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Ten Realms #4
The Fourth Realm
The Battlefield Realm. A realm where sects rise and fall where the ground trembles under the feet of fighters from the higher realms.
Where riches are gained and Empires lost.
This is where Erik and Rugrat must go if they want to increase their strength, to increase the strength of Alva. They say that fortune favors the bold. This is the Ten Realms. To the Victor go the spoils.
The Fourth Realm will change their lives, or end them.
Where riches are gained and Empires lost.
This is where Erik and Rugrat must go if they want to increase their strength, to increase the strength of Alva. They say that fortune favors the bold. This is the Ten Realms. To the Victor go the spoils.
The Fourth Realm will change their lives, or end them.
893 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 22, 2019
1463 people are currently reading
431 people want to read
About the author
Michael Chatfield
69 books1,393 followersMichael Chatfield is a Canadian Army veteran and international bestselling author who writes the kind of books he always wanted to read—character-driven, gritty, tactical, and grounded in reality.
He doesn’t write one-dimensional killers wrapped in plot armor, charging toward an objective without thought. His stories are built for readers who want earned progression, tight, understandable logic, and realistic strategy. Every stat system has structure. Every decision is deliberate (except when there is Jaeger involved).
And the pacing? It's locked at two hundred percent. From alleyway brawls to starship armadas clashing over galactic sovereignty, from tactical dungeon assaults to city-states warring over a continent’s fate—Chatfield commits to every battle like it’s his last.
With millions of books and audiobooks sold, and tens of thousands of reviews his work spans LitRPG, military sci-fi, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic survival. He writes for readers who value systems that make sense, loyalty that lasts, and power that’s earned, not handed out.
Whether you're listening on a long drive, grinding through a shift, or up past midnight planning the next in-game raid—this is where you’ll find sagas to binge. Where strength is earned, logic rules, and camaraderie is forged in fire.
You can connect with him on Patreon and don't forget to follow him on social media!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/authormichael...
Website: http://michaelchatfield.com/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authormichael...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormicha...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormichae...
Facebook Group: The Chatfield Connection - https://www.facebook.com/groups/37693...
He doesn’t write one-dimensional killers wrapped in plot armor, charging toward an objective without thought. His stories are built for readers who want earned progression, tight, understandable logic, and realistic strategy. Every stat system has structure. Every decision is deliberate (except when there is Jaeger involved).
And the pacing? It's locked at two hundred percent. From alleyway brawls to starship armadas clashing over galactic sovereignty, from tactical dungeon assaults to city-states warring over a continent’s fate—Chatfield commits to every battle like it’s his last.
With millions of books and audiobooks sold, and tens of thousands of reviews his work spans LitRPG, military sci-fi, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic survival. He writes for readers who value systems that make sense, loyalty that lasts, and power that’s earned, not handed out.
Whether you're listening on a long drive, grinding through a shift, or up past midnight planning the next in-game raid—this is where you’ll find sagas to binge. Where strength is earned, logic rules, and camaraderie is forged in fire.
You can connect with him on Patreon and don't forget to follow him on social media!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/authormichael...
Website: http://michaelchatfield.com/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authormichael...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormicha...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormichae...
Facebook Group: The Chatfield Connection - https://www.facebook.com/groups/37693...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 293 reviews
March 24, 2019
Not worth the price
For being a long time fan not just of this series but the authors other works as well I have to say that I'm very disappointed in this work. While the story remains excellent the production has gone downhill with an increase in price. For a book that costs as much as some paperbacks there should be no editing issues but this book is riddled with them to the point that it's distracting. If this trend continues then I'll regretfully have to stop spending my money on something that obviously wasn't even proof read.
For being a long time fan not just of this series but the authors other works as well I have to say that I'm very disappointed in this work. While the story remains excellent the production has gone downhill with an increase in price. For a book that costs as much as some paperbacks there should be no editing issues but this book is riddled with them to the point that it's distracting. If this trend continues then I'll regretfully have to stop spending my money on something that obviously wasn't even proof read.
March 22, 2019
Story: 4 stars. Great.
Everything else: -1 stars. The book is completely riddled with spelling errors, grammar errors and typos (the author doesn't even maintain consistency on which terms/names are capitalized). There are so many glaring errors that they completely distract from the book's story.
Like many LitRPG authors who self publish, the author desperately needs an editor / proofreader.
Everything else: -1 stars. The book is completely riddled with spelling errors, grammar errors and typos (the author doesn't even maintain consistency on which terms/names are capitalized). There are so many glaring errors that they completely distract from the book's story.
Like many LitRPG authors who self publish, the author desperately needs an editor / proofreader.
January 30, 2023
It's a long series, read them in order.
We know the realms and the players well-enough to be prepared what to expect. Rugrat and Erik are careful planners, so the first third (or so) is preparations; training up an army to take into the battlefield realm. It only makes sense. And, of course, things don't go as expected. In both positive and negative ways.
I liked this one a lot. The plot was active, we don't see a lot of the new realm, but we get a detailed picture of a piece of it and the dynamic of the realm overall. I really like the discoveries and exploiting those resources from our heroes. It's everything I've come to expect of this power-fantasy series. In the best ways.
I'm going with all five stars again because it kept me engaged and delivered what I wanted/expected (with enough surprise to keep it interesting).
A note about Chaste: Rugrat gets some this time! It's still all behind closed doors. So it's still very chaste with only oblique references to shenanigans.
We know the realms and the players well-enough to be prepared what to expect. Rugrat and Erik are careful planners, so the first third (or so) is preparations; training up an army to take into the battlefield realm. It only makes sense. And, of course, things don't go as expected. In both positive and negative ways.
I liked this one a lot. The plot was active, we don't see a lot of the new realm, but we get a detailed picture of a piece of it and the dynamic of the realm overall. I really like the discoveries and exploiting those resources from our heroes. It's everything I've come to expect of this power-fantasy series. In the best ways.
I'm going with all five stars again because it kept me engaged and delivered what I wanted/expected (with enough surprise to keep it interesting).
A note about Chaste: Rugrat gets some this time! It's still all behind closed doors. So it's still very chaste with only oblique references to shenanigans.
September 5, 2021
Ooooweeeee, my besties saving cities and winning wars! Heck yeah!!
May 24, 2020
I’m frankly a bit disappointed with this one. They spend what feels like half the book on a single battle and it’s incredibly drawn out. There isn’t any advancement in cultivation and things just kind of happen. The shift to modern day fighting styles is a bit weird and forced, their capabilities with production doesn’t make much sense. Looking forward to them finding more people from earth but I need a break before starting the fifth book.
The time spent on other characters besides the main duo is getting too high as well, and I heard that it gets even worse in the fifth book. I think I’m officially dropping this series, maybe if I ever run out of good LitRPG I’ll come back but for now this one just isn’t holding up.
4/10
The time spent on other characters besides the main duo is getting too high as well, and I heard that it gets even worse in the fifth book. I think I’m officially dropping this series, maybe if I ever run out of good LitRPG I’ll come back but for now this one just isn’t holding up.
4/10
April 16, 2019
The copy that I got from amazon was an Unproofread version of the book and no update is available. The author claimed amazon posted the wrong version but after contacting him he made no attempt to send me a good copy. Frustrating. It’s a good book but the version I got was almost unreadable with multiple errors per page.
September 13, 2019
Good entry in the series, still in desperate need of editing
I love these books, the story is fun, the characters are interesting and the focus on crafting in the series has always been awesome. I will probably continue to read this series as long as the author writes it. That said it's frustrating to be 4 books deep into a series and encounter the kind of problems the writing in this book has. Nearly every review makes note of the grammatical and technical writing issues in these books. My own reviews are no different. One of my favorite elements of the series so far has been how well the author executes action scenes, so i was excited to see how that would go when this entry takes place in a realm that's focused entirely on battle. While the action doesn't disappoint it frequently becomes muddled and difficult to understand some of whats going on, to the point where an apparently important secondary character is killed in action and i couldn't say which one it was. Grammarly has a free version that could catch a significant number of these errors. I report them as frequently as I can when reading but I'm no editor. The author should definitely be proud of the story he's telling... but he should show some pride in how he writes it too.
I love these books, the story is fun, the characters are interesting and the focus on crafting in the series has always been awesome. I will probably continue to read this series as long as the author writes it. That said it's frustrating to be 4 books deep into a series and encounter the kind of problems the writing in this book has. Nearly every review makes note of the grammatical and technical writing issues in these books. My own reviews are no different. One of my favorite elements of the series so far has been how well the author executes action scenes, so i was excited to see how that would go when this entry takes place in a realm that's focused entirely on battle. While the action doesn't disappoint it frequently becomes muddled and difficult to understand some of whats going on, to the point where an apparently important secondary character is killed in action and i couldn't say which one it was. Grammarly has a free version that could catch a significant number of these errors. I report them as frequently as I can when reading but I'm no editor. The author should definitely be proud of the story he's telling... but he should show some pride in how he writes it too.
June 11, 2019
Extremely entertaining story.
I truly enjoy this series and I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series. The characters are continuing to grow in power and develop into strong archetypes that are interesting and unique. The large scale battles where interesting and the supporting characters are more interesting than before. Overall it was fun to read.
I truly enjoy this series and I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series. The characters are continuing to grow in power and develop into strong archetypes that are interesting and unique. The large scale battles where interesting and the supporting characters are more interesting than before. Overall it was fun to read.
March 22, 2019
It's a okay story line.
The only thing I found lacking was the problem s in spelling. There was about 20 spelling errors. Most of them were in about 4 pages about
The only thing I found lacking was the problem s in spelling. There was about 20 spelling errors. Most of them were in about 4 pages about
October 2, 2020
This series is a guilty pleasure for me. It's not the best written as there is a lot of telling rather than showing, weird expositional dialogue from side characters, and mainly it's in need of a good editor to prune it down to the core elements. However, for all that, it's a great series to just listen to as an audiobook in the back of your mind and just enjoy Eric and Rugrat's journey through the 10 realms as they raise everyone else up around them.
The strength of these books has always been in the constant progression as the characters explore crafting and magic and all that other good stuff.
This book focuses on war and that is never something I enjoy reading about. There is still some progression in terms of growing the character skills but it feels secondary to this big celebration of war that bored me. For war to be interesting it needs stakes and that is something this series has never really had. Don't get me wrong, I'm attached to Rugrats and Eric and I want to follow their journey through the 10 realms. I also really enjoy it when good things happen for them. When they enter into a war for the sake of entering into a war rather than to protect their dungeon or two protect their people, there's just nothing holding my interest in that war.
The other thing with this book is that the cast of characters is getting out of control. I'm not sure I understand who half of the people are in these books and there are whole chapters devoted to POV characters that sometimes I feel I have never even heard of before because they only had very small introductions.
Therefore while this series has always been a guilty pleasure for me and I don't ever take it too seriously this book missed the mark. Hopefully, the next book gets back on target.
The strength of these books has always been in the constant progression as the characters explore crafting and magic and all that other good stuff.
This book focuses on war and that is never something I enjoy reading about. There is still some progression in terms of growing the character skills but it feels secondary to this big celebration of war that bored me. For war to be interesting it needs stakes and that is something this series has never really had. Don't get me wrong, I'm attached to Rugrats and Eric and I want to follow their journey through the 10 realms. I also really enjoy it when good things happen for them. When they enter into a war for the sake of entering into a war rather than to protect their dungeon or two protect their people, there's just nothing holding my interest in that war.
The other thing with this book is that the cast of characters is getting out of control. I'm not sure I understand who half of the people are in these books and there are whole chapters devoted to POV characters that sometimes I feel I have never even heard of before because they only had very small introductions.
Therefore while this series has always been a guilty pleasure for me and I don't ever take it too seriously this book missed the mark. Hopefully, the next book gets back on target.
March 24, 2019
Unstoppable
Can’t wait to find out how the Sha Fighters play out! Erik and Rugrat are still hilarious and still dominating! It’s not just the honor and focus, it’s the fun and camaraderie. It’s how the author has clearly thought out the campaigns and how to approach them as well as their effects on both a solo and community basis. He’s clearly got a grasp on life. “Even if I don’t succeed, even if I get halfway and it’s all game over, wouldn’t it have been one Hell of a thing to have tried.” (Erik West, book 1) This quote is still dead on three books later. I’ve gotta say, if Mr. Chatfield is ever in Wyoming I’d love to buy him a beer.
*afterthought, don’t focus too much on the editnazis who’ll be popping up. I’d rather get the book when promised then wait til it’s all shiny. I had no problem understanding the flow of the story and you won’t either. If it’s an ocd thing, wait to open it until after the publisher does the obligatory update.
Can’t wait to find out how the Sha Fighters play out! Erik and Rugrat are still hilarious and still dominating! It’s not just the honor and focus, it’s the fun and camaraderie. It’s how the author has clearly thought out the campaigns and how to approach them as well as their effects on both a solo and community basis. He’s clearly got a grasp on life. “Even if I don’t succeed, even if I get halfway and it’s all game over, wouldn’t it have been one Hell of a thing to have tried.” (Erik West, book 1) This quote is still dead on three books later. I’ve gotta say, if Mr. Chatfield is ever in Wyoming I’d love to buy him a beer.
*afterthought, don’t focus too much on the editnazis who’ll be popping up. I’d rather get the book when promised then wait til it’s all shiny. I had no problem understanding the flow of the story and you won’t either. If it’s an ocd thing, wait to open it until after the publisher does the obligatory update.
March 28, 2019
While the story itself is enjoyable, the same issues that were present in the Emerilia series and which made that series loose it's spark for me, have started to become more pronounced here as well.
New changing info dumps to push the story forward, inconsistent math, typos and broken sentences.
Most, if not all of these issues, would be fixed by having a decent editor do a deep dive into the story before hand.
New changing info dumps to push the story forward, inconsistent math, typos and broken sentences.
Most, if not all of these issues, would be fixed by having a decent editor do a deep dive into the story before hand.
December 7, 2019
I'm worried about how much pointless filler is creeping into these books. I don't want to sit in on a chapter-long town meeting with no conflict, plot development or character growth.
March 15, 2020
After reading this book I'm in a love-hate relationship with this series right now.
Ten Realms series is awesome because the main characters are fantastic. They are genuinely good people but at the same time they are warriors, crafters and city builders and much more. It's very easy to fall in love with Erik and Rugrat.
But in this book, the pacing was really off. There were even unnecessary recaps in the middle of the book. Felt like some things were added just as a padding. Especially the fight in Vuzgal. It dragged.
I normally love multiple PoV characters and I genuinely like to know what is happening in Alva as well. But here the PoV went awry in the middle of the book.
Also, does the writer has a weird fascination with obnoxious people who underestimate our main characters and try to bully them. Used so many times in the series that I'm seriously tired of the troupe.
But regardless, the book shines the most when Erik and Rugrat are at the center of focus. Also, in retrospect, the development in Alva and Vuzgal and all the new dungeons and the crafter associations were exhilarating. I really hope the later books focus more on Erik and Rugrat.
Ten Realms series is awesome because the main characters are fantastic. They are genuinely good people but at the same time they are warriors, crafters and city builders and much more. It's very easy to fall in love with Erik and Rugrat.
But in this book, the pacing was really off. There were even unnecessary recaps in the middle of the book. Felt like some things were added just as a padding. Especially the fight in Vuzgal. It dragged.
I normally love multiple PoV characters and I genuinely like to know what is happening in Alva as well. But here the PoV went awry in the middle of the book.
Also, does the writer has a weird fascination with obnoxious people who underestimate our main characters and try to bully them. Used so many times in the series that I'm seriously tired of the troupe.
But regardless, the book shines the most when Erik and Rugrat are at the center of focus. Also, in retrospect, the development in Alva and Vuzgal and all the new dungeons and the crafter associations were exhilarating. I really hope the later books focus more on Erik and Rugrat.
October 18, 2020
Rating 3.0 stars
My least favorite of the series so far. This one was all about military action. It felt like it was fighting for the sake of fighting, instead of fighting to protect themselves. The army goes to the fourth realm to get stronger and immediately are fighting for their lives. It wasn't the kind of fighting I like to read about either. It was military campaign fighting with long range combat, ambushes, delaying action, etc. Since this book is about leveling and getting stronger, I would have expected levels to be a bigger part of the book, but with the fighting style, levels didn't really matter. I zones out quite a few times while listening to the audio book. There also seems to be more characters introduced and parts of the story told from their point of view. There were a few times I had to ask myself "Who is this person? Should I know them?"
The author needs to focus back on the Eric, rugrat and their progression.
My least favorite of the series so far. This one was all about military action. It felt like it was fighting for the sake of fighting, instead of fighting to protect themselves. The army goes to the fourth realm to get stronger and immediately are fighting for their lives. It wasn't the kind of fighting I like to read about either. It was military campaign fighting with long range combat, ambushes, delaying action, etc. Since this book is about leveling and getting stronger, I would have expected levels to be a bigger part of the book, but with the fighting style, levels didn't really matter. I zones out quite a few times while listening to the audio book. There also seems to be more characters introduced and parts of the story told from their point of view. There were a few times I had to ask myself "Who is this person? Should I know them?"
The author needs to focus back on the Eric, rugrat and their progression.
April 4, 2021
Good to catch back up with Erik and Rugrat - it had been a while for me. Buddy litrpg is a bit different (though, one is clearly the main protagonist in this book), but enjoyable. The guys have expanded Alva out and gotten lucky... so I expect that the next book will focus, at least initially, on consolidation. They're starting to learn how to play the game now.
The book ends on a call-back to an older book in the series, possibly the first one... and I am left confused. I semi-recognize the names, a little... but that was it. Which brings up how nice it would be to have a "as previously read on..." similar to tv shows.
The book ends on a call-back to an older book in the series, possibly the first one... and I am left confused. I semi-recognize the names, a little... but that was it. Which brings up how nice it would be to have a "as previously read on..." similar to tv shows.
March 24, 2019
Poor start. Good series
Marked down a star for many spelling mistakes and typos not characteristic of series. Fire body unpleasant concept. Eric had stilted speech in beginning of book.
Except for these faults it rose to series standards.
Vasgul added new dimension to series.
The two girls at formation school interesting subplot. Many such school bully problems stories ignore stupidity of picking on persons with unknown supporters and talents. Duelling societies are mannerly.
Marked down a star for many spelling mistakes and typos not characteristic of series. Fire body unpleasant concept. Eric had stilted speech in beginning of book.
Except for these faults it rose to series standards.
Vasgul added new dimension to series.
The two girls at formation school interesting subplot. Many such school bully problems stories ignore stupidity of picking on persons with unknown supporters and talents. Duelling societies are mannerly.
January 19, 2020
Excellent!
Erik and Rugrat have helped to build Alva Dungeon up. With their abilities increasing, they find that they can enter the fourth realm. The battle realm, where only strength is respected. The fourth realm has never received anyone like Erik and Rugrat. Things will never be the same.
Erik and Rugrat have helped to build Alva Dungeon up. With their abilities increasing, they find that they can enter the fourth realm. The battle realm, where only strength is respected. The fourth realm has never received anyone like Erik and Rugrat. Things will never be the same.
March 25, 2019
Fantastic story and a great addition to the series. Action packed and full of a multitude of emotions from sadness and excitement to anger and determination. The characters from the Alva groups fight and live together as their strengths and abilities increase and their trust in each other deepens to form everlasting bonds. Kept my attention from start to finish and I stayed up way too late reading because it was hard to put down. More Eric and Rugrat please.
Knocked down 1 star due to being badly edited then raised it right back up because the book was just awesome.
I have to admit that Michael Chatfield is a master at LitRPG writing. His Emerilia and Ten Realms series are both some of the best found in the genre. His other series are also worth reading. Highly recommended anything written by this author. Caution: read this series in order to fully appreciate the story.
Knocked down 1 star due to being badly edited then raised it right back up because the book was just awesome.
I have to admit that Michael Chatfield is a master at LitRPG writing. His Emerilia and Ten Realms series are both some of the best found in the genre. His other series are also worth reading. Highly recommended anything written by this author. Caution: read this series in order to fully appreciate the story.
April 11, 2019
Has a metric ton typos and spelling errors
I actually enjoyed this book more than the last one in the series, but when a he becomes a she and to is ton almost every other page with things similar to that I get kind of annoyed. One or two misspells I'll read through and not catch them. I know that but when I notice at least 30 different times words are wrong, because they're big errors like that, it bugs me. One time they're literally having a conversation and for one sentence they change the name and the person that they changed the name to is in first realm and they're on 3rd talking. As soon as this book gets updated I'll go back into cut this to a five-star because eat truly was a great read that was better than book 3 but there's just too much wrong with it right now.
I actually enjoyed this book more than the last one in the series, but when a he becomes a she and to is ton almost every other page with things similar to that I get kind of annoyed. One or two misspells I'll read through and not catch them. I know that but when I notice at least 30 different times words are wrong, because they're big errors like that, it bugs me. One time they're literally having a conversation and for one sentence they change the name and the person that they changed the name to is in first realm and they're on 3rd talking. As soon as this book gets updated I'll go back into cut this to a five-star because eat truly was a great read that was better than book 3 but there's just too much wrong with it right now.
January 5, 2022
They were in the war realm and there was only one battle. They got control of a city and a dungeon by not fighting. My least favorite book of the series. I will keep reading the series and hope it gets better. I was just bored with it and in a realm that was built up to be action packed and it wasn't. They just got lucky with taking the city and dungeon which made it seem cheap. Also only minor characters died.
There is also so many different characters that is hard to keep track of. There are multiple characters POV per chapters and it just is hard to have to figure out who is talking and takes me out of the book. I've had this same complaint for the past few books and it just seems to be getting worse.
There is also so many different characters that is hard to keep track of. There are multiple characters POV per chapters and it just is hard to have to figure out who is talking and takes me out of the book. I've had this same complaint for the past few books and it just seems to be getting worse.
December 14, 2019
Long and plodding
This book was a deviation from the fun storytelling of the first three books, and a trek down the unfulfilling road of monotonous detail. This book was full of dialogues and chapters that were more akin to a technical manual on ten realms logistics than to a fantasy narrative. It was a chore to dig through the pages upon pages of planning and description to get to the material dictating what was actually happening to the characters. I waited until I finished the fifth book to review this one and thankfully it does get better, so if you can stick it out with this one the writing does improve
This book was a deviation from the fun storytelling of the first three books, and a trek down the unfulfilling road of monotonous detail. This book was full of dialogues and chapters that were more akin to a technical manual on ten realms logistics than to a fantasy narrative. It was a chore to dig through the pages upon pages of planning and description to get to the material dictating what was actually happening to the characters. I waited until I finished the fifth book to review this one and thankfully it does get better, so if you can stick it out with this one the writing does improve
March 23, 2019
Lovely installment
So, just as a warning to any unfamiliar readers, this author doesn’t really edit? I read fast enough that it just turns into a really awesome story of epic proportions. Most of the time, I don’t notice the lack of editing but i also feel bad because with a serious final draft this author could rival some of the main stream guys out there. His books are that good in concept and his plots kind of hmmm along with a rhythm that is really comfortable to read.
Anyways, cant wait for the next 6 books! Gonna be awesome!!
So, just as a warning to any unfamiliar readers, this author doesn’t really edit? I read fast enough that it just turns into a really awesome story of epic proportions. Most of the time, I don’t notice the lack of editing but i also feel bad because with a serious final draft this author could rival some of the main stream guys out there. His books are that good in concept and his plots kind of hmmm along with a rhythm that is really comfortable to read.
Anyways, cant wait for the next 6 books! Gonna be awesome!!
October 16, 2019
Loved it. Needs some touch ups
I loved this book and this series. I only wish that there was a way to get in touch with the author and let them know about a few typos and punctuation errors found throughout the book. They don't detract from the quality of the storytelling but they can be jarring at times. Still gets 5 stars from me. Can't wait for the next one!
I loved this book and this series. I only wish that there was a way to get in touch with the author and let them know about a few typos and punctuation errors found throughout the book. They don't detract from the quality of the storytelling but they can be jarring at times. Still gets 5 stars from me. Can't wait for the next one!
March 1, 2020
Once we got to formation school, the book went into a bit of naval gazing. So much detail for a game nobody will ever be able to play - why?
Other than that sort of thing, it was fine.
Other than that sort of thing, it was fine.
January 18, 2021
4
The Fourth Realm is the the fourth book in The Ten Realms LitRPG series by Michael Chatfield.
I was expecting different war scenarios, going into this book. I’m both surprised, and not, that the Alvan forces have cemented another toe-hold in another realm. And hilariously stumbled into the middle a mess of abject proportions the moment they appeared in the Fourth Realm.
It will be interesting to see where Erik and Rugrat can take Vuzgal, with the help of their Alva citizens and compounding allies. They are stepping into a new area, having mostly avoided the cutthroat politics of the Ten Realms up to this point. Thankfully they’re not going in blind, and are supported by Hiao Xen’s insight.
I mostly like that Vuzgal can become their more heavily known ‘face’, with Alva’s true strength and connections remaining hidden while they to consolidate and grow their strength.
I’m happy that more of their initial Alvan army did not fall in this incursion. But still, to lose a quarter is a heavy hit to the Alva Dungeon that has yet to face such loss after the battleground trial in the first book. It will be interesting to see if any turncoats arise in the upcoming books. Or if the loyalty and widespread growth and support Alva, as a whole values, will be tested.
I liked seeing Qin and Juliah step out of their safety in the dungeon. We were presented with a new side and complexity to this two characters. And I think they’re evolution from this point forward will truly be intriguing to experience.
I hope to see more from the demi-humans. With Fred, Racquel, Elizabeth, Reaper, Dromm, Xern, and William heading out to further explore the Fourth Realm after the conflict ended. Maybe they’ll come back. They are bound to face loads of xenophobia, maybe leading to them seeing the deeper value in their new friendship with Eric and co.
The Fourth Realm is the the fourth book in The Ten Realms LitRPG series by Michael Chatfield.
I was expecting different war scenarios, going into this book. I’m both surprised, and not, that the Alvan forces have cemented another toe-hold in another realm. And hilariously stumbled into the middle a mess of abject proportions the moment they appeared in the Fourth Realm.
It will be interesting to see where Erik and Rugrat can take Vuzgal, with the help of their Alva citizens and compounding allies. They are stepping into a new area, having mostly avoided the cutthroat politics of the Ten Realms up to this point. Thankfully they’re not going in blind, and are supported by Hiao Xen’s insight.
I mostly like that Vuzgal can become their more heavily known ‘face’, with Alva’s true strength and connections remaining hidden while they to consolidate and grow their strength.
I’m happy that more of their initial Alvan army did not fall in this incursion. But still, to lose a quarter is a heavy hit to the Alva Dungeon that has yet to face such loss after the battleground trial in the first book. It will be interesting to see if any turncoats arise in the upcoming books. Or if the loyalty and widespread growth and support Alva, as a whole values, will be tested.
I liked seeing Qin and Juliah step out of their safety in the dungeon. We were presented with a new side and complexity to this two characters. And I think they’re evolution from this point forward will truly be intriguing to experience.
I hope to see more from the demi-humans. With Fred, Racquel, Elizabeth, Reaper, Dromm, Xern, and William heading out to further explore the Fourth Realm after the conflict ended. Maybe they’ll come back. They are bound to face loads of xenophobia, maybe leading to them seeing the deeper value in their new friendship with Eric and co.
September 19, 2021
This is where the series slows down and very suddenly so, which is unfortunate because this is the longest book thus far. The first half, and I am being generous here, picks up where the last left off and the MC's are headed into the 4th realm with their newly trained army. This is exciting and this part of the book is well done even if it feels a little rushed considering the size of the book. Without going into spoilers to much, the MC's find and defend a new settlement, which grants them some pretty cool boons. However, this is where the book just about stops to a halt so that we can learn more about how cultivation and crafting works in the Ten Realms. This is what the second half of the book is about. This wouldn't be so bad if the previous books hadn't already gone into detail about the processes.
This book still suffer from some the same issues from the last couple books: to many characters to remember with more being added each book (though if you have been reading/listening this long then this may not be an issue), way to much of a focus on how crafting and cultivation work in the 10 realms, and the MC's getting less then 50% "screen" time.
Todd Menesses is still doing a good job and making it easier to remember characters by their voice, which is impressive. However, halfway through the book the editing gets very bad. One moment the sound is just fine, the next moment you volume gets low, and then the next after that it gets louder than it initially was. There are also moments where it is VERY obvious that Todd redid a line, which sounds very bad when in one sentence he might sound excited, the next he sounds flat, and then he goes back to excited.
This book still suffer from some the same issues from the last couple books: to many characters to remember with more being added each book (though if you have been reading/listening this long then this may not be an issue), way to much of a focus on how crafting and cultivation work in the 10 realms, and the MC's getting less then 50% "screen" time.
Todd Menesses is still doing a good job and making it easier to remember characters by their voice, which is impressive. However, halfway through the book the editing gets very bad. One moment the sound is just fine, the next moment you volume gets low, and then the next after that it gets louder than it initially was. There are also moments where it is VERY obvious that Todd redid a line, which sounds very bad when in one sentence he might sound excited, the next he sounds flat, and then he goes back to excited.
May 25, 2020
Erik and Rugrat achieve impossible things, changing even the dungeons of the 4th realm
Another exciting installment of their story, continues with a long fighting retreat, into a defense that is on the edge repeatedly as any good battle story! Beyond that, securing a greater wealth that imaginable and beating the odds to build Alva and it’s people up. A nation of experts maybe?
New crafting trials have entered many dungeons, challenging skills and precision rather than combat.
They have decided on a direction for their city, a vision that they hire people to put into place.
Erik and Rugrat challenge their skills on their path through the ten realms, pushing the Alvan people, and the army to grow stronger and smarter. Now they have a city to build and grow into within the 4th realm, they’ve discovered a possible future enemy, redesigned dungeons, and are being recognized as new movers and shakers as the saying goes... The 5th realm will bring new challenges and adventures as they consolidate and grow stronger and larger.
Another exciting installment of their story, continues with a long fighting retreat, into a defense that is on the edge repeatedly as any good battle story! Beyond that, securing a greater wealth that imaginable and beating the odds to build Alva and it’s people up. A nation of experts maybe?
New crafting trials have entered many dungeons, challenging skills and precision rather than combat.
They have decided on a direction for their city, a vision that they hire people to put into place.
Erik and Rugrat challenge their skills on their path through the ten realms, pushing the Alvan people, and the army to grow stronger and smarter. Now they have a city to build and grow into within the 4th realm, they’ve discovered a possible future enemy, redesigned dungeons, and are being recognized as new movers and shakers as the saying goes... The 5th realm will bring new challenges and adventures as they consolidate and grow stronger and larger.
November 1, 2022
Good book, and the series is good overall, the story great, but it really needs an editor...
While one can come ignore the typos and spelling mistakes, the consistency of the information itself is very distracting. While I’m not an avid gamer, if one decides to put levels and character stats in a book at least they should try and keep some track of them. Ex: you can't say for almost one chapter the MCs are level xx, level zz etc and the next chapter come and say one is 10 levels lower. The same with the rest of the tier system, or just simple enemy numbers. This way you lose the growth feeling you get along with the characters and it jars you right out of the story. I nderstand, it's a long book, long series, but it still breaks the story in such a way that makes it hard to ignore,
I thought that after the first and second books things would improve, but no such luck. I hope that by the end of the series the author manages to read some of the comments, if I manage to finish it at this rate.
While one can come ignore the typos and spelling mistakes, the consistency of the information itself is very distracting. While I’m not an avid gamer, if one decides to put levels and character stats in a book at least they should try and keep some track of them. Ex: you can't say for almost one chapter the MCs are level xx, level zz etc and the next chapter come and say one is 10 levels lower. The same with the rest of the tier system, or just simple enemy numbers. This way you lose the growth feeling you get along with the characters and it jars you right out of the story. I nderstand, it's a long book, long series, but it still breaks the story in such a way that makes it hard to ignore,
I thought that after the first and second books things would improve, but no such luck. I hope that by the end of the series the author manages to read some of the comments, if I manage to finish it at this rate.
October 25, 2025
Wonderful dungeon building. It has logical construction and all meshes together. It's not just about killing monsters to level up, though it is used for that purpose. We continue to see the expansion of the first dungeon, and further developments of the community and its key players.
While this story is lovingly crafted, I will offer two small critiques. One, there are noticeable proofreading errors in this book. The editing needs to tighten up a little bit. Mostly flipping around two letter words - to instead of at, and others along that line. "I took a deep breath, and breathed out through your nose" (should be my nose).
About half the low level characters in this book are transgender. What? You say? It's the language that is used. If the character is inconsequential enough to not warrant a name, they also don't warrant a gender. There were a lot of singular character they/them instead of him/her/he/she. They weren't really trans, it was just the the writing got a little lazy in relying on a generic shortcut.
While this story is lovingly crafted, I will offer two small critiques. One, there are noticeable proofreading errors in this book. The editing needs to tighten up a little bit. Mostly flipping around two letter words - to instead of at, and others along that line. "I took a deep breath, and breathed out through your nose" (should be my nose).
About half the low level characters in this book are transgender. What? You say? It's the language that is used. If the character is inconsequential enough to not warrant a name, they also don't warrant a gender. There were a lot of singular character they/them instead of him/her/he/she. They weren't really trans, it was just the the writing got a little lazy in relying on a generic shortcut.
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