EXCLUSIVE Interview: Aethon Books LitRPG Author Daoist Enigma Talks The Legendary Fool

Daoist Enigma is one of the Aethon Books authors capitalizing on the latest LitRPG trend with his new book, The Legendary Fool, which has a twist on the typical LitRPG system by having it be a card-based progression system, referencing popular games like Magic: The Gathering and Yugioh.

He sat down with Fandom Pulse to talk about his new book and the genre in an exclusive interview.

For readers unfamiliar with the term "LitRPG," could you explain what it means and how your book "The Legendary Fool" embodies this genre?

LITRPG, or Literary Role-playing Game is a genre of fiction that incorporates game elements (like levels, stats, titles) while generally having a focus on power progression (a simple example would be, the main character comes across a goblin, takes it down and gains experience that might take him from Level 1 to 2). LITRPG fictions are generally set in the real world, as opposed to the virtual reality (VRMMO) style of novels that involve the main character interfacing with virtual worlds. Some of the most popular LITRPG that you might have heard of include Dungeon Crawler Carl, He Who Fights with Monsters, Defiance of the Fall, Primal Hunter.

How did you hook up with Aetheon Books for this series?

I’ve worked with them before on a different series and they’re an excellent team that wants every book launch they have to succeed.

How is the LitRPG community, is that part of what makes the genre compelling as an author?

The LITRPG community is one built by the fans for the fans and authors in the LITRPG genre are generally very receptive to reader feedback and interests. We strive to give the readers what they want and the readers don’t shy away from sharing what they’re passionate about. It’s very fun!

Your book features a character transported from rural America to a fantasy world. What inspired you to create this "fish out of water" story, and how does Thomas's background influence his approach to his new reality?

The “Isekai” Genre (Being transported to a new fantasy world from earth is generally how it goes) largely inspired this decision, because it is a trope that makes the character relatable from the get-go while letting the readers explore the unfamiliar world with the main character as he tries to get a hang of things. It’s a fun trope that throws the reader into the fantasy part of the story without having them wait for too long!

Card-based magic systems have fascinated readers for years. How did games like Yu-Gi-Oh influence your creation of the soul card system in "The Legendary Fool"?

I think what influenced me more than Yu-Gi-Oh or other deckbuilders was the mystique and excitement that I had as a child when it came to purchasing card packs and opening them in the hunt of the valuable foil cards. It could be anything from pokemon to yu-gi-oh, the magic of being chosen by a “legendary” card is what I was chasing when I wrote this story.