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The Great Core's Paradox #2
The Great Core's Paradox 2
A new Legend has begun to spread among the Coreless, but there is more work to be done.
Paradox, satisfied by his efforts proselytizing in the city of Orken, is ready to move on to greener pastures. As far as he can tell, the Great Core’s first disciples seem to agree - and they even have a destination in mind! Luckily for him, greener pastures certainly await. Unluckily for him, those green pastures are anything but safe.
The city of Verdant Grove has suffered a calamitous collapse, the Nature Core that once fueled its crops’ growth now running rampant. Its plantlife has mutated in strange and dangerous ways, each new twisting of the vegetation performed under a trio of guiding thoughts.
Kill. Spread. Devour.
Meanwhile, those few Coreless who remain within the city find themselves wishing they had left when they had the chance - or even that they had died in the initial panic, because the remainder who still live within the city’s borders found something worse than death. Something terrifying. Something that leaves them helpless and hoping for salvation.
But Paradox doesn’t care about any of that; not really. Because, while Verdant Grove might be dangerous, it's exactly the type of danger that he feels like he was created for.
One caused by a Core.
And, for one who was created by the Greatest of Cores, is there anything more satisfying than proving another Core to be less than?
Paradox doesn’t think so.
Book 2 in the story of a little snake zealot and his journey to greatness. A crunchy time-loop LitRPG series perfect for fans of Kenneth Arant, RinoZ, and Jonathan Smidt. Grab your copy today!
Paradox, satisfied by his efforts proselytizing in the city of Orken, is ready to move on to greener pastures. As far as he can tell, the Great Core’s first disciples seem to agree - and they even have a destination in mind! Luckily for him, greener pastures certainly await. Unluckily for him, those green pastures are anything but safe.
The city of Verdant Grove has suffered a calamitous collapse, the Nature Core that once fueled its crops’ growth now running rampant. Its plantlife has mutated in strange and dangerous ways, each new twisting of the vegetation performed under a trio of guiding thoughts.
Kill. Spread. Devour.
Meanwhile, those few Coreless who remain within the city find themselves wishing they had left when they had the chance - or even that they had died in the initial panic, because the remainder who still live within the city’s borders found something worse than death. Something terrifying. Something that leaves them helpless and hoping for salvation.
But Paradox doesn’t care about any of that; not really. Because, while Verdant Grove might be dangerous, it's exactly the type of danger that he feels like he was created for.
One caused by a Core.
And, for one who was created by the Greatest of Cores, is there anything more satisfying than proving another Core to be less than?
Paradox doesn’t think so.
Book 2 in the story of a little snake zealot and his journey to greatness. A crunchy time-loop LitRPG series perfect for fans of Kenneth Arant, RinoZ, and Jonathan Smidt. Grab your copy today!
541 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 2, 2023
A very slow start.
This could use a recap at the front. The time spent trying to catch up combined with the weird making convention makes for a shaky start. The overall development was very slow and the ending wrapped up very quickly making for an unsatisfying pace.
This could use a recap at the front. The time spent trying to catch up combined with the weird making convention makes for a shaky start. The overall development was very slow and the ending wrapped up very quickly making for an unsatisfying pace.
February 1, 2023
Still got charm to spare
I’ve been awaiting the return of paradox for a while now with the first book being one of my favourites of last year. Overall this sequel does not disappoint - paradox is the same loveably delusional snake and his view on the world is still a pleasure to read. Some elements that I had criticism for in the first (not that I had much overall), namely less characterisation for the supporting cast, are addressed. We move around a bit more in perspective and the seekers (or humble acolytes depending on perspective) are given more depth. This author has a talent for strong characterisation with witty turns of phrase and distinct personalities; I found I really cared about the them. The tragic tale of the golem was a great example of that I think - we had very little in the grand scheme from his perspective and he was acting in a villainous role but I still felt for him. Star knocked off though because it does drag for a bit in the middle - started to get to that point where I was just tapping my foot waiting for the next big thing to happen (them getting the core). Still overall I’d really recommend and am looking forward to paradox being reunited with his followers in the next one.
I’ve been awaiting the return of paradox for a while now with the first book being one of my favourites of last year. Overall this sequel does not disappoint - paradox is the same loveably delusional snake and his view on the world is still a pleasure to read. Some elements that I had criticism for in the first (not that I had much overall), namely less characterisation for the supporting cast, are addressed. We move around a bit more in perspective and the seekers (or humble acolytes depending on perspective) are given more depth. This author has a talent for strong characterisation with witty turns of phrase and distinct personalities; I found I really cared about the them. The tragic tale of the golem was a great example of that I think - we had very little in the grand scheme from his perspective and he was acting in a villainous role but I still felt for him. Star knocked off though because it does drag for a bit in the middle - started to get to that point where I was just tapping my foot waiting for the next big thing to happen (them getting the core). Still overall I’d really recommend and am looking forward to paradox being reunited with his followers in the next one.
January 13, 2023
I adored the first book so is it any wonder that I found bk2 to be AwesomeSauce!
The books MC is a cute little danger noodle, a snek, Paradox Ouroboros. And I love him. A snek with a humongous amount of confidence in both the Great Core and in hisss own abilities as he interprets the mouth noises the coreless (humans) make. (Boy can he get it wrong.) In my opinion Zendran walks a pretty fine line from telling the snakes POV as he sees it... to keeping the reader informed to whom each of the individuals are in this odd party of adventurers. While winning over each dungeon city for the Great Core!
Ohhhh and yeah Peter Berkrot is perfect for the telling of this tale!
The books MC is a cute little danger noodle, a snek, Paradox Ouroboros. And I love him. A snek with a humongous amount of confidence in both the Great Core and in hisss own abilities as he interprets the mouth noises the coreless (humans) make. (Boy can he get it wrong.) In my opinion Zendran walks a pretty fine line from telling the snakes POV as he sees it... to keeping the reader informed to whom each of the individuals are in this odd party of adventurers. While winning over each dungeon city for the Great Core!
Ohhhh and yeah Peter Berkrot is perfect for the telling of this tale!
January 21, 2023
I thought the first book was amazing and funny. But the sequel was quite disappointing, I couldn't pay attention to it at all because the story was basically the exakt same as the first book and I found the plot to be subpar at best. The really funny stuff was kind of lame in this one. I was 5 hours away from being done with the book when I just couldn't endure it anymore. DNF and won't continue the series. The characters all felt like they were lacking a real personality and was just there as minions for the snake.
January 27, 2023
A Modern Parable
While the further adventures of the Little Guardian are a fast-paced dungeon romp, our heroes fighting against overwhelming odds, this is also a clever metaphor for modern life. Are our decisions our own, or are we unwitting puppets? Replace Paradox, the impossibly cute little snake, with our mobile phones, our social media, our credit cards, and and you start to worry about who controls whom, and who is really in charge. Mind control and puppetry don’t only occur in LitRPG.
While the further adventures of the Little Guardian are a fast-paced dungeon romp, our heroes fighting against overwhelming odds, this is also a clever metaphor for modern life. Are our decisions our own, or are we unwitting puppets? Replace Paradox, the impossibly cute little snake, with our mobile phones, our social media, our credit cards, and and you start to worry about who controls whom, and who is really in charge. Mind control and puppetry don’t only occur in LitRPG.
January 14, 2023
my beloved minions
this sequel was very enjoyable, almost as enjoyable as the first, leaving me with a felt sense of reading multiple truths to the same story.
this sequel was very enjoyable, almost as enjoyable as the first, leaving me with a felt sense of reading multiple truths to the same story.
February 23, 2023
Even better than the first one. The save point mechanic works in such a way as to never make the current story seem meaningless. Paradox is adorable in his little zealotry of the Great Core.
October 13, 2023
Amazing!
Such an amazing story with cool and unique characters. I can not wait to see where the story ends up.
Such an amazing story with cool and unique characters. I can not wait to see where the story ends up.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews