War

Grand System Vending, Book 2

By: Ryan Maxwell

Narrated by: Steve Campbell

The good news: The vending machines aren't trying to kill them anymore. The bad news: Pretty much everything else is.

After debugging the apocalypse and stopping the corruption infecting Earth's last supply chain, Tom thought survival might finally get easier. He was wrong. With civilization hanging by a thread, the real threat isn't just monsters—it's people. Between power-hungry guilds, a self-proclaimed ruler who collects slaves like trading cards, and the ever-mysterious System pulling the strings, the only certainty in conflict.

Now, Tom and his friends have a new mission: get back to Dallas before the world burns down around them. But when the city is already a battlefield, the difference between a hero and a warlord is just a matter of perspective.

Peace was never an option.

©2025 Ryan Maxwell (P)2026 Podium Audio

Couldn’t stop listening

I loved this book. The characters felt real and easy to connect with, and I especially enjoyed that it takes place in an area I’m familiar with. Ryan Maxwell keeps the story moving, and the narration made it even better. Looking forward to the next one.

Book 1 was good… book two was better…

I really enjoyed book 1 but book 2 is even better. The story takes on the theme of unprocessed trauma during a magical apocalypse. Fantastic!

Leveling Up for WAR

I am enjoying listening to how Tom's team and their Vanguard Guild grow, move beyond surviving, and what life will be in the new normal. I am a sucker for fun dungeons and everything that entails, but it's really good seeing how those adventures are only a part of the story.

Book 2 feels like the scope is expanding while still dealing with enemies on multiple fronts. This has become a favorite series, with Ryan Maxwell's humanity on the characters in such fantastical experiences. Post Apocalypse in Texas seems to be the place to be.

I cannot say enough about how amazing Steve Campbell's narration brings out Tom and everyone within the Vanguard Guild.

Top notch narration

book had a little too much tell instead of show, as well as MC doing dumb shit and not caring because it works out...

but if you can get past that it's so much fun with high adrenaline action scenes and real character growth

Two antagonists for the price of one!

Just as fun and chaotic as the previous installment, but this time with a little added depth, higher stakes, fun dungeons, weird mobs, and occasional tears (it’s just allergies, I swear.)

Our MC Tom is still ever present as he guides his party through new challenges, though he takes a back seat at times as we’re allowed to spend some time with other characters. This brings much more emotional depth and additional character development to the core team, as well as some characters who have remained on the sidelines to this point.

Taking time to give moments with heavier emotional weight to paint the additional cast more as real humans (or nonhuman, as the case may be) rather than simple caricatures really adds layers of complexity to the world and series. This includes some more vulnerable moments with the usually unflappable James, some POV from the eyes of Jerky, and even a battle with Squirrel and Jerky as the primary combatants.

Steve Campbell really flexes his vocal muscles and range with so many unique characters being added all the time, and it becomes easier and easier to forget that just one person is performing this story.

Ryan and Steve are a fantastic match, teaming up to deliver an incredibly satisfying followup to the first book in a series that is sure to continue to impress, inspire, and entertain for hours on end.

No goblin orphans were harmed in the making of this review.