There are two different books in this litrpg, but they are thankfully clearly labelled.
The first is a classic post-apocalyptic tale, in which you haveThere are two different books in this litrpg, but they are thankfully clearly labelled.
The first is a classic post-apocalyptic tale, in which you have your usual game system - in term of a deck of cards - imposed on Earth, while the civilization is first destroyed, then people get killed by monsters, leaving the survivors to try to make sense of the thing and try to rebuild some life. This section is executed very well, with the main character taking the opportunity offered by the general store he was a clerk in to get favors from a variety of "tourists" come to sample the opportunities offered by the newest planet to be available through the system. Discovery, reversals, blunders and heroic deeds are all well placed.
Then there is an isekai when the titular Jake gets over his head and ends up out of Earth, and you get an entirely different story unfolding, including some slightly different ways of progressing. Jake grows in power, improves himself, and remains clear in his motivations and goals.
The only weak part is the ending. While it does a great job at setting the next story arc, which promises again to be quite different from the first two, it also weakens dramatically the earlier stories, which lack a clean resolution, with a vague possibility of resolution, but one that would happen outside (maybe) of Jake's efforts. This is not enough to deter the enjoyment one has from such a good, strong story. ...more
David Drake continues his series of a weirdly twisted continuum of human pockets amist inhuman weirdness. Which also happens to be a retelling of ArthDavid Drake continues his series of a weirdly twisted continuum of human pockets amist inhuman weirdness. Which also happens to be a retelling of Arthurian legends.
As the first books before, it is its own thing. It mixes bizarre problems, Pal the warrior, Pal the explorer, Pal the investigator and a large cast of characters. It also includes deadly duels, wicked nobles and strange sorcerers, since it is an Arthurian tale after all. It is its own thing, and that's a good thing. The kind of series where you want more, but could stop there at any time.
Thankfully, M. Drake is the right person to make this work....more
The third book is entirely misnamed. Based on the previous two, you'd expect the book to revolve around dungeon core progression. But that is not whatThe third book is entirely misnamed. Based on the previous two, you'd expect the book to revolve around dungeon core progression. But that is not what's happening. While you have some interesting shenanigans involving dungeons going on, there is absolutely zero progression directly tied to dungeons, which makes the title slightly baffling. In fact, the book is a straight followup to the previous one, with Jeb making progress with his god system locks, enemies and various creative use of his abilities and a handful of others.
The main point that weakens the entire book is the overpoweredness of the antagonist and the King. They lead to contortions to prevent direct conflict, and other elements that make the entire story strain more the suspension of disbelief, which is always a risk in those stories.
The net result is a book that is relatively readable, but hard to get excited about....more
The story picks up after the ending of book 1, with the MC left stripped of its access to the litRPG system. The solution to this conundrum is inventiThe story picks up after the ending of book 1, with the MC left stripped of its access to the litRPG system. The solution to this conundrum is inventive, as it involves him pivoting from the so-called "Generic System" of book 1 to a "Fairy System", acquiring power the fairy way - with the help and tutelage of the fairy he brought from the trial. As a result, you get a very different type of book from the pure combat-survival oriented of the first one to go along with the different progression system.
Along the way, he gets enemies, humiliate them, solves problems, rescue people - for money - and otherwise bring the reader along for a sort of bewildering ride across the landscape of an Earth integrated into a larger RPG world.
Not a deep book, but a very smooth read, if you like the Macronomicon style....more
A good, solid system apocalypse litrpg. It's got an interesting system, the usual base building aspects that are often common with the apocalypse settA good, solid system apocalypse litrpg. It's got an interesting system, the usual base building aspects that are often common with the apocalypse setting, the OP main characters and the usual tropes. Not extremely original, but well written, and highly enjoyable....more
A post-System Apocalypse, with one of the monsters as its focus.
It's an interesting riff on a classic setting for the genre, as the book features its A post-System Apocalypse, with one of the monsters as its focus.
It's an interesting riff on a classic setting for the genre, as the book features its main characters as being some of the transformed monsters springing from the System Apocalypse. As such, the MC has access to the System, but the humans do not. Sprinkle partial amnesia, justified paranoia, and kin-solidarity, and you get a good worldbuilding.
The progression itself isn't as well done as the world, but it is enough to leave you wanting to know what happens after the massive cliffhanger at the end (yes, there is one hell of a cliffhanger)....more
It's actually two books in one series, which was the author's first. Sadly, as many first-time authors, he Early work, sadly ended without resolution.
It's actually two books in one series, which was the author's first. Sadly, as many first-time authors, he wrote himself into a corner, and the second major arc of the series petered out....more
Spoiler alert: this is based on the early web version, before final editing.
This is litrpg of the highest quality. 10 years ago, the System ApocalypseSpoiler alert: this is based on the early web version, before final editing.
This is litrpg of the highest quality. 10 years ago, the System Apocalypse happens - the system installs, offering everyone the usual package of skills, classes or even cultivation choices. And at the end of ten years, Earth gets destroyed, and the top 10.000 people in term of power get moved to the Infinite Realm... just like the six previous earths.
Except that, minutes before the ascension of the 10.000 rankers, there are only seven people left alive... and six of them are trying to execute the #1 on the rank scale for the crime of exterminating mankind.
And this is why you get to cheer for the villain of the story when he and his old friend that failed to kill him by two seconds become the only persons to enter the titular realm, much to the surprise and incomprehension of everyone.
Separated, they have to recreate themselves, because Earth is gone. And M. Kal does an impressive job to make you understand why, in a world where personal power gives you basically Superman-level strengths, someone can end up a sociopathic monster that killed nearly everyone. It's stupid, it's wrong... and everyone in there is very, very human.
Kudos on what should probably be one of the best series in 2021....more
The second volume of the series continues the original story in a fairly straightforward manner. There isA standard sequel, as expected from book one.
The second volume of the series continues the original story in a fairly straightforward manner. There is a bit more politics, but not too exotic or anything else. Overall, it felt more like a filler book rather than a book that made the general plot advance. In a planned trilogy, that would be okay. On a relatively open-ended series, that's not the kind of book I'd like to see....more
With an amnesia-based main character, there's a number of predictable exposition points, and some of thosSolid writing, with a bit of a classic story.
With an amnesia-based main character, there's a number of predictable exposition points, and some of those come here. It's always a bit frustrating when the bad guys discuss how they figured out who the MC is, but we're not being told anything more than "VIP". That always feel artificial. Having the MC being reminded that some entities out there know who he is is okay, having people discuss it in a third-person omniscient point of view but hiding everything feels cheap. That's my big beef.
Outside of that, our Enchanter (the build type for caster/support) gathers a party that should be solid/permanent, unlike book 1, starts pushing, and ends up in a cliffhanger (of course). As I said, a bit too classic, even if the worldbuilding looks fine....more
It's not just that most of the combat feels unoriginal, but the various characters introduced are increasingStandard story, good, but not exceptional.
It's not just that most of the combat feels unoriginal, but the various characters introduced are increasingly irrealistic. That, and the MC flip-flops rather heavily. If I knew this guy, I wouldn't trust him to become the Emperor of Earth and stuff. Lead a raid, yes. Govern actual people? He's a disaster walking that only succeeds by author fiat.
In addition, there's also a moment where numbers don't add. We are starting to talk about a few thousand people to take possession of an entire planet? That's the point where my disbelief cannot be suspended....more
The series has been okay so far, but it is slowly stretching thin, because the main character has achieved so much that all the struggles that pretty The series has been okay so far, but it is slowly stretching thin, because the main character has achieved so much that all the struggles that pretty much make the genre tick are becoming hard to insert.
It remains solid, well-written, but it doesn't have the little plus to make it a truly great series....more
One of the interesting bits on the book is how it is attempting to use sci-fi concepts to turn intInteresting premise, possibly interesting character.
One of the interesting bits on the book is how it is attempting to use sci-fi concepts to turn into RPG-like mechanics - including the possibility of perma-death and having to essentially "re-roll" a new character.
There is the usual array of tropes in play, but the politics and background worldbuilding are very good and promise much. It remains to be seen how this will be realized in the next volumes, but this one, at least, works as a series beginning....more
The second chapter of the Arthurian Stories in a post-apocalyptic setting delivers. Again.
When David Drake goes on taking classic archetypes and placiThe second chapter of the Arthurian Stories in a post-apocalyptic setting delivers. Again.
When David Drake goes on taking classic archetypes and placing them in an entirely different setting, he makes an original, yet classic story. Even if you never heard about Arthurian Legends - if that's a possible - this story would be perfectly fine and totally enjoyable for what it is. The characters are all highly detailed, perfect for their respective parts of the story, and the Arthurian archetypes used make a good sauce to top a perfect feast of a book.
And now, you get a proper Merlin, and you see the possible seeds of his downfall. And it all flows so perfectly, it's a marvel.
If you have only to read a handful of David Drake stories, pick the Northworld Trilogy and The Spark series. That's enough to make despair of other writers....more
David Drake is an unsurpassable master, and it shows it again.
When it comes to fantasy, sci-fi, or blending the two together, you can count of M. DrakDavid Drake is an unsurpassable master, and it shows it again.
When it comes to fantasy, sci-fi, or blending the two together, you can count of M. Drake to do it. And when he picks a classical tale, and remake it his way, you can count even more on his skill.
Here, you're warned in the introduction that he's basically taking the archetypes of Arthurian Legend, and then remaking them in a fantasy-scifi setting. And you can immediately recognize them, yet enjoy the fact that they are definitively not those people you read about previously. So, the story of a young lad coming to Camelot join the Round Table (here's it's Dun Add and the Hall of Champions) is simultaneously familiar enough to see where it comes from, and totally innovative and going you about reading Pal until you discover you've reached the end of the book.
It's a blend like no other. M. Drake mention another retelling (and one I absolutely love), Northworld, because it is simultaneously the same kind of exercise of taking classical tales and putting them in a science-fiction-cum-fantasy setting, and he's bringing the Smiths of that trilogy (renamed "Makers" here). Kudos. And long live David Drake, may he bring us many more stories....more
The second book of this system apocalypse series is relatively good, but suffer from one major problem. Weak second book, a bit too similar to book 1.
The second book of this system apocalypse series is relatively good, but suffer from one major problem. It is basically the same as book 1, just with higher numbers. You have the same groups of assholes that have no other purpose in the story other than being very obvious assholes, the same leveling, the same achievements and the same bare hinting of background story.
Oh, and conveniently, you're being told that stuff that could have happened in the previous book just occurs now, because.
Overall, it's not objectively a bad book per se. It's just that, as a part of a series, it ends up being relatively unsatisfying....more
Although at this point, the apocalypse is basically over. In fact, the book is mostly set in the settled parts of the System, nMore system Apocalypse.
Although at this point, the apocalypse is basically over. In fact, the book is mostly set in the settled parts of the System, namely the capital itself, the council planet. There's lots of politics going on, as expected given the previous installment of the series, and as expected John makes a mess by not doing things As They Are Done Dammit.
I still miss not having the Forbidden Zone story. Having John explores the Quest is good, but you'd want more.
By the way, when's book 8? Having caught up... I'm waiting!...more
A very interesting AND frustrating entry in the series.
It's interesting because it's a big change of pace. And it's frustrating from two different angA very interesting AND frustrating entry in the series.
It's interesting because it's a big change of pace. And it's frustrating from two different angles. The first is simple: you get a major timeskip. You're told John had major, complicated, dangerous... interesting adventures... and then nothing. It's not about those. It's about what happens after he won.
The second frustration is that it's all about politics. There were some political aspects in the previous entries, but this one is politic dealing. It's a support for a some fighting and complicated situations, but it's still politics.
But we're promised much in exchange, so it's all worth it. As long as we get at least a book in the Forbidden Zone sometime....more
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