LitRPG Podcast 285 - Rorkh, Wizard's Tower, The Wandering Inn Book 6
LitRPG Podcast 285 - Rorkh, Wizard's Tower, The Wandering Inn Book 6
May 17th, 2022
Hello everyone, welcome to episode 285 of the LitRPG podcast. I’m Ramon Mejia.
I’m here to bring you the latest LitRPG news, reviews, and author interviews. We have 3 new reviews just for you.
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It’s been a while everyone and I hope you are all doing well and have read amazing LitRPG stories. I’ve been swamped getting this latest book finished, edited, and ready to publish. But the Mechanical Crafter 3 is available and ready for you guys to read if you enjoy a good crafting oriented series. There’s still action, adventure, and magic industrial setting and there’s a real conclusion to some of the series plotlines.
https://geni.us/MechanicalCrafter3
New Releases and Reviews:
Rorkh: Book 1: LitRPG Series (15:19)
An underrated dark Russian MMO story
Score: 7.6 out of 10
Wizard's Tower: A LitRPG Adventure (26:26)
Serial to ebook, lots of setup but entertaining
Score: 7.3 out of 10
The General of Izril: The Wandering Inn, Book 6 (33:53)
Such a good entry
Score: 7.8 out of 10
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LitRPG News
𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞...
𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐗𝐒𝐄𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐙𝐀𝐀𝐑!
𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐢𝐧. 𝐖𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲.
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐞-𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐨𝐱𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞:
School of Swords and Serpents books 1 – 3: https://amzn.to/3Mnxh4d
Viridian Gate Online Firebrand books 1 – 3: https://amzn.to/3wsn9BH
Viridian Gate Online Illusionist books 1 – 3: https://amzn.to/3lHjVnT
Rogue Dungeon books 1 – 3: https://amzn.to/3sGZLyc
Viridian Gate Online Archives books 1 – 3: https://amzn.to/3aaw16l
Viridian Gate Online Origins (book 1 of each of the 5 original series of the extended universe): https://amzn.to/3MANmDW
Out Now!
The Hybrid War (Alpha Rome Book 4): LitRPG Series
Inferno: A LitRPG Adventure (Elemental Mastery Book 2)
Avatar of Pain (Dead Dungeon Book 7)
The Way Ahead: A LitRPG Adventure
Heroes of the Final Frontier (Book #2): The World of Waldyra LitRPG Cycle
Equatorial: A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG (Ether Collapse Book 4)
The boy who killed God 2: An Epic Fantasy LitRPG Duology
Field of Valor: A LitRPG Adventure (Realms of Power and Fury Book 3)
The First Step: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (Cultivator vs. System Book 1)
Mastering Magic: An Epic LitRPG Series (Jeff the Game Master Book 3)
Third Apocalypse (Regressor Book 1)
Viridian Gate Online: Perdition: A litRPG Adventure (The Heartfire Healer Series Book 3)
System Escape (Natural Laws Apocalypse Book 4)
Rating Zero (Alpha LitRPG Book 5)
Mana Harvest 2: A Light Novel Farming LitRPG (Sword to Ploughshare Duology)
Eternal Dominion book 6: Resolve
Arise: Alpha: A Dark LitRPG Adventure
Dissonance: A LitRPG Adventure (Unbound Book 1)
Bio Dungeon Omnibus (The Body's Dungeon)
Greed: A LitRPG Dungeon Core Adventure (Dinosaur Dungeon Book 3)
EndGame (Unfrozen Book #5): LitRPG Series
Natural Twenty (Tomb of Malevolent Evil Book 3)
Trickster's Tale: Is That a Lute in Your Pocket?: (A LitRPG Adventure)
The Crow Cycle Book #2: LitRPG Series
Running the Edge (Interworld Network Book #4): LitRPG Series
Master of the Mountain: A Reincarnation LitRPG Adventure (Dragon Core Chronicles Book 2)
Unbalanced: A LitRPG Adventure (Class Shift Book 2)
Renegade (Underdog Book #8): LitRPG Series
A Brutal Clash and A Bitter Rival: A LitRPG Fantasy Adventure (Bone Knight Book 8)
Steamforged Sorcery: A LitRPG Adventure
Dungeon Man Sam and the Orphaned Core: A Dungeon Building LitRPG
Casual Farming: A Slow Living LitRPG (Sowing Season Book 1)
The Boneless Dungeon: The Gods
Union of the Damned (Loner Book #3): LitRPG Series
The Forgotten Core (The Dungeon of Stories Book 4)
Connection Unknown (Builder's Legacy Book 1)
New LitRPG Audiobooks
The Path to the Stars: The Heavenly Throne, Book 8
Vainqueur the Dragon III: World Tour Edition
Darkworlds Paris - A Cthulhu LitRPG
A Reincarnation LitRPG Adventure (Dragon Core Chronicles, Book 2)
Dimensional Dungeon Cores, Book 2
A LitRPG Apocalypse Light Novel
Is That a Lute in Your Pocket? A LitRPG Adventure (The Tricksters Tale, Book 1)
A LitRPG Adventure (Unbound Book 1)
An Outcast in Another World, Book 2
Player Reached the Top, Book 6
Tower Climber 5 - A LitRPG Adventure
Wizard's Tower A LitRPG Adventure
Hell Gate - Dungeon Heart, Book 3
A LitRPG Series (The Whispering Crystals, Book 1)
The First Step - A LitRPG Cultivation Series (Cultivator vs. System, Book 1)
Demon City - Dragon Heart, Book 13
Alpha Transcendent - Alpha LitRPG, Book 3
The Rise of Chess - Fair Quest, Book 2
A LitRPG Cultivation Saga (Infinite Realm, Book 2)
Nautical Noobs - Noobtown, Book 6
A LitRPG Adventure (The Way Ahead, Book 1)
Empire Ascendant - UnderVerse, Book 6
Biomedical Self-Engineering: Book 2
Upcoming LitRPG:
Defiance of the Fall 5: A LitRPG Adventure (May 20th, 2022)
Alpha Physics! Book 5 - Dungeon: A Post Apocalypse Progression Fantasy (May 23rd, 2022)
Summoner's Shadow 2: A LitRPG Adventure (May 23rd, 2022)
Cowboy Necromancer 3: Infinite Dawn: (A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG/GameLit Adventure) (May 26th, 2022)
The Houndsman 3: A Base-Building LitRPG Adventure (May 26th, 2022)
We Hunt Monsters 2 (May 26th, 2022)
Domestication: A LitRPG Adventure (Battle Mage Farmer Book 1)
(May 31st, 2022)
Eternal Dominion Book 7: Ententes (June 1st, 2022)
Condition Evolution 7: A Litrpg / Gamelit Adventure (June 1st, 2022)
Chrysalis: The Antventure Begins: A LitRPG Evolution Series (June 7th, 2022)
Storm Haven: An Apocalyptic LitRPG Adventure (Fae Nexus Book 3) (June 7th, 2022)
The Primal Hunter 2: A LitRPG Adventure
(June 14th, 2022)
Nova Terra: Worldbearer: A LitRPG/GameLit Adventure (The Titan Series Book 10) (June 14th, 2022)
Master of Dragons: A Reincarnation LitRPG Adventure (Dragon Core Chronicles Book 3) (June 15th, 2022)
Dreadfortress: A LitRPG Adventure (Badges of Dorkdom Book 2) (June 16th, 2022)
Darktown Funk: A LitRPG/GameLit Adventure (The Bad Guys Book 9) (June 18th, 2022)
Mayor of Mythos: An Isekai LitRPG Fantasy (June 19th, 2022)
Crafter's Fate 2: A LitRPG Adventure (June 20th, 2022)
Moonlight Relic (Guardian of Aster Fall Book 3) (June 21st, 2022)
Silence: A LitRPG Adventure (Unbound Book 2) (June 22nd, 2022)
Tokens and Towers 2: (A LitRPG Fantasy Adventure)
(June 23rd, 2022)
Apocalypse Knights 3: A LitRPG Fantasy (June 27th, 2022)
The Nexus Knight: A litRPG Thriller Adventure (The Nexus Games Book 2) (June 28th, 2022)
He Who Fights with Monsters 6: A LitRPG Adventure (June 28th, 2022)
Sentenced to Troll 5 (June 30th, 2022)
Kairos II: Legacy of Hades: A Greek Myth & Pirate LitRPG (June 30th, 2022)
Unchained Potential (The Whispering Crystals: A LitRPG Series Book 4) (June 30th, 2022)
Apocalypse Online 4: A Post-Apocalypse Litrpg Adventure (July 5th, 2022)
Arise: Dark Crusader: A Dark LitRPG Adventure (July 5th, 2022)
Throne of Sails: A LitRPG/GameLit Series (World of Magic Book 4) (July 12th, 2022)
Overlord of the Dungeon (In the System Book #4): LitRPG Series (July 18th, 2022)
The Legend of Randidly Ghosthound 3: A LitRPG Adventure
(July 19th, 2022)
The Mysteries of the Relict Pyramid (Reality Benders Book #9): LitRPG Series (July 25th, 2022)
Apocalypse Unleashed: A LitRPG Adventure (July 26th, 2022)
The Next Step: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (Cultivator vs. System Book 2) (July 26th, 2022)
Third Apocalypse : Volume Two of A Generic Reincarnation Apocalypse (Regressor Book 2) (July 31st, 2022)
Onto New Releases and Reviews
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New Releases and Reviews
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Rorkh: Book 1: LitRPG Series
Rorkh is a city from which waves of horror surge out, one after the other. It maims one's sense of reason and devours one’s body. And if it ever seems like you're in the clear? Get ready and get in position! Watch the skies, look underfoot - creatures can appear from anywhere at all. One is already behind you...
Few people risk going out onto the street at night. And absolutely no one goes back by the same route on which they came. But you're not likely to survive. Either some mysterious beast will devour you, or you'll lose your mind from the horrors you'll have had to endure. Ah, yes, and you'll also lose everything you brought with you. And your character, too. Want to try again? Shell out some cash for a new attempt. But you're a dead man walking all the same. Rorkh hears you praying for mercy. And it could give a damn. This city will eat you, guts and all. And it won't be anything special. So you still want to risk your life and your sanity? For the sake of a fortune in cash and universal respect? Go ahead, noob. Rorkh loves fresh meat!...
Arch is a mid-level player. He completes the usual simple quests and collects resources during the day, in order to somehow afford food and a place to live. Like all players, he dreams of making big money and the glory of the Nighthunt, but his fear is stronger than his ambitions. After all, this would mean going out for a night run, where the bet would be not only your character but also all the equipment you brought along. And battling the numerous monsters who crawled out at night? That wouldn't be easy either.
Rorkh is a game where a bullet in the head means your character is dead, regardless of their level or equipment. So in this game, where your personal skills are the most important thing, Arch, who for the first time has a decent character to work with, has decided to visit one of the top guilds for training, which is going to eat up practically all his savings.
Only thing is that the training includes a few night runs, crawling with monsters, cultists, and mystical beings. One mistake, and Arch will lose everything. And then his dreams of big money and glory will remain nothing more than dreams.
In order to avoid this, Arch has put together a team of students like himself, and has gone out on a night match with experienced players. The newbies have a simple task: cover the Guild's main strike force. A problem arises at the very outset, however, when this main strike force is practically annihilated by a group of monsters. Then it's a handful of noobs against hundreds of monsters, and a long way to go to reach any safe exit...
My Opinion: 551 pages, $3.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited
This is a Russian translation story that won an award there and I can see why. It’s a well written story that focuses on an MMO player in a unique game world. The game doesn’t let you restart with a fresh character, only one per account, and getting an account is expensive which creates a real world marketplace to buy and sell characters. After dark there are also horror/sanity mechanics that give extra challenges and rewards for hardcore players. There are also real life concerns for the main character (MC) that add extra pressure to his playing.
The story has a dark tone that’s common from Russian translations. Players betray each other, Guilds do whatever they can to get an advantage, and the game itself itself is unforgiving. Conflicts can also spill into real life as in game currency can be exchanged for real life money. Once the MC gets the character he uses for the rest of the novel, the story alternates between a detective quest in game and general adventuring to advance his character with night raids and exploration of possible guild affiliation. The last 30% has some really nice twists that add a lovecraftian thread to the story that bumped up my enjoyment a bit.
On the game mechanic side of things, the story is very MMO geared. In addition to the normal character sheet stuff, quest notifications, item descriptions, there are aspects that relate to sanity/horror elements, and synergy or the ability of a player to gain bonuses or penalties depending on how well their playstyle meshes with the characters personality or background points. Also, there’s a good bit of regular theory craft for character builds, explanation of custom rules for this MMO, and even group balance when the MC works with others. Beyond that there are also portions of the story that focus on IRL complications for game stuff and how the game economy impacts business in the real world.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable story if you like MMO guild stuff and mild old god type horror aspects.
Score: 7.6 out of 10
Wizard's Tower: A LitRPG Adventure
The humans call me Nemon Fargus. They call me wizard, and [Elementalist] and [Enchanter]. They call me teacher. They call me adventurer.
But I don't care. Not anymore.
For more than 150 years I've served the Kingdom of Sena. Through four Kings and a Queen. Two wars and a rebellion. I've founded and taught at a magic school. I've fought against beast waves and dungeon breaks.
But now? Now, the one close friend I had left has passed. So, I'm done with their politics and their economics. The short and busy lives of humans are more burden than benefit on the weary soul of this half-elf.
Now, I'm looking for a refuge, a place that can well and truly be my own. Away from the growing cities and the bustling markets, away from the pointless wars, away from the eager students and the arrogant adventurers.
I'm seeking the peaceful life of a wizard in his tower, studying magic to advance my spellcraft...We'll see if that happens.
My Opinion: 400 pages, $3.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited
This is a serial story that has made its way to Amazon. It follows Nemon Fargus as he quits adventuring and goes to establish his very own wizard’s tower, dealing with apprentices, kingdom and county politics, the sly machinations of nobility, and his own history as someone that has lived for several hundred years due to his half elf nature. There are some pretty decent fights, but the story lacks a lot of the RPG progression.
Not that there isn’t any progression. An RPG interface, levels, stats, and skills are all a part of this fantasy world, and other characters all grow in that respect. But the main character (MC) is hundreds of years old at the start of the story and notes several times that he hasn’t even looked at the story’s version of a character sheet in years because its information hasn’t changed. And right up until the end of the story that’s the case with the MC not gaining any RPG progression. Instead, he essentially does some base building/potential dungeon development and that’s where the reader sees him interact with RPG elements. He also conveys information about RPG levels, stats, etc. by teaching new students/support workers.
Overall, it was an entertaining read but very slice of life due to its serial nature. Its not a bad thing if you enjoy that type of story, as I do. At the same time, several times while reading I wondered where the story was going and I realized that it may not have any big arcs in this book and that a lot of it is setup. If you read it as a serial, some bigger story elements in future chapters. Still, a good read.
Score: 7.3 out of 10
Wizard's Tower: A LitRPG Adventure
The General of Izril: The Wandering Inn, Book 6
Clowns, Goblins, and Erin Solstice. Not all in the same place, mind you.
Erin Solstice trusts a lot of people—even some lost Redfangs survivors of Esthelm—but can she handle being friends with Goblins when every hand is turned against them and the tribes are on the rampage?
Liscor is in the path of Goblin Lord's inexorable march north, and the fates of Rags, Garen Redfang, and Tremborag's Goblin tribes are all tied to an impending war. Who will survive?
Tom the [Clown] is facing Demons in Rhir while Zel Shivertail is facing Wall Lord Ilvriss and an uncertain future. Faced with the knowledge of the Necromancer's return, who can the two Drakes turn to?
Contains bonus content, an exclusive account of the 2nd Antinium War by famed [Writer], Krsysl Wordsmith.
My Opinion: 34 hours, 1 Credit / $51.99, Audiobook Version
This is a review of the 6th book in the Wandering Inn series. Oddly, it’s not available as an ebook as of this review. Instead, it's only available as an audiobook. So, the review will be little different as it will add an opinion on the narration, which is done by Andrea Parsneau.
On the issue of story content, consumers of previous entries in the series will enjoy this addition. It continues the slice of life/serial nature of the series with multiple narrative story arcs for different characters set in a variety of locations. All the characters featured have been previously introduced: The clown and the chosen heroes, the All Seeing Emperor, Erin Solstice, Zel Shivertail, the Necromancer, Rags, the Goblin Lord, and many more. No one new, so there’s a good bit of development in story and RPG progression for people you like or don’t. There are loads of good fights and a few moments in the end that will seriously surprise you. For me, I really enjoyed most of the story, though not the story arc that involved the clown. And most listeners seem to enjoy this entry too.
On the topic of narration, it could not be better. Andrea Parsneau is a top notch performer with a plethora of voices that resonate with emotion. I was seriously jealous of her range and capability to add a wonderful layer of depth to an already good story.
Overall, the audiobook is a really good addition for me and for many other fans of the series.
Score: 7.8 out of 10
The General of Izril: The Wandering Inn, Book 6
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The Mechanical Crafter 3 is available and ready for you guys to read if you enjoy a good crafting oriented series. If you have read it already, Thank You and please leave a review if you liked it. It really helps a self published author like me and helps other readers find the story on Amazon.
https://geni.us/MechanicalCrafter3
Thanks for hanging out with me today. Until we can hangout again, remember to go read some LitRPG!
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