Master Craft

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Hammer and Nail

Book One of the Master Craft series

When construction foreman Mike Reeves falls through a swirling portal, he loses everything—his wife, his son, his world. Now he's stranded on a savage frontier of monsters, magic, and a system ripped straight from a game he never signed up to play.

Armed with only his hammer, his grit, and the stubborn will of a man who’s built his life with bare hands, Mike must craft shelter, forge weapons, and carve out a place to stand. But as ancient powers stir and the monstrous Void Ripper draws near, survival alone won’t be enough.

To protect what’s left—and to have any hope of going home—Mike will have to build more than walls.

He’ll have to build a legend.

Hammer and NailMike Reeves, a tough-as-nails construction foreman, is ripped from his world through a strange vortex, landing in a dangerous fantasy realm where survival hinges on a mysterious, game-like system he can't understand. With only his hammer and building know-how, Mike carves out a foothold in a land teeming with deadly creatures and hidden secrets. As he uncovers the ancient Crafter’s Haven and its powerful crafting legacy, Mike’s skills are pushed to the limit in a high-stakes quest to face a terrifying predator. Hammer and Nail is a gripping isekai tale of grit, ingenuity, and the fight to forge a place in an unforgiving world.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2025
Author: AsherBirmingham

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.1/ 5.0
Followers: 110
Views: 58,599

What readers say about Master Craft

“For a new author, his creativity and ability to weave anticipation without becoming stagnate is exciting. I'm eagerly looking forward to what comes next for Mike in this strange new world. This one is definitely worth sharing. Tell your friends and family a…”
Sherry GrayRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“I was so pleasantly surprised by this series! Though it’s not my usual genre or style, I found myself completely captivated by the sheer creativity of the story. I love a book that keeps me on the edge of my seat, never quite sure what’s coming next—and thi…”
meghan whiteRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(4)

Sherry GrayRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
For a new author, his creativity and ability to weave anticipation without becoming stagnate is exciting. I'm eagerly looking forward to what comes next for Mike in this strange new world. This one is definitely worth sharing. Tell your friends and family and lend your support to this brave new author.
meghan whiteRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I was so pleasantly surprised by this series! Though it’s not my usual genre or style, I found myself completely captivated by the sheer creativity of the story. I love a book that keeps me on the edge of my seat, never quite sure what’s coming next—and this series absolutely delivers. Just when I think the plot is wrapping up, a new twist pulls me right back in, keeping me hooked even when I’m exhausted and should be sleeping!
The video game element is especially clever and entertaining—who knew I’d be so into a fantasy book like this? I honestly can’t say enough good things about this series. It’s imaginative, exciting, and full of surprises. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next!
CommunitygisRoyal Road
★★★★ 3.5
I enjoyed meeting the Main Character. I appreciated seeing his growth and development. I did not like that the system is hidden teasingly behind a language barrier that it can choose to bypass at will but allows for no exploration. I did not like the overuse of the magic of explosives in fighting the battles. I understand their usage but it was overplayed. I was not impressed with the minimal details on survival issues (water, food, and shelter) after the beginning.
I am not sure if I will be around for the second book. This one left me wanting much more.
jadecriminalRoyal Road
★★★ 2.5
I'll be honest, the idea drew me in and promises a lot of things I like (Cleverness, bootstrapping, engineering stuffs) but the first few chapters completely put me off.
I was just going to leave a comment to try and not grade this but since comments are disabled, here we are.
I skipped ahead a little and it's a bit interesting that the system tries to communicate and help with blueprints without sharing a language but it's a bit too little too late.
-The transition method means there will be a ton of angst re: family
-why add a system if you can't understand it yet locals speak the language.
-The first interactions set the tone for the rest of the story so I expect lots of betrayal and scrambling without any understanding on what's going on.
-The vibe of the story just feels like a downer and I find myself skipping ahead to see if anything interesting happens.
Overall it leaves the feeling of "Hehe I'm not telling or showing the audience what's going on it will seem more mysterious."
Which is fine, but only if those reading expect this. Otherwise it'll be a lot of complaining, which is why I imagine comments are off.
My advice would be to adjust your description to manage expectations of incoming readers to your target audience.
Don't be discouraged author! You managed to make a lurker sign up just to review your story and rate it highly!
You can never please all your readers, take the useful bits that help you grow as a person and an author and let the rest flow off you into the force. You'll do fine as long as you don't let obsession with algorithm, perception and viewership stats destroy your love of writing