LitRPG Podcast 170 - A new baby, Breaking Rules, Macrocosm, The Path of the Samurai
LitRPG Podcast 170 - Breaking Rules, Macrocosm, The Path of the Samurai
May 10th, 2019
Hello everyone, welcome to episode 170 of the LitRPG podcast.
I’m Ramon Mejia. I’m here to bring you the latest LitRPG news, reviews, and author interviews. I have 3 new reviews just for you.
Big thanks to Michael Chatfield, one of our patreon supporters who upped his monthly support. Thanks man. It might be his ‘happy baby’ gift, but I’ll take it. (Picture 4)
New Releases and Reviews:
Breaking Rules - A LitRPG Adventure (New Game Minus Book 3)
A solid and entertaining conclusion to the story arc.
Score: 7.4 out of 10
MC with zombie race in an MMO, good.
Score: 7.2 out of 10
The Path of the Samurai: A LitRPG Adventure (Beneath the Horimono Book 1)
Poor attempt at LitRPG
Score: 4 out of 10
(Play Music 2)
LitRPG News
Daniel Schinhofen let us know that he is publishing the 4th book in the Apocalypse Gate series on May 15th and to help promote that, he plans to put all the earlier novels on sale. The sales will be staggered a little with the biggest discounts happening early starting at $0.99 per book and then gradually rising till its the normal price. So, buy early folks.
Book 1 - Sale from May 6th-8th
Book 2 - Sale from May 9th-11th
Book 3 - Sale from May 12th-14th
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KYWG9M1?ref=series_rw_dp_labf
Site wide sale on all audio books on Audible for active members. Take advantage. Thank you Sound Booth Theater for letting us know.
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This Mother's Day, why not give your mom the gift of your happiness by showering yourself with discounted Soundbooth Theater audiobooks? The link below will take you to the details.
Given the magnitude of these discounts, we felt the need to propagate the news that Audible is hosting a sitewide sale through Mother's Day. ALL titles will be 50-70% off. If you aren't already an Audible member, you'll have to register; but that seems like a small price to pay for some discounted SBT goodness. And hey, maybe your mom is more edgy than you know...
Give your moms a hug for us!
The SBT Family
https://www.audible.com/ep/Mothers-Day-2019
Magic Dome books announced this week that they would be changing the cover art for Disgardium book 1. I guess a few people noted that it wasn’t very engaging.
https://www.facebook.com/magicdomebooks/photos/a.1224844880864213/2758017807546905/?type=3&theater
Tao Wong, author of System Apocalypse, is taking open submissions for a short story anthology set in that universe.
Setting: Earth, the System Apocalypse before book 3 ends (within the 1st year of the System).
Length: 10,000-20,000 words
Deadline: June 30, 2019
Payment: $0.06 per word
Full details are on Tao Wongs website at the link below.
The JVJ podcast interviewed Dakota Krout this week if you want to go check that out.
Out Now!
The Azure Dragon: A Heroic Fantasy Saga (The Artar Chronicles Book 3)
The Phoenix of Altria: Digital Sorcery Book 2 (A LitRPG Series)
Rise of the Crimson Order: A Crematoria Online LitRPG Novel
Radioactive Revolution: A Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic Adventure
New LitRPG Audiobooks
Resurgence: The Rise of Resurgence, Book I
I Am Gamer narrated by Gabriel Rathweg!
World Keeper: Advent: World Keeper Series, Book 4
Valhalla Online: Publisher's Pack 2 (books 3 and 4 in series)
Endless Online: Oblivion's Price
Battle Spire: A Crafting LitRPG Book: Hundred Kingdoms, 1
Upcoming LitRPG:
Monster [LitRPG series: The Beetle] (May 14th, 2019)
Rapture (Apocalypse Gates Author's Cut Book 1) (May 15th, 2019)
Guardians Of The Round Table 5: Crystal Mine (May 18th, 2019)
Web of Worlds (Reality Benders Book #4): LitRPG Series (May 20th, 2019)
Scurfifer (Alfarome. Book 2) LitRPG Series (May 21st, 2019)
***(No Cover Art)
Dungeon Eternium (The Divine Dungeon Book 5) (May 31st, 2019)*****
Realm of Noria [LitRPG series. Book 2. The Life] (June 1st, 2019)
Kingdom Come: A LitRPG Dragonrider Adventure (The Archemi Online Chronicles Book 3) (June 1st, 2019)
Stars Awoken: A LitRPG Apocalypse (The System Apocalypse Book 7) (June 1st, 2019)
Apostle of the Sleeping Gods (Disgardium Book #2): LitRPG Series (June 10th, 2019)
Home, Siege Home: A LitRPG/GameLit Novel (The Good Guys Book 6) (June 13th, 2019)
Code Hero (Champion is Playing Book #2) LitRPG Series
(June 15th, 2019)
City of Freedom (Adam Online Book #2) LitRPG Series (June 20th, 2019)
Djinn Tamer: Evolution: A Monster Battling GameLit Adventure (Djinn Tamer - Bronze League Book 3) (June 20th, 2019)
Shyft - Book 2 - Stealthcaster: (A LitRPG Adventure) (June 25th, 2019)
The Time Master (Interworld Network Book I): LitRPG Series (July 18th, 2019)
Onto New Releases and Reviews
(Play Music 3)
New Releases and Reviews
(Picture 1)
Breaking Rules - A LitRPG Adventure (New Game Minus Book 3)
Bloodwraith was a villain who hated adventurers until he found himself transferred into the body of one. Trapped without his magic, he discovered that alien beings were using his reality as a game... and he had just become a player. Teaming up with a glitched NPC and other adventurers, he has no choice but to learn the truth about himself and his world.
The original adventurer may be defeated, but Bloodwraith and his allies have attracted the attention of the beings that control his world. They're coming in force, bringing both control of the system and bizarre alien powers. Bloodwraith will have no choice but to fight for his life while trying to understand the conflicts among the box gods. That battle will take him back to Cresthaven, to new cities entirely, through the most dangerous dungeon yet, and against opponents unlike any he's ever faced...
My Opinion: 610 pages, $4.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
This is a solidly told and entertaining story. It’s a bit more cyberpunk since someone is coming from outside the world with admin abilities, but the author strikes a good balance with it and still makes the RPG stuff matter. Now the main character (MC) and the group face not only a troubleshooter from earth but the machinations of another dimension conquering race. There’s some nice dungeon diving and a nice ending to this first arc.
Score: 7.4 out of 10
Breaking Rules - A LitRPG Adventure (New Game Minus Book 3)
Macrocosm Book 1: Sanctum
When Joshua downloaded Macrocosm, he had expected it to be a brand new game like any other. It was new, it was shiny, and that meant he would be able to make a killing by playing it. Joshua's a professional gamer, someone who makes a living by selling items and accounts in the 23rd century, and Macrocosm promises to be better than every game before it. When he discovers that starting as a zombie provides amazing bonuses, Joshua felt like he didn't have a choice but to pick it.
Macrocosm has its own gods, and they treat the players like pawns in their own little games. Joshua quickly draws the attention of the Plague God Filth, and his peaceful plans quickly take a turn for the worse as he finds himself the subject of one such game.
Behind the scenes, the mysterious company behind Macrocosm has its own plans. What are they recruiting high level players for, and why are these players never seen again?
My Opinion: 285 pages, $2.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
Starting the story, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Neither the cover art or the novel blurb tells you exactly what this is going to be. But I was glad I gave it a chance. This is a good story, though you have to push through the beginning a little. It has a long setup that's meant to explain the larger game universe. You don't really need it for book 1, but I get that the author is setting up the series.
This is a monster main character (MC) story. The MC is playing a VRMMO as a zombie to earn a living off selling rare loot and possibly game characters. Though that premise fades away fairly quickly into a slice of life story where you follow the MC as he makes his character and discovers the drawbacks of being a zombie as well as the potentially overpowered aspects, fights, dungeon dives, and levels.
The story, game mechanic wise, reminds me of Headshot - book 1, where the main character plays as a zombie and part of the draw is seeing the various zombie evolutions. Though the author of this one has a unique evolution path for the MC and there is less PvP. He levels killing humans or zombies, gets a unique class, and gets abilities and skills. There are plenty of crunchy details: character sheets, stats, damage notifications, item and monster descriptions. There is good RPG progression with the MC’s pestilence powers, a kind of crafting system, and multiple progression paths that the MC reasons through. There’s more than enough info given to plan your own zombie character.
Overall, I had a good time with it. I think the zombie evolutions are one of the more interesting aspects of the story.
Score: 7.3 out of 10
The Path of the Samurai: A LitRPG Adventure (Beneath the Horimono Book 1)
Trapped in his favorite video game, Genkei would not trade anything for his new found freedom.
Genkei lives his life through his favorite video game. After birth, he soon became an invalid, wheelchair-bound his entire life. That all changes when he is plunged into the world as his favorite video game, Guardian Quest as a samurai.
Genkei attained a high-level in Guardian Quest early on as he knows this is his one shot to be mobile and he plans on taking full advantage of this opportunity. Who knows when this ride will end?
This new found freedom comes into question when Genkei finds himself battling monsters on his way to free up the Blue Forest, he finds that it is really a battle of the heart. His travel partner, Harumi is an awkward bard, who is adept and fighting, but her awkward nature wins over the loyal and honest samurai, Genkei.
Can Genkei have both, love and skills? Find out in the Path of the Samurai.
My Opinion: 80 pages ??, $2.99, Available on Kindle Unlimited
Another poor quality attempt at LitRPG from Luka Petrov. Like the Reborn series, this tries to shoehorn in a few stat pages into a story to call it LitRPG. This time, the story is at least set in an MMO, though for much of the early part you’d be hard pressed to tell. Eventually you see a couple monster information screens and there’s a casual mention of levels. But for the most part the story is more interested in the samurai/bushido aspect but it's also boring and while you might stretch and call this GameLit since it is set in a game technically, it’s not LitRPG.
Score: 4 out of 10
The Path of the Samurai: A LitRPG Adventure (Beneath the Horimono Book 1)
That’s it everyone!
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Thanks for hanging out with me today. Until we can hangout again, remember to go read some LitRPG!
(Music 4)
Music Credits
"Blip Stream" "Mighty Like Us" "Big Shift" "Vivacity"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/