War

by Ryan Maxwell

The good The vending machines aren’t trying to kill them anymore.
The bad Pretty much everything else is.

After debugging the apocalypse and stopping the corruption infecting Earth’s
last supply chain, Tom thought survival might finally get easier. He was wrong.
With civilization hanging by a thread, the real threat isn’t just monsters—it’s
people. Between power-hungry guilds, a self-proclaimed ruler who collects
slaves like trading cards, and the ever-mysterious System pulling the strings, the
only certainty in conflict.

Now, Tom and his friends have a new get back to Dallas before the
world burns down around them. But when the city is already a battlefield, the
difference between a hero and a warlord is just a matter of perspective.

Peace was never an option.

453 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2025

Reviews

[David Spence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as fun and chaotic as the previous installment, but this time with a little added depth, higher stakes, fun dungeons, weird mobs, and occasional tears (it’s just allergies, I swear.)

Our MC Tom is still ever present as he guides his party through new challenges, though he takes a back seat at times as we’re allowed to spend some time with other characters. This brings much more emotional depth and additional character development to the core team, as well as some characters who have remained on the sidelines to this point.

Taking time to give moments with heavier emotional weight to paint the additional cast more as real humans (or nonhuman, as the case may be) rather than simple caricatures really adds layers of complexity to the world and series. This includes some more vulnerable moments with the usually unflappable James, some POV from the eyes of Jerky, and even a battle with Squirrel and Jerky as the primary combatants.

If you go with the audiobook -
Steve Campbell really flexes his vocal muscles and range with so many unique characters being added all the time, and it becomes easier and easier to forget that just one person is performing this story.

Ryan and Steve are a fantastic match, teaming up to deliver an incredibly satisfying followup to the first book in a series that is sure to continue to impress, inspire, and entertain for hours on end.

No goblin orphans were harmed in the making of this review.

[A Wai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this second instalment. The author’s humour is well paced, landing at just the right moments without ever interrupting the tension. One of the things I have loved since the start of the series is how naturally the System is explained and woven into the story. It always feels organic and easy to follow, even as the stakes keep rising.

Tom and the rest of the team continue to be such a strong group to root for, and seeing how they hold together through everything makes the journey even more engaging. The world is getting darker, the choices tougher, but the character dynamics are as compelling as ever.

I cannot wait to see what happens in book three.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to get into it but James is the worst character I've ever read in a novel and his humor is reminiscent of a ten year old who spends too much time looking at memes. I'll finish reading it if someone tells me he gets killed by a goblin but I have no interest in reading anything with him involved.

[Scott]

Another great read

Tom's guild has more challenges to face as the system throws even more problems at them. Let more action commence and more questions be revealed whilst having a great time reading this.