Huzzah! We’re back again with our third semi-finalist, and a few more books that we have to cut. We’ll have five total semi-finalists, so there are still two more posts to come!
Let’s start with today’s cuts:
The Snatcher by Amanda N. Newman
What the judges had to say:
Arun: Interesting world but not fleshed out in detail. Feels like a hot pot of facets that still needs to come together as a whole. The first person PoV is more tell and less show and the dialogues are fairly pedestrian. Overall, it was a decent read, but nothing really pulled me into the plot or characters.
Graham: I was eager to read this one. The world was interesting but that was where the excitement ended. I wasn’t a fan of the structure of the story and it didn’t bring anything new. It felt like a bunch of ideas were brought to the table and instead of crafting them, they were dumped into the novel in the hopes something would bring them all together.
An Oath to Eternity by Sai Xande
What the judges had to say:
Matt: An Oath To Eternity is a fun fantasy story set in a fascinating world. The main pov characters each had their own distinct voice and were developed throughout the story. The tension between gods and mortals with the political intrigue kept me invested in the story. The prose was my main issue as the sentences seemed short and choppy and made the flow a bit difficult at times. However, this seemed to get better as the story progressed.
Graham: Normally i’d love a “there’s a god in my mind” trope but I didn’t think these characters worked well at all. The dialogue was jarring, the plot thin and the characters boring. The writing itself was detailed when it didn’t need to be and rushed when it did.
A Sea of Blood and Tears by J.K. Divia
What the judges had to say:
Graham: A Sea of Blood and Tears excelled in my expectations. Folklore and myth is something I adore in fantasy and seeing it here was breathtaking. This was a fantastic read and i was engrossed throughout.
Michael: A Sea of Blood and Tears is an emotionally driven fantasy that blends folklore, myth, and personal stakes, anchored by the compelling story of Ionna, a selkie mother determined to protect her children at any cost. The novel stands out for its strong opening, rich Old Norse-inspired worldbuilding, and memorable characters, with Ionna and her uneasy alliances providing real emotional weight. Its balance of mythic scope and intimate storytelling is a major strength, though the prose can feel uneven at times, relying on repetition and heavy internal narration. Still, the pacing remains strong and the atmosphere immersive, making this an ambitious and compelling read for fans of myth-inspired fantasy and character-driven stories.
Fly Stone, Fly by Dust Kunkel
What the judges had to say:
Will: I struggled to get a handle on this novel. It was dark and advertises itself that way, but right from the start, with the style and artistic choices, the narrator is often difficult to follow — the author is trying to put you in the head of a 16-year-old boy, but one who may not be super stable after being left on his own for years. The way the book is written seems well-suited for a short story, but for a full-length novel I don’t think it works.
Graham: This was a strange read. It was definitely a dark novel but it felt like it was being dark for the sake of being dark and not to serve the story.
A Night of the Burnt Men by Emmanuel Akeyo
What the judges had to say:
Graham: The pace here did not do the story justice. i felt like the story was reaching heights but faltered at the last hurdle. It’s a mood-novel, if the mood was slow and unfulfilled
Michael: A Night Of The Burnt Men offers a compelling foundation with its dark, high-stakes premise of a father protecting a hunted child in an eternally shadowed world. While the story moves at a brisk pace and hints at an intriguing setting, the action can feel unearned, and inconsistent characterization—particularly with Meka—makes it harder to stay emotionally invested. The prose leans heavily into a grim tone but sometimes lacks the clarity needed for full immersion. Despite not fully landing for me, its atmosphere and core concept may still appeal to readers who enjoy fast-paced, mood-driven dark fantasy.
And today’s semi finalist is:
No More Levels by Benjamin Barreth
What the judges had to say:
Arun: In a genre where a dozen books in a series is considered moderately long, this standalone is a breath of fresh air. Being a self declared veteran of this genre, this strikes a right balance between character level progression and plot progression, which so many similar books find hard to achieve. Loveable MC, fresh take on plot and the overall vibe making this a fun read. Loved this.
Will: So, I was initially a little hesitant to read Benjamin Barreth’s No More Levels, unsure of what to expect from the standalone volume. I’m more than happy to report that I had a blast with the book and would gladly recommend it for a fun indie read.
Standalone novels in the LitRPG genre are rare, so Barreth’s book stands out a bit, but No More Levels largely succeeds in what it is, giving readers an entertaining time in a unique fantasy world.
If I had complaints, there were still “stat info dumps” from time to time and it does bog down in the middle just a tad, but for me, those were minor complaints. I felt the propulsion of Barreth’s narrative pushing me from page to page, curious how Rin’s Cursed status would affect both him and those he interacted with.
Congrats to Benjamin, and thank you to all the other authors for giving us a chance to read your books! We’ll be back next week with another semifinalist!
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