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Sentenced to Troll #1-3
Sentenced to Troll Compendium
Big, green, and ugly. Who says a troll can’t be the hero?
Punished for his toxic online behavior, Chad faces a thirty-day sentence of full-immersion therapy designed to improve his anger issues.
For his endless trolling in real life, he's forced to play as a forest troll, the most hated race in Isle of Mythos, so that he can finally experience what it's like to be on the other side.
To make matters worse, the heroes sent to rid the world of evil aren't heroes at all—they're violent felons on their own twisted paths to redemption.
Playing as a monster in a world where it ain’t easy being green, what could possibly go wrong?
Punished for his toxic online behavior, Chad faces a thirty-day sentence of full-immersion therapy designed to improve his anger issues.
For his endless trolling in real life, he's forced to play as a forest troll, the most hated race in Isle of Mythos, so that he can finally experience what it's like to be on the other side.
To make matters worse, the heroes sent to rid the world of evil aren't heroes at all—they're violent felons on their own twisted paths to redemption.
Playing as a monster in a world where it ain’t easy being green, what could possibly go wrong?
- GenresFantasy
622 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2020
234 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
S.L. Rowland
20 books532 followersS.L. Rowland is a cozy fantasy and LitRPG author known for crafting immersive worlds filled with adventure, heart, and a touch of humor. A lifelong gamer and fantasy enthusiast, he draws inspiration from tabletop RPGs, video games, and the fantastical. When he’s not writing, he enjoys weightlifting, hiking with his Shiba Inu, and enduring the heartbreak of being an Atlanta sports fan.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 12, 2020
Great series. Really enjoyed seeing the character development within the character development, read it, it will make sense. Highly recommended.
July 24, 2025
This is a really interested read, especially for anybody who loves games as a way to escape or immerse yourself in another world. It also raises thought provoking questions about what constitutes a relationship and how perception makes a difference. Plus, there is some great humor and comic relief. The series is absolutely worth a read. And if nothing else, you'll love Limery.
September 14, 2024
Good read
Good book. Forgot how much I liked this series. Saw a new book came out in this series so I decided to reread it from the beginning. Still a good read. Can't wait to see what's next.
Good book. Forgot how much I liked this series. Saw a new book came out in this series so I decided to reread it from the beginning. Still a good read. Can't wait to see what's next.
August 10, 2025
First, thank you so much S.L. Rowland for the audible copy of this compendium! All opinions are my own. I’ve reviewed each book separately as well, with their own start scores. The ratings are mostly based on my enjoyment of LitRPG.
I did not space these out into individual books, instead listening to them as if they were one long book. Because of that, I did not enjoy the rehashing of the previous story and Chod’s skillset at the beginning of books two and three. If I’d read them further apart, it wouldn’t have bothered me at all. Overall, the entirety was very enjoyable.
As the story goes along, especially when listened to together, the writing is quite repetitive. A bit of it is the fact that this is a fantasy setting and one that has a limited cast of characters. But part of it is that the story is so straightforward. Chod needs to do this by going there and it gets done. While there is nothing wrong with this method, I was hoping for more. When taking into account these are earlier publications than Cursed Cocktails and Sword & Thistle (which I read first), it makes sense that it’s not as polished.
Book One: What happens when you take a cyber bully and put them into a game where they are the one being bullied? When Chad Johnson’s toxic online persona finally catches up to him, he’s not sent to jail. Instead he is sentenced to thirty days of full-immersion therapy designed to improve his anger control. Chad’s therapy is meant to make him a nicer person online, and he’s sentenced to play as a troll because all trolls are considered killable on site by the rest of the Mythos game. To make matters more complicated, Chad becomes Chod the forest troll who is dumped into a forest with no guide, no information, and no clue what to do next.
I loved how this book started out with an MC that we could hate for his actions, then proceeded to change him into something still not perfect, but more relatable. The story starts Chad is an angry rich kid who’s parents don’t give him the time of day, no matter how popular and famous a streamer he becomes. I felt like the whole reason he was sent into the game was lost within a few chapters. Then it just became a grind for levels that was interspersed with plot points that drive the story further.
The fact that he was turned into a “monster” and was subjected to prejudices just because of his appearance made for an entertaining story, for the first part of the book. Chad becomes Chod - the first cyber bullying he had to deal with. He learns quickly, and repeatedly, that his temper is only going to get him into more trouble. Yet by the midpoint of the book, this plot line was dropped in favor of Chod levelling and fulfilling the obligations to the first trolls. I loved that the forest trolls were so fleshed out as a tribe and as individuals. I wasn’t fully invested in Chad/Chod, but I did love the side characters, especially Lemmy.
Book Two: Chad has survived 30 days in full-immersion. He’s forsaken his old cyber bully ways, having committed to being Chod the Hero of the Forest Trolls. But when Chad is pulled from Mythos, something happens to the code of Isle of Mythos. He agrees to go back in, indefinitely, even though he’s angered many of the other human heroes. Chod is about to find out how difficult the world can be for a hero who looks like a monster.
This book was slightly more interesting than the first one. Chod is more developed and more likable, putting the tribe’s needs before his ego. I wish the code flaw was explored more on page, rather than getting tiny glimpses, but I get that Chod is the MC here and not the people experimenting on human brains with their immersion therapy. The character development might be the best in this one, but the story is mostly a bridge between books one and two. I like the bits and pieces of lore dropped about the ancient history of Mythos. Again, I liked the supporting characters more than the MC. Especially those in the misfit’s Circus
Book Three: The ancient portals that allow fast travel across the Isle of Mythos have been opened once more. Chod had been enjoying the newfound peace and acceptance he has won as the Hero of the Forest Trolls, travelling in company with his best friend from outside the game. While several portals still remain closed, hiding somewhere out there are the human rogue heroes plotting Chod’s demise. Now, Chod has only one goal - unite the heroes of Mythos. Fail and he loses everything.
I felt like this one was meant to open up the world of Mythos, and it left a lot of loose threads in the first few books. Like what happened to the rest of the mana worms? Some were killed and some were tamed, but did they all get accounted for? I kept thinking we’d see the wrap up of that and then there was the counsel of multiple races. I am hoping that they are discussed and or met more in the next three books.
And it seems like Chad/Chod really hasn’t learned his lesson well enough, because he meets nearly every challenge with violence and anger. Which has come back to bite him on the ass a number of times throughout all three books. I am invested in the side characters and so will probably keep with the series through the end, but this one was a slog to get through.
Content Warnings:
Major - Fantasy violence, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail,
Moderate - xenophobia
Minor - Bullying, emotional abuse
I did not space these out into individual books, instead listening to them as if they were one long book. Because of that, I did not enjoy the rehashing of the previous story and Chod’s skillset at the beginning of books two and three. If I’d read them further apart, it wouldn’t have bothered me at all. Overall, the entirety was very enjoyable.
As the story goes along, especially when listened to together, the writing is quite repetitive. A bit of it is the fact that this is a fantasy setting and one that has a limited cast of characters. But part of it is that the story is so straightforward. Chod needs to do this by going there and it gets done. While there is nothing wrong with this method, I was hoping for more. When taking into account these are earlier publications than Cursed Cocktails and Sword & Thistle (which I read first), it makes sense that it’s not as polished.
Book One: What happens when you take a cyber bully and put them into a game where they are the one being bullied? When Chad Johnson’s toxic online persona finally catches up to him, he’s not sent to jail. Instead he is sentenced to thirty days of full-immersion therapy designed to improve his anger control. Chad’s therapy is meant to make him a nicer person online, and he’s sentenced to play as a troll because all trolls are considered killable on site by the rest of the Mythos game. To make matters more complicated, Chad becomes Chod the forest troll who is dumped into a forest with no guide, no information, and no clue what to do next.
I loved how this book started out with an MC that we could hate for his actions, then proceeded to change him into something still not perfect, but more relatable. The story starts Chad is an angry rich kid who’s parents don’t give him the time of day, no matter how popular and famous a streamer he becomes. I felt like the whole reason he was sent into the game was lost within a few chapters. Then it just became a grind for levels that was interspersed with plot points that drive the story further.
The fact that he was turned into a “monster” and was subjected to prejudices just because of his appearance made for an entertaining story, for the first part of the book. Chad becomes Chod - the first cyber bullying he had to deal with. He learns quickly, and repeatedly, that his temper is only going to get him into more trouble. Yet by the midpoint of the book, this plot line was dropped in favor of Chod levelling and fulfilling the obligations to the first trolls. I loved that the forest trolls were so fleshed out as a tribe and as individuals. I wasn’t fully invested in Chad/Chod, but I did love the side characters, especially Lemmy.
Book Two: Chad has survived 30 days in full-immersion. He’s forsaken his old cyber bully ways, having committed to being Chod the Hero of the Forest Trolls. But when Chad is pulled from Mythos, something happens to the code of Isle of Mythos. He agrees to go back in, indefinitely, even though he’s angered many of the other human heroes. Chod is about to find out how difficult the world can be for a hero who looks like a monster.
This book was slightly more interesting than the first one. Chod is more developed and more likable, putting the tribe’s needs before his ego. I wish the code flaw was explored more on page, rather than getting tiny glimpses, but I get that Chod is the MC here and not the people experimenting on human brains with their immersion therapy. The character development might be the best in this one, but the story is mostly a bridge between books one and two. I like the bits and pieces of lore dropped about the ancient history of Mythos. Again, I liked the supporting characters more than the MC. Especially those in the misfit’s Circus
Book Three: The ancient portals that allow fast travel across the Isle of Mythos have been opened once more. Chod had been enjoying the newfound peace and acceptance he has won as the Hero of the Forest Trolls, travelling in company with his best friend from outside the game. While several portals still remain closed, hiding somewhere out there are the human rogue heroes plotting Chod’s demise. Now, Chod has only one goal - unite the heroes of Mythos. Fail and he loses everything.
I felt like this one was meant to open up the world of Mythos, and it left a lot of loose threads in the first few books. Like what happened to the rest of the mana worms? Some were killed and some were tamed, but did they all get accounted for? I kept thinking we’d see the wrap up of that and then there was the counsel of multiple races. I am hoping that they are discussed and or met more in the next three books.
And it seems like Chad/Chod really hasn’t learned his lesson well enough, because he meets nearly every challenge with violence and anger. Which has come back to bite him on the ass a number of times throughout all three books. I am invested in the side characters and so will probably keep with the series through the end, but this one was a slog to get through.
Content Warnings:
Major - Fantasy violence, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail,
Moderate - xenophobia
Minor - Bullying, emotional abuse
May 29, 2020
Proof positive LitRPG doesn’t have to be harem
Which, FYI, means look elsewhere for harem or RevHarem. This is practically wholesome reading. The stats aren’t massively crunchy, but appear often enough to keep you aware. Could use a few edits, but overall well written, engaging, and really only left one major dangling plot thread (no spoilers here!).
Which, FYI, means look elsewhere for harem or RevHarem. This is practically wholesome reading. The stats aren’t massively crunchy, but appear often enough to keep you aware. Could use a few edits, but overall well written, engaging, and really only left one major dangling plot thread (no spoilers here!).
January 9, 2021
Great work of art
I loved every second of it and recommend it to any gamer that loves to read. The character development and the story line most definitely leave a reader invested. I am looking forward to a book 4.
I loved every second of it and recommend it to any gamer that loves to read. The character development and the story line most definitely leave a reader invested. I am looking forward to a book 4.
May 8, 2022
really interesting take
I read each book with others inbetween. Interesting world and characters and really enjoying the story however the later books became a bit of a sausage fest and there are some strange comments about women
I read each book with others inbetween. Interesting world and characters and really enjoying the story however the later books became a bit of a sausage fest and there are some strange comments about women
May 31, 2020
Adventure Awaits
This is an amazing book. It kept me up way too late. Being a troll never looked good, now it is what I want to be.
This is an amazing book. It kept me up way too late. Being a troll never looked good, now it is what I want to be.
September 14, 2020
Good read
Yeah I’m really enjoying this story so far, I like world building and the characters. It’s also cool that I could read the 3 books together.
Yeah I’m really enjoying this story so far, I like world building and the characters. It’s also cool that I could read the 3 books together.
May 20, 2021
Great Read
I really enjoyed the 1st 3 books of this series. It is everything a LitRPG should be. Well developed characters and world. Looking forward to more.
I really enjoyed the 1st 3 books of this series. It is everything a LitRPG should be. Well developed characters and world. Looking forward to more.
June 11, 2022
Awesome
This is Kim
I really enjoy these books. Makes me want to play a RPG. Looking forward to the next book.
This is Kim
I really enjoy these books. Makes me want to play a RPG. Looking forward to the next book.
August 31, 2024
Mediocre young adult/kids story.
This was a pretty standard story aimed at the younger end of the market. The protagonist is meant to follow a redemption arc but from the start they are exceptionally nice, his best friend even says "Not everyone has to like you". Impossible to reconcile with someone being sentenced to prison for vicious trolling.
The other characters were pretty decent. Nothing too complex and there was no love interest for any of the characters (again, good for young kids).
The setting was fine, standard sort of fantasy land. Felt the series got weaker as they transitioned to marauding through various realms.
I think we are meant to sympathise with the excessively rich child with neglectful parents but that's quite hard too so I wasn't hugely attached to the characters as they lumbered through the very, very weak story. After leaving the trolls almost nothing happens and huge chunks could be cut out to little effect.
Overall I wouldn't recommend this but some young teens might like it. The narration was good.
This was a pretty standard story aimed at the younger end of the market. The protagonist is meant to follow a redemption arc but from the start they are exceptionally nice, his best friend even says "Not everyone has to like you". Impossible to reconcile with someone being sentenced to prison for vicious trolling.
The other characters were pretty decent. Nothing too complex and there was no love interest for any of the characters (again, good for young kids).
The setting was fine, standard sort of fantasy land. Felt the series got weaker as they transitioned to marauding through various realms.
I think we are meant to sympathise with the excessively rich child with neglectful parents but that's quite hard too so I wasn't hugely attached to the characters as they lumbered through the very, very weak story. After leaving the trolls almost nothing happens and huge chunks could be cut out to little effect.
Overall I wouldn't recommend this but some young teens might like it. The narration was good.
November 17, 2020
Ignoring the premise of the parental issues, and the horrid contrivance that keeps Chad in the VR, the rest of the story is a reasonable read, the characters are not terrible but the fight scenes are horribly rock and roll wrestling scripted. Also Rowland has some writing issues, such as redundancies and malapropisms, that required a strong editor, and leads me to think he had not reviewed his own work anywhere near enough.
Book#3 is not the end, I'd think there is likely another 3 to come ... although I'm going to wait for them to be a compendium before continuing with this series.
Book#3 is not the end, I'd think there is likely another 3 to come ... although I'm going to wait for them to be a compendium before continuing with this series.
October 28, 2021
Engaging read for fans and newcomers
Engaging read for fans and newcomers. This is a compilation of the first three book of the adventures of a young man sentenced to an immersive virtual reality game when his temper takes him one step too far
Engaging read for fans and newcomers. This is a compilation of the first three book of the adventures of a young man sentenced to an immersive virtual reality game when his temper takes him one step too far
July 23, 2021
First person narrative all the way through
And the author, in spite of writing in this style to 6 books, can't do it well. Got this on kindle for free, and still feel I overpaid.
And the author, in spite of writing in this style to 6 books, can't do it well. Got this on kindle for free, and still feel I overpaid.
August 11, 2021
Great series! This is a great way to get the first 3 books of the series all it once. Really fun series!
July 27, 2022
See individual books for in depth, but I stopped caring after book 2 so stopped reading.
November 4, 2022
Fun read. Absolutely will continue the series!
October 8, 2024
Book 6 is not here for some reason so I'm using this.
great series, no real high stakes and loveable characters.
loved how it ended, highly recommend it
5/5
great series, no real high stakes and loveable characters.
loved how it ended, highly recommend it
5/5
June 6, 2020
Good read
Well done! Well written with good MC development and increasingly tougher opponents. I really Enjoyed books 1-3... look forward to more!
Well done! Well written with good MC development and increasingly tougher opponents. I really Enjoyed books 1-3... look forward to more!
June 20, 2025
From bully to protector
The main character was a bully, and he got sentenced to see what it is like to be a victim. On the way. He realized that people were just people. Some are good, and some are bad.
He also learned that you are to protect those you care about. I look forward to keep reading .
The main character was a bully, and he got sentenced to see what it is like to be a victim. On the way. He realized that people were just people. Some are good, and some are bad.
He also learned that you are to protect those you care about. I look forward to keep reading .
January 4, 2023
Excellent
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews