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The First Rule of a Nobleman #1
The First Rule of a Nobleman (Book 1): A Portal Progression Fantasy Series
My fame was far ahead of me. I once had my own space fleet and the best women in the world. Some called me a hero, others a murderer. A few said I was a traitor. Even my father turned his back on me.
Long story short, in the end, I was sentenced to death.
That didn’t quite work for me. So when the chance came, I took it. I chose a new life in a new world. Got a new body too. Now I’m a young nobleman in the Russian Empire.
Yes, I’ll have to start biting throats again. Prove I belong at the top. But when has that ever stopped me?
Fate gave me another go, and I don’t plan to waste it.
My name is Silvian Crass, and this is my story.
Long story short, in the end, I was sentenced to death.
That didn’t quite work for me. So when the chance came, I took it. I chose a new life in a new world. Got a new body too. Now I’m a young nobleman in the Russian Empire.
Yes, I’ll have to start biting throats again. Prove I belong at the top. But when has that ever stopped me?
Fate gave me another go, and I don’t plan to waste it.
My name is Silvian Crass, and this is my story.
- GenresFantasy
313 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 1, 2026
Book one
1st book of the new year. And it's poorly written. Or maybe it's poorly translated. Lots of questions. The conspiracies are like a 4 year-old made them. There is an issue with the multiple issues with the school actually It's only for a couple of months but it's a school. The author doesn't pay attention to his own details. They got the bleeding stopped in the magic class but suddenly he's bleeding again on his very 1st mission. The missions also don't make sense. Oh no after a couple of months of training you only get to do 2 portals 1 at the beginning and then 1 for graduation. So we're gonna send a brand new student into an unexplored portal and hope he doesn't die? That's just stupid. Also how every girl just throws themselves at the MC Well not actually throws themselves but shows a definite interest in the MC is annoying. The fact that he checked his own junk at the very beginning of the book was childish. Also back to the school why would the head of security be going into the male dormitory to gently wake up 1 of the cadets that makes no sense. When they send in a drone instructor? Also I was highly tickled by the implication that the north American continent was having problems with the monsters more than Russia where firearms are highly controlled. They may not work inside the portals but they seem to work just fine outside the portals so, If something like this were to happen today then we would probably declare a national holiday and call it a target rich environment. There's a there's a lot of contradictory information in this story that doesn't make any sense. Personally I think the demon lady from the court ate his soul and he's dead.
3/10 Because I made it 50% of the way through the book before I dropped it. I do not recommend this book to anybody else. It needs to be pulled and reworked.
1st book of the new year. And it's poorly written. Or maybe it's poorly translated. Lots of questions. The conspiracies are like a 4 year-old made them. There is an issue with the multiple issues with the school actually It's only for a couple of months but it's a school. The author doesn't pay attention to his own details. They got the bleeding stopped in the magic class but suddenly he's bleeding again on his very 1st mission. The missions also don't make sense. Oh no after a couple of months of training you only get to do 2 portals 1 at the beginning and then 1 for graduation. So we're gonna send a brand new student into an unexplored portal and hope he doesn't die? That's just stupid. Also how every girl just throws themselves at the MC Well not actually throws themselves but shows a definite interest in the MC is annoying. The fact that he checked his own junk at the very beginning of the book was childish. Also back to the school why would the head of security be going into the male dormitory to gently wake up 1 of the cadets that makes no sense. When they send in a drone instructor? Also I was highly tickled by the implication that the north American continent was having problems with the monsters more than Russia where firearms are highly controlled. They may not work inside the portals but they seem to work just fine outside the portals so, If something like this were to happen today then we would probably declare a national holiday and call it a target rich environment. There's a there's a lot of contradictory information in this story that doesn't make any sense. Personally I think the demon lady from the court ate his soul and he's dead.
3/10 Because I made it 50% of the way through the book before I dropped it. I do not recommend this book to anybody else. It needs to be pulled and reworked.
January 26, 2026
An average Russian style isekai story. I found the MC's origin story very overdone, while the rest of the plot is under cooked if not outright juvenile. The plot at the so called school is super naive, the enemies behave like parodies and the Mc turns from zero to hero way too fast.
I found the interactions with the headmistress and Bobov absolutely unbelievable.
I found the interactions with the headmistress and Bobov absolutely unbelievable.
November 26, 2025
KINDLE UNLIMITED
DNF @47%
*I really liked the start of this book and then he got to the Academy where a grown man in a 17 y/o body seemed to revert.
DNF @47%
*I really liked the start of this book and then he got to the Academy where a grown man in a 17 y/o body seemed to revert.
February 21, 2026
Cool and interesting read
Vladimir(new body, new name) is starting off his new life as a seventeen year old that has nothing but a small title.
What else is there to do but become a Planewalker, and surprise the enemy? Having fun killing portal creatures and making money too….
Vladimir(new body, new name) is starting off his new life as a seventeen year old that has nothing but a small title.
What else is there to do but become a Planewalker, and surprise the enemy? Having fun killing portal creatures and making money too….
December 16, 2025
Good start to a new series.
Good start. Good solid plotline and world building. The dialogue is crisp and logical. Pacing is well timed and the story moves well. There are many subplots that evolve but hang in a tantalizing suspended knowledge.. and you wonder what will happen next.
I recommend the book and I am looking forward to the next book in the series!!!
Good start. Good solid plotline and world building. The dialogue is crisp and logical. Pacing is well timed and the story moves well. There are many subplots that evolve but hang in a tantalizing suspended knowledge.. and you wonder what will happen next.
I recommend the book and I am looking forward to the next book in the series!!!
October 29, 2025
Great Start!
What a unique starting premise! Lots of action and amazing world building, in the best tradition of the birth place of LitRPG.
What a unique starting premise! Lots of action and amazing world building, in the best tradition of the birth place of LitRPG.
November 1, 2025
Great book
Well written story with a smart, likable, mc in an interesting world. Lots of action and potential with the portals.
Well written story with a smart, likable, mc in an interesting world. Lots of action and potential with the portals.
November 25, 2025
Really good
This book was good from start to finish. Lots of action, scheming, fun, and power building. This is definitely a grownup version of portal progression.
This book was good from start to finish. Lots of action, scheming, fun, and power building. This is definitely a grownup version of portal progression.
December 9, 2025
as you discover the type of character the mc is, you stop caring at all what happens. the writing is rough and the transitions are terrible.
December 21, 2025
Overall, this was a good book, but several elements could have been much clearer—especially the progression of power.
The power system is very glossed over. I have no real sense of how strong the main character is at the beginning of the story or how strong he is by the end. In most series like this, the protagonist’s power level directly correlates to rank, which helps the reader understand where they stand in the world. In this case, however, the main character is promoted by the organization without any clear progression in power. Because of that, I don’t know whether the ranks actually mean anything.
For example, when the story introduces a retired Brigadier, I have no idea whether this character is supposed to be powerful or not. He was previously at the Brigadier rank, then dishonored and reduced to a “Ghost” title before retiring. Does that mean his actual power is still at a Brigadier level? Or was his power reduced along with his rank? None of this is explained, and it makes those encounters confusing rather than impactful.
As for relationships and character depth, the story is loosely an isekai, with the mind of someone from another reality entering this world. However, that element feels almost useless. The protagonist doesn’t meaningfully use knowledge or experience from his previous world, even though he supposedly lived an entire lifetime there. He gains the same powers he had before, but there’s no real advantage or depth added by that background.
The romance elements are especially weak. There are three love interests, but none of them feel developed. The first appears out of nowhere, there is zero emotional attachment, and by the next chapter you don’t even need to remember her name. The second comes and goes just as quickly—ironically, the book spends more time explaining food than it does developing her character. The third is someone the protagonist wants to date, but the entire interaction feels detached and hollow, with no real commitment or emotional weight.
All in all, it’s a solid story and very similar to much of the LitRPG coming out of Russia. That said, it contains a lot of underdeveloped or unnecessary elements that hold it back. I do plan to continue reading the series and will update this review as I go.
The power system is very glossed over. I have no real sense of how strong the main character is at the beginning of the story or how strong he is by the end. In most series like this, the protagonist’s power level directly correlates to rank, which helps the reader understand where they stand in the world. In this case, however, the main character is promoted by the organization without any clear progression in power. Because of that, I don’t know whether the ranks actually mean anything.
For example, when the story introduces a retired Brigadier, I have no idea whether this character is supposed to be powerful or not. He was previously at the Brigadier rank, then dishonored and reduced to a “Ghost” title before retiring. Does that mean his actual power is still at a Brigadier level? Or was his power reduced along with his rank? None of this is explained, and it makes those encounters confusing rather than impactful.
As for relationships and character depth, the story is loosely an isekai, with the mind of someone from another reality entering this world. However, that element feels almost useless. The protagonist doesn’t meaningfully use knowledge or experience from his previous world, even though he supposedly lived an entire lifetime there. He gains the same powers he had before, but there’s no real advantage or depth added by that background.
The romance elements are especially weak. There are three love interests, but none of them feel developed. The first appears out of nowhere, there is zero emotional attachment, and by the next chapter you don’t even need to remember her name. The second comes and goes just as quickly—ironically, the book spends more time explaining food than it does developing her character. The third is someone the protagonist wants to date, but the entire interaction feels detached and hollow, with no real commitment or emotional weight.
All in all, it’s a solid story and very similar to much of the LitRPG coming out of Russia. That said, it contains a lot of underdeveloped or unnecessary elements that hold it back. I do plan to continue reading the series and will update this review as I go.
November 20, 2025
I think any enjoyment of this book will hinge on whether you think the guy is cool and cynical, or a rude arsehole. He seemed like an arsehole to me.
November 27, 2025
Very good read
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression types 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 types of books with lots of action.
December 14, 2025
Good start to a series.
I particularly like the human side of the emotional desire to take revenge for the attempts on his life. That seems to be the best black humor.
I particularly like the human side of the emotional desire to take revenge for the attempts on his life. That seems to be the best black humor.
January 26, 2026
Thrilling
Fantastic first book really setting the world up well, can't wait to see what new powers and creatures come next
Fantastic first book really setting the world up well, can't wait to see what new powers and creatures come next
February 3, 2026
fantastic!
Really enjoyable reincarnation story. Set in a modern Russia with magic and the Romanovs! Our hero, Vladimir, has a score to settle as well. Good stuff.
Really enjoyable reincarnation story. Set in a modern Russia with magic and the Romanovs! Our hero, Vladimir, has a score to settle as well. Good stuff.
February 8, 2026
It was good
Don't really know what's going to be happening other than the assassins but we'll see in the next book won't we
Don't really know what's going to be happening other than the assassins but we'll see in the next book won't we
February 23, 2026
Very well done!
An excellent start to a series I will definitely be putting in my must read list.
An excellent start to a series I will definitely be putting in my must read list.
December 8, 2025
overly pompous and long winded after dragging the book for about 20% and nothing to show for it i gave up.
February 13, 2026
Russian
The book itself is good but the way it is written with opinion of the writer is not, pure fantasy stating that certain countries would falter but his would not. This will be deleted by Kindle because they are Woke and pander to pedophiles and people like this writer
The book itself is good but the way it is written with opinion of the writer is not, pure fantasy stating that certain countries would falter but his would not. This will be deleted by Kindle because they are Woke and pander to pedophiles and people like this writer
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews