How bad can you make it for the MC?

This book just blows my mind. The general concept sound like it had a lot of potential. The first 8 chapters (about half the book) is all the crap that happened to the MC. No real explanations why. Gets framed, gets convicted, gets a bad job, gets hit by a car, gets screwed while sent into the game, gets enslaved, etc. There was a weak background but it felt like an afterthought. There was also a few points that something "good" happens to the MC, but it's not really all that good and it's very short lived. The MC is a moron. With each new bad situation, the MC makes up some stupid "it'll be ok" "suck it up" excuse. There was several times when it felt that the story was getting better, but something bad happens or some new antagonist walks in.
I have skipped forward through maybe a third of the book hoping that this book will redeem itself.

8 people found this helpful

Too crude for me.

First, I was given a code for the audiobook version of this by the narrator, TJ Clark, with the understanding that I would post a fair review to Audible.

That said, let's get going. To be blunt, I didn't like this book. Except for one character, EVERYONE in this book is either a crude jerk or just crude. Seriously, everyone talks like the kind of person who says stuff like, "Eat it, losers!" on a daily basis. And I'm cleaning up the language there for the sake of this review. Anyway, it's like the author really knows how to write only one sort of person and everyone is like that to one degree or another. Cheap trash talk a frat boy humor .

Honestly, I could rail about this aspect of the book for several more paragraphs, but I'll leave it at that. However, I can't remember the last time I felt so aggravated with a book. I don't like laying such a harsh slap on what seems to be someone's first book. But I am being honest with my feelings here.

In fairness, the MC does become less of a jerk around the 75% mark. And when people aren't acting like trash-talking FPS players and are just dealing with the world and doing more typical gamer stuff the book is honestly pretty decent. Not amazing, but certainly on par with other reasonably good titles. But it's always back to trash talk and churl humor.

The narration I have no complaints about. The narrator does a good job with what they have to work with. It certainly made some of the stuff I didn't care for in the book easier to endure.

Cover art is all right. I also downloaded the KU version to do a technical writing examination. Generally, it's all right, but the proofreading could use some work. "Humans should be kept in pins," made me laugh as I imagined elves trying to imprison humans in bowling pins. But hopefully that boo-boo will get cleaned up soon enough. I'll give it a pass.

Frankly, I'm not the best audience for this book. It's clearly for people with a rougher sense of humor than me. But even then just about every character being a no-class jerk just rubbed me the wrong way. Again, I don't like being so tough on a new, indie writer, but I'm not one for pulling my punches either. This author does have some talent and there's certainly going to be an audience for this title. The Robert Bevin crowd perhaps.

In any case, I do wish this author well and hope this book was a helpful learning experience for them. But I honestly can't recommend it.

2 people found this helpful

Just bad.

Don't buy this. it's an incredibly scatter brained book with a horrible MC. There is nothing special about the MC, you might as well follow the NPC farmer from a videogame. He doesn't think for himself, he just does what he is told. He can fight but is completely useless. Ow, he is also turned into a damn slave when you think something interesting might happen. Then it just keeps plodding on. In comes the "mature themes" and he just gawks at people like a damn pervert and then almost pukes when someone comes back with a little jizz in her hair and another woman... cleans it up.

If you like an MC that acts like a 40yr old virgin that sits in front of his computer jerking off to porn every day and is borderline mentally handicapped (there's no other reason to explain how stupid he is.) then this is a book for you.

We also get zero information on the world, the system or even the MCs stats. At the start of the book, someone supposedly zeroed his stats but it errored out and randomised them. Yet 3h in and nothing about the MCs capabilities is known other then he grows excellent plants by talking to them.

I didn't finish it. But if the first third is anything to go by, it's not worth listening to.
If you are interested in buying this book, I recommend chewing on a lead pipe for 8h instead. You'll get just as much enjoyment and it's free.

2 people found this helpful

A Lite Although Humorous LitRPG

I found this to be a very lite LitRPG in terms of emphasizing things like stats. It was also a bit rough for awhile at first as I found it took some time for the MC to become likable even with his back story as he takes awhile to lighten up but overall I found the different arcs, humor, and changes in direction of the story to be a very enjoyable experience. As remarked in other reviews it does have some pretty funny moments and in my case there were multiple moments when I almost burst out laughing in the middle of a break at work. TJ Clark also does a wonderful job narrating and I am looking forward to future installments of this series.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

2 people found this helpful

Fun book!

Very fun book! Like all new series, took me a minute to settle in, but with solid narration and a good story, I ended up listening to the whole book in one sitting.

1 person found this helpful

this book sucks once again a rape and slaver world when did that become fantasy

seriously rape and slavery is not fantasy i’m pretty sure its a large part of history but man great job reproducing a classic rape and slaver book two tumbs up golfclap .... and that you audible for not letting me return this shitty book but apparently ify you return to many online they stop youfrom doing it and make you write a letter clapclap

1 person found this helpful

Loser MC

I am so regretting spending money on this. The MC is such a weak loser. He lets himself just go along with whatever others tell him to do and just gets used left and right. For someone who has been through so much shit in life, he never learns anything. He had so many options and leverage, but just relegates himself to being a tool.

It is so hard to listen to. I keep waiting for him to do something redeeming out get some revenge, but nothing. Just more torture to listen to.

Good first book

Full disclosure: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning of the book was a bunch of computer logs, which was boring and made me wonder if this book was going to be a bad listen, but then it ended and the story began. The protagonist was involved in an accident that left him disabled. However, he was able to get into a game to heal, while your body heals, you play the game. But you have to have money, luck, or both to get into the game. While in the game, the player can pay money to play different packages that add to the story. The protagonist's account was configured to have a low noble's package, which unbeknownst to the protagonist, was paid for by his brother.

*SPOILERS BELOW*
The protagonist decides to be a farmer and goes about setting the stage for his farm and farmland. However, before his farm is stable, he is kidnapped and sold as a slave. He then goes through several negative experiences before freeing himself and going back to being a farmer. It seems like he was kidnapped too early, like there should have been a better reason for him to be kidnapped.
Once he is back on his farm, he discovers he can talk to the land and that each plot of land on his farm has personality, likes, and dislikes. When making the plot of land happy, the produce grows faster and the quality is much better. But while he was away, a natural disaster struck the other farms. Thanks to the partners the protagonist has, the farm's business has taken off and his farm is the most profitable in his kingdom.
Due to the power and fame his farm has garnered, the protagonist is pulled into politics. Which results in him going to the land of the elves and obtaining a wife. The wife was put under a spell, that made her essentially into a robot slave, as the father forced her to marry the protagonist. When the wife comes out of the spell, the wife chooses to stay with the protagonist. Its not clear why or when she falls in love with the protagonist, but she does and the relationship is cute. The protagonist also falls in love with the wife. I would have liked more fleshing out of the falling in love.
The daughter would normally be angry at the father, but she was raised as a nobleman's daughter and was expecting an arranged marriage. Seems to not mesh well if the wife is supposed to be strong and independent.
One problem I have is that in the end, the protagonist is elevated way above his station. Like his rank just sky rockets, which seemed silly to me.
Another concern I have is that the protagonist is supposed to be a farmer, he doesn't farm a lot. His partner and staff do the majority of the planting, tending, and harvesting of the crops. The protagonists just appears to converse with the land to get their desires met and then disappears for long bouts of time.
*END OF SPOILERS*

Overall, this book was interesting to listen to and flowed well, aside from the continuous stream of negative events during a part of the book for the protagonist. There wasn't any large plot holes, which I really dislike.

The narrator made the book more interesting and added depth.

engaging and builds up well

I really enjoyed the book and finished it in 2 to 3 days. the story starts a bit slow but picks up half way and a lot of important characters get introduced in the second half. a bit more time to build their character arc would be great in the second book.

the narrator really makes it enjoyable and easy to understand the change in context. a subtle change in tone to separate real world from the virtual would also be great to make it easy to understand although it is so rare that it may not be necessary.

the lead character is really likable and I am glad it did not turn out to be a story of 1 person who can do it all. him relying on others for help makes it very refreshing.

Amazing LitRPG Noble Fun

An amazing start to the series, I can not wait for more. This is a great adventure LitPRG and the Narration was a perfect fit. I could not put it down. Just had to keep listening.


Note this title was provided free for review, however, the thoughts and opinions are my own.