Heir Today, Pawn Tomorrow: A LitRPG/GameLit Novel

The Good Guys Series, Book 2

By: Eric Ugland

Narrated by: Neil Hellegers

Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

Montana's new life in Vuldranni, the medieval fantasy game world he lucked into, isn't quite the tranquil extended fishing trip he'd been hoping for. But you gotta admit, he's doing pretty well for himself. Now he's Montana Coggeshall, heir to a dukedom. If he can get his crew to Osterstadt and claim it in time.  

Heir Today, Pawn Tomorrow is a heart-pounding adventure through uncharted territory. Montana and the party must cross WarWaters, a lake that offers everything but a pleasure cruise, and then race through a dense, forbidden forest full of hungry beasts, unfriendly races, and a few cocky nobles. If you're ready for an epic quest full of hellbeasts, ghost royals, and wyrm guts, this is the book for you.

©2018 Eric Ugland (P)2019 Tantor

Offensively short, truly en series joyable otherwise.

First, the story...I love this story.

The whole “moronic MC trope” is something that will normally make me return a book so fast that the RAM in my iPhone overheats. However, Ugland has created a world and storyline that manage to overshadow the fact that half of the MC’s thoughts and actions are so idiotic that long ago he should have accidentally stabbed his own eyes out with a spoon while trying to eat a jello pudding snack-pack.

Which is to say that this is not one of those truly rare books where the story is actually improved by the author’s uncanny ability to make an annoying idiot feel seamlessly relatable and realistic... But this is an indication of how much I really felt immersed in the universe and adventure of this series.

To sum up, I highly recommend checking out this series... with one major caveat:

Below you will find my rant about the length of these releases and my opinions about cutting a solid 12-13 hour fantasy book into 2 separate installments. If all you only want to know whether this is a good story or not then feel free to ignore the self-righteous, tantrum-like scree that I continues hereafter......

It’s not the fact that this audio-“book” is under 7 hours that is so offensive, but it’s that the larger work is not being marketed and labeled as an episodic series. Or at the very least that the first and second “half-books” have not been repackaged as one release for the audio versions. Doing a combined volume 1 & 2 release for the audio version of a series like this is an accepted practice and it makes sense given the credit system on Audible.

Paying a few bucks for digital text copies of shorter works really isn’t a big deal, but considering I can get a 40 hour boxed set of a series for the same credit that I had to pay for one of the two short works in this series leaves a bad taste.

I’m not basing this complaint solely on the actual runtime of each of the Good Guys audiobooks. If they were truly self contained books with a pace and flow that dictated their lengths I wouldn’t be writing this diatribe. The problem is the combination of the short runtime and the fact that each of the installments by themselves are plotted like half of a whole book. Add to this that the audio versions were released within weeks of each-other and it feels a little bit too much like I’m paying twice for one actual audiobook.

The solution is to either write longer installments or combine them into single audio releases that actually add up to a full length fantasy novel. If the future installments of this series continue in the same manor, I’m liable to start acquiring every second book via other (free) methods to keep from feeling like I’m being swindled. I say this In spite of not only really enjoying this series, but also that I’m a true believer in making sure new artists are paid for their hard work. That’s why I’m proud to support multiple up and coming authors on Patreon.

What I’m saying is I’m more than happy to shell out my very meager, extra income to make it possible for “small” author’s to realize their art. I just don’t like the feeling that I’m being knowingly manipulated into paying double for it. Honestly, I have enjoyed the actual story so much that I would have sponsored Eric Ugland on Patreon and in the end put considerably more money in his pocket over time than he’s currently getting from me via the price of one book at a time.

Short, but worth the ride

No harem, no explicit sex and a really great story. Main character is a little op, but frankly it dosen't ruin the story, just makes it more enjoyable. The only downsides to these books are 1. They are short and 2. There is so much cussing... But if you can forgive those then really a good read.

Why do MCs always have to be idiots

Can someone tell me why being good means you have to be an idiot and lack common sense? why are all these heroes no matter if they were special forces in their previous lives turn into blocks of rocks when they get sent into the new world?
they don't seem to want to kill anyone even those who are actively trying to kill them. I don't get it not one bit and this started out so good but to turn into something so worthless it's unreal.

The missing half of book one

Really liked this book, though it suffered from some of the same issues of the first book. To summarize: Montana doing things is entertaining and clever, better flow then first book, much less bogged down by long winded descriptions of non-eventful walking and traveling. only 2 readings of the character sheet but they still take over 5 minutes to be read (book 1 did it about a dozen times, each about 3-4 minutes long), Montana still learning how things work in the game, people are still silent and sometimes completely mean and mad about him even asking any questions, and Montana finally makes a few lasting relationships. Oh, and Montana still likes to literally throw away magical weapons without retrieving them. So far he has discarded a super powerful gods blessed sword and shield (both in book 1), a bane-of-anything-from-hell greatsword, and a behemoth slaying greatsword. That's pretty frustrating to see.

However, after read books one and two I have come to a conclusion: Both books feel like they should have been combined, or that they were purposely separated just to make 2 books of what should have been a one book story arc. Each one is far too short on their own, working much better together as a single story arc of Montana finding his place in this new world. As Eric Ugland releases one of these books every 2-3 months I feel that this one arc was split in order to make 2 books. After asking other readers of the series I have found that this theory is not just my own, and that further books feel the same way in pairs; books 1 and 2, books 3 and 4, etc.

Again, the true gem of this audiobook is Neil Hellegers' narration. He reminds me of one of my favored voice actors, Ray Porter, mixed with Tom Hanks. The range of male voices is varied and the female ones are not to bad either

It's too short.

Honestly, that's pretty much the only negative comment on this book.

The characters continue to develop, new interesting characters are added, and the history of this new world is further uncovered. Worth a listen, but if you can get this in a bundle or something...far more worth it. I cringed a bit to spend a whole credit on such a small amount of content. If more of the series is like this it may take me forever to finish and I may just outright buy then rather than wasting a credit. (wrapping up book 3 now..which is phenomenal!)

Performance is top-notch, Neil really starts to find his groove here.

good but mc is written as a bumbling idiot that is

incapable of learning from his mistakes. he was a hard ass criminal in his past life but now is a weak stomached insufferably nieave goody twoshoe who is ruthless at killing people unless the story needs him to forget all the hard lessons he has learned several times to serve the plot.

a bit short

Still well written but it is a bit short. Fully intend on continuing the series though.

overall good story

it's a easy story to listen too. funny and entertaining. Great narrator he makes Montana sound like a lovable and likable ideot. you can easily tell the difference between the different characters. the only problem I have with the story is the over abundance of character list and info. if your reading the book its ok but if you have to go the the hole thing over and over AND OVER. It can really start to piss you off. at one point he went through the characters info then 2min later he went through it again. if they took out that part or abbreviated it it would probably shorten the book by a hour or more. but make the book flow alot better. but besides that irritant i real enjoy the story.

our lovable Meathead returns

this is a great continuation of The Adventures of meat head the Barbarian who is striving to be a good man in a strange new world full of gaming mechanics and Magic the ending is insane and kind of amazing it tends to drag a little in the middle but well worth it

Good Story BUT SO SHORT

Pretty solid story, but I feel like I’m only a couple REAL chapters in before it’s already over and it feels like a money grab.

fun

I like the development of power and also the story. it all has a nice thread and it is also hard to predict what will happen next =)

Great fun

A great sequel, the journey continues and plots grow. Good story and narration, well worth a listen.

The best gamelit series out there BY FAR!

If you havnt started youre in for a treat ! Get ready for some sarcastic characters and by that I mean that everyone in this world has a sarcastic persona haha its abit ridiculous but fuck it its entertaining!

Funny but stupid nonsense words used at times.

Funny but stupid nonsense words used at times.

Totally well worth listening to, even with the stupid words

nice

very interesting intriguing and well organized story can not wait for the next book. cheers