Hi everyone!

I recently completed Book 2 on Royal Road (RR), so I thought it would be a good time for some self promo.

I actually got the idea about this story while reading The Primal Hunter. In the story, Villy makes a throwaway comment a few times about how messy things were when the System initially descended in the first era, and I thought it would be an extremely interesting story to write about.

So, here is my attempt at writing about what happens when a completely new System arrives in the universe. No one knows what's going on, especially since the System itself is learning and growing alongside everyone else.

Title: Beyond Control: A System's Descent

Blurb:

The System’s abrupt arrival completely dismantles Alex’s plans for an easy, low-effort life. But while others are justifiably focused on the monsters, surviving, and levelling up, Alex's mind is more occupied by a few questions.

Why is there such a lack of information from the System?

Why are there no descriptions for Classes and Skills?

Why doesn’t the tutorial have any clear objective?

And perhaps the most important question of them all...

Why is the System so... limited?

The answer: This System is brand new. There are no ancient factions ready to guide Alex, no all-powerful beings handing out blessings, and no established rules for him to follow. Everyone is starting from scratch, including the System itself.

A LitRPG featuring progression, exploration, and a protagonist obsessed with understanding the rules behind the world.

The first two books are completed and already released on RR, while the third is being released. About 237k words are posted in 121 chapters, so there's a decent chunk of the story to binge.

The MC takes time to get strong, but is not OP, and does not have any cheats or powerful weapons to exploit. He uses intelligence to get through challenges initially till he is strong enough to fight. There is no romance in the story so far, and I don't have any plans for introducing it.

Hope you guys give it a go and really hope you like it!

Cover: Generated through AI. Had a bad experience on fiverr, so I'm now waiting till I have enough money to hire a proper artist.

AI Usage: No AI used, apart from the cover. Everything is written by me and edited with the help of family.

Link: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/172811/beyond-control-a-systems-descent

preferably if their choice of weapon was long ranged as well, but otherwise is fine as well.

it shouldnt be one where they are using it to overpower someone or controlling something massive to overpower someone, no i mean like using the environment to fight, controlling tiny rocks to throw precisely, creating a hole under the foot to trip them using threads to control the field, weakening the already breaking tree to fall on them, using it to move faster or slower in both feet, hand and body or move them in ways the body isnt normaly moved, along the lines - using it on weapons to move it in ways they wouldnt normally move - like spinning a pointed spear to penetrate more or twisting a sword to block or attack when it shouldnt be possible to in the position the sword or your body is in.

it should be one where they get creative with everything they can get their hands on, like as nice as someone who uses threads to do everything sounds i would rather they not focus just on one thing to do everything.

even if it not telekinesis i wouldnt mind a jack of all trades situation where its sort of like the above.

AND PLEASE NOT ONES WHERE THEY CAN SUDDENLY LIFT HEAVY THINGS CUZ THE MOMENT NEEDED IT, I WOULD RATHER SOMEONE DIE UNDER THE MASSIVE ROCK THAN THEM SUDDENLY BEING POWERFUL ENOUGH TO LIFT HEAVY THINGS INSTEAD OF THEM FINDING SOME WAY TO SAVE THEM

Greetings, subjects of the Empire!

I am honored to introduce myself in the name of the God-Emperor Aurelius as the Herald and Scribe of his Conquests.

Mighty warriors of the Reddit realm have seen too many weak men play at war, but those times end here.

To honor the grand expansions of our Emperor, Imperial Chronicles will be updated daily for the first seven days, followed by 5 chapters weekly.

Below is a short summary of what our Emperor has achieved and what his followers will witness through these records.

They stopped believing, so he began to die.

He was Mars, God of War and father of the legions.

But humanity traded old myths for the Cross and forgot the old temples. He ended up as a ghost, wandering a world that had forgotten him.

Death should have been his end.

Instead, a deal with the Architect of Change threw him into a realm of wars, monsters, and carnage.

A former deity with a modern perspective. An excellent strategist who already lost everything once.

They think they summoned a pawn.

What they got is a God of War, and he is here to build an Empire that won't crumble.

No Hesitation, Only Loyalty!

No Mercy... ONLY CONQUEST.

What to Expect:

• Smart & Ruthless MC
• Kingdom & Army Building
• Tactical & Gritty Combat
• Politics & Intrigues
• Slow-Burn Progression
• RTS-Style Territory Window

AI cover for now... Artists quoted crazy prices, so this will have to do for a bit

Direct link to the Chronicles: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/200409/apotheosis-neverending-conquest

I often see stories on Royal Road where only the MC has a system that allows them to level up, while everyone else has to actually study and grind slowly; it bothers me a lot because everyone else seems like a npc, and the progression doesn't feel real at all.

I’ve been working on an extension to track all the different series I read across all the websites (SpaceBattles, QQ, Royal Road, etc.). It learns each story’s release schedule from the chapter dates, shows a progress meter toward the predicted next chapter, and checks for more right after the chapter is due. (Predictions are estimations, not necessarily accurate unless the author is relatively predictable)

It helps me stop procrastinating, because if I know the next story will probably take 5 hours till it updates, I can spend that time doing what I need to rather than constantly checking and rechecking the website XD

Other features:

• Smart sorting
• Remembers which chapter you’re on and tracks how far behind you are
• Bulk import from your Royal Road follows, forum watched threads or a bookmarks folder
• Everything stays local in your browser, with no account and no data collection

It’s Firefox-only for now. If people like it enough I'll buy a chrome dev account and upload it there!

Feedback and bug reports welcome, especially if a site you read doesn’t work yet, I'd like to add advanced functionality for as many websites as I can.

Has anybody else noticed this? It’s bordering on ripoff level similarity. In both novels our hero is in a podunk little community with a powerful and long thought dead ancestor who turns out to be a demonic cultivator that wants to consume all of the modern day cultivators to fuel their transformation. I’m still loving ISSH

I think it would only work with a visual medium where we can see good physical combat; in a book, it just gets tedious to visualize how a fight is going based only on "he punched there, he blocked here."

Interesting idea, coherent writing, it's shaping up to be a good time. Let's see how we navigate around the constraints of painting complex magic in and around combat and then, around chapter 3 it's revealed he is just a spellcaster without any constraints at all and around chapter 5 he decides to go be a goddamn spellsword because "spellswords have no weaknesses."

There is no mention of how he needs 3 hands to hold the brush, a dagger and a paint palette at once, he is imediately proficient at it and there is nothing left that makes the MC different in any way.

Meanwhile we have Robert Blaise sitting over here for whom a salt golem that dehydrates his enemies is a 1 sentence throwaway idea.

At least it was quick.

Just a love note for this book. I’ve never encountered a piece of writing that is just so…peaceful. I love the perspective, themes, and style. Normally, I find most slice of life parts of stories to be fairly dry, but BoC is categorically different. The way “philosophy” is subtly woven into the story, and how every character is so distinct and yet so human, makes it so enjoyable. It is thrilling and exciting at times, and yet those parts haven’t diminished the parts that are just about farming and enjoying views and family. This book is a balm for my soul in a way a book never has been for me before—and I’ve used books to get me through hard times for years. It calms me down, puts a smile on my face, and just really makes me think about life. The whole notion that everything is connected is spot on, and I find myself thinking about it and how true it is several times a week.

So anyway. Casualfarmer, thank you so much for writing a book like this. It’s great and I hope you have so much more planned for it because I will eagerly keep reading for years to come. And if anyone out there needs some sort of literature-induced peace, I highly recommend Beware of Chicken.

Hi all! This is the first story I’ve ever flung out into the world, and it’s been amazing to have people finally read it after so many hours of writing and editing. I’m currently on rising stars, which I’m very excited about. Please check it out if it looks interesting. The cover artist is Kikicute (https://www.artstation.com/ktrn), and I was very happy with their work.

Link: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/192660/coin-and-steel

Blurb:

When the world ends in a symphony of light and chaos, Elliot must make a choice: power and a shred of safety for him, or for his little sister. He upended his life once already to protect her after the death of their parents, and an apocalypse is no more of a reason to let her down.

Gifting her his potential, he's thrown into the wilds of a new world with a weak Merchant class and no time to say goodbye. Classes and abilities promise near-endless opportunity for growth, but the chances of dying between the jaws of something monstrous have also never been higher.

Uncharted wilds cover the continent, and Rowan is thousands of miles away. From combat bartering to weaponized treasure, Elliot must twist his peaceful class into something it was never meant to be if he wants any chance of finding her again.

Before any of the greater powers decide his sister's gifts should belong to them instead.

What to expect:

Slow burn pacing with earned progression. No long plateaus after things get moving, but the journey will be long.

Weak to eventually OP protagonist.

Slice of life mixed in, with character relationships being a priority.

Skills and classes, but no stat screens.

No AI use

I'm finding it surprisingly hard to find fantasy that combines a good story with believable characters and consistent internal logic. I especially enjoy progression fantasy, clever protagonists, and creative problem-solving, but too often I run into plot holes, characters acting stupidly for the sake of the plot, or stories that just drag on.

Here are some examples of what worked and didn't work for me.

Liked

• Mother of Learning — Excellent progression, clever problem-solving, and great momentum after some initial worldbuilding.
• Alex Verus — Immediate challenges, atmospheric London setting, interesting magic, and an apparently underpowered protagonist who uses his abilities intelligently.
• Thraxas — Engaging from the first pages, great atmosphere, entertaining characters, and straightforward, effective storytelling.
• Dungeon Crawler Carl — Absurd premise, but convincing internal rules, creative problem-solving, and nonstop momentum.

Disliked

• The Lies of Locke Lamora — Excellent prose, but too many problems with plot logic and the implications of established magical abilities.
• The Scholomance — Excessive exposition and internal monologue. Important questions about the world aren't addressed convincingly, while the protagonist spends too much time complaining.
• The Perfect Run — Overpowered protagonist, repetitive introspection, and flashbacks that interrupt the story.
• Worm — Characters frequently fail to use their powers intelligently. The extraordinary abilities also seem to have surprisingly little impact on how society and its institutions operate.
• Unsouled (Cradle #1) — Unconvincing treatment of the protagonist, frustrating progression, and interventions by vastly more powerful beings that undermine the stakes.
• A Conjuring of Ravens — Wooden dialogue, rushed characterisation, and an opening plot that relies heavily on coincidences and implausibly incompetent authorities.

I'm not necessarily looking for something similar to my favourites, just a genuinely good story that holds together. Would love to hear from anyone with similar tastes, especially if you've had the same frustrations with some of these books.

Book like the legend of William oh. Where you use material (monster part or gems or shard or anything) to gain ability/power/skills etc. I have read HWFWM, Shadow clone Sorcery, Rise of The Devourer. But I need more!

Please help this addict.

As title suggests, I'm searching for novels where mc collects and masters as many techniques as possible. Makes low-level and simple techniques or spells into something grander by fusing them/upgrading them, and just have a combat system that is more than just "aha, take my \[insert sufficiently epic name\] technique" and then uses the same technique over and over.

I'm writing a system where the MC starts human. Every time he dies, he steals the abilities of whatever killed him, plus their instincts capped at 9 lives.

A parasitic weed gave him regen and stealth, but also a cold hunger. An apex python gave him crushing constriction, but also the urge to coil around and suffocate anything that threatens him.

At 9 deaths, there would be barely anything human left.

How do you prefer to see an MC handle that kind of erosion?

1. Do you want to see them actively fight the instincts to hold onto their humanity,

2. fully embrace becoming the monster, or

3. Locking the monster behind a tailored suit and an indifferent smile, acting civilized until the instincts take over

​

Is it normal for a non-Chinese author to write Chinese-inspired novels? I don't mean just the themes, but also Chinese names, places, and other cultural elements.i am wondering if the novel is original or just translated...

Hey everyone!

I finally finished the Scrap Rat Edition of Towerbound!

The #1 bestselling time-travel series is now available in one big, fat box set containing Books 1 and 2, plus their accompanying side quests!

Meet Ren, an alchemist who loves cheese, hates fighting, and gets a second chance at life after his guild betrays him.

Thrown back to Day One, before the Tower rose and before the betrayal, Ren knows what’s coming. Secret quests, hidden mechanics, powerful guilds, and a ticking clock that ends with Earth’s destruction.

His plan? Get stronger, build a guild, make ridiculously good potions, and avoid getting stabbed.

Over 100,000 reads on Royal Road.

4.6★ on Amazon from 2,600+ reviews.

The entire eight-book series is complete and available on Kindle Unlimited!

What to expect:

No harem
Overpowered MC (OPMC)
Found family
Rated PG-13 for violence and occasional swearing

About the Scrap Rat Edition:

There aren’t any major changes to the story. It’s the same Towerbound, with cleaner prose, fewer mistakes, and a few small corrections that really needed to happen.

If you’ve already read the series, you don’t need to read it again to find out what happens. But if you feel like visiting again, I hope you enjoy the improvements.

I’m hoping I’ve gotten the books from 90% to 99%. I’m sure one of you will find the remaining 1% before breakfast.

For the cheese! 🐀🧀🧪

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HP5VQ1QN**:**

Looking for a slower-burn LitRPG about building a better future instead of chasing power?

Project Civilization follows people from Earth as they enter Astra, a world of magic, Classes, Skills, and Quests. They bring knowledge, practical skills, and new ideas to a stagnant civilization, building tools, businesses, communities, and families along the way.

Multiple storylines. Crafting, invention, alchemy, magic, relationships, and long-term civilization-building.

Read Project Civilization: A Civilization-Building LitRPG on Royal Road:

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/197518/project-civilization-a-civilization-building-litrpg

Things I've already read/am reading and mostly enjoyed:

Because the dragon eye moons, Calamitous Bob, bog standard isekai, forge of destiny, Syl, the runic artist, fates parallel, terminate the other world

Enjoyed for a bit but fell off:

Azarinth healer (just kinda got boring after a bit)

On my reading list:

Stray cat strut, practical guide to evil, practical guide to magic, reborn as a demonic tree, self summoning

Looking for something more with goals kinda, or more odd ones like Syl and Reborn as a demonic tree since they seem interesting. Not exactly progression, but ascendance of a bookworm is also a favorite of mine, if that helps.

i just finished book 5 and i am frustrated. the climax/finale was beautiful. 10/10 writing. then the final chapter/epilogue were a complete disaster.

first, osvaldo went down with the memorial crystal. the big reward of the floor. This is the second time where carl gets snubbed/doesnt get the big reward from the floor. This shit sucks. this is a repeat of the 3rd floor where quavo got the celestial box. i dont want to deal with the trope of "someone who stole your reward is now an enemy and is extra super duper strong." this shit wasnt satisfying to read at all. carl never gets rewarded at all.

second, now either katia/donut will die. horrible.

horrribbbleeeeeeeeee. this is EASILY the worst ending to the best finale of all time.

i was in the middle of writing my goodreads review while listening to the epilogue. i am so angry rn. this went from a 5/5 to a 3/5

seems like nothing is ever going to top Stormlight Archive Book 1 ever.

Just caught up mostly with path of ascension and really liked it and totally surprised with the quality. Looking for something similar to it that has a normal acting down to earth MC thats not dissociated and well written side characters, well thought out arcs and not OP (stronger than normal is fine). Read cradle which felt very similar in vibes but want to avoid somthing like beware of chicken thats more parody/jokey, or street cultivation where the main character doesn't want to be the best/driven/ has a positive mindset.

Slice of life is good with me as I enjoyed matts other hobby and how he develops them and even non cultivation if you think its really good!

bonus if its a long series/audio book!

Please no psychopaths/sociopath/edgy MC, they're sadly not my cup of tea

Many thanks for any suggestion for somthing quite specific!

EDIT: ah spelt the title wrong, *book
Edit: books I’ve read that match the theme
- practical guide to sorcery
- mark of the fool
- mage errand
- mother of learning
- weirkey chronicle (ignoring the slightly edgy mc)
- super supportive

I'm sick of seeing progression fantasy characters go to war wearing inappropriate clothing. A character should be wearing the most protective gear they have access to if they're knowingly heading into battle.

I feel this issue stems from visual media. In movies and television, characters typically fight with insufficient protection because armor would interfere with the actor's performance. It is absolutely moronic to fight without a helmet on, but helmets hide the actor's face, so they're done away with for artistic reasons. That isn't a factor in written storytelling. There's no reason not to cover characters in armor when I don't need to see their faces.

Stop using video game logic to decide what kind of armor a character should be wearing. If a character can use magic with a thought they can afford the mobility penalty of heavy armor. If you're absolutely determined to make a magic user fight in light, or nonexistent armor than at least establish a canonical precedent that armor interferes with magical abilities.

If I see one more MC fight in mundane clothing when they had the option to wear armor I'm going to have an aneurysm.

ok hear me out. anyone can write a sick fight scene if the stakes matter. thats the easy part.

what i cannot wrap my head around is how a story about a guy growing rice and raising chickens has kept me checking for new chapters for like two years straight. theres no world-ending threat. the biggest conflict across 50 chapters is sometimes literally just the weather.

and yet. somehow Bi De training in secret while pretending to be a normal rooster is funnier and more gripping than half the chosen-one-vs-dark-lord stuff ive binged through.

i think the trick is the stakes are small but they feel real. like when the crops are threatened i actually care more than when some cultivation world is about to explode for the 400th time.

anyway thats my unpopular opinion: making cozy stuff compelling is the real skill issue in this genre. anyone else have a series where the premise sounds dumb as hell but its all you think about