I don’t know about you, but I’m stressed. Gordon is stoic (but I know he is stressed out.) Our daughters are hella stressed out. Escapism. We need it. On that note, I’ve read 8 novels in one series, back to back.
THE GRAND GAME
One man. Assassin. Caster. A new world. And a Game that is as brutal as it is complex.
Michael finds himself in the realm of the Forever Kingdom, with no memory of how he got there and who he is. Even so, he must participate in the Grand Game and forge a new destiny for himself.
Dropped into a dungeon of monsters, and strange magics, would you survive in a Game where to lose means death?
Alone, and with little more than his wits to aid him, Michael must advance as a player, slay his foes, and gain experience. All while navigating the intrigues around him and discovering his purpose.
A world of Powers, Forces, and mysterious factions. A Game with endless opportunities for advancement and power.
Join Michael on his epic adventure as he deals with the Game’s challenges, the machinations of the Powers, and the ambitions of his fellow players.
The start of an exciting new portal fantasy epic!
The series is written by Tom Elliot, who has the coolest website ever. I’ve enjoyed this series. It’s very difficult for me to turn off internal editor that snags on things like what it believes to be unnecessary adverbs and creative dialogue tags, but this story was so engaging that I kept reading right over things that would normally trip me up.
I’m now reading HE WHO FIGHTS WITH MONSTERS by Travis Deverell, and I’m enjoying it a lot. Jason is insufferable at times but so endearing.
HE WHO FIGHTS WITH MONSTERS
Jason wakes up in a mysterious world of magic and monsters.
It’s not easy making the career jump from office-supplies-store middle manager to heroic interdimensional adventurer. At least, Jason tries to be heroic, but it’s hard to be good when all your powers are evil.
He’ll face off against cannibals, cultists, wizards, monsters…and that’s just on the first day. He’s going to need courage, he’s going to need wit, and he’s going to need some magic powers of his own. But first, he’s going to need pants.
After cementing itself as one of the best-rated serial novels on Royal Road with an astonishing 13 million views, He Who Fights with Monsters is now available on Kindle.
About the series: Experience an isekai culture clash as a laid-back Australian finds himself in a very serious world. See him gain suspiciously evil powers through a unique progression system combining cultivation and traditional LitRPG elements. Enjoy a weak-to-strong story with a main character who earns his power without overshadowing everyone around him, with plenty of loot, adventurers, gods and magic. Rich characters and world-building offer humor, political intrigue and slice-of-life elements alongside lots of monster fighting and adventure.
Surprisingly, there is quite a bit of an overlap between the character builds. Both are stealth based. Both are using shadow teleport. The books are very different, though.
Michael accepts his reality relatively quickly and becomes very proficient and lethal almost immediately. Jason is the kind of character that has unbelievably high luck stat. He keeps stumbling from one disaster to another, and yet somehow he always triumphs. Not without getting his face bashed in first, but still, he comes out better than he went in and he is genuinely kind. I really liked the subtlety of characterization, because Jason is not well, but he is trying to get a grip.
On a side note, Rufus has morphed into Regé-Jean Page in my head. I blame the D&D movie. He was so good as a paladin and I can absolutely see him in this role.
I would love more recommendations along these lines. Looking for that progression of the character getting stronger in a magical RPG world.
I have a small request: please don’t leave book recommendations on The Inheritance posts. We work very hard on those installments, and we hope you will give us your undivided attention when they are up.
first?
Certified 🙂.
I will delete all other first comments for ease of navigation.
Love that idea Mod R!!!
Thank you Mod R 😊
Not to sound like a grinch but I thought a while back there was a consensus to keep the ‘Firsts’ only for serial posts and not just general blog posts. It would be great if we could go back to that 🤩
1+
Agree 100%
1+
Thank you!
I love this idea! I always spin the comments like they are the wheel of fortune to pass all the “firsts?” I’m more interested in what I think of as the book club comments where people share their thoughts. No offense meant to those who value being first. I hope each of you get a chance to be first at least once.
I’m currently reading Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinnaman. Premise: earth gets recycled and turned into a dungeon survival TV show by a galactic corporation, and the survivors of the collapse have to fight through the dungeon for entertainment.
Love DCC and the variety of characters. Princess donut is one of the few acceptable fictional felines that becomes endearing.
That was the series I was going to recommend, glad you mentioned it.
I came for the cat (Princess Donut to you) and stayed for the adventure! +++
Me too (but listening to it rather than reading). I’d put off starting it for a long time, but bit the bullet and raced through the first book, then bought book 2 immediately afterwards. Good adventure and really funny, I’d recommend it 👍
Princess Donut for the Win! I throughly enjoyed listening to the audiobook.
+1 for Dungeon Crawler Carl! The audiobook is great!
+1 to DCC although my favorite character is Prepotente, lol. The recent hardbacks have chapters in a parallel story too, which is fun.
For cozy Isekai, I’m re-listening to the Heretical Fishing series. Also, australian and a node to HHFWM early on re lemonade (FWW I made it and it was too sweet, but YMMV).
+1 for DCC. I’m a proud member of the Princess Posse. All hail our Princess!
Well, I’m more of a Donut Holes gal. 😀
THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!
came to say that😁 I’ve read the books and now going through audio
+1 to DCC, I am a Donuthole !
I don’t know if it counts but what about Syl ? The third book just came out. Instead of a human we follow a slime, in a LitRPG style.
I am too, but we’re on break for a bit before I hit the next in series. I’m reading Invictus: Captive, which I just wasn’t in the mood for the first time I started it, but am now picking up where I left off and enjoying it.
Ohhh. I think you would love Beneath the Dragon Eye Moons by Selkie Myth. Female main character who gets isekaid as a baby but is able to keep some of her memories. Really scratches the itch between anime and stats.
Another +1 for DCC, especially the audio! Jeff (the narrator) is an absolutely brilliant voice actor, really got me into a format I don’t usually stick around for.
yep, I’m currently on the 6th? of the Carl and Donut series still enjoying it. highly recommended
+1 A great series!
Here to join the DCC chorus. 😀
I agree, it’s a fun one!
+1 GD it Donut!
+1 on DCC. Although I did find the one where the gameplay was akin to playing Pokemon cards got a bit tedious for me overall definitely a binge series.
Another DCC fan here and was coming to recommend it!
+1 for Dungeon Crawler Carl. Who knew I’d be so emotionally invested in a talking cat and her pet dinosaur Mongo.
+1 For DCC as well! Im on book 5 and love them!
DCC is one of the best listens I’ve had in a long time. I devoured the audiobooks as fast as I could. I hope you come to love this series as much as I do. It is truly hilarious and poignant at the same time. Enjoy the ride!
Another vote for Dungeon Crawler Carl. True escapism. Takes a couple of chapters to get into, but it’s fun and fast paced. Helps if you play video games, especially RPGs. FYI, all the books are on Kindle Unlimited as of when this message was written.
Go go, Carl and Princess Donut. I’m just finishing book 3.
It took me like six or seven chapters to really get into the first book in this series.
The thing that won me over before I put the book down as DNF? Donut. All the way, and now she’s my favorite character by far. Am listening to audible versions of this series and up to the final installment so far. It’s excellent and entertaining once it hooks you into the world.
i love this series!
One I have been enjoying lately (and I adore Jason!): All the Skills series. Much more PG than PG-13, but a very enjoyable world, with skill building and DRAGONS!
Hopefully this isn’t too off-topic – I’d love to get more into this genre but I’m a sucker for romance (here’s me, still shipping Ada and Elias!)… are there any recs that feature a romantic subplot?
+1 I too prefer at least a dash of romance in my escapism.
I’ve found that romantic subplots tend to be very much the exception rather than the rule in this genre. Most of the heroes/heroines tend to be so much stronger than everyone else that they have a hard time finding someone who can keep up. That, or they just have zero interest in romance. Even the books with romance tend to still focus on one partner and the other often feels like more of a sidekick. IA is doing a great job in “The Inheritance” of building both Ada and Elias as individuals and giving each of them a true voice so that we come to see them as potential future equal partners. This is much easier said than done, and not something that most litRPG writers take the time to focus on. Probably because the genre is based around video game culture, and at the end of the day, gamers are playing for themselves and their teams and are the self-appointed heroes of their own stories.
@paula thanks for the explanation! I guess that makes sense given the origins of the genre and my own experiences trying to find something with a romantic subplot…
@Alisha, thanks for the recommendation! I’ll look into it – not opposed to closed door romance at all!
Super supportive. Super supportive. Super supportive. It’s a Web novel I know but I’ve read all the litrpg ish and this is my favourite. There are days when super supportive comes out and then there Are Bad Days. I count down the minutes and it still never disappoints me. And Oohh all the characters. And aliens! Super heros done well! And tea ceremonies! The first 10ish are a tad clunky as its their first thing.
Apocalypse parenting. Cos after 100s of lit rpg apocalypse you do start to struggle with what does exactly happen to the kids. And bonus: character growth.
I am still reading primal hunter. That’s jolly, too many fight scenes but yet I’m still there 1154 chapters in.
Alpha physics. Bonus: Australia! I also really liked his space ones as well but I don’t think it got the attention it deserves. Bonus: romance
Oohh. Path of Accescenion . 10 books and the plot ark is great, I like the characters still. 100% in line with with request. Would reread.
Everyone likes dungeon crawler Carl and I can see why but the doom of the setting and world overrode the escapism for me. I will try it again at some point.
Beneath dragon eye moon is good, got slightly bored after book 8…but book 8….but I will reread.
I do feel there is a bit of a built in Plot flaw in progression novels, they get stronger and stronger and the ending often poof plot goooone collapse . With that caveat,
Two week curse, 1st book fun!
Second age of retha, vr but still litrpg. The only litrpg romance that I know of. Also the author is ill and needs the love. And I reread it every couple of years.
There’s that other man get stronger in the wilderness book but they do really merge into one for me these days. Oh defiance of the fall. Lost track between Web reading and book reading and can’t be bothered to reread but this happened with hhfwm too. Got less character growth than that though.
Ugg replied to the wrong bit, phones and heat waves blurgh
Second age of retha, romantic subplot but the author is a romance novelist
I love the Second Age of Retha series, can’t wait for the 4th and 5th books, but I’m happy to reread the first three meanwhile.
While I do have few little editing gripes with them, there are loads of laughs, the characters are really well portrayed, the story is fun, and the romance is an awkwardly sweet slow-burn.
+1, I really enjoy this series as well.
I enjoyed these books too, but I’m not sure if the Author will finish the series. The third book was published in 2018, and since then she has focused on her K.M. Shea books. To be honest, her Magiford books are probably better than the Retha novels, but I would still like to see how the story ends.
Supersuportive is great. Im gonna say thats the most author abused rabit in all fiction give him some time without some hkrrible disaster please. Its a great story but be warned of tear producing moments arent that rare. The trauma is strong on this one. So far no strong romantic subplot for the mc there but there are contenders on the story and ships on the fandom.
Path of Accescenion is great the mc start as underdogish and the word spand and develop nicely as the story progress the romance subplot is there and isnt very central to it. But it explores very well the reality and consequences of gaining op magical powers when you arent the most power being around and also what a universe works when there are people powerfull enought to destroy or make planets around. Its more ocidental version of a cultivation world than a litrpg but it can barely qualify.
I also recomend Ajax’s ascension and Im having a lot of fun with foundation of smoke and steel it gets frustating short chapters after you stop binging but every chapter is gold of social political drama and romance kind is and isnt a major plot coff inverted arrenged marriege coff
Wish upon the stars is great fun to read and romance is very central to plot development teen dude raised by his “uncle” gain superpowers and a “you’re not my responsability anymore” letter from his misterious absent dad when he turn 18 and he meet his crush teen superhero hot dangerous local celebrity with dad issues romance plothat t right there.
The hedge wizard is a story that could happen in a classic dnd rpg campain the romance plot take some books to get going but its well developed and happens naturaly it isnt very central to the plot a tertiary plotline at most. We start with the death of the mc mentor/teacher/father figure by what look like a goblin arrow and as the only heir the mc gains ownership of an item and a legacy that he wasnt ready for and learn of all the secret societies cults and other people that want his legacy or wanted destroyed if they learn what it means.
Try Path of Ascension. Not a romance book in any sense but there is a great romantic subplot (all closed door). And it’s female MC is equally as awesome as the main male MC.
Same for me. I’m listening to the Azarinth Healer right now coz of your recommendation, and it’s good. I think I would enjoy it more if it had a romance in it also.
There is one I read recently that has romance/relationship elements. It’s “The Guardian League” series by Kevin J. Morris. It’s labeled as a reverse portal fantasy novel and is essentially about protecting the Earth from an invasion by alien zombies. Here’s the blurb for the first book in the series, “The Guardian in the Palace”:
Disillusioned with her military career, Red Hernandez takes a job as a second tier security lead for an engineering marvel meant to cram more people into Manhattan. Expecting a smooth transition to civilian life, her plans go up in smoke when a similar building is destroyed in a mysterious, unprecedented blast, turning her cushy retirement into a new battleground.
With lives on the line, but big money pushing to continue construction, Red finds the steely determination that she’d lost in the desert of her past. Monsters lurk in the shadows, forcing her to re-evaluate everything she believed to be true… and all that she imagined.
This series also has a character called Bear, but Bear is sadly a human rather than a German Shepherd.
I also enjoy romance, but if it’s an especially good book I can do without. The inheritance is an especially good book
Have you tried the Rogue Ascension series by Hunter Mythos? I only read the first book, but looking at summaries from later on it says he marries the lady he meets in it, so may or may not be what you’re after.
Here are three that I could recommend that do have romance mixed in with progression LitRPG – but cute and cozy romance, not spicy. The first is the I Ran Away To Evil series and the second is the Demon World Boba Shop series (both on Kindle Unlimited) and the last is Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats (Still just on Royal Road, but expected to come to KU at some point.). I’ve been spending more time on the adorkable end of the reading spectrum this year and all of these made for a fun escape!
If anyone is LitRPG curious and hasn’t read them, the Dungeon Crawler Carl books by Matt Dinniman are fantastic. In short, Earth is destroyed by aliens who reconstruct the remains into a giant video game dungeon. The aliens then send the surviving humans into the dungeon and make their travels into a reality show. The series focuses on a guy named Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat (who quickly learns to talk). Hijinks and adventures ensue. There is a lot of blood and death if anyone is sensitive to that.
I also recently read Bastion by Phil Tucker, book 1 of The Immortal Great Souls (terrible series name). It was a highly enjoyable progression fantasy – definitely had some LitRPG elements but it wasn’t deep enough in that world to have levels, an interface, etc. Essentially, the main character wakes up in a tomb and is quickly told he was a reborn “great soul”. But it turns out he was a criminal in a past life, so he’s thrown into the savage wilderness. He subsequently has to survive while gaining power and plotting revenge.
some of the ones I’ve liked are:
mage errant by John Bierce – finished series
Cradle by Will Wight – finished series
bog standard isekai by Miles English – not finished
guardian of Aster Fall by David North – finished series. More focused on crafting than the others I’ve mentioned but still has a good chunk of fighting.
also really love DCC but it’s been mentioned multiple times already.
I loved the Cradle series by Will Wight!!! It’s complete now and getting an animatic! Excellent and progressive character building in a unique and fascinating world setting.
Will Wight is such an awesome author, I’m always quickly immersed in whatever new world he creates.
He’s one of the few others in with House Andrews in my “refresh search for new release over and over again” list…
I’m hanging on the next instalment of his The Last Horizon series…
Bog standart is great worth every moment reading it
Bog Standard #4 is on Royal Road, about 75% completed if youre like me & couldn’t wait for the kindle version. They have a great app & website, very readable (…which makes sense because it’s, duh, a website specifically geared toward serial stories)
I can also recommend Dungeon Crawler Carl- very much enjoyed it. Gritty but with a lot of humor.
Also, Beware of Chicken is a good read. Feels like you’re reading an anime comic.
Beware of Chicken is one of my favorites! I also really adore Heretical Fishing and Azarinth Healer. I have read so many different series in this genre that I have a hard time remembering all or determining which one is my favorite, because so many of them are so good! It’s hard, waiting for continuations to be published. I just read the first book in a new one called Wraithwood Botanist that I really enjoyes.
I will agree on Beware of Chicken. I am currently on Book 2 and enjoying the journey.
I’m reading and really enjoying Paranoid Mage. The MC is an adult who has a Harry Potter-like awakening and discovers a magic world, and is also discovered by said world. But instead of joining eagerly, he immediately decides they want to exploit him and goes rogue straight off the bat. He’s very logical and has power but it’s fun reading about him overcoming his utter ignorance. I think it’s only on Royal Road so far.
The Daily Grind by Argus. Not completed but still worth checking out. I believe also well received on Royal Roads.
Call center technician existing in his fluorescent light glare job, answering ridiculous questions leaves his night shift and used the stairs instead of the elevator. That’s when the alternate reality is discovered. Staplers, desk lamps and hanging ferns aren’t always friendly or stationary, yikes.
The Wandering Inn – Pirate Ava is fabulous. It’s free on her site and comically long.
I just finished the Murderbot Diaries. Not LitRPG but short and fun novellas. Premise is a security robot hacks his ‘guardian chip’ the one that limits things like it murdering humans, mostly so it can watch soap opera tv. Fun exploration on gender and the confusing interactions that occur with humans.
A Murderbot TV Series just came out pretty recently on AppleTV and it is SO good! Alexander Skarsgard plays the title character and he’s perfect.
Agree!
+1 on the rec for The Wandering Inn, and my appreciation to whoever suggested it the last time this topic came up. The first couple of chapters were a little clunky, and five volumes in I still wish there were more commas, but I’ve been hooked. The length of the thing almost feels like a soap opera, but in a good way.
I read murderbot diaries in the immediate aftermath of my dad’s death in a foreign country and IT STILL MANAGED TO DISTRACT Me. So good, love it for ever.
https://www.webnovel.com/book/shadow-slave_22196546206090805
Shadow Slave by Guiltythree (legally available at Webnovel)
That’s the serial novel that got me hooked on the RPG genre. The author publishes 2 short chapters per day, and english doesn’t seem to be their first language, so there are some words that he uses a lot, and some filler chapters (inevitable considering the format).
This might mean that your internal editor doesn’t leave you alone while reading it… but still, it’s really, really, really worth it.
Nothing is what it seems, the (male) main character slowly powers up through hard work, there are many many interesting arcs, and there are a lot of side characters, both male and female, very well written. In between adventures and misteries, it also deals with themes of power, and the responsability of those who have it.
I read the daily chapters before going to sleep, and it’s wonderful for scaping the real world.
If you try it, I hope you like it.
Paladin’s Grace and Paladin’s Strength by T. Kingfisher
I like the MMC is a Paladin that likes to knit socks. The FMC is aa perfumer. Both leads are over 30.
I love those! Another series with a similar vibe is the Penric and Desdemona novella series by Lois McMaster Bujold. It’s not isekai at all, nor litRPG per se, but a progression series with kindness, peril, humor, and ethical questions. I find it very comforting in stressful times.
Penric, a healer and scholar stops on the road to help a dying woman and the demon (Desdemona) who shares her body jumps to him. Demons are beings of chaos that normally try to take over their host and wreak harm, but Desdemona has learned to coexist with hers.
Over the series, both characters grow in intriguing ways, Penric using Desdemona’s chaos magic to heal more effectively and Des becoming a true partner who argues with him about his choices. Their internal dialog is amusing and becomes hilarious when Pen allows her to take over his voice to interact with other humans. Late in the series, Pen has acquired a (wonderfully understanding) wife and child and Des wants her own – how’s that going to work out?
I love and have read both of these series. I also have the audiobook for HWFWM, Health Miller is a great narrator. Both have intelligent characters who work for their goals (even if Jason can be a bit reckless – I like how his team balances him out). I’m also going to be imagining Rufus as Regé-Jean Page now! 😁
Recommendations-wise I’m currently reading Tunnel Rat by WalrusKing. It’s not quite isekai like the other two but bounces between the real and game world. Unlike some with the same premise both worlds are equally as interesting and it’s fun to see how they intertwine. Milo is a great protagonist, incredibly smart and a complete chaos magnet. He has a need to help and fix things which causes unexpected (but fun for us) ripple effects for all involved. Book 3 has just been published and more is on Royal Road.
The Stork Tower series by Tony Corden…the first book is Nascent!
I enjoyed Mother of Learning by Domagoj Kurmaic aka nobody103. The teenage protagonist wakes up on the morning he is heading back to school for his third year. School goes how he expects for the first couple of months until the summer festival, when monsters invade and he’s killed. He wakes up three months in the past, about to head back to school.
How did he get stuck in this time loop, and how does he get out? And who else is stuck here with him?
I can’t recommend Mother of Learning enough. It’s fascinating and different enough from most series to really make it worth reading. One caveat – the first few chapters can be a bit of a slog, but once you’re through it gets amazing.
I LOVE that series! I wanted to recommend it here too but it is more than possible that I found out about it through one of the past book recommendation post here already so I was not sure if I should ;-). Word of warning the first few chapters are poorly written and irritating. It gets SO much better later. I could not put it down.
mother of learning is for time loop fantasy what lord of the rings is for epic fantasy in some decades it gonna be seen as a classic and genre central influence for everything coming after it. Its a lesson in how to do time loop writing right in a fantasy setting. Its brialiant inovative and counter tropes without forcing the narrative or characters outside their normal progression or making us feel lied to or cheeted like game thrones did when kalisse gonne mad and started buring the city and being killed by Jon snow. Sure the main character is kind of anusual personality for the story hero and than we meet the actual “hero” character and the story gets even better by contrast of what we expect of a main character should look like and think and behave. Its a great deconstructuin of the hero as main character psicological nature and position on classic fantasy narrative. The worldbuilding is great and we have many side characters that deserve their own stories told and we get so little of its madening. Not to mention the kazinski family drama.
I really enjoyed The Grand Game, but had a hard time getting into He Who Fights With Monsters, as you said, Jason can be insufferable and I only have so much patience for him. Others that I have read and enjoyed are “Dungeon Crawler Carl”, “Primal Hunter”, “Path of Dragons” – Though I read this on Royal road and only the first book has recently been released, “Defiance of the Fall”, and The Path of Ascension. All of these have fantasy elements. For a more sci-fi type progression series, I strongly recommend the “Iron Prince – Warformed:Stormweaver” series. Unfortunately there are only two books so far and the third is probably a year or so out at this point.
I almost forgot: Rise of the Winter Wolf is a fun series too.
I just listened to He who fights with Monsters, I liked it. I think it would be a better audiobook then print.
Skyclad, by Scott Browder, and the NPC’s series by Drew Hayes are two that I like.
Saintess Summons Skeltons on Royal Road.
Skeletons. Oops.
I highly recommend any series by Sean Oswald, Apollos Thorne, or Plum Parrot. All three are amazing authors and highlights of the genre.
Second the recommendation for Plum Parrot. Love his works, Victor of Tucson especially. But his cyberpunk stuff is good, too.
Thanks for all the recommendations! Im on day 6 of my 18 day recovery from minor surgery and I cant seem to find anything that holds my attention. I had a list of books, manga, and tv/movies and Ive only finished 1. Everything else has been meh.
I’m going to stalk this post and hopefully one of these will keep me interested and sane.
Check out the website (they also have a very nice app) Royal Road. It’s geared toward litrpg/cultivation/gamelit but basically you can find almost anything & they have a very good tagging system to narrow your preferences. There’s a “rising stars” list which should help steer you toward better reviewed series but honestly half the fun is clicking on a random user recommendation & reading the first few chapters.
The Calamitous Bob by Alex Gilbert is one of my very favorites, a french medic ends up in a magical world, and decides that becoming an Evil OverLady just might be for her.
I second this recc, great character and progression to overpowered empress. plus adorable murder dragon.
I third the recommendation.
Besides, Viv is (Totally not an) EVIL OVERLADY! It says so in the title of one of the books! To quote from the blurb: “But that doesn’t mean she’s evil! She just looks the part. Honest!”
Can’t believe I hadn’t mentioned that yet, it’s my fav. It’s finished on patreon now and I am bereft!
That sounds similar to How to Become a Dark Lord and Die Trying, by Django Wexter. Davi is tired of trying to save the world from the Dark Lord and dying painfully in an endless time loop. Now it’s time to play for the other team.
As Devi dies and returns, over and over, she learns how to change an action and avoid (that particular) death. She acquires minions (usually those who killed her last several times around) and gets closer to the selection of the new Dark Lord. It’s bloody, silly, snarky, and overall a lot of fun.
To clarify, the Devi books are isekai, but not LitRPG with stats and all that. She is trying to work her way up to vie for the role of Dark Lord, since trying to beat the Dark Lord over the course of centuries and hundreds of times has proved futile.
If you ignore the bad first chapters the story is great. I love it with an unholy passion. The authornsense of humor is wonderfull. The worldbuilding is good. People are assholes just becouse she is a witch using Black mana a mana normaly used by assassins and necromancers and she killed some important and powerfull people during a revolt and revolution and is folowed by sinester group of continental feared assassins a mad war golem barily held from mass slaughter by almost overruled programed directives and a young impressionable Dragon that is learning about banking capitalism and economy by someone from Earth that understand some of it doesnt mean she evil and must be stoped or something…
I hope things get better for you and your crew. I absolutely get diving headfirst into a book when things get stressful. Lately my family has followed the pattern of disaster, disaster, really good thing shampoo, rinse, and repeat. I just want some nice boring, middle of the road events for a while to get my equilibrium.
I am looking forward to seeing what everybody recommends 😀 I am still in a bit of a book slump as I approach my sixth month of bedrest and 275-ish books read.
I have enjoyed He Who fights monsters but admit I am finding it hard to get into the 11th book.
I also enjoyed a few of the other mentions… Tony Corden The Stork Tower and The wandering inn.
The three that I keep going back to and rereading are The Age of Retha, and Battle Trucker (love the spatial world building within dimensional space) and Rise of the mistic mage by Boyce, all are unfinished series so don’t start them if you get driven bonkers waiting for next books. I have read them multiple times since February.
I am currently reading Temple of Sorrow by Carrie Summers… so far so good on this one.
+1 for Age of Retha!
@Whitney: here is a great slow burn romantic subplot.
Lol you are my book reading doppelganger. I have rise of the mystic mage as my fall asleep audio book. Battle truck is so much fun
Dungeon crawler Carl is amazing, especially the audio books.
I really hated Jason. No hate to those who do like him! But he really reminded me of this one coworker I had. He would take every opportunity to tell people about his not very well-thought out opinions. And the other characters in the book never really push back on Jason – I would prefer if he was beat up more
oh Jason isnt for everyone taste. Dont get me wrong he can be an idiotic selfrigteus entitle umbeareble arrogant asshole most times but he is entertaining and funny even in his dark mode becouse he is a big drama queen and cant avoid making a show of himself and them get all buthurt about it later. And honestly been entertaining was a big plus for me during pandemic years it helped lots during deep depression making me smile sometimes. Also something about his mulehead morals make him endearing and likible even with his personality problems.
He Who Fights With Monsters has a great full audio cast to listen to. Stumbled across this series two months ago and love listening to it at work. The detail of world building reminds me of KD.
I really like The Primal Hunter by Zogarth and Beware of Chicken by Casual farmer
If you ever do audiobooks I really enjoyed Heath Miller’s narration of HWFWM. It gets a bit crunchy at times and I often skip the stat blocks/skill descriptions but I think he definitely added to the books.
Another one of my favorites would be Beware of Chicken by CasualFarmer. It is more about poking fun at all the tropes. The main character gets isekaied and decides he doesn’t want anything to do with this crap. That, of course, only works out so well but he really does try to just settle down and farm.
Slightly different angle but my current fav is Mark of the Fool by JM Clarke . The setting is very much D&D inspired but without the (sometimes annoying) stat sheets. Definitely the strong to weak coming of age progression.
Alex, the protagonist is chosen to be a hero by his county’s god to fight a demon and instead runs away to attend the Academy.
Tom Lancombe Natural Laws Apocalypse Series. Earth has been a beta test for millennia and now returning to norms with monster spawns , safe zones, skills and levels. Enjoy the world building and characters dynamics
I second the rec for Mark of the Fool. It’s one of my favorites. And it’s complete!
He who fights with monsters is one of my favorite series and one of two people I follow on patreon
The Good Guys and the Bad Guys both series by Eric Ugland.
+1
Dungeon crawler Carl ! Carl is forced to compete in an intergalactic Dungeon crawl, assister by his talking cat, and a perverted AI
I really like
– The Calamitous Bob by ALex Gilbert As of now 9 Books on Amazon
And
A Soldier’s Life by AlwaysRollsAOne 5 Books
Both are a mix of portal fantasy/ Isekai/ Litrpg. Whit heros like Jason who has just a bit more luck than is normal
The Calamitous Bob is excellent. I just re-read the series.
Strong female lead that actually has to cope with the trauma of losing friends and her home and misses them from time to time. Something that comes up to rarely in the isekai stories that I have read.
Great world building, a hilarious golem sidekick and great action.
Highly recommended
I just started Wasteland Warlords and it’s hysterical. Everyone needs a chainsaw wielding redneck with a bionic raccoon partner.
Progression and LitRPG have become some of my favorite genres in recent years, but there’s so much out there. While power famtasy is common in many of these books, there are some really good ones available.
Recommendations in no particular order:
-Victor or Tucson, A young man is teleported to a new world and immediately enslaved and sold to a gladiator stable. As he applies his wrestling skills to deadly combat, his owner pays to help him consolidate a Core, a fundamental necessity for progression. Victor ends up with an uncommon Spirit Core, and the rest is history.
-The Fortifier, A System Apocalypse has come and left ruin and opportunity in its wake. The MC is a man struggling to keep people safe, while using humor and the occasional pop culture reference to avoid dealing with his own rage and loss.
-Salvos, A demon from a dark dimension is born from the Advent. She has no teachers, no guides, and only one ‘friend,’ a fellow demon that just won’t leave her alone. During a fight with a much stronger demon, Salvos is catapulted to the mortal plane, and has to survive her most challenging opponent, Civilization. Plus all the other monsters and adventurers that would kill her as soon as look at her.
-Street Cultivation trilogy, In a world where Families and Corporations have automated to process of drawing the magical energy in the atmosphere as fuel for the Modern era and its many comforts (at the cost of many magical creatures’ lives), our down on his luck MC works as a training dummy at a martial arts dojo to provide for his sick sister. The trilogy follows Rick as he starts down the path of being a prize fighter, seeking not fame and fortune, but merely financial security.
-Millenial Mage, Human Civilization has survived in their wild, chaotic world by creating great cities that fade over a few centuries. Tala is a recently graduated mage from humanity’s only permanent establishment. She is teleported to her new city, and has to quickly find employment or a Master to take her on and help pay for the precious metals she needs to have tattooed on to her body to continue being able to cast spells, and more importantly pay off her student loans.
-The Transcendent Green, The world is transforming with the arrival of the System. Slowly enough that people have a fighting chance. Calum is an earnest and proud Scotsman, riding his bike out of Glasgow as quickly as possible to reach the last of his family. Along the way he meets others just as confused as himself, and monsters of every sort preying on regular folks. But when push comes to shove, he stands up for what’s right, growing strong with his companions in the process.
D’oh! Victor OF Tucson.
Millenial Mage! I forgot to mention that one in my post. I love that series.
Millennial Mage is great! I need to check and see if a new book is out since I last read it.
My current obsession is A Practical Guide to Sorcery by Azalea Ellis. Not exactly LitRPG (although she does have a series that fits) but it’s very much a progression fantasy where the main character gets more and more skilled through hard work and surviving disaster after disaster. Poor Siobhan just wanted to go to university and improve her magic and now she’s living a double life and is the most notorious criminal in the city!
Some of my current favourites:
– Path of Ascension (LitRPG/cultivation combo). Different from some of the usual with it not being Isekai, but the progression and universe building is really great. Love the main team, and has a sweet closed door romance sub-plot.
– Quest Academy – less magic more sci-fi. Set in an academy and the Main character is a crafter not a fighter. World has been invaded by monsters via rifts and humanity survives in shielded communities. Really love the crafting and appraisal elements.
– Iron Prince – another sci-fi set in a military academy. Really great weak to strong progression, and lots of fun tournament PVP combat, with a war looming in the background.
– Path of Dragons – system apocalypse litRPG with a Druid MC. Like the combo of LitRPG and cultivation again.
– Unbound – most like the Grand Game/HWFWM in that it is an Isekai LitRPG.
– Beneath the Dragon Eye Moons – female MC who is Isekai’d/reborn in another world. Like Azarinth MC is a healer character, but goes in a pretty different direction in that she can’t attack anyone unless it is in defence of herself or a patient.
I would recommend Hell Difficulty Tutorial (4 books on Amazon and the rest on RoyalRoad) and already mentioned Mother of Learning, Path of Dragons.
I escaped into virtual worlds of reading immediately and have basically remained there. Thank you for the new recommendations! None of the new things I’ve recently read are something I’d really want to bother reading again tho, so I don’t think I’ll pass those on.
I think you would like the works of Alex Gilbert. He writes kompetent femal heroes. I like all his books and to me all of them are realy well writen.
The journy of black and red is a vampire story. Early 19th century alternate Earth. The worldbuilding is epic. The strory is funny and flows so well you don´t want to stop. The heroine is patient and cunning huntress. Ok she is sometimes silly. The story is done so no delayed gratification. Sadly no litrpg elements but the sweet progresion is there. From the lovest of vampires to the dred lady Ariane.
The Calamitos Bob is my favorite. It is a litrpg isekai to magical world. Style is equaly good but the settings are conpletele different. Viviane ends up in lifeless dizaster zone because of a carless god. Only first book is finalised.
Changeling is sci-fi/cultivation postapocalyptic story. Really well written alien heroine. Nestra is failed cultivator. She knows there is something wrong with her. And then she dicovers what it is. This work is only on RR.
I could recomend many more books. So much more. I want to. Ok broader genre. Did you try child isekai? The adult or almost adult MC is reinkarnated in to a childs body. Hilarity ensues. Sametimes the story ends up unexpectedly brutal. Mark of the Crijik have lot of baby jokes. Melody of mana reads or maybe feels gentle. Bog standard isekai reads like horor with nasty witches. I like Elydes the best. It is mooving, gentle and funny and brutal in equal mesures. And the hero always picks himself up and does his best.
These are wuxei, not isekai, but Tao Wong’s 1000 Li series is pretty good. You probably already know Wil Wight’s Cradle, which starts with Unsouled.
It’s portal but not necessarily powers progression — it IS, but the story comes in at the end — Django Wexler’s Dark Lord Dani is *wonderful*. I don’t remember the last time I laughed so hard at a book. I mean out loud, scaring the cats laughing. And the character growth is stunningly beautiful. Only a duology. If the story didn’t end so satisfyingly, I’d be much more bummed.
That’s what I got on the recent.
Highly recommend Gods of Blood and Bone, the first book in the Seeds of Chaos by Azalea Ellis – there is violence and gore, but the premise is interesting and the writing is pretty good. Currently, it is available through Kindle Unlimited.
Royal Road/KU all litrpg
serials on RR now books
Tunnel Rat
Butcher of Gabodra (same world as TR)
Beware of Chicken (mentioned above by several, starting to be a trope in other litrpg)
Beneath the DragonEye Moons (Heroine is Elaine, a healer, who wrote the first medical text, and then is transported into the future where the word for Healer is almost every language is now Elaine)
Straight books
Good Guys Bad Guys by Eric Ugland. (Two series)
DCC
all of them except BtDEM are light comedies
On the one hand, I didn’t love Primal Hunter but on the other hand I binge read all 12 books and wailed that the next one isn’t out yet. Savage Awakening/adastra339 features a genuine himbo and it just cracks me up. I loved Wraithwood Botanist/Little Lynx and I need more.
Wraithwood Botanist! I devoured that one and want more!!
Super stressed out! Needed to increase blood pressure meds. Thanks for the acknowledgment and the suggestion!
A Thousand Li series by Tao Wong
I don’t have a book recommendation but I had a brainstorm.
HA has written in the past about developing a new anchor series to hopefully broaden the fan base.
HA declined to put Inheritance on Royal Road because while LitRPG inspired, it didn’t have some of the classic elements of that genre.
What if HA worked with another creator, like they did with Innkeeper to create a webcomic and graphic novel, to create a more traditional LitRPG edition of Inheritance to post on Royal Road and introduce more fans to their work. Maybe some percentage of them would enjoy it so much that they would go on to read HA’s non-LitRPG works.
I’m sure HA is capable of doing it themselves but probably doesn’t have the time.
When it comes to the BDH, the more the merrier.
At the moment, no writing collabs are in plan 🙂
Not quite LitRPG, but have you read Into The Real by John Ringo and Lydia Sherrer?
Instead of the character going into a fantasy world, it’s set in the near future of our world with a new augmented reality game about killing transdimensional monsters that are sucking up electricity and destroying infrastructure. All pretend… or is it?
Main character is a 17yo girl gamer who starts out just wanting to stay in her room and play first person shooters, which she’s really good at. Actual outdoor exercise, not so much. 2 books so far, 3rd due this August.
I have read many of the ones listed here, DCC/Princess Donut is a fav of mine and I loved the first few books of Beware of Chicken. For a series I didn’t see mentioned yet, Andrew Seiple’s Threadbare about a teddy bear who becomes sentient and begins to level up with different classes trying to help his little owner. I adored the first three books, the next set not as much but the first three were awesome. Maybe I just have an issue as books try to move past the original conflict because I really enjoyed the first two Heretical Fishing but then did not finish the third.
It’s funny that so many people really enjoyed Dungeon Crawler Carl but I haven’t been able to get into that one at all. I’ve tried four times. I have recently enjoyed reading You Are Summoned, so far there’s three in that series. The Code of Survival has kept my interest very well so far. Cassio Ferreira has several series I’ve been reading this year. I can’t even begin to list all the series that I have on my list wait if for the next one.
Heretical Fishing is very entertaining, Beware of Chicken is fantastic. The Fort at the End of the World is another one. I’m so glad there’s so much variety in writing styles and storylines. It’s pretty easy to find a series that I will enjoy. The worst part of it is many of these are self published, and the editing does leave something to be desired.
I just remembered one more that I thought was fantastic. Apocalypse Parenting!
A lot of people like the audio for DCC better. The narrator does an excellent job, and later in the series there are multiple narrators.
I have enjoyed are Beers and Beards by JollyJupiter that just put out book three. The plot is a guy from B.C Canada dies and becomes a dwarf in another world and has to fix their beer. The Ripple System by Kyle Kirrin. It has Five books so far and is a VRMMO. If you want laid back fantasy then Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree are fun books.
I love Beers and Beards!
Ritualist by Dakota Krout
(book 1 in the Completionist Chronicles)
book 12 just released today!
Me just opening up kindle unlimited to download these book recommendations 😊
Also: since I love it when others share their great book recommendations, here’s one I stayed up to read through the night, trying not to snort-giggle and wake the husband;
Travis Bragwells’s Madness Re-incarnate series is gloriously and disgustingly funny! It’s everything Main Character’s Demon Daddy promises it will be (actual name of character in the book who actually says);
“This is going to be gross… so gross. Ew, ew, ew,”
The first book (Hollow) was so hilariously demented that I truly doubted that level of deranged plot twists and turns could be maintained in the sequel.
But the unhinged glee that unfolds in the second book (Roadtrip) exceeds every expectation and delight. I was simultaneously enthralled and appalled – like watching a train wreck, I could not take my eyes away and ended up reading the entire book in one night (well into the wee hours of the morning, desperately trying to repress snorts of laughter so I wouldn’t wake my spouse.)
It reads like over-caffeinated insanity, but doused with alcohol fueled humor while fighting a raging dumpster fire
Nyx continues to prove the universe really is out to get him: every success is just a cleverly disguised new opportunity to die horribly. Every escape is through a door hiding new impossible horrors. Meanwhile the bromance continues to reveal excruciating new depths of uncomfortable truths as Nyx’s lunatic plans coerce an unwilling Fang into (malicious) compliance in order to avoid death
I can’t wait for round three!
My favorite GameLit of all time is The Stork Tower series by Tony Corden. It’s not finished, but the worldbuilding and character growth are absolutely stellar. I have issues with some of the writing choices, especially early in the series, but keep coming back to re-read it over and over anyways. Features a female protagonist in a full-VR-immersion world (like Ready Player One). Book one is essentially within just one virtual world plus the real world but it quickly expands from there so it’s sci-fi, fantasy, horror, steampunk, and about any other goodness you can think to mention. Such fun!
If you like the slooow burn, meandering nature of He Who Fights (it was written as a web serial to begin with) you might also like The Wandering Inn series. Slow and steady character growth with the slowest of slow burns as the story progresses. I haven’t mustered the patience to finish it, yet, but my friend who has assures me it’s worth it.
I have quite enjoyed the System Universe series by SunriseCV. There are various spin-offs but I only read the one starting with System Change so far.
Derek is as emotional as a stone but, while getting stronger and stronger, ends with a huge tribe/family he takes care of.
There is no dog but a hilarious rabbit that becomes a chef!
It is in KU.
There are spin offs? Are they only on RR, because I just finished book 7 about a week ago and would be very happy to return if they are purchasable. . .
May I interest you in the wandering Inn by pirateaba, you can read this as a serial on her website https://wanderinginn.com/ or buy the ebooks it is fun and sometimes tragic but the story is captivating with a few characters that are well written and a world with a deep lore and politics
Dungeon Crawler Carl👏 👏
It’s litrpg awesomeness. I’m currently binging the series can’t put it down. Most awesome character is a snarky cat.
I love ‘The Game at Carousel’ by Rob M. Lastrel. People are stuck in the town of Carousel where they are forced to play through horror movies. They have roles (Athlete, Eye Candy, Scholar, Final Girl, etc.) and gain stars (used to up their stats) for their performance.
Downtown Druid, a progressive fantasy epic by CB Titus, is good. The main character, a gray character/anti-hero, is in an underground prison fighting for survival and starts to gain in abilities.
Thanks for the book recs!
My 18 year old son recommends the series
Rise of Mystic mage
Chrysalis
Crafters Dungeon
Builders legacy
Ten realms tale
The completionist chronicles
Rift Warden Academy by Craig Hamilton is the last LitRPG I read that made the world disappear while reading – I immediately went back for a reread since book 2 is unfortunately not out yet.
I also enjoyed Tori Transmigrated (completed on Royal Road but not available on Amazon) and The Cardsmith – Irwin’s Journey (books 1 & 2 on Amazon, ongoing on RR).
Thanks to whoever recommended the Apocalypse Parenting series on one of the last recommendation threads and I now second their recommendation!
My primary Suggestions are Primal Hunter by Zogarth and Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer, they are fun mostly light books that are great binge reads
+1 BoC
HWFWM and DCC are my current favorites, but Path of Ascension by C. Mantis is also quite fun. It’s got more of sci-fi feel, with Xianxia mechanics. It’s balanced a little more towards power fantasy and less politics than DCC or HWFWM, but still has some interesting world building and societal exploration.
Apocalypse Parenting! She does a phenomenal job.
The Hunter’s Code. Yuri Vinokuroff and Oleg Sapphire. LitRPG. Translated from Russian
Really good!
More Translated from Russian:
Healers Way-Excellent
Dark Healer-Excellent
Beware of Chicken Series- fantastic
I read a ton of these books. I get the bulk from the best selling lists on Amazon. Mainly the “GameLit & RPGLit Fiction” listing.
But generally I only end up reading the first one or two books. Then they either are to repetitious or the character becomes simply God-like and therefore boring. But I keep reading them because they are fun.
DCC was the only series I read before The Inheritance by House IA …….sooooo I am making a list and checking it twice .
Thank you House IA and BDH for great book recommendations just in time for Summer.
Beware of Chicken by Casual Farmer
+1 BoC
the Words of the Night by C Chancy
available on KU, the author has several other books.
A historian gets isekaid to early 17th century Korea with magic and shark pirates.
I’m pretty awful at description, but this is a really amazing book.
no romance plot.
I’ve read He Who Fights with Monsters! I really enjoyed it 😊 I would recommend Mark of the Fool. It’s my favorite progression type fantasy book I’ve read.
The Throne Hunters trilogy & SKadi’s saga by Phil Tucker are excellent LitRPG stories.
I’ve also enjoyed the Forever Fantasy Online trilogy & the Mage Errant series is also a ton of fun and adventure progression fantasy.
Lastly if you want epic fantasy with solid progression fantasy elements then the Sharded Few saga by Alec Hutson is terrific
Okay, whoever labeled The Grand Game character a ‘caster’ was LYING. He’s a pure rogue. But as to the LITRPG novels, have you ever read Macronomicon (the author)? I love the two series (Wake of the Ravager and Industrial Strength Magic) I’ve read from him. He’s hilarious, creative, and the best bit is how he writes a character who’s a genius and I ABSOLUTELY believe it. Like, watching their thought process happen is incredible. The main characters of both series start out with a weak/niche ability, learn to exploit the heck out of it, and become amazing.
Second post! Because I thought more and came up with new ones.
Andrew Seiple’s Threadbare, Small Medium and (to a lesser extent) Blasphemy Online trilogies, which all merge together in one final trilogy, are FANTASTIC. Players in a video game world, only it’s almost all from the NPCs’ point of view.
Legend of Randidly Ghosthound. System comes to Earth, Randidly, college kid, accidentally enters a level 40-ish dungeon the instant it starts and has to survive. Comes out very OP. Funny/frustrating bit is there keeps being romantic potential, but it dies every time because Randidly is a little bit on the spectrum and no one looks past his crazy power to realize.
Sean Oswald’s Welcome to the Multiverse. System is coming to Earth, and selects five Forerunners from it, and five each from five other planets, all of which will be inducted at the same time. Planets are competing to see how well their induction will go (second and third place can expect up to 90% casualties, while fourth place and under mean their planet will be destroyed for resources). College kid finds out his uncle was a Forerunner, and he inherited the title after his uncle died in a challenge, so he and four others are responsible for the fate of humanity but the System won’t let them tell anyone.
Chrysalis by RinoZ. Guy wakes up, in a Dungeon, as a monster ant hatchling. (His name is Anthony, just for fun)As a swarm species, he’s incredibly weak alone. Has to work his way down, level, evolve, find family, make friends, and survive a hostile Dungeon that literally spreads under the crust of the entire planet and reaches clean down to the core. Hilarious, Anthony’s narration nearly made me cry laughing.
Blacksmith of the Apocalypse by Arkusar. Strictly on Royalroad (and pirate sites), which is why spelling/grammar is…iffy. Apparently we commenters ARE the spellcheck. Seth Smith is on a slightly futuristic Earth when the System Apocalypse comes…triggering every apocalypse scenario Earth had, all at once. Climate change, Resident Evil, cyber-organisms that infest other creatures, shadowy government agencies’ experiments, etc, etc. Seth, upon rolling for a class, receives a unique Spirit Blacksmith, so has to gather and craft before he can charge off and fight, all trying to stay alive.
Iron Prince – not Fantasy but SciFi. It’s a progression story with really interesting characters, which is why I couldn’t stop reading. The pitch is: what if you have a character with unlimited potential for growth, where everyone else seems limited.
Beware of Chicken – progression fantasy isekai with elements of cultivation set in a world similar to medieval China. Also from Royal Road. Really great characters. Great humor. Also, has a cozy feel to it.
Beware of Chicken is kickass – thanks for reminding me!
+1 Beware of Chicken
I love He Who Fights Monsters!
Another series you may ejoy is The Path of Ascension by C. Mantis – I am currently less-than-patiently awaiting the release of the next book in October 2025.Main characters Matt and Liz are great, and I enjoy the kookiness of Liz’s parents LOL.
Another series I’m enjoying is the Savage Awakening series by AdAstra339. Zane Walker is the amin character, but his girlfriend Reina is no slouch – a real team, and I like that.
If poly relationships don’t turn you off (and frankly most of them are poorly handled but this author does it well), then look into Daniel Schinhofen’s tales. Current ongoing series are Aether’s Revival and Heavenly Chaos but there are other completed series that you may like too (particularly Last Horizons).
All of these authors / series are available on Kindle Unlimited so you can check them out and if they aren’t your cup of tea then you just send them back without cluttering your library (but I’m fairly certain you’ll be buying at least some of them!)
Add-on: I will confirm that Heretical Fishing by Haylock Jobson is a hoot. However, I didn’t see mention yet of these authors:
– Tom Larcombe (two fave series, Light Online and Natural Laws Acopalypse)
– Dave Willmarth (two fave series: Shadow Sun, Batteborne)
Also, a lighthearted isekai centred around a guy with a magic skill for an Online Supermarket and his cooking = Campfile Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill by Ren Eguchi. I sometimes want to give the MC Mukouda a slap across the head, but overall the series is amusing, and his slime familiar Sui is sooooo cute!
+1 Heretical Fishing & Campire Cooking
I really enjoyed the Azerinth Healer series you mentioned a while back. I am currently reading through The Primal Hunter series which are on Amazon unlimited and very enjoyable
Azarinth Healer by Rhaegar
I very much enjoyed a quest story where Homily goes to find and slay the monster who killed her father. The story revolves around the monster who is unjustly accused of that killing. Yes, Shesheshen has killed people but not Homily’s father! When they meet accidentally and Homily befriends the injured “Siobhan” we get a different tale. It’s still about the hunt for a monster but more.
“Someone You Can Build a Nest In” by John Wiswell. It was also the Best Novel in the Nebua Awards 2025.
I just finished a new to me author: Tiffany Hunt and the book is The Dark Lors’s Guide to Dating (and other war crimes). Yes, it’s tongue in cheek. Yes, it’s funny. Yes, it’s sarcastic. But, yes, it’s well written, characterized and has a neat plot with some nice twisty turns in a nice RPG world that’s just a little magic and wonky. The sequel won’t be out until Feb 26 (WAH! dammit) but I’ve already ordered it and it’s worth waiting for I believe. I needed something lighthearted, but it is also wickedly dark and cool.
Different genre but very diverting. Arcane Casebook series by Dan Willis. Very good. Alternate history 1930s NYC where magic is real. Alex is a Runewrite and a detective in noir fashion trying to keep his business afloat when a murder case somehow brings him to the attention of one of the NY 6 Sorcerers who’s hunting a book of Runewrite lore. Mystery, adventure, & a slow burn romance that takes several books to jump all the hurdles (fade to black adult scenes leave you knowing what happened but no in your face details).
So glad you are finding an escape! I liked the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman for this same reason – to escape, laugh, and who doesn’t like a cat as a main character! May you get through this stressful period easily and no like an epically hard game level.
Never got into portal, but I’ll try it. I’m at the end of a Murderbot binge.
There are so many excellent LitRPG books. personally I’d recommend:
Ends of Magic by Alexander Olsen
Ultimate Level 1 by Shawn Wilson
Azarinth Healer by Rhaegar (female fighter MC for the win)
Chrysalis by RinoZ (what if you reincarnated as an ant monster)
Ilona I think you would really enjoy “Beware of Chicken.” It’s an isekai/progression with a higher emphasis on farming/base building but it’s also hilarious and fun! Also if you liked HWFWM you would also definitely enjoy “Heretical Fishing” which feels very similar in vibes but instead of killing monsters the main character instead is determined to be grill the best seafood around .
Seconding “Beware of Chicken” for excellent character development and cozy vibes. It’s one of my comfort reads, for sure. The community building gives me so much serotonin.
I love HWFWM. In my opinion it becomes a little difficult in volume 10, but it is totally back on track after that.
One series I would recommend is Mark of the Fool by J.M. Clarke. Great premise and very well written.
Thanks for more book recs. I devoured Azarinth Healer. LOVED Ilea! That was my first litrpg/progression fantasy and it opened up a whole new genre for me. I’m currently reading the first book of The Ten Realms “The Two Week Curse”. Really enjoying it. I also loved The Path of Ascension books. 💜
Thanks to Inheritance I decided to give LitRPG a try and went for an Audible recommendation Overdue: A Magical Library LitRPG Adventure by K. T. Hanna. I am reading because I like the story premise. Just before the Library to Everywhere fades out of existence, it finds a person on Earth who has all the necessary affinities to be the Librarian. She is now finding out about magic, why she is so compatible, how came the Library to be so close to fading out, why it has so many glitches and working to restore it to its former abilities.
Apocalypse Parenting by Erin Ampersand.
It’s exactly what it sounds like: parenting at the end of the world.
I love this genre for escapism too!
My favorites that I haven’t seen suggested:
-Dungeon Life (isekai, but MC gets to choose next life, decides to become a Dudgeon, and runs it like the DM he was before. Good progression, fun characters, reads very cozy, excellent as an audiobook)
-both of Jay Boyce’s series: The Rise of the Mystic Mage and A Touch of Power. First one, the progression is all happening in an immersive VR game, MC wakes up 10 years in her past and uses her knowledge of the game. Second, isekai/portal, MC was an invalid on earth but has a gift of quick adaptation in a progression based system in new world
I have enjoyed Shirtaloon’s series and still have to complete it. My favorite series in the genre is by Zogarth Primal Hunter. I’ve read all 12 books so far and looking forward to the 13th. Though not LitRPG, I came across a surprising find, The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating(And Other War Crimes) by Tiffany Hunt. Fast paced and action packed with great dialogue.
Just came to say that I looked them both up on Audible, and for some reason I was able to add He Who Fights with Monsters at no cost. not sure what happened there but am glad to have in my library now.
Thanks again for the recs
How about Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series?
The series that I adore but no one talks about starts with the book “Transcendent Green” by Mati Ocha. The whole series is really beautiful. It made me cry for *happiness*. Twice. And it reads like it was professionally copy-edited, which is sadly rare in this genre.
Another one I absolutely adore is “Stray Cat Strut.” The beginning is weirdly slow, but once it gets going, it doesn’t let up for, like, five books. Main character is freaking awesome, and her completely normal girlfriend is, too.
Final recommendation is “Calamitous Bob.” The title gives silliness, but it’s really quite intense. Very creative, unique development of the genre. Constant progress with meaningful challenges and setbacks. The homicidal golem/nursemaid character is glorious.
I genuinely hope you read these. I’m proud to stand by them as good recommendations.
I love the Bronze Rank Brewer series, about someone who rejects the usual rules of becoming an adventuring litrpg hero and comits to staying at home and leveling up and becoming a brewer.
A more classic one I adored was Stonehaven League series by Carrie Summers, I particularly enjoyed the city / settlement building / management aspects. Gold, I love them all.
Both were on KU when I read them.
SciFi Crime adventure, Heather Texle’s On Impulse and the upcoming sequel On Impact seem like reads you’d enjoy. The protagonist is kick-ass and snarky but emotionally vulnerable, she has a sarcastic pet robot cat that runs her spaceship, the bad guys are heinous, the issues real, and the world building is impressive. Texle is a new, indie author, but she’s already won a statewide award. It’s fun enough to be distracting.
Yes. I hear you on the stress. Sending hugs!! 💖
I would recommend the Zombie Knight Saga by George Frost. It has hilarious moments, and interesting characters, all with their own distinctive voices.
It’s a web serial, but with 4 books released on Amazon. Frost updates pretty frequently. Here’s the blurb as per the author’s website:
“A young man dies and is offered to be revived by a grim reaper in exchange for servitude. Responsibilities typically include the fight against abominable horrors, human or otherwise. However, this young man already has a few problems of his own… such as crippling shyness.“
Sounds great! My RR to read list is ten pages deep, but I’m gonna add this anyway. Thanks!
Immortality Starts With Generosity and Accidental Champion. 🙂
Good grief, yes. We are all stressed out. You’re in good company. Thanks for the recommendation. Reading has helped preserve what’s left of my sanity.
I have trouble with the progression RPGs, which is funny because I really liked Cradle (like other BDHers).
I think I just can’t do a book if the people don’t grow as people, and I can never tell if the progression RPGs are going to be static characters with physical skillset leveling or are going to develop as people too. (And it might just be too slow on the people side for me even if it happens.) i’m sure there’s a cheat code in the descriptions to tell, but I haven’t read enough of the genre to figure it out. And yes, I do have this same problem with a ton of other genres but am a bit better at parsing the book descriptions to weed them out.
I’ll have to poke at these two RPGs and see.
I recently discovered the Azarinth Healer series by Rheagar. It’s very much along these lines. Ilea is so much fun to follow,
but hse will hoard all the snacks as she exores the world she finds herself in. There are currently 5 books in the series. I couldn’t put it down, and have already read/listened twice this month!
‘He Who Fights With Monsters’ is fun, funny, a great read!. And I’m not even a gamer, so LitRPG is a learning experience and I’m loving it! Thank you for the recommendation!
I‘m sorry that you are stressed out.
I fully understand the book marathon.
For me, it is the Same, the more I‘m stressed, the more i read.
One would think the opposite, but no it only results in short nights to get everything done.
I regret, I have no Book recommendations for you, because I am new to these Kind of books.
I also had to google RPG. 🫣
But I like to read Series and the development of charakters, so there now will be a lot of Books from the BDH for me, too.😉
Thank you for the Blog, it is very interesting and it must be a lot of more work for you.
So double thanks you do it nontheless!
Probably been mentioned oodles of time already, but I love the series so much, I want to plug: Xanxia isekai with a bit of LitRPG, I think => Royal Road’s Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer (who’s Canadian).
For full on Xanxia I also recommend Sherwood Smith’s Phoenixfeather series (as well as her other books if you like that).
A LitRPG series by Terry Carter may be worth checking out. In book 1 the MC, who has been chosen to be the human test subject for Earth’s integration into the “System”, has six months to prepare himself and his family for his (permanent) translocation to a different universe. Book 2 covers his first year in his new reality. Plenty of warmth, plenty of dungeon action with a MC who’s just trying to do his best by the people around him while dealing with the pile of doggy doodoo he’s been handed.
Nova Terra series by Seth Ring
Thanks for the heads up …He who fights Monsters is very addicting. I find myself cringing and laughing at the situations Jason lands in.
I am very new to LitRPG and my only gaming was a Wii console …I know old school but I am old so it fits. haha
Can’t wait for Friday. … yay The Inheritance is super awesome.
It took me two thirds of the book to dicide that I like it. The game’s mental commentary just feels weird.
How addicting, ( this word really bothers me too. It’s not a word!! ), I mean addictive. Author C.Feehan uses addicting extensively, and other authors are now using it. It’s irritating”.
It took me two thirds of the book to decide I like it. The game’s mental commentary just feels weird. I’m still reading it and I’m getting used to the commentary.
I am very curious though. How long does it take for you to read one book. I can finish a book in one day, but I prefer to read more leisurely. If I’m caught by a really good book I usually finish it the same day though. HA books are always finished the same day😁😍
In Faith Hunter’s blog she mentions a series of books that she finished in significantly less than a day each, so my curiosity is stabbed.
Thanks for your recommendations and for the Inheritance. I love it. I’m going to get the pre order right now.
Try:
The Mark of the Fool — by JM Clarke nerfed MC works hard to overcome the disability. Great cast Last book out on Jul 30
The Path of Ascension by C Mantis — another nerfed MC who succeeds with intelligence and good support characters
Return of the Runebound Professor by Actus
This one is a bit different but “I ran away to evil” by Mystic Neptune is a hoot. The isekaied person is not the protagonist!
Weakest Tamer Began a Journey Picking up Trash is endearing, more reincarnation than isekai, no portals involved (yet, there’s still time).
Emberstone Farm is a fun farming progression story but no portals yet.
Lout of the Count’s Family is an interesting one, it’s somewhat isekai. The main character is a self proclaimed lazy bones who has no problem being weak. But trouble finds him at every corner so he needs to raise some nice bodyguards.
System Universe is a progression in a way but the main character is a bit overpowered. It’s fun to see him bumbling trying to reconnect with humanity. Instead of nerfing himself, he raises other people to his level or eliminates them. He’s very damaged and has learned to live with it, everyone else will have to adapt, including the system.
He who fights with monsters is great fun. I would also recommend Defiance of the Fall by JF Brink
Divine Apostasy by A F Kay is one of my favorites, I’ve read and listened multiple times. It’s a litrpg/cultivation blend. There are currently 11 books out. Shades First Rule: You only have yourself to blame.
Victor Of Tuscon by Plum Parrot. I think there are 8 books out. There is a sister series called Falling With Folded Wings. The world building is amazing. I’d totally live there.
Discount Dan by James A Hunter. There’s only one book (new one in July) but I’ve read it twice and I’ve bought the audio book too. It contains one man lost in the backrooms and one Totally Normal Human Dog. It might be my favorite new litrpg series this year.
I read so much I could easily make a list 100 books long. Enjoy!
I recommend Saintess Summons Skeletons by Mornn! As well as Return of The Runebound Professor by Actus (who writes other good things). Both are on RR with published novels.
When Ascension Fails, Time Travel to Try again is by Dragon or Rorchestre, often goes on pause, but is comedic and inverts many of the tropes.
have to bring in the spellmonger series by terry mancour it’s 20 some books in and the series is great
I’m binging He who fights monsters and I’m at book 9 at the moment, loving it
Only Villains Do That, D. D. Webb
Reborn as the Villainess, L. A. Holloway
Both are really fun, I reread for stress relief when I run out of new stuff. They don’t include stat points.
Lotus Lake, book one of Rise of the Mystic Mage by Jay Boyce. Grindy skill building but in a really soothing way. I’m waiting very very very patiently for book three
If you’re willing to go off the rails, then Everybody Loves Large Chests is a good one: monster MC – a mimic – done right. Full litRPG progression, from the very bottom to the top, without power creep breaking the world. Full character progression, from barely sentient dungeon monster to true depth and complexity (I don’t want to share spoilers on the exact directions the story is going to take later on, so I’m leaving this vague), while never giving up core character traits and motivation. And it’s done – years ago, actually – so no waiting for the end.
Ok, so I didn’t read the whole comments section but I scrolled through as much as I could & didn’t see any mention of Seth Ring!
I love all of his series, he’s on my auto-buy list at this point. Even with his latest series (Exlian Syndrome) which I didn’t think I’d like cause it’s too military/scifi, I ended up trying on KU & loving. He’s got like 5 or 6 series going (the man writes like Nora Roberts fast, I swear) & while all of his MCs are male, he writes the female characters just as well. And while none of them are “romance”, several of his MCs are in relationships that developed over the series.
Yes, to everything Seth Ring (can’t believe I forgot him). I want more Dreamer’s Throne (though I fear I won’t get it as he keeps working on everything else), and I’m looking forward to finishing Exlian Syndrome (from how close the release dates are and thorough the descriptions, I’m pretty sure he’s already got it all written).
Most of his series have the super-smart mastermind type protag (Dreamer’s Throne being an excellent example–bonus points for a disabled mc), though Exlian Syndrome breaks that mold a little, being more the reasonably smart genius of hard work as opposed to an actual genius. Both are excellent.
I have to say I love he who fights with monster I have read a few along these lines now (recommended by son ) but these are by car the best. Jason just keeps loloping along getting beat up and stronger each time. he’s such a great character. you can see yourself in him in so many ways and just hope that you have the same luck. I’ve just finished book 12 and can’t wait for book 13.
The Wandering Inn is the first of this type book I’ve read, and it is great. Lots of action and an interesting plot. Starts a bit slow but really picks up the pace.
Magical RPG progression fantasy sounds a lot like Selkie Myths Beneath the Dragon eye Moons to me. Interesting premise with an Isekai and a female MC.
I’d also throw in the original Cradle series by Will Wight, it’s what really introduced me to the genre and it’s fun. It’s very battle focused for much of it though, which would be my main criticism.
My Honorable mention would be Tao Wang A Thousand Li. Low on rpg elements, no direct leveling system though there is power progression. Really a lot of fun though and I believe the last book just came out or is about to come out so it’s complete now!
I have really enjoyed He Who Fights With Monsters. 😀
The Scholomance trilogy has elements of this. The characters are at a boarding school of sorts and trying to get the credits they need to graduate while monsters try to sneak in for a nice snack of underage wizard. The school is a partially sentient magical construct that can tell when they try to “cheat” by doing things the easy way and makes them suffer retribution.
He who fights with monsters was my first Lit RPG and has a special place in my heart. The first many books have really great plot twists and character interactions, that being said, Jason and those that talk about Jason, go on many repetitive rants about Jason.
If you like this series, you may also like the Primal Hunter series.
I know it’s not a book recommendation but my newest obsession is a game called Fantasy Life, the girl who steals time. My husband likes to say it’s like Skyrim and Animal Crossing had a baby.
YES! I just started playing this game and I’m hooked! It is so much fun and also so cozy. I really enjoy the crafting mini games. I think the Magician Life is my favorite fighting Life. What is your favorite Life?
My recommendations for Lit RPG\progression fantasy are: the wandering inn series by Pirate Aba, apocalypse parenting by Eric Ampersand, phantasm by Christopher Hall, town under by Tao Wong and KT Hanna, deadworld isekai RC Joshua, beware of the chicken by Casualfarmer.
For something lighter Demon world boba shop by RC Joshua.
Currently reading the last paladin by Roman Savarovsky and it seems like a lot of fun too.
I am curiously drawn into Plum Parrot’s Cyber Dreams series.
I hadn’t had a lot of luck with LitPRG but then I read Dungeon Crawler Carl and was completely wowed. He Who Fights Monsters is on my short list now, but I’ll have to try the Grand Game also.
DCC was my first (and currently only) dip into LITRPG. I have so many new books to read thanks to all the LITRPG recommendations here and on Fantasy Faction’s Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/FantasyFaction/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT
This Facebook group is one of the best places to get book recommendations, if you’re interested.
I recommend both “Beware of Chicken” and “The Primal Hunter”.
Both still have presences on Royal Road so you can get a taster of the first book and keep up with the latest (un-published) chapters.
“Beware of Chicken” is a laugh out loud funny xianxia for people who find xianxia a bit pretentious. Let’s just say a Canadian guy gets transmigrated into xianxia land, says “No thanks. I just wanna be a farmer,” and does his own thing. He ends up accidentally helping a bunch of farm animals awaken as spirit beasts (starting with the titular chicken), finding love, and getting mistaken as some sort of hidden master (despite being in his 20s and not really having any idea what he’s doing.)
It’s fun.
“The Primal Hunter” starts out a little slow, but it’s long-running for a reason. (There are over a 1000 chapters…or about 200 past what’s printed, currently up to book 12.)
Jake is an office worker with social anxiety who, on his way to lunch with some co-workers, gets pulled into the tutorial for the integration of the 93rd Universe into the Multiverse. Shenanigans ensue, particularly once he splits off from his co-workers (who tried hunting by committee) and stumbles upon a Challenge Dungeon created by an ancient god…who turns out to be one of the oldest beings in the entire multiverse, the Malefic Viper, Vilastromoz (Jake calls him Villy).
Like I said, it’s a little slow to start. Once you meet the Malefic Viper properly (halfway through the dungeon), it takes off. The first book and most of the second is the tutorial. After that is the return to Earth and expanding the cast a bit. (Jake makes friends with a hawk who gets so frustrated watching him try to fly that he bullies Jake into doing better, for example. Baby Sylphie (named by Jake) is the most adorably deadly eyas. Honestly, Jake is better at making friends with beasts than humans.)
Most chapters at least make me snort. Most make me giggle. Early Jake was annoyingly unsure of himself, but he gets over that and then some.
Definitely worth your time and, for what it’s worth, it’s the only thing I support on Patreon with my limited budget, just because I can’t wait to get the latest chapters.
Both series are available on Kindle Unlimited for my other limited budget bookworms…and I buy them both anyway.
So, full disclosure: I’m almost finished with the first book. Also, since I’m so late in replying, this may have been mentioned already. I’m liking Guild Master by Ivan Kal.
The main character, Morgan, is giving annoying but somehow still endearing Shonen anime boy vibes. I feel he’s getting more annoying as the book goes on (yelling when he should be quiet; slappable optimistic behavior and the like) but that could also just be recency theory at play.
It’s free on Audible right now, though that could be due to my membership tier. It appears to be at least 3 books long, and all are on Audible.
It’s been intriguing enough for me to keep reading. I’ve rolled my eyes at some of the cliches (elf girl falling in love with him, etc), but the story is solid enough.
I don’t know if this fits the assignment but Iron Prince is very good especially on audiobook.
The first sentence was right from the picture and was displayed on my screen as:
On
e
ma
n.
Ass
ass
in.
I’m afraid I will never be able to take an assassin seriously again.
I have read two books in the past year that fit this criteria.
How to Become the Dark Lord and die trying by Django Wexler and Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan. Both were very good.
Thank you all for so many recommendations! Completed HWFWM after starting with Beware of Chicken. Just finished Mark of the Fool series (up to the latest book 9) which I enjoyed – it’s light and fun and uplifting medieval magic school type progressive fantasy with a little light romance sprinkled in. All of them I’ve bought on Audible and then co-read thru KU. Looks like I should go for DCC next!
The Calamitous Bob by Mecanimus
badass funny girl gets accidentally isakied into one of the most dangerous starter points and has to rely on (probably not evil AI) to get back to civilization and figure things out while learning magic cool magic and taking care of a baby dragon.
eventually it turns onto a kingdom building story with our scrap protag trying to do her best for her people when they all have PEERSONALITY, and people keep picking fights with them becise they the are a rising power. With the fun flavoring of they used to be the evil empire and they for sure are not evil so don’t worry about it!!!!
it just finished recently on royal road and the books are coming to kindle. the audio books are great!
Ar’Kendrithyst by Arks
a middle aged guy gets isakied with his daughter and is just doing his best to figure things out and not die but also he really doesn’t want to fight becise he’s a pretty peaceful guy. That goes sideways pretty fast for him becuse science and technology mix pretty well woth thos world and he did part time as a teacher, but he keeps trying his best to help becuse he was a social worker and is incredibly community and social focused.
this one is only on Royal Road but it is completed even if it is pretty big.
I went into Shirtaloon’s series but then I started looking for female leads in RPGLit and now I am firmly stuck in The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba. I guess it’s because I identify with the main character who makes a couple kills and decides she doesn’t want to live that way, and instead focuses on bringing entertainment, good food, and good inter-species relations into a world of dungeons, the undead and inter-species wars. It’s not all cakes, chess games, and Shakespeare, there’s still plenty of slaying and mayhem because it’s still RPGLit, but I like the characters. Plus I am getting it all in audiobooks so all the voices as pretty entertaining.
I really enjoyed He Who Fights With Monsters a lot at first. However, as the series progressed, the stories became not as enjoyable for me. It’s been about a year since I read those books, so I can’t exactly remember why I became less enthusiastic about the stories. I do remember that Jason‘s personality changes as he sort of gets more powerful and gains influence with powerful people. I believe it was about number 9 or 10 where I stopped reading. Looking forward to trying the other one that you mentioned though. Happy reading!
…and I failed the assignment completely because I have none to recommend right now. 😂
Please try the Cradle Series from Will Wight! It fits perfectly and has captured me completely – bonus points for already being completed 🙂
Perfect Run and Mother of Learning are also Royal Road favorites.
Mother of learning has great weak to strong character progression.
Perfect Run has an insane character slowly becoming sane.
My favorite quote.
“Your file says your reliable but deranged.”
“Oh good, they got me half-right.”
A great new series is the Quest Academy by Brian J. Nordon. There are current four books out and five is on its way.
About a year ago I discovered LitRPG and since then have been devouring book after book. I’ll definitely be adding these two to my “want to read” list.
I’ve really enjoyed the ones that don’t have a standard character build.
Jonathan Brooks is my current favorite author in this genre. He has over 60 books out and I’ve read about half of them now!
The “Earthen Contenders” series is my favorite. Its about someone who gets stuck with a healer class, but the system is broken for him (his mana never runs out) allowing him to solo dungeon’s and be uber strong, but also limited as he only has healer abilities.
The “Magical Fusion” series is unique as it focuses on game mechanics around fusions, making magical artifacts, and a character who uses these fusions as his main focus.
If you want to dive into dungeon cores, he has 4 different series on that with a 5th that does a cross over and ties all their universes together. (very fun and unique and there are 25 books out with a concluded ending so its great for a long binge with out having to wait for the next book to come out. Note: All the others I’ve recommend are still being written and have 3-4 in each series out currently with more still being written)
2 other authors I’ve found that don’t focus on your typical hero progression but have a unique journey are the series “I’m Not the Hero” by Tommy Kerper, “Lord of the System” by Alex Toxic & Furious Miki
Enjoy!
Jez Cajiao. All of his books really! Good character building, plenty of love, gore and humour. Rise of Mankind is post apocalypse earth with looming dread of invasion and dungeon building. UnderVerse is isekai, first book was a bit slow but it picked up really nice after. Those two are still ongoing. Theres a few other shorter series that are done too, all are very good reads or listens, highly recommend!
I just bought Tom Elliot’s The Grand Game audiobook based off your recommendation. It sounds right up my alley. Thank you!
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman is my new favorite audiobook series. Jeff Hays is one of the most talented audiobook narrators I’ve ever had the privilege of hearing and he does a superb job with Dinniman’s series. I highly recommend it.
I just finished Joe Abercrombie’s The Devils that Steven Pacey narrates and it was phenomenal. I hadn’t laughed so much and so hard since I discovered Dungeon Crawler Carl last year. I also highly recommend this book.
Currently, I’m listening to Never Flinch by Stephen King and read by Jessie Mueller. I’m only a few chapters in, but I’m loving it already. Holly Gibney is one of my favorite characters to revisit and I’m so thankful that King continues to write in her world.
Good luck finding your next favorite read!
I was surprised how much I enjoyed He Who Fights With Monsters. I especially enjoyed the voice narrator on audible.
Some others I’d recommend:
— Path of Ascension
— The Runic Artist
— Bog Standard Isekai
Unbound, by Nicoli Gonnella! I cannot stress how good this series is. I love the characterizations. POV switches occasionally and you can tell, because everyone has their own unique voice. Felix is just a dude, who gets isekaid, because no good deed goes un punished. he misses his mom, he worries about his sister, but he’s found he can get stronger, and he can help.
there’s also an adorable puppy monster. alien races. epic scaled history and world building. progression. SLOW burn romance, like it’s there, but don’t hold your breath for it, book 10 got us up to a dinner that was maybe winding up to an alternative dessert of a cuddly make out session… until they got interrupted.
I take a day off work for release days. this is a THICC series in all the best ways. (in all the ways we would be happy if your publisher let you fluff out your work) and I close the book still wishing for another chapter.
alsoBeastborn chronicals are good.
+1 for Heretical Fishing
+1 for Demon World Bobashop
Will the Iron Covenant series ever bring Deirdre back to the castle? It broke my heart when her aunt and uncle dragged her away. Their hold on reality was a bit shaky. Deirdre just wants to feel safe and kill monsters.
When I was younger, I read “la Quête d’Ewilan” – Quest of Ewilan. They are french books written by Pierre Bottero (who sadly passed away). The trilogy tells the story of Ewilan, who lives in our world (Paris) and suddenly when crossing the road, finds herself in another world, fighting monsters by drawing objects from thin air. She is originally from that world, but was adopted out in our world to protect her from the villains of that fantasy world. She decides to go back and find her family (and her identity), and drags her friend (who is one of 12 children, so he knows he won’t be missed) in her adventures. I loved these books when I was younger. I don’t think they were popular enough to be translated in English but Pierre Bottero wrote fantastic series (2 trilogies about Ewilan’s world and many other trilogies). Some he never finished before passing away… does not matter as his books stayed in my heart.
I’ve been listening to the He Who Fights With Monsters and am really enjoying them. I would recommend the Cooking With Disasters trilogy by Dakota Krout.
Thank you very much for the book recommendations. Other than my mild howl of pain upon realising around book 6 that the grand game is incomplete, I am enjoying both series a lot.