Solid start to a unique series.

There are a few things that make this series stand out. I like the guy from a pure fantasy world tossed into a video game world concept, I like that respawning is a dangerous prospect. Especially for the monsters. Characters are pretty decent. I like the diversity of troll types and evolutions.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

It was ok

The story was ok, both the author and reader put too much emphasis on sword techniques and their pronunciation, and the differences in characters levels made no difference. All in all, it was Ok at best.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Rushed and short

I Pre-ordered due to recommendations. Unfortunately it is not up to snuff. Feels like there's a good story to tell but instead it was rushed.
The character seems to rush into challenges under prepared with no actual reason to rush. More to lose then to gain.

Only good part was the narrator - and Kaz.

6 of 9 people found this review helpful

nick

podehl.
any book this man can make into a masterpiece I swear it. the book itself is moderately good, it's a little different and I think I love it! but nick podehl is truly a masterful reader. he puts emotion into every word that many other audio readers fail to even come close to. listen to all of Nick's books, and you'll know exactly what I mean.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

A fantasy realm collides with Virtual Reality

OK, I am going to come clean here. I am unquestioningly a huge fan of James Hunter. I enjoy everything he’s written from this Urban Fantasy Yancy Lazarus, his Litrpg Series Viridian Gate Online, to that grocery list he dropped while shopping the other day. I must also say, that you might further consider me to be biased because I do have a story in his upcoming Viridian Gate Anthology novel Side Quests, but that does not make anything I am about to say untrue or inaccurate.

This is a genuinely brilliant book, that much like the Land of the Undying by Dave Willmarth is just as interesting in the real world as it is in the game world. The “real world” is actually a fantasy realm in which the hero, Roark is a rebel. He fights against an evil Usurper who has used his ability to control magics unlike every mage before him to steal an empire. The setting seems to be slightly German in tone, with an interesting magic system in which written words convey power. When his attack on the Tyrant fails he tries to escape through a portal, which is a dicey proposition at best, and he finds himself not where he wanted to be, but in a strange world with new magics and an unlimited lifespan that allows him to respawn. What he doesn’t realize is that he has entered Hearthworld, which is actually an MMORPG. Obviously, he has no clue that he is in a video game, and simply treats it like he has entered another world which is a logical conclusion for him to reach.

That, my friends is the brilliance of this story. Roark is an interesting protagonist, and oddly the real antagonist is a player named Pwner Boner 007, that is a game name that will stand beside the most legendary Leroy Jenkins. That isn’t to say that the Tyrant lord doesn’t loom and play in the back of Roark’s mind, but honestly, he really goes at Pwner Boner 007 enough that he qualifies as the bad guy. That is another strength of this book, it goes some serious to silly and no matter the tone Roark plays it straight.

Truly, this book was far too short. I loved every second of it, and really think that this is quite possibly one of the best series he’s done to date. It stands right beside VGO. Don’t think that I am discounting eden Hudson, either. She is an incredible writer, and her novel, Two Faced, is about as top notch as they come. She has some serious chops. I mean like Mr. Miyagi chops. I know I said that I respected how well James was able to co-write with Aaron Crash because it seemed like it was a single voice, and the same is true here. Only thing is the voice is very different in tone from War God. This is a masterful piece of combining writing styles, vision, and attitudes. This book blew me away at every turn. The only drawback was that it was too short.

Now you might be calling me out on how this fits into the dungeon category for this special, and I’m going to tell you it is because Roark becomes a part of the dungeon. He grows in power and manages to lead a section of it all by himself. I can see him eventually taking the entire dungeon over at some point in the future.

The narration by Nick Pohdel is outstanding. He transitions Roark’s voice slowly as he gains levels, and it is subtle, but so realistic that you have to pay attention. He plays monsters so well, and embodies the snark of Pwner Boner 007. There simply is no touching the man here. He is amazing to listen to, every characte has their own voice, which are utterly distinctive and outstanding. His villains are just as great as his heroes, and he absolutely steals the show with his portrayal of Roark. I loved listening to him, and if you want to hear more get the Gam3 or Super Sales on Superheroes 2. Good stuff there.

Hunter and Hudson (they sound like colonial marines from Aliens don't they?) really are an amazing team. I really expect a lot from them in the future with this series. It is scary just how good it is, and it really makes me happy to see thme get recognized for the incredible work they are doing. I don't recommend you get this book. I demand it. You deserve this incredibly conceived and executed story more than you know. Get it, grab it, go for it but don't let it get passed you.

Even though I did receive a promo code for this review it in no way influenced my considerations of the material, and in fact, inspired me to be more honest. Getting a code generally makes me harsher as a reviewer as I am more often concerned what someone like Me will decide based on my review.

If this review helped, please press the YES below. Thank you immensely!!!

As seen on the LITRPG AUDIOBOOK PODCAST DUNGEON SPECIAL, please check it out on Youtube.com

7 of 13 people found this review helpful

loved it

great take. haven't seen a story like this one in the litrpg. great fantasy story!

I really liked it!

In the LitRPG genre it is really hit or miss. For every 5 bad books you get one good one. This was a good one. Not great but pretty darn good. It never hurts to have the best narrator around narrate your book either. I will definitely get the next one and follow the series.

Cheesey fun

cheesey fun, I really enjoyed this book. Like watching old 80s action movies. They aren't entertainment that will win awards, or been seen as life changing. But they are a ton of fun and a great ride.

Top Tier LitRPG

Great from start to finish. Some of the best action. Excellent performance. On to book 2.

Entertaining

Nick Podehl's effortless story telling ability shines brightly in this entertaining, and interesting take on a LitRPG. James Hunter and Eden Hudson have managed to scribe something enjoyable and entertaining without the slighted need of a harem. I highly recommend this purchase, and I am looking forward to more.