The Sundering Blade: A Thousand Li World Novel

Read as part of the action fantasy book club 2023.

This is my first time reading progression fantasy as far as I am aware and I am not sure I am fully convinced. I can't deny that the author has decent writing chops - the prose was well constructed and the novel easy to read, but the gamerish aspects of the writing definitely jarred me out of the moment. I generally found myself thinking I would prefer to play a game version of this than read a novel version of it.

A lot of the core concepts here are interesting, the idea of a karmic way to immortality, and the strong lean in to oriental teachings. The story bounces along at a high pace, certainly keeping interest as it goes with the high action style. There is definitely a breathlessness to the whole endeavour.

This ended up being a story I could respect the writing to, but I am not sure I am necessarily the right audience for this type of litrpg/progression fantasy style.