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The worst day of Eric’s life was capped off by him being kicked through a gateway into a universe filled with magic and monsters.

To make matters worse, he had to fight for his life the moment he arrived. Nothing could have prepared him for a world where everything either wants to kill him or eat him.

Or both.

Eric never saw himself as a hero. But the world he’s been cast into needs one badly.

It looks like he’s going to have to fill those shoes.

He needs to gain some power if he wants to hold his own. Oh, and stay alive long enough to take on the forces of evil.

If only that was as simple as it sounds…

396 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 20, 2022

551 people are currently reading
214 people want to read

About the author

Kevin O. McLaughlin

177 books138 followers
When not practicing hobbies which include sailing, constructing medieval armor, and swinging swords at his friends, Kevin McLaughlin can usually be found in his Boston home. Kevin’s award-winning short fiction is now available in digital form at all major ebook retailers. He writes fantasy in settings both historical and contemporary, and science fiction in both the near and distant future.

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5 stars
380 (48%)
4 stars
248 (31%)
3 stars
98 (12%)
2 stars
33 (4%)
1 star
19 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
Profile Image for Jed.
Author 3 books7 followers
April 18, 2022
got bored fast

Unfortunately, most of the story revolves around explaining things like how the system works instead of actually having a story that moves along. I got 40% through and was too bored to continue
317 reviews8 followers
March 20, 2022
couldn’t finish

I got about 30% of the way through and had to stop. The MC is an idiot and a loser. There is no real depth to the characters and virtually no action.
Profile Image for Endoria.
81 reviews11 followers
January 20, 2023
I dropped this story at around 60% because I could not get over the cringe pop culture references and modern world speak like "rad" liberally employed by the dipshit protagonist.

The writing isn't bad, but for some reason the author decided to add a cringe summoned spirit that starts having a constant and never-ending dialogue with the protagonist in modern world English that absolutely does not fit into the fantasy story.

It is like watching a 14 year old kid try being edgy while trashtalking people in Fortnite. It is cringe inducing, immersion breaking and plain garbage.

The story started out interesting enough and the writing wasn't bad, but the protagonist and his summoned SKull-spirit sidekick are the absolute worst pair of idiot characters and dialogue I had the displeasure of reading this year so far.

I do not recommend this book.
Profile Image for Corey.
27 reviews
January 1, 2025
4.5, am interesting start to the series
Profile Image for Johnny.
2,171 reviews80 followers
April 24, 2022
book one

Mistakes: I found three important ones. Twice while in the dungeon we know he sees helmets. Neither time did he take them as loot. Nor did he go into the rat tunnel to search for the hoarde of the rat pack. His fear made it understandable, but I still felt it was a mistake after all his talking about getting the loot.

Plot: This is a portal fantasy. Thinking he would be doing medical testing a desperate young man is instead forced through a portal to another world.

Characters: The mc shows lots of fear and confusion at the start. He isn’t willing to give up though and grows. Feels like he grows faster than the locals. He does let fear keep him from going after a pile of loot. I didn’t like that. I’m in it for the loot!

8/10
7 reviews
October 18, 2022
Would have been a decent read if not for the 'Woke' nonsense.

When I read a fantasy novel I want the writer to take me on a journey and explore another world or an altered state of ours, magical systems etc. What I do not want is for the author to explain every other persons gender preferences and when he is unable to see what the person is, in come the 'they, them' pronouns. Suddenly every other book has a trans person or multiple gay references. I want to read about magic, new worlds, adventure.. not things that ruined the rainbow.

The rest of the mistakes where all minor and it could have been a decent series.

7 reviews
April 12, 2023
Can't stand the main character

By far the biggest issue with this book is the main character. He is so monumentally stupid it is painful to read. Now, I understand a main character can't just be some genius, in fact that's not what I want, it would be boring. However, this character goes far below average intelligence. The main character is told that speaking aloud to his system is considered rude, and is shown that everything can be done silently, yet continues to talk and even scream at it. And, when the protagonist is hiding, he starts screaming at his system, alerting his pursuer right to him. I mean, who starts screaming when hiding for their lives?! The final nail in the coffin was when he is taken as a glorified slave and after seeing the old women and kids of his slavers decides that they aren't so bad, despite the fact that he watched them slaughter innocent people, rob others, and even use another slave as a sacrifice. After this and seeing how he was so friendly with the women who tried to kill him then took him as a slave I skipped ahead in the book to see if it got any better, and it most certainly didnt.
So, if u can't stand to have such an incompetent main character than don't read this, but, if you don't care about a protagonist that is made so obnoxiously stupid because the author wasn't smart enough to write the story in a way that didn't need a moron to bumble his way through situations that should have resulted in his death multiple times, then give this book a chance.
7 reviews
March 13, 2022
Slow beginning, but picks up

I almost put this down because it seemed like a slow beginning with a lot of MC whining, but its written by Michael Anderle and Ive never once been disappointed with anything he has written. Glad I kept going because once the RPG parts start up things start getting good. The cliff at the end was something I saw coming, but am excited to keep going for.
Profile Image for Wolfgarr.
342 reviews20 followers
June 26, 2022
DNF..

I tried.. I really did. Got a bit over 50% and i had enough.
Read another review that said it got better later on. Meh I do not see how.

The Mc is......... unlikable to say the least. He reminds me of kids born after the 90's.
whiny and self absorbed.. Entirely unlikable. The other characters in the story..Just wow.
From the Giggle Giggle monks.. To the constant inane chatter and worthless filler material.. It was just too much.
Profile Image for Pablo García.
855 reviews22 followers
January 21, 2023
If the authors would create a one page summary of 60% of this Book 1 an place it as a Prologue/Foreword, then start with the epiphany that the main character, Eric, had (that he was to get powerful to survive, and he needs to survive to be able to find a way to return home)...Then from the 60-70 percent mark is the most interesting. If the authors would again summarize the last 30 percent as a one page summary in an Afterword, then this would be better... Eric, main character is not very loyal or show any gratitude to the "monks" that saved his life with healing, but the authors decided that helping and rescuing the Raider Village, and Signe the Mage that enslaved Eric was the way to go??? This lacks common sense. Eric should have escaped at the first moment from his captors. Should have been happy by their destruction. There is something there that does not make sense. Signe gives him two artifacts a low level shield and a necklace, he exchanges one with something he got from the training Dungeon and yet, feels indebted to his slavers??
Something else, for someone that was a "loner", Eric, main character, and a self-proclaimed "gamer", Eric talks too much, tries to make jokes too much (tries too hard) and then that is translated to his skull familiar/stalker??? Eric was a flake in Dallas, with his friends and especially with his family and yet, the first signs of "loyalty" he shows to his captors and slavers???
There is something wrong with the logic and rationality (story) of these 2 authors...
570 reviews
March 7, 2023
Exactly what you would expect…. i.e. PURE EXCELLENCE!

I think that sums it up quite nicely.

I should probably mention, at this point, that I typically LOATHE LitRPG books… seriously….. LOATHE. However, Kevin’s work caught my attention with the Blackwell books and I’ve been a die-hard Fanderle (the newest version of the ancient Fanilows for those of you old enough to know whereof I speak) since the day I met the Kurtherian Gambit.

So I was pretty screwed and resolved to force myself to read this. No surprise, though, to find that I loved it.

Now I grew up playing D&D long before D&D was cool, I’m talking even before it got the “Satanic” label for having a “Monster Manual” that included demons. So I get stat sheets, but how I truly despise those LitRPG books that use character sheets as a prop or feature in their books. It’s just utterly lame…. Usually. I say usually, because stats and your character sheet figure prominently in this story and yet it didn’t phase me at all.

Damnit, guys! You just expanded my reading selections… AGAIN! First Martelle gets me reading military crap, and now you’ve got me hooked on this s**t. I hate you guys, which is my way of saying I love you and am grateful for the hours of pleasure reading your stories provides. So don’t stop, no matter how much I pretend to complain. I’m just going to cross my fingers and hope the next book sucks. Yeah…. Right!
Profile Image for Andrew.
46 reviews
December 10, 2022
For a LitRPG entry this is a pretty decent book and not overly bloated. I know that doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement worthy of 4 stars, but I enjoyed the book.

Setup - The MC, Eric, is down on his luck (unemployed and broke) and gets sent to an alien world. This alien world is like a game come to life (so LitRPG minus VR... so far?) where people and creatures can level up, learn skills, and use magic. As a newcomer to the world the MC starts with base skills and no abilities like a newborn, but he is a grown adult.

Without spoiling the story I will say stuff happens and the MC ends up a 'bondsman' to another character. This is where the book got interesting but the writing and pacing got worse. The writer starts repeating himself constantly in the second half of the book and some very troupe side plots are introduced.

The MC does start advancing his abilities and skills very quickly in the last few chapters. It doesn't make much sense. The MC is well on his way to being what is considered an elite level in the world but he has only really trained for 3 days. I don't know how the series will drag on when the MC is already nearly as powerful as the characters we are told are very impressive.
Profile Image for MyDoRyS.
1,038 reviews4 followers
August 26, 2024
Audio: 5 Stars, great job.

Story: Not even a great narration could save this one. What a boring and annoying book. The dialogue want to be funny but fails and 70% of the book is explaining what a GameLit is which makes no sense since the readers of these books are people who KNOW what are they getting into. I'm all for a slow paced book, but this one is ridiculously and unnecessarily slow. The MC is rude and feeble minded. I get he is not the brightest bulb, but goodness, some of his comments and questions are ridiculous. In addition, I'm not sure why he keeps comparing things to Earth, YOU ARE NOT ON EATH! It is like when a tourist travels to another county and expect everything to be like the country they come from, if that is your expectation, then why travel in the first place, stay where you are! We are ALL different and where we come from too, stop comparing and actually enjoy the nuances! Also, STOP complaining about others when you are a total loser who they SAVED. Such a petty character. Anyway, got so frustrated with the MC's stupidity and negativity! Onto my next adventure, Happy Readings!
210 reviews5 followers
May 23, 2022
Solid portal litRPG

Leveling system made sense, there were interesting characters, and world-building that makes me want to follow the character around to different places and see what’s out there.
This book actually did a good job of having the different culture be jarring at first, and then force the MC to question what he thought was right and wrong. Allowed for decent character-growth, and I’ll definitely be reading the next one to see where he goes and what new monsters he’ll run into!
Main criticism is that the main character is a bit flat for the first third of the book. You get enough to follow along, but there’s a bit of a disconnect and simpleness to him at first.
996 reviews13 followers
April 13, 2022
Good but whiny MC

Overall enjoying this book but the MC takes a bit of getting used to he's a whiny little wimp. Near the end he starts to actually gather respond but it's pretty tough to witness at the beginning. The rules in this particular new world Not terribly unique as there is a system and interface however the scaling and points are more eastern. The story is fun and the end Is where you probably see the beginnings of the series ark versus just this book story. I will read the next book in the series hopefully by then the MC starts to man up and stop whining about his but that it past.
377 reviews4 followers
September 6, 2023
Everything You Want In Good LitRPG
Eric is a pretty mediocre person living a boring life, and has recently lost his job and girlfriend. A refreshing change from the usual main character who is above average at everything.

He gets transported to a new world under mysterious circumstances that appear to have something to do with the government.

The evolution of the litRPG aspects is handled well, the system has some structure and rigidity to make it interesting, and Eric pulls himself up by the bootstraps and has some honest introspection about his previous life and how his choices led to it having no meaning, and pledges to not let this happen when he has a new chance in this new world.

He runs into a few creatures that fit standard fantasy tropes, some imaginative creatures that seem to be new in this environment, and is captured and bonded to Signe, a women who is a powerful mage in a vikingesque society. He discovers his bondsman status isn't slavery, and the women who is his bondholder is willing and able to help him succeed, improve his skills, and find a place as a citizen in her society.

Eric has some positive impact, culminating in rescuing her from an invading tribe, using a combination of bravery and wits over any innate skill.

A fun read.
Profile Image for BecaSnow.
24 reviews
September 12, 2023
The beginning is really annoying, not the setting, but the MC. His progression is nice, we see his mindset change and he improves his view of the world he now is.

My issue with it was how sometimes the dialogue got lost to the story, not adding anything but more and more explanations. Some confusing attitudes from side characters were the icing of the cake, eg. she took him so he could get stronger but doesn’t properly explain how he could access the system’s tools (like map) and easier ways to improve certain stats. Even though they are in a warrior society, it makes no sense to not develop mind and will with training.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Travis.
2,887 reviews48 followers
April 14, 2022
Not really the worst day of the guy's life when he gets pushed into the portal, but I'll let that slide. I agree with other reviews in that the main character is a bit whiny, but he does eventually get the hint, and man up (so to speak). The ending is (probably) crucial for the next book, but I found it more confusing than informative, but that's just me. Overall though, I didn't have any issues with the story, some proofreading errors crept in, but otherwise, it was a decent read, and I'm looking forward to reading the second one in the series.
Profile Image for Julie.
938 reviews
March 27, 2022
Fun LitRPG

Eric finds himself in a new world with no idea where he is or how to defend himself. He starts to meet others and slowly starts to work out what has happened to him and decide what to do from there. I am enjoying the storyline and the characters are a lot of fun. There is plenty of action to keep the story going and I am looking forward to the next book to see where the adventure leads.
927 reviews6 followers
June 2, 2022
Kevin must save himself from literally death an learn how to survive .

Desperate for money Kevin signs up for physical exam on himself for 800.00 dollars to pay for rent an other stuff . Since his paying job closed out . But in reality it's a secret government project in a mall that is taking place after the exam an given a shot in the neck near his spine an kicked in to a ringed platform an lands in a distance world . recommend reading excellent series .
255 reviews
July 30, 2022
1st in a series

Spoiler...... I enjoyed the book for the first 3 adventures then. After the 3rd he took no time to clean up but ate food covered in slime and blood... really 😝 gross. While up to this point the writing was good and I was able to escape into my imagination with clear pictures drawn from the story. After it became a little lacking in detail and the dialog was a little juvenile. Going to give the next book a try.
Profile Image for Michael Lynn.
332 reviews
August 21, 2023
I am giving this one 4 stars out of fairness to the authors. It is well written but I had hard time staying with this one and nearly gave up on it several times. It has a unique skill/spell system that I was never really able to buy into. It was never really bad and also never really good. Dropping the series and ready to admit maybe it was just me but then other reviews seem to indicate this is a hard one to get on board with.
Profile Image for Clint Young.
849 reviews
March 4, 2022
KU Review

Fun portal story. Good amount of humor and an Easter egg or two. Took awhile for our hero to get a backbone but the story took off well once he did.

As the title says this is a review for Kindle Unlimited and as such is a reflection of my enjoyment of the book and in no way reflects cost to value analysis.
Profile Image for Zachary.
700 reviews14 followers
June 2, 2022
Fun portal LitRPG story

Anderle and Mclaughlin make a great writing team with this book. It has a quick pace and was pretty funny in parts. I'm really curious to see how the story they're setting up works out. I enjoyed the MC and found myself touring for him pretty quickly. In to the next in the series!
2 reviews
December 11, 2022
Good book, but the only thing I think may be a bit flawed, as far a an RPG, the character does not start at the bottom. He's already more powerful than anything he runs in to, which kind of flies in the face of how things should be. But, then he powered up previously, we just weren't privy to it. Still, a good read! 5 stars.
14 reviews1 follower
April 9, 2023
Mix of personal dislike and poor quality

I found it to be a chore to read. The ‘bizarre dream rationalization’ trope is too much and goes on too long. It seems ‘Travelers’ are not incredibly rare and printed books from other realities being legible to natives… I guess the handwavy way language is dealt with but colloquialisms being problematic until they aren’t bothers me.
596 reviews4 followers
March 9, 2022
Verrrrrry good

I do not usually read this type of book. Gaming came out when I was way past my prime. The one time I tried with my son I died in seconds. But this was good. I will be buying more! Thanks
301 reviews2 followers
March 23, 2022
Excellent

I enjoyed read this novel. The main character is easy to relate to and recognize that he needs a new start in life. Getting kicked through a dimensional portal may have not been what he planned but it did seem to work out.
Profile Image for Abby.
203 reviews36 followers
May 6, 2022
Pretty good

I had a hard time with the beginning and first quarter because it was so sad and the mc was so depressing but push through it because it really picks up! The mc gets his head on straight and really comes through. I loved his buddy too, he was good fun.
Profile Image for Mike.
52 reviews2 followers
December 10, 2022
as the author says, jack of all, master of none. The story is of someone that whines about everything. As he wasn't really good at anything, being moved to a new world, he still isn't really good. And he doesn't really learn.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews

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