Stand & Fight

Fate & Freedom Online, Book 3

By: DM Gilmore

Narrated by: Jackie Meloche

Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Fate—denied…

Freedom—lost…

War for the future of the game—on the horizon!

Warren’s quest to become a World Boss is finally over, and destruction is left in its wake. The Death Game has finally come. Uncountable players are trapped in Fate and Freedom Online, and those who die are lost in the sensory deprivation hell of the death void.

It’s up to Warren and his allies, both player and monster alike, to find a way out of the game as soon as possible. That’s easier said than done, though, as many players seem against Warren helping them at all.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the Death Game is tied to one of the most powerful monsters in the history of the game: the Skeleton King. With Warren’s former coworker Jackson in control of its armies, and the game itself helping its cause, the Skeleton King is preparing to bring Warren to heel and kill everyone who gets in their way.

It’s a war for the fate of the game, and every life within it.

Book 3 in the Fate & Freedom Online Series from debut author DM Gilmore. Grab your copy today and continue the fight!

©2023 Aethon Books (P)2023 Aethon Audio

A good read

Liked the characters, the amount drama, the wins and losses, overall I liked the story it was a good read especially since the protagonist is non-human those are one of my favorite kinds of stories.

Honestly though, the unexpected relationship with ‘Stabbatha’ probably botched that name, and the protagonist kinda of surprised me cause I thought there was something going between him and ‘Quiver’ again probably botched the name but it was an interesting outcome overall so good job nonetheless.

Okay story hampered by the MC

It will be a bit rambly since I'm tired and want to go to bed. But I just need to get this off my mind before that.

Decent enough story/idea with a vr "deathgame" and we a good mix of characters.. but the MC just made me facepalm.
He is takes the MC is dense trope to new levels and he is so insecure and meek it's painful.

This will be a bit of spoiler.. so skip it if you don't want spoilers.


So.. deathgame. Players are stuck in the game and can't logout and as added tension, they can't respawn. Not to mention the number of times we get reminded that people can die IRL if they can't logout.
So far so good.
But the MC end up as a Mob/Player hybrid.. so he can respawn. That kinda lowers the stakes a bit, That's not the end of the world, BUT...
He finds a way to make other respawn. They even talk about how he did it, and have proof that it works in the person that got a respawn.
Despite that, NO ONE thinks about abusing the infinite respawn... even though this is a life and death situation.
"Hey, we must defeat this boss or we risk death IRL,, LET'S NOT USE THE INFINTE RESPAWN to defeat him!"

My other issues with the MC.
Any antagonist can defeat the MC by simply blaming him for the bad things that happen. He instantly breaks down in self doubt.
Finds a way to respawn players.. instead of using it to save people. He get worried people will get mad that he didn't revive dead players and tries to avoid them...
He wants to refuse getting upgraded gear for the final fight, even though it is a life and death situation.

I could ramble on forever.. but I need sleep.