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Too Stubborn to Die #1
Too Stubborn to Die 1: A LitRPG Apocalypse
Fear of death never stopped Aaron from doing something dangerous. Now actual death can't either.
Aaron was always a bit of a daredevil. Motorcycles, cave diving, bungee jumping, sky diving... You name it, and if it was dangerous, Aaron was there. Then, his entire universe got pulled into a System-managed multiverse.
He was skydiving at the time he was pulled into the Tutorial, so instead of getting a peaceful introduction to the System, he went splat and instantly died. Taking pity on him, the goddess in charge of his Tutorial resurrected him, but due to System restrictions, there was only one place she could send The Shadow Trials.
Now, stuck in a special dimension designed for the prodigies of each new universe, Aaron has to find a way to survive and grow stronger while starting from level 1. His only saving grace is that in the Shadow Trials, he revives every time he dies. And he's going to abuse that as much as he can to grow strong.
Perfect for fans of Primal Hunter, Defiance of the Fall, Stubborn Skill Grinder in a Time Loop
Aaron was always a bit of a daredevil. Motorcycles, cave diving, bungee jumping, sky diving... You name it, and if it was dangerous, Aaron was there. Then, his entire universe got pulled into a System-managed multiverse.
He was skydiving at the time he was pulled into the Tutorial, so instead of getting a peaceful introduction to the System, he went splat and instantly died. Taking pity on him, the goddess in charge of his Tutorial resurrected him, but due to System restrictions, there was only one place she could send The Shadow Trials.
Now, stuck in a special dimension designed for the prodigies of each new universe, Aaron has to find a way to survive and grow stronger while starting from level 1. His only saving grace is that in the Shadow Trials, he revives every time he dies. And he's going to abuse that as much as he can to grow strong.
Perfect for fans of Primal Hunter, Defiance of the Fall, Stubborn Skill Grinder in a Time Loop
603 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 23, 2026
Repetitive, mediocre, boring
The story is super repetitive. The author uses the can’t die troupe to advance the main character. What is hard to deal with is that somehow he repeatedly figures out how to win his fights after, hundreds of deaths, but no one else can die like that. I believe in hard work but this concept is similar to a speed runner practicing the same moves over and over, even though no fight ever stays the same after a tiny change.
The opener makes little or no sense.. Author has created gods. That are quasi omnipotent but not omniscient. They have quasi omnipresent powers as well but act like teenagers? And one somehow muffs the start of the tutorial? Long story short each chapter is basically the same thing over and over until like 83% when finally a plot emerges. Not a great plot but something.
Author’s power scaling is uneven and boring. They try and be unique but really just makes everything bland. The profession sequences are boring with no detail or thought. They just happen…. Because they do.
Ultimately I skipped whole chapters and didn’t loose much because the fight scenes are the same. I died, I died again, oh I learned this really handy skill right when I needed to and blam-oh I can beat this boss now.
Oh and alien is arriving, what a coincidence I just got a common skill to know all languages. Oh I’m fighting in the air….. just got a new skill to handle that.
Not kidding until 95% it’s rinse and repeat for this book.
There is no side character development. It’s one sided and strange. What personality the author provides the other characters in the story is over the top and one dimensional. He never gives a good reason why the Douglas doesn’t like the MC other than some over used troupe superiority complex.
The story is super repetitive. The author uses the can’t die troupe to advance the main character. What is hard to deal with is that somehow he repeatedly figures out how to win his fights after, hundreds of deaths, but no one else can die like that. I believe in hard work but this concept is similar to a speed runner practicing the same moves over and over, even though no fight ever stays the same after a tiny change.
The opener makes little or no sense.. Author has created gods. That are quasi omnipotent but not omniscient. They have quasi omnipresent powers as well but act like teenagers? And one somehow muffs the start of the tutorial? Long story short each chapter is basically the same thing over and over until like 83% when finally a plot emerges. Not a great plot but something.
Author’s power scaling is uneven and boring. They try and be unique but really just makes everything bland. The profession sequences are boring with no detail or thought. They just happen…. Because they do.
Ultimately I skipped whole chapters and didn’t loose much because the fight scenes are the same. I died, I died again, oh I learned this really handy skill right when I needed to and blam-oh I can beat this boss now.
Oh and alien is arriving, what a coincidence I just got a common skill to know all languages. Oh I’m fighting in the air….. just got a new skill to handle that.
Not kidding until 95% it’s rinse and repeat for this book.
There is no side character development. It’s one sided and strange. What personality the author provides the other characters in the story is over the top and one dimensional. He never gives a good reason why the Douglas doesn’t like the MC other than some over used troupe superiority complex.
April 9, 2026
Average at best, and lacking in intelligence.
I stopped reading this drivel at 60%, as the progression of the MC was hindered by his own obvious stupidity.
Further, the MC is too arrogant for his own good, and is a bit of an AH to others. I cannot stand rump-heads like this.
The author repeats phrases, which is quite annoying, and uses some phrases incorrectly.
The MC is childish in his approach to things, such as strategy, respect, planning, and stat balance.
He does nothing to grow his intelligence stat, which is quite apparent by adopting the ogre structure whereby he likes nasty foods, and becomes a big fat slob while thinking he is going to become great.
The story is not good enough to support a character of such foolish mindedness.
Bah!
I stopped reading this drivel at 60%, as the progression of the MC was hindered by his own obvious stupidity.
Further, the MC is too arrogant for his own good, and is a bit of an AH to others. I cannot stand rump-heads like this.
The author repeats phrases, which is quite annoying, and uses some phrases incorrectly.
The MC is childish in his approach to things, such as strategy, respect, planning, and stat balance.
He does nothing to grow his intelligence stat, which is quite apparent by adopting the ogre structure whereby he likes nasty foods, and becomes a big fat slob while thinking he is going to become great.
The story is not good enough to support a character of such foolish mindedness.
Bah!
May 4, 2026
no hero to cheer
This is essentially a looping book. The author gets away without telling the reader anything because nothing is known except what little the steward says. However the complete lack of curiosity by the mc and his rude behavior makes it a hard read. Can you retake the trial with a different shadow? With only eating cheeseburgers, does the alien food give bonuses or taste good? Why didn’t the mc try and climb a tree against the wolves like the shadow? Does the war banner work in the trials? Why not watch others in trials with similar abilities? The mc doesn’t ever comment on things like the temperature so the reader is in the dark. Why not ambush the orcs at the watering hole instead of yelling insults and many little things like that bugged me. Eventually you find some answers locked away inside the author’s head. Because the mc knows what the author knows, he doesn’t act like a curious human in an alien world which frustrates the reader. Try different weapons, or approaches, or shadows? Nope. In addition the mc acts like an arrogant donkey pit which is a turn off for me. I never became invested in seeing the mc succeed (nor any character) which is the point of most stories.
This is essentially a looping book. The author gets away without telling the reader anything because nothing is known except what little the steward says. However the complete lack of curiosity by the mc and his rude behavior makes it a hard read. Can you retake the trial with a different shadow? With only eating cheeseburgers, does the alien food give bonuses or taste good? Why didn’t the mc try and climb a tree against the wolves like the shadow? Does the war banner work in the trials? Why not watch others in trials with similar abilities? The mc doesn’t ever comment on things like the temperature so the reader is in the dark. Why not ambush the orcs at the watering hole instead of yelling insults and many little things like that bugged me. Eventually you find some answers locked away inside the author’s head. Because the mc knows what the author knows, he doesn’t act like a curious human in an alien world which frustrates the reader. Try different weapons, or approaches, or shadows? Nope. In addition the mc acts like an arrogant donkey pit which is a turn off for me. I never became invested in seeing the mc succeed (nor any character) which is the point of most stories.
March 8, 2026
dnf at 30%. Too many signs of heavy reliance on AI-assisted writing. MC is annoying. No consequences for choices, everything handed to him on a silver platter. Supposedly he is supposed to be in an impossible hell mode type situation, yet he cant die and is constantly rewarded with tailored rewards just perfect to help him continue progressing. Cultivation energy system the author uses make no sense and is not true to traditional cultivation. "Stamina" energy can be cycled from your stamina attribute? Give me a break! That sort of weird interpretation is something AI comes up with. Hard pass on this series. There is a decent enough premise. However, I found myself thinking early on that I would have much preferred it if the author had simply sold the premise to a better author to write.
August 14, 2026
Conclusion:
It was okay. There's a lot of potential, but a lot of it is brought down by the main character being stupid and impulsive, until he needs to be smart to move what little plot there is forward. There's a lot of assumptions about species having to fight each other post-integration that feels like the main character having perfect knowledge. He's also a certain way about things for no discernable reason, like being weirded out by a god being interested in him, despite the god being fairly normal and having shown no character/backstory reasons to be weird about gods. Probably won't read anymore books in the series.
Notes:
So far so good, but it does do that annoying thing where it will list out skills and descriptions, and then the character will spend entire paragraphs pondering and expositing on each one.
The character is really leaning heavy into the cocksure overconfident dumbass trope. Oh well. I do actually like the "pocket dimension attached to an adventuring space" concept a la Dungeon Cleaners Inc, and this book nails it so far.
The character's inner narration really hints at him having to fight other people, because he constantly goes "I need to know what I'm up against". Which I think is dumb, when there's surely plenty of dungeons and monsters out there.
It's giving some smungeon smrawler smarl "lets try some random shit and make it gross and try to make it funny" vibes with the whole ogre thing. I hope it backfires.
It was okay. There's a lot of potential, but a lot of it is brought down by the main character being stupid and impulsive, until he needs to be smart to move what little plot there is forward. There's a lot of assumptions about species having to fight each other post-integration that feels like the main character having perfect knowledge. He's also a certain way about things for no discernable reason, like being weirded out by a god being interested in him, despite the god being fairly normal and having shown no character/backstory reasons to be weird about gods. Probably won't read anymore books in the series.
Notes:
So far so good, but it does do that annoying thing where it will list out skills and descriptions, and then the character will spend entire paragraphs pondering and expositing on each one.
The character is really leaning heavy into the cocksure overconfident dumbass trope. Oh well. I do actually like the "pocket dimension attached to an adventuring space" concept a la Dungeon Cleaners Inc, and this book nails it so far.
The character's inner narration really hints at him having to fight other people, because he constantly goes "I need to know what I'm up against". Which I think is dumb, when there's surely plenty of dungeons and monsters out there.
It's giving some smungeon smrawler smarl "lets try some random shit and make it gross and try to make it funny" vibes with the whole ogre thing. I hope it backfires.
June 8, 2026
Only for certain tastes
So this is basically almost a 'time loop' sort of vibe. You also need to be the sort of person who likes stories like 'Skill Grinder in a Timeloop' where the character is bull headed and wants to do things 'their way' where they'd rather grind and bash their head against a wall 100 times rather than stop and think and do it the smart way.
This isn't a character who will pick the weakest opponent for an easy win to move on to the next trial. This is the character who will pick the hardest then spend 2 months of constant repeat tries on the same person learning every move until they can win. It's like reading someone who plays Dark Souls but only their way rather than doing things the easy way.
If you're someone who can enjoy reading a character trying the same over and over and over until they can make their way work, this is a good series. If not, then it's not. It picks up in book 2 as he gains more abilities and molds them together. It also has the Shadow Trials end by book 3, so you can actually read what the story is going to be about. Remember the first two books, the repeat dying shadow trials is just the first two books, the set up, the slow burn.
I enjoyed it personally but I could see why people didn't .
So this is basically almost a 'time loop' sort of vibe. You also need to be the sort of person who likes stories like 'Skill Grinder in a Timeloop' where the character is bull headed and wants to do things 'their way' where they'd rather grind and bash their head against a wall 100 times rather than stop and think and do it the smart way.
This isn't a character who will pick the weakest opponent for an easy win to move on to the next trial. This is the character who will pick the hardest then spend 2 months of constant repeat tries on the same person learning every move until they can win. It's like reading someone who plays Dark Souls but only their way rather than doing things the easy way.
If you're someone who can enjoy reading a character trying the same over and over and over until they can make their way work, this is a good series. If not, then it's not. It picks up in book 2 as he gains more abilities and molds them together. It also has the Shadow Trials end by book 3, so you can actually read what the story is going to be about. Remember the first two books, the repeat dying shadow trials is just the first two books, the set up, the slow burn.
I enjoyed it personally but I could see why people didn't .
March 2, 2026
Overall pretty good, but a lot of repetition.
So the MC gets sent straight to he trials right? And he's under leveled of course, so he has to grind through hundreds of deaths to beat each trial. Which leads to a lot of the same thing over and over, despite the author skipping things to move a little faster. And having next to no one to talk to for a lot of the book makes for a little rougher reading. I do like the supporting characters we've gotten, and the MCs ability set is fun, though it reminds me a lot of a well known anime series character. So overall, not too tier, but enjoyable enough.
So the MC gets sent straight to he trials right? And he's under leveled of course, so he has to grind through hundreds of deaths to beat each trial. Which leads to a lot of the same thing over and over, despite the author skipping things to move a little faster. And having next to no one to talk to for a lot of the book makes for a little rougher reading. I do like the supporting characters we've gotten, and the MCs ability set is fun, though it reminds me a lot of a well known anime series character. So overall, not too tier, but enjoyable enough.
March 13, 2026
Fight die..rinse and repeat
If you read the first few chapters, then you can skim about 80% of the book because it's the same story line over and over. I wouldn't skip chapters because there are some areas that show Aaron advancing. Then at the end the author introduces a boogeyman that will probably be an enemy of Aarons, also talks about some random leaders in the tutorial. MC is likable and somewhat interesting, other characters are superficial. I doubt I will get the next book in the series.
If you read the first few chapters, then you can skim about 80% of the book because it's the same story line over and over. I wouldn't skip chapters because there are some areas that show Aaron advancing. Then at the end the author introduces a boogeyman that will probably be an enemy of Aarons, also talks about some random leaders in the tutorial. MC is likable and somewhat interesting, other characters are superficial. I doubt I will get the next book in the series.
April 21, 2026
It didn’t throw up huge red flags or anything so I did finish it despite how much it dragged on. I think there’s a point where I tune out when details fall into very crunchy territory. This book was that way while also being pretty loose on the logic or something else that made a lot of that detail seem to not to matter. Maybe I just wanted the story to move more.
Some of the weaker sections involved the MC interacting with other characters and dialogue so I am unsure whether or not I will continue with the series.
2.5
Some of the weaker sections involved the MC interacting with other characters and dialogue so I am unsure whether or not I will continue with the series.
2.5
August 26, 2026
DNF at 30%. Became very repetitive very fast and from others reviews it doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon. I might have persevered a little longer if there was any sort of background information on WHY this was all happening or even on the MMC.. he suddenly gets dropped in this world and dies, respawns, has the worst 'assistant' ever, then goes oh well may as well make the most of it, then continue to die another thousand times living in this new world without once being curious about his friends or family? The pieces just don't add up well and the storyline seems pointless
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2026
The book reads like the diary of a professional masochist!
The plot is another "introduction to the system" story. But with all the fun elements sucked out of it. The MC is just a human cockroach who dies endlessly, somehow succeeds, gets tailored boons, dies aagain endlessly and repeat.The MC'S choices regarding both his class and profession are quite underwhelming! Unsurprisingly, he gets a useless and annoying companion as well..
The plot is another "introduction to the system" story. But with all the fun elements sucked out of it. The MC is just a human cockroach who dies endlessly, somehow succeeds, gets tailored boons, dies aagain endlessly and repeat.The MC'S choices regarding both his class and profession are quite underwhelming! Unsurprisingly, he gets a useless and annoying companion as well..
September 24, 2026
slow start but really starts to keep up
A slow start but really picks up about half way through… looking forward to book 2
I tend to like good ensemble story but it looks like we are heading in that direction.
The main character is decent enough but a little self-centered and egotistical for my tastes right now… but … I look forward to the character’s growth and learning more about some of the supporting characters.
A slow start but really picks up about half way through… looking forward to book 2
I tend to like good ensemble story but it looks like we are heading in that direction.
The main character is decent enough but a little self-centered and egotistical for my tastes right now… but … I look forward to the character’s growth and learning more about some of the supporting characters.
February 6, 2026
Very fun
This book was a ride. It was a slightly different take on the system arriving. There are points that it brushes on being silly, but it never really crosses that line.
Do yourself a favor and pick up this book.
Highly recommended.
This book was a ride. It was a slightly different take on the system arriving. There are points that it brushes on being silly, but it never really crosses that line.
Do yourself a favor and pick up this book.
Highly recommended.
February 13, 2026
One of the reasons I *hate* multiple narrators: Females voice - soft. Adjust volume up. Males voice - LOUDER. Adjust volume down.
Now, they're talking to each other.
Someone in the sound department did a poor job.
Now, they're talking to each other.
Someone in the sound department did a poor job.
February 26, 2026
Great start
One of my favorite new stories, it progresses well, has great characters, and is just really fun, it captures what I’m looking for when I want to see a main character die repeatedly.
One of my favorite new stories, it progresses well, has great characters, and is just really fun, it captures what I’m looking for when I want to see a main character die repeatedly.
March 17, 2026
brilliant
Great first book. I really dunno what to say, I can’t wait to dig in for the next book, I’m really excited to see how he can power up to the level of the other characters shown in snippets…
Great first book. I really dunno what to say, I can’t wait to dig in for the next book, I’m really excited to see how he can power up to the level of the other characters shown in snippets…
March 21, 2026
Interesting spin on genre
I'm a huge fan of integration and tutorial style stories, and this is a great spin on them. The writing is very good and the characters interesting. Looking forward to the next entry and beyond.
I'm a huge fan of integration and tutorial style stories, and this is a great spin on them. The writing is very good and the characters interesting. Looking forward to the next entry and beyond.
April 2, 2026
Very good!
He's taken powerless to the reward that only the best of the best of the best get taken to. But he's powerless. What is there to do but try try and try again. Funny book and looking forward to book two!
He's taken powerless to the reward that only the best of the best of the best get taken to. But he's powerless. What is there to do but try try and try again. Funny book and looking forward to book two!
April 5, 2026
not for me
The story…I don’t know. There are plenty of LitRPG mc gets stuck in a trial dungeon time lapse and levels up. I was hoping for something that would set this apart from the fields but I gave up after 193 pages
The story…I don’t know. There are plenty of LitRPG mc gets stuck in a trial dungeon time lapse and levels up. I was hoping for something that would set this apart from the fields but I gave up after 193 pages
May 3, 2026
Fun ideas. Set up with good potential.
Well written… sets up for high adventure without OP superman from the get go. I have high hopes that book 2 is not just a repetition of the first
Well written… sets up for high adventure without OP superman from the get go. I have high hopes that book 2 is not just a repetition of the first
May 30, 2026
Too Stubborn to Die 1
I thought it was a very well defined first story for the series, great introduction to our Main Character.
The storyline with this type of story is always hard to keep focused on, but, the authors did a good job with it.
Thank you, all!
I thought it was a very well defined first story for the series, great introduction to our Main Character.
The storyline with this type of story is always hard to keep focused on, but, the authors did a good job with it.
Thank you, all!
June 6, 2026
Fun!
I really enjoyed the book. It's a great progression fantasy that really captures the feeling of a roguelite or dark souls game.. maybe. I guess...
Well it was a bloody good progression fantasy anyways. Well written, well plotted, good set-up.
I'm excited for more!
I really enjoyed the book. It's a great progression fantasy that really captures the feeling of a roguelite or dark souls game.. maybe. I guess...
Well it was a bloody good progression fantasy anyways. Well written, well plotted, good set-up.
I'm excited for more!
June 6, 2026
Way too much cultivation garbage.
There is almost zero plot. He keeps doing the same shadow trials over and over and over and over again. The more he does the same damn thing, the more I don't care anymore.
There are basically zero characters. It is all just this one guy talking about skills and cultivating.
I'm too bored to continue
DNF 40%
There is almost zero plot. He keeps doing the same shadow trials over and over and over and over again. The more he does the same damn thing, the more I don't care anymore.
There are basically zero characters. It is all just this one guy talking about skills and cultivating.
I'm too bored to continue
DNF 40%
August 16, 2026
A Training Montage without the Montage
The writing is fine, the characters are fine, the mechanics are fine, but the story goes nowhere. A guy trains, has some insights, trains again, has some more insights, over and over.
The writing is fine, the characters are fine, the mechanics are fine, but the story goes nowhere. A guy trains, has some insights, trains again, has some more insights, over and over.
September 15, 2026
Writing is good, but it got bogged down in the repeated challenges and I skimmed a lot. Seriously, this could have been 100 pages lighter, easily.
Still, it began to move near the end and what follows will hopefully move a bit faster. We'll see what book 2 offers.
Still, it began to move near the end and what follows will hopefully move a bit faster. We'll see what book 2 offers.
February 25, 2026
I love the book. it's not quite a Time loop but MC can't die in book 1 so it's almost like a different take on a Time loop but it's also a take on tutorial/trials type lit RPG book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2026
Note to self: what if Primal Hunter, but cooking instead of alchemy. Not bad, quite fun and enjoyable. The narrator was good. Will keep going with the series.
March 16, 2026
Well done
This is written well and the story flows smoothly. A lot of detail and planning went into this, making it a joy to read.
This is written well and the story flows smoothly. A lot of detail and planning went into this, making it a joy to read.
April 9, 2026
Ggrat series
Interesting premise on the "system messed up and put me in a place that is super hard and I survived," like the take on gods and how they can make mistakes.
Interesting premise on the "system messed up and put me in a place that is super hard and I survived," like the take on gods and how they can make mistakes.
June 19, 2026
got to maybe 20% and it was too repetitious. The fights started blending in together.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews