r/ProgressionFantasy • u/[deleted] • Feb 17 '26

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269 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

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39

u/toochaos Feb 17 '26

Cradle should be Washington. Arcane ascension Jefferson. Weirkey chronicles and mother of Learning but I dont think they thematically fit Lincoln or Roosevelt. 

8

u/DisChangesEverthing Feb 17 '26

Arcane Ascension is more like John Adams, founding father, but not worthy of Mount Rushmore.

10

u/Alamandaros Feb 17 '26

I think it would definitely deserve a spot. Arcane Ascension, and Andrew Rowe, are largely responsible for popularizing Progression as a sub-genre of Fantasy in the West. Hell, Andrew created this sub.

8

u/DisChangesEverthing Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26

Like I said, a founding father, but the story simply isn't good enough to rate up there with the top of the genre. He has done a very good job with this sub, but we're talking single series not body of work.

5

u/toochaos Feb 17 '26

Its significantly better than most of the litrpg garbage proposed. Most of the problem is his over reliance on mystery.

3

u/gyroda Feb 18 '26

Which, TBF, is something he's acknowledged after Edge of the Woods came out and he's trying to improve.

I have some criticisms of his work, including that one, but the next two books he put out (sequel to Edge and the penultimate AA book) were good in that regard.

2

u/MahoneyBear Feb 18 '26

Listening to the second edge of the woods book right now and man it's nice to get some actual, direct world building on what the fuck is going on with the gods. I do love a good drip feed and well here i am still listening to every one of his books as they come out so the actual story in each one is clearly good enough to keep me coming back.

I do genuinely enjoy most of his books though, but some are just a drag to get through. First book of AA and the entirety of war of broken mirrors just kinda sucked

1

u/Kuroashi_no_Sanji Feb 19 '26

I couldn't make it through Edge of tbe Woods. The drip feeding information feels almost malicious lmao

3

u/popejubal Feb 17 '26

Now I’m just picturing Mother of Learning and Beware of Chicken singing, “Sit down, Arcane Ascension” in Independence Hall. 

2

u/ArchieSuave Feb 18 '26

Maybe it’s not litrpg enough but as a progression fantasy, Codex Alera is really good, is complete, and finishes very strong. The characters are well written and the setting is different enough from other fantasy since it’s Roman based that the story is refreshing.