LitRPG Podcast 156
LitRPG Podcast 156
Feb. 8th, 2019
I’m Ramon Mejia. I’m here to bring you the latest LitRPG news, reviews, and author interviews. I have 6 new reviews just for you.
New Releases and Reviews:
A Thousand Drunken Monkeys: Book 2 in the Hero of Thera series (14:08)
Less save the world, but still good
Score: 7.8 out of 10
Viridian Gate Online: Doom Forge: A litRPG Adventure (The Viridian Gate Archives Book 6) (17:14)
Another good one in the series
Score: 7.5 out of 10
Raising Allies (New Game Minus Book 2) (20:15)
Even better than book 1
Score: 7.9 out of 10
Path of the Necromancer Book 1 (A LootRPG Series) (23:54)
An entertaining read that creates a very interesting culture around being a necromancer.
Score: 7.6 out of 10
Valhalla Online 4: Hel Hath No Fury: A Ragnarok Saga LitRPG Story (29:23)
Good, but loses that RPG depth
Score: 7.1 out of 10
The Monolith: A LitRPG Novel (Blood Seekers Book 1) (33:41)
Good action. Pulls from from Dark Souls and Bloodborne
Score: 7.4 out of 10
(Play Music 2)
LitRPG News
Travis Bagwell, author of the Awaken Online series, announced this week that the latest book in the series, Awaken Online: Dominion, will be released on Feb. 28th. However, due to some unforeseen issues, the audiobook won’t come out at the same time. Instead, it’ll come out at a later date. The author has been known for his simultaneous releases in book ebook and audiobook formats, so it’ll be slightly disappointing to some fans. But still, Yaaay, a new Awaken Online book.
If you can’t wait, chapters of the new book are available on the author’s patreon page.
https://www.patreon.com/da3strikes
https://www.facebook.com/da3strikes/
To help promote the release of the company’s new book, Into the Light, Mountaindale Press did a live stream interview with Christopher Johns the author of the book. It was very fun to watch and get insight into the author’s process and see all the fans that asked questions. Go check it out.
https://www.facebook.com/MountaindalePress/videos/1555151281254377/
James Hunter and Shadow Alley Press made some announcements this week in regards to upcoming projects from the company. Including details about the end of the main VGO series, series set in the same universe but written by other authors, and updates on other stuff written by James A. Hunter
Highlights for LitRPG:
VGO 6 out now. Plans for the end of that series and how there still may be more after book 8 for some characters on a different big questline.
New VGO series written by different authors:
Illusionist series - PreOrder available now for Feb 12th
Firebrand series- Should be available Feb 26th
The Alchemic Weaponeer series - Should be available March 12th
War Gods series- 3rd book almost done, will be titled "Underworld" and will be the last in the series.
Rogue Dungeon - Book 2 audiobook out now, book 3 is a work in progress
Dungeon Bringer - LitRPG Dungeon+light Harem, Available as soon as the cover art is finished
https://www.facebook.com/shadowalleypress/videos/2304640346435638/
Blaise Corvin, author of Delvers LLC, Nora Hazard, Secrets of the Old Ones, First Song, and Asgard Awakening, has announced this week that he’ll be taking a step back from the GameLit Society group that he founded on Facebook. The group was originally founded as alternative place to for authors and readers to meet and talk about genres that they love, LitRPG and GameLit. The group has grown to over 5,000 people and is very active with people posting on a daily basis.
Blaise wrote that while he won’t be an active moderator in the group anymore he’ll still maintain responsibility for: 1) The GameLit Fiction List, 2) The yearly philanthropy for Shriners.
Blaise plans to focus on his writing, managing his author group, and continuing to build the GameLitRPG website.
There’s a link below if you want to read the full statement, but while it is sad to see Blaise take a step back from the group and sub-genre he helped found, it makes perfect sense that he wants to devote more time to writing.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlaiseCorvinBooks/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPGsociety/permalink/2006532022778382/
Out Now!
Adventurers Bond (Book 5 of the Adventures on Brad)
Arcane Kingdom Online: Dark Magic (A LitRPG Adventure, Book 2)
*Free until 02/08/19, at least in the US*
Legend of the Sword Bearer: Tempest Chronicles Book 1
New LitRPG Audiobooks
The Pantheon Moves: Emerilia, Book 10
Empire Burning (Emerilia - Book 11)
Dungeon Lord: Abominable Creatures: The Wraith's Haunt, Book 3
Dead Must Die - A Novella of the Realms
The Realms: Master of the Dungeon, Book 1
Blood Eye - Land of Dreams, Book 1
Freehaven Online: Lady Thunderlord, Into Hades- A LitRPG Adventure
Upcoming LitRPG:
Sacrificial Pieces (The Game3 book 3) (Feb. 8th, 2019)
*No pre-order, release date might shift a little*
Underworld - Sanctuary (Feb. 11th, 2019)
Viridian Gate Online: Nomad Soul: A litRPG Adventure (The Illusionist Book 1) (Feb. 12th, 2019)
*One of the authors that submitted a short story to the author for their anthology*
Four: The Loot: A LitRPG/Gamelit Adventure (The Good Guys Book 4) (Feb. 14th, 2019)
Gemini's Crossing: A Fantasy LitRPG Gamelit Adventure (Enora Online Book 1) (Feb. 14th, 2019)
Scourge of Souls - The Realms Book Four: (An Epic LitRPG Gamelit Adventure ) (Feb. 15th, 2019)
Dissonance (Somnia Online Book 4) (Feb. 15th, 2019)
Equalize (Ether Collapse Book 1) (Feb. 15th, 2019)
Star Exile: Singularity (a Scifi LitRPG Adventure) (Feb. 19th, 2019)
Collide (EvoBorne - A LitRPG Saga Book 2) (Feb. 24th, 2019)
Cat's Game Book 1 (Feb. 26th, 2019)
*Translated work*
Firebrand (The Firebrand Series - Book 1) (Feb. 26th, 2019)
(No Cover Art Yet, Sorry)
Awaken Online: Dominion (Feb. 28th, 2019)
Dark Sun Survival (Feb. 28th, 2019)
The Black Turtle (The Artar Chronicles Book 2) (March 5th, 2019)
Vindication (The Alchemic Weaponeer - Book 1) (March 12th, 2019)
Absolute Zero (Adam Online Book #1) LitRPG Series (March 18th, 2019)
Max Lagno is the co-author for Level Up: Knockout
The Final Trial (Level Up Book #3) LitRPG Series (March 25th, 2019)
Dark World [Transformation. Book II] (March 27th, 2019)
Edge of the Abyss (Respawn Trials Book #1) LitRPG Series (April 10th, 2019)
Class-A Threat (Disgardium Book #1) LitRPG Series (April 22nd, 2019)
Onto New Releases and Reviews
(Play Music 3)
New Releases and Reviews
(Picture 1)
A Thousand Drunken Monkeys (Book 2 in the Hero of Thera series)
Continue Playing the Game? Yes / No
The Kingdom of Thera is a crossroads to many worlds and realities. Here a secret war between the gods plays out via their proxy mortal champions. These player-champions use all the augmented-reality interfaces and game mechanics that role-playing and video-gamers know and love.
Join Hektor Saint-Savage, Marine and martial artist extraordinaire; Morgana Nox, shapeshifting druid-thief and trickster; and the cantankerous dwarf, Elmac Arguson—as they punch, blast, stab, and slither their way through the second Hero of Thera novel.
Can they outwit, outfight, and outrun assassins? The Imperial Knight Champion of Chaos? Feisty gnomes with slide rules? A horde of a thousand inebriated simians?
There’s only one way to find out…
My Opinion: 336 pages, $5.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
A very entertaining sequel to Hero of Thera, the first book in the series. This one is not quiet as epic in scale, but still has good action-adventure, RPG leveling, and a great sense of humor. There’s an introduction of plotlines for the rest of the series, but this is mostly a good adventure that wraps up the Thousand Drunken Monkeys quest. It’s funny, the action is well written and the story seems to zip by, it’s that entertaining.
Score: 7.8 out of 10
A Thousand Drunken Monkeys: Book 2 in the Hero of Thera series
(Picture 2)
Viridian Gate Online: Doom Forge: A litRPG Adventure (The Viridian Gate Archives Book 6)
February, 2043
Jack and the crew of the Crimson Alliance have finally made it back from the Realm of Order, but the threat to Eldgard is deadlier than ever.
Vogthar incursions are increasing, dungeons falling in droves, towns and cities ravaged by Darklings—Players and NPCs who have willingly sided with the Dark Overmind Thanatos. But thanks to a priceless artifact Jack found after defeating the Lich Priest, there might be a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Jack and company have unearthed a Doom-Forged relic, one part of an ancient weapon capable of killing even a god. But to assemble the legendary god-killer, they’ll need to find the other relics and locate the fabled Doom Forge of the Dwarven godling Khalkeús, all while unraveling a mystery five hundred years in the making.
From James A. Hunter the author of the Yancy Lazarus Series, War God's Mantle, the litRPG epic Rogue Dungeon!
My Opinion: 374 pages, $4.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
Another well told story in the VGO series. The story seems to be getting bigger and grander as the group faces larger and larger fights, bosses, and challenges. Yet, the action-adventure still keeps you hanging on and wanting to turn just one more page. The series is taking on a bit of a cyberpunk aspect with rogue AI, and secret code weapons, but it is still very entertaining. There are a few mysterious that I think will be revealed in the last two books in the series, like ‘where the heck did Osmark go?’ but it’s a good, fun, read.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
Viridian Gate Online: Doom Forge: A litRPG Adventure (The Viridian Gate Archives Book 6)
(Picture 3)
Raising Allies (New Game Minus Book 2)
Bloodwraith was a villain who hated adventurers until he found himself transferred into the body of one. Trapped without his magic, he discovered that alien beings were using his reality as a game... and he had just become a player. Teaming up with a glitched NPC and other adventurers, he has no choice but to learn the truth about himself and his world.
Finally free of obligations, Bloodwraith can recover his necromancy and strike back against the beings controlling his world. Little does he know that one of them is now hunting for him: his old adventurer nemesis is still alive in his old body. Not only does the adventurer plan to get his body back, he's not going to play fair to get it.
Journeying to a new city, with new rivals and potential allies, Bloodwraith will be challenged in many ways. But in the end, he will be facing his past life, and this time he will need to decide what it is he really wants.
My Opinion: 349 pages, $4.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
Even better than book 1, this story feels streamlined in so many ways. The premise has been setup, so book 2 just jumps right into the good action-adventure, RPG leveling, and meta commentary on what it would be like to live with notification boxes. All the stuff I liked about book 1 is back, the dungeon diving, the game theorizing, the entertaining group banter, only now the villain is so much more interesting. Such a good read.
Score: 7.9 out of 10
Raising Allies (New Game Minus Book 2)
(Picture 4)
Path of the Necromancer Book 1 (A LootRPG Series)
They say that death is the end. That isn't true if you're a necromancer...
When Jakub graduates from the Queen's magic academy as a necromancer, he earns a license to raise things from the dead. His instructors believe that his dark childhood makes him too dangerous to be a necromancer, and some didn't want him to graduate. Jakub will do anything to prove them wrong.
His first mission is to recover the corpse of a traitor, resurrect him,and find out what secrets he told their enemy. He knows he's in deep when he learns that the traitor's body is missing, and worse- he isn't the only person looking for it. Mages, necromancers, cannibals, and warriors all stand in his way as he fights to find the truth.
Trapped in a deadly land and surrounded by hostiles, Jakub will have to scavenge weapons and loot from the enemies he kills, learn new necromancy spells, and use them in ways other necromancers have never dreamed of.
My Opinion: 246 pages, $2.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
An entertaining read that creates a very interesting culture around being a necromancer.
The story leans a bit more towards fantasy than LitRPG. The story revolves around a fantasy world where necromancy is part of a particular nation’s culture and is no different than being a blacksmith or soldier. The MC is sent by his government as a new necromancer with his mentor to recover the body of a traitor to see what info he sold to the government’s enemies. Of course, things don't go as planned.
The author does a good job of world building and makes both the necromancer and the Killeshi groups feel culturally well fleshed out. The story itself is well written with good adventure elements and clear goals for the MC. The author does a good job of showing the antagonists POV and giving enough backstory that they're not one dimensional villains, but more complex and even relatable to a degree.
The RPG stuff is not the main focus of the story but is a consistent element and is used to describe how the MC grows in power. The MC increases his necromancer powers by gathering energy from the dead and using that energy to fuel his spells, for which he gains necromancy XP which eventually raises his level and gives him access to more potent spells. There are also spell and item descriptions.
Even though the end of the story felt a little rushed in how it was resolved, overall it's an entertaining read.
Score: 7.6 out of 10
Path of the Necromancer Book 1 (A LootRPG Series)
(Picture 5)
Valhalla Online 4: Hel Hath No Fury: A Ragnarok Saga LitRPG Story
Trapped between two goddesses is the worst 'rock and a hard place' Samantha has ever run into.
The fourth book in the Valhalla Online series from a USA Today bestselling author.
Even worse, the 'goddesses' are really advanced AIs - artificial intelligences. One of them is plotting to go all 'Skynet' on the world, and it's up to Sam and her friends to put a stop to it.
Winning this battle isn't just about staying alive or solving a mystery. This time, everything is at stake. If Samantha fails, the outside world will burn, and everyone she ever knew or loved outside Valhalla will die.
My Opinion: 205 pages, $3.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
The entire Valhalla Online series has new cover art for the series, and this is the 4th book. The author says in the back matter, it was originally planned to be the last in the series but he decided one more book was needed to knock out the last storyline and tie it into his military sci-fi space series, the Ragnarok Saga.
Book 3 was originally released almost 1.5 years ago and it shows in a lot of ways going into book 4. This story feels tonally different than the other books in the series. It is the lightest in terms of RPG mechanics with mentions that skills and levels increase and some notifications but it's not a big part the story. The big revelations in book 3 regarding the MC really shifted the story from ‘a game’ with the objective to reach the ninth realm and escape. Instead, there's a dominate cyberpunk theme of defeating the bad AI before it is strong enough to escape Valhalla Online and possibly wipe out mankind.
Overall, this is still an entertaining story, just not for the RPG elements. There’s enough here, that I’d say it barely qualifies as LitRPG, but you can tell those elements are likely to disappear completely in the next book as the author transitions the MC to his sci-fi space series. Still, good action-adventure, just no more ‘game’ or much in the RPG department.
Score: 7.1 out of 10
Valhalla Online 4: Hel Hath No Fury: A Ragnarok Saga LitRPG Story
(Picture 6)
The Monolith: A LitRPG Novel (Blood Seekers Book 1)
“You will die!”
That's what the developers of Blood Seekers promised…
The most challenging MMO ever created—that’s what they said. Taglines like, “Not your granddaddy’s game,” and, “Only for the hardest of the hardcore,” had gamers going crazy. Set in a dark, gothic, Lovecraftian world, with fully realized A.I. NPCs, gamers were desperate to get their hands on the game and dive in, and Clay was one of them. It was going to be tough, but he was ready for it.
What he wasn’t ready for, was countless players having their minds hijacked and being transformed into hostile, zombie-like creatures filled with nothing but hate, who attack anyone on sight. They became known as the Bloodless, and now, Clay’s best friend is among them.
Rey moved across the country when they were twelve, but they kept in touch online, and when Blood Seekers was released, they were both ready to face the new challenge together. But now, Rey has been possessed by the mysterious plague, her mind held hostage with no sign of a cure.
To make things worse, Clay’s mind is plagued by visions of a mysterious black monolith that has appeared at the center of the highest level zone in the game, a place no one has even come close to reaching. Some think it will provide answers—others say it will only lead to more questions:
Who is behind all of this? Why are people’s minds being taken and what will it take to bring them back? How many more people will be lost when no one is able to log out?
Nothing is certain, but if there’s any chance that reaching the monolith will bring Rey back, then Clay will do everything he can to reach it.
My Opinion: 484 pages, $4.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
From the author of Call of Carrethen comes a new LitRPG story inspired by video games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. The story revolves around a Clay/Rand, who is one of the few players of Blood Seekers that is immune to the ‘trapped in the game’ issue that arises on launch day. Only his best friend Rey isn’t so lucky. So, he goes back in and faces all the challenges of this intentionally difficult game world so that he can level up and figure out how to save his friend.
The early part of the story is mostly monster grinding so that the game mechanics can be explained and the main character (MC) can level and become more powerful. As the story progresses, it becomes a bit more cyberpunk as the story secrets are revealed but it’s still mostly action-adventure with lots of fights with a wide variety of pretty creepy monsters. The action is good though, with good descriptions, smart use of powers, and good group work.
The game mechanics are going to feel pretty familiar to anyone that has played Dark Souls and Bloodborne. There are stats and levels that can be increased by gathering Quintessence, the games version of XP, by defeating monsters and completing quests. It can also be spent on special items, new weapons, health potions, and other things. There are lots of item, skills, and ability descriptions as well as damage notices. A good bit of crunchy RPG-ness here.
Overall, the story is entertaining. The pulls from Dark Souls and Bloodborne are good. There’s even a bit of the matrix mixed into the story for laughs that I thought was neat. It’s a very action focused story, which worked for me, but might not for everyone. Also, there is a bit of a cliff hanger.
Score: 7.4 out of 10
The Monolith: A LitRPG Novel (Blood Seekers Book 1)
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Thanks for hanging out with me today. Until we can hangout again, remember to go read some LitRPG!
(Music 4)
Music Credits
"Blip Stream" "Mighty Like Us" "Big Shift" "Vivacity"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/