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The Completionist Chronicles #1
Ritualist
A game that puts all others to shame. Magic that has been banned from the world. A man willing to learn no matter the cost.
The decision to start a new life is never an easy one, but for Joe the transition was far from figurative. Becoming a permanent addition to a game world, it doesn't take long to learn that people with his abilities are actively hunted. In fact, if the wrong people gained knowledge of what he was capable of, assassins would appear in droves.
In his pursuit of power, Joe fights alongside his team, completes quests, and delves into the mysteries of his class, which he quickly discovers can only be practiced in secret. Ultimately, his goal is to complete every mission, master every ability, and learn all of the world's secrets.
All he has to do is survive long enough to make that happen.
The decision to start a new life is never an easy one, but for Joe the transition was far from figurative. Becoming a permanent addition to a game world, it doesn't take long to learn that people with his abilities are actively hunted. In fact, if the wrong people gained knowledge of what he was capable of, assassins would appear in droves.
In his pursuit of power, Joe fights alongside his team, completes quests, and delves into the mysteries of his class, which he quickly discovers can only be practiced in secret. Ultimately, his goal is to complete every mission, master every ability, and learn all of the world's secrets.
All he has to do is survive long enough to make that happen.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2018
3328 people are currently reading
8583 people want to read
About the author
Dakota Krout
76 books2,876 followersAuthor of the best-selling Divine Dungeon, Completionist Chronicles, and Full Murderhobo series, Dakota Krout was chosen as Audible's top 5 fantasy pick of 2017, has been a top 5 bestseller on Amazon, and a top 6 bestseller on Audible.
He draws on his experience in the military to create vast terrains and intricate systems, and his history in programming and information technology helps him bring a logical aspect to both his writing and his company while giving him a unique perspective for future challenges.
Publishing my stories has been an incredible blessing thus far, and I hope to keep you entertained for years to come! -Dakota Krout
He draws on his experience in the military to create vast terrains and intricate systems, and his history in programming and information technology helps him bring a logical aspect to both his writing and his company while giving him a unique perspective for future challenges.
Publishing my stories has been an incredible blessing thus far, and I hope to keep you entertained for years to come! -Dakota Krout
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 759 reviews
December 29, 2018
4.2 stars
Review to come in January
This is what Ready Player One should have been - a fantastic blend of references to Table Top and online RPGs without shoving 80s references in your face every ten seconds.
What it lacks for in a definitive main plot it makes up for in every other aspect.
Review to come in January
This is what Ready Player One should have been - a fantastic blend of references to Table Top and online RPGs without shoving 80s references in your face every ten seconds.
What it lacks for in a definitive main plot it makes up for in every other aspect.
July 17, 2018
Terrible characters
All of the characters are shallow and inconsistent, especially the main character. I made it to this gem of line at the 70% mark before my eyes started to bleed: "after all, there was no way he was going to be able to repeat that ritual without losing a part of his humanity."
The main character alternates between taking things too seriously and not seriously enough, he joins a guild full of arrogant shallow annoying people on a whim with no tangible benefit to himself, he succeeds at everything he attempts, and if failure is eminent, his god bails him out.
I loved Divine Dungeon, so I tried to get through this, hoping it would turn around, but it doesn't; Ritualist is terrible the whole way through.
All of the characters are shallow and inconsistent, especially the main character. I made it to this gem of line at the 70% mark before my eyes started to bleed: "after all, there was no way he was going to be able to repeat that ritual without losing a part of his humanity."
The main character alternates between taking things too seriously and not seriously enough, he joins a guild full of arrogant shallow annoying people on a whim with no tangible benefit to himself, he succeeds at everything he attempts, and if failure is eminent, his god bails him out.
I loved Divine Dungeon, so I tried to get through this, hoping it would turn around, but it doesn't; Ritualist is terrible the whole way through.
February 27, 2021
I have gone down the rabbit hole with these LitRPG tomes and have come out the other side as a zombit.
Of course, I've already had the great pleasure of reading more of Dakota Krout's other LitRPG about a sentient dungeon, so moving on to a more standard fare of hopping into an AI-run virtual reality game and dying to live there permanently while also having the joys of quests, leveling-up, and MMPORG goodness while also having an in with a neutrally wicked occult god on your side IS a pretty nice benefit.
And fun, too.
No matter how many of these types of novels I pick up, they roll so smoothly into my brain. I'm caught remembering all the countless hours I've played actual RPGs and now having the awesome benefit of downing them in a fraction of the time without all the horrible grinds.
*wipes a tear from his eye*
And then there is the RITUALIST class. Hated by all but obscenely powerful.
What's not to love about this? Muahahahahaha
Of course, I've already had the great pleasure of reading more of Dakota Krout's other LitRPG about a sentient dungeon, so moving on to a more standard fare of hopping into an AI-run virtual reality game and dying to live there permanently while also having the joys of quests, leveling-up, and MMPORG goodness while also having an in with a neutrally wicked occult god on your side IS a pretty nice benefit.
And fun, too.
No matter how many of these types of novels I pick up, they roll so smoothly into my brain. I'm caught remembering all the countless hours I've played actual RPGs and now having the awesome benefit of downing them in a fraction of the time without all the horrible grinds.
*wipes a tear from his eye*
And then there is the RITUALIST class. Hated by all but obscenely powerful.
What's not to love about this? Muahahahahaha
November 28, 2018
If you go into this expecting to read along as a Player finds his way in a very immersive MMORPG you will be disappointed. Honestly, I doubt the Author ever played any MMORPG. Although he makes references to royalroad in an early chapter, his story lacks anything that made stories like 'The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor' so good.
A Dead Game
At first, the world seemed to live up to what you can expect from an AI controlled VRMMORPG. Countless Classes and specializations, NPCs with personality and dynamic quests, millions of players. Wait? Did I say millions of Players?
Although the Author insists on that, a few chapters into the book you can't help but notice that the game world is dead. Sure, at the beginning he has his run-in with the typical "baddies" and gets acquaintance with a guild of friendly people, but this seems more forced than anything. Like they were placed there deliberately instead of existing within the world and just so happening to meet the Protagonist. Outside of the handful of players mentioned SPECIFICALLY to drive the story, the world is DEAD. When walking through the city the narrator doesn't mention any other players, no one is trading items. When leaving the city through the gates, there aren't any players recruiting party members. When grinding they never come across any other players. When a local event happens, no one is there to fight them for possible rewards. The world is just dead.
A Lack of Competition
The apparent lack of other players gets magnified by another problem. We had not one ingame announcement where someone other than the Protagonist achieved something. No rankings, where you can see who are the highest leveled players and strongest guilds. Who is the best Mage? Who is the first to get a Profession or Class change? Did a guild clear a special dungeon or defeated a boss? Outside of the Protagonists guild only one other guild is mentioned throughout the entire book. And even they are irrelevant.
An MMORPG isn't about what YOU achieve. It's about getting ahead of your competition. You strive to be the first. You strive to be the strongest. You strive to be unique. But how can you do that if the Author creates a world where there is not a single way of measuring your progress compared to others? Without these things, this isn't an MMORPG but a single player game.
No Loot or Gear Progression
So this one is especially hurtful to any MMORPG fan. How can you write a Book about an MMORPG and fail to grasp a core concept of any MMORPG? The Class and Character stats make one half of the character, while the Items he carries are the other half. There are zero mentions of item levels. Zero mentions of item stats. And a just a few sporadic mentions of item effects. Are you serious? I don't even know what to say. The fact that ONLY item effects are mentioned makes it even worse. Is the Protagonist supposed to carry the same gear until level 100 only because the robe he got at level 1 has a ridiculously powerful effect? How has he ever any incentive to strive for new gear, if there are no item stats that make the level 1 gear less and less effective as the character progresses to a higher level?
Inconsistent and cringeworthy characterization
The Protagonist is supposed to be a veteran who, after years of service as a field medic left the army after getting crippled in war. From this background, you would expect a certain degree of maturity, strength of character and trauma. The Protagonist has none of that. He is a weak pushover who doesn't stand up for himself. At times he has manic humor attacks that could be attributed to trauma, sure, but they seem so uncharacteristic that I believe them to be the Authors social awkwardness bleeding into the novel. This seems to be a recurring theme. Out of nowhere, the Protagonist makes a lame insider joke about programming. Why would a field medic know anything of depth about programming? I mean it's not impossible but unlikely and came out of nowhere. I just checked: lo and behold the Author is a programmer and came up with this bad joke on the run and just couldn't resist showing his wittiness in the story even though it just isn't compatible with the protagonist he set out to write.
These poor excuses of comedic includes are painful but bearable. But when the Author begins to change fundamental game mechanics just to indulge in his snarkiness the book was over for me. The game managing AI getting annoyed by the Protagonist and thus sabotaging him by manipulating fundamental game rules is just a no-go. It completely destroyed ANY immersion I managed to build up till this point and lowered the rating from 2.5 to 1.
Conclusion
This book isn't about an MMORPG. If you want to read a story à la 'The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor' or 'Ark', this isn't for you. If you expect engaging player conflicts and competition for the top, look elsewhere.
If you don't care about MMORPGs and just want to read about a world with gaming elements, go ahead and read it with kindle unlimited. The Magic system is quite interesting and the book doesn't require any prior understanding of the genre to get into. But be warned even outside of the MMORPG specific things I mentioned in my review, there are countless glaring inconsistencies that will annoy you.
For me: Did not like it - 1 Star
A Dead Game
At first, the world seemed to live up to what you can expect from an AI controlled VRMMORPG. Countless Classes and specializations, NPCs with personality and dynamic quests, millions of players. Wait? Did I say millions of Players?
Although the Author insists on that, a few chapters into the book you can't help but notice that the game world is dead. Sure, at the beginning he has his run-in with the typical "baddies" and gets acquaintance with a guild of friendly people, but this seems more forced than anything. Like they were placed there deliberately instead of existing within the world and just so happening to meet the Protagonist. Outside of the handful of players mentioned SPECIFICALLY to drive the story, the world is DEAD. When walking through the city the narrator doesn't mention any other players, no one is trading items. When leaving the city through the gates, there aren't any players recruiting party members. When grinding they never come across any other players. When a local event happens, no one is there to fight them for possible rewards. The world is just dead.
A Lack of Competition
The apparent lack of other players gets magnified by another problem. We had not one ingame announcement where someone other than the Protagonist achieved something. No rankings, where you can see who are the highest leveled players and strongest guilds. Who is the best Mage? Who is the first to get a Profession or Class change? Did a guild clear a special dungeon or defeated a boss? Outside of the Protagonists guild only one other guild is mentioned throughout the entire book. And even they are irrelevant.
An MMORPG isn't about what YOU achieve. It's about getting ahead of your competition. You strive to be the first. You strive to be the strongest. You strive to be unique. But how can you do that if the Author creates a world where there is not a single way of measuring your progress compared to others? Without these things, this isn't an MMORPG but a single player game.
No Loot or Gear Progression
So this one is especially hurtful to any MMORPG fan. How can you write a Book about an MMORPG and fail to grasp a core concept of any MMORPG? The Class and Character stats make one half of the character, while the Items he carries are the other half. There are zero mentions of item levels. Zero mentions of item stats. And a just a few sporadic mentions of item effects. Are you serious? I don't even know what to say. The fact that ONLY item effects are mentioned makes it even worse. Is the Protagonist supposed to carry the same gear until level 100 only because the robe he got at level 1 has a ridiculously powerful effect? How has he ever any incentive to strive for new gear, if there are no item stats that make the level 1 gear less and less effective as the character progresses to a higher level?
Inconsistent and cringeworthy characterization
The Protagonist is supposed to be a veteran who, after years of service as a field medic left the army after getting crippled in war. From this background, you would expect a certain degree of maturity, strength of character and trauma. The Protagonist has none of that. He is a weak pushover who doesn't stand up for himself. At times he has manic humor attacks that could be attributed to trauma, sure, but they seem so uncharacteristic that I believe them to be the Authors social awkwardness bleeding into the novel. This seems to be a recurring theme. Out of nowhere, the Protagonist makes a lame insider joke about programming. Why would a field medic know anything of depth about programming? I mean it's not impossible but unlikely and came out of nowhere. I just checked: lo and behold the Author is a programmer and came up with this bad joke on the run and just couldn't resist showing his wittiness in the story even though it just isn't compatible with the protagonist he set out to write.
These poor excuses of comedic includes are painful but bearable. But when the Author begins to change fundamental game mechanics just to indulge in his snarkiness the book was over for me. The game managing AI getting annoyed by the Protagonist and thus sabotaging him by manipulating fundamental game rules is just a no-go. It completely destroyed ANY immersion I managed to build up till this point and lowered the rating from 2.5 to 1.
Conclusion
This book isn't about an MMORPG. If you want to read a story à la 'The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor' or 'Ark', this isn't for you. If you expect engaging player conflicts and competition for the top, look elsewhere.
If you don't care about MMORPGs and just want to read about a world with gaming elements, go ahead and read it with kindle unlimited. The Magic system is quite interesting and the book doesn't require any prior understanding of the genre to get into. But be warned even outside of the MMORPG specific things I mentioned in my review, there are countless glaring inconsistencies that will annoy you.
For me: Did not like it - 1 Star
August 22, 2025
A fun LitRPG that reads very smoothly in terms of pace and characterisations, well written with expansive world-building and awesome magic...
The problem? This not-light-page-count first installment is like a very long prologue. Recommended for all LitRPG and even fantasy enthusiasts.
Read: 03182023
Edit II: 05202023
The problem? This not-light-page-count first installment is like a very long prologue. Recommended for all LitRPG and even fantasy enthusiasts.
Read: 03182023
Edit II: 05202023
December 25, 2022
This alt-history-contemporary is a world where Elon Musk discovered a magic crystal and, in addition to all the other cool stuff he does, creates an immersive RPG game that is so complete that it can, for a lot of money, transfer your consciousness into the game (a big part of the fee is apparently body disposal). Joe is a combat medic who survives a direct hit to his helicopter and is paralyzed from the neck down. After his wife annuls their recent marriage and with a big payout for reasons I forget (it was a whole book ago, don't judge me) (okay, fine, judge me if you like, I can't stop you), he antes up for the full package, entering the game for permanent. Which makes him deeply invested in doing all the things.
I liked Joe. I particularly like his approach to the game. It's his life now, but it's also reality adjacent so he calls his mom every time he finds himself in timeout (from dying). Ex-soldier Joe is the first player who endures the entire training, testing cycle (a drawn-out process designed to make you give up and just get on with the game) and finds himself with a unique offer from "the Hidden God"—making him extra-special and with a secret class that hides itself as a cleric. Well, technically he is a cleric, but his ritualist class lets him bend rules.
I'm going to stop summarizing there because I could go on. I really enjoyed the mix of gaming and world building in this. I liked the varying levels of commitment the other players displayed and how that affected their activities. I liked that it wasn't all about the combat and that the world supported interesting activities and hidden quests and a deep trove of information and locations for people to discover.
And, as I mentioned, I liked Joe. And that's the part that matters. I'm giving this five stars, but a lot of that is how much I enjoyed being along with Joe in discovering the world and pushing its limits. Unlike a lot of LitRPG, this is single PoV and I think that might play a role in the higher rating, as well. Plus, I can't wait to pick up the next in the series and that's not nothing, either.
A note about Chaste: An immersive game like this one, with full sensory feedback, really should have had more sex. Or, well, any. I didn't even think about it while reading because Joe is a pretty straightforward guy and something of a loner and there weren't really any interesting romantic prospects in the story. It didn't feel artificial being completely chaste but I wonder if that will continue. Just as I wonder if a part of the immersion suppresses those hormonal aspects of the players.
I liked Joe. I particularly like his approach to the game. It's his life now, but it's also reality adjacent so he calls his mom every time he finds himself in timeout (from dying). Ex-soldier Joe is the first player who endures the entire training, testing cycle (a drawn-out process designed to make you give up and just get on with the game) and finds himself with a unique offer from "the Hidden God"—making him extra-special and with a secret class that hides itself as a cleric. Well, technically he is a cleric, but his ritualist class lets him bend rules.
I'm going to stop summarizing there because I could go on. I really enjoyed the mix of gaming and world building in this. I liked the varying levels of commitment the other players displayed and how that affected their activities. I liked that it wasn't all about the combat and that the world supported interesting activities and hidden quests and a deep trove of information and locations for people to discover.
And, as I mentioned, I liked Joe. And that's the part that matters. I'm giving this five stars, but a lot of that is how much I enjoyed being along with Joe in discovering the world and pushing its limits. Unlike a lot of LitRPG, this is single PoV and I think that might play a role in the higher rating, as well. Plus, I can't wait to pick up the next in the series and that's not nothing, either.
A note about Chaste: An immersive game like this one, with full sensory feedback, really should have had more sex. Or, well, any. I didn't even think about it while reading because Joe is a pretty straightforward guy and something of a loner and there weren't really any interesting romantic prospects in the story. It didn't feel artificial being completely chaste but I wonder if that will continue. Just as I wonder if a part of the immersion suppresses those hormonal aspects of the players.
June 17, 2019
Rating 4.0 stars
Relistened to June 2019, Initial review was below. I was listening to another LitRPG audiobook that wasn't that great when I decided to listen to this one again. I have so many books waiting for me to read/listen, but I get the feeling that most of them are just going to be okay based on my friends reviews. I was in the mood for more than just okay, that's why I have been re-reading books instead of attacking my To-Read list. I really hope the third book comes out soon.
Another LitRPG down. I am really getting into this genre. This one seemed a little more sophisticated and the premise a little more believable. In other books in this genre were the main character is sent into a computer game, there is always the question about why someone would do that? In this book the main character Joe, was a medic in the army and ended up getting into a helicopter crash and became a quadriplegic. His wife left him and he now lives with his mother. She has won the lottery and has money. One of Joe's friends is part of the company that made this new virtual reality game in which Joe can live a life and has full use of his limbs (virtual limbs that is).
Once he is uploaded into the game, he takes a bunch of tests to see what character classes he can unlock and which one he would like to pursue. A hidden god in the game offers him a change to be a ritualist. This is a secret class of character, one that allows him to find hidden knowledge and power. In order to keep his power he needs to hide his true nature as a ritualist. To every one else in the game they will see his class as either a cleric or a mage, but his true class is a ritualist. While there is great power that can come from being a ritualist, there is also a big downside. He will have increased wisdom, intelligence and perception, but that other main stats will be pathetic including strength, constitution and dexterity. His strength and constitution are so low that a brisk walk will make him pass out. I like the fact there is a cost to his power. In other books, it seems like every stat starts fairly high and then some stats get really high. This book makes the trade off for those super high stats by making other stats super low, which I found more realistic (as much as it can in fantasy book). There are some hints at the beginning of the book, that there might be more going on in the game than anyone knows, but I think the author is saving that explanation for future books.
Overall a very good addition to the LitRPG world. If you are new to the genre, this is probably a little more advanced, and I would recommend to start with something simpler. What I mean by that is that there was a lot more detail involved in stat points and allocation of mana in this book, that might be to complicated for a beginner to this genre. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Relistened to June 2019, Initial review was below. I was listening to another LitRPG audiobook that wasn't that great when I decided to listen to this one again. I have so many books waiting for me to read/listen, but I get the feeling that most of them are just going to be okay based on my friends reviews. I was in the mood for more than just okay, that's why I have been re-reading books instead of attacking my To-Read list. I really hope the third book comes out soon.
Another LitRPG down. I am really getting into this genre. This one seemed a little more sophisticated and the premise a little more believable. In other books in this genre were the main character is sent into a computer game, there is always the question about why someone would do that? In this book the main character Joe, was a medic in the army and ended up getting into a helicopter crash and became a quadriplegic. His wife left him and he now lives with his mother. She has won the lottery and has money. One of Joe's friends is part of the company that made this new virtual reality game in which Joe can live a life and has full use of his limbs (virtual limbs that is).
Once he is uploaded into the game, he takes a bunch of tests to see what character classes he can unlock and which one he would like to pursue. A hidden god in the game offers him a change to be a ritualist. This is a secret class of character, one that allows him to find hidden knowledge and power. In order to keep his power he needs to hide his true nature as a ritualist. To every one else in the game they will see his class as either a cleric or a mage, but his true class is a ritualist. While there is great power that can come from being a ritualist, there is also a big downside. He will have increased wisdom, intelligence and perception, but that other main stats will be pathetic including strength, constitution and dexterity. His strength and constitution are so low that a brisk walk will make him pass out. I like the fact there is a cost to his power. In other books, it seems like every stat starts fairly high and then some stats get really high. This book makes the trade off for those super high stats by making other stats super low, which I found more realistic (as much as it can in fantasy book). There are some hints at the beginning of the book, that there might be more going on in the game than anyone knows, but I think the author is saving that explanation for future books.
Overall a very good addition to the LitRPG world. If you are new to the genre, this is probably a little more advanced, and I would recommend to start with something simpler. What I mean by that is that there was a lot more detail involved in stat points and allocation of mana in this book, that might be to complicated for a beginner to this genre. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 29, 2018
I adore the Dungeon Born series by Dakota Krout, it’s one of the more unique litrpg’s I’ve read, and as the series continued the characters became well developed and the world building expanded and got more interesting. When I saw that Dakota Krout and Vikas Adams teamed up again for an audiobook I bought it instantly.
This is more in line with a ‘typical’ litrpg where the MC is sucked into a video game that serves as “real life” for them. Except, this was voluntary. Many times in those storylines the MC is involuntarily placed in a video game world. That’s not how it goes down in this book – Joe was a medic in the army and when his helicopter was shot down he became quadriplegic. One of his friends offers him an out, a way to get his body back and escape from the hellhole his life had become. He goes for it, and downloads his brain into a video game with the intent of becoming a ‘permanent resident’.
When he logs in he has to go through a series of tests, and since he was the only one to complete every single test he got a secret unlock to a “Hidden God”. The Hidden God is one of the only neutral gods you can follow in this game, and he comes with really cool perks. Joe will be able to find hidden quests, hidden treasures, and hidden knowledge throughout the game. He can even hide that he’s a Ritualist and displays “Cleric” to everyone else peeping at his stats. This does come with a cost though, Joe is one of the weakest players around, both in combat strength and stamina. He can’t run for long, tires very easily, and even his ‘critical hits’ don’t do much. He’s going to have to rely on being a part of a team to survive in his new world. As a personal note, I always play healer class if it’s available in games, so it’s been really neat reading a whole book from that perspective.
He does make it onto a team since he’s one of the only Cleric’s around, they’re apparently very rare as are magic users. Most people logging in for the first time don’t score well enough on magic skills to enter the game with abilities, most have to go to a mage’s college.
There’s an opposing guild that’s fighting for territory and making life extremely difficult for Joe and his friends. The clan leader is named Headshot, and his guild, the Hardcore’s are a group of TKing terrorizing assholes. They slaughter Joe’s team and try to force them into their guild, threatening to kill him if he doesn’t cooperate. Joe doesn’t back down, even when threatened with torture. Pain is a thing, a very real thing and makes being attacked by monsters that much more intense. Tanks in this world have it rough, being the ones whose job it is to take the most damage.
I liked Joe, he was easy to relate to and interesting to watch him deal with his new world and find out how to level up his character. I did enjoy that he thought to call his mom in game, and that he’s able to communicate with the outside world. It added to character depth when usually in “sucked into a video game” books sort of ignore the real-world after they get stuck in the game. Since he has a hidden class, he doesn’t have a typical Class Trainer to go to when he has points to spend or spells to learn, it all has to be done himself. He’s a fan of reading, so one of the first places he tries was the library. Unlike many players, he spends a lot of time in the library since his constitution and hit points are so low, his goal is to become a scholar and learn everything there is to know about this world.
This was another really strong book by Dakota Krout and I’ll definitely be continuing on with this series!
Audience:
LitRPG
healer POV
lots of action
heavy world building
faster paced
great audiobooks
quick light reads
Ratings:
Plot: 12.25/15
Characters: 12/15
World Building: 12.5/15
Writing: 12/15
Pacing: 12.5/15
Originality: 12/15
Personal Enjoyment: 8.25/10
Final Score: 81.5/100 – 4 stars recommended!
This is more in line with a ‘typical’ litrpg where the MC is sucked into a video game that serves as “real life” for them. Except, this was voluntary. Many times in those storylines the MC is involuntarily placed in a video game world. That’s not how it goes down in this book – Joe was a medic in the army and when his helicopter was shot down he became quadriplegic. One of his friends offers him an out, a way to get his body back and escape from the hellhole his life had become. He goes for it, and downloads his brain into a video game with the intent of becoming a ‘permanent resident’.
When he logs in he has to go through a series of tests, and since he was the only one to complete every single test he got a secret unlock to a “Hidden God”. The Hidden God is one of the only neutral gods you can follow in this game, and he comes with really cool perks. Joe will be able to find hidden quests, hidden treasures, and hidden knowledge throughout the game. He can even hide that he’s a Ritualist and displays “Cleric” to everyone else peeping at his stats. This does come with a cost though, Joe is one of the weakest players around, both in combat strength and stamina. He can’t run for long, tires very easily, and even his ‘critical hits’ don’t do much. He’s going to have to rely on being a part of a team to survive in his new world. As a personal note, I always play healer class if it’s available in games, so it’s been really neat reading a whole book from that perspective.
He does make it onto a team since he’s one of the only Cleric’s around, they’re apparently very rare as are magic users. Most people logging in for the first time don’t score well enough on magic skills to enter the game with abilities, most have to go to a mage’s college.
There’s an opposing guild that’s fighting for territory and making life extremely difficult for Joe and his friends. The clan leader is named Headshot, and his guild, the Hardcore’s are a group of TKing terrorizing assholes. They slaughter Joe’s team and try to force them into their guild, threatening to kill him if he doesn’t cooperate. Joe doesn’t back down, even when threatened with torture. Pain is a thing, a very real thing and makes being attacked by monsters that much more intense. Tanks in this world have it rough, being the ones whose job it is to take the most damage.
I liked Joe, he was easy to relate to and interesting to watch him deal with his new world and find out how to level up his character. I did enjoy that he thought to call his mom in game, and that he’s able to communicate with the outside world. It added to character depth when usually in “sucked into a video game” books sort of ignore the real-world after they get stuck in the game. Since he has a hidden class, he doesn’t have a typical Class Trainer to go to when he has points to spend or spells to learn, it all has to be done himself. He’s a fan of reading, so one of the first places he tries was the library. Unlike many players, he spends a lot of time in the library since his constitution and hit points are so low, his goal is to become a scholar and learn everything there is to know about this world.
This was another really strong book by Dakota Krout and I’ll definitely be continuing on with this series!
Audience:
LitRPG
healer POV
lots of action
heavy world building
faster paced
great audiobooks
quick light reads
Ratings:
Plot: 12.25/15
Characters: 12/15
World Building: 12.5/15
Writing: 12/15
Pacing: 12.5/15
Originality: 12/15
Personal Enjoyment: 8.25/10
Final Score: 81.5/100 – 4 stars recommended!
January 18, 2024
01/05/2019 Mini-Review ~ Mix of Audio & Kindle:
5 Stars for Narration by Vikas Adam
5 Stars for Rich Details (Game Mechanics)
4 Stars for Plot Progression
4 Stars for Characters
3.5 Stars for World
3 Stars for General Story Format in Kindle
Woohoo! I'm happy to find another great LitRPG book. I loved the attention to detail and how they were woven into the story. The whole book was an info dump but it didn't feel like work at all. I didn't feel like I was getting forced fed information. It was all put forth within the story and I enjoyed it a lot! I like the humor, hidden god and the goal of wanting to explore the whole game. I see life as a constant avenue of learning. If there was an option to play a Joe-like character in a game, I would totally do it!
Excellent start of a new series! I already have book two set up to play. =)
5 Stars for Narration by Vikas Adam
5 Stars for Rich Details (Game Mechanics)
4 Stars for Plot Progression
4 Stars for Characters
3.5 Stars for World
3 Stars for General Story Format in Kindle
Woohoo! I'm happy to find another great LitRPG book. I loved the attention to detail and how they were woven into the story. The whole book was an info dump but it didn't feel like work at all. I didn't feel like I was getting forced fed information. It was all put forth within the story and I enjoyed it a lot! I like the humor, hidden god and the goal of wanting to explore the whole game. I see life as a constant avenue of learning. If there was an option to play a Joe-like character in a game, I would totally do it!
Excellent start of a new series! I already have book two set up to play. =)
January 13, 2019
First i was thinking "Oh god, not another generic LitRPG Book", but luckily this one ended up as a good book with some refreshing new ideas.
I like the Class of Ritualist in general, its a nice idea that you have to hide your own class or suffer drawbacks.
There seems to be always something going on without becoming an intangled mess of storylines.
For those who also liked Dungeon Born - Its nice that our favorite overgrown mutated Bunnies make an appearance here.
This book feels like it has been influenced by other good book-series like Catharsis and The Land: Founding.
I also had a very strong Ascend Online Vibe while reading. I so hope there will be some Base-Building in the next book. I look forward to it!
I like the Class of Ritualist in general, its a nice idea that you have to hide your own class or suffer drawbacks.
There seems to be always something going on without becoming an intangled mess of storylines.
For those who also liked Dungeon Born - Its nice that our favorite overgrown mutated Bunnies make an appearance here.
This book feels like it has been influenced by other good book-series like Catharsis and The Land: Founding.
I also had a very strong Ascend Online Vibe while reading. I so hope there will be some Base-Building in the next book. I look forward to it!
October 16, 2020
Great start to a new series by one of the best authors writing in the Litrpg genre today. The main character is a likable every-man type and the tone of the story contains the right amount of humor (for me, at least). The pacing is great and I never felt like what I was reading was filler...which seems to be a problem in the genre at the moment.
Highly recommended for all readers whether they are dipping their toes into litrpg for the first time or they are seasoned high-level vets of gamelit.
Highly recommended for all readers whether they are dipping their toes into litrpg for the first time or they are seasoned high-level vets of gamelit.
May 17, 2018
Not a perfectionist, a completionist!
But yeah a bit of a perfectionist too.
Here you have an army medic that due to RL reasons lives in a game. Same as many LitRPG books before him he has stumbled on to a rare class and uses it to a degree that the game rules seem to bend around him in order to achieve OP status before your coffee has had a chance to cool down.
The book is well written and there is always something going on to keep the story moving without it turning into a hot mess which I liked.
The reasons our MC (simply named Joe here) is OP is clearly stated and unlike many other books he was given draw backs too not just positives.
Sadly I had to take away a star from it because I just couldn't get invested into the tale. In the way of video games everything is handed to the MC on a silver plate from the very beginning. We are told of his struggles but this AI seems rather generous with his rewards.
Another star I'm removing due to world building. There is no set of rules here, it's just whatever would give the MC the better edge along the way. This makes it hard to appreciate whatever victory is achieved or risk taken. Fall from a sky scraper? Here have this uber rare skill that nobody else has. was hit by a splinter? You're dead. bye, see ya in three hours! His group is rich enough to ignore low level loot but freak out over losing about $150 worth of in game money?
After awhile that guild was starting to grit on my nerves. This character seems to enjoy individual work, so much so that from the very beginning he is batman and everyone else in the guild is Robin. The author goes out of his way to point out that the only value this guild has is this one guy so.... why is he in the guild?
An ok book but very middle of the road sadly.
But yeah a bit of a perfectionist too.
Here you have an army medic that due to RL reasons lives in a game. Same as many LitRPG books before him he has stumbled on to a rare class and uses it to a degree that the game rules seem to bend around him in order to achieve OP status before your coffee has had a chance to cool down.
The book is well written and there is always something going on to keep the story moving without it turning into a hot mess which I liked.
The reasons our MC (simply named Joe here) is OP is clearly stated and unlike many other books he was given draw backs too not just positives.
Sadly I had to take away a star from it because I just couldn't get invested into the tale. In the way of video games everything is handed to the MC on a silver plate from the very beginning. We are told of his struggles but this AI seems rather generous with his rewards.
Another star I'm removing due to world building. There is no set of rules here, it's just whatever would give the MC the better edge along the way. This makes it hard to appreciate whatever victory is achieved or risk taken. Fall from a sky scraper? Here have this uber rare skill that nobody else has. was hit by a splinter? You're dead. bye, see ya in three hours! His group is rich enough to ignore low level loot but freak out over losing about $150 worth of in game money?
After awhile that guild was starting to grit on my nerves. This character seems to enjoy individual work, so much so that from the very beginning he is batman and everyone else in the guild is Robin. The author goes out of his way to point out that the only value this guild has is this one guy so.... why is he in the guild?
An ok book but very middle of the road sadly.
February 5, 2021
There were a few things I liked, a few things I hated, several places that made me want to stop reading entirely, and the remaining 70% just made me scratch my head. But it was also pretty funny at times and had a relatively satisfying conclusion.
The emphasis of this novel is on the the player skills and stats in a fictional MMORPG. If you're okay with everything stopping so the protagonist can drool about tiny incremental progress or slightly more efficient spellcasting, this may be for you. At least Joe's inner goddess didn't dance the merengue. This all seemed like pointless page filler to me, something better summarized or implied. I have to admit that the game sounds fun as hell to play and unlock new abilities through creativity and luck. I was less thrilled by the multiple chapters focusing on the blow-by-blow grind of killing low level mobs to level up, especially since it has little to do with how the last quarter of the book pans out.
I didn't connect with any of the characters, the world building was almost nonexistent, the action was sometimes hard to follow and lacked any real stakes or tension. And then there's the whole Elon Musk Worship, fixing non-neurotypicals, and "race-traitor" stuff. Hoo boy.
1.75 mana flasks out of ten. Rounded the fuck down.
The emphasis of this novel is on the the player skills and stats in a fictional MMORPG. If you're okay with everything stopping so the protagonist can drool about tiny incremental progress or slightly more efficient spellcasting, this may be for you. At least Joe's inner goddess didn't dance the merengue. This all seemed like pointless page filler to me, something better summarized or implied. I have to admit that the game sounds fun as hell to play and unlock new abilities through creativity and luck. I was less thrilled by the multiple chapters focusing on the blow-by-blow grind of killing low level mobs to level up, especially since it has little to do with how the last quarter of the book pans out.
I didn't connect with any of the characters, the world building was almost nonexistent, the action was sometimes hard to follow and lacked any real stakes or tension. And then there's the whole Elon Musk Worship, fixing non-neurotypicals, and "race-traitor" stuff. Hoo boy.
1.75 mana flasks out of ten. Rounded the fuck down.
March 27, 2018
I don't really know how much praise I want to laud onto this book. It will mean that the author will have two series to write and we will have longer to go between Dungeon books.
On the other hand, if they are as well written and entertaining as this one, I guess we'll abide.
Keep up the great work
On the other hand, if they are as well written and entertaining as this one, I guess we'll abide.
Keep up the great work
July 17, 2018
Another entertaining read from Krout
I was disappointed to see that Dakota Krout's fourth book wasn't another in the Divine Dungeon series. I loved them so I decided to give his new series a try. Good decision.
Ritualust builds an interesting game world, and manages to move quickly while doing so. I immediately liked the protagonist, Joe, and the path he set upon. 100% completion is a goal I have often attempted, but rarely attained.
The humor is similar to his other books, with slightly fewer puns. I'm looking forward to seeing more of the the snarky A.I. as the series progresses.
Great book! Write faster! :D
I was disappointed to see that Dakota Krout's fourth book wasn't another in the Divine Dungeon series. I loved them so I decided to give his new series a try. Good decision.
Ritualust builds an interesting game world, and manages to move quickly while doing so. I immediately liked the protagonist, Joe, and the path he set upon. 100% completion is a goal I have often attempted, but rarely attained.
The humor is similar to his other books, with slightly fewer puns. I'm looking forward to seeing more of the the snarky A.I. as the series progresses.
Great book! Write faster! :D
March 9, 2024
I ain't gonna lie. That dude Elon being blamed for company practices. Had me thinking this was an Elon Musk fanfiction. But I let the world building cook. Ended up being interesting. But why start off with Elon. It's the only time he is mentioned. Os he the reason for the hidden features in the game?
March 27, 2018
Awesome
Keep it up cant wait for next book!!
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Keep it up cant wait for next book!!
. . . . . . . . . . . .
April 9, 2018
Good litrpg
This book is a great addition to the litrpg genre. The only disappointing part of this book is that now I have to wait for the rest of the story!
This book is a great addition to the litrpg genre. The only disappointing part of this book is that now I have to wait for the rest of the story!
March 18, 2018
A fun read with many fun references
Right out of the gate we're beaten over the head with some obvious references from both the author's past work (Divine Dungeon) as well as some real world people and situations. There were some other references throughout the book, but as a lover of the Divine Dungeon series, I had some giggles.
The story starts out as so many LitRPGs do in that someone is trapped in an MMO for some reason. Once inside, things just take off. It's a fun and exciting romp right to the end.
I personally enjoyed some of the systems that came along from the Divine Dungeon books. Nice bit of nostalgia as well as an established system that the author is comfortable with.
A great, fast read!
Right out of the gate we're beaten over the head with some obvious references from both the author's past work (Divine Dungeon) as well as some real world people and situations. There were some other references throughout the book, but as a lover of the Divine Dungeon series, I had some giggles.
The story starts out as so many LitRPGs do in that someone is trapped in an MMO for some reason. Once inside, things just take off. It's a fun and exciting romp right to the end.
I personally enjoyed some of the systems that came along from the Divine Dungeon books. Nice bit of nostalgia as well as an established system that the author is comfortable with.
A great, fast read!
June 25, 2018
Wow! This book drew me in deep.... As it is a LitRPG book and even has character sheets repeated throughout the book, it is not for everyone, but if you are from the geek side and want to give it a try, you will not be disappointed.
I could not put this book down. It completely drew me into the main character, even giving a nod to issues of faith..
I WANT MORE NOW. Dakota Krout has a master's skill in creating characters you are drawn to.
I could not put this book down. It completely drew me into the main character, even giving a nod to issues of faith..
I WANT MORE NOW. Dakota Krout has a master's skill in creating characters you are drawn to.
June 21, 2018
Surprisingly good!
I was a bit skeptical going into this book, but after seeing it recommended time & time again on Facebook posts wishing the LitRPG groups I decided to give it a shot & I wasn’t disappointed! Great work & cant wait for the next book!
I was a bit skeptical going into this book, but after seeing it recommended time & time again on Facebook posts wishing the LitRPG groups I decided to give it a shot & I wasn’t disappointed! Great work & cant wait for the next book!
November 7, 2022
I re-listend to the 1st book as I was somewhat disappointed in book 6 of the completionist chronicles series and really doubting whether I should continue (7 and 8 are already out) and YES, I still love book 1. So I guess I'll just listened to all of them again and see what I feel then :)
August 6, 2020
Rating: 4.0/5
Review: This was a really inventive novel with an involved approach to developing specific magics. I was unable to put this novel down despite some inconsistencies. So hang on while I deride.
1) Joe: How does an experienced combat veteran get thrust into a game with similar stresses, somehow get constantly told what to do by a player that was a librarian or some shjt? He constantly errors in situations that he should be an expert in, or at least be cognitive. One avenue not explored is sex. Since Joe is in the game for good, where did his libido go?
2) World building: There is no ability to visualize the landscape and more importantly, the players as descriptions are never given. What does Tammy, Aten, Tank, Cel etc., look like? Got me. As they move through the country side wolves are hidden in the bushes or under trees. What trees? Conifers? Deciduous? Is the brush thick? Sparse? What color is anything? Is the terrain undulating? Flat? This was a big visualization downer.
Technically, the writing is superb and the story line moves smoothly and crescendos appropriately. Joe is an interesting character, unique in presentation and style. The writer imbues Joe with enough depth that you constantly root for his success. An easy 5 star novel without the minor fall down(s).
Review: This was a really inventive novel with an involved approach to developing specific magics. I was unable to put this novel down despite some inconsistencies. So hang on while I deride.
1) Joe: How does an experienced combat veteran get thrust into a game with similar stresses, somehow get constantly told what to do by a player that was a librarian or some shjt? He constantly errors in situations that he should be an expert in, or at least be cognitive. One avenue not explored is sex. Since Joe is in the game for good, where did his libido go?
2) World building: There is no ability to visualize the landscape and more importantly, the players as descriptions are never given. What does Tammy, Aten, Tank, Cel etc., look like? Got me. As they move through the country side wolves are hidden in the bushes or under trees. What trees? Conifers? Deciduous? Is the brush thick? Sparse? What color is anything? Is the terrain undulating? Flat? This was a big visualization downer.
Technically, the writing is superb and the story line moves smoothly and crescendos appropriately. Joe is an interesting character, unique in presentation and style. The writer imbues Joe with enough depth that you constantly root for his success. An easy 5 star novel without the minor fall down(s).
February 5, 2021
I almost DNFed this after the first two chapters, but I got more into it once the protagonist, Joe, got into the game. This is the first lit-RPG that I've read and I found the game elements of this book to be really satisfying. I liked the way the skills advanced either by Joe leaning or trying something new. Joe isn't really that interesting of a character, but he has interesting skills. There isn't much 'plot' but I didn't really mind that so much. The main antagonist is introduced 3/4ths of the way through the book, which was a little abrupt, but ultimately, I was satisfied with how it ended.
Here are some things I really disliked about this book:
-The hero worship of Elon Musk.
-The whole 'race war' thing.
-The belittling of neurodiverse people, including the autistic and the depressed, implying that it would 'save the world' if their brains were just made more 'normal'. It was also implied that depressed people get that way by 'letting themselves go'.
-The maturity of the protagonist decreased the further into the book I got. I noticed at one point that the voice in my head for him switched from 'veteran' to '12 year old boy'.
After reading this book I definitely want to try more of the lit-RPG genre, but not by this author.
Here are some things I really disliked about this book:
-The hero worship of Elon Musk.
-The whole 'race war' thing.
-The belittling of neurodiverse people, including the autistic and the depressed, implying that it would 'save the world' if their brains were just made more 'normal'. It was also implied that depressed people get that way by 'letting themselves go'.
-The maturity of the protagonist decreased the further into the book I got. I noticed at one point that the voice in my head for him switched from 'veteran' to '12 year old boy'.
After reading this book I definitely want to try more of the lit-RPG genre, but not by this author.
November 3, 2023
One of the best
"The Ritualist" by Dakota Krout is about Joe, a character who enters a game world where magic is banned. He chooses a mysterious class, aims to master all abilities, and survive in the world.
This LitRPG book is one of my favorites. It acts like a balm for my fatigue; whenever I feel down, I turn to it.
I adore Joe, the main character. Despite his troubled past, he enters the game world without hope but gains a hidden class, which is simply amazing.
The plot unfolds seamlessly alongside Joe, and the stats are revealed judiciously, only when necessary.
I also found a few other characters captivating, especially Tiona, Aten (or A ten, lol), and Cel, also known as Tate the potato. CAL, the AI, adds a touch of humor, sarcasm, and lifelike charm.
I suspect CAL might be someone from the Dungeon series, but I won't spoil it for anyone.
In summary, this book serves as a fantastic introduction to an incredible series. I cherished every moment of reading it.
I must commend Vikas Adam for his outstanding narration in the audiobook version, which enhanced the experience further.
Now, I'm eagerly moving on to the next one. Adios!
"The Ritualist" by Dakota Krout is about Joe, a character who enters a game world where magic is banned. He chooses a mysterious class, aims to master all abilities, and survive in the world.
This LitRPG book is one of my favorites. It acts like a balm for my fatigue; whenever I feel down, I turn to it.
I adore Joe, the main character. Despite his troubled past, he enters the game world without hope but gains a hidden class, which is simply amazing.
The plot unfolds seamlessly alongside Joe, and the stats are revealed judiciously, only when necessary.
I also found a few other characters captivating, especially Tiona, Aten (or A ten, lol), and Cel, also known as Tate the potato. CAL, the AI, adds a touch of humor, sarcasm, and lifelike charm.
I suspect CAL might be someone from the Dungeon series, but I won't spoil it for anyone.
In summary, this book serves as a fantastic introduction to an incredible series. I cherished every moment of reading it.
I must commend Vikas Adam for his outstanding narration in the audiobook version, which enhanced the experience further.
Now, I'm eagerly moving on to the next one. Adios!
January 7, 2021
Nice
Interesting book, I liked most of it; the Genocide bit is mildly terrifying, here’s hoping the MC finds a way to *not* slaughter innocent wolf man civilians, and of course the implication that Autism could be ‘Cured’ indicates it’s a disease, which it is not: the author clearly isn’t a doctor or psychologist, and has no real knowledge of Autism and ADHD, as well as the various other states of being outside of ‘The Norm’ labeled by the uninitiated and uninformed as ‘Disorders’, which are not curable because they are not afflictions. Other than that, the mild homophobia towards the NPC shopkeeper didn’t surprise me, so I ignored it for the most part, but it’s such a small detail that including it offered nothing to the story except a statement of what must be assumed to be the authors personal opinions, given that, again, the small throwaway sentence offered no value to the story, the same as the line about Autism. Both were not useful to the story, and so we the readers must assume them to be the authors personal opinions.
Interesting book, I liked most of it; the Genocide bit is mildly terrifying, here’s hoping the MC finds a way to *not* slaughter innocent wolf man civilians, and of course the implication that Autism could be ‘Cured’ indicates it’s a disease, which it is not: the author clearly isn’t a doctor or psychologist, and has no real knowledge of Autism and ADHD, as well as the various other states of being outside of ‘The Norm’ labeled by the uninitiated and uninformed as ‘Disorders’, which are not curable because they are not afflictions. Other than that, the mild homophobia towards the NPC shopkeeper didn’t surprise me, so I ignored it for the most part, but it’s such a small detail that including it offered nothing to the story except a statement of what must be assumed to be the authors personal opinions, given that, again, the small throwaway sentence offered no value to the story, the same as the line about Autism. Both were not useful to the story, and so we the readers must assume them to be the authors personal opinions.
July 17, 2018
Something about this book..
Made me avoid it for the longest time. And everytime I find a similar book, think I'll hate it, and then eventually succumb to reading it, I find out its an amazing book.
And this is an amazing book. This is the type of LitRPG I love the most, I love stories with overpowered MC's, secret questlines, hidden deities, the works. This book covered all the bases for me and made it really hard to put down when I needed to go to bed.. Loved it
Made me avoid it for the longest time. And everytime I find a similar book, think I'll hate it, and then eventually succumb to reading it, I find out its an amazing book.
And this is an amazing book. This is the type of LitRPG I love the most, I love stories with overpowered MC's, secret questlines, hidden deities, the works. This book covered all the bases for me and made it really hard to put down when I needed to go to bed.. Loved it
July 23, 2018
20.3.2018 - 4*
Líbí se mi svět Krouta. Je barevný a živý a slibuje překvapení. Ritualist mě bavil a patří k lepším litRPG, na které jsem narazila. Zároveň mi ale něco chybí. Možná mi jen nesedí protagonista - Joe byl vojenský medik, propána, ale občas se choval jako dítě. Stejně bych hned skočila po pokračování, kdyby bylo k dispozici. Hold, budu si muset počkat. ^^
Líbí se mi svět Krouta. Je barevný a živý a slibuje překvapení. Ritualist mě bavil a patří k lepším litRPG, na které jsem narazila. Zároveň mi ale něco chybí. Možná mi jen nesedí protagonista - Joe byl vojenský medik, propána, ale občas se choval jako dítě. Stejně bych hned skočila po pokračování, kdyby bylo k dispozici. Hold, budu si muset počkat. ^^
March 17, 2018
Natural talent
I've read four books by this author, he is a natural. The stories he writes make me want more. Having to wait for his next book I'd depressing.
I highly recommend all this author's books to date.
I've read four books by this author, he is a natural. The stories he writes make me want more. Having to wait for his next book I'd depressing.
I highly recommend all this author's books to date.
October 11, 2023
DNF as soon as the main character turned out to be called Elon who is a genius and has designs to go to Mars knew this book would be a joke….
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