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The Titan #3
Nova Terra: Kingbreaker
Having defended Moon Wolf Citadel from the super guild, Ragnarok, and carved out a place for himself in Nova Terra, Thorn stands on top of the fantasy world.
But Nova Terra is not as simple as it seemed. Thorn quickly discovers that the political leaders in the capital of Northern Angoril are turning jealous eyes on him. The young Titan is forced to take a step back, beset by complications on every side. With players flocking to Greymane Valley the pressure of ruling the Wolfkin grows, not helped by Ragnarok’s unrelenting attempts to destroy his fledgling guild. Balancing the threats to Greymane Valley, pressures from an aggressive super-guild, and his own need to rebuild relationships with his reformed team, Thorn must step up in a way he has never before, or risk everything he has built falling apart.
Under the continent of Angoril an ancient race stirs. Courdum the Stone King has woken and desires to reforge his empire. The evil mage gathers his cursed brethren and the Stone Legion is on the march.
15 hrs. 59 min.
But Nova Terra is not as simple as it seemed. Thorn quickly discovers that the political leaders in the capital of Northern Angoril are turning jealous eyes on him. The young Titan is forced to take a step back, beset by complications on every side. With players flocking to Greymane Valley the pressure of ruling the Wolfkin grows, not helped by Ragnarok’s unrelenting attempts to destroy his fledgling guild. Balancing the threats to Greymane Valley, pressures from an aggressive super-guild, and his own need to rebuild relationships with his reformed team, Thorn must step up in a way he has never before, or risk everything he has built falling apart.
Under the continent of Angoril an ancient race stirs. Courdum the Stone King has woken and desires to reforge his empire. The evil mage gathers his cursed brethren and the Stone Legion is on the march.
15 hrs. 59 min.
16 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 25, 2019
1003 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
October 17, 2019
I really enjoy this series, yet I understand it's not for everyone.
Nonetheless, if you like a story where the MC is overpowered, but there's still enough challenges to keep things interesting, this is something you will enjoy.
Insofar as story progression, there's enough here to make anyone content. Characters grow, crisis are overcome, the story moves forward and while we're left with a bit of a cliffhanger, it's in a decent spot that it doesn't feel forced.
Looking forward to the next one.
Nonetheless, if you like a story where the MC is overpowered, but there's still enough challenges to keep things interesting, this is something you will enjoy.
Insofar as story progression, there's enough here to make anyone content. Characters grow, crisis are overcome, the story moves forward and while we're left with a bit of a cliffhanger, it's in a decent spot that it doesn't feel forced.
Looking forward to the next one.
January 18, 2024
Annoying feminist conditioning
2.5 stars
Thorn is supposed to be a genius boy wonder, but he acts pathetic and dumb anytime a girl is around, especially Velin and mina. He always defers to them.
Really laid on the feminist crap thickly with this book. Its frustrating how pathetic and passively weak most guys are. The author conditions males to think girls are always smarter and better at everything and we need to always listen to their sage wisdom or we will fail. Give me a break.
*spoilers*
The near end of this book was frustrating. The girls openly said he would fail and demoralized him in front of the whole squad. The situation was supposedly impossible but thorn did the impossible again and broke and unbreakable shield. The group still wiped bc the author made them weaker and fail while thorn failed to kill their leader. Well they still went out fighting instead of burning alive... The girls said they should give in and give up what the enemy wanted. This is stupid advise. The enemy would NOT have let them go after they got what they wanted! Why would they.. Its an easy opportunity to get them all killed, take their loot and kick them out for 24 hrs with a head start. No way they would not do that, they are evil. So afterward Thorn apologized really long and patheticly to everyone and again to the girls and the girls rubbed it in saying he better always listen to them blah blah feminist crap. Thorn should have been angry with them for demoralizing him and the whole group, disrespecting him and plummeting their confidence right before a fight! Thorn DID what they said couldn't be done! Then they lost the fight bc they were demoralized.
Thorn should be acting far smarter, and shouldn't be constantly deferring to Velin like she's an all-knowing goddess. Its ridiculous.
What's more is the end boss fight where the enemy guild gets to log out. What?! That's absurd. The boss fight has started! It doesn't matter if they've attacked, they went into the boss area and triggered the boss raid to commence.. It is an instanced raid! Instanced! There's no logging out without extreme penalty at least. Your avatar should remain for an hour if you do that, or suffer full consequences of a death in that area. Either way, what annoys more about this is that when the previous situation was happening when they were ambushed, I said 'why don't they all just log out??!' that was not an instanced dungeon either, it was exploratory, so they should have been able to! If they couldn't then, (which they weren't even in combat!) then how could they during a boss fight?! If they're all so smart why did no one think of this? Poorly written
There actually quite a few things that annoy but I've already written too much. The book in general would have been better than the previous two, if it wasn't more frustrating.
I hope you stop giving in to the feminist pressure and making boys mentally weaker with your feminist conditioning. Boys need some empowering too yaknow. Girls get far too much and boys only get put down. Your audience is definitely mostly male too. Stop creating wussies and enforcing the idea that boys are dumber and lesser.
2.5 stars
Thorn is supposed to be a genius boy wonder, but he acts pathetic and dumb anytime a girl is around, especially Velin and mina. He always defers to them.
Really laid on the feminist crap thickly with this book. Its frustrating how pathetic and passively weak most guys are. The author conditions males to think girls are always smarter and better at everything and we need to always listen to their sage wisdom or we will fail. Give me a break.
*spoilers*
The near end of this book was frustrating. The girls openly said he would fail and demoralized him in front of the whole squad. The situation was supposedly impossible but thorn did the impossible again and broke and unbreakable shield. The group still wiped bc the author made them weaker and fail while thorn failed to kill their leader. Well they still went out fighting instead of burning alive... The girls said they should give in and give up what the enemy wanted. This is stupid advise. The enemy would NOT have let them go after they got what they wanted! Why would they.. Its an easy opportunity to get them all killed, take their loot and kick them out for 24 hrs with a head start. No way they would not do that, they are evil. So afterward Thorn apologized really long and patheticly to everyone and again to the girls and the girls rubbed it in saying he better always listen to them blah blah feminist crap. Thorn should have been angry with them for demoralizing him and the whole group, disrespecting him and plummeting their confidence right before a fight! Thorn DID what they said couldn't be done! Then they lost the fight bc they were demoralized.
Thorn should be acting far smarter, and shouldn't be constantly deferring to Velin like she's an all-knowing goddess. Its ridiculous.
What's more is the end boss fight where the enemy guild gets to log out. What?! That's absurd. The boss fight has started! It doesn't matter if they've attacked, they went into the boss area and triggered the boss raid to commence.. It is an instanced raid! Instanced! There's no logging out without extreme penalty at least. Your avatar should remain for an hour if you do that, or suffer full consequences of a death in that area. Either way, what annoys more about this is that when the previous situation was happening when they were ambushed, I said 'why don't they all just log out??!' that was not an instanced dungeon either, it was exploratory, so they should have been able to! If they couldn't then, (which they weren't even in combat!) then how could they during a boss fight?! If they're all so smart why did no one think of this? Poorly written
There actually quite a few things that annoy but I've already written too much. The book in general would have been better than the previous two, if it wasn't more frustrating.
I hope you stop giving in to the feminist pressure and making boys mentally weaker with your feminist conditioning. Boys need some empowering too yaknow. Girls get far too much and boys only get put down. Your audience is definitely mostly male too. Stop creating wussies and enforcing the idea that boys are dumber and lesser.
March 25, 2023
better than the previous book
Overall I find the series engaging and entertaining. There is however a major source of dissonance. The entirety of his relationships in the real world are not explained, but the glimpses in the form of his bodyguards and the staff of his company show that he has no issues with being seen as a figure of authority. Sure he is severely under socialized when dealing with peers, but with the way the story is progressing he has no peers. Everyone is an employee, enemy, rival organization, or potential ally. All the parts where he is acting like a simple man, one of the guys, ‘just call me Thorn no need for a title.’ It all comes off as fake and disingenuous.
Overall I find the series engaging and entertaining. There is however a major source of dissonance. The entirety of his relationships in the real world are not explained, but the glimpses in the form of his bodyguards and the staff of his company show that he has no issues with being seen as a figure of authority. Sure he is severely under socialized when dealing with peers, but with the way the story is progressing he has no peers. Everyone is an employee, enemy, rival organization, or potential ally. All the parts where he is acting like a simple man, one of the guys, ‘just call me Thorn no need for a title.’ It all comes off as fake and disingenuous.
November 1, 2020
Rating 4.0 stars
Still pretty good. Nothing too annoying. It is hard to figure out the MC. He is a noob that doesn't know anything but he leads a team with excellent tactics. He makes some mistakes but for the most part he is an excellent player. I am wondering about the relationship side of things. He is 16 years old and hasn't had any experience. I would think that he would want to be with someone, but it doesn't look like that is on his mind at all. How would that work anyway? He can't leave the game for 2 years or 14 years inside the game. He he started something with someone would it matter that he is that young? Overall I am still enjoying the story and any problems I have aren't that big a deal.
Still pretty good. Nothing too annoying. It is hard to figure out the MC. He is a noob that doesn't know anything but he leads a team with excellent tactics. He makes some mistakes but for the most part he is an excellent player. I am wondering about the relationship side of things. He is 16 years old and hasn't had any experience. I would think that he would want to be with someone, but it doesn't look like that is on his mind at all. How would that work anyway? He can't leave the game for 2 years or 14 years inside the game. He he started something with someone would it matter that he is that young? Overall I am still enjoying the story and any problems I have aren't that big a deal.
November 8, 2019
Book three
Mistakes: I Found Nothing.
Plot: This book has a lot going on. Guild fighting, politics, power plays, a huge world quest, and so much more.
Characters: This is a series that stands apart, in part due to the fact that the characters stand up very well and aren’t just interchangeable cutouts.
10/10
Mistakes: I Found Nothing.
Plot: This book has a lot going on. Guild fighting, politics, power plays, a huge world quest, and so much more.
Characters: This is a series that stands apart, in part due to the fact that the characters stand up very well and aren’t just interchangeable cutouts.
10/10
November 9, 2023
Personally I didn't like it as much as Book 2, since there was more focus in dungeon diving and I think dungeons can get a bit monotonous. When Thorn was back at his fortress or at the capital, that was awesome. Climatic ending, though! Loving how Seth Ring sets up future conflicts.
January 15, 2025
The series continues to be interesting, but personally, I prefer when the MC is living in a real world or a game world that has become the only option due to some catastrophic world event.
June 3, 2023
5 What You Feed, Grows Stars
Nova Terra: Kingbreaker is the third book in The Titan series by Seth Ring.
Ouroborous is a whole box of crazy. I honestly forgot about him, but hello, prime time villain. It is so crazy how such a character shifted so dramatically from potential friend and steadfast leader, to such a dastardly antagonist. I can not wait to see the rematch between him and Thorn. And I know it will be nothing simple or easily resolved...
While Thorn has definitely been hit with a curse at the end of this book, I can only imagine him somehow turning it into an even greater boon. Every time adversity has found him, he has managed to overcome and thrive. His insurmountable luck and dedication make him such an enriching protagonist.
It's truly interesting how this story keeps branching into such a vast and varying directions. We have the plots and intrigue of the native Court and the battle of the heirs. Then, the rising tide of the Wolfkin race, as they start to make their mark on the world. Only to be so closely followed by this new subrace of Dwarves.
I know, intellectually, that Vellin is 8 years older than Thorn and that he is still technically a minor. These facts are difficult to hold onto as we experience his overwhelming aura of competence and how surely he leads. My only hope is that when these 14 years in the game are over, and he's officially an adult, a little romance will find them.
It's so fun and enjoyable watching their guild grow and meeting their new allies. Leaves, Oberlin, and Baxby are definitely some of my favorites within the newest characters. Also, I would not be surprised if Jorge and Mina are carrying torches for each other with the way they bicker and compete.
Nova Terra: Kingbreaker is the third book in The Titan series by Seth Ring.
Ouroborous is a whole box of crazy. I honestly forgot about him, but hello, prime time villain. It is so crazy how such a character shifted so dramatically from potential friend and steadfast leader, to such a dastardly antagonist. I can not wait to see the rematch between him and Thorn. And I know it will be nothing simple or easily resolved...
While Thorn has definitely been hit with a curse at the end of this book, I can only imagine him somehow turning it into an even greater boon. Every time adversity has found him, he has managed to overcome and thrive. His insurmountable luck and dedication make him such an enriching protagonist.
It's truly interesting how this story keeps branching into such a vast and varying directions. We have the plots and intrigue of the native Court and the battle of the heirs. Then, the rising tide of the Wolfkin race, as they start to make their mark on the world. Only to be so closely followed by this new subrace of Dwarves.
I know, intellectually, that Vellin is 8 years older than Thorn and that he is still technically a minor. These facts are difficult to hold onto as we experience his overwhelming aura of competence and how surely he leads. My only hope is that when these 14 years in the game are over, and he's officially an adult, a little romance will find them.
It's so fun and enjoyable watching their guild grow and meeting their new allies. Leaves, Oberlin, and Baxby are definitely some of my favorites within the newest characters. Also, I would not be surprised if Jorge and Mina are carrying torches for each other with the way they bicker and compete.
April 3, 2022
This was a dip in the series for me. Thorn's failure in the cavern seemed forced and it took me a while to settle back into the story. After all, if you have the strength of the Incredible Hulk, don't throw your enemies across the room, so they can unleash ranged attacks, simply tear them apart or smash them. And falling for the "chicken" taunt... is he 12 years old? That's inconsistent with his character.
I probably wouldn't have continued the series, if I'd had another book loaded on my reader.
I probably wouldn't have continued the series, if I'd had another book loaded on my reader.
March 28, 2025
Wildly mixed feelings on this one.
As a fantasy book, it's pretty fun, especially when it comes to things like court intrigue, the gods, and interpersonal conflict.
As a consistent, coherent game, it's hot garbage.
When it stays away from the massive plot holes generated by the game mechanics or world building the author set up but only inconsistently applies, then I really am enjoying the series. But in this type of world, if you build a game and rule set you have to remember them and continue to apply them appropriately.
As a fantasy book, it's pretty fun, especially when it comes to things like court intrigue, the gods, and interpersonal conflict.
As a consistent, coherent game, it's hot garbage.
When it stays away from the massive plot holes generated by the game mechanics or world building the author set up but only inconsistently applies, then I really am enjoying the series. But in this type of world, if you build a game and rule set you have to remember them and continue to apply them appropriately.
March 23, 2020
Alert
I hate trying to write reviews because there are really only pass/fail results for me. Did I make it all the way through? Yes? 5 stars. No? There would be nothing here to read. In all fairness, if an author holds my attention from page one to the end, they’ve done their job. Anything less than 5 stars is petty criticism from someone incapable of even doing the job let alone doing a better one.
So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Now, since I have to keep explaining myself to people who don't like my reviews, I guess some clarification is in order.
1. I am 100% against criticism for works of art. Art is subjective, meaning reviews are irrelevant. The observer's opinion is only relevant to the observer. It is my belief that regardless of what others might say, I have to experience the art for myself.
2. I read upwards of 20 books a month. The $10/month I spend on K U, feels like I am cheating the authors. But since I can't afford 20 books a month if I were to purchase them directly, all I can offer is a positive review. That leads us to the final point.
3. If I get to the end of a book, then it was worth my time. I give those books 5 stars because it helps the author get exposure. That is the only reason I write reviews at all.
I understand that people are people and they are going to do what they do regardless of my stance. I know the way that I review books upsets some people. I am sorry they feel that way but as many have said, they will just ignore my review going forward. In fact, if you made it this far through my review, you should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews here. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
Cheers
I hate trying to write reviews because there are really only pass/fail results for me. Did I make it all the way through? Yes? 5 stars. No? There would be nothing here to read. In all fairness, if an author holds my attention from page one to the end, they’ve done their job. Anything less than 5 stars is petty criticism from someone incapable of even doing the job let alone doing a better one.
So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Now, since I have to keep explaining myself to people who don't like my reviews, I guess some clarification is in order.
1. I am 100% against criticism for works of art. Art is subjective, meaning reviews are irrelevant. The observer's opinion is only relevant to the observer. It is my belief that regardless of what others might say, I have to experience the art for myself.
2. I read upwards of 20 books a month. The $10/month I spend on K U, feels like I am cheating the authors. But since I can't afford 20 books a month if I were to purchase them directly, all I can offer is a positive review. That leads us to the final point.
3. If I get to the end of a book, then it was worth my time. I give those books 5 stars because it helps the author get exposure. That is the only reason I write reviews at all.
I understand that people are people and they are going to do what they do regardless of my stance. I know the way that I review books upsets some people. I am sorry they feel that way but as many have said, they will just ignore my review going forward. In fact, if you made it this far through my review, you should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews here. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
Cheers
March 24, 2023
My Rating System:
5- Perfect for my taste, I could not physically stop reading/listening and wanted more afterward.
4- Almost perfect, could not stop reading/listening, probably wanted more afterward.
3- I enjoyed the book and could see others loving it, I need to think if I want more.
2- I 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]
Personally, this book was a huge letdown. I made it nearly to the end of the book (only an hour or so left) when I finally gave up. My biggest issue is how Thron's character/mindset completely changed from the last two books. It seems like Thorn is no longer considering his choices or thinking things through. While his character still seems intelligent through his dialogue, his actions after about a third through the book show that he is not really in control of his body (even though he says otherwise) and just loses himself. I wouldn't be so irritated if the whole point of the book is to show how "he is more than his body and more than his pain". The next biggest issue for me was that there was no real conflict. Since everything takes place in a game there is not much to lose especially for Xavier since he could probably buy out the entire Nova Terra company if he wanted to. Overall, this was a good listen but I did not like the character changes that took place and the lack of real conflict.
5- Perfect for my taste, I could not physically stop reading/listening and wanted more afterward.
4- Almost perfect, could not stop reading/listening, probably wanted more afterward.
3- I enjoyed the book and could see others loving it, I need to think if I want more.
2- I 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]
Personally, this book was a huge letdown. I made it nearly to the end of the book (only an hour or so left) when I finally gave up. My biggest issue is how Thron's character/mindset completely changed from the last two books. It seems like Thorn is no longer considering his choices or thinking things through. While his character still seems intelligent through his dialogue, his actions after about a third through the book show that he is not really in control of his body (even though he says otherwise) and just loses himself. I wouldn't be so irritated if the whole point of the book is to show how "he is more than his body and more than his pain". The next biggest issue for me was that there was no real conflict. Since everything takes place in a game there is not much to lose especially for Xavier since he could probably buy out the entire Nova Terra company if he wanted to. Overall, this was a good listen but I did not like the character changes that took place and the lack of real conflict.
March 22, 2025
Ugh. The forcing of these terrible people together with a boy who is only just going through his trial to become a man is the most annoying part of this entire series.
But I made it through! And I think I’m less annoyed. Or at least I’m less annoyed whenever Thorn isn’t groveling at his betrayers feet. So there’s that.
All of this could have been remedied if there were truly heartfelt apologies. I didn’t believe Minas apology. At. All. And as such she still annoys me. I DID believe Vellums apology and I’m noticeable less annoyed with her as she treats Thorn with a little respect….most of the time at least.
Jorge got stabbed and that just felt soooo good. So I’m also less annoyed with him but it would be nice to have a heartfelt apology from him too. Anyway. They are over it so I will do my best to get over it too.
Hell hath no fury though. I’m still with his auntie all the way.
I suppose the next book is him going through Jason-type trials to remove the curse. Guess I’ll stick around. Besides these characters I thought the book and the plot were good. Not surprising as it’s Seth. He’s great!
But I made it through! And I think I’m less annoyed. Or at least I’m less annoyed whenever Thorn isn’t groveling at his betrayers feet. So there’s that.
All of this could have been remedied if there were truly heartfelt apologies. I didn’t believe Minas apology. At. All. And as such she still annoys me. I DID believe Vellums apology and I’m noticeable less annoyed with her as she treats Thorn with a little respect….most of the time at least.
Jorge got stabbed and that just felt soooo good. So I’m also less annoyed with him but it would be nice to have a heartfelt apology from him too. Anyway. They are over it so I will do my best to get over it too.
Hell hath no fury though. I’m still with his auntie all the way.
I suppose the next book is him going through Jason-type trials to remove the curse. Guess I’ll stick around. Besides these characters I thought the book and the plot were good. Not surprising as it’s Seth. He’s great!
April 12, 2021
Absolutely ensnaring! There is so much going on around Thorn, yet so organized, plus there is a hint of romance - nothing better. This book really stands out to me. Perhaps its the characters and the way the story is presented- and yes, you may tell me oh Thorn is a bit overpowered. Look at it this way- while he is not in Nova Terra, he is dependent on others because of his condition. In the real world he the opposite of his character in Nova Terra- except his height and strength I suppose. In the first book, it did say he would be able to lift 5 tons or so if his bones were able to hold his weight without shattering. While Xavier is in Nova Terra, it allows him to be free of his condition and embrace it(without the broken bones part) because it gives him an advantage in the game. Overall, I cannot wait for the continuation- great character development and quests, it really works well and I cannot wait to read the rest. This is unique from a normal LitRPG book that you'd normally read(its a good thing) because I rate this book superior to all other LitRPG books.
May 27, 2023
Seth Ring keeps his RPG fantasy series rolling along with his main character, Thorn, now a baron, with territory to control and politics to deal with. His past enemies are still out to get him, the guild known as Ragonok.
But he's got powerful allies. He enlisted Corvo, an elf who's the avatar for Hugis, the all knowing raven. He also has his buddies from his new guild helping him rule his new barony. Finally, there's the wolf god Hati, who has chosen Thorn as his avatar.
Then they get an impossible quest. They must retake an ancient dwarvish city. First, they have to get past the stone dwarven army. Then they must navigate an impassable labyrinth. And finally, defeat the dwarvish king and his super powered minions.
No guild alone can do this, so the guilds must cooperate to achieve it. This includes their enemies Ragonak.
Will they cooperate? Will they be betrayed? Will someone finally defeat Thorn, the only player of the race of Titans?
Read and find out. You won't be disappointed.
But he's got powerful allies. He enlisted Corvo, an elf who's the avatar for Hugis, the all knowing raven. He also has his buddies from his new guild helping him rule his new barony. Finally, there's the wolf god Hati, who has chosen Thorn as his avatar.
Then they get an impossible quest. They must retake an ancient dwarvish city. First, they have to get past the stone dwarven army. Then they must navigate an impassable labyrinth. And finally, defeat the dwarvish king and his super powered minions.
No guild alone can do this, so the guilds must cooperate to achieve it. This includes their enemies Ragonak.
Will they cooperate? Will they be betrayed? Will someone finally defeat Thorn, the only player of the race of Titans?
Read and find out. You won't be disappointed.
January 1, 2025
I have really enjoyed reading this series and learning the lore of the game. Sometimes I find the aggression from the Ragnorak guild annoying because it seems a bit over the top considering how many times they have failed. I would think they would be a lot more subtle with their plans like what they did in the boss room not trapping them like they did that seemed a bit too confrontational for how things have played out between the 2 guilds so far. Thorn is portrayed as naive in some instances and really cunning and clever in others so the way he handles things can be contradictory at times. I’m a little disappointed how the book ended but I’m sure something crazy will come of it.
Overall, I enjoy the action, adventure, and the depth of lore in this story. A lot of the characters have depth but I’d like to see more growth from our MC. I recommend this book for anyone who has read the previous novels in the series.
Overall, I enjoy the action, adventure, and the depth of lore in this story. A lot of the characters have depth but I’d like to see more growth from our MC. I recommend this book for anyone who has read the previous novels in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2024
Overall I enjoy these books, but it is becoming more and more irritating that the author didn’t really think through the organisation of his ‘virtual world’, there are just so many anomalies and inconsistencies.
The combat can also be annoying, I know this is fantasy, but there are times when the author relies on the laws of physics then in the next sentence utterly defies them, he often messes with time to the point where the fight is almost meaningless e.g. in the middle of a fight with Sylith, blows are traded back and forth in fractions of seconds, then Thorn knocks Sylith down and according to the author “it took him a couple minutes to struggle to his feet”. What is Thorn doing for a couple of minutes? Just standing around waiting for Sylith to get up?
I also hate the ridiculous banter between combatants during the middle of a ‘life and death’ fight.
The combat can also be annoying, I know this is fantasy, but there are times when the author relies on the laws of physics then in the next sentence utterly defies them, he often messes with time to the point where the fight is almost meaningless e.g. in the middle of a fight with Sylith, blows are traded back and forth in fractions of seconds, then Thorn knocks Sylith down and according to the author “it took him a couple minutes to struggle to his feet”. What is Thorn doing for a couple of minutes? Just standing around waiting for Sylith to get up?
I also hate the ridiculous banter between combatants during the middle of a ‘life and death’ fight.
November 22, 2024
The adventure continues
Thorn is finds political forces arrayed against him as he works to set up his dutchy. Merchants try to squeeze him, while a group of players want to gain unearned levels. Still, he gets a rare opportunity upgrade his position. Though overpowered, he fails to listen to his advisors and bites off more than he can chew. Still, he learns from his mistake and leads his guild on to a victory of sorts against the powerful, backstabbing Ragnarok guild. He also increases his rep with other powerful guilds while Ragnarok gets egg all over their face.
A really well written epic with tremendous world building and interesting characters. Sadly for Thorn, his titan race is so huge that its hard to immagine his getting a girlfriend, though he's got two candidates in Velin and Mina.
Thorn is finds political forces arrayed against him as he works to set up his dutchy. Merchants try to squeeze him, while a group of players want to gain unearned levels. Still, he gets a rare opportunity upgrade his position. Though overpowered, he fails to listen to his advisors and bites off more than he can chew. Still, he learns from his mistake and leads his guild on to a victory of sorts against the powerful, backstabbing Ragnarok guild. He also increases his rep with other powerful guilds while Ragnarok gets egg all over their face.
A really well written epic with tremendous world building and interesting characters. Sadly for Thorn, his titan race is so huge that its hard to immagine his getting a girlfriend, though he's got two candidates in Velin and Mina.
April 1, 2023
Not Horrible
The Good;
Pretty interesting.
Still likeable characters.
Still a decent story.
The bad;
Constant use of "Haha" before much of the dialogue. Pretty stupid editing.
Inconsistent rules for the game. When Nova kills other players, where is their loot, no mention of it after the fight? Thorn sometimes treats this as a game, and sometimes as real life. Weird..
What about all these hints about guilds going after Xavier in his pod? Who would do that? And if his Aunt knows, where's the security? That storyline is ignored even though it is hinted at more than once.
This book contains many scannable pages, parts are very boring.
Not sure if I will be reading the next in the series.
The Good;
Pretty interesting.
Still likeable characters.
Still a decent story.
The bad;
Constant use of "Haha" before much of the dialogue. Pretty stupid editing.
Inconsistent rules for the game. When Nova kills other players, where is their loot, no mention of it after the fight? Thorn sometimes treats this as a game, and sometimes as real life. Weird..
What about all these hints about guilds going after Xavier in his pod? Who would do that? And if his Aunt knows, where's the security? That storyline is ignored even though it is hinted at more than once.
This book contains many scannable pages, parts are very boring.
Not sure if I will be reading the next in the series.
August 24, 2024
Fantastic Read
I enjoyed Kingbreaker immensely. Couldn't stop reading. Sequels don't always hold up but this and the book before have. In Kingbreaker, Thorn is maturing into a formidable leader but he still faces the consequences of his naiveté. His guild is growing in reputation but not without obstacles from the nobles and unfortunately, an old enemy in Ragnotok. They'll be a real pain throughout the book. Thorn will ultimately best them but pay a price. And of course another enemy is back albeit we only get a peak at the end. I'm looking forward to the next book.
On an aside, I'd root for VelinxThorn if our protagonist WASN'T A TEENAGER. What is the writer thinking? I don't know. Time to head to the next book!
I enjoyed Kingbreaker immensely. Couldn't stop reading. Sequels don't always hold up but this and the book before have. In Kingbreaker, Thorn is maturing into a formidable leader but he still faces the consequences of his naiveté. His guild is growing in reputation but not without obstacles from the nobles and unfortunately, an old enemy in Ragnotok. They'll be a real pain throughout the book. Thorn will ultimately best them but pay a price. And of course another enemy is back albeit we only get a peak at the end. I'm looking forward to the next book.
On an aside, I'd root for VelinxThorn if our protagonist WASN'T A TEENAGER. What is the writer thinking? I don't know. Time to head to the next book!
September 16, 2022
Series continues well. MC is OP AF, and yet not; still young and learning, Thorne has a steep learning curve. As the scion of a massive corporation, the power struggles and backstabbing in Nova Terra make an excellent crucible for his eventual emergence from his aunt's shadow as the CEO.
The OP aspect is handled by giving him situations when anything less than being uber powerful is doomed to failure. He steps in it a number of times, but learns from his mistakes and moves forward. The situation he finds himself in at the end of this installment is an interesting foil to his OP-ishness, so I remain engaged and move with him into the next book.
The OP aspect is handled by giving him situations when anything less than being uber powerful is doomed to failure. He steps in it a number of times, but learns from his mistakes and moves forward. The situation he finds himself in at the end of this installment is an interesting foil to his OP-ishness, so I remain engaged and move with him into the next book.
January 19, 2025
Too much politics
I don't know if I will continue this series.
The book is showing a trend heading for a lot of politics soon and I have never enjoyed books like that.
This book is all over the place. Problems cropping up where Thorn has to act as lord Greymane, heading into the "army" to earn commendations (reputation) to prove himself politically to the other nobles, A world quest that causes all the guilds to race to the end goal, and the intrigue and backstabbing from the same deal guild we all hate - Ragnarok. And technically out of that whole list of things happening, only on a and a half of them were finished.
I hope you like it more than I did.
I don't know if I will continue this series.
The book is showing a trend heading for a lot of politics soon and I have never enjoyed books like that.
This book is all over the place. Problems cropping up where Thorn has to act as lord Greymane, heading into the "army" to earn commendations (reputation) to prove himself politically to the other nobles, A world quest that causes all the guilds to race to the end goal, and the intrigue and backstabbing from the same deal guild we all hate - Ragnarok. And technically out of that whole list of things happening, only on a and a half of them were finished.
I hope you like it more than I did.
August 24, 2022
After finishing bk2 Greymane I was more than ready to pick-up and read Kingbreaker! Surprisingly Kingbreaker dived right into more of the political machinations of Nova Terra. But don't get me wrong the political intrigue doesn't get in the way of this action-driven story.
So grab the book to find out what happens next!
“Thorn, only two people don’t have to play power games, the powerless, and the all-powerful."
“Or maybe he should just throw boulders at people. Like a walking siege engine.” Mina laughed."
So grab the book to find out what happens next!
“Thorn, only two people don’t have to play power games, the powerless, and the all-powerful."
“Or maybe he should just throw boulders at people. Like a walking siege engine.” Mina laughed."
May 30, 2023
I came close to giving this one 5 stars even though I am going to give this series a rest for now. Set Ring is no doubt a talented writer and this is a unique and generally well done series but not without some flaws or at the very list irritations. The pacing and flow are also pretty good. That said the MC goes through a lot of repetition. It seems like he has the same problems with people over and over again and deals with them the same way. The MC is very OP but the other manages to still keep it interesting and even give him some good challenges.
March 7, 2025
Book 3 of Nova Terra. Thorn struggling and fighting from every direction. This book definitely highlights the poorest part of human nature. Sad to say but true enough. Still loving the series, I imagine that I would have loved it even if I had not read the Tower series first. Overall, a strong book with a wonderful ending fight. That along with a hint at Thorn’s growing adversary, helps build the total series tension. Still strongly recommend this series.
Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com
Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com
October 18, 2025
Rousing mix of leveling and politics
Alternate universe, LitRPG, immersive game world, hero's journey
Thorn continues to make mistakes, but he's also learning from them, and one of his core traits, loyalty, continues to reward him. More enemies arise, but, so, too, new and powerful friends appear. Above average editing. As our MC is only sixteen, all the relationships have to be platonic, but that's fine. Murder and mayhem and looting are still on the table. LOL! Seven books to go.
Alternate universe, LitRPG, immersive game world, hero's journey
Thorn continues to make mistakes, but he's also learning from them, and one of his core traits, loyalty, continues to reward him. More enemies arise, but, so, too, new and powerful friends appear. Above average editing. As our MC is only sixteen, all the relationships have to be platonic, but that's fine. Murder and mayhem and looting are still on the table. LOL! Seven books to go.
October 23, 2025
“Thorn, only two people don’t have to play power games, the powerless, and the all-powerful. Everyone else is perpetually locked in a power game. That is all life is…. The powerless are free because even though their lives are directed by the whims of others, they cannot play. The all-powerful are above the game and have no need to play. For the rest of us, we struggle against those below while trying to pull down those above, all in a vain effort to join the all-powerful while avoiding becoming the powerless.â€
March 20, 2021
I really liked this book. So far it is my favorite book in the series and i am SUPER excited to see what happens in the next book to resolve what has happened in this one. Thorn is getting better as a character and we are seeing him grow through his mistakes and become a better leader.
Still the best part of this story is the world of the game. Getting to see more and more of the overall picture in the game is awesome and it makes me wish it was real. 9/10
Still the best part of this story is the world of the game. Getting to see more and more of the overall picture in the game is awesome and it makes me wish it was real. 9/10
March 15, 2023
This book is a bit of a disappointment.
Quite a bit of a disappointment compared to the last two books. It seems that every book series has to have a downer book where the main character is put in there place. With the main character, being defeated in the book, and then crippled at the end, I can’t say I really liked the story. But I must say the writing is still quite excellent.
Quite a bit of a disappointment compared to the last two books. It seems that every book series has to have a downer book where the main character is put in there place. With the main character, being defeated in the book, and then crippled at the end, I can’t say I really liked the story. But I must say the writing is still quite excellent.
April 9, 2023
I enjoyed the book overall, and the pacing and plot development remains solid. However, there's a distinct lack of an overall story arc that is making me lose interest in the series as a whole. Rather than a multi-volume series, leading to some sort of culminating event (think: Wheel of Time), this series is more episodic in nature, where each book can almost stand on its own, with little, if any, contribution to an overall story arc.
Some people really like that kind of series, but I prefer something with a defined beginning, middle and end, and this series isn't it.
Bailing out here.
Some people really like that kind of series, but I prefer something with a defined beginning, middle and end, and this series isn't it.
Bailing out here.
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