Ziggy

There has been an explosion of litrpgs based around cards recently and I am all for it. It's a fairly specific and vastly unexplored niche that you pretty much already know whether or not you're interested. And let's face it, magic based on cards has an inherent appeal.

It's still very early days. The setup so far has been very familiar and standard of isekais in general. But the author's grammar is good, the reasoning behind it seems much more understandable, and I like what we've been shown so far with how the cards and magic system work.

The MC doesn't have or display much agency until the end of chapter 8. That's pretty normal, but it can chafe many readers. That is also, not so coincidentally, the chapter that had me decide I'm invested and interested in this story. So give it until at least that chapter to decide to drop or continue.

This review mostly focuses on the first arc of the story.

The Daily Grind is really one of the OG stories on RoyalRoad. It's been around for years with most people at least being aware of it. That, combined with the length and more critical reviews, can often make someone put off reading it for later. We all know how the idea of starting a particular new story or game can somehow feel stressful or a hassle to the point you can't force yourself to bother.

As someone who frequently feels that? It can be ignored with this story. I find being given a concrete number helps. You should know by the end of chapter 6 whether or not this is your jam.

One thing this story does very well is quickly instill feelings of wonder and magic. The world the MC explores is completely novel and you'll feel just as delighted as they are by the absurd and terrible things they come across. Those feelings are very difficult to properly capture and convey in most stories, so it's something I really appreciate.

Other reviews have valid points about how the later arcs can get lost in the weeds. But there's this unique spark to the story where I haven't been able to stop reading in spite of it. Given how critical I can be and how willing I am to drop a story, that's saying something.

Even if you eventually decide this story isn't for you? With no hyperbole, I can safely say that the first arc is one of the most fun and memorable I've read on the entirety of RoyalRoad. It deserves the chance to similarly ensnare you, at minimum.

A lot of people into litrpg are typically not interested in picking up a new story when it's just VR (myself included). Understandably, as it generally really lowers the stakes and requires some serious bending over backwards to make it even a little believable. But it seems like this story is going in a direction to make it more real and consequential, to where even I'm on board. So don't let the VR tag alone turn you off from giving it a read.

I can't remember where I found this and I don't see it on trending or anything. But the writing quality is fairly high compared to average, and the story is interesting. I'm not totally sold on the MC yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.

Give it a few chapters. If you like the style, it gets more engaging after a somewhat slow start.

I'll be blunt. Angry Spider has talent when it comes to writing. There is a noticeable and consistent quality to their works, even when I'm not a fan of the plot or tone. Shedling continues that trend.

This story is firmly sci fi, with some interesting concepts and seems to be building up to higher stakes. But also, it's a character story focusing on identity, family, fitting in, heartbreak and wholesomeness. It's still early days but the combination is mixed in a way that feels completely organic.

It's cute, it's interesting, it's sad, it's hopeful. If you're on the fence, I'd give it the first three chapters. Even if it's not your cup of tea, the high quality of the writing makes giving it a chance anything but painful.

I tried. I managed to read more than one chapter. But this is written with such poor grammar that it's hard to even try to read or know where to start critiquing. There are run-on sentences, typos, weird syntax, no subtlety, and other problems in just about every sentence. I'm assuming English isn't the author's first language, and it shows.

I'd recommend writing in your native language or practice a lot more with writing in English and taking some courses. As is, be prepared for some blunt reviews and comments as you try to improve.

This story is a noticeable departure in tone from Nixia's last series with far less levity. And while I enjoy my comedy, the frequently darker tone fits this story like a glove. Any casual reader will have trouble even recognizing that this is the same author.

About all you need to know about the story is that the main character has "Ahab" in their name. This is a not so subtle broadcasting of what we can expect from the MC. They are a man on a vengeful and hateful mission, shining in their singular and glorious purpose. And instead of being droll, they are given enough depth of character and foils so that I'm frequently invested in just about every single scene.

One of the most important aspects of a litrpg besides plot is the actual litrpg. And thankfully, it's done well here. The magic and system are seemingly simple but with hidden depths, and also entirely unlike any other litrpg I've read. If there's one thing people love, it's novelty, and I am no exception.

Let's start with the positives. The art is great. I tend to check out what this author writes for that alone. Also, the litrpg in this fiction starts off noticeably better than prior attempts at using it. It doesn't feel tacked on or unnecessary, it feels important and relevant and informative. Big step up and they're noticeably improving.

Unfortunately, things start going off the rails very quickly.

First problem is just a metric ton of irrelevant exposition. While some allowances can be made for how difficult it can be to write a character in isolation, there's just way too much. There is paragraph after paragraph of details on science, tech, history, the soviet union... So many things that feel shoe-horned in and go on for way too long. I typically enjoy factoids like this, so if I'm feeling it's too much, the average reader will be even worse off.

Next up is that the MC gets way too powerful, way too quickly. He's completely breaking down and understanding the "language" of magic while he's still a fetus. To the point he's creating new spells, skills, and so good at magic he's disparaging how everyone else is a scrub before they're even born. The power he has feels unearned and beyond excessive. Considering we're not even 20 chapters in yet, that's going to get worse as time goes on instead of better.

Intelligence is great. But just because someone is smart, I don't expect them to unravel the secrets of the universe before they're even born. Or already face ridiculous challenges and come out on top, and/or hit nigh god-like power in that same time period. The system doesn't even feel solid anymore because the MC can just offer random "trades" and oaths with seemingly no limit.

The core of the story is interesting and promising. But it needs a bit of a rewrite so things don't get out of hand so ridiculously quickly, at minimum.

This story is for a specific group of people. Xianxia junkies. If you consume that genre and you're constantly looking for your next fix? You'll likely be interested in this. Even if you just occasionally enjoy the genre, you should probably give it a shot.

The story isn't perfect. The MC is weirdly and supernaturally competent. They always seem to have the answer and get a critical success in everything they try. Given who the MC is and the "power" they get just being modern day knowledge, it comes off as a bit much. The eventually added litrpg aspect also feels half baked and unnecessary.

But compared to the average Xianxia? It's not even a contest. The prose is noticeably above average, the characters have more depth, and you get art that is as visually striking as it always is from this author randomly strewn throughout as a nice bonus. You'll know pretty quickly whether or not this story is for you.

A lot of this story's main theme is bog standard. The setup of a guy without powers in a world with them and the problems therein can be a bit sitcom. The main plot points and twists are foreshadowed to the point you typically won't be surprised.

And yet. In spite of that, I am consistently surprised by how impressive the execution is. The grammar and prose is near spotless, the characters believable and human, the world building captivating, and I've genuinely laughed aloud at several chapters. The author has obviously put countless hours of work into polishing this story into a gem.

If you have a guilty pleasure for "secret identity" fiction, you'll love this. But even if, like me, you don't? It's still worth giving a shot. I went in with blatant skepticism, and yet here I am waiting for the next chapter.