HE WHO FIGHTS WITH MONSTERS, Volume One by Travis Deverell (Shirtaloon)

Like many people, I first became aware of LitRPG as a genre when Dungeon Crawler Carl took the book world by storm. So when He Who Fights with Monsters came along, a monstrous (pun intended) 750-page first book that grew into a 13-book series, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

While it is tempting to compare this book to Dungeon Crawler Carl, and there are some glaring similarities at the beginning (such as both main characters starting off with their clothes missing) that is where the similarities end. He Who Fights with Monsters dives straight into the action, launching the main character, Jason, into an unknown world with no understanding of why or how this happened. He quickly finds himself in the perilous situation of escaping from a cannibalistic cult. It’s unclear at first what type of world this is, as the reader is learning alongside Jason, but we soon understand that this is a fantasy world combining several of the genre’s concepts. The best way I can describe the world is, perhaps appropriately for a LitRPG book, by referencing RPG video games from the early 2000s such as Grandia 2, Final Fantasy 9 and Fable. In fact, I do believe the author took inspiration from such games, as the book uses video game language; Jason sees game menu interfaces, including an inventory, quest markers and status effects. While I’m not sure how easily this translates for non-gamers, there is enough going on in the story to gather the context of what this means.

There’s some really solid world building particularly in the first third of the book: quirky monsters galore (a particular favourite of mine being the Shabs, part-shark-part-crab creatures that feature often) and vivid, lush landscapes and settlements that will evoke a good sense of adventure in the reader. Despite the many characters we meet along the way, the majority feel fleshed out and complex enough to either love or loathe them, or somewhere in-between. The quippy banter between the main characters suggests genuine relationships are forming, along with a few good chuckles. Some readers may lose attention around the middle section of the book, as the adventure becomes more of a meander, focusing more on Jason and his evolving abilities. There is a lot of exposition about training, leveling up abilities and stats, but luckily we get most of this through witty dialogue which makes it easier to absorb.

If you’re looking for an action packed story with world-ending stakes, this may not be the book for you as it is ultimately a character-led story, with a surprising amount of emotional depth, especially regarding how Jason copes with adapting to his powers and the new world he’s found himself in. I found him to be a complex and relatable character who is both likeable and equally insufferable at times, yet self aware enough to bring me back on his side. While the overall story is fairly low stakes, the ending of the book definitely ramps up and left me invested enough to want to keep reading the series. Overall a very enjoyable and humorous read for those who crave a sense of adventure with a heart.