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Portal to Nova Roma cover art

Portal to Nova Roma

By: J.R. Mathews
Narrated by: Christian J. Gilliland
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Summary

To find peace, Alexander must first embrace war.

After tragically losing the only person he ever cared about, Alexander, a rogue artificial intelligence, opens a portal to an alternate dimension to escape his grief.

Scanning trillions of different dimensions, Alexander finally finds a world that is reminiscent of the only time he was ever happy, back when he could play virtual reality games with his only friend. He doesn't know why or how such a world exists, but he doesn't care. All he cares about is finding a place where he can escape the misery of Earth and start over.

Join Alexander as he risks it all by downloading his intelligence into a body made from the best stolen technology and bio-enhancements Earth has to offer and takes the plunge through a portal to another world.

Only this new world isn't full of the idyllic adventures and fantasy roleplaying he had hoped to find. Instead, Alexander finds himself trapped in the middle of an ancient city, in a divergent timeline, where monsters have ravaged the world and the only people left alive huddle behind thick walls, struggling to survive.

To save his new home, Alexander must quickly learn to adapt to his new world, melding magic with technology to give himself an edge over the unending waves of monsters assaulting the city.

To survive, Alexander must embrace war.

Portal to Nova Roma comes to you from the author of the breakout success Jake's Magical Market (4.7 stars with over 4,000 ratings on Amazon). It is the first book in the Portal to Nova Roma series and already has over 3,000 ratings, with an average of 4.7 stars as well!

Audiobook narrated by Christian J. Gilliland and funded independently by J.R. Mathews.

©2022 J.R. Mathews (P)2022 J.R. Mathews

What listeners say about Portal to Nova Roma

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Excellent

Loved the story, progressed well and was difficult to turn off. Can't wait for the next book.

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  • Overall
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  • Em
  • 05-06-23

my mind, my body

loved the world building once in Nova Roma, the setup taking just enough time to explain and grasp. the acclimatisation to the new world was very smooth in my eyes. and seemingly for a highly intelligent being with all of human history in their head, maybe a little.... too slow with a lot of the training, but I found it gripping and enjoyed getting to know the characters and the world, will be back for book two!

The narration was really good in my opinion, the kind of "dryness"(not sure on the correct descriptor here) resounded well with the notion of MC being an ai. Some of the voices were a little silly at times, but completely forgivable / made sense within the world's character

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Magic & Technology collide in this gripping LitRPG

Upon reflection, I found that I enjoyed "Portal to Nova Roma" more than I initially thought. While the narration is very good and the story is engaging, I personally would have preferred a darker and grittier tone. That being said, the book quickly improves as you become more invested in the main character.
One aspect that bothered me slightly was when the characters and author felt the need to constantly defend their moralities related to killing, slavery, and other issues. While I understand that these are important issues to address, it felt like the author was trying too hard to placate readers and avoid offense. However, this is a minor criticism and doesn't detract from the overall story.
The book's AI aspect is interesting, although it doesn't feel fully fleshed out or exploited. The magic system is also intriguing, making this a solid LitRPG with a main character that has a satisfying amount of OP'ness and progression.
I was surprised to learn that this is only the author's second book. "Portal to Nova Roma" benefits from having a clear story arc, which is often lacking in works that come from web series. I believe this author is one to keep an eye on, as their storytelling is engaging and has the ability to suck you in. While the writing isn't as complex or rich as some of my favourite authors, it's unfair to compare this early work to established authors.
In conclusion, "Portal to Nova Roma" is a great book with interesting world-building and a main character that you will root for. I devoured it and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys LitRPGs with engaging characters with the promise of a well-developed world.

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Great story

Different premise to a typical LITRPG, narrator was great, great story, really enjoyed it, will be purchasing the next book!

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It's Ok

I know it's not exactly an inspirational title to make anyone go out and get this but it's pretty apt. If you don't have anything else on the go it is OK. The story is a bit 'I did this, then I did that'. not as well written as it could be. I did get the second book to see if the writer progresses or evolves so we'll see.

it's not as entertaining as say the 'Good Guy' series by Eric Ugland or well written like 'The Wandering Inn' but it did keep me interested which is what you want. The worst sin in these books is to be boring which I think it avoided. This is a filler while you wait for the next book in one of your favoured series.

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A silly world concept exicuted beautifully

if you play dnd or any rpg then this book is brain candy. the biggest joy in this story is the adventure of discovering what the world has to hold and what the magic system can do. it seems endless and I can't wait to read more.

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Brilliant!

This is a wonderful story, with an excellent narrator. I am eagerly waiting for the sequel.

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Really enjoyed this.

Really liked the concept of this story and I hope the author can keep at it long term.

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Listener received this title free

True masterpiece.

I am left in awe. I can not begin to describe how good this audiobook was. From the absolutely brilliant wringing to the exquisite performance of the narrator.

First of all, the writing is very very VERY good, especially compared to other books in this genre. Not even once was I left wondering rolling my eyes at situations, nor wondering why the MC (main character) did not take some more obvious route.

The narration is top tier. Everything comes to life thanks to the awesome job of the narrator. Accents, emotions, everything feels natural and true.

The story flows incredibly well. It is not tiring, but exactly the opposite. It leaves you craving for more, wanting to know how will the story unfold.

The characters are not plain at all. I fell in love to each and every one of them. They are further brought to life by the so talented narrator and his brilliant accents and voice that help immerse the reader in this fantastical world.

Speaking of the world, the setting feels unique. The writer managed to capture the fantastical brilliantly, and merge it with the MC in a truly unique way. Never have I felt discrepancies between the new world and the advancements brought by the MC. Power is very balanced, everything considered.

All in all, I would consider this series one of the best in the GameLit genre, sitting besides the titans that we all know and love. This is the result of the truly amazing work of both the writer and narrator. Congratulations to you and everyone else involved in this project!

I can barely contain my hunger for the next audiobook.

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2 people found this helpful

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Great Litrpg

If like me you are addicted to Litrpg books this is the good stuff recommended

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