What do you think?
Rate this book
Worth the Candle #1
Through Adversity
Juniper was always the Dungeon Master, never the player. He was always a creator of worlds rather than the one who walked within them…until now.
Somehow, the tables have turned in the most dramatic way possible. Juniper finds himself in a world filled with the wildest fantasies a mind could come up with, and his fingerprints are all over it.
Throughout this world, echoes of his own ideas and plots leave him feeling like he’s always one step behind. He finds bits and pieces of ancient influence strewn about every town he goes through. One thing is clear, though: Juniper walks this magical new world in someone else’s shadow.
It might all add up to something vital...if only he can survive long enough to figure it out.
Somehow, the tables have turned in the most dramatic way possible. Juniper finds himself in a world filled with the wildest fantasies a mind could come up with, and his fingerprints are all over it.
Throughout this world, echoes of his own ideas and plots leave him feeling like he’s always one step behind. He finds bits and pieces of ancient influence strewn about every town he goes through. One thing is clear, though: Juniper walks this magical new world in someone else’s shadow.
It might all add up to something vital...if only he can survive long enough to figure it out.
- GenresFantasy
618 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2022
191 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Alexander Wales
24 books133 followersAlexander Wales is the pseudonym of Ben Friesen. Ben is a writer and stay-at-home dad located in Duluth, MN with his wife, their son, and cat.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 15, 2023
Some aspects of it are interesting, specifically the meta and the psychological premise; the second being: the world is made of stories created by the protagonist, so by exploring the world he is exploring himself.
I'll probably read more, as it's interesting enough so far.
I'll probably read more, as it's interesting enough so far.
April 14, 2022
Went into it thinking it's a typical litRPG, and in some ways it is. But it's a far more emotionally honest story than most, with protagonist that has gone through loss and does the kind of self-sabotage after that is painfully real.
July 27, 2023
I was reluctant to start reading this series as I didn't like the premise. There have been lots of stories written about a protagonist trapped in a well-known fictional world. Even some, where the world was of their own creation. I'm not a fan.
What makes this story interesting is the central mystery/objective relating to the hero's long-lost best friend. That pathos gives the tale a beating heart. I also find the author's breadth of knowledge impressive, in addition, his way of thinking is also unusual. That does lead to some unrealistic characteristics for the teenage hero, but it could just as easily be explained away by Juniper's growing mental stats.
Note: I don't play tabletop RPGs but if I did, I'd want someone as talented as Juniper to be my DM.
What makes this story interesting is the central mystery/objective relating to the hero's long-lost best friend. That pathos gives the tale a beating heart. I also find the author's breadth of knowledge impressive, in addition, his way of thinking is also unusual. That does lead to some unrealistic characteristics for the teenage hero, but it could just as easily be explained away by Juniper's growing mental stats.
Note: I don't play tabletop RPGs but if I did, I'd want someone as talented as Juniper to be my DM.
September 11, 2025
surprisingly good
I review rarely…have listened to almost 50 different series now and this is different enough to stand out. The most surprising part for me was how nuanced the author deals with psychology. It’s a great read, hoping book 2 and the rest of the series is as good as this was.
I review rarely…have listened to almost 50 different series now and this is different enough to stand out. The most surprising part for me was how nuanced the author deals with psychology. It’s a great read, hoping book 2 and the rest of the series is as good as this was.
May 1, 2025
Very nerdy; flat characters; far from a literary masterpiece; entertaining nonetheless. These LitRPG books are kind of addictive.
July 12, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It starts a LITTLE slow, in that by far the best thing about it is the interactions between the characters, and they take a bit to get going, but ultimately, it was a great read. I have a couple of minor quibbles like using self-awareness to say some slightly overly sexualized for no real reason things, I'd rather it just be said than saying it and calling attention to it to try to make it seem not like what it was. But that honestly didn't happen enough to bother me. I think twice.
Overall, it's a compelling story, with characters I cared a LOT about. I think the major emotional through-line works unbelievably well. And I really, really loved rooting for the characters. It also did a good job of not being completely obvious as to what was going to happen with various things, and really feeling like a well thoughtout narrative.
I'd say if you REALLY love amazing action, this isn't the best in that regard. The action is perfectly passable. It's well organized, you can follow it well, and it's sometimes clever. But it's not anything special. But that's probably the biggest weakness, and quite frankly I don't care about action almost all. If you're in it for a fun, character driven story, you'll probably love this. :)
Overall, it's a compelling story, with characters I cared a LOT about. I think the major emotional through-line works unbelievably well. And I really, really loved rooting for the characters. It also did a good job of not being completely obvious as to what was going to happen with various things, and really feeling like a well thoughtout narrative.
I'd say if you REALLY love amazing action, this isn't the best in that regard. The action is perfectly passable. It's well organized, you can follow it well, and it's sometimes clever. But it's not anything special. But that's probably the biggest weakness, and quite frankly I don't care about action almost all. If you're in it for a fun, character driven story, you'll probably love this. :)
May 26, 2022
wow, just wow
April 29, 2023
Worth the Candle #1: Through Adversity
[Synopsis]
The last thing Juniper Smith remembers before waking up aboard a plane, strapped to a seat with his mouth sealed, was passing notes in class. Surrounded by others, he's informed that he is a CRIMINAL that will be dropped into the Exclusion Zone. Should he make it to a place called 'the outpost' his crimes will be forgiven and he'll be given passage to a city. Dumped out of the plane and barely landing safely, he receives an achievement and learns of a skill menu that allows him to distribute stat points. Before he can make sense of what's going on he encounters other survivors... and the zombies that are stalking them.
After encountering an oddly capable woman and teaming up with her to get to Silmar City, he begins making realizations to the world that he's in. For instance... that woman Amaryllis is too perfect, as if someone took his idea of his personal 'dream girl' and made her manifest. The history she speaks of and the magic that she wields, all of it is starting to feel awfully familiar. These are all places and concepts that he created for a DnD game back in the real world. His group fell apart after the death of his best friend Arthur, but it seems that Arthur's character persisted on in this world.
Amaryllis herself is one of his descendants, looking to claim a legacy of magical items that they left behind. After Juniper is near death and more of a burden to her than a benefit, she abandons him... only for Juniper to level-up shortly after. With each level-up comes exuberant bliss as a golden light washes through him, healing all of his wounds and bringing him back into fighting shape. Struggling to survive in Silmar City, it's there that he meets a young half-elf girl named Fenn. Juniper learns that Fenn is being compelled to help a group of adventurers looking for Amaryllis...
And is soon compelled too, Skin Magic used to put a deadly tattoo around his neck. Should the Mage activate it, it will bite into his neck and sever his carotid. Receiving a quest that he needs to kill the Skin Mage before being killed himself, Fenn and he team up to move forward... and save Amaryllis from the party they're trapped in. After all, she's their only means of escape from this zombie-infested hell.
[Thoughts]
Very enjoyable, tempted to pick up the sequels sooner rather than later. The premise of entering your own DnD world that's developed on its own is pretty intriguing, making a basic character act like a 'god' as he holds information standard characters would not have. The system is your standard points/skills/talents spread, this one following a tabletop motif as opposed to others with their MMO stylings. The main character rationalizes what would be dump stats or misdirects in the system and that amount if depth isn't too cumbersome, save for one chapter near the end that's entirely stat math. Fenn and Juniper are solid characters and I enjoy their dynamic much more than others.
8/10
[Synopsis]
The last thing Juniper Smith remembers before waking up aboard a plane, strapped to a seat with his mouth sealed, was passing notes in class. Surrounded by others, he's informed that he is a CRIMINAL that will be dropped into the Exclusion Zone. Should he make it to a place called 'the outpost' his crimes will be forgiven and he'll be given passage to a city. Dumped out of the plane and barely landing safely, he receives an achievement and learns of a skill menu that allows him to distribute stat points. Before he can make sense of what's going on he encounters other survivors... and the zombies that are stalking them.
After encountering an oddly capable woman and teaming up with her to get to Silmar City, he begins making realizations to the world that he's in. For instance... that woman Amaryllis is too perfect, as if someone took his idea of his personal 'dream girl' and made her manifest. The history she speaks of and the magic that she wields, all of it is starting to feel awfully familiar. These are all places and concepts that he created for a DnD game back in the real world. His group fell apart after the death of his best friend Arthur, but it seems that Arthur's character persisted on in this world.
Amaryllis herself is one of his descendants, looking to claim a legacy of magical items that they left behind. After Juniper is near death and more of a burden to her than a benefit, she abandons him... only for Juniper to level-up shortly after. With each level-up comes exuberant bliss as a golden light washes through him, healing all of his wounds and bringing him back into fighting shape. Struggling to survive in Silmar City, it's there that he meets a young half-elf girl named Fenn. Juniper learns that Fenn is being compelled to help a group of adventurers looking for Amaryllis...
And is soon compelled too, Skin Magic used to put a deadly tattoo around his neck. Should the Mage activate it, it will bite into his neck and sever his carotid. Receiving a quest that he needs to kill the Skin Mage before being killed himself, Fenn and he team up to move forward... and save Amaryllis from the party they're trapped in. After all, she's their only means of escape from this zombie-infested hell.
[Thoughts]
Very enjoyable, tempted to pick up the sequels sooner rather than later. The premise of entering your own DnD world that's developed on its own is pretty intriguing, making a basic character act like a 'god' as he holds information standard characters would not have. The system is your standard points/skills/talents spread, this one following a tabletop motif as opposed to others with their MMO stylings. The main character rationalizes what would be dump stats or misdirects in the system and that amount if depth isn't too cumbersome, save for one chapter near the end that's entirely stat math. Fenn and Juniper are solid characters and I enjoy their dynamic much more than others.
8/10
October 8, 2023
Okay, this was weird (in a good way) and interesting. Where do I start?
Worth the Candle - Through Adversity is the first installment in a series of as yet unfinished stories by Alexander Wales. The premise would be something like this: a teenage and experienced D&D Dungeon Master gets suddenly, and for no apparent reason, 'trapped' in a fictional world that in many respects appears to be a figment of his imagination, and in others, not. The story begins in medias res, with him landing amidst a zombie-apocalypse landscape, and its ambiguous nature is reinforced both by the protagonist's -Juniper Smith- previous memories and the appearance of a Role-playing stat sheet and skills which he can virtually see when he closes his eyes for more than 3 seconds. The packed-with-adventure story then proceeds through the realms of Aerb, a weird and dystopian fusion of fantasy and modern-day aspects and technologies, stringing along as companions Princess Amaryllis and Fenn the half-elf, among others.
The story is quite entertaining, and it indulges in a vast swathe of postmodern shenanigans (metarreferentiality, pastiche, irony, parody) that can make it likeable for both light and serious readers alike, although I'd imagine its ideal audience would still be nerdy people who like reading big books and fantasy, all the more so if they've been players of D&D or other fantasy RPGs. It is described as 'LitRPG' and 'rational fic' in some places, and I'm not completely sure why about this last tag- it doesn't look too much like, say, Eliezer Yudkowsky's HPMOR, except perhaps in how much the author tries to make everything he includes -the magic too- as rationally consistent and 'logical'. I am not aware that it is trying to teach you anything about game theory, bayesian reasoning, cognitive psychology, behavioral economics, etc...
As mentioned, this is 'the first installment', but that description is rather lame. The novel was a work-in-progress, being published online a chapter at a time until 2021 -and I imagine, ideally designed for being read in an e-reader or smartphone. The first 'volume' - Through Adversity (Worth the Candle, #1)- takes you up to chapter 42. I haven't started the second yet, but I believe the cut is merely arbitrary: there is no gap or discontinuity between what I presume is chapter 43, and the first of Worth the Candle, #2
Worth the Candle - Through Adversity is the first installment in a series of as yet unfinished stories by Alexander Wales. The premise would be something like this: a teenage and experienced D&D Dungeon Master gets suddenly, and for no apparent reason, 'trapped' in a fictional world that in many respects appears to be a figment of his imagination, and in others, not. The story begins in medias res, with him landing amidst a zombie-apocalypse landscape, and its ambiguous nature is reinforced both by the protagonist's -Juniper Smith- previous memories and the appearance of a Role-playing stat sheet and skills which he can virtually see when he closes his eyes for more than 3 seconds. The packed-with-adventure story then proceeds through the realms of Aerb, a weird and dystopian fusion of fantasy and modern-day aspects and technologies, stringing along as companions Princess Amaryllis and Fenn the half-elf, among others.
The story is quite entertaining, and it indulges in a vast swathe of postmodern shenanigans (metarreferentiality, pastiche, irony, parody) that can make it likeable for both light and serious readers alike, although I'd imagine its ideal audience would still be nerdy people who like reading big books and fantasy, all the more so if they've been players of D&D or other fantasy RPGs. It is described as 'LitRPG' and 'rational fic' in some places, and I'm not completely sure why about this last tag- it doesn't look too much like, say, Eliezer Yudkowsky's HPMOR, except perhaps in how much the author tries to make everything he includes -the magic too- as rationally consistent and 'logical'. I am not aware that it is trying to teach you anything about game theory, bayesian reasoning, cognitive psychology, behavioral economics, etc...
As mentioned, this is 'the first installment', but that description is rather lame. The novel was a work-in-progress, being published online a chapter at a time until 2021 -and I imagine, ideally designed for being read in an e-reader or smartphone. The first 'volume' - Through Adversity (Worth the Candle, #1)- takes you up to chapter 42. I haven't started the second yet, but I believe the cut is merely arbitrary: there is no gap or discontinuity between what I presume is chapter 43, and the first of Worth the Candle, #2
June 16, 2022
I've heard both good and bad things from this series. Now that it has been professionally edited, I'm willing to give it a go.
This isn't too bad, I'm actually enjoying it.
What I don't like is
I'm not too happy that the protagonist needs to rely on his "party" to get by. Almost all the useful "think your way out of a problem" tools are sequestered amongst his companion's person.
3/5 Stars
This isn't too bad, I'm actually enjoying it.
What I don't like is
I'm not too happy that the protagonist needs to rely on his "party" to get by. Almost all the useful "think your way out of a problem" tools are sequestered amongst his companion's person.
3/5 Stars
October 29, 2024
Unlike the other litRPG’s that I have read recently, this one has character depth, so I look upon it more favourably. I like the main character working his way through his trauma as he adventures his way through a fantasy realm that bears more than a passing resemblance to the world that he created as a dungeon master. Whether this is a big allegory for therapy or purgatory or what, at least the author does a careful balance of using tropes and archetypes with a self awareness that’s oddly charming.
However, I struggle to call this a novel rather than what it is, a series of chapters that just abruptly ends after 42 of them. That’s probably why it doesn’t rate higher.
However, I struggle to call this a novel rather than what it is, a series of chapters that just abruptly ends after 42 of them. That’s probably why it doesn’t rate higher.
October 4, 2025
Good stuff! The world is interesting and subverts a few tropes, so it's a little less predictable than usual. The abilities, monsters, items, decisions are all meaningfully varied. There are not many decisions with obvious answers. The style of LitRPG is more D&D than MMO, which I also welcomed.
The characters and their relationships are decidedly less painful to read than is usually the case, I'm invested in their growth and they make relatively reasonable decisions without agonizing over them.
The audiobook has some tedious stat enumeration but that's common. Hopefully it improves going forward.
The characters and their relationships are decidedly less painful to read than is usually the case, I'm invested in their growth and they make relatively reasonable decisions without agonizing over them.
The audiobook has some tedious stat enumeration but that's common. Hopefully it improves going forward.
May 15, 2023
This was my first foray into LitRPG. Initially, the explanation of the mechanics was novel, but as the book wore on, and the explanations kept going, it became tedious. The books is as much about the theory of game design as it is about the philosophy of being and a fantasy story. The main characters are similar to the point where it’s tough to tell who is who. The only differentiator is they have a trope layered on them.
It’s mentioned a few times in the book, but the teens are incredibly smart. Smart to the point where it tugs at my suspension of disbelief.
It’s mentioned a few times in the book, but the teens are incredibly smart. Smart to the point where it tugs at my suspension of disbelief.
August 11, 2025
it's very alright.
there's a really cool magic system with some types of magic I've never heard and some decent world building, but the characters fell a bit flat for me sometimes. while the earth/Aerb dream subplot was interesting as first it lost a bit of its luster towards the end of the book. I will probably read the next book to see if I still like the direction this series goes, but I'm not chomping at the but to do so.
if the world and magic system sounds interesting to you, I think you should give this book a try, but don't expect an instant classic
there's a really cool magic system with some types of magic I've never heard and some decent world building, but the characters fell a bit flat for me sometimes. while the earth/Aerb dream subplot was interesting as first it lost a bit of its luster towards the end of the book. I will probably read the next book to see if I still like the direction this series goes, but I'm not chomping at the but to do so.
if the world and magic system sounds interesting to you, I think you should give this book a try, but don't expect an instant classic
October 29, 2024
If you can get past this being isekai litRPG webserial trash, it's actually pretty good. The way the stories of the d&d group having fun together and then falling apart are interwoven with the main narrative gives it a sense of authenticity IMO that makes it stand out; it feels more Re:zero than standard power fantasy isekai. Though, yes, it does have the obligatory eye-rolling chapter entirely spent staring at a character sheet.
March 17, 2025
Funny, smart, well written, immersive, and convincing world building... did I say well written? Am I allowed to put this in the same tier as Dungeon Crawler Carl? It almost made me wish I was a teenage boy playing Dungeons & Dragons with his unnaturally witty friends. (The friend who recommended this to me said something about a harem later on, but I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that and enjoy it until it becomes unreadable.)
July 8, 2022
So I have been hearing about this series for awhile. A lot of people look down on the LitRPG genre and say that the authors aren’t very talented and don’t compare. I can see what they mean but do disagree a bit. The LitRPG genre is more about feeling like you are in a video game, not so much writing a piece of literature that checks all of the boxes of what a good novel should include.
I have been told this series checks all said boxes while still satisfying the core of what LitRPG is about and I wasn’t disappointed. I was impressed. The way the author momentarily jumps out of the narrative to explain certain concepts by jumping to a DND scene was extremely interesting and well done. You can tell the author must have a lot of experience as a DM because things were extremely well thought out.
I also enjoyed the world building and other characters in the party. Everything is really well fleshed out and made story immersion immediate and complete.
I wish the MCs powers were better fleshed out, but I get that the author is more so focusing on the story. That being said the story started to drag for me after they left the tutorial area.
I have been told this series checks all said boxes while still satisfying the core of what LitRPG is about and I wasn’t disappointed. I was impressed. The way the author momentarily jumps out of the narrative to explain certain concepts by jumping to a DND scene was extremely interesting and well done. You can tell the author must have a lot of experience as a DM because things were extremely well thought out.
I also enjoyed the world building and other characters in the party. Everything is really well fleshed out and made story immersion immediate and complete.
I wish the MCs powers were better fleshed out, but I get that the author is more so focusing on the story. That being said the story started to drag for me after they left the tutorial area.
May 29, 2023
Initially I didn't care for the book as I didn't like the initial setting or intro. However, as the book continued, I liked it more and more. The central concept of the MC being dropped into a mash-up of all the worlds he created as a DM was unique and frankly interesting. Looking forward to the next book.
April 10, 2025
(audio) Nothing unique, funny or endearing in this one... could have been about those deep(self discovery) things the other 3*+ reviews said, but i need ones that move faster/stick to an interesting main plot line. Got to 50% and was just spacing out as it just seemed pointless.
maybe ill retry at some point, but probably not.
maybe ill retry at some point, but probably not.
March 14, 2024
This blew my expectations away. The characters all felt real. The intrigue of how and why Joon wound up in this situation is interesting and I want to know more. The flashbacks to D&D sessions worked really well. I can't wait to read more.
October 23, 2024
A masterpiece of rational fiction. I also recommend the analysing podcast by Eneasz Brodski and Steven Zuber on the HPMOR podcast if you want several hundred hours of additional content about the book(s).
November 27, 2024
241127: my second read - still great (no idea how much this edited (?) version is different from the original one I have read). Action scenes are really good, and social ones also between good and really great. I really love Alex's writing.
December 13, 2024
A LitRPG that somewhere even claims for the world to be grimdark, but actually is a pretty wholesome high fantasy tale. The characters are likable, their interpersonal dynamics engaging, and the dialogue is laced with wit and cameraderie. I enjoyed it a lot.
February 13, 2025
Excellent addition to the genre
Just excellent! Adventure and excitement, wonderful characters. Pathos, bathos and a bathhouse? Can't recommend enough. If you're new to litrpg read this one first!
Just excellent! Adventure and excitement, wonderful characters. Pathos, bathos and a bathhouse? Can't recommend enough. If you're new to litrpg read this one first!
September 9, 2025
Fantastic isekai progression fantasy
The author and MC have a ton of knowledge about Dungeons and Dragons, which just add to the the whole world building of this book. Excellent example of the genre
The author and MC have a ton of knowledge about Dungeons and Dragons, which just add to the the whole world building of this book. Excellent example of the genre
March 16, 2023
great book
I Really enjoyed the book. It’s obviously well thought out and a very honest look at friendship and loss .
I Really enjoyed the book. It’s obviously well thought out and a very honest look at friendship and loss .
October 18, 2024
Cute ratfic, too long and not that good. But it got me through a cold.
June 30, 2025
Overall was an interesting exploration of a world, but man the ending interlude was depressing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2024
What starts out as a seemingly typical tabletop-themed litrpg quickly expands to reveal incredible world-building, a strong character-driven plot, and aggressively in-depth and self-aware introspection from its cast as the main character is forced into a narrative that seems to double as long-form therapy, a narrative they are constantly questioning and considering at a meta-textual level. The pacing in the back half of the series, far beyond book 1, slows down considerably from the sheer number of plot elements, meta conversations, and consequences the cast have to juggle, but never to the real detriment of the story. I read this story as it was being written and posted online, and it remains one of my favorite pieces of fiction that I stumbled across on the open internet.
December 8, 2023
I came to this after reading Wales's later books, Shadows of the Limelight and The Metropolitan Man, both of which I recommend. I do not recommend Worth the Candle. It's the first novel of a teenage boy. These thoughts and feelings are so big that nobody has ever had them before! But I'm glad to see the author got better. Once again: Shadows of the Limelight.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews