Heir Apparent

By: Vivian Vande Velde

Narrated by: Carine Montbertrand

Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

In the virtual reality game Heir Apparent, there are way too many ways to get killed, and Giannine seems to be finding them all. Which is a darn shame, because unless she can get the magic ring, locate the stolen treasure, answer the dwarf's dumb riddles, impress the head-chopping statue, charm the army of ghosts, fend off the barbarians, and defeat the man-eating dragon, she'll never win.

And she has to, because losing means she'll die, for real this time.

Public Domain (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Hilarious characters...plus fantastical elements...will spur readers on toward the satisfying conclusion." (Publishers Weekly)

heir apparent it was good

I own the book and the audio book its a great so although I was looking forward to hearing her father talk

Love this book!

I've read this book many times. I think the voice of the Narrator should have been different. She told the story well, but it was hard listening because it didnt seem like the right voice.

light and easy to listen to

story was light and easy to listen to, not a heavy thinking book but kept me entertained during the commute!

Too slow for middle school.

Would you listen to Heir Apparent again? Why?

Will not use this audio book again. The read is just too slow for my 8th graders.

What did you like best about this story?

It is a good story and have used it over the years as I have a class set.

How could the performance have been better?

Just wish the the performance would have picked up the pace and have been more 'animated' for lack of a better term.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Totally enjoyed the adventure!

Well written! Loved the narrator! It grabbed my interest from the beginning to the end! I'm going to read another one of her books!

One of my favorite books

This is one of those books I listen to every few years. As a fan of fantasy and gaming, I love the premise. Characters are well built. Stakes are high. Great world building. Would love to play this game IRL. My 18yo son also enjoyed this book and performance. My favorite is the riddle solving. I like that she’s independent and kinda sassy.

Thoroughly Enjoyed It

I have listened to a huge number of fantasy & science fiction audiobooks, and while this is certainly not the best I have encountered, it was refreshingly entertaining compared to most of what I have had to settle for lately.

Some reviews of this book had left me expecting another average fantasy tromp, but this was no chore to listen to. My only regret is that I let my caution delay my purchase of this book for so long.

The story uses the old premise of a person trapped in a virtual reality world. However, it has many unique twists. The flexible nature of the setting really makes this into a great 'what if' scenario and adds greater depth to the political intrigue involved. The main character starts back at the beginning every time she fails to win the game, but each time she plays the differences in her actions lead to a whole new sequence of events.

The game that is featured in the book is not some cheap parody, but the game of the future. It has the sort of realism that any gamer would die for (literally). Don't be turned off by the setting, as it is really quite interesting.

In my opinion, the narrator was fine and well-suited to this book. I did not feel that she had any particular trouble with the voices, and her flat tones really made for perfect delivery of the main character's flippant thoughts and sarcasms.

Story: A Voice: C

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes I would. The story is creative and filled with humor.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes, the narration matched the pace.

Could you see Heir Apparent being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

The narrator for this particular audio book isn't my favorite. While the technical aspects of it were just fine, I felt that her voice didn't serve the story well.

Good listen

Good listen. Pretty funny and light. I listened to it while deep cleaning the house and it was perfect.

Overall Enjoyable

The book was enjoyable overall. The story had a bit of a slow start, which worried me at first. Once the story was going, however, it kept a good pace.

The biggest drawback to the book was the narration. The voice of the main character was not one I enjoyed or even got use to. It was distracting.

Still, I would recommend this book. It is a great fantasy story that does not require suspension of disbelief.