Discussing the Emerilia LitRPG Series by Michael Chatfield

Love this series and love the speed of the author. The books are a good size which helps you connect with the character in each book and his world building is first rate.

World building is one of the things that can make or break a LITRPG, its as important as the character building.

 

So far, this is my favorite LitRPG series. The world fills robust and filled in, the characters are multi-dimensional and easy to connect to.

 

After having the great pleasure on listening to this (in full as I'm an audio proofer) I can also say that the first book has me hooked. Michael and I talk a little in the discord and it's great to sprint with each other over in mywriteclub! he's defo a demon on the keys, but I can keep up when I'm in the mood.

I really want the next book in the series, but my reading time is so slow.

 

I've just started book 1. Have any of the folks that have read this had any issues getting into the book. I'm about 6 chapters alog so far and having a hell of a time. After reading about half a dozen LitRPG books from various authors, I'm finding this one very generic and bland so far. Much of the content and mechanics so far are very similar to another or alot of the books I've read so far. I'm not hollering plagiarism or anything like that, but I'm noticing a big similarity in the genre in general, and since the story, for me, is a bit on the bland side, I find myself skimming alot.

Does the book get any better? Does the writing improve. The MC so far is a bit 1 dimensional and the interactions with NPC's isn't very imaginative. The over all descriptions of the world are not impressive... the author may as well have said.. "the new world has blue skies and trees" and left it at that for all its worth.

Anyhow, I'm going to try and stick with it. I was just curious to hear others feedback and MAYBE give me a little confidence to keep slogging through. A "light at the end of the tunnel".

Maybe, I'm a bit impatient.. well... I know I am. If a book hasn't grabbed me in the first 1 or 2 chapters, it has been my experience, generally, itnisnt going to improve. I've been pleasantly surprised before... hopefully I will be again.

 

I do think the beginning is a little on the slow side, listening to it brought a lot of the world to life for me. I can say it does get better, though everyone has different opinions.

 

A good narrator can do wonders with a book. I'll stick with it and see what happens. Could be too I need a break from the genre. Something to cleanse the palate, so to speak.

 

I have to take breaks from most genres now and then, just get stuck and sometimes a lot of them can seem similar, even if they develop differently.

 

I think that is going to be 1 major drawback for LitRPG. You are very limited on how you get your characters into a RPG game in the first place, not to mention the initial character development and world building. I've spoken to Paul on this too, the guys that are going to make it big in the genre are going to have exceptional imaginations to break the chain so to speak. These early runners are getting in at a good time and developing their own themes and fan base. It's only going to get more challenging making something truly original from here out. I think the critical pieces are going to be in the plots, character development, and the story world.

I do like this particular series for the extraterrestrial contribution. Its a first for me reading these type of books. The ratings on this partucular series are great overall, which is why I'm tempering my patience and trying to stick it out.

Another note too, I plan on writing a review for this series on our forum here.. this thread will let me sorta keep track of my thoughts, and I'll be able to see how my opinion and experience progress. If like to stay impartial as possible. The feedback and discussion with others will help put my thoughts together.

 

That's so true. And can be so with other genres as well, especially so in SO. I like SO because of that, which is one reason, i'm teaming with a top SO and comedic writer to work on my next SciFi litrpg. But, there's also that added. 'only so many ways we can get in the game' theme, which I hope we're both being creative enough about. In fact this prompts me even more so to step out of the boxes that are already developed.

The good thing for me, is I defo have a big imagination, I'm just not that funny and well this is supposed to be funny. Good job, I can deal with some side of the story and he can deal with others, in fact that's the best part of a collaboration.

I digress anyway.

What I found with Emerillia, trying not to give spoilers, is the character development. From a story which starts off as it does, they really do dig deep. And not just for the MC there are some sub characters, who really break in, and steal your hearts.

I'm very interested in your thoughts. I'll be reviewing the audio when it's finally out. Because that's what I got to listen in on, and it's a slightly diff experience than reading. Because although I did see the tables, I have Dave's voice in my head

 

I really hold my tongue on the humor when reviewing a book. I have a dry and very sarcastic sense of humor myself. It's typically not appreciated in polite company. I'm a Military Vet, so get a bunch of us together and it's all good, but keep the kids away and put up the fine china. If someone cuts off a thumb doing something... even accidentaly, I'll laugh and call them a dumbass... let them bleed a bit for effect... then patch them up. It's just how alot of us are. I can appreciate a fair bit of nonsense or blatant slapstick humor... but only so much.. "Scary Movie" or anything with Will Farrel or constant idiocy, for reference... tends to annoy me quickly.

You said you like "SO".. I'm not familiar with what you're speaking of.. or I'm not making a connection to the acronym.

 

Space Opera? *scratches head* I dunno either Jason.

 

That sounds feasible Felicity. Good catch. Glad tonhave you back. I hope you're feeling better.

 

Sounds like a Carl of a move right there cutting off your thumb haha Yeah the biggest stumbling block for most people has been entering the story. I wanted to be game focused instead of back and forth with the world and while it leads to some really awesome things later. At the beginning people can be thrown. My humor also is very sarcastic and dry (goddamn army) that said I've kept it a bit lighter in here than my military scifi series.
If you do get to book 3, I think you'll find a character that'll make you grin as soon as his dumb ass shows up. That said, some people like the series some don't so don't force yourself! Reading's an escape not a chore cause screw that!

 

Yeah I've been having the same thing, my humor is kind of sneaky, if you get it you get it, if not you're like 'Mike, the hell you doing?' Looking forward to checking out the new series!

Thanks for your kind words, glad that you got to come to know Party Zero and their unorthodox ways...

 

lol. This thread is making it hard to leave the house.

Welcome Michael.

I've gotten several new ways to enter the game world and it makes me so paranoid that I'm afraid if I don't hurry up and get them written, someone else will steal my genius out from under me. Happened with the vibrating alarm pillow.

With that said, I'll give the book a try.

Someone paraphrase MyWriteClub. Whats that one about?

 

Hey Azazel!

Getting started is hard, then there's finishing and hitting publish, hard to do but one step at a time
MWC is a website where a bunch of people get together and do sprints. They have a timer of 25 mins work and 5 mins rest and a word counter so you know how you're doing and everyone else.
It's a good way to get some words out and a friendly competition to try and up that word count!

 

I'm about 30% into the book now. I'm finding myself settling in pretty well now. I think my whole issue in the beginning was because I found it sort of generic. More characters have been introduced and a couple more plot/quest lines habe presented themselves. The MC still kinda irks me as far as why a person of his accomishments and refined tastes would delve into a VRRPG. I just don't see those sorts playing games and I wonder how he will develop and where his real life experiemce comes into play. As far as to why he is creating what he is (at the 30%mark), I can perfectly understand that.

One thing I am confused on.. perhaps I'm just not connecting the dots. The ET's have created the game world.. but from the description of the conflict with the ET's and their proposed purpose of the game... is the MC's "real life" in VR too and the game is another VR sim? With humans having been nearly wiped out except for the few last holdouts of the race... how is the MC an industrial giant and trillionaire, unless his "RL" is also a game (Not a spoiler.. this is all discussed in the first 3 chapters) @Michael_Chatfield... can you clarify or fill in the blanks for me here?


Ok.. I was only at 24%... and right in the middle of having Bob explains exactly what I just asked... so, disregard and carry on.


I think you have done well with your humor here. The MC is a pretty humble guy who is empathetic to others around him. His humor and outlook towards some characters is great. He can be a sarcastic ass or crack a dumb joke as well.

I'm going to continue on and expect to finish up today or early tomorrow.

 

Glad you could join us here, Michael. I picked up the other books hehe, I will have to try and squeeze in reading them alongside all the others, haah