LitRPG Podcast 175 - Ankh, Somerset, Disgardium 2, Home Siege Home
LitRPG Podcast 175 - Ankh, Somerset, Disgardium 2, Home Siege Home
June 14th, 2019
Hello everyone, welcome to episode 175 of the LitRPG podcast.
I’m Ramon Mejia. I’m here to bring you the latest LitRPG news, reviews, and author interviews. I have a shorter show this week because I’m recording earlier than normal. I have 4 new reviews just for you and some great LitRPG news.
New Releases and Reviews:
The ANKH Resurrectionist Chronicles: OhmN (12:19)
Good fights but after the 15% mark, MC too OP without other challenges
Score: 6 out of 10
Somerset (The Rules Book 1) (17:08)
Never liked the MC and the story didn’t feel special
Score: 6 out of 10
Apostle of the Sleeping Gods (Disgardium Book #2): LitRPG Series (20:54)
Gets to the good stuff faster. Even better than book 1.
Score: 7.8 out of 10
Home, Siege Home: A LitRPG/GameLit Novel (The Good Guys Book 6) (23:10)
Continues the good action adventure, though seems short for some readers.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
(Play Music 2)
LitRPG News
This past weekend, the Independent Audiobook Awards occured and they had a GameLit category, with Dakota Krout presenting the award. The LitRPG Podcast was there to record the awards winner:
The Hobgoblin Riot: Dominion of Blades, Book 2
Written by Matt Dinniman and Narrated by Andrea Parsneau
(Play the video 8)
(Play video 9 and 10)
Additionally, Soundbooth Theater performed at the Independent Audiobook Awards 2019. They did a skit called "Meta Narrators" by Emily Labes, and played the song "The Chase and Iris Theme" from "Monster Hunt NYC" by Harmon Cooper.
(Play video 11)
Also, the LitRPG Podcast moderated the GameLit/LitRPG panel at the Here Now Festival. Originally live streamed on Facebook Live, the sound and video are a little choppy.
While there is official footage and a broadcast live, we also recorded our own footage of the LitRPG/GameLit stuff for you to enjoy.
Watch the full IAA 2019 awards https://spectrumaudiobooks.com/live-independent-audiobook-awards/
Watch our recording of the GameLit part of the awards
Watch our recording of the Meta Narrators
Watch our recording of The Chase and Iris Theme performance
Watch our recording of the GameLit Panel at Here Now Festival 2019
Out Now!
Dungeon World 2: A Dungeon Core Experience
Viridian Gate Online: Absolution (The Alchemic Weaponeer Book 2)
*Slight issue with the pre-order page, but the Shadow Alley Press Facebook page says the release date is on schedule.*
Ruins of Rimnir: The Conjurer: A Gamelit Series
Troll Nation (The Rogue Dungeon Book 3)
Login Re:Coded: A LitRPG Novel (Incipere Online Book 2)
Steel Orc: Player Reborn (A LitRPG Adventure)
One More Round: A LitRPG Adventure (Fury Realm Book 1)
Crystal Shards Online: A LitRPG Saga: Omnibus 1
*Books 1-3*
New LitRPG Audiobooks
Limitless Lands, Book III: Retribution - A LitRPG Adventure
Dungeon Mauling - A LitRPG/GameLit Novel (The Good Guys Series, Book 3)
Starbreak - Rise to Omniscience, Book 2
Stealthcaster: A LitRPG Adventure - Shyft, Book 2
Upcoming LitRPG:
Awaken Online: Unity (June 18th, 2019)
*A side quest story for Frank*
Vines of Ostara: A GameLit/LitRPG Adventure (Kazaran Online: Cerulean Server Book 1) (June 18th, 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)
Kingdom Come: A LitRPG Dragonrider Adventure (The Archemi Online Chronicles Book 3) (June 22nd, 2019)
Shyft - Book 2 - Stealthcaster: (A LitRPG Adventure) (June 25th, 2019)
Ball of Light - Evolution (June 2019)
The Time Master (Interworld Network Book I): LitRPG Series (July 18th, 2019)
Cannibal. Demon of the Mind. A Post-Apocalyptic Survival LitRPG Series (July 23rd, 2019)
Nora Hazard Book 3 - Accounts Payable (July 2019)
Hero GO! (Champion is Playing Book #3) LitRPG Series (Aug. 5th, 2019)
Invasion, book 1: A Second Chance (Aug. 8th, 2019)
Scamps & Scoundrels: A LitRPG/Gamelit Adventure (The Bad Guys Book 1) (Aug. 15th, 2019)
Zones of Alacria: The Dragon Gate: Epic GameLit / LitRPG (The Experimental Alchemist Book 1) (Aug. 31st, 2019)
First Song 2 (Aug 2019)
A Game of Villains (World of Karik Book #1) Dystopian LitRPG Series (Sept. 2nd, 2019)
Blood of Fate (World 99 Book #1): LitRPG Wuxia Series (Sept. 9th, 2019)
Onto New Releases and Reviews
(Play Music 3)
New Releases and Reviews
(Picture 1)
The ANKH Resurrectionist Chronicles: OhmN
After failing to successfully colonize the closest planets, the United States, China, and Russia all turn their attentions to the new planet LHS 1140 b.
Cryogenic freezing is incomplete, the body is frozen while the mind slowly turns to mush.
As a solution, the United States forces 100 million 'volunteers' to upload their minds to the Artificial Neural Kinesthetic Habitat (ANKH) servers.
Servers that will recreate the consciousness to one of five different starting planets, so long as they can make their way out of the starting area.
Everyone is given seven lives to get enough points to be chosen for resurrection on the new planet.
The game is rigged.
The rich have purchased improved starting locations, abilities, and additional lives.
There is a chance, sell your starting lives for starting powers and abilities. The more starting lives traded, the greater the rewards offered.
The only problem? Powers earned in this manner will no transfer upon death, unless you are rich.
Who will live?
Will anyone survive the trip to the new world?
My Opinion: 348 pages, $1.49, Available on Kindle Unlimited
It took me almost a week to finish the novel and I found this to be a hard book to enjoy after the 15% mark. The first section is pretty enjoyable, with the setup of the main character (MC) being sent to the game world and him creating his character reasoning out the pros and cons of the flaw system and trading lives for bonuses. The main character is OP, which is fine, but once he gets his psychic powers leveled (about the 15% mark) there stops being any real combat challenges for the MC. And there isn't another kind of challenges to make up for that. No social or emotional growth or anything like that.
Additionally, there are a huge number of character sheets. It comes to something like 8-10 pages after each chapter, which got annoying after a while.
Overall, the combat is good, but after a while the OP aspect stopped being entertaining without any other real challenges. If you can overlook at or just really love an Over Powered story, you might like this more than me, but it just misses good for me.
Score: 6 out of 10
The ANKH Resurrectionist Chronicles: OhmN
Somerset (The Rules Book 1)
WELCOME TO SOMERSET
A land of mystery and magic! You have been chosen by our Illustrious Overlord to take part in The Rules: a no holds barred death-match, to see who among you is the most powerful. You have been transported here against your will. The only way back is to reach level 100 and defeat the final boss. Please do be careful with your life, as it is the only one you’ll get.
Have a pleasant match, and remember, we’re always watching…
When Sam wakes up in a strange new world with a message floating before his eyes, he thinks he's hallucinating. However, he soon discovers a land filled with dungeons, monsters, angry gnomes, and even worse, talking dogs!
Warning: Contains profanity and content that may not be suitable for children. This is a LitRPG book, containing multiple stat sheets, message windows, dungeons and epic loot.
My Opinion: 361 pages, $3.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
The story doesn't do anything to distinguish itself from any other transported to a game world story. The slice life adventure is not bad, but it isn't special. There is a bit of humor, that if it lands for you may like this story more than I did. But what turned me off were the characters. The main character (MC) and his animal companion start their relationship off rather aggressively arguing and they never seem to like each other. So frankly, neither did I. I was never given a reason to like the MC or root for him.
The premise of the story, that the MC was kidnapped and had to level to 100 and then beat the world's God, never made sense to me and there was never given a good explanation of why it was all happening.
There's lots of crunchy numbers here for those that enjoy that. However, most of the RPG game mechanics are standard. With the exception of the new daily 'rule' that had to be followed by the MC. This was meant to add a random and potentially humourous element to the game mechanics but I just found it annoying and arbitrary.
Overall, the writing isn't bad. But the story just didn't work for me. There were just a few elements that kept bothering me and nothing really special to push me back into enjoying it.
Score: 6 out of 10
Apostle of the Sleeping Gods (Disgardium Book #2): LitRPG Series
Your parents are getting divorced. Now, once you turn sixteen, you’ll be doomed to a pitiful existence on the lowest rungs of society. The neighbor girl got plastic surgery for your sake and is levelling fast to impress you. A Sleeping God gave you its power, but now demands absolute loyalty and obedience even in real life. Something called the Destroying Plague wants its Emissary to infect everyone alive and, as luck would have it, that Emissary is you! But the city sees you as its salvation, not a cause of great suffering...
Scyth aka Alex is a potential Class-A threat to the whole world of Disgardium. That's how the system classifies imba players with an unfair advantage.
However, it is hard to threaten the world while you're stuck levelling up in noob town. It's even harder when all the preventer clans are on the verge of announcing a hunt for you and even your best friends can't be trusted, all while your two patron gods tear you apart from the inside. And now, to make matters worse, your biggest enemy has just become a threat as well.
My Opinion: 563 pages, $6.99, Not Available on Kindle Unlimited
Full Disclosure: I received an advanced copy for review. I purchased a copy when it became available.
I liked book 1, but I like book 2 even more. It’s likely because the beginning gets to the MMO adventuring alot more quickly. But it’s also because I found myself genuinely surprised by several story turns. A few of the OP powers shift a little, but it maintains that slice of life OP adventure without getting boring. I’m looking forward to seeing where book 3 goes.
Score: 7.8 out of 10
Apostle of the Sleeping Gods (Disgardium Book #2): LitRPG Series
Home, Siege Home: A LitRPG/GameLit Novel (The Good Guys Book 6)
Montana Coggeshall is feeling the squeeze — and not just because of his new leather pants from the goddess Eona. His little safeholding in the ruthless world of Vuldranni is under siege. On both sides.
At the front is Lord Caticorix, a grade-A Imperial flunkey if there ever was one. He’s clearly ridiculous, but the army he brought with him might not be. Plus they’re bent on blocking Coggeshall from getting any food or supplies from the outside world.
And at the back are the ursus, the larger-than-life bear people who’ve traditionally called this valley home. They’re none too pleased with Montana for taking in a few ursus refugees, and would like the 400-lb Goldilocks and her followers out of their house now, thankyouverymuch.
Battles are brewing, and the entire town is being held hostage. And despite all his strength and ability, Montana needs to do some serious training to get Coggeshall out of this. There are actual stakes this time — children could starve, his friends have gone missing — and Montana’s not sure he has what it takes to save everyone.
This video game world is starting to feel way too much like reality.
My Opinion: 340 pages, $4.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
The siege is on, in this addition to the series. There’s some good action adventure stuff, a bit less RPG progression, but more town building as the town fights against sieges on two fronts. Good stuff, still very slice of life, but very good. The most common complaint from other reviews is that it just seems too short, which is great praise if you ask me. It means the story went by quickly because it was so enjoyable.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
Home, Siege Home: A LitRPG/GameLit Novel (The Good Guys Book 6)
That’s it everyone!
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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/