Dungeon Diving 104

By: Bruce Sentar

Narrated by: Christopher Boucher, Jessica Threet

With Ken on the run and Crimson missing, he goes to the Elven world with Neldra and Fayeth to hide out until Crimson returns.

Lady Rendral isn’t quite what he expected, her reclusive life leads her to happily accept Ken and Fayeth for the summer. But the future Empress of the Elven people isn’t without her own struggles.

Political opponents push her and she hires Ken to dig up some dirt on those who would stymie her goals. Ken can see her struggle and works with Lady Rendral to topple her opposition.

©2024 Bruce Sentar (P)2025 Bruce Sentar

Nice to get a break from Des

This volume is the volume that made me realize how little I like the sex obsessed demoness archetype. Des has the most predictable responses and dialogue in general.

Ken is separated from Des in this volume and it’s nice to get a break from cringing over sexual inuendos every other line. I suppose you could argue, “what did you expect? You chose to read a harem litrpg?” Fair enough. Though I prefer more grounded takes on harems.

This is reading like a bad review, but I actually do enjoy the story and most of the characters. I really just wish they’d reign in the predictable sexual inuendos and make the interpersonal relationships within the harem less smooth sailing. There’s no way every girl is gonna be constantly ok with the dynamic shifts nor are they going to constantly glaze and lionize the guy. Is there a single harem novel where one or more of the women break up and leave the harem or get kicked out?

tl;dr

This is good and fun junk food, but not very grounded emotionally, which might be what you’re looking for and might not be a downside at all.

Completely Useless MC

While I would say I like the overall story, the MC has consistently felt useless throughout it. His supposedly amazing class is kinda mid most of the time, and for being power leveled, he doesn't feel much stronger. What's worse is he takes on challenges he's not leveled for way too often. The guy basically got his butt kicked for a couple books.

Great alt universe story

True enjoying the story and character depth. Definitely a great series for your imagination to be set free to enjoy!

Great series, read it and now listened

I love this series. I've read it all through 301, and am now repeating it this way. Just as good!

Still fun characters, but dragged down

Still fun characters, but dragged down by politics and worldbuilding choices.
I still like the characters. Ken is a great character, and the women he interacts with are fun as well. The foreshadowing of the catgirl shaman as well as his interactions with Elysara, Tish, and Neldra are a lot of fun. .
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The politics, and the worldbuilding conceit of "levels trump everything always" drags it down. Not only has Ken fallen behind his party (the brief time Crimson is in the Nagato compound, both Charlotte and Des are beyond 20, while Ken has barely made 20, and that's with being powerleveled and his stats falling behind) but he's largely ineffectual throughout the story. Basically, either he has high level support, in which case the other side loses quickly, or else he doesn't, in which case he loses. There's a couple of exceptions to this, but largely that's it. That makes any specialness or abilities that the MC has feel useless and pointless. He might have a ton of potential but right now all he can do is run away and hope that the high level characters show up to insta-win.
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It's disappointing, and drags down the entire story, which is too bad because again - the characters are where this shines. Still interested in the series, but frustrated by this one.