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Meeting a dark Elf was unexpected. Kuro offered unconditional servitude in exchange for being saved, and Gothy was determined to make the most of it.Kuro had a single to warn the Queen that the King had broken their pact. Alvin agreed to take her to her world to report, wondering if it would be as easy as it sounded. Meanwhile, Kuro held up her end of the bargain, doing everything Gothy asked of her.Driving through the Svargax Gate, what they saw before them was not what any of them two armies at war with each other, one composed of the dark Queen’s Elves, the other of the light King’s Elves.Feeling his simple plan go out the window, Alvin decided to find out if the King’s Elves could be reasoned with. Realizing it would be more difficult than he thought, Alvin wondered if he could reach some sort of accord with either side.

528 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 14, 2019

332 people are currently reading
85 people want to read

About the author

Daniel Schinhofen

69 books1,309 followers
Daniel James Schinhofen is a self-published author in the burgeoning genre of LitRPG/Gamelit. He published his first book, Last Horizon: Beta, in October of 2016, and has recently published his fifteenth book. A best-selling author on Amazon multiple times, his four series have achieved name recognition in the genre. When not slavishly typing away at the next book, Daniel tries to unwind with video games, playing with his dog Sugar, or going for walks around his neighborhood. His books can be found easily via his website http://schinhofenbooks.com/. Daniel can be found via Twitter using the handle @DJSchinhofen.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
Profile Image for Ian.
14 reviews9 followers
May 17, 2019
Audio Podcast of this review: https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?...

Title: Elven Accord
Author: Daniel Schinhofen
Series: Apocalypse Gates 4
Publisher: Daniel Schinhofen
Length and Cost: 509 pages at $4.99 ebook, available on Kindle Unlimited

Overall Experience Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Genres: GameLit, LitRPG, Post Apocalyptic, Zombies, Fantasy, Harem, Adult, Comedy
Type: ebook

Disclosure: I was a beta reader for this book before release, and purchased a copy when available for sale.

Review Overview:
As the blurb states, this book has drug use, murder, abuse, graphic sex scenes, and portrayals of elements of BDSM and harem culture and relationships. Not to mention Practical, pragmatic no-nonsense problem solving characters, extreme violence, and again heaps of very graphic sex. For those who are not fans of mature adult themed books, this is NOT for you. For those who like those things? This book IS for you.

With that out of the way, I feel this is the best entry in the series so far, with a great balance of content, detail, and pace. And the only thing that would have made me even happier was somehow getting some content from another portal or from earth to ice the cake. Outside of that greedy wish, the variety of events, combat, dialogue, and gamey crunchiness was a treat, and well worth staying up way to late digging into Elven Accord.

Rating break down:

Quality/Depth of Characters: 9.5 out of 10
This series has become one of my personal favorites, and the characters are a big part of that. The two, now three (does the butler make 4?) main characters are not goody two shoes, or heroes in any conventional manner. They are crazy, passionate, ruthless, and brutal. Every moment is lived to the fullest and they deal with threats with extreme prejudice. The near manic intensity of the characters means almost constant action and events, giving us a book of no B.S. mayhem. To use tabletop terms, they are chaotic good at the best of time, chaotic neutral most others, and chaotic evil when screwed with.

Going beyond the main characters, the other people introduced and interacted with react to both the events around them, and the MCs themselves, as would be expected based on their backstory and lives. This means the main characters in turn face a logical amount of opposition and distrust with strangers, and not unreasonable friendliness from others. Paired with this depth of backstory and personal motivations are the various aptitudes or incompetencies of the other characters, which makes interactions meaningful and growth noticeable, as well as support the economic and social systems shown. It is always good when a series makes it clear that other parties have their own lives and interests.

The last thing I want to touch on, but can not go too in depth without spoilers, are the interactions between the main characters and the game devs, which we finally get to see, which helps balance some of the motivations and systems we see in place for cultures and species in the series, exploring what was planned, and what was not (from a game perspective, the author planned it all, haha)

Quality and Depth of World: 10 out of 10
Complimenting the quality and depth of characters was the level of detail the author went into for the elven realm, showing the similarities and differences between the two, such as some creatures being the same between worlds, but by different names, while other creatures were completely foreign. Beyond this was also the inclusion of distances between locations, and how this affected different parties due to their mobility, or how certain regions or events impacted the concentrations of populations, and in turn how that impacted military, political, agricultural, and economic factors. The forward planning for these shows.

Detail Balance and Completeness: 9 out of 10
The implications of various game mechanics and updates are always taken into account, and blatants exploits are noticed, meaning the ways the MCs break the game they are in are truly clever and entertaining. The character and world aspects are balanced like I mentioned above. A simple ratings here, but for a not so simple topic.

Quality of Story: 9.5 out of 10
Wonderfully well done by my opinion. We get to see interactions with many characters and groups, the combat, interplay, relationship expansion, dev interactions, and further game aspects give this book a well balanced content load, and let me finish the whole book in about 3 sittings, chewing through all the goodness in 12 hours. Top notch.

Quality of Writing: 9.5 out of 10
Healthy variety of vocabulary, consistent patterns of speech for the various characters, races, and cultures, and no typos left unfixed that I know of. My only gripe would be one or two areas where the sentence structure slows down reading a tad so my brain could understand what was going on. But that is only if I am looking for something to complain about.

Narration Performance: N/A

TLDR

Elven Accord (Apocalypse Gates Author’s Cut Book 4)

Score: 9.5 out of 10

Book Sales Link: https://amzn.to/2Q2d2wu

First in Series Sales Link: Rapture https://amzn.to/2JHNLXi

Authors Primary Link: http://schinhofenbooks.com/

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Profile Image for Steven Mcneeley.
17 reviews
May 18, 2019
Not as good as previous books

I had really grown to enjoy the series from the begining. I loved the litrpg aspects of the book the great story, the upgrades, the cool items, the Weaponry and the interesting use of powers. Also Jarvis the sarcastic AI was one of my favorites aspects of the series. I liked gothy at first cuz she seems kind of interesting but it seems like she's just become an ego booster for the main character. I feel like more than half their conversation are either her trying to get reassurance that he loves her and her fluffing up he's ego, also her constantly calling him hero with super heavy emphasis on the word is one of the reasons why I stopped buying the audio books. I find myself skipping large portions of the book whenever they're talking in the the base or in a room because is their conversations are not that interesting just the same old reassurance and hero-worship. The constant graphic sex is distracting and not really what I'm looking for in a good book. The Change to Jarvis was also really disappointing they took him from a really cool AI friend who tries to help and made him into an actual Butler who just cooks and cleans for them.... Disappointing. By the middle of the book I just found myself skimming over the sections where they're at the base because it's all kind of the same, food, graphic sex, reassurance that He loves her, she loves him, won't rape mousie. The only interesting upgrade throughout the entire book as far as I remember was the base upgrades. Auto repair shops and training rooms are kinda cool. I got to say it was a little little slog reading this book usually I can finish a book this size in about a day it took me like three or four to finish this one.
Profile Image for Daniel Schinhofen.
Author 69 books1,309 followers
July 15, 2019
Totally biased. Book 4 of this series continues the themes of the first three, but also gives you Elves and their troubles to enjoy.
Profile Image for Kiba Snowpaw.
Author 2 books24 followers
August 1, 2024
Review of "Elven Accord" by Daniel Schinhofen

Introduction:
Title: Elven Accord

Author: Daniel Schinhofen

Genre: Fantasy, Harem, Science Fiction, Erotica, Post Apocalyptic

Publication Date: May 14, 2019

Greetings, fellow pack members! It’s Kiba Snowpaw here, bringing you a howling good review of "Elven Accord," the fourth installment in the Apocalypse Gates Author's Cut series by the one and only Daniel Schinhofen. This masterpiece of a book is a whirlwind of dark elves, war-torn lands, and a sizzling harem that keeps you turning pages faster than a blizzard in HowlStrom! Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this epic adventure that’s as fierce and frosty as yours truly.

Basic Plot Summary:
Alvin and his ride-or-die partner Gothy thought they were just taking on another mission when they met Kuro, a dark elf who pledged her undying servitude after being saved. But things take a sharp turn when they drive through the Svargax Gate, only to find themselves smack dab in the middle of a massive war between the dark Queen’s Elves and the light King’s Elves. Alvin, ever the strategist, tries to negotiate peace, but soon realizes that achieving an accord between these two ancient factions is anything but simple. With Kuro serving Gothy in ways more than one, and Alvin navigating the treacherous waters of elven politics, the stakes are higher than ever. This tale is packed with action, sex, and moral dilemmas that will keep you glued to the story till the very last word.

About the Writer:
Daniel Schinhofen is a powerhouse in the LitRPG/Gamelit genre, with a knack for crafting stories that blend complex game mechanics with rich, immersive worlds. Since his debut with "Last Horizon: Beta" in 2016, he has been spinning yarns that capture the hearts of readers worldwide. Schinhofen’s ability to juggle intricate plots, detailed character development, and, of course, steamy harem dynamics is nothing short of legendary. When he’s not concocting new literary adventures, Daniel can be found gaming, walking his dog Sugar, or engaging with his devoted fanbase. You can explore more of his work at schinhofenbooks.com or follow him on Twitter @DJSchinhofen.

Characters:

Alvin: Our battle-hardened protagonist, a survivor in a world gone mad, whose tactical genius is matched only by his iron will and unrelenting libido.
Gothy: Alvin’s gothic queen, a complex character balancing her dark past with her fierce loyalty and passion. She’s as deadly with her love as she is with her blades.
Kuro: The dark elf who swears her life to Alvin and Gothy, navigating the tricky dynamics of her new servitude while dealing with the shadows of her own culture.
Jarvis: Once a sarcastic AI handler, now reduced to a butler, adding a touch of dry humor to the chaos that ensues.


Structure:
The structure of "Elven Accord" is as sharp as an ice shard. Each chapter builds on the tension between the warring elven factions, the sizzling romance, and the intense battles that Alvin and his crew face. The pacing is flawless, ensuring that you’re never left out in the cold, with every scene driving the plot forward like a pack on a hunt.

Analysis:
Schinhofen’s ability to weave together multiple threads of narrative is on full display here. The central themes of power, loyalty, and survival are explored through the lens of a world that’s as brutal as it is beautiful. The character development is top-notch, with Alvin’s leadership skills and Gothy’s evolving role as both a lover and a warrior being particularly noteworthy. The writing style is crisp and engaging, pulling you into the world of Apocalypse Gates with the force of a winter storm.

Scenes:
Let’s talk about the scenes that really get your tail wagging—the harem, erotica, and romance. Schinhofen doesn’t shy away from the graphic details, and the BDSM elements are handled with a level of depth and care that adds layers to the relationships between Alvin, Gothy, and Kuro. These scenes are more than just fanservice; they are integral to the characters’ development and the story’s progression. The balance between action and intimacy is perfectly struck, making the romance as thrilling as the battles.

Praise and Critique:
Praise:

World-Building: The elven realm is richly detailed, with its own unique culture, politics, and conflicts that feel fully realized.
Character Dynamics: The interplay between Alvin, Gothy, and Kuro is electric, with each character bringing something vital to the table.
Action and Combat: The battles are epic, with Alvin’s strategic mind and the crew’s teamwork making for some truly memorable fights.


Critique:

Repetitive Dialogue: Some of the conversations, particularly between Gothy and Alvin, can feel a bit repetitive, though they reinforce the strong emotional bonds.
Jarvis’s Role: The transformation of Jarvis from a snarky AI to a butler might not sit well with all readers, as it strips away some of the dynamic he brought to earlier books.


Comparison:
When compared to the previous books in the series, "Elven Accord" holds its own with its unique blend of war, politics, and romance. It’s a more mature installment, reflecting the characters’ growth and the increasingly complex world they inhabit. While Schinhofen’s other series like Aether’s Revival offer a more traditional fantasy experience, the Apocalypse Gates series stands out for its gritty, no-holds-barred approach to storytelling.

Personal Evaluation:
"Elven Accord" is a rollercoaster of a read, packed with intense emotions, fierce battles, and a harem dynamic that adds both heat and depth to the narrative. Its strengths lie in its world-building and character development, though some might find the repetitive dialogue and changes to Jarvis’s role a bit jarring. Overall, it’s a powerful addition to the series that will leave you howling for more.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, "Elven Accord" by Daniel Schinhofen is a must-read for fans of dark fantasy and harem tales. Its rich world, complex characters, and steamy romance make it a standout in the genre. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a story that balances action, emotion, and adult themes with the skill of a master storyteller. I give this book a solid 5 out of 5 icy paws—this is one adventure you won’t want to miss!

Rating: 5/5
Profile Image for Curtis.
774 reviews20 followers
June 2, 2019
Dominating Action! (No, Really)

Another great book set in a GameLit world of dominance, destruction, sex, violence, and just a touch of rock-and-roll. We find our likeable B&D-loving anti-hero couple (and their new dark elf toy) introduced to a new world at war, where they bring their stylish chaos to the party, resulting in astounding gibs of violence and mayhem splattering everywhere. This is then followed pretty much each night by strenuous sexual escapades where discipline is very much maintained.

This adult series is one of a kind: combining sex, violence, and various GameLit environments in ways no other author is doing - and it does it very well.

Even if B&D isn’t your cup of tea this series has much to enjoy, especially in the sheer audacity of it all, as the world(s) and characters morph around the stories being told. Compare the first half of book one with (say) the middle third of this book, and you’d think you were reading completely different series.

It is this audacity - again, done very well - coupled with great story-telling, writing, pacing, editing, and a twisty plot whose end is never in sight that keeps me coming back for more. (It doesn’t hurt that the author gives us the occasional literary nudge and wink as he presents us with a new scene, either.)

Recommended only for adult readers of a particular bent, but them as likes it will likely love it.
10 reviews
August 8, 2020
has Hero been replace as the main character by Becky? It seem that she is the one always in charge now and he is only there to fill her urge to be controlled filled. And if he tries to control her anymore then that she shuts him down. Fair enough that this is a matriarchal society, but the fact that he is so much less abrasive just because they are female kinda bugs me. He mostly behaves like a nice guy all the way trough the book. But at the start of the next book he is full on abrasive again against a man for much less then he just shrugged off in this book. Even going so far as the duel late in the books being against a man even tough basically all fighters and guards so far have been women. So he could safely kill his opponent.

At this point it seems more like a revers harem then anything else. He gets to play but only after Becky is done playing with Kuro.

Also Kuro being scared of men thanks to her culture does not seem to be true for any of the other elf woman. So seems more just like a empty plot device.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
698 reviews
May 26, 2019
Good

Although I enjoyed this book immensely I’m of the opinion that it is the weakest book of the series thus far. The first 3 books was filled with suspense, drama, character development and a lot of various and different action settings. This book however had almost non of that. About a third of every chapter was just sex, and although I really, really don’t have a problem with that it almost felt as if the author didn’t have a clear idea on how to carry on with his story and just substituted all the sex instead.
47 reviews2 followers
January 19, 2020
Great story, too much sex

I like the charachters, the universe the author made and I don't mind sex in books what I do mind is the constand need to shove a sex scene almost every chapter sometimes ruining the pacing of the story. I'll keep reading your books since you are a good writer and I think you will get even better, but sex every chapter is not really necessary.
18 reviews
November 3, 2020
Between the chapters of sex there is a hint of a story

There is too much focus on sex im this series i think... I enjoy the plot, and im interested in seeing where it goes. But there is chapters upon chapters with sex and harem. I dont mind the occational scene, but here its way too much. It subtracts from the story.
585 reviews
May 21, 2019
A great addition to the ongoing tale

Personally I liked this book more than the last book in which I found it to be a little to BDSM heavy for my tastes. The action and ingenuity of Al to push the limits of the world, and cause the developers so much angst, is a fun aspect to the book. I found Mousies initial fears and acceptance reminiscent to an Alpha World situation, which I suppose should not be unexpected with the same author. Al seems to be mellowing out a bit, but with all the sex and violence he deals with daily it’s probably due. Another enjoyable book from Daniel, looking forward to more.
999 reviews13 followers
May 30, 2019
More goodness

Love this series. It's bent sexually but part of the charm. This episode is in the eleven lands. Time to make friends and slay.... Undead. Again. Per usual Alvin is breaking the hard work by the Devs. Find balance then let Alvin unbalance it. Fun right. Still the group manages to slowly improve themselves as they now realize there is more to come. Enjoy. Alvin does.
Hope this series has some priority as the wait for sequels is painful. Looking forward to more.
Profile Image for Jake.
249 reviews7 followers
June 3, 2019
Wow. So much content!

An amazing and action packed extension of the world we've come to enjoy this far.

Action, adventure, political intrigue, assassins, necromancers, sexy time, elves; it's got it all!

I found a few minor errors, but they were so minor and spread out that I didn't feel the need to remove a star.

Very excited to see what happens next, how things will change, who we'll meet, and who we'll lose.
Profile Image for Christopher Conatser.
32 reviews
June 21, 2019
Still loving it

Of all your books I read this is my favorite series I did think about skiping the sex scene s but had to go back and read them cause it showed how mousie finally warm to Alvin if not for those the stories don't make scents though bringing the dev in also tells me their is more to it and the fact that Alvin has more followers than other players on why they took away the gift xp cause people where having a better time watching him than others
176 reviews1 follower
May 17, 2019
Vehicular Elf Slaughter

The first part of this book made me want to play GTA and go on a rampage. Big fast paced and well written battle scenes as well as the the more intimate scenes between a few people are blended well into a story and world setting that seams to be only getting better. Absolutely outstanding book and I really can't wait for the next book in the series
229 reviews1 follower
May 17, 2019
More Changes

This series is like a rollercoaster. I think the first book is the benchmark and what the series needs to focus on getting back to. I enjoy the evolving game world but would like rules to get stabilized. Also hope that the gratuitous sex can be toned down for more story development. Still a really enjoyable series and I look forward to the next entry.
122 reviews2 followers
May 18, 2019
Homerun

I was unsure if this was going to be the book in the series that was the disappointing one. Guess what it's not. Great story interesting twists and new people that were fleshed out just the correct amount. As always now have to wait for the patron updates and the book release. Sigh.
420 reviews7 followers
May 25, 2019
Fantastic addition to story

Fantastic addition to the story! Al and Gothy never disappoint, in any way. The world building across the Gate was very good, sets up some interesting possibilities for later. Al’s continued abuse of the rules with gamer logic is hilarious as always, can’t wait to see what they do next.
29 reviews
June 4, 2019
This whole series is great

I re-read this series 1-4 and I recommend to all ( if you are older than 18 and are not offended by sex scenes). Although I am not a fan of over emphasis on the sex, it does help to show the flaws of the MC and his growth through the story. I would have given it a 5 with less sex ( maybe just a little) and more story progression
Profile Image for Irizumi.
446 reviews3 followers
June 5, 2019
Absolutely love this series

So Hero and Gothy and now Mousie are not your average group of heroes. They are good guys but the methods they use aren’t conventionally or morally good. Which is what makes them do interesting and relatable and so much fun to read about. Can’t wait for the next one to happens next.
383 reviews6 followers
June 8, 2019
Enjoyed it!

Lots of action in the elf world along with a few more changes to the game dynamics. Kuro, the 3rd member of the group, gets a lot of attention and becomes a main part of the team which was fun to watch. Series has stayed interesting so looking forward to the next book.
3 reviews
May 15, 2020
Great story but

The serie has a great story. However if your not into bdsm it May not be for you.
The harem story line is fine but it is a bit extreme and it's violence during intimate moments against the female characters is too much.
If the author toned it down a lot I more people would enjoy the story
Profile Image for Tiffany Taylor whiting.
93 reviews2 followers
May 16, 2019
Better than 3

I enjoyed this book immensely and appreciated that the sex scenes were either light, avoided, or took up a whole chapter and could be skipped without losing any quality story time.
203 reviews
May 16, 2019
Light on plot just like #3

Generally a fun read, but the plot seemed light and the BDSM was filler unless that is your thing. It seems that might be what this series is all about, which imakes this a bit of a niche read.
16 reviews1 follower
May 17, 2019
Only you can prevent forest fires

At the end of the previous book I didn’t think I would like the portals but I was wrong this was a great continuance of the story. My only complaint was all the food description. They ate dinner and breakfast like 20x
Profile Image for Danny Evans.
170 reviews1 follower
May 17, 2019
Absolutely beautiful

Love the series. More, more, encore performance please! What more can I say. This book series is one of my all time favorite.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful imagination and literary artistry.
6 reviews1 follower
May 20, 2019
One of my favorites

It’s always so depressing when I get to the end of these books because the wait for the next installment is unbearable. The characters are awesome, the storyline is exciting and I can’t wait for the next one.
275 reviews7 followers
May 20, 2019
Another one

This was awesome and a great addition to the series. I'm excited by the direction the series seems to be headed and eager to see what other twists get thrown out way. I'm definitely impressed and looking forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Karl Poff.
83 reviews3 followers
May 22, 2019
All guidebooks are exce!!ent

Just a twist on a current theme with great characters you can invest in a new developing world, a butler named Jarvis and two people willing to take on all comers, breAk the world, and have a lot of fun
78 reviews2 followers
May 28, 2019
Elven Accord Bloody Awesome

Daniel Schinhofen is one of the most talented and skilled Author and it shows in this book series. The characters and world come alive with Daniel literary talent I can't wait to buy the next book. 12 out of 10 stars
3 reviews1 follower
June 2, 2019
Go team A**hole!

Chaotic from start to finish, well written and enjoyable. This book series definitely appeals to my dark side while keeping the core values that i think we all share, protecting our loved ones. No matter how crazy they are.
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