Gods of Blood and Bone: A Sci-Fi Death Game LitRPG

Seeds of Chaos, Book 1

De: Azalea Ellis

Narrado por: Natalie Duke

Leveling up would be fun...

If it weren't so deadly.

Eve is a survivor. Kidnapped and genetically enhanced, she wakes in an alley with the ability to level up. As a Player, her life now belongs to the Game.

Deadly Trials offer fantastic and powerful prizes, but as she fights against both alien monsters and other Players, Eve knows she would do anything to escape the Game.

She may have to risk more than just her life to gain the power to control her own destiny...

Gods of Blood and Bone is the first book in a dark and deliciously violent adventure series that combines science fiction, fantasy, and LitRPG elements. You'll love Gods of Blood and Bone because of the electrifying action, flawed characters, and kick-ass heroine.

Get it now.

©2015 Azalea Ellis (P)2023 Seladore Publishing

good listen.

pleasantly surprised. good world building, well displayed without info dumps. good pacing. good prose. kept me guessing what was actually going on. realistic characters with realistic motivation and interactions. intersting story premise that was well executed. the stats and level progression of the characters aren't very well explained but perhaps next book will lay it out better. really enjoyed the narrator. though she doesnt have a wide vocal range she had a very pleasant voice to listen to and didnt try to push beyond her range creating annoying whiny voices which is a common issue with some narrators. definitely worth a listen.

Fast paced read that keeps delivering

I've read a few LITRPG series and really enjoyed this take on the genre. I really enjoyed the way everything carries over in to "real life". Having a female lead that was a nice change and Natalie Duke does a great job with the voices and tones she imparts in the characters. The end leaves you wanting to read the next book to find out what happens next. I can't wait to read the second book in the series.

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

A surprisingly gravitational story

As a simple disclaimer: "This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."

That out of the way, I have to say that the story was very pulling. Almost all of the standard tropes of LitRPG stories were strictly NOT followed, and that is a great thing. TBH I wouldn't put this in the same category, personally, but that's my thought.

What I found, though, is that the story was well mapped. Didn't feel linear in nature and was not as predictable. There are twists in the plot that are more than reasonable and the fluidity of the story made it an enjoyable listen.

Narration was done well, though some of the rolling tones don't fit the moment at times, but not a deal breaker. Just a preference.

ALERT!! -- Spoiler zone --

Eve is a vulnerable and imperfect person, and that is fine. Thankfully not stuck in the standard LitRPG trope of being either a VR gamer stuck in the game and also not being someone that's raised in poverty. Pretty much a standard girl. This stands out to me as many times the MC is instantly to be sympathized for. She's a little more believable.

The environment being an overlay and the "game" being something hidden is a welcome change. Even more welcome is that Eve is an unwitting participant in the whole thing. The only thing truly missing in my mind is the scope and scale of the game. Surely all "players" can't be from one neighborhood. I do hope this gets increased and addressed in future books in the series.

The supporting cast of players is good, but not great. Some eagerness on some and obstinacy on others creates a good dynamic, but the personalities can be a bit grating at times.

The actual story... Well laid out and a fun one to follow. I especially enjoy the fact that the characters aren't invincible. Though cast death is minimal, it still happens, which is more attuned with reality. That and it gives the reader and MC a reason to get a bit pissed.

I will likely follow and finish the series.

Careful what you wish for

A very interesting spin on the anti-heroes or heroine vs the system. It will keep you guessing until the end and leave you waiting for the next book.

It has one of the better stat explication systems without bogging the story line down by constantly checking the stat sheets of the main character. If this was a game I would play, even with the severe rules.

Unlikable main character

Alas I didn’t really enjoy this audio book.
I didn’t like that the story begins right when Eve’s life changes in a huge way. You don’t get a sense of what her normal life looks like, or who she is.
She changes during the course of the book, but because you get hardly any information about her or her life before, the character building fell flat/ felt bottomless to me.
I never connected with her or felt invested in her.

Next to that, I found Eve highly unlikable. Her actions are decent enough, but it’s her thoughts that ruined it.
For example, she would help a ‘friend’ but then acknowledges to herself she only does it for her own gain/ survival.
This happens constantly (inner thoughts of how selfish she is), and I don’t know what the reasoning behind it could be.
It made her unlikable and her ‘friendships’ feel fake.

To me, this feels like a teen/ young adult story, even though the level of violence felt out of proportion for this target audience.

The narration was great!

I got this Audio Book for free (thanks!). I'm voluntarily leaving this review.
Opinions and ratings are my own and not influenced by how I got the Audio Book.