Welcome to Blade's Rest

Blade's Rest #1

by Tom Watts

Hello, friend, and welcome to Blade’s Rest!

Are you looking for a relaxing LitRPG where the world isn’t ending every five minutes? Yes, I know that it’s exciting to battle demons and loot swords. But sometimes it’s nice to just build a town, drink beer, and end your day with a hearty bowl of stew, isn’t it?

Well, if you want a slice of life tale about a guy creating a town from scratch, then you came to the right place.

Blade & Sheath is a fully immersive VRMMORPG game where some folks complete quests, while others develop their magic and battle monsters.

Then there are players like Josh.

He needs to earn some cash, so when he gets a job as a town builder for Blade & Sheath, he can’t believe his luck. However, it won’t be easy. The land he needs to build on is as untamed as the critters that prowl it. That’s not all – he also starts with no skills and no resources.

He does, however, have two fellow builders who will help him. Together they will build Blade’s Rest – a place for adventurers to relax after a day of questing. Why not put down your sword, grab yourself a drink, and stay for a while and join them?

Genres: Fantasy, Slice Of Life, Science Fiction, Fiction, Cozy Fantasy, Virtual Reality, Cozy

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2022

About the author

Hey! Tom Watts here. If you're reading this then you've either read one of my books or you’re thinking about doing it, and I want to say thanks either way.

I write low-stakes fantasy books that offer people a little of that important thing we call escapism, and I might have what you’re looking for.

Do you want to become a master craftsperson and live in a small, sunny village full of taverns and cafes? Then I have the story for you! Try my book, ‘Small-Town Crafter: the Artificer’s Apprentice.’

Or maybe you want to build a whole town from scratch right on top of untouched land, together with a couple of good friends. If that sounds good, then I’ve got something you’ll enjoy! Check out, ‘Welcome to Blade’s Rest.’

So, those are a couple of my books. As for me, well, I live in a little village with my wife and three dogs. When I’m not writing then I’m reading, and when I’m not doing that I’ve usually got a small schnauzer trying to get my attention.

Thanks for stopping by my author page. Make sure you press ‘follow’ so that you can be the first to find out when I release a new book.

Finally, If you try one of my books, then I'd like to wish you happy reading. Hope you enjoy visiting one of my fictional towns for a while.

Nice to meet you,

Tom.

Reviews

[Travis Kole · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK. Let's get off the back that it's not a combat litrpg which is perfectly fine. The problem is that it's boring and doesn't really go anywhere. It's meh and maybe some people enjoy that cause it seems that this book got a lot of 5 star reviews.

The best way to describe this book is like the skill tomes in the book. They have 2 pages worth of information even though the book is hundreds of pages long. The city building wasn't exciting, challenging, or interesting. There were two "negative" outcomes the entire book for the protonists. Sacking of a "hamlet" of 3 crappy huts and dying from a bear where we all knew what the outcome would be to continue the story.

The dialogue is strange in that there is no errors but it's like the characters act as AIs themselves in there interactions. The concept is good, 3 people, 3 different arctypes, 3 different roles. Solid. They weren't interesting though in anyways. The closest was with Linc cause he is an odd duck. Hilly is not a people person, but heart of gold. Our protagonist knows everything about the game, but second guesses and min maxer which has to have his build an exact way. Part of that is understandable, being a builder, though the way going about building is not interesting. There is nothing about this first book that makes me care about these 3 or Blades Rest and making me jump into the next book. I would rate this a 2.5 or 3 our of 5. It's solid set up, just not interesting.

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pass this up

The author uses the word 'reckon' 55 times in a book just over 250 pages long. I am guessing he thought it would make him sound American but it didn't work. The number of times I had to look up what some British slang meant was ridiculous.

Almost all the characters NPC or not talk exactly the same. There were a few exceptions, but those exceptions spoke in broken English like someone learning a new language.

There were many contradictions in this book like the author forgot what he said earlier.

The stupidity of the MC is amazing. We are to believe he quit a good paying job because his dog broke his leg, and wants to spend a lot more time with the dog and take care of him. Then, he gets a job spending 10 hours a day in a game.

The author also switches between past tense and present tense 4 times in this book.

We are told in the beginning of the book that the author likes to make checklists and uses them all the time. After that the author references the checklists once and never mentioned them again.

The MC tells us he wants to plan the Hamlet out to make sure the layout is perfect, but not once did the MC sit down and draw up a plan for the building of the Hamlet. The MC never sits down and draw up a list of resources he will need in the future. Everything is last second.

We are told repeatedly that players don't need to sleep or eat in the game. Eating is just for fun. One of the first things the MC does after making their huts is to craft a bed. Why?

Later in the story, the MC is hungry so he eats in the game. Why? He told us repeatedly if he is hungry it is because of IRL, and eating in the game doesn't matter.

In summation, this is a poorly thought out and poorly executed story. The one bright spot in all of this is the spelling and grammar were excellent.

[Roberto Flores · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is just boring.

It is written very much like a slice-of-life book, but the characters and events can not support it. The PC's are not interesting, the NPC's come off as lifeless. The building is drawn out and lacks any defining moment of satisfaction. It has a good idea, it just wasn't executed well.

[MV · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fan of slice of life, civilization/town building stories, and video games, so I had a great time reading this, and am looking forward to the second installment. This book is fairly straightforward - three people working for a VRMMORPG company build a town in the game. It's very low stakes, and pretty much focuses on the main character crafting, planning the town, and interacting with the NPCs.

I think if you are expecting lots of action, depth, or even emotional growth from the characters, this book won't be for you.

There were a few typos in the first half of the book that were a bit distracting to me, but the second half seemed to be more carefully edited.

[Freedom · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing about Blades Rest is that this story never tries to claim or be something it's not - it's exactly what it was meant to be and that's a slice of life, zero stakes VR town building experience. It's even just self aware enough that you can't really fault it for not being like everything else out there. I liked it just fine and I reckon I will pick up book 2.

[John Fitzgerald · Rating 1 out of 5]

(edited to try to improve readability)
I'm going to be clear I couldn't give this book a fair assessment because I didn't make it past the first two chapters. I didn't even make it very far into the second chapter. I just can't get behind MCs that are complete idiots and the number of red flags and stupid choices he makes while we are being introduced to him has just completely turned me off.

Normally I'd set this as spoilers for what I'm about to do but since as I said I'm not even two chapters in I feel that I don't really need to for this since I can't spoil anything past the very early opening but forge forward forewarned.

Things that have already annoyed me because I already hate that the MC is dumb enough to do this.

Sells an asset rather than take a $500 loan. One he could easily get because he already has 5k in savings and a job that we know pays better than 20/hr since he is taking a pay cut and the author establishes that he is frugal so probably doesn't have massive debt.

Quits his job in marketing that pays better, and he is stated as being considered for promotion for rather than take a leave of absence, try to see if he can work from home in his current job, and/or just get permission to bring his dog with him to work for a few months while it recovers.

Ignores multiple red flags about the person hiring him and the company in general.
* The location isn't bad since it could just be that they never moved from their startup location but if the front desk of the company your about to join is overrun with cacti maybe consider what that means that they are comfortable with that being the first thing anyone knows about them when they walk in the door.
*If your hiring boss is humming the imperial march at any time during your onboarding maybe take note.
* If your hiring boss flagrantly flaunts the rules right in front of you maybe, consider that means labor law might not be something they particularly care about. This goes doubly true if she refers to her coworkers as animals to someone who she just hiring even if it is done in a flippant; ha ha, we are all in on the joke way. After all your about to have this person above you and the last thing you want hopefully is to be considered a beast of burden even as joke.
*That bit where all the coders and dev teams are heads down buried in their work is what is known as a deathmarch. It is only done when the company sets an unrealistic deadline, or a major part of the program thus shit the bed. Could be bad timing but more likely they just can't hire enough help, so this is what the place is like.
*If your new bosses office is full of stuff that should be in a storage closet, they are either way too controlling and need to see where the stuff is at all times or so disorganized that they never put anything back.
*Oh, and your perspective boss can't be bothered to care enough about your qualification to actually take five minutes read the CV for the person they are hiring and lets you know that in your first meeting. Common sense is even if you made the choice off of bullet points from hr you read at least the one you're going to hire or at the minimum don't let them know that you didn't as that shows that you don't care about their qualifications you just needed a body and that is a terrible way to start.
*The whole cleaning staff thing is something I could do 5 more things on but this is already too much

This is all to say if the person/company who is hiring you in real life acts this way run and don't look back. I get that he is trying to set up his boss character as the business equivalent to a manic pixie dream-girl from an 80s romcom but no. Also I get that with the beanbag chairs he is going for a hey this is apple or google vibe but all I get from it is hey a VP went to meeting one time about what google is like and rather than focus on the cooperate culture he just took away they had beanbag chairs so we all have them now because screw practicality if it is good enough for google it is good enough for us.

[GaiusPrimus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but very low stakes

There's not a lot that actually happens here.

Even the "low-stakes town building" is really not that much.

I enjoyed it, for what it was, but I wish it had been more town building, with the mechanics of LitRPG more heavily involved.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice enough story. I like the town building.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

As some of you know, I truly geek out for crafting, Town-buliding, which invariably leads to empire building. I really love that kind of stuff, as such I was really looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, it's not it. Nothing new and special. Run of the mill story for LitRPG. Absolutely nothing stands out whatsoever. Let's just stay if I had picked up at an airport kiosk, I would start watching some in-flight entertainment and would leave this book behind. It's that forgetful.

[Old Time Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very meta idea!

A book, about a guy in the "real world" working in a fantasy world in virtual reality.

This was a fun book to read. Lots of neat ideas and characters. It did a good job introducing the world and hooking me into reading the series.

What was weird is that some of my favorite characters aren't even "real". They are NPCs in Josh's video game. And Josh and the other players often treat them as just NPCs, reminding us that Blade's Rest is not a "real" fantasy world.

Like I said, this is a very meta book.

One thing that I do like, that I hope does not change as the series progresses, is the Blade and Shield game mechanic that you can't attack NPCs. And there is no real PVP. It forces good behavior and encourages non-violent solutions to conflict. What a great idea!

Read every day and read for fun!

[Amber Kluttz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fine premise, mediocre execution.

As the title says, I liked the premise, but the execution was not great. None of the characters felt enticing and I had difficulty connecting with them. The whole, vrmmo thing is so overdone it's just plain boring and annoying. The ending was also extremely abrupt. Just boom! Here's the ending. That's it.

Author spent too much time talking about the game and game mechanics, and not enough about the story. The crafting parts I enjoyed, and the slice of life, slow pace was enjoyable. But this was not an excellent book. It was mediocre, and the being in the game, and not connecting to any characters pretty much are the reason for the low score.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the premise and it’s a pretty fun read, but it was difficult at times to get past the grammatical and punctuation errors. Still worth reading for sure.

[Kris McCracken · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, where do I even begin? “Welcome to Blade’s Rest” by Tom Watts is certainly a… unique experience. It’s like stepping into a dream where everything is familiar yet oddly out of place. You find yourself turning the pages, bemused and wondering, “What on Earth am I reading?”

The book does have its moments. It’s a relaxing read, like a leisurely stroll through a park. The narrative flows like a gentle stream, carrying you along without any jarring rapids or unexpected waterfalls. But here’s the thing - it’s a bit too gentle, a bit too placid.

The characters, oh the characters! They’re like mannequins in a storefront - pretty to look at but lacking depth. You find yourself yearning for more, for that spark of life, that hint of complexity that makes a character feel real. Alas, it’s not to be found here.

And then it hits you - you’ve spent hours immersed in this book when you could have been playing Minecraft. Yes, Minecraft, that blocky, pixelated game where the characters are, ironically, better developed. Where every action has a consequence and every decision shapes the world around you. Where the narrative is what you make of it, not what’s handed down to you by the author.

In conclusion, “Welcome to Blade’s Rest” is a curious thing. It’s not a bad book per se, but it leaves you feeling like you could have spent your time better elsewhere. Like in a world of blocks and creepers, perhaps.

⭐ ⭐

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books starts badly. Terribly compared to the rest of the book. The first few chapters are just not good. They take place IRL and are slow, droopy, kind of depressing. The narrator is at home, taking care of his injured dog, interviewing to be a paid player in a VRMMORPG. I put it down for months, and, for whatever reason, picked it up again to give it a go when Josh (the narrator) *finally* goes into the game.

Once the author gets the awful backstory behind him and gets into the VR, the book is cozy and enjoyable. It's like watching someone play Stardew Valley or something. In a VR world, the narrator and two other human PCs work to build a village from scratch.

The game world mechanics are simple and don't get in the way of the story. The NPCs and world are enticing. The relationships between the characters cozy.

Very relaxing read. Enjoyable. Somewhat better written than most other books in the genre.

[William Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

methodical

I finished it. I would have liked to be reading something more…

There is no danger, no stress, no real challenge. The crafting is simple, the system isn’t well designed, and this really doesn’t break new ground.

If you’re going to make crafting and integral part of your world, then you should spend a little time learning at least the basics. Scald not scold, flensed not fleshed.

This needed a better editing pass. “I stood up.” Two paragraphs later with no noted changes: “I stood up.” The same character ‘stood up’ twice. Also, if the npc understood English there should have been something to foreshadow the revelation far earlier.

I can’t recommend this, except…I guess as a way to pass the time. I will *not* be continuing the series.

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, well edited

This book had everything I like about litRPG, and only a little of what I dislike (endless fighting). Only two editing errors (hatched for hatchet, and horse was initially called Yuli). And yet - I found it boring. Not sure what went wrong, I liked Linc & Josh, Hilly was just too weird. 4 stars given for a 3 star read, hoping someone else will read and offer their opinion. Also, the “flow” was missing some logic regarding Josh’s parents and the fire, I ended confused over who lived where and what happened. And yet, I intend to read book 2.

[Nick Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice read

Thanks for a truly fun story,as advertised. The charters were engaging and the back story were fun but still left lots of holes for a interesting read. I hope you will do more books. I would like maybe a few more details on charters growth ,even if you only show his stat improvement only at the end of book. You have a great character pool and the world is interesting a and I like the no human charters as well. Please keep your writing more books and thank you about hard work

[Devan · Rating 4 out of 5]

super fun

I have always had a soft spot for city building books and this one really scratched that itch. While not a lot of action took place I still enjoyed the story.

One thing that I usually find lacking in these type of books is magic. The MC builds a medieval town in a magic world. Shouldn’t it be a magical town to match the setting and world it takes place in? These are fantasy books right. So why not get creative and incorporate all the quirks of a magical world into making your town fun and interesting.

[Victor Sanchez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why do authors keep confusing "low stakes" with "no plot", is beyond me. This is barely a book. Its more like a thesis on game mechanics, for what I would consider a very poorly made game. No stakes is translated as no problems, no confrontations, no bumps and for what I read, no characterization and no personal interrelationships.

This is a slow book in the sense that nothing happens except maybe trying to create a pseudo inn in a VR, but the author drag his feet into what should be 1 chapter into an entire book.

[Stanislas Sodonon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think the author confused low-stakes with no-stakes.

The world does not need to be on the brink of ending for plot beats to matter.

The tacit accord between author and reader is that the author must provide the fuel for the reader's interest. As a reader, I need some things to be important enough to make me care about "what happened next", i.e continue reading, because, contrary to a game, I'm not in the driving seat.

I hope the book meets its audience. It's not me.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting… not sure I was gonna like it but I finished it!

Ok. If you got sucked in by the marketing blurb about what the book is about like I did then you will probably be able to finish it like I did. This author is good at writing I will give them that for sure. I think I remember 3 or possibly 4 fights … which is what I usually enjoy. The humor is great right up my alley for sure. Honestly not sure if I will read the next installment but who knows eh

[Joe Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cozy fantasy LitRPG which was just fairly mellow and wholesome. This genre is really getting more and more stories and I really liked this one. Essentially three total strangers are hired by a game company to build a small village to promote other players to do the same. There were a few little fights but was really just about them building up a small town, exploring the forests and trying to get people to visit their hamlet.

[Bryant E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute low stakes escapism, well worth the read if that's what you are looking for. I really enjoyed this series. interesting plot development, interesting world building, good char development.
Personally, I would have liked a bit more depth from the MC's. The were well written and worth reading, but the chars felt a bit underdeveloped to me.
However, it that is the only grumble I have about a 3 book series, I am a happy reader!

[Frank Bertino · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Entertaining Change Of Pace

Josh, Linc, and Hilly are commissioned by the B&S game company, to build a new town in the gamescape. There is some relevant action as the players improve their skills to gain the background needed to build a town from the bottom up. I like the game system, humor, and creation of a relaxed atmosphere. I look forward to another book.

[Franziska Tinner · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't make it through chapter 1

For real, I just couldn't get over the poor writing style, problems with editing and on page 2 the first of many abbreviations without an explanation for it. Two initials or three, I consider any abbreviation laziness, certainly not creative writing. This is just not worth my time when I could be reading something interesting and imaginative.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great low stakes cozy read! I enjoyed the narrator’s voice and because of my love of farm simulator games this one really hit home for me. You can tell the author is also a gamer. He did a great job making you feel like you were leveling up right along side the characters. Looking forward to book 2!

[Patrick Rice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice read

I like the pace of this story. The time skips at first were a bit strange, but not taking time to describe in detail each journey helps with the flow. As advertised, this is not a combat centered story. Enjoy.

[Cait · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful cosy community building fantasy

This was a lovely book with interesting characters and motivations, with a well-thought-out universe system, and room for plenty more cosy and adventurous developments!

[Jim Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly entertaining

That was ... Different. A very fun read. On the plus side book was very well written and has a nice ending. Leaves you ready but not anxious for the next book.

[Gerbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

Yeah I enjoyed this book, the world building was interesting, the plot was good and the characters were fun. It was also a good length not too long but long enough to be enjoyable.