R.C.

The Dark Lord... is a Healer?

Reviewed: 06-13-24

This story has a couple of tropes that, if advertised, I think could bring in a lot more readers. First, the Dark Lord is a Healer! People love Healer Isekai stories; there aren't enough of them. Second, the main character is the Dark Lord, which you can figure out from the summary of the story.

That aside, I love this story, and the voice actor totally had me glued. It's nice having someone actually act out the story and not just read it to me—the difference between a voice actor and a narrator, I suppose.

As for the story, it kind of reminds me more of an isekai mafia-like trope, even though it has elements of everything you'd expect. Mostly mafia, though. To overturn the world, his great plan is to introduce Earth social concepts—feminism. Yeah, I rolled my eyes and laughed at that one a bit too much. Still, this entire story takes place outside a single city within a magical realm, unraveling the city’s (or kingdom’s) social structure from the very bottom to topple the top—through the power of healing and prostitutes. Albeit, he may sometimes imbue the most powerful healing spell with a fire spell, acting like an absolute sadist to those he’s healing, eliciting agonizing screams. However, we do get references about how horrible that makes him feel, and eventually how horrible he feels for no longer feeling horrible about it. lol

As for the main character, well, he's a sarcastic smartass, which I personally got a kick out of, but may not vibe with everyone.

In any regard, I loved it, and it feels like a fresh take on a repetitive trope that seems overused. Can't wait for the sequel!

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4 people found this helpful

Ascent? More like, Dark Descent

Reviewed: 06-03-24

I have to admit, I was initially worried as the story began, with the main character (Elania) appearing timid and reluctant to fight. Given the title "Demon," I was expecting a touch of darkness and sinister behavior, and thankfully, the story delivered. I wouldn't call the main character truly evil, but as she develops, she isn't afraid to do what needs to be done, and at times, she even enjoys it—which I found quite satisfying. It's all too common to see a dark character archetype that shies away from doing the necessary (evil) deeds. That said, the main character still tries to act the goodie-two-shoes, but this often ends with her consuming someone—or five. Additionally, the story introduces a girl-love theme later in the book, which might appeal to some readers and displease others. I, for one, am curious to see how Elania's relationship develops in Book 2.

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3 people found this helpful

I. Want. More!

Reviewed: 05-07-24

I really enjoyed this one. The main character gets a week's heads-up to the apocalypse, but instead of warning humanity, he focuses on prepping for it because he has no faith anyone would listen to him. Worse yet, he believes the government would lock him away as a research specimen. Talk about a pessimistic outlook—which, I agreed with, lol

If I had one complaint, it's that the end of the book fell off a bit for me, though it was still fascinating enough that I want to see what happens next.

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...The Voice Actor

Reviewed: 05-07-24

It took me some time to get used to the actor's voice—okay, I take that back, I never got used to it.

It's a fun, action-packed book; however, the voice actor could put a hyperenergetic toddler to sleep. It may just be me, but with all the action, the calm, soothing tone didn't suit the story. Don't get me wrong—the voice actor isn't bad... yeah, that's a lie! The narration isn't suited for an action series; it felt like I was listening to a poor AI voice reading to me.

I hate giving negative reviews because I believe that if you don't like it, write your own. However, I just can't figure out what happened with this narrator. This isn't the first novel they've voiced, so I'm not sure what went wrong.

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3 people found this helpful

Flawed Perfection

Reviewed: 04-08-24

I loved it, but having the character stats play at the end of every chapter was beyond annoying. That aspect of LitRPG works great in a book, and I love it when authors include it, but it's quite bothersome in an audiobook format. Besides that minor complaint, it was an amazing story, and I'll be starting book 2 as soon as I finish this review.

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A Vampire in a System Apocalypse - YES PLEASE!!!

Reviewed: 03-31-24

I really enjoyed the book. It weaves together two worlds: our own Earth, home to humans, werewolves, and vampires, and a magical realm populated by elves, dwarves, beastkin, and magic. The plot kicks off with a vampire who's been condemned to death by her own master. But, in a twist of fate, she's whisked away to this magical alternate reality right before her execution. This little plot twist was incredibly engaging for me, and I can't wait to see if she gets her revenge later in the series. Plus, I was glad to see the story steer clear of the goofy, slapstick humor that's become a bit too common in LitRPGs, opting instead for a more serious vibe.

In this alternate reality, the MC has to fight for survival in a forest full of monsters way out of her league. Being a vampire, she gets stronger by feeding on their blood. I was a bit worried she'd quickly become too powerful, but thankfully, the story managed to balance her power growth well. That being said, I wouldn't mind if she eventually becomes OP... Huh, I guess I've got a thing for overpowered characters, even though I sometimes gripe about them.

Anyway, I absolutely adored the story, but it's a bummer that I have to wait five months for the sequel to come out on audiobook. Looks like it's time to revive my old Kindle and see if I can grab the second book there. That's how eager I am to find out what happens next. LOL

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1 person found this helpful

Promising!

Reviewed: 03-29-24

As a standalone book, it left me wanting more, making me feel as if the MC was just warming up with a couple of side quests. But knowing this is just the beginning of what promises to be an exhilarating series fills me with excitement! I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing where the story goes from here, especially for the chance to follow a character who's genuinely likable and doesn't lean on slapstick humor for appeal (I've had my fill of that recently).

I'm genuinely thrilled at the prospect of diving into more books in this series! I just wish I had an idea of when the next one is coming out.

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Reminds me of "Mayor of Noobtown"

Reviewed: 03-25-24

The first half was a bit rough with lame humor and eye-rolling arachnophobia. However, sometime into it, things switched around, especially during those last few hours that made sticking with this book all worth it in my eyes. The MC goes from an utter nerd with unreasonable fears to owning his own powers, becoming a bad*ss. Hint: Don't throw someone away where they can have an all-you-can-eat exp farm. That being said, I'm now hooked and can't wait to start the second book, hopefully it maintains the momentum of the last portions of this book.

UPDATE: I'm almost done with book 2, and it has doubled down on the quirkiness and lame humor that I dislike so much. I appreciate humor, especially dark humor, but this leans more towards slapstick, reminiscent of books like "Mayor of Noobtown." If you enjoy that style, this book will be perfect for you; it's just not my cup of tea. My greatest frustration lies in the concept of an Arachnomancer, a character archetype brimming with fascinating and dark potential, which seems misplaced in a comedic setting.

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4 people found this helpful

A rough start, but amazing overall.

Reviewed: 03-20-24

A significant portion of the earlier book is devoted to her lamenting about her family and her feelings, which I thought was sufficiently addressed in book 1 and honestly turned me off. However, once she moves past her inconsistent emotional turmoil, the book significantly improves, and I'm eagerly anticipating book 3.

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I want more!

Reviewed: 03-17-24

Okay, if you're reading a review of book 5, it means you've finished the other four books and love the series as much as I do. But why, oh why, do the books keep getting shorter with each installment? What's next, a 4-hour story? Please, I want more of this series, not less! The first two books are among my all-time favorite reincarnation stories. Book 5 is good; I just wish there was more of it, not progressively less.

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1 person found this helpful