Andross Silver has a nice life... Until he is pushed off a building and finds himself in a new world.
Reborn into a family that wants to kill him, gifted with a System, and armed with determination, Andross must rise to the challenges of a strange new world he suddenly finds himself in.
His only blessing is the Mark of the Crijik, a magical gift from a divine being that bestows great powers onto those that possess it.
It also kills them at the age of twenty five.
Andross must master magic to help him carve a path to greatness, and overcome the countdown of death that has been placed upon him.
Both the synopsis and the cover art are not very accurate
The story follows Andros. He is on earth minding his own business when a woman apologizes to him and then pushes him over a cliff and he dies. He wakes up as a baby in a new world. He has all his previous memories but can't move because.... baby. He tries to figure out what is going on. Then there is a night where something strange happens. He gets access to the system but he also sees past a few things and ends up with a special mark. Each baby gets a free skill to choose at this event which is weird because again... baby. He does have previous memories though and he is able to get an earth magic skill. The rest of the book is him learning his magic and skills, learning about the world. Even though he is only 5 months old people just kind of take it in stride that he can talk. It is unusual but not unheard of in this world. There was a 4 hours period in the middle of the book that seemed to drag for me. The first part was interesting and the last part was good, the middle needed a little work. A little more progression in that part would have made it so much better. Overall though an enjoyable read. I am looking forward to the next one.
I have issues with the story but it’s not enough to not like
The story keeps you invested.
My issues are in the world building and magic system.
The magic system. The author sets up the rules and tells us those rules. In the case of this book the explanation doesn’t really work. Or it feels as though the author changes the rules conveniently for the protagonist. Secondly the author piles a lot new stuff early on gives you a small hint but then leaves you hanging most of the book. So the reader goes from one new piece of magic to another. It’s not awful it’s just a steep curve. It’s more complicated than it needs to be.
The author has an issue with time. In some contexts it matters in others it doesn’t. Let me explain. The talking 1 yr old is not a big deal, but he uses the age to explain emotional maturity. Yes it matters he skips from one moment no one cares to another moment they do care. It’s perplexing. Also this causes everything associated to time to be irrelevant and unless. The author tells you it matters. Solution to a problem is 12 months, the stat increase training montage is half that time. Baby at the start of the book. A independent 5yr old by the end. Testing for advancement is at 5yrs. Wow, so now the protagonist magically is ready by the end of book one? The story isn’t ruined but it does wipe out any dramatic tension.
The world isn’t totally fleshed out. It’s very similar to the magic system to many other books.. He gives you a taste then moves on. What we know is the protagonist lives in ramshackle shack on the outskirts of a city. The adventures teleport to where monsters are. Teleporting takes people to a distinct new reality (think Minecraft and the nether) to shorten distances. Rich people have islands or rift worlds. The small city has a huge fort but is dwarfed by future cities not mentioned.
The book feels like a retelling of the anime Ascendance of a bookworm. There are differences like the protagonist is a female in the anime but the main theme down to the magic system seem pretty similar.
Anyways it’s a lite read. Not earth shattering good but not bad enough not to read.
"Mark of the Crijik (Mark of the Crijik, #1)" by ThinkTwice is a book that presents an intriguing concept but fails to deliver on its potential. While it hints at a complex and imaginative world, it falls short in its execution.
The story introduces readers to a universe with various species, advanced technology, and a complex political landscape. It creates the expectation of a rich and immersive science fiction experience. However, the book struggles to bring this world to life effectively. The world-building feels incomplete, leaving readers with many unanswered questions and a lack of clarity about the rules and dynamics of the universe.
The characters in the story are underdeveloped and often lack depth. The protagonist, in particular, feels like a one-dimensional hero with little to distinguish them from standard sci-fi tropes. Supporting characters are equally flat, with motivations and relationships that are unclear and poorly defined. This lack of character development makes it challenging for readers to become emotionally invested in the story.
The plot is another area where the book falls short. While it sets up a potentially intriguing conflict, it struggles with pacing and coherence. The narrative meanders, making it difficult to discern the central plotline. The story alternates between moments of action and long stretches of exposition, which disrupt the flow and hinder the reader's engagement.
The writing style is functional but lacks the richness and depth needed to immerse readers fully in the story's universe. Descriptions are often superficial, and the dialogue can come across as stilted and artificial, hindering the development of the characters and the world.
In conclusion, "Mark of the Crijik" has the framework of an interesting science fiction story but fails to capitalize on its potential. The book's struggles with world-building, character development, and pacing make it challenging for readers to fully engage with the narrative. While it may appeal to some fans of the genre, those seeking a more immersive and well-crafted sci-fi experience may find it lacking.
I'm surprised how much I liked this book. It's different than other LitRPG. Nearly anything I would say would be a spoiler. Once I started it I was annoyed when I had to put it down to do other stuff. I read a lot, and not many books have that effect on me.
I will agree with some of the other reviewers that the cover is misleading. I was expecting a book about an adult, but instead it's about a newborn baby up to the first few years (maybe two or three).
Despite this, the book began to grow on me. Andross Silver, aka the baby, has abilities. Some he tells the adults about, and others he doesn't. He meets other babies and quickly realizes he is falling behind them, so he pushes himself to catch up.
His father means well but is limited by social station and his own thoughts on careers. His mother is rarely in the picture, even though she wants to be.
The editing is sharp which was a pleasant surprise. The book does have stats, but the story is more of the focus.
Overall, I enjoyed this and am planning on reading book two. I still think it's odd to read about a baby, but I'm starting to acclimate. 5/5* Recommended.
I would classify this as litrpg lite. It is also a reincarnation novel, but besides the first half of the first book, it doesn't really matter. By book 2, he might as well be a normal member of the world, only slightly special. He doesn't seem particularly strong and the litrpg is just kind of tacked on. They could remove it entirely and it would be the same. I stopped reading haldway through book 2 after losing interest.
I pretty much jumped into this litRPG without any expectations of what I was getting into, I only knew that it had a weird title and that Neil Hellegers had a great voice, which is well suited for voicing a litRPG. And wow, I wasn't wrong. Neil Hellegers was great and Crijik was a weird title and along with that title was a very weird beginning. But I was curious enough about the Crijik that I continued listening. It's definitely a Isekai adventure as Andross Silver falls to his death he's reborn as a baby with no ability, but still retaining all his memories... only in this body he can't even hold up his head, walk, or talk... and I found myself likin' it more and more!
Here's some quotes that I found amusing...
"I'm not afraid to die, I just don't want to be there when it happens."
"Ouch, you hit me below the diaper."
"I even had to work in tech support."
"Finally, a good reason to punch a toddler in the face."
I'm bored, tired of reading about a baby learning magic. It hasn't progressed in the slightest. Way to slow burn. Honestly kinda weird how this has so many positive reviews. It's barely an isekai litrpg at this point. I can't wait a whole book to get to adulthood with this slow a progress. He hasn't done anything for the first quarter of the book. I tried. I really did. Read at your own discretion 🤷
Seems like it was written by a self-important psychology undergrad. The writing isn’t too technically bad, but every character is about as deep as a puddle, and everyone has the same personality. The main character is a total Mary Sue whose dialog could largely be replaced by smug emojis. Will not be continuing this series.
The first book exhibits a mediocre story with untapped potential, laying the groundwork for the series. Unfortunately, it falls short of its potential, burdened by an excess of unnecessary details that could have been omitted. While overall okay, skipping through unnecessary parts is advisable, with the hope that the second book offers a more rewarding experience.
I didn't read the blurb before starting. I liked the fun title with all the dots [iji] and I was familiar with the narrator. To my great surprise it was a hit for me. I didn't expect to finish when I started but I didn't stop till the end.
Loved the book and I would have loved to give it a 5 star but the authors decision to lie their readers lost them 2 stars. The MC is little over 2 years old and coz of his powers he looks like a 5 year toddler, not the bloody adult shown on its cover.
Story really stalls out halfway through, like the author could have finished in a few chapters for this story arc, but had to reach a minimum word count. So basically, like every paper I ever wrote as a student.
IF you like the concept of super babies you will like the book better..
The MC gets reincarnated fully aware in the body of a toddler, gets chosen by a god and becomes a very promising baby mage. In the end his body grows magically into a five year old.
This book reminded me of outcast in another world, the MC spends at least half the book complaining about the system and nothing else happens. I managed to trudge through ~60% of the book and just couldn’t go on.
The main character claims they didn't die quickly or quietly when in fact they did both, and then learns a language by listening to it for a few weeks? No.
I'm not really sure how to feel about this book. Most amateur author books I review the criticisms are fairly obvious... inconsistencies, flat characters, idiot MC, etc. This book doesn't suffer from these problems. It's just... boring. A huge amount of the book is the MC trying to figure out how things work in his new world, or being told how they work. There is an event that happens beyond just learning, but by the time I got to it I was flagging, and I found it dragged on and wasn't that interesting anyway.
The biggest criticism I have isn't with the book, but with the blurb. "Reborn into a family that wants to kill him". This is just straight up not true. They're actually very loving. Yes there's the whole 'MC is very young and can't figure out what's going on' phase, but describing the book this way is extremely misleading. Not bothering to mention that the MC doesn't reach is 3rd birthday by the end of the story is also something that should probably be mentioned. He does have the mind of an adult, and grows fast enough that he looks 5, but he's still a young child.
Loved this book, world building at it's best, only nobody knows it's world building (yet). Of course, it would help if the book description wasn't so off the mark. Just a hint here, his family that he's reborn into doesn't want to kill him, not sure why that's in the description, it's flat wrong, even from his perspective from which the story is told, he doesn't understand what's happening, but he never believes killing is in the cards. I know it's dramatics to get readers, but honestly, at least represent the story accurately. In any case, the story is a good one, even if it's description isn't. Really liked this one, and most definitely looking forward to the next one. I'd really like to see his skills advance, to see what happens when they grow to the point he can use them to make things, that'd rock.
This was wonderful! Truly it was. It was well told, there was plot, world building, character development, drama, and humor. It was fast paced and a pleasure to read.
So a guy dies and reincarnates into a world of magic as a just born infant. As an adult in a baby’s body he struggles to learn the rules of the new world but can’t hide that he’s different. His differences make him a target so his dad and dads friends work to train him up for his own protection. World intrigue catches him up in a kidnapping and he must rescue himself. Freed and Home at last he rests before his next journey and the next book.
Andross is pushed off a roof, dies, and was reborn in a new world. As a baby, surprisingly he retains his intelligence and memories of his previous life. However he has the physical abilities of a baby. Frustratingly he can't talk to express the thoughts that are in his mind. As time passes, he finds ways to compensate for this lack. He finds that he has a rare skill that could be dangerous. Study, practice, work, making friends, kidnapping, and overcoming magical restraints ensue. I like the action, humor, and progression of developing magic. I look forward the next book.
if you don’t have a problem with the MC spending most of his time as a baby and a toddler, you might like this book
First of all, let me say this book was not for me. I’ve personally do not like the MC spending most of his time in the body of a toddler and then later on in a child. There was not a lot of action in this book, but a lot of world building and slice of life. The character is very likable, but the storyline alone board me. If you don’t have any problem with a premise such as this, you may enjoy this book, I did not.
A solid story with both excellent world building and character development. Interactions between characters seem weird at first but match up with the story later on. The interactions between characters becomes the highlight of the novel as it feels incredibly natural. Light on litrpg, some violence and light on romance (so far). Has some very deep insights that set up character growth and help the characters develop feel natural while being above normal. One of the best in the genre
This book was a perfect blend of great LitRPG and utter silliness.
I’m a bit confused about why the system didn’t respond to Andross with a few of his first attempts to interact with it. It should react to his desire and intent, not the word choice, and yet…
It will be interesting to see where this goes. Will Andross really be going to the Academy so early in his life? Use of the Mark is changing him, but will it ultimately be for his good? And does he have two bloodlines, or has the Mark superseded his birthright bloodline?
I'm being generous giving this a three...It's absurd that a 1-3 year old is doing any of this crap and everyone accepts it. At least the author attempts to rationalize it in the sense that talking babies are not unprecedented, still you will really need to suspend your sense of disbelief to even start this. Everything else is just passable, characters and plot are thin. The system isn't even that interesting, borrows a lot from others in the genre without much of a spin to it.
I'll be giving book two a try, and going from there. Not holding my breath though.
I started off really frustrated at having to follow the story of a baby, but damn did that make more sense when the character has to be frustrated BEING a baby. Absolutely wonderful change to Isekai, where the learning feels natural, and the OP ability has major flaws.