Bye-bye is back! Just a week since the 1st Dive came to an end, Bye-bye and his friends find themselves in Root City, a city built-up around the World Tree itself. This sprawling metropolis is filled with potential and danger in equal measure.
Barely logged in and just starting to put plans in place for the month-long dive into the World Tree Online, they are quickly entangled in a quest with far-reaching consequences should they fail. Charged with ensuring Duchess of Hammerton survives the next week to make it home. Standing in their way, a love cult bound and determined to kidnap her. If that wasn’t enough, there are those who plot in the dark places hidden just under the surface of Root City.
Can Bye-bye and his friends survive the aptly nicknamed Duchess of Hammers and the trouble that follows her?
Greetings and salutations! I am M.A. Carlson, author of three series, all available now. Check where my writing journey began with World Tree Online: The Curse of Hurlig Ridge, The Duchess of Hammers, The Mountain Valley War, The Endless Savanna, the Order of Epic Grinders. My second series is Planet Hero: Civilian and Sidekick. And I just released my newest novel and third series, The Devil's Game: Purgatory. I hope you enjoy the adventure and the fantastic journey that is the World Tree Online, Planet Hero, and The Devil's Game.
More about me, I love writing. I love being entertained by a good story. I wrote my first original novel a few years ago now and I can't see myself stopping writing any time soon, it's what I plan to do for the rest of my life. I am very happy to be able to share what I hope others will find as much fun to read I did to write.
This story is a great continuation of Hurlig Ridge. Everything that book had going for it, this book expounds upon. There is still a mystery, there are still intriguing world building elements... and most of all... there’s interaction with guards!
Also lots of fun character building components that make GameLit interesting. Check it out!
I really respect the world M.A. Carlson has created but I really don't like the characters. I actually hate all but one of the characters that we follow.
I hate Rose. I know I said that in my review of the first book but there was points when listening to the book where I had to pause it because all I could think is "Shut the fu*k up Rose." I honestly think that she was meant to be the 'strong female character' but she is rude and generally a bitch. There is a scene in the book where a person in the group gets a skill and she is actually upset about it. She is bitter that he gains the strategist skill complaining that she is the one who actually comes up with the strategies. She never grows out of this either any times she is upset they have to find a way to appease her.She is also incredibly mean to Heath like it is supposed to be a funny running gag but every time she hurts him I just hate her more.
Pro Tip: DO NOT introduce discrimination and prejudice in you book if you are going to throw it away with a giant "fu*k you' to your audience. I actually really liked the subplot of the ogre husband and wife experiencing discrimination and prejudice as a consequence to their race. I was actually interested in the ways they would have to overcome it and grow as people inside and outside of the game world. The answer to this plot line you may ask? A racial change.....A FU*KING RACIAL CHANGE! They build up this struggle for a book and a half constantly reminding us that they are not given the same opportunities as other players and then they easily change it with absolutely no repercussions.
The end of book 2 really has no cohesion with the beginning of the story on the World Tree Online Game. The Artificial Intelligence “being” turns out to be the same one, the main character sold in his puzzle game app when he was 14, but this AI has turn evil/rogue. Why create a game, why create and develop characters, just to destroy them with an “evil/rogue AI that takes control of their lives” at the end of book 2? It is exactly the same plot of an old movie called Wargames, the main actor in this movie was Mathew Broderick. The plot of this movie was that "a young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III." In this dystopian story, the AI took over the game, abducted the players that defeated it in a puzzle game and did everything in its power to defeat them in this World Tree Online Game. What is the point of creating a game system, get the millions of players to level up, acquire skills, abilities, professions, only to then turn the whole thing to "mush" because the author wanted to play dark/dystopian LitRPG series, that contradicts the genre in that it creates the "anti-game"/the "hate/fear of the machines" that turns any reader off, from this supposed novels and books about role playing games and video games....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Fresh off his earlier adventures , Bye-Bye and his friends travel to Root City, accessing the World Tree and getting involved with the trouble-magnet, the Duchess of Hammers. This is pretty perfect LITRPG, and I think with the Ritualist as company, occupies the very best there is for me. Great characters, relationships, a real and vibrant world and a terrific use of RPG stats and growth. No harems either.
The first book was so awesome I had trouble putting it down. This book was good but I didn't end up ignoring my bedtime.
This one ended up being shorter and also started changing the narrative more often. This is one thing that drove me away from S&S Fantasy, I like a single narrative. Though at least the characters are likable so it wasn't too bad. Look forward to the next.
In the review for the last book i said it was missing something but couldn't put my finger on what. I realised while reading this one it was comedy. There are no funny bits in the entire series so far and the banter is more annoying than fun. I think it trys to be funny at times but it's just fails. The author also could do with doing their homework on weaponry and firearms.
This is my 2nd favourite series in LitRpg genre. The few things which could make it better are, 1). Book Cover are below average. 2). Stop Bombarding with all the Skills and Sub-Skill for pages, I know you must be thinking this is how Jacko sees in HUD, But I dont care. Just show us only the skill or (not and) sub skill. That would be enough for us. 3). AND CAN YOU PUBLISH EACH BOOK IN 45 DAYS. (LOL)
For me this one was not as good as the first. Too much running around and too much "explaining" for me where i would have prefered the action itself. After the half of the book the story suddenly took on speed and fun and was nearly as enjoyable as the first one -especially liked the story around Heath. Good work nonetheless beside any complaining. Will read the next installment for sure!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Really enjoyed the 2nd book in this series. We get to see a new city, an interesting plot, and lots of mc development. Also got to see some other POV as the focus shifted in a few chapters to development of other party members. Fun book and I will definitely read the next one.
Great story, characters, world, and pacing. I must admit I binged books 1&2 and had a wonderful time. (It's 3am, I couldn't put it down). No detractors. Definite recommend. I consider it on par with the LitRPG series that MSE keeps putting off continuing. I like all the characters. Looking forward to some town building later on.
The MC is loving playing. His love interest loves playing. His friends love playing. He has a spell to make Player Killers his level and if he wins they respawn at level one. Great Gamelit reading LitRpg.
The city was boring and the supporting characters were flat. Overall still fun, but harder to read. Had to force myself to go on in a few places. The main characters saved this one.
The series continues to pull me in. The characters developed and the backstroke grew. And the cliffhanger ending has me itching to see the next installment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
M.A. Carlson takes us back to his World Tree Onlime universe in The Duchess of Hammers:2nd Dive Begins. A welcome addition to the series. look forward to the next book.
Another fun dive and can’t wait to read the next. I’m really enjoying exploring this new world and it’s lore. Plenty of rewarding twists, turns, and character development.
Note: this review is to help refresh my memories when book three comes out. Entire review has been marked as a spoiler.
Bye-Bye has a satisfying adventure in Root City with more training of his spear and lore skills. The book ends with him preparing for largescale faction pvp by hiring player mercenaries who will fight for Hammerton. I have a feeling we will see Baby's husband on the opposing side of this war.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.