Magic and Bullets by Larry Correia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Very fun. There's nothing like a true underdog who scraps hard (with cobbled magic) running an almost illicit school of magic with nothing more than guts and spite while trying to pay rent to mobsters squeezing him on squatted, abandoned property.

And trying to survive with all those unwanted student mages while being set up to fail as idiot adventurers under extortion and brigands ready to cut them should they make any mistakes.

Very fun. Classic, even. Fantasy on a lower scale. Really low. Bottom-feeder low.

And yet, it's also full of promise because our hero just won't give up.



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Academy of Outcasts by Larry Correia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I know this is billed in some circles as a LitRPG, but no. I really think it belongs firmly in the YA fantasy category with some, but not a lot of crossover, of dark academia.

In reality, it's elemental realms complete with asshole mages, slavery by other names, and a bunch of power-jealous peeps that turn everything rather lawless and wild-westy.

It ALSO happens to be a full-buildup of a crafty mage who, while being magically weak, happens to fight really dirty. Mostly just to survive. And because of that, tends to win despite horrible odds.


But later? A very enjoyable fantasy including new, also poor, friends, a hunger to learn and survive in the big city, and some other dirty tricks that may--or may not--help them survive the books to come.

I loved it.

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Vainglory 3: A LitRPG Adventure by Plum Parrot
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The wild west LitRPG moves on to the big city, or rather, a whole other world. Wolfing it up, speaking words of power, and generally getting attacked everywhere they go.

Fun stuff. I'm always pretty pleased with the stories and characters of Plum Parrot. Good enough that I generally pick up anything by them and almost always have a good time. And this is no different.

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Hell Difficulty Tutorial: Book Six by Cerim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An absolute middle book syndrome.

A lot of progression things happen in the in-between floors of the Astral Prison, but for the most part, it's a time of relaxation and introspection and endless astral-battle simulations. And mimics. And damn mind mages.

But yeah, for the most part, a comfortable addition to the series.

Which shouldn't be quite THAT comfortable with a title of Hell Difficulty, should it?

Nah, never mind, impossibilities come in all flavors.

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Messenger Corps by J.N. Chaney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

All right. This is entirely on me. I really probably should have read up on what kind of book this was rather that making stupid little assumptions.

You know, like we could get some kind of heavy-mech space opera story based on a messenger service. Like full-out deliveries. With occasional oh-shit moments.

I thought to myself, hey, even if it's somewhat bad, that would be pretty cool and unusual, wouldn't it?

But yeah, no. This is entirely on me.

Instead, we get ancient AI, a powerful mech, and a story that has a bit too much religion and shades of warhammer 4ok and MilSF for my tastes. Too much concerning the "messenger" "chosen one" type tropes for my taste.

And worse, now that I'm reading up on it, it's apparently a continuation of another series of stories that I'm unfamiliar with and, sadly, probably wouldn't have been overly interested in. I'm just not that into long justifications for holy wars.

I still wish I had my bonkers, half-baked story handed to me instead. Alas. Stupid me.

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Dauntless by Jack Campbell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a straight-laced and uncomplicated mil-sf without strong command female characters. It's ALL about leadership, good intelligence, and respect. Earning it, displaying it, reaping the rewards of it.

It's what I imagine most old-school military fictions would be like (without knowing anything) with a patina of space battle to keep it fresh.

It's... pure. If that makes sense. Just trying to keep your men alive, bucking idiots, and overcoming the odds. Very little else.

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William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return by Ian Doescher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

'Tis a balm to my soul.

Truly, I didn't know I needed this as much as I know I did with the first two books. But Return of the Jedi is a great redemption arc. Funnily done, as Shakespeare style, it's still a great story at its core.

But to hear the rancor sing in couplets?

*chef's kiss*



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