I started this sub 12 years ago, because I love this genre. I love the books, I love the authors, I love the community. I have been here for the first couple years when there was noone, this sub had a membership of under a 100 people and I watched as other people found something I loved and they loved it too and the community grew. As we grew we needed mods to make the place run and I looked for passionate people with the interest and spare time to help mod this place. We had our fair share of drama, but I think we have done about as well as a mod team can over the years, we have had some excellent mods.

Tonight I was removed as top mod without whisper from anyone. My flair in the discord shows inactive on the mod list and that is how they where able to remove me, but I have been active behind the scenes communicating with the mod team in the discord. I have mostly left the post and comment moderation to the people I trusted.

This "level up disocrd" and my removal as discord owner was all done because a couple of our new mods, poeple who have only been members of the sub reddit for a couple years at most disagreed with the political views of one of the mods who has been here since the beginning. They removed him as a mod, demoted me and stripped me of permissions and are starting a new "discord" because the person they disagree with owns the current discord. They did this without a word to me or him, I found out I lost this sub when the post about the discord hit.

There are very few things I have done in my life that I am proud of. That I could "brag" about. This sub reddit, this community is one of the things I have done that I am most proud of. I am hearbroken at this turn of events and am probably going to step away from the community completely. If they allow this post to stay up, know it was an honor and a pleasure this last decade.

Links first, then some thoughts and the blurb :).

Audio:

https://www.audible.com/pd/B0HLTQQG98

Ebook:

US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0HLRC8B4H
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0HLRC8B4H
DE:  https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0HLRC8B4H

I enjoyed going through this one a lot. The serial often felt quite loose, random strands going in random directions, and it’s satisfying to find threads and aligning them into something more akin to a book. Felt especially present (and rewarding) in this section of the story.

As always, we’ve spent a lot of time adjusting tone, pacing, flow, dialogue, emotion, and the overall narrative cohesion during the many edit passes.

Ilea gained a massive boost in power at the end of book 6, and she’ll gain more here. Back when I originally planned and wrote these sections of the story, I had to think really hard on the power progression – She was already hitting really hard, so yes, hitting even harder was good and all, but to keep things fresh and interesting, there needed to be other angles too – like mobility, communication with others, things that would add style, and versatility, like more aoe, and of course allies and organizations :).

One thing I always felt a bit annoyed about was stories simply throwing in the next big villain, so no matter how much power a character gained, the relative danger/tension felt pretty similar. They’re always struggling at their utmost. I love it when powerful characters can be powerful, and more so when we’ve seen the journey it took them to get there. Ilea gets to show off quite a bit in this one but of course there’s challenges in the wait too...

This is book 7/10. Book 10 will conclude the series. We’re getting into endgame territory, and I’m excited for that journey :).

Here’s the blurb:

Ilea has been fighting terrifying creatures of magic for a long time - now she’s become one of them.

After her adventures on the deadly Krahen Isles, Ilea broke through and gained another question mark. However, while she worked on her Classes in the North, things did not remain idle on the Plains.

The war with Baralia has come to an end, and with it the influence of one of the major Healing Orders of the world. More Orders are taking note of the rise of the Medic Sentinels. Conflict is brewing, and Lilith might just be the right envoy for the job. So long as the negotiations involve poisons and punching.

The world is changing, and Ilea sets her sights on the twelve ancient keys of the Taleen. Artifacts related to the One without Form, the supposed guardian of the Taleen and their long-forgotten capital. With her fast-improving space magic, as well as her allies' continued research into the Taleen teleportation technology, she’s ready for a road trip. This time, she is joined by a few unlikely companions, ready to explore the wastelands and the far reaches of the world. And to fight and/or befriend anything that gets in their way.

Oh, and there are also mechs, dwarves, and big flame-covered swords. Come and join her on the journey.

--

About the series: Join Ilea as she is transported to a world full of monsters and magic, where power is measured by one's class, level and skills. Watch her grow in power, and recklessness, as she wields ancient hand-to-hand combat magic that can both heal and destroy. This Isekai story has a dual-Class LitRPG system where every skill, class and ability can evolve. Ilea’s tale is equal parts comfy slice-of-life wanderings, goofy jokes and brutal, blood-pumping battles with nightmarish monsters. Join her as she delves into forgotten dungeons, hoards snacks and generally does whatever she feels like.

COVER ARTIST: Mattias/Baconstrap - https://baconstrap.carbonmade.com/

AI USAGE: No AI used

Also want to mention 74 of the 307 days was epic and high fantasy sprinkled with a little bit of sci-fi. Beyond that has been exclusively litRPG with a smattering of progression. I have listened to nothing but for around 3 1/2 years, I’d guess.

Edit: I’ll check back in at a year!

Hey! Does anyone know of any Western LitRPGs? to be clear when I say western I dont mean like... Western game dev and the such. I am referring to yeehaw. Cowboys. Showdowns at high noon type stuff. I figure its probably a really niche thing but I am genuinely pretty curious if anyone has made anything of note.

I always thought it referred to Jason, that he fights with literal monsters and ‘monsters’ in human form, and slowly becomes more and more tyrannical and ‘evil’.

But I was wrong!

It actually refers to his friends. As the story progresses, they become more and more like Jason – insufferable assholes with ‘witty’ banter and superiority complex. It’s amazing, actually, that the Asanofication is so subtle and insidious that I only realized it now. Humphrey, Clive, Sophie, and Neil turned into lesser evils after being exposed to Jason for so long, their original characters subsumed into the Asano collective to worship, glaze Jason, and preach about how much he ‘sacrificed’ constantly. I only hope that they will one day realize that themselves and fight against the darkness, returning to their origin after defeating Jason once and for all.

Now I know that Nietzsche was talking about the monster that is Jason Asano all along.

Aest Belequa here again, this time announcing Stormblade: Volume Three on Audible! It’s been a long wait, and I know from comments on my other posts that there are a few people who’ve been waiting. Sorry for the lack of communication. Everything happened very quickly right at the end on this one!

People seem to really love the first two books, and I’m super excited for Book Three. Aaron Camacho and Onyx Volcan did a great job with the audio again for this one. Have some links. 

Links:
Stormblade Volume Three on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Stormblade Volume Three on Audible

And here’s a blurb:

Kade must reforge his core.

Kade’s victory over the Paragon of the Hurricane has cost him dearly, but his weakened state is temporary. The God of Thunder has a method to rebuild his core—a necessary step along his Path. Meanwhile, part of the expedition to Carlsbad has stayed behind to quell the S-Rank portal in the caverns. While one of Kade’s enemies steps into the power vacuum, another finds himself running out of time and in need of assistance. 

Meanwhile, Ellen’s conflict with her father, the wealthy head of the Traynor Corporation, reaches a boiling point, and Jessie’s got her heart set on a guild building—a pricey one. As Kade rebuilds his core and pushes to catch up with Ellen, his eye is focused on home. 

It’s not the only one. 

Major powers are on the move, and Earth is their focus. When the Carlsbad expedition is defeated, Phoenix finds itself under siege and outmatched. To shore up its defenses, the Governing Council organizes a tournament for the city’s up-and-coming delvers. The prize? Entry into a unique portal world. Kade must claim that world’s power. 

COVER ARTIST: Kart Studios 

AI USAGE: None.

Anyone else really satisfied with the last book. I am very happy that we can be 13 books deep and:

A. I am still enjoying the series
B. It looks like it still has interesting things planned for the future.

The battle’s end is just the beginning. Jade is leaving her mark on the world, but it’s left scars on her.

With the invasion of Mianach concluded, Jade now has to pay the price for temporary peace. Torn between her desire to improve the world and facing the results of her actions, she searches for a path to recovery and restoration. But time is taking its toll, and she’s racing the clock of her own mortality to find a cure. She’ll have to walk a thin line between creativity and caution, because some changes are permanent.

Jade will have to balance the bonds of friendship as she steps onto the path of dragons and gods to forge her own. But growing power comes with growing pains, and there’s only so much of her to go around. Time is the one resource she can’t hoard, no matter how thin she spreads herself. Adapting alchemy and crafting to make her own improvements provides a foundation for Andara’s future. She might only be one person, but she isn’t alone.

Even the smallest light can become a beacon of hope if you’re creative enough.

Available on Amazon today! <3 Hope y'all have a fantastic day! May you find joy in the little things of life. <3
https://www.amazon.com/Domain-Fantasy-LitRPG-Touch-Power-ebook/dp/B0HJDLY6RQ

COVER ARTIST: Sandara Tang

AI USAGE: None

I read the other three and just finished the most recent victor of Tucson and wondering if anyone has heard about vainglory book 4.

Author doesn't have another way to say something is stronger than what was faced 5 pages ago that was already dangerous.

Slap the good old "on another level" on there!

Half joke, half thinking of making it a drinking game!!

Honestly more of a rant than a topic but ever read a really good series? Top notch world building, interesting magic system, unique MC cheat, the works but then as the numbers start to pop off especially vitality/health/fortitude they have a discussion about immortality then protagonist-kun utters the dreaded words, “who wants to live forever?”. Every single time I let out the longest sigh. Really? There are people who given great power, an unshakable support system and sometimes even lackeys for the maniacally inclined still wouldn’t want to live forever? Like the time you live in is the end of history and nothing interesting enough to keep you engaged will ever happen in a million years? There might even be a good star wars sequel 300 years ahead of you and barely thirty MC is already jaded by the prospect of infinity.

So can anyone convince me why the immutable immortality often presented in litrpgs can be a downer?. I’m preemptively taking friends and family dying off the table that’s a cop out and you know it. Make a new family or spend your time improving the lives of your current ones

Hi! This is my first time doing this(promoting), so, I'm a little clueless on if this is right, but! If you'd like to read a cutesy story about a gremlin(alchemist) living their day-to-day life, I think you'd enjoy!

~~~

Blurb

---

Awakening is the dream of many—Riches, fame, knowledge, and power, by climbing the tower you can earn it all!

But I...Don't particularly care about any of that?

Why did I awaken? And why did my gender change?

Alchemist? Gallery?

It seems I've awakened. As a cute girl nonetheless. Guess I'll climb the tower and make potions.

...Why is this kind of fun?

~~~

What To Expect?

* Gremlin, Chaos-Bringer MC

* Alchemist MC

* Physically Weak MC

* Majority Slice of Life and Comfort

* Feel Good Story

* Wholesome G/G Relationship

* Slower Paced

* Explosions

~~~

Info

---

Royalroad Link - https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/169720/worlds-cutest-alchemist

Scribblehub Link - https://www.scribblehub.com/series/2357420/worlds-cutest-alchemist/

COVER ARTIST: ME!

AI USAGE: None!

Tags - Gender Bender, Girl's Love, Slice Of Life, Cozy, Tower!

Pages - 1,150

This is a lite LitRPG. There are no stats, but, it does have a system, skills, traits, and a tower to climb!

I'm not shitting on the series, its fairly fun, I mostly like the mc, and some of the side characters are interesting. And I very much like that its getting into politics and nobility some.

That said, the grammer and writing have been... rough at times. A lot of misspellings or just odd Grammar that almost makes it seem like a pov change when there wasn't one. The info dumps are also getting to be a bit much. Does any of this improve as the series goes on? I'm only mid way through book 2 so I'm still hopeful as that's fairly early in a series but would love an answer.

Like I've listened to multiple audio litrpg where it talks about monsters spawning in like magic and such. But never exactly touch upon if it despawn material as well. So I would kinda like a story on that premise where like some space station got built using mostly metal from some common shield that only dropped from a southern continent of a planet

Are there any good stories where the mc finds a abandoned castle or similar and rebuilds it ideally some combat

Particularly where the VR game world isn't on/in earth and earth bust be traveled to, otherwise that's just a fancy robot without magic.

Trying to format this on my phone is a nightmare so expect a lot of edits but basically after reading a couple of books promoted in this subreddit specifically only to find I spent money on a fantasy book that calls itself a LitRPG because that's what is popular right now. I could go down a list of more than 10 series but really dont want to put out all that negativity. I will instead just use one example, Aetherborn. It was specifically promoted to this subreddit as a LitRPG by the author but when you read it, the only game/TTRPG/videogame thing that EVER happens is maybe every 3 or 4 chapters instead of the narrator saying "the MC had lied so may times he was really getting good at it" instead it says "He got a notification that his lying skill hit level 5" and that's it. No other LitRPG elements. It reads like Robin Hobbs Assassin Apprentice with the word "level" thrown in and called a LitRPG. At this point it feels like these "LitRPG in name only" are becoming every other series I read and I would be fine if they were honest and just said it's a fantasy, an urban fantasy or even the wider parent genre of LitRPG: progression fantasy.

Like what are we doing? In Harry Potter they go from one grade to another and have a house point system, so is it a LitRPG? It has number go up! And when Gandalf the Grey became Gandalf the White that's clearly a class evolution so LoTR needs a LitRPG sticker too.

IDK, what do y'all think? Am I way off base here? I think there should be a more concrete list of criteria and a numbered threshold for being a LitRPG similar to what was established for games that call themselves Rogue LIKE versue Rogue LITE.

EDIT: headed to bed so won't be replying/checking till a bit after I wake up. Thanks for keeping the discussion civil and not the knee jerk "see different opinion hit down vote." Still of the opinion that this sub needs healthier gatekeeping of the term but see how touchy/triggering/subjective/oxymoronic the phrase "healthy gatekeeping" is after reading your comments.

PS: I will defend my Mediterranean Sea metaphor to my dying breath.

I just started a job where I'm staring at spreadsheets all day and I needed something to keep me focused. I always meant to read the singer if terrandia series but never got around to it. It's actually good and compelling to listen to.

When pirataba sticks to a plot line they can really cook

Vol 10 has felt extremely meandering and unfocused. It's like pirataba decided to put the wandering inn on hold while every side story sitting on the shelf that they have been meaning to write finally got added in.

This is my tier list. Despite being pretty short since a good chunk of the LitRPG's I consume are comics or anime and not books, It still has a lot of stories I don't think I've seen on this site so here you guys go! Feel free to give me recommendations based on this or ask questions about my reviews!

S Tier:

01 - Dungeon Crawler Carl \[Matt Dinman\]

02 - Hell Difficulty Tutorial \[Cerim\]

03 - An Unbound Soul + A Lonely Dungeon \[cathfach\]

A Tier:

04 - The Heart Grows \[Damaged\]

05 - Discount Dan \[Shadow Alley Press / James Hunter\]

06 - There is no Epic Loot here, Only Puns. \[stewart92\]

B Tier:

07 - A (Not So) Simple Fetch Quest \[cathfach\]

08 - An Unborn Hero \[cathfach\]

09 - Cultist of Cerebon \[FIZZICKS\]

10 - Weretiger \[C.J. Milnes\]

C Tier:

11 - Unwilling Eldritch Horror of Fortune \[Tismon\]

12 - Another Dungeon Core \[Stripes04\]

D Tier:

13 - Deck of Dogs \[Lack of Poochline\]

14 - Symphony \[J.D. Mullenary Sr.\]

F Tier:

15 - Apocalypse: Reborn As A Monster \[DreamTickler\]

S Tier Mini Reviews:

01 - Dungeon Crawler Carl [Matt Dinman]

Its DCC no real explanation needed, Go read it NOW! I procrastinated reading this for like 3 years because I was a contrarian little shit who thought it couldn't be that good if everyone liked it. But it just is that good. READ IT NOW!!!

02 - Hell Difficulty Tutorial [Cerim]

While some of you who never made it past the first couple of floors might disagree this is the only LitRPG I've read so far that can even come close to competing with DCC. It definitely isn't as well written/executed as DCC but honestly, the main character alone is SOO interesting and complex. I legit HATED Nat for the entirety of Floor 1 but now he is legit one of my favorite protagonists in fiction. The fights and power system in general is really cool and unique, in fact its the only reason I managed to get far enough in to see Nathaniel's character development as well as how much of a complex character he is. Despite the fights being cool at this point Nathaniel's character has completely stolen the show. I could genuinely write an entire thesis on his character alone but I’ll leave most of the rambling until I make a full review.

(Also Nat/Myrra is the best ship)

03 - An Unbound Soul + A Lonely Dungeon [cathfach]

While both of these stories would normally be around A or B tier the two of them together just barely push themselves onto the bottom of S tier. I would heavily recommend reading A Lonely Dungeon and the An Unbound Soul, while nowhere near perfect the story they tell together is fantastic and also asks really complex and morally grey questions about freedom, happiness, and how much freewill maters in contrast to a world without crime or evil.

A Tier Mini Reviews:

04 - The Heart Grows [Damaged]

This is a really interesting dungeon core story I've fallen in love with, while a part of my affection is certainly rooted in my bias for stories with kobolds I do think its decently interesting. My main complaint is that like most dungeon core stories it has slowly succumbed to character and story bloat. It just has too many small things happening, and SOO many different characters it can be pretty hard to remember everything and also the story and pacing are definitely impacted heavily by this especially later on.

05 - Discount Dan [Shadow Alley Press / James Hunter]

Now, Discount Dan, who boy is there a lot I want to say, but I should probably leave it for a larger review. Overall it’s quite interesting as a LitRPG that takes place in the backrooms and I love it but it started to go a little down hill after the suburbia/HOA arcs IMO. I also don't personally love how much it leaned into the biological horror aspects and the backrooms are and alien spaceship vibe. Also some of the characters have kind of been a bit inconsistent and not written the best these in the more recent chapters. (Still its pretty good and funny)

06 - There is no Epic Loot here, Only Puns. [stewart92]

Great story with great characters and world building but its also the PERFECT example of character and story bloat I have ever read. I once I caught up I could NOT keep reading weekly because I just forgot all of the stuff. I'm going to probably reread the whole thing once its complete tho.

(Also the fact most of the images are broken irritates me a LOT)

B Tier Mini Reviews:

07 - A (Not So) Simple Fetch Quest [cathfach]

Now this story is something I think is very interesting, while it has plenty of flaws and doesn't exactly come together as a perfectly fleshed out story, the tale told by it is so interesting. While it has a lot of flaws it also has so much interesting stuff and even heavily inspired one of my own WIP stories. Also it is a bit 'fetishy' but fetish work is still a form of art and I like the way it’s integrated into the story well.

08 - An Unborn Hero [cathfach]

Very funny satire/love-letter about LitRPG and Magical Girl media. even if your not well versed in magical girl stuff as long as you know something similar like power rangers I would heavily recommend giving it a read. It's fun and nostalgic.

(Also there's YURI)

09 - Cultist of Cerebon [FIZZICKS]

Rely cool biomancy, magic, and religion system. Honestly the main reason why it’s so low is a combination of two things. It hasn't updated in a while, and I really don't like the direction they went with Rizok and Vidhatri's character and relationship. Maybe I'm delusional but Zareth and Rizok had FAR more chemistry and would have made the story 10x better. Hell it would have HEAVILY fit into the themes and ideas being set up by the story and I genuinely thought they were going to get together for a little bit.

10 - Weretiger [C.J. Milnes]

Really liked the use of Biomancy in this as well. The end dragged on a bit tho and wasn't too interesting after they left their house behind.

C Tier Mini Reviews:

11 - Unwilling Eldritch Horror of Fortune [Tismon]

As much as I like it, I cant in good faith put if above a C because of how bland, one dimensional, and generally vacant the MC is. When you look past the cool manipulator + elder god shtick there isn't much there. I really am enjoying it tho.

12 - Another Dungeon Core [Stripes04]

This story set out to do one thing which it accomplishes, make a dungeon core story all about dungeon building without eventually loosing all of that to focus on politics and character drama. While I can respect that it just doesn't have much more than that, Its just dungeon building and the few times it tries to do more there isn't enough development or complexities to justify more.

D Tier Mini Reviews:

13 - Deck of Dogs [Lack of Poochline]

The system was to complicated and I lost interest before anything important could really be set up. I might give it another try but I just don't think it has strong enough characters/plot to give me a reason to care about the story and system.

14 - Symphony [J.D. Mullenary Sr.]

The world building part was alright but I just lost interest the second the god part started and we dove into the MC's head. The story did not successfully make me invested enough in him before this arc to actually make me care about his backstory/past.

F Tier Mini Reviews:

15 - Apocalypse: Reborn As A Monster [DreamTickler]

I really tried my best to like this, but even after fully reading this like an addict and greatly enjoying myself I just cant put this above F tier. The only reason I at all enjoyed this story is because all of the important characters are kobolds, that's it. The story apart from that had nothing more to offer me. It kind of had some interesting yet poorly executed ideas and if I was rating this off personal enjoyment this would be around A tier but I just can put such a poorly written and executed story anywhere above F. The system is jank, the fights are boring and hard to follow. The cultivation is poorly integrated into the system. The system itself is heavily biased and stupid making it easy for the MC to become super OP by just being the first guy and having future knowledge, then they have to make really stupid reasons to even give the MC and his village a challenge. It relies way to much on AI images. It even feels a little bit misogynistic at times.

(If you want a Prog Fantasy with a Kobold MC and Cultivation, The Broken Knife by SilverSidhe is far better and the only reason its not on here in s tier is because it ain't a litRPG)

I would like recs for World hopping novels. I've already read System Universe, He Who Fights with Monsters and The Primal Hunter. Didn't like Defiance of the Fall tho and I've tried.

I’m about 1/4 done with the first book and I’m wondering how this is one of the highest rated LITRPGs.

It is very boring so far - kills are quite repetitive, the puzzles aren’t super interesting (he just feels his way through), and the alchemy is just really taking forever.

I would say this book is actually really similar to how a video game RPG works: you have a main quest, then you have side quests that you meander down, and you may spend days of game time leveling a profession.

But this piece itself is crazy boring to read about. In other books I have read, DCC and HWFWM, they give you the important interesting pieces about the crafting and then you move on. This book, every single minor potion creation is talked about in detail. How he kills minor boars, all who can’t even hurt him, takes up pages.

I keep waiting for it to get interesting but it’s not. Maybe that’s not what this book is about?

What am I not appreciating?