Sam Koumi

A nice start to the Sovereign-verse

Revisado: 02-08-21

Yes yes, I've started my journey of listening through the Sovereign-verse timeline book one to the last book.


At least I'll have stuff to listen to for a while! (Woo!)


It all starts off with Otherlife Dreams, the first book in the timeline and volume one of the Selfless Hero Triology.


It is obvious that this is an earlier book, because it has more nicks (it's not as clean as a book) than the others I've read from Arand, it is also shorter than the rest and (and I hate to use this term) more "generic" than what I have read from Arand before. That is; it's more of a standard LitRPG than I had expected.


It didn't take away from my enjoyment however.


This book isn't as harem and sex heavy as other Arand books (though that supposedly starts in volume two), which is a nice change of pace, even if I don't dislike that too much.


Arand uses the question of "what makes is humans" quite well with the Awakened NPCs vs Unawakened NPCs and how they behave, something I noticed from Dungeon Deposed.


Overall, a softer start to the timeline than I expected, but it was fun reading about things only mentioned in other series, and I'm looking forward to what I'll get in future volumes; I give it a 7/10.

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Checking out the rest of the Sovereign-verse now

Revisado: 02-06-21

What is a LitRPG novel if the main character doesn't become a god at the end of the series?


Or.. a demi-god in this case.


Really though, the last volume of the Dungeon Deposed series was pretty entertaining. A lot of that I didn't enjoy from the first volume had passed, such as Ryker's anger issues (well… he's handling it better at least), making the journey a lot more interesting.


The triology also got its place in the Sovereign-verse timeline (a series of smaller series from Arand and Randi Darren) reaffirmed, which got me interested in that universe too.


There isn't anything I really disliked with this book, it was just a good continuation from the other two, and you probably wouldn't (and shouldn't) read this if you haven't read the rest in the triology, or disliked them, because this still follows in the same vein as the rest.


Overall, this books deserves an 8/10 do me.

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improvements were made

Revisado: 01-13-21

"I'm dying… huh… fun."


~ Ryker


Volume two of Dungeon Deposed really stepped up its game compared to the first book.


Well, it was technically more of the same (which sequels tends to be), but I found the characters (especially Ryker) a lot more agreeable. While there still is a lot of that sexual content, it doesn't have the same dark feeling that it did in volume one, and Ryker doesn't blow up at every corner bad actually holds himself back from doing stupid stuff, like he did in volume one.


This volume continues on directly after the events of volume one, and the first half is spent with the Dungeon crew, while the second half is spent on the run.


I personally liked the second half, since then Ryker wasn't essentially immortal, like he is when he was in Dungeon. Arguably, many of his weakpoints as a human was gone, but he had very little safety to fall back on (and it IS supposed to be a power fantasy, so you can't make the MC too weak lol).


Like I say with most sequels; if you didn't like the first volume, you're probably not interested in the first place, but if you were okay with the first volume, but hesitant to pick up volume two because of Ryker's personality and the bad-feeling sex from volume one, then you should try this one as well, since it contains less of it.


I rate it 8/10 for the improvement.

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Not for the sensetive

Revisado: 12-18-20

Ah yes, William D. Arand is back with another morally ambiguous main character that seems to create discord in the reviews, this time with his Dungeon Deposed series.


This book, like every book by Arland, is most certainly not for everyone. This applies especially to this book.


The main character, Ryker, is quite frankly an ass. He's crude, self serving, easy to anger, as well as have aquired a lot of power. He also has a disposition towards acting before thinking, which causes most of the problems that happens in the book. If you go into this book expecting a hero who's just and fights evil, well…


You'll probably chuck the book into a wall after the first half, if not earlier.


Unlike most other main characters from other series that aren't heroes, Ryker is probably closer to a villain than a anti-hero or just someone "acting naturally" like many litRPG main characters seem to do. 


The story of Dungeon Deposed is filled with action, sex, evil plans, and many uncomfortable subjects. There's forced marriage, essentially rape, murder, and much more that a sensetive and/or young reader should avoid (as the angry 1-2 stars reviews shows), but in exchange, the grimdark world where political intrigue rules over the peasant folk becomes much more realistic and Arland doesn't shy from using this when writing about how Ryker (at least sometimes try to) fight his desires to do well with those he hold close when things get more difficult.


Those who has read my reviews before probably knows that these are the kinds of books I enjoy, and I have definitely been dulled towards stories like this, however, there were times when even I could feel a bit uncomfortable, and it wasn't always because of Ryker's actions. So I repeat once again: THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR THE SENSETIVE and THIS IS NOT A STORY ABOUT A HERO.


I recommend you to first read Arand other books to get a feel for his writing, because this is on another level.


Also, a side note: those who read Monster's Mercy (still my favorite Arland book) probably will recognize Ryker. It's a nice easter egg.


Finally, I rate this book as 7/10. Very enjoyable, but be careful with your expectations.

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A great practice for your poker face

Revisado: 12-14-20

Brandon Varnell once again amazes me with a novel. This time it was the Catgirl Doctor omnibus where Christopher Boucher and Jessica Threets plays out the story of a medical student and his three cute catgirl wifes/girlfriends. 


Now, let's get this out of the way first, if you didn't read the book description (like some who reads Brandon's books doesn't seem to do) this book includes sex. Lots of it. From the last few chapters of the first novel, until the end of the omnibus, there's at least 10 sex scenes (if I counted correctly). It also includes mentions of sex slavery, rape, sexual harassment, and the coping of going through all of that. None of this (other than the sex) is described graphically, but it's mentioned and a big part of two of the main girls' pasts.


It's also important to mention that, just like all other Brandon Varnell books, this series is heavily inspired by anime and manga. You can still enjoy it without liking anime, but I think you'll enjoy this more if you do.


With that put of the way, let's get on with this review.


The story of Catgirl Doctor centers around the everyday life of Chris(topher) Redford, a university student studying to become a catgirl doctor, and three catgirls who are gradually introduced throughout the books. The overall story is nice and relaxed. They overcome their minor troubles with their love and trust and it's generally very cute.


I do, however, have some troubles with the more serious plotlines; one that's about a member of a catgirl slave trading ring, and one about a loan shark that's trying to seize an orphanage (I won't go into details because spoilers).


I have no problems with them being included, but rather that they feel too detached from the main cast's actions to really be included.


In the first book, the slave trader is more or less mentioned thrice; once when Chris saves the first catgirl (and they talk to the police), once when there's an update on the situation, and once when he's caught. It's similar to the loan shark, other than him attacking the main cast twice before he's caught. The main cast isn't very included in the capture of him, so it feels kind of unnecessary to include those parts at all.


I get that the main cast is supposed to be "normal people", but a plotline where they're barely involved with feels odd to include.


The characters, however, are very nice; Chris feels a bit too… "OP" socially, despite being played off as a "normal dude", but I'll just play that off as him being a harem anime main character. It's not ruining the story or anything.


The, arguably, most important part of a book like this, the girls, are very nice. They're different enough for you to drive able to differentiate between them, and they also don't just fit into a certain character trope, like a lot of anime inspired harem authors tend to do. They're all distinct characters that you can enjoy. 


It's also a manageable amount of them. Three's the magic number after all.


In general, if you've read Varnell's American Kitsune, as well as the Visual Novel Nekopara, you will most likely have a good idea of what this book will be.


And it's also a perfect way to practice your poker face. Especially if you listen to this in public. Trust me, I know.


Anyway, another great book by Brandon that won't disappoint the fans. 8/10

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A Historical Japanese Sherlock Holmes

Revisado: 10-30-20

The best way to describe Richard Park's first installment in the Yamada Monogatari series, Demon Hunter, would probably be as a pre-warring states era japanese Sherlock Holmes for supernatural incidents.


The book is set up as ten short mysteries, not directly connected to each other, but still following a single thread (as in they are set after one another). It was something I wasn't expecting going into the story, but it was not bad, and I actually quite liked it.


There are only three reoccurring characters in the series (four if you count a certain fox that is introduced in the first chapter and takes a role in the last), but that doesn't stop the other side characters to feel unimportant, and they're all well descibed and developed.


The main character, the fallen noble Yamada no Goji and his assistant, the drunkard priest Kenji, have a very nice chemistry, not entirely unreminicent of the famous Sherlock Holmes and his partner Dr. Watson.


I very rarely read mystery novels. Almost never in fact, so I cannot claim to be an expert on them, yet the feel I get from having read it, Yamada Monogatari feels more akin to the mystery style of Sherlock Holmes, or at least the way I've gotten it described to me. As in, the mystery itself is not the main part and is usually not meant to be solved by the reader, but rather by special circumstances and the detective's intellect. However, in this case the detective is not an unparalleled genius, but more of an expert on the supernatural, or Yokai.


The setting of the book is quite interesting, since most western novels set in Japan, that I know of at least, are mostly set in the warring states era, or later, yet Park decided on the time right before, and will probably follow the rise of the samurai throughout the series' progression. It also adds on the fact that Yokai (essentially monsters and ghosts) and Kami (gods, or rather nature spirits) are really, making the mysteries presented have another dimension to them.


For the most part, the book was a great read, however I do think you need to have some basic understanding of Yokai and some knowledge of historical Japan to fully enjoy this book, but lost things are explained as they appear,so this knowledge is not nessesary, it would only make the reading experience more fluent.


Overall, I'd like to give the book a solid 7/10 for an interesting experience.

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Sated my cravings after Monster's Mercy

Revisado: 10-18-20

Super Sale on Super Heroes have filled a hole in my heart I didn't even know I had after Monster's Mercy, both by William D. Arland.


While they're set in completely different settings, they're still similar enough for me to connect this series to the open-ended Monster's Mercy.


That said, I really did put this book aside for quite a while, since I'm usually not a big fan of super hero novels, but I definitely regret that now. While the general setting was super heroes, it feels more like a modern fantasy story. There's only mentions of "heroes" and "villains", but if you removed that and replaced them with something like "adventures" and "demons" it probably would've worked just as well.


That tangent aside, if you're expecting a super hero story, you will most probably be disappointed.


I liked the characters a lot, and many of them developed very well during the duration of the book. I especially liked Andrea, with how her relationship with Felix developed.


Arland Manages to have a lot happen through the book, yet nothing feels rushed, somehow. This is something I noticed with Monster's Mercy as well. Because of that, I can only imagine how much will happen in the span of the whole series, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more.


Overall great book, which gets an 8/10 from me.

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A typical Eric Vall book

Revisado: 10-15-20

Eric Vall's Summoner is, quite honestly, a typical Eric Vall book, to paraphrase a review I read before buying this audiobook, narrated by Joshua Story.


There's harems, power fantasies, magic, and every woman the MC meets is "the most beautiful woman I've met".


There's sex, action, and a typical "power that is typically seen as worthless is actually very powerful if used correctly/the MC has a way to make it stronger" kinda plot.


The MC is looked down upon, until he defeats one of the strongest students at school easily, and he's a cocky dude that every woman fall in love with (for whatever reason).


Now, if I haven't deterred you with all that, back to the review.


While everything I've said is true, the book was actually an enjoyable listen. The love interests are cute, and Vall at least try to make them larger than their tropes, unlike many harem animes he's definitely basing this book on.


In general, Eric Vall is a hit or miss kinda author. If you either have read Eric Vall before, or enjoy the magic high school harem trope from anime, then you'll most likely enjoy this. If you haven't read Vall's works or watch anime, then read through the first part of my review, if any of that puts you off, don't buy this book.


Overall, I'd like to give the book a 5/10, since it's not necessarily bad, but it's not great either.

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Sufficiently entertaining

Revisado: 10-09-20

Andrew Rowe manages to introduce the reader to his Ascension series fairly well in this first book, called Sufficiently Advanced Magic, and I had the privilege of having Nick Podehl perform it for me.


Sufficiently Advanced Magic is stuffed with what most YA fantasy fans enjoy: action, magic and intrigue. Although it's pretty lacking in the romance department (not that I'm complaining. Rowe does a fairly good job in introducing the setting of the story, without having too many info dumps, and those that are, are hidden well enough for me to be able to look past them.


I do for the most part enjoy the characters. They are well written, and the inter-personal relationships are well written and interesting, even with little, or almost no romance at all (a few seeds are strewn, which probably will be explored later in the series, but they didn't have too much of an effect in this book), which is, in my experience, pretty rare in these kind of stories.


I do, however, have a gripe: how the main character is written as if he's the smart one, who rather makes plans than brute forces his way through problems. He preferred studying puzzles rather than combat training before his trial. Yet, 90% of all fights are either won through force or by pure luck. Very few fights are done tactically. He's a pretty bad student, who,after his trial, doesn't enjoy studying, even though that's kinda how his character was set up in the beginning.


This is probably done to make him more relateable, but it's a bit annoying that he "breaks character" that much. This gets better later in the book, but it's still somewhat there.


Podehl does a good job, and makes the characters come alive. I generally have low expectations for the narrators of audiobooks, but that doesn't mean I can enjoy it when they are good.


Overall, the book does what it does good very well, and that which grinds my gears,does so which gusto.


I'd like to give the story an 6/10, and hoping that future books only risecin quality!

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Like the first, but even better

Revisado: 10-01-20

What do you get when you mix western fantasy with Chinese Xianxia, tops it off with murder-hobo squirrel and parodies all of this?


You get Virlyce's The Immortal Continent, second part of the The Godking's Legacy series, which I now have experienced through Mare Travathan's performance.


Now where to begin? It's not that different from the first volume; Lucia fights her way though everything without really having to put any thought into it, purely because of her strength, and that's the short version of it, really.


I think Virlyce managed to level up somewhat between the first volume and this one, because a lot of the complaints I had about the first volume aren't as relevant for this one, for example how the action was boring; this time Virlyce manages to make the fights funny and, sometimes, exciting by bringing in other characters than Lucia to fight. In fact, very few of Lucia's fights are actually detailed out, since we pretty much know how they'd go anyway.


It is, however, important to mention that the humor centered around murder, slavery, drug addiction, and other topics that might be sensitive to some readers is still prevalent. Very few jokes aren't edgy, to be honest. Though I doubt you'd go read this book if you didn't like volume one, it's still worth mentioning. This book is not for the sensitive,and certainly not for children.


While this book was a great experience in my opinion, I can definitely see how people would not like it, because of its fast pace, edgy humor, and odd main characters, but just like with the humor, if that put you off in the first volume, you probably wouldn't be here anyway.


What did surprise me though, was how much Mare Travathan managed to enhance the book. Travathan pretty much plays the characters the way I imagined them when reading the first book, and even gives them pretty much the exact same voices I imagined for them. I don't know if it's a "great minds think alike"-kind of situation, or if it's Virlyce's skill in writing that brings forth the same images in both my and Travathan's mind, but it's amazing nonetheless.


To be honest, had I not listened to the book, and instead read it, I probably wouldn't had enjoyed it as much. What I remember from book one is that the chapters often felt like they just dragged on sometimes, but I did not get that feeling at all while listening to Travathan read it for me. She'd even have me grin occasionally while playing the flippant Lucia, bringing many curious gazes my way…


In total, I'd like to give the book an 8/10, or a 7/10 had it not been an audiobook.

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