{"product":{"product_id":"B076G8DVN6","title":"Cradle, Foundation: Box Set (Cradle Collection Book 1)","price":"9.99","image_url":"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51KIJF5J6yL._SL500_.jpg","url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076G8DVN6"},"comments":[{"body":"Just a few updates.\r\n\r\nBeen playing Everquest's TLP server with my brothers. Really fun. My brother just got crack, so we're all happy.\r\n\r\nDark Souls remastered is a bit silly. I'm running my SL 20 sorcerer that can only have +5 weapons through to get Dark Bead and blow up some lowbies. Basically just have to down Four Kings and Artorias. Shit is hard. The online community is huge right now. It's seriously the best its ever been in any Souls game because it actually fucking works for once.\r\n\r\nNew Path of Exile league comes out Friday. I took Monday off and am working from home on Friday. Doing some 10 hour shifts so I can get off work earlier, too.\r\n\r\nWill Wight's new book also comes out Friday and the first three books in that series will be free on [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Foundation-Collected-Book-ebook/dp/B076G8DVN6/). If you like Wuxia at all, you should read it.","subreddit_name":"nfl","author":"Rathum"},{"body":"Jumping on the current top comment with copy-pasta from a comment I just made below in hopes people will see it in time. \r\n\r\nI had an issue where I couldn't actually obtain \"permanent\" copies of the books because I have Kindle Unlimited, and Amazon was only giving me the option to borrow them. But I discovered a work around. \r\n\r\nGo to Amazon and **log out of your account**. \r\nThen search in Amazon for \"Will Wight box set\"\r\n(Or here is the URL for the first box set:  www.amazon.com/dp/B076G8DVN6/ )\r\nSince you are logged out it will now give you the option to \"buy\" for $0.00. \r\n\r\nDigital List Price: ~~$9.99~~\r\nKindle Price: \t $0.00\r\n                         Save $9.99 (100%)\r\n   Buy Now with 1-Click\r\n\r\nOnce you click on the link to \"Buy Now\", log in to make the purchase for $0. \r\n\r\nRinse and repeat for box set 2 and 3. \r\nHope that helps! I worked for me. :-)","subreddit_name":"ProgressionFantasy","author":"physicsdude1"},{"body":"I had the same issue. But I discovered a work around. \r\nGo to Amazon and **log out of your account**. \r\nThen search in Amazon for \"Will Wight box set\"\r\n(Or here is the URL for the first box set:  www.amazon.com/dp/B076G8DVN6/ )\r\nSince you are logged out it will now give you the option to \"buy\" for $0.00. \r\n\r\nDigital List Price: ~~$9.99~~\r\nKindle Price: \t $0.00\r\n                         Save $9.99 (100%)\r\n   Buy Now with 1-Click\r\n\r\nHope that helps! I worked for me. :-)","subreddit_name":"ProgressionFantasy","author":"physicsdude1"},{"body":"Wonderful series. For anyone reading this post who isn't a fan yet, [here](https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Foundation-Collected-Book-ebook/dp/B076G8DVN6) is where you want to start. The next book, *Wintersteel*, is likely coming out later this year and we're super excited about it.","subreddit_name":"Fantasy","author":"alexportman"},{"body":"Ha I assumed you were here asking for this specifically to hold you over between Cradle releases. It's an amazing series. Also it looks like the Kindle Box Set (first 3 books) is totally free right now! [Long ass Amazon URL](https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Foundation-Collected-Book-ebook/dp/B076G8DVN6/ref=sr_1_2?Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.x=14\u0026amp;Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.y=5\u0026amp;dchild=1\u0026amp;qid=1590471637\u0026amp;refinements=p_27%3AWill+Wight%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A618073011\u0026amp;s=books\u0026amp;sr=1-2\u0026amp;unfiltered=1)\r\n\r\nFor me book 1 was \"Good enough to keep me interested/reading, but not extraordinary.\" Then I kept going, and it's now possibly my favorite series.","subreddit_name":"Fantasy","author":"LonerActual"},{"body":"By the way, in case you are not aware, the Cradle: Foundation ebook (which is the first 3 books of the series in a single ebook) is free for the next few hours, be sure to get it before the deal ends, so you can see for yourself if it's for you without having to spend a dime. Here are the links:\r\n\r\n* [US](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076G8DVN6)\r\n* [Canada](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B076G8DVN6)\r\n* [UK](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076G8DVN6)\r\n* [AUS](https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B076G8DVN6)\r\n* [Germany](https://www.amazon.de/dp/B076G8DVN6)\r\n* [Japan](https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B076G8DVN6)\r\n* [India](https://www.amazon.in/dp/B076G8DVN6)\r\n* [Netherlands](https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B076G8DVN6)\r\n* [France](https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B076G8DVN6)\r\n* [Spain](https://www.amazon.es/dp/B076G8DVN6)\r\n* [Brazil](https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B076G8DVN6)","subreddit_name":"Fantasy","author":"marpe"},{"body":"The first 3 books in the [Cradle series](https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Foundation-Collected-Book-ebook/dp/B076G8DVN6/) is free on Amazon until Thursday.","subreddit_name":"rational","author":"xamueljones"},{"body":"I noticed a distinct lack of [Cradle](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076G8DVN6) in your list, so... that. Plus the rest of Will Wight's catalogue. I particularly liked the House of Blades series. \r\n\r\nI don't know if he's ever been nominated for a Hugo, but Alastair Reynold's [Revelation Space](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H6SZLGW) series is great (as is the rest of his bibliography).\r\n\r\nIf you've read Beware of Chicken you know that at the beginning the MC gives thanks to \"Shizuko\" for instructions on how to grow rice; the manga / web novel he's referring to is *Sengoku Komachi Kurou Tan*, and both are great if you can find them (it's not hard but is probably piracy I guess?). It's a fairly standard \"transplanted into the past, now I gotta uplift\" story, and the MC is believably hypercompetent (her grandfather is essentially Japanese [Norman Borlaug](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug) and has ensured that she knows the history of agriculture inside and out). \r\n\r\nIf you liked Katalepsis but want something from the perspective of a friendly eldritch entity, you might want to try [Eldritch Entity on a Journey of Self Discovery](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/40038/eldritch-entity-on-a-journey-of-self-discovery) - it's kinda like Cinnamon Bun, except the main character is a friendly outside context problem. It's very new, though, so beware. \r\n\r\nIf you feel like a dungeon core story, NoDragons is back with [OASIS CORE](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/39793/oasis-core), which is set in the same world as Thieves' Dungeon.","subreddit_name":"rational","author":"IICVX"},{"body":"Similar to a previous comment of mine, but if you're getting into the genre and want a broad spread of high quality books that cover much of the range. of the genre, I'd recommend \r\n\r\n* **Cradle** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/cradle), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Foundation-Collected-Book-ebook/dp/B076G8DVN6)): Cultivation. The current King of Progression Fantasy. Smart and engaging characters, amazing plot, fantastical world.\r\n* **Mother of Learning** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/mol), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09M2R6QLF)): Progression fantasy, and time loops done right. Smart MC, great plot, varied magic systems. Groundhog day has nothing on this.\r\n* **Iron Prince** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/iron_prince), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Prince-Warformed-Stormweaver-Book-ebook/dp/B08KGT4CLQ)): Scifi/progression/LitRPG crossover in an academic settings. Who needs magic when you have funky alien tech that gives you  the best of fantasy and LitRPG in one swoop.\r\n* **Arcane Ascension** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/arcane_ascension), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBFD7CB)): Progression fantasy in academic setting. Great world, detailed magic, intelligent characters, extraordinarily fun. Crafting and spire/dungeon focus.\r\n* **Mage Errant** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/mage_errant), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Into-Labyrinth-Mage-Errant-Book-ebook/dp/B07J675X2C)): Progression fantasy, some academic focused books. A struggling protagonist gets dragged into adventure.\r\n* **Dungeon Crawler Carl** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/carl), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Crawler-Carl-Gamelit-Adventure-ebook/dp/B08BKGYQXW)): System apocalypse LitRPG. Carl and Princess Donut are the real power couple I never knew I needed.\r\n\r\n***** \r\n\r\nOr, if you have specific things you might like more (I don't have too many morally ambiguous recs, sorry), but for other themes:\r\n\r\nIf you liked the passionate characters and lots of fights, check out **Iron Prince**, **Bastion**, **Dungeon Crawler Carl**.\r\n\r\nIf magic schools are your jam, check out **Arcane Ascension**, **Mark of the Fool**, **Mother of Learning**, **The Enchanter**, **The Scholomance Series**.\r\n\r\nIf you want some very long series with hard numbers (so mostly LitRPG systems) where getting strong is the main focus with lots of cliffhangers, check out **He Who Fights With Monsters**, **Defiance of the Fall**, **The Primal Hunter**, **Path of Ascension**, **Outcast in Another World,** **The Legend of Randidly Ghosthound**.\r\n\r\nIf you want some more non-Chinese takes on cultivation, check out **Soul Relic** (disclosure, I wrote this), **The Weirkey Chronicles**, **Seventh Bridge to the Heavens**, **The Tower Unbroken**.\r\n\r\nIf you want more traditional cultivation, check out **Forge of Destiny,** **I Shall Seal the Heavens**.\r\n\r\nIf you want some VRMMO style takes, there's **Awaken Online**, **Somnia Online**. \r\n\r\n****\r\n\r\nI've got these [listed out here with tags you can filter on](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/), and please note there are hundreds of titles I haven't read yet - this is all just things I've personally read.","subreddit_name":"ProgressionFantasy","author":"samreay"},{"body":"Well definitely continue MoL, it's one of my all-time favourites. It's been quite a while since I've dropped a full list of recs in this sub, so brace yourself. If any of these catch your eye and you want some more details, let me know.\r\n\r\nHere's a mix of progression fantasy and LitRPG *very roughly* sorted by how much I personally loved each series. I haven't listed anything I didn't enjoy reading in general, so the bottom of the list is not \"things I disliked,\" everything on this list I think is worth checking out.\r\n\r\n* **Cradle** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/cradle), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Foundation-Collected-Book-ebook/dp/B076G8DVN6)): Cultivation. The current King of Progression Fantasy. Smart and engaging characters, amazing plot, fantastical world.\r\n* **Mother of Learning** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/mol), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09M2R6QLF)): Progression fantasy, and time loops done right. Smart MC, great plot, varied magic systems. Groundhog day has nothing on this.\r\n* **Iron Prince** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/iron_prince), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Prince-Warformed-Stormweaver-Book-ebook/dp/B08KGT4CLQ)): Scifi/progression/LitRPG crossover in an academic settings. Who needs magic when you have funky alien tech that gives you  the best of fantasy and LitRPG in one swoop.\r\n* **Arcane Ascension** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/arcane_ascension), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBFD7CB)): Progression fantasy in academic setting. Great world, detailed magic, intelligent characters, extraordinarily fun. Crafting and spire/dungeon focus.\r\n* **Soul Relic** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/soul_relic), [amazon](https://mybook.to/SoulRelic)): Female-lead cultivation novel with a hard magic system. A young woman with a broken soul joins her brother to find a solution in the wider world. *DISCLAIMER: I WROTE THIS*\r\n* **Bastion** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/bastion), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Bastion-Immortal-Great-Souls-Book-ebook/dp/B09KNXZZR5)): Cultivation with only slight academic focus. A great mix of classic progression with some top tier worldbuilding.\r\n* **Dungeon Crawler Carl** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/carl), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Crawler-Carl-Gamelit-Adventure-ebook/dp/B08BKGYQXW)): System apocalypse LitRPG. Carl and Princess Donut are the real power couple I never knew I needed.\r\n* **The Weirkey Chronices Soulhome** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/weirkey), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Soulhome-Weirkey-Chronicles-Book-1-ebook/dp/B08P7TYG41)): If there's one thing I always love about Sarah Lin, its her worldbuilding. And now, she's written my favourite magic system as well.\r\n* **Mage Errant** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/mage_errant), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Into-Labyrinth-Mage-Errant-Book-ebook/dp/B07J675X2C)): Progression fantasy, some academic focused books. A struggling protagonist gets dragged into adventure.\r\n* **Jake's Magical Market** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/jmm), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Jakes-Magical-Market-J-R-Mathews-ebook/dp/B09HWX11N9)): System apocalypse LitRPG. If you think running a shop is all Jake does, think again.\r\n* **The Scholomance Series** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/scholomance), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Education-Novel-Scholomance-Book-ebook/dp/B083RZC8KQ)): Fantasy series, female lead in a magic school with an 50% mortality rate, because they get eaten by the maleficaria.\r\n* **Beware of Chicken** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/chicken), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Beware-Chicken-Xianxia-Cultivation-Novel-ebook/dp/B09Y6RQSHM)): Slice of life cultivation novel, very wholesome, about a reincarnated person trying to get away from Xianxia tropes.\r\n* **How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/ten_steps), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Defeat-Demon-King-Easy-Steps/dp/B086R4N2YC)): Hilarious LitRPG. Short, tongue-in-cheek parody of the genre, it's great fun.\r\n* **The Enchanter** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/enchanter), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Enchanter-Journals-Evander-Tailor-Book-ebook/dp/B09VNDHW49)): Progression fantasy. Crafting, intelligent protagonists, school setting, it's right up my alley.\r\n* **The Perfect Run** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/perfect_run), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com.au/Perfect-Run-Maxime-J-Durand-ebook/dp/B08WL8CS8B)): Fantasy series focusing on time loops and a diverse cast of super-powered characters trying to save the world... or end it.\r\n* **Seventh Bridge to the Heavens** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/seventh), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/First-Fist-Seventh-Heavens-Cultivation-ebook/dp/B09TNJQ984)): A cultivation story with the faintest hint of LitRPG, featuring elemental powers and great worldbuilding.\r\n* **Completionist Chronicles** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/cc), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Ritualist-Completionist-Chronicles-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07B27XQLF)): World-system LitRPG. Fun read with an interesting cast. Ignore the weird opening about Elon Musk.\r\n* **Art of the Adept** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/adept), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W7X9VY6)): A fantasy progression novel taking our wizard MC from child to global threat.\r\n* **The Path of Ascension** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/path_ascension), [RoyalRoad](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/40920/the-path-of-ascension)): Scifi cultivation. It's not often we see wuxia in space. It's not common we see it done well, either.\r\n* **An Outcast In Another World** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/outcast), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Outcast-Another-World-Adventure-Insanity-ebook/dp/B09FZ16ZNT), [RoyalRoad](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/42385/an-outcast-in-another-world-subtitle-is-insanity)): Your typical isekai LitRPG novel that only gets better as it goes on through rich characters, good humour, and a great overaching plot.\r\n* **Lightblade** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/lightblade), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Lightblade-Progression-Fantasy-Epic-Saga-ebook/dp/B0B1MNYTSB)): Progression fantasy, inception/matrix themes mixed in with some hints of Indo-Persian mythology.\r\n* **Divine Dungeon** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/divine_dungeon), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Dungeon-Complete-GameLit-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B084RD9N97)): LitRPG. Great into to dungeon core. First few books are great. The ending is a bit lacking.\r\n* **Shattered Gods** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/shattered_gods), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Gods-Epic-Fantasy-Progression-ebook/dp/B091QCZ75X)): Progression fantasy. A falling empire, oppressed populace, and gods being reincarnated. Fun times lie ahead.\r\n* **The Legend of Randidly Ghosthound** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/ghosthound), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Randidly-Ghosthound-LitRPG-Adventure-ebook/dp/B09BNSH5KG)): System apocalypse LitRPG. The System takes over Earth, and Randidly becomes a Heretic.","subreddit_name":"ProgressionFantasy","author":"samreay"},{"body":"the first 9 books of Cradle are available for free right now: \r\n\r\nCradle, Foundation: Box Set (Cradle Collection Book 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076G8DVN6/","subreddit_name":"litrpg","author":"dbenc"},{"body":"Okay, analytic MCs, including the ones you listed already for completeness, with some more thrown in.\r\n\r\n* **Cradle** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/cradle), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Foundation-Collected-Book-ebook/dp/B076G8DVN6)): Cultivation. The current King of Progression Fantasy. Smart and engaging characters, amazing plot, fantastical world.\r\n* **Mother of Learning** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/mol), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09M2R6QLF)): Progression fantasy, and time loops done right. Smart MC, great plot, varied magic systems. Groundhog day has nothing on this.\r\n* **Arcane Ascension** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/arcane_ascension), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBFD7CB)): Progression fantasy in academic setting. Great world, detailed magic, intelligent characters, extraordinarily fun. Crafting and spire/dungeon focus.\r\n* **Mage Errant** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/mage_errant), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Into-Labyrinth-Mage-Errant-Book-ebook/dp/B07J675X2C)): Progression fantasy, some academic focused books. A struggling protagonist gets dragged into adventure.\r\n* **How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/ten_steps), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Defeat-Demon-King-Easy-Steps/dp/B086R4N2YC)): Hilarious LitRPG. Short, tongue-in-cheek parody of the genre, it's great fun.\r\n* **The Enchanter** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/enchanter), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Enchanter-Journals-Evander-Tailor-Book-ebook/dp/B09VNDHW49)): Progression fantasy. Crafting, intelligent protagonists, school setting, it's right up my alley.\r\n* **The Last Physicist** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/physicist), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Last-Physicist-Gamelit-Fantasy-Adventure-ebook/dp/B091P52QPM)): LitRPG, isekai/portal fantasy, with a sort-of-but-not-really scientific approach to magic.\r\n\r\nAnalytic personality characters but the series doesn't have that analytic focus common to the others:\r\n\r\n* **The Scholomance Series** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/scholomance), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Education-Novel-Scholomance-Book-ebook/dp/B083RZC8KQ)): Fantasy series, female lead in a magic school with an 50% mortality rate, because they get eaten by the maleficaria.\r\n* **The Path of Ascension** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/path_ascension), [RoyalRoad](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/40920/the-path-of-ascension)): Scifi cultivation. It's not often we see wuxia in space. It's not common we see it done well, either.","subreddit_name":"ProgressionFantasy","author":"samreay"},{"body":"Generally, we'd cross into LitRPG as soon as you introduce hard numbers, attributes, classes, levels, etc, into the work. Andrew Rowe's *Arcane Ascension* series blurs the line a bit as he puts hard numbers to the amount of mana each person has.\r\n\r\nIf you want a westernised cultivation story (based on Chinese spiritual arts), **Cradle** is the most well known (and my favourite) progression fantasy series  ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/cradle), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Foundation-Collected-Book-ebook/dp/B076G8DVN6)).\r\n\r\nIf you're instead a fan of more analytical MCs with a heavy focus on smart problem solving and preparation, check out **Arcane Ascension** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/arcane_ascension), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBFD7CB)) or **Mother of Learning** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/mol), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09M2R6QLF)).\r\n\r\nFor more passionate characters relying on their sheer grit and determination, there's **Iron Prince**, which is a scifi/litrp crossover set in an combat focused academy ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/iron_prince), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Prince-Warformed-Stormweaver-Book-ebook/dp/B08KGT4CLQ)), or Bastion which is a cultivation novel which follows the journey of Scorio, a reincarnated warrior in a collapsing society ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/bastion), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Bastion-Immortal-Great-Souls-Book-ebook/dp/B09KNXZZR5)).\r\n\r\nIf you want to explore the LitRPG genre more, I'd recommend checking out either **Jake's Magical Market** (which starts of as a card-based magic system, [review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/jmm), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Jakes-Magical-Market-J-R-Mathews-ebook/dp/B09HWX11N9)) or **Dungeon Crawler Carl**  ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/carl), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Crawler-Carl-Gamelit-Adventure-ebook/dp/B08BKGYQXW)), which follows Carl and (his exes) cat, Princess Donut, as they descend into a multi-layered planetary dungeon that's streamed as the universes most popular reality TV show. I love both of those books.\r\n\r\nIf you have other non progression fantasy series you like, let us know and you'll get better recommendations. There's also classics outside the genre that are pretty close like Brent Week's *Night Angel Trilogy**.","subreddit_name":"litrpg","author":"samreay"},{"body":"Okay, so I'll include the big titles in here in case you haven't read them:\r\n\r\n* **Cradle** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/cradle), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Foundation-Collected-Book-ebook/dp/B076G8DVN6)): Lindon, Eithan and Yerin are a tight-knit group.\r\n* **Arcane Ascension** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/arcane_ascension), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBFD7CB)): Corin gets a good group (Jin, Sera, Patrick, etc) and its still going books later.\r\n* **Bastion** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/bastion), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Bastion-Immortal-Great-Souls-Book-ebook/dp/B09KNXZZR5)): There's a group here of classmates, but a good part of the first half of the book is Scorio on his own, so maybe not what you want\r\n* **Mage Errant** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/mage_errant), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Into-Labyrinth-Mage-Errant-Book-ebook/dp/B07J675X2C)): Hugh, Talia, Sabae are a tight group of three being mentored by Alustin.\r\n* **Shattered Gods** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/shattered_gods), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Gods-Epic-Fantasy-Progression-ebook/dp/B091QCZ75X)): Again, classmates that travel and grow together.","subreddit_name":"ProgressionFantasy","author":"samreay"},{"body":"This is a super common (and aggravating) trend in many PF and LitRPG books I read as well, for when the author wants to make the MC smart and innovative but does so by simply dumbing everyone else down.\r\n\r\nThe last one I read through, The Legend of Randidly Ghosthound, [review here if you're interested](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/ghosthound) has Randidly showing an entire world how to do basic business and make money.\r\n\r\nPrior to that, there was Rogue Dungeon ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/rogue_dungeon)), which has the MC seen as a radical genius because he proposed insane concepts like \"Let's work together\". \r\n\r\nIf you want MCs that don't fall into this category, but do focus on intelligent MCs, my top recs are pretty standard here, but they are:\r\n\r\n* **Cradle** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/cradle), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Foundation-Collected-Book-ebook/dp/B076G8DVN6)): The current King of Progression Fantasy.\r\n* **Mother of Learning** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/mol), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09M2R6QLF)): Time loops done right. Groundhog day has nothing on this.\r\n* **Arcane Ascension** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/arcane_ascension), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBFD7CB)): Great world, detailed magic, intelligent characters, extraordinarily fun.\r\n\r\nFor other good ones which are totally free of \"Everyone else is a moron so I look good\", also check out\r\n\r\n* **Iron Prince** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/iron_prince), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Prince-Warformed-Stormweaver-Book-ebook/dp/B08KGT4CLQ)): Who needs magic when you have funky alien tech that gives you  the best of fantasy and LitRPG in one swoop.\r\n* **Bastion** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/bastion), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Bastion-Immortal-Great-Souls-Book-ebook/dp/B09KNXZZR5)): A great mix of classic progression with some top tier worldbuilding.\r\n* **Dungeon Crawler Carl** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/carl), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Crawler-Carl-Gamelit-Adventure-ebook/dp/B08BKGYQXW)): Carl and Princess Donut are the real power couple I never knew I needed.\r\n* **Mage Errant** ([review](https://cosmiccoding.com.au/reviews/mage_errant), [amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Into-Labyrinth-Mage-Errant-Book-ebook/dp/B07J675X2C)): A struggling protagonist gets dragged into adventure.","subreddit_name":"ProgressionFantasy","author":"samreay"}]}