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FFO #2
Last Bastion
Bastion was supposed to mean safety. It was supposed to mean a break from fighting for their lives and a chance to talk to someone who might actually know what’s going on. Access to their gold and some beer would have been nice, too.
They got none of those things. When Tina and James arrive in the capital, they find a city on fire in more ways than one. Players and non-players hunt each other in the streets, while the king who controls the city’s all-powerful artifact cowers from the chaos in his castle. Desperate to warn somebody about the Once King’s coming invasion, James wants to try to talk to the king anyway, while Tina just wants to meet the royal portal keepers who might be able to send them home.
It shouldn’t be hard to get an army of the world’s best-geared players through one city, but when they discover that the captain of the Royal Knights has been massacring low-level players in revenge disguised as justice, James and Tina will have to decide what is more important: the lives of their fellow gamers, or the stability of this world’s last great city. Both choices deserve a champion, but with the Once King’s armies closing in, taking the wrong side may doom everyone to an eternity as slaves to the Ghostfire.
They got none of those things. When Tina and James arrive in the capital, they find a city on fire in more ways than one. Players and non-players hunt each other in the streets, while the king who controls the city’s all-powerful artifact cowers from the chaos in his castle. Desperate to warn somebody about the Once King’s coming invasion, James wants to try to talk to the king anyway, while Tina just wants to meet the royal portal keepers who might be able to send them home.
It shouldn’t be hard to get an army of the world’s best-geared players through one city, but when they discover that the captain of the Royal Knights has been massacring low-level players in revenge disguised as justice, James and Tina will have to decide what is more important: the lives of their fellow gamers, or the stability of this world’s last great city. Both choices deserve a champion, but with the Once King’s armies closing in, taking the wrong side may doom everyone to an eternity as slaves to the Ghostfire.
563 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2019
226 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Aaron
35 books3,037 followersHello, my name is Rachel Aaron, and I write the Heartstriker books, a new Urban Fantasy series about misfit dragons, starting with Nice Dragons Finish Last. I also wrote The Legend of Eli Monpress fantasy series for Orbit Books about a wizard thief and the poor bastards who have to try and stop him. PLUS I'm also the author of the new, rolicking fun Science Fiction romance Fortune's Pawn under the name Rachel Bach.
I was born in Atlanta, but I currently live a lovely, nerdy, bookish life in Denver, CO with my lightspeed son, perpetually understanding husband, and far too many plants. Besides my own books, the internet knows me best for writing very fast. The best way to get to know me is probably to read my blog or follow me on Twitter.
I was born in Atlanta, but I currently live a lovely, nerdy, bookish life in Denver, CO with my lightspeed son, perpetually understanding husband, and far too many plants. Besides my own books, the internet knows me best for writing very fast. The best way to get to know me is probably to read my blog or follow me on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
May 22, 2019
30 Apr: Last Bastion drops today in both ebook and audio formats.
I received an advanced reading copy from the authors in exchange for an honest review.
"Bastion was supposed to mean safety."
It seemed, however, that Rachel Aaron and Travis Bach decided that safety will be a bit boring for the fictional characters and the readers. Hence, they gave us a heart-pounding, fast-paced, action-packed and dangerously addictive MMORPG-style adventure in the world of Forever Fantasy Online with a great cast of characters.
The story picked up immediately from the ending of the first book. Our main characters, James and Tina, arrived at the city of Bastion to seek refuge and find some answers after the world of FFO was suddenly released from the Nightmare. A term used by the NPCs who are supposedly real people to describe their entrapment in the game environmen, the Nightmare is so named for the dreadful never-ending cycle ofreliving the quests the players undertake, oftentimes dying a painful death over and over again. What greeted the player characters, however, was a city on fire and laden with corpses. Not exactly their idea of a safe haven from the constant danger and fighting they've encountered in the past few days.
Plot-wise, this is a pretty simple and straightforward narrative with an underlying commentary on how violence begets violence in a vicious cycle that will only destroy the people on either side of a conflict. Regardless, it is testament to Aaron and Bach's ability to spin a story that was so engrossing that I was barely able to put it down. Last Bastion is not a short book by any standards, but I finished it in under 2 days as it was super addictive. I have always found Aaron's books, from Eli Monpress to Heartstrikers to her latest DFZ series, to have that engaging quality which made it hard for me to leave them aside for long. Co-authored with Travis Bach, her husband, FFO is no exception. In fact, I think engaging is too mild a word to describe how I feel when I read these books, which have attained what I deemed as a Sanderson-esque level of addictiveness. It is one of the highest praises I can heap upon any book as Brandon Sanderson is my favourite author of all-time, and I can never read anything else when I pick up one of his books.
What made Last Bastion so enthralling? I can boil it down to three elements; the worldbuilding, the action and most importantly, the characterisation. As I've mentioned before, I've not been gaming for a long time and I've definitely not been exposed to MMORPG. Regardless, it was not difficult to understand all the gaming jargons. After some heart-pounding and exhilarating action scenes, it became quite easy to put all these different player levels and roles (such as tanks, damage-dealers and healers) into context. Being a world of MMORPG, FFO’s worldbuilding is a geek fest with awesome-sounding magical artifacts to boost speed, strength and power, and high leveled raid bosses. Its lore and history were also explored further in this sequel, with hints that the Once King's invasion might have some historical basis which hopefully will be revealed in the finale.
Great characters have always been the hallmark of Rachel Aaron's books, and I'm delighted to see that it remains as such in this co-authored series. There is just something about the way the characters are written (both main and supporting), from the way that they interact with one another, to their behaviour and emotions, that feels so relatable and authentic. These characters genuinely feel like real people.
The story is focussed around the POVs of two siblings, James and Tina, and their relationship played a significant role in the narrative as they took opposing views on handling what they encountered in Bastion. Between the two, I find that I enjoy James' character growth way more than Tina's. To be fair, his character arc has a lot more room for progression as the older brother who dropped out of college and landed his family with a large debt, while Tina had to bear the brunt of his irresponsible behaviour in real life.
On the other hand, Tina is pretty much stubborn, determined, quick to anger (especially by her brother) and almost too eager to stomp her way to get what she thinks is best instead of listening or empathising. She does have her qualities as a leader who is very protective of her own, but there were so many instances when I was just infuriated with her way of thinking. There are valid reasons to the way she treats and thinks of her brother, but while I sympathise with her sometimes, I still have not warmed up to her. Fortunately, her storyline is filled with likeable and fascinating supporting characters and loads of action.
As much as I appreciate beautiful and artful prose, there is a certain charm in unembellished storytelling that goes right into the heart of things. The writing is effortlessly enjoyable to read. And to cap it all off, the pacing was almost perfection. I say 'almost' not because I found myself being bored. On the contrary, there were instances where the action was so unrelenting that I felt as if I needed a break from all the fighting.
Empathetic and kickass characters, geek lore and humour, fantastic fighting scenes, Last Bastion has it all in a compulsive page-turner. Highly recommended for all fantasy fans, and especially if you're also a fan of RPG and/or LitRPG.
Last Bastion will be released in ebook and audiobook formats on 30th April.
You can pre-order a copy of this book from Amazon US.
You can also find this, and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
I received an advanced reading copy from the authors in exchange for an honest review.
"Bastion was supposed to mean safety."
It seemed, however, that Rachel Aaron and Travis Bach decided that safety will be a bit boring for the fictional characters and the readers. Hence, they gave us a heart-pounding, fast-paced, action-packed and dangerously addictive MMORPG-style adventure in the world of Forever Fantasy Online with a great cast of characters.
The story picked up immediately from the ending of the first book. Our main characters, James and Tina, arrived at the city of Bastion to seek refuge and find some answers after the world of FFO was suddenly released from the Nightmare. A term used by the NPCs who are supposedly real people to describe their entrapment in the game environmen, the Nightmare is so named for the dreadful never-ending cycle ofreliving the quests the players undertake, oftentimes dying a painful death over and over again. What greeted the player characters, however, was a city on fire and laden with corpses. Not exactly their idea of a safe haven from the constant danger and fighting they've encountered in the past few days.
Plot-wise, this is a pretty simple and straightforward narrative with an underlying commentary on how violence begets violence in a vicious cycle that will only destroy the people on either side of a conflict. Regardless, it is testament to Aaron and Bach's ability to spin a story that was so engrossing that I was barely able to put it down. Last Bastion is not a short book by any standards, but I finished it in under 2 days as it was super addictive. I have always found Aaron's books, from Eli Monpress to Heartstrikers to her latest DFZ series, to have that engaging quality which made it hard for me to leave them aside for long. Co-authored with Travis Bach, her husband, FFO is no exception. In fact, I think engaging is too mild a word to describe how I feel when I read these books, which have attained what I deemed as a Sanderson-esque level of addictiveness. It is one of the highest praises I can heap upon any book as Brandon Sanderson is my favourite author of all-time, and I can never read anything else when I pick up one of his books.
What made Last Bastion so enthralling? I can boil it down to three elements; the worldbuilding, the action and most importantly, the characterisation. As I've mentioned before, I've not been gaming for a long time and I've definitely not been exposed to MMORPG. Regardless, it was not difficult to understand all the gaming jargons. After some heart-pounding and exhilarating action scenes, it became quite easy to put all these different player levels and roles (such as tanks, damage-dealers and healers) into context. Being a world of MMORPG, FFO’s worldbuilding is a geek fest with awesome-sounding magical artifacts to boost speed, strength and power, and high leveled raid bosses. Its lore and history were also explored further in this sequel, with hints that the Once King's invasion might have some historical basis which hopefully will be revealed in the finale.
Great characters have always been the hallmark of Rachel Aaron's books, and I'm delighted to see that it remains as such in this co-authored series. There is just something about the way the characters are written (both main and supporting), from the way that they interact with one another, to their behaviour and emotions, that feels so relatable and authentic. These characters genuinely feel like real people.
The story is focussed around the POVs of two siblings, James and Tina, and their relationship played a significant role in the narrative as they took opposing views on handling what they encountered in Bastion. Between the two, I find that I enjoy James' character growth way more than Tina's. To be fair, his character arc has a lot more room for progression as the older brother who dropped out of college and landed his family with a large debt, while Tina had to bear the brunt of his irresponsible behaviour in real life.
On the other hand, Tina is pretty much stubborn, determined, quick to anger (especially by her brother) and almost too eager to stomp her way to get what she thinks is best instead of listening or empathising. She does have her qualities as a leader who is very protective of her own, but there were so many instances when I was just infuriated with her way of thinking. There are valid reasons to the way she treats and thinks of her brother, but while I sympathise with her sometimes, I still have not warmed up to her. Fortunately, her storyline is filled with likeable and fascinating supporting characters and loads of action.
As much as I appreciate beautiful and artful prose, there is a certain charm in unembellished storytelling that goes right into the heart of things. The writing is effortlessly enjoyable to read. And to cap it all off, the pacing was almost perfection. I say 'almost' not because I found myself being bored. On the contrary, there were instances where the action was so unrelenting that I felt as if I needed a break from all the fighting.
Empathetic and kickass characters, geek lore and humour, fantastic fighting scenes, Last Bastion has it all in a compulsive page-turner. Highly recommended for all fantasy fans, and especially if you're also a fan of RPG and/or LitRPG.
Last Bastion will be released in ebook and audiobook formats on 30th April.
You can pre-order a copy of this book from Amazon US.
You can also find this, and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
July 29, 2019
3.5 stars
Book 2 of 3 of Forever Fantasy Online. Opens inmediatly after the end of the previous book, when the arrivals at the Sacred City of Bastion. Tina and the rest of players looking for a portal viable to go back home; and James with Fangs in a mission.
I used to like the so-called 'manly films' with tons of batle and action but lately I avoid war films, so it happen here that I skip several pages of mortal combat because there tons of violence and gory going on.
Tina is an obnoxious character, bad mouthed, violent and stubborn. I wish her dead many times. She is unable to empathize with the other side,; she is not even able to recognize how the person she claims to have feels for can feel. Tina accuses James of being selfish, but she is more.
“It's your sister, isn't it?” Flameboyant said. “I've seen how he looks at her. Dude's got it bad.”
“'Bad' is an apt description,” James said bitterly. “Like I said, SilentBlayde is normally a great person, but when Tina gets involved, his morals go completely out the window. There's literally nothing he won't do for her. He always feels horrible about it afterward, but that never stops him from doing it again, and it's only gotten worse since Tina went to college.”
On the other hand, James is weak to his sister because of his sense of guilt. It is good that Fangs is there to enphasize him where it is appropriate that his efforts be now.
SB: If this was still the game, it never could have, but your brother is a multiple black belt in real life. You and me and everyone else, we just played at being Knights and Assassins, but James has practiced fighting for years. He's the real deal, and when things got real, he was just better than me. In a lot of ways.”
I really like the Ar'Bati, he is the real badass warrior.
So it amazes and enrages me as most players still see the NPCs as if they were not people. I can't help comparing them in my mind with the conquerors who saw the natives on a continent, in the same way, not as people, even not attributing soul to justify themselves. The Nightmare twisted their world and tortured them!
We could go somewhere else. Someone mentioned conquering a zone, which isn't actually a bad idea. All the places around Bastion are pretty low-level. If we wanted to, we could go out to one of the smaller cities, take it over, and make all those NPCs work for us.”
He finished with a grin, but Tina shook her head, copper dreadlocks swaying. “Nah, I don't like it. I don't want to rule some medieval village, and what we need is here in Bastion.”
I'd like the book explore/explain more about the world itself. For the hints it seems like the elves are from I want to know about the Lore, the Sun and the Moon.
In the tradition of high fantasy books, it's was good that a understimated race get to have a interesting background.
I suppose that the captain
I'm waiting for the unpublished 3rd book.
Book 2 of 3 of Forever Fantasy Online. Opens inmediatly after the end of the previous book, when the arrivals at the Sacred City of Bastion. Tina and the rest of players looking for a portal viable to go back home; and James with Fangs in a mission.
I used to like the so-called 'manly films' with tons of batle and action but lately I avoid war films, so it happen here that I skip several pages of mortal combat because there tons of violence and gory going on.
Tina is an obnoxious character, bad mouthed, violent and stubborn. I wish her dead many times. She is unable to empathize with the other side,; she is not even able to recognize how the person she claims to have feels for can feel. Tina accuses James of being selfish, but she is more.
“It's your sister, isn't it?” Flameboyant said. “I've seen how he looks at her. Dude's got it bad.”
“'Bad' is an apt description,” James said bitterly. “Like I said, SilentBlayde is normally a great person, but when Tina gets involved, his morals go completely out the window. There's literally nothing he won't do for her. He always feels horrible about it afterward, but that never stops him from doing it again, and it's only gotten worse since Tina went to college.”
On the other hand, James is weak to his sister because of his sense of guilt. It is good that Fangs is there to enphasize him where it is appropriate that his efforts be now.
SB: If this was still the game, it never could have, but your brother is a multiple black belt in real life. You and me and everyone else, we just played at being Knights and Assassins, but James has practiced fighting for years. He's the real deal, and when things got real, he was just better than me. In a lot of ways.”
I really like the Ar'Bati, he is the real badass warrior.
So it amazes and enrages me as most players still see the NPCs as if they were not people. I can't help comparing them in my mind with the conquerors who saw the natives on a continent, in the same way, not as people, even not attributing soul to justify themselves. The Nightmare twisted their world and tortured them!
We could go somewhere else. Someone mentioned conquering a zone, which isn't actually a bad idea. All the places around Bastion are pretty low-level. If we wanted to, we could go out to one of the smaller cities, take it over, and make all those NPCs work for us.”
He finished with a grin, but Tina shook her head, copper dreadlocks swaying. “Nah, I don't like it. I don't want to rule some medieval village, and what we need is here in Bastion.”
I'd like the book explore/explain more about the world itself. For the hints it seems like the elves are from I want to know about the Lore, the Sun and the Moon.
In the tradition of high fantasy books, it's was good that a understimated race get to have a interesting background.
I suppose that the captain
I'm waiting for the unpublished 3rd book.
May 6, 2019
An excellent continuation of the story! I've really enjoyed this series, the characters that annoy me are products of their past and it makes sense. I can be frustrated with them and like them because I know how they became who they are.
April 30, 2019
All the players (see what I did there?) from book one are back, and this time they have a whole lot more to deal with. Logistics! Ethics! Politics! Consequences! Relationship difficulties! Familial issues! Invading undead!
Relatable AF.
Relatable AF.
October 11, 2019
Well, this was another long book, but it just flew by due to all the excitement and action. I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the Forever Fantasy Online series.
At the end of the previous book there was some relief, since our two parties had finally met up and they were able to achieve their goal and port to the capital city where they thought they’d be safe. But turns out, things are not great in the capital either. There seems to be little leadership in the city and both players and NPCs, or people who live in the world, are bent on killing one another. Tina and her brother James, finally reunited, come into conflict on how to approach the situation.
Once again the highlight here has been the characters. I love how much depth the main crew especially has been given, but even side characters like the King of Bastion are written well. With the players–James, Tina, and SB–we get to see a little bit more of their back stories, what life was like for them outside of the game. I loved this. We get to see find out how Tina created her character, how she met SB in game and then became friends outside of the game, a bit more of the rift between James and Tina. Of course, we don’t get all the answers, and some things will have to remain a mystery until later, but I love the bits we get as the history between James, Tina, and SB begins to affect their relationships within the world of the game now that they realize they may be stuck in the game forever, especially when they have conflicting reactions to that. I find Tina and SB’s relationship especially intriguing, especially when we get to see things from both their points of view and you can empathize with each of them. I do wish they’d just talk to each other and tell each other the truth of how they feel but baring your soul and your darkest secrets is tough. But, their unwillingness to share is driving a wedge between them.
Now, it’s not just the characters and their relationships with one another that has grown more complex in this second book, but also the world itself and the consequences of the players, well, playing in it. The world of FFO is presented as a real world. The NPC’s / folks who live in the game refer to the time while the players were playing the game as The Nightmare. They were stuck repeating actions for what seemed like lifetimes and had no control over their own lives, but remembered a time before. Finally being released from this control has given them freedom, but it’s also driven some of them mad with vengeance. You can understand why they’re so mad and stabby. But from Tina’s point of view she just sees her fellow players, innocents, being rounded up and slaughtered and, defending them, wants to slaughter the soldiers in return. You get Tina’s point as well, even though you wish she would be a little less stubborn and work with James on coming up with an alternate plan to stop the killing. There are so many ethical dilemas in this book, and I kind of love it. War is hell, even in a maybe fake gaming world, and there are consequences to one’s actions, so one should think carefully before acting.
I also love how James insists on taking a more diplomatic route, even if it means breaking with Tina again. Seeing a bit of their history, you understand Tina’s resentment and why she stubbornly refuses to do things James’ way, but you kind of want to knock some sense into her too. Sometimes both parties can be right and wrong at the same time and these things are frustratingly complex here just as they are in real life. I think this is why diplomacy is necessary but also so tough.
Bottom line, I thought this book was a fun ride with lots of action, ethical dilemmas, and great characters. Can’t wait to see what book three brings. 4/5 stars.
At the end of the previous book there was some relief, since our two parties had finally met up and they were able to achieve their goal and port to the capital city where they thought they’d be safe. But turns out, things are not great in the capital either. There seems to be little leadership in the city and both players and NPCs, or people who live in the world, are bent on killing one another. Tina and her brother James, finally reunited, come into conflict on how to approach the situation.
Once again the highlight here has been the characters. I love how much depth the main crew especially has been given, but even side characters like the King of Bastion are written well. With the players–James, Tina, and SB–we get to see a little bit more of their back stories, what life was like for them outside of the game. I loved this. We get to see find out how Tina created her character, how she met SB in game and then became friends outside of the game, a bit more of the rift between James and Tina. Of course, we don’t get all the answers, and some things will have to remain a mystery until later, but I love the bits we get as the history between James, Tina, and SB begins to affect their relationships within the world of the game now that they realize they may be stuck in the game forever, especially when they have conflicting reactions to that. I find Tina and SB’s relationship especially intriguing, especially when we get to see things from both their points of view and you can empathize with each of them. I do wish they’d just talk to each other and tell each other the truth of how they feel but baring your soul and your darkest secrets is tough. But, their unwillingness to share is driving a wedge between them.
Now, it’s not just the characters and their relationships with one another that has grown more complex in this second book, but also the world itself and the consequences of the players, well, playing in it. The world of FFO is presented as a real world. The NPC’s / folks who live in the game refer to the time while the players were playing the game as The Nightmare. They were stuck repeating actions for what seemed like lifetimes and had no control over their own lives, but remembered a time before. Finally being released from this control has given them freedom, but it’s also driven some of them mad with vengeance. You can understand why they’re so mad and stabby. But from Tina’s point of view she just sees her fellow players, innocents, being rounded up and slaughtered and, defending them, wants to slaughter the soldiers in return. You get Tina’s point as well, even though you wish she would be a little less stubborn and work with James on coming up with an alternate plan to stop the killing. There are so many ethical dilemas in this book, and I kind of love it. War is hell, even in a maybe fake gaming world, and there are consequences to one’s actions, so one should think carefully before acting.
I also love how James insists on taking a more diplomatic route, even if it means breaking with Tina again. Seeing a bit of their history, you understand Tina’s resentment and why she stubbornly refuses to do things James’ way, but you kind of want to knock some sense into her too. Sometimes both parties can be right and wrong at the same time and these things are frustratingly complex here just as they are in real life. I think this is why diplomacy is necessary but also so tough.
Bottom line, I thought this book was a fun ride with lots of action, ethical dilemmas, and great characters. Can’t wait to see what book three brings. 4/5 stars.
May 6, 2019
This was my least favorite Rachel Aaron book ever. Of course, it's still a Rachel Aaron book so it's well worth the read, but it's just missing the heart and fun that her books normally have. I just found myself hating half of the characters, especially Tina, and wishing it were over. That's not a good sign. Here's hoping the last book in the series brings it all back together.
July 9, 2019
Continuing from book 1, book 2 is well written, action packed read with some great characters to root for. The humor/relieve moments are great as I started to expect from the author since reading her other works (Heartstrikers).
In the sea of trash "Isekai" series (currently popular in Japan), FFO is one of the good ones and sure deserves to be put on anyone's "must read list". It doesn't invent anything expecially original but uses the standard tropes of "Isekai" genre to its full potential.
In the sea of trash "Isekai" series (currently popular in Japan), FFO is one of the good ones and sure deserves to be put on anyone's "must read list". It doesn't invent anything expecially original but uses the standard tropes of "Isekai" genre to its full potential.
September 3, 2019
This book was a bit frustrating due to our protagonists arguing or working at cross-purposes for 80% of the book, and there are two big "mysteries" that are left unsaid still .
All that said, it was still really fun and is making me want to fire up some computer games, and I look forward to whenever the final book comes out.
All that said, it was still really fun and is making me want to fire up some computer games, and I look forward to whenever the final book comes out.
May 7, 2019
כיף טהור. לא משהו עמוק, לא משהו כבד. פשוט ספר שכתוב טוב, עם המון אקשן ודמויות כיפיות.
ממש מחכה לספר השלישי.
ממש מחכה לספר השלישי.
dnf
February 16, 2021I dreaded picking this back up again because the good guys not communicating properly is one of my last favorite plot points ever.
Plus litrpg is just REALLY not my thing.
Plus litrpg is just REALLY not my thing.
May 7, 2019
Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Last Bastion is the sequel to Forever Fantasy Online, the new LitRPG trilogy by Rachel Aaron & Travis Bach. With Forever Fantasy Online, they introduced us to James and Tina and the world of Forever Fantasy Online aka FFO. The first book dealt with the repercussions of the players finding out that the FFO world is a real one and that they are the intruders. The NPCs of that world hate them for their very existence and would actively want to kill them. Amidst all of this Tina aka Roxxy and her Roughnecks survived a brutal march and James in his Jujubatu avatar has managed to make friends with the Ar’Bati as well as help the Jujubatu clans.
Reaching the city of Bastion was supposed to be their last stop before their recovery but Bastion proves to be a whole another matter. James, Tina, SilentBlayde and the rest encounter a bigger problem than before and it’s not just the dead. The living also seem think of them as enemies and look forward to disposing them quickly. Trapped between bastion and the approaching army, it looks like Tina and James will really have to dig deep to help themselves and everyone else.
Last Bastion is a real beast of a book and even though it’s the middle volume of the trilogy, it skips all the middle volume syndrome problems and gives us more of what made the first volume such a pleasant read. Firstly the characterization is topnotch as ever. However unlike the first volume, we get a deeper dive into Tina, James, their dysfunctional status and how they view the world. This is the main draw of the story and its enrichened even more in this volume. In the previous book, I preferred James’ chapters more than Tina’s and that was due to the nature of the plot. However within this volume, I must say it is Tina who gets to shine.
In the prologue we get to see how Tina became who she is. The story then gives us twin storylines but unlike the preceding volume wherein they were separated by vast distances. This time around though they are in same physical location but mentally they are still at odds. This time around we truly get to see what makes them tick and why they don’t eye to eye. I loved this exploration as James and Tina are truly at the heart of the story. We also get more input into the other characters like SilentBladye, Nekobaby, Frank, etc. The authors also do a lot with a limited POV structure and we even get a solo POV which was fun to read. Next up is the worldbuilding which is extremely upgraded than its predecessor. This book really gives a deeper look into the world of FFO plus the magic system which is explained in more detail.
At the core of the FFO trilogy is a solid mystery about the very nature of the world and what exactly happened. We don’t get a clear cut idea but we are given some crucial clues. I of course wanted more but there’s a plan here and now with the final volume, I expect there to be massive revelations. Lastly the action, this book is choc-a-bloc with it and then some. The action sequences are on a personal level as well as massive battle sequences which also feature a lot of gore. There’s also the cover which highlights a particular sequence in the book and so make of it what you will.
The only thing that perhaps didn’t quite gel within the book is the eventual mystery about SilentBladye as well as James. They are referred to obliquely and even with two books, we don’t have a clue. I was hoping for more and since we are two-thirds of the way in, there’s no clarity. This caused a bit of consternation and even the main mystery isn’t much revealed. So everything is now dependent on the final volume. Maybe the authors purposefully planned it as such but that’s’ a bit too much left for the end for my liking.
CONCLUSION: Last Bastion perfectly encapsulates what I loved about its predecessor Forever Fantasy Online and then it basically takes things to a whole new level. With more magic, more action, & even more character upheavals, Last Bastion is a perfect sequel that makes me wonder how the authors are ever going to up the ante in the trilogy ending. I will be there to see how it all goes down in The Once King (FFO# 3) and I can’t recommend this book enough.
June 4, 2022
Interesting book, somewhat unlikable characters
The concept for this book is interesting. For once, players are not all powerful as they are in most of these types of stories, and I like that. But the main characters are pretty unlikable. The female lead thinks her way is the only way and if you don't like it, tough. She'll just beat you into submission like a bully. Her brother just continually feels sorry for himself even tho he's shown he can be a standup kind of person if he wants to. The npcs still tend to be one dimensional in their hatred for the players even though a lot of them have not proven to be a threat.
On the other hand, the battle scenes are very well written as anyone who's ever gamed can tell. Hopefully the next book won't be as doom and gloom as the first two.
The concept for this book is interesting. For once, players are not all powerful as they are in most of these types of stories, and I like that. But the main characters are pretty unlikable. The female lead thinks her way is the only way and if you don't like it, tough. She'll just beat you into submission like a bully. Her brother just continually feels sorry for himself even tho he's shown he can be a standup kind of person if he wants to. The npcs still tend to be one dimensional in their hatred for the players even though a lot of them have not proven to be a threat.
On the other hand, the battle scenes are very well written as anyone who's ever gamed can tell. Hopefully the next book won't be as doom and gloom as the first two.
May 13, 2019
Still engaged and still pretty interested in seeing how this is all going to turn out.
This part got a lot...darker and more visceral than I had expected though.
Nothing outside the realm of possibility or of what made sense to the story, but still, just a shade further than I thought it was going to go.
I did like the development of the relationships and the characters.
I did find it a tad annoying that NONE of the major questions of the first book were remotely answered or even really hinted at. Still don't know what James or Haruto's deal is. Still have absolutely no idea how they ended up in the game or what's up with the game world and at this point? Can't even begin to guess.
Interested in seeing how things shake out.
This part got a lot...darker and more visceral than I had expected though.
Nothing outside the realm of possibility or of what made sense to the story, but still, just a shade further than I thought it was going to go.
I did like the development of the relationships and the characters.
I did find it a tad annoying that NONE of the major questions of the first book were remotely answered or even really hinted at. Still don't know what James or Haruto's deal is. Still have absolutely no idea how they ended up in the game or what's up with the game world and at this point? Can't even begin to guess.
Interested in seeing how things shake out.
March 1, 2020
3.5 rounded down.
If you look at my reading updates you can see that I have a lot of feelings about Tina. Sometimes I don't mind that a character infuriates me. I can still love the story with them in it. But Tina... Oef. She belongs in the story but where in the first story her character made sense now she felt a bit too one-dimensional. But saying that also feels like it's a bit not fair because the story takes place over just a few days? How much character development can you have in what 3 days?
I don't know. I mean SB also irritated me but he wasn't the main character.
If you look at my reading updates you can see that I have a lot of feelings about Tina. Sometimes I don't mind that a character infuriates me. I can still love the story with them in it. But Tina... Oef. She belongs in the story but where in the first story her character made sense now she felt a bit too one-dimensional. But saying that also feels like it's a bit not fair because the story takes place over just a few days? How much character development can you have in what 3 days?
I don't know. I mean SB also irritated me but he wasn't the main character.
March 15, 2021
Seriously subpar. The main problem is Tina: she's a terrible person, and a terrible leader. She has few IF ANY redeeming qualities. The plot of the first 3/4 of this mammoth book is literally her being an a-hole and everybody else trying to work around her. If she wasn't such a prize 🦆, this book would have been a fraction of the size and infinitely more enjoyable. James and the two characters he spends the most time with are more interesting and all-round better people.
I just can't believe how bad this was.
1.5🌟
I just can't believe how bad this was.
1.5🌟
June 26, 2019
How do I review this one? 2hrs into the book, I put it down... and almost didn't pick it up again, due in part to the fact that I was having trouble reconnecting with the characters, but mostly because of Josh Hurley's over the top narration. At the time, it just seemed like too much to take! To be fair, I quite enjoy these authors, and I had enjoyed their first book in the series, so I put "Bastion" away, thinking that maybe I'd just listened to too many LitRPG's recently, and needed a break from the genre... Finally, a month later, I was ready to tackle it again, so I girded my loins, and picked up the book again (Josh's narration now being a known consequence). I discovered that within just a few minutes, I'd been sucked into the action packed adventure.
The story picked up exactly where book no. one left off, and again follows Roxxy (aka Tina) and her brother James... but surprisingly they're not together as I'd expected. A difference of opinion created a rift between them as they each had separate goals. I really enjoyed seeing the character development of the other members of Roxxy's raiding party, but boy there was times when all I wanted to do was to slap some sense into Roxxy! She's just so damn stubborn and pigheaded! My son (who's an avid gamer) pointed out that her rock-headedness was built into her nature as she's both a Tank, and she's wearing her character's Stonekin persona...
... And yeah, the ending is sorta a cliffhanger, but as with the first tale, I'm not too angry, as the main story's ARC finished on a high note...
Will I pick up the next audiobook? Yeah, especially as my son is enjoying the heck out of the series, and I've proved that I can put up with the narrator (while my husband makes fun of the narration, from his lofty position in the peanut gallery! ).
Story solid 4 🌟's
Narration 2 1/2 🌟's
The story picked up exactly where book no. one left off, and again follows Roxxy (aka Tina) and her brother James... but surprisingly they're not together as I'd expected. A difference of opinion created a rift between them as they each had separate goals. I really enjoyed seeing the character development of the other members of Roxxy's raiding party, but boy there was times when all I wanted to do was to slap some sense into Roxxy! She's just so damn stubborn and pigheaded! My son (who's an avid gamer) pointed out that her rock-headedness was built into her nature as she's both a Tank, and she's wearing her character's Stonekin persona...
... And yeah, the ending is sorta a cliffhanger, but as with the first tale, I'm not too angry, as the main story's ARC finished on a high note...
Will I pick up the next audiobook? Yeah, especially as my son is enjoying the heck out of the series, and I've proved that I can put up with the narrator (while my husband makes fun of the narration, from his lofty position in the peanut gallery! ).
Story solid 4 🌟's
Narration 2 1/2 🌟's
August 25, 2023
It's not often I get angry at a book. I spent my whole shower this morning writing an angry book review in my head.
While I really loved book 1, this book was joyless. Worse than joyless.
The main character (Tina) was the worst. She had been awful in the first book, but at least the story was interesting so that kept me going. In this book, she was even worse. I hated spending more hours with her.
In book 1, at least the other main character (James) was okay, but he was nearly as bad as her in this book.
Tina: *kills hundreds of innocent people, maybe a thousand of them*
James: I know she's a good person! She really is!
Tina: *is eager to use what is basically a magical nuclear bomb. It would kill her enemies, but also every non-combatant in the entire city as well as her allies not in a special protected area*
James: I know she's a good person! She really is!
Sure a brother could be blind to his sister's flaws, but after spending two books with these two characters, it was just way too much. A miserable time with miserable people.
Book 1 had been edited well. This book was embarrassingly poorly edited.
Like book 1, this book's last 10%, a full hour of reading, was just advertisements for Aaron's other books! That's such BS.
On top of all those issues, the whole pacing of this book was off. There was SO MUCH COMBAT. Combat that did nothing, no plot movement or character progress. I eventually just started skimming to find the end of it.
But the biggest sin of this whole book? Rachel Aaron is an experienced writer I love. Travis Bach never wrote a book before. The two teamed up to write this series (which is fine). But Bach never reads books! From an interview online:
Travis: Our disagreements weren’t over plot, but over prose. I consume a lot of manga [Japanese comic books], it’s my primary reading choice, so I don’t think about descriptions when writing prose-only content.
Travis: I don’t just not use description as a writer, I also don’t like too much description when I read. The moment there’s more than two sentences of “what things look like”, my eyes glaze and I start skipping. Authors who have paragraph long descriptions–or worse, sequences of description–I skim so hard. It’s a bad habit and I know I’m missing a lot when I read, but I can’t help it. I think that’s why I like manga so much. The pictures are worth a thousand words that I don’t have to slow down for.
Why would Aaron write a book with someone who doesn't read books (which is the very most basic thing you do to become a good author)? Why would she write with someone who doesn't believe description is necessary? Because he's her husband.
But know what really, really makes me angry? I want to know how this story ends. I've read a ton of reviews of the last book, but none really go into detail on how things wrap up. Do I want to read the third (long) book and potentially being annoyed the whole time to find out? Sigh...
While I really loved book 1, this book was joyless. Worse than joyless.
The main character (Tina) was the worst. She had been awful in the first book, but at least the story was interesting so that kept me going. In this book, she was even worse. I hated spending more hours with her.
In book 1, at least the other main character (James) was okay, but he was nearly as bad as her in this book.
Tina: *kills hundreds of innocent people, maybe a thousand of them*
James: I know she's a good person! She really is!
Tina: *is eager to use what is basically a magical nuclear bomb. It would kill her enemies, but also every non-combatant in the entire city as well as her allies not in a special protected area*
James: I know she's a good person! She really is!
Sure a brother could be blind to his sister's flaws, but after spending two books with these two characters, it was just way too much. A miserable time with miserable people.
Book 1 had been edited well. This book was embarrassingly poorly edited.
Like book 1, this book's last 10%, a full hour of reading, was just advertisements for Aaron's other books! That's such BS.
On top of all those issues, the whole pacing of this book was off. There was SO MUCH COMBAT. Combat that did nothing, no plot movement or character progress. I eventually just started skimming to find the end of it.
But the biggest sin of this whole book? Rachel Aaron is an experienced writer I love. Travis Bach never wrote a book before. The two teamed up to write this series (which is fine). But Bach never reads books! From an interview online:
Travis: Our disagreements weren’t over plot, but over prose. I consume a lot of manga [Japanese comic books], it’s my primary reading choice, so I don’t think about descriptions when writing prose-only content.
Travis: I don’t just not use description as a writer, I also don’t like too much description when I read. The moment there’s more than two sentences of “what things look like”, my eyes glaze and I start skipping. Authors who have paragraph long descriptions–or worse, sequences of description–I skim so hard. It’s a bad habit and I know I’m missing a lot when I read, but I can’t help it. I think that’s why I like manga so much. The pictures are worth a thousand words that I don’t have to slow down for.
Why would Aaron write a book with someone who doesn't read books (which is the very most basic thing you do to become a good author)? Why would she write with someone who doesn't believe description is necessary? Because he's her husband.
But know what really, really makes me angry? I want to know how this story ends. I've read a ton of reviews of the last book, but none really go into detail on how things wrap up. Do I want to read the third (long) book and potentially being annoyed the whole time to find out? Sigh...
January 5, 2023
Setting/Worldbuilding: 10/10
Main characters: 8/10
Side characters: 9/10
Dialogue: 8/10
Plot: 10/10
Technique: 10/10
Prose: 6/10
Romance: 6/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall enjoyment: 10/10
Total: 87
Total: 87/100 (4.35)
OH MY LOOOOOOOOOOORD THAT ENDING!!!!!
Rachel and Travis shine in their typical way in this sequel, particularly when it comes to upping the ante and finally introducing the pantheon of the world. You can see that that their characteristically impeccable story beats all throughout the book too.
Characters are tested, loyalties trialled and stakes are never higher. I will say that I was shocked at the macabre / gruesome / graphic nature of some of the violence in the first half of the book, which was never really part of the authors' MO, but it gets better.
I will say that Tina and Neko annoyed the heck out of me in this book. Neko's dismissive and flippant reactions to things really grated on my nerves, but Tina was EVEN MORE unlikeable than she was in the first book, believe it or not. Her character becomes even more bloodthirsty, impulsive, reckless, trigger-happy, murderous, bossy, but she does get her just desserts.
Anyone else wants to know James' and SilentBlayde's secrets now? It can't be that bad, can it? Can it?
I'm already thinking were going to see much more of the gods going forwards, hm? In classic Rachel Aaron huge-climax fashion.
Romance was meh. Too angsty for my taste and both parties need to grow up and TALK.
3.5 hours remaining on this flight. Do I?
Yeah, why the heck NOT.
TW: genocide, specism, violence, sexual abuse, torture, profanity
Main characters: 8/10
Side characters: 9/10
Dialogue: 8/10
Plot: 10/10
Technique: 10/10
Prose: 6/10
Romance: 6/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall enjoyment: 10/10
Total: 87
Total: 87/100 (4.35)
OH MY LOOOOOOOOOOORD THAT ENDING!!!!!
Rachel and Travis shine in their typical way in this sequel, particularly when it comes to upping the ante and finally introducing the pantheon of the world. You can see that that their characteristically impeccable story beats all throughout the book too.
Characters are tested, loyalties trialled and stakes are never higher. I will say that I was shocked at the macabre / gruesome / graphic nature of some of the violence in the first half of the book, which was never really part of the authors' MO, but it gets better.
I will say that Tina and Neko annoyed the heck out of me in this book. Neko's dismissive and flippant reactions to things really grated on my nerves, but Tina was EVEN MORE unlikeable than she was in the first book, believe it or not. Her character becomes even more bloodthirsty, impulsive, reckless, trigger-happy, murderous, bossy, but she does get her just desserts.
Anyone else wants to know James' and SilentBlayde's secrets now? It can't be that bad, can it? Can it?
I'm already thinking were going to see much more of the gods going forwards, hm? In classic Rachel Aaron huge-climax fashion.
Romance was meh. Too angsty for my taste and both parties need to grow up and TALK.
3.5 hours remaining on this flight. Do I?
Yeah, why the heck NOT.
TW: genocide, specism, violence, sexual abuse, torture, profanity
January 15, 2020
Last Bastion by Rachel Aaron was the second volume of her Fantasy Forever Online series about gamers in a virtual world that becomes real and they cannot escape. If they die, they die for good. It's a wonderful premise that grabbed me and kept me through the first book.
In the second volume the problems continue and get worse. The biggest boss in the game, the Once King, plans to invade the game's main fortress, but the players and the NPCs, now just normal citizens and knights, are fighting each other to the death right in the streets of the city.
I think the second volume was better, although for a time I wondered if I would be able to finish the book. The main character Tina was so irrational and emotional at times, to her own hurt, that I was very frustrated with her. I had very little empathy with her. Her weaknesses overwhelmed my admiration for her steadfastness in the face of danger and her grit over impossible odds. I didn't mind her temper--it was her refusal to communicate that drove me nuts.
Not that the other characters weren't flawed as well. They were all well-drawn, rounded people. I just have a hard time identifying with people that put their emotions over rationality.
I'm glad I stuck with the book through my irritation. It had a good, satisfying conclusion, leading up to the third book in the series.
In the second volume the problems continue and get worse. The biggest boss in the game, the Once King, plans to invade the game's main fortress, but the players and the NPCs, now just normal citizens and knights, are fighting each other to the death right in the streets of the city.
I think the second volume was better, although for a time I wondered if I would be able to finish the book. The main character Tina was so irrational and emotional at times, to her own hurt, that I was very frustrated with her. I had very little empathy with her. Her weaknesses overwhelmed my admiration for her steadfastness in the face of danger and her grit over impossible odds. I didn't mind her temper--it was her refusal to communicate that drove me nuts.
Not that the other characters weren't flawed as well. They were all well-drawn, rounded people. I just have a hard time identifying with people that put their emotions over rationality.
I'm glad I stuck with the book through my irritation. It had a good, satisfying conclusion, leading up to the third book in the series.
April 23, 2021
I’m still not sure how I feel about LitRPGs after reading Last Bastion. I can appreciate the amount of work Aaron and Bach put into the lore and world, but I’m not sure how I feel about everything else. I think what it boils down to is that I’m not a fan of the players. Their obsession with stats and levels and shit. It’s obviously a huge part of the genre, so I don’t think it’s for me.
Tina once again annoyed the shit out of me. Her first instinct is to protect her people, which is admirable, but the only way she knows how to do that is through violence. It’s frustrating and pissed me off to no end. The way she and her guild kept calling the native people NPCs made me angry. They’d been shown multiple times that these people were more than that, but they treated them like they weren’t real.
James, on the other hand, continued to fight for peace, and I enjoyed that. One of my big pet peeves with video games is that killing is the only option. Oh, you’ve just made first contact with an alien species? KILL IT! Come on, people, give me some diplomatic options that don’t always lead to killing. I hate it. So anyway, I liked James’s part of things.
All that being said, I still needed to know what was going to happen next. I’m invested at this point. I do like Aaron’s writing. It’s the genre and the one character I’m not sure about.
3/5
Tina once again annoyed the shit out of me. Her first instinct is to protect her people, which is admirable, but the only way she knows how to do that is through violence. It’s frustrating and pissed me off to no end. The way she and her guild kept calling the native people NPCs made me angry. They’d been shown multiple times that these people were more than that, but they treated them like they weren’t real.
James, on the other hand, continued to fight for peace, and I enjoyed that. One of my big pet peeves with video games is that killing is the only option. Oh, you’ve just made first contact with an alien species? KILL IT! Come on, people, give me some diplomatic options that don’t always lead to killing. I hate it. So anyway, I liked James’s part of things.
All that being said, I still needed to know what was going to happen next. I’m invested at this point. I do like Aaron’s writing. It’s the genre and the one character I’m not sure about.
3/5
October 23, 2025
I read James' part and I'm happy and excited. Then I get to Tina's part and I wanna DNF it so bad. Then I read James' part and I'm happy and excited..
You get the idea. ಠ_à²
Seriously, Tina is the worst. Enough so that I wanted to stop reading. She's toxic and a bully, and the only reason her guild and others (with the exception of SB) put up with her is because she's a tank and the only one who wanted to assume leadership. Tyrant bitch.
YoU vOtEd FoR tHiS.
Shut up! (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻â”â”»
"SB is cool but only so long as Tina's nowhere near by. I swear he'd kill someone and hide the body if he thought it would make her happy. It's not a healthy relationship."
Book 1 SB was my favorite character.
Book 2 SB is a dumbass simp.
James definitely had his flaws, as well, but he was, at the very least, empathetic and smarter in his moves. His arc was also more entertaining to read.
You get the idea. ಠ_à²
Seriously, Tina is the worst. Enough so that I wanted to stop reading. She's toxic and a bully, and the only reason her guild and others (with the exception of SB) put up with her is because she's a tank and the only one who wanted to assume leadership. Tyrant bitch.
YoU vOtEd FoR tHiS.
Shut up! (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻â”â”»
"SB is cool but only so long as Tina's nowhere near by. I swear he'd kill someone and hide the body if he thought it would make her happy. It's not a healthy relationship."
Book 1 SB was my favorite character.
Book 2 SB is a dumbass simp.
James definitely had his flaws, as well, but he was, at the very least, empathetic and smarter in his moves. His arc was also more entertaining to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2019
FFO Is No Longer A Fantasy
Tina and James Anderson are finally reunited, but their struggles are far from over. These gamer siblings now find themselves on opposite ends of a bloody war, with a far more deadly enemy on the horizon.
As a veteran warrior, Tina lets her anger and aptitude for violence cloud her judgment. James, on the other hand, is determined to resolve the conflict peacefully, though his self-doubt is tripping him up. The painful history between them keeps getting in the way, so they will have to work to resolve their differences before everything is lost forever.
Verdict: 5 stars (though I was tempted to dock a star for the demonization of Tina at the beginning; it happened in the last book too, and I know she’s not perfect, but that shit is getting old).
Tina and James Anderson are finally reunited, but their struggles are far from over. These gamer siblings now find themselves on opposite ends of a bloody war, with a far more deadly enemy on the horizon.
As a veteran warrior, Tina lets her anger and aptitude for violence cloud her judgment. James, on the other hand, is determined to resolve the conflict peacefully, though his self-doubt is tripping him up. The painful history between them keeps getting in the way, so they will have to work to resolve their differences before everything is lost forever.
Verdict: 5 stars (though I was tempted to dock a star for the demonization of Tina at the beginning; it happened in the last book too, and I know she’s not perfect, but that shit is getting old).
July 15, 2020
Great book. A lot of the story was focused on Tina and Jame's relationship now that they've been reunited in this volume. There was a lot of drama and some strong character development, giving the characters a lot of life. Tina could quite frustrating with her stubborn and unwillingness to listen, which is funny considering I often got frustrated on her behalf in the first book. It was frustrating but it gave her character a distinct personality and life.
The story had an quite an epic trail and I'm not quite sure I've read something like it in a game setting, especially one that has some deeper roots in traditional fantasy rather than menu's and stats.
I was glad to see Magic casters got some development in this one, I still think their quite under powered compared to the melee classes but given the direction of Last Bastion, perhaps they'll improve again in the final volume.
The story had an quite an epic trail and I'm not quite sure I've read something like it in a game setting, especially one that has some deeper roots in traditional fantasy rather than menu's and stats.
I was glad to see Magic casters got some development in this one, I still think their quite under powered compared to the melee classes but given the direction of Last Bastion, perhaps they'll improve again in the final volume.
May 24, 2019
*spoilers. For my own records*
MUCH better than the previous one, started a bit slow but couldn't put it down from the halfway mark! Cried when James and Tina fought, cried when Tina and SB fought right afterwards... Overall very emotional. And action-packed! The battle scenes were great, albeit a tad repetitive. The magic system is really interesting, and I wonder if the other class skills can be modified too.
Can't wait to find out the main mysteries -- eg the lore of the place, who the once king / birds / endless sky are, who SB is in real life (maybe the son of the game developer? Or royalty? Idk), why James dropped out of school, who Leylia the portal keeper is, how the nightmare happened, who's going home/staying...
MUCH better than the previous one, started a bit slow but couldn't put it down from the halfway mark! Cried when James and Tina fought, cried when Tina and SB fought right afterwards... Overall very emotional. And action-packed! The battle scenes were great, albeit a tad repetitive. The magic system is really interesting, and I wonder if the other class skills can be modified too.
Can't wait to find out the main mysteries -- eg the lore of the place, who the once king / birds / endless sky are, who SB is in real life (maybe the son of the game developer? Or royalty? Idk), why James dropped out of school, who Leylia the portal keeper is, how the nightmare happened, who's going home/staying...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2019
This is different to Rachel's other books and she did warn readers. I read the first book in the series and enjoyed the character development and setting. However, I found that there was just too much blood and gore in this one, especially towards the end and I skipped the last 2 chapters to see what happened. I also got a bit tired of the antagonism Tina showed towards her brother and kept waiting for a good reason to be revealed. The reason for SB's refusal to reveal his real life problem is also dragging on too long. I will probably read the next one in the series if only so I can find the answers to these questions.
November 14, 2019
Picks up right where the last one left off and goes full throttle the whole time. If anything, too full throttle. I took off one star from an other wise highly enjoyable book just because it was too extreme without enough down time to breath. It does do a good job of putting across the stress of narrative, but I could really have used a chapter or two of something simple, like crafting.
February 3, 2021
Very nearly DNF'd the series at about the halfway mark. I think the author delves into realistic subjects, and important ones - but I don't really care. I'm reading fantasy. I'd read about the Israel/Palestine conflict if I wanted realism.
So this has helped me be aware that I don't care for books where there are two teams of good guys fighting each other. I knew it already, morally grey characters really do nothing for me. I feel like I get enough of it in my news feed.
I'm reading fantasy to explore and escape, and for a big chunk of it this wasn't it. I skim read the whole thing, because there were a couple of plot points I was curious to see play out.
So this has helped me be aware that I don't care for books where there are two teams of good guys fighting each other. I knew it already, morally grey characters really do nothing for me. I feel like I get enough of it in my news feed.
I'm reading fantasy to explore and escape, and for a big chunk of it this wasn't it. I skim read the whole thing, because there were a couple of plot points I was curious to see play out.
April 30, 2021
Man the interactions between the siblings were not fun to be a part of. I get the baggage and I get the situation, but Tina was insufferable every time for no reason and James cannot communicate (with her) to save his life. Even the ending left a sour taste. Good story over-all though. And I really do like how "realistic" it really is. Even the sibling interaction is pretty real, considering the situation. I seriously doubt the crystal clear intuition of the reader would carry through to a world like this and very likely even worse shit would go down in real life. (And it certainly wouldn't be readable haha)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2022
I wanted to refer you to another review but sadly once again I can not access the other reviews. Since I wrote an unfavorable review of Powers of the Earth, all my commenters' ID are masked, except on that review for now and I am blocked from accessing other reviews on most of the books that I have reviewed. Amazon is an amazing experience.
Before going further, please read either my review of "Dark Horse", a good story by Diener or Powers of the Earth (a horrible book) and the comments from a Claes Rees, Jr/cgr710 (a self-identified NeoNazi).
GLORY TO UKRAINE !!!
There is a new Ukrainian movie " Sniper", which while propagandistic is probably an accurate representation of Putin's military, government and society. Something to consider when next a patriot praises Putin.
Don't be a numpty, be a smarty. Come and join the Communist Party.
Writing LitRPG must be difficult. Turning a game into a decent narrative is difficult. The game universe is always thinly described at best. The rules of magic, etc are with the exception of Sanderson often not clear because dungeon masters exercise great power over the game flow.
The characters in games and movie franchises are hardly well drawn. For example, HALO. Hundreds of books are written about the characters in an attempt to breathe life into them and their universe. Other examples are Star Trek and Star Wars. They suffer from the same problems with world building and characters. Bad world building results in an ill-defined universe that is little more than a poorly painted backdrop. The setting allows for little growth, since the character is always unchanged from the story's beginning to its end.
The plot for an RPG novel is a formula that can not be put aside. The central characters face monsters of increasing strength. Character kills monsters of increasing strength. Character becomes stronger in various attributes with each kill. Character wins by killing the last monster. The outcome is a forgone conclusion but unlike a a Greek tragedy, there is no examination of man's limitations, of morality, of values, etc.
The character cannot evolve and there only remains a cardboard cutout backlit by a plastic curtain, confronted by challenges that evoke nothing more than a ghostly imitation of the most shallow human emotion. The reader's emotional connection to characters in the story is not possible
This book resolves the issues nicely. She sidesteps the worst by introducing the real world and borrows depth from the real world challenges of the player characters. I think that its a job well done.
Because of the sheer volume of low effort science fiction, it is a slog to find the thoughtful, the edited even. I watch rather than read science fiction at this point. Netflix has a large multilingual selection that satisfies my waning interest in the genre. I thought that print works of necessity would be superior to film (because of the many interests with competing concepts of the finished product) but the writing standard for US science fiction is so low that the reverse is true now.
Curiosity/Stream is my source for educational video. I came across it in an ad on YouTube and have enjoyed it since. It's cost is about $15 USD for a yearly subscription, if that content interests you. For my community of fellow readers, more detailed analysis of the ideas in science fiction works (and in the end, science fiction is about big ideas) and my other interests, I turned to YouTube. If interested in a more sophisticated and enthusiastic community if readers, I urge you to visit some of the book tubers below. Some favorites are.
Art by Annamarie, Lady of the Library, Tulia, Ozillo News, Novara Media, Some More News, Tom Nicholas, World of Antiquity, Cruising Alba, Cari can Read, Philosophy Tube, Books and Lala, France 24, Alize, Alice Cappelle, Jessica Gagnon, Luciana Zogbi, Sabine Hossenfelder, Mala Armia Janosika, A Clockwork Reader, Chloe Stafler, The Narrowboat Pirate, Cruising the Cut, The Everyday Astronaut, Between the Wars, Novara Media, The Juice Media, 2Cellos, World of Antiquity, Secrets of the Universe, Lady knight the Brave, Adult Wednesday Addams, Autumn's Boutique, Hailey in Bookland, Abbie Emmons, Katie Colson, Hello Future Me, Artificial Intelligence Universe, Euronews, WION, Told in Stone, BrandonF, Neringa Rekaslute, Nerdstalgia, Rowan J Coleman, Emmie, The Narrowboat Chef, AstronautX, History Line, Austin McConnell, The Piano Boat, Patrick is a Navajo, Dakota Warren, Rebecca Watson, Practical Engineering, The Welsh Viking, Between the Lines, Book Odyssey, Elliot Brooks, Lily Alexander, DW News, A Life of Lit, Sarah Z, 2 Steps from Hell, Dead Good Books, Odyssey, History of the Universe, Avalishvili, Kalaripayattu, Lilly's expat life, Niki Proshin, Dark Docs, Karolina Zebrowska, DUST, History Marche, Jessie Gender, Reading Wryly, Maggie May Fish, Battle Order, Natasha's Adventures, Task and Purpose, The Narrowboat Experience, Traveling K, The Piano Guys, Prime of Midlife, Brittany the Bibliophile, The Shades of Orange, The Templin Institute, Natalia Tsarikova, The Gravel Institute, Spacedock, Certifiably Ingame, Chris Animations, Dan Davis History, TIKHistory, Military History Visualized, Military Aviation History, Kings and Generals, Mythic Concepts, Hector Light, Jill Bearup, Swell Entertainment, What Vivi did next, Tara Mooknee, Munecat, Eleanor Morton, Overly Sarcastic Productions.
I wish you a splendid morning, a glorious afternoon, a wonderful evening and a superb night.
Hope is strength, Courage is consequence.
General Chuikov, 62nd Army
Before going further, please read either my review of "Dark Horse", a good story by Diener or Powers of the Earth (a horrible book) and the comments from a Claes Rees, Jr/cgr710 (a self-identified NeoNazi).
GLORY TO UKRAINE !!!
There is a new Ukrainian movie " Sniper", which while propagandistic is probably an accurate representation of Putin's military, government and society. Something to consider when next a patriot praises Putin.
Don't be a numpty, be a smarty. Come and join the Communist Party.
Writing LitRPG must be difficult. Turning a game into a decent narrative is difficult. The game universe is always thinly described at best. The rules of magic, etc are with the exception of Sanderson often not clear because dungeon masters exercise great power over the game flow.
The characters in games and movie franchises are hardly well drawn. For example, HALO. Hundreds of books are written about the characters in an attempt to breathe life into them and their universe. Other examples are Star Trek and Star Wars. They suffer from the same problems with world building and characters. Bad world building results in an ill-defined universe that is little more than a poorly painted backdrop. The setting allows for little growth, since the character is always unchanged from the story's beginning to its end.
The plot for an RPG novel is a formula that can not be put aside. The central characters face monsters of increasing strength. Character kills monsters of increasing strength. Character becomes stronger in various attributes with each kill. Character wins by killing the last monster. The outcome is a forgone conclusion but unlike a a Greek tragedy, there is no examination of man's limitations, of morality, of values, etc.
The character cannot evolve and there only remains a cardboard cutout backlit by a plastic curtain, confronted by challenges that evoke nothing more than a ghostly imitation of the most shallow human emotion. The reader's emotional connection to characters in the story is not possible
This book resolves the issues nicely. She sidesteps the worst by introducing the real world and borrows depth from the real world challenges of the player characters. I think that its a job well done.
Because of the sheer volume of low effort science fiction, it is a slog to find the thoughtful, the edited even. I watch rather than read science fiction at this point. Netflix has a large multilingual selection that satisfies my waning interest in the genre. I thought that print works of necessity would be superior to film (because of the many interests with competing concepts of the finished product) but the writing standard for US science fiction is so low that the reverse is true now.
Curiosity/Stream is my source for educational video. I came across it in an ad on YouTube and have enjoyed it since. It's cost is about $15 USD for a yearly subscription, if that content interests you. For my community of fellow readers, more detailed analysis of the ideas in science fiction works (and in the end, science fiction is about big ideas) and my other interests, I turned to YouTube. If interested in a more sophisticated and enthusiastic community if readers, I urge you to visit some of the book tubers below. Some favorites are.
Art by Annamarie, Lady of the Library, Tulia, Ozillo News, Novara Media, Some More News, Tom Nicholas, World of Antiquity, Cruising Alba, Cari can Read, Philosophy Tube, Books and Lala, France 24, Alize, Alice Cappelle, Jessica Gagnon, Luciana Zogbi, Sabine Hossenfelder, Mala Armia Janosika, A Clockwork Reader, Chloe Stafler, The Narrowboat Pirate, Cruising the Cut, The Everyday Astronaut, Between the Wars, Novara Media, The Juice Media, 2Cellos, World of Antiquity, Secrets of the Universe, Lady knight the Brave, Adult Wednesday Addams, Autumn's Boutique, Hailey in Bookland, Abbie Emmons, Katie Colson, Hello Future Me, Artificial Intelligence Universe, Euronews, WION, Told in Stone, BrandonF, Neringa Rekaslute, Nerdstalgia, Rowan J Coleman, Emmie, The Narrowboat Chef, AstronautX, History Line, Austin McConnell, The Piano Boat, Patrick is a Navajo, Dakota Warren, Rebecca Watson, Practical Engineering, The Welsh Viking, Between the Lines, Book Odyssey, Elliot Brooks, Lily Alexander, DW News, A Life of Lit, Sarah Z, 2 Steps from Hell, Dead Good Books, Odyssey, History of the Universe, Avalishvili, Kalaripayattu, Lilly's expat life, Niki Proshin, Dark Docs, Karolina Zebrowska, DUST, History Marche, Jessie Gender, Reading Wryly, Maggie May Fish, Battle Order, Natasha's Adventures, Task and Purpose, The Narrowboat Experience, Traveling K, The Piano Guys, Prime of Midlife, Brittany the Bibliophile, The Shades of Orange, The Templin Institute, Natalia Tsarikova, The Gravel Institute, Spacedock, Certifiably Ingame, Chris Animations, Dan Davis History, TIKHistory, Military History Visualized, Military Aviation History, Kings and Generals, Mythic Concepts, Hector Light, Jill Bearup, Swell Entertainment, What Vivi did next, Tara Mooknee, Munecat, Eleanor Morton, Overly Sarcastic Productions.
I wish you a splendid morning, a glorious afternoon, a wonderful evening and a superb night.
Hope is strength, Courage is consequence.
General Chuikov, 62nd Army
May 10, 2019
Love the world building. Irksome in some parts, however. Tina is a mega b**** to James in the beginning and no one seems to notice. The whole thing seems shoe-horned in. feels as though the author is delaying character development too long, stirring fueds and anger where unjustified. Same can be said for characters like kuro kawaii etc. Minor nit-picking though. A story is a story and if you're looking for fantasy-epic with litRPG elements this is right up there with the ranks of the best. Plus points for no glaring grammatical errors.
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