Imagine, if you will, the possibility
of crossing from this plane of existence into another one built on a role playing
game. Where the decisions you made in setting up your character and your
abilities, as well as ones made by all of the players in your group, could have
life and death consequences within moments of your arrival. That magic, vampires,
goblins, and more are totally real as is your ability to fight as a warrior and
maybe heal yourself and others depending on the severity of the injury and what
you chose moments before here in this world. That is the world as it exists for
the characters in Outpost: Monsters, Maces and Magic Book One by
Terry W. Ervin II.
The whole reason Glenn was in the Grimes Student Center that
Friday evening was research for his Sociology 102 paper. He plans to
participate in one of the get togethers hosted by the Role Playing Game Club on
campus. By hanging out with the players of whatever game he chooses to be a
part of, he hopes to gather enough material for his paper. A key point of his paper
is to participate in a social setting or situation that is unfamiliar to him
and being part of a role playing game fits the requirement very well.
While he has played a little bit of Dungeons &
Dragons years ago, it wasn’t very much, and nobody needs to know that
information. The point is to get in, play for a couple of hours, and get out as
he has a life and isn’t going to waste his Friday evening this way.
It does not take long before he as well as Stephanie and
Kim, two girls who are also from his Sociology class, are at a table with Kirby,
Derek, and Ron along with a Game Master. Not only is the Game Master a bit unfriendly,
he just seems rather weird and Glenn thinks there is something up with him, but
pushes those thoughts aside as he and the other players build the characters
and plan out the game.
As all the players are committed to the game and their
characters, the Game Master pulls out various items and sets up things to get
underway. The last item, when activated, pulls the six players into another dimension
based on the fictional world they just created. What seemed to be a joke or unnecessary
before, now has major importance as their very existence hangs in the balance at
almost every moment. The foes are many, the challenges get harder and harder,
and getting back to the reality they left is going to have to wait.
The first book of a series, Outpost: Monsters, Maces
and Magic Book One by Terry W. Ervin II is full of intrigue, mystery,
action and adventure, and occasional flashes of humor which are often of the
adult variety based on how a certain female appears in the fantasy world.
Billed as AN “LITRPG novel” or a literary role playing game novel, this is a
book where the read combines role playing games with fantasy elements to entertain
readers. Those who are seriously into role playing games may find it a bit
light in that regard as the focus in much of the book is more of a fantasy
quest style story. Those of us who are not serious about such games and
therefore are not burdened with a need for continuous complicated game play information
that has little relevance as the read unfolds can relax and just enjoy the tale.
A fun read, Outpost: Monsters,
Maces and Magic Book One by Terry W. Ervin II is a solidly good read and
well worth your time.
Print material received many moons
ago from the author with no expectation of a review. I do have the next in the
series, Betrayal, here in my personal print TBR pile and intend to read it
soon.
Kevin R.
Tipple ©2020
Thanks for reading and posting a review!
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