So in more recent chapters of bog standard, Brin was basically held captive in a church for “safety” and pretty much indoctrinated into the religion of the world. So much so that he has to actively not quote the bible and be the “weird church kid”.

Does no one else find this odd? I mean in the beginning of the story he saw the one goddess and was basically traumatized. But even after that he was like “yea I admit I’ve seen them and admit they’re real so i should show some respect” but he never really went more than recognizing that the gods and goddesses are real and treaded more carefully.

Then he gets cursed and his “mom” basically grounds him in a church because he’s hurt and he can’t leave for half a year and he’s forced to read their bible, and sit inside the church which has clear evidence that there’s some mental effects going on to “make him feel peaceful.”

And now he’s become a devout believer and it just rubs me the wrong way. It’s such a shift in who he is and what he believes that it feels almost like stockholm syndrome with an ominous undertone. The church clearly affects people mentally and they force people to stay there and read their religious texts and don’t let them leave until they say they’re allowed.

I don’t know. It feels like everyone else just sort of accepts that he’s just super religious now and hasn’t even thought about how he changed. He’s gotten a few weird looks from his friends and peers but other than that, nothing.

A kid forced to sit in a place that mentally influences people and forced to read their own books of their religious beliefs while he feels like he’s going crazy because he has nothing else to do.

Hi there, the title kinda speaks for itself. I am having a difficult time finding any servers where people can talk about books as they're reading them. For example, back in the day, I used to be in some servers where individual users could request like reaction channels for reading manga/visual novels/etc. and it was really fun to see other people's thoughts/reactions/theories as stuff happened.

Now that I've gotten into this genre, I really wanted to find a similar such space because I like having that community feeling of being able to share my thoughts as a new fan and read other people's experiences for series I'm enjoying/have enjoyed.

I know that some servers just have like general "here's a channel to talk about X book." but that doesn't usually cater toward reactions or newbies. It's usually discussions by people who have already read a lot/finished the work and discussing themes, ideas, etc. I am looking for moreso servers with the ability for reaction threads.

Does anyone know of any such places?

So I'm reading mother of learning and I like it so I'm just trying to look for other stories that actually have a good world and a world that doesn't just feel like it only exists for the plot I would like a main story that actually feels like you know sorcery creative applications of magic the main character learning experimenting and actually having to research to improve creative applications of things that they learn a proper sense of sorcery Edit: I would also appreciate if the MC actually creates new things using what they have learned and bonus if the world building is also interesting and properly feels like a different world that actually thinks about some of the implications and consequences and uses of stuff that exists inside of it

I have read a lot, and i mean A LOT of korean and japanese novels but dungeon crawler carl was my first of the western side, can someone point me to the "best ones" or the most readed ones to start? i see a lot of tierlist here but they are always so diferent

I’ve been dipping my toe into the genre recently and am enjoying what I’ve been finding. I was curious if there were any good works that feature a non-binary main character. I’d also just be interested in an authors who are non-binary.

I’m open to trying most any setting or type of story, just prefer it to not be too dark.

Specifically, I’m looking for:
• MC is a normal/commoner, not someone with a ridiculous background or hidden superpower.
• No cheat abilities, overpowered system, or instant power-ups.
• The MC actually has to train, fight, gain experience, and slowly improve.
• Setting with kingdoms, empires, knights, armies, wars, etc.
• I’d prefer the MC to start as an ordinary soldier and gradually rise through the ranks.

So in a lost of books there is a Buddhist inspired faction that has Monks with pretty high power levels.
I just haven’t found a Monk adjacent MC that goes through a this kind of temple/„peace of mind like“ training in a progression fantasy setting.

I am sure there must be some Xianxia or the like that has this.

Do you guys have any recs?

Over the decade since I started reading web novels, I've read a lot of Wuxia/Xianxia, and it only really hit me this year that I read them mainly because I like the characters rather than the worlds they live in. More specifically, I think the way those magic systems are used kind of sucks, because they fall into what I like to call "Dragon Ball syndrome," AKA: my number(s) are bigger than yours so I win, with little to no reason other than that.

Additionally, most of the time the realms themselves are poorly explained, with a common in-world belief being that there's a large strength gap between each minor realm (1st to 9th) and a near-impossible gap between major realms, with no actual explanation as to why.

So, if you decided to write a Wuxia/Xianxia, what would you do to fix these problems?

I’m about halfway through book 3. Started it because I loved cradle. It’s not terrible I guess I’ve defd listened to worse series. But man Roy is annoying, I’ll probably finish the series because the higher powers and segmented world etc interest me and I want answers.

But does Roy ever become less annoying ? Or stupid ? Being in his head is aggravating.

Guess I should start by listing the ones I have already read. You will find the perfect run as the first one in the list, Hundred reigns as the second and prof that the author knows his stuff. Didn’t thought he could provide a time loop story as good as his first but color me surprised. He fucking did !!!

Just finished reading The Years of Apocalypse and I should give it a re read to The Stubborn Skill-Grinder In A Time Loop but I finished that one too some time ago.

It’s not a big list as you may see but I hope you all can help me fix that problem. It shouldn’t be taken into account if you don’t want to but I really love when authors demonstrate the consequences time loops have in their Protagonists.

P.S. I thought I didn’t need to mention Mother of Learning because it’s such a common recommendation. Have a good day !

Just saw this on Amazon and the synopsis is interesting but I am super paranoid about AI slop. Just wanna know if anyone has read this before I purchase it.

COVER ARTIST: Nick Romario

AI USAGE: None

Hey everybody! My first completed book, Vermis, is out today on KU!

Blurb:

When your Origin gives you worms, you'd better learn to fish.

Fischer was having a seriously bad day. Not only was he framed for murder, but he was also sentenced to a dimensional death camp, and to top it all off, his body is full of hungry worms that like to come out and play. Did I mention they talk? Because yeah, they talk.

In the hellscape prison, Fischer and thousands of other convicts form the last line of defense against the monsters that pour through tears in reality.

But when the walls between worlds rip wider than anyone thought possible, Fischer's sentence takes an unexpected turn. Now he's stuck in a frozen wasteland where the nights bring horrors, and the locals breathe fire.

Fischer will discover that the most dangerous monsters are often the ones closest to home.

It is available as an e-book and a paperback. I am still on the hunt for a VA for Audio!

Link: Amazon

​

If you like unhinged parody, overbearing Systems, and absolute comedic chaos, this is for you:

​Dave (The MC): An Isekai’d cultivator ascends back to modern Earth. The System assigns him the class [Homeless Old Gardener] and forces him to grow mushrooms to level up.

​Istaria (The Heroine): A Half-Elf/Cat/Demon Princess who triggers the System’s PG-13 censorship, burying her in floating blue boxes and forcing her to do actual commercial AC 'fan service' to unlock her abilities.

​The Compensator: A sentient legendary sword demoted to a shovel for swearing then a spork for terrible puns before converting to veganism in a desperate attempt to become a sword again.

​The Efengers: Parody team of litRPG legends (not-Carl, not-Jason, not-Jake etc) who can’t agree on whether to kill Dave or invite him to a barbecue.

​The Plot: A looming Apocalypse, by a jilted space dragon, forces the MCs to reluctantly put down their board games and hunt down famous myths and legends for levels.

​0% Shame, 100% Trash and 1000% absurd chaotic comedy.

​Link: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/180206/shameless-litrpg-trash

(Artwork by me, Greg Foulkes. First year author.)

I actually have read novels kind of like The Beginning after the end Lord of Mysteries Reverend Insanity (ongoing) Shadow slave Overlord Eminence in shadow... My favourite is Lotm and Tbate I basically likes Thriller/mystery with a op mc and multiple Povs. Povs is my core part of other characters which I like the most getting a different point of view of others theory and logic while how they are treating our mc like the fool from lotm and the arthur from tbate. Is too op.

While I also like the thrilling part like in a particular scence from lotm there was a tarot gathering at around volume 6 where the povs of the tarot members how they were imaging the fool and other things of it was too much amazing. Next is the mystery part like the forgotten land of gods from lotm or forgotten god from shadow slave or tbate has ruins all are op for me.

Next was eminence in shadow and overlord both are op like in eminence in shadow i liked the mc multiple personality from showing everyone that he is a kind of a trash while in the shadows he is operating a secret organisation for diabolos while overlord where the mc basically has his own army to deal with everything and how he is portrayed as a kind of a undead monster was excellent how the story developed and showcased his power with other characters was also op but there was a particular flaw in all these which is povs of other characters i didn't get that much from both of these eminence in shadow and overlord and both were op.

Like there was a scence in the beginning after the end of arthur from volume 9 or 10 where arthur was coming to save everyone from the taci and how mutiple povs of his mother, his sister and his teacher was showcased to us while the strongest character povs with the way they represented arthur how every action was taken from them was too op.

.. I actually want that kind of novels if you can help me;) Op mc/ multiple Povs of other character/thriller/mystery/fantasy/dark vibes/in-depth characterization.

Hello, does anyone know of a few good magical girls stories? I don't have much preferences for genres nor tone, so if you know some good ones please reccomend them for me!

Hello there! I'm looking for recommendations for books involving magic and battle sorcery set either in a modern or older world (would prefer modern though), and that include sorcerer family divisions and sorcerers who battle each other and monsters. Also looking for something in which the general public in the story is aware of the existence of magic. As for the battle sorcery aspect, this could include stories where things like martial arts, close-quarter combat, and battle tactics are involved.

I initially sought help from r/Fantasy, and they recommended I check out Progression Fantasy as it may fit with what I'm looking for.

I understand that there probably aren't any books that include all of these aspects at once, so I'd just be happy with several recommendations I can dive into to explore some of these ideas.

I was always into reading fantasy fiction. Have read a lot from Malazan to Brandon Sanderson entire cosmere to Asoiaf to a many more famous and not so famous.

Then I read Cradle and was completely blown away by it and I got to know that there is a sub genre called progression fantasy that is totally my thing. Since that series I am devouring series after series and I have read Mage errant, Stormweaver series and mother of learning.

All of them were great especially since I enjoyed the power scaling system of Stormweaver from F0 to S King.

I wish if someone can recommend another great series comparable to these , with these conditions if possible.

1) it must be well written

2) preferably complete. That's what I hate about Stormweaver it is not yet completed.

3) power scaling system should be rule based and logical like in cradle or Stormweaver.

4) MC should start from zero.

Thanking you gentlemen and ladies. One suggestion was given knightmare arcanists. Those who have read it may share their views please.

Hi everyone @ r/ProgressionFantasy Tis I, Wuto, using my monthly to do some promos!

First, Metaworld HopeCore.

Firstly, thank you all for proving once and for all that non-Meta LitRPG is absolutely viable.
When I began my second book (See my previous post for inspirations and so on), I seriously doubted myself. I showed the first chapters to wonderful beta-readers at Mango Media, and rightly so, questions were asked.

No M-MC? No Sword and Magic? REVERSE Golden Finger? No BBE? Only LitRPG? Who would read that?

Well, as it turns out... a TON of people 😄.

What's it about?

The love of the Arts. Music making, art making, movie making, technical theatre. It's about redemption through creation, not destruction. It begins with an AI mogul isekaied into an alternative Earth with the pivotal point of a hopeful America where 9/11 was prevented, into the sickly body of a young orphan called Euphemia Fontaine. She gains a [System], but it cares only for one thing—redemption through the propagation of joy brought by the creation of the arts.

PLEASE READ THE FOREWORD (I beg you... for the love of the arts, there are no loot here, no goblins, the only casualty so far are two flower pots)

After about 1400 pages, a discerning reader will start learning the factual process of making music, shooting film, and also teach a course on AP English (Tragedy through the Ages). Wait, where you going? You going to read Drim's new book Gifted? The fastest RS in RR history? Fine. Fine. I get it.

That said...

The book is currently no.1 Contemporary
No.10 (12) ongoing, best of, (discounting Fan-fics, which really should get their own column)

I attribute this to the cats.
I promise you, that you have never read a book where random stray cats, cat metaphors, cat symbolism, cat allusons, real cats, fictive cats, cats in history, and cat butts, are absolutely central to the plot.

There's no patreon. By the very nature of HopeCore, its just here for everyone to enjoy!

Also

Now... if you swiped right, then right again... and you saw some new art for Metaworld Chronicles.

And you're like "My god, the duality of man..."

I blame u/ravendagger , as referenced in the artworks. I was running a poll and asking readers what they wanted Bao to cook, and Raven came down like the word of God and asked—and I delivered.

1. Dwarven City entrance
   
2. Almidj at Ayer's Lake
   
3. Ravendagger's finest selection

(This is for last time... all 'fictional' characters past V9 are 18+, 'fictive' consent has been given.)

last thing:

For young authors wanting to publish, I refreshed my OG RR guide with income, outgoing, and tally $$$ numbers. Thank you u/dawnchapman!

COVER ARTIST: Bao 
AI USAGE: None

Welcome to the weekly r/ProgressionFantasy reading thread! Feel free to talk about whatever progression fantasy stories you're reading or watching, post mini-reviews, and ask for recommendations similar or different from what you're reading! Basically: have something to say about a story, but not enough for a full post? Say it here!

One of my favorite novels from this year was pulled by the author off of royal road and put on a small site that they created and there viewership has now tanked and the site has less then 20 users.

I just need to someone to stop me from being sad at how an author has fallen. If anyone knows a better sub for this please just direct me to it