Depthless Hunger

Depthless Hunger, Book 1

By: Sarah Lin, Cognosticon

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Kai is the hardest working warrior in his generation... and the unluckiest. In a world where most people receive magical skills, classes, or cultivation, Kai has nothing but his wits and his strength. His only choice will be to forge a new path against fate, no matter where it takes him.

Savage monsters pour endlessly from the wasteland, threatening the survival of civilization itself. They say that human strength isn't enough and only those gifted with destined powers have a chance of making a difference. Kai is hungry to fight in that war, to be someone who matters. That hunger will take him across a world stranger and more terrible than he could possibly have imagined.

©2024 Sarah Lin (P)2025 Audible, Inc.

Good book

I pre-ordered this because I thoroughly enjoy Sarah Lin's other work, and this book did not disappoint. By the end of book 1 I was both satisfied with the ending and hungry for more.

This is what progression fantasy should be

I picked up this book at the start of a week and didn't put it down until I finished the whole series.

The world of this series is alive - in a way that so many other worlds fail to be. Most progression fantasy makes the main character feel like the center of the world and that no one else has any agency. This is one of the key things this story does well - all of the other characters feel like real people with actual motives and goals, and the main character doesn't treat them like they are just NPCs.

The power progression in the series is very interesting once you get to it and the character dynamics work, but I feel like the most important thing is that I actually care about this world and the characters in it - which is not something I can say about most progression fantasy.

Lin easily delivers SSS Rank Progression Fantasy

I listen to 40+hrs per week of almost exclusively progression fantasy. I'm hooked.

This book is more than stats, but makes clever use of the style. There is a really neat "many paths to power" system that is creative and a blast to learn about and work your way through. Yes, this is weak to strong progress. But it's ALSO poor to good social development, small to big scope of responsibility and power, simple to complex analysis of the world and moral development. Nuance! The MC grows in such a cool way in terms of power AND he levels up in so many ways that also matter. Sarah didn't have to do that, but she gave us a fleshed out character that grows, changes, and impacts the world instead of just a stats screen.

The world building is a top-notch.

The CHARACTERS! The relationships!

Seriously, if you made it this far, just get the book, it was a wild ride. I will Auto pre order the next book as soon as it is available.

Another Sarah Lin banger

Author: Sarah Lin.
Challenge: write an unenjoyable book.
Difficulty: impossible.

Narrator has done a great job as well!

genuinely an awesome series

Sarah lin is an excellent writer, who has a great skill for understanding the genre she is writing then subverting that genre to create something fresh and new. love it. I tore through this book and I'm hungry for more.