This is one of the most exciting series on my radar right now and I have already raved about it several times!

In Level: Unknown, a space crew discovers a mysterious artifact on a planet that appears to have been abandoned by a previous civilization. They accidentally connect the brain of Nick, a crew member, with the artifact, and he finds that every time he falls asleep, his consciousness appears in a medieval VR. In real life, the rest of the crew are trying to determine the origin of the artifact and disconnect Nick's brain before his body atrophies too much in real life.

There was so much to love about this book. Despite being nearly 480 pages, I flew through this book and immediately wanted more (thank goodness the sequel comes out so soon!). It is extremely fast paced and almost thriller-like, but with a blend of LitRPG, scifi, and fantasy aspects. All of the POVs are interesting and move the story forward.

Something I'm always a bit nervous about with LitRPG-style books is repetition that becomes boring, or weird 'men writing women' moments. This book had none of that, and its one I feel comfortable recommending without any disclaimers.

I can't wait to read the next one! I want nothing but success for this series!

*Thanks to Net Galley and Orbit books for copy of book*

What an engaging take on litRPG. This story is split between a sci-fi space station that Nick lives in with his brother Simon, but when he sleeps he's in the fantastical world of Yensere. The fantasy world is set-up like a video game that even includes spawning points. I really did love everything about the world and it's set up. My favorite character so far is the Cataloger. I just love a robot doing it's job and getting snarky.

With this being a lot of set up it didn't get a 5 star, but I can't wait to read the sequel!

A strange, ancient, alien artifact takes over the consciousness of research cadet Nick and drops him into an artificial reality: the medieval world of Yensere full of knights, kings, monsters, magic, gods, and a frightening celestial phenomenon.

Nick and his stationmaster brother Simon are on a station orbiting a long dead planet called Majus. As Nick discovers the rules of Yensere, and his abilities there, as well allies and enemies, his older brother attempts, with the station's researchers, to determine how Yensere and Majus are connected, if at all, and what is the purpose of the artifact. More worrying, as they begin to accumulate data, is that the bizarre celestial phenomenon Nick sees above Yensere in the game-like environment, is something that has just appeared above another planet.

Nick manages to survive his many adversaries and deadly encounters with powerful men and beasts, each time unlocking more weapons and abilities. Early on in his time in the world, he had met a young woman he dubbed Frost because of her ice wielding magical abilities, and discovers she's there to find someone. The two team up, and attempt to understand more about Yensere, and with the help of a local, its ancient empires and legends and myths that could aid them in their trials.

This is not the first LitRPT I have read, but it is my first book by David Dalglish. He keeps the pace fast and the action frequent as Nick is dropped into a situation for which he has no knowledge and is forced to literally battle for his life in order to learn anything about his surroundings and its beings. He does get help from Frost, whose greater experience and skills allow her to more easily navigate the perilous places they travel. I liked Frost immediately, and Nick is a likeable guy, willing to learn from others, and not given to violence unless necessary.

I liked the nonintrusive way Dalglish showed how each of Nick's successes allowed him to level up, and how getting to better understand Yensere's ancient myths and empires are critical to progress through the world. As well giving a little background on what the heck that black sun-like thing in the sky is, which will no doubt factor into both Nick's time in Yensere, and in the real world, as Simon and his team attempt to figure out what that is.

I look forward to continuing this series, which was fun.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for the chance to read Level: Unknown. David Dalglish is one of my favorite authors and this was so different from anything I have read by him. His dive into LitRPG was a success. This was fun and unique and I enjoyed this very much. I will definitely continue with the series and I’m looking forward to finding out what will be awaiting Nick in the next installment!

This is not my first foray into litRPG, but it isn’t a genre I would readily pick up. This book hadn’t even been on my radar until I received an email from the publisher recommending it based on some of my previous reads. I read the synopsis and was intrigued.
Within the first few chapters, I was hooked and became quickly invested in what was happening to Nick, and soon after, Frost. Gareth became a significant character through his own perspective of these interlopers into his homeland. There were some comical moments, particularly in the beginning as things are being set up, but as they adventure through the land in search of Frost’s sister more and more about the history of Yensere is coming out. There is a mysterious black sun in the sky, but it also appears where Nick is from. He is somehow connected with both this world and his own, as is Frost. Violette joins the duo on their adventure as she pursues knowledge. Turns out she’s quite the badass in a battle as well.
The author did a fine job blending science fiction with an interesting video game-esque twist. Nick’s real body is on a space station with his brother and crew, while the mysterious artifact they found is somehow transporting his consciousness (into a body also very much his own) to Yensere. As experience is gained in Yensere, he levels up. This all takes a rather large toll on Nick’s body back on the space station.
The story becomes high stakes with the future of several world’s in the balance, while Nick and friends are in constant danger of being killed. The action sequences are entertaining and easy to follow. The magic system while Nick is in Yensere is pretty cool. I cannot forget to mention the AI that guides Nick along the way (can hear his thoughts as well as what he speaks aloud) and may also be corrupted - I am quite curious about how this will unfold further in the series. And lastly, Sorrow - the sword that Nick finds. Sorrow doesn’t particularly like him, but there is character development on that end too.
The book ends with part of the story coming to a close, but also, not really. I look forward to further instalments in this series.
Thank you to Orbit Books (and NetGalley) for the opportunity to read this via digital copy.
The options expressed are honest and my own.

Imgur link goes to Instagram graphic scheduled for 12 - PLEASE NOTE, this is a placeholder. I ordered a physical copy and as long as it arrives in a timely manner I'll photo that edition and post it at an earlier time.
Blog post goes live Feb 25th
Will be covered in an upcoming Youtube wrapup
Amazon and Barnes & Noble Review submitted, pending systems' approval


**TL;DR**: A fantastic intro to LitRPG or fun for a regular readers,
**Source**: NetGalley, thank so much to Orbit!!

**Plot**: A mysterious Artifact is found by a study station on a far away planet. Nick ends up bound to the artifact that sends him into another world. Is it real? The past? Somewhere else?
**Characters**: I really liked Nick and the AI he was able to converse with. I wish the side characters had a bit more flesh on them but that may come in future books.
**Setting**: We don’t get much on the space station but I really enjoyed Yensere, our ‘magical’ realm
**Fantasy/LitRPG:** The fantasy/litrpg part of this was fascinating, I’d like more details. There are some SF parts as well that I want to get a lot more of.

**Thoughts**:

LitRPG is a genre that has been slowly growing in the self-published and indie space and quickly. I’ve been waiting to see traditional publishers pick it up and this is one of the first I’ve seen besides DCC. It’s a great one too since I feel like it’s a perfect introduction for the casual and new reader to the genre.

Nick and Simon live on a research space station that has recently unearthed a large mysterious artifact. Nick is the only one that can cause it to react, and it sends his consciousness to another place. He has no idea if it’s the past, future, another planet, or if it’s just fake projection. Within that space he has levels, and he’s considered a Visitor by the system. Unfortunately that makes him a ‘Demon’ to the residents and they go out of their way to kill him. From here he has to try to survive while moving between worlds.

I really liked the setup on this one and I only have two complaints that may be fixed in the next books. The first is that I wish our other characters were expanded on. Frost, Simon, Violette - they needed more. I also wish we had a bit more of what was happening on the space station as it seemed… somewhat dire.

If you are interested in this genre or this title I definitely think it’s worth the read. David Dalglish’s writing is easy and fun to read, and the story is fast and engaging. A big yes from me.

"Level: Unknown" by David Dalglish takes the litrpg genre and then makes it kinda scifi. I definitely wasn't expecting the setting at all.

Nick has a bit of an issue. He woke up not knowing anything about who or where he is with a voice in his head. And then a mob of villagers beat him to death. Thankfully this is not his end and he awakens, with knowledge of who he is. Unfortunately he has to keep going back to this world in his sleep. At least he can level up in this world, yay work having numerical growth! Downside, the people view him as a demon and try to kill him on sight.

Narrated by John Patneaude, believe this is the first time I've heard their performance and I'm looking forward to more.

Reasons to read:
-Really subverted my expectations with the setting
-Interesting side characters who get their own povs
-History is written by the winners
-Is that you Stormbringer?
-Wildly brutal therapy

Cons:
-I was caught flat footed by some of the serious bits so that's kind of on me, just be prepared for sudden escalation

Nick is just a simple lab tech, he shouldn’t have to worry about swords swinging at his head. But that becomes a daily concern when an alien artifact forms a connection with him, plunging him into a simulated fantasy world every time he falls asleep. Nick quickly learns that while the world might be fake and death just means waking up, the pain is still very real. Even worse the pain is taking a strain on his real life body, and it might not be too long before his body gives out entirely. To top it all off, Nick's fellow researchers have discovered that a devastating event is heading to their planet, and the clues to how to stop it lie somewhere in the game. It's up to Nick to delve into this fantasy world and find the answers...but he's only got so many more lives before he'll never wake up again.

Level: Unknown is a fun romp of a LitRPG adventure, accessible to both game enthusiasts and those who have never picked up a controller. For those unfamiliar, LitRPG is a genre inspired by tabletop role playing games and video games, where characters for one reason or another are aware of stats, health meters, and other mechanics. In Level: Unknown, Nick essentially finds himself in a virtual video game world, with an AI assistant, experience points, hovering UIs that display health bars, etc. While those who play games regularly will easily recognize the mechanics, Nick is written as a novice to such things so that the reader can learn the ropes alongside him. (Although I did beg the question: is the future so dark that an 18-year-old has never played a video game before?)

After the initial set up, the story takes a familiar fantasy bent: Nick starts out on a quest and goes on a journey, picking up companions, encountering dangerous monsters, and discovering the history of this virtual land he’s in. The story is mostly told from Nick’s POV, but I appreciated the inclusion of POV chapters from a virtual character that lives in this fantasy world. While Nick sees the digital inhabitants of this world as things that can be killed without remorse, Sir Gareth views Nick as a ruthless monster roaming about killing hapless villagers. His POV grounded the world, showing that to these simulated individuals, death is a very real, sobering experience.

As in his previous works, the author writes one heck of a climax; I found myself tearing through the pages towards the end. The one disappointment is that when the dust clears there are no real answers, just lots and lots of questions. What is the artifact? Where did it come from? How and why is it possibly destroying planets? These questions and more are all asked; while you’ll get a genuinely satisfying climactic boss fight, you'll get no answers to any of these questions by the end of this first book. This is the first of a trilogy (with all three books releasing in 2025), so the answers are coming, but I would have liked at least one answer to a major question by the end of this outing.

Level: Unknown is a good popcorn adventure that's a lot of fun to escape into. As a relative novice to the genre itself, I cannot tell you how it compares to other Lit RPGs. What I can say is that I enjoyed my time in this world, and I'm looking forward to seeing how these mysteries pan out in the sequel.

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.