Eric Appelbaum
An excellent introduction into a LitRPG series. Matt Dinniman has taken the System Apocalypse theme and done something really special with it. Lots of plot hooks set up that leave you excited to learn more about the world and see just where it all leads.
An excellent introduction into a LitRPG series. Matt Dinniman has taken the System Apocalypse theme and done something really special with it. Lots of plot hooks set up that leave you excited to learn more about the world and see just where it all leads.
An excellent execution of a fantastical murder mystery. We follow our Sherlock Holmes-ian duo Ana and Din through the outskirts of the Empire, with an oppressive gloom of looming threat. The Tainted Cup is a master class in how to unveil, bit by bit, the roots of this plot. Robert Jackson Bennett leaves you enough to solve parts yourself, without giving too much away. But the true strong point is the cast of characters, who I only needed a few pages with before I could vividly imagine them and their lives. I look forward to the continuation of the investigations of Ana and Din.
An excellent execution of a fantastical murder mystery. We follow our Sherlock Holmes-ian duo Ana and Din through the outskirts of the Empire, with an oppressive gloom of looming threat. The Tainted Cup is a master class in how to unveil, bit by bit, the roots of this plot. Robert Jackson Bennett leaves you enough to solve parts yourself, without giving too much away. But the true strong point is the cast of characters, who I only needed a few pages with before I could vividly imagine them and their lives. I look forward to the continuation of the investigations of Ana and Din.
Soulhome starts us off on an interesting note. We see the end of Theo's first journey in the Nine and we pick up at the start of his second, a fairly basic start to a returnee story.
But I don't mean that to discount Soulhome, Sarah Lin has accomplished what I would describe as a Cultivation story for a reader unfamiliar with the genre. Sarah Lin does away with the esoteric terms of the genre, for when she speaks of foundations she means so literally. We find a system where our characters are building the homes within their soul out of powerful wood and stone, with the conceptual purpose of a room in this home being translated to corresponding powers i.e. a storage room to hold more cantae. She does, however, still leave room for the abstract, as one's interpretation of the rules of the world, or worlds in this case, and their cultural beliefs affect how these Soulhomes manifest.
In the end I would say this is a solid first book. It is a potential gateway to a whole genre for some, and is a fresh spin for veterans of the genre. For those who appreciate Cultivation for the philosophical aspects, you may not find what you are looking for in Soulhome. But for those who want to see some fresh ideas done in a framework you are comfortable with, settle down by the hearth and give it a try.
Soulhome starts us off on an interesting note. We see the end of Theo's first journey in the Nine and we pick up at the start of his second, a fairly basic start to a returnee story.
But I don't mean that to discount Soulhome, Sarah Lin has accomplished what I would describe as a Cultivation story for a reader unfamiliar with the genre. Sarah Lin does away with the esoteric terms of the genre, for when she speaks of foundations she means so literally. We find a system where our characters are building the homes within their soul out of powerful wood and stone, with the conceptual purpose of a room in this home being translated to corresponding powers i.e. a storage room to hold more cantae. She does, however, still leave room for the abstract, as one's interpretation of the rules of the world, or worlds in this case, and their cultural beliefs affect how these Soulhomes manifest.
In the end I would say this is a solid first book. It is a potential gateway to a whole genre for some, and is a fresh spin for veterans of the genre. For those who appreciate Cultivation for the philosophical aspects, you may not find what you are looking for in Soulhome. But for those who want to see some fresh ideas done in a framework you are comfortable with, settle down by the hearth and give it a try.
Another hit in the DCC universe, The Gate of the Feral Gods is more of what I've come to love about the series. Everything is taken up a notch, and Matt Dinniman still is able to surprise me with his plot developments. Every twist introduced makes me excited to see in what new ways Carl and Princess Donut need to solve problems this time. I have some minor gripes with Matt Dinniman's style for selectively withholding information Carl has from the reader, as I feel it creates distance, but the payoff of the reveals might just be worth it.
Another hit in the DCC universe, The Gate of the Feral Gods is more of what I've come to love about the series. Everything is taken up a notch, and Matt Dinniman still is able to surprise me with his plot developments. Every twist introduced makes me excited to see in what new ways Carl and Princess Donut need to solve problems this time. I have some minor gripes with Matt Dinniman's style for selectively withholding information Carl has from the reader, as I feel it creates distance, but the payoff of the reveals might just be worth it.
Another great entry into the DCC world. Matt Dinniman does such an amazing job in The Butcher's Masquerade of rounding out so many plot hooks he's introduced. Structurally this book feels like the end of a major arc of DCC, as we get an intense climax, but also start to get all new setups. When I say climax, I mean some of the most jaw dropping excitement we've yet seen in the series, but Matt Dinniman doesn't fail to make me laugh out loud. He doesn't lose his tone whatsoever and maintains that perfect mix of comedy and drama I've come to love about the series.
Another great entry into the DCC world. Matt Dinniman does such an amazing job in The Butcher's Masquerade of rounding out so many plot hooks he's introduced. Structurally this book feels like the end of a major arc of DCC, as we get an intense climax, but also start to get all new setups. When I say climax, I mean some of the most jaw dropping excitement we've yet seen in the series, but Matt Dinniman doesn't fail to make me laugh out loud. He doesn't lose his tone whatsoever and maintains that perfect mix of comedy and drama I've come to love about the series.
The stakes get higher and the action ramps up in Carl's Doomsday Scenario. As Carl and Donut get deeper in the gameshow, we get introduced to so much more of the system. Carl's Doomsday Scenario is a little less fleshed out in the plot developments than I would like; however, Matt Dinniman is breaking the dungeon wide open just as fast as he's building it up. Yet it's reigned in to still feel like we're just beginning to get the ball rolling. Excited to dive into the next entry.
The stakes get higher and the action ramps up in Carl's Doomsday Scenario. As Carl and Donut get deeper in the gameshow, we get introduced to so much more of the system. Carl's Doomsday Scenario is a little less fleshed out in the plot developments than I would like; however, Matt Dinniman is breaking the dungeon wide open just as fast as he's building it up. Yet it's reigned in to still feel like we're just beginning to get the ball rolling. Excited to dive into the next entry.
Matt Dinniman finds his stride with The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook. The story has room to breathe and really flesh out it's ideas, and it's got just as many figurative twists and turns as there are literal. The meta narrative around the dungeon continues to intrigue while the dungeon itself delivers great action, mystery, and world building.
Matt Dinniman finds his stride with The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook. The story has room to breathe and really flesh out it's ideas, and it's got just as many figurative twists and turns as there are literal. The meta narrative around the dungeon continues to intrigue while the dungeon itself delivers great action, mystery, and world building.
An excellent execution of a fantastical murder mystery. We follow our Sherlock Holmes-ian duo Ana and Din through the outskirts of the Empire, with an oppressive gloom of looming threat. The Tainted Cup is a master class in how to unveil, bit by bit, the roots of this plot. Robert Jackson Bennett leaves you enough to solve parts yourself, without giving too much away. But the true strong point is the cast of characters, who I only needed a few pages with before I could vividly imagine them and their lives. I look forward to the continuation of the investigations of Ana and Din.
An excellent execution of a fantastical murder mystery. We follow our Sherlock Holmes-ian duo Ana and Din through the outskirts of the Empire, with an oppressive gloom of looming threat. The Tainted Cup is a master class in how to unveil, bit by bit, the roots of this plot. Robert Jackson Bennett leaves you enough to solve parts yourself, without giving too much away. But the true strong point is the cast of characters, who I only needed a few pages with before I could vividly imagine them and their lives. I look forward to the continuation of the investigations of Ana and Din.
Soulhome starts us off on an interesting note. We see the end of Theo's first journey in the Nine and we pick up at the start of his second, a fairly basic start to a returnee story.
But I don't mean that to discount Soulhome, Sarah Lin has accomplished what I would describe as a Cultivation story for a reader unfamiliar with the genre. Sarah Lin does away with the esoteric terms of the genre, for when she speaks of foundations she means so literally. We find a system where our characters are building the homes within their soul out of powerful wood and stone, with the conceptual purpose of a room in this home being translated to corresponding powers i.e. a storage room to hold more cantae. She does, however, still leave room for the abstract, as one's interpretation of the rules of the world, or worlds in this case, and their cultural beliefs affect how these Soulhomes manifest.
In the end I would say this is a solid first book. It is a potential gateway to a whole genre for some, and is a fresh spin for veterans of the genre. For those who appreciate Cultivation for the philosophical aspects, you may not find what you are looking for in Soulhome. But for those who want to see some fresh ideas done in a framework you are comfortable with, settle down by the hearth and give it a try.
Soulhome starts us off on an interesting note. We see the end of Theo's first journey in the Nine and we pick up at the start of his second, a fairly basic start to a returnee story.
But I don't mean that to discount Soulhome, Sarah Lin has accomplished what I would describe as a Cultivation story for a reader unfamiliar with the genre. Sarah Lin does away with the esoteric terms of the genre, for when she speaks of foundations she means so literally. We find a system where our characters are building the homes within their soul out of powerful wood and stone, with the conceptual purpose of a room in this home being translated to corresponding powers i.e. a storage room to hold more cantae. She does, however, still leave room for the abstract, as one's interpretation of the rules of the world, or worlds in this case, and their cultural beliefs affect how these Soulhomes manifest.
In the end I would say this is a solid first book. It is a potential gateway to a whole genre for some, and is a fresh spin for veterans of the genre. For those who appreciate Cultivation for the philosophical aspects, you may not find what you are looking for in Soulhome. But for those who want to see some fresh ideas done in a framework you are comfortable with, settle down by the hearth and give it a try.
Soulhome starts us off on an interesting note. We see the end of Theo's first journey in the Nine and we pick up at the start of his second, a fairly basic start to a returnee story.
But I don't mean that to discount Soulhome, Sarah Lin has accomplished what I would describe as a Cultivation story for a reader unfamiliar with the genre. Sarah Lin does away with the esoteric terms of the genre, for when she speaks of foundations she means so literally. We find a system where our characters are building the homes within their soul out of powerful wood and stone, with the conceptual purpose of a room in this home being translated to corresponding powers i.e. a storage room to hold more cantae. She does, however, still leave room for the abstract, as one's interpretation of the rules of the world, or worlds in this case, and their cultural beliefs affect how these Soulhomes manifest.
In the end I would say this is a solid first book. It is a potential gateway to a whole genre for some, and is a fresh spin for veterans of the genre. For those who appreciate Cultivation for the philosophical aspects, you may not find what you are looking for in Soulhome. But for those who want to see some fresh ideas done in a framework you are comfortable with, settle down by the hearth and give it a try.
Soulhome starts us off on an interesting note. We see the end of Theo's first journey in the Nine and we pick up at the start of his second, a fairly basic start to a returnee story.
But I don't mean that to discount Soulhome, Sarah Lin has accomplished what I would describe as a Cultivation story for a reader unfamiliar with the genre. Sarah Lin does away with the esoteric terms of the genre, for when she speaks of foundations she means so literally. We find a system where our characters are building the homes within their soul out of powerful wood and stone, with the conceptual purpose of a room in this home being translated to corresponding powers i.e. a storage room to hold more cantae. She does, however, still leave room for the abstract, as one's interpretation of the rules of the world, or worlds in this case, and their cultural beliefs affect how these Soulhomes manifest.
In the end I would say this is a solid first book. It is a potential gateway to a whole genre for some, and is a fresh spin for veterans of the genre. For those who appreciate Cultivation for the philosophical aspects, you may not find what you are looking for in Soulhome. But for those who want to see some fresh ideas done in a framework you are comfortable with, settle down by the hearth and give it a try.
Soulhome starts us off on an interesting note. We see the end of Theo's first journey in the Nine and we pick up at the start of his second, a fairly basic start to a returnee story.
But I don't mean that to discount Soulhome, Sarah Lin has accomplished what I would describe as a Cultivation story for a reader unfamiliar with the genre. Sarah Lin does away with the esoteric terms of the genre, for when she speaks of foundations she means so literally. We find a system where our characters are building the homes within their soul out of powerful wood and stone, with the conceptual purpose of a room in this home being translated to corresponding powers i.e. a storage room to hold more cantae. She does, however, still leave room for the abstract, as one's interpretation of the rules of the world, or worlds in this case, and their cultural beliefs affect how these Soulhomes manifest.
In the end I would say this is a solid first book. It is a potential gateway to a whole genre for some, and is a fresh spin for veterans of the genre. For those who appreciate Cultivation for the philosophical aspects, you may not find what you are looking for in Soulhome. But for those who want to see some fresh ideas done in a framework you are comfortable with, settle down by the hearth and give it a try.
Soulhome starts us off on an interesting note. We see the end of Theo's first journey in the Nine and we pick up at the start of his second, a fairly basic start to a returnee story.
But I don't mean that to discount Soulhome, Sarah Lin has accomplished what I would describe as a Cultivation story for a reader unfamiliar with the genre. Sarah Lin does away with the esoteric terms of the genre, for when she speaks of foundations she means so literally. We find a system where our characters are building the homes within their soul out of powerful wood and stone, with the conceptual purpose of a room in this home being translated to corresponding powers i.e. a storage room to hold more cantae. She does, however, still leave room for the abstract, as one's interpretation of the rules of the world, or worlds in this case, and their cultural beliefs affect how these Soulhomes manifest.
In the end I would say this is a solid first book. It is a potential gateway to a whole genre for some, and is a fresh spin for veterans of the genre. For those who appreciate Cultivation for the philosophical aspects, you may not find what you are looking for in Soulhome. But for those who want to see some fresh ideas done in a framework you are comfortable with, settle down by the hearth and give it a try.
Another great entry into the DCC world. Matt Dinniman does such an amazing job in The Butcher's Masquerade of rounding out so many plot hooks he's introduced. Structurally this book feels like the end of a major arc of DCC, as we get an intense climax, but also start to get all new setups. When I say climax, I mean some of the most jaw dropping excitement we've yet seen in the series, but Matt Dinniman doesn't fail to make me laugh out loud. He doesn't lose his tone whatsoever and maintains that perfect mix of comedy and drama I've come to love about the series.
Another great entry into the DCC world. Matt Dinniman does such an amazing job in The Butcher's Masquerade of rounding out so many plot hooks he's introduced. Structurally this book feels like the end of a major arc of DCC, as we get an intense climax, but also start to get all new setups. When I say climax, I mean some of the most jaw dropping excitement we've yet seen in the series, but Matt Dinniman doesn't fail to make me laugh out loud. He doesn't lose his tone whatsoever and maintains that perfect mix of comedy and drama I've come to love about the series.