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Dungeon Deposed #1
Dungeon Deposed
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07B4VYMJZ
Ryker only has one goal in his life right now:
Turn a certain adventuring guild into a flaming wreck while dancing merrily through the smoldering ruins. All for the chance to get back at a handful of people.
It isn’t as if they didn’t deserve it either.
They had driven him from his home. Chased him physically from the very guild house itself. All the way to the gates of the city.
Simply because he wasn’t as strong as they expected him to be.
As strong as he’d expected himself to be.
He’d returned to the city the next day and left with his means for revenge. Something he’d hidden away and told no one about when he found it in one of his few Dungeon Dives.
An inactive Dungeon Core.
A crystal the size of a fist with a soul inside. One that could create anything from mana it wanted to. From monsters and complex cave systems to gold coins.
Years spent in planning, and unfortunately farming, as he waited. Now it felt like his moment was finally here.
The Dungeon Core had been acting strange lately. As if it were finally… coming to life.
Watching over the crystal like a hawk for this very event, Ryker impatiently waits. Any day now, it'd start.
And he could set about taking his vengeance.
Starting with ripping the soul of the Dungeon out.
Warning and minor spoiler: This novel contains graphic violence, undefined relationships/harem, unconventional opinions/beliefs, forced political marriage (and consummation), and an UNSTABLE hero who is as tactful as a dog at a cat show. Read at your own risk.
Ryker only has one goal in his life right now:
Turn a certain adventuring guild into a flaming wreck while dancing merrily through the smoldering ruins. All for the chance to get back at a handful of people.
It isn’t as if they didn’t deserve it either.
They had driven him from his home. Chased him physically from the very guild house itself. All the way to the gates of the city.
Simply because he wasn’t as strong as they expected him to be.
As strong as he’d expected himself to be.
He’d returned to the city the next day and left with his means for revenge. Something he’d hidden away and told no one about when he found it in one of his few Dungeon Dives.
An inactive Dungeon Core.
A crystal the size of a fist with a soul inside. One that could create anything from mana it wanted to. From monsters and complex cave systems to gold coins.
Years spent in planning, and unfortunately farming, as he waited. Now it felt like his moment was finally here.
The Dungeon Core had been acting strange lately. As if it were finally… coming to life.
Watching over the crystal like a hawk for this very event, Ryker impatiently waits. Any day now, it'd start.
And he could set about taking his vengeance.
Starting with ripping the soul of the Dungeon out.
Warning and minor spoiler: This novel contains graphic violence, undefined relationships/harem, unconventional opinions/beliefs, forced political marriage (and consummation), and an UNSTABLE hero who is as tactful as a dog at a cat show. Read at your own risk.
382 pages, ebook
First published February 28, 2018
1054 people are currently reading
805 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
May 28, 2018
I’m hope my review provides enough justification for my 2 star rating that anyone who reads this will be able to assess whether they want to give it any weight or not. If you think my concerns are pointless then ignore my review. If you think my concerns have merit then you may still purchase the book but will at least better understand what you are getting into.
As I will use some small quotes and examples from the novel and make some comments that might be considered minor spoilers I'll be marking most of this review with a spoiler tag.
I’ll start by saying I have read other books written by Mr. Arand prior to the release of Dungeon Deposed. In particular I read both entries in his “Super Sales on Super Heroes” series.
In many respects Mr. Arand’s Super Heroes series has more than a passing tonal similarity to his new Dungeons series. Not that the two different worlds are anywhere near comparable. In fact they are diametrically opposed (i.e. modern vs medieval). However, they both feature a male protagonist starting out as an underdog but who finds a way to succeed beyond expectations. Also both main characters face powerful, seemingly almost unbeatable, antagonists. And finally, as a bonus, both heroes in the two series are surrounded by a number of very attractive women available to be won over to fulfill the stereotypical male “harem” fantasy.
Personally, as a man, I find the harem aspect a fun addition to stories. If I’m completely honest, it was probably one of the reasons I first picked up one of Mr. Arand’s books.
But here is where we get to the heart of my review. In the case of Dungeon Deposed (as opposed to Mr. Arand’s Super Heroes books) it is the author’s massive mishandling of the harem part of the overall book plot that significantly reduced my enjoyment of an otherwise interesting premise.
So where did the author slip up to such an extent that it brought my rating down to 2 stars?
I'll start the discussion with the author’s own Amazon synopsis. Mr. Arand gives readers a fair warning where he will be taking the story as follows - “This novel contains graphic violence, undefined relationships/harem, unconventional opinions/beliefs, forced political marriage (and consummation), and an UNSTABLE hero”.
So I will clearly state I was absolutely aware that the author would be using forced marriage and consummation as a plot point to move the stories harem development forward. And if it was solely this aspect of the plot that bothered me I wouldn’t be writing this review as it would be stupid to fault the book over this issue given I was fully aware of what was involved before I even read page one.
No, for me, it was how this forced marriage thread in the book was developed by the author - as shown through the subsequent actions characters take and their responses to the event - that left me feeling dissatisfied with this story as a whole.
So, overall, I'd say give a pass to this book as there are better works available in the LitRPG genre. If you like the Dungeon concept try the Ancient Dreams series by Benjamin Medrano. It's world is dark but character motivations and actions are far more believable with a solid resolution to the plot at the end.
As I will use some small quotes and examples from the novel and make some comments that might be considered minor spoilers I'll be marking most of this review with a spoiler tag.
I’ll start by saying I have read other books written by Mr. Arand prior to the release of Dungeon Deposed. In particular I read both entries in his “Super Sales on Super Heroes” series.
In many respects Mr. Arand’s Super Heroes series has more than a passing tonal similarity to his new Dungeons series. Not that the two different worlds are anywhere near comparable. In fact they are diametrically opposed (i.e. modern vs medieval). However, they both feature a male protagonist starting out as an underdog but who finds a way to succeed beyond expectations. Also both main characters face powerful, seemingly almost unbeatable, antagonists. And finally, as a bonus, both heroes in the two series are surrounded by a number of very attractive women available to be won over to fulfill the stereotypical male “harem” fantasy.
Personally, as a man, I find the harem aspect a fun addition to stories. If I’m completely honest, it was probably one of the reasons I first picked up one of Mr. Arand’s books.
But here is where we get to the heart of my review. In the case of Dungeon Deposed (as opposed to Mr. Arand’s Super Heroes books) it is the author’s massive mishandling of the harem part of the overall book plot that significantly reduced my enjoyment of an otherwise interesting premise.
So where did the author slip up to such an extent that it brought my rating down to 2 stars?
I'll start the discussion with the author’s own Amazon synopsis. Mr. Arand gives readers a fair warning where he will be taking the story as follows - “This novel contains graphic violence, undefined relationships/harem, unconventional opinions/beliefs, forced political marriage (and consummation), and an UNSTABLE hero”.
So I will clearly state I was absolutely aware that the author would be using forced marriage and consummation as a plot point to move the stories harem development forward. And if it was solely this aspect of the plot that bothered me I wouldn’t be writing this review as it would be stupid to fault the book over this issue given I was fully aware of what was involved before I even read page one.
No, for me, it was how this forced marriage thread in the book was developed by the author - as shown through the subsequent actions characters take and their responses to the event - that left me feeling dissatisfied with this story as a whole.
So, overall, I'd say give a pass to this book as there are better works available in the LitRPG genre. If you like the Dungeon concept try the Ancient Dreams series by Benjamin Medrano. It's world is dark but character motivations and actions are far more believable with a solid resolution to the plot at the end.
May 27, 2018
I really like reading about living dungeons and liked the Selfless hero series, also by William D. Arand, but the MC in this book was just so very, very, very unlikable. A mean, cruel and self-centered person that boasts about his great plans, but ends up only reacting to others instead.
July 5, 2018
This book is an incels/neckbeard fantasy. Seriously, if you go to subreddits about the above two groups, it feels like the author would fall into one of those two categories.
The main character is a childish rapist monster. He wants women to worship at his feet or treat him as he wishes (those who don't are his enemy). When he makes a decision, everyone else must fall into line. He claims to be a simple man, but can easily figure out in detail what is going on (although if you thought about any of the situations where the main character "easily" analyzes the situation, you would realize his conclusions are not the only possible outcome(s)).
He expects all his women to be virgins until he has sex with them. And he forces himself onto his concubines even though he knows one doesn't want that and the other clearly has stockholm syndrome.
The guy throws a temper tantrum when he doesn't get his way and in many cases says damn the consequences and does what he wants. The universe hands this man everything he could ever want, but he doesn't spend any time actually working for these things, instead this scholar/wizard does hard work in the field and occasionally works on his dungeon/city.
I saw other reviews that were happy they stuck until the end. I finished the book and I'm still waiting for this big change in him.
The main character is a childish rapist monster. He wants women to worship at his feet or treat him as he wishes (those who don't are his enemy). When he makes a decision, everyone else must fall into line. He claims to be a simple man, but can easily figure out in detail what is going on (although if you thought about any of the situations where the main character "easily" analyzes the situation, you would realize his conclusions are not the only possible outcome(s)).
He expects all his women to be virgins until he has sex with them. And he forces himself onto his concubines even though he knows one doesn't want that and the other clearly has stockholm syndrome.
The guy throws a temper tantrum when he doesn't get his way and in many cases says damn the consequences and does what he wants. The universe hands this man everything he could ever want, but he doesn't spend any time actually working for these things, instead this scholar/wizard does hard work in the field and occasionally works on his dungeon/city.
I saw other reviews that were happy they stuck until the end. I finished the book and I'm still waiting for this big change in him.
December 12, 2018
Aggravating. This exercise in unlikable protagonist, lacks charm
This book was infuriating.
We are told at the start that this is a story of revenge, it's actually a story of incompetence. The Main Character was dropped from the Adventures Guild with just cause for being incapable of doing his job. This abrasive jerk is then shocked to learn that no one likes him. Does he make any effort to fix what's wrong with himself? NOPE! He blames others, excuses his own faults, and sets out on one of the stupidest revenge plots outside of a Adam Sandler movie. Oy vey, it gets worse.
Nearly every problem the protagonist faces is of his own making. IF Arrogance, ignorance, entitlement, impatience, laziness, unprovoked outburst of rage, shocking ingratitude, and callous indifference to the lives of others aren't enough for you, add poor hygiene and disgusting table manners. He's no antihero, to he an antihero you have to be some kind of hero at all not a self obsessed bungler. And that is this books true offense. It's just so damn stupid! Time after time the clear and obvious solutions are front and center, yet the MC will walk around the solution to do something idiotic that makes things worse. (Ryker the MC does have 2 or 3 redeeming qualities, artistic creativity, lukewarm loyalty, and a lack of material greed)
Much of this would be excusable had this been a comedy, or even some lighter moments. Sadly no.
I do like William D. Arand/Randi Darren books. I have now read every book of his except Cultivating Chaos (Dec 1st 2018) There is a lot to love about his books, but wile the writing has been getting better on the whole, there is a disturbing trend at work. Tough minded anti hero characters have slid into outright villains, and now a petty embittered failure of a man with a heart full of contempt and the inability to put two and two together.
TL;DR: this is no super sale on super heroes.
This book was infuriating.
We are told at the start that this is a story of revenge, it's actually a story of incompetence. The Main Character was dropped from the Adventures Guild with just cause for being incapable of doing his job. This abrasive jerk is then shocked to learn that no one likes him. Does he make any effort to fix what's wrong with himself? NOPE! He blames others, excuses his own faults, and sets out on one of the stupidest revenge plots outside of a Adam Sandler movie. Oy vey, it gets worse.
Nearly every problem the protagonist faces is of his own making. IF Arrogance, ignorance, entitlement, impatience, laziness, unprovoked outburst of rage, shocking ingratitude, and callous indifference to the lives of others aren't enough for you, add poor hygiene and disgusting table manners. He's no antihero, to he an antihero you have to be some kind of hero at all not a self obsessed bungler. And that is this books true offense. It's just so damn stupid! Time after time the clear and obvious solutions are front and center, yet the MC will walk around the solution to do something idiotic that makes things worse. (Ryker the MC does have 2 or 3 redeeming qualities, artistic creativity, lukewarm loyalty, and a lack of material greed)
Much of this would be excusable had this been a comedy, or even some lighter moments. Sadly no.
I do like William D. Arand/Randi Darren books. I have now read every book of his except Cultivating Chaos (Dec 1st 2018) There is a lot to love about his books, but wile the writing has been getting better on the whole, there is a disturbing trend at work. Tough minded anti hero characters have slid into outright villains, and now a petty embittered failure of a man with a heart full of contempt and the inability to put two and two together.
TL;DR: this is no super sale on super heroes.
September 26, 2019
The dungeon core parts of this book are kind of okay. Not terrible, and not great either.
The real problem is the characters. The protagonist is a guy who goes into blind rages fairly often. In the first chapter or so, he threatens to kill and use someone as a condom. He admits that this probably isn't an idle threat. What a lovely person.
There's a potential harem that pops up, which like with all harems, means that the women are boring, 2D caricatures of people. I can't say I understand the appeal. The sex scenes are never great, and the characters end up being bland and uninteresting. It also removes a large portion of the books potential audience.
I couldn't manage to care about the protagonist, the women, or the cardboard cutout villains. From what other reviews say, the Protagonist gets even worse later on.
The real problem is the characters. The protagonist is a guy who goes into blind rages fairly often. In the first chapter or so, he threatens to kill and use someone as a condom. He admits that this probably isn't an idle threat. What a lovely person.
There's a potential harem that pops up, which like with all harems, means that the women are boring, 2D caricatures of people. I can't say I understand the appeal. The sex scenes are never great, and the characters end up being bland and uninteresting. It also removes a large portion of the books potential audience.
I couldn't manage to care about the protagonist, the women, or the cardboard cutout villains. From what other reviews say, the Protagonist gets even worse later on.
October 5, 2018
I feel like there's nothing wrong with harem stories and I don't mind when the harem genre tag wants to ride the coattails of something else which seems to be the case with this dungeon core/harem story. Just because I don't expect a literary masterpiece from a harem story, does that mean I should always expect the character to just be a complete piece of garbage? Is it really that hard to just put a legitimate human being in one of these things?
So I guess if you've ever read a harem story before, you have probably seen one of these loser do nothing whiner guys. Sometimes it's actually a fairly decent 'nice guy' type character who is at least a human being though a very boring and generic one. In this story it's the bitter guy who wants to blame circumstance and everyone else for why his situation isn't great.
I don't have a problem with a zero to hero type of story. I even like them, but especially so when they actually work to achieve something. I mean hey, look at Rocky. That's a zero to hero story but he doesn't become champion because he found a pair of magic boxing gloves, it's cause he actually busts his ass and struggles, finds rivals, loses, deals with challenges in his personal life, and ultimately grows as a person.
Here the character basically does nothing other than magically accomplish a variety of things while handwaving away how he seems to suck at everything except when it's something needed to move the story forward. He pretty much just gets surrounded by women who want him who are all more competent than him and he just complains and has a temper. Even when his circumstances improve significantly, he's still just complaining as if everything is a bother.
Character aside, the writing is also unfortunately on the wrong side of average. There is a lot of exposition and telling rather than showing or actual action. There are also a lot of anachronistic similes used like using the phrase lock, stock, and barrel. Did you just use a gun metaphor in a medieval fantasy story? Yes, yes he did. He also referred to a condom and to toilets at points.
There are a lot of grammar issues at times as well. The first chapter in particular seemed riddled with mistakes that should have been caught in editing. The character of Wynne is referred to by name before her name is given and there are multiple sentences missing punctuation at the end.
I know the litrpg community wants frequent content, but maybe people need to start giving them what they need rather than just what they want. What they need is higher quality writing.
Despite having very few positive things to say here, there is undeniably still something to the story since I kept reading and was still interested in the story as it unfolded....
but I feel like the large number of positive ratings misled me in this case because I just found a story that followed the shadow of the Divine Dungeon series but without any personality and also covered similar territory to a Daniel Schinhofen book but with the writing quality much lower. I honestly can't recommend this one to anyone and I will probably pass on all previous books from this author since the writing is unlikely to be any better.
So I guess if you've ever read a harem story before, you have probably seen one of these loser do nothing whiner guys. Sometimes it's actually a fairly decent 'nice guy' type character who is at least a human being though a very boring and generic one. In this story it's the bitter guy who wants to blame circumstance and everyone else for why his situation isn't great.
I don't have a problem with a zero to hero type of story. I even like them, but especially so when they actually work to achieve something. I mean hey, look at Rocky. That's a zero to hero story but he doesn't become champion because he found a pair of magic boxing gloves, it's cause he actually busts his ass and struggles, finds rivals, loses, deals with challenges in his personal life, and ultimately grows as a person.
Here the character basically does nothing other than magically accomplish a variety of things while handwaving away how he seems to suck at everything except when it's something needed to move the story forward. He pretty much just gets surrounded by women who want him who are all more competent than him and he just complains and has a temper. Even when his circumstances improve significantly, he's still just complaining as if everything is a bother.
Character aside, the writing is also unfortunately on the wrong side of average. There is a lot of exposition and telling rather than showing or actual action. There are also a lot of anachronistic similes used like using the phrase lock, stock, and barrel. Did you just use a gun metaphor in a medieval fantasy story? Yes, yes he did. He also referred to a condom and to toilets at points.
There are a lot of grammar issues at times as well. The first chapter in particular seemed riddled with mistakes that should have been caught in editing. The character of Wynne is referred to by name before her name is given and there are multiple sentences missing punctuation at the end.
I know the litrpg community wants frequent content, but maybe people need to start giving them what they need rather than just what they want. What they need is higher quality writing.
Despite having very few positive things to say here, there is undeniably still something to the story since I kept reading and was still interested in the story as it unfolded....
but I feel like the large number of positive ratings misled me in this case because I just found a story that followed the shadow of the Divine Dungeon series but without any personality and also covered similar territory to a Daniel Schinhofen book but with the writing quality much lower. I honestly can't recommend this one to anyone and I will probably pass on all previous books from this author since the writing is unlikely to be any better.
March 22, 2018
Excellent as expected.
There are few authors whose books I will buy immediately on sight alone. Without reading any blurbs. Without even the courtesy glance to reader reviews or ratings. Without at least considering for a moment whether the new book before me may or may not be worth the time...
Not so with William D. Arand.
I bought this book as soon as I saw it. I cared not a whit what it was about or what others before me might have thought about it.
I was not disappointed. Nor shall you be.
There are few authors whose books I will buy immediately on sight alone. Without reading any blurbs. Without even the courtesy glance to reader reviews or ratings. Without at least considering for a moment whether the new book before me may or may not be worth the time...
Not so with William D. Arand.
I bought this book as soon as I saw it. I cared not a whit what it was about or what others before me might have thought about it.
I was not disappointed. Nor shall you be.
November 23, 2024
At first I wasn't so into this one. Unlike other stories in the universe everything felt a bit forced, relationships in the early book didn't really have anything to them... but after finishing the rest of the books in this universe I came back to try again.
Getting passed those first few chapters was a bit of a chore, but well worth it, The book ramps up quickly and I can't wait to read more.
Getting passed those first few chapters was a bit of a chore, but well worth it, The book ramps up quickly and I can't wait to read more.
July 31, 2018
Plot: 9/15
Prose: 3/5
Character: 6/15
Setting: 20/25
Dialogue: 6/10
Enjoyment: 24/30
Overall: 68/100 (3.4 stars)
Prose: 3/5
Character: 6/15
Setting: 20/25
Dialogue: 6/10
Enjoyment: 24/30
Overall: 68/100 (3.4 stars)
March 5, 2018
Another great book from Mr Arand! A really neat premise, and an interesting storyline with just enough curveballs to keep everything interesting. Very heavy on the wish-fulfillment (and boo to anyone that says that's a bad thing), plus a great ending that promises lots more drama in the future.
However, while I am a fan of all Arand's books, and I really wanted to give this one five stars, I couldn't quite justify it. Elements that didn't quite jive with me in Otherlife or Super Sales were easy enough to overlook when everything was still fresh, but by the third series, seeing those same very specific tropes has started to grate on me a bit.
The protagonist whose (surprisingly effective) seduction technique seems to primarily just be directly complementing their bustline. The reliance on using enslavement mechanics to expand the harems, or moreover the fact that no one ever seems to notice the severe ethical problems with this. I could go on, but I'd rather not spoil the other books.
I'm beginning to worry that Arand is just writing the same book series over again for the third time (although, full disclosure, I haven't read Super Sales 2 yet). And that might not even be a real problem, it's a fun book! If you liked Arand's past books, you will like this one too. But if you had any complaints in the past, it seems unlikely you'll see them redressed in this series.
This review is heavy on the critique, but to be clear, I still enjoyed this book quite a lot. I love Arand's books, and I am helpless to resist the Dungeon Core genre; I will eagerly await the opportunity to preorder the next installments. In the end, I just hope that Arand can balance the desire to maintain his very unique and contrarian voice with the ability to grow and develop as a writer.
Show us what else you can do!
However, while I am a fan of all Arand's books, and I really wanted to give this one five stars, I couldn't quite justify it. Elements that didn't quite jive with me in Otherlife or Super Sales were easy enough to overlook when everything was still fresh, but by the third series, seeing those same very specific tropes has started to grate on me a bit.
The protagonist whose (surprisingly effective) seduction technique seems to primarily just be directly complementing their bustline. The reliance on using enslavement mechanics to expand the harems, or moreover the fact that no one ever seems to notice the severe ethical problems with this. I could go on, but I'd rather not spoil the other books.
I'm beginning to worry that Arand is just writing the same book series over again for the third time (although, full disclosure, I haven't read Super Sales 2 yet). And that might not even be a real problem, it's a fun book! If you liked Arand's past books, you will like this one too. But if you had any complaints in the past, it seems unlikely you'll see them redressed in this series.
This review is heavy on the critique, but to be clear, I still enjoyed this book quite a lot. I love Arand's books, and I am helpless to resist the Dungeon Core genre; I will eagerly await the opportunity to preorder the next installments. In the end, I just hope that Arand can balance the desire to maintain his very unique and contrarian voice with the ability to grow and develop as a writer.
Show us what else you can do!
March 4, 2018
So Good....
W.D. Arand is one of "those" authors. He's good like an M. Scott-Earle or a Stryvant. And he writes these dynamic character driven stories that suck you in. At times when he's really on fire it seems might possibly even a little better than other writers of the genre in some aspects because his fan service is almost like an afterthought a bit of light frosting on a rich nuanced cake. He's good, really good, so good that I kind of hate him a little because he's not really all that prolific. Logically speaking I know that's probably part of why he's good in that he takes the time to craft the world and the characters instead of just doing the best he can and then just putting out what he has...but I still got to say it's frustrating as all get up...Reading his work is like having a really good dream or hearing a really good song..that can't be bought in any of the usual outlets...it just sort of messes with you because you end up spending the rest of the week wanting more. That's how I feel about this author he always leaves me wanting more and I love and I hate it and all in all its a really cool trick. The books are decently sized so you don't feel cheated. He uses cliffhangers that for the most part aren't cliffhangers, he makes you fall in love with some characters and hate others enough that you don't feel at ease till you no they've been handled...It's just all really insidious, I spent a whole day reading and then when I realized there was no more book left I felt like shaking my kindle to get at the crumbs. All in all it was good book and I look forwards for the sequel......which I'm sure will come out and year now....
W.D. Arand is one of "those" authors. He's good like an M. Scott-Earle or a Stryvant. And he writes these dynamic character driven stories that suck you in. At times when he's really on fire it seems might possibly even a little better than other writers of the genre in some aspects because his fan service is almost like an afterthought a bit of light frosting on a rich nuanced cake. He's good, really good, so good that I kind of hate him a little because he's not really all that prolific. Logically speaking I know that's probably part of why he's good in that he takes the time to craft the world and the characters instead of just doing the best he can and then just putting out what he has...but I still got to say it's frustrating as all get up...Reading his work is like having a really good dream or hearing a really good song..that can't be bought in any of the usual outlets...it just sort of messes with you because you end up spending the rest of the week wanting more. That's how I feel about this author he always leaves me wanting more and I love and I hate it and all in all its a really cool trick. The books are decently sized so you don't feel cheated. He uses cliffhangers that for the most part aren't cliffhangers, he makes you fall in love with some characters and hate others enough that you don't feel at ease till you no they've been handled...It's just all really insidious, I spent a whole day reading and then when I realized there was no more book left I felt like shaking my kindle to get at the crumbs. All in all it was good book and I look forwards for the sequel......which I'm sure will come out and year now....
March 15, 2018
Very good start and great ways this book could go forward.
One thing I can kind of complain about through this is that he never even considered trying to test limits with an avatar. Build himself a demigod body in his likeness. Practice spells to counter detect life etc. His main weakness in this entire book has kind of been the fact that he is vulnerable. With how much he tinkered with spells and limits it was almost out of character to not even consider messing with the avatar spell. I'm sure we'll see this in book two. I look forward to it!
One thing I can kind of complain about through this is that he never even considered trying to test limits with an avatar. Build himself a demigod body in his likeness. Practice spells to counter detect life etc. His main weakness in this entire book has kind of been the fact that he is vulnerable. With how much he tinkered with spells and limits it was almost out of character to not even consider messing with the avatar spell. I'm sure we'll see this in book two. I look forward to it!
July 29, 2018
Alright, the concept of a Dungeon Core is ridiculous. This is the second book that uses it and it is a complete disgrace.
This is another litRPG book that focuses on the computer/MMO aspect. 'Farming' is a thing. If you're not familiarized with the concept, it consists of killing weaker monsters over and over again in order to gain more loot, sell it, gain levels, kill slightly stronger monsters, repeat.
The main character is the villain, and the author makes no effort to make him relatable.
read 0:30/13:19
This is another litRPG book that focuses on the computer/MMO aspect. 'Farming' is a thing. If you're not familiarized with the concept, it consists of killing weaker monsters over and over again in order to gain more loot, sell it, gain levels, kill slightly stronger monsters, repeat.
The main character is the villain, and the author makes no effort to make him relatable.
read 0:30/13:19
March 13, 2018
Great Dungeon story!
This book has a slightly different take on the usual dungeon pov. A semi regular guy, hellbent on revenge, controlling an entire dungeon and the resulting town around it. Great story, action, adventure, some sex, countless deaths, pick it up and read it already!
This book has a slightly different take on the usual dungeon pov. A semi regular guy, hellbent on revenge, controlling an entire dungeon and the resulting town around it. Great story, action, adventure, some sex, countless deaths, pick it up and read it already!
May 31, 2019
Could not finish
I really like other books by this author but the main character was so unlikable and emotionally erratic I could not finish the book. I kept hoping for character development but he remained a mean spirited little shit who got all crazy butt hurt and plotted revenge for years.
I really like other books by this author but the main character was so unlikable and emotionally erratic I could not finish the book. I kept hoping for character development but he remained a mean spirited little shit who got all crazy butt hurt and plotted revenge for years.
March 28, 2018
Couldn't put it down.
Ryker is relatable and fun to follow. His plan for petty vengeance quickly grows more involved and expansive than he wanted and it makes for great reading. The moral dilemma makes the character much more likeable.
Ryker is relatable and fun to follow. His plan for petty vengeance quickly grows more involved and expansive than he wanted and it makes for great reading. The moral dilemma makes the character much more likeable.
January 27, 2025
Dungeon Deposed by William D. Arand is the first book in his Dungeon Deposed series, but it leaves much to be desired in both execution and depth. While it’s often marketed as a LitRPG novel, it ultimately falls flat when compared to some of its contemporaries in the genre. Below, is the break down or assessment of the book.
Pros: It's got an interesting premise, but the novelty wears thin quickly.
Cons: Almost everything else.
Let’s dive deeper into the issues that plague this book.
Pacing and Plot Structure
At the heart of Dungeon Deposed, the story should focus on the main character being deposed from his position as a dungeon master. That setup is, in theory, quite engaging. However, the pacing feels incredibly rushed after the initial setup, with events often jumping ahead without sufficient explanation or meaningful buildup. Major developments happen seemingly at random, leaving the reader with little connection to the plot.
It doesn’t help that the plot itself is thin and repetitive. We have the protagonist, Ryker, who quickly acquires massive amounts of power and resources, leading to predictable and unchallenging conflict resolutions. In a LitRPG, progression is key—but when the protagonist is a walking deus ex machina, it strips the narrative of any tension or stakes.
Character Development (or lack thereof)
Ryker, the protagonist, is essentially a self-insert power fantasy. He lacks depth or any significant flaws. There’s little to no emotional or personal growth over the course of the book, and his interactions with other characters are shallow at best. Supporting characters feel like cardboard cutouts, existing solely to serve Ryker’s needs or to emphasize how powerful he is.
The portrayal of women in the book is particularly problematic. Female characters are objectified to the extreme, often serving as little more than tools for the protagonist’s gratification. This tropey, misogynistic writing style is not only dated but lazy.
Worldbuilding
In most LitRPGs, worldbuilding is critical to immersing readers in the game-like mechanics of the story. Sadly, Dungeon Deposed barely scratches the surface in this regard. The world itself is bland and underdeveloped, with only occasional nods to dungeon dynamics. There are no clear rules or systems, making it hard to care about Ryker’s rapid rise to power, as it all feels arbitrary.
Writing Style and Tone
William D. Arand’s writing is simplistic to the point of being amateurish. Dialogue is clunky and often serves as thinly veiled exposition. The tone of the novel is also inconsistent, wavering between attempts at humor and unnecessarily grim scenes. It’s as if the author couldn’t decide what kind of story he was trying to tell.
Furthermore, the novel’s tendency to over-explain certain elements while glossing over others leaves readers frustrated. The balance between showing and telling is poorly managed, and it becomes tedious to read extended passages of characters spelling out obvious details.
Conclusion
Dungeon Deposed has a decent concept at its core, but its execution falls apart due to weak character development, inconsistent pacing, poor worldbuilding, and problematic gender dynamics. For anyone expecting a polished, engaging LitRPG experience, this book will be a disappointment.
There are far better options within the genre that offer more complex characters, meaningful progression, and immersive worlds. I would recommend skipping Dungeon Deposed in favor of more thoughtfully crafted works.
October 1, 2019
This book is a mess. It's made of a lot of parts that shouldn't work well, but is better than the sum of its parts. Even though it is not bad, there are several issues that still manage to be tedious.
Firstly, this book doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. THe blurb, and the first chapter, give you the impression it's a revenge story using a dungeon, that there will be lots of violent action etc. But it's not. The dungeon itself, where heroes go in and die, is relegated to the background. The majority of the book is the main character juggling the politics of owning a massive resource, juggling the interpersonal relationships of all the people this puts in his orbit, and dealing with the consequences he himself sets about. There is far less action than you would expect. From that point, the author does a terrible time telegraphing the expectatinos you should have. When the dungeon does come into play, it's more about Riker breaking rule after rule, creating new thing after new thing, so that the dungeon looks more and more like a typical MMO dungeon which is not the norm in thi world. But he genuinely seems to enjoy designing it, and at least that is nice, the opportunity for him to fiddle and play with it.
The dungeon itself is mainly just an OP source of power to allow the main character and his people to be a little military force and to generate wealth.
As wonky as the plot often is, I will hand it to the author: he knows how to twist the knife. THe main character is constantly caught between two opposing goals, constantly finding consequences for his actions or in a tough spot where he must sacrifice one thing he desires to further another. The twists in tha respect are excellent.
The main character though is not likable. He is an ass, a mean cuss. THe phrase "cut off your head and piss down your neck" is exactly the type of violent vulgar threats he makes whenever he gets angry which is often. And you can make a drinking game of every time either he or the author tells you he "hates politics, is as to the point as a dagger and blunt as a hammer". Yet he is fairly good at sussing out motives and moves, despite not getting politics. And lots of women find him charming when he can't be anything but blunt and pointed.
Speaking of lots of women, nearly every female character wants to screw him, andn all but three side characters in the book are women. Also almost all those women have dark hair and big breasts. THe author really likes big breasts, as there are multiple time swhen the characters go on and on about how big some character's breasts are. And the main character is constantly having sex, twice a day on a regular basis, and time is spent juggling the girls.
The main character is quite OP with the dungeon's resources at his disposal and the fact he has his own personal shortcoming solved a little over half way into the book, the actual writing of the spells et al is pretty interesting.
Despite all of the above, I still enjoyed it. I just wish I had a better idea of what I was getting going into it, and the author dialed back some of the more tedious elements. THe narrator also made the main character sound like a snide littel weasel anytime he spoke, but I've been told that is not the case in the second audiobook.
Firstly, this book doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. THe blurb, and the first chapter, give you the impression it's a revenge story using a dungeon, that there will be lots of violent action etc. But it's not. The dungeon itself, where heroes go in and die, is relegated to the background. The majority of the book is the main character juggling the politics of owning a massive resource, juggling the interpersonal relationships of all the people this puts in his orbit, and dealing with the consequences he himself sets about. There is far less action than you would expect. From that point, the author does a terrible time telegraphing the expectatinos you should have. When the dungeon does come into play, it's more about Riker breaking rule after rule, creating new thing after new thing, so that the dungeon looks more and more like a typical MMO dungeon which is not the norm in thi world. But he genuinely seems to enjoy designing it, and at least that is nice, the opportunity for him to fiddle and play with it.
The dungeon itself is mainly just an OP source of power to allow the main character and his people to be a little military force and to generate wealth.
As wonky as the plot often is, I will hand it to the author: he knows how to twist the knife. THe main character is constantly caught between two opposing goals, constantly finding consequences for his actions or in a tough spot where he must sacrifice one thing he desires to further another. The twists in tha respect are excellent.
The main character though is not likable. He is an ass, a mean cuss. THe phrase "cut off your head and piss down your neck" is exactly the type of violent vulgar threats he makes whenever he gets angry which is often. And you can make a drinking game of every time either he or the author tells you he "hates politics, is as to the point as a dagger and blunt as a hammer". Yet he is fairly good at sussing out motives and moves, despite not getting politics. And lots of women find him charming when he can't be anything but blunt and pointed.
Speaking of lots of women, nearly every female character wants to screw him, andn all but three side characters in the book are women. Also almost all those women have dark hair and big breasts. THe author really likes big breasts, as there are multiple time swhen the characters go on and on about how big some character's breasts are. And the main character is constantly having sex, twice a day on a regular basis, and time is spent juggling the girls.
The main character is quite OP with the dungeon's resources at his disposal and the fact he has his own personal shortcoming solved a little over half way into the book, the actual writing of the spells et al is pretty interesting.
Despite all of the above, I still enjoyed it. I just wish I had a better idea of what I was getting going into it, and the author dialed back some of the more tedious elements. THe narrator also made the main character sound like a snide littel weasel anytime he spoke, but I've been told that is not the case in the second audiobook.
December 24, 2018
I was presently surprised by this although I shouldn't have been since I liked everything else by this author. The narrator of the audio book did a fantastic job as well. Despite the other people complaining about the main character I never really disliked his motivations or had any problems with him albeit he is a bit petty sometimes. Additionally even with the warnings on the book while there are references to sex and its mentioned there is no actual description of sex at any point (in the audio book at least) which to me was good since it wasn't used as a buffer and fluff to fill up time that could be used advancing the story and instead was just mentioned in passing mostly. Even with the short length of the book (around 13 hours in audio format, which is actually decent length for this genre) and a slow start a lot of events take place in that amount of time and it speaks to the authors ability that he doesn't have to rely on cheap tactics like constant time jumps or fluffing out the length of the book with sex, It isn't even shortened with status screens or the like since there wasn't really any of that in the book but again in passing mentions. Over all I really enjoyed this book and look forward to not only the next one but what ever this author does next.
January 1, 2020
Worst book I've read in years...
Want to in see someone obsess for 300 pages with the goal in the authors words to...
"rip off his skull scoop his brain out and shit in it"
What could this man have done to deserve this dark obsession? Murder his wife and child? His sister? At least his dog?
No Rob laughed and insulted him after it turned out he had been full of himself for 20 years and was actually incompetent as a mage.
That's cool maybe we just hate Rob whatever
On to enslaving, raping your slaves then 1 paragraph later trashing and arresting a man for
"Attempting to use his authority to have sex"
With the very sex slaves you just fked for a week straight.
Kindle is a dumpster and I admit even after that I kept trying. The book at least reads like a book...
Then I got to him telling his third wife that at least after had a choice. She could marry him and be his lesser wife or she could die.
She has a choice.
I'm done.
Want to in see someone obsess for 300 pages with the goal in the authors words to...
"rip off his skull scoop his brain out and shit in it"
What could this man have done to deserve this dark obsession? Murder his wife and child? His sister? At least his dog?
No Rob laughed and insulted him after it turned out he had been full of himself for 20 years and was actually incompetent as a mage.
That's cool maybe we just hate Rob whatever
On to enslaving, raping your slaves then 1 paragraph later trashing and arresting a man for
"Attempting to use his authority to have sex"
With the very sex slaves you just fked for a week straight.
Kindle is a dumpster and I admit even after that I kept trying. The book at least reads like a book...
Then I got to him telling his third wife that at least after had a choice. She could marry him and be his lesser wife or she could die.
She has a choice.
I'm done.
March 7, 2018
I liked this book - as I really like all of Arand's writing. I didn't LOVE it like Otherlife or Super Sales. Can't really put my finger on the 'why'. I thought Ryker's rage to be a bit over the top - and certainly would impact those around him who would likely find it off-putting and borderline abusive.
Whereas I genuinely liked Runner and at least understand Felix's somewhat amoral viewpoint, I found I really, really didn't like Ryker. I couldn't even sympathize with him and so I guess I wasn't as invested as with the other works.
Frankly, more Otherlife and Super Sales would be higher on my 'to buy' list than the follow up to this. I'll probably try to keep going for a book or two, just to see if Ryker turns into somewhat less of a scumbag.
Whereas I genuinely liked Runner and at least understand Felix's somewhat amoral viewpoint, I found I really, really didn't like Ryker. I couldn't even sympathize with him and so I guess I wasn't as invested as with the other works.
Frankly, more Otherlife and Super Sales would be higher on my 'to buy' list than the follow up to this. I'll probably try to keep going for a book or two, just to see if Ryker turns into somewhat less of a scumbag.
October 14, 2019
Great world good story with porn level plot progression. lets use an allegory imagine a brash, drunk arogant diplomat walking into a state park and starts a fire knowing its a bad idea he gets angry at anyone who contradicts him and his guard shoot them then the fire goes out of control and he panics and puts it out this happens over and over with out end him never learning from this. that's where the porn level writing comes in the main character is not the main character the fire/chaos he creates is and the writer will bend and break the story any way he can too make sure that there is always a fire
June 23, 2021
Not litrpg
This is a dungeon story.
I read this book rather quickly, I think it was due to just being a Damn fine read.
I don't give very many five star reviews, but this one earned it by simply making me want more.
I will read this book again when book two comes out.
The harem aspect of this book is done in good taste, without all the explicit teen wet dream sex. I liked that.
I highly recommend this book for a fun read.
This is a dungeon story.
I read this book rather quickly, I think it was due to just being a Damn fine read.
I don't give very many five star reviews, but this one earned it by simply making me want more.
I will read this book again when book two comes out.
The harem aspect of this book is done in good taste, without all the explicit teen wet dream sex. I liked that.
I highly recommend this book for a fun read.
March 1, 2018
Great book! Original concept!
As a avid reader of LITRPG, Urban Fantasy and fantasy novels alike I must say this book was a wholly original concept. There have been other dungeon books but nothing like this. It is not for children or the feint of heart though so do not read this unless you can handle a main character with sociopathic tendencies.
As a avid reader of LITRPG, Urban Fantasy and fantasy novels alike I must say this book was a wholly original concept. There have been other dungeon books but nothing like this. It is not for children or the feint of heart though so do not read this unless you can handle a main character with sociopathic tendencies.
March 2, 2018
Can't wait for book two
I have been following the author for several books now, and while I wish he would have added to his existing series, this book was awesome. Quite a few original ideas and great character development. Can't wait for the next one, in this new series or any of the authors other series. Read the sample, you will be hooked and thanking me later.
I have been following the author for several books now, and while I wish he would have added to his existing series, this book was awesome. Quite a few original ideas and great character development. Can't wait for the next one, in this new series or any of the authors other series. Read the sample, you will be hooked and thanking me later.
March 3, 2018
Read this book.
Mr Arand, please, please, please, keep this story going. As in, don't write anything else, even though I enjoy Super Sale on Super Heroes, this is easily my favorite of your works. Picked it up, didn't put it down until I finished it a few hours later. I'm impatiently waiting for the next book.
Mr Arand, please, please, please, keep this story going. As in, don't write anything else, even though I enjoy Super Sale on Super Heroes, this is easily my favorite of your works. Picked it up, didn't put it down until I finished it a few hours later. I'm impatiently waiting for the next book.
March 5, 2018
Not your typical dungeon core story
This story is addictive characters you both love and hate at least for me that occurred. There is plenty of character growth and loads of foul language a good read. However there aren't any firm game mechanics it's pure fantasy rather than litrpg or gamelit. I plan to keep an eye out for book 2
This story is addictive characters you both love and hate at least for me that occurred. There is plenty of character growth and loads of foul language a good read. However there aren't any firm game mechanics it's pure fantasy rather than litrpg or gamelit. I plan to keep an eye out for book 2
March 6, 2018
Great new dungeon perspective
This book was great like all this author's books. It had a different take on dungeon stories, emphasizing how a dungeon could be used for greed and revenge rather than dungeon building or town building. It was fast paced and exciting to read, and the MC is a huge ass hole who is fun to read about!
This book was great like all this author's books. It had a different take on dungeon stories, emphasizing how a dungeon could be used for greed and revenge rather than dungeon building or town building. It was fast paced and exciting to read, and the MC is a huge ass hole who is fun to read about!
March 10, 2018
The book i wanted to write
I don’t want to say it, but I found this to be a nearly perfect rendition of a dungeon fantasy story. I kept poking at it, expecting a plot hole or for the author to lose their way. It didn’t. The story was/is amazing. The plot is well paced and I could not put this book down.
Well done sir. And well written. I’ll be looking forward to book 2!
I don’t want to say it, but I found this to be a nearly perfect rendition of a dungeon fantasy story. I kept poking at it, expecting a plot hole or for the author to lose their way. It didn’t. The story was/is amazing. The plot is well paced and I could not put this book down.
Well done sir. And well written. I’ll be looking forward to book 2!
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