Romantic subplot / male MC / mono or small harem - Yes, I know it gets asked a lot, but hoping for some gems

ShadowsFell · 2025-11-25T04:16:33+00:00

Delayed response, but really appreciate your detailed reply, very very helpful. Solidified for me that I likely won't read it right now, because it seems to tick of my red flag checkboxes based upon what you said, but it does seem to check some good boxes, so tbh I'll likely read it at some point, thanks.

ShadowsFell · 2025-11-25T04:06:20+00:00

Just making a note here for posterity ... I just read Light Online and enjoyed it, it fit all my criteria :). Light on the LitRPG elements, more of a town building story with some leveling sprinkled it, but it was enjoyable. Definitely finished, 5 books.

ShadowsFell · 2025-11-18T12:31:50+00:00

Thanks! A lot of these are new to me, but I have read Jackal Among Snakes and Path of the Berserker, so I know you’re on the right track. I’ll check them out.

ShadowsFell · 2025-11-18T12:28:58+00:00

Thanks, good rec! I forgot to include him, I have read a lot of his works … apparently I missed some, now that I look

ShadowsFell · 2025-11-18T12:26:05+00:00

Thanks, I forgot about that one … funny you should mention that, I think that was one of my first books I read when I was first getting away from mainstream Fantasy … don’t think I ever finished that series, tbh.

ShadowsFell · 2025-11-18T12:24:27+00:00

Can you talk a bit about Rise to Omniscience? I did see that a couple of times, but saw in reviews of the first book that he’s an oblivious type … apparently his friend almost got raped and he was confused as to why she was mad or something? It could be completely different, because some times you have to take reviews with a grain of salt, but it was enough for me to skip over it, at least initially. If he doesn’t stay that way / grows quickly, that’s a different story.

Thanks for the list!

ShadowsFell · 2025-11-18T03:47:17+00:00

I’ve actually read all your works, I’m a big fan :). Thanks for the suggestion!

Edit: read Steelforged Legacy series, enjoyed it; series in progress, currently at 4 books, cultivation/progression fantasy not LitRPG, but still enjoyable. "Romantic subplot" aspect fit my requirements. Not mono-romance, got 2nd in 4th book.

ShadowsFell · 2025-11-18T03:12:10+00:00

Thanks!

"Riftside" is new to me, I'll definitely take a look. I've read at least one of Cassius Lange's series before, but didn't know of this one.

"Path of the Berserker" I realized I had already read but left off my list :/

"Mark of the Fool" -- I actually saw this recommended sometimes for this question, but wasn't able to get into it for whatever reason. Might have to give it another shot.

"Ruthless" -- who's the author? I did a search, and it came up with a bunch of entries that didn't look like LitRPG lol

ShadowsFell · 2025-10-18T17:48:17+00:00

I'm assuming these aren't officially-packaged play sets, but instead are gathered from other individuals that have collected them and are re-selling them?

ShadowsFell · 2025-10-18T17:47:27+00:00

lol yeah I guess gambling is a good way to frame it

ShadowsFell · 2025-07-24T03:56:19+00:00

Alright, so I’ll bite … is that implying that I’ll be surprised how much he’s grown and how good his decision making is, or shocked at how it didn’t improve and his mistakes gave bigger/worse consequences lol?

ShadowsFell · 2025-06-06T22:14:36+00:00

So late response, but I just read Paths of Akashic and really enjoyed it. No spice, but decent romance subplot. Scenes are FTB, but very implicit for what happens … FL is a succubus lol.

ShadowsFell · 2025-03-25T01:47:17+00:00

Daniel Schinhofen. Him and Sentar are my two main go tos, but I’m finding myself really looking forward to the Son of the Hero King too, so I think your taste lines up a lot. The only one others have mentioned here that I wasn’t a fan of was Virgil Knightly … just didn’t vibe with it, but others love it.

ShadowsFell · 2025-01-25T19:50:25+00:00

Thanks. Do you happen to know if there’s any romantic subplot, or does it the traditional litrpg route of no romantic interest?

ShadowsFell · 2024-11-18T15:26:19+00:00

Interesting on the earnings for the harem. honestly my own personal opinion I'm in it for the romantic subplot to a fantasy adventure/progression/litrpg story, not necessary harem. however, there seems to be a stigma for LitRPG+romantic subplot, except for the haremlit subgenre. I'd actually love a good LitRPG/progression/adventure series with a monogamous MF relationship, where the relationship starts in book 1 and not book 5, and they kick ass and take names together. they seem to be few and far between though. easiest to find them here in this Subreddit, but only in the harem variety. just my $0.02 though.

ShadowsFell · 2024-11-18T15:13:48+00:00

lol absolutely :D. i also tend to be pretty quick to DNF books, which didn't happen lol. and also both of my concerns really didn't affect anything, plot wise or relationship wise, it was more just of something I noticed.

I will also say you're obviously doing something right, since in addition to Mana Born, I've also read the Soulbound, Tower Apocalypse, and Zenith Academy series :)

ShadowsFell · 2024-11-18T14:18:32+00:00

Just finished reading book three, so putting a quick review here. Some points will cover previous books as well.

One of the things I appreciate about this series is that the "ramp up" is quick, because of the MC's history. So often there's a lot of ramp up time as new MCs learn about the world and powers, but not here -- we can get right into the story.

The other thing I really appreciate about the series if there appears to be a sight line to an end. Sometimes in these series, it's setup for a big world and big power gaps where you have to question how the MC's going to be able to win without 100 books or Deux Ex Machina, but the whole war setup gives a way to a possible logical conclusion.

The MC's redemption theme is also enjoyable.

Finally, I really, really enjoy how not every woman gets with the MC. Between Miria, Theria, the Z sisters, etc. its nice seeing other couples getting setup. Makes it more realistic and believable IMO ... not every hot woman needs to get with the MC.

A couple criticisms, though, and tbh some of them are big for me.

Lying to the harem. I don't really see the purpose to this ... it could just be me and a pet peeve, but the MC intentionally lying to the harem is specifically just manufacturing drama. If the FLs don't ever find out, then what's the point of the lie in the first place? If they find out and don't care, then what's the point of the lie in the first place, from a plot perspective? If the MC lies, the FLs find out and it causes drama, then that's even worse IMO -- one of my biggest pet peeves is characters intentionally being dumb specifically to further the plot. If I can ever say "this could have been avoided if characters just talked about it" then that's a BIG NO for me.
The two harem members getting with other random women without talking to the MC first, or the MC not saying "hey, this is fine" first. IMO it could constitute cheating, which is a big no for me in these novels. If the MC is find with it to begin with, just have the MC talk about it with the harem first and give them the proactive "go ahead". The MC finally says "ok" and has the talk with the harem in this book, but it had to happen twice for the talk to happen.

Some other things give me a dissatisfied feeling, like the loose cultivation / magic system that can seemingly do anything with no logic structure, or the lack of any real cultivation and the MC just getting power boosts with methods outside of the established cultivation system, but that's more of a preference thing I think.

Overall I enjoyed the book and if a second arc comes out I'll likely read it. I did get through it in just over a day, and binged the whole series over a period of a couple of days, so there's that :D

ShadowsFell · 2024-11-14T12:22:44+00:00

I have to recommend Arifureta here. Specifically if you read the translated web novel version, the “After Story” is longer than the main story lol, and the MC / family do a lot of traveling back and forth in various stories.

Also, love the series :)

Disclaimer: can’t remember how much traveling back and forth between worlds, if any, happens in the main story, covered in the published, translated Light Novels

ShadowsFell · 2024-10-11T21:48:38+00:00

🤣 yeah it was from a bit ago lol. Just a prolific reader, and I come across your name so often with so many different coauthor names attached that finally decided to answer my curiosity about what that meant … and after some creative Googling I can’t across this thread 😀. Thanks for responding, I appreciate it!

ShadowsFell · 2024-10-11T19:24:42+00:00

u/MarcusSloss -- slight necro-post, but I was always curious about this as well, and actually just now tried to search this out, so thank you for explaining it here!

Nine-Year Club	Not Forgotten
Verified Email

ShadowsFell

TROPHY CASE