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In My Defense #2
Machine Mage: An Isekai LitRPG
A teenage mechanic-turned-mage must battle hordes of hellish monsters and venture to the source of an apocalyptic plague in this gripping portal fantasy.
Coming off his first victory over the Scourge, Ryan Kotes is a bona fide hero to the people of Eclipse. But the war is far from over. The zombifying infection is still festering throughout Ralqir, and Ryan won’t quit until he beats every last bit of it to a pulp. Joined by some unlikely allies—including a pair of dragonkin sisters, a carbine-wielding fox, and a hulking lion hybrid—there should be nothing standing in his way.
Unfortunately, the ragtag group is soon confronted by a painful truth. It seems the latest outbreak on Ralqir is tied directly to Ryan’s own arrival on the planet. Now, disguising his identity and posing as a humble monk, he must figure out how to stop the spread and return to his home before there isn’t one to go back to. And he’ll need to start by taking the fight to where it all where he first entered this world . . .
Easier said than done, as the road there is paved with mobs of wild mutants, rage-fueled goblins, giant spiders, and the rising undead. To face off against enemies bigger, stronger, and faster than anything he’s seen yet, Ryan will need to hone his magical skills and build weapons with explosive capabilities.
But will a big boom be enough to completely rid Ralqir of this contagion? When the insatiable Scourge demands more bodies, Ryan will have to ask himself what he’s willing to sacrifice to save his companions once and for all.
The second volume of the hit LitRPG adventure series—with more than 950,000 views on Royal Road—now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!
Coming off his first victory over the Scourge, Ryan Kotes is a bona fide hero to the people of Eclipse. But the war is far from over. The zombifying infection is still festering throughout Ralqir, and Ryan won’t quit until he beats every last bit of it to a pulp. Joined by some unlikely allies—including a pair of dragonkin sisters, a carbine-wielding fox, and a hulking lion hybrid—there should be nothing standing in his way.
Unfortunately, the ragtag group is soon confronted by a painful truth. It seems the latest outbreak on Ralqir is tied directly to Ryan’s own arrival on the planet. Now, disguising his identity and posing as a humble monk, he must figure out how to stop the spread and return to his home before there isn’t one to go back to. And he’ll need to start by taking the fight to where it all where he first entered this world . . .
Easier said than done, as the road there is paved with mobs of wild mutants, rage-fueled goblins, giant spiders, and the rising undead. To face off against enemies bigger, stronger, and faster than anything he’s seen yet, Ryan will need to hone his magical skills and build weapons with explosive capabilities.
But will a big boom be enough to completely rid Ralqir of this contagion? When the insatiable Scourge demands more bodies, Ryan will have to ask himself what he’s willing to sacrifice to save his companions once and for all.
The second volume of the hit LitRPG adventure series—with more than 950,000 views on Royal Road—now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!
- GenresLitrpg
394 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 15, 2026
An okay but frustrating read.
Machine Mage 2 was an okay read, but it was a frustrating one.
The biggest issue is the author's obsession with surprise twists. It feels like every major event has to be hidden from the reader until the last possible moment. Instead of creating excitement, it often creates confusion. More than once I found myself rereading pages—or entire chapters—trying to understand what had actually happened. A good twist should make the reader think, "I should have seen that coming." Too often these twists made me think, "Wait, what just happened?"
The book also suffers from characters making decisions that seem irrational simply because the plot needs drama. There were several moments where the main character's choices felt forced and existed only to create the next conflict. Rather than feeling invested, I found myself questioning why anyone would do what he just did.
Combat follows a similarly repetitive pattern. Nearly every fight ends with the protagonist on the verge of death, unconscious, or somehow reduced to his last sliver of health. After a while the tension disappears because you know exactly how every battle is going to play out. Worse, some of these encounters should have been easy wins. The character has spent two books growing stronger, but the story rarely allows him to actually demonstrate that strength.
The constant introspection didn't help either. LitRPGs often have a lot of internal monologue, and that's true here as well. Sometimes it adds depth, but often it slows the pacing and makes an already confusing plot harder to follow.
There are still enough interesting ideas, progression elements, and world-building concepts to keep the book readable, but this sequel leans too heavily on manufactured drama, confusing reveals, and repetitive fight outcomes. I finished it, but more out of curiosity than enthusiasm.
Machine Mage 2 was an okay read, but it was a frustrating one.
The biggest issue is the author's obsession with surprise twists. It feels like every major event has to be hidden from the reader until the last possible moment. Instead of creating excitement, it often creates confusion. More than once I found myself rereading pages—or entire chapters—trying to understand what had actually happened. A good twist should make the reader think, "I should have seen that coming." Too often these twists made me think, "Wait, what just happened?"
The book also suffers from characters making decisions that seem irrational simply because the plot needs drama. There were several moments where the main character's choices felt forced and existed only to create the next conflict. Rather than feeling invested, I found myself questioning why anyone would do what he just did.
Combat follows a similarly repetitive pattern. Nearly every fight ends with the protagonist on the verge of death, unconscious, or somehow reduced to his last sliver of health. After a while the tension disappears because you know exactly how every battle is going to play out. Worse, some of these encounters should have been easy wins. The character has spent two books growing stronger, but the story rarely allows him to actually demonstrate that strength.
The constant introspection didn't help either. LitRPGs often have a lot of internal monologue, and that's true here as well. Sometimes it adds depth, but often it slows the pacing and makes an already confusing plot harder to follow.
There are still enough interesting ideas, progression elements, and world-building concepts to keep the book readable, but this sequel leans too heavily on manufactured drama, confusing reveals, and repetitive fight outcomes. I finished it, but more out of curiosity than enthusiasm.
July 2, 2026
The best kind of LitRPG
The main character of this book gets set on fire. A lot. He doesn’t enjoy it, but when an eldritch zombie swarm wants to eat the world, you do what you gotta do.
I’ve been reading this since RoyalRoad, and it’s only gotten better since it started. The main character is a relatably flawed survivor who realistically grows to become more, and rises to the occasion with ingenuity, courage and gritted teeth. The world-building is deep, the narrative is compelling, and the prose is solid. Overall, if you haven’t read the first book, I highly recommend going back and reading that, before turning around and reading this one. Enjoy!
The main character of this book gets set on fire. A lot. He doesn’t enjoy it, but when an eldritch zombie swarm wants to eat the world, you do what you gotta do.
I’ve been reading this since RoyalRoad, and it’s only gotten better since it started. The main character is a relatably flawed survivor who realistically grows to become more, and rises to the occasion with ingenuity, courage and gritted teeth. The world-building is deep, the narrative is compelling, and the prose is solid. Overall, if you haven’t read the first book, I highly recommend going back and reading that, before turning around and reading this one. Enjoy!
March 11, 2026
Excellent sequel and setup
Excellent sequel and setup die the next arc of the series! The character building is very strong as is the world building. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Excellent sequel and setup die the next arc of the series! The character building is very strong as is the world building. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews