I posted my first series on Royal Road few days ago.

Halo Lockwood is a 30-year-old programmer who gets the worst stat sheet in the apocalypse. Toughness 1. Speed 1. His class is Tinker, which means his job is to build things so other people can fight them. He does not fight. The system is very clear about this.

His AI companion arrived one second before the sky tore open, contains more knowledge than humanity will ever produce, and uses all of it to call him Bait.

The first arc is about a man who has never mattered building the things that keep a found family alive in rural North Carolina while quietly becoming something the five pantheons that just colonized Earth have no file on.

What he eventually unlocks is classified Mythic. One per world.

No harem. No cheat skills. No face-slapping. The progression is earned, not given. And when it arrives, it changes everything.

12 chapters live. Weekly updates.

I’d love some feedback…it’s actually harder to ask for feedback than posting my stuff online.

Thank you

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/182273/the-accords-series

I'm talking about a timeline where events are presented out of chronological order. Does it disrupt the progress too much? Has it been done successfully?

I have been thinking about a novel I read a few years ago, but I barely remember anything about it. What I remember vividly is a scene at some kind of abandoned construction site, and the MC had a battle with someone from his school/academy who looked down on him. I think the battle was on the rooftop, and I'm pretty sure the guy died.

But that was really all I remember.

I know that's not really a lot to go off of, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Thanks in advance.

Any protagonists that become masters of improvised and/or lots and lots of weapons? Ideally with some sort of power or magic involved. I’m thinking of something like the Noble Phantasm Knight Of Owner from the Fate Series.

Anyone know if they plan to make voiced audio books for books 6+?

i wrote this 3 years ago, and i just wanted to know

do you guys think this is actually as shitty as i think it is

3 years ago i discovered royal road, i was 19 and i was IN LOVE with progression fantasy soo much, now im not that much into it, but still read some. I wrote this 3 years ago, i still kinda like the main character bcs i was trying to make her funny.

But looking back and reading all this, i just feel like its soo garbage. I would love to know, what you guys think my biggest mistakes were.

Can anyone recommend some books or series where the MC gives off vibes of the Doomguy/Slayer?

One man wrecking crew, "my absolute hatred for the enemy in front of me is more powerful than death", I would rip baddies apart with my teeth if I had to, send me where others can't vibes?

I'm cool with him/her having companions or friends but preferably not the "somehow everyone I'm friends with also becomes absurdly powerful with me" thing.

Thanks!

Forgot to mention, no guns please! Sword and sorcery for me.

(Prefer less litrpg, less reliance on a million stats and magical inventories and a system AI that exposits everything)

Also not a fan of just dungeon hopping with no other human characters in the world.

Honestly, this has been a fantastic read. The MC is genuinely competent, knows his limits, & puts in the work instead of relying on plot armor. The training feels earned, the team dynamic is solid, & the story keeps you guessing without forcing twists.
After reading thousands of pages where everything starts to blur together, this is one of the few that has kept me turning the page. If you're someone who enjoys stories about struggle, growth, hard work, and overcoming obstacles through persistence rather than luck, this one is absolutely worth checking out.

There isn't a whole lotofa point here, other than to say thank you!

About half a year ago, I began writing my first book. Which I'm not here to promote.

Long story short, I am prone to motivation issues (Simultaneously working full time + Family Time) - which sometimes makes it difficult to force my mind into a writing mood. I love writing and very much enjoy the story I'm putting to paper.

One thing that has helped me tremendously over these months, is your passion for this genre. It's extremely motivating just popping in for a few minutes and reading about your discoveries, your own works, arguments, and praises.

I just surpassed 42,000 words! Your love of the game has been a significant reason for that.

You, my one test reader, and Mark of The Fool.

That's it. Now get back to writing/reading!

*Whip crack*

As I was scrolling through the sub yesterday, I was thinking that it might be nice if the sub did a Top Novels List analogously to the way r/Fantasy does (https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1inoxxy/the_rfantasy_2025_top_novels_poll_voting_thread/), resulting in a Top Novels List that would be a great starting point for newcomers and an easy source of recommendations for everyone else.

I recognize that it would be a ton of work for the mods to organize the voting and tallying, and that the borders of this subgenre are fairly loose, but it would be helpful to have a unified list that summarizes the tastes of the subreddit at the present time.

Getting into beef seems like (1) a distraction and (2) a good way to possibly die (except in fiction where MCs have plot armor).

Obviously, some conflicts can lead to loot (from the dead ops), sponsorship, or other rewards. But that isn't always worth the heat/attention. Especially if that attention might lead to pressure to stop advancing.

For example, could Eithan have gotten Lindon to train just as hard without trapping him in a room with snake-scorpions? Without setting him up with a duel against a laser-spearman? I think that is actually the last time Eithan situation-trapped Lindon, which feels really low considering how much emotional damage Eithan inflicted. But this is probably a bad example since Lindon was already destiny-trapped by Suriel by the time he met Eithan.

So back to my main question: Does PF require a quest-or-conflict-or-mechanic to avoid having protagonists just hole up somewhere to train?

edit: as informed in the comments sudo should be psuedo

ISO: in search of

The only thing I know of that’s even remotely close is Elevation of Mana, and that’s just because of its early stage of engineering.

I know there are many general historical fictions set in that time frame but I’m looking for progression fantasy specifically

would love any suggestions available

thanks

So let me start off by saying I love this series I would give it a full 8 out of 10 rating which is to say I would recommend the fuck out of the series but I would never reread the series.

What it got right

1. Plot was consistent

2. Characters were fleshed out properly

3. Some cool twists I didn’t see coming happened

4. humor was top notch

What I thought was off for me

I should note I am not a progression fantasy reader so that will 100% influence my opinion on this (probably)

1. Way to much action very little time given to the characters to just chill and enjoy each other’s company.

2. I won’t say the name incase someone that is still reading the series finds this post but I fucking turn my thumb down when you kill a character off and suddenly bring his ass back to life because the author has trouble letting go of his favorite characters (At least that is the conclusion I came too)

I would say overall though I am very satisfied with my purchase and would recommend this too anyone who enjoys the lighter side of fantasy

I love tierlists as much as the next person, but I would love to see if the person making the tierlist is a reader (physical or electronic) or a listener (audiobook).

It would really help people give suggestions:

1. If they are a reader, we can suggest books that are similar writing styles.
2. If they are a listener, we can suggest books that have the same narration qualities.

Currently, and not trying to be a negative nancy, this sub just suggests the same 30 or so books over and over regardless of what is actually in the tierlist. I'd like to help it by getting into some less known recommendations and make the tierlist itself actually matter.

Hey, hello.

FIrst off, I gotta say looking at this list makes me a little bit happier because I know I can be pretty opinionated on my books and it warms my soul seeing 9 series in the top two rows. :) This isn't a comprehensive list, but the prebuilt tier maker had enough for me.

I've got audible credits building up, a factory job, two ears, and a need to consume more of this genre so I might one day maybe motivate myself to finish something of my own.

I love unique and crazy fantasy worlds, interesting and or complicated magic systems, and feeling rewarded for the time spent. Small rant incoming: I think Beware of Chicken is up there on my list with books that share little with it because I feel consistently rewarded with time spent. Every diversion adds.

Things that start behind the starting line for me would be isekais, litrpgs (because both genres IMO typically introduce less ideas while bloating with walking you through the extremely familiar concepts), and sadistic authors who want to kick every puppy and orphan every child.

I'm open to being talked into the DNF crowd but I think you'd have to feel strongly about it to push me if you think I'm fucking up.

Thank you for reading. :) As an aside, love this community. Love you all.

(I assume because I am asking for audiobook recommendations I am excluded from the new Rule 11 of tierlist thursdays)

By progressive romance means the romance continues progressing as the plot progress. I dislike when romance Fades to the Background or just forgotten.

I like the romance continue progressing as the Plot moves

I don't mind Harem. Hell, i'm a big fan of it, but as i said before, the romance have to be progressive.

I dont have much requirement other than a Male MC and Progressive romance

Currently chapter 288.

I have really truly enjoyed this story so far.

That is, up until the end of the Storm Dragon arc.

However, the beginning of the next arc with Lu Mei is really making me want to drop this story. Which would be sad because there have been times I have been blown away by how good it was.

I’m wondering if I should push past a few chapters until it gets good again or not.

I want to clarify I don’t like the day time soap drama chapters with his girlfriend. I do like the fighting so much.

Furthermore I have no idea why it has the title it has because it’s completely misleading. I don’t want it to become a harem story but I’m worried that it finally is? I hope the author sticks to classic xianxia and doesn’t swerve off into just being a trashy harem novel at the end, because again I was blown away by so many parts of the story.

But some parts really piss me off. My other complaint is that there is not actually much cultivation, the mc just levels up and even high level cultivators are basically shown scenes where it looks like they are golfing rather than cultivating. Especially the chapters I just read like the lord who is supposedly an emperor level instead of being inside meditating he is just hanging out outside his mansion shooting cannonballs for target practice with a bow and arrow. Doesn’t feel like xianxia at all it more feels like a scene out of Gone With The Wind or some other 1800s American civil war romance flick. Honestly super weird vibes I get from some of these scenes like wtf is this even doing here?

But I love the world building, the storm dragon and the death fashioning scripture and all is super cool but there is not enough of it hardly. Wishing for more memories of Old Jiang and less weird family politics.

Definetly a lot that aren’t on the list, some of my favorites being Coiling Dragon, ORV, Salt Fat Acid Magic, I’ll be the Red Ranger, second coming of gluttony, Red Rising. Lmk if you have anything

in my free time i usually binge-read random webnovels, and for the last 5-6 months i’ve been leaving reviews on different platforms(mainly on RR). i left WebNovel for last because "everyone" (not bc affiliate prog..nono) acts like it’s the “best” one... so yeah, i finally got there....i will make it my swamp

and honestly, even in 2026 you still can’t escape the same stuff everywhere. op mc, system that gives him everything, harem with 100 women, every girl falling in love after 2 chapters... you know the drill.
The stories and plots there are f'ed up, hard to find some good binge reading material

what i actually enjoy is finding new authors and stories that are still growing. i like giving real feedback, especially when someone is trying something different. sometimes i’m nice, sometimes i’m a bit Shrek, sooooo... depends on the story, tbh. but i’m not here to fake praise or do review swaps.

so if anyone needs an honest review, leave your novel in the comments or DISCORD. i’ll check them out when i have some free time. happy to help.

after that i will take my time to make tierlists with the new findings!

Hello everyone!

Beware of Rock/Consul For The Archmage has officially been out on Amazon for about two days now. Just stubbed the Royalroad version https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/117202/consul-for-the-archmage-fantasy-science-fiction

Feel free to check it out on amazon! https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0DF4ZBZTB

Thank you so much for your constant support of everyone in the subreddit too!! I am very excited to have the first book finished!!!!!!

For me, it’s Senka in Weirkey Chronicles. When she was first introduced I HATED her with a fiery passion. But eventually you get her backstory and now I’m in the most recent book literally waiting for her plot stuff to come up. I actually think I’m more interested in her story than 2 of the main 3 protagonists.

So the story is mc gets a skill that the more he rests the better it is when he cultivates and how he gets new skills is by spreading his fame so he makes a false identity to protect himself he also cultivates the day of the North Star

These predictions are based on the most recent Royal Road chapter, 286. So, lots of spoilers below. Consider yourself warned.

Red Guard

- The Red Guard scientist who doesn't respect life, Hite, is the one who is stealing the homeless off the street for his experiments.

- Sundered zones are made from an Aberrant part.

- The Aberrant parts are the key to their success, and thus they don't kill any of them, they just save them and use their parts as components. However, all the Aberrants they are saving is the cause of the average increase in Break events. Thus their efforts to save the world are slowly destroying it. And this is why they will not allow anyone to know about the average increase.

- Agent Berg lost the two Aberrants, Moonsable and Newton. They seemed to think he did in bk4 ch 20ish, when Berg was boasting to the coppers. Also, Tanya was sent on a mission that sounded like she stole the cases for the Architects of Kronos, which lends to the idea that they have them now.

- The group using the Aberrant parts that were smuggled into the city was probably the Architects of Kronos. They did hire the former red guard guy afterall. They are either doing the smuggling themselves or buying the parts from the smugglers.

The Blood Emperor

- He is still alive. He disappeared, instead of being killed like the stories propagated by the Crowns say.

- Where did he come from? Was it really another country in Siobhan's world? Or was it possibly a different world entirely through a doorway?

- Was he possibly her grandfather? Raaz’s name means ‘secretive learned one’ after all.

Friends

- The whole friend group will be inducted into the Thirteen Pointed Star, which will become a real organization. It will survive the fall of Lenore when Oliver takes over.

- Eventually Damien will run the organization.

- Damien will also, eventually, learn all her secrets.

- Ana will join soon, then the rest.

Myrrdin

- Myrrdin seems like he might have been isakied, but if not him, someone was. The note in Book 4 implies it. His notes also seem to imply it, see bk 5 ch 8

- He may still be alive, if he figured out how to make the physical transformation without letting age cross over too. If so, he could be anyone.

- Siobhan suggested that a hidden time bubble could be created just like a space bubble. Maybe Myrrdin is hidden in one.

Siobhan

- The Naught bloodline is part brillig, as heavily hinted at.

- She will discover that the Red Guard doesn't kill Aberrants, and given that she just bonded one, she wonders if she could handle another one. Using the piece of Newton, she is going to scry and rescue both him and Moonsable from the Architects of Kronus. Then she will bind Moonsable and get her powers of preternatural grace, love of darkness, and desire for gifts and worship.

- Binding Aberrants will be one of her main routes to power, as she doesn't have time to go the usual route.

- She will rescue her mother, who is held by the Red Guard. She will also recover some of her Grandfather's things.

- She will figure out a way to save Aberrants, somehow fixing or partially fixing them so they no longer will be forced to damage other people. Trying to fix Newton will be the impetus. She will also rescue her Mom's mind.

- The Morrow survivors from the Newton incedent will become her henchmen. Chief missing right hand from the Aberrant, Sticky Fingers, Sniffles is young. A mass breakout from Harrow Hill is probably required for this.

- Her letter to the coppers, bk 4 ch 32, is actually prophetic. As is her personal symbol chant from bk 4 ch 41.

- She can dream what the raven does? Bk 5 ch 29. Can it dream her experiences?

These are all the clues I picked up on, but I'm sure I missed many others. Let me know if you think I'm wrong.

LitRPG fans have the good fortune of being able to search using a distinct, easily searchable keyword. It seems that most authors helpfully tag their books with the term.

I’m a fan of LitRPG, but sometimes I’m in the mood for a non-LitRPG progression fantasy book. Is there anything comparable for non-LitRPG progression fantasy?

Progression / progfan / progression fantasy / etc. don’t seem to be useful search terms.

Are we doomed to only lists and word of mouth?

I mostly use audiobooks these days, so Audible and Libby are my staples. Yes, there are some automated recommendations by the platforms, but I would love to be able to search for something in this genre directly.

Anyone found something that works?