RinoZ, creator of the hit Chrysalis series, is a self-proclaimed “older guy with a family” who turned his love for web novels into one of the most beloved LitRPG sagas online. Blending real-world knowledge of insect behavior with sharp humor and heartfelt character growth, his stories transform an unlikely hero—a reincarnated ant—into a symbol of evolution, perseverance, and purpose.
In this interview, RinoZ discusses Chrysalis—its origins, themes of transformation, and the curious joy of building an entire world from the ground (and tunnels) up.
Chrysalis has grown from an intimate, survival-driven narrative to a sweeping epic with deep lore and massive world-shifting events. As the series continues to scale, how do you preserve the gritty tone and character-driven heart that anchored the early books?
With difficulty! Anthony transitions from having to survive on his own, without support or knowledge or even a way to communicate with anyone to being part of an enormous family, with millions of individuals and a broader network of humans, giant lizards, rock people and others all pulling in the same direction. When he is forced to explore uncharted territory and act as the vanguard of the Colony, that sense of isolation, danger and braving the unknown returns, which is why it’s nice to have an adventurous element of ‘always delving deeper’ built into the setting.
The system in Chrysalis is as much a character as any individual. How has the interplay between game mechanics and character development changed as the stakes have risen?
In some ways, the system has changed as the story has gone on, simply because I couldn’t have foreseen how some of my early decisions would play out in such a long form story. As Anthony continues to grow and develop, what he’s capable of becomes that much more absurd and impressive, and in a way, the mechanics fade into the background a little. Every stat point no longer matters as much, each skill level is less important, so only the big note improvements tend to get recognised going forward. Consequently, those changes then have a greater and more emphasised impact upon the character, as something significant about what they can do and their place in the world has shifted fundamentally.
Without giving too much away, can you tease a moment or theme in the upcoming book that pushed you as a writer—something new, challenging, or particularly rewarding to bring to life?
During Anthony’s next evolution, in book eight of Chrysalis, he has to make a decision about what role he wants to play within his new family. Writing that moment was difficult, as Anthony tends not to think too much or too hard about his past, his life as a human, or exactly who and what he is to the other ants. In a way, this decision forces him to reflect on those things and make a definitive choice moving forward about just what it is that he wants to achieve, and how he is going to achieve it.
One of the most compelling aspects of Chrysalis is how it gradually reframes the reader’s understanding of power, purpose, and identity. Do you approach those moral shifts as planned milestones, or do they emerge naturally through the protagonist’s journey?
As much as I would love to say it’s all planned, those elements naturally emerged as part of the narrative a Anthony progressed through his journey. Many of the initial character choices I made regarding my protagonist were to create a character who could plausibly, not only survive, but thrive in a new life where he has been reincarnated in such a strange and bizarre form. As the story goes on, it becomes clear that not only is he able to adapt to being a monstrous ant in a family of millions, he greatly prefers it! His perspective on what familial relationships can be like and just what he is prepared to do in order to protect his new mother and siblings are a core part of the narrative that naturally progresses as the story goes on.
Power progression is a cornerstone of the genre, but Chrysalis has always stood out for its philosophical undertones. How do you keep the thrill of growth grounded in meaning?
Progression and growth are the foundation of the genre, to be sure, but a good litRPG will always try to make that progression have more meaning that ‘number go up’. One of the ways I’ve tried to make that meaning apparent in Chrysalis is by having different forms of progression. It’s always satisfying when Anthony learns new abilities, or mutates and gains something new, or particularly when he evolves and grows much stronger, but just as satisfying, at least to me, is the growth the Colony undergoes. From barely sapient individuals who can’t really communicate, Anthony’s siblings eventually become major characters in their own right, able to think, speak and learn just as well as he can, if not better! From then on, the Colony consistently goes through its own form of power progression, growing in size, developing its own culture and finding its place in a world filled with people who don’t trust them. I think, to the readers, seeing this often comedic ant collective become more complex and develop greater capacity is extremely meaningful and just as important as an evolution or gaining levels.
The community around this series is passionate and invested. Have fan theories or reader insights ever influenced your thinking about the direction of the story?
To answer this question, I will reveal a deep truth! A truth that also reflects on me poorly for a lack of professionalism. Occasionally throughout the story, special ants are born, champions, who have very distinct personalities and interests that inspire others to follow them. Vibrant and Brilliant were the first two examples and they are well loved characters in the series. When the third was born… I wasn’t exactly sure where I was going to go with them, or what direction I wanted to take. How could they be interesting to the readers? How would they drive the culture of the Colony forward? I was struggling, frankly. Eventually I named them Solant, thinking I would have to come back and retcon the name and a few other things once I’d worked out what I actually wanted to do. Immediately, readers began speculating as to what the name might refer to, and a bright individual theorised in referenced the Sun, and therefore the character was a reference to Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese strategist. My eyes narrowed, much like Fry from Futurama, as I read that comment. Yes, I thought. Yes. It is a reference to Sun Tzu… now.
A class or ability from Chrysalis you’d love to have in real life?
Anthony’s healing gland. Trigger the gland, heal from injury? Holy moly, yes please.
What’s your favorite moment to write? Intense combat or a quiet character reflection?
Neither. Something ridiculous and absurd that gets the reader giggling is probably my favourite thing to right.
An underrated character you wish readers talked about more?
There are so many side characters that don’t pop up much that I wish I could fit in more often. I really like Morrelia, Minerva and Titus.
Most underrated sci-fi book or series everyone should read?
Not underrated by any means, but Dune. Much like Lord of the Rings was copied for decades in the fantasy genre, Dune created much of what sci-fi has become today. Get it from the source. Other answer: The Dark Forest by Lui Cixin.
Do you have a favourite villian from your books, and what makes them stand out to you?
Titus for sure. Some readers seem to really dislike him, because he is set against the protagonist and wants to kill him, but from his perspective, Titus is doing nothing but good. Anthony is, after all, in the form of a monster, and monsters, while not evil, are exceptionally dangerous. He’s a man of principle and honour who has rigid beliefs that have sustained him through a lifetime of conflict and he has sacrificed greatly to uphold those beliefs.
If you could co-write a book with any author, past or present, who would it be?
Yikes. I feel like it be presumptuous of the silly ant guy to put himself on a book with some of the giants of literature. Instead, I’ll pick a contemporary and say Travis ‘Shirtaloon’ Deverell. He has such a wit and his characters have such heart, it would be amazing to see that process up close. For my part, I would insert an element of the absurd and light hearted fun.
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How do you celebrate when you finish writing a book?
I start the next one. Sounds grim when I read that out loud….
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Which character from your books would you like to spend a day with, and why?
Possibly Dove from Book of the Dead. The man is impossible to be around, constantly make inappropriate comments and jokes, but I think he would be a ton of fun to hang out with. For a day.
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What’s your go to snack or drink while writing?
Very generic answer: coffee. I needs it.
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Get RinoZ’s amazing series , Chrysalis available now on Amazon
Anthony has been reborn!
Placed into the remarkable game-like world of Pangera.
But something seems a little off… What’s with these skills? Bite? Dig?
Wait….
He’s been reborn as a WHAT?!
Follow Anthony as he attempts to adjust to his new life as an ant in his new Dungeon home. He’ll have to learn how to survive, level-up, and grow both himself and his bite-sized colony into a force to be reckoned with.
Don’t miss the the start of a hit LitRPG monster-evolution series with nearly 30 Million views on Royal Road. For the first time, this completely revised, new-and-improved version of Chrysalis is now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible, narrated by Jeff Hays (Dungeon Crawler Carl, New Era Online). Grab your copy today!
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