Tomebound, a Litrpg Tower Climbing Adventure

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Callam Quill wants nothing more than to bind a tome and gain access to magic and the written word. In Port Cardica, his home, literacy defines power and those who have it lord over those who don't. Mages climb the Seekers Tower, travel the Solstice Isles, and burn the embers of the Godwrought Lighthouse that protects the world. So when Callam sees an opportunity to try and steal a grimoire, he takes it.

Now, if only his plans would stop going awry...

[Litrpg] [ProgressionFantasy] [Gritty] [Weak to strong MC]

Readers can expect a litrpg adventure in a dark world with hidden beauty. There will be plenty of action, but also slower, slice of life moments to allow for deep world building. I love stories that explore the little things, for magic is found in those small moments that make you go "wow." As a warning, this story will be long, with a focus on exploring a grand, magical world. Stat screens will be sparse. I will post new chapters once or twice a week, unless the story is successful enough for me to write full time. My focus will be to produce highly polished work--as Sleyca says: "the burn will be slow, and, I hope, better for it."

I wrote this story because I wanted to see what would happen if I brought litrpg to traditional fantasy. I love the idea of a book that captures the magic of The Name of the Wind, or Red Rising, while showcasing the expansive world building of Defiance of the Fall, or The Wandering Inn. I also fell in love with a video game called Golden Sun as a kid, and it heavily inspired me to write this book.

One day, I hope you shelve me among the greats.

Wanna read great litrpgs? Check out theLitRPGFacebook Groups. Personally, I loveLitrpg Books, Lots of awesome stories there!

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: Justinwrite2

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 4,208
Views: 749,566

Chapters(65 total)

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

AthyriumRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Deeply immersive world with fantastic writing!
I need to add here that I did a bit of beta reading for the author and really enjoyed it, but all opinions are purely my own.
To start with the writing style is evocative and imersive. Even by chapter two a picture has been painted of the type of world the story takes place within and you can get a feeling for the life the character has lived. The prose is very strong and the snippets of scripture are lyrical.
The story is interesting and you can already tell that important information is being teased. I'm not sure where the story will go, but it's a strong start with a clear voice.
The grammar is perfect so far. It's only chapter two, but I have seen no spelling mistakes or places where the grammar could be stronger. It's exceptionally well written for a web serial.
The character is the weakest point as of the first couple chapters, and even that is only by a slim margin. We just don't know anything about him yet. I have high hopes that will be resolved in coming chapters. So far we know he is daring, logical, and maybe just a bit superstitious, but nothing about how he views the world. That doesn't take away from the story at all, and because we were dropped right in the action, is not a problem. If the story progresses as strong as it starts, I will likely be bumping this from 4.5 to 5 stars.
So far I highly recommend!
funkyfroggerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style Score - 5/5
Extremely good writing, top tier for what you can find on Royal Road.
Grammar Score - 5/5
”Only” 22 chapters, but I don’t think I noticed a single mistake anywhere.
Story Score - 5/5
You can really tell how this story is inspired by more traditional fantasy. It’s more slow and methodical in its world building. Not really any info dumps and the author manages to make exposition feel natural and well placed. A couple PoV shifts that I thought aided the story in understanding what’s actually going on and allows for tension building.
Character Score - 4.5/5
So far there’s really just been a large focus on the main character. We’ve been introduced to a few potential main side characters, but I couldn’t tell you if these characters are going to stick around for future chapters or if they’re more fleeting. Although the author does a decent job at incorporating some world building into the brief information we’re given about these characters, two birds one stone and all that.
Author does a solid job of letting us know who the main character is at his very core, what he wants and what he’s struggling with, but focuses on largely these points for all the current chapters.
C. elegansRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
TL;DR:
Tomebound is an exceptionally well-written story that is comparable to many published novels. While it may utilise some well-recognised tropes from other stories in its genre, it offers a unique twist through its distinctive worldbuilding.
It is good.
Give it a try.
Main review:
Tomebound is a story with elements from what has become traditional for YA fantasy as a genre; traditionally published YA fantasy, that is. Justinwrite2 has achieved a quality seldom seen on Royal Road with impressive prose, thoughtful worldbuilding, and a well-planned plot.
Grammatical errors or typos are rarely present, and the author appears to correct them rapidly. Due to this, any such errors are almost unnoticeable. This story is comparable in quality to many novels in its genre that are traditionally published, though Tomebound is written and published in a web serial format.
Despite some general similarities to other novels, Tomebound offers a unique twist on this well-established genre. With its distinctive system of magic and a society shaped by the mysterious tower, it promises to be more than a retelling of the same story. Emulating elements of other YA fantasy novels has a cost, however, and Tomebound settles into a well-worn rut on a path crossed by many stories previously. The main character has tragically deceased parents and a similarly deceased sister, acquires an uncommon power early in the story, and occasionally portrays the world and characters through a morally monochromatic lens. Attempts to examine characters in a more varied light have occurred, so this could be a way for Callum to develop emotionally.
Using some established genre tropes is not necessarily bad, as it offers a familiar entry point for readers and, perhaps paradoxically, may offer narrative freedom for the authors. For example, a deceased family severs ties that otherwise may have limited the development of a character. Likewise, the inclusion of an organised competition between characters befo
ConserveguyRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Quick Disclaimer, I did some Beta reading for this story; but all thoughts are my own. This story is so unique. Only people blessed with magic can read, What? I've never seen that before. So there's not a lot to say abou the plot because its so new, but the worldbuilding is simply gorgeous.
DeathSeekerRRRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I don't want to be sound rude but the fact that there are so less chapters till now is the biggest let down...I hope Author can write ✍️ at least 3-4 times a week or more.
Loved the story so far, great world building and mc introduction 👍..Hope to see mc in full action using his power and all. If it was upto me I will stand behind Author and ask him to write one chapter a day for rest of his life...
Waiting for more chapters..
Emperor SprogRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It's brilliant so far. The story is great and the writing is good, the magic system is interesting and something I've haven't my seen yet, my only sticking point is that there aren't more chapters for me to read and I'll need to wait. Really looking forward to seeing this story develop.
kaboomRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is shaping up quite nicely, the edits are a bit confusing but the story is better for them.
This author has will, vision and knowledge enough to go far.
Great grammar.
Decent world building.
A story with a plot.
Interesting quirks and elaborate sentences without becoming too artsy.
A main character who has a chance to fail.
Characters that are not all stereotypes.
I am a bit concerned if some of them will turn out to be terminally stupid, but hasn't happened yet.
5/5
NateDoggRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It has been a pleasure diving into Tomebound: A LitRPG Tower Climbing Adventure, and I must say, it is nothing short of phenomenal. From start to finish, this book exemplifies the best of what the LitRPG genre has to offer.
Grammar and Writing Quality: 5/5
The grammar in Tomebound is superb, with not a single misplaced comma or awkward sentence to be found. The prose is polished and professional, setting a new standard for quality on RoyalRoad. It’s evident that the author has put a significant amount of effort into ensuring that the writing is both clear and engaging. The vocabulary can sometimes be a bit over the top, but I actually love that so no downgrade there.
Character: 5/5
The characters in this story are nothing short of sublime. Each one is well-developed, with unique personalities and motivations that make them feel real and relatable. Calum’s journey is particularly compelling, and the rich characters coming into and out of the story add depth and richness to the narrative. It’s easy to become emotionally invested in Calum's fate, which is a testament to the author’s skill in character development.
Plot: 5/5
The plot of Tomebound is incredibly engaging. The tower climbing aspect adds a layer of excitement and tension that keeps the reader hooked from the very first page. The pacing is perfect, with enough twists and turns to keep things interesting without feeling overwhelming. Every chapter leaves you eager to find out what happens next, and the storyline is expertly crafted to maintain interest throughout.
Overall Writing: 5/5
The overall writing in Tomebound is well above what is typically found on RoyalRoad. The narrative voice is confident and consistent, and the world-building is immersive and detailed. The author’s ability to blend action, adventure, and character development seamlessly makes this book a standout in the LitRPG genre.
SakuRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
As of now, Tomebound has only released 11 chapters which is why this is an early review where the setup for the "tower climbing adventure" is still being built. These chapters already give great insights into the writing quality, world-building, characters, and more - and everything points to this being and staying a great story.
Style: Good writing style, everything is fleshed out and is fun to read. The pace is also fitting with everything taking as long as it should. This author has some experience writing for sure, that's not the writing style of a novice.
Story: Nice world-building for the little that has already happened. Relatively standard background for the MC, yet the backstory feels fine and there is some more to discover here. The characters and the world also feel alive, despite the few chapters. Lots of things are already well established and some other things are hinted at repeatedly, but there is a lot of thought involved in the history of the world and the impact of the unique premise on the society. I'm also enjoying the "rhymes" that are used throughout the story in prayers, at the beginning of the chapters so far, and the promise of riddles. The only small critique I would give on this and the character score is the predictability or the "cliches" that I can see so far. As of chapter 11, there are some future "cliche" interactions between characters that are basically set in stone already which is something I rather dislike. With the good writing quality so far though, this is just a small prediction on my part that could be completely wrong.
Characters: As already described for the story rating, the characters feel alive and have fitting personalities for their role, history, and overall place in the story. The MC is also likable so far. So nothing too much to be said here. There are the mentioned "cliches" with arrogant noble families that rule the world and hog all resources, stuck-up heirs that cause trouble for the MC due to their pride that
SomnulousRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Up to date at 15 chapters in, still interested, wanting more! 🙂
Writing is good, plot and action is fast paced, but not too fast. Character is smart but not overpowered.
Some interesting hints about the world and how it works! I don't feel like there has been much awkwardnexplainy exposition (which is good, I don't enjoy being hand fed the rules of the world).
Excited to see where it goes, frustrated to be waiting for the updates lol🤣
Good job so far author!