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Goblin Summoner #2
Lichbane
More decks, more cards, more goblins!
Reborn into a world of magic, Gareth saved his adopted home from the ravages of their ancient enemy. Not that anyone noticed. Whilst the city rebuilds, Gareth turns his attention towards a new goal, the upcoming grand tournament!
If he’s going to compete Gareth will need to get stronger. That means taking on more quests, earning more levels, and discovering powerful new cards for his deck. Along with his friends, a former goddess, a deposed demon lord and their constantly annoyed watcher, he sets off on what sounds like an easy job.
Nothing on Acamida is ever as it seems. As he strives to grow stronger, Gareth will learn secrets that threaten the nature of reality itself. Meanwhile, sinister dark forces are at work within the walls of the city. To come out on top, Gareth will need to master his deck and the powerful magic it holds.
Reborn into a world of magic, Gareth saved his adopted home from the ravages of their ancient enemy. Not that anyone noticed. Whilst the city rebuilds, Gareth turns his attention towards a new goal, the upcoming grand tournament!
If he’s going to compete Gareth will need to get stronger. That means taking on more quests, earning more levels, and discovering powerful new cards for his deck. Along with his friends, a former goddess, a deposed demon lord and their constantly annoyed watcher, he sets off on what sounds like an easy job.
Nothing on Acamida is ever as it seems. As he strives to grow stronger, Gareth will learn secrets that threaten the nature of reality itself. Meanwhile, sinister dark forces are at work within the walls of the city. To come out on top, Gareth will need to master his deck and the powerful magic it holds.
634 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2021
164 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 13, 2022
Had to read it twice to try to have something to write about it. Although it is a card-building (deck-building) isekai-fantasy (teleported to another world), it seems that the only thing going for the main characters is becoming stronger. So they Tower Delve, conquer towers and are able to "own" these towers...but what is the point to all of this? The author stresses that in this alternate reality/ other world, there is a lot of crime and organized crime, but so? What is the point? So an earthling drops into this world, and the author is trying to create a who-done-it? WHY? Does anyone care what happens in this other world? The card mages die and kill all of the time, fighting monsters, dueling each other, etc. So why is a "serial killer" investigation so relevant in this second volume of this isekai-fantasy novel series? What does it have to do with card-building? Anything? Not really...
It would have been nice to see illustrations of the cards (like similar card-building stories). I feel this story is missing main plot arcs and secondary arcs. Yes, they want to get stronger, but to do what? To go where? and Why? It would have been nice to have a map of the places that the main characters travel to and from. No maps. There is a Bestiary that the author gifts if you join his email list. But a beastiary is just a list of "monsters" with their specs.
The author info-dumps each time characters defeat a monster in a mob (Goblins x 50, Orcs x 25, etc.) but instead of shortening the menu information, this author actually writes and rewrites Goblin defeated 5 experience (instead of concentrating all of the mob defeated in just one or two lines). While this is highly verbose (info-dump) on the other hand, the author does not explain how the cards that the characters use all of the time, upgrade, change and level up, etc.
Card-building are already extremely boring to play in real life to actually make a card-building story series, that could be exciting (even though there are interesting and exciting card-building stories, like Monster Paradise, plays with cards and "gold-fingers" (intelligent AI's that manage their systems)).
Main characters do not have breaks from their adventuring. They barely eat, sleep, travel, etc. These changes in the action, and pauses, sometimes help with the change of time. If they spend a whole month fighting in a tower, if the author does not mention time, things like eating or sleeping give the readers an idea of how much time has passed.
It would have been nice to see illustrations of the cards (like similar card-building stories). I feel this story is missing main plot arcs and secondary arcs. Yes, they want to get stronger, but to do what? To go where? and Why? It would have been nice to have a map of the places that the main characters travel to and from. No maps. There is a Bestiary that the author gifts if you join his email list. But a beastiary is just a list of "monsters" with their specs.
The author info-dumps each time characters defeat a monster in a mob (Goblins x 50, Orcs x 25, etc.) but instead of shortening the menu information, this author actually writes and rewrites Goblin defeated 5 experience (instead of concentrating all of the mob defeated in just one or two lines). While this is highly verbose (info-dump) on the other hand, the author does not explain how the cards that the characters use all of the time, upgrade, change and level up, etc.
Card-building are already extremely boring to play in real life to actually make a card-building story series, that could be exciting (even though there are interesting and exciting card-building stories, like Monster Paradise, plays with cards and "gold-fingers" (intelligent AI's that manage their systems)).
Main characters do not have breaks from their adventuring. They barely eat, sleep, travel, etc. These changes in the action, and pauses, sometimes help with the change of time. If they spend a whole month fighting in a tower, if the author does not mention time, things like eating or sleeping give the readers an idea of how much time has passed.
February 21, 2022
This is still the most British thing ever. I love it!
The story picks up a few weeks after we left our heroes that for some lucky reason get sent straight to the big, all important, ancient and magical base of Magdalen's former worshipers and they establish that place as their own base. Afterward they focus on the big duelist tournament until everything goes to a mess.
I really don’t have much to add to the review from the first book. This is a very interesting world (or rather universe) and the fact that battles are done with card decks is fun and refreshing. The four main heroes are still written splendidly, the main plot is interesting and the bunch of British humor keeps it all very fun. The only thing that I found that breaks the immersion in the book is that the story goes too fast to the main plot and feels a bit of railroading the main heroes to the big plotline for now reason rather than progressing the plot line.
Long story short, this is a good book and the short review is just a monument to that everything in the book done properly.
4.5/5 highly recommended series. Read it if you are looking for something a bit different and fun.
The story picks up a few weeks after we left our heroes that for some lucky reason get sent straight to the big, all important, ancient and magical base of Magdalen's former worshipers and they establish that place as their own base. Afterward they focus on the big duelist tournament until everything goes to a mess.
I really don’t have much to add to the review from the first book. This is a very interesting world (or rather universe) and the fact that battles are done with card decks is fun and refreshing. The four main heroes are still written splendidly, the main plot is interesting and the bunch of British humor keeps it all very fun. The only thing that I found that breaks the immersion in the book is that the story goes too fast to the main plot and feels a bit of railroading the main heroes to the big plotline for now reason rather than progressing the plot line.
Long story short, this is a good book and the short review is just a monument to that everything in the book done properly.
4.5/5 highly recommended series. Read it if you are looking for something a bit different and fun.
September 5, 2024
Wow that was just as good as I expected! And Tracy Gregory is much truer to the deckbuilding theme than several other of the books I've read... basically you get what you get and you don't throw a fit. As a Goblin Summoner Gareth gets the cards he finds by chance and with luck he'll be able to trade with merchants, and pick-up the cards that are in line with the deck he's building, inorder to build up his power. In other deckbuilding litRPG's the MC can sometimes make the cards they need, not that this is a bad thing, as one of my favorite sagas is like that... but it's just an observation. In this story I expected that a litch would have a major thread woven this tapestry and although he was there he wasn't the focal point... or was there 2 litchs I forget... 😆 And the blurb mentioned a tournament, but that again wasn't the focal point. Curious??? Well what are you waiting for download the book to satisfy that question.
August 21, 2021
Book two
Mistakes: There could be more than I have listed on Goodreads. I skipped entire pages. I found eleven mistakes though.
Plot: There was nothing that drew me into the story.
Characters: If she's the creator, then the rest of the group kind of treat her like crap. Can't really care about any of the characters though. Nothing about them for me to care about.
3/10 To many mistakes and no hook.
Mistakes: There could be more than I have listed on Goodreads. I skipped entire pages. I found eleven mistakes though.
Plot: There was nothing that drew me into the story.
Characters: If she's the creator, then the rest of the group kind of treat her like crap. Can't really care about any of the characters though. Nothing about them for me to care about.
3/10 To many mistakes and no hook.
July 3, 2021
Good book
I very much enjoyed the book but towards the end, it looks like there’s gonna be some kingdom building. Which unfortunately is a no go for me I just wanted it to be the team they already have. I didn’t want to read a book about building a town or kingdom; honestly tired of those kind of books.
I very much enjoyed the book but towards the end, it looks like there’s gonna be some kingdom building. Which unfortunately is a no go for me I just wanted it to be the team they already have. I didn’t want to read a book about building a town or kingdom; honestly tired of those kind of books.
July 5, 2021
Great story in need of an editor
I love the story, I really do. The problem is there are too many spelling and grammatical errors. It's annoying and should be embarrassing. The story is a solid 4/5. The game mechanics are 5/5, but the editing is a 1/5.
I love the story, I really do. The problem is there are too many spelling and grammatical errors. It's annoying and should be embarrassing. The story is a solid 4/5. The game mechanics are 5/5, but the editing is a 1/5.
August 27, 2021
Good Story
I don’t get the title and cover because it’s like lich bane was only added for that reason. This story of a world with cards as it’s magic user and a Mc who specializes in goblins was a very interesting unique magical system.
I don’t get the title and cover because it’s like lich bane was only added for that reason. This story of a world with cards as it’s magic user and a Mc who specializes in goblins was a very interesting unique magical system.
October 12, 2024
I love this magic system and meeting/expanding the types of Decks. The Tournament was a lot of fun but I wish they had shown more of the competitors not just Gareth's. That ending though was the biggest surprise and really shows that this author isn't pulling punches.
July 6, 2021
Pretty good
Iv been enjoying this series so far and it hasnt disappointed yet more words to fill the requirement even more?
Iv been enjoying this series so far and it hasnt disappointed yet more words to fill the requirement even more?
July 13, 2021
Different type of LitRPG
I’ve been enjoying the deck building. Reminds me of my MTG days. The story has also been fun to read. Ready for book 3!
I’ve been enjoying the deck building. Reminds me of my MTG days. The story has also been fun to read. Ready for book 3!
August 24, 2021
Builds nicely on the first book. Well worth reading.
November 22, 2021
Excellent sequel
Great writing with griping story lines and keep the reader invested. Doesn't overdue the technical jargon of the card game. Would recommend to a friend
Great writing with griping story lines and keep the reader invested. Doesn't overdue the technical jargon of the card game. Would recommend to a friend
March 23, 2022
Wow
Man is this getting good. I like the major twist, it really propels the story in a new direction. I can't wait for more.
Man is this getting good. I like the major twist, it really propels the story in a new direction. I can't wait for more.
June 18, 2022
A nice continuation of the story. 👍🏾👍🏾
July 12, 2023
2.9
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
December 3, 2024
Though at first I gave this a 4 star because I found it enjoyable and an easy listen (audiobook review),
I felt compelled to upgrade it to 5. Mainly due to the fact that its the only true deck building LitRPG out there. If you grew up playing trading card games and love the mechanics of card synergies and combos then this series may be for you.
The cards are used in two sets of rules. Formal duels and the outside world. The formal duels are where this book shined for me. Perhaps because it was the itch that I was looking to be scratched.
I felt compelled to upgrade it to 5. Mainly due to the fact that its the only true deck building LitRPG out there. If you grew up playing trading card games and love the mechanics of card synergies and combos then this series may be for you.
The cards are used in two sets of rules. Formal duels and the outside world. The formal duels are where this book shined for me. Perhaps because it was the itch that I was looking to be scratched.
July 14, 2022
This review relates to the audiobook version.
Let’s get the mundane stuff out of the way: The narrator was excellent with an interesting range of voices and emotions and very few odd pronunciations.
As a sequel I was hoping for more of the same and I wasn’t disappointed. The same excellent card based combat, the clearly thought-out strategies, the great character development. I am hooked and I’m waiting for the next book!
Without giving away too much, the twist in the end relating to the lich in the city was good. Even the minor characters do things that make sense, they don’t just have cardboard cutout role. The revelation about monster intelligence is a nice plot point.
All in all, no complaints and much to recommend!
I received a free copy of this book and chose to write a review.
Let’s get the mundane stuff out of the way: The narrator was excellent with an interesting range of voices and emotions and very few odd pronunciations.
As a sequel I was hoping for more of the same and I wasn’t disappointed. The same excellent card based combat, the clearly thought-out strategies, the great character development. I am hooked and I’m waiting for the next book!
Without giving away too much, the twist in the end relating to the lich in the city was good. Even the minor characters do things that make sense, they don’t just have cardboard cutout role. The revelation about monster intelligence is a nice plot point.
All in all, no complaints and much to recommend!
I received a free copy of this book and chose to write a review.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews