Through Adversity: A LitRPG Adventure

Worth the Candle, Book 1

By: Alexander Wales

Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer

Always the Dungeon Master, never the player.

Juniper Smith was always a creator of worlds rather than the one who walked within them…until now.

Somehow, the tables have turned in the most dramatic way possible. Juniper finds himself in a world filled with the wildest fantasies a mind could come up with, and his fingerprints are all over it.

Throughout this world, echoes of his own ideas and plots leave him feeling like he’s always one step behind. He finds bits and pieces of ancient influence strewn about every town he goes through. One thing is clear, though: Juniper walks this magical new world in someone else’s shadow.

It might all add up to something vital...if only he can survive long enough to figure it out.

This top-rated Royal Road-hit with over 3 million views is now brought to you in professionally formatted audio available exclusively on Audible.

©2022 Alexander Wales (P)2022 Podium Audio

Isekai and litRPG with everything done right.

"Everything done right" is obviously subjective. But there are a lot of things that this kind of story can get wrong, and it doesn't.

The protagonist COULD be a bland cookie-cutter character, whose personality alters nothing and whose history is irrelevant. Here, the protagonist's history shaped who they are, and informs what they do.

The world COULD be stock fantasy without texture, or the game system could be exactly what you expect. Here, the world is an interesting and eclectic blend of ideas that weren't designed to work together, forced to coexist. Even more rare, the game system isn't a barely-legally-distinct D&D clone, or a series of overpowered perks handed out at narrative behest.

Characters COULD make sloppy decisions in order to drive the plot. Here, the protagonist thinks things through and arrives at sensible conclusions. Characters around him act on their own motivations, to accomplish their goals. There is introspection and discussion.

Obviously, it's not enough to just "avoid missteps". Worth the Candle is also fun and satisfying. That's the sort of thing that's a lot harder to explain why, but it's also a big part of what the star ratings are for. The narrator is an excellent fit, able to give lively and distinct voices to male and female characters alike. I'll be impatiently waiting for the next audiobook, even having read the original.

the best of what Litrpg has to offer

This is what I think about when I think about what an isekai litrpg should look like. While this type of story is not my favorite, I can very much appreciate how well executed this is by the author. Alexander Wales understands the essence of what makes tabletop role-playing games entertaining, and he skillfully entwines all of those elements in the pages of this book.

Great!

Sort of new to the LitRPG genre. Read Dungeon Crawler Carl and He Who Fights With Monsters before this. Carl feels like the gold standard but I felt this was pretty on par with He Who Fights… I was surprised to see so few reviewers for such a solid read.

one of the best books I've read

amazing characters and pacing. this book keeps you constantly guessing. It is one of my favorites.

Great start to a great series

I read the original web serial and enjoyed it all the way through. I've never had the chance to seriously play DnD but Juniper and his story made me a lot more interested in getting around to it one day. I can't wait to have the entire story in audiobook format.