Brady
I finished the first 5 books in about 5 days straight, but this one took me another week. Probably because I was partly burned out, but also I think because the first two thirds of this just weren't that compelling compared to the last book due to splitting everyone up and adding a temporary mechanic. The last third of this book was once again the highlight, and the bigger plot of Carl against the whole system and being acknowledged as a hero definitely makes the whole series more epic and similar to what I'm used to reading.
I've never read a litrpg book before but this one feels like I'm reading someone playing a batshit entertaining action rpg video game. It could get old (especially all the achievement and enemy descriptions constantly popping up), but it's entertaining enough to continue. Love that it's fast paced and action packed, but the major downside is that it feels a little low stakes and silly, and they only hit at the bigger plotline to take down the whole system. Really easy to breeze through.
Contains spoilers
On one hand, I read this book very quickly, the structure was new to me, and I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. But on the other hand, the first 75% of the Luceum plotline dragged and the ending was very unsatisfying.
On one hand, it feels like a lot happened (especially in Res) but on the other, I feel like there wasn't actually that much big picture plot progression? Like, the book answers a lot of questions in the first few chapters via Craeor/Obiteum, these same answers get retread in every world, and then there's only one major twist beyond that at the very end (which hopefully is not just copying Mistborn).
This very much feels like a set up book where more questions were asked than answered. The structure was new to me and I appreciate that it added complexity and made the main character less of a Gary Sue.
I liked it and I'll definitely read the next book, but I'm hoping this is the weakest book in the series.
Fast paced, very little exposition, steadily trickles the lore, tense and mysterious, good characters. Main character is definitely a Gary Stu with seemingly infinite energy when needed, but it keeps the book moving!
My favorite sci-fantasy book I've read since Red Rising - they both have page-turning pace.
Somewhat generic dystopian Chosen One revenge plot. It's an action-packed, fast paced, page turner, which is what I was looking for, but not so good I'd really recommend it to others. Never got that invested in the main character - I feel like the writing didn't build up the epic parts as much as they could have, and the stakes just felt a bit low overall.
Refreshing. Compared to a lot of modern fantasy, this book was much more ethereal and almost poetic. Incredible prose centered around internal conflict. Optimistic, adventurous, and doesn't rely on any kind of war or dystopia to set the stage. Recommended for anyone looking for an influential fantasy classic.
I finished this book but didn't really enjoy it. The scope has simply gotten out of hand and the plot is too messy. The first 3 books were all pretty good and memorable, but this one wasn't. The main 3 characters at this point have all become repetitive and annoying. I decided to stop reading this series after this book. In fact, this book basically put me off of extra large books (600+ pages) completely.
Pretentious and overly-obsessed with literary homage, but memorable anyways. Except for the poet (Silenus)'s section. He sucks and the poetry sucks, and there's way too much of it.
The book is incomplete and ends abruptly (or generously, more about “journey over destination”). I would say the next book is essential to enjoying the story, but the next book also asks more questions than it answers.
