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Dream #1
Dream
What if legends aren’t really legends? What if fantasy isn’t just fiction?
Shad, Derek, Fred, and Jeff are just ordinary guys. They did their time in Iraq, hold regular jobs, and spend some of their free time playing RPGs on their game platforms and at the table.
Until the day they wake up in a different world, caught up in a half-understood web of events and personalities, hatreds and loyalties that goes back millennia. All wrapped up in a place where magic is real and far too many concepts of the role-playing game are not just real, but also a deadly serious business.
Dropped into a world with little in the way of personal resources and a surplus of powerful enemies and dangerous strangers, the four must find their way home while learning all too well the concept of ‘first-level abilities’. Very little is certain in their new environment save that death is very real and the opportunities to meet it are commonplace.
Four gamers with military backgrounds are thrust into a world where magic is real and the five toughest individuals on the planet want them dead: it is the worst campaign hook imaginable.
Shad, Derek, Fred, and Jeff are just ordinary guys. They did their time in Iraq, hold regular jobs, and spend some of their free time playing RPGs on their game platforms and at the table.
Until the day they wake up in a different world, caught up in a half-understood web of events and personalities, hatreds and loyalties that goes back millennia. All wrapped up in a place where magic is real and far too many concepts of the role-playing game are not just real, but also a deadly serious business.
Dropped into a world with little in the way of personal resources and a surplus of powerful enemies and dangerous strangers, the four must find their way home while learning all too well the concept of ‘first-level abilities’. Very little is certain in their new environment save that death is very real and the opportunities to meet it are commonplace.
Four gamers with military backgrounds are thrust into a world where magic is real and the five toughest individuals on the planet want them dead: it is the worst campaign hook imaginable.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2015
84 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
R.W. Krpoun
21 books49 followersBorn and raised in the icy wastelands of North Dakota, RW Krpoun joined the US Army, serving two enlistments before being honorably discharged at Fort Hood, Texas. Delighted to discover a land where snow was a novelty, he settled in Texas and took up a career in law enforcement, serving thirty years before retiring. His service included a Sheriff's Office and two Municipal police agencies, as well as two enlistments in the Texas National Guard as a Criminal Investigator.
RW lives on lakeside acreage with his lovely and amazingly tolerant wife Ann, and a band of ill-mannered animals who are all highly photogenic. His hobbies include reading, history, various forms of shooting, collecting battle-ready examples of medieval weaponry, and learning to use such weapons.
RW lives on lakeside acreage with his lovely and amazingly tolerant wife Ann, and a band of ill-mannered animals who are all highly photogenic. His hobbies include reading, history, various forms of shooting, collecting battle-ready examples of medieval weaponry, and learning to use such weapons.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 6, 2021
This undiscovered gem of a book is an indie "LitRPG" tale from 2015, but what differs it from most other books of the same genre is the quality of writing, this has "airy&flowing" prose that makes the pages fly by so do yourself a favor and get it.
Just bought this author Military-Fantasy series, "The Phantom Badgers", and will go to town on the first now so take care.
Just bought this author Military-Fantasy series, "The Phantom Badgers", and will go to town on the first now so take care.
March 28, 2019
Hard-hitting and gritty
Four armed services buddies find themselves in what they thought was a shared dream, but became reality. Brought by mages to a medieval world to kill seven gamers, Shad, Jeff, Derek and Fred slog their way as they must start at level one and figure out how to meet their goals or they will spend 20 years, albeit time-compressed, before they get home. The in-your-face anecdotes make this a dark tale but keep the reader on the edge of the seat...
Four armed services buddies find themselves in what they thought was a shared dream, but became reality. Brought by mages to a medieval world to kill seven gamers, Shad, Jeff, Derek and Fred slog their way as they must start at level one and figure out how to meet their goals or they will spend 20 years, albeit time-compressed, before they get home. The in-your-face anecdotes make this a dark tale but keep the reader on the edge of the seat...
July 23, 2017
Basically a D&D group of army men get sent to an magic land. I thought it was funny and over all I think this is a must for those who liked Robert Bevan's work.
If I did have a problem with this book it was that the author made all of these people human.
If I did have a problem with this book it was that the author made all of these people human.
October 26, 2020
We What?
I really enjoyed this book how the author wind today's realility with ancient history with fantasy. The characters were built Well and continually grew on you. I felt it had a strong plot and keep you guessing most of the time. Plus a great ending.
I really enjoyed this book how the author wind today's realility with ancient history with fantasy. The characters were built Well and continually grew on you. I felt it had a strong plot and keep you guessing most of the time. Plus a great ending.
February 10, 2020
It was okay LITRPG.
August 19, 2015
Three point four
Fast and hard is the impression this left. The protagonists are tough and, in many ways, brutal, but still products of modern American society-slavery, molestation, murder are anathema. They feel real to this Iraq veteran, which is no small accomplishment. They will probably disturb naive readers, so be wary.
The plot is moderately twisty, though paced slowly enough to keep up.
The editing is poor. Proofreading is an issue, though it certainly went through a spelling checker. More problematic is layout and page organization; weeks are skipped in simple paragraph breaks, rather than typical section breaks. This made for many jarring transitions.
I'm not sure who to recommend this for. If you are a veteran and a gamer then it will probably be enjoyable. If you know a vet that games then you may find this insightful. For everyone else, this could be traumatic. Definitely use the free sample on this piece.
Fast and hard is the impression this left. The protagonists are tough and, in many ways, brutal, but still products of modern American society-slavery, molestation, murder are anathema. They feel real to this Iraq veteran, which is no small accomplishment. They will probably disturb naive readers, so be wary.
The plot is moderately twisty, though paced slowly enough to keep up.
The editing is poor. Proofreading is an issue, though it certainly went through a spelling checker. More problematic is layout and page organization; weeks are skipped in simple paragraph breaks, rather than typical section breaks. This made for many jarring transitions.
I'm not sure who to recommend this for. If you are a veteran and a gamer then it will probably be enjoyable. If you know a vet that games then you may find this insightful. For everyone else, this could be traumatic. Definitely use the free sample on this piece.
December 21, 2015
I cannot place it..
.. in this rating. Its better than most of my 3stars but worse than my 4stars, so you can imagine.
I enjoyed it, more or less. The minus stars are for the structure, mainly. There are scene jumpings without any significant space between the 2 phrases and that can confuse you. Just when you are getting used to it the book ends with a bunch of q-s. Whats happened to the Twelve, to Sam, to the others who are there?
But i liked the 4 main char, and (spoiler!) for a while i thought Dam ganna be one of the invaders they ought to kill. Would have been a nice twist, somehow.
The ending with Shad and the others is well-played.
I wouüd give a lil less than 4.. around 3.75
.. in this rating. Its better than most of my 3stars but worse than my 4stars, so you can imagine.
I enjoyed it, more or less. The minus stars are for the structure, mainly. There are scene jumpings without any significant space between the 2 phrases and that can confuse you. Just when you are getting used to it the book ends with a bunch of q-s. Whats happened to the Twelve, to Sam, to the others who are there?
But i liked the 4 main char, and (spoiler!) for a while i thought Dam ganna be one of the invaders they ought to kill. Would have been a nice twist, somehow.
The ending with Shad and the others is well-played.
I wouüd give a lil less than 4.. around 3.75
October 8, 2015
It was a Great Read!!
I started reading this book cause I play video games. the plot was so well done along with the characters that seem so lifelike. Then during the story each chapter drew you in more and more. The battles seem so real that you felt like watching happened in first person. But don't just take my word for it read a couple chapters and if u like videogames you'll love this book.
I started reading this book cause I play video games. the plot was so well done along with the characters that seem so lifelike. Then during the story each chapter drew you in more and more. The battles seem so real that you felt like watching happened in first person. But don't just take my word for it read a couple chapters and if u like videogames you'll love this book.
Read
April 3, 2016Loved the flow. Very entertaining. Kind of needed some fleshing out in some part. Lots of potential that was not used...if that makes sense. I really enjoy military references that make you realize the author is speaking for experience. I would recommend for the relaxing read.
May 21, 2016
Hilarious and well written
The characters interaction with each other left me laughing so hard I couldn't control myself. Love the way the story unfolds and the timeline is definitely an interesting part of things. Bad guys seem real and the backstory was great
The characters interaction with each other left me laughing so hard I couldn't control myself. Love the way the story unfolds and the timeline is definitely an interesting part of things. Bad guys seem real and the backstory was great
April 9, 2016
A Great Story...
The right mix of fantasy and the realities of serving in the military. Looking forward to more tales from the up and comer!
The right mix of fantasy and the realities of serving in the military. Looking forward to more tales from the up and comer!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews