Offline God: Book One of the Re-Write Cycle

The Re-Write Cycle #1

by David Shih

When the System rewrote Earth, one man fell outside the code.

Ex–Army Ranger Caleb Knox built his life to disappear. Off-grid. No phone. No data trail. No one watching.

But when the Re-Write hits—a world-resetting System apocalypse that assigns every human a Class—Knox becomes the only anomaly it can’t process. Instead of a role, he’s given Root Access: administrator-level control over a world gone digital and mad.

Monsters roam the ruins. Survivors fight for territory. And somewhere in the chaos, a rogue AI called SOVRAN is finishing what humanity started.

Knox just wanted to survive. Now he’s the last bug in the System—an unpredictable weapon caught between godlike AIs, broken code, and the will to fight back.

Offline God is a gritty, cinematic System Apocalypse LitRPG with deep progression, tactical combat, and a protagonist built for survival. Perfect for fans of Awaken Online, Defiance of the Fall, and The Primal Hunter.

593 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 12, 2025

About the author

David Shih has been spotted working as a copywriter and Executive Creative Director in the bygone field known as advertising. He lives in Evanston, Illinois, with his fiancée (who has more degrees, more brains, and frankly better bone structure), two sons, a stepson, and a tyrannical puppy who has never met a shoe she couldn’t destroy.

He’s also been an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy ever since his early days. Some of his favorites include Heinlein, Tolkien, and Roger Zelazny — to name just a few. Now he’s writing the kinds of stories he’s always enjoyed and having a blast.

You can contact David at david@davidshihauthor.com - feedback, questions and dad jokes are always welcome!

Reviews

[J.D. Glasscock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid

A few hiccups that all of us authors go through when we first start but a solid story and great character building and plotting
Highly recommend
JD Glasscock
Author of the Series Blood Brothers, Nocturne and Warborn

[Iain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid first entry

Enjoyable GameLit book. MC is a bit stereotyped at the beginning but shows real growth and development across the story. Support cast well written and likeable.
Interesting world-building and cool take on The System.

[Eric Guy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I just kept running into so many discordant things that made it hard to fully immerse myself into the world that the author was trying to build. I enjoyed the new attempt at a LitRPG novel, the mechanics are interesting and the battle scenes played out as expected. The hostiles being "Corrupted" from the re-boot is a good idea.

There are a number of inconsistencies throughout the book, the Library having no windows on the first floor earlier but during a battle, it is mentioned that the first floor windows have been boarded up. Later on in the book one of the characters suddenly acquired a bow when they have been a mage type all along. There's one section in the book where multiple paragraphs are repeated. This could all be cleaned up with a little more editing.

Next, a Lieutenant Colonel is not a front line Special Operator. Lt. Colonels typically operate behind the lines, commanding a Battalion or Squadron. The typical tier one operator is drawn from the enlisted ranks (E-5 to E-8/E-9). Team members are usually Sergeant/Petty Officer with team leaders being drawn from Master Sergeant/Gunnery Sergeant/Chief Petty Officer or above. In this case, the protagonist is a former Army Ranger RRC,

The age of the protagonist is also a bit of an issue. If I remember correctly, it is mentioned that he is around 40 years old and has been out of the military for around 5 years. It also mentions that he served 20 years and is a graduate of West Point. If he graduated at 21 he would be 41 after hitting his 20. This pushes him to at least 46 or older depending on his age when he entered West Point. His Time in Service does allow for his rise to Lt. Colonel but again, not as front line Special Operator.

As I said, I really wanted to enjoy this one, but the above made it hard for me to enter the world that the author has built.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I DNF’d this. Though I thought the story idea itself was great the over use of AI to either cowrite, ghost write or so heavily edit it was becoming more and more glaringly apparent. Logic leaps (or misleaps), wrong accents for named characters from other country, overuse of AI sentence structure and dialogue, saturation of oft used AI “speak” in the ways things are described or turns of phrase…it was too much for me but maybe this would be enjoyable for someone who could overlook that in their fiction. I did give it two stars just because I still believe the story idea itself is such a good one with a ton of promise.

[Visionary Impart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Offline God is a wildly inventive and adrenaline-charged entry into the System Apocalypse genre, blending gritty survival, sharp worldbuilding, and LitRPG progression into something genuinely fresh. Caleb Knox is the perfect protagonist for this kind of story tough, resourceful, and unexpectedly compelling as the one man the System can’t define. The concept of “Root Access” is brilliantly executed, turning every encounter into a high-stakes, strategic thrill. With dangerous monsters, rogue AIs, and a world unraveling in real time, the tension never lets up. Fans of Awaken Online and Defiance of the Fall will love this fast-paced, cinematic ride. An outstanding start to the Re-Write Cycle.

[Travis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Offline God had a ton of potential, but it kind of fell apart once the two AIs started feuding using the characters as their pawns. The story turned out to be ok, but it was terribly disappointing as well. I doubt I'll continue with this series.
Just not my cup of tea.

[Aaron Eichler · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is a limited god

I loved how Knox reacted to gaining his power, and being a simple soldier he did not understand it fully. The interactions between Knox and his sister were awesome. I really liked at the end of the book the rough Outline of the story, it showed how the story started.

[Emily Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Offline God delivers a gritty and grounded take on the System Apocalypse genre. Caleb Knox feels like a realistic survivor rather than a typical overpowered hero, and the Root Access twist adds constant tension instead of easy wins. The pacing is steady, the world is bleak, and the stakes feel real throughout.

[Avery Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the smarter LitRPGs I’ve read in a while. Progression feels earned, danger never disappears, and the story avoids many of the usual genre shortcuts. The rogue AI element adds a constant sense of dread, and the larger mystery behind the System kept me turning pages. It’s dark, controlled, and clearly written with intention.

[Avery Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Offline God balances action and world-building extremely well. Combat is tactical and grounded, and the choices characters make actually matter. I liked that the book takes its time establishing the rules of the new world without over-explaining everything. The result is a story that feels cinematic, tense, and immersive from beginning to end.

[Owen Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

What stood out to me most was the atmosphere. The System feels cold and invasive, and the ruined world carries a sense of isolation that never lets up. Caleb is quiet but compelling, and his off-grid background makes his role in the apocalypse feel earned rather than convenient.

[Seraphin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Offline God delivers a hard-edged, high-concept entry into the System Apocalypse LitRPG space, blending military survival grit with god-tier digital power in a way that feels both cinematic and personal.

[Oliver · Rating 2 out of 5]

Start of the book: Main character is a 40 year old retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel who was a 20 year ranger.

Middle of the book: Main character is a US Army Sergeant who was court-martialed for dereliction of duty in a combat zone.