Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

The time of the God King Vaan is nearing its end... or it will be if Nick and his friends have anything to say about it. Witnessing untold horrors in the previous book, Nick is wholly convinced that things cannot change until Vaan is dead. The dark magic plaguing the land surely stems from Vaan's hold over time, corrupting everything as the world stands still. New allies will be required to take the fight from a pipe dream to viable campaign. Many will die. Many more will bow the knee.

Prepare for more of the banter and math filled battles from the first foray into this world. Now that both Nick and the readers understand the core principals of this litRPG, we can tackle the more nitty gritty details of how to grow stronger and adapt to whatever may come next. Many new perspectives are glimpsed—and new companions join the party—keeping things moving in unknown ways, as everyone has their own agenda. I enjoyed the little training reprieves with newcomer Batal "the Beast", his explanations of the world are just fascinating!!

(Also there's lots of my favorite character <i>Sorrow</i> the murderous, sentient sword so yay for that!!)

Nick will have his work cut out for him as he attempts to thwart the plan of a tyrant and possibly doom an entire people to save his own. The end of times is coming for Yensere, just as surely as it readies to destroy all he holds dear in the <i>real world</i> where his brother remains. Yet as he continues to spend time in this magical world, the separation between what's real and imagined grows thin.

What will Nick sacrifice to save his people?—And will it be enough?

I did find the shifts between formal and casual language a bit odd in several places throughout the book. It was almost as if various drafts were merged together and not finesed into a singular whole. I have an ARC copy however, so this may not be present in the officially published text. No ding has been given to my rating for this, yet I'd be remiss not to at mention in case it remains.

The action scenes really showcased excitement and rising tension, as our charcters better understand their powers and how acquire new ones. I thoroughly enjoyed every one—which is quite the feat—as I usually prefer character studies and machinations over battles to further a plot. Every time a new spell appeared on page I internally cheered, just as I would playing a traditional rpg.

I enjoy light hearted LitRPG and so it was difficult for me to really get into this book. In saying that, I have several customers who enjoy this type of title and I will definitely mention this one to them.
It is very well written and the world building is fresh and unique. The characters are easily likable and the author does a good job of introducing both to the reader.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for providing an eARC of this book to me for free!

This is my first ever book I have received from Netgalley- and for that, I will always be grateful and have a certain emotional fondness for this book. It is also the first litRPG novel I have ever read.

However, I also wish to objectively analyze works of fiction as best I can- realizing that both “objectivity” and deep analysis of fiction can be controversial and mean different things to different people.

So how do I think Dalglish did? Honestly, I think he did a great job here. This book opens up with a nice summary of the previous for people who haven’t read it, attempts to balance the litRPG elements with writing engaging combat scenes, and gives most/all characters interesting arcs. Super minor spoilers, but the one character in this book I thought was a little underdeveloped gets a very interesting twist in the epilogue.

I have never read any of Dalglish’s other works, but I can tell he’s a writer with some level of experience and talent. While I have never read any other litRPG novel, I have come across passages and excerpts from them, and they generally have a level of amateurishness in the writing that isn’t present here.

Dalglish also does a good job at having an in-world reason as to why people have health bars and mana pools, and even has characters discuss what exactly this means a few times. I found these little dives some of the most interesting parts of the book, as at first I found it very jarring to read sentences where characters shoot lightning and take ten percent off a health bar.

So why isn’t this book five stars? Two reasons- one is that despite my praise of Dalglish’s writing, he does have some occasional lines that did not work for me. A lot of these are supposed to be humorous. Humor is very subjective, but I think there’s a bit more going on here, as Dalglish would write a relatively normal line and then mention it’s supposed to be utterly hilarious. It was definitely a bit jarring and took me out of the book.

The other reason is that the framing narrative aside, Dalglish isn’t really pushing boundaries here. These are tropes that any moderately experienced reader of fantasy will have encountered many times before. I am not saying it’s derivative or bad, just familiar. Indeed, I would describe this book as “competent.” That may sound like damning with faint praise but I mean it as a compliment, so many books today fail to execute basic storytelling principles that Dalglish nails.

I definitely give this book a wholehearted recommendation for those looking to try out the litRPG genre- I’m excited to read the next one and will be picking up the first one as well.

I’m not usually a fan of LitRPG, but this series has completely changed my mind. The world is richly imagined, the stakes are sky-high, and the characters—especially Nick, Frost, and the ever-mysterious Batal—are layered and compelling. I was hooked by the mix of action, strategy, and emotional depth, and the pacing never lets up. It’s more than just leveling up—it’s about loyalty, power, and the cost of truth. Absolutely worth the read!

Strap in—this story's a pixelated punch in the gut. Our hero boots up a virtual world where leveling isn’t just glory, it’s survival. Skills pop up like junk food cravings, mobs ambush like they’ve got personal vendettas, and boss fights? Brutal. The pacing feels like someone hit fast-forward mixed with sudden slow-mo: one moment you're grinding XP like a caffeine fiend, next you’re stuck debating crafting menus for three chapters. But hey, when the epic action hits, it’s like watching fireworks in HD.

Now let’s keep it real—this thing’s stuffed with RPG cliché bait: weird love triangles, the mysterious NPC who’s just too helpful, and the occasional info-dump so thick it could smother a dragon. I wanted more character depth and less tooltip monologue. Plus some side quests feel like busywork—fetch, kill, repeat—without much meaning behind it. Still, there’s a charm in that level-up glow when a character finally breaks through a grind wall. You end up rooting for them, even when you’re eye-rolling at the lazy tropes.

Verdict:
It’s a gritty gaming fantasy rollercoaster—messy at times, sprinkled in cliché, but still super addictive if you love watching avatars level up and bosses explode. Just don’t come in expecting Shakespeare. Bring snacks, embrace the grind, and enjoy the digital bloodbath.

Nick, Frost/Lesya, and Violette must come up with a plan to achieve what Nick decided must be done at the end of book one, which is to kill God-King Vaan so Yensere can be freed from the effects of its black sun. Knowing he’s going to need significantly more physical strength, and an army, he decides they should break Batal a formidable man known as the Beast, out of his captivity.

At the same time, we finally get to see what Lesya’s real world situation is like, and though she has food and shelter, she is alone, except for some cats and a dog, on her planet. All of her people, including her sister Irina, chose to enter ascension pods so they could leave their bodies behind and live an entirely digital life. We begin to understand why Frost has worked so hard in Yensere to gain abilities and why she persists in her search for her sister.

Batal has his own plans, and at the moment, Nick's, Frost's and Batal's all coincide, so they make their way to Batal's former home, fighting their way through monsters and soldiers. Batal also reveals to Nick that he can see that various attributes each individual has (e.g., Level, etc.) and how this has always set him apart from everyone else in Yensere.

At the same time, Sir Gareth is recruited by one of the God-King's incredibly powerful Harbingers, and is in pursuit of Nick and company.

This story moves along at a fast pace, and it was good to learn more about Yensure, as well as about Lesya, who is a much, much, much more interesting character, as is Violette, than Nick is. I also liked that we learned that Yensere is not the only artificial world contained in the alien artifacts. Yes, there is more than one, as a different one was what enthralled Lesya's people with its promises of immortality within a digital world.

At the same time, there were so many vicious fights that eventually I just got tired, and started skimming past these to the more meaty and interesting character moments. And there definitely are some for Lesya (this really was her instalment, rather than Nick's); there is so much tragedy bound up in her situation, and though resolved in some ways, there is still the fallout from hers and Violette's actions by the end of the book that I'm interested in following to the next book. And there is still so much to learn about the artifacts and the black sun manifesting above Majeure.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Picking up "Level: Unknown" was super fun for me because it was pretty different from things that I normally read, and I adored it, so I was super excited to receive the eARC of "Level: Ascension". I definitely enjoyed "Level: Ascension", but I'm not sure I loved it quite as much as the first installment. With that said, I will definitely keep reading future books in this series.

Something about the plot of "Level: Ascension" just didn't feel as full and nuanced as the plot of the first book. If anything, the plot felt very much "monster of the week" like. The characters would fight in some big battle, and then travel to the next place, rinse and repeat. Unlike the first book, we hear very very little about what is going on outside of Yensere (dropping several plot points from the first book). I know that this is because we get a lot more of Frost/Lesya's POV, which I really liked, but it made it feel like this book wasn't super connected to the first one.

I also thought that "Level: Ascension" didn't quite have the heart that I thought "Level: Unknown" had. There were definitely emotional moments, and I thought they were well done, but they didn't have the payoff as some of these moments from the first novel.

Overall, this was a fun, fast-paced read and I still adore the world. I'm looking forward to reading the next one and I hope that some of the questions we're left with from "Level: Ascension" are actually answered rather than never speaking of them again.

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

A great sequel in the series! We finally get to see Frost's story, one of the main characters, outside in the real-world. We learn more about the mystery surrounding the artifact and this artificial/digital world. We get answers, but we also get new characters who bring more mysteries, and we realize that some characters we know aren't who they seem? Violette?

The fight scenes are well written and there are plenty of them. But it's the character growth that I enjoyed the most, in this second part. Both on a personal level and in their relationships.

The ending is non-stop action and revelations but the epilogue! Is so promising for what's to come. I can't wait to read the next and final book in the series.

The LitRPG elements are easy to follow, which makes it accessible to someone new to the genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for the eArc!

I was lucky enough to get the arc for the first book in this series, which I enjoyed quite a bit. A brief rundown of the first book has the main character Nick transported to the digital world of Yensere, when the people who inhabit a space station find an artifact. Nick finds two companions in both Frost a fellow traveler from another world and Violette a scholar from Yensere. The first book is light-hearted with semi low stakes. The second book raises the stakes in many ways. Nick is now trying to figure out what the similarities between his world and Yensere in an attempt to protect his world.. The author has the characters grapple with the amount of killing the two off world characters have to do to reach their goals. Are they just digital constructs or are they real people? A new character is introduced that adds something to the conversation. I really enjoyed this and the themes that were brought up.

This second book was a strong sequel to Level: Unknown; in fact I think it far surpassed the first book. Now that the reader has the necessary background information, the action begins. How quick it went; I was wishing there was another 400 or so pages at the end to continue the story. I was hooked at the very end with the last two chapters or so, they brought major plot twists that should be quite interesting for the next installment. If you only liked the first book and are not sure if you want to read any more, I would definitely try this one; it really picked up the story and ran with it.

So SATISFYING! super long, super full, so much of everything, feels like two books on one. There are so many action scenes. My favorite character is still Cataloger, then Lesya, and her plotline. There is so much (not just battle against the God King, but also reflection on both worlds, the idea of eternal life, choices, pros and cons, plan behind the idea....) that it must be read and experienced rather than added to a review.
Great ending, by the way, with the sisters... But the epilogue... YES! I am looking forward to reading book 3. I know it's going to be my fav, no doubt! No pressure author.

Nick is getting the hang of this new world now and with Lesya and Violette they are on their way to kill the God King. Good thing they meet Batal the Beast of Emden (also a enemy of the God King) to help out. So many new things revealed, more mysterious stuff too (especially with Batal and Violette who are so intriguing and definitely more than they appear! That world gets more dangerous though because we also meet the Harbingers of Vaan. Much death and destruction with powers and armies and the action never ends (partially because Nick is finally skilled enough, with the help of Sorrow, who is a fantastic sword, to not die as often) and the stakes rise ever higher. I cannot wait to see what happens next, especially since it looks like Vaan is going to finally make an appearance after all the destruction that Batal and his demon friends (Nick and Lesya) have wrought on the country as they make their way ever closer to the God King. Also I am really looking forward to, what I am thinking, is going to be a greater appearance of the Cataloger!!!!! This a is great Litrpg series and I hope the next book comes out soon and answers all the burning questions that happened in this book.

Level: Ascension delivers another thrilling installment packed with high-stakes battles, epic quests, and characters grappling with both external foes and inner turmoil. Nick’s growing party, especially the deadly yet intriguing Batal, adds tension and depth to the mission to overthrow the God-King, and Frost’s personal journey gives the narrative emotional weight. The pacing keeps the energy high, with clever twists and world-expanding lore that deepen the series’ appeal. Though some revelations feel intentionally withheld to stretch the mystery, the payoff is satisfying enough to keep readers hooked and hungry for the next level.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for early copy for review*

What a fantastic sequel to this LitRPG. I truly felt like I was reading a video game or a D&D game. It was so much fun especially when the beast on the cover showed up. Also learning more about Frost's life outside of Yensere was also great (though I did wonder how does the animals get fed when she's asleep). Seeing more of Vaan's forces was also interesting as well as meeting a former foe of his (an potential ally for our demon gang). I'm not trying to get to spoilery so just know that it's a good sequel that raises the stakes and adds humanity to all of character including the ones that are just data.

3.5 stars

This sequel picks up immediately after the events of the previous book, diving straight back into the action and continuing the momentum built in the series’ opener.

One of my favorite things about the previous book, and honestly something this author usually nails, is the POVs. They always feel distinct and add something unique to the story. In the first book, we mostly followed Nick, his brother, and Gareth. I really liked the brother's POV last time, so I was a little disappointed he wasn’t one of the perspectives in this one but to be fair, it made sense with how the plot played out.

A big highlight for me this time around was Lesya. I think she only had one chapter in the last book, but here she’s a full POV character. Her chapters were some of my favorites. They were emotionally gripping and deeply personal. We got a lot more of her backstory and her relationship with her sister, which helped to balance out the heavier action sequences.

Now for the part that didn’t really work for me: the middle section. That’s when a new POV character, Batal, gets introduced. I’m honestly not sure if he’s supposed to be likable or not, but I just didn’t vibe with him at all. Once he showed up, it felt like the entire story shifted focus. Most of the plot and even other characters started revolving around him and his growing army, and I started to feel like the rest of the story was put on pause to build him up. It got to the point where I was wondering if he had some kind of hidden mind control ability or a secret charisma stat buff or something. That said, this could totally be a personal preference thing and other readers might love his arc, but it really didn’t click for me.

Thankfully, the last 30% of the book brought things back together. All the POVs had moments to shine, the pacing picked up nicely, and the story found its rhythm again. The combat scenes, in particular, stood out. They were really well written and there’s plenty of them, so if that’s your thing, you’ll probably enjoy those a lot.

The LitRPG elements felt more subdued this time around compared to the first book. That said, it’s a great series for anyone looking to dip their toes into LitRPG as it leans more into sci-fi/fantasy with some LitRPG mechanics rather than going full stat-heavy.

The last two chapters and the epilogue were honestly fantastic and some of the best writing in the book. They left me genuinely excited for the next installment and reminded me of why I got hooked on this series in the first place.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Orbit in exchange for an honest review.

I'd like to thank Oribt, Netgalley, and of course, David Dalglish for another eARC!!

Oblivion Remaster absolutely took over my life for two weeks, but I managed to get this finished for its release day!!

This is my third Dalglish review this year, so I'm some what of a die hard at this point.

Now, the good! Like usual, good action, really visceral and real. And great character work. Each POV feels distinct and Nick and Lesya are such loveable characters, and to see both of their growth is wonderful.

The banter between Cataloger and Sorrow with Nick is the best part of the series for me.

Now, some of the bad.

Batal feels too much like previous characters Dalglish has written before. Sadly, some of this dialogue or POV chapters would make me roll my eyes a bit, feeling like we've treaded this ground before many times.

And, while Dalglish writes phenomenal action, there was too many sequences of battle here, to the point where it felt the LitRPG side got sidelined for some of these unbelievable fights, even in a game/fantasy setting.

You get the bigger picture of whats happening here, and I'm super invested in the story laid out before us!!

See you all again for the review of book 3!!!

Another fun book! I love how we got more world building in this novel. I can't wait to see what else we get to discover in the next one. I will say there was a tad too many fights for me but I get that's part of the LitRPG category/gaming. Still enjoyed it though!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. This was another great book. I enjoyed it more than the first and I think because there's more world building and we got to see more from the perspective of Frost/Lesya. And that ending? The author is a tease. I truly can't wait for the next book in the series where hopefully more of the questions I have get answered.

Review: Well if it is not obvious who cataloger is by now, then bereft of discernment you are. I was never on the ol' "More Cataloger" bandwagon that forced the writers hand. Sure, the more characters the merrier in any LitRPG but dropping the no-clip OZ veil is ho-hum IMO.

This is a dang good read with constant movement that builds great characterization. The stats are not lengthy and OTT like Dakota Krouts and a few others, so you never have to wade through repetitive and lengthy gains.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

4.9/5

Loved the world expansion that we received here, both about Yansere, but also Lesya's home and background.

Something that I think that Dalglish does extremely well in his writing is including and building vast and intricate religious systems that work within the limits and boundaries of the magic of a fantasy world, and one of the best (and terrible) part of this installment was seeing a character dealing with a family member who is now seemingly in a cult type situation and is a completely different person than the one that they knew.

The only part that I didn't like is that things were clearly happening of page that we didn't get a chance to see. We know that this happens in multi POV books (because time doesn't stop), but its rarely mentioned, and here we had Nick and his brother talking about something and there was mention of "what's happened since the last time you are here, right after X" but we never knew about that visit happening after X because we hadn't been there. I guess it was a reminder that Nick is going home without dying regularly, but it was just oddly inserted.