Crystal Awakening by Andrew Rowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been a big fan of Andrew Rowe's LitRPG with its focus on Enchanting and crafting. I've loved all the books, their adventure, friendships, worldbuilding, and of course the leveling up.

This particular book is a spin-off, based in the same magical world, but the difference is obvious right off the bat. It's a lot more friendship and team-building and character-focused than before. This is probably the effect of his co-author.

We still have the tower-climbing, the interpersonal challenges, the distinctive player styles, but now, after I've read it, it feels like it has a much more cozy Becky Chambers-ish style. More focus here than on the LitRPG elements.

It isn't bad, it's just different. In this respect, the spin-off is more like a regular fantasy, shedding its LitRPG roots in favor of plain adventure and heavier focus on characters. It's also a bit slower, but that's to be expected with the kind of style.

Not bad. I'll continue.

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