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How To Avoid Death On A Daily Basis #1
Welcome to Probet
This is an alternate cover edition for B01H5G6ZR8
Book 1: Welcome To Probet
What if you really were transported to a fantasy world and expected to kill monsters to survive?
No special abilities, no OP weapons, no status screen to boost your stats. Never mind finding the dragon’s treasure or defeating the Demon Lord, you only need to worry about one thing—how to stay alive.
All the people summoned form parties and set off on their adventures, leaving behind the people who nobody wants in their group.
Story of my life, thinks Colin.
Book 1: Welcome To Probet
What if you really were transported to a fantasy world and expected to kill monsters to survive?
No special abilities, no OP weapons, no status screen to boost your stats. Never mind finding the dragon’s treasure or defeating the Demon Lord, you only need to worry about one thing—how to stay alive.
All the people summoned form parties and set off on their adventures, leaving behind the people who nobody wants in their group.
Story of my life, thinks Colin.
176 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2017
297 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
May 12, 2018
If the goal was to make a group of characters that only an extremely small percentage of the readership would find appealing or sympathetic...then I guess mission accomplished? The main character is such a racist, sexist asshole that I found myself wondering how much of the author was shining through.
The plot was also a bit of an idiot one in that things would have gone drastically different if there was a single character who wasn't an idiot. Even the quick strokes of brilliance felt pretty dumb to me...and unfortunately I got the impression that the author actually thought they were good ideas. There were some pretty significant leaps of logic that were out of left field to me and yet the character acted as if it was the obvious line of thinking. That tends to read to me as the author is ham-fistedly moving the story in a particular direction rather than letting things happen organically.
Overall, the writing actually wasn't that bad. The prose was fairly clear and I only noticed a handful of grammar issues. It might entirely be possible that this whole thing is a joke and the main character is based off of a kid the author went to school with or something. As much as I could want that to be the case...I just don't really feel it because it seemed like the story was reinforcing the main character's perspective rather than putting him in his place or prompting him to broaden his perspective.
The book was sooo short that I am morbidly curious to take a peek into the second in the series, but unfortunately it is currently $3.99 despite only being 200ish pages. That is about twice as expensive as I like to see ebooks from unknown authors. I usually expect about 100 pages per dollar.
So looks like I'll be saying adios to this series and might even fondly look back on it at some point when talking to someone about unsympathetic piece of shit main characters.
The plot was also a bit of an idiot one in that things would have gone drastically different if there was a single character who wasn't an idiot. Even the quick strokes of brilliance felt pretty dumb to me...and unfortunately I got the impression that the author actually thought they were good ideas. There were some pretty significant leaps of logic that were out of left field to me and yet the character acted as if it was the obvious line of thinking. That tends to read to me as the author is ham-fistedly moving the story in a particular direction rather than letting things happen organically.
Overall, the writing actually wasn't that bad. The prose was fairly clear and I only noticed a handful of grammar issues. It might entirely be possible that this whole thing is a joke and the main character is based off of a kid the author went to school with or something. As much as I could want that to be the case...I just don't really feel it because it seemed like the story was reinforcing the main character's perspective rather than putting him in his place or prompting him to broaden his perspective.
The book was sooo short that I am morbidly curious to take a peek into the second in the series, but unfortunately it is currently $3.99 despite only being 200ish pages. That is about twice as expensive as I like to see ebooks from unknown authors. I usually expect about 100 pages per dollar.
So looks like I'll be saying adios to this series and might even fondly look back on it at some point when talking to someone about unsympathetic piece of shit main characters.
November 17, 2017
I enjoy litRPG, and understand the low grade humor that it may contain. Jokes about bodily substances, crass references, vulgar language? All very possible during a game session, and typically amusing, because the players normally know each other to some level before the game begins. The most childishly fun example is the Critical Failures series, which I found myself laughing out loud at.
However, this book throws together a bunch of strangers for relatively unspecified reasons. It's made clear they're all socially awkward, at best, from the view of the lead character, who is really not likeable. Under guise of teaching the others, he's a jerk to them. There's no humor, just self-absorbed attempts at it that fall flat.
Other reviewers lamented the length of this book as too short, while I found it a relief to be over. Between the temperament of the characters, the poor editing, and the rape references, I won't be reading more of the series
However, this book throws together a bunch of strangers for relatively unspecified reasons. It's made clear they're all socially awkward, at best, from the view of the lead character, who is really not likeable. Under guise of teaching the others, he's a jerk to them. There's no humor, just self-absorbed attempts at it that fall flat.
Other reviewers lamented the length of this book as too short, while I found it a relief to be over. Between the temperament of the characters, the poor editing, and the rape references, I won't be reading more of the series
December 25, 2020
This was actually a major disappointment. When I thought this was going to be like a fantasy comedy, I thought the humor would be silly. But this is just insulting.
The humor fell. Some of it wasn't even funny. I'm not even sure the what the goal of some of the humor.
There are several spots were there are sexist comments. Like I'm not saying I'm sexist but I just notice things I notice. Then he referred to woman as inferior to men in all areas.
Quote: "I don't see women as inferior, I also don't see them equal to guys in all areas. That would be stupid. "
" The last thing our weak and feeble group needed was another girl" (Like I'm sorry but having another female would make it weak?!)
" One of those 'things' are women. " (Um, did you just refer to women as things?!)
There was also just a huge section about rape which was beyond uncomfortable. Then there was a thing about about racist stereotypes of African American mother's. Like I'm sorry but what?!
Quote: "handsome knights and got invited back to their castle for tea and crumpets. Even the most strident feminazi might find that a hard offer to turn down. " (That's like a sterotype of women. Not all would would find that hard to turn down. I wouldn't)
Then there was a whole section where he talked about his "weaknesses" and when you think he's changing, he turns around and says "it's utter horseshit" and "Now, I knew their insecurities and weaknesses, it would be easier to manipulate and control them. " (Like are you serious?)
Then this quote:
" Now imagine the gorilla ten times bigger, with the face of the uncle who molested you as a kid, and you're in the ballpark. Oh, you didn't have an uncle like that? Sure, and you think I'm the one in denial. "
I'm sorry- WHAT?! So apparently all uncle's are molesters which is just wrong and disgusting. It's as uncomfortable as the rape jokes.
Literally the main character is racist, sexist, and just a jerk. Regret ever reading this book. 144 pages of regret.
The humor fell. Some of it wasn't even funny. I'm not even sure the what the goal of some of the humor.
There are several spots were there are sexist comments. Like I'm not saying I'm sexist but I just notice things I notice. Then he referred to woman as inferior to men in all areas.
Quote: "I don't see women as inferior, I also don't see them equal to guys in all areas. That would be stupid. "
" The last thing our weak and feeble group needed was another girl" (Like I'm sorry but having another female would make it weak?!)
" One of those 'things' are women. " (Um, did you just refer to women as things?!)
There was also just a huge section about rape which was beyond uncomfortable. Then there was a thing about about racist stereotypes of African American mother's. Like I'm sorry but what?!
Quote: "handsome knights and got invited back to their castle for tea and crumpets. Even the most strident feminazi might find that a hard offer to turn down. " (That's like a sterotype of women. Not all would would find that hard to turn down. I wouldn't)
Then there was a whole section where he talked about his "weaknesses" and when you think he's changing, he turns around and says "it's utter horseshit" and "Now, I knew their insecurities and weaknesses, it would be easier to manipulate and control them. " (Like are you serious?)
Then this quote:
" Now imagine the gorilla ten times bigger, with the face of the uncle who molested you as a kid, and you're in the ballpark. Oh, you didn't have an uncle like that? Sure, and you think I'm the one in denial. "
I'm sorry- WHAT?! So apparently all uncle's are molesters which is just wrong and disgusting. It's as uncomfortable as the rape jokes.
Literally the main character is racist, sexist, and just a jerk. Regret ever reading this book. 144 pages of regret.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2021
This book currently has a 3.77 average on 617 ratings on Goodreads.com. I have a policy (now) of generally avoiding books with less than 4 stars simply because it has become clear to me over the years that the majority of action/adventure fantasy readers don't care about basic authorship and so will artificially inflate the ratings of poor books. In particular these readers don't care about story resolution, but even by that low standard, this book fails. All that happens is some young adults are transported to a fantasy world, they split up into groups and the groups eventually move on to a nearby city, with the MC's group being the last one. Sure, the MC & co. learned to kill, skin and cook rabbits and got in a fight with a mouse-man, but that is pretty much it.
What really annoys me is this book is only 145 pages. The book could have been three times as long and still been a fairly easy read and then, maybe, the author would have told a story worth the read. As it is, I am just glad this book was free on Amazon. Note: I originally read this on Royalroad.com where books 1-4 (I believe, I didn't take the time to confirm) are still available for free. So, if you really want to check this out for yourself go there and read them for free.
Bottom line: Nice concept but such poor execution (and utter lack of plotting) as to make this a complete waste of time.
What really annoys me is this book is only 145 pages. The book could have been three times as long and still been a fairly easy read and then, maybe, the author would have told a story worth the read. As it is, I am just glad this book was free on Amazon. Note: I originally read this on Royalroad.com where books 1-4 (I believe, I didn't take the time to confirm) are still available for free. So, if you really want to check this out for yourself go there and read them for free.
Bottom line: Nice concept but such poor execution (and utter lack of plotting) as to make this a complete waste of time.
November 25, 2018
This is the first LitRPG I've ever read. If you don't know what that means, don't worry - I didn't know either. Basically, LitRPG is a genre that feels like an RPG video game in pretty much every single aspect. The characters level up, gain new skills, upgrade their gear, go grinding on bunnies (and unicorn bunnies), and they get quests.
How to Avoid Death on a Daily Basis is the tale of socially awkward Colin who was randomly transported with a bunch of other people into a fantasy RPG. The story takes every chance it gets to swing in the opposite direction from the typical heroic fantasy and most of the characters actions have huge unintended consequences that are hilarious to see.
I would have scored this book a lot higher than I did, but it has some series editing issues. A myriad of typos and sections of poor word choice really drove me nuts a few times.
How to Avoid Death on a Daily Basis is the tale of socially awkward Colin who was randomly transported with a bunch of other people into a fantasy RPG. The story takes every chance it gets to swing in the opposite direction from the typical heroic fantasy and most of the characters actions have huge unintended consequences that are hilarious to see.
I would have scored this book a lot higher than I did, but it has some series editing issues. A myriad of typos and sections of poor word choice really drove me nuts a few times.
May 14, 2021
Here’s a twist on the glut of books that have people from our world get stuck in a game environment where they have to advance levels so they don’t get killed. There are no levels or classes in V. Moody’s new series. There are no special skills magically imparted into people’s brains. There’s only plenty of monsters—each capable of killing people—and a world that thinks this is normal and needs help cleaning out the deadly beasts.
To make matters even more difficult, Moody’s heroes aren’t heroes. They aren’t jocks. They aren’t special forces soldiers with useful training for surviving in this new world. They aren’t even successful geeks—they’re the unsuccessful outcasts with no real athletic ability who also lack (as most of us would) a mindset that would help them survive in this environment.
Yet if they can’t adapt they will be killed—and therein lies the key to a very engaging adventure. For all the gamers out there who have wondered how they would do if they entered their fantasy world, this book gives you a much more realistic look than you ever imagined—and still manages to be quite entertaining.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
To make matters even more difficult, Moody’s heroes aren’t heroes. They aren’t jocks. They aren’t special forces soldiers with useful training for surviving in this new world. They aren’t even successful geeks—they’re the unsuccessful outcasts with no real athletic ability who also lack (as most of us would) a mindset that would help them survive in this environment.
Yet if they can’t adapt they will be killed—and therein lies the key to a very engaging adventure. For all the gamers out there who have wondered how they would do if they entered their fantasy world, this book gives you a much more realistic look than you ever imagined—and still manages to be quite entertaining.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
October 23, 2017
I am gonna write a review for the series as a whole. Its pretty good.
Lot of people say that the hero is a prick. I would say he is a survivor. A person with a less than stellar physical ability and experience cannot be expected to carry a whole group with a cheerful demeanor. He is brutally practical and that makes him a likable hero. And for all his grumbling he actually ensures most of them are safe.
The other part I loved was the unabashed sarcasm. As a person who appreciates sarcasm (when it is not directed at me) it was treat. The tale is humorous, and makes the reader think, in equal measures.
The writing is good and the world building is interesting.
Kudos to the author for a job well done.
Lot of people say that the hero is a prick. I would say he is a survivor. A person with a less than stellar physical ability and experience cannot be expected to carry a whole group with a cheerful demeanor. He is brutally practical and that makes him a likable hero. And for all his grumbling he actually ensures most of them are safe.
The other part I loved was the unabashed sarcasm. As a person who appreciates sarcasm (when it is not directed at me) it was treat. The tale is humorous, and makes the reader think, in equal measures.
The writing is good and the world building is interesting.
Kudos to the author for a job well done.
July 15, 2016
Not quite pushing the genre boundaries, this still managed to retain my interest. The protagonist, even if not possessed of a sharp wit, is still quite an interesting character. I will read the rest hopefully!
July 27, 2017
I'll just say it: The MC is a jerk. A real asshole, if you will. He may say a couple of things that are cool and true, but still an asshole. Lol Now, that being said, this was a fun read and I actually found myself enjoying the ride. I would like to read the next book.
March 16, 2021
When Colin wakes to find himself in a mystical land, with a handful of strangers, and an ogre on the loose, he wonders if, in fact, he’s entered a role playing game. But without a single special ability or weapon among them, will Colin and his new team stay alive long enough to find out where they really are?
Although I enjoyed this story, the characters were well put-together and the writing was solid, I felt uncomfortable about some of the attitudes of the main character. As much as the main character made a point of stating that he wasn’t sexist or racist, he wouldn’t need to do that if he didn’t espouse sexist and racist views. That said, Colin is an antihero. He doesn’t think much of any of his compatriots in the alternate reality and given the extremes they’re living in, perhaps he’s unable to hide the worst aspects of his personality with the effort of just surviving.
“ ‘Really? You think taking more than your fair share and leaving others to freeze is civil behaviour? Take what you want and the hell with everyone else, that’s your idea of being a decent human being? Your mum would be proud of you, would she?’ I threw in the mother thing because all the black guys I’ve ever known held their mothers in high regard. To a ridiculous degree in some cases. Racist stereotype? Possibly, but when you’re up against a guy who can crush your skull with his bare hands, you don’t really have time to consider all the politically correct ramifications.”
47% in, Chapter 16, A Gift From Prometheus, Welcome to Probet (How To Avoid Death On A Daily Basis #1) by V. Moody
That said, there was plenty of action and some interesting relationship-building, and a surprising amount of humour. The writing is good and I suppose it taught me that, when we talk about some people having greatness thrust upon them, we should remember that some of these people are in no way ready. Or the sort of person you’d want to spend an evening with.
“‘We have to trust each other. Rely on each other. We can’t get depressed and all self-doubty because we’re afraid others might not like us. There are no others here. It’s just us, and none of us is perfect. Far from it. Which is why I think we should all just admit our fears, our weaknesses. If everybody already knows what you’re worried they might find out, what have you got to lose? Nothing, right?’
"They looked less sure with their nods this time. Their heads bobbed ambiguously, like maybe they were agreeing, maybe they got caught by a breeze."
55% in, Chapter 19, Let’s Get Salty, Welcome to Probet (How To Avoid Death On A Daily Basis #1) by V. Moody
Although I enjoyed this story, the characters were well put-together and the writing was solid, I felt uncomfortable about some of the attitudes of the main character. As much as the main character made a point of stating that he wasn’t sexist or racist, he wouldn’t need to do that if he didn’t espouse sexist and racist views. That said, Colin is an antihero. He doesn’t think much of any of his compatriots in the alternate reality and given the extremes they’re living in, perhaps he’s unable to hide the worst aspects of his personality with the effort of just surviving.
“ ‘Really? You think taking more than your fair share and leaving others to freeze is civil behaviour? Take what you want and the hell with everyone else, that’s your idea of being a decent human being? Your mum would be proud of you, would she?’ I threw in the mother thing because all the black guys I’ve ever known held their mothers in high regard. To a ridiculous degree in some cases. Racist stereotype? Possibly, but when you’re up against a guy who can crush your skull with his bare hands, you don’t really have time to consider all the politically correct ramifications.”
47% in, Chapter 16, A Gift From Prometheus, Welcome to Probet (How To Avoid Death On A Daily Basis #1) by V. Moody
That said, there was plenty of action and some interesting relationship-building, and a surprising amount of humour. The writing is good and I suppose it taught me that, when we talk about some people having greatness thrust upon them, we should remember that some of these people are in no way ready. Or the sort of person you’d want to spend an evening with.
“‘We have to trust each other. Rely on each other. We can’t get depressed and all self-doubty because we’re afraid others might not like us. There are no others here. It’s just us, and none of us is perfect. Far from it. Which is why I think we should all just admit our fears, our weaknesses. If everybody already knows what you’re worried they might find out, what have you got to lose? Nothing, right?’
"They looked less sure with their nods this time. Their heads bobbed ambiguously, like maybe they were agreeing, maybe they got caught by a breeze."
55% in, Chapter 19, Let’s Get Salty, Welcome to Probet (How To Avoid Death On A Daily Basis #1) by V. Moody
January 9, 2018
How to rate this...
When you have a book concept that is completely described and understood in the first 3 pages, trudging through descriptions of every small thing should only serve 2 main purposes: character development and world building. This book has little character development, and only moderate amounts of world building, and while much of it still held my interest, there were many obvious shortcomings. I'll list a few.
You almost never spin a sling above your head. This is super obvious if you've ever actually tried to use one, because of many factors that I won't get into. Just make one and see for yourself.
If city kids are legitimately as stupid as this book seems to portray, our world is doomed.
The kids in the beginning, if they made that far of a hike barefoot in the first place (doubtful) would not be standing afterwards. They would be desperately trying to bandage the myriad of foot wounds they all had.
Unless they ate air, no species that size would populate a field so densely as the rabbits in this book. That happens in games, and I get the gaming parallel this book is trying to have, but that parallel doesn't jive with the other semi-realistic aspects.
The seemingly hard, huge learning curve things that the kids do in this book are often quite intuitive and easy in real life, and some of the simple things they seemed to get the hang of easily are actually quite difficult the first thirty times you try. The author has obviously never really tried them the primitive way. It felt like there was lots of YouTube resea, but almost no hands on experience.
Why are these things important? Because if you take out descriptions, 6 things happen in this book. Only 6. The writing style holds interest, for the most part, but if you have only 6 things happening, and this is about learning to survive and roughing it, those 6 things had better feel real and organic. They'd better leap off the page and make you feel like you're doing them yourself, struggling to survive. And if you've done even one of those things yourself, you know this book is basically a load of crap.
That said, though I rolled my eyes at the fake survival, I somewhat enjoyed it. The writing is decent, though the idea is far from original. Some of the world building was interesting as well, if a little shallow. so 3 stars, since I can't give 2.5
When you have a book concept that is completely described and understood in the first 3 pages, trudging through descriptions of every small thing should only serve 2 main purposes: character development and world building. This book has little character development, and only moderate amounts of world building, and while much of it still held my interest, there were many obvious shortcomings. I'll list a few.
You almost never spin a sling above your head. This is super obvious if you've ever actually tried to use one, because of many factors that I won't get into. Just make one and see for yourself.
If city kids are legitimately as stupid as this book seems to portray, our world is doomed.
The kids in the beginning, if they made that far of a hike barefoot in the first place (doubtful) would not be standing afterwards. They would be desperately trying to bandage the myriad of foot wounds they all had.
Unless they ate air, no species that size would populate a field so densely as the rabbits in this book. That happens in games, and I get the gaming parallel this book is trying to have, but that parallel doesn't jive with the other semi-realistic aspects.
The seemingly hard, huge learning curve things that the kids do in this book are often quite intuitive and easy in real life, and some of the simple things they seemed to get the hang of easily are actually quite difficult the first thirty times you try. The author has obviously never really tried them the primitive way. It felt like there was lots of YouTube resea, but almost no hands on experience.
Why are these things important? Because if you take out descriptions, 6 things happen in this book. Only 6. The writing style holds interest, for the most part, but if you have only 6 things happening, and this is about learning to survive and roughing it, those 6 things had better feel real and organic. They'd better leap off the page and make you feel like you're doing them yourself, struggling to survive. And if you've done even one of those things yourself, you know this book is basically a load of crap.
That said, though I rolled my eyes at the fake survival, I somewhat enjoyed it. The writing is decent, though the idea is far from original. Some of the world building was interesting as well, if a little shallow. so 3 stars, since I can't give 2.5
February 13, 2020
I'm giving the series a 3 because it's reasonably well written, but with some serious downsides.
1: It's an EXTREMELY long series. I actually like that part about it because I read extremely fast.
2: The main character is hard to like. He's paranoid about everything and everyone including all his friends and allies and the author writes it so this paranoia is 100% justified. It's cool at first, but after a while it starts to grate on you. Everything is a convoluted, Machiavellian plot. Nothing is straight forward or as it seems. The main character is the only one who really seems to see through all these plots and and the only one that realizes every nice person you meet in the story is really a villain in disguise. And guess what, they actually are villains in disguise. That sounds cool in theory, but it becomes tiresome when it happens twenty or thirty times per book in the series.
3: It takes a while, but eventually (around book 10?) you discover that the main character (who is British) really HATES Americans and goes on quite the rant about how stupid, inbred, racist, etc. all Americans are. It's rather off putting when you happen to be an American reader and it marked the final straw that got me to stop reading the series
4: This is one of those Royal Road website (https://www.royalroad.com/home) serial novels. It manages to avoid many of the pitfalls that most serial novels fall into, except for two. (1) It has a slight tendency to meander and drag in places. (2) In at least one place the author starts a story arc evidently without planning out the ending of said story arc first. His friends come up with one of those previously mentioned Machiavellian plots. It takes an incredibly long time for the main character to figure out the plot and the payoff in the end is kind of lame. It makes me think that he only had a loose idea of how the plot would play out before he started writing about it and then he wrote himself into a corner and had to come out with a weak explanation for it. It's the main story arc for a huge chunk of the series and I really expected more from the conclusion of said arc.
1: It's an EXTREMELY long series. I actually like that part about it because I read extremely fast.
2: The main character is hard to like. He's paranoid about everything and everyone including all his friends and allies and the author writes it so this paranoia is 100% justified. It's cool at first, but after a while it starts to grate on you. Everything is a convoluted, Machiavellian plot. Nothing is straight forward or as it seems. The main character is the only one who really seems to see through all these plots and and the only one that realizes every nice person you meet in the story is really a villain in disguise. And guess what, they actually are villains in disguise. That sounds cool in theory, but it becomes tiresome when it happens twenty or thirty times per book in the series.
3: It takes a while, but eventually (around book 10?) you discover that the main character (who is British) really HATES Americans and goes on quite the rant about how stupid, inbred, racist, etc. all Americans are. It's rather off putting when you happen to be an American reader and it marked the final straw that got me to stop reading the series
4: This is one of those Royal Road website (https://www.royalroad.com/home) serial novels. It manages to avoid many of the pitfalls that most serial novels fall into, except for two. (1) It has a slight tendency to meander and drag in places. (2) In at least one place the author starts a story arc evidently without planning out the ending of said story arc first. His friends come up with one of those previously mentioned Machiavellian plots. It takes an incredibly long time for the main character to figure out the plot and the payoff in the end is kind of lame. It makes me think that he only had a loose idea of how the plot would play out before he started writing about it and then he wrote himself into a corner and had to come out with a weak explanation for it. It's the main story arc for a huge chunk of the series and I really expected more from the conclusion of said arc.
June 11, 2020
As with most LitRPG's this book starts with a bunch of characters (including the main character Colin) being transported to another world. Colin isn't your typical nice-guy hero. He's also not your typical anti-hero. (And definitely not any kind of villain). Some of the reviewers just got this book totally wrong and they viewed Colin as some whiny, racist, sexist, resentful, horrible person. Which he is, and yet he also isn't. He would think, that girl is going to run away from the first monster we see and would be right. Is that sexist? Yes, but he was right! He keeps doing that.
In most LitRPG books the main character goes from one world to the other without many problems. They accept the situation and within a few pages they are kicking butt on their way to level 200 (or grinding their way to level 200, or building their dungeon up around the crystal they now inhabit 'till they reach level 200. You get the idea).
Colin isn't like that. When the bunch of people are brought across to the new place, at first they don't believe that they are there - they think its some kind of virtual reality thing. Colin clings to that to a certain extent but also sees things more clearly than most.
The people waiting in the area in which the newbies arrive are almost indifferent to them and perhaps even mildly hostile. They just want the newbies to train a bit and then move on (or die, they don't really care which). Colin's attitude doesn't make their time there any easier.
The newbies form groups, much like the cliques at a school, based on appearance and popularity and not on any survival strategy. Colin sees the dregs that he is left to group up with as a burden (as he doesn't want to lead them) and a problem (because they will do something stupid that will get him killed).
Colin's view is more realistic (and therefore more cynical) and it doesn't make him a likeable character but the series definitely seems to be worth following.
I received this book as an ARC and chose to write a review
In most LitRPG books the main character goes from one world to the other without many problems. They accept the situation and within a few pages they are kicking butt on their way to level 200 (or grinding their way to level 200, or building their dungeon up around the crystal they now inhabit 'till they reach level 200. You get the idea).
Colin isn't like that. When the bunch of people are brought across to the new place, at first they don't believe that they are there - they think its some kind of virtual reality thing. Colin clings to that to a certain extent but also sees things more clearly than most.
The people waiting in the area in which the newbies arrive are almost indifferent to them and perhaps even mildly hostile. They just want the newbies to train a bit and then move on (or die, they don't really care which). Colin's attitude doesn't make their time there any easier.
The newbies form groups, much like the cliques at a school, based on appearance and popularity and not on any survival strategy. Colin sees the dregs that he is left to group up with as a burden (as he doesn't want to lead them) and a problem (because they will do something stupid that will get him killed).
Colin's view is more realistic (and therefore more cynical) and it doesn't make him a likeable character but the series definitely seems to be worth following.
I received this book as an ARC and chose to write a review
June 9, 2019
Plot: Every four years people are abducted from our world and dumped into fantasy realm for seemingly or reason. The newest batch are from England, included in this number is Colin.
While this is a web novel it doesn't feel like that at all. Each book is centred around a place, a goal, or an adventure.
Characters:
Colin is an antisocial bastard. He is not your typical hero, he is rude, believes the worst in people and is sarcastic. He and a number of other outcasts and black sheep are forced to adapt to a D&D world. I should note that this is not a game world and there doesn't appear to be a levelling aspect.
Dudley is hinted at being part of the old British historicity. He is day dreamer and often has trouble concentrating.
Claire suffers from poor self-esteem due to bad boyfriends and is pretty spiteful. Due to Colin being the MC to the reader's point of view she comes off as annoying, but she isn't afraid to voice her views and help her friends. She says that she is sticking with Colin because none of the other groups accept her.
Maurice is the nerd of the group. Back on Earth he was an outcast and sees Colin as the closest thing to a fellow geek.
Victoria/Flossie is the kind and caring member of the group. Often sees herself as a floormat for other people. She and Claire are friends.
What I like: I really like this series mostly because the MC is very unconventional and in this day an age where the Thought Police are out to get anyone who doesn't share their opinion, V. Moody gives them all the finger.
What I don't like: The monologuing is a bit excessive.
Despite it being separated into three parts and each book is more of a novella the series is surprisingly good. There were a lot of laughs and the characters were unique and well thought out.
While this is a web novel it doesn't feel like that at all. Each book is centred around a place, a goal, or an adventure.
Characters:
Colin is an antisocial bastard. He is not your typical hero, he is rude, believes the worst in people and is sarcastic. He and a number of other outcasts and black sheep are forced to adapt to a D&D world. I should note that this is not a game world and there doesn't appear to be a levelling aspect.
Dudley is hinted at being part of the old British historicity. He is day dreamer and often has trouble concentrating.
Claire suffers from poor self-esteem due to bad boyfriends and is pretty spiteful. Due to Colin being the MC to the reader's point of view she comes off as annoying, but she isn't afraid to voice her views and help her friends. She says that she is sticking with Colin because none of the other groups accept her.
Maurice is the nerd of the group. Back on Earth he was an outcast and sees Colin as the closest thing to a fellow geek.
Victoria/Flossie is the kind and caring member of the group. Often sees herself as a floormat for other people. She and Claire are friends.
What I like: I really like this series mostly because the MC is very unconventional and in this day an age where the Thought Police are out to get anyone who doesn't share their opinion, V. Moody gives them all the finger.
What I don't like: The monologuing is a bit excessive.
Despite it being separated into three parts and each book is more of a novella the series is surprisingly good. There were a lot of laughs and the characters were unique and well thought out.
February 4, 2019
I picked this up because it is a genre I enjoy and it was free. And I’m so glad I did not spend money on it.
The main character is a jerk. You can write a compelling story with a lead that isn’t nice. I, however, am not overly interested in reading a story with a sexist jerk as the main lead. Especially a lead that essentially says I’m not sexist/racist right off the bat (not a great sign). I do wonder what issues the author might have with women (“But pretty girls often had issues with other girls. And having a few guys around to manipulate didn’t hurt either.”). Add onto that his no homo moment as soon as he described a muscular man and you’ve got an unlikeable protagonist with -isms that I just can’t ignore. Perhaps, if the book had been longer and the MC had shown some development I could have gotten over it, but no dice.
The story starts slow. If the world-building was stronger that wouldn’t have bothered me as much, but when the slow start isn’t about learning more about the world, rather it is about watching out MC think he is amazing and everyone else sucks, it becomes a grind.
The character development is poor as well.
I finished it because I hate to leave books unread...plus it was short. I wouldn’t recommend it.
The main character is a jerk. You can write a compelling story with a lead that isn’t nice. I, however, am not overly interested in reading a story with a sexist jerk as the main lead. Especially a lead that essentially says I’m not sexist/racist right off the bat (not a great sign). I do wonder what issues the author might have with women (“But pretty girls often had issues with other girls. And having a few guys around to manipulate didn’t hurt either.”). Add onto that his no homo moment as soon as he described a muscular man and you’ve got an unlikeable protagonist with -isms that I just can’t ignore. Perhaps, if the book had been longer and the MC had shown some development I could have gotten over it, but no dice.
The story starts slow. If the world-building was stronger that wouldn’t have bothered me as much, but when the slow start isn’t about learning more about the world, rather it is about watching out MC think he is amazing and everyone else sucks, it becomes a grind.
The character development is poor as well.
I finished it because I hate to leave books unread...plus it was short. I wouldn’t recommend it.
December 23, 2021
Asshole MC
I tried to like this book, but eventually (around chapter 15), I just had to give up. MC says he's not racist, but I don't quite believe him. He says he's not a misogynist, but doesn't think "girls" will have the ability to fight and survive as well as men. He also refers to, "feminazis". He also looks for ways to manipulate his group and doesn't think that caring about other group members will help them survive. I've been on military, morale and caring about your fellow soldiers is key to survival.
Finally, the MC is supposed to have social anxiety. He's supposed to have a difficult time talking to others. And yet he's not only the leader of the group, he's also the one dealing with the merchants and standing up to the other groups (calling them assholes). As someone who suffers from social phobia and anxiety disorder, it would be much more difficult to do those things if his anxiety was as bad as he claims.
The book's premise is decent (mostly), but the MC is unlikable, the people who are supposed to be helping start them out do very little to actually help, and the other people are just about as unlikable. Not worth the time, in my opinion.
I tried to like this book, but eventually (around chapter 15), I just had to give up. MC says he's not racist, but I don't quite believe him. He says he's not a misogynist, but doesn't think "girls" will have the ability to fight and survive as well as men. He also refers to, "feminazis". He also looks for ways to manipulate his group and doesn't think that caring about other group members will help them survive. I've been on military, morale and caring about your fellow soldiers is key to survival.
Finally, the MC is supposed to have social anxiety. He's supposed to have a difficult time talking to others. And yet he's not only the leader of the group, he's also the one dealing with the merchants and standing up to the other groups (calling them assholes). As someone who suffers from social phobia and anxiety disorder, it would be much more difficult to do those things if his anxiety was as bad as he claims.
The book's premise is decent (mostly), but the MC is unlikable, the people who are supposed to be helping start them out do very little to actually help, and the other people are just about as unlikable. Not worth the time, in my opinion.
July 22, 2017
There are only a few problems that I have with this series. The first is the price. For a starting author and a debut boot this is an outrageous price. The second problem I have is that the crafty author did what Tolkien did and cut his book into thirds. Other than that I think it is a pretty decent series.
Every four years people are abducted from our world and dumped into fantasy realm for seemingly or reason. The newest batch are from England, included in this number is Collin.
Collin is an antisocial bastard. He is not your typical hero, he is rude, believes the worst in people and is sarcastic. He and a number of other outcasts and black sheep are forced to adapt to a D&D world. I should note that this is not a game world like Robert Bevan's work so there doesn't appear to be a leveling aspect.
Despite it being separated into three parts and each book is more of a novella the series is surprisingly good. There were a lot of laughs and the characters were unique and well thought out.
Every four years people are abducted from our world and dumped into fantasy realm for seemingly or reason. The newest batch are from England, included in this number is Collin.
Collin is an antisocial bastard. He is not your typical hero, he is rude, believes the worst in people and is sarcastic. He and a number of other outcasts and black sheep are forced to adapt to a D&D world. I should note that this is not a game world like Robert Bevan's work so there doesn't appear to be a leveling aspect.
Despite it being separated into three parts and each book is more of a novella the series is surprisingly good. There were a lot of laughs and the characters were unique and well thought out.
August 28, 2021
3.5 stars
The world building was great, the writing was very fluid, there were quite a few funny moments and because it wasn't very long I read it all in one sitting.
The characters were well fleshed out and the main character was a nice narrator.
It would have been easily a full 4 stars rating but I took away half a star for the violence against animals (I understand this was supposed to feel much as a videogame, and it really did it, but still all the killing didn't sit very well with me) and also his sexist views of women put me off quite a bit. Even thought he says he is not a sexist he flat-out refuse a girl to join his group because if she is a girl he thinks she automatically is weak. Also he speaks about rape, homosexuality, racism and child abuse in an unsettling way. It was as if he had two split personalities: one of an adorable clumsy and resourceful teenage boy, the other of a middle-aged complete jerk.
Still, everything else was cool, so I would be curious to see how the story proceeds in the next book...
The world building was great, the writing was very fluid, there were quite a few funny moments and because it wasn't very long I read it all in one sitting.
The characters were well fleshed out and the main character was a nice narrator.
It would have been easily a full 4 stars rating but I took away half a star for the violence against animals (I understand this was supposed to feel much as a videogame, and it really did it, but still all the killing didn't sit very well with me) and also his sexist views of women put me off quite a bit. Even thought he says he is not a sexist he flat-out refuse a girl to join his group because if she is a girl he thinks she automatically is weak. Also he speaks about rape, homosexuality, racism and child abuse in an unsettling way. It was as if he had two split personalities: one of an adorable clumsy and resourceful teenage boy, the other of a middle-aged complete jerk.
Still, everything else was cool, so I would be curious to see how the story proceeds in the next book...
July 19, 2017
A Charming Adventure Story
I loved this book. Sure, there are a few typos here and there, but they are easy to overlook in light of the plot and characters.
The story opens with the narrator and a group of strangers waking up in a clearing on an unknown world. Our hero, Colin, feels like he's been thrust into an MMORPG without knowing the rules. As he and his "party" begin to learn more about the world they have been transported to, they "level up" as adventurers and human beings.
It is a light, quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. When I got to the last chapter, I bought the rest of the series.
I loved this book. Sure, there are a few typos here and there, but they are easy to overlook in light of the plot and characters.
The story opens with the narrator and a group of strangers waking up in a clearing on an unknown world. Our hero, Colin, feels like he's been thrust into an MMORPG without knowing the rules. As he and his "party" begin to learn more about the world they have been transported to, they "level up" as adventurers and human beings.
It is a light, quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. When I got to the last chapter, I bought the rest of the series.
August 26, 2022
V. Moody is one of my favourite writers. Welcome To Probet is very clever. The hero, Colin, is a wimp, totally unfit to survive the world he finds himself in. It's darker than I normally read, but I found all the characters sympathetic and/or authentic and they carried me through. The reveals surprised me and the ending was good.Survival is the name of the game, and this story hits home because real life has become infinitely scarier and more deadly these days. It's just that most of the population haven't woken up to it yet, which is even scarier. I felt like I was living a waking nightmare reading it, and I'll read the rest of the series.
February 11, 2024
a bit too graphic for me
The writing in ‘Welcome to Probet’ was better than some books I’ve read lately and it is short which is a good.
That said, much like Claire, I don’t handle descriptions of animals getting killed very well, and there was a lot of that in here. The characters were hard to get into, especially the main character, Colin, who was abrasive, unpleasant, and yet impressively determined to get through the experience.
I don’t think I’ll check out the others, but other readers might find this engaging. As I said, the writing isn’t bad. I just couldn’t cope with all the killing of animals.
The writing in ‘Welcome to Probet’ was better than some books I’ve read lately and it is short which is a good.
That said, much like Claire, I don’t handle descriptions of animals getting killed very well, and there was a lot of that in here. The characters were hard to get into, especially the main character, Colin, who was abrasive, unpleasant, and yet impressively determined to get through the experience.
I don’t think I’ll check out the others, but other readers might find this engaging. As I said, the writing isn’t bad. I just couldn’t cope with all the killing of animals.
August 16, 2021
Gotta give this one points for a degree of originality. Having read tons of Gamelit and Litrpg this one I think really put tons of thought into how regular people would handle being dumped into a game world and also just how difficult some of the tasks would be. I kind of also enjoyed the realistic and not politically correct thoughts the MC has and is a bit of a self serving anti hero but also has a degree of nobility and growth at the end. Great writing good story. This is Gamelit and not litrpg and not very crunchy but a nice read to be sure.
July 30, 2023
Y’all looking to avoid death?
I’ve really been enjoying RPG lit. By making this one not a game I got to enjoy the core of what I have been appreciating. That is to say someone from the modern world waking up in the RPG setting without all the stats interfaces and constant updates about hit points and levels. Tore through this book in just one day will probably be purchasing the next one in the series tomorrow morning when I wake up as it is two in the morning because just one more chapter got way out of hand.
I’ve really been enjoying RPG lit. By making this one not a game I got to enjoy the core of what I have been appreciating. That is to say someone from the modern world waking up in the RPG setting without all the stats interfaces and constant updates about hit points and levels. Tore through this book in just one day will probably be purchasing the next one in the series tomorrow morning when I wake up as it is two in the morning because just one more chapter got way out of hand.
January 29, 2024
I have no record or review showing I had already read this book. However, I knew the first chapter and recognized the descriptions before reading them. The rest of the story seemed new to me, so I am very confused about that.
This is a decent LitRPG story that points out several times in the book that it seems like a game, even if there are assurances it isn't.
The story starts with a group of 20 roughly college aged people waking up in a field in a new world. They divide into groups. This is the tale of the group full of geeks, losers, and the socially inept.
This is a decent LitRPG story that points out several times in the book that it seems like a game, even if there are assurances it isn't.
The story starts with a group of 20 roughly college aged people waking up in a field in a new world. They divide into groups. This is the tale of the group full of geeks, losers, and the socially inept.
Read
July 10, 2023interesting
Definitely not what I expected. The main character starts off kinda a jerk and was annoying to read his thoughts but he does try to come around. He does seem to care and the other character are absolutely all over the place. But our main character does what he can to help even if he doesn't realize he could be nicer about it. I guess that just shows the depth of personality. Looking forward to reading the second book!
Definitely not what I expected. The main character starts off kinda a jerk and was annoying to read his thoughts but he does try to come around. He does seem to care and the other character are absolutely all over the place. But our main character does what he can to help even if he doesn't realize he could be nicer about it. I guess that just shows the depth of personality. Looking forward to reading the second book!
November 14, 2017
Funny, crude, interesting, and surprisingly enough, a good story.
I liked this one. I'll likely read the rest (if I can get my hands on them).
I understand why this one is classed as LitRPG, but I personally wouldn't put it in that category. I'd put it more in the fantasy/humor section myself, but I don't make the categories, so feel free to place it anywhere you think it should fit.
I liked this one. I'll likely read the rest (if I can get my hands on them).
I understand why this one is classed as LitRPG, but I personally wouldn't put it in that category. I'd put it more in the fantasy/humor section myself, but I don't make the categories, so feel free to place it anywhere you think it should fit.
September 30, 2018
Exceptionally funny, witty and filled with "life-like" hacks to get you through the jungle that is Humanity! :) Very well structured, a reminder that some things should not be taken for granted and a very good wake up call when it comes to surviving. Most of us are very bad at that and the sole reason we are still breathing is because society is kind to us. Otherwise...worm meat!
December 2, 2018
Technically, a portal fantasy and not really litrpg - or at least not in book one. It was cute, it was amusing, and it was entertaining for a little bit. The main character is a bit socially awkward though, as are his companions, and I can see that getting old fast, so I'll not continue. Fun though!
May 19, 2020
2 1/2 stars. This reads very much like a Litrpg with some differences and surprises.
Colin, the main character, was offensive sometimes but he showed glimpses of other things. He came off as a rather typical gamer teenager. The other characters were stereotyped but surprised me at times.
The author thought up some clever twists on classics and there were funny episodes.
Colin, the main character, was offensive sometimes but he showed glimpses of other things. He came off as a rather typical gamer teenager. The other characters were stereotyped but surprised me at times.
The author thought up some clever twists on classics and there were funny episodes.
May 10, 2021
The entire series reads like an Incel wet dream.
When the main character has to repeat "No that's not sexist, no that's not racist" over and over again then they're pretty clearly racist and sexist.
If you want to read about a whiny MC who belittles everyone around him and always manages to beat "the chads" then this is the one for you
When the main character has to repeat "No that's not sexist, no that's not racist" over and over again then they're pretty clearly racist and sexist.
If you want to read about a whiny MC who belittles everyone around him and always manages to beat "the chads" then this is the one for you
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