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System Universe #1
System Change
Fight, survive, adapt, and rely only on yourself.
That is Derek’s creed, and what's got him through the System Integration on Earth.
Everything changed when the System came. Cute bunnies and beautiful butterflies became savage killing machines. Then the Invaders arrived with a single goal: to obtain ownership of this new habitable planet.
War has raged ever since.
None of this mattered much to Derek, aside from making living a little more perilous. He mostly kept to himself. He was the weird guy who owned a cabin that occasionally came into town for a drink and light conversation. After System Integration, that didn’t change much—he only got stronger.
After years of fighting monsters and Invaders alone he’s become quite adept at surviving. Who needs others to get in the way or worry about?
Until one day, Derek goes against his better judgement. He decides to lend some help on a mission that doesn’t seem too hard… He should have stuck to being alone…
That is Derek’s creed, and what's got him through the System Integration on Earth.
Everything changed when the System came. Cute bunnies and beautiful butterflies became savage killing machines. Then the Invaders arrived with a single goal: to obtain ownership of this new habitable planet.
War has raged ever since.
None of this mattered much to Derek, aside from making living a little more perilous. He mostly kept to himself. He was the weird guy who owned a cabin that occasionally came into town for a drink and light conversation. After System Integration, that didn’t change much—he only got stronger.
After years of fighting monsters and Invaders alone he’s become quite adept at surviving. Who needs others to get in the way or worry about?
Until one day, Derek goes against his better judgement. He decides to lend some help on a mission that doesn’t seem too hard… He should have stuck to being alone…
422 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
January 20, 2023
This is an interesting twist on the isekai/LitRPG genre. Derek is present when our world is integrated into the System. He fights and makes a name for himself and all that jazz—in the pre-story. Then, he gets shunted off to another planet where there is a different (though somewhat similar) System. So he finds himself at level 1 but with all his attributes and growth in tact from before. Which makes him a huge exploit; way overpowered for his location. And yes, this is exactly the kind of power fantasy you'd expect from that setup.
Derek has a few jerk moments, but nothing terrible. And I liked his straight-forward attitude towards things and how it is accompanied by a sense of caution and larceny that depended on the situation he was in. And I really liked how he kept evaluating the place he found himself and helping others along the way. But my favorite part, by far, is the homicidal bunny he let exhaust itself attacking him before helping it in little ways until it started following him around. Following him around and laying waste to anything else they came across.
Anyway, Derek goes around doing good and helping others and killing jerks. And bad guys. And teaching/helping villagers how to exploit the system. There's a touch of found family that was interesting, though . And I particularly liked his relationship with the orphan Thomas (though he's lucky a number of his teaching moments didn't backfire spectacularly).
In all, this is an easy four stars with too many missed opportunities and too much unfocused energy to get it that final star. I look forward to the sequel when it's eventually published.
A note about Chaste: Derek is largely busy setting up every exploit he can think of and looking to gain enough power not to have to bow to the System any more than he has to. There's one person who could have developed into a love interest, but he pulls a random "meh" out and never goes there. So there's no kissing, let alone other shenanigans so this is very chaste.
Derek has a few jerk moments, but nothing terrible. And I liked his straight-forward attitude towards things and how it is accompanied by a sense of caution and larceny that depended on the situation he was in. And I really liked how he kept evaluating the place he found himself and helping others along the way. But my favorite part, by far, is the homicidal bunny he let exhaust itself attacking him before helping it in little ways until it started following him around. Following him around and laying waste to anything else they came across.
Anyway, Derek goes around doing good and helping others and killing jerks. And bad guys. And teaching/helping villagers how to exploit the system. There's a touch of found family that was interesting, though . And I particularly liked his relationship with the orphan Thomas (though he's lucky a number of his teaching moments didn't backfire spectacularly).
In all, this is an easy four stars with too many missed opportunities and too much unfocused energy to get it that final star. I look forward to the sequel when it's eventually published.
A note about Chaste: Derek is largely busy setting up every exploit he can think of and looking to gain enough power not to have to bow to the System any more than he has to. There's one person who could have developed into a love interest, but he pulls a random "meh" out and never goes there. So there's no kissing, let alone other shenanigans so this is very chaste.
December 13, 2022
4.25/5
A fast-paced litRPG with a little bit of everything
In System Change there's no path-breaking or innovative storytelling to keep you hooked to the end but it's filled with everything you would expect from an Isekai litRPG novel.
An intriguing OP main character who demolishes everything in his path, Badass fight sequences, a cool training montage, Legendary classes and Skills, an interesting secondary cast, and a whole lot of monster hunting.
I gotta say that even though this book is filled with elements you would normally see in a litRPG book, the pacing and writing kept my interest till the end.
I really had a great time with this one. Looking forward to the sequel.
A fast-paced litRPG with a little bit of everything
In System Change there's no path-breaking or innovative storytelling to keep you hooked to the end but it's filled with everything you would expect from an Isekai litRPG novel.
An intriguing OP main character who demolishes everything in his path, Badass fight sequences, a cool training montage, Legendary classes and Skills, an interesting secondary cast, and a whole lot of monster hunting.
I gotta say that even though this book is filled with elements you would normally see in a litRPG book, the pacing and writing kept my interest till the end.
I really had a great time with this one. Looking forward to the sequel.
January 3, 2023
Derek is a bit of a twat but he grew on me as the story progressed. He actually cares about the people around him which is what endeared me to him. He wasn't just about surviving on his own and living for himself, he started caring about the village the took him in without question and he started to care for the kids that dropped a couple of his walls with their love and care for him.
I seriously cannot wait to read the next book in the System Universe series.
I seriously cannot wait to read the next book in the System Universe series.
December 15, 2022
I've been reading a handful of books outside the gamelit genre lately and picked this story to scratch the itch I was developing. This was a fun read that I really enjoyed since it gave me exactly what I came for.
Character - 8/10, Plot - 8/10, Setting/Game Mechanics - 8/10, Writing - 7/10, Enjoyment - 10/10
Our MC Derek is your standard lone wolf type character we've seen often in the genre. The difference here is that the story forces him to be around people, which is a good thing since that's where the interesting stuff happens. Following an antisocial character who just stays alone the entire story is boring as hell and a mistake that a lot of gamelit stories make imo. The supporting cast is a pretty good selection of various characters that fill the gaps nicely.
I liked the plot, maybe because I have a soft spot for stories that take the basic gamelit plot and then ask an additional question. So we have a guy who has survived a System Apocalypse for a couple of years...what would happen if he got trapped in a portal and ended up eventually landing on a totally different world that operates under a different system? We end up with a guy who keeps his level 79 stats, but has his previous class and skills suppressed while being reassigned as a Level 0. We get the benefits of an OP main character while also having some genuine issues that come about while leveling like making new class and skill decisions, figuring out how to explain or hide his strength from the powerful people in the new world, etc.
The setting is pretty standard stuff. To me, that's not a negative. The focus is on the characters, so it's nice that everything else is familiar and easy to follow. The game mechanics are a mix of familiar things and balance some various elements taken from a few different game systems. There are things that reminded me of D&D, but plenty of other MMO-style skill grinding and such.
The writing was pretty good overall. There were a couple of minor errors here and there, and a few mistakes on some of the stat sheets, like having a guy gain some levels and then his status shows the old level from before instead of the new one. I usually only skim the stat sheets and wouldn't notice this sort of thing, but it kinda jumped out at me here.
There is room for polish with the grammar and prose, but overall everything flowed well and was functional. The overall structure of the story progressed pleasantly and you can tell the author has a pretty firm grip on what he wants to do. So I feel like this is some pretty solid and better-than-average writing for the genre.
Enjoyment-wise, I had a lot of fun. There were some good character interactions and the story scratched that itch that a good gamelit always reaches. I would have liked maybe a bit more tension during some fights considering the MC should struggle a bit to adjust to the new world despite his stats, but there were some seeds planted that hint at some good developments as the more powerful people in the new world notice Derek and he has to navigate their attentions. I'm looking forward to the next book!
Character - 8/10, Plot - 8/10, Setting/Game Mechanics - 8/10, Writing - 7/10, Enjoyment - 10/10
Our MC Derek is your standard lone wolf type character we've seen often in the genre. The difference here is that the story forces him to be around people, which is a good thing since that's where the interesting stuff happens. Following an antisocial character who just stays alone the entire story is boring as hell and a mistake that a lot of gamelit stories make imo. The supporting cast is a pretty good selection of various characters that fill the gaps nicely.
I liked the plot, maybe because I have a soft spot for stories that take the basic gamelit plot and then ask an additional question. So we have a guy who has survived a System Apocalypse for a couple of years...what would happen if he got trapped in a portal and ended up eventually landing on a totally different world that operates under a different system? We end up with a guy who keeps his level 79 stats, but has his previous class and skills suppressed while being reassigned as a Level 0. We get the benefits of an OP main character while also having some genuine issues that come about while leveling like making new class and skill decisions, figuring out how to explain or hide his strength from the powerful people in the new world, etc.
The setting is pretty standard stuff. To me, that's not a negative. The focus is on the characters, so it's nice that everything else is familiar and easy to follow. The game mechanics are a mix of familiar things and balance some various elements taken from a few different game systems. There are things that reminded me of D&D, but plenty of other MMO-style skill grinding and such.
The writing was pretty good overall. There were a couple of minor errors here and there, and a few mistakes on some of the stat sheets, like having a guy gain some levels and then his status shows the old level from before instead of the new one. I usually only skim the stat sheets and wouldn't notice this sort of thing, but it kinda jumped out at me here.
There is room for polish with the grammar and prose, but overall everything flowed well and was functional. The overall structure of the story progressed pleasantly and you can tell the author has a pretty firm grip on what he wants to do. So I feel like this is some pretty solid and better-than-average writing for the genre.
Enjoyment-wise, I had a lot of fun. There were some good character interactions and the story scratched that itch that a good gamelit always reaches. I would have liked maybe a bit more tension during some fights considering the MC should struggle a bit to adjust to the new world despite his stats, but there were some seeds planted that hint at some good developments as the more powerful people in the new world notice Derek and he has to navigate their attentions. I'm looking forward to the next book!
December 11, 2022
Evil MC
MC allows someone to die in front of the person's wife and daughter. He could have stopped the death, but choose not to use a potion because it was his and he didn't feel like it. The MC never had to use the potion at all but still tries to justify not giving the potion because he didn't have to.
The MC doesn't help a single person in this story unless it benefits him. The MC is the most entitled selfish jerk I have ever read about.
In the end, there is foreshadowing that the MC is going to try to get together with the wife of the man he let die. As it is, he has "helped" the wife and the man's 13 year old daughter level up because he "has plans" for them.
This MC is truly an evil person and I have to wonder about the author because the way the book is written and the author had everyone act like this is normal, I think the author thinks this way also.
MC allows someone to die in front of the person's wife and daughter. He could have stopped the death, but choose not to use a potion because it was his and he didn't feel like it. The MC never had to use the potion at all but still tries to justify not giving the potion because he didn't have to.
The MC doesn't help a single person in this story unless it benefits him. The MC is the most entitled selfish jerk I have ever read about.
In the end, there is foreshadowing that the MC is going to try to get together with the wife of the man he let die. As it is, he has "helped" the wife and the man's 13 year old daughter level up because he "has plans" for them.
This MC is truly an evil person and I have to wonder about the author because the way the book is written and the author had everyone act like this is normal, I think the author thinks this way also.
August 31, 2023
This is a twist of the power fantasy that is most LitRPGs in the sense that the main character, Derek Hunt, is already OP when the main story starts. This way we get a world weary, seen-it-all MC that is done with BS, uses his own form for morals and justice, and already know that a stat based adventure society will make might-is-right rules in most ways since a truly powerful person could set their own rules.
Derek is overall a good person but he is also a douche that speaks his mind very directly, is a bit egoistic, and a killer. He's not a womanizer.
The world starts off small with a few problems that Derek has to fix. The other characters are fairly unimportant but the next books continue with them so there's good continuity.
Derek is overall a good person but he is also a douche that speaks his mind very directly, is a bit egoistic, and a killer. He's not a womanizer.
The world starts off small with a few problems that Derek has to fix. The other characters are fairly unimportant but the next books continue with them so there's good continuity.
January 30, 2023
Superficial but still fun after they get to the village.
December 24, 2022
Rating 4.0 stars
Better than I thought it was going to be. It started off kind of generic and then went someplace sort of new. The world was introduced to the system and for 5 years there is a training course for people to learn how it works. Somewhere along the way aliens attacked and the humans are fighting back. The MC is a guy who is kind of a loner. He is strong and usually sticks to himself but he has helped out when he could. He is talked into helping to rescue a team that is under attack. The team leader open a portal and he needs to go and save them. He is able to save 2 of the the team. The other 2 people were already dead. As he is going back through the portal something happens Overall, I liked it and am looking forward to the next one.
Better than I thought it was going to be. It started off kind of generic and then went someplace sort of new. The world was introduced to the system and for 5 years there is a training course for people to learn how it works. Somewhere along the way aliens attacked and the humans are fighting back. The MC is a guy who is kind of a loner. He is strong and usually sticks to himself but he has helped out when he could. He is talked into helping to rescue a team that is under attack. The team leader open a portal and he needs to go and save them. He is able to save 2 of the the team. The other 2 people were already dead. As he is going back through the portal something happens Overall, I liked it and am looking forward to the next one.
November 20, 2022
Great story with an entertaining MC and supporting characters! All hail the majestic Silvi!!
I was intrigued with this book from the very start! The author does a great job of fleshing out the MC before we even really see much action. However, he does it in a way that doesn't feel like he is giving me a long winded, scroll through back story that isn't necessary. I found myself wanting to learn more about Derek as each chapter progressed! Seeing Derek change throughout the story made him more endearing and likeable! Can't wait for the second!!!!!
I was intrigued with this book from the very start! The author does a great job of fleshing out the MC before we even really see much action. However, he does it in a way that doesn't feel like he is giving me a long winded, scroll through back story that isn't necessary. I found myself wanting to learn more about Derek as each chapter progressed! Seeing Derek change throughout the story made him more endearing and likeable! Can't wait for the second!!!!!
November 17, 2022
This is my first book by this author.
Derek is from Earth. He was stuck in something before he ends up on a new planet. Once he arrives, he discovers the old system he was used to no longer works, and he has to adapt to a new system. Hence the title, System Change.
What follows after that is a fairly straightforward fantasy world story with dungeons, skills, abilities, nobles, peasants, orcs, trolls, and all the rest. Derek takes a young boy under his wing and helps him grow, along with other people he meets at a nearby village.
I don't want to spoil the plot, so I'm not going to. As a character Derek isn't very well developed beyond being a loner and strong. That's it. The system (we only see one) is fine and similar to other systems we've seen over the years.
I will give a + for Aethon's editing. I didn't pick out any big errors, which is a big improvement over some of their recent releases.
Taking everything into account, I enjoyed this. Derek may not be a very well drawn character, but he's consistent and that has its own value. The plot is slightly repetitive, but it didn't bother me. This is slightly crunchy LitRPG on a fantasy world, and I had a good time reading it.
5/5* Recommended.
Derek is from Earth. He was stuck in something before he ends up on a new planet. Once he arrives, he discovers the old system he was used to no longer works, and he has to adapt to a new system. Hence the title, System Change.
What follows after that is a fairly straightforward fantasy world story with dungeons, skills, abilities, nobles, peasants, orcs, trolls, and all the rest. Derek takes a young boy under his wing and helps him grow, along with other people he meets at a nearby village.
I don't want to spoil the plot, so I'm not going to. As a character Derek isn't very well developed beyond being a loner and strong. That's it. The system (we only see one) is fine and similar to other systems we've seen over the years.
I will give a + for Aethon's editing. I didn't pick out any big errors, which is a big improvement over some of their recent releases.
Taking everything into account, I enjoyed this. Derek may not be a very well drawn character, but he's consistent and that has its own value. The plot is slightly repetitive, but it didn't bother me. This is slightly crunchy LitRPG on a fantasy world, and I had a good time reading it.
5/5* Recommended.
March 2, 2023
Uff where to start? I dropped the book before half. The MC is too OP and together with his personality are a horrible combo. He is a jerk. And being OP gives him the right to do... everything. Because people around depends on him, in a way, they forgive his jerkness the next time he helps them. Despite his allegedly 27 or 29 years old, he acts like a 14 year old teenager you just ask him to help grandma while he is playing videogames. The same attitude: Move! They are going to die! - MC: He sighes. Again? Why am I doing this? I should leave... ahh... I should be alone... whatever... Wait. This is MY potion. Why would I spend it on you?
There is a wave of stories like this one. Solo players or adventurers... MC that are like teenagers and do not want to be bothered by anyone. The only progress in the stories are their stats. The personal/maturity level is so low... They should write their age to be teenagers so people will expect a teenager-gamer mentality.
There is a wave of stories like this one. Solo players or adventurers... MC that are like teenagers and do not want to be bothered by anyone. The only progress in the stories are their stats. The personal/maturity level is so low... They should write their age to be teenagers so people will expect a teenager-gamer mentality.
December 9, 2022
I almost gave up on this one. It hit many of my pet-peeves. Excessive inter-thoughts, over explanation, constant repeating of facts. But after about 1/4 the book it actually got good and I looked forward to what comes next. I'm guessing its a web-novel and author was getting better at writing as he/she goes. So I hope this is one of those series' that keeps getting better.
August 3, 2023
"System Change" takes readers on a thrilling post-apocalyptic adventure, following the captivating journey of Derek, a self-reliant loner. This action-packed novel features lovable characters, intense action, and skilful world-building. Amidst the excitement, the book also offers enjoyable slice-of-life moments. With its well-rounded storytelling, "System Change" promises an engaging read that leaves you craving more. Join Derek on this unforgettable ride and experience a world like no other.
December 3, 2022
It's popcorn OP protagonist fantasy.
The premise is basically that the MC is a human on earth who survived the system apocalypse and is stranded in the void and ends up on a planet with a different system. And he keeps his old stats and is op as hell, but starts at level 1 again. Hilarity ensues.
It's quite enjoyable to read because from time to time you just like to read someone smashes through all obstacles and not read chapter-long expositions of what "the evil people are thinking and doing".
If you want to low-litRPG story with a dude crushing everyone by virtue of existing, this will scratch the itch, but great literature it is not.
The premise is basically that the MC is a human on earth who survived the system apocalypse and is stranded in the void and ends up on a planet with a different system. And he keeps his old stats and is op as hell, but starts at level 1 again. Hilarity ensues.
It's quite enjoyable to read because from time to time you just like to read someone smashes through all obstacles and not read chapter-long expositions of what "the evil people are thinking and doing".
If you want to low-litRPG story with a dude crushing everyone by virtue of existing, this will scratch the itch, but great literature it is not.
January 26, 2023
Interesting premise but disappointing execution
I found the initial premise of the book—the MC is already strong but gets flung into another world—to be really interesting. However, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Derek, the MC, is a bit one-dimensional, with very little in terms of emotion or internal thought. Other characters are similar. The grammar is also pretty bad, with the author leaving in "could of" instead of "could have" and "would have done" instead of "had done", as an example. They also use "would have" instead of "had" for the past perfect tense, if they use it at all. They also seemingly have no idea what a tense is, getting them wrong more often than right. Journeys and important events are not described in great detail, instead seemingly glossed over. Fight scenes aren't too interesting either. All in all, a disappointing experience.
I found the initial premise of the book—the MC is already strong but gets flung into another world—to be really interesting. However, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Derek, the MC, is a bit one-dimensional, with very little in terms of emotion or internal thought. Other characters are similar. The grammar is also pretty bad, with the author leaving in "could of" instead of "could have" and "would have done" instead of "had done", as an example. They also use "would have" instead of "had" for the past perfect tense, if they use it at all. They also seemingly have no idea what a tense is, getting them wrong more often than right. Journeys and important events are not described in great detail, instead seemingly glossed over. Fight scenes aren't too interesting either. All in all, a disappointing experience.
November 21, 2022
book one
Honestly, I almost didn’t read this book. When I opened it, the character was already level 79. I am not a big fan of rebuilt heroes so that almost made me drop it then there were a couple of mistakes before I was even 10% of the way into the book. As well as I just didn’t find the first part of the book to be interesting. I’m glad that I kept reading though, because the story really improved, when he got sent back to zero, even though he was overpowered, the story really takes off. And if it wasn’t for the two mitigating factors that made me almost dropped this book. I would actually rate this higher and bump this up to four stars. If the two mistakes early on in the book are fixed.
I gave this a five out of 10 and I do look forward to book two
Honestly, I almost didn’t read this book. When I opened it, the character was already level 79. I am not a big fan of rebuilt heroes so that almost made me drop it then there were a couple of mistakes before I was even 10% of the way into the book. As well as I just didn’t find the first part of the book to be interesting. I’m glad that I kept reading though, because the story really improved, when he got sent back to zero, even though he was overpowered, the story really takes off. And if it wasn’t for the two mitigating factors that made me almost dropped this book. I would actually rate this higher and bump this up to four stars. If the two mistakes early on in the book are fixed.
I gave this a five out of 10 and I do look forward to book two
December 10, 2022
Starts out ok and has the usual LitRPG issues with bad exposition. MC goes against his established character without real reason to do so.
Dialogue and character interactions really go down the toilet in the last quarter of the book. The MC starts saying and doing random shit. In sections the dialogue sounds like he's grooming the young teenage characters.
Narrator generally does a reasonable job, although he makes all of the female characters sound weird.
In terms of story and plot, there's no real narrative tension. The MC is never really in any immediate danger and doesn't have to struggle to achieve anything.
Dialogue and character interactions really go down the toilet in the last quarter of the book. The MC starts saying and doing random shit. In sections the dialogue sounds like he's grooming the young teenage characters.
Narrator generally does a reasonable job, although he makes all of the female characters sound weird.
In terms of story and plot, there's no real narrative tension. The MC is never really in any immediate danger and doesn't have to struggle to achieve anything.
December 31, 2022
Derek never willingly does anything he doesn’t feel like doing, and he rarely feels like doing much. He just sort of ambles about being kind of an asshole, but you know, a powerful asshole, so everyone has to put up with him. I suppose it’s a bit of an achievement to be the same unpleasant jerk in two different apocalypses. Three stars because there’s nothing actually wrong with it, if you see Derek as a hard-bitten pragmatist rather than a self-centred semi-sociopath you’ll get along fine.
August 9, 2023
Interesting idea but writing and pacing are bad.
June 24, 2024
The first half of the book, I was very impressed with the main character, specifically his outlook on life (me and no one else) and his attitude towards the old & new systems. I didn't mind that he 'adopted' the young boy as an apprentice but around that time, I noticed something drastically missing from the story...intrigue, a deep plot, and not-so happy endings!
Every event, always ends peacefully with no one hurt and everyone is happy. This is unrealistic and disappointing. I feels like every fight is taken care of in a page, maybe two, with enough details but it it's always explained the same...the little variation. I'll finish off this book but look around to see if there are other similar novels with deeper storytelling.
Every event, always ends peacefully with no one hurt and everyone is happy. This is unrealistic and disappointing. I feels like every fight is taken care of in a page, maybe two, with enough details but it it's always explained the same...the little variation. I'll finish off this book but look around to see if there are other similar novels with deeper storytelling.
November 16, 2022
Finally!
I've been waiting for this book to release for a while now as it is one of my favorite story themes and it did NOT disappoint. I'm only sad that I read it in less than a day and now have to wait three months for the second book.
I've been waiting for this book to release for a while now as it is one of my favorite story themes and it did NOT disappoint. I'm only sad that I read it in less than a day and now have to wait three months for the second book.
November 29, 2022
Read the initial version of this on RR a while ago, but didn't realize it until about 10 pages in. Good story, and the MC 'tho OP is not excessively so in the big picture. I recall getting to the point in the serialized version that it was getting bogged down, but we're not there yet. Perhaps making the jump to the published version will be an opportunity to tighten things up in the later chapters.
February 22, 2023
I always find LitRPG to be quick reads. But this one was also enjoyable, though the main character can come across as a dick, there’s enough interesting things going on to make you want to read more
November 24, 2022
KU Review
Had this in n my list for awhile. Definitely worth the wait. It’s going to be fun to how the systems interact when it gets there and what the consequences and revelations will be.
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.
Had this in n my list for awhile. Definitely worth the wait. It’s going to be fun to how the systems interact when it gets there and what the consequences and revelations will be.
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.
November 18, 2022
Great story in this one. Love the skills, especially the merging and upgrading of multiple skills from multiple systems. Can't wait to see where this one goes.
June 25, 2024
I loved the books' premise and ideas but couldn't stand the execution, I finished it because of all the positive reviews, but it was all downhill after maybe page 100. Do not recommend.
Positives: Worldbuilding was strong and interesting, sparking a lot of questions on how the systems work, why are there multiple ones and whay crazy exploits could occiur feom the MC being between them.
The internal logic of events was consistent, while it is essentially an isekai the reason why was solid, being trapped between two portals made sense and was a cool idea. And the endless time in the void because of too high a vitality stat made sense and was a funny idea showing the downside of how games would work in practicality.
Negatives: far too much internal dialogue, it got quite tiresome seeing the MCs every thought and i never felt it added much to the narrative.
The MC is a self absorbed ass that I never found myself rooting for, going beyond a survival instinct he is clearly able to do more to help others but just doesn't want to because he is an ass.
The supporting cast have no personality and react unrealistically, they seem to be purely there to blindly follow the MC. Stand out scene of this was the MC asking two village leaders to follow him into the woods on the vague statement of 'trust me' when 1. They just met him, 2. Beside fighting a bit he hadn't done anything to build trust, 3. He was consistently rude and disrespectful to them, 4. They have a displaced population who almost certainly would have ptsd after the events they just witnessed to deal with, and don't have food or homes ready for.
The perspective shifts where unnecessary to the overall plot and confusing when they happened. The most jarring was the first time it happened where (slight spoiler) we go back in time a week and shift to Thomas's perspective for a whole chapter to explain why he is lost in the woods. I say unnessecary as this could have been a line or two of dialogue and nothing would have been lost.
Positives: Worldbuilding was strong and interesting, sparking a lot of questions on how the systems work, why are there multiple ones and whay crazy exploits could occiur feom the MC being between them.
The internal logic of events was consistent, while it is essentially an isekai the reason why was solid, being trapped between two portals made sense and was a cool idea. And the endless time in the void because of too high a vitality stat made sense and was a funny idea showing the downside of how games would work in practicality.
Negatives: far too much internal dialogue, it got quite tiresome seeing the MCs every thought and i never felt it added much to the narrative.
The MC is a self absorbed ass that I never found myself rooting for, going beyond a survival instinct he is clearly able to do more to help others but just doesn't want to because he is an ass.
The supporting cast have no personality and react unrealistically, they seem to be purely there to blindly follow the MC. Stand out scene of this was the MC asking two village leaders to follow him into the woods on the vague statement of 'trust me' when 1. They just met him, 2. Beside fighting a bit he hadn't done anything to build trust, 3. He was consistently rude and disrespectful to them, 4. They have a displaced population who almost certainly would have ptsd after the events they just witnessed to deal with, and don't have food or homes ready for.
The perspective shifts where unnecessary to the overall plot and confusing when they happened. The most jarring was the first time it happened where (slight spoiler) we go back in time a week and shift to Thomas's perspective for a whole chapter to explain why he is lost in the woods. I say unnessecary as this could have been a line or two of dialogue and nothing would have been lost.
November 20, 2022
Wasn't sure about this one for a bit.
But overall, it's pretty good. The main character is a real a$$h@#&, but it fits with the background and situation. The system, the conflict, the character interactions, it all works together. It feels a bit rudderless which is okay in a set up book. It sets the stage for the next one well enough.
But overall, it's pretty good. The main character is a real a$$h@#&, but it fits with the background and situation. The system, the conflict, the character interactions, it all works together. It feels a bit rudderless which is okay in a set up book. It sets the stage for the next one well enough.
December 9, 2022
A decent transported and system story, there is a need for a more broad look at the universe.
July 28, 2023
Just….meh (but I finished it)
Although it has an interesting premise and an interesting character class, this is a very generic story with an overpowered main character who is incredibly unlikable. He is a bully to those weaker than him (which is everyone) and pretends that it is for the other characters’ benefit. He is the guy with all the solutions, even the obvious ones, and consistently makes idiotic decisions.
I really wanted to like the story because it grabbed my attention pretty quickly and seemed compelling, but once the MC found other people and began interacting with them I quickly found myself annoyed over and over again. He approaches edgelord territory but never quite crosses the line.
I did finish the book but skimmed the last 20% or so to just get through it.
Although it has an interesting premise and an interesting character class, this is a very generic story with an overpowered main character who is incredibly unlikable. He is a bully to those weaker than him (which is everyone) and pretends that it is for the other characters’ benefit. He is the guy with all the solutions, even the obvious ones, and consistently makes idiotic decisions.
I really wanted to like the story because it grabbed my attention pretty quickly and seemed compelling, but once the MC found other people and began interacting with them I quickly found myself annoyed over and over again. He approaches edgelord territory but never quite crosses the line.
I did finish the book but skimmed the last 20% or so to just get through it.
April 10, 2024
The writing here is weak. There are significant continuity errors and the reactions of many characters don't ring true. The protagonist is both overpowered and has a somewhat annoying personality. (This personality changes during the course of the book, and for the better.) There are multiple POV characters to the detriment of story flow. The world design is both minimal and a bit clichéd. The plot has few surprises, being the usual sort of grind for power in a LitRPG book.
And for the audiobook, the narrator has a somewhat grating voice and pacing
All of which would argue for a lower rating, but somehow I want to read the next book in the series. That book won't be a priority for me; there are many other series I'm more interested in. But when I see book 2 on a significant sale, I'll probably buy it.
And for the audiobook, the narrator has a somewhat grating voice and pacing
All of which would argue for a lower rating, but somehow I want to read the next book in the series. That book won't be a priority for me; there are many other series I'm more interested in. But when I see book 2 on a significant sale, I'll probably buy it.
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