I thought the first 5 books of this series were good, but books six through nine have been amazing. Shawn Wilson just gets this genre and how to tell tI thought the first 5 books of this series were good, but books six through nine have been amazing. Shawn Wilson just gets this genre and how to tell the best story possible. These are so much damn fun. Too many authors get bogged down in keeping a long series like this exciting and progressing. Ultimate Level 1 is the perfect example of how to do this properly. All I have to say about how this has ramped up and progressed is positive, so to keep it short. Read this series and go on a journey that won't disappoint. I can't wait for the audiobook version of number 10 to come out!...more
I've always enjoyed this series, but with having to wait for book 8 to come out, and then reading it. This has become one of my favorite Lit RPG serieI've always enjoyed this series, but with having to wait for book 8 to come out, and then reading it. This has become one of my favorite Lit RPG series. The characters are great, the author can be trusted to tell a great story, and the plot constantly expands at a very enjoyable pace. Overall this is just a wonderful series and it gets better with each book....more
This is a very confusing book, but not because the writing or story is confusing, mostly in a persistent curiosity on why this is a thing and what theThis is a very confusing book, but not because the writing or story is confusing, mostly in a persistent curiosity on why this is a thing and what the goal is. We are set up for one thing in part one, then the book is flipped on its head and everything spins off into something completely unrelated and different and the rest of the book falls flat. Part 1 is probably a 3 out of 5 stars, but the rest of the book is a solid 1 out of 5 stars. Setting up the antagonist, a side character, and everything needed to continue was well done. The issue is how all that is tossed away for something completely different which I have no emotional attachment to or interest in, and for no reason. The only saving grace for everything outside of part one is the harry pig human things, and how interesting that part of the story was. If they drilled down on that more and made that a bigger part of the story this would have been so much better. I had zero attachment to earth or the Brazilians, but for some unknown reason the author wanted to make that an important part of most of the book. it could have been fun and great, but it just falls flat....more
I think I like book one of this series? I grabbed this series after seeing someone post about how a different series was similar to this author, and I I think I like book one of this series? I grabbed this series after seeing someone post about how a different series was similar to this author, and I enjoyed book one, but I still don’t know where the series is going to go. It ends on a big turn, and depending on which way it goes it could be fun, or it could get pretty dark pretty quick. This almost seems to blend military logistics, slice of life, along with a touch of action and adventure tossed in to push it forward. Everything about the main character and his build is what I’m not looking for in a series, but that being said, I never wanted to stop reading, and I still enjoyed the book. A lot of this was probably because the tutorial phase hooked me before finding out too much, and that was either a genius job by the author, or a happy accident. It isn’t breaking any tropes or amazing me in the character development or plot, but it is a simple fun read to pass the time, and in this genre that is above the rest. Now to see if this series also has the dreaded book two curse. ...more
What else is there to say aside from this being a great series and another great book. If anyone is reading book six then they already know it’s funnyWhat else is there to say aside from this being a great series and another great book. If anyone is reading book six then they already know it’s funny, well paced, and everything else anyone can ask for. Would I have preferred something other than the game mechanic that is featured in this book to push the plot forward. Yes I would like anything else. Do I wish LitRPG authors could work in an end point for their books? Yes I do, sudden endings are getting really old. All that taken into account I feel this is somewhere between 4 and 5 stars, but since they don’t allow that here it’s just gotta be 5 stars. ...more
This was a really fun and enjoyable read and I feel it is a very solid 4.5 star story. The world and system are similar but still unique enough to giveThis was a really fun and enjoyable read and I feel it is a very solid 4.5 star story. The world and system are similar but still unique enough to give everything a fresh feel. The characters are their own people, and mostly consistent in their abilities (more on that later) through the entire book. The scale and scope keeps changing at a quick pace, and makes me want to read more to see what is going to happen both with the world and the characters. The main character can come across as a bit of an adrenaline junky early on, but I feel this was more the author getting loopholes filled before they would get too big in later parts. It was completely necessary with how the system is built here, and it didn’t bother me because it was pretty clear what was happening, and why it was needed. One aspect I really enjoyed was the way meditation is handled. Normally it is a boring thing, and that lack of action is transferred into the reader. However in this series the meditation takes place in its own different setting, and within that setting there is progress and change which makes those parts actually interesting. I wish more authors would do this in their books. The only issue I had was some inconsistencies with some characters, and what they can do. They would do something earlier in the book, then when that same thing would make future fights easier they just blanked and didn’t do it. It pulled me out and felt like an unjustified handicap on the characters to increase suspense, and I’m not a fan of that method of falsely raising the tension. Overall I really enjoyed this and can’t wait for book two to come out next month. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Note on other reviews I’ve seen on here People are criticizing this for being like other popular series in the genre, and if you are one of those then you probably won’t like it, and should switch to a different genre. The tropes and similar things are what the vast majority of people who read LitRPG are looking for. The important thing is if the author can get out of their own way and write a good story, and that is done here in my opinion....more
This book is not as bad as book two, but still is not the type of series we were promised in book one. I got through it, but everything is happening foThis book is not as bad as book two, but still is not the type of series we were promised in book one. I got through it, but everything is happening for a very tenuous reason, a reason which was drawn out for the entire book instead of just part of it. The main character has to draw out big bad guys from place X, so he is going to murder everyone in A through W and hope for the best, that’s the whole book in a nutshell. There is less generic YouTube philosophy and religion debates, but they are still there, and they honestly serve no purpose. I get how some who have never actually thought on their own may find this high brow literature, but it is an overly deep dive into a very basic part of philosophy, and it drives me crazy how much weight is put on the debates and simplistic ideas. I want to know what will happen with the actual plot, but I don’t see how it is worth slogging through another one of these books to find out. ...more
Everything that was fun and enjoyable about book one was missing in book two. This was mostly a novel interpretation of a philosophy 101 class wrappedEverything that was fun and enjoyable about book one was missing in book two. This was mostly a novel interpretation of a philosophy 101 class wrapped around an overly awkward and annoying romance subplot. The fine line the author walked regarding naval gazing in book one is gone in book two. There are chapters dedicated to religious philosophy, then more chapters where the main character naval gazes about religious dialog in other chapters. It is extremely repetitive with very little actually happening in the story. They go on some small adventures, but the vast majority of this is spent in small rooms pondering on very simplistic topics which the characters seem to think are mind blowingly complex and interesting. This gave me flashbacks to Randidly Ghosthound, and that is by no means a complement. Even though this book was a real slog, I’m hoping the series can get back to the actual story where things happen and the characters do things that matter to the plot. Book one was full of adventure, movement, and action. This book is seemingly about talking to other characters in rooms, then going to a different room and thinking about what was said in the first room. I’m not going to get into how silly and uninteresting the romance subplot is, and how the author had to aggressively change the characters to force it, but it also is not good. I’ll try book three, but if it doesn’t go somewhere fast I’ll have to put this series on the DNF shelf....more
This is a really unique book, and one I’m interested in but with reserves. The setting is a lot of fun, and quite different from most LitRPG books. It This is a really unique book, and one I’m interested in but with reserves. The setting is a lot of fun, and quite different from most LitRPG books. It is this setting that most interests me in the book. The characters are okay, but nowhere as defined as the world it takes place in. I can tell a lot of work went into this world building. There are enough dystopian tropes to make it feel common, but still different enough to give it a fresh feel. The main character is a very troubled person, but it never gets to the point of annoyance with naval gazing. It is a fine balance that so far the author has done a really good job with, and it leaves a lot of room for character growth without having to start with a disliked main character. The magic system is not really defined, but is used all the time in every aspect of life, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I’d prefer there to be more definition if it is being used so often, but maybe that will just come as the series progresses. The aggressive dystopian feel is tempered with just enough free will to give me hope for the future books, but I’m also hoping the series will back off the political and social subtexts. This is the main reason I avoid dystopian novels. This genre is seemingly meant for a very specific group of people who all feel the same politically and socially, and I don’t belong to that group. So far it hasn’t been horrible though, and I’m looking forward to book two. ...more
I tried getting through the first quarter of this book for a week, but just couldn't do it. I'm not a fan of the direction the main character is goingI tried getting through the first quarter of this book for a week, but just couldn't do it. I'm not a fan of the direction the main character is going, and the two new point of view characters are not interesting. There is still adventure, but it is at a pace that sucks all the life out of the wonder of it, so this one will have to go on the DNF shelf....more
I like the characters in this series, I really like the setting, and the constant feeling of adventure and wonder make it so much fun, when it can getI like the characters in this series, I really like the setting, and the constant feeling of adventure and wonder make it so much fun, when it can get out of its own way it is one of the better LitRPG books i’ve read. This book was built up to for so long, and I’m glad we finally get to this part of the story, and there is a lot of action from the start to the end of the novel. Though it is good, the return of out of character moments pushing the plot forward made a big appearance again. This return of heavy handed authoring forcing twists makes it fall down to good not great. On top of that there are points in the book where things are repeated like they were earlier in the series, and this never fails to eject me from the story. There’s also some weird backpeddling on character abilities that are suddenly acting differently than they did in earlier books, and I’m confused why this is. When taken all together it makes what would be a really awesome setting and plot fall pretty flat. This is the first time since book two (where the same issues were happening) that I’m not really looking forward to the next book. I’m hoping that maybe it was just a rush to write the story, and that’s why it was so roughly put together with all the mistakes, but I’ll find out soon enough. ...more
Another good entry for the series. I wasn't sure about the ending, but after getting more into book 4 I can get over the silliness at the end.Another good entry for the series. I wasn't sure about the ending, but after getting more into book 4 I can get over the silliness at the end....more
Overall I really enjoyed this book, and it had everything I wanted. I was first afraid it would take place entirely in the dungeon, but there is a lotOverall I really enjoyed this book, and it had everything I wanted. I was first afraid it would take place entirely in the dungeon, but there is a lot more of the setting introduced, and for that I’m thankful. The author does a really good job introducing us to characters and new parts of the world that make this feel like a true adventure. That paired with the main character, and the supporting characters (when the hand of the author isn’t being too heavy) make this another fun well paced story. When it comes to the heavy hand of the author. Book two starts with a very sloppy attempt to get out of a corner they wrote into. A character who has been overly cautious starts acting rashly and way out of character for what at the time is an undiscernible reason, but eventually we find out it is my old friend…idiot plot. It was extremely jarring, and completely broke my immersion in the story. It is fine to give the characters issues to deal with, but when it is done like this, well it is just bad. There was no setup, no reason, just making a character act out of the norm because the author needed something to happen in the plot. It is frustrating, but these types of things are so common in the genre. It is even more apparent after we get past that part of the story and everything goes back to normal. It is hard to trust an author who is willing to throw away a character like that, but so far it seems to be back on track, and everyone is acting as they have been built up and foreshadowed to. This series has the potential to be like some of my favorites like Azarinth Healer, primal hunter, and HWFWM, with an overpowered main character who loves to plow their own path and deal with any consequences from those decisions. I’m hoping it continues to develop like that, especially since this series didn’t suffer from the dreaded LitRPG book two syndrome. ...more
I really enjoyed the first 19 chapters of this book. They are fun, perfectly paced with progression, and featuring a likable character in a bad situatI really enjoyed the first 19 chapters of this book. They are fun, perfectly paced with progression, and featuring a likable character in a bad situation. There was a lot of room for growth, and the fighting pit setting was not great, but also avoided what could have been the worst parts. The idea of a wrestler getting portaled to a fantasy fighting pit was the idea that drew me into this book in the synopsis, but my original reason for enjoyment was pretty short-lived. Eventually chapter 20 comes around and the author has to get out their no fun allowed stick and wack the story around some. Sure it makes sense in the long run, but it could have also been done in a non shitty way. It isn’t the worst, but reading one story and being shifted completely in setting, characters, and goals I really enjoyed is always a jarring situation. Between chapters 20-25 I was close to stopping the book, but instead I just sped it up really fast to get through the shitty part quicker. I’m reading these for fun, and I didn’t know at that point if the author was a no fun allowed writer, or just putting the character in a trough to come out stronger. Thankfully it was the latter and we got taken on another crazy ride. Overall I thought this was a really fun story full of adventure, even though it is a bad situation for the main character. The ending is abrupt, but I’m finally getting used to litrpg novels without an act structure or standard ending. I still feel kind of lied to with how the story started and where it ended up going, but they are both good stories, just with a different setting which will lead to different character development. The setting is already set for book two, and I’m curious where it will take me, and that's the fun of this series, the level of adventure and wonder in this world....more
Though I can understand why people would enjoy this, it was nowhere as good as book three in the series. I really, and I mean really disliked the wholThough I can understand why people would enjoy this, it was nowhere as good as book three in the series. I really, and I mean really disliked the whole plot point with the mirror, and it was a horrible slog to get through. It just isn't my cup of tea, and without that part of the book (which didn't actually do anything) it would have been much more enjoyable. For the most part everything on either side of that mirror point was fun, and I thought the rest of the book was a good read. The tournament was being hinted at for so long, and seeing it finally come was really cool, and it didn't really disappoint...for the most part. There is one thing in these books that is different for me, and I've never ran across this before, and it does detract from it somewhat. Normally in a Litrpg when the main character has choices to make about classes or upgrades I agree with the character, and understand why they do what they do. In this series I feel the main character is just a dummy and I don't understand why he does what he does, and it almost acts as a form of idiot plot, but one justified to make the plot more difficult for him. It isn't a big deal, but it does frustrate me when reading more often than not. I've never really liked the main character in this series much, but at least now he is tolerable, and not a giant bag of shit I wish death on in every chapter, so with that impression at least his stupid decisions are something I can take in stride...for the most part. I feel this is still a solid four star story, but viewing this as a whole series with a introduction that is so bad nothing here could ever be five stars for me, so I think directly in the middle of the road fits perfectly....more
It only took three books, but this one was finally enjoyable without any caveats. It was right between 4 and 5 stars for me, but with how much I disliIt only took three books, but this one was finally enjoyable without any caveats. It was right between 4 and 5 stars for me, but with how much I disliked book 1, I don't think anything in this series could be a full five stars. The characters start to develop, the plot progresses at a good rate, and the setting continues to be entertaining. Everything coming together like this makes this a fun quick read. I don’t know if it is worth having to push through book one just to get to a point where you don’t hate the main character, but I was in a book slump and I’m glad I did. Now I just have to hope that it doesn’t go to shit like so many in this genre, but overall I’m very happy with this book and actually enjoyed it, even if I had low expectations at the start of the series, it proved me wrong....more
Loading...
