Author of LitRPG, Gamelit, Sci-Fi, Progression Fantasy & Historical Fiction Books.
Author of LitRPG, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Sci-Fi, Murder Mystery & Historical Fiction Books.
CivCEO Book 4
8/10
Andrew Karevik
LitRPG, Gamelit, 4x, Strategy
The Story
The time is now. Ever since he first set foot in Liora, Charles had to suffer the Tradesmen's criminal practices, but now is the time for him to strike back and take them down for good.
But as our dear Champion gets ready to make his move, his plans are smashed to bits. While he counted on his trading with Liskoa to bring him the money needed to fund his retaliation, he can only watch as a pirate ship sinks one of his vessels, cutting off the cash coming in.
As it turns out, those pirates received their orders from a city under Tradesmen management. Willing to investigate the matter, Charles decides to pay the place a visit. Maybe there's a way he can sway the guildmaster and get him in his pocket, just like he did with Tanders.... His hopes quickly vanish when he finds that two factions are really governing the city, and none is interested in challenging the status quo. Thankfully, not all is lost.
Join Charles as the borders of his small empire continue to expand, threatening to gobble up that of an allied force. Join him as yet another advisor slot opens, allowing him to finally appoint a Spymaster and create an intelligence network to help him subvert his enemies.
My Review
Alright, so it looks like I’m way too deep into the CivCEO rabbit hole to quit, with no signs of resurfacing anytime soon. With Book 4, the stakes are cranked up a notch again (how many notches are there), and Charles finds himself tangled in a mess of pirates (yay!), guild politics, and shady city management. It’s like taking the satisfaction of a 4X strategy game and blending it with the intrigue of a fantasy world — who knew city management could be this riveting? Plus pirates. Everyone loves pirates.
Thankfully (for plot armour), Charles is no stranger to tackling tough scenarios, but having his plans disrupted by a pirate ship sinking one of his trade vessels was a real twist. Just when you think you’ve got the economy under control, Karevik throws in a curveball. And speaking of curveballs, the introduction of a Spymaster is a game-changer. It’s like that moment in a game where you unlock a new ability that suddenly opens up all these new strategies. Personally, in Rome Total War this was one of my favourite strategies: send the spies in to open the gates or to assassinate the stronger leaders or generals, so it was really nice to see the mechanic in play here.
Again, what really hits me with this series was the nostalgia for those days spent micromanaging virtual empires. It’s like the book rekindles that old gamer spirit (and at 30-something years old I’m sure you know what I’m talking about). Kind of a reminder of why we loved these complex, world-building games in the first place.
The addition of new factions and the internal politics of the guilds keeps things fresh and adds layers to the story. It’s more than just building a city; it’s about navigating the delicate balance of power and making strategic alliances – even if they can be… tenuous.
This is another deep dive into strategy and diplomacy, with a fantasy twist. As always, Karevik’s storytelling keeps you hooked, and I’m already itching to see what the next book brings. If you’re a fan of the series then most likely, like me, you find yourself reliving the glory days of strategy games while diving into this narrative. Should I go buy Civ5? I’m just about hanging on at this point.