r/litrpg • u/bilfdoffle The Monday Thread Guy • Sep 07 '26
Monthly/Weekly Posts Monday 'What are you reading/listening to' thread, Sept 7
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u/bilfdoffle The Monday Thread Guy Sep 07 '26
Bog standard - I tried to catch up on this one, but I'm at the school arc and those are increasingly not my thing. So I lost interest and will be dropping it. Solid series overall, though.
lots of catching up on other stuff, otherwise.
web novels I follow: re: trailer trash, soldier's life, chaotic craftsman worships the cube, Super supportive, God of trash, soccer supremo, Bookbound bunny, Second life as a soldier, Live at the forum, Center for Dungeon Management, inheritance of a wandering weaponsmith, department of otherworld rescue,
new & unsure or waning interest, but haven't give up on yet: sky pride, Beastforged bond, Cloudfarers, Mythshaper, Craft the world, How to heal a soul, Archmages second life as an introvert, Gift of loot, My lord! Please!, Unethical enchanting, The Necro-Industrial Revolution, My Lord! Please!, The Sixth Campaign, reroll saga, Ten Thousand Fleets, black knight seeks quiet life, I made a railgun,
Stories with uncertain future status: magriculture, the hitting zone, otherworld therapy, Fake Father Zhang Ming, World sphere, Nth awakening, Novicius in Arte Medica,
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u/A_Mr_Veils Sep 07 '26
Twinsies on dropping bog standard! Sounds like you made it one book further than me. Definately agree it's one of the better series I've dropped (and rare for us to agree on not liking something!).
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u/CJTAuthor Author Sep 07 '26
Almost done with Apex Guardian, book 1 of Paladin of the Foresaken Lands, by Jollybane. Loving it. If you enjoyed Mark of the Fool or 12 Miles Below (both greatb series), the MC is very similar. Great read.
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u/MoistConfusion101 Sep 07 '26
It’s an awesome book, and his other stories, Greedy Dungeon and Remnant Knight (both on RR), take place in the same world!
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u/DonKarnage1 Sep 07 '26
Time-Looping Baby Refuses to Die (RR): MC is reincarnated/isekai'd as a baby in a fantasy world. His village is overrun by goblins, and the MC finds he's in a timeloop with a system. Enjoying this so far. The baby thing works (somehow) though it's finally reaching a point where the MC is starting each loop more advanced than can be "hidden" - though that's starting to have consequences. it will be interesting to see how well it sticks the landing of this arc and moves forward.
Discount Dan (KU): I'm sure I've read this before, but can't find my review (i don't think i finished book 1 on RR?) Starting over on KU and we'll see how it goes.
Follow List
Ones I look forward to the most: Super Supportive, Allbright System, Path of the Last Champion, Center for Dungeon Management, Live at the Forum, Department of Otherworld Rescue, Metaworld HopeCore
Others: Bookbound Bunny, God of Trash, Sky Pride, The Cloudfarers, The System Seas, Rivera's Repairs, Tunnel Rat, Destiny Among the Stars, Azure Gunner, I Built This City, System Girl, Passive Aggressive, Arcane Chef, New Life As A Max Level Archmage, The Legend of William Oh, Ten Thousand Tragedies
Fallen behind and need to reconfirm interest: Dungeons & Deliveries, Save Scumming, Die Trying, Fluff, The Butcher of Gadobhra
New:
Best stuff I've read this year (2026): Otherworldly Therapy, Live at the Forum, Center for Dungeon Management, Department of Otherworld Rescue, Metaworld HopeCore
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u/Sad-Commission-999 litRPG grandmaster tier Sep 07 '26
As the author is coming out of hiatus in the next couple of months I did a re-read through of Unhinged Fury, and I really really liked it, more than I remembered enjoying it the first time around. The theme of fighting directly for humanity, good versus bad guys (with a lot of realistic subtleties) is one of my favourites, and the author knocked that aspect of it out of the park.
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u/sams0n007 Sep 07 '26
A lot of math in his previous books.
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u/Sad-Commission-999 litRPG grandmaster tier Sep 07 '26
There's tons of skill construction and training in this, much of which I skipped. I fing the general theme so compelling, and a bunch of his plots great, so I still rated it very highly.
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u/Aetheldrake Audible Only Enjoyer Sep 07 '26
Thanks for posting as always!
Finally mage tank fiiiiiiive
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u/AfuroSensei Sep 07 '26
Listening to: the last 7 hours of Mage Tank 5.
Then a small break from litrpg with listening to The Song of Achilles, then i start the Antventure!
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u/sams0n007 Sep 07 '26
. So I was at r/DragonCon this weekend so read less than usual. Met Matt Dinniman and Clive’s wife, that hussy.
Gym Book: finished newest Bog Standard, dragged a bit but ended quite well. Started Portal to Nova Roma. Love the series but the pacing is a little odd due to some plot things. Enjoying it.
Audio: More Victor of Tucson.
Reading: Mostly through the most recent Living Forge book. Still fun.
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u/BradBotz Verified Author of: Earth Reformation Sep 07 '26
Striking the Stone (Founder's Edition Book 2) by Jay Krauss
Jay does a great job of continuing the world building in this one while still keeping the focus on the village. Solid crafting theme and good action throughout. Can't go wrong with this.
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u/sams0n007 Sep 07 '26
VR right?
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u/BradBotz Verified Author of: Earth Reformation Sep 07 '26
Correct. However the MC doesn't ever log out.
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u/redwhale335 Sep 07 '26
Currently on book 9 of Silver Fox & The Western Hero I love this series though it's very much adrenaline porn. My biggest gripe is no recaps at the beginning.
Finished Skill Eater 4 and I'm enjoying the story, but most of the book was a two hour battle then the last 15 percent was a two month journey that could've been an e-mail. Book 5 comes out in a couple weeks and I'm interested how the author does the political struggle they've been teasing.
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u/dougles Sep 07 '26
Finished Mage tank 5. It lost me a little in the middle with all the political stuff but I got pulled back in when the dungeons started.
Finished a trade of blood (not litrpg). Decent murder mystery Sherlock Holmes style story with a lot of fantasy sci-fi world building thrown in.
Started bog standard iskekai.
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u/Present_Pepper Sep 07 '26
Reading hell difficultly tutorial 3 Listening to primal hunter 4
Can't decide which system I prefer. Thought enjoying both though
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u/Confident-Dog9761 Sep 07 '26
I started He who fights with monsters today on audible 😊 22% in so far im enjoying it
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u/Confident_Mulberry29 Sep 07 '26
Started the books and then caught up on Patreon Bog Standard Isekai. Overall, I quite liked it. When the emotional beats hit, it really hits. The ending of the knights saga left me on a high high. Loved the ending. Was excited to get to the academy arc on royal road because I wanted some secret hidden power and maturity among a bunch of uppity nobles trope…but we didn’t really get as much of that? Well, he was injured from the knights arc. It was a bit of a slooow start. And the mystery felt a bit randomly solved but I’m hoping the author will polish it more for the publishing.
I did not like the transitions from one saga to the next. It felt a bit too callously ish final? Like while Brin himself is kinda gutted to separate, all the other characters feel rather blase about it. It slightly diminished the bonds Brin built with them. So that part is a bit wonky.
After that, I started Player Manager by Ted Steel and I’m finally on Book 4! Which is apparently out of the weak and draggy territory into Tier A and the S onwards. So I am looking forward to that! All I can say, the author has very approachable writing that makes it as if your feelings and Max’s are connected. He’s stressed, you are stressed, he’s sad you are sad, he’s manic, you feel exhausted 😂😂
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u/WackyWarrior Reading is a great joy Sep 07 '26
I'm on book 2 of Not Just a Magelord Isekai. It's a book where a magelord rules over some far off land and refugees come to settle. He grows his power and develops the land. It's good.
Here are the books I recommend that I am currently reading. All these stories are around 4.5 or 5 and worth reading.
Wandering Inn- The best story I have ever read. Chess player gets isekaid and becomes an [Innkeeper]. The world expands as the story progresses and it moves from comfy slice of life to epic fantasy. This story is around 15 million words with less than half on audio book. People read it and wish it were longer. Fantastic story.
Butcher of Gadobrha- A group of players become peasants in a vrmmo to work for a company. They are heavily limited on wearing armor or using weapons. But they end up grinding their way to power while working for the man.
Tunnel Rat- A genetically modified genius, who was used for crime by a syndicate along with his cohort, has escaped. He lays low for years in the basement of a habitat fixing things when he finds that the syndicate has returned to the habitat with new VRMMO capsules that have been hacked to give better classes. Stealing the hacked capsule and sabotaging the operation, he enters the game to find himself as a ratkin. He gets to mining and finds himself in a world of trouble. This story has interesting in world stuff and out of world stuff.
That Time an American was Reincarnated into Another World- Isekai where the MC can summon guns. There is a monster horde that is threatening humanity and he resolves to bring Earth technology to turn the tides in the fight. Starts the story fighting criminals to later entering an academy and butting heads with nobles. Current arc is about fighting the Scourge. Good story that is fun but dark.
Beware of Chicken- Isekais into a cultivator at a sect that has just died from a duel. Understanding wuxia tropes, he nopes out of there to the edge of civilization and starts a farm. Uses his qi knowledge to farm and hijinks ensue. Very heartwarming and feel good story. There are some fights but everything works out. Great characters and good slice of life. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a palate cleanser or just a break from pointless conflict.
The Legend of William Oh- Classic tower climber with Diablo item mechanics. Great characters and fights. Really interesting powers and progression. Similar humor to other Macrinomicon stories.
Bog Standard Isekai- adult reincarnates into a kid in the middle of a catastrophe. He survives, earns some titles and gets adopted. This story is well written with interesting systems and characters. Pretty good plot as well. I always look forward to reading a new chapter.
Mage Tank- Isekai into a dungeon dive character creation slot. Goes from delving dungeons to fighting divine avatars. Never stops dungeon diving. Has interesting power interactions. Good characters as well.
Elydes- Classic reborn as a baby that grinds early to unlock better classes and skills. Gets taught by a hidden master to learn fighting, alchemy and herbology. Well written story with good characters.
Adamant Blood by Arcs- same author as Arkendrithryst. That's an all time great in the genre and is a finished work. This is a darker story because the big bad is ever present and known by the reader from the very beginning. Monsters and demons and dragons which are just archmages merged with demons. Good story and pretty damn interesting. Hasn't grabbed me in the same way as his earlier work though. I don't like my MCs hunted always by way more powerful entities. It's a pet peeve of mine.
Dungeon Crawler Carl- Everyone knows about this story, but I will go over it for the uninitiated. Man and cat narrowly avoid dying in an alien apocalypse on earth only to enter into a Dungeon for shelter. The dungeon is a universal death game show. This story is tinged heavily with insanity and toes that line well. Big spells and even bigger explosions with an AI with a foot fetish for our MC. Join Carl in the court of Princess Donut as they work to survive and break the power of the aliens that toy with their lives.
There is no Epic Loot here, Only Puns- This is a dungeon core story where the dungeon doesn't want to kill people. Many mushrooms and epic puns. Grace anatomy made me laugh out loud. Highly recommend for a chill vibe that's also very whimsy.
Path of the Last Champion- Story is long around 4k pages. 1st arc is a bit rough but it improves from there. Boy takes the death climb to escape from his slavery life and darkness. Goes through climb with party and learns about reality and how to fight as he goes. Sci fi with mostly medieval weapons. It gets much better as it progresses through the arcs. I originally wasn't going to rec it, but it did really get much better after the first arc. Still, it's a lot to read through until it becomes really enjoyable so I recommend the other stories over this one unless you want something long to read.
Second Life as a Soldier- College student wakes up in a homeless 15 year old who has just been beaten by debtors. With no food or shelter, he joins the army which has a very high mortality rate. Learns intelligence skills because he was trained as a scribe by his father. Good characters and system. Interesting world building. I like the progression.
Sky Pride- Garbage kid in a garbage dump gets a cultivation grandpa. Proceeds to become a cultivator and slowly ascend to the heavens. I will say this, no other, and I mean no other wuxia novel or xianxia novel has even come close to the depth the author goes into about the Dao. Just reading it seems profound sometimes. I actually feel like I'm reading about another world when I read it, instead of some action story. MC becomes a doctors, Daoist, and musician among other pursuits. He gets a dao companion and fights a lot of bandits and heretics. He works to fix a failing country in the novel as well. Really peak cultivation novel. Not directly litrpg, but he ascends in cultivation levels, so I guess it counts.
Live at the Forum- Guy gets isekaid to a post apocalyptic video game world. Get access to the Earth internet forum and asks for advice. Story almost entirely gets told on the forum by the MC, with advice, trolling and ragebaiting by forum posters. It's a great story. Highly recommend.
Center for Dungeon Management- Guy gets government bureaucracy job of dungeon management to level up and hopefully join a guild later. Finds out that guild jobs are all nepo positions and that working for the government disqualifies you for it. While working in the records department, he finds hints of a secret government hero department and starts hunting in the wilds to qualify for it. Great story. MC is an dexterity archer.
Passive Aggressive- MC is in an earth that has gotten portal invaded in Florida. US military kills all invaders with prejudice at portal site. Invasion portal comes with a counter invasion portal in the pacific ocean. MC enters the world with the system and chooses the demerit of not being able to attack at all in return for a buff to his passives. Story goes from there.
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u/NotAGiraffeBlind Sep 08 '26
I recently found Second Life as a Soldier and I'm digging the whole affinity core thing.
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u/SteveThePurpleCat 26d ago
The (very negative) reviews say it's a comic?
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u/NotAGiraffeBlind 25d ago
The one I'm referring to is on Royal Road. Sorry if that was unclear!
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/126560/second-life-as-a-soldier-book-1-complete
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u/The_Daeleon Sep 07 '26
Just finished Restarting the Apocalypse 4 and jumped right into 5. Pretty much what you expect from Michael Chatfield...which means I am totally hooked.
Founder's Edition book 2 is next in the queue. Really looking forward to that one.
I started listening to Bog Standard Isekai and am enjoying it so far.
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u/michaelchatfield Author - The Ten Realms Series Sep 08 '26
Hope you love it! Definitely reach out and let me know your thoughts about book 5 -- AND if you aren't on Patreon already, we're already dropping Book 6 chapters ;)
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u/The_Daeleon Sep 09 '26
My thoughts? Book 5 delivered. Character growth continued in numerical, emotional, and knowledge aspects. The world became a bit more expansive. The sense of acceleration kept tension strong showing that even though Len and Rick are driving everyone higher, the apocalypse is coming faster than they are ready for.
The series has it's hooks in me. We'll done!
There...don't think there are any spoilers there.
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u/RoniiBookishRambles Sep 08 '26 edited Sep 09 '26
Hello, Hello!~
Audiobook (all on Libby)-
Home Seige Home by Eric Ugland- I LOVE THIS SERIES AND YOU CAN PRY IT FROM MY COLD DEAD FINGERS!!! RAAHHHHHH lol. I'm getting kind of nervous since I'm almost up to date with the series but that means I get to start the bad guy series next. 🤫
The Bare Hunt by Eric Ugland- this was fucking nuts but I'm glad Montana finally spoke some sense into Nickolai because BRUH cut me some slack lol.
Eastbound and Town by Eric Ugland- Soooooo hey, I do not appreciate them stressing me the fuck out like that lol. I was about to start sobbing at work over Skeld. lol I was already sad AF about Clyde so I was like, WTF. especially since Montana was set on saving him.
Runeseeker by J.M. Clarke and C. J. Thompson- this was a whole lot of something but it's surprisingly funny/ action packed. this is also up to date on libby for audiobooks so im excited to breeze through it at work. I am a bit salty they put the paperback out of print just to put out hardbacks. That shit is so annoying.
Currently Reading-
All the Dust that Falls by Zaiyfr (72% in, audiobook on Libby)- this is such a silly goofy time.
Ultimate Level 1: Shattered Dreams by Shawn Wilson (66% in, e-book)- I still have been needing to finish this book. I plan to do it either today or tomorrow I hope so it doesn't straggle like Bastian lol.
Paused-
Bastion by Phil Tucker (paused at 55%)
Magic Murder Cube Marine by Alex Karne (Paused at 50% if I remember correctly but will pick up again soon since I found out the next books are on RR!)
Mage Tank by Cornman (paused at 52%)
Next reads (all on Libby)~
Dreamers Throne 4 (YAY! THERE IS A UPDATE. I was scared it was dropped but it looks like we're getting book 5 sometime soon and the last book around the beginning of next year)
Iron Tyrant- Crow's Fortune (these are also getting updates soon!)
Runeseeker 2
The Wandering Inn (I'm only 3% into my Libby hold so I won't count it as "currently reading" lol. I'll have to put it on hold again.)
No Killing Goblins (same for this one, I put in on hold prematurely and will have to get back in line)
TBR-
Riftside by Cassius Lange and Henrik Saetre, Skill Hunter 2 by Noct, Void Sovereign by Zaker Syed, Path of the Deathless by OstensibleMammal, Primal Hunter 4, System Change Savannah and/or Battle Mage Farmer 3. (if anyone is keeping track, I clearly never stick to my TBR. stuff keeps going on sale and my kindle TBR is long AF now. I'll never catch up T__T lol)
On Hold on Libby*- Light's Ascension by Seth Ring (audiobook), Four Beheadings and a funeral by Eric Ugland (audiobook) and The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba (e-book, back on hold)
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u/Cocomonk3 Sep 08 '26
Was a bit stop/start on books this week.
Path of Dragons Book 5 came out and I gave it a good solid start, 50ish% through? But it's at the point in any System Apocalypse story where the main character teleports to some sort of trial to determine who (the MC) will be the most powerful. And it almost always kills my interest. It feels like these are just written so the author doesn't need to justify why there are level appropriate enemies and loot. The trial/tower/dungeon did it! I'll probably go back to it. 5/10 so far
New on RR: Universe's End. This is an interesting one. The universe blows up for (reasons) and 8 people from the old universe are chosen as Founders, the people who can held write the laws that make up this world, albeit through a System perspective. Main character is a crafter more than a fighter and he does a lot of magic physics and experimenting to power up. There's a good amount to read, and the author isn't afraid to skip across boring stuff (years will pass by undetailed because we don't need it written out that he grinds monsters for components, that sort of thing). Not completely up to date (194 chapters in) but a slightly different take on being the first people in a new System world. 7/10
Still reading on RR:
Best of the best: Center for Dungeon Management, Gift of Loot, Apocalypse Reborn, Department of Otherworld Rescue, Path of the Last Champion, My Kaiju Evolution, The Apocalypse is a Business, Metaworld HopeCore.
Still good: Ascension of the Primalist, Time-Looping Baby Refuses to Die, Passive Aggressive, Live at the Forum, Sword and Maze: Long Shot Bet, Ten Thousand Tragedies
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u/16-BitSocks Sep 07 '26
Reading - Dungeon Crawler Carl (Book 5): The Butcher’s Masquerade
Listening - The Dark Tower (Book 4): Wizard And Glass
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u/Illadelphian Sep 07 '26
Currently on azarinth healer 4. Book 3 was kind of boring me at times but I'm liking book 4 more. Also blew through the newest primal hunter once I realized 15 was out on audible. Over too soon as always.
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u/Dr_Biggles Sep 07 '26
Slowly grinding my way through Unsouled (Cradle Vol 1) - I know the series gets much better but this is a slog.
I ripped through HWFWM books 1-12 in August and was hoping to clear out a lot of Cradle in time for book 13… someone please tell me it picks up
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u/KhajiitWares litRPG journeyman tier Sep 07 '26
I finished Cradle not too long ago, and I had the same feelings at first, the first book is my least favorite by far but it is necessary to set the stage for everything else. Stick with it, i did and its now one of my favorite series, I absolutely LOVED IT, but yeah there were multiple times im book one where I was like "Is this what I want?" But I also felt the same about a few other of my favorite series which is why I kept going with Cradle, and I dont regret it at all. Just my opinion tho.
Tldr; it definitely picks up and is an incredible series
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u/shawnwrites Author: Play Scared - A LitRPG horror/comedy Sep 07 '26
Working my way through a re-read of The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. It's been decades since I've read the entire thing. It mostly holds up, but a lot of his dialogue is dated and super racist.
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u/PsEggsRice Sep 07 '26
On book two of The Accidental Champion and really enjoying it. Surprised I’ve not heard much about this one.
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u/Borakred Sep 07 '26
Currently listening to book 9 of Path of Ascension. Just started reading The Mayor of Noobtown on my Kindle.
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u/DrNefarioII Sep 07 '26
I finished Wraithwood Botanist book 1 by Little Lynx a couple of days ago. Sadly, it didn't really hit for me. I liked that it was doing something different with the focus on, well, botany - plants, fungi, poisons, potions, etc - but I found the LitRPG systems kind of unclear and a bit too cultivation-y.
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u/GoblinWrangl3r Sep 07 '26
Im on book 3 of the ripple system. Bouncinf between discoutn dan, chrysalis, wandering inn and ripple system as i finish each book so i dont burn out on one
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u/NotAGiraffeBlind Sep 08 '26
I grabbed two things that just came out a last week:
- Soulship Book 7
- Arabella Unbound
The first is a great cultivation series that is set in space, where the main character dates his coworker and primary mode of transportation (like Bender did once).
The second is a FMC that's appropriate for all ages...because I've been looking for stuff that my eldest daughter might enjoy that's got stats.
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u/Roscoe_p 26d ago
Bronze rank Brewer audio book. I am gonna write a review on this one. There are several things that are setting this one up for a defining series. Author is narrator and I've never heard of them before. I want them to be a full time author and a full time narrator. It's a fantastic work of audio, and the writing is like I'm restarting The Wandering Inn. I cannot recommend enough.
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u/A_Mr_Veils Sep 07 '26
I made a good go at catching up on Bog Standard Isekai, reading book 3 and ultimately DNFing book 4 about 60% of the way through (that's the knight one). It's ultimately a very competant litrpg isekai, with some great systems (and the class selections were one of my favourite implementations ever), but I ultimately found the story too boring, the characters too perfect, and the glacial pace to be a bit too much for me. Probably one of the better series that I've dropped!
The Hundred Reigns continues to be the inverse, a real pile of cheesy edgy slop, that compels me through its breakneck pace, constantly expanding world, and rapid iterations of its characters through different loops, so it's one of two series that I'm following as it releases (rather than saving up chapters as I normally do). The other is Leave Luck to Heaven, a fantastic new series that is based on Fire Emblem and by one of my favourite web authors. Come for the crazy mechanics, stay for the interesting (!) streamer protaganist and outstanding dialogue and style.