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Reborn as the Black Knight: Volume 1

Reborn as the Black Knight, Book 1

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[I was reincarnated in a fantasy world as the manifestation of absolute void—the Black Knight—and my goal is to return the destitute, sickly, youngest-born princess, who is kind of a loser, to her throne because it beats doing nothing.]

War rages across the continent as a foreign power sets foot on the soil of the nation beneath the glow of strange starlight. Emptiness fills the eyes of people everywhere as their faces become as hard as the loveless hearts hidden beneath them. Those who are not involved in the war effort can only do their best to survive on the fringes for the time being.

One of these people is the exiled, youngest princess of the nation, the ill Acacia Odofredus Krone, who lives forgotten in destitute squalor as an abject failure, not even capable enough to become a low-ranking adventurer. An equally lost soul, reborn from another world, suddenly finds himself reincarnated at her side as the powerful manifestation of a creature of old prophecy: der Schwarze Ritter—the Black Knight.

Together, faced with the pressures of the horrific conflict, dire poverty, Acacia's fatal sickness, and the looming threat of her noble bloodline that hasn't been forgotten by the world hanging heavy over them, the two of them are forced onto a journey to find a way to live together, fighting their way out from the lowest shadows of forgottenhood in order to reach the pinnacle of either of their dreams—a life that feels like anything more than total emptiness.

Can this desperate quest be anything other than doomed to failure? Find out in this latest novel by trending LitRPG and fantasy author D.M. Rhodes!

[LitRPG] [Isekai] [Reborn in Another World] [Power Struggle]

©2024 D. M. Rhodes (P)2024 Podium Audio Action & Adventure Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Literature & Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Heartfelt War LitRPG Royalty
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The story centers on two souls, each forgotten and discarded by society, and their journey to rise above. Framed that way, it sounds inspiring and exciting. That's, at least, what I hoped it would be... instead it wallows in melancholy, self-pity and apathy, with one character numb and dissociated (albeit appropriately) and going through the motions/following orders, and the other discordantly alternating between pitiable/meek and haughty/demanding, without much character growth in the mix for either. The female MC’s illness blocks abilities that she feels she should have as a noble, but instead of trying other paths and skills, she just hyper focuses on her perceived failure. The male MC is overpowered and seemingly invulnerable, but seems devoid of personal goals or agency. Other than to exist, I have trouble naming anything that he actually seems to *want.* Together, they have very little chemistry, and scenes that are meant to be endearing or humorous either feel forced, or just fall flat.

Beyond the 2 MCs, the overall story is... dull. There’s some kind of grand magical/geopolitical conspiracy, a war, and on a more human scale, interpersonal aggression and the daily human struggle to survive, and yet… the scenes don’t really feel engaging or natural. Stakes exist, but we’re not made to care about them because a lot of it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Why would a sick, feeble girl with no skills or magic rise to rule a nation? What does she have that her relatives lack, making her better suited to leadership? The author’s made no attempt at answering that question, making it hard to root for her success. As for the how of it, certainly not by getting better at anything, or by dragging herself up the mountain through sheer grit, wits or determination, but by simply demanding that the incorporeal Knight make it happen. Why does the Knight follow her commands? Not because of friendship, protectiveness, a deep desire to help, or even magical compulsion. Mainly it seems to be a game he plays because he’s got nothing else to do. Why is the invading nation so hell bent on capturing a sickly princess who is so unimportant to the state & its governance that she’s been cast out to die on the streets? Again, no indication that there’s any explanation to discover. It just makes no sense, and we’re not led to believe there may be hidden motivations/reasons behind anything that happens. There’s stuff happening, but there’s no sense of why any of it matters to any of the characters, making it hard to care as a reader. The grammar and prose are good, and the story has structure, but it feels a bit hollow, much like Sir Knight. I made it roughly halfway through the recording before I just got too bored to continue.

On a positive note, the performance is excellent. The character voices are engaging and distinct, the pace and tone of narration is on point.

A bit dull and 1-dimensional

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I was hooked, there was so many funny moments and just a good serious time. I'm sad it's over because I just want to keep listening.

Brilliant

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I started this amazing journey with Final Core, then went onto listening to Demon Core.
I really liked Final Core and felt a bit like Demon Core wasn't hitting the same notes, but this book really brought back that wonder and amazement I felt.
The characters are amazing, the black knight is the best form of an isekai trope that isn't just another Kirito-wannabe and the drama and suspense make every chapter be enjoyable to listen to.
The performance was honestly awesome, with more than enough changes in tone and speech to sell the scene and bring about a colour to the characters that few can.
Can't wait for the next book!

Another wonderful story

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This is a more unique take on the whole isekai-fantasy trope, mixing something akin to a children's story mixed with litRPG, isekai, and even some political intrigue. Not particularly good political intrigue, but not the worst either. I liked the well-paced narrative, some narrators either take their time or speed things up unnecessarily, but here in my opinion it's just in the sweet spot.I gave this story only 3 stars, mostly because it doesn't quite work for me, and while I think I'll buy the second book, I don't think I'll ever go back to this one just to hear it again (if you know what I mean).

Interesting and different

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