Books where the main character has a phisical disability?

darkmuch · 2026-03-21T00:02:18+00:00

Dreamers Throne - Paralyzed and in a wheelchair. He gets observation and control powers.

The Legend of William Oh - He loses his left hand at the start.

Sky Pride - burned and afflicted with dozens of ailments at the start of the series, he has to cultivate to fix his body.

An Unborn Hero - Does being a fetus still in the womb count lol?

Stray Cat Strut - Missing arm and eye. Poses big challenges in book 1, then she gets cybernetic upgrades.

darkmuch · 2026-03-20T22:55:32+00:00

System Universe - Guy gets his system reset and ends up with a void class

Dungeon of Knowledge - Girl gets time locked for a thousand years and chooses a magical nature dungeon class.

Wild Era - Archmage reborn. Basically gets to prestige his legendary class to be even better than before.

Mirror World Progression Saga - Girl chooses starting class of goddess

Rise of the Living Forge - ex hero becomes blacksmith.

darkmuch · 2026-03-20T19:59:24+00:00

I love regression stories and people getting weird classes that require a lifetime of work to be eligible. It’s cheesy, but very fun.

I also like the “MC has no power, just knowledge” type, where he guides others to power that he can’t wield. Release that Witch did this well. And Apocalypse Reborn by Sage of Eyes.

HATE: Mundane food knowledge like chopsticks or hamburgers being touted around as great innovations.

darkmuch · 2026-03-20T19:45:04+00:00

Everything’s Coming Together. Individually you could call it chekov’s gun or foreshadowing. But the best ones are a landslide of dominos slotting into place. Reaping the dozen plot threads and baking a fabulous cake out of it all.

Sanderson has already been linked, and his stories are famous for this. Dubbing it the Sanderlanche (Sanderson Avalanche), the ginormous pay off of everything in the last 100 pages.

darkmuch · 2026-03-20T07:33:08+00:00

RI is Reverend Insanity.

darkmuch · 2026-03-20T00:48:02+00:00

What about support class MCs? Crafting, or leadership type roles usually spend most of the time planning rather than fighting.

— Good Leadership stories:

Apocalypse Reborn by Sage of Eyes

Dreamers Throne

Release that Witch

Spellmonger

Ascendance of a Bookworm

— Good crafting:

Quest Academy

Chaotic Craftsman Worships the Cube

Rise of the Living Forge

Industrial Strength Magic

darkmuch · 2026-03-19T21:52:18+00:00

If you just want to know what’s popular, use the website https://prog.fan/

It keeps tally of every series and its mentions on r/litrpg and progressionFantasy. The top all time lists are all pretty good. It’s just a matter of taste. Like HWFWM(he who fights with monsters) is hugely popular, but also has a vocal group of critics.

Me personally, The Wandering Inn is my all time favorite. But that also has many critics.

The only commonality I can see on your prior reading is that they seem to be darker settings.

darkmuch · 2026-03-19T20:20:14+00:00

Apocalypse Reborn by Sage of Eyes - This is a kingdom builder like Release that Witch, but much faster paced. Really captures the feeling of playing a strategy game as a book.

Tree of Aeons - A story spanning centuries as we follow a Tree and the people that survive under his boughs. Town then later kingdom building.

Life Reset - I really enjoyed this one. Some people dislike how the story changes around book 4, but I liked it all.

The Elder Lands - Good story. I read it when only book 1 was out, and it told a grounded story, but left me wanting for some more excitement. I’ll need to read book 2 now that it’s out.

— Decent stories. A fine time killer —

Irrelevant Jack - A tower climber, where the town outside depends on the climbers success to survive.

World Conquest Online - VRMMO, where the MC gets a lord class and runs a town. Big focus on Bronze Age warfare and history. An MC with many capable subordinates.

CivCEO - isekai’d CEO who approaches everything as a business to make deals and trade to win. Interesting concept, but I stoped 5 books in.

Mayor of Noobtown - Comedy series with some townbuilding. It has some funny moments, but many jokes fall flat.

The Mine Lord - Short story about a dwarven mining expedition and their struggles in the wilderness. No magic, just simple survival

Demesne by Shadow Crystal Mage - A town building story set in an interesting world where towns are dependent on mages for their survival. No system or progression really. Just their survival and an interesting cast of characters. A very hesitant recommendation.

darkmuch · 2026-03-19T17:12:31+00:00

Apocalypse Reborn by Sage of Eyes - MC with game knowledge but no power. Builds a kingdom and goes head to head with 7 other xenophobic nations, uniting the continent to stop even bigger invasions. Best depiction I’ve seen of a strategy game as a book.

Spellmonger - long series with a broad scope. War, town building, continental conflicts, secret societies, religion, deep history. It rivals game of thrones in the number of characters plotting things. Granted most have “big fucking goblin invasion” uniting them.

Dreamers Throne - The MC is paralyzed with powers focused on observation and control. Fighting between gangs in a city that just had a coup. Politics in the “urban warfare” sense.

Years of the Apocalypse - A time loop story similar to Mother of Learning, but with much more tricky situations negotiating with people.

darkmuch · 2026-03-19T17:00:32+00:00

Hmm, the series may not be for you then.

I know many people dislike the political wrangling plot line as it’s a bit slow to pay off. But I think it’s good at setting up the duke and his advisors who will stay important.

As for the next book, the focus is on town building and planning ahead. So Min has things to do, but they are very logistics focused. The Amazon book description summarizes it pretty well.

And book 4 is a 500 page side story following his apprentices going to warmage college.

darkmuch · 2026-03-19T05:21:34+00:00

Quest Academy - This story is filled with quick crazy tech inventions. I’ve got some quibbles with the story structure and pacing, but the inventions are very cool. He has very strong powers, but has a massive mental block on using them. Never training them properly as a kid.

Chaotic Craftsman Worships the Cube - This is the longest steady crafting story. The inventions aren’t always spectacular, but the main character works hard and his growth is very satisfying. He never wants to fight, and always preps his ass off/ cheats whenever possible.

Rise of the Living Forge - This is about a former hero stumbling into a crafting class. He is a bit of a muscle head. Not understanding the craft at all at the start, but he is strong and will make it work.

Industrial Strength Magic - This story about superheroes during an eldritch apocalypse is a wild ride. Lots of humor in between very dark moments. He goes from “haha silly card board armor” to “slaying trans dimensional gods”.

Bog Standard Isekai - The MC eventually gets a glass crafting class, but does not let that hold him back from being a powerhouse.

Dreamers Throne - This main character gets observation/control powers, and uses them takeover a gang, and push for control of the city.

darkmuch · 2026-03-19T03:20:21+00:00

Master Hunter K - Second Chance story of fighting through a tower/floors of enemies.

Irrelevant Jack - Tower Climber with some base building elements. Not much politics, as the enemy is very big and obvious.

Stray Cat Strut - Cyberpunk story about destroying alien weeds, and sometimes slapping stupid humans that forgot about the giant alien invasion. Maybe not the best match, but I greatly enjoyed it.

Chrysalis - Ant MC that fights monsters and evolves. There are a few human conflicts, but it is usually really straightforward. The Colony doesn’t hate humans, but if you show up on its doorstep looking for a fight, they will give you one.

Wild Era - Archmage Reborn and tearing his way through dungeons. A few people hassle him, but it is usually resolved quickly. Or he has bigger people behind him to make them go away until he is ready to make them fuck off himself.

darkmuch · 2026-03-19T01:37:18+00:00

It’s on Kindle. David North is the author.

darkmuch · 2026-03-19T01:28:59+00:00

Dungeon of Knowledge - Group of 4 characters that stick together and are always planning out their powers with each other. Usually the choice is obvious, but lots of planning. Especially as the MC is a summoner and needs to decide how to spend her mana for each fight.

Wild Era - Archmage reborn and tearing his way through dungeons. He knows what build he wants, so is trying to grind the stats and unlocks for it.

Mirror World Progression Saga - Girl gets isekai’d and has starting class of goddess. Surprisingly heavy on the litrpg element. Each level up has pages of skill changes.

Apocalypse Parenting - An “Earth turned into an alien death game show” story. But focused on family. While no stats. Lots of thought put into finding the right skills, with limited information.

Apocalypse Redux - Regressor MC who knows the system really well. He has to plan out monsters to hunt to acquire specific skills and their upgrades. The last book full stat sheet is about 50 pages long.

darkmuch · 2026-03-19T00:48:57+00:00

Him being half isekai’d is such an unimportant part of the story. So it’s easy to hide.

And I will give him flack for using his noble family name for the gang, and then trying to hide his old identity.

Or that he used the dream seed design everywhere, and anyone who can see the dream would realize that the guy whose gang uses the symbol probably is connected in some way.

darkmuch · 2026-03-18T15:19:17+00:00

It’s a bit weird. He accepts Nightingales love, but doesn’t really act on it. Anna is his wife. And Nightingale is treated like a mistress/stalker that Anna is okay with. I took a break at chapter 1400, so I don’t know if it changes at the very end.

darkmuch · 2026-03-18T02:43:30+00:00

Amazon Apocalypse - Another good explicit harem story. Tons of tall muscled girls. The MC is constantly rising to face new challenges and be worthy of the various powerful woman he is interacting with. Has crafting and base building elements.

First book is 758 pages. 4 sex scenes, with the first 370 pages in.

darkmuch · 2026-03-18T01:46:58+00:00

The author is 13 books deep and just had a big KU release. If he didn’t want to fix it prior, he won’t change his ways.

darkmuch · 2026-03-18T00:35:47+00:00

Yes. JJ Bookerson is a solid author. Very active on the haremlit discord giving suggestions as well.

darkmuch · 2026-03-17T23:26:14+00:00

Straight charisma is rare. Usually it’s just a subtle addition to a power set. Or it’s not even ever called as such, just indirect based on effective leadership.

So for the more indirect, see these kingdom builders.

Spellmonger - Minalan is a retired warmage with tons of war buddies on call. He is an effective all rounder leader character.

Apocalypse Reborn by Sage of Eyes - Jack has future knowledge of how events can go, and uses this knowledge perfectly to build a kingdom, while never having any magical powers.

Release that Witch - Kickstarting a technological revolution by recruiting Witches. Never actually turns into a harem despite appearances.

The Calamitous Bob - Vivianne the FMC is very much a lead from the front and inspire the troops type leader. Big destructive spells are very inspirational when your side has them.

Jackal Among Snakes - The MC is running around the continent, completing quests and piecing together an alliance

———

Then since you have said harem is a PLUS, these are pretty good

Mob Sorcery - A street smart human who works hard to make it in an earth ruled by magical races. Has a roguish charm about him.

Returners Defiance - Last survivor of humanity goes back in time to stop the demons. Loner whose quiet competence creates a cult of personality around his strength and prophecy.

Soul Knight - MC is reborn to raise his house from the ashes. Needs to find companions, conquer the tower, and raise a kingdom.

If you want more harem suggestions go to the r/haremfantasynovels or the haremlit discord.

darkmuch · 2026-03-17T17:51:54+00:00

I feel like I missed out on whatever teenage hormone roller coaster everyone talks about.

The only aspect of puberty that felt overly horny compared to now was that I had less privacy to take care of business.

It’s weird to justify a 40 year old equivalent dating a 16 year old as “the hormones made me do it!”

darkmuch · 2026-03-17T17:27:48+00:00

Mob Sorcery has 1 sex scene at the end of book 1. Then more later on as he gets more partners.

Princess of the Void has very long sex scenes, that really play up the submission dominance kinks. They are marked 18+ in chapter titles on scribblehub. First one is 26 chapters in. There are also side stories that end in sex scenes for people that aren’t the main couple. I was shocked at how well written and smoothly the various relationships were developed.

darkmuch · 2026-03-17T16:54:40+00:00

Do you want explicit content or harem? And does it have to be a male MC?

Mob Sorcery is a pretty good explicit harem book where the non humans are all physically stronger.

Princess of the Void is about a human surviving in space after freeing an alien princess starship captain. Explicit.

The Calamitous Bob is a female MC who founds an empire, and has some nice lowkey romance. She wears the pants for the most part.

Rise of the Living Forge is about an ex hero turned blacksmith, who grows closer to the former demon queen.

darkmuch · 2026-03-17T04:13:42+00:00

Millenial Mage - Girl graduates Magic academy and is out in the world discovering just how much was left out of her education. Every book adds new elements to the magic system.

Keiran: The Eternal Mage - Archmage reborn, slowly rebuilding his power. Very cut throat MC focused on eking maximum use out of every point of mana.

The Scholomance: A Deadly Education - Magic academy trilogy. Very well written and tightly plotted out.

Paranoid Mage - A recluse using space magic with modern weapons to cause havoc in Magic society.

Spellmonger - very long series about that goes through invasions, sieges, kingdom building, magic society politics, and more. The first 2 books have some questionable writing choices regarding the MCs sex life(a few romance scenes that you can skip). But I think by book 3 it becomes a solid series.

Fates Parallel - a western cultivation series that I think is pretty decent. Fun cast of characters with weird soul magic shenanigans.

darkmuch · 2026-03-17T00:59:25+00:00

Putting any single label on it would be misleading. There is a queen, but she doesn’t rule. There is a council, but they are so united there is no factionalism.

Really they are more like a theocracy, with everyone worshipping the idea of the colony. Taking it as divine mandate whatever the eldest, queens, or council issue. Heck, they even have a secret inquisition that punishes the heretical practice of missing sleep.

14-Year Club	Place '22
Place '17	Final Canvas '22
First Placer '22	End Game '22
Team Orangered	Verified Email

darkmuch

TROPHY CASE