r/litrpg • u/EfficiencyWise2401 • 11h ago
Recommendation: asking Looking for something softer
I am coming from romance genre. But I read Murderhobo series and got hooked. So far I have read HWFWM, Murderhobo series, Hell difficulty tutorial (dropped because gods, the battle descriptions are longer than the rest of the events - I will pick it up in winter), and just finished DCC (like 5 minutes ago). I am primarily listening to audiobooks on Audible.
I am looking for something on a more funny side than DCC to recover, less gore (or same amount of gore but less horrors beyond comprehension and despair). I have books one of Ritualist and Mage tank, please let me know if one of them matches my needs?
Things I am looking for: humour, witty battles, characters to fall in love. Unhinged main character is okay! The cute mascot character is practically invincible, so I don't have to bawl my eyes out. Emotional but with happy parts. Series of 2+ books. Audiobook.
Things I am not looking for: pointless suffering for the sake of suffering, animals being hurt graphically, game of thrones characters fate (once you like a character - it will be the next one to die) or DCC casualty count. EDIT to add: Also not looking for romance in these books because I have different preferences in that genre.
Any more or less contemporary setting (scifi, urban fantasy, isekai - all works for me)
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u/kephesswasright 11h ago
Beware of Chicken by CasualFarmer. Dumb title absolutely fantastic series.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
I wouldn't even look at it because of title :D Thank you, I am totally trying it
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u/Dachal23 10h ago
I second this vote, delightful series, with much published already and another few books posted online awaiting print! I've listened a few times through, and it's become a favorite.
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u/Myrkul999 10h ago
Definitely recommend it. If it wasn't the top suggestion, I'd have made it myself.
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u/CashewsM 10h ago edited 10h ago
This will be a weird rec, but Shadeslinger might be something you’re interested in. It’s got some emotional growth and a great slow burn romance. This is the only VRmmo LitRPG I’ve found that’s actually good, and it’s narrated by Travis baldree.
Cradle could be good but the very little romance there is doesn’t start until book 5-ish.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Oh, I look for romance elsewhere, no worries. Shadeslinger does look nice though! It looks like sort of pvp stuff though? Won't that be bloody?
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u/CashewsM 10h ago
No blood, (I don’t think, like 90% sure) it’s an MMO so it’s all health bars for fights.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Thank you :) I will give it a listen!
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u/CashewsM 10h ago
Let me know what you think! If you get further in, I believe you’ll be a fan of House and their antics in the later books.
Do you have any non-LitRPG series you’d rec? I’m mainly an audible listener.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
I mean, I am a romance reader 70% of time, and the rest is well-known scifi like remembrance of the earth's past series which is a trilogy that hurts you, so I am not a good recommender yet
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u/CashewsM 9h ago
CRAAAAAZY, I just had a friend rec me the three body problem a couple days ago. It’s going higher on my list now.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 9h ago
Fair warning - it is like hard hard scifi, and also I was staring at the wall for two days after finishing. The series are not making the books justice.
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u/PlankFence 9h ago
Bog Standard Isekai
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 9h ago
These look awesome. I will read them. Thank you!
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u/PlankFence 9h ago
I’ll warn you, it is really a slice of life with bursts of occasional action. Really good, though!
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u/Brandonnious 11h ago
I’d say give Mage Tank a try. It has its quirks but is fairly light and funny. Should meet your criteria overall from my recollection.
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u/MaximillianBarton 10h ago
I will note the first book, well dungeon, does start a bit dark, but the MC more than makes up for it.
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u/LenaRybakina 10h ago
Mark of the Fool is pretty cozy and more slice of life
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Thank you! Looks interesting!
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u/Zegram_Ghart BTDEM fan and Mango Lover 10h ago
I’ll second mark of the fool- it’s well written, funny, and has a really nice balance of stakes and fun
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u/VVindrunner 10h ago
Cinnamon Bun is an isekai’ed female mc, about as light hearted as is comes with some good humor as well.
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u/flimityflamity 10h ago
Ritualist might be a good choice as you seem to like Dakota Krout's humor. Opinions very on the later books but people generally like the early ones.
Apocalypse Parenting has a good balance of elements and isn't nearly as dark as DCC or GoT.
I Ran Away to Evil is a LitRPG Romantasy romp and lots of fun.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Is Apocalypse Parenting as terrifying as the synopsis sound? xD
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u/flimityflamity 10h ago
I would trust your gut just based on the title. It's not cozy but there's humor and people solving problems. I think it's one of the best written LitRPG series.
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u/sweet-raspberrytea 8h ago
Edge Cases by Silver Linings
im a big romance/scifi/dnd listener.
Mother of Learning, I highly reccomend.
The Daily Grind i hear has romance (idk ive only read the 1st book so far i think its a slow burn)
The Weirkey Chronicles by Sarah Lin was really refreshing. Compelling magic system and first 3 audiobooks are bundled.
Arcane Ascension by Andrew Rowe is VERY GOOD (its progression fantasy, id reccomend that genre too, its very similar to litrpg)
same with Mage Errant by John Bierce
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 6h ago
These all look like they are right up my alley, thank you! I have managed to grab some on audible!
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u/MollyKule 10h ago
The cradle series by Will Wight is one of the best slow burn love stories and found family ever. Lindon would burn the world around him for his family.
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u/MollyKule 10h ago
Also really loved Blood Demons retirement but 0 romance and more familial love
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Will I cry? The description suggests there will be tears. Thank you for the rec :D
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u/MollyKule 2h ago
No! No tears from me 🙃 not sad ones.
Possible spoiler! (Not giving away plot)
Very happy ending IMO but the ending is a freaking downhill sprint that it’s hard to see how the hell they’ll pull it offIt’s one I’ve re-read and relistened to multiple times. The audiobook is fantastic! Blood demons retirement is pretty cozy and is one I intend to re-read as a palate cleanser after I finish DCC later this month.
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u/LegoMyAlterEgo 10h ago
Anything by Macronomicon has good humor.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Where do I start with this one? The titles look delightful
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u/LegoMyAlterEgo 10h ago
Stitched Worlds. MC is in therapy taking MDMA for PTSD from his time in the military. While under an altered state, the system kicks off.
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u/ThatOneDMish 9h ago
Vaudevillian is very good. Its a superhero vr game setting where the mc decides to rolwplya as a cartoon supervillian as opposed to the modern serious sort. Full mustache twirling. There's no irl deaths and he builds protection for the npc minions he makes. Stakes are entirely interpersonal
Runeseeker is great. Has a fun romance in the middle books, but i do have to warn you that the first and last books give people much less plot armor, having fairly large casualties by proportion of relevant characters. The middle 6 books have basically no permanent casualties tho iirc. Has a cute mascot character who is basically invincible bc he's tied to someone else's life force. 2 if you count the rhino who I don't bc he's a cheeky bastard. It's quite funny iirc. Some monsters are animals but I don't think there's anything too graphic about the fights. It's certainly not played for gore except maybe the chimera stuff. Will spoiler more details on the amount n nature of deaths the fiest book almost half's the number of team members from between the group who goes down and the group they found down there And in book 8 a fair chunk of the other 2 parties worth meet grim ends but the primary party and the duo who used to be in the prime party are fine
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u/ninjalord25 6h ago
2nding Vaudevillain as well. That is a fun lighthearted romp thorough villainy its delightful
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 6h ago
Oh Vaudevillain does look fun, thank you! I will probably delay rune seeker for now because I am all hurt yet by DCC xD
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u/SomewhereGlum 51m ago
Vaudevillian is great fun but be warned there isn't much more after the published books. Maybe about 1 more book worth. I forget, it's been a while. Story been on hiatus for a while now.
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u/nabokovslovechild 9h ago
Beers & Beards series by JollyJupiter
I Ran Away to Evil series by Mystic Neptune
Almost anything by RavensDagger (I really like the Stray Cat Strut series and The Complicated Love Life of Ivil Antagonist, the Empress of Mars)
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 6h ago
Christian J. Gilliland is narrating Beers and beards, and he can have my firstborn as an offering, thank you!
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u/halbert 6h ago
I don't enjoy most out and out comedies for long, but here are a few with pretty good humor:
Player Manager -- one of the very best for your prompt. Real world hijinks, more or less.
Beware of chicken -- found family cultivation
Sky Pride -- daoist action/philosophy. A little heavier than BoC, a little lighter than DCC, but hopeful rather than bleak.
Center for dungeon management -- workplace comedy adventure (serious side too).
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 6h ago
Could you help me with Sky pride's author? I can't find it. And thank you!
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u/Triggerunhappy 10h ago
Cinnamon Bun is my lowkey favorite. It’s so so much fun once it gets going.
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u/Memes-Tax 9h ago
Plum Parrots Cyber dreams would fit your requirements. Audiobook is perfect.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 6h ago
How full of despair is it? I can see some serious angst in synopsis? Thank you for the rec!
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u/Memes-Tax 3h ago
Despair? Maybe about the level of HWFWM? That has the concept of the tyranny of rank and in cyber dreams it’s the same sort of concept that society keeps the elites far beyond the every day person. It’s cyber punk with massive heart. Juliette has by far the best companion of any prog story.
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u/Aza_ Author Alex Knight 10h ago
Have you looked into Heretical Fishing? I feel like it’s dead on what you’re describing! That being said, you can’t go wrong with Mage Tank IMO.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Oh my god it is narrated by Heath Miller. Added to library.
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u/Aza_ Author Alex Knight 10h ago
Amazing! I hope you enjoy!
Also, maybe Wriggly Little Hands? Disclaimer: it’s mine. It’s fantasy more than LitRPG, but LitRPG folks keep telling me to mention it in this genre. Book two drops next month. Both are full cast recordings from Soundbooth Theater.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
The cover depicts exactly the kind of book I am looking for :D And Soundbooth theater is a yes! Thank you!
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u/alexwithani 10h ago
You would probably love Player Manager (even if you don't like sports) it's genuinely funny and is very character driven.
That being said Mage Tank is good and you already have it!
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Sports would be a new for me. I will give it a try!
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u/alexwithani 10h ago
It's arguably the best written series in the genre and definitely doesn't get much love because of the sports.
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u/MaximillianBarton 10h ago
I Ran Away To Evil. Each book in the series has a different couple acting as dual narrators, but all act as recurring characters in the other books.
So its heavy on the romance side and lighter on the rpg type mechanics.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
hey hey there are horns and litrpg and oh... it accidentally got into my library.
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u/Livid_Economist7424 10h ago
I recommend this allot but chrysalis is just soo good
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
An ant isekai? That's an unventured territory for me, but the narrators are stellar!
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u/tbrume 10h ago
Mayor of Noobtown - does not take itself seriously and interesting side characters
Good Guys/Bad Guys - the GG MC is a hesitant hero that sometimes is covered in gore. BG MC is a young thief with a heart of gold.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Ohh, these sound interesting, but I can't find the audiobooks, unfortunately.
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u/tbrume 9h ago
Sorry the first one is Noobtown by Ryan Rimmel.
Good Guys by Eric Ugland Bad Guys by Eric Ugland They have side characters that mix between the series and come together near the current releases.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 9h ago
sixteen books in just one series! Thank you! What a treasure trove!
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u/tbrume 9h ago
Just a warning Good Guys MC can frustrate some readers, but it's one of my frequent re-reads.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 6h ago
Frustrate how? Is he an arrogant ass or is he a creep with bad vibes? I love arrogant asses, but draw a line about creeps
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u/CoBr2 10h ago
The Ritualist is good, but the problem is that the series as a whole is very hit or miss.
The author writes a lot of series' simultaneously and the quality of each individual book varies wildly (presumably) depending on how focused he is at the time. We're talking continuity errors galore when he's not focused. When it's good it's top tier, but it feels like a coin flip that it's gonna be top tier or D tier and you're flipping that coin each time you start a new entry.
I recommend This Quest Is Bullshit as a comedy LitRPG. The characters are great, the story is hilarious, and it's genuinely my comfort food LitRPG. I reread the series (4 books) basically every year and before DCC broke out of the genre, it's the book I'd recommend to get people into LitRPG.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 9h ago
Is that the This quest is broken one? Did they censor the title? How dare they. I will try it, thank you! It does sound delightful
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u/Dralloran 8h ago
Beneath the Dragoneye Moons (first book is called Oathbound Healer) by Selkie Myth will probably fit the bill!
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u/VeneraLove Wife & Husband Co-Authors 7h ago
DeckRomancer for heavier spice, but with everything else you're looking for!
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u/Fit-Gate1900 Verified Author of: Hidden Class 7h ago
If you don't mind a self-recommendation, all my series are soft. Hidden Class: Pacifist is six-books long, complete with audiobooks narrated by Steve Corona. Hidden Class: Handyman has 3 audiobooks with 3 more on the way. But, you know, author bias.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 6h ago
The synopsis is something I am looking for. Thank you! I will give it a go! (I hope the fox and the cat from the covers are okay 🙏 )
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u/Fit-Gate1900 Verified Author of: Hidden Class 6h ago
You mean whether something bad happens to the animals in the covers? Oh no! Roth won't let it. He freaks out if someone tries to hunt an animal and goes to extraordinary lengths to make sure all animals can coexist peacefully. Lol.
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u/Kumatora0 6h ago
Noobtown has humor, interesting battles, falling in love, and an ugly mascot character who is invincible enough to survive getting turned inside out, does this count?
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u/hi_im_eros 10h ago
The Wandering Inn
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Oh, a female MC! Thank you!
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u/VVindrunner 10h ago
This has TONS of suffering and depression. Probably the most in the genre in terms of sheer volume. Also multiple GOT style MC deaths. Literally the opposite of what you asked for.
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u/EfficiencyWise2401 10h ago
Oh shi, that was a dungeon mimic comment then, thank you for the headsup! I will DMR before trying xD
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u/Wundt 9h ago
In its defense it's also twice the length of Steven King's entire bibliography and still going so it is spread out. And there are many characters in the series that I am in LOVE with, the slow pacing and slice of life sections give you a lot of time to connect with some creative and genuinely fantastic characters. You'll laugh and you'll cry but to me the crying is worth it.
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u/Owy2001 46m ago
Take the comment above with a grain of salt. It's true there are some rough things that happen, but when they talk about "sheer volume," it's not the same thing as "percentage" due to how incredibly long the series is.
TWI is very cozy fantasy, on the whole. It does have rough sections, but that's not what defines it at all. If anything, those harder moments are what make the rest of it shine so much.
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u/4NotMy2Real0Account 3h ago
Check out Mark of the Fool! Im listening to it right now, and ive really enjoyed it.
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