What do you think?
Rate this book
Derek's Dungeon Depot #1
Derek's Dungeon Depot
A Base-Building Progression Fantasy perfect for fans of Jake's Magical Market, Delve, and Small-Town Crafter!
Conquering the Dungeon starts and ends at his door.
When Derek is accidentally summoned to another world alongside the chosen "Hero", everything changes.
Not all for the better.
Thanks to the debaucherous chosen one, Derek find himself embroiled in scandals, injected with a power-scaling parasite, and shipped off to an insane dungeon labyrinth, with nothing but a fake identity and a deed to a notoriously dangerous tavern.
But as they when in Rome, plunder it like the Visigoths.
So, Derek jumps right in. Whatever it takes. When he chooses to mass produce illegal health elixirs to help climbers, he accidentally kickstarts a movement to transform his humble, lawless tavern would into a powerful depot. Perhaps enough to one day help conquer the labyrinth.
Don't miss the start of a new isekai Progression Fantasy Adventure from Little Lynx, the bestselling author of Wraithwood Botanist, featuring dungeon delving, base-building, a rational MC, trading, alchemy, shop-running, slice-of-life elements, and slow-build Power Progression.
Perfect for fans of Jake's Magical Market, Delve, and Small-Town Crafter!
Conquering the Dungeon starts and ends at his door.
When Derek is accidentally summoned to another world alongside the chosen "Hero", everything changes.
Not all for the better.
Thanks to the debaucherous chosen one, Derek find himself embroiled in scandals, injected with a power-scaling parasite, and shipped off to an insane dungeon labyrinth, with nothing but a fake identity and a deed to a notoriously dangerous tavern.
But as they when in Rome, plunder it like the Visigoths.
So, Derek jumps right in. Whatever it takes. When he chooses to mass produce illegal health elixirs to help climbers, he accidentally kickstarts a movement to transform his humble, lawless tavern would into a powerful depot. Perhaps enough to one day help conquer the labyrinth.
Don't miss the start of a new isekai Progression Fantasy Adventure from Little Lynx, the bestselling author of Wraithwood Botanist, featuring dungeon delving, base-building, a rational MC, trading, alchemy, shop-running, slice-of-life elements, and slow-build Power Progression.
Perfect for fans of Jake's Magical Market, Delve, and Small-Town Crafter!
456 pages, Paperback
Published April 21, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
April 23, 2026
Not entirely sold on the main character, but interesting set up and I keep picturing his bond mate as the pink guy from Treasure Planet
April 24, 2026
DNF - Exciting Premise but Falls Very Short
This was such a chaotic and hard to read book. The first half is just back story and then it immediately moves into a mess of a main story that doesn’t make much sense at all. It was so hard to follow I had to give up. Definitely not worth the time for me.
This was such a chaotic and hard to read book. The first half is just back story and then it immediately moves into a mess of a main story that doesn’t make much sense at all. It was so hard to follow I had to give up. Definitely not worth the time for me.
May 25, 2026
Derek spends most of the book drunk, makes poor decisions, and doesn't seem likely to improve. It's just not enjoyable. He has flickers of brilliance and moments of capability, but he's much more interested in indulging his vices that doing anything meaningful, be it improving himself or helping others. I did not finish it and I do not recommend it. I stopped at the 75% mark, and it's amazing I made it that far.
July 30, 2026
Unlikable MC
As everyone said, the MC is horrible.
Now I won't say the author is a bad writer, because I love their other series. Wraithwood Botanist, which the MC there, I loved. While that MC might like taking drugs with mushrooms and what not, it wasn't their main personality.
This MC his main personality is being an annoying drunk. He comes off as a Frat Boy drunkard, always high, drunks or looking to get drunk while having a hangover. His personality is entitled where he thinks only of himself. Thinks he is the best with a huge ego and only cares about his wants and how to get drunk.
He comes off as some dumb edge lord who thinks he's bad ass because he's part of a criminal organization but really comes off as more a sketchy street dealer who talks big but is easily scared.
He goes on how bad ass he is, how big of a deal he is and powerful, such a crime lord and what not. Yet he won't kill anyone. He barely will do violence to other people. How scary.
He is constantly letting people go after 'beating' them to let them come back stronger and better prepared, putting those around him at risk and worse due to his soft heart.
Just stupid. At least the author's other series the MC knew she had to kill people going into the forest to put an end to their antics.
This would read like it's a YA novel where 'killing is bad boohoo, even if it's murders and worse who get killed'...except that drunken drug stuff is so not suitable for YA. Going on how he waste so much time just getting drunk and passing out over and over while doing nothing. It was just ....ugh worthless read.
Then as other reviews says, there is new real...information. Nothing to know what he did, where the kingdom is, what is going on. His level of mastery with arrays. As far as we can tell he could be selling Arrays to climbers for tons of money yet that never seems to be brought up beyond selling the one array to the criminals.
It's all just ...a real garbage series. At least not for me. Maybe someone else would like the entitled edge lord drunkard MC but I can't see who. This is the sort of person you'd cut out of your life or would leech you for money to go spend at the bar while they can't make their rent. Then goes blaming everyone else for their problems.
As everyone said, the MC is horrible.
Now I won't say the author is a bad writer, because I love their other series. Wraithwood Botanist, which the MC there, I loved. While that MC might like taking drugs with mushrooms and what not, it wasn't their main personality.
This MC his main personality is being an annoying drunk. He comes off as a Frat Boy drunkard, always high, drunks or looking to get drunk while having a hangover. His personality is entitled where he thinks only of himself. Thinks he is the best with a huge ego and only cares about his wants and how to get drunk.
He comes off as some dumb edge lord who thinks he's bad ass because he's part of a criminal organization but really comes off as more a sketchy street dealer who talks big but is easily scared.
He goes on how bad ass he is, how big of a deal he is and powerful, such a crime lord and what not. Yet he won't kill anyone. He barely will do violence to other people. How scary.
He is constantly letting people go after 'beating' them to let them come back stronger and better prepared, putting those around him at risk and worse due to his soft heart.
Just stupid. At least the author's other series the MC knew she had to kill people going into the forest to put an end to their antics.
This would read like it's a YA novel where 'killing is bad boohoo, even if it's murders and worse who get killed'...except that drunken drug stuff is so not suitable for YA. Going on how he waste so much time just getting drunk and passing out over and over while doing nothing. It was just ....ugh worthless read.
Then as other reviews says, there is new real...information. Nothing to know what he did, where the kingdom is, what is going on. His level of mastery with arrays. As far as we can tell he could be selling Arrays to climbers for tons of money yet that never seems to be brought up beyond selling the one array to the criminals.
It's all just ...a real garbage series. At least not for me. Maybe someone else would like the entitled edge lord drunkard MC but I can't see who. This is the sort of person you'd cut out of your life or would leech you for money to go spend at the bar while they can't make their rent. Then goes blaming everyone else for their problems.
May 25, 2026
This book...NO!
I couldn't finish it. At 16% I said nope. The main character is crap (in my opinion); genuinely someone in real life I would avoid like the plague. His personality rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning.
And on top of that, the story wasn't set up well at all. I have ZERO idea what is going on. It is like the author himself decided to write the beginning in an all inclusive set up and then shortly after the characters were Isekaid, the author hit fast forward for three years. There is not even surface level information about the characters and what they were truly doing. So far we know that (I think his name is )Derek (even though no one calls him that) decided to learn about arrays. How much has he learned? We don't know? Is he a master at arrays or still just an apprentice? We don't know? Oh cool.
What we do know is that Juan hates him because he still can't get over the hero girl and ends up setting Derek (Is that his name?) up for a major fall. We don't even get to witness most of the major events because he is passed out for most of the time.
He gets into an entirely new city? Country? Dungeon? Don't know because that information was not shared while unnamed hero is traveling. I guess it was a city. And somehow he got mugged, again on fast forward because apparently the author is crap at his job. He then gets mugged again by a pixie? Who is part of a group or gang? unknown as I peaced out at this part because the story DOES NOT MAKE SENSE!!
That is as far as I got, and I am genuinely pissed off still because that was four hours I will never get back. Grrrr.
I am assuming SOMEONE out there enjoyed this book because I have seen it highly recommended. That is why I decided to try it. I hated every second of that 16% I read.
Good Luck out there.
I couldn't finish it. At 16% I said nope. The main character is crap (in my opinion); genuinely someone in real life I would avoid like the plague. His personality rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning.
And on top of that, the story wasn't set up well at all. I have ZERO idea what is going on. It is like the author himself decided to write the beginning in an all inclusive set up and then shortly after the characters were Isekaid, the author hit fast forward for three years. There is not even surface level information about the characters and what they were truly doing. So far we know that (I think his name is )Derek (even though no one calls him that) decided to learn about arrays. How much has he learned? We don't know? Is he a master at arrays or still just an apprentice? We don't know? Oh cool.
What we do know is that Juan hates him because he still can't get over the hero girl and ends up setting Derek (Is that his name?) up for a major fall. We don't even get to witness most of the major events because he is passed out for most of the time.
He gets into an entirely new city? Country? Dungeon? Don't know because that information was not shared while unnamed hero is traveling. I guess it was a city. And somehow he got mugged, again on fast forward because apparently the author is crap at his job. He then gets mugged again by a pixie? Who is part of a group or gang? unknown as I peaced out at this part because the story DOES NOT MAKE SENSE!!
That is as far as I got, and I am genuinely pissed off still because that was four hours I will never get back. Grrrr.
I am assuming SOMEONE out there enjoyed this book because I have seen it highly recommended. That is why I decided to try it. I hated every second of that 16% I read.
Good Luck out there.
May 25, 2026
DNF-- was really enjoying this and it had a lot of promise. Read the first chapter out loud to my spouse and we cheered along even if we both grimaced at the very long description of the female 'heroine' (who I immediately called as being the love interest despite there being zero fucking chemistry beyond her being hot) I started to feel decidedly uncomfortable when the 'love interest' was forced to work in close proximity to her stalker (yikes) and the story eventually fully lost me at the end of chapter five when 'obviously' the evil person is 'pudgy' because fat people are evil (as the main character states repeatedly as if this were a blasted jk novel)
I was willing to put up with the obnoxious dithering that some of the writing takes when it tries to be 'relevant' to the times or whatever but it reached a point where it was just gross to read. I'm not willing to see if it turns around and actually becomes good at some point. Did not finish and definitely not recommended reading.
I was willing to put up with the obnoxious dithering that some of the writing takes when it tries to be 'relevant' to the times or whatever but it reached a point where it was just gross to read. I'm not willing to see if it turns around and actually becomes good at some point. Did not finish and definitely not recommended reading.
June 2, 2026
This is NOT the Hero you are looking for…
This is not the Arch Villain either!
Rather, this is a tale of an average 20~something year old functional alcoholic guy who got yeeted into another world… by accident.
So, through a series of events, he became a force of chaos in the established hierarchy of the this new world.
The characters are both simple and complicated.
The story went in a direction that I didn’t expect, but was still good! I started reading this expecting it to be like a shop owner/ slice of life tale and it ended up being a revolutionary story!
Overall, it was well written. However there were some narrative disconnects. It starts out as a first person story, then it starts jumping between news articles, a diary, first person and other person’ perspectives. It works, but sometimes the narrative changes will throw you off on occasion. That is why I gave it a 4 star.
This is not the Arch Villain either!
Rather, this is a tale of an average 20~something year old functional alcoholic guy who got yeeted into another world… by accident.
So, through a series of events, he became a force of chaos in the established hierarchy of the this new world.
The characters are both simple and complicated.
The story went in a direction that I didn’t expect, but was still good! I started reading this expecting it to be like a shop owner/ slice of life tale and it ended up being a revolutionary story!
Overall, it was well written. However there were some narrative disconnects. It starts out as a first person story, then it starts jumping between news articles, a diary, first person and other person’ perspectives. It works, but sometimes the narrative changes will throw you off on occasion. That is why I gave it a 4 star.
April 28, 2026
That was so much fun to read. Derek is a tag a long as a love girl gets pulled to another world where discovers that she is the chosen one and will save the world. Derek is not that.
We get taken along on a ride with a Derek as he tries to find something to do while the heroes go save the world only to get kidnapped and kicked out of the kingdom. Although he is the main character he is not the hero or the good guy or even a respectable businessman. No this isn't that story but man was it a fun read and I'm glad I picked it up. Can't wait for book 2.
We get taken along on a ride with a Derek as he tries to find something to do while the heroes go save the world only to get kidnapped and kicked out of the kingdom. Although he is the main character he is not the hero or the good guy or even a respectable businessman. No this isn't that story but man was it a fun read and I'm glad I picked it up. Can't wait for book 2.
May 7, 2026
Okay Read
This book wasn't what I thought it'd be. It was an okay read and well written, but very different than what I was thinking. I didn't really care for the main character. I found him to be stupid; so so stupid. He act first without thinking things through or of the consequences. Just not for me.
This book wasn't what I thought it'd be. It was an okay read and well written, but very different than what I was thinking. I didn't really care for the main character. I found him to be stupid; so so stupid. He act first without thinking things through or of the consequences. Just not for me.
May 8, 2026
Dnf
Did not like the main character. He is a loser drunk drugs etc and only bad things happen to him ( which half are his fault) he never really turned it around always finds a way to screw things up and not in a funny way. maybe he turns it around later in the book but I will not continue to see . not for me .
Did not like the main character. He is a loser drunk drugs etc and only bad things happen to him ( which half are his fault) he never really turned it around always finds a way to screw things up and not in a funny way. maybe he turns it around later in the book but I will not continue to see . not for me .
July 4, 2026
I start my ratings at 3 stars typically.
This one is a hard one.
I DNF'd it. However, not because the prose was terrible. I just couldn't connect with the main character, the secondary characters, the plot, or well, any of it.
If you can, I think there's probably a really good book here - it just isn't for me.
This one is a hard one.
I DNF'd it. However, not because the prose was terrible. I just couldn't connect with the main character, the secondary characters, the plot, or well, any of it.
If you can, I think there's probably a really good book here - it just isn't for me.
May 2, 2026
Two pages too much
It only took two pages for me to decide this book wasn't for me. Too much snark, too much 'screw the other guy ". I need to feel sympathy for the MC, not want them in jail or dead.
It only took two pages for me to decide this book wasn't for me. Too much snark, too much 'screw the other guy ". I need to feel sympathy for the MC, not want them in jail or dead.
May 2, 2026
It felt like this book wanted to be about five different kinds of books and struggled to keep a consistent tone, even with the sarcastic narrator throughout. There are good places this series can go from here, but I'm not confident the next installments will go there.
May 4, 2026
This is just terrible. One of the worst main characters I have run across in quite some time. He is full of BS, his self descriptions are completely off, and he is a moron. His Macguffin is autonomous so he really does nothing but run his mouth. This is just a waste of time.
May 28, 2026
skip. Main character is an ahole
Main character bounces between mildly amusing, wildly in, and annoying ahole.
The author clearly has talent, but this take on the antihero/rogue is not funny, charming, or interesting, he’s just annoying.
Skip this book it’s not worth your time.
Main character bounces between mildly amusing, wildly in, and annoying ahole.
The author clearly has talent, but this take on the antihero/rogue is not funny, charming, or interesting, he’s just annoying.
Skip this book it’s not worth your time.
June 4, 2026
best book of 2026 so far!
I didn’t know I needed this in my life but this totally just made the second quarter of 2026. Borrow it, buy it, do the needful cause once you start reading you won’t be able to put it down
I didn’t know I needed this in my life but this totally just made the second quarter of 2026. Borrow it, buy it, do the needful cause once you start reading you won’t be able to put it down
June 27, 2026
Decent and Entertaining
I enjoyed most of the book. What I did not enjoy was the constant use of slang that today's teenagers use. It was extremely annoying and I understood only about half of it.
I enjoyed most of the book. What I did not enjoy was the constant use of slang that today's teenagers use. It was extremely annoying and I understood only about half of it.
July 1, 2026
dnf 25%
Cool world, can’t get into the character and his self destructive impulses.
Maybe if it was not first person, and you had a bit of distance, but seeing this loser making cringe decisions and riding along inside his head is too much for me to enjoy.
Cool world, can’t get into the character and his self destructive impulses.
Maybe if it was not first person, and you had a bit of distance, but seeing this loser making cringe decisions and riding along inside his head is too much for me to enjoy.
April 28, 2026
Seemed ok
While the storyline was unique, I felt its application left a bit to be desired. The epilogue left a bit to be desired
While the storyline was unique, I felt its application left a bit to be desired. The epilogue left a bit to be desired
April 30, 2026
Being mildly sardonic isn't humor.
More a collection of random words that contradict each other than a book. Oh well. I'm sure someone will enjoy it.
More a collection of random words that contradict each other than a book. Oh well. I'm sure someone will enjoy it.
didn-t-like-it
April 30, 2026Note to self: didn't do it for me.
May 2, 2026
Not good
It did not make any sense at all to many skips in years, the character's were just wrong not a good book at all a waist of time reading this book
It did not make any sense at all to many skips in years, the character's were just wrong not a good book at all a waist of time reading this book
Did Not Finish
May 3, 2026DNF 25% I was just so confused about what was happening and really stopped caring to figure it out.
May 17, 2026
If you’re going to make your main character THIS insufferable, the book better be a masterpiece to compensate. This was not. I finished the damn thing, but vaguely wish I didn’t.
May 25, 2026
Like it
This is the first book in a two book series. If you'll interested in reading this book serie you might be a little bit confused by it but it's a good read.
This is the first book in a two book series. If you'll interested in reading this book serie you might be a little bit confused by it but it's a good read.
June 1, 2026
Kept trying to get into it, but it's just not a very engaging story, and it tries to be funny, but it just comes across as mean.
June 2, 2026
For me this book started out great but right after he got his abilities the book started going downhill for me which is unfortunate
I will not be looking for the second one
I will not be looking for the second one
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews