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Edward Castle
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Unbound Deathlord: Challenge (Unbound Deathlord Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Edward Castle (Author), Nicolas Lagrand (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 1,642 ratings
When virtual reality becomes real enough that people feel as if they’re being transported to another world, Valia Online arrives.

A man running from his past joins the game to forget it all. Calling himself Jack Thorn, he chooses an undead race, Deathlord.

A mage by choice, and a swordsman by necessity, he soon finds out that he’ll need to use much more than magic and steel to survive; strategy, creativity, and carefully chosen words can often accomplish what simple attacks can’t.

As the game becomes too real and touches a part of him that he’d rather leave buried, he is faced with two questions:

Who is he, really?

And who should he become?
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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Unbound Deathlord
  2. Print length
    668 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    November 1, 2016
  5. Reading age
    15 - 18 years
  6. File size
    2.9 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

★★★★★ Unique LitRPG Goodness! Great addition to the growing LitRPG genre! Many things to enjoy. The character classes have a lot of unique variety. - Tyler

★★★★★ Wow! I spent near on twelve straight hours reading and can't believe I have wait for the next. - AI

★★★★★ LitRPG with an antihero... VERY entertaining! I'm eagerly looking forward to this author's next book. - Ty Moore

★★★★★ Worth reading! Great story, excellent word count, interesting characters. Looking forward to book 2. - SamNJ

★★★★★ Buy this. A great addition to the LitRPG genre, with a unique magic system and a well-made character. - ncross

From the Author

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed writing it!Also, please make sure to check out the Afterword after the Epilogue.Much love. Peace.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01M35IA2M
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ ; 7th edition (November 1, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 1, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.9 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 668 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,642 ratings

About the author

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Edward Castle

Edward Castle

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Website: http://www.edward-castle.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edward.castle.author/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdCastleAuthor

* * *

I always loved games, but as time went on, I started to feel that gaming lacked something. There was too much grinding, weak stories, repetitive mechanics and other annoyances, like the dreaded microtransactions.

I had always loved reading, but eventually the novels I found began to feel stale, they were too cliche to keep me excited to turn the pages.

Then the stars aligned and I found GameLit; it was the perfect blend of my interests, it recaptured the way I had felt when gaming and the fantasy genre. I could follow the story of a character in a world that ran on game rules, whether it be in a parallel universe or full-immersion VR. I could vicariously enjoy all the parts of a game I’d loved, without being subjected to the interminable grind. I was drawn in by the notion of hyperrealistic worlds and NPCs controlled by advanced AIs, where magic required actual understanding to cast and actions had tangible consequences. The genre ticked all the right boxes for me, I’d found a new love.

Yet, the stories were so few, I’d read everything available and still, I wanted to read something nobody had written. So, I started writing myself.

Today, I write full time and am best known as the author of the Unbound Deathlord series.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,642 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging with a decent backstory and compelling characters, particularly appreciating its dark tone and unique game world. Moreover, the pacing receives positive feedback for being nicely paced, and customers consider it a great addition to the LitRPG genre. However, the writing quality receives mixed reviews, with several customers noting spelling and word use errors. Additionally, the book's length draws mixed reactions, with some finding it quite lengthy.

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136 customers mention "Story quality"136 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, appreciating its decent back story and finding it worth their time.

"...Overall I gave this 5 stars because its story was especially well told and original and this is only the author's first book...." Read more

"...The story itself is very unique; I have rarely read a book with such passion tied into a spiral of rage and betrayal...." Read more

"...Still worth picking up and reading on KU" Read more

"...This is a great book that moves quickly and has a lot going on...." Read more

61 customers mention "Character development"52 positive9 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, particularly the compelling and well-made protagonist, with one customer noting that the story focuses more on strategies and actions rather than OP gear.

"...I like the story, I like the characters, I like the author's take on the LitRPG genre...." Read more

"...Setting is grim but to be expected with an undead MC. Characters and villains are smarter than they seem. Enjoy" Read more

"...Great Main Character who I cheered for and whose cheekiness I laughed at quite a few times throughout the novel...." Read more

"...This was a well thought out story. The main character was well developed. The supporting characters seemed to be less developed but only at first...." Read more

46 customers mention "Entertainment value"38 positive8 negative

Customers find the book highly entertaining with engaging humor and plots, and one customer notes it has plenty of action.

"...This is a great book that moves quickly and has a lot going on...." Read more

"...But, it was well written and engaging, so I stuck with it. The story turned out to be quite fun and it has promise in the sequels to follow...." Read more

"...This novel ranks amongst the top 10. The MC is dark, complex and amusing...." Read more

"...Entertaining and constantly suspenseful. Can’t wait for more!" Read more

41 customers mention "Genre"41 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's unique game world and wonderful world building, making it a great addition to the LitRPG genre.

"...The author does a great job developing the MC as he continues to introduce his history and how it drives his motivations...." Read more

"...I like the story, I like the characters, I like the author's take on the LitRPG genre...." Read more

"...The RPG elements, like armor details, are kept to a minimum and at the end of chapter a character sheet, so not many pages of descriptions i just..." Read more

"...This is Fantasy LitRPG at its best, with a very interesting (and well integrated) real world component as well which I won't go into so as not to..." Read more

18 customers mention "Pacing"15 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, noting its nice flow and promise for future sequels. One customer mentions how the protagonist feels human, while another finds it moves quickly.

"...him unlikable for being so cynical, but the author did a great job of making him feel human...." Read more

"...This is a great book that moves quickly and has a lot going on...." Read more

"...And this book was huge! Even with a high page count the story pacing was great and I devoured every single and want more!..." Read more

"...The story turned out to be quite fun and it has promise in the sequels to follow...." Read more

7 customers mention "Dark tone"5 positive2 negative

Customers appreciate the dark tone of the book.

"...This novel ranks amongst the top 10. The MC is dark, complex and amusing...." Read more

"I like the motivation for entering the game. It's dark and original. The flashbacks add very nice depth to the main character...." Read more

"...While I like the writing style, I find the book rather dark...." Read more

"Dark, Different and surprising all describe this welcome addition to the Indie LitRPG club, strongly recommend it" Read more

50 customers mention "Spelling"28 positive22 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's writing, with some finding it impressive and well-thought-out, while others point out numerous spelling and word use errors, as well as missing words throughout the text.

"...(save for the leveling system which is a little weird) is fairly defined and obvious...." Read more

"...in short this is a tedious and unnecessary thing to do other than that one complained the book was great...." Read more

"...intricacy of the plots with double and triple agents was perhaps impressive writing, but really hard to follow or decipher...." Read more

"...Absolutely unique game world which was well thought out and well implemented in the novel. And this book was huge!..." Read more

14 customers mention "Length"7 positive7 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's length, with some finding it quite lengthy, while one customer notes that the middle of the book drags on and the fighting scenes are overly repetitive.

"...And this book was huge! Even with a high page count the story pacing was great and I devoured every single and want more!..." Read more

"...The middle of the book really dragged on...." Read more

"...of more than 600 pages, I think it was a good buy overall and a very long read which is great like 2 books in 1...." Read more

"...not described in what i consider sufficient detail and the fights are somewhat short...." Read more

Because magic is cool! I'm thinking
2 out of 5 stars
Because magic is cool! I'm thinking
Several serious inconsistencies in character made me drop the book. There are some early spoilers ahead, so read at your discretion. I am not a fan of emo drama, so when the MC began whining, "I killed my parents, I burned the house down." I rolled my eyes. That would have been whatever, except five pages later he starts saying how much he wants to throw fireballs around. Because magic is cool! I'm thinking, ummm... Shouldn't you have a phobia of fire? Next, he picks an undead deathlord, and I'm getting ready to settle into an evil anti-hero character. Oh, no... not even in the slightest. He is so painfully paladin-like I cringed a little inside. The final straw was when he's so nice to the first prisoner he comes across, that her mind breaks. She calls him master, and he's acquired his first harem girl two or three chapters into the book. I was done, I hit pause, and deleted the book from my device. A truly minor point I'd like to add is how badass he is from login. How the hell would he know to time his footsteps to a mobs breathing? How??!? Then his apparent skill with a sword, but he can't use the torturers' whip for some reason. Why can't it be used in Pvp? I mean there's full pain already?
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Top reviews from the United States

  • EverythingIneverknewIneeded
    5.0 out of 5 stars An unexpectedly well-written LitRPG
    Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    If you liked Aleron Kong's "The Land" series then you'll really enjoy this read. The main character is anything but typical, some people may find him unlikable for being so cynical, but the author did a great job of making him feel human. The author does a great job developing the MC as he continues to introduce his history and how it drives his motivations. That's not to say the book is perfect, the non-MC characters have very little development, however since it is told from the MC's point of view that's expected. The pacing isn't bad, but there are times that you can lose track of what's going on. Overall I gave this 5 stars because its story was especially well told and original and this is only the author's first book. I fully expect him to grow as a writer with subsequent books and I expect that in a few years the weaknesses I see in his writing here will have disappeared.
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  • JB.Rhorst
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good with room for improvements.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    If I were to describe this book in a word it would be 'impressive'. I like the story, I like the characters, I like the author's take on the LitRPG genre. The story itself is very unique; I have rarely read a book with such passion tied into a spiral of rage and betrayal. The main character has the sick kind of humor you come to expect from many gamers and I can personally vouch for many similar conversations from the story in some of the MMOs I have played over the years.

    As far as being a LitRPG I have to say there were some points where the story lost my attention. When I read a LitRPG set in a video game environment I expect actions to lead to results. If killing someone with lesser gear works in one way then it should work the same way against a stronger enemy while using better gear. Furthermore I think that the real world is one thing and the game is another; if you choose to have one affect the other then you need to do so consistently - think Matrix or Inception. If you are going to allow the character to alter the normal flow of the game through his thoughts and atypical actions then you need to make that the rule and not the exception. Adding abilities at convenient moments and then denying realism later in the story is counter-intuitive to the flow of the story and made the read more demanding than it needed to be.

    Those points being mentioned this is definitely a LitRPG. It does follow the commandments and everything (save for the leveling system which is a little weird) is fairly defined and obvious.

    To finish off I would like to recommend this book and leave the author some parting advice:
    Spoiler to follow!
    ///////////////////////////
    ///////////////////////////
    ///////////////////////////
    ///////////////////////////
    You have a good thing going here but you need to refine the good to make it better and then do it some more to make it the best. Take a minute to write down how your character will progress as far as skills go because from what I am seeing he is fully capable of destroying a prison with a few hours of work but all of that netted him only 2 points in intelligence and some overpowered items. Your character is already over-powered. Just give him a dark room and a couple of days and he can destroy a god but you are unwilling to give him more than a couple of points? I get that there is a figurehead controlling the game and micromanaging the small points in a way seemingly designed to target the main character but in the real world your engine would be broken. What is the point of leveling up anything if some dude can just pop a squat and set off a nuke a few hours later? I get that experience was dropped from the game and I will admit that it was an interesting approach. However, and this is the kicker, either there is experience or there is a way for a character to gain higher levels depending on their state of mind. Computers, and even quantum computations, are simple. There is a baseline and there are the things that are done to it. By getting rid of experience in the game you have settled for the second (state of mind) and then in turn denied even that by enforcing a leveling system. That is known as an arbitrary decision. In other words, it doesn't matter and is one of the few things I do not like about your book.

    Good luck and I am looking forward to the next one.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Ashley
    5.0 out of 5 stars awesome.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Beautiful synergy between the online game and the real world. Starting book two now. Exactly what I was looking for.
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  • Missie Kay (The Book Fix)
    5.0 out of 5 stars annoying MC, love the book
    Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Yeah, I struggled with the MC and his dated behavior. While at first I thought it was a bit the author was forcing in the character to create poor character growth, I’m beginning to wonder if the author just makes his MC abrasive on purpose. If you can get through the tedium of the first 2/3 of the book, the last third especially the last 2 chapters make it worth it. Book 2 will decide for me if I want to continue with this author or not. Still worth picking up and reading on KU
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  • PJ Cullen
    5.0 out of 5 stars As enjoyable the second time reading as the first
    Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    With a new release, i reread the old books if i liked the series and don't remember specifics. This is a great book that moves quickly and has a lot going on. Some of the things i remembered, others i know are coming in book two, but I'm still excited to read it because if forgot so much of book one. Especially the dialog between characters. Interestingly, in my opinion at least, how i visualize the story seems stays the same, i remember being there before. The RPG elements, like armor details, are kept to a minimum and at the end of chapter a character sheet, so not many pages of descriptions i just skip over. A good sword is a good sword, unless it's to heavy.
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  • Matt
    4.0 out of 5 stars Not sure what to make of it, but worth continuing the series
    Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    It started really interesting, and daunting to think of such a difficult start. The unorthodox thinking of the MC were really interesting to see how they'd play out.

    But then the MC would go from being Machiavellian and start acting childish, or, giving him the benefit of the doubt, anarchist.

    The middle of the book really dragged on.

    I would have appreciated more explanation of the end game, via the MC's thoughts as he set it up, so I could understand and appreciate it more.

    The intricacy of the plots with double and triple agents was perhaps impressive writing, but really hard to follow or decipher.

    Regardless, I'd like to see what other plot twists the MC comes up with, so I'll keep reading and hope that the drag in the middle of the book and the multiple personalities of the MC disappears in the future book
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  • CP
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dark but damn good!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Worth your time. Setting is grim but to be expected with an undead MC. Characters and villains are smarter than they seem. Enjoy
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Willian de Souza
    5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing dark themed litrpg!
    Reviewed in Brazil on December 5, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    How can I describe this book without saying how fascinated I got over the story and the mais character? The end is amazing and made me want to read the next book. Now I'm cursing the old gods because the boom is yet to be published.
    Report
  • syd
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This was an amazing read. Worth reading to the end. About to start the second book and i'm very excited.
    Report
  • David
    5.0 out of 5 stars A new direction for LitRPG genre and worth reading
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Dammed fine read. This is a very well written and thought out book. I cannot recommend it highly enough if you are a fan of this genre.

    The Main Character is well crafted and his background story and behavior is nicely feed to the reader through the book. The twists and plot movements are well telegraphed, without being obvious and feed nicely into the flow and yet still deliver a twist or two which neatly fit the story but were unexpected none the less.

    World is balanced and nicely thought out. I eye to scale was clever as well as a stable form of leveling up which stops characters becoming over powered titans in their first battle, though there was a tiny bit of that in the early chapters. Still much less than other authors use so I was willing to forgive the author.

    For a first book it is well edited, good plot and a good length, so excellent value for money. Looking forward to the next in the series.
    Report
  • Jobe King
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Political maneuvering great levelling
    Reviewed in Australia on November 9, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Love this mildly dark lit RPG. Up there and maybe above ascend online and awaken online! Really awesome political sideline aspects never seen those elements in lit RPG. I love it!
    Report
  • Juergen Ruck
    5.0 out of 5 stars The blurb just
    Reviewed in Germany on November 5, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    did not appeal to me in the beginning. After many comments about it on the Lit-RPG Facebook Page I gave it a try. And I am so happy I did it. Firstly, it has a decent length! yeah! Usually, Lit-RPG books are more an the short side. This one keeps you entertained for hours. And the whole undead/dark side anti-hero thing sounded very cliché in the beginning and made me sceptical, but Edward pulls it off easily and we feel for the MC even though he behaves like an ass many time. I just hope he stays that way in the continuation and the RL-part does not take too much space, as the game-world is the reason for us readers to read this genre. Critics: Where ist book 2 already? ;)
    Report

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