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Quite Good

Revisado: 04-21-25

The idea of sending a tech super hero and super villain to a fantasy world together was fun and pulled off pretty well.

The relationship between the two is not the core of the book, but it evolves over time and leads to some understanding.

There are some funny things about each character, and there are definitely moments of humor.

The narrator was an inspired choice. She has the perfect voices for the primary characters, and does a good job with the rest. This was a stand-out performance to me and really makes the book work.

FYI / I noticed that the series seems to end at three,tagged as on hiatus.

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Archer-style Humor for the LitRPG crowd

Revisado: 04-12-25

I took a flyer on this one - after seeing a forum post where someone was put this book alongside Ben's Damn Adventure and Big Sneaky Barbarian - my review : I'm pretty happy.

I don't laugh that much when listening to humorous books. But I give this one credit - two and a half hours in and I realized i had actually laughed about five times. The novelty passes, but it still makes me smile now and again later on. Maybe it's mood, maybe taste.

The style of humor DOES suggest to me that the author is a fan of Archer. The main character doesn't strike me as a purse Sterling Archer clone, but... we ARE talking about a story where the main character IS an egotistical, wisecracking and pretty damn foolish assassin. And he has a competent and angry woman who is is colleague. So yeah, there's a common thread.

The story becomes more of typical litRPG, with characters changing and so on as of book 2. Less and less humor, but a decent story and an occasional smile.

Another note: this tower is supposed to have over 16 levels. Level 1 is spread across two books. So, it's possible this will be either abandoned before being finished, or something that will take 10-20 years to finish. Just FYI.

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Less Imaginative Murder Hobo Story

Revisado: 04-10-25

We ought to give Azrie some slack, because she is a relatively new author. And this is probably the story for some, it's not like the name berserker isn't in the title.

But when i compare this to some other more popular murder hobo stories, I just find that so very little happens by comparison. There is just fighting, fighting, fighting. Where are the odd environments? the interesting powers? the character development? And so on.

There is nothing wrong with this, it's derivative of other litrpg stories, and entirely fine for what it is.

The narration... the narrator is acting like a reader more than a performer. Here and there she misses opportunities for pauses, timing, inflection, humor.

So yeah, it's in that second to third tier. A decent buy on sale, or an option if you have 200 books and want something with tropes so familiar as to almost. e comforting. But i can point towards a dozen other series I would recommend first.

-- The story has reached four books so far. perhaps some of my complaints are dealt with later on.

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Inferior Descendant of Beware of Chicken

Revisado: 03-07-25

I don't dislike this book - I find that I rather like it. But I would buy Beware of Chicken first. This genre descendant (at least during book 1) is inferior in characters, plot, and magic system.

Don't be fooled by anyone saying this book is like He Who Fights with Monsters. It's the same narrator,

Let's lay out some of the beware of chicken - beware of crab commonalities:
1. Friendly Isekai cultivator seeking peaceful life
2. Brave, Defender Animal First Disciple. Chicken -- Crab
3. Playful Second disciple. Cat -- Otter
4. Honorable village magistrate scared of cultivator -- dishonorable village magistrate scared of cultivator
5. Farmhand becomes cultivator -- farmhand becomes cultivator
6. Trope of cultivator enjoying nature, Trope of cultivator doing work, fast.
7. The Healing Sage -- The Farmers Daughter

I'm willing to believe that the author is writing this book out of love for beware of chicken, and wanting to do their own. They DO take some characters, some of the worldbuilding, and plot in different directions. I've not read or listened far enough to find out if things become interesting.

But it bothers me a bit that from one series we have 'give to the land, the land gives back' as the path to power, to a series where we have 'let's catch and cook fish, giving respect' (gain power) -- one series has a magic system that makes logical sense. This magic system... doesn't make any logical sense.

But If you like this type of slow burn, friendly, slice of life book, there's plenty to like. If you have gone through Beware of Chicken and want something that's similar, then this might be worth a try.

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Humorous, Warm, and very British.

Revisado: 03-05-25

Every now and again I stumble across a good book that hasn't gotten a lot of audible attention -- somewhat undeservedly.

My review dropped by a half point by the end of the book, but perhaps it should not have. Basically, this is a YA type of book. For example, there are scenarios where the bad people might have done murder, but nah... they don't. That kind of thing.

Else this is a pretty well written book, with a main character who posesses both negative and positive traits, bringing plenty of personality, who has a couple of adventures where he manages to get things done. It's well written, slightly humorous, and carrying warmth that's in part driven by the warmth that the main character exudes.

The main character comes from an intergalactic empire, one that has a government that rather resembles Victorian England. And he's in the royal family. Ring any bells? There are the joint angles of people arguing that he and his cousins are 'useless', while themselves being entiteld and useless, even while he finds himself trying to make himself useful'....

Pick up this book if you like the idea of a pleasant and slightly humorous story of a sligthly foppish, vain, entitled, yet kind, outgoing, and entirely well meaning young man (23) who makes quite a lot of social mistakes, but who also has social successes, and who does his best, accomplishing some things.

--> I rate this as a 3.5* book: Pretty good to good, and worth a credit if you want that kind of warmth.
--> I'm trying to pace my purchases in 2025. I'm wavering on picking up the next two books, but I still have them as an option.

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... Tough to like the characters and worldbuilding

Revisado: 02-08-25

i do understand why people like this series. The decision to make Randidly socially anxious isn't a bad one, the interesting magic system, the thought put i to how different humans would react (to be certain, some people would turtle, some people would enter denial, and there's probably a murderhobo coming down the line.

But while I enjoyed listening to this first book, I find myself feeling kind of 'meh' about moving forward.

Perhaps it's that I found some of the actions of people, e.g. the ex girlfriend to be so utterly, totally unrealistic that I'm losing interest, especially when paired with forum comments suggesting there'll be more such events in subsequent books.

- At least the author has given everyone an ending to the story - something that not all web serial writers will do.... after 2458 chapters.

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Playful Cradle Epilogues and Short Stories

Revisado: 01-11-25

I agree! These are mostly lighthearted stories, most being basically epilogue chapters for cradle for different characters, with humor at the end of several

Realize that none of the stories are deep or complex, but that they fit within the style of what was written before.

Pick this up (I suggest whispersync) if you want something pleasant, if you have already been through Cradle. Pick up something else if you want grimdark.

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Minor Flaws, BUT at moments i truly laugh

Revisado: 12-28-24

This LitRPG parody series is one that i appreciate and miss, wishing there would be a book 4. The humor that comes from slightly off characters and their interactions has made me laugh at least once for every listening.

This is one of a few series that I actively return to listen to.

The storyline is interesting, characters have distinct personalities, strange environments, some dark humor, some put down humor, some make fun of the protagonist humor.

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Cannot Suspend Disbelief

Revisado: 12-09-24

There's plenty of good in this book, and things to like. But for me there are too many places in this book where something is said or done that breaks my ability to suspend my disbelief.

Things start bad in that way: A romance that has two people who want each other that doesn't start until the absolute end of school?!

Things get worse. Disbelief continues to hit again and again: We have a 21 year old who must live well in the future - VR pods that can keep people alive for years are nowhere close - who somehow knows abouwho Gallagher, Shannon Sharp are, to say nothing of pieces of 70s, 80s, and 90s cinema and culture. -- As If!

That kind of writing - culture references most easily understood by someone who is over 30 or 40 - strikes me as pretty damn lazy.

The good: some pieces of character personalities that are good -- particularly views into the minds of villains show some pretty realistic, and distinct thoughts beyond straight 'evil'. Continued character work, including the evolution of the relationship are not bad.

I find some of the team banter and storylines entertaining enough, and comfortable.

But let's not argue that this is a book that has top tier imagination, planning and structure, writing, humor, etc. It's not - it's a male power fantasy that is pretty derivative, but not poorly executed, despite my complaints.

It deserves to be given a 3* rating at best. Buy on sale. acceptable for a credit, but not first choice.

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I think it's a Pratchett influenced LitRPG

Revisado: 12-04-24

It's lighthearted and humorous.

I do strongly suspect that the author was trying to channel Terry Pratchett - it's a similar tone ; the story is lighthearted, somewhat moral, has scattered puns and a few fish out of water jokes.

Some of the jokes are mens locker room style, though only slightly dirty, not crude.

I can't say that I personally adore the story, but its likeable. It's worth a credit or buy on sale.

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