DungeonFall

DungeonFall, Book 1

By: Joshua Kern

Narrated by: Ryan Kennard Burke

A new world. A new body. A second chance to fight—for life, for family, and for power.

Nate didn't want to die. But after years of battling a sickness that had left him a mere shell of what he once was, he wasn't exactly clinging to life either.

Then everything changed.

His final breath was just a new beginning, one that led to him waking up in a world almost identical to his own. He has the same parents, the same name, and even the same face in the mirror. But this Earth is different. Stranger. Better in some ways, and so much more dangerous in others. Here, monsters roam the cities' edges, newly developed cultivation arts shape reality, and dimensional zones pulse throughout the surface of the world like living hearts.

Not everything is perfect. There is a reason he was able to cross over into that body. Troubles that might be solved with the help of…

Whatever force pulled Nate across worlds didn't send him empty-handed. Buried deep inside him is a gift—something powerful, mysterious… something extra. A spark of creation, a source of endless potential.

If Nate can learn to master it, he might not just survive—he could thrive.

However, as he will soon discover, power attracts danger, and in this world, monsters aren't the only things that hunt. To protect the people he loves, Nate will have to grow stronger, faster, and smarter. Because second chances don't come free—and this time, he's willing to fight for every breath.

A blending of slice-of-life with gamelit. Dungeon-Core Creation and Cultivation Progression Fantasy based mechanics. Set on a modern, alternative Earth that has been besieged by dimensional zones through which monsters and beasts have been invading the planet for years. This series is a perfect fit for those who enjoy smart, emotionally complex characters inside an ever-evolving universe, with a protagonist who is simply glad to have his parents back, while also struggling to find his own place in this new world.

©2025 Joshua Kern (P)2026 Podium Audio

interesting dungeon core book

the spin on dungeoncore was interesting. tho i wish the mc was not as clueless and thought ahead a bit more. but the guy suffered quite a lot in both lives. i can see how goong from one fire to another keeps one from thinking with the most tact. ill definitely pick up the next, love ryan and hope for a shift in planning with th addition towards the end

Well Done

Audible version: All around well done. The voice narration was smooth and sounded good. The script editing seemed to be thorough enough too. Most importantly, I enjoyed both the story and the whole experience of listening to it.

stupid protanist

this guy gets the crap beat out of him again and again. he then pisses off assholes, then gets surprised then they retaliate. I hate protagonists like him.

decent ideas and story

I enjoyed the story and the narration was better than average.

Plot holes caused the lost stars. The biggest plot hole for me is the main characters motivation and desires. Why is he so emotionally attached to a dungeon? Why does he want people to die in them and get angry when they don't? Why wouldnt he use people to his advantage rather than pit himself against humanity for no discernible reason? His cold blooded attitude regarding the dungeon does not match his personality when not regarding the dungeon. Why does he intentionally say things to powerful people that provoke animosity when it just creates powerful enemies for no gain.

All these inconsistencies seem like blatant plot devices to generate drama or strife. When authors do this it takes me out of the story and makes me dislike the protagonist as a ignorant fool lacking common sense and impulse control.

Slow roll

Meh. Slow plot development with no interesting characters. Not going to follow series. May try something else from this author.