What do you think?
Rate this book
God Core #1
God of Gnomes
What kind of god would you be?
Deep beneath the earth, Corey finds himself reborn as a God Core – a sentient crystal with unusual powers. His new worshipers? A colony of incompetent gnomes, scratching out an existence in their underground grotto.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Corey soon realizes that his gnome denizens are about to become extinct. They are threatened by groups of blundering adventurers, and abducted by raiding kobolds to be sacrificed to their own dark god: an ancient, mysterious foe who does not take kindly to Corey’s arrival.
With the aid of his helper sprite and a menagerie of newly evolved creatures, Corey must protect and guide his gnomes until they can stand on their own two feet. But the kobold army is on the march, led by his new rival’s powerful avatar.
It’s a hard rock life, being a God Core.
Deep beneath the earth, Corey finds himself reborn as a God Core – a sentient crystal with unusual powers. His new worshipers? A colony of incompetent gnomes, scratching out an existence in their underground grotto.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Corey soon realizes that his gnome denizens are about to become extinct. They are threatened by groups of blundering adventurers, and abducted by raiding kobolds to be sacrificed to their own dark god: an ancient, mysterious foe who does not take kindly to Corey’s arrival.
With the aid of his helper sprite and a menagerie of newly evolved creatures, Corey must protect and guide his gnomes until they can stand on their own two feet. But the kobold army is on the march, led by his new rival’s powerful avatar.
It’s a hard rock life, being a God Core.
444 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2019
559 people are currently reading
1388 people want to read
About the author
Demi Harper
2 books95 followersDEMI HARPER is a pseudonym of Laura M. Hughes, a freelance editor and fantasy writer living in the north of England. Her short fiction has appeared in anthologies such as Lost Lore, Art of War, and the Stabby Award-winning Heroes Wanted.
When she isn’t faffing around in FFXIV Online, murderhoboing in D&D, or re-re-replaying Dragon Age, you’re likely to find her reading or writing LitRPG. Her first novel, God of Gnomes, released in 2019, with the rest of the God Core trilogy to follow in 2021. Right now she and Luke Chmilenko are co-writing the first book in a brand-new Norse progression fantasy series scheduled for release in 2022, tentatively titled Nine Worlds and optimistically described as “God of War meets Cradle.”
When she isn’t faffing around in FFXIV Online, murderhoboing in D&D, or re-re-replaying Dragon Age, you’re likely to find her reading or writing LitRPG. Her first novel, God of Gnomes, released in 2019, with the rest of the God Core trilogy to follow in 2021. Right now she and Luke Chmilenko are co-writing the first book in a brand-new Norse progression fantasy series scheduled for release in 2022, tentatively titled Nine Worlds and optimistically described as “God of War meets Cradle.”
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
Read
August 25, 2025This will be a 3 part review focusing on:
i) What a good writer Demi Harper / Laura M Hughes is.
ii) How, for me, the litRPG format can make it hard for that to shine
iii) I enjoyed the book.
Let's go for it!
i) Harper / Hughes is a really good writer - that's immediately apparent in both the books I've read by her. She had great prose, a wicked sense of humour, and a fertile imagination.
ii) This is the first litRPG (literature + Role Playing Game) book I've read. I'm far from being an expert but here's my take on it. LitRPG seems to be about taking the hard/soft magic system debate and twisting the control knob to 12 in favour of hard. It realises the mechanics of roleplaying systems or computer games inside a fantasy book. I guess the roleplaying systems are also computer games these days too as online games have become the dominant platform for folks wishing to reach level 70, cast a fireball, select character class etc.
This book surprised me by making me aware of a sub-division within LitRPG. God of Gnomes isn't based on an RPG computer game, it's based on an RTS (Real Time Strategy) computer game. I don't know how the sub-genre of LitRPG divides between RPG and RTS but I'm going to guess that the RPG chunk is much bigger?
So, imagine you go round to your friend's house and she's sat there on the PC loading an RTS game she's just bought. You're not going to get a turn, but you can draw up a chair and watch her play. Naturally it's going to start with extensive tutorial stages because RTS games are a complicated business, you don't charge down the corridor firing your blaster - this is a resource management game like Sim City, but with battles looming, like Age of Empires, but in this case with you as the prime mover brought more concretely into the frame as an actual god with an avatar, like the rather less well known game Black and White.
So you watch her learn the game, build her huts, set villagers to chopping wood, mining resources, allocating them to different tasks, advancing the civilisation, building more sophisticated structures, starting to use metal, training soldiers and clerics. And there's an enemy doing the same across the map, bent on her destruction. Let the fun begin.
The only difference in book form is that the narrator adds motivation, detail, etc and that at the back of your mind you know these rules are being made up by the person playing the game.
LitRPG has a significant focus on the detailed mechanics of the game. So in this book we're constantly (& this is by design - what the readers want - not a flaw) reminded of the number of denizens in total, the number assigned to different roles, the progress on this of that structure, the resources needed to complete a structure, and, above all, the state of play regarding the game's core currency - mana - which is the "go-juice" required to initiate actions / create creatures and is generated through the faith of the denizens.
So, that's all very well, and I can see the attraction to someone who has spent a lifetime playing such games (& I've spent a fair chunk of mine doing just that and would have spent more except for the fact that I'm so old I had to wait for home computers to arrive and then for the internet). If you've played such games you probably had an inner narrative on the run to jazz things up - you made up a little story, invested some emotional stock in your "people", maybe even named a few.
When I was a kid (before home computers) I had Airfix soldiers, plastic WWII troopers by the score, about 2 inches high, and I staged endless battles, using cannons that fired nails to knock them down. And of course I told myself stories about what was going on, and named any soldier that shone in a particular battle. Same deal 40 years later.
That's all great. But to have an actual book about it? It's difficult to flex a writers' muscles within such confines. Where are the conversations? Where are the stakes? Where's the emotional depth? How are you going to make the reader laugh and cry and care? It's not even their game - they're just watching. And all the numbers and stats which are vital to that illusion that the game is actually proceeding according to unbreakable rules - those are rather dry and repetitive things to thread through your tale. They constantly remind us that this isn't real and doesn't matter. The two things that an author is forever bending their skill toward in an attempt to erase those truths.
Like anything, it's a trade off. You're adding the whole computer game experience at the expense of another element. Many readers clearly consider it a net gain. I'm not one of them, at least not for this RTS example.
iii) HOWEVER … even though I don't think it's a net gain, I still enjoyed this book quite a bit, but to my mind it's in spite of the format rather than because of it.
I return to my opening statements about Harper/Hughes' writing chops. They shine through. The race we're dealt in this RTS are gnomes and the god placed in charge of them is distinctly unimpressed by the material he's been given to work with. His snarky narrative is a lot of fun. The tutorial stage requires the disembodied encouragement of a guide and that guide becomes a foil for our god, providing conversation and banter.
The gnomes are "cute" and funny and prove their mettle as their society grows. The enemy comes in the form of a kobold nation led by an evil god who enjoys a considerable head start.
A lot of the invention (& fighting) is provided via the monsters that the gods are allowed to invent by splicing together and evolving local wildlife. We spend a lot of time (a lot of fun time) watching evolved spider-things and squirrel-fox things hold off hordes of kobolds while the gnomes chop down mushroom trees back at base.
Since the god can't talk to (or even understand) his denizens the book is largely a monologue with welcome breaks when talking to his guide or trading barbs with his opponent god.
I enjoyed the addition of human interlopers which seems to step outside the game mechanics but allowed more conversation and escaped the straight-jacket of the rules. Reading the relatively brief observation of the human adventurers intruding into the caves reminded me of the books Hughes undoubtedly has waiting in her imagination. I would happily have followed their adventures for a good number of chapters.
Our god PoV makes a valiant attempt at making us care about the gnomes and the monsters created to protect them, anthropomorphising at every turn, assigning names, noting quirks etc.
Ultimately we get a grand battle with our much improved gnomes and their allies facing off against the kobold legions and their unwholesome leader.
I enjoyed it. It was an easy read. It was well written. It was clever.
I didn't LOVE it. I feel that's because I don't LOVE litRPG. In the final analysis I was only mildly emotionally invested in the game. I was constantly reminded (by the basic structure of the subgenre) that it +was+ a game. I couldn't lose myself in character like I do in my favourite reads. That's no fault of the author.
I read hoping to be transported, to be awed, to give myself over emotionally, to cheer, to cry, to care. This wasn't that. It was something else, by design. Something interesting. The fusion of two something interestings. But I'm not sure if the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
I certainly do recommend you give it a try if you're feeling jaded or looking for something different from the "standard" fare. And again, Harper/Hughes is a talented writer who is well worth your attention.
And LitRPG may not have blown me away (yet) but it certainly is that rare thing: something new under the sun. Something that has grown out of modern society and the experience of my children's generation. I'm very interested to see where it will go.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
i) What a good writer Demi Harper / Laura M Hughes is.
ii) How, for me, the litRPG format can make it hard for that to shine
iii) I enjoyed the book.
Let's go for it!
i) Harper / Hughes is a really good writer - that's immediately apparent in both the books I've read by her. She had great prose, a wicked sense of humour, and a fertile imagination.
ii) This is the first litRPG (literature + Role Playing Game) book I've read. I'm far from being an expert but here's my take on it. LitRPG seems to be about taking the hard/soft magic system debate and twisting the control knob to 12 in favour of hard. It realises the mechanics of roleplaying systems or computer games inside a fantasy book. I guess the roleplaying systems are also computer games these days too as online games have become the dominant platform for folks wishing to reach level 70, cast a fireball, select character class etc.
This book surprised me by making me aware of a sub-division within LitRPG. God of Gnomes isn't based on an RPG computer game, it's based on an RTS (Real Time Strategy) computer game. I don't know how the sub-genre of LitRPG divides between RPG and RTS but I'm going to guess that the RPG chunk is much bigger?
So, imagine you go round to your friend's house and she's sat there on the PC loading an RTS game she's just bought. You're not going to get a turn, but you can draw up a chair and watch her play. Naturally it's going to start with extensive tutorial stages because RTS games are a complicated business, you don't charge down the corridor firing your blaster - this is a resource management game like Sim City, but with battles looming, like Age of Empires, but in this case with you as the prime mover brought more concretely into the frame as an actual god with an avatar, like the rather less well known game Black and White.
So you watch her learn the game, build her huts, set villagers to chopping wood, mining resources, allocating them to different tasks, advancing the civilisation, building more sophisticated structures, starting to use metal, training soldiers and clerics. And there's an enemy doing the same across the map, bent on her destruction. Let the fun begin.
The only difference in book form is that the narrator adds motivation, detail, etc and that at the back of your mind you know these rules are being made up by the person playing the game.
LitRPG has a significant focus on the detailed mechanics of the game. So in this book we're constantly (& this is by design - what the readers want - not a flaw) reminded of the number of denizens in total, the number assigned to different roles, the progress on this of that structure, the resources needed to complete a structure, and, above all, the state of play regarding the game's core currency - mana - which is the "go-juice" required to initiate actions / create creatures and is generated through the faith of the denizens.
So, that's all very well, and I can see the attraction to someone who has spent a lifetime playing such games (& I've spent a fair chunk of mine doing just that and would have spent more except for the fact that I'm so old I had to wait for home computers to arrive and then for the internet). If you've played such games you probably had an inner narrative on the run to jazz things up - you made up a little story, invested some emotional stock in your "people", maybe even named a few.
When I was a kid (before home computers) I had Airfix soldiers, plastic WWII troopers by the score, about 2 inches high, and I staged endless battles, using cannons that fired nails to knock them down. And of course I told myself stories about what was going on, and named any soldier that shone in a particular battle. Same deal 40 years later.
That's all great. But to have an actual book about it? It's difficult to flex a writers' muscles within such confines. Where are the conversations? Where are the stakes? Where's the emotional depth? How are you going to make the reader laugh and cry and care? It's not even their game - they're just watching. And all the numbers and stats which are vital to that illusion that the game is actually proceeding according to unbreakable rules - those are rather dry and repetitive things to thread through your tale. They constantly remind us that this isn't real and doesn't matter. The two things that an author is forever bending their skill toward in an attempt to erase those truths.
Like anything, it's a trade off. You're adding the whole computer game experience at the expense of another element. Many readers clearly consider it a net gain. I'm not one of them, at least not for this RTS example.
iii) HOWEVER … even though I don't think it's a net gain, I still enjoyed this book quite a bit, but to my mind it's in spite of the format rather than because of it.
I return to my opening statements about Harper/Hughes' writing chops. They shine through. The race we're dealt in this RTS are gnomes and the god placed in charge of them is distinctly unimpressed by the material he's been given to work with. His snarky narrative is a lot of fun. The tutorial stage requires the disembodied encouragement of a guide and that guide becomes a foil for our god, providing conversation and banter.
The gnomes are "cute" and funny and prove their mettle as their society grows. The enemy comes in the form of a kobold nation led by an evil god who enjoys a considerable head start.
A lot of the invention (& fighting) is provided via the monsters that the gods are allowed to invent by splicing together and evolving local wildlife. We spend a lot of time (a lot of fun time) watching evolved spider-things and squirrel-fox things hold off hordes of kobolds while the gnomes chop down mushroom trees back at base.
Since the god can't talk to (or even understand) his denizens the book is largely a monologue with welcome breaks when talking to his guide or trading barbs with his opponent god.
I enjoyed the addition of human interlopers which seems to step outside the game mechanics but allowed more conversation and escaped the straight-jacket of the rules. Reading the relatively brief observation of the human adventurers intruding into the caves reminded me of the books Hughes undoubtedly has waiting in her imagination. I would happily have followed their adventures for a good number of chapters.
Our god PoV makes a valiant attempt at making us care about the gnomes and the monsters created to protect them, anthropomorphising at every turn, assigning names, noting quirks etc.
Ultimately we get a grand battle with our much improved gnomes and their allies facing off against the kobold legions and their unwholesome leader.
I enjoyed it. It was an easy read. It was well written. It was clever.
I didn't LOVE it. I feel that's because I don't LOVE litRPG. In the final analysis I was only mildly emotionally invested in the game. I was constantly reminded (by the basic structure of the subgenre) that it +was+ a game. I couldn't lose myself in character like I do in my favourite reads. That's no fault of the author.
I read hoping to be transported, to be awed, to give myself over emotionally, to cheer, to cry, to care. This wasn't that. It was something else, by design. Something interesting. The fusion of two something interestings. But I'm not sure if the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
I certainly do recommend you give it a try if you're feeling jaded or looking for something different from the "standard" fare. And again, Harper/Hughes is a talented writer who is well worth your attention.
And LitRPG may not have blown me away (yet) but it certainly is that rare thing: something new under the sun. Something that has grown out of modern society and the experience of my children's generation. I'm very interested to see where it will go.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
September 14, 2019
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Harper’s LitRPG debut combines the resource management of Real-Time Strategy Games and the moral system of The Good Place into a fun, exciting, and wholesome reading experience.
God of Gnomes, the first book in God Core series by Demi Harper isn’t my first experience reading Harper’s work. Demi Harper is a pseudonym for Laura M. Hughes; a freelance editor, and also the author behind the dark fantasy novella: Danse Macabre. I loved Danse Macabre, and also enjoyed the two short stories written by her that I’ve read so far. I have always wanted the author to write a full-length novel, and as far as I know, God of Gnomes is the author’s first take on a full-length novel and the LitRPG genre. As expected, I enjoyed it; the novel which was written in a very different style compared to the author’s past work didn’t change the quality of her work. The story follows Corey as he finds himself reborn as a God Core that must protect and guide his worshippers—gnomes—to escape extinction. The story started off very light-hearted at first, and it gets more serious as the story progressed; I’m thankful for this. Although I do like reading light-hearted stories, a few serious and tense moments are necessary for me to enjoy a book.
Have you watched The Good Place? Let’s assume that you have. Yes, you liked it because no one disliked The Good Place unless they’re in The Bad Place, or haven’t watched it yet. Lucky for you, God of Gnomes weaved one of the most important moral messages from the TV series into the narrative: the contrast between past and present lives plus the importance of your intention within your action. If you do a good deed with a selfish/corrupt intention, will your action be categorized as good or bad; the two main characters, Corey and Ket, discussed this plenty of times and I found it to be an engaging topic of discussion that enriches their characterizations. For example, Corey’s power as a God Core is sustained and increased by his minions’ faith in him; will Corey continue to help the gnomes for his own sake or because he genuinely wants to help them. What kind of god would you be? This is the kind of question asked that served as a moral compass that developed Corey’s character wonderfully.
There’s one thing, in my opinion, that LitRPG can do better—not always, but possible—as a medium compared to gaming, and that is its capability to flesh out the characters even more. When gamers play competitive video games, oftentimes we play it with one objective in mind: victory. How to achieve it? By practicing and choosing the right set of heroes/skills; this is especially true in Real-Time Strategy Games & MOBA gaming genres. Harper made sure that the heroes, minions, and the creatures in God of Gnomes aren't just cannon fodder to simply be used and throw away. Corey sees his minions as creatures with personalities and lives; discarding them just because they lack the essential abilities/skills to win eventually becomes a difficult and emotional task the more Corey grew to care about his minions. I enjoyed reading the character development; I found the development gradual and satisfying.
I’m not good at math; there’re a lot of numbers and skill levels going on in this book that would’ve been difficult for me to remember if it wasn’t because of Harper’s clean and well-polished prose that made all the scenes easy to read and visualize. I would’ve loved a skill list at the end of the book though; it will be interesting to see the number of skills Corey has unlocked in a detailed list format. The word ‘fun’ may have lost some of its intended meaning due to it being overused in book reviews, but Harper has successfully breathed life back into that word in God of Gnomes; fun to read, well-written, and crafted with a palpable passion for books and gaming. LitRPG isn’t even my favorite genre to read, and I still had a really good time reading this book. If you’re a LitRPG and Dungeon Core fans, definitely give God of Gnome a read.
Official release date: 26th September 2019
You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Harper’s LitRPG debut combines the resource management of Real-Time Strategy Games and the moral system of The Good Place into a fun, exciting, and wholesome reading experience.
God of Gnomes, the first book in God Core series by Demi Harper isn’t my first experience reading Harper’s work. Demi Harper is a pseudonym for Laura M. Hughes; a freelance editor, and also the author behind the dark fantasy novella: Danse Macabre. I loved Danse Macabre, and also enjoyed the two short stories written by her that I’ve read so far. I have always wanted the author to write a full-length novel, and as far as I know, God of Gnomes is the author’s first take on a full-length novel and the LitRPG genre. As expected, I enjoyed it; the novel which was written in a very different style compared to the author’s past work didn’t change the quality of her work. The story follows Corey as he finds himself reborn as a God Core that must protect and guide his worshippers—gnomes—to escape extinction. The story started off very light-hearted at first, and it gets more serious as the story progressed; I’m thankful for this. Although I do like reading light-hearted stories, a few serious and tense moments are necessary for me to enjoy a book.
“What you were before doesn’t matter. What matters is who you are now.”
Have you watched The Good Place? Let’s assume that you have. Yes, you liked it because no one disliked The Good Place unless they’re in The Bad Place, or haven’t watched it yet. Lucky for you, God of Gnomes weaved one of the most important moral messages from the TV series into the narrative: the contrast between past and present lives plus the importance of your intention within your action. If you do a good deed with a selfish/corrupt intention, will your action be categorized as good or bad; the two main characters, Corey and Ket, discussed this plenty of times and I found it to be an engaging topic of discussion that enriches their characterizations. For example, Corey’s power as a God Core is sustained and increased by his minions’ faith in him; will Corey continue to help the gnomes for his own sake or because he genuinely wants to help them. What kind of god would you be? This is the kind of question asked that served as a moral compass that developed Corey’s character wonderfully.
“’Isn’t that the case with most civilizations?’ Ket pointed out. ‘Hope and blind belief can only get you so far. The sad fact is that most people tend to be pretty niggardly with their devotion unless they stand to gain some sort of reward.’”
There’s one thing, in my opinion, that LitRPG can do better—not always, but possible—as a medium compared to gaming, and that is its capability to flesh out the characters even more. When gamers play competitive video games, oftentimes we play it with one objective in mind: victory. How to achieve it? By practicing and choosing the right set of heroes/skills; this is especially true in Real-Time Strategy Games & MOBA gaming genres. Harper made sure that the heroes, minions, and the creatures in God of Gnomes aren't just cannon fodder to simply be used and throw away. Corey sees his minions as creatures with personalities and lives; discarding them just because they lack the essential abilities/skills to win eventually becomes a difficult and emotional task the more Corey grew to care about his minions. I enjoyed reading the character development; I found the development gradual and satisfying.
“That’s how religions works, after all – the worshippers shape the deity, at least at the beginning. Gods might be powerful, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re created by those who need them.”
I’m not good at math; there’re a lot of numbers and skill levels going on in this book that would’ve been difficult for me to remember if it wasn’t because of Harper’s clean and well-polished prose that made all the scenes easy to read and visualize. I would’ve loved a skill list at the end of the book though; it will be interesting to see the number of skills Corey has unlocked in a detailed list format. The word ‘fun’ may have lost some of its intended meaning due to it being overused in book reviews, but Harper has successfully breathed life back into that word in God of Gnomes; fun to read, well-written, and crafted with a palpable passion for books and gaming. LitRPG isn’t even my favorite genre to read, and I still had a really good time reading this book. If you’re a LitRPG and Dungeon Core fans, definitely give God of Gnome a read.
Official release date: 26th September 2019
You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
November 21, 2019
By far the best LitRPG I have read.
Fun is a wildly underrated thing to be called, especially these days, and God of Gnomes has it in spades. It's the perfect palate cleanser between more serious novels in the same way as Kings of the Wyld. Fun, exciting, inventive and just a little bit mad.
It takes only a little while to lay the groundwork of the world and the exact nature of the newborn God of Gnomes and then the story is up and running, pitting a hapless subsistence civilization of gnomes against an evil god, hideous monsters, and their own stupidity. If anybody ever played the PC game Black & White, then this is the novel equivalent, but with added whimsy.
Fun is a wildly underrated thing to be called, especially these days, and God of Gnomes has it in spades. It's the perfect palate cleanser between more serious novels in the same way as Kings of the Wyld. Fun, exciting, inventive and just a little bit mad.
It takes only a little while to lay the groundwork of the world and the exact nature of the newborn God of Gnomes and then the story is up and running, pitting a hapless subsistence civilization of gnomes against an evil god, hideous monsters, and their own stupidity. If anybody ever played the PC game Black & White, then this is the novel equivalent, but with added whimsy.
September 29, 2019
I will admit I was skeptical prior to reading God of Gnomes. I've never read any LitRPG and I'm not an RPG player, so I wasn't all that excited by the idea of reading stats and stat tables. When dungeon core was explained to me, I had a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of the main character being a crystal and the narrative playing out from that perspective.
I like books that are different from what I'm used to, though, especially in terms of narrative perspective. I'm also a huge fan of the author's previous work outside of the LitRPG genre. And that cover and title make me grin. I had to give it a shot.
Long story short, I loved it. I find myself still thinking about it, even though it's been a couple of weeks since I finished it. And just so you know, there are no stat tables. Plenty of description of leveling up and such, but it never got in the way of my enjoyment of the setting, characters, story, humor, and a ton of really nifty critters. This is fun stuff. Even if you don't read LitRPG, you need to check this out.
I like books that are different from what I'm used to, though, especially in terms of narrative perspective. I'm also a huge fan of the author's previous work outside of the LitRPG genre. And that cover and title make me grin. I had to give it a shot.
Long story short, I loved it. I find myself still thinking about it, even though it's been a couple of weeks since I finished it. And just so you know, there are no stat tables. Plenty of description of leveling up and such, but it never got in the way of my enjoyment of the setting, characters, story, humor, and a ton of really nifty critters. This is fun stuff. Even if you don't read LitRPG, you need to check this out.
May 19, 2020
‘Hope and blind belief can only get you so far. The sad fact is that most people tend to be pretty miserly with their devotion unless they stand to get some sort of reward.’
~
God of Gnomes is the first instalment in the God Core series by Demi Harper. This one is a little different to the type of fantasy you’ll usually find me reading, as this is classed as a LitRPG. Prior to reading this, I knew next to nothing about LitRPG’s as I’ve never read the genre before (unless Ready Player One counts?). In fact, full disclosure, I haven’t even played an RPG or played DnD (D&D?) before! Yes, I know, I talk about how much I love fantasy, and yet I’ve never embraced the gaming side of it, but here we are.
Anyway, I digress. This was my first LitRPG, and honestly I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would there be lots of gaming terms I’d fail to understand? Would there be, dun dun duuuun, maths involved? So yeah, I was apprehensive to begin this one to say the least.
Fear not though, Nils, you’ve read this author’s work before, you know she’s a fantastic writer, just trust her. Another disclosure; you see behind the pseudonym Demi Harper, is in fact Laura M. Hughes, the Queen (or maiden) of The Fantasy Hive blog, and she’s a friend, but I can assure you that this hasn’t influenced my opinions in this review. My reviews are and will always be honest ones.
However, going back to the matter in hand; having previously read Dear Menelaus, a short story included in The Art of War anthology, and Danse Macabre, a gothic novella, I already knew I loved her writing style. God of Gnomes is a distinct departure from Hughes’ previous work as those were more atmospheric and darker reads. However, Hughes/Harper demonstrates just how much of a versatile author she is, because although God of Gnomes is predominately lighter in tone and more of a heartwarming novel, it is still as compelling, immersive and goddamn entertaining, as I’ve come to expect.
God of Gnomes follows the tale of Corey, who has been reborn as a God-Core. If you’re wondering what this means, well essentially, Corey has been reincarnated into a purple gem stone, and tasked to care for the inhabitants of the land he finds himself a god of. He has very little memory of his previous life, and as you can expect, is a tad overwhelmed to begin with! To help him along his way, cue Ket, an adorable sprite, who’s wisdom is sorely needed. As the book goes on Corey learns from Ket that the inhabitants he is assigned to, are in fact gnomes, seemingly gormless gnomes! Nevertheless, Corey’s main goal is to help this dying race of gnomes thrive, and in turn his power will thrive too in the form of ‘ascension’(this is where the gaming elements come in). You see, if Corey can successfully turn these gnomes to worship him, they will provide him with a flow of mana, and in turn they will attain the ability to not only improve their homeland, but also defend themselves against their enemy, the Kobolds. This seems like a lot to take in, and there is much more to the story, but trust me, Harper seamlessly eases you in, because as Corey’s understanding of his surroundings and limitations grow, so do ours.
~
‘Who I was doesn’t matter anymore,’ I told the sprite. ‘I’m trying to like who I am now.’
~
Throughout the course of this novel I found myself completely impressed and entertained by the well developed cast of characters. I mean who’d have thought I could grow to become so attached to a sentient purple gem, a sprite, a hybrid fox-squirrel, a spider, and of all things... gnomes! I did though, in fact there was a point in the book when Corey asks himself ‘when had I started caring about these creatures?’ Well, I found myself wondering this too.
In the latter half of the narrative, when things become tension filled as the Kobolds begin to attack in larger forces, Corey creates and evolves God-born creatures to act as a primary defence during these battle scenes. Before long I found myself anxious as to the fate of many of them, I’m talking nail-bitingly worried! The Forrels, Ris’kin, and Blinky the spider, became beloved favourites. I kid you not, Harper had me worrying over a spider and a squirrel!
Then there was the banter and humour that made Corey’s first person narration so compelling. Corey gave off plenty of sarcasm, especially in the way he was unimpressed by his gnomes small achievements, the way he kept believing he was an all-powerful god, until Ket brought him back to reality and explained the rules, and it was truly fun. Even many of the chapter titles were humorous; ‘The Fast and the Furry’, ‘Why, Why, Why, Die, Lila?’ and ‘Fireballs on Fridays’ being ones that particularly made me chuckle. I found this all really cleverly done.
~
‘What would I do without you, Ket?’
‘Waste a lot more time staring pointlessly at things in an attempt to to work out what’s going on around you?’ I sensed her smirking, but despite her teasing, she glowed softly in response to my charitable thoughts about her.
This was becoming far too friendly for my tastes.’
~
So there you have it, I found God of Gnomes to be a heartwarming tale which essentially deals with good vs evil, and making the right choices, and is one laced full of charm, wit, and cuteness. If you’ve ever been curious to read a LitRPG before, or are just in the mood for an entirely fun adventure, then I’d suggest starting here.
Thank you to the author for gifting me this copy!
~
God of Gnomes is the first instalment in the God Core series by Demi Harper. This one is a little different to the type of fantasy you’ll usually find me reading, as this is classed as a LitRPG. Prior to reading this, I knew next to nothing about LitRPG’s as I’ve never read the genre before (unless Ready Player One counts?). In fact, full disclosure, I haven’t even played an RPG or played DnD (D&D?) before! Yes, I know, I talk about how much I love fantasy, and yet I’ve never embraced the gaming side of it, but here we are.
Anyway, I digress. This was my first LitRPG, and honestly I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would there be lots of gaming terms I’d fail to understand? Would there be, dun dun duuuun, maths involved? So yeah, I was apprehensive to begin this one to say the least.
Fear not though, Nils, you’ve read this author’s work before, you know she’s a fantastic writer, just trust her. Another disclosure; you see behind the pseudonym Demi Harper, is in fact Laura M. Hughes, the Queen (or maiden) of The Fantasy Hive blog, and she’s a friend, but I can assure you that this hasn’t influenced my opinions in this review. My reviews are and will always be honest ones.
However, going back to the matter in hand; having previously read Dear Menelaus, a short story included in The Art of War anthology, and Danse Macabre, a gothic novella, I already knew I loved her writing style. God of Gnomes is a distinct departure from Hughes’ previous work as those were more atmospheric and darker reads. However, Hughes/Harper demonstrates just how much of a versatile author she is, because although God of Gnomes is predominately lighter in tone and more of a heartwarming novel, it is still as compelling, immersive and goddamn entertaining, as I’ve come to expect.
God of Gnomes follows the tale of Corey, who has been reborn as a God-Core. If you’re wondering what this means, well essentially, Corey has been reincarnated into a purple gem stone, and tasked to care for the inhabitants of the land he finds himself a god of. He has very little memory of his previous life, and as you can expect, is a tad overwhelmed to begin with! To help him along his way, cue Ket, an adorable sprite, who’s wisdom is sorely needed. As the book goes on Corey learns from Ket that the inhabitants he is assigned to, are in fact gnomes, seemingly gormless gnomes! Nevertheless, Corey’s main goal is to help this dying race of gnomes thrive, and in turn his power will thrive too in the form of ‘ascension’(this is where the gaming elements come in). You see, if Corey can successfully turn these gnomes to worship him, they will provide him with a flow of mana, and in turn they will attain the ability to not only improve their homeland, but also defend themselves against their enemy, the Kobolds. This seems like a lot to take in, and there is much more to the story, but trust me, Harper seamlessly eases you in, because as Corey’s understanding of his surroundings and limitations grow, so do ours.
~
‘Who I was doesn’t matter anymore,’ I told the sprite. ‘I’m trying to like who I am now.’
~
Throughout the course of this novel I found myself completely impressed and entertained by the well developed cast of characters. I mean who’d have thought I could grow to become so attached to a sentient purple gem, a sprite, a hybrid fox-squirrel, a spider, and of all things... gnomes! I did though, in fact there was a point in the book when Corey asks himself ‘when had I started caring about these creatures?’ Well, I found myself wondering this too.
In the latter half of the narrative, when things become tension filled as the Kobolds begin to attack in larger forces, Corey creates and evolves God-born creatures to act as a primary defence during these battle scenes. Before long I found myself anxious as to the fate of many of them, I’m talking nail-bitingly worried! The Forrels, Ris’kin, and Blinky the spider, became beloved favourites. I kid you not, Harper had me worrying over a spider and a squirrel!
Then there was the banter and humour that made Corey’s first person narration so compelling. Corey gave off plenty of sarcasm, especially in the way he was unimpressed by his gnomes small achievements, the way he kept believing he was an all-powerful god, until Ket brought him back to reality and explained the rules, and it was truly fun. Even many of the chapter titles were humorous; ‘The Fast and the Furry’, ‘Why, Why, Why, Die, Lila?’ and ‘Fireballs on Fridays’ being ones that particularly made me chuckle. I found this all really cleverly done.
~
‘What would I do without you, Ket?’
‘Waste a lot more time staring pointlessly at things in an attempt to to work out what’s going on around you?’ I sensed her smirking, but despite her teasing, she glowed softly in response to my charitable thoughts about her.
This was becoming far too friendly for my tastes.’
~
So there you have it, I found God of Gnomes to be a heartwarming tale which essentially deals with good vs evil, and making the right choices, and is one laced full of charm, wit, and cuteness. If you’ve ever been curious to read a LitRPG before, or are just in the mood for an entirely fun adventure, then I’d suggest starting here.
Thank you to the author for gifting me this copy!
Read
March 26, 2020Hello, denizens! Demi Harper here. GOD OF GNOMES is my debut LitRPG novel, and is available NOW in all formats! (Kindle, paperback, audiobook.) I'll use this space to announce news and updates about the book.
26/03/20 - I now have a mailing list! Join the Grotto to be notified of new releases, special deals and LitRPG giveaways!
7/10/19 - Want to read a FREE God Core short story? Join the Portal Books party and get a story bundle (50k+ words!) from me and my fellow LitRPG authors delivered straight to your inbox! (Did I mention it's FREE?)
26/03/20 - I now have a mailing list! Join the Grotto to be notified of new releases, special deals and LitRPG giveaways!
7/10/19 - Want to read a FREE God Core short story? Join the Portal Books party and get a story bundle (50k+ words!) from me and my fellow LitRPG authors delivered straight to your inbox! (Did I mention it's FREE?)
November 7, 2019
I've never read a LitRPG before, so wasn't sure what to expect. Now, I don't know whether it's the author's sheer awesomeness or LitRPGs in general, but I can say one thing for sure - Demi Harper is brilliant at what she does.
I had so much fun with this book. It doesn't take itself seriously, the protagonist is ... reluctant at best, but you come to care for his gnomes just as much as he does, plus the plights of his god-born creatures and even Corey himself, despite his selfishness and self-absorption (at the start).
Littered with in jokes, movie references and bad puns (and badgers!) it was light, funny, emotional and so fresh.
Highly recommended, even if you don't know anything about LitRPGs or, indeed, gaming.
I had so much fun with this book. It doesn't take itself seriously, the protagonist is ... reluctant at best, but you come to care for his gnomes just as much as he does, plus the plights of his god-born creatures and even Corey himself, despite his selfishness and self-absorption (at the start).
Littered with in jokes, movie references and bad puns (and badgers!) it was light, funny, emotional and so fresh.
Highly recommended, even if you don't know anything about LitRPGs or, indeed, gaming.
October 17, 2019
Review originally featured on http://fantasy-hive.co.uk/
The Good: I never thought I’d say this, but: gnomes. Genuinely.
The Bad: Not a bad as such, but for those who follow my usual reviews, this isn’t the typical mainstream fantasy, it’s LitRPG. There’s nothing wrong with LitRPG, but don’t come into this thinking its something that it’s not.
The Ugly Truth: God of Gnomes is a story chocked with charm and character – it’s a full-bodied fantasy constructed on a skeleton of LitRPG mechanics, but at its heart there’s a little bit of ‘Disney magic’ with something for everyone.
Review: God of Gnomes is Demi Harper’s debut LitRPG novel, published by Portal Books.
And it’s bloody awesome.
For full disclosure: Demi Harper is a pen name of Laura M. Hughes, aka @halfstrungharp. She’s the Queen Bee here at the Hive, and she’s a close friend of mine. These did not factor into my decision to give this book…
1 star.
I KID!
5 stars. And I genuinely fretted over this decision. Should I give it 4 stars, because I know Demi? Am I being biased?
Lol, no. We give each other enough sh*t for me to be comfortable giving her a ‘true’ rating, and I’ll be damned if I score a book based on anything other than its own merit. (Though large cash sums might persuade me otherwise.)
(Fun fact: 5 is the same number of hours it takes Demi to eat lunch. 1 is the same number of wines it takes before she’s swaying beside the buffet table, snacking on finger foods trying to level-off. Do the math. It’s a long day.)
God of Gnomes is the story of Corey (yay for rhyming) a newly formed ‘God Core,’ who must learn to master his newfound powers and protect his worshippers from those who would do them harm. Sounds easy for a god, right? If only it were that simple. Corey’s isn’t a ‘god’ but a ‘God Core’, which is essentially a lump of pretty rock (think: crystal). And as he learns of his omnipotence, so too does he discover his denizens’ incompetence. They’re gnomes. And gnomes in Corey’s world are as hopeless as they are helpless. So, when kobolds raid and kidnap the gnomes, and a band of roaming adventurers get too close to their settlement for comfort, it’s down to Corey to save not just his worshippers, but his own skin – stone? – too.
First off, let me start by saying that LitRPG isn’t my ‘usual thing’. That’s not meant as ‘genre snobbery’, it’s just that the particular sub-genre isn’t the first thing I’d go for when choosing what to read next from Mount To-Be-Read. If I wanted to read a book on ‘game mechanics’ I’d read the instructions for a game I want to play. In previous experience, some of the LitRPGs I’ve read have sacrificed worldbuilding for the sake of ‘rule building’, character development for ‘levelling up’, and the good old hack and slash of combat for ‘maths and ability modifiers’.
Maths.
*shudders*
God of Gnomes has all of the above. And you know what? It works. Which is why when I say I enjoyed this, I really enjoyed it. It has rules, and mechanics, and level progression, and yes a little bit of maths (a teeny tiny amount), and still I enjoyed it. They are part of the story, like a magic system a la Brandon Sanderson, and while they’re very much key to how things play out, you don’t need to reference a glossary, or ‘game manual’ to follow what’s going on.
And because of how well put together the RPG side is handled, the Lit side had even more of a chance to shine.
*Shine bright like a diamond – or a God Core *
God of Gnomes is filled with character and charm. The story is straightforward and simple, and it’s the missteps along the way that make this a tale about the journey and not just the destination. Its not a big, bold, badass fantasy, but nor does it pretend to be. Rather than reach for ‘epic’ it rocks out as an entertaining romp, brimming with enthusiasm enough for all. It doesn’t only appeal to either LitRPG or general fantasy fans – it has something for both, and with plenty left over to entertain readers new and old.
It’s the gnomes that steal the show. Introduced as bumbling idiots, their shallow existence has a depth which Harper plumbs throughout the tale, and by the end it’s their story which warms the heart.
Other mechanics like the God born creatures, Corey’s abilities, and constructing new buildings, make for an entertaining subplot to the main story. And dare I say it, I actually enjoyed them in God of Gnomes, where in other LitRPGs I’ve been happy to skip these bits.
But the real star here is Harper. Don’t tell her I said this (she’ll never let me forget it), but she’s a bloody brilliant writer. She perfectly captures Corey’s voice, and brings the gnomes and various creatures into life with authenticity and originality. I didn’t think I’d like a story about Gnomes – gnomes, REALLY? – and truth be told, I didn’t like it.
I loved it.
(Don’t tell her that bit either).
Even the maths bits.
(Or that).
The Good: I never thought I’d say this, but: gnomes. Genuinely.
The Bad: Not a bad as such, but for those who follow my usual reviews, this isn’t the typical mainstream fantasy, it’s LitRPG. There’s nothing wrong with LitRPG, but don’t come into this thinking its something that it’s not.
The Ugly Truth: God of Gnomes is a story chocked with charm and character – it’s a full-bodied fantasy constructed on a skeleton of LitRPG mechanics, but at its heart there’s a little bit of ‘Disney magic’ with something for everyone.
Review: God of Gnomes is Demi Harper’s debut LitRPG novel, published by Portal Books.
And it’s bloody awesome.
For full disclosure: Demi Harper is a pen name of Laura M. Hughes, aka @halfstrungharp. She’s the Queen Bee here at the Hive, and she’s a close friend of mine. These did not factor into my decision to give this book…
1 star.
I KID!
5 stars. And I genuinely fretted over this decision. Should I give it 4 stars, because I know Demi? Am I being biased?
Lol, no. We give each other enough sh*t for me to be comfortable giving her a ‘true’ rating, and I’ll be damned if I score a book based on anything other than its own merit. (Though large cash sums might persuade me otherwise.)
(Fun fact: 5 is the same number of hours it takes Demi to eat lunch. 1 is the same number of wines it takes before she’s swaying beside the buffet table, snacking on finger foods trying to level-off. Do the math. It’s a long day.)
God of Gnomes is the story of Corey (yay for rhyming) a newly formed ‘God Core,’ who must learn to master his newfound powers and protect his worshippers from those who would do them harm. Sounds easy for a god, right? If only it were that simple. Corey’s isn’t a ‘god’ but a ‘God Core’, which is essentially a lump of pretty rock (think: crystal). And as he learns of his omnipotence, so too does he discover his denizens’ incompetence. They’re gnomes. And gnomes in Corey’s world are as hopeless as they are helpless. So, when kobolds raid and kidnap the gnomes, and a band of roaming adventurers get too close to their settlement for comfort, it’s down to Corey to save not just his worshippers, but his own skin – stone? – too.
First off, let me start by saying that LitRPG isn’t my ‘usual thing’. That’s not meant as ‘genre snobbery’, it’s just that the particular sub-genre isn’t the first thing I’d go for when choosing what to read next from Mount To-Be-Read. If I wanted to read a book on ‘game mechanics’ I’d read the instructions for a game I want to play. In previous experience, some of the LitRPGs I’ve read have sacrificed worldbuilding for the sake of ‘rule building’, character development for ‘levelling up’, and the good old hack and slash of combat for ‘maths and ability modifiers’.
Maths.
*shudders*
God of Gnomes has all of the above. And you know what? It works. Which is why when I say I enjoyed this, I really enjoyed it. It has rules, and mechanics, and level progression, and yes a little bit of maths (a teeny tiny amount), and still I enjoyed it. They are part of the story, like a magic system a la Brandon Sanderson, and while they’re very much key to how things play out, you don’t need to reference a glossary, or ‘game manual’ to follow what’s going on.
And because of how well put together the RPG side is handled, the Lit side had even more of a chance to shine.
*Shine bright like a diamond – or a God Core *
God of Gnomes is filled with character and charm. The story is straightforward and simple, and it’s the missteps along the way that make this a tale about the journey and not just the destination. Its not a big, bold, badass fantasy, but nor does it pretend to be. Rather than reach for ‘epic’ it rocks out as an entertaining romp, brimming with enthusiasm enough for all. It doesn’t only appeal to either LitRPG or general fantasy fans – it has something for both, and with plenty left over to entertain readers new and old.
It’s the gnomes that steal the show. Introduced as bumbling idiots, their shallow existence has a depth which Harper plumbs throughout the tale, and by the end it’s their story which warms the heart.
Other mechanics like the God born creatures, Corey’s abilities, and constructing new buildings, make for an entertaining subplot to the main story. And dare I say it, I actually enjoyed them in God of Gnomes, where in other LitRPGs I’ve been happy to skip these bits.
But the real star here is Harper. Don’t tell her I said this (she’ll never let me forget it), but she’s a bloody brilliant writer. She perfectly captures Corey’s voice, and brings the gnomes and various creatures into life with authenticity and originality. I didn’t think I’d like a story about Gnomes – gnomes, REALLY? – and truth be told, I didn’t like it.
I loved it.
(Don’t tell her that bit either).
Even the maths bits.
(Or that).
October 20, 2019
One of the best LitRPG fantasies I've read, if not *the* best, and one of the most fun books I've read full stop!
A unique (for me) take on LitRPG and, despite familiar creatures etc., a unique point of view.
Intriguing, exciting, tense and funny, God of Gnomes is a superb debut that I must recommend to LitRPG fans, tactical gaming fans, D&D and other RPG fans and, in general, fantasy fans of all genres. Kick back, relax and smile as you take in this fantastical world of gnomes, kobolds and adventurers.
*I listened to it on Audible UK and also thoroughly enjoyed the narration.
A unique (for me) take on LitRPG and, despite familiar creatures etc., a unique point of view.
Intriguing, exciting, tense and funny, God of Gnomes is a superb debut that I must recommend to LitRPG fans, tactical gaming fans, D&D and other RPG fans and, in general, fantasy fans of all genres. Kick back, relax and smile as you take in this fantastical world of gnomes, kobolds and adventurers.
*I listened to it on Audible UK and also thoroughly enjoyed the narration.
October 26, 2019
4.5-stars rounded up to 5.
I'll start off by saying that the quality of the writing and editing was excellent. Possibly not that much of a surprise when you consider that the author is and was an editor. For those of you who do not recognise the name Demi Harper; it is a pseudonym for Laura M Hughes (author of Danse Macabre).
This is a LitRPG and is the author's first full-length fantasy novel. This one pretty much does away with the stats tables that I've seen in others of its kind and replaces it with descriptions of how the various elements work. (Not my favourite thing but others will love that).
1) Have you ever played Warcraft before?
2) Ever started making buildings and gathering resources and then been attacked and had to start over?
3) Ever built your first military unit and then been hit by the enemy who has ten times your forces?
Welcome to the world of the tactical RPG.
I like the way the author constructed her story. Using Gnomes as the main characters was a fun way to do things. Creating creatures by combining the blueprints of different animals was clever and entertaining. A Forell (Fox+squirell) was an amusing combination. I might even suggest another for the future; a Fockerel (Fox-chicken), lol.
I really liked the title for chapter 41 which was a tongue-in-cheek tribute to an old Tom Jones song. I can just see Carlton Banks (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) doing his happy dance to it!
This is a stand-alone novel, though there is certainly scope for other tales to be told.
If you would like to learn more about the author and pick up a free 5,000 word God of Gnomes universe story:
https://portal-books.com/sign-up
www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPGPortal/
If you like your gaming and want a light-hearted read then I would recommend you give this a try. I read the Kindle copy but it is available on Audible if you prefer.
Thanks for reading.
I'll start off by saying that the quality of the writing and editing was excellent. Possibly not that much of a surprise when you consider that the author is and was an editor. For those of you who do not recognise the name Demi Harper; it is a pseudonym for Laura M Hughes (author of Danse Macabre).
This is a LitRPG and is the author's first full-length fantasy novel. This one pretty much does away with the stats tables that I've seen in others of its kind and replaces it with descriptions of how the various elements work. (Not my favourite thing but others will love that).
1) Have you ever played Warcraft before?
2) Ever started making buildings and gathering resources and then been attacked and had to start over?
3) Ever built your first military unit and then been hit by the enemy who has ten times your forces?
Welcome to the world of the tactical RPG.
I like the way the author constructed her story. Using Gnomes as the main characters was a fun way to do things. Creating creatures by combining the blueprints of different animals was clever and entertaining. A Forell (Fox+squirell) was an amusing combination. I might even suggest another for the future; a Fockerel (Fox-chicken), lol.
I really liked the title for chapter 41 which was a tongue-in-cheek tribute to an old Tom Jones song. I can just see Carlton Banks (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) doing his happy dance to it!
This is a stand-alone novel, though there is certainly scope for other tales to be told.
If you would like to learn more about the author and pick up a free 5,000 word God of Gnomes universe story:
https://portal-books.com/sign-up
www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPGPortal/
If you like your gaming and want a light-hearted read then I would recommend you give this a try. I read the Kindle copy but it is available on Audible if you prefer.
Thanks for reading.
October 3, 2019
This was a really fun and entertaining read!
I liked the snarky main character from page one. He can be quite annoying, but in a way that still had me rooting for him and care. I also really like the interaction between him and his sprite - banter and snark for the win! I also enjoyed how the characters grew over the course of the book!
I've read some LitRPGs before, but not a "God/Dungeon Core" book - and I must say I was really pleasantly surprised! I like the "in game feel" and the "all is possible" feel in LitRPGs, but all the stats are sometimes starting to annoy me. This one struck a perfect balance for me between enough info to know I'm in a game, but not pages and pages of pure numbers increasing. I could just imagine playing that exact game myself - and that is what makes me really sink into this genre!
The plot was interesting, and I enjoyed seeing plenty of different species and abilities. The world expanded slowly to allow to learn more and more without it ever feeling like an info dump.
It's a really easy and fun read, and I think it can be perfect both for older teens (some innuendo and quite some gruesome deaths, but as it's taking place in a game it doesn't feel as "real") and adults who like gaming or just a light and entertaining read!
The main story is resolved at the end of of the book, BUT there's a new even bigger ARC opening up. I love how this means we get some closure and yet I am eager to get a sequel!
I liked the snarky main character from page one. He can be quite annoying, but in a way that still had me rooting for him and care. I also really like the interaction between him and his sprite - banter and snark for the win! I also enjoyed how the characters grew over the course of the book!
I've read some LitRPGs before, but not a "God/Dungeon Core" book - and I must say I was really pleasantly surprised! I like the "in game feel" and the "all is possible" feel in LitRPGs, but all the stats are sometimes starting to annoy me. This one struck a perfect balance for me between enough info to know I'm in a game, but not pages and pages of pure numbers increasing. I could just imagine playing that exact game myself - and that is what makes me really sink into this genre!
The plot was interesting, and I enjoyed seeing plenty of different species and abilities. The world expanded slowly to allow to learn more and more without it ever feeling like an info dump.
It's a really easy and fun read, and I think it can be perfect both for older teens (some innuendo and quite some gruesome deaths, but as it's taking place in a game it doesn't feel as "real") and adults who like gaming or just a light and entertaining read!
The main story is resolved at the end of of the book, BUT there's a new even bigger ARC opening up. I love how this means we get some closure and yet I am eager to get a sequel!
October 12, 2019
So much fun! The full review is coming over at booknest.eu in a week or two -- once the release date comes closer.
-------------
Originally Published over atbooknest.eu.
Published by: Portal Books
Genre: God Core (a subgenre of LitRPG)
Pages: Loads but not too many.
Format: e-book
Review Copy: Provided by the publisher in exchange for
God of Gnomes is special. A book that isn’t afraid to play with well-known fantasy tropes but nonetheless makes them feel fresh, God of Gnomes has a whole lot of heart, a solid portion of enjoyable, well-written action and a memorable protagonist with a huge personality and a tiny gem where a body ought to be.
Demi Harper’s debut at first borrows from and then further develops ideas that (if I’m not mistaken) were first introduced in Dungeon Keeper, the dungeon building video game series originally from the late 90’s. As someone who does a fair amount of gaming, I’m familiar with the gratification this subgenre offers – even if I wasn’t aware of the Dungeon Core subgenre in litRPGs before getting this review copy. Apparently, there’s a growing body of Dungeon Core books and while I can’t speak about any of the others, God of Gnomes captures the essence and gratification of the games.
Our protagonist’s name is Corey, and he’s a God Core. A newly discovered one too, exhumed from the depths of the earth by a tiny, ugly creature in the very first chapter of the novel. What the first quarter of the book deals with is much like the tutorial level to any strategy game – Corey has no clue what role he’s fallen into, how to take on his duties as a god to these disgusting, dumb creatures she’s supposed to care for, these gnomes. Thankfully, he’s got a helpful wisp by the name of Ket to show her the ropes! The interaction between Corey and Ket is fun and funny – the wisp is continuously enthusiastic, bright and eager to offer all the information Corey could ever need, and more; the God Core meanwhile is short-tempered and even frightened by this new responsibility he’s suddenly forced into taking on.
There’s a threat inherent to any opening that relies heavily on exposition, especially when that exposition takes on the form of explanation of a character’s abilities and limitations. Like a dungeon builder’s tutorial, there’s always the threat that it’ll drag on, even become tedious. How Demi Harper avoids this is not just through the interaction between Core and wisp; nor is it only because of the disgustingly adorable gnomes that fill these pages. It’s owed in largest part to the fact that Harper introduces a number of compelling mysteries. Our protagonist is entangled in mysteries: the mystery of who, of what Corey was before he awoke in the darkness – flashes of darkness, of cruelty, of a great subterranean city – all draw a fragmentary picture that fellow fantasy nerds might enjoy theorizing on as they read. I did, and I was proved correct! Another mystery has to do with a nasty antagonist lingering in the shadows, taunting our baby Core boy in an unholier-than-thou, third-person, garbage spewing manner. These are but a handful of the different plot threads that caught my attention and imagination both.
What about the relationship between the God Core and its gnomes? We never know what they say to one another, not exactly – the Core doesn’t really understand its denizens’ language because granting what your faithful ask for is not what a God does; it’s a “if you try sometimes, you get what you need” kind of situation our Core and denizens are in. Straightforward communication is out of the way but body language is universal and it speaks loud enough for Corey to get the gist of what’s going on in her Sphere of Influence. From the (initially) socially awkward first Faithful gnome, Gneil, to the ancient taskmaster of a Granny, to a pair of recalcitrant gnomish women whose dislike for Corey is worthy of Malazan marines, the gnome characters are remarkably fun to watch from a bird’s eye view alongside Corey.
One other character deserves mention – Ris’Kin, Corey’s avatar. The avatar’s role is to act as a steppingstone between the God Core and its denizens, a messenger and defender all at once. Ris’Kin is gracious, a two-legged warrior-fox whose elegance is second only to her capacity to sow destruction among Corey’s enemies. She’s also got a great personality! It’s killer, I swear.
Plenty of other interesting elements in this book – Corey possesses the ability to splice different species’ blueprints in order to create god-born creatures, defenders of his Sphere of Influence and the Grotto, the cavern the gnomes call their home. These creatures shine mostly due to Corey’s tendency to anthropomorphize them, naming gigantic spiders such cute and funny names as Blinky and Septimus (What’s an eight-legged spider with a leg missing called?). These god-born shine bright throughout the action sequences.
Combat takes a fair portion of the novel, and the fight scenes are glorious! What's more, there's a fascinating tactical layer to combat that is owed to the unique point of view that comes with being a God Core. However, what I really enjoy about the action above all else is that no element Demi Harper introduces goes unused. In that aspect, God of Gnomes is a masterclass in how to do Chekhov’s gun right.
As the link between the God Core and its Faithful increases, something I thoroughly enjoyed was seeing Corey’s revulsion turn to pride as, under his guidance, the gnomes begin to change, innovate and grow for the first time in untold generations.
I opened this review with the claim that God of Gnomes makes several fantasy tropes feel fresh, and I stand by that. In an age when stories about gnomes and kobolds don’t compel too many readers, Demi Harper has done a stellar job in showing that, through a good enough idea and execution, anything can feel fresh and grip the reader’s imagination.
My score for God of Gnomes is a 9/10, or a 4.5/5 on Goodreads. There were a few moments – not many, just a few, that didn’t quite hold onto my attention as well as the vast majority of the novel did, which is why I’m not giving this a full 5/5 score. Nevertheless, this is a memorable read, a great debut and another solid entry into Portal Books’ growing catalogue of LitRPG/Dungeon Core publications. I’m looking forward to seeing what the publisher comes up with next…and I’m even more excited to find out where Corey’s story goes next!
-------------
Originally Published over atbooknest.eu.
Published by: Portal Books
Genre: God Core (a subgenre of LitRPG)
Pages: Loads but not too many.
Format: e-book
Review Copy: Provided by the publisher in exchange for
God of Gnomes is special. A book that isn’t afraid to play with well-known fantasy tropes but nonetheless makes them feel fresh, God of Gnomes has a whole lot of heart, a solid portion of enjoyable, well-written action and a memorable protagonist with a huge personality and a tiny gem where a body ought to be.
Demi Harper’s debut at first borrows from and then further develops ideas that (if I’m not mistaken) were first introduced in Dungeon Keeper, the dungeon building video game series originally from the late 90’s. As someone who does a fair amount of gaming, I’m familiar with the gratification this subgenre offers – even if I wasn’t aware of the Dungeon Core subgenre in litRPGs before getting this review copy. Apparently, there’s a growing body of Dungeon Core books and while I can’t speak about any of the others, God of Gnomes captures the essence and gratification of the games.
Our protagonist’s name is Corey, and he’s a God Core. A newly discovered one too, exhumed from the depths of the earth by a tiny, ugly creature in the very first chapter of the novel. What the first quarter of the book deals with is much like the tutorial level to any strategy game – Corey has no clue what role he’s fallen into, how to take on his duties as a god to these disgusting, dumb creatures she’s supposed to care for, these gnomes. Thankfully, he’s got a helpful wisp by the name of Ket to show her the ropes! The interaction between Corey and Ket is fun and funny – the wisp is continuously enthusiastic, bright and eager to offer all the information Corey could ever need, and more; the God Core meanwhile is short-tempered and even frightened by this new responsibility he’s suddenly forced into taking on.
There’s a threat inherent to any opening that relies heavily on exposition, especially when that exposition takes on the form of explanation of a character’s abilities and limitations. Like a dungeon builder’s tutorial, there’s always the threat that it’ll drag on, even become tedious. How Demi Harper avoids this is not just through the interaction between Core and wisp; nor is it only because of the disgustingly adorable gnomes that fill these pages. It’s owed in largest part to the fact that Harper introduces a number of compelling mysteries. Our protagonist is entangled in mysteries: the mystery of who, of what Corey was before he awoke in the darkness – flashes of darkness, of cruelty, of a great subterranean city – all draw a fragmentary picture that fellow fantasy nerds might enjoy theorizing on as they read. I did, and I was proved correct! Another mystery has to do with a nasty antagonist lingering in the shadows, taunting our baby Core boy in an unholier-than-thou, third-person, garbage spewing manner. These are but a handful of the different plot threads that caught my attention and imagination both.
What about the relationship between the God Core and its gnomes? We never know what they say to one another, not exactly – the Core doesn’t really understand its denizens’ language because granting what your faithful ask for is not what a God does; it’s a “if you try sometimes, you get what you need” kind of situation our Core and denizens are in. Straightforward communication is out of the way but body language is universal and it speaks loud enough for Corey to get the gist of what’s going on in her Sphere of Influence. From the (initially) socially awkward first Faithful gnome, Gneil, to the ancient taskmaster of a Granny, to a pair of recalcitrant gnomish women whose dislike for Corey is worthy of Malazan marines, the gnome characters are remarkably fun to watch from a bird’s eye view alongside Corey.
One other character deserves mention – Ris’Kin, Corey’s avatar. The avatar’s role is to act as a steppingstone between the God Core and its denizens, a messenger and defender all at once. Ris’Kin is gracious, a two-legged warrior-fox whose elegance is second only to her capacity to sow destruction among Corey’s enemies. She’s also got a great personality! It’s killer, I swear.
Plenty of other interesting elements in this book – Corey possesses the ability to splice different species’ blueprints in order to create god-born creatures, defenders of his Sphere of Influence and the Grotto, the cavern the gnomes call their home. These creatures shine mostly due to Corey’s tendency to anthropomorphize them, naming gigantic spiders such cute and funny names as Blinky and Septimus (What’s an eight-legged spider with a leg missing called?). These god-born shine bright throughout the action sequences.
Combat takes a fair portion of the novel, and the fight scenes are glorious! What's more, there's a fascinating tactical layer to combat that is owed to the unique point of view that comes with being a God Core. However, what I really enjoy about the action above all else is that no element Demi Harper introduces goes unused. In that aspect, God of Gnomes is a masterclass in how to do Chekhov’s gun right.
As the link between the God Core and its Faithful increases, something I thoroughly enjoyed was seeing Corey’s revulsion turn to pride as, under his guidance, the gnomes begin to change, innovate and grow for the first time in untold generations.
I opened this review with the claim that God of Gnomes makes several fantasy tropes feel fresh, and I stand by that. In an age when stories about gnomes and kobolds don’t compel too many readers, Demi Harper has done a stellar job in showing that, through a good enough idea and execution, anything can feel fresh and grip the reader’s imagination.
My score for God of Gnomes is a 9/10, or a 4.5/5 on Goodreads. There were a few moments – not many, just a few, that didn’t quite hold onto my attention as well as the vast majority of the novel did, which is why I’m not giving this a full 5/5 score. Nevertheless, this is a memorable read, a great debut and another solid entry into Portal Books’ growing catalogue of LitRPG/Dungeon Core publications. I’m looking forward to seeing what the publisher comes up with next…and I’m even more excited to find out where Corey’s story goes next!
September 2, 2019
Fun, whimsical, occasionally dark, and in the end, touching.
This book really caught me by surprise. I went in not knowing exactly what to expect but was quickly swept up in the story and characters. The abilities the MC acquires only become more and more interesting as the story goes on. And the way in which they're used is even better. As well, the characterization of the gnomes was pretty darn spot on. A bit bumbling, a tiny bit bizarre, and 100% lovable. They made for the perfect underdogs and I was totally rooting for them the entire time.
This is an awesome first release from Demi Harper and I can't wait to see what she does next!
This book really caught me by surprise. I went in not knowing exactly what to expect but was quickly swept up in the story and characters. The abilities the MC acquires only become more and more interesting as the story goes on. And the way in which they're used is even better. As well, the characterization of the gnomes was pretty darn spot on. A bit bumbling, a tiny bit bizarre, and 100% lovable. They made for the perfect underdogs and I was totally rooting for them the entire time.
This is an awesome first release from Demi Harper and I can't wait to see what she does next!
September 29, 2019
Uninspired
This reads like a bad let’s-play of a poorly thought out dungeon creator ripoff. The mechanics are arbitrary and are constantly being added. Honestly this would make a better script for a tutorial quest in a game than it does a book.
This reads like a bad let’s-play of a poorly thought out dungeon creator ripoff. The mechanics are arbitrary and are constantly being added. Honestly this would make a better script for a tutorial quest in a game than it does a book.
January 17, 2020
I first heard about this book from Steve Thomas (author of Mid-Lich Crisis) and saw reviews of it pop up more than a few times elsewhere so I looked to see if it had an audiobook, and it did! Hooray!
This is a story about a dungeon core named... Corey, lol. At the beginning of the book he doesn't know how he became a dungeon core, the only thing he knows is that gnomes discovered him deep underground and they have begun to worship him. He has a companion sprite named Ket (sp?) who is guiding him through his own powers and abilities. She works almost like the instructions you get when you're playing a new game - except with a personality rather than being dry. Since Corey doesn't know who he used to be, how he became a gem, what the gnomes are, or how to control and increase his powers, everything is explained to him. It ends up being a touch info-dumpy but given the context, it does make sense - I get much more annoyed with info dumps if the discussion is about things the characters should know already. Corey and sprite are strongly bonded and can sense each other's emotions ... Ket tries to shield her emotions as to not overwhelm Corey.
Corey starts off super arrogant and thinks of himself as superior to the gnomes. He thinks they're pathetic, weak, uninteresting, and is only using them to gain enough power to escape his gem-prison (his body is a purple gem) and get back in a corporeal body. He doesn't have any memory from his past life, but he's certain he had one, and with it, a body. He wants to escape this fate, he doesn't want to accept he has no choice. "Can I set them on fire?" was one of the first things he asked Ket. As time goes on though he starts to become more affectionate towards them and we learn more about the gnomes. These are the last of the world' gnomes, no one knows what happened to the ancient gnomes. It's possible there was a disaster, a disease, or some monster hunted them to extinction. The survivors left the underground and became a very simplistic version of what they used to be. They used to be inventors and tinkerers' and as they gain faith in Corey their instincts to invent things are coming back.
This is only the second time I've read a book from the perspective of a dungeon (pretty rare POV), the other book being Dungeon Born. These two had a similar tone as well, and I think if you've enjoyed one you'll enjoy the other.
Many times when I'm reading LitRPG the story follows a MMORPG game-type, but this one felt more like a cross between The Sims and Civilizations - sorta. Corey isn't able to understand the gnomish language, it sounds kind of like gibberish and he's supposed to try and intuit what his followers need rather than following direct prayers. The gnomes can be assigned designations like "builder" and set to tasks. Corey is able to level-up or "ascend" and each time he does so, he gets new powers and abilities.
A disembodied voice starts talking to Corey and tells him that Grimrock has returned, and when Corey tells Ket about this she flips out. Grimrock is an evil core that was supposedly defeated but obviously hasn't been since he's talking to Corey. His goal in the past was to conquer and enslave other cores and become more and more powerful. Grimrock has enslaved Cobalts who are running around abducting gnomes and then sacrificing them to grow Grimrock's power - it appears as though the dreaded core is back with a vengeance.
I enjoyed the sense of humor this book had, it kept things light and entertaining. The gnomes were in my opinion, adorable, and I liked watching Corey become more protective of them. It's an extremely quick read, very straight forward writing, not much in the way of turns of phrase, metaphors, simile etc. it kept things to the point for a nice even flow and pace.
Ratings:
Plot: 12/15
Characters: 12/15
World Building: 13/15
Writing: 12.5/15
Pacing: 13/15
Originality: 13/15
Personal Enjoyment: 8/10
Final Score: 83.5/100 or a solid 4 stars
This is a story about a dungeon core named... Corey, lol. At the beginning of the book he doesn't know how he became a dungeon core, the only thing he knows is that gnomes discovered him deep underground and they have begun to worship him. He has a companion sprite named Ket (sp?) who is guiding him through his own powers and abilities. She works almost like the instructions you get when you're playing a new game - except with a personality rather than being dry. Since Corey doesn't know who he used to be, how he became a gem, what the gnomes are, or how to control and increase his powers, everything is explained to him. It ends up being a touch info-dumpy but given the context, it does make sense - I get much more annoyed with info dumps if the discussion is about things the characters should know already. Corey and sprite are strongly bonded and can sense each other's emotions ... Ket tries to shield her emotions as to not overwhelm Corey.
Corey starts off super arrogant and thinks of himself as superior to the gnomes. He thinks they're pathetic, weak, uninteresting, and is only using them to gain enough power to escape his gem-prison (his body is a purple gem) and get back in a corporeal body. He doesn't have any memory from his past life, but he's certain he had one, and with it, a body. He wants to escape this fate, he doesn't want to accept he has no choice. "Can I set them on fire?" was one of the first things he asked Ket. As time goes on though he starts to become more affectionate towards them and we learn more about the gnomes. These are the last of the world' gnomes, no one knows what happened to the ancient gnomes. It's possible there was a disaster, a disease, or some monster hunted them to extinction. The survivors left the underground and became a very simplistic version of what they used to be. They used to be inventors and tinkerers' and as they gain faith in Corey their instincts to invent things are coming back.
This is only the second time I've read a book from the perspective of a dungeon (pretty rare POV), the other book being Dungeon Born. These two had a similar tone as well, and I think if you've enjoyed one you'll enjoy the other.
Many times when I'm reading LitRPG the story follows a MMORPG game-type, but this one felt more like a cross between The Sims and Civilizations - sorta. Corey isn't able to understand the gnomish language, it sounds kind of like gibberish and he's supposed to try and intuit what his followers need rather than following direct prayers. The gnomes can be assigned designations like "builder" and set to tasks. Corey is able to level-up or "ascend" and each time he does so, he gets new powers and abilities.
A disembodied voice starts talking to Corey and tells him that Grimrock has returned, and when Corey tells Ket about this she flips out. Grimrock is an evil core that was supposedly defeated but obviously hasn't been since he's talking to Corey. His goal in the past was to conquer and enslave other cores and become more and more powerful. Grimrock has enslaved Cobalts who are running around abducting gnomes and then sacrificing them to grow Grimrock's power - it appears as though the dreaded core is back with a vengeance.
I enjoyed the sense of humor this book had, it kept things light and entertaining. The gnomes were in my opinion, adorable, and I liked watching Corey become more protective of them. It's an extremely quick read, very straight forward writing, not much in the way of turns of phrase, metaphors, simile etc. it kept things to the point for a nice even flow and pace.
Ratings:
Plot: 12/15
Characters: 12/15
World Building: 13/15
Writing: 12.5/15
Pacing: 13/15
Originality: 13/15
Personal Enjoyment: 8/10
Final Score: 83.5/100 or a solid 4 stars
July 5, 2020
Did not finish. I don't understand why authors make MCs unbearably stupid. Here a dungeon for gnomes, ON HIS FIRST DAY, witnesses his gnomes being attacked by kobolds. All the MC knows is:
1) the gnomes have a highly defensible position being in a cave with only one access for the kobolds;
2) individual kobolds are stronger, more experienced fighters than individual gnomes;
3) the kobolds outnumber the gnomes; and
4) the kobolds are being directed by a much older, wiser and more powerful dungeon.
Knowing all this and little else about the world he now exists in, what does the MC propose? ATTACK IMMEDIATELY, THE KOBOLDS WILL NEVER EXPECT IT!!!!! This was just the straw that broke the camel's back, the MC basically didn't do a single intelligent thing for the 16% of the book I could stomach.
Bottom line: Terrible, don't waste your time.
1) the gnomes have a highly defensible position being in a cave with only one access for the kobolds;
2) individual kobolds are stronger, more experienced fighters than individual gnomes;
3) the kobolds outnumber the gnomes; and
4) the kobolds are being directed by a much older, wiser and more powerful dungeon.
Knowing all this and little else about the world he now exists in, what does the MC propose? ATTACK IMMEDIATELY, THE KOBOLDS WILL NEVER EXPECT IT!!!!! This was just the straw that broke the camel's back, the MC basically didn't do a single intelligent thing for the 16% of the book I could stomach.
Bottom line: Terrible, don't waste your time.
August 28, 2019
This is a great spin on the dungeon core sub genre! The perspective used really brings to mind the days I spent playing Age of Empires and other similar games as a kid.
The story itself is really well written, with great pacing, with action and building being spaced excellently.
I am very much looking forward to how this story u folds in the future.
The story itself is really well written, with great pacing, with action and building being spaced excellently.
I am very much looking forward to how this story u folds in the future.
October 6, 2019
Had a great time reading this. Real fun LitRPG, but I also got more emotionally invested than I generally do in the genre, caring about the avatar and the denizens being looked after in the book. Looking forward to any future installments in the series.
September 12, 2019
This book surprised the hell outta me. The opening reads much like so many other 'dungeon core' books. Dead dude resurrected in a gem? Check. Annoying wisp/fairy thing to explain the rules and to get all uppity? Check. Here we go again... But no. This is something different, something unique.
LitRPG as a sub-genre cops a bit of flak for a perceived lack of quality writing, and fairly so. Nothing like that here though. While I'm still basking in the afterglow of the final few pages, I feel confident saying it is the best written LitRPG I've read so far. The prose is pleasant in the best possible way, and the story is well structured and well thought out. The cast ooze character, which is quite remarkable considering the vast majority of them don't speak a word.
My reviews usually come across fairly negative, since it's so easy to focus on the things that stand out as wrong. All puppy dogs and rainbows so far, so the real dirt must be coming, right? Not really. My biggest bugbears are some of the real-time strategy 'game' tactics, and debating with myself whether a certain armoured warrior should have perhaps fallen somewhere not quite so deus-ex-machina-y or not. Nitpicking really.
In the first few pages, when the core is named 'Corey', I nearly closed the book there and called it quits. I'm very, very glad I didn't.
5/5
LitRPG as a sub-genre cops a bit of flak for a perceived lack of quality writing, and fairly so. Nothing like that here though. While I'm still basking in the afterglow of the final few pages, I feel confident saying it is the best written LitRPG I've read so far. The prose is pleasant in the best possible way, and the story is well structured and well thought out. The cast ooze character, which is quite remarkable considering the vast majority of them don't speak a word.
My reviews usually come across fairly negative, since it's so easy to focus on the things that stand out as wrong. All puppy dogs and rainbows so far, so the real dirt must be coming, right? Not really. My biggest bugbears are some of the real-time strategy 'game' tactics, and debating with myself whether a certain armoured warrior should have perhaps fallen somewhere not quite so deus-ex-machina-y or not. Nitpicking really.
In the first few pages, when the core is named 'Corey', I nearly closed the book there and called it quits. I'm very, very glad I didn't.
5/5
September 26, 2019
This was the book that finally turned me on to DungeonCore. I'd made a few failed attempts at reading the genre before but this one just clicked. The characters, the setting, it all just works together perfectly, even the game mechanics are spot on.
What really surprised me was how emotionally invested I got in the characters. When bad things happened to them, I felt it like a kick in the gut.
Having said all that, when I first realised that the main character was named Corey, and he was a dungeon core, I had to put the book down and walk away for a few minutes...
What really surprised me was how emotionally invested I got in the characters. When bad things happened to them, I felt it like a kick in the gut.
Having said all that, when I first realised that the main character was named Corey, and he was a dungeon core, I had to put the book down and walk away for a few minutes...
Read
November 28, 2019Things I love about this book:
1) Corey's heartwarming emotional journey from selfish, sullen rock to someone who really cares about the gnomes and his created creatures.
2) Nostalgia: God of Gnomes draws inspiration from some of my favourite games back in the day.
3) SPIDERS! Spiders are the GOOD GUYS!!!
I felt the tutorial went on a bit long, but that might be because I'm familiar with the kind of games this story draws from. Also tutorials in games generally go on too long for me. And I wish there had been a little more insight into Ket's background and her hang-ups about dark elves.
I was pretty sure I was gonna enjoy this book just from the description, and I did. Binky the spider was an unexpected bonus. For hard LitRPG readers, there are plenty of stats and mechanics. For people who don't really care about that, there's good writing and a satisfying story.
A+++ hoping for sequel
Note: I got a free ARC of this book in a Goodreads group
1) Corey's heartwarming emotional journey from selfish, sullen rock to someone who really cares about the gnomes and his created creatures.
2) Nostalgia: God of Gnomes draws inspiration from some of my favourite games back in the day.
3) SPIDERS! Spiders are the GOOD GUYS!!!
I felt the tutorial went on a bit long, but that might be because I'm familiar with the kind of games this story draws from. Also tutorials in games generally go on too long for me. And I wish there had been a little more insight into Ket's background and her hang-ups about dark elves.
I was pretty sure I was gonna enjoy this book just from the description, and I did. Binky the spider was an unexpected bonus. For hard LitRPG readers, there are plenty of stats and mechanics. For people who don't really care about that, there's good writing and a satisfying story.
A+++ hoping for sequel
Note: I got a free ARC of this book in a Goodreads group
September 26, 2019
Fun dungeoncore romp
Disclosure: I got to beta read this story before it came out.
This is a fun book. It’s a good addition to the dungeoncore genre and it has a unique twist with the god core dynamic.
This is a fairly long book that lets you sink your teeth into the worldbuilding and such. It gets a little slow at times but makes up for it quickly. I’m looking forward to more from the author.
It has some of the usual dungeoncore elements and a number of different ones, so it’s far from stale. Plus, who doesn’t like gnomes?
Disclosure: I got to beta read this story before it came out.
This is a fun book. It’s a good addition to the dungeoncore genre and it has a unique twist with the god core dynamic.
This is a fairly long book that lets you sink your teeth into the worldbuilding and such. It gets a little slow at times but makes up for it quickly. I’m looking forward to more from the author.
It has some of the usual dungeoncore elements and a number of different ones, so it’s far from stale. Plus, who doesn’t like gnomes?
September 29, 2019
A great core novel
This was a wonderful twist on dungeon core novels; a god core, responsible for guiding a race. Taking the lowest of the low and helping them reach new highs AND leaving just who you really are in the process. Wonderful. The MC is not perfect and screws up, but they’re incredibly lucky. The story is self contained but leads well towards a series. Not much in the way of mechanics/screens. A great read. Enjoy.
This was a wonderful twist on dungeon core novels; a god core, responsible for guiding a race. Taking the lowest of the low and helping them reach new highs AND leaving just who you really are in the process. Wonderful. The MC is not perfect and screws up, but they’re incredibly lucky. The story is self contained but leads well towards a series. Not much in the way of mechanics/screens. A great read. Enjoy.
September 27, 2019
God core
Well this was quite the different take on dungeon core novels. It was a little slow in the beginning but then picked up about halfway through. Wasn’t sure I was going to like the main character but he grew on me through the book. I want to see what the next one is going to be like.
Well this was quite the different take on dungeon core novels. It was a little slow in the beginning but then picked up about halfway through. Wasn’t sure I was going to like the main character but he grew on me through the book. I want to see what the next one is going to be like.
September 27, 2019
Really enjoyed it!
Great world building. I love rts games and this just hits every box for me. I cant wait to read the next installment
Great world building. I love rts games and this just hits every box for me. I cant wait to read the next installment
October 5, 2019
Men and gentleladies of Urskuul’s Reading Circle, how are we all? It has been a long, long time since the last newsletter, and I am sure you have been suffering dreadfully in my absence. I mean its absence.
Why so long? Well, you may have heard about the tragic suicide of Trevor, one of our longest running members. I’d say one of our most popular members, if I was following the tradition of speaking nice about the dead. In truth, he was very annoying and barely tolerated by the others. Curiously, this was actually one of the reasons given in the suicide note as to why he took his own life.
Now, I had been planning to mention him in the following newsletter to let everyone know of his passing. Not because anyone would care; it was simply a proviso in his will that needed to be met for the bequest of money to be sent to the Reading Circle. I didn’t want that donation wasted by going to some charity or the like instead of me. I mean, the Reading Circle.
Unfortunately, events took a rather tragic turn prior to the writing of the newsletter. Urskuul’s Secret Police took an interest, and decided it was unlikely Trevor had committed suicide by stabbing himself in the back 37 times and then disposing off the weapon. They thought the handwriting on the note also looked suspiciously like mine. And, finally, a dagger encrusted with Trevor’s blood was found in my home when they chose to search it. Apparently, all of this circumstantial evidence was enough to lead to my arrest, trial, and incarceration. I was very disappointed.
Eventually, after an unbearable period of time, I have finally been vindicated. Following an extensive campaign of passive aggressive letter writing from my mother, a Judge was persuaded to review the case. He agreed that I clearly wasn’t involved with Trevor’s death (now officially declared a murder), since otherwise my mother would never stop annoying him. I hope that the Secret Police are, even now, searching for the person who framed me. I wouldn’t want to cast aspersions, nor would I want to prejudice the investigation, therefore I will refrain from suggesting Melissa would have had a good motive and opportunity to manage this.
Now, to move on to more important matters. A new book! This month it is the fantastic God of Gnomes, by Demi Harper.
So, what is God of Gnomes all about? Well, our narrator and protagonist (Corey) is a God Core, which is basically a shiny purple gemstone, who has forgotten the majority of his previous life. He has been made responsible for a small population of gnomes. Not the garden gnome variety, who laze around all day fishing or making chortling faces. These gnomes are rather different, and are in severe straits. They’re possibly the last gnomes left in the world, and don’t have too much going for them. Luckily, Corey is in place to make their lives better.
Except, you know, Corey would rather have a body and be able to move around under his own cognition again rather than be trapped in a gemstone. Also, he doesn’t really like gnomes and feels he has been poorly done by to have to look after these creatures. And, finally, he doesn’t know how to god. How does he encourage the whole gnome community to worship him (he begins with just one follower, Gneil)? How does he gain more godly powers? And is he allowed to throw lightning bolts or set fire to those gnomes which don’t fancy worshipping him for some reason? Ungrateful lot.
Luckily, on hand, is Ket. Who’s Ket? Well, she’s a sprite. And think of her like a tutorial. Much like the annoying fairy in Legend of Zelda who keeps telling you to look at a suspiciously shaped rock just as you’re in the middle of jumping off a cliff whilst holding on to a chicken to see how far you can glide. She’s there to show Corey how he can gain faithful worshippers, level up, create useful buildings and assign vocations to his gnomes rather than mushroom farmers.
All quite straightforward, right? If you have played certain types of computer game, you’ll feel rather comfortable with the whole process of levelling, acquiring new abilities and looking after annoying and oftimes disobedient creatures who don’t always seem to do exactly what you want them to. Unfortunately, as well as disobedient and unfaithful gnomes, there’s an unfriendly community of kobolds who live nearby, in service of a rather nastier and meaner god, who seem to enjoy preying on the mushroom farmers. I’ll leave the reason for it untold, to allow you to discover for yourself. But it does mean that improving the lot of these gnomes is going to be a bit harder than Corey might have wanted. Being a newbie god is hard!
I think that gives you a fair idea without spoiling too much. Overall, a delightfully written book, harking back to computer games such as the early versions of Warcraft (Orcs & Humans) and Black & White. Incidentally, I have a huge desire to go and play those after reading this.
If this sounds like your sort of thing, then you should definitely pick up a copy. I can’t see how you won’t enjoy it. It even has badgers! Although one of them appears to be Australian, since he gets named Bruce (I’m fairly sure that all people named Bruce are Australian, so presumably this applies to badgers as well).
And now, a word from our sponsor:
Does the idea of total immersive gaming sound like your kind of thing? Do you have a deep-seated desire to spend hours prowling around a digitally created world, away from the pressures of that thing known as real life? Then volunteer to take part in Urskuul’s Betterworld Experience! You will be transported into a world where your main aim will be running away from hideous monsters in order to avoid an excruciatingly painful death! And, once you have been decapitated, dissolved in acid, burned alive or crushed by the foot of a giant, you’ll be respawned in a new location to enjoy another such method of murder. The experience is so real, it will feel like the death is actually happening! Not only that, but the pain energy generated by your brain will be used to power Urskuul’s grand mansion, because Urskuul Holdings are all about renewable energy sources in this modern day and age.
Please note: upon volunteering to enter Betterworld, you will be contractually obliged to remain and suffer various hideous deaths for a period of at least five years. Please ensure pets and children have a suitable carer during your absence. Or, bring them with you, so they can suffer alongside.
Why so long? Well, you may have heard about the tragic suicide of Trevor, one of our longest running members. I’d say one of our most popular members, if I was following the tradition of speaking nice about the dead. In truth, he was very annoying and barely tolerated by the others. Curiously, this was actually one of the reasons given in the suicide note as to why he took his own life.
Now, I had been planning to mention him in the following newsletter to let everyone know of his passing. Not because anyone would care; it was simply a proviso in his will that needed to be met for the bequest of money to be sent to the Reading Circle. I didn’t want that donation wasted by going to some charity or the like instead of me. I mean, the Reading Circle.
Unfortunately, events took a rather tragic turn prior to the writing of the newsletter. Urskuul’s Secret Police took an interest, and decided it was unlikely Trevor had committed suicide by stabbing himself in the back 37 times and then disposing off the weapon. They thought the handwriting on the note also looked suspiciously like mine. And, finally, a dagger encrusted with Trevor’s blood was found in my home when they chose to search it. Apparently, all of this circumstantial evidence was enough to lead to my arrest, trial, and incarceration. I was very disappointed.
Eventually, after an unbearable period of time, I have finally been vindicated. Following an extensive campaign of passive aggressive letter writing from my mother, a Judge was persuaded to review the case. He agreed that I clearly wasn’t involved with Trevor’s death (now officially declared a murder), since otherwise my mother would never stop annoying him. I hope that the Secret Police are, even now, searching for the person who framed me. I wouldn’t want to cast aspersions, nor would I want to prejudice the investigation, therefore I will refrain from suggesting Melissa would have had a good motive and opportunity to manage this.
Now, to move on to more important matters. A new book! This month it is the fantastic God of Gnomes, by Demi Harper.
So, what is God of Gnomes all about? Well, our narrator and protagonist (Corey) is a God Core, which is basically a shiny purple gemstone, who has forgotten the majority of his previous life. He has been made responsible for a small population of gnomes. Not the garden gnome variety, who laze around all day fishing or making chortling faces. These gnomes are rather different, and are in severe straits. They’re possibly the last gnomes left in the world, and don’t have too much going for them. Luckily, Corey is in place to make their lives better.
Except, you know, Corey would rather have a body and be able to move around under his own cognition again rather than be trapped in a gemstone. Also, he doesn’t really like gnomes and feels he has been poorly done by to have to look after these creatures. And, finally, he doesn’t know how to god. How does he encourage the whole gnome community to worship him (he begins with just one follower, Gneil)? How does he gain more godly powers? And is he allowed to throw lightning bolts or set fire to those gnomes which don’t fancy worshipping him for some reason? Ungrateful lot.
Luckily, on hand, is Ket. Who’s Ket? Well, she’s a sprite. And think of her like a tutorial. Much like the annoying fairy in Legend of Zelda who keeps telling you to look at a suspiciously shaped rock just as you’re in the middle of jumping off a cliff whilst holding on to a chicken to see how far you can glide. She’s there to show Corey how he can gain faithful worshippers, level up, create useful buildings and assign vocations to his gnomes rather than mushroom farmers.
All quite straightforward, right? If you have played certain types of computer game, you’ll feel rather comfortable with the whole process of levelling, acquiring new abilities and looking after annoying and oftimes disobedient creatures who don’t always seem to do exactly what you want them to. Unfortunately, as well as disobedient and unfaithful gnomes, there’s an unfriendly community of kobolds who live nearby, in service of a rather nastier and meaner god, who seem to enjoy preying on the mushroom farmers. I’ll leave the reason for it untold, to allow you to discover for yourself. But it does mean that improving the lot of these gnomes is going to be a bit harder than Corey might have wanted. Being a newbie god is hard!
I think that gives you a fair idea without spoiling too much. Overall, a delightfully written book, harking back to computer games such as the early versions of Warcraft (Orcs & Humans) and Black & White. Incidentally, I have a huge desire to go and play those after reading this.
If this sounds like your sort of thing, then you should definitely pick up a copy. I can’t see how you won’t enjoy it. It even has badgers! Although one of them appears to be Australian, since he gets named Bruce (I’m fairly sure that all people named Bruce are Australian, so presumably this applies to badgers as well).
And now, a word from our sponsor:
Does the idea of total immersive gaming sound like your kind of thing? Do you have a deep-seated desire to spend hours prowling around a digitally created world, away from the pressures of that thing known as real life? Then volunteer to take part in Urskuul’s Betterworld Experience! You will be transported into a world where your main aim will be running away from hideous monsters in order to avoid an excruciatingly painful death! And, once you have been decapitated, dissolved in acid, burned alive or crushed by the foot of a giant, you’ll be respawned in a new location to enjoy another such method of murder. The experience is so real, it will feel like the death is actually happening! Not only that, but the pain energy generated by your brain will be used to power Urskuul’s grand mansion, because Urskuul Holdings are all about renewable energy sources in this modern day and age.
Please note: upon volunteering to enter Betterworld, you will be contractually obliged to remain and suffer various hideous deaths for a period of at least five years. Please ensure pets and children have a suitable carer during your absence. Or, bring them with you, so they can suffer alongside.
October 2, 2019
I really wanted to like this book. However I just could not get into the book. I felt that the so many things were just Slightly off for me. The premise of a Dungeon core type entity that instead of thriving off the death of others instead is empowered by the people that it guides sounds amazing.
Possible spoilers ahead
The main character clearly is just being dragged along a preset path and is unable to make any meaning full choices in his early development. even his name gets steam rolled onto him by the sprite. Every choice seems like it is made for him by the sprite. The book feel to restricted for what should ostensibly be a fairly open path. The main character is unable to decide what kind of god he wants to be for his people. Clearly the main character appears to have memories of being a underdark type race most likely a Drow living in Menzoberranzan. He wants to be a bit evil but because the god core system is not set up for this he can't. Then the story quickly introduces at least one possibly two god cores that are clearly evil in nature. The fact that the core system is so poorly explained to the main character when there is no reason not to annoyed me. I stopped reading after a fairly detailed explanation about the god beasts and how many he could ultimately have. Then when he created one that used an invertebrate and a vertebrate together and it took up 2 slots. This annoyed me to no end I stopped reading because I just felt that the whole book was going to be this stupid sprite explaining what he should do then screwing him over on the outcome. Would this have been the same if he combined an animal with a plant, if so why would this not be one of the first things to tell a new god core when creating their new god beasts. I don't know if we ultimately find out that the sprite really has been manipulating things for some reason, maybe it was the sprite of the big baddie and now tries to hard or maybe that is just their job. Either way what could have been this cool funny story about a gnomes being guided by the hand of a core entity feels more like a series of plot devices with cave man gnomes. there are a lot of little things that could have proved a saving grace for this book, even one or two elements being changed would have kept me around for this book. But it may simply be that a picked this book up looking for something funny/silly and that was just not what the author was trying to deliver. I'm not sure but I can say this the choice to have zero voice from the gnomes in the opening portion of the book was not a great choice. Even if the God core is incapable of understanding the language of his people (basically defeating the purpose of prayer) Not even having a secondary character points of view so you get some history from the gnomes about why they are sullenly accepting death at the hands of the kobalds, did they have a society that collapsed, why are they living in tents in a random mushroom cave. So many things that could have made them something other than a poorly subtitled silent movie. I really did love the idea that this book presented but not the characters. I Hope the author continues writing and coming up with interesting ideas.
Possible spoilers ahead
The main character clearly is just being dragged along a preset path and is unable to make any meaning full choices in his early development. even his name gets steam rolled onto him by the sprite. Every choice seems like it is made for him by the sprite. The book feel to restricted for what should ostensibly be a fairly open path. The main character is unable to decide what kind of god he wants to be for his people. Clearly the main character appears to have memories of being a underdark type race most likely a Drow living in Menzoberranzan. He wants to be a bit evil but because the god core system is not set up for this he can't. Then the story quickly introduces at least one possibly two god cores that are clearly evil in nature. The fact that the core system is so poorly explained to the main character when there is no reason not to annoyed me. I stopped reading after a fairly detailed explanation about the god beasts and how many he could ultimately have. Then when he created one that used an invertebrate and a vertebrate together and it took up 2 slots. This annoyed me to no end I stopped reading because I just felt that the whole book was going to be this stupid sprite explaining what he should do then screwing him over on the outcome. Would this have been the same if he combined an animal with a plant, if so why would this not be one of the first things to tell a new god core when creating their new god beasts. I don't know if we ultimately find out that the sprite really has been manipulating things for some reason, maybe it was the sprite of the big baddie and now tries to hard or maybe that is just their job. Either way what could have been this cool funny story about a gnomes being guided by the hand of a core entity feels more like a series of plot devices with cave man gnomes. there are a lot of little things that could have proved a saving grace for this book, even one or two elements being changed would have kept me around for this book. But it may simply be that a picked this book up looking for something funny/silly and that was just not what the author was trying to deliver. I'm not sure but I can say this the choice to have zero voice from the gnomes in the opening portion of the book was not a great choice. Even if the God core is incapable of understanding the language of his people (basically defeating the purpose of prayer) Not even having a secondary character points of view so you get some history from the gnomes about why they are sullenly accepting death at the hands of the kobalds, did they have a society that collapsed, why are they living in tents in a random mushroom cave. So many things that could have made them something other than a poorly subtitled silent movie. I really did love the idea that this book presented but not the characters. I Hope the author continues writing and coming up with interesting ideas.
Read
September 8, 2019Star rating withheld because I knew going into this book that I was reading a little bit outside my tastes.
"God of Gnomes" is a dungeoncore litrpg, meaning it reads a bit like a play-by-play of someone playing a real time strategy game with RPG and tower defense elements. Corey awakens as a God Core in charge of a gnome settlement. With the help of his own personal Clippy, Ket, Corey learns how to use and expand his powers to the benefit of his gnome denizens--and fend off attacks from a rival god.
Corey was a fun character. At the start, he's snarky and resentful of his new role as the god of a bunch of physically weak, bumbling goofballs. I enjoyed his arc across the story as he came to terms with being a god, along with the ethical dilemmas of being the commander inside a strategy game. The action sequences were well-crafted and intense. The gnomes had an amusing sense of personality despite their inability to directly communicate with their god (and let's face it, we need more gnomes in fantasy novels).
To put it plainly, I enjoyed everything about this book except the LitRPG genre elements. The opening chapters put most of their attention on establishing the rules of the world like a game's tutorial, and there is a lot of bookkeeping throughout, such as Corey reflecting on how much mana he has and what he wants to do with it, poring through the interface for options, or managing his summoned creatures against his total number of creation slots.
That kind of stuff hurt the book for me, but I understand that that's the genre. Demi Harper tells a good story within that framework, and dungeoncore fans should have a good time with this one.
"God of Gnomes" is a dungeoncore litrpg, meaning it reads a bit like a play-by-play of someone playing a real time strategy game with RPG and tower defense elements. Corey awakens as a God Core in charge of a gnome settlement. With the help of his own personal Clippy, Ket, Corey learns how to use and expand his powers to the benefit of his gnome denizens--and fend off attacks from a rival god.
Corey was a fun character. At the start, he's snarky and resentful of his new role as the god of a bunch of physically weak, bumbling goofballs. I enjoyed his arc across the story as he came to terms with being a god, along with the ethical dilemmas of being the commander inside a strategy game. The action sequences were well-crafted and intense. The gnomes had an amusing sense of personality despite their inability to directly communicate with their god (and let's face it, we need more gnomes in fantasy novels).
To put it plainly, I enjoyed everything about this book except the LitRPG genre elements. The opening chapters put most of their attention on establishing the rules of the world like a game's tutorial, and there is a lot of bookkeeping throughout, such as Corey reflecting on how much mana he has and what he wants to do with it, poring through the interface for options, or managing his summoned creatures against his total number of creation slots.
That kind of stuff hurt the book for me, but I understand that that's the genre. Demi Harper tells a good story within that framework, and dungeoncore fans should have a good time with this one.
September 1, 2019
I really enjoyed this book despite a rocky start.
The premise is that a new “God Core” appears somewhere underground near a bunch of gnomes. Then a pixie-kind of creature appears and wants to give it instructions on what to do. The problem I had is that I found both the pixie and the core to be annoying. The core was behaving like a 6 year old with ADHD and the pixie was only mildly better. I think this was the author’s intention as things did improve but I almost stopped reading out of frustration.
I’m glad I didn’t stop. The story turned out to be good. The creation of creatures from combinations of others, resource management including faith, like-able characters, all made for good story.
Of course there was a group of adventurers involved and an evil character bent on the Core’s destruction. There were also a few twists and turns and an unexpected twist at the end.
All in all a good start to the series.
I received this book as an ARC from Portal Books and chose to write a review.
The premise is that a new “God Core” appears somewhere underground near a bunch of gnomes. Then a pixie-kind of creature appears and wants to give it instructions on what to do. The problem I had is that I found both the pixie and the core to be annoying. The core was behaving like a 6 year old with ADHD and the pixie was only mildly better. I think this was the author’s intention as things did improve but I almost stopped reading out of frustration.
I’m glad I didn’t stop. The story turned out to be good. The creation of creatures from combinations of others, resource management including faith, like-able characters, all made for good story.
Of course there was a group of adventurers involved and an evil character bent on the Core’s destruction. There were also a few twists and turns and an unexpected twist at the end.
All in all a good start to the series.
I received this book as an ARC from Portal Books and chose to write a review.
September 27, 2019
Awesome
I’d been waiting for this to come out and picked it up on release date, and I wasn’t disappointed. The author really shows a different side to “core” novels and pulls you into the story making you care for the characters. The pace is well set and keeps you engrossed from start to finish. The mc progression is well thought out and in no way OP.
All in all a great book and I look foreword to book 2.
I’d been waiting for this to come out and picked it up on release date, and I wasn’t disappointed. The author really shows a different side to “core” novels and pulls you into the story making you care for the characters. The pace is well set and keeps you engrossed from start to finish. The mc progression is well thought out and in no way OP.
All in all a great book and I look foreword to book 2.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews