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The Titan #5

Nova Terra: Liberator

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Despite all the advantages that came with being a Titan, for Thorn, it has come with equally Titan sized problems.

Thorn has freed himself from an ancient curse and cleared up the political turmoil in the capital, but the looming threat to Northern Angoril posed by the Orc invasion of Rasyn carries him back to the Elven island. But not before he deals with a cultist infestation in his own home.

Beset by enemies on all sides, Thorn must choose between keeping himself safe or throwing himself into the jaws of danger to honor the commitments he has made to his friends and allies. When he faces foes he cannot overpower with brute strength it will take all of his wisdom and fortitude to keep him and his allies alive.

Explore the world of Nova Terra in the Titan Series, a GameLit/LitRPG series of epic adventure. If you like immersive storytelling, rich fantasy, and epic adventures with a slice of friendship thrown in, you’ll love Seth Ring’s page-turning series.

Pick up Nova Terra: Liberator today and escape to the grand world of epic adventure. Nova Terra, your dreams, your world.

430 pages, Hardcover

First published September 29, 2020

816 people are currently reading
320 people want to read

About the author

Seth Ring

58 books852 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
Profile Image for Rean Combrinck.
4 reviews
August 6, 2021
Honestly... I have had to come write this review because I just can't take it anymore. The stories are fun... but oms this is just crazy.

I am listening to the audiobook version, and one of my issues would be better in the book form, another should be better on audiobook... but it's not this time.

Sin #1, padding the length excessively with constant LONG quest repeats, mere minutes apart, or the long info page stuff. 2m30 of quest recap every time they reach a checkpoint gets really lame, very quickly. Get with the LitRPG convention of mentioning changes and just write more story, please. This disrespects your listeners as you cant skip ahead easily in audiobooks.

Sin #2, Dude, Seth. Get an Editor. Your constant poor sentence construction is so bad that not even the audiobook can obscure it. Don't feel you need to rush these out so fast. We can wait.

Saying something in the vein of: but in reaching for her, he barely reached her, since she was out of reach. Now; I made that sentence up myself since I'm listing Audiobook and can't be bothered to go find one of the many actual quotes. But suffice to say not even the narrator can hide it. Man must have the patience of a sage.

Your stories are fun, but man, you sap the life out of them.

Sincerely,
a fan.

14 reviews1 follower
March 26, 2023
lots of retcons, still jarring dissonance

Fight scenes are a weird free form mixture of game mechanics and martial arts that creates a sense of dissonance for me. Game mechanics (and tactics and common sense) are often discarded seemingly at random in favor of more descriptive flavor text that to me seems tasteless. After a certain point in many fight scenes the descriptions just got so involved and convoluted that it becomes a slog and I just ant to skip a few paragraphs to get to something actually exciting.

The use of the ‘Don’t call me “sir”’ trope is ridiculous. All his servants, bodyguards, employees from the real world call him master and he is ok with that. Heaven forbid you call him lord or earl in game though.

Thorn’s on again/off again leadership, giving orders to not giving orders is jarring. Yes he has leadership experience in the real world and has a leader type class so it is important for him to have the role and grow into it over time, but some consistency about when he is in charge and when he isn’t would be nice. It feels too sudden and random.

The whole corruption vs Sap of the World Tree is poorly done and creates a situation IN THE SAME BOOK that the author retcons.

“Even with the support of Mina, Velin, and Akira, Thorn had nearly died in that (earlier) fight… today, Thorn was not fighting alone.” he wasn’t alone in the earlier fight either.

Thorn asks for reinforcements, says he wants 2 battalions at all times at location. Then asks for a few battalions. Later has a conversation about how they should request reinforcements, discussing how one extra battalion isn’t enough, as though he hadn’t already done just that. Just flip the order around a bit.

“a small opening between (his) helmet and vambrace.” Helmet = head. Vambrace = forearm. Maybe use cuirass or breastplate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...

Regarding invulnerability, they are only “invulnerable” until it’s convenient for the author to have them break to heighten tension, just call them shields or barriers. You can even keep using the term bubbles just drop any and all mentions of invulnerability, because there will always be a narrative reason for shields to break. That or add qualifiers like near invulnerable or nigh invulnerable.

The whole “omg Travelers can communicate long distance and we poor natives can’t!!! That so OP!!!” I’ve gone back to double check because it bugs me. In the first book Hamm and the other weapons trainers call Thorn “traveler” heavily implying they are natives. Thorn sends and receives messages from Hamm in the first book, and others in the second. I think there are other instances as well but regardless, this is another example retconning to create drama

In one particular large scale army fight, to showcase what a particular enemy spell does one person is attacking and Thorn is able to see its effect. Only after this does he order “ranged attackers, engage” even though this whole time there have been mentions of all sorts of ranged attacks and it would be reasonable to assume they had been attacking. This would make more sense if he was ordering them to change targets or focus targeting. Plus the whole, ignore the battle lines and charge the big bad casting a big spell while the rest of the army holds the line waaaay back there, just no.

Sap of the World Tree has seemingly made Thorn immune to future curse type powers, suddenly it doesn’t. And ‘woe is me, if only we had more’ when it is clearly stated that Thorn alone still has something like 400 vials and other characters had collected unspecified amounts from a wading pool sized source.

Thorn is captured and his abilities sealed by a curse tied to or focused on an object. The object suddenly no longer matters because DRAMATIC CHASE SCENE!!!

Encumbrance does not exist. Encumbrance does not exist! Encumbrance does NOT exist! Encumbrance DOES NOT EXIST!!! Encumbrance is now a vital and important issue forcing Thorn to discard most of his inventory, because otherwise it would reduce the sense of tension the reader feels in this one singular chase scene, and we will never mention this topic ever again. Oh also no more riding your massive super strong pet, because reasons.
Profile Image for Mark.
40 reviews
March 9, 2024
TD;LR: Nova Terra: Liberator, the fifth book in The Titan series, lands in the realm of mediocrity, a surprising twist for a series that held promise. With a mix of erratic game mechanics, inconsistent character development, and narrative choices that often leave readers scratching their heads, this installment feels like a step back rather than forward.

Where It Struggles:

The combat sequences, once a staple of excitement in the series, now seem to suffer from an identity crisis. The attempt to blend intricate game mechanics with martial arts ends up creating a dissonance that's hard to overlook. Descriptions become overly complex, transforming what should be thrilling battles into tedious paragraphs that tempt the finger to skip ahead.

Thorn, our protagonist, shows flashes of leadership that once gave his character depth and purpose. Yet, his on-and-off approach in this installment feels jarring. Leadership isn't a hat one can put on and take off at convenience, and this inconsistency undermines the growth we've seen in Thorn up to this point. It's as if the character himself is unsure of his place within the world, making it challenging for us as readers to rally behind him.

Narrative Inconsistencies and Game Mechanics:

The book falters significantly in its handling of game mechanics and narrative coherence. The thrill of diving into a well-constructed game world is diminished by arbitrary changes to previously established rules and a seeming disregard for logical continuity. These moments not only pull you out of the story but also question the integrity of the world-building that's been done so far.

Additionally, the technical mishaps in describing game elements—like the perplexing invulnerability shields that are anything but, and the sudden, convenient introduction of encumbrance—feel like missed opportunities to deepen the gaming experience within the narrative. It's as though the book forgets its roots, straying into areas that neither enhance the story nor the authenticity of its setting.


While Nova Terra: Liberator carries forward the journey of Thorn and his companions, it does so with a faltering step. The narrative's dive into mediocrity is marked by lost opportunities for character development, particularly in the underutilization of characters like Mina, and a storyline that increasingly feels aimless. The book struggles to find its footing, leaving readers reminiscing about the series' earlier vibrancy and coherence.
Profile Image for Clint Young.
849 reviews
November 17, 2020
Alert

First, my review: “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”

Second, I am not a bot...at least I don’t think I am. Yes this is copy pasta (just learned that term, so fun!) simply because I feel like any book I read deserves acknowledgement but at the same time my feelings on reviews conflict with the normal review process.

I enjoyed this book, so my goal is to promote it and help the author. If you are a potential reader, just stop reading now and take the above as all you need to know. I am not going to share my reasoning, thoughts on the book, or any opinions that would influence your decision to read it. It is my opinion that Art needs to be experienced at an individual level. You are the only one that can determine what you like and don’t like. Don’t let others make that decision for you. You should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews. Or not if you don’t think this book is for you. That choice is all yours and the beauty of art appreciation. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here. 

If you are a member of the IAK Guild (thanks, Jason) or part of the review police, feel free to criticize me and challenge my philosophy on reviewing art. I think we all love a good debate. The forums are open and I welcome your comments. I was wrong in my previous request to get you to stop. Your blatant disregard for that request has led to some fun discussions. Growth is important for us all.

Cheers
Profile Image for Jim.
388 reviews9 followers
September 24, 2023
Nova Terra has always been more than a game, even if the players never realized it

As we see Thorn grow in power, we see the challenges grow to keep him guessing and on his toes. His own decisions clearly show him valuing those around him and sharing in the good fortune and quests rewards. His lack of need for money mean he can let others enjoy the quest rewards and gear, while his rewards are less tangible.
Throughout his adventures, Thorn knows that his real world body is going through a revolutionary nanotechnology procedure to strengthen it. Nova Terra is his escape from 2 years laying in a tube as the nanites are slowly bonded to him. Since entering this cyber world, he has enjoyed unprecedented freedom of movement without pain and the ability to truly mature in an unsheltered environment unlike his real life as the richest teenager on the planet.

Back in Nova Terra, things are heating up as the madman behind the software and AI puts his touches into a recent patch to add some instability and challenge to the word. As we get another glimpse of what’s really going on behind the scenes.
1,183 reviews17 followers
March 29, 2023
five books in of a 10 book series, not too much character development.

I like the main character of the series even though I don’t think he’s too bright. Yes, he’s honest and forthright but he’s too trusting. As far as the storyline is progressing after five books, there isn’t much of one. What is the end goal? The main character goes from one crisis to the next, but there is no personal growth or development. I still say the fact that there are no actual stats hurts this series. If it wasn’t for the exceptional storyline, I would not be reading it. As far as character development I’ll give you an example just one of many why would you walk into a trap. You know it’s a trap and you know you don’t have enough people to break the trap, so why would you walk into it? I was just SMH. But I’m going on to read the series because it is complete. Maybe it will get better after this book.
2,347 reviews
August 28, 2022
If you thought that Seth Ring would start running outta steam think again. This action-packed story ARC is still as vibrant and fresh as the first few books was. And I loved it!
Thorn has gained his ability to speak again but discovers that a cult is trying to take over the valley. And the Orc's are about to enslaved the Elven nation and take over Northern Angoril... But first things first he has'ta make things right in his own valley before he can go off questing. He has a cult to put down and to treat with the Giant Wolves that's been living in the shadows of his valley.
So grab the book, better yet get the audiobook, and enjoy!
Profile Image for Summer.
56 reviews
January 27, 2023
so many errors…. yet so good

The book is full of unfinished pieces and unfixed grammatical and spelling issues. Like this


“I, [name], witness this. Your blood shall be offered to the Great Sun and your honor shall be your own.” “I, [name], witness this. Let the Great Sun look upon your combat and judge the greater one.” “I, [name], witness this. Let the Great Sun curse the tribe that breaks the sacred vow of combat.”

He never went back and filled in the name of the orca just a section with [name] as a placeholder to fill in later.

Story is great… details are questionable.
Profile Image for Randy Smith.
649 reviews22 followers
March 17, 2023
An excellent book but the plot is a bit NERFED.

Another excellent book but I find it kind of lame that author has to find ways to cripple the main character strength just so they could put him under threat. Just to capture him they had to find a way to remove close to 90% of his abilities and than have him make stupid decisions. (And what kind of game mechanics defined you as still being a prisoner even after you escaped your prison and go on the run, that would be simply something one would call a plot device for convenience. This part did not make any sense, does the NPC‘s know by simply confining someone in a room would strip away all their availabilities)
389 reviews
April 6, 2023
Done with series after #5

This series over the last 3 books has become tedious, repetitive, predictable, and just boring. This last book was the poorest. Although Thorn has become more OP, he has not grown out of his stupidness. He constantly puts his group in danger, walks into obvious traps, and generally does the same dumb stuff over and over. I think that is why, in this book the reader is often reminded that the players are playing in a game, and the players are considered immortal. I guess that's why Thorn makes so many poor decisions. I would recommend the first 2 books and maybe the third, but then the series goes down hill.
Profile Image for David Campbell.
314 reviews4 followers
April 14, 2023
Taking a break from the series for a bit after this book. Probably will come back to try book 6.

I skipped/skimmed all of the fight scenes because they don't matter. Same with skills or upgrade discussions.

The MC has a giant army (10 battalions?). Mainly so the author can use descriptions from MMO raid groups. They don't matter since all the fights boil down to group x attack that thing, group y attack the other thing. MC smash the big bad guy with some OP nonsense. Rinse and repeat.

I am still interested enough in the overall plot to see how it goes, but trimming the book in half would be a good job for an editor.
Profile Image for Tony Hisgett.
2,999 reviews37 followers
May 29, 2024
One of the problems I’ve found with several Fantasy authors is they develop the ‘Epic’ syndrome when they lose sight of all logic and nothing matters other than making the next book ‘bigger’ and ‘badder’ and demonstrating how awesome is their imagination and intellect. Not caring if contradicts what has happened in previous books or even becoming so ridiculous, it doesn’t make sense. Unfortunately that’s where I think this series could be heading.

I was able to finish this book because there are parts that are still interesting and I could skip over the silly sections until I found another interesting bit.
996 reviews13 followers
Read
October 14, 2020
Another excellent episode

Love this series. This the latest I installment was no different. Though the actual progress was limited it introduced more plot elements. That some of the things happening to Thorn are related to his treatment opens up a whole host of new scenes for more player/system intricacies and interaction. The changes to the world and system are related to Thorn are put forward but no details or explanation yet. The final fun is that as powerful as Thorn is he is not invincible by any means and must strive more to improve. Yay can't wait for more.
Profile Image for Thomas Angus.
45 reviews6 followers
October 19, 2020
This snuck up on me!

I'm getting eternally frustrated with Amazon's author following system, Mr Ring is one of my favourite authors get I had to stumble upon his latest addition to Thorns saga!

This series continues to grow in leaps and bounds, and although the MC is a little OP at times the addition of new antagonists who can both challenge and defeat thorn has made this one of my favourite entries to the series!

I eagerly await the next book!
Profile Image for Ben Mcpeake.
682 reviews5 followers
March 24, 2021
I liked this book and the first part was great but not much happened in the rest of the book and it just felt like a set up for the next book and some tying up of loose ends from the previous books without a complete story of its own. Having said that i do still very much enjoy the world and characters for the most part.
Overall i am excited to see how all this set up will pay off in the next book :) 7.5/10
Profile Image for Andy Zach.
Author 10 books97 followers
June 1, 2023
Halfway through the series, Seth Ring amps up the villains. The orc army is innumerable. It's led by a mage who can also morph into a super fighter. Thorn fights him in the previous book to a draw and has to fight him again in this book.

Meanwhile, Thorn piles up titles and abilities while going on many quests. He also provokes the games AI into nerfing his power. I thought that was a nice wrinkle. You also get a glimpse of how the game interacts with his real life body which is undergoing nanite treatment to cure a birth defect.

All in all, an entertaining entry in the series.
Profile Image for Levia.
1,380 reviews16 followers
July 25, 2024
Never alone

I have a lot of ideas about this series, and the epilogue has those screeching in excitement. I love how he essentially drags other players to being stronger. The level of trust he can have is mind boggling. Speaking from experience, bitterness and anger are so easy to hold, but forgiveness and trust are difficult. I dislike how his progress irl hasn't been as strong, and I worry that the difference will break him mentally when he has to wake up.
Profile Image for Joseph D..
Author 3 books3 followers
March 11, 2025
Book 5 of Nova Terra: Titan. This one takes us to the brewing conflict with the Orcs. Lots of progress forward on this and yet still building to the final confrontation still has not happened with the hinted at rival. This book, while being a builder still keeps the action going. I am interested to see how the hinted at items come forward. If you want a good read, pick this one up. ​

Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com
Profile Image for Dannan Tavona.
968 reviews10 followers
October 19, 2025
War begins

Alternate universe, LitRPG, game immersion, hero's journey

Events in Nova Terra escalate, and the northern empire realizes that their elven allies have been invaded, so the empire musters an army to help resist. There are quests and subtle influences from the game designers, and several mysteries that hide pertinent information. Above average editing. Book 6 is next!
9 reviews1 follower
October 5, 2020
Awesome book, Awesome series!! :)

When I first started this series, I was afraid that it would turn into an overpowered MC kinda tale, but I was only partly right, Mr Ring has done an amazing job with the story building and world building in this series, Mr Seth Ring I salute your series as one of the all time litrpg Greats of our time.
21 reviews3 followers
October 9, 2020
Loved the last ones, loved this one

Just a great piece of litrpg/gamelit with a pretty original plot and world, although be warned, the MC is pretty darned OP at times. That’s how I like them though so no complaints from me. Love the way the series is progressing! Keep up the good work and I’ll keep buying :).
Profile Image for Johnny.
2,170 reviews80 followers
October 16, 2020
Book five

Mistakes: I didn't find anything wrong. This is one of the best series out there.

Plot: War! We finish up a quest, then it is off to save the elves. They are under attack from orcs. So plenty of adventure to go.

Characters: We see a lot of growth with the characters and even get an update on the MC and his medical condition.

10/10
46 reviews2 followers
November 10, 2020
At least the end was good.

I love the series but this was the most dissapointing entry so far. Most of the the book is just Thorn rolling around being OP. It only became interesting when he joined the Duke's camp. Wish we could see Mina become a bit more developed as a character as well, instead of the bare existence she currently has.
Profile Image for Robert Spellmann.
332 reviews4 followers
August 1, 2022
Getting old. Still reading

Do you ever think of cool review comments while you are reading ... and then, cannot remember them when you finish a book? If so, then you know what's happening as I type this. *blush*

BTW, I did better on book 4. Hope you read that review. Oh! The primary election is tomorrow - 2Aug2022. You may be too late! *chuckle*
70 reviews
May 17, 2023
A story you enjoy reading

Well written, although more editing would make it even better. Although this is a make believe tale, in a very much make believe environment, at times it feels too unbelievable. It follows the preset underlying story line, everything moves forward on a possible tract, wavering very little. So onto the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Zachary.
700 reviews14 followers
July 4, 2023
Thorn on the run

Well, that's what the second half of the book feels like, anyways. Ring made an excellent choice in not allowing his MC to just amazingly overcome any and every obstacle.

That said, the ending of this book is a bit of a cliffhanger...so I'm looking forward to driving into the next one 😉
Profile Image for Janet Jennings.
44 reviews
July 22, 2023
A great story built around gaming concepts

I am a video gamer, but I would have never dreamed that reading a story with video game goings on would be just as immersive, mysterious and exciting. This story gives you that 'Jones stimulus' when you're geeking to play video games, but also gives the reader in me what I need as well.
Profile Image for Katie Kissel.
413 reviews
August 23, 2025
In this story, the MC gather his army of players, conquers the cultists invading his valley, and enters the war against the orcs. He makes a few miscalculations and ends up being a prisoner of war but with the help of friends he eventually escapes and finds himself in the elven city.

The story has action and adventure, fantasy and is based in a gaming world. I definitely recommend reading the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
91 reviews
October 21, 2020
Can't wait for the next one

Another good book in this series. I'd usually have series fatigue by now so the fact that I'm still reading is a testament to Ring's world building and character development skills. I'm looking forward to the next book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews

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