Official Review: Class-A Threat by Dan Sugralinov

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 16 Oct 2019, 14:35

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Class-A Threat" by Dan Sugralinov.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Several years into the future, society has established a strict hierarchy with productive citizens at the top and so-called noncitizens at the bottom, barely getting any rights or resources. Alex Sheppard dreams of being a space guide, but his hopes are shattered when his parents decide to divorce. This will lower their citizenship status, making it impossible for them to pay for their son’s education.

Left with no alternatives, Alex turns to the virtual reality of Disgardium, where he hopes to earn money. Through many coincidences and lucky (or unlucky) encounters, he ends up becoming a “threat,” a special player who gets unique abilities at a steep cost: if a threat’s identity is revealed, the other players will hunt them down for the reward and their character will be gone forever. Can Alex find a way to survive, both in real life and in the game?

Dan Sugralinov’s Class-A Threat is the first book in the Disgardium series of LitRPG novels. If you’re unfamiliar with the genre, which combines RPG and science fiction or fantasy, this is a great place to start. The world of Disgardium is vividly described and filled with interesting locations and quests that will make you wish you were playing the game.

The worldbuilding is so rich that the two characters who fascinated me the most weren’t even major characters; indeed, one of them wasn’t even human but an artificial intelligence! Stories dealing with virtual reality tend to focus exclusively on the protagonist’s adventures, so it’s refreshing to see a novel that explores a dystopian society and its inhabitants through the lens of gaming.

Speaking of characters, I do have one minor complaint. Alex’s friend Eve seems to serve as a punching bag for everyone. At first, I thought the mean people were supposed to be the antagonists, but that’s not the case. Alex himself doesn’t mock her, but he often acts as a terrible friend. It’s hard for me to sympathize with characters who treat someone poorly because of their looks, regardless of how well they get along with others.

Fans of MMOs will no doubt enjoy the RPG aspects of the book, which even includes references to World of Warcraft. Unlike a few other LitRPG stories, the novel never overdoes it with the exposition. Only important items are described, and the mundane portions of gaming like grinding are mostly skipped. The game’s systems and mechanics feel believable, so the reader will likely relate to in-game situations like ending up with a bad character due to poor planning.

Overall, Class-A Threat is a great novel that deserves 4 out of 4 stars. I only spotted four minor editing issues, and the problems I had with some of the characters can be solved by future books. There are only occasional profanities, so the book should be suitable for teenagers. I recommend it to LitRPG fans everywhere, but if you hate the genre, this story isn't for you.

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Class-A Threat
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Miller56 · Post by **Miller56** » 22 Oct 2019, 11:00

Thanks for the review. This is not normally the book genre I read, but this book sounds interesting.

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 22 Oct 2019, 12:42

Miller56 wrote: ↑22 Oct 2019, 11:00 Thanks for the review. This is not normally the book genre I read, but this book sounds interesting.

Thanks for the comment! If you have any interest in the genre, this is a good place to start.

Rachel Lea · Post by **Rachel Lea** » 22 Oct 2019, 13:09

I love how the author spends a lot of quality time on worldbuilding and character development. It's interesting how so many books that explore possible future societies portray the government as authoritarian and class-oriented. Thanks for your awesome review!

ElizaBeth Adams · Post by **ElizaBeth Adams** » 22 Oct 2019, 13:29

I have never heard of this genre before. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Your review has piqued my interest. The combination of reality with gaming reminds me of "Ready Player One." Great review!

Post by **kandscreeley** » 22 Oct 2019, 20:39

I love books that really transport you into a different world; this definitely seems to fit that bill. I don't read much litRPG, but this is one I need to put on my list. Thanks!

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 23 Oct 2019, 11:17

ElizaBeth Adams wrote: ↑22 Oct 2019, 13:29 I have never heard of this genre before. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Your review has piqued my interest. The combination of reality with gaming reminds me of "Ready Player One." Great review!

kandscreeley wrote: ↑22 Oct 2019, 20:39 I love books that really transport you into a different world; this definitely seems to fit that bill. I don't read much litRPG, but this is one I need to put on my list. Thanks!

Rachel Lea wrote: ↑22 Oct 2019, 13:09 I love how the author spends a lot of quality time on worldbuilding and character development. It's interesting how so many books that explore possible future societies portray the government as authoritarian and class-oriented. Thanks for your awesome review!

Ready Player One is an apt comparison; you might enjoy one if you enjoyed the other. Either way, it's an interesting book on its own. Thanks for the comments!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 27 Oct 2019, 21:26

I think teenagers would enjoy this book. It allows them to dream about being the only one who can save the universe. They would probably be able to make the connections between the characters and the gaming much better than I could! Great review.

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 28 Oct 2019, 11:07

kdstrack wrote: ↑27 Oct 2019, 21:26 I think teenagers would enjoy this book. It allows them to dream about being the only one who can save the universe. They would probably be able to make the connections between the characters and the gaming much better than I could! Great review.

It certainly fits the profile of YA fiction, so I suppose teenagers should enjoy it the most. Thanks for the comment!

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 29 Oct 2019, 13:35

It sounds great but I don't think I could read this one. What you mentioned about Eve is kind of a turn off for me and I don't think that I could stand that for very long . Thanks for the review though.

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 30 Oct 2019, 13:29

Nisha Ward wrote: ↑29 Oct 2019, 13:35 It sounds great but I don't think I could read this one. What you mentioned about Eve is kind of a turn off for me and I don't think that I could stand that for very long . Thanks for the review though.

Yes, I didn't particularly like how the book handled Eve's character, though there's always hope that things work out in the next book. Thanks for the comment!