u/MRCastillaAuthor

Are there any books in line with the Dragonlance story. Group of adventurers out to fight a big evil. Classic fantasy adventure but with a focus on progression?

Do you read Grimdark?

What appeals to you about the genre? For me it’s the rawness of it and because of the constant struggle, the wins that do occur, even small, feel impactful. It’s a good emotional roller coaster ride and the prose (at least from what I read) is full of sensory details. I can get lost in it.

Stories I’ve read that I considered Grimdark.

The First Law series
Game of thrones
Lies is Locke Lamora
Prince of Thorns series

Do you know of stories on RR?

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This promo has been approved by the mods.

What to expect:

• Hard Magic: Detailed aspect-based runic magic
• A demon goblin
• Tactical Combat: Team designations and gritty fight scenes
• Tower Climbing: Interdimensional Tower with dangerous levels
• A fantasy adventure: A young heroine determined so save her realm
• Did I mention a demon goblin?
• A Saga: Books 2 & 3 edited. Books 4, thru 6 are drafted.

Interested in a binge read this weekend? If yes, then I invite you to check out the Wandering Spire Series: Book One!

The Blurb:

An action-packed progression fantasy about a young runecaster who braves a deadly tower to uncover the truth behind her brother’s disappearance.

Most who enter the Wandering Spire never return.

Jeze's brother didn't. Every five and a half years, the Wandering Spire appears without warning, rising beyond the clouds before vanishing again. Each time it does, competing powers ascend to claim its riches.

After five years of training, Jeze is ready to go after him. Armed with rune-etched tools, her brother’s journal, and a goblin Familiar who has survived the Spire six times, she has just five months to build a team before the tower returns.

Ten floors of randomized puzzles, traps, and Floor Guardians await her, and somewhere at the top lies a secret her brother died trying to warn her about.

Perfect for fans of Cradle, Arcane Ascension, and Mage Errant

Grab your copy today!

Cover art by Steven Shan

I just watched Apex on Netflix. It’s not a progression fantasy but the way they portrayed thrill seeking people who are at peak physical condition and mental fortitude made me think about many of the protangist in PF.

Some books represent this where it is believable why the MC is able to achieve what they achieve.

For me, Lindon and Yerin have that extreme hard work traits. Their rigorous training and fearlessness to fight stronger opponents shows their grit and fortitude.

Also. Oz from Academy of outcasts. He literally grew up in the plane of fire and hunted elementals.

It is a combination of luck and grit that gets them to where they are. Any other examples?

I am loving this series! I love the world details, sensory details, and the characters. The mythology ingrained into the world, and dialogue feels so real and as I read it, I feel like I am apart of the adventure.

I respect John Gwynne’s tremendous effort he put into the world building.

Anyone else reading the series?

I’m going to start my next project (soon) and I’m looking to write a space opera where the mc is a pro-gamer turned mech pilot. (A lot of details I need to work out!)

I want to create a status screen but it’s more the heads up display from a localized AI that assesses the MCs skills and abilities. So leveling up won’t happen in the traditional “system” sense. But, as a regular assessing of abilities and stats. MC will have to develop them through hard work and training. I plan to have techniques and abilities that the MC can work toward. He won’t “unlock” them but rather develop those skills. I plan to design a system of techniques, like the “loop de loo” a barrel roll like move that utilizes several thrusters. (I just made that up and I hope you get my meaning).

Question. Would that be something readers would like to see?

I've recenlty became curious about what makes a sword and sorcery tale? I've never read the Conan works, but I grew up watching the movies, plus Red Sonja. I read a lot of Forgotten Realms, and Dragonlance. Basically every book up until the 2000s. I did get into Grimdark, with the First Law series by Joe Abercrombie. I feel like that has elements of Sword and Sorcery, which is undefined magic that is extremely mysterious and powerful set within a brutal time. Does that sound right? What are your thoughts and what stories you feel fit the Sword and Sorcery bill that you would recommend.

A head scratcher for me. How does someone commit to 318 chapters and then leave a 3 star rating without a comment or feedback?

Or how does someone read nearly a half million words and then be like, “this was meh.”

I mean I am grateful for a reader to stick with my work for that long. I really am. But, it’s rare for us writers to get a rating and a let’s be honest. 3 stars is basically a stab through the heart. Luckily it didn’t impact my overall rating…other than hurting my soul and causing me some confusion.

Anyone else experience something similar?

Or have you read hours through a work and decided it was meh and left a 3 star rating? No judgements, please share.

I'm not even close to starting my next project, but I like thinking about it. Basic idea is a pro first person shooter gamer gets into a scenerio where they pilot mech suits. The Progression can happen in one of three ways or all three:

1. Improving as a pilot.

2. tapping into psi powers that are only available to organic brains, or living beings with a soul. Thus improving them. (I like this one, I might keep it)

3. Succeeding on missions, gaining money, upgrading himself and the mech suit.

Question, how does that happen?

Iseaki: He ends up in a space opera like universe where there is a war, and he manages to get inside a mech suit and bam! Start of his adventure.

Portal: A mysterious entity is recuriting talented "pilots," (I'll think of a cooler name) through a game. People who beat the final level get sucked into a portal and transported into a universe at war. He is thrown into a mech suit and start of his adventure!

Apocalypse: Two sides at are war. It spans universes and dimensions. It comes to earth. In the chaos that ensued, the MC manages to enter a mech suit...start of his adventure!

The Apaclypse one is a bit of a head scratcher because how does he know how to pilot the mech suit? With Iseaki, we can say his soul adapted when he transferred over to the new reality and is given knowledge on piloting. For Portal, we can say the game he played trained him on the mech suit.

Anyways, I'm curious for all ideas. Also, would this be a story you would read?

What types of endings do you look for in a book? Without giving spoilers.

For me, a good ending is where all the arcs are closed, but after finishing the last page, I understand that the characters will continue to live on and that the story simply wraps up this one part of their lives.

I am thinking of several types of endings:

1. Tragic endings. The heroes succeeded but at a heavy cost. Or they failed and learned all along that their efforts were futile.

2. Cliffhanger. (this could be good if done right). The ending is vague. Did they succeed? Did they die? Was it a dream?

3. Happy ending. Here I think are two types (but please correct me if you know of more). The short one. Villian is defeated and the heroes rejoice. The end. Or, the long happy ending. Where the writer goes into detail what life is like after the adventure or epic struggle. Several chapters talking about how the heroes continue on with their life, such as raising a family, and a household, or being a ruler of a nation.

4. What else? Your thoughts? Which do you prefer, or how each catergory can work for you?

DragonBallz was my introduction to Progression Fantasy. The whole idea of pushing your body beyond your limits, and beyond what your enemies are willing to do so that you can kick their ass really resonated with me. What was your introduction to the genre? Also, Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there. Thank you for keeping us us alive, and helping us on the path to growing stronger.

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I'm playing around with ideas for my next project. The protangist is a pro first person shooter gamer that is invited to compete in a tournament against AI competitors. The purpose of the tournament is find potential "pilots."

I'm still working on the term for that, but I was a bit inspired by "the Last Starfighter." It's an old movie. Anyways, it will either be portal or iseaki and it involves mech suit pilots. Again, I'm still working out the names. The progression aspect will be what seperates biological beings (such as humans) from robots is the ability for organic brains to develop psi powers. It's extremely difficult to unlock, but once it happens, it is what gives biological beings an advantage (or the ability to compete with) over the machines. Psi powers will be like magic, I'm thinking. Again, still working out the kinks.

The resistance in this far off galaxy is trying to stop an evil massive AI armada from taking over the known universe. Or maybe something less dramatic. They use this game tournament as a way to find psi potential, or beings that have unlocked it. It is not a rare genetic thing, but rather something that is earned, which the protangist developed, and what gave him the edge in his career.

This is a rough idea and I need to tickle a hundred other things out.

I wanted to brainstorm here, but also gauge if this would be an interesting plot. Of course assuming I an write a decent enough story.

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Book one of the Wandering Spire series is now available, in partnerhsip with Moonquill, on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.

What to expect:

• Hard Magic: Detailed aspect-based runic magic
• A demon goblin
• Tactical Combat: Team designations and gritty combat
• The Tower: Interdimensional Tower with dangerous levels
• Progression: A Guild ranking system
• Did I mention a demon goblin?
• The Series: This is a Saga. Books 2 & 3 edited. Books 4, thru 6 are drafted.

Interested? You've made it this far, here is the blurb!

An action-packed progression fantasy about a young runecaster who braves a deadly tower to uncover the truth behind her brother’s disappearance.

Most who enter the Wandering Spire never return.

Jeze's brother didn't. Every five and a half years, the Wandering Spire appears without warning, rising beyond the clouds before vanishing again. Each time it does, competing powers ascend to claim its riches.

After five years of training, Jeze is ready to go after him. Armed with rune-etched tools, her brother’s journal, and a goblin Familiar who has survived the Spire six times, she has just five months to build a team before the tower returns.

Ten floors of randomized puzzles, traps, and Floor Guardians await her, and somewhere at the top lies a secret her brother died trying to warn her about.

Perfect for fans of Cradle, Arcane Ascension, and Mage Errant.

Grab your copy here!

Question: Most main characters in progression fantasy and litrpg are young single people. Which makes sense because it is about adventure and self discovery among other things.

However, has anyone played Children of Morta? If not I recommend it. It’s a fantastic game/story about an adventuring family.

That got me thinking. One, are their books like this that portray an adventuring family? Two, would that be interesting for readers and how can it be?

I am reading the Bloodsworn Saga, and John Gwynne does a good job with a father, mother and son. (FYI I’m on book 2 and I won’t give any spoilers).

I’m also thinking God of War Ragnorak as another example. Anyways, I’m curious to hear what everyone e thinks.