A Pub in the Underworld: A Slice-of-Life LitRPG Adventure

The Cozy Abyss, Book 1

By: Harmon Cooper

Narrated by: Matthew Wolf

Length: 14 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Death is only the beginning for one warrior as he encounters adventure, friendship, and romance in the afterlife in the epic first book of this cozy LitRPG.

There are three levels to the afterlife. The best level is the Celestial Plains at the top. At the bottom is the worst level, known as the Chasm. And in between lies the Underworld. That’s where Sylas Runewulf, a brave soldier who gave everything to his kingdom, finds himself after he dies.

Following the guidance of a mysterious blue prompt, Sylas journeys to the town of Ember Hollow to breathe new life into a quaint local pub. Along the way, he meets a clever apothecary named Mira, who helps him acclimate to the ins and outs of the realm, and Patches, a corpulent cat who’s slightly . . . shall we say, unusual.

Dubbing the pub “The Old Lamplighter,” Sylas hopes it will be a safe haven for other weary souls. Of course, it doesn’t feel that safe when the prompt reappears with a warning: [You have 89 days until the invasion.]

As Sylas works to decipher the troubling message, he faces more challenges, travels far and wide, and befriends wayward demons, magical creatures, and lost warriors. He also builds a community around his humble pub—one that he must soon defend, or they’ll all face a fate much worse than death . . .

Blending fantasy LitRPG with a slice-of-life story about starting over, A Pub in the Underworld is the first adventure in Harmon Cooper’s Cozy Abyss series. Join Sylas and Patches on their charming journey of discovery, friendship, and defense against the unknown in a world where even the smallest decision could shape the fate of a community caught between realms.

©2024 Harmon Cooper (P)2024 Podium Audio

the world

I really enjoyed the story, the world. my favorites were the fire spirt and the cat. the way parts of the story focus on patches is really cool

feeling empty inside

feeling empty and that is a good thing, just finished this amazing slice of life story and feel like I had to say goodbye to a friend and I'm anxiously waiting their next visit.

the narration is top notch. the story telling brings this world to life and the characters growth and development made the story come to life.

Good chill story

This was a fun chill story with decent characters I'm looking forward to the next installment.

its good

a nice cozy story that is very different from the other ones right now . the narrator is solid

loved it!

absolutely loved this new series, I felt like it really leaned into what makes a novel a cozy fantasy and did really well drawing inspiration from inside the genre

pretty good

Enjoyed the story and performance a lot. Only thing I would gripe about is that a number of the creatures the MC fought didn't have any description to them. We weren't really give a description for some of the few that were fought, but through how the combat occurred we'd learn that it had claws or something like that. I would have liked to see more of a description of the creature either before or during those kinds of scenes.

Wait for the series to complete

Mr. Wolf does an excellent job with the various characters in the book, that is a pleasure. This book left me with a feeling of being incomplete. We have no idea what the invasion is even after the "big" battle towards the end of the book nor after the MC seeing another character, who is supposed to be able to figure these things out, who can't tell him what the invasion prompt is that the MC gets every morning. Something I find exceedingly annoying is the repeated use of the word "also" in place of a conjunction or a better transitional word or words at the beginning of a sentence. Doing so is just lazy writing, especially as many of the word processors can assist in finding better wording. In the author's defense, this seems to be common in so many of the books in this genre.

Fun and Cozy adventure!

I loved the premise and world that has been built. it was an enjoyable and easy read.

Best LitRPG Out There!

So I am not at all into LitRPG books, but this one sounded interesting and I absolutely LOVE Matthew Wolf as a narrator. I DEVOURED this book. I loved it so, so, so much and didn't even mind the more game-y stuff in it. Only thing I'm mad at now is I have to wait until September for the next one!!

Stop by the Tavernly Realm for a pint!

I really enjoyed this cozy fantasy by Harmon Cooper. Matthew Wolf does a great job with the narration, and I really loved the story. It has great characters (especially Patches), and just the right amount of crafting and adventure to keep the story interesting and fun. Can't wait for Book 2!

If you enjoyed Legends and Lattes, you're sure to love this one.