The Beast and the Sage

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Friday release schedule, with the potential for the occasional extra chapter.

(Primarily progression litrpg with a decent dose of comedy, and one very slowly developing romance.)

Levi always has a plan that never quite works out. Gaming the new system for the best class possible, he ends up with a class that suits him perfectly. Unfortunately, that's bad thing.

Paige never has a plan, yet things usually work out just fine. Choosing to let the system decide her class for her, Paige gains a powerful class that excites her. But she soon starts to wonder just how much her class is affecting her behavior.

After the world has been completely changed, and a set of VR-like rules set the stage for the new world, a beast and a sage find themselves as traveling partners. The unlikely pair develop into a formidable team and more... despite differences in their personalities and classes.

(Note, there is very little traveling in the first book.) The traveling part really only starts in book 2, though the theme of traveling together is a major part of the overall story.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: JD Hopkins

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.4/ 5.0
Followers: 1,530
Views: 340,066

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

kirbydabearRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This one alternates a quick pace with more drawn out scenes. Both allow the author to explore and display the characters.
There's no immediate cheat or anything - every step feels earned.
This one skews Adult (as opposed to many YA-level works on RR). The romance is clearly a big part of the story and is done tastefully so far.
Excited to see where it goes.
Brandon KempRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Awesome story so far keep it up! I'm loving the character development so far but can't wait to get deeper into the world and see how everyone develops. You do seem to have a few hard chapters coming so I thought I'd send some encouragement anyway can't wait for the next chapter.
ShanriRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I love reading the story when updates come out, like the depth to which conversations go, the tone and the pace, I only wish i left more chapters unread for my next binge so I can read it all in one go like having a meal instead of just an appetiser
WishFlowerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I am by no means a writer, however, this has to be one of my favorite things I’ve read in a long time. I’m very excited to see this story plays out! Absolutely loved this flash forward. Mr. Stowe’s description makes me cry… I just love old men. Definitely love that she is the beast!
J. G. SadsquatchRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The Beast and The Sage is the kind of immersive read that hits all the sweet spots: rich worldbuilding, complex characters, and a plot that keeps pulling you back in.
The setting is so intricately thought out, that it almost feels alive, with a system-based world that’s way more than a simple game overlay—it's part survival, part mystery, and part dark humor, all woven together beautifully. Every scene has this depth, peeling back new layers without ever dragging, and it’s balanced with prose that’s sharp and full of personality.
The characters really shine. Levi and Paige aren’t your typical protagonists; they’re refreshingly human, a little messy, and so easy to root for. They’re navigating this bizarre new world with a mix of humor, grit, and relatable exhaustion, and even the side characters feel like they’ve got lives beyond the page. Grace? The old lady alchemist might just be my new favorite, with her weird wisdom and unfiltered charm. It’s like everything in this story, from the plot twists to the smallest details, is set up to make you care.
This is a rare story that nails both an intriguing premise and the execution—highly recommend it for anyone into epic adventures with a side of laughs and some beautifully weird worldbuilding!
PS The Crows made me spit out Sprite all over myself lol 5/5!
YoohooRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The story isn't going to change your life. But it is pretty good.
I really like the whole reason for the litrpg situation and want to see where that goes. I honestly hope the author doesn't just set it to the side and never explore it.
It's super funny. Yeah, some jokes are kind of dumb, but in a way that feels on purpose. Like, wven though they're a little dumb and over the top they were written like that for fun. Idk, I kind of like it. I don't like stories that take themselvea too seriously.
I think maybe Levi's debuff is way too much. But, the story has been hinting around at cultivation, so maybe he figurea out a way around it. I mean, I feel like he kind of has to at some point. If not, the debuff will wither get completely ignored or just forgotten. So far it has been dealt with pretty good. Still, I think the cultivation will end up being the answer.
Paige's class is awesome. Some of the most fun is with her and the interaction with crows.
Haven't really seen any romance so far, but that's perfectly cool with me. I went out on a limb to even read this, so there's that.
I like the story a lot so far. I may adjust my review later if it completely takes a dive for the worse. But good right now, for sure, for sure.
FeniciosZeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I don't know what is there dislike in story. Characters aren't boring, the fighting is good, even the system, with its mixture of different genres, seems well explained.
Would like to see where this is going, with charecters that break the fourth wall and all that.
Very good story overall, recomend reading.
NescioRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story has me hooked like very few have managed so far. It's comfort food for the mind and soul.
Up to the point I have read so far, the story is slower paced (almost slice-of-life at times), character focused with some action sprinkled here and there, but I expect that will change in the near future.
The characters feel like real people and they each have their own strengths, weaknesses and goals and they each have different reactions to the situations they find themselves in. I enjoy the fact that there is an emphasis on people training to improve themselves and that one of the main characters delves deep into how their powers work and how to best utilize them.
It's a different take on the system-apocalypse theme. The story has dual protagonists that the author handles a bit differently and makes it feel seamless.
The writing is clear with some typos here and there mostly due to the author doing a writeathon as a personal challenge. You will find humor, compassion and mystery as well as some sensitive topics that I believe are being handled maturely and tactfully.
I hope this story continues on for many books to come and can't wait to find out more about the universe the author is building.
JeffShowRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
I really enjoyed reading your book! The plot is engaging, and the characters feel well-developed, as it added a lot to the story. There were a few moments where the pacing felt a bit slow, but overall, I think you're on the right track. Looking forward to reading more and seeing how the story unfolds!"
AbathaRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Really enjoyed the start to this, the interaction between the characters and the overall “balance” of the story. I like that it is predominantly dual POV and it is clearly going to be character driven alongside general progression. Interested to see how the author develops the relationship so far I think it’s been handled really well.