Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Changing Faces (New Game Minus #1)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Changing Faces

(New Game Minus #1)

Sarah Lin (Goodreads Author)

4.21 · Rating details · 351 ratings · 39 reviews

Bloodwraith thought of himself as an effective villain, until a single adventurer destroyed his entire lair. With his last breath, he switched bodies with the adventurer and discovered that his world was built on lies. Alien beings from another dimension were using his world as a game... and now he was one of them.

The problem is, Bloodwraith has no experience being an ad ...more

Get A Copy

Kindle Edition, 366 pages

Published November 15th 2018

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Changing Faces, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Changing Faces

Lists with This Book

Books About Video Games and Virtual Reality

347 books — 619 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.21 ·

Rating details

· 351 ratings · 39 reviews

Sort order

Start your review of Changing Faces (New Game Minus #1)

Mar 21, 2019 Gavin rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

This was an enjoyable LitRPG fantasy story. It had a fun premise that was a slight twist on the normal set-up for the genre while it also remained a fairly typical classic LitRPG story in terms of the content. Which is to say the main character was a little different but the world was a typical mix of old school fantasy and game mechanics with power level ups, missions, and stat boxes. The story itself had a mix of action and mystery but it also had a decent amount of character development which This was an enjoyable LitRPG fantasy story. It had a fun premise that was a slight twist on the normal set-up for the genre while it also remained a fairly typical classic LitRPG story in terms of the content. Which is to say the main character was a little different but the world was a typical mix of old school fantasy and game mechanics with power level ups, missions, and stat boxes. The story itself had a mix of action and mystery but it also had a decent amount of character development which is rare in the genre!

The idea behind the story was a fun one. Bloodwraith, an undead necromancer, was second in command to the Dark Lord before his story came to crashing end as a single hero adventurer killed the Dark Lord and mortally wounded Bloodwraith himself. Just before he died Bloodwraith used a magical item to swap his soul with that of the hero just as the hero was disappearing through a strange magical portal. Next thing he knows he is being reincarnated in a strange new body and is being greeted by mysterious Gods who think he is the hero reborn. To make things worse Bloodwraih is plagued by strange boxes that are constantly appearing in his vision, describing the world in unfamiliar, nonsensical terms. It soon becomes obvious to Bloodwraith that the hero who killed him was part of some weird alien invasion of his world so he sets about trying to build his powers as directed while trying to investigate the strange powers who are playing with the lives of the people in his world!

The story was a a lot of fun. Bloodwraith started a bit villainous, as one might expect, but he showed some real character growth as he got used to being in living flesh again for the first time for hundreds of years. He also had to get used to working with other adventurers, rather than zombie minions, when it become clear he could grow his powers faster by working as part of a team. It was also pretty fun to watch him come to the realisation that if he was going to investigate the invaders to his world he might have to become a hero rather than a villain to the people.

If there was a flaw it was that the story relied a tiny bit too much on the game mechanics and stats. It was pretty faithful to the RPG style with Bloodwraith having to level up and having to complete various different minor and major quests to up his stats. What made it tolerable was the fact that the character development for Bloodwraith and the two main support characters was pretty good. It also really helped that Bloodwraith's own outrage with the stat boxes that kept popping up in his vision to describe everything added a fair bit of humor to the story as was quite hilarious at times.

Bloodwraith proved a surprisingly likeable character and I loved the fact that he showed good, but believable, character growth over the course of the story. The two main support characters were also well developed and had distinctive personalities of their own and showed their own growth over the story. I was initially a little worried the two female characters were just going to be love interests for Bloodwraith, and there was hints of romance with both characters, but on the whole I was happy with how Bloodwraith's relationship played out with both characters.

All in all I felt like this book had a few flaws but was super readable. It never quite hit top quality and I always felt it could have been even better than it was with just a few tweaks but I was happy with the story on the whole and, crucially, this really managed to hold my attention from start to finish which is not something that has happened often in the last few months!

Rating: 3.5 stars. I'm rounding down to 3 stars but I'll admit that is pretty harsh as I could easily have rounded up to four stats as this was super engaging. I'm rounding down as I feel like a lot of things could have been better. Though that sounds harsh as this was good just not the great I felt like it could be!

Audio Note: This was narrated by Bryan G. Lamb. It took me a bit of time to get used to him as my initial reaction was super negative. Once I got into the story I felt like he did an OK job. His general narration and Bloodwraith voice was OK but he struggled with the secondary character voices. Especially the female ones.

...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Jun 20, 2019 Billy Munich rated it it was amazing

Shelves: gamelit-litrpg

Great writing, Interesting characters

Once I got into this one, it was difficult to put down. I would certainly recommend it to any fan of LITRpg. Now, it's time to start book 2!

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Feb 16, 2019 Naomi rated it really liked it

Shelves: litrpg-challenge, litrpg

It’s not about a shapeshifter or master disguiser... so I was confused at first, as I picked it up based on the cover and title. It’s more like a (view spoiler) with psychological elements. I don’t think that was a spoiler, but who knows what other people think.

Anyway, I enjoyed it, and I’ll be reading the next (already started).

Also, there are several aspects of the story that are discussion worthy, especially due to the genre. ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2018 Kelley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kindle-unlimited, lit-rpg, kindle-unlimited-2018

I’m officially in love with any lit rpg that refers to “box gods” now. It’s really a great read. I throughly enjoyed the snarky humor.

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Nov 26, 2018 Persnickety rated it really liked it

Intriguing?

Kindle Unlimited - YAY!

Not really sure what to say about this. I couldn't decide if the sentient, non-sentient, AI, developers, multiple planes, consciousness transfers, etcetera were teetering on the edge of improbable or impossible possibilities. I'm going to trust that it all makes sense to the author and that she'll get the rest of us to that point. Or maybe it's just me lost in a bit of a coherence fog? Either way, the storyline held my interest and I'm curious enough t ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Feb 16, 2019 GaiusPrimus rated it really liked it

Shelves: litrpg, fantasy, epic, portal

Just wow

I'll be honest, I didn't pick this book up because the cover wasn't very appealing. I'm glad I did though.

Fun story with a pretty awesome twistthat delivers on everything that I expect of the genre.

Also, glad the second book is available for immediate consumption.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 14, 2019 Bobby rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reddit-bingo-challenge

I loved this book. I've now read a few books that could be considered LitRPG or at least have elements of it. This one was really well done and felt different than others like it.

The world building here was really good. This isn't just your typical random dude gets thrown into a video game and can't get out. It's more like this is a real world, and some alien entities manipulate it to be used as a video game. It's just a slightly different take on the genre than what I've seen so far ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 09, 2019 Mikhail rated it really liked it

A bit slow and clunky to start with, but it improves rapidly and the ending had me staying up *far* too late.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 02, 2019 Piero C. rated it it was amazing

A great book

Finally a different and original take to the LitRPG genre. Great sense of humor, with a dark twist. One of my favorites

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 23, 2018 Johnny rated it it was amazing

Book one

Mistakes: I found only one and it was just a wrong tense on the word, nothing major.
Plot: Very interesting. Not every day you come across a book where the MC was a former big bad, now being a hero. Very fun book.
Characters: Even though the MC was a one time had guy, I really liked him. That urge to want to do had things while continuing to do the good things was interesting and helped you really get to understand the MC.
9.5/10 I look forward to more.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 22, 2018 B rated it it was amazing

I don't normally write reviews, but since this is so new/reaaltively unread I thought I would.

I really enjoyed this book. Bloodwraith is a really fun character, whose choices seem surprisingly realistic considering his background. The background characters (especially the one who is portrayed as fairly unintelligent) are well fleshed out and real seeming. My first real litrpg, and it was fun start to finish. Really makes me want to dive into a d&d campaign!

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 18, 2018 Scott rated it it was amazing

This book surprised me, in a good way. I want expecting all that much going in, but this was well written. It's kind of from an NPC point of view, one that becomes part of an rpg system. It's a little mocking of rpg systems in general. Lots of action and excitement with some humor thrown in. Definitely looking forward to the next in the series.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 04, 2019 Dianthaa (Pia) rated it really liked it

I think this could be a good choice for some people looking check out some LitRPG, but aren't really that familiar with game mechanics. Lemme explain
Bloodwraith, formally an undead necromancer, switched bodies with the adventurer that almost killed him.Now finds himself reincarnated in the adventurer's body, starting out in The Forest of Beginnings, where he is plagues by accursed boxes. Rude boxes that ask him all sorts of questions he can’t really answer, like what’s his name and what fi I think this could be a good choice for some people looking check out some LitRPG, but aren't really that familiar with game mechanics. Lemme explain
Bloodwraith, formally an undead necromancer, switched bodies with the adventurer that almost killed him.Now finds himself reincarnated in the adventurer's body, starting out in The Forest of Beginnings, where he is plagues by accursed boxes. Rude boxes that ask him all sorts of questions he can’t really answer, like what’s his name and what fighting style he has. Bloodwraith doesn’t know he’s in a game, but he quickly catches on that the box gods are somehow manipulating his world.
He figures out how to work the system, despite it being nonsensical and based on arbitrary EXP points, and throughout the book slowly discovers most of the world’s game characteristics.
For people who are familiar with games, Bloodwraith figuring out he can redo quests and picking all the flowers in the tutorial area to gain a little extra xp, is the most relatable thing ever.
The setting is easy to follow, the world is a typical medieval fantasy world with elves and dwarves and such, the magic works how you’d expect it, the crypt and buried temples they visit have a few interesting creatures and wards. But the main mystery lies in figuring out what these box gods want, set on a familiar background.

The characters are cool, Bloodwraith turns out being a lot more complex than he fancied himself, and struggles to reconcile his evil self image with his moral actions. He’s fair to his companions, and doesn’t like to take advantage of them when the system is rigged in his favor. And in turn they become useful allies and trusted friends. The main side characters start out seeming cookie cutter and predictable, but they each end up having a lot of personality and character growth.
The writing is good. I know a lot of people worry about this with litRPGs, but it’s clever, witty and has snarky humor. It was hilarious when another character kept making fun of his name. I will admit I’m neither a native speaker nor very picky about this, but I really enjoyed it, if you’re worried you can always check out the free sample on amazon. Bloodwraith seems to have a few tics when referring to the accursed nonsensical boxes, but they do interrupt him at the damndest times. I listened to it so obviously couldn’t check for editing errors, but other reviews on goodreads say the book is fine in that regard.
The story was mostly about character development, Bloodwraith’s and his companions. What I mean is that the main plot kind of seemed to take a backseat, partly also because the plot armor was pretty thick, or maybe it was just that knowing it’s a game set up that the hero’s meant to go through, I sorta always expected him to succeed. I thought the parts figuring out the mystery of the box gods and how different characters could make use of these game aspects were really interesting.
Ends well, not a cliffhanger but with an epilogue that hints at the next book’s problem. It’s a hook, but you don’t have to keep reading to get the full story.
I enjoyed it a lot, and I kept making up chores as an excuse to listen more, so thank you Sarah for the great book, and the clean kitchen!
...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 23, 2019 Jim rated it really liked it

This is my first LitRPG, and one of only a handful of self-published books I've actually finished. To sum it up at the beginning: this was a really fun read, and I burned through it way faster than I thought I would.

Since I'm not overly familiar with the tropes of the genre, I can't really say how representative this one is. It has things that seem pretty standard, though, with the main character becoming aware of his stats and levels, and coming to grips with his life as a character ...more

flag Like · see review

Sep 30, 2019 Stanislas Sodonon rated it really liked it

Yes, this is what I'm talking about!

I've been noticing a pattern lately. Where LitRPG is concerned, I prefer books written by women. They are less... how can I say it delicately? Less wish-fulfilment oriented?

This book was pure bliss, I binged it in a day, missing sleep just to get to the end.

No respawn. Real NPCs (view spoiler). Real stakes. A bloody clever ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 13, 2019 Logan Horsford rated it really liked it

It was so refreshing to read a LitRPG where the MC wasn't an idiot. I was beginning to despair.

Seriously. Apparently it is easier to write about below average intelligent MC's than ones with some cleverness.

Though in the end the plan was somewhat predictable (not a lot of other resources to pull on given) the MC had a plan and was able to execute it rather than 'If you believe in yourself enough, you can achieve!' or lucking in to victory.

So good for Lin and I hope she c ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 28, 2019 Kevin rated it it was amazing

Starts slow but then comes wonder, excitement, and endearment.

Fun read, and meaty too. Biggest con is how long the story takes to get going. The tutorial takes up a noticeable chunk of the book as the main character gets used to the situation, and while it’s meant to be funny and satiric instead I almost dropped the book. I’m glad I stuck with it, because once the main character reaches the cabin in the woods, the story became a page turner that kept me up all night. Going straight for the sequ ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 10, 2019 Ha rated it it was amazing

It's been a while since I read a LitRPG book, but I decided to take a leap on the audio version narrated by Bryan G.Lamb, after the first chapters I already felt hooked and had to get the kindle version as well.

The stats sheets are more subtle and that's a bonus point. There are too many LitRPG books out there with page after page of nonsense stats.

The story is well written and was enjoyable to listen to.

flag Like · see review

May 12, 2019 Tuftears rated it it was amazing

A great original LitRPG

The subversion of the genre stereotypes and cliches really works well here, as Bloodwraith learns to deal with life as an adventurer. The intelligence he brings really makes the story, as he dissects his circumstances and tries to figure out how to deal with a problem he can't simply stab-with-sword. Plus it's fun when he snaps and calls people blithering idiots.

flag Like · see review

Mar 18, 2019 Melissa Jane rated it it was amazing

Fabulous, fantastic, intriguing and a whole bunch of other positive words that can't begin to describe how great this story was. The uniqueness of this LitRPG adventure with it's "box gods" was attention grabbing from the get go and didn't stop all the way to the end. Highly recommended and eagerly awaiting the next installment.

flag Like · see review

Dec 07, 2018 Cameron rated it it was amazing

Very interesting twist on the genre

In what could have been a rather generic “NPC becomes character” story, this was instead a very intriguing dive into the world twisted by rules the populace can’t understand in order to benefit the “players”. This makes for a fun story where an NPC decided to take that in his own hands to embrace the overpowered nature of it.

flag Like · see review

May 03, 2019 Μαρία Ν. rated it it was amazing

A very entertaining read

This book features a wonderful cast of characters,an interesting story with good twists,a great sense of humor and many epic battles.I did not expect this book to be so good,but it is.In case you are a fan of LitRPG fiction or want to read something that is fun,this is the book for you.

flag Like · see review

Dec 18, 2018 Christopher Longfellow rated it it was amazing

Awesome!!

Alright this book is one of a kind, I had so much fun seeing an Ex-Villain try to figure out what he was doing as a hero! And the ENDING?!?! Trust me, it’s worth it. You’ll also be dying to read the next one as I am.

flag Like · see review

Dec 08, 2018 Elizabeth Emery rated it it was amazing

Enthralling read

Wonderful pacing and character development, especially Bloodwraith.The epilogue really got me wanting more, I want to see just how that will screw up the worlds flow.

flag Like · see review

May 04, 2019 Aaron Scott rated it it was amazing

Super enjoyed it

I read the book in one sitting, it was super enjoyable. I look forward to the next one. It would be fun if the main character was a bit more ruthless. but I like all the twists in place as they are.

flag Like · see review

May 14, 2019 Jonathan rated it it was amazing

Fun

I absolutely loved the idea of an NPC discovering and rebelling against the system. Better still; understanding of the system was not innate. I truly enjoyed the story and highly recommend it.

flag Like · see review

Mar 22, 2019 Danny A. rated it really liked it

An interesting MC

I recommend this book if you want an MC that is an actual logical being. The fight scene were interesting and fun. Bloodwraith and Meara interactions made the story better.

flag Like · see review

Nov 12, 2019 Dovid Edelman rated it it was amazing

The book reminds me heavily of Dark Lord of Derkholm (by Diana Wynne Jones), with visitors from another world visiting a generic Fantasyland on a Tour. This time however, the Tour is a single player campaign, the manipulation of people is far more subtle and scary, and there is leveling up!

flag Like · see review

Sep 27, 2019 Damien King-acevedo rated it really liked it

Entertaining

It gets a bit dull in the middle and enemy strength seems arbitrary, but it was well written and entertaining. If you like litrpg, then you'll probably like this.

flag Like · see review

Dec 09, 2018 Katalin Miller rated it it was amazing

Excellent story

A very enjoyable tale with questions which add rather than distract. I will look forward to the stories which will follow!

flag Like · see review

« previous 1 2 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Genres

Fantasy

17 users

See top shelves…

About Sarah Lin

Sarah Lin

44 followers

Hello! I'm Sarah Lin and I write various kinds of fantasy. If you want to keep up with my work, feel free to check out the following:

Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/dMSw2A
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/sarahlin
Blog: http://sarahlinauthor.blogspot.com/

Join either list to get immediate access to illustrations of all my characters, plus bonus content and previews. If you've tried my work, I'd be happy to hear from you!