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Speedrunning the Multiverse #2
Speedrunning the Multiverse 2: A LitRPG Cultivation Adventure
Dorian survived the desert by the skin of his teeth. Now he’s at the Oasis, a marvel of technology and magic ripe for the conquering. He plans to continue his speedrun, sucking the Oasis' resources dry and going on his merry way.
THE MULTIVERSE HAS OTHER PLANS
The shadowy foe that Old Man Fate long warned of finally steps into the light, a foe powerful enough to threaten the very foundations of the Multiverse. A foe from Dorian’s past, of Dorian’s own making, who has come to seek revenge—first by taking over the realm. And then by exterminating him. Not if Dorian has anything to say about it.
THE MULTIVERSE HAS OTHER PLANS
The shadowy foe that Old Man Fate long warned of finally steps into the light, a foe powerful enough to threaten the very foundations of the Multiverse. A foe from Dorian’s past, of Dorian’s own making, who has come to seek revenge—first by taking over the realm. And then by exterminating him. Not if Dorian has anything to say about it.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published October 11, 2023
189 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 15, 2023
very good story, but cliffhanger ending
If you like the first book in this series, you would like this one. Unfortunately, I am going to take a star off this review because it ended in a cliffhanger. This is a very large book and to leave us in a cliffhanger, give me a break. Will read the next one when it comes out because The story is interesting and the characters are likable.
If you like the first book in this series, you would like this one. Unfortunately, I am going to take a star off this review because it ended in a cliffhanger. This is a very large book and to leave us in a cliffhanger, give me a break. Will read the next one when it comes out because The story is interesting and the characters are likable.
October 14, 2023
Still the best new series of 2023
I don't have enough words to praise this series enough.
Adventure, plot twists, satire, butt jokes, space opera - it's hard to name a satisfying area of literature that this series *doesn't* scratch.
I've never been so entertained by a sociopath before, can't wait for more.
I don't have enough words to praise this series enough.
Adventure, plot twists, satire, butt jokes, space opera - it's hard to name a satisfying area of literature that this series *doesn't* scratch.
I've never been so entertained by a sociopath before, can't wait for more.
October 12, 2023
Absolutely amoral awesomeness!
Ever wonder what it's like when a jaded and amoral GodKing decides to to try making friends?
It goes really, really badly. For his "friends."
When shamelessness is your best attribute, the Multiverse is your oyster, with a side of drama. Somehow the insane progression speed is INCREASED this book, as Dorian becomes the fattest fatso ever and eats his way to God level power!
Ever wonder what it's like when a jaded and amoral GodKing decides to to try making friends?
It goes really, really badly. For his "friends."
When shamelessness is your best attribute, the Multiverse is your oyster, with a side of drama. Somehow the insane progression speed is INCREASED this book, as Dorian becomes the fattest fatso ever and eats his way to God level power!
October 13, 2023
bugs fixed, great read delivered!
Another step on Dorians latest speed running of the multiverse.
Lots of action, antics and laughs to be had along the way.
Eagerly awaiting the 3rd instalment now…
Another step on Dorians latest speed running of the multiverse.
Lots of action, antics and laughs to be had along the way.
Eagerly awaiting the 3rd instalment now…
April 1, 2024
Extra star for quotes i liked: Otherwise a average story/book.
'I've been wise before countless times, across countless lives. Let me tell you, its dreary as hells. You will figure it out eventually. Maturity is at best a leash which holds back interesting men; and at worst a chosen fetish of boring men. Life is more fun when you fart around.'
'Pride and honor, back at it again, culling the gene pool since the dawn of man.'
'I've been wise before countless times, across countless lives. Let me tell you, its dreary as hells. You will figure it out eventually. Maturity is at best a leash which holds back interesting men; and at worst a chosen fetish of boring men. Life is more fun when you fart around.'
'Pride and honor, back at it again, culling the gene pool since the dawn of man.'
May 27, 2024
In the words of the great Ron Burgundy, "Boy, that escalated quickly. I mean, that really got out of hand fast."
This book started off in much the same vein as the story that preceded it. It takes Dorian and his sister to an Oasis where they will try to re-establish themselves now that they don't have a tribe, and where Dorian can continue his speed run. This was easily the strongest part of the book as we get a great balance of world-building through the exploration of the Oasis city, cultivation through Dorian's story, wish-fulfilment moments through Dorian schooling the guilds of the city, and strong character moments through his sister's struggles to come to grips with the fact that she has lost her purpose in life. This balance was the high point of the first book, and it worked great here as well... but only for maybe a third of the book. At that point, the story has no choice but to throw that balance aside as it wrote itself into a corner with its antagonist.
The problem here is easier to explain if you look at cultivation like a ladder, with each rung being a sub-stage on the path to the pinnacle. In the first book, Dorian starts over at the very beginning of the origin level, and his antagonists are the other kids of his tribe who are his own age, each of them being either at peak origin or the lowest levels of the next level. That puts them about ten rungs above him on the cultivation ladder. This is the sweet spot of a gap in power levels that leaves him facing an enemy that feels dangerous to him, but one that we feel can be overcome by either rising to catch up in power or by out-thinking them thanks to his vast experience. This same sweet spot continues when he ascends past these antagonists and moves on to the next antagonists, the other contestants in the tournament, who are still at this ten-rungs or so higher than him. When he rises to meet that challenge, there is a third set of antagonists, this time the tribal chiefs, who are again about ten rungs higher than where he is on the power scale now.
This is great writing as there is an ever-escalating conflict that keeps the stakes high and forces the protagonist to keep pushing forward, but the power gap never gets so high as to make the task ahead of the protagonist impossible or to force the story out of balance to deal with the gap.
This was true for this novel as well at the start, but then the main antagonist gets introduced, and rather than being just ten rungs above our protagonist, this one is at the very peak of the ladder. Suddenly there aren't just ten rungs the protagonist needs to overcome, there are hundreds, maybe even thousands. This is the trap that broke the balance in this novel, because now nothing else can realistically exist in this story other than the race to close that gap in the ladder.
The fun side stories like Dorian getting rich off inventions, meeting fascinating characters, interacting with the world around him, and seeing strong character arcs for supporting characters fall away in the face of Doriant getting more power. The impact of each level up becomes meaningless because they are coming so fast (therefore don't feel properly earned) and they are instantly not enough, robbing us of any satisfaction of Dorian achieving it in the first place.
At some point, you kind of feel like a hamster in a wheel, sprinting flat out but getting nowhere.
With all that said, though, I still really enjoyed this novel. The story has a massive scope and I like the overall direction of the story, I just think the author backed themselves into a corner by having to face too much too soon. I think there was plenty of time (maybe three to five more books) where the protagonist could have built up his power, wealth, influence and relationships in a more natural manner, while the antagonist could have been slowly revealed in the background. It would have resembled more of a natural and satisfying journey rather than the unnatural teleport right to the destination. The latter option might get you there quicker, but it's a jarring experience, and you miss out on all the good stuff along the way.
Overall, this is a bit of a jarring book, and I wish it hadn't unfolded this way, but it is still enjoyable and hasn't put me off picking up book three. The story is going to some epic places, and I am interested to see where it all ends up. In that way, it reminds me a lot of the Ascendant trilogy by EmergencyComplaints. Those books took this same path, and while they ended up being enjoyable when taken as a whole, I can't help but lament the missed opportunities.
This book started off in much the same vein as the story that preceded it. It takes Dorian and his sister to an Oasis where they will try to re-establish themselves now that they don't have a tribe, and where Dorian can continue his speed run. This was easily the strongest part of the book as we get a great balance of world-building through the exploration of the Oasis city, cultivation through Dorian's story, wish-fulfilment moments through Dorian schooling the guilds of the city, and strong character moments through his sister's struggles to come to grips with the fact that she has lost her purpose in life. This balance was the high point of the first book, and it worked great here as well... but only for maybe a third of the book. At that point, the story has no choice but to throw that balance aside as it wrote itself into a corner with its antagonist.
The problem here is easier to explain if you look at cultivation like a ladder, with each rung being a sub-stage on the path to the pinnacle. In the first book, Dorian starts over at the very beginning of the origin level, and his antagonists are the other kids of his tribe who are his own age, each of them being either at peak origin or the lowest levels of the next level. That puts them about ten rungs above him on the cultivation ladder. This is the sweet spot of a gap in power levels that leaves him facing an enemy that feels dangerous to him, but one that we feel can be overcome by either rising to catch up in power or by out-thinking them thanks to his vast experience. This same sweet spot continues when he ascends past these antagonists and moves on to the next antagonists, the other contestants in the tournament, who are still at this ten-rungs or so higher than him. When he rises to meet that challenge, there is a third set of antagonists, this time the tribal chiefs, who are again about ten rungs higher than where he is on the power scale now.
This is great writing as there is an ever-escalating conflict that keeps the stakes high and forces the protagonist to keep pushing forward, but the power gap never gets so high as to make the task ahead of the protagonist impossible or to force the story out of balance to deal with the gap.
This was true for this novel as well at the start, but then the main antagonist gets introduced, and rather than being just ten rungs above our protagonist, this one is at the very peak of the ladder. Suddenly there aren't just ten rungs the protagonist needs to overcome, there are hundreds, maybe even thousands. This is the trap that broke the balance in this novel, because now nothing else can realistically exist in this story other than the race to close that gap in the ladder.
The fun side stories like Dorian getting rich off inventions, meeting fascinating characters, interacting with the world around him, and seeing strong character arcs for supporting characters fall away in the face of Doriant getting more power. The impact of each level up becomes meaningless because they are coming so fast (therefore don't feel properly earned) and they are instantly not enough, robbing us of any satisfaction of Dorian achieving it in the first place.
At some point, you kind of feel like a hamster in a wheel, sprinting flat out but getting nowhere.
With all that said, though, I still really enjoyed this novel. The story has a massive scope and I like the overall direction of the story, I just think the author backed themselves into a corner by having to face too much too soon. I think there was plenty of time (maybe three to five more books) where the protagonist could have built up his power, wealth, influence and relationships in a more natural manner, while the antagonist could have been slowly revealed in the background. It would have resembled more of a natural and satisfying journey rather than the unnatural teleport right to the destination. The latter option might get you there quicker, but it's a jarring experience, and you miss out on all the good stuff along the way.
Overall, this is a bit of a jarring book, and I wish it hadn't unfolded this way, but it is still enjoyable and hasn't put me off picking up book three. The story is going to some epic places, and I am interested to see where it all ends up. In that way, it reminds me a lot of the Ascendant trilogy by EmergencyComplaints. Those books took this same path, and while they ended up being enjoyable when taken as a whole, I can't help but lament the missed opportunities.
October 17, 2023
In book two Dorian and his sister have arrived at the city. It's a mess and they do their best to find their way through it all. The only sanctuary lies behind actual city gates, not the outskirts where the poor live. To get inside Dorian needs to show that he knows how to be an artificer.
I liked the first 70% of the book. Dorian gets stronger in a very short amount of time but that's alright. He's artificing and showing off what he can do. It's the last thirty percent of the book that I had trouble with. To start Dorian does thing even he didn't know was possible. That seems improbable for a God-king, but he does them anyway. Then he does something else improbable, and then a third thing.
It's clear why the author took this approach, but I struggled to get to the end of the book. Dorian needs to fight Jez and to do so he needs to get stronger.
The editing is fine. The stats are as well. For me I lost interest. I doubt I'll read book three if it continues moving in the same direction. I liked book one a lot. I'll hold on to that happy memory. 4/5*
I liked the first 70% of the book. Dorian gets stronger in a very short amount of time but that's alright. He's artificing and showing off what he can do. It's the last thirty percent of the book that I had trouble with. To start Dorian does thing even he didn't know was possible. That seems improbable for a God-king, but he does them anyway. Then he does something else improbable, and then a third thing.
It's clear why the author took this approach, but I struggled to get to the end of the book. Dorian needs to fight Jez and to do so he needs to get stronger.
The editing is fine. The stats are as well. For me I lost interest. I doubt I'll read book three if it continues moving in the same direction. I liked book one a lot. I'll hold on to that happy memory. 4/5*
January 10, 2025
Wow, what a disappointment. I loved the first book. The mix of a selfish sociopath, the low stakes adventure through the multiverse, the great humor and Dorian overcoming arrogant elders with knowledge and skill. The first half of this book had all that. However, after the tournament it turned into a huge bait and switch. The humorous adventure turned into an frustrating struggle against an all powerful god who couldn’t be defeated. The side characters you got to know during the whole book were thrown into the shredder left and right.
The point is: This story only worked through the combination of the shameless sociopath and the fun adventure. Take away the fun adventure and the Mc suddenly turns into and unlikable arsehole. Even his sister, the only side characters that somehow seems to survive, turned dumber and more annoying by the chapter. Im done with the series.
The point is: This story only worked through the combination of the shameless sociopath and the fun adventure. Take away the fun adventure and the Mc suddenly turns into and unlikable arsehole. Even his sister, the only side characters that somehow seems to survive, turned dumber and more annoying by the chapter. Im done with the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2023
Bar some typos, the story is well written. Although on the brims of a nonsense power fantasy, I liked the story-telling style a lot, with a plethora of quips and funny internal dialogues on par with the setting of a powerful being playing around. Contrary to 99% of such stories, it is actually fun to read each and every word (otherwise I often skip whole paragraphs or pages filled with things unrelated to the plot)!
By the end, the story does take a turn, so that things get actually serious. Although I don't like cliffhangers much, this time it's interesting enough that it got me hooked, and I kind of appreciate the wait for the next book, which fortunately is slated to come after a couple of months.
By the end, the story does take a turn, so that things get actually serious. Although I don't like cliffhangers much, this time it's interesting enough that it got me hooked, and I kind of appreciate the wait for the next book, which fortunately is slated to come after a couple of months.
October 27, 2023
A hint of an interesting story drowned by myriad flaws. The book is strewn with typos, half started sentences, omitted words, duplicated passages, and more. The main character is puerile and unlikable (this is an understatement). The rest of the cast is hollow at best, and the female characters serve little purpose further than chasing after the main character (aside from his sister, who becomes even less interesting as the book progresses).
The author has a creative streak. I think they could write some seriously good books. This isn't it.
The author has a creative streak. I think they could write some seriously good books. This isn't it.
July 14, 2024
This second book in the series was a lot more interesting, and even more likely as compared to the first. In this story he finds his way to one of the main cities on the planet he was born into. This also allows for us to get more of a glimpse into who this antagonist is (the individual whose family was killed and so he became a "god" too). The city and the growth there is very fascinating and then they ended getting push to Hell (a different realm) after he realizes that the heavens are destroyed an his original "bodies" are now gone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2024
Man this was awful compared to the first one. A terrible, wandering mishmash. It seems like this trip was taken without a road map because it's just all over the place. Also when the author spits on his own rules he laid out previously I just lose interest. Oh suddenly there's this omnipotent being that has the same power you said earlier would collapse the world. Then the the multiple POVs of people I care nothing about. Like chapter after chapter of the emotional struggle of the sister. Done with the series.
October 11, 2023
great continuation!
I can’t understand how people leave bad reviews for a “Kindle” problem with their downloads. They should go complain to the app’s provider not the book authors! Duh…
Anyways, enjoyed the story & looking forward to the next! Can’t wait to see what speedrunning hell is like!
I can’t understand how people leave bad reviews for a “Kindle” problem with their downloads. They should go complain to the app’s provider not the book authors! Duh…
Anyways, enjoyed the story & looking forward to the next! Can’t wait to see what speedrunning hell is like!
February 3, 2024
Chaotic neutral at its best.
The MC isn't a good guy. He isn't really a true villian. He's an individual with a goal who won't let anything stop him. If he wasn't so entertaining and delusional, I wouldn't keep reading, but he is, so I'm about to look for book 3.
The MC isn't a good guy. He isn't really a true villian. He's an individual with a goal who won't let anything stop him. If he wasn't so entertaining and delusional, I wouldn't keep reading, but he is, so I'm about to look for book 3.
February 26, 2024
Interesting Story
This story of a god who likes to take over a zeros life and make it to godhood again was fantastic. Unfortunately he stepped on a guy god who’s out for revenge.
This story of a god who likes to take over a zeros life and make it to godhood again was fantastic. Unfortunately he stepped on a guy god who’s out for revenge.
February 21, 2025
MC struggles for less than the best
If you lie a story where the mc has to struggle for everything, has tit back because he best possible outcome within their grasp, only for the author to yank it back because struggle fills pages, then this garbage novel is for you
If you lie a story where the mc has to struggle for everything, has tit back because he best possible outcome within their grasp, only for the author to yank it back because struggle fills pages, then this garbage novel is for you
October 13, 2023
horrible typos
The book reads like it was made in a text editor and has horrible search and replace issues as well as bad html entity encoding.
The book reads like it was made in a text editor and has horrible search and replace issues as well as bad html entity encoding.
October 13, 2023
GREAT BOOK
Finally got the update to work. Loved every second of the book. Highly recommend to fans of the genre. Can’t wait for next one
Finally got the update to work. Loved every second of the book. Highly recommend to fans of the genre. Can’t wait for next one
October 24, 2023
Shuieeh see adfwww tree
Mmgzktul tuy
Mmgzktul tuy
June 9, 2024
If you enjoyed book 1, you'll enjoy this too. The anachronisms for which I marked book 1 down to three stars are no longer present. Looking forward to book 3!
December 20, 2024
Dorian goes through a hell of a lot in this book. The multiverse story also gets expanded on in this book. Great fights and very good expansion on his various abilities.
December 31, 2024
Very good read
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action.
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action.
January 30, 2025
A little too childish. Writing isn't that good. Sentences are too short. MC reminds me of 25 year old edge lord, not a thousands year old god. Uses earth phrases that bring you out of story.
October 30, 2023
I'm not sure what, but this series is missing something. There's no heart to it.
February 6, 2024
The MC gets a little nicer.
October 16, 2023
After eagerly anticipating the updated Kindle version, I delved into the book, and I must say, it did not disappoint. This captivating story took me on a journey, leaving me thoroughly engrossed from start to finish. Highly recommended
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews