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Ultimate Level 1 #1
Ultimate Level 1: Shattered Dreams
Max wanted to be a [Baker].
Settle down, bake stuff, and enjoy life.
The gods, however, ruined that dream.
Given [Baker] and a rare black skill, he is now running for his life, trying to grow strong enough to return home. Now Max must find a way to grow strong enough to survive the people and the god hunting him. Unprepared for an adventurers life, Max will have to learn things the hard way as he hides his secret lest his fellow adventurers turn on him.
Settle down, bake stuff, and enjoy life.
The gods, however, ruined that dream.
Given [Baker] and a rare black skill, he is now running for his life, trying to grow strong enough to return home. Now Max must find a way to grow strong enough to survive the people and the god hunting him. Unprepared for an adventurers life, Max will have to learn things the hard way as he hides his secret lest his fellow adventurers turn on him.
455 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 23, 2024
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1201 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
September 17, 2024
This is a LitRPG fantasy world where the main character starts out as kind of a dweeb. And I don't mean that he just wants to be a Baker. I mean he doesn't really think about things and has simple plans for no real reason. He's barely eighteen and has his life planned out in the boringest way imaginable and the first quarter or so is him just bumbling from one wimpy reaction to the next.
But then the author happens to him and he gets pushed out of that simple life and into the story the author actually wants to tell. And by that I mean that stuff happens to the wimp that works to make him stronger for reasons. Which is to say no reason except the story happens that way. The author makes a stab at excusing a string of luck by giving the reader hints of a broader "game" being played by "gods" that give Max advantages and hide him from the other "gods" who are working to kill those with skills like his. But that's just a veneer to give the author license to lard him up with all the best stuff (and every "rare" encounter) in a power fantasy.
And while I like power fantasy as a rule, this just feels convenient and slapped together. And yes, Max is the Gariest of Gary Stus. Like, he pretty much defines the character concept. Everybody likes him and people are continually amazed by his awesomeness. He does amazing things that nobody else possibly could.
Where this feels most contrived is the author neglecting to detail what the party interface looks like. We know that you can see your party members and their health and mana. But Max is going under an assumed name. So is it little portraits? Can you edit the name you are listed as for other party members? Also, Max is using spells and mana when he's pretending to be a normal warrior. Does nobody wonder why his mana bar is moving? I have questions and the author just "forgets" to describe it enough for me to know. Breaking immersion every time the party stuff comes up. For me, at least.
So why bother reading this? Well, the action was fun. The pace was good. And I like power fantasy stories and this fits that bill. And yes, all of that is pretty much excusing my enjoyment of a book that's decidedly mediocre. So let's say three stars it doesn't really deserve.
A note about Chaste: Max starts the story with a sweetheart he wants to spend his life baking with. They have plans. Boring, boring plans. But she leaves him when the shady arbitrators declare him "unskilled". Max becomes pretty much a eunuch at that point, uninterested in the pretty girls around him. Like other things in the story, the author doesn't bother explaining why. It was a bit weird that a girl he had nothing but platonic interest in worried about him doing nice things for her to get into her pants. The bit where she nervously explains that she has a girlfriend was all of the cringe, not helped by giving both lesbian girls a penchant for unnatural hair colors (one green, one blue). The only women with this trait, I might add. Because dying your hair colors unseen in nature is a universal mark of lesbians, don't you know... So anyway, very chaste. Weirdly so. I'd almost suspect him of being ace for how little he thinks about intimate relationships if he hadn't started with a girlfriend.
But then the author happens to him and he gets pushed out of that simple life and into the story the author actually wants to tell. And by that I mean that stuff happens to the wimp that works to make him stronger for reasons. Which is to say no reason except the story happens that way. The author makes a stab at excusing a string of luck by giving the reader hints of a broader "game" being played by "gods" that give Max advantages and hide him from the other "gods" who are working to kill those with skills like his. But that's just a veneer to give the author license to lard him up with all the best stuff (and every "rare" encounter) in a power fantasy.
And while I like power fantasy as a rule, this just feels convenient and slapped together. And yes, Max is the Gariest of Gary Stus. Like, he pretty much defines the character concept. Everybody likes him and people are continually amazed by his awesomeness. He does amazing things that nobody else possibly could.
Where this feels most contrived is the author neglecting to detail what the party interface looks like. We know that you can see your party members and their health and mana. But Max is going under an assumed name. So is it little portraits? Can you edit the name you are listed as for other party members? Also, Max is using spells and mana when he's pretending to be a normal warrior. Does nobody wonder why his mana bar is moving? I have questions and the author just "forgets" to describe it enough for me to know. Breaking immersion every time the party stuff comes up. For me, at least.
So why bother reading this? Well, the action was fun. The pace was good. And I like power fantasy stories and this fits that bill. And yes, all of that is pretty much excusing my enjoyment of a book that's decidedly mediocre. So let's say three stars it doesn't really deserve.
A note about Chaste: Max starts the story with a sweetheart he wants to spend his life baking with. They have plans. Boring, boring plans. But she leaves him when the shady arbitrators declare him "unskilled". Max becomes pretty much a eunuch at that point, uninterested in the pretty girls around him. Like other things in the story, the author doesn't bother explaining why. It was a bit weird that a girl he had nothing but platonic interest in worried about him doing nice things for her to get into her pants. The bit where she nervously explains that she has a girlfriend was all of the cringe, not helped by giving both lesbian girls a penchant for unnatural hair colors (one green, one blue). The only women with this trait, I might add. Because dying your hair colors unseen in nature is a universal mark of lesbians, don't you know... So anyway, very chaste. Weirdly so. I'd almost suspect him of being ace for how little he thinks about intimate relationships if he hadn't started with a girlfriend.
April 5, 2024
4.5 Stars
On the surface, this novel seems to be a standard LitRPG. The central character has a forbidden class and powers-up in a quick but unorthodox way. Thus we get to enjoy the hidden-powers trope, as well as witnessing an underdog being persecuted by those in power.
What sold me on the story, was how sensible the protagonist was. He doesn't tilt at windmills or hesitate to eliminate murderous adversaries. No moral hand-wringing or mopey periods of self-flagellation. Instead, we get treated to logical planning, good preparation, and a significant amount of running away. Here's to being level-headed.
On the surface, this novel seems to be a standard LitRPG. The central character has a forbidden class and powers-up in a quick but unorthodox way. Thus we get to enjoy the hidden-powers trope, as well as witnessing an underdog being persecuted by those in power.
What sold me on the story, was how sensible the protagonist was. He doesn't tilt at windmills or hesitate to eliminate murderous adversaries. No moral hand-wringing or mopey periods of self-flagellation. Instead, we get treated to logical planning, good preparation, and a significant amount of running away. Here's to being level-headed.
February 28, 2024
Very simple.
A quick set up that never gains any depth. Quick, unsatisfying fights that are over in a flash. A lot of plot armor. The character work, the storyline, the setting, it is all simplistic and lacking.
A quick set up that never gains any depth. Quick, unsatisfying fights that are over in a flash. A lot of plot armor. The character work, the storyline, the setting, it is all simplistic and lacking.
March 26, 2024
DNF, impossible to see how this got 4.6 stars when it's the same "quality" as all the other litrpg authors' first book.
May 2, 2024
This book is what happens when everyone gets a participation trophy. The MC is praised for taking his first steps in the big bad world by beating a low level boss in a starter town. He is so amazing and everybody loves him. The most powerful people cannot find him because... His best friend slept with his sister and therefore they couldn't have helped him? At least he shaved his head, nobody will ever know it's him!
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April 23, 2024Less weird cursing please
The whole 'Holy [specie] ball/tits/shit' got severely overused through the book. I would be less upset if they went with more traditional and simple curses.
The whole 'Holy [specie] ball/tits/shit' got severely overused through the book. I would be less upset if they went with more traditional and simple curses.
April 10, 2024
The author seemed a bit split brained on whether they wanted to write a children's or teen's fantasy book. It swings from dully innocent to arbitrarily dark with little warning.
It's a book that was originally publish episodely as a web novel and it's cool to see a marked progression in the author's writing quality as the book goes on. The plot itself is a bit mundane, but the protagonist is appealing enough that it's satisfying to see them progress. That appeal is pretty shaky though as the author seems a bit too concerned with making the character innocent and good natured to the point that they're rather boring.
I'm probably being a bit over-critical on a book meant for pure entertainment purposes.
It's a book that was originally publish episodely as a web novel and it's cool to see a marked progression in the author's writing quality as the book goes on. The plot itself is a bit mundane, but the protagonist is appealing enough that it's satisfying to see them progress. That appeal is pretty shaky though as the author seems a bit too concerned with making the character innocent and good natured to the point that they're rather boring.
I'm probably being a bit over-critical on a book meant for pure entertainment purposes.
May 13, 2024
I unfortunately wasn't able to finish this one. I struggled to stay engaged and want to continue reading this one. No one thing did it, it was kind of multiple things. The MC is kind of boring. The people he meets are also kind of boring. The description of the land and what it looks like was kind of boring. And I just couldn't finish it.
February 24, 2024
Delicious
A refreshing take on litrpg genre. It hits you hard from the start and takes you or nail bitting journey. Very very good and would highly recommend.
A refreshing take on litrpg genre. It hits you hard from the start and takes you or nail bitting journey. Very very good and would highly recommend.
April 27, 2024
Wow this is really fun!
Nothing really new here to the genre but it does it very well, good crunch and progression. Hopefully the next keeps ramping things up.
Nothing really new here to the genre but it does it very well, good crunch and progression. Hopefully the next keeps ramping things up.
June 21, 2025
This is a fantasy LitRPG or progression series set on a fantasy world that has had a system for a long time. No apocalypse here. Max is turning age 18 and he gets to touch a crystal that will assign him his skill/profession. He wants to be a baker but ends up getting a unique and special skill with negative connotations. The authorities try to silence and kidnap him but he escapes and from there is on an adventure to evade detection, grow stronger, learn about his skill, and uncover the machinations of powerful figures.
I read eight books of this series and while I liked it I would not say it is one of my favorites. I disliked some of the secondary characters (like Fowl) and in some parts it felt grindy. I preferred the parts where Max is more on his own and not tied down by annoying party members. I also got tired of all the gaping and exclaimations like "Holy Elf xxxxx". I also don't like how it seems characters don't really get to decide or pick their skills. They just happen or get rewarded. I prefer systems where people get to choose one of several choices and also get to decide between different upgrade paths. I will probably try to reread this series at some point perhaps when it is finished.
I read eight books of this series and while I liked it I would not say it is one of my favorites. I disliked some of the secondary characters (like Fowl) and in some parts it felt grindy. I preferred the parts where Max is more on his own and not tied down by annoying party members. I also got tired of all the gaping and exclaimations like "Holy Elf xxxxx". I also don't like how it seems characters don't really get to decide or pick their skills. They just happen or get rewarded. I prefer systems where people get to choose one of several choices and also get to decide between different upgrade paths. I will probably try to reread this series at some point perhaps when it is finished.
May 10, 2024
I was on the edge of giving this book 5 stars. I really enjoyed this book for what it is. It is a semi-new twist to the LitRPG genre. Trying to avoid spoilers as much as possible, the main character has a special skill and it carries some interesting caveats, such as he can't level. In a genre that is all about leveling and getting stronger this can be a pretty interesting problem for a character to navigate and overcome.
And, for the most part, I think the author does a pretty good job of showing Max trying to figure things out and deal with them. There are even parts where he is clearly tempted by dark power and he definitely crosses some good guy lines. Let me be clear that I am absolutely here for that. However, this is the same Character that uses, "you've got to be crapping me". Not only does this line feel weirdly childish but also is not a line I think an 18 year old farm boy, on the lamb, who has fought for his life, would talk.
I think that this book does have 5 star plot points and and the characters are written like people. It is interesting to watch them navigate the challenges. But every now and again there are these 2 star moments where the people in the book almost break character and do those weird things. It doesn't stop me from enjoying it as a whole, but I can see why it would really bother some people.
Also ton of fight scenes if you like that sort of thing. They're shorter, but in a more realistic way. People can't have 20 minute fights when they're barely stronger than normal people. There's enough of them to satisfy most if that's why you read these.
And, for the most part, I think the author does a pretty good job of showing Max trying to figure things out and deal with them. There are even parts where he is clearly tempted by dark power and he definitely crosses some good guy lines. Let me be clear that I am absolutely here for that. However, this is the same Character that uses, "you've got to be crapping me". Not only does this line feel weirdly childish but also is not a line I think an 18 year old farm boy, on the lamb, who has fought for his life, would talk.
I think that this book does have 5 star plot points and and the characters are written like people. It is interesting to watch them navigate the challenges. But every now and again there are these 2 star moments where the people in the book almost break character and do those weird things. It doesn't stop me from enjoying it as a whole, but I can see why it would really bother some people.
Also ton of fight scenes if you like that sort of thing. They're shorter, but in a more realistic way. People can't have 20 minute fights when they're barely stronger than normal people. There's enough of them to satisfy most if that's why you read these.
June 9, 2024
Contradictory, irrational, nonsensical. Author is antagonist of the main character (treats main character like a target, meat-shield, stepping-stone, victim). Can it be "unjust"(lack of Justice) if the author wrote the story in this way?? Without any world-building, any main character/side-character descriptions (personality, age, family, background, etc.), character summaries, maps, inside illustrations, to have the readers invested in the main character and the story, before the author starts to bash/bully/etc. the main character??
Author starts story with main character receiving 2 skills, but not being able to tell any of the public watching him his skills? Some people in the crowd beat him to unconsciousness and this is the start that this author "wrote" for the beginning of this fantasy-game-like-system-story-series??? Why have the skill discovery ceremony in public if nobody can sense/see/display the skills these people from another world/reality have? Why didn't the author give the main character a chance to say what his 2 skills were?? Why wasn't main character able to speak/say his skills, but seconds later say to the 4 brutes violently beating him, that he has skills, but doesn't say them either?
Having an unlimited/infinite number of ways to start a fantasy story series, this is not a good one.
Why show the reader the stat display of the main character, but not the characters of the book?? Is the author conspiring against his own creation (main character) is the author entrapping his own main character?? Does the main character owe money/cheat the author for this bad/bullying treatment?? The author then writes that as the main character is making his escape, a sheep dog saves him from a Goblin that was trying to kill (main character). The Sheep dog is "mortally wounded", but the author writes that the main character "finishes the dog off"...main character actually "put down" the dog when the only thing one should "put down", is this book, this story series, the author's nonsensical, contradictory and illogical way of writing stories.
So, don't read...unless you like main character bullying, an author that tends to sadism, psychopathy and contradictions...
Author starts story with main character receiving 2 skills, but not being able to tell any of the public watching him his skills? Some people in the crowd beat him to unconsciousness and this is the start that this author "wrote" for the beginning of this fantasy-game-like-system-story-series??? Why have the skill discovery ceremony in public if nobody can sense/see/display the skills these people from another world/reality have? Why didn't the author give the main character a chance to say what his 2 skills were?? Why wasn't main character able to speak/say his skills, but seconds later say to the 4 brutes violently beating him, that he has skills, but doesn't say them either?
Having an unlimited/infinite number of ways to start a fantasy story series, this is not a good one.
Why show the reader the stat display of the main character, but not the characters of the book?? Is the author conspiring against his own creation (main character) is the author entrapping his own main character?? Does the main character owe money/cheat the author for this bad/bullying treatment?? The author then writes that as the main character is making his escape, a sheep dog saves him from a Goblin that was trying to kill (main character). The Sheep dog is "mortally wounded", but the author writes that the main character "finishes the dog off"...main character actually "put down" the dog when the only thing one should "put down", is this book, this story series, the author's nonsensical, contradictory and illogical way of writing stories.
So, don't read...unless you like main character bullying, an author that tends to sadism, psychopathy and contradictions...
May 25, 2025
Level One, Forever?
Max has dreamed of becoming a [Baker] for years. His eighteenth birthday has passed and Choosing Day arrives — the day when he, and all the other new adults in his village, receive their Skill from the gods; but when he touches the Skill Crystal his dream shatters.
This LitRPG novel has the typical game-like mechanics of the genre, but there are no distinctly defined character classes; instead every person receives one, or rarely two, Skills which determine the broad path of their lives. Some Skills are as much curse as they are blessing. Acquiring additional skills is possible, but a person must be level twenty, or higher, to do so. Rarer than a person receiving two skills is a person receiving no skill. Such unfortunate individuals are taken away by the Adventurers Guild, and never seen again.
You can take a guess at what Max gets at his choosing, but you would likely be wrong.
The novel has good characters, pacing, and development of the plot. I highly recommend it for those who like the LitRPG genre. Those who like Fantasy, but care less for LitRPG, can easily ignore the Status Sheets and Statistics checks without losing the salient points of the plot.
Max has dreamed of becoming a [Baker] for years. His eighteenth birthday has passed and Choosing Day arrives — the day when he, and all the other new adults in his village, receive their Skill from the gods; but when he touches the Skill Crystal his dream shatters.
This LitRPG novel has the typical game-like mechanics of the genre, but there are no distinctly defined character classes; instead every person receives one, or rarely two, Skills which determine the broad path of their lives. Some Skills are as much curse as they are blessing. Acquiring additional skills is possible, but a person must be level twenty, or higher, to do so. Rarer than a person receiving two skills is a person receiving no skill. Such unfortunate individuals are taken away by the Adventurers Guild, and never seen again.
You can take a guess at what Max gets at his choosing, but you would likely be wrong.
The novel has good characters, pacing, and development of the plot. I highly recommend it for those who like the LitRPG genre. Those who like Fantasy, but care less for LitRPG, can easily ignore the Status Sheets and Statistics checks without losing the salient points of the plot.
March 22, 2024
Book one
I mean it's not bad. It's good enough that I follow the story on Royalroad.
I just think that the MC is a little to nice.
I mean come on, he's raiding low level dungeons just to give away the gear???
I could understand if it was a friend or family or heck even someone he just met that asked for help. But noooo he just gives it away not even bothering to meet the people that are getting the gear.
I hope that one of his party members gets injured by one of these people that he has blindly given gear to.
7/10 And it's still going strong on Royalroad.
I mean it's not bad. It's good enough that I follow the story on Royalroad.
I just think that the MC is a little to nice.
I mean come on, he's raiding low level dungeons just to give away the gear???
I could understand if it was a friend or family or heck even someone he just met that asked for help. But noooo he just gives it away not even bothering to meet the people that are getting the gear.
I hope that one of his party members gets injured by one of these people that he has blindly given gear to.
7/10 And it's still going strong on Royalroad.
October 1, 2024
4.5 stars. Nothing really special about it, but nothing really bothered me and it kept me engagged, so here we are.
Yes, the MC (who is a kid) is a bit of a dufus to begin with, but that makes sense and sets a good baseline for character growth. We see a good deal of that in book one, and I anticipate a good deal more to come as he figures out what he's doing. I'm on to book 2 already, so we'll soon see how that learning curve goes.
Yes, the MC (who is a kid) is a bit of a dufus to begin with, but that makes sense and sets a good baseline for character growth. We see a good deal of that in book one, and I anticipate a good deal more to come as he figures out what he's doing. I'm on to book 2 already, so we'll soon see how that learning curve goes.
April 25, 2024
Ok book
It was ok until the party with the dwarfs in it, before they even finished the dungeon he was telling them his life story and them demanding more from him, just not how a person who is hunted should respond plus he went to the same Adventures that will kill him if they found out... The writer totally made this unbelievable even if it is fantasy
It was ok until the party with the dwarfs in it, before they even finished the dungeon he was telling them his life story and them demanding more from him, just not how a person who is hunted should respond plus he went to the same Adventures that will kill him if they found out... The writer totally made this unbelievable even if it is fantasy
January 2, 2025
Was fun
I’ve had other rpglit that I like better. But this one was fun. Maybe a bit too much random fighting but I’m excited to see what happens in the future with some of the stuff that has been happening in the background.
I’ve had other rpglit that I like better. But this one was fun. Maybe a bit too much random fighting but I’m excited to see what happens in the future with some of the stuff that has been happening in the background.
March 14, 2024
He sure goes on about his bladder. With good reason, as the story starts with him pissing himself, but it’s not for me.
April 24, 2024
Good
A good start to the book series, I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book released.
A good start to the book series, I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book released.
November 5, 2024
I have a feeling author drew his inspiration from Mark Of The Fool
March 8, 2024
Despite some clunky writing (for real, nobody needs to know when your characters relieve themselves) there’s a fun story in here.
I wish more had been done with the Baking because it’s why I picked up the book. It still delivered some tension and fun anyway.
The way the MC gains skills adds extra excitement to the fights. So I am bumping my rating up and will look for the next in the series.
I wish more had been done with the Baking because it’s why I picked up the book. It still delivered some tension and fun anyway.
The way the MC gains skills adds extra excitement to the fights. So I am bumping my rating up and will look for the next in the series.
March 6, 2025
I can't give this higher than a 3. When reading this compared to the high review score I am flumoxed. As a concept and litrpg it's fine to good. Max aka Seth is perfect with jam packed amount of plot armor.
The good is the action is pretty good. Short and sweet with a struggle here or there but mostly just violent fun. The concept is good as well. Having a character that cannot level up but find ways to level in a different way is creative.
The bad is characters, dialogue, and Max. This story all revolves around Max and his awesomeness. He gets constant praise, congratulations, and unrealistic amounts of support. I would confidently say that outside combat that Max has little to no troubles. Girls are throwing themselves at him for no reason, all gear is tailored to his skill, things are just given to him for reasons, and everyone likes him and is helpful. Seriously , it's gets to a point where Max has to face some struggles or something or pull your hair out.
As someone else mentioned, Max has to be chaste cause damn does he have an army or women, even people that use him, are flinging themselves at him and Max is oblivious. No, he isn't cause he grins alot and flirts back but I don't think many men out there can conquer their libeto into chastity. I'm not a big harem guy but author could have used some fade to black moments.
The good is the action is pretty good. Short and sweet with a struggle here or there but mostly just violent fun. The concept is good as well. Having a character that cannot level up but find ways to level in a different way is creative.
The bad is characters, dialogue, and Max. This story all revolves around Max and his awesomeness. He gets constant praise, congratulations, and unrealistic amounts of support. I would confidently say that outside combat that Max has little to no troubles. Girls are throwing themselves at him for no reason, all gear is tailored to his skill, things are just given to him for reasons, and everyone likes him and is helpful. Seriously , it's gets to a point where Max has to face some struggles or something or pull your hair out.
As someone else mentioned, Max has to be chaste cause damn does he have an army or women, even people that use him, are flinging themselves at him and Max is oblivious. No, he isn't cause he grins alot and flirts back but I don't think many men out there can conquer their libeto into chastity. I'm not a big harem guy but author could have used some fade to black moments.
March 23, 2025
A nice surprise
This is the first book that I've come across by this author or publishing company which by the way mango media is quite cute as is the character design. I had really no expectations for this book at all. It kind of made me feel like the story was going to be flat when I first started into it. I'm glad that ended up not being the case though it definitely moved strangely in a few places. Ultimately our main character is given a gift or curse from the gods that would see him executed. Strangely enough the execution order appears to also originate with the Gods. Our main character had his life all planned out only for it to be upended and now he is learning the joys and Perils of an adventure. There is some Intrigue happening behind the scenes. I am interested in seeing what book two has in store for us. My understanding is that the first four books have received the audio treatment. I may double back and see how I like the narrator's performance should I enjoy book two. I believe as of the time of this review that the first six books are available in ebook format. With that I will simply say Well done and a round of applause for everybody who had a hand in bringing this story to us, the Amazon readers.
This is the first book that I've come across by this author or publishing company which by the way mango media is quite cute as is the character design. I had really no expectations for this book at all. It kind of made me feel like the story was going to be flat when I first started into it. I'm glad that ended up not being the case though it definitely moved strangely in a few places. Ultimately our main character is given a gift or curse from the gods that would see him executed. Strangely enough the execution order appears to also originate with the Gods. Our main character had his life all planned out only for it to be upended and now he is learning the joys and Perils of an adventure. There is some Intrigue happening behind the scenes. I am interested in seeing what book two has in store for us. My understanding is that the first four books have received the audio treatment. I may double back and see how I like the narrator's performance should I enjoy book two. I believe as of the time of this review that the first six books are available in ebook format. With that I will simply say Well done and a round of applause for everybody who had a hand in bringing this story to us, the Amazon readers.
May 3, 2024
A really intruging storyline with lots of action and adventure
The MC gains a rare skill from the gods which marks him for culling by the powers that be. He chooses not to roll over and 2ith a bit of help escsped his fate. He joins the Adventurer guild and levels up quickly by in a slightly different manner since he cannot gain XP, instead he has a syphon power. Loved the progression. The mystic theory and stats were just the right balance to make sense, yet keep the storyline flowing well. I found the fantasy swearing very amusing. The MC is using his wits to understand whats going on around him and taking the time to think about how to hide in plain sight. He also came up with reasonable explanations to deflect questions, before he needed them. A huge advantage as many MC's almost feel obligated to jump into the water without checking for gators (metaphorically speaking).
Really looking forward to the next installment to find out the purpose of the dissident gods who gifted him and how he upsets the status quo.
The MC gains a rare skill from the gods which marks him for culling by the powers that be. He chooses not to roll over and 2ith a bit of help escsped his fate. He joins the Adventurer guild and levels up quickly by in a slightly different manner since he cannot gain XP, instead he has a syphon power. Loved the progression. The mystic theory and stats were just the right balance to make sense, yet keep the storyline flowing well. I found the fantasy swearing very amusing. The MC is using his wits to understand whats going on around him and taking the time to think about how to hide in plain sight. He also came up with reasonable explanations to deflect questions, before he needed them. A huge advantage as many MC's almost feel obligated to jump into the water without checking for gators (metaphorically speaking).
Really looking forward to the next installment to find out the purpose of the dissident gods who gifted him and how he upsets the status quo.
April 29, 2025
The writing is clunky, and everything could use a good editing pass. The specific LitRPG system seems pretty simple overall, and it doesn’t feel particularly well thought-out. The main character, and eventually, most of his friends seem both kind of boring and improbably lucky. The frequent fight scenes are fine. Fairly repetitive and not always that interesting. But that does capture the essence of farming a dungeon for loot in a video game, so perhaps that’s a good thing. Despite the flaws, it’s enjoyable enough for what it is. There are signs that interesting things are happening beyond where our character can see, and his unusual skills start to get more interesting towards the end of the book. I’ll read a few more books in the series to see how it progresses.
August 22, 2024
I'm on the fence. Great start, not primitive layout of influence and world. I love the idea of always Level 1. However, the character interactions often felt immature and simplistic. To make friends, characters rely on flattery, deceit, and undeserved rewards. The antagonists are bad simply because they are bad and power hungry. The protagonist is good because he is good and he also is power hungry but that is good.
Additionally, there’s an overemphasis on gruesome details during violent scenes. The characters, including the MC showed no hesitation in killing NPCs or each other.
And he is OP in many scenes.
I'm not sure if I'm reading Book 2.
Additionally, there’s an overemphasis on gruesome details during violent scenes. The characters, including the MC showed no hesitation in killing NPCs or each other.
And he is OP in many scenes.
I'm not sure if I'm reading Book 2.
August 8, 2024
Shallow story telling, shallow world building, and shallow characters make this an uninspiring read. The book feels very juvenile in general with a special mention for the interminable exclamations of "goblin shite!", "Holy elf tits," etc. It starts very cringey and grated on my nerves as it continued. This may have been intended for a younger audience, although the story tends to whip back and forth in tone a bit much if that is the case.
Okay junk food read but nothing outstanding in the genre.
Okay junk food read but nothing outstanding in the genre.
October 23, 2024
Book starts out OK (as long as you don't think deeply about anything), but gets worse as it goes.
1. Lots of grammatical errors, and wrong words being used. Book needs a better editor.
2. It is not an isekai situation, and yet the MC says stuff like "i'll be your huckleberry". How in the world would this dude know quotes from a 1990s movie?
3. The MC is a bit stupid.
4. The end sucks, I hate destiny crap.
1. Lots of grammatical errors, and wrong words being used. Book needs a better editor.
2. It is not an isekai situation, and yet the MC says stuff like "i'll be your huckleberry". How in the world would this dude know quotes from a 1990s movie?
3. The MC is a bit stupid.
4. The end sucks, I hate destiny crap.
April 5, 2025
I'll edit this after I read a few more in the series...
2.5 stars - the first 1/2-2/3 of this is very skimmable and reads like an author's first book that they wrote in a college creative writing class. BUT, there are enough nuggets of potential there that I pushed through that and it did get better. If they continue to improve at this rate for a while, I think they could cook up something good.
2.5 stars - the first 1/2-2/3 of this is very skimmable and reads like an author's first book that they wrote in a college creative writing class. BUT, there are enough nuggets of potential there that I pushed through that and it did get better. If they continue to improve at this rate for a while, I think they could cook up something good.
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