Sentenced to Troll Compendium, Books 1-3

By: S.L. Rowland

Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin

Length: 29 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Who says a troll can’t be the hero?

Chad Johnson built his following by being a troll. Online games, social media, you name it—he's there with a witty comeback. But when he goes too far during a televised stream, he's handed a punishment unlike any other.

Instead of the usual ban or suspension, Chad's sentenced to 30 days of full immersion therapy in Isle of Mythos—a world of epic fantasy filled with dungeons and mythical creatures. The twist? He's forced to embody a forest troll, one of the most despised races in Mythos.

At least the punishment fits the crime.

Now, Chad's on a quest, slaying monsters and aiding his troll tribe. It's different, but not necessarily in a bad way, especially with a mischievous little imp as his sidekick. For the first time in his life, Chad's found something more than just trolling—he's found purpose.

Rehabilitation? Call it what you want, but Chad's all in. Who knows? Maybe this troll is a hero.

©2018, 2019, 2020 Steven Rowland (P)2020 Steven Rowland

AMAZING

This might very well be the best purchase I’ve ever made on Audible. Not only is the story epic and makes you feel everything from happiness, sadness, and anger but the voiceover work is amazing as well. Can’t recommend this one enough.

Awesome series and so looking forward to more

I really enjoyed this series. It's a really great twist and watching the character growth is very satisfying. By the end of this trilogy I became fully invested in the characters and was really left with a heated desire to know what their lives would lead to next. I'm really glad I came across this series after so many books had already been written because I don't have to suffer cliff hangers lol. Off to the next one. Oh the narration is fantastic too. Very well done.

Excellent

This book far exceeded my expectations. So well done on every level with top notch narration.

the bundle is worth it

if you like lit rpg this is a good way to go. don't think I'd spend a credit on each individual book, but this is a solid value.

Hard to do this

Frakly it's going to be difficult to do this, since I got this instead of the origonal books. Here's my review, broken up by book:

Book 1
This was facinsting, especialy looking into the social interactions with this story.
This story really allows for charecter development between all the charecters. The NPCs are all fully realised while the prisoners, it seems, are able to show off the issues that got them improsoned in the first place. Facinsting.
I’m here for this story, every facit, and I am really excited to see more in the next couple books. Idk if that’s where this series will end but I need to catch up, that’s for sure.
The world building is great, using a combination of methods to show off the world. I’m really excited to know more about the history of this surprisingly in deaph world.

Book 2
I can’t say I’m happy about the events in my life that lead to me being able to do this, but I am happy to finish this great book.
This story focuses more on characterization of a limited cast than the first book, limiting the cast down to a few charecters that allows the story to be really in-deaph.
This second story expands the scope of the adventures a whole bunch from the previous book, showing off so much more of the world. I really was happy to learn so much about this setting.
This second book is less story based. Sure there are story threads throughout the book but charecter development takes center stage as a way to expand the scope for the next book, which I’ll bet is more story focused again.
I’m enjoying these revelations and I want to know more going forward, both with the main vshsrecters and with side charecters who have been introduced.

Book 3
This was a really great story and was both able to provide closure for this trillogy while also providing room to grow for future volumes. I know how hard it can be to try to balance satisfying conclusions with putting more out there for people to read.
Charecter development takes a step back into being great but not the major focus of the story, returning the focus to the growing plotlines that are both being tied up here and also being created. Now readers will definetly be shown to the idea that they should continue.
I like to think of books, trillogies, and other units of these stories as more simular to "Arcs" in anime and manga fiction. These allow for different catagorizations which can be both WITHIN a book or consisting of books. At this point in the series one arc has come to a close and a new one has oppened.

Conclusion
Heartily recomended!

lost in another world

book three and headed for 4 & 5... enjoyed very much. Looking for my dice

5stars

Well done. Well narrated.  will be looking forward to the next from this author. You should buy this book.

90% good.

with the exception of the author's hatred of the Charisma stat it's a pretty good story but anytime you come across Charisma it breaks your immersion

Good value, decent story

Story:
So, in a dystopian future where people go to actual prison for words our streamer kid (college kid) MC is instead handed over by the government to a private company for some "re-education".... Ok it's not really that dark but going to prison for words is stupid and he was sentenced to a video game as the hated enemy to 29 or so hardened criminals, at least one of which is a known sociopath. Oh and that sociopath had a particular hatred for the race the steamer kid was sentenced to. So not exactly light hearted justice either, but whatcanyou do, the author had to get him into the game as a troll somehow.

Book one is him serving his sentence and learning to make friends in an 'amazingly realistic' virtual world . There is nothing particularly new or unexpected here. The story is what you would expect, the setting and rules are interesting enough, and the story does move to a conclusion. Of course there is an issue with him leaving after his 30 day sentence is up, otherwise we wouldn't have a series.

Book 2 and 3 are him and his BFF working for the company playing the game and trying to save the world while the company tries to fix the problem. Some of the harden criminals are learning to reform, but we find out there is actually more than one sociopath amongst them (this is a really badly thought out re-education plan, if you ask me). The worst thing about this 3 volume book set is it does not complete the series and we are left in a spot that, while not quite a cliffhanger, does make me wish the next book was out.

Characters:
MC is likable enough, if a little dense from time to time, he can also be whinny but not too much. His first BFF....the npc one, this one will drive some people crazy, The narrator voices him like one of those people that do baby talk while larping. It's hard to describe. At least one youtuber uses the voice in his Choosing Beggars videos as the beggars voice. It can be quite annoying, which is sad because otherwise the character was fine, if odd. The MCs real life BFF is cool. Most of the other NPCs are cool as were a couple of the "criminals". I may not want to hang out with all of them in IRL but I would join a guild with them and game and am happy to enjoy their adventures.

Narrator:
He did a great job, though I did not particularly like one characters voice as stated above. However i get the sense that was how the character was written so won't doc points for it. This narrator distinguished voices well and spoke clearly.

Summary:
I am pretty easy to please in my LitRPGs. I need to like the characters (not be too whinny and have some honor). I want the characters to have a fun, interesting adventure, not too dark but not too cartoony. I don't want an MC to feel like a DM self insert Mary Sue, but instead just an average player figuring out a game and. who doesn't think he is the greatest gamer ever. Lastly, I don't want to be preached at about religion/anti-religion, or politics. I'm not going to lie when the book first started I thought my last rule would be violated, but it was not. The story met all my expectations for a fun LITRPG and I would continue the series if I could. Is it the best LITRPG out there? No. But it is a good inoffensive story that I would like to continue with. Oh and three books in one was a great value, even if it did not complete the story.

Great series!

This is a great way to get the first 3 books of the series all it once. Really fun series! The plot is well thought out. The characters are interesting. I really like the game world, too. The narration is very professionally done. Great audiobook to have!