Foundations

A LitRPG Adventure (Tower of Somnus, Book 1)

By: Cale Plamann

Narrated by: Andrea Parsneau

First contact gone wrong. Humanity judged and found wanting. Unlimited power up for grab.

The Galactic Consensus arrived on ships as large as skyscrapers, crafted from glittering alloys that no human scientist could even begin to understand. They followed the trail of century-old television transmissions to welcome us into the galactic community...only to recoil in horror at what they found.

They concluded that humans were unfit to be trusted with the advanced technologies that member-states of the Consensus freely traded with each other, installing a relay to warn other ships that we were under embargo, but more importantly, allowing humans entrance into the Tower of Somnus, a multiplayer game of sorts that could be played in one’s sleep. The hope was that humanity would learn proper behavior from playing the game with our more civilized neighbors.

Katherine "Kat" Debs, a hereditary employee of one of the megacorporations that ruled the world, eked out a meager existence in a massive arcology of glittering glass and chrome. She dreamt of one day earning enough money to buy her freedom and was more than willing to break a law here or there in the process. When she is offered an opportunity to enter the Tower of Somnus free of corporate control, she jumps at the chance. After all, the "game" was more than just a status symbol; players retained the fantastic powers they earned in the game in the waking world as well.

A perfect opportunity to take control of her destiny or die trying.

©2022 Cale Plamann (P)2022 Mountaindale Press

Friend said I would like this one

A very intriguing story of a mix of cyber punk and lit RPG. What an interesting world can't wait for the next book to download.

A great set of rules for LITRPG fans

Felt compelled to write a review for this book, it follows its own LITRPG rules that I really enjoy. I will put this first book up there with Defiance of the Fall, The Wandering Inn, Tower Series, The Good Guys, Victor of Tuscon, Primal Hunter Zogarth, and The Legend of Randidly Ghosthound series. Andrea Parsneau is in my humble opinion in the top 3 narrators for this genre and hits the mark in this first book. I look forward to continuing this series soon.

Glorious cyberpunk drama I didn't know I needed

This may be the perfect sci fi/fantasy litrpg. The fantasy game and leveling is important both physically and socially, the cyberpunk intrigue and action is thrilling, and the combination of the two genres seamless.

It's been a long time since I listened to something that sucked me in this deeply; I tend to listen to audiobooks while doing other things, then pause and move on, but with this one I found myself lingering to continue the story.

The main character is strong willed and clever, a joy to follow in both her days of running for criminals and her nights of fantasy gaming with aliens.

The narration is amazing, as expected of Andrea, and I can't wait for book two!

Highly recommend.

A good start to a new series

When, early in the story, our heroine turns out to have particularly bad taste in men I almost bailed on this one. I found myself communicating telepathically to ask the author, "Please kill that character, please, please, please..." Luckily, Cale Plamann heard my telepathic pleas and did not make me wait long for his MC to grow a spine. After she "wakes up," the MC becomes more fun to follow. Overall, this story is a cut-above for the LITRPG genre, and despite some overly-long, play-by-play descriptions during prolonged, extended, really quite drawn-out and extensively, throughly, carefully explained battle scenes, it is a well-told story with a good premise and genuine characterization. Of particular note is the MC's little sister, who in several scenes comes off as a 'three-dimensional' and genuinely cute little kid. Congratulations to author Cale Plamann!

not great, but generally fun

If you can't stand manipulative, bullying boyfriends/husbands or women who submit themselves to them, you will have a rough experience starting this story. This should be labeled a dystopian because it is a world of slavery with aliens creating a ghost of a hope for improvement. Kat initially has an informal boyfriend who is intolerably ungrateful for life, what others do for him, and friendship. Kat willingly favors his wickedness, though such a foolish main character usually doesn't stay a fool.