The Only Way Out is Up by Django Wexler is a LitRPG about fighting robots and class warfare. The novel is Real Steel meets Alita: Battle Angel. The Real Steel comparison comes from the underdogs, fighting robots, and class system. Alita: Battle Angel comes from the class system, finding a special robot, and making it to the top. The book is closer to Alita: Battle Angel in structure.
The Only Way Out is Up is the first book in a new series called the Sigilist series.
The characters and action are what make the book good. The heroes make a great found family that you have to root for. I think the class system works very well. We get to see how the rich live and how the poorest of the poor live.
The robot fighting scenes were very cinematic. They were written so I could easily visualize what was going on. The second to last fight was the best in my opinion. It was super intense, with three fights going on at once. The last fight was not as epic but made up for it with emotion.
Star the robot makes the book. I loved this character so much, especially how sassy, sarcastic, and hilarious he is. When Star hurt, I hurt. During the end fight, I almost cried because of how much I loved Star and the danger he was in.
The sigils took a little while for me to fully understand. I’m not a huge gamer, so others may get it from the start. My biggest confusion was the manipulation of the sigils. I did read an advanced copy, so I hope there is a sigil guide explaining what the colors represent when the book comes out. That would have helped me out a lot.
The pacing is decent. The fight chapters keep the pace steady. The fight chapters were very hard to put down.
The ending was emotional and very satisfying. It ends in a great place where you feel this chapter in the characters’ lives is over, but there is still more to do in this world. The ending does make me want to read the next book in the series.
The language used in this book was a little intense. I’m not someone who scoffs at the F-word being used, but this book uses it so much. It is too much at the beginning, but eventually it is used more sparingly and appropriately in the middle and end. There is a great moment when a character you aren’t expecting to use it does, and I loved it.
This book is not for kids because of the language, and a scene with attempted sexual assault is pretty brutal. Which sucks because I think a younger audience would love this book if not for those elements.
The Only Way Out is Up was first published on September 29, 2026, by Orbit Books.
Why did I read The Only Way Out is Up by Django Wexler?
Django Wexler is an author I have heard of but not read. I have been recommended to check out his funny Dark Lord Davi series before. I think that is what I will read from Django Wexler next after reading and enjoying his humor in The Only Way Out is Up.
I checked out this book because it was a LitRPG and I was curious about Django Wexler’s writing. It was a title that was free to read for 48 hours on NetGalley from Orbit Books.
Plot Summary:
Taj lives on the lowest and poorest level. He knows his status but dreams of a better one. He doesn’t dream of jumping up in the classes, just being better off in the class that he’s in.
He is a scavenger who has found a powerful sigil. Sigils are like powers for robots. He finds a sigil that can think. No one else has that sigil. It is very rare and must remain hidden.
He fights robots to make ends meet but resists putting Star, the brain, in a fighting robot until he is forced to. But something unexpected happens one night when he sneaks up to the top and richest class.
He meets Ky, who, despite being rich, still lives under the thumb of society. They see something in each other and see a way to help the other out. Taj will learn the only way out of his situation is up.
What I Liked:
Star was my favorite character, hands down. I will read the next book for Star alone.
I liked the class system and how the garbage and scraps work, as well as the Twisted that patrol them.
The action scenes were great. I only got lost in the action a couple of times, but for the most part, the action was easy to picture. The book did a great job of establishing where characters were during the action.
What I Disliked:
I wanted a little more explanation of how the sigils and the different colors work, and how you can alter them exactly. But maybe there is more to discover in the next book.
In the final scene, I had issues with the power displayed. If the bad guy had something that powerful at his disposal, why did he use it at that moment and not sooner? It felt like a setup for the next book rather than something that fit this story.
Recommendation:
The Only Way Out is Up is a fun, action-packed LitRPG full of high stakes and emotion. This was my first LitRPG, and I enjoyed it. I recommend my followers check this out if they are looking for a good escape read with some heart.
If you are a fan of either Real Steel or Alita: Battle Angel, then this is the book for you. I am a fan of both, and this book gave me the same vibes.
Rating:
The Only Way Out is Up by Django Wexler
4 out of 5 stars
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