Okanda

How was this free?

Revisado: 03-26-25

This book is fantastic. Such a great little story. Borders on system LitRPG. Way more imaginative than any I've read though. kind of reminds me of How to defeat a Demon King in 10 easy steps. narration is perfect for this story.

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amazing performance

Revisado: 02-23-25

a classic Perot story brought to life by a great performance and sound design . fun .

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fun

Revisado: 01-03-25

I tried this because I loved civ CEO. I feel like it's not quite as creative and nuanced as civ CEO, but it is very much similar concept in a different world.

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witty moving well written

Revisado: 12-17-24

is this litRPG? there isn't an explicit metagame dynamic. regardless, it is a refreshingly well written sci-fi superhero story. The characters, are real characters, and, all having superhero personas, really get into character.

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elegant prose

Revisado: 12-11-24

The Scarlet Citadel by Jack Fields is a beautifully written LitRPG novel set in an alternate reality of Earth. It masterfully combines the grim realities of a dark fantasy world with the subtle allure of game mechanics, offering a refreshing take on the genre. While it belongs to the LitRPG category, the game mechanics are understated and low-key, serving as a subtle framework rather than dominating the narrative. For now, it appears that only the protagonist interacts with these mechanics, leaving it ambiguous whether the average citizen experiences them at all—a mystery that adds depth to the world-building.

The setting is a striking blend of abject poverty and unexpected technological sophistication. At first glance, the world feels primitive, with the main character unable to afford basic necessities like a blanket. Yet hints of advanced technology, such as "computers" owned by the wealthy and cybernetic limbs, create a fascinating contrast. These elements aren’t fully explained but suggest a clockwork or magitech society rather than the steampunk label some have applied. This ambiguity enhances the intrigue and leaves the reader eager to learn more.

The protagonist is a standout—a plucky, smart, and ethical character whose resourcefulness is balanced by some shockingly poor life decisions. One such misstep involves borrowing an enormous sum of money from a loan shark to impress a girlfriend and maintain the illusion of wealth. Despite their flaws, the main character’s charm and determination make them easy to root for.

The magic system centers on the protagonist’s power, "Perform," which does exactly what its name implies: it convinces others to act as desired. This power, tied directly to the LitRPG mechanics, is cleverly used throughout the story without overwhelming the narrative.

Fields’ writing is exceptional, elevating this novel well above the typical quality found in the LitRPG genre. The prose is elegant and poetic without becoming obtuse, creating a vivid and immersive reading experience. The dialogue is particularly sharp, with Mrs. Gleam standing out as a delightful character to read or listen to.

The audiobook narration deserves special mention. Featuring the narrators Neil Hellegers and Tess Irondale, the performance is seamless and captivating, avoiding the disjointed feeling that sometimes plagues multi-narrator productions. The chemistry between narrators brings the story to life in a magical way, making it a joy to listen to.

Fans of dark fantasy, grim alternate-reality sci-fi, or anyone looking for a high-quality LitRPG with immersive world-building will find much to love here. The story’s tone and intelligence remind me of He Who Fights with Monsters, but with its own unique voice and style. If you’re seeking well-written LitRPG with depth and elegance, The Scarlet Citadel is not to be missed.

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esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

hack n slash gamelit

Revisado: 08-01-24

finally decided to give what seems to be the most popular lit RPG series a try. I avoided it for a long time because from the title and the cover art it looked like it would be pretty mindless violence, a dungeon litRPG setting. in this case, you should definitely judge this book by its cover. I mean, it's not terrible or anything, it's pretty entertaining. it's just not all that special. the writing isn't fantastic, the characters aren't deep or nuanced, there's not a lot of subtleties to the social commentary or anything like that.

The sound production is absolutely phenomenal though. I'm definitely going to check out more by The sound studio that did this one. when you have multiple cast members reading different characters, I usually get a disjointed sense of people taking turns reading lines rather than having a conversation, but it's perfectly smooth here. and the sound effects are fantastic too.


Overall, I don't regret the time and money that I spent on the first book, but I don't think I'm going to bother with the rest of the series.

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hack n slash gamelit

Revisado: 08-01-24

finally decided to give what seems to be the most popular lit RPG series a try. I avoided it for a long time because from the title and the cover art it looked like it would be pretty mindless violence, a dungeon litRPG setting. in this case, you should definitely judge this book by its cover. I mean, it's not terrible or anything, it's pretty entertaining. it's just not all that special. the writing isn't fantastic, the characters aren't deep or nuanced, there's not a lot of subtleties to the social commentary or anything like that.

The sound production is absolutely phenomenal though. I'm definitely going to check out more by The sound studio that did this one. when you have multiple cast members reading different characters, I usually get a disjointed sense of people taking turns reading lines rather than having a conversation, but it's perfectly smooth here. and the sound effects are fantastic too.


Overall, I don't regret the time and money that I spent on the first book, but I don't think I'm going to bother with the rest of the series.

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he did it again

Revisado: 07-29-24

so good and creative, as usual. if I had to complain about something it would be that we spent almost the entire book in worlds that were some version of a figment of Jason's imagination which isn't as fun for me has the real worlds of Earth and Pallimustus.

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solid balanced reporting and storytelling

Revisado: 07-20-24

Good balance reporting and storytelling. would have liked even more science. in particular, they seem to have skipped over the entire topic of the acute damage that vaping causes in some people is now, as far as I understand, caused by excessive heat created by some vaping devices.

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Maybe my expectations were too high

Revisado: 07-11-24

I had high hopes and expectations for "Alpha" by Aleron Kong, which makes my 4/5 rating disappointing. The main character (MC) in this book is strikingly similar to Zero Fell from "God's Eye." While I was pleasantly surprised by "God's Eye" despite its dull MC, the world-building was what made it enjoyable. In "God's Eye," the MC's interactions were limited, with the only notable connection being with the magical messenger at the beginning. However, the book didn’t rely heavily on relationships, which was fortunate given the MC's lack of interesting or positive relationships with his followers. Zero is basically Richter (the MC of The Land) without any personality or charisma.

In "Alpha," we encounter essentially the same MC as Zero, who struggles to relate to anyone throughout the book. The power progression, which initially captivated me in Kong's other works, fell flat this time. I can't pinpoint exactly why, but it failed to engage me like the other two worlds did.

The problem isn't just the MC's personality, which is a carbon copy of the one in "God's Eye." It's literally the same character itself. Both protagonists are military veteran medical doctors with a world view akin to Jack Bauer but the charisma of a log. This lack of distinction between characters diminishes the overall experience and left me wanting more variety and depth.

In Alpha we learn more about what happened on Earth when it connects to the Labyrinth, which is cool, but it fails to connect directly with what happens in God’s Eye, which is kinda weird. There were probably some allusions that I missed, but I don’t think I’ll bother re-reading this one to discover the subtleties.

It’s still a 4 because it’s definitely above average for a litrpg in its writing quality and world-building. It’s fun that AK can write 3 series’ in the same universe but have them all be different game systems that are still cross-connected and somehow cross-compatible. AK does a good job of putting the cat up the tree and then setting the tree on fire and then elegantly having the cat dodge the flames putting out fires. The ultimate resolution was kinda unsatisfying. SPOILER: I don't think you should go from a running battle to winning by sitting in a room meditating for an hour, but maybe that's just something I don't appreciate about Cultivation? I have to admit I haven't explored much in this sub-genre.

The narration was pretty good, but the “chime” sound was grating to my ears. It literally hurts.

I think part of the problem here is the same problem as in book 8 of The Land: AK just can’t write lone wolf stories. The magic of Richter isn’t just his wit - it’s the people his wit bounces off of in and around the Mist Village. In Book 8, all of that interaction is missing and so Richter is boring. In Alpha the MC Fin never forms any real relationships.

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