Caravan of Blades (A LITRPG Deckbuilder)

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

NOTE: TheKickstarteris live!

Volume Oneis out on Amazon September 25.

Volume One: The entire world has been taken over by hordes of zombies. Of course there's no profit in that. So why do heroes keep getting summoned to this world to try to save it anyway? Their money is worthless.

At least that's what Finley, the roving tinker sales elf* finds out when the pantheon keeps summoning heroes into his path to save the world, all he wants is the quiet life. When the horde comes calling, you had better have an escape plan.

Heroes?

In this economy?

*May or may not be an elf.

Volume Two: In the Wake of an attack by the human death knight, Finley has fallen into a coma and Anthony, the caravan commander needs to put his green friend back together. Now they need to decide which one of the three remaining death knights to go after next, or if they should rally support from the continent to the south and try to storm Noveria?

Volume Three: It has become apparent that in the life of a Caravan that they need to establish a base of operations. It has also become apparent that they should not put this base in the center of zombie central.

Caravan of Blades is inspired by Band of Blades by Evil Hat Productions, as well as just about every deckbuilder I have ever read, as well as Frieren and Station Eleven. If you're wondering how all of those things fit together, then read it.

Volume 4: The Cycle Continues

Winner of the Royal Road write-a-thon challenge. (April 2024)

Posting MWF around 9AM EST.

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2025
Author: Weavervale

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.0/ 5.0
Followers: 345
Views: 66,146

What readers say about Caravan of Blades (A LITRPG Deckbuilder)

“At the request of the author, I am reviewing volume two, chapters 1-5. I apologize for any spoilers. Story: Though I feel like I may benefit from going back and reading volume one after reading this portion of the story, but I am able to tell that this is a…”
longwindedone1Royal Road5.0 / 5
“If you like deck building LitRPG stories, this is one you should check out. I like the idea of powers being contained in cards, so I think it is fun. Style: The story is written in third person which is pretty common for the genre. The LitRPG elements like…”
LitRPG AdventuresRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

longwindedone1Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
At the request of the author, I am reviewing volume two, chapters 1-5. I apologize for any spoilers.
Story:
Though I feel like I may benefit from going back and reading volume one after reading this portion of the story, but I am able to tell that this is a vastly developed world. The story follows characters into a world overrun by zombies and death knights. The caravan travels through dangerous places, including a dwarven stronghold. There are "higher powers" involved with classes and powers.
Style:
The story is told from third person limited, as it jumps from character to character. It's the perfect POV to really help the reader to discover the world as the characters discover it. It is litrpg, telling a serious story but with moments of humor (the goat lord).
Grammar:
This story is well written. I didn't see anything that took me out of the story. There is a nice mix of exposition and dialogue. Kudos to the author. And the author seems to be very prolific with their writing. Being able to write well and quickly is a special gift.
Characters:
There are a ton of cool characters and character classes. There are: Finley (Wood Elf / Tinker), Anthony (Human Cleric of Yil), Bob (Ranger of Mork), Sophie (multi-class Druid, Rogue, Warlock), Stella (a Cryomancer Rogue), Andrew (a Dwarf Artificer), Sonya (warlock), Borgan and Song (both orcs, I believe), Ca'at (a summoned Eldritch Feline). If I had to label one person the MC, I think he would be the leader of the caravan.
I highly recommend this story, but I would recommend starting from volume one. Love me some good Litrpg!
LitRPG AdventuresRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
If you like deck building LitRPG stories, this is one you should check out. I like the idea of powers being contained in cards, so I think it is fun.
Style: The story is written in third person which is pretty common for the genre. The LitRPG elements like cards and character profiles are set off in blue boxes so it’s easy to see when those are present. If you are less focused on the LitRPG elements, this actually makes it very easy to skip past those and just stick to the story. I’m not saying that’s what I did, but I know some people prefer to stay in the story sometimes so it’s easy to do in this story.
Story: The story is set in a classic fantasy world with the expected races like elf, dwarf, gnome, etc. There are also monsters. There has to be, right?
Grammar: I didn’t notice any major grammar issues. This is one area that I truly don’t focus on, and there was nothing that took me out of the story which is all I ask for in a story, grammar wise.
Characters: The characters are fun and interesting and I look forward to reading more about them.
MBGalacierRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style:
"Caravan of Blades" masterfully blends the LitRPG and deckbuilding genres, delivering a fresh and innovative reading experience. The narrative style is engaging and fluid, with a perfect balance of descriptive prose and action sequences. The author's ability to describe complex game mechanics without overwhelming the reader is commendable, making the story accessible to both seasoned LitRPG fans and newcomers alike. The pacing is well-executed, maintaining a steady momentum that keeps readers eagerly turning pages.
Story:
The story unfolds in a vividly crafted world where every detail feels meticulously planned. The plot is rich with intrigue and adventure, offering a compelling mix of quests, battles, and strategic challenges. The integration of deckbuilding elements into the narrative is seamless, adding a unique layer of depth and engagement. While the overarching plot is intriguing, some plot points in the initial chapters could benefit from further development to enhance the story's complexity and depth.
Grammar:
The grammar and overall writing quality are exemplary, showcasing the author's command over language. Sentences are well-structured, and the dialogue flows naturally, enhancing the reader's immersion. There are minimal grammatical errors or typos, indicating thorough proofreading and editing. The polished writing style contributes significantly to the readability and enjoyment of the book.
Characters:
The characters in "Caravan of Blades" are well-developed and multi-dimensional. The protagonist is particularly compelling, with a blend of strengths and vulnerabilities that make them relatable and engaging. Secondary characters are also well-crafted, each contributing uniquely to the story and the protagonist's journey. The interactions between characters are believable and add depth to their relationships. However, some characters could benefit from additional backstory and development to further enrich their roles in the narrative.
Overall Impr
NolzenRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overall: Among LITRPGs, a 'deck-building' one is actually a pleasant surprise to my reading journey. Typically, LITRPG systems feel very predictable, but this story's doesn't. Perhaps due to the fact that I hadn't read a deck-building LITRPG before, but I digress. The story is fresh, and the characters are chill to follow through the chapters.
Style: The style isn't anything amazing, but for a story like this, that is fine! The writing style takes a step back, and allows for the story to flow quite fluently with simple statements and words.
Grammar: Asides from an occasional grammar mistake, it was perfect.
Character: Finley is the perfect character for the plot. He is someone who is relatable yet has a painfully neutral stance, something that really shines when there is a zombie apocalypse in the plot. It showcases more about the world more objectively.
Story: The story is fresh. It is not something that makes you jump out of your seat, but it is interesting nonetheless. Combining the idea of zombies and survival in a magical world is always a fun read, and when you add Finley’s unique role as a merchant, it really makes the story stand out. The way the magic system is structured, especially with the use of soul cards, adds a fresh twist.
RainyLiquidRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
So I guess I should start off this review by saying I don't typically read litrpg stories, and I have never even heard of a deckbuilder story until this one. Because of that there was some stuff I had to piece together myself. I know the basics of how lit stories work, typical game system, but deckbuilding was new. Thankfully the story does it in a way that was easy to understand. It doesn't really go out of its way to explain the system fully, but a lot of it is easy to pick up on so that's good.
So, what's this story about? Well take a fantasy styled novel and then throw zombies into the mix which is also a first for me. Of course, you have stories following necromancers and the like, but this is one of the first stories I've seen that actually put a zombie apocalypse scenario into a world like this. It's very fun just on that alone. Because of that the story and style of writing stand out a lot to me.
When writing a series there is usually a limit to what you can do if you don't want to go into too much detail. When faced with zombies though characters are able to basically cut loose. A lot of the fun is seeing how something like this is flipped on its head. The issue of ammo and guns doesn't come up when you have characters that can launch balls of fire. Of course, there is mana which serves as a pseudo ammo system but that's beside the point.
Grammar is fine for the most part. I don't speak English as my first language and there were a few times where I had to reread somethings, but never enough where I was taken out. It's just fine.
Lastly that leaves the characters. Once again I don't tend to read a lot of Lit stories or Isekai in general. One thing that makes this one stand out though is the main character isn't an isekai protagonist. He grew up in this world. He's also not a human, and is actually an elf. Something I found really refreshing as a lot of fantasy stories tend to default to humans still. I almost wish he was something even more wacky like a Dra
C.H. MouserRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I've never read a deckbuilder before, so this was new to me. I found the idea behind the cards and skills to be done great, and the LitRPG elements were just icing on the cake. Finley, Anthony, and the gang were characterized well with fun and exciting moments that the author handled excellently.
Style: The author's style created a very comfortable read that flowed naturally and had good pacing. Little details in the story helped it shine even further and showed the author's skill.
Story: I enjoyed how the cards and skills in the world worked. The LitRPG elements were done great and fit with the deck building aspects nicely. The author does a great job at simplifying these aspects and laying them out in an easy-to-understand way. Finley and the idea of the tinkers and family gave a good feel to the start of the story.
Grammar: My reading experience was never interrupted by any grammar or punctuation mistakes, and the story flowed smoothly. I could see the author was actively supporting their story and making corrections routinely, which was nice to see and showed their dedication.
Character: Finley, Anthony, and the surrounding cast were portrayed well, and dialogue flowed naturally. There was still some character and world-building going on where I stopped, but the author did great at handling a larger cast. Character POV shifts were done smoothly and showed the author's abilities.
Definitely worth a read for deckbuilding and LitRPG fans.
SRadioactiveRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
It is easy to get invested in the magic system and the thrill of being on the run, and I think the author captures the sense of urgency very well. For me, there was a learning curve with understanding the card system, but I would never dock any points for that as I think it just depends on the background of the reader. I can tell a lot of thought went into this.
There was a bit of perspective change, but I enjoyed it, and I thought that it made it a bit more fun, like the screen panning to a different character in a movie.
I enjoy a slow burn, and I do not think it is fair to judge a story by the first few chapters, so I will say that the setup for the world is really good. The conflict with the undead is interesting and seems to be developing quickly. I can definitely see the world rolling out to be vast with every different flavor of adventure.
The story feels well-edited, and I did not notice any grammar issues, certainly nothing that would take away from reading and enjoying it.
I have to say that I like Finley, and I really enjoy how he was introduced. Truthfully, I did not get invested in Anthony and felt like his entrance was not a bonding moment for the reader. A lot happened quickly, and his reactions to the events did not feel completely organic. His chemistry with Finley was also slightly off, but that could very well be intentional, and I definitely acknowledge that.
GeorgeDBeardRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Our shrewd, Elvish tinker, Finley, has just wrapped up a peaceful retreat in the mountains. Meditation, silence, clean cold mountain air. He has the misfortune (or good fortune) to run into one's of that damn heroes that wander around all fantasy stories like vagabond hitchhikers. Heroes are always trouble. And a glorious, slice-of-life, mercantile adventure story is ruined by the zombie horde. I guess we better buckle down for some action.
Jokes aside this is a solid, well-written story. Straight and clean LitRPG writing style. The magic system seems straight out of *All the Skills* so fans of that series would do well to pick this story up. Though the author has added additional dimensions by including a pantheon and patrons. I'm hoping this system will get deepened in following chapters.
The characters are well written. I especially enjoy Finley and his good-heartedly putting up with the clueless *hero*. Hopefully the hero mans up soon or gets turned into a zombie (now that would be a twist). The true heroes never get the recognition they deserve.
The story is high-pace. We're seeing our characters battle and power-up in realtime. It's something you can burn through. Every chapter will have you itching for the next. Grammar is pristine.
LegendaryWesleyRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Okay time for another review. Cavern of blades, a book that seems interesting from the begining.
Style: The author definately has a style that is enjoyable to read, as well as being really good for a book like this, they just click and it flows really well. The only reason it is not a 5 star is because sometimes the style flips and changes and you have to reread a little to see what just happened. Other than that it's great.
Grammar: There are quite a few grammar mistakes but they aren't that big. There are only like 1-2 every other chapter, other than that its perfect.
Story: This story idea is REALLY intriguing and it draws you in from the beginning. I don't want to spoil so I won't talk to much about this, but the story is one of the strongest points.
Character: The MC is a fun person to read about, the only problem I have is that sometimes they veer off and rapidly change directions of where they are going (mentally) which can make it frustrating to read.
Overall I would rate it a 4.5/5 stars because it is an enjoyable book that just gets you hooked from the first few chapters I would definitely recommend it!
PiratecatRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
First of all, the one thing I want mention is that the magic system is what's driving the story for me. I like how it feels unique and I just want to see how much more the author can expand on it.
Anyway, The story has an engaging mix of fantasy and adventure, introducing a rich world, though it occasionally falters in maintaining narrative consistency. What I think can sometimes disrupt a reader's pace is when it suddenly transitions from calm to tense from the fighting scenes. The transition could use some work but if you ignore this it seems solid.
The MC of the story has the status of a Tinker King which adds like a layer of interest to his character but I would have wished to know more about his past, motivations, like just the things that can let a reader connect with the MC. I like the inclusion of Anthony's journey with the MC (possibly a character dynamic in the future 👀) but character development feels somewhat rushed in the first few chapters. Nothing major that deterred me just thought I would mention this.
The biggest issue imo is that the first chapter just confused me a little (a little bit of extra background explanation would be needed to what is happening and why is the MC here). I liked the slow pace it was but it made it harder to stay engaged. But, it was definitely worth it to get through as the innovative introduction and the use of skill cards and class cards caught my attention, and I was into the story at that point.
No grammar issues to be found yet
Overall, the story shows significant promise. The first few chapters could use balancing the pacing more and delving deeper into the character backgrounds to enhance the narrative's emotional impact, but this shouldn't deter you from the story!
4.5/5