Casteless

A Deckbuilding LitRPG Progression Fantasy

By: Peppersquash

Narrated by: Exo Lio

One chance to change your fate. All you have to do is survive.

Dax Tarnis has few rights and fewer options. A Casteless thief, he has struggled his whole life just to put food in his belly, and his dreams and goals have always been far out of reach.

It should have been like that forever, but Dax wanted more. And when fate thrusts a rare magic card into his hands, his world is upended.

Now, he has the power to change everything.

All he needs is to learn how to use it. How to level up. How to fight.

How to keep that power from dangerous enemies who will kill him without hesitation.

"Casteless" is an action-packed tale of power and ascendency, where every choice Dax makes leads him to danger and adventure. Join him as he fights against men and monsters, gaining friends and allies along the way as he realizes his dreams, using his card magic powers in unpredictable ways. Perfect for lovers of Progression Fantasy, Gamelit and LitRPG.

©2023 Peppersquash (P)2024 Royal Guard Publishing LLC

Very well-written

This title was a gamble, since it was a first-time author and only 20 reviews. The book was surprisingly well-written, particularly for this genre. I was particularly impressed by the character relationships and dialog, which come across as realistic, unlike the vast majority of books in this space.

The narrator's range isn't very large, but his voices were pleasant, and the variation was enough to distinguish the various characters.

not bad

this was an enjoyable read. not the best yet good enough to read knowing you are getting exactly what you are expecting to receive from a litrpg book.

Honestly well written and enjoyable

A solid card entry. This is a simple mana and card combo system. I enjoyed the simplicity and characters.

great listen one of my fav vetsions of magic cards

great story i like the cards alot great deck building i like that there not afraid to take out who needs to be not this goody goody stuff i liked it alot

Something different but something special

I wasn't sure what to think at first. It was a different premise than I am used to. After the world was built and the characters came I've, I knew it was going to be a good tale.

Ending is a mess

the ending felt rushed and not very well thought of at all. random insights to relationships between characters that weren't there at all before and felt forced. the voice acting was just ok no emotions shown whatsoever

Good Story

I enjoy a character that thinks about what he will do beforehand while also being flexible to changing circumstances.

A unique twist on a card-based skills fantasy

This is my first encounter with Peppersquash and I give high marks for coming up with a unique take on the card-based skills sub-genre. The story lacked enough backstory for the primary characters to become completely invested in them. They all start out as young adults with vague allusions to their formulative years. The MC himself is fairly one-dimensional; what with single-minded pursuit to become a card-master player in a caste system where card ownership is outlawed.

Still, it was an enjoyable listening experience with Exo Lio's performance being performed well.

Best Audio I've listened to in a while

I loved the narration and the story I couldn't stop listening! I hope to see more out of this narration/ author duo!

Deck building

This was my first book to read with "cards," and I quite enjoyed it. Dax is the kind of character that you can root for. I appreciated the wider world, exposed through the additional points of view. Also, I love a scrappy kind of hero, and street rats are certainly that. His card being so random really made this a fun read as well. Both author and narrator were new to me, but both did a great job engaging me and keeping me engaged throughout the story.