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Abduction Chronicles #1
Genesis
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07XSD6171
Col. Petros Arkansas (Ret.) is abducted from his comfortable home by aliens and his life changes forever.
The aliens begin experiments on him with tests in harsh computer generated environments and expect him to survive without modern equipment.
The Colonel teams up with a core group of Spec-Ops operatives to survive, but first he has to learn what his new situation is, what enhancements he has available in these game-like simulations and how to ramp them up.
He begins a wild adventure of self-discovery, self-enhancement, and in some rare instances self-awareness.
Will he survive the unfamiliar idea of grinding out levels for enhancement and who will come to his aid?
The path he chooses is often dark, filled with fantastical creatures and outlandish beings, and the steps he takes are wracked with pain and far less traveled. Along the way he discovers that humanity’s existence is on a knife’s edge and the road to salvation lies in his hands. Together with the team he has to face down some of the scariest horrors in existence.
Despite all these obstacles, Petros digs deep into that dogged Spec-Ops persona, and meets the road he treads with a hard, determined step and a willingness to run.
Will he run away or towards the challenges?
The subtle combination of Military Sci-fi, Fantasy, GameLit, and LitRPG ensures there is plenty of action and intrigue for followers of any of these genres.
Embark on this journey and discover the answers in the Abduction Chronicles:GENESIS.
Col. Petros Arkansas (Ret.) is abducted from his comfortable home by aliens and his life changes forever.
The aliens begin experiments on him with tests in harsh computer generated environments and expect him to survive without modern equipment.
The Colonel teams up with a core group of Spec-Ops operatives to survive, but first he has to learn what his new situation is, what enhancements he has available in these game-like simulations and how to ramp them up.
He begins a wild adventure of self-discovery, self-enhancement, and in some rare instances self-awareness.
Will he survive the unfamiliar idea of grinding out levels for enhancement and who will come to his aid?
The path he chooses is often dark, filled with fantastical creatures and outlandish beings, and the steps he takes are wracked with pain and far less traveled. Along the way he discovers that humanity’s existence is on a knife’s edge and the road to salvation lies in his hands. Together with the team he has to face down some of the scariest horrors in existence.
Despite all these obstacles, Petros digs deep into that dogged Spec-Ops persona, and meets the road he treads with a hard, determined step and a willingness to run.
Will he run away or towards the challenges?
The subtle combination of Military Sci-fi, Fantasy, GameLit, and LitRPG ensures there is plenty of action and intrigue for followers of any of these genres.
Embark on this journey and discover the answers in the Abduction Chronicles:GENESIS.
- GenresScience Fiction
387 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2019
64 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Peter John
4 books40 followersI love to read, write and from time to time play games.
Hope you enjoy my work.
Hope you enjoy my work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 9, 2020
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, this book is a fun read that offers a novel take on the LitRPG genre. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say the way the RPG elements are worked into the story are both innovative and enjoyable. That said, if you’re a LitRPG purist, understand this doesn’t fit the mold, per se.
The story is fun and engaging, with perhaps a little too much emphasis on exposition. There’s also a typo here and there, but that’s almost de rigueur for the genre.
You should read this if you enjoy LitRPG and don’t mind straying outside the strict borders of tradition. You should skip this if you’re a purist and/or want a particularly ‘crunchy’ story.
Overall, this book is a fun read that offers a novel take on the LitRPG genre. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say the way the RPG elements are worked into the story are both innovative and enjoyable. That said, if you’re a LitRPG purist, understand this doesn’t fit the mold, per se.
The story is fun and engaging, with perhaps a little too much emphasis on exposition. There’s also a typo here and there, but that’s almost de rigueur for the genre.
You should read this if you enjoy LitRPG and don’t mind straying outside the strict borders of tradition. You should skip this if you’re a purist and/or want a particularly ‘crunchy’ story.
September 28, 2019
I enjoyed this very much
I will be purchasing this series, thanks for an engrossing two nights reading this. Hopefully your writing speed is one out every few months haha.
I will be purchasing this series, thanks for an engrossing two nights reading this. Hopefully your writing speed is one out every few months haha.
February 6, 2020
Great book
Stellar work from Peter John! Lots of action and adventure, with a great twist at the end.Looking forward to the next one!
Stellar work from Peter John! Lots of action and adventure, with a great twist at the end.Looking forward to the next one!
January 14, 2021
This was an interesting and probably one of the oddest books I have read to date in the LitRPG genre. However, that is not to say that it was not an extremely enjoyable experience. Let me first tell you all what the book was about before we dive into specifics. So if you wouldn't mind, safety comes first, so buckle up, and lets go!
We are introduced to our main character Colonel Petros Arkansas who is now enjoying retirement from his military career. Unfortunately, the universe did not find the idea of Armpit, as he is sometimes called, sitting on his couch equally appealing. This becomes evident when he is abducted by aliens and thrown into simulated environments where he is forced to use all of his training to survive. Do I wanna go into a deeper explanation? Yes, of course. However, I find that part of the joy of reading this book is finding out the story while you read. There are so many twists and unexpected turns that I was unable to predict. Now let us dive into some specifics about the book itself.
In terms of story, while a seemingly oddball story with a unique take on the applicability of LitRPG it does have many very good moments. In fact, most of the book's story is enthralling and egging you on the figure out exactly what is going on. There are plenty of narrative twists, and I do think that sometimes it might throw the reader off with the introduction of certain story-line aspects that I won't divulge here.
In terms of character, the character is an old fashion military man who still has a little bit of his younger self within him. Petros was a unique and fun character who I really enjoyed about 90% of the time, and he was very funny. However, the other characters within the story fell a little bit flat for me, but I am sure that with future installments they will gain further depths.
In terms of writing, the writing in the book is very much on par. Peter John knows how to effectively convey a story and I had little issue visualizing the environment or the scenes within the books. With that being said, I do think that there was a certain lacking of unique tone with each of the characters. Except for one character who occasionally speaks Spanish.
Overall, there was a complete story in this novel which I greatly appreciated. I honestly find that some authors love to leave readers off with a massive cliff hanger which can be extremely frustrating. However, Peter John knows how to balance the scales on a conclusive ending, but leaving enough of a tease to keep you wanting to discover more. I do think Peter John did a lot of things right in this book, and for that, I do believe it is worth a gander. However, this book is not for everyone and that is why my rating is 3.5. There are certain aspects that some people will not enjoy such as the occasional need to accept absurdities in order to progress with the story. However, those who are tired of the MMORPG style of LitRPG and are looking for a different take should pick this one up for their TBR piles.
I was gifted a free copy of this book for an honest review.
We are introduced to our main character Colonel Petros Arkansas who is now enjoying retirement from his military career. Unfortunately, the universe did not find the idea of Armpit, as he is sometimes called, sitting on his couch equally appealing. This becomes evident when he is abducted by aliens and thrown into simulated environments where he is forced to use all of his training to survive. Do I wanna go into a deeper explanation? Yes, of course. However, I find that part of the joy of reading this book is finding out the story while you read. There are so many twists and unexpected turns that I was unable to predict. Now let us dive into some specifics about the book itself.
In terms of story, while a seemingly oddball story with a unique take on the applicability of LitRPG it does have many very good moments. In fact, most of the book's story is enthralling and egging you on the figure out exactly what is going on. There are plenty of narrative twists, and I do think that sometimes it might throw the reader off with the introduction of certain story-line aspects that I won't divulge here.
In terms of character, the character is an old fashion military man who still has a little bit of his younger self within him. Petros was a unique and fun character who I really enjoyed about 90% of the time, and he was very funny. However, the other characters within the story fell a little bit flat for me, but I am sure that with future installments they will gain further depths.
In terms of writing, the writing in the book is very much on par. Peter John knows how to effectively convey a story and I had little issue visualizing the environment or the scenes within the books. With that being said, I do think that there was a certain lacking of unique tone with each of the characters. Except for one character who occasionally speaks Spanish.
Overall, there was a complete story in this novel which I greatly appreciated. I honestly find that some authors love to leave readers off with a massive cliff hanger which can be extremely frustrating. However, Peter John knows how to balance the scales on a conclusive ending, but leaving enough of a tease to keep you wanting to discover more. I do think Peter John did a lot of things right in this book, and for that, I do believe it is worth a gander. However, this book is not for everyone and that is why my rating is 3.5. There are certain aspects that some people will not enjoy such as the occasional need to accept absurdities in order to progress with the story. However, those who are tired of the MMORPG style of LitRPG and are looking for a different take should pick this one up for their TBR piles.
I was gifted a free copy of this book for an honest review.
August 2, 2020
This was a much better book than I originally anticipated, which is honestly a relief. Usually it's the other way around when I pick a random book where I've never heard of the author and the cover art isn't exactly unique.
I'm not great at writing exactly what it is I liked about a book, suffice it to say that I'm very excited for book 2.
I'm not great at writing exactly what it is I liked about a book, suffice it to say that I'm very excited for book 2.
August 23, 2020
I'll start by saying I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a pleasant read that I read most of in a morning. The main character is definitely likable. I appreciated his cheekiness and compassion. The world-building was pretty strong, giving you a solid sense of environment and culture. The pacing is nice, pulling you forward through the story at a nice clip without falling into too many long runs of exposition. I also appreciated that military slang was defined for us civvies.
There are really only two things that keep me from giving it all five stars. First, some closer editing would have reduced errors and tightened up some awkward places. Not a huge deal, but enough to be a little distracting. Second, pretty much all of the female characters seemed pretty pointless. One seems to only be there to be the token "strong and capable chick", but isn't given any real purpose. Another one is a throw-away love(?) interest. Another is just a damsel in distress. Hopefully, these characters get a little more development in the next installments.
Those negatives aside, this book blended a lot of elements from military, RPG, sci-fi, and fantasy lit into something that felt really unique. I enjoyed the read a lot more than I expected to and I'm definitely interested in reading the next book in the series.
This book was a pleasant read that I read most of in a morning. The main character is definitely likable. I appreciated his cheekiness and compassion. The world-building was pretty strong, giving you a solid sense of environment and culture. The pacing is nice, pulling you forward through the story at a nice clip without falling into too many long runs of exposition. I also appreciated that military slang was defined for us civvies.
There are really only two things that keep me from giving it all five stars. First, some closer editing would have reduced errors and tightened up some awkward places. Not a huge deal, but enough to be a little distracting. Second, pretty much all of the female characters seemed pretty pointless. One seems to only be there to be the token "strong and capable chick", but isn't given any real purpose. Another one is a throw-away love(?) interest. Another is just a damsel in distress. Hopefully, these characters get a little more development in the next installments.
Those negatives aside, this book blended a lot of elements from military, RPG, sci-fi, and fantasy lit into something that felt really unique. I enjoyed the read a lot more than I expected to and I'm definitely interested in reading the next book in the series.
June 14, 2020
Retired from military, stolen by aliens, “buffed up” by alien technology, and fighting a new war that could save entire galaxies. Petros isn’t sure what is happening to him, but it can’t be good. Going through painful, sometimes excruciating, changes to his mind and body Petros soon learns he is needed to fight a whole new kind of war on worlds he didn’t even know existed. Can Petros rescue his targets and get out alive to continue fighting against an alien invasion? Great read! Keeps you wondering what is going to happen next and leaves you wanting the next book to find out what happens next in Petros life. I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only for an honest review.
December 17, 2020
At the start,it was more laxed military setting and then a lot of twists and turns theme.Fantasy was a good one.
I never expected it to be this good,I'm not a bookworm but this got me really engaged and will definitely give this one a 5/5.Moreover,i had fun and thrilled reading this book.
The writer had a good taste about the characters and the theme.He was way too creative
Looking forward to the next chapter!
I never expected it to be this good,I'm not a bookworm but this got me really engaged and will definitely give this one a 5/5.Moreover,i had fun and thrilled reading this book.
The writer had a good taste about the characters and the theme.He was way too creative
Looking forward to the next chapter!
March 30, 2020
Abducted and thrown into a reality world where he has to learn how to fit of a species of Alien that is threatening all of mankind but all other Alien species too. Abducted by a species that is now known as Absinthe. No one knows what they were originally called and they no longer remember themselves. So called because one abductee screamed for Absinthe almost constantly that they thought this was what he was calling them so they adopted the name.
Petros is ex military, retired and enjoying life in his old age. Well in his 50s at least when they came for him. His handler is Grant. Human name but Alien appearance. They can no longer fend for themselves so they abduct humans to fight for them. Thrown into virtual reality to hone their skills while strapped to a table having their bodily functions maintained for them they have to fight to stay alive. Every death wears them down mentally if not physically.
The book was a fun read and written well. It was a but repetitive but didnt find it detrimental to the story as a whole.
Petros is ex military, retired and enjoying life in his old age. Well in his 50s at least when they came for him. His handler is Grant. Human name but Alien appearance. They can no longer fend for themselves so they abduct humans to fight for them. Thrown into virtual reality to hone their skills while strapped to a table having their bodily functions maintained for them they have to fight to stay alive. Every death wears them down mentally if not physically.
The book was a fun read and written well. It was a but repetitive but didnt find it detrimental to the story as a whole.
December 14, 2021
I received an ARC free from VRO and this is my voluntary honest review.
Interesting story.
Strong characters.
Contained a lot of unnecessary cuss words. That spoiled the story for me.
Interesting story.
Strong characters.
Contained a lot of unnecessary cuss words. That spoiled the story for me.
April 25, 2020
Thank you for sending me via Voracious.
I like the characters and the setting, it was very creative. The characters were very well developed and the story was engaging. But most of all it was the story that really got me most of the time.
Congratulations on the book. Keep up the good work.
I like the characters and the setting, it was very creative. The characters were very well developed and the story was engaging. But most of all it was the story that really got me most of the time.
Congratulations on the book. Keep up the good work.
May 2, 2021
Well written story (light spoiler)
It is an interesting story which I enjoyed reading. The protagonist was kidnapped from Earth and after a short time discovers that the kidnapper belong to a higher evolved race. They need humans to fight the physical battle against dark forces that may one day threaten Earth as well. This race has the power to increase his physical, mental and magical abilities. For each task passed and mission accomplished, he receives upgrades to his system.
The characters are well drawn and they came alive. It like a game and gamers might relate more to the story then me as a no-gamer. The book is very detail oriented, which made it lengthy for me and resulted in a point deduction. For those who like it to go into great detail, add the point back in.
I'm interested to see what happens next, which is always a good sign for a book. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
I received the book as a reading copy for an honest review.
It is an interesting story which I enjoyed reading. The protagonist was kidnapped from Earth and after a short time discovers that the kidnapper belong to a higher evolved race. They need humans to fight the physical battle against dark forces that may one day threaten Earth as well. This race has the power to increase his physical, mental and magical abilities. For each task passed and mission accomplished, he receives upgrades to his system.
The characters are well drawn and they came alive. It like a game and gamers might relate more to the story then me as a no-gamer. The book is very detail oriented, which made it lengthy for me and resulted in a point deduction. For those who like it to go into great detail, add the point back in.
I'm interested to see what happens next, which is always a good sign for a book. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
I received the book as a reading copy for an honest review.
September 23, 2019
Great litrpg! Especially for military fiction fans. Pretty unique, too!
Full disclosure: I’m a beta reader for this book.
This is a fun litrpg that has a great amount of action and a great story to it. It does all of the military parts perfectly, which is important to me. It has great action scenes and the litrpg elements are done well, too. It is also a fairly unique take on military and sci-fi litrpg, which is fun.
The author even listened to his beta readers (largely the others) and tweaked it so that it’s even better now than it was before.
The characters are good, the story is good, the game-like elements are good, and it’s well worth a read. Check it out for yourself.
Full disclosure: I’m a beta reader for this book.
This is a fun litrpg that has a great amount of action and a great story to it. It does all of the military parts perfectly, which is important to me. It has great action scenes and the litrpg elements are done well, too. It is also a fairly unique take on military and sci-fi litrpg, which is fun.
The author even listened to his beta readers (largely the others) and tweaked it so that it’s even better now than it was before.
The characters are good, the story is good, the game-like elements are good, and it’s well worth a read. Check it out for yourself.
October 17, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Normally, when alien abduction topics come up, it's all about odd experiments and goofy things that make no sense to anyone but the author of said material. I'm happy to report, this story was nothing like that. It's LitRPG without a doubt, and it's not a bad read. I kind of expected (slightly) different behavior from the main character based on his attitudes towards the authority figures in the book, but it's all understandable, once the whole picture is taken into account. If you're a fan of LitRPG, I'd say this isn't a bad addition to your bookshelves,
but if you're tired of the whole abducted persons working for alien overlords thing, you might want to look elsewhere for your next read.
but if you're tired of the whole abducted persons working for alien overlords thing, you might want to look elsewhere for your next read.
January 30, 2025
As someone who is not a gamer at all and knows virtually nothing about gaming, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.
The book took me on a wild adventure, introducing me to a world full of strange creatures and fantasy-like settings that I didn't expect to enjoy, but ended up finding fascinating.
What really stood out for me were the life lessons woven into the story.
Behind all the battles and quests, the book touches on important themes like resilience, discipline,adapting to new situations, leaving your home country while still holding on to your roots.
It also explores the importance of building strong friendships, something that resonated with me even in such an unfamiliar context.
The book took me on a wild adventure, introducing me to a world full of strange creatures and fantasy-like settings that I didn't expect to enjoy, but ended up finding fascinating.
What really stood out for me were the life lessons woven into the story.
Behind all the battles and quests, the book touches on important themes like resilience, discipline,adapting to new situations, leaving your home country while still holding on to your roots.
It also explores the importance of building strong friendships, something that resonated with me even in such an unfamiliar context.
October 24, 2019
Book one
Mistakes: I found one. Been was used twice in a sentence and messed it up.
Plot: A retired special operations guy is abducted by aliens and given a chance to join a fight that really matters.
We have power ups and levels. Magic and aliens. Lots of fighting and some betrayal.
I’d call this some really good gamelit.
Characters: The Mc has a good draw to him. While OP he is logical in his thinking and likable in his personality.
8/10
Mistakes: I found one. Been was used twice in a sentence and messed it up.
Plot: A retired special operations guy is abducted by aliens and given a chance to join a fight that really matters.
We have power ups and levels. Magic and aliens. Lots of fighting and some betrayal.
I’d call this some really good gamelit.
Characters: The Mc has a good draw to him. While OP he is logical in his thinking and likable in his personality.
8/10
April 23, 2022
I think I put this on my wishlist when I was looking for a scifi based litrpg. This is a bit scifi (there are aliens!), but there's a lot that doesn't seem to make sense... and a hero that is just a bit too Marty Sue.
Also, this could really use a good proofreading and probably an editor. That was a constant low-grade annoyance, sort of like trying to read when sitting in a coach seat just behind the engines on an airplane.
Also, this could really use a good proofreading and probably an editor. That was a constant low-grade annoyance, sort of like trying to read when sitting in a coach seat just behind the engines on an airplane.
September 16, 2019
High stakes VR
A really fun and entertaining take on the genre, with a lot of interesting ideas. The hook is particularly engaging for me, as this is one of my favorite type of stories.
All of this from a freshly minted author. Really looking forward to any follow ups as the literary world being put together here could be a lot of fun to see develop.
A really fun and entertaining take on the genre, with a lot of interesting ideas. The hook is particularly engaging for me, as this is one of my favorite type of stories.
All of this from a freshly minted author. Really looking forward to any follow ups as the literary world being put together here could be a lot of fun to see develop.
October 13, 2019
It's a splendid weave of Sci Fi, Military and Fantasy that is very well written.
While a decent story, from the start the characters lacked in any depth and I found it difficult to relate to them.
While I believe many ex-service and military will find it far more appealing - again it was very well written.
While a decent story, from the start the characters lacked in any depth and I found it difficult to relate to them.
While I believe many ex-service and military will find it far more appealing - again it was very well written.
April 18, 2021
A free book from Voracious Readers thank you
Ailens abduction, elves, orcs, other mythical creatures, computer game simulations, cyborg like body changes, parallel worlds. This book has got it all and then some. Well written with great characters, action and intrigue.
An entertaining read if you like military sci-fi
Ailens abduction, elves, orcs, other mythical creatures, computer game simulations, cyborg like body changes, parallel worlds. This book has got it all and then some. Well written with great characters, action and intrigue.
An entertaining read if you like military sci-fi
January 4, 2020
Interesting characters and setting
I like the characters, the setting and the plot. Some of the powers/abilities seem to be gained a little too easily/quickly, whereas others are truly earnt. Looking forward to next book.
I like the characters, the setting and the plot. Some of the powers/abilities seem to be gained a little too easily/quickly, whereas others are truly earnt. Looking forward to next book.
March 13, 2020
This is a really good spin on life trapped in a game. I like that Armpit is still human, not a super hero. He is also altruistic beyond the usual, but still realistically. Great storyline and action scenes!
January 14, 2021
Cool premise
This story does a good job of bringing us into the world of the protagonist and helping us to see things from his perspective. The world building and magic system were also pretty interesting. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in litRPG.
This story does a good job of bringing us into the world of the protagonist and helping us to see things from his perspective. The world building and magic system were also pretty interesting. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in litRPG.
November 14, 2019
Awesome Book, A must read for any Sci-Fi, LitRPG Reader. You will not be disappointed. Look forward to the next book.
November 19, 2021
This story was excellent. Sci-fi mixed with military themes and RPG to boot. This is a wonderfully thought out story and I can't wait to read more.
May 2, 2021
I’m definitely not a LitRPG sort of fan, in that I don’t seek those stories out, so I’m trying to be diplomatic in my critique. I don’t have anything to compare this book to in that genre. But, I found there were several things I didn’t enjoy strictly from a reading/writing perspective.
The book leans heavily on the tell and not show type of exposition. Pages filled with long paragraphs detailing backstory or relevant information. Mostly in the form of dry narration, but then jarringly interjected with shallow and vacuous humor. Employs a lot of what I call the “oh yeah” technique wherein a major plot point is introduced and then hurriedly explained with backstory that makes it work.
Characters were shallow and barely drawn. It reads like major narcissism on the part of the MC. Many people are introduced to further the plot, then discarded when they’ve fulfilled their limited role.
Finally, I was just turned off by the ease of everything. The author throws in literally every tool in the sci-fi/fantasy world to move things along. Aliens? Yes. Elves? Uh-huh. Zombies? Why not. Magic? OF COURSE THERE’S MAGIC! He literally carries a ring of inventory in which to store all his toys. And don’t get me started on mana.
This could possibly be enjoyed by hard core RPG fans who can turn off their inner critic and just enjoy the world and action. I didn’t have that luxury.
Thank you to the author and Voracious Readers Only for my free copy. These opinions are my own.
The book leans heavily on the tell and not show type of exposition. Pages filled with long paragraphs detailing backstory or relevant information. Mostly in the form of dry narration, but then jarringly interjected with shallow and vacuous humor. Employs a lot of what I call the “oh yeah” technique wherein a major plot point is introduced and then hurriedly explained with backstory that makes it work.
Characters were shallow and barely drawn. It reads like major narcissism on the part of the MC. Many people are introduced to further the plot, then discarded when they’ve fulfilled their limited role.
Finally, I was just turned off by the ease of everything. The author throws in literally every tool in the sci-fi/fantasy world to move things along. Aliens? Yes. Elves? Uh-huh. Zombies? Why not. Magic? OF COURSE THERE’S MAGIC! He literally carries a ring of inventory in which to store all his toys. And don’t get me started on mana.
This could possibly be enjoyed by hard core RPG fans who can turn off their inner critic and just enjoy the world and action. I didn’t have that luxury.
Thank you to the author and Voracious Readers Only for my free copy. These opinions are my own.
June 10, 2025
Lit-RPG... Firstly, I'd never heard of this genre before. Have you? As I read the first few chapters, I was completely lost because I was expecting the familiar plot structure of fantasy or sci-fi... nope. I soon realised I was inside a simulation/game and had no idea what to expect. After overcoming some slight cognitive dissonance, I Googled more about it and finally settled into it peacefully around 20% into the book.
I found it was generously loaded with military, fantasy, and sci-fi pop culture references—even the Hindu deity Shiva popped up—all rolled into an RPG. If I were a gamer, I'm sure I would have appreciated it much more. Peter is well written, quite descriptive, and technically sound. He clearly has good experience and knowledge across a range of topics. Overall, it’s a great action-adventure with plenty of tension and obstacles to overcome, which resulted in leveling up as the book progressed—just as you'd expect in a game. I'm not a gamer, so I had no expectations going in. I just went along for the ride and found that ride unexpectedly enjoyable.
If you've never heard of Lit-RPG, I suggest reading up on it before diving into this book.
Peter John is a fellow South African, with plenty of references to his varied experiences in our colourful history.
I found it was generously loaded with military, fantasy, and sci-fi pop culture references—even the Hindu deity Shiva popped up—all rolled into an RPG. If I were a gamer, I'm sure I would have appreciated it much more. Peter is well written, quite descriptive, and technically sound. He clearly has good experience and knowledge across a range of topics. Overall, it’s a great action-adventure with plenty of tension and obstacles to overcome, which resulted in leveling up as the book progressed—just as you'd expect in a game. I'm not a gamer, so I had no expectations going in. I just went along for the ride and found that ride unexpectedly enjoyable.
If you've never heard of Lit-RPG, I suggest reading up on it before diving into this book.
Peter John is a fellow South African, with plenty of references to his varied experiences in our colourful history.
May 29, 2021
#1 The main character suppose to be a navy seal but has an army/Marine rank. And calls himself soldier. No sailor or Marine would call themselves soldier.
#2 it reads as if the author has no knowledge of the military other than bad tv, movies, and video games.
If you don’t know about these things and it wouldn’t annoy you every time he tries to say something, military related it might not be a bad listen. Just keep in mind that it’s a work of fiction that in no way bears any semblance to reality. The author did 0 home work on the US military or he would have found hundreds of groups on social media filled with veterans that he could have discussed things with to get at a minimum the basic rank structure and terminology right.
#2 it reads as if the author has no knowledge of the military other than bad tv, movies, and video games.
If you don’t know about these things and it wouldn’t annoy you every time he tries to say something, military related it might not be a bad listen. Just keep in mind that it’s a work of fiction that in no way bears any semblance to reality. The author did 0 home work on the US military or he would have found hundreds of groups on social media filled with veterans that he could have discussed things with to get at a minimum the basic rank structure and terminology right.
April 13, 2023
A military man is abducted and then trained in a litrpg style set of training areas until he fights the real enemies.
A bit military stuff in the beginning, then the story kinda change directions wiht this fantasy like elven stuff until we get to a setting with more zombie themed.
For my taste the first training part could have been a bit longer. the change toward the elves was a bit abrupt for me.
But the MC and most of his companions were likeable characters. Overall it was fun to read.
A bit military stuff in the beginning, then the story kinda change directions wiht this fantasy like elven stuff until we get to a setting with more zombie themed.
For my taste the first training part could have been a bit longer. the change toward the elves was a bit abrupt for me.
But the MC and most of his companions were likeable characters. Overall it was fun to read.
January 18, 2020
I got this book for free when the author gave some copies away, and unfortunately I must say that I'm glad I didn't pay, 'cause I'd 'ave been mad.
The book starts off quite nicely: A quick introduction into the world, and whats happening, and then some action. But at about the 20% mark we start to veer into explanation- and backstory-land, and I did not emerge from there, 'cause I stopped reading after I skimmed a chapter ahead of where I'd managed to get to and they were still going at it, with no end in sight.
Listen.
Don't start us off with action, and then segway into several chapters of (almost) uninterrupted explanations.
So, I didn't get further than 36%, and that's with the skimming.
The book starts off quite nicely: A quick introduction into the world, and whats happening, and then some action. But at about the 20% mark we start to veer into explanation- and backstory-land, and I did not emerge from there, 'cause I stopped reading after I skimmed a chapter ahead of where I'd managed to get to and they were still going at it, with no end in sight.
Listen.
Don't start us off with action, and then segway into several chapters of (almost) uninterrupted explanations.
So, I didn't get further than 36%, and that's with the skimming.
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