Dungeon World

Dungeon World #1

by Jonathan Brooks

In a distant world five times the size of planet Earth, dungeons and their dungeon cores have become the top of the food chain.

Millions of dungeons inhabit the planet, utilizing the various human kingdoms as a source of much-needed mana to facilitate their own growth; in turn, the humans delve into the dungeons and acquire their own power in the form of Essence, which allows them to develop and enhance themselves in a multitude of different ways. It is a symbiotic relationship that has lasted centuries and has brought about a measure of peace.

Far in the northern wilds where no humans (and therefore – no dungeons) regularly frequent, a young man is left alone when his parents are murdered suddenly and unexpectedly. Now, without friends, family, or even supplies, he embarks on a journey to find out who targeted his parents – and who he needs to enact his revenge upon. Along the way, he discovers something about himself that his parents said was impossible from the moment he was born.

Will he learn to control the new powers he has gained, or will his newly awakened dungeon core abilities consume him?

Contains LitRPG elements such as statistics and leveling. No harems and no profanity.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Magic, Role Playing Games, Adventure, Science Fiction Fantasy, Science Fiction

387 pages, Hardcover

First published March 2, 2019

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Tawfek · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think i would probably have more fun, just laying there in my grave, watching the worms eat me, and wondering which part they find more tasty.

DNF at 61 pages i checked out a little further to 80 or something, No hope for this at all.

I was once watching Jonathan along with 3 or 4 other Dungeon Core LITRPG writers in a video call interview where they spoke about the genre, the other writers looked like they are struggling to make most of their series take off, and Jonathan looked like the only successful one among them, and they were speaking about how technical things about writing Dungeon Core LITRPG are difficult, and after watching that video, i thought "This must be why their genre isn't that successful" People are finding way more success with Town Building, Or Farming, Or slice of life, or even deck building LITRPG, And by success i mean widely recognized and loved and recommended by the LITRPG community.

I think that's not your issue guys, If this shit is your bestseller, Then it's all about the story, and the significance of the story, and the importance of making MC that actually matters, Reading these 61 pages, i swear i couldn't give two fucks about that kid MC.
One of the weakest world building in these pages as well, We spent 20% of the novel, Talking about how this kid is different (not why he is different except that he is a human from dungeon core parents) Talking about how this kid is sheltered and he wants to prove himself to his parents, And taking him to the most useless incursion ever, where he just gets to see trees and pond that has no fish inside, Like come on man...

I think it will probably be 1 year at least before i give this Sub-Sub Genre a chance again, and it won't be Jonathan, I usually quit a writer forever after two novels, So we have another meeting probably, if the next writer makes me like Dungeon Core LITRPG, That's when i manage to beat this horrible experience and give it another try.

[Isaac · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not bad but it's not good either.

The good? It's an interesting twist on the dungeon orient stories. The dungeon core isn't station; it's a walking humanoid thingymabob. There's a ton of dungeon to dungeon interaction in this world. Most other stories have each dungeon having their own territory and a loner. The "game mechanics" were pretty interesting; it's standard but fun.

The bad? It starts off really really really slow. It's so slow and boring that many people might just skip it or give up on the book. Everything is smooth sailing for the protagonist. No money? He's a dungeon core. He can just create them easily with, like, 1 mana. Copper? Silver? Gold? No problem! It makes no difference. There is also very little "development" because it's all time lapsed.

I understand time lapse is one way of telling a story and skipping the boring parts because some of these parts can be repetitive and boring. And they probably can be in this book. But it can also be character development. Show how the protagonist grew. Regardless of the potential, this author deemed it boring and skipped it. He skipped the 1+ year journey from middle of nowhere to a very rural village. He also skipped the journey from the rural village to a town. And the 3 months of dungeon diving/leveling up/skill improving.

So yeah, skip skip skip and make everything a breeze for the protagonist is this author's motto. I mean, the protagonist is literally Superman in the making. He can absorb mana from his dungeon side and essence from his human side. And then can convert between the two. He can basically see mana, copy skills and there is the perfect class for him, Researcher. Researcher experiments on skills and he can copy skills. Yeah, he makes very OP skills.

[Damien K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

Entertaining, but there were so many plot conveniences, so many time skips, so many shallow motivations, and toward the end, the author seems to get tired of writing.

If you can't find something else to read, then look harder, this wasn't worth the five hours I spent reading it.

[Bolajide Adeyoye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rude

Author, my dude, where do you get off being so awesome? Do you know what you've done to my schedule? I was supposed to get things done today. Instead I ended up getting side tracked because I couldn't out down this fun, funny, and all around inventive little story till it was finished.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun adventure, another winner from Jonathan Brooks

Some dungeon core books are just terrible clones of other, better written books. This not the case here. A unique perspective as the dungeon core is actually passable as a human, but is so much more than that.

Yes , Fred might seem overpowered to some other readers, but consider that he IS a dungeon core. Of course he will develop abilities unlike normal humans and adventures. And yes, he can produce as much gold as he wants. But since he doesn't care about money, it's a non-issue for me. It's just a means to an end for a wandering dungeon core to get what he needs.

Can't wait for book 2.

[A HB · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mediocre due to time skips and no tension/risk

Any time the main character might have to work, we time skip over it. Similarly, money is meaningless and other resources are effectively infinite. Meanwhile the story meanders along blandly. All told it’s like eating freshly sterilized hospital food, you don’t starve but...

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt, the best example of a Dungeon story I have ever read.

Most authors simply start with a loose premise to create some sort of dungeon based adventure, but this is a genuinely interesting story that just so happens to have dungeon elements to drive the plot. The difference in quality is immediately evident with the minor twist in the opening chapter, and the mystery that drives the main character to look for answers.

I read the audiobook version which includes a small afterword from the author, explaining why he made some of the choices he did, as well as gave the locations of various groups for anyone who wanted to find similar stories, which I thought was a great touch.

The characters are interesting, with what I believe to be the two main characters being great examples on how to write very different characters. I don't want to go into much detail to avoid spoilers, but one of them has been my second favourite example of a naive character to date, while the other has a well thought out, yet simple backstory that makes sense in this universe. I can't wait to learn more about them in future books and to see how this second character gets fleshed out even more. Even the minor supporting characters are unique and likeable to the point that I hope they show up again in the future.

As I stated before, the plot is where this story really shines. Instead of rushing through various tropes to get to the dungeon building aspect, the author creates a genuine story to lead us towards it with the dungeon aspect being the end goal. Be forewarned, there is next to no dungeon building in this first novel though it is a large part of subsequent books. If you're looking for dungeon building then the build up from this book is more than worth it to get to what you're looking for.

In the end I can't recommend this book enough to fans of the genre and I could even see some average fantasy lovers enjoying this series.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started so good, then the author tried to place as many stats as he possibly can into a single chapter.

This book would have been so much better without all the "stats" in it.

I'm hesitant to read the next book, seeing as the author plainly admitted at the end that he loves stats, and will try to put even more if possible in the next one. I just don't understand why they can't tell a story without all the stats. You can use the dungeon core and creation elements, even a little bit of info that explains abilities, just stop stuffing pages full of stats.

I think I found out somethings that will be explained later. The reason different cores are banned from mating with each other is because they create a human. If dungeons are the dominate "species" in that world, humans came about from cores.

2.5/5 Stars

[GaiusPrimus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of nowhere and straight to the top

Jonathan Brooks has really stepped up his game when it comes to dungeon books, with his fourth series based in the genre.

This is more of an intro to the world and the story but it's really quite a creative take. Really wish that I had held off on reading this until the next book was out though.

Read this book.

[Someone S Name · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty unique take on dungeons

Good book. Well written and edited. A different take on dungeons and worth reading. Has some unique elements and some familiar ones (text boxes and stats). Give it a read and see if you like it.

[Jonathan Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars

[Troy C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing take on a new branch of the LitRPG genre. Probably not everyone's cup of tea, but it fills a decent niche.

[Red Tide · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unusual and fun

I wasn't sure that I understood the world at first but I got used to it. I wasn't sure that I liked the story at first but I got interested in where the story was headed by the end.

It's a standard game world with characters to match. The MC actually being not a champion transported from another world but the sentient heart of a dungeon was pretty different. I like that there was a good explanation for the constant human-dungeon interaction and the rules governing it. This was a brand new view of the game and I've got admit that it made all the characters more interesting.

The writing was OK but the real value was a character cast that is as close to gender neutral as I ever seen. The action makes much more sense and the value of the characters is higher than in a number of the genre books that I tried. The next volume should be neat.

[Crissy Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This started a little slow, then ramped up nicely toward the end, expanding on the world and building that pivitol main character nicely.
Speaking of which; Fred reminds me of "Seven Deadly Sins", an anime. He's powerful but doesn't really know it, and has a friendly vibe toward everyone. But if you cross him or hurt those he cares for he has a methodical way of bringing you down.
Plus this story turns the Dungeon Core genre on its head. Instead of a stationary core that must fight to survive exactly where he is Fred looks human, though he doesn't have the social skills of most humans. Considering dungeon cores think of humans as cattle, and humans think of dungeon cores as little more than magical rocks.... I have a feeling there's going to be one heck of a confrontation later on in the series.

[Kiba Snowpaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Critical Review of Dungeon World by Jonathan Brooks

Hook and Thesis:
Dungeon World succeeds most where its premise is strongest: it takes the familiar dungeon-core idea and gives it a mobile, humanoid protagonist caught between two incompatible worlds. That is the novel’s greatest strength. Its biggest weakness is that the execution often feels more like extended setup than a fully satisfying first volume, with heavy exposition, noticeable time skips, and an uneven sense of dramatic payoff.

Introduction

Dungeon World, the first entry in Jonathan Brooks’ series, opens with a genuinely fresh angle on dungeon-core fantasy. Instead of focusing on a static dungeon defending itself from invaders, Brooks centers the story on Fred, the child of two dungeon cores who appears human but carries powers that blur the line between person and living dungeon. That premise gives the book immediate genre appeal, especially for readers who enjoy LitRPG systems, progression, and unusual worldbuilding. At the same time, the novel also shows some of the familiar weaknesses of early-series progression fantasy: a slow beginning, frequent explanation, and a structure that sometimes feels more concerned with laying foundations than delivering a complete dramatic arc.



Basic Plot Summary

Fred has spent his life isolated in the northern wilds with his parents, only to lose them suddenly and violently. Forced out into a world he barely understands, he begins a journey shaped by survival, revenge, and self-discovery. As he learns more about his own strange nature and awakens abilities connected to dungeon cores, he is drawn into a broader world built on the uneasy symbiosis between humans and dungeons. The plot combines personal tragedy with a wider system of mana, Essence, dungeon politics, and advancement, making the novel both a coming-of-age story and a genre-mechanics story.



Analysis / Evaluation

The central idea is easily the book’s best feature. A humanoid dungeon-core protagonist is a smart twist because it lets Brooks explore the dungeon genre from both the inside and the outside. Fred is not just managing systems; he is living among the people who normally fear, exploit, or depend on those systems. That gives the story a conceptual tension that is more interesting than the average dungeon-core setup.

Where the novel becomes less effective is in the pacing and delivery. Much of the book feels like preparation for later developments rather than a sharply contained first installment. Several readers have noted that the story begins slowly, and that criticism feels fair. Brooks spends a good deal of time explaining the world, the mechanics, and Fred’s unusual status before the narrative gains real momentum. The result is a book that remains readable and often interesting, but not always gripping.



Characters

Fred is an appealing protagonist in concept. His upbringing explains both his ignorance and his social awkwardness, which gives him a different texture from the usual hyper-competent LitRPG lead. His identity conflict is the main emotional engine of the novel: he looks human, but he is deeply tied to something humans do not fully understand and often fear. That makes him sympathetic and narratively useful.

Still, Fred can also feel underdeveloped in practice. Because the novel skips over portions of his growth, some of his progression feels summarized instead of lived. This weakens the emotional force of his development. Supporting characters are functional, but they do not always leave a strong impression. Some readers will find them serviceable within the genre; others may feel they exist more to move Fred’s story along than to stand fully on their own.



Setting

The setting is one of the novel’s strongest assets. Brooks builds a world where dungeons are not rare anomalies but a dominant part of civilization itself. The relationship between dungeons and humans is not simple hostility, but a long-standing exchange of mana and Essence that has created an entire ecosystem of dependence. That broader framework makes the world feel more thought out than many comparable books in the genre.

The dungeon politics are also a compelling addition. The idea that dungeon cores have social rules, conflicts, and governing structures adds depth to the premise. Even when the storytelling slows down, the world itself remains interesting enough to sustain attention.



Structure

Structurally, Dungeon World is both effective and frustrating. It works as an origin story and as a launch point for the series, but it is less successful as a self-contained narrative. The early chapters are heavy with explanation, and later sections use time skips that remove opportunities for character growth and tension. Instead of seeing Fred struggle through every important stage, readers are sometimes told that time passed and progress happened.

This approach has one clear advantage: it avoids drowning the story in repetitive grinding. But it also has a cost. Some of the most meaningful parts of Fred’s development are pushed into the background, which makes the book feel thinner emotionally than it might have otherwise.



Themes

The strongest theme in the novel is identity. Fred exists between categories: human and dungeon, outsider and participant, child and survivor. That tension gives the book more substance than a simple leveling narrative. There is also a clear theme of isolation, since Fred begins the novel cut off from ordinary society and must learn how to function in a world that was effectively hidden from him.

Revenge is another core theme, but it is more of a motivator than a fully explored idea in this first volume. The story also touches on symbiosis, hierarchy, and the balance of power between species and systems. These thematic ingredients are strong, even if the book sometimes presents them more as setup than as deeply developed conclusions.



Writing Style

Brooks’ writing is clear and accessible, which suits the LitRPG format. He communicates mechanics, systems, and world rules in a way that makes the setting easy to follow. For readers who enjoy stats, progression, and concrete frameworks, that clarity is a definite strength.

The downside is that the prose can become overly explanatory. This is a novel that often tells where it could show. Information is frequently delivered directly rather than revealed through action, conflict, or discovery. The style is readable, but not especially elegant, and it can flatten scenes that should carry more emotional or dramatic weight.



Tone

The tone is generally earnest, measured, and genre-focused. It is less edgy or provocative than some LitRPG titles, and the lack of harem elements or gratuitous profanity may be a plus for readers tired of those defaults. At the same time, the tone can feel somewhat muted. The book rarely becomes emotionally intense enough to fully capitalize on its strongest ideas, especially early on.



Impact

As a first volume, Dungeon World makes an impression mainly through concept rather than payoff. It leaves the reader with a sense that the series could become something stronger once the groundwork is out of the way. That is both its appeal and its limitation. The book opens doors to a fascinating larger story, but some readers may finish feeling that they have read the beginning of a journey rather than a fully satisfying novel in its own right.



Praise and Critique

Praise:

The premise is inventive, the worldbuilding is stronger than average for the genre, and the human-dungeon symbiosis gives the novel a distinct identity. Fred’s nature as a mobile, humanoid dungeon core is a smart twist that separates the book from more static dungeon-core stories. The systems are coherent, and the world has enough structure to make later books feel promising.




Critique:

The book’s biggest weaknesses are its slow opening, heavy exposition, and overreliance on time skips. The first volume often feels like setup, and the dramatic arc can feel incomplete. Fred is interesting, but not always as emotionally vivid as he could be, and the supporting cast does not consistently carry enough weight to deepen the story. Readers looking for strong character intimacy or a tightly resolved first-book arc may come away underwhelmed.



Evaluation

Overall, Dungeon World is a solid but uneven opener. It is not a bad book, and in fact it has a better central concept than many books in its niche. But concept alone can only carry a story so far. Brooks lays out an intriguing foundation, yet the execution does not always match the promise of the setup. For readers already invested in dungeon-core or LitRPG fiction, this will likely be enough to keep them going. For readers outside that niche, the novel may feel more competent than compelling.



Comparison

Compared to more traditional dungeon-core stories, Dungeon World stands out because it makes the dungeon mobile, personal, and socially exposed. Compared to broader LitRPG fantasy, it leans more heavily on system logic and setting design than on deep characterization. It feels less like a polished standalone fantasy novel and more like a series foundation for readers who enjoy progression, world mechanics, and unconventional protagonists.



Conclusion

Dungeon World is an interesting and worthwhile start to a series, even if it is not an especially powerful one on its own. Jonathan Brooks deserves credit for taking a familiar subgenre and giving it a genuinely fresh angle. The novel’s best qualities are its premise, setting, and structural ambition. Its weakest points are its tendency toward exposition, its uneven pacing, and the sense that too much of the real story is being saved for later. In the end, this is a book with more promise than polish, but enough originality to make that promise matter.

[Kiba Snowpaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introduction:
Alright, my fellow adventurers, it’s time to dive howling headfirst into *Dungeon World*, the first installment of Jonathan Brooks’ game-lit/dungeon-core odyssey. Published in March 2019, this story takes a unique spin on the classic LitRPG formula, weaving in elements of dungeon management and human drama in a way that’ll leave your fur bristling with excitement. Imagine being born as a humanoid dungeon core, raised by your elemental core parents, only to have them brutally snatched away, leaving you to fend off a world of rival dungeons and human adventurers. This, folks, is where Fred’s journey begins—and it’s one hell of a ride. Buckle in, because we’re about to break this story down, paw by paw, claw by claw.

Plot Summary:
In *Dungeon World*, Brooks introduces us to Fred, the son of two dungeon cores who find themselves victims of a power struggle they didn’t see coming. And Fred? Well, he’s left alone, lost, and pissed off after the sudden murder of his parents. Thrust into a world where dungeons rule and humans serve as a power source for mana, Fred embarks on a journey to discover who killed his family and to master the dungeon core abilities that were supposedly impossible for him to possess. This isn’t just a typical revenge story—it’s a twist on the LitRPG genre that flips the whole "dungeon vs adventurer" dynamic on its head.

Fred, while human in appearance, is far from your average sword-swinging protagonist. With the power of dungeon cores flowing through his veins, he’s got some serious skills to unlock. But it’s not all dungeon-building and power-ups. Oh no—Fred’s got to navigate a dangerous world of rival cores, guild politics, and deadly traps, all while trying to maintain some semblance of a normal existence. It's a story that’s part survival, part revenge, and part deep-dive into dungeon management, with Brooks threading a unique tale of discovery and vengeance throughout.

The Author:
Jonathan Brooks is no stranger to the LitRPG scene. With *Dungeon World*, he adds another feather to his already impressive cap of dungeon-core stories, following the success of his *Station Core* series. Brooks’ ability to craft intricate game mechanics while still focusing on character-driven narratives sets him apart from many in the genre. Sure, stats and leveling systems are front and center, but Brooks doesn’t let that overshadow the emotional core of the story. Fred’s journey of loss, revenge, and self-discovery is what keeps readers hooked, even when the pages are filled with detailed mana charts and essence stats.

Characters:
Fred is, hands down, one of the most unique protagonists I’ve come across in the dungeon-core genre. Raised by dungeon cores yet trapped in a human form, Fred’s internal conflict is palpable throughout the story. He’s got a lot to prove, not just to the world but to himself. The boy has been sheltered his whole life, and now he’s thrust into a brutal, unforgiving world with nothing but his raw dungeon abilities and a burning need for revenge. He’s not your standard OP protagonist—Fred’s growth is earned, and watching him navigate both his human and dungeon sides is a joy. He’s got that raw, unpolished potential, and you can’t help but root for the kid.

As for the supporting cast, while they don’t steal the spotlight, they complement Fred’s journey well. The humans Fred meets along the way, whether adventurers or villagers, add depth to the story, giving him a contrast between his dungeon-born abilities and the world of human politics and survival. Brooks doesn't fall into the trap of one-dimensional side characters; even the rival dungeon cores have motives and personalities that go beyond just being "the bad guys."

Structure:
Now, let’s talk structure. Brooks doesn’t waste time on filler. The story kicks off with a solid bang—Fred’s life is torn apart within the first few chapters, setting the tone for the rest of the book. The pacing is fast and furious at first, slowing down just enough to let Fred explore his powers and learn the ropes of dungeon-core life. Brooks isn’t afraid to throw time skips into the mix either, which can be a bit jarring, but they serve a purpose: we don’t need to see every step of Fred’s grind to level up. Instead, Brooks keeps the focus on the key moments of growth and development, skipping the mind-numbing repetition that could easily bog the story down.

That said, if you’re a fan of in-depth leveling and stat-building, you won’t be disappointed. Brooks manages to balance the story with plenty of dungeon-building mechanics without overwhelming the narrative. Fred’s progression feels natural, and the way Brooks weaves game mechanics into the storytelling is seamless—stats are there to enhance the plot, not overshadow it.

Themes & Analysis:
At its heart, *Dungeon World* is a story about identity. Fred’s caught between two worlds—human and dungeon—and much of the story revolves around him figuring out where he belongs. There’s a lot of introspection here, with Fred constantly questioning his place in a world where dungeon cores are seen as enemies, yet he’s still part human. The theme of revenge is strong, driving Fred’s actions, but it’s tempered by his need to understand his powers and himself. He’s not just out for blood; he wants answers.

Another key theme is survival. Fred’s on his own for the first time, and he has to navigate a world that’s far more dangerous than he ever imagined. The dungeon system itself is a fascinating commentary on symbiosis—dungeons need humans for mana, and humans need dungeons for essence. It’s a balance that’s been in place for centuries, and Fred’s existence as a walking, talking dungeon core throws that balance into chaos.

Scenes:
No harem here, my friends, and thank the stars for that. Brooks doesn’t bother with unnecessary romance or gratuitous relationships. Instead, the focus is on Fred’s journey and the action-packed dungeon fights. And when I say action-packed, I mean it. Brooks knows how to write a good brawl. Whether it’s Fred taking on rival dungeon cores or setting traps for invading adventurers, the combat is crisp, tense, and satisfying. You can feel the stakes in every battle—Fred’s not invincible, and each fight has real consequences. Brooks doesn’t hold back on the brutality, either. The world of *Dungeon World* is dangerous, and Fred’s enemies aren’t pulling any punches.

World-Building:
Let’s talk about the world, shall we? Dungeon cores are the apex predators here, and the world Brooks has built around them is rich with lore. The dungeons feed off mana, drawing it from humans and growing stronger with each delve. It’s a fascinating system, and Brooks does a stellar job of explaining the mechanics without bogging the reader down in exposition. The idea of dungeon cores interacting with each other, vying for power and territory, adds a layer of complexity to the world that sets it apart from other LitRPG stories.

What’s especially cool is the way Brooks handles the human-dungeon relationship. It’s a symbiotic cycle—humans need dungeons for essence, and dungeons need humans for mana. It’s a balance that’s been in place for centuries, and Fred’s existence threatens to upend that balance. There’s a lot of political intrigue here too, with guilds, councils, and rival dungeon cores all jockeying for power.

Praise & Critique:
There’s a lot to love about *Dungeon World*. The concept is fresh, the world-building is top-notch, and Fred is a protagonist you can really get behind. Brooks manages to balance the LitRPG mechanics with a strong narrative, something that’s not always easy to pull off. The pacing is solid, and the stakes are high enough to keep you turning the pages.

But it’s not all sunshine and mana crystals. The book does suffer from a few hiccups, mainly in the form of info dumps. Brooks can get a little too enthusiastic when explaining the dungeon mechanics, and while it’s cool to know how the system works, it can slow down the action at times. There are also a few time skips that feel a bit abrupt, leaving you wishing for more character development in certain areas. But overall, these are minor gripes in an otherwise solid story.

Comparison:
Compared to Brooks’ other works, *Dungeon World* stands out for its unique twist on the dungeon-core genre. While *Station Core* focused more on large-scale strategy and logistics, *Dungeon World* brings the focus down to a more personal level, exploring Fred’s journey from a sheltered kid to a powerful dungeon core. In terms of other LitRPG books, *Dungeon World* shares some similarities with Aleron Kong’s *The Land*, but Brooks’ writing feels more character-driven, with a heavier focus on emotional stakes rather than pure game mechanics.

Personal Evaluation:
As someone who loves a good dungeon-core story, *Dungeon World* hit all the right notes for me. Fred’s journey is compelling, the world is fascinating, and the action is top-tier. Sure, there are a few pacing issues, but overall, this is a story that kept me hooked from start to finish. Brooks has created a world that feels alive, with characters who have real stakes and motivations. And Fred? He’s a protagonist you can’t help but root for.

Conclusion:
*Dungeon World* is a must-read for fans of LitRPG and dungeon-core stories. It’s got everything you could want—an intriguing protagonist, a rich

[Douglas · Rating 1 out of 5]

FYI: I did an audio book but since that isn't currently listed on Goodreads.com I am posting my review here.

This is one of the worst books I have ever read, largely due to the fact that it doesn't even attempt to tell a story. Stories have conclusions. Here the MC's parents are killed and he sets off on a quest to find out why. MC gets his first clue and THE BOOK STOPS. I was actually enjoying this book listening along, thinking it was just getting going when IT ENDED.

Bottom line: No one should ever buy a book by an author who writes like this- you can't trust them to actually tell a story.

[Vincent Archer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting riff on the dungeon core genre.

The symbiosis that is implicit between dungeons and adventurers in most of the genre is the focus of this series. That, and dungeon politics. Because if you've got a race of immortal semi-competitive entities that have massive powers, you get politics. The climax is not what you expected, but is entirely logical.

Sounds like a good series beginning for dungeon core fans.

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

A great story that had me hooked very quickly. I like the plot idea and Dungeon element to it add in the LitRPG and that’s it I’m reading it as quickly as possible.

The MC is well written and his development handled by time lapsing so no page after page of grinding, just a quick look back via his and Eisa’s memories.

Another author to my collection who I’ll be monitoring for new books. Plus going through their back catalogue, get this and enjoy a good read.

[Melissa Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. I love how the author came sideways at the dungeon LitRPG. Different, yet way more enjoyable than any previous dungeon core stories that I've read before. I love the two different leveling systems for humans and dungeon core. Fun, exciting, well written characters and an overall entertaining book. Can't wait for the sequel.

[Liam · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise is cool, the story is cool, but it just didn't deliver.

[Gareth Otton · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's an interesting idea to this book struggling to get out, but unfortunately, it is weighed down by some problems with the writing itself that leaves this book lacking.

The first of those flaws come in the form of info dumps and over-explaining concepts. For example, here's a quick three-sentence summary of the world, the protagonist and the initial plot for this novel:

This is a world where dungeon cores are sentient beings that have the ability to take on physical forms and change locations. The protagonist is the offspring of two dungeon cores who his parents think is locked into his human form and is unable to use the magic of dungeon cores. When his parents die, he must go out into the world and find out first how to survive beyond the protection of his parents, then how to use his dungeon core abilities, and finally how he is different from other dungeon cores and what that means for him.

That short summary gives you all of the information you need to know to get going with this story, however, the amount of time this book takes to deliver that same information is considerably longer. What is worse is that the several chapters devoted to telling you this information are more interested in explaining the information than telling a story, so there's no narrative hook or character development to draw you into the novel. It led to my mind wandering a lot during the opening chapters, often to the point that I had to keep going back to make sure that I hadn't missed anything. This is frustrating when a simple summary like what I wrote above is all the reader needs to understand the situation before the story could have started and we would have learnt the rest through the character's actions and the plot unfolding, rather than via info dumps.

That leads nicely on to the second issue of telling rather than showing. The author never misses a chance in this novel to explain explicitly what he wants the reader to know rather than showing us what is happening and letting us gain meaning from those actions ourselves. This creates a story that is heavy on exposition (doubling down on the first issue) and light on the important moments that lets the reader get engaged in the plot, the setting and the characters. For example, it's all well and good telling us that the main character can't re-create things he hasn't touched before, but it's much more engaging to the audience if we instead learn that alongside the character through a try-fail cycle rather than just being told the problem and solution all at once.

These two issues compound so that we are left with a really interesting concept, but not much in the way of story-telling elements. I'm not attached to any of the characters, they don't feel real to me, and the stakes to the story just aren't landing as a result. This would normally be where I parted ways with a series. However, there is one thing that this book does right and it's the reason why I'll pick up book two; it's fun.

This is a light-hearted story that is just having fun with the core concept. While the above flaws are stopping it from really hooking me as truly good stories do, I can't say I was ever bored with this book and the pages kept turning regardless.

Therefore I finish this book with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I think that there is a lot not to like here, but on the other, I want to keep reading hoping that the author can improve his craft with future novels and let the story he is trying to tell shine through.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Dungeon World book was published on March 2, 2019. There are now four books in the series and it seems like another one may be on the way. The series is written by Jonathan Brooks. I read the first three books over the summer and then got my hands on the most recently published book this week. It looks like there will be at least one more book in the series.

Fredwynklemossering (please excuse me if I spelled that wrong), or Fred, is the son of two dungeon cores. Usually, when one dungeon core loves another dungeon core, they make a baby dungeon core, but in Fred's case, they made a seemingly normal baby human. Fred is somewhat lonely, but content. Once he is older though, he goes out into the wild for his first trip outside his parent's dungeon to see the surrounding forest. He sees the world for the first time, but upon return to his parents' dungeon he finds his parents were murdered by the dungeon core supreme counsel. Vowing to take revenge in his parents' name, Fred ventures out into the wild and confusing world of humans to gain strength and skill, but he also finds friends and enemies. Throughout his journey Fred will discover he has abilities unlike any human or dungeon core before him and it is up to him to learn how to harness those abilities as well as control them.

I enjoyed this book series a few months ago and I enjoyed it these week. The books tend to be a little longer, but they do keep your attention. The main focus of these books are epic and huge battles, which is both bad and good. I felt like that was such a crucial part of the story, the author sometimes ended up neglecting character development and really introducing new characters. For the most part, the first book was pretty good at that but I feel like the other books lagged behind in that a bit. The battles were really cool but I just felt that some of that character attachment you get in other books you read where you watch the character grow with the story was missing. One thing I did enjoy was how the main character, Fred, didn't quite understand social cues very well. That could be attributed to the fact that he had only been around his un-moving and expressionless dungeon core parents all his life. This created comedic moments and gave the story some comic relief when it needed it. This was a LitRPG book and it had pretty detailed stats which I really liked as it just gave a very concrete sense of strength and power. Another thing I really enjoyed was at the start of each book it had a pretty in-depth summary with all the major points about the previous books.This reminded me what happened in the previous books and it made it much easier to pick up right where I left off, which was really helpful for me as I couldn't read the books back to back. Overall this was a series I have enjoyed and would recommend, I just wish there was some more character development taking place. That being said however, the epic fights which made up the vast majority of the books were really cool and something that I haven't really found in other books before. If any of that sounds interesting to you, I would give it a try and it is on Kindle Unlimited.

[David L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dungeon World, this was an interesting introduction, to the mechanics behind dungeon core. I always read the adventurer’s side, but this was a way to know the mechanics of how dungeons work. The beginning of the book is quite informational. It starts slow because there is no other way to really paint how dungeons work.

Once you get past the first couple chapters, the adventure begins. It really caught up and I was happy how it captivating it was. I got to learn the principles behind Dungeons Core. Which is the entity behind each dungeon.

There are different types: earth, fire, nature, water etc. With that in mind the dungeon core is the brain’s behind the operational and logistics of the dungeon.

They create dungeon defenders based on which element the dungeon is. They also create the environment, traps etc...

This adventure is about Fred the MC, he is the product of a forbidden love between his parents his father a fire element dungeon Core and his mother a water element core. He is a hybrid core, and assumes the form of a human to explore out the world once he is old enough.

I really enjoyed this book, and now I’m a fan of this separate world that I didn’t even know it existed. If you’re interested in finding out how dungeons work. How their relationship with humans and other races interact. I definitely recommend this series!

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Pablo García · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apparently author creates a world, not of inhabitants but of Dungeon Cores. Cores that have humanoid bodies instead of core-like forms. Cores that want to live the life of regular humans????
This first volume of the Dungeon World novel series fails to engage me as a reader. Dungeon Cores running around pretending to be people, that can create clothes, weapons, etc. through the consumption of mana. Why would a Dungeon Core want to become a person and live the life of regular people?? That would be like a computer wanting to be a toaster, and a tree wanting to become a robot, Things that do not have a body or a soul, like dungeon cores, fulfill their purpose and become stronger by growing as a Dungeon, capturing more mana, miasma, souls, etc. from the monsters, animals, and people that are defeated in the dungeon.
The main enemies of the Dungeon Cores in this bizarre novel series, are not the typical dungeon adventurers, dungeon crawlers but other Dungeon Cores that "steal the mana" and "kill the rest" of the Dungeon Cores. What would be the point of a Dungeon Core war?
Dungeons are like puzzles, Labyrinths or mazes, the more complicated, the more of a chance the Dungeons survive, grow and thrive.
So Fred, the main character is a young core, that looks like a boy but because he was "orphaned" does not know how to do anything and maybe because of his ignorance and young age, is delusional and tries to "learn to become a human". Huh? So the Dungeon Core is denaturalized?

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fair start that is perhaps a bit too slow with both plot and worldbuilding.

Dungeon World is a dungeon core LitRPG following Fred, a protagonist whose parents are dungeon cores yet he appears human. After his parents murder, Fred sets out on a quest to grow strong enough to take revenge. Overall, I found the story entertaining and the world/mechanics to have a lot of promise. My one gripe is that since this book actually tries to balance plot/characters with RPG worldbuilding, I grade it more harshly than if it had been spreadsheets with words. The characters are pretty basic and, to me, not that convincing or compelling. I would not have minded much more exploration of the magic systems and abilities of this world, although obviously future books will expand on these. To the book’s credit, I didn’t have to ignore too many detrimental elements, it just wasn’t amazing writing. I will also note, I listened to the audiobook and the main character pulls up his stat sheet a lot, which got pretty repetitive in the audio format and probably would have worked much better on the page.

Recommended if you know you like this genre or if you’re possibly interested in LitRPG.

[Sesler · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating System:
5- Perfect for my taste, could not physically stop reading/listening, wanted more afterword.
4- Almost perfect, could not stop reading/listening, probably wanted more afterword.
3- Enjoyed the book, could see others loving it, need to think if I want more.
2- Can see why others might like the book, but I could not, I do not want more.
1- What is this? What went wrong? Why did they do this? This doesn't make any sense! (No idea who it is for but definitely not for me).

[Audiobook Version]

So far it has been a decent story. While I enjoy the slow and laid-back approach to the story, I was also hoping it would be a little more interesting. Not to say that it wasn't interesting, I was just hoping for more details and while getting into the nitty-gritty parts of the world and magic. So far the story has been very broad when sharing details about everything which is fine, I personally have a more enjoyable time when significant details are also brought up frequently. Overall, the first book has a decent story, but I really hope the series gets better.

[Youssef · Rating 2 out of 5]

The principal problem with this book is that it barely contains half a story, perhaps a third of one, and consequently there is no tension, and little character and world building. The secondary problem is the time skips, especially towards the end. What the author chose to show and what he chose to skip is perplexing at best! I enjoyed this enough to reserve rating until I read more of the series, but if I stopped here it would be a very generous two stars.

Update: So I've made it to book 4 then gave up. Book two was a marked improvement but I had my hopes up too soon. The author had an idea of a story that's interesting, but has been stretching it over five books and everything else is he put in feels like bland filler and stats. I believe the author has no idea how to write human beings interacting naturally. They are around just to further the events of the story. They go from very suspicious and hostile for no reason, to completely trusting in MC and following him into battle equally for no reason, in the span of a conversation.

I DNFed mid book 4 because I was fed up and didn't care even for the interesting premise. It became simply tedious. I wouldn't recommend the series.

[Milton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took the book when I was coming from Dungeon Lord, and was on a mood to keep on reading about dungeons. the way it started was so different from the ones i have taken before about dungeons coming from a union of two dungeons that gave them something new. but in a form of a biped a boy that had the properties of a dungeon. The book centers on the growth road of findings his abilities as a dungeon, and a human. how to interact an starts making friends. as all LitRPG books statistics are all over the place but add to the plot.

Also provided was the interaction of the humans and the dungeons that are like a source of food to the dungeons and all the world is over populated with the factions of nature, light, air, dark, earth and fire.

Really like it goes a seperste way from the other books and introduces a more detailed view of the world of dungeons. sound funny but keep in mind it’s LitRPG.

[Kristoffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great start to a fun series. It was a bit slow at first, with the protagonist just being a kid confined to a cave with parents who would vaguely whisper about things. It didn't feel like much was going on, and all the whispered dialogue made little sense. After that part though, things really started to pick up. Once the protagonist reached a real town to become a dungeon adventurer, the story ramped up to five star quality. The book was very addictive once that point was reached. This book doesn't take the normal dungeon core book route of focusing on a person becoming a dungeon core and having to build a dungeon. Instead, it is about a guy who was born a human of dungeon core parents. The guy turns out to be a dungeon core, but the book focuses more on his adventurer elements with some benefits added in by his dungeon core nature. It was pretty interesting. I highly recommend this book, and the series is especially recommended.