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Last Save Dave: A LitRPG Adventure

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The game has begun, and Dave is all out of extra lives.

Dave Deranger, a middle-aged plumber, was the 1990 Nintendo Champion and an Olympic silver medalist in boxing. Since then, his greatest challenge has been trying to quit smoking and plunging toilets.

That all changes when an immature deity named Tyme abducts him to be her champion in a "intergalactic scavenger hunt." The prize? His world is spared. The penalty for losing? Earth gets vaporized by a massive laser pointer from space.

Transported to the Tree of One Thousand Worlds, Dave is armed with nothing but his cherished 44-pound, heavy-duty cast-iron pipe wrench, Vevor, and a set of god-given time-manipulation abilities. In this cosmic game, death isn't the end—it's a mechanic.

With the power to Save Progress and Return to Last Save, Dave can undo his most gruesome mistakes, provided he has the magical talismans to pay the cost. But he isn’t the only champion on the branches.

Join the start of this LitRPG adventure featuring a grizzled underdog MC with a wrench, unique time mechanics, steady power progression, crunchy stats, high-stakes party dynamics, and loads of legendary loot.


Perfect for fans of Discount Dan, Dungeon Crawler Carl, and An Unexpected Hero!

518 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 9, 2026

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About the author

Michael James Ploof

71 books222 followers
I spent my youth in the land of make believe. School was a bore, and growing up in the "Boonies" without cable television forced me to use my imagination. If I wasn't holed up in my bedroom playing with my vast collection of action figures, I could be found in the forest with a wooden sword or staff in hand, battling the forces of evil. As an 80's kid, I was raised on a healthy diet of movies like Star Wars, The Neverending Story, Labyrinth, Goonies, and endless other classic (but strange) movies.

As a reader, I enjoy books that take off right out of the gate, sweep me off my feet, and whisk me away on an epic adventure. As an author, I try to create books that do the same for my readers. I write fantasy, and I suppose that I still live in a land of make believe, except now I get to share the adventure with others.

I hope that you will join me on my next adventure, and together we can escape reality, if only for a time.

Yours in Magic,

Michael James Ploof

Join the mailing list at www.whillofagor(dot)com.

Books by Michael James Ploof

Epic Fallacy

Book #1: Champions of the Dragon

Book #2: Beyond the Wide Wall

Book #3: The Legend of Drak' Noir

Book #4: The Mother of Zuul

LEGENDS OF AGORA

Book #1: Whill of Agora

Book #2: A Quest of Kings

Book #3: A Song of Swords

Book #4: A Crown of war

Book #5: Kingdoms in Chaos

Book #6: Champions of the Gods

Book #7: The Mantle of Darkness

Book #8: Dark Echoes of Light

Book #9: The Warcrown Legacy

THE WINDWALKER ARCHIVE

Book #1: Talon

Book #2: Sea Queen

Book #3: Exodus

BLACKTHORN

Book #1: Blackthorn Rising

THE ORION REZNER CHRONICLES

Book #1: Afterworld

The Dragon Throne War

Book #1: A Dream of Fire

Doomsday Sheriff

Book #1

Book #2

Book #3

Dragon Rider Academy

Episode #1: Ascension

Episode #2: Transcendence

Episode #3: Initiate

Episode #4: Dragon Heart

Episode #5: Accursed

THE SOCK GNOME CHRONICLES

Book #1: Billy Coatbutton and the Wheel of Destiny

Book #2: Billy Coatbutton and the ring of Sockchild

Harem books written as Mike Ploof

Rebirth online

Rebirth Online #1

Rebirth Online #2

Rebirth Online #3

Rebirth Online #4

Rebirth Online #5

Rebirth Online #6

Monster World

Monster World #1

Monster World #2

Warwick

Episode #1: Galactic Arena

Episode #2: Galactic Fugitives

Episode #3: Galactic Vengeance

litRPG Published By Aethon Books

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Arcane Veterinarian Book 2 - Fall 2024

The Family Jewels Book 1 - Coming Soon

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Community Reviews

5 stars
24 (32%)
4 stars
32 (43%)
3 stars
9 (12%)
2 stars
5 (6%)
1 star
4 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Stephen Levesque.
3,028 reviews
June 21, 2026
Nope not for me. I find anything about time travel and going to different locations beyond unbelievable! I believe that an author is suppose to start a book by getting a reader engaged in the story and making it so the reader does not want to put it down. Well this book does not engage you. I found the first chapter boring and not engaging, it made me want to put in down. Which I did and came back continued to read and it was more of the same.
Profile Image for LordTBR.
675 reviews174 followers
June 20, 2026
It’s-a me... DAVE!
The latest LitRPG adventure from Aethon gives us an everyman, complete with plumber's crack and 44lb wrench, with the ability to save and revert to last save in the multiverse - all to prevent Earth from being vaporized.
Really enjoyed this one.
Profile Image for Emily  A.
20 reviews
July 5, 2026
laughs, gas and a whole lot of world saving ass from Dave

Long read but no filler. Story keeps you gripped . There’s lots of humour and heartfelt moments . You fall in love with Dave and his dad jokes and Lyra with her steadfast loyalty and our good boy Reggy. Can’t wait for the next one
Profile Image for Bradley.
Author 9 books4,997 followers
July 6, 2026
This is a solid LitRPG but it does have a couple of caveats and/or manage-your-expectations moments.

For one, expect it to be a LitRPG that leans more heavily into super mario bros mixed with light leveling, with a focus on temporary powerups and a restart option.

If you like that kind of thing, you're gonna love this NY plumber in action.

I personally read it for the novelty factor, and it has that.

It also has a light riff on DC Carl going on, but that part's very light.

Still, it's all pretty amusing and heartwarming in the right ways. And like many of these LitRPGs, there always seems to be little DARK easter eggs hidden in here. Story element that usually would derail other kinds of novels with the emotional weight, but don't do that in LitRPGs because the MCs are just TOO DAMN BUSY. :)



26 reviews
June 25, 2026
Not the most compelling storytelling but the plot, characters, and action were enough for me to recommend this book to a few friends while enjoying it when i had a few minutes
The basic plot is this: take Mario, our kind hearted plumber, with his many lives and pension for collecting coins. Add 200lbs, and throw him into a Stargate SG-1 setting (many self contained worlds each with a miniature story)

Just read the sample and you'll know if the story is for you.
Profile Image for Keith.
290 reviews5 followers
July 9, 2026
Lots of fun!

Even though I've read the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, I feel like I'm still new to LitRPGs as a genre.

I really love Dave's last save mechanism. I love how he's trying to save them all from these demented gods. It gives me hope.

All of the characters are interesting and unique. Aside from Dave, I really love Regulus and Lyra.

Can't wait for book 2!
Profile Image for Danny Moody.
1,517 reviews14 followers
June 12, 2026
This is another entry in the growing subclass of LitRPGs inspired by DCC. It definitely has a quirky MC with an interesting and weird background. There is also a cat… anyways the magic system was cool and the MC had a time related ability. Overall it was an enjoyable story.
119 reviews
June 15, 2026
Well Dave ain't the most fit person in the world but he is all that stands between earth and total destruction. Will he be the hero we need? I think he will be. It's a great start to an interesting story that has a lot of potential.
Profile Image for David Fedor.
2 reviews
July 3, 2026
Entertaining

This book is just what I have come to expect from this author: ENTERTAINING and a FUN READ! I definitely recommend this or any of the other series he has written. Definitely looking forward to part 2!
Profile Image for Logan Horsford.
599 reviews21 followers
June 29, 2026
After (audio) an hour and 15 min, I was just not sucked into the story. At all.
Profile Image for BatDuckie.
590 reviews6 followers
July 18, 2026
I enjoyed this. Curious to see where it leads and if Dave can Win or not
Profile Image for James Clark.
67 reviews1 follower
August 1, 2026
“As far as I was concerned, time sucked. When you are bored, it passes too slowly; when you’re having fun, time fast-forwards you right to Monday morning. People, including me, are always running around, trying to save time, and all the while it’s just ticking away, every passing moment alive for but a heartbeat, then gone forever. We look forward to the future, as if somehow that version of now is going to be better than the version of now we’re currently in. And once we’ve finally grown up and checked off all the fun boxes leading to adulthood, we begin to look back with longing at what used to be”

This Was a fun book and I’m sure I’ll continue the series down the road, Just Not Now. It’s well written and pretty well edited, which is rare in this genre, and the story itself is entertaining enough to want to finish and see it through. I didn’t particularly like the ending, but I do like that Dave is sticking to his own morals.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews