Genre: LitRPG Fantasy/Science Fiction
Published: July 2, 2024
Print length: 591 pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon
Kindle Unlimited? Yes
Series: Library System Reset Book #1

Synopsis:

Quinn hadn’t even declared library science as her major yet, when she was pulled from her university library into the Magical Library of Everywhere. She’s confronted by a black-and-purple feline named Lynx (or, maybe, Links) who tells her she’s the Library’s last hope. The Library has been without a Librarian for centuries, and it’s fallen into ruin–books unreturned, bookworms running wild, and magical power reserves dropping toward zero. That’s an even bigger problem than it sounds like, because the Library is the focal point for all magic in the universe. If it powers down, reality might just wink out of existence.

Bewildered but realizing the situation is desperate, Quinn accepts the role of Librarian and takes on the mission of restoring the Library to its former glory. She gains a metaphysical connection to the structure that allows her to control its functions and access its knowledge. But there are challenges here that aren’t in any earthly librarian’s job description. To rejuvenate the Library, she’ll have to learn combat magic, battle marauding seven-foot-long bookworms, and retrieve thousands of overdue books. And maybe, while doing all that, figure out what brought the Library to the brink of destruction and how to keep it from happening again.

What I thought:

I’m not usually a LitRPG reader, probably because I’m not much of a gamer (unless you count Wordle), but this book about a magical library abandoned for centuries sounded too good to pass up. I am so glad I gave it a chance! Overdue is a wildly original story that blends fantasy, science fiction, and gaming elements seamlessly. It’s a delightfully unpredictable adventure.

Quinn, who’s thrust into the role of universal Librarian with zero preparation, is my favorite kind of hero. She’s a regular human who’s overwhelmed by the challenges thrown at her but is smart and spunky enough to figure things out and keep moving forward. She’s relatable for anyone who’s been dropped into a complex situation and had to make things up as they go along.

The world here is incredibly rich, with trappings of sci-fi like control consoles, heads-up displays, and rebooting systems… but also elves, vampires, and magic spells. How it all works seemed well thought-out and appealed to my inner computer geek (I’m a reformed software developer). It was fun to learn the rules a bit at a time alongside Quinn, sharing her frustration and then moments of enlightenment as pieces clicked into place.

Quinn’s irascible guide to this world is Lynx/“Links”, the avatar of the Library itself who sometimes manifests as a black and purple feline (but can also take on other forms). Quinn and Lynx go through a perpetual dance in which he tries to explain things to her, but she doesn’t have enough background to understand… so he has to back up and try to explain what’s behind the earlier explanation… rinse and repeat. It perfectly captures the experience of being on the wrong end of a learning curve.

Quinn and Lynx aggravate each other but also clearly come to care about one another. Their arguing and teasing added some nice touches of warmth and humor to the story. I laughed out loud when Lynx froze while doing a gnarly computation and Quinn stacked books on his head just for the fun of it (Quinn is sometimes an imp after my own heart).

On a deeper level, Overdue also celebrates the power of reading and the importance of libraries as open repositories of knowledge in the world. Quinn absorbs magical abilities from books, a nice metaphor for the abilities everyone can gain by reading. The process for Quinn reminded me of Neo’s “I know kung fu” moment in the Matrix movies, with new skills being zapped directly into the brain. The Library of Everywhere filters magical energy so it’s accessible for all, reminding us of how real-world libraries organize information and make it freely available.

I enjoyed getting to know Quinn, Lynx, and the group of allies they collected around them as they struggled to bring the Library back to life. I’m looking forward to spending more time in the Library of Everywhere as the series continues.

Who will love it:

• Fans of sci-fi and fantasy mashups with well-constructed magical/technological systems that follow logical rules.
• Readers who enjoy “fish out of water” stories with an ordinary hero who survives and thrives in an extraordinary situation.
• Lovers of libraries, and books and reading in general.

Favorite quotes:

Lynx: “The Library has existed since the dawn of time. I’ve been here almost as long. All of the knowledge has been gathered over time. It didn’t exist until it did. And then it was cataloged in the Library…. The Library and its knowledge, and therefore its power, is there for everyone.”

Quinn: “You pulled me here before I got to eat for the day, and then wrangled me into synchronizing with the core system thing, and even made me fight a damn monster–all before feeding me. Universal hospitality is nothing to rave about.”

Quinn: “I’m sorry, I didn’t have ‘fight giant mythological creature’ on my bingo card for today!”

About the author:

KT Hanna has a love for words so extreme, a single word can spark entire worlds.

Born in Australia, she met her husband in a computer game, moved to the U.S.A. and went into culture shock. Bonus? Not as many creatures specifically out to kill you.

When she’s not writing, she freelance edits for Chimera Editing, and chases her daughter, husband, corgi, and cat. No, she doesn’t sleep. She is entirely powered by the number 2, caffeine, and beef jerky.

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