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Nemesis
The might, myth and magic of ancient Greece returned to life... via a deadly combat training game.Locked in a never-ending war, the city of Technoburbia strives to emulate the military genius of ancient Sparta. To do so, recruits like 15-year-old Troy will enter Sparta Online, learning the skills and mindset of the Spartan hoplite soldiers of old.
Now, Troy finds himself forced into a battle for survival. Facing hunger and having to fight with his fellow soldiers for the most basic of equipment, he is sure that death in the simulation would have dire consequences.
But why are the young recruits being sent on increasingly deadly quests, ill-equipped and with no guidance from their captains? And where are all of the previous trainees?
As his questions mount up, Troy begins to realize that his only way out is to play the game... and win.
A fast-paced LitRPG novel in a VR historical fantasy setting. Expect stats, leveling up, and battles with mythical monsters.
Now, Troy finds himself forced into a battle for survival. Facing hunger and having to fight with his fellow soldiers for the most basic of equipment, he is sure that death in the simulation would have dire consequences.
But why are the young recruits being sent on increasingly deadly quests, ill-equipped and with no guidance from their captains? And where are all of the previous trainees?
As his questions mount up, Troy begins to realize that his only way out is to play the game... and win.
A fast-paced LitRPG novel in a VR historical fantasy setting. Expect stats, leveling up, and battles with mythical monsters.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 24, 2021
23 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 31, 2021
I picked this up because it seemed interesting. Troy (the MC) is not one of the first three children born to his parents, which means that he automatically goes into the military. He makes a tepid attempt at escape, only to be caught by the general.
As it turns out, the general has a special assignment for him: join the Sparta Online game and learn how to be a Spartan. Coming to the decision that Sparta Online sounds better than boot camp, he accepts.
It's after this that the story takes a strange turn. Sparta Online is being led by two captains, Theseus for the men and Selene for the women. Instead of being given weapons and practicing spear strikes, they're forced to compete against each other and sent on highly dangerous assignments far above their level.
Of course, death doesn't really mean death, it just means waking up for boot camp, but no one's willing to take that chance yet. As Troy starts putting together the clues, he realizes that the two captains are working with the enemy.
I'll stop the recap there. The story does become a bit convoluted when people argue it's the enemy state out in the real world who has infiltrated Sparta Online, or that it's just something happening in the game.
Not one person proposes that the General designed it this way to test their ability to adapt and overcome different situations.
Having said all that, this is a good story. The mystery isn't all encompassing, leaving enough room for quests and other things. Of course we have antagonists (not just the captains) who don't believe Troy, which is fine. NPCs (or are they) also help out those who inquire, which Troy does a decent job of doing.
Overall, I had fun with this. It doesn't overstay it's welcome, and while it does get chaotic towards the end, I still enjoyed it. The editing is fine (a few problems stood out to me), and the notifications are spaced out enough so as not to overwhelm.
I don't think it's quite at five star level, but it's close. 4/5* A lot of fun.
As it turns out, the general has a special assignment for him: join the Sparta Online game and learn how to be a Spartan. Coming to the decision that Sparta Online sounds better than boot camp, he accepts.
It's after this that the story takes a strange turn. Sparta Online is being led by two captains, Theseus for the men and Selene for the women. Instead of being given weapons and practicing spear strikes, they're forced to compete against each other and sent on highly dangerous assignments far above their level.
Of course, death doesn't really mean death, it just means waking up for boot camp, but no one's willing to take that chance yet. As Troy starts putting together the clues, he realizes that the two captains are working with the enemy.
I'll stop the recap there. The story does become a bit convoluted when people argue it's the enemy state out in the real world who has infiltrated Sparta Online, or that it's just something happening in the game.
Not one person proposes that the General designed it this way to test their ability to adapt and overcome different situations.
Having said all that, this is a good story. The mystery isn't all encompassing, leaving enough room for quests and other things. Of course we have antagonists (not just the captains) who don't believe Troy, which is fine. NPCs (or are they) also help out those who inquire, which Troy does a decent job of doing.
Overall, I had fun with this. It doesn't overstay it's welcome, and while it does get chaotic towards the end, I still enjoyed it. The editing is fine (a few problems stood out to me), and the notifications are spaced out enough so as not to overwhelm.
I don't think it's quite at five star level, but it's close. 4/5* A lot of fun.
August 1, 2021
I usually don't read YA very often but I'm happy I gave this book a try!
Although clearly aiming at a young audience, Nemesis is a fun read that easily will keep adults entertained and turning pages.
The story is set in a dystopian future where two countries are at constant war and don't hesitate to even recruit children for this war. 15-year old Troy is chosen for a top-secret military project. His consciousness is uploaded into a simulation of ancient Sparta. The goal is to form him and other teenagers into Spartan super-soldiers who will then use their unique skills in the real war.
But it soon turns out that the program is flawed and maybe even sabotaged by the enemy and Troy and his friends find themselves in a struggle for survival.
If I should pitch the story in only a few words, I would call it: 300 meets Harry Potter meets LitRPG.
The author manages to bring ancient Sparta to life masterfully! It shows on every page that the book is well-researched and that the author loves the antique. Fans of movies such as 300 or Gladiator will love this.
But there are also clear YA tropes, such as friendship, loyalty, or achieving your goals through fairness. Even though the juvenile protagonists have to face some dangerous monsters, such as the legendary hydra, the amount of violence is certainly on a YA level and can be digested by a young or more sensitive audience.
Although the book clearly has typical LitRPG elements, I can recommend it to readers who maybe never tried this genre before. This is so-called LitRPG Lite and will be easily understandable even without a master's degree in game design.
A very enjoyable read that I can highly recommend. I'm looking forward to reading more by the author in the future!
Although clearly aiming at a young audience, Nemesis is a fun read that easily will keep adults entertained and turning pages.
The story is set in a dystopian future where two countries are at constant war and don't hesitate to even recruit children for this war. 15-year old Troy is chosen for a top-secret military project. His consciousness is uploaded into a simulation of ancient Sparta. The goal is to form him and other teenagers into Spartan super-soldiers who will then use their unique skills in the real war.
But it soon turns out that the program is flawed and maybe even sabotaged by the enemy and Troy and his friends find themselves in a struggle for survival.
If I should pitch the story in only a few words, I would call it: 300 meets Harry Potter meets LitRPG.
The author manages to bring ancient Sparta to life masterfully! It shows on every page that the book is well-researched and that the author loves the antique. Fans of movies such as 300 or Gladiator will love this.
But there are also clear YA tropes, such as friendship, loyalty, or achieving your goals through fairness. Even though the juvenile protagonists have to face some dangerous monsters, such as the legendary hydra, the amount of violence is certainly on a YA level and can be digested by a young or more sensitive audience.
Although the book clearly has typical LitRPG elements, I can recommend it to readers who maybe never tried this genre before. This is so-called LitRPG Lite and will be easily understandable even without a master's degree in game design.
A very enjoyable read that I can highly recommend. I'm looking forward to reading more by the author in the future!
January 21, 2022
When Troy comes of age and is recruited into Technoburbia's military, his misery turns into curiosity when he discovers he's been chosen for a special program to train in a video game called Sparta Online. Inside the realistic world, Troy is thrust into a harsh training routine that seems more likely to kill him than make him a great soldier. Will he manage to survive and figure out what's wrong with the game or will he become another Spartan fatality?
This YA historical fantasy LitRPG was a fun and enthralling read. The kids recruited by the military for Sparta Online have a lot of pluck, and Troy's empathy and determination makes him stand out. He's clever and quick, but he's still a 15-year-old kid stuck in a bad situation. I liked seeing how things unraveled from a cruel training program to something much more. Something that has major consequences for the players in the game and possibly out of it. What I especially loved was the peek into history to the life of a Spartan warrior's world when they start to train. How difficult and dangerous it is, how the people of different castes interact, and the everyday life. Plus, on top of that, all the magic and mythological creatures are real!
This YA historical fantasy LitRPG was a fun and enthralling read. The kids recruited by the military for Sparta Online have a lot of pluck, and Troy's empathy and determination makes him stand out. He's clever and quick, but he's still a 15-year-old kid stuck in a bad situation. I liked seeing how things unraveled from a cruel training program to something much more. Something that has major consequences for the players in the game and possibly out of it. What I especially loved was the peek into history to the life of a Spartan warrior's world when they start to train. How difficult and dangerous it is, how the people of different castes interact, and the everyday life. Plus, on top of that, all the magic and mythological creatures are real!
February 21, 2022
Horrible feel bad book
Terrible, frustrating decision making. Nothing good happened in the entire book. It's a fantasy book but at least try to make the Mcs thought process believable..
As for the story premise a program to train super soldiers has zero out side oversight. The wash out candidates if they really die, how could Noone notice the corpse IRL, IF they just get recycled to a different server some one would have to give a reason to the higher ups IRL. Any military would have weekly briefings on the training. I should have given this a pass when I read the Nation's name was suburbia. Lol
Maybe preteens would over look all the silly stuff in the story I couldn't.... ... it was on ku and the fact it didn't cost me extra was the only good thing I can say about it
Terrible, frustrating decision making. Nothing good happened in the entire book. It's a fantasy book but at least try to make the Mcs thought process believable..
As for the story premise a program to train super soldiers has zero out side oversight. The wash out candidates if they really die, how could Noone notice the corpse IRL, IF they just get recycled to a different server some one would have to give a reason to the higher ups IRL. Any military would have weekly briefings on the training. I should have given this a pass when I read the Nation's name was suburbia. Lol
Maybe preteens would over look all the silly stuff in the story I couldn't.... ... it was on ku and the fact it didn't cost me extra was the only good thing I can say about it
July 28, 2021
Alert
“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
November 29, 2021
Good
Intriguing story, but the way the words are put together in it is a little weird at times. It was almost as if the author was trying to make the characters seem more sophisticated than they really were. One thing that didn’t really make much sense was how Troy knew something wasn’t right. I felt like he jumped to that conclusion quicker than he should have. I did enjoy the fact that the things that happened to him in the game were real, and there were consequences for dying (unlike other LitRPG books where the people can just respawn over and over again.)
Intriguing story, but the way the words are put together in it is a little weird at times. It was almost as if the author was trying to make the characters seem more sophisticated than they really were. One thing that didn’t really make much sense was how Troy knew something wasn’t right. I felt like he jumped to that conclusion quicker than he should have. I did enjoy the fact that the things that happened to him in the game were real, and there were consequences for dying (unlike other LitRPG books where the people can just respawn over and over again.)
July 24, 2021
I admit I love ancient Greek settings and the whole Sparta history, e.g. AC Odyssey, so it was easy for me to really like and enjoy this story. The detailed description of the environment and life in Sparta pulled me into the story and the fate of the main character and his developing group of fellow recruits and friend. It easy easy to forget that this is a simulation.
After finishing the Book 1 I am now looking forward to book 2 and how the story continues.
After finishing the Book 1 I am now looking forward to book 2 and how the story continues.
November 8, 2021
As an ancient history nut and gamer it's always fun to see LitRPG writers strike out into historical settings. It's a well told story with interesting characters and an excellent feeling of immersion - the level of research and care for detail clearly shows. And the ending really makes you want to just keep going - very much looking forward to book 2.
November 30, 2021
Good read with fun characters
This was a good read with fun characters and an interesting universe. There was a lot of action, and the characters development followed a nice trajectory. Throughout the story. I recommend this book and look forward to future books in this universe.
This was a good read with fun characters and an interesting universe. There was a lot of action, and the characters development followed a nice trajectory. Throughout the story. I recommend this book and look forward to future books in this universe.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews