Book picks similar to
Gaia's Gambit by D.L. Harrison


litrpg
fantasy
science-fiction
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Chrysalis


R.P. Jones - 2020
    With regenerative abilities, a badass tail and the potential to evolve his body, how could Art resist choosing a lizard man as his avatar? All’s well until he accidentally joins forces with an acid-spitting, enemy-consuming shadow-bound grub, causing his light-bound guild members turn against him, and a deadly fire mage to wage a vendetta against him.Venturing through enchanted forests, into mage enclaves atop ice-capped mountains, through thief-ridden sewers and into ancient temples, Art must defeat the Legendary Beasts and claim their gems of power before his enemies can stop him.With the odds stacked against him, it’s time for Art to undergo some dangerous and unique training.It’s time for him to evolve!

Unwritten Rules


Adam Horne - 2017
    Unable to support himself and dependent on others to meet his needs, Kevin was slipping into depression when his best friend convinced him to play a new game called Genesis Online. The concept was simple: a revolutionary artificial intelligence controlled the game world and adapted it to the actions of the players. Even the developers didn't know what course the game could take as it evolved. Lured into the game by the prospect of earning real money, Kevin soon runs afoul of a man determined to control as much of Genesis as possible. He recruits other disenfranchised players to his side in his quest to find a way to prosper in the game. Can they stop the man who calls himself the king of Genesis from taking over everything?

My Other Car is a Spaceship


Mark Terence Chapman - 2014
    One minute Hal Nellis, former air force fighter pilot, is mowing his lawn; the next, he finds himself drafted to fight interstellar pirates set on sacking Earth and other backwater worlds. When the pirate ships acted independently, the civilian Merchants’ Unity had no trouble keeping them under control. But when the pirates organized to better coordinate their activities, they became an unstoppable force, pushing the underfunded Unity to the brink of collapse and leaving backwater worlds like Earth defenseless. As one of the rare humans with the hypertasking gene, Hal is able to pilot the best the Unity has to offer. With his help, and that of Captain Kalen Jeffries—the son of human slaves, the remaining ships of the Unity plan a last-ditch effort to break the pirate hegemony. Succeed, and the pirate organization is crushed forever; fail, and the people of Earth and countless other worlds are doomed to slavery and death. Prepare for a rollicking adventure full of twists and turns you won’t see coming. It's part “Kidnapped,” part “The Guns of Navarone,” and part “The Great Escape.” For more information about the author and his books, visit his website at: http://MarkTerenceChapman.com Or read his blog at: http://tesserene.blogspot.com

Forbidden Magic: The Gift (Aura Binder Book 1)


Anya Merchant - 2016
    Now, he’s the victim of an experiment gone wrong, struggling with strange new powers and the temptation surrounding them. Conjured flames, magical flight, reading minds and even influencing the emotions of others are all within his grasp, given enough practice and time. Unfortunately, there are others aware of his abilities, each with agendas of their own. Some, like his old mentor, Lucy Wilson, want to help him in well-intentioned, albeit misguided ways. Others, like the mysterious female terrorist known only as the Night Angel, want something else entirely. It’s up to Victor to decide for himself whether Undercliff City is to be a playground, or a battleground.

Ascension


B.F. Rockriver - 2020
    For Eli Miller, it was never a choice.Most of Eli’s life has been spent running, doing everything in his power to protect his family. His world is plagued by war, wild magic, and unimaginable monsters. But none of these threats are more dangerous than the immortal beings known as Adventurers. They are players and Entarra is their game. Its citizens aren’t real. Yet, to the billions of near-sentient AI that live there, the game world is the only one they will ever know. It is where they are born, live, and die. Eli is no different. After being attacked with a strange weapon, Eli awakens as the thing he fears most: an adventurer. Struggling to cope with his new reality, he finds himself in the middle of the most nefarious plot of all: His world, and everything he loves, is about to be deleted.

Bard to the Bone


Cid Banks - 2018
    James didn't expect a quick foray into an MMO game to last this long. He's fantasized about being a rock star but has never held a tune. Now he's stuck as a bard. Forever. Lesser mortals would despair, but there's only one option: Becoming the most kickass bard ever. Armed with just his wits and a lute, James must survive in a game world where everything wants to kill him. Teaming up with a pair of gorgeous, lethal women is first on the list. Next is conquering the world. Authors Note: This LitRPG novel contains harem elements, detailed game mechanics, a complex fantasy world filled with monsters, intrigue, and nonstop action!

Earth Alone


Daniel Arenson - 2016
    They came to destroy us. Fifty years ago, bloodthirsty aliens devastated the Earth. Most of humanity perished. We fell into darkness. But now we rise from the ashes. Now we fight back. Marco Emery was born into the war. After his mother is killed, he joins the Human Defense Force, Earth's ragtag army. Emery must survive basic training, become a soldier, and finally face the aliens in battle. Against the alien onslaught, Earth stands alone. But we will fight. We will rise. We will win.

Hatchling


Kaye Fairburn - 2017
    Her life revolves around shoemaking, dying, respawning, and more shoemaking. When Margot discovers a secret hidden in her family's basement, she realizes she has a chance to break that cycle. Now, with newfound abilities she'll have to learn to control, Margot must brave a harrowing journey ahead of her to defeat the Stronghold targeting her town. Hatchling is the first book of Wyvernette, a fantasy LitRPG series.

Exceed System: The Gambler


JL Huang - 2020
     He has failed every single induction ceremony and it is his last chance to Exceed to a higher class. At his wit's end, he desperately tries one last time at Exceeding, putting all his chips on the table. ...except something was different this time. Time freezing, a mysterious voice, and a new Exceed Mark? Had lady luck finally given him a boon? Had he received a class the world had never seen before? One thing is for sure, he's changed. And now he has something called . . . the Gambler's System. Join Axel and his companions as he journeys through this game-like world of the Five Kingdoms! Disclaimer: Please keep the book updated for the latest version!

Terra Nova


Vowron Prime - 2021
    Like a machine. But when his family’s life is on the line, that’s something else. That calls for the kind of warm-blooded vengeance that scorches earth and summons tungsten rods from space, leaving a whole lot of melted flesh and no one to tell the tale.It should've been a blue milk run. As by-the-book as it gets. With his sister Nina out safe and the opposition decimated by hypersonic gunfire, Magnus wonders where they got the guts to even try. Then something hits him. Lays him out cold, and leaves him waking up to a fantasyland with nothing but his armor and a half-written note to guide him.It's a strange place where even stranger predators eye him for their next meal. Where his life’s on a timer, and where the darkest horrors haunt his dreams, painting visions of death.There's no right day to mess with Magnus Cromwell. But the universe sure managed to pick the absolute worst one.Experience the start of a kickass LitRPG/GameLit Saga from debut author Vowron Prime.About the series: Embark on a jam-packed action adventure with an overpowered protagonist that seamlessly merges epic battles with mystery, survival, and elements of Lovecraftian horror. Dragons, magic, and medieval fantasy meet cyberpunk technology in this rollercoaster of a ride that starts fast and never lets up. Experience a unique take on a LitRPG system whose true, gory nature is uncovered bit by bit as Magnus progresses through his epic journey in a land of horrors. And with four detailed art scenes of fantastical locations inspired by an author who has journeyed from Antarctica to Kilimanjaro, you won't want to put the book down!

Defiant


Aaron Hodges - 2021
    But when his mother is caught up in the slaughter of a fledgeling resistance group, Rydian’s entire family is thrown into infamy. His fellow humans brand him traitor, while the Alfur hail his mother a hero. Desperate to clear his name, Rydian must delve into his mother’s past, and the secrets she sought to uncover. Secrets about the Alfur, about their alien technology—and the mysterious Light that powers their world.

The Sun's Blood: A Progression Sci-Fi Adventure (Heirs of Sun and Storm Book 1)


Jeremy Bai - 2021
    The Counter-Cultivation division investigates, the elite Black Corpses are sent in for the kill. None are spared. Mercy does not exist.But did the cultivators really bring the War of Tribulation? Are they actually responsible for the Heavenly Curse? Are they truly the bloodthirsty psychopaths the government paints them to be?Wang Fan, a homicide detective, believes that officers like himself are tasked with championing the rights of the common citizens. But when a seemingly routine case goes awry, he finds himself dragged into the darkness of the cultivation world. By the time he realizes the Black Corpses have their sniper rifles aimed at the back of his head, Wang Fan has no choice.He has to fight the system to survive.

Hunter's Bond


C.E. Keene - 2018
    The creatures that inhabit Apex are cunning, ferocious, and a massive challenge for even the most experienced hunter. In order to rank up in the Hunters’ Guild and participate in the most prestigious hunts, Simon will have to slay increasingly more threatening creatures and use what he gathers to craft powerful armor and weapons. But a fearsome beast stalks the jungle, untouchable even by the Guild. To have any hope of stopping her, Simon won’t just have to level up and hone his skills--he’ll have to put his trust in his fellow hunters. And for a lifelong soloer, that’s no easy feat…

The Wall


Jen Minkman - 2013
    The endless surface of the water extends to the horizon, whichever way I look.Our world is small. We’re on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us as taught to us by our forefathers.If I were to walk westward from here, I’d come across a barrier - the Wall. Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that's what everyone says. I’ve never seen one.'Leia lives on an island where children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they’re just ten years old. Across the island runs a Wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it should be shunned because they believe in salvation from across the sea. That's what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same again. Walt, the boy from the other side of the Wall, isn’t as foolish as she was always led to believe. And as Leia and Walt set out to bring the truth about both their societies to light, all the things they once took for granted fall by the wayside.Their island world is about to change... for better or for worse.

Heroes of Last Resort


JK Galioto - 2021