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No More Levels: A Standalone LitRPG Adventure
Now a finalist in Mark Lawrence's fantasy contest: SPFBO XI.
PRAISE FOR NO MORE
"Freaking awesome read" — Norman Meredith on Amazon (Verified Purchase)
"One heck of a good story" —Thomas on Amazon (Verified Purchase)
"Can't-put-it-down LitRPG" — Bou Te on Amazon
"Unexpectedly Good" —Carmac on Amazon (Verified Purchase)
"Excellent writing, fast paced, fun read." —kjordinn on Amazon
Life sucks when you’re a potato farmer.
That’s why Rin can’t wait to turn sixteen and conquer the nearest beginner dungeon. Only then can he acquire a powerful class in the Game of the Gods and begin the earnest grind to leveling up. With enough monster kills, he might even become someone truly strong, just like his father.
In a world where levels mean everything, it’s a perfect plan.
Until it all falls apart.
PRAISE FOR NO MORE
"Freaking awesome read" — Norman Meredith on Amazon (Verified Purchase)
"One heck of a good story" —Thomas on Amazon (Verified Purchase)
"Can't-put-it-down LitRPG" — Bou Te on Amazon
"Unexpectedly Good" —Carmac on Amazon (Verified Purchase)
"Excellent writing, fast paced, fun read." —kjordinn on Amazon
Life sucks when you’re a potato farmer.
That’s why Rin can’t wait to turn sixteen and conquer the nearest beginner dungeon. Only then can he acquire a powerful class in the Game of the Gods and begin the earnest grind to leveling up. With enough monster kills, he might even become someone truly strong, just like his father.
In a world where levels mean everything, it’s a perfect plan.
Until it all falls apart.
496 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 13, 2025
About the author
Benjamin Barreth
14 books32 followersHi, I’m Ben. I live in Kansas City with my wife and three kids. I’m a software developer for CarePortal and I strive to reflect Jesus with my life. I write fantasy stories that are fun, fast-paced, and full of adventure.
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June 1, 2026The book is a finalist in SPFBO 11!
It will compete with 9 other finalists from the field of 300 to see which will become this year's champion.
It's almost like a progression RPG :o
It will compete with 9 other finalists from the field of 300 to see which will become this year's champion.
It's almost like a progression RPG :o
August 2, 2026
Read as a judge for SPFBOXI (FantasyFaction). Opinion and rating are my own and not a reflection of team as a whole. 7.5/10
NGL, but I did go into this book with some degree of wariness as I am quite particular regarding RPGlit. (I recently read all the DCC books and I was "meh" - me and stats do not work well together) so I was surprised when I realised I'd almost read the entire book. The stats didn't pull me from the story as they usually do (though I did get my usual feeling that I've been implanted in some type of cyber dystopia when character's personal details are displayed above their heads) and I really liked the way the story subverted many of the usual RPGlit tropes.
I admit to nose snorting my coffee and subsequent giggles when it came to the chickens and i absolutely adored the Rhino.
I totally related to the way Rin's brain worked, extremely logical and didn't consider the shortcuts.
My main negative about this book was the evil stepmother and her henchman arc, it felt a tad superfluous and the battle scene fell flat
Overall, I did enjoy my time reading this. A great introduction to RPGlit, fun, lighthearted and not being swamped with heaps of percentages.
NGL, but I did go into this book with some degree of wariness as I am quite particular regarding RPGlit. (I recently read all the DCC books and I was "meh" - me and stats do not work well together) so I was surprised when I realised I'd almost read the entire book. The stats didn't pull me from the story as they usually do (though I did get my usual feeling that I've been implanted in some type of cyber dystopia when character's personal details are displayed above their heads) and I really liked the way the story subverted many of the usual RPGlit tropes.
I admit to nose snorting my coffee and subsequent giggles when it came to the chickens and i absolutely adored the Rhino.
I totally related to the way Rin's brain worked, extremely logical and didn't consider the shortcuts.
My main negative about this book was the evil stepmother and her henchman arc, it felt a tad superfluous and the battle scene fell flat
Overall, I did enjoy my time reading this. A great introduction to RPGlit, fun, lighthearted and not being swamped with heaps of percentages.
June 19, 2026
This was fun. I really liked Rin and his adventures. He did spend a lot of time alone with lots of the same things happening. I really liked his path to power.
March 9, 2026
This review was for SPFBO and can also be found at: https://fanfiaddict.com/review-no-mor...
LitRPG is taking the book world by storm. Don’t believe me? Just stop by your local Wal-Mart or Target to see Dungeon Crawler Carl sitting next to the backlog from Colleen Hoover and James Patterson. It seems like every other week there’s a new crowd-funding campaign for an exclusive hardback of a previous bestseller or the next big thing. There’s so many good ones out there, but for every great book that finds its audience, there are a dozen tedious trips through stat after stat after stat. It also seems to me that there’s no exit plan for many of these series as well…as the main character continues to fight and level up ad nauseum.
So, I was initially a little hesitant to read Benjamin Barreth’s No More Levels, unsure of what to expect from the standalone volume. I’m more than happy to report that I had a blast with the book and would gladly recommend it for a fun indie read.
Standalone novels in the LitRPG genre are rare, so Barreth’s book stands out a bit. Frankly, if he wanted, there are plenty of avenues Barreth could take to continue the story he started in No More Levels, but with his comments after the conclusion of the novel, it’s clear that he took on the challenge of this book fully knowing he was bucking the trend of the genre. No More Levels largely succeeds in what it is, giving readers an entertaining time in a unique fantasy world.
No More Levels follows Rin as he’s about to turn 16 and will be able to finally hit a dungeon, get his first class and begin the process of leveling up. Unfortunately for Rin, he’s marked by a past he doesn’t even remember – an evil stepmother who wants to finally clear him out of the picture to make sure her legitimacy on the throne can’t be questioned. Faced with death, Rin is forced to choose the Cursed class, and is bonded to the god Craven. Up to here, the story is a fairly-standard LitRPG, but then Barreth takes Rin on an unexpected journey — what if your character can’t level up anymore? There’s some fun puzzles Rin has to solve and paths he goes down that people in his world haven’t trod before.
If I had complaints, there were still “stat info dumps” from time to time and it does bog down in the middle just a tad, but for me, those were minor complaints. I felt the propulsion of Barreth’s narrative pushing me from page to page, curious how Rin’s Cursed status would affect both him and those he interacted with.
No More Levels is a very clean read, so don’t expect the crude humor and language from other LitRPG offerings, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. It was wonderful being able to relax and just enjoy Rin’s story, with hints of a cozy story from time to time. In many ways, I might even classify this as Middle Grade/Young Adult in how the author frames the story. There are definite stakes for Rin as well as the world he lives in, but thanks to his unique skills and class, No More Levels is a lively and lighthearted book.
In the end, I couldn’t help but love No More Levels by Benjamin Barreth. As a standalone, it works tremendously well, taking Rin on a complete journey in just one book. I would definitely check out more works by Barreth in the future, even if they aren’t standalone.
LitRPG is taking the book world by storm. Don’t believe me? Just stop by your local Wal-Mart or Target to see Dungeon Crawler Carl sitting next to the backlog from Colleen Hoover and James Patterson. It seems like every other week there’s a new crowd-funding campaign for an exclusive hardback of a previous bestseller or the next big thing. There’s so many good ones out there, but for every great book that finds its audience, there are a dozen tedious trips through stat after stat after stat. It also seems to me that there’s no exit plan for many of these series as well…as the main character continues to fight and level up ad nauseum.
So, I was initially a little hesitant to read Benjamin Barreth’s No More Levels, unsure of what to expect from the standalone volume. I’m more than happy to report that I had a blast with the book and would gladly recommend it for a fun indie read.
Standalone novels in the LitRPG genre are rare, so Barreth’s book stands out a bit. Frankly, if he wanted, there are plenty of avenues Barreth could take to continue the story he started in No More Levels, but with his comments after the conclusion of the novel, it’s clear that he took on the challenge of this book fully knowing he was bucking the trend of the genre. No More Levels largely succeeds in what it is, giving readers an entertaining time in a unique fantasy world.
No More Levels follows Rin as he’s about to turn 16 and will be able to finally hit a dungeon, get his first class and begin the process of leveling up. Unfortunately for Rin, he’s marked by a past he doesn’t even remember – an evil stepmother who wants to finally clear him out of the picture to make sure her legitimacy on the throne can’t be questioned. Faced with death, Rin is forced to choose the Cursed class, and is bonded to the god Craven. Up to here, the story is a fairly-standard LitRPG, but then Barreth takes Rin on an unexpected journey — what if your character can’t level up anymore? There’s some fun puzzles Rin has to solve and paths he goes down that people in his world haven’t trod before.
If I had complaints, there were still “stat info dumps” from time to time and it does bog down in the middle just a tad, but for me, those were minor complaints. I felt the propulsion of Barreth’s narrative pushing me from page to page, curious how Rin’s Cursed status would affect both him and those he interacted with.
No More Levels is a very clean read, so don’t expect the crude humor and language from other LitRPG offerings, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. It was wonderful being able to relax and just enjoy Rin’s story, with hints of a cozy story from time to time. In many ways, I might even classify this as Middle Grade/Young Adult in how the author frames the story. There are definite stakes for Rin as well as the world he lives in, but thanks to his unique skills and class, No More Levels is a lively and lighthearted book.
In the end, I couldn’t help but love No More Levels by Benjamin Barreth. As a standalone, it works tremendously well, taking Rin on a complete journey in just one book. I would definitely check out more works by Barreth in the future, even if they aren’t standalone.
July 9, 2026
3,5 stars
No More Levels by Benjamin Barreth
This one's a fun ride that stumbles right at the finish line.
Let's start with the obvious win: it's a standalone LitRPG. That alone makes it stand out in a genre that usually demands a five book commitment before you even know if you like it.
The story follows Rin, a potato farmer's kid who can't wait to hit sixteen and dive into a beginner dungeon to get his class. He ends up picking an unconventional path, and watching him make the most of that choice is one of the book's real strengths. The tone and voice carry a lot of the book too, there's a genuine sense of fun running through it, helped along by a trickster god who brings solid humor throughout.
Rin gets overpowered fast, and for most of the book that works fine, it's part of the appeal. There's a nice cast of monsters and companions, some magic and world building ideas that go against genre expectations, a properly murderous ghost, and game mechanics that get used in fresher ways than you'd expect, which helps balance out the more familiar trope-heavy stretches.
Then the big final showdown arrives, built up like it's going to be the epic payoff, and it just fizzles. Anticlimactic in the truest sense, all that tension deflates in an instant instead of landing with any weight. It's a real letdown after the buildup, and it has a knock on effect: suddenly the tropes, the predictability, the convenient plotting that the fun tone had been carrying you past start to grate more than they would have otherwise. The actual ending after that scene picks the fun back up again, so it's really that one sequence that throws things off.
Still a book I enjoyed, just one that left an aftertaste it didn't need to.
No More Levels by Benjamin Barreth
This one's a fun ride that stumbles right at the finish line.
Let's start with the obvious win: it's a standalone LitRPG. That alone makes it stand out in a genre that usually demands a five book commitment before you even know if you like it.
The story follows Rin, a potato farmer's kid who can't wait to hit sixteen and dive into a beginner dungeon to get his class. He ends up picking an unconventional path, and watching him make the most of that choice is one of the book's real strengths. The tone and voice carry a lot of the book too, there's a genuine sense of fun running through it, helped along by a trickster god who brings solid humor throughout.
Rin gets overpowered fast, and for most of the book that works fine, it's part of the appeal. There's a nice cast of monsters and companions, some magic and world building ideas that go against genre expectations, a properly murderous ghost, and game mechanics that get used in fresher ways than you'd expect, which helps balance out the more familiar trope-heavy stretches.
Then the big final showdown arrives, built up like it's going to be the epic payoff, and it just fizzles. Anticlimactic in the truest sense, all that tension deflates in an instant instead of landing with any weight. It's a real letdown after the buildup, and it has a knock on effect: suddenly the tropes, the predictability, the convenient plotting that the fun tone had been carrying you past start to grate more than they would have otherwise. The actual ending after that scene picks the fun back up again, so it's really that one sequence that throws things off.
Still a book I enjoyed, just one that left an aftertaste it didn't need to.
April 16, 2026
One of the coolest things about SPFBO is reading genres you wouldn’t ever pick up on your own. No More Levels is a standalone Litrpg novel, something I’ve gathered just doesn’t happen very often. Before I talk about the book itself, I want to say that Litrpg isn’t really my thing. I liked Dungeon Crawler Carl, but I’ve struggled to find any other Litrpg that held my attention. I’ve tried and DNFed several popular Litrpg series. I love playing RPGs, but the conversion to book form just doesn’t often work for me. However, since this is a competition and I’m judging, I had to put my personal taste aside because No More Levels is one of our semi-finalists.
And oh my God, I’m super glad I did. No More Levels is, simply put, a fantastic story. Am I a Litrpg fan now? Possibly, if I can find more books like this one!
We follow Rin, a young man getting started on his journey into the dungeons of his world (as a level one potato farmer). He has big plans, but those plans immediately go off the rails. He’s stuck at level 6 forever and is cursed to only be able to add to his Charisma stat for the rest of his life. This landed with me because I’m the kinda guy that always maxes out charisma with my characters so that they can attempt to talk their way out of situations. What’s so cool about No More Levels is all of the ingenious ways Rin uses charisma and some different cursed abilities he finds. He’s especially adept at charming creatures, leading to cool animal companions (thunder rhinos, anyone?) and some really fun moments where he transforms into different creatures.
The bad guys in the story are often in the background and I confess I forgot about them a bit at different points, but Rin and his journey were so fun that I never got bored, even if I sometimes felt like skimming the stats. The first few chapters lead you to believe it might be a relatively normal dungeon crawl journey, but Barreth does a fantastic job subverting those expectations and making this story unique and special.
The prose is smooth, the character enjoyable, and though there were a few minor issues with headhopping, this is a fantastic book, something for any fantasy lover. Even if you’re a Litrpg-denier like me, I promise you that this book is absolutely worth the read! In terms of content, it’s safe for any YA reader but also intriguing enough for adults. Highly recommended!
And oh my God, I’m super glad I did. No More Levels is, simply put, a fantastic story. Am I a Litrpg fan now? Possibly, if I can find more books like this one!
We follow Rin, a young man getting started on his journey into the dungeons of his world (as a level one potato farmer). He has big plans, but those plans immediately go off the rails. He’s stuck at level 6 forever and is cursed to only be able to add to his Charisma stat for the rest of his life. This landed with me because I’m the kinda guy that always maxes out charisma with my characters so that they can attempt to talk their way out of situations. What’s so cool about No More Levels is all of the ingenious ways Rin uses charisma and some different cursed abilities he finds. He’s especially adept at charming creatures, leading to cool animal companions (thunder rhinos, anyone?) and some really fun moments where he transforms into different creatures.
The bad guys in the story are often in the background and I confess I forgot about them a bit at different points, but Rin and his journey were so fun that I never got bored, even if I sometimes felt like skimming the stats. The first few chapters lead you to believe it might be a relatively normal dungeon crawl journey, but Barreth does a fantastic job subverting those expectations and making this story unique and special.
The prose is smooth, the character enjoyable, and though there were a few minor issues with headhopping, this is a fantastic book, something for any fantasy lover. Even if you’re a Litrpg-denier like me, I promise you that this book is absolutely worth the read! In terms of content, it’s safe for any YA reader but also intriguing enough for adults. Highly recommended!
July 20, 2026
LitRPG is definitely having its time in the sun at the moment and it is not surprising to see a LitRPG book doing well in the latest SPFBO. No More Levels is a curious creature in that it is an attempt to do a standalone LitRPG. Given that the nature of the genre is the steady build up of stats and abilities over an extended period this is an intriguing choice, and it basically twists the concept into LitRPG: The Cheat Code Edition. Our MC is basically playing by a different ruleset to everyone else. Most Lit RPGs kind of do this anyway - the MCs tend to have plot armour so strong that they are punching well above their weight and ability. No More Levels just does this more explicitly. And honestly, this is kind of fun for this novel, but I am glad it is being kept as a standalone - as with any game with a cheatcode, playing with the cheatcode active is fun to begin with but runs the risk of getting boring. For me personally, No More Levels played it pretty well here.
This book was unashamed fun. There is no higher message, nothing particularly literarily unique and it is honestly not pretending to be anything more than it is - a silly romp in an LitRPG universe with an MC having fun breaking the in world rules.
This book was unashamed fun. There is no higher message, nothing particularly literarily unique and it is honestly not pretending to be anything more than it is - a silly romp in an LitRPG universe with an MC having fun breaking the in world rules.
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June 13, 2026rtc
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August 7, 2026This is a finalist in the 11th Self-Publishing Fantasy Blog Off, which I read as one of the judges for the Fantasy-Hive's reviewing team.
Our full collaborative reviews for the finalists will be posted on the Hive from late September onwards and I will update this review then with a link to the review and a rating.
In the meantime you can read more about SPFBO11 and access other reviews here
Our full collaborative reviews for the finalists will be posted on the Hive from late September onwards and I will update this review then with a link to the review and a rating.
In the meantime you can read more about SPFBO11 and access other reviews here
July 20, 2025
Amazing Story
What an amazing story. I almost never give out 5 stars but I couldn't find anything wrong with the book. Our young hero is nearly stopped in his tracks by being forced to make a choice that could cripple his ability to fight. He learns to make the best of it and his adaptability becomes his greatest tool.
I hope you like it as much as I did!
What an amazing story. I almost never give out 5 stars but I couldn't find anything wrong with the book. Our young hero is nearly stopped in his tracks by being forced to make a choice that could cripple his ability to fight. He learns to make the best of it and his adaptability becomes his greatest tool.
I hope you like it as much as I did!
August 2, 2026
superstardrifter.com
No More Levels is the story of Rin, who is a potato farmer in the world of The Gods' Game. He can't wait to turn 16 so he can go into his beginner dungeon and pick a class. Unfortunately for Rin, this doesn't go at all like he has planned, and Rin ends up Cursed. Being Cursed means that you can't gain any EXP at all - and so Rin is fated to forever be a level 6 potato farmer.
But, as it turns out, Rin finds out that being Cursed isn't exactly what people think it is, and so he goes his own way, finding all of the dungeons that he can so that he can level up the most unusual way that he or anyone has ever seen. Craven, the god of the Cursed, has all kinds of secrets, and Rin is going to find them all.
This one surprised me. LitRPG and I have a weird relationship - I bounce off them a lot, and it's really nothing against LitRPG as a genre, I just have a hard time jiving with a lot of them because in a genre that erupted like this one did, there's just so many that are just the same thing over and over. So when I started reading this one and realized it was the 'we're regular people with regular lives except we see stats in our heads, because reasons' kind of LitRPG, I will admit that I rolled my eyes.
But then I read further and all of a sudden I was like 65% into it? How did that happen?!
Rin was an easy character to cheer for. He gets the shaft here, and he doesn't know why. He just knows that his father was not who he thought, and that his father's wife absolutely hates him. So he starts out being quite literally punished for nothing. He becomes Cursed, and as such he is shunned by most everyone he meets. But Rin rises above all that and discovers that the Cursed class works differently than everyone thinks. Sure, it can't gain levels or EXP the traditional way, but it certainly isn't weak. So, this level 6 potato farmer is going to show the world that being Cursed isn't the worst thing that could happen!
All told, I had a solid 8/10 stars of fun with No More Levels - if you're into LitRPG, you're going to like it, and if you're not sure where to start with them, this would be a good one to start to wade into the ocean with.
No More Levels is the story of Rin, who is a potato farmer in the world of The Gods' Game. He can't wait to turn 16 so he can go into his beginner dungeon and pick a class. Unfortunately for Rin, this doesn't go at all like he has planned, and Rin ends up Cursed. Being Cursed means that you can't gain any EXP at all - and so Rin is fated to forever be a level 6 potato farmer.
But, as it turns out, Rin finds out that being Cursed isn't exactly what people think it is, and so he goes his own way, finding all of the dungeons that he can so that he can level up the most unusual way that he or anyone has ever seen. Craven, the god of the Cursed, has all kinds of secrets, and Rin is going to find them all.
This one surprised me. LitRPG and I have a weird relationship - I bounce off them a lot, and it's really nothing against LitRPG as a genre, I just have a hard time jiving with a lot of them because in a genre that erupted like this one did, there's just so many that are just the same thing over and over. So when I started reading this one and realized it was the 'we're regular people with regular lives except we see stats in our heads, because reasons' kind of LitRPG, I will admit that I rolled my eyes.
But then I read further and all of a sudden I was like 65% into it? How did that happen?!
Rin was an easy character to cheer for. He gets the shaft here, and he doesn't know why. He just knows that his father was not who he thought, and that his father's wife absolutely hates him. So he starts out being quite literally punished for nothing. He becomes Cursed, and as such he is shunned by most everyone he meets. But Rin rises above all that and discovers that the Cursed class works differently than everyone thinks. Sure, it can't gain levels or EXP the traditional way, but it certainly isn't weak. So, this level 6 potato farmer is going to show the world that being Cursed isn't the worst thing that could happen!
All told, I had a solid 8/10 stars of fun with No More Levels - if you're into LitRPG, you're going to like it, and if you're not sure where to start with them, this would be a good one to start to wade into the ocean with.
May 3, 2026
Sometimes you need a book that’s just fun and No More Levels is that book.
Rin is a potato farmer waiting to turn sixteen so he can conquer a dungeon, earn a class in the Game of the Gods, and start grinding his way to becoming someone powerful. It’s a simple, satisfying setup, and Barreth wastes no time getting the adventure rolling. The quips and humor between Rin and the rest of the cast are genuinely entertaining, and while none of the characters are particularly deep, they don’t need to be. Everyone is fun to follow, and the banter keeps the pages turning.
The world and magic system are really well done. Barreth has clearly thought through how everything works, and the result is a LitRPG setting that feels complete and internally consistent without ever bogging you down in mechanics. It’s the kind of system that enhances the story rather than replacing it.
If I have one small gripe, it’s that two of the three main challenges Rin faces never quite felt like they could actually beat him. He was scared, sure, but the tension was more a matter of when he’d succeed rather than if. The third challenge, though, landed perfectly. And the ending tied everything together in a way that left me satisfied and smiling.
The prose is simple and serviceable. It never tries to be more than it needs to be, and it never gets in its own way. That’s exactly the right call for a book like this.
No More Levels is perfect popcorn reading. A great standalone you can knock out in a weekend, ideal as a palette cleanser between heavier, more demanding books. If you’re a fan of The Rising of the Shield Hero or love the feeling of working through a Zelda dungeon, this one is absolutely for you.
Rin is a potato farmer waiting to turn sixteen so he can conquer a dungeon, earn a class in the Game of the Gods, and start grinding his way to becoming someone powerful. It’s a simple, satisfying setup, and Barreth wastes no time getting the adventure rolling. The quips and humor between Rin and the rest of the cast are genuinely entertaining, and while none of the characters are particularly deep, they don’t need to be. Everyone is fun to follow, and the banter keeps the pages turning.
The world and magic system are really well done. Barreth has clearly thought through how everything works, and the result is a LitRPG setting that feels complete and internally consistent without ever bogging you down in mechanics. It’s the kind of system that enhances the story rather than replacing it.
If I have one small gripe, it’s that two of the three main challenges Rin faces never quite felt like they could actually beat him. He was scared, sure, but the tension was more a matter of when he’d succeed rather than if. The third challenge, though, landed perfectly. And the ending tied everything together in a way that left me satisfied and smiling.
The prose is simple and serviceable. It never tries to be more than it needs to be, and it never gets in its own way. That’s exactly the right call for a book like this.
No More Levels is perfect popcorn reading. A great standalone you can knock out in a weekend, ideal as a palette cleanser between heavier, more demanding books. If you’re a fan of The Rising of the Shield Hero or love the feeling of working through a Zelda dungeon, this one is absolutely for you.
July 26, 2026
OK, OK, OK, so you put a cover up with a kid riding a rhinoceros like it’s the best day of his life and apparently I’m a sucker for picking it up. Someone mentioned it the other day and suddenly it jumped ahead of a bunch of other stuff in my TBR. I’m not unhappy about this on any level, this book was a sheer pleasure to read. It’s a clever and unique take on a dungeon crawler. The author is really quite inventive in giving us new ways to think about the tropes that we encounter.
Rin is turning 16, he’s going to be an adventurer and as such he sets off to go to a beginner dungeon to pick a class and begin his journey. That there would probably be a book I’d read but things, for Rin, go awry early and quite definitively. Through no real fault of his own Rin is given a cursed class. Cursed classes, in his land, are pretty much treated worse than the untouchables. But there are special things about being of a cursed class as he is and Rin is just the right person to figure those things out.
This book is one unexpected turn after another. Barreth is truly very good at keeping us on our toes and engaged. Rin is charming, smart and someone we can get behind and root for. The evil characters are written pretty evil and we can all get behind them getting their comeuppances. Being as this is a YA book, the black and white of good and evil is expected and fits right in.
I really enjoyed this book and am very glad that I inserted into my reading list ahead of schedule.
Rin is turning 16, he’s going to be an adventurer and as such he sets off to go to a beginner dungeon to pick a class and begin his journey. That there would probably be a book I’d read but things, for Rin, go awry early and quite definitively. Through no real fault of his own Rin is given a cursed class. Cursed classes, in his land, are pretty much treated worse than the untouchables. But there are special things about being of a cursed class as he is and Rin is just the right person to figure those things out.
This book is one unexpected turn after another. Barreth is truly very good at keeping us on our toes and engaged. Rin is charming, smart and someone we can get behind and root for. The evil characters are written pretty evil and we can all get behind them getting their comeuppances. Being as this is a YA book, the black and white of good and evil is expected and fits right in.
I really enjoyed this book and am very glad that I inserted into my reading list ahead of schedule.
December 20, 2025
No More Levels is that rarest of breeds, a stand-alone LitRPG story. This is only the second one I've found in recent times, but folks, if you're looking for a enjoyable leisurely afternoon read, this is the book you're hunting for.
The main character gets drawn into a plot to assassinate him, just because he's the illegitimate offspring of a noble. No fault of his own of course, but you know those nobles, can't have any would be heirs popping up at inconvenient times. Suffice it to say, the assassins don't fair well, but that of course doesn't end the story, oh, no, there's plenty more assassins, non leveling, creatures galore, and of course, exploits. (Did I mention the exploits?)
Well, there you go, now you know what kind of story this is, so even there's no direct cheating, exploits can win the day, even if they're not actually exploits. (just go read it, you'll understand).
And, just for the record, there's nothing preventing the author from writing another stand-alone book in this world for those who want to see more happenings here.
The main character gets drawn into a plot to assassinate him, just because he's the illegitimate offspring of a noble. No fault of his own of course, but you know those nobles, can't have any would be heirs popping up at inconvenient times. Suffice it to say, the assassins don't fair well, but that of course doesn't end the story, oh, no, there's plenty more assassins, non leveling, creatures galore, and of course, exploits. (Did I mention the exploits?)
Well, there you go, now you know what kind of story this is, so even there's no direct cheating, exploits can win the day, even if they're not actually exploits. (just go read it, you'll understand).
And, just for the record, there's nothing preventing the author from writing another stand-alone book in this world for those who want to see more happenings here.
June 14, 2026
The main character is so stupid, it hurts
The book gets very repetitive after a while. The dungeon clears are just not fun after maybe the 2nd dungeon. It feels like the same thing every time. He finds some flowers, and does his stupid search for secrets. He lets his god choose all rewards, which is also lame.
The book keeps getting worse, the more you read it. It starts out at a solid 4 stars... by then end it is at 0 stars.
Why would there be so many Cursed people living outside of a small village? How did they all choose to be cursed? Everyone knows how these people are treated. It makes no sense. None of them were forced to choose being cursed.
If there are this many people who are Cursed.... then WHY DID NONE OF THEM EAT THE FLOWERS? I don't get it. He didn't do anything special. If the only thing you can increase is Charisma, then that's what people would do. The author pretends like this kid is some kind of genius for eating flowers.
The Villain woman killed the MC father. She then sent guys to torture the child, forced him into being cursed, sent multiple assassins after him, and set him up to die in a duel. And then the kid is still like "Nah, I can't kill anyone in cold blood". LOL. Seriously? I hate stupidity like this. The same kid then kills like 300 people BTW, and doesn't feel anything at all.
The final battles were pure garbage.
The battle against the Lord was PURE LUCK. Playing dead, and hoping that the enemy will put on a ring before the battle is even officially over? LOL. The ring conveniently doesn't identify as being poisonous, even though it is a ring of Craven? Yea right. This is purely done so that this idiotic battle can take place in this manner. This is just Plot Contrivance.
The Giant Crab comes out of nowhere. So stupid.
The assassins see a Civilization Ending Crab Apocalypse... and what do they do? They all get ready to kill a child who is actively fighting the Crab. As soon as the fight with a Godzilla Crab is over they pop up like some sort of ultra cheezy bullshit... and say "gotcha"! Found you! LOL it is SOOOOO stupid and unrealistic. Nobody would be thinking to track down a kid, DURING an apocalypse.
The gods ascend if they get a follower to kill a Giant Crab.... SO THEN WHY THE HELL DON'T THEY ALL GIVE THEIR FOLLOWERS WHATEVER OVERPOWERED STUFF POSSIBLE? It makes no sense. They would be incentivized to just give endless power to 1 or 2 people.
The book gets very repetitive after a while. The dungeon clears are just not fun after maybe the 2nd dungeon. It feels like the same thing every time. He finds some flowers, and does his stupid search for secrets. He lets his god choose all rewards, which is also lame.
The book keeps getting worse, the more you read it. It starts out at a solid 4 stars... by then end it is at 0 stars.
Why would there be so many Cursed people living outside of a small village? How did they all choose to be cursed? Everyone knows how these people are treated. It makes no sense. None of them were forced to choose being cursed.
If there are this many people who are Cursed.... then WHY DID NONE OF THEM EAT THE FLOWERS? I don't get it. He didn't do anything special. If the only thing you can increase is Charisma, then that's what people would do. The author pretends like this kid is some kind of genius for eating flowers.
The Villain woman killed the MC father. She then sent guys to torture the child, forced him into being cursed, sent multiple assassins after him, and set him up to die in a duel. And then the kid is still like "Nah, I can't kill anyone in cold blood". LOL. Seriously? I hate stupidity like this. The same kid then kills like 300 people BTW, and doesn't feel anything at all.
The final battles were pure garbage.
The battle against the Lord was PURE LUCK. Playing dead, and hoping that the enemy will put on a ring before the battle is even officially over? LOL. The ring conveniently doesn't identify as being poisonous, even though it is a ring of Craven? Yea right. This is purely done so that this idiotic battle can take place in this manner. This is just Plot Contrivance.
The Giant Crab comes out of nowhere. So stupid.
The assassins see a Civilization Ending Crab Apocalypse... and what do they do? They all get ready to kill a child who is actively fighting the Crab. As soon as the fight with a Godzilla Crab is over they pop up like some sort of ultra cheezy bullshit... and say "gotcha"! Found you! LOL it is SOOOOO stupid and unrealistic. Nobody would be thinking to track down a kid, DURING an apocalypse.
The gods ascend if they get a follower to kill a Giant Crab.... SO THEN WHY THE HELL DON'T THEY ALL GIVE THEIR FOLLOWERS WHATEVER OVERPOWERED STUFF POSSIBLE? It makes no sense. They would be incentivized to just give endless power to 1 or 2 people.
June 24, 2026
I’m not much of a video games player, and so for the first 25% of the book, I mostly thought it seemed pretty silly. Then about the 30% mark, I actually started liking Rin as a character and decided to stick with it. Rin is a great character in that he keeps going even when the going gets tough. Life may be giving him lemons, but he’s determined to make something out of them. The humor wasn’t my style, but I’m sure some people would find it funny. The writing was a bit on the fluffy side, easy to read, and did keep me coming back for more. All the different monsters were fun, and I actually was hoping Rin would do more traveling and find even more monsters. The end battle was a bit too violent for my tastes. Nice to have a standalone! 3.5 stars
Content: Very frequent PG-level language, crude humor, fantasy violence
Content: Very frequent PG-level language, crude humor, fantasy violence
September 19, 2025
Can't-Put-It-Down LitRPG - in a single book
Like Lit RPG? Go get this book. Then come read the rest of the review.
Ben has crafted a single-serving success.
No More Levels is an enjoyable romp through the eyes of 16 year-old Rin.
As someone who is currently in the middle of about 12 different lit RPG series, waiting for the next installments to be written (looking at you Seth Glass), being able to finish one in one go is immensely satisfying. Let alone, one so well executed.
Could this be dragged out into multiple books? Sure. Is there a need to do so? Not at all.
Thank you Ben for creating this incredibly enjoyable tale. I, for one, enjoy the riding off into the sunset and imagining the "what comes next."
This is my most satisfying read in recent history.
Like Lit RPG? Go get this book. Then come read the rest of the review.
Ben has crafted a single-serving success.
No More Levels is an enjoyable romp through the eyes of 16 year-old Rin.
As someone who is currently in the middle of about 12 different lit RPG series, waiting for the next installments to be written (looking at you Seth Glass), being able to finish one in one go is immensely satisfying. Let alone, one so well executed.
Could this be dragged out into multiple books? Sure. Is there a need to do so? Not at all.
Thank you Ben for creating this incredibly enjoyable tale. I, for one, enjoy the riding off into the sunset and imagining the "what comes next."
This is my most satisfying read in recent history.
August 29, 2025
Just could not get into the pitiable story.
I really enjoyed the authors first series. This one however was jus not my cup of tea. The MC is cursed by a petty god and then the plot devices and dues ex reign in the story. I felt sorry for the MC but not compelled to find out how much the author was going to have to make up new unbelievable stuff just so his MC would not be useless. I say this because in the story, there are a lot of other cursed people who only are allowed to live miserable lives and are not afforded dues ex or plot devices.
I really enjoyed the authors first series. This one however was jus not my cup of tea. The MC is cursed by a petty god and then the plot devices and dues ex reign in the story. I felt sorry for the MC but not compelled to find out how much the author was going to have to make up new unbelievable stuff just so his MC would not be useless. I say this because in the story, there are a lot of other cursed people who only are allowed to live miserable lives and are not afforded dues ex or plot devices.
August 30, 2025
This was three stars for half the book just for a very weak story. It sank to two for its bad characters. But landed at one star fire a horrible ending. The parents' actions show they are terrible parents and useless guardians. The main character was supposed to be training for most of his life but was just an idiot for most of the book. By the end, I was disconnected from the characters and did not care what happened to any of them.
November 1, 2025
From the depths to the highest high
Starts out same old same then an old unknown enemy strikes the MC what appears to be a career ending curse. MC carries on trying his best to improve his lot by going a totally unexpected route gathering strength and friends to fight his enemies in unexpected ways to emerge victorious and achieve an incredible reward. Read in 1 seating as I couldn't tear myself away
Starts out same old same then an old unknown enemy strikes the MC what appears to be a career ending curse. MC carries on trying his best to improve his lot by going a totally unexpected route gathering strength and friends to fight his enemies in unexpected ways to emerge victorious and achieve an incredible reward. Read in 1 seating as I couldn't tear myself away
August 28, 2025
Good solid book
Ill start by saying that its cool that this was just one story' and not a series. Love longer series' but refreshing to wrap it up in one book. The story was original and MC likeable.. Worth the read.
Ill start by saying that its cool that this was just one story' and not a series. Love longer series' but refreshing to wrap it up in one book. The story was original and MC likeable.. Worth the read.
September 13, 2025
Whew!
It usually takes a dozen pages for me to decide to turn a "sample" into a book purchase. I knew I was getting the book within a few paragraphs... Much like the OVERPOWERED DUNGEON BOY, this is an incredibly fun read.
It usually takes a dozen pages for me to decide to turn a "sample" into a book purchase. I knew I was getting the book within a few paragraphs... Much like the OVERPOWERED DUNGEON BOY, this is an incredibly fun read.
September 14, 2025
A really good LITRPG with little leveling, but a lot of development!
LITRPG has pretty much one drawback. No one knows how to complete a story arc. This book is the answer to those of us who don't want to read a twenty-four book series. A great and engaging read!
LITRPG has pretty much one drawback. No one knows how to complete a story arc. This book is the answer to those of us who don't want to read a twenty-four book series. A great and engaging read!
October 25, 2025
ONE AND DONE-THANK YOU!
This was a great novel with a truly unusual main character and a wonderfully bizarre rise to power. I’m so glad I don’t have to wait ages for sequels. I can move on to another book. I did NOT predict that ending!
This was a great novel with a truly unusual main character and a wonderfully bizarre rise to power. I’m so glad I don’t have to wait ages for sequels. I can move on to another book. I did NOT predict that ending!
August 3, 2025
What a fun read
The MC is dealt a crappy hand, that he turns into an outstanding set of abilities. Excellent character development and story line
Read it, you'll love it.
The MC is dealt a crappy hand, that he turns into an outstanding set of abilities. Excellent character development and story line
Read it, you'll love it.
September 15, 2025
Good read
I enjoyed reading this book and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action.
I enjoyed reading this book and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression type of books with lots of action.
December 23, 2025
Fun Quick Read
Enjoyable story. I also like that everything concludes by the end. It’s nice to not have to wait for the next book before you find out how everything ends.
Enjoyable story. I also like that everything concludes by the end. It’s nice to not have to wait for the next book before you find out how everything ends.
March 17, 2026
Quick, easy, kid friendly LitRPG! Classic tale of an underdog succeeding against all odds!
July 1, 2026
My first SPFBO 11 read. A fun little LitRPG romp that had some fun twists. It's not groundbreaking literature, but I had a hard time putting it down.
August 17, 2026
A standalone LitRPG, this one was a surprise in more than one ways, including the fact that it is a standalone LitRPG!!!!
Full RTC
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Full RTC
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