Cities in Chains

An Apocalyptic LitRPG (The System Apocalypse, Book 4)

By: Tao Wong

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

It's been more than a year since the System came to Earth, bringing blood and monsters in equal measure. Having left Whitehorse, John and his team travel down to British Columbia, running into new dangers from aliens and humans alike. Faced with new challenges and new enemies, John steps up once more to set things right and teach a few aliens why you never put humanity in chains.

Cities in Chains is audiobook four of the System Apocalypse, a LitRPG novel set in a post-apocalyptic Earth that combines modern-day life and science-fiction and fantasy elements along with game mechanics.

©2018 Tao Wong (P)2018 Tao Wong

Another great book with my usual complaint.

I support Tao Wong on Patreon. (If you’re a fan of up and coming writers and you don’t know what that is I highly recommend you check it out immediately). I appreciate how regularly he publishes, and I’m a big, fat fanboy. So I can confidently say that this book was just as enjoyable a LitRPG tale as the rest of his body of work.

My only complaint is the same one I’ve had with several of Wong’s other works... it’s too short. That said I consider anything over 8 hours to be worth a credit, however I often (but not always) feel that the books in his series seem like they’re several hours shorter than they should be. The result is that they can feel serialized and episodic rather than like solid, fully-realized installments.

All that said, I highly enjoyed this book and though I would have liked to see a whole lot more gear upgrades, loot drops, and “character” development (in a skills and levels sense), this book is still more than worth the credit.

Don't need the PC BS

Main character spends half a chapter worrying about the proper gender pronoun of an alien with no discernable sexual physiology in a post apocalyptic world where he is literally in the middle of a fight for his life. Didn't sound reasonable or timely and broke the immersion of the story. Wish the author could focus on writing a great story and not pushing political agendas.

Let's talk about our feelings after the apocalypse

The protagonist continues to kill people for the shit he himself does. He spends most of the book wining about his feelings. Protagonist stops in the middle of a fight to question his opponent's gender identity.

The series is still going strong

Not much to say. If you liked the previous books you won't be disappointed. I'm interested in the next one.

Solid premise

Great premise good read and Nick Podehl is amazing as usual. The only real negative is that according to author, basically everyone that’s survived so far is a racist except for the MC and his friends. I don’t know if he’s pandering or he really believes the majority of people are truly racist lol. Besides that I’ve enjoyed all of the books so far and will continue the series

good book

love the series wish it was a little longer I give 5 stars 🌟✨ a

John Li the mighty

I'm listening to these for the first time and I am quite impressed. I read the books as they came out and enjoyed them. The narration gives them a great extra punch. Nick Podehl gives John the emotional intensity that he deserves. The other character voices are distinct and give a good illusion of individuals discussing and interating. For some reason playing Fallout comes to mind. I'm impressed with the world that the author created. Definitely a good investment. I'm looking forward listening to the books I haven't read yet.

pointless

this book is pointless I just don't get the point no character aggression he doesn't grown

Interesting new direction

Really cool to see how the rest of the world has dealt with the apocalypse. It is compelling to see the MC in a new setting with new characters, with whom to interact.

Favorite so far...

I received a free review copy.

This is my favorite System Apocalypse book so far! If you liked the prior books in the series, I recommend listening to this one.

His relationship with Lana makes a little progress. John tries to help other survivors, finds a sect has taken over towns and cities in British Columbia using humans as slaves, and continues learning about the System. The book has some cool scouting and fighting along with new skills as John tries to help as many as he can to survive and accept that what is, is.

Level of challenges increases

While you would miss a lot of previous character development, you could in theory join the series with this book as it begins a new chapter for John and his friends, but I would not recommend it because the previous three books are a very good read or listen in their own right.

After basically being forced to move on at the end of the last book, this instalment sees the team travelling along quite easily, but the compulsion to get involved and to try and help people kicks in again, leading to an entirely new set of complications including having to run a town of their own. The levelling side of the plot is used fairly well this time round, adding nicely to the overall feeling of progression in the story as a whole.

Once again, the narrator does a good job that serves to enhance the enjoyment of the book.

Overall, this latest instalment changes the scope and focus of the main characters quite a bit, but works very well to progress the series.

[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]

Still great

The focus changes a little during this book, but like before the characters drives the actions forward in a wonderful way even if, to me, it's a change for the worse... I get why it had to happen though to further the series though, so I just hope the focus stays small <3

Well, not sure how to keep saying that nick is awesome and does a great job in different ways... he just have such a high standard that even his "average" work is above average :)

Cities in Chains

The story continues to a fantastic climax, and leaves you wanting more. I will continue following this series.

the adventure continues

Excellent story paired with an excellent narration. I love this series the fight scenes are epic and the mc makes some significant developmebts, its nice to see how he is progressing as a fighter and as a person. life in that world is a challenge and if you don't have to will to succeed for others then your better off left behind

Awesome. Awesome to the max

I don’t know why but I am a sucker for the LitRPG genre. Somehow it is deeply satisfying when the main character goes up a level. And this series is surely among the best in the genre. Flawless narrating.