Aleron Kong Talks LitRPG's and New Age Writing - FANTASY CHAT

[@DanielGreeneReviews]

Thank you Aleron for coming on to discuss this new genre! You can check out The Land Founding here: amzn.to/2VFCfQz Also, at the end, I said I would animate the text on screen... I decided not to because it was late and I needed to sleep :P

[@lastchancegaming2602]

Great interview. It's the first time I've seen Kong in a one on one interview like this. His series is awesome and got me into the entire sub-genre! That being said, the wait on the 8th book wasn't the problem, it was the fact that it barely progressed the story at all compared to his previous works. Love the series and will be reading his next book the day it comes out, but I felt like that did need saying.

[@sr71silver]

@@lastchancegaming2602 The main reasons I love the Land are that it isn't a game, there are actual stakes and threats, and Richter is unashamedly a dude, fart and sex jokes included, and those are becoming rare nowadays.

[@jamesfrederick.]

I feel like this guy didn’t give very much evidence ...

[@xXLunatikxXlul]

What is LitRPG?

[@pavelowjohn9167]

Pretty impressive that this author is a practicing doctor (internal medicine) while also finding the time to write, run a website and blog, sell merch, etc... Plus, he's from my hometown (Atlanta), so that's pretty cool as well, I'll definitely check out his work.

[@aamerkastoff1447]

The Fortifier series and Defiance of the Fall series (both have been best sellers) take top spots for me. 💯💯💯

[@LitRPG]

I just want to say how much I appreciate you having my Daniel! I want that Superman poster and one day, it WILL be mine!

[@Hadrian1616]

Thank you Dr Kong. Your books have brought me into the wider litrpg world a few years back. Loved every minute of it.

[@LitRPG]

@@Hadrian1616 Thanks for reading and being part of the community John! Gnomes Rule!!!

[@nah1677]

LitRPG I just want to thank you!! your books have helped get my passion for reading back it’s been years since I had enjoyed reading a book series keep up the great work you got yourself a new fan can’t wait to read more from you

[@LitRPG]

@@nah1677 bringing you back to the written word is the best compliment I could get Thanks :)

[@lastchancegaming2602]

@LitRPG I might have been a little harsh about book 8 in some comments on this video, but I just want to make clear that I have faith you'll kill it with the next book! Every series has a book that isn't as enjoyed as the rest and if that one is yours then you'll be doing this for a looooong time. Thanks for introducing me to LitRPG too!

[@jackinthebox1993]

23:06 I've been following your channel for over a year now and I don't see why anyone would wanna hate on you man. I've never seen a single negative comment about you either. You and Merph are like the most likeable KZbinrs I know

[@peteraitken3818]

Jonathan D'Haiti Second that!!

[@JoeK7]

third that!!

[@bracerofplanets6274]

Jonathan D'Haiti Yes! They’re the best 🙌🙌🙌

[@pavelowjohn9167]

Daniel's almost as nice as Elliot Brooks....almost ;-) (just kidding, I think the Daniel, Merph and Elliot are the Trifecta of Awesome Books, I've been binge-watching all three of them during the 'Rona Lockdown)

[@bracerofplanets6274]

John Lance the Three Musketeers 🙌

[@xaviercopeland2789]

I feel like litRPG is really blowing up after the isekai craze in Japan.

[@princeofparmma]

They feed into each other.

[@xaviercopeland2789]

Nimia Scribendi I feel like those markets don’t really collide tbh.

[@princeofparmma]

@@xaviercopeland2789 I meant more they draw ideas from each other,.

[@xaviercopeland2789]

Nimia Scribendi How? The isekai crazy has been around longer, is more popular, and the people in Japan who are into it don’t read the stories from the American litRPG genre. Ideas aren’t coming to Japan, but it’s the other way around with the west putting its own spin on the genre. Where have ideas came from the west and not the other way around? Not trying to be an asshole here, isekai is very Japanese in its storytelling and everything, and started after SAO.

[@princeofparmma]

@@xaviercopeland2789 Ok fair enough. Isekai is definitely influencing litRPG, but you are right that I can not prove that isekai is drawing on litRPG, and it is more likely that it what makes the two genres look similar is a combination of common sources and litRPG drawing on Isekai.

[@henryc6632]

I would definitely recommend Sufficiently Advanced Magic as a good mix between litrpg and mainstream fantasy

[@ehellstrom7127]

I love that series! Another LitRPG that I enjoy is the Divine Dungeon by Dakota Krout.

[@isaiahb8079]

I love the world Andrew Rowe has created in all his series

[@StevenHouse1980]

Book 3 soon please

[@dsnake1]

@@ehellstrom7127 Agreed. DD feels like a good entry to the genre, and Completionist Chronicles feels like a good 'both-feet-in' example.

[@drewhead1]

Shadow sun series as well

[@carlwilliams9642]

0:07 That nod had "Eh, close enough." written all over it. lol

[@billyalarie929]

same lmao

[@bracerofplanets6274]

Carl Williams 😂

[@TheHomicidalTendency]

I'm pretty sure it's pronounced Al er ron. but he's gotta be used to Ale ron by now. I'm still laughing now at him patting himself on the back for getting 2 in a row right when this one was wrong! I'm sure he herd it in another interview or something w here Aleron didn't correct them, he was confident enough he had to have found it somewhere.

[@Danocaster214]

Compare that to 33:15 :D Elron. Probably pronounced Ah leh rrohn. Aleron means eagle in Latin.

[@Hadrian1616]

LitRPG are like trashy romance novels but for dudes. A+ Really love The Land, Rogue Dungeon, Ascend Online, Life Reset, Arcane Ascension, etc....

[@cg7509]

Eric Ugland Good guys and Bad Guys too

[@Beshuu]

I got back into reading in my adult life with the Chaos Seeds series, somehow that lead me to Mistborn, which lead to consuming all things Sanderson. I learned that Sanderson finished a series for another author that he admired, so naturally I had to check it out and WoT lead me to Daniel. Truly a joy to now see my favorite book reviewer interview the author that got me reading again.

[@LitRPG]

Thanks so much man! Glad The Land could bring you back to the worlds lol

[@pavelowjohn9167]

I'm having flashbacks to the old Dragonlance novels that I and all my friends read back in the mid-80s. If you had the modules that the books were based on, you could look up the stats for all of the characters that the books revolved around. For us, this enhanced the reading experience, giving us a chance to "peek under the hood", so to speak. A lot of authors starting writing in the RPG fan genre after that (R.A. Salvatore being the most well-known, as far as I can tell), but I still remember Dragonlance as being my first exposure to RPG Lit. Interesting side-note: Raistlin, the anti-hero wizard in Dragonlance, was described as sickly and unhealthy, supposedly due to his low Constitution score. When I looked up Raistlin's stats, expecting to see a really low number (the range on stats back then ran from 3 to 18, so I was expecting a 5 or 6, maybe as low as a 4), I had to laugh. Raistlin, the magic-user whose health had been shattered by his trials in Tower of Wayreth, had a CON of 10, the constitution of Average Joe. No bonus or penalty, just average. I joked with my friends that Hickman and Weiss were obviously power-gamers, a 10 to them was obviously a crippling penalty for poor Raistlin...

[@tomtom7955]

hmm what was his hp average for levels before and after the tower? geez 6 con character might not live through character creation , its already hard to live long enough to be a decent caster with an hp bonus.

[@emilianoaguilar8392]

This is a great parallel and one that took me to my shelves to open up some of the DL Novels. I forgot that some even included stats and RPG info in the back like The Odyssey of Gilthanas.

[@pavelowjohn9167]

@@tomtom7955 Yeah, some of those first level magic-users in AD&D were fragile as hell, I remember seeing 2 or 3 hp on a brand-new magic-user (you just rolled a 1d4 and added whatever CON bonus you had, that was it....yikes)

[@wightrat357]

@@pavelowjohn9167 The world has a lot of sharp edges for a first level Magic-User in 1st edition AD&D.

[@Soc1alBK]

The Dragonlance novels are my all time favorites right after LOTR

[@m.vorburdwood.8354]

So. I saw Alerons book some time ago, 3 years? And I took a chance on Audible. I never looked back. I've read( or listened ) to many Litrpg since, but Aleron opened eyes, and broke open this genre. I loved playing D&D! And .. well, Aleron not only satisfied my addiction to that, but made a lovely story that was so fun to follow. Since... I've followed other writers who have followed and enjoyed those as well. But . Aleron started it. And the stories are so fun! I am so thankful for the diversion and entertainment he provided! And the introduction to Litrpg! That has made so many hours of entertainment while I work. I have severe ADHD. And find that I can listen to a good book, that satisfies my brain weasels so that I can actually work. Thanks to Aleron for starting this!!

[@theatheistpaladin]

I have listened to the Choas Seed series three times through by now. Nick Phodel is stellar as always, but the world is funny and just love the magic mechanics.

[@insanitycore212]

I was a die hard epic fantasy reader, but the past year I transition to a die hard litrpg reader! I really like to follow the character's progress and the strategies they use to lvlup and progress in the world. It's cool to follow all the dilemmas you normally have when playing an MMO in a book, conflict between guild, pvp, pk, completing dungeon, city building .. Most books if they were to become a game would be an incredible experience. I think The Land is one of the best examples of this, he is very faithful to the rules he developed in the world and the decisions that the character in the book makes to progress is very well explained. As a gamer what appeals to me a lot in this genre is that the fact that everything is explained in detail you know exactly the limitations of each spell, so when the character is in a conflict situation you know all the spells and resources he has .. So you can strategize in your head how you would solve the situation and then reading you follow how the author decided to solve it, for me this is something very fun.

[@LitRPG]

What up fellow LitRPG Lifer!

[@Hadrian1616]

@@LitRPG Username checks out

[@fullspectrumgeek5925]

Same!!!

[@mycdonalds2550]

I... like this guy so much, he seems awesome. This might be one of my favourite interviews even though I haven’t read any of his books yet. Will definitely read them now.

[@LitRPG]

What up! Awesome name btw lol Thanks so much for giving my world a shot :)

[@sterlingdowner1853]

I love Daniel Greene and I love Aleron Kong! Thanks for the interview Daniel!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I enjoy some LitRPG so I enjoyed this conversation quite a bit. I will echo other recommendations and suggest you try Sufficiently Advanced Magic.

[@LitRPG]

Thanks for listening Rachel! Checked your page, and not sure if you do interviews, but if you do, I'd love to chat sometime :) There are some horrifying parts of The Land... and not just all the "!" in the first book lol

[@TheShadesofOrange]

@@LitRPG Thank you! I don't do author interviews on my channel (but I am hugely flattered by your invitation). I am, however, open to review requests, but that would up to you. I know Daniel has already given you great exposure here.

[@jasimon951]

I've read a bit of litRPG, there's a lot of subpar stuff out there but also a few gems right now. In a lot of ways, it's just taking a hard magic system to its logical extreme.

[@SilvrSavior]

Jonathon Brooks is a good example of trying to craft hard magic yet failing. There are so many stats in all his books I've read and yet it still comes off so soft. The Rogue Dungeon series is pretty great and the magic is pretty soft but I think it works better that way.

[@Jay-vp3kk]

I've actually read this series and it's quite enjoyable but very different. Looking forward to the next book!

[@lastchancegaming2602]

Minus the 8th. That was a real letdown. I love this series overall though.

[@Jay-vp3kk]

@@lastchancegaming2602 That is the one book in the series I haven't gotten to yet, I finished book 7 before book 8 came out and have been stuck in other series but fully intend to read it when I'm done with my current re read of wheel of time. Book 7 was simply great though so I really hope it's something subjective for you and I will still enjoy book 8 but time will tell.

[@dragan404]

All the the books are good except the last l, he even admitted to changing his writing style. Why the fuck would some one change there writing style on book 8. You build up a huge following that grows to expect certain thing.

[@mord2507]

@Master Jarl I found the book to be intersing. The problem was that it only focussed on the character progression of Richter rather than the friends he had made, who were hardly mentioned. Further, the fact that the book ended without a conlution that was incredibly interesting meant the book was not as good as the previous which had ended on a great cliffhanger

[@lastchancegaming2602]

@@mord2507 ******Semi Spoilers****** The entire book could have been saved in my view if he had made it long enough for what has happened to Richter to lapse and for him to reach his current destination for a certain thing he owes. I don't think it would have been hard for him to right an epilogue that is basically a few days time skip and say: "He is now better, insert a joke about how he got better at surviving down here (how a certain event that we will not speak of didn't happen again maybe), and insert interesting event to tease what might be going on in the next book." That would have been a fine conclusion, but not where it was actually left after an entire filler chapter.

[@JoeK7]

Woah! i did not expect this! I read the land series about a year ago and enjoyed it a lot. This is awesome!

[@LitRPG]

I really appreciate you bud :) Please tell some friends!

[@JoeK7]

LitRPG keep up the great work man! Stay safe! 👍🏼

[@forkgod]

Currently reading the Divine Dungeon series. SO LOVE IT. Very glad it doesnt have math in it too.

[@fullspectrumgeek5925]

This is the episode I have been waiting fo forever!!!! This is an addictive genre.

[@LitRPG]

Thank you so much Yul! And I agree with your other comment. Nick is the MAN!!!

[@fullspectrumgeek5925]

@@LitRPG Mafia Represents!!!

[@a.r.hollowayauthor7210]

LitRPG for LIFE! haha. Can't wait to see who else you might interview from the LitRPG genre :)

[@texman89]

I had no clue this was a thing, but now that I do, it makes sense how successful it is. Gaming is a huge thing that has grown so much in the last 20 years and it was just a matter of time it jumped over to different media.

[@natsukitatsumakiniji]

I'm glad this is available. I read a few chapters of the first book and couldn't enjoy it. But, I'm really glad that it does reach an audience that might not read, and I'll be keeping my eyes out for other LitRPG series. And the concept of adding a more technical side to the writing is inspirational: it's fascinating. It's like the Sword Art Online manga theme is coming into books.

[@brianwillson7373]

I sent you the first three books in this series! So happy to see this interview!

[@LitRPG]

Thank you so much Brian!

[@Hadrian1616]

Thanks mate 👍🙂

[@allknee852]

Excited to hear your review of The Land.

[@stevepol613]

I love all these and I even love them in audio format. A lot of fun.

[@sfrancis71]

Loved the interview, and I loved his books! I listen to all of them on Audible.

[@Bennett4ever]

Gotta day these books are amazing. These books in particular are my current life, these comprise my escape from everything and when I’m done I’ll respawn and read AGAIN. Life fan to Aleron Kong now!!!

[@astoldb]

I discovered LitRPG through the Arcane Ascension series by Andrew Rowe and absolutely fell in love with that series. I'm really excited to read more from the genre! I remember reading a lot of manhwa/manhua about games about a decade back like yureka or prince 1/2. Both involved being in video games though rather than what LitRPG usually is but I was craving for something similar for novels and I'm really glad I was able to find LitRPG

[@LitRPG]

Hope you enjoy walking in The Land :)

[@ultra91790]

THE LAND IS AMAZING! It was my first LitRPG series and I've been hooked on the genre ever since. I've recommended it to so many people. I listen to the audiobooks on Audible. LitRPG is big there.

[@LitRPG]

Thank you so much James! You da man :)

[@ultra91790]

@@LitRPG Hey Daniel Greene, it was actually Aleron Kong's books on Audible which led me to more LitRPGs, which led me to Brandon Sanderson's The Stormlight Archive (in the recommended audiobooks) which led me to Michael Kramer (the voice actor), which led me to The Wheel of Time, which led me to get reviews which led me to this channel back in 2019 or whenever it was.

[@Kelsteev]

18:15 Did he mean Dakota Krout?

[@StevenHouse1980]

Oh I so want his new book it comes out friday the 1st.

[@dsnake1]

I'm sure he did. Brain farts take us all

[@dsnake1]

@@StevenHouse1980 Dakota's very much a dude.

[@StevenHouse1980]

@@dsnake1 Ah my bad I have only ever quickly glaced at that one picture he uses on goodreads. more intrested in if there is a new book than the gender of the wrighter.

[@timmbot6082]

The Land is a great series, definitely one of my favorite litrpg series, but it was disingenuous for Aleron to say people gave him a low score on book 8 because they had to wait so long. That was part of it but it was mostly disappointment because we had to wait so long and it was an objectively bad book that didn't deliver the experience the other books did.

[@hyspeed140]

To me, I enjoyed book 8 but where I think it did poorly is in advancing the story. The book might have a sufficient word count but in progessing the story, it did about a quarter of what I think is expected in a book.

[@TheBSprince]

I listened to book 8 about three times. I really enjoyed it. It definitely felt short, and I agree with @Hy Speed that it didn't accomplish as much as we'd expect. Yet it was still a highly engaging and fun to read. (I listened to it on Audible, so it was a good "listen" for me.) One of the things I noticed as I listened to it each time is that there were a lot of details, abilities, and other things that were introduced that will play massive roles in all future books. So, in a lot of ways, it became apparent that book 8's purpose is more like "setting up the staging grounds" for the next large-scale story arc. I think that this became mostly necessary because Kong couldn't really do much foreshadowing in the previous books to allude to what would happen in 8 and beyond. (I'm keeping this intentionally vague to avoid spoilers. Yes, he meets someone that he knew before, but there wasn't really much foreshadowing that they'd meet again in book 8. So, again, there wasn't much that was, or could have been said, that would've prepared Richter for book 8's narrative.) So, again, I think that book 8 was specifically written as a type of "pre-game" that would not only give the necessary quests but also the necessary abilities to accomplish those quests in a much more interesting and climatic way. Really I only would have a critique-and-a-half for book 8. The major one being that the book did feel quite short, mostly due to the sheer number of notifications Richter had in that book (but I loved those, personally). The half critique would be the section where Richter got food poisoning. For me, I loved this section! It was hilarious and amazing because I've lived in Mexico for two years serving as a missionary. As a missionary, I, nor my companions, had much money at all. In fact, we had to rely on the members to feed us one meal a day, every day. So the members would be very, very gracious and kind and volunteer to feed us. If you're a fan of Mexican food, then there's a good chance you know what it's like to be on the "butt-end" of Taco Tuesday. :) The food tastes amazing, but there are few foods that can taste so good, yet send you runnin' and gunnin' like the Flash in the way that Mexican food can. Pretty much any Mexican food I've had in the states pales in comparison to what I've had in Mexico for both taste and diarrhea! So, for me, Kong's food poisoning section in book 8 was amazing! Richter's one day of horrors pretty much summarized what two years of my life were like in Mexico! XD :P

[@passionthethrillcarny3134]

I psrsonally enjoyed the book but i felt like it was too short, i remember feeling like i was at the 40%mark only to find to my shock i was 80% of my way through, in order for that book to end satisfactorily he should have at least escaped, in the end where it left off made it feel half finished

[@tellusmars7770]

@@TheBSprince It was a good listen....? It was like 50 to 60% reading his Character sheet....? 15min describes his shit!🤣🤣 I do not think you are bias'ed in any way here LOL I kinda loved The Land, but book 8 was not a book ot was a Looooong Character sheet. The story was not going foreward at all. I think Aleron has to much work trying to Grab LitRPG genere so he can make himself rich instead of haveing time to write books. I did not know any of this before book 8 that was a looong Shit. A book stand for itself not review's if you look at the Reviews it is mostly 1 Star and 5 stars makes you wonder if he makes hes own reviews of 5 Stars 🤣🤣 Anyhow he will not get anymore money from me. Books in the trash!

[@MsAmericanMaid]

The Land series is awesome! I am into my 3rd reading of the series. Well written so that you are immersed in the game and you also care what happens to ALL of the characters! I am not a full out gamer but I do play, but the book's story is what keeps me coming back!

[@LitRPG]

You are wonderful and greatly appreciated :) Stay awesome lol

[@m3phisto23]

for everybody who likes litRPG and anime, please watch Log Horizon Season 1

[@LitRPG]

I can't wait for a new season! Sadly, there was some real world criminal shenannigans with the show

[@anthonypierre6219]

Heard season 3 is in the works!!!

[@allanons848]

I came back here to formally thank you. Im on season two now. Like seriously thank you.

[@m3phisto23]

that is nice to read - unfortunately the pacing in season 2 gets slower but is still good. season 3 is coming

[@allanons848]

@@m3phisto23 I don't mind slower pacing. tbh. I mean I think the story suffers a tad bit from what I've watched so far but the characters and their developments are so enjoyable they are carrying my interest for now.

[@therenegadebard3971]

I remember this guy. He tried to trademark LitRPG.

[@JCbeMe]

He didnt just try, he DID trademark it. Hope Daniel licensed it for the video title.....

[@therenegadebard3971]

@@JCbeMe I always thought that was a dick move. Not my genre but still....

[@a.r.hollowayauthor7210]

@@JCbeMe He got a trade mark, but that doesn't mean its valid. And in no way has he tried to use it. It will lapse soon. He's even apologized for the move several times.

[@gotelc]

He doesn't charge anyone for the LitRPG license.

[@JCbeMe]

His trademark IS valid. It exists in a very real and legal way. It's just currently a Supplemental Register not a Principal Register so he can't act on it in the same legal ways yet. He doesnt charge anyone yet because he cant. But he has a period of 5 years to connect it to his personal brand tightly enough to then obtain the Principal Register. And as his personal KZbin channel is named "LitRPG" it seems likely he is still pursuing that route. trademarks.justia.com/871/93/litrpg-87193675.html If you think him not charging people or not trying to use it makes a difference in the publishing/business world then think again. If he owned the Principal Register then no publisher would touch the term for other writers. Publishers don't care how nice someone is, Aleron would legally be able to claim compensation if he desired so publishers would either pay him or simply not risk it. Even if Aleron freely gave legal permission to every writer and publisher who came asking, he still becomes the term's sole gatekeeper and has total power over its use. Basically he tried to take control over the term and claimed it was from the goodness of his heart to defend the community. This could certainly be true but instead of making the community feel more secure and relaxed it has generally created the opposite effect. I dont personally know the guy or have anything against him. I really hope his fans are correct and he makes the right decision in the end. But if he makes the clever business decision instead, none of us should be surprised.

[@goaway3717]

Thanks for interviewing this author. I stumbled across some litrpg stuff here and there and while some of it looked interesting and a bit nostalgic of playing 80's rpg computer games it hadn't really drawn me in yet. This interview has me more interested and I'll at least check out the first book in his series.

[@LitRPG]

I really appreciate you taking a chance on my world Have a great one!

[@TaylorMorgeson]

Stoked, so stoked for Book 8. Love Alma❤

[@LitRPG]

Alma 4 Lyfe! lol Thanks so much for walking in my world Taylor! :)

[@potionseller2083]

The colors of nebulae are actually those colors. It's just that the images we get from Telescopes are black and white. We know what elements of each gas in the image, so we can correct the color to what it would be emitting.

[@LitRPG]

Yeah, but it's still best guess. I think any serious scientist would admit the vast chasm that can exist between in vitro and in vivo But maybe I'm just gas lighting you lol

[@potionseller2083]

@@LitRPG lol I get what you're saying. It is a stretch and misleading to say they are photoshopped however. Great interview btw!

[@LitRPG]

Thanks so much :)

[@lupaecainis]

Very cool interview and a glimpse into a new emerging genre. I haven't read any of the LitRPG classics but I read Rachel Aaron's Forever Fantasy Online trilogy and loved it. Hitpoints are mentioned nyt there is no math and tables, thank goodness. It would break my immersion too. Rachel is a really great writer who was trad published before going indie. I love her Heartstrikers Urban Fantasy series about dragons even more. It was also one of /r/Fantasy top picks for hopeful fantasy. Something we all need in these times.

[@LitRPG]

Glad you enjoyed the interview Reetta :)

[@Nonofyourbussiness15]

Love this interview

[@LitRPG]

Thanks so much Dawson! Have a great one :)

[@Nonofyourbussiness15]

@@LitRPG thanks you too man

[@sirgwalchmei2461]

I would recommend 'Threadbare' by Andrew Seiple A good mix of high fantasy and litrpg. And though the Threadbare trilogy is self-contained, there are two sequel series that (while also self-contained stories) also explore why this world has this sort of game-like system.

[@okamichan6942]

I just saw the (beginning) of that panel Aleron was on with butcher and Sanderson and I was like lite of. And then I saw you had this interview and you showed the stats on the page and now I need to see this genre because I can’t imagine how the heck this works!! I can’t wait to see your review for the land and to be able to check the series myself!

[@LitRPG]

lol glad you're going to give my world a shot :)

[@tylerdinapoli3]

These audiobooks are my guilty pleasure. Nick Podehl does an amazing job. I would say this is not the best written story for me and there are clear holes, but I find it highly enjoyable.

[@gotelc]

Our flaws define us. The same with books. If they are all "perfect" then they would all be the same. I like books with a few rough edges.

[@LitRPG]

Really appreciate you walking in my world Tyler!

[@MsAmericanMaid]

Sorry I meant Chaos Seeds series but in my head I call it the The Land Series.

[@godzilladude1231]

Aleron Kong: “Lit RPG Involves video games or video game systems.” Tabletop LitRPG: (Cries)

[@MindHackersInc]

Nothing but positive comments for Daniel!!

[@nozii889]

LitRPG bible is The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor with 60+ volumes ongoing but big Negative is FANtranslation (non professional translator)

[@LitRPG]

You know, I've still never read it. Sacriledge I know lol. I'll give it a shot though

[@nozii889]

@@LitRPG you can try Ark by Yoo Seong, similar to LMS but is complete 24 volumes, Breakers (231 ch), The Book Eating Magician

[@StevenHouse1980]

Best Idea Ever Convince JIM BUTCHER to do a LitRPG book or a new series. I like the Character Development Books by Aaron-Jay he has Mashed together LitRPG and post apocalyptic sci fi in an intresting way.

[@gilbertbalmes758]

Hmmm, imagining Jim Butcher kicking the crap out of his LitRPG Main Char both inside and outside the game. Might work. :)

[@sharkbait3546]

Listened to the first book last summer and the best way I can describe is pure fun. You can tell Kong had a blast writing it and it was an enjoyable listen because of that

[@LitRPG]

Thank you so much for listening man! Can only take part of the credit. Nick is Amazing!

[@unsullied133]

I have been reading an insane amount of LitRPGs the last year. It is a new genre, so there are not very many quality authors in the genre yet. But I think the genre has a large enough following now that that will change. In my opinion Aleron Kong does a great job with his world building, game mechanics, and combat. But he really struggles with his character development. If he could improve in that one area, he would be great. My favorite series so far in the Genre is the Ascend Online series. He is another new writer, but I really like his writing style. If you are looking to get into the genre, that is the series I suggest.

[@LitRPG]

I appreciate you giving my world a shot :)

[@Kelsteev]

I'm excited to hear Daniel's review of the first book, I'd bet Daniel won't finish the series, and will probably stop in book 3. I've enjoyed most the books, but despite the "math" they're mainly dumb fun.

[@gotelc]

I hope he gives them a chance in audiobook form. The performance by Nick Podehl is great!

[@mralfey]

This is unrelated, but if Daniel has kids, would he name them after WoT characters?

[@maddoxsweigart2476]

Daniel said in an earlier video that he doesn't like kids....

[@Hadrian1616]

Logaine Tam Greene

[@xXLunatikxXlul]

@@maddoxsweigart2476 I hate kids but I would like to at least raise one kid.

[@brittanyschlaak4643]

Thanks for the introduction in to this Genre I love it

[@connorholt2979]

Wow! I didn't realize this was a genre outside of Japanese light novels (isekai genre). I might be interested in picking something like that up.

[@gotelc]

The audio books are awesome!

[@LitRPG]

Hope you give it a shot :)

[@connorholt2979]

@@LitRPG My girlfriend's brother used to be into choose your own adventure books when he was younger, but spends most of his time on video games these days. I thought this genre might also appeal to him so I passed the link to this video and your website to him as well.

[@LitRPG]

@Connor Holt, LitRPG has helped a lot of kids get into reading. I've received dozens of thank you emails from moms saying their kids never wanted to read before. Hope it brings the lad to the written word :)

[@Edog1337]

Chaos Seeds. Eden’s Gate. Viridian Gate Online. The System Apocalypse. Alterworld. Reborn: Apocalypse. The Completionist. This stuff is crack for nerds, and all free to read with kindle unlimited.

[@LitRPG]

Thanks for reading Eric! :)

[@a.r.hollowayauthor7210]

Literally everything you just listed is a MUST read in this genre.

[@Hadrian1616]

Ascend Online was so good. Waiting on the next book.

[@briani8785]

So happy this genre within fantasy books exist. Haven’t even thought about it. Seen it in anime. Definitely seems like something I could get on board with. Been a gamer since I was very little. Don’t have the time to game as much as I used to. Maybe I can live out my rpg dreams with this series and others like it haha.

[@LitRPG]

I hope you'll give it a shot dude :)

[@johnf2496]

Great series. Book seven is amazing. Ill be honest, I was not very stoked on book 8. Mostly because its extremely short compared to the previous book and we had to wait about 100 years for it.

[@LitRPG]

I hear you John. I won't make ya'll wait that long again lol Thanks for reading bud!

[@johnf2496]

@@LitRPG Thanks for replying and for your work! It really is great!

[@seph9502]

First litrpg I read was by Aleron Kong (whata name btw), and it got me hooked on the genre. These books can be addictive as hell try Wandering Inn books, my favourite in the genre... (though The Land is close)

[@LitRPG]

Yo Seph! Thank you so much for walking in my world bud :)

[@Saa_la]

A few points... TL;DR : There are very similar things to litRPG that are out there, most similar works are weak but thoroughly enjoyable, I'm going to try Land Founding and thanks for this interview. 1/3. I remember reading about litRPG recently and I can't help but notice the similarities with what is trending in Japan. As some other people suggested, you might want to look into "isekai". It basically means "new world" and usually involves a human venturing in a virtual world (usually a game world, like an MMORPG), with high stakes. Sometimes that person is stuck there, or has only 1 life, or something. It is already a genre that has been explored to the point where it feels saturated. There is also a wide variety of written versions of that, in the form of light novels, web novels and such but I am not exactly familiar with that scene other than a few big titles. I could talk about that for a while, but let me assure you, there are a TON of people already doing that on youtube. Some names that you have to know : Sword Art Online. You could compare that to what Harry Potter did to YA, SAO did to isekai. Though it is heavily trashed upon on youtube and other medias, it is still a smashing success. It is however not exactly close to a litRPG. Log Horizon would probably fill the litRPGs criteria (There are rules in place, like specific points of mana, tactics and consequences to actions and failures), legendary moonlight sculptor (There are rules in place but they feel soft), The gamer (rules as well, but most are unknown so it doesn't really matter). If you want more names, just type isekai manga or isekai anime and you'll find a TON. I will say that most of these have blatant weaknesses, and while I enjoy reading through those, I can already hear you criticizing a million things and you would be right for most. 2/3. I have listened to The Way of the Shaman by Vasili Mahanenko on audible (these books are so FUN to go through!), and was thrilled by what it had to offer. I will say however that I dont think they're on a high level. I believe characters aren't exactly well developed, character friendships are fairly generic, list could go on, but I don't want to be too negative here. They're just not exactly there yet. (In my personal limited experience) 3/3. Thank you for this interview Daniel, I kind of forgot about this genre for a few years and now I have a new series to read! I can't wait to go through Kong's work, I will try the first book of land founding on audible.

[@bigsil9922]

Great interview, got the book and looking forward to diving in!

[@LitRPG]

Thank you so much for giving my world a shot Big Sil! :) Please let me know what you think!

[@dizzybigman7316]

I listened to all seven books multiple times on audible because I got sick of listening to the same old fantasy books while working. I can't get enough of the series highly recommend 5 stars. I've actually bought a kindle to read the books now as well.

[@josephjefferson4583]

I shit when Aleron mentioned he was interested in an anime. I was just thinking the other day, "this would be a KILLER anime! I mean, Raiders?? Shiiiiiiit". I like the way you think, monsieur Kong.

[@WildernessCall]

This guy can really write ✍ Great series 👏

[@iamthemarshmallow7695]

Just started reading a litRPG book so this is perfect timing

[@LitRPG]

Welcome to the tribe lol

[@Hadrian1616]

Which one?

[@iamthemarshmallow7695]

John Flemings first book is called Temple of sorrows

[@Nasser851000]

A new author every day keeps the virus at bay ;)

[@LitRPG]

Great motto to live by :)

[@tahunuva4254]

Stay inside, stay sedentary

[@forwhy8723]

Yesterday's part 2?

[@sechay9328]

Thank you so much! I finally understand this genre. I remember looking it up and reading wiki's and articles and none of it put into perspective but now I get it. It's like reading a transcript of a DnD adventure you aren't the PC in. Hell, even a little Sword Art Online i guess. I still don't think it's something I want to read but I get the appeal.

[@LitRPG]

Well, happy to help either way :) Stay safe out there!

[@sechay9328]

@@LitRPG You honestly did more than that as I will admit my interest is a bit piqued. I remember playing DnD back in the day and consulting medical professionals regarding poison timing and how burns worked because we were so disconcerted by the rules of our game. We ended up writing our own rules. I mean a level 10 charatcer must have so much mass and blood they may as well be a dark souls boss.

[@m3phisto23]

so i have read 2 litRPG books recently. "Everybody Loves Large Chests" and "digital afterlife". both did seem to me as if they were western literary versions of isekai anime. but that could be just me as i watch a lot of anime. when reading those 2 books "ready player 1" actually did not cross my mind once. (love the book, hate the movie) so far i think those books scratch a very special itch. but they have not been nearly as engaging as more typical fantasy or sci fi books i have read. i will check out Aleron Kongs works next, but if someone can point me into a direction i am always happy about recommedations. also is the isekai thing just me ?

[@LitRPG]

Hey bud! No, the isekai thing isn't just you. I didn't know the term before I wrote my books, but I definitely see it now :) Thanks for giving my world a shot!

[@Hadrian1616]

Everybody likes large chests. I laughed too hard at this. 🤣🤣

[@lukashillebrand9670]

Everybody loves large chests is amazing. The world that it creates is, in my opinion, super immersive. Especially with the later parts in the series f'izzlesprocket' and 'vortena'. I can only recommend it to everyone, not only people who like to read litRPG.

[@fullspectrumgeek5925]

This is one of the series that is way better in audio because of Nick Podehl's performance. I'm not even a real die hard fan of MMORPGS or D&D and I have listened to the entire series atleast 5 times already because it's that good.

[@LitRPG]

I agree. Nick is AMAZING! :)

[@arjunasolis7756]

The clasic manga Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, also had the block stats of the characters and they were updated as the story keeps going on and that was on 1989.

[@silverchain5525]

No fucking way, you got one of my most favorite underground authors on an interview on your channel. Your channel is growing waaaay too fast man.

[@LitRPG]

You rock Silver Chain! That is all :)

[@brianwillson7373]

Daniel Greene, will you read book 2, 3 etc? The story only gets better and better.

[@LitRPG]

Thanks Brian :)

[@jasonyoungberg2115]

The Land got me started in the LitRPG and I'm enjoying it a lot. I just wish I could remember how I got introduced to it in the first place. Maybe it was looking for books like isekai manga.

[@Sin24Shadow]

Love Aleron! Amazing series :)

[@LitRPG]

You rock Jamey! :)

[@Danocaster214]

Fascinating interview!

[@LitRPG]

Thank you so much :) I hope you'll give my world a shot!

[@superdudization]

Hey man you should check out He Who Fights With Monsters. It's LitRPG but it's got a smoother narrative with less number crunching. Should help your emersion.

[@commonsense3785]

The audiobook is sooooooooo much better than just reading the book. Maybe if you listen to the audiobook you will realize how amazing his books are

[@bradenhazle4378]

I have zero clue on this subgenre but I keep seeing The Land as a good introduction and then the most popular series are The Wandering Inn, Awaken Online, and Way of the Shaman. I'm more intrigued with Awaken Online since the main character becomes the villain

[@jasimon951]

One litrpg book I really liked was Shade's First Rule. Street Cultivation is not technically litrpg but combines some of the features of litrpg with Chinese cultivation novels. Sufficiently Advanced Magic is another one that's isn't technically litrpg but is close and really good

[@turtleanton6539]

My First Book The Guardian is like this the charchters level up and gets stronger.

[@VinnyMickeyRickeyDickeyEddy]

Never heard of the genre yet but it sounds really cool… Will definitely check it out

[@Bennett4ever]

You know when I picture Richter I actually visualize someone looking almost just like Aleron. Kind of makes me happy lol

[@zollieberdy4405]

And now my reading list just spins out of control...

[@bracerofplanets6274]

Zollie Berdy 😂 I feel ya

[@LitRPG]

Glad I could add to the Chaos of your life :) And thank you so much for giving my world a shot!

[@elizabethviolet8448]

I read it and OH GOD IT WAS BAD. And not the entertaining bad. Do not fall into the same trap that I did!

[@Asian_Caleb]

I’ve read a lot of litrpg and for some reason I haven’t read the land but I’ll definitely check it out now

[@LitRPG]

From one Asian to another, preciate you giving my world a shot lol

[@Asian_Caleb]

LitRPG well the first book is on prime reading! So how could I not?!

[@frostbitemn7395]

I enjoy some litrpg if they balance lore, story, and gaming or system. There are some decent loopholes and some fantastic stories. Legendary Moonlight sculptor being one of the OGs

[@LitRPG]

Good to meet another LitRPG lifer :)

[@virusguy5611]

This is extremely enlightening

[@LitRPG]

Glad you enjoyed it bud!

[@cacuinwildstar]

For me, when i read LitRPG I always imagine what I would want to be doing to break the game system. So seeing those crunchy numbers for stats and what the character then does with them is just great. It breaks me out of the narrative kinda but it makes me want to be in that world figuring out those same issues that the main character is dealing with. My main series I am enjoying is Dakota Krout's Completest series. It has some puns and some pop culture reference as well as references to his Divine Dungeon series(kinda connected worlds but not). Both series are good reads.

[@Qbone15]

Just downloaded the book on Kindle. I'm very intrigued!

[@LitRPG]

Thank you so much for giving The Land a chance Taylor! Let me know what you think when you're done :)

[@EjDantes]

If you want to try Litrpg try to get in touch with Tao Won, Luke Chmilenko, or Dakota Krout please.

[@AtomixIGN]

I'm a fan of the genre and Kong in particular. The Land exposed me to the style and when it comes to the math he's the clear winner My favorite LITRPG is actually The Wandering Inn which is actually a web serial. The first two volumes of the current 7 are available on Kindle. The first volume is available on Audible and is really excellently narrated. But the entire series is free online - with two chapters added every week. And very often those chapters are practically novellas. 20k - 25 k sometimes more than 30k words. It's a great series. But my other favorite author in the genre is definitely Dakota Krout. Divine Dungeon is great - but Completionist Chronicle is where it's at.

[@LitRPG]

Thanks for the kind words, and even more for walking in The Land!

[@AtomixIGN]

@@LitRPG Gnomes rule. Looking forward to getting back to the mist village soon.

[@hvmetalwarmonger178]

I've always been a fantasy/sci-fi fan. Read a whole lot as a teenage. Then found gaming and kinda got away from it. Litrpgs has big time sucked me back in. I'm 62 by the way.

[@Grimscribe732]

Are there LitRPG short stories that are good entries into the genre? I'm quite sceptical about if I enjoy the genre based on what I've heard. But since Aleron seems like a cool dude with quite a passion for what he does, I want to give it a chance and see how I enjoy a shorter entry.

[@reader9976]

I don't know of any short stories, but if you decide to give this genre a try there are 4 main categories so you should probably decide which you'd find most interesting. 1/ Cultivation/Wuxia - This is mainly where the characters enhance their bodies and minds with a combination of meditation and potions/alchemy. These stories are usually very Eastern/Martial Arts influenced. 2/ Entering the Computer - Think Ready Player One or the last 2 Jumanji movies. Sometimes the hero is trapped or tricked, sometimes their bodies have died and they're living in this computer. In these stories the characters can usually respawn after death. 3/ Portal - The hero or sometimes a small group is transported to a fantasy world where they and all the people around them earn EX points to enhance their stats. It's a normal person in a fantasy world but with levelling up. 4/ Apocalypse - Something happens to our world and monsters are spawned and all the people suddenly have to choose a class, kill the monsters for EXP and level up in order to survive.

[@Grimscribe732]

@@reader9976 Hm, thanks. Apocalypse seems fitting.

[@LitRPG]

Glad you enjoyed it bud! Hope you give my world a shot someday :)

[@reader9976]

@@Grimscribe732 Yeah, that's my favourite too. Some recommendations, I have read and loved all these books, but none of the series are finished Xander Boyce - Red Mage, 2 books Cameron Milan -Towers Of Heaven, 2 books Ryan DeBruyn - Ether Collapse, 2 books L M Kerr - Reborn: Apocalypse, 3 books Dave Willmarth - Shadow Sun, 4 books Tao Wong - System Apocalypse, 8 books

[@reader9976]

@@LitRPG I have already read all but the last Chaos Seed book, and plan to get to it as soon as I can free up enough time to go back and read the whole series again. Unfortunately although I know I loved it, it's been so long I can't remember anything but the broad strokes of the story.

[@vix86]

I would be kind of curious to hear if the South Korean author got their inspiration from .hack//SIGN or .hack//Twilight, because those were some earlier instances where the story really did revolve around being in a game. Then from there the author simply took the idea/genre a step further and added in stats to add another layer to the narrative. I love the LitRPG genre a lot, but I really want to see more western authors try and build stories that step even further "out there" like many eastern authors have. Stuff like Solo Leveling, Everyone else is a Returnee, or even My House of Horrors; really take the LitRPG/"System" genre in more interesting directions. You don't have to put a "LitRPG" story in a video game -- I tip my hat to Krout and maybe even Cosimo Yap for doing this.

[@zetazetaman]

I read a few of these when I first started my Audible subscription, and now my recommendeds are permanently littered with them.

[@emilianoaguilar8392]

This was dope! Thank you both for doing this and stepping out of comfort zone to have this chat. I was not familiar with this genre but Aleron Kong has me sold enough to get my toes wet, I guess that Tinder game is pretty strong! Haha

[@LitRPG]

Never underestimate a tinda grandmasta! lol Thanks for giving my world a chance Emiliano!

[@slboson]

i love all of your books.

[@Globbyismy_Hobby]

I highly recommend He Who Fights With Monsters, and Defiance of the Fall.

[@seanmcbride7795]

Honestly listen to the audio. It's much more immersive than the book experience. I'm on the cusp of whether I still like it or not, but it is fun. A little sophomoric, but fun.

[@LitRPG]

Glad you even gave it a shot Sean! Thanks so much man :) \

[@seanmcbride7795]

@@LitRPG I have mad respect for you. With everything you've been able to do building that business, and still being incredibly creative. Keep it going and I'll keep reading them!

[@LitRPG]

@@seanmcbride7795 Preciate that dude. I just do my best. You keep reading and I'll keep writing!

[@seanmcbride7795]

@@LitRPG I'll take that deal!

[@christopheravila7989]

I’m waiting for book 9