The Recommended Noobtown Reading Order
For readers diving into the Noobtown universe, the best way to experience Jim’s transition from a nameless soul to a powerhouse town builder is to follow the publication order. Because the narrative is heavily serialized, following the order of release ensures you do not miss character levels, skill updates, and ongoing running jokes. The main series follows Jim, a regular guy who dies and is reborn in the game-like fantasy world of Ordinal with a glitchy character sheet and a sarcastic companion demon named Shart.
Core Noobtown Main Series
- The Mayor of Noobtown (2019) – Jim wakes up in Ordinal, manages to acquire an absurd name, and starts clearing out a forgotten starter zone.
- Village of Noobtown (2019) – Jim works to establish the village of Windfall, dealing with local monsters and a legendary bad-tempered badger.
- Castle of the Noobs (2020) – The stakes rise as regional politics, war threats, and town expansions demand Jim’s attention.
- Dungeons and Noobs (2020) – Jim explores dungeon mechanics, testing his unconventional class combinations.
- Noob Game Plus (2021) – The complexity of Ordinal’s system deepens as old enemies return and Jim pushes the system boundaries.
- Nautical Noobs (2021) – Jim takes his adventures to the high seas, introducing new aquatic mechanics and challenges.
- Tower of the Noobs (2022) – A direct confrontation with the forces of the Dark Overlord pushes Jim’s team to their limits.
- The War of the Noobs (2024) – Regional conflicts escalate into all-out warfare as Jim struggles to defend Windfall and his allies.
- The Noob Returns (2026) – The latest installment following the consequences of the war and Jim’s efforts to stabilize his domain.
The Spin-off / Companion Book
- Jim the Curious Puppy: A Noobtown LitRPG Adventure for Kids (2022) – Written as a lighthearted, short children's book. In the main novels, this is frequently joked about as the most famous children's book in the world of Ordinal, written to tease Jim's incredibly common name. It can be read at any point after Book 1 as a fun meta-reference, though it is entirely optional.
What to Know Before You Start
Noobtown belongs to the LitRPG (Literature Role-Playing Game) subgenre, meaning characters have stats, levels, and classes that explicitly impact the narrative. However, Ryan Rimmel keeps the visual stat sheets brief compared to other LitRPG series, opting to focus on story momentum and dialogue. This makes it highly accessible to newcomers who might otherwise feel overwhelmed by heavy stat tables.
The tone of the series is heavily comedic, relying on irreverent humor, fourth-wall breaks, and pop culture nods. The core relationship between Jim and Shart (a demon who is stuck as Jim's familiar and is incredibly unhappy about it) drives much of the humor. If you enjoy comedic fantasy like Dungeon Crawler Carl or tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, this series will feel right at home.
The Audiobooks Advantage
Many fans of the series argue that the best way to experience Noobtown is through the audiobook editions narrated by Johnathan McClain. McClain's dramatic delivery, distinct character voices (especially for Shart and the badger Badgelor), and comedic timing are widely credited with elevating the story's humor. If you struggle with the early books' written prose, switching to the audio version is a highly recommended alternative.
Are There Other Books by Ryan Rimmel?
If you finish Noobtown and want more of Ryan Rimmel’s writing style, he has written other series that share his signature humor and love for gaming systems:
- Chronicles of Sir Crabby (co-authored with Boe Hagen) – A progression fantasy about a simple beach crab that accidentally gains intelligence and access to a System, navigating undersea conflicts.
- Fifth Era Apocalypse (including One Bad Roll and The Tap Dancing Tarasque) – A LitRPG series where a group of tabletop gamers are pulled into a dangerous fantasy world after rolling a mysterious set of dice.
- The Adventures of Squire Yorick – An isekai LitRPG adventure following a young squire and a magical, talkative sword named Justice.