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Dante's Immortality #1
Beginnings
For those who reside in the outer regions of Aleria, the day of bestowal is what determines their destiny.
It is the holy day of the Goddess. The day that allows those of age to step forward and receive her blessing, to embark on the path that she has chosen for them. To receive their Classification, which dictates their strength and ability. For those people, the holy day of bestowal represents fate itself.
For Dante, it represents salvation.
Years have past since he found himself abandoned without memories. Years of hunger, ostracization, and solitude on the streets of Alazel without any hope of reprieve. Of entrapment at the hands of the creatures that roamed the wilds beyond the city walls that made leaving impossible.
Now, there is a chance for everything to change.
In a cruel world where power could be gained through slaughter, strength meant everything. For Dante, that meant that the last his hopes lay in the Goddess’ blessing. A combat Classification would be a lifeline, a way for him to escape the hell he had been living in. Anything else would only mean death.
This is a fantasy story that is heavily influence by LitRPG elements, which include: classes, status screens, skills, leveling, and a form of experience gain among other things.
It is the holy day of the Goddess. The day that allows those of age to step forward and receive her blessing, to embark on the path that she has chosen for them. To receive their Classification, which dictates their strength and ability. For those people, the holy day of bestowal represents fate itself.
For Dante, it represents salvation.
Years have past since he found himself abandoned without memories. Years of hunger, ostracization, and solitude on the streets of Alazel without any hope of reprieve. Of entrapment at the hands of the creatures that roamed the wilds beyond the city walls that made leaving impossible.
Now, there is a chance for everything to change.
In a cruel world where power could be gained through slaughter, strength meant everything. For Dante, that meant that the last his hopes lay in the Goddess’ blessing. A combat Classification would be a lifeline, a way for him to escape the hell he had been living in. Anything else would only mean death.
This is a fantasy story that is heavily influence by LitRPG elements, which include: classes, status screens, skills, leveling, and a form of experience gain among other things.
496 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 13, 2018
177 people are currently reading
601 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
May 7, 2018
If you want to read a LitRPG that has more plot than Kim Kardashian has booty. This is the book for you. This book is the tale of a wayward man who goes from having nothing to being front and center in a plethora of devious noble plots. The MC is in WAY over his head about what's going on and is simply trying to figure out one thing. What the f**k is going on. Between not knowing who his parents are and why he was given the option to choose his classification, he's met with intrigue at every stop. The book is well done and is a wonderful read. I'm looking forward to seeing more of the MC in the next book. The only thing that I would have to say is that a lot of the characters aren't fleshed out. The story here tends to be more plot based than actually invested in the people. This doesn't detract from the story because you really don't care that much about the people, but more about what's going on. It's like hearing one of your friends tell you a story about what happened at work. You might not really care about the people, but you're interested in seeing how the story goes. This is a lot like that. That's not to say that the character have no depth, I'm just saying that they don't have a lot. Especially with the rate at which people die in this book, there might not be a lot of reason to flesh them out. I mean people live longer in Game of Thrones than they do in this book. It's still a must read. You will enjoy this!
April 14, 2018
An absolute page turner.
Good blend of game and world building and rather than a cliff hanger like is all too common for book ends in the genre it instead leaves off on a teaser making you want more
Good blend of game and world building and rather than a cliff hanger like is all too common for book ends in the genre it instead leaves off on a teaser making you want more
February 8, 2020
Rating 4.25 stars
This is a very good LitRPG book. I had taken a break from the genre for a little while, so this was a nice return to this type of book. Sometimes in these types of books the "gamer" component of stats and leveling up can be a little overwhelming. This book did a very good job of making the story come first and having the "stats" aspect of the game enhance the story instead of overwhelm it. The story follows Dante. He is a young man living on the streets. He is shunned by every person he has ever met due to his odd looks. He has silver hair and red eyes. In this world when someone turns 14 years old, they go to the temple to receive the blessing of the goddess and also receive their classification. The blessing allows the person to access the mana in the world, while the classification tells the person what type of job they can expect to have (warrior, mage, ranger, etc). There was so much going on in this book, it is hard to know how to describe it. For Dante's part, he just kept his head down and trained. There were plots within plots happening around Dante though. So many plans to manipulate him. It was impossible to know who to trust, if he should trust anyone. This story had a good mix between all its parts. I really enjoyed Dante's training and leveling up, but that would have been pointless without a goal or reason to get stronger. The political intrigue is not my favorite but while it surrounded Dante it wasn't overbearing. The reason I didn't give this a higher rating is because I thought there were a few too many things that weren't explained Dante ends up being one of those insanely OP main characters who is still the underdog in most situations. Overall a good read and I am looking forward to the next book.
This is a very good LitRPG book. I had taken a break from the genre for a little while, so this was a nice return to this type of book. Sometimes in these types of books the "gamer" component of stats and leveling up can be a little overwhelming. This book did a very good job of making the story come first and having the "stats" aspect of the game enhance the story instead of overwhelm it. The story follows Dante. He is a young man living on the streets. He is shunned by every person he has ever met due to his odd looks. He has silver hair and red eyes. In this world when someone turns 14 years old, they go to the temple to receive the blessing of the goddess and also receive their classification. The blessing allows the person to access the mana in the world, while the classification tells the person what type of job they can expect to have (warrior, mage, ranger, etc). There was so much going on in this book, it is hard to know how to describe it. For Dante's part, he just kept his head down and trained. There were plots within plots happening around Dante though. So many plans to manipulate him. It was impossible to know who to trust, if he should trust anyone. This story had a good mix between all its parts. I really enjoyed Dante's training and leveling up, but that would have been pointless without a goal or reason to get stronger. The political intrigue is not my favorite but while it surrounded Dante it wasn't overbearing. The reason I didn't give this a higher rating is because I thought there were a few too many things that weren't explained Dante ends up being one of those insanely OP main characters who is still the underdog in most situations. Overall a good read and I am looking forward to the next book.
May 2, 2018
This is a good book, that kept me listening to the audio version far later than I should have stayed awake. The writing is solid, and all around impressive for a debut novel. If you like Fantasy or LitRPG you won't regret your purchase of this title. I'd recommend it most for fantasy readers who have some experience with RPGs. I will certainly read the sequel if one is written.
I would have given it 5 stars except for 2 glaring plot holes.
#1 - It reads like a fantasy novel with game elements imposed on it. I get that that's what most LitRPGs are, but there's literally no explanation for why people level up, have skills, and attribute points to spend. Usually in LitRPG there's a foundation of "We're playing a game, and this is your life now." or "You've been kidnapped by an evil overlord with a fondness for RPGs and has warped your perception of the world to resemble one." Is this a game or not? Why not just make it a fantasy novel where characters are imbued with branches of magic (classes) and advance their abilities via practice and experimentation?
The characters certainly don't act like they are playing a game - they're afraid of death, grieve for friends who have fallen, and there don't appear to be any respawns. Dante doesn't seem to have any memories outside of living in the world we're introduced to and yet... Every so often people stop to spend points based on their experience to level up their skills. Where is this coming from? We are often told that the protagonist is selecting tabs, and using some kind of interface, but we're never told how he interacts with it. Does he have a little tablet like an iPad? Is it an illusory manifestation that hangs in the air like laser light? Does he close his eyes, and just picture this in his mind? I have no idea because it's never described.
A lot of times we hear about instances where people are decapitated or cut in half, but there's a distinct lack of description of gore. No blood spatters, no entrails spilling all over the place that someone will have to clean up (in the case of the arena). I can't tell if this is because they weren't there (as with most video games), or because the author didn't want to describe them. Sometimes people are killed with painful ease (again, the same as in a game), but I've also read fantasy novels that weren't LitRPGs where people die with very small effort made by the protagonist.
#2 - The author goes to great lengths to detail how Dante's glove absorbs his enemies' classifications after every fight. At first it seemed like this was going to be a story of an OP protagonist that has an artifact that allows him access to every class in the game, but that's not the case. Someone dies, the glove "absorbs the classification" then... what? Nothing. There doesn't seem to be any point. He doesn't seem to gain any benefits from doing this, so I'm not sure why there's so much time devoted to explaining that stuff's being absorbed.
I also kinda wish that the title had more to do with the story. Yes the story is about Dante, but the concept of immortality doesn't even enter the story.
I would have given it 5 stars except for 2 glaring plot holes.
#1 - It reads like a fantasy novel with game elements imposed on it. I get that that's what most LitRPGs are, but there's literally no explanation for why people level up, have skills, and attribute points to spend. Usually in LitRPG there's a foundation of "We're playing a game, and this is your life now." or "You've been kidnapped by an evil overlord with a fondness for RPGs and has warped your perception of the world to resemble one." Is this a game or not? Why not just make it a fantasy novel where characters are imbued with branches of magic (classes) and advance their abilities via practice and experimentation?
The characters certainly don't act like they are playing a game - they're afraid of death, grieve for friends who have fallen, and there don't appear to be any respawns. Dante doesn't seem to have any memories outside of living in the world we're introduced to and yet... Every so often people stop to spend points based on their experience to level up their skills. Where is this coming from? We are often told that the protagonist is selecting tabs, and using some kind of interface, but we're never told how he interacts with it. Does he have a little tablet like an iPad? Is it an illusory manifestation that hangs in the air like laser light? Does he close his eyes, and just picture this in his mind? I have no idea because it's never described.
A lot of times we hear about instances where people are decapitated or cut in half, but there's a distinct lack of description of gore. No blood spatters, no entrails spilling all over the place that someone will have to clean up (in the case of the arena). I can't tell if this is because they weren't there (as with most video games), or because the author didn't want to describe them. Sometimes people are killed with painful ease (again, the same as in a game), but I've also read fantasy novels that weren't LitRPGs where people die with very small effort made by the protagonist.
#2 - The author goes to great lengths to detail how Dante's glove absorbs his enemies' classifications after every fight. At first it seemed like this was going to be a story of an OP protagonist that has an artifact that allows him access to every class in the game, but that's not the case. Someone dies, the glove "absorbs the classification" then... what? Nothing. There doesn't seem to be any point. He doesn't seem to gain any benefits from doing this, so I'm not sure why there's so much time devoted to explaining that stuff's being absorbed.
I also kinda wish that the title had more to do with the story. Yes the story is about Dante, but the concept of immortality doesn't even enter the story.
November 9, 2020
OMFG This book has to be the #1 best book I have listened to this year it was just amazing, jaw-dropping, edge-gripping. I could hardly put it away. This is a heartbreaking story with so much emotion. Coupled with great world building and mind blowing action scenes. The characters are real and you really connect with them on another level. The amount of world building and character growth in this book is just perfection. The plot is great and very well paced. I WANT THE NEXT BOOK NOW!!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!!!! Btw no cliffhanger at least I don't count it as one. BUT I THINK I MIGHT DIE IF I DON'T GET MORE DANTE!!!!!! Not really a spoiler seeing as you find this out at the start of the book. But I'll say stop reading here if you don't want to know anything about the MC at the start.
when I say emotional Imagine this. no one has ever loved you as far as you can remember, everyone hates you because of how you look and you are only a kid. People regularly beat and mistreat you. You have to search the garbage to survive.
when I say emotional Imagine this. no one has ever loved you as far as you can remember, everyone hates you because of how you look and you are only a kid. People regularly beat and mistreat you. You have to search the garbage to survive.
May 19, 2018
I really haven't had much time to leave reviews lately, but wanted to make sure I did for this book.
I'm always fascinated with the stories in this genre where the game aspects are part of a world. It's a fine line to walk between the ridiculous and the believable but I think the author did a great job on this book.
There are some issues with character development, especially as Dante gets involved in the "broader world" where he has drastically different reactions to things, which leads me to believe there's a certain level of plot directive happening here, but overall it's a minor problem. Right now.
I did go to where the author is posting the story online and read a few chapters and this becomes a major concern in that section that will become book 2. Enough that I stopped reading and will just wait for the final edited copy.
I wonder where things will go from here.
I'm always fascinated with the stories in this genre where the game aspects are part of a world. It's a fine line to walk between the ridiculous and the believable but I think the author did a great job on this book.
There are some issues with character development, especially as Dante gets involved in the "broader world" where he has drastically different reactions to things, which leads me to believe there's a certain level of plot directive happening here, but overall it's a minor problem. Right now.
I did go to where the author is posting the story online and read a few chapters and this becomes a major concern in that section that will become book 2. Enough that I stopped reading and will just wait for the final edited copy.
I wonder where things will go from here.
December 30, 2024
The premise is similar to "The Ultimate Level One" series... a peasant wins unusual abilities on his power-up day and must hide them or be enslaved by the ruling class.
The element that drew me in, was Dante's earnest personality. Despite being ostracized since birth, when given a taste of the life he's been missing, he reacts by trying to eat it all at once. Sadly, he quickly learns that the powerful achieved their status by taking from others. He must now balance on a razor's edge, navigating the conflicting desires of multiple factions while staying under the radar.
The academy structure is somewhat laughable, until you realise that the people running it have no interest in bettering the lives of the students. In fact, the whole world is pretty dark, but Dante is the light that offers hope to the reader.
It's such a shame that things didn't work out for the author. I'd have loved to keep reading.
The element that drew me in, was Dante's earnest personality. Despite being ostracized since birth, when given a taste of the life he's been missing, he reacts by trying to eat it all at once. Sadly, he quickly learns that the powerful achieved their status by taking from others. He must now balance on a razor's edge, navigating the conflicting desires of multiple factions while staying under the radar.
The academy structure is somewhat laughable, until you realise that the people running it have no interest in bettering the lives of the students. In fact, the whole world is pretty dark, but Dante is the light that offers hope to the reader.
It's such a shame that things didn't work out for the author. I'd have loved to keep reading.
May 2, 2018
This is such a great book and surprise. When I saw the cover of a blood drenched hero and LITRPG tag I had low expectations, but the reviews of this book being a page turner is more than apt.
I wouldn't really call this a LITRPG, though it has LITRPG elements, but more of a traditional fantasy book. Instead of the usual elaborate magic systems in traditional fantasy, the LITRPG mechanics are used instead. Just imagine world a harsh fantasy world with real people and how a magic system with RPG elements would warp such a world.
Really look forward to this series, can't recommended it enough.
I wouldn't really call this a LITRPG, though it has LITRPG elements, but more of a traditional fantasy book. Instead of the usual elaborate magic systems in traditional fantasy, the LITRPG mechanics are used instead. Just imagine world a harsh fantasy world with real people and how a magic system with RPG elements would warp such a world.
Really look forward to this series, can't recommended it enough.
April 19, 2018
Excellent novel - really glad I picked it up.
I'm not really sure how to classify the book. There are strong game mechanics, skill lines, experience gains and even status screens but there is no game. This sounds odd but the author makes it work well.
At age 14 all children gain access to a goddess mark which allows them to see their stats and improve their skills. Normally the starter skill is given automatically as the same time as the goddess mark but our hero is provided with four that he can choose himself. The rest of the story is one of discovery and treachery with a nice blend of character and plot development.
This is a super read for LitRPG fans and general fantasy enthusiasts as well.
I'm not really sure how to classify the book. There are strong game mechanics, skill lines, experience gains and even status screens but there is no game. This sounds odd but the author makes it work well.
At age 14 all children gain access to a goddess mark which allows them to see their stats and improve their skills. Normally the starter skill is given automatically as the same time as the goddess mark but our hero is provided with four that he can choose himself. The rest of the story is one of discovery and treachery with a nice blend of character and plot development.
This is a super read for LitRPG fans and general fantasy enthusiasts as well.
May 29, 2024
Saw the cover, thought it looked kinda cool, read it and thought it was decent. Too bad the author doesn’t want to finish off the series… he left it on a huge cliff hanger, and then I learned he decided not to write the future books… kind of sad.
April 4, 2023
Such a great audiobook.
March 8, 2019
I liked it. Plot and world building was excellent. Characters seemed a bit flat. Grammar mistakes are abundant. Good beginning.
May 11, 2018
Killer storyline
Really enjoyed this book. Fine writing, very well edited with a compelling storyline, likable characters and interesting antagonists. I really like how the MC is trying to be subtle, but he is so far over his head luck is playing a bigger role in his action than anything he is consciously doing. Well written indeed. Really looking forward to the next book in the series.
Really enjoyed this book. Fine writing, very well edited with a compelling storyline, likable characters and interesting antagonists. I really like how the MC is trying to be subtle, but he is so far over his head luck is playing a bigger role in his action than anything he is consciously doing. Well written indeed. Really looking forward to the next book in the series.
May 6, 2018
Great read
This book is a great read, unlike a lot of litrpg that flood kindle these days it doesn’t have gratuitous sexualization and situations that don’t affect the story. The elements are there but more as a background and not excessive. The story telling is excellent along with the integration of the mechanics. I look forward to the next book.
This book is a great read, unlike a lot of litrpg that flood kindle these days it doesn’t have gratuitous sexualization and situations that don’t affect the story. The elements are there but more as a background and not excessive. The story telling is excellent along with the integration of the mechanics. I look forward to the next book.
May 11, 2018
Ohh god where do I even start.
So this book is not written well, has pacing issues, and arc transition issues. But despite this I still sprinted through this in a few days after dropping or sliding off book after book lately why was this.
Okay so this has some of the lit-rpg/isekai fare of vomiting stats all over the place and levels and skills, I have to say it's actually done better than average and it was smart dramatically limiting the number of skills each character could have and despite the author at the start clearly having zero idea of how actual combat would work with these abilities based off a few clues, he did a good job of leaving most of it up the imagination and just instead focusing on the outplaying of abilities or outwitting rather than blow for blow combat, which can ruin many a new author, this kept the action surprisingly good when it did occur and boy did it ever. Ohh and while this had lit-rpg/isekai stat stuff it wasn't an MMO or a portal fantasy nope it's just a fantasy world and the character is in it.
The other big thing it took from was the Chinese's novel scene complete and total disregard for life. This isn't just the main character in fact he seems about average if not slightly more adverse than everyone else is to just murder all your problems away, this results in a good number of quality scenes and like I said it's murder your problems away not murder because murder is good and fun, much like the chinese novels there normally has to be some reason for characters to kill. Speaking of murder happy story it's done a good job of mixing up killing off characters and having them live which has kept me on my toes and unsure of who is going to live and who will die.
Overall I really enjoyed this but I only recommend it to people who thing that edgy stat heavy fantasy sounds fun.
So this book is not written well, has pacing issues, and arc transition issues. But despite this I still sprinted through this in a few days after dropping or sliding off book after book lately why was this.
Okay so this has some of the lit-rpg/isekai fare of vomiting stats all over the place and levels and skills, I have to say it's actually done better than average and it was smart dramatically limiting the number of skills each character could have and despite the author at the start clearly having zero idea of how actual combat would work with these abilities based off a few clues, he did a good job of leaving most of it up the imagination and just instead focusing on the outplaying of abilities or outwitting rather than blow for blow combat, which can ruin many a new author, this kept the action surprisingly good when it did occur and boy did it ever. Ohh and while this had lit-rpg/isekai stat stuff it wasn't an MMO or a portal fantasy nope it's just a fantasy world and the character is in it.
The other big thing it took from was the Chinese's novel scene complete and total disregard for life. This isn't just the main character in fact he seems about average if not slightly more adverse than everyone else is to just murder all your problems away, this results in a good number of quality scenes and like I said it's murder your problems away not murder because murder is good and fun, much like the chinese novels there normally has to be some reason for characters to kill. Speaking of murder happy story it's done a good job of mixing up killing off characters and having them live which has kept me on my toes and unsure of who is going to live and who will die.
Overall I really enjoyed this but I only recommend it to people who thing that edgy stat heavy fantasy sounds fun.
April 29, 2018
More please,and soon
Outcast Dante,shunned and abused after being abandoned at an early age comes into great potential power with matching risk.Everyone he meets wants something and he has to fend off danger at every turn.
Outcast Dante,shunned and abused after being abandoned at an early age comes into great potential power with matching risk.Everyone he meets wants something and he has to fend off danger at every turn.
July 8, 2023
Pointless carnage and bloodshed from beginning to end. I'm not sure what the point of all of it is, is the author sociopathic/psychopathic? Does the author enjoy using his character creations as meat-shields, punching bags, beings to be brutally slaughtered?? Who would create characters to then just terribly murder/butcher them?? Is it self-loathing? Is it the author's cry for psychiatric help?
Even a John Wick movie's violence has a point, this story goes nowhere. The main character Dante, is always running from the discretionary/limitless power of the nobles, so then, what is the point of going into the academy, staying, etc. Dante was "safer" by himself, away from every other person in this dystopian-apocalyptic-hell-like-place. Who, in their right mind, would create a hell-like-place, having an infinite number of positive, creative, original, imaginary, places the readers could visit (and would love to go to?)
I do not recommend it.
Even a John Wick movie's violence has a point, this story goes nowhere. The main character Dante, is always running from the discretionary/limitless power of the nobles, so then, what is the point of going into the academy, staying, etc. Dante was "safer" by himself, away from every other person in this dystopian-apocalyptic-hell-like-place. Who, in their right mind, would create a hell-like-place, having an infinite number of positive, creative, original, imaginary, places the readers could visit (and would love to go to?)
I do not recommend it.
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July 19, 2018A great read. first time i read a litRPG. highly recommend it. loved the writing and MC. near the end of the book he gets more and more power-fuller and i ask myself. Won't he get OP'ed???? it's be challenge to make it not heavily slanted in the MC favor as time goes by.
if anyone knows any books just like this set in a world like this BUT not as a player but as a charter i'd appreciat it.thanks
if anyone knows any books just like this set in a world like this BUT not as a player but as a charter i'd appreciat it.thanks
April 14, 2022
I have no idea what’s going on
And I still like it.
MC is tropishly poor. Somehow survived long enough to reach the age of classification. Has to learn *everything*, which makes it easy to tell the audience, too.
He’s paranoid, but not enough. He has no idea what’s going on, on any level. And that keeps it interesting.
Now about that sequel that was promised in…2018?!? Oof.
And I still like it.
MC is tropishly poor. Somehow survived long enough to reach the age of classification. Has to learn *everything*, which makes it easy to tell the audience, too.
He’s paranoid, but not enough. He has no idea what’s going on, on any level. And that keeps it interesting.
Now about that sequel that was promised in…2018?!? Oof.
May 16, 2018
I loved this book was a new twist on something that has been done many times. The MC makes some major mistakes in the book as you would expect from someone who has basically had no teaching his entire life. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series. I also hope they will release this as a RPG game in the future.
April 10, 2021
Interesting read, good system stablished and interesting world setting. But the author tryied to hard to make the story a dark one, making it have some scene that felt out of place. Not to mention how fast some settings of the protagonist were discarded (like him doing maths without been litarate at all).
May 7, 2018
Book one
Except for a few spots where words are fun together, this was well written.
If you like your MC overpowered then this is the book for you.
I recommend this book and will get book two when it comes out.
Except for a few spots where words are fun together, this was well written.
If you like your MC overpowered then this is the book for you.
I recommend this book and will get book two when it comes out.
November 21, 2018
I know it's a good book when I want to read it again directly after finishing it.
March 8, 2019
Can't wait for the next book
June 25, 2021
An easy 4 star book of this type. Great book and I look forwarded to the next book in the series.
February 15, 2020
At its core, this is a shounen power fantasy which strongly reminds me of the Cradle series.
Even tho there is a lot of bad shit and trauma happening to the mc, except for short scenes of utter devastation, he feels completely emotionally bland.
For me, it is hard to put into words what is missing and I couldn't do a better job myself but I have read much richer emotional landscaping.
Holly Black is a wonderful example of this. Her books fall short in many other ways mostly connected to the plot imo but her skill at crafting emotions in an engaging and relatable way is outstanding.
This is a general issue that affects big parts of the book.
The thing for example suffers from this weird indifference.
We are just being told that he felt a thing he identified as . It was completely sterile and out of the blue. It's not "show don't tell" precisely but it's related to that.
Various other things suffer from the same issue. It's not so much just info-dumping (which usually is one of the main issues with books of this kind) but most of the information is conveyed in this weirdly sterile way that completely fails to show its emotional impact so it might as well just have been a bland info-dump.
I would've liked more depth on important characters but depending on how long this series will become (in case it ever gets a sequel at all) this might just be something that will develop over time.
The author sometimes feels the need to justify the actions of his hero mid-battle which results in weirdly long and in-depth thought processes and conclusions within split seconds.
Minds just don't work like that. If there was some kind of ability that gave him lightning-quick reasoning... maybe. But there wasn't anything of the kind. I got somewhat used to it over time but it's still a bit irritating.
As a long term sucker for MMOs, I enjoyed the detailed description of the skill/lvlup process but I can imagine that "normal" readers might get bored with it all very quickly.
The audiobook narration by Jeff Hays is terrific in general. Sadly, first-person thought sections have a distracting echo effect on them that in some cases make it hard to understand but at other times the echo isn't noticeable at all.
I see why there is some kind of effect as in some cases it is not possible to tell if a sentence is just being thought or said out loud but the choice and strength of the effect is suboptimal.
I am a negative person so my reviews always sound pretty negative. This way people can easily spot no-go shortcomings and skip it if there are any at least. Don't get the wrong idea. I devoured this book and thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you enjoyed the Cradle series, are a fan of litrpg or the shounen genre and are not afraid of quite a bit of darkness I recommend this book wholeheartedly but if you need an emotional, character-driven storyline this probably isn't the best choice.
A general warning I have to give: The book just ends mid-story. There is no closure to anything. It's very abrupt and jarring, especially because at the time of writing this there is no second volume yet. It seems like the deadline was up and someone just pulled the manuscript out from under Antonio Terzinis fingers.
I really hope this will be continued. It would be a shame if it just ended like that.
Even tho there is a lot of bad shit and trauma happening to the mc, except for short scenes of utter devastation, he feels completely emotionally bland.
For me, it is hard to put into words what is missing and I couldn't do a better job myself but I have read much richer emotional landscaping.
Holly Black is a wonderful example of this. Her books fall short in many other ways mostly connected to the plot imo but her skill at crafting emotions in an engaging and relatable way is outstanding.
This is a general issue that affects big parts of the book.
The thing for example suffers from this weird indifference.
We are just being told that he felt a thing he identified as . It was completely sterile and out of the blue. It's not "show don't tell" precisely but it's related to that.
Various other things suffer from the same issue. It's not so much just info-dumping (which usually is one of the main issues with books of this kind) but most of the information is conveyed in this weirdly sterile way that completely fails to show its emotional impact so it might as well just have been a bland info-dump.
I would've liked more depth on important characters but depending on how long this series will become (in case it ever gets a sequel at all) this might just be something that will develop over time.
The author sometimes feels the need to justify the actions of his hero mid-battle which results in weirdly long and in-depth thought processes and conclusions within split seconds.
Minds just don't work like that. If there was some kind of ability that gave him lightning-quick reasoning... maybe. But there wasn't anything of the kind. I got somewhat used to it over time but it's still a bit irritating.
As a long term sucker for MMOs, I enjoyed the detailed description of the skill/lvlup process but I can imagine that "normal" readers might get bored with it all very quickly.
The audiobook narration by Jeff Hays is terrific in general. Sadly, first-person thought sections have a distracting echo effect on them that in some cases make it hard to understand but at other times the echo isn't noticeable at all.
I see why there is some kind of effect as in some cases it is not possible to tell if a sentence is just being thought or said out loud but the choice and strength of the effect is suboptimal.
I am a negative person so my reviews always sound pretty negative. This way people can easily spot no-go shortcomings and skip it if there are any at least. Don't get the wrong idea. I devoured this book and thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you enjoyed the Cradle series, are a fan of litrpg or the shounen genre and are not afraid of quite a bit of darkness I recommend this book wholeheartedly but if you need an emotional, character-driven storyline this probably isn't the best choice.
A general warning I have to give: The book just ends mid-story. There is no closure to anything. It's very abrupt and jarring, especially because at the time of writing this there is no second volume yet. It seems like the deadline was up and someone just pulled the manuscript out from under Antonio Terzinis fingers.
I really hope this will be continued. It would be a shame if it just ended like that.
December 3, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Dante is a character that hooks you right from the start, and it's impossible not to get drawn into his story. What I loved most about this, though, was that the author remembered that he was telling a story first and foremost, so the LitRPG elements that can sometimes be overwhelming in many novels were used much more sparingly and intelligently here. It reminded me why I loved this sub-genre so much; the time flew by while reading this.
I was planning on going into even more detail about what I loved about this book and touching on a few elements that might have needed some improving in the second book, but then I realised just when this book was written and also noticed the lack of a sequel. This book is very much the first book of a series (it's called Beginnings, after all), and as good as it is, it doesn't work as a stand-alone novel. The 5 year wait for that sequel does not bode well for this series, and instantly, the high I was riding after finishing this book was washed away.
Without a sequel, this book is just a strong opening, which is not good enough to earn a recommendation from me. My advice for future readers is not to get started on this book unless there is a sign of a sequel on the horizon. Unlike some unfinished series that write quite complete books where the reader can guess at an ending, making it maybe worthwhile reading those books regardless, this book doesn't work without the next chapter either ready and waiting, or at least coming soon.
5 stars for the quality of this book on its own, but it's a crying shame that there's not another book to sink my teeth into in this series.
I was planning on going into even more detail about what I loved about this book and touching on a few elements that might have needed some improving in the second book, but then I realised just when this book was written and also noticed the lack of a sequel. This book is very much the first book of a series (it's called Beginnings, after all), and as good as it is, it doesn't work as a stand-alone novel. The 5 year wait for that sequel does not bode well for this series, and instantly, the high I was riding after finishing this book was washed away.
Without a sequel, this book is just a strong opening, which is not good enough to earn a recommendation from me. My advice for future readers is not to get started on this book unless there is a sign of a sequel on the horizon. Unlike some unfinished series that write quite complete books where the reader can guess at an ending, making it maybe worthwhile reading those books regardless, this book doesn't work without the next chapter either ready and waiting, or at least coming soon.
5 stars for the quality of this book on its own, but it's a crying shame that there's not another book to sink my teeth into in this series.
April 21, 2019
This was a fantastic book! Loved it! I do have a few things that I will say could be better. First the MC has no moral compass, at all. There needs to be some form of justification for killing innocent people, or even aggressors. He is a well developed character, very interesting, and likeable, but then he just either savagely kills a father that is begging, or contemplates killing an old man. The only person he has any compassion for isn't even all that important to the story. The other problem was pointed out by another review that I read and it does make sense. Basically the MC has no motivation for any action that he takes. The thing is that he has some reasons to be motivated overall, but they aren't used as justification. The use of dialogue to further the story is sort of strange, the different perspectives are nice, but the MC tends to just ask questions and get answers. Again these are minor complaints, this is a great book, full of depth and interesting events. Great overall story and the abilities and creatures are interesting. The LitRPG aspects are well executed. If you enjoy fantasy you will enjoy this book, the only problem is that the author isn't very active on social media or regular media and hasn't put out any new updates lately. He stated at the end of the book that the next book would be out by the end of 2018. Well it isn't out yet, so no real issue if he is actually working on it, but if he isn't then it will stink to not be able to continue on this adventure. The book could stand on its own, with a bit of a cliffhanger.
September 17, 2024
I decided to DNF this book halfway through. While there were elements of the book that I found intriguing, the overall execution left much to be desired, particularly with the main character.
The protagonist was incredibly bloodthirsty, never reflecting on the moral implications of his actions. He came across as someone who had no regard for the sanctity of life, making it hard for me to connect with him on any meaningful level. This constant disregard for life felt excessive and made the character feel more like a "bumbling fool" who was simply killing everyone in sight.
Additionally, the character's personality was inconsistent. At times, he would display extreme paranoia, seemingly knowing things about the plot he shouldn't be aware of, leading to actions that were overly calculated and clever. Yet in other instances, he was completely naive, almost unbelievably so. This disparity in behavior felt like lazy writing, making it difficult to invest in his journey.
On a positive note, the magic system was solid, and the plot had some interesting aspects. However, the depth of the supporting characters was severely lacking. They felt blank, with no real substance or development. The female characters, in particular, were poorly written, reduced to mere objects of desire for the protagonist rather than fully realized individuals with their own agency.
Ultimately, while the world-building had potential, the weak character development, inconsistent protagonist, and problematic depiction of women made it a difficult read for me.
The protagonist was incredibly bloodthirsty, never reflecting on the moral implications of his actions. He came across as someone who had no regard for the sanctity of life, making it hard for me to connect with him on any meaningful level. This constant disregard for life felt excessive and made the character feel more like a "bumbling fool" who was simply killing everyone in sight.
Additionally, the character's personality was inconsistent. At times, he would display extreme paranoia, seemingly knowing things about the plot he shouldn't be aware of, leading to actions that were overly calculated and clever. Yet in other instances, he was completely naive, almost unbelievably so. This disparity in behavior felt like lazy writing, making it difficult to invest in his journey.
On a positive note, the magic system was solid, and the plot had some interesting aspects. However, the depth of the supporting characters was severely lacking. They felt blank, with no real substance or development. The female characters, in particular, were poorly written, reduced to mere objects of desire for the protagonist rather than fully realized individuals with their own agency.
Ultimately, while the world-building had potential, the weak character development, inconsistent protagonist, and problematic depiction of women made it a difficult read for me.
May 13, 2020
This felt as if it had potential, but there were many things that ultimately ruined it.
The main problem is the writing. The prose is dry and completely devoid of creativity. While this works for the fight scenes, it makes reading every other passage in the book uninspiring. Sometimes I felt as if I was watching the main character go through his shopping list, with every sentence starting with phrases such as: 'with that done', 'after that' etc.
Second is the RPG element. It started off well—there are many different classes and one looks forward to exploring the world along with the main character, but this is put on pause for half the book to learn about world essence manipulation and mana manipulation, which are both so generic as to be uninteresting.
Third is the pacing. The book follows many others in having a middle section where nothing much happens, but the ending is the worst offender. The climax happens too early, and the remainder of the book is spent going over events that would have been better fit into part two of the series. If I had been forced to put the book down after the climax, I'd probably have walked away feeling more satisfied. But since it drags on and leaves the reader with an ending that doesn't even feel like much of a cliffhanger, it ruins any excitement it built for itself.
Overall, it had potential, and there were a few truly great scenes, but it also fails on too many fronts for me to consider it good.
The main problem is the writing. The prose is dry and completely devoid of creativity. While this works for the fight scenes, it makes reading every other passage in the book uninspiring. Sometimes I felt as if I was watching the main character go through his shopping list, with every sentence starting with phrases such as: 'with that done', 'after that' etc.
Second is the RPG element. It started off well—there are many different classes and one looks forward to exploring the world along with the main character, but this is put on pause for half the book to learn about world essence manipulation and mana manipulation, which are both so generic as to be uninteresting.
Third is the pacing. The book follows many others in having a middle section where nothing much happens, but the ending is the worst offender. The climax happens too early, and the remainder of the book is spent going over events that would have been better fit into part two of the series. If I had been forced to put the book down after the climax, I'd probably have walked away feeling more satisfied. But since it drags on and leaves the reader with an ending that doesn't even feel like much of a cliffhanger, it ruins any excitement it built for itself.
Overall, it had potential, and there were a few truly great scenes, but it also fails on too many fronts for me to consider it good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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