This book was really interesting. I'm pretty new to the LitRPG genre (I've only really read Dungeon Crawler Carl series) so I wasn't sure what to expect. This is a very different vibe from DCC books and I was unprepared for it to have more in common with a traditional video game than that other series did. I did really like it though and I thought the characters were interesting enough to want to come back and read the sequel when it comes out in a few months. It's not my favorite book by Dalglish but it's definitely still a fun read.

This was my first foray into the world of LitRPG and even for someone who is a novice when it comes to RPG's, I really enjoyed this one! Our MMC Nick is a novice, just like myself so I really connected with him as he completed quests and came across characters to advance his experience points. I enjoyed the blend of humor and fantasy in the setting of a video game. This story is mostly told from Nick's POV but I appreciated while the few chapters told from the side character's POVs as well. This was a very quick read because of the pacing of a typical video game this was no different. This is my first book by Daglish and I can't wait to see where the series goes from here.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Orbit and David Daglish for the opportunity to read this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 28%

I was intrigued by the synopsis and title, and I wanted to support a fellow FFXIV player (it's mentioned in the author bio in the Orbit newsletter). However, the main problem is that I just couldn't get past the writing style, which is of course a personal and highly subjective thing, and a "me" problem; I also had to skim some of the descriptions of violence/torture/dying, but then again I'm a very squeamish reader - I know some people actively seek out that kind of thing. And it was disorienting to constantly jump back and forth between Yensere and the real world. Though I can see why it's crucial to the plot development/the story the way the author wanted to tell it, for me it disrupted the immersion and my sense of attachment to the characters, who didn't seem to have particularly distinct personalities or motives (though admittedly I DNF'd relatively early on).

Ultimately, maybe "progression fantasy" just isn't my thing. I had no idea because it's not a term I've seen used before, but it's a good data point to have going forward.

I have been curious about progression fantasy and LitRPGs for a while, so when I heard about this book, it seemed like the perfect time to finally give the genre a try. Although I'm not sure how it compares to other books within the genre, I did really enjoy reading it.

Nick's real life is aboard a research station run by his brother. While studying an alien artifact they have discovered, Nick is pulled out of his sci-fi life and transported to to the fantasy world of Yensere. Unfortunately the inhabitants of this world view Nick as a demon and readily work to stop him from whatever evil he has planned. With the often unhelpful guidance of the AI in his head, Nick explores the world in hopes of discovering what it actually is and why he was chosen by the artifact to go there.

Nick is a fairly straightforward guy, not interested in getting all the data and stats available to him. Through being trained in sword fighting and magic by another visitor, some guidance from a Yensere researcher, and a rocky relationship with a talking sword, Nick gradually collects companions and takes his exploration of Yensere more seriously. It's all make-believe at the start, but the more he experiences, the more that changes.

I liked exploring alongside Nick and figuring things out with him, but getting the occasional chapter from another character really helped make the world feel fuller and the plot feel more significant. Seeing Nick through the eyes of someone from Yensere gave a great perspective that made Nick's actions feel more meaningful, while seeing the things happening on the research station through the eyes of Nick's brother showed the connection between the two worlds and definitely raised the stakes.

With plenty of action and fighting, the battle scenes were well written and easy to follow. We get some history about the world and some reflective moments as Nick changed his views on Yensere and has some impactful encounters with the inhabitants. A fun adventure with interesting characters, this was a great introduction to this world and I look forward to exploring it with Nick even more in the future.

David Dalglish’s leap into the LitRPG genre is a refreshing success, blending Soulslike fun with light RPG elements that newcomers will love. The battles are epic, the mystery is gripping, and the character work—especially Nick and Gareth—stands out. With refined storytelling, multiple perspectives, and a unique premise, this is a must-read for gamers and fantasy fans alike.

This book was quite the ride, that after all is said and done I really enjoyed, I do think that it started off kind of slow and ended a little rushed, so the pacing was really off. The characters were great but a little one dimensional. I wish we learned more about the two female characters in the book, they just seemed flat. Frost one of the two females mentions the reason she is in this world is to find her sister, but never puts any real effort into finding her. The story was quite fun and if you are looking for a story where you don’t have to think to hard this is the book for you.

There's something to be said about fantasy books that are just fun, and "Level: Unknown" was just that: a ton of fun.

This was the first LitRPG I'd read and while I've read books with similar vibes/systems, I definitely enjoyed what this brought to the fantasy genre. I loved how it was able to blend both fantasy and sci-fi elements without some of the clunky world-building that sometimes happens in a portal fantasy. This book was fast paced, and mostly focused on action, which kept me engaged the entire time. I was worried about some of the ethical implications of characters' actions in the book early on, but this ended up being a pretty big theme of the book, which I appreciated.

While it's clear that this is going to be a series, I would have appreciated learning a bit more about characters other than the main protagonist in Book 1. Given the emotional gut punch certain scenes were, there were a few moments/characters I would have liked a few more emotional notes from. I expected for there to be some sort of big reveal in the end about a character, the world, or the broader plot. Without that, the ending fell a bit flat, at least for me. However, I'm looking forward to reading future installments in the series.

4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

David Dalglish took a leap of faith into the LitRPG genre with success I might say. Making it feel just as new as the first time I discovered it. It ups the scale of its battles beyond what even this genre has been known for. Pair that with much deeper and more refined focus on impressive storytelling. Worth a read even if this isn't your preferred genre. The RPG elements melt like butter in this fantasy world that you hardly realize it's even there.

I've never read LITRPG but decided to give it a try because of Dalglish. I really enjoyed this! It was super fun and kept me engaged the whole time. It's definitely made me want to check out other books in this genre to see if I would enjoy them as well. I cannot wait for the second one.

Level Unknown by David Dalglish
Imagine you live on a space ship and one day a mysterious alien artifact chooses you to communicate with…but the way it communicates is by putting you into a fantasy world as you sleep. Well that’s what happens to Nick in Level Unknown.
This is a LitRPG book and the only litrpg book I’ve read besides Dungeon Crawler Carl. I mostly liked this book. I felt this book had a really original concept. It reminded me of Elder Race where one half felt like a sci-fi book and the other like a fantasy book. Being so new to the LitRPG genre also means the concept of a world that acts like a video game is still really novel to me.
Another thing I enjoyed is that this book was really action packed. Like a video game, there were plenty of boss battles and exploration which did a great job of keeping my attention.
The one thing I didn’t like about this book is that it didn’t reveal a lot about the mystery of this artifact and what this fantasy world has to do with it and what it’s trying to tell our main character. I know this is a series and more will be revealed in future books, but I would’ve loved a few more bread crumbs to keep me interested. Instead this aspect of the plot felt disconnected from the rest of the book.
Overall, I’m not mad at this book. I’m glad I finally explored more of this genre. But, I’m not sure if I’ll pick up the next book in the series or not.
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a growing fan of these litRPG books! Each one I have read has had an interesting way that they enter into these "realms" of characters that may or may not be real (possibly computer creations) and a newbie that must learn to survive and get stronger by leveling up. Nick is quite the likable character who's soul/mind is sucked into a newly found artifact that was found on a dead world. I like that the real world stuff is a space station and how there is much excitement/danger occurring out there as well as in the land of Yensere (which has a scary black sun and on the edge of doomsday).

This is a great flowing narrative which was hard to put down. It is not too stat heavy though it does show updates usually after a battle. The Cataloger is great, I love the misunderstandings and it adds a lightness when needed, also the sword. :) Nick also has his quips but takes his role seriously once he knows what the stakes are and with Frost to help and the addition of Violette, I can see that this is going to be a great series and I need the next book right now after that ending!

This was a very fun dive into the LitRPG world for this author.

The main character and his brother are working together on an exploratory space mission when they come across an artifact. Once they interact with it, one of the brothers collapses and they find out that his mind has connected to the artifact and transported him into a world within it called Yensere. Every time he falls asleep thereafter, his mind gets transported back into this world.

The author did a really good job of creating a world in the artifact that was exciting to explore. There are a lot of unknowns in Yensere and the main character has to go through a lot of trauma during his time there. We follow POV’s of both brothers and get to see what’s happening on the inside of the artifact while also what is happening on the outside and the toll it is taking on the main character that is connected both mentally and physically. There are additional POV’s that come in to the book later that add a lot of intrigue and changed my perspective in certain ways.

This author has a strong suit for creating fantastic characters and I enjoyed them in his others series so I’m not surprised that these ones were really well written and unique. They all had strong storylines that connected and were all driving towards a big ending.

This book would be a really good entry to LitRPG if you wanted to try out the genre because it has elements of it without going too deep into it. Due to this, if you are well versed in LitRPG, you may find it lacking in those aspects but the other elements to the book still make it a strong story.

I look forward to seeing how the author grows within this genre and am excited to continue the series.

I thought that this was fun. I don't read too much in the LitRPG genre, so I don't have much of a basis when it comes to comparison. I thought that this was entertaining, fast-paced and the mechanics of the LitRPG style were woven into the story in a way that felt natural and compelling. The characters were fleshed out, and I thought that the setting was interesting as well. Overall, I would definitely read more from this series or in this genre. I have previously not sought out books in the LitRPG genre, but I may begin to read more!

It was cute but I think I’m just not quite the target audience for Litrpg books. I’ve played videogames my whole life, I play table top RPGs but it was just a bit weird and shades of 1980s portal fantasies to have the Cataloger keep announcing his new levels. Threw me out of the story. It was well written though, if you like the sub genre he’s a good writer and I’ve enjoyed other books by him. This just wasn’t quite for me and I’ll happily read a Pathfinder or D&D novel. 3 stars for me and 4 if you’re a fan of the sub genre as it was well written.

This book was so unexpectedly fun. The premise sounded great, but the way that everything came together to create such a unique story is what really stands out to me. The multiple perspectives made the story so much more fleshed out, especially getting Gareth’s perspective. Having his viewpoint is what makes the world of Yensere feel real. These aren’t just video game characters. This version of reality is incredibly real to them, even if us as readers or Nick as a “visitor” don’t see it as such. That was such a unique way of looking at it.

I also loved the multiple stories/realities that are slowly starting to come together. The whole mystery of it is so fascinating to me, and I’m so invested in seeing it all come together.

As a gamer, the concepts of levels and stats coming up in the story made a lot of sense to me. For readers who aren’t also gamers, or readers unfamiliar with LitRPGs, I can see it getting confusing or distracting. But once you’re used to it, it’s a very unique and fun way to see character progression and growth throughout the story.

Stand out character for me was definitely Sorrow. I have a soft spot for sassy sentient swords. And his backstory was so unexpected and really helped mature Nick as a character I think.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Orbit books for the arc in exchange for a review! You were so right, it really was up my alley

If you loved Dungeon Crawler Carl, you should give Level: Unknown a try.

They're both part of the litRPG genre and they both involve aliens putting human main characters through a gauntlet of high-stakes challenges.

I just finished Level: Unknown a few days ago and thought it was great. It's really fast-paced, has a great story, and is just the first book in a trilogy, all of which are coming out this year.

It's not as hysterically funny as DCC, and there's no characters as charismatic and hilarious as Princess Donut in Level: Unknown, but I do think L:U has a better plot and story than DCC. DCC could also feel repetitive with all the dungeons, so it felt like a grind, whereas L:U has more unique obstacles, dangers, and settings for our main character, Nick.

If you've ever played Warcraft or a Souls-like like Elden Ring, then you'll probably feel right at home with Level: Unknown. Some of the spells even seem like they're straight out of Warcraft.

I give Level: Unknown 4 stars.

This is an enjoyable progression style fantasy that plays around with the concepts of leveling. I have previously enjoyed the subgenre of LitRPGs.

It was fun to see how those elements were woven into the narrative. I liked enough to continue on with the series. While not a personal favourite, I still found this one to be an escapist read.

I would recommend this to readers who already enjoy LitRPGs or readers looking to try the genre.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

LitRPG is a new genre for me. I've only read a couple others, but this one was by far the one that I liked most.

After the death of his parents, Nick now lives on a space station with his older brother who is also the director of said station. While observing a planet (that I think they were going to terraform? I'm not sure, the whole beginning was kind of vague), they discover an artifact that they think holds the key to human history among the stars. While trying to activate said artifact, Nick passes out and falls into a coma and lands in Yensere--your standard video game like world. He's almost immediately labeled a demon, killed, and wakes up in his room convinced that everything he experienced was some sort of simulation. Which, to be fair, seems pretty reasonable since he was talking to an invisible voice called "Cataloger" who tried to give him the lay of the land before he died. From there, we get shifting POV's that chronicle Nick's time in Yensere, as well as what's going on in the "real" world, and even from the maybe not so simulated people of Yensere.

The story is very well done, but it did have a few areas that felt clunky right after Nick came back from Yensere. I do wish there was a bit more world building in the "real" world because it felt less developed than Yensere. I really appreciated the sci-fi and mystery aspects of the book as well. It was refreshing to read a LitRPG where we get descriptions of the different abilities and shown how they're used instead of a paragraph break of random spells being cast back and forth.

I'm definitely looking forward to continuing the series and have grown quite attached to Nick, Frost, Violette and even our reformed Heretic Knight.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Level: Unknown is both my first novel from David Dalglish and my first time reading LitRPG and I was not disappointed!

I especially loved the blend of fantasy and Sci-fi. The way our main character switches between the two worlds instead of being stuck into one is a refreshing take on the genre.

The world building was interesting and fun, the story very intriguing and the characters are compelling. I very much enjoyed Nick’s growth both in levels, and in his emotional journey.

I’m definitely looking forward to next book and can’t wait to see more of the mystery unfold!

(Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for providing this EArc)

I’ve never read LitRPG before but if they are half as good as this then I’m all in on this genre.
This was an absolute blast and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
An absolutely perfect blend of sci-fi and fantasy while also feeling like a video game.