Synopsis:

Hugh Conway saw humanity at its worst while fighting in the trenches of the First World War.

When an uprising in Baskul forces Hugh Conway and a small group of English and American residents to flee, their plane crash-lands in the far western reaches of the Tibetan Himalayas. There, the bewildered party finds themselves stranded outside the protective borders of the British Empire, and discovers access to a place beyond the bounds of the imagination—a legendary paradise, the mystic monastery Shangri-La.

Mystical and shrouded in mysteries, Conway’s investigations lead to a choice between a heaven shaking revelation or the daunting prospect of returning home to a world about to be torn open by war.

Review:

I had read this many decades before. Despite having read many hundreds of books till now, this always had a special status on my heart. So, when I came across my old paperback edition, I just HAD to read this again!

It’s hard to classify this book. The initial superficial take is that of a well written page-turner of mystical story that straddles the borders between fiction & fantasy. However, on deeper reflection, I realize that the main plot is is also a reflection on humanity with every character portraying a facet of reality that we all face everyday (even today) while pursuing happiness without even realizing we rarely can even define what that truly means to each of us.

The MC is Hugh Conway, a jaded veteran of WW1 who has survived the worst horrors of war. When his flight gets hijacked and crash lands into unexplored mountains of Himalayas, he stumbles into a web of mystery and intrigue the beginning of which is discovery of the fabled, Shangri-La.

Once past the initial trauma of the hijack, crash and being saved, he realizes that pattern of how those events happened isn’t accidental as everyone assumes, but planned and executed by someone pulling strings from the dark. Every step of his investigation leads to more and even more astounding discoveries leading to the grand finale and a grand choice with the threat of another war (WW2) brewing in outside world.

Despite there really not being any traditionally evil antagonist to speak of, this books pits every character in a conflict with themselves fueled by raw feelings of life, love and pursuit of happiness, material and spiritual. For decades, I have imagined myself in shoes of Conway having to make that choice…and I still haven’t been able to decide what I want and which choice I would take. This is what I absolutely love about this book. Though the ending is set, it is upon the reader to determine if the choice was wise or foolish.

Though Conway and the High Lama play the protagonists, their lives and decisions are so intertwined with each and every one of the characters who all have their own priorities without realizing their role in the grander mystery. This is as close to perfection as a book can get.

Highly recommended!

Synopsis:

Cradle isn’t over yet.

Lindon’s journey may have ended, but there are still more tales to tell.

The stories in this collection will show you the world after Cradle, those left behind, and even some legends from long ago. If you’ve read the main series but you still want more, these are for you.

Witness the first Uncrowned King tournament. Visit the Monarchs and their voyages in the lands beyond. Get to know the Abidan in their homes, and meet the people of new worlds as they cross paths with familiar faces.

And, of course, check in on some old friends.

See them once again…across the Threshold.

Review:

More Cradle always means more fun. I was super excited to get back into this world, that I loved so much.

Threshold is a charcuterie board with stories of all flavors involving major and minor characters from the main series. Most of the stories are relatively short, with a few slightly longer ones thrown in.

Don’t really want to go down into the details of the stories themselves (and to avoid spoilers, but the first one is still worth a few extra lines as it’s an odd one out of the collection. We start off on a bit of tangent in a more prequel/prologue type event which takes us all the way back to immediate aftermath of the Dreadgod war. …The first Uncrowned Tournament with Underlord Reigan Shen competing for the prize. This story is more of a bait and hook, simply because it throws us nuggets of long past and no way of determining what happened in-between this and main series. It raised far far more questions in my mind, that I was thinking of heading to Florida and shaking them out of Will. Fascinating! I hope and pray we get a full prequel novella with the explanations!

The others are more closely related to the main plot line providing details into the fate of characters both with the Abidan and back in Cradle. The focus tilts more towards the sociopolitical situation in the Abidan with the Voroshir war raging on in the Aftermath of Either/Mad King events that we are familiar with. The dynamics between the Eithan/Reapers vs the other Judges/factions of the Abidan was very intriguing. Though we only got the appetizer here, it brings to light that there still is a world out there that that Will could (and should!) explore more.

Told from the perspective of both the Abidan and the cradle ascended folks, it is very clear that Ascending was not the end, but just the beginning of a new conflict not just of power, but of philosophies going back to the basics of good vs bad. No rest for the weary, as our ascended Heroes are put back into the war machine.

The writing is crisp, the stories are on point and shows us a specific facet of the character that Will has chosen to reveal. All are individual stories scattered across the story universe, but I sensed a thin underlying thread typing up the Abidan stories, which tell a picture greater than just the sum of these stories.

Overall, I don’t have to convince any Cradle fan to dive into this (and most of you already would have done just that). I thought I had just overcome the post-Cradle withdrawal syndrome, but this brought it all back. I’m heading back to a full re-read now…

Note: I have not added in new books for existing series that I have read before (e.g. Beware of Chicken, Defiance of the Fall, He Who Fights with Monsters etc.

Nameless Sovereign by Nameless Author

Amazon: https://amzn.to/40hUI8C

Synopsis:

Gods. Devils. Men. Red will surpass them all.

Red wakes without memories in a cursed prison – the moonstone mines. To escape, he embraces a dark power that would put him in the crosshairs of cultivation sects if discovered. He must disguise his true abilities while racing to advance his cultivation – outpacing the moonstone mines’ deadly curse.

But cultivating is more than just a pursuit of survival. Red seeks the strength to understand the nature of his mysterious power and the truth behind his own forgotten past.

Review:

Well, start with my favourite of the year. I picked this up simply because the cover was awesome. (Unfortunately, there seems to be some cover changes, which are still good….but just not what caught my eye). Still, I’m glad I picked this up.

As the blurb states, the story starts off following Red, a mysterious kid in the deadly moonstone mines. It is a ruthless world, where Red has to survive not just the other prisoners but also unknown monsters lurking in the shafts. How he navigates the situation and unravels the mystery behind his own past set up the plot for the series.

To start with, the prose is neat and tidy. It is descriptive in the right places, immersive and conveys the reality and the horrors of the setting really well. The character work is stellar too. Red especially is a superbly written character. The experience of surviving in the mines made him a headstrong and ruthless characters, but also one who shows the right emotions so as to have not lost his humanity. The balance between his casual disregard for life and violence and his near emotionless but continuing support for this sect-mates is just perfect. The side characters all have been etched well and have their own personalities and roles to play and stand out without blending into the background just for support.

The series starts off well, but picks up pace about 35% and then takes it to whole new level of brilliance. Book 2 just kept it piling on!

Unfortunately the author has taken a hiatus due to personal issues and is expected to be back 2025. However despite this, I urge you all to pick this one up. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

My rating: 11/10

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Return of the Runebound Professor by Actus

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4iWz2Gh

Synopsis:

For Noah Vines, death isn’t the end. It’s a weapon.

After standing around in the afterlife for thousands of years, Noah is all out of patience. When the opportunity to steal a second chance at living arises, he doesn’t hesitate. Reincarnated into the body of a dying magic school professor, Noah finds that he took more than just a second chance. He got infinite. Every time he dies, his body reforms. Lives are a currency, and Noah Vines is rich.

With countless variations of runic magic to discover and with death serving as only a painful soul-wound rather than a final end, Noah finally has a chance to wander the lands of the living once more. This time around, he plans to get strong enough to make sure that he never has to wait around in the afterlife again.

Review:

Well, I love books by Actus. Read most of them and usually like what I read. Picking up this one is as default as sun rising.

And, Actus has not disappointed. He has scored a home run here. This is a reincarnation story like no other. Noah gains the ability to come back from deaths being (permanently) unkillable is sure a big advantage. A good mix of traditional Cultivation elements mixed well with runes, gods, demon and what not…this sure is a delicious hot pot for any reader in this genre.

The character work is stellar. Noah, Moxie, Lee are all standout characters that I can love and follow. Not just them, but pretty much every character who makes an appearance leaves a impression. The plot begins quick and flows well quickly. There’s nary a chapter that drags the series down. The immediate plot which meshes well with the plots of Gods and Demon given an intriguing tangent and adds so much depth to the plot.

My rating: 10/10

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CivCEO – The Accidental Champion by Andrew Karevik

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4h1AvJz

Synopsis:

When Charles Morris is forced into retirement, the old multinational company CEO has to accept that it is all over. The days of running his financial empire have finally come to an end. All because of a stupid heart attack. Now what is there for him to do but to curl up in a corner and die? While Charles is attending a fundraiser, however, something happens and he’s transported into a strange medieval world where magic is real and legendary heroes coexist with mythical monsters.

…

Follow Charles as he takes on the challenge of a lifetime. Follow him as he builds roads and shops, hires heroes, develops alliances with neighboring villages…but also fights terrible foes while struggling to maintain the Happiness and Satisfaction levels of his village in the positives.

Review:

A proper village building series that took me back to my childhood gaming era playing, Settlers, Civilization etc. I’ve read other books which had facets of city building, but this is one of the few that I have come across where it becomes the primary plot.

The books are short, sweet and superbly written. The plot is surprisingly detailed and has enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. It still is a feel good fantasy, so you don’t really get booged into any grimdark elements and things always works out well for the MC in the end. It’s a series that genuinely made me happy and really wanting to be transported to the land of Tine, so I can live my fantasy too!

This may not be book of epic complexities, grey characters making morally dubious decisions…but that is what scratched the itch for me. I’ve had enough of battles & bloodshed, so saving the world, but making a trade deal just was perfectly up my alley!

My rating: 10/10

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First Necromancer by Coldfang89

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gLDSof

Synopsis:

In just seven days, the world will crumble. The System’s Descent will usher in a new era of chaos: wild animals mutating, monstrous creatures emerging, and the cessation of modern technology. Humanity will be left defenseless.

Drew Wright knows none of this. At least not until he is rudely ripped from his bed and thrust into a white room to undergo a taser-happy ‘Tutorial’. Turns out, he is one of a thousand randomly selected people to be forewarned of the approaching apocalypse. Now he faces the delightful task of convincing his wife and mother of the devastation hurtling towards them.

As the System’s Descent draws near, Drew scrambles to prep supplies, fortify his home, and drag his elderly, TV-addicted mother away from her ‘shows’ long enough to listen to him. With monsters knocking at the door, the question becomes; how far is Drew willing to go to save those closest to him?

The dead rise to combat the encroaching darkness as Drew Wright taps into the only power that might save his loved ones, becoming Earth’s first Necromancer.

Review:

This is a Post/Apocalyptic Earth LitRPG similar to Shadow Sun, Phase Shift etc.

It’s a well written book with a engaging prose, interesting characters and a gritty realistic take. The first 50% is a bit slow paced as the book takes it’s time to set the stage for the integration, but at around halfway mark, it kicks up a notch and we get a more action packed second half. Though the MC has some OP powers, he does not come across as OP from the get go and has it easy. The decisions he has to make are gritty, believable in real world perspective and showcases the balance between the good and bad.

The thing I liked the most is the treatment of gods & religion. Set in a rural Oklahoma where people are religious, the impact of the integration brining various Gods, the crisis of faith is done very well. A close second favourite of mine is the different treatment of the MC class which is not just a typical raise the dead Necromancer, but also having the aspects of Charon ferrying souls to the God of afterlife. The facets blend seamlessly and is something I’ve not read in any other books.

On the flip side, many other aspects of the plot are something we have seen in other books in this genre (there are even some outright nods to other books) and comes with a feeling of familiarity.

My rating: 9/10

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An Outcast in Another World by KamikazePotato

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4fL4vZ2

Synopsis:

Rob didn’t think of himself as anyone special. But when a pitch-black portal tried to wrap his best friend in chains, he stepped up without thinking and found himself ensnared instead. His moment of heroism results in being torn away from everyone he knew and loved, kidnapped by an unknown force that leaves him with a note in his pocket stating: “Good luck.”

After being thrown into the wilderness of Elatra, a hostile fantasy world ruled by levels, stats, progression, and bizarre video game logic, he finds himself entirely out of his depth. Armed with nothing but a sword and the clothes on his back, he sets out on his the first day, and almost dies. On the second day, he almost dies again. On the third, he began to notice a worrying trend. And almost dies. It doesn’t get any easier from there.

Review:

A surprisingly great read that I picked on a whim. The plot and story are engaging and the MC is surprisingly realistically written despite OP powers. The world building is brilliant and the concept of transported to a world where all humans have been exterminated was quite novel.

The progress of MC being the last human in a world where humanity was feared and thus slaughtered was quite unlike anything I’ve ever read before. There’s no glory to the wins, no fawning supporters flocking around his banner….it’s just a gritty tale of redeeming humans and humanity as a whole, all the while unravelling the secrets behind the genocide inducing great war of the past.

Despite some OP powers, MC is kept surprisingly down low all through and it becomes more of a case of redemption than outright heroism. The politicking between the factions as well as the power play between the characters adds a delicious layer of intrigue all through.

Overall, this is a must read for fans needing a good OP but not over the top MC and a gritty storyline.

My rating: 9/10

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Well, we can’t have a list with a honorable mention…so here we go!

Homicidal Aliens are Invading and All I Got is This Stat Menu by J.J. Ackerknecht

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gEds7H

Synopsis:

Infinite power at your fingertips, and a target on your back.

Anya Nowicki, along with thousands of people around the globe, has found herself a host for alien technology known as the Archive. The Archive allows its hosts to alter their minds and bodies in an instant through holographic menu systems. With the touch of a button, anyone can become super strong, gain magical abilities, purchase a giant robot, or become a master in any of an almost infinite number of skills that range from advanced combat techniques to fidget-spinning. However, Anya has also become the target for nightmarish, shape-shifting creatures that have come to Earth following the newfound extraterrestrial tech. The Archive can grant their hosts great power, but it may not be enough to survive the horde of murderous aliens hunting them down.

Review:

This books plays to a variation with the powers of MC leaning more towards superhero than traditional warrior/mage/archer classes. MC gets powers from an “Archive” is we don’t know much about, but is alien in nature. Plus there are other Aliens who want to invade Earth for their own nefarious purposes. Earth has become a battleground with not just these Archive chosen superpowered people but also with regular military reacting to it. Many books in this genre are set immediately post an apocalyptic event (Red Mage, Phase Shift, Shadow Sun etc), but this is one of the few books (like Phil Tucker’s Dawn of the Void) which happens during the Apocalyptic event.

The powers also are a mix of magic and alien weaponry with both fantasy and sci-fi elements thrown in. You can summon robotic battle bots and throw some good ol’ fireballs at them adding a fascinating layer to the dynamics.

The writing is good, descriptions immersive and characters well etched. The flow is also realistic as Governments and general public gradually become aware of the changing landscape and react to it as expected.

The reason this didn’t make the main list was because despite all the good things, the book still failed to grasp me. I just didn’t care about the Aliens and the oomph in the drama was missing. The way the stage has been set needs more work I was struggling to get invested in the conflict itself. I kinda get why things are happening, but the book deals too much in the micro and add that with a antagonist that is too mysterious that we can never take it seriously…it slightly falls apart.

Still, there’s a LOT of great things in this book and I just wanted to highlight it, so maybe someone else may find it more up their alley.

Synopsis

Gods. Devils. Men. Red will surpass them all.

Red wakes without memories in a cursed prison – the moonstone mines. To escape, he embraces a dark power that would put him in the crosshairs of cultivation sects if discovered. He must disguise his true abilities while racing to advance his cultivation – outpacing the moonstone mines’ deadly curse.

But cultivating is more than just a pursuit of survival. Red seeks the strength to understand the nature of his mysterious power and the truth behind his own forgotten past.

Review

Review of first two books in the series out till now.

This is a Xianxia fantasy books featuring Cultivation style progression elements.

First off, the cover was brilliant and that’s what prompted me to take a deep dive and all the excellent reviews and rating, got me to try this.

As the blurb states, the story starts off following Red, a mysterious kid in the deadly moonstone mines. It is a ruthless world, where Red has to survive not just the other prisoners but also unknown monsters lurking in the shafts. How he navigates the situation and unravels the mystery behind his own past set up the plot for the series.

To start with, the prose is neat and tidy. It is descriptive in the right places, immersive and conveys the reality and the horrors of the setting really well. The character work is stellar too. Red especially is a superbly written character. The experience of surviving in the mines made him a headstrong and ruthless characters, but also one who shows the right emotions so as to have not lost his humanity. The balance between his casual disregard for life and violence and his near emotionless but continuing support for this sect-mates is just perfect. The side characters all have been etched well and have their own personalities and roles to play and stand out without blending into the background just for support.

The world in itself is very interesting blending political intrigue with fantasy elements of Cultivators, bandits, zombies, necromancers, demons, monsters and what not into one seamless backdrop. Each have their role the play and hey all co-exist without it just becoming a mish bash of different genres. Of course, nearly all of them surround Red in a spiderweb of intents and purposes that unravel throughout the series.

Book 1 was a bit of a slog to get through. First 35% was pretty much about mines and monsters with the plot barely progression and the next 35% was mostly exposition on the Cultivation world and magic system which though interesting to read didn’t really move the plot along. The last 30% was the cherry and the cake and made up for the deficiencies prior. It really upped the pack, the intrigue and the overall experience. It took me nearly a week and a half to get through the first 70% and I binged the last 30% in one sitting.

Book 2 was so much of an improvement. It stuck to the story and the progress was steady from the get go. The political machinations and involvement of demons, necromancers and zombies push Red into a path he’s still not ready to tread and the second half is a nice twist into a challenge set by a unknown by powerful person. Just breezed through Book 2 in two days, that’s how much I liked this.

Overall, the series has done more than enough to retain my interest and I’m raring for the next in series to be out.

If you like a xianxia novel with great prose, intriguing plot and interesting characters, give this one a go.

Highly recommended!

Synopsis

The war-mongering kingdom of Cai has begun to stir once again, the long held peace brought to the brink by a widespread drought. Now, the neighbouring kingdoms of Wei and Shen must ally together to deal with the Cai or see the flames of war spread over both nations once again.

Wu Ying is brought into the negotiations for his reputation and strength, but the former farmer and now Head of the Wandering Gatherers is a fish out of water in these political waters. More and more, he wonders where morality and practicality end as he watches the maneuverings of those in power, all while the hungering maw of the Cai kingdom and its powerful king watch over the squabble.

Between kingdoms and cultivators and the demands of an all consuming dao, can there be a peace that isn’t won at the end of a blade?

Review

So, we get to the penultimate book in this fantastic series and this takes solid and firm steps towards a potentially shattering events in the final book.

After navigating through the political unrest caused by his return to Verdant Green Waters sect, Wu Ying seems to have settled into a modicum of normality supported by his Senior Sister Fa Yuan, his beloved Yang Mu and best friend Tou He. He’s busy settling up and training his Gatherers into a division that will help both the students and the sect, and spends time integrating his wind body into his fighting style all the while making plans to step into full immortality. But then knowing Wu Ying, trouble is always around the corner and so is it here. The neighboring kingdom of Cai has been rattling the borders with both the Wei and Shen kingdoms and a peace summit has been arranged. A blatant assassination attempt right at the introductions signals the start of a landslide into chaos as the stake grow incredible higher with the life and death of not just the participants but entire kingdoms with not even the heavens spared.

Those who have followed the series will have noted the time skips over the past couple of books and it is the same here. The earlier series of his wandering adventures is now balanced by the need to consolidate his benefits. The author does a great job providing the right amount of time skip to not bore us with minutiae while maintaining the thread of his progress smoothly. The court politics is done superbly as we get to see the a plethora of feints, counter feints and intrigue across the board. The suspense keeps building as the hidden players come to light. Despite my best attempts at trying to predict the plot, I was still surprised by not just the climax but also the aftermath. The pacing is spot on as the first quarter sets the scene, the next half fleshes it out and builds the platform for the epic final quarter.

Having gotten this in Kindle, I really appreciated the clickable superscripts providing definition and context to the Chinese terms used throughout.

Overall, a fitting penultimate addition to the series. I clearly have no idea on how the dominoes have fallen given this book’s events and eagerly awaiting the next in series. Not just this book, but the entire series is a must read for anyone looking for an authentic progression/cultivation fantasy.

Highly recommended.

Synopsis

A wizard’s first quest. An unlikely companion. Grand adventure awaits!

Wanda and Wumble are a small pair with vast ambitions. One an aspiring alchemist, and the other her faithful hound, the pair bond as wizard and familiar to begin their pursuit of magic.

As a newly made wizard without any training, resources, or even a home to return to, Wanda will have to forge her own way on a path where constant dangers lurk. Even the simple act of furthering her alchemy education swiftly becomes a harrowing ordeal.

Luckily for Wanda, Wumble is no ordinary hound.

Contained within her one-eyed companion is a power many factions of the world are actively hunting for. A seed with unfathomable potential waiting to sprout.

And anyone who trifles with Wumble’s wizard is in for a ruff time.

Join the adventure of an aspiring alchemist and her overwhelmingly powerful dog in ROVERPOWERED. Featuring a lovable pair of heroes out on their first adventure, learning about both magic and life in a progression fantasy suitable for all ages!

Review:

At just over 100 pages this is a quick and delightful YA read. Reminded me a lot of Enid Blyton and his Famous Five and Secret Seven type books…loveable characters, full of fun and adventure! Though this tilts towards the kids/teens age group, there’s plenty for adults to love too.

Wanda has taken the first steps out of her village with intent to become a alchemist and the first step is to bond with a animal and get magic. And who else would she choose other than her trusty sidekick, Wumble! The stakes skyrockets when a mysterious power sought by many peak factions chooses Wumble to be it’s host. And therein begins the adventure.

The world and magic system are new. Humans don’t have magic. They have to bond with an animal to get a share of it’s magic and can get powerful as they grow with their familiars. The books begins with a focused world as we see through the eyes of Wanda and gradually expands as we get their backstory.

The pacing is a bit uneven and a bit of a slow starter. The descriptions are a bit long, the prose take precedence over the plot but around half way mark we get the the meat of the boot. Despite the pacing, it is a rich world with nice potential to build on in future books, and we’ve barely scratched the surface. The action then kicks up and builds to a crescendo all the way to the climax. The epilogue is a click bait…introduces so many new things that made me want to get to the next book as quickly as possible.

Overall, it was a enjoyable palate cleaner. A charming read that will put readers into a good mood and leaves with a smile.

Synopsis

With her new product line launched and an updated version of her suit to test, Tori Rivas is ready to focus on her work for a while. But when an eruption of power elsewhere in the multiverse sends monsters bursting into her world, the young villain will find herself in the crosshairs of an unexpected invader.

As if being pursued by an unknown entity from outside her own reality wasn’t enough to handle, there’s also developing her product line, exploring her suit’s new capabilities, and maybe even making some extra money on the side. Add in extradimensional monsters popping in without warning, and Ridge City is even more chaotic than usual.

Yet more danger lurks unseen, as the Rookstone escapees have begun to hatch their own schemes. One of which is a primal force whose goal cannot be denied. No matter what, or who, stands in his way.

Review

Though this is Book #3, I’ll touch upon the previous two books as this is one of the best Superhero Fantasy series around hopefully anyone reading this will be excited to pick up this series.

Book #1: Forging Hephaestus
Book #2: Bones of the Past

Tori Rivas is a super-brilliant yet intensely independent tech genius who also has superpowers. To avoid being ripped off by mega-corporations, she starts forging her own path and turns to the Villains side to fund her experiments. The series follows her adventures and experiences as she navigates the fine line between good vs evil and realizes that it’s not the same as Heroes vs Villains.

Let’s start with the world. Set in the uber-fascinating melting pot of Ridge City, Tori, after becoming a Villain ends up fighting alongside a group of trainee Heroes against true evil. But then, things are never easy. Just as she relaxes to upgrade her meta-suit to it’s next iteration, things really go south. The world is suffering from a dimensional flux which is leaking monsters and other personalities with their own agendas from other dimensions into their own. Ofc, it never worse enough, one of the dimensional invaders is set upon the trail of Tori in what seems a personal mission. Drew Hayes proves to be a master of his craft as he weaves the main plot around Tori with the macro-events not just spanning across multiple dimensions, but also reaching across time all the way back to history of creation of both the Alliance of Heroic Champions and the Villains Guild.

The books builds upon the earlier stories and really amps up the character development greatly. Not just Tori, pretty much all the characters face their own tribulations and we get to see who they really are and who they want to be. As get down to who people really are, the delineations between Heroes and Villains gets blurry in a delicious mix of moral and ethical quandaries. Not just for this book, but the future of the entire series just became far more interesting as each camp develop their own cracks and new alliances form.

This is a long book definitely more than previous two in series, but it just feels like one smashing ride. From the get go till the climax, the action is non-stop and the plot rolls like a runaway boulder. The prose is simple and immersive enough to drag you down to to the gritty world and the plethora of characters who all stand out on their own…oh, I wish I was living in Ridge City!

Overall, a brilliant book that takes an already superb series to next level. I can’t recommend this enough. And also can’t wait for the next book!

Highly Recommended!

Synopsis:

In just seven days, the world will crumble. The System’s Descent will usher in a new era of chaos: wild animals mutating, monstrous creatures emerging, and the cessation of modern technology. Humanity will be left defenseless.

Drew Wright knows none of this. At least not until he is rudely ripped from his bed and thrust into a white room to undergo a taser-happy ‘Tutorial’. Turns out, he is one of a thousand randomly selected people to be forewarned of the approaching apocalypse. Now he faces the delightful task of convincing his wife and mother of the devastation hurtling towards them.

As the System’s Descent draws near, Drew scrambles to prep supplies, fortify his home, and drag his elderly, TV-addicted mother away from her ‘shows’ long enough to listen to him. With monsters knocking at the door, the question becomes; how far is Drew willing to go to save those closest to him?

The dead rise to combat the encroaching darkness as Drew Wright taps into the only power that might save his loved ones, becoming Earth’s first Necromancer.

Review:

This is a Post/Apocalyptic Earth LitRPG similar to Shadow Sun, Phase Shift etc.

As the synopsis states, Earth is about to be assimilated by the System and Drew gets a week heads up notice. He realizes the futility about going to the authorities and begins his own doomsday prep trying to save his close family and protect those nearby him all the while getting attention by some supreme beings of the multiverse. Book 1 pretty much sets the stage and kickstarts Drew’s adventures.

It’s a well written book with a engaging prose, interesting characters and a gritty realistic take. The first 50% is a bit slow paced as the book takes it’s time to set the stage for the integration, but at around halfway mark, it kicks up a notch and we get a more action packed second half. Though the MC has some OP powers, he does not come across as OP from the get go and has it easy. The decisions he has to make are gritty, believable in real world perspective and showcases the balance between the good and bad.

The thing I liked the most is the treatment of gods & religion. Set in a rural Oklahoma where people are religious, the impact of the integration brining various Gods, the crisis of faith is done very well. A close second favourite of mine is the different treatment of the MC class which is not just a typical raise the dead Necromancer, but also having the aspects of Charon ferrying souls to the God of afterlife. The facets blend seamlessly and is something I’ve not read in any other books.

On the flip side, many other aspects of the plot are something we have seen in other books in this genre (there are even some outright nods to other books) and comes with a feeling of familiarity.

Overall, I enjoyed this and will look forward to the sequel.

Synopsis

A great deal is happening in London and the country this season.

For starters, there’s the witch who tried to poison Kate at the Royal College of Wizards. There’s also the man who seems to be spying on Cecelia. (Though he’s not doing a very good job of it–so just what are his intentions?) And then there’s Oliver. Ever since he was turned into a tree, he hasn’t bothered to tell anyone where he is.

Clearly, magic is a deadly and dangerous business. And the girls might be in fear for their lives… if only they weren’t having so much fun!

Review

Sorcery and Cecelia is written as a series of letters between two young women in Regency England. Kate is in London for her first season with her younger sister, Georgiana. Georgie is prettier and more likely to find a match but can’t debut in society if her elder sister hasn’t yet. Cecelia remains in Essex, not permitted her first season this year.

The story takes a few letters to get going. Magic exists in this world but the girls have no involvement with magic at the start beyond having a wizard neighbor. Kate stumbles – quite literally – into magic and the story really gets going. Their stories intertwine artfully, with some characters traveling between the two locations and the exchange of information in the letters being vital to both.

In the afterward, the authors explain that this story was written as a series of in-character letters they sent to each other. They didn’t discuss the plot outside of those letters and afterward cleaned up loose ends and timing issues in editing. It fits together so seamlessly, I forgot two authors were listed for this book!

The audiobook is nice but the reader does not differentiate the voices for Cecelia and Kate. Any time I picked the book back up, it was a struggle to remember who was writing the current letter. Both girls are accompanied by a killjoy aunt and young men whose names appear on every “top baby names” list from the last hundred years, which doesn’t help. But Cecelia’s nickname “Cecy” sounds like “Circe” which is very entertaining when she lives with an aunt who disapproves of magic.

This is a cozy fantasy before “cozy” became a descriptor for books, much less its own subgenre. Recommended for readers of cozy fantasy, cozy romance, and gaslamp fantasy. If you want excitement and adventure, seek elsewhere.

Synopsis:

Scorio has won his vengeance. His foes lie vanquished, his skeptics silenced.

Yet, as the powers of hell watch eagerly, Scorio and Naomi spurn those who would recruit them, and venture into the untold depths of hell in search of the enigmatic Herdsmen. Amidst landscapes of haunting beauty and terror, they will face terrible fiends, forge friendships with wondrous new allies, and encounter societies of Great Souls to put the worst of hell to shame.

All will seek to manipulate Scorio. To use him. To bend him to their will.

And all will suffer the consequences for trying.

Review:

Bastion (Book #1) set itself apart as a standout Progression Fantasy series and subsequent books cemented that place. LastRock takes it to the next level being a fully action packed, roller coaster adventure ride.

Books 1 & 2 provide a detailed backdrop into the life of a reborn Scorio beginning from his rebirth in Bastion to his first venturing about in the wide world of Hell in Rascor Plains. I expected LastRock to continue in the same vein as he progresses both in levels and geographically closer to the center of Hell. However this book kicks it a notch above as we are treated to a full blown blisteringly paced all out action that felt like it has more packed that earlier two books combined.

One of things I really liked is that the books places lot more emphasis on characters other than Scorio most importantly the Fiends. Rather than mindless animals that only threaten, they are given a depth of character that makes us wonder if things are as superficial as what we got to know in earlier books. Queen Xandera just takes the cherry, with BFF Nox and even the Blood Ox adding to a ever growing tapestry of intriguing characters.

The middle section of the books gave me a feeling similar to when I watched Band of Brothers for the first time. The time in Plassus Camp training, the brutal march…it was just some superb writing!

Phil is a master of writing bleak, abused underdog characters and it shines bright in Scorio. Not just levelling up in strength, his mental toughness and resilience especially when dealing with fellow characters (*cough cough*, Naomi!) is done beautifully.

On the flip side, I felt the book felt a bit rushed. The progression was a bit too quick and convenient, there just was too much happening in too short a time. Though from a plot perspective, it made full sense…just felt that a few extra chapters would have made it more founded. But then it is a minor gripe that did not hold me back from enjoying this book in full.

This books is a wrap up to the first arc. Most of the threads from Bastion have been wrapped up with a few left to take the plot further. Waiting eagerly for the next in series.