers. These teenagers manage to form a functioning group and set off to level up. There is of course the obvious teenage angst and one party member who 'just doesn't want to' ... So the others have to carry more of the burden. That problem is eventually solved. The world building is slow but steady.. and by the end of the book I really wanted to read book two which won't be out for a few more months. Excited to see where the System Bound goes next on their adventures.
System Bound was enjoyable. Not many books in the litrpg genre are from the perspective of teenagers. These teenagers manage to form a functioning group and set off to level up. There is of course the obvious teenage angst and one party member who 'just doesn't want to' ... So the others have to carry more of the burden. That problem is eventually solved. The world building is slow but steady.. and by the end of the book I really wanted to read book two which won't be out for a few more months. Excited to see where the System Bound goes next on their adventures.
September 30, 2025
Mixed bag
There's highs there's lows Don't really love a lot of the system aspects especially how weak the magic system seems to be. I understand limiting new players but to the point where the majors can only cast a spell or two before they're absolutely destroyed whereas people who fight me leak and fight hole battles? And the protagonist is a mixed bag as well. Relatively assertive but there's a character that walk all over them for about half the book and if it didn't end when it did I would have probably not finished the story so I guess good job knowing exactly how far to push your readers lol.
There's highs there's lows Don't really love a lot of the system aspects especially how weak the magic system seems to be. I understand limiting new players but to the point where the majors can only cast a spell or two before they're absolutely destroyed whereas people who fight me leak and fight hole battles? And the protagonist is a mixed bag as well. Relatively assertive but there's a character that walk all over them for about half the book and if it didn't end when it did I would have probably not finished the story so I guess good job knowing exactly how far to push your readers lol.
August 30, 2025
Not for me.
For me, these types of mac and story are hard to get into. The MC comes across as a pitiable kid in his original life with little motivation or self worth. The when thrust into the new world, his personality changes for "reasons" so that now he is engaged and capable. The other challenge for me is that all the other characters treat him as dirt. The girl he save from imminent death mocks him at the first chance. In the end, it becomes everyone is against me, so ill show them.
For me, these types of mac and story are hard to get into. The MC comes across as a pitiable kid in his original life with little motivation or self worth. The when thrust into the new world, his personality changes for "reasons" so that now he is engaged and capable. The other challenge for me is that all the other characters treat him as dirt. The girl he save from imminent death mocks him at the first chance. In the end, it becomes everyone is against me, so ill show them.
September 29, 2025
Isekai at its best
Some travelling to another world stories try new and innovative gimmicks and plot-twists to keep you interested. There are the stories that follow the genre so close and tight you can predict the outcome. Then, there are isekai stories like this one. One that not only sticks true to the genre, but in a way that it is the right way. Good characters, small beginnings but with great potential, decent plot, mysterious system and some possible comedic nerd hyjinks on the horizon. Eagerly looking forward to next book.
Some travelling to another world stories try new and innovative gimmicks and plot-twists to keep you interested. There are the stories that follow the genre so close and tight you can predict the outcome. Then, there are isekai stories like this one. One that not only sticks true to the genre, but in a way that it is the right way. Good characters, small beginnings but with great potential, decent plot, mysterious system and some possible comedic nerd hyjinks on the horizon. Eagerly looking forward to next book.
November 7, 2025
solid YA adventure
Good grammar, spelling, word choices. Solid layout. Story flows reasonably well.
Nothing particularly earth, shaking or innovative in the story but it’s a decent read if you like magic and adventure stories .
It’s a bit simple and focused on the YA market, but that’s easy to tell based on the cover style and the first chapter.
It is by no means a bad book. Just a simple book.
Would recommend to a kid in the 10-18 range. But adults above 25 may find it a little light.
Good grammar, spelling, word choices. Solid layout. Story flows reasonably well.
Nothing particularly earth, shaking or innovative in the story but it’s a decent read if you like magic and adventure stories .
It’s a bit simple and focused on the YA market, but that’s easy to tell based on the cover style and the first chapter.
It is by no means a bad book. Just a simple book.
Would recommend to a kid in the 10-18 range. But adults above 25 may find it a little light.
September 3, 2025
Very good
Yes, it's fairly standard LitRPG, but don't let that dissuade you. It's a very well crafted story with lots of interesting characters. If you are looking for something to just chill out to, this will be it.
Highly recommended.
Yes, it's fairly standard LitRPG, but don't let that dissuade you. It's a very well crafted story with lots of interesting characters. If you are looking for something to just chill out to, this will be it.
Highly recommended.
September 13, 2025
Totally Enjoyable Story
Finally a book for non gamers that makes sense. I love LitRPG stories but sometimes get lost when the author expects a basic knowledge set I don’t have. Love the story and the characters.
Finally a book for non gamers that makes sense. I love LitRPG stories but sometimes get lost when the author expects a basic knowledge set I don’t have. Love the story and the characters.
August 26, 2025
Good solid story
Checked this book out based on KU suggesting it. Was a solid read and I hope to see book 2 in my que soon.
Checked this book out based on KU suggesting it. Was a solid read and I hope to see book 2 in my que soon.
October 2, 2025
Great start to a series
Love the pace, love the story, love that the main character didn’t fall in love with the first girl he met! Can’t wait to read the next one
Love the pace, love the story, love that the main character didn’t fall in love with the first girl he met! Can’t wait to read the next one
October 18, 2025
4.5 stars. Promising series opener with likable mc who has already formed a team. For me, an added perk is that the mc has been advancing at a reasonable rate, unlike many others in this genre.
October 19, 2025
Good Read
Good characters with strengths and flaws. Excellent development, interesting plot locations. I greatly recommend more of this series. Enjoy this author's work.
Good characters with strengths and flaws. Excellent development, interesting plot locations. I greatly recommend more of this series. Enjoy this author's work.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews