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Chasms of Corruption #1
Warlock: Reign of Blood
Swords, Spells, Stats and Slaughter
Mark wakes up in a burning town inside a Full Immersion Virtual Reality RPG called Reign of Blood. He flees from the reiver slavers who are abducting the village’s NPCs, only to have an agonizing encounter with the wrong end of a ranger’s arrow. After trying and failing to log out of this painfully realistic game, Mark decides to take up his sword, embrace his new Warlock character class, and help the ranger rescue her people.
The warlock and his hard-nosed ranger are soon joined by a macabre healer, an earth-shaking druid and a talking fortress. But as Mark takes the fight to the reivers, he uncovers an even deadlier threat. Dark magic is spreading into Garland from a long dead city, and the reiver leader has found a way to harness some of that corrupted power for himself.
Level by level, spell by spell, Mark must become the warlock that Garland needs before it falls to the corrupted ambitions of a rising tyrant.
If you love…
Visceral combat
Lovecraftian monsters
Ancient ruins
Swords and sorcery
Completely original spells
...then Warlock: Reign of Blood is for you!
Warlock is Book 1 in the Chasms of Corruption duology.
Mark wakes up in a burning town inside a Full Immersion Virtual Reality RPG called Reign of Blood. He flees from the reiver slavers who are abducting the village’s NPCs, only to have an agonizing encounter with the wrong end of a ranger’s arrow. After trying and failing to log out of this painfully realistic game, Mark decides to take up his sword, embrace his new Warlock character class, and help the ranger rescue her people.
The warlock and his hard-nosed ranger are soon joined by a macabre healer, an earth-shaking druid and a talking fortress. But as Mark takes the fight to the reivers, he uncovers an even deadlier threat. Dark magic is spreading into Garland from a long dead city, and the reiver leader has found a way to harness some of that corrupted power for himself.
Level by level, spell by spell, Mark must become the warlock that Garland needs before it falls to the corrupted ambitions of a rising tyrant.
If you love…
Visceral combat
Lovecraftian monsters
Ancient ruins
Swords and sorcery
Completely original spells
...then Warlock: Reign of Blood is for you!
Warlock is Book 1 in the Chasms of Corruption duology.
- GenresFantasy
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 22, 2018
212 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Edwin McRae
18 books20 followersEdwin is an interactive fiction writer and narrative designer for the indie video games industry.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 20, 2019
Great Book
As stated Great book one where is book two now? Seriously great story interesting from first chapter onward. I also enjoyed the classes and magic was new and different. What a refreshing take on a LitRPG story. Hopefully you two can keep writing great books. Looking forward to seeing and reading many more.
As stated Great book one where is book two now? Seriously great story interesting from first chapter onward. I also enjoyed the classes and magic was new and different. What a refreshing take on a LitRPG story. Hopefully you two can keep writing great books. Looking forward to seeing and reading many more.
November 3, 2018
Brit lit
The books a good one I am looking forward to more. There is some disconnect between the main character and IRL but it's well worth a read
The books a good one I am looking forward to more. There is some disconnect between the main character and IRL but it's well worth a read
December 3, 2018
A fantastical frolic through RPG
A highly enjoyable fast paced novel in the litrpg genre. Mark wakes up in his favourite RPG. How did he get here? Who are the reivers? How does levelling work and why can't he exit game?
A highly enjoyable fast paced novel in the litrpg genre. Mark wakes up in his favourite RPG. How did he get here? Who are the reivers? How does levelling work and why can't he exit game?
March 2, 2022
I learned about LitRPG from Felicia Day’s promotion that she was narrating a book from such a genre. So I think to myself “what is this ‘LitRPG’?” I like to think I have my fingers on the pulse of today’s lit scene and that this passed me by is egregious (note that I said “I like to think”).
I thought it would be like Dungeons & Dragons but in book form. So that means you get the fun dynamics of table talk, party banter, rules changing on the fly, wacky stuff happening. Like Acquisitions, Inc. or The Adventure Zone. But as a novel.
It’s not.
At least not in this case. It’s more like they live in a world where the success of actions (like sword strikes and arrow shots) is determined by dice rolls, not skill or luck. And they know it. It doesn’t affect the narrative that much because that’s how anything in life is–coincidence and chance and how the characters react to that. It’s the author’s job to engineer that into a compelling story.
I made it 20% of the way through. The story never started–I didn’t know what the main character wanted and I didn’t care whether he got it. When making a new genre, you’ve got to keep some fundamental storytelling elements, like character and goal and stakes. Otherwise, you won’t be able to smooth out that new path without something for the reader to tread on. Like Guitar Hero–that game can be played with a controller, but that’s not very immersive. But playing with a real guitar would be too complex and not fun. So you get the hybrid toy model, and a video game phenomenon is born.
It reminded me of Wizard’s Bane or Off to Be the Wizard, where the characters are blah and have no idea what they want or what bad things happen if they don’t get it. Pretty much a male fantasy where they fight with swords and get the girl. Boring and amateur. The author seemed more concerned with the character build than who he’s with or where he’s going.
I thought it would be like Dungeons & Dragons but in book form. So that means you get the fun dynamics of table talk, party banter, rules changing on the fly, wacky stuff happening. Like Acquisitions, Inc. or The Adventure Zone. But as a novel.
It’s not.
At least not in this case. It’s more like they live in a world where the success of actions (like sword strikes and arrow shots) is determined by dice rolls, not skill or luck. And they know it. It doesn’t affect the narrative that much because that’s how anything in life is–coincidence and chance and how the characters react to that. It’s the author’s job to engineer that into a compelling story.
I made it 20% of the way through. The story never started–I didn’t know what the main character wanted and I didn’t care whether he got it. When making a new genre, you’ve got to keep some fundamental storytelling elements, like character and goal and stakes. Otherwise, you won’t be able to smooth out that new path without something for the reader to tread on. Like Guitar Hero–that game can be played with a controller, but that’s not very immersive. But playing with a real guitar would be too complex and not fun. So you get the hybrid toy model, and a video game phenomenon is born.
It reminded me of Wizard’s Bane or Off to Be the Wizard, where the characters are blah and have no idea what they want or what bad things happen if they don’t get it. Pretty much a male fantasy where they fight with swords and get the girl. Boring and amateur. The author seemed more concerned with the character build than who he’s with or where he’s going.
February 21, 2019
It was...okay. The writing wasn't bad, although the 10th time the same 'witty banter' segment occurred, my eyes started to glaze over. I guess the main thing I realized reading this is that if this is what LitRPG is like as a genre, then I don't like LitRPG, which is a shame because I quite enjoyed The Wandering Inn and was trying to find more stories like it.
May 19, 2019
Enjoyable
At first I struggled to get in to the book as I struggle to get in to books that has ever changing character POVs but once I got in to it I enjoyed the book. It’s difficult to tell if it’s a portal style book or trapped in game but I suppose we will find out in the following books
At first I struggled to get in to the book as I struggle to get in to books that has ever changing character POVs but once I got in to it I enjoyed the book. It’s difficult to tell if it’s a portal style book or trapped in game but I suppose we will find out in the following books
December 20, 2018
Great
Was unsure at first but really enjoyed this book in the end. Liked the roller coaster feeling as the advantage swapped between the heroes and the villains. Final moments were quite emotional
Was unsure at first but really enjoyed this book in the end. Liked the roller coaster feeling as the advantage swapped between the heroes and the villains. Final moments were quite emotional
April 2, 2019
I liked this one. It was very well done, and I'd recommend it to any LitRPG fans who enjoy the whole warrior/mage thing, and if you like both, then you're in for a treat, You should truly enjoy this one.
July 18, 2019
Interesting Action and Interaction
While mostly standard LitRPG fare, it does that well, and it offers some truly interesting variations and depth that will keep you reading. It did me. Recommended
While mostly standard LitRPG fare, it does that well, and it offers some truly interesting variations and depth that will keep you reading. It did me. Recommended
December 1, 2018
Fun story
I enjoyed a warlock class with relatively balanced abilities compared to many within the genre. Neat system for leveling and selecting abilities
I enjoyed a warlock class with relatively balanced abilities compared to many within the genre. Neat system for leveling and selecting abilities
December 4, 2018
Why would you follow someone who just got done murdering you for no good reason?
December 5, 2018
Great read. I read in one sitting (when I should’ve been asleep). Loved the main character and and I want more!
December 18, 2018
Very Interesting?
This story is worth reading it keeps you interested throughout with exciting action bad guys. The author did a great story
This story is worth reading it keeps you interested throughout with exciting action bad guys. The author did a great story
January 28, 2019
Great story
Great start to a series. I especially liked the hint at the end of the story. I'll be watching for the sequel!
Great start to a series. I especially liked the hint at the end of the story. I'll be watching for the sequel!
November 21, 2019
Fun book to spend some hours on.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews