Imprisoned for a murder he didn’t commit, Kaiden’s only hope of early release is in serving as a Warden in the game-world of Nova Online.
Playing as a unique class while surrounded by aliens, pirates and warring guilds, he and his squad are tasked with protecting new players and enforcing the rule of law.
But Kaiden has other ideas; he is intent on proving his innocence. The keys to his freedom lie hidden in the game’s seedy underbelly. And as he’ll soon discover, the bloody trail that led to his arrest is more twisted than he could have ever imagined.
Alex Knight is filling good books with bad jokes one sentence at a time.
As an author his work includes The Far Wild🦖, Servant of Rage🔥, the Nova Online Trilogy👾, and more.
As an aspiring twin he’s not making much progress, but remains determined.
Alex grew up a sunbaked Floridian. In the veritable far wild that was Florida, he spent his days in the prairies, swamps, and springs of the state’s interior.
Since those simple, sweaty days Alex has lived in many places around the world, including many of the on’s—London, Boston, and (currently) Houston.
In the past Alex has worked as everything from a dishwasher to a communications coordinator. After deciding he didn’t like stability or predictable paychecks he made the jump to become a freelance writer. That soon turned into ghostwriting romance novellas, then ghostwriting science fiction novels. After some time, he was able to excise the ghost from ghostwriting and write his own books.
When Alex isn’t writing, he’s likely lost in a wetland, falling down in his novice hockey league, or playing competitive pinball. Oh, and gaming. Lots of gaming.
I just read a fantasy LitRPG and it was so so interesting to read a scifi version. Tbh I didn’t think it could be done considering most sci-fi games are FPS, but wow did this book prove me wrong. A damned good read.
This was a sci-fi LitRPG. Most of the other LitRPG stories I've read so far have been set in fantasy virtual worlds so having this set in a sci-fi virtual world was a fun change. This was not an overly complicated story and the focus was mostly on action with a bit of adventure and mystery thrown in to keep things interesting.
The premise was actually quite intriguing. This is set 50 years in the future in a world where fully immersive VR technology plays a big role. Our lead character, Kaiden, finds his life spiralling out of control when he is convicted of a murder he did not commit. Since he passed the prison psychological tests he is offered the chance to enter a reform program. That program is the chance to play as a Warden in the massively popular VR game Nova Online. The Wardens are basically the police force of the VR world and they keep the game on track and make sure people do not break too many rules and help new players who find themselves in over their heads. Kaiden jumps at the chance to spend most of his time in the VR world rather than prison but soon stumbles onto another player who might be able to help him clear his name in the real world!
The story ended up being OK without ever quite managing to live up to its full potential. The sci-fi world was a fairly cool one but I felt like we needed more time with the Warden units engaging with more actual human players rather than just battling mindless aliens. Outside of the Wardens I do not feel like we really got a good feel for the VR world. Despite not spending a lot of time in the real world I do feel like Knight did a better job of giving that a solid and tangible feel. The characters were a likeable bunch. Kaiden was easy to root for and his two friends that made up his three man team were likeable enough in their own ways.
The flaw was the heavy focus on action at the expense of everything else. There was a bit of mystery and tension with Kaiden trying to discover who framed him for murder but not enough. The writing and story also had the tendency to feel a little simplistic at times and I feel like that stopped me from fully engaging with the story or characters.
All in all this ended up being an OK read but nothing memorable. I might or might not pick up the sequel.
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: I felt like Todd Boyce did a good job with the audio. If he had a flaw it was that he was a fairly slow paced reader.
'Warden' was my first proper foray into LitRPG, and I loved every single page of it. As a reader of fantasy, I'm not normally a fan of novels with sci-fi elements, but 'Warden' is so fun and fast paced that I immediately felt myself pulled into the world - and then didn't want to leave! (Much like the main character, Kaiden. Though he has very good - and somewhat sinister - reasons for wanting to escape the real world...)
'Warden''s story seems simple at first, yet there are dangerous secrets lurking under the surface of both realities - meatspace and VR - waiting to be unlocked. The same can be said for the wardens themselves; their abilities are basic and limited at the very beginning, but they quickly become much more interesting and exciting as the characters level up and start to unlock new talents and class specializations. The way Kaiden and his small party of unlikely allies gain achievements and level up throughout the story is also surprisingly satisfying. Best of all, the story doesn't waste time giving us loads of unnecessary background information, instead throwing the reader exactly where we want to be within the first few chapters: straight into the VR world of Nova Online.
Tl; dr, I can't wait to read more books about Kaiden and Nova Online. Also, I really want to be a blast warden. Please. Thanks!
8% in and I'm already cringing. So far the plot is just horrible. Our MC is convicted of murdering his neighbor who payed him to run errands for him. Okay no real problem yet. Now apparently his defense was as shoddy as can be, as just reading about the crime i could punch enough holes to get the MC a not guilty verdict. However he is convicted and sent to prison where they make him a cop in a VR game. Wait what???? Yes you read that right. I'm done. Not going any further. I can't recommend this as I can't even suspend belief that far.
This is exactly the kind of book I like to read. Space battles, aliens in droves, combat armor, and delimma's to solve. The fact that it's an LitRPG is just icing on the cake. Plus the book was well edited, so there were very few typos/grammar errors that seem to be the main calling card of most books in this genre, because this publisher takes the time to get it right. You can bet I'll be following this series to see where it goes.
Fast paced and easy reading and a entertaining story! The only problem I had was that if The convicts were part of the warden scheme then surely they would have been kept separate from the other inmates to avoid any confrontation that could lead to a death! The author has left me on a baited book as to what happens next!
3.5 stars - wavering on if to rate up or down. It was good. Not great. It felt simple, like it was more middle grade or YA than it is. The story was ok, the characters were really flat. It was predictable and doesn't hold up to other LitRPG in my mind. Probably not interested in reading more, so going to rate down to 3.
Not the traditional fantasy litrpg. You won't find any magic in this book. But you'll find something just as amazing. Read it all in one go. Eagerly waiting for the sequel
It definitely is litRPG. I have mixed feelings about the minimalist specs. Most of the book flowed well and was a fun read. There was a bit of a starship Troopers feel to the whole thing. I did find the ending a little unsettling as the hook seems to have been misplaced/missing.
I appreciated the real world/ game world dynamic. The plot was well paced with an unexpected twist. Characters were easy to identify with, making the story even more engaging.
I've read all of the first book and about half of the second book. The writing is good. The story is split between real world and a virtual world with the virtual world making up the bulk of the story.
Although I gave the story 5 stars, I'm not planning to complete the 2nd book because the series isn't to my personal tastes. Others might love it for the same reasons that I lost interest. So here are my personal taste reasons I don't like it.
1: The books read a little bit like a YA (young adult) series and I don't care for that style. Keep in mind that Harry Potter is YA and insanely popular with many adults, but I didn't like Harry Potter either for pretty much the same reason.
2: The virtual setting for the LitRPG is sci-fi. I like sci-fi, but I prefer my LitRPG to be fantasy.
3: The LitRPG elements are not quite as pronounced as I would like, but they are definitely there. There are stats, skills, classes, etc. I really like to get into the mechanics of the LitRPG and be impressed by a character's ingenuity using said mechanics.
4: Although the bulk of the stories are set in the virtual world, the main high stakes conflict is set in the real world. The protagonists are not worried about dying and having to respawn in the game so much as they are worried about freedom, health, and safety outside of the game. Everything they do in the game is for the purpose of improving things in the real world. I prefer things the other way around. I like "stuck in the game" scenarios and "real world LitRGP" scenarios (where for some reason LitRPG rules apply in real life.) Otherwise to me the "it's just a game" scenario just doesn't have enough drama even if the real world consequences related to the game are extremely severe.
When his struggle to get back on track financially and educationally after losing his sole remaining parent is interrupted by a wrongful conviction for the torture and murder of his friend and neighbour, Kaiden finds himself thrust into jail for 50 years. Not quite life, but near as makes no difference to an eighteen year old. Fortunately there is a chance he may survive long enough to get out when he is given the chance to work for the authorities from Prison as a warden, a virtual policeman (collecting real virtual taxes and chasing real criminals committing virtual crimes) in the wildly popular MMORPG Nova Online. Success here could shorten his sentence, and inside the game, he is safe from the other inhabitants of the prison, at least one of whom has already decided to ensure he never gets out. Then he makes 2 friends who change everything.
Decent litrpg; reminiscent of a toned down Space Knight
Pretty good litrpg. Good game mechanics, nice details, likeable characters, very interesting non fantasy setting and good dialogue. The reason for a 4 and not a 5, was that bit fell into the common litrpg trap of shaping the world around the MC. Everything fell into place a little too cleanly (which is part of the underlying plot to a certain degree) and the MC lucks out a lot. However, the characters are likeable enough that you as the reader may just be happy things are going well for them. There were a couple inconsistencies with the game world and IRL world that made for a bit of head scratching but nothing game breaking or earth shattering. Hopefully this MC, Kaiden, doesn't become an unlikeable sleaze like the MC does in Space Knight 3.
5.0 Stars Summary: When Kaiden is falsely imprisoned for the murder of a friend, he is given the opportunity to join the Nova Online community and potentially prove his innocence. He quickly finds himself pulled into the story of the game but also into a broader conspiracy in the real world. Can Kaiden and his friends survive in the real world and in the VR world?
Praise: Loved this book. It despenses with boring unnecessary details to skip straight to the meat. The story is a non-stop adventure with plenty of action. The leveling and development of the characters works as an exciting plot device to keep the reader engaged.
Criticism: I have very little. You could say the writing is basic and the story is not as fleshed out as others but this is not a Tolkien style book. And that is a big part of it's allure.
This doesnt really feel like the authors first foray into writing for this genre... to sum it up, I enjoyed the book and I will happily read #2 when it comes out...
--The interactions are pretty fun and the main character's plot and motivations move along nicely --the game elements are pretty fun although the characters don't seem to have a lot of customization options.
-- the supporting characters are quite convenient...the protagonist happens to find the exact people he needs...in fact, quite a few plot elements feel quite contrived...like..."the needle in a haystack that you have to find just happens to show up where you are?"
This was hands down the best LitRPG story I have ever listened to. I really appreciated that the vulgarity was kept to a minimum, and the few instances where any did appear it was appropriate to the story. I also liked that there wasn't any sleaze, which unfortunately has become increasingly common for this genre. Most of all, the gaming mechanics were very well developed. I found myself just as intrigued in the gaming mechanics as I was in the story. The plot of the story was also extremely well designed, and I easily found myself caught up inside the storyline. The narrator's performance was also exceptional. Well done! Very impressed. I can't wait to hear the sequel!
Imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, Kaiden is using the chance to act as the in-game police for a large VRMMORPG to find the true killer and clear his name.
Interesting, and I finished it - just don't have the desire to read the next book. Poor kid lives in a terrible world after some sort of world war? or maybe just a civil war? And recently enough for older but not old adults remember it.
2.5 yrs later: june, 2022 - This is one of the books taking part in a benefit for Uvalde. I'm bumping my rating up a star accordingly to make it more likely for people to go "oh, I should read that". After all, the review above states it isn't for me, not that it isn't perfectly fine reading!
Great story and characters. Too bad the logic issues riddled through out mess it all up. Examples include if the wardens are so important why are they drumming people out so quickly and on 1 petty test? Like bending last to log in. And where are the guards in the prison, as they seem to never be in the common areas. Runs all the way to his cell naked, no comments? No in game monitoring from a control state? No thought monitoring?
Thoroughly entertaining. A bit of a slow/clunky start, but it picks up nicely after the first few chapters. The game mechanics aren't explored in as much detail as some other LitRPG titles, but there's definitely enough to make it feel fleshed out. The ending was a bit abrupt, but there's enough obvious sequel hooks that it isn't much of an issue.
In a near future controlled by the Party, and thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Kaiden Finds himself placed in the role of a warden in a science-fiction VR game. Very well written, with the RL situation probably more impactful than in many of these books, it’s definitely worth reading.
I really enjoyed this book. It's my second time reading a LitRPG and it was really fun. I think it was maybe a bit too predictable but otherwise I would recommend it. The game the book takes place in is amazing and the authors way of describing the mechanics helps immerse me.
It was mostly an enjoyable read. Probably deserves closer to a 3.5 than a 3 though. The premise was a stretch. The in-game progress was too fast paced and easy, they should not have been able to progress to the point they were by what felt like less than a week in game. All that said, it was an entertaining read. I will probably continue with the series.
I really enjoyed this book. Great blend of real life and virtual, it's like 1984 meets litRPG. Fantastically done, I'll definitely be picking up the next one in the series! 4 stars instead of 5 for some very minor editing mistakes and the climatic fight missing enough info for some parts to make sense.
Ok, I'd probably read a sequel, didn't like the main character too whiny going on about how everything is impossible, not bad, but the main characters personality makes it less enjoyable.
This is the last of the books from Portal that I've read, and much like the others it was pretty good. I've not read much sci-fi LitRPG but I liked the game quite a lot and look forward to more.
Really enjoyed thua book. It was so well written that I keep forgetting it was litrpg. Ie the story flowed. One of the best books I have read. Cannot wait to read the next one.
I enjoyed this book! It has a unique and strong storyline that engages the reader. I will be reading the book in this series now rather than later. Lol. Give this book a shot I think you will like it too.
This book was written with excellent dialogue, it is seriously very well done. I thought he was a little rushed in his story telling like a lot of litrpg novelists seem to be.