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The Exlian Syndrome #5

Shattered Glory

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From bestselling LitRPG author Seth Ring—creator of The Titan series and Battle Mage FarmerShattered Glory is book five in an epic series of alien contact, fast-paced military action, and thrilling adventure that will leave readers hungry for more.

Having discovered the presence of a Matron, one of the most dangerous species of Exlian, hidden away in a laboratory that is conducting human experiments inside of New Emery, Mark and his friends realize they’ve stumbled on a plot of earth-shattering proportions. This is further cemented when they learn about the real reason the matron is being held in the city …

Though Mark and his friends manage to escape, they find themselves now labeled as terrorists and hunted by New Emery’s military and the highest ranking empowered. Having lost all faith in the city and its leaders, they retreat, leaving the city, only to discover an Exlian wave of unstoppable proportions is being artificially created by the mutants who lurk in the shadows. Faced with the choice of forging their own path to find a new home or sacrificing themself to try and save the city, Mark and his friends will be tested to the limit.

400 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2026

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Seth Ring

60 books939 followers

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5 stars
326 (66%)
4 stars
126 (25%)
3 stars
26 (5%)
2 stars
6 (1%)
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4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Phil.
301 reviews13 followers
April 13, 2026
As predicted when I penned a review for the prior novel (I will put the link at the end of this review), Mark has firmly rooted himself onto the over-powered path. I mentioned previously that while Ring's novels are always a lot of fun, once you get far enough into his series, the characters are no longer human but masses of energy that are so powerful that all conflict is contrived. I warned that would happen here and that is what is occurring. Power levels are meaningless unless it makes for a better fight scene. People suddenly have huge spikes in power out of nowhere - the characters simply acknowledge that the other got stronger even though they never did in the past decade but suddenly now they can level up with no problem - and the generic S/A/B/C etc... ranking system becomes arbitrary depending on the outcome desired. It has happened in all the series I have read by Ring. I knew this would happen so it wasn't a shock or let down. Be warned, however, if this is your first Ring series.

In terms of substance, things kind of both fell off the tracks and also brought some clarity. The plot was quite messy, but at the same time, I think most readers will see what Ring was doing with it.

Since Book 4 ended on a quasi-cliffhanger (at least on the precipice of a huge fight), it won't surprise anyone that Book 5 picks up right where we left off with Mark and Phoenix facing a Matron. The story has a fairly linear path to the next objective that will both make Mark more powerful and shed some light into the underbelly of the corruption in the last human city. Ultimately, Book 5 ends with the final conflict on the horizon.

If Ring's plan is to conclude this series after the next book, I am going to be much higher on the series, overall, than if he drags it out into more books. The only way he extends this is if he introduces a "twist" a la the Divergence series or if we continue to follow our main cast of characters as they try to retake the world. Either plot line is of no interest to me so I hope that he wraps up all plot lines and gives us a nice send-off on a fun little series. I guess we will see...

Review for book 4 because it goes into more detail on what to expect:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Profile Image for Travis Bryant.
976 reviews9 followers
April 10, 2026
Probably my least favorite of the series so far. Not bad by any means, but something about it was just okay. It kept my attention well enough and the characters are familiar and consistent from previous books, but again, something about this book was just, "meh". 👍🏽
136 reviews3 followers
April 15, 2026
DNF 80% Utter trash. I give up. I have no idea where the positive reviews are coming from. Did we read the same book? Are the reviews actually real?

First of all: the last book ended on one of the most annoying cliffhangers imaginable. Why yes, let's just stop the book in the middle of an unwinnable fight: that's surely going to be a fun read. Well, this book is basically the continuation of this cliff hanger. As usual, the protagonist just ends up running away again, and the cliff hanger of the last part? Remains unresolved for the entirety of book 5. I don't get it. Why, as an author, do you not stop and notice how annoying this is?

Seriously: count how many fights the protagonist is involved in and how many he ends up running away from. It gets especially bad in this part of the series, which is frankly insane.

The author has no plan and no consistent plot. As you read, you notice more and more that there is no direction, no point to any of this. Plot lines and characters introduced in earlier books have been forgotten about entirely, due to the author puking out book after book in multiple series with no care or regard for quality. The plot keeps repeating, running in circles, going absolutely nowhere.

While old plot lines die off unresolved, the author keeps introducing new shit. I've lost count of the amount and scope of the earth-shattering conspiracies we're dealing with at this point. Instead of resolving or advancing literally any of the plot lines, the author just keeps throwing more and more on the pile, with no real indication that any of them will go anywhere.

The protagonist meanwhile is still the same idiot he was in book 1. He keeps getting stronger, but the world around him levels at the same pace: ranks that were extremely rare and special in book one are now everywhere for unexplained reasons. All of a sudden, everybody is an A or S rank, so nothing the protagonist has achieved over 5 books did anything.

The antagonists are still the same shadowy figures in the background that know everything. Whatever the protagonist does: his enemies literally know every last detail of it and "outsmart" him at every turn. The plot still relies on future sight as the main plot device - yeah, great... so anything anybody ever does is irrelevant, because as it turns out: somebody has planned the entire thing all along. What a great way to consistently ruin your story.

This is book 5, and basically we're at the same point where book one started. There is no progress, the plot doesn't go anywhere, the main character doesn't develop. The progression has completely stopped: sure, the protagonist's numbers go up, but there is no effect to any of it anymore. He levels up from B to S? Well, tough luck, it makes literally 0 difference: he's still thrown around by generic mercenaries literal moments later.

The author has completely given up on the plot, meanwhile. The huge conspiracy grows and grows, and apparently at this point, thousands of people are involved... but somehow nobody knows about it at the same time. To me, this is a clear sign that the author makes this shit up as he writes it: there is no plan, this is all a one take wonder, and man is it a failure.

If you want to read the 5th book about the main character running away and being imprisoned basically once every 40 pages, have fun. I don't see this going anywhere.

This series is dead.

Spoilers:

I stopped reading when, after finally leaving the city to do some actual fighting, the protagonist is INSTANTLY captured again. Yes, after an entire book spent in prison, he's back to being a prisoner yet again for an extended amount of time. The author has to be trolling at this point. The amount of fuck-yous this book provides to the readers is pure insanity. This can't be a serious book 5. Is this an April Fool's joke?
Profile Image for myfictionaladventure.
52 reviews27 followers
April 16, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
LitRPG-Dystopian-Fantasy
Some romance; no spice
Book 5

Tropes:
- Superhero-like powers
- Corrupt Military & Government
- Underground prison
- “Mad” Scientist
- Infiltrating military bases
- Monsters/alien- like creatures
- Talking cat-like pet/side-kick
- Found Family
- “Powering up stats”
- Humanity vs. itself/the monster-alien creatures


Mark tires to figure out where some of his powers come from & what sinister things are happening in the city, along with the help of his friends. Forced on the run, Mark tries to learn more of the cutting palm power and recieves some help, and the opposite of help, from his old frenemy, Maestro. Mark & his friends uncover a number of secrets about Mark himself, Maestro, & the city!

I really enjoyed this book! It is one of my favorites from the series so far. My favorite side characters (Noah, Joe, Pheonix & Winter Wolf) finally got more screen time! I love all of them so much! The book was also non-stop action, which I love. I was never once bored (which is rare for me!) And Maestro is a very interesting character. I would love a Marestro origin story (a prequel or prequels from him POV). Same with Winter Wolf. She is a super cool character and we dont know much about her life pre the tomb. The only constructive criticism I have is that Sky is kind of annoying me, and I dont feel like I care about her and Noah’s relationship. I am hoping to grow to like Sky & their relationship more.

For those Naruto fans im feeling like Mark is like Naruto and Noah is like Sasuke, but without his villian arc. Pheonix is like Hinata and Sky like Sakura, but pre her later arcs where I like her 🤣. I dont dislike Sky but just dont really care about her at the moment and id like to care. Same with Emily. Right now im rooting for winter wolf and Joe to be a couple! But if we learn more about Emily and greenline (which id like to!) I would prob grow to like her too! And I am very curious to learn more about Greenline! Id also love for danny & perry to have more screen time too! Maybe perry & winter wolf could be a couple? I could see them working…

I listened to the audiobook and highly reccommend! The narration is awesome, and I feel it makes everything more fun and easier to follow.
Profile Image for MizzyRed.
1,795 reviews10 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 2, 2026
Thankfully this book jumps right in where the last one left off! It is a non stop wild ride of action, fighting, and learning more about some of the plans people have for the city and the Exlians and sadly Mark is right in the middle of this. He has gotten stronger that those in power of noticed and either want to eliminate him or use them for their own plans. I could hardly catch my breath in worry for Mark and his friends!

Despite all the action with no time to stop and relax, I liked how now that Mark is back in the city, he has friends and allies who have his back, even if sometimes they get used as hostages to get Mark to cooperate. Joe, Noah, Phoenix, Sky, and Winter Wolf get their time to shine in this and they are totally awesome! And finally, there is the reveal and talk with Mime (love them!), learning more about why Mark is the way he is so that he can embrace his power fully to protect what he loves and to become the leader his is destined to be.

I had a blast reading this and the whole series is great! Many many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for giving me the chance to read this and experience the awesomeness of Mark and his friends as they work to save the city from the corrupt powers that want to destroy it all and the Exlian threat (though they don't seem quite as bad as some people!). I cannot wait to see what the culmination of this series will be!
Profile Image for Benjamin Barreth.
Author 5 books28 followers
April 18, 2026
tldr; Solid storytelling with some unearned progression. Still 5 stars.

As with the previous novels in this series, Shattered Glory has plenty of action and progression. It’s easy reading, so much so that the book feels a little short, since I barreled through it so fast, enjoying every page.

I particularly liked what happened with Maestro (excluding details for sake of spoilers). I don’t trust him one bit and I hate what he does to Mark’s friends & family, so I was glad things turned out the way they did. Also, the reconciliation with Mark’s alter-ego, Mime, felt well-timed and appropriate. It brought some self-reflection and balance to the monster Mark was becoming.

On the negative side, I do feel like much of Mark’s progression wasn’t earned. He effortlessly acquired ancient martial arts and other “experimental” abilities, practically overnight, which stretched believability and threw shade on all his hard work so far. The book’s ending left readers abandoned with nothing poignant or any sense of a buildup to a grand finale (other than widespread chaos). Instead, it felt more like a cut at an arbitrary down beat between two scenes, which I think was a missed opportunity for something better.

Even with these negatives, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and look forward to the next. Seth’s writing is, as always, fluid, accessible and frictionless. Nothing fancy that gets in your way, just solid storytelling that keeps you turning pages.

5 stars.
Profile Image for Aaron Masters.
19 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 28, 2026
Shattered Glory has got to be the best book in the series yet. The stakes are high and the action is non stop and never ending. From Marks escape from the lab in the prior book to a showdown with Maestro, to a city overrun. The action never relents. I absolutely loved this installment and how it sets up a massive ending. This series has quickly become one of my favorites and I hope it actually lasts longer than 6 books or gets a spin off following the events of book 6. This was such an easy and fun read, that had me glued at every stop.
Profile Image for Tony Hinde.
2,240 reviews83 followers
April 11, 2026
An easy read that poured new abilities and skills into the protagonist, often just as they were needed to ensure his survival.

As with most of Seth's series, the MC is now so overpowered that challenges must be ramped up to ridiculous levels. Mark's senses reach out for a mile, he can control nearby Exlian, he can fly, regenerate, annihilate foes with lasers at range, slice them to pieces in melee, and now has a handy electronic companion that can hack anything.
59 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2026
An amazing continuation of the series. Seth Ring does not disappoint.

He weaves an amazing story, bringing everything that’s been set up from the first four books together. Everything clicks and hits just right.

I’m excited and scared for the next and final book as I’m not ready for the series to end.
15 reviews
April 10, 2026
can’t wait for the next book, hope it’s not the end of series

This is a great series that has good characters that are easy to route for and no ambiguity in their decision making. Some books have smart people doing dumb things and fumbling around but not this series. Well worth the time, hopefully it has a good number of books in its future.
2,573 reviews17 followers
April 16, 2026
The writing is a total mess. Dull descriptions, clumsy phrasing, he has to over-clarify everything mid-sentence for some reason. I don't know if he's writing them too fast, not editing, or something else, I've been disappointed with the last few Seth Ring books, which all read like this. Rare to see an author regress.
Profile Image for Viking Jam.
1,386 reviews22 followers
November 17, 2025
Review: A continuance that pushes the entertainment envelope into the early morning hours. I really enjoy this writer. How far can Apex go? Stay tuned.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

4.7/5
38 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 20, 2026
I can't get enough of this series and this book, like the others, was excellent. It is packed full of action and lots of storylines are being tied together. I especially love the interactions between Mime and Mark; their relationship is explained satisfactorily in this volume. Any future installment will be on my to read list.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
7 reviews
April 7, 2026
A Continuation Of Excellence.

With highs, lows and everything in between and an ending that leaves you wanting more but not banging your head on the table due to a cliffhanger it is another masterpiece by Seth Ring.
Profile Image for William Payne.
55 reviews
April 8, 2026
Wonderful author!

Seth Ting is someone who I always read his books. I’ve found his writing to be fast paced and engaging. This newest novel didn’t disappoint and all too soon I found myself waiting for the next release.
92 reviews1 follower
April 9, 2026
As good as the first

It's rare to find a series whose books beyond number three are as fun to read as the one that started things off. Number 5 is still inspiring and fast paced and hard to put down. I'm looking forward to the next.
Profile Image for Mike Goodman.
1,643 reviews12 followers
April 10, 2026
Great Stuff

This story of a guy getting super powers in a city under siege was a very interesting entertaining read. This book took down the evil genius and was setting up our guy to rule.
Profile Image for Andi Buchanan.
46 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2026
Solid...

I only have really one complaint, and that is the book is so short. I really appreciate the speed with which the books are being produced and released, but man... I could really use more right now
82 reviews
April 11, 2026
Fantastic!

Action packed from start to finish! Really enjoyed this book as I have all the others. Seth Ring has consistently maintained a strong plot and great characters. Can’t wait for the next book!
Profile Image for Adam.
95 reviews2 followers
April 14, 2026
excellent read

In an era where so many books are written using 97% AI, 3% story telling, It’s great to find an author who is a great story teller.

The only problem is we have to wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Tony Hisgett.
3,049 reviews37 followers
April 14, 2026
I find reading these books quite frustrating, the basic story is interesting, BUT this series is really a Comic book in Novel form and like most comic books it runs on the premise that ‘bigger and more’ are always better, whether they make sense or not. At times what happens is just nonsensical.
17 reviews
April 8, 2026
Yay! Another great read!

Once again the adventures of Mark and his companions delivered an enthralling read and I couldn’t put it down!
Highly recommend this series
210 reviews3 followers
April 8, 2026
good.

Too tired to think of anything to say. Haven't slept in 24 hours as I couldn't put the book down and am now completed with it. Going to sleep. Read the series.
37 reviews1 follower
April 18, 2026
Awesome book!!! I love this series. I just wish they would all come out back to back. Storyline is great and who would'nt love Mark.
1,434 reviews6 followers
April 18, 2026
Fanfreakingtastic!

What an amazing book! I absolutely loved this book and such wonderful characters! I can not wait for the next book to come out!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews