Small-Town Crafter
Tom Watts
Lewis leaves his indifferent family to pursue an apprenticeship in artificery — the mystical craft of adding magical effects to everyday objects — in the sunlit, cozy village of Sunhampton. Over nine volumes he advances from Apprentice to Journeyman, tackling ever more mysterious commissions (self-sharpening swords, self-spicing pots, endless-storage backpacks, future-telling clocks) with mentors, friends, and a never-say-die attitude. A low-stakes, cozy LitRPG that blends slice-of-life warmth with a deep, immersive crafting system.
Progression: Artificery rank ladder is central and explicit: Apprentice → Novice → Initiate → Adept → Journeyman (and beyond), with each book titled for Lewis's current rank (The Artificer's Apprentice, The Novice Artificer, The Initiate Artificer, The Adept Artificer, etc.). Progression is LitRPG-coded — skill levels, mastery of enchantments/disenchantments, workshop building, and crafting mastery — described as 'a magical crafting system so immersive, you’ll smell the forge and feel the thrill of leveling up' (Goodreads). Challenges scale with rank: later volumes require adept-ranked problem solving in the school basement, building a new workshop, and teaching apprentices, all gated by rank.
Goodreads
