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Stormblade #1
Stormblade: Volume One
The storm embodies destruction, and now, so does Kade Noelstra.
On the worst day of his life, Kade's system awakened, giving him the power of a raging storm.
It came too late to save his stepfather, but it's enough to let Kade follow in his footsteps and keep the promises he made to his family that day. Yet the Unique skill he awakened is as strong as it is dangerous—for him and everyone around him. Most people would abandon a skill that unpredictable. Kade has other plans.
Skills can be merged. Storms can be tamed. The system’s Laws can be learned. All Kade has to do is clear portals like his stepfather, gather the cores from the monsters within, and complete the skill build he’s been planning for months. But the first core he uses opens up a brand-new path to power, and the speed of his growth draws unwanted attention, both human and otherwise.
He can't afford to slow down. The portals grow ever more numerous, and the people he cares about are in danger.
He'll forge his lightning into a blade, no matter who or what tries to stop him.
On the worst day of his life, Kade's system awakened, giving him the power of a raging storm.
It came too late to save his stepfather, but it's enough to let Kade follow in his footsteps and keep the promises he made to his family that day. Yet the Unique skill he awakened is as strong as it is dangerous—for him and everyone around him. Most people would abandon a skill that unpredictable. Kade has other plans.
Skills can be merged. Storms can be tamed. The system’s Laws can be learned. All Kade has to do is clear portals like his stepfather, gather the cores from the monsters within, and complete the skill build he’s been planning for months. But the first core he uses opens up a brand-new path to power, and the speed of his growth draws unwanted attention, both human and otherwise.
He can't afford to slow down. The portals grow ever more numerous, and the people he cares about are in danger.
He'll forge his lightning into a blade, no matter who or what tries to stop him.
- GenresLitrpg
584 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 30, 2026
Diet Solo Leveling
I DNF this book, I stopped at about 30%. The author clearly took a lot of inspiration from Solo Leveling, and while that’s not a bad thing, it really didn’t translate into a good story in this.
A few of the issues I have is first and foremost, the fencing foil. Fencing is a sport, not really a combat style! Even if you were to consider it a rapier, they’re not effective combat weapons! They’re primarily for stabbing or making tiny cuts here and there. Basically they are used to play “tip tag” during a duel. The author takes some insanely strong lightning skill, which could have turned into something so cool, and instead turns it into the MC basically having a fencing cattle prod! The whole skill merger/build system is atrocious.
Also he was a victim of a dungeon break, his dad died in it, so he knows how dangerous monsters outside of dungeons are, yet is still stupid enough to bring a monster egg out and hide it! That’s just one of the dumbest and least realistic things someone with his experience would do.
Honestly I could go on and on about the problems with just the first 1/3 of this book but needless to say, I won’t be continuing this series. It was pretty bad.
I DNF this book, I stopped at about 30%. The author clearly took a lot of inspiration from Solo Leveling, and while that’s not a bad thing, it really didn’t translate into a good story in this.
A few of the issues I have is first and foremost, the fencing foil. Fencing is a sport, not really a combat style! Even if you were to consider it a rapier, they’re not effective combat weapons! They’re primarily for stabbing or making tiny cuts here and there. Basically they are used to play “tip tag” during a duel. The author takes some insanely strong lightning skill, which could have turned into something so cool, and instead turns it into the MC basically having a fencing cattle prod! The whole skill merger/build system is atrocious.
Also he was a victim of a dungeon break, his dad died in it, so he knows how dangerous monsters outside of dungeons are, yet is still stupid enough to bring a monster egg out and hide it! That’s just one of the dumbest and least realistic things someone with his experience would do.
Honestly I could go on and on about the problems with just the first 1/3 of this book but needless to say, I won’t be continuing this series. It was pretty bad.
April 8, 2026
Just not my kind of story
It was technically well. No grammar or spelling issues. The MC was decent enough, and likeable. I am sure there are a lot of people who will enjoy the book. However, my issues were enough for me to be constantly pulled out of the story. After about the first 15% i stopped. Yes that not very far in to really get a full feeling of the book. That is the only reason it gets 3 stars. This story stars out like so many of the books I have read lately. The author tries so hard to give the MC a hanicap or impossible struggle to overcome. Then the make the MC to be a pitiful defeatist or selfish try hard. In other words, the author becomes part of the story instead of telling the story. My first view of this happening was that the MC was a danger to his party. He was under leveled and in a support role but risked his party by deciding to try and be a front line damage dealer. This used up the healers mana as well as required the actual damage dealers to have to stop what they were supposed to do to save him. For me, this is a foreshadow of what would most likely be coming. All I could see going forward was the author continuously handicapping the MC or putting the MC in impossible situations because of the MC's selfish decisions and then using plot armor or other convoluted plot device to keep the MC alive.
BTW, an epee or foil would be a terrible choice for a dungeon weapon (just like daggers that are stupidly chosen in so many stories). They are dueling weapons meant to be used against other epees or foils and are way to light to be used against any type of armor or heavier weapon.
It was technically well. No grammar or spelling issues. The MC was decent enough, and likeable. I am sure there are a lot of people who will enjoy the book. However, my issues were enough for me to be constantly pulled out of the story. After about the first 15% i stopped. Yes that not very far in to really get a full feeling of the book. That is the only reason it gets 3 stars. This story stars out like so many of the books I have read lately. The author tries so hard to give the MC a hanicap or impossible struggle to overcome. Then the make the MC to be a pitiful defeatist or selfish try hard. In other words, the author becomes part of the story instead of telling the story. My first view of this happening was that the MC was a danger to his party. He was under leveled and in a support role but risked his party by deciding to try and be a front line damage dealer. This used up the healers mana as well as required the actual damage dealers to have to stop what they were supposed to do to save him. For me, this is a foreshadow of what would most likely be coming. All I could see going forward was the author continuously handicapping the MC or putting the MC in impossible situations because of the MC's selfish decisions and then using plot armor or other convoluted plot device to keep the MC alive.
BTW, an epee or foil would be a terrible choice for a dungeon weapon (just like daggers that are stupidly chosen in so many stories). They are dueling weapons meant to be used against other epees or foils and are way to light to be used against any type of armor or heavier weapon.
April 13, 2026
So the difference between a ripoff and homage is if you get every story beat from the source material. That's what this book did, from Solo Leveling. The main character has no personality, the voice of fencing is odd, and the skill system is very weak. It comes off as cheap plot armor.
August 19, 2026
Good enough to swap from KU to actual kindle owned. 🙂 A few echoes of "Solo Leveling " but only in the broadest plot strokes.
August 31, 2026
Stormblade is the first book in this series that is similar to a few other LitRPG books I've read in the past, (though none recently), but it is well written, and although the progression is not typical of most LitRPG stories, (most don't have the ability to combine skills), it does make for some interesting skill evolutions, and results in turning multiple skills into more powerful versions (usually, but not always) more useful versions of their combined capabilities. It's an interesting concept, handled well, and definitely worth the read. I'm likely to continue with this series.
May 24, 2026
Kade is a delver. He delves portals to prevent them from breaking and releasing their monsters on the world. He is an E-rank delver with ambitious plans. He plans to make it all the way to S-rank. Upon merging his extremely dangerous and powerful Unique ability Stormbreak into a safer form he unlocks the Stormsteel path. Paths are something that no one has heard of before. Several months of delving go by. While delving a C-rank dungeon during a portal surge, Mason is kidnapped by a S-rank portal. Inside he meets a SS+ rank Paragon Tier 5 god. In doing so he realizes that the world is a much bigger place than anyone realizes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2026
Great new series
What a good read. I really enjoyed how the characters utilized their skills. I found the MC to be a little overpowered but he definitely had to work at it and I like that he was trying to keep it under control. Secondly there was a character with a disability like mine having to make do in a post apocalyptic society and this book made me feel seen. 10/10. Ready for the next one.
What a good read. I really enjoyed how the characters utilized their skills. I found the MC to be a little overpowered but he definitely had to work at it and I like that he was trying to keep it under control. Secondly there was a character with a disability like mine having to make do in a post apocalyptic society and this book made me feel seen. 10/10. Ready for the next one.
May 25, 2026
This book was so good! It was one of my favorite reads in like 2 years! The plot was great and I loved the portals and overall theme of the book in general. The duelist fighting style is one I really appreciate reading its so fun to see the end of book result and the power level increase. I liked that the power change wasn't too sudden and overwhelming that it still creates a powerful but somehow balanced character. This book was greats! he he he
May 2, 2026
Quite Good
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It hits all is the storyline highlights for a portal fantasy with a bit of a unique spin on the main story. Great character interactions and a focus on the other team mates in the party is very well done. I definitely recommend this one to any LITRpg fans.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It hits all is the storyline highlights for a portal fantasy with a bit of a unique spin on the main story. Great character interactions and a focus on the other team mates in the party is very well done. I definitely recommend this one to any LITRpg fans.
May 2, 2026
Enjoyable without over the top mc
Written well. Little in the way of errors. I rarely leave reviews for books I read only the ones that I really enjoy or really hate. This is an author I will always read their works. This is the first book by them I have read. I have already snagged the others and am about to start them.
Written well. Little in the way of errors. I rarely leave reviews for books I read only the ones that I really enjoy or really hate. This is an author I will always read their works. This is the first book by them I have read. I have already snagged the others and am about to start them.
June 26, 2026
Good filler while waiting on fav LitRPG
I can't tell where the story is going and his powers don't really seem powerful or that he is really successful in fights, based off the writing, its ok to have slow progression but at least make the fight scenes more intricol. Other than that, a good read.
I can't tell where the story is going and his powers don't really seem powerful or that he is really successful in fights, based off the writing, its ok to have slow progression but at least make the fight scenes more intricol. Other than that, a good read.
May 1, 2026
World is reminiscent of Solo Leveling but with its own twist!
It’s close enough to be familiar but the leveling system & skill mergers is unique enough to be not derivative.
Overall a very entertaining read, will be picking up the second one soon.
It’s close enough to be familiar but the leveling system & skill mergers is unique enough to be not derivative.
Overall a very entertaining read, will be picking up the second one soon.
May 21, 2026
Enjoyable read! Main character is principled and sticks by his goals and promises. Side characters in the MC's social sphere all actually have depth to them instead of being flat and underdeveloped. Action is whippy and engaging, and magic system is neat!
May 23, 2026
Well written
This was fun. Started off with a good hook and kept getting more interesting. I did find it interesting that all martial skills are actually magical. There is no martial framework at all. Epilogue was well done leaves me looking forward to the next book.
This was fun. Started off with a good hook and kept getting more interesting. I did find it interesting that all martial skills are actually magical. There is no martial framework at all. Epilogue was well done leaves me looking forward to the next book.
July 14, 2026
It was Solo Leveling with a very thin coat of paint to start with, then it just got worse and worse. The worst thing of all was the certain something that kept me just invested enough to finish the book, even if it felt like dragging myself through a knothole ass-first.
Glad that's over with.
Glad that's over with.
March 20, 2026
This is a super fun story, I was on the edge of my seat ✨
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews