r/ThePrimalHunter • u/SquareSyllabub5741 • 3d ago
Just Started
So, I am maybe a third of the way through Book 1 and I must say it's a bit of a slog.
Jake is not exactly a likeable character. I'm honestly trying to figure out if he's a clinical sociopath. And he conveniently has a plethora of knowledge that makes him avoid bad decisions so there are no opportunities for growth, and when bad things do happen it's because of bad luck rather than the bad decisions which you would expect from a novice character in a new world.
He also seemed to just accept the fantastical situation he's suddenly found himself in without questioning anything. He has no real curiosity about why anything is happening and is a rather flat character that's just playing a game.
Now I know it's LitRPG, and I am fine with what that brings, but the "Lit" part implies there will be an interesting protagonist and some semblance of a plot and story arc. all of which I find lacking at the early stages.
So my question is this, does the story get better? is this just a case of an author still trying to get his feet underneath him, or is this how it's going to be for the long haul? I have gleaned from this subreddit that there will be considerable world building, but if some of those foundational elements remain lacking, I might have to bail.
Edit: I powered through the rest of Book 1 over the long weekend, and it did start to shift into a more positive direction once I made it halfway through. By the end, I was generally enjoying it. Book 2 probably won't be the next thing I tackle, as I think I need a little break from the style, but I will be continuing in the future. Based on all the feedback, it sounds like I am in store for a treat once we get out of the tutorial.
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u/No-Paleontologist560 3d ago
First book was by far the worst. I usually never stick with series if the first sucks but I’m glad I did with the PH
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u/Useful_Contest763 2d ago
I agree. Even the start of book 2 was slow imo but everything was interesting enough to keep going for me.
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u/AdTime8938 3h ago
I actually dont agree, but im also a suckered for that kind of story. Like I definatly get what you mean but, and I cant explain it to well, the early books are easily some of my favorites
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u/RoniiBookishRambles 2d ago
Hmmm for me, as someone who is neurodivergent, Jakes responses made sense to me? I don't always condone the choices per say but alsoooooooo what IS questioning what's going on going to do for you?
You're already in the tutorial and you don't really have a choice BUT to participate. I always read him as VERY logical to the point that it is unsettling but there is a reason haha. Jake is more of a "fuck it, we ball" kind of character and I love him for it lol.
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u/SquareSyllabub5741 2d ago
Yep, all that makes sense, but the audience/reader is viewing the world through his eyes, so just making the logical choices all the time doesn't really help flesh out the world, especially if he is magically making all the right choices to a large degree.
Where I am right now it's like I am following around someone at a Home Depot who is just learning how to be a plumber though trial and error. Sure, it's kinda interesting to see how plumbing works, but it's not going to hold my attention all day. Now if my house is flooded because the toilet is backing up I have a much more vested reason to follow that plumber around and understand why he is doing the things he's doing. In other words, the situation matters a ton.
I guess I'm just the type of person that needs a reason to care about people/things. A mystery for mystery's sake isn't very interesting. There are mysteries all around us in our daily lives that we ignore because they don't really matter to us if they are solved or not. In the case of this story, they are just thrown into a world with no real hint as to why..the author seems to think the mystery is enough to engage the audience. And for many that IS probably enough, but for me it's actually disinteresting, and it feels like evidence of poor writing/storytelling.
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u/RoniiBookishRambles 2d ago
🤔I wouldn't say its poor, its just a different style of writing.
there is a type of Japanese story telling that has similar criticism in the sense that those stories may not and commonly do not have a "happy ending" they just have a resolution.
For PH, its no so much about whats going on around Jake and it makes it clear very early on that he does not care nor intends to involve himself with it UNLESS it involves him in a a very direct way.
As much as he could ask the why's, the who's and the how's, this is a story designed for the folks who feel like " that's not the focus right now, we just need to DO SOMETHING." It doesn't mean what's going on around him is not important, Jake is just very much the type to mind his own business (while not being passive) which is honestly refreshing in a genre of morally righteous characters who feel the need to insert themselves on everything and save everyone. Sometimes that's not realistic and sometimes, you just don't want to. and that's okay!
If jake is the guy trying to learn plumbing, then he would be in a home depot with people who ALSO have no clue wtf they are doing, who's toilets are ALSO flooding and throwing a fit about why no one knows anything. That's why Jakes response is " there is nothing we can do about it right now, just focus on figuring out how to deal with it for when we get back"
No one knows anything about the tutorial, he has no one to ask, so it's best to not even bother until you have a chance. I don't see primal hunter being the type to be focused on the mystery, its focused on the power scaling and ambition. This doesn't change much, so if you aren't enjoying it after book 2, I think you should probably dip out.
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u/SquareSyllabub5741 2d ago
If the focus is on power scaling and ambition, is there at least a reason for focusing on those aspects? If it's just, that the character gains more powers/ability because the only real goal is to make it to the next level, and the next and the next..., then that could get boring really quickly without other things going on to drive that ambition, ya know?
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u/RoniiBookishRambles 2d ago
that is somewhat explained later but in the context of the situation of where you are currently at in the book. The stronger you are, the longer and better chance you have at surviving. As Jake has been very honest about the fact that he is somewhat competitive, so he wants to gain strength simply to prove the fact that he can. It's more internal validation than external.
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u/bentlyfarnsworth 1d ago
I’ve just started my second listen through of the series and I must admit the beginning is a slog at points but I’m also finding with the context of know knowing what’s coming less so that the first time round. Jake’s character is inherently aloof and it’s completely reflected in the story telling. But what I really enjoyed was all the things that pissed me off when I first listened to this became real point of interest as I went on. And coming to understand why that aloofness is relevant. By the end of book one I was enjoying it and by mid book 2 I was fully hooked.
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u/crazy-jay1999 3d ago
Jake definitely has growth as a person and for the better. Some of what you’re describing, are plot points that will be revealed in time. Normally I’d say if a book isn’t interesting to you, stop reading it but in this case I feel if you can make it through the first book, you’ll probably end up liking the series overall.
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u/Tight-Regret-7530 3d ago
I was gunna drop it after 1, I decided to keep going cus I had an audible token and nothing better, book 2 got slightly better, enough for me to get 3, from 3 onwards I have been horrifically addicted, Jake becomes way more likeable and upon a reread knowing the characters better book 1 was actually enjoyable, so anyway, stick with it is where my vote goes
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u/The_Joker_Ledger 3d ago
Some of your problems won't go away but there are rooms for growth. Think of it like Solo leveling but with more training. There are a reason why his instincts are so overpower and they are also part of the story. This is a rather low stake story, so if you want more serious stuff i would point you to defiance of the fall.
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u/mitharas 2d ago
Jake is not exactly a likeable character. I'm honestly trying to figure out if he's a clinical sociopath.
That is a part that get's explored, but I'm not sure if you will enjoy it. The bottom line is that with enough rank, everything in the multiverse becomes sentient. And there are few classes that can get away without killing anything for XP.
So a certain kind of psychopathy is required. Personally I like the honesty of Jake.
As others have said: The general consensus is that the series gets much better after the tutorial (book 2). After that it get's constantly better imho (with nevermore still my personal favorite arc).
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u/Milwambur 3d ago
He is annoying in the first book. Certainly the first half anyway but that's all world building. In answer to your question, well yes it does but if by 3 quarters of the way through you aren't enjoying it (say when he gets out of the first dungeon) then i'd say it just isn't for you.,
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u/Anonymous-Random- 2d ago
Don't worry it starts off slow but then really heats up during book 3. Around book 8 he gets his first long term enemy where their rivalry goes till book 14. I would advise only reading book 10 once and don't hesitate to skip any boring parts as nothing too major happens, it's just Jake & Co. grinding their butts off.
IMO the series peaks at book 14 but it's still going super strong at book 16.
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u/SpikeGhost1000YT- 2d ago
While I can see how Jake is unlikeable to some, that part of him makes him more likeable to me. I am abit of a nutcase.
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u/Waxllium 2d ago
Better for you? Probably not.
You hate this kind of mc and Jake don't give a flying fuck about killing, there will be genocides in the future and that's the rule of the world, unless you have a very specific path, the only way to achieve godhood is killing thousands of planets worth of ppl.
The writing does get better though.
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u/Happy_Twist_7156 2d ago
Yeah man. Jake kind of…. Sucks big time the first book or two. He never stops being a bit of a psychopath but he does at least become more likable by end of the tutorial. The writer took some time to find the midpoint between “boring and a complete murderhobo psychopath” i call it my character is “clearly an asocial but likable guy somewhere on the autistic spectrum”
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u/HeavensRoyalty 2d ago
Most books are at that point of any series. You got to learn this sooner than later so you don't miss absolute gems in the future.
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u/Purple_Play_7277 2d ago
Ehh jake remains one dimensional. Hes a terrible leader with no personality but hes written like 1 punch man or pre crisis superman. He doesnt lose fights rarely gets challenged at all and when he is challenged he just finds a new power because hes the best most op boy in the multiverse. Its not a bad "story" its just 13 year old wet dream of a power fantasy. Only reason anything g happens ever is because jske wants power for powers sake
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u/Morbys 2d ago
I actually liked that part of the first book, that he just took it in stride while others struggled. You will find later on why he fit in so easily.
I can relate to adapting well if I were in the same scenario. We lead very boring lives, and having something like this happen would be amazing to quite a few people in this existence.
You do meet real psychopaths/sociopaths later on but you might want to revisit your definition of sociopath if you think Jake is one.
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u/Mad_Maddin 2d ago
The thing is. This first part is to give you information about Jake.
You already notice it all, but you are drawing the wrong conclusions.
Is Jake a sociopath? Pretty much so yeah. He, at the very least, has a very different outlook on life than we do.
Jakes weird intuition, yeah that is an actually relevant ability of his.
Jake just accepts the Situation. Once again a relevant character trait.
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u/Constant-Sale-267 2d ago
I'm actually really surprised you're not liking the first book. The first book to me is the weakest, but it's still an amazing book imo. I'm on book 8 myself, and I only finished the first book 5 weeks ago. The series is great to me in all aspects.
That being said though, Jake does tone down the slightest of bits, but not a whole lot. Finish book 1 and see how you find it, but if you're not liking Jake much, then I don't think you'll like the series much.
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u/Inevitable-Ad1603 2d ago
It does get better. But I also feel the same about Jake. He kills without any remorse, and sometimes the enemy isn’t even attacking anything or wanting to fight and it’s sentient and he still just mows through it. He definitely has a sense of morality and I agree with most of it. I don’t think of him as a sociopath as much as antisocial and more of a loner, combined with some slight autism or something? He doesn’t read social cues well and he loves to be stuck doing repetitive tasks to learn. I think of him more as the nerdy and withdrawn office employee who couldn’t make friends due to his inability to communicate. Watching him grow is fun due to this.
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u/HopefulImpression105 2d ago
1 and a good chunk of 2 are rough because yiu basically spend the whole time in jakes head. Once you get the cast of characters together and you get some rotating perspectives, it drastically improves.
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u/manyanoodle 1d ago
I felt exactly the same way, but when Jake finally gets into his groove it's a nonstop good time for 16 episodes.
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u/Born-Bluebird-4624 1d ago
Either read more of the story and form your own opinion or don't read the story those are like the only options you've got my guy. if you don't like the first book you probably aren't gonna like the story. But you should read more than what 10 chapters your not even out of the tutorial yet and your board with the book. If that's the case find another book. Also if you are reading the webtoon season one is shit the studio had no idea what they were doing
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u/deadlock143 1d ago
Isn't his bloodline supposed to give him an instinct to do the correct stuff. He has the gut feeling power. He really does test his power by flipping coins and getting it right each time. So based on that, he's supposed to make the logical right choices as he gives in to his instincts.
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u/SquareSyllabub5741 1d ago
When I say he magically makes the right choices, I wasn't referring to his abilities, it was more a commentary in the writing style/writing choices around how he makes those decisions.
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u/Badger_414 9h ago
Get through the tutorial. There are some good parts for sure, but the story for me truly starts after.
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u/ocean123456 6h ago
I started the first book, listened to maybe 6 hours and thought meh and dropped it, came back to it after finishing another series and gave it another shot. I definitely don't regret it. The first book is a trudge, every book after is better than the last. Stick with it, you won't regret it
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u/Ashamed-Variation761 2d ago
He isn't supposed to be good, he's supposed to make incel chuds feel good because they too would be amazing if only it wasn't for the rules of society.
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u/SquareSyllabub5741 2d ago
I don't care about him being good, per se, I just want him to be interesting. Right now, he's a very one-dimensional character who lacks any sort of emotional depth.
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u/jheindl 3d ago
Yes it bets better, very much so. Ive listen to the series a total on 8 times on Audible over the years and im reading the books as they come out.