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The Whispering Crystals #1
Unnatural Laws
There’s a lot to gain in this new Realm... for the survivors.
Slinging hotdogs may not be the most glorious side gig, but hey, if it paid for college, that’s all Emma could ask for. And let’s be real, of all the crowds in the world, what were the odds that Comic-Con would get Portalled next?
Emma really should’ve known better. Once again, the universe conspires against her, and now she’s stuck in a world where the laws of physics don’t seem to apply, and even the grass is trying to kill her. She better pay close heed to the Artificial Intelligence guiding her and make some new friends fast, because out here, it’s thrive or die.
And no amount of videogames prepared her for a world where you can actually gain Skills and level up. Or to face a series of trials that seem designed to kill her rather than teach her how to survive... What could possibly be the real goal of the mysterious ‘predecessors’ that built them?
Slinging hotdogs may not be the most glorious side gig, but hey, if it paid for college, that’s all Emma could ask for. And let’s be real, of all the crowds in the world, what were the odds that Comic-Con would get Portalled next?
Emma really should’ve known better. Once again, the universe conspires against her, and now she’s stuck in a world where the laws of physics don’t seem to apply, and even the grass is trying to kill her. She better pay close heed to the Artificial Intelligence guiding her and make some new friends fast, because out here, it’s thrive or die.
And no amount of videogames prepared her for a world where you can actually gain Skills and level up. Or to face a series of trials that seem designed to kill her rather than teach her how to survive... What could possibly be the real goal of the mysterious ‘predecessors’ that built them?
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2020
691 people are currently reading
597 people want to read
About the author
H.C. Mills
15 books35 followersH.C. Mills is a Dutch author, who dabbles in acting and singing in musicals, and even (play)writing them. He used to teach physics and chemistry, and once represented his country in the 2008 International Biology Olympiad, but please don't hold that against him.
As a physics-nerd, H.C. Mills naturally gravitates to hard magic systems, but he also enjoys writing comedy and romance.
Like most authors worth their salt, he is a true sadist who takes pleasure in the mental anguish of his imaginary friends/brainchildren--or better yet, in making them cause their own suffering. He refuses to give them anything for free, but will usually leave a window cracked open for them somewhere, to escape whatever peril he plunges them in.
He's also a big fan of Tabletop RPG's, and can even be watched every Sunday, playing on the Pathfinder Livestream 'Rules as Fun' here: twitch.tv/rulesasfun
(Pathfinder is like D&D but with more choices and flavour)
Check out the first episode of the campaign here: youtu.be/watch?v=a5Vo5AVA4IA
Or sign up for his mailing list on his website: hcmillsofficial.com
As a physics-nerd, H.C. Mills naturally gravitates to hard magic systems, but he also enjoys writing comedy and romance.
Like most authors worth their salt, he is a true sadist who takes pleasure in the mental anguish of his imaginary friends/brainchildren--or better yet, in making them cause their own suffering. He refuses to give them anything for free, but will usually leave a window cracked open for them somewhere, to escape whatever peril he plunges them in.
He's also a big fan of Tabletop RPG's, and can even be watched every Sunday, playing on the Pathfinder Livestream 'Rules as Fun' here: twitch.tv/rulesasfun
(Pathfinder is like D&D but with more choices and flavour)
Check out the first episode of the campaign here: youtu.be/watch?v=a5Vo5AVA4IA
Or sign up for his mailing list on his website: hcmillsofficial.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
August 13, 2022
Great start, boring - info dump middle... and an exciting kick arse end!
The main character is likeable and funny. At least, I think she’s a crack up. I love that there may be a female love interest in this… along with all the dangers Emma finds herself in. The whole stats, levels and stuff is quite intricate and complex but our girl, Emma strives! No pain, no gain as they say and she puts herself through a heck of a lot to get stronger and survive.
The main character is likeable and funny. At least, I think she’s a crack up. I love that there may be a female love interest in this… along with all the dangers Emma finds herself in. The whole stats, levels and stuff is quite intricate and complex but our girl, Emma strives! No pain, no gain as they say and she puts herself through a heck of a lot to get stronger and survive.
March 21, 2023
This is an interesting isekai LitRPG with a bit of an alt-contemporary going on as portals that suck people to somewhere else are a known phenomenon. Emma isn't too worried as they are rare. And then she's sucked into a hostile place where she is told to pass trials or die. She has an AI companion to manipluate help her and stat windows to guide through her spiffy new crystalline eye.
And the worldbuilding is interesting because Emma is in an alternate dimension where laws of physics don't function the same way and a lot of her assumptions aren't functional. I liked Emma, even when she is being querulous which is odd for me. Okay, she's not that bad, and at least she pushes through with gumption and throws her heart into succeeding after only a semi-reasonable amount of grumbling.
The story takes a bit of a turn once the first trials are completed and the rest of the survivors congregate in a hub area. We get some social dynamics here that were missing in the chapters of isolation. Emma lucks into a couple of nice-enough folks only to find them on the bad side of an extortion transaction. I actually liked the social dynamics in this section as it doesn't devolve into the expected strong-man organization you often get with these survivalist-themed constructs. Plus, I really liked Emma's eventual team.
I'm going to give this four stars and I'm having a hard time articulating why it's not five. I think many of the events are a little too convenient and some of the plot a little too wooden for me to be enthusiastic over it. Or maybe I'm just in a bad mood I'm unaware of.
A note about Chaste: There's enough downtime and friendly vibes that there could have been romantic entanglements, but there's also enough else to worry about that there's no shenanigans in the story. There does seem to be a lot of flirting between Emma and Kaitlyn so this may be on the way to a slow burn of a lesbian romance. I have a suspicion about that dynamic but will hold off on that as developments manifest in future stories.
And the worldbuilding is interesting because Emma is in an alternate dimension where laws of physics don't function the same way and a lot of her assumptions aren't functional. I liked Emma, even when she is being querulous which is odd for me. Okay, she's not that bad, and at least she pushes through with gumption and throws her heart into succeeding after only a semi-reasonable amount of grumbling.
The story takes a bit of a turn once the first trials are completed and the rest of the survivors congregate in a hub area. We get some social dynamics here that were missing in the chapters of isolation. Emma lucks into a couple of nice-enough folks only to find them on the bad side of an extortion transaction. I actually liked the social dynamics in this section as it doesn't devolve into the expected strong-man organization you often get with these survivalist-themed constructs. Plus, I really liked Emma's eventual team.
I'm going to give this four stars and I'm having a hard time articulating why it's not five. I think many of the events are a little too convenient and some of the plot a little too wooden for me to be enthusiastic over it. Or maybe I'm just in a bad mood I'm unaware of.
A note about Chaste: There's enough downtime and friendly vibes that there could have been romantic entanglements, but there's also enough else to worry about that there's no shenanigans in the story. There does seem to be a lot of flirting between Emma and Kaitlyn so this may be on the way to a slow burn of a lesbian romance. I have a suspicion about that dynamic but will hold off on that as developments manifest in future stories.
May 29, 2021
I really liked the beginning of this. It was an unique concept to me, with unique stats. The challenges were fun. But the moment the character arrives in "Hub Two" where the other people are, this book devolves into an YA cliché.
I had to force myself through the last few chapters.
I had to force myself through the last few chapters.
did-not-finish
April 11, 2023Based on the summary I feel like I read this a while ago or at least started it…was it a serial at some point?
May 19, 2021
I admit to having quite a soft spot for books with trials/tutorials and the like and we’re immediately introduced to one as this book starts.
There is a lot of info dumping throughout, but the unique and interesting system/world is brought to life through them and our wonderful lead Emma.
A fun ride for sure, immediately jumping into the next.
There is a lot of info dumping throughout, but the unique and interesting system/world is brought to life through them and our wonderful lead Emma.
A fun ride for sure, immediately jumping into the next.
February 18, 2025
DNF 40%
This story got stuck in first gear and just sat grinding metal for three hours.
I don't mind a training montage, but when you're stuck with one character, who stands alone while figuring out the world and her abilities... it drags. The helpful system assistant seemed intent on drip-feeding essential info... but only after some suffering. "Oh those berries you ate were poisonous, didn't you know?"
This story got stuck in first gear and just sat grinding metal for three hours.
I don't mind a training montage, but when you're stuck with one character, who stands alone while figuring out the world and her abilities... it drags. The helpful system assistant seemed intent on drip-feeding essential info... but only after some suffering. "Oh those berries you ate were poisonous, didn't you know?"
August 5, 2025
This is a fun, light story with a likeable protagonist and a fun take on the typical isekai set up. I think it's worth the read if that's what you're looking for!
Our protagonist, Emma, is determined and funny. Her motivations are clear and consistent, and I generally liked her. I also enjoyed her quipping with her AI-- fun!
Plot-wise, straightforward and clean. It makes sense and had good pacing.
So main complaints for this book are that Emma is overpowered / convenient / doesnt make sense, but we treat it like she's the underdog, and that the book starts to feel YA like The 100 once we get to hub 2.
Emma has a bachelor's in electrical engineering, is an accomplished gymnast (through high school), and has reasonable social skills. She's also from a low-income background. These things generally dont make sense together, and only the gymnastics is relevant to the plot.
The hub and following really does get to feel YA-- the fun AI joking starts to fade and instead we get weird recollections of teenagers being super touchy and non-convincingly joking with eachother. I've read it before, its just not my favorite.
The rest of this review will be nit picky and just me rambling about these details because it really bugged me, so feel feee to bow out now lol.
The book tells us Emma has her bachelor's in electrical engineering, but couldn't get a good job and is working at the hot dog stand to save up to get her Master's. For a detail that has zero impact on the plot (book 4 now, and neither her being intelligent in general or having knowledge of electrical systems or theory is in any way relevant), I struggled to get past this from the get-go: its very easy to get a job with a BS EE as long as you aren't a complete weirdo. We're shown how Emma isn't a weirdo because she has no trouble interacting and flirting with people, even often convincing them to do things they don't want to. In a field that is nearly entirely nerds (said with love), Emma is almost disdainful toward other EEs and acts like an anti-nerd. Even IF she couldnt get a job, having a Master's in EE doesn't generally make you more employable (outside of academia) because it doesnt add practical experience and instead is more time you're stuck in numbers and theory and less time seeing how things work and interacting with people. A Master's is more like the necessary step you have to take before a PHD. AND if youre interested in continuing education in engineering and had any sort of decent grades, it's pretty easy to get heavy scholarships (often starting as early as Sophomore year, honestly). The whole set up is silly. I was trying to let it go because I assumed it would be relevant for plot, but nope. Just why.
Now gymnastics: at least this is relevant to the plot. Unfortunately, it also doesnt make sense. Gymnastics is an incredibly expensive sport. It takes huge amounts of time and dedication to do at a high level-- anything beyond 3rd grade is likely to be very intense, and most people dont continue through middle and high school unless theyre GOOD. Theres an early disparity between people who could be very good, and people who arent likely to be-- continuing into high school generally means youre either really good, or love the sport and have time and money to spare. Either way, I dont understand why she would have just stopped in high school: either she was good enough to use it for scholarships or as a job/coaching, or she was passionate enough to keep doing it while she went to school. Stopping because her dad had an accident and they couldn't continue to pay for it might make sense?
Then she's also a natural leader with social skills. Hm. ok.
Together, it just feels like the author wanted to make her special, but make sure we knew she worked hard for it. However, without detailed knowledge or tie ins that make sense, it just feels like a collection of the most cool, most rare, most special things that could be picked out of a hat.
Our protagonist, Emma, is determined and funny. Her motivations are clear and consistent, and I generally liked her. I also enjoyed her quipping with her AI-- fun!
Plot-wise, straightforward and clean. It makes sense and had good pacing.
So main complaints for this book are that Emma is overpowered / convenient / doesnt make sense, but we treat it like she's the underdog, and that the book starts to feel YA like The 100 once we get to hub 2.
Emma has a bachelor's in electrical engineering, is an accomplished gymnast (through high school), and has reasonable social skills. She's also from a low-income background. These things generally dont make sense together, and only the gymnastics is relevant to the plot.
The hub and following really does get to feel YA-- the fun AI joking starts to fade and instead we get weird recollections of teenagers being super touchy and non-convincingly joking with eachother. I've read it before, its just not my favorite.
The rest of this review will be nit picky and just me rambling about these details because it really bugged me, so feel feee to bow out now lol.
The book tells us Emma has her bachelor's in electrical engineering, but couldn't get a good job and is working at the hot dog stand to save up to get her Master's. For a detail that has zero impact on the plot (book 4 now, and neither her being intelligent in general or having knowledge of electrical systems or theory is in any way relevant), I struggled to get past this from the get-go: its very easy to get a job with a BS EE as long as you aren't a complete weirdo. We're shown how Emma isn't a weirdo because she has no trouble interacting and flirting with people, even often convincing them to do things they don't want to. In a field that is nearly entirely nerds (said with love), Emma is almost disdainful toward other EEs and acts like an anti-nerd. Even IF she couldnt get a job, having a Master's in EE doesn't generally make you more employable (outside of academia) because it doesnt add practical experience and instead is more time you're stuck in numbers and theory and less time seeing how things work and interacting with people. A Master's is more like the necessary step you have to take before a PHD. AND if youre interested in continuing education in engineering and had any sort of decent grades, it's pretty easy to get heavy scholarships (often starting as early as Sophomore year, honestly). The whole set up is silly. I was trying to let it go because I assumed it would be relevant for plot, but nope. Just why.
Now gymnastics: at least this is relevant to the plot. Unfortunately, it also doesnt make sense. Gymnastics is an incredibly expensive sport. It takes huge amounts of time and dedication to do at a high level-- anything beyond 3rd grade is likely to be very intense, and most people dont continue through middle and high school unless theyre GOOD. Theres an early disparity between people who could be very good, and people who arent likely to be-- continuing into high school generally means youre either really good, or love the sport and have time and money to spare. Either way, I dont understand why she would have just stopped in high school: either she was good enough to use it for scholarships or as a job/coaching, or she was passionate enough to keep doing it while she went to school. Stopping because her dad had an accident and they couldn't continue to pay for it might make sense?
Then she's also a natural leader with social skills. Hm. ok.
Together, it just feels like the author wanted to make her special, but make sure we knew she worked hard for it. However, without detailed knowledge or tie ins that make sense, it just feels like a collection of the most cool, most rare, most special things that could be picked out of a hat.
June 23, 2025
This is a very different LitRPG. it has the gaming/stat side but almost the entire book is done on level 1 with a focus on getting to know the mechanics. it sounds very boring but for some reason it isn't.
A big part of that is the humour of the main character. She's fun. The pacing is also pretty good, and so are the world building. Though, the reader really don't get that much but just enough to keep us going. HUB2 was not as good as the rest and I actually expected it to become more a 'Lord of the Flies' setting than it did.
A big part of that is the humour of the main character. She's fun. The pacing is also pretty good, and so are the world building. Though, the reader really don't get that much but just enough to keep us going. HUB2 was not as good as the rest and I actually expected it to become more a 'Lord of the Flies' setting than it did.
June 4, 2021
Yes, just yes.
June 22, 2022
There are two things that I did not like about this fantasy-isekai (teleported to another world) novel series. Right off the bat, and before any of the story is started, the author confesses that "I wrote this for myself, and I’ll not pretend otherwise." But if that were true, then author should not have published it, or asked other patrons to pay for it at the end of this first volume (had even a classification due to contribution size). So, taking the money was not the problem, the problem is that the author thinks that this first volume is sub-par and not worthy of being shared with the world...or whatever other excuse a comment like that can foster... The second thing I did not like about this novel series, is the intention of "doing away" with "natural laws" as if this could ever be accomplished. Not even magic, can do away with gravity, velocity, chemical compositions, buoyancy, elasticity, partial pressures,fluid dynamics, heat dissipation, freedom, private property or human rights. Magic if it would exist, would temporarily change the conditions, but not permanently alter the laws that we as humans consider to be "natural laws". Some even go as far as to say that "Natural Laws" were created by God and the organized religions back this up. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution states that "The right of citizens to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is a motto based on natural law. So a few written pages written by this author, and a badly chosen title for this volume, and voilá.... The author creates a place where the "natural laws" do not exist and are replaced by "magical-imagination-based" other ones...
The table of contents is jumbled together, even though each chapter has a title which is rare in this genre of literature... With 400+ pages and 48 chapters, each chapter is about 10 pages long which is half-way getting done to character and world development... Most of the information created does not add value to the main plot arc or subsequent arcs. It is information for the sake of filling up a volume and not creating a whole alternate reality world. This fantasy-isekai novel series so far has 4 volumes, the fourth was published on June 4th 2022, so it is an on-going series.
The main character, Emma, has to adapt fast to a world that has magic, Aether (mana, Qi, Ki, magical energy) cultivation, where the liquids do not act as they should, and where other laws, are different as well. It is always a life and death struggle and there are a lot of unanswered questions and plot holes along this first volume of the series.
The table of contents is jumbled together, even though each chapter has a title which is rare in this genre of literature... With 400+ pages and 48 chapters, each chapter is about 10 pages long which is half-way getting done to character and world development... Most of the information created does not add value to the main plot arc or subsequent arcs. It is information for the sake of filling up a volume and not creating a whole alternate reality world. This fantasy-isekai novel series so far has 4 volumes, the fourth was published on June 4th 2022, so it is an on-going series.
The main character, Emma, has to adapt fast to a world that has magic, Aether (mana, Qi, Ki, magical energy) cultivation, where the liquids do not act as they should, and where other laws, are different as well. It is always a life and death struggle and there are a lot of unanswered questions and plot holes along this first volume of the series.
February 8, 2023
I fairly enjoyed the book! I love the progressive nature of litrpg, the way the protagonist starts off as relatively weak or normal human strength to beyond norm in a matter of skill building and leveling up. The world was mildly slow to start up, but crucial to building a facet of what we know of Emma, our lead, rather than just dropping us straight in with a blank slate of a character.
Once the Trials actually start is where I get invested, though. Getting to where other players start appearing is also worthwhile.
The downside is that I’m not greatly fond of the romance, though there’s very little yet, but also so obvious who the author intends to pair Emma off with. It’s not entirely that I don’t favor women loving women romances, but I’m not interested in the love interest at all. (I was hoping it’d be Suri, since I just love that dynamic of disinterested to bantering/worried/sassy… but certain events in next book made my like plummet). I also just don’t like romance getting in the way of the actual genre since Emma spends so much time staring obliviously at her love interest and going “cute…” and the typical “save the kidnapped heroine” trope makes an appearance that I rolled my eyes.
After reading so many comics/light novels with saint-like female leads, it gets a tad boring. Dave was slightly more to my taste as a character, but my preference would be towards Emma having a close friendship with everyone in party and no romance at all. It just seems entirely too early for any sparks when you’re half a moment from death at any given moment.
Also, the most poignant moment for me in the book was the ending where they left everyone else behind. I was literally like… damn. How’s this fair? How is this to help folks survive if you’re just limiting the seats on a plane to safety and leaving behind no chance of survival?
I really want to see Rebecca and Steve again. :/ But definitely not Bruce, but in typical books a villain you leave alive is always going to crop up later with a power up… though how with his hand like that is a good question. And the issue of Bruce’s false accusation….
Another review I read also brought up a good point. Emma takes charge of her new group really fast. It kind of seemed like they were practically waiting for a leader to make all the significant decisions. I mean, I’d do that since I know myself and do better with instructions than taking the lead, but it just seems like Emma gives her ideas and everyone might make a point but Emma will just be like my idea is best because of X Y Z.
Also, lol, I was listening to part of it with the audiobook. The way Alec sounds… all I can imagine is Beast Boy from Teen Titans. 😛
Once the Trials actually start is where I get invested, though. Getting to where other players start appearing is also worthwhile.
The downside is that I’m not greatly fond of the romance, though there’s very little yet, but also so obvious who the author intends to pair Emma off with. It’s not entirely that I don’t favor women loving women romances, but I’m not interested in the love interest at all. (I was hoping it’d be Suri, since I just love that dynamic of disinterested to bantering/worried/sassy… but certain events in next book made my like plummet). I also just don’t like romance getting in the way of the actual genre since Emma spends so much time staring obliviously at her love interest and going “cute…” and the typical “save the kidnapped heroine” trope makes an appearance that I rolled my eyes.
After reading so many comics/light novels with saint-like female leads, it gets a tad boring. Dave was slightly more to my taste as a character, but my preference would be towards Emma having a close friendship with everyone in party and no romance at all. It just seems entirely too early for any sparks when you’re half a moment from death at any given moment.
Also, the most poignant moment for me in the book was the ending where they left everyone else behind. I was literally like… damn. How’s this fair? How is this to help folks survive if you’re just limiting the seats on a plane to safety and leaving behind no chance of survival?
I really want to see Rebecca and Steve again. :/ But definitely not Bruce, but in typical books a villain you leave alive is always going to crop up later with a power up… though how with his hand like that is a good question. And the issue of Bruce’s false accusation….
Another review I read also brought up a good point. Emma takes charge of her new group really fast. It kind of seemed like they were practically waiting for a leader to make all the significant decisions. I mean, I’d do that since I know myself and do better with instructions than taking the lead, but it just seems like Emma gives her ideas and everyone might make a point but Emma will just be like my idea is best because of X Y Z.
Also, lol, I was listening to part of it with the audiobook. The way Alec sounds… all I can imagine is Beast Boy from Teen Titans. 😛
May 5, 2022
Overall Thoughts and Rating: This is a surprisingly fun and clever story. The world-building is bonkers, the mysteries boil ever hotter with following installments, and the characters grow ever dearer to one's heart.
Book One is a very solid start for the grander epic to follow. It has its own conclusion at the end, but really it's just the beginning of the adventure.
Having finished Book Three (in tears, I might add), I'd say while none of the following books are better or worse than this one, the series is greater than the sum of its parts. Keep in mind that with this book, you're likely in for the long haul—If you decide you like it.
There are a couple less satisfying stretches and even a few annoying typos, both here and in the following books.
The beginning of Book One might be a bit rough, especially if you’re not into litRPG, but around half-way it really ramps up, when introducing the rest of the characters and an outlook for the rest of the series.
Synopsis: Think Battle Royale like 'Hunger Games' or 'Maze Runner' but in a colorful and alien universe, where the laws of nature pose a greater threat than any of the other participants. There is survival, mistrust among Players, and found family forged through fire.
While traversing this otherworldly realm, level by level, protagonist Emma struggles to stay on top and survive; never succumb to its beauty, wonder, and promise of certain death, while somehow, hopefully find a way home and confront their mysterious 'predecessors' who trapped Emma and her new allies, friends and more in this cruel and unforgiving Realm of Crystals.
Being a litRPG story, there is a large focus on leveling up and gaining skills for the characters. Usually I'd say this makes for boring material. However here, it's a helpful tool to convey the rules of this fantasy world, while also providing strict lines for what the characters can and cannot do.
Conclusion: while definitely not top-shelf literature, it is a great joy to see Emma grow stronger despite the odds, care and being cared for by her found family of badass, nerdy goofballs, and ultimately find any crack in the seemingly impenetrable walls that imprison them all in their quest for survival, funneling them, step by step, towards an inescapable and elusive destiny.
Book One is a very solid start for the grander epic to follow. It has its own conclusion at the end, but really it's just the beginning of the adventure.
Having finished Book Three (in tears, I might add), I'd say while none of the following books are better or worse than this one, the series is greater than the sum of its parts. Keep in mind that with this book, you're likely in for the long haul—If you decide you like it.
There are a couple less satisfying stretches and even a few annoying typos, both here and in the following books.
The beginning of Book One might be a bit rough, especially if you’re not into litRPG, but around half-way it really ramps up, when introducing the rest of the characters and an outlook for the rest of the series.
Synopsis: Think Battle Royale like 'Hunger Games' or 'Maze Runner' but in a colorful and alien universe, where the laws of nature pose a greater threat than any of the other participants. There is survival, mistrust among Players, and found family forged through fire.
While traversing this otherworldly realm, level by level, protagonist Emma struggles to stay on top and survive; never succumb to its beauty, wonder, and promise of certain death, while somehow, hopefully find a way home and confront their mysterious 'predecessors' who trapped Emma and her new allies, friends and more in this cruel and unforgiving Realm of Crystals.
Being a litRPG story, there is a large focus on leveling up and gaining skills for the characters. Usually I'd say this makes for boring material. However here, it's a helpful tool to convey the rules of this fantasy world, while also providing strict lines for what the characters can and cannot do.
Conclusion: while definitely not top-shelf literature, it is a great joy to see Emma grow stronger despite the odds, care and being cared for by her found family of badass, nerdy goofballs, and ultimately find any crack in the seemingly impenetrable walls that imprison them all in their quest for survival, funneling them, step by step, towards an inescapable and elusive destiny.
April 27, 2025
The concept is intriguing, but the executio leaves much to be desired. A significant portion of the book feels like being stuck in a tutorial level of a video game—where there are supposedly high stakes, but they don't feel real because, well, it's a tutorial; the protagonist can't actually fail. I often found myself zoning out whenever the narrative paused to explain stats—at a certain point, I just thought, "Sure, whatever you say," without really caring to keep track.
The protagonist also suffers from a heavy case of Marvel-protagonist syndrome: constant quippy, self-deprecating lines like "That sounded cooler in my head," which quickly grow tiresome.
That said, I do appreciate that the main character is a bit of a lovable disaster—something of a "fail girl" and occasional ghoul (she has zero qualms about scamming people out of their resources when she can or outright lying for no reason, which, honestly, is funny). However, the way other characters react to her often feels inconsistent. The ridiculous nicknames like "Legoass," "Meathead," and "Toxic Dragon Girl" are painfully unfunny, and when reading it I felt they were supposed to paint the MC as an awkward dork, but somehow most characters in the story find her jokes hilarious. It just doesn't land.
On top of that, the romance subplot screams "written by a man"—there's this strange, awkward tension where the MC gushes about how sweet Kait smells, how beautiful her smile is and such, and yet is baffled by the idea she might be attracted to women. This is supposedly a university-educated woman with a well-established party girl past, and we're meant to believe she’s never once considered she might be bisexual? Come on.
The protagonist also suffers from a heavy case of Marvel-protagonist syndrome: constant quippy, self-deprecating lines like "That sounded cooler in my head," which quickly grow tiresome.
That said, I do appreciate that the main character is a bit of a lovable disaster—something of a "fail girl" and occasional ghoul (she has zero qualms about scamming people out of their resources when she can or outright lying for no reason, which, honestly, is funny). However, the way other characters react to her often feels inconsistent. The ridiculous nicknames like "Legoass," "Meathead," and "Toxic Dragon Girl" are painfully unfunny, and when reading it I felt they were supposed to paint the MC as an awkward dork, but somehow most characters in the story find her jokes hilarious. It just doesn't land.
On top of that, the romance subplot screams "written by a man"—there's this strange, awkward tension where the MC gushes about how sweet Kait smells, how beautiful her smile is and such, and yet is baffled by the idea she might be attracted to women. This is supposedly a university-educated woman with a well-established party girl past, and we're meant to believe she’s never once considered she might be bisexual? Come on.
November 21, 2020
Alert
First, my review: “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Second, I am not a bot...at least I don’t think I am. Yes this is copy pasta (just learned that term, so fun!) simply because I feel like any book I read deserves acknowledgement but at the same time my feelings on reviews conflict with the normal review process.
I enjoyed this book, so my goal is to promote it and help the author. If you are a potential reader, just stop reading now and take the above as all you need to know. I am not going to share my reasoning, thoughts on the book, or any opinions that would influence your decision to read it. It is my opinion that Art needs to be experienced at an individual level. You are the only one that can determine what you like and don’t like. Don’t let others make that decision for you. You should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews. Or not if you don’t think this book is for you. That choice is all yours and the beauty of art appreciation. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
If you are a member of the IAK Guild (thanks, Jason) or part of the review police, feel free to criticize me and challenge my philosophy on reviewing art. I think we all love a good debate. The forums are open and I welcome your comments. I was wrong in my previous request to get you to stop. Your blatant disregard for that request has led to some fun discussions. Growth is important for us all.
Cheers
First, my review: “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Second, I am not a bot...at least I don’t think I am. Yes this is copy pasta (just learned that term, so fun!) simply because I feel like any book I read deserves acknowledgement but at the same time my feelings on reviews conflict with the normal review process.
I enjoyed this book, so my goal is to promote it and help the author. If you are a potential reader, just stop reading now and take the above as all you need to know. I am not going to share my reasoning, thoughts on the book, or any opinions that would influence your decision to read it. It is my opinion that Art needs to be experienced at an individual level. You are the only one that can determine what you like and don’t like. Don’t let others make that decision for you. You should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews. Or not if you don’t think this book is for you. That choice is all yours and the beauty of art appreciation. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
If you are a member of the IAK Guild (thanks, Jason) or part of the review police, feel free to criticize me and challenge my philosophy on reviewing art. I think we all love a good debate. The forums are open and I welcome your comments. I was wrong in my previous request to get you to stop. Your blatant disregard for that request has led to some fun discussions. Growth is important for us all.
Cheers
April 1, 2022
I have only read a few LitRPG books and this one was set up differently than the others. The others were Quest style where they character gained by winning battles or defeating monsters. I was told this is a maze runner style.
The first part of the story describes the life of the hero, Emma, and how she ended up in a real life Role Playing Game. The second, and most exciting, section involves her solo tests and learning about the trials with her AI assistant, Suri. The third section is about finding and developing a team for further tests (coming to book 2 in the series).
The first part is the most humorous and got me engaged in finding out what happens to Emma. Like I wrote above, this is the most exciting section where you see her determination to survive and succeed.
The third part is where the book falls apart the most to me. It could easily be a YA Romance story. Lots of will she/won't she? Do they realize where this is leading? This may be the most violent part of the book as Emma and her team (Dave, Alec, Kaitlynn, and eventually a fifth member) have problems with another team, try to upgrade their abilities, and Emma tries to fulfill a promise to the council. In this section Emma's determination and personality overwhelm the others. It often seems like she makes them follow her rules while she does stuff on her own despite the wishes of the others.
I liked the characters enough that I will read the second book. I just hope HC Mills learned from this book to tighten up the next one.
The first part of the story describes the life of the hero, Emma, and how she ended up in a real life Role Playing Game. The second, and most exciting, section involves her solo tests and learning about the trials with her AI assistant, Suri. The third section is about finding and developing a team for further tests (coming to book 2 in the series).
The first part is the most humorous and got me engaged in finding out what happens to Emma. Like I wrote above, this is the most exciting section where you see her determination to survive and succeed.
The third part is where the book falls apart the most to me. It could easily be a YA Romance story. Lots of will she/won't she? Do they realize where this is leading? This may be the most violent part of the book as Emma and her team (Dave, Alec, Kaitlynn, and eventually a fifth member) have problems with another team, try to upgrade their abilities, and Emma tries to fulfill a promise to the council. In this section Emma's determination and personality overwhelm the others. It often seems like she makes them follow her rules while she does stuff on her own despite the wishes of the others.
I liked the characters enough that I will read the second book. I just hope HC Mills learned from this book to tighten up the next one.
October 6, 2025
Amazing, different, success.
First let me say that this book (series) was not something I normally read. I prefer LGBT books written by women, but I also had no idea what a LitRPG was.
I started the book cautiously, I found myself a little disappointed that it was under LGBT but the main character was into her co-worker. The co-worker was a dude. But I kept reading and I was surprised by how I got into the fact that it was sending her into a realm where she was basically a character in a video game. Completing tasks to earn points, leveling up, gaining stats.
Now I’ll be honest, some of the information in this book (and the rest of the series) flew straight over my head. The author is definitely far more intelligent than I, and probably most average people lol.
Finally, the characters are actually well developed and have their own unique personalities. With Emma’s leadership qualities she helps her group of new friends survive and turn into badasses. In the following books you can see how they each change and take on different roles over the course of their trials.
This first book was great, it got me hooked. But it gets even better as time goes on! I have read this series so many times that I basically know it by heart. It’s that good.
I recommend you read this, and the 5 other novels in the series. Also, check out the authors website and Patreon for sure. He’s currently working on a new series and posts chapter updates in Patreon posts.
PS. I only leave reviews on books that wow me. :)
First let me say that this book (series) was not something I normally read. I prefer LGBT books written by women, but I also had no idea what a LitRPG was.
I started the book cautiously, I found myself a little disappointed that it was under LGBT but the main character was into her co-worker. The co-worker was a dude. But I kept reading and I was surprised by how I got into the fact that it was sending her into a realm where she was basically a character in a video game. Completing tasks to earn points, leveling up, gaining stats.
Now I’ll be honest, some of the information in this book (and the rest of the series) flew straight over my head. The author is definitely far more intelligent than I, and probably most average people lol.
Finally, the characters are actually well developed and have their own unique personalities. With Emma’s leadership qualities she helps her group of new friends survive and turn into badasses. In the following books you can see how they each change and take on different roles over the course of their trials.
This first book was great, it got me hooked. But it gets even better as time goes on! I have read this series so many times that I basically know it by heart. It’s that good.
I recommend you read this, and the 5 other novels in the series. Also, check out the authors website and Patreon for sure. He’s currently working on a new series and posts chapter updates in Patreon posts.
PS. I only leave reviews on books that wow me. :)
December 31, 2021
I'm not sure what I was expecting when I started reading this book, but it definitely wasn't what I got. And, what I got was so much better! The idea of large groups of people just being taken from Earth on a schedule and yet the general population still having a rather blase attitude about avoiding large crowds is something that, 2years ago, I would have said was realistic. After living through 2020, I now think it's incredibly realistic. As is the reaction had by a lot of ones taken with Emma - well, before the coughing started, anyway.
As for the trials. Holy crap! I can't imagine having to go through those, but I loved Emma's absolute determination to make it through them so she can (somehow) make it back to Earth and see her family again.
Also, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the first trials section went, as it can be very difficult for authors to maintain a flow when there's omw person. Having Suri there for conversations helped, but Wells did a masterful job there.
Then we get to Hub Two and the difficulties there, and man. While I do hope that Emma doesn't have to keep taking so many crazy risks, her sheer determination to make it through works well. Even though she clearly has plot armor that prevents her from dying, all the close calls - and the ways she gets out of them - are done really well. None of them seem outlandish or unrealistic, at least to me, which I greatly appreciated.
I am definitely looking forward to reading book 2.
As for the trials. Holy crap! I can't imagine having to go through those, but I loved Emma's absolute determination to make it through them so she can (somehow) make it back to Earth and see her family again.
Also, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the first trials section went, as it can be very difficult for authors to maintain a flow when there's omw person. Having Suri there for conversations helped, but Wells did a masterful job there.
Then we get to Hub Two and the difficulties there, and man. While I do hope that Emma doesn't have to keep taking so many crazy risks, her sheer determination to make it through works well. Even though she clearly has plot armor that prevents her from dying, all the close calls - and the ways she gets out of them - are done really well. None of them seem outlandish or unrealistic, at least to me, which I greatly appreciated.
I am definitely looking forward to reading book 2.
April 2, 2025
Emma is a 16 year old theater kid who devolves to a 12 year old with internalized homophobia by the 3rd book. We're told she's a 23 year old engineer, and having known quite a few 23 year old engineers, I can say that at no point does she ever do or say anything that a 23 year old engineer would do or say.
Along with the people at an anime convention, Emma is whisked off to another dimension. It's a very nonsensical dimension of magic where the laws of physics hold no sway and only the humans that could be transformed into magical creatures, or have the luck not to meet random grisly deaths, survive.
In this new dimension Emma is told very obvious lies that she never questions by the helpful AI that one of her eyes has been replaced with. She works to adapt herself to her new surroundings and compete with and against the other survivors of the dimensional transport and conversion to their new magical bodies. Along the way she commits various atrocities that, like the obvious lies the AI tell her, never get questioned.
While the competitions and tests themselves are somewhat interesting and the overall story one that's very tried and true, the characters are all terribly written and completely unbelievable as is the magical dimension and driving narrative.
This is one of those books that you think is amazing when you read it and you're 10 years old but when you re-read it later in life makes you really question just how smart you really were at 10.
Along with the people at an anime convention, Emma is whisked off to another dimension. It's a very nonsensical dimension of magic where the laws of physics hold no sway and only the humans that could be transformed into magical creatures, or have the luck not to meet random grisly deaths, survive.
In this new dimension Emma is told very obvious lies that she never questions by the helpful AI that one of her eyes has been replaced with. She works to adapt herself to her new surroundings and compete with and against the other survivors of the dimensional transport and conversion to their new magical bodies. Along the way she commits various atrocities that, like the obvious lies the AI tell her, never get questioned.
While the competitions and tests themselves are somewhat interesting and the overall story one that's very tried and true, the characters are all terribly written and completely unbelievable as is the magical dimension and driving narrative.
This is one of those books that you think is amazing when you read it and you're 10 years old but when you re-read it later in life makes you really question just how smart you really were at 10.
July 11, 2024
I enjoyed this book. It was a new take on combining LitRPGs and progression fantasy. Nearly the entire story takes place over the course of basically four trials if you count the last holding area as a kind of trial. I'm hopeful the entire series doesn't take place over just the testing center or whatever. The world building still felt unique despite the familiar setting of a testing center. I really liked the playing with physics like sound and gravity. The tables of stats are really hard to read though.
Emma was a fun POV. She was full of snark and sarcasm. Her mixing up idioms and metaphors was kinda funny. I wasn't a fan of the way her internal dialogue was represented. At times it made it a little confusing about if she was speaking aloud or just thinking things.
The rest of the characters she interacted with were pretty cool too. You can see the scene being set for a potential love interest in Kaitlynn. The fact that Emma seems oblivious to her own affection and flirting is kind of hilarious. Not sure what's going on with her mild animosity toward Alec, but I'm keeping my eye on it. Bruce seems to be being set up as the future antagonist. At least for now. Hopefully they can grow past him and move onto real threats soon.
Emma was a fun POV. She was full of snark and sarcasm. Her mixing up idioms and metaphors was kinda funny. I wasn't a fan of the way her internal dialogue was represented. At times it made it a little confusing about if she was speaking aloud or just thinking things.
The rest of the characters she interacted with were pretty cool too. You can see the scene being set for a potential love interest in Kaitlynn. The fact that Emma seems oblivious to her own affection and flirting is kind of hilarious. Not sure what's going on with her mild animosity toward Alec, but I'm keeping my eye on it. Bruce seems to be being set up as the future antagonist. At least for now. Hopefully they can grow past him and move onto real threats soon.
February 10, 2025
I got this book at Fantasy Fest mostly because I was insanely curious about the concept. I'm not a gamer and have never been, but that's not guarantee that GameLit is also not my thing. And when I first started this book I was actually kinda enjoying myself. However, at some point I started to grow bored and started to miss depth, but emotional depth and depth when it comes to world building and lore. Maybe this book is a lot more fun if you are a gamer, maybe I simply don't get it. However, I finished the entire first book in this series and still don't understand what is happening and why it's happening. On top of that it feels like our heroine is protected by a lot of plot armor. She does one stupid thing after another and somehow she survives and thrives. On top of that she seemed to lack a lot of healthy human emotions. I understand that panicking and crying is getting you nowhere in this world, but now it felt like Emma most of the time simply doesn't care and moves on.
I'm not sure if this is a specific issue of this book or of the genre in general. I will have to read another GameLit book to find that out. One with less info dumps, less stupid stuff conveniently working out and more emotions and explanations concerning the world building.
I'm not sure if this is a specific issue of this book or of the genre in general. I will have to read another GameLit book to find that out. One with less info dumps, less stupid stuff conveniently working out and more emotions and explanations concerning the world building.
March 18, 2023
Unnatural Laws is a sci-fi isekai rather than the fantasy flavor I usually enjoy. Large gatherings of people are getting portaled to an alien world, seemingly at random. The few who survive the alien environment beyond the first few minutes are thrown into a series of trials to pare them down further.
The first few trials are solo challenges and Emma only has her "guide" Suri to talk to. They're extremely linear and feel like an extended tutorial. The trials alternate between survival skills and obsticle courses. I was pretty sick of the formula by the time Emma made it to the next stage.
The next stage tosses all the survivors into a large zone to form teams and complete a few fetch quests to proceed further. Emma teams up with the first people she sees and butts heads with the obligatory bully group. Like the trials, the training and banter drags on a little too long before the plot gets moving again.
The writing is really good and the sci-fi is plausible enough for me. The system buzzwords are half standard LitRPG fare and half nonsense I started tuning out. The story is still good even if you don't have patience for learning a whole new vocabulary.
The first few trials are solo challenges and Emma only has her "guide" Suri to talk to. They're extremely linear and feel like an extended tutorial. The trials alternate between survival skills and obsticle courses. I was pretty sick of the formula by the time Emma made it to the next stage.
The next stage tosses all the survivors into a large zone to form teams and complete a few fetch quests to proceed further. Emma teams up with the first people she sees and butts heads with the obligatory bully group. Like the trials, the training and banter drags on a little too long before the plot gets moving again.
The writing is really good and the sci-fi is plausible enough for me. The system buzzwords are half standard LitRPG fare and half nonsense I started tuning out. The story is still good even if you don't have patience for learning a whole new vocabulary.
November 8, 2022
Not bad, but...
I read to 33% (my percentage point to determine if I will stick it out, unless it's terrible of course) and can say with authority that this book is ok, but not for me.
There are some points that I think are worth mentioning.
It is specifically mentioned that the MC has a generously proportioned bust, and that she is not wearing a sports bra. And yet her generous chest causes no difficulty in athletic action. Don't get me wrong, busty women can be very athletic, but they wear sports bras while being athletic. How do I know this as a man, simple. Generously, and not so generously, proportioned women have told me that this is important.
Second: At33% she is still in the middle of her 'test', so it's a slow moving book.
Third: The system interface goes from being indifferent to the MC to being willing to bend/break the the rules to aid her. Honestly, I prefer the indifferent one. It takes more than a little spunk to flip that switch.
In conclusion, not for me, some significant problems, but I could see some people enjoying this. Tom out
I read to 33% (my percentage point to determine if I will stick it out, unless it's terrible of course) and can say with authority that this book is ok, but not for me.
There are some points that I think are worth mentioning.
It is specifically mentioned that the MC has a generously proportioned bust, and that she is not wearing a sports bra. And yet her generous chest causes no difficulty in athletic action. Don't get me wrong, busty women can be very athletic, but they wear sports bras while being athletic. How do I know this as a man, simple. Generously, and not so generously, proportioned women have told me that this is important.
Second: At33% she is still in the middle of her 'test', so it's a slow moving book.
Third: The system interface goes from being indifferent to the MC to being willing to bend/break the the rules to aid her. Honestly, I prefer the indifferent one. It takes more than a little spunk to flip that switch.
In conclusion, not for me, some significant problems, but I could see some people enjoying this. Tom out
April 11, 2022
[Slight spoilers]
I got this book for free at an event, and was immediately excited to read it! This was my first litRPG book, and I'm pleased I found the genre since it sounds fascinating. The blurb also really caught my attention, filled with Emma's humour, which is also shown throughout the book.
And I was right to pick it up, with its short chapters and exciting challenges, I found the book to be a true page-turner. Even though most of the book only has two characters, there is great chemistry and the 'lack' of characters doesn't make the book any less interesting. When Emma reaches Hub 2 and the other characters are introduced, they also have clear separate personalities. Although I do really hope it doesn't turn into a cliché YA, I am really excited to see how the newly formed team progresses.
The only bad thing I have noticed is that Emma seems to be one of the strongest survivors, and I really hope to see that change during the second book.
I got this book for free at an event, and was immediately excited to read it! This was my first litRPG book, and I'm pleased I found the genre since it sounds fascinating. The blurb also really caught my attention, filled with Emma's humour, which is also shown throughout the book.
And I was right to pick it up, with its short chapters and exciting challenges, I found the book to be a true page-turner. Even though most of the book only has two characters, there is great chemistry and the 'lack' of characters doesn't make the book any less interesting. When Emma reaches Hub 2 and the other characters are introduced, they also have clear separate personalities. Although I do really hope it doesn't turn into a cliché YA, I am really excited to see how the newly formed team progresses.
The only bad thing I have noticed is that Emma seems to be one of the strongest survivors, and I really hope to see that change during the second book.
February 22, 2023
I didn't make it past the first chapter. Great narrator I'm sure, but this book takes place in some alternate universe where it's 1970, EVERYONE is super sexist and a sleazball, a hyper intelligent college graduate is too stupid to not be taken advantage of by her boss/everyone, and someone who has a BACHELORS IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, was only able to get a job at the hotdog sexist shack. That and that even tho this is the first female mc I've read in a bit WITH a personality. EVERYTHING about HER and her life is 100% stereotypical "I'm cute and sarcastic while other girls are fat and slutty", and "my dad is fat and a couch potato drunk, who only plays the video games I wish I could play, while my mommy is perfect and works two jobs"
I had to double-check this crap was even written by a girl. Can't wait till the next chapter when she starts with all the woke talking points too...oh wait, I luckily DNF'd this!
I had to double-check this crap was even written by a girl. Can't wait till the next chapter when she starts with all the woke talking points too...oh wait, I luckily DNF'd this!
September 5, 2023
Emma works a lot of part time jobs in order to save money to start on her Master's degree. While at a convention slinging hotdogs, the whole crowd is whisked off to another place. The place isn't so much another planet, as another... dimension? It's a place where the normal laws of physics from our world don't work.
The ideas here were different from other books in this genre, being more science fiction than fantasy. The author used the idea of a different kind of physics fairly well, especially during the trials that Emma and the others had to complete in order to get to the next stage of the process.
Emma doesn't always make the new system work for her right away. She's fallible, which was believable. She also didn't become overpowered, but used her advantages well. I liked the team she eventually ended up with, especially Dave.
The trials were interesting, as were all the other obstacles Emma had to face. Good world building. I will be continuing the series.
The ideas here were different from other books in this genre, being more science fiction than fantasy. The author used the idea of a different kind of physics fairly well, especially during the trials that Emma and the others had to complete in order to get to the next stage of the process.
Emma doesn't always make the new system work for her right away. She's fallible, which was believable. She also didn't become overpowered, but used her advantages well. I liked the team she eventually ended up with, especially Dave.
The trials were interesting, as were all the other obstacles Emma had to face. Good world building. I will be continuing the series.
October 29, 2023
It's a fun book with some moderate issues that distract from the overall experience. First, the author uses atypical terminology for health, mana, etc. Not a deal-breaker, necessarily, but there doesn't seem to be any reason other than "to be different". That isn't reason enough for me, so...one mark against.
Second, the "budding romance" in the book is both ham-fisted and clumsily written. Instead of letting it develop naturally over the course of the book, the author instead brings out a 2x4 and repeatedly smashes it over your head to make sure understand just how much that romance is budding.
That said, the rest of the book (plot, pacing, etc.) is fairly well done, so it's "good enough" for me to continue with the second installment, but this wasn't amazing or ground breaking by any means.
Second, the "budding romance" in the book is both ham-fisted and clumsily written. Instead of letting it develop naturally over the course of the book, the author instead brings out a 2x4 and repeatedly smashes it over your head to make sure understand just how much that romance is budding.
That said, the rest of the book (plot, pacing, etc.) is fairly well done, so it's "good enough" for me to continue with the second installment, but this wasn't amazing or ground breaking by any means.
December 20, 2021
Tough review.
On the one hand, I'm not a huge fan of maze runner type logic. Essentially, the idea that trial participants aren't really people until after they have 'proven' that they have the darwinistic special sauce to survive; where the people in charge think of themselves as heros as they spend obscene amounts of resources throwing together more and more elaborate death mazes and then cross their fingers and wish you good luck as they toss you to your likely death. They totally aren't terrible people, and absolutely aren't gambling on who wins/dies. Oh, and the AI they've stuck inside my head? Implicitly trustworthy. Definitely. Yep.
That being said, it's a pretty good book, and I'm inclined to be generous because it's something new in the genre.
On the one hand, I'm not a huge fan of maze runner type logic. Essentially, the idea that trial participants aren't really people until after they have 'proven' that they have the darwinistic special sauce to survive; where the people in charge think of themselves as heros as they spend obscene amounts of resources throwing together more and more elaborate death mazes and then cross their fingers and wish you good luck as they toss you to your likely death. They totally aren't terrible people, and absolutely aren't gambling on who wins/dies. Oh, and the AI they've stuck inside my head? Implicitly trustworthy. Definitely. Yep.
That being said, it's a pretty good book, and I'm inclined to be generous because it's something new in the genre.
January 11, 2025
Well this book started with a slow burn as the author tried to not just teach the MC, Emma, but to everyone reading, a whole new kinda magic system. And it's purdy gimmicky if you ask me. I did like Emma's devil may care attitude when it comes to problem solving. Still it got better after new characters were introduced and Emma managed to team-up. And the story was fun as they work out the intricacies of the system. I am even eager to try the next book to see if it'll enthrall me.
Here's a couple of quotes that amused me:
“You could’ve died, you jerk!” I shake my head with a small smirk. “No, no, it’s pronounced, ‘Wow, that’s amazing, Emma!’ ”
"...the plesiosaurus... plesiosauruses? Plesiosauri? The plessies chase after me..."
Here's a couple of quotes that amused me:
“You could’ve died, you jerk!” I shake my head with a small smirk. “No, no, it’s pronounced, ‘Wow, that’s amazing, Emma!’ ”
"...the plesiosaurus... plesiosauruses? Plesiosauri? The plessies chase after me..."
March 9, 2021
Good Story
I enjoyed almost everything in this book. It kept my attention with the characters but even more so with the world. Some parts of a couple fight scenes could have been better the rest where great. The leveling is odd to me as stats and skills level like an rpg as you use them or augment them. However the character leveling is more like a cultivation novel where they need outside resources not just experience. It makes it a bit different and the world is quite unique making it a wonderful story that I hope many others will enjoy because I want to read the next one.
I enjoyed almost everything in this book. It kept my attention with the characters but even more so with the world. Some parts of a couple fight scenes could have been better the rest where great. The leveling is odd to me as stats and skills level like an rpg as you use them or augment them. However the character leveling is more like a cultivation novel where they need outside resources not just experience. It makes it a bit different and the world is quite unique making it a wonderful story that I hope many others will enjoy because I want to read the next one.
August 27, 2024
Not what I was looking for
This isn't a bad book, but it wasn't a good book for me. It feels as though it drags at a few points, and the LitRPG elements don't feel very well developed.
The setting sometimes seems to use different names for analogous concepts just to seem exotic, and other times uses the familiar terms, without consistency. For instance, a chakra is still called a chakra, but the energy that flows through a chakra is called Lavi. This can make reading a bit awkward.
My overall assessment is that the book reminds me of being stuck in the restrictive tutorial stages before the actual game begins. Not an experience I find enjoyable.
This isn't a bad book, but it wasn't a good book for me. It feels as though it drags at a few points, and the LitRPG elements don't feel very well developed.
The setting sometimes seems to use different names for analogous concepts just to seem exotic, and other times uses the familiar terms, without consistency. For instance, a chakra is still called a chakra, but the energy that flows through a chakra is called Lavi. This can make reading a bit awkward.
My overall assessment is that the book reminds me of being stuck in the restrictive tutorial stages before the actual game begins. Not an experience I find enjoyable.
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