LitRPG Podcast 289 - The Wandering Inn 7, Arise: Alpha, Portal to Nova Roma, Path of Relics: Aether Shard

 

LitRPG Podcast 289 -  The Wandering Inn 7, Arise: Alpha, Portal to Nova Roma, Path of Relics: Aether Shard

Sept. 14th, 2022

Hello everyone, welcome to episode 289 of the LitRPG podcast. I’m Ramon Mejia. 

I’m here to bring you the latest LitRPG news, reviews, and author interviews.  We have 4 new reviews just for you. 

New Releases and Reviews:

Rains of Liscor: The Wandering Inn, Book 7

Fantastic narration for slice of life story

Score: 8 out of 10

https://amzn.to/3RVNPm5 

Arise: Alpha: A Dark LitRPG Adventure

Good urban fantasy action, lighter on the LitRPG side

Score: 7.3 out of 10

https://amzn.to/3S0swA7 

Portal to Nova Roma: Venice

Slow start but packs in the action later

Score: 7.4 out of 10

https://amzn.to/3LdZs5T 

Path of Relics: Aether Shard (The Lore Seeker Odyssey Book 1)

Not for me

Score: 6 out of 10

https://amzn.to/3Bt7UuY 


(Play Music 2)

LitRPG News

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DragonCon ended and it took us a whole week to recover. But we’re here and it was a blast to see all the LitRPG authors that were on panels and at various events. There were lots selling books and signing too. A good time was had by many.




Cindy Koepp, author of a number of clean family friendly LitRPG stories has a kickstarter campaign for a game called Stellari. The game is based on the two of her novels: Like Herding the Wind and Into the Open. There are a number of neat reward tiers including books and game pieces. It’s not a big Kickstarter goal, but it does end soon. 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/animaleye1/stellari-a-quick-game-from-the-stars 



Out Now!


Solo Leveling, Vol. 5 (novel) (Solo Leveling (novel)) 

https://amzn.to/3vikI3P 

The Way Ahead 2: A LitRPG Adventure 

https://amzn.to/3viA9IZ 

The RPG Apocalypse 3 

https://amzn.to/3bbxV7B 

The Trickster's Tale 2: Gnome's Don't Rule: (A LitRPG Adventure) (The Tricksters Tale) 

https://amzn.to/3cO8c5K 

Alpha Physics! Book 6: Home Bound: A LITrpg Apocalypse, changed earth progression fantasy 

https://amzn.to/3JbBOWO 

The Court Bard (World of Chains Book 4) 

https://amzn.to/3PYpgE8 

Deathless Dungeoneers : A LitRPG Dungeon Diver Adventure 

https://amzn.to/3OCD06r 

Kairos III: War of the Pantheon: A Greek Myth & Pirate LitRPG 

https://amzn.to/3vhgfOu 

Defiance of the Fall 6: A LitRPG Adventure 

https://amzn.to/3S5Ekle 

Cane Whirling Lunacy: A LitRPG Adventure (Vaudevillain Book 3)  

https://amzn.to/3oAeUPj 

Untamed Lands: A Four Laws Litrpg Adventure 

https://amzn.to/3cO3RiY 

Noah the Red: A LitRPG Adventure (Neverstone Book 3) 

https://amzn.to/3za5wqz 

Vigil's Justice: A LitRPG Adventure (Vigil Bound Book 1) 

https://amzn.to/3OCABIX 

Germination: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Battle Mage Farmer Book 2) 

https://amzn.to/3zd1YUi 

Rogue - A LitRPG / Gamelit Adventure (Legends of the Six Realms Book 1) 

https://amzn.to/3vgZPFY 


Second Chance Swordsman (A LitRPG Adventure, Book 1)

https://amzn.to/3eMQgJI 

Cat Core, book 3: Road Trip

https://amzn.to/3eCWzzc 

Alt System (Natural Laws Apocalypse Book 5)

https://amzn.to/3BGuZKM 

The Primal Hunter 3: A LitRPG Adventure 

https://amzn.to/3ov28S4 

A Grave Threat and Ultimate Illumination: A LitRPG Fantasy Adventure (Bone Knight Book 9) 

https://amzn.to/3Q1GpwZ 

Harbinger of Destruction: A LitRPG Adventure

https://amzn.to/38L3mEt 

Dungeon World Drifters: A New Apocalyptic LitRPG Series (System Apocalypse - Relentless Book 2)

https://amzn.to/3BDZh0o 

Eternal Dominion Book 10: Lorafir

https://amzn.to/3qznpv1 

Station Company Core: Detain and Extract: Interns

https://amzn.to/3QPToSs 

Summoner's Shadow 3: A LitRPG Adventure

https://amzn.to/3RIzPwu 

Battleborne Book III: Dungeons & Guardians

https://amzn.to/3xnoI3Y  

The Chosen One: A LitRPG NPC Adventure (Prophecy Approved Companion Book 1)

https://amzn.to/3BBfcg7 

Sky Raiders: An Epic Lit RPG Adventure (King's League Book 4)  (Sept. 6th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3bfhC9E 

Chrysalis 2: Upping the Ante: A LitRPG Adventure 

https://amzn.to/3zcYcKv 

The Fall of Elysium (The Range Book #5): LitRPG Series  

https://amzn.to/3J85xzK 

Eight: A LitRPG Novel of Magical Survival

https://amzn.to/3eGL7mg 

Eight 2: The Way of the Hunter, A LitRPG Adventure

https://amzn.to/3RFRZPw 

Way To The West. Dragon Heart (A LitRPG Wuxia) series: Book 16

https://amzn.to/3eL4tqo 

The Dungeon Assault: A Dungeon Core LitRPG (Dungeon from the Void Book 3) 

https://amzn.to/3DoftEl 

Threadbare Volume 6: An End to All Tails

https://amzn.to/3LanWNq 

Rise of the Last Star: Core - A LitRPG Adventure

https://amzn.to/3dgzthK 

Small-Town Crafter: The Artificer's Apprentice (Small Town Crafter Book 1)

https://amzn.to/3S3gLc8 

The Exodus. First Circle [RealRPG Wuxia Series The Way] Book #6

https://amzn.to/3L9KwFX 

Dreadwar: A LitRPG Adventure (Badges of Dorkdom Book 3) 

https://amzn.to/3OAK2c6 

Revived: A LitRPG Adventure (Monsters, Maces and Magic Book 7)

https://amzn.to/3S0qTT0 

He Who Fights with Monsters 7: A LitRPG Adventure 

https://amzn.to/3oCrrl2 

Steamforged Heresy: A LitRPG Adventure (Steamforged Sorcery Book 2)

https://amzn.to/3QPi65q 

Ascension Core (Superhero Dungeon Book 2)

https://amzn.to/3qzgNgb 




New LitRPG Audiobooks

 

Legendary LitRPG - An All Genres LitRPG Anthology

https://amzn.to/3U4SK6o 

The Sixth Rune - Divine Apostasy, Book 6

https://amzn.to/3xi6xMU 

The Chosen One - A LitRPG NPC Adventure (Prophecy Approved Companion, Book 1)

https://amzn.to/3LalxC9 

Dungeon Item Shop: Volume 3

https://amzn.to/3d8zDaN 

Character Creation - Mystic Seasons Upload, Book 1

https://amzn.to/3eIBFie 

Portal to Nova Roma

https://amzn.to/3qwYOa5 

The Primal Hunter 3 - A LitRPG Adventure

https://amzn.to/3xkbLI1 

Eight: A LitRPG Novel of Magical Survival

https://amzn.to/3Lcl2Yn 

Magnus: The Complete Series A LitRPG/GameLit Adventure

https://amzn.to/3BACDWY 

Rogue - Legends of the Six Realms, Book 1

https://amzn.to/3S2pN9n 

Germination - A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Farmer Mage, Book 2)

https://amzn.to/3LbIUM0 

Vigil's Justice - Vigil Bound, Book 1

https://amzn.to/3BxAnQe 

Finding Honor - Realms of Power and Fury, Book 2

https://amzn.to/3DrUUH0 

Cane Whirling Lunacy - A LitRPG Adventure (Vaudevillain, Book 3)

https://amzn.to/3LfHosc 

Age of Iron - Rise of Mankind, Book 3

https://amzn.to/3LbJx8k 

Flat Out - The System Apocalypse: Australia, Book 2

https://amzn.to/3Dl81dc 

Kairos: War of the Pantheon

A Greek Myth LitRPG Kairos, Book 3

https://amzn.to/3QBY1iS 

Deathless Dungeoneers

A LitRPG Dungeon Diver Adventure

https://amzn.to/3Dfwelb 

The Mechanical Crafter: Book 3

https://amzn.to/3BA8UgD 

The Next Step - Cultivator vs. System, Book 2

https://amzn.to/3RFTywS 

Chiwaukee Nights - Tower of Somnus, Book 2

https://amzn.to/3qxB7yl 

The Way Ahead 2 - A LitRPG Adventure 

https://amzn.to/3d8DGE1 

The Storm's Rage! - A LitRPG Adventure (Age of Doom, Book 1)

https://amzn.to/3DjTApS 

Black Centurion

https://amzn.to/3BcffgO 

Tiny Souls - A LitRPG Portal Fantasy

https://amzn.to/3S2snfz 

Fluff - A Wholesome LitRPG (Fluff, Book 1)

https://amzn.to/3U6yjFQ 

Tooth & Paw - A LitRPG Adventure (Fate & Freedom Online, Book 1)

https://amzn.to/3RWMtYl 

Dungeon Walkers 3

https://amzn.to/3BfkCfn 

Overlord of the Dungeon - In the System, Book 4

https://amzn.to/3S1TSFS 


The Dungeon Phoenix - The Dungeon Slayer, Book 4

https://amzn.to/3eQHKcG 


He Who Fights with Monsters 7

A LitRPG Adventure (He Who Fights with Monsters, Book 7)

https://amzn.to/3UePO7h 


Apocalypse Knights 3

https://amzn.to/3xqE73w 



Upcoming LitRPG:

 

The Delving Bard (World of Chains Book 5) (Sept. 15th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3eOoNHi 

Nomad Healer: A LitRPG Healer Adventure (Sept. 17th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3dfXTba 

ChronoTemplar 2: A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG Adventure (JustInTime) (Sept. 18th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3QFBwJU 

Broken Interface - Kernal: Post Apocalyptic Zombie LITrpg Progression Fantasy (Sept. 22nd, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3qBkT7m 

Tower Apocalypse 2: An Isekai Apocalypse LitRPG Series (Sept. 25th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3vipUo1 

Prism Academy- Demis: A Litrpg Supers Adventure (Sept. 26th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3z9JO5T 

Blackmist: A LitRPG Adventure (My Best Friend is an Eldritch Horror Book 1) (Sept. 27th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3Bko0qX 

Deathless Dungeoneers - Book Two: A LitRPG Dungeon Diver Adventure (Sept. 27th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3qAtO9b 

A Temperamental Enchantress: A LitRPG Adventure (A New Home Book 2) (Sept. 27th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3S5DxRu 

Savage Webs: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (Apocalypse Cultivation Book 2) (Sept. 27th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3ve88SP 

Blackmist: A LitRPG Adventure (My Best Friend is an Eldritch Horror Book 1)  (Sept. 27th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3xo9Br4 

Fury: A LitRPG Adventure (Unbound Book 4) (Sept. 28th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3BA8siy 

The Founder (Mirror World Book #5): LitRPG Series (Sept. 30th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3S5SVwp 

Awaken Online: Armageddon (Oct. 1st, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3Dnx8fi 

The Treasures of Alexander: A LitRPG Adventure (Salvos, Book 8) (Oct. 2nd, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3eNPagu 

Halloween Core: A Holiday Dungeon Core Novella  (Oct. 5th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3La9ogA 

A Dream of Wings & Flame: A LitRPG Adventure (Oct. 11th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3RRD9oK 

The Hedge Wizard 2: A LitRPG/GameLit Adventure (Oct. 11th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3BDLkjh 

Renaissance (Alpha Rome Book 5): LitRPG Series (Oct. 12th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3DsraKt 

Mana Harvest 3 (Oct. 15th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3QEPFGX 

Breaker of Horizons: A LitRPG Adventure (Oct. 18th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3U7jF1j 

Awakened: The Ascendancy: A LitRPG Wuxia Series (The Heavenly Throne Book 10) (Oct. 18th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3ROanG4 

Astral Threads (Guardian of Aster Fall Book 4) (Oct. 21st, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3RIOHuC 

Harbinger of Vengeance: A LitRPG Adventure (Oct. 25th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3qzcotp 

The Final Step: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (Cultivator vs. System Book 3) (Oct. 25th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3S2o3gg 

Swarm: An Army Building LitRPG / LitRTS Series (I Don't Want to be the Hive Queen Book 1) (Oct. 25th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3QGj2ZE 

Rorkh Book 3: LitRPG Series (Oct. 26th, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3qBrD5q 

Endarkened Spire: System Misinterpret Book Two - A Post Apocalyptic Cultivation LitRPG (Oct. 31st, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3xIVVqT 

Threat from the Deep (The Rise of the Winter Wolf Book 3) (Oct. 31st, 2022)

https://amzn.to/3xl7Mey 


Onto New Releases and Reviews

(Play Music 3)

New Releases and Reviews

(Picture 1)

Rains of Liscor: The Wandering Inn, Book 7

Pirateaba returns once again, bringing you the thrilling seventh installment of chart-topping LitRPG series The Wandering Inn.

It's raining in Liscor.

The spring rains have come and Liscor's entire geography changes with the dawning of the new year. The Floodplains of Liscor live up to their name, and the only way anyone is going to travel is by boat.

With the rains come more monsters, dungeon delving, more goblins...not to mention some unwanted attention for the Wandering Inn.

Erin Solstice is going further abroad than she's ever dreamed: as far as the Walled City of Pallass, the City of Invention. With the magic door drawing the attention of world powers and the looming crisis of the Goblin Lord, Erin Solstice's inn is busier than ever.

My Opinion: 1163 pages, $3.99, Not Available On Kindle Unlimited

The latest entry into the slice of life series returns focus to the continent of Liscor and the characters there. There are some interesting events to do with the floodplains there, monsters that are released, and some very interesting side stories that develop because of it. I was glad to see the stories focus mostly on the characters that the series had started out with and continued developments for newer ones. All good stories, though not all connected. It's what you should expect from the series by this point. 

Narration was, as usual, so good it gave me tingles.

Score: 8 out of 10

Rains of Liscor: The Wandering Inn, Book 7

https://amzn.to/3RVNPm5 


Arise: Alpha: A Dark LitRPG Adventure

When you steal a hundred grand from some very bad people, the best way to survive is to stay small and quiet...

Possibly its not to save a pair of drowning girls, not go 'viral' on social media and certainly not to let the local police take your passport, trapping you on a small 'party' island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

But Steve isn't the average guy, he's ex-military, ex-enforcer and ex-human. He's a one man nanite fuelled nightmare for those that cross the line, and he's decided that its time to clean up his act. He's going to make up for the things he's done, and save 'the little guys'.

It's a nice fantasy, but even he has to admit, it's really just a justification, because he's a very bad man, with horrifying abilities, and he's only just learning what he's capable of. He needs a reason to not go to the dark, and if thats hunting down the creatures of the night and beating them to death with their own femurs?

Well, he's just the man for the job.

Stolen money. Greek Islands. Werewolves and Enforcers... what could possibly go wrong?

My Opinion: 382 pages, $5.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited

Audiobook: 21.5  hours, 

This a review of the audiobook edition. I picked it up before I went on a trip and overall thought it was a pretty good listen for the credit. 

It’s mostly an action oriented urban fantasy story with rather light RPG elements and more of an upgrade system that grants the main character (MC) powers as he defeats enemies and takes their nanites. The upgrades are nice, but there are some long stretches between them sometimes. 

The actual story has pretty good pacing, though there are a few scenes that went on for a bit longer than needed. The big focus is definitely the action with the MC being introduced into this supernatural world that gives a decently interesting spin on an explanation for werewolves, vampires, and all the other monster lore in the world. Fights are great and though some of the romantic interests felt a little forced, the relationships gave the MC enough motivation to push the story progression. 

Overall, a good action oriented audiobook.

Score: 7.3 out of 10

Arise: Alpha: A Dark LitRPG Adventure

https://amzn.to/3S0swA7 


Portal to Nova Roma: Venice

Book two in the breakout hit series Portal to Nova Roma is now available. With over 12 MILLION pages read on Kindle Unlimited, thousands of Kindle copies sold, and 2,700+ ratings with a 4.8 star average, make sure to pick up the sequel today!

Alexander and his growing legion have managed to escape Nova Roma and, more importantly, learned that the rest of the world may not be as ravaged by monsters as they had all thought.

Join them as they set sail for ancient Venice, the Queen of the Adriatic, to try to learn more about the wider world outside Nova Roma. Along the way, they'll encounter a growing plague of deadly pirates, deceitful old merchant families out to quash any new competitors in the region, mysterious new allies, and much more.

Just as Alexander is starting to feel hope that humanity may actually survive, something happens to tear him away from everyone and everything he has come to care about. Lost, shackled, and without the majority of his skills, Alexander will be forced to confront a new side of himself, a darker, more violent side that threatens to take control of his mind and the new powers he has managed to craft for himself.

If he can't manage to resist the growing corruption of his mind, he may not just be a danger to himself and those he cares about, but may become a danger to the very world itself.


My Opinion: 630 pages, $4.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited

A very good 2nd entry in the series. Though the start of the story is a little slower because of the time skip and longer summary of events, most of the story is quick paced action and adventure. There are some surprising progression elements as the main character (MC) and his crew expand their horizons and explore the world finding other remnants of humanity and other foes to fight. Overall, it’s a good story though some of the storylines feel a little stretched in places.

Score: 7.4 out of 10

Portal to Nova Roma

https://amzn.to/3BAd9c9 


Path of Relics: Aether Shard (The Lore Seeker Odyssey Book 1)

He entered the contest to win cash...

Now millions could die.

Random gigs and ramen noodles... that's how out-of-shape gamer Terry survives the job-starved future of 2044. Until he's accepted into the Path of Relics tournament—the most anticipated virtual reality RPG event of the decade—where he has the chance to win some real loot.

But does he have a fighting chance against the world's top Active-VR athletes?

Not to mention the ancient dungeons, puzzles, scorpion-wolves, and all-too-realistic NPCs the game world throws at him. And just how advanced is this "Portal Rig" that lets him physically experience the fantasy world as if he were transported there?

Worse, could his suspicions be true?

Are the strange and deadly malfunctions plaguing Manhattan somehow triggered by Path of Relics?

Now, outmatched and exhausted, can Terry's mysterious ability to level-up quickly and his meager martial arts skills help him avert catastrophe in the real world?

My Opinion: 449 pages, $4.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited

I’ll start off by saying that the writing in the story isn’t bad. No technical issues. There’s a good bit of front loaded world building that was done well. I felt for the main character (MC) and the world that had been put out of work due to A.I. advancement. One in the game, combat is pretty good when it appears and there are a variety of game puzzles that stretch out the questline. 

This is a story that tries to bring in too many elements and doesn’t do any poorly but also doesn’t end up doing any really well. It starts off as a competitive PvP tournament for a new VRMMO, then switches to the main character (MC) abandoning that to explore the RPG side of the MMO, then it adds in some cyberpunk A.I. affecting the real world elements. If the story had focused more on any one of those elements I think I would have enjoyed the story more. As it is, none were developed too deeply before the story shifted to the next. 

Additionally, the A.I. cyberpunk element felt like a huge stretch. Like no one in the entire city wouldn’t have noticed the intrusion of a foreign A.I. in a world where A.I. have taken over everyone’s jobs? I also wished the A.I. that ends up being an antagonist were actually shown the entire story instead of just seeing the results of intrusions and supposition about what was happening. It would have made the A.I. feel more like a character I could root for or against and less of an ambiguous condition of the game. 

It takes a good bit of time before the MC gets to the game and even more before there are RPG elements. There are RPG elements, leveling, and automatic stat increases that are based on real world increases in health and athleticism while playing the game. A novel element but not really put to a particularly interesting use in the end. Also there’s a game mechanic hole that if the game was based on how in shape you were, the pro gamers or people that were in shape would automatically have huge starting stats. And that’s really what most of the RPG elements felt like to me. Since there were no choices of how to apply stats or class power choices the stats and levels didn’t end up feeling like a major part of the story, just a way to show the MC had gained more game power and why he could somehow beat professional gamers. If the RPG stuff was removed from the story, it wouldn’t change much about the plot since the MC could still gain the same story powers by reading scrolls and all the A.I. stuff would unfold exactly the same.

Overall, I struggled to stay interested in the story. In the ads for the novel, the author says that it may not be for everyone and I don’t think it was for me. There are folks that will still enjoy the story, but because the RPG elements didn’t feel like they really mattered I lost interest and had to force myself to finish reading the story. 

Score: 6 out of 10

Path of Relics: Aether Shard (The Lore Seeker Odyssey Book 1)

https://amzn.to/3Bt7UuY 


That’s it everyone! Thank you for watching/listening. 

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Thanks for hanging out with me today. Until we can hangout again, remember to go read some LitRPG!  

(Music 4)