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Systems of the Apocalypse #2
Apocalypse: Fairy System
After Jebediah Trapper completed the Impossible Tutorial (by cheating), The vet's been in something of a slump, his PTSD gradually guiding him down the path of self harm. Crippled, stripped of his power and homeless, he's got no reason to keep breathing.
Until a little girl is in trouble.
Until a little girl is in trouble.
520 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2021
About the author
Macronomicon
21 books295 followersI could tell you that the author is a middle class, middle age white dude with a generic wife and a generic pet who lives somewhere vaguely rural...but aren't they all?
F%$! that noise! There are Author Bios and then there's Mythos.
Welcome to the Mythos of Macronomicon.
Macronomicon is almost three years old now, hatched on the open-mic writing website Royal Road. The pen name burst from the cocoon of blissful ignorance and deposited his first humble contribution into the world of writing, tired and sticky, yet satisfied. Content in the knowledge his work would be warmly received by thousands of potential fans, and more importantly...friends.
The first comment was, "Can you, I don't know, make the main character less stupid?"
That was sobering.
Macronomicon has no actual weight, because he is a pen name, and while his existence is ephemeral, he does have a presence, often stalking the back-channels of Discord like a novelty vampire, waiting to suck nourishing creativity out of unfortunate* fans.
Macronomicon has a talent for brainstorming and stringing together disparate ideas into a cohesive story. That talent has been strengthened and built upon to form the foundation of his writing career. He once outlined the plot (quality notwithstanding) of an entire book from start to finish in a tiny room with nothing but Cheerios, beef jerky, Pepsi and B.O.**
If you wish to hunt for the elusive Macronomicon, you may find him at Royal Road, where he began, or Patreon, where he works*** at distilling new stories from a raw, chunky slurry of ideas.
*Or fortunate, depending on your point of view. The sucking is consensual.
**Quality of B.O. also notwithstanding.
*** Working is subjective.
F%$! that noise! There are Author Bios and then there's Mythos.
Welcome to the Mythos of Macronomicon.
Macronomicon is almost three years old now, hatched on the open-mic writing website Royal Road. The pen name burst from the cocoon of blissful ignorance and deposited his first humble contribution into the world of writing, tired and sticky, yet satisfied. Content in the knowledge his work would be warmly received by thousands of potential fans, and more importantly...friends.
The first comment was, "Can you, I don't know, make the main character less stupid?"
That was sobering.
Macronomicon has no actual weight, because he is a pen name, and while his existence is ephemeral, he does have a presence, often stalking the back-channels of Discord like a novelty vampire, waiting to suck nourishing creativity out of unfortunate* fans.
Macronomicon has a talent for brainstorming and stringing together disparate ideas into a cohesive story. That talent has been strengthened and built upon to form the foundation of his writing career. He once outlined the plot (quality notwithstanding) of an entire book from start to finish in a tiny room with nothing but Cheerios, beef jerky, Pepsi and B.O.**
If you wish to hunt for the elusive Macronomicon, you may find him at Royal Road, where he began, or Patreon, where he works*** at distilling new stories from a raw, chunky slurry of ideas.
*Or fortunate, depending on your point of view. The sucking is consensual.
**Quality of B.O. also notwithstanding.
*** Working is subjective.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
April 23, 2021
Unfortunately didn’t live up to the first book.
I really like most of the first book and was hoping to get more of that. But we are stuck with a new system that I just couldn’t get behind. Will continue to read since it’s fun but will most likely never be a favorite series of mine.
I really like most of the first book and was hoping to get more of that. But we are stuck with a new system that I just couldn’t get behind. Will continue to read since it’s fun but will most likely never be a favorite series of mine.
April 10, 2022
One of the most convoluted magic systems I have ever read. Hey convoluted can be good sometimes in this case not so much. The rock, thread, light, gas, wave, 5th dimension fate magic gets tough to swallow. In theory it makes sense, people gain more power by stealing the fate of others. But this also gives the tone of the book a gloomy and depressing feel.
This book is also boring because the protagonist has to get back to everything he lost in book 1. Which isn’t nearly as fun the second go around. He is weak again. He gets worked over pretty hard again and by the end your at a the same place you left book one. Perverted way the protagonist gets his foot back. So you tell me why I needed book 1?
The apocalyptic fantasy as world is not nearly as interesting as the 1st books pocket world. Sprinkle in world references like LA so you have the plot lines that might make sense to a reader. Then throw in some jibber-jabber about unleaded lens and glitter-ball lens to give the protagonist a way to keep it urban fantasy like. It’s like the author set out to write a book that could honestly be included in every genre possible.
After all that the main point is to get ahead in the world you need to be a jerk and level up. Or what’s worse the story revolves around a very complicated way of stealing other peoples future whether that be their lives or screwing them over on a deal. Of courses the protagonist is slightly different but not really. He is a classic case of anti-hero. The author also conveniently leaves out how much experience protagonist can get from his deals so he can level up the character as he sees fit with no real explanation. Which sucks the fun out of the book.
Kill innocence level up.
Screw over people with deals, level up.
This isn’t some perverted view of capitalism, rather a bastardized version of a demonic soul stealing scheme. Granted with a cute fairy as a mascot and a Sesame Street big bird look alike as the emperor.
Honestly I don’t know why I wanted to spend my time reading about this hell? It wasn’t fun. I didn’t wake up excited to read it. I just continued on mindless slog.
Good luck to anyone who continues on.
This book is also boring because the protagonist has to get back to everything he lost in book 1. Which isn’t nearly as fun the second go around. He is weak again. He gets worked over pretty hard again and by the end your at a the same place you left book one. Perverted way the protagonist gets his foot back. So you tell me why I needed book 1?
The apocalyptic fantasy as world is not nearly as interesting as the 1st books pocket world. Sprinkle in world references like LA so you have the plot lines that might make sense to a reader. Then throw in some jibber-jabber about unleaded lens and glitter-ball lens to give the protagonist a way to keep it urban fantasy like. It’s like the author set out to write a book that could honestly be included in every genre possible.
After all that the main point is to get ahead in the world you need to be a jerk and level up. Or what’s worse the story revolves around a very complicated way of stealing other peoples future whether that be their lives or screwing them over on a deal. Of courses the protagonist is slightly different but not really. He is a classic case of anti-hero. The author also conveniently leaves out how much experience protagonist can get from his deals so he can level up the character as he sees fit with no real explanation. Which sucks the fun out of the book.
Kill innocence level up.
Screw over people with deals, level up.
This isn’t some perverted view of capitalism, rather a bastardized version of a demonic soul stealing scheme. Granted with a cute fairy as a mascot and a Sesame Street big bird look alike as the emperor.
Honestly I don’t know why I wanted to spend my time reading about this hell? It wasn’t fun. I didn’t wake up excited to read it. I just continued on mindless slog.
Good luck to anyone who continues on.
April 23, 2022
This was such a setback for Jeb. The God's are so spiteful just 'cause he beat them at their own game. Luckily Jeb’s a smart guy and despite his limited abilities, he still kicks arse!
April 2, 2021
Let me start by saying that book 2 is dramatically and diametrically different than book 1. For those that remember, book 1 was full of violent, non-stop action as Jeb leads the group through the impossible challenge.
If you're expecting this book to be like that the first one, you'll be disappointed. Book 2 takes us to a post-apocalyptic wasteland where the worlds--including Earth--have been stitched together, creating a chaotic landscape of the familiar and unfamiliar. The book starts with a western feel, as peg-leg Jeb tries to understand and then grow in this new landscape.
Of course, he is hindered because the system is considering him for expulsion. He does make gains by being ingenious against overwhelming odds, and the addition of a fairy (I don't remember how he got the fairy, but he's got one) helps him make deals that reminded me of Fostering Faust to help him grow.
Because of one of those deals, he is sent/forced to go on a road trip to LA/alien city. I'd forgotten about the lenses, and while not a lot of time is spent on them, he ends up with quite a few and finds even more. I'm looking forward to seeing more crafting done with lenses in book 3.
In LA/alien city, he needs to find a child reaper. That is the basis of the rest of the story, and while it's fine, it seems like something he would do in book 2 or 3 after increasing his strength a lot more. Remember, the guy doesn't have any levels yet, although he does have some of the statistics. To take on the people he does seems pretty amazing for a guy without a level.
I liked the book, and the difference isn't so jarring since I read the first book last year. Despite this, it took me until the 10% mark until I started to get the hang of book 2. That's how different they are.
I'm giving this four stars because the child reaper story is a stretch too far for a peg leg guy without levels IMO. Other than that, I'm looking forward to where the author takes book 3.
4/5*
If you're expecting this book to be like that the first one, you'll be disappointed. Book 2 takes us to a post-apocalyptic wasteland where the worlds--including Earth--have been stitched together, creating a chaotic landscape of the familiar and unfamiliar. The book starts with a western feel, as peg-leg Jeb tries to understand and then grow in this new landscape.
Of course, he is hindered because the system is considering him for expulsion. He does make gains by being ingenious against overwhelming odds, and the addition of a fairy (I don't remember how he got the fairy, but he's got one) helps him make deals that reminded me of Fostering Faust to help him grow.
Because of one of those deals, he is sent/forced to go on a road trip to LA/alien city. I'd forgotten about the lenses, and while not a lot of time is spent on them, he ends up with quite a few and finds even more. I'm looking forward to seeing more crafting done with lenses in book 3.
In LA/alien city, he needs to find a child reaper. That is the basis of the rest of the story, and while it's fine, it seems like something he would do in book 2 or 3 after increasing his strength a lot more. Remember, the guy doesn't have any levels yet, although he does have some of the statistics. To take on the people he does seems pretty amazing for a guy without a level.
I liked the book, and the difference isn't so jarring since I read the first book last year. Despite this, it took me until the 10% mark until I started to get the hang of book 2. That's how different they are.
I'm giving this four stars because the child reaper story is a stretch too far for a peg leg guy without levels IMO. Other than that, I'm looking forward to where the author takes book 3.
4/5*
August 31, 2021
Plot armour
A downgrade in every way from the first novel, terrible battles revolting around plot armour as the MC flounders from one dumb move to another. All the side characters are worse and less developed.
The only thing that really remains is the slapstick comedy. Which gets doubled down on in this one, which for me isn’t enough to carry this plot armour filled mess. From what I’ve read the third book just goes even further in that direction, making me unlikely to read this authors work any further.
A downgrade in every way from the first novel, terrible battles revolting around plot armour as the MC flounders from one dumb move to another. All the side characters are worse and less developed.
The only thing that really remains is the slapstick comedy. Which gets doubled down on in this one, which for me isn’t enough to carry this plot armour filled mess. From what I’ve read the third book just goes even further in that direction, making me unlikely to read this authors work any further.
July 18, 2021
I always hesitate to read books with fairies these days, because I'm not a fan of the whole fae thing, (I.E. someone enters a gateway, gets pulled into the realm of fae, finds out time passes differently there, then (at some far future point), that person may or may not escape the fae realm, to be dumped back into the "real world" After reading half a dozen (or so) of those kinds of stories, they no longer appeal to me, and I actively avoid such stories. Seeing this one had fairies in it, I was concerned it'd be the same type of deal, but having read the first one in the series, I was sincerely hoping that would not be the case. Thankfully, it wasn't.
The story was amusing in places,, though nothing made me laugh out loud. It wasn't a bad story, and while it was much better than I expected, I think it would benefit from (slightly) more explanations of some features of the story. I.E. The fairies are not well liked in the world, though why this is was barely hinted at, and humans were not well liked either, though this was never addressed, other than to hand wave and brush it all away, claiming humans are boring and lazy. I'd hardly think that's grounds to claim an entire race is unlikable, but whatever.
The main character is interesting, and while his circumstances appear to be unique, most of the story revolves around him working to grow in the system, even though he doesn't have the system. (yeah, I thought that odd too).
Overall though, the story isn't a bad one, and most folks will probably like it well enough.
The story was amusing in places,, though nothing made me laugh out loud. It wasn't a bad story, and while it was much better than I expected, I think it would benefit from (slightly) more explanations of some features of the story. I.E. The fairies are not well liked in the world, though why this is was barely hinted at, and humans were not well liked either, though this was never addressed, other than to hand wave and brush it all away, claiming humans are boring and lazy. I'd hardly think that's grounds to claim an entire race is unlikable, but whatever.
The main character is interesting, and while his circumstances appear to be unique, most of the story revolves around him working to grow in the system, even though he doesn't have the system. (yeah, I thought that odd too).
Overall though, the story isn't a bad one, and most folks will probably like it well enough.
November 24, 2021
At first I didn’t like this book. It was extremely annoying how the MC’s powers from the blood, sweat and tears in his struggles through the ‘impossible’ trial were taken away from him…. Just like that. I only recently continued this story with the release of the audiobook. I’m glad that I picked this up again though.
The author used this book to expand on the world’s post-apocalyptic state and how humans are adapting to the integration of the system and the introduction of diverse alien species. The MC spent the whole book being underpowered but slowly gaining his strength back. He still didn’t reach his old level but the comic relief from the antics of SmartAss the fairy made it bearable. Overall it was a nice read, and more characters were introduced. As expected from Macronomicon, I was thoroughly entertained and the narrative performance of Steve Campbell was top class.
The author used this book to expand on the world’s post-apocalyptic state and how humans are adapting to the integration of the system and the introduction of diverse alien species. The MC spent the whole book being underpowered but slowly gaining his strength back. He still didn’t reach his old level but the comic relief from the antics of SmartAss the fairy made it bearable. Overall it was a nice read, and more characters were introduced. As expected from Macronomicon, I was thoroughly entertained and the narrative performance of Steve Campbell was top class.
March 31, 2021
Diabolical
A bit of a tough start, as I wasn’t entirely sure it was the same MC as the first book (it is). He struggles *hard* to keep moving forward, and only survives by planning ahead...and improvising wildly at the last moment.
A few moments of humor, but there is a grim mystery driving the story. The MC is chasing someone who is killing children...and then you find out why and it is *so* dark. And then you get the epilogue and oh man there is some crazy stuff going on.
Yeah, this is the good stuff.
A bit of a tough start, as I wasn’t entirely sure it was the same MC as the first book (it is). He struggles *hard* to keep moving forward, and only survives by planning ahead...and improvising wildly at the last moment.
A few moments of humor, but there is a grim mystery driving the story. The MC is chasing someone who is killing children...and then you find out why and it is *so* dark. And then you get the epilogue and oh man there is some crazy stuff going on.
Yeah, this is the good stuff.
June 4, 2021
So we read book one and I believe we can all agree that Jeb’s powers were interesting and it was great to see him get stronger through out the tutorial. Well book 2 wipes it all away, all the progression the MC achieved is reset, in other words if you are reading this for the progression of the MC then don’t because you’ll be disappointed. He starts back at lvl 1 and he can no longer level by fighting but by making deals instead, which is super interesting except you no longer have a badass Mc instead you have a magical fairy lawyer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2021
Book two
Mistakes: Very well written and a lot of fun!
Plot: Our hero is back, but stripped of his power! How will he be able to go toe to toe with a group that is targeting children?
Characters: One of my favorites!
10/10
Mistakes: Very well written and a lot of fun!
Plot: Our hero is back, but stripped of his power! How will he be able to go toe to toe with a group that is targeting children?
Characters: One of my favorites!
10/10
August 8, 2024
While it is nice that more and more authors' works can get to us via Royal Roads, I am getting a bit tired of "poor people have no hope". In this episode, non-citizen do not have rights and can be mistreated up to and including death but not if you do it wrong. I don't really understand the difference but I don't think the author does either. It looks like this series is all about how mean rich or powerful people are to the poor while each book explores a different system of magical power. To make matters worse, the book isn't even enjoyable. No sense of growth. No lessons learned. Nothing was built on from the prior book and I doubt anything will follow to the next book. I will give the third book a chance, but not much of one.
October 26, 2023
Apocalypse: Dungeon System by Macronomicon is the third book in the Systems of the Apocalypse series, and it continues the story of Jeb, a human who has been transported to an alien world and granted a dungeon system. In this book, Jeb must defend his orphanage from a group of human extremists, while also trying to learn more about his dungeon system and the world around him.
Critical Review
The book has a number of strengths. The worldbuilding is interesting and well-developed, with a variety of different alien races and cultures. The magic system is also unique and innovative, and the dungeon system itself is a fun and interesting mechanic. The characters are also well-developed and likable, and the relationships between them are well-written.
However, the book also has some weaknesses. The pacing is slow at times, and there are a number of subplots that don't really go anywhere. The plot also becomes somewhat convoluted at times, and it can be difficult to keep track of everything that's happening. Additionally, the author has a tendency to use expository dumps to explain the worldbuilding and magic system, which can be jarring at times.
Comparison to Contemporaries
Apocalypse: Dungeon System is comparable to other litRPG novels such as Solo Leveling and The Way of the Shaman. It shares many of the same elements, such as a focus on character growth and progression, a variety of different monsters and enemies, and a unique and innovative magic system.
However, Apocalypse: Dungeon System also stands out from its contemporaries in a number of ways. First, the worldbuilding is much more complex and developed than in many other litRPG novels. Second, the magic system is more unique and innovative. Third, the characters are more well-developed and likable.
Overall Review
Apocalypse: Dungeon System is a good litRPG novel with a number of strengths, including interesting worldbuilding, a unique and innovative magic system, and well-developed and likable characters. However, the pacing is slow at times, the plot can be convoluted, and the author has a tendency to use expository dumps.
Critical Review
The book has a number of strengths. The worldbuilding is interesting and well-developed, with a variety of different alien races and cultures. The magic system is also unique and innovative, and the dungeon system itself is a fun and interesting mechanic. The characters are also well-developed and likable, and the relationships between them are well-written.
However, the book also has some weaknesses. The pacing is slow at times, and there are a number of subplots that don't really go anywhere. The plot also becomes somewhat convoluted at times, and it can be difficult to keep track of everything that's happening. Additionally, the author has a tendency to use expository dumps to explain the worldbuilding and magic system, which can be jarring at times.
Comparison to Contemporaries
Apocalypse: Dungeon System is comparable to other litRPG novels such as Solo Leveling and The Way of the Shaman. It shares many of the same elements, such as a focus on character growth and progression, a variety of different monsters and enemies, and a unique and innovative magic system.
However, Apocalypse: Dungeon System also stands out from its contemporaries in a number of ways. First, the worldbuilding is much more complex and developed than in many other litRPG novels. Second, the magic system is more unique and innovative. Third, the characters are more well-developed and likable.
Overall Review
Apocalypse: Dungeon System is a good litRPG novel with a number of strengths, including interesting worldbuilding, a unique and innovative magic system, and well-developed and likable characters. However, the pacing is slow at times, the plot can be convoluted, and the author has a tendency to use expository dumps.
March 11, 2023
This book only gets its 3rd star because I don't want my biases and the manner in which I read this to taint the rating for this book. Truth be told, I didn't enjoy this book much, and a lot of that was because of how the last book ended.
The decision to at the end of the last book seriously rubbed me the wrong way. It made me feel like the entire novel had been for nothing and that we were now starting over from scratch. It bothered me so much that even though I already had the next book in the series, I struggled to get into it and put it aside to read when I had a bit of distance from the first book.
It turns out I never fancied picking it up until over a year and a half had passed and even now the ending of the last book gets in the way. This book is so different to what I remember from the first book that I just struggled to get into it. It's not nearly as fun, nor unique, as what was given to us in the first novel. It felt like the author had abandoned all the great set-up done in the first book in favour of writing a much more generic story that really wasn't that interesting.
I am willing to admit that a lot of my dislike might come from the large gap between novels and my own personal biases, hence the extra star in this review, but on a more objective note, this book didn't flow nearly as well as the first book. The story that was introduced there, one of survival and power progression in a system apocalypse had high stakes and constantly gripping. This story on the other hand felt much smaller and didn't seem to have much to do with progressing that overarching story in the first book. It felt like a standalone adventure and ultimately was forgettable.
I won't be reading the next book in the series because at the end of reading this book, I am struggling to find anything I care enough about to make me want to read it. This is a shame because the first book had so much promise.
The decision to at the end of the last book seriously rubbed me the wrong way. It made me feel like the entire novel had been for nothing and that we were now starting over from scratch. It bothered me so much that even though I already had the next book in the series, I struggled to get into it and put it aside to read when I had a bit of distance from the first book.
It turns out I never fancied picking it up until over a year and a half had passed and even now the ending of the last book gets in the way. This book is so different to what I remember from the first book that I just struggled to get into it. It's not nearly as fun, nor unique, as what was given to us in the first novel. It felt like the author had abandoned all the great set-up done in the first book in favour of writing a much more generic story that really wasn't that interesting.
I am willing to admit that a lot of my dislike might come from the large gap between novels and my own personal biases, hence the extra star in this review, but on a more objective note, this book didn't flow nearly as well as the first book. The story that was introduced there, one of survival and power progression in a system apocalypse had high stakes and constantly gripping. This story on the other hand felt much smaller and didn't seem to have much to do with progressing that overarching story in the first book. It felt like a standalone adventure and ultimately was forgettable.
I won't be reading the next book in the series because at the end of reading this book, I am struggling to find anything I care enough about to make me want to read it. This is a shame because the first book had so much promise.
July 19, 2021
I recently learned about this book, after I finished the first book dove into the sequel.
It is one of the hidden gems among Litrpg for many reasons. It doesn't follow the dumb Hero trope where everything has to be spelled out to him and still he acts shocked when any evil character does something so obvious I feel like punching the book. The hero and the characters have good sense to understand what's around them and not bumbling fools. It is fast paced, good structure in writing. The author does justice in explaining the realism of characters, how people would behave. The story arc from book 1 to book 2 has continuity but don't expect the same, and why would you expect the same it wouldn't surprise or give the sense of adventure while reading if you expect the same old path in all books. You should be happy to learn about new things coming up as the story weaves it's magic around you.
***Spoilers***
Jeb is not OP he is a beggar! With a foot missing. That's just the beginning though...You would definitely love it, if you like the hero using his brain cells to think and work out the solutions. The best part is Jeb behaves like someone who can actually "think" and react like a normal human being rather than some dumb prick who doesn't know what's in front of his eyes. Or forgets a threat from a villain after he faces another fight, Jeb actually accounts for previous actions and misfortunes to come up with creative solutions. If you know that's gonna happen Jeb knows it too, so it's really refreshing to not be frustrated by stupid actions. Actually there is loads of funny situations in the book, from low-key humor to full on murderhobo (gallows) humour.
I am surprised this isn't in audiobook yet. Please read and support the author if you can.
It is one of the hidden gems among Litrpg for many reasons. It doesn't follow the dumb Hero trope where everything has to be spelled out to him and still he acts shocked when any evil character does something so obvious I feel like punching the book. The hero and the characters have good sense to understand what's around them and not bumbling fools. It is fast paced, good structure in writing. The author does justice in explaining the realism of characters, how people would behave. The story arc from book 1 to book 2 has continuity but don't expect the same, and why would you expect the same it wouldn't surprise or give the sense of adventure while reading if you expect the same old path in all books. You should be happy to learn about new things coming up as the story weaves it's magic around you.
***Spoilers***
Jeb is not OP he is a beggar! With a foot missing. That's just the beginning though...You would definitely love it, if you like the hero using his brain cells to think and work out the solutions. The best part is Jeb behaves like someone who can actually "think" and react like a normal human being rather than some dumb prick who doesn't know what's in front of his eyes. Or forgets a threat from a villain after he faces another fight, Jeb actually accounts for previous actions and misfortunes to come up with creative solutions. If you know that's gonna happen Jeb knows it too, so it's really refreshing to not be frustrated by stupid actions. Actually there is loads of funny situations in the book, from low-key humor to full on murderhobo (gallows) humour.
I am surprised this isn't in audiobook yet. Please read and support the author if you can.
April 18, 2021
First, LOOK AT THAT COVER! Smartass is one of my favorite characters, and the cover is amazing! Love it!
The second book of the series takes place a few months after the end of the first one. Jeb is homeless (mostly by choice due to his PTSD), extremely low level in a world full of enhanced beings, and broke. He is the lowest of the low, and working his way up is handicapped by being eliminated from The System. So he has to find a workaround.
This is Jeb, so of course he does. With the help of his friend Smartass, Jeb starts to learn a new way of leveling up.
Jeb ends up with a new mission, and a new lease on life. Where the first book is straightforward, going from A to B to C with the plot, this one is a bit more meandering. We learn about the new world that Jeb, and what's left of humanity, now lives in. We also learn about the other people who are a part of The System.
I like that this was more of a post-apocalyptic book than the first one. It has a different feel, and I like seeing different areas of the world. The plot takes a while to pick up, but the shenanigans of the first part was fun.
Finally, the plot ties up at the end, but the last chapter gives a tantalizing peek into what's going to happen in the next book. Some readers might hate that, especially since the third book isn't out yet. I'm looking forward to the next one.
The second book of the series takes place a few months after the end of the first one. Jeb is homeless (mostly by choice due to his PTSD), extremely low level in a world full of enhanced beings, and broke. He is the lowest of the low, and working his way up is handicapped by being eliminated from The System. So he has to find a workaround.
This is Jeb, so of course he does. With the help of his friend Smartass, Jeb starts to learn a new way of leveling up.
Jeb ends up with a new mission, and a new lease on life. Where the first book is straightforward, going from A to B to C with the plot, this one is a bit more meandering. We learn about the new world that Jeb, and what's left of humanity, now lives in. We also learn about the other people who are a part of The System.
I like that this was more of a post-apocalyptic book than the first one. It has a different feel, and I like seeing different areas of the world. The plot takes a while to pick up, but the shenanigans of the first part was fun.
Finally, the plot ties up at the end, but the last chapter gives a tantalizing peek into what's going to happen in the next book. Some readers might hate that, especially since the third book isn't out yet. I'm looking forward to the next one.
January 2, 2022
I really wanted to drop this book at the start. It went from an action packed book one, to slowly puttering around the place. I also didn't like how the protagonist turned into some Faustian creature, looking to make deals with people to steal some of their soul (faith).
I'm more than fifty percent complete, and things still haven't picked up the pace to that of the previous book.
How book one ended, I thought our protagonist would have started book two trying to get back on his feet (well he did in a way, but not with the same energy book one ended on).
This book is a slog compared to what the author made you think book two would be about.
I didn't like this book because I had to watch the protagonist struggle in two books to gain the same thing at the end of each book (power, and safety).
At least the protagonist didn't lose everything at the end of book two.
Not sure how I feel that the series might be about that baby. It was already bad that a few of them were shoehorned into the narrative of this book, and we had to deal with them "doing as they pleased" because they were kids.
I want more of Mr Trapper, the Trap-smith, but I don't know where things are going. We will see.
3/5 Stars
I'm more than fifty percent complete, and things still haven't picked up the pace to that of the previous book.
How book one ended, I thought our protagonist would have started book two trying to get back on his feet (well he did in a way, but not with the same energy book one ended on).
This book is a slog compared to what the author made you think book two would be about.
I didn't like this book because I had to watch the protagonist struggle in two books to gain the same thing at the end of each book (power, and safety).
At least the protagonist didn't lose everything at the end of book two.
Not sure how I feel that the series might be about that baby. It was already bad that a few of them were shoehorned into the narrative of this book, and we had to deal with them "doing as they pleased" because they were kids.
I want more of Mr Trapper, the Trap-smith, but I don't know where things are going. We will see.
3/5 Stars
December 31, 2021
The story picks up after the ending of book 1, with the MC left stripped of its access to the litRPG system. The solution to this conundrum is inventive, as it involves him pivoting from the so-called "Generic System" of book 1 to a "Fairy System", acquiring power the fairy way - with the help and tutelage of the fairy he brought from the trial. As a result, you get a very different type of book from the pure combat-survival oriented of the first one to go along with the different progression system.
Along the way, he gets enemies, humiliate them, solves problems, rescue people - for money - and otherwise bring the reader along for a sort of bewildering ride across the landscape of an Earth integrated into a larger RPG world.
Not a deep book, but a very smooth read, if you like the Macronomicon style.
Along the way, he gets enemies, humiliate them, solves problems, rescue people - for money - and otherwise bring the reader along for a sort of bewildering ride across the landscape of an Earth integrated into a larger RPG world.
Not a deep book, but a very smooth read, if you like the Macronomicon style.
September 29, 2022
This book was only okay. I think it was as good as the first but only if the first book never existed.
I enjoyed it in general; the writing, the action scenes, the intrigue scenes, etc., but I can't really forgive the level of dullness and stupidity of the whole concept. Jeb spent literally the entire book trying to relearn one ability and trying to get back the stats he had at the end of the first book...AND HE DOESN'T EVEN GET THERE. He manages to relearn that one skill but still ends up weaker than before...so over the course of 500 pages, Jeb never managed to catch up. In my opinion, the first book shouldn't even exist and this should just be the first book of the series instead. At least that way it wouldn't feel like a waste as though I just read 2 versions of the same book 1.
I enjoyed it in general; the writing, the action scenes, the intrigue scenes, etc., but I can't really forgive the level of dullness and stupidity of the whole concept. Jeb spent literally the entire book trying to relearn one ability and trying to get back the stats he had at the end of the first book...AND HE DOESN'T EVEN GET THERE. He manages to relearn that one skill but still ends up weaker than before...so over the course of 500 pages, Jeb never managed to catch up. In my opinion, the first book shouldn't even exist and this should just be the first book of the series instead. At least that way it wouldn't feel like a waste as though I just read 2 versions of the same book 1.
March 31, 2021
Fun and witty read
Humanity has many stories about the dangers of making deals with the far. Jeb our MC may not have a choice. He barely survived the impossible trial but lost everything when the gods stripped his class and rewards for being too dangerous. In a new world where humans are the weakest race and marginalized he needs some advantage to survive.
Jeb learns the art of the deal, fairy style.
Fast paced with a stable of fun new characters in a well crafted version of earth melded with a fantasy realm. Our MC grudgingly takes on rebuilding his life and showing what a clever human, some friends, and one obnoxious fairy can do. Drawing notice may be bad for Jeb, but it turns out to make a great story.
Humanity has many stories about the dangers of making deals with the far. Jeb our MC may not have a choice. He barely survived the impossible trial but lost everything when the gods stripped his class and rewards for being too dangerous. In a new world where humans are the weakest race and marginalized he needs some advantage to survive.
Jeb learns the art of the deal, fairy style.
Fast paced with a stable of fun new characters in a well crafted version of earth melded with a fantasy realm. Our MC grudgingly takes on rebuilding his life and showing what a clever human, some friends, and one obnoxious fairy can do. Drawing notice may be bad for Jeb, but it turns out to make a great story.
April 1, 2021
Quite a good sequel with the author keeping it interesting by more or less resetting the main character's power level after the first book. I'm looking forward to the next book, so far I have really enjoyed the series.
Hopefully the author can keep the power creep under control, which I have noticed is a bit of a problem in some of his free stories on Royal Road. In his free books the character becomes more powerful then basically everyone else pretty early in the story and the the plot withers because there is nothing the author can do to provide conflict or challenge. Then the story just meanders about with no real impact. Hopefully the author can avoid that with this series, if so I will happily look forward to upcoming books!
Hopefully the author can keep the power creep under control, which I have noticed is a bit of a problem in some of his free stories on Royal Road. In his free books the character becomes more powerful then basically everyone else pretty early in the story and the the plot withers because there is nothing the author can do to provide conflict or challenge. Then the story just meanders about with no real impact. Hopefully the author can avoid that with this series, if so I will happily look forward to upcoming books!
October 17, 2021
KU Review
“This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
I am not going to share my reasoning, thoughts on the book, or any opinions that would influence your decision to read it. I am simply saying that I liked it. I would like you to read it and make your own decision. After all, you are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
I will happily discuss the book with you on Goodreads if you are so inclined. As always, I am open to debates and arguments, but also vain enough to seek acknowledgement, so feel free to roast me or applaud my efforts. Either is acceptable, because if you are paying attention to me then you are at least considering the book. And THAT my friends is exactly why you see my comments here.
Cheers
“This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
I am not going to share my reasoning, thoughts on the book, or any opinions that would influence your decision to read it. I am simply saying that I liked it. I would like you to read it and make your own decision. After all, you are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
I will happily discuss the book with you on Goodreads if you are so inclined. As always, I am open to debates and arguments, but also vain enough to seek acknowledgement, so feel free to roast me or applaud my efforts. Either is acceptable, because if you are paying attention to me then you are at least considering the book. And THAT my friends is exactly why you see my comments here.
Cheers
April 13, 2021
Awesome book!
This book is great! I was laughing and smiling through most of it though I did have my, "what the heck, I hope this doesn't happen" moments. But the relief of those moments when jeb "kind of" saves the day is great. And even during those intense moments the author found a way to make me smile with Jeb's sarcasm. Mental or oral. Overall just a great book with super interesting magic mechanics and so much mystery. I recommend reading the first book before you pick this one up. And if you do please leave a review. It helps out these authors so much, and I would love to get more of his books.
This book is great! I was laughing and smiling through most of it though I did have my, "what the heck, I hope this doesn't happen" moments. But the relief of those moments when jeb "kind of" saves the day is great. And even during those intense moments the author found a way to make me smile with Jeb's sarcasm. Mental or oral. Overall just a great book with super interesting magic mechanics and so much mystery. I recommend reading the first book before you pick this one up. And if you do please leave a review. It helps out these authors so much, and I would love to get more of his books.
May 5, 2022
totally different book than the first one of the series.
Not sure if I like the fact that the MC starts from the beginning, a character with no stats no abilities. You would think this is a new book with a different character but is the same character with less RPG elements in the book. This is more of a story with light RPG elements. Love the fact that the MC has a brain but did not like the fact that he had to start all over with his stats. The machinations in the book were good, the story elements and characters were likable and believable. Missed most of the original characters in the first book. Will go in and read the next one in the series.
Not sure if I like the fact that the MC starts from the beginning, a character with no stats no abilities. You would think this is a new book with a different character but is the same character with less RPG elements in the book. This is more of a story with light RPG elements. Love the fact that the MC has a brain but did not like the fact that he had to start all over with his stats. The machinations in the book were good, the story elements and characters were likable and believable. Missed most of the original characters in the first book. Will go in and read the next one in the series.
September 17, 2022
This LitRPG is fairly unique in that it actually has a clever and fun Earth-side game system in place after the Aliens that took over.
To say that the aliens are just as bad as us is an understatement.
So after the first book with some massive power-leveling, game-breaking, cheating, and then a "win", our intrepid hero is now destitute and unable to use his game abilities in this book. It's a great setup and I really enjoyed the Earth-side in this LitRPG (unlike any of the others that tried the same).
Cheating in these games is kinda a must. Using a fairy and fairy rules AS the hero is also very fun. :)
I'm very happy with this turn of events.
To say that the aliens are just as bad as us is an understatement.
So after the first book with some massive power-leveling, game-breaking, cheating, and then a "win", our intrepid hero is now destitute and unable to use his game abilities in this book. It's a great setup and I really enjoyed the Earth-side in this LitRPG (unlike any of the others that tried the same).
Cheating in these games is kinda a must. Using a fairy and fairy rules AS the hero is also very fun. :)
I'm very happy with this turn of events.
April 11, 2021
So different from the first book. Love the concept of gaining magic based on deals. Cool mechanic.
Not a huge fan in the gap of character progression. From the 25% to the 80% point in the book no deal took place and no character growth. That is the part I like to read about and instead the author went on a tangent. Not an uninteresting one, but not an ideal one for me.
Ending was awesome though! Hanging naked in front of the Emperor and the whole world and the first thing you say is “How’s it hanging?” Epic!!!
Not a huge fan in the gap of character progression. From the 25% to the 80% point in the book no deal took place and no character growth. That is the part I like to read about and instead the author went on a tangent. Not an uninteresting one, but not an ideal one for me.
Ending was awesome though! Hanging naked in front of the Emperor and the whole world and the first thing you say is “How’s it hanging?” Epic!!!
May 8, 2021
Jeb Trapper's Adventures Continue
Show biz has a proverb, "Never work with kids or animals." Unfortunately for Jeb Trapper he will be forced to work with both as he continues to muddle through the post alien apocalypse which has destroyed the Earth and reduced almost the whole human population into becoming the lowest rung of society for the Pharos Empire. He has one almost-ally to help, a bratty fairy named Smartass; who completely deserves the name she earned.
This novel will likely appeal to fans of the Fantasy and LitRPG genres and to those who enjoy playing RPGs.
Show biz has a proverb, "Never work with kids or animals." Unfortunately for Jeb Trapper he will be forced to work with both as he continues to muddle through the post alien apocalypse which has destroyed the Earth and reduced almost the whole human population into becoming the lowest rung of society for the Pharos Empire. He has one almost-ally to help, a bratty fairy named Smartass; who completely deserves the name she earned.
This novel will likely appeal to fans of the Fantasy and LitRPG genres and to those who enjoy playing RPGs.
March 8, 2023
The ending of book one, where the hero was nerfed by the gods, nearly put me off the series. I'm glad I continued. I've read plenty of novels that feature system versus cultivation but in this case, since Jeb is cut off from the system, he embraces the fairy approach to power. It's not cultivation, in fact, it may be unique... a sort of karma transfer based on interpersonal agreements. Interesting!
I like the way the author foreshadows future developments. In particular, I'm excited to see what happens as Jeb removes each dimensional parasite(?) and regains his lost abilities.
I like the way the author foreshadows future developments. In particular, I'm excited to see what happens as Jeb removes each dimensional parasite(?) and regains his lost abilities.
July 22, 2024
This reads even more pleasantly than the previous one. Still a bit too many pop culture mentions for my taste, it "throws me out" of the book a bit and feels a bit forced, but the writing style and pace feels better. I enjoy the technical explainations of how everything works even if I sometimes struggle to follow it.
All in all, aside from some minor things, this book cemented my addiction with this series/story. The aftertaste alone makes it better than the previous one as I NEED to read more.
All in all, aside from some minor things, this book cemented my addiction with this series/story. The aftertaste alone makes it better than the previous one as I NEED to read more.
April 5, 2021
Excellent
After a very slow start, the MC starts to cleverly overcome the serious roadblocks that prevent him from advancing “normally” in the System. He doesn’t really try to be like able, possibly because he (and many around him) doubt he his fully sane. The admirable qualities he shows include spending almost zero time dwelling about his woes, powering through pain and diversity, and always looking for ways to me smarter about his actions.
After a very slow start, the MC starts to cleverly overcome the serious roadblocks that prevent him from advancing “normally” in the System. He doesn’t really try to be like able, possibly because he (and many around him) doubt he his fully sane. The admirable qualities he shows include spending almost zero time dwelling about his woes, powering through pain and diversity, and always looking for ways to me smarter about his actions.
April 12, 2021
Faust in training
The MC survived the impossible tutorial and was stripped of everything by the gods. Now he’s making Deals Faust style to gain power far style and get back what he lost. This puts him up against an evil XP farmer for hire. He uses his apparent weakness and lessons learned to become a true force to be reckoned with.
It was a wonderfully entertaining read. It was fast paced and well told. I throughly enjoyed it and hope you will too.
The MC survived the impossible tutorial and was stripped of everything by the gods. Now he’s making Deals Faust style to gain power far style and get back what he lost. This puts him up against an evil XP farmer for hire. He uses his apparent weakness and lessons learned to become a true force to be reckoned with.
It was a wonderfully entertaining read. It was fast paced and well told. I throughly enjoyed it and hope you will too.
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