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The Rogue Dungeon #1
Rogue Dungeon
Roark von Graf-hedge mage and lesser noble of Traisbin-is one of only a handful of Freedom fighters left, and he knows the Resistance's days are numbered. Unless they do something drastic...
But when a daring plan to unseat the Tyrant King goes awry, Roark finds himself on the run through an interdimensional portal, which strands him in a very unexpected location: an ultra-immersive fantasy video game called Hearthworld. He can't log out, his magic is on the fritz, and worst of all, he's not even human. He's a low-class, run-of-the-mill Dungeon monster. Some disgusting, blue-skinned creature called a Troll. At least there's one small silver lining-Roark managed to grab a powerful magic artifact on his way through the portal, and with it he might just be able to save his world after all.
Unless, of course, the Tyrant King gets to him first ...
From James A. Hunter, author of the litRPG epic Viridian Gate Online, and eden Hudson, author of Legend of the Treesinger and the Jubal Van Zandt Series, comes an exciting new litRPG, dungeon-core adventure you won't want to put down!
"An excellent start to a series, this book has everything I look for in a fantasy novel: action, intrigue, and evolution!" - Dakota Krout, author of the Divine Dungeon and the Completionist Chronicles
But when a daring plan to unseat the Tyrant King goes awry, Roark finds himself on the run through an interdimensional portal, which strands him in a very unexpected location: an ultra-immersive fantasy video game called Hearthworld. He can't log out, his magic is on the fritz, and worst of all, he's not even human. He's a low-class, run-of-the-mill Dungeon monster. Some disgusting, blue-skinned creature called a Troll. At least there's one small silver lining-Roark managed to grab a powerful magic artifact on his way through the portal, and with it he might just be able to save his world after all.
Unless, of course, the Tyrant King gets to him first ...
From James A. Hunter, author of the litRPG epic Viridian Gate Online, and eden Hudson, author of Legend of the Treesinger and the Jubal Van Zandt Series, comes an exciting new litRPG, dungeon-core adventure you won't want to put down!
"An excellent start to a series, this book has everything I look for in a fantasy novel: action, intrigue, and evolution!" - Dakota Krout, author of the Divine Dungeon and the Completionist Chronicles
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 24, 2018
1455 people are currently reading
1235 people want to read
About the author
James A. Hunter
79 books1,106 followersJames Hunter is a full-time ink slinger, a member of SFWA, and the bestselling author of Vigil Bound, Rogue Dungeon, Shadowcroft Academy, Bibliomancer (The Completionist Chronicles Expanded Universe), and the litRPG epic Viridian Gate Online! In addition to writing, James also runs Shadow Alley Press, an industry leader that specializes in publishing LitRPG, Fantasy, and selection Science Fiction.
James is a former Marine Corps Sergeant, combat veteran, and pirate hunter (seriously). He’s also a member of The Royal Order of the Shellback—’cause that’s totally a real thing. And a spaceship captain, can’t forget that. Okay … the last one probably isn’t true. When not writing or spending time with family, James occasionally finds time to eat and sleep.
Find out more about James Hunter at www.ShadowAlleyPress.com
James is a former Marine Corps Sergeant, combat veteran, and pirate hunter (seriously). He’s also a member of The Royal Order of the Shellback—’cause that’s totally a real thing. And a spaceship captain, can’t forget that. Okay … the last one probably isn’t true. When not writing or spending time with family, James occasionally finds time to eat and sleep.
Find out more about James Hunter at www.ShadowAlleyPress.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
May 2, 2019
An enjoyable delve, my first, into some Lit RPG. Very similar to the game Dungeon Keeper I played many years ago. Although I would not recommend it to anyone who isn't familiar with RPG's or role playing.
September 29, 2018
And a little troll shall lead them.
Here's a litRPG adventure novel packed with action, excitement, laughs, rapiers, and stats. Oh, and it also turns the damn genre on its head. No big whoop.
Roark von Graf is a swaggering, boastful rogue of a mage who rushes face first into deeper and deeper problems out of ego and stubbornness. He actually reminded me a bit of Jack Sparrow, though I can't decide if this was mostly because he says "mate" a lot whilst quipping wittily. Either way, I was entertained.
Anyway, Roark gets into a pickle. Trapped with the big bad Tyrant King closing in. He scrambles to find any way out, but there's only one -- the diciest way, of course -- and here we go a-portalling into another dimension.
The next thing Roark knows, he's a low level troll in a mmorpg. Yep. A villain. And not even an important one. He's one of the faceless little NPCs that the heroes are supposed to grind through. His role in the game should be to die quickly and repeatedly.
Well, Roark has other plans. Grand ones at that.
He befriends another NPC named Kaz -- a Dobby-like ally -- and the two of them crash about their dungeon trying to level up. Roark plans to overtake the dungeon ASAP. Dude sees himself as management material all the way.
So yeah. It's a really clever spin on the litRPG genre, executed to perfection. Like a really good summer movie with just the right blend of action, comedy, and heart. It's basically a ridiculous amount of fun. I tore through it in two days, and I can't wait for more from this series.
Here's a litRPG adventure novel packed with action, excitement, laughs, rapiers, and stats. Oh, and it also turns the damn genre on its head. No big whoop.
Roark von Graf is a swaggering, boastful rogue of a mage who rushes face first into deeper and deeper problems out of ego and stubbornness. He actually reminded me a bit of Jack Sparrow, though I can't decide if this was mostly because he says "mate" a lot whilst quipping wittily. Either way, I was entertained.
Anyway, Roark gets into a pickle. Trapped with the big bad Tyrant King closing in. He scrambles to find any way out, but there's only one -- the diciest way, of course -- and here we go a-portalling into another dimension.
The next thing Roark knows, he's a low level troll in a mmorpg. Yep. A villain. And not even an important one. He's one of the faceless little NPCs that the heroes are supposed to grind through. His role in the game should be to die quickly and repeatedly.
Well, Roark has other plans. Grand ones at that.
He befriends another NPC named Kaz -- a Dobby-like ally -- and the two of them crash about their dungeon trying to level up. Roark plans to overtake the dungeon ASAP. Dude sees himself as management material all the way.
So yeah. It's a really clever spin on the litRPG genre, executed to perfection. Like a really good summer movie with just the right blend of action, comedy, and heart. It's basically a ridiculous amount of fun. I tore through it in two days, and I can't wait for more from this series.
November 14, 2019
Rogue Dungeon:A litRPG Adventure by James Hunter and eden Hudson and narrated by Nick Moreno has a different approach to the story. I like that it's not the same thing over and over! I had just about given up on litRPGs. I love the story's approach, the characters, the plot, the way they story explains things for non-gamers too.
The narration is excellent! I really think it added to the story!
The narration is excellent! I really think it added to the story!
January 8, 2023
Great first in series. It takes the usual main character being transported from the real world and shifts it. This main character gets transported, but he isn't from our world, and the world he is sent to is a game from our world. Great slow build of the world so you really get to take it in as he learns his way around.
September 19, 2024
So the MC lives in a world where magic is done by writing spells, including by writing them with a knife in your own flesh. However a despot rose to power 20 years ago primarily because he is able to do a different kind of magic, one that doesn't require writing. The MC's family was killed by the despot so MC attempts to assassinate despot and fails. In a desperate attempt to escape MC carves a teleportation spell into his flesh and it goes awry. The MC is teleported into a VR game as a dungeon troll. The MC quickly learns the rules of the game and begins to level up since he needs to be something like level twenty to teleport back home.
This book has problems from the start. In particular the MC lacks depth which makes it hard to care about him. The magic system isn't really explained at all and seems cobbled together with the MC able to initially do his magic upon entering the VR game but then later not being able to do it because he lacks the skill calligraphy or (once that is taken care of) the levels necessary for most spells.
Still, the book gets better as it goes with side characters that are more interesting than the MC. But then author ruins it by undermining his own ending. Just when it appears the MC may have accomplished his short term goals, the author has one of the despot's henchmen show up to let the MC know he's been found and to let the reader know that everything that has happened in this book is just an introduction for what comes next. In short, THIS BOOK LACKS ANY KIND OF SERIOUS RESOLUTION.
Bottom line: Not a good book but people who read books set in VR may find a way to like it. If book 2 shows up in my library I may give it a listen out of curiosity BUT I WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT SPEND MY MONEY ON IT.
This book has problems from the start. In particular the MC lacks depth which makes it hard to care about him. The magic system isn't really explained at all and seems cobbled together with the MC able to initially do his magic upon entering the VR game but then later not being able to do it because he lacks the skill calligraphy or (once that is taken care of) the levels necessary for most spells.
Still, the book gets better as it goes with side characters that are more interesting than the MC. But then author ruins it by undermining his own ending. Just when it appears the MC may have accomplished his short term goals, the author has one of the despot's henchmen show up to let the MC know he's been found and to let the reader know that everything that has happened in this book is just an introduction for what comes next. In short, THIS BOOK LACKS ANY KIND OF SERIOUS RESOLUTION.
Bottom line: Not a good book but people who read books set in VR may find a way to like it. If book 2 shows up in my library I may give it a listen out of curiosity BUT I WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT SPEND MY MONEY ON IT.
November 26, 2018
Publishing Date: July 2018
Publisher: Shadow Alley
ASIN: B07FKYZFYD
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.6
Publisher’s Description: Roark von Graf—hedge mage and lesser noble of Traisbin—is one of only a handful of Freedom fighters left, and he knows the Resistance’s days are numbered. Unless they do something drastic…But when a daring plan to unseat the Tyrant King goes awry, Roark finds himself on the run through an inter-dimensional portal, which strands him in a very unexpected location: an ultra-immersive fantasy video game called Hearthworld. He can’t log out, his magic is on the fritz, and worst of all, he’s not even human.
Review: Ok, this was really good in that there was great movement set in a real interesting world. The entertainment value is really high and I am already begging the author(s) to send me the next in the series.
So why does it work so well? I think the authors really complimented each other. Take Eden Hudson’s wild and creative imagination (that sometimes gets a little carried away) and add Hunter’s restraint and cogent process and you get novel gold. Just too fun to put down. GET THIS!
Read all of my reviews, here..
Publisher: Shadow Alley
ASIN: B07FKYZFYD
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.6
Publisher’s Description: Roark von Graf—hedge mage and lesser noble of Traisbin—is one of only a handful of Freedom fighters left, and he knows the Resistance’s days are numbered. Unless they do something drastic…But when a daring plan to unseat the Tyrant King goes awry, Roark finds himself on the run through an inter-dimensional portal, which strands him in a very unexpected location: an ultra-immersive fantasy video game called Hearthworld. He can’t log out, his magic is on the fritz, and worst of all, he’s not even human.
Review: Ok, this was really good in that there was great movement set in a real interesting world. The entertainment value is really high and I am already begging the author(s) to send me the next in the series.
So why does it work so well? I think the authors really complimented each other. Take Eden Hudson’s wild and creative imagination (that sometimes gets a little carried away) and add Hunter’s restraint and cogent process and you get novel gold. Just too fun to put down. GET THIS!
Read all of my reviews, here..
December 17, 2020
I've vread a few litRPG novels, and this is one of the most “RPG” ones I've encountered so far. It's a twist on the classic and pretty common “magicked into an RPG” trope, where our hero Roark isn't a schmuck from this world who gets magicked into a game he's playing, but lives his “real life” in a standard sword and sorcery fantasy world. He gets magicked into a mysterious dungeon world where he's stuck in the body of a low-level monster, and it's peopled with schmucks from our world with names like PwnerBoner007 playing a game... and they're eager to slaughter low-level monsters like our hero Roark.
Roark has never heard of a MUD or a MMORPG, but he now has strange things like hit points, a health meter, character stats and abilities, a slot-based inventory, a quest log, and a bunch of arbitrary restrictions based on his class and race. It even comes with a funny autocorrect error. He has to figure out how all this stuff works, and quickly, because at random intervals, parties of well-armed adventurers roam through the dungeon and murder everyone. And they'll murder him, too... over and over and over, unless he can find a way to survive.
Roark was a pretty cocky guy and a decent swordsman and mage before he became a level 1 goblin, so he immediately becomes an uppity level 1 goblin and embarks on a plan of self-improvement, subverting all the rules and norms of the dungeon so he can level up enough to get back home. The result is interesting because Roark comes at the game mechanics from the opposite direction of most of these stories. The players roaming the dungeon have never swung a sword or cast a spell in their real lives, and the game mechanics are their only means of understanding these types of actions. But Roark has done all these things in his normal life, and the only thing that's new to him is the mechanics and rules of the game.
This is a fun, fast-paced read. It's less openly humorous or satirical than the others I've read, but doesn't take itself too seriously. The opening is pretty rocky, but just hold your nose until Roark goes through the portal. Then the real story begins. Roark is neither compelling nor believable as a protagonist, but the story is less about him as a person than about an everyday schmuck stuffed into the body of a level 1 goblin. I still balked at some of the scenes where Roark seems much too blasé about facing pain and death – he may be in a game world, but the pain is still real, and although he has learned intellectually about respawning, and even respawned once himself, he seems to internalize the idea that death is just a temporary inconvenience much too quickly.
Does it pass the Bechdel test? No, there's really only one female character, and she's somehow dressed like a sexy femme fatale in bikini armor while simultaneously being a troll and a stealth class. Figure that one out. Of course, Hunter plays her attire in a smarmy tongue-in-cheek way that allows him to put a bikini-clad femme fatale in his story at the very moment he's mocking the norms that would put a character like that in an RPG. Not that I've ever seen a bikini-clad assassin in an RPG...
Audio Notes: I really like narrator Nick Podehl. I think I've encountered him before but hadn't really noticed how good he is. He's unobtrusively good in a way that might not get him nearly enough credit because you're busy experiencing the story with solid but not overwrought exposition, and good dialog and character voices. Then it's over and you realize belatedly how well-executed it was. That's the sign of a really good narrator – you just forget he's there and you live the story.
Roark has never heard of a MUD or a MMORPG, but he now has strange things like hit points, a health meter, character stats and abilities, a slot-based inventory, a quest log, and a bunch of arbitrary restrictions based on his class and race. It even comes with a funny autocorrect error. He has to figure out how all this stuff works, and quickly, because at random intervals, parties of well-armed adventurers roam through the dungeon and murder everyone. And they'll murder him, too... over and over and over, unless he can find a way to survive.
Roark was a pretty cocky guy and a decent swordsman and mage before he became a level 1 goblin, so he immediately becomes an uppity level 1 goblin and embarks on a plan of self-improvement, subverting all the rules and norms of the dungeon so he can level up enough to get back home. The result is interesting because Roark comes at the game mechanics from the opposite direction of most of these stories. The players roaming the dungeon have never swung a sword or cast a spell in their real lives, and the game mechanics are their only means of understanding these types of actions. But Roark has done all these things in his normal life, and the only thing that's new to him is the mechanics and rules of the game.
This is a fun, fast-paced read. It's less openly humorous or satirical than the others I've read, but doesn't take itself too seriously. The opening is pretty rocky, but just hold your nose until Roark goes through the portal. Then the real story begins. Roark is neither compelling nor believable as a protagonist, but the story is less about him as a person than about an everyday schmuck stuffed into the body of a level 1 goblin. I still balked at some of the scenes where Roark seems much too blasé about facing pain and death – he may be in a game world, but the pain is still real, and although he has learned intellectually about respawning, and even respawned once himself, he seems to internalize the idea that death is just a temporary inconvenience much too quickly.
Does it pass the Bechdel test? No, there's really only one female character, and she's somehow dressed like a sexy femme fatale in bikini armor while simultaneously being a troll and a stealth class. Figure that one out. Of course, Hunter plays her attire in a smarmy tongue-in-cheek way that allows him to put a bikini-clad femme fatale in his story at the very moment he's mocking the norms that would put a character like that in an RPG. Not that I've ever seen a bikini-clad assassin in an RPG...
Audio Notes: I really like narrator Nick Podehl. I think I've encountered him before but hadn't really noticed how good he is. He's unobtrusively good in a way that might not get him nearly enough credit because you're busy experiencing the story with solid but not overwrought exposition, and good dialog and character voices. Then it's over and you realize belatedly how well-executed it was. That's the sign of a really good narrator – you just forget he's there and you live the story.
February 7, 2023
I've been keeping 5 empty slots for my best picks in the LitRPG genre.
I've read a whackload of them since the beginning of the year, and only managed to add one book: Forever Fantasy Online.
This book has just filled the second empty slot.
3 more open slots left.
Some issues:
- once again, very bad combat-time. People still manage to hold whole speeches within the time of a lunge.
- Some weird time management issues: It seems nobody sleeps in this game.
But those are the only things that really disconcerted me.
Very very enjoyable book. Strongly recommended
I've read a whackload of them since the beginning of the year, and only managed to add one book: Forever Fantasy Online.
This book has just filled the second empty slot.
3 more open slots left.
Some issues:
- once again, very bad combat-time. People still manage to hold whole speeches within the time of a lunge.
- Some weird time management issues: It seems nobody sleeps in this game.
But those are the only things that really disconcerted me.
Very very enjoyable book. Strongly recommended
October 6, 2019
3.75☆
July 29, 2018
Good Read.
Dungeon builder. The main character gets transferred to a game world in a lowly dungeon monster. He needs to become stronger in order to survive and maybe get back to his own world.
Dungeon builder. The main character gets transferred to a game world in a lowly dungeon monster. He needs to become stronger in order to survive and maybe get back to his own world.
October 15, 2019
El tipico libro donde las reglas del mundo se aplican para todos menos el MC que puede hacer lo que le de la gana y siempre logra todo. Perdida de tiempo.
July 29, 2018
A fun read
Rogue Dungeon is a really good Lit RPG/Dungeon book. I really enjoyed reading from the monsters perspective. Plenty of action and excitement to keep you going.
Rogue Dungeon is a really good Lit RPG/Dungeon book. I really enjoyed reading from the monsters perspective. Plenty of action and excitement to keep you going.
August 19, 2018
A very average book.
It is just average in almost every aspect, Kaz is really the only highpoint, and while nothing is awful, it's just "meh".
It is just average in almost every aspect, Kaz is really the only highpoint, and while nothing is awful, it's just "meh".
February 28, 2020
I wanted to like this book, but I struggled with how shallow the game mechanics were, the lack of world-building, and the constant plot holes and universe inconsistencies.
None of the litrpg elements seemed important. Rather than the game mechanics dictating the direction of the story, it seemed the other way around. Valuable loot dropping from players that were low level and not even using that equipment, a troll managing to eat a meat skewer while wearing a full helm to disguise himself, and level 5ish characters killing level 20ish characters were among the many inconsistencies that broke my immersion.
I also have no clue why the main character calls everyone 'mate'. Is his original home dimension some sort of medieval fantasy Australia? Can he really carve an entire sentence in his arm with a knife before an upraised mace can be swung down?
The inconsistent nonsense prevented me from enjoying this book much and the 1 and 2-dimensional characters didn't help much.
If you are extremely hurting for a litrpg you haven't read or maybe if you read Viridian Gate and remember any of it more than a week later, then I would recommend this series for you. Otherwise I'd look elsewhere.
None of the litrpg elements seemed important. Rather than the game mechanics dictating the direction of the story, it seemed the other way around. Valuable loot dropping from players that were low level and not even using that equipment, a troll managing to eat a meat skewer while wearing a full helm to disguise himself, and level 5ish characters killing level 20ish characters were among the many inconsistencies that broke my immersion.
I also have no clue why the main character calls everyone 'mate'. Is his original home dimension some sort of medieval fantasy Australia? Can he really carve an entire sentence in his arm with a knife before an upraised mace can be swung down?
The inconsistent nonsense prevented me from enjoying this book much and the 1 and 2-dimensional characters didn't help much.
If you are extremely hurting for a litrpg you haven't read or maybe if you read Viridian Gate and remember any of it more than a week later, then I would recommend this series for you. Otherwise I'd look elsewhere.
August 16, 2020
Great story but very poor math
Just some basic math. At level 1, the MC has about 40 stat points as a changeling. Most of the mobs in the first floor of the dungeon are level 1 changelings. Each level adds 10 stat points. With some basic weapons an hour of training, he leads these mobs against a raid team of level 20s. Each would have 240 stat points, or six times each of the mobs. Six times the health, six times the damage, six times the speed not to mention actual combat experience from playing that long. Anyone who has ever played an RPG could tell you how that fight should have gone.
It really was a wonderful story, but this would have been far better off without a game and number based combat system if the author was going to ignore it completely and treat it like a cinematic peasant rebellion where skill and combat experience dont matter in the face of a righteous cause and a dull pitchfork. That is alot easier to bluff your way through without cold hard numbers getting in the way.
Just some basic math. At level 1, the MC has about 40 stat points as a changeling. Most of the mobs in the first floor of the dungeon are level 1 changelings. Each level adds 10 stat points. With some basic weapons an hour of training, he leads these mobs against a raid team of level 20s. Each would have 240 stat points, or six times each of the mobs. Six times the health, six times the damage, six times the speed not to mention actual combat experience from playing that long. Anyone who has ever played an RPG could tell you how that fight should have gone.
It really was a wonderful story, but this would have been far better off without a game and number based combat system if the author was going to ignore it completely and treat it like a cinematic peasant rebellion where skill and combat experience dont matter in the face of a righteous cause and a dull pitchfork. That is alot easier to bluff your way through without cold hard numbers getting in the way.
November 15, 2018
I loved this so much. Roark is a deposed noble/hedge mage who performs an extremely unstable spell, gets sucked through a dimensional warp, and ends up a low-level monster in a computer game. Thus, those who would normally be the heroes are the (obnoxious, entitled) bad guys and you see the world from the point of view of a sentient level one beast. The book is remarkably creative and does an excellent job of exposing logical flaws in multi-player online games which is hilarious. I look forward to reading this book again.
July 14, 2021
Why are so many main characters all the same..?.
Snarky, smart ass? Check. Slimy and immoral? Check. Somehow still motivated not to be a tyrant and to save his followers? Check.
Can someone write someone original?
The development of the world and background was great. The dungeon setting good as well. I just want the main character to die and the story go on without him.
Snarky, smart ass? Check. Slimy and immoral? Check. Somehow still motivated not to be a tyrant and to save his followers? Check.
Can someone write someone original?
The development of the world and background was great. The dungeon setting good as well. I just want the main character to die and the story go on without him.
November 18, 2019
Nothing more annoying than idiocy being played off as bravery. Liked it whenever the story wasn't focusing on Roarks past or his attitude towards tyrants. Like some dipsh*t would ever get away with that attitude towards the people in power, Hunter pls.
October 10, 2020
Hope this book gets better but with how dumb the mc is it's hard to stay entertained as there is no way someone can be so dumb but well apparently the mc is.
Well on the fourth book and dear god it's just trash.
Well on the fourth book and dear god it's just trash.
November 26, 2018
Never connected with the main character.
July 4, 2019
An unlikable and exasperating main character combined with shallow RPG-mechanics detracted from some decent world-building
July 1, 2022
I originally wrote that I recommend this Dungeon delving fantasy-isekai (teleported to another world) VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game)Hearthworld. After reading some of the other volumes in the series, I'm not so sure anymore.
Although it has a lot of typos and spelling mistakes, each chapter has a blank page, this first volume is well thought out, atypical but not original (Re:Monster is a web/light novel series that deals with a Goblin that evolves as he levels up, becomes dungeon master to a series of Dungeons, but this one copies more from a South Korean webnovel/lightnovel named Dungeon Maker. The salamander found in Dungeon Maker was called Pepperoni and it evolved to a Dragon like Macaroni does in this series, too much of a coincidence, no!).
The action is interesting and entertaining in this first volume. I only see one omission: Usually a Dungeon like the one at the Citadel is an Instance Dungeon (which means that each player that enters it, or group/team of players, gets their own instance of monsters to fight with, those monsters are duplicated as many times as there are groups of players delving this dungeon floor, or dungeon as a whole.) Without it being an instance Dungeon, like the authors have this first floor, everybody attacks the same group of monster trolls (that Roark, Kaz and Macaroni lead). So I feel that everybody using Roark and his underlings like a piñata, is kind of like a Quinceañera, being asked to dance with 20 people at the same time. Never ever, have the "mobs" (monsters of a Dungeon) fought each other, much less fight different groups of players and teams at the same time. Because game is an MMO (Massively Multiplayer online game), if the Dungeon is not instanced, then millions of teams of players would attack at the same time (but because Roark's team is so small now) with 20 opponents fighting them at the same time, it is already kind of overkill.
The profanity of the players is excessive. Most of those players could be banned for life, for the use of profanity in their customer service trolling and hate mails.
So far, as far as I know, this fantasy-isekai-MMO game like novel series has 6 volumes and a special volume. It seems that the 6th. Volume finishes this fantasy-isekai game novel series. Although it is not that original, and takes a lot of plot arcs and backstories from other authors and stories, the fact that the main character, Roark is a half-ling, ex troll, that is isekai-ed to this game alternate reality world, makes it an atypical story, interesting to read and finally a kind of equalizer for the NPC's (non player characters), that are usually used as punching bags, meat shields and live targets.
Although it has a lot of typos and spelling mistakes, each chapter has a blank page, this first volume is well thought out, atypical but not original (Re:Monster is a web/light novel series that deals with a Goblin that evolves as he levels up, becomes dungeon master to a series of Dungeons, but this one copies more from a South Korean webnovel/lightnovel named Dungeon Maker. The salamander found in Dungeon Maker was called Pepperoni and it evolved to a Dragon like Macaroni does in this series, too much of a coincidence, no!).
The action is interesting and entertaining in this first volume. I only see one omission: Usually a Dungeon like the one at the Citadel is an Instance Dungeon (which means that each player that enters it, or group/team of players, gets their own instance of monsters to fight with, those monsters are duplicated as many times as there are groups of players delving this dungeon floor, or dungeon as a whole.) Without it being an instance Dungeon, like the authors have this first floor, everybody attacks the same group of monster trolls (that Roark, Kaz and Macaroni lead). So I feel that everybody using Roark and his underlings like a piñata, is kind of like a Quinceañera, being asked to dance with 20 people at the same time. Never ever, have the "mobs" (monsters of a Dungeon) fought each other, much less fight different groups of players and teams at the same time. Because game is an MMO (Massively Multiplayer online game), if the Dungeon is not instanced, then millions of teams of players would attack at the same time (but because Roark's team is so small now) with 20 opponents fighting them at the same time, it is already kind of overkill.
The profanity of the players is excessive. Most of those players could be banned for life, for the use of profanity in their customer service trolling and hate mails.
So far, as far as I know, this fantasy-isekai-MMO game like novel series has 6 volumes and a special volume. It seems that the 6th. Volume finishes this fantasy-isekai game novel series. Although it is not that original, and takes a lot of plot arcs and backstories from other authors and stories, the fact that the main character, Roark is a half-ling, ex troll, that is isekai-ed to this game alternate reality world, makes it an atypical story, interesting to read and finally a kind of equalizer for the NPC's (non player characters), that are usually used as punching bags, meat shields and live targets.
July 29, 2018
Fun!
I’ve never read a litRPG novel before, in fact I didn’t even know what litRPG meant, so I had to look it up to see what I was getting myself into. I have to admit, for someone whose only experience with gaming is Pokemon & Candy Crush (I know, I know, don’t laugh!) it took several chapters for me to get into but once I caught on I felt rather proud of myself for “getting it”. Since I don’t play video games (well except for what I mentioned earlier...shhhh) all this was new and fascinating to me.
Roark is our smart mouth braggadocio hero who escapes through a portal as he’s being pursued by the evil murderous Tyrant King. As he travels through the portal into another dimension he’s transformed into a blue skin pot-bellied Changeling and lands in a video game called Hearthworld. There he meets Kaz, another Changeling who becomes not just an ally in this new world but a wealth of knowledge in how this game world operates. Along with Changelings, there are all sorts of characters in this world such as elves, shambling revenants(kinda zombie like), reaver bats, stone salamanders etc.
It’s seems the main purpose of Changelings and other low-level characters in this game is to die at the hands of “heroes” and then come back to life just to die again so the “heroes” or the people who play the games can advance to higher levels and eventually evolve and perhaps win the ultimate level, BIG honcho of the dungeon. But Roark isn’t going to just roll over and die without a fight. In order to return to his world and take on the Tyrant King, remaining a low-level isn’t part of his game. Roark gathers together his merry band of low-level misfits including fellow Changeling Kaz, a Salamander named Macaroni (yeah!) and others. You’ll have to read in order to find out who’s who in the zoo.
Bottom line is I had so much fun reading this. One thing I really appreciated was the charts showing the stats when a lower level character moved up from one level to the next and also when they leveled up or acquired a new skill the change was written in italics. Like I said, I know almost nothing (ummm except for what I mentioned earlier, shhh!) and all these nuggets helped a newbie like me immensely. By the end of this book I was in my groove and felt like a real player. I feel like I’ve acquired some skills albeit low level and am so ready for the next game to start. Roark here I come, I have your back! Bring.It.On.
I’ve never read a litRPG novel before, in fact I didn’t even know what litRPG meant, so I had to look it up to see what I was getting myself into. I have to admit, for someone whose only experience with gaming is Pokemon & Candy Crush (I know, I know, don’t laugh!) it took several chapters for me to get into but once I caught on I felt rather proud of myself for “getting it”. Since I don’t play video games (well except for what I mentioned earlier...shhhh) all this was new and fascinating to me.
Roark is our smart mouth braggadocio hero who escapes through a portal as he’s being pursued by the evil murderous Tyrant King. As he travels through the portal into another dimension he’s transformed into a blue skin pot-bellied Changeling and lands in a video game called Hearthworld. There he meets Kaz, another Changeling who becomes not just an ally in this new world but a wealth of knowledge in how this game world operates. Along with Changelings, there are all sorts of characters in this world such as elves, shambling revenants(kinda zombie like), reaver bats, stone salamanders etc.
It’s seems the main purpose of Changelings and other low-level characters in this game is to die at the hands of “heroes” and then come back to life just to die again so the “heroes” or the people who play the games can advance to higher levels and eventually evolve and perhaps win the ultimate level, BIG honcho of the dungeon. But Roark isn’t going to just roll over and die without a fight. In order to return to his world and take on the Tyrant King, remaining a low-level isn’t part of his game. Roark gathers together his merry band of low-level misfits including fellow Changeling Kaz, a Salamander named Macaroni (yeah!) and others. You’ll have to read in order to find out who’s who in the zoo.
Bottom line is I had so much fun reading this. One thing I really appreciated was the charts showing the stats when a lower level character moved up from one level to the next and also when they leveled up or acquired a new skill the change was written in italics. Like I said, I know almost nothing (ummm except for what I mentioned earlier, shhh!) and all these nuggets helped a newbie like me immensely. By the end of this book I was in my groove and felt like a real player. I feel like I’ve acquired some skills albeit low level and am so ready for the next game to start. Roark here I come, I have your back! Bring.It.On.
January 24, 2020
Before I start my review I want to express something.
I DON'T HATE THIS BOOK!
Now that we got that out of the way let's begin.
Nick Podehl does a fantastic job narrating. As for the book itself, it has several interesting concepts but for me personally nothing really stood out to me. Other readers fully enjoyed the novel but I just felt that it was something to read.
Plot:
The book starts off in fantasy Universe A, where Roark is facing off against a generic warlord. After stealing the warlord's bling he is transported game fantasy Universe B. Fantasy universe B functions under computer game rules. From there it is a monster evolution story plot where the main goal is getting experience for the MC to change into a stronger monster.
Characters:
Roark. I give a sigh as the character tries to be interesting but it didn't get to that level before. The kind of rugged character that came off a conveyor belt.
He follows the following tropes. Revenge, trying to rebuild his noble house, trying to build an army from the idiots around him, isn’t afraid to not play by the rules. Honestly, there are so many tropes in his personality that I imagined him being teleported to the game world because his own universe couldn’t handle him.
There are other characters but they might as well be called Goofball Side-Kick, and Staby Monster Chick.
What I like:
There is nothing bad about the story. Being transported from one fantasy universe into another is a unique concept that has never been done before. The game system is cruel but it works. And if you decide to buy the audio version Nick does a good job.
What I don’t like:
It feels like one of those books that you’ll enjoy enough but will instantly forget. The authors played it very safe with the characters and their goals. I also dislike the concept that characters need a cheat item or ability in order to progress the story.
If you did enjoy the book, please. For the love of God, write a review explaining why.
I DON'T HATE THIS BOOK!
Now that we got that out of the way let's begin.
Nick Podehl does a fantastic job narrating. As for the book itself, it has several interesting concepts but for me personally nothing really stood out to me. Other readers fully enjoyed the novel but I just felt that it was something to read.
Plot:
The book starts off in fantasy Universe A, where Roark is facing off against a generic warlord. After stealing the warlord's bling he is transported game fantasy Universe B. Fantasy universe B functions under computer game rules. From there it is a monster evolution story plot where the main goal is getting experience for the MC to change into a stronger monster.
Characters:
Roark. I give a sigh as the character tries to be interesting but it didn't get to that level before. The kind of rugged character that came off a conveyor belt.
He follows the following tropes. Revenge, trying to rebuild his noble house, trying to build an army from the idiots around him, isn’t afraid to not play by the rules. Honestly, there are so many tropes in his personality that I imagined him being teleported to the game world because his own universe couldn’t handle him.
There are other characters but they might as well be called Goofball Side-Kick, and Staby Monster Chick.
What I like:
There is nothing bad about the story. Being transported from one fantasy universe into another is a unique concept that has never been done before. The game system is cruel but it works. And if you decide to buy the audio version Nick does a good job.
What I don’t like:
It feels like one of those books that you’ll enjoy enough but will instantly forget. The authors played it very safe with the characters and their goals. I also dislike the concept that characters need a cheat item or ability in order to progress the story.
If you did enjoy the book, please. For the love of God, write a review explaining why.
August 2, 2018
Although I am not a gamer, I am currently really into the LitRPG books and this was one of the best books I have read in this sub-genre as it starts of with Roark being part of a rebel faction planning on deposing the tyrant king who had dominated their land and killed off all their families. Roarg being the only one though, willing to attempt an assassination of the aforementioned king. During which attempt he is tricked by the king and forced to flee through a portal which he opens through his own magical ability. A portal which dumps him into a computer game where he takes the form of a changeling and is one of the lowest forms of life in the game. However he retains his intelligence and his magical abilities which are enhanced by a pendant he had stolen at the last minute from the king himself. He has no clue where he is and does not know about computer games yet he stays true to himself and tries to bring revolution to the oppressed so that even in game they bring down yet another tyrant. He is joined by his team made up of Kaz, Mac and Zyra in trying to attempt this feat. I love the way the game follows his own path in real life, this book is so full of wonder, magic and idealism. The belief in equality and joining forces to better everyone's life are awesome, making this for me a brilliant first book in the series of which hopefully we will be seeing more books to follow as this book does end on a bit of a cliff hanger!
December 10, 2018
A summary for my own memory:
I quite enjoyed the first part of the book, before it becomes a little to complicated.
It all starts with a tyrant that kills people. Yes, they do that.
A boy survives and sees his chance to kill the tyrant and end his reign.
Safe to say, he fails. The tyrant has an articact, with the boy snatches and is promptly transported to a video game as a trash mob.
He does not like this development.
He uses the artifact to make another trash mob his minion, and they start killing adventureres (players) and lvl up.
The tricky part is they have to "Evolve" that process happens at certain lvls. If they die before this evolution, they are reset to lvl 1.
The boy manage to kill a few players and then takes on the floorboss. he wins by a hairs breath and continues to recruit and lvl up.
The final boss in the dungeon tries to kill him, but ofc, does not succseed.
The boy starts a war with all the players and organises his new minions, and they accually succseed, wich is a little weird, since lvls in games goes farther than strategy.
When all the players are dealth with for the moment he manage to evolve to the highest race possible and becomes a sort of scribe mage.
I will enjoy the rest of this book series, I'm sure.
I quite enjoyed the first part of the book, before it becomes a little to complicated.
It all starts with a tyrant that kills people. Yes, they do that.
A boy survives and sees his chance to kill the tyrant and end his reign.
Safe to say, he fails. The tyrant has an articact, with the boy snatches and is promptly transported to a video game as a trash mob.
He does not like this development.
He uses the artifact to make another trash mob his minion, and they start killing adventureres (players) and lvl up.
The tricky part is they have to "Evolve" that process happens at certain lvls. If they die before this evolution, they are reset to lvl 1.
The boy manage to kill a few players and then takes on the floorboss. he wins by a hairs breath and continues to recruit and lvl up.
The final boss in the dungeon tries to kill him, but ofc, does not succseed.
The boy starts a war with all the players and organises his new minions, and they accually succseed, wich is a little weird, since lvls in games goes farther than strategy.
When all the players are dealth with for the moment he manage to evolve to the highest race possible and becomes a sort of scribe mage.
I will enjoy the rest of this book series, I'm sure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2019
Definitely a 3.5. I really don't understand why this book appeals to me. I mean, okay, I do--I love books, I love video games, this mashes them together. I really liked being in on all the jokes about gamer culture and how silly video game rules are despite that they're the only things that make the game playable. I listened to the audiobook, so it was a delight to hear the incomparable Nick Podehl utter the phrase "PwnerBoner007" repeatedly, and with all seriousness. I enjoyed there being a "war beast" named Macaroni. But as I was listening, I kept thinking to myself, "This is like...not good, though. You shouldn't be liking this." But I totally did/do.
Rogue Dungeon absolutely fed into all the fantasy tropes that usually I don't like. And some of the ones presented, I still don't like. But enough of them were lampshaded that the book felt tongue in cheek about the whole thing. I'm definitely listening to the next one--I have high hopes, but also this sinking suspicion that, now that Roark is used to the game he's found himself in, we might lose that wink-wink-nudge tone and it'll just be a regular mass-market fantasy. We shall see--and hopefully there will be more idiotic gamer handles for the guy whose narration made me weep profusely over The Chaos Walking trilogy to barely get through without cracking up.
Rogue Dungeon absolutely fed into all the fantasy tropes that usually I don't like. And some of the ones presented, I still don't like. But enough of them were lampshaded that the book felt tongue in cheek about the whole thing. I'm definitely listening to the next one--I have high hopes, but also this sinking suspicion that, now that Roark is used to the game he's found himself in, we might lose that wink-wink-nudge tone and it'll just be a regular mass-market fantasy. We shall see--and hopefully there will be more idiotic gamer handles for the guy whose narration made me weep profusely over The Chaos Walking trilogy to barely get through without cracking up.
February 4, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Loved the premise and world building. The main character is smart and fun. You want him to win. There are only 2 things making this a 4* for me.
1. At the beginning of the book, the author does a really good job of telling you the names of the fencing moves and what the movements that go with them are. As we get further into the book however, those additional descriptions go by the wayside, so I started skipping passages of the text since I couldn't remember what movements he was doing. The names of the moves were just lost on me. I think somebody into fencing would really enjoy the commitment to the correct terms being used though.
2. I feel like I know where it's going too much. I'm sure, like with all LitRPG, there's twists and turns along the way, but I feel like I could just skip to the last in series and not have missed too much with this one. It's a great book, but not on the same level of "bingeworthy series" as Viridian Gate and Dungeon Crawler Carl for me.
1. At the beginning of the book, the author does a really good job of telling you the names of the fencing moves and what the movements that go with them are. As we get further into the book however, those additional descriptions go by the wayside, so I started skipping passages of the text since I couldn't remember what movements he was doing. The names of the moves were just lost on me. I think somebody into fencing would really enjoy the commitment to the correct terms being used though.
2. I feel like I know where it's going too much. I'm sure, like with all LitRPG, there's twists and turns along the way, but I feel like I could just skip to the last in series and not have missed too much with this one. It's a great book, but not on the same level of "bingeworthy series" as Viridian Gate and Dungeon Crawler Carl for me.
November 28, 2018
A pretty good middle of the road LitRPG. It does manage to avoid some of the more over used tropes and switch things up a bit, but the story is rather predictable. The main issue with the book is a near complete lack of world building in favor of one action scene after another. I know next to nothing about the protagonists home world, I know very little about the world he ends up in despite most of the story taking place there, and I don't know anything about this books Earth. While some of the mechanics are explained, most of the rules of the multiverse are unexplained. The end result is, while the plot is easy to follow, I don't have any idea why any of this is happening, nor how important any of it is. It'll probably be exponded uppon in future books, but all I know at this point is the main character is stuck in what appears to be a rather sh*t fantasy MMO being run on a Scifi future Earth, some how coming from a fantasy universe.
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