There are a lot of things I love talking about here on NAG. Video games (obviously), cool collectables, board games, comics, LEGO, you name it.
If it’s remotely geeky, it probably lives rent-free somewhere in my brain. But there’s one hobby I’ve mostly kept to myself: reading.
My love of books actually started because of video games. When I was younger, I wanted to play my mom’s old copies of King’s Quest without having to constantly ask for help. The solution? Read more. Learn more words. Become unstoppable.
What started as a practical solution quickly spiralled into a full-blown obsession. My shelves are now packed with everything from signed first editions to battered paperbacks that have clearly survived multiple late-night reading binges.
I’ve got collector’s hardcovers, digital books stacked on my iPad, and a bedtime alarm that I routinely ignore because “just one more chapter” is a lie I tell myself every night.
So what does any of this have to do with NAG? Everything.
Recently, I stumbled across a genre called LitRPG, and let me tell you, these books feel like they were written specifically for gamers.
What Is LitRPG?
LitRPG, short for Literary Role-Playing Game, is a genre of fantasy and science fiction where stories incorporate actual video game mechanics into the narrative.
We’re talking:
- Character stats
- Level ups
- Skill trees
- Loot drops
- Quest systems
- XP progression
In a LitRPG story, characters often see these systems the same way a player would see a HUD in a video game. The result is a storytelling style that feels incredibly familiar to anyone who’s ever spent hours grinding levels or chasing better gear in an RPG.
You’ll often find stories set inside:
- Virtual reality MMOs
- Worlds governed by game-like systems
- Apocalypse scenarios where reality suddenly runs on RPG rules
- Isekai adventures where characters are transported into game-like fantasy worlds
Basically, if you’ve ever looked at your Steam backlog and thought, “What if this were a novel?”, LitRPG is the answer.
With that quick crash course out of the way, here are three LitRPG books I’ve absolutely devoured recently, and why you should add them to your reading list immediately, even if you’re only slightly interested in reading.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
Let’s start with one of the most chaotic, hilarious, and downright addictive LitRPG series I’ve ever read. Dungeon Crawler Carl is a breakneck adventure that rarely slows down, packed with action, absurd humour, and some genuinely brilliant character writing.
It also features Princess Donut, a talking cat who may or may not be the real star of the show. The premise is gloriously unhinged.
When Earth suddenly collapses into a gigantic, planet-spanning dungeon, Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat are forced to compete in an intergalactic reality show where survival depends on entertaining alien viewers. Yes, really.
The dungeon itself is an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, ridiculous challenges, and enough loot drops to make any RPG fan smile. But survival isn’t just about strength or strategy, it’s about style. The more entertaining you are, the more viewers you attract, and the better rewards you receive.
It’s brutal. It’s funny. And it somehow balances both without missing a beat. Even better? The series continues to evolve with each entry. Despite multiple books already released, the story still feels just as fresh and exciting as it did in the beginning.
If you enjoy dark humour, wild worldbuilding, and characters who absolutely refuse to behave like typical fantasy heroes, this one is an easy recommendation.
He Who Fights with Monsters by Shirtaloon (Travis Deverell)
If Dungeon Crawler Carl is chaotic energy, He Who Fights with Monsters is pure personality. This series follows Jason Asano, an ordinary Australian guy who suddenly wakes up in a magical world filled with monsters, adventurers, gods, and a complex progression system.
Oh, and he’s naked. Jason quickly discovers that he’s gained magical abilities… except there’s a catch. His powers are, well, kind of evil.
Cue a long journey involving cultists, cannibals, adventuring guilds, political intrigue, and more monster fights than you can count. Jason’s sarcastic personality and constant commentary make him one of the most entertaining protagonists I’ve encountered in the genre.
What really makes this series shine, though, is its progression system. The magic mechanics are unique and deeply layered, blending traditional RPG levelling with cultivation-style power growth.
Originally published as a web serial on Royal Road, the series quickly exploded in popularity before moving onto Kindle, where it has continued to grow into one of the most beloved LitRPG sagas out there.
If you like fantasy with sharp humour, strong worldbuilding, and a protagonist who refuses to take anything seriously, even when facing terrifying monsters, this one is an absolute must-read.
The Wandering Inn by pirateaba
Finally, we have the series that introduced me to LitRPG in the first place. The Wandering Inn is a little different from the other two entries on this list. Instead of focusing purely on combat and dungeon crawling, this story takes a much broader approach to worldbuilding and character storytelling.
The series begins when Erin Solstice, an ordinary young woman from Earth, suddenly finds herself transported into a dangerous fantasy world where people gain classes and levels just like characters in a role-playing game.
But Erin isn’t a warrior. She isn’t a mage. She opens an inn. What follows is a sprawling, beautifully layered story told through multiple points of view, exploring the lives of adventurers, monsters, nobles, and ordinary people trying to survive in this strange world.
One of the things I love most about this series is how expansive it feels. Entire chapters shift perspective to explore the lives of supporting characters, gradually revealing more about the world and its politics, conflicts, and cultures.
It’s massive, emotional, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt at times. And the best part? The story originally began as a free web serial, meaning anyone can jump in and start reading. Just be warned: once you start, it’s very hard to stop.
LitRPG has quickly become one of my favourite genres because it blends two of my biggest passions: gaming and storytelling.
These books capture the thrill of levelling up, discovering new abilities, and exploring strange worlds, except instead of holding a controller, you’re turning pages.
And honestly? That’s a pretty fantastic trade. Now I want to know about you. Do you read? And if you do, have you dipped a toe into the LitRPG genre yet?
If you’ve got favourites I should add to my ever-growing reading list, drop them in the comments.
Because when it comes to Pokémon and books, there’s only one philosophy that truly matters:
Gotta catch ’em all.
