Bushido Online

By: Nikita Thorn

Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 16 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's Summary

Now a Level 10 ronin, Seiki is slowly coming to terms with the death of Master Tsujihara and his new life in Shinshioka.

Spending his days in the Wilderness, he’s venting his remaining frustrations while staying away from the city drama and those griefers, like the Rogami Clan, who had made his in-game experience so challenging thus far. He has even taken up a trade skill. 

But when he’s presented with an offer he can’t refuse and accepts a simple mission to deliver a message to Kano Castle, he quickly finds his troubles are only just beginning. Caught in an imbroglio that will only get worse the more he tries to do well, Seiki will set off a series of events that will lead to chaos, death, and the eventual destruction of an entire territory. 

Surrounded by betrayal, hidden agendas, and people looking to take advantage of him, who can Seiki really trust? 

When everything is not what it seems, it can be impossible to differentiate between friends and foes. 

Bushido Online: Friends and Foes is the second book in the Bushido Online series, a work of litRPG fiction.

©2018 LitRPG Freaks (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Good writer bad storyteller

Sake is so annoying. Sake is a CRYBABY with a hero complex. Sake Just does not make any sense as a character. Now you would think that someone who likes to play captain save a hoe as much as sake would be trying to get as strong as he could. so that he can do said saving but no. He literally goes into the game just to mope around and feel sorry for himself. Oh and when he's not moping he is being played for a fool by any woman that passes by. Who in the world wants to read a book about a weak cry baby pawn. The way he acts about killing you would swear they are going to die for real. They don't even lose EXP so dying is not bad at all. You would never know that by how he acts try to save every girl in the game like its a mission. Oh and is Bushido Japaneses for Thief i hope it is Because that seem to be the only thing the players of this game care to do. Not to explore, not to beat so hard boss, not even to find new weapons well unless it's owned by someone else currently. No wonder their all at such low levels all they do in the game is scheme about how that are going to steal something from someone who only got what they have because they had to actually fight a monster on the way to stealing someone elses stuff. Every event in the book seemed forced. The writer would spend a lot of time building up a problem which was then resolved so fast I kept having to rewind to hear the two sentence solution. I wanted this book to be good but it failed.
The one part where I knew I was through with this book is when he help the woman who has played he for a fool. While she is playing him for a fool after she admits that she is playing he for a fool. To top that off she then gets impatient with him and tells him to hurry while he is going out of his way to help her knowing that when he is done she is just going to grab the prize and leave him to die. Knowing all that he still helps her. I'm sorry but I Call B.S. on that. Who would do that even in a game.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Great feel for period, but forced plot progression

So the good and bad. The tldr version: loved the game mechanics, some of the complexity of plot and heavy action of the book. Did not like the heavy-handed approach to plot development. Also, the narrator did a great job.

I loved the world. Well developed and kept in theme with its intrigue and shadow plots as well as a fair amount of decent people. But way more shady people (in terms of NPC’s). The combat system was well described as well and progressed with each addition of growth in a fully “game mechanic” sort of way. Meaning, the present encounter is difficult, but mainly because of his level and need to master a new skill, but as he better grasps it, the encounter becomes more manageable. Also, the MC’s friends have a lot more potential but they were kind of glossed over.

And the bad... for me, personally, there were a lot of situations that were “forced”. Everything from making the MC not be able to figure anything out even after getting force feed all previous points just so he can ask a question and the author can fully explain some point or other. Ignorance is normal, every MC is ignorant of something’s, but don’t make them ignorant just because of sloppy plot progression. Also, most of the issues the MC is in is because of sloppy-plot-progression decisions and actions forced into place. Like, the MC could have gotten away, but instead just stands there through an entire dialogue swoop then gets scared when they point him out. Forcing a story where Everyone is after one low-level toon... they are so forced it breaks the immersion. This point is one of the reasons why I’m beginning to despise PVP heavy stories.

The narrator did a great job bring everything together, really put a better spin on a decent story.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

"Donna Summer would be very pleased!"

I must have missed it, but SethK’s name has changed to Seiki. It must have happened at a level change, but I missed it. Seiki is now level 10 and getting accustomed to the mechanics and politics of the game. In short, he is getting the bigger picture of the game and how things are run, which gives him insight into the path he should take. This in no way means Seiki has everything figured out. He still winds up getting himself into predicaments that expand into a series of events that effect whole territories. The writing is excellent, the characters wonderful, and the game knowledge is evident. The story is quite interesting given the feudal Japan setting.

Good but a few complaints

This is a good story and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy books but it’s a terrible litrpg and way to short that being said I can’t wait for book 3

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

So worth it.

I have been really into this whole genre here lately and this one is one of the most under rated stories. Everyone should be talking about this one just as much as the others. I think this gameplay would be nearest what we would actually create. At first at least. Anyway this book and the one before are worth your credits. Give it a chance. Love it and can't wait for the next.
And don't worry there is no creepy harem stuff. Stuff gives me the willies. This story is really great. Enjoy.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great series

Love the book.
I thought Seki would have put the summoning scroll in his bracer when he went after the trebuchet. Use the scroll to drop the summon right on the trebuchet and in the middle of the enemy camp.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

amazing

Love this book and foaming at the mouth for more its a great listen and has a great story

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

everything you expected more

a story of choices live or die this is what he has to decide this is what makes it so great this is also what makes it so horrible in some ways that makes people with disabilities theme less than they are while at the same time showing someone who is getting used to the fact that yes this is a permanent disability and that there is an alternative life in VR so it has its good points but also has its bad points and there's something that if you like Asian fighting styles video games and the meth of the disability being bad and hard to overcome or to adapt to and this is a book for you

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Another one.

Lol th things Seiki gets into omg!

I just love the dynamic between Seiki and his friends and how he has close friends OUTSIDE of his close friends. Though, I wish we saw more of Nemura(typo). Lol there were a few times, I got frustrated with the character's stubbornness but, that's just a testament to Thorne's ability to keep him from being perfect. Oh my lanta, my patience with Hiro would run out so fast. I remember someone saying, in a review for book 1, that it's hard to keep up with all the characters who are eventually tossed away but, it's good to see them circle back and reappear here. I also like how everything except the prologue takes place IN the game. The author does cleverly weave in the real world plot when needed but, ultimately, all I care about is what transpires in the game.

Rummel always delivers. His versatility and technique really pull me in. So much, that when I bought this on Kindle awhile back, I tried to emulate his voices in my head. There was ONE scene that upset me, that I was looking forward to and that was the "take one for the team" bit with Ippei and Kentaro. I cracked up when I read it so, I was a bit bummed when Rummel made it more dramatic. Either way, I'm looking up more books he reads.


Oh and Seiki better go and give that old lady her 30 thistles.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

excellent second book!

great story loved it as always! this book will be listening again to it very soon. awesome!

0 of 2 people found this review helpful

I want more!!<br />

got hooked to this story, and now I want more, please do another book to this!