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Unbound Deathlord #1
Challenge
When virtual reality becomes real enough that people feel as if they’re being transported to another world, Valia Online arrives.
A man running from his past joins the game to forget it all. Calling himself Jack Thorn, he chooses an undead race, Deathlord.
A mage by choice, and a swordsman by necessity, he soon finds out that he’ll need to use much more than magic and steel to survive; strategy, creativity, and carefully chosen words can often accomplish what simple attacks can’t.
As the game becomes too real and touches a part of him that he’d rather leave buried, he is faced with two questions:
Who is he, really?
And who should he become?
A man running from his past joins the game to forget it all. Calling himself Jack Thorn, he chooses an undead race, Deathlord.
A mage by choice, and a swordsman by necessity, he soon finds out that he’ll need to use much more than magic and steel to survive; strategy, creativity, and carefully chosen words can often accomplish what simple attacks can’t.
As the game becomes too real and touches a part of him that he’d rather leave buried, he is faced with two questions:
Who is he, really?
And who should he become?
675 pages, ebook
First published November 1, 2016
640 people are currently reading
594 people want to read
About the author
Edward Castle
4 books188 followersI always loved games, but as time went on, I started to feel that gaming lacked something. There was too much grinding, weak stories, repetitive mechanics and other annoyances, like the dreaded microtransactions.
I had always loved reading, but eventually the novels I found began to feel stale, they were too cliche to keep me excited to turn the pages.
Then the stars aligned and I found GameLit; it was the perfect blend of my interests, it recaptured the way I had felt when gaming and the fantasy genre. I could follow the story of a character in a world that ran on game rules, whether it be in a parallel universe or full-immersion VR. I could vicariously enjoy all the parts of a game I’d loved, without being subjected to the interminable grind. I was drawn in by the notion of hyperrealistic worlds and NPCs controlled by advanced AIs, where magic required actual understanding to cast and actions had tangible consequences. The genre ticked all the right boxes for me, I’d found a new love.
Yet, the stories were so few, I’d read everything available and still, I wanted to read something nobody had written. So, I started writing myself.
Today, I write full time and am best known as the author of the Unbound Deathlord series.
I had always loved reading, but eventually the novels I found began to feel stale, they were too cliche to keep me excited to turn the pages.
Then the stars aligned and I found GameLit; it was the perfect blend of my interests, it recaptured the way I had felt when gaming and the fantasy genre. I could follow the story of a character in a world that ran on game rules, whether it be in a parallel universe or full-immersion VR. I could vicariously enjoy all the parts of a game I’d loved, without being subjected to the interminable grind. I was drawn in by the notion of hyperrealistic worlds and NPCs controlled by advanced AIs, where magic required actual understanding to cast and actions had tangible consequences. The genre ticked all the right boxes for me, I’d found a new love.
Yet, the stories were so few, I’d read everything available and still, I wanted to read something nobody had written. So, I started writing myself.
Today, I write full time and am best known as the author of the Unbound Deathlord series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
November 5, 2016
In the interest of full disclosure, I am the editor credited above. I did my work on the book pro bono, so I'm certainly not being paid for this review.
Since I was the one who primarily wrote the blurb in the description above I don't think I could do any better here. So let me just say that I really enjoyed the book a lot. As someone who has read most of the currently published LitRPGs, I really felt this story brought a good number of new ideas to the table, and furthermore the author is a great guy and dedicated to improving his craft. I'm sorry it isn't perfect, I'm new to this and to complicate matters I didn't have an unlimited amount of time to edit, and it is a LONG book. I used my own money to buy a copy to add the little "Verified Purchase" tag to this review, hopefully that tells you how strongly I recommend it. My E-mail address is in the book, feel free to let me know what you think.
Since I was the one who primarily wrote the blurb in the description above I don't think I could do any better here. So let me just say that I really enjoyed the book a lot. As someone who has read most of the currently published LitRPGs, I really felt this story brought a good number of new ideas to the table, and furthermore the author is a great guy and dedicated to improving his craft. I'm sorry it isn't perfect, I'm new to this and to complicate matters I didn't have an unlimited amount of time to edit, and it is a LONG book. I used my own money to buy a copy to add the little "Verified Purchase" tag to this review, hopefully that tells you how strongly I recommend it. My E-mail address is in the book, feel free to let me know what you think.
November 6, 2016
Absolutely Fantastic New LitRPG Book!
Wow! I'm not quite sure where exactly to start with how good this book was. I'm floored that this was a first novel for the author because it is so well done, definitely felt like a book from a veteran author.
This is Fantasy LitRPG at its best, with a very interesting (and well integrated) real world component as well which I won't go into so as not to introduce any spoilers into this review.
Great Main Character who I cheered for and whose cheekiness I laughed at quite a few times throughout the novel. Absolutely unique game world which was well thought out and well implemented in the novel.
And this book was huge! Even with a high page count the story pacing was great and I devoured every single and want more!
I can't say enough good things about this book so just stop reading my review now and go check it out!
Wow! I'm not quite sure where exactly to start with how good this book was. I'm floored that this was a first novel for the author because it is so well done, definitely felt like a book from a veteran author.
This is Fantasy LitRPG at its best, with a very interesting (and well integrated) real world component as well which I won't go into so as not to introduce any spoilers into this review.
Great Main Character who I cheered for and whose cheekiness I laughed at quite a few times throughout the novel. Absolutely unique game world which was well thought out and well implemented in the novel.
And this book was huge! Even with a high page count the story pacing was great and I devoured every single and want more!
I can't say enough good things about this book so just stop reading my review now and go check it out!
October 2, 2017
My original Challenge audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
“Challenge” is the first book in the “Unbound Deathlord” series. The book is authored by Edward Castle and the audiobook’s narration is expertly performed by, as usual, Jeff Hays. In the very crowded Literary Role Playing Game (LitRPG) genre, this book sets itself apart by approaching the story from the perspective of a more evil or dark character (a deathlord) instead of your usual paladin or hero character. It is a rather large book containing almost a thousand pages in the print edition and comprising nearly eighteen hours of audio. Unlike many in the category, this book makes you feel you are actually experiencing a virtual game world. If you enjoy LitRPG books, I believe you will enjoy this one. Just be aware, the book is the first in a series, and it is the only one currently available in audiobook format. I will be interested to see the direction the author takes this book.
If the sentence, “You awaken in a cold and damp dungeon”, sounds familiar to you, I think you get a good idea of the direction this will go. The beginning of the story is nothing new from others like it, however I really was able to enter the world and it felt like a game rather than just another fantasy novel. It felt polished and well edited. One really gets a sense of the characters powers and abilities as he levels up; and who did not like this aspect while playing such games? You felt the initial pain and struggle of a newly created level one character, and as the book progressed you felt the weight and struggles lift somewhat. However, some of the newer quests matched or even exceeded the players skill level. I thought the ranking system was also interesting. Not only are we given a skill tree to understand, but the book also contained trait and class details as well. Again, simply a nice touch adding depth to the story.
The world the author created consisted of many of the expected fantasy or adventure items and creatures. There were swords, spiders, rats, but the author additionally included some different things such as a quite powerful illusion ring along with others. Because the book was mostly focused on more dark characters, we were presented with vampires, ghouls, witches, along with other creatures who prefer the night. Because the main character was a dark mage, there was some good detail provided around the magic system and the character’s process of learning it. In many ways, the book is really a struggle between good and evil, however you are hoping evil wins in this case. Jack thorn seems to be a rather unique player with a rather unique voice; covered in the narration section.
Although the book often filled with pokes, zings, or bantering between the players and NPCs, it also contained some serious and emotional scenes as well. I thought the author did a decent job of taking us on an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. The opening sequence is action filled and emotionally charged. That is not to say the book is overly deep or touchy-feely. There is plenty of gaming humor and fun found within its pages. The story is a bit darker than others in the genre, but it also deemed more complex and complete even though it is only the first book in a series of books.
The book’s narration was done very well by Jeff Hays. With this book, I felt he was trying a new technique by voicing the main character and the narrator as two separate people. Although the story was told from the perspective of the main character, the voice Mr. Hays used when the character spoke was quite different. I’m not sure the voice of the main character fit what I expected him to sound like, but as with other parts of this book, it grew on me. For the length of the book, the audio was performed flawlessly. No noticeable audio artifacts were heard. I also thought he did a good job of pacing the book’s narration. I even enjoyed the games female Artificial Intelligence (AI) voice at the end of each chapter. I will say that I did not enjoy the character stats given at the close of each chapter, however it began to grow on me and I wanted to hear how the character grew from the previous chapter. Again, his level and skill elevation seemed to be in line with the actions he took during the chapter.
For parents of younger readers, I would not recommend this book as the subject matter is geared more towards an adult audience. The book contains a fair amount of vulgar language (rather heavy at times), high-level sexual topics, and a few scenes containing intense graphic violence. If any of these offend you, I suggest you grab a different book.
For someone to want to be placed permanently into a virtual world due to a life event, you have to feel for him. Yet, even though he selects a dark character type, the story is written in a way that you want him to succeed. The writing is descriptive and not overly verbose. If you are a fan of the genre, I recommend you pick up Challenge by Edward Castle, and give it a listen.
Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.
“Challenge” is the first book in the “Unbound Deathlord” series. The book is authored by Edward Castle and the audiobook’s narration is expertly performed by, as usual, Jeff Hays. In the very crowded Literary Role Playing Game (LitRPG) genre, this book sets itself apart by approaching the story from the perspective of a more evil or dark character (a deathlord) instead of your usual paladin or hero character. It is a rather large book containing almost a thousand pages in the print edition and comprising nearly eighteen hours of audio. Unlike many in the category, this book makes you feel you are actually experiencing a virtual game world. If you enjoy LitRPG books, I believe you will enjoy this one. Just be aware, the book is the first in a series, and it is the only one currently available in audiobook format. I will be interested to see the direction the author takes this book.
If the sentence, “You awaken in a cold and damp dungeon”, sounds familiar to you, I think you get a good idea of the direction this will go. The beginning of the story is nothing new from others like it, however I really was able to enter the world and it felt like a game rather than just another fantasy novel. It felt polished and well edited. One really gets a sense of the characters powers and abilities as he levels up; and who did not like this aspect while playing such games? You felt the initial pain and struggle of a newly created level one character, and as the book progressed you felt the weight and struggles lift somewhat. However, some of the newer quests matched or even exceeded the players skill level. I thought the ranking system was also interesting. Not only are we given a skill tree to understand, but the book also contained trait and class details as well. Again, simply a nice touch adding depth to the story.
The world the author created consisted of many of the expected fantasy or adventure items and creatures. There were swords, spiders, rats, but the author additionally included some different things such as a quite powerful illusion ring along with others. Because the book was mostly focused on more dark characters, we were presented with vampires, ghouls, witches, along with other creatures who prefer the night. Because the main character was a dark mage, there was some good detail provided around the magic system and the character’s process of learning it. In many ways, the book is really a struggle between good and evil, however you are hoping evil wins in this case. Jack thorn seems to be a rather unique player with a rather unique voice; covered in the narration section.
Although the book often filled with pokes, zings, or bantering between the players and NPCs, it also contained some serious and emotional scenes as well. I thought the author did a decent job of taking us on an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. The opening sequence is action filled and emotionally charged. That is not to say the book is overly deep or touchy-feely. There is plenty of gaming humor and fun found within its pages. The story is a bit darker than others in the genre, but it also deemed more complex and complete even though it is only the first book in a series of books.
The book’s narration was done very well by Jeff Hays. With this book, I felt he was trying a new technique by voicing the main character and the narrator as two separate people. Although the story was told from the perspective of the main character, the voice Mr. Hays used when the character spoke was quite different. I’m not sure the voice of the main character fit what I expected him to sound like, but as with other parts of this book, it grew on me. For the length of the book, the audio was performed flawlessly. No noticeable audio artifacts were heard. I also thought he did a good job of pacing the book’s narration. I even enjoyed the games female Artificial Intelligence (AI) voice at the end of each chapter. I will say that I did not enjoy the character stats given at the close of each chapter, however it began to grow on me and I wanted to hear how the character grew from the previous chapter. Again, his level and skill elevation seemed to be in line with the actions he took during the chapter.
For parents of younger readers, I would not recommend this book as the subject matter is geared more towards an adult audience. The book contains a fair amount of vulgar language (rather heavy at times), high-level sexual topics, and a few scenes containing intense graphic violence. If any of these offend you, I suggest you grab a different book.
For someone to want to be placed permanently into a virtual world due to a life event, you have to feel for him. Yet, even though he selects a dark character type, the story is written in a way that you want him to succeed. The writing is descriptive and not overly verbose. If you are a fan of the genre, I recommend you pick up Challenge by Edward Castle, and give it a listen.
Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.
August 8, 2018
Rating 4 stars, I’m on vacation in San Francisco, review to follow.
I am back from vacation. This is a LitRPG book, so if you like that genre, I would recommend this book. This story has a different spin on the typical LitRPG story. Most books are written in the point of view of the hero, usually a human, elf, dwarf, etc. This book is focused solely on the underworld characters. This story is set a couple decades in the future where a company (V-soft) has come up with an immersive VR game. Players can either come into the game whenever they want or they can pay for a suspension pod that allows them to stay in the game almost indefinitely. Jack Thorn is one of those players. He is sort of tired of the real world and wants to take a break. He is planning to go into the game for a long time. There are some hints that there is something special with his family since he states once he comes out of the game he knows he has to get married and have a child to pass on his legacy, but initially it is only hinted at.
Jack enters the game as an unbound deathlord. Which means he is a human magic user that deals in death but he has not bound his service to a higher level being for more power. The other characters in the underworld include: vampires, ghosts, ghouls, zombies, wraiths, draugh (dark elves) and probably a few more that I am forgetting. From the start I had a hard time understanding why someone would play an immersive game like this as one of these characters. For example, Zombies get their strength back by eating the people they kill in this world! All the characters talked about how real the world felt, so this was a little hard for me to understand. Toward the end of the story I did find out why Jack picked to be an unbound deathlord . In my opinion the story was actually better than a lot of other LitRPG out their, the characters actions where a lot more logical. As with most characters in LitRPG Jack was very sarcastic and contrary, always trying to buck the system and break rules.
Overall I really liked it. My initial misgivings about the story being revolved around the underworld, turned out to make the story that much more unique. My biggest problem is that when I read a story, I try to put myself in the main characters place (especially in LitRPG books) and compare what decisions I would make with the main character. In this case, I could not see any way I would have made my character a deathlord, which is why I had a hard time getting into this story at the beginning. By the end though, while I still could not put myself in Jack's shoes, I at least understood his reasoning more and appreciated what he was going through. I recommend it to anyone who is a fane of LitRPG, especially if you are looking for something a little new.
I am back from vacation. This is a LitRPG book, so if you like that genre, I would recommend this book. This story has a different spin on the typical LitRPG story. Most books are written in the point of view of the hero, usually a human, elf, dwarf, etc. This book is focused solely on the underworld characters. This story is set a couple decades in the future where a company (V-soft) has come up with an immersive VR game. Players can either come into the game whenever they want or they can pay for a suspension pod that allows them to stay in the game almost indefinitely. Jack Thorn is one of those players. He is sort of tired of the real world and wants to take a break. He is planning to go into the game for a long time. There are some hints that there is something special with his family since he states once he comes out of the game he knows he has to get married and have a child to pass on his legacy, but initially it is only hinted at.
Jack enters the game as an unbound deathlord. Which means he is a human magic user that deals in death but he has not bound his service to a higher level being for more power. The other characters in the underworld include: vampires, ghosts, ghouls, zombies, wraiths, draugh (dark elves) and probably a few more that I am forgetting. From the start I had a hard time understanding why someone would play an immersive game like this as one of these characters. For example, Zombies get their strength back by eating the people they kill in this world! All the characters talked about how real the world felt, so this was a little hard for me to understand. Toward the end of the story I did find out why Jack picked to be an unbound deathlord . In my opinion the story was actually better than a lot of other LitRPG out their, the characters actions where a lot more logical. As with most characters in LitRPG Jack was very sarcastic and contrary, always trying to buck the system and break rules.
Overall I really liked it. My initial misgivings about the story being revolved around the underworld, turned out to make the story that much more unique. My biggest problem is that when I read a story, I try to put myself in the main characters place (especially in LitRPG books) and compare what decisions I would make with the main character. In this case, I could not see any way I would have made my character a deathlord, which is why I had a hard time getting into this story at the beginning. By the end though, while I still could not put myself in Jack's shoes, I at least understood his reasoning more and appreciated what he was going through. I recommend it to anyone who is a fane of LitRPG, especially if you are looking for something a little new.
August 24, 2017
This book does a few things really right:
a) first the author used a bit of creativity and did NOT make the MC a paladin. Holy crap, everyone else seems to. I think it's because they are trying to ramp up dramatic tension by having the MC get wounded and then need them to be able to heal up. If I had a nickle for every LitRPG book that had a paladin MC, I'd have a shitload of nickles.
b) the MC has a messed up but interesting back story. It's not the usual crap that a couple minutes in makes you wish they were grown in a vat with no back story.
c) the MC is clever (and a bit evil). This is a good thing. Too many authors are writing the lazy way where the MC is a bit of a dolt then is saved by 'hero luck'. Writing about the stupid takes a lot less cleverness than writing about the smart.
My only real complaint about the book is the reading of the character sheet. If it was done 1/3 as often that would be super. In a paper book, we can skip over it if desired - in an audio book it is an eye rolling event we have to sit through or spend just as long jumping around looking for when the pain stops.
a) first the author used a bit of creativity and did NOT make the MC a paladin. Holy crap, everyone else seems to. I think it's because they are trying to ramp up dramatic tension by having the MC get wounded and then need them to be able to heal up. If I had a nickle for every LitRPG book that had a paladin MC, I'd have a shitload of nickles.
b) the MC has a messed up but interesting back story. It's not the usual crap that a couple minutes in makes you wish they were grown in a vat with no back story.
c) the MC is clever (and a bit evil). This is a good thing. Too many authors are writing the lazy way where the MC is a bit of a dolt then is saved by 'hero luck'. Writing about the stupid takes a lot less cleverness than writing about the smart.
My only real complaint about the book is the reading of the character sheet. If it was done 1/3 as often that would be super. In a paper book, we can skip over it if desired - in an audio book it is an eye rolling event we have to sit through or spend just as long jumping around looking for when the pain stops.
July 2, 2017
It is a solid 4 star book.
I have seen some errors about the words and grammar, phrasing etc but i was curious enough to get those behind me and keep reading. If some little mistakes makes you frustrated, maybe wait. Probably there will be another editor or anyone who will read this through, looking for errors. After that you can enjoy it.
Well, as much as you can enjoy a selfish prick with hard childhood going wherever he wants and doesn't look at anybody and what they may want or need. By that i do not mean that he is a loner and mean, he just mess around. A lot. More than i can handle. I know, big boy, strong, raised by inhuman parents and by the street but still.
For a first book it is good. I will buy the next one, even after those things i did not like.
I have seen some errors about the words and grammar, phrasing etc but i was curious enough to get those behind me and keep reading. If some little mistakes makes you frustrated, maybe wait. Probably there will be another editor or anyone who will read this through, looking for errors. After that you can enjoy it.
Well, as much as you can enjoy a selfish prick with hard childhood going wherever he wants and doesn't look at anybody and what they may want or need. By that i do not mean that he is a loner and mean, he just mess around. A lot. More than i can handle. I know, big boy, strong, raised by inhuman parents and by the street but still.
For a first book it is good. I will buy the next one, even after those things i did not like.
September 29, 2019
3.5 Stars
Notes:
I was getting really into the story until the end and then I kind of threw my hands up in the air. Moving onto the second book to see how things will land. Hopefully, it'll be good to great.
Notes:
I was getting really into the story until the end and then I kind of threw my hands up in the air. Moving onto the second book to see how things will land. Hopefully, it'll be good to great.
November 7, 2016
Really good
I really enjoyed this book. Great opening to a series. Can't wait for book 2. Keep up the good work.
I really enjoyed this book. Great opening to a series. Can't wait for book 2. Keep up the good work.
November 9, 2016
Wonderful LitRPG
Wonderful book! I enjoyed this book greatly. Great leveling and magic systems. I wouldn't want to get on Jack's bad side! Lol
Wonderful book! I enjoyed this book greatly. Great leveling and magic systems. I wouldn't want to get on Jack's bad side! Lol
November 4, 2016
Big boom!
Started this around noon. 13 hours later I'm champing at the bit for the next one. Big explosion big fun. Smart NASA's NASA's 1
Started this around noon. 13 hours later I'm champing at the bit for the next one. Big explosion big fun. Smart NASA's NASA's 1
December 16, 2017
Good Read.
A LitRPG story. A story of a dark (evil type) character of the underground world. The history of the main character with a big revile at the end. Enjoyed the story.
A LitRPG story. A story of a dark (evil type) character of the underground world. The history of the main character with a big revile at the end. Enjoyed the story.
March 18, 2023
DNF. Couldn’t get past annoying sexist mc
April 30, 2018
It's an okay read, especially considering the genre. There's a lot of bad LitRPG :)
My main problem is that the MC is supposed to be a smart guy, that has been trained (unwillingly) to be politically savvy. But to me it feels like the author just isn't all that good at writing that, so it gets annoying after a while.
It's pretty easy to ignore in the first book, but it keeps getting worse in book 2, which I have started reading. I'm not sure that I will finish the second book, even though I have a weakness for LitRPG.
It also feels like Valia Online is less imaginative and less interesting than some of the better LitRPG I have read. The stats/traits/titles for example are mostly boring and simple. The same goes for the equipment.
My main problem is that the MC is supposed to be a smart guy, that has been trained (unwillingly) to be politically savvy. But to me it feels like the author just isn't all that good at writing that, so it gets annoying after a while.
It's pretty easy to ignore in the first book, but it keeps getting worse in book 2, which I have started reading. I'm not sure that I will finish the second book, even though I have a weakness for LitRPG.
It also feels like Valia Online is less imaginative and less interesting than some of the better LitRPG I have read. The stats/traits/titles for example are mostly boring and simple. The same goes for the equipment.
December 3, 2018
This is the first time I've read a book in this genre and I LOVE it! It gave me the same feeling of when I watch a friend play a game while still giving me the more engaging feeling of reading a book. This was also quite funny and just all around well done, especially for a first book from this author. I will definitely be back to read the rest of the series when it's out.
December 14, 2017
Terrible cover, but a reasonably good book. Not all of the NPC actions made sense to me, and it did seem a bit overly convoluted, but I mostly enjoyed the game, so I have no regrets. I'm curious to see what happens next :)
August 22, 2017
Deathlord is a pretty standard, 'not stuck in the game' LitRPG. Castle does break the mold somewhat in his race selection and location, but not by a lot. Instead of Human, Pointy Eared human, short bearded human, and very short human he has Undead Human (several types), Zombie Human, Ghost human, Dark Pointy Eared human, and Dark Short Bearded Human. It's something at least. The setting is an underworld one (deep underground, not afterlife) so at least it's different.
What brings this story up from the standard 2 to 3 stars I was thinking of giving it through most of the story is actually the very end which sets up future books very well and retroactively improves the earlier parts of the book. I'll be interested in seeing where he takes this now.
What brings this story up from the standard 2 to 3 stars I was thinking of giving it through most of the story is actually the very end which sets up future books very well and retroactively improves the earlier parts of the book. I'll be interested in seeing where he takes this now.
October 29, 2020
Couldn't finish it
The book starts well, but the character is immediately unlikeable and reminds me of an incel learning game theory. It isn't bad, so much as it reads like an individual who writes commercials, trying their hand at lit rpg. I hate giving bad reviews, but I couldn't finish the book, I had to stop every paragraph or so and tell myself that things will get better, the writing style will fall into a comfort zone and not try so hard. The unlikeability of the main character, the awkwardness of the blatant sexism, racism, etc doesn't lend itself to a showcase of humans as we are, but more along the lines of bitching about how it's considered an issue or issues to begin with. The author needs to step beyond this and focus on the vivid pictures they are able to create in my mind. It's a damn shame the best part of this authors creation, is overshadowed by the obvious hate, discomfort and feigned narcissism felt for the main character
The book starts well, but the character is immediately unlikeable and reminds me of an incel learning game theory. It isn't bad, so much as it reads like an individual who writes commercials, trying their hand at lit rpg. I hate giving bad reviews, but I couldn't finish the book, I had to stop every paragraph or so and tell myself that things will get better, the writing style will fall into a comfort zone and not try so hard. The unlikeability of the main character, the awkwardness of the blatant sexism, racism, etc doesn't lend itself to a showcase of humans as we are, but more along the lines of bitching about how it's considered an issue or issues to begin with. The author needs to step beyond this and focus on the vivid pictures they are able to create in my mind. It's a damn shame the best part of this authors creation, is overshadowed by the obvious hate, discomfort and feigned narcissism felt for the main character
January 24, 2025
This first book in the series was somewhat enjoyable. It was interesting to see a protagonist who was a bad person but was trying to be better. I also found it interesting how the game seemed to single out the protagonist, making their game experience way worse than it was for anyone else. Unfortunately, nothing else really stood out. After finishing this book, I started the second one in the series, but the main character started acting like way more of a jerk. I gave up on that book because the main character was too much of a jerk. If you don't like main characters who treat everyone around them badly, then I suggest you disregard this series. The first book was somewhat enjoyable, but it seems like the author just wanted to trick readers into getting invested into the series before they made the series awful for book two.
October 27, 2018
Definitely a stand out book in the genre. It's fun and clever. The MC has layers of good and evil which makes him more believable. He's also a clever guy who sometimes lets his emotions do somewhat stupid things but he mostly relies on his determination and intelligence to get by. This is a clear contrast to most books where the MC is usually an idiot who gets lucky breaks all the time.
September 19, 2018
Maybe a tad overreaching?
It wasn't... bad. At some points, it was even entertaining.
But I just couldn't get the MC's psyche, and that pulls me out of a book most often than not.
Not time wasted, but I don't think I'll keep on with this series.
It wasn't... bad. At some points, it was even entertaining.
But I just couldn't get the MC's psyche, and that pulls me out of a book most often than not.
Not time wasted, but I don't think I'll keep on with this series.
November 26, 2016
Very enjoyable story
Enjoyed reading this book and I'm looking forward to the next one the ending was probably one of the best cliffhangers I've come across in a long time.
Enjoyed reading this book and I'm looking forward to the next one the ending was probably one of the best cliffhangers I've come across in a long time.
December 8, 2016
Very interesting
A very impressive first novel. Very much DnD as played by cold war spies and professional paranoiacs.
I can't wait to read the next book.
A very impressive first novel. Very much DnD as played by cold war spies and professional paranoiacs.
I can't wait to read the next book.
January 16, 2017
Unfortunately this one started to fall apart for me once the mc left the starting area.
February 2, 2017
Very Entertaining
This had me surprised, confused, and had me thinking the entire time. I loved it. I can not wait for #2
This had me surprised, confused, and had me thinking the entire time. I loved it. I can not wait for #2
May 18, 2017
Fun book!
A LitRPG without spelling and grammar issues? Unreal. Jack Thorn is fun and smart. Spend some time with him and see what I mean.
A LitRPG without spelling and grammar issues? Unreal. Jack Thorn is fun and smart. Spend some time with him and see what I mean.
July 22, 2017
Great Read!
A great central character with a well constructed world. Fun and easy read with intriguing depth for an anti hero type experience. Highly Recommended.
A great central character with a well constructed world. Fun and easy read with intriguing depth for an anti hero type experience. Highly Recommended.
May 11, 2021
The book starts right in the middle of the action with little explanation of what is going on or the rules of the game. The explanations come throughout the story in the form of flashbacks. The protagonist, Jack, has issues in RL and chosen to play the game to blow of steam and it shows in his behaviour through the game. He picked a challenging race in a challenging starting area and gimped himself even more by a couple of other choices that become obvious later on. The result is certainly an interesting tense story and the character is is a bit of jerk. Not my type of protagonist to be honest, but not detestable either. He is certainly well developed with obvious and consistent flaws. Survival at is hardest in a game where Jack gets in the middle of a political nightmare mostly out of his control, something that does not mesh well with his nature. Of course, him fighting it makes it even worse.
While I like the writing style, I find the book rather dark. The author depicts a rather bleak picture of humanity, although that becomes more apparent by the end of the book. It left me with mixed feelings, curious about the next part, but also a bit worried since I usually prefer a bit more light-hearted stories.
The game itself takes a prominent role in the story, but since the protagonist made a choice to ignore the manual there is no conscious game strategic behind his character's development. Jack's presumptions certainly bite him in the backside on occasion, which makes for interesting story, but in a way lessens what I like about litRPG. For me it is not just about numbers after the fact, but also about the planning beforehand. Reprinting the character sheet at the end of each chapter was certainly overdone, but at least he did not kept repeating the same texts for powers and races as happens in some other litRPGs.
All in all, a decent read, but there are a few elements that gets me to drop it from to 2 stars.
While I like the writing style, I find the book rather dark. The author depicts a rather bleak picture of humanity, although that becomes more apparent by the end of the book. It left me with mixed feelings, curious about the next part, but also a bit worried since I usually prefer a bit more light-hearted stories.
The game itself takes a prominent role in the story, but since the protagonist made a choice to ignore the manual there is no conscious game strategic behind his character's development. Jack's presumptions certainly bite him in the backside on occasion, which makes for interesting story, but in a way lessens what I like about litRPG. For me it is not just about numbers after the fact, but also about the planning beforehand. Reprinting the character sheet at the end of each chapter was certainly overdone, but at least he did not kept repeating the same texts for powers and races as happens in some other litRPGs.
All in all, a decent read, but there are a few elements that gets me to drop it from to 2 stars.
January 13, 2018
13.1.2018 - 3*
Musím říct, že autor je ambiciózní. Konec? Konec byl na 5*, kdyby byla celá kniha napsaná tak dobře a měla stejnou atmosféru, nejspíše bych se rozplývala blahem. Problém je, že čtyři pětiny knihy pro mě hodnocení oscilovalo mezi 1* a 2*. Donutila jsem se přes to prokousat pouze proto, že jsem nechtěla nechat další knihu rozečtenou.
Co mi vadilo:
- iracionální chování charakterů. I NPC, které v podstatě vždy mají nějaký smysl. Většinu času nebylo pořádně vysvětleno nic, natož pohnutky postav.
- hlavní "hrdina"... dobře, na jednu stranu uznávám, že jsem ve hře potkala někoho, kdo jako by mu psal jeho repliky a choval se naprosto stejně idiotsky. (Přejděme fakt, že to byl můj buddy po celou dobu, co jsme hráli, ehm. :D). Jack by mi nejspíše nelezl tak na nervy, kdyby ze začátku zbytečně nevysvětloval aspekty hraní trochu nešikovným způsobem, který mě iritoval. Stručně řečeno, měla jsem pocit, jako by autor mluvil s idiotem a nemyslím, že to byl problém pouze hráčů. A později jsem měla problém s tím, že díky retrospektivním náhledům jeho chování ne zcela zapadalo do jeho celkového profilu, který se autor snažil vykreslit. Vyšlo to prostě dětinsky. (Taky jsem lezla po stěně frustrací nejspíše proto, že jsem z opačného tábora (aka ne muž), většina chlapáckých narážek (dětinských, really) šla úplně mimo mě.)
- a příšerný editing. Myslím tím opravdu příšerný, místy bylo bolestivé číst.
Co mě donutilo číst dále:
- bylo tam pár zajímavých prvků.
- autor si s celou prací dal záležet, struktura hry to naznačovala, i když její potenciál nebyl zcela využit. Pointa děje na konci taky prozrazuje plánování.
- a komenty u každého získaného bodu k inteligenci. ^^
Kdo by to byl řekl, kvůli konci si možná i přečtu pokračování. ^^
Musím říct, že autor je ambiciózní. Konec? Konec byl na 5*, kdyby byla celá kniha napsaná tak dobře a měla stejnou atmosféru, nejspíše bych se rozplývala blahem. Problém je, že čtyři pětiny knihy pro mě hodnocení oscilovalo mezi 1* a 2*. Donutila jsem se přes to prokousat pouze proto, že jsem nechtěla nechat další knihu rozečtenou.
Co mi vadilo:
- iracionální chování charakterů. I NPC, které v podstatě vždy mají nějaký smysl. Většinu času nebylo pořádně vysvětleno nic, natož pohnutky postav.
- hlavní "hrdina"... dobře, na jednu stranu uznávám, že jsem ve hře potkala někoho, kdo jako by mu psal jeho repliky a choval se naprosto stejně idiotsky. (Přejděme fakt, že to byl můj buddy po celou dobu, co jsme hráli, ehm. :D). Jack by mi nejspíše nelezl tak na nervy, kdyby ze začátku zbytečně nevysvětloval aspekty hraní trochu nešikovným způsobem, který mě iritoval. Stručně řečeno, měla jsem pocit, jako by autor mluvil s idiotem a nemyslím, že to byl problém pouze hráčů. A později jsem měla problém s tím, že díky retrospektivním náhledům jeho chování ne zcela zapadalo do jeho celkového profilu, který se autor snažil vykreslit. Vyšlo to prostě dětinsky. (Taky jsem lezla po stěně frustrací nejspíše proto, že jsem z opačného tábora (aka ne muž), většina chlapáckých narážek (dětinských, really) šla úplně mimo mě.)
- a příšerný editing. Myslím tím opravdu příšerný, místy bylo bolestivé číst.
Co mě donutilo číst dále:
- bylo tam pár zajímavých prvků.
- autor si s celou prací dal záležet, struktura hry to naznačovala, i když její potenciál nebyl zcela využit. Pointa děje na konci taky prozrazuje plánování.
- a komenty u každého získaného bodu k inteligenci. ^^
Kdo by to byl řekl, kvůli konci si možná i přečtu pokračování. ^^
February 7, 2019
The author does a good job in general with this book, but there are a few problems:
First the author makes a big deal about the realism of the VR the MC is experiencing. Generally this realism works in the MC's favor allowing him to, for example, pin the arms of a magically superior but physically weaker NPC. But the author overplays this hand reminding the reader of it repeatedly and using it as an excuse for his MC to do stupid stuff like not assigning points after a major leveling up event and agreeing to becoming a slave.
Second, the author has his MC do too much just plain stupid stuff like going back into a prison where way too powerful opponents remain, or the MC attacking a guard who is way more powerful than the MC. In both cases the MC escapes serious harm through dumb luck rather than intelligence. Later the MC realizes he has been reckless (although he is thinking of other circumstances than the examples I mentioned) and realizes he has been acting out. This excuses some of the MC's stupidity but not all of it.
Third is the "real world" family drama of the MC. The author does a fairly good job of making the case that the MC's real world experiences indoctrinated him into power mongering. The problem is the story is just unbelievable. The MC's family is so horrible to him it makes no sense for the MC to continue to have contact with them. There is more that can be said about this but most of this book is fairly predictable and the one real twist comes from the "real world family" story line and I don't want to spoil it.
Finally the game the MC is playing seems poorly designed giving little direction for basic game functions like developing skills or leveling up and forcing the MC to wander pointlessly from city to city because he can't gain admission and then forcing the MC on one quest chain rather than providing him options. Frankly, unless this was the only VR game available, there would have to be something better for the MC to play.
Bottom line: I don't regret taking the time to read this book but neither was it an inspired bit of story telling. I'd be more inclined to look for better books to read than to read a sequel.
First the author makes a big deal about the realism of the VR the MC is experiencing. Generally this realism works in the MC's favor allowing him to, for example, pin the arms of a magically superior but physically weaker NPC. But the author overplays this hand reminding the reader of it repeatedly and using it as an excuse for his MC to do stupid stuff like not assigning points after a major leveling up event and agreeing to becoming a slave.
Second, the author has his MC do too much just plain stupid stuff like going back into a prison where way too powerful opponents remain, or the MC attacking a guard who is way more powerful than the MC. In both cases the MC escapes serious harm through dumb luck rather than intelligence. Later the MC realizes he has been reckless (although he is thinking of other circumstances than the examples I mentioned) and realizes he has been acting out. This excuses some of the MC's stupidity but not all of it.
Third is the "real world" family drama of the MC. The author does a fairly good job of making the case that the MC's real world experiences indoctrinated him into power mongering. The problem is the story is just unbelievable. The MC's family is so horrible to him it makes no sense for the MC to continue to have contact with them. There is more that can be said about this but most of this book is fairly predictable and the one real twist comes from the "real world family" story line and I don't want to spoil it.
Finally the game the MC is playing seems poorly designed giving little direction for basic game functions like developing skills or leveling up and forcing the MC to wander pointlessly from city to city because he can't gain admission and then forcing the MC on one quest chain rather than providing him options. Frankly, unless this was the only VR game available, there would have to be something better for the MC to play.
Bottom line: I don't regret taking the time to read this book but neither was it an inspired bit of story telling. I'd be more inclined to look for better books to read than to read a sequel.
May 30, 2019
This review is for books 1 & 2 which I have read. At the time of this review, the third book is not out yet.
Pluses: It's got a lot of well thought out, but convoluted plots in it - very intellectual in places. The prose is decent. The litRPG elements are decent.
Cons: There were a one or two places where the author or editor apparently removed something from earlier in the story and then later referred to it as though it were still in the book. I had to flip back to try and find what the author was referring to, and it wasn't there. There were a few minor spelling errors, omitted words, etc. In the two books, I found less than ten such errors, so it's not like it's a major problem.
This last part could be a pro or a con depending on your tastes in books. The hero is very much an anti-hero, raised in a world of dirty deals, murder, etc., trained from birth to be the most Machiavellian type of guy imaginable. That's okay I guess, but pretty much everybody else in the book is the same way, including NPCs in the game side of thing. Nobody is as they seem. Everybody who seems simple and straight forward is either proven to have a sinister or at least manipulative side and everyone else is strongly suspected of being that way - at least with regards to main characters. Everyone else is a gullible buffoon - a pawn. If somebody helps a little old lady across the street, it's to murder her and steal her money or because she's somehow blackmailing them to help her with the intention of killing them and stealing their money afterwards. That's the mentality of 90% of the book and it becomes somewhat tiresome to me and unrealistic. Everybody isn't a cold-blooded master manipulator in real life.
Pluses: It's got a lot of well thought out, but convoluted plots in it - very intellectual in places. The prose is decent. The litRPG elements are decent.
Cons: There were a one or two places where the author or editor apparently removed something from earlier in the story and then later referred to it as though it were still in the book. I had to flip back to try and find what the author was referring to, and it wasn't there. There were a few minor spelling errors, omitted words, etc. In the two books, I found less than ten such errors, so it's not like it's a major problem.
This last part could be a pro or a con depending on your tastes in books. The hero is very much an anti-hero, raised in a world of dirty deals, murder, etc., trained from birth to be the most Machiavellian type of guy imaginable. That's okay I guess, but pretty much everybody else in the book is the same way, including NPCs in the game side of thing. Nobody is as they seem. Everybody who seems simple and straight forward is either proven to have a sinister or at least manipulative side and everyone else is strongly suspected of being that way - at least with regards to main characters. Everyone else is a gullible buffoon - a pawn. If somebody helps a little old lady across the street, it's to murder her and steal her money or because she's somehow blackmailing them to help her with the intention of killing them and stealing their money afterwards. That's the mentality of 90% of the book and it becomes somewhat tiresome to me and unrealistic. Everybody isn't a cold-blooded master manipulator in real life.
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