Stunning work!

Having read a great number of the Isekai/LitRPG stories listed amongst the Best Rated on RoyalRoad, I can confidently say that Stranger Than Fiction Godsfall sits amongst the best of them. While the premise isn't too fundamentally different from most other Isekai, Stranger Than Fiction distinguishes itself by its execution. With some nice twists on the formula, a rewarding progression arc, fantastic action scenes, and consistently clear, effective prose, what STF may lack in originality it more than makes up for in the writing.

In brief, Lukas, our protagonist, is, with the aid of a goddess (Inanna) residing in a family heirloom, transported to a dungeon in a new world during the destruction of Earth. Lukas then has to go on to become powerful enough to survive the dungeon and this new world, and to fulfill his debt to the goddess who saved him.
Regarding grammar, one can tell that STF is thoroughly well edited. I have consistently been reading STF chapters on release since the story began, and very rarely are there any errors. Those that are present are often minor and quickly corrected following posting. The author and editor also have done well to avoid the repetition of phrases and verbiage, a problem common to many stories on RR.

So far, the story has been constantly on-beat, not straying too far into tedium nor racing ahead purely for the sake of power progression. While I do have some problems with the handling of the multiple POVs, I cannot deny that their usage thus far has done well to slowly introduce new actors and future threats, as well as providing some information on the outside world that otherwise we would doubtless be without for some time, trapped as Lukas is within a dungeon. At this point, I would say that Lukas is still within the tutorial section of the story to some extent, coming to terms with his powers and his relationship with Inanna, and so I am wary of giving a full five stars just yet given that Lukas's motivations and drives remain pretty simple and so there hasn't been much scope for the author to flex their narrative muscles IMO. Nonetheless, they have been handled very well and I am interested to see what the author has in store for us in the future, as the plot deepens and becomes more complex.

It is in characters and style that I think STF is perhaps a bit weaker than some of the other best stories on RR, but my criticisms here are admittedly quite subjective so take this paragraph with a grain of salt. Regarding style, I really appreciate the effort that has gone into making the dungeon and its inhabitants feel alien. The author has a knack for conveying a clear image, whether it be of a dungeon monster or another human/sapient. However, the author's writing, particularly in the more esoteric/dreamlike sequences, can be overly verbose, the prose feeling like a thesaurus has been relied upon to excess. This is a problem I suffer from in my own writing, so I do understand the difficulty, but where possible fewer words (and syllables) often do more.

Finally, STF's characters are original, clearly personified (i.e. they actually have character!!!), and their actions make sense, and I think the author has done really well with them. I'm a big fan in particular of Inanna who I think is consistently very well-written, providing a reliable counterweight through her humor to Lukas's sometimes grating complaining.
My main concern is that thus far, though our two main characters (Lukas and Inanna) have become closer and their dynamic has shifted somewhat, in truth neither character seems to have actually changed all that much. While this makes sense for Inanna, given that she is the shard of a goddess and thus a being not likely to be shifted much by interacting with a single mortal, Lukas remains stubborn to the point of foolishness at times, unwilling to compromise except when on the absolute brink of death.
Regarding other people, I really like the characters in these chapters; their personalities are quite unique, their relationships with each other are dynamic and progress wonderfully naturally, their dialogue is well-written, and I can very much understand where each is coming from.

TLDR: Overall, I highly recommend this story. This is by far one of the best isekais I've read since signing up to RR and my criticisms will likely not at all matter for anyone interested in a good read so I say crack on with it. To T.B. Mare, I say very well done, I've really enjoyed your writing and seeing your progress from the original story to the audiobook.

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2 people found this helpful

Brilliant.

I am three books in to this series and it's wonderful. The character Inanna is delectable, love the interaction between the two main characters. The narrator is very good. Keep it Up!

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Stick with it

I wasn't sure about this one when I first started listening. I stepped away from it a couple of times to go listen to something else. Then I ended up at a loose end with nothing to listen to and gave it another go and very glad I did.

Once I got used to the style the story really got under my skin.

What I liked:

The narrator really gave the different characters distinct personalities and voices and acted everything out in an engaging way.
The plot was intriguing and a new take on the Litrpg genre
The MC was engaging and I was invested in his journey
Some of the other characters really shone as well.
The weaving in of real ancient mythology in an innovative way.
A nice balance of sufficient conclusion to be satisfying and enough set up to want the next instalment.

What could have been better:

Some of the side characters were a bit shallow and one-dimensional Not a big issue as the majority of the book was spent with fleshed out characters.
Some of the more esoteric scenes were difficult to parse out- it's always difficult to bring to life something unimagineable and multidimensional and there are a few occasions where the author doesn't quite manage to convey it in an effective manner, But again the bulk of it works.
There are a couple of points in the book where the plot drags a little (skill grinding) though mostly it ticks along nicely.

Overall I really enjoyed this story and was fully invested and wanting more by the time it ended.

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If you somehow enjoyed GRRM then you might enjoyit

GRRM’s books have never been something I enjoy as the character per chapter format is the worst thing i could think of when it comes to books. Yet this book has something similar not the same but it’s close enough to make me, Feel like it’s a comparison that is apt. If you don’t like an author speaking on something else other than the main character then it’s not for you.

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Not happy with this book

I have managed to get to the 3 chapter
and that's it.
There's so much explaining and repeating
the same thing in different ways it enough to drive you mad.
one more thing infinity is infinity you don't say infinity and then some. Your not buzz lightyear

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Never get this

This was a grind to get through, the narrator was dull and aggravating and the story was so jumbled and confusing. Hated the goddess and the cuts between the two story lines came at such jarring times that you just wanted to skip that which was not the MC's story line.

Overall don't buy this or waste a credit like I did.

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Booring

So, I fell asleep.. still no progress 😂 ffs
Got to ch.16, aaaaand im done.

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2 people found this helpful