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King's Gate #1

King's Gate

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What would you do if you woke up in another world? That's exactly the problem facing Alex Burke, a recently employed security guard who accidentally finds himself falling through an ancient teleportation gate. When he opens his eyes, he discovers a world of magic, elves, monsters, and demons, not all of which are eager to meet him. With no idea how to get home, he'll need to adapt, grow, and kill to survive. But Alex is a stranger in a strange land, which means he's bound to draw interest. Whether that's from his enemies or the many beautiful women he encounters remains to be seen, but he'll need every ounce of wit, strength, and charm to conquer both. This story contains adult situations, course language, and other fun things. Read at your own risk.

454 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 4, 2018

419 people are currently reading
140 people want to read

About the author

Daniel Pierce

23 books86 followers
Daniel Pierce lives in Wyoming with his wife Marissa and their two dogs. After fourteen years as an engineer, Daniel decided it was finally time to write and release his first novel.

As a lifelong fan of scifi and fantasy, he wants nothing more than to share his passion.

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5 stars
111 (29%)
4 stars
98 (26%)
3 stars
87 (23%)
2 stars
42 (11%)
1 star
33 (8%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Author 9 books42 followers
December 21, 2018
Didn't like it much.

I bought this novel because it was in the Amazon recommendations for me, and didn't go into it with high expectations. And shouldn't have gone in with any.

Pros: not many spelling or grammatical errors

Cons: obvious plot holes, one dimensional characters, poor scene setting, character reactions weren't believable. Definitely a work that should have gone to an editor first.

I would recommending purchasing this book as a gift for your enemies.
Profile Image for Iori.
593 reviews4 followers
December 14, 2018
Awesome

Well that was a nice début, it was actually better than the jumbled mess called "forever young" and the female love interest are interesting and not bothersome shrew. I liked how the magic was instinctive and the clear goal of the story.
Profile Image for Sara.
566 reviews18 followers
January 21, 2019
I have enjoyed all of Daniel Pierce's books but I must say King's Gate is my favorite!

Alex, our main character whose world is turned upside down when he's thrown into a different realm. He's a lovable character who makes you laugh. I had many laugh out loud moments reading this book. Emely, Mathus, Riley, Nia and Celeste make up the rest of Alex's band of misfits.

King's Gate will suck you in from the beginning and you'll be sad when you finish, like you've lost a dear friend. You'll laugh and cheer for the good guys!

A must read.
Profile Image for Sheila Helt.
81 reviews1 follower
January 26, 2023
If you like spice scenes written by a man then go for it but I was not a fan. And in general the main character was just kinda full of himself and too 'perfect' it was a short read for me on audible so I finished it but will not read the second.
Profile Image for Frank Bertino.
1,771 reviews20 followers
May 30, 2019
Entertaining Read

Alex is transported from his job on Earth to another planet with waring magic and beautiful elves and others. His goal of getting home is hijacked by magic, battles, and lust (love?). I like the action, snarky humor, and romance. Will he be able to protect everyone from the dark magic? I look forward to the next book.
Profile Image for C.W. Ashley.
Author 2 books42 followers
August 23, 2019
I've read 4 books from this author now, and with the others I was seeing a worrying trend. The story would start strong before losing steam with sluggish pacing and a boring support cast. Luckily King's Gate avoids these shortcomings, and stays fairly gripping throughout.

The chemistry of the main characters really does shine through I was half expecting it to get cheesy and tropey but the dialogue is quite snappy and invests you in their adventure. The plot is a pretty basic fantasy 'chosen one' yarn, but the factions and entities within the world still comes off as fresh and intriguing.

Maybe it is because this book is on the shorter side, but I never felt bored with it. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

1,002 reviews13 followers
March 26, 2019
Good start

So I liked The story and premise. I also like all the companions that the "Chosen one" has acquired. I don't however like the magic system as it is very vague. Basically poof something happens with no description or attempt the of. When a story is in a magic world and the MC is tasked with collecting more of it then there should be a more refined or structured system. Basically goes like this... Big battle and tattoo gets bigger. There also needs to be better transitions between areas and travel or even descriptions of the world in general. That said I like the MC snark and banter and like the general story line. I will prob read the second and hope for improvement as the authors other works are better so I know he can do better.
Profile Image for James .
1,346 reviews21 followers
December 10, 2018
A good start to a series.

This book was enjoyable to read and it had some good moments in the book where you can see the characters developed.The characters are interesting and varied I enjoyed the use of the gates to make it possible for the author to develop the story in unique ways.
Profile Image for Kiba Snowpaw.
Author 2 books24 followers
February 25, 2024
Heya, packmates! It's me, Kiba Snowpaw, your fur-tastic friend from the icy realms of HowlStrom. Today, I'm super excited to share my thoughts on a howling good read, "King's Gate" by Daniel Pierce. Grab your favorite snack, curl up in your coziest spot, and let's embark on this magical adventure together!

Story Synopsis:
"King's Gate" follows Alex Burke, a regular human security guard who stumbles (quite literally) through an ancient teleportation gate and finds himself in a world brimming with magic, mythical creatures, and more danger than you can shake a stick at. With no clue on how to return home, Alex must adapt, grow, and, yes, even fight to survive in this enchanting yet perilous land.

Kiba's Paw-some Review:
🐾 Adventurous Plot: Imagine waking up in a land where every day is a new adventure, filled with magic, mystery, and a bit of mayhem. That's the thrilling ride "King's Gate" offers. The story keeps you on your toes, or paws, with its twists and turns. It's like playing the most epic video game, but in your imagination!

🐾 Furry Friends and Foes: The world of "King's Gate" is populated with fascinating characters - from wise elves to cunning demons. Each character brings their unique flavor to the story, making the journey even more vibrant. It's like meeting new friends at a furry convention, each with their own stories and quirks.

🐾 Magic and Mischief: The magic in "King's Gate" is as wild and unpredictable as a blizzard in HowlStrom. Alex's discovery of his magical abilities is akin to finding out you've got ice magic - thrilling, powerful, and a bit scary. The way magic intertwines with the story's fabric makes every moment sparkle with possibilities.

🐾 Challenges and Choices: Our hero, Alex, faces challenges that test his strength, wit, and heart. It's a reminder that every choice we make shapes our journey, whether we're battling monsters or deciding which path to take in the woods. It's all about growing stronger and smarter, not just as a warrior but as a friend.

🐾 A World Worth Exploring: The land beyond the King's Gate is rich with lush forests, towering mountains, and mysterious ruins. It's a place where every corner holds a new discovery, a new story. It's like exploring the vast wilderness of our own world, with the added thrill of magic at every turn.

Kiba's Final Howl:
"King's Gate" is more than just a book; it's a gateway to a world where the impossible becomes possible, where friendship and courage stand tall against the shadows. While the journey has its bumps and bruises (and the occasional plot hole to leap over), the heart of the story beats strong and true.

For my fellow young adventurers, "King's Gate" is a treasure trove of excitement, laughter, and lessons learned. It's a reminder that, no matter where you come from, you have the power to shape your destiny and make a difference in the world, even if that world is filled with a bit more magic and mayhem than our own.

Until our next adventure, keep your tails wagging and your spirits high. Kiba Snowpaw, over and out!
Profile Image for Pablo García.
858 reviews22 followers
August 30, 2023
I think this is one of those stories that require a complete rewrite. The author can't decide whether main character traveled to an alternate reality (same world in a parallel universe) or another world, and then it seems that the ruins were a gate to another world. Same thing happens with the sensual liaisons, that can't be vulgar and romantic at the same time. Also. you can't be in love and polyamorous at the same time. Same type of contradictions happen when the author writes about ethics, actions and consequences.... (Hervivore, Carnivore, etc.)
The main character (because of a back tattoo, imprinted on him the moment he traveled to this other world), according to legends, is supposed to be the savior of this other world. With no magical knowledge or any real super powers. With just security guard level martial arts training, is his enough to be the "Superman" of this other world?
There is no seduction, no real attraction and yet, everybody in this other world is someone to have sexual relations with. (well, except maybe the giant) but again, stories like these lack depth, lack credibility and need explanations that make sense.
I do not recommend this book or its fantasy-isekai-ed-novel series. It has no maps of this other world, no real world building (descriptions of geopolitical, geography, economic, social, religious, etc. systems in this other world), the characters aren't really described either (we do not know their details, personality types, values, etc.). There are no character summaries, no inside illustrations (there is weapon-clip art at the beginning of each chapter).
Profile Image for Curtis.
776 reviews20 followers
December 28, 2018
A Gem That Needs More Polishing

The first thing: this is a good story, and I want to see more from this author. The story, world, characters, and magic are all new and interesting, and draw you in. The spell-checking and general editing is well done too. Nice. So having said all that, here’s why the very best I can give it is 3/5: Discontinuity.

Maybe it’s just me, but the MC’s emotions and postures are all over the place: I simply can’t get a feel for the guy. One minute he’s strong and dedicated, the next he waffling, then he’s taking a jerky hard line. Bizarre. The first couple of times it happened it was so jarring I re-read the text a few times, sure that I missed a scene, then sure one got dropped in rewrites. It’s like the first sex scene: it happens, but we (I?) really don’t understand why it happens. It’s technically well written too, but you kind of scratch your head over it.

Multiply that by the dozens, then add in similarly inconsistent behavior by the other characters, and you’re left saying “Wait, what?” so many times that the story is lost. That’s a real shame, because like I said first thing, this book is good: as blueprinted, anyway. If it’s updated, with some transition scenes (hell, even sentences!) added, and character behavior solidified, then you will have a solid winner here. As it stands though, as much as I want to like it — and I DO want to like it — I just can’t recommend it right now.
231 reviews1 follower
September 29, 2024
DNR
Indiana Jones-esque main character gets magically transported to a world of fantasy, sword and magic. After a rigorous and far too detailed session of self indulgence of literally the first person protagonist meets, he together with the reader learn of the human-centric draconian rule (towards non-humans) that's being enforced by the world's political hegemon and the fact MC is the chosen one.

If reader is looking for some literary portrayals of doing the ol' horizontal, taking the skin boat to tuna town, bumping uglies etc. in fantasy setting this book is for you. Often neglected part in written texts is the olfactory, in this sense 'King's Gate' shines, but, oh, the genres and quality of writing it has decided to shine in is like a glass pebble at the bottom of dry pit.

Plot and realism weren't invited to the party when 'King's Gate' was written. Book generally targeted for self-insert types of readers who look for the vulgar unsubstantiated ladies' men, macho men.

Conclusion: 1/5. Listened on Audible included in plus catalog. Narrated by: Alexander Cendese. MC is based on outdated stereotype of offend-all, take no responsibility manly man. Some sub-genre of smut. Terrible value for the length of the book - 3.10 $/hour ( 25.40 $ / 08 hrs 12 mins ).

Values:
Terrible: >1.66 $/hour
Bad: 1 - 1.66 $/hour
Good: <1 $/hour
Dream: 0.4 - 0.27 $/hour
Profile Image for John Love IV.
515 reviews6 followers
September 28, 2022
Folks, it's hard for me to give a bad rating to a book with any entertainment value but this one.....

To start, the main character is fairly two dimensional and is a horse's butt. The relationships don't seem to develop in any realistic ways. The plot lurches and jumps in irrational ways.

The worst part is, I just don't care about any of it. I don't care what happens in the future of the characters or if they win.

On top of this, I listened to it as an audiobook. Horrible. Why are all the accents British except for the main character?? And worse, why do the characters accents change during the book??

The books had hints of something good, which is why it got 2 stars. Maybe you'll feel differently. I will only say that in a genre subtype, that's a bit juvenile to begin with, I can easily come up with 5 much better written series.

This could have been something, but it needed a lot fixed first. Perhaps a good pre-read group that was able to give some criticism would have helped. I don't know.

To sum up, I hope the author gets better, but this would fail my writing class.
8 reviews
February 10, 2022
Maybe Im old fashioned. Main character is very ego-centric / bada$$ with brief moments that he cares for others instead of talking about how awesome he is. I really wanted more development of the other players. It tried but not very hard. Was written for the teenage customer. I could not get to know the people here. It felt like it was rushed and left out details important to the story, long term but was very, very detailed in the adult scenes. I liked Swing Shift better. I actually cried when a key member died, thats how much I felt I knew them.
Also on Audible the voice actor's females all sound the same, vice the strong English and Scottish accents. really threw me off. Dont care to try book 2.
15 reviews
January 20, 2019
High fantasy

Not for me. There seemed to be a mismatch between the stakes (saving the entire world) and the level of conflict faced by the characters (discomfort disclosing uncomfortable pasts)

This kind of drains the tension in the story. If we're told that a character is a future King of the World, then he's almost certain to live through fights with low-level mooks.

It also makes interpersonal drama weird. If the fate of the world hangs on Some Guy getting to a city, then conflicts with an ex shouldn't be a big deal
Profile Image for Robert.
270 reviews
December 21, 2018
Made it to 45%

I am sure this story made sense in the author's head but something was off when he typed it in. Every single scene was confusing. As if there were entire paragraphs missing. This story have me a headache just trying to keep straight where characters where and what they were doing. Their emotions and dialog were jumping around faster than a cartoon character in a washer.
147 reviews3 followers
March 28, 2019
Enjoyable and Fun

I love a story told with humor and adventure. This book has both and appears to promise much more. It’s always fun to see how an author treats a storyline involving a dive from “now” into some fantasy world in another dimension. The excellent mix of characters and their individual traits adds to the author’s premise and enriches the whole minds eye while reading. Very recommendable for young adults and older.
585 reviews
December 13, 2018
Magic with brute force

A great adventure begins with this book. Likeable characters, a great evil to defeat, what more could a story about a small band of misfits need? Thoroughly enjoyed, it even had a couple of steamy sex scenes which adds to the complexity of the relationships between the characters.
Profile Image for Jessica.
61 reviews34 followers
January 24, 2020
Not appealing

Have not finished it. I find Emely very annoying. I am 35% of the way through and I need a break from her. I like strong female leads, but I find the character grating. Maybe I’ll revisit this novel and give it another try, it sounds promising and so far I like everything... except Emely.
698 reviews
April 24, 2020
Not what I expected

Expected so much, delivered so little. This was pretty much my expos this book in one sentence. Up to this point I was a huge fan of the authors books, but I was underwhelmed by this one. The storyline was pretty pathetic, the characters me dimensional, the plot non existent. And I can go on.
195 reviews3 followers
December 24, 2021
Fall in a portal what could go wrong..

It seems everything and nothing as well as something. Met an elf, a giant and a succubus in less than a week. Sounds like fun, find out you are the center of a prophecy, more fun. Learn the hard way !magic comes at a cost, well not so good. But onward and upward as they say. Just keep the 80s pop songs flowing.
15 reviews1 follower
December 12, 2018
Good story annoying main chracter

I enjoyed the overall concept of the book but just couldnt get over the whiney main character i intend to read the next one but pray the mc grows up a lot
Profile Image for Drew.
185 reviews2 followers
December 27, 2018
I enjoyed it

Certainly better than some of the reviews would have you believe. Mind you the cover art is nonsense, how about drawing the actual characters!!!

Overall I thought it well written and the characters seem pretty authentic for what they are, looking forward to more.
Profile Image for Mahesh.
473 reviews41 followers
June 6, 2019
A very good start of the series.

This is my first book of the author and Thanks to my dear friend Lori's good words I picked this up. I'd say I'm not disappointed in the least but I felt it could have been better. Hope it improves along the way!
Profile Image for Joshua Kurtz.
447 reviews6 followers
October 29, 2019
I’ve found a new favorite author in Daniel Pierce.. just the right amount of spice and plenty of action to keep the story moving. This is the second series of his that I’ve sunk my teeth into and I’m looking for more!!!
Profile Image for Michael Burnett.
1,263 reviews7 followers
December 6, 2018
Good first book

Good first book can't wait for the next in the series Daniel pierce is a great writer I like a lot of his work
159 reviews1 follower
December 12, 2018
Good start

This is a ok start, I hope that it develops into series worth reading. The second book needs to better to continue reading this series.
59 reviews
December 15, 2018
Fun

This was a great start. I loved the characters.The action was great. I love harem books. Great sex scenes. Keep them coming.
Profile Image for Irizumi.
446 reviews3 followers
December 15, 2018
Great read

Like this book and liked the MC a lot. Didn’t start overpowered and had to work at it to get used to being the chosen one. Looking forward to see what happens next.
577 reviews
December 16, 2018
Great

Defiantly worth your time to read, the effort to. It is awesome adventure fanciful romp through a new world as Alyx grows in his magic and his future.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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