This is third in an action Xianxia cultivator story with plot and character elements that build over time. Read in order.
You know what to expect in teThis is third in an action Xianxia cultivator story with plot and character elements that build over time. Read in order.
You know what to expect in terms of tone and action. Sen is on the run with his two companions from the cabal of demonic cultivators he exposed at the end of the previous book for most of the book. He makes cultivation discoveries, hidden treasure discoveries, has epiphanies, and encounters a divine turtle that sets him on a new cultivation path. This is all good stuff.
I was a little surprised with the companion developments in this one. Lifen hit the right notes for a romantic interest (including them having sex regularly), but she's also nowhere near an equal for Sen and that disparity shows in ways that it should. Lo Meifing is more of an equal, but there's clearly no spark there, so I'm happy for that friendship development. Well, except for the (view spoiler)[break in trust at the end. I'll get to that more in a note about Sen's anger issues (hide spoiler)]. Also, Falling Leaf catches up (near the end) and that was all kinds of awesome.
I don't have anything else to say, really. This was outstanding. A great adventure with a likeable hero trying to navigate tricky moral waters while dealing with the Xianxia setting. Five stars.
A note about the series: I originally picked this up on Royal Road and have since joined the author's Patreon; where he has just completed book nine. Plus, I'm still subscribed to the RR feed where it's still in book eight. Yes, that is, in fact, a triple blast of Sen while I read these books. That's how happy I am to spend time with Sen and his friends.
A note about the anger: We still don't know that (view spoiler)[Sen is under the effects of a "heart demon" giving him anger issues. I'm not sure when that reveal happens, but its effects in this story are very, very subtle. Sen seems perfectly reasonably angry with events and that includes Meifeng's manipulation and loss of trust at the end of this story. I can see, in hindsight that he does have to exert effort to not act on that anger and make his blow-up with people more than it is. I'm not sure if the author intends that to indicate just how strong and moral he is in spite of the hidden demon, but in effect, it made that eventual reveal seem unsupported (because he does control that anger enough that he doesn't act on it). I still think it isn't well-enough supported, but I do have to acknowledge that some support is, indeed, present (hide spoiler)].
A note about Chaste: Sen and Lifen are clearly doing it. Sometimes smugly. There is a scene of intentionally showing off their closeness with some dishabille involved, but I still consider this kind of chaste. It's on the edge, with their shenanigans only lightly curtained over, but it still qualifies on my personal scale....more
This is the second in an action Xianxia series that builds plot and character over time. Read in order.
This book has a marked change in tone and that This is the second in an action Xianxia series that builds plot and character over time. Read in order.
This book has a marked change in tone and that has two reasons. The first, and most obvious, is that Sen is out in the world and interacting with mortals and other cultivators from some of the existing sects. Being a wandering cultivator makes him something of a target for sect cultivators, people they can lord over and get in fights with to learn new techniques and other Xianxia stuff. This means there's a lot more violence and Sen has to figure out how to respond when people want to take advantage of him.
And the answer to that question is with violence and determination. That makes this a bit bloody and prompts some thoughts on Sen's part about why and when to have mercy. Like, letting bandits live means it's a near certainty that other mortals will die at their hands in the (probably near) future. This is a hard choice for him to make and he struggles with it.
The second cause of the tone shift isn't revealed in this story and I don't find it credibly supported. It came out of nowhere when I tripped across it in one of the later stories while gulping this down after finishing this book. If you care, and want to see if it is supported at all in the text, it's that (view spoiler)[Sen has picked up a "heart demon" that makes him unnaturally angry all the time and pushes him to violence at the behest of that anger. Sen later blames his killing of the sect cultivator in the early episode of this story on that anger, and that's fine, I guess. But I didn't see that as unnatural, even as I hated this intrusion on his character as he increasingly acts in anger. I just figured that he had enough people choosing the expected worst responses to him that his anger wasn't entirely unjustified (hide spoiler)].
And then there are the cultivators who feel like he should cater to their every whim. They mete out violence readily and Sen meets provocation with provocation. Which goes about how you'd expect given his training by the best cultivators in the known world.
There are also peaceful parts and people (or entire villages) that Sen saves with the alchemy/healing he learned from Ma Caihong. These aren't exactly idylls, but they serve to break the pace up in ways that make it more interesting even as they give Sen a breather to consider and ruminate on what it is he really wants to be doing.
And he makes a friend (more or less) or two who join him on his journeys and that was fun as well. I didn't mind the tone shift towards more violence and kind of expected it with the shift to Sen being about in the world. And I didn't notice the hidden bit at all which is a problem that didn't actually affect my enjoyment of this book. So five stars and I moved onto Royal Road to catch up with the story there and gulped it down whole.
A note about Chaste: Sen has sexual encounters with two different women in this book. They're willing and it's even a little sweet. We see enough to know the score, but the author pulls curtain before we get much detail making this questionably chaste....more
This is a Xianxia without any GameLit or Isekai muddling it up. So it's high on the power fantasy, without other elements diluting that at all. I likeThis is a Xianxia without any GameLit or Isekai muddling it up. So it's high on the power fantasy, without other elements diluting that at all. I liked it very much, but that could just be a factor of liking the hero, Sen.
We start with Sen on the streets, an orphan hiding from noble kids who want to beat him for kicks and giggles. He's so good at hiding that he catches the eye of a wandering cultivator. Cultivators are inherent in Xianxia as people who meditate for power. In this version, they prolong their lives the better/stronger they become. In this case, Sen has managed to catch the eye of an "old monster" who is close to ascending (nobody quite knows, in this story, what that means, including the old monsters). Master Feng takes Sen as apprentice and they move into the mountain home of another ancient master whose wife (yet another) shows up some chapters later.
What this means is that Sen gains an enviably idiosyncratic education. The author does not indulge in montages though a couple of years progress occasionally in an established pattern. Indeed, the bulk of this story is Sen's life on the mountain with the three old masters who become his family. This is an interesting take on found family with such a profound power differential that it's clear that Sen will eventually need to strike out on his own to experience the world.
If you saw an outline of this story, you might wonder what even happens as Sen only has a bit of an adventure to wrap up his time in the town of his birth at the very end. The talent of the author is that he keeps a strong pace with lots of important events that not only establish Sen's growing character but also shows us the kindness of these "old monsters" who have bigger hearts than you'd suspect given their isolation and general disinterest in normal human affairs.
I was fully engaged with this from start to finish. I like Sen and I loved the found family with these old cultivators who care for him and help him transition to adulthood. This is an easy five stars and I'm eager to continue to the next.
A note about Chaste: Sen doesn't have any romantic prospects making this very chaste....more
At first glance, this looks like a pretty standard system apocalypse LitRPG with a combat fiend main character. And maybe that's all it is and that'd At first glance, this looks like a pretty standard system apocalypse LitRPG with a combat fiend main character. And maybe that's all it is and that'd make it a fine power fantasy. But I found Zane engaging from the start and that helped me accept the premise and immerse into a fast paced, great action story.
It doesn't hurt that Zane has more depth than he realizes. Yeah, he starts as something of a waste with a lowly warehouse job since a college wrestling injury took away his one joy. He knows he doesn't have the enthusiasms of other people except that one area that really gets him focused and intense and just accepts that he's emotionally muted. Which makes him kind of tailor-made for a system apocalypse where fighting becomes an easy thing to find. And also where his first level heals him of that pesky former injury holding him back.
I liked his consistent deferral any time he saved people who wanted him to be their leader. I like both parts of that statement because Zane isn't someone who sits idly by when bad people do bad things. He's constantly saving people from monsters, both human and not. And then finding creative new ways to shirk the responsibility they want to put on him to look after them. This trait saves him from being a Gary Stu, frankly, because it's strong even in places where it is inconvenient or makes his path harder. People react realistically to that is what I'm saying.
And I particularly like the few companions he picks up for brief stints. Avery is a hoot. And I just love the developments with Reina who is crushed when she attaches so strongly to him only for him to leave her behind tasked with running the territories he conquers. She gets the hard jobs and the heart ache of unrequited attachment and still works hard to make everybody's lives better. And I even like that the author (view spoiler)[backs into that becoming an important romantic relationship once Zane realizes that she really is willing to accept him even with his emotional limitations. They become safe harbors for each other in an unlikely, but strong pairing that just worked for me (hide spoiler)].
Anyway, I was thinking four stars throughout, but I laughed out loud enough that I'm going to bump it to five. It's a fast paced story with a main character the author stays true to even when it would have been so much easier to compromise those things they put at the core of his character. Plus, he stomps evil every chance he gets and I'm always going to love that in my power fantasies.
A note about Chaste: There are shenanigans. Sexual shenanigans. They happen behind closed doors, however, so this is pretty chaste with only vague references to, er, intimate workouts....more
This is a system apocalypse LitRPG with a time-travel twist. And it does a pretty good job with the genre. Micheal (not a misspelling, we're told, butThis is a system apocalypse LitRPG with a time-travel twist. And it does a pretty good job with the genre. Micheal (not a misspelling, we're told, but I'm going to use Mike from here on out because ugh) survived to the last of the "7 Layers" that Earth had been thrown into with the goal of making a place for humanity at the top. Mike saw them fail on the last layer and his last wish before utter defeat was all the things he'd change if he had another chance. He didn't know that the artifact on his finger was a wish-granting one until he woke up more than ten years in the past knowing all he'd learned from his (failed) timeline.
Mike has not only his knowledge of what happened (still useful until he starts changing things) but it turns out that he also brought back his skill with the sword and a bunch of hidden system knowledge that Earth's researchers had cracked in his previous timeline but not until much later than he currently stands. So he figures he can prepare humanity better by not only getting stronger himself and guiding others past pitfalls, but also by releasing some of the better recipes and secrets to humanity as a whole. I liked this and was happy to grant the premise (even the sword mastery one) just because it was an interesting take on the intense, driven hero going back to change things.
The author does a lot right with this story. Mike is the right kind of tortured by his past mitigated by his hope for a better future. So there's the grim and competent pessimist working hard to make things better and I find that very engaging all on its own. And it doesn't hurt that he makes good choices and hits above his weight-class by careful preparation coupled with his insider knowledge. I liked this very much.
Add a strong pace, good (consistent) worldbuilding, and tough choices navigated well and I'm going to give this five stars. This is in spite of the couple bad-guy PoV that I find intrusive and ultimately uninteresting. This is an aspect of the genre that I dislike intensely and will only say that at least Kerr employs it with a light hand and relatively competently.
A note about Chaste: The one person Mike is determined to team up with happens to be an attractive woman around his age. There could easily have been a sexual component to this but the author didn't go there. It could happen in future and I wouldn't mind. But for now, this is very chaste....more
This is fifth in an isekai LitRPG series that needs to be read in order.
So yeah, more Joey shenanigans. I didn't actually see the cover blurb that sayThis is fifth in an isekai LitRPG series that needs to be read in order.
So yeah, more Joey shenanigans. I didn't actually see the cover blurb that says this is the conclusion of "season one" of the series until just now, but I would have found that reassuring. Because we have just about finished with the amount of pfaffing about they can do before finally taking on the long-foreshadowed fight against the Dread Whale.
That said, there's a lot that has to happen along the way with Joey taking on some preparatory big-bads with his team of super-greats. I'm not complaining about that. There's a lot of fun creativity and seeing him grow and sacrifice for his city and people was a very fascinating development. It turns out that he's not as selfish as he paints himself to be, committing real resources to the protection of the commoners and steadies in his care.
And let me tell you, I cheered when he dropped the hammer on the "dragon reluctance" near the midpoint of the book. Man I was tired of that interaction.
Some of the relationships are surface at best, chief among them with Maylolee. Joey is completely impulsive with regards to her and that played out both good and bad for my engagement. I mean, I liked that he wasn't afraid to jump into their relationship with both feet. But the whole (view spoiler)[marry me, yay we're married now! (hide spoiler)] dropped out of nowhere though I did appreciate that (view spoiler)[he finally saw the whole "we must fight to the death" thing as silly and cancelled that nonsense and did so before they even lined up to do it (hide spoiler)]. Anyway, I'm torn on the whole relationship and that goes double for the Chaste note below.
Anyway, I was still deeply entertained with the enthusiastic power fantasy and I still like Joey quite a bit despite all his brash presentation. He's kind where it counts and supportive of those around him, even those without his drive or who can do nothing overt for him. And that final fight where he cares for his greats even as he asks for their very best was everything I hoped it'd be.
So I'm giving this five stars, though a wobbly one for the weirdness with Maylolee. I am glad that they finally ascend at the end of this and that the next is legitimately a whole new ballgame.
A note about craft: I honestly didn't notice malapropisms in this one but I think I may just be desensitized. Also, I've read them back to back so fast that I don't remember what might have been in this vs. the others. Maybe the author found himself an editor. That'd be great if so.
A note about Chaste: It's one thing to be chaste because your core couple are separated for much of the story. And it's another if it's chaste because you draw back from closed doors. But this one has Joey and Maylolee both together and with downtime and I can't tell if they did the deed or not. We do learn that Joey came into this a virgin and completely inexperienced (May is is first "real kiss") so I find it hard that they'd jump each other without any thoughts of it when we pick up. All we learn is that May gives a great massage. So this is curiously, weirdly chaste and I have questions....more
This is the fourth book in an isekai LitRPG series and picks up directly after the previous. Read in order.
Joey is finally out of the dungeon and has This is the fourth book in an isekai LitRPG series and picks up directly after the previous. Read in order.
Joey is finally out of the dungeon and has to deal with the buildup of the bounty he placed on his own head (and others have since added to). The rewards have kicked up to ridiculous levels such that even people with zero chance of collecting can convince themselves that they might get lucky. Which means an army numbering in the thousands and lead by six "great" adventurers (so presumably on par with Joey) is out for his head.
The mistake that army made was imprisoning Joey's steady group as hostages. I mean, it's effective because that catches his undivided attention. But you just know that's going to backfire on them. Narratively it kind of has to. That said, I liked Joey's solution. He rogues it up with a perfect rescue run, getting all his people out undetected... and then (view spoiler)[goes back and slaughters the "Unstoppable Six" because they were planning on butchering his Siren friend to draw him out. I'm more than willing to go with "they had it coming" but mostly because the author set it up that way (hide spoiler)].
And that's just the opening in the fourteen days left on his bounty. Of course, those were his biggest dangers in collecting and his solution ended up making a big enough splash that only underpowered idiots were any kind of "danger" after that. So we get some renewing of relationship scenes and Joey adding a couple of spare "greats" to his motley group. And has a couple of challenges that bring in a couple of large, powerful denizen groups.
I'll leave the rest of the plot for you to discover if you're interested. I liked the developments. The author has yet to let things run in a straight line, throwing twists and complications like they are confetti. Which is more than a little of what has me so engaged with this series. I do kind of hate the latest development with his inner dragon. Having its influence switch to "reluctance" is lame, and doubly so for tying that into Joey's inner insecurities. So far, that's a minor inconvenience, but if it persists I can see it affecting my engagement more than the little it is for now.
The author wastes his final chapter giving us two big-bad perspectives (including the Dread Whale). This isn't so much a cliffhanger as it is just a really bad choice of "epilogue". It cost him half a star making this 4½ stars. I'm still rounding up for keeping up the crazy-pants power fantasy with a spanking pace along with some good character/relationship growth arcs.
A note about craft: The malapropisms continue to amuse. And grate. Seriously, editors aren't that expensive. Buy one.
A note about Chaste: Joey finally catches up with Maylolee at the very end. There are cheek kisses. This is very chaste. There is a section where people assume things about him and the super-Sirens, but the innuendo is so subtle it'd be easy to miss and certainly isn't enough to affect the chaste tag....more
This is third in an isekai LitRPG series. Read in order.
This one takes place almost entirely in the desert dungeon. As such, it's a bit more isolated This is third in an isekai LitRPG series. Read in order.
This one takes place almost entirely in the desert dungeon. As such, it's a bit more isolated than the previous, with few characters to build relationships outside of Joey's special brand of crazy. Not that he doesn't attach to some of the denizens and I'm glad he never treats the people there as not real; even though they kind of aren't.
I didn't like the dungeon much. It was a bit manufactured. I mean, with in-world support because it's a dungeon. And thus manufactured. So this is partially the author accurately portraying their world. Which is fine, I suppose. But it just wasn't as fun, somehow.
Which is weird because this book has Joey start leaning into the rogue side of his nature. I really liked him using guerilla tactics to take on an army commander by eliminating his command structure to draw him out. And the full-on rogue mission to take on the cleric target was even better. So I liked that he's expanding into different forms of power fantasy by being all sneaky when that leads to a better conclusion. It was interesting to see how the author kept the pace up despite avoiding some outright conflicts.
I'm at a draw for meeting a couple primorials. Those are the guys behind the whole Multiverse Z and everyone is afraid of them. Except Joey who gets to know two in this story because they can interfere directly in the alternate dimension of the dungeon (it's implied that they'd break the low-level realm Joey normally resides in if they showed up there). This was interesting lore and setup an opportunity to make Joey even more overpowered—not in a bad way, in my book. Those interactions came up a wash for me because while I liked Mike a lot as the uber-curious meddler, Fuzzy is way too over the top for my tastes and her actions trying to fill a mothering role with Joey came across as kind of creepy. I got past those by translating those bits into an anime world where that kind of over acting would be amusing. Editing stories in my head is truly an amazing superpower.
Anyway, I was fully engaged in the story, but there's enough friction to drop it half a star. And then the cliffhanger drops it a full star to 3½. I'm going to round up because I'm still all-in on the power fantasy and am eager to pick up the next book. Yes, despite the cliffhanger ending.
A note about craft: Seriously, this author needs to buy an editor. Frankly, it's bad enough I'd encourage them to go back with these already-published books and clean them up and reissue. It'd be a huge step-up in quality. Though Melissa and I do get a kick at some of the more egregious malpropisms.
A note about Chaste: This book makes it pretty clear that Maylolee and Joey are it for each other. She's worry-stalking his exploits on the crystal ball network and he's all innocent-youth pining for her input and approval. It's cute. But they are literally dimensions apart this whole book, so it is very chaste....more
This is second in an isekai LitRPG and you definitely want to read in order. Seriously.
So you know what you are getting—including a crappy race-buryinThis is second in an isekai LitRPG and you definitely want to read in order. Seriously.
So you know what you are getting—including a crappy race-burying cover that has been updated on Amazon but not GoodReads. Joey starts off being hunted by, well, everybody except his buddies. But we knew that from the ending of the previous book. Only, the author isn't one to sit on anything like the expected and it doesn't take long for Joey to jump into a cauldron too many and find himself in hot water.
And I say this with admiration because the story is crazy-pants in the best way. By which I mean with a spanking pace and the occasional stand out secondary character to serve as contrast and respite. So the power fantasy continues and the story is gripping and I found myself fully engaged to the end.
I'm going to give this another five stars, though it had the same weaknesses as the first book (some story developments just have to be taken in stride and the craft note I'll add below). If you liked the first, it's a good bet you'll like this one, too. I'm definitely going to pick up the next just to see what Joey comes up with now that he's going after a whole dungeon on his own.
A note about craft: A good editor would raise this book to the next level, quality-wise. Seriously. Misused words, dropped words, all things that an editor is made to find and improve. And the author would learn along the way if they're at all interested in building their skills.
A note about Chaste: Maylolee is still the only real romantic possibility and she's back in Siren City waiting for Joey to deliver on the main questline. So this is very chaste....more
Can I tell you how much I hate this cover. The one on Amazon at least looks like Joey as he is described ratherEdit to add the "cringe" section below.
Can I tell you how much I hate this cover. The one on Amazon at least looks like Joey as he is described rather than this watered-down version that looks like it's designed to erase his racial features. Anyway, Joey isn't so much down on his luck as he is crawling out of a really horrible start to life, only some of which is evident at the start. When he gets isekai'd into a fantasy setting with a system and classes and stuff, Joey chooses to grab the adventure by the horns and ride it as hard as he can. He selects the wildest choices he can and commits with everything he has. I found this immensely engaging as the foundation for a lovely power fantasy.
Like the main character, the author embraces the adventure wholeheartedly. Joey starts off on a raft in the middle of the ocean, his first act being to befriend a travelling kraken. Yes, with the tentacles. And their friendship grew over their interactions and became both deep and broad and I enjoyed it nearly as much as the wack-a-doodle adventures Joey finds himself thrust into.
The pace is strong, with just enough down time to avoid burnout. The author has a good sense of story and is wildly imaginative and I liked how everything held together. There's an interlude with the Siren city and its ruling princess that marked a turning point in Joey as he becomes less isolated and starts developing relationships beyond his kraken companion and I loved how this enhanced the story as much as it did his power curve which takes a turn here under the brutal tutelage of the princess. It's also here that the broader story reveals itself along with what will likely be the main questline. I enjoyed these interactions both for ramping the power fantasy and for building a variety of new relationships for joey to bounce off of.
I worried when Joey made landfall and had to say goodbye to his watery friend that the story would go full murderhobo. I'm glad to say it didn't. At least mostly. I liked Joey finding his way with the humans who had chosen to be "steady" instead of "great". It was interesting how he adopted some struggling steadies and helped them improve while learning that they needed to learn in different ways than he did.
And the book ends with a bang as Joey manipulates everybody and kills a bunch of folks (who will respawn because they're "steady") for the sole purpose of getting them to chase him around and gain levels because he needs the humans to get strong enough for the purposes of the realm quest. This is a brilliant development that only really makes sense because the author says so. But again, I loved it for the action and power fantasy and was happy to go along.
This is five stars despite some nagging weaknesses (like some things only really working because the author says so), including a note about craft below. And the caveat that you really need to be in it for the power fantasy as that really is the ruling element that drives a lot of the other elements of the story.
A note about craft: There are a lot of words that are simply used wrong. The one I remembered for the purposes of the review is using "awarded" instead of "rewarded" leading up to meeting the Siren princess. And some sentences with dropped words. It was a lot and if you're at all sensitive to that kind of thing, this is going to grate on you. A lot.
A note about cringe: A few of the top reviews here knock this story as "cringe" and one adds "edgelord". Both epithets are terribly subjective, but for me, I didn't get that feel at all. Joey is a young (18) dead-ender on Earth with a crappy shipping job barely able to make rent. He goes from there to a world that gives him power and rewards conflict and risk taking. He embraces the change wholeheartedly as a way out of his otherwise bleak future, but not so much so that he doesn't make friends. Indeed, the first thing he does is befriend a travelling kraken. Maybe that's the cringe? Befriending a kraken? I found that creative and interesting. Personally, I just see power fantasy with an unusual protagonist (short, young, black) and don't get the hate.
A note about Chaste: There's some chemistry between Joey and Maylolee, the Siren princess. Plus, they're nearly the same age and have the same appreciation for training and power leveling. But nothing develops between them while Joey is still in the Siren capital so there's no steam. Like at all. So this is very chaste....more
This is the fifth book in a cultivation LitRPG in space. Read them in order.
This is the tournament book. At tier 10, the Empire's pathers converge forThis is the fifth book in a cultivation LitRPG in space. Read them in order.
This is the tournament book. At tier 10, the Empire's pathers converge for a tournament that happens every five years. It's time for Matt and Liz to go and compete. This is also where those who need to hide their identities adopt a mask to do so; this includes Matt and Liz who are dangerous enough that competing empires would wipe them out if they caught wind of their true capabilities. So we see Matt and Liz competing twice, once for their true identities where they sandbag to finish in the middle of the pack, and again in their masks as Quill and Torch—identities built to deliberately obscure their actual skillsets.
This is a fun story of the year of the tournament. Unlike your expectations if you are coming from cultivator stories with tournaments, this one follows almost none of those tropes. In the Ascension universe, there are over a million combatants entering the planet-wide contest (a planet built specifically to host the competition) and a lot happens to create friction between the competitors. Add rift diving as a part of the competition and individual brackets for different skillsets (including crafting), and it's way too diverse to support all the weird shenanigans of typical cultivator stories. I for one, really liked that the author didn't warp his vision to include the silly over-the-top weirdness of those tropes.
There isn't a lot of development for Matt and Liz, and yet I still enjoyed this way more than the previous where they advanced four tiers in the single book. I liked the creativity of the challenges and that the friend sphere expanded and deepened at the same time. This makes this story easily five stars and I enjoyed it immensely.
A note about this particular story: Yes, I'm way ahead of this storyline on the Royal Road site and still an avid follower. I picked this up to revisit the past for Matt and Liz and was just as engaged as I was originally reading this in thrice-weekly installments. It held together remarkably well as a single story. Also, it was way fun reading knowing the true identities of some of the side PoVs (Like the spies Allie and Zack).
A note about Chaste: Liz and Matt are a strong couple, absolutely devoted to each other and that includes sex. Probably. Unprovably, because any of that kind of thing happens off-page. So this is very chaste....more
This is fourth in a cultivation fantasy in space. Read them in order or you'll be extremely confused about pretty much everything.
You know what you arThis is fourth in a cultivation fantasy in space. Read them in order or you'll be extremely confused about pretty much everything.
You know what you are getting. Like the second book, this is kind of a placeholder while Liz and Matt grow, experiment, and take on random challenges on their way to the big thing that happens at the Tier 10 tournament that's due in the next book. They go from Tier 6 to 9 and months and weeks are skipped along the way as we learn more about how growth and expansion work in the Realm.
This book starts with Melinda and their team still hanging around and they occupy a lot of the first parts of this because much of the structure of the book takes place in that initial Tier 6 phase. I'm not that big a fan of Melinda and cohort. They're interesting enough, but the contrast with Liz, Matt, and Aster does them no favors.
As usual for this series, my main draw remains Aster, the Winter Fox and Matt's bond companion. I love her development and that she maintains her frivolous side (and love of ice cream) despite managing to keep up with the more driven Matt and Liz and be a true and contributing part of their team.
I'll leave it there. This is four stars, though barely that high. It really is a lot of flavor/filler on the way to better things.
A note about publication: I'm still following this on Royal Road so I'm technically waaaaay farther in the story. I pulled this to support the author and read it just for the nostalgia of their younger days. It didn't fully pull me in, but it entertained me enough that I kept reading to the end. Maybe it really does deserve all four stars right-out given that's the case.
A note about Chaste: Matt and Liz are definitely a couple and sleep together. There is zero steam and nothing explicit. I don't even remember much kissing. The author just doesn't go there, though their intimacy and bond is clear. It just isn't germane to the story being told....more
This is third in an Isekai cultivation story that builds plot and characters over time. Read in order.
I love this series and have been keeping up on iThis is third in an Isekai cultivation story that builds plot and characters over time. Read in order.
I love this series and have been keeping up on it on Royal Road for months, now. So I'm technically way past this arc and just checked out the KU for nostalgia. And ended up being sucked right back into the story and rereading it in its entirety. That's no small tribute to how good this story is.
I love how the author plays with anime and xianxia tropes, extends them, and even gives them heart. Jin is a guy from Canada pulled into that world and completely aware of the tropes; an awareness he uses to subvert them where he can. It's great seeing him navigate the world with his modern sense and simple kindness and build his little found family in creating his farm. Farmily. Crap, I think I'm reusing that from a previous review of the series.
This one deals with a tournament and that's a whole list of tropes we get to explore. And I love how much of a central figure Tigu becomes. She has come a long way from being simply Jin's cat and I love how her open curiosity and boisterous good nature conquers the tournament and pulls all these aggressive competitors into something of a friendly whole. Her approach to competition infects the others as they see her joy in proving herself without rancor or hard feelings. And that's before you get to all the nicknames she hands out wholesale. And can I just say that Tie Delun/Handsome Man won my heart as Tigu stole his?
And I love how the author takes the big battle scene and extends it to its aftermath; all that destruction has meaning to those affected. And not in some weepy way, but just with Jin observing “If you break something, fix it.” And then watching as the sect disciples turn that into a competition that helps instead of hurts. Because of course that's how they would!
And I'd like to pull out as well how good a job the author does weaving multiple storylines and multiple PoVs together. Both things generally annoy me, but this author manages to tie it all into storytelling in a way I thought flows very well. So it doesn't kill the pace, making switches in natural transition points and building my interest while satisfying it so I'm never left hanging.
Anyway, I highly recommend the series and this is a great extension of it. And if you really want to continue the story, it's still going strong on Royal Road.
A note about Chaste: Gou Ren gets a sweetie in this one and there are shenanigans. Off-page shenanigans with nothing more than some third-person observations of kissing. So I consider this very chaste, even when Jin and Meiling (who are married now) are reunited at the end....more
This is second in an isekai LitRPG series and follows closely on the first. Read in order.
This starts with a prologue whose only purpose seems to be tThis is second in an isekai LitRPG series and follows closely on the first. Read in order.
This starts with a prologue whose only purpose seems to be to depress the reader and make them hate the whole world a little bit. I have no idea why an author would want to do that and I found it completely off-putting. Seriously. Skip both that and the epilogue as neither has any bearing on the story and only provides random emotional ambushes to a reader—the kind you'd expect to find in a back-alley of a grimdark urban megalopolis.
This story is a tone shift from the first book, but a relatively subtle one. Derek has a handle on the System, more or less, so he is mostly poking around with the next step. I'm still not sure what his next step is supposed to be, but so far it's seeing if there are any bad guys despicable enough to need killing. Which is to say it's less exploring the world and more exploring human society and the power structures they've created. I'm glad that there was a good mix of moral discovery in the book with nobles essentially split fifty-fifty on the evil/kind axis but with a kicker of an extra-political power broker he befriends just for kicks and bunny-giggles.
And yes, Sylvi the murder bunny is still one of my favorite parts of the story. I think the majority of my laugh-out-loud moments came from her antics and that's no small thing. Thomas, Derek's kinda apprentice, is largely neglected in the story, only providing a randomish plot-element or two to set Derek up in opposition to some bad people.
The pace shift (with less monster hunting and system-experimenting) was a bit of a downer, but didn't really affect my enjoyment that much. It turns out I mostly like Derek, even when he's slice-of-lifing the place a bit. I'm going to call this four stars as it's nearly as good as the first book, if not quite as engaging overall.
A note about Chaste: Derek is figuring things out and keeping most of his relationships surface only. There's a hint of attraction in one area, but it isn't explored at all, yet. So it's very chaste without even any kissing involved....more
This is second in an isekai LitRPG series that picks up right after the first left off. Read in order.
You really do know what you're getting by this tThis is second in an isekai LitRPG series that picks up right after the first left off. Read in order.
You really do know what you're getting by this time with this story. This only really differs in that Ilea makes actual friends in this one that seem like they'll stick around.
There are some world-shattering events that happen. And Ilea does her thing where she takes challenges head-on. And I was even worried for her for a hot minute when (view spoiler)[she got sucked into a portal to the demon lands (hide spoiler)]. But it was all fun adventuring goodness, really, so no harm.
I'm going to give this four stars for delivering the expected goods and keeping it fresh with some interesting developments. Plus, ending with enough momentum for me to take steps to continue the story on Royal Road.
A note about Chaste: There are a couple times where Ilea had herself a good time. And there are references to having had a good time. But they're vague enough that I didn't find them steamy at all, so I consider it chaste. That's a close call, however, and you might easily disagree....more
This is third in a series that builds up over time. Definitely read in order.
I'll be perfectly honest here, I didn't read this book. Okay, that's onlyThis is third in a series that builds up over time. Definitely read in order.
I'll be perfectly honest here, I didn't read this book. Okay, that's only partially true. I read this book while it was up on Royal Road because I decided I didn't want to wait for the author to publish the next bit. Which means I read a rawer, less edited version some bit ago.
That said, I'm still completely engrossed in the story even though I've caught up to the author's releasing on RR. This book contains a "babies first war" with Matt, Liz, and Aster picking a side and participating in battles where higher Tier observers yank people out before they can die. Which isn't before they experience some extreme pain as healers can put you back together so long as they have a brain to work with. And can I just say how I love that they have post-death counseling and the role therapists play in the series? Very well done.
Also in this story, we have the return of Melinda (the super healer in the first book) and her team. They're still friends and I love the dynamic with these characters during the tense trials of a war in all but fact. And the new people Matt and Liz find to extend their team, even if only temporarily during the war.
In all, I'm calling this a great win and an entire five stars. And I'd say I'm totally looking forward to the next book, but I've already read that one, too, on Royal Road...
A note about Chaste: This book has Matt and Liz become much closer and eventually become intimate in that way. It's about time. The author pulls the curtains closed way before any details hit, so I consider it still chaste. That's a close call, though, so substitute your taste as you find comfortable....more
This is part of a strong series where you need to read in order.
You know mostly what you are getting and that's a good thing. Mostly. I think this stoThis is part of a strong series where you need to read in order.
You know mostly what you are getting and that's a good thing. Mostly. I think this story bogs down a bit, particularly in the middle with a contrived war and irresponsible higher tiers putting their thumb on the scale for selfish reasons. This works as character development for our mains and a good exploration of the worldbuilding. But it also went on too long with little change and was a dreary development to begin with.
Not that I'm not thrilled with the character arcs. I particularly like that Matt and Liz take it to the next level and admit they're together and exclusive. I totally ship them and their relationship is completely awesome. I particularly like how much happiness Matt gets by making Liz happy. It's endearing.
Unfortunately, while I loved the late stage character growth, the plot gets a bit boring, taken up as it is with experimentation and crafting. I mostly liked how they went about things, mind, but it was still a big pace break.
I'm going to go with four stars on this one. It was good, don't get me wrong, but it had enough weakness I can't quite give it five. I'm still eager for the next one.
A note about Steamy: There's just baaarely enough detail to trip the steam tag in this one. It's one scene, more or less, and it isn't terribly detailed anatomically. But it's steamy enough I'm going to call it. Barely. I do love that this has such a strong central relationship. Liz and Matt are adorable together and I love seeing them take that friendship into deeper waters....more
This is a very interesting hybrid of GameLit and Xianxia. I'm going to quote the Amazon blurb here because it's as descriptive as anything I can thinkThis is a very interesting hybrid of GameLit and Xianxia. I'm going to quote the Amazon blurb here because it's as descriptive as anything I can think of:
This is a mix between LitRPG and Xianxia. It's like a car that looks like a LitRPG with dungeons and skills, but the interior and engine are all Xianxia. It features a magic system and progression system that are logically and internally consistent, as well as realistic fight scenes and a rational MC.
It's an interesting hybrid, not least because Mantis has created a world where known technology handles things like stat analysis and the other GameLit details. And the cultivating/essence users have a tiered social framework that holds together logically as well—including things like curbs on abuse of lower tiers by higher tiers (that works as you'd expect given it is run by humans).
And that's one thing I really appreciated with this story; that the motivations all hold true for pretty much all the characters, from Alex, our primary PoV, to the lowliest coworker in his initial dead-end job. This is what happens when good worldbuilding meets good characterization and those gel around a main character I like and therefore like spending time with.
We start with Alex as an orphan excited to get his starting, Tier 1 Talent. He has trained hard with everything he can, diligently pursuing weapons and physical training and everything he needs to be picked up by a high-quality guild. Only once rated, his talent turns out to be a designation he has never heard of before: detrimental. In other words, a talent that makes him worse at the core activity of guilds (delving dungeons rifts for fame and fortune).
I like that even though it's a blow, he plots a path forward, taking the dead-end job and saving all he can to prove himself by purchasing a delving slot on his own to finance his progression himself. And I like how he treats the people around him that leads to being noticed by two higher tier visitors to the crappy inn he works at. He has determination and an eye on his future and I found that engaging.
And even more so when he figures out how to exploit the detrimental talent and turn it into a benefit, if not an actual strength. The plot was good, though relatively straightforward, and the pace was outstanding with a great mix of action and development. The story covers three years or so, though that's a bit misleading. We get his origins, a bit of a gloss over a year and some, and then pick up with him entering on the eponymous Path of Ascension—a program that scoops up the determined and/or gifted, trains them relentlessly for a bit, and then kicks them into the wide world (still on the path) where they can remain on the path so long as their advancement meets the insane pace at its base.
I could go on, but it's a long book so I'll wrap up by saying I was totally into it the entire way and I loved everything about it. I love his bonded creature Aster (an artic fox) and his initial friends that end up departing on their own path, and then his chance-met partner that turned into a companion. This is easily five stars and I can't wait to see how this all turns out.
A note about Chaste: Sex is obviously being had, including a short-term girlfriend for Alex, but none of it on-page. I consider this very chaste, but it would be fair to disagree. I do like the hints of perhaps more between Alex and Liz, but I also like that they're being careful and taking things slow. Like, glacially slow....more
I'm having a really hard time describing this, even in my head. It's an isekai story, though only barely. We learn early that the protagonist is from I'm having a really hard time describing this, even in my head. It's an isekai story, though only barely. We learn early that the protagonist is from our world, but few details beyond that he's familiar with Xianxia stories and feels like he is in one. Which allows him to hang a giant nope sign on the future he's currently on and find somewhere to live quietly on his own farm.
So he goes from being the least of a powerful sect to the most powerful guy around in a sector of the world he chose for its lack of people/things who might xianxia the place up. So it's kind of slice-of-life and with very little cultivation or death-defying action. I mean, some powerful stuff sniffs around but most of the threats are taken out by the curiously powerful farm creatures who happen to congregate in his home. It turns out that being kind and gentle pays dividends that he's not even seeking and I found that very engaging.
But what kept me going, and made me laugh out loud way more than usual (enough for Melissa to remark on), were the farm friends. Big D the rooster is fun, sure, but Chunky stole my heart and Tigger shouldered her way in somehow as well. Essentially, Jin creates a farmily with his sapient, cultivator critters and they are a delight. Add finding a fine lady to love and appreciative neighbors and I was all-in before I was even halfway through the novel.
Seriously, the humor was broad and with a heart to it that drew me in completely. I'm calling this an easy five stars and only wish I knew who to recommend it to because it is just so weird.
A note about Xianxia: I admit I have no idea what this word/genre actually means beyond that it's a type of Chinese adventure story. Contextually, it means something with noble heroes battling for supremacy in deadly duals against man and beast alike, all searching to be the best and bloodiest. But I can't vouch for it that I understand it beyond the internal clues of this story. I'm not sure if it would have been more engaging if I knew more of the genre or not.
A note about Chaste: Jin finds a lovely romantic interest and their romance is wonderful. They get married during the course of the story and they certainly have sex. But there is only kissing and some fond intimacies like hand holding on the page. It was perfect for this story and I'm glad the author had such a light touch....more
I like powerful women so a power-fantasy with a Mary Sue isn't a bad fit. Bear that in mind if you want to adjust this review accordingly. And yes, IlI like powerful women so a power-fantasy with a Mary Sue isn't a bad fit. Bear that in mind if you want to adjust this review accordingly. And yes, Ilea is totally a Mary Sue, though on the lighter side of the trope; she's not universally beloved and her romantic life is pretty barren (with a couple outright rejections, though not harshly) but she ends up with a lot of friends wherever she goes and that's a little too fortuitous.
I should also mention that the title is more than a little misleading. Ilea's defining characteristic is that she likes punching things. A lot. Her "class" is named Azarinth Healer, but really, she's a close-combat fighter with some overpowered healing skills. She gets the class through a fortuitous encounter and ends up with this lost art that once dominated the land (see overpowered). And then she goes about butt-kicking for goodness.
It's clear that this was written serially as it's very much beads-on-a-string plot-wise. Ilea hares off on one pursuit after another always looking for the next challenge where she can punch things. For once, I didn't mind this at all. Probably because I liked spending time with her. She's quirky and engaging and doesn't hesitate to do hard things.
The story ends a bit abruptly, though without anything important left in the air. This was kind of inevitable because there just isn't (yet?) an overarching bad guy that we care about. Okay, the elves are scary psychopaths but they're contained (so far?) to their forest redoubts and completely disorganized so only a periodic and singular threat for the most part. I'm going to give this four stars for the adventure with someone I enjoyed. Oh, and significantly better editing than I've become used to with LitRPG stories.
A note about Chaste: Ilea has two "romantic" partners, okay, fine, they're hook-ups. But we don't get in on any of the sexy times. There's enough on the way to the fun times that chaste is a close call. I didn't find it racy, but you could easily vary on that. I was interested that her bisexuality was so matter-of-factly given as simply the way she is and without apology or overthought....more
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