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Tarot #1
Ember
Desert sands. Arcane magic. A love lost.
Finn Harris should have been the one to die.
But he wasn’t – his wife took his place. What was worse, he only had himself and his company to blame. They let their passion outpace their prudence, determined to revolutionize the world. While all innovation comes with a price, he never imagined it would cost him Rachael.
Nearly a decade later, Finn is content to hole himself up and wait out the rest of his life – what little he has left. That is, until his daughter intervenes, forcing him out of his grief and into a new virtual reality game developed by his old employer. They’re calling it Awaken Online, and she believes there’s something unusual going on inside the game. And since Finn knows the company, knows their tactics – she might be right.
Finn wasn’t sure what he expected to find when he logged in. But it certainly wasn’t a manipulative fire god or a school for mages – where the students are pitted against each other in deadly duels and the faculty isn’t shy about maiming or injuring novice mages to prove a point.
Now Finn must learn to fight, for his own life and a chance at redemption. He’ll need to prove that his fire hasn’t been snuffed out.
That there’s still an ember burning…
Finn Harris should have been the one to die.
But he wasn’t – his wife took his place. What was worse, he only had himself and his company to blame. They let their passion outpace their prudence, determined to revolutionize the world. While all innovation comes with a price, he never imagined it would cost him Rachael.
Nearly a decade later, Finn is content to hole himself up and wait out the rest of his life – what little he has left. That is, until his daughter intervenes, forcing him out of his grief and into a new virtual reality game developed by his old employer. They’re calling it Awaken Online, and she believes there’s something unusual going on inside the game. And since Finn knows the company, knows their tactics – she might be right.
Finn wasn’t sure what he expected to find when he logged in. But it certainly wasn’t a manipulative fire god or a school for mages – where the students are pitted against each other in deadly duels and the faculty isn’t shy about maiming or injuring novice mages to prove a point.
Now Finn must learn to fight, for his own life and a chance at redemption. He’ll need to prove that his fire hasn’t been snuffed out.
That there’s still an ember burning…
17 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 1, 2019
846 people are currently reading
1213 people want to read
About the author
Travis Bagwell
23 books2,056 followersRecovering attorney and avid gamer that writes stuff! Mostly about videogames.
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Website: https://travisbagwell.com/
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You can find me here:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
June 12, 2021
I admit I was a bit irritated when I first learned that the author was taking a break from Jason's story to write a short spin off series for Awaken Online. Seeing that Awaken Online is my current LitRPG series of choice it was only a matter of time before I downloaded Ember, the first in the Awaken Online: Tarot series. How does it compare? It is both familiar and different in an intriguing way.
The story revolves around Finn Harris, a retired software programming genius who survived a horrific accident that left him in a wheelchair. Finn's wife died in that accident and he blames himself as he was the one who created the software that failed, causing the autonomous car they were riding in to crash. Locking himself away from the world, Finn's daughter intervenes, forcing him out of his grief and into a new virtual reality game called Awaken Online. She believes something unusual is going on in the game world and wants Finn's help to figure out what is is. Finn has no idea what to expect from the game but it certainly wasn't to be dropped into a school for mages where the students are pitted against each other in Battle Royale-style duels to keep from being expelled. What is going on here?
Fans of Awaken Online should enjoy this new branch to the series. Ember is Finn's origin story and introduction to the game world. It reminded me a lot of Catharsis in that Finn goes through a highly customized introduction where the game's AI picks up on Finn's emotional state and memories to help define what class his character will be. Also like the main series the game appears to be trying to help Finn work through his emotional issues and be a better person, though its methods feel questionable at times. The similarities end there as Finn is immediately dropped into a magic school that feels a lot more like a prison. Finn makes a friend along the way, who I hope gets some more page time in the future. Kyle is a great strategist and pays a high attention to detail. Finn's daughter, Julia, also plays a role in game. All three of them have highly complementary skills that could take them far. I also have to mention that Bagwell's sense of humor carries through to the quest updates which are snarky and hilarious.
I liked that the story focused mostly on the game world, providing a lot of depth to the magic system, and and helping Finn deal with his grief. Unlike the main series, there isn't much of a real world story thread. I could see that changing if Finn manages to work out what the AI is doing. Which brings me to the one thing I didn't like. That has a high probability of being unbalancing in the future.
I listened to the audio book narrated by David Stifel. He continues to do a good job.
While Finn's story is a 3 book arc, I'm already wondering how his inevitable meeting with Jason will go once the two stories merge in the main series. At least that's where I assume this is heading. Only time will tell.
The story revolves around Finn Harris, a retired software programming genius who survived a horrific accident that left him in a wheelchair. Finn's wife died in that accident and he blames himself as he was the one who created the software that failed, causing the autonomous car they were riding in to crash. Locking himself away from the world, Finn's daughter intervenes, forcing him out of his grief and into a new virtual reality game called Awaken Online. She believes something unusual is going on in the game world and wants Finn's help to figure out what is is. Finn has no idea what to expect from the game but it certainly wasn't to be dropped into a school for mages where the students are pitted against each other in Battle Royale-style duels to keep from being expelled. What is going on here?
Fans of Awaken Online should enjoy this new branch to the series. Ember is Finn's origin story and introduction to the game world. It reminded me a lot of Catharsis in that Finn goes through a highly customized introduction where the game's AI picks up on Finn's emotional state and memories to help define what class his character will be. Also like the main series the game appears to be trying to help Finn work through his emotional issues and be a better person, though its methods feel questionable at times. The similarities end there as Finn is immediately dropped into a magic school that feels a lot more like a prison. Finn makes a friend along the way, who I hope gets some more page time in the future. Kyle is a great strategist and pays a high attention to detail. Finn's daughter, Julia, also plays a role in game. All three of them have highly complementary skills that could take them far. I also have to mention that Bagwell's sense of humor carries through to the quest updates which are snarky and hilarious.
I liked that the story focused mostly on the game world, providing a lot of depth to the magic system, and and helping Finn deal with his grief. Unlike the main series, there isn't much of a real world story thread. I could see that changing if Finn manages to work out what the AI is doing. Which brings me to the one thing I didn't like. That has a high probability of being unbalancing in the future.
I listened to the audio book narrated by David Stifel. He continues to do a good job.
While Finn's story is a 3 book arc, I'm already wondering how his inevitable meeting with Jason will go once the two stories merge in the main series. At least that's where I assume this is heading. Only time will tell.
November 22, 2022
After the previous book that introduced Finn as a fiery antagonist, I admit I was fascinated. Knowing that there are three books following it that followed Finn as a lowly player to the monster he became in the previous book was all gravy to me.
Did I love seeing a side-tale of the fiery avatar of a fire god? Yes, as a matter of fact, I did.
Was it kinda predictable? Sure, but school and tournament stuff is pretty standard stuff. Plus, we get to see a lot of burns. :)
Did I love seeing a side-tale of the fiery avatar of a fire god? Yes, as a matter of fact, I did.
Was it kinda predictable? Sure, but school and tournament stuff is pretty standard stuff. Plus, we get to see a lot of burns. :)
May 30, 2024
Review to come...
January 20, 2020
Lots of potential, but some issues
I really enjoyed the “Chosen One” premise and training growth arc of this story. It’s not a new concept, but I’m totally fine with old ideas being reused with new twists and a fresh cast of characters. Nothing wrong with that and the author does a good job of it in my opinion.
There were a few issues with the world building though. Silly things like having a fully immersive environment and then adding floating player name tags like a clunky, old fashioned MMO. Also, the LitRPG elements are light and didn’t seem to have much impact while being pretty basic. And the system borrows too much from the stinginess of MMO games in terms of numbers. An example here is the difference between a complete novice and an intermediate caster is a whopping 3% reduction in casting time based on the core skill. When spells only take seconds to cast, this difference would be imperceptible to humans.
There are also strange RPG mechanics oversights. An example is how the main character is explained he can train to increase his stats and that this is more efficient the lower the stat. He goes on to brutally train and increase three of six stats this way. However, he then decides to just dump a bunch of level gained points into two stats that he has zero training increases in and call it a day. This means he was hoarding those points for no good reason and hurting his potential by permanently passing up the opportunity for early training benefits. It’s as if the author didn’t want to deal with his own idea of optimization any more.
The biggest issue holding the book back from being great though is the young adult level of writing. The main character is an elderly man with adult kids and an accomplished technical career behind him. He is also a bona fide genius. However, the author handles the main character as though he’s a precocious teenager with the occasional bout of insight. This translates into situations where the main character fails to grasp simple cause and effect when convenient for the story, and then analyzes his stupidity afterwards like he’s just learning how to navigate the complexities of life. You know, like a young adult. I get that developing a story for a genius senior is more difficult than a teen, but that’s the bed the author made for himself.
At any rate, it was a fun read and a solid entry into LitRPG if you are a fan.
I really enjoyed the “Chosen One” premise and training growth arc of this story. It’s not a new concept, but I’m totally fine with old ideas being reused with new twists and a fresh cast of characters. Nothing wrong with that and the author does a good job of it in my opinion.
There were a few issues with the world building though. Silly things like having a fully immersive environment and then adding floating player name tags like a clunky, old fashioned MMO. Also, the LitRPG elements are light and didn’t seem to have much impact while being pretty basic. And the system borrows too much from the stinginess of MMO games in terms of numbers. An example here is the difference between a complete novice and an intermediate caster is a whopping 3% reduction in casting time based on the core skill. When spells only take seconds to cast, this difference would be imperceptible to humans.
There are also strange RPG mechanics oversights. An example is how the main character is explained he can train to increase his stats and that this is more efficient the lower the stat. He goes on to brutally train and increase three of six stats this way. However, he then decides to just dump a bunch of level gained points into two stats that he has zero training increases in and call it a day. This means he was hoarding those points for no good reason and hurting his potential by permanently passing up the opportunity for early training benefits. It’s as if the author didn’t want to deal with his own idea of optimization any more.
The biggest issue holding the book back from being great though is the young adult level of writing. The main character is an elderly man with adult kids and an accomplished technical career behind him. He is also a bona fide genius. However, the author handles the main character as though he’s a precocious teenager with the occasional bout of insight. This translates into situations where the main character fails to grasp simple cause and effect when convenient for the story, and then analyzes his stupidity afterwards like he’s just learning how to navigate the complexities of life. You know, like a young adult. I get that developing a story for a genius senior is more difficult than a teen, but that’s the bed the author made for himself.
At any rate, it was a fun read and a solid entry into LitRPG if you are a fan.
November 4, 2019
This author finally settles into his stride and writes a tight and perfectly-paced book.
I really enjoy Travis Bagwell's books overall, but some of the earlier ones had pacing issues and an overly expansive area the story is "told in". Having such large story space meant the books had to be told with many skips and jumps between characters and locations.
Here in Ember, the author has placed the main character into a near-literal pressure cooker and what has emerged is a well-paced engagingly-tight and gripping story set in the universe of the other Awaken Online books.
If you have read the other books you cannot miss this one.
I really enjoy Travis Bagwell's books overall, but some of the earlier ones had pacing issues and an overly expansive area the story is "told in". Having such large story space meant the books had to be told with many skips and jumps between characters and locations.
Here in Ember, the author has placed the main character into a near-literal pressure cooker and what has emerged is a well-paced engagingly-tight and gripping story set in the universe of the other Awaken Online books.
If you have read the other books you cannot miss this one.
October 23, 2019
Fantastic book. Love the main character. Great characters all around. A must recommend for anyone who wants to look into litrpg. One of the best if not the best series out there.
June 15, 2023
EXTREMELY TECHNICAL. It was hard to get through bc I am not a gamer, nor hacker. I enjoyed the actual story, but it was hard to stay focused. ALSO...I appreciate a character of older age...you don't see that often, however, why did he have to be in school? That was weird and awkward. a 60+ year old man in an academy situation? IDK weird. Okay I'm heading to book 2
May 12, 2021
Can definitely tell the difference with experience of writing. Bagwell still repeats quite often but the pacing of this was on point. I really liked the characters.
It's devastating for what happened to Rachael and how but sometimes, a couple times... it was distracting/frustrating/irritating.
Look forward to the next of this to see where this goes.
Loved the ending.
Great seeing more of this world.
It's devastating for what happened to Rachael and how but sometimes, a couple times... it was distracting/frustrating/irritating.
Look forward to the next of this to see where this goes.
Loved the ending.
Great seeing more of this world.
November 10, 2019
What can I say? Another Bagwell's win
Finn is just an awesome character and I fell in love with him almost as much is i did Jason
Finn is just an awesome character and I fell in love with him almost as much is i did Jason
January 14, 2021
Different from what I usually read but I enjoyed the story a lot anyway.
February 9, 2021
Finally! A litRPG book targeted at the geriatric grand torino crowd. This book has it all, a genius linguist/doctor/engineer/AI programmer who can figure out how a device works without knowing what any of the components are by taking a device apart and looking at it, being chided by his know-it-all 20 something daughter for not knowing how to google...
A chosen-one fantasy saga where the protagonist grumbles about attending classes and decides for kicks to do a full college course's worth of extra work because the spooky technology is probably the next governmental plot to bring about an orwellian dystopia, but, you know, it's useful.
If you can't tell, the above is meant as satire. I will gladly admit that my 1 star review might be a touch unfair. Unfortunately, I simply cannot connect or empathize with the mc. I empathize with the cheeky 20 something trying to drag her times-fogotten parent into the 20th century kicking and screaming. Every single decision the MC makes is cringe inducing. That's subjectivity for you.
It's an interesting treatise in the stupidity of fundamentally smart people, but as fantasy, it's like chewing on tinfoil.
A chosen-one fantasy saga where the protagonist grumbles about attending classes and decides for kicks to do a full college course's worth of extra work because the spooky technology is probably the next governmental plot to bring about an orwellian dystopia, but, you know, it's useful.
If you can't tell, the above is meant as satire. I will gladly admit that my 1 star review might be a touch unfair. Unfortunately, I simply cannot connect or empathize with the mc. I empathize with the cheeky 20 something trying to drag her times-fogotten parent into the 20th century kicking and screaming. Every single decision the MC makes is cringe inducing. That's subjectivity for you.
It's an interesting treatise in the stupidity of fundamentally smart people, but as fantasy, it's like chewing on tinfoil.
September 1, 2020
Different, but the same.
I liked it, but I also disliked it. Somehow at least.
Let see, I love the new Characters (Finn most of all). I love his logical, engineer like way of thinking (I'm an engineer, so I agree with most of his decisions), but I also hate his emotional problems and issues, and his longing for something that's gone. Something that's been gone for a long time. Get over it man.
I love the AO world. It's so big, so diverse, so unique. But I hate the "world", or let's say location, this books occurs in. The whole book in one location, one prison like location. That got me bored after a while, and only the story and evolution of characters kept me hooked.
So yeah. Loved the book. Disliked some things, but the good outweighs the bad by a ton, and that's definitely worth it.
NEEEEEXT!
I liked it, but I also disliked it. Somehow at least.
Let see, I love the new Characters (Finn most of all). I love his logical, engineer like way of thinking (I'm an engineer, so I agree with most of his decisions), but I also hate his emotional problems and issues, and his longing for something that's gone. Something that's been gone for a long time. Get over it man.
I love the AO world. It's so big, so diverse, so unique. But I hate the "world", or let's say location, this books occurs in. The whole book in one location, one prison like location. That got me bored after a while, and only the story and evolution of characters kept me hooked.
So yeah. Loved the book. Disliked some things, but the good outweighs the bad by a ton, and that's definitely worth it.
NEEEEEXT!
October 25, 2019
Im as biased as can be, and absolutely loved it. Thank you for all the enjoyment your books have brought.
February 5, 2020
4.5 Stars
May 28, 2023
⭐️⭐️ ⭐️This is my personal 5 star rating system because I’m too lazy to write a review for every book.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
November 10, 2019
Travis' writing is so fluid, and engaging. Characters built at great pace, game play descriptions are evolving, and more nuanced. As you read, you learn as much as the character does. Mechanically the book is sound. As far as storytelling is concerned, Travis' stories are just beautiful. I can't wait for the day all the Gods avatars meet. That story is the crossover I am waiting for. Until then, Ember builds the plot for an extremely strong character and the sidekick that is clearly overpowered (for now). Book two of the Tarot should not be delayed, neither book three. I am just going through these side quests so quickly, maybe Finn deserves a mainstay size book.
November 16, 2019
SIICCCKKK, i wish i was a fireball raising, flaming knife throwing, AI programming, tattoo'd raging son of a bitch.
One day i will be.......and when i am, new players will see this:
Welcome to Awaken Online!
"Who...who are you?"
"Death"
::3 seconds later::
You have died, thanks for playing Awaken Online!
One day i will be.......and when i am, new players will see this:
Welcome to Awaken Online!
"Who...who are you?"
"Death"
::3 seconds later::
You have died, thanks for playing Awaken Online!
October 9, 2020
4.25☆
November 9, 2019
Great story.
This sets the story for one of the other players in the game. It is still a great stand alone book but enhances the story of AO.
The MC follows a totally different approach to the other books aside from determination lol.
This sets the story for one of the other players in the game. It is still a great stand alone book but enhances the story of AO.
The MC follows a totally different approach to the other books aside from determination lol.
Want to read
September 8, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/8/2020)! 🎁
November 28, 2021
Wah wah - very much just okay
(listened to audiobook w/hubby)
(listened to audiobook w/hubby)
April 24, 2024
Took a chance on something new. Glad I did. Listened to this entire book in a span of 4 days. So captivating!
August 18, 2025
This was a re-read of a book in a series that I really like and honestly, it was just as good the second time around reading it.
This series, Awaken Online, is honestly up there with some of the best LitRPG that I have ever read. I’ve always been a fan of LitRPG stories but often times i read them and I just get bored with the way the characters act or treat the in-game elements of the story. This story is so well done and so intriguing with all the plot twists that I’ve never wanted to put it down once I start a book. This part of the series, Tarot, is honestly one of my favorite sections and I almost like it more than the main series up to this point.
I really just like Finn as a character and I like getting to learn about the magic language through his story arc in this book. Finn is the only character in the series who chooses to study the magic language rather than having it placed into his brain like the other characters do at the start of their character creation. I just loved getting to learn more about that. I also appreciate Finn as a character I think because he is older and more mature but still willing to learn and grow and become a better character. This book is just the perfect set up for Finn as a character and a peak into his development later one. The spicy rating was a level 1 – not really any.
Overall, I would still rate this book a 5 out of 5 star rating on my second round through. Just as good as the first time.
This series, Awaken Online, is honestly up there with some of the best LitRPG that I have ever read. I’ve always been a fan of LitRPG stories but often times i read them and I just get bored with the way the characters act or treat the in-game elements of the story. This story is so well done and so intriguing with all the plot twists that I’ve never wanted to put it down once I start a book. This part of the series, Tarot, is honestly one of my favorite sections and I almost like it more than the main series up to this point.
I really just like Finn as a character and I like getting to learn about the magic language through his story arc in this book. Finn is the only character in the series who chooses to study the magic language rather than having it placed into his brain like the other characters do at the start of their character creation. I just loved getting to learn more about that. I also appreciate Finn as a character I think because he is older and more mature but still willing to learn and grow and become a better character. This book is just the perfect set up for Finn as a character and a peak into his development later one. The spicy rating was a level 1 – not really any.
Overall, I would still rate this book a 5 out of 5 star rating on my second round through. Just as good as the first time.
July 25, 2020
I tried. I really really tried but I just couldn't. I got to about 60% and that's as much as I could do.
During the dawn of the internet do you remember RPG chatrooms in AOL and accidentally stumbling into one because you didn't know what "eViL poPTaRt taVeRn ***LARP ONLINE***" actually meant and just staring at the screen in shock and horror as people pretended to be wizards or vampires or viking lords via asterisks, ROFLcopters, and cringe?
Yeah, it was like listening to someone (Norm McDonald to be specific) read one of those chat rooms outloud.
I don't know man. There was no plot. I never found one. This is the summery of the part of the book I listened to: Old man enters game , becomes addicted, and describes it in painstaking detail.
I leveled up 5 GW2 toons to max, most with some legendary gear, completed the Explorer achievement on at least a couple of them, leveled up EIGHT, count them EIGHT, WoW toons to max (You could measure my in game WoW hours in YEARS!) and I spent all of 2012 in game in Diablo 2 and I know less about any one of those magic systems than I know about this imaginary game in this dang book.
I know what it was, it was a never ending cut scene after a gigantic patch, and I for one and skipping that mess. 👌 Less explaining more boar farming for [Ruined Leather Scraps] please.
During the dawn of the internet do you remember RPG chatrooms in AOL and accidentally stumbling into one because you didn't know what "eViL poPTaRt taVeRn ***LARP ONLINE***" actually meant and just staring at the screen in shock and horror as people pretended to be wizards or vampires or viking lords via asterisks, ROFLcopters, and cringe?
Yeah, it was like listening to someone (Norm McDonald to be specific) read one of those chat rooms outloud.
I don't know man. There was no plot. I never found one. This is the summery of the part of the book I listened to: Old man enters game , becomes addicted, and describes it in painstaking detail.
I leveled up 5 GW2 toons to max, most with some legendary gear, completed the Explorer achievement on at least a couple of them, leveled up EIGHT, count them EIGHT, WoW toons to max (You could measure my in game WoW hours in YEARS!) and I spent all of 2012 in game in Diablo 2 and I know less about any one of those magic systems than I know about this imaginary game in this dang book.
I know what it was, it was a never ending cut scene after a gigantic patch, and I for one and skipping that mess. 👌 Less explaining more boar farming for [Ruined Leather Scraps] please.
March 31, 2020
Overall: +5
A decent effort but a pale shadow of AO series. Looks like author has taken efforts to strip away all that that made AO books special and write a generic trope-y version. I'm not sure if the plot ties back into other series...and If not...I'd skip this series. Not worth it at all!
Writing/Plot/Pace: +5
Started off with a very interesting tangent and we see a older experienced character and a game developer playing the game. But then this mostly peters off and when resorts to writing mods to gain advantage over players, it just felt like he was cheating his way to the top.
The real world angle was looked stolen out of b-grade hollywood movies, the drive behind the characters felt forced and fake. Even the in-game plot was so trope-y and contrived and has so many 'roll-eye' moments that all the fun action fails to save the book.
Characters: + 4
There's just the protagonist and nobody else makes any impact. Even him, the causal factors behind his decision making is just off and you get a standard odds stacked against but underdog wins story.
A decent effort but a pale shadow of AO series. Looks like author has taken efforts to strip away all that that made AO books special and write a generic trope-y version. I'm not sure if the plot ties back into other series...and If not...I'd skip this series. Not worth it at all!
Writing/Plot/Pace: +5
Started off with a very interesting tangent and we see a older experienced character and a game developer playing the game. But then this mostly peters off and when resorts to writing mods to gain advantage over players, it just felt like he was cheating his way to the top.
The real world angle was looked stolen out of b-grade hollywood movies, the drive behind the characters felt forced and fake. Even the in-game plot was so trope-y and contrived and has so many 'roll-eye' moments that all the fun action fails to save the book.
Characters: + 4
There's just the protagonist and nobody else makes any impact. Even him, the causal factors behind his decision making is just off and you get a standard odds stacked against but underdog wins story.
November 10, 2019
One of the best, period
I don't read books, I devour them. I can't tell you how many books I've read but it's been one a week, to one a day since I was in elementary school. Right now, Mark Lawrence is likely my favorite author. The Darkness, prose, and incredibly deep insights speak to a shadow place in the soul. With that being said, Bagwell is right there with him and this is hands down his best novel. It's LitRpg but easily stands on it's own as a fiction novel. I'm impressed in his growth as a writer and heartbroken I didn't wait for more of this series to come out before reading. One of the best and I implore you to read. You won't be disappointed.
I don't read books, I devour them. I can't tell you how many books I've read but it's been one a week, to one a day since I was in elementary school. Right now, Mark Lawrence is likely my favorite author. The Darkness, prose, and incredibly deep insights speak to a shadow place in the soul. With that being said, Bagwell is right there with him and this is hands down his best novel. It's LitRpg but easily stands on it's own as a fiction novel. I'm impressed in his growth as a writer and heartbroken I didn't wait for more of this series to come out before reading. One of the best and I implore you to read. You won't be disappointed.
January 3, 2025
The poorly written trauma that the MC experienced prior to the start of the novel is largely glossed except for the moments where it’s required as a plot device. The ending had a v deus ex machina vibe and just had lots of action and the MC becoming OP if you like that kinda stuff.
March 30, 2024
Just terrible. Why is he constantly shocked at normal video game stuff?!? Couldn’t get through.
February 4, 2023
Ember: 'The Hunger Games' of LitRPG
Travis Bagwell has taken LitRPG to a whole new level. As a 10-year MMO gamer vet turned LitRPG reader, I feel like I have some street creds in assessing Travis Bagwell’s prowess and innovations to the LitRPG genre of storytelling. Few titles have impressed me enough to write such a comprehensive review. Among my favorites include ‘How to Defeat a Demon King in 10 Easy Steps’, ‘Ready Player One’, and ‘Survival Quest’, so if you hated those books you may not find my review as relevant.
The Tarot Trilogy, Book 1 ‘Ember’ is my first experience into the author’s Awaken Online (AO) universe (12 books total have been written as of this review). AO is a fictional MMORPG game world accessed by each player’s VR headset in the real world. Each player chooses a class and levels up by gaining experience and distributing stat points, gradually making their character stronger and able to tackle more difficult aspects of the game world. As other LitRPG games have done, players feel a certain amount of real-life pain when taking damage or dying as well.
From the opening prologue, Mr. Bagwell immerses the reader into a compelling narrative about love and loss that is relatable to virtually everyone. He carries these heartfelt moments throughout the rest of the novel and to be honest, few LitRPG’s have moved me to misty eyes, which ‘Ember’ accomplished. I truly felt for the main character of the trilogy, Finn, as he struggled to rebuild his life post-incident. The desire of course is for Finn to come out of his grief and find meaning in life once more, and in a way that is what ‘Ember’ is all about. Mr. Bagwell’s writing style and Finn’s idiosyncratic feelings and actions-and how he decides on his actions-make for a very compelling narrative to this end:
1. Unlike other LitRPG novels, the author writes ‘Ember’ for grown-ups. Case in point: Finn is old, like, a grandpa. His in-game character is younger of course but from the prologue we see Finn having been around the block a time or 2 in life, which means we can thankfully skip all the awkward teen drama BS that inevitably pop up in other LitRPG novels with a teenager for a hero. He’s blunt, to the point, and kind of a no-nonsense pragmatist, and it made the story a lot more enjoyable for me because of it.
2. Finn’s daughter plays alongside him in-game throughout the book, which was a fresh new take on an otherwise male-showmanship-centric-get-the-hot-babe genre. The dad-daughter dynamic provides considerable comedic relief as well.
3. Finn’s loss feels real and authentic and its repercussions are used as a basis to drive the story forward in a meaningful way vs. other hack and slash LitRPG titles that just make you feel like you wasted time with a shallow story.
4. Finn is smart, like genius smart, and Mr. Bagwell writes Finn in a way that doesn’t take this for granted. Each situation Finn encounters is approached from an analytical and scrutinizing mindset. As Finn’s cohort in the book remarks: “You approach this game much differently than the other mages, like it’s real. There’s something about the way you tackle a problem or challenge that’s, well, inspiring.”
5. Finn has a fanatical personality, a trait that might not describe the average reader but warrants respect, even awe, to gamers - especially to those who rise to godlike heights in their respective game.
6. Right out of the gate Finn develops a very believable vendetta against those who he feels have wronged him. This is the other main driver that’s introduced for the story but doesn’t get much actual play in the first book.
It is pretty clear that Mr. Bagwell has read a lot of LitRPG (as well as Hunger Games, The Matrix, Dune, etc.). He has incorporated many of the more promising aspects of these stories into ‘Ember’. As Picasso was purported to have said: “Good artists copy, great artists steal.”
1. Most LitRPG’s gloss over the character stat allocation process. Starting stats and what they do (strength, dexterity, vitality, intelligence, etc.) are often explained but they get lost sight of as the story progresses. Mr. Bagwell keeps up with Finn’s stats every so often in creative ways and it gives a clearer picture of how Finn is progressing throughout ‘Ember’.
2. Most LitRPG’s dehumanize NPC’s which makes the interactions with them in the story seem less valuable or relevant. In ‘Ember’, the author makes it very unclear who is actually an NPC, in part because “quests” aren’t driving the story, so no one is being given them, and because the game world is built on a super-adaptive AI, they act like normal people too. Furthermore, they’re relabeled as residents (versus travelers, who are the actual players of the game). Finally, there is a distinct and steady undercurrent of xenophobia against the player-travelers as they progress through their stories, a probable plot element of things to come. It adds another layer of depth and tension to ‘Ember’.
3. The author focuses the combat system in ‘Ember’ on PvP and, as Finn’s daughter puts it, with the “homicidal mage prison” aspect of the Mages Guild, the reader definitely gets the sense that the players are in a Hunger Games of their own: culling less skilled players at the threat of the game’s AI forcibly removing their chosen classes (inferred). Even the duels have skin in the game (I’m so punny), since in-game pain translates to a certain % of real-life pain via the VR equipment. The tension around these duels is palpable, not simply a 45-minute re-spawn and corpse looting at stake but actual Pavlovian fright and fear towards the pain a player might receive.
4. The combat described in the game, while macabre at times, is described in real world terms. Attacks at other players are not simply “the fire mage hurled a fireball and her opponent loss 250 HP” but (not actual dialogue in the book but in the same vein (hahaha, so punny)) “the fireball melted the opponent’s right arm, eliminating the ability to cast with that hand and leaving her screaming in agony, awaiting the deathblow.” This was actually a refreshing change for me from how the usual fantasy violence is written.
5. In some LitRPG’s, learning and using spells can be described very monotonously: a spell is learned from a scroll, it can be cast if enough mana, and then it’s on cooldown. In ‘Ember’, other considerations are taken into account such as whether it’s advantageous to multi-cast with both hands vs. wielding a wand or sword and casting with only one hand, whether to cast and release vs. cast and charge vs. cast and channel a spell, what is the spell’s effective range, can a spell be used in other ways (e.g. Magma armor can protect against a certain amount of flat damage but the caster’s arm is also layered in a thick, molten sheath which can be used to break apart an ice wall like a battering ram). This makes for a much more engaging read.
6. The author has incorporated the ‘death cam’ mechanic commonly used in the FPS’s as a way to further explore Finn’s analytical capabilities after his PVP matches. Here, Finn can really critique his and his opponent’s fighting styles, including strengths, weaknesses, and what-ifs, which makes for a more enjoyable interlude between combat encounters.
7. The author’s use of expletives is tasteful without being too excessive. A well-timed F*** after an unfortunate incident can easily summarize a sentence or two of otherwise lackluster narrative (E.G. “Huge mutant heat-seeking killer beetles??! F***!”)
Dislikes:
1. The title of the book is jumbled and confusing. “Awaken Online Tarot Trilogy Book 1 Ember” Huh?? For anyone new to the series it will sound like a cluster. The books title is ‘Ember’ and all the rest is background info.
2. The name of the trilogy, Tarot, gets mentioned once or twice throughout ‘Ember’, and didn’t add much to the story in my opinion. A better series title could have been chosen.
3. Although limited by his fire mage affinity’s skill level, I would’ve liked to have seen more spells that Finn had at his disposal, the caveat being that I was amazed at how many things the author found to do with each spell beyond its “normal function”, such as imbuing a melee weapon with fire meant that Finn could move the weapon via pyrokenesis.
4. The likelihood that Finn was able to block any attack that came at him by holding up his arm imbued with his Magma Armor spell seemed remote.
5. It seemed like multiple players were cheating throughout the book-long tournament by receiving outside help, gear, and spells (and I think this was an intentional plot element), but I would’ve liked to have seen less cheating for the sake of the story.
6. A minor annoyance but everyone’s in-game names were the same as their real-life names.
7. Finn was oblivious to certain aspects of the game, which, although might’ve been an intentional plot element, was infuriating as a gamer. E.G. he almost never paid attention to his level-ups or the gear he equipped but focused singularly on how to best execute his offensive and defensive capabilities.
8. *No crafting or quests were present to my knowledge in ‘Ember’. *Since Ember is the first book of a 3, this might resolve itself in the other 2 books (Flame and Inferno). E.G. the lack of crafting in ‘Ember’ is prominent in ‘Flame’
I am very excited to continue with the series and explore Mr. Bagwell’s other AO works as well. Overall 4.5 stars.
Tl; dr: the author has made significant improvements to LitRPG by forgoing the usual tropes of the genre and turning the gaming world into less of an actual game and more of a real-life fight-to-survive experience. The reader will find familiar themes in popular works such as the Matrix, Dune, and Hunger Games as well which, when applied to LitRPG, makes for a unique story untold in such a particular way in the genre.
Travis Bagwell has taken LitRPG to a whole new level. As a 10-year MMO gamer vet turned LitRPG reader, I feel like I have some street creds in assessing Travis Bagwell’s prowess and innovations to the LitRPG genre of storytelling. Few titles have impressed me enough to write such a comprehensive review. Among my favorites include ‘How to Defeat a Demon King in 10 Easy Steps’, ‘Ready Player One’, and ‘Survival Quest’, so if you hated those books you may not find my review as relevant.
The Tarot Trilogy, Book 1 ‘Ember’ is my first experience into the author’s Awaken Online (AO) universe (12 books total have been written as of this review). AO is a fictional MMORPG game world accessed by each player’s VR headset in the real world. Each player chooses a class and levels up by gaining experience and distributing stat points, gradually making their character stronger and able to tackle more difficult aspects of the game world. As other LitRPG games have done, players feel a certain amount of real-life pain when taking damage or dying as well.
From the opening prologue, Mr. Bagwell immerses the reader into a compelling narrative about love and loss that is relatable to virtually everyone. He carries these heartfelt moments throughout the rest of the novel and to be honest, few LitRPG’s have moved me to misty eyes, which ‘Ember’ accomplished. I truly felt for the main character of the trilogy, Finn, as he struggled to rebuild his life post-incident. The desire of course is for Finn to come out of his grief and find meaning in life once more, and in a way that is what ‘Ember’ is all about. Mr. Bagwell’s writing style and Finn’s idiosyncratic feelings and actions-and how he decides on his actions-make for a very compelling narrative to this end:
1. Unlike other LitRPG novels, the author writes ‘Ember’ for grown-ups. Case in point: Finn is old, like, a grandpa. His in-game character is younger of course but from the prologue we see Finn having been around the block a time or 2 in life, which means we can thankfully skip all the awkward teen drama BS that inevitably pop up in other LitRPG novels with a teenager for a hero. He’s blunt, to the point, and kind of a no-nonsense pragmatist, and it made the story a lot more enjoyable for me because of it.
2. Finn’s daughter plays alongside him in-game throughout the book, which was a fresh new take on an otherwise male-showmanship-centric-get-the-hot-babe genre. The dad-daughter dynamic provides considerable comedic relief as well.
3. Finn’s loss feels real and authentic and its repercussions are used as a basis to drive the story forward in a meaningful way vs. other hack and slash LitRPG titles that just make you feel like you wasted time with a shallow story.
4. Finn is smart, like genius smart, and Mr. Bagwell writes Finn in a way that doesn’t take this for granted. Each situation Finn encounters is approached from an analytical and scrutinizing mindset. As Finn’s cohort in the book remarks: “You approach this game much differently than the other mages, like it’s real. There’s something about the way you tackle a problem or challenge that’s, well, inspiring.”
5. Finn has a fanatical personality, a trait that might not describe the average reader but warrants respect, even awe, to gamers - especially to those who rise to godlike heights in their respective game.
6. Right out of the gate Finn develops a very believable vendetta against those who he feels have wronged him. This is the other main driver that’s introduced for the story but doesn’t get much actual play in the first book.
It is pretty clear that Mr. Bagwell has read a lot of LitRPG (as well as Hunger Games, The Matrix, Dune, etc.). He has incorporated many of the more promising aspects of these stories into ‘Ember’. As Picasso was purported to have said: “Good artists copy, great artists steal.”
1. Most LitRPG’s gloss over the character stat allocation process. Starting stats and what they do (strength, dexterity, vitality, intelligence, etc.) are often explained but they get lost sight of as the story progresses. Mr. Bagwell keeps up with Finn’s stats every so often in creative ways and it gives a clearer picture of how Finn is progressing throughout ‘Ember’.
2. Most LitRPG’s dehumanize NPC’s which makes the interactions with them in the story seem less valuable or relevant. In ‘Ember’, the author makes it very unclear who is actually an NPC, in part because “quests” aren’t driving the story, so no one is being given them, and because the game world is built on a super-adaptive AI, they act like normal people too. Furthermore, they’re relabeled as residents (versus travelers, who are the actual players of the game). Finally, there is a distinct and steady undercurrent of xenophobia against the player-travelers as they progress through their stories, a probable plot element of things to come. It adds another layer of depth and tension to ‘Ember’.
3. The author focuses the combat system in ‘Ember’ on PvP and, as Finn’s daughter puts it, with the “homicidal mage prison” aspect of the Mages Guild, the reader definitely gets the sense that the players are in a Hunger Games of their own: culling less skilled players at the threat of the game’s AI forcibly removing their chosen classes (inferred). Even the duels have skin in the game (I’m so punny), since in-game pain translates to a certain % of real-life pain via the VR equipment. The tension around these duels is palpable, not simply a 45-minute re-spawn and corpse looting at stake but actual Pavlovian fright and fear towards the pain a player might receive.
4. The combat described in the game, while macabre at times, is described in real world terms. Attacks at other players are not simply “the fire mage hurled a fireball and her opponent loss 250 HP” but (not actual dialogue in the book but in the same vein (hahaha, so punny)) “the fireball melted the opponent’s right arm, eliminating the ability to cast with that hand and leaving her screaming in agony, awaiting the deathblow.” This was actually a refreshing change for me from how the usual fantasy violence is written.
5. In some LitRPG’s, learning and using spells can be described very monotonously: a spell is learned from a scroll, it can be cast if enough mana, and then it’s on cooldown. In ‘Ember’, other considerations are taken into account such as whether it’s advantageous to multi-cast with both hands vs. wielding a wand or sword and casting with only one hand, whether to cast and release vs. cast and charge vs. cast and channel a spell, what is the spell’s effective range, can a spell be used in other ways (e.g. Magma armor can protect against a certain amount of flat damage but the caster’s arm is also layered in a thick, molten sheath which can be used to break apart an ice wall like a battering ram). This makes for a much more engaging read.
6. The author has incorporated the ‘death cam’ mechanic commonly used in the FPS’s as a way to further explore Finn’s analytical capabilities after his PVP matches. Here, Finn can really critique his and his opponent’s fighting styles, including strengths, weaknesses, and what-ifs, which makes for a more enjoyable interlude between combat encounters.
7. The author’s use of expletives is tasteful without being too excessive. A well-timed F*** after an unfortunate incident can easily summarize a sentence or two of otherwise lackluster narrative (E.G. “Huge mutant heat-seeking killer beetles??! F***!”)
Dislikes:
1. The title of the book is jumbled and confusing. “Awaken Online Tarot Trilogy Book 1 Ember” Huh?? For anyone new to the series it will sound like a cluster. The books title is ‘Ember’ and all the rest is background info.
2. The name of the trilogy, Tarot, gets mentioned once or twice throughout ‘Ember’, and didn’t add much to the story in my opinion. A better series title could have been chosen.
3. Although limited by his fire mage affinity’s skill level, I would’ve liked to have seen more spells that Finn had at his disposal, the caveat being that I was amazed at how many things the author found to do with each spell beyond its “normal function”, such as imbuing a melee weapon with fire meant that Finn could move the weapon via pyrokenesis.
4. The likelihood that Finn was able to block any attack that came at him by holding up his arm imbued with his Magma Armor spell seemed remote.
5. It seemed like multiple players were cheating throughout the book-long tournament by receiving outside help, gear, and spells (and I think this was an intentional plot element), but I would’ve liked to have seen less cheating for the sake of the story.
6. A minor annoyance but everyone’s in-game names were the same as their real-life names.
7. Finn was oblivious to certain aspects of the game, which, although might’ve been an intentional plot element, was infuriating as a gamer. E.G. he almost never paid attention to his level-ups or the gear he equipped but focused singularly on how to best execute his offensive and defensive capabilities.
8. *No crafting or quests were present to my knowledge in ‘Ember’. *Since Ember is the first book of a 3, this might resolve itself in the other 2 books (Flame and Inferno). E.G. the lack of crafting in ‘Ember’ is prominent in ‘Flame’
I am very excited to continue with the series and explore Mr. Bagwell’s other AO works as well. Overall 4.5 stars.
Tl; dr: the author has made significant improvements to LitRPG by forgoing the usual tropes of the genre and turning the gaming world into less of an actual game and more of a real-life fight-to-survive experience. The reader will find familiar themes in popular works such as the Matrix, Dune, and Hunger Games as well which, when applied to LitRPG, makes for a unique story untold in such a particular way in the genre.
October 17, 2023
Travis Bagwell's "Ember" is a delightful addition to the "Awaken Online" series, offering readers a fresh perspective within this well-loved universe. This installment dives intricately into the existing magic system, enhancing its depth and introducing layers of detail that make the world even more immersive. The introduction of Finn, a programmer by profession, was particularly captivating. His technical background not only provides an interesting twist to the narrative but also adds a layer of relatability for readers with similar experiences or interests. As I delved into Finn's journey, his character resonated with me, making each of his successes and challenges feel personal and engaging. The combination of his unique professional skills with the challenges of the virtual realm made "Ember" a compelling read from the start.
The portrayal of Finn's relationships in "Ember" truly stands out as one of the book's strengths. With Julia, his daughter, readers are privy to a bond steeped in mutual respect, care, and the intricacies of a parent-child relationship, especially given the adversities they've faced. Their interactions paint a vivid picture of a father who, despite his internal struggles, seeks to be there for his daughter and vice versa. Julia's role isn't just as a sideline character; she becomes an anchor for Finn in his darkest moments, shedding light on the depth of their bond.
Similarly, Finn's relationship with Kyyle is beautifully fleshed out. Starting as strangers in a virtual world, their camaraderie blossoms organically, making their bond both believable and heartwarming. Kyyle's strategic mind complements Finn's technical prowess, and their mutual respect and shared adventures lay the foundation for a strong friendship. Their moments of jest, shared victories, and mutual support not only make for engaging reading but also breathe life into the narrative, offering readers a new angle from which to engage with the "Awaken Online" universe.
This fresh dynamic, resulting from the intricate portrayal of these relationships, adds layers of emotion and depth to the series, making "Ember" not just a tale of virtual adventure but also one of human connection and growth.
However, the book wasn't without its faults. While engrossing, some elements of the story were somewhat foreseeable, with the ending, in particular, lacking the surprise factor I had hoped for. Moreover, there were some discrepancies in the in-game calculations. For instance, a mere 5% improvement in casting speed by the end and a less than 10% boost in learning speed doesn't quite add up when considering Finn's ability to learn a new language within a week, when earlier it was implied it would take almost a month.
Nonetheless, "Ember" stands as a commendable addition to the "Awaken Online" saga, bringing both depth and new perspectives. Despite a few inconsistencies, Bagwell has, once again, managed to craft a world that's easy to immerse oneself in.
The portrayal of Finn's relationships in "Ember" truly stands out as one of the book's strengths. With Julia, his daughter, readers are privy to a bond steeped in mutual respect, care, and the intricacies of a parent-child relationship, especially given the adversities they've faced. Their interactions paint a vivid picture of a father who, despite his internal struggles, seeks to be there for his daughter and vice versa. Julia's role isn't just as a sideline character; she becomes an anchor for Finn in his darkest moments, shedding light on the depth of their bond.
Similarly, Finn's relationship with Kyyle is beautifully fleshed out. Starting as strangers in a virtual world, their camaraderie blossoms organically, making their bond both believable and heartwarming. Kyyle's strategic mind complements Finn's technical prowess, and their mutual respect and shared adventures lay the foundation for a strong friendship. Their moments of jest, shared victories, and mutual support not only make for engaging reading but also breathe life into the narrative, offering readers a new angle from which to engage with the "Awaken Online" universe.
This fresh dynamic, resulting from the intricate portrayal of these relationships, adds layers of emotion and depth to the series, making "Ember" not just a tale of virtual adventure but also one of human connection and growth.
However, the book wasn't without its faults. While engrossing, some elements of the story were somewhat foreseeable, with the ending, in particular, lacking the surprise factor I had hoped for. Moreover, there were some discrepancies in the in-game calculations. For instance, a mere 5% improvement in casting speed by the end and a less than 10% boost in learning speed doesn't quite add up when considering Finn's ability to learn a new language within a week, when earlier it was implied it would take almost a month.
Nonetheless, "Ember" stands as a commendable addition to the "Awaken Online" saga, bringing both depth and new perspectives. Despite a few inconsistencies, Bagwell has, once again, managed to craft a world that's easy to immerse oneself in.
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