The Culling of Man

A LitRPG Apocalypse (Peril's Prodigy, Book 1)

By: Craig Kobayashi

Narrated by: Michael Norman Johnson

Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's Summary

I'll bet you've never listened to anything like the final boss at the end of this 24-hour LitRPG apocalypse.

Garath was a gamer that spent his time adventuring in magical worlds behind a keyboard. He was exploring one of those very worlds when the planet that he actually inhabited became suddenly, and drastically more interesting.

The ability to shapeshift into a house cat or summon a demon to serve him were things that were only possible in video games and epic fantasy novels, until they weren't. He may not have had the luxury of a controller or mouse to explore his new abilities, but Garath's dream came true when Earth was fundamentally altered. More akin now to the RPG games that he loved so much than the 9-5 grind he'd woken up to that morning. He's a quick study, though, and learns quickly that this new Earth isn't just fun and games. 

The tutorial kills everybody. 

Well not everybody. Almost everybody. Garath and a motley crew of friends and neighbors band together to survive. They are forced to work together using their new abilities to hold off the increasingly deadly waves of monsters. 

The Peril's Prodigy series features 30 unique Classes, a human racial ability to shapeshift, character leveling, some things you really just can't un-hear, and a look into the future of this new Earth. It will make you laugh. It will make you cringe. And if you're anything like Garath, it'll make you wonder where in the hell on this new video game Earth were all the god damn hot elves?

***Full disclosure: This is not a harem novel. There are no hot elves.

©2019 Craig Grimes (P)2019 Spectrum Audiobooks

This book isn't good at all.

I keep trying to listen to it but just can't because of the bad writing, weird comparisons, poorly developed characters, dumb fight scenes, and a main character I wouldn't want to play with. Bad writing example, "Words flew from Daisy's mouth at the speed of sound." My guy words are sound LOL. What other speed would sound travel at but sound. As for weird comparisons well lets just say this author does drugs. No one that doesn't would ahve a main character that smokes weed and pops aderal then compares a lot of things to aderol. Kind of makes me a bit uncomfortable. Yah who survives this apocolyps? A stoned, aderal high casual gamer. Poorly developed characters example is Gram. Gram could have been such a cool character but rather then give us some comedy with Gram rediscovering er younger self and being able to relive her glory days. Rather we get a crochty old bird in a smoking hot 20 year old body. I guess that's funny. I don't believe it though listen to old people talk they'd go wild and it would be funny. Bad fight scene is dragon dick. You heard right dragon dick. There will be a dragon and for some reason he is at half chub when he fights our hero and so things get messy. Lizards don't walk around with their dicks out so why is this dragon? Really forcing it there cough no pun intended. Finally the main character is selfish. Whenever he fights he always goes for play of the game. Yah he's a leeroy jenkins and a loot hog. He snags the boss weapon and it doesn't even work for his character. He never even asks if anyone else could use it. Then he keeps pocketing loot and the rest of the pary are happy with scraps! WTF. Don't buy don't spend a credit unless you have literally read everything else.

Eh. Middling.

There's not much that separates this story from other post apocalyptic litrpgs - which is fine, you don't need to reinvent the wheel. The problem is in the details.

One thing that definitely separates this story from other litrpgs in this genre is that every human has an innate ability called Beastscape, allowing them to transform into basically any creature they lock eyes with.

My issues with this ability are numerous. First, the superficial; this is the kind of ability that should be tied to a class - there is a class that specialises in it too. Majority of the fight scenes in this book are spent focusing on this one ability, which is a bit weird given the protagonist is a Warlock-type. Any innovation on his part comes from its usage, not from using his class abilities cleverly.

Now, the less superficial issues. The ability is broken. One can cast spells in their animal form. The author even shows you how broken it is with unintentional examples he doesn't take to the logical conclusion, which is super frustrating (the protag has a 100m radius decay dot he could farm non ranged creatures with forever if he turned into a bird and just flew above without engaging... he does the plague bird thing...mid combat with allies in danger, and never connects the dots).

Ultimately, while everyone being an infinite animagus is unique, I think it detracts from the story.

I also dinged the narrator a couple stars for a certain character's voice. She's a hot, de-aged septuagenerian that still sounds like an old crone.

Great, funny, fresh LitApocalypse!

This is a great book, especially if you have read other LitRPG apocalypses. It is pretty self aware arms breaks the 4th wall quite a few times to highlight its differences and similarities to other books in the genre, which I found to be pretty funny. In fact, I would almost call it a parody. Overall, it is a good mix of adventure and comedy. The main character is delightfully (and frustratingly) flawed, making the story have a good deal of suspense.

I have listened to most every LitRPG on audible, and I would put this book in the top 10 percent for me, easily. No harem, mc has some serious blind spots/flaws and is not overpowered, a good amount of comedy and genre references, and an exciting story. As soon as the next one is out, I am buying it.

one of my new favorites

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I love how the litrpg aspects of this hopefully series ( can't wait for more ) comes about. it's different then most others. it's probably something alot of people have as a "dirty"? let's say.. not so friendly fantasy that they may have. theres afew good references to other things that if you know them.. you'll enjoy it.

the characters and world building was done well for this being the first book. (again, cant wait for more) done well enough to leave you wanting.

narration was done well. there was some emphasis on afew words that sounded odd. not because they were said wrong. because they were said correctly with the emphasis on the parts people normally smooth over.

I really enjoyed this.

Excellent opening

*Book received for free.

This is a solid opening to a new series. The author has fleshed out many of the gaming elements and I personally enjoyed how realistic the normal people in his story acted. They didn't just all grow a spine and we're supermen just because the MC demanded it. Instead, he showed how many normal people react in a high stress, life-changing situation.

I also liked that the MC and his group had to struggle to figure out the menu system but weren't completely stumped by it, a very nice touch. I'm also very happy that the author added small but meaningful puzzles to the story and the moral dilemmas that the MC encounters along the way.

Overall a very solid opening to a new series and I am very much looking forward to the next book.

This is going to be a good series.

I will keep this short. I found this to be real enjoyable. The storyline was smooth and the action intense but believable. I will keep track of this series.

A great character build

your friendly neighborhood "I'm-not-evil-my-character-is" hero. I really liked this book, I already listened to it twice and read it on kindle too.

Great Story! Can't wait for book two

The Culling of Man is a fun story by a new author Craig Kobayashi. It is an interesting take on the post-apocalyptic litrpg genre and I think it hits all the marks. The characters are interesting and the audiobook kept my attention the entire run time. The narration is good and I enjoyed my time with this one. I look forward to book 2.

Phenomenal entry into a new series

So what happens when a great cosmic power comes to earth and says sorry folks life as you know it is over. Your world is to be repopulated by other races from other worlds. Only a small percentage of you will survive. So begins the culling of man. Choose a class we will imbue your with that power and you will battle for your place in the world. And so begins the culling of man. Awesome start to a new series. Great action. Some good twists and a novel premise. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher

Just Wow

I am always on the lookout for discovering a new great book, unfortunately the great ones are few and far between. The Culling of Man is one of those rare books that makes weeding through all the bad ones worth it. It is perhaps the most unique and original entry into the a LitRPG world that I have read to date, and best of all it’s realistic. The main character is not overpowered and what he does makes sense with the overall story arc. If you like LitRPGs than this is one of the top ones that I have read. I truly cannot wait for the next one.

Amazing

I was hooked begging to end, and one part in particular had me laughing hysterically, highly recommend this!

very repetitive

disappointed, each chapter is just a repeat of the last one, very little story line.

More please

Couldn't be happier with this book. Well rounder character and story development. Over all to quickly unfortunately as I was really enjoying the story. Very interested to see how the main character deals with choices. I would say this is a very good introduction into litrpg as it doesn't devle to deaply into the technical gaming terminology.

Great storyline

I Enjoyed this audio book very much
Hopefully they will be more audio books
Must read on your list

A very interesting twist

I recieved a review copy of this book. It's an interesting twist for a litrpg, and the story is handled really well. After the first book it has barely scratched the surface of the mystery or the world it presents. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Promising start to this series

Most litrpg tends to take the more usual route of a dungeon or open world rpg, so for this one to open with more a horde mode style to it was an interesting way to move the main character through those early levels of their character that worked out well overall, while also helping to convey how unreal the scope of the apocalypse would be for somebody simply trying to survive their corner of it.

After this initial period, the book returns to a more usual progression, although it has a number of interesting elements that add to that base along with some significant threads that should pay off later in the series too. The various characters and the natural seeming interplay between them works well and helps to further engage the reader in the overall story.

On the whole the narration worked well to ensure a distinctive range of voices for the cast, but the pacing being a little quicker would have probably helped to enhance the story for me.

Overall, an interesting an enjoyable first book in this series.

[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]

The Culling will continue...

No real need to rehearse the outline of the plot as the synopsis given is perfectly adequate. Suffice it to say that nerdy Gareth and his hodgepodge team of neighbours right to survive alien annihilation of humanity. There are some nice touches, like the seventy something woman returned to youth and beauty, and the benefits of fighting aliens as a tiny, fluffy white kitten and there is plenty of near non stop action. But lacking a driving, ongoing storyline, to this reader, it felt flat.

Narration was by Michael Norman Johnson, whose pleasant voice as well modulated, reading smooth and with an injection of emotion. A good performance but even this failed to convey the intensity that the ending of the world's population should have instilled. To be honest, I struggled to maintain an interest as the book proceeded, mentally drifting away and not feeling that I had missed anything of importance when I returned.

My thanks to the rights holder of The Culling of Man, whl, at my request freely gifted me with a complimentary copy, via Audiobook Boom. It wasn't for me but it did have some inventive, well delivered fight scenes which should appeal to many LitRPG readers.

Great litrpg

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

A great, fast paced story that keeps your attention until the end