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Dungeon World #2

Dungeon World 2

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Fred did something bad.

He didn’t intend to do it, but the destruction of a dungeon core – accident or otherwise – will likely result in horrific consequences for anyone connected with the crime. And not for just the perpetrators; everyone around them will suffer vengeful retribution from the nearby cores for the unthinkable act.

Knowing that his mistake will end up endangering his new friends, the townspeople of Gatecross, and even his Guild, Core Power, Fred decides to do whatever he can to protect them. After he absorbed the Nature Core, he unlocked the ability to establish a territory and create his very own dungeon – a dungeon which will hopefully provide the defense they need to survive against the expected fight to come.

Unfortunately, the Nature Faction isn’t the only one that learned about Fred’s crime. The Dungeon Adventurer Syndicate, under the authority of the Craytion Kingdom, has sent a powerful group to investigate…


Contains LitRPG/GameLit elements such as statistics and leveling. No harems and no profanity.

461 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2019

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About the author

Jonathan Brooks

82 books484 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
1,419 reviews1 follower
July 14, 2025
Rating: 2, which on my minus 5 to plus 5 scale is good for a current US science fiction title.

I am doing a rewrite of this review, which no one will read. Since Amazon consider that short honest responses to Amazon/Goodreads titles which feature racist, misogynist or
other anti-human representation, themes, rants to be "Hate Speech", stronger revisions are queued.

Before I begin, I must visit the YouTube. This was made possible by Doctor Who/ Never Cruel or Cowardly - Ozar, fig tree, NCMI, Anark, AllShorts, Maggie Mae Fish, Mia Mulder, RevolutionarythOt, Some More News, Welcome to Ukraine, LuckyBlackCat, Supertanskiii, Keffals, Amie's Literary Empire, Sarah C M Paine, The Military Show, Heather Cox Richardson, Gingers are Black, The Shitty Book Club, Mr Newberger's AI Funnies, FAFO, Welcome to Ukraine, Lily Simpson, Novara Media, Sanna Vaara, aidan knight, Russian Dude, Red Glasgow, RevolutionarythOt, Eileen, Times Radio, What Vivi did next, The Ritual Kitchen with Laura May, Diary of a Ditch Witch, Norse Witch, Horses, Ellie Dashwood, Malinda, JohnTheDuncan, The Juice Media, Books and Things, Lynn Saga, Hoots, Kazachka, Blossoms and Greens by Chloe, Kyiv Post, The Gaze, Dreamloop Cinema, Dark Brandon, Skip Intro, ScaredKetchup, May, Ship Happens, CTV News, Cruising Crafts, Winging it on a Budget, Kaz Rowe, The Kavernacle, 60 Minutes Australia, Jason Jay Smart, Claus Kellerman POV, Baltic Defence Review, With Cindy, Reads with Rachel, Gracey D, Trae Crowder, Ukraine Calling, Professor Tim Wilson, Not the Andrew Marr Show, Katie Halper, History Mapped Out, Jen the Librarian, Leena Norms, FAFO, Raw News and Politics, Ivie Anita, Jake Broe, Poland Daily Live, JammiDodger, Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox, Shades of Orange, Jormungandr, Ship Happens, Sailing Melody, Cruising the Cut, Wednesday -Paint it Black, Camper Vibe, Aid Thompsin, Miranda Mills, Brigitte Empire, Petticoats and Prose, Puddles Pity Party, Think that Through, Dark Brandon, Mercado Media, Yoyomi, Reads with Rachel, The Juice Media, Dungeons and Discourse, Stanzi, Baby Leanne Morgan, The Grungeon Master, Players Aid, Deerstalker Pictures, Viva La Dirt League, Agro Squirrel Narrates, Squire, No Justice, Weirdo Book Club, I'm Autistic Now What, Naughty Nana DUZ, Ember Green, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Blossoms and Greens by Chloe, Jess of the Shire, Haropones, Turn Left, Coach D, Bernadette Banner, Scallydandling About the Books, Willow Talks Books, Jess Owens, The Blazing Redcoat, Vidya-Mitra, Irish Myths, Dropkick Murphys, ATP Geopolitics, Maps and Motives News, Widebeam and Wellingtons, Media Death Cult, Lady Knight the Brave, Verilybitchie, Roomies Digest, Book Furnace, Mynameismarines, Patrick(H)Willem, Harbo Wholmes, Three Arrows, Parkrose Permaculture, Nerdy Kathi, MSI -Songs Sped Up, Renegade Cut, Turing Temple - Vikings, OrangeRiver, NanyaCim, May, Art by Annamarie, Kazachka, NerdForge, Fundie Fridays, Suchomimus, Paul Warburg, Guard the Leaf, Viva La Dirt League, Mrs Betty Bowers, Dominic Noble, Ukraine Matters, Hasan Minhaj, Kady 2.0, Andrewism, HBomberGuy.

I recently saw that a member of the Village Idiot Party, who whilst insulting an essayist I admire complain to her that I list other trans creators. It seems that the vicious mindless US male epidemic is gaining strength. It also seems that I need add a warning that the channels which I list include architect, German, mathematician, het, anarchist, sewist, WOC, ginger, Swedish, asexual, gamer, boater, bi, hobbyist, witch, trans, artist, socialist, Irish, anthropologist, intersex, miniature modeller, psychologist and others known as Women. Almost as dangerous to proudly arrogant ignorance are the physicist, fashion historian, linguist, other BIPOC, Danish, neurodivergent, linguist, chess player, other LGBTQI, redhaired, Australian, military board gamer, archaeologist, anarchist, military miniatures player, book reviewer, Cornish, communist and others known as Human Beings. Should the voices insist that you visit my reviews or channels, I suggest developing a hobby (assaulting women not being one but mental illness), emergency pastoral counselling or the Catholic exorcism. These revisions are sometimes tedious but I remember the early war interview with the middle aged teacher who organised and led her civilian anti-tank team hunting Russian armour North of Kyiv. With that example I can not but continue. Glory to Ukraine. Glory to the Heroes. Crimea is Ukraine.

The story became more involved but wanting to follow the characters was easy. This may be the best of the game world stories that I had read to that point.

I laughed at myself that I really enjoyed an adult cast in a book about dungeons. These characters are more consistent and relatable than many in current US military science fiction and space opera. The relationship cluelessness of Fred is not overdone and I could not help cheering him on from one tough decision to the next. Who would have thought that a writer could inject charm into a fantasy game world (except for Tolkien of course, blessed be his name).

Full disclosure, I do not remember either book in the series. I remember parts of novels which I read at age twelve. I do not remember most Unlimited selections and I have ended my sub. US publishing houses have drained the joy from science fiction over the last 15 or 20 years and Amazon is a major ebook publisher.

The poor writing quality was such that I doubt my original ratings. Most US science fiction print over the last 20 years seem to be platforms for horrendous world views posing as novels with I estimate more than 90% of Amazon Unlimited being in that category. That estimate is based on my 1000+ attempts at Unlimited titles. I am unsure whether serviceable prose, lack of racist, misogynistic or other anti-human themes and representation were my sole measure.

Consider treating this as a potentially hostile site. 🤔

Goodreads discourse is non-existent. As example, I wrote a brief negative review of Powers of the Earth, a poorly written salute to the psychotic January 6, 2021 hero. The writer, Travis Corcoran self-described as libertarian and advocate for the return of chattel slavery, veteran, admirer of Putin and employee of an unnamed US agency. He would today be lauded as a MAGA exemplar.

He and six fellow patriots took exception to my opinion that a story of a rich twat enlisting the military to overthrow the US government in order that he not pay inheritance taxes, was unhealthy and dangerous. There followed a year long stream of comments demanding my response to unhinged Reform worthy comments. My lack of response was labelled narcissism. My communist soul was swamped by the irony.

A final comment was delivered by Claes Rees Jr aka cgr710 now ka Clayton R Jesse Jr, no longer identifying as a NeoNazi. He proudly declared that They had "won" (?). They had apparently launched a year long flood of racist, vile sexual and generally anti-human comments against every female creator of channels which I listed and it persists still. While Their social life was not improved, the world's overabundance of ugliness was increased and an accurate portrayal of the snowflake (vicious, poorly educated US man-child) delivered to a multinational audience. That it would seem was a great Victory. Goodreads discourse, yay ?? USA, yay ??

This comment stream was not far different to the many others except perhaps for its length. Goodreads are infected by these sad specimens but far more disturbing is the silence of that majority (?) who count themselves the better sort. Acceptance of the embedded political message may set limits to basic criticism of worldbuilding, thin characters, juvenile dialogue, etc. I have seen and received comments in defence of contrivance driven plots, plot holes excused as unimportant to a story and TikTok book reviewers challenging the benefit of prose work generally. If readers purchase, publishers will print.

The member outrage towards negative reviews extends to support of the overt rant into which category, most of Unlimited science fiction falls. If and as that new normality is embraced, this site becomes more a propaganda portal, not a reader forum. Fortunately there are a number of alternative sites, such as Storygraph and Fable among others, with BookTubers willing to discuss them with readers. We probably should not allow US print publishers and Amazon (major e-book publisher) to shape our vision of what the future must be, the limits of the possible or lower our expectations of writing quality.

Another visit to the YouTube. This next was made possible by Twelfth Doctor/Be Kind - TheGaroStudios, NCMI, fig tree, Russian Media Monitor, Afro Judy, Ivie Anita, Patty Gurdy, Nope Brigade, Aid Thompsin, FAFO, Kozak Siromaha, uncivilized, History with Kayleigh, Gutsick Gibbon, Supertanskiii, Dr Becky, Tibees, Dr Fatima, No Justice, KernowDamo, FAFO, Liz Webster, Planet D, Part Time Hobbit, Artur Rehi, Bobbing Along, Reads with Rachel, Eileen, Jack Edwards, Alex Fleev, Hildegard von Blingin, ThePrimeChronus, CTV News, Political CUSTARD, The Juice Media, ScaredKetchup, The Democratic Penguin Republic, The Enemy from Within, Anka Daily News, Mr Newberger's AI Funnies, Knitting Cult Lady, Queen Coke Francis, Broken Peach, Terrible Writing Advice, Kat Abughazaleh, Viva La Dirt League, Shannon Makes, Snappy Dragon, Queer Kiwi, Bernadette Banner, J Draper, Central Crossing, The Great War, TIKHistory, Katy Montgomerie, Fall of Civilisations, NYTN, Bitchuation Room, No Justice, Belinda Strnad, Nini Music, Agro Squirrel Narrates, Dove London, TLDR News, AllShorts, Television Jamaica, Elvira Bary, Omeleto, Amadeus Quartet, Ukraine:The Latest, Raw News and Politics, Brittany Page, Stanzi, KernowDamo, Nomadic Crobot, Cruising on the Border, Narrowboat Pirate, Baby Leanne Morgan Comedy, Sailing Melody, Cindy's Villa, The Narrowboat that James Built, Clouds and Sky, Tale Foundry, Book Furnace, Roomies Digest, Jean's Thoughts, Candlelit Tales, Kat Blacque, Amie's Literary Empire, Britta Bohler, Professor Tim Wilson, Silicon Curtain, Riverboat Jack, Professor Gerdes Explains, CBC News, Tabithaspeakspolitics, Nicole Chilaka-Ukpo, Marsh Family, Isaac Arthur, Oceanliner Designs, Prime of Midlife, Widebeam and Wellingtons, Yarmak -Ragnarok, Ben and Emily, Science Fiction with Damien Walter, Natasha's Adventures, Eugenia from Ukraine, United 24, Maps and Motives, Quinn's Ideas, Reese Waters, Inside Russia, Luminism, ScaredKetchup, WokeGardener, Mallen Baker, Esther Natakunda, Red Viburnam Song, Planarwalker, Dr Ben Miles, Dr Fatima, Sabine Hossenfelder, DUST, The Second Story, Jon Brett Comedy, Gutsick Gibbon, Plaid Cymru, Sarah Hester Ross, Eleanor Morton, Offizier Amira, Gingers are Black.

Ominous music begins. 😊 Over several years I sampled YouTube in order to better understand the vocal US reader. I have now a much better understanding of the Goodreads membership. Negative science fiction reviews are littered with the crude, rude and threatening comment stream. Romance and romantasy one star reviewers are attacked, including doxxing, stalking and threats. Amazon do not acknowledge these, nor do they discipline members, writers who sometimes lead these gangs or dismiss employees who enable Them.

US Goodreads genre readers are not the most discerning and genuinely do not see the point of a negative review. These include people who make videos happily praising the creation of concentration camps, purchase camp merchandise (sold by Amazon if I am not mistaken), approve of suggested forced labour of the inmates including US citizens, purchase ICE jackets to impersonate agents (again sold by Amazon, I think or possibly Wal-Mart), make videos gleefully fantasizing that inmates will be eaten by alligators, are unfazed by tourists being detained for weeks in secret facilities with no contact allowed and more. These are not outliers but supported by 80 millions of US voters and many more silently accept.

Certain policies such as arrest and detention of UK citizens for the crime of planning a protest are being applied by Labour. One wonders how soon Labour will build camps. Supporting Ukraine is vital to the safety of all Europeans but like Johnson, Starmer makes the big statements of same as distraction from implementing Reform policy. The UK is not far behind the US. The vile worldview is being exported across the globe as capitalism reaches its inevitable conclusion. With the cult of dehumanization ascendant, limits on acceptable public behaviour are fraying. Fiction which justifies, glorifies or normalise these worldviews will be and have been strongly defended by certain members. The move from dissatisfied reader to enemy of the state is now a small distance.

My criticism of a vocal segment of the Goodreads membership is unfortunately not limited to the US reader. In my belief the support for gangs seeking out unpopular reviewers and silence of almost all others possibly from fear seems a reflection of the US suppression of any dissent. This is not the result of a new political movement or a changed Republican Party but a historical feature of US culture and political life dating from prior to the colonial rebellion and a rot which has not been addressed since.

The violence of the poor directed by the oligarchs and in adoration and defence of same, while seeming illogical is a reality. Britain is no stranger to the phenomenon with Australia, Canada and New Zealand sharing much the same history.

My limited message history was given over to these madmen, with a request through Pine Gap Centre that Australian Intelligence interrogate the one friend whom I occasionally messaged to uncover my personal history. The attempt failed and two outraged customers were created. Only after we publicised our experience did Amazon become concerned. All visible harassment to my pages was finally removed, lurkers all disappeared and comments masked.

There is a sick culture created by data corporations including Amazon. Recently a seventh ex-employee of EBay was sentenced for harassment of a couple whose small ecommerce channel was deemed unkind to EBay. The couple were awarded several millions and the ex-employee had been the EBay Chief of Global Security or some such. Things to think about.

I suggest precautions when using Amazon. Remove all personal information from profile and avoid messaging. Remove the lurker, those who never post. They are monitors not admirers. With the Goodreads penchant for Altering customer pages, the screenshot of the odd, the ugly or the threatening are invaluable. For Goodreads alone, these should suffice.

Kindle is a different matter. Do Not Use Files, Contacts. Calendar or Email. Like Google, Amazon read email and from my experience, use of those could be deadly. Do Not "purchase" Amazon e-books, as you own only your device not the download, which can be altered or deleted at Amazon's whim. There are alternative e-readers, reader sites such as Storygraph, Fable and others which BookTubers will happily recommend.

To implement the above suggestions cost nothing, to not might well do. The mental employees and members are bound by no recognisable morality but are all US patriots. Ominous music ends. 😊

Be safe and may we all enjoy good reading. 🤗

Some of my favourite channels.
NCMI, Russian Media Monitor, Profanus Maximus, Knitting Cult Lady, Greg Terry Experience, Tea Break with Tasha, Bobbing Along, Ben and Emily, Keffals, AllShorts, Northern Narrowboaters, Well Deck Diaries, 3rd Regiment SOF, Three Arrows, Baby Leanne Morgan, Some More News, Mrs Betty Bowers, Weir on the Move, Winging it on a Budget, Ula and Josh, Upon Reflection, Lee Francis, 9 News Australia, Nini Music, Red Dawn Daily, Lily Simpson, UNTV, ScaredKetchup, No Justice, Reese Waters, The Great War, Legendary Tactics, Ministry of Miniatures, Dungeons and Discourse, Friendly Atheist, Quinn's Ideas, Cambrian Chronicles, Evanthorizon, WhiteNoiz CA, Dr Brian Keating, Agro Squirrel Narrates, Hawk's Podcasts, Valhalla Drums, Norse Witch, Agro Squirrel Narrates, Emilie's Literary Corner, Tom Powell, Dominic Noble, OrangeRiver, The Ask, J Draper, Irish Medieval History, CTV News, The Bands of HM Royal Marines, Times Radio, Jack Cocchiarella, Squire, TVP World, Katie Halper, I've Had It, Secular Talk, Breaking Points, Silicon Curtain, Anton Petrov, Anna from Ukraine, The Gaze, Best Sci-fi Radio, Nicole Chilaka-Ukpo, Lore Reloaded, Off Ja Waggon, Brittany Page, Star Wreck, AuroraTrek, Curt Jaimungal, Unlearning Economics, Ember Green, UATV English, Prof James Ker-Lindsay, kgb detected, Classical Numismatics, Event Horizon, Lena Down Under, Novara Media, Dungeons and Discourse, Chris Norlund, TLDR News EU, Captured in Words, Sumatha Reads, Just in Time Worldbuilding, Sailing Melody, The Narrowboat that James Built, Sabine Hossenfelder, Elisabeth Wheatley, Nerdist, Council of Geeks, Amie's Literary Empire, FirstPost, Vidya Mitra, The Military Show, Monte Mader, The Confused Adipose, Maky Abugu, Nicole Chilaka-Ukpo, Kat Abughazaleh, Pyotr Kurzin, Warthog Defence, Whitenoiz CA, Skynea History, Gary's Economics, Spacedock, Lore Reloaded, Isaac Arthur, Steve Boots, Supertanskiii, Verilybitchie, Twinshangout Kenya, Real Vintage Dolls House, Elvira Bary, Novara Media, The Print, Kings and Generals, DamiLee, Answer in Progress, KernowDamo, Ikarus, Katie Phang, Belinda Strnad, Dark Brandon, Democratic Penguin Republic, The Military Show, Depressed Russian, Harbo Wholmes, Mallen Baker, Ellie Dashwood, Vlad Vexler, Your True Shelf, Lena Down Under, History of Everything, TLDR EU, Hej Sokoly, Belle of the Ranch, Anton Petrov, RevolutionarythOt, Hoots, Dark Docs, Dark Seas, The Confused Adipose, Chasing Oz, Ellie Blackwood, Jake Broe, Joe Blogs, Jay Reed, Aid Thompsin, Grace McGuire, Emperor TigerStar, Riverboat Jack, Mia Mulder, Subha Reads, Made U Book, Anka Daily News, NFKRZ, VisualEconomik En, Matriarchetype, Naughty Nana DUZ, Jezebel Vibes, Marsh Family, Redactably, Springtime for Elon, Bitchuation Room, Art by Annamarie, Dr Becky, Yugopnik, Lindsey Stirling, Democratic Penguin Republic, LuckyBlackCat, Subha Reads, Caerhl Irey, Caolan Robertson, ConeOfArc, Travelling K, TimeGhosr History, Professor Tim Wilson, British Museum, Warthog Defence, Just in Time Worldbuilding, Captured in Words, Jill Bearup, Matriarchetype, Atun Shei Films, Linguoer Mechanic, Prime of Midlife, Times Radio.

May you enjoy a splendid morning, a fulfilling afternoon, a pleasant evening, a wonderful night and my we all continue learning.

I support the Democratic Penguin Republic in their trade war with the US. Wings Up!
Profile Image for Alex.
42 reviews2 followers
July 16, 2019
I don’t know what happened. I enjoyed the first book but I didn’t like this one at all. I didn’t feel like there was any character development at all. The characters became annoying by the end of the book. Annoying with no depth. I have read a lot of LitRPG and I don’t feel this reaches the peaks that I am expecting.
Profile Image for GaiusPrimus.
870 reviews97 followers
June 10, 2019
Another fun one

Jonathan seems to have gotten this dungeon business down.

I have been a big fan of his Station Core series and this might be even better with its unique circumstances and differential take on the genre.

The paradox now is which series we will get first? I'm sure which ever it is, I will like it but set the same time will want the other one.

Hey John, anyway you can release both at the same time?
Profile Image for Kiba Snowpaw.
Author 2 books24 followers
September 4, 2024
Introduction:
Alright, fellow adventurers, grab your swords, your spellbooks, and a bucket of popcorn because we’re diving back into the mind-bending, dungeon-crafting madness that is *Dungeon World 2* by Jonathan Brooks. This bad boy hit the scene in June 2019, continuing the litRPG/fantasy adventure of Fred, our accidental dungeon lord, as he tries to keep himself and his friends alive in a world that's about two stats away from going full Game Over. Brooks is a master at blending dungeon-core goodness with intricate character dynamics and a touch of chaos, making this series a standout in the LitRPG realm. So buckle up, fluff your tail, and let’s tear into this second installment of the *Dungeon World* saga!

Plot Summary:
So where do we kick off? Fred, the human-turned-dungeon-core, is in hot water after accidentally obliterating a Nature Faction core—whoops. Cue chaos. The dungeons aren’t too pleased about it, and now there’s a target painted on Fred and his allies. Oh, and did I mention the Dungeon Adventurer Syndicate is on their way, ready to crack skulls and ask questions later? Yeah, things are going to get wild.

Fred, though, ain’t just standing around. Nope, our boy digs deep into his newfound dungeon abilities, setting up a territory that’ll hopefully fend off all the angry dungeon cores gunning for him and the town of Gatecross. It’s dungeon building with a side of epic base defense, and let me tell you—watching Fred piece together traps and monster hordes to keep his friends alive? Mmm, chef’s kiss. But this ain’t all fun and games. Fred’s still reeling from the loss of his parents and the weight of leadership that’s slowly crushing him. With the stakes ramping up, Fred needs to juggle his growing powers, emotional baggage, and the encroaching doom headed straight for Gatecross. If you’re a fan of dungeon-building and defensive warfare, *Dungeon World 2* scratches that itch better than a flea comb after a romp through the woods.

The Author:
Jonathan Brooks isn’t just cranking out your average LitRPG or dungeon-core fluff. This dude’s got a knack for world-building that makes you want to actually live in the worlds he creates (you know, minus the whole “risk of dying in a dungeon” thing). Brooks has been grinding hard in the dungeon-core genre, delivering series after series that all have their own distinct flavor. His *Station Core* series? Absolute gold. But what makes *Dungeon World* stand out is how Brooks blends emotional character arcs with deep, strategic gameplay mechanics. His works hit that sweet spot of immersive storytelling and intricate dungeon management—think if *Dungeon Keeper* and *The Sims* had a baby in a magical fantasy land.

Characters:
Let’s get into the meat of it—the characters. Fred, our protagonist, is still figuring out the whole “I accidentally destroyed a dungeon core and now everything wants to kill me” bit. What I love about Fred is that he’s not just some overpowered, flawless hero. The dude’s a mess. He’s struggling to come to terms with his new powers, feeling the weight of responsibility, and making a ton of mistakes along the way. But that’s what makes him relatable. He’s not the guy who always knows the right answer—he’s the guy who’s trying not to screw up too badly, and I respect that.

As for the supporting cast, we’ve got a great mix of personalities. Fred’s human companions, though still a bit underdeveloped compared to the main man, offer some much-needed balance to the dungeon-core chaos. But here’s where it gets interesting: the dungeons themselves. Brooks has done an incredible job giving personality to the other dungeon cores, turning what could have been faceless enemies into real characters with motives, grudges, and their own brand of logic. The antagonists in this book are driven, ruthless, and ready to tear Fred’s world apart—making the conflicts feel personal and urgent.

Structure:
This is where *Dungeon World 2* really shines. Brooks nails the pacing, balancing dungeon-building mechanics with character-driven moments. The structure is clear—there’s a looming threat, Fred builds up defenses, and then BOOM, all hell breaks loose. But what’s nice here is that the plot doesn’t just lurch from one dungeon defense to another. Brooks peppers in moments of introspection for Fred, dealing with grief and responsibility in ways that feel genuine. You’re not just reading about monsters and traps; you’re getting a sense of Fred’s internal struggles, which elevates the whole experience.

Oh, and let’s talk stats. Brooks gives us just enough without drowning us in numbers. You want to know how Fred’s skills are improving? Cool, here’s a nice stat update. Don’t care about the math? Skip it and move on. Brooks smartly keeps the stat-heavy sections in their own chapters, allowing readers to choose how deep they want to go into the nitty-gritty.

Themes & Analysis:
At its core (pun fully intended), *Dungeon World 2* is about consequences. Fred made a huge mistake by taking out a core, and now he’s dealing with the fallout. But it’s more than just a plot device—this book explores the weight of responsibility and how it can crush you if you’re not careful. Fred isn’t just fighting off dungeon cores—he’s wrestling with guilt, fear, and the idea that his actions could get his friends killed. It’s a heavy theme for a dungeon-core story, but Brooks handles it well.

There’s also a strong theme of community. Fred’s not alone in this fight, and the people of Gatecross rally around him. The bonds between characters—whether they’re human or dungeon-core—are central to the story, highlighting the idea that you can’t do it all on your own, no matter how strong you get.

Scenes:
Now, if you’re wondering about any spicy romance or harem nonsense? Don’t worry—*Dungeon World 2* keeps it clean. There’s no gratuitous sex or over-the-top relationships here. Fred does have some moments of awkwardness when it comes to human interactions (the dude’s still figuring out how to be a leader), but romance isn’t the focus, and thank the wolf spirits for that. The emotional depth comes from Fred’s struggle to protect his friends, not from some tacked-on love triangle.

As for action scenes, they’re stellar. Brooks knows how to write a good fight. Whether it’s Fred setting up an intricate series of traps or battling waves of monsters, the tension builds perfectly. You can feel the stakes rising with every encounter, and when the big showdowns hit? It’s pure adrenaline.

World-Building:
Dungeon-crafting isn’t just a gimmick in this world—it’s a way of life. The way Brooks constructs the mechanics of dungeon-building, with all its layers of complexity, is fascinating. You’ve got to manage your resources, maintain your defenses, and make sure your dungeon can handle whatever the world throws at it. It’s like city-building on steroids, and Brooks handles it with finesse. The rules of the world are well thought out, and the dungeon-core system makes sense within the larger narrative. You’re never left scratching your head, wondering how things work—it’s all laid out in a way that makes you want to dive deeper into the mechanics without feeling overwhelmed.

Praise & Critique:
There’s a lot to love about *Dungeon World 2*. Brooks brings the same level of creativity and care to the sequel as he did in the first book, expanding the world and upping the stakes without losing the charm that made the series special. The dungeon-building elements are addictive, and watching Fred piece together his defenses is like watching an intricate puzzle come together. The action is solid, the character development is on point, and the stakes feel real.

But—there’s always a but—some readers might find the pacing a little off. The big climax hits midway through the book, and the rest of the story feels like a wind-down. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does shift the tone. The third act is more about tying up loose ends, which leaves you feeling like the big bang came a little too soon. Also, while the supporting characters are fun, they could use a bit more depth. There’s potential for them to become more fleshed out in future books, but for now, Fred is carrying the emotional weight of the story.

Comparison:
Compared to Brooks’ other works like *Station Core*, *Dungeon World* has a more personal, emotionally charged storyline. *Station Core* is all about grand designs and large-scale conflicts, while *Dungeon World* focuses more on the individual’s struggle within a dungeon-core system. The world-building is on par with Aleron Kong’s *The Land* series, but where Kong’s work is heavier on stats and grinding, Brooks focuses more on character and plot. If you’re a fan of dungeon-core but want something with more heart, *Dungeon World* will be your jam.

Personal Evaluation:
As someone who’s seen a few too many harems, overpowered MCs, and shallow stories in the LitRPG genre, *Dungeon World 2* is a breath of fresh air. Brooks gives us a hero who’s fallible, vulnerable, and learning on the fly, which makes Fred easy to root for. The world-building is rich, the stakes are high, and the action keeps you on your toes. There’s an emotional core (again, pun intended) to this story that makes it stand out from other dungeon-core series.

Conclusion:
If you’re into dungeon-core stories but want more than just mindless monster battles, *Dungeon World 2* should be on your list. It’s got all the stats, traps, and dungeon-building goodness you crave, but it also packs a punch when it comes to emotional depth and character development. While it’s not perfect, and the pacing could use a bit of tweaking, the story is still engaging, and the world-building is top-tier. Final verdict? I’m giving *Dungeon World 2* a solid 4.5 out of 5. Grab your pickaxe and dive in—Fred’s dungeon needs defending, and trust me, you’re gonna want to be there for it.

Profile Image for Scott.
131 reviews15 followers
January 14, 2020
If you picked up this series in hopes of some dungeon building adventure then congratulations on finally getting here. This book is mostly about the dungeon building aspect of the universe and the author does a great job of explaining how it works without getting bogged down in the numbers of it all.

The story isn't quite as exciting as the first one, reverting to more of a dungeon base defence story, but everything that I enjoyed from the first is still technically there. They also expand the universe slightly by adding a focus on guilds this time around which were introduced near the end of the first book and provide a reason for allies to be there instead of them sticking around "just cuz" like your average dungeon book.

While the main characters don't grow quite as much as the previous book, they are still slowly fleshed out to be more than cardboard cutouts.

The main problem with this book was that the big final act sort of happens about halfway through the book and takes up the better part of the length of the story. This is good and bad since it makes for a lot of action happening constantly, but you don't get that build up to the final conflict. In fact, where the third act would normally be, the main characters essentially begin tying up loose ends and tidy up the plot. There is a sudden tone shift when a bunch of spoilers show up spoiler the main character and cast some weird spell before up and ditching. It felt a little off to me personally but did sort of wipe the slate clean in preparation for the next book which I didn't completely hate.

The audiobook version of this novel also goes the extra mile by putting the lengthy stat pages as separate chapters that you can skip if you don't enjoy listening to that sort of thing which is a nice bonus.

In the end, this novel is a great example of dungeon building done right and I'm immediately starting the following book. I'd recommend it to any fans of the genre or of LitRPG, though your typical fantasy buff might enjoy this less than the first entry in the series.
Profile Image for Mistress OP.
729 reviews13 followers
November 18, 2022
Never seen a female character written so dumb. It's almost scary. I spent so much time screaming in this book. It was so annoying. So F'n annoying. And her lines weren't good. Dungeon Crafter is such a good series. But when I stop and think about it she has very few female moments. It's more like she's non-binary Asexuality. So, maybe that's why it was a better write. The problem is this is a multi-POV book. Therefore you are kinda stuck for a few chapters. And she reads so vapid. Fred feels like a blank slate guy doing right by folks but doing wrong if you actually stop and think bout his action. It's complex and somewhat interesting but the blank slateness is annoying.

Am I going to keep going with the series? I don't know. I think maybe. But this is an unhappy read and I have no plans to read anything but crafter dungeon. I don't plan on taking a chance on other works. The problem with LitRPG is sometimes the women are written so poorly. They are there to simp after the guy and it's not fun to read. It's like they rush the relationship oh isn't he so interesting and great? And you're like...... um not really. Like how Japanese animes write harems. The harems distract you from the actual interesting world and plot of the story.

I am so deeply frustrated reading this because there's so much talent in this writing and world-building. When your MC is this much of a blank slate it ruins the stakes of the book.
185 reviews1 follower
September 20, 2025
With more range to rate, this would be closer to a 2 maybe, but it isn't bad and there's a lot going for it. But the characters are rough, even 2 books in. It's more a book with moving plot points. That isn't terrible, I'm interested in where it's going, but..

I have to admit, if I hadn't gotten the whole things (books 1 - 5) as a set, I don't know that I'd be continuing, or at least I'd be back-burnering it. But since I have it, I don't really have a problem just letting it play.

It has become closer to a dungeon core story, although in my opinion, it still isn't. Just because he can build a dungeon and has done so doesn't actually make it what I have in my head as 'dungeon' core. But given this seems to be one of the ground-breakers (?) maybe it is and I'm just on the outside not understanding. Eh.
Profile Image for Kevin.
1,710 reviews30 followers
October 2, 2019
I think this author likes his stats too much. So far from reading, I think he writes all his stats first (monster stats, person stats, etc), then he writes a story. The focus on individual monster stats is too detailed otherwise.

Do people actually enjoy knowing how much stats a tree monster has compared to a spider monster, and the ratio of essence you can receive from both? I don't.
The reason I think I enjoyed Divine Dungeons so well was because the core built stuff and did research. This book tests the stats first, then goes and does his thing.

Well I completed the book, but don't know how I feel about it. I will read the sequel, but this book felt off. I just can't put my finger on it. We will see how the next book goes.

2.5/5 Stars
Profile Image for Colin Rowlands.
240 reviews2 followers
October 24, 2019
This book picks up right after the end of the first one, so it is best for potential listeners to check out that one first. This second instalment in the series definitely goes for the escalation of the original series premise with more factions aligning themselves against the main character and his friends. The main character applies his abilities in some unique and interesting ways during this escalation, both from his human and his dungeon aspects, so the personal progression matches the overall world escalation very well.

The narrator does another solid job, nicely enhancing this instalment of the series with their performance.

Overall, a strong sequel to the first book, which you should probably read or listen to before this one.
Profile Image for Cameron.
283 reviews9 followers
June 6, 2019
Fun continuation from book 1

I devoured this book when I started it, so I had to leave it 5 stars. I will say this book continues where book one left off, but in a different sense - because it focused a lot more on the dungeon side of our main character Freds abilities.

That made this much more of a Dungeon Core story than the first, but it still had a lot of fun cultivation style LitRPG upgrades of characters throughout the story, and a lot of world building to set up the future books.

Reasons to read:

Fun story and characters.
Dungeon core story
Neat ideas / world (Dungeons let humans live in order to feed off them)
A (somewhat op) main char
Profile Image for Christopher.
501 reviews7 followers
August 14, 2022
A good entry that really starts to use the mechanics set up in the first book.

With the ending of book 1 the stakes are suddenly a lot higher, forcing Fred and friends to be a lot more creative in their actions. I really enjoyed this as it got into the meat of a dungeon core book: dungeon building and leveling up. The characters were still pretty basic and the execution of the romance was not great. Overall, I really enjoyed this book for what it was, although I switched from an audiobook to kindle so that I could actually see the stat tables instead of hearing them listed.

Recommended if you liked the first book, but wanted it to better utilization of the underlying magic systems.
Profile Image for Steve.
1,616 reviews61 followers
June 7, 2019
One of the key determinants of how much I like a book these days is whether or not I care about what happens to the characters. All other things being equal (quality of story, grammar, writing style, etc.) that and my ability to identify with the MC (regardless of age/race/sex) are what hold my attention.

I do find myself caring what happens to Frank, and man do things (no spoilers!) happen to him in this one! The book doesn't clear the "amazing" hurdle, but it's well-written and engaging and I look forward the next installment.
Profile Image for Milton.
127 reviews
July 3, 2020
liked the second book, keeps the growth of the main character tee that has a really complicated name. and growth in all defense personal and in understanding of his power. Also the search of the killers of his parents has reveled the group that did it but to reach them the main characters has to keep on growing and helping his community. but the changes that are happening have consecuentes and this is impacts the environment tries to understand the human relations. the ending is great and left me wanting to jump to the next book.
Profile Image for Gareth Otton.
Author 5 books134 followers
January 16, 2022
This was another enjoyable book with the same problem as the last one; too much exposition, too much telling but not enough showing, and not nearly enough work on the characters.

These problems continue to get in the way of this series being anything more than good, but the overall story is enjoyable enough that i can enjoy it for what it is. So ultimately, if you enjoyed the first book then you will enjoy this book as well, but if you didn’t then this one won’t change your mind on this series.
Profile Image for Yu Ge.
4 reviews1 follower
June 6, 2019
Great follow-up from the first

Good and well written story. The plot was straightforward and likable, and follows succinctly where we left off from the first. I enjoy the characters, their growth, and their interaction. I think what's really refreshing with this series so far is that everything is consistent and progressing. Not that there's no plot twists and fun, unexpected developments, but that the storytelling is believable and enjoyable.
Profile Image for Devon Howard.
11 reviews
June 14, 2019
Great and unique dungeon core series

I don't normally write reviews, but this series is more than worth it. This series is amazing and will most likely get better with further additions to the series. The main character is likable and the unique dungeon core mechanics are really interesting. If you have kindle unlimited there isn't a reason not to start this series if litrpg is a genre that grabs your interest. Can't wait for more books in the series.
690 reviews10 followers
April 17, 2020
Choices of a Human Dungeon Core

In the first book, Fred, a human dungeon core accidentally killed another core putting a town in peril of the wrath of the Nature cores in the area. Well here they fight off an army sent to kill all humans.
An interesting story, but you loose me on and off through where the story is leading. I will read the next book, but we'll see about it it can keep my interest.
Profile Image for Charles Daniel.
585 reviews6 followers
March 17, 2021
Dying is such a pain! Especially when you keep doing it over, and over, and over . . . .

Fred "dies" a lot in this novel. Given his unique nature he doesn't stay "dead," but it still hurts; it still impacts his human companions, and it takes some serious explanations to the people of Gatecross to gather their cooperation. That cooperation is vital to saving all their lives and quite likely hundreds of thousands of other people in the Kingdom from the wrath of vengeful Dungeons.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Laurel.
606 reviews2 followers
September 18, 2023
Fred accidently absorbed a Nature Core and now the Nature Faction is out to kill him and all the humans in his town of Gatecross. I liked how the humans and Fred pulled together to fight to save their town. Fred's journey to find out who killed his parents is on pause for now.

The stats are TOO MUCH in this series, but I'll be honest, Brooks knows this and puts them in a separate chapter, so I just skipped the stats chapters.
Profile Image for AnnA Helms.
128 reviews1 follower
December 30, 2024
I am really enjoying this series. I like how this is a different take on the LIT RPG world. Fred, our main character has discovered that he can destroy other dungeon cores. He takes responsibility for his actions and tries to protect the humans around him. The other cores are not the only ones angry. The humans, the Dungeon Adventurer Syndicate, are sent to investigate, aka kill Fred and anyone around him.
42 reviews1 follower
June 5, 2019
One of the best dungeon core writers strikes again .

With multiple dungeon series Jonathan Brooks is a wordsmith on a mission. Once again he has turned a genre upside down, given it a shake, set it on fire and made a fantastic world out of it.
If you liked the divine dungeon series... Read this.
If you liked any other dungeon core books.... This is better.
Profile Image for Montgomery.
47 reviews
June 6, 2019
Fun read as it goes from adventurer focus to dungeon core focus

The MC continues to be mostly clueless about human relations, which is fun to watch, as he explores his dungeon core heritage to defend Gatecross from his own mistakes. Yet another good read and I’m looking forward to book 3
2,536 reviews72 followers
June 7, 2019
Surprisingly good.

I was not sure if the second book in this series was going to be worth reading. The concept was intriguing and the writing was alright, not all that good, just all right. But I have to say, this one shows great improvement, not just in form but also with character development. I will definitely be getting the next one.
372 reviews2 followers
June 8, 2019
Good but a bit short

I enjoyed this book and am glad I waited for it to come out, but I have to say that it seems a bit short overall. It contains a lot less events and plot than I expected out of the sequel and seems more to me like a stopgap between books one and three than a true sequel.
593 reviews21 followers
June 9, 2019
So much fun! In this second book with our unique Dungeon Core MC, the action and adventures never end. The accidental absorption of Nature dungeon core brings enemy action to the humans that have become Fred's friends and he works with them building his own dungeon to fight back the invaders. I recommend this series to any LitRPG lovers. Where's book three?
22 reviews
June 14, 2019
Cannot wait for the next one!

I appreciate the detailed world that’s being built along with it’s lore. Dungeon core stories are as much about dungeon building as they are about the divers themselves. This story adds a nice twist that combines those aspects in a creative and fresh way.
217 reviews25 followers
June 14, 2019
Another great book, write more please!

Love this series so far. The writing style is good and has very few typo's. The book is clean and free of smutty garbage and could be read by a young teen with no worries.

If the next book gets even better this might make it into my top 10 list of favorite litrpg books!
320 reviews4 followers
June 16, 2019
Wow

You did it again I enjoyed reading this book you have a great concept I liked the charters and enjoyed the pace.I look forward to the next book I plan to go and read your other works.well from Kentucky I feel lucky to have found your work.thanks again till I can read the next dungeon core book.
Profile Image for Vincent Archer.
443 reviews22 followers
June 25, 2019
This second tome progresses things, with a few twists.

The main topic is dealing with the consequences of the end of the previous book. Surprisingly - or maybe not - the largest problem ends up the reactions of the human Adventurer's guild rather than the Dungeon factions.

Again, the ending of the book brings a surprising twist, while setting up further background for the next book.
Profile Image for Chris Evans.
903 reviews43 followers
July 8, 2019
This is the dungeon under siege plot line dungeon core books all tend to do. Dungeon World does it better than most, with better explanation of the rules, better reasoning behind it, and with more interesting enemies. Brooks has created an interesting version of the dungeon core genre and I'll be looking forward to book 3.
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