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Into The Game
Riff Jenkins is having a bad day. He's behind on his college tuition and is getting kicked out of his dorm. His girlfriend just broke up with him for playing computer games too much. And if that isn't bad enough, Riff hasn't been able to beat the goblin boss in Dungeon Crawl Quest despite months of trying. His brother Mack says it's a glitch-that DCQ is unbeatable-but Riff knows there's a way.
When a mysterious package arrives from the recently deceased DCQ developer, Riff finally gets his reward for being one of the game's top players: a special Grimoire and an invitation to one of LA's premiere gaming dens.
But the Grimoire is much more than it appears. When Riff syncs it to a computer at the den, he's virtually transported into the game. And his bad day just got worse, because the company that owns DCQ will be shutting down the servers at midnight if Riff and his band of misfit players can't beat the goblin boss and save the game.
Oh yeah, and if the servers go down while they're in the game, they all die for real.
When a mysterious package arrives from the recently deceased DCQ developer, Riff finally gets his reward for being one of the game's top players: a special Grimoire and an invitation to one of LA's premiere gaming dens.
But the Grimoire is much more than it appears. When Riff syncs it to a computer at the den, he's virtually transported into the game. And his bad day just got worse, because the company that owns DCQ will be shutting down the servers at midnight if Riff and his band of misfit players can't beat the goblin boss and save the game.
Oh yeah, and if the servers go down while they're in the game, they all die for real.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2019
About the author
C.A.A. Allen
2 books17 followersC. A. A. Allen lives in San Diego with his wife and six children. He is a freelance writer, local hip-hop mogul, and fantasy e-book author. He writes for many online entities, and has been published in the San Diego Reader, and CityBeat magazines. He has provided back up vocals, and performed as a "Humpty Dancer" for the multi-platinum hip-hop group Digital Underground. When he isn't writing or spending time with the children, Mr. Allen enjoys horse racing, sports, and several different genres of music.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 8, 2023
To me, this story (short novel) had potential, like a diamond in the rough. It has descriptions of the places, the characters, costumes/armors, much more than the usual VRMMORPG/immersion novels from other authors.
What I disliked was the fact that everything in this story needed to take place in a day. It's just too much to have in just one day. The main characters actually waste valuable time checking NPC's and other players out while in the game?? Main Characters seem not to have the time-rush and eat, sleep and mingle...Main characters restart as level one and are expected to defeat the boss of all bosses the Goblin Lord at the end of the game by the end of the game day or else the game will be shut down and shipped off. Sound familiar?? Similar to "Ready Player One"...
But in the other blockbuster story, the main characters had years to finish the scavenger hunt while here it's just a real day (almost 2 days inside the game)...
The author includes a lot of the geekiness/game lore that is associated with long-lasting VRMMORPG's (Virtual Reality/Alternate Reality Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Game)'s
The story has maps, illustrations (some even in color). So Kudos for all of the extra effort.
If the main characters have only a day to finish the game, they should have focused, should have had better conditions to do it right. At only 187 pages, it felt short (even though author did not focus only on the quest and boss fight).
What I disliked was the fact that everything in this story needed to take place in a day. It's just too much to have in just one day. The main characters actually waste valuable time checking NPC's and other players out while in the game?? Main Characters seem not to have the time-rush and eat, sleep and mingle...Main characters restart as level one and are expected to defeat the boss of all bosses the Goblin Lord at the end of the game by the end of the game day or else the game will be shut down and shipped off. Sound familiar?? Similar to "Ready Player One"...
But in the other blockbuster story, the main characters had years to finish the scavenger hunt while here it's just a real day (almost 2 days inside the game)...
The author includes a lot of the geekiness/game lore that is associated with long-lasting VRMMORPG's (Virtual Reality/Alternate Reality Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Game)'s
The story has maps, illustrations (some even in color). So Kudos for all of the extra effort.
If the main characters have only a day to finish the game, they should have focused, should have had better conditions to do it right. At only 187 pages, it felt short (even though author did not focus only on the quest and boss fight).
February 9, 2020
Fun, well written game
I'm an old school dice and paper RPG'er but really enjoy a well written litRPG tale. This one was a very enjoyable ride with some of the requisite potty humor that goes along with sleep-deprived gaming silliness.
The full immersion into the game world was engaging enough that I didn't want to put the book down, and look forward to more in the series. The characters were multi-faceted, even the NPC's were unique.
An example of the writing:
"I look around. The pixelated game world I’ve spent so many hours staring at through a computer monitor clicks into place. A real-life 3D, to-scale scene that no longer looks foreign. A high granite block wall lined with battlements and watchtowers circles the area. The dusty road beneath my feet leads from where we stand to a lowered metal portcullis between two flanking towers. Three goats tied to a nearby stake bleat harshly, and I can smell their musky odor. It isn’t pleasant."
I'm an old school dice and paper RPG'er but really enjoy a well written litRPG tale. This one was a very enjoyable ride with some of the requisite potty humor that goes along with sleep-deprived gaming silliness.
The full immersion into the game world was engaging enough that I didn't want to put the book down, and look forward to more in the series. The characters were multi-faceted, even the NPC's were unique.
An example of the writing:
"I look around. The pixelated game world I’ve spent so many hours staring at through a computer monitor clicks into place. A real-life 3D, to-scale scene that no longer looks foreign. A high granite block wall lined with battlements and watchtowers circles the area. The dusty road beneath my feet leads from where we stand to a lowered metal portcullis between two flanking towers. Three goats tied to a nearby stake bleat harshly, and I can smell their musky odor. It isn’t pleasant."
February 10, 2020
I usually love LitRPG, but somehow this one fell somehow inadequate. I know that the deadline made everything faster, but I didn't like that they almost took no rest to replenish spells and HP. The resolution of the book accounts for that, but it felt kind of cheap.
There's also a discussion through the book about the game being solvable or Glitched. It somehow seems irrational that you needed things from outside the game to solve it and they lost so much subscriber base because of it.
It was an ok read, it's not bad, but it's far from good.
There's also a discussion through the book about the game being solvable or Glitched. It somehow seems irrational that you needed things from outside the game to solve it and they lost so much subscriber base because of it.
It was an ok read, it's not bad, but it's far from good.
October 20, 2020
Honestly I felt like this book was written by someone who has heard or read about video games or litrpgs but never actually played them. The level cap is at 10, early in the book it talks about how the MC using CRT monitor (not necessarily bad but seems unrealistic), no explanation on how MC got original girlfriend, why wasn't he arrested for hacking, only certain members can fight in each engagement, need party size of 5 with thief, and the list goes on of little things that just make it seem like a conglomerate of ideas.
September 27, 2019
Let down
Decent premise,but from chapter one the writing let you know right away that the book was going to be a disappointment. It was right. The best part was the last chapter, not just because it was the end though. The characters were so-so, the plot and "twists" were about as hidden as the great wall of China, and the grammar was poor. Probably a good read for a kid to pick out the errors and cut their teeth on LitRPG, but beyond that this book was a let down.
Decent premise,but from chapter one the writing let you know right away that the book was going to be a disappointment. It was right. The best part was the last chapter, not just because it was the end though. The characters were so-so, the plot and "twists" were about as hidden as the great wall of China, and the grammar was poor. Probably a good read for a kid to pick out the errors and cut their teeth on LitRPG, but beyond that this book was a let down.
March 17, 2023
An Outline of Something More
While the idea behind “Into the Game” is very intriguing, the actual implementation of the idea is somewhat lacking. The characters aren’t well established, the world moves too quickly and there’s so much thrown at the reader that is then expected to be remembered. It was fairly decent, but it wasn’t as good as some other books in the same LitRPG subgenre.
While the idea behind “Into the Game” is very intriguing, the actual implementation of the idea is somewhat lacking. The characters aren’t well established, the world moves too quickly and there’s so much thrown at the reader that is then expected to be remembered. It was fairly decent, but it wasn’t as good as some other books in the same LitRPG subgenre.
March 3, 2020
I gotta say, this was just a dumpster fire. The book is only barely written in English, and full of all the casual misogyny you might come to expect from the very worst of the LitRPG genre.
The story isn't very compelling, and is very amateurishly paced. The character interactions and dialogue are all terrible.
No. Just... no.
The story isn't very compelling, and is very amateurishly paced. The character interactions and dialogue are all terrible.
No. Just... no.
September 1, 2020
Mr. Allen has made a short, simple, but fairly interesting Dungeon Crawl storyline in LitRPG format which makes it feel like a game you might play, or get immersed into. Fleshed out but not really in-depth characters, move the story along. Overall I enjoyed the experience and will probably read the following books in the series.
April 24, 2019
Read my second book now; great fun!
This is not heavy reading but it sure is fun. Back to the days of plain adventure with paths and the cute heroine to boot. Well recommended for a quick but satisfying read...
This is not heavy reading but it sure is fun. Back to the days of plain adventure with paths and the cute heroine to boot. Well recommended for a quick but satisfying read...
April 22, 2020
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this LitRPG tale of game players who set out to save their favorite game from being shut down. It is a quick read but a fun adventure novel that doesn't get too bogged down in its own world. The characters are likeable, if uncomplicated. Good stuff.
October 10, 2020
Into the Game is a very interesting and exciting litRPG. The characters are great and the world is well-described. It does need a little bit of proofreading but that didn’t stop my enjoyment of the reading and I look forward to book two of this series.
Read via Kindle Unlimited
Read via Kindle Unlimited
April 30, 2021
Lots of fun
Good fun and a interesting way to do role playing games for books. I did mess up and read the second in this series first but that didn’t hurt me in getting into this book.
Good fun and a interesting way to do role playing games for books. I did mess up and read the second in this series first but that didn’t hurt me in getting into this book.
December 17, 2022
Outstanding LITRPG
I loved the characters. They were well thought out and had personalities you meet everyday. The world and game were rich in description felt like you were there. I encourage anyone who likes virtual reality or D&D to read.
I loved the characters. They were well thought out and had personalities you meet everyday. The world and game were rich in description felt like you were there. I encourage anyone who likes virtual reality or D&D to read.
November 5, 2020
Just didn’t hold my interest
May 31, 2021
Typical, but interesting story. I liked it, and will likely read more by this author.
December 30, 2020
Great book
Love the immersion into the game. The quests were good and the characters seemed alive. Enjoyed it immensely and can’t wait for another like it
Love the immersion into the game. The quests were good and the characters seemed alive. Enjoyed it immensely and can’t wait for another like it
March 28, 2021
Couldn't get into it.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews