Alistern “Stern” Masterson never expected to have the sort of life he found himself living. He was an irregular— a person who looked like the undead and had unusual perks— and his life hadn’t been very pleasant, so he’d written off the idea of ever finding anyone who understood him. Then, an old lady had asked for help, and he’d given it…
Stern was able to rescue Cyra Walot’s shards from the Bloodstone dungeon, after which he was brought before the city magistrate on false charges. Cyra helped him clear his name, and he was set free with the newly reborn Cyra beside him.
Although the rabbit lykian had lived a rough life and died horribly inside the dungeon, she wasn’t about to let that stop her from following her own dream. Seeing her determination, Stern offered to help her. Together, they ran the starting dungeons so that Cyra could develop the skills she would need to survive as a Walker.
Stern and Cyra found a friend in Trish Moxy, an accomplished leatherworker. That friendship blossomed and grew, becoming something that none of them had expected.
The new triad relationship and fledgling crew trained together in Darkstone, preparing to take on the next set of dungeons. These would be much harder, but they felt like they had a chance if they worked together.
After Darkstone, they set out for Waterrock. They were intent on finding people to fill out their crew, knowing they would need more allies for what the future held.
(This book contains non-standard relationships and touches upon adult situations.)
Daniel James Schinhofen is a self-published author in the burgeoning genre of LitRPG/Gamelit. He published his first book, Last Horizon: Beta, in October of 2016, and has recently published his fifteenth book. A best-selling author on Amazon multiple times, his four series have achieved name recognition in the genre. When not slavishly typing away at the next book, Daniel tries to unwind with video games, playing with his dog Sugar, or going for walks around his neighborhood. His books can be found easily via his website http://schinhofenbooks.com/. Daniel can be found via Twitter using the handle @DJSchinhofen.
I enjoyed the hell of of this carbon copy of the last 8 books Schinhofen is like pizza. It's predictable, repetitive, kinda' greasy, and I can eat it over and over and love it just as much the hundredth time. I was reading this book, and wondering why I wasn't sick of it but I'm not and that boggles my mind because it's the same as Alpha Company, and the same as Binding Words, and the same as Lucks voice. One day I expect to hit the wall all at once and be sick to death of it in a moment, but I'm not yet and I have no idea why. Well... The MC is a stand up guy and I love to watch him win at life and do the right thing. I like that the sex is implied. I like a lot of little touches here and there that never seem to add up to how much I enjoy all his books (except for Apocalypse Gates, that's Okay but the MC Alvin is an A-hole) This book gets schmaltzy in all the same places and the MC stands up at a wedding and makes the best man speech about himself, and that should tick me off but it just doesn't. I'm as mystified as you are.
I didn't like this series as much as this author's other works. I just didn't connect with the characters as much I think. It is just a simple thing but I think the fact the MC is an irregular and every person is terrified of him when they see him and yet he has 2 women with him that think he is attractive doesn't compute in my mind. Other than that the writing style is the same. Much more of a slice of life kind of story telling which I enjoy. I am getting tired of the MC blushing whenever the topic of sex comes up even if they have had sex multiple times. It is cute at first but it is starting to get really old IMO.
Some traveling, some party growth, one minor subplot to tie an older loose end. Somewhat slow burn harem.
This mostly advances the team in the direction they were already traveling. A few dungeons and some traveling encounters, with Pawly becoming even more amazing.
Some scenes are extended beyond where they need to be, could use some editing.
I don’t like to short change reviewers but the book deserves about 3.75 stars. I thought the first book deserved 4.5 stars for reference sake.
Here we get the MC and we do get more character development would you get more story. New dungeons are cleared new towns are visited that’s all good but it follows the same repetitive rhythm for the most part. Near the end of the story that’s when we see that rhythm break and we get some new excitement. I don’t think it’s wide enough to make the story 4 stars. I think the story is actually missing a few things that really need to be touched upon right now. There are some plot points that need to be expanded and if those points had have been expanded I would’ve given it a higher score but we’re just pretty much repeating some things we saw in the first book visit a town go to a dungeon finish the dungeon get a new perk. In some cases the most interesting part is the perk. Nothing exciting nothing noteworthy happens in between one perk and the next you could literally skip it. It is great to see relationships develop that does happen in the story but too often I felt it was repeat it will go a little farther will take one step further and I said man I’ve heard this before let’s move on to something new and instead it repeated itself again. It’s not the worst thing but it’s a repetitive thing.
Now mild very mild spoilers coming up but I always write a note for the author when they read the reviews. We really need to know why do people fleer the blighted so much. It’s not explained to us at all and by the second book we should’ve been given a hint as to why every time the MC walks into a town people hate him not just one town or the second town but every town. That has not been explained fully and it should have by now. At the very least I argue it doesn’t make sense. I asked a question if these people fear the blighted so much they must see them on the regular but we don’t see them on the regular in the story. We don’t hear about them just popping up out of the blue attacking some town scaring the children. If that’s the case then these people should know he’s a walker and leave him alone but instead they were respond with this hatred and it doesn’t fit with the world that’s been built. I also noted the repetitiveness above I’m hoping the third book doesn’t get repetitive as well I’m hoping to see the story branch out. I want to know why does everybody have to go north to find tougher dungeons. That’s another issue that doesn’t quite add up and needs an explanation. Are the tougher dungeons to the north? Earlier in the story it was mentioned the more dungeons you visit and complete determines how hard the next dungeon will be is it location or completion or some combination of the two. It’s great to have the story with the MC but we need a little bit more world building. One thing I do like though I love the park system I love that nobody’s getting some crazy overpowered perk but it is a long stretch from one park to the next and you have to keep it interesting in between those stretches this was OK but it wasn’t interesting between each stretch.
Let me just put this out there writing rape victims as one dimensional pisses me the f@!# off. Fluff was understandable in Alpha World with deep traumas other than rape that explained her behaviors. Mirroring that in Cyra is just bull$#!* Firstly because making a major theme of the plot helping someone overcome their sexual issues through voyeurism and being straight up bisexual is insulting to both bisexuals and people who've been in that kind of position. Yeah there's work that needs to be done, some people never have sex again, some do but in a safe controlled environment, some take things quickly and never form emotional attachments, the list goes on and on because people aren't one dimensional and letting that define her personality is just awful writing and shows a lack of understanding that is mind boggling. Reusing that plot device speaks ill of someone who I genuinely like as an author. So for me character development is out the window, it's just Alpha World in Delta World with a new cast in the same roles, who wants to bet that there will be a new Gerold and Marysue? Not me, because I'm pretty sure that's how it's going to end up, bet they'll probably be travellers too or that girl from the other team that reminds Stern of Karen (which would be creepy as $#!*). It's not about being predictable though, there are times when that's beneficial this is just sh!t writing on a sensitive topic.
As for the plot it wasn't complete crap outside of the whole thing with Cyra. The Cammie thing just feels convenient and like lazy writing which is astounding for Schinhofen. I'm actually glad that Mike didn't work out since it was a change up to things almost always going right for the MC. Things with Vulk were predictable after the story came from Cammie but otherwise, yeah this series might not be my cup of tea anymore.
As for why 5 stars when it's really a 2 1/2 maybe 3 star book... well I hope the series gets better. I really do and Amazon's algorithms are unkind to less than 5 stars.
It took me until book 2 to figure this out. Alistern is the son of Alburet and (I think) Stacia, the succubus from Alpha World. It is mentioned about halfway through that Alistern has three mothers: Karen, Stacia and Fluffybunny (I think that's the right name).
On top of all that, Alistern was named after either the necromancer trainer or Stacia's father who ran the Dead Man's Inn. Again, I can't remember because it's been a while since I read that series.
Does that mean Alistern, Cammie, Cyra and all the rest are living in a game? Because that's what it seems like. And if this theory is correct, are they stuck in the game, or can they leave at some point?
As for the book itself, book 2 settles into a pattern that I suspect will continue to the very end. Go through a dungeon and recover shards from people who died inside the dungeon. Spend time training. Travel to the next city while picking up quests along the way. Rinse and repeat.
And I am fine with that. There is a deviation at the end of book 2 that I won't explain, but it didn't change the pattern.
As for the dungeons, they're not the most challenging, but then again the team is at tin level, with the next book starting at nickel. The dungeons I remember from Alpha World had story lines to them, so maybe that will come later instead of the usual mobs, mini boss and big boss setup we have in this book.
There are no stat pages, but there is a solid progression of abilities as each dungeon run ends with new abilities coming available.
Overall, I found this to be a relaxing, enjoyable read, which is the author's current style. There's enough going on to keep me reading, but if you're a reader who lives for action, this probably isn't for you.
I have said many times that the strength of Schinhofen's writing is in the character interaction. This has failed in that respect.
The amount of time spent in book one talking about crew, then they take the first two they meet and make it obvious they are joining before they even run a dungeon. Add in that the main character is just unbelievable. All of his books, whether the MC is a good guy or a bad guy, has a real main character. With hopes, dreams and foibles. This one comes off as perfect, too perfect. It ruins the story because nothing he does is believable. The character interactions are deep connections upon first meetings, that also ruins the believability. I found myself rushing through the end of this book because none of it mattered, none of it felt real. This one, with its connection to Alpha World, was a major disappointment.
Let's see how the series is ruined with romance being introduced.
Thankfully this was fade to black, so I don't have to read any of the cringe smut... But the book devolved from a guy and his cat familiar doing things, to the usual Schinhofen fare of cringey relationships and harems, that are built on "love", and how everyone loves everyone else so much that they are sick if the person isn't near by.
The stupid book focused more on the relationships of love and friendship than improving. I don't mind a harem, I don't mind the "love" thing, but when entire chapters are spent on "feelings" that if I skipped them, I wouldn't have lost any of the main plot, there is a problem.
I will continue because I want to see
I guess this series will keep my cringe factor in check by giving it regular workouts.
So, yeah. The MC is exactly who you think he is from the very beginning. The love interests are exactly the same characters as Alpha World but with different names. And the story progresses exactly how you think it will.
Fortunately this is a journey that is enjoyable even if predictable.
But to be honest, this story feels like it was rushed to the public and not given the time to be properly edited. There are things that could have been explained a bit more as well as assumptions that characters we met early in the first book would be remembered late in this second book (such as Frank).
That said, I will be happy to read the next one when it comes out.
I like it. A little light on action, great on character. Dungeon Walkers 2 does a good job carrying Dungeon Walker into a new chapter without needing to recount every detail. We have new characters introduced and in an interesting twist in a harem novel the new guy has more relevance to the plot than his sister. While there are scenes of romance, they are more sexual inuendo and fade to black than the aurhor's other works. Overall a good slice of life novel
Story is similar to earlier book, but a bit less story and more repetitive.
What really pissed me of is the fast forward all the time! Not only does it make the story telling stagger, I also have to miss the intimate moments. They are even worse than FTB as I get a clinical short summary of the story or intimacy. Character feels one dimensional as a consequence.
Lastly , why the aggressive lesbians and the MC is a tool? It’s a mans harem book. Not a book for children or a pc view on feminism. Get your act together!
Definitely fun and worth the red. The series has a unique way of handling dungeons, people, skills and races, with some of the descriptions being fun and entertaining.
The characters and their stories are what make the novels, and the second one has more tales to be told that keep you hooked!
Loved this book from front to back and eagerly await the next!
I always enjoy the books by this author and this book is no exception. I really like the way the characters support each other and I like the way the story is woven and it keeps my interest to see what is going to happen next. The characters are submersive and the world building is fun. I can hardly wait to see what direction The story goes as it continues and also the relationship between the main characters how they develop as well.
Dungeon Walkers 2 continues Stern and Co's journey through the Walker ranks. We get some more party members, Perks, and more. The group does see some major repercussions from events from the first book. The revelation of Stern's family is slightly expanded on. And the Travelers have not made their appearance yet, but I think they will at the end of the next volume. Stern, Cyra and Trish's relationship continues to grow. Overall, I am enjoying this series and the easter eggs hidden inside.
2nd in the series based on previous works. Well worth reading.
This author makes me buy his books! I started reading him via KU but now I don't bother. I know that I will have to read them again, so why bother renting them. The story continues to engage the reader. The plot is interesting, the MC & supporting characters keep my attention & the magic is intriguing. BUY BUY BUY this book and the series.
Great story. No world ending bad guy (which is not a bad thing at all), but the characters do face and overcome challenges both in and outside of the dungeons. I didn’t even notice that the spicy bits were FTB until around halfway through, because I was more invested in the characters themselves. Just a great story.
Daniel has a real skill in bringing out emotions as you read his books, I suppose it means he can get you invested in the characters he has built enough for you to really feel the emotions of the characters. With the MC being an empathic, I suppose it is suitable that the reader gets involved. Great book. Thanks Daniel.
Quality writing as always, but didn't clear the hurdle for a fifth star from me. Slice-of-life to action/plot movement was decent, but a bit more emotional navel-gazing than I prefer. I did find the pacing more consistent in this book than in the first. Really, if you're familiar with the author's work nothing much here should surprise you.
I am a big fan of Daniel Schinhofen books to begin with and with the cat added into the mix makes this a must read for me. It had been awhile since finishing the first book so I read that one again and immediately started the second. Happy with the second and can’t wait for the third.
The protagonist went from a young warrior with a chip on his shoulder out to prove his worth into a generic slice of life harem. If you're interested in: cuddles, kisses, descriptions of every meal, and a ham-fisted attempt at throwing a harem together, then you'll probably probably like this. Feels like a bait and switch, to be honest.
Stern continues to clear dungeons pull soul shards from dungeons so they may be reborn .
Stern comes from esteemed family of Rescue Squad retrieving soul shards from dungeons so they may be reborn again an continue their lives again an hopefully lead a normal life as intended by the goddess of that world .recommend reading excellent series .
A beautiful continuation of the dungeon walker série. Excellent character development, Endearing characters join the crew and even a new summon! Looking forward to the next book!
I am honestly happy with the developments of this book. The romance is slow burn, the Easter eggs are juicy, the conflict is amazing and as per usual the story doesn't miss. Can't wait for the next one!!
Very good book and a enjoyable read ,it was a dang emotional experience a few times . It is well worth the read ,I look forward to reading more of the series in the future 😀
Just love it. The story is outstanding, the characters full of depth and intricacies. It always a pleasure to read Daniel books so of course staying until 2am just to finish it... You Sir kill me. Thank you so much for the wonderful writing.
Obviously this will be another stunningly successful series for Daniel Schinhofen! Very interesting characters which are growing each book. The plot continues to develop and become more and more intriguing. I can't wait for the next book!
Loved the book. It really delved more into the team forming and then evolving as walkers. All the characters were fun and the story was great. Can’t wait for the next one.
Daniel Schinhofen has written another hit with Dungeon Walkers 2, the sequel to Dungeon Walkers. Fans of Mr. Schinhofen's works will love the continuing growth of characters both old, and new.
This is a wonderful series for those who like the Heroes Journey and the trials they endure along the way. The author is great at world building. Check out all of his books!