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dsnake1's reviews
572 reviews
He Took His Skin Off For Me by Maria Hummer
3.0
The short story was as strange as the short film.
The writing itself is well done and inviting, but the macabre subject matter almost goes to the length of becoming silly. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it's absurd enough to cross the line from horror to humor, although it definitely goes back and forth.
The single-page short story is a fairly straightforward metaphor, but that doesn't mean I can stop thinking about it. You wouldn't think something so short and so straightforward could be this gripping, but you'd be wrong. Of course, it could just be the shock value of the grotesque nature of the heart of the story, but I just don't think that's the case.
Well worth the read, especially because it's free, it'll take you five minutes to read it, and you'll ponder on it for ours.
The writing itself is well done and inviting, but the macabre subject matter almost goes to the length of becoming silly. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it's absurd enough to cross the line from horror to humor, although it definitely goes back and forth.
The single-page short story is a fairly straightforward metaphor, but that doesn't mean I can stop thinking about it. You wouldn't think something so short and so straightforward could be this gripping, but you'd be wrong. Of course, it could just be the shock value of the grotesque nature of the heart of the story, but I just don't think that's the case.
Well worth the read, especially because it's free, it'll take you five minutes to read it, and you'll ponder on it for ours.
Dungeon Born by Dakota Krout
5.0
Preface: In the interest of full disclosure, I would like to say I personally know the author, but if anything, it would cause me to be more critical of his work.
Preface II: Author originally had some mechanical and consistency errors, but edited them out. This review has changed to reflect the current state of the book (after 10/20/16).
I'd also like to start out with highly recommending this book, especially if you're into video games like World of Warcraft or role-playing games in general, role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons, or even just the fantasy/dungeon diving genre. It is a fresh twist on a familiar concept which is really needed in fantasy as a whole.
Overall, I felt the premise was very promising. It was different in that it (often) focuses on dungeon diving from the viewpoint of the dungeon rather than the diver. This provides an interesting outlook while still providing the otherworldly fights we fantasy readers crave. For someone who doesn't want spoilers, the best description/review I can give of the book is that it is a story about a dungeon, from conception to a place filled with death and danger. It is also a story of character evolution from both the dungeon and some of the divers which enter its maw.
Spoilers ahead
Pros: The author found an interesting concept and ran with it. He didn't allow himself to be too bogged down in the gimmick of making the dungeon sentient. Using Dale as a secondary main character works well to get us out of the dungeon from time to time. The premise is mostly unique and pays off beautifully. The magic system is actually my favorite part of the book and is extremely intricate while still easy for the reader to understand. The concept of runic symbols/inscriptions vs enchantments vs incantations keeps things balanced in that magic can be done by anyone but can be extremely dangerous at worst and extremely taxing at best and in that it provides both flavor and diversity to the magic. The creatures in the dungeon and the way they are created is incredibly insightful. The humor lines up directly with the author's humor and made me chuckle (if not flat out laugh) at work a handful of times. The world is incredibly well described and detailed, although it still feels as though we learn new things throughout the book. The characters are typically likable when they are supposed to be and unlikeable in the same token.
Cons: The cons in this book are more about personal style than actual poor writing and are better described in the mixed bag section below. Honestly, the part about this book that made me the least not happy was the last page. Nothing about the content on said page, but that it was the last page. I wasn't ready to transition into a second book quite yet and felt some loose ends were left a bit too loose, but then looking at the length of the book, I can understand why the writer wrapped it up. In fact, I feel like the ending itself was a great way to spur on the sequel, even if there are some questions burning in my mind.
Mixed Bag: There is a ton of exposition, or world building, in this novel. I quite enjoy it, but many do not enjoy this level of exposition. Also, there is very little physical movement in the book. The only places the story takes place is the Phantom Mountains (specifically the mountain Cal is in), inside of Cal, and a short bit in the capital city. Cal, being a dungeon and all, doesn't move much at all. Again, I feel the author does a good job spicing up the environment and flat out changing it to keep things from getting stale. Other than that, some people may point to rapid character development as a flaw, but that is clearly explained as the side effects of the refinement of essence and the ranking up of characters, and I feel it is well thought out and well explained.
When it comes down to it, I give the book a 10/10 focusing on the concept, the actual narrative told, the wonderful world that is built, the magic system, and the humor while the only knocks against this book are those listed in the Mixed Bag section, and I personally enjoyed those parts of the book. Out of a 5 star system, a 10/10 obviously equates to a 5/5
I highly recommend this book and look forward to learning more about this world and the characters in it in Book 2.
Preface II: Author originally had some mechanical and consistency errors, but edited them out. This review has changed to reflect the current state of the book (after 10/20/16).
I'd also like to start out with highly recommending this book, especially if you're into video games like World of Warcraft or role-playing games in general, role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons, or even just the fantasy/dungeon diving genre. It is a fresh twist on a familiar concept which is really needed in fantasy as a whole.
Overall, I felt the premise was very promising. It was different in that it (often) focuses on dungeon diving from the viewpoint of the dungeon rather than the diver. This provides an interesting outlook while still providing the otherworldly fights we fantasy readers crave. For someone who doesn't want spoilers, the best description/review I can give of the book is that it is a story about a dungeon, from conception to a place filled with death and danger. It is also a story of character evolution from both the dungeon and some of the divers which enter its maw.
Spoilers ahead
Pros: The author found an interesting concept and ran with it. He didn't allow himself to be too bogged down in the gimmick of making the dungeon sentient. Using Dale as a secondary main character works well to get us out of the dungeon from time to time. The premise is mostly unique and pays off beautifully. The magic system is actually my favorite part of the book and is extremely intricate while still easy for the reader to understand. The concept of runic symbols/inscriptions vs enchantments vs incantations keeps things balanced in that magic can be done by anyone but can be extremely dangerous at worst and extremely taxing at best and in that it provides both flavor and diversity to the magic. The creatures in the dungeon and the way they are created is incredibly insightful. The humor lines up directly with the author's humor and made me chuckle (if not flat out laugh) at work a handful of times. The world is incredibly well described and detailed, although it still feels as though we learn new things throughout the book. The characters are typically likable when they are supposed to be and unlikeable in the same token.
Cons: The cons in this book are more about personal style than actual poor writing and are better described in the mixed bag section below. Honestly, the part about this book that made me the least not happy was the last page. Nothing about the content on said page, but that it was the last page. I wasn't ready to transition into a second book quite yet and felt some loose ends were left a bit too loose, but then looking at the length of the book, I can understand why the writer wrapped it up. In fact, I feel like the ending itself was a great way to spur on the sequel, even if there are some questions burning in my mind.
Mixed Bag: There is a ton of exposition, or world building, in this novel. I quite enjoy it, but many do not enjoy this level of exposition. Also, there is very little physical movement in the book. The only places the story takes place is the Phantom Mountains (specifically the mountain Cal is in), inside of Cal, and a short bit in the capital city. Cal, being a dungeon and all, doesn't move much at all. Again, I feel the author does a good job spicing up the environment and flat out changing it to keep things from getting stale. Other than that, some people may point to rapid character development as a flaw, but that is clearly explained as the side effects of the refinement of essence and the ranking up of characters, and I feel it is well thought out and well explained.
When it comes down to it, I give the book a 10/10 focusing on the concept, the actual narrative told, the wonderful world that is built, the magic system, and the humor while the only knocks against this book are those listed in the Mixed Bag section, and I personally enjoyed those parts of the book. Out of a 5 star system, a 10/10 obviously equates to a 5/5
I highly recommend this book and look forward to learning more about this world and the characters in it in Book 2.
Dungeon Madness by Dakota Krout
5.0
Better than the First!!
Disclaimer: In the interest of full disclosure: I personally know the author, and I received access to a temporary pre-release copy in exchange for editing services. A review was never discussed, but I enjoyed the book and feel it is deserving of a review. Please note, I did pay for permanent access to the final copy of the book. Also, my personal relationship with the author has had no impact on the following review, unless said impact was grading aspects a bit more harshly.
Quick Look: Dungeon Madness is the second book in the Divine Dungeon series and is a fantastic follow up to the first book. The concept is the same in that the main character is a dungeon, but the scenarios play out quite a bit differently than in the first book. Again, this book is a LitRPG novel with hints of the Wuxia genre, meaning that what the reader gets is a book that could be ripped straight out of a video game with some awesome fight descriptions.
Recommended For: Readers of the first book. Seriously, this book is difficult to read as a stand alone novel because it isn’t one. It takes place immediately after the events of the first book and ends in a way which just begs for a third. That being said, the first book and this one are relatively inexpensive and quite long, so if you’re interested, I’d recommend picking both of them up. That being said, I’d recommend this series to anyone who really likes video games, anyone who likes dungeon-crawler fantasy, and anyone who likes seeing something new. There are a few dungeon-style novels out there, but very few and the concept is still fresh.
--SPOILERS AHEAD--
Pros: This book improved upon almost every aspect of the previous book. The mechanics of the writing took a major upswing: writing quality is much better, the editing is better, and the consistency is better. This isn’t to say the previous book was seriously hurting in these regards, but there is a significant difference. I attribute these to the author and his team being a bit more experienced. After the mechanical issues, the pros start being even better. The magic system gets even more fleshed out while still staying simple enough where I didn’t get confused. The balance of the limitations on things like runes, enchantments, and inscriptions while being accessible to all with the limitless nature of mana while being accessible to a very select few was a brilliant touch. The creatures created in the dungeon show even more creativity on the part of the author, with the floating jellyfish being my favorite. The humor is taken up a notch, and I loved it. Also, while the ending is definitely a cliffhanger, the ending felt less rushed and more minor loose ends were tied up than in the last book. We certainly have a major loose end to deal with in the next book, but I feel like this was a much better ending arc than the first book.
The author also improved on a handful of the ‘mixed bag’ issues from the last book. Due to the increasing size of the dungeon and the amount of time the story takes place outside of said dungeon, the book doesn’t physically stagnate from being told in the same place. There is enough variance throughout the different floors and the surface (and the balance of time spent in each is improved) that there is never the feeling like the reader is trapped. On the topic of exposition or world building, as I call it, we see that the author has refined his ability to show us the world. He lowered the overall amount of exposition and built the world through characters’ actions. Even with less exposition, the world kept growing and expanding in my imagination while reading the book, which isn’t surprising as the author’s biggest strength is world building.
Mixed Bag: The author uses a bit more meta-humor in this book. He refers to himself once or twice in a humorous fashion. He also refers to a few of his fellow LitRPG authors’ books. Now, I loved this, and many people seem to love this style of humor. That being said, a few people may take some issue with it. It does disrupt the flow and immersion a little bit, as meta humor is intended to do, but I found that it wasn’t enough to get me to even pause, let alone completely stop reading for any length of time. The author also still does rely a bit on exposition through dialogue, but has definitely improved on reducing the amount of such dialogue, especially between Cal and Dani, and replaced it with character building dialogue. Also, we still see rapid character development, especially as we watch Cal begin to become more ‘dungeon’ and less ‘former human’, but again, it fits with the vast amount of power the characters gain due to the uniqueness of Cal. I don’t see a major problem with any of these mixed-bag aspects, but I decided to put them here because they are the most likely aspects to irk people, at least in my opinion.
Cons: I have the same con with this book as I did with the last one. The last page sucked. Not because of anything that was on the page, but just because there wasn’t another page after it.
Overall:
Concept - 10/10
Writing mechanics - 15/15
Consistency - 5/5
Grammar - 5/5
Dialogue - 5/5
LitRPG mechanics - 8/10
World building - 15/15
Monsters - 5/5
Environment - 5/5
Other - 5/5
Characters - 9/10
Narrative - 19/20
Twist - 5/5
Pacing - 5/5
Humor - 4/5
Other - 5/5
Total - 76/80 = 19/20 = 4.75/5
Disclaimer: In the interest of full disclosure: I personally know the author, and I received access to a temporary pre-release copy in exchange for editing services. A review was never discussed, but I enjoyed the book and feel it is deserving of a review. Please note, I did pay for permanent access to the final copy of the book. Also, my personal relationship with the author has had no impact on the following review, unless said impact was grading aspects a bit more harshly.
Quick Look: Dungeon Madness is the second book in the Divine Dungeon series and is a fantastic follow up to the first book. The concept is the same in that the main character is a dungeon, but the scenarios play out quite a bit differently than in the first book. Again, this book is a LitRPG novel with hints of the Wuxia genre, meaning that what the reader gets is a book that could be ripped straight out of a video game with some awesome fight descriptions.
Recommended For: Readers of the first book. Seriously, this book is difficult to read as a stand alone novel because it isn’t one. It takes place immediately after the events of the first book and ends in a way which just begs for a third. That being said, the first book and this one are relatively inexpensive and quite long, so if you’re interested, I’d recommend picking both of them up. That being said, I’d recommend this series to anyone who really likes video games, anyone who likes dungeon-crawler fantasy, and anyone who likes seeing something new. There are a few dungeon-style novels out there, but very few and the concept is still fresh.
--SPOILERS AHEAD--
Pros: This book improved upon almost every aspect of the previous book. The mechanics of the writing took a major upswing: writing quality is much better, the editing is better, and the consistency is better. This isn’t to say the previous book was seriously hurting in these regards, but there is a significant difference. I attribute these to the author and his team being a bit more experienced. After the mechanical issues, the pros start being even better. The magic system gets even more fleshed out while still staying simple enough where I didn’t get confused. The balance of the limitations on things like runes, enchantments, and inscriptions while being accessible to all with the limitless nature of mana while being accessible to a very select few was a brilliant touch. The creatures created in the dungeon show even more creativity on the part of the author, with the floating jellyfish being my favorite. The humor is taken up a notch, and I loved it. Also, while the ending is definitely a cliffhanger, the ending felt less rushed and more minor loose ends were tied up than in the last book. We certainly have a major loose end to deal with in the next book, but I feel like this was a much better ending arc than the first book.
The author also improved on a handful of the ‘mixed bag’ issues from the last book. Due to the increasing size of the dungeon and the amount of time the story takes place outside of said dungeon, the book doesn’t physically stagnate from being told in the same place. There is enough variance throughout the different floors and the surface (and the balance of time spent in each is improved) that there is never the feeling like the reader is trapped. On the topic of exposition or world building, as I call it, we see that the author has refined his ability to show us the world. He lowered the overall amount of exposition and built the world through characters’ actions. Even with less exposition, the world kept growing and expanding in my imagination while reading the book, which isn’t surprising as the author’s biggest strength is world building.
Mixed Bag: The author uses a bit more meta-humor in this book. He refers to himself once or twice in a humorous fashion. He also refers to a few of his fellow LitRPG authors’ books. Now, I loved this, and many people seem to love this style of humor. That being said, a few people may take some issue with it. It does disrupt the flow and immersion a little bit, as meta humor is intended to do, but I found that it wasn’t enough to get me to even pause, let alone completely stop reading for any length of time. The author also still does rely a bit on exposition through dialogue, but has definitely improved on reducing the amount of such dialogue, especially between Cal and Dani, and replaced it with character building dialogue. Also, we still see rapid character development, especially as we watch Cal begin to become more ‘dungeon’ and less ‘former human’, but again, it fits with the vast amount of power the characters gain due to the uniqueness of Cal. I don’t see a major problem with any of these mixed-bag aspects, but I decided to put them here because they are the most likely aspects to irk people, at least in my opinion.
Cons: I have the same con with this book as I did with the last one. The last page sucked. Not because of anything that was on the page, but just because there wasn’t another page after it.
Overall:
Concept - 10/10
Writing mechanics - 15/15
Consistency - 5/5
Grammar - 5/5
Dialogue - 5/5
LitRPG mechanics - 8/10
World building - 15/15
Monsters - 5/5
Environment - 5/5
Other - 5/5
Characters - 9/10
Narrative - 19/20
Twist - 5/5
Pacing - 5/5
Humor - 4/5
Other - 5/5
Total - 76/80 = 19/20 = 4.75/5
Dungeon Calamity by Dakota Krout
5.0
Disclaimer: In the interest of full disclosure: I personally know the author, and I received access to a temporary pre-release copy in exchange for editing services. A review was never discussed, but I enjoyed the book and feel it is deserving of a review. Please note, I did pay for permanent access to the final copy of the book. Also, my personal relationship with the author has had no impact on the following review, unless I was being a bit more harsh than normal.
Quick Look: Dungeon Calamity is the third book in the Divine Dungeon series and is a fantastic follow up to the first two books. As I’ve said in previous reviews, this book is a LitRPG novel with hints of the Wuxia genre, meaning that what the reader gets is a book that could be ripped straight out of a video game with some awesome fight descriptions.
Recommended For: Readers of the first two books. Seriously, if you’re looking to buy just this book, don’t. It’s not a standalone novel and it won’t make any sense to you without the first two books. That being said, the first two books and this one are relatively inexpensive and quite long, so if you’re interested, I’d recommend picking all of them up. If I were to recommend the series to a friend, that friend would probably enjoy video games, martial arts movies, tabletop RPGs, and fantasy strongholds like magic, swords, and evil monsters. Specifically, this book has aspects of city-building sims, MMOs, tower defense games, action games, and, of course, RPGs.
--SPOILERS AHEAD--
Pros:
From a mechanical standpoint, the book is better. Both Dakota and his editors have more experience, so the voice remains more consistent, little grammatical errors are much less common, and the overall flow and pace of the book is wonderful.
The magic system, while not necessarily expanded, is used in really unique and creative ways. This goes right along with the innovative ways the Dungeon uses its mechanics to build, expand, and eventually become mobile. Its new floors are incredibly well designed, a testament to the author’s love for and knowledge of the world.
The humor is even better, in my opinion, than either of the previous books. There were times my wife looked at me funny. I don’t typically laugh at books, but I sure did with this one.
The best thing the author has done is stick to his limits. He has defined certain rules in the previous two books, and he sticks to them. This framework has led to incredibly creative solutions to problems, even though the main character is incredibly powerful.
The ending of this book is a lot less mixed. There is still plenty of room for more books in the world. There are also multiple avenues he could pursue going forward. The biggest change in the ending is there is no massive, heart-wrenching, soul-slashing cliffhanger. I had personally liked the hook at the end of the second book, but I know many did not. Either way, this ending is much tidier.
Mixed Bag:
The closest thing to a mixed bag in this book is the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I did have to double check with the author to make sure I wasn’t stupid. I should have had more faith in myself and in him. He writes the ending clearly, but if you are confused, just get in touch with him. He’ll gladly chit the chat with you and help to clarify any confusions you have.
Of course, some people will dislike time loops in anything, but that’s their problem, really.
Some people may deem this as a con, but I think it’s pulled off well. Cal has a bit of the ‘chosen one’ trope going on, but I think it’s handled well. Is the dungeon set up to be more powerful than anything/one else? Sure. Is it abused? No, not in my opinion.
Also, some people will see parts of this book as ‘extra’ or ‘unnecessary’. I’d thoroughly disagree, but some folks will say anything.
Cons:
I don’t know. I’m sure some of the mixed bag things above will be cons for other people, but sometimes I wonder if Dakota didn’t write this book for me. It does everything I want a novel to do and he is one of my favorite authors and would be even if I didn’t know him from Adam.
Quick Look: Dungeon Calamity is the third book in the Divine Dungeon series and is a fantastic follow up to the first two books. As I’ve said in previous reviews, this book is a LitRPG novel with hints of the Wuxia genre, meaning that what the reader gets is a book that could be ripped straight out of a video game with some awesome fight descriptions.
Recommended For: Readers of the first two books. Seriously, if you’re looking to buy just this book, don’t. It’s not a standalone novel and it won’t make any sense to you without the first two books. That being said, the first two books and this one are relatively inexpensive and quite long, so if you’re interested, I’d recommend picking all of them up. If I were to recommend the series to a friend, that friend would probably enjoy video games, martial arts movies, tabletop RPGs, and fantasy strongholds like magic, swords, and evil monsters. Specifically, this book has aspects of city-building sims, MMOs, tower defense games, action games, and, of course, RPGs.
--SPOILERS AHEAD--
Pros:
From a mechanical standpoint, the book is better. Both Dakota and his editors have more experience, so the voice remains more consistent, little grammatical errors are much less common, and the overall flow and pace of the book is wonderful.
The magic system, while not necessarily expanded, is used in really unique and creative ways. This goes right along with the innovative ways the Dungeon uses its mechanics to build, expand, and eventually become mobile. Its new floors are incredibly well designed, a testament to the author’s love for and knowledge of the world.
The humor is even better, in my opinion, than either of the previous books. There were times my wife looked at me funny. I don’t typically laugh at books, but I sure did with this one.
The best thing the author has done is stick to his limits. He has defined certain rules in the previous two books, and he sticks to them. This framework has led to incredibly creative solutions to problems, even though the main character is incredibly powerful.
The ending of this book is a lot less mixed. There is still plenty of room for more books in the world. There are also multiple avenues he could pursue going forward. The biggest change in the ending is there is no massive, heart-wrenching, soul-slashing cliffhanger. I had personally liked the hook at the end of the second book, but I know many did not. Either way, this ending is much tidier.
Mixed Bag:
The closest thing to a mixed bag in this book is the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I did have to double check with the author to make sure I wasn’t stupid. I should have had more faith in myself and in him. He writes the ending clearly, but if you are confused, just get in touch with him. He’ll gladly chit the chat with you and help to clarify any confusions you have.
Of course, some people will dislike time loops in anything, but that’s their problem, really.
Some people may deem this as a con, but I think it’s pulled off well. Cal has a bit of the ‘chosen one’ trope going on, but I think it’s handled well. Is the dungeon set up to be more powerful than anything/one else? Sure. Is it abused? No, not in my opinion.
Also, some people will see parts of this book as ‘extra’ or ‘unnecessary’. I’d thoroughly disagree, but some folks will say anything.
Cons:
I don’t know. I’m sure some of the mixed bag things above will be cons for other people, but sometimes I wonder if Dakota didn’t write this book for me. It does everything I want a novel to do and he is one of my favorite authors and would be even if I didn’t know him from Adam.