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Scion's Journey #1
Oath of Vengeance
Finn was living a good life as a blacksmith’s apprentice, training hard to earn the right to become one of the Kingsguard, the elite force of one hundred knights that serve and protect the King.
He worked hard, trained hard, and often got into trouble with his best friend, Prince Galen. The two of them had been almost inseparable since they were toddlers. For Finn, life couldn’t be better.
Until a force of assassins and mercenaries attacked the palace! Prince Galen and the entire royal family are murdered, along with Finn’s father, the Captain of the palace guard, and his mentor, the Master Smith. One or more of the high noble families has lost patience, and made their play for the throne.
Finn is forced to flee the palace, ushered to a place of safety by loyal retainer of the royal family named MacKenzie, a dwarf who has served in the palace for nearly three hundred years. Vowing to return and wreak vengeance on those responsible for the deaths of his friends and family, Finn steps through a doorway to find himself in an entirely new world. One where magic is real, monsters of myth and legend roam the forests, and an omnipresent Guardian watches over everything he does
He worked hard, trained hard, and often got into trouble with his best friend, Prince Galen. The two of them had been almost inseparable since they were toddlers. For Finn, life couldn’t be better.
Until a force of assassins and mercenaries attacked the palace! Prince Galen and the entire royal family are murdered, along with Finn’s father, the Captain of the palace guard, and his mentor, the Master Smith. One or more of the high noble families has lost patience, and made their play for the throne.
Finn is forced to flee the palace, ushered to a place of safety by loyal retainer of the royal family named MacKenzie, a dwarf who has served in the palace for nearly three hundred years. Vowing to return and wreak vengeance on those responsible for the deaths of his friends and family, Finn steps through a doorway to find himself in an entirely new world. One where magic is real, monsters of myth and legend roam the forests, and an omnipresent Guardian watches over everything he does
569 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2024
About the author
Dave Willmarth
33 books634 followersDave is a part-time author who would love to live full time in the game worlds he creates.
A gamer since the 70's, he loves the idea of being able to mix the science of virtual reality with the fantasy worlds inspired by great writers such as JRR Tokien and CS Lewis.
Dave has always wanted to be a writer. Over the past three decades he started and put away a dozen novels, distracted by work or life.
The dream of being an author seemed distant.
That is until recently, when he discovered the LitRPG/GameLit genre full of books that combined his love for video games and epic fantasy adventures. He was inspired by the books he read, and the authors who wrote them. So much so that he sat down and wrote the first two books of The Greystone Chronicles in just over a month. He published the first as an experiment, and was shocked at the response. These days he sits in his man cave late at night and writes the stories of characters he'd like to be, in worlds virtually without limits.
A gamer since the 70's, he loves the idea of being able to mix the science of virtual reality with the fantasy worlds inspired by great writers such as JRR Tokien and CS Lewis.
Dave has always wanted to be a writer. Over the past three decades he started and put away a dozen novels, distracted by work or life.
The dream of being an author seemed distant.
That is until recently, when he discovered the LitRPG/GameLit genre full of books that combined his love for video games and epic fantasy adventures. He was inspired by the books he read, and the authors who wrote them. So much so that he sat down and wrote the first two books of The Greystone Chronicles in just over a month. He published the first as an experiment, and was shocked at the response. These days he sits in his man cave late at night and writes the stories of characters he'd like to be, in worlds virtually without limits.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
June 2, 2024
Great story, likable, MC, fast paced, and very enjoyable
An excellent book, good character, development, sensible, MC, likable characters. Has all the tropes that we like in a lit RPG. The book is fast, paced fun and enjoyable. Some parts of the story are laugh out loud with tears running down your face no spoilers. you Got to read this book, if you don’t, you do not know what you are missing. This author has hit another home run out of the ballpark. You will not be disappointed.
An excellent book, good character, development, sensible, MC, likable characters. Has all the tropes that we like in a lit RPG. The book is fast, paced fun and enjoyable. Some parts of the story are laugh out loud with tears running down your face no spoilers. you Got to read this book, if you don’t, you do not know what you are missing. This author has hit another home run out of the ballpark. You will not be disappointed.
June 3, 2024
Unfortunately I am not an author so may not be able to say how wonderful this book is. Most of David Willmarth's books are the type that are hard to put down. Dave is a master world builder. His main characters are not supermen but are average people who happen to make super human efforts and come out on top. They are characters that have a code of ethics and build a following easily. There are the type of character you can identify with and deeply buy into the story. I found it difficult to set the book down and wanted to read, often into the late hours of the night. I will have to sit patiently...OK maybe not so patiently, for the next book. This book is like most of Dave's series they are one of my favorites and I find myself on pins and needles waiting for the next in the series.
November 13, 2025
Oath of Vengeance is an interesting take on an Isekai, system-style LitRPG progression story. I enjoyed the story immensely. Sadly, it does leave you wanting more. Not because the story is so satisfying, but because it feels like it’s not enough, especially with regard to combat and payoffs. That said, I’m unsure on what kind of story this will be exactly, but I’m on board to find out.
The story is about a guy from another world. No reference to Earth, and the fact that this world has rune enchantments as basically it’s only magic means it probably isn’t. The set up is he is the son of the captain of a king’s guard, raised along side his best friend, the crown prince. This is a medieval-style world, so the boys’ shared education is broad and demanding, both academically and martially.
At the beginning of the story, the MC, Finn, is about 20 years old. Won’t spoil too much, but basically the king’s fortress is attacked from the inside, a big bomb goes off, mostly everyone dies, including the prince and queen. A dying king lets Finn in on a secret, a portal to another world of magic, where Finn is sent to train to one day return and enact vengeance on their betrayers.
What follows then is a more typical Isekai immersion scenario, where the MC, and the audience, learns how magic works. And Finn finds his intense training has given himself impressive base stats, compared to people native to this world. Even at level one, he can beat those at level 10. He joins an adventurers guild, finds a party, and grows.
What’s interesting is the last arc of the book, where a character I didn’t mention who revealed himself to Finn during the attack and ushered him through the portal, and is its guardian on Finn’s world, wreaks some havoc on the new inhabitants of the palace, frees the loyal prisoners, and brings them to the new world too. They start a settlement in the forest outside the cave housing the portal on the new world’s side, and Finn is reintroduced to them. What follows is a bit of kingdom, base building with a big clue this will become a system-interactive process down the line. So if this scratches an itch for readers, I think you’ll enjoy it.
This story starts of quite dark with lots of death and destruction, and that’s something I expected would carry through the rest of the book, as a grimdark style, but there’s never any deaths of any named protagonists in the rest of the book. So in that way, it seems maybe more of the basic good guys win trope in the genre, just with a darker setup.
This isn’t a complaint, but I have no idea where this series is going. The basic plan is to one day return through the portal to reclaim the kingdom and hold those responsible to account. But the portal guardian already killed the new leader and his heir, and thanks to secret passages, has seriously hindered any efforts by those who seized power of doing so effectively. To me, this means less of a challenge when the day comes to eventually return. And the fact that magic doesn’t exist in the other world, it means even if all the folks who came through to the magic world get five to ten levels, they could easily handle anything on their home world side. That should be doable in a matter of months.
So either, the author isn’t really thinking through the long term ramifications of his plot setup, or there is something else going on. I’m leaning towards the latter, based on some of the world building teases on the magic world side. My guess MC, just doing what he can to accomplish his mission, is forced to make choices which then invites confrontation on the magic world side. This coupled with the relationships with natives and people he has come to care for, will force him into eventually building a kingdom on the magic side, and the homeworld side will be a given at some point.
If this is the case, I think we’re in for a refreshing and engaging story.
Other aspects I like, are specifically the MC’s position on planning and preparation. Most of the major moves he makes are calculated and done so after gathering information, strategy and planning. I love this! I think progression fantasy is at its best when fights, and their outcomes, are not done by cliche leveling up during a fight, by being pushed near death to unlock some new ability, or by a literal plot device, but instead these outcomes are the result of the investment into progress, be it martially, strategically, or magically, and preferably all of the above.
To me, this is when the payoffs, the entire reason we read these stories and love them, this is when those payoffs are the sweetest. To many authors fall into the trap of manufacturing stakes by usually having an enemy or many be at or just above the level of the protagonist, marking a challenge but not one that’s outright unbelievable. The worst find ways to nerf their MCs, or use those tropes I mentioned before of winging it until something unlocks or some plot device saves the day. Those payoffs just aren’t as fun as feeling like the MC earned it.
That’s not to say the MC is overpowered, he’s not. Him and his adventuring team find themselves in a newly evolved, and locked down, dungeon and have to very carefully fight their way out. They do so tactically, strategically, and still are pushed to their limits. This is the right way to write combat in progression.
So my issues? Pretty small. It’s established that both physical and academic training to raise stats, and having skills and ranking them up before leveling up and choosing a class at level 5, gives better classes. My question is why don’t more people do this in the magic world? Perhaps they do, but it’s limited to the elites who can pay for the training? So this might not be an issue, we just haven’t had this in depth exploration of the elite classes yet on the new world.
The other issue I have is with decimation of the coup forces by the portal guardian I mentioned earlier, but if this is an intentional part of the larger plot that’s yet to be revealed and isn’t the superficial one we’ve been given, then this as well won’t be an issue.
The other issue is the lack of one overarching plot for this book. This feels like it could have been ended at any random point, and it did so, like an episode of a TV series and less of a series of novels. I’m not really a fan of that.
In summary, an interesting take on an Isekai series that seems to be hiding some interesting directions the story could be headed. A story with an MC who approaches his circumstances with calculated intent. I just want to see MORE. More fighting. More antagonists. More payoffs.
Edit: I’m lowering my rating on this book after reading the second book. The five star was dependent on my hope the amateurish mistakes of this book were intentional setup, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. Still a decent first book by a new author, just not as good as I was hoping it was going to be.
The story is about a guy from another world. No reference to Earth, and the fact that this world has rune enchantments as basically it’s only magic means it probably isn’t. The set up is he is the son of the captain of a king’s guard, raised along side his best friend, the crown prince. This is a medieval-style world, so the boys’ shared education is broad and demanding, both academically and martially.
At the beginning of the story, the MC, Finn, is about 20 years old. Won’t spoil too much, but basically the king’s fortress is attacked from the inside, a big bomb goes off, mostly everyone dies, including the prince and queen. A dying king lets Finn in on a secret, a portal to another world of magic, where Finn is sent to train to one day return and enact vengeance on their betrayers.
What follows then is a more typical Isekai immersion scenario, where the MC, and the audience, learns how magic works. And Finn finds his intense training has given himself impressive base stats, compared to people native to this world. Even at level one, he can beat those at level 10. He joins an adventurers guild, finds a party, and grows.
What’s interesting is the last arc of the book, where a character I didn’t mention who revealed himself to Finn during the attack and ushered him through the portal, and is its guardian on Finn’s world, wreaks some havoc on the new inhabitants of the palace, frees the loyal prisoners, and brings them to the new world too. They start a settlement in the forest outside the cave housing the portal on the new world’s side, and Finn is reintroduced to them. What follows is a bit of kingdom, base building with a big clue this will become a system-interactive process down the line. So if this scratches an itch for readers, I think you’ll enjoy it.
This story starts of quite dark with lots of death and destruction, and that’s something I expected would carry through the rest of the book, as a grimdark style, but there’s never any deaths of any named protagonists in the rest of the book. So in that way, it seems maybe more of the basic good guys win trope in the genre, just with a darker setup.
This isn’t a complaint, but I have no idea where this series is going. The basic plan is to one day return through the portal to reclaim the kingdom and hold those responsible to account. But the portal guardian already killed the new leader and his heir, and thanks to secret passages, has seriously hindered any efforts by those who seized power of doing so effectively. To me, this means less of a challenge when the day comes to eventually return. And the fact that magic doesn’t exist in the other world, it means even if all the folks who came through to the magic world get five to ten levels, they could easily handle anything on their home world side. That should be doable in a matter of months.
So either, the author isn’t really thinking through the long term ramifications of his plot setup, or there is something else going on. I’m leaning towards the latter, based on some of the world building teases on the magic world side. My guess MC, just doing what he can to accomplish his mission, is forced to make choices which then invites confrontation on the magic world side. This coupled with the relationships with natives and people he has come to care for, will force him into eventually building a kingdom on the magic side, and the homeworld side will be a given at some point.
If this is the case, I think we’re in for a refreshing and engaging story.
Other aspects I like, are specifically the MC’s position on planning and preparation. Most of the major moves he makes are calculated and done so after gathering information, strategy and planning. I love this! I think progression fantasy is at its best when fights, and their outcomes, are not done by cliche leveling up during a fight, by being pushed near death to unlock some new ability, or by a literal plot device, but instead these outcomes are the result of the investment into progress, be it martially, strategically, or magically, and preferably all of the above.
To me, this is when the payoffs, the entire reason we read these stories and love them, this is when those payoffs are the sweetest. To many authors fall into the trap of manufacturing stakes by usually having an enemy or many be at or just above the level of the protagonist, marking a challenge but not one that’s outright unbelievable. The worst find ways to nerf their MCs, or use those tropes I mentioned before of winging it until something unlocks or some plot device saves the day. Those payoffs just aren’t as fun as feeling like the MC earned it.
That’s not to say the MC is overpowered, he’s not. Him and his adventuring team find themselves in a newly evolved, and locked down, dungeon and have to very carefully fight their way out. They do so tactically, strategically, and still are pushed to their limits. This is the right way to write combat in progression.
So my issues? Pretty small. It’s established that both physical and academic training to raise stats, and having skills and ranking them up before leveling up and choosing a class at level 5, gives better classes. My question is why don’t more people do this in the magic world? Perhaps they do, but it’s limited to the elites who can pay for the training? So this might not be an issue, we just haven’t had this in depth exploration of the elite classes yet on the new world.
The other issue I have is with decimation of the coup forces by the portal guardian I mentioned earlier, but if this is an intentional part of the larger plot that’s yet to be revealed and isn’t the superficial one we’ve been given, then this as well won’t be an issue.
The other issue is the lack of one overarching plot for this book. This feels like it could have been ended at any random point, and it did so, like an episode of a TV series and less of a series of novels. I’m not really a fan of that.
In summary, an interesting take on an Isekai series that seems to be hiding some interesting directions the story could be headed. A story with an MC who approaches his circumstances with calculated intent. I just want to see MORE. More fighting. More antagonists. More payoffs.
Edit: I’m lowering my rating on this book after reading the second book. The five star was dependent on my hope the amateurish mistakes of this book were intentional setup, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. Still a decent first book by a new author, just not as good as I was hoping it was going to be.
August 21, 2024
3.5 Stars
This was a fun, light story. I'd put it in the YA category of high fantasy, since there's no viscerally dark scenes nor overt sex.
The protagonist has way too many advantages but is not yet over-powered. He has a rather large challenge ahead and must make his preparation on the down-low. So there is a sense of risk. Finn is likable and task oriented, thus I was happy to follow his story.
I suspect there will be at least one more book in the series before Finn becomes so OP as to either require a greater opponent, be nerfed, or let the plot lose its drive.
This was a fun, light story. I'd put it in the YA category of high fantasy, since there's no viscerally dark scenes nor overt sex.
The protagonist has way too many advantages but is not yet over-powered. He has a rather large challenge ahead and must make his preparation on the down-low. So there is a sense of risk. Finn is likable and task oriented, thus I was happy to follow his story.
I suspect there will be at least one more book in the series before Finn becomes so OP as to either require a greater opponent, be nerfed, or let the plot lose its drive.
July 13, 2024
So so, depends on your preferences.
Now understand I love Dave Willmarth's other series. All deep with complex characters. This one? It feels more like a popcorn litrpg. Very light on detail and feels short even if it is a long book.
Lets start with the positive that it is a fun read. Popcorn like fun, fast, easy and just enjoyable. Got a interesting main character and a fun setting and plot. The world is interesting and where it's going to go more so.
Bad? Hm no. Perhaps what makes it popcorn? The details, worldbuilding and it's pace. When most book of the author or genre seem to go into the day to day in intense detail of what he's studying and how he does it. This book more goes "And so he studied blank blank and blank, two weeks went by" other books, you'd be stuck reading those two weeks, this book just says what happened in those two weeks in a short few sentences. I admittedly liked the fast past and skipping over tons of overly complex bogged in the details that lots of litrpgs do.
What I didn't like? For me personally. The details of the world building. So got a 'system' that rewards levels by killing and you get a class based on skills apparently. However..There seems to be no way for Non-combats to level? At least that is how it seems. At the 'very' end of the book. They mention there are non combat classes and you can level through crafting. Yet the MC throughout the book never gets exp from it. It's a odd point breezed over.
But if you ignore that. My only real complaint with this book is his class. I won't go into detail about it for spoiler reasons but the MC has this advantage that he trained for years before going to the world of the System. Has tons of skills that aren't 'skills' yet and starts to get them all up to what he naturally knows. Which you think would get him an amazing class right? This ties back into the whole non combat since a lot of those skills are math, smithing ect. And he spends a decent portion of the book getting those skills up. Now you'd think that would give him a smithing class if the book says he needs to focus on geting skills up to get a higher rarity class right? Yet...when he gets offers a class he gets no 'smithing' class. CONFUSED!
Worst though is...his classes...HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS SKILL! Perhaps the first two do but the rest are of I think 5 either have nothing to do with his skills or focused on one skill. Making it pointless to have all those skills or nothing to do with skills. The highest rarity doesn't even have ANYTHING to do with his skills which was the whole advantage he had and what you spend a good 60% of the book helping him gain. The 'high rarity class' that no one has seen in ages. He even gets it from something that should be super common. He gets it for messing with a beginner spell that costs about 1 week worth of coins to get. 9 silver. One every adventurer should have and he finds a 'unique' use for but the way he finds it is by just using the spell naturally and seeing the side effect. Which anyone who ever bought the spell should see. It's like if he bought fireball and found out it generates heat not just flames and used it for cooking then got a super rare class for using fireball to heat up food. that's basically how he gets is best class, not from his skill but from using a common spell in a way anyone would know. Anyone who gets the spell would have what happened to him, happen to them. At least in the manner it showed how he figure it out. It would be something everyone with the spell would end up doing.
Now, light on detail. When he has the spell he has super high stats for his level. Which if the author claimed the reason his spell worked the way it did is because of his high stats where others wouldn't use that beginner spell when they had higher stats so only he found out. That I'd get. But the author didn't. Just made it so it look very stupid how he got that rarity class option.
Just felt pointless. He spent all that time on skill and his best class wasn't even related to it? It's like having a cheat OP main character have some special advantage then goes and skills a goblin and picks a class based on his killing of a goblin rather than based on his cheat op advantage. Just...what?
So that's my view. Great story great character fast pace but some details don't make sense like him not getting crafting experience, didn't like how he got his class as it made the book feel pointless for a major portion, but still will read the next book because I did like the book as a whole. Not my favorite but good enough to want to see where the MC ends up.
Now understand I love Dave Willmarth's other series. All deep with complex characters. This one? It feels more like a popcorn litrpg. Very light on detail and feels short even if it is a long book.
Lets start with the positive that it is a fun read. Popcorn like fun, fast, easy and just enjoyable. Got a interesting main character and a fun setting and plot. The world is interesting and where it's going to go more so.
Bad? Hm no. Perhaps what makes it popcorn? The details, worldbuilding and it's pace. When most book of the author or genre seem to go into the day to day in intense detail of what he's studying and how he does it. This book more goes "And so he studied blank blank and blank, two weeks went by" other books, you'd be stuck reading those two weeks, this book just says what happened in those two weeks in a short few sentences. I admittedly liked the fast past and skipping over tons of overly complex bogged in the details that lots of litrpgs do.
What I didn't like? For me personally. The details of the world building. So got a 'system' that rewards levels by killing and you get a class based on skills apparently. However..There seems to be no way for Non-combats to level? At least that is how it seems. At the 'very' end of the book. They mention there are non combat classes and you can level through crafting. Yet the MC throughout the book never gets exp from it. It's a odd point breezed over.
But if you ignore that. My only real complaint with this book is his class. I won't go into detail about it for spoiler reasons but the MC has this advantage that he trained for years before going to the world of the System. Has tons of skills that aren't 'skills' yet and starts to get them all up to what he naturally knows. Which you think would get him an amazing class right? This ties back into the whole non combat since a lot of those skills are math, smithing ect. And he spends a decent portion of the book getting those skills up. Now you'd think that would give him a smithing class if the book says he needs to focus on geting skills up to get a higher rarity class right? Yet...when he gets offers a class he gets no 'smithing' class. CONFUSED!
Worst though is...his classes...HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS SKILL! Perhaps the first two do but the rest are of I think 5 either have nothing to do with his skills or focused on one skill. Making it pointless to have all those skills or nothing to do with skills. The highest rarity doesn't even have ANYTHING to do with his skills which was the whole advantage he had and what you spend a good 60% of the book helping him gain. The 'high rarity class' that no one has seen in ages. He even gets it from something that should be super common. He gets it for messing with a beginner spell that costs about 1 week worth of coins to get. 9 silver. One every adventurer should have and he finds a 'unique' use for but the way he finds it is by just using the spell naturally and seeing the side effect. Which anyone who ever bought the spell should see. It's like if he bought fireball and found out it generates heat not just flames and used it for cooking then got a super rare class for using fireball to heat up food. that's basically how he gets is best class, not from his skill but from using a common spell in a way anyone would know. Anyone who gets the spell would have what happened to him, happen to them. At least in the manner it showed how he figure it out. It would be something everyone with the spell would end up doing.
Now, light on detail. When he has the spell he has super high stats for his level. Which if the author claimed the reason his spell worked the way it did is because of his high stats where others wouldn't use that beginner spell when they had higher stats so only he found out. That I'd get. But the author didn't. Just made it so it look very stupid how he got that rarity class option.
Just felt pointless. He spent all that time on skill and his best class wasn't even related to it? It's like having a cheat OP main character have some special advantage then goes and skills a goblin and picks a class based on his killing of a goblin rather than based on his cheat op advantage. Just...what?
So that's my view. Great story great character fast pace but some details don't make sense like him not getting crafting experience, didn't like how he got his class as it made the book feel pointless for a major portion, but still will read the next book because I did like the book as a whole. Not my favorite but good enough to want to see where the MC ends up.
September 4, 2024
Starts off promising
Kind of disappointed in this one from Dave wilmarth.
I've read and enjoyed a lot of his other works but this one just felt a bit lacking. It starts off well enough but I feel like there's too many plot points that get started too many story arcs that are not really fleshed out and are somewhat weak.
Now I will admit that may just be because it's the first book and he's setting up maybe more than he should for fellow books that will come after.
There was a a few issues I had with the base storyline as well The core of which is that the kingdom In The world of unlimited magic has access to a portal to a world where magic is fairly easily accessible. They have an elite force of warriors. Now one would think that they would have at least some of this elite Force go to this other world where they can train learn magic etc but they just never do they reserve it just for the royal family but also don't really use any of the magic I learned in the other world so what's the point.
Kind of disappointed in this one from Dave wilmarth.
I've read and enjoyed a lot of his other works but this one just felt a bit lacking. It starts off well enough but I feel like there's too many plot points that get started too many story arcs that are not really fleshed out and are somewhat weak.
Now I will admit that may just be because it's the first book and he's setting up maybe more than he should for fellow books that will come after.
There was a a few issues I had with the base storyline as well The core of which is that the kingdom In The world of unlimited magic has access to a portal to a world where magic is fairly easily accessible. They have an elite force of warriors. Now one would think that they would have at least some of this elite Force go to this other world where they can train learn magic etc but they just never do they reserve it just for the royal family but also don't really use any of the magic I learned in the other world so what's the point.
June 10, 2024
This book scratched every itch
One of my favorite books of this year so far.
It has almost everything you could want in a isekai series.
The concept of an MC being prepared for the transition is cool and refreshing. The MC is very competent he uses the skills and knowledge he accumulated prior to the transition properly.
The system is a part of it, but you see his Stat sheet like twice in the whole book. It's not heavily crunchy, but skill growth, class, and Stat points are concepts.
It has magic, swordsmanship, dungeon diving, crafting, settlement building, and a separate housing. It has just about everything.
There is no romance, the Main Character Finn is highly educated well trained and is focused on improvement. Haven't run into a girl that makes him do dumb things through book 1.
One of my favorite books of this year so far.
It has almost everything you could want in a isekai series.
The concept of an MC being prepared for the transition is cool and refreshing. The MC is very competent he uses the skills and knowledge he accumulated prior to the transition properly.
The system is a part of it, but you see his Stat sheet like twice in the whole book. It's not heavily crunchy, but skill growth, class, and Stat points are concepts.
It has magic, swordsmanship, dungeon diving, crafting, settlement building, and a separate housing. It has just about everything.
There is no romance, the Main Character Finn is highly educated well trained and is focused on improvement. Haven't run into a girl that makes him do dumb things through book 1.
June 16, 2024
A really well written adventure
Excellent world building, interesting and exciting from the first page to the last. The MC is driven by the tragedy of the attack on his family to become stronger. Not only to gain vengeance, but to provide and protect his people.
As an expatriate he meets good allies and a few scalawags that require correction at the point of his sword. He makes reasonable decisions as he learns the rules in a new world.
I also enjoyed the social commentary such as twins being raised together but without knowledge that they are actually related as a method of reducing contention in backstabbing power grabs. The characters were realistic in their strengths and weaknesses. Mckenzie, the dwarf is a beast, sowing terror in the usurper’s ranks, under their very noses.
A really enjoyable book. I look forward to the next installment.
Excellent world building, interesting and exciting from the first page to the last. The MC is driven by the tragedy of the attack on his family to become stronger. Not only to gain vengeance, but to provide and protect his people.
As an expatriate he meets good allies and a few scalawags that require correction at the point of his sword. He makes reasonable decisions as he learns the rules in a new world.
I also enjoyed the social commentary such as twins being raised together but without knowledge that they are actually related as a method of reducing contention in backstabbing power grabs. The characters were realistic in their strengths and weaknesses. Mckenzie, the dwarf is a beast, sowing terror in the usurper’s ranks, under their very noses.
A really enjoyable book. I look forward to the next installment.
May 26, 2024
Stellar start to the series
While Finn may just be your average apprentice blacksmith who also loves to work out and train with his best friend the prince.
Not everything is all that.
Finn has some truly amazing adventures in the first book. I found myself yelling out loud and laughing multiple times due to different antics that had been pulled.
The plot and storyline was fascinating right up until the words of the end. So many great moments, some very harsh tragedies but magnificently woven together into a story I would recommend everyone read
This is a 10 of 10 for me and I can't wait for book 2
While Finn may just be your average apprentice blacksmith who also loves to work out and train with his best friend the prince.
Not everything is all that.
Finn has some truly amazing adventures in the first book. I found myself yelling out loud and laughing multiple times due to different antics that had been pulled.
The plot and storyline was fascinating right up until the words of the end. So many great moments, some very harsh tragedies but magnificently woven together into a story I would recommend everyone read
This is a 10 of 10 for me and I can't wait for book 2
September 4, 2024
Surprisingly Enjoyable
I actually did not realize this was a LitRPG. In fact I usually don’t like them that much because they make the characters start like they are complete zeros; I like the way he weaved the real life experience into the litRPG world. The characters were also sufficiently developed to be believable without being overly dramatized which seems to be the where many modern authors have gravitated (e.g., the “hero” has to behave like a 13 year old girl trying to become a woman). That being said, I also like that the heroine’s were well written and were strong women without being masculine. The story is well paced and an enjoyable read.
I actually did not realize this was a LitRPG. In fact I usually don’t like them that much because they make the characters start like they are complete zeros; I like the way he weaved the real life experience into the litRPG world. The characters were also sufficiently developed to be believable without being overly dramatized which seems to be the where many modern authors have gravitated (e.g., the “hero” has to behave like a 13 year old girl trying to become a woman). That being said, I also like that the heroine’s were well written and were strong women without being masculine. The story is well paced and an enjoyable read.
November 9, 2025
Oath of Vengeance is the first book in this series, and while it starts out on a world that is only lightly influenced by stats and skills, it soon encompasses multiple worlds (well, ok, two at this point) with way more LitRPG elements. There's a pretty good building aspect (eventually), which I've always been a fan of that kind of thing, so that works well for me. I like this story, and plan to read more in the series.
May 27, 2024
another all nighter
I bought another book by Dave wilmarth, started reading it while I was getting tattooed, and I’ve spent two nights in a row up until 2am reading this adventure that’s had me laugh, sad, happy, and consumed in this brilliant story and I didn’t need sleep, I needed answers!
I absolutely recommend this book, especially if your into litRPG, his series battleborn was the books that introduced me to LitRPG and no regrets!
I look forward to the next book in this series and the sleepless nights it brings, trollballs!
I bought another book by Dave wilmarth, started reading it while I was getting tattooed, and I’ve spent two nights in a row up until 2am reading this adventure that’s had me laugh, sad, happy, and consumed in this brilliant story and I didn’t need sleep, I needed answers!
I absolutely recommend this book, especially if your into litRPG, his series battleborn was the books that introduced me to LitRPG and no regrets!
I look forward to the next book in this series and the sleepless nights it brings, trollballs!
November 3, 2024
Ok book. Very simple read. Young adult level.
Plot was simple and rather basic without many plot twists or surprises. The Main character was likable, but boring. Didn't really have any interesting action for the first 130 pages as the beginning was all setup. The story was ok but rather bland with plot points always helping out to move the story forward that felt predictable. Not bad, just plain and slow and meandering without many surprises or twists, I kind of was bored with it and it may be rather forgettable.
Plot was simple and rather basic without many plot twists or surprises. The Main character was likable, but boring. Didn't really have any interesting action for the first 130 pages as the beginning was all setup. The story was ok but rather bland with plot points always helping out to move the story forward that felt predictable. Not bad, just plain and slow and meandering without many surprises or twists, I kind of was bored with it and it may be rather forgettable.
April 10, 2025
Slow start, don't worry, the pace increases
I will admit that I was close to setting this book aside because the beginning is...not great. But the pace improves and the plot thickens as the story reaches the attack, and Finn's departure for a new world.
This is a fast paced book (after the first little bit). Exploration, fighting, some crafting, and even a little town building. Finn grew on me, and many of the secondary characters are also interesting.
About to start the next one. Tom out
I will admit that I was close to setting this book aside because the beginning is...not great. But the pace improves and the plot thickens as the story reaches the attack, and Finn's departure for a new world.
This is a fast paced book (after the first little bit). Exploration, fighting, some crafting, and even a little town building. Finn grew on me, and many of the secondary characters are also interesting.
About to start the next one. Tom out
June 22, 2024
Dave , please continue writing as your words are like a healing balm to the soul....see here's the beauty of it....writers like Dave willmarth, Jason.A.Cheek, Jonathan Brooks, Jeremy Chambless, Grayson Sinclair, Shirtaloon etc are regular wordsmiths...they are like a hotdog or a burger with a cold beer on a really hot day....ONE DOESN'T NEED CAVIAR WITH CHAMPAGNE ON A HOT DAY.... it's my opinion and i stick with it....so please write on dave .... salute and respect
July 9, 2024
Highly recomended
If you enjoy adventure, intrige, battle, heroes, this story will satisfy you on all counts. I like the prince, he is not some young hothead, but one intent on regaining his kingdom and taking care of his people. We only need to wait on the love life to be fulfilled by the new prince. Surely a man of his age and status will find a women to love and assist him in regaining his kingdom!
If you enjoy adventure, intrige, battle, heroes, this story will satisfy you on all counts. I like the prince, he is not some young hothead, but one intent on regaining his kingdom and taking care of his people. We only need to wait on the love life to be fulfilled by the new prince. Surely a man of his age and status will find a women to love and assist him in regaining his kingdom!
August 4, 2024
I've read all of Dave's books and they have all been 5 stars until I got to this one. It was a dnf for me. It's not that it's bad or poorly written. It's not that at all. It just read like a first time litrpg writer wrote it. If I was new to the genre I'd probably like it. But it's nothing new. I've read over 600 books in this genre and this seems like 200 of them. Same tired story line. Sorry Dave I wanted to love it.
November 6, 2025
Wonderful series
I am so glad i saw the recommendation on Facebook for this book. For some reason i had never heard of it and i do read A LOT of LitRPG.
I enjoyed the story and the premise, it is fun following Finn as he explores the new lands of magic and monsters and making his way as an adventure whole learning more about his past.
Super excited to see book 2 being available, so I'll jump right in.....
I am so glad i saw the recommendation on Facebook for this book. For some reason i had never heard of it and i do read A LOT of LitRPG.
I enjoyed the story and the premise, it is fun following Finn as he explores the new lands of magic and monsters and making his way as an adventure whole learning more about his past.
Super excited to see book 2 being available, so I'll jump right in.....
May 26, 2024
nice! a bit of everything
thoroughly enjoyed this book, it has a bit of everything ( crafting, fighting, dungeons, stats etc). i very much am looking forward to next book. hopefully that won’t be too far away as i believe this was written as a break from some of his other works. hope there is an audio version planned as i’ll be getting that too! thanks DW
thoroughly enjoyed this book, it has a bit of everything ( crafting, fighting, dungeons, stats etc). i very much am looking forward to next book. hopefully that won’t be too far away as i believe this was written as a break from some of his other works. hope there is an audio version planned as i’ll be getting that too! thanks DW
May 27, 2024
So Enjoyable!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Finn is very easy to get to know as the main character. All of the other characters are too. Easy to understand character/class development system. The
descriptions of the world were very well done.
This story had me laughing out loud at times! I enjoyed it a lot and you will too! So give it a read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Finn is very easy to get to know as the main character. All of the other characters are too. Easy to understand character/class development system. The
descriptions of the world were very well done.
This story had me laughing out loud at times! I enjoyed it a lot and you will too! So give it a read.
May 30, 2024
again another great
Again anther great start to a series. I've purchased others of the authors books series and never been disappointed.
This book is a great start to a new litrpg series.
Loved the premise and characters , the only disappointment being I now have to wait for then next in the series
Overall .. Highly recommend
Again anther great start to a series. I've purchased others of the authors books series and never been disappointed.
This book is a great start to a new litrpg series.
Loved the premise and characters , the only disappointment being I now have to wait for then next in the series
Overall .. Highly recommend
June 1, 2024
Awesome as Always
The Author must of had complaints of too many stats, as this book has too little. Heck, by the end of this book I have no Idea of the Mc level. The last stat check was before he went his first dungeon.
Anyway this story of a blacksmith apprentice learning he’s the twin brother of the Crown Prince his best friend was fantastic.
The Author must of had complaints of too many stats, as this book has too little. Heck, by the end of this book I have no Idea of the Mc level. The last stat check was before he went his first dungeon.
Anyway this story of a blacksmith apprentice learning he’s the twin brother of the Crown Prince his best friend was fantastic.
June 2, 2024
wow, what a great story!
Dave Willmarth delivers again. Epic tale of a plucky band of survivors making their way in a new world. This has moments that will make you weep with grief, alternating with weeping from laughter. My ribs still hurt.
Will patiently wait for the muse to strike the next installment.
Dave Willmarth delivers again. Epic tale of a plucky band of survivors making their way in a new world. This has moments that will make you weep with grief, alternating with weeping from laughter. My ribs still hurt.
Will patiently wait for the muse to strike the next installment.
June 24, 2024
Awesome new LitRPG series! Well worth the read
I am a big LitRPG fan and read almost everything that comes out. The author has struck the perfect blend between engaging storytelling and game elements. Kept me spell bound and I couldn’t put the book down until finished. Can’t wait for the next book.
I am a big LitRPG fan and read almost everything that comes out. The author has struck the perfect blend between engaging storytelling and game elements. Kept me spell bound and I couldn’t put the book down until finished. Can’t wait for the next book.
August 11, 2024
I have read both Contender Saga books and just finished this book. I have now started the second Scion's Journey book. The three books I have read have all been hard to put down. All of them have moved along at a fast pace with no slow, boring sections. These have been the type of stories I enjoy the most. I am sure I will read the next books in these two series as they come out and will start reading another one of his series while waiting for new books. I highly recommend Dave Willmarth's books.
December 27, 2024
Best adventure book in years
Kept my attention the entire time! Very well written, hardly any grammatical errors to speak of. The characters were downright interesting and there were quite a few moments that I could not stop laughing.
I genuinely hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
Have fun!!
Kept my attention the entire time! Very well written, hardly any grammatical errors to speak of. The characters were downright interesting and there were quite a few moments that I could not stop laughing.
I genuinely hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
Have fun!!
February 20, 2025
Not my cup of tea
I liked Finn and all his friends , but I didn't like
????
??
so much death. Killing a threatening monster is fine, but going into caves to kill creatures that live there without presenting a threat is not right. It make me think of killing animals for the sake of showing their head over a chimney mantel piece
I liked Finn and all his friends , but I didn't like
????
??
so much death. Killing a threatening monster is fine, but going into caves to kill creatures that live there without presenting a threat is not right. It make me think of killing animals for the sake of showing their head over a chimney mantel piece
May 13, 2026
Engaging start
Alternate universe, LitRPG, leveling, save the kingdom
Finn learns several startling truths in the first chapters, doing the best he can to survive. Fortunately, he had trained as a warrior since childhood. Plenty of action, though a few times he forgets abilities, but he learns quickly. Above average editing. Enjoyed. On to book 2!
Alternate universe, LitRPG, leveling, save the kingdom
Finn learns several startling truths in the first chapters, doing the best he can to survive. Fortunately, he had trained as a warrior since childhood. Plenty of action, though a few times he forgets abilities, but he learns quickly. Above average editing. Enjoyed. On to book 2!
May 25, 2024
Highly recommended
Great adventure story as to be expected by this author.
Would be a good introduction to litrpg as the stats are not too intrusive.
Bringing more people from the original world extends the focus and storyline preventing it from becoming yet another MC story.
Great adventure story as to be expected by this author.
Would be a good introduction to litrpg as the stats are not too intrusive.
Bringing more people from the original world extends the focus and storyline preventing it from becoming yet another MC story.
May 28, 2024
A great start to a new series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has the makings for what I hope will be a very good series. I thought the world building was great, and look forward to reading what happens next!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has the makings for what I hope will be a very good series. I thought the world building was great, and look forward to reading what happens next!
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