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FFO #3
The Once King
Leylia's secret could unite them all or lead them to an eternity of undeath.
After the loss of Bastion, everyone who's not a zombie has holed up in FFO's sole remaining safe the lowbie town of Windy Lake. But the undead armies never rest, and it's only a matter of time before the Once King's forces come to crush what's left of life in this world. But Tina, James, and the rest of the players are facing a crisis of their own. After so long in this world, their human bodies are dying on the other side. If they don't find a way home soon, they may have nothing to go back to. With time running out in two worlds, Tina and James face a horrible do they spend their final days looking for a way to get back to their old bodies, or join the NPCs to fight for their new ones. But just when things look impossible, James learns a secret that might change everything. Only one to pull it off, they're going to have to fight one raid boss no one, not even Tina, has ever beaten. The Once King.
After the loss of Bastion, everyone who's not a zombie has holed up in FFO's sole remaining safe the lowbie town of Windy Lake. But the undead armies never rest, and it's only a matter of time before the Once King's forces come to crush what's left of life in this world. But Tina, James, and the rest of the players are facing a crisis of their own. After so long in this world, their human bodies are dying on the other side. If they don't find a way home soon, they may have nothing to go back to. With time running out in two worlds, Tina and James face a horrible do they spend their final days looking for a way to get back to their old bodies, or join the NPCs to fight for their new ones. But just when things look impossible, James learns a secret that might change everything. Only one to pull it off, they're going to have to fight one raid boss no one, not even Tina, has ever beaten. The Once King.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published November 12, 2019
126 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Aaron
34 books3,011 followersHello, my name is Rachel Aaron, and I write the Heartstriker books, a new Urban Fantasy series about misfit dragons, starting with Nice Dragons Finish Last. I also wrote The Legend of Eli Monpress fantasy series for Orbit Books about a wizard thief and the poor bastards who have to try and stop him. PLUS I'm also the author of the new, rolicking fun Science Fiction romance Fortune's Pawn under the name Rachel Bach.
I was born in Atlanta, but I currently live a lovely, nerdy, bookish life in Denver, CO with my lightspeed son, perpetually understanding husband, and far too many plants. Besides my own books, the internet knows me best for writing very fast. The best way to get to know me is probably to read my blog or follow me on Twitter.
I was born in Atlanta, but I currently live a lovely, nerdy, bookish life in Denver, CO with my lightspeed son, perpetually understanding husband, and far too many plants. Besides my own books, the internet knows me best for writing very fast. The best way to get to know me is probably to read my blog or follow me on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
November 27, 2019
3.5 stars
“Welcome, players,” the Once King said in a terrible, final voice, “to the end of the world.”
In the last book of the trilogy, Tina and James will have to beat the last Boss of this game that is not a game - the Once King.
-I kept hating Tina all the time, I could never like this character. And yet, with all her prejudices, bad decisions, and its tremendous stubbornness, I cannot help understanding that it exemplifies what a hero would be in real life. Because it is that same single-minded stubbornness that leads her to continue until the end. The story of SB well I already imagined it with his obsession with the mask, although not the other part. After all, the players engaged in the game gives people with too much free time and that is known.
-James was the most human character, and with whom I can identify more and instead makes him the character that I like most in this story.
-And I still think that Fangs is the best.
[James:] “I’m not leaving you!”
[Fangs:] “You’re not leaving me. I’m bravely staying behind so you can complete the mission.” [...]
“But I don’t know how!” James wailed, tears flowing down his face. “I don’t have a plan!”
“You’ll think of one,” his brother said confidently, closing his eyes. “You always do. But you can’t think of anything while you’re bawling here, so go. Get to your sister, tell her what we’ve learned. I’ll hold him off.
-On the other hand, I can't stand Neko.
Although I definitely prefer to read books with happy endings, the end of the series is too tightly closed, it gives a sensation of put a bow in the package that I don't even tell you (and where it doesn't even pretend to hide the tremendous deus ex machina haha)
Anyway, I am glad it explained about the Moon and the birds.
Though it was a bit weird that there was not a mention about Malacai in the final fight after all the bad blood between them.At least he could have died, ahem.
In short, it was a very entertaining trip, and I looked forward to knowing the end of the story. One that became an epic novel here, if not for that end t (yes, yes, here I complain and I'm still not able to continue reading the epics that I have paused because I hate to reach the tragic part). But I liked it.
“Welcome, players,” the Once King said in a terrible, final voice, “to the end of the world.”
In the last book of the trilogy, Tina and James will have to beat the last Boss of this game that is not a game - the Once King.
-I kept hating Tina all the time, I could never like this character. And yet, with all her prejudices, bad decisions, and its tremendous stubbornness, I cannot help understanding that it exemplifies what a hero would be in real life. Because it is that same single-minded stubbornness that leads her to continue until the end. The story of SB well I already imagined it with his obsession with the mask, although not the other part. After all, the players engaged in the game gives people with too much free time and that is known.
-James was the most human character, and with whom I can identify more and instead makes him the character that I like most in this story.
-And I still think that Fangs is the best.
[James:] “I’m not leaving you!”
[Fangs:] “You’re not leaving me. I’m bravely staying behind so you can complete the mission.” [...]
“But I don’t know how!” James wailed, tears flowing down his face. “I don’t have a plan!”
“You’ll think of one,” his brother said confidently, closing his eyes. “You always do. But you can’t think of anything while you’re bawling here, so go. Get to your sister, tell her what we’ve learned. I’ll hold him off.
-On the other hand, I can't stand Neko.
Although I definitely prefer to read books with happy endings, the end of the series is too tightly closed, it gives a sensation of put a bow in the package that I don't even tell you (and where it doesn't even pretend to hide the tremendous deus ex machina haha)
Anyway, I am glad it explained about the Moon and the birds.
Though it was a bit weird that there was not a mention about Malacai in the final fight after all the bad blood between them.
In short, it was a very entertaining trip, and I looked forward to knowing the end of the story. One that became an epic novel here, if not for that end t (yes, yes, here I complain and I'm still not able to continue reading the epics that I have paused because I hate to reach the tragic part). But I liked it.
November 12, 2019
ARC provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars.
Gripping and thoroughly satisfying, The Once King, concluded the FFO trilogy with yet another compulsive read.
The entire series has been incredibly fun and addictive with lots of action and humour, while packing some solid emotional punches at the same time. Tone and style-wise, FFO is similar to Aaron's earlier series like Heartstriker, Eli Monpress, and Paradox; they tended towards being lighthearted and hopeful. While Aaron and Bach had worked together on every book she has written, this was the first time that they shared the writing process, and the result was fantastic. So much so that I finished reading The Once King in one day, I just didn't want to put the book down.
The story picks up immediately after the ending of Last Bastion, following an incredibly hard-fought battle. A battle which had our main characters, Tiny and James Anderson, and their friends, escaping from the glorious city of Bastion after it was taken over by the undead armies of The Once King. The odds were overwhelmingly stacked against our MCs and the possible resolution presented to them was, in all appearances, a last-resort, suicidal mission.
As I have mentioned many times before, Rachel Aaron's books were my go-to comfort reads. It was just so easy to settle in and enjoy reading her books, and the same goes for this co-written trilogy with Travis Bach. There are two types of writing that I enjoy reading. One is where the writing is so beautiful that it's a character of its own (but never purple, or overly verbose prose, please). And the other is where the writing literally vanishes into the background and the story emerges in my mind. When it comes to fantasy writing, I tend to prefer the latter because it is more cinematic and makes it more effortless to become immersed into the secondary world and all its fantastical aspects. With Aaron and Bach, it is definitely the latter style of writing which makes their books such a sheer joy to read.
Given that FFO is based on an MMORPG setting, action scenes are crucial to the narrative, and these were superbly written. There was always this sense of space in the scenes that enabled the reader to picture quite clearly what was happening and where the characters were in the midst of the fight or battle sequences. With level-boosting armour, weapons and artifacts, these scenes were as awesome as one can get from a series which was written as a love letter to online games.
I think that being self-proclaimed geeks who are obsessed with gaming, Aaron and Bach possess an innate worldbuilding skill that really come across in these books. The mythology and lore of the gaming world of Forever Fantasy Online is rich, fascinating and well-conceived. We get a stunning revelation about the world and why the players are trapped in FFO in the early part of the book. To cap it all off, knowledge of its real history is pivotal to the unlocking the reasons behind The Once King's motivation and intended goal. It was this tantalising promise of finally having the answers to these mysteries which made me finish this book so quickly.
Now, all the above would already make for a darn good read. To elevate a story from good to great, however, one needs to have emotional investment in the characters. I've always trusted in Aaron and Bach to create wonderful characters for me to care and root for, and I was far from being disappointed. I found all the characters to be well-written, relatable, and quite a few of them are really likeable. Even The Once King, the big boss in gaming speak, came across as a sympathetic villain.
Throughout the trilogy, our main characters, Tina and James, demonstrated incredible growth which felt realistic given the immensity of the challenges that they each have to face. I'll admit that I wasn't too fond of Tina whom I found too overbearing at first. But, she has come a long way since her early days of bullying and coercing the raid parties to follow her plans. Tina is now a leader who has gained the loyalty of her raid party and learnt the value of listening to others. Without giving away spoilers, something shocking happened halfway in the book which pushed her development even further. This was the tipping point for Tina which finally won me over.
James is, without a doubt, my favourite character, and had been since the first book as I found his arc to be more compelling than his sister's. His empathy was that his key defining quality which highly appealed to me. While Tina still has room to grow coming into this final volume, James' development peaked in the previous sequel. James' art of diplomacy and ability to see things from the enemy's viewpoint is his key skill, which will come to bear in finding the ultimate solution to save the world. A note for cat-lovers, there's a feline race called the Jubatus (Acinonyx jubatus is the scientific name of cheetahs) and that's the form that James took in this world.
The underlying story about these two siblings anchored what I found to be the central theme or the heart of FFO, and it's about acceptance, forgiveness and new beginnings. James, the older brother who was a failure in real life, and Tina, the younger sister who had to deal with the consequences. There was a scene involving just the two of them in Last Bastion which was very powerful, and it was gratifying to see how that has shaped their relationship in this final instalment. Those themes I've mentioned above also extend to a few other characters as well, resulting in some touching moments which provided emotional resonance into the narrative. There is just one minor nitpick that I have and it's that I felt that the ending was just a bit too neatly wrapped up.
From start to finish, FFO is a fun, addictive and well-crafted story with a lot of heart. It has well-written and gripping action scenes, tight plotting and pacing, rich and fascinating worldbuilding, and most of all, stellar characterisation. Highly recommended, especially if you're feeling weighed down by too much grimdark.
Series Review
Forever Fantasy Online: 4 of 5 stars
Last Bastion: 5 of 5 stars
The Once King: 4.5 of 5 stars
FFO Trilogy: 13.5 of 15 stars
You can purchase the book at Amazon US | Amazon UK
You can also find this, and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
4.5 stars.
Gripping and thoroughly satisfying, The Once King, concluded the FFO trilogy with yet another compulsive read.
The entire series has been incredibly fun and addictive with lots of action and humour, while packing some solid emotional punches at the same time. Tone and style-wise, FFO is similar to Aaron's earlier series like Heartstriker, Eli Monpress, and Paradox; they tended towards being lighthearted and hopeful. While Aaron and Bach had worked together on every book she has written, this was the first time that they shared the writing process, and the result was fantastic. So much so that I finished reading The Once King in one day, I just didn't want to put the book down.
The story picks up immediately after the ending of Last Bastion, following an incredibly hard-fought battle. A battle which had our main characters, Tiny and James Anderson, and their friends, escaping from the glorious city of Bastion after it was taken over by the undead armies of The Once King. The odds were overwhelmingly stacked against our MCs and the possible resolution presented to them was, in all appearances, a last-resort, suicidal mission.
As I have mentioned many times before, Rachel Aaron's books were my go-to comfort reads. It was just so easy to settle in and enjoy reading her books, and the same goes for this co-written trilogy with Travis Bach. There are two types of writing that I enjoy reading. One is where the writing is so beautiful that it's a character of its own (but never purple, or overly verbose prose, please). And the other is where the writing literally vanishes into the background and the story emerges in my mind. When it comes to fantasy writing, I tend to prefer the latter because it is more cinematic and makes it more effortless to become immersed into the secondary world and all its fantastical aspects. With Aaron and Bach, it is definitely the latter style of writing which makes their books such a sheer joy to read.
Given that FFO is based on an MMORPG setting, action scenes are crucial to the narrative, and these were superbly written. There was always this sense of space in the scenes that enabled the reader to picture quite clearly what was happening and where the characters were in the midst of the fight or battle sequences. With level-boosting armour, weapons and artifacts, these scenes were as awesome as one can get from a series which was written as a love letter to online games.
I think that being self-proclaimed geeks who are obsessed with gaming, Aaron and Bach possess an innate worldbuilding skill that really come across in these books. The mythology and lore of the gaming world of Forever Fantasy Online is rich, fascinating and well-conceived. We get a stunning revelation about the world and why the players are trapped in FFO in the early part of the book. To cap it all off, knowledge of its real history is pivotal to the unlocking the reasons behind The Once King's motivation and intended goal. It was this tantalising promise of finally having the answers to these mysteries which made me finish this book so quickly.
Now, all the above would already make for a darn good read. To elevate a story from good to great, however, one needs to have emotional investment in the characters. I've always trusted in Aaron and Bach to create wonderful characters for me to care and root for, and I was far from being disappointed. I found all the characters to be well-written, relatable, and quite a few of them are really likeable. Even The Once King, the big boss in gaming speak, came across as a sympathetic villain.
Throughout the trilogy, our main characters, Tina and James, demonstrated incredible growth which felt realistic given the immensity of the challenges that they each have to face. I'll admit that I wasn't too fond of Tina whom I found too overbearing at first. But, she has come a long way since her early days of bullying and coercing the raid parties to follow her plans. Tina is now a leader who has gained the loyalty of her raid party and learnt the value of listening to others. Without giving away spoilers, something shocking happened halfway in the book which pushed her development even further. This was the tipping point for Tina which finally won me over.
James is, without a doubt, my favourite character, and had been since the first book as I found his arc to be more compelling than his sister's. His empathy was that his key defining quality which highly appealed to me. While Tina still has room to grow coming into this final volume, James' development peaked in the previous sequel. James' art of diplomacy and ability to see things from the enemy's viewpoint is his key skill, which will come to bear in finding the ultimate solution to save the world. A note for cat-lovers, there's a feline race called the Jubatus (Acinonyx jubatus is the scientific name of cheetahs) and that's the form that James took in this world.
The underlying story about these two siblings anchored what I found to be the central theme or the heart of FFO, and it's about acceptance, forgiveness and new beginnings. James, the older brother who was a failure in real life, and Tina, the younger sister who had to deal with the consequences. There was a scene involving just the two of them in Last Bastion which was very powerful, and it was gratifying to see how that has shaped their relationship in this final instalment. Those themes I've mentioned above also extend to a few other characters as well, resulting in some touching moments which provided emotional resonance into the narrative. There is just one minor nitpick that I have and it's that I felt that the ending was just a bit too neatly wrapped up.
From start to finish, FFO is a fun, addictive and well-crafted story with a lot of heart. It has well-written and gripping action scenes, tight plotting and pacing, rich and fascinating worldbuilding, and most of all, stellar characterisation. Highly recommended, especially if you're feeling weighed down by too much grimdark.
Series Review
Forever Fantasy Online: 4 of 5 stars
Last Bastion: 5 of 5 stars
The Once King: 4.5 of 5 stars
FFO Trilogy: 13.5 of 15 stars
You can purchase the book at Amazon US | Amazon UK
You can also find this, and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
September 12, 2023
4.5 stars.
A worthy finale to a really great trilogy.
I have by now come to expect a certain level of easy going comfort from any Rachel Aaron book. I don't think I can ever get tired of reading her stories, and this series co-written with Travis Bach once again drove this point home.
A worthy finale to a really great trilogy.
I have by now come to expect a certain level of easy going comfort from any Rachel Aaron book. I don't think I can ever get tired of reading her stories, and this series co-written with Travis Bach once again drove this point home.
February 28, 2020
Its by far the the best book in the series. However the "my readers are dumb and must be scolded not take events in the book personally since we didn't mean them" show the target the book is written for is not well read and can not think critically. This set the tone for me to be grumpy for the first large part of the book. Authors who feel the need to do this are condescending and show that they can not feel comfortable with their own work.
February 3, 2021
The plot questions I was interested in weren't answered in the last book, so I finished the series. This was better than the book before it, but I'd uninvested emotionally so I was just skimming tbh.
And it was fine. All of it was fine, but as the other books say, James has the biggest character arc and is meant to be everyone's 'favourite' character, but he really was such a colossal asshole to Roxxy in real life that I don't feel like forgiving him for it.
And Roxxy, I like that she still fought the ending. But I never loved any of the characters in this book, and they never got closure with the real world, so eh.
And it was fine. All of it was fine, but as the other books say, James has the biggest character arc and is meant to be everyone's 'favourite' character, but he really was such a colossal asshole to Roxxy in real life that I don't feel like forgiving him for it.
And Roxxy, I like that she still fought the ending. But I never loved any of the characters in this book, and they never got closure with the real world, so eh.
November 18, 2019
I was a bit lukewarm on the first book, not being a gamer or wanting to game, but as usual Rachel Aaron came through for me. She can't write a bad book. Not the deepest of reads but a satisfying story and a great wrap up cheered me up in the gloom of all the twitching torsos being impaled in The Romanovs, (my currently reading). Portal fantasy I guess? Anyway recommended.
April 7, 2021
I loved this series and the plot. In a way, I think that SB and ro's relationship was a little rushed, I'd have loved to see them more as a couple before they married, I can't take a star down, because I liked what the authors did with the Once King.
Oh, wow and SB's secret? I didn't see that coming. Where's that side story where his father pays? I want to see that.
Oh, wow and SB's secret? I didn't see that coming. Where's that side story where his father pays? I want to see that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2021
I finished the trilogy... so there's that?...
March 31, 2020
Me declaro fan de la saga Heartstrikers pero esta trilogía es peor que tener un dolor de muelas y que el empaste te lo tengan que hacer sin anestesia.
(Sí, he leído las otras dos novelas de la trilogía, pero han pasado meses y no voy a hacerles una reseña ahora. Aunque básicamente podrían resumirse en:
- Odio el infodump.
- Tus protagonistas son inaguantables. Especialmente Tina porque da igual cuantas veces admita que debería escuchar la opinión de los demás, al final va a acabar haciendo lo que le salga de las "piedras". Sí, incluso cuando sabe que lo que le proponen es mejor que su solución de mierda... Básicamente basada en la violencia.
- Nadie habla con nadie (salvo James, James siempre intenta solucionarlo por la vía diplomática)y, si por casualidad lo hacen, seguirán haciendo lo que les de la gana (especialmente Tina).
- Todos los problemas de esta gente, en ambos bandos, vienen por el "masacra primero, pregunta después". Y, si preguntan, aplicarán lo del anterior punto).
Dicho lo cual y, a sabiendas de que esta novela comparte defectos con sus predecesoras, no hay mucho más que añadir. A partir de aquí, todo spoilers.
En resumen, espero que esta mujer nunca vuelva a escribir nada a medias con su marido, porque madre mía de mi vida...
(Sí, he leído las otras dos novelas de la trilogía, pero han pasado meses y no voy a hacerles una reseña ahora. Aunque básicamente podrían resumirse en:
- Odio el infodump.
- Tus protagonistas son inaguantables. Especialmente Tina porque da igual cuantas veces admita que debería escuchar la opinión de los demás, al final va a acabar haciendo lo que le salga de las "piedras". Sí, incluso cuando sabe que lo que le proponen es mejor que su solución de mierda... Básicamente basada en la violencia.
- Nadie habla con nadie (salvo James, James siempre intenta solucionarlo por la vía diplomática)y, si por casualidad lo hacen, seguirán haciendo lo que les de la gana (especialmente Tina).
- Todos los problemas de esta gente, en ambos bandos, vienen por el "masacra primero, pregunta después". Y, si preguntan, aplicarán lo del anterior punto).
Dicho lo cual y, a sabiendas de que esta novela comparte defectos con sus predecesoras, no hay mucho más que añadir. A partir de aquí, todo spoilers.
En resumen, espero que esta mujer nunca vuelva a escribir nada a medias con su marido, porque madre mía de mi vida...
October 5, 2023
This is the final book of the Forever Fantasy Online trilogy. I loved the first book, rabidly hated the second book. My opinion on this book matches another Goodreads review. The whole review:
I finished the trilogy... so there's that?...
I had intended to mostly skim this book, but I ended up mostly reading it. The main character, Tina, who in the previous two books believed that genocide and killing hundreds or thousands of innocent people was a perfectly fine solution to any of her problems, did a 180 in this book. All three books took place in less than two weeks, and somehow between book 2 and 3 (a day or two of story time), Tina went from pro-genocide to caring about everyone.
She also went from hating her brother (James) with the fury of a thousand suns, wanting to beat him up every time she saw him, to:
...and then James--blessed, wonderful James--had...
It didn't make her a perfect person, but it made me stop growling every time I read the book (even though the change in her was so fast it was completely unbelievable).
Through the three books, there was a romance, but it was really, really bad. Love at first sight, the man (SilentBlayde) dedicating his entire life to Tina, to love and protect and do whatever he had to do to help her, from first sight. They got married in the third book, which somehow made their relationship even worse.
The second book had been horribly edited. This book was okay. Not perfect, but good for a self-published book.
Like books 1 and 2, more than 10% of this book was advertising for the author's other books.
The only part of the book I really enjoyed was the epilogue. It was only a couple pages long, but it had a paragraph or two for each of the characters, letting the reader know what happened to them for the rest of their life. That was really nice and sweet.
This was such a fun idea for a trilogy. I wish I could have enjoyed the second and third book as much as the first one.
I finished the trilogy... so there's that?...
I had intended to mostly skim this book, but I ended up mostly reading it. The main character, Tina, who in the previous two books believed that genocide and killing hundreds or thousands of innocent people was a perfectly fine solution to any of her problems, did a 180 in this book. All three books took place in less than two weeks, and somehow between book 2 and 3 (a day or two of story time), Tina went from pro-genocide to caring about everyone.
She also went from hating her brother (James) with the fury of a thousand suns, wanting to beat him up every time she saw him, to:
...and then James--blessed, wonderful James--had...
It didn't make her a perfect person, but it made me stop growling every time I read the book (even though the change in her was so fast it was completely unbelievable).
Through the three books, there was a romance, but it was really, really bad. Love at first sight, the man (SilentBlayde) dedicating his entire life to Tina, to love and protect and do whatever he had to do to help her, from first sight. They got married in the third book, which somehow made their relationship even worse.
The second book had been horribly edited. This book was okay. Not perfect, but good for a self-published book.
Like books 1 and 2, more than 10% of this book was advertising for the author's other books.
The only part of the book I really enjoyed was the epilogue. It was only a couple pages long, but it had a paragraph or two for each of the characters, letting the reader know what happened to them for the rest of their life. That was really nice and sweet.
This was such a fun idea for a trilogy. I wish I could have enjoyed the second and third book as much as the first one.
September 23, 2020
Could Not Put It Down !
Ah,
What a gem
So exciting, with excellent action & also has depth and humor ....
A near perfectly told tale, almost as good as the Princess Bride - there's heros , piratical players, monsters, kings, giants, amazing sword fights.... forgiveness .....
And the way Garrond dealt with the vows, bwahaha fantastic 😄🤣, and the king getting his game face on was so great! And the nuances of the Once King, unexpected and almost unnoticed, which would have ended badly I'm sure....
And a superbly settled ending, ahhhhh, very satisfying. Like a musical piece or a gymnast sticking a landing, some stories are finished better than others and this left us feeling good about it , definitely well done. Not perfectly perfect, but super fantastic, I loved living this adventure with these characters, I literally couldn't stop reading..... in the car, at work, in the bathroom and shower (hooray for kindle app on a water resistant phone).....
I don't disagree with some of the complaints I have seen around the interwebs, about Tina's frustrating character traits in the first 2 books - which are also an admirable choice in realistic characterization and growth as she learns & improves, and seeing her and James come into their own in this finale was bloody wonderful. There are a number of questions I still have and some action we would like to have seen in other parts of the world, but also the pov is centered on T & J and their closest teammates so it's not the kind of book that bounced around showing us what's happening to other characters or giving glimpses and previews of the enemy's plans and that’s ok.
Maybe we can talk Rachel and Travis into some short stories? And some more of the lore/ history while we're at it 😁😁😁
So yeah, I really liked it. Thank you R & T, you nailed it. ( Want more)
Ah,
What a gem
So exciting, with excellent action & also has depth and humor ....
A near perfectly told tale, almost as good as the Princess Bride - there's heros , piratical players, monsters, kings, giants, amazing sword fights.... forgiveness .....
And the way Garrond dealt with the vows, bwahaha fantastic 😄🤣, and the king getting his game face on was so great! And the nuances of the Once King, unexpected and almost unnoticed, which would have ended badly I'm sure....
And a superbly settled ending, ahhhhh, very satisfying. Like a musical piece or a gymnast sticking a landing, some stories are finished better than others and this left us feeling good about it , definitely well done. Not perfectly perfect, but super fantastic, I loved living this adventure with these characters, I literally couldn't stop reading..... in the car, at work, in the bathroom and shower (hooray for kindle app on a water resistant phone).....
I don't disagree with some of the complaints I have seen around the interwebs, about Tina's frustrating character traits in the first 2 books - which are also an admirable choice in realistic characterization and growth as she learns & improves, and seeing her and James come into their own in this finale was bloody wonderful. There are a number of questions I still have and some action we would like to have seen in other parts of the world, but also the pov is centered on T & J and their closest teammates so it's not the kind of book that bounced around showing us what's happening to other characters or giving glimpses and previews of the enemy's plans and that’s ok.
Maybe we can talk Rachel and Travis into some short stories? And some more of the lore/ history while we're at it 😁😁😁
So yeah, I really liked it. Thank you R & T, you nailed it. ( Want more)
March 5, 2021
This series is by no means perfect but oh so enjoyable. It also gave me some anxiety because I was so gonna ragequit if Tina and Haruto didn’t end up together in the same world but they did. There was even sex puns that had me snorting.
I genuinely enjoyed all of the main characters and how they grew over the three books especially since they were flawed. They all annoyed me at times and I caught myself yelling at SB multiple times and desperate to know his backstory. He’s definitely my favourite character and that one chapter from his POV in book 2 was awesome I wish we got more of them! His and Tina’s relationship full made me cry I love them a lot.
I feel bad for Tina and James’ parents like fr... they both up and left without a single mention that they’d even miss them like James was just worried about the debt he’d left? I get that Tina was never that close with them but still, those letters better be something impressive.
The shenanigans that led to Tina being human again actually managed to surprise me (and make me laugh every time they said one for all because I just heard Deku’s voice every time) which was cool, I really loved the idea of her 4”9.5 ass tanking a 10 foot tall winged elf. To be honest I expected Tina to fight more on going home but at the same time I loved the tent scene too much to care that much about it.
Overall a very enjoyable, slightly stress inducing read with equally enjoyable characters. We Stan Haruto, even if he’s a bit of a dense ass simp (but so is Tina so it fits)
I genuinely enjoyed all of the main characters and how they grew over the three books especially since they were flawed. They all annoyed me at times and I caught myself yelling at SB multiple times and desperate to know his backstory. He’s definitely my favourite character and that one chapter from his POV in book 2 was awesome I wish we got more of them! His and Tina’s relationship full made me cry I love them a lot.
I feel bad for Tina and James’ parents like fr... they both up and left without a single mention that they’d even miss them like James was just worried about the debt he’d left? I get that Tina was never that close with them but still, those letters better be something impressive.
The shenanigans that led to Tina being human again actually managed to surprise me (and make me laugh every time they said one for all because I just heard Deku’s voice every time) which was cool, I really loved the idea of her 4”9.5 ass tanking a 10 foot tall winged elf. To be honest I expected Tina to fight more on going home but at the same time I loved the tent scene too much to care that much about it.
Overall a very enjoyable, slightly stress inducing read with equally enjoyable characters. We Stan Haruto, even if he’s a bit of a dense ass simp (but so is Tina so it fits)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2021
The Once King is the climactic conclusion to the LitRPG Final Fantasy Online. It was definitely climactic. What’s more, I got the ending I was hoping for. I’m actually really happy about that. I wasn’t a huge fan of the “epilogue,” but the ending itself was everything I could have hoped it would be.
Tina isn’t as bloodthirsty in The Once King. Her two major conflicts are finally resolved, and all the rage she had bottled up towards people that loved her was finally defused. That went a long way to me not disliking her so much.
James got his moment to shin as well. Though, in my opinion, he’s shinned in this entire series. I would read more books with characters like him. Someone who comes in and appeals to people’s better natures and can convince them that death and destruction are not the only way. Love it.
I’m honestly not sure if I’d read another LitRPG. If anyone has a good one to recommend, I’ll check out the blurb and maybe read a sample; otherwise, I don’t know. My desire to write one is still there, but it’s dimmed a bit. Aaron and Bach put a LOT of work into lore and world-building, and I don’t have the time to do that with most of the books I write. I don’t know, we’ll see.
3.5
Tina isn’t as bloodthirsty in The Once King. Her two major conflicts are finally resolved, and all the rage she had bottled up towards people that loved her was finally defused. That went a long way to me not disliking her so much.
James got his moment to shin as well. Though, in my opinion, he’s shinned in this entire series. I would read more books with characters like him. Someone who comes in and appeals to people’s better natures and can convince them that death and destruction are not the only way. Love it.
I’m honestly not sure if I’d read another LitRPG. If anyone has a good one to recommend, I’ll check out the blurb and maybe read a sample; otherwise, I don’t know. My desire to write one is still there, but it’s dimmed a bit. Aaron and Bach put a LOT of work into lore and world-building, and I don’t have the time to do that with most of the books I write. I don’t know, we’ll see.
3.5
January 5, 2023
Setting/Worldbuilding: 7/10
Main characters: 9/10
Side characters: 9/10
Dialogue: 8/10
Plot: 8/10
Technique: 8/10
Prose: 6/10
Romance: 8//10
Ending: 8/10
Overall enjoyment: 9/10
Total: 80/100 (4)
Cute HEA ending! Overall a solid series from my favourite author, and I'm starting to suspect she has an obsession with pantheons involving the sky 🤣
There were unanswered questions and secrets from the penultimate book that I was curious to see how they would be addressed and ... they were addressed fully in this book. But eh, I found a lot of of the explanations a bit too convenient? Everything is all nicely tied up with a lovely ribbon and all, but I feel like that was what made it particularly unrealistic.
We finally see a culmination of the slow-burn romance hinted at from book 1 (including a fade to black scene). I thought the friends to lovers subplot was cute and the parties were clearly in love with each other so it was easy to root for them... But damn, not sure the codependency and infatuation are all that healthy, you know!
Main characters: 9/10
Side characters: 9/10
Dialogue: 8/10
Plot: 8/10
Technique: 8/10
Prose: 6/10
Romance: 8//10
Ending: 8/10
Overall enjoyment: 9/10
Total: 80/100 (4)
Cute HEA ending! Overall a solid series from my favourite author, and I'm starting to suspect she has an obsession with pantheons involving the sky 🤣
There were unanswered questions and secrets from the penultimate book that I was curious to see how they would be addressed and ... they were addressed fully in this book. But eh, I found a lot of of the explanations a bit too convenient? Everything is all nicely tied up with a lovely ribbon and all, but I feel like that was what made it particularly unrealistic.
We finally see a culmination of the slow-burn romance hinted at from book 1 (including a fade to black scene). I thought the friends to lovers subplot was cute and the parties were clearly in love with each other so it was easy to root for them... But damn, not sure the codependency and infatuation are all that healthy, you know!
December 23, 2019
Oh, My, Gosh!!! I was totally unprepared for how much I really, really loved the conclusion to Forever Fantasy Online, especially Josh Hurley's contribution. I had really panned his over-acting in the last book, and I totally expected I'd just have to suck it up for the sake of the rest of the storyline... and surprisingly, I didn't have to! Josh was excellent this time around. His performance was Much more refined and nuanced, making The Once King a pleasure to listen to!
I was also tickled pink to discover that the race of cats, known in the game as "Jubatus", is in part, the actual scientific name for Cheetahs (Acinonyx Jubatus). How cool is that?!??
Rachel Aaron, and Travis Bach really outdid themselves with the way this book brings the FFO series to its conclusion. So much so in fact, that I don't mind if we can't play FFO again... and no, I'm not telling you what happens (Dream On! LOL)! Get the Series, 'cause my lips are sealed, locked, and I've thrown away the key! 🤫 🤐
I was also tickled pink to discover that the race of cats, known in the game as "Jubatus", is in part, the actual scientific name for Cheetahs (Acinonyx Jubatus). How cool is that?!??
Rachel Aaron, and Travis Bach really outdid themselves with the way this book brings the FFO series to its conclusion. So much so in fact, that I don't mind if we can't play FFO again... and no, I'm not telling you what happens (Dream On! LOL)! Get the Series, 'cause my lips are sealed, locked, and I've thrown away the key! 🤫 🤐
July 18, 2023
I started off reading Aaron's later works so it was interesting to see her style when she was newer to the business. I think experience has smoothed out a lot of the cringe-y parts where you're left so frustrated even though it makes total sense based on the characters' histories. Still a very enjoyable read, but if you're on the fence about her later work because this series didn't quite bring you there...hop it. Aaron's on my top list of good plot, pacing, characters, and world building in an easy to read package. I do not know how she achieves the complexity she has while also remaining so damn approachable. Which is extra funny because I just finished a book by one of my favorite authors whose work I have to save for my very best days because her writing is just so...don't miss a detail or you will be lost. What a contrast. LOL
May 13, 2025
Rachel Aaron writes GamerLit?
Yes, and well. And with her husband.
Set sometime in the future when virtual reality has taken a significant step further in technology and become totally immersive, this trilogy is about a disaster— FFO, the biggest game ever, has glitched. Thousands of players, many of whom had devoted years playing the game, discover that they’re stuck in the fantasy world and can’t log out. Worse by far, the rules have changed. Now, if they are killed in the game they don’t respawn. They really die.
A well-written trilogy, even for those of us who haven’t “gamed” since playing Chutes and Ladders with their grandchildren!
Yes, and well. And with her husband.
Set sometime in the future when virtual reality has taken a significant step further in technology and become totally immersive, this trilogy is about a disaster— FFO, the biggest game ever, has glitched. Thousands of players, many of whom had devoted years playing the game, discover that they’re stuck in the fantasy world and can’t log out. Worse by far, the rules have changed. Now, if they are killed in the game they don’t respawn. They really die.
A well-written trilogy, even for those of us who haven’t “gamed” since playing Chutes and Ladders with their grandchildren!
May 21, 2020
Decent read overall.
Thought it did a decent job sticking the landing.
Felt that some of the 'big revelations' that it's been teasing for the past 2 books were a little rushed (a couple big character reveals came about back to back and felt like it didn't give enough time for things to sink in before the next one hit).
I actually really enjoyed some of the revelations about the big bad and the motivations behind him.
And as ever, the description of 'real life raiding', I thought were really spot on and really landed that specific 'feel' of being in a raid, which was quite nostalgic.
Thought it did a decent job sticking the landing.
Felt that some of the 'big revelations' that it's been teasing for the past 2 books were a little rushed (a couple big character reveals came about back to back and felt like it didn't give enough time for things to sink in before the next one hit).
I actually really enjoyed some of the revelations about the big bad and the motivations behind him.
And as ever, the description of 'real life raiding', I thought were really spot on and really landed that specific 'feel' of being in a raid, which was quite nostalgic.
June 13, 2020
Love this series!!
Its anazimg,this book does everything so well it's almost no point in trying to catalog them all, only sad part is this is the end of the series. This series is amazing!! It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!!
It's a fantastic thrill ride of a book and very grounded and easy to read and understand ugh to much to cover on why its so good you just gotta see for yourself
Its anazimg,this book does everything so well it's almost no point in trying to catalog them all, only sad part is this is the end of the series. This series is amazing!! It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!!
It's a fantastic thrill ride of a book and very grounded and easy to read and understand ugh to much to cover on why its so good you just gotta see for yourself
July 19, 2023
The upside of having a trilogy where half the drama is characters not communicating is the last book forces everyone to actually talk like emotionally mature adults. Overall I thought this was a fitting end - a bit predictable, but done well. I'm conflicted that a major plot point is an attempted rapist saving the day by forgiving himself, though there are some extenuating circumstances due to the fantasy elements.
June 26, 2021
Great Series
This book really hit all the great lit rpg check marks. I liked that there were no hard stats and tables, just the knowledge of what to do.
Just like any great gaming guild, this book was full of crazy players, drama, and the compulsion to take on the biggest bad with your team. GG
This book really hit all the great lit rpg check marks. I liked that there were no hard stats and tables, just the knowledge of what to do.
Just like any great gaming guild, this book was full of crazy players, drama, and the compulsion to take on the biggest bad with your team. GG
February 27, 2022
This book redeemed the series for me. The world-building got really interesting, and a few interesting plot twists I did not see happening plus some good character development made this a solid novel. And less emphasis on the game style role playing D&D combat which I was never a fan of helped in my enjoyment of the book.
October 13, 2022
A fantastic conclusion
This trilogy has taken me through this semester at college! I’m sad it’s over, but all prospective readers should know that you will not be able to put this book down! Excited to move on to more Rachel Aaron novels (and of course big congrats to Travis Bach as well for this trilogy!)
This trilogy has taken me through this semester at college! I’m sad it’s over, but all prospective readers should know that you will not be able to put this book down! Excited to move on to more Rachel Aaron novels (and of course big congrats to Travis Bach as well for this trilogy!)
July 18, 2020
Fantastic book. Got a little dark near the end there (befitting and epic conclusion) but it was turned around in a very satisfying manner. Really appreciated the epilogue at the end.
Oh and bonus point for SB's 'Sephiroth' reference.
Oh and bonus point for SB's 'Sephiroth' reference.
August 22, 2020
FFO was a real treat!
I absolutely loved the FFO trilogy. The world and characters were so vivid. It had vibes of sword art online, MMORPGs, and an epic LOTR scale adventure. Lots of humor, politicking, Magic, and action. One of my favorite reads in a long time.
I absolutely loved the FFO trilogy. The world and characters were so vivid. It had vibes of sword art online, MMORPGs, and an epic LOTR scale adventure. Lots of humor, politicking, Magic, and action. One of my favorite reads in a long time.
December 29, 2022
Nice end to a trilogy
Things went sideways from how I expected, but a very fitting end for the series that was quite satisfying. This made me a bit nostalgic for MMOs which I've never played
Things went sideways from how I expected, but a very fitting end for the series that was quite satisfying. This made me a bit nostalgic for MMOs which I've never played
March 16, 2025
Got tired of the whining of the main characters. I just couldn't continue reading it. I kept thinking with the first two books the whining would decrease. With the 3rd book the whining was just as bad.
February 2, 2021
Fantastic book series. Enjoyed every minute of it.
June 7, 2021
Awesome ending of the trilogy
June 25, 2021
A fun conclusion to a fun series. A few pieces at the end not really tied up as one would hope, but I thoroughly enjoyed the whole series.
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