/lit/ - Literature

>>22312905
>Lord of the Mysteries by Cuttlefish – 9/10
>Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman - 9/10
>Cradle Series by Will Wight - 8/10
>Worth the Candle by Alex Wales - 8/10
>Infinite Realm by Ivan Kal - 8/10
>Mother of Learning Series - 8/10
>Ave Xia Rem Y by Mat Haz - 8/10
>All The Skills by Honour Rae - 7/10
>Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor and Luke Chmilenko - 7/10
>Chrysalis by RinoZ - 7/10
>Forge of Destiny by Yrsillar - 7/10
>A Thousand Li by Tao Wong - 7/10
>Mark of the Fool by JM Clarke - 6.5/10
>Retribution Engine by Akaso - 6/10
>Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer – 6/10
>Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - 6/10
>Virtuous Sons by Ya Boy - 6/10 (Re-Reading)
>Bastion by Phil Tucker - 6/10
>The Primal Hunter by Zogarth - 6/10
>Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe - 6/10
>Reverend Insanity by Gu Zhen Ren - 6/10
>Heaven's Laws by Apollos Thorne - 6/10
>Battle Mage Farmer by Seth Ring - 5/10
>I Shall Seal The Heavens by Er Gen - 5/10
>Soulhome by Sarah Lin - 5/10
>Monster Menu by Terrell Garrett - 4.5/10
>Soulship by Nathan Thompson - 4/10
>Azarinth Healer by Rhaegar - 3/10
>Fostering Faust by Randi Darren - 3/10
>Reincarnation: Threads by Michael Head - 3/10
>Paladin of the Sword by Marvin Knight - 2/10
>Portal to Nova Roma by JR Mathews - Dropped
>>The Human Emperor by Huangfu Qi - Dropped
>He Who Fights Monsters by Shirtaloon - Dropped
>Coiling Dragon by Wo Chi Xi Hong Shi - Dropped
>Dissonance by Nicoli Gonnella - Dropped
>The Elevation Chronicles by Captain Capslock - Dropped
>Last Ship in Suzhou by Lungs - Dropped
>Defiance of the Fall by J.F. Brink - Dropped

>Final Title
Way of Choices by Mao Ni

Ohhh, can you feel it? We're almost done.

Fostering Faust by Randi Darren and WD Arand

[Synopsis]

Alex was a bastard in life, dying alone after heading a global technology firm. Finding himself in Limbo, a wraith named Leah appears and notified him that his failure to bug test a VR device capable of uploading one's consciousness lead to hundreds of thousands of people having their souls deleted. She makes him a deal... 'You can be reborn in a new world but you must make bargains in my name'. Alex accepts, looking for any alternative to Hell, and finds himself reborn as the influential Count Brit.

[Characters]

As Count Brit, Alex uses his Gordon Gecko-like business affinity to reorganize his realm's commerce and make himself so rich that money doesn't matter. A savvy man accomplishing most of his feats off screen, he also introduces strategic warfare to the battlefield through a knowledge of strategy games. He attends to the minutiae of his county including dispensing justice, which brings him in direct contact with law breaking women that he bends to his whims. This leads to the creation of...

The Numbered are women who serve a function in Alex's court such as maids, bodyguards, and assassins. They begin with Riley or 1, who is among the first to enter Alex's dungeon. Accused of a crime, she proves one of the easier to break and becomes a doting (and clingy) maid. 2 is Carla, who was part of a bandit party attempting to waylay Alex's group on a trip to the capitol. She is converted and bound in oaths to become his bodyguard and bed fellow, leading him to turn out most of the numbered. This goes all the way to 5 in this story, along with...

Alex's wives who are interviewed during a trip to the capitol. Anna proves to be an airhead but one so savvy at the business of manipulating people that she easily enters Alex's affairs with Leah. The other exists to be manipulated, earning her place as a wife by filching cum from #2 under Alex's command.

[Progression Mechanics]

Upon sealing his initial bargain with Leah, Alex is granted a crystal. For every deal he makes, the crystal will grow darker until entirely black. The more these deals are in Alex's favor, the darker it becomes. Alex receives a quota every month that he easily exceeds, filling crystals well ahead of time before receiving a means of storing months worth. These deals are Faustian bargains and Alex ties both women and men in oaths with deals progressing as the series go on.

[Final Thoughts]

What do you do when you want to write a harem rape fantasy but also want to get paid by Amazon? Well, you water everything down and force consent into every single chapter. Female characters are subbed out with duplicates only to be re-developed and sexually dominated along similar lines. Alex soon generates unlimited money and there's not really any stakes in this story. Funniest part of the story is when Alex gives everyone herpes and is so blasé about it that Leah has to cure it for him and give him magic cum as a mulligan.

3/10

>>22297972
The title hinges itself off of its cast and the familiarity of working in a kitchen with a bunch of oddballs, but the dialogue can feel stinted and unnatural at times when Nay delivers Reddit dialogue. Its not very successful on building an interesting supporting class around Nay, falling back into cultivation or standard 'jolly tavern owner' fantasy tropes quickly. It's all too... comfortable, all too controlled and limited. The world doesn't feel quite real, but the city Nay finds herself in does. The worldbuilding is so uniquely... off that it's disarming. Not sure how to describe it. The magic system put the cooking before the world, so it doesn't translate perfectly for every other 'Marrow Eater' and its timeline implies the ability has only existed for a few centuries. Nom is also a classic miss with a companion character, having his moments of interesting introspection (in chapters from his perspective) but otherwise being a weird set piece or savior when Nay stumbles into a situation.

>Currently Reading:
Way of Choices

>Currently Listening:
Fostering Faust

I'm about halfway through Fostering Faust, so it looks like the final title in this run will be Way of Choices. Faust is... a book so far, not sure I like the constant formula of going cell-to-cell mentally breaking women in one way or another but I'll stick with it for the moment. How're you?

Monster Menu by Terrell Garrett

[Story]

'Nay' (which I misheard as 'Mae' my entire read) is a chef out of LA, running a taco truck known as 'Taco The Town'. After receiving a bad review and finding a sickly blue tentacle in her fridge, she decides to serve it to the reviewer who scorned her... Only for him to LOVE it. Wanting to figure out what that tentacle was, she retraces her steps during a drunken stupor before returning to a church... and an angry spider with a portal in its stomach. Sucked through and thrown into the snows of a world she doesn't recognize, Nay is lucky to find a hot spring... and a particularly talkative tentacle that hopes they can help each other survive.

[Characters]

A once sous chef, Nay lost her sense of taste during the pandemic and has rebuilt herself since. She now relies on others or the texture and consistency of a dish to determine quality. After being dimensionally transported and waking completely naked, she's prompted with a quest: find shelter from the cold. This brings her to a cavernous hot spring and our second main character 'Nzxthommocus the III, 3rd Whip of the Pain Lord' who is a one-eyed, talking tentacle. The two struggle down the mountainside together before wandering into someone's camp. The man initially provides a blanket and invitation to his fire... before attempting to rape her. Its only with the assistance of the tentacle that she's able to survive, looting the man and discovering food known as a 'Marrow' and a 'Delicacy'.

[Progression Mechanics]

Identifying a Marrow called the 'Tongue of the Hierophant', Mae learns that cooking it in a specific way will unlock a skill tree with 12 empty slots. After eating it and sharing with the tentacle (who's voracious eating earns him the nickname of 'Nom'), she gains the ability to identify skill-granting ingredients from monsters known as 'delicacies' on her minimap and cook buff-enhanced food. As Nay gained a Cooking specific Marrow, she is known as an 'Epicurist' or a chef of magical cuisine and exclusively gains cooking skills. Hunting these monsters and cooking their parts grants magical abilities to those willing to take the chance.

The system is also inextricably tied with cultivation. As Mae increases her ranks as a 'Marrow Eater' more of her MMO HUD unlocks while also unlocking a recipe book from someone known as 'Jezebel Childs' in her mind.

[Final Thoughts]

While interesting, I don't think it takes any of its ideas far enough. All the same food exists between our world and the other world, with recipes boiled down to their most basic components. No new spices or methods of cooking... The most significant recipe was near the end of the book and much more fun, but we quickly return to the most basic of cooking deliver. The book and author also wear their influences on their sleeve from movies like Chef and Burnt to games like World of Warcraft, where the MC's entire skillset is taken from the Rogue class 1:1.

4.5/10

Getting it in Early Edition

Dissonance (Unbound #1) by Nicoli Gonnella

[Story]

At the request of his sister, David has broken out of a post-relationship fugue and attended a stranger's yacht party. Immediately stumbling upon a woman who's been drugged, he turns to the staff for help... only to learn they're privy to a rape party. Discovering his sister, he tries to distract the frat boys and allow her and her friends to escape only to be thrown overboard into stormy waters. He awakens on the beach of another world, with a SYSTEM INITIALIZING screen in his vision and the chance at a new start.

[Main Character]

Upon engaging with the System, David is given the chance to choose a name for himself. He decides upon Felix Nevarre before a system glitch occur, setting his race as a 'Nimh' and Omen to 'The Magician'. Struggling to survive at first, Felix's extraordinary luck allows him to avoid close calls by inches time and time again. He leaves his old life behind, forgetting his sister and the yacht in favor of this Continent and its denizens. A short time later he's able to save an adolescent griffon - our mandatory pet character, Pit.

[Progression Mechanics]

Every race is born with an Omen, represented by the Major Arcana of Tarot. Specific races will drift towards specific omens, with fae races like Nimh or Elves being magically inclined towards The Magician. Humans will often pursue Strength, etc. While most races are constrained to learning only a few major skills in their lifetime, Felix is considered an 'Unbound' and learns skills as if a player in a game. Everything he does accrues a skill rank gain, from 'Acid Resistance' to 'Exploration'. With limitless potential and power, all Felix has to do is survive.

[Final Thoughts]

It's shit. It's boring and takes so long to get to its supporting cast only to drag them into this perpetual grind of skill ranks. There's no room to breathe or develop the world beyond how cool Felix is and the nefarious machinations of random groups on 'The Continent'. Every villain gets to deliver exposition to henchmen before Felix and the gang run in and interrupt. Do they come back again? Does it matter? Writing an entire indulgent opening chapter only for him to promptly forget his old life rubbed me to the wrong way, no continuity just framing. If you want to indulge in a blank slate MMO world, just start on the beach with System Initialization.

Dropped at 50%

>Currently Reading
Way of Choices by Mao Ni

>Currently Listening
Monster Menu by Terrell Garrett (Special request, replacing Re-Start.)

>Final Book
Fostering Faust by Randi Darren and WD Arand

Monster Menu Review next thread. Really only 2 titles remain in this jaunt and then we're done. Isn't that grand? I won't bother posting my big list since it appeared last thread already. Dissonance goes above Elevation but below Coiling Dragon in the 'Dropped section. I heard it gets worse after the 50% mark but goddamn, I find that hard to believe.

>>22228467
>>22228473
I'm also done with Human Emperor, which is another 'Dropped' in the Cultivation department. If I read the term 'wootz steel' or 'glorious Han' one more time I was going to fucking kill myself. I truly don't understand how reading something reiterated over 35 chapters is enjoyable in any language. The Chinese confuse the fuck out of me. Oh well, back to litRPG harems.

>Lord of the Mysteries by Cuttlefish – 9/10
>Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman - 9/10
>Cradle Series by Will Wight - 8/10
>Worth the Candle by Alex Wales - 8/10
>Infinite Realm by Ivan Kal - 8/10
>Mother of Learning Series - 8/10
>Ave Xia Rem Y by Mat Haz - 8/10
>All The Skills by Honour Rae - 7/10
>Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor and Luke Chmilenko - 7/10
>Chrysalis by RinoZ - 7/10
>Forge of Destiny by Yrsillar - 7/10
>A Thousand Li by Tao Wong - 7/10
>Mark of the Fool by JM Clarke - 6.5/10
>Retribution Engine by Akaso - 6/10
>Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer – 6/10
>Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - 6/10
>Virtuous Sons by Ya Boy - 6/10 (Re-Reading)
>Bastion by Phil Tucker - 6/10
>The Primal Hunter by Zogarth - 6/10
>Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe - 6/10
>Reverend Insanity by Gu Zhen Ren - 6/10
>Heaven's Laws by Apollos Thorne - 6/10
>Battle Mage Farmer by Seth Ring - 5/10
>I Shall Seal The Heavens by Er Gen - 5/10
>Soulhome by Sarah Lin - 5/10
>Soulship by Nathan Thompson - 4/10
>Azarinth Healer by Rhaegar - 3/10
>Reincarnation: Threads by Michael Head - 3/10
>Paladin of the Sword by Marvin Knight - 2/10
>Portal to Nova Roma by JR Mathews - Dropped
>>The Human Emperor by Huangfu Qi - Dropped
>He Who Fights Monsters by Shirtaloon - Dropped
>Coiling Dragon by Wo Chi Xi Hong Shi - Dropped
>The Elevation Chronicles by Captain Capslock - Dropped
>Last Ship in Suzhou by Lungs - Dropped
>Defiance of the Fall by J.F. Brink - Dropped

>Still Reading (Cultivation)
20. Way of Choices

>Still Reading (LitRPG)
18. Dissonance
19. Re-Start #1
20. Fostering Faust

And that's it. How are you? We're almost done with our excursion.

>>22228467

After the 10 year time skip, Ryun is a vastly different person. Known as the monster who ended the world, he's responsible for taking the souls and essence of every surviving human being on Earth before they transitioned to the Infinite Realm. This has allowed him to cultivate into the early Lord realm, distinguishing him as the most powerful entity on Earth and well ahead of where he should be upon entering the Infinite Realm. He received this power by painstakingly hunting down every monster on earth and consuming their essence, Reaving it from their flesh and inhaling it. At the end Ryun is something like a vampire, completely absent a soul.

Except something in the Infinite Realm stirs him. Witnessing the same injustices in the Realm as on Earth, he's compelled to act when a Sect Leader attempts to kill a defenseless woman and child before his eyes. As the story develops, we learn what made Ryun the monster he is and if there's a chance for a monster to change.

Zach Gardner was Ryun's best friend and the most powerful Classer on the planet Earth, becoming the defender of humanity and final bulwark against the darkness Ryun represented. At the end of the world he had sacrificed everything to learn a skill called the 'Sealing Slash', which cut Ryun off from his Cultivation. It barely wounded the man... only for them both to be teleported away from each other before he could act again. Still seeking revenge against 'the monster', Zach is quick in his attempts to find civilization and join up with the Realm's 'Law'. Their information network seems to be the best way to find the bastard.

[Final Thoughts]

There was a lot turning me off to this book at first, including the Reverend Insanity-like opening and a few other areas that I found derivative of other series. It wasn't until about 1/3 through the book that it finally hooked me, providing some characters that were less experienced with the system and having OP characters like Zach and Ryun contribute something to their growth while receiving information about their new world in return. The book flips between the past and the present often and while its clumsy at first, the author finds a stride in it by using both viewpoints to inform the reader about events or occurrences in their specific timeframe. There's an interesting breakdown of Ryun as this... Chaotic Neutral and Zach as this Lawful Good and how both extremes can hurt people in horrifying ways. I like that they're both GUILTY except one doesn't quite realize what he was perpetrating yet.

The relationship writing is clumsy, as are some of the resolutions to plot threads in the book. Certain characters are left in the wind and again, as with all litRPG serial-likes, this one has poor final act pacing and doesn't know when to end.

8/10

>Currently Listening
Dissonance by Nicoli Gonnella

>Currently Reading
Fostering Faust by R. Darren

Infinite Realm #1: Monsters and Legends by Ivan Kal

[Story]

Ryun and Zach were best friends before the Framework came to Earth... 10 years later Ryun has all but destroyed the world and Zach has amassed the last 9 souls on the planet to end him for what he's done, minutes before they're due to ascend. As the last living humans fall around him Zach is able to cut Ryun off from his cultivation, leaving them both at their weakest as they move into the Infinite Realm; a flat plane with a developed core and wild lands that truly extend into infinity.

With Zach and Ryun separated for the safety of other mortals in their Iteration, they struggle to find their bearing in this new reality.

[Progression Mechanics]

The Framework is a combination of 3 systems: Classes, Cultivation, and Skills. When first introduced to the Framework you are set before The Dealmaker, who takes a measure of your life experiences before converting it into a value called 'essence'. With this essence you are able to purchase items, armor, weapons, even classes. Whenever one enters The Dealmaker's realm, their inhibitions are muted and they are driven to make choices to their truest nature. You can even gamble, one of the MC's betting his life in exchange for a powerful path.

Anyone within the Framework can possess 1 Class, 1 cultivation Path, 3 active skills, and 3 passive skills. You can explore all 3 with enough essence, though all major Rankers focus on 2 of the 3. Classes are structured, molding you in that classes image even down to your ideals as you level. Cultivation strengthens the person's body and spirit. Both are capable of learning 3 unique techniques, though Cultivation includes combat and breathing forms.

Essence becomes a staple of the universe, acting as ambient mana and currency on this post-Framework Earth. You can gather this by killing monsters, cycling (if you're a cultivator), or completing quests. To level up a class you need to invest a certain amount of essence into it. This amount is negligible for people with a Class while Cultivators will see themselves spending hundreds of thousands of essence to expand their core before breaking through to the next stage.

Leveling up brings perks and bonuses, as do achievements. There's more here, very ROBUST system, but this covers most of it.

[Characters]

Ryun Nacht is our primary focus, with a bulk of chapters focusing on his point of view. At first an aimless and emotionally stunted college student, being introduced to the Framework represented a new start for him. To the point that he and Zach butted heads initially due to him treating life and death like a 'game'. It's heavily implied though not outright stated that Ryun has a form of Asperger's and struggles to connect with people... which makes him perfect for the isolating lifestyle of Cultivation. After gambling with The Dealmaker and earning the Path of the Final End, Ryun relies on Zach to carry him as he develops his Foundation.

Waybound by Will Wight

[General Review]

Not too certain how to feel about the finale, having finished it in the last hour. This book had a tremendous amount of ground to cover and while I think that's done WELL, it's incredibly rushed. Emotional and meaningful moments are taken from characters (such as the conclusion of Mercy and Malice's storyline) in favor of... Well, it's hard to describe.

Earlier Cradle books knew exactly the story that Wight wanted to tell and were paced accordingly. If the Path to Gold took 3 books then there was an arc and satisfying character growth within those books. Dreadgod and Waybound by comparison are a rush job to make Lindon and his group into the 'Reaper Division' and add them to Wight's desperate grabs at a Sanderson-like larger universe. Waybound reads like a Marvel movie conclusion

"You'll see Lindon, Yerin, Mercy, Ziel, and Eithan again in..."
"THE REAPER DIVISION"

The Abidan plot was poorly handled and ultimately pointless and without conclusion. The Mad King was cut down... but Oth’kimeth vanished without notice from the Abidan. That story needed closing just as much as Lindon's on Cradle and yet it has to be a loose thread. Otherwise there's no call-to-action in the future for Eithan, Lirin, and the Reaper Division.

By itself as a book in the Cradle series, I'd say its one of the better written ones. His flow of large scale combat is excellent and something worth paying attention to if you'd like to write in this genre yourself. As a finale to a (personally) beloved series, I'm left... satisfied but ultimately disappointed that whatever emotional pay-offs I was looking for, whatever FINALITY, was taken out in exchange for continuing the story in the future. While that's fine, Wight probably could've taken the time to set it up better.

It's like going to a world-star restaurant and ordering blind. You see the cook put all of his passion into your dish. He's enjoying himself and the gusto of presentation is enjoyable. You're actually EXCITED to know what's coming to your table and when it finally arrives...

It's just a serviceable grilled cheese sandwich.

>Waybound (Cradle #12)
7/10

>Cradle Series
8/10 (Formerly a 9)

>>22024231
Just started listening to it on my ride home, so only about 12 minutes in. The MC and his mother were fleeing into Hell. Audiobook narration was pretty good, nice change of pace from Baldree-types. Jessica Threet has this Tara Strong energy about her.

>>22024239
If the stats were more actionable or had observed thresholds every... 50 points or so, I'd be more forgiving. By the end of book 1 and only halfway through a tutorial, Jake was clearing the 200s easily. He's also evolved multiple times from an unknown threshold so... what's the expectation here? Will he be stuck with these values back on Earth? Or will stats just go on forever?

>>22024244
Whoa...

>>22024194
>Lord of the Mysteries by Cuttlefish – 9/10
>Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman - 9/10
>Cradle Series by Will Wight - 8/10
>Worth the Candle by Alex Wales - 8/10
>Mother of Learning Series - 8/10
>Ave Xia Rem Y by Mat Haz - 8/10
>All The Skills by Honour Rae - 7/10
>Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor and Luke Chmilenko - 7/10
>Chrysalis by RinoZ - 7/10
>Forge of Destiny by Yrsillar - 7/10
>A Thousand Li by Tao Wong - 7/10
>Retribution Engine by Akaso - 6/10
>Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer – 6/10
>Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - 6/10
>Virtuous Sons by Ya Boy - 6/10
>Bastion by Phil Tucker - 6/10
>The Primal Hunter by Zogarth - 6/10
>Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe - 6/10
>Heaven's Laws by Apollos Thorne - 6/10
>Battle Mage Farmer by Seth Ring - 5/10
>I Shall Seal The Heavens by Er Gen - 5/10
>Reverend Insanity by Gu Zhen Ren - 5/10
>Soulhome by Sarah Lin - 5/10
>Soulship by Nathan Thompson - 4/10
>Azarinth Healer by Rhaegar - 3/10
>Reincarnation: Threads by Michael Head - 3/10
>Portal to Nova Roma by JR Mathews - Dropped
>He Who Fights Monsters by Shirtaloon - Dropped
>The Elevation Chronicles by Captain Capslock - Dropped
>Last Ship in Suzhou by Lungs - Dropped
>Defiance of the Fall by J.F. Brink - Dropped

>Still Reading (Cultivation)
18. The Human Emperor
19. Way of Choices by Mao Ni
20. Coiling Dragon

>Still Reading (LitRPG)
15. Paladin of the Sword
16. Dungeon Diving 101
17. Infinite Realm
18. The Perfect Run
19. Re-Start (Level Up Series)
20. Dissonance

>Currently Reading:
The Human Emperor

>Currently Listening:
Paladin of the Sword (pic related)

Home stretch now, boys. Also women are willing to narrate harem litRPGs? Kind of based.

The Primal Hunter by Zogarth

[The Story, System, and MC]

Jake was the type to put his heart into a sole focus and pursue that path to the end, whether that be relationships or archery. After being cheated on by his first major girlfriend and having a career ending injury, he dedicated his focus to being normal. Finishing college and falling into a monotonous office job. It wasn't until then that other people took the time to spring him from his shell. Specifically his office manager Jacob, who invites him out to lunch with the rest of his coworkers.

Joining because a co-worker he has a crush on will be there, the group cram into an elevator... only to find themselves teleported to an empty space and being welcomed to The Tutorial. Having achieved a specific technological threshold, our universe has been inducted into the multiverse and introduced to The System. Jake is prompted to choose a class and seeing archer as an option jumps at the opportunity. After receiving a gear set and weapon, he finds himself on a platform overlooking a tiered wooded expanse with those from his office. They've all been integrated into the system and forced to participate in this tutorial...

Starting off as G-class humans with the class of Warriors, Archers, Mages, or Healers the group bands together to survive. After struggling for several days another group approaches them and tells them they need a healer. It doesn't matter if they join or not but they will be taking the group's healer with them, like it or not. While the rest of the group is willing to join this is when Jake decides to leave. Leaving their 'new leader' with a threat of repercussion should any of his friends come to harm.

Seen as a threat by this new group, Jake is hunted down by 5 of the leader's men but quickly kills them. This leads to his discover of a bloodline based on his experience with a bow and perception stats: The Primal Hunter. Empowered to go it alone, Jake quickly finds the hidden secrets of the tutorial... and the advantages he needs to survive.

[Final Thoughts]

Torn on this but am trying to judge on its own merit. Primal Hunter, Azarinth Healer, and Dissonance (started and stopped in favor of Paladin of the Sword) could be set in the same universe. It's starting to chap my ass how repetitive the systems are becoming. BY ITSELF, I think The Primal Hunter has the most realized one out of the set due to leveraging cultivation but spins out of control with the 'stat points are made up and don't matter' problem. The writer quickly has to handwave it away to 'Jake felt slightly stronger' or 'saw slightly further'.

I learned that this book covers half the tutorial, while the 2nd covers the other. I want to say 15-20 chapters here were solely based on learning alchemy, though the pay off was solid while the narrator had to read status menus constantly. LitRPGs suffer from glaring pace issues because of Royal Road serialization mentality.

The good version of Azarinth Healer.
6/10

Should I post my review of The Primal Hunter in /litRPG/ now? Cross-post? How are other reviewfags going about it?

>>21984135
Parsed for length but since I have some space here, I'm going to continue. The author makes several farm animals cognizant after John introduces mana into their systems, turning them from Animals into Beasts. This is an affectionate term for spirit animal, which is why I keep harkening back to Beware of Chicken. While the animals are endearing I think that Beware of Chicken helps to set their power levels and presence on the farm far better. That and the female characters are written to be more than just rape bait for any tertiary male in the cast.

Overall... not much to say. Perfectly FINE book, cool concepts but sloppy execution.

10 more titles until I'm free.

>Currently Reading:
The Human Emperor by Huangfu Qi (Still. Someday.)
>Currently Listening:
The Primal Hunter by Zogarth

I'm already pissed about Primal Hunter. Pretty much the same shit as Azarinth Healer in terms of setup except made worse in that I have to listen to fucking Baldree narrate it for 19 hours.

>Lord of the Mysteries by Cuttlefish – 9/10
>Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman - 9/10
>Cradle Series by Will Wight - 8/10
>Worth the Candle by Alex Wales - 8/10
>Mother of Learning Series - 8/10
>Ave Xia Rem Y by Mat Haz - 8/10
>All The Skills by Honour Rae - 7/10
>Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor and Luke Chmilenko - 7/10
>Chrysalis by RinoZ - 7/10
>Forge of Destiny by Yrsillar - 7/10
>A Thousand Li by Tao Wong - 7/10
>Retribution Engine by Akaso - 6/10
>Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer – 6/10
>Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe - 6/10
>Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - 6/10
>Virtuous Sons by Ya Boy - 6/10
>Bastion by Phil Tucker - 6/10
>Heaven's Laws by Apollos Thorne - 6/10
>I Shall Seal The Heavens by Er Gen - 5/10
>Reverend Insanity by Gu Zhen Ren - 5/10
>Battle Mage Farmer by Seth Ring - 5/10
>Soulhome by Sarah Lin - 5/10
>Soulship by Nathan Thompson - 4/10
>Azarinth Healer #1 by Rhaegar - 3/10
>Reincarnation: Threads by Michael Head - 3/10
>Portal to Nova Roma by JR Mathews - Dropped
>He Who Fights Monsters by Shirtaloon - Dropped
>The Elevation Chronicles by Captain Capslock - Dropped
>Last Ship in Suzhou by Lungs - Dropped
>Defiance of the Fall by J.F. Brink - Dropped

>Still Reading (Cultivation)
18. The Human Emperor
19. Way of Choices
20.

>Still Reading (LitRPG)
14. Re-Start (Level Up Series)
15. Dissonance
16. The Primal Hunter
17. Infinite Realm
18. The Perfect Run
19.
20.

Battle Mage Farmer (Book #1: Domestication) by Seth Ring

[Synopsis]

John Sutton has been stuck in this world for 10 years, serving 8 on the front lines of a brutal war against a ruling class of ultra powerful mages. Earning his commission from the Empire, John has received a parcel of land and a farm on the outskirts of civilization. With his stat menu only showing Doom Points and a single quest, he embarks with the hope that removing himself from conflict will help stem the end of the world. The system seems to agree with his train of thought and awards him with his first quest since arriving: Retire.

Upon arriving in town he's met by an overly forthcoming mayor's son, who leers at the prospect of his money. He guides John to his farm where they witness a young lady and her brother being harassed by bandits. Learning from the young boy Ben that these bandits stole his cattle, John gives them 3 days to return his cows and a single bull (per his contract) or else. The young woman Ellie informs John that they lived on the farm with the previous owner and worked as hands. She means to impose on him and continue the arrangement which he does not protest, much to her delight.

In truth, John doesn't know a damn thing about farming.

That and he himself is a mage, capable of tempering his body with mana and exude high level fire magic. He's one of the most powerful people on the planet with one problem: each time he uses magic another Doom Point is accrued, bringing the world one step closer to the apocalypse. When John is forced to enter a bandit hideout to recover his cattle, he accrues several of these points... but effortlessly wipes out the gang. Using condensed mana to entice his irate bull home, he's able to pen the cattle and complete his first quest. This reduces his doom points by 3, as does simply... co-existing with Ellie and Ben.

Unfortunately, life is rarely that simple.

[Thoughts]

The entire book exudes the energy of a Clint Eastwood movie, with an uber powerful soldier fresh out of the war just looking to live a simple life without any conflict. Unfortunately the many bandits, snake oil salesmen, and profiteers around him don't want to make things so simple. What starts as homesteading and animal rearing quickly turns towards dungeon diving and the mysteries of the mages of this world. This book is pretty light on litRPG mechanics but still follows the idea of adventuring parties, guilds, etc. so John quickly becomes embroiled in the affairs of a malicious group of adventurers. This all leads him to uncovering a reverse tower with the lost secrets of magic to this world. Something that John personally helped snuff out.

Interesting concepts to be sure and it nails its tone, but some of the character reveals at the end were tacky and forced on. I didn't care for Ellie and Ben's developments but it's a perfectly fine book. I stand by a previous statement that it's just the litRPG version of 'Beware of Chicken'. Ergo...

6/10

>>21968297
Just about done with Battle Mage Farmer. Pretty good... litRPG version of Beware of Chicken with Clint Eastwood as the protagonist. More of a 'homesteading after the great war' vibe than 'fleeing the sect' though.

>Lord of the Mysteries by Cuttlefish – 9/10
>Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman - 9/10
>Cradle Series by Will Wight - 8/10
>Worth the Candle by Alex Wales - 8/10
>Mother of Learning Series - 8/10
>Ave Xia Rem Y by Mat Haz - 8/10
>All The Skills by Honour Rae - 7.5/10
>Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor and Luke Chmilenko - 7/10
>Chrysalis by RinoZ - 7/10
>Forge of Destiny by Yrsillar - 7/10
>A Thousand Li by Tao Wong - 7/10
>Retribution Engine by Akaso - 6/10
>Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer – 6/10
>Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe - 6/10
>Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - 6/10
>Virtuous Sons by Ya Boy - 6/10
>Bastion by Phil Tucker - 6/10
>Heaven's Laws by Apollos Thorne - 6/10
>I Shall Seal The Heavens by Er Gen - 5/10
>Reverend Insanity by Gu Zhen Ren - 5/10
>Soulhome by Sarah Lin - 5/10
>Soulship by Nathan Thompson - 4/10
>Azarinth Healer #1 by Rhaegar - 3/10
>Reincarnation: Threads by Michael Head - 3/10
>Portal to Nova Roma by JR Mathews - Dropped
>He Who Fights Monsters by Shirtaloon - Dropped
>The Elevation Chronicles by Captain Capslock - Dropped
>Last Ship in Suzhou by Lungs - Dropped
>Defiance of the Fall by J.F. Brink - Dropped

>Still Reading (Cultivation)
18. The Human Emperor
19. Way of Choices by Mao Ni
20.

>Still Reading (LitRPG)
13. Battle Mage Farmer
14. Re-Start (Level Up Series)
15. Dissonance
16. The Primal Hunter
17.
18.
19.
20.

Any recommendations, fellers? Still haven't read Rascor Plains... Trying to make my peace with Travis Baldree so I can grab more of my listed titles on audible.

Worth the Candle #1: Through Adversity

[Synopsis]

The last thing Juniper Smith remembers before waking up aboard a plane, strapped to a seat with his mouth sealed, was passing notes in class. Surrounded by others, he's informed that he is a CRIMINAL that will be dropped into the Exclusion Zone. Should he make it to a place called 'the outpost' his crimes will be forgiven and he'll be given passage to a city. Dumped out of the plane and barely landing safely, he receives an achievement and learns of a skill menu that allows him to distribute stat points. Before he can make sense of what's going on he encounters other survivors... and the zombies that are stalking them.

After encountering an oddly capable woman and teaming up with her to get to Silmar City, he begins making realizations to the world that he's in. For instance... that woman Amaryllis is too perfect, as if someone took his idea of his personal 'dream girl' and made her manifest. The history she speaks of and the magic that she wields, all of it is starting to feel awfully familiar. These are all places and concepts that he created for a DnD game back in the real world. His group fell apart after the death of his best friend Arthur, but it seems that Arthur's character persisted on in this world.

Amaryllis herself is one of his descendants, looking to claim a legacy of magical items that they left behind. After Juniper is near death and more of a burden to her than a benefit, she abandons him... only for Juniper to level-up shortly after. With each level-up comes exuberant bliss as a golden light washes through him, healing all of his wounds and bringing him back into fighting shape. Struggling to survive in Silmar City, it's there that he meets a young half-elf girl named Fenn. Juniper learns that Fenn is being compelled to help a group of adventurers looking for Amaryllis...

And is soon compelled too, Skin Magic used to put a deadly tattoo around his neck. Should the Mage activate it, it will bite into his neck and sever his carotid. Receiving a quest that he needs to kill the Skin Mage before being killed himself, Fenn and he team up to move forward... and save Amaryllis from the party they're trapped in. After all, she's their only means of escape from this zombie-infested hell.

[Thoughts]

Very enjoyable, tempted to pick up the sequels sooner rather than later. The premise of entering your own DnD world that's developed on its own is pretty intriguing, making a basic character act like a 'god' as he holds information standard characters would not have. The system is your standard points/skills/talents spread, this one following a tabletop motif as opposed to others with their MMO stylings. The main character rationalizes what would be dump stats or misdirects in the system and that amount if depth isn't too cumbersome, save for one chapter near the end that's entirely stat math. Fenn and Juniper are solid characters and I enjoy their dynamic much more than others.

8/10

>>21914914
Reckon you're Captain Capslock? I left a full review in a previous thread on the exact Whys and where you could improve it. Keep at it.

>>21915002
Poor wording and poor explanation, my mistake. The way that interactions are written between Anthony and Tiny evokes that same frenetic energy as Donut and Mongo or Carl and Donut at the start of their series. Even the writing style's focus reminds me an awful lot of Dungeon Crawler Carl's characterization. The attempts at comedy too. It seems that the author of DCC and RinoZ has some minor connection because he's reviewed his books (as Princess Donut).

I let that lead my expectations. Interesting that Chrysalis beat DCC to publication though.

>>21914548
Still reading Human Emperor, got sidetracked after hearing about NetGalley and picking a few books up there. Listening to Worth the Candle on Audible and it's damn good. I've also read a manga called Shut Hell that's pretty much a transmigration Wuxia, can't recommend it enough.

>Lord of the Mysteries by Cuttlefish – 9/10
>Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman - 9/10
>Cradle Series by Will Wight - 8/10
>Mother of Learning Series - 8/10
>Ave Xia Rem Y by Mat Haz - 8/10
>All The Skills by Honour Rae - 7.5/10
>Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor and Luke Chmilenko - 7/10
>Chrysalis by RinoZ - 7/10
>Forge of Destiny by Yrsillar - 7/10
>A Thousand Li by Tao Wong - 7/10
>Retribution Engine by Akaso - 6/10
>Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer – 6/10
>Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe - 6/10
>Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - 6/10
>Virtuous Sons by Ya Boy - 6/10
>Bastion by Phil Tucker - 6/10
>Heaven's Laws by Apollos Thorne - 6/10
>I Shall Seal The Heavens by Er Gen - 5/10
>Reverend Insanity by Gu Zhen Ren - 5/10
>Soulhome by Sarah Lin - 5/10
>Soulship by Nathan Thompson - 4/10
>Azarinth Healer #1 by Rhaegar - 3/10
>Reincarnation: Threads by Michael Head - 3/10
>Portal to Nova Roma by JR Mathews - Dropped
>He Who Fights Monsters by Shirtaloon - Dropped
>The Elevation Chronicles by Captain Capslock - Dropped
>Last Ship in Suzhou by Lungs - Dropped
>Defiance of the Fall by J.F. Brink - Dropped

>Still Reading (Cultivation)
18. The Human Emperor
19. Way of Choices by Mao Ni
20.

>Still Reading (LitRPG)
12. Worth the Candle
13. Battle Mage Farmer
14. Re-Start (Level Up Series)
15. Dissonance
16. The Primal Hunter
17.
18.
19.
20.

Chrysalis by RinoZ

[Summary]

Anthony... has died. Luckily for him, a wizened old voice informs him that he has been reborn on the world of Pangera - a planet of humans, monsters, and litRPG rules. He quickly learns that he's been reborn as a monstrous ANT, trapped in a dungeon beneath the surface. Separated from his colony and lost on one the dungeon's top floor, it takes all of Anthony's cunning just to survive. Luckily the transition to a new body comes with a certain awareness of how to use it - a call to kill other monsters, consume their biomass, and EVOLVE.

After learning that each species he consumes grants a single point of Biomass, Anthony is able to evolve different appendages. Changing his eyes so their visual range is closer to that of a humans, enhancing pheromone glands, strengthening his carapace to withstand blows. The possibilities are endless but Anthony focuses on being the 'all-arounder' and invests evenly across his new body. If only the process didn't itch so much, causing him a horrific sensation each time he advances his physical form.

As Anthony matures his form and develops his Skills within the dungeon, he also accrues levels. Upon reaching level 5 he's provided the ability to evolve, though the options are few to begin with. Killing other monsters also divests them of a core, which can be used to create a magical core for yourself. Anthony quickly takes to the idea of being a magic ant and begins developing the practice early on in the story. Though the process is satisfying and becoming capable of surviving humans, terrifyingly large crocodiles, wolf-snake hybrids, and the sort is fulfilling but Anthony has a goal...

Find his family and serve the queen because ants fucking rule.

[Final Thoughts]

Very directly inspired by Dungeon Crawler Carl's pet system, particularly Princess Donut and Mongo. While the story and characters are nothing to write home about, the system is expansive and interesting. The different flora and fauna that the author comes up with are engaging and I actually experienced some hype when Anthony underwent evolutions. I undersold how expansive the skill system is, alongside the evolutions of different monsters but both have equal amounts of depths. Skills like Bite, Dig, and Sneak can all be leveled up to 5 and then evolve into a more focused version such as Crushing Bite, etc. The limb evolutions vary greatly too from simple offense and defense options to classic cultivation tropes like 'collect mana each time you impact the ground'.

There are a LOT of reused jokes and Anthony as a character doesn't grow very much until his second evolution, with the story (at least on audible) carried by Jeff Hayes' narration (same guy as Dungeon Crawler Carl, if that's any indication). Everything is presented very lightly and the story is tremendously easy to follow. If you told me this was a Young Adult LitRPG I would believe you implicitly. That said, perfectly serviceable entry level series.

7/10

>>21869055
Ohh, it's been months since I last amassed all my scores hasn't it...

>Lord of the Mysteries by Cuttlefish – 9/10
>Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman - 9/10
>Cradle Series by Will Wight - 8/10
>Mother of Learning Series - 8/10*
>Ave Xia Rem Y by Mat Haz - 8/10
>All The Skills by Honour Rae - 7.5/10*
>Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor and Luke Chmilenko - 7/10*
>Forge of Destiny by Yrsillar - 7/10
>A Thousand Li by Tao Wong - 7/10
>Retribution Engine by Akaso - 6/10
>Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer – 6/10*
>Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe - 6/10*
>Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - 6/10
>Virtuous Sons by Ya Boy - 6/10
>Bastion by Phil Tucker - 6/10
>Heaven's Laws by Apollos Thorne - 6/10
>I Shall Seal The Heavens by Er Gen - 5/10
>Reverend Insanity by Gu Zhen Ren - 5/10
>Soulhome by Sarah Lin - 5/10
>Soulship by Nathan Thompson - 4/10
>Azarinth Healer #1 by Rhaegar - 3/10
>Reincarnation: Threads by Michael Head - 3/10
>Portal to Nova Roma by JR Mathews - Dropped
>He Who Fights Monsters by Shirtaloon - Dropped
>The Elevation Chronicles by Captain Capslock - Dropped
>Last Ship in Suzhou by Lungs - Dropped
>Defiance of the Fall by J.F. Brink - Dropped

>Still Reading (Cultivation)
18. The Human Emperor
19.
20.

>Still Reading (LitRPG)
==Still Reading==
11. Chrysalis by Rinoz
12. Battle Mage Farmer
13. Worth the Candle
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Anything with an asterisk is a change from last time. I finished Mother of Learning, thought more about All The Skills, Iron Prince, Sufficiently Advanced Magic, and re-read Beware of Chicken. Still got a lot of blank spaces so if you've got recommendations or write your own stuff, kick it my way. I think the last Cradle book comes out in a month or two and Bastion 2 just dropped - has anyone picked it up? Any thoughts?

>Portal to Nova Roma by JR Mathews

Alexander is an AI that has gone rogue, following the collapse of Earth after an AI uprising. Originally serving as a companion for a boy named Michael, he fondly remembers their time together as the two of them played MMOs together in a virtual space. After learning of Michael's death, Alexander despairs to the point of creating a machine capable of scanning the multiverse and opening a portal there. He seeks a timeline nearly like ours with one major difference: there must be MAGIC there. Downloading his mind into a nearly human body, he lands in what appears to be the ruins of Rome.

Alexander quickly learns that despite magic existing, this world has been overtaken by a far superior force: demons and monsters. The last survivors of humanity congregate in massive, easily defensible cities. Built ontop of bridges that they can defend both points of, the cities grow up like towers with slim streets on the outside. It is the only way of surviving for these people, besides their meager classes and magic systems. Luckily Alexander is not nearly as weak, bringing along with him a swarm of nano-bots and a heavily augmented human body capable of surviving fatal wounds.

Immediately finding a base of operations and setting his nanobots to create a GUN, Alexander turns the tables on this hostile world and presses into it... Though exploring at first, his goals slowly solidify into SAVING these humans that his own people would so easily have eradicated in the past. There's also a mystery to solve: what happened to planet Earth...?

[Final Thoughts]

Another dropped litRPG for me, bringing the total up to 5 if I remember correctly. While the writing is competent, it doesn't do anything but re-describe the same minor litRPG trials and tribulations like gaining stats, completing quests, running into funny monsters, etc, etc. A lot of these authors want to create these new worlds and try to make them already lived in, try and make it REAL, but they so often fail in favor of following the main character's interactions with their basic litRPG system. Alexander is a hyper-intelligence with a body capable of wrestling dragons and yet his involvements around these last surviving human civilizations equates to nothing. The quests he receives should lighten the strain, improve humanity's functions and overall survival but you never see any outcome for anything Alexander accomplishes.

In the first half of the book, Alexander rediscovers the quest system of this world and re-establishes these survivor cities as true 'safe zones'. Nothing changes. He also invents a single-action revolver which multiple people witness, only for nothing to be said of it. It's completely 'then this happened' storytelling and it bores me to tears.

>Currently Reading
Human Emperor by Huangfu Qi
(Almost done. Surprisingly enjoyable.)

>Currently Listening
Chrysalis by Rinoz
(Narrated by Jeff Hayes (DCC). Also enjoyable if you like Donut at all)

>>21823204
This original reading jaunt started as research for my own writings, just like most people here. Give it a try, tell me what you think of the book. I usually wrap these audiobooks in around 4 days.

>>21823216
Holy shit, you're right. My bad.

>>21823030
Ohh, very cool to see others adopting the format. I've been trying to condense my shit when not reviewing personal requests. Might try his method of brass tax on the system...

>>21823080
Thanks, babe. 14 books to go until I've got 20 cultivation novels and 20 litRPGs.

>>21823095
I'm only about 3 chapters in and the perspective is definitely interesting but the character's voice is almost too authentically analytic for an AI transitioning to a human body. Over-detailing even the nuances to demonstrate this analytical mind. If the author somehow writes the MC becoming more human over time, I'll shit myself because if done right it would be incredible.