Here are 23 books that The Path of Ascension fans have personally recommended if you like The Path of Ascension. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Primal Hunter

Toby Davidson

From Toby's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why Toby loves this book

Jake is just awesome. The world building is amazing and the battles are super intense. There are so many other reasons too. I love how the system works how skills work how powerful people get.

By Zogarth ,

Why should I read it?

65 authors picked The Primal Hunter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

On just another average day, Jake finds himself in a forest filled with monsters, dangers, and opportunity.... It was a day like any other when suddenly the world changed. The universe reached a threshold humanity didn’t even know existed, and it was time to finally be integrated into the vast multiverse. A place where power is the only thing anyone can truly rely on.Jake, a seemingly average office worker, finds himself thrust into this new world. Into a tutorial filled with dangers and opportunities.. His new reality should breed fear and concern. His fellow coworkers falter at every turn. Jake,…


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Book cover of The High House

The High House by James Stoddard,

The Victorian mansion, Evenmere, is the mechanism that runs the universe.

The lamps must be lit, or the stars die. The clocks must be wound, or Time ceases. The Balance between Order and Chaos must be preserved, or Existence crumbles.

Appointed the Steward of Evenmere, Carter Anderson must learn the…

Book cover of He Who Fights with Monsters

patrick o.

From patrick's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why patrick loves this book

World building is excellent, power levels scale, and captivating supporting characters. MC power set is my favorite in ARPGs.

By Shirtaloon , Travis Deverell ,

Why should I read it?

56 authors picked He Who Fights with Monsters as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Jason wakes up in a mysterious world of magic and monsters.It’s not easy making the career jump from office-supplies-store middle manager to heroic interdimensional adventurer. At least, Jason tries to be heroic, but it's hard to be good when all your powers are evil.He’ll face off against cannibals, cultists, wizards, monsters...and that’s just on the first day. He’s going to need courage, he’s going to need wit, and he’s going to need some magic powers of his own. But first, he’s going to need pants.After cementing itself as one of the best-rated serial novels on Royal Road with an astonishing…


Book cover of Beware of Chicken

jared1

From Jared's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why Jared loves this book

Good philosophy... We do not challenge the heavens alone

By Casualfarmer ,

Why should I read it?

36 authors picked Beware of Chicken as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A laugh-out-loud, slice-of-life martial-arts fantasy about . . . farming????

Jin Rou wanted to be a cultivator. A man powerful enough to defy the heavens. A master of martial arts. A lord of spiritual power. Unfortunately for him, he died, and now I’m stuck in his body.

Arrogant Masters? Heavenly Tribulations? All that violence and bloodshed? Yeah, no thanks. I’m getting out of here.

Farm life sounds pretty great. Tilling a field by hand is fun when you’ve got the strength of ten men—though maybe I shouldn’t have fed those Spirit Herbs to my pet rooster. I’m not used to…


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Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Book cover of Dungeon Crawler Carl

Random Answer

From Random's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why Random loves this book

A long answer would just rehash what everyone says. Bottom line it was my first foray into modern LitRPG (I think I may have read some really early LitRPG from before it being a thing...which I also really like...Quag Keep by Andre Norton back in the 70s maybe?) and turns out as a lifelong gamer (I've been playing RPGs since before DnD had editions) I really enjoy it. I have DCC to thank for turning me onto it.

By Matt Dinniman ,

Why should I read it?

112 authors picked Dungeon Crawler Carl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The apocalypse will be televised!

A man. His ex-girlfriend's cat. A sadistic game show unlike anything in the universe: a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible.

In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth—from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds—collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground.

The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe.

Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're…


Book cover of Defiance of the Fall: A LitRPG Adventure

Carl Stalhood

From Carl's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why Carl loves this book

MC is mostly solo and is overpowered compared to his peers. The story seems never-ending with every book detailing something new.

By JF Brink ,

Why should I read it?

21 authors picked Defiance of the Fall as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Zac was alone in the middle of the forest when the world changed...

The whole planet was introduced to the multiverse by an unfeeling System... or God. A universe where an endless number of races and civilizations fought for power and dominion.

Zac finds himself stuck in the wilderness surrounded by deadly beasts, demons, and worse. Alone, lost and without answers, he must find the means to survive and get stronger in this new cut-throat reality.

With only a hatchet for his weapon, he'll have to seek out his family before the world collapses... or die trying.

Experience the start…


Book cover of Hell Difficulty Tutorial

gavin lockhart

From gavin's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why gavin loves this book

It was just overall really interesting, I flew through the series and it left me wanting more. The worldbuilding, the magic, the characters, the plot, it is all great. Do note that I am talking about the series as a whole, since I read books 1-5 one after another.

By Cerim ,

Why should I read it?

20 authors picked Hell Difficulty Tutorial as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Where others see doom, he sees opportunity. Hell Difficulty? More like a chance to thrive.

Nathaniel's bus ride was supposed to be just another boring commute. Wrong. Now, he, 23 fellow passengers, and a corgi named Biscuit, are stuck in a "Hell Difficulty" Tutorial, battling monsters and leveling up to survive.

Easy difficulty, anyone can handle. Normal difficulty, you've got to put up a fight to get by. Hard difficulty is where only the tough ones last. And Hell? That's where you have to be a bit out of your mind!

With his terrifying talent for mana manipulation, Nathaniel decides…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of Unsouled

Alex Alousis

From Alex's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why Alex loves this book

I’m actually commenting on the entire series. I love the magic and the progression, it’s tied in quite well.

By Will Wight ,

Why should I read it?

25 authors picked Unsouled as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Sacred artists follow a thousand Paths to power, using their souls to control the forces of the natural world.Lindon is Unsouled, forbidden to learn the sacred arts of his clan.When faced with a looming fate he cannot ignore, he must rise beyond anything he's ever known...and forge his own Path.


Book cover of Iron Prince

Chris Tullbane Author Of See These Bones

From my list on starters in progression fantasy.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an author, I’m fascinated with the fictional quest for power and the challenges and changes that journey both entails and provokes. Progression fantasy, beyond all the numbers and formalized rankings, is about the character first… not just people growing stronger, but how that growth impacts them on a fundamental level. It's something central to my own fiction, and as I’ve explored the progression fantasy genre, I’ve loved seeing the different ways other authors tackle that same idea. The worlds, people, and magic systems vary wildly between different series in the genre, but that central conflict’s impact on those engaged in it remains uniquely compelling.

Chris' book list on starters in progression fantasy

Chris Tullbane Why Chris loves this book

Iron Prince is unique in this list (and among most progression fantasy books) in that it takes place in the distant future, on one of many planets in a galaxy at war.

Instead of mystical cores or game or system-imposed leveling constructs, individuals are given CADs (combat assistance devices) that largely do the same thing. 

What I love about the book is that the main character, Rei, is the ultimate underdog. He’s done everything he could to achieve success despite his shortcomings, only to get crushed by peers and a governing system that abhors weakness.

His determination to push on is one of my favorite traits in characters, and ensures that we, the audience, remain engaged, even as he learns to leverage his unique gifts. Smart and never boring, I can’t wait for the sequel!

By Bryce O'Connor , Luke Chmilenko ,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked Iron Prince as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Reidon Ward will become a god. He doesn't know it yet, of course. Reidon was born weak, sickly and small. Afflicted with a painful disease and abandoned by his parents because of it, he has had to fight tooth and nail for every minor advantage life has allowed him.His perseverance has not gone unnoticed, however, and when the most powerful artificial intelligence in human history takes an interest in him, things began to change quickly. Granted a CAD—a Combat Assistance Device—with awful specs but an infinite potential for growth, Reidon finds himself at the bottom of his class at the…


Book cover of Portal to Nova Roma

Joshua Kern Author Of Portals of Albion

From my list on portal fantasy & LitRPG novels to explore the genre.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a kid, I loved fantasy; it was my escape from real life. Portal Fantasy is one of the oldest sub-genres in that regard, with works such as Wizard of OzThrough the Looking Glass, and Chronicles of Narnia, to name a few. LitRPG is a newer genre, though its roots extend back to the 80s. Fantasy is full of magical worlds that embrace the reader’s mind, allowing them to live beyond their own life. I have experienced what it is like to fall in love countless times, to fly a ship through the sky using magic and swordfight, and to die and be reborn. Through these stories, I have lived.

Joshua's book list on portal fantasy & LitRPG novels to explore the genre

Joshua Kern Why Joshua loves this book

I know many people seem to like his other series more, but this is one that actually grabbed me. An AI intelligence being sent back to the past, only its one that has magic. I mean come on, how fun does that premise sound? It uses a fairly traditional LitRPG setup, but there is nothing wrong with that in the slightest.

I do have a few nitpicks with the story, but they can be explained away with magic more than anything else.

By J.R. Mathews ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Portal to Nova Roma as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

To find peace, Alexander must first embrace war.

After tragically losing the only person he ever cared about, Alexander, a rogue artificial intelligence, opens a portal to an alternate dimension to escape his grief.

Scanning trillions of different dimensions, Alexander finally finds a world that is reminiscent of the only time he was ever happy, back when he could play virtual reality games with his only friend. He doesn't know why, or how, such a world exists, but he doesn't care. All he cares about is finding a place where he can escape the misery of Earth and start over.…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of We Hunt Monsters

Jakob H. Greif Author Of Apocalypse Redux - Book One: A LitRPG Time Regression Adventure

From my list on cheer on a competent badass in a fantastical world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been reading basically since I learned how to, and I’ve always loved fantasy stories that I could imagine myself in, with stuff going on in every corner of the world, everything fleshed out so thoroughly that the reader just understands how things work and has that world playing in their mind long after they’ve put the book down. I also love stories with well-written characters, where mistakes happen because of who they are, not because of an idiot ball, because nothing launches me out of a story faster than an idiot ball. And this kind of story is what I hope to have written myself.  

Jakob's book list on cheer on a competent badass in a fantastical world

Jakob H. Greif Why Jakob loves this book

I love this story because it's awesome, simply put. You have a man who’s spent literal lifetimes in combat, marching into his last hurrah, conquering the monsters of a world more dangerous than any he’s ever been in. He’s smart, intelligent, and, above all, badass. And so are the monsters he fights. It never feels boring or slow; nothing is superfluous, just an endless wave of awesome, and the monsters are just perfect.

I mean, this series has the best “big monster fights” I’ve ever read, to the point where I’d unhesitatingly call it a masterclass in how to write them. I’d have read this series for that alone, but, you know, I read it because it’s overall amazing. 

By Aaron Oster , Richard Sashigane (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked We Hunt Monsters as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Keith has died twelve times.

After making a deal with a mysterious immortal, he was sent to a new world in hopes of gaining the offered reward - a chance at a better life with his family. However, Keith failed to realize that this deal did not come with an expiration date, no matter how many times he died.

After dying for the dozenth time, Keith renegotiates with the immortal. This new deal will see him sent to the world of Raiah - a world filled with monsters, cowardly monkeys, and a system of magic very similar to the fantasy…


Book cover of The Primal Hunter
Book cover of He Who Fights with Monsters
Book cover of Beware of Chicken

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