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New Era Online #6
Salvation
Insurmountable odds ... hidden powers maneuvering behind the scenes ... all culminating in a final, titanic, clash.
The mighty city of Everance lay in the GreenPiece clan’s path, but as Oren soon discovers, he’s got even bigger obstacles to overcome before reaching his final goal.
The mighty city of Everance lay in the GreenPiece clan’s path, but as Oren soon discovers, he’s got even bigger obstacles to overcome before reaching his final goal.
582 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 19, 2021
528 people are currently reading
377 people want to read
About the author
Shemer Kuznits
18 books858 followers
Shemer has been a fan of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and RPG games since the early 80’s.
In 2016 he started writing his first novel: Life Reset which turned into a 6-book series with its grand finale published in 2021. Each book in the series became an Amazon bestseller.
In 2019 Shemer quit his day job as a software developer to become a full-time author and released his second series: Earth Force, a sci-fi series consisting of a 2-book arc. Shemer hopes to garner enough community awareness and support to start writing the second arc.
As an avid gamer, a D&D dungeon master, and Navy veteran, Shemer has a wealth of life experience to draw on for his writing. His books always include elements of kingdom/settlement development where the protagonist is forced to carve out a new place for themselves in the face of adversity.
Shemer spends his days writing and his nights fighting crime (well, mostly convincing his kids to go to bed, which is very similar).
Shemer also enjoys writing about himself in the third-person and hopes you find his work enjoyable.
To follow-up on news and new releases, please subscribe to the newsletter:
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
January 19, 2021
Fantastic Conclusion
Sheer did it. He wrapped the book up so beautifully that even as we’re a bit sad, you’re still left satisfied. Excellent work, Sir Kuznits - I’ll miss Oren, but what a ride! Thank you for your work - I enjoyed every bit of the journey
Sheer did it. He wrapped the book up so beautifully that even as we’re a bit sad, you’re still left satisfied. Excellent work, Sir Kuznits - I’ll miss Oren, but what a ride! Thank you for your work - I enjoyed every bit of the journey
December 20, 2021
I just finished reading this series. Overall, I enjoyed the it for its adventure. There were enough "unexpected twists" to keep it interesting, and there was some compelling character development with various protagonists, which is a big plus in my eye. The world itself is familiar enough to be relatable while unique enough to be intriguing. I especially appreciate the (to my mind) believable ways that limits were placed on power (and to exploits of game mechanics, etc.) throughout the series. Also, as a long time fan of MMORPGs, I found the "gaming experience" aspect of the story to be very pleasing/attractive/familiar.
At the same time, I found the constant thread of low-grade sexism and gender-based microaggressions to be off-putting. The author's voice comes across like an incel struggling hard to be mature and to not come across as such an incel (keeping in mind I know nothing about the actual author, and am just speaking to how their writing voice sounds). I'm left with the impression that the book perhaps has a specific target audience in mind with a specific mindset about the relationships between men and women, and that this aspect missed the mark with me.
I very much enjoyed investing some time in a genre I hadn't explored before (i.e. litRPG), and I value the experience of having dipped my toe in. Still, I'm not particularly compelled to dig further into the genre for the moment, and I probably won't recommend this particular series or author to others, given my reservations.
At the same time, I found the constant thread of low-grade sexism and gender-based microaggressions to be off-putting. The author's voice comes across like an incel struggling hard to be mature and to not come across as such an incel (keeping in mind I know nothing about the actual author, and am just speaking to how their writing voice sounds). I'm left with the impression that the book perhaps has a specific target audience in mind with a specific mindset about the relationships between men and women, and that this aspect missed the mark with me.
I very much enjoyed investing some time in a genre I hadn't explored before (i.e. litRPG), and I value the experience of having dipped my toe in. Still, I'm not particularly compelled to dig further into the genre for the moment, and I probably won't recommend this particular series or author to others, given my reservations.
February 15, 2021
Very solid for what it is
So this review is only going to be relevant to you if you like litRPG and understand the genre. That is to say I am grading on a severe curve. That’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes I’d much rather read a mediocre book in the style I like than a great book in the style I don’t.
But enough disclaimers! This is a really good entry into the “got sucked into the video game and had to re-create my life” trope. The game mechanics are good. Owen never becomes overpowered to the point where he can just wave his hand and eliminate all his enemies. That means he must continue to hustle and grow to succeed. He also relies on a fairly limited repertoire of skills so again it’s not overstaffed with new gimmicks.
Perhaps most importantly since this is a review of the last book, the author actually brings this to a satisfying resolution. Many of the key characters throughout the first books play roles at the end and all of the work that went into building his community and army is necessary for the pay off at the end. Very solid if you like this kind of book you’ll enjoy Owen’s adventures.
So this review is only going to be relevant to you if you like litRPG and understand the genre. That is to say I am grading on a severe curve. That’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes I’d much rather read a mediocre book in the style I like than a great book in the style I don’t.
But enough disclaimers! This is a really good entry into the “got sucked into the video game and had to re-create my life” trope. The game mechanics are good. Owen never becomes overpowered to the point where he can just wave his hand and eliminate all his enemies. That means he must continue to hustle and grow to succeed. He also relies on a fairly limited repertoire of skills so again it’s not overstaffed with new gimmicks.
Perhaps most importantly since this is a review of the last book, the author actually brings this to a satisfying resolution. Many of the key characters throughout the first books play roles at the end and all of the work that went into building his community and army is necessary for the pay off at the end. Very solid if you like this kind of book you’ll enjoy Owen’s adventures.
March 22, 2021
Perfect ending
The end of the epic series is very satisfying. Lots of clues and lose ends were wrapped up and can honestly say nothing is left amiss. Can't wait to read other NEO universe books.
The end of the epic series is very satisfying. Lots of clues and lose ends were wrapped up and can honestly say nothing is left amiss. Can't wait to read other NEO universe books.
January 27, 2021
The right way
I really enjoyed the whole series, and thank you so much for ending it the way you did. I would have loved more, but if this was going to be the last one, thank you for ending it. So many writers don’t finish the series like they began it. Thank you for not leaving us hanging. I will recommend any of your books and read them all myself too. Thank you and looking forward to your next series..
I really enjoyed the whole series, and thank you so much for ending it the way you did. I would have loved more, but if this was going to be the last one, thank you for ending it. So many writers don’t finish the series like they began it. Thank you for not leaving us hanging. I will recommend any of your books and read them all myself too. Thank you and looking forward to your next series..
June 28, 2021
Wow! What an epic, satisfying ending to a pillar series in the LitRPG genre. This is how you cap off a multi-book series. 👍🏽👍🏽
October 23, 2024
This is a review of the series as a whole rather than just the last book. Overall the series itself is definitely only something to try if you are a fan of litrpg’s. Enjoyable series with some good twists, as well as great character development. The series may start a little slow (like most litrpg’s do) but the most defining factor in me recommending this series is that it keeps getting better and does something a lot of litrpgs fail at….has a great ending! Most litrpgs bite off too much and leave a lot of open un concluded story lines, but i felt happy and contempt at the end.
July 9, 2025
4.25 ⭐️
Series rating - also 4.25 ⭐️
Satisfactory conclusion to an exciting adventure
My favorite installments of the series are in the following order:
• Human Resource (Book 4) - 4.5 ⭐️
• EVP (Book 2) - 4.5 ⭐️
• Conquest (Book 5) - 4.38 ⭐️
The grand finale to Life Reset was gracefully executed. I found ample closure. My primary, but relatively minor, gripe with this volume is that the progression of the plot lacked cohesion. It felt a bit rushed. I would’ve rated this book a 4.5 had it been more fleshed out.
This has been a captivating and gratifying journey. It was well worth the time. Definitely recommend this series to fans of fantasy, especially those that want to try out the LitRPG and/or GameLit subgenres.
Series rating - also 4.25 ⭐️
Satisfactory conclusion to an exciting adventure
My favorite installments of the series are in the following order:
• Human Resource (Book 4) - 4.5 ⭐️
• EVP (Book 2) - 4.5 ⭐️
• Conquest (Book 5) - 4.38 ⭐️
The grand finale to Life Reset was gracefully executed. I found ample closure. My primary, but relatively minor, gripe with this volume is that the progression of the plot lacked cohesion. It felt a bit rushed. I would’ve rated this book a 4.5 had it been more fleshed out.
This has been a captivating and gratifying journey. It was well worth the time. Definitely recommend this series to fans of fantasy, especially those that want to try out the LitRPG and/or GameLit subgenres.
May 14, 2021
A fitting end for both Oren and the series.
November 8, 2021
This was an epic journey and I loved every bit of it!
I will miss Oren and Vic.
I will miss Oren and Vic.
January 17, 2024
Bulldites? 🤔🤭 They are scary af! So much combat! Loved this! What a nice ending to a great series ❤️❤️❤️
March 20, 2025
So good. High stakes without the fate of the actual universe on the line. Makes it a manageable and page turning read. Sometimes, I need the story to end and this ending is fantastic.
July 19, 2021
The end of a saga. This book culminated in a very large battle. It was fitting, the whole series lead up to it. It did mean that the city building, and personal growth got left behind since it was so concentrated on the strategy for that final battle... but it felt like a fitting ending.
February 4, 2024
I wouldn't call this series a waste of time, but also I wouldn't recommend it to most readers. I think a lot of people will walk away feeling unsatisfied, which is always a risk when a series sub-genre dramatically shifts midway through.
While the series is all LitRPG novels, the first book - Life Reset - was a settlement building novel whose driving conflict was survival via resource management. There's almost no fighting to be seen and most of the tense moments were tense discussions or one-on-one conflicts. Salvation is a war book featuring battle after battle with minimal discussions of building or managing anything.
While those elements are still there, Oren - the main character - is no longer the one handling them. He's handed everything off to advisers, so he'll just show up and find out what other people did in his name while he was off doing other things, normally fighting. It's a wildly different feel from that first book and not something that I was excited to read. I don't tend to enjoy war books and those who do may not enjoy settlement building novels, so be sure you're someone who can say "yes" to both before you check this series out.
That's unfortunately far from the only flaw. The second big issue is that a lot of beloved characters just vanish or get relegated to minor appearances as the story moves on. For example, one of my favorite characters in book one was Gooba, an older goblin female whose passion was chemistry, aka making stuff blow up. She's a strong presence in the first two books, but I don't think that she even shows up in this last one which makes me question why she got all that development in the first place. The point of establishing characters is to use them. Don't make the audience love a character and then forget about them!
Along similar lines we have Tikka, Oren's love interest. She's a mighty huntress, but Oren is obsessed with keeping her safe, so instead of her getting promoted to be part of the army, she stays a huntress who remains at home while Oren goes off to war. She makes occasional appearances for Oren to have some cuddles or fade-to-black style sex scenes, but she doesn't really feel like a character anymore because she has nothing meaningful to do. Her character development ended in book two and her narrative importance ended in book three. Which is a shame. It would have been so cool to have her be part of the army since book three mentioned that she was leading hunts and helping the soldiers train. Instead we get random new characters to lead the army.
These new characters are hard to care about because they're mostly underdeveloped. It didn't help that I wasn't invested in the war. While the stakes of the conflict are high, they don't feel high, so it was hard to care about the battles. Especially when it's a video game world where people don't actually die. The only real tension was the reason for the war and it was not done well.
At the end of book three, which is an excellent driving force for a narrative! The problem is that none of the affected players seem all that worried. They're still treating this like a game. A much greater emphasis needed to be placed on The way that the story reads, I'm not sure why everyone was pushing so hard to fight. Nothing felt time sensitive even if people kept saying that it was.
The last major flaw was the lack of payoff for story elements that were set up in earlier books. In book one, I was on the edge of my seat, worried for Oren because the stakes felt so high. As the story goes on, though, it gets more and more video game-y. Yes, a litRPG novel was video-game like, shocking! But book one wasn't like that! Everything felt like it was leading to something because this was an adventure merely set in a video game, not a story about playing a video game. But from book three onward, the stakes are more, "you did the quest, here's your reward, don't worry about consequences."
For example, at the end of book three And I expected to see fallout from that. I expected But nope! That enemy just vanishes from the story, never to be heard from again. That's what I mean by video game-y. It was incredibly disappointing.
My biggest payoff disappointment was how book one hinted that Oren was going to
The final two things I'll mention as potential negatives are:
1. Extremely overused humor. Back in book one and two, there was some occasionally lewd humor, but the later books took it to painful excess. Starting in book three Oren began using golems made of pink balls and the testicular humor just Never Stopped. So many balls jokes! So many! And they were never funny. It felt like we got at least one every chapter, which is absurd and I would be fascinated to know if anyone enjoyed that.
2. Gender based microaggressions. This is another element that didn't bother me early on. Even back in book one, Oren would make the occasional, odd comments about women. Stuff like "I'm never going to understand women." It wasn't great, but it was subtle and there are a lot of important, meaningful female characters in the story, so I ignored it. As the story goes on, though, the weird gender-based comments get more and more common to the point where I noticed - and was bothered by - every one. Especially when they made no sense. For example, there's a scene where the player characters learn that they have access to a major market and all of the female characters immediately run off to go shopping while the guy's stay behind because of course they wouldn't want to upgrade their gear or anything like that, right? Only female players care about things like character builds and magical armor!
I loved book one and thought book two was solid, but given where those books lead, I'm not going to recommend this series. I do think it's good for a litRPG novel because I've yet to really love any of the ones I've tried. But unless you love litRPG, I don't know if this is worth your time.
While the series is all LitRPG novels, the first book - Life Reset - was a settlement building novel whose driving conflict was survival via resource management. There's almost no fighting to be seen and most of the tense moments were tense discussions or one-on-one conflicts. Salvation is a war book featuring battle after battle with minimal discussions of building or managing anything.
While those elements are still there, Oren - the main character - is no longer the one handling them. He's handed everything off to advisers, so he'll just show up and find out what other people did in his name while he was off doing other things, normally fighting. It's a wildly different feel from that first book and not something that I was excited to read. I don't tend to enjoy war books and those who do may not enjoy settlement building novels, so be sure you're someone who can say "yes" to both before you check this series out.
That's unfortunately far from the only flaw. The second big issue is that a lot of beloved characters just vanish or get relegated to minor appearances as the story moves on. For example, one of my favorite characters in book one was Gooba, an older goblin female whose passion was chemistry, aka making stuff blow up. She's a strong presence in the first two books, but I don't think that she even shows up in this last one which makes me question why she got all that development in the first place. The point of establishing characters is to use them. Don't make the audience love a character and then forget about them!
Along similar lines we have Tikka, Oren's love interest. She's a mighty huntress, but Oren is obsessed with keeping her safe, so instead of her getting promoted to be part of the army, she stays a huntress who remains at home while Oren goes off to war. She makes occasional appearances for Oren to have some cuddles or fade-to-black style sex scenes, but she doesn't really feel like a character anymore because she has nothing meaningful to do. Her character development ended in book two and her narrative importance ended in book three. Which is a shame. It would have been so cool to have her be part of the army since book three mentioned that she was leading hunts and helping the soldiers train. Instead we get random new characters to lead the army.
These new characters are hard to care about because they're mostly underdeveloped. It didn't help that I wasn't invested in the war. While the stakes of the conflict are high, they don't feel high, so it was hard to care about the battles. Especially when it's a video game world where people don't actually die. The only real tension was the reason for the war and it was not done well.
At the end of book three, which is an excellent driving force for a narrative! The problem is that none of the affected players seem all that worried. They're still treating this like a game. A much greater emphasis needed to be placed on The way that the story reads, I'm not sure why everyone was pushing so hard to fight. Nothing felt time sensitive even if people kept saying that it was.
The last major flaw was the lack of payoff for story elements that were set up in earlier books. In book one, I was on the edge of my seat, worried for Oren because the stakes felt so high. As the story goes on, though, it gets more and more video game-y. Yes, a litRPG novel was video-game like, shocking! But book one wasn't like that! Everything felt like it was leading to something because this was an adventure merely set in a video game, not a story about playing a video game. But from book three onward, the stakes are more, "you did the quest, here's your reward, don't worry about consequences."
For example, at the end of book three And I expected to see fallout from that. I expected But nope! That enemy just vanishes from the story, never to be heard from again. That's what I mean by video game-y. It was incredibly disappointing.
My biggest payoff disappointment was how book one hinted that Oren was going to
The final two things I'll mention as potential negatives are:
1. Extremely overused humor. Back in book one and two, there was some occasionally lewd humor, but the later books took it to painful excess. Starting in book three Oren began using golems made of pink balls and the testicular humor just Never Stopped. So many balls jokes! So many! And they were never funny. It felt like we got at least one every chapter, which is absurd and I would be fascinated to know if anyone enjoyed that.
2. Gender based microaggressions. This is another element that didn't bother me early on. Even back in book one, Oren would make the occasional, odd comments about women. Stuff like "I'm never going to understand women." It wasn't great, but it was subtle and there are a lot of important, meaningful female characters in the story, so I ignored it. As the story goes on, though, the weird gender-based comments get more and more common to the point where I noticed - and was bothered by - every one. Especially when they made no sense. For example, there's a scene where the player characters learn that they have access to a major market and all of the female characters immediately run off to go shopping while the guy's stay behind because of course they wouldn't want to upgrade their gear or anything like that, right? Only female players care about things like character builds and magical armor!
I loved book one and thought book two was solid, but given where those books lead, I'm not going to recommend this series. I do think it's good for a litRPG novel because I've yet to really love any of the ones I've tried. But unless you love litRPG, I don't know if this is worth your time.
April 5, 2022
Very nice wrap up to an enjoyable series. Although I wasn’t expecting this ending, the conclusion was satisfying. And I highly recommend the audiobook format for this series! Jeff Hays and soundbooth production knocked it out of the park! Well done everyone👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
January 27, 2021
Fantastic series
This was the fantasy-gaming series I never saw coming. After reading all of the best books out there by the biggest names, the first book of Life Reset was supposed to be a palette cleanser read, a silly little story to snack on in between "real books." I had no idea how entranced I would be. I guess the in-depth character-building presented within the story filled my own RPG power-gaming fantasy, because I couldn't put the first book down until I'd finished it. Now, most series start out strong, and then peter-out to a weak ending by book number three. Not so with this series. Each book changed the system and the stakes so that nothing became monotonous, and I stayed interested and engaged through each new novel. Sticking the landing at the end of the series was the final pleasant surprise. I'm happy to think that the few dozen dollars I've spent enjoying this series helped this fantastic writer retire from his previous job and go full-time as a writer.
Do you like Sword Art Online? World of War Warcraft? The Matrix? Then strap yourself in and begin an easy, light-hearted read. You just might find yourself as pleased as I am.
This was the fantasy-gaming series I never saw coming. After reading all of the best books out there by the biggest names, the first book of Life Reset was supposed to be a palette cleanser read, a silly little story to snack on in between "real books." I had no idea how entranced I would be. I guess the in-depth character-building presented within the story filled my own RPG power-gaming fantasy, because I couldn't put the first book down until I'd finished it. Now, most series start out strong, and then peter-out to a weak ending by book number three. Not so with this series. Each book changed the system and the stakes so that nothing became monotonous, and I stayed interested and engaged through each new novel. Sticking the landing at the end of the series was the final pleasant surprise. I'm happy to think that the few dozen dollars I've spent enjoying this series helped this fantastic writer retire from his previous job and go full-time as a writer.
Do you like Sword Art Online? World of War Warcraft? The Matrix? Then strap yourself in and begin an easy, light-hearted read. You just might find yourself as pleased as I am.
February 10, 2021
Stuck the landing!
This last book in the series was really well put together. You can tell a lot of love and editing must have gone into it. There were so many epic battles, satisfying storyline conclusions, and some fun extras thrown in for fun, but it all was juggled much better than most authors manage. The pacing and emotional rises and falls all worked for me, and I honestly got a bit choked up towards the end! I can't tell you the last time an adventure story, especially a LitRPG, was able to do that. Kudos to you, Shemer Kuznits, well done! I'll be following you on Amazon and watching for your next books.
This last book in the series was really well put together. You can tell a lot of love and editing must have gone into it. There were so many epic battles, satisfying storyline conclusions, and some fun extras thrown in for fun, but it all was juggled much better than most authors manage. The pacing and emotional rises and falls all worked for me, and I honestly got a bit choked up towards the end! I can't tell you the last time an adventure story, especially a LitRPG, was able to do that. Kudos to you, Shemer Kuznits, well done! I'll be following you on Amazon and watching for your next books.
January 27, 2021
A great conclusion
Brilliant ending to a fun series. Filled with action, emotion and most importantly, testicular quips.
Sad to learn the series is now over and no more will come, but better to end on a high note then fizzle out.
Brilliant ending to a fun series. Filled with action, emotion and most importantly, testicular quips.
Sad to learn the series is now over and no more will come, but better to end on a high note then fizzle out.
July 28, 2025
Wow, it has been a long wonderful road
I love it, I have been waiting for this book and it did not disappoint, I walked with Oren, and I even cried near the end. This book was amazing, don’t believe me? Read it!
I love it, I have been waiting for this book and it did not disappoint, I walked with Oren, and I even cried near the end. This book was amazing, don’t believe me? Read it!
May 19, 2025
Finally! I can never read another book this author wrote again! I stuck with it, but it’s free. I don’t know why I do this to myself, I must be genuinely bored af.
This book continues with a relentless pace and ridiculously unbalanced fights where every single victory comes down to plot devices. The pace is contrived, still the “save the players” thing that makes no sense. And it’s overcharged for the climax because “MC’s brain is about to explode”. Of course the series of contrived events and plot devices for an unsatisfying and rushed ending culminates with MC sacrificing himself for the players. Awe…
Of course, we need an epilogue to explain he isn’t dead, he’s now downloaded into the game for relative eternity with his fake family. Hooray. Let’s put aside the fact you can’t transfer a consciousness, as we are not software but hardware, and though you could theoretically copy a consciousness, the original one shares the fate of your body. Let’s ignore that commonly misused and lazy science fiction trope. But needing an epilogue to explain what happened? It’s like watching one of those 2000s heist films where we get the montage at the end to explain how it all went down. That’s not storytelling, that’s narration, that’s exposition.
Just the last half bent nail in the coffin for a series that started with potential but squandered in on a silly plot and the author’s penchant for using plot contrivances to add stakes to everything, to rush things without context for tension, and to solve every problem with a plot device. Every. Single. Time.
Imagine instead writing a build series that focuses on building, crafting, leveling, and progression to solve problems, not plot devices and cheap stakes? How much better would this story have been? Especially considering that most of whoever got this far in the series read it because of the building niche?
I think there’s a lot of potential in this sub-genre of progression, and I have yet to see it done in a way that was elevated beyond cheap pulp fun. But I can’t even call this series fun. Frustrating is what I’d call it.
2 out of 10 wouldn’t read again. Can’t recommend.
This book continues with a relentless pace and ridiculously unbalanced fights where every single victory comes down to plot devices. The pace is contrived, still the “save the players” thing that makes no sense. And it’s overcharged for the climax because “MC’s brain is about to explode”. Of course the series of contrived events and plot devices for an unsatisfying and rushed ending culminates with MC sacrificing himself for the players. Awe…
Of course, we need an epilogue to explain he isn’t dead, he’s now downloaded into the game for relative eternity with his fake family. Hooray. Let’s put aside the fact you can’t transfer a consciousness, as we are not software but hardware, and though you could theoretically copy a consciousness, the original one shares the fate of your body. Let’s ignore that commonly misused and lazy science fiction trope. But needing an epilogue to explain what happened? It’s like watching one of those 2000s heist films where we get the montage at the end to explain how it all went down. That’s not storytelling, that’s narration, that’s exposition.
Just the last half bent nail in the coffin for a series that started with potential but squandered in on a silly plot and the author’s penchant for using plot contrivances to add stakes to everything, to rush things without context for tension, and to solve every problem with a plot device. Every. Single. Time.
Imagine instead writing a build series that focuses on building, crafting, leveling, and progression to solve problems, not plot devices and cheap stakes? How much better would this story have been? Especially considering that most of whoever got this far in the series read it because of the building niche?
I think there’s a lot of potential in this sub-genre of progression, and I have yet to see it done in a way that was elevated beyond cheap pulp fun. But I can’t even call this series fun. Frustrating is what I’d call it.
2 out of 10 wouldn’t read again. Can’t recommend.
November 4, 2023
Rating 3.5 stars
I feel bad about that star rating. I don't think the quality of this one changed that much but outside influences led to me not liking it as much. The first problem was that it had been so long since the last book came out. I was starting to get into something a little bit different. The story started off a little bit slow and I didn't get into it that much. A lot of other audiobooks came out at the same time so I put this one aside after I started it and picked up other books. I put it aside for 2 years. Yep. This one has been sitting on my currently reading list for 2 years. I felt bad about that so I forced myself to pick it up again and move it to my Read list. I feel bad about using words like that for this book. This book was fine. The series was good. I am just trying to explain how I was feeling at the time of my reading. Most of my reviews are like that. It isn't how good the book was, but how I was feeling. We don't live our lives in a vacuum. Sometimes the stories affect how we feel (this is what is supposed to happen), and sometimes how we feel will affect how we interact with the story. If I was upset and read a comedy, I might not get as much out of it because of how I felt before I started to read. Sometimes reading something that is opposite to how you feel is a good way to get out of that feeling. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. This book is better than I am giving it credit for, not because of the quality but because of how I felt while reading. I feel bad about the lower review but I have to be honest with how I feel, hence the lower rating.
I feel bad about that star rating. I don't think the quality of this one changed that much but outside influences led to me not liking it as much. The first problem was that it had been so long since the last book came out. I was starting to get into something a little bit different. The story started off a little bit slow and I didn't get into it that much. A lot of other audiobooks came out at the same time so I put this one aside after I started it and picked up other books. I put it aside for 2 years. Yep. This one has been sitting on my currently reading list for 2 years. I felt bad about that so I forced myself to pick it up again and move it to my Read list. I feel bad about using words like that for this book. This book was fine. The series was good. I am just trying to explain how I was feeling at the time of my reading. Most of my reviews are like that. It isn't how good the book was, but how I was feeling. We don't live our lives in a vacuum. Sometimes the stories affect how we feel (this is what is supposed to happen), and sometimes how we feel will affect how we interact with the story. If I was upset and read a comedy, I might not get as much out of it because of how I felt before I started to read. Sometimes reading something that is opposite to how you feel is a good way to get out of that feeling. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. This book is better than I am giving it credit for, not because of the quality but because of how I felt while reading. I feel bad about the lower review but I have to be honest with how I feel, hence the lower rating.
December 29, 2022
I’m a big LitRPG fan, but I’m glad this isn’t the first series I’ve read. I would probably set the genre aside if this was my first experience with it. While the plot was pretty entertaining, the sexism and weird goblin family were very off putting. It really made my skin crawl, and I’m not really a stickler for that sort of thing in general. I don’t know anything about the author, but the story projects a very teenage/inexperienced young man vibe, which excludes a lot of people. I was able to focus on the parts of the book that are relevant to the genre and mostly ignored the rest. I don’t recommend this book for people new to LitRPG fantasy. For those people I would recommend Dungeon Crawler Carl, Iron Prince, Necrotic Apocalypse, Shadeslinger, and Jake’s Magical Market.
This series here is fine for people who are already fans of the genre in general and are willing to overlook some immaturity. The story itself is fun enough.
This series here is fine for people who are already fans of the genre in general and are willing to overlook some immaturity. The story itself is fun enough.
August 11, 2024
This is the final book in a fantasy LitRPG or GameLIT series about an advanced VR system where people play a fantasy MMO game. The protagonist is a guild leader that is betrayed by his clan and he has to start over as a lowly goblin in order to hopefully get his revenge. If is definitely similar to some other fantasy VR series I have read like Singularity Online and Clan Dominance.
For some reason this last book dragged for me and I had to push myself to finish it. It was a solid ending overall though maybe a little predictable. If I was honest with my rating it would probably be 3 stars but I'm giving it more due to the algorithm that does not favor smaller authors.
I'm not sorry I read this series but I'm glad there is not any more of it. I have mostly mixed feelings for this series. It did some things very well and differently but it didn't grab me. I think I prefer LitRPG series where the protagonist is a solo badass rather than a clan chieftain whose focus on building an army. And I also prefer it when death is permanent and you can't respawn so I think these VR video game stories maybe aren't for me.
For some reason this last book dragged for me and I had to push myself to finish it. It was a solid ending overall though maybe a little predictable. If I was honest with my rating it would probably be 3 stars but I'm giving it more due to the algorithm that does not favor smaller authors.
I'm not sorry I read this series but I'm glad there is not any more of it. I have mostly mixed feelings for this series. It did some things very well and differently but it didn't grab me. I think I prefer LitRPG series where the protagonist is a solo badass rather than a clan chieftain whose focus on building an army. And I also prefer it when death is permanent and you can't respawn so I think these VR video game stories maybe aren't for me.
March 4, 2021
Engaging read with satisfying conclusion
I enjoyed this series through and through. Unlike many litRPG series that seem to dribble off into interminable sequels, the story arc here was clear. The characters are written with enough personality that I genuinely felt for many of them. The writing is generally strong and the point-of-view characters each have a unique voice.
One critique I’d offer is that The wife and daughter of the hero were, unfortunately, some of the flatter characters. This is the author’s first series, but he slips into making wonderful ideal woman (though thankfully not over-sexualized) whose lack of flaws make them less real. He does a better job with the protagonist’s niece, who is one of the best developed characters with her own development arc.
That critique aside, I recommend this series to anyone looking for legitimately good writing and world building. Thanks for a great series! I look forward to reading more from him.
I enjoyed this series through and through. Unlike many litRPG series that seem to dribble off into interminable sequels, the story arc here was clear. The characters are written with enough personality that I genuinely felt for many of them. The writing is generally strong and the point-of-view characters each have a unique voice.
One critique I’d offer is that The wife and daughter of the hero were, unfortunately, some of the flatter characters. This is the author’s first series, but he slips into making wonderful ideal woman (though thankfully not over-sexualized) whose lack of flaws make them less real. He does a better job with the protagonist’s niece, who is one of the best developed characters with her own development arc.
That critique aside, I recommend this series to anyone looking for legitimately good writing and world building. Thanks for a great series! I look forward to reading more from him.
March 7, 2021
I got chills from this last book! Heart tugging finale ties up the series!
It was a wild, harrowing journey through the world of NEO for Oren. No one could predict that ending and it tugged at my emotions, definitely a great ending.
Throughout Oren’s adventures and quest to save the players, he pushed ahead at every instance driven to save the players trapped in the game world. Little did he know that they were all pawns in a much greater game.
One final climatic battle, a few series close calls and some surprises from both sides of the battle as the VIs pit their strategic skills a(and an army of stone giants) against the players grand strategist and the combined forces of the Greenpiece clan and their vassal cities. And that’s just to get to the entrance of the cave they need.
An exciting well written conclusion to a great series!!
It was a wild, harrowing journey through the world of NEO for Oren. No one could predict that ending and it tugged at my emotions, definitely a great ending.
Throughout Oren’s adventures and quest to save the players, he pushed ahead at every instance driven to save the players trapped in the game world. Little did he know that they were all pawns in a much greater game.
One final climatic battle, a few series close calls and some surprises from both sides of the battle as the VIs pit their strategic skills a(and an army of stone giants) against the players grand strategist and the combined forces of the Greenpiece clan and their vassal cities. And that’s just to get to the entrance of the cave they need.
An exciting well written conclusion to a great series!!
September 14, 2021
Heart pounding action inside and out!
A high stakes ending if a little predictable and yet at the same time unseen. I am so glad that they just couldn’t be seen and the battles were amazing with the fighters growing so much and far more strength being given back to the players as the book went on. It was such a power levelling series which kept me hooked! All the characters grew so much within the game and the ball just seemed to continuously pick up pace. I am very much looking forward to seeing how it goes from here and the world changes in itself. A heart twisting ending in so many ways and thank you for not just doing a because I can ending without backing up the full logic.
A high stakes ending if a little predictable and yet at the same time unseen. I am so glad that they just couldn’t be seen and the battles were amazing with the fighters growing so much and far more strength being given back to the players as the book went on. It was such a power levelling series which kept me hooked! All the characters grew so much within the game and the ball just seemed to continuously pick up pace. I am very much looking forward to seeing how it goes from here and the world changes in itself. A heart twisting ending in so many ways and thank you for not just doing a because I can ending without backing up the full logic.
April 23, 2022
Ok I admit it, this author was the first time I’ve ever signed up to a newsletter because I just needed to know when the next book was coming out. The perfect book for someone wanting to dip their toe into the world of LitRPG books, this one has levelling, crafting, special powers, bad guys to hate and a foreboding worry that the MC’s world is going to crash down around them at any point. I listened to the first book in the series while in the car going to a meeting and it ruined my day that I had to leave it behind to deal with boring work.
This year I finished the series with the last book and it was wrapped up rather well though it was a bit of a bitter pill for me to swallow. I didn’t want it to end.
This year I finished the series with the last book and it was wrapped up rather well though it was a bit of a bitter pill for me to swallow. I didn’t want it to end.
February 4, 2025
All I can really say about the end of this book is…meh.
This was by far my least favorite book of the series, and the overall conclusion of the series was predictable and quite lackluster.
I was hoping that the path the last 3 books were laying out wouldn’t come true, but it does and it is a very unsatisfying ending to the series. The first 3 books were great and fun to read, the last three were a shadow of those that came before. It is hard to keep a six book series going at the same level, and that’s what happened here, it just fell apart for me.
The VI aspects were upsetting and ungood, the real world issues were annoying intrusions to the story, and the setting was changed in a way that made the story feel more dystopian than I was looking for.
This was by far my least favorite book of the series, and the overall conclusion of the series was predictable and quite lackluster.
I was hoping that the path the last 3 books were laying out wouldn’t come true, but it does and it is a very unsatisfying ending to the series. The first 3 books were great and fun to read, the last three were a shadow of those that came before. It is hard to keep a six book series going at the same level, and that’s what happened here, it just fell apart for me.
The VI aspects were upsetting and ungood, the real world issues were annoying intrusions to the story, and the setting was changed in a way that made the story feel more dystopian than I was looking for.
March 4, 2021
This late into the series you can't expect too much of course. Things are slowing down, there's hardly room for new mechanics, concepts or characters. Also the sense of accomplishment is of course diminishing since most things have been - well, accomplished.
Yet, the book has to stand out on its own. Unfortunately all the weaknesses were beginning to heavily show. In the past you could skip over the stereotypical segments that get repeated every few chapters (e.g. "We log you out" - "No, I have to go back into the game." or the weird goblin family aspects), but in this book they comprise major parts of the plot.
What stood out were also the major battles, which somehow were described in a very bland and boring way. More like sports commentary, but made by someone who's not familiar with the sport. Imagine if Tolkien had described his epic battles like Kuznits, yikes.
Yet, the book has to stand out on its own. Unfortunately all the weaknesses were beginning to heavily show. In the past you could skip over the stereotypical segments that get repeated every few chapters (e.g. "We log you out" - "No, I have to go back into the game." or the weird goblin family aspects), but in this book they comprise major parts of the plot.
What stood out were also the major battles, which somehow were described in a very bland and boring way. More like sports commentary, but made by someone who's not familiar with the sport. Imagine if Tolkien had described his epic battles like Kuznits, yikes.
January 15, 2022
Epic ending to a very well written series. The characters grew, all of them had a satisfying closure to their arc. The final battle was full of grand moments and had the most epic fight of them all. And the finish was not what I expected--but totally fulfilled the promises made by the series.
As a bonus, the production value of this series grew along the way. Book 1 had a single narrator. We eventually added one more, then multiple narrators for different characters, sound effects and even a dramatic score (which was actually quite good). If you like this genre, highly recommend reading this series and doing so in audio format.
As a bonus, the production value of this series grew along the way. Book 1 had a single narrator. We eventually added one more, then multiple narrators for different characters, sound effects and even a dramatic score (which was actually quite good). If you like this genre, highly recommend reading this series and doing so in audio format.
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