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 5
8/10
Andrew Karevik
LitRPG, Gamelit, 4x, Strategy
The Story
The Tradesmen are no more. With the help of his allies, Charles finally managed to oust the nefarious guild and free Liora of its iron grip. Yet, the destruction of the Tradesmen had an unexpected effect. The vast territory they were controlling is now up for grabs, triggering a race for all Champions to claim as much land as possible. And in that rush, new dangers and enemies arise.
To counter those threats, Charles - always the big thinker - decides to create a coalition, some sort of defensive organization like NATO from his old world. But when he sets on his way to meet with possible members, something happens and one Champion is murdered in front of him. Before he disappears, the assassin makes it clear that Charles is next. And not even Roost, Knives, or Alamander might save him.
Is this the end of the road for the ruler of Tine, or will he manage to use his wits and a lifetime of experience to once again escape sure death and the annihilation of his nation?
Follow Charles as he returns to the Scale Market to trade with more dragons and curry favor with them. Follow him as he is finally forced to develop his army and start investing money and points into military advancements.
My Review
So here we are, knee deep into the CivCEO series, and Book 5 has definitely opened up a whole new case of cans of worms, including the epic takedown of the Tradesmen (spoiler alert), and Charles and his allies find themselves in a land rush, scrambling to claim territories left in the power vacuum. It’s like watching a chess game unfold, but with dragons and magic thrown in for good measure. Hooked yet? (Yes).
In this instalment, Charles’s big brain goes into overdrive as he tries to form a coalition reminiscent of NATO from our world (no mentioning current world politics cough cough). The stakes are high, especially with a (spoiler alert) assassin taking out a Champion right in front of Charles and making it clear he’s next. This twist had me on the edge of my seat, more so because Karevik’s knack for tension makes you wonder if this might really be the end for Charles and Tyne. It isn’t, because there are more books, I checked. But still it shows that they can get to him, and that’s a big worry.
But what really got me in this one was the unexpected shift towards military development. Yes I know that once the economics are sorted, the red flashing “you are under attack” warning starts off, but I just didn’t think Charles would be up for that. Charles, who’s always been about strategy and economic prowess, is now diving into building an army. It feels like watching a pacifist gamer suddenly switch to a war strategy, and to be fair, it’s fascinating. Also, the return to the Scale Market for dragon trading added that familiar yet fresh element that keeps the series grounded in its unique blend of economics and fantasy. And I have to say, what a great side-story the dragons are. The name thing and the scale market? Brilliant.
All in all, CivCEO book 5 – like the rest of them, is a wild ride (have I said that before?). It’s the kind of book that makes you appreciate that running a civilisation isn’t all taxes and technology trees. If you’re not caught up, now’s the time - things are heating up faster than you can say dragon eggs.