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The Path of Ascension #1
The Path of Ascension
Orphaned by Monsters. Matt must power up to save others from the same fate.
Matt plans to delve the rifts responsible for the monsters that destroyed his city and murdered his parents. But his dreams are crushed when his Tier 1 Talent is rated as detrimental and no guild or group will take him.
Working at a nearby inn, he meets a mysterious and powerful couple. They give him a chance to join the Path of Ascension, an empire-wide race to ascend the Tiers and become living legends.
With their recommendation and a stolen Skill, Matt begins his journey to the peak of power. Maybe then, he can get vengeance he seeks...
Matt plans to delve the rifts responsible for the monsters that destroyed his city and murdered his parents. But his dreams are crushed when his Tier 1 Talent is rated as detrimental and no guild or group will take him.
Working at a nearby inn, he meets a mysterious and powerful couple. They give him a chance to join the Path of Ascension, an empire-wide race to ascend the Tiers and become living legends.
With their recommendation and a stolen Skill, Matt begins his journey to the peak of power. Maybe then, he can get vengeance he seeks...
812 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2022
2228 people are currently reading
3825 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 383 reviews
January 17, 2024
I was expecting to finish this tomorrow, but i ended up finishing all what was left yesterday, not in three days as i predicted.
Which is great i felt melancholy yesterday before i picked up the book, and as i got into it, i lost feeling of myself, and it was just the story and the characters of the story.
So the eternal question why the 3 stars? specially that this novel have very high average rating.
There was a lot of generic shit in the novel, the rifts were nothing special, you are fighting goblins then fighting bears then fighting whatever, it wasn't exciting or unique, you could even tell in the dungeon that had 6 paths the writer stopped even describing how they beat them in detail anymore, because it was 6 variants of the same stupid monsters!
Then you had the tournament, again if he just described the fights were Matt and Liz fought that would have been okay, but instead we watched fights that did nothing for the story at all.
Then you had the skirmish between the Empire and the Republic, i felt that was shoved in there just to get the protagonists two new skills as a reward, it really served no purpose in the grand scheme of things.
So yeah that prolonging for no reason hurt the novel for me.
But everything else was awesome, The characters, the world building, the cultivation system, C. Mantis managed to create a world that will just keep on giving, i applaude him for that, i hope there was some experienced feed back to avoid falling for the same issues in future books, sadly i will not be reading book 2 anytime soon, but i will definitely come back to finish this one day.
And HEY! one more book from my to read shelf finished! that's super rare 😍
Which is great i felt melancholy yesterday before i picked up the book, and as i got into it, i lost feeling of myself, and it was just the story and the characters of the story.
So the eternal question why the 3 stars? specially that this novel have very high average rating.
There was a lot of generic shit in the novel, the rifts were nothing special, you are fighting goblins then fighting bears then fighting whatever, it wasn't exciting or unique, you could even tell in the dungeon that had 6 paths the writer stopped even describing how they beat them in detail anymore, because it was 6 variants of the same stupid monsters!
Then you had the tournament, again if he just described the fights were Matt and Liz fought that would have been okay, but instead we watched fights that did nothing for the story at all.
Then you had the skirmish between the Empire and the Republic, i felt that was shoved in there just to get the protagonists two new skills as a reward, it really served no purpose in the grand scheme of things.
So yeah that prolonging for no reason hurt the novel for me.
But everything else was awesome, The characters, the world building, the cultivation system, C. Mantis managed to create a world that will just keep on giving, i applaude him for that, i hope there was some experienced feed back to avoid falling for the same issues in future books, sadly i will not be reading book 2 anytime soon, but i will definitely come back to finish this one day.
And HEY! one more book from my to read shelf finished! that's super rare 😍
November 20, 2022
DNF at 65%
After a week of trying to continue with this book I'm calling quits, which is a shame cause the writing was good and it had some intresting characters but that is NOT enough keep my interest.
The book started with an intresting premise and a MC with unique disability/ability and some likable secondary characters...
BUT...
There's NO tension or bigger threats or intresting fight sequences.
There's NO MC punching above his weight.
There's NO intriguing overarching story
There's NO emotional drive for the characters.
Simple put, The Path of Ascension lacks all the things we expect from a Progression Fantasy.
So in the end it turned out to be just an OK read.
After a week of trying to continue with this book I'm calling quits, which is a shame cause the writing was good and it had some intresting characters but that is NOT enough keep my interest.
The book started with an intresting premise and a MC with unique disability/ability and some likable secondary characters...
BUT...
There's NO tension or bigger threats or intresting fight sequences.
There's NO MC punching above his weight.
There's NO intriguing overarching story
There's NO emotional drive for the characters.
Simple put, The Path of Ascension lacks all the things we expect from a Progression Fantasy.
So in the end it turned out to be just an OK read.
April 13, 2024
Rating 4.5 stars
Surprisingly good story. It follows an orphan named Matt and he turns 13 and gets his Tier 1 talent. This is his ticket out. He can't stat at the orphanage after this day. He lost his parents years ago after a rift breach where monsters were set loose on the world. That wasn't supposed to happen but the world he lived on is low tier and they cut some corners. Rifts are usually safe. They are the place where people can get essence and further their cultivation. If rifts are routinely cleared then there can be a rift break. Matt has a guild picked out and everything. That is until he gets a detrimental tier 1 talent. Something that excludes him from joining the guild. He barely has any mana at all and can't use essence to increase his mana pool. His only saving grace is he has an insane regeneration rate. So insane he will almost never run out of mana. The only problem is that he will never have enough mana to use most skills. He finds a job and tries to save enough money to be able to go into a rift and get some essence. His only hope is that he gets a skill at tier 3 that will fix his problem. That is usually what happens. The system isn't cruel. There is no such thing as a completely broken skill. Since he can't use mana he spends all his time on training his physical and fighting skills. A group of higher ranked people show up where he works and ask to spare with him daily. They give him an offer. They will sponsor him to something called the playpen which will allow him to join the path of ascension. There are certain rules for people on the path versus normal people but they also gets some benefits as well. He takes them up on this and spends the next few years at the playpen. He makes and few friends and keeps training. He does something stupid but ends up surviving and ends up with a frost fox companion which is incredibly rare. His friends move on but he hasn't reached their level yet. He finally reaches tier 3 and gets his new skill. This skill does solve his problem. His mana regen goes up but he is finally able to store mana. It is very low but it will double with every level. At tier 3 he has only 10 mana when most people have hundreds. He does the math and finds out he will have an insane amount of mana when he reaches level 15. Way more than most people and his regeneration rate will be insane. He still has issues now but when he gets to higher level that will all change. He finds broken skills that other people find useless but work great for him. Things the require a continuous mana supply instead of a one time use. Things other people can't use are perfect for him. He finally leaves the playpen and goes to a training world where he ends up teaming up with a woman. She is the daughter of an evolved beast and is a first generation phoenix. The rest of the story is them training and fighting together. They get to know each other and deal with their own history and baggage. The only complaint I have is the audiobook narration. Every time a skill was used the narrator used a different voice and talked louder. It was really annoying and took away from my immersion in the story but other than that this was great. The MC was 13 when the story first started and 16 at the end. I can't wait for the next one.
Surprisingly good story. It follows an orphan named Matt and he turns 13 and gets his Tier 1 talent. This is his ticket out. He can't stat at the orphanage after this day. He lost his parents years ago after a rift breach where monsters were set loose on the world. That wasn't supposed to happen but the world he lived on is low tier and they cut some corners. Rifts are usually safe. They are the place where people can get essence and further their cultivation. If rifts are routinely cleared then there can be a rift break. Matt has a guild picked out and everything. That is until he gets a detrimental tier 1 talent. Something that excludes him from joining the guild. He barely has any mana at all and can't use essence to increase his mana pool. His only saving grace is he has an insane regeneration rate. So insane he will almost never run out of mana. The only problem is that he will never have enough mana to use most skills. He finds a job and tries to save enough money to be able to go into a rift and get some essence. His only hope is that he gets a skill at tier 3 that will fix his problem. That is usually what happens. The system isn't cruel. There is no such thing as a completely broken skill. Since he can't use mana he spends all his time on training his physical and fighting skills. A group of higher ranked people show up where he works and ask to spare with him daily. They give him an offer. They will sponsor him to something called the playpen which will allow him to join the path of ascension. There are certain rules for people on the path versus normal people but they also gets some benefits as well. He takes them up on this and spends the next few years at the playpen. He makes and few friends and keeps training. He does something stupid but ends up surviving and ends up with a frost fox companion which is incredibly rare. His friends move on but he hasn't reached their level yet. He finally reaches tier 3 and gets his new skill. This skill does solve his problem. His mana regen goes up but he is finally able to store mana. It is very low but it will double with every level. At tier 3 he has only 10 mana when most people have hundreds. He does the math and finds out he will have an insane amount of mana when he reaches level 15. Way more than most people and his regeneration rate will be insane. He still has issues now but when he gets to higher level that will all change. He finds broken skills that other people find useless but work great for him. Things the require a continuous mana supply instead of a one time use. Things other people can't use are perfect for him. He finally leaves the playpen and goes to a training world where he ends up teaming up with a woman. She is the daughter of an evolved beast and is a first generation phoenix. The rest of the story is them training and fighting together. They get to know each other and deal with their own history and baggage. The only complaint I have is the audiobook narration. Every time a skill was used the narrator used a different voice and talked louder. It was really annoying and took away from my immersion in the story but other than that this was great. The MC was 13 when the story first started and 16 at the end. I can't wait for the next one.
August 10, 2022
While the writing is pretty decent, this novel suffers from the same malady as many other web novels. The author is in need of a good editor to pear down the story to increase its punch. When you could consolidate the second and third "arcs" down to "They played capture the flag for 60+ chapters and got a couple new skills" and sacrifice *nothing* in the actual progression of the characters or the story then you are needlessly padding the narrative in a fatal way.
Got to chapter 106 and just not sure I have any interest to continue. The "Path" in the story (where the book title comes from) is supposed to go to Tier 25 and actual ascension is at 50. We're 100+ chapters in and they are at ??? The author is just milking their patreons at this point.
Got to chapter 106 and just not sure I have any interest to continue. The "Path" in the story (where the book title comes from) is supposed to go to Tier 25 and actual ascension is at 50. We're 100+ chapters in and they are at ??? The author is just milking their patreons at this point.
April 28, 2023
This is a very interesting hybrid of GameLit and Xianxia. I'm going to quote the Amazon blurb here because it's as descriptive as anything I can think of:
And that's one thing I really appreciated with this story; that the motivations all hold true for pretty much all the characters, from Alex, our primary PoV, to the lowliest coworker in his initial dead-end job. This is what happens when good worldbuilding meets good characterization and those gel around a main character I like and therefore like spending time with.
We start with Alex as an orphan excited to get his starting, Tier 1 Talent. He has trained hard with everything he can, diligently pursuing weapons and physical training and everything he needs to be picked up by a high-quality guild. Only once rated, his talent turns out to be a designation he has never heard of before: detrimental. In other words, a talent that makes him worse at the core activity of guilds (delvingdungeons rifts for fame and fortune).
I like that even though it's a blow, he plots a path forward, taking the dead-end job and saving all he can to prove himself by purchasing a delving slot on his own to finance his progression himself. And I like how he treats the people around him that leads to being noticed by two higher tier visitors to the crappy inn he works at. He has determination and an eye on his future and I found that engaging.
And even more so when he figures out how to exploit the detrimental talent and turn it into a benefit, if not an actual strength. The plot was good, though relatively straightforward, and the pace was outstanding with a great mix of action and development. The story covers three years or so, though that's a bit misleading. We get his origins, a bit of a gloss over a year and some, and then pick up with him entering on the eponymous Path of Ascension—a program that scoops up the determined and/or gifted, trains them relentlessly for a bit, and then kicks them into the wide world (still on the path) where they can remain on the path so long as their advancement meets the insane pace at its base.
I could go on, but it's a long book so I'll wrap up by saying I was totally into it the entire way and I loved everything about it. I love his bonded creature Aster (an artic fox) and his initial friends that end up departing on their own path, and then his chance-met partner that turned into a companion. This is easily five stars and I can't wait to see how this all turns out.
A note about Chaste: Sex is obviously being had, including a short-term girlfriend for Alex, but none of it on-page. I consider this very chaste, but it would be fair to disagree. I do like the hints of perhaps more between Alex and Liz, but I also like that they're being careful and taking things slow. Like, glacially slow.
This is a mix between LitRPG and Xianxia. It's like a car that looks like a LitRPG with dungeons and skills, but the interior and engine are all Xianxia. It features a magic system and progression system that are logically and internally consistent, as well as realistic fight scenes and a rational MC.It's an interesting hybrid, not least because Mantis has created a world where known technology handles things like stat analysis and the other GameLit details. And the cultivating/essence users have a tiered social framework that holds together logically as well—including things like curbs on abuse of lower tiers by higher tiers (that works as you'd expect given it is run by humans).
And that's one thing I really appreciated with this story; that the motivations all hold true for pretty much all the characters, from Alex, our primary PoV, to the lowliest coworker in his initial dead-end job. This is what happens when good worldbuilding meets good characterization and those gel around a main character I like and therefore like spending time with.
We start with Alex as an orphan excited to get his starting, Tier 1 Talent. He has trained hard with everything he can, diligently pursuing weapons and physical training and everything he needs to be picked up by a high-quality guild. Only once rated, his talent turns out to be a designation he has never heard of before: detrimental. In other words, a talent that makes him worse at the core activity of guilds (delving
I like that even though it's a blow, he plots a path forward, taking the dead-end job and saving all he can to prove himself by purchasing a delving slot on his own to finance his progression himself. And I like how he treats the people around him that leads to being noticed by two higher tier visitors to the crappy inn he works at. He has determination and an eye on his future and I found that engaging.
And even more so when he figures out how to exploit the detrimental talent and turn it into a benefit, if not an actual strength. The plot was good, though relatively straightforward, and the pace was outstanding with a great mix of action and development. The story covers three years or so, though that's a bit misleading. We get his origins, a bit of a gloss over a year and some, and then pick up with him entering on the eponymous Path of Ascension—a program that scoops up the determined and/or gifted, trains them relentlessly for a bit, and then kicks them into the wide world (still on the path) where they can remain on the path so long as their advancement meets the insane pace at its base.
I could go on, but it's a long book so I'll wrap up by saying I was totally into it the entire way and I loved everything about it. I love his bonded creature Aster (an artic fox) and his initial friends that end up departing on their own path, and then his chance-met partner that turned into a companion. This is easily five stars and I can't wait to see how this all turns out.
A note about Chaste: Sex is obviously being had, including a short-term girlfriend for Alex, but none of it on-page. I consider this very chaste, but it would be fair to disagree. I do like the hints of perhaps more between Alex and Liz, but I also like that they're being careful and taking things slow. Like, glacially slow.
December 11, 2022
Became a bit of a chore to read
This story started out great. The MC had to overcome and work hard and people noticed and he was rewarded. Then he gets to join the cultivation world and starts making really weird decisions imo.
Spoilers*****
He befriends a girl after a day and gives her a priceless magical item that upgrades her bloodline as thanks for being a good person. That's fine. Then he gives her one half of a bonded pair of rings that is beyond priceless because she told him about it????? In less than a week of knowing her.. ugh. Come to find out that she is OP as well and could get all these things from her parents who are OP. Now he has a fortified team who protects him and rewards him and there's not really any fight or rift that he believably struggles in. Other than that, the writing is good.
This story started out great. The MC had to overcome and work hard and people noticed and he was rewarded. Then he gets to join the cultivation world and starts making really weird decisions imo.
Spoilers*****
He befriends a girl after a day and gives her a priceless magical item that upgrades her bloodline as thanks for being a good person. That's fine. Then he gives her one half of a bonded pair of rings that is beyond priceless because she told him about it????? In less than a week of knowing her.. ugh. Come to find out that she is OP as well and could get all these things from her parents who are OP. Now he has a fortified team who protects him and rewards him and there's not really any fight or rift that he believably struggles in. Other than that, the writing is good.
August 13, 2022
Quite a painful read, the story has no tension, no incentive for getting stronger but for the sake of it. What really frustrated me was the lack of any challenge faced by the protagonist, he just seemed to breeze through everything.
January 9, 2023
This was fantastic.
Matt's character is terrific. Hardworking, determined, compassionate, loyal and intelligent. Just a few of his characterstics that make him one of my favourite characters. Meeting Elizabeth really turned things around for him, and I can't wait to see what the duo AND Aster get up to in the next book.
Matt's character is terrific. Hardworking, determined, compassionate, loyal and intelligent. Just a few of his characterstics that make him one of my favourite characters. Meeting Elizabeth really turned things around for him, and I can't wait to see what the duo AND Aster get up to in the next book.
October 10, 2022
This is my first book by this author.
Matt is an orphan, which is becoming a bit of a common theme. His parents were killed in a wild rift, and the leaders of the world he lives on did nothing.
Even worse, when he turns thirteen and is given his talent, it's rated as undesirable. Forced to leave the orphanage, he heads off to find work. Which he does at a rundown bar/hotel/adventuring place near a rift.
There he works five to midnight, but Matt tells us later that he works twelve hour days. I'm sorry, but that's a nineteen hour day with only five hours of sleep. Anyway, some higher tier adventurers show up and spar with him.
I won't spoil what happens next. Although this is called a cultivation story, it didn't come across as that to me. There is a lot of adventuring and delving rifts, then compressing the essence they gained. Matt doesn't spend hours in meditation until the very end, and for a completely different reason.
Despite this, I enjoyed the story. The rifts are interesting, as are the people he meets. Instead of cultivation, this probably should have been called a reversal of fortune story.
I will mention that the editing is pretty poor, and I counted dozens of errors along the way. I hate to say it, but Aethon editing is progressively getting worse on the LitRPG side. On the military sci-fi side it seems to be better.
Overall, I enjoyed this. The book is consistent, and the early levels come easy while the later ones are harder. There is mention of whoever from the planet Lilly reaches level 15 first will take over as leader, and I have no doubt that will be Matt.
I'm looking forward to book 2. Recommended. 5/5*
Matt is an orphan, which is becoming a bit of a common theme. His parents were killed in a wild rift, and the leaders of the world he lives on did nothing.
Even worse, when he turns thirteen and is given his talent, it's rated as undesirable. Forced to leave the orphanage, he heads off to find work. Which he does at a rundown bar/hotel/adventuring place near a rift.
There he works five to midnight, but Matt tells us later that he works twelve hour days. I'm sorry, but that's a nineteen hour day with only five hours of sleep. Anyway, some higher tier adventurers show up and spar with him.
I won't spoil what happens next. Although this is called a cultivation story, it didn't come across as that to me. There is a lot of adventuring and delving rifts, then compressing the essence they gained. Matt doesn't spend hours in meditation until the very end, and for a completely different reason.
Despite this, I enjoyed the story. The rifts are interesting, as are the people he meets. Instead of cultivation, this probably should have been called a reversal of fortune story.
I will mention that the editing is pretty poor, and I counted dozens of errors along the way. I hate to say it, but Aethon editing is progressively getting worse on the LitRPG side. On the military sci-fi side it seems to be better.
Overall, I enjoyed this. The book is consistent, and the early levels come easy while the later ones are harder. There is mention of whoever from the planet Lilly reaches level 15 first will take over as leader, and I have no doubt that will be Matt.
I'm looking forward to book 2. Recommended. 5/5*
October 8, 2022
book one
Mistakes: Other then repeated information I only found one real mistake and will post it on GoodReads.
Plot: This is an interesting story with a slow build up for the characters themselves, but with plenty of action and adventure to pull you in.
Characters: Nice slow build for what will be some super op characters. No mad rush or story destroying power right out of the gate. Game changing power? Sure but the characters have to grow into it. I like that the author has gone the route of the slow buildup to crazy op powers so that we can watch the characters struggle and grow.
8/10 I didn’t like the multiple pages of numbers for the different ranks.
Mistakes: Other then repeated information I only found one real mistake and will post it on GoodReads.
Plot: This is an interesting story with a slow build up for the characters themselves, but with plenty of action and adventure to pull you in.
Characters: Nice slow build for what will be some super op characters. No mad rush or story destroying power right out of the gate. Game changing power? Sure but the characters have to grow into it. I like that the author has gone the route of the slow buildup to crazy op powers so that we can watch the characters struggle and grow.
8/10 I didn’t like the multiple pages of numbers for the different ranks.
October 20, 2022
One dimensional Mary Sue MC, MC has no goal other than gaining power for the sake of it, everyone treats the world like they are playing a video game, no stakes in anything, no real plot, and the world building makes no sense. Why are there goblins in and wolves in pocket dimensions all throughout the universe? No answer is provided. This should have just been set in a medieval fantasy setting not sci-fi.
October 26, 2022
Despite a rough start, this turned into one of the more enjoyable gamelit/cultivation stories I've read recently.
Character - 7/10, Plot - 7/10, Setting/Game Mechanics - 8/10, Writing - 5/10, Enjoyment - 8.5/10
I think the characters are potentially the strongest part of the story, or at least the bit that will hook people. The author does a pretty good job using the Cursed With Awesome trope on the MC. It doesn't teeter too far into the make-everybody-feel-sorry-for-his-medical-condition territory like Iron Prince or Nova Terra, and the story also takes its time letting the character reap the benefits of his condition. The supporting cast rounded things out decently. One of the big pitfalls of gamelit is having the MC operate as a loner for too long and, combined with the plot armor, it makes for a boring experience of little to no stakes. Having other characters around mixes things up and keeps things interesting.
The plot is the tried and true zero-to-hero formula that many enjoyable stories take, whether they be in a school or academy setting or in a sports story. There are a few very convenient items that magically seem to pop up early in the story, but they are all justified with reasonable explanations after a bit. So all in all, this was just a fun story to follow that scratched all the gamelit itches without the turnoffs that seem to follow many cultivation stories...
This leads us to the setting, which is an interesting fantasy and sci-fi mashup where everyone uses medieval weaponry and magic while also being fully aware of the cosmos and even travels across multiple planets. I thought the world building was pretty solid and it was obvious that the author put a good amount of effort into thinking about how people from various walks of life would exist in such a universe. The "game" mechanics were pretty fun and varied as well.
The writing was the weakest part of this book and had me a bit concerned early on. There were numerous proofreading errors, grammar issues, and just plain awkward sentence structure. Then there was also a lot of info-dumping. These issues seemed especially prominent early in the book. This book had 5-star potential, but even if I enjoyed it, there were way too many errors and problems. Basic editing software could have easily fixed half of them.
Regardless, I enjoyed this. It reminded me a little of Iron Prince, but I liked this story more and I look forward to the next book.
Character - 7/10, Plot - 7/10, Setting/Game Mechanics - 8/10, Writing - 5/10, Enjoyment - 8.5/10
I think the characters are potentially the strongest part of the story, or at least the bit that will hook people. The author does a pretty good job using the Cursed With Awesome trope on the MC. It doesn't teeter too far into the make-everybody-feel-sorry-for-his-medical-condition territory like Iron Prince or Nova Terra, and the story also takes its time letting the character reap the benefits of his condition. The supporting cast rounded things out decently. One of the big pitfalls of gamelit is having the MC operate as a loner for too long and, combined with the plot armor, it makes for a boring experience of little to no stakes. Having other characters around mixes things up and keeps things interesting.
The plot is the tried and true zero-to-hero formula that many enjoyable stories take, whether they be in a school or academy setting or in a sports story. There are a few very convenient items that magically seem to pop up early in the story, but they are all justified with reasonable explanations after a bit. So all in all, this was just a fun story to follow that scratched all the gamelit itches without the turnoffs that seem to follow many cultivation stories...
This leads us to the setting, which is an interesting fantasy and sci-fi mashup where everyone uses medieval weaponry and magic while also being fully aware of the cosmos and even travels across multiple planets. I thought the world building was pretty solid and it was obvious that the author put a good amount of effort into thinking about how people from various walks of life would exist in such a universe. The "game" mechanics were pretty fun and varied as well.
The writing was the weakest part of this book and had me a bit concerned early on. There were numerous proofreading errors, grammar issues, and just plain awkward sentence structure. Then there was also a lot of info-dumping. These issues seemed especially prominent early in the book. This book had 5-star potential, but even if I enjoyed it, there were way too many errors and problems. Basic editing software could have easily fixed half of them.
Regardless, I enjoyed this. It reminded me a little of Iron Prince, but I liked this story more and I look forward to the next book.
October 1, 2024
2024/10/01 Notes:
Not a bad start to a cultivation story. Decent narration by J.S. Arquin.
The world building and cultivation mechanics were clumped in various sections as the story progresses. I had to remind myself a few times that the series is a webnovel that had been mildly adapted to ebook & audio.
I like that the MC, Matt, is not OP from the get go. He's definitely going to be ridiculously OP later, but the journey to get there should be fun. Character growth was good. I don't think relationships (platonic or not) will be the strong point for the series.
Not a bad start to a cultivation story. Decent narration by J.S. Arquin.
The world building and cultivation mechanics were clumped in various sections as the story progresses. I had to remind myself a few times that the series is a webnovel that had been mildly adapted to ebook & audio.
I like that the MC, Matt, is not OP from the get go. He's definitely going to be ridiculously OP later, but the journey to get there should be fun. Character growth was good. I don't think relationships (platonic or not) will be the strong point for the series.
September 13, 2025
I'm shocked how much I enjoyed this book series. It has the right mix of things, and later on there's a bit of crafting (wish there was more) overall. Wonderful series. The female characters make actual sense, although Liz's plotline is shallow. But it is what it is. Not bad shallow, but yeah, shallow. Aster's plotline needs more fill. (series review). Love the series so much I pop over to Royal Road and started reading the books.
Audiobook reader's voice is kind of annoying and awful. It's like during the emotional sections you want to punch him. His female voices aren't strong. It almost pulled the book series down instead of a good audiobook reading that lifts it up.
Side note: I think if the author nails down the not listing and instead showing, it would make a much stronger writer. Just be in the moment.
So, err, do I enjoy it? Yes. Really do. This type of first character isn't always as popular as the edge lords, but if you've been poor or near lower middle class, the edge lords are normally wasting your time and wasting their own. The MC makes sense if you get it. There are moments of extreme tunnel vision that are tiring to read, but you get it. He gets one roll of the dice and he's playing his best game because mommy and daddy can't bail him out. The fox was the best girl. Just super enjoyable.
Audiobook reader's voice is kind of annoying and awful. It's like during the emotional sections you want to punch him. His female voices aren't strong. It almost pulled the book series down instead of a good audiobook reading that lifts it up.
Side note: I think if the author nails down the not listing and instead showing, it would make a much stronger writer. Just be in the moment.
So, err, do I enjoy it? Yes. Really do. This type of first character isn't always as popular as the edge lords, but if you've been poor or near lower middle class, the edge lords are normally wasting your time and wasting their own. The MC makes sense if you get it. There are moments of extreme tunnel vision that are tiring to read, but you get it. He gets one roll of the dice and he's playing his best game because mommy and daddy can't bail him out. The fox was the best girl. Just super enjoyable.
October 5, 2022
KU Review
Fun read! Loved the characters and the interactions. While there are certainly villains, it’s nice to see people being nice just for the sake of being a decent human. Refreshing.
As the title says this is a review for Kindle Unlimited and as such is a reflection of my enjoyment of the book and in no way reflects cost to value analysis.
Fun read! Loved the characters and the interactions. While there are certainly villains, it’s nice to see people being nice just for the sake of being a decent human. Refreshing.
As the title says this is a review for Kindle Unlimited and as such is a reflection of my enjoyment of the book and in no way reflects cost to value analysis.
October 11, 2022
Amazing
One of my favorites. A great xianxia story with a bit of a sci-fi twist. It has great world building with strong and interesting characters that are smart.
One of my favorites. A great xianxia story with a bit of a sci-fi twist. It has great world building with strong and interesting characters that are smart.
March 28, 2024
The story kept my attention and was quite entertaining. The fight scenes in the rifts were very well done, and the lead characters were quite likable. The brutality and chaos of a world with the kinds of powers described in this book was very believable. Just don’t try and project this society onto our current world, take it all as a fantasy construct for entertainment without an agenda, and it’s a fun story. 5 stars.
October 11, 2022
what a ride!
Strongly cultivation-based, much more so than LitRPG. More of a modern feel to the cultivation as well.
The MC gets plenty of advantages, but he starts with some major deficits. And he certainly works hard from what he earns. So while he does seem to lead somewhat of a charmed life, it feels more like a balance.
Crafting is lightly touched on, with most of it being somewhat irrelevant due to the level of the main characters.
I am definitely looking forward to the next book.
Strongly cultivation-based, much more so than LitRPG. More of a modern feel to the cultivation as well.
The MC gets plenty of advantages, but he starts with some major deficits. And he certainly works hard from what he earns. So while he does seem to lead somewhat of a charmed life, it feels more like a balance.
Crafting is lightly touched on, with most of it being somewhat irrelevant due to the level of the main characters.
I am definitely looking forward to the next book.
November 23, 2025
I just finished reading the series Primal Hunter, Cradle, and Mark of the Fool.
I I always enjoy a story of an orphan getting out of their situation. Characters getting skills or abilities that are detrimental and somehow cheating the system is always a fun book.
I had a hard time understanding the Matt’s skill but I get the gist.
I I always enjoy a story of an orphan getting out of their situation. Characters getting skills or abilities that are detrimental and somehow cheating the system is always a fun book.
I had a hard time understanding the Matt’s skill but I get the gist.
May 30, 2023
Awesome Stuff
This story of a orphaned boy getting a messed up gift was a very interesting entertaining read that I really enjoyed reading. Zero to hero and taking lemons and making lemonade.
This story of a orphaned boy getting a messed up gift was a very interesting entertaining read that I really enjoyed reading. Zero to hero and taking lemons and making lemonade.
October 6, 2022
LOVE IT!
PoA is a story that gripped me from the beginning. Matt finds out that his innate talent is broken, as in, doesn’t work. He has no mana.
Or does he? The power of math reveals that Matt’s ability may be nearly useless at level 1… but has incredible potential.
In reality, Matt’s talent is broken, as in, game changing, extremely OP. This book is about how he join the the Path of Ascension (aka the Path), a sponsorship program of sorts for talented individuals to level up at a heightened pace through the tiers of power. People join as teens and by the end may be hundreds of years old, though most fall off at some point, unable to keep up with the grueling level curve.
Something tells me that Matt just might be making it all the way, along with friends Aster and Liz (pictured on the cover).
Highly highly recommended!
PoA is a story that gripped me from the beginning. Matt finds out that his innate talent is broken, as in, doesn’t work. He has no mana.
Or does he? The power of math reveals that Matt’s ability may be nearly useless at level 1… but has incredible potential.
In reality, Matt’s talent is broken, as in, game changing, extremely OP. This book is about how he join the the Path of Ascension (aka the Path), a sponsorship program of sorts for talented individuals to level up at a heightened pace through the tiers of power. People join as teens and by the end may be hundreds of years old, though most fall off at some point, unable to keep up with the grueling level curve.
Something tells me that Matt just might be making it all the way, along with friends Aster and Liz (pictured on the cover).
Highly highly recommended!
November 18, 2022
This book was a really really fun read! Loved the world development and the characters are loveable and endearing. This isn't strictly a litrpg book but feels like a mix of xianxia cultivation tropes and scfi-fi fantasy. Either way, it definitely works to bring a unique twist to the genre. Can't wait for book two!
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I listened to the audiobook and my only complaint is the skill name announcement.
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I listened to the audiobook and my only complaint is the skill name announcement.
August 25, 2024
While this book has some issues, I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to not be beat over the head by rich and powerful people that are beyond selfish. You don't have to be altruistic to not crush everyone under you and the author handles that well. Also, I appreciate him not making the orphan all knowledgeable and all powerful in book one. I think giving him a galactic princess was a crutch, but not terribly so.
February 8, 2024
2/3 of the book was just progression without any threats or stakes. Could have been better…
The final few chapters zoom out of the world and show the larger stage and it’s players who seems compiling and interesting. Makes me wanna continue the series. It’s promising
The final few chapters zoom out of the world and show the larger stage and it’s players who seems compiling and interesting. Makes me wanna continue the series. It’s promising
July 5, 2025
I am enjoying this series so far, I am engaged and thoroughly interested in the MC’s development , magic system and more and more of the world we are getting exposed to. And as an added bonus- the audiobook format is great!
October 25, 2022
Easily one of the best LitRPG/Cultivation books of the past few years. Characters aren't idiots, they're interesting, the story is great and decently paced, etc.
Can't wait for the next one!
Can't wait for the next one!
June 4, 2024
Imagine everyone around you gets some kind of superpower, but when it's your turn, you are stuck with something that is deemed detrimental even by the most benevolent AI. Want to know what it feels to bamboozle the heck out of a situation like this? Then step with me on the Path of Ascension!
Well, we can't choose the hand we're given, we simply have to play it to the best of our abilities.
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Read this review on the blog - the layout is better 😃.
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Path of Ascension is all about self-improvement in a distant future of humanity (and other types of beings). The story follows the main character - Matt - as he starts to find ways to turn his seemingly useless talent into something that will, sooner or later, rock the universe and all the great powers. It is an underdog story, where the underdog will inevitably turn into the top dog.
In the typical fashion of LitRPG, this is done with talents, levels (called tiers, in this case) and skills. And it is quite clear that the author has done some mathematics about his skills.
I like Matt - well, liking the MC is always something to be desired when reading a series. But I like him for the fact that he is down to earth, makes reasonable decisions and tries to come on top of a situation that seems utterly depressing at first. And he's far from the only likeable character throughout the story!
My opinion on Matt.
Of course, his bond Aster - an ice fox - and his girlfriend are great characters, too, but even some of the "villains" are actually likeable enough, and have a clear purpose they're following.
Another thing I really like is how breathing, living and fleshed out the world of this story feels like. It's almost like another character, and some chapters allow us to glance behind the curtain and see some of the intrigues played out on the higher levels.
Even the political stuff is intriguing enough!
On the downside are a few chapters that feel downright sluggish. Not everything moves the plot forward, and there is a lot of exposition. If that is not your style, you might want to skip - either the series, or a few pages here and there while reading. I think the pace could be better, but then again, this seems to be a common problem for the genre, and it isn't too bad here, overall.
All in all, one of the better LitRPG series so far, with detailed world building and really great characters. 4 out of 5 Phoenix feathers!
*This review is written for books 1 - 6 of the series*
Well, we can't choose the hand we're given, we simply have to play it to the best of our abilities.
******************************
Read this review on the blog - the layout is better 😃.
******************************
Path of Ascension is all about self-improvement in a distant future of humanity (and other types of beings). The story follows the main character - Matt - as he starts to find ways to turn his seemingly useless talent into something that will, sooner or later, rock the universe and all the great powers. It is an underdog story, where the underdog will inevitably turn into the top dog.
In the typical fashion of LitRPG, this is done with talents, levels (called tiers, in this case) and skills. And it is quite clear that the author has done some mathematics about his skills.
I like Matt - well, liking the MC is always something to be desired when reading a series. But I like him for the fact that he is down to earth, makes reasonable decisions and tries to come on top of a situation that seems utterly depressing at first. And he's far from the only likeable character throughout the story!
My opinion on Matt.
Of course, his bond Aster - an ice fox - and his girlfriend are great characters, too, but even some of the "villains" are actually likeable enough, and have a clear purpose they're following.
Another thing I really like is how breathing, living and fleshed out the world of this story feels like. It's almost like another character, and some chapters allow us to glance behind the curtain and see some of the intrigues played out on the higher levels.
Even the political stuff is intriguing enough!
On the downside are a few chapters that feel downright sluggish. Not everything moves the plot forward, and there is a lot of exposition. If that is not your style, you might want to skip - either the series, or a few pages here and there while reading. I think the pace could be better, but then again, this seems to be a common problem for the genre, and it isn't too bad here, overall.
All in all, one of the better LitRPG series so far, with detailed world building and really great characters. 4 out of 5 Phoenix feathers!
*This review is written for books 1 - 6 of the series*
July 20, 2023
I can see where C. Mantis wants to go, and can clearly see the inspiration in Cradle (concept, blood phoenix, sword Saint, etc.).
The main characters are fleshed out with psychological flaws, but they are also OP very early. I guess that's part of the power fantasy that makes the authors write this.
The world has great potential. So does the Path and the political game. And the rift with the (potentially) world eating Dragon.
However, the pacing is uneven, the combat scenes are cut out (which makes sense for a lot of them, the main characters first gf(ish) he meets while fast forwarding, and the leadership is way, way to nice for people that makes decisions for trillions. Also, living for millions of years?
The main characters are fleshed out with psychological flaws, but they are also OP very early. I guess that's part of the power fantasy that makes the authors write this.
The world has great potential. So does the Path and the political game. And the rift with the (potentially) world eating Dragon.
However, the pacing is uneven, the combat scenes are cut out (which makes sense for a lot of them, the main characters first gf(ish) he meets while fast forwarding, and the leadership is way, way to nice for people that makes decisions for trillions. Also, living for millions of years?
June 28, 2025
I understand why this is usually mentioned as a second-tier litRPG novel: the character work isn't quite as good as Dungeon Crawler Carl, and the plot isn't quite as compelling. But if sure does deliver loads of exciting progression, epic fights, and fun times! can't wait for the rest of the series.
April 13, 2024
Really cool concept and embraces the little rpg while still being smooth
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