Book picks similar to
A Game of Villains by Anton Emelianov
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Human Insanity
Kamikaze Potato - 2021
His moment of heroism results in being torn away from everyone he knew and loved, kidnapped by an unknown force that leaves him with a note in his pocket stating: "Good luck."After being thrown into the wilderness of Elatra, a hostile fantasy world ruled by levels, stats, progression, and bizarre video game logic, he finds himself entirely out of his depth. Armed with nothing but a sword and the clothes on his back, he sets out on his the first day, and almost dies. On the second day, he almost dies again. On the third, he began to notice a worrying trend. And almost dies.It doesn't get any easier from there.Overcoming the wilds is just the first step in his journey; the society of Elatra is incredibly hostile to humans, having just come off of a devastating war that left over half the population dead, and getting the locals to trust the last human in existence is a struggle in and of itself. Between being powerless in a world that hates him and suffering under a System that is altering his mind in unwanted ways, Rob quickly finds that monsters aren't nearly the biggest thing to worry about.As far as LitRPG isekai adventures go, Rob drew the short straw in many ways. But that's okay - all the bullshit in the world won't keep him down. He'll carve out a place in this world with his bare hands if necessary. He'll survive, and then he'll thrive.Whether anyone wants him to or not.
Collecting The Goddess
Michael Anderle - 2019
Unfortunately, Chloe decided that partying was the right one.
Now a requirement to keep her money requires her to attend daily meetings with the family psychologist—a daily meeting about how she should change her life to change her future.
The worst part? The meetings are before noon, so she has to get up early.
Then he presents her with an offer.
Invest in a new game company and become the first player to stay inside their full-immersion pod.
For two years.
Two years away from her parents looking down on her, and not having to listen to her siblings and their success?
Done.
There is only one problem…
Chloe’s avatar connects to a Goddess of Retribution who doesn’t remember her past.
Following the rabbit trail of armor to help the goddess will require more responsibility from Chloe than she has ever accepted in the past.
Will she return to being the party girl of her past, or will the Lagarde daughter tempered in fire from her upbringing wake up?
First Login
Kevin Murphy - 2017
People seek out escapes through countless avenues, but when the product is extra time to live—within an emerging digital world—everyone’s a customer. Game capsules transport players to a new world where time is perceived far more slowly. Why study for eight hours in the real world when you could get it all done in a single hour? Why work slowly? Why relax that way? Following this mentality, Chronicle has become more than a game for governments, businesses, and players alike. When Corbin Landrick, an unlucky but hardworking guy, finally gets his hands on a ChronPod, he jumps headfirst into his second life. While he struggles to plant both feet firmly on the ground in a world of magic and monsters, he finds out that virtual reality is what you make of it.
Repel Boarders
Dean Henegar - 2020
When Captain Slater of the USS Franklin is assigned to a deep-space reconnaissance mission, his ship is destroyed by an unknown alien race. Much to his surprise, Slater isn’t killed—he’s transformed. He is now a “derelict,” a consciousness bound to his old vessel. Slater must quickly adapt to his new existence before raiders, alien armies, and mysterious forces seek to destroy him for a second and final time.
Reboot
Domino Finn - 2017
On the bright side, his game development career is the only non-crappy thing he has going for him, so life isn't all bad. At least until he dies. Now Tad finds himself uploaded to a beta test of Haven, an unannounced hyper-immersive MMO where the dead have a second chance at life. It's not virtual reality, it's digital reality. A true afterlife online. Except Haven isn't exactly blissful paradise. Tad bumbles into a pagan blood feud, crosses paths with fallen angels, and gets lied to by saints. His only allies? A frat boy with a penchant for dying and a pixie who won't give him the time of day. Second chances be damned. All Tad wants is to return to his old life, and he'll do anything for the opportunity. Even make a deal with the devil.
Critical Failures
Robert Bevan - 2012
The next minute, they're in a horse-drawn cart surrounded by soldiers pointing crossbows at them. Tim now has the voice and physique of a prepubescent girl. Dave finds that while he lost a foot or two in height, he somehow acquired a suit of armor and a badass beard. Julian's ears have grown ridiculously long and pointy. And Cooper... well Cooper has gotten himself a set of tusks, a pair of clawed hands, and a bad case of the shits. He also finds that he's carrying a bag with a human head in it - a head that he had chopped off when they were still just playing a game.Shit just got real, and if they want to survive, these four friends are going to have to tap into some baser instincts they didn't even know existed in their fast-food and pizza delivery world.It's fight, flight, or try to convince the people who are trying to kill them that they don't really exist.Meanwhile, a sadistic game master sits back in the real world eating their fried chicken.
Survive Week One
Apollos Thorne - 2017
The government must accelerate their super soldier program. They have pushed beyond what was thought possible and developed a new Virtual Reality system; the perfect tool to weed out and train recruits. There is another problem. Every soldier has already been sorted and those found to possess the “talent” are already in training. There just aren’t enough. That is why Codename: Freedom has been developed. It’s time they looked outside the military. Failure is not an option. Against all odds, Lucius, a semipro gamer who was raised by his Artificial Intelligence Bot named Destiny, is selected to participate in Codename: Freedom, a VRMMO that promises to push Virtual Reality to the ultimate level. The Game Developers are kind enough to hide a key feature. 100% pain. There are no pain dampeners. He finds himself among the other participants of Codename: Freedom who are thrown in with hardly any time to get their bearings before the entire player city is under attacked. With the world watching live, Lucius is faced with the opportunity to gain a following and impressing sponsors. After years of hard work to move up in the gamer ranks, this new game will challenge Lucius to the point of breaking and beyond. Will he quit, go mad, or find the motivation to fight when it becomes painfully clear that this is far from just another game?The Epic LitRPG from RRL has finally arrived!
Manaborn 1
Cassius Lange - 2021
Not really…I mean, I don’t remember most of it, thank goodness. Long story short, I was betrayed. Some people I thought I could trust invaded my sky palace, stole my women and enslaved my pet shadow hounds.I was destroyed, utterly. Or so they thought.Somehow, mana, the source of my previous power, brought me back. The backstabbing weasels think they are safe, barricaded in their strongholds. Here’s the horrible part. They willingly sacrificed their own flesh and blood for security. And they had the nerve to call me evil?Death wasn’t all bad, I guess. It showed me what was truly important. But before I can get around to living my second life, I have some retribution to dish out.Yes, some will call me unnatural. Others, evil. Blah blah blah.I call me the Manaborn.
Force Cultivation
Yuri Ajin - 2021
He was young, handsome, and rich. Recognized world champions were no match for him. He had her, the love of his life...He lived for her and for battle...However, in a moment, it was all gone.He lost his life and his name. His dreams were taken away from him. The one he had been in love with since childhood had betrayed him and plunged a knife into his heart...In another world, very different and distant, a boy lying in a muddy ditch suddenly opens his eyes. A new life has been awakened in his empty body.What will he do with an offer for a second chance at life?What path will Kai follow in a world where power and skill reign supreme?In a world where your worth is determined by your martial arts.Rebirth. Ascension. Revenge.As one of the hit novels of the new wave of Russian LitRPG novels, Heavenly Throne follows one of the greatest underground fighters of the 2010s, who has found himself in a world much different than his own. He had thought that he had nothing more to lose, but fate is a fickle and cruel mistress.Now, he must fight for his place in this new world as he advances on the path of martial arts and force cultivation.The winner of the Russian National Wuxia Contest, Heavenly Throne provides readers with a refreshing take on cultivation stories.
Initializing
K.T. Hanna - 2018
Determined to overcome the unexpected setback, she assembles her guild, intent on the coveted #1 spot. Twelve keys stand between her and victory, but finding them is only part of the puzzle.Armed with telepathic abilities, Murmur rises to the challenge. However, old rivals have followed her to Somnia Online desperate for revenge. Intricate quest lines become more dangerous as NPCs absorb powerful artifacts, and Murmur begins to wonder just what sort of AI controls the world. Murmur questions her sanity as the real and virtual worlds mesh together. Everyone is keeping secrets from her, even the AI, and Murmur’s determined to uncover them.
One More Last Time
Eric Ugland - 2018
A broken heart. He thought it was the end, and his gun sat ready to make sure. But an oddball offer from his last friend comes at the literal last second. Curiosity gets the best of him, and he finds himself sucked into iNcarn8, a game claiming to be a whole new life. Now as Montana, the larger-than-life tank warrior, he has one more last time to get his life right. One More Last time is the first book in The Good Guys, a LitRPG GameLit series. If you like fast-paced adventure, RPG mechanics, and sweet level progression with a deep magic and game system, this book is for you. It has notes of The Land and classic Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, and stars a lovable idiot of a main character who can’t seem to shake his dark past and find the quiet life he so wants. Pick up this page-turner today!
Dungeon Lord
Hugo Huesca - 2017
...and Edward has chosen to make them regret it. When Edward is swept into the world of Ivalis as a Dungeon Lord, the Dark's most powerful servant, he has no servitude in mind. He'll oppose the evil plans of the Dark god Murmur, whatever it takes. Through only his wits and his guts to help him survive a weakened arrival, Edward must rise to power if he is to earn the right to live another day. But in the battle between Dark and Light, what can Edward choose if both sides are cruel, uncaring monsters? Cold gods laugh in the distant world of Ivalis. Heroes chase after power and experience, while Kings send their armies to their deaths in the name of the Dark and the Light. But no one expects the rise of the Dungeon Lord... And in the world of Ivalis, maybe a single man can forge his own path.
Edge of Eons
Darren Hultberg Jr. - 2019
In daylight, the realm is ruled by the adepts, a group of mighty cultivators that use their spirits to wield world-bending, mystic power. These adepts live in constant strife, fighting for control of relics that hold the divine powers of ancient gods. In twilight, the realm belongs to the darkbeasts, nightmarish creatures born of a mysterious fog known as the veil. These creatures are drawn to power, hoarding relics in their dungeons and slaying any adepts that dare venture too close. Together, these opposing forces create a grim balance of power, one only survived by those with strength, cunning and a bit of wit. But balance is not easily maintained... Dark forces work from the shadows, putting events into motion that will drive the realm into chaos. Soon, portals begin to open, drawing warriors from other realms to test their mettle on Eon’s battlegrounds. Many perish before reaching their true potential, falling victim to the realm’s many perils. However, the cosmos is a vast sea of souls, and one police officer from earth may prove he has the fighting spirit needed to shake Eon to its very core... ***This is a cultivation novel with xianxia and litrpg elements***
ChronoTemplar
Burt Wrenlaw - 2021
unless you're a pawn for an eldritch horror that: (A) can bend time, and (B) is a sore loser.Justin Thyme is not a good man, nor one destined for glory. He was meant to die in obscurity, yet another level 82 Templar that was just about to get chewed up by a horde of skittering monstrosities clawing at humanity's last enclave.One short conversation with a time-splitting monstrosity later, and Justin finds himself flung five years into the past—right when the Earth was first chosen to host the 9,947th Gladiatorial Games.Justin must now do all that he can to help save the world from crumbling under the twin pressures of monsters and murderers. But it's not all about grinding experience, gaining the most levels, and kicking the most ass. He can’t even stand out too much, lest he draw the attention of the other eldritch horrors observing Earth’s struggles for their amusement.No, it’s all about making the right connections, sowing the seeds of hope, culling the pests causing despair… oh, and exploiting the hell out of the System with his ‘borrowed’ ability to tweak time to his advantage.*ChronoTemplar is a dark, crunchy litRPG with lots of stats, skills and battles, for those who love action and complex characters.