What do you think?
Rate this book
The Illusionist #1
Nomad Soul
If you had to choose between your life and your dreams, would you ever wake up?
Alan Campbell thought he’d gotten his dream job working on a revolutionary VRMMORPG with Osmark Technologies, until the project was canceled. He has one weekend to dive into an untested world full of intrigue, violence, and corruption to prove that Viridian Gate Online works, but the AIs running the game have their own plans for his soul.
Set a year before the events of “Viridian Gate Online: Cataclysm,” The Illusionist: Nomad Soul takes you back to when VGO was just a game, or so it seemed.
From James A. Hunter—author of Viridian Gate Online, Rogue Dungeon, and War God's Mantle—and D.J. Bodden, author of The Black Year Series, comes an epic new entry into the Expanded Universe of Viridian Gate Online that you won't want to put down!
Alan Campbell thought he’d gotten his dream job working on a revolutionary VRMMORPG with Osmark Technologies, until the project was canceled. He has one weekend to dive into an untested world full of intrigue, violence, and corruption to prove that Viridian Gate Online works, but the AIs running the game have their own plans for his soul.
Set a year before the events of “Viridian Gate Online: Cataclysm,” The Illusionist: Nomad Soul takes you back to when VGO was just a game, or so it seemed.
From James A. Hunter—author of Viridian Gate Online, Rogue Dungeon, and War God's Mantle—and D.J. Bodden, author of The Black Year Series, comes an epic new entry into the Expanded Universe of Viridian Gate Online that you won't want to put down!
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 12, 2019
346 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
D.J. Bodden
32 books153 followersD.J. Bodden is a tech-startup COO who writes books because words are magic. He's an avid reader of science-fiction and fantasy, a gamer, a former pilot and coffee trader who's been to every continent but Antarctica. He's been woken up by gunfire, jumped out of helicopters, and climbed medium-sized hills in scorching weather; He likes to make people laugh for the wrong reasons; He tries to sell people grimoires disguised as fiction; He is scared of spiders, and only recently learned to ride a bike.
D.J. lives in Switzerland with his wife and thinks it's important that they should someday be adopted by a fox.
D.J. lives in Switzerland with his wife and thinks it's important that they should someday be adopted by a fox.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 17, 2019
I was really really disappointed by this book. I love the others in the series but these written by other authors are terrible. Hard to follow, confusing in places, the constant shifting back in time without transitions. Confusing shifts in POV.
August 19, 2019
If You Only Read One LitRPG Book, This Should Be It
The writing is smooth and top notch for this genre of book. Well edited.
Does a good job of capturing something of the essence of the dichotomy between dispassionate business decisions and passionate artistic creation in a gaming company. The business guys are always in charge, of course.
The harsh realities of fantasy technology such as nannites magically provide an alternative immersive reality are explored much better than any other book of this genre I’ve ready to date. Testing an imperfect and dangerous nanotech to create the immersive experience, and dealing with a tester who isn’t.
Does a very good job capturing the real-death of someone while they are immersed in the VR world, and the transition. The many who died and didn’t make the transition are only glossed over, could have been dealt with a little more, as its a challenging and tough part of the ground breaking developments the book describes.
Sandra, Robert Osmark’s assistant, has subtle reveals of a possible background working with NSA or CIA, and a military background. She starts to get interested in Alan, and the feeling is mutual, but it really hits home when Alan dies in real life.
Jeff the PHD hardware engineer who is the last person packing up, ends up getting pulled into Alan’s plot to try Viridian Gate Online (VGO) on more time. As things progress Jeff’s background, family, struggles, and angst slowly get revealed.
In game, Alan is a bit of a newb, but this allows showcasing of how much the world with its various guiding AIs revolves around the actions of the lone PC in their world. The personification, and deification of the various overmind AIs is very well thought out and engaging.
Alan befriends and gets guidance from Horace, the beggar who is much more than a beggar. He learns some non-violent ways to get what he wants and start to develop possible class paths. He is assisted and encouraged by a friendly cook who owns a food stall. Alan manages to stumble into rescuing the top generals son/newphew from an assassination, and through that gets pulled into a chain of events enabling him to skip the 2 years normally required for gaining full citizenship in the romanesque society. The military and political structure is all Roman, which gets bit tedious of you aren’t interested in that era of history.
Alan has the beginnings of a romantic interest in game with Thalia, a bar owner who also has a deep and complicated back story, and is the chief assassin for one of the AI/Gods. She ends up looking for the person who foiled the assassination attempt, while simultaneously developing feelings for Alan. Unfortunately she doesn’t stop to think when she finds out Alan is that guy, and she immediately goes into kill everyone craziness.
The book ends kind of abruptly, as Alan gains the first Illusionist level while running from Thalia and the chaos of war.
The writing is smooth and top notch for this genre of book. Well edited.
Does a good job of capturing something of the essence of the dichotomy between dispassionate business decisions and passionate artistic creation in a gaming company. The business guys are always in charge, of course.
The harsh realities of fantasy technology such as nannites magically provide an alternative immersive reality are explored much better than any other book of this genre I’ve ready to date. Testing an imperfect and dangerous nanotech to create the immersive experience, and dealing with a tester who isn’t.
Does a very good job capturing the real-death of someone while they are immersed in the VR world, and the transition. The many who died and didn’t make the transition are only glossed over, could have been dealt with a little more, as its a challenging and tough part of the ground breaking developments the book describes.
Sandra, Robert Osmark’s assistant, has subtle reveals of a possible background working with NSA or CIA, and a military background. She starts to get interested in Alan, and the feeling is mutual, but it really hits home when Alan dies in real life.
Jeff the PHD hardware engineer who is the last person packing up, ends up getting pulled into Alan’s plot to try Viridian Gate Online (VGO) on more time. As things progress Jeff’s background, family, struggles, and angst slowly get revealed.
In game, Alan is a bit of a newb, but this allows showcasing of how much the world with its various guiding AIs revolves around the actions of the lone PC in their world. The personification, and deification of the various overmind AIs is very well thought out and engaging.
Alan befriends and gets guidance from Horace, the beggar who is much more than a beggar. He learns some non-violent ways to get what he wants and start to develop possible class paths. He is assisted and encouraged by a friendly cook who owns a food stall. Alan manages to stumble into rescuing the top generals son/newphew from an assassination, and through that gets pulled into a chain of events enabling him to skip the 2 years normally required for gaining full citizenship in the romanesque society. The military and political structure is all Roman, which gets bit tedious of you aren’t interested in that era of history.
Alan has the beginnings of a romantic interest in game with Thalia, a bar owner who also has a deep and complicated back story, and is the chief assassin for one of the AI/Gods. She ends up looking for the person who foiled the assassination attempt, while simultaneously developing feelings for Alan. Unfortunately she doesn’t stop to think when she finds out Alan is that guy, and she immediately goes into kill everyone craziness.
The book ends kind of abruptly, as Alan gains the first Illusionist level while running from Thalia and the chaos of war.
April 26, 2020
Nomad Soul is a great addition to the Viridian Gate Online world. This a book that you can totally read with absolutely no knowledge of VGO. You don’t have to read the six other books in the series to understand what this one is about. If you like this book as much as I did, do yourself a favor and read the whole series. You won’t be disappointed.
I was totally stoked about this story line. We get to see the re-introduction of Alan Campbell and learn more about his back story. This story predates A Final Kindness from VGO Side Quests and fills out Allan’s Character well. The action, fighting and training scenes were extremely well written. I was really drawn in by the plot and developed a great affection for many of the characters. There were some unexpected plot twists that I am still pondering. This book left me with a ton of questions about the overminds and their motivations. Those questions are awesome food for thought and really make me want to know what happens next
I was totally stoked about this story line. We get to see the re-introduction of Alan Campbell and learn more about his back story. This story predates A Final Kindness from VGO Side Quests and fills out Allan’s Character well. The action, fighting and training scenes were extremely well written. I was really drawn in by the plot and developed a great affection for many of the characters. There were some unexpected plot twists that I am still pondering. This book left me with a ton of questions about the overminds and their motivations. Those questions are awesome food for thought and really make me want to know what happens next
March 4, 2019
I've never read D.J. Bodden's work before. In fact, I picked this book up because it's another addition to the Viridian Gate Online universe, and the chosen class at the center of the story interested me. That said, it did not disappoint in the slightest. The style of writing was *just* different enough from the main story with Grim Jack so that it felt like a new character, but the book had the same kind of pacing, the same level of detail and immersion, and added so much new material to the background of VGO that I can't help but wonder about what else is possible in this universe. We get a deeper look at the workings of the Empire, and another angle to how classes are chosen...or maybe "discovered" is a better way to say it. Either way, it was totally enjoyable and I immediately preordered Book 2 as soon as I could. Very well done!
April 5, 2019
This was my first introduction to this world. What can I say? I want more.
As a long time gamer and even longer time fantasy reader, this is my jam. I GET Alan. I'm a fixer at work myself. His choices make sense. And really want to know how his story ends.
Like I said: I want more.
As a long time gamer and even longer time fantasy reader, this is my jam. I GET Alan. I'm a fixer at work myself. His choices make sense. And really want to know how his story ends.
Like I said: I want more.
February 12, 2020
What happens when the AIs you create to run the world’s first VR MMORPG are method actors who take their roles entirely too seriously? Alan Campbell, and perhaps the rest of the world, is about to find out.
LitRPG is a hot genre at present. Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One is probably the most successful book largely about videogames, and lots and lots of other authors are chasing that success. I find my enjoyment of such books tends to vary inversely with how much time the author spends trying to recapitulate the mechanics of logging into a computer and interacting with the user interface of a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game. Fortunately, D. J. Bodden’s Nomad Soul is not that style of book.
To start, Alan Campbell is not your typical LitRPG protagonist. Sure, he likes videogames, but he is an HR generalist. I find that a bold choice, which has interesting downstream consequences. This is the second of Bodden’s books that I have reviewed, and I find that Bodden has a talent for characterization that I enjoy. Alan is not an engineer, or any other kind of technical specialty. His primary skill in life is smooth-talking, and this bleeds over into Viridian Gate when he bullies the lead hardware engineer into letting him login into the game after an all-hands meeting by the CEO and founder declares the project is dead.
Perhaps it is easier to avoid such a focus on game mechanics when Alan doesn’t have any natural inclination to solve problems by killing them. Fortunately the whole world within Viridian Gate is setup to allow for this. The world design has a pseudo-Classical flair, and a group of AIs modeled on pagan deities of the Mediterranean world run the game dynamically, allowing the game to adjust on the fly to what players do. Which means that Alan very much can succeed at talking his way out of problems. Most of the time.
In a refreshing change from many LitRPG style books, Alan doesn’t quickly become an unstoppable monster in the game, leveling up beyond all reason. Rather, when he does get in a fight, he tends to be beaten badly. He needs the help of others to survive, and to actually play out his role to do so. The capabilities of the AIs that run the game world make this possible, but their very capability has a hint of menace behind it. The AIs are not Three Laws safe. In fact, I get the impression that no one ever thought to ask that question, which fits in with the portrayal of startup culture within the book. In much the same way that Elon Musk has never heard of a process engineer or what they might do for Tesla, Robert Osmark doesn’t seem particularly interested in what might happen if the AIs you programmed to be gods start acting as if they were, as long as the game ships on time.
Nonetheless, I kind of want to play this game. Like Soda Pop Soldier, this game sounds like an amazing experience. It has that whiff of adventure that our world often lacks. Alan clearly feels the same way. The Victorian period strikes me like that. Not safe, at all, but possibly more fun. It helps that the part of the game Alan interacts with is ”More Roman than fantasy MMO” in the words of Robert’s assistant. In game, it is called Imperial, but the time period New Viridia is modeled on seems more like the Middle Republic period. Their social mores are harsh, but also just. The army is mostly composed of citizen levies among families of property, much like the Polybian army. However, unlike the real Rome, New Viridia appears to lack the structural causes that pushed Rome into endless war. In fact, their military has gone a bit to seed, although the have maintained a cadre for future expansion.
Out in the real world, Robert Osmark’s company has some shady connections. This actually feels about right too, insofar as anything the CIA tends to be involved in domestically is a bit of a cluster. See, for example the Church Committee. The CIA has operators, but they tend to be a little too whack or not quite good enough to be in special forces. Silicon valley in general owes its existence to defense contracts, so this is par for the course. And I haven’t even gotten to the ending, which was enough to keep me up at night after I read it. Bodden somehow managed to do something both entirely expected and unexpected at the same time. I hesitate to reveal more, since in de novo reviews I at least try not to give too much away. However, I can say I really liked this book, and I look forward to seeing what trouble Alan gets into next.
I received a copy of this book from the author’s publicist.
LitRPG is a hot genre at present. Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One is probably the most successful book largely about videogames, and lots and lots of other authors are chasing that success. I find my enjoyment of such books tends to vary inversely with how much time the author spends trying to recapitulate the mechanics of logging into a computer and interacting with the user interface of a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game. Fortunately, D. J. Bodden’s Nomad Soul is not that style of book.
To start, Alan Campbell is not your typical LitRPG protagonist. Sure, he likes videogames, but he is an HR generalist. I find that a bold choice, which has interesting downstream consequences. This is the second of Bodden’s books that I have reviewed, and I find that Bodden has a talent for characterization that I enjoy. Alan is not an engineer, or any other kind of technical specialty. His primary skill in life is smooth-talking, and this bleeds over into Viridian Gate when he bullies the lead hardware engineer into letting him login into the game after an all-hands meeting by the CEO and founder declares the project is dead.
Perhaps it is easier to avoid such a focus on game mechanics when Alan doesn’t have any natural inclination to solve problems by killing them. Fortunately the whole world within Viridian Gate is setup to allow for this. The world design has a pseudo-Classical flair, and a group of AIs modeled on pagan deities of the Mediterranean world run the game dynamically, allowing the game to adjust on the fly to what players do. Which means that Alan very much can succeed at talking his way out of problems. Most of the time.
In a refreshing change from many LitRPG style books, Alan doesn’t quickly become an unstoppable monster in the game, leveling up beyond all reason. Rather, when he does get in a fight, he tends to be beaten badly. He needs the help of others to survive, and to actually play out his role to do so. The capabilities of the AIs that run the game world make this possible, but their very capability has a hint of menace behind it. The AIs are not Three Laws safe. In fact, I get the impression that no one ever thought to ask that question, which fits in with the portrayal of startup culture within the book. In much the same way that Elon Musk has never heard of a process engineer or what they might do for Tesla, Robert Osmark doesn’t seem particularly interested in what might happen if the AIs you programmed to be gods start acting as if they were, as long as the game ships on time.
Nonetheless, I kind of want to play this game. Like Soda Pop Soldier, this game sounds like an amazing experience. It has that whiff of adventure that our world often lacks. Alan clearly feels the same way. The Victorian period strikes me like that. Not safe, at all, but possibly more fun. It helps that the part of the game Alan interacts with is ”More Roman than fantasy MMO” in the words of Robert’s assistant. In game, it is called Imperial, but the time period New Viridia is modeled on seems more like the Middle Republic period. Their social mores are harsh, but also just. The army is mostly composed of citizen levies among families of property, much like the Polybian army. However, unlike the real Rome, New Viridia appears to lack the structural causes that pushed Rome into endless war. In fact, their military has gone a bit to seed, although the have maintained a cadre for future expansion.
Out in the real world, Robert Osmark’s company has some shady connections. This actually feels about right too, insofar as anything the CIA tends to be involved in domestically is a bit of a cluster. See, for example the Church Committee. The CIA has operators, but they tend to be a little too whack or not quite good enough to be in special forces. Silicon valley in general owes its existence to defense contracts, so this is par for the course. And I haven’t even gotten to the ending, which was enough to keep me up at night after I read it. Bodden somehow managed to do something both entirely expected and unexpected at the same time. I hesitate to reveal more, since in de novo reviews I at least try not to give too much away. However, I can say I really liked this book, and I look forward to seeing what trouble Alan gets into next.
I received a copy of this book from the author’s publicist.
February 13, 2019
The Beginning of the Nomad Soul Series and VGO Expanded Universe
This is truly a masterfully written story. I without a doubt recomend that everyone pick this story up and read it because you will not be disappointed.
Now a little mild spoilers.....
This story is from the view point of Alan, he worked for Osmark back before VGO was even a thing really. He makes his mark in the company by saving VGO.... To find out how he saves it your just gonna have to read the story yourself and find out.
The character development in the story is phenomenal in my opinion, I truly enjoyed how much we get to truly "see" from Alan's perspective and viewpoint. He truly becomes himself in the game.
The world is brought to life so vibrantly and vividly through DJ's wonderful storytelling. I picked this book up this morning and read it all the way through. Just like every other story in the VGO Universe I wasnt able to put it down until I was done with it.
Without a doubt this is a must read and buy book.
This is truly a masterfully written story. I without a doubt recomend that everyone pick this story up and read it because you will not be disappointed.
Now a little mild spoilers.....
This story is from the view point of Alan, he worked for Osmark back before VGO was even a thing really. He makes his mark in the company by saving VGO.... To find out how he saves it your just gonna have to read the story yourself and find out.
The character development in the story is phenomenal in my opinion, I truly enjoyed how much we get to truly "see" from Alan's perspective and viewpoint. He truly becomes himself in the game.
The world is brought to life so vibrantly and vividly through DJ's wonderful storytelling. I picked this book up this morning and read it all the way through. Just like every other story in the VGO Universe I wasnt able to put it down until I was done with it.
Without a doubt this is a must read and buy book.
December 7, 2019
This book is so good I love the entire series and all of the side book but this one was just wow! Every character from gork to the main character they are all amazingly well-written and breathe life into the story. I also like the prequels perspective I was always interested in Robert Osmark and his team and this is just another amazing look into those amazing characters. The action is not a huge focal point in this book however when it's there it's extremely well-written. The narrator did an absolutely phenomenal job with all the different voices and different inflections for all the characters. In a nutshell, you should read this book you will not regret it in the slightest.
April 6, 2020
I'm a fan of VGO. But apparently only when it's written by the original author. This left something to be desired.
July 22, 2021
Re-read 2021 Thoughts:
Still stands up as an entry point into the VGO universe with a slow and steady introduction into the Imperial (aka Roman-inspired) race, plus some decent character building for side characters like Jeff (who is probably actually my favorite for how he's fleshed out in such an empathetic way) and the blind beggar Horace. What still bothered me, maybe more so now, are the female characters, character relationships and sudden changes in characters' personalities.
So I liked it, but also found it confusing and a tad problematic when it comes to how females are written about.
------
Original Review 2019:
I haven't delved much into LitRPG - too much dudebro language, knowing references, and the habit of making everything about Epic Battles for Mighty Prizes using the Legendary Flamberge of Destruction+3...
Just for clarity, this book does not do this. Sure, there's a knowing reference or two, maybe some language and lore that's geared more towards the gamer community, but as a part-time gamer I was able to keep up with what was going on without feeling alienated. As a newbie to the Viridian Gate Online universe, it kept things pretty easy to understand, even if I did wish there was that mainstay of fantasy/geek fiction: the glossary (because retaining everything about fantasy races/deities/factions can be a bit of an ask).
It's the story of Alan, a middle HR management sort of man working with the team creating Viridian Gate Online. He's a gamer, nothing too tech-head, and is just about as enthused by the possibility of a serious immersive VR MMO as the next geek... Only dev has been cancelled. It's making people ill. Boss Robert Osmark is having to pull the plug under orders from the board. But of course, Alan's not having that. With a little help from technical wizard Jeff, he volunteers to be unofficial tester just to prove it's possible. And of course, it works. He's in the game, learning how to function in a full realised fantasy world. So realised in fact that he's accidentally-on-purpose in the middle of machinations he couldn't even begin to fathom. And it's not just the AI Overminds who find that the world they're ruling over just became a bit more interesting...
Answer to why this works: Alan. He's knowing but still a newb. His journey into the game is the perfect easing in to a new and strange-yet-familiar game world. He's snarky, but not overly so; clever, but not unbelievably. He's an average older gamer, still in it for the lols but it's also the ideas that draw him in rather than just looking for the next big adrenaline rush. As such, this story isn't all swords and sorcery. If anything, it's more tutorial stage but don't let that put you off. It's slow, but with purpose. We learn as Alan learns, even if we're gifted some asides from different perspectives. This can lead to characters repeating explanations of things in close succession - a bit about Roman style spears springs to mind - but hey, we get two different views on the same thing so it's bound to happen.
The down sides are few, but may be worth mentioning:
> Game lore, or at least, the need to remember it. The game is ruled by AIs who are in-game gods with their own portfolios of responsibilities and relationships. There's also some history bits, which could feel a bit eye-glazing considering I didn't recognise people/place/race/faction names. Frustrating to say the least when you think something is a character's name, then turns out to be their title...
> Character motivations. They aren't always clear, and unfortunately not in the clever tricksy way. Like Alan going from sadface at possible re-deployment to suddenly going in the game - where did that come from? I know they had to get him in the game because narrative reasons, but it wasn't clear what his reasons were.
> Female characters. Sandra and Thalia, and while not terrible characterisations, felt very male-gaze. You know the type that turns up in RPGs and Wizards of the Coast novels; attractive, attracted to a certain sorta-hero, and deadly in their own role-specific way. I just didn't get them. Having power to give them agency doesn't always mean they have depth of character.
> ...Leave No Man's Sky alone.
But positives include an engaging narration, a game world that while starting small in the Imperial (read: Roman) capital of Viridia promises much bigger things, and a whole host of political/personal intrigues both in and out of the game... It's a good 'un. A little more clarification here and there for the uninitiated (or just plain forgetful) and it'd be an even more polished read.
Indie fiction rarely reads this well. Log in? After the series starter, I'm ready for more VGO.
-I won a copy of this ebook from the publisher's newsletter. Views and pleasant surprise at enjoying it as much as I did remains my own-
Still stands up as an entry point into the VGO universe with a slow and steady introduction into the Imperial (aka Roman-inspired) race, plus some decent character building for side characters like Jeff (who is probably actually my favorite for how he's fleshed out in such an empathetic way) and the blind beggar Horace. What still bothered me, maybe more so now, are the female characters, character relationships and sudden changes in characters' personalities.
So I liked it, but also found it confusing and a tad problematic when it comes to how females are written about.
------
Original Review 2019:
I haven't delved much into LitRPG - too much dudebro language, knowing references, and the habit of making everything about Epic Battles for Mighty Prizes using the Legendary Flamberge of Destruction+3...
Just for clarity, this book does not do this. Sure, there's a knowing reference or two, maybe some language and lore that's geared more towards the gamer community, but as a part-time gamer I was able to keep up with what was going on without feeling alienated. As a newbie to the Viridian Gate Online universe, it kept things pretty easy to understand, even if I did wish there was that mainstay of fantasy/geek fiction: the glossary (because retaining everything about fantasy races/deities/factions can be a bit of an ask).
It's the story of Alan, a middle HR management sort of man working with the team creating Viridian Gate Online. He's a gamer, nothing too tech-head, and is just about as enthused by the possibility of a serious immersive VR MMO as the next geek... Only dev has been cancelled. It's making people ill. Boss Robert Osmark is having to pull the plug under orders from the board. But of course, Alan's not having that. With a little help from technical wizard Jeff, he volunteers to be unofficial tester just to prove it's possible. And of course, it works. He's in the game, learning how to function in a full realised fantasy world. So realised in fact that he's accidentally-on-purpose in the middle of machinations he couldn't even begin to fathom. And it's not just the AI Overminds who find that the world they're ruling over just became a bit more interesting...
Answer to why this works: Alan. He's knowing but still a newb. His journey into the game is the perfect easing in to a new and strange-yet-familiar game world. He's snarky, but not overly so; clever, but not unbelievably. He's an average older gamer, still in it for the lols but it's also the ideas that draw him in rather than just looking for the next big adrenaline rush. As such, this story isn't all swords and sorcery. If anything, it's more tutorial stage but don't let that put you off. It's slow, but with purpose. We learn as Alan learns, even if we're gifted some asides from different perspectives. This can lead to characters repeating explanations of things in close succession - a bit about Roman style spears springs to mind - but hey, we get two different views on the same thing so it's bound to happen.
The down sides are few, but may be worth mentioning:
> Game lore, or at least, the need to remember it. The game is ruled by AIs who are in-game gods with their own portfolios of responsibilities and relationships. There's also some history bits, which could feel a bit eye-glazing considering I didn't recognise people/place/race/faction names. Frustrating to say the least when you think something is a character's name, then turns out to be their title...
> Character motivations. They aren't always clear, and unfortunately not in the clever tricksy way. Like Alan going from sadface at possible re-deployment to suddenly going in the game - where did that come from? I know they had to get him in the game because narrative reasons, but it wasn't clear what his reasons were.
> Female characters. Sandra and Thalia, and while not terrible characterisations, felt very male-gaze. You know the type that turns up in RPGs and Wizards of the Coast novels; attractive, attracted to a certain sorta-hero, and deadly in their own role-specific way. I just didn't get them. Having power to give them agency doesn't always mean they have depth of character.
> ...Leave No Man's Sky alone.
But positives include an engaging narration, a game world that while starting small in the Imperial (read: Roman) capital of Viridia promises much bigger things, and a whole host of political/personal intrigues both in and out of the game... It's a good 'un. A little more clarification here and there for the uninitiated (or just plain forgetful) and it'd be an even more polished read.
Indie fiction rarely reads this well. Log in? After the series starter, I'm ready for more VGO.
-I won a copy of this ebook from the publisher's newsletter. Views and pleasant surprise at enjoying it as much as I did remains my own-
October 31, 2019
The characters are surprisingly progressive, the game world is great but the circumstance is questionable. Great book and if the original series wasn't audible exclusive I would have definitely started that one as well.
December 3, 2024
surprisingly addictive
The VGO original series was a challenge for myself, I wanted to escape into a different genre. I am NOT a gamer, although I’ve saved the princess more than 10 times in the original Super Mario Bro :)
I didn’t realize how many books were in the series, and I felt defeated on book 5, knowing there were more than 15 more ahead of me! Battle classes are not my thing, and I was not going to read 22 books in a row about never ending war.
There was so much clever layering of character development, and the storylines were interesting enough to keep me in “smut mode.” That’s when I read romance books and find the word “turgid” or “heated gaze”. I start flipping the page and pick the story back up when everyone wakes up and starts being interesting again. In the VGO battles, I was able to skim and keep up without being distracted by the “war smut.”
I have found that even skimming the battles, there are parts that I do enjoy. None of that in the Illusionist. I didn’t skip a sentence during the leveling up, I was interested and invested in the proficiency points…. In short, who knew?
I am SO GLAD I preserved after the initial storyline was resolved. This was a totally different litRPG experience, with plenty of Easter eggs and fun POV changes that kept me at the edge of my seat.
The VGO original series was a challenge for myself, I wanted to escape into a different genre. I am NOT a gamer, although I’ve saved the princess more than 10 times in the original Super Mario Bro :)
I didn’t realize how many books were in the series, and I felt defeated on book 5, knowing there were more than 15 more ahead of me! Battle classes are not my thing, and I was not going to read 22 books in a row about never ending war.
There was so much clever layering of character development, and the storylines were interesting enough to keep me in “smut mode.” That’s when I read romance books and find the word “turgid” or “heated gaze”. I start flipping the page and pick the story back up when everyone wakes up and starts being interesting again. In the VGO battles, I was able to skim and keep up without being distracted by the “war smut.”
I have found that even skimming the battles, there are parts that I do enjoy. None of that in the Illusionist. I didn’t skip a sentence during the leveling up, I was interested and invested in the proficiency points…. In short, who knew?
I am SO GLAD I preserved after the initial storyline was resolved. This was a totally different litRPG experience, with plenty of Easter eggs and fun POV changes that kept me at the edge of my seat.
January 31, 2019
This is the first book in the series The Illusionist which is like a prequel series to Viridian Gate Online, and takes place way before. The premise of this novel is really original in that the Viridian project was being closed down indefinitely as gamers testing out the game where feeling ill and threatening to sue the company after their experience online. Osmark Technologies could not afford to let this happen, but for many Viridian was their dream, and they found it inconceivable that the game be put on hold for 2 years or more. Alan, a manager with Osmark, was one such gamer and he was ready to put all he had to save the game and the company he worked for. So he voluntarily plugged himself in and he had the most sublime gaming experience of his life, till things went completely out of hand both online and in real life!! This is a book lovers of litRPG just have to read, there is so much going on at both levels that one starts to forget what is real life, and what is just a game! The Overminds of the game, ie. the Gods even start adding things to the game of their own volition which makes one ask was Viridian ever just a game?
February 17, 2019
This prequel to the Viridian Gate Online series is very enjoyable.
Alan Campbell, one of the team working on VGO, is told that the game is being shut down for the foreseeable future. Determined to get the girl he fancies, and be great in the eyes of the Big Kahuna of the company, Campbell decides to get plugged into the game himself. However, not everything is completely straightforward. This - really - makes you think about the role of AIs in gaming. Find out more by reading it yourself, as I am not going to spoil it for you.
Well-written, intelligently put together, entertaining, and held my attention for the most part.
I won an ecopy of this book which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own.
Alan Campbell, one of the team working on VGO, is told that the game is being shut down for the foreseeable future. Determined to get the girl he fancies, and be great in the eyes of the Big Kahuna of the company, Campbell decides to get plugged into the game himself. However, not everything is completely straightforward. This - really - makes you think about the role of AIs in gaming. Find out more by reading it yourself, as I am not going to spoil it for you.
Well-written, intelligently put together, entertaining, and held my attention for the most part.
I won an ecopy of this book which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own.
January 23, 2020
Very different from the other LitRPG books I've read. The virtual world in the book is not yet out to the public and is in fact about to be shut down. The pace is a little slower than your typical LitRPG novels but I truly enjoyed the character development and the idea that multiple AI's are like the gods of the NPC's. Also, the class the MC ends up getting and the way it was obtained is something that I haven't come across before. I am truly loving this and have already started the second book. Oh, and also, mad props to the author and that scene where Alan knows what consent sounds like and it isn't when someone is drunk. It was smoothly added without soap boxing the issue.
February 12, 2019
An Enticing Submersion
I was on the fence with this book as hiw could the VGO world come alive outside it but the clips we see of events leading up to VGO going live during the Far the destruction was exceedingly well thought out and executed.
Our main MC soon becomes an important part of the fabric as does the events which allow for tweaking of the Game as we getsbsubtle hints that fans will more than appreciate. This book carrys its own flavour but fits into the universe with ease.
Because of this then I'm giving 5 stars and awaiting the 2nd book
I was on the fence with this book as hiw could the VGO world come alive outside it but the clips we see of events leading up to VGO going live during the Far the destruction was exceedingly well thought out and executed.
Our main MC soon becomes an important part of the fabric as does the events which allow for tweaking of the Game as we getsbsubtle hints that fans will more than appreciate. This book carrys its own flavour but fits into the universe with ease.
Because of this then I'm giving 5 stars and awaiting the 2nd book
March 7, 2019
Another enthralling book in this universe
As one who has read the other VGO books, the backstory on the world, Osmark, and Sandra was welcome and enlightening. It was also quite a different experience reading through the experience of someone who didn’t have a min/max exploit plan for the world.
As one who has read the other VGO books, the backstory on the world, Osmark, and Sandra was welcome and enlightening. It was also quite a different experience reading through the experience of someone who didn’t have a min/max exploit plan for the world.
April 4, 2019
Bought as a result of a Facebook ad, and liking the sample chapter, this was a very engaging read. Clearly part of a ‘shared world’ series, I really enjoyed it.
Shades of Larry Niven’s ‘Dream Park’ trilogy, we follow the protagonist as he steps into a virtual reality MMORPG. And is unable to step out!
Shades of Larry Niven’s ‘Dream Park’ trilogy, we follow the protagonist as he steps into a virtual reality MMORPG. And is unable to step out!
January 1, 2020
A prequel that you start not knowing anything about the people but it still had me interested from the beginning rather than confused trying to figure out who is who and whats going on. I admit I should have read the description for a heads up but I love the series so got it on the VGO name alone and was not disapointed
January 22, 2020
A Total Gold Mine
I wasn’t really interested in the VGO series and don’t know why or what I purchased with this book and started reading it out of boredom while waiting in a doctor’s office. This turned out to be a frigging gold mine. I love this book! Great characters and an awesome plot. I am off to get the rest of the series.
I wasn’t really interested in the VGO series and don’t know why or what I purchased with this book and started reading it out of boredom while waiting in a doctor’s office. This turned out to be a frigging gold mine. I love this book! Great characters and an awesome plot. I am off to get the rest of the series.
May 31, 2020
Great new story line
I really enjoyed watching the story develop. All and exploration of this new world was cool. I did not follow why or how Allan died at all. Figuring I Some how missed it I went back and re-read parts. Nope I didn't miss it, that part of the story just wasn't there. Good story
I really enjoyed watching the story develop. All and exploration of this new world was cool. I did not follow why or how Allan died at all. Figuring I Some how missed it I went back and re-read parts. Nope I didn't miss it, that part of the story just wasn't there. Good story
April 10, 2024
Fair but hard to follow plot
***** This is my opinion but in the reading order this should be the first set to read not the order the author suggested, if read in the suggested order everything else becomes prequel. I think if I didn't read the suggested order I probably would have continued reading after this series but honestly it got boring.. just very disappointed
***** This is my opinion but in the reading order this should be the first set to read not the order the author suggested, if read in the suggested order everything else becomes prequel. I think if I didn't read the suggested order I probably would have continued reading after this series but honestly it got boring.. just very disappointed
April 13, 2019
VGO is definitely one of my favorite litRPG series and I love this new, to me, adventure in The Illusionist. I am certainly looking forward to book 2 in this series because I can hardly wait to discover what happens next! I highly recommend it and all of the VGO books.
Read via Kindle Unlimited
Read via Kindle Unlimited
April 16, 2019
Excellent addition to V.G.O.
This is more a prequel than a side story to the V.G.O. series. It was well written, with an intriguing storyline that captured me rapidly. Definitely recommended.
This is more a prequel than a side story to the V.G.O. series. It was well written, with an intriguing storyline that captured me rapidly. Definitely recommended.
April 23, 2019
Fun
I loved the prequel to Virginian Gate Online. It was wonderful seeing the people and company try and figure out how to deal with the problems I knew were coming down the pipe. Enjoy.
I loved the prequel to Virginian Gate Online. It was wonderful seeing the people and company try and figure out how to deal with the problems I knew were coming down the pipe. Enjoy.
October 23, 2019
VGO history
What happened in the years before the game existed? How did some of the machinations reported in the main story start. This series answers some of these questions through the eyes of the first player in the game - before it was released.
What happened in the years before the game existed? How did some of the machinations reported in the main story start. This series answers some of these questions through the eyes of the first player in the game - before it was released.
November 9, 2019
This was an enjoyable story that takes place almost as much outside the world as in, centering around the early development of Viridian Gate Online and the way consciousness upload is discovered. Lots of fun.
December 20, 2021
Definitely Different
I've read over 10 other VGO books and this one was so different than all of them. Multiple view points, and a completely different time frame, most notably, but enjoyable nonetheless! Another great addition to a great series!
I've read over 10 other VGO books and this one was so different than all of them. Multiple view points, and a completely different time frame, most notably, but enjoyable nonetheless! Another great addition to a great series!
August 9, 2023
Better than the original series! Really enjoy the deep dive I to Os-tech developing the game and the first test player, Alan. Really dives into why Jeff, Alan, Sandra, and Osmark have the … interesting relationships they do in the main series.
February 15, 2019
Great Addition
DJ Bodden has arrived! Fantastic addition to the Viridian Gate series. Great backstory here on the early days of the universe.
DJ Bodden has arrived! Fantastic addition to the Viridian Gate series. Great backstory here on the early days of the universe.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews