Devourer

Broken Core, Book 1

By: S. D. McKittrick

Narrated by: Soren Gray

They destroyed his core and left him to die. But death didn't take him; something darker did.

The power to devour souls and grow stronger with every kill. In the monster-infested wastelands where the very air burns at night, James must learn to control his abilities and hunger.

A cultivation fantasy where power comes at the ultimate price.

Alongside Luna, a demi-human shunned by society, James carves a bloody path through Forsaken-infested ruins, collecting corpses, crafting makeshift gear, and struggling with the monstrous instincts rising inside him.

What to expect: power through soul consumption and cultivation; slow-burn revenge arc; a cheeky, slow-burn romance between outcasts (fade-to-black); some harem themes (fade-to-black); crafting, enchanting, and soul-based power system; multiple POVs; descent into monstrosity as power comes at the cost of humanity.

©2025 S. D. McKittrick, Shadow Light Press (P)2026 Podium Audio

Started good. Fell off fast.

Too many unanswered questions. MC is strong but kinda dumb. Main lady treats him like shit for months then suddenly is smitten.
Smitten while still treating like the unwanted step child. The pair feels rushed and lacking, its is just ok. It is missing something crucial that is hard to pinpoint.

Them using slang like “kink shame” etc… breaks a lot of the immersion since this is supposed to be generations or centuries after the collapse of civilization.

I could stop listening for a while and feel like i did not miss something.

Struggling to stay interested even though i love stories with this genre.

Edit: it got worse. To sum it up. Grandiose scope, but deep as a shot glass with a small hole in it. The bi play feels forced and artificial. Maybe its just the delivery? Nothing was funny, endearing, or relatable. Nothing tied me to any character or really cared what happens to them. Unfortunate.

not a bad listen, but...

don't care for female protagonist, she makes mc weak, never mind how she initially treats him, I usually stay away from books like this because of how characters like her are written, but I was intrigued by this spin on his cultivation so I bit the bullet, when I can I just skip her parts, weak as she is in comparison to him , means you don't get to demand anything, especially after shunning him.....I don't think I gave away anything as far as spoilers go