THE DELAYED TUTORIAL • BOOK ONE
The Delayed Tutorial
The System came late.
Humanity paid the price.
By Brian D. Schomp
COMING DECEMBER 15, 2026
About the Book
The Tutorial was supposed to prepare humanity. It showed up late.
When the world changes without warning, Jake Mercer has one priority: keep his family alive.
That would be easier if monsters weren’t appearing, people weren’t being forced to choose new lineages, and an ancient System wasn’t suddenly treating Jake like a candidate for a job he never applied for.
Every answer creates another problem. The Tutorial is broken. Old defenses are waking up. Something has been waiting a very long time for Earth to catch up.
What to Expect
Grounded LitRPG
A System Apocalypse where progression matters, but so do the consequences of living through it.
Family Survival
Jake is a husband and father first. Survival isn’t just about becoming stronger.
Broken System
Delayed rewards, overdue notifications, ancient defenses, and a Tutorial that clearly isn’t working as intended.
Ancient Mystery
Candidates, Wardens, forgotten civilizations, and questions that get worse every time Jake finds an answer.
Dark Humor
Because apparently the apocalypse can still come with administrative problems and terrible customer service.
No Harem
No harem and no romance focus. The story stays centered on survival, progression, monsters, family, and the larger mystery.
Book Details
| Title | The Delayed Tutorial |
| Author | Brian D. Schomp |
| Series | The Delayed Tutorial, Book 1 |
| Genre | LitRPG / Progression Fantasy / System Apocalypse |
| Publication date | December 15, 2026 |
| Publisher / Imprint | Schomp Publishing |
| ISBN | 979-8-234-24576-2 |
| Format | Paperback |
| Trim size | 6 × 9 inches |
| Page count | 622 pages |
| Language | English |
Final cover artwork and retailer links will be added as they become available.
Read before release
Advance reader copies of The Delayed Tutorial are available free through BookFunnel while the ARC period is open.
If you read the ARC, an honest review is appreciated. Reviews are never required to be positive.
Go Behind the Tutorial
Book 1 is finished. The story isn’t.
On Patreon, you can read ahead of the Royal Road release and see more of what went into creating The Delayed Tutorial, including early sketches, character concepts, worldbuilding, lore, and ideas that changed along the way.
That includes Korthai, the language created for the series, with its words, translations, pronunciation, writing conventions, and the history behind it.
With Book 1 complete, Patreon is also where I’ll share more of what comes next as I move into Book 2 and continue building the world beyond the first book.
READ AHEAD • SKETCHES • CHARACTER CONCEPTS • WORLDBUILDING • KORTHAI • LORE • BOOK 2 • BEHIND THE SCENES
