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Scale & Sea #1
Sovereign Soul
Deklin will become a villain to rival the gods.
But Deklin knows no such power yet. He's just a fourth-year magi looking for a post-midterm vacation.
When a failed portal spell strands Deklin on a dangerous, massive Worldshard, he unwillingly embarks on an adventure where Spire Climbers compete for ever higher standings and Cultivators bind magical Aspects to strengthen their spirits.
Transformed into a dragonblood and branded as an outcast, Deklin is forbidden from advancing past the first threshold. To seek anything more is to risk execution and slavery.
To attain limitless progression, Deklin must defy the Lightbound kingdoms and their corrupted heroes to carve out a cursed and forgotten path of darkness.
About the Scale and Sea series: Dive into this fusion of Cultivation and LitRPG portal fantasy with a unique blend of tower climbing, rank training, stat leveling, loot hunting, and guild building, with a garnish of nostalgic humor, set in the Worldshard universe written by James T. Callum and K.H. Sohmer.
But Deklin knows no such power yet. He's just a fourth-year magi looking for a post-midterm vacation.
When a failed portal spell strands Deklin on a dangerous, massive Worldshard, he unwillingly embarks on an adventure where Spire Climbers compete for ever higher standings and Cultivators bind magical Aspects to strengthen their spirits.
Transformed into a dragonblood and branded as an outcast, Deklin is forbidden from advancing past the first threshold. To seek anything more is to risk execution and slavery.
To attain limitless progression, Deklin must defy the Lightbound kingdoms and their corrupted heroes to carve out a cursed and forgotten path of darkness.
About the Scale and Sea series: Dive into this fusion of Cultivation and LitRPG portal fantasy with a unique blend of tower climbing, rank training, stat leveling, loot hunting, and guild building, with a garnish of nostalgic humor, set in the Worldshard universe written by James T. Callum and K.H. Sohmer.
734 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2023
About the author
James T. Callum
21 books232 followersMy name is James T. Callum and I’m not going to talk to you in the third person or make it seem like I’ve got some publisher or editor who has a bio on me.
I'm always available to talk, connect with readers, fellow authors, and lovable book nerds:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JamesTCallum
Website: https://www.jamestcallum.com
Twitter: @JamesTCallum
This is just me, talking to you, the reader. I’m no different than you, I love reading and gaming just the same as everybody else.
In fact, I’ve loved reading for as long as I could remember. From the very first fantasy book I read, The Wizard of Earthsea, I was hooked.
For just as long I’ve also been an avid gamer and DND player (as well as other tabletop RPGs). Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Illusion of Gaia, and on through the years as stories and graphics became better and better.
You’ll be able to find hints of inspiration from all sorts of RPGs and video games in my works. From the Final Fantasy series to Warcraft, Age of Empires to Anno, and games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Because who doesn’t love a little cosmic horror thrown in for fun?
These games (and countless others) have inspired me ever since I was a kid, and they continue to serve as my muse now that I’m much older.
Writing has always been my greatest aspiration and with your help, I hope to make it a full-time job. At the time of this writing, I still work a day job like most people. It is only thanks to Patreon that I was able to dedicate some of my spare time to writing.
So, if you’d like to provide direct support and help me achieve my goal of writing full-time (so I can write even more stories for you awesome people!) you can hop on over to my Patreon page where you’ll find tons of content.
Patrons get access to advanced chapters of upcoming books, special discord roles and discussion channels, early releases of books before anyone else, maps, cover reveals, voting, and a lot more.
And if you spot a typo or error, shoot me an email at: typos@jamestcallum.com, and I will get it fixed and re-uploaded ASAP. I aim to provide the best possible reading experience and as soon as I find an error I fix it. Once it’s fixed and updated, your reading device should update automatically with the improved version.
I'm always available to talk, connect with readers, fellow authors, and lovable book nerds:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JamesTCallum
Website: https://www.jamestcallum.com
Twitter: @JamesTCallum
This is just me, talking to you, the reader. I’m no different than you, I love reading and gaming just the same as everybody else.
In fact, I’ve loved reading for as long as I could remember. From the very first fantasy book I read, The Wizard of Earthsea, I was hooked.
For just as long I’ve also been an avid gamer and DND player (as well as other tabletop RPGs). Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Illusion of Gaia, and on through the years as stories and graphics became better and better.
You’ll be able to find hints of inspiration from all sorts of RPGs and video games in my works. From the Final Fantasy series to Warcraft, Age of Empires to Anno, and games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Because who doesn’t love a little cosmic horror thrown in for fun?
These games (and countless others) have inspired me ever since I was a kid, and they continue to serve as my muse now that I’m much older.
Writing has always been my greatest aspiration and with your help, I hope to make it a full-time job. At the time of this writing, I still work a day job like most people. It is only thanks to Patreon that I was able to dedicate some of my spare time to writing.
So, if you’d like to provide direct support and help me achieve my goal of writing full-time (so I can write even more stories for you awesome people!) you can hop on over to my Patreon page where you’ll find tons of content.
Patrons get access to advanced chapters of upcoming books, special discord roles and discussion channels, early releases of books before anyone else, maps, cover reveals, voting, and a lot more.
And if you spot a typo or error, shoot me an email at: typos@jamestcallum.com, and I will get it fixed and re-uploaded ASAP. I aim to provide the best possible reading experience and as soon as I find an error I fix it. Once it’s fixed and updated, your reading device should update automatically with the improved version.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 8, 2024
There are only so many hour in a day, and spending 3 hours listening to a book about adventure and action where no action has taken place in 3 freaking hours and the adventure amounts to being dropped through a portal to some tower dungeon and then just wating 2 hours explaining bullshit mechanics that has zero to minimal effect on the story.
Typical wasted potential, it's another one of those amature writing crap, starts with a reasonable premise, no explanations or any context tho, u will feel completely lost, but that would be of it had context clues and such, but no, it's like watching episode number 7 of a 12 episode series, and then the episode is about characters sitting in a circle and talking about stuff u have zero idea.
There is no story, the character is "reluctant hero" trope, very poorly done, and worts part is the reviews claiming it's slow, i honestly would like to talk to these people who said it's an enjoyable experience, it's not, it's not slow it's more like pausing a game in the middle, then reading all the tutorial section, and then going on Wikipedia to read about other games tutorials and then going on steam and giving the game a 5 star review.
But if u still think i must be just spouting lies or exaggerating , then let me give u a small example of what happens in the book.
Then mc is part of some organisation that can soul travel of sorts, they can go to diffrent worlds and and do stuff, and if they die they simply return to their homeworld, and yes that is all the explanation in the book, now after a harrowing Las experience the mc decides to go on a vacation this time, but due "mysterious" circumstances he ends up as a chosen, now once he reached the planet he is ambushed by two chineese dragons and ends up escaping, and loosing his power level, then he falls through that atmosphere towards the planet, quite interesting till now yes, I thought so too, but here stars the "plot convience device", after falling he meets a goddess who was supposed to be some kind of welcome party, and yes they are aware of the organisation mc belongs to, now what would I think the goddess would do, try to find out what happened to him and help him yes?, try to help him complete his objective and all that, but nooooo, she takes offence as to what kind of rude person he is to not greet her, the esteemed goddess, all while ignoring the fact that he was falling from space while being unconscious, and neither does the mc tried to dispute the point, like wtf, and then claiming him to be too weak to proceed she throws him in some tower dungeon,all because he did not greet her while he was unconscious, now at this point i realised that the writer is one of those hamfisted types, who just pull shit from their ass to progress the story, that one encounter broke the flow for me so bad that it was physical agony to continue, but then I would at least expect a full on action filled dungeon trip, but no, he just stumbles around and runs away from everything, all the while over explaining everything , zero action, on clue as to what the fk is even supposed to happen and frankly just outright scamming your readers.
Typical wasted potential, it's another one of those amature writing crap, starts with a reasonable premise, no explanations or any context tho, u will feel completely lost, but that would be of it had context clues and such, but no, it's like watching episode number 7 of a 12 episode series, and then the episode is about characters sitting in a circle and talking about stuff u have zero idea.
There is no story, the character is "reluctant hero" trope, very poorly done, and worts part is the reviews claiming it's slow, i honestly would like to talk to these people who said it's an enjoyable experience, it's not, it's not slow it's more like pausing a game in the middle, then reading all the tutorial section, and then going on Wikipedia to read about other games tutorials and then going on steam and giving the game a 5 star review.
But if u still think i must be just spouting lies or exaggerating , then let me give u a small example of what happens in the book.
Then mc is part of some organisation that can soul travel of sorts, they can go to diffrent worlds and and do stuff, and if they die they simply return to their homeworld, and yes that is all the explanation in the book, now after a harrowing Las experience the mc decides to go on a vacation this time, but due "mysterious" circumstances he ends up as a chosen, now once he reached the planet he is ambushed by two chineese dragons and ends up escaping, and loosing his power level, then he falls through that atmosphere towards the planet, quite interesting till now yes, I thought so too, but here stars the "plot convience device", after falling he meets a goddess who was supposed to be some kind of welcome party, and yes they are aware of the organisation mc belongs to, now what would I think the goddess would do, try to find out what happened to him and help him yes?, try to help him complete his objective and all that, but nooooo, she takes offence as to what kind of rude person he is to not greet her, the esteemed goddess, all while ignoring the fact that he was falling from space while being unconscious, and neither does the mc tried to dispute the point, like wtf, and then claiming him to be too weak to proceed she throws him in some tower dungeon,all because he did not greet her while he was unconscious, now at this point i realised that the writer is one of those hamfisted types, who just pull shit from their ass to progress the story, that one encounter broke the flow for me so bad that it was physical agony to continue, but then I would at least expect a full on action filled dungeon trip, but no, he just stumbles around and runs away from everything, all the while over explaining everything , zero action, on clue as to what the fk is even supposed to happen and frankly just outright scamming your readers.
February 1, 2024
The 3rd series in the Shard-verse front loads you with a lot of info and mechanics only to say they are irrelevant and no longer work and introduces new mechanics. The beginning of the book is a uphill climb. I have read Pyre Souls and Beast Borne and still got lost in the crunchyness of it all. The story picks up when we are introduced to more of the characters and I'm pretty happy with where it ended. Looking forward to the next one
April 17, 2023
if you like, dirty underwear, jokes, fart jokes, stick, bomb jokes, you may enjoy this book.
I am not sure whom this book was written for. Was it written for sophomore teenagers? Adolescence who enjoy puerile humor? The book is full of fart jokes, dirty, underwear, jokes, and plenty of gags and laughs. Even i an older adult laughed at some of the stuff in this book. Actually, some sequences made me laugh out loud. I don’t know if this book is supposed to be taken serious or not. The MC is not very likable, very selfish, I particularly just don’t care about him, unless he changes in the next book. The other side characters such as Charlie I’ll given motivations to why they are there. So they are developing some personality. I want to like the book and see how the main character progresses, but in this first book, I thought the progression was quite slow. It was a long book and I don’t think a lot has been accomplished for all the pages that I read through. I must admit, I did not skip or skim so the story has merit. The other issue I have is with this particular author, how long are we going to have to wait between the books. The author is not known for his alacrity for releasing books. just look at his beast born series for example. I will read the next book when it comes out. Hopefully I will not forget the things that happened in this one.
I am not sure whom this book was written for. Was it written for sophomore teenagers? Adolescence who enjoy puerile humor? The book is full of fart jokes, dirty, underwear, jokes, and plenty of gags and laughs. Even i an older adult laughed at some of the stuff in this book. Actually, some sequences made me laugh out loud. I don’t know if this book is supposed to be taken serious or not. The MC is not very likable, very selfish, I particularly just don’t care about him, unless he changes in the next book. The other side characters such as Charlie I’ll given motivations to why they are there. So they are developing some personality. I want to like the book and see how the main character progresses, but in this first book, I thought the progression was quite slow. It was a long book and I don’t think a lot has been accomplished for all the pages that I read through. I must admit, I did not skip or skim so the story has merit. The other issue I have is with this particular author, how long are we going to have to wait between the books. The author is not known for his alacrity for releasing books. just look at his beast born series for example. I will read the next book when it comes out. Hopefully I will not forget the things that happened in this one.
March 10, 2023
Scale & Sea
This book is great if you have read the other books by James T. Callum. If you haven't though it leaves you lost and confused. It uses terms without an explanation and simply waves off things as if you understand or have a basis to go on.
Other then that it just felt confusing and didn't explain things very well. I still enjoyed the book but felt myself getting lost in some points.
This book is great if you have read the other books by James T. Callum. If you haven't though it leaves you lost and confused. It uses terms without an explanation and simply waves off things as if you understand or have a basis to go on.
Other then that it just felt confusing and didn't explain things very well. I still enjoyed the book but felt myself getting lost in some points.
January 26, 2024
DNF
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
February 4, 2024
Unnecessarily overhyped words weakly bound by the semblance of a story
March 11, 2023
Great new adventures with a pobul
The pacing for this book was a bit off, but I enjoyed the read nonetheless. How do the deities of Darrow, not aligned with the Light, seem to have no power here? I’m also not sure why Deklin isn’t more capable of utilizing his knowledge of Worldshards to scam the system.
Having said that, this Worldshard is craptastic and needs a Magi to stir things up. Will we find out where all of the mana is? Will Deklin be able to return to the Spire? Will the guild be able to prevent the Powers on this shard from wiping them out since those same powers have already destroyed a fully invested Dark Lord?
The pacing for this book was a bit off, but I enjoyed the read nonetheless. How do the deities of Darrow, not aligned with the Light, seem to have no power here? I’m also not sure why Deklin isn’t more capable of utilizing his knowledge of Worldshards to scam the system.
Having said that, this Worldshard is craptastic and needs a Magi to stir things up. Will we find out where all of the mana is? Will Deklin be able to return to the Spire? Will the guild be able to prevent the Powers on this shard from wiping them out since those same powers have already destroyed a fully invested Dark Lord?
March 6, 2023
Best book I’ve read this year!
Man what a ride! I loved James’s Beastborne series, so I had high hopes for this one. And boy were they exceeded! I laughed so hard at several of the scenes, got to experience some epic moments, and thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie of the characters. The troupe is wildly varied, amazingly human and flawed in some ways, and it’s a fight against The Man/Authority which resonates with us all to some extent. Read it, enjoy it, and enjoy the pobul action!
Man what a ride! I loved James’s Beastborne series, so I had high hopes for this one. And boy were they exceeded! I laughed so hard at several of the scenes, got to experience some epic moments, and thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie of the characters. The troupe is wildly varied, amazingly human and flawed in some ways, and it’s a fight against The Man/Authority which resonates with us all to some extent. Read it, enjoy it, and enjoy the pobul action!
April 7, 2023
This one went through the gamut.
It started as a one star review. It bounced around through all of them to land at five stars. The setting is very simple but with a lot of details, they are not described well, two star writing. The characters are amazing, they are developed slowly through their actions, five star writing. The transitions are sketchy, three stars at best. The whole thing would be about a foot star, but I bumped it up one for the really fun concept.
It started as a one star review. It bounced around through all of them to land at five stars. The setting is very simple but with a lot of details, they are not described well, two star writing. The characters are amazing, they are developed slowly through their actions, five star writing. The transitions are sketchy, three stars at best. The whole thing would be about a foot star, but I bumped it up one for the really fun concept.
March 5, 2023
Another great book
Unlike Callum's other books, we now get to experience the adventures of someone with a little bit more understanding of how the power scaling and worldshards work. The small references to the other books were unobtrusive but amusing if you've read the other series. Overall another great addition to the shardrune universe.
Unlike Callum's other books, we now get to experience the adventures of someone with a little bit more understanding of how the power scaling and worldshards work. The small references to the other books were unobtrusive but amusing if you've read the other series. Overall another great addition to the shardrune universe.
March 10, 2023
Interesting start to another Callum series.
A little slower than my liking, hopefully the next book will have more action in it than slice of life. And if the ending is anything to go by, it could go either way. Fingers crossed there will be more stabbing and underwear smothering, along with a few Kimchi furts to go with it. Those parts were freaking hilarious.
A little slower than my liking, hopefully the next book will have more action in it than slice of life. And if the ending is anything to go by, it could go either way. Fingers crossed there will be more stabbing and underwear smothering, along with a few Kimchi furts to go with it. Those parts were freaking hilarious.
May 18, 2026
Decent story overall, but it really didn't do anything to differentiate itself from a lot of other portal fantasy/isekai. The concept of the Magi, people able to travel to different realities, live a life there, and return with more power is very interesting, but in practice doesn't DO anything other than explain why the main character knows how to do stuff.
March 5, 2023
Enjoyed This
I really enjoyed this book as the first in a new series. I have to say I have liked every book this author has done, now if he would just finish one of these series I would be really happy.
I really enjoyed this book as the first in a new series. I have to say I have liked every book this author has done, now if he would just finish one of these series I would be really happy.
March 12, 2023
Good stuff
Some good stuff here.. Humor along the lines of the completionist and a shared universe with pyresouls and the others.... I'll continue to read as it rolls out.. Hope it does well for them
JD Glasscock
Some good stuff here.. Humor along the lines of the completionist and a shared universe with pyresouls and the others.... I'll continue to read as it rolls out.. Hope it does well for them
JD Glasscock
March 20, 2023
original
Original litrpg. The story started very strong got soft around the middle but ended really strong.
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Narration: na
Favorite Line: history is written by the victors
Original litrpg. The story started very strong got soft around the middle but ended really strong.
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Narration: na
Favorite Line: history is written by the victors
April 20, 2023
Weak start.... strong finish
Deklin Faust the MC seems a little op and whiney at first but the series really hits its stride as Deklin begins to accept responsibility for people he has never known. By the end of the book I was hooked and can't wait for the sequel.
Deklin Faust the MC seems a little op and whiney at first but the series really hits its stride as Deklin begins to accept responsibility for people he has never known. By the end of the book I was hooked and can't wait for the sequel.
August 7, 2023
Lesbian main characters violate my Christian beliefs
Thalia and Silent are a Lesbian married couple and are portrayed as normal. This violates my Christian beliefs. I not finish this book or read any more of their works due to their support of LGBTQ+.
Thalia and Silent are a Lesbian married couple and are portrayed as normal. This violates my Christian beliefs. I not finish this book or read any more of their works due to their support of LGBTQ+.
September 27, 2024
Slow Burning
But oh it's so worth the read. The Shard building is great and I love a dandy as a hero.....sorta. I loved the goblins, Fibble would be proud. Eagerly awaiting Book 2.
But oh it's so worth the read. The Shard building is great and I love a dandy as a hero.....sorta. I loved the goblins, Fibble would be proud. Eagerly awaiting Book 2.
December 3, 2025
Great New Series
I have really enjoyed James Callums books and this one did not leave me disappointed. I always get nervous when I see two authors, but it worked well. Definitely adding this one to my series to continue.
I have really enjoyed James Callums books and this one did not leave me disappointed. I always get nervous when I see two authors, but it worked well. Definitely adding this one to my series to continue.
March 1, 2023
Great read
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who like LitRPG and progression type of books with alternate reality.
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who like LitRPG and progression type of books with alternate reality.
March 1, 2023
Epic story.
Epic story and an epic book I was enthralled from start to finish. I highly recommend this author and this book again. I cannot wait until the next book comes out.
Epic story and an epic book I was enthralled from start to finish. I highly recommend this author and this book again. I cannot wait until the next book comes out.
March 9, 2023
INCREDIBLE
I have waited literally years for this book…AND IT IS EVEN GREATER THAN I COULD HAVE HOPED FOR !!!
READ
THIS
BOOK !
I have waited literally years for this book…AND IT IS EVEN GREATER THAN I COULD HAVE HOPED FOR !!!
READ
THIS
BOOK !
March 12, 2023
Fun series
I've read the other shard books but this has been the most fun by far. I'm enjoying the furts and interesting uses of pumpkin spice. Looking forward to the next book!
I've read the other shard books but this has been the most fun by far. I'm enjoying the furts and interesting uses of pumpkin spice. Looking forward to the next book!
May 4, 2023
Oh my god such a good book!
This has been a truly amazing piece of work. I love it, and cannot WAIT for the next book. Please please please keep the series going!
This has been a truly amazing piece of work. I love it, and cannot WAIT for the next book. Please please please keep the series going!
May 26, 2023
This was fun
This was a fun read with a nice dose of ridiculous. I love this universe and I'm so excited for the future books
This was a fun read with a nice dose of ridiculous. I love this universe and I'm so excited for the future books
June 26, 2023
Good book
I am glad I read the Beastborn
series first. This one is from the same universe. Good story telling and I look forward to the next one
I am glad I read the Beastborn
series first. This one is from the same universe. Good story telling and I look forward to the next one
January 18, 2024
🤩 wow
This book start a little slow and boring but wow as it progress it becomes great and I can’t wait to read the next book
This book start a little slow and boring but wow as it progress it becomes great and I can’t wait to read the next book
February 3, 2024
Great!
Another awesome LitRPG adventure from authors James T. Callum & K.H. Sohmer. I really enjoy these Shardrune books and I can't wait to see what's next!
Another awesome LitRPG adventure from authors James T. Callum & K.H. Sohmer. I really enjoy these Shardrune books and I can't wait to see what's next!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews