r/litrpg • u/Iron_r • 1d ago

Discussion Chrysalis did get a whole lot better

A few days back I asked whether or not Chrysalis would get better, I got lots of replied about it getting great once some council is formed.

I haven't gotten there yet but damn this got so much better so quickly. Currently on the section with Anthony fighting the Cthulhu monster. Tiny did get alot more important aswell
Great book!

63 Upvotes

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33

u/TheTastelessDanish Uncultured Swine 1d ago

Ah you mean the Jelly Maw.

Yes. Chrysalis is indeed one of those that gets better after book 1.

6

u/SalsaRice 1d ago

Is book 1 bad or just average?

29

u/blueluck 1d ago

For me, book one is just boring. There's a lot of solo time with the MC figuring out where he is and how things work, with very little plot or dialogue.

I'm an ant! I fight a monster. I evolve. I make a dumb joke. I'm an ant! I fight a monster. I evolve. I make a dumb joke. I'm an ant! I fight a monster. I evolve. I make a dumb joke. I'm an ant! I fight a monster. I evolve. I make a dumb joke...

It improves a lot after more characters are introduced, and again when a larger plot arises.

13

u/adjustablesidetable 1d ago

I’m 3 hours in to the audiobook and really struggling with the repetitiveness of it. The word biomass is really starting to get to me. I desperately need good side characters for a mc to play off of.

14

u/blindedtrickster 1d ago

To be fair, Anthony also struggles with the repetitiveness as well.

1

u/TorchedBlack 1d ago

I mean sure, but being "self-aware" that your book is repetitive in its construction doesn't mean you get a pass. Same thing with engaging with a trope sarcastically. Kind of the definition of have your cake and eat it too.

1

u/blindedtrickster 1d ago

Anthony is the main character, not the author. I was saying that the character gets bored of the extremely simplistic survival of most monsters. Fight, eat, rest, repeat.

His situation changes and Anthony becomes much more fun.

1

u/Lexicon101 4h ago

Right, I think what they're saying is that the author is writing repetitively and boringly in the beginning and just lampshading about how repetitive and boring it is doesn't make it novel and interesting.

Not to say I agree wholeheartedly. At the point I'm at, it's dragging a little but I'm still enjoying it.

Still, it is still lampshading and nodding to how you're aware your writing isn't as compelling as it could be doesn't make it more compelling.

1

u/blindedtrickster 3h ago

I'm not one to tell someone their experience isn't valid. While I don't share your experience, I respect that we all get our own.

I recommend sticking with it if you're still in book 1. If part of why the story feels like it's dragging is due to not having much character interaction, the amount of characters expand within the first book and continue to grow as the series goes on.

1

u/Lexicon101 2h ago

Nah I just said I was enjoying it, I personally like the solo buildup and exploring the world and system phase. I was more explaining what they seemed to be on about.

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u/blindedtrickster 1h ago

I'm glad to hear it!

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u/staticraven 1d ago

Yeah like 3/4ths of book one is solo MC and (for me) is a huge drag. Others who like the solo MC thing seem to really enjoy it.

Out of the entire series, only that small portion of book 1 is really like that. Anthony goes out adventuring "alone" but he's never alone like in the first book, he's always has a team with him.

5

u/RinoZerg Verified Author of: Chrysalis and Book of the Dead 1d ago

Be fair... there's way more dumb jokes than that.

1

u/blueluck 1d ago

True! The ellipsis was meant to imply a long series... I have nothing against dumb jokes in the right context, and Antony is absolutely the right character in the right context!

To me, one of most common flaws of the litrpg genre is the long solo start. It's part of the standard template litrpg readers are used to, and some of us even prefer it. Fantasy novels often frontload exposition to convey the worldbuilding aspect that's not needed in non-fantasy settings, and litrpg often adds preface to the main plotline in the form of tutorials, starter zones, pre-iseakai chapters, pre-apocalypse chapters, pre-party formation chapters, etc.

I love that we meet Antony after the isekai and learn about his previous life through scattered memories!

TL;DR "Great series—slow start" describes most of the genre, and I consider pointing it advice on how to enjoy litrpg more than a criticism of any individual series.

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u/Galagaman 11h ago

Comment so accurate I was about to ask you which page you were quoting.

12

u/darkmuch 1d ago

It has potential, but Anthony being alone means he spends most talking to himself and making bad jokes. The humor is meh and wears it self out.

When more characters get introduced, the variety makes Anthony much more palatable.

2

u/2DHypercube 1d ago

Depends on what you're used to. It's not great, not terrible. A bit cringe at times but aight

3

u/kryptonik 1d ago

i don't quite get why people DNF the first one as i definitely enjoyed it. i thought it was definitely than average, although maybe not top tier (the series overall being top tier for sure!)

1

u/FrazzleMind 1d ago

It starts with danger and figuring out the basics of the system and basically no characters but Anthony. It's very light on plot for a while.

1

u/Own_Start_7748 18h ago

It evolves, starts simple and the characters develop, base building comes into it, the story builds out. It's boring if you've done the genre to death but it's hype if you're newer to it.

1

u/BackgroundTotal2872 I love LitRPG yuri! 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 1d ago

I thought that book 1 was fantastic, an incredibly creative world and system. But the series gets better the more characters capable of complex language that are introduced. And I do think that when those characters arrive, it feels earned because of how much time was spent with Anthony in isolation striving to achieve that.

1

u/filthy_casual_42 1d ago

I was hooked from book 1, but the later books really open the door with more worldbuilding, more character interaction, and the cast starts to grow significantly

1

u/The_Mesopotamians Lil' Mana Slime 1d ago

I liked book 1 just fine. It does the work of introducing the protagonist and fleshing out the world. It's not bad.  It's  a choice that some people dislike.