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First Line of Defence #1
First Line of Defence
Earth was invaded. Earth was conquered. And humanity was summarily subjugated, as 400,000,000 people were culled.
The terrifying part was this only took the Peacekeepers a second. There wasn’t even a chance for us to fight back. So, in the blink of an eye, questions like whether or not we’re alone in the universe or if we’re at the top of the food chain were answered. We were not. Not by a long shot.
Despite the mass murder, the Peacekeepers promise they’re benevolent. They don’t want to rule Earth. They don’t want to control humanity. They just want us to stop playing around with AI and genetics.
Willing or unwilling, Morgan and the rest of humanity are now members of the Collective. And like every species in the Collective, they have to learn to play the Game.
So, what do you do, when an AI offers you the opportunity to play the greatest tower defence game the universe has ever created?
You accept, of course.
Learning the rules and finding a way to survive can come later.
Morgan certainly thinks so.
But when aliens are attacking your station, and giant, six-eyed rats are eating your robotic face, you start to have your doubts. Accidently starting a war doesn’t help, either. But what are you going to do? You’re the first line of defence —and you’ve got a job to do.
The terrifying part was this only took the Peacekeepers a second. There wasn’t even a chance for us to fight back. So, in the blink of an eye, questions like whether or not we’re alone in the universe or if we’re at the top of the food chain were answered. We were not. Not by a long shot.
Despite the mass murder, the Peacekeepers promise they’re benevolent. They don’t want to rule Earth. They don’t want to control humanity. They just want us to stop playing around with AI and genetics.
Willing or unwilling, Morgan and the rest of humanity are now members of the Collective. And like every species in the Collective, they have to learn to play the Game.
So, what do you do, when an AI offers you the opportunity to play the greatest tower defence game the universe has ever created?
You accept, of course.
Learning the rules and finding a way to survive can come later.
Morgan certainly thinks so.
But when aliens are attacking your station, and giant, six-eyed rats are eating your robotic face, you start to have your doubts. Accidently starting a war doesn’t help, either. But what are you going to do? You’re the first line of defence —and you’ve got a job to do.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2023
136 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
February 6, 2024
This is a System nonpocalypse LitRPG and that made it interesting right from the start. The only deaths on the introduction of the "Peacekeepers" were the proven psychopaths (serial killers, politicians, etc.). Everyone else gets to go about their normal lives with the added task of cycling into "the Game" (3½ days on, same off). There are no lasting consequences for the things that happen in the game. You're only virtually there, so deaths there aren't tragic. But some benefits of play penetrate into the real world, including earning tokens that can be used to cure diseases and prolong life. This makes people eager to buy into the system and play for the benefits.
Our protagonist is a world-champion tower defense guy. As a result, he gets offered the rare class of Station Master. This class acts as humanity's first line of defense against having their territories (in game) be invaded and raided by other factions. Since humanity is a noob and the other races have been playing for seasons, humanity will eventually lose, so the real question is how many perks and tokens can they get before their inevitable loss?
I liked Morgan at first. Right up until he just gave up on the rats and decided that dying a bunch was a good strategy. I mean, the author makes it work in the end, but that rubbed me the wrong way. I eventually got over it because Morgan is otherwise a lot of fun and his new AI friend, Tee, made for a great banter buddy to bounce off of. I particularly like that Morgan found ways to break the game and how he saw that as an opportunity to mess with the moderators who have to come in and fix what he breaks.
And I have to admit that the author does a fantastic job creating unique characters in the other Station Masters and an even better job inventing unique races for the antagonists in the gamiverse. Morgan figuring out how to pseudo-ally with the gator guys made for a fascinating wrinkle. And the author showing how dynamics like taunting and trapping worked to make opponents make poor choices was outstanding as well.
Add a great pace and an ability to make the conflicts truly gripping and this is a full-on five stars and a great deal of fun to read. I'm very sad that there is, as yet, no follow up, though the book ends on a satisfying climax. This author now has three series wins for me, I just wish he'd write faster...
A note about Chaste: Morgan ends up being a big ole (and well-known) hero and that makes it harder to find real relationships. Indeed, it's a huge turn-off for him that the pretty girl in their gamer group suddenly likes him once he becomes both rich and famous. I like that about him, frankly. That does mean that there's no romance and unlikely to be one any time soon, making this very chaste. And I'm more than okay with that.
Our protagonist is a world-champion tower defense guy. As a result, he gets offered the rare class of Station Master. This class acts as humanity's first line of defense against having their territories (in game) be invaded and raided by other factions. Since humanity is a noob and the other races have been playing for seasons, humanity will eventually lose, so the real question is how many perks and tokens can they get before their inevitable loss?
I liked Morgan at first. Right up until he just gave up on the rats and decided that dying a bunch was a good strategy. I mean, the author makes it work in the end, but that rubbed me the wrong way. I eventually got over it because Morgan is otherwise a lot of fun and his new AI friend, Tee, made for a great banter buddy to bounce off of. I particularly like that Morgan found ways to break the game and how he saw that as an opportunity to mess with the moderators who have to come in and fix what he breaks.
And I have to admit that the author does a fantastic job creating unique characters in the other Station Masters and an even better job inventing unique races for the antagonists in the gamiverse. Morgan figuring out how to pseudo-ally with the gator guys made for a fascinating wrinkle. And the author showing how dynamics like taunting and trapping worked to make opponents make poor choices was outstanding as well.
Add a great pace and an ability to make the conflicts truly gripping and this is a full-on five stars and a great deal of fun to read. I'm very sad that there is, as yet, no follow up, though the book ends on a satisfying climax. This author now has three series wins for me, I just wish he'd write faster...
A note about Chaste: Morgan ends up being a big ole (and well-known) hero and that makes it harder to find real relationships. Indeed, it's a huge turn-off for him that the pretty girl in their gamer group suddenly likes him once he becomes both rich and famous. I like that about him, frankly. That does mean that there's no romance and unlikely to be one any time soon, making this very chaste. And I'm more than okay with that.
May 12, 2025
I loved it! Benjamin Kerei is on fire!
3 series and 3 hits.
Unorthodox Farming, The Vampire Vincent, and now This one.
If you loved the first two, you'll love this one as well. The same level of inventiveness, maybe a bit more witty banter than before, and no snarky condescending comic relief animal.
This book was so much fun to read. If this book was food I would have choked I read it so fast.
The only bummer is that this book is half the size of Oh Great! I was Reincarnated. and about 100 pages less than Death Loot & Vampires. I didn't want it to end, but it did wrap up at a logical place. ...so I'm sad not mad.
This author is amazing. I'm just crying over the wait for book 2.
Update. Reread 2024:
I loved it even more the second time. This book is like crack or something, I just want more. This book satisfies a craving I didn't know I had.
3 series and 3 hits.
Unorthodox Farming, The Vampire Vincent, and now This one.
If you loved the first two, you'll love this one as well. The same level of inventiveness, maybe a bit more witty banter than before, and no snarky condescending comic relief animal.
This book was so much fun to read. If this book was food I would have choked I read it so fast.
The only bummer is that this book is half the size of Oh Great! I was Reincarnated. and about 100 pages less than Death Loot & Vampires. I didn't want it to end, but it did wrap up at a logical place. ...so I'm sad not mad.
This author is amazing. I'm just crying over the wait for book 2.
Update. Reread 2024:
I loved it even more the second time. This book is like crack or something, I just want more. This book satisfies a craving I didn't know I had.
May 3, 2024
Rating 4.5 stars
This author is 3 for 3 with his series. So far, I loved everything he has published. The first one was fantasy, the second was about vampires. This one was more sci fi. I lean much more towards fantasy than sci fi so I was a little hesitant on this one. I shouldn't have been. The characters are what make this writing work, and they have remained the same. I love reading about very competent people. This one starts with the system coming to the world. The people of earth are now part of a great game. The MC, Morgan, is being given the option to be a station commander. He is given this option because he was ranked #1 in the world for his Tower scenario games. It isn't exactly the same, but it was close enough. Morgan agrees and thus starts his journey. For being so new to the system, Morgan is extremely competent. He ends up using some tricks that help him leap ahead. He pretty much breaks the game a couple of times. I didn't completely understand everything that was being done or said, but that didn't change my enjoyment level. Morgan sounded like he was having fun and knew what he was doing so I was having fun. The specifics of what happened are less important. I can't wait for the next one. BTW, listened to the audiobook and Travis Baldree really makes the story.
This author is 3 for 3 with his series. So far, I loved everything he has published. The first one was fantasy, the second was about vampires. This one was more sci fi. I lean much more towards fantasy than sci fi so I was a little hesitant on this one. I shouldn't have been. The characters are what make this writing work, and they have remained the same. I love reading about very competent people. This one starts with the system coming to the world. The people of earth are now part of a great game. The MC, Morgan, is being given the option to be a station commander. He is given this option because he was ranked #1 in the world for his Tower scenario games. It isn't exactly the same, but it was close enough. Morgan agrees and thus starts his journey. For being so new to the system, Morgan is extremely competent. He ends up using some tricks that help him leap ahead. He pretty much breaks the game a couple of times. I didn't completely understand everything that was being done or said, but that didn't change my enjoyment level. Morgan sounded like he was having fun and knew what he was doing so I was having fun. The specifics of what happened are less important. I can't wait for the next one. BTW, listened to the audiobook and Travis Baldree really makes the story.
October 10, 2023
I first read this as it came out on Royalroad. I have read it again on KU.
It's a fun sci-fi litrpg.
I loved that the author saved all the pets.
I laughed a good bit reading this one.
I'm glad to say I found no mistakes to post on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. However I kept getting error messages when trying to post this review and have had to go to each site that I post reviews to and do each one.
I'm even more pleased to note that the story is being continued over on Royalroad.
10/10
It's a fun sci-fi litrpg.
I loved that the author saved all the pets.
I laughed a good bit reading this one.
I'm glad to say I found no mistakes to post on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. However I kept getting error messages when trying to post this review and have had to go to each site that I post reviews to and do each one.
I'm even more pleased to note that the story is being continued over on Royalroad.
10/10
November 29, 2023
If this book were a little longer or had more pathos, I'd give it five stars.
Given that the premise was not interesting to me, (fortress defense), I was surprised with how absorbing I found it. Most of my enjoyment stemmed from how likable the protagonist was... and the banter was great.
It's true that the tactics and strategy were only successful because the author was on Morgan's side but his constant explanations really sold it. If there's more to this creation, I'd be happy to give it a read.
Given that the premise was not interesting to me, (fortress defense), I was surprised with how absorbing I found it. Most of my enjoyment stemmed from how likable the protagonist was... and the banter was great.
It's true that the tactics and strategy were only successful because the author was on Morgan's side but his constant explanations really sold it. If there's more to this creation, I'd be happy to give it a read.
November 8, 2023
If you have read other books from this author and enjoyed all of them, this book will probably be a similar experience. I've read the author's other books and unfortunately enjoyed each one a bit less than the previous. I called it quits with this one at the 62% mark.
The author tends to write characters that overlap in personality a bit too much for my liking. It was okay for me as a first-time experience back in the Farmer novels, but it became repetitive with additional exposure. Multiple characters within the story also had a habit of pursuing the same 'witty' banter with other characters to the point where it felt like one person having a conversation with himself. Just because a character found another character funny didn't mean that I did and just drew extra attention to how unfunny I found jokes when they didn't land. I wanted to move on but instead would have to read how the other character grinned or laughed in response and oftentimes even replied with "Good one!"
Maybe it's just me, but named references in writing feel lazy. When people understand the reference and figure it out themselves, it gives an extra sense of accomplishment. When people don't get a reference specifically, they can still follow it generally from the context so it works. Straight up saying a character is the Owen Wilson Wow meme is lazy and does nothing for a reader if they don't get it other than disrupt their immersion. It also didn't help that the characters seemed too self-aware that they were being witty just for the sake of being witty. I felt like the sober friend in the room smiling politely while the others were drunk and laughing repeatedly at the same juvenile callback they've been repeating all night.
The premise of the story was interesting and I enjoyed the idea, but similar to Death Loot & Vampires, it felt like I was just reading a summary of the story instead of experiencing the actual scenes. Most of the fun stuff seemed to happen off-screen while the MC sat back and bantered with his AI.
I also couldn't swallow the initial premise of the MC being a 'pro' tower defense game player. The character seemed like an idiot for comedic effect who routinely failed upward in rank while being given exactly the circumstances he needed to exploit bugs in the system. The game mechanics were superficial at best and everything felt like an asspull rather than a skilled implementation of strategy mechanics.
The writing, as usual for the author, was pretty good. The scenes were clear, easy to understand, and consistently infused with personality. The one drawback would be several proofreading errors that slipped through the cracks - things like touse instead of to use and Power Consumptiom instead of Consumption were regular occurrences. If you can ignore those nits from the punctuation, everything else was solid.
I guess if you enjoy things like Dungeon Crawler Carl, then this will probably be up your alley. It just wasn't for me. Most of the issues that I had with this book fall under personal preference, but despite not being for me, I would say the author is one of the good ones in the genre and I like that he explores various ideas rather than beating a series to death with 20 volumes.
The author tends to write characters that overlap in personality a bit too much for my liking. It was okay for me as a first-time experience back in the Farmer novels, but it became repetitive with additional exposure. Multiple characters within the story also had a habit of pursuing the same 'witty' banter with other characters to the point where it felt like one person having a conversation with himself. Just because a character found another character funny didn't mean that I did and just drew extra attention to how unfunny I found jokes when they didn't land. I wanted to move on but instead would have to read how the other character grinned or laughed in response and oftentimes even replied with "Good one!"
Maybe it's just me, but named references in writing feel lazy. When people understand the reference and figure it out themselves, it gives an extra sense of accomplishment. When people don't get a reference specifically, they can still follow it generally from the context so it works. Straight up saying a character is the Owen Wilson Wow meme is lazy and does nothing for a reader if they don't get it other than disrupt their immersion. It also didn't help that the characters seemed too self-aware that they were being witty just for the sake of being witty. I felt like the sober friend in the room smiling politely while the others were drunk and laughing repeatedly at the same juvenile callback they've been repeating all night.
The premise of the story was interesting and I enjoyed the idea, but similar to Death Loot & Vampires, it felt like I was just reading a summary of the story instead of experiencing the actual scenes. Most of the fun stuff seemed to happen off-screen while the MC sat back and bantered with his AI.
I also couldn't swallow the initial premise of the MC being a 'pro' tower defense game player. The character seemed like an idiot for comedic effect who routinely failed upward in rank while being given exactly the circumstances he needed to exploit bugs in the system. The game mechanics were superficial at best and everything felt like an asspull rather than a skilled implementation of strategy mechanics.
The writing, as usual for the author, was pretty good. The scenes were clear, easy to understand, and consistently infused with personality. The one drawback would be several proofreading errors that slipped through the cracks - things like touse instead of to use and Power Consumptiom instead of Consumption were regular occurrences. If you can ignore those nits from the punctuation, everything else was solid.
I guess if you enjoy things like Dungeon Crawler Carl, then this will probably be up your alley. It just wasn't for me. Most of the issues that I had with this book fall under personal preference, but despite not being for me, I would say the author is one of the good ones in the genre and I like that he explores various ideas rather than beating a series to death with 20 volumes.
October 15, 2023
Loved it.
This isn’t an in depth, tightly constructed novel. This is a fun idea based on tower defense-type games. Enough humor and character bits to keep the plot moving between combat. The kind of humor that shows over-grown boys bonding in bizarre violence-based rituals and pranks.
This isn’t an in depth, tightly constructed novel. This is a fun idea based on tower defense-type games. Enough humor and character bits to keep the plot moving between combat. The kind of humor that shows over-grown boys bonding in bizarre violence-based rituals and pranks.
December 31, 2024
Awesome Dungeon Core book.
After catching up with Vincent, I decided to start another of Kerei's books to see what it had to offer. I can happily say that it didn't disappoint. Fun from start to end. It is filled with some fun humor and interesting mechanics. I am looking forward to starting the other book soon.
After catching up with Vincent, I decided to start another of Kerei's books to see what it had to offer. I can happily say that it didn't disappoint. Fun from start to end. It is filled with some fun humor and interesting mechanics. I am looking forward to starting the other book soon.
April 30, 2024
This is the most unbalanced story I have ever read.
Between the dungeon and the base building, neither is done. The faction wars and political squabbles are the same. This has over reached and accomplished nothing. The systems are horribly balanced and the bonuses are massive plot armor. The main character is flat and only exist as a cheap gamer template. This is a massive disappointment.
Between the dungeon and the base building, neither is done. The faction wars and political squabbles are the same. This has over reached and accomplished nothing. The systems are horribly balanced and the bonuses are massive plot armor. The main character is flat and only exist as a cheap gamer template. This is a massive disappointment.
December 20, 2023
Master of none.
While i really like the other works of the author this time he totally overreached as he tries to combine dungeon and station building, galactic gaming and politics with frat house humour and galactic mass murder light.
There were too many boons and thickest plot armor as the protagonist pulls desperate solutions out of his hat at the last moment all the time for my taste..
While i really like the other works of the author this time he totally overreached as he tries to combine dungeon and station building, galactic gaming and politics with frat house humour and galactic mass murder light.
There were too many boons and thickest plot armor as the protagonist pulls desperate solutions out of his hat at the last moment all the time for my taste..
March 26, 2024
This book was alright. It’s mostly a tower defense/dungeon defense litrpg. my main problem with it was that there were too many descriptions, yet not enough explanation of what was going on. How are credits and tokens and relationship points and path points different? I don’t know, but he sure does mention them a lot. The main character did seem pretty overpowered pretty quickly.
October 17, 2023
Really enjoyed this story. It's quick and the MC has a lot of plot armor, but it's quite a bit of fun post-apoc story, without the mass genocide that normally comes with that style of story.
January 14, 2025
By providing a realistic reason why experience as a gamer is actually a huge advantage in a system apocalypse, this book already stands out from others in the genre.
As a non-gamer myself but a lover of this sub-genre, I always laugh whenever I hear about gamers being so much more advanced in these situations than non-gamers. It comes across as an author trying too hard to justify their gaming habit. It's almost like someone finally being able to prove their mum wrong when she said they are wasting their life sitting in front of a game for so long rather than getting out in the real world. The truth is that in most situations, non-gamers might be a little surprised by systems at first, but they'd soon catch on. Contrary to popular opinion, people aren't stupid, and even if they are somehow entirely ignorant of game mechanics (something highly doubtful in 2025), it's not rocket science to figure it out.
So, if you want to make a history of gaming a genuine advantage to your protagonist, an author needs to provide a better reason than them being familiar with game basics. Like with this book, for example. Here, the protagonist is a champion gamer within a specific niche, tower-defence games, which makes him an ideal candidate to be put in charge of running and protecting a space station, which is a highly valued asset in the protection of humanity. Given the game mechanics used in setting up this environment, it is the perfect scenario where a champion at succeeding in this specific niche would, of course, be the ideal choice to be the protagonist of this particular story.
This might sound like a hollow reason to like a story, but I promise this one aspect makes a big difference. It all comes down to how much suspension of disbelief you can expect from your readers before it breaks your story. The more a story makes sense, the less work a reader has to do to overlook it's flaws, and the more invested they become in the story. Not having to fight my brain constantly asking why this particular nobody happened to be the right fit for the protagonist of this story, I could instead focus on my favourite type of story to read: the story of an exceptional protagonist achieving his full potential.
As I mentioned earlier, gaming isn't my thing, and if it were, tower-defence games certainly wouldn't be the sub-genre that would attract my interest. You write a story about one of the best tower-defence gamers in the world manifesting the ultimate extreme of his potential as he is taken out of a gaming environment and thrust into a story with real stakes, though, and you better believe I will thoroughly enjoy reading it.
That said, I had some minor frustrations with this book that knocked a star off the review.
Taking place in the "real world" and not a virtual reality is a big plus with me when it comes to these books because it means the story's actions have a genuine impact on the "real world". This is how you create stakes and get readers invested in your story. However, you start to undermine those stakes by filling big chunks of the story with AI characters and NPCs and then removing the threat of death thanks to infinite respawns. Without stakes, you remove the reason to care about the story being told.
This book didn't go all the way with this, relying on Morgan's accomplishments and their impact on humanity to carry the story. But this book would hit way harder if the stakes felt a little more impactful.
The other issue I have is with Morgan's AI assistant. As a British person, I know plenty about banter and how much fun it can be to tease friends and joke with them at their expense. However, this book does what many books with such characters do: it crosses the line between joking with a friend and being an enemy.
Good banter only works when you know that it will only go so far, and you trust that the person teasing you cares about you and wouldn't actually do anything to harm you. Once they start genuinely engaging in activities with long-term negative consequences, though, it's no longer banter but something much more sinister.
The book often crosses the line with both the actions of the protagonist and his AI friend. It's written as fun but breaks the "show, don't tell" rule because it goes too far. We're told that these two are created to be perfect companions for each other, but we see them constantly acting antagonistically towards one another without ever taking a break from that antagonism, so we're not actually witnessing a friendship, but instead an enmity.
However, both of these issues are small in the grand scheme of things. They kept this from being a 5-star read, but it is still a damn fine book. As always I loved seeing an exceptional character live up to his potential, and I particularly enjoyed watching this character excel to such a level that he ends up gaming the system.
This was a lot of fun to read, and I can't wait to start on book two.
As a non-gamer myself but a lover of this sub-genre, I always laugh whenever I hear about gamers being so much more advanced in these situations than non-gamers. It comes across as an author trying too hard to justify their gaming habit. It's almost like someone finally being able to prove their mum wrong when she said they are wasting their life sitting in front of a game for so long rather than getting out in the real world. The truth is that in most situations, non-gamers might be a little surprised by systems at first, but they'd soon catch on. Contrary to popular opinion, people aren't stupid, and even if they are somehow entirely ignorant of game mechanics (something highly doubtful in 2025), it's not rocket science to figure it out.
So, if you want to make a history of gaming a genuine advantage to your protagonist, an author needs to provide a better reason than them being familiar with game basics. Like with this book, for example. Here, the protagonist is a champion gamer within a specific niche, tower-defence games, which makes him an ideal candidate to be put in charge of running and protecting a space station, which is a highly valued asset in the protection of humanity. Given the game mechanics used in setting up this environment, it is the perfect scenario where a champion at succeeding in this specific niche would, of course, be the ideal choice to be the protagonist of this particular story.
This might sound like a hollow reason to like a story, but I promise this one aspect makes a big difference. It all comes down to how much suspension of disbelief you can expect from your readers before it breaks your story. The more a story makes sense, the less work a reader has to do to overlook it's flaws, and the more invested they become in the story. Not having to fight my brain constantly asking why this particular nobody happened to be the right fit for the protagonist of this story, I could instead focus on my favourite type of story to read: the story of an exceptional protagonist achieving his full potential.
As I mentioned earlier, gaming isn't my thing, and if it were, tower-defence games certainly wouldn't be the sub-genre that would attract my interest. You write a story about one of the best tower-defence gamers in the world manifesting the ultimate extreme of his potential as he is taken out of a gaming environment and thrust into a story with real stakes, though, and you better believe I will thoroughly enjoy reading it.
That said, I had some minor frustrations with this book that knocked a star off the review.
Taking place in the "real world" and not a virtual reality is a big plus with me when it comes to these books because it means the story's actions have a genuine impact on the "real world". This is how you create stakes and get readers invested in your story. However, you start to undermine those stakes by filling big chunks of the story with AI characters and NPCs and then removing the threat of death thanks to infinite respawns. Without stakes, you remove the reason to care about the story being told.
This book didn't go all the way with this, relying on Morgan's accomplishments and their impact on humanity to carry the story. But this book would hit way harder if the stakes felt a little more impactful.
The other issue I have is with Morgan's AI assistant. As a British person, I know plenty about banter and how much fun it can be to tease friends and joke with them at their expense. However, this book does what many books with such characters do: it crosses the line between joking with a friend and being an enemy.
Good banter only works when you know that it will only go so far, and you trust that the person teasing you cares about you and wouldn't actually do anything to harm you. Once they start genuinely engaging in activities with long-term negative consequences, though, it's no longer banter but something much more sinister.
The book often crosses the line with both the actions of the protagonist and his AI friend. It's written as fun but breaks the "show, don't tell" rule because it goes too far. We're told that these two are created to be perfect companions for each other, but we see them constantly acting antagonistically towards one another without ever taking a break from that antagonism, so we're not actually witnessing a friendship, but instead an enmity.
However, both of these issues are small in the grand scheme of things. They kept this from being a 5-star read, but it is still a damn fine book. As always I loved seeing an exceptional character live up to his potential, and I particularly enjoyed watching this character excel to such a level that he ends up gaming the system.
This was a lot of fun to read, and I can't wait to start on book two.
September 11, 2024
Where is the tension?
Morgan (the MC) doesn't care about his own deaths, he doesn't care about his family because he doesn't think of them while in game, nor do his family even inquire about him having multiple deaths in game once they learn about it.
The people who all died on the first day? Who cares? Morgan certainly doesn't.
The peacekeepers are just instantly believable that they are there to do the right thing?
Morgan has no decernable personality. I know it's stated that the peacekeepers who have the human population newly enslaved is pumping him with chemicals or something of the sort to keep him calm and composed but that shouldn't mean his personality completely disappears.
Then he goes and says stuff like his deaths were both traumatic and non traumatic at the same time.
He reads more like a learning AI than the actual AI companion that he has.
Then there are the 'arguments' between the AI and Morgan, and I don't think any of them have any purpose? Morgan just ends up sounding like a five year old who doesn't have the reasoning skills or vocabulary to actually put his thoughts together.
I kept waiting for him to wake up again in the real world and see something, anything different or interesting, or be horrified by the instant difference in the entire world suddenly being controlled but when he did wake up, there was nothing besides him referencing big brother.
What was he actually fighting for? The population are already enslaved by the 'peacekeepers' and everybody was kept asleep for four days and that's fine? They just have family dinner like everything is normal?
Then we find out about Daniel, a paraplegic. Only he isn't anymore because he's been cured? Somehow? So the peacekeepers just healed him? So there's no need for hospitals anymore? Is there a need for scientists or teachers anymore? Will people actually die? Who knows.
If you are super into tower defence games perhaps you'll like this, but it wasn't for me.
DNF at 26%
Morgan (the MC) doesn't care about his own deaths, he doesn't care about his family because he doesn't think of them while in game, nor do his family even inquire about him having multiple deaths in game once they learn about it.
The people who all died on the first day? Who cares? Morgan certainly doesn't.
The peacekeepers are just instantly believable that they are there to do the right thing?
Morgan has no decernable personality. I know it's stated that the peacekeepers who have the human population newly enslaved is pumping him with chemicals or something of the sort to keep him calm and composed but that shouldn't mean his personality completely disappears.
Then he goes and says stuff like his deaths were both traumatic and non traumatic at the same time.
He reads more like a learning AI than the actual AI companion that he has.
Then there are the 'arguments' between the AI and Morgan, and I don't think any of them have any purpose? Morgan just ends up sounding like a five year old who doesn't have the reasoning skills or vocabulary to actually put his thoughts together.
I kept waiting for him to wake up again in the real world and see something, anything different or interesting, or be horrified by the instant difference in the entire world suddenly being controlled but when he did wake up, there was nothing besides him referencing big brother.
What was he actually fighting for? The population are already enslaved by the 'peacekeepers' and everybody was kept asleep for four days and that's fine? They just have family dinner like everything is normal?
Then we find out about Daniel, a paraplegic. Only he isn't anymore because he's been cured? Somehow? So the peacekeepers just healed him? So there's no need for hospitals anymore? Is there a need for scientists or teachers anymore? Will people actually die? Who knows.
If you are super into tower defence games perhaps you'll like this, but it wasn't for me.
DNF at 26%
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2023
Read on Royalroad. The below may or may not hold up if it is ever published elsewhere.
A bit rough around the edges but otherwise a very solid and enjoyable story with a well-built world that is very reminiscent of Dungeon Crawler Carl, if it was lighthearted instead of dark and grim. If you’re a fan of LitRPG and Sci-Fi, this is worth checking out.
Strengths of the story:
It’s refreshing to read a LitRPG where the stakes are still high (and humanity-altering) but without being apocalyptic.
As is typical in the genre, the main character quickly gets overpowered albeit only within a narrow context. It’s even arguable that in the grand scheme of things, they are still far behind the other factions who have been playing the Great Game for millennia, especially when you factor in the importance of having the entire faction working together.
Having an AI not be a deus ex machina, and instead served as a variably-useful companion was a nice touch as well. It was a decent balance of a character being technically all knowing, but also lacking in the experience to effectively implement said knowledge.
I also liked how each faction appears to fill a specific niche which requires its own playstyle to best utilise, and I can’t wait to see more of the other factions in detail in future books.
Areas of improvement:
There are a number of typographical and editing errors, and while they don’t really detract from the story, they can be noticeable at times.
The explanations and infodumps can get a bit overwhelming, and some of the menus don’t seem intuitive or clear. It’s also difficult to follow if the exploits make sense as they happen very quickly, though this could also be an intentional hand-wave/obfuscation; I only bring it up here because the experience gain and scaling is discussed and leveraged on multiple times, and with the numbers thrown around it’s unclear if we’re meant to follow along.
Overall, it was a really fun read and I can’t wait for more.
A bit rough around the edges but otherwise a very solid and enjoyable story with a well-built world that is very reminiscent of Dungeon Crawler Carl, if it was lighthearted instead of dark and grim. If you’re a fan of LitRPG and Sci-Fi, this is worth checking out.
Strengths of the story:
It’s refreshing to read a LitRPG where the stakes are still high (and humanity-altering) but without being apocalyptic.
As is typical in the genre, the main character quickly gets overpowered albeit only within a narrow context. It’s even arguable that in the grand scheme of things, they are still far behind the other factions who have been playing the Great Game for millennia, especially when you factor in the importance of having the entire faction working together.
Having an AI not be a deus ex machina, and instead served as a variably-useful companion was a nice touch as well. It was a decent balance of a character being technically all knowing, but also lacking in the experience to effectively implement said knowledge.
I also liked how each faction appears to fill a specific niche which requires its own playstyle to best utilise, and I can’t wait to see more of the other factions in detail in future books.
Areas of improvement:
There are a number of typographical and editing errors, and while they don’t really detract from the story, they can be noticeable at times.
The explanations and infodumps can get a bit overwhelming, and some of the menus don’t seem intuitive or clear. It’s also difficult to follow if the exploits make sense as they happen very quickly, though this could also be an intentional hand-wave/obfuscation; I only bring it up here because the experience gain and scaling is discussed and leveraged on multiple times, and with the numbers thrown around it’s unclear if we’re meant to follow along.
Overall, it was a really fun read and I can’t wait for more.
April 11, 2024
I'm happy to report that I was wrong. This is a fantastic read. The first 90 min or so are definitely a slog. There's a lot of data, terminology, and mechanics in a very short amount of time with very little action. Most of what's happening is thinly veiled expository dialogue
But if you can make it past that.
Then the story rapidly becomes very very engaging. It's so clear the author took a lot of time to world build. As the story unfolds new species are introduced and there's so much detail to the cultures and conventions. The game mechanics start to make sense and are satisfying to read / see in action.
It's a good read. And the author does an amazing job creating a universe I'd want to be a part of. I think the only real bit of criticism I can think of at this point is that the MC makes a string of very conveniently placed choices that have no obvious logic to them that end with him getting to some insane outcomes. (It feels like he's either making godlike choices where everything is optimal, or he's totally incompetant and there doesn't seem to be any in-between. I realized this is tricky thing to write, especially when you know how it all turns out, but many of the choices presented in the book seem to convenient to be believable. Yes I know I'm making complaints about believability in a book where the world basically becomes a giant game, sue me. I like as much immersion as I can get.
Anyways.
It's very worthwhile. Initial data dump and all.
Once I finish with the first book, I'm probably gonna relisten. It's good.
But if you can make it past that.
Then the story rapidly becomes very very engaging. It's so clear the author took a lot of time to world build. As the story unfolds new species are introduced and there's so much detail to the cultures and conventions. The game mechanics start to make sense and are satisfying to read / see in action.
It's a good read. And the author does an amazing job creating a universe I'd want to be a part of. I think the only real bit of criticism I can think of at this point is that the MC makes a string of very conveniently placed choices that have no obvious logic to them that end with him getting to some insane outcomes. (It feels like he's either making godlike choices where everything is optimal, or he's totally incompetant and there doesn't seem to be any in-between. I realized this is tricky thing to write, especially when you know how it all turns out, but many of the choices presented in the book seem to convenient to be believable. Yes I know I'm making complaints about believability in a book where the world basically becomes a giant game, sue me. I like as much immersion as I can get.
Anyways.
It's very worthwhile. Initial data dump and all.
Once I finish with the first book, I'm probably gonna relisten. It's good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2023
I loved, loved, loved First Line of Defense! It had lots of pop-cultural references... and I think at least half of 'em were Star Trek. It also had one of my favorite tropes an AI named Tee who was a complete smart ass from the get go. The system/game was great too. Travis Baldree was again fantastic, and bravo Benjamin Kerei take your bow!
So what are you waiting for get the book and enjoy!
I love quotes that make me laugh, here's a few:
"The president called Daniel’s parents and principal the following morning, but only on the condition Tee never contacted her directly again. Tee begrudgingly accepted the deal. By lunch time, he’d started nagging the vice-president instead."
“Also, make Pluto large enough to be a planet again."
“Awesome! I’m going to get ice cream, don’t blow anything up while I’m gone.�
“My name isn’t Nick.� “Are you sure? Because I’m pretty sure you’re Santa Claus since every time I see you, it's Christmas.�
So what are you waiting for get the book and enjoy!
I love quotes that make me laugh, here's a few:
"The president called Daniel’s parents and principal the following morning, but only on the condition Tee never contacted her directly again. Tee begrudgingly accepted the deal. By lunch time, he’d started nagging the vice-president instead."
“Also, make Pluto large enough to be a planet again."
“Awesome! I’m going to get ice cream, don’t blow anything up while I’m gone.�
“My name isn’t Nick.� “Are you sure? Because I’m pretty sure you’re Santa Claus since every time I see you, it's Christmas.�
March 19, 2024
Review after second reading: I think I was a little harsh in my first impressions of this book. His other series, Unorthodox Farming, set the bar extremely high for me. I do not think this book is as good. That being said, this is still top tier LitRPG. While it doesn't have as much introspection and character growth as the other series, it still has lots of humor and action. The protagonist is satisfyingly over powered, but arrived at that power through his own cleverness. While there aren't lots of other characters, they feel real and well developed. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
October 17, 2023
Another fun additional to his writing collection
Ben is a must read author if you are a fan of video games and sci-fi. His humor and joke and references are awesome and not over the top to the point that you cant figure out what he is talking about. His three series deal with breaking the game more or less and it’s a theme I can get full behind. This book could be several book if he wanted to but he choice to give us the fun and non of the filler and I appreciate that since most authors milk something this sweet. Keep up the good work Ben
Ben is a must read author if you are a fan of video games and sci-fi. His humor and joke and references are awesome and not over the top to the point that you cant figure out what he is talking about. His three series deal with breaking the game more or less and it’s a theme I can get full behind. This book could be several book if he wanted to but he choice to give us the fun and non of the filler and I appreciate that since most authors milk something this sweet. Keep up the good work Ben
August 17, 2024
What was that trope again "A god-tier gamer with social anciety" ? Now let us add the descriptor "Simultaneously a damned genius and a dunce". No, not in that charming asperger-scherlock type of innocent asshole way. More like Hannibal Smith from A-Team and Jay from "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back".
To be honest, at least some of it could be explained by later content. So i am giving it three stars of "completely acceptable strategic power fantasy with pop-culture references".
And if the author should ever read that review.... **** that Star Trek stuff! Babylon 5 all the way!
To be honest, at least some of it could be explained by later content. So i am giving it three stars of "completely acceptable strategic power fantasy with pop-culture references".
And if the author should ever read that review.... **** that Star Trek stuff! Babylon 5 all the way!
February 26, 2024
hilarious tower defense on crack
This was awesome. First Benjamin’s humor really resonates with me. Sarcastic, a little immature, and delivery is priceless. The body he gives his AI companion with his first reward. I laughed so hard I cried!
I loved the wave/slash tower defense theme of the book. Also the way the author incorporates this into the world building was top notch. Loved this.
This was awesome. First Benjamin’s humor really resonates with me. Sarcastic, a little immature, and delivery is priceless. The body he gives his AI companion with his first reward. I laughed so hard I cried!
I loved the wave/slash tower defense theme of the book. Also the way the author incorporates this into the world building was top notch. Loved this.
October 5, 2023
3.5 stars:
I enjoyed the story overall, but the game system was difficult to parse. I’ve read a lot of litrpg so I don’t usually have a problem with the numbers. This one was a little all over the place with the game rules.
So far, it is a very low-stakes story with a few good jokes. I’ll read the next one.
I enjoyed the story overall, but the game system was difficult to parse. I’ve read a lot of litrpg so I don’t usually have a problem with the numbers. This one was a little all over the place with the game rules.
So far, it is a very low-stakes story with a few good jokes. I’ll read the next one.
October 14, 2023
The story is great and the personalities fit nicely (not necessarily with each other, just in the story, as it should be).
I was not able to follow all the upgrades and paths and choices as much as I would have liked - even at the end I don't have a clear sense of how everything works together nor what might be optimal. Still, it might not have been critical as the main character progresses extremely quickly and the drama and style of the story/combat is the main point, not the niggling point here or marginal advantage there.
I was not able to follow all the upgrades and paths and choices as much as I would have liked - even at the end I don't have a clear sense of how everything works together nor what might be optimal. Still, it might not have been critical as the main character progresses extremely quickly and the drama and style of the story/combat is the main point, not the niggling point here or marginal advantage there.
December 6, 2023
This is the only real time strategy book I actually enjoyed. It's like starcraft mixed with a dungeon core. This just shows that anything this author writes is going to be good.
Three very different series, and I enjoyed them all.
This was enjoyable to read. Didn't expect I would have liked it. Convinced a few friends to pick it up.
I will be waiting on the sequel.
3/5 Stars
Three very different series, and I enjoyed them all.
This was enjoyable to read. Didn't expect I would have liked it. Convinced a few friends to pick it up.
I will be waiting on the sequel.
3/5 Stars
December 27, 2023
Tower Defense meets LitRPG
This was a fantastic read. I enjoyed the RTS/Tower Defense aspects.
The "Game" that descends upon humanity is much more benign than other "system" novels, but there's still risk.
Great read if you are into station building, Tower Defense, and/or space games.
This was a fantastic read. I enjoyed the RTS/Tower Defense aspects.
The "Game" that descends upon humanity is much more benign than other "system" novels, but there's still risk.
Great read if you are into station building, Tower Defense, and/or space games.
January 31, 2024
First Line of Defense (review)
I’m so into fantasy I was skeptical at first, but I should have known better! Kerei delivers! Always! This was so good it rates with the absolute finest in the LitRPG genre. Don’t wait, don’t walk, tie yourself to a rocket and launch to get this book!
I’m so into fantasy I was skeptical at first, but I should have known better! Kerei delivers! Always! This was so good it rates with the absolute finest in the LitRPG genre. Don’t wait, don’t walk, tie yourself to a rocket and launch to get this book!
April 1, 2024
This book definitely has its moments and is a moderately fun read, but it gets bogged down in the minutia pretty often. I found myself skimming quite a bit of it. If you're super into tower defense games, then that aspect might go from a negative to a positive. The "tricks" the MC comes up with to game the system are ok, but not super satisfying. I'm going to give the next book a shot.
April 24, 2024
This was a fun read. It's the kind of book to read if you are in the mood for something more along the lines of a space opera parody, like Spaceballs. It's not a good book to read if you are looking for a believable world-best tower defence player or a plot that really hangs together or makes sense.
October 10, 2023
I have read all of Benjamins books. This book was my favorite of his and had me wishing for more. It might be my favorite litrpg of all. I really like his protagonists humor and wit and how their unusual choices unlock great rewards. Just pure fun!
January 16, 2024
What a terrific book
This was so much fun. The system was crazy and stupidly brilliant at the same time. I was laughing throught out the whole book. The scifi elements were really well thought.
Looking forward to book 2
This was so much fun. The system was crazy and stupidly brilliant at the same time. I was laughing throught out the whole book. The scifi elements were really well thought.
Looking forward to book 2
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