Desert Runner

Puatera Online, Book 1

By: Dawn Chapman

Narrated by: Andrea Parsneau

Length: 3 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's Summary

An NPC story.

With her pain potions in short supply, Maddie accepts a deadly run, picks up a package in Trox City, and crosses the desert plains to Port Troli. The only issues - an unwanted passenger and Tromoal breeding season.

©2017 Dawn Chapman (P)2018 Dawn Chapman

An introduction into a different world

Chapman creates an interesting world for her first book. The main character is, thankfully, not so jaded or tired of living in a bleak frontier town unlike most stories of this kind. She is tough, and brave, with a softer side, but can handle herself well. Her perspective on "visitors" is something pretty neat for an NPC. Andrea Parsneau is great as the narrator. She manages to do the male voices very well, most ladies cannot achieve this to her her level, and her words flow like water in a mountain brook. A good set up for the rest of the series. I have to find out what happened with the Hog!

Are You Up For A Quest?

I won't lie - when I featured this in my New and Notable post a few weeks back I did so because the cover really caught my eye.  Both the color and the content.  I wasn't sure if this was going to be for me.  I've read some LitRPG's before but never an NPC one. So, I wasn't sure what I was in for. 

What I was in for was a great ride.  The hog was an awesome machine and the story drove right along with it.  The length actually worked for me.  I probably would have pushed this further into my queue had it been double the length (7 or so hours).  But being 3-ish made this super approachable.  The only issue I think that Chapman will run into is that people don't like spending a credit on a shorter book.  I would suggest pricing the audible version around 5-7 dollars or do a whispersync deal if you can -- that might help with this.

The story itself follows Maddie, an injured, addicted, down-on-her-luck NPC who is pinged to pick up a new quest.  A quest that could change her life for years to come and comes with a reward to back it up.

I enjoy video games and find myself playing them sometimes when I'm listening to an audiobook.  Usually sports games, but when I finished this story I wanted to jump back into my RPG-type games and get into a story (or like me, get lost in a side-quest). Chapman seemed to have an intimate knowledge of the gaming world to write a story that made me feel this way.  It felt like the game was real and that the NPC's (don't call them that) were learning and starting to ask questions.

The inclusion of the "real world" (at least the mention of it) was an interesting turn of events for me.  I won't mention why or how it's mentioned but know that it was a good move for the story.

Overall, I thought that Desert Runner was a great title.  It entertained the crap out of me and I finished it in one sitting.  Perfect weekend afternoon reading.

Andrea Parsneau does a great job narrating Desert Runner.  I thought she was the perfect choice for this story.  Easy to listen to and had just the right amount of attitude to voice Maddie. 

I was provided with a free copy of this audiobook it has not affected my review in any way. If you liked this review, please vote for it (every vote counts).

Battlefield Romance - Deadly Duo!

Maddie is hired to cross the desert on a mission at the most dangerous time of the year, when the Tromoal are breeding, which means killing and eating everything that moves. Maddie works alone because she has a problem, a built-in mechanism that causes her to fall in love. Yep, she’s an NPC (non-player character), but not just any NPC, she knows what she is, has adapted, changed and grown. She’s modified her vehicle, weapons, and herself.

It is a great concept and gets the listener interested in her life as a living person, not a machine. She’s vulnerable, real and tough as nails when she needs to be. Her passenger, part of her cargo, is an enigma to her, kind and risking much to travel with her. It doesn’t jibe and she wants simultaneously to get rid of him and fall in love. It makes for an interesting battlefield romance.

The RPG experience from the inside looking out, though no longer unique, is still fresh enough to be intriguing for the listener. A good story with appealing characters makes this a fun listen with plenty of action and character development.

Andrea Parsneau is a good choice to perform the story. She becomes the role of Maddie, and does it well. The male character voices are as good as well. She gets out of the way and the story progresses at the right tone and mood from her voice. An excellent performance from a pro. Sound quality is flawless as well.

This is a short novel, a little more than an introduction, but less than a full novel and clearly part of a much longer series. You’ll want to continue right on to book 2 and so on as available. An enjoyable listen and recommended.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author/narrator/publisher.
Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog.
[If this review helped, please press YES. Thanks!]

Oops! Somehow I overlooked reviewing this book!

O.K. I have read this and the first follow-up book in the series. Book 1 lays out a very fine world and occupants of this world. The lead character is a very strong women who has "bite". There is a little off-color language, so I'd say a reader would need to be a 15 year old. I can recommend this series, and I'm looking forward to book 3. Now for the obligatory: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Very clever story. Great start for adventure.

The idea that an NPC can use the experiences to grow and learn about an environment that is meant to be static is great. She can’t fight the urge to fall in love with the “visitors” but she also remembers the hurt and knows to try to tread lightly. Also upgrading her own NPC vehicle, very clever.
The story had a steady flow and never waned for a moment with some great revelations at the end leaving the excitement to continue on into book two.

The narration was excellently handled by Ms. Parsneau. She added a depth to the characters that may not have happened with other narrators.

I requested a free review copy of this audiobook and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review.

Impact listen

Desert Runner is a short novella that had me wanting more. The world is set inside of a game but told from a character's point of view. Maddie is a runner with a biometric programmed hog (vehicle). She takes on a quest for money but gets more than she bargains for with her charge Alex. The trek is perilous, sad, freightening, and intense. I loved the scenes right from the start and would definitely seek more out by Ms. Chapman. The narrator did an awesome job with providing unique voices for each character and using appropriate tone inflections for the situations. I received a free copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Quite intense.

Andrea Parsneau brings extra punch to an emotionally gripping story. I liked the voicing of both the main character and several male characters. By the end of this I was caught by where's the next part as I can tell even with all the characters have faced getting here, the real adventure is just starting. Congrats to both the author and narrator. I think this is a great match.

This is different! GameLit from the NPC POV.

This is the first work I've read from this author, and while at first I was taken aback by the NPC perspective, I quickly sank into the amazing depth given to the main character. She may only be an NPC, but her struggle is compelling, her world is rich, and her feelings are palpable.

The narration was excellent.

Good LITRPG start

First LITRPG I have read and I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn't sure if I would like the genre or the book. Turns out I liked both! Story was interesting, compelling enough to want to get the second book half way in. Narration was great, I loved the voices and inflection. If you are into LITRPG and more independent writing, this is worth your time.

A thrilling ride of a story!

Loved this story! It was full of action, suspense, mystery and dangers. This world is futuristic yet falling apart. Mattie was an intriguing character and isn't all who she seems to be. I look forward to getting to the next books in the series.

I’m shocked !!!!!

Man this is not me, I don’t give 5 stars but this one totally deserved it, I’m amazed at this creation, it’s totally beautiful and the narration is perfection ( great story and great performance ), I want more so much more, this must be continued as an Audio series !
There is so much more that needed to be said, that I want to say but I just can’t find the words.
Get this one is my advice to all, you won’t regret it I promise !!!!!!

Absolutely Brilliant! A fabulous Story

Would you consider the audio edition of Desert Runner to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print edition, but I can say that Andrea Parsneau did a fabulous job on the naration.

What did you like best about this story?

Considering the rather short length of this story the characters are fully developed and realised brilliantly.

What about Andrea Parsneau’s performance did you like?

Andrea Parsneau's performance can not be faulted, she breathed even more life into these already vivid characters.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Get in, buckle up, and hold on!

Any additional comments?

This was a brilliant book. The game world is unique and interesting and full of possibilities I can not wait to read more.

I really enjoyed it !

Just finished listening to the book and must admit I really enjoyed it. The story is incredibly well structured with some very exciting scenes.
Excellent narration throughout that helped convey the emotions of the main character and helps build suspense like in the underground cavern section.
Will definitely be getting the next one soon. Can't wait to see how the story continues. Well worth a purchase and listen.

A good story with a great narrator

Any additional comments?

It was a good story set in a unique world. The story and narration was solid. I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

Great story

Love to see a excellent, well developed female MC.
A brilliant road trip story that hints at so much more to come.

A world of fantasy

What an amazing world . The narrator brings it to life these books are amazingly well written. Andrea Parsneau brings Dawn Chapman's world to life.

Brilliant

Although this is not the normal genre I listen to I loved it! The story is truly thrilling and the narration is brilliant. I can't wait to see what happens next in this gaming world and how relationships can work between all of the worlds.

fantastic story

i am quite known for struggling with female mcs however maddie is phenomenal:) i highly recommend this book and i will be getting the rest of the series