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The Tower Strive: A Tower-Climbing LitRPG Adventure
Progression is a virtue, stagnation is death, and absurdity is only the beginning in the first installment of this humorous action-adventure LitRPG series.
Xavier Shaw doesn’t understand why his trash cans have been targeted by a ravenous raccoon. Tired of waking up to the critter’s twilight buffet, Xavier grabs a high-powered air rifle to take out his nocturnal nemesis. Unfortunately, the war between man and raccoon has barely begun when a passing truck runs them both over.
Now Xavier exists in the Tower Strive, a fantastical reality centered around an altitudinous tower with life-and-death games on every floor. Armed with an RPG-like system and a gem-encrusted plunger, he’s got nowhere to go but up. Along for the ride is the furry fiend responsible for his death, newly endowed with the gift of sarcastic speech. Calling herself El Bandito, she’s Xavier’s partner, and she brings along her wisecracks, thieving talents, and explosive spells as they make their way to the top.
In between navigating acidic toilet monsters, glass golems, and a murderous seductress with her own plans for the tower, the duo must forge a path―and a friendship―if they’re going to survive. Especially when everything around them is a dumpster fire . . .
The first volume of the hit LitRPG series―with more than 130,000 views on Royal Road―now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!
Tropes unlikely heroes, enemies-to-friends, and hero’s journey.
Xavier Shaw doesn’t understand why his trash cans have been targeted by a ravenous raccoon. Tired of waking up to the critter’s twilight buffet, Xavier grabs a high-powered air rifle to take out his nocturnal nemesis. Unfortunately, the war between man and raccoon has barely begun when a passing truck runs them both over.
Now Xavier exists in the Tower Strive, a fantastical reality centered around an altitudinous tower with life-and-death games on every floor. Armed with an RPG-like system and a gem-encrusted plunger, he’s got nowhere to go but up. Along for the ride is the furry fiend responsible for his death, newly endowed with the gift of sarcastic speech. Calling herself El Bandito, she’s Xavier’s partner, and she brings along her wisecracks, thieving talents, and explosive spells as they make their way to the top.
In between navigating acidic toilet monsters, glass golems, and a murderous seductress with her own plans for the tower, the duo must forge a path―and a friendship―if they’re going to survive. Especially when everything around them is a dumpster fire . . .
The first volume of the hit LitRPG series―with more than 130,000 views on Royal Road―now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!
Tropes unlikely heroes, enemies-to-friends, and hero’s journey.
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 31, 2026
A talking raccoon, a bejeweled toilet plunger, and a lonely man make for a masterful debut
This is a darkly funny and thoughtfully written, a lovely literary debut (a LitRPG, albeit a lightweight one as far as “system crunch” is concerned).
There is a wisecracking raccoon. She is believably still a raccoon. There is a loner who is opening his heart - but still a deeply wounded loner.
If you read carefully, you will find many little things along the way.
This is a darkly funny and thoughtfully written, a lovely literary debut (a LitRPG, albeit a lightweight one as far as “system crunch” is concerned).
There is a wisecracking raccoon. She is believably still a raccoon. There is a loner who is opening his heart - but still a deeply wounded loner.
If you read carefully, you will find many little things along the way.
June 2, 2026
Too clever for its own good.
didn-t-like-it
June 5, 2026Note to self: the raccoon lost me.
June 23, 2026
It's OK.
It has some decent world-building and it's funny moments.
It has some decent world-building and it's funny moments.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews