LitRPG Podcast 166 - The Heroic Villain, The Good Guys 5, A Touch of Power Book 2, Edge of the Abyss, Raven: The Beginning
LitRPG Podcast 166 - The Heroic Villain, The Good Guys 5, A Touch of Power Book 2, Edge of the Abyss, Raven: The Beginning
April 12th, 2019
Hello everyone, welcome to episode 166 of the LitRPG podcast.
I’m Ramon Mejia. I’m here to bring you the latest LitRPG news, reviews, and author interviews. I have 5 new reviews just for you.
New Releases and Reviews:
The Heroic Villain (06:22)
Hero turns villain to save the game he loves. Good stuff.
Score: 7.6 out of 10
Dukes and Ladders: A LitRPG/Gamelit Adventure (The Good Guys Book 5) (09:59)
Half town building, half action adventure, all good
Score: 7.6 out of 10
Adapt (A Touch of Power Book 2) (April 12th, 2019) (12:20)
No challenges for the MC, no antagonist, and unfulfilled plot promise
Score: 6 out of 10
Edge of the Abyss (Respawn Trials Book #1) LitRPG Series (20:30)
Another good one from Andrei Livadny
Score: 7.7 out of 10
Raven: The Beginning - An Assassin LitRPG (World of the Veil Book 1) (24:08)
Shorter assassin LitRPG story improves by the mid mark but still misses good for me.
Score: 6 out of 10
(Play Music 2)
LitRPG News
James Hunter is off currently at a writer’s retreat with Dakota. But he’s still thinking of us and is showing off the cover art of the upcoming Troll Nation novel.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=594277754382422&set=a.227695294374005&type=3&theater
Shemer Kuznits announced that all of the Life Reset books have been placed on KU to promote the release of a separate series he’ll be publishing next month. Go enjoy these novels, it’s the first time they’ll be on KU I believe.
https://www.facebook.com/Liferesetlitrpg/
Hi all!
Interesting news from Russia! I made a deal with Cosimo Yap and translated his book into Russian. I will inform you about the sales results in a quarter. I really hope Cosima will be the first sign of American LitRPG in Russia
https://author.today/work/33379
Andrea Parsneau is going to be a guest panelist at Protcon Main in June 2019. If you’re in the area or at the con, go watch her panel and show your support of one of the best LitRPG narrators.
http://portconmaine.com/site/index.php/2019/04/10/andrea-parsneau-voice-actor/
Out Now!
Viridian Gate Online: Embers of Rebellion: A litRPG Adventure (The Firebrand Series Book 2)
The Realm Between: The Adventurers Guild: A LitRPG Saga (Book 3)
New LitRPG Audiobooks
Dissonance : Somnia Online, Book 4
Supermage: Rise to Omniscience, Book 1
Dungeon World: A Dungeon Core Experience
The Great Filter: A Post-Apocalyptic Gamelit Novel: Great Filter Series, Book 1
Viridian Gate Online: Doom Forge: The Viridian Gate Archives, Book 6
Defender of Gallowind: Shyft, Book 1
The Second Realm: The Ten Realms, Book 2
Upcoming LitRPG:
Class-A Threat (Disgardium Book #1) LitRPG Series (April 22nd, 2019)
In Search of the Uldans (Galactogon: Book #2) LitRPG Series
(April 25th, 2019)
Into the Dragon's Den (Axe Druid Book 2) (April 26th, 2019)
The Azure Dragon: A Heroic Fantasy Saga (The Artar Chronicles Book 3) (May 7th, 2019)
Monster [LitRPG series: The Beetle] (May 14th, 2019)
Guardians Of The Round Table 5: Crystal Mine (May 18th, 2019)
Web of Worlds (Reality Benders Book #4): LitRPG Series (May 20th, 2019)
Scurfifer (Alfarome. Book 2) LitRPG Series (May 21st, 2019)
Realm of Noria [LitRPG series. Book 2. The Life] (June 1st, 2019)
Apostle of the Sleeping Gods (Disgardium Book #2): LitRPG Series (June 10th, 2019)
Home, Siege Home: A LitRPG/GameLit Novel (The Good Guys Book 6) (June 13th, 2019)
Code Hero (Champion is Playing Book #2) LitRPG Series
(June 15th, 2019)
City of Freedom (Adam Online Book #2) LitRPG Series (June 20th, 2019)
Djinn Tamer: Evolution: A Monster Battling GameLit Adventure (Djinn Tamer - Bronze League Book 3) (June 20th, 2019)
Shyft - Book 2 - Stealthcaster: (A LitRPG Adventure) (June 25th, 2019)
Onto New Releases and Reviews
(Play Music 3)
New Releases and Reviews
(Picture 1)
The Heroic Villain
Although he was once the promising young CEO of a successful corporation, Lucas abandoned everything he knew and retreated from both the real world and his demanding life following a horrific accident. In order to cope with tragic loss, he began spending his time in virtual reality, lazing about in the sun and living a carefree life.
When he learns that his escapist paradise is being threatened and is about to disappear, however, Lucas is once again forced to take action and do what he does best: take charge. With newfound purpose, Lucas desperately begins making plans that will not only save the world that he has come to love but also propel him back into the spotlight once again—only this time as the villain.
In this GameLit LitRPG adventure, Lucas overthrows local lords, assumes command of the evil Imperium’s forces, and begins designing a dungeon that no player would ever want to miss out on. As he struggles to evolve his monsters and create an entourage of minions in order to become the greatest villain ever, however, Lucas realizes that things aren’t going to be as easy as they initially seemed.
My Opinion: 488 pages, $3.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited
This is a highly entertaining story that not only gives you some good action-adventure, but turns the hero trope around. It tells you the story of a man, who in his desperate desire to save a game that has brought him comfort in a terrible time, is willing to become a villain in the game to draw back in players.
Game mechanic wise, it’s a completely custom system that the author came up with. One that is apparently playable as a tabletop game. There is some dungeon, community building, and a minor bit of crafting in the story. Personally I would have loved to have seen more of these aspects in the story, but I guess the author wants to save something for the next books.
While the novel has some pretty crunchy game mechanics, I think the big draw for me was the emotional resonance that the main character. He goes through a tragedy and he turned to games as a way to cope and heal. The story reflects what a lot of gamers would do and there’s a certain touching realism to some of the emotional revelations that work really well.
Overall, good stuff. There are definitely some setup scenes that may go on a touch too long, but overall a very entertaining novel and I would like to read book 2 soon.
Score: 7.6 out of 10
Dukes and Ladders: A LitRPG/Gamelit Adventure (The Good Guys Book 5)
When Montana first started playing in iNcarn8, his new game life, he just wanted to be one of the good guys for a change. But despite his impressive stats and incredible heroics, even his followers are just plain scared of him. Trouble keeps pouring down Montana, even in the remote, supposedly safe holding he’s building into his dukedom.
All that will have to change if Coggeshall is going to survive. Walls go up and homes get built, but Montana can’t shake the feeling that none of it will be enough to keep out the problems of the Empire. Or the world of Vuldranni.
My Opinion: 335 pages, $4.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
Full disclosure: I received an advanced copy for review. I purchased a copy when it became available.
I always have a good time with this series. This novel is no exception. About half solid town building stuff, the rest is action-adventure, some character development for some side characters, and world building. There are also some teases for some major conflicts that will get you pre-ordering book 6.
Score: 7.6 out of 10
Dukes and Ladders: A LitRPG/Gamelit Adventure (The Good Guys Book 5)
(Picture 2)
Adapt (A Touch of Power Book 2)
Improvise. Overcome. Adapt.
Only five days have passed since Jade was brought to a distant world and a new life. Mobile for the first time ever, Jade is given the chance to do something she’s always wanted: attend school.
Dracona isn’t your typical school, however. In Andara she needs to learn all the skills an adventurer needs. For her, that means how to cast magic and use weapons without hurting herself. She’ll have to learn fast because the obstacle course isn’t the only thing challenging her progress; she’s racing against the clock to learn how to beat the Mesmer before they find her.
With both enemies and allies all around, Jade must hit the ground running, because what’s chasing her may be worse than the hospital bed she left behind. Turns out that adapting to a new world is only the first step.
My Opinion: 555 pages, $4.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
Full disclosure: I received an advanced copy for review. I purchased a copy when it became available.
This one is kind of a disappointment. The story is still slice of life, but it has even less conflict than book 1. Instead, it’s more of a magical academy story with the main character (MC) breezing through every class, being liked by everyone eventually, and expanding her magical powers. There are some really minor social conflicts, but everything in the story goes really easily for the MC and there are no challenges for her. I mean, everything goes easy for her. She picks up a weapon for the first time and she’s magically good at it. Tries a new kind of magic no one has ever used before? She’s using it like an old pro. There aren’t really any antagonists either. A few snooty nobles who immediately suck up to the MC when they learn her identity and a couple monsters, that’s it. There are a couple of action paragraphs, where the MC faces off against the Mesmers or Doppelgangers from book 1, but they’re really small sections.
What really disappointed me was that for most of the book, the MC is supposed to be training and preparing for this big monster hunt and it’s emphasized again and again that the longer the wait, the more the people taken by the monsters will be tortured and eaten alive. But the MC takes time to go to class and even advance her business instead of hunting down these monsters. Then the entire plotline of the monster hunt is never resolved in this novel. It’s talked about for most of the book, but then never materializes. Disappointing and a bit frustrating.
Overall, the slice of life stuff is ok and the MC is still well written with a bubbly personality and she sings pop songs. However, the magical academy stuff just didn’t work for me. It was nice to see the MC experiment with magic, but there was zero tension in the story. Unlike book 1, there was nothing that the MC couldn’t do and no challenges for her. Couple that with almost no action and disappointment at some unfulfilled plot and I just didn’t end up enjoying this.
However, if you love magical academy stories, or you just really loved book 1, you might enjoy this one more.
Score: 6 out of 10
Adapt (A Touch of Power Book 2) (April 12th, 2019)
(Picture 3)
Edge of the Abyss (Respawn Trials Book #1) LitRPG Series
He had thought that he'd already experienced everything that a normal life had to offer. He'd thought he could clearly see what his future holds. Then a sudden phone call changed everything. The Edge of the Abyss was the first full-scale virtual reality, where he was asked to complete a simple task... and which turned out to be far from heaven.
He found himself in a terrifyingly realistic digital world whose rules he didn't know. Seemingly simple tasks suddenly required him to make moral choices - while refusing to do them would take him to places where the barrage of respawns could send one mad...
My Opinion: 368 pages, $3.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited
Full disclosure: I received an advanced copy for review. I purchased a copy when it became available.
The main character (MC) is just a guy trying to help out his nephew by taking over his virtual side job in an MMO called Edge of the Abyss. There are clear rules given to the MC: Don’t accept quests, Don’t change the character, Don’t level up past 10. But things never go to plan and the MC gets caught up in a series of personal quests that take him across the game world into places players have not ventured since the last cyber war. There he will discover just how engaging VR can be and how virtual conflicts can spill out into the real world.
From the author of The Neuro and The Phantom Server series comes a slice of life fantasy VRMMO LitRPG story. This is a bit of a departure from the sci-fi oriented stuff the author has done, but it’s just as well written and has a similar depth of game mechanics and lore. I was surprised at how well done the real life storyline was written, but then I remembered who the author was and how good a storyteller he is. The game stuff is pretty slice of life with a clear introduction to the game mechanics via the MCs experience, but lots of action and adventure. The MC fails and learns all along the way but through endurance and persistence grows in power. There’s not a set plot, but some well strung together chain quests that remain interesting the entire story.
Score: 7.7 out of 10
Edge of the Abyss (Respawn Trials Book #1) LitRPG Series
(Picture 4)
Raven: The Beginning - An Assassin LitRPG (World of the Veil Book 1)
Written by David Wadsworth
'What's the worst that could happen?' is what I thought to myself as I entered the World of the Veil with a new, experimental machine that the company created. I was originally excited to participate in their alpha test, and now, looking back, I was just a naive little girl that didn't know what it was like to truly suffer.
Sarah was one of the world's best assassin players, but she wasn't prepared for getting stuck as a low-level player in a new game. Suddenly she has to struggle just to survive against the monsters of the world, while also keeping her secret from the authorities. What happens when the killing, and the consequences, are just too real?
My Opinion: 186 pages, $2.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
The story is ok. There are small math and game mechanics errors. But mostly it is just an XP and quest grind mixed in with a bland stuck in the game element that isn't developed. I mean the MC groups with other players but never thinks to mentions she is stuck in the game? Still, as the story progresses it gets better with more interesting assassin abilities, and themed quests and storylines but never quiet hits good for me.
Score: 6 out of 10
Raven: The Beginning - An Assassin LitRPG (World of the Veil Book 1)
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(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/