Smash the System

By: System Lad

Narrated by: Jessica Threet, Christopher Boucher

Length: 16 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Most will die. Some will survive. A small few will thrive.

The mysterious Overlords destroyed all electronics on Earth, imposed a game-like System, and unleashed ravenous horrors upon the planet.

Did you hear that Alex Dathers—yes, the Alex Dathers from Youtube with the channel about weapons and armor from the old days—killed a dragon? He actually killed a freakin’ dragon when he was only level 1. I heard it dropped him some epic loot and now he is going on a rampage through the System!

No, I don’t know all the details, but he’s coming to our Safe Zone to save us all from the monsters, so I’m sure he’ll tell us all about it. I cannot wait to hear this.

©2022 System Lad (P)2023 System Lad

Run of the mill apocalypse litrpg

This is a run of the mill litrpg, instantaneously applied apocalypse with little or no explanation as to why or whom, the world is only so-so. Lots of stats and classes

good stuff

Note: I don't give bad ratings just because I don't enjoy a book. When I rate/review, I try to be more objective. For example, just because I don't like a character doesn't mean the work to actually make that character is bad. Often, it's a sign that the opposite is true. I try to focus on the quality of the work rather than if I fit the target demographic. In this case, I knocked off a point for possible pacing issues and an area of the world mechanics I feel could be improved upon.

I mostly enjoy this person's work. This one gave me a bit of trouble when shouting at the character to shut up and do something. I'm not sure if this is a pacing issue or the author illustrating the MC's personality. Either way, it definitely got annoying at times, but overall, it was a good story.

The only thing I'd prefer is more a note on mechanics. It seems like the characters' stats are really only increased through gear. I personally prefer a story where characters themselves become superhuman. Also, they don’t go into anything addressing the effects of increased stats on their bodies and lives.

Bad pacing

Loved the performance
Hated the pace Everything seemed Bogged down
If you don't mind Stopping In combat to Smell the flowers you might like

sort of blah

not really bad.. not that good though.. mc gained like five levels over a few weeks involving the death blow of a dragon, establishing safe zones and completing quests.. the system sort of blows though.. only gives class skills.. all about gear which is limited for the most part. didn't care for some of the characters.. most were thought out and cool though.. mc does have a sweet weapon.. idk I think it's just me maybe I'm on a way too op mc kick right now so take all the above with a grain of salt.

What Trash, trying to pass it off as good SMH

So, let's start with the beginning. The MC is supposed to be a history YouTuber but is unsure about his path class as a warrior and wants to be a wizard, okay. He is also a gamer, so he has all that's required to be a badass in this new world but is still lame as hell. Here is why:

One, He wants to go almost 60 miles since they reduced the miles, he needs to travel at level 2. Like seriously he just saw a dragon at level 25 or 27 flying around but now he can beat all these high-level creatures. He also saw a level 10 slime kill someone and couldn’t do anything about it, but now he’s such a badass that he will make it 60 miles without any issues.

Two, this guy doesn't understand weapons as he said because he's talking about a war hammer like its Maul or sledgehammer from the movie. From a real medieval YouTube, “Modern History TV, episode: Medieval weapons: what weapons did knights use?” you will learn they weren't that top heavy, so he wouldn't be so off balanced whenever he swings it. You might also learn a lot from that channel. You would also learn that swords were very common, and most knights are skilled in multiple weapons and know their weaknesses, unlike this guy you call your expert MC.

Three, this guy finds a horse and he is covered in blood and after taking a few lessons for his channel he knows how to ride bareback and no reins. I call bullshit, why you might ask because horses I know, since I help train them and people to ride them. All horses get nervous around blood, even well trained ranch horses which are the closest to war horses in modern day. This is because they're prey animals and an unfamiliar horse seeing you covered in blood wouldn't keep eating because it doesn't know if you are coming to eat it as well, so that's bullshit. I'm not even getting into the skill needed to ride bareback and without reins because that's not a beginner skill. I won’t get into him killing the unicorn as well because, if a horse sees that good luck calming it down enough to get a rope on it much less riding away normally and then you said you heard wolves, that horse would run like the wind hearing that because it’s normal animal behavior for prey animals. This is how they survive.

Four, why is he still wearing a suit and dress shoes in this time. He would be better in hiking wear since it breathes better and dry faster to keep him temperature controlled, but no he's wearing a suit and he was in a mall where they all those stores. I would bet money this guy doesn't know anything about survival since that's what he dresses his MC knowing he has to go fight. I would also bet this guy has never been in the woods or outside of a city since he has no idea how people dress, since his dress of choice is a suit that’s meant for a wedding in a survival situation.

Let's not even get into the system that forces people into one path and also no points to distribute after levels. What kind of a system is that, so I will have to be baker if I am a baker forever? It's not like humans never change their minds. Wow, I could keep going but this paints the picture, it's a return for me.