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Chronicles of Ethan #1-3
Chronicles of Ethan Complete Series
Retirement means immortality. Immortality means adventure. Life begins at seventy.
Running on the world's fastest quantum computer is a very special one where retirees leave their flesh-and-blood lives in search of endless adventure. Weapons, spells, gold, experience points… These are the marks by which life is now measured.
Ethan Crane wants none of it. In fact, he never wanted to retire at all, let alone play a game for all eternity. But now he's on a mission to find his wife—a wife he just discovered is still alive and inside the game.
Nothing will stop him from reaching her. Not even himself.
What readers are
“This is a wonderful twist to the average video game world story!” ★★★★★
“John L. Monk strikes gold with this LitRPG. Full of interesting characters who solve complex problems, this series will have you turning pages until the end!” ★★★★★
“Realistic main character in a fantastic world.” ★★★★★
Buy the 3-book boxed set today to read John L. Monk’s Mythian, Hard Mode, and Karma’s Touch!
Running on the world's fastest quantum computer is a very special one where retirees leave their flesh-and-blood lives in search of endless adventure. Weapons, spells, gold, experience points… These are the marks by which life is now measured.
Ethan Crane wants none of it. In fact, he never wanted to retire at all, let alone play a game for all eternity. But now he's on a mission to find his wife—a wife he just discovered is still alive and inside the game.
Nothing will stop him from reaching her. Not even himself.
What readers are
“This is a wonderful twist to the average video game world story!” ★★★★★
“John L. Monk strikes gold with this LitRPG. Full of interesting characters who solve complex problems, this series will have you turning pages until the end!” ★★★★★
“Realistic main character in a fantastic world.” ★★★★★
Buy the 3-book boxed set today to read John L. Monk’s Mythian, Hard Mode, and Karma’s Touch!
- GenresAudiobook
638 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 8, 2020
112 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
John L. Monk
21 books134 followersJohn L. Monk lives in Virginia, USA, with his wife, Dorothy. A writer with a degree in cultural anthropology, he boldly does the dishes, roots out evil wherever it lurks, and writes his own stunts.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 11, 2021
While on the surface this is a story about gaming and fighting a nebulous force of evil or whatever, the part that stands out most clearly when I look back to remember it is the story of a man torn between his longtime wife who seems to have fallen out of love with him and a younger woman who is just falling into it. And I really wish the story hadn't tried so hard to force the love triangle into the fore.
I really enjoyed this series for the first two and a half books, but then it flipped to flat and generic for the ending which is really frustrating. Some of the issues the book raised were never addressed properly, but that could just be because the MC didn't think of them.
The game plotline was interesting enough, and the end boss was sufficiently different from the usual iterations that I have nothing to complain about on that end.
[minor spoilers below]
I really enjoyed the early chapters of book 3, but then it's like the author went out of the way to force the story back into the same dynamic as the first two even when it ought to have evolved. I was extremely disappointed. Instead of permitting any risks, the MC suddenly becomes selfish and controlling. I'm really not the sort to care about socially correct stuff, but this in particular really bothered me.
My biggest problem was that we have two decently interesting side characters suddenly relegated to helpless captives whose fate must be decided by our MC. And he does, literally, disregard their wishes and impose his own decisions on them, which is then celebrated as though this is the correct route. It made me very uncomfortable with the whole finale and left me with a veneer of irritation over the whole saga as a result. Which is unfortunate, because overall it was fun and enjoyable, but the final decisions the MC makes just rub me the wrong way.
EDIT: I've come back to drop this another star, because I can't stop thinking about how poorly the narrative treated the female side characters. Having the guy override their agency and refuse to give them any choice in the matter of deciding their own fates makes me very uncomfortable, especially when it's presented as though this is a good thing. Treating women as expendables to be neglected for convenience and ordered away when he gets tired of them shouldn't be seen as a good thing.
I really enjoyed this series for the first two and a half books, but then it flipped to flat and generic for the ending which is really frustrating. Some of the issues the book raised were never addressed properly, but that could just be because the MC didn't think of them.
The game plotline was interesting enough, and the end boss was sufficiently different from the usual iterations that I have nothing to complain about on that end.
[minor spoilers below]
I really enjoyed the early chapters of book 3, but then it's like the author went out of the way to force the story back into the same dynamic as the first two even when it ought to have evolved. I was extremely disappointed. Instead of permitting any risks, the MC suddenly becomes selfish and controlling. I'm really not the sort to care about socially correct stuff, but this in particular really bothered me.
My biggest problem was that we have two decently interesting side characters suddenly relegated to helpless captives whose fate must be decided by our MC. And he does, literally, disregard their wishes and impose his own decisions on them, which is then celebrated as though this is the correct route. It made me very uncomfortable with the whole finale and left me with a veneer of irritation over the whole saga as a result. Which is unfortunate, because overall it was fun and enjoyable, but the final decisions the MC makes just rub me the wrong way.
EDIT: I've come back to drop this another star, because I can't stop thinking about how poorly the narrative treated the female side characters. Having the guy override their agency and refuse to give them any choice in the matter of deciding their own fates makes me very uncomfortable, especially when it's presented as though this is a good thing. Treating women as expendables to be neglected for convenience and ordered away when he gets tired of them shouldn't be seen as a good thing.
May 11, 2021
Ethan didn’t want engaging adventures, he just wanted his wife back
A truly deep tale with love lost and love found, villains, manipulators, selfish players and AI, and a world designed by brilliant morons inebriated beyond safety. Mythian as a game is a death trap of boredom, pain, and lies the government uses to cut down on the living elderly. Convincing them of an endless adventure of fun and relaxation that doesn’t exist. Well it does exist, technically, but with time dilation and endless lives, anything would become boring.
So why not try Hard Mode, no more infinite lives and a faster rise to power. Oh but if you fail too much, true death awaits, only 100 lives away.
Would you chase your dead wife through digital worlds?
Would she still want you after 35 years of marriage on earth?
Does a digital eternity together sound like bliss or torture to you?
Ethan lost his wife in an impossible accident, then drank himself to oblivion until a strange letter drags his hopes out that he could see his wife Melody again. But she died, could someone have truly saved her psyche, in a game?
A truly deep tale with love lost and love found, villains, manipulators, selfish players and AI, and a world designed by brilliant morons inebriated beyond safety. Mythian as a game is a death trap of boredom, pain, and lies the government uses to cut down on the living elderly. Convincing them of an endless adventure of fun and relaxation that doesn’t exist. Well it does exist, technically, but with time dilation and endless lives, anything would become boring.
So why not try Hard Mode, no more infinite lives and a faster rise to power. Oh but if you fail too much, true death awaits, only 100 lives away.
Would you chase your dead wife through digital worlds?
Would she still want you after 35 years of marriage on earth?
Does a digital eternity together sound like bliss or torture to you?
Ethan lost his wife in an impossible accident, then drank himself to oblivion until a strange letter drags his hopes out that he could see his wife Melody again. But she died, could someone have truly saved her psyche, in a game?
September 22, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyable LitRPG series from an amazing author. Highly recommended.
It has a unique concept (a player who doesn't like games), a unique RPG system, a well-fleshed out world that feels like a MMO, and a compelling story. I read the entire series greedily from start to finish.
I do agree with criticisms that the two main female characters lose agency towards the end. This didn't detract from the overall story, but ultimately I saw it as a character weakness of the main character. I would have more respected that both women went in directions more compatible with the trajectory their characters would have taken them, even if it inconvenienced the main character.
It has a unique concept (a player who doesn't like games), a unique RPG system, a well-fleshed out world that feels like a MMO, and a compelling story. I read the entire series greedily from start to finish.
I do agree with criticisms that the two main female characters lose agency towards the end. This didn't detract from the overall story, but ultimately I saw it as a character weakness of the main character. I would have more respected that both women went in directions more compatible with the trajectory their characters would have taken them, even if it inconvenienced the main character.
June 10, 2020
Super!
If you look at the about this book it says for ages 13 to 18, but don't be fooled. I am a 50 year old female gamer and this book appealed to me because the characters were 65+ year old retirees who "retire" into a virtual world/game. I will still be gaming at 70 if my arthritis still allows it. This series is fun, adventurous, sometimes snarky, and has great character development.
If you look at the about this book it says for ages 13 to 18, but don't be fooled. I am a 50 year old female gamer and this book appealed to me because the characters were 65+ year old retirees who "retire" into a virtual world/game. I will still be gaming at 70 if my arthritis still allows it. This series is fun, adventurous, sometimes snarky, and has great character development.
July 31, 2020
Great story!
Well written litrpg story. The characters are written well and the story has just enough excitement to keep you turning the pages. The MC is an RPG noob and somewhat of a moron, which keeps the setting fresh. Definitely worth the read if you are looking for a completed, fun series.
Well written litrpg story. The characters are written well and the story has just enough excitement to keep you turning the pages. The MC is an RPG noob and somewhat of a moron, which keeps the setting fresh. Definitely worth the read if you are looking for a completed, fun series.
January 31, 2021
Different
Not at all your typical litrpg story. The MC never really is interested in the game and the gaming aspects. I'd call it more a fantasy book with litrpg elements then anything else. Still enjoyable, but not as satisfying as some.
Not at all your typical litrpg story. The MC never really is interested in the game and the gaming aspects. I'd call it more a fantasy book with litrpg elements then anything else. Still enjoyable, but not as satisfying as some.
August 15, 2021
A great story in a great world with a conflicted hero
This is a great story with great characters. I really enjoyed the back stories you learn eventually. Ethan is a drive and very conflicted hero but a hero none the less. I recommend this highly.
This is a great story with great characters. I really enjoyed the back stories you learn eventually. Ethan is a drive and very conflicted hero but a hero none the less. I recommend this highly.
June 3, 2021
A good litrpg
Worth a read. I found it enjoyable. I also read underpowered prior to this and enjoyed it more. Looking forward to seeing more from these series.
Worth a read. I found it enjoyable. I also read underpowered prior to this and enjoyed it more. Looking forward to seeing more from these series.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews