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Life in Exile #1
Watcher's Test
This isn't a game. This is his new life.
Dave has been wandering through life for a long time. His day job bores him and he never seems to be able to meet his family's expectations. The only escape he's ever had is his love of MMORPG's.
But when he becomes the subject of a test without even knowing it, he's portaled into a game-world called Eloria with no way out. It's a frequent daydream of his, however, in none of those dreams did his wife and daughter ever accompany him.
Now, Dave must balance protecting his family with exploring his dream... oh, and trying to stay alive. Monstrous beasts roam Eloria, worst of all, an undead army led by the vile Death Knight.
He'll have to adapt fast and learn to cooperate if he hopes to make a new home for his family. And just maybe, along the way, he'll find out why they're living a life in exile.
Experience the epic first installment of a LitRPG saga perfect for fans of C.M Carney, Blaise Corvin, and Charles Dean.
Dave has been wandering through life for a long time. His day job bores him and he never seems to be able to meet his family's expectations. The only escape he's ever had is his love of MMORPG's.
But when he becomes the subject of a test without even knowing it, he's portaled into a game-world called Eloria with no way out. It's a frequent daydream of his, however, in none of those dreams did his wife and daughter ever accompany him.
Now, Dave must balance protecting his family with exploring his dream... oh, and trying to stay alive. Monstrous beasts roam Eloria, worst of all, an undead army led by the vile Death Knight.
He'll have to adapt fast and learn to cooperate if he hopes to make a new home for his family. And just maybe, along the way, he'll find out why they're living a life in exile.
Experience the epic first installment of a LitRPG saga perfect for fans of C.M Carney, Blaise Corvin, and Charles Dean.
658 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2020
1034 people are currently reading
568 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
July 22, 2021
I haven't finished this yet but I'm enjoying it. There's one thing, one of the main characters is named "Maxwell Smart" every time he does something "magnificent" I almost break up...this is for those who remember Get Smart (the TV series not so much the movie).
*******
A while back (not sure when I read the first) I "found" books that are usually called "litrpg". These are books that place people into situations where Role Playing Games suddenly (somehow) become their reality.
The first few I read were all good but then as they became more...common, as reads the mediocre became, shall we say, more common. I sort of burned out on them.
This one sounded pretty good so I picked it up.
At first I was sort of okay with it but not blown away. However it did pick up and became an excellent read. The story follows the events of a family which has been teleported into a world that woks on some game type rules. However (again) here death is real and you don't simply respawn.
So again, good read. I've picked up and started the next so, recommended.
Enjoy.
*******
A while back (not sure when I read the first) I "found" books that are usually called "litrpg". These are books that place people into situations where Role Playing Games suddenly (somehow) become their reality.
The first few I read were all good but then as they became more...common, as reads the mediocre became, shall we say, more common. I sort of burned out on them.
This one sounded pretty good so I picked it up.
At first I was sort of okay with it but not blown away. However it did pick up and became an excellent read. The story follows the events of a family which has been teleported into a world that woks on some game type rules. However (again) here death is real and you don't simply respawn.
So again, good read. I've picked up and started the next so, recommended.
Enjoy.
April 21, 2020
Bait and Switch?
If the book's blurb wasn't a bait and switch, it can at best be seen as deceptive. I took this book up thinking that it would be a novel about Dave and his family in a fantasy world - not about Dave's family in the same situation.
I wouldn't have picked this book if I knew it was going to be about family drama and teenage angst.
Having said that, I would've kept reading and honestly almost did, until I realised that I was still wading through exposition and that there was no end in sight. I was a solid 20% through the book and it was still being pilled on.
For the sake of clarity, you can divide what I've termed as exposition into two categories: lore and setup.
Lore is just that, information about the world. The author gave this primarily through Dave, by making him a "gamer" (having him explain to his family - but in reality to us, the readers - gaming terms) and through his "divination" ability which would spell things out for him.
Setup, on the other-hand, is where the author would show a scene whose only purpose was to inform. Think how in old theatre plays a maid and a butler would have a "conversation" in an effort to lay the foundation of the story. Exposition styled setup scenes lack conflict and are only a little more exciting than pure lore.
LitRPG is already rife with exposition issues, hell the status screens are just information dumps in numerical form, and that is why you have to be extra careful on how long you spend on simply telling. I don't read books to be told things, I read them to immerse and forget myself for a few hours.
If the book's blurb wasn't a bait and switch, it can at best be seen as deceptive. I took this book up thinking that it would be a novel about Dave and his family in a fantasy world - not about Dave's family in the same situation.
I wouldn't have picked this book if I knew it was going to be about family drama and teenage angst.
Having said that, I would've kept reading and honestly almost did, until I realised that I was still wading through exposition and that there was no end in sight. I was a solid 20% through the book and it was still being pilled on.
For the sake of clarity, you can divide what I've termed as exposition into two categories: lore and setup.
Lore is just that, information about the world. The author gave this primarily through Dave, by making him a "gamer" (having him explain to his family - but in reality to us, the readers - gaming terms) and through his "divination" ability which would spell things out for him.
Setup, on the other-hand, is where the author would show a scene whose only purpose was to inform. Think how in old theatre plays a maid and a butler would have a "conversation" in an effort to lay the foundation of the story. Exposition styled setup scenes lack conflict and are only a little more exciting than pure lore.
LitRPG is already rife with exposition issues, hell the status screens are just information dumps in numerical form, and that is why you have to be extra careful on how long you spend on simply telling. I don't read books to be told things, I read them to immerse and forget myself for a few hours.
May 1, 2020
Almost 5 stars.
I can't say how much I enjoyed the premise of the book and how the main story arc came about. The only reason why it didn't make 5 stars for me is because we spent more time than I thought was necessary on the secondary POV's and some of the plot backtracking that we saw as part of the storytelling of the main characters. I understand why it was done though and I'm chalking it up to a first time author.
Ultimately though, it was a very enjoyable story and the narration was top notch.
Book 2 comes out in a couple of months.
I can't say how much I enjoyed the premise of the book and how the main story arc came about. The only reason why it didn't make 5 stars for me is because we spent more time than I thought was necessary on the secondary POV's and some of the plot backtracking that we saw as part of the storytelling of the main characters. I understand why it was done though and I'm chalking it up to a first time author.
Ultimately though, it was a very enjoyable story and the narration was top notch.
Book 2 comes out in a couple of months.
December 4, 2020
Edited Review:
Originally rated this book 4 stars but the author keeps treating the male MC like a doormat. His wife talks down to him, yells at him, treats him like an idiot--and he just sits there and takes it. If it was only a little bit it would be fine, but man it's just constant and it gets worse in the second bood. I can't recommend the series anymore, this type of male bashing just kills the book for me. If you are a feminist, and like LitRPG, you will likely enjoy the book because other that this ruining it for me, it was a good start to a series.
On a side note, goodreads has made it really hard to edit your reviews you write, probably because people like me will come back and take the time to down grade or upgrade books if the series tanks. I used to be able to edit them from my phone no problem, now I have to log in from my computer and got through several pages to get to them. If they make it so you can't edit reviews, I'll stop writing them. Authors that do dishonest stuff, don't finish a series, change formats mid series, and don't warn buys of adult content, deserve to get clobbered in the reviews. And I for one, love it when people take the time to warn you before you read a new series. There is nothing more annoying that spending money and time on a series that completely FLOPS after 4-5 books, and I appreciate reviewers that warn me so I can not waste my time on that series.
Originally rated this book 4 stars but the author keeps treating the male MC like a doormat. His wife talks down to him, yells at him, treats him like an idiot--and he just sits there and takes it. If it was only a little bit it would be fine, but man it's just constant and it gets worse in the second bood. I can't recommend the series anymore, this type of male bashing just kills the book for me. If you are a feminist, and like LitRPG, you will likely enjoy the book because other that this ruining it for me, it was a good start to a series.
On a side note, goodreads has made it really hard to edit your reviews you write, probably because people like me will come back and take the time to down grade or upgrade books if the series tanks. I used to be able to edit them from my phone no problem, now I have to log in from my computer and got through several pages to get to them. If they make it so you can't edit reviews, I'll stop writing them. Authors that do dishonest stuff, don't finish a series, change formats mid series, and don't warn buys of adult content, deserve to get clobbered in the reviews. And I for one, love it when people take the time to warn you before you read a new series. There is nothing more annoying that spending money and time on a series that completely FLOPS after 4-5 books, and I appreciate reviewers that warn me so I can not waste my time on that series.
May 9, 2020
Have to give the author credit for originality as this is the first LitRPG that I've seen that brings in the whole family.
After reading 40% of the book and 30% of it being about supporting plots or characters the main characters haven't even encountered yet, I stopped reading.
The book has some difficulty with timeline progression, often switching in great detail to another part of the area (possibly to help develop a plot) but in this case... the switcheroo back and forth so early in the story to build a plot or establish supporting characters when the author hasn't even established the main characters yet - is a mistake.
It just was not an appealing read.
After reading 40% of the book and 30% of it being about supporting plots or characters the main characters haven't even encountered yet, I stopped reading.
The book has some difficulty with timeline progression, often switching in great detail to another part of the area (possibly to help develop a plot) but in this case... the switcheroo back and forth so early in the story to build a plot or establish supporting characters when the author hasn't even established the main characters yet - is a mistake.
It just was not an appealing read.
June 21, 2020
Way too many POV characters. I quit counting after a dozen different ones. Kept me from getting into the story. Quit reading at 65%. Too bad, because the main family was fun.
August 13, 2021
OH MY WOW!
The setting of this LitRPG scenario is so different considering the whole family is involved. We have Dave (dad and 40 years old), Emily (mum and 39 years old), Mira (aka. Miranda, daughter 15 yrs old), Jackson (son 13 years old), and little Sara (daughter 8 years old); all getting sucked into another dimension into the world of Eloria.
OH. MY. WOW!
It's so effing epic, and I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens in the next book.
The setting of this LitRPG scenario is so different considering the whole family is involved. We have Dave (dad and 40 years old), Emily (mum and 39 years old), Mira (aka. Miranda, daughter 15 yrs old), Jackson (son 13 years old), and little Sara (daughter 8 years old); all getting sucked into another dimension into the world of Eloria.
OH. MY. WOW!
It's so effing epic, and I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens in the next book.
March 9, 2022
03/09/2022 Notes:
I'll write up a review when I finish the bundle pack. 1 of 3
Right now, the story is 2 stars for me & leaving the rating at a low end of 3 stars for good narration.
Concepts for the characters, over arcing plot and world are cool. However, the way the characters are presented make them come across as shallow and flat. The changes of POV away from the family are abrupt or jarring.
The writing style is a 90% tell, and it's not the kind that makes me more curious or engaged by the story.
I'll write up a review when I finish the bundle pack. 1 of 3
Right now, the story is 2 stars for me & leaving the rating at a low end of 3 stars for good narration.
Concepts for the characters, over arcing plot and world are cool. However, the way the characters are presented make them come across as shallow and flat. The changes of POV away from the family are abrupt or jarring.
The writing style is a 90% tell, and it's not the kind that makes me more curious or engaged by the story.
May 3, 2020
While the basic premise of somebody being taken against their will to a game or game-like world is a common one in this genre, the change to include a family of various ages gives this element an interesting and unique twist on this basic idea. This change allows the author to give a wider range of perspectives on the situation, ranging from the generally enthusiastic reaction of the father through varying degrees of apprehension of the non-gamer members of the family. Another bonus to this approach is that it also allows the author to look at a number of classes and powers without the main character being overpowered by being able to do too much themselves which is a common problem in the genre.
I initially found some of the characters in the family to be unnecessarily unsympathetic to start with, it seemed like the author had gone out of their way to portray them as caricatures such as the moody teen girl and the bossy wife, but after this indifferent start things did improve significantly once they were on the new world and were better coming to terms with their new reality and their new powers.
The performance of the narrator was a good one with a distinctive range of tones that helped to enhance the enjoyment of the book, bringing to life both the human and monster characters very well.
Overall, this book delivered an entertaining listen while also setting up a number of interesting threads for subsequent books in the series.
[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]
I initially found some of the characters in the family to be unnecessarily unsympathetic to start with, it seemed like the author had gone out of their way to portray them as caricatures such as the moody teen girl and the bossy wife, but after this indifferent start things did improve significantly once they were on the new world and were better coming to terms with their new reality and their new powers.
The performance of the narrator was a good one with a distinctive range of tones that helped to enhance the enjoyment of the book, bringing to life both the human and monster characters very well.
Overall, this book delivered an entertaining listen while also setting up a number of interesting threads for subsequent books in the series.
[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]
November 21, 2021
I am disappointed.
The story had potential, the plot was quite interesting.
Unfortunately, narration was not up to the job.
My first issue was with the POV-jumping. Annoying AF. Random AF. And, most times, pointless AF, at least within the scope of a single volume. If there was a defined pattern with the POV sequence, it would have at least mitigated the issue. But sometimes, we even change perspective from protagonist to antagonist within the same paragraph. It's just a mess.
Next issue, linked with the previous, is with narration, and the author's choice of systematically using description instead of dialogue, even when dialogue would create rapport with the characters. The result is a mostly dry tale, with little to no empathy, and a tendency to fall back to Mind-Reader POV as a fallback to proper characterization through dialogue. It felt like a cop out to me.
Next issue was with the Nelson family. Their treatment was very inconsistent. Some scenes were really realistic, with some quite well-written interactions. Others bordered on the moronic. The inconsistency was really jarring. Dave is the worst example of this issue, with incomprehensibly erratic personality. Most of the time, he's portrayed like an overgrown child, with children of his own. It makes him hard to relate to. Add to that their unexplained OPness, and you've got the whole dimm picture.
The epilogue was full of really cheap cliffhangers that left a bad taste in my mouth.
It's not a bad book, not really, compared to what I've seen around. The story in itself, is interesting.
But the craft wasn't there for me. And without a bare minimum of "literature" sense, the best stories becomes drab.
Goodread says that 2 stars means "It's OK". Works for me. It was OK. I won't go further.
The story had potential, the plot was quite interesting.
Unfortunately, narration was not up to the job.
My first issue was with the POV-jumping. Annoying AF. Random AF. And, most times, pointless AF, at least within the scope of a single volume. If there was a defined pattern with the POV sequence, it would have at least mitigated the issue. But sometimes, we even change perspective from protagonist to antagonist within the same paragraph. It's just a mess.
Next issue, linked with the previous, is with narration, and the author's choice of systematically using description instead of dialogue, even when dialogue would create rapport with the characters. The result is a mostly dry tale, with little to no empathy, and a tendency to fall back to Mind-Reader POV as a fallback to proper characterization through dialogue. It felt like a cop out to me.
Next issue was with the Nelson family. Their treatment was very inconsistent. Some scenes were really realistic, with some quite well-written interactions. Others bordered on the moronic. The inconsistency was really jarring. Dave is the worst example of this issue, with incomprehensibly erratic personality. Most of the time, he's portrayed like an overgrown child, with children of his own. It makes him hard to relate to. Add to that their unexplained OPness, and you've got the whole dimm picture.
The epilogue was full of really cheap cliffhangers that left a bad taste in my mouth.
It's not a bad book, not really, compared to what I've seen around. The story in itself, is interesting.
But the craft wasn't there for me. And without a bare minimum of "literature" sense, the best stories becomes drab.
Goodread says that 2 stars means "It's OK". Works for me. It was OK. I won't go further.
May 8, 2020
Book one
Mistakes: I found around eight mistakes in this book. Not to bad considering it’s length.
Plot: Taken from their world and tossed into one of magic and monsters, how will a family survive?
We have monster, magic, levels, and skills.
One thing I dislike is the waste of the monsters killed. They don’t bother to skin or butcher them. Nor do they gather any of the bodies to have it done in town even though at one point they had a wagon right there that they could have filled up.
Characters: None of the characters really have any pull to them. I wasn’t drawn to any of the characters and would have been indifferent to any of them being killed.
7/10
Mistakes: I found around eight mistakes in this book. Not to bad considering it’s length.
Plot: Taken from their world and tossed into one of magic and monsters, how will a family survive?
We have monster, magic, levels, and skills.
One thing I dislike is the waste of the monsters killed. They don’t bother to skin or butcher them. Nor do they gather any of the bodies to have it done in town even though at one point they had a wagon right there that they could have filled up.
Characters: None of the characters really have any pull to them. I wasn’t drawn to any of the characters and would have been indifferent to any of them being killed.
7/10
April 27, 2020
Wow
Incredible book felt to me like a merging of the book of job and the Swiss family Robinson stories mixed with litrpg. There were some spelling issues but the story was so good it really didn't break immersion. I look forward to book 2 and have already pre-order it though a 2 month wait will be torturous.
Incredible book felt to me like a merging of the book of job and the Swiss family Robinson stories mixed with litrpg. There were some spelling issues but the story was so good it really didn't break immersion. I look forward to book 2 and have already pre-order it though a 2 month wait will be torturous.
May 3, 2020
Slow start but worth it
I judge books by entertainment value and I have to admit I nearly quit reading the book in the beginning. However, I am glad I gave it more time. It is a unique plot and was a truly entertaining yarn. On to the 2nd book.
I judge books by entertainment value and I have to admit I nearly quit reading the book in the beginning. However, I am glad I gave it more time. It is a unique plot and was a truly entertaining yarn. On to the 2nd book.
September 1, 2025
Watcher’s Test (Book 1 of the Life in Exile series) is the story of Dave Nelson, a regular family man who suddenly finds himself and his loved ones transported into a dangerous, game-like world called Eloria. What was once just a pastime MMORPG becomes terrifyingly real—where stats, skills, and choices mean life or death, and protecting his wife and children is the only goal that matters.
I absolutely loved this book. What stood out most for me was how family is at the heart of the story. So many LitRPGs focus on solo adventurers, but here we see parents and kids navigating this new reality together, which added a whole new emotional weight to the battles and decisions. The fights are tense and well-described, and the world-building is deep and full of mystery.
Yes, the book takes its time to set things up, but for me that worked—I felt grounded in the family’s struggles before the larger threats kicked in. And once the pieces start coming together, the pacing builds into something really engaging and hard to put down. By the end, I was fully invested in both the Nelson family and the wider conflicts of Eloria.
A gripping mix of action, heart, and survival, Watcher’s Test is a must-read for LitRPG fans who want more than just leveling up—they want characters and stakes they can care about.
I absolutely loved this book. What stood out most for me was how family is at the heart of the story. So many LitRPGs focus on solo adventurers, but here we see parents and kids navigating this new reality together, which added a whole new emotional weight to the battles and decisions. The fights are tense and well-described, and the world-building is deep and full of mystery.
Yes, the book takes its time to set things up, but for me that worked—I felt grounded in the family’s struggles before the larger threats kicked in. And once the pieces start coming together, the pacing builds into something really engaging and hard to put down. By the end, I was fully invested in both the Nelson family and the wider conflicts of Eloria.
A gripping mix of action, heart, and survival, Watcher’s Test is a must-read for LitRPG fans who want more than just leveling up—they want characters and stakes they can care about.
October 12, 2023
It's a fine cup of tea, but it's not my cup of tea
This is a grim dark Isekai RPG story, but the whole family is transported. The whole family includes 3 kids the youngest is 8. This book has misery, death, strongly implied rape (to death)not shown, Explicit torture (to death) but not shown, and lots and lots of gruesome injuries, -with kids screaming and crying nearby.
Nobody is having much fun, everyone is scared. Endangerment of the kids is a major plot point (the 8 year old girl is partially eaten and burned with acid before being healed back to physical full health -Yey fun!)
This is well written. I love how the POV shifts from character to character sometimes showing the same event with a completely different context. I also kind of appreciate that this isn't a candy coated idealized family where everyone is an expert at everything and they never disagree.
...But. This book is stressing me out. A story were children are exposed to this level of brutality and parents are fighting monsters hand to hand to keep their children from being eaten alive in front of them is NOT my idea of escapist fantasy. Everybody is traumatized including me, so...
I'll show myself out, and you guys go ahead and enjoy the rest of this.
This is a grim dark Isekai RPG story, but the whole family is transported. The whole family includes 3 kids the youngest is 8. This book has misery, death, strongly implied rape (to death)not shown, Explicit torture (to death) but not shown, and lots and lots of gruesome injuries, -with kids screaming and crying nearby.
Nobody is having much fun, everyone is scared. Endangerment of the kids is a major plot point (the 8 year old girl is partially eaten and burned with acid before being healed back to physical full health -Yey fun!)
This is well written. I love how the POV shifts from character to character sometimes showing the same event with a completely different context. I also kind of appreciate that this isn't a candy coated idealized family where everyone is an expert at everything and they never disagree.
...But. This book is stressing me out. A story were children are exposed to this level of brutality and parents are fighting monsters hand to hand to keep their children from being eaten alive in front of them is NOT my idea of escapist fantasy. Everybody is traumatized including me, so...
I'll show myself out, and you guys go ahead and enjoy the rest of this.
April 29, 2020
Excellent first book by a new author and an exciting new take on the litRPG. The family aspect is a nice new twist that adds to the overall story, of which there is a lot of depth and worldbuilding. The author perfectly nails the family dynamic of the Nelsons and any father can relate to Dave and any mother to Emily.
Can't wait for the next one.
Can't wait for the next one.
July 7, 2020
I loved this book and was so disappointed to learn the next is a month away. The characters are well developed and I am looking forward to meeting those characters not revealed yet. Great book and makes me want to get involved in game-play.
December 29, 2020
A good book , it was my 1st time reading about the whole family being brought to a new game world which was interesting , there were some problems with timelines and POVs but manageable , my main issue was with the man of the family: he is very American meaning very pussy Whipped , I hope he grows a spine in the next installment.
February 9, 2025
Decent start. Really slow but a unique take on the genre. Family taken to a game like world. Really great family dynamic, good combat. Just...didn't seem to have a plot for half the book. Had no clue where the story was going.
April 22, 2020
An excellent yarn about what might happen if the angels get bored.
April 23, 2020
A refreshing twist of storytelling in the litrpg genre.
April 24, 2020
Loved it
Great start for the series, this take on LitRpg is refreshing the core store is solid the world building makes you want more.
Can't wait for the next book
Great start for the series, this take on LitRpg is refreshing the core store is solid the world building makes you want more.
Can't wait for the next book
April 14, 2020
Excellent Entry to the Genre
This meaty book will keep you on your toes. With an prologue that leaves you wanting to know more about the universe, a class and stat system that I feel is very unique and the refreshing take of a whole family being transported to a new place instead of just one character (or buddies).
It is a compelling and engaging story, with strong male and female characters that I felt were very realistic.
I look forward to more to come!
This meaty book will keep you on your toes. With an prologue that leaves you wanting to know more about the universe, a class and stat system that I feel is very unique and the refreshing take of a whole family being transported to a new place instead of just one character (or buddies).
It is a compelling and engaging story, with strong male and female characters that I felt were very realistic.
I look forward to more to come!
April 17, 2020
Enjoyable twist on the litRPG genre
I enjoyed reading this story and look forward to the next. The characters are believable, with them having their own challenges and growth. Well done.
I enjoyed reading this story and look forward to the next. The characters are believable, with them having their own challenges and growth. Well done.
April 19, 2020
Entertaining start to a new series
The premise hooked me when I first read it. A LitRPG hero who has his family along. This made for an entertaining and very enjoyable read. I couldn’t put it down until the end. The only nit was the number of breaks the author had to roll out all the supporting characters and their sub-plots in this world. Looking forward to the second book.
The premise hooked me when I first read it. A LitRPG hero who has his family along. This made for an entertaining and very enjoyable read. I couldn’t put it down until the end. The only nit was the number of breaks the author had to roll out all the supporting characters and their sub-plots in this world. Looking forward to the second book.
April 14, 2020
Getting trapped in the game world, with an extra twist
Getting trapped in a game world is every gamer dream. But what happens when your entire family gets trapped with you? See the struggle as the Nelson family adapts to a new life, with roles they never expected.
Magic, swords, and danger! But the pain is real, and what about death? Read on, to find out.
Getting trapped in a game world is every gamer dream. But what happens when your entire family gets trapped with you? See the struggle as the Nelson family adapts to a new life, with roles they never expected.
Magic, swords, and danger! But the pain is real, and what about death? Read on, to find out.
August 6, 2020
Interesting premise, terrible writing.
This is an interesting and welcome departure from most LitRPG. Rather than being purely a power fantasy centered around one character's inevitable victories, it follows a family struggling to adapt to a world outside their experiences. Clearly written with religion in mind, the whole tenor of the story is very different from the usual LitRPG story.
Unfortunately, it's written rather poorly and is in deep need of an editor to make it more readable. Constant point of view shifts, often without warning make it difficult to follow at times. Syntax and spelling errors aren't common, but are noticable. The tense varies between present and past without any real effort at continuity. The characters seem to forget their own abilities. The book even ends with the main character hoping someone else will have tracking skills, when he used them earlier in the book.
Add in the fact that I'm not entirely sure who this book is for, and I doubt I'll continue the series. The book is clearly written to be family friendly, but focuses almost entirely on the frustrated father and mother of a family. The tone of it will certainly appeal to parents, but I don't know that this is something you'd read to your family, even as passing have been taken to about cursing and other such naughty things.
In short, I enjoyed the idea, but the writing is bad, and I find the efforts at family friendly writing stained and distracting.
This is an interesting and welcome departure from most LitRPG. Rather than being purely a power fantasy centered around one character's inevitable victories, it follows a family struggling to adapt to a world outside their experiences. Clearly written with religion in mind, the whole tenor of the story is very different from the usual LitRPG story.
Unfortunately, it's written rather poorly and is in deep need of an editor to make it more readable. Constant point of view shifts, often without warning make it difficult to follow at times. Syntax and spelling errors aren't common, but are noticable. The tense varies between present and past without any real effort at continuity. The characters seem to forget their own abilities. The book even ends with the main character hoping someone else will have tracking skills, when he used them earlier in the book.
Add in the fact that I'm not entirely sure who this book is for, and I doubt I'll continue the series. The book is clearly written to be family friendly, but focuses almost entirely on the frustrated father and mother of a family. The tone of it will certainly appeal to parents, but I don't know that this is something you'd read to your family, even as passing have been taken to about cursing and other such naughty things.
In short, I enjoyed the idea, but the writing is bad, and I find the efforts at family friendly writing stained and distracting.
May 6, 2020
Lit with a twist.
I bing read this in about 24 hours. I love LtiRPG books in general and the twist of the exile and the family unit was great. Unlike a lot in this genre the MC is not completely OP and there are consequences to battle. Definitely up there in my list of LitRPG books right now. Would love to see some kingdom building thrown in though.
I bing read this in about 24 hours. I love LtiRPG books in general and the twist of the exile and the family unit was great. Unlike a lot in this genre the MC is not completely OP and there are consequences to battle. Definitely up there in my list of LitRPG books right now. Would love to see some kingdom building thrown in though.
February 26, 2024
I just read this, it was excellent. I'm hoping for a decently long series. Have read a couple hundred LitRpg at this point and I think this is one of the first if not the first about a family. It's such a novel concept I love it, can't wait for the next one.
May 15, 2020
Alert
I hate trying to write reviews because there are really only pass/fail results for me. Did I make it all the way through? Yes? 5 stars. No? There would be nothing here to read. In all fairness, if an author holds my attention from page one to the end, they’ve done their job. Anything less than 5 stars is petty criticism from someone incapable of even doing the job let alone doing a better one.
So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Now, since I have to keep explaining myself to people who don't like my reviews, I guess some clarification is in order.
1. I am 100% against criticism for works of art. Art is subjective, meaning reviews are irrelevant. The observer's opinion is only relevant to the observer. It is my belief that regardless of what others might say, I have to experience the art for myself.
2. I read upwards of 20 books a month. The $10/month I spend on K U, feels like I am cheating the authors. But since I can't afford 20 books a month if I were to purchase them directly, all I can offer is a positive review. That leads us to the final point.
3. If I get to the end of a book, then it was worth my time. I give those books 5 stars because it helps the author get exposure. That is the only reason I write reviews at all.
I understand that people are people and they are going to do what they do regardless of my stance. I know the way that I review books upsets some people. I am sorry they feel that way but as many have said, they will just ignore my review going forward. In fact, if you made it this far through my review, you should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews here. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
Cheers
I hate trying to write reviews because there are really only pass/fail results for me. Did I make it all the way through? Yes? 5 stars. No? There would be nothing here to read. In all fairness, if an author holds my attention from page one to the end, they’ve done their job. Anything less than 5 stars is petty criticism from someone incapable of even doing the job let alone doing a better one.
So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Now, since I have to keep explaining myself to people who don't like my reviews, I guess some clarification is in order.
1. I am 100% against criticism for works of art. Art is subjective, meaning reviews are irrelevant. The observer's opinion is only relevant to the observer. It is my belief that regardless of what others might say, I have to experience the art for myself.
2. I read upwards of 20 books a month. The $10/month I spend on K U, feels like I am cheating the authors. But since I can't afford 20 books a month if I were to purchase them directly, all I can offer is a positive review. That leads us to the final point.
3. If I get to the end of a book, then it was worth my time. I give those books 5 stars because it helps the author get exposure. That is the only reason I write reviews at all.
I understand that people are people and they are going to do what they do regardless of my stance. I know the way that I review books upsets some people. I am sorry they feel that way but as many have said, they will just ignore my review going forward. In fact, if you made it this far through my review, you should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews here. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
Cheers
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