maybe this book would be better if it’s your first litrpg or system apocalypse, but it’s still unoriginal, boring, and cringe, particularly when the MC tried to be funny or a leader and everyone nearby laughed or applauded. Just, no.
one of the biggest problems was how much of a Gary Stu the MC is, he’s flawless and perfect and humble about it and everyone instantly likes him, except for the caricatures that are supposed to be bad guys. The beginning had some potential but the author quickly gets tunnel vision and doesn’t expand on any potential plot lines that could add intrigue beyond what was happening at the moment to the main character. it actually picked up a bit at the midpoint when he goes off on himself and has less cringe interactions with other conscious beings but then he inevitably runs into other people who instantly worship him and the cringe continued.
The narration wasn’t great either. I was initially excited because two of my favorites were part of the production, Andrea parsneau and Jeff Hays of the wandering inn and dungeon crawler Carl, respectively. But they only had bit parts doing side characters and couldn’t save it. The main narrator was okay at best and the weird war drums they played throughout every fight scene were off-putting, they took away rather than added to the experience.
to be clear, I love litRPG and system apocalypse books in particular, but if you want a better example then I highly recommend the defiance of the fall series. some people complain that the main character in that one is a dumb brute who solves all his problems with his ax, which is true most of the time. but he’s a genius in other ways and the aspects of the series that make it so good are the incredible world building of an entire multiverse and the dozens to hundreds of plot threads that the author constantly weaves in and out.
Also, I already own and am looking forward to the author’s other series, Battleborn, and I hope for a much better experience. That plot and premise seem a bit more original, at least.