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Station Cores #1-5
Station Cores: Complete
Contains all five books in the Station Cores series:
The Station Core – Book 1
The Quizard Mountains – Book 2
The Guardian Guild – Book 3
The Kingdom Rises – Book 4
The Other Core – Book 5
In addition, there are some BONUSES:
Hand-drawn maps (admittedly done by me without much artistic talent) that I used to help me write the series
A fun 12k-word short story that combines the Dungeon World and Station Cores universes.
Milton Frederick was originally abducted from his apartment to help defend one batch of pacifistic aliens called The Collective against another set of homicidal aliens called Heliothropes…but he never quite made it that far. Instead, during the process where his human consciousness was ripped from his body and inserted into a massive metal contraption called a Station Core, the ship that he was being transported on blew up and he was sent hurtling through space.
Crash-landing on an unknown planet with just a foot-and-a-half tall, foul-mouthed, nanite-formed AI guide called ALANNA to tell him what happened, Milton has to come to terms with his new existence as a giant metal egg, defend his hazardously-in-need-of-repair outer shell from the dangerous local wildlife (including blood-thirsty squirrels), and manage the unique radiation spewing from his damaged internal reactor – all while figuring out how the heck to get off the planet.
All of his work building a “dungeon” underground, defending it with makeshift traps, and filling it with small Combat Units may work well enough against the random beasts wandering around, but they’re next to useless when something else even more dangerous shows up knocking on his door: people. Not humans, of course, but the local equivalent – Proctans – who are similar enough to Milton’s original species…though with one major difference.
They all have unique special abilities that looks suspiciously like “magic”.
However, there is an even bigger threat that looms on the horizon not only for Milton, but all the Proctans as well…
Contains LitRPG/GameLit elements such as level progression and experience, optional tables, no harems, and a heavy Dungeon Core emphasis.
Note: The optional stat tables tend to skew the percentages toward the back of the eBook. The locations can be a tad deceptive; while this box set is 562,000 words, stat tables comprise less than 8% of that total word count.
The Station Core – Book 1
The Quizard Mountains – Book 2
The Guardian Guild – Book 3
The Kingdom Rises – Book 4
The Other Core – Book 5
In addition, there are some BONUSES:
Hand-drawn maps (admittedly done by me without much artistic talent) that I used to help me write the series
A fun 12k-word short story that combines the Dungeon World and Station Cores universes.
Milton Frederick was originally abducted from his apartment to help defend one batch of pacifistic aliens called The Collective against another set of homicidal aliens called Heliothropes…but he never quite made it that far. Instead, during the process where his human consciousness was ripped from his body and inserted into a massive metal contraption called a Station Core, the ship that he was being transported on blew up and he was sent hurtling through space.
Crash-landing on an unknown planet with just a foot-and-a-half tall, foul-mouthed, nanite-formed AI guide called ALANNA to tell him what happened, Milton has to come to terms with his new existence as a giant metal egg, defend his hazardously-in-need-of-repair outer shell from the dangerous local wildlife (including blood-thirsty squirrels), and manage the unique radiation spewing from his damaged internal reactor – all while figuring out how the heck to get off the planet.
All of his work building a “dungeon” underground, defending it with makeshift traps, and filling it with small Combat Units may work well enough against the random beasts wandering around, but they’re next to useless when something else even more dangerous shows up knocking on his door: people. Not humans, of course, but the local equivalent – Proctans – who are similar enough to Milton’s original species…though with one major difference.
They all have unique special abilities that looks suspiciously like “magic”.
However, there is an even bigger threat that looms on the horizon not only for Milton, but all the Proctans as well…
Contains LitRPG/GameLit elements such as level progression and experience, optional tables, no harems, and a heavy Dungeon Core emphasis.
Note: The optional stat tables tend to skew the percentages toward the back of the eBook. The locations can be a tad deceptive; while this box set is 562,000 words, stat tables comprise less than 8% of that total word count.
674 pages, Paperback
First published December 19, 2019
403 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Brooks
82 books482 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 13, 2023
While despite the saying 'Don't Judge a book by it's cover' Is usually wrong because the art of a book can say a lot about it. A picture says a thousand words and all that. However this is one of those times where it proves true.
While the cover might make one think this is going to feel old school stogy and a bit archaic writing style that would fit more in the 90s playstation era, think some of the older forgotten realms books if one has read them for 'older styles' of writing. It actually was written not long ago and has a current feel of writing styles and is quite engaging and entertaining.
The split of stats and actual book with the character always stating whats important in the states in a brief little statement after each stat chapter makes this book quite easy to read as well listen to. So one doesn't have to focus on stats if they don't want which a lot of dungeon core and LITRPG books lack making one slog through them.
This book has a perfect balance I felt of dungeon core story about building dungeons and challenges as well as 'side story' of other characters and non-dungeon perspective. Most books of this type I feel go too hard in one or the other. Having hours on end of constant building, stat tables and mob types with the dungeon going on and on about why and how and what it's doing that is gets boring. Or the dungeon is so little focused on that it's all about the people in it and their lives outside. This one balances it by bouncing back and forth in quite the fluid way so if you start getting bored of one side soon you get the other. Nor does it make one side so much better that you get annoyed when the other side shows up. That is also a major problem I find in these type of books.
I can't count how many times I've skipped chapters in other books just because it was from a POV I didn't like or wasn't as enjoyable as the main character or gave so much damatic irony that that you knew what the character was doing was pointless because the other POV showed you it was and makes it seem like a waste of time.
This book handles all that quite well without giving away spoilers in other POVs to the MC and makes the side characters just as enjoyable to read as the MC because there doesn't feel like there is a MC. While Milton might be the 'station core' the whole cast as it grows feels more like the main characters.
I'd recommend this far more than any other dungeon core series I've read so far. That includes Dungeon World by this same author which was unique but didn't hook me like this series did.
While the cover might make one think this is going to feel old school stogy and a bit archaic writing style that would fit more in the 90s playstation era, think some of the older forgotten realms books if one has read them for 'older styles' of writing. It actually was written not long ago and has a current feel of writing styles and is quite engaging and entertaining.
The split of stats and actual book with the character always stating whats important in the states in a brief little statement after each stat chapter makes this book quite easy to read as well listen to. So one doesn't have to focus on stats if they don't want which a lot of dungeon core and LITRPG books lack making one slog through them.
This book has a perfect balance I felt of dungeon core story about building dungeons and challenges as well as 'side story' of other characters and non-dungeon perspective. Most books of this type I feel go too hard in one or the other. Having hours on end of constant building, stat tables and mob types with the dungeon going on and on about why and how and what it's doing that is gets boring. Or the dungeon is so little focused on that it's all about the people in it and their lives outside. This one balances it by bouncing back and forth in quite the fluid way so if you start getting bored of one side soon you get the other. Nor does it make one side so much better that you get annoyed when the other side shows up. That is also a major problem I find in these type of books.
I can't count how many times I've skipped chapters in other books just because it was from a POV I didn't like or wasn't as enjoyable as the main character or gave so much damatic irony that that you knew what the character was doing was pointless because the other POV showed you it was and makes it seem like a waste of time.
This book handles all that quite well without giving away spoilers in other POVs to the MC and makes the side characters just as enjoyable to read as the MC because there doesn't feel like there is a MC. While Milton might be the 'station core' the whole cast as it grows feels more like the main characters.
I'd recommend this far more than any other dungeon core series I've read so far. That includes Dungeon World by this same author which was unique but didn't hook me like this series did.
June 20, 2021
I enjoyed this book (these books?). Actually a compilation of 5 books, the entire series of the station core. I have read a number of Mr. Brooks writings, and I enjoy the dungeon core idea quite a bit. This series is a different take on the idea. The book was free on Kindle Unlimited, so he gets a free bonus start for that. If I had to pay for this book I would like;y give it 3* instead.
I found the first couple books fairly fresh, as it was a new take on the dungeon stories. It took a bit for the story to get moving, and was a bit stilted at first. By the end of the first book, I was hooked. I do have to say that the author needs a better thesaurus. Statements like "he decimated half the army", or "hundreds decimated in seconds" were littered throughout the book. I will say that despite decimating the value of the word decimate (meaning he killed 10% of its value), by the final book he switched to eviscerate instead. He even apparently used the word correctly several times.
My other complaint was that the characters were no0t very bright. I would expect a gamer chosen from our population for being one of our best to be a better gamer. By the end of the series I was vaguely tired of Milton, but it ended brightly, and I found it overall to be fun.
I found the first couple books fairly fresh, as it was a new take on the dungeon stories. It took a bit for the story to get moving, and was a bit stilted at first. By the end of the first book, I was hooked. I do have to say that the author needs a better thesaurus. Statements like "he decimated half the army", or "hundreds decimated in seconds" were littered throughout the book. I will say that despite decimating the value of the word decimate (meaning he killed 10% of its value), by the final book he switched to eviscerate instead. He even apparently used the word correctly several times.
My other complaint was that the characters were no0t very bright. I would expect a gamer chosen from our population for being one of our best to be a better gamer. By the end of the series I was vaguely tired of Milton, but it ended brightly, and I found it overall to be fun.
March 2, 2024
A five book series that scratches the dungeon core itch, but juvenile writing/characters holds it back, especially for the first few books.
Milton was a pro-gamer until aliens abducted him to place his consciousness in a station core, a machine meant to churn out attack drones and coordinate the defense of the alien’s worlds. However, before Milton arrives, the ship is attacked and he is stranded on an alien world where he must repair himself and eventually get off planet. I did appreciate that Milton was not an amoral murderous core, as he generally wants to defend peaceful sapients and the creation of defensive structures and drones was fun. However, the writing and characters often come off as pretty juvenile (Milton is really sensitive about swearing, people are weird about sex, etc), plus the system Milton uses to repair/upgrade himself is pretty forced and awkward. But if you can get past all of that, it was fun enough, especially as I listened to the audiobook omnibus, so even if the specific books weren’t always great, it lent it the weight of a long epic, which I enjoyed.
I only recommend this if you already know you really want a dungeon core book.
Milton was a pro-gamer until aliens abducted him to place his consciousness in a station core, a machine meant to churn out attack drones and coordinate the defense of the alien’s worlds. However, before Milton arrives, the ship is attacked and he is stranded on an alien world where he must repair himself and eventually get off planet. I did appreciate that Milton was not an amoral murderous core, as he generally wants to defend peaceful sapients and the creation of defensive structures and drones was fun. However, the writing and characters often come off as pretty juvenile (Milton is really sensitive about swearing, people are weird about sex, etc), plus the system Milton uses to repair/upgrade himself is pretty forced and awkward. But if you can get past all of that, it was fun enough, especially as I listened to the audiobook omnibus, so even if the specific books weren’t always great, it lent it the weight of a long epic, which I enjoyed.
I only recommend this if you already know you really want a dungeon core book.
October 23, 2025
For me litRPGs are like that McDonald’s cheeseburger that you know its going to be bad for you but it’s just so not complicated and yummy that you still get it and enjoy it! As with Dungeonworld Jonathan Brooks has a fun world building and a great system creation!
Got a cheap deal of the 5 bundle books for 1 credit in audible and it was thoroughly enjoyed and worth it!
If you like your typical rpg videogames and reading this can be a nice guilty pleasure. One of those books you grab to slow down and just enjoy
Got a cheap deal of the 5 bundle books for 1 credit in audible and it was thoroughly enjoyed and worth it!
If you like your typical rpg videogames and reading this can be a nice guilty pleasure. One of those books you grab to slow down and just enjoy
March 16, 2023
This Series is a Mf Blast !!!
Station Cores does not disappoint !! Milton is a strategic gaming nerd... who goes to sleep and wakes up 4000 years later in a whole new life... and whose gaming skills may just save not only a world but maybe a whole galaxy ! Milton and Alanna 055 are a pair to not be forgotten. So strap in MFs this is a wild Ride ! Do I recommend: Hell Yes Mfs !! ( Alanna has a way with words)
Station Cores does not disappoint !! Milton is a strategic gaming nerd... who goes to sleep and wakes up 4000 years later in a whole new life... and whose gaming skills may just save not only a world but maybe a whole galaxy ! Milton and Alanna 055 are a pair to not be forgotten. So strap in MFs this is a wild Ride ! Do I recommend: Hell Yes Mfs !! ( Alanna has a way with words)
July 7, 2020
Skip the stats
The way this book is formatted is very good for people that prefer to read litrpg without having to go through pages of tables.
Jonathan has all the tables contained in the footnotes that are easily accessible through clicking a link to bring you to the appropriate one. Clicking the number(link) again will bring you back to where you were in the book.
The way this book is formatted is very good for people that prefer to read litrpg without having to go through pages of tables.
Jonathan has all the tables contained in the footnotes that are easily accessible through clicking a link to bring you to the appropriate one. Clicking the number(link) again will bring you back to where you were in the book.
March 14, 2021
A good story
I really liked this book the story was interesting and it had some good characters but the timeline felt off to me. I liked the way you could jump to the section of information tables that was really cool. I had some problems with that in book 5 also no chapter listings. Still an enjoyable read.
I really liked this book the story was interesting and it had some good characters but the timeline felt off to me. I liked the way you could jump to the section of information tables that was really cool. I had some problems with that in book 5 also no chapter listings. Still an enjoyable read.
October 16, 2021
Surprisingly inspiring!
Even though the beginning scenario is quite different, at first I thought this was going to be a typical dungeon diving type of book - but I was delightfully wrong. These books develop and develop and develop, both in their characters and their concepts, and the ideas are mind-expanding and inspiring. You simply can't go wrong reading this.
Even though the beginning scenario is quite different, at first I thought this was going to be a typical dungeon diving type of book - but I was delightfully wrong. These books develop and develop and develop, both in their characters and their concepts, and the ideas are mind-expanding and inspiring. You simply can't go wrong reading this.
November 20, 2022
It gets better
The beginning was a little bit hard to get through. The author tried to give Milton personality by giving him some pretty outrageous quirks, but after the first one those become less frequent.
Basically a world/army building book, from weak (weak enough to be threatened by squirrels to dealing with world threatening bosses). Worth the money. Tom out
The beginning was a little bit hard to get through. The author tried to give Milton personality by giving him some pretty outrageous quirks, but after the first one those become less frequent.
Basically a world/army building book, from weak (weak enough to be threatened by squirrels to dealing with world threatening bosses). Worth the money. Tom out
May 6, 2024
Read it all
I greatly enjoyed the journey of the human-turned-core and plenty of excitement. I like how many of the creatures were a mix of multiple other creatures. There was not as much in terms of robots and cyborgs as I expected but that isn't a bad thing. I hope to read more books by this author.
I greatly enjoyed the journey of the human-turned-core and plenty of excitement. I like how many of the creatures were a mix of multiple other creatures. There was not as much in terms of robots and cyborgs as I expected but that isn't a bad thing. I hope to read more books by this author.
March 30, 2020
Enjoyed the dungeon!
Lots of info, but not so much that it throws off the story. Loved the footnotes at the end of the book, make it so I can go there, or just let the book explain to me what's on there.
Lots of info, but not so much that it throws off the story. Loved the footnotes at the end of the book, make it so I can go there, or just let the book explain to me what's on there.
June 18, 2022
How did I get here and how do I get home
Very good. Leaving hints that another core was there was very subtle. The problem solving was right on. Getting everyone strong was great. Nerds rule.
Very good. Leaving hints that another core was there was very subtle. The problem solving was right on. Getting everyone strong was great. Nerds rule.
November 28, 2023
Fascinating
Another story from the perspective of a dungeon core. covers an extremely long period of time, in story arcs that are short time and then transitions for longer less interesting times.
Another story from the perspective of a dungeon core. covers an extremely long period of time, in story arcs that are short time and then transitions for longer less interesting times.
July 6, 2024
Excellent series.
A gaming nerd is abducted by aliens to help them win a war. He's installed into an artificial brain and accidentally sent to a world where he has to recover his new system and get back into space.
A gaming nerd is abducted by aliens to help them win a war. He's installed into an artificial brain and accidentally sent to a world where he has to recover his new system and get back into space.
January 8, 2020
I loved the series and the twist at the end caught me off guard and made me want more from the other cores point of view.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2020
Excellent
A great multi book story line. Lots litRPG stats. Power yes, but not magic. Took a week, but enjoyed every chapter
A great multi book story line. Lots litRPG stats. Power yes, but not magic. Took a week, but enjoyed every chapter
October 22, 2022
Awsome author, amazing series.
Can't wait to read more. This author keeps the story going so smoothly. Will recommend to others. On to the next adventure.
Can't wait to read more. This author keeps the story going so smoothly. Will recommend to others. On to the next adventure.
May 20, 2023
Interesting series
Simple straight forward story adds a few twists and turns along the way , some large battles and finally victory
Simple straight forward story adds a few twists and turns along the way , some large battles and finally victory
September 28, 2023
Good author
I really enjoyed the series a great deal. Lots of character interactions. There are plenty of battles. It keeps you interested. I think you will enjoy it.
I really enjoyed the series a great deal. Lots of character interactions. There are plenty of battles. It keeps you interested. I think you will enjoy it.
February 16, 2025
I listened to all five of these books and enjoyed them all.
This is a different twist on LitRPG, Dungeon Core story.
Well worth the listen.
This is a different twist on LitRPG, Dungeon Core story.
Well worth the listen.
February 21, 2024
A different take on the game/rpg literature genre with more of a sci-fi approach than a fantasy one. Got the set at a reduced price, not sure would have spent the full price for all five books, but at the reduced cost a fun read.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews