Glenn, a college sophomore, hasn’t gotten used to being a gnome healer, trapped in a world that functions under the rules of Monsters, Maces and Magic. Of course, acclimating isn’t the plan. He, along with the other players drawn into the RPG world in the form of their characters, want to escape and return home.
Stephi, Kirby, Ron, Derek and Glenn survived their first adventure into the Dark Heart Swamp, and are approached to once again enter the dismal marshland. An elf maiden, daughter of a baronet, has been taken captive by a band of goblins, and gold is offered for her rescue.
Gold is needed, not only if the party hopes to escape the game world, but to live and survive its perils. Glenn and his party take the mission, even though they weren’t the first choice. Beyond that, the foul swamp and its evil denizen may not be the greatest danger. A seer warns that their greatest threat lies in betrayal.
My Opinion: $2.99, 273 pages, Available on Kindle Unlimited
When I read this series. I always feel like I’m reading a fantasy story. It is Litrpg. There’s plenty of game mechanic talk and even though the character’s see their character sheets in their dreams this time around, the reader doesn't. However, much of the this still feels like a fantasy story.
I think that’s because the larger world the story is set in, is 100% fantasy. It’s only among this group of people that talk of any of these RPG mechanics takes place. Anytime there’s an interaction with the rest of the world it takes place in a fantasy way. Even when the group of transported players talk to other people they’re forced by the world to speak in fantasy terms. No one ever asks for a +1 vorpal blade or asks for a aoe spell.
Because of that, the story just feels less interesting to me. The actual story is very action adventure. Good fights. Decent, if heavily guided, story. But it just feels like it’s it’s trying hard to be LitRPG when the natural flow of the story is fantasy.
Overall, not a bad story. If you liked book 1, you’ll like book 2. If you like much lighter RPG mechanics, you may enjoy this more than me. But it just didn't land with me.
Score: 6 out of 10.
Betrayal: A LitRPG Adventure (Monsters, Maces and Magic Book 2)