juchan's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Loved the series as a whole. The chracters are great and wonderfully grey in a sense. Lots of betrayel and shit-crazy characters. Also loved the occassional drawing of the different species/ characters. Especially book 3 had a very dystopian feel to it, but I'm all here for it.
Really liked the series and the main character. Would recommend if you are into slightly dystopian LitRPG/ gaming stories that have a bit of romance as well.
Really liked the series and the main character. Would recommend if you are into slightly dystopian LitRPG/ gaming stories that have a bit of romance as well.
angrywombat's review
4.0
Yep - great last book, although I do have some issues with it.
First up - the characters (especially Chris) are really great. I wish there were a few more books in this series so we could get more of them! Secondly, we finally get to see a little more of this virtual world other than the backwoods corner around Castle Winter.
Yep, the basic idea of this book (and LitRPG it seems) is done really well - the fictional "RPG" world is really well done and the characters have believable motivations etc. I REALLY enjoyed the exploration of the world, the system (what little of it is shown) and the characters. This time around Chris is becoming a Castellan - owning Castle Winter - and we get castle management and guild management mechanics added.
What I didn't like was the sudden upscale of scope. I mean the same problem that a lot of stories have of going from "personal" to "world ending" scope really fast :( We started out with Chris wanting a favor from the AI to save his brother, to .. literal end of the world stakes.. While it is believable in-fiction, I sorta would have preferred the story to stay focused on Chris and his problem. I dont think the story would have been worse for it, but hey, its still a brilliant book!
This series (and the Chronicles of the Black Gate) really make this author one to watch for me.
First up - the characters (especially Chris) are really great. I wish there were a few more books in this series so we could get more of them! Secondly, we finally get to see a little more of this virtual world other than the backwoods corner around Castle Winter.
Yep, the basic idea of this book (and LitRPG it seems) is done really well - the fictional "RPG" world is really well done and the characters have believable motivations etc. I REALLY enjoyed the exploration of the world, the system (what little of it is shown) and the characters. This time around Chris is becoming a Castellan - owning Castle Winter - and we get castle management and guild management mechanics added.
What I didn't like was the sudden upscale of scope. I mean the same problem that a lot of stories have of going from "personal" to "world ending" scope really fast :( We started out with Chris wanting a favor from the AI to save his brother, to .. literal end of the world stakes.. While it is believable in-fiction, I sorta would have preferred the story to stay focused on Chris and his problem. I dont think the story would have been worse for it, but hey, its still a brilliant book!
This series (and the Chronicles of the Black Gate) really make this author one to watch for me.
barb4ry1's review
4.0
Unfortunately, Chris made a shitty decision*. RTC.
* His choices weren't great, though. But I really, really hoped we would get a daring ending.
* His choices weren't great, though. But I really, really hoped we would get a daring ending.
artgor's review
5.0
I got this book as an addon after the successful Kickstarter campaing.
This was a great ending to the series.
When I started reading the series, I didn't immediately like the book; my opinion was improving gradually. The world turned out to be quite good (the trio of goblins was wonderful!) and RPG mechanics were good built and well executed.
And third book, where the focus was shifted to matters of management was refreshing - this perspective isn't usually described. But in the end we saw that all of this is still a game and it is more important what kind of person you are and what decisions do you make.
The question which was raised in the end was difficult, but I fully agree with the choice which was made.
So this was a fun series with some interesting thoughts and ideas. I liked it.
This was a great ending to the series.
When I started reading the series, I didn't immediately like the book; my opinion was improving gradually. The world turned out to be quite good (the trio of goblins was wonderful!) and RPG mechanics were good built and well executed.
And third book, where the focus was shifted to matters of management was refreshing - this perspective isn't usually described. But in the end we saw that all of this is still a game and it is more important what kind of person you are and what decisions do you make.
The question which was raised in the end was difficult, but I fully agree with the choice which was made.
So this was a fun series with some interesting thoughts and ideas. I liked it.
matt_darksidreads's review
4.0
The last book of the Euphoria Online series. Everything was almost set into place at the end of Nightmare Keep. Chris had woken up the Cruel Winter Guild and was setting a plan to take on Albertus. The ending was not what I expected but it was on wild ride to get there. This series is a whole lot of fun and definitely needs to be read.
I highly recommend this to everyone
I highly recommend this to everyone
kartiknarayanan's review
5.0
Read the full review at Digital Amrit
We had the opportunity to read the advance reader copies of the three books in the series – Death March, Nightmare Keep & Killer Dungeon – and here’s our almost spoiler free review of it.
Now, we are huge fans of Phil Tucker ever since we read his ‘Chronicles of the Black Gate’. On a side-note, you should check that series out if you like epic fantasy which explores some complex themes. Phil’s books tend to be action heavy with great characters and world building while delving into weighty topics.
And Euphoria Online, his new trilogy, is no exception.
At its core, the story revolves around Chris Meadows who must literally put his life on the line by playing Euphoria Online to save his brother from death. Euphoria Online is a fantasy MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) like World of Warcraft or Ultima Online except that it has been created by the first sentient AI for reasons unknown. Oh, and the fact that there is a literal Death Match mode which is called Death March, where you die in real life if you die online. Any player who manages to spend 6 months in game time on the ‘Death March’ mode gets a boon from this all-powerful AI. Chris, who is a savvy video gamer caught in a dead-end job, wants to use this boon to save his little brother from being sentenced to death for reasons that are not really important to the story. Of course, life is not just that simple. In addition to fighting for his life, Chris has to deal with other complicating factors like a conniving ex-girlfriend and a potential world-changing conspiracy which gets murkier the more he plays the game.
Euphoria Online is part of a genre called LitRPG where the conventions of a MMORPG are mixed with novels. In addition, there is a clear demarcation between the game world & real life with characters in both settings and being aware of the differences. Tron, while not a LitRPG, is pretty close to being one. The other examples that come to mind are Tad Williams’ four-part series -'Otherland' as well as the now popular 'Ready Player One'. So, if you ever played a MMORPG (or single player RPGs like we have) and love fantasy, this genre provides a perfect blend of both. Books like Will Wight’s Cradle series or Andrew Rowe’s Arcane Ascension, while good on their own, are not LitRPG even though they have complex magic systems with levels because the characters are not aware of their reality.
Read the full review at Digital Amrit
We had the opportunity to read the advance reader copies of the three books in the series – Death March, Nightmare Keep & Killer Dungeon – and here’s our almost spoiler free review of it.
Now, we are huge fans of Phil Tucker ever since we read his ‘Chronicles of the Black Gate’. On a side-note, you should check that series out if you like epic fantasy which explores some complex themes. Phil’s books tend to be action heavy with great characters and world building while delving into weighty topics.
And Euphoria Online, his new trilogy, is no exception.
At its core, the story revolves around Chris Meadows who must literally put his life on the line by playing Euphoria Online to save his brother from death. Euphoria Online is a fantasy MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) like World of Warcraft or Ultima Online except that it has been created by the first sentient AI for reasons unknown. Oh, and the fact that there is a literal Death Match mode which is called Death March, where you die in real life if you die online. Any player who manages to spend 6 months in game time on the ‘Death March’ mode gets a boon from this all-powerful AI. Chris, who is a savvy video gamer caught in a dead-end job, wants to use this boon to save his little brother from being sentenced to death for reasons that are not really important to the story. Of course, life is not just that simple. In addition to fighting for his life, Chris has to deal with other complicating factors like a conniving ex-girlfriend and a potential world-changing conspiracy which gets murkier the more he plays the game.
Euphoria Online is part of a genre called LitRPG where the conventions of a MMORPG are mixed with novels. In addition, there is a clear demarcation between the game world & real life with characters in both settings and being aware of the differences. Tron, while not a LitRPG, is pretty close to being one. The other examples that come to mind are Tad Williams’ four-part series -'Otherland' as well as the now popular 'Ready Player One'. So, if you ever played a MMORPG (or single player RPGs like we have) and love fantasy, this genre provides a perfect blend of both. Books like Will Wight’s Cradle series or Andrew Rowe’s Arcane Ascension, while good on their own, are not LitRPG even though they have complex magic systems with levels because the characters are not aware of their reality.
Read the full review at Digital Amrit
eyed's review
5.0
This was another fantastic addition to the Euphoria Online series. It was much less non stop action for Chris, but great in very different ways.
Again we see the return of all the characters form the previous books and a host of new characters
from Cruel Winter that have were stuck in the keep. They have respawned since Chris and friends cleared the boss. They have mixed feeling about Chris being in charge to the castle, but we learn about domain management as Chris navigates through repairing the castle and trying to repair the reputation of the mostly destroyed guild.
There are some interesting happenings regarding the Green Liver Goblins which was quite unexpected and fantastic.
Again the action scenes are expertly written and are so easy to visualize.
The story does change form the non stop action of Chris trying to survive against overpowered enemies and more navigating the politics of having all the other guild members around. Some are much higher level so I guess this is somewhat the same thing.
The primary change of tone though is the shift more toward figuring out what Albertus Magnus is up to and his plans for humanity. I can see how some people may have not enjoyed this as much if they were expecting the finale to be the same as the first two books. But where would the fun in that be. I found this to be a very interesting part of the story.
I have been reading slower than normal lately but every time I pick up anything by Mr. Tucker I drastically pick up my pace. I enjoyed every book in this series very much.
If you are reading the review for book 3 it means you probably already read the first 2 and are on the fence about finishing the series, if that is the case I highly recommend you pick this up and finish it. It is well worth it.
If you are new to the series and perusing the reviews for all three books I suggest you go head and get started with Death March right away. Whether you are interested because you like fantasy or video games you will enjoy this series. I recommend it to pretty much everyone know even if they don't read. This sort of fast paced story may just be the series to get them into reading.
Again we see the return of all the characters form the previous books and a host of new characters
from Cruel Winter that have were stuck in the keep. They have respawned since Chris and friends cleared the boss. They have mixed feeling about Chris being in charge to the castle, but we learn about domain management as Chris navigates through repairing the castle and trying to repair the reputation of the mostly destroyed guild.
There are some interesting happenings regarding the Green Liver Goblins which was quite unexpected and fantastic.
Again the action scenes are expertly written and are so easy to visualize.
The story does change form the non stop action of Chris trying to survive against overpowered enemies and more navigating the politics of having all the other guild members around. Some are much higher level so I guess this is somewhat the same thing.
The primary change of tone though is the shift more toward figuring out what Albertus Magnus is up to and his plans for humanity. I can see how some people may have not enjoyed this as much if they were expecting the finale to be the same as the first two books. But where would the fun in that be. I found this to be a very interesting part of the story.
I have been reading slower than normal lately but every time I pick up anything by Mr. Tucker I drastically pick up my pace. I enjoyed every book in this series very much.
If you are reading the review for book 3 it means you probably already read the first 2 and are on the fence about finishing the series, if that is the case I highly recommend you pick this up and finish it. It is well worth it.
If you are new to the series and perusing the reviews for all three books I suggest you go head and get started with Death March right away. Whether you are interested because you like fantasy or video games you will enjoy this series. I recommend it to pretty much everyone know even if they don't read. This sort of fast paced story may just be the series to get them into reading.
swiff's review
5.0
Killer Dungeon is a surprisingly emotional and philosophically ambitious conclusion to Phil Tucker’s “Euphoria Online” LitRPG trilogy. On the surface, we are introduced to new LitRPG elements such castle management and guild support, as well as some fantastic new ideas (think The Very Hungry Caterpillar, but with goblins) are revealed with humorous and awe-inspiring results. But the battles are much fewer in this novel, as Tucker spends more time focusing on the greater mysteries of the Albertus AI, creator of the Euphoria Online VR gaming world. It’s an intriguing tonal shift in the story that elevates this adventure into something unforeseen and quite special.
There are still major threats that Chris and his team must face, but time is running out: the events in Nightmare Keep begin to affect the game world at large, and more powerful heroes and enemies challenge Chris and his team every step of the way. The neighboring horde of undead grows ever more massive while the hunt for answers leads Chris into a dungeon that borders on the very gates of Hell itself. As Chris begins to realize how deep this rabbit hole goes, he if forced strategize a new set of plans to solve the underlying mysteries of the game world… and how it ties in to humanity’s survival.
As a longtime fan of Tucker’s work, I’ve come to expect that the stakes will be ramped up to epic proportions by story’s end. Killer Dungeon is no different, though in this case the stakes go far beyond the victory or defeat of its inevitable closing battle. Chris' original plan to put his own life on the line to save his brother is almost an afterthought as the real consequences of his journey are ultimately revealed. Characters die, control is lost, and morals are questioned. I was genuinely surprised to discover that I wouldn't quite know what to do when faced with the choice that Chris had to make at the end of the story. This was a very cool trick that Tucker pulled: what started as an innocuous heroic adventure abruptly shifted gears into a disquieting moral dilemma that offered no easy solutions.
That isn't to say that this book isn't as much of a blast as the previous two. We finally leave the castle grounds and explore other parts of the game world at large. We are introduced to what the rest of the players are experiencing, and how a society of overpowered avatars function. We visit new areas of magic-infused wonder, and experience heartfelt moments of companionship and romance, all leading to a series of massive battles above and below ground before tackling the final mysteries of the game world. Tucker once again nails the pacing of a blockbuster film franchise, keeping the pages flying by while showing a deft hand at designing unique abilities and epic conflicts. But since this is a review for book 3 of this trilogy, you already knew that. So, go buy this book, pop some popcorn, and enjoy the ride.
There are still major threats that Chris and his team must face, but time is running out: the events in Nightmare Keep begin to affect the game world at large, and more powerful heroes and enemies challenge Chris and his team every step of the way. The neighboring horde of undead grows ever more massive while the hunt for answers leads Chris into a dungeon that borders on the very gates of Hell itself. As Chris begins to realize how deep this rabbit hole goes, he if forced strategize a new set of plans to solve the underlying mysteries of the game world… and how it ties in to humanity’s survival.
As a longtime fan of Tucker’s work, I’ve come to expect that the stakes will be ramped up to epic proportions by story’s end. Killer Dungeon is no different, though in this case the stakes go far beyond the victory or defeat of its inevitable closing battle. Chris' original plan to put his own life on the line to save his brother is almost an afterthought as the real consequences of his journey are ultimately revealed. Characters die, control is lost, and morals are questioned. I was genuinely surprised to discover that I wouldn't quite know what to do when faced with the choice that Chris had to make at the end of the story. This was a very cool trick that Tucker pulled: what started as an innocuous heroic adventure abruptly shifted gears into a disquieting moral dilemma that offered no easy solutions.
That isn't to say that this book isn't as much of a blast as the previous two. We finally leave the castle grounds and explore other parts of the game world at large. We are introduced to what the rest of the players are experiencing, and how a society of overpowered avatars function. We visit new areas of magic-infused wonder, and experience heartfelt moments of companionship and romance, all leading to a series of massive battles above and below ground before tackling the final mysteries of the game world. Tucker once again nails the pacing of a blockbuster film franchise, keeping the pages flying by while showing a deft hand at designing unique abilities and epic conflicts. But since this is a review for book 3 of this trilogy, you already knew that. So, go buy this book, pop some popcorn, and enjoy the ride.
tctippens's review
4.0
I'm a bit conflicted on this one.
On the one hand, the story is my favorite in the series. I loved the emphasis on working together rather than simply powering up. Chris is used to being a famous gamer, but he has to navigate Euphoria Online as one of its weaker players. While he creatively solves the problems he encounters and levels up quickly, this final book forced him to admit the need to accept help from others and adopt an almost managerial role.
I loved this. There was even a particularly delightful "side quest" where Chris spent his time leveling up some of his friends instead of himself.
On the other hand, I felt this book (especially the later parts) had a significant departure in theme from the rest of the series.
Minor spoilers ahead. I'll be as vague as I can.
After emphasizing the need for teamwork for 2.5 books, Chris decides to just do his own thing. Side characters that have had a wonderful arc so far are killed off and never mentioned again. We don't see their impact on Chris, they're just... gone. Heavy ideas such as the whole concept of a Death March mode are pretty much brushed aside to quickly show how evil a villain can be. And Chris's relationships with both Brianna and his brother Justin don't get the attention I was hoping for.
The disappointing ending didn't hurt my love of the book much, though. As quickly as I read this series, I finished the audiobook and was left with a feeling of euphoria (heh) at experiencing such a fun story. Most of the issues I had with the book were only apparent days later, after the story had time to sit a little.
All in all, I thought this was the weakest book in the series, but it was still a great book. If you enjoyed the first two books, I think you'll like this, too.
On the one hand, the story is my favorite in the series. I loved the emphasis on working together rather than simply powering up. Chris is used to being a famous gamer, but he has to navigate Euphoria Online as one of its weaker players. While he creatively solves the problems he encounters and levels up quickly, this final book forced him to admit the need to accept help from others and adopt an almost managerial role.
I loved this. There was even a particularly delightful "side quest" where Chris spent his time leveling up some of his friends instead of himself.
On the other hand, I felt this book (especially the later parts) had a significant departure in theme from the rest of the series.
Minor spoilers ahead. I'll be as vague as I can.
After emphasizing the need for teamwork for 2.5 books, Chris decides to just do his own thing. Side characters that have had a wonderful arc so far are killed off and never mentioned again. We don't see their impact on Chris, they're just... gone. Heavy ideas such as the whole concept of a Death March mode are pretty much brushed aside to quickly show how evil a villain can be. And Chris's relationships with both Brianna and his brother Justin don't get the attention I was hoping for.
The disappointing ending didn't hurt my love of the book much, though. As quickly as I read this series, I finished the audiobook and was left with a feeling of euphoria (heh) at experiencing such a fun story. Most of the issues I had with the book were only apparent days later, after the story had time to sit a little.
All in all, I thought this was the weakest book in the series, but it was still a great book. If you enjoyed the first two books, I think you'll like this, too.
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