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The Ripple System #1
Shadeslinger
Corporate flameout Ned Altimer dreams of leaving his world behind. So when Earthblood Online splashes onto the VRMMO scene, he dives in and never looks back.
His advantages are twofold: exclusive access to the game’s three-day Head Start period, and a ridiculously handsome talking axe named Frank who has knowledge of the game’s deepest secrets…if the magnificent Frank ever feels like sharing them.
But those advantages also make Ned a target. Once the Head Start period ends, his fellow players will stop at nothing to rip that suave, violent-yet-disarmingly-charismatic axe right out of his hands.
In seventy-two hours, the greatest manhunt in gaming history is set to begin.
It’s gonna be a lot of fun.
His advantages are twofold: exclusive access to the game’s three-day Head Start period, and a ridiculously handsome talking axe named Frank who has knowledge of the game’s deepest secrets…if the magnificent Frank ever feels like sharing them.
But those advantages also make Ned a target. Once the Head Start period ends, his fellow players will stop at nothing to rip that suave, violent-yet-disarmingly-charismatic axe right out of his hands.
In seventy-two hours, the greatest manhunt in gaming history is set to begin.
It’s gonna be a lot of fun.
646 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 18, 2021
1343 people are currently reading
2729 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
March 13, 2021
I wavered between "I did not like it" (one star) and "It was okay" (two stars). While I hated the characters, hated the interactions, hated the plot whiplash, and the story, the writing was okay and it's a good homage to what people love about MMOs.
Some things I hated:
Some things I hated:
February 4, 2021
A gem of a debut
This is by far the best LitRPG I've read in 2021. Literally my only gripe with this is it's the authors debut novel, and the sequel isn't available to read yet.
Let's look at the things the author gets right:
- The EXP and stat system actually make sense, yet he doesn't waste pages of exposition where the MC wanks about fretting about min maxing
- The MC is human and fallible. He isn't OP, isn't a terrible person. He has some crazy advantages in life, but also the penalties those advantages come with.
- There is actual dialogue with personality! The characters are actually entertaining, unlike other litrpg attempts at being funny where it's obvious that all characters are just identical reflections of the author's personal sense of humor. I snickered out loud at one point, which is a first for me for LitRPG.
- Actually uses game mechanics. Most LitRPG authors seem to be primarily D&Derers, and their dramas are mostly resolved by "brilliant" loophole exploitation which honestly tends to be pretty stupid.
Kyle obviously played MMOs competitively, because he knows no matter how smart you think you are theres always someone smarter - and no individual holds a candle to collective teamwork.
+10 bonus points for writing a LitRPG debut without the MC swanking about feeling smug about what a cheat he is.
This is by far the best LitRPG I've read in 2021. Literally my only gripe with this is it's the authors debut novel, and the sequel isn't available to read yet.
Let's look at the things the author gets right:
- The EXP and stat system actually make sense, yet he doesn't waste pages of exposition where the MC wanks about fretting about min maxing
- The MC is human and fallible. He isn't OP, isn't a terrible person. He has some crazy advantages in life, but also the penalties those advantages come with.
- There is actual dialogue with personality! The characters are actually entertaining, unlike other litrpg attempts at being funny where it's obvious that all characters are just identical reflections of the author's personal sense of humor. I snickered out loud at one point, which is a first for me for LitRPG.
- Actually uses game mechanics. Most LitRPG authors seem to be primarily D&Derers, and their dramas are mostly resolved by "brilliant" loophole exploitation which honestly tends to be pretty stupid.
Kyle obviously played MMOs competitively, because he knows no matter how smart you think you are theres always someone smarter - and no individual holds a candle to collective teamwork.
+10 bonus points for writing a LitRPG debut without the MC swanking about feeling smug about what a cheat he is.
July 11, 2021
Frank was awesome, and genuinely funny. Had a lot of lol moments from Frank.
But the rest of book was very pedestrian and offered nothing different than numerous other books in this genre. I was expecting more of a plot with game elements and this turned to be a game as a plot with too many game elements for my liking. If you like that sort of book, you'd enjoy this better than me. Also suffers from pacing issues. We have the fights, the Frank scenes and nothing to pull it all together.
Writing is crisp. Prose is great. Just not my cup of tea. I presume others will love this more.
But the rest of book was very pedestrian and offered nothing different than numerous other books in this genre. I was expecting more of a plot with game elements and this turned to be a game as a plot with too many game elements for my liking. If you like that sort of book, you'd enjoy this better than me. Also suffers from pacing issues. We have the fights, the Frank scenes and nothing to pull it all together.
Writing is crisp. Prose is great. Just not my cup of tea. I presume others will love this more.
January 26, 2021
So I liked the dialogue. The best parts were the ai trying to be human and franks discussions with house.
The story was ok but drawn out. It took too long between points of actual interest. It is rather boring to read a mage fight. It was repetitive. Horror and snare spells got old fast. The idea of a three day head start was interesting but truthfully he accomplished very little. It left much to be desired. It gets better of course but it takes a really long time. Like half the book.
I know this comes off as way too negative but it’s more that it could be even better? The humor and banter obviously show the authors writing ability.
Side note. I think house not being able to fight was a mistake. I think building on their relationship would really add to the story. Focusing on the random guild leader seemed like a less interesting choice. Even if the author changes this later the reader has to make it through 800+ pages to see it. I honestly think this would have been far better as an adventure between house frank and the mc. Adding the guild seemed really extraneous.
The story was ok but drawn out. It took too long between points of actual interest. It is rather boring to read a mage fight. It was repetitive. Horror and snare spells got old fast. The idea of a three day head start was interesting but truthfully he accomplished very little. It left much to be desired. It gets better of course but it takes a really long time. Like half the book.
I know this comes off as way too negative but it’s more that it could be even better? The humor and banter obviously show the authors writing ability.
Side note. I think house not being able to fight was a mistake. I think building on their relationship would really add to the story. Focusing on the random guild leader seemed like a less interesting choice. Even if the author changes this later the reader has to make it through 800+ pages to see it. I honestly think this would have been far better as an adventure between house frank and the mc. Adding the guild seemed really extraneous.
May 5, 2022
I gave this about 16% on my Kindle, which is nearly 100 pages. So I have no problems concluding that I'm bored, I don't like either of the main characters, and the story is in no hurry to go anywhere.
This is the type of story I might have given 4 stars in 2018, but it just feels very generic in the crowded gamelit space of 2022. The writing was functional, with only a handful of basic grammar mistakes, but the type of mistakes you absolutely should catch with grammar software (ex: bearing teeth instead of baring teeth).
I also feel like my tastes over the past few years have shifted more toward the portal or isekai style of gamelit rather than the VRMMO immersion stories. While there is an expectation of actual stakes in this story down the line, once other humans join the game, I can't imagine slogging through 72 full hours of game time with only the MC and his A.I. axe.
This is the type of story I might have given 4 stars in 2018, but it just feels very generic in the crowded gamelit space of 2022. The writing was functional, with only a handful of basic grammar mistakes, but the type of mistakes you absolutely should catch with grammar software (ex: bearing teeth instead of baring teeth).
I also feel like my tastes over the past few years have shifted more toward the portal or isekai style of gamelit rather than the VRMMO immersion stories. While there is an expectation of actual stakes in this story down the line, once other humans join the game, I can't imagine slogging through 72 full hours of game time with only the MC and his A.I. axe.
April 26, 2025
review to come
January 31, 2022
This book was good. It wasn't great, but it was good. The world building was great, and the narration was of course excellent, because Travis doesn't miss. The most boring and hard to follow portions of this book were the notifications, stat sheets, and battle scenes. It isn't crunchy at all, most things are described in percentage of damage, and even though early on there are significant cool downs and cast times that effect the way the battles play out later those things go away. Basically the simple spells grow to make MP and cast time irrelevant and focus more on positioning and strategy. The longer cool down attacks and abilities are relevant and do come into play often, but they are only used modestly and hold a certain role in the adventure because of their relative nature. Basically it seems like this author really does play MMORPGs, where most books in the gamelit and litrpg genres only use regimented systems. This reminded me of Loghorizon more than any other story that I can think of, which isn't bad, but that series wasn't my favorite. There are a couple raids that are described well and maybe would have been better to read than to listen to, but I didn't pick this up because I was interested in the story. I picked it up because I like the narrator and I thought this would be the best one to pick up.
This book excels in world building. The story is building to be fantastic with a wide and unique world of decent characters and locations. The MC is building up an empire from the ground up and the writing style is good. I might have found editorial mistakes in the written version, but there weren't any content mistakes like there are in some books in this genre. Basically if the author says that a certain spell deals a certain amount of damage, then it does. If the MC uses a spell it can fail, miss, crit and other realistic outcomes. There isn't as much convenient twisting of the rules in this book as there are in most fantasy novels.
I really enjoyed the book overall. There were lots of good parts and it was unique enough to keep me coming back for more. I wanted to finish it as fast as possible and was entertained for most of the book. And since I think that I got my monthly credit's worth of entertainment with this 25 hour or so book, I will give it 5 stars.
If you have never read any of my reviews I basically start every book with 4 stars. If it captures my attention and makes me want to read/listen to it as much as possible it gets upgraded to 5 stars. After that it can be docked for continuity issues, very poorly written characters, an annoying MC, and a few other things like no editing. All of which can be looked over with a sufficiently entertaining, or well written storyline. This book didn't really have any short comings, and I enjoyed it very much.
This book excels in world building. The story is building to be fantastic with a wide and unique world of decent characters and locations. The MC is building up an empire from the ground up and the writing style is good. I might have found editorial mistakes in the written version, but there weren't any content mistakes like there are in some books in this genre. Basically if the author says that a certain spell deals a certain amount of damage, then it does. If the MC uses a spell it can fail, miss, crit and other realistic outcomes. There isn't as much convenient twisting of the rules in this book as there are in most fantasy novels.
I really enjoyed the book overall. There were lots of good parts and it was unique enough to keep me coming back for more. I wanted to finish it as fast as possible and was entertained for most of the book. And since I think that I got my monthly credit's worth of entertainment with this 25 hour or so book, I will give it 5 stars.
If you have never read any of my reviews I basically start every book with 4 stars. If it captures my attention and makes me want to read/listen to it as much as possible it gets upgraded to 5 stars. After that it can be docked for continuity issues, very poorly written characters, an annoying MC, and a few other things like no editing. All of which can be looked over with a sufficiently entertaining, or well written storyline. This book didn't really have any short comings, and I enjoyed it very much.
January 25, 2021
Here's 2 things that were different from any other LitRPG book I've read:
1. There is no isekai aspect to it. The main character didn't get magically transported to this video game world with no way back or get locked in once he put on the VR headset. There's no nefarious thing happening in the real world that the events in the game affect. The fact that the plot still feels like it has stakes speaks to the quality of the writing. It's also just refreshing.
2. The game itself was interesting. It was odd for me to realize this, but most LitRPG novels I've read use a fairly generic RPG game as the backdrop for their plot. But this novel had interesting races, plot lines and well imagined fictional locations.
It was a great book. Very long, but never got boring and sets up a longer series perfectly. Here are a few things I think could have been improved (very very minor spoilers ahead) but these issues were not enough to dock a star over:
- The relationship between Ned/Frank was really compelling, but Frank's dialogue was often very one note. We get it, you hate magic. We get it, you're in love with the female guild leader. I feel like it got worse over the course of the book and by the end he was like an annoying sitcom character repeating catchphrases. Is there a way to tone Frank down 20%?
- As someone else has mentioned, the MC spends a giant chunk of the book only having a few spells to use, so combat is repetitive at times.
I was surprised to see it was a debut novel. But then I read that the author had a small publishing team behind him that had helped with editing, proofreading etc...
I've mentioned this in past reviews, but I really feel that self publishing authors in the progression fantasy/LitRPG space need to take heed of this. That adds a level of polish that really comes through when reading. I didn't pick up any spelling or grammar issues, the plotting felt tight, etc... it really does matter.
1. There is no isekai aspect to it. The main character didn't get magically transported to this video game world with no way back or get locked in once he put on the VR headset. There's no nefarious thing happening in the real world that the events in the game affect. The fact that the plot still feels like it has stakes speaks to the quality of the writing. It's also just refreshing.
2. The game itself was interesting. It was odd for me to realize this, but most LitRPG novels I've read use a fairly generic RPG game as the backdrop for their plot. But this novel had interesting races, plot lines and well imagined fictional locations.
It was a great book. Very long, but never got boring and sets up a longer series perfectly. Here are a few things I think could have been improved (very very minor spoilers ahead) but these issues were not enough to dock a star over:
- The relationship between Ned/Frank was really compelling, but Frank's dialogue was often very one note. We get it, you hate magic. We get it, you're in love with the female guild leader. I feel like it got worse over the course of the book and by the end he was like an annoying sitcom character repeating catchphrases. Is there a way to tone Frank down 20%?
- As someone else has mentioned, the MC spends a giant chunk of the book only having a few spells to use, so combat is repetitive at times.
I was surprised to see it was a debut novel. But then I read that the author had a small publishing team behind him that had helped with editing, proofreading etc...
I've mentioned this in past reviews, but I really feel that self publishing authors in the progression fantasy/LitRPG space need to take heed of this. That adds a level of polish that really comes through when reading. I didn't pick up any spelling or grammar issues, the plotting felt tight, etc... it really does matter.
March 9, 2021
Loved this book. The main cast so far are quite entertaining and the banter between Ned and Frank are hilarious. Gave me a great nostalgic feel for my old WoW raiding days with the game mechanics while still having that next gen interface that makes these VR tales work. Great start of a series and I cant wait for the next!
July 2, 2021
This was a superbly written story. Super enjoyable and a chunker of a book to top it all off.
Really looking forward to the next one.
Really looking forward to the next one.
June 30, 2023
I had to seriously struggle just to get 3 hours and 27 min in too the book. There is absolutely nothing even remotely original or interesting about this book. So far all that happens is the MC gets hated by everyone he meets even an AI hates him. He takes it cause he is a loser and let's everyone bully him.
So yawn I can't even understand what these 5 star reviews are about. I mean are we listening to/reading the same book here? I have to legitimately ask that question because the book is that boring.
I gave it another chance and managed to power through to the halfway point and then I just had to stop because everything was so damn boring. Also the MC really isn't likeable at all.
So yawn I can't even understand what these 5 star reviews are about. I mean are we listening to/reading the same book here? I have to legitimately ask that question because the book is that boring.
I gave it another chance and managed to power through to the halfway point and then I just had to stop because everything was so damn boring. Also the MC really isn't likeable at all.
May 29, 2021
Constant humor, great storytelling, and epic narrating.
May 22, 2024
Not bad. I maintain that I still think litrpg is fundamentally flawed as a genre and yet I still want to see one that actually works for me. Dungeon crawler Carl gets it right, but I’d say large parts of the reason is that DCC is a satire that gets a lot of mileage out of examining the genre itself. And yet it still works as great entertainment.
This is just plain straight litrpg - it’s well done, genre flaws aren’t nearly as pronounced as I’ve seen them and the talking axe is a lot of fun. Definitely strong buddy cop vibes.
EDIT POST BOOK 3 (DNF)
After reading on, and stopping during the third book I wouldn’t recommend this series. It feels like the whole series is sort of bumbling along but I see no overarching narrative, there’s not so much real conflict as just a bunch of minor obstacles to overcome. If that’s your cup of tea, fine but for me it’s just too thin.
The dynamic between Frank and Ned is good, actually might be my favorite part of the book but the series badly needs an editor. Ultimately, I don’t think there’s a plan where it’s supposed to go… even though there’s fascinating potential questions to grapple with. An evolving AI. NPCs that are for all intents and purposes real people. What does that imply? Ned having left the real world behind completely, so might other people - doesn’t that have consequences? Is there no reason to grapple with that? Honestly, people ask Ned “so you’re staying here and leaving the world and your wealth behind” and he just goes “yeah” - the response: “ok cool let’s grind random monsters”.
Stakes are almost completely absent. Death means “slight discomfort”, respawn and some ladder penalty, which increases on subsequent deaths, but the effect of falling off the ladder doesn’t exist. Nothing the main characters have or are is ever really challenged or threatened; not material assets, beliefs, identity or relationships.
I’m sorry, I just can’t.
This is just plain straight litrpg - it’s well done, genre flaws aren’t nearly as pronounced as I’ve seen them and the talking axe is a lot of fun. Definitely strong buddy cop vibes.
EDIT POST BOOK 3 (DNF)
After reading on, and stopping during the third book I wouldn’t recommend this series. It feels like the whole series is sort of bumbling along but I see no overarching narrative, there’s not so much real conflict as just a bunch of minor obstacles to overcome. If that’s your cup of tea, fine but for me it’s just too thin.
The dynamic between Frank and Ned is good, actually might be my favorite part of the book but the series badly needs an editor. Ultimately, I don’t think there’s a plan where it’s supposed to go… even though there’s fascinating potential questions to grapple with. An evolving AI. NPCs that are for all intents and purposes real people. What does that imply? Ned having left the real world behind completely, so might other people - doesn’t that have consequences? Is there no reason to grapple with that? Honestly, people ask Ned “so you’re staying here and leaving the world and your wealth behind” and he just goes “yeah” - the response: “ok cool let’s grind random monsters”.
Stakes are almost completely absent. Death means “slight discomfort”, respawn and some ladder penalty, which increases on subsequent deaths, but the effect of falling off the ladder doesn’t exist. Nothing the main characters have or are is ever really challenged or threatened; not material assets, beliefs, identity or relationships.
I’m sorry, I just can’t.
June 18, 2022
Wow, really enjoyed it!
MC isn't super likeable to start but he progresses as the story does.
First LITRPG to accurately capture what it's like to raid hard content in a good game--with believable mechanics that reminded me of Everquest, World of Warcraft, and other great MMORPG'S. Other books that talk about raiding just never captured what it was like to go on a real RAID in end game content (bleeding edge, no walk through's, figure it out as you go). Yeah, they totally should have wiped, but sometimes you got lucky and pulled a boss off on your first try...and it reminded me of the few times that happened, and the unstoppable feeling you got from defeating that content.
Frank took me some time to warm up to, but he was awesome by the end.
No harems, political agenda's, or any other garbage. Just a really interesting story about a pretty messed up guy, who wants a second chance. If the subsequent books maintain this level of awesome, this could be a truly epic series!
MC isn't super likeable to start but he progresses as the story does.
First LITRPG to accurately capture what it's like to raid hard content in a good game--with believable mechanics that reminded me of Everquest, World of Warcraft, and other great MMORPG'S. Other books that talk about raiding just never captured what it was like to go on a real RAID in end game content (bleeding edge, no walk through's, figure it out as you go). Yeah, they totally should have wiped, but sometimes you got lucky and pulled a boss off on your first try...and it reminded me of the few times that happened, and the unstoppable feeling you got from defeating that content.
Frank took me some time to warm up to, but he was awesome by the end.
No harems, political agenda's, or any other garbage. Just a really interesting story about a pretty messed up guy, who wants a second chance. If the subsequent books maintain this level of awesome, this could be a truly epic series!
January 26, 2021
Fantastic first book. Worth your time
Kirrin has a great debut with Shadeslinger. While nothing particular original, his execution is great. The MC is interesting, the world more so, and Frank is the perfect amount of snark. While he starts off blunt, the dynamic is much more like two friends riffing off eachother. It gives the characters someone to talk to instead of inner monologging everything.
The player growth is well paced and the book never felt particularly slow.
I loom forward to the next book and hope this trend continues!
Kirrin has a great debut with Shadeslinger. While nothing particular original, his execution is great. The MC is interesting, the world more so, and Frank is the perfect amount of snark. While he starts off blunt, the dynamic is much more like two friends riffing off eachother. It gives the characters someone to talk to instead of inner monologging everything.
The player growth is well paced and the book never felt particularly slow.
I loom forward to the next book and hope this trend continues!
May 12, 2025
This is very bland. I went into this expecting a light, fun read having seen lots of reviews praise the funny dialogue and banter but unfortunately it just fell a bit flat. It gets better latterly after Frank and Ned become more friendly and they meet Darling and her friends so that there are more characters to chat with but I just didn't find the snarkiness funny. It's a high bar but Frank is no Princess Donut.
The plot was ok but a bored, unsuccessful millionaire with no friends buying lots of advantages because he wants to be the best in the world at a new video game is not exactly high stakes. The book is also quite crunchy which isn't my cup of tea.
Travis Baldree did a great job with the narration though.
The plot was ok but a bored, unsuccessful millionaire with no friends buying lots of advantages because he wants to be the best in the world at a new video game is not exactly high stakes. The book is also quite crunchy which isn't my cup of tea.
Travis Baldree did a great job with the narration though.
September 10, 2022
Note that books 1, 2 and 3 are one long story.
The MC is not stupid.
The MC has a plan.
The secondary characters are interesting and even have a bit of depth.
There is humor without the author trying hard to set up something that turns out not to be funny. Can't call it 'effortless' because everything takes some effort but hopefully you get what I'm saying.
The downsides are typical for a LitRPG including such things as: Generic fantasy world which seems to have been made primarily by one 'evil genius' type (as in ready player one). Also, the system is pretty wack (not a great amount of balance, PVP + levels is *always* stupid, etc). The MC only runs into things that are 'level appropriate' thus making it more like a table top DND simulator rather than "So I was walking along and a creature 3x my level wandered by and ate me." which can easily happen in a true open world. So the usual generic system/world/etc.
Pretty sure there will be a book 4. Question of when.
The MC is not stupid.
The MC has a plan.
The secondary characters are interesting and even have a bit of depth.
There is humor without the author trying hard to set up something that turns out not to be funny. Can't call it 'effortless' because everything takes some effort but hopefully you get what I'm saying.
The downsides are typical for a LitRPG including such things as: Generic fantasy world which seems to have been made primarily by one 'evil genius' type (as in ready player one). Also, the system is pretty wack (not a great amount of balance, PVP + levels is *always* stupid, etc). The MC only runs into things that are 'level appropriate' thus making it more like a table top DND simulator rather than "So I was walking along and a creature 3x my level wandered by and ate me." which can easily happen in a true open world. So the usual generic system/world/etc.
Pretty sure there will be a book 4. Question of when.
March 16, 2021
The premise is interesting but it's so uninspired.
The reason I like these kinds of books is because the main character does something super unexpected within the game rules and makes his progress skyrocket. Here the main character's superpower is he is rich in real life and that's about it. He doesn't do anything interesting with the things his money buys him.
It took about 5-7 hours (audiobook version) for anything remotely interesting to happen. I stopped listening to the book a few hours from the end just before the big fight because I knew it will be lots of dry fighting without much reward and I just couldn't be bothered.
I did like both of the ai characters especially House.
It's not a bad book it's just a boring book.
The reason I like these kinds of books is because the main character does something super unexpected within the game rules and makes his progress skyrocket. Here the main character's superpower is he is rich in real life and that's about it. He doesn't do anything interesting with the things his money buys him.
It took about 5-7 hours (audiobook version) for anything remotely interesting to happen. I stopped listening to the book a few hours from the end just before the big fight because I knew it will be lots of dry fighting without much reward and I just couldn't be bothered.
I did like both of the ai characters especially House.
It's not a bad book it's just a boring book.
December 22, 2022
Pretty fun, mostly for the friendship between Frank and Ned. I found the pacing a little slow, but will likely pick up the next in the series.
December 21, 2023
(Trying something different in this review space. Maybe CAWPILE will help me sort jumbled thoughts.)
Characters: 7/10
I enjoyed most of the characters in the story, including the non-human ones. I found Ned to be particularly amusing and sarcastic, and I loved the witty exchanges between him and Frank. The supporting characters and bosses were also decent, but some of the other characters felt like they were just there to fill space. However, since they were NPCs, it helped with the world-building of the story. I guess that’s one thing that just works for this genre.
Atmosphere/Setting 8/10
Although I haven’t read many litRPGs, I am a big fan of the concept. This VR game is particularly fascinating as it brings back memories of my youth when I used to sit at my computer and play the exact same games that Kyle Kirrin is recreating. It’s the vibes for this one.
Writing Style 7/10
Overall the book is well-written, but some parts drag on, making it medium-paced. I should also note that I listened to this on audiobook, and the narration was good and kept me focused!
Plot 7/10
The MC contradicts himself frequently, so while I don’t particularly root for him, I’m eager to see what choices he makes — even when I want to slap him. This is a solo player v. world for a good chunk of the book, but near the middle-end, there is a new guild element, which was lacking in its presentation. I hope it expands more in book two because so far Ned is way too accommodating and, maybe it’s me, but I’m not just SHARING resources.
Intrigue 8/10
Again, I’m not exactly rooting for the MC because he can be a fumbling idiot, but he’s fun and so is Frank and House. So the intrigue is there, and I do want to continue with this series.
Logic/Relationships 6/10
Ned is a lovable idiot. Sometimes he is calculated and others he is flying by the seat of his pants. But he brings this whole story together — albeit the reason is to destroy Ned. And again, I love the dynamic between the MC and his direct side characters because the banter is hilarious and their questing is fun to read. BUT, adding too much reality into a fantasy VR makes it tedious: yes gamers will meticulously choose class, sets, skills, etc. But describing it ad infinitum in a novel gave it a telling vs showing aspect that pushed it for me.
Enjoyment 8/10
I’d recommend this book and will be continuing with the series. With everything said, I think it’s a solid read!
Score: 51
Star Rating: 4
August 24, 2024
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So 2024 is the year that I learn LitRPGs are a thing apparently, and oh my gosh, I loved this??
I heard Travis Baldree talking about how he narrates the audiobook of this series while he was on a podcast, and I thought it sounded really interesting. Grabbed it on Kindle earlier this year and finally dove in.
This whole story was so much fun! I laughed my way through it. While Ned is a bit insufferable, and like Frank, I also think magic is boring - he still kinda grows on you. I'm excited to see where his character arc takes him.
Frank and House truly carry the story for me, the humor and banter is A+.
Also, the way this had me feeling so nostalgic for those old MMO experiences.. I downloaded 5 different ones I used to play while I was reading this to try and capture the feeling and nothing quite compared. I need this world to be a real thing!
So 2024 is the year that I learn LitRPGs are a thing apparently, and oh my gosh, I loved this??
I heard Travis Baldree talking about how he narrates the audiobook of this series while he was on a podcast, and I thought it sounded really interesting. Grabbed it on Kindle earlier this year and finally dove in.
This whole story was so much fun! I laughed my way through it. While Ned is a bit insufferable, and like Frank, I also think magic is boring - he still kinda grows on you. I'm excited to see where his character arc takes him.
Frank and House truly carry the story for me, the humor and banter is A+.
Also, the way this had me feeling so nostalgic for those old MMO experiences.. I downloaded 5 different ones I used to play while I was reading this to try and capture the feeling and nothing quite compared. I need this world to be a real thing!
May 14, 2025
I liked the premise originally but the book started good and went slowly downhill.
The main problem is that there are no stakes. The MC is a rich kid who thinks normal life sucks so he's going to make a name for himself in a video game. He's so up himself that he thinks he's going to shape the game to be his basically. I don't care if he or others die, they respawn. The only thing he loses is renown - something he's got plenty of. Maybe after the first 10 or so deaths it would start eating away.
The writing is also fairly cringe. Every time he gets some loot, even if it's a small stat increase Ned is like "hell yeah!". It's just shitty low level loot in every MMO that he'll replace eventually. He also has to apparently read all of the stats out of the piece. It's MUCH better in something like DCC where Carl would say "it had a small stat boost in intelligence, charisma and agility" or something.
The whole ending climax is just ruined because it's all about Ned's ego trip. HE spent heaps of money, HE had the advantage, HE should be number one. "How did I have a 3 day advantage and still get overtaken". Because you wasted so much time doing nothing and making friends with NPCs.
I wonder if he'll end up in a relationship with literally the first girl he talked to...
The main problem is that there are no stakes. The MC is a rich kid who thinks normal life sucks so he's going to make a name for himself in a video game. He's so up himself that he thinks he's going to shape the game to be his basically. I don't care if he or others die, they respawn. The only thing he loses is renown - something he's got plenty of. Maybe after the first 10 or so deaths it would start eating away.
The writing is also fairly cringe. Every time he gets some loot, even if it's a small stat increase Ned is like "hell yeah!". It's just shitty low level loot in every MMO that he'll replace eventually. He also has to apparently read all of the stats out of the piece. It's MUCH better in something like DCC where Carl would say "it had a small stat boost in intelligence, charisma and agility" or something.
The whole ending climax is just ruined because it's all about Ned's ego trip. HE spent heaps of money, HE had the advantage, HE should be number one. "How did I have a 3 day advantage and still get overtaken". Because you wasted so much time doing nothing and making friends with NPCs.
I wonder if he'll end up in a relationship with literally the first girl he talked to...
August 25, 2025
This was a really enjoyable first book in a Series. It isn't often I find both a story and characters that are really engaging, but this has both. The Mechanics of the system he is building are truly making me want to read on.
February 10, 2024
Magnificent!
Absolutely awesome story, loved every minute, and damn, Frank is the axe! Gotta love him! Can’t wait for the next book, time to get downloading!
Absolutely awesome story, loved every minute, and damn, Frank is the axe! Gotta love him! Can’t wait for the next book, time to get downloading!
January 18, 2021
Epic Fantasy LITRPG
This well written novel sees epic fantasy meet Litrpg in a tale of Ned, a rich failure who enters a game, determined to make his mark in this virtual world. Between his personality and people skills, manages to annoy the developer, the entire gaming community and even the talking axe which is supposed to be assisting him.
The sheer scope of the virtual world that the author creates is amazing, stunning both the gamers and the reader. With such scope comes a very long story, clocking in at over 800 pages. The author does an excellent job of managing to keep the reader's attention for so long. This is helped by tight editing The story is error free without any unnecessary parts.
All in all a good start to a new series.
This well written novel sees epic fantasy meet Litrpg in a tale of Ned, a rich failure who enters a game, determined to make his mark in this virtual world. Between his personality and people skills, manages to annoy the developer, the entire gaming community and even the talking axe which is supposed to be assisting him.
The sheer scope of the virtual world that the author creates is amazing, stunning both the gamers and the reader. With such scope comes a very long story, clocking in at over 800 pages. The author does an excellent job of managing to keep the reader's attention for so long. This is helped by tight editing The story is error free without any unnecessary parts.
All in all a good start to a new series.
February 21, 2021
A good Litrpg debut. How often can you actually say that???
It's a real book, not a 100 page dnd run that's 1/3 stat description.
Interesting story, well thought out execution and add the same narrator as Cradle. Awesome!
It's a real book, not a 100 page dnd run that's 1/3 stat description.
Interesting story, well thought out execution and add the same narrator as Cradle. Awesome!
September 24, 2024
The first ever VR game-lit to actually get me invested.
The first half was pretty weak and I would have dropped it but I’m glad I didn’t! The characters who start out with annoying or weak personalities slowly grow on you and make you wanna care about them.
The world building looks like it’s gonna be impressive. I hope only gets better from here.
Definitely give it a shot !
The first half was pretty weak and I would have dropped it but I’m glad I didn’t! The characters who start out with annoying or weak personalities slowly grow on you and make you wanna care about them.
The world building looks like it’s gonna be impressive. I hope only gets better from here.
Definitely give it a shot !
June 17, 2021
Shadeslinger by Kyle Kirrin
Narrated by Travis Baldree
Fun, Fun, FUN! Hooya!!!! Ned Altimer wants to get away from it all, and get a fresh start somewhere. So when Earthblood Online, a vrmmorpg is announced, Ned can hardly wait, in fact he purchases a premium 3 day head start, of which there are a very limited number (Ned ain't short when it comes to "long-green")... in fact he purchases all of 'em, which in turn doesn't do Ned any favors with the "Dev" (the mastermind coder behind the game)!!! But wow 3 perfect days without any competition, and for the price of admission, he also receives a very Snarky AI in the form of a Bearded Axe, who happens to call himself Frank! An AI that immediately tries to keep Ned from making any good decisions about his character build, mostly by omission, leaving out selections that Ned needed to see!
I loved the conversations beyond Ned and Frank! Frank is so damn snarky and antagonistic, while Ned just wants to find his way and have fun in this online game! Frank's manipulations lead Ned to use all of his skills as a negotiator, and some very wily ways to ferret much needed info out of Frank! This gives the tale a very fun, light-hearted touch. And, I haven't even mentioned that there's plenty enough action to keep me happy as a clam!
And look who's narrating this one ... None other than the Awesome Travis Baldree!!! Man, I just love Travis! He's so damn good! 😊👍
So grab the book and see what other tricks the Dev has in store for Ned Altimer...
One of my pet peeves is dialogue tags, especially when I'm listening to audio book... any reader/listener will be able to suss out who's speaking. Too many tags break up an awesome conversation and tend to throw me out of sink with the story... Unfortunately too many good authors haven't figured out yet and use dialogue tags like a crutch... sigh...
I hate the idea of posting fewer ⭐'s on a good book, as I've pointed out that this is a mistake that many authors make, many authors that I even love, but this book seemed particularly egregious...
Narrated by Travis Baldree
Fun, Fun, FUN! Hooya!!!! Ned Altimer wants to get away from it all, and get a fresh start somewhere. So when Earthblood Online, a vrmmorpg is announced, Ned can hardly wait, in fact he purchases a premium 3 day head start, of which there are a very limited number (Ned ain't short when it comes to "long-green")... in fact he purchases all of 'em, which in turn doesn't do Ned any favors with the "Dev" (the mastermind coder behind the game)!!! But wow 3 perfect days without any competition, and for the price of admission, he also receives a very Snarky AI in the form of a Bearded Axe, who happens to call himself Frank! An AI that immediately tries to keep Ned from making any good decisions about his character build, mostly by omission, leaving out selections that Ned needed to see!
I loved the conversations beyond Ned and Frank! Frank is so damn snarky and antagonistic, while Ned just wants to find his way and have fun in this online game! Frank's manipulations lead Ned to use all of his skills as a negotiator, and some very wily ways to ferret much needed info out of Frank! This gives the tale a very fun, light-hearted touch. And, I haven't even mentioned that there's plenty enough action to keep me happy as a clam!
And look who's narrating this one ... None other than the Awesome Travis Baldree!!! Man, I just love Travis! He's so damn good! 😊👍
So grab the book and see what other tricks the Dev has in store for Ned Altimer...
One of my pet peeves is dialogue tags, especially when I'm listening to audio book... any reader/listener will be able to suss out who's speaking. Too many tags break up an awesome conversation and tend to throw me out of sink with the story... Unfortunately too many good authors haven't figured out yet and use dialogue tags like a crutch... sigh...
I hate the idea of posting fewer ⭐'s on a good book, as I've pointed out that this is a mistake that many authors make, many authors that I even love, but this book seemed particularly egregious...
February 5, 2021
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
November 11, 2024
It's 'okay'.
I had to knock some points off for many things that don't pass even the lightest scrutiny. There are many tropes and pitfalls this book falls into if you have read a lot of gamelit or litRPGs. The MC is dying for positive attention and adoration, loves being announced across the game on the leaderboards, but of course because it's a litRPG, almost every decision is made with secrecy in mind.
When I read these kind of books I usually try to predict when the MC will begin to dwell on, then become entirely consumed with hiding their identity. You see it in DotF, even DCC (which I love). Aliases, lies, lies of omission. I know I know, it makes sense in some cases, but it's a terribly agonizing trope to suffer through as a reader, over and over and over.
How it manifests in Shadeslinger, is the MC wants to hide the ownership of his properties, then eventually his merchant status. A merchant who doesn't want to advertise ahahAhaha. So much belaboring and deliberation on these points. Ned craves fame and recognition, because he feels like he failed so badly back in the real world. Yet, we fall into the litRPG trope of 'I'd better keep secrets and hide information/accomplishments because.. that's what you do in litRPG and progression fantasy'
This is a game! You can even log out! Nobody is trapped in this VRMMO. There's no dire stakes. It even has a massive amount of spectators, sponsors and advertisers. You aren't going to be able to keep secrets with viewers, especially with a CEO and board of execs who are openly antagonistic to you! WTF. So stop with the litRPG pitfalls and tropes.
The MC, Ned, and one of the gamers he adventures with, Darling have the same voice. They speak the same. Many of the characters in the book have the same voice. So they have to be given over the top differences to make it obvious they aren't all clones. Frank is probably the most unique among them. He's abrasive and petty, but that's his character. Most everyone else is bland, and has the same speech patterns. House, his private AI IRL, and now basically his gold-farming bot in-game, is given over the top 'I am robot' style dialogue that wouldn't fit at all with even the most basic of LLM's, and House is supposed to be the most advanced in the IRL world. The CEO of the game company was openly drooling to get under the hood of her code. Yes I know they 'dumbed down' House to try and balance her in the game, but the 'I am robot, I do not like to make miniscule speech (small talk) is so insulting. Just take a super basic LLM, and look at how it writes, no need for this sloppy dialogue. Easy peasy.
There are many author mistakes that drove me crazy. Everyone is running around with nameplates over their avatars. No problem. That's most MMO's. But the MC keeps forgetting people's names (because the writer is forgetting they have name plates). Then during action/raid/party scenes, the author will remember they have nameplates because he needs the MC to notice a buff or debuff under it, or to introduce a new NPC or player, etc.
The author has created a world where you can do anything, kill the NPCs and player alike (players respawn) but it's obvious the author has no idea what actual MMO gamers would do to a world like this. MMO players are locusts. Everything that doesn't have invulnerability will be killed and looted. If there's a town guard / punishment system, then the NPCs will be killed by exploits and looted. We are supposed to believe that Ned is going to send his caravans and NPC followers across the world as he heads towards market dominance (by never advertising or promoting, because of litRPG secrecy trope) and they aren't just going to be loot pinatas for hordes of XP and gold hungry players?
Through questing Ned is able to wipe out an entire NPC faction, including removing the ability for players to choose that species anymore. Sounds like a lot of freedom in an evolving MMO, I like it! However, the author doesn't take into account that every other player in the game would have this same agency. A game with this design would be a barren apocalypse world within a week. Look at early Ultima Online for what happens when you try to keep a world that can be changed by the players actions. hahaha. They had to update that so quick in 1997. Even the rabbits couldn't spawn anymore. Everything was killed to extinction. Every tree, every ore spot gathered to zero. All housing spots claimed. The author wants us to believe that design choices like: For 25 extra silver you can purchase additional housing plots beyond your limit.. No. Just no. Any game that has something like this becomes bot town. Every property owned by a few desert princes or a far East bot farm haha. Look at UO again, then Second Life, or Shadowbane. Eve Online is a great example for what happens to large swaths of the game under player rule.
Now this may be what the author intends, but so far there's no way Ned (the MC) can compete with a player imperative like that. He insists on playing solo (like most litRPG or gamelit) and all he has is the waning influence of his IRL fortune, and a 3 day head start in the game.
Which brings me to my last minor gripe, the MC himself. Ned. There are moments where Ned has a believable personality, whether endearing or flawed, but at his core he is very unlikeable. He is untrustworthy, dishonorable, an opportunist, and not ashamed to gaslight. He is fueled and motivated by spite at times, which can be interesting, but he's never consistent, lacks common sense, and keeps making the same mistakes. Sometimes within hours of each other. He is basically spineless, subversive and wheedling. His continuous lies to Darling, and some of her guild are inexplicable. They even had a talk a few times that boiled down to 'Hey, stop lying or omitting info'. Ned agrees, then immediately does it again. Not seeing his own duplicity, then when called out, gaslights or has a rationalization. Which always boils down to "I wanted to or it was easier."
Maybe that's just Ned, and I should accept him. I'd cut a person like that out of my life though, if they weren't tethered by some kind of family bond. So, I don't really want to follow a story about a low morality character. Maybe if Ned were exciting or a truly intriguing villain or anti-hero, but he's just kind of a conniving weasel.
Thanks for reading this far, I know I ramble.
I had to knock some points off for many things that don't pass even the lightest scrutiny. There are many tropes and pitfalls this book falls into if you have read a lot of gamelit or litRPGs. The MC is dying for positive attention and adoration, loves being announced across the game on the leaderboards, but of course because it's a litRPG, almost every decision is made with secrecy in mind.
When I read these kind of books I usually try to predict when the MC will begin to dwell on, then become entirely consumed with hiding their identity. You see it in DotF, even DCC (which I love). Aliases, lies, lies of omission. I know I know, it makes sense in some cases, but it's a terribly agonizing trope to suffer through as a reader, over and over and over.
How it manifests in Shadeslinger, is the MC wants to hide the ownership of his properties, then eventually his merchant status. A merchant who doesn't want to advertise ahahAhaha. So much belaboring and deliberation on these points. Ned craves fame and recognition, because he feels like he failed so badly back in the real world. Yet, we fall into the litRPG trope of 'I'd better keep secrets and hide information/accomplishments because.. that's what you do in litRPG and progression fantasy'
This is a game! You can even log out! Nobody is trapped in this VRMMO. There's no dire stakes. It even has a massive amount of spectators, sponsors and advertisers. You aren't going to be able to keep secrets with viewers, especially with a CEO and board of execs who are openly antagonistic to you! WTF. So stop with the litRPG pitfalls and tropes.
The MC, Ned, and one of the gamers he adventures with, Darling have the same voice. They speak the same. Many of the characters in the book have the same voice. So they have to be given over the top differences to make it obvious they aren't all clones. Frank is probably the most unique among them. He's abrasive and petty, but that's his character. Most everyone else is bland, and has the same speech patterns. House, his private AI IRL, and now basically his gold-farming bot in-game, is given over the top 'I am robot' style dialogue that wouldn't fit at all with even the most basic of LLM's, and House is supposed to be the most advanced in the IRL world. The CEO of the game company was openly drooling to get under the hood of her code. Yes I know they 'dumbed down' House to try and balance her in the game, but the 'I am robot, I do not like to make miniscule speech (small talk) is so insulting. Just take a super basic LLM, and look at how it writes, no need for this sloppy dialogue. Easy peasy.
There are many author mistakes that drove me crazy. Everyone is running around with nameplates over their avatars. No problem. That's most MMO's. But the MC keeps forgetting people's names (because the writer is forgetting they have name plates). Then during action/raid/party scenes, the author will remember they have nameplates because he needs the MC to notice a buff or debuff under it, or to introduce a new NPC or player, etc.
The author has created a world where you can do anything, kill the NPCs and player alike (players respawn) but it's obvious the author has no idea what actual MMO gamers would do to a world like this. MMO players are locusts. Everything that doesn't have invulnerability will be killed and looted. If there's a town guard / punishment system, then the NPCs will be killed by exploits and looted. We are supposed to believe that Ned is going to send his caravans and NPC followers across the world as he heads towards market dominance (by never advertising or promoting, because of litRPG secrecy trope) and they aren't just going to be loot pinatas for hordes of XP and gold hungry players?
Through questing Ned is able to wipe out an entire NPC faction, including removing the ability for players to choose that species anymore. Sounds like a lot of freedom in an evolving MMO, I like it! However, the author doesn't take into account that every other player in the game would have this same agency. A game with this design would be a barren apocalypse world within a week. Look at early Ultima Online for what happens when you try to keep a world that can be changed by the players actions. hahaha. They had to update that so quick in 1997. Even the rabbits couldn't spawn anymore. Everything was killed to extinction. Every tree, every ore spot gathered to zero. All housing spots claimed. The author wants us to believe that design choices like: For 25 extra silver you can purchase additional housing plots beyond your limit.. No. Just no. Any game that has something like this becomes bot town. Every property owned by a few desert princes or a far East bot farm haha. Look at UO again, then Second Life, or Shadowbane. Eve Online is a great example for what happens to large swaths of the game under player rule.
Now this may be what the author intends, but so far there's no way Ned (the MC) can compete with a player imperative like that. He insists on playing solo (like most litRPG or gamelit) and all he has is the waning influence of his IRL fortune, and a 3 day head start in the game.
Which brings me to my last minor gripe, the MC himself. Ned. There are moments where Ned has a believable personality, whether endearing or flawed, but at his core he is very unlikeable. He is untrustworthy, dishonorable, an opportunist, and not ashamed to gaslight. He is fueled and motivated by spite at times, which can be interesting, but he's never consistent, lacks common sense, and keeps making the same mistakes. Sometimes within hours of each other. He is basically spineless, subversive and wheedling. His continuous lies to Darling, and some of her guild are inexplicable. They even had a talk a few times that boiled down to 'Hey, stop lying or omitting info'. Ned agrees, then immediately does it again. Not seeing his own duplicity, then when called out, gaslights or has a rationalization. Which always boils down to "I wanted to or it was easier."
Maybe that's just Ned, and I should accept him. I'd cut a person like that out of my life though, if they weren't tethered by some kind of family bond. So, I don't really want to follow a story about a low morality character. Maybe if Ned were exciting or a truly intriguing villain or anti-hero, but he's just kind of a conniving weasel.
Thanks for reading this far, I know I ramble.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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