The Mind Card [Deckbuilding][LitRPG]

Information

Status

Hiatus

Year

2023

Author

J Nelkins

• Chapter 22: Give
  Mar 21, 2023
• Chapter 21: Highest Bidder
  Mar 6, 2023
• Chapter 20: The Pitch
  Mar 25, 2023
• Chapter 19: Stall-ing
  Mar 3, 2023
• Chapter 18: Azuria
  Feb 27, 2023
• Chapter 17: Uncle Taizhen
  Mar 21, 2023
• Chapter 16: Blasphemy
  Feb 24, 2023
• Chapter 15: Strangers
  Feb 20, 2023
• Chapter 14: Danger
  Mar 21, 2023
• Chapter 13: Breezy Sea
  Feb 17, 2023
• Chapter 12: Granny
  Feb 13, 2023
• Chapter 11: The Wind
  Feb 10, 2023
• Chapter 10: The Status Screen
  Feb 6, 2023
• Chapter 9: I Know Nothing
  Feb 3, 2023
• Chapter 8: What is That?
  Jan 30, 2023
• Chapter 7: The Future is Green
  Jan 27, 2023
• Chapter 6: The Color of Magic
  Jan 22, 2023
• Chapter 5: Secrets
  Jan 20, 2023
• Chapter 4: No such thing as Pirates
  Jan 19, 2023
• Chapter 3: Ready To Grow
  Jan 10, 2023

Reviews

Community Reviews(10)

• BalerikRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Humans, as a species, tend to make unreliable narrators.  This is especially true as we grow older.  Or perspective changes, memories fade, and we begin to lose touch with the thoughts and emotions that consumed us when we were younger.  As such, it takes a special kind of talent for an adult writer to translate the struggles and successes of childhood into a compelling and genuine story.  In The Mind Card, J Nelkins puts those skills on display.
  Style - In The Mind Card, J Nelkins doesn't shy away from detailed prose.  But mentioning only the descriptive elements of this story would be doing a disservice to the psychological ones.  Rarely a scene goes by that there isn't a new layer of interraction by the two main characters, leading to a rich and fulfilling relationship that is both genuine and enviable.
  Story - This is a coming-of-age story revolving around our two heroes, Nyk and Syn.  The two young folk must find a way to reconcile their childhood dreams with the realities of adulthood.  Though they are surrounded by a village of good-natured folk, Nyk and Syn soon realize that only by depending on each other can they achieve their goals without compromising their ideals.
  Character - Nyk and Syn are the two stars of our show and they deserve every minute of the spotlight.  One half witty, the other naive, the two quickly exhibit a level of comraderie that serves as the beating heart for the story.  Though the world around them is unique and fully realized, it is the relationship between the two characters that drives this tale of growth and expansion.
  Grammar - There were a few minor typos and grammatical errors, but none that significantly reduced the enjoyment of the story.
  Overall - The Mind Card by J Nelkins is an interesting story that revolves around the theme of stepping out of childhood safety and into the responsibilites of adulthood.  With an interesting magic system adopted to a 'card-type' interface, fans of adventure will find plenty to appreciate
• RestuIbuRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  "The Mind Card" is a fantasy story about two kids living in a serene island surronded by sea monsters (and pirates!), with ambition of becoming the strongest Cardslingers.
  Style: It's on point, the wording is simple, not trying to make fancy of anything. The pacing is also solid, with overall 1500 words per chapter makes it an enjoyable short read. Those are the good traits. However I do notice that despite the simplicity, some sentences can be phrased better, and also the author seems to use excessive amount of adverbs to the point it's noticable and makes me feel a bit unease. I don't think we should always take suggestions to adverb-despisers all the time, but I think if there is a verb that could replace the emphasis of an adverb, that would be a better choice. Also the dialogue could be more smooth if the author can just remove the repetitive dialouge tags in the same conversation (or replace them with action tags if there is anything significant) since it's a light story dominated with dialogues after all. But the last part is not a big deal.
  Grammar: Minor errors, but it's not something.
  Story: The prologues are the main hook there and a solid first impression. The Mind Card takes place in a fantasy world, a specific fisherman village with sea monsters and pirates problem. The system was explained well in the first chapters, and I applaud the author for not delivering them in forms of info dumps. So basically sea monsters can be compressed into cards with monetray and power value. That's the world building you should know (for now). No immediate danger happens in the early arc, instead, we will explore more about the main characters, Nyx and Syn before we go to the big meal, which is actually a good approach for this case. Finger crossed this would not happen for too long.
  Character: Nyx and Syn, the characters are a simple kids, one with an adorable innocence, and the other is a thorough planner. Their childish interactions are already a hook for me to keep
• DetroxRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  I am not going to lie, I came here expecting a quickly paced opening, but was instead rewarded with a pleasant action, witty dialogue and a little bit of worldbuilding instead and I loved every moment of it.
  Style: I am not sure if it is my misunderstanding, but I always believed the use of line was to indicate a change of scene or a shift in point of view, but here at least in the opening chapters, the line was just there dividing a few paragraphs but keeping me guessing what was its purpose. Otherwise very good
  Story: There are many stories with strong opening, but unable to keep the hype up, here I hope the slower pace and exploration will allow a long-lasting quality of a lovely read.
  Grammar: Not much to say here. Didn't notice any grammatical mistakes so easy 5*
  Character: This is where the story shines, fleshing out both of our main characters from the beginning, giving each interesting traits and quirks, and using them and their personalities to move the story forward. Great quality writing there, 5*
  Overall: This one was an easy 5*, because as it is right now at the time of writing the review, the story has a solid opening and is in the process of laying out a foundation to build upon later.
  I hope you stick with it and keep the quality as high as it is right now :) Great job!
• DischtopiaRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  This is a story about Nyk and Syn, two small-town kids with dreams of becoming Cardslingers. It relies on charm and a well-loved trope or two to draw you into its world, allowing you to live vicariously through its main characters as they work to achieve their dreams.
  Style: The writer's style is simple and functional. It doesn't use super sophisticated vocabulary or play around too much with sentence structure, but it also doesn't bog you down with fluff. It gets you from point A to B as smoothly as possible, so you can start enjoying the real meat of the story: the cards, magic system, and traditional narrative elements
  Story: This is what it's all about. Boy with big dreams in a small village embarks on a quest to make the townspeoples' lives easier... But is it EVER that simple? He's a bit of an airhead (relatable) and seems destined to have cool things (like purple rarity cards??) fall into his lap. As a premise it's a well-oiled, time-tested wish-fulfillment delivery machine, which makes for a reading experience that is light, sweet and full of excitement
  Grammar: Like the style, it does the job and there are no glaring issues. The author also seems responsive to feedback, which is always great to see
  Character: The charming characters and their warm, friendly dialogue is a perfect companion to the story's candy-sweet plot. The townspeople fit their archetypes well, and the two main characters contrast with eachother nicely. With a solid foundation like this, it is hard to see anything but success in this story's future
  I'd recommend The Mind Card to anyone searching for a cozy, nostalgic read that tweaks the classic hero's journey framework just enough to deliver a hearty helping of fun card-powered adventure without feeling tired or derivative
• Dylan KingRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  The Story of The Mind Card follows Nyk and Syn, two young best friends attempting to cobble together enough resources to get their hands on the magical and valubale cards. This deck-building RPG comes with a heavy dose of slice of life vibes, with a good chunk of the early story spent following the children as they trade and take and collect resources in their small village. It has a cosy feel, but as a result can come off as quite slow-paced. This is intentional, and absolutely a feature not a flaw, but might not appeal to everyone on RR.
  The characters are well-built, and believably child-like. Nyk in particular in incredibly naive but highly relateable, and the author uses the character trait well to weave their world-building inot the narrative.Syn and Nyk have a fantastic relationship, with plenty of entertaining bickering and banter that really smooths out the slow pace of the story itself.
  The style and prose is definitely the author's biggest area for development. There's a fair amount of refininement that can be made here that speak to the author being relatively inexperienced. There's a bit of an over-reliance on exposition and info-dumps, and a fair whack of showing where telling would be better. These are things that will come with time though, so I wouldn't necessarily use them as a reason to avoid this story. From the quality of the other aspects, I could well see this fiction improving a lot as the author carries on writing.
  The grammar is solid, without any major, off-putting flaws.
  Overall, The Mind Card is a solid deck-builder with some very strong aspects that would appeal to a lot of readers here. There a flaws, sure, but there's enough strenght and quality that I have full faith in the author to begin to iron these out as they improve.
• Jack0fheartRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  The Mind Card is a captivating litRPG story that takes readers on an adventure through a magical world of cards and mana. This book will transport you to a world filled with magic, action, and adventure.
  Overall score 5/5: This is a brilliantly crafted story that is sure to entertain readers with its immersive world and engaging characters.
  Style score 5/5: The writing style is excellent, with a perfect blend of vivid descriptions, action-packed sequences, and character development. The author's use of language is impressive, bringing the world to life in a way that will leave you spellbound.
  Story score 5/5: This is a unique and thrilling story that has a perfect balance of action, adventure, and magic. The author has masterfully created a world of cards and mana that is both fascinating and captivating. The character's personal struggles and relationships add depth to the story, making it a must-read for anyone looking for an engaging read.
  Grammar score 5/5: The grammar in The Mind Card is flawless, with clear and concise writing that flows smoothly without any obvious errors.
  Character score 5/5: The characters are well-developed, multi-dimensional, and relatable. Nyk and Syn's friendship is a highlight of the novel, and their journey towards becoming Cardbinders is heartwarming. The secondary characters are also interesting, and their interactions with the protagonists are enjoyable to read.
  In summary, The Mind Card is an excellent litRPG novel that is sure to delight fans of the genre. The story is well-written, the characters are well-developed, and the world is fascinating. I highly recommend this to anybody looking to read a story that mixes litRPG with deckbuilding! ♥
• strigidae713Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  The story is about two friends trying their best to save up for their journey becoming heroes from the stories they heard. We have two characters with two different personalities. Nyk and Syn who works well together despite the contrasting believes.
  Characters: Full score for me. The author took his time in developing a complex characters with their own pasts and their own stories. Even the supporting characters seems to be their own person instead of normal NPC with set of dialogues forced to them. Mind you, the whole 14 chapters I read had many dialogues that written well to explain the situation of the world itself. Honestly, I can learn more from the author making believable dialogues for my novels.
  Style: As I said before, the whole story mostly written in dialogues. It shows that the author is no stranger to understanding many intricacies to make a story enjoyable to read.  I don't have many comments and this style has been around a lot.
  Story: It builds up nicely. Starting from the background of where they are without giving too much detail in longer passages. The author mastered a knowledge showing the background of where the MCs started their journey. It gets better and better. At first I didn't know what was it about but at Chapter 6, we finally understand why the author named the story like so. Especially at Chapter 11, I started liking it and devoured the story faster and faster.
  Grammar: This is where the story lacks. If you're not into this sort of things, it won't matter much. Some sentences felt a little forced but most of the times, the author did a good job fixing his mistakes.
  Overall, I like this and can't wait for the next chapters to come! I'm loving the whole premise already.
• Lara Zanatti ReisRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  The story focuses on the adorable friendship of Nyk and Syn, two best friends with dreams of owning the legendary card.
  This novel, which is marked as a litrpg, has more nuances of the slice of life genre. What would explain the evolution without haste that the author smartly uses to well immerse the reader into this world.
  In an intelligent way, the author introduces little by little small details of the system, the cards, and other details of the lore that are so carefully implemented in each chapter.
  The characters, Syn and Nyk, have a behaviour that is expected for their age. Both are around eleven-twelve years old. The conversations and teasing between the two of them are adorable, and it makes romantics like me wonder if this could turn into a romance when they'll be older (like Syn's parents, perhaps?)
  Grammar, no comment at all.
  The only thing I have to say, but this is truly my personal taste, is that there could be a little, just a little, less dialogue tags. But keep in mind that I use text to speech add-in to listen.
  Otherwise, yes, I advise all lovers of wholesome novels where the slice-of-life meets LitRPG.
  Happy reading.
• Arlen K.Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  Reviwed on 26.02.23
  A slowburn (at the begining stages) litRPG, deckbuilding story. It's what it says on the can. If you like those two genres, dive right into the story.
  Story:
  We have two main characters. Nyk and Syn. Young, one clearly more naive than the other, but both are ambitious. They want to become cardslingers, and get higher coloured cards (which cost the equivalent of a village!) The beginning chapters are quite slow burn, which is necessary for the world building element. There's quite a lot to take in, and Nyk, being the naive one, is the equivalent of Watson in Sherlock holmes, as we, the audience, learn through his naivety and Syn's knowledge bank.
  Not much action yet. But we do know there are beasts out there, so there is the promise of action.
  Premise is good, and there's good groundwork for the story to be told.
  Style:
  The style clearly develops as the story continues.
  It's a relatively simple style, which is suited for the character's age (as of now.) There was a stylistic change, where previously all speech was in italic, but not anymore. Personally happy that the author has done this. It's more conventional, and can help separate speech and thought.
  My main gripe on style is dialogue tags. It's not a dealbreaker, and is simply an area where I think the author can very easily improve the immersion of the story. Quite a few are unnecessary, as it's already clear who's taking. If the tag isn't clarifying who's taking, then it should give information on how they're saying it. If it does neither, then it's not needed. It's an easy fix, and I see it naturally improve in the authors writing in the later chapters.
  Also a tendency for a character to say something, and do something. Some of these actions following the tag mark can just be action in and of themselves,and can eliminate the need of the tag mark.
  Here's a very simple example.
  ["No," she said, smiling] -> [She smiled. "No."]
  We did have a tendency of having exclamation marks everywhere, whic
• Wilhelm DuyRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  The Mind Card begins with Nyk and Syn, two young best friends attempting to gather enough resources to get their hands on the magical and valuable cards. This story is slow-paced to indulge the mystery of a well-built world, the distrust and caution of everything thrown at those two have entwined me to read this story, and it may not apply to all with some elements.
  Style: The story writes from and third-person point of view, it is simple and flowing when considering the mindset of the two main characters, but there is some point in the story that sounds rough and breaks the immersion in the story so I knock just a half of a star here.
  Grammar: As I have said before, some parts are described quite roughly and they break the immersion in between so I also knock half of a star here.
  Story: The story hasn't started to unfold itself fully as there is much to read about, I like the tension in the first 10 chapters but the latter hasn't finished so I have to wait a little further until a later update. It has good potential I would say to stay and read more.
  Characters: Nyk and Syn are likable main characters, their character contrast has made their interaction interesting every time. The aloof boy Nyk has his mind in the cloud and the serious girl Syn worries about her secret being revealed by her best friend.
  Overall: The mind card is a slow-burn adventure rpg, it doesn't suit everyone as the main attraction is the mysterious world behind the lenses of Nyk and Syn