Do you read books whose description can be basically summed up as "this is a Litrpg"?

[Ibrinar]

I have noticed that some litrpg books are basically just described as "So there is a cool new virtual reality RPG and he plays this game and does quest and stuff. (+Maybe what class he plays if it is special)" in nicer soundingg words of course but that is the essence. This one for instance https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... well it also mentions higher stakes and three names instead of just one mc but beside that it is like if I described a fantasy book with "he has adventures in a world with elves and dwarves" from how much it tells me about the book if I already know it is a litrpg. Or this https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... (well it also mentions that a god sends him so otherworld but nothing about why or anything) For many litrpgs that are just the genre basics so it doesn't really tell me anything about a book.

I guess some litrpgs just don't have much to tell about their plot since story wise they are just about someone playing a game without a main plot beyond getting stronger, but still there should be something to say about what makes the book interesting. Anyway question is, are such descriptions enough to make you check a book?

[DJay]

Ibrinar wrote: "I have noticed that some litrpg books are basically just described as "So there is a cool new virtual reality RPG and he plays this game and does quest and stuff. (+Maybe what class he plays if it ..."

Not at all. This is why I read the reviews to get a better understanding of the book. Let's be honest. Most of the LitRPG's fall into 1 of 3 categories. Trapped in a VR world trying to get out. Playing a VR game with a crazy A.I. . Transported to a world that has RPG elements. Since I know that's about it, I want to know if the characters and plot are worth my time.....

TLDR: No, just saying LitRPG isn't enough for me.

[Li]

Basically No. I think it's a weakness authors of Lit!RPGs should address in future book releases. I mostly end up reading a lot of user reviews more than I do actual book introductions provided.

It's mainly because I steer clear of self-indulgent harem genres of Lit!RPGs and also because a lot of series right now need a Proofreader badly. It's definitely improving though so kudos to those authors who proofread well before publishing.

p.s. also I wish they would focus more on what makes their books different from other Lit!RPGs. i.e. are they the village/HQ building, the overarching save the fantasy world thing or the "this game will net me lots of money IRL" trope.

[Christopher]

Never used it until someone from the community pointed it out to me. Still, would never put it in the title or on the cover. Probably not even in the blurb.

[Yuli]

Not really. I always felt that sort of description can be classified as "that goes without saying." Sort of like releasing a space opera book by saying "Mark Starforger lived in a world where space travel had become so easy that adventurers now explored the cosmos and met strange aliens."

If the book were released when the genre was still young, around 2013-2016, I'd tolerate it.

[Crissy]

I just started in on litRPG books so I'm not well versed in it outside of Anime. Anime has a lot of trapped in vr, and transported to game world. Very little "this is just litRPG". I only read ready player one because my daughter brought it home for a bit and I couldn't put it down. But since I discovered this is a whole genre I've been looking for unusual books. Takes in a video game is okay, but I want something a bit flashier. Real world consequences and characters that grow with the story,not just leveling up. If I wanted that I'd go play WoW again.