LitRPG Podcast 259 - Underworld - Scorching Sun, Age of Ancients, World Tree Online 4th Dive, Salvos : Vol. 1
Feb. 19th, 2021
Hello everyone, welcome to episode 259 of the LitRPG podcast. I’m Ramon Mejia.
I’m here to bring you the latest LitRPG news, reviews, and author interviews. We have 6 new reviews just for you.
For the full show notes visit us at: https://litrpgpodcast.com/litrpg-podcast-259
New Releases and Reviews:
Underworld - Scorching Sun: A LitRPG Series (12:56)
Great moments
Score: 7.8 out of 10
Age of Ancients : A GameLit/LitRPG Series (Shattered Kingdoms Book 1) (18:50)
Good action
Score: 7.4 out of 10
World Tree Online: The Order of Epic Grinders: 4th Dive (23:19)
Plots a little weak, but fun to return to characters I like
Score: 7.2 out of 10
Salvos : Vol. 1, Curious Beginnings (A Monster Evolution LitRPG/Gamelit Story) (27:26)
Fantasy Monster MC
Score: 7.8 out of 10
Ian’s (Eye-Ann) Picks of the Week (30:29)
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A segment from Ian Mitchell, a long time LitRPG community member who reads and reviews as much as me. He was nice enough to agree to join the LitRPG Podcast family as a new reviewer.
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Fun for the win.
Score: 9.4 out of 10
Murder and Milkshakes
Score: 8.5 out of 10
(Play Music 2)
LitRPG News
Tao Wong is expanding the places you can find his stories. This now includes the online webcomic site Tapas, which now has the comic version of Tao’s ‘A Healer’s Gift’ story.
https://tapas.io/series/a-healers-gift/info
Tao Wong, author of the System Apocalypse LitRPG series, has started a kickstarter campaign to produce print runs of a separate comic story set in the same universe. Rewards for backers: digital comics, physical prints of comic, audiobooks, even a conversation with Tao himself.
Out Now!
The Motors of Keldora: An Automation Crafting LitRPG Adventure (Factory of the Gods Book 3)
Challenges of a Scribe: A LitRPG Duology: Book Two
Dungeon Duel: A litRPG Adventure (The Rogue Dungeon Book 5) https://amzn.to/3taCfbi
Dagger of Doom: A LitRPG Adventure (Beta Tester Book 5)
Path of Spirit (Disgardium Book #6): LitRPG Series
A Hard Truth and An Unwise Decision: Boneknight Series Book 3 (A Dark Fantasy LitRPG) (Bone Knight)
Cat Core: A LitRPG Dungeon Core Adventure
Library of Daemonium: A GameLit/LitRPG Portal Fantasy Adventure (The Abduction Cycles Book 2)
Real-Time Starcommander 2: Ground Assault: A Strategy Gamelit Novel
Cowboy Necromancer: A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG Adventure
Hellbound (Saga Online #2) - A Fantasy LitRPG
New LitRPG Audiobooks
The Emissary Bard - World of Chains Book 3
The Nightmare Game System - A LitRPG Horror
Land of the Enemy - Dragon Heart Book 8
The Tournament - Vampire Sorcerer Book 2
Aether's Guard - Aether's Revival Book 2
Daily Jobs, Coffee and an Awfully Big Adventure
The System Apocalypse Short Story
Hellbound: Saga Online #2 - A LitRPG Series
The Dungeon Slayer - The Dungeon Slayer, Book 1
Dungeon Guild - A LitRPG Dungeon Core Adventure (Glendaria Awakens Trilogy Book 3)
The Otherworld: Underdog Series Book 4
Isr Kale's Journal: The Alchemist Book 4
Upcoming LitRPG:
A Snake's Rise (A Snake's Life Book 3) (Feb. 23rd, 2021)
The Dungeon Fairy: Three Lives: A Dungeon Core Escapade (The Hapless Dungeon Fairy Book 3) (Feb. 24th, 2021)
Eat, Slay, Love (The Good Guys Book 10) (Feb. 25th, 2021)
Player Reached the Top. LitRPG Series. Book V (Feb 26th, 2021)
Dungeon of the Old Gods: A Dark Dungeon Realm LitRPG (Pandemonium - The Dark Lords - A Dark Dungeon Realm LitRPG Series) (Feb. 27th, 2021)
Pangea Online 3: Vials and Tribulations (Feb. 28th, 2021)
Beginner Quest: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (Towers & Rifts Book 1) (March 2nd, 2021)
Legacy Systems: Shamanic Rites (March 5th, 2021)
Dungeon Core Apocalypse (A LitRPG Series) (March 5th, 2021)
He Who Fights with Monsters: A LitRPG Adventure (March 9th, 2021)
Battle for the North (Rogue Merchant Book #4): LitRPG Series (March 9th, 2021)
The Font of Life: A Mecha LitRPG Adventure (Overdrive Book 3) (March 16th, 2021)
Lucky Slots (A Litrpg/Gamelit Fantasy Adventure) (March 19th, 2021)
Cause for War (Reality Benders Book #7): LitRPG Series (March 19th, 2021)
Sovereign's Choice (The Gods' Game, Volume V): A LitRPG novel (March 31st, 2021)
The Fourth Secret: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Divine Apostasy Book 4) (March 31st, 2021)
Visceral: A GameLit Fantasy Adventure (Nullifier Book 2) (April 2nd, 2021)
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook: Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 3 (April 2nd, 2021)
Nullform (Book #1): RealRPG Series (April 5th, 2021)
City of the Undead (In the System Book #2): LitRPG Series (April 12th, 2021)
Volper (Alpha Rome Book 1): LitRPG Series (April 12th, 2021)
Killing Them Awfully: A LitRPG/GameLit Adventure (The Good Guys Book 11) (April 15th, 2021)
The Devil Archetype (Rogue Merchant Book #5): LitRPG Series (April 20th, 2021)
Ash. The Legends of the Nameless World. Progression Gamelit Story (April 22nd, 2021)
The Guild Core 3: War Torn (A Dungeon Adventure) (April 30th , 2021)
The Path of the Strongest Mortal: A LitRPG Wuxia Series (The Heavenly Throne Book 5) (May 4th, 2021)
Manufacturing Magic: An Epic LitRPG Series (Jeff the Game Master Book 1) (May 4th, 2021)
Sands of Blood and Bone: A LitRPG Adventure (Defying Divinity Book 2) (May 6th, 2021)
The Guns of Keldora: A Crafting Automation LitRPG Adventure (Factory of the Gods Book 4) (May 10th, 2021)
The Rebel (Project Stellar Book 4): LitRPG Series (May 10th, 2021)
Iaxiabor's Revenge: A LitRPG Adventure (Beta Tester Book 6) (May 11th, 2021)
Lords of the Ruins (The Range Book #2): LitRPG Series (May 14th, 2021)
The Demonic Games (Disgardium Book #7): LitRPG Series (May 18th, 2021)
The Guardian of the Dead (An NPC's Path Book #4): LitRPG Series (May 20th, 2021)
The Dungeon Leader: A LitRPG Level-up Adventure (The Dungeon Slayer Series Book 3) (May 31st, 2021)
Onto New Releases and Reviews
(Play Music 3)
New Releases and Reviews
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Underworld - Scorching Sun: A LitRPG Series
Passing through the Vampire Gate, Elorion enters the true heart of the Underworld for the first time. The sooner he completes his mission, the sooner he and the girls can return home. The task is impossible at his current level, so he follows the lich down the only viable path. A path laden with bodies and blood.
My Opinion: 358 pages, $5.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited
A good chunk of the story is the kind of slice of life push into the vampire world to become a Trueblood via competing in a tournament fighting. So there's lots of good fights and a good world building there. But that aspect wasn't particularly surprising since the MC had to reach that goal to fulfill a major quest he'd been given. So the outcome wasn't really in question but it was entertaining to see how the MC reached his goal. But there were some great scenes and moments.
There were some great moments. The sacrifice of the character’s humanity, to a degree, to blend in as a vampire. The exploration of a group that had been portrayed as totally evil and the fallacy of absolutes. The social temptation to stay with the beast vampires. The abject horror of mass murder. There were some great emotional moments.
Overall, the story was really good with nice RPG power progression, an exploration of a vampire culture, and some advancement of a questline. Though parts of it were a little predictable, great moments elevated the story.
Score: 7.8 out of 10
Underworld - Scorching Sun: A LitRPG Series
Age of Ancients : A GameLit/LitRPG Series (Shattered Kingdoms Book 1)
Dabu’s life has been far from easy. Born with a crippling lung illness, he has never been as strong as his father or brother, both of whom have disappeared after attempting to challenge the Trials of Ancients. In the wake of the Tyrant King’s war, his village has come under the control of the Purus, a vicious gang of magically enhanced cutthroats and murderers. The Trials offer the promise of power to any who can clear them, but Dabu has been forbidden from entering.
After a violent encounter leaves his family in danger, Dabu faces a difficult decision — either leave the village to challenge the Trials or stay and risk starvation. The Trials are monstrously difficult, filled with dangerous beasts, deadly obstacles, and tribes of challengers who control the areas within. But if he can make it out alive, Dabu will gain the power he needs to finally drive the Purus from his home.
This book contains GameLit elements, such as stat sheets, a form of leveling, and experience gain.
This is a standalone series. No prior reading is necessary.
My Opinion: 334 pages, $3.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited
A nice opening book for a new LitRPG series. It follows a familiar pattern of a loser teen who gets a little luck but though much sacrifice and motivation goes on a kind of dungeon crawl to become powerful enough to go up against his tormentors and problem makers.
The RPG stuff was consistent with a decent mix of interesting powers. The time jumps were a little annoying in that they pushed the MC to new power levels without the reader seeing him earn it, but it was a minor thing. The mix of magic and chi was enough to keep that aspect of the game mechanics interesting. Plenty of crunch here without too many notifications to bog down the story.
The end was a little predictable, but overall the story had good action, a good bit of world building, and a nice setup for future storylines.
Score: 7.4 out of 10
Age of Ancients : A GameLit/LitRPG Series (Shattered Kingdoms Book 1)
World Tree Online: The Order of Epic Grinders: 4th Dive
It just never gets any easier, or at least, not in Bye-bye Jacko’s world.
After striking a bargain with Epic, the stakes have never been higher. If Bye-bye wins, Epic promised to put the defeated players back to rights in the real world. If Epic wins, things will get so much worse. And Epic really wants to win this one. To win, the rogue A.I. will strike at the first Citizens Bye-bye ever helped.
It’s the Undead Apocalypse and Hurlig Ridge is right in the path of destruction. Failure this time could have more consequences than even Bye-bye can imagine.
My Opinion: 627 pages, $4.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited
A pretty slice of life entry into the series. I enjoyed returning to this story world and the banter and action from characters I like continues to exist. In addition there’s a good section in the middle that has added town building. Bye-bye also gets a new class upgrade which was pretty cool.
The plot was a little weak, so it definitely leans more towards general slice of life adventuring, with the exception of the very very end. I could have also used fewer notifications, spell descriptions, and ability descriptions so early in the story. The abilities were fairly well established and there were so many all at once that it broke up the text a little too much.
Overall, it's a good story if you’re a fan of the series though the plot development left a little something to be desired.
Score: 7.2 out of 10
World Tree Online: The Order of Epic Grinders: 4th Dive
Salvos : Vol. 1, Curious Beginnings (A Monster Evolution LitRPG/Gamelit Story)
The Netherworld: it is a hellish landscape inhabited only by Demons, creatures born from the dark abyss. It is also the only world Salvos knows.
Joining the ranks of newborn demons, Salvos is thrown into the violent, anarchy-ruled landscape of that world. To survive, she will have to learn, she will have to adapt, and she will have to evolve. She will gain experience to reach new Levels of power.
Her curiosity aids her but her pride could be her fall. It is the nature of the Netherworld to avoid or conquer any threats faced— after all, the law of evolution is survival of the fittest, and Salvos is a survivor. And perhaps, eventually, she will leave this world behind for a better place.
But… is that what Salvos even wants?
My Opinion: 373 pages, $3.99, Not Available On Kindle Unlimited
A LitRPG serial that first appeared on RR with a monster main character (MC), who is an evolving demon, that eventually comes to the mortal plain against her will. She has to fight, learn about quirky humans, and evolve her fire powers while she tries to find a way back to the Nether realm. There’s lots of fighting, with the first quarter or so of the story a straight monster evolution story. The RPG stuff is fairly consistent and there’s an interesting evolution of the MCs fire based powers and a good motivation for all the leveling done once the MC is on the mortal plane. The comradery between the people the MC eventually groups with is reasonable and laced with natural seeming biases that gave a little depth to the world building and characters.
Overall, it’s a really good story with good RPG stuff, good action, and pacing that kept me turning pages looking forward to reading about what happened next.
Score: 7.8 out of 10
Salvos : Vol. 1, Curious Beginnings (A Monster Evolution LitRPG/Gamelit Story)
Ian’s (Eye-Ann) Picks of the Week
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Contributor Ian Mitchell, a long time LitRPG community member who reads and reviews as much as me. was nice enough to agree to join the LitRPG Podcast family as a new reviewer.
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Apocalypse: Generic System
by Macronomicon
Fun for the win.
In case anyone was curious about my ratings. I live fun books, epic over the top stuff, epic fails, the party running like heck after hearing a *click* followed shortly by "Oops". Dumb jokes, plucky heroes that get curb stomped that get back up for more. This one drew in all sorts of stuff I like, the hero obviously read Dresden files, some anime references, a system apocalypse setup gamifying things, and lots of explosions and gore. Great fun. I had a blast.
Score: 9.4 out of 10
Death's Favorite Warlock
by Charles Dean
Murder and Milkshakes
This isn't a colorful world. Funny in places, disturbing in others. A strange mashup where the MC has RPG progression in a world of beastkin cultivators. There's a lot of mysteries in play and Charles Dean gives out glimpses here and there of them. His companion in his head Ophelia has been asking him to kill people since he was a young child.
There were some great battles and the world does have the cultivation elements and feeling. I enjoyed the quick read that wasn't too heavy or too light. I look forward to the next one. I hope it has more color and some explosions. Definitely some gore and reminds me of that shadow the hedgehog game I wouldn't let my kids play and Catharsis - one of my favorite LitRPG books.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
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(Music 4)
Music Credits
"Blip Stream" "Mighty Like Us" "Big Shift" "Vivacity"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
