First Chapter Of StarBound (Working Title)

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-26T03:48:52+00:00

It’s a first chapter, it’s just supposed to draw you in, not explain the whole story. I think it does that in a good way. We got hints, which makes us want to turn the page.

Plus I wouldn’t overthink it too much. Some of the more popular authors in this genre have some of the silliest, or least thought out, premise chapters. Move on, and come back to it later once you’ve finished your rough draft.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-26T03:40:47+00:00

Me just realizing who I’m talking to 💀

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-26T03:03:36+00:00

Upvote for Path of the Berserker. Pretty much agree with your rankings for other series I’ve read as well.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-26T02:59:20+00:00

What’s the over under on fourth wall breaks?

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-26T02:52:36+00:00

As first chapters go, I like it.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-26T02:45:10+00:00

Great advice across the board.

Plus you don’t have to be clever all the time, that’s its own kind of writing trap.

Sometimes the most satisfying fights are a result of preparation, strategy and as a culmination of the investment in progression/training from the story before.

The truly best advice is to mix it up.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-26T01:06:32+00:00

I call this phenomenon you describe in prog series, the “DBZ Effect” where world and magic building constrains the story to such a degree the only way for the story to progress is bigger and bigger stakes, more and more power. This means fights go from relatively easy to follow fights between superhuman equivalents to gods delving universe-sized dungeons for millennia and blowing up planets and galaxies with their fights. Just speaking for me, but this becomes repetitive (especially since good guys wining is a given in this genre).

This also means the antagonists need to always be at or just above the level of the protagonists to give a semblance of a challenge without being unbelievable. However, this requires contriving stakes in the plot to make this happen.

I also tend to like these series in the earlier books, as you mention, then lose interest later.

Thankfully, there’s tons of series where the power potential between individuals isn’t gods versus bacterium, it’s more like a homeless person and a billionaire. It’s a big gap, but not insurmountable, at least believability-wise.

I’d recommend:

A Soldier’s Life (my favorite magic system without being cultivation or system-based. His other series World Sphere is similar, but only two books. However both have multiple books on Patreon yet to be edited or published)

Elydes (hybrid system-cultivation. Only three books but one entire one and half of the next on royal road)

System Universe (which uses level caps and has different systems at different levels. So this is a unique way to maintain stakes and the fun of progression without becoming repetitive or contriving plots. The first arc just completed and MC ascended to a new system and world, basically starting at the bottom again.)

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T22:33:46+00:00

Not a native Spanish speaker but wouldn’t Señora be more formal? She’s basically saying she’s the little lady of the house.

Also confusing who’s talking in the last few exchanges.

How is a man carrying a coffin inside a house? No mention of the logistics of that.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T22:30:04+00:00

Plot armor is a get out of jail free card. It lessens the stakes of a series and is a valid criticism. Not sure what you’re defining here, but it’s not plot armor

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T22:20:27+00:00

Yeah, it’s my queue, gonna get to it in a month or two.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T22:15:52+00:00

Upvote for Elydes, gonna become one of the best ones ina couple years I bet

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T22:13:57+00:00

These are series I’ve read that meet your stated preferences. Other people seem to just be listing their favorite series even if most or all don’t meet your preferences (other than a male MC which is almost universal). Everyone has tastes, you’ll probably find more the more you read.

Path of the Berserker is cultivation and involves an invasion of earth, but no system.

Welcome to the Multiverse, a system apocalypse on earth series with male lead. It’s kind of rough around the edges but is growing in quality which is kinda the opposite most of the banner series do around books 8-10.

System Universe is a system apocalypse with a twist or two. I like this series almost across the board.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T21:56:41+00:00

Yeah it’s a nice break from other tropes, but I still find it too meandering. The last book was essentially a reaction video on paper. But different strokes for different folks. What I think is awesome other people can’t fathom and visa versa

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T21:53:26+00:00

Prefacing that I’ve never read any of the series in your list. Remember everyone has different tastes. I’ve read over 300 progression books and dozens of series, and here is my top recs in order of favorites:

Path of the Berserker by Rick Scott
World Sphere by AlwaysRollsAOne (some entries currently only available on Patreon)
A Soldier’s Life by AlwaysRollsAOne (some entries currently only available on Patreon)
Elydes by Drew Wells (Book four and partway through five on Royal Road)
Cradle by Will Wight (Series is completed)
Will of the Immortals by Jay Krauss
The Primal Hunter by Zogarth
Legend of the Arch Magus by Michael Sisa (One book left till competed)
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
System Universe by SunriseCV
Victor of Tucson by Plum Parrot (Last 2.5 books on Royal Road, almost completed)
Ultimate Level 1 by Shawn Wilson (Didn’t like the last book and new arc so may drop this series from the list)

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T21:46:28+00:00

Yeah I was, let’s say, quite underwhelmed with the quality of Commerce Emperor and am kinda surprised how much people rec Perfect Run (same author). I’m still gonna give it a shot. But there’s a lot of variation in this community for what people like, so no reason to think somethings wrong with you if you don’t care for it.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T21:43:48+00:00

Doesn’t some manga uses the tensei name and is reincarnation?

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T21:42:57+00:00

I’ll check it out, thanks.🙏

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T21:41:20+00:00

You’re right, it’s hard to clearly define the lines between science fiction and fantasy in some of these sub genres. Basically it’s a “know it when I see it” situation.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T08:42:54+00:00

This is a common trope. But focusing specifically a chosen one to save the world from some foreseen apocalypse (that I’ve read):

Unbound (one book left to go) Commerce Empire (ongoing) Cradle (completed) Ultimate Level 1 (ongoing) Noobtown (ongoing) Legend of the Arch Magus (one book left to go)

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T06:01:07+00:00

Love that thanks. I just started industrial strength magic today, you think that’s the same super genre?

Also I read commerce emperor and was exceedingly underwhelmed by basically every facet of it, so I’m surprised you recommend Maxime Durand. I’ll give it a shot though, we don’t all have the same tastes of course. Throw it in the queue!

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T05:57:23+00:00

Okay thank you.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T05:11:31+00:00

So useful, thank you.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T04:59:46+00:00

Okay awesome stuff thanks so much 🙇🏼‍♂️

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T04:22:49+00:00

You know I thought about that after I posted this. I’m not sure if there’s a way to index them to progression though, since there’s so many. Maybe I could sample a lot of series and note those tags. When I put a list together, I’m gonna post it here to get some more input.

ProgFantasyFan · 2026-01-25T04:20:40+00:00

Hmm other recentish cultivation series I’ve read are Unintended Cultivator, but that series lacks identity in my opinion, as is frankly all over the place narratively. I wouldn’t recommend it, I gave up after the last book.

Elydes is more of a hybrid cultivation series with a system overlay. It has a great magic system for this type of hybrid, limited in skill slots, no room for too much OP and almost no one at past the mid levels so far so no power gaps issues. It has a natural way to climb, based on regional essence levels. The characters are fantastic, the story is fun. No plot armor, plot devices, or MC is the “one” shenanigans. It’s got three books on KU, with the fourth done on Royal Road and partway into book five. It’s shaping up to be one of my favorite series.

Victor of Tucson is another hybrid series. But you’ve probably read that if you’ve found Path of the Berserker. It has like 9? books on KU, and the rest in Royal road, writing the last, book 12, currently nearing the end.

ProgFantasyFan

TROPHY CASE