litrpg audiobook podcast

Every week Ray brings you the best LitRPG Audiobooks and his reviews on them.

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_076.mp3 08/10/2021

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_075.mp3 04/19/2021

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_074.mp3 03/22/2021

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_073.mp3 01/25/2021

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_072.mp3 01/11/2021

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_071.mp3 01/04/2021

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_070.mp3 12/29/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_069.mp3 12/22/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_068.mp3 11/09/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_067.mp3 11/02/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_066.mp3 08/31/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_065.mp3 08/24/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_064.mp3 07/28/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_063.mp3 07/20/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_062.mp3 07/06/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_061.mp3 06/23/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_061.mp3 LitRPG Audiobook Podcast 061 - Monster's Mercy, Barakdor- Book 2, Core of Fear, War Aeternus 5 You can read the full reviews and show notes if you visit us at: “Hello everyone. Welcome to the LitRPG Audiobook Podcast. I’m Ray. I’ll be reviewing some recent and classic LitRPG Audiobooks for you. I’ll begin with: ” (01:48) Score: 8.3 out of 10 (14:46) Score: 7.9 out of 10 (21:46) Score: 7 out of 10 (37:36) Score: 8.7 out of 10 ------------------------- Monster's Mercy By: William D. Arand Narrated by: Andrea Parsneau Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins Pause So, here is a book that blends elements of Dexter, with his dark passenger premise, and a hint of elements of Fostering Faust with the alignment bar parallel, as well as bits of the Green Hornet, in which a good guy takes on the personae of an underworld boss to get control of criminal activity in his city. Personally, I like the concept and enjoyed the banter between the MC and his “monster”. This iteration of the Arandverse focuses on Renee, a contract killer who is killed and then offered a new lease on life so long as he can keep his alignment meter filled to the brim with goodness. Bad stuff is waiting for him if he goes full blown evil. The problem? Renee has a dark passenger who has driven him to kill for his whole life. This alternate personality likes to speak in rhymes and is very much a projection of Renee’s Id. Taking the deal Renee finds himself reborn in a world with some magic, elves, and I am sure, other fantastical creatures and possibilities. He retains his full knowledge of his former life when he is reborn, and grows up in a loving household without the monster in his head. All of this changes when he is kidnapped, and all of his former skills and abilities return along with a gaming menu that lets him pick up new skills quickly, makes him tougher to kill, and best of all the monster comes with the package. Renee must now balance his need to keep from sinning to the needs of his city and his monster. Renee quickly becomes enmeshed in the goings on of the city he finds himself in when he breaks free of his captors. Naturally, he becomes embroiled in a love pentagon between himself and four other women over time. I have to say while I found it hard to believe that an amoral murderer who was on the path to redemption wouldn’t partake in some of the lady’s wares, even some high class call girls that were set aside just for him, to be a little less than believable. Until I looked at it through a lens that let me see that Renee had never had a real relationship in his old life and had no idea how to actually have one in his new one. Yes, he is an adult in a teen’s body, but that didn’t make him less socially awkard. Anyway, I really enjoyed this tale even though it pinched elements from other Arand novels, and didn’t pull the trigger on the Harem aspect in any way that I would have expected. This is a very nice addition to the overarching storyline Arand is building towards. Now, we get to the gold. Andrea really out does herself here. She gives distinctive voices to Renee, the monster, the Hood, and the Mask (all the same people, btw). One part I particularly enjoyed was how she used the Watcher’s, hmmmm wonder who he could be, voice to add some flavor to explanations and details on scanned items. That was brilliant and slick. Finally, I applaud her addition of her bloopers and outtakes at the end of the story. It just goes to show that you can have a full career narrating in spite of suffering from Tourette’s Syndrome. Final Score 8.3 stars. I really enjoyed this tale. -------------------------- Alexa Drey: The Veils of Lamerell Barakdor, Book 2 By: Ember Lane Narrated by: Stephanie Dillard Series: Barakdor, Book 2 Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins Pause OK, so I have to admit that I haven’t read book one yet, but my understanding is that this book is only tied to the first book by the setting. Book one has a completely different MC, while the setting remains the same. I cannot speak for the quality of book one, but if it is like this one it has to be pretty good. Now, to be honest, the premise is fairly simple. Earth is ravaged and mankind’s only hope is to go to the stars to live somewhere else. Naturally, interstellar travel take time, and no one wants to end up like the people in Wall-E, and so they place their minds into a game world to occupy them as they soar through space. The MC has never been a gamer, and so finds the whole process a little unnerving at first. The MC, Alexa Drey, finds herself in a fantasy world full of wizards and warriors, and the only thing that she really has going for her is her utter tenacity. She doesn’t give up, which is good since she sort of stumbles into an area that she isn’t ready for. One of the unique things, well, different anyhow, is that even though this is a fantasy setting the book does not really emphasize or necessitate battle. That is what is good about this book. It focuses on world building, is chock full of interesting legends, traditions, and folklore. Alexa has companions who have no problem letting her fall flat on her face, and at times don’t quite seem as helpful as they should be, but she carries on. In fact, Alexa is supposed to have this untapped magical potential that could lead to greatness, but she has a hard time getting anyone to teach her how to apply these skills. Stephanie Dillard does an amazing job here, and does so very well that she is at once familiar and yet a refreshing change. As I mentioned in another review the narrator there did not “fit” the story. Dillard has no such difficulties. There are times she reminded me of Andrea Parsenau, having such an eclectic set of vocal tools to choose from. She really brought this book to life, and I really think that she elevated the story all the way around. She had complete command from beginning to end and as an utter pleasure to listen to. She has a wonderful range of characters, male and female, and knows how to pace a story. Again, I can’t speak for book one, but this story is well crafted and expertly narrated. 7.9 stars. ------------------------- Core of Fear: A Paranormal LitRPG Dungeon Core Spirit Core, Book 1 By: Jonathan Brooks Narrated by: Sarah L. Colton Series: Spirit Core Series, Book 1 Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins Pause Ok, here is one that is really hard for me to review, and I’ve kept this on the back burner for some time just because I really love a lot of Brooks stuff, hell he’s one of the most prolific writers in the dungeon genre and has some great books to back him up. That’s the problem. He has great books. Books are easy to love or hate based on the writing alone, but when that book becomes an audiobook it gets an additional element that can elevate or break the tale. The narrator. First off, props for doing a horror book. Horror is one of those things that is great for movie studios because they can crank out a silly premise for a few million dollars and make big bucks. It is rare, though, to see big budget horror movies. Horror is a B-movie dweller 90% of the time. Brooks, a true master at his craft, seems to understand this genre that I love so deeply, and weaves a complex tale that stars a MC who isn’t all that nice. In fact, he’s a psycho escaped from hell who returns to earth to send innocent people into the abyss. The premise is dark and unrelenting, and in my opinion pretty freaking fearless. The book is dark, unrelenting, unremorseful, and unforgiving. The game mechanics, as always work well, and are actually a neat little addition to what could be a horror novel unto itself. I was actually writing a horror core story myself until I listened to this, and stopped because they were similar, and so you can see that my tastes and Master Brook’s are not dissimilar to one another. The book did remind me of the movie Shocker, in which a serial killer is executed but then continues on as an undead bogeyman. The hard part for me is that the narration, and I mean no disrespect to Ms. Colton, does not fit the tone of the novel. Her voice seems to suited towards romances or YA novels, a place in which I am sure that she would absolutely kill, no pun intended, but just does not suit this novel at all. If I am frank it was like listening to a middle schooler try to read Stephen King’s The Stand. Yes, she did an OK job in Dungeon Player, and I mean OK. Trying to be diplomatic here, but this story is not suited to her storytelling capabilities here. This is not a dig at her being a female; there are many female narrators whom I love. Her voice, tone, acting did not make me believe Logan Clive was a threat or build tension. SO, I have to say for me, I believe that reading the book would have been far more fun. The story itself is smooth and grim and doesn’t pull punches, but the narration almost cleans it up and lightens tense moments. So, I have to give this 7 stars. I loved the story, but the narration just did not carry the gravity of the book. -------------------------- War Aeternus 5: End of the Faithful By: Charles Dean Narrated by: Jeff Hays, Annie Ellicott Series: War Aeternus, Book 5 Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins Pause We come at last to the end of the road. Lee and company finally close up shop after five fabulous books. All I can say it has been one heck of a ride, and the close out is well worth it. The story’s ending is bittersweet, with a rather realistic view of what it means to compete to become a god. I’m not saying who becomes a god, or what happens to those who survive, because not everyone does. Lee and his companions are forced to accelerate their plans when the villainous Red Ramen (YUM), lord of the Spicy Chicken Noodles, begins eliminating numerous heralds at a pace that makes Lee look like he’s been napping for the last four books. On top of that, Augustus’s favorite Herald also has to contend with other heralds and figure out a way to keep his party alive in spite of being separated by vast distances. The book focuses on the interpersonal relationships between Lee and his entourage but does not skimp out on the violence and bloodshed. That’s one thing Dean is good for, bloody battles and swordplay. Miller and Dave have a really nice sequence, and the shrine to Lee bit made me guffaw as Miller extolled the virtues of Augustus and his son. Honestly, Miller made this series for me. His over the top insanity and utter devotion to Lee made him my favorite, and let’s face it, we always like the side-characters better than the leads. One thing that I will say, without giving anything away is that Dean does an excellent job showing how a mortal can go from being extremely attached to the people that it oversees to being pretty much apathetic and uncaring, and I think that is perhaps the best writing I have seen, or rather heard all year. It not only makes a lot of sense, but it certainly evoked a lot of empathy from me. I could understand exactly what the final herald was going through, and it made a lot of sense to become disconnected in that way. Like I said, a brilliant series, that doesn’t give you an easy ending. You want happy endings then go to Disneyland. You want a gritty, emotional, and compelling wrap up then look no further. Dean has you covered. SBT handles the narration, with Jeff hays doing the bulk of the lifting. You know, I always kid about Jeff being the man of a thousand voices, and he has often compared himself to being a muppet, but I have to say that there is no way you can listen to the last hour of his story telling and not get an emotional gut-punch on par with a performance from Sophie’s Choice. It was subdued and nuanced, and it really blew me away. Annie Ellicot also turns the emotional screws, and breaks your heart with not just one, but several performances. She is gut-wrenching, and conveys the heartbreak in mind-numbing sets as we go from one love interest to another. The music, and the SFX are low-key phenomenal here, and are probably the best work done yet. SBT continues to amaze and impress. Dean doles out portions of perfection, and ends the book in a manner that we get to see how things pan out for all of the survivors. I found the ending both satisfactory, as in there was something I wanted to happen, actually happened, and you aren’t let off easy. Final score 8.7 stars. One hell of a way to wrap up a series. ------------------------- Thanks oh so very much for watching everyone, I do appreciate you taking the time to watch or listen to the show. If you want to support us, you can like the LitRPG Podcast facebook page or the YouTube Page, or just share and like the video. I’m going to ask for more suggestions for the ‘Is it LIT’ segment, I’ve got a good one for next time, but will always need ideas. Please leave comments or suggestions in the comments below, and feel free to tell me whatever you like. I enjoy the feedback. For LitRPG Audiobook Podcast, I’m Ray. Keep listening!!! This podcast is sponsored by Soundbooth Theater, makers of great audiobooks. You can follow us on Facebook: Twitter: YouTube: Patreon: Our Webpage: Some other LitRPG facebook pages: If you enjoy the podcast and want to support us you can also find all the other ways to support the podcast at /episode/index/show/litrpgaudiobookpodcast/id/14936432

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_060.mp3 05/26/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_059.mp3 05/11/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_058.mp3 04/20/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_057.mp3 03/04/2020

LitRPG_Audiobook_Podcast_057.mp3 LitRPG Audiobook Podcast 057 - NPCs, Puatera Online Book 8, Dungeon World 4, Dark‌ ‌Elf‌ ‌Chronicles Book‌ ‌3‌ You can read the full reviews and show notes if you visit us at: “Hello everyone. Welcome to the LitRPG Audiobook Podcast. I’m Ray. I’ll be reviewing some recent and classic LitRPG Audiobooks for you. I’ll begin with: ” (00:27) Score: 8.4 out of 10 (07:54) Score: 8.4 out of 10 (19:18) Score: 8 out of 10 Soundbooth Spotlight (28:19) Score: 8.4 out of 10 ---------------------- War for Maicreol: The Final Battle: Puatera Online, Book 8 By: Dawn Chapman Narrated by: Andrea Parsneau Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins Pause So, in the spirit of talking about NPC’s I have to bring up one of my favorite NPC heroines, who I no longer think actually qualifies as an NPC just because of her complete and utter awesomeness, and that would be Maddie the original star of the series. Maddie’s return is just one of the things that this finale has going for it, the other two are Dawn Chapman’s deft storytelling abilities, and the ever incredible narration of Andrea Parsenau. Seriously, aside from the great Duchy/Dooky debacle of 2017 has she ever been anything but perfect? This book marks Maddie’s return, only for her to find out that she is not alone in her quest, but that she also has Akilla, Lila, Dahlia, and Jessica to help her take care of business, so this really is the culmination of all the preceding novels and it brings them together in a very nice and cohesive storyline that can’t help but grab your attention. Also, this has been a very unique series in that it started out with one MC and then went and added more players as it went on. The entire concept was new, and it was played out brilliantly. So let me say one little thing about the narration. I absolutely adore Andrea Parsenau, and it was such a treat for her to return to close out the series that she and Dawn started together, it is very fitting and honestly it would not have felt right otherwise, BUT, BUT I would have really loved to have had the other narrators, or at least one of them, come back to voice “their” characters. For example, Annaliese Rennie would have been brilliant to have snuck in a cameo, as would Suzanne Barbetta who did just as many of the Puatera books as Parsenau. I realize that monetarily it was probably not possible, but I do want to give a tip of the hat to the other ladies who kept this series going while Andrea was elsewhere, although I have to say that keeping Maddie solely as Andrea’s character was very fitting. I honestly had hoped that Andrea would return before the close of the series, but had no idea if she would. For me, Andrea is a conundrum. She’s like Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way, but every time I listen to her I hear something new. She continues to improve and evolve as a narrator and she simply blows me away every time she narrates. Chapman, has played some cards very close to her chest because you really will be surprised who the big bad is. There is a change in perspective as we bounce between Maddie’s POV and that of Lila. Now Spoiler, we don’t get a real happy ending. We get one that is tangled in real life, something that doesn’t come with clean fairytale endings even though the resolution to the problem could be considered fairytalish in nature. In other words, Lila manages to get a resolution, but you have to ask if it is something that she can live with, and I like that. I like books that don’t just wrap things up in a neat little bow and pretend that the real world doesn’t have emotional cures. I can’t really say much without spoiling things but I have to say that this is Dawn at her absolute best. She crafts an excellent tale and brings it to life with dashes of the way things really are. It is definitely an edge of your seat fast paced story that unspools its secrets at just the right time. The only bad thing about it was that it was only 12 hours long. Final score 8.4 stars. Hell of a way to wrap up a series. ------------------------- Dungeon World 4 By: Jonathan Brooks Narrated by: Miles Meili Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins Pause Well, it seems like this is the penultimate book in the Dungeon World series, and while it is amazingly good it is also a bittersweet pill to have to swallow since this is, without question, my favorite series that Brooks has written or is writing to date. On that note, I think the primary reason I am not head over heels with some of his other series is the fact that I didn’t read them, I listened and narration is the name of the game in audio; so a great book can be deflated by the person reading. Miles Meili is a perfect fit for Brooks, and I just wish he’d see that. I don’t want to disparage but in my upcoming review of his dungeon horror story I detail exactly what I mean. Meili provides a certain tone that just resonates with the story of Fred and his motley crew of shards. It is an intangible thing, and I liken it to the way that James Marsters is the voice of Harry Dresden novels or Bronson Pinchot in the Grimnoir Chronicles. To put it in Lit terms its like Jeff Hays playing Boxy or Quantum Hughes, Annaliese Rennie as the dragon Scarlet in Radioactive Evolution, Andrea Parsenau as Sin on Somnia Online or Gothy in Apocalypse Gates. They own the series and the characters, and that is exactly what Miles does here. He embodies the work brilliantly, I really enjoy him on this series and think that everything fits together flawlessly between writing and narration. Speaking of writing, Brooks is in over drive. I just don’t know how he has so many series out and focused all on Dungeons. Clearly he loves the genre and always seems to create detailed and interesting stories and this one just keeps getting more intriguing as Fred initiates an all out war between himself and the council of dungeons, finds a surprising ally, learns a lot of his true history, and does a crap ton of fighting along the way. This is a book in which Brooks really shines as he manages to give each character some screen time, so to speak, highlight Fred’s virtues and flaws, and instill the concern that the dungeons have over what Fred represents without making it feel like fluff or filler. There is no waste of space here. The story is set at a nice pace, it is tempered and doesn’t seem to run in spurts made up of action and then events to advance the plot forward. I really think that Brooks is an incredible writer and don’t understand why he isn’t a bigger name in the community. The man has multiple series, has a record of excellence, and is highly active. Right now he sort of feels like a big dog in the corner that no one sees as much as they should. He is quickly becoming a touchstone for Dungeon based novels. My final score. 8.4 stars. The book does everything it should and goes a step better in most cases, and as we are getting near the end it is also revealing a lot of secrets and surprises about the world and Fred himself. The revelations Fred gets are shocking and help him define his character as he adjusts to the “truth” of what happened to him and his family. I can’t wait to see how Brooks ends this. ------------------------- NPCs: Spells, Swords, & Stealth By: Drew Hayes Narrated by: Roger Wayne Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins Pause I listened to this book a good while ago and was trying to figure out if I should have used it in my Izzit Lit spot or just run with it, and I’ve finally decided that this qualifies as being gamelit as the characters are NPC’s who recognize that they are completely different from certain types of people. Anyway. This is the kind of book that I enjoy. It is light hearted, but tempered with a gravity that keeps things very real. There are consequences and the NPC’s actions are not promised positive outcomes. For example, the NPC’s here have to actually act as if they are PC’s in order to stop horrible things from happening. What I loved about the book were the characterizations and the whole fact that the NPC’s don’t take the obvious paths when they decide to pick classes. That went a long way. Also, there was an initial reluctance to attempt their gambit, just as I think real NPC’s would feel when faced with altering their roles. They make hard decisions. Then they deal with the problems those decisions create, humorously. That is very important, because this book could have just been a straight up joke, or supremely serious in its tone, but Hayes manages to keep it all in balance so that the story works like a well-oiled machine. The characters are interesting, and have very vibrant personalities. They act like real people who are put into a situation that is beyond their control, and roll with whatever fate deals them. It is an interesting bit of footwork that they do when they finally realize what is going on with the magic items, and it was one heck of a fun ride. Roger Wayne narrates, not to be confused with Wayne Rogers from MASH fame because he died in 2015 but the book was released on audio in 2014 which made it possible for him to have done the narrating. Confused yet? Not as much as I am. I don’t have circular reasoning so much as a Tire with a slow leak variant of reasoning. Roger Wayne does a really nice job, he makes every character standout, although you just have to love his voice for the gruff old barkeep more than anything, and does a great job keeping the humor funny. I know it is crazy when I say that, but the funniest line misspoken falls flat every time. Wayne manages to keep the flow of the tale going along with the funny, which is more situational in nature than one liners flying every two minutes, and believe me conveying situational humor with just your voice isn’t easy. Personally, I think it was pretty smart to do a series based on the viewpoint of game characters that you never really think about. Sure, nowadays NPC’s seem to be getting some attention nowadays with films like Free Guy starring Ryan Reynolds coming out, but Hayes was way ahead of the curve with this one. Either way the book has a huge following, and is something to give a listen if you are so inclined. Final score 8 stars. -------------------------- Pathways:‌ ‌Dark‌ ‌Elf‌ ‌Chronicles,‌ ‌Book‌ ‌3‌ ‌ By:‌ ‌Dave‌ ‌Willmarth‌ ‌ Narrated‌ ‌by:‌ ‌Justin‌ ‌Thomas‌ ‌James,‌ ‌Jeff‌ ‌Hays,‌ ‌Laurie‌ ‌Catherine‌ ‌Winkel‌ ‌ Length:‌ ‌13‌ ‌hrs‌ ‌and‌ ‌53‌ ‌mins‌ ‌ ‌ Pause‌ ‌ ‌ Just‌ ‌when‌ ‌the‌ ‌getting‌ ‌was‌ ‌getting‌ ‌good.‌ ‌Damn.‌ ‌Damn,‌ ‌damn,‌ ‌damn.‌ ‌I‌ ‌am‌ ‌going‌ ‌to‌ ‌start‌ ‌off‌ ‌this‌ ‌ review‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌disclaimer.‌ ‌This‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌last‌ ‌book‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌series,‌ ‌Master‌ ‌Willmarth‌ ‌will‌ ‌not‌ ‌be‌ ‌ continuing‌ ‌his‌ ‌adventures‌ ‌with‌ ‌this‌ ‌world‌ ‌or‌ ‌these‌ ‌characters‌ ‌due‌ ‌to‌ ‌sales,‌ ‌and‌ ‌that‌ ‌is‌ ‌no‌ ‌ reflection‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌storytelling.‌ ‌This‌ ‌is‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌best‌ ‌series‌ ‌I’ve‌ ‌ever‌ ‌read,‌ ‌and‌ ‌a‌ ‌rare‌ ‌one‌ ‌in‌ ‌ which‌ ‌the‌ ‌real‌ ‌world‌ ‌story‌ ‌was‌ ‌just‌ ‌as‌ ‌compelling,‌ ‌and‌ ‌maybe‌ ‌even‌ ‌more‌ ‌so,‌ ‌than‌ ‌the‌ ‌story‌ ‌set‌ ‌in‌ ‌ the‌ ‌game.‌ ‌It‌ ‌was‌ ‌just‌ ‌intense‌ ‌and‌ ‌amazing‌ ‌and‌ ‌it‌ ‌gripped‌ ‌your‌ ‌attention‌ ‌the‌ ‌whole‌ ‌way‌ ‌through.‌ ‌ Honestly,‌ ‌if‌ ‌you‌ ‌haven’t‌ ‌read‌ ‌there‌ ‌go‌ ‌and‌ ‌get‌ ‌them,‌ ‌even‌ ‌lacking‌ ‌a‌ ‌conclusion‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌ ‌well‌ ‌worth‌ ‌it.‌ ‌ Just‌ ‌please,‌ ‌do‌ ‌not‌ ‌contact‌ ‌Dave‌ ‌Willmarth‌ ‌and‌ ‌ask‌ ‌him‌ ‌to‌ ‌just‌ ‌pen‌ ‌a‌ ‌finale.‌ ‌I‌ ‌know,‌ ‌bold‌ ‌words‌ ‌ for‌ ‌a‌ ‌one-eyed‌ ‌fatman‌ ‌who‌ ‌basically‌ ‌did‌ ‌the‌ ‌exact‌ ‌thing‌ ‌I‌ ‌caution‌ ‌you‌ ‌against‌ ‌to‌ ‌Charles‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌ and‌ ‌his‌ ‌Bathrobe‌ ‌Knight‌ ‌Series.‌ ‌If‌ ‌you‌ ‌need‌ ‌to‌ ‌contact‌ ‌him,‌ ‌just‌ ‌thank‌ ‌him‌ ‌for‌ ‌giving‌ ‌us‌ ‌such‌ ‌an‌ ‌ amazing‌ ‌set‌ ‌of‌ ‌books.‌ ‌ ‌ That‌ ‌said,‌ ‌DE‌ ‌3‌ ‌really‌ ‌does‌ ‌begin‌ ‌to‌ ‌blossom‌ ‌into‌ ‌a‌ ‌rough‌ ‌and‌ ‌tumble‌ ‌tale‌ ‌of‌ ‌survival,‌ ‌which‌ ‌can‌ ‌ be‌ ‌heartbreaking,‌ ‌per‌ ‌the‌ ‌mother‌ ‌and‌ ‌kid‌ ‌scene,‌ ‌and‌ ‌adventure,‌ ‌per‌ ‌the‌ ‌MC‌ ‌setting‌ ‌himself‌ ‌up‌ ‌as‌ ‌ the‌ ‌ruler‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌new‌ ‌land.‌ ‌This‌ ‌book‌ ‌is‌ ‌like‌ ‌being‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌knife‌ ‌fight.‌ ‌Some‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌cuts‌ ‌are‌ ‌quick‌ ‌and‌ ‌ painless,‌ ‌and‌ ‌others‌ ‌drive‌ ‌in‌ ‌so‌ ‌slowly‌ ‌that‌ ‌when‌ ‌you‌ ‌finally‌ ‌feel‌ ‌it‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌ ‌far‌ ‌too‌ ‌late‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌anything‌ ‌ about‌ ‌it.‌ ‌Then‌ ‌there‌ ‌are‌ ‌stretches‌ ‌of‌ ‌furious‌ ‌flurries‌ ‌of‌ ‌strikes‌ ‌and‌ ‌parries‌ ‌that‌ ‌are‌ ‌fascinating‌ ‌to‌ ‌ behold.‌ ‌No‌ ‌matter‌ ‌what‌ ‌you‌ ‌think‌ ‌the‌ ‌book‌ ‌is‌ ‌fun,‌ ‌but‌ ‌you‌ ‌are‌ ‌coming‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌it‌ ‌bloody.‌ ‌That‌ ‌ speaks‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌to‌ ‌Willmarth’s‌ ‌writing‌ ‌style.‌ ‌He‌ ‌knows‌ ‌just‌ ‌what‌ ‌buttons‌ ‌to‌ ‌push‌ ‌(Dakota)‌ ‌and‌ ‌when‌ ‌ to‌ ‌hit‌ ‌them.‌ ‌He‌ ‌creates‌ ‌vibrant‌ ‌characters‌ ‌that‌ ‌you‌ ‌connect‌ ‌with‌ ‌so‌ ‌easily‌ ‌that‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌ ‌scary.‌ ‌ ‌ This‌ ‌book‌ ‌we‌ ‌see‌ ‌the‌ ‌MC‌ ‌finally‌ ‌close‌ ‌out‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌his‌ ‌quests,‌ ‌and‌ ‌then‌ ‌begin‌ ‌building‌ ‌a‌ ‌new‌ ‌ homeland‌ ‌for‌ ‌himself‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌oppressed‌ ‌people‌ ‌he‌ ‌suddenly‌ ‌finds‌ ‌himself‌ ‌surrounded‌ ‌by.‌ ‌Also,‌ ‌ dangers‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌outside‌ ‌world‌ ‌start‌ ‌getting‌ ‌a‌ ‌wee‌ ‌bit‌ ‌more‌ ‌dangerous‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌survivors‌ ‌and‌ ‌there‌ ‌ are‌ ‌a‌ ‌few‌ ‌close‌ ‌calls‌ ‌for‌ ‌everyone.‌ ‌That’s‌ ‌the‌ ‌saddest‌ ‌part,‌ ‌we‌ ‌were‌ ‌really‌ ‌getting‌ ‌some‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌ most‌ ‌intense‌ ‌writing‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌post‌ ‌apoc‌ ‌world‌ ‌as‌ ‌you‌ ‌could‌ ‌get.‌ ‌ ‌ As‌ ‌a‌ ‌certified‌ ‌SBT‌ ‌product‌ ‌we‌ ‌get‌ ‌several‌ ‌incredible‌ ‌narrators‌ ‌to‌ ‌help‌ ‌board‌ ‌up‌ ‌the‌ ‌doors‌ ‌and‌ ‌ windows‌ ‌against‌ ‌the‌ ‌zombie‌ ‌apocalypse.‌ ‌The‌ ‌first‌ ‌being‌ ‌the‌ ‌man‌ ‌known‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌world‌ ‌as‌ ‌JTJ,‌ ‌or‌ ‌ Justin‌ ‌Thomas‌ ‌James,‌ ‌the‌ ‌man‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌voice‌ ‌like‌ ‌smooth‌ ‌bourbon‌ ‌on‌ ‌a‌ ‌chill‌ ‌night‌ ‌who‌ ‌narrates‌ ‌ and‌ ‌voices‌ ‌the‌ ‌main‌ ‌male‌ ‌players.‌ ‌I‌ ‌personally‌ ‌am‌ ‌a‌ ‌huge‌ ‌fan‌ ‌of‌ ‌JTJ,‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌am‌ ‌sad‌ ‌that‌ ‌he‌ ‌seems‌ ‌ to‌ ‌be‌ ‌losing‌ ‌some‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌best‌ ‌series.‌ ‌I‌ ‌know‌ ‌that‌ ‌this‌ ‌closes‌ ‌out‌ ‌the‌ ‌Dark‌ ‌Elf‌ ‌Series,‌ ‌Afterlife‌ ‌ online‌ ‌is‌ ‌concluding‌ ‌soon,‌ ‌and‌ ‌He‌ ‌no‌ ‌longer‌ ‌does‌ ‌the‌ ‌Cherry‌ ‌Blossom‌ ‌Girls.‌ ‌At‌ ‌least‌ ‌he‌ ‌has‌ ‌the‌ ‌ Hawke‌ ‌books‌ ‌and‌ ‌Archemi‌ ‌online‌ ‌to‌ ‌work‌ ‌with.‌ ‌He‌ ‌just‌ ‌does‌ ‌an‌ ‌amazing‌ ‌job.‌ ‌LCW,‌ ‌or‌ ‌Laurie‌ ‌ Catherin‌ ‌Winkle‌ ‌as‌ ‌she‌ ‌is‌ ‌better‌ ‌known,‌ ‌voices‌ ‌the‌ ‌lovely‌ ‌ladies,‌ ‌and‌ ‌damn‌ ‌if‌ ‌she‌ ‌can’t‌ ‌be‌ ‌sexy‌ ‌or‌ ‌ silly,‌ ‌or‌ ‌both‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌same‌ ‌time.‌ ‌I‌ ‌always‌ ‌enjoy‌ ‌her‌ ‌being‌ ‌paired‌ ‌with‌ ‌Justin‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌two‌ ‌have‌ ‌a‌ ‌ dynamic‌ ‌chemistry‌ ‌that‌ ‌is‌ ‌hard‌ ‌to‌ ‌find.‌ ‌Laurie‌ ‌clearly‌ ‌has‌ ‌fun‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌characters‌ ‌and‌ ‌is‌ ‌so‌ ‌easy‌ ‌ to‌ ‌listen‌ ‌to.‌ ‌I‌ ‌could‌ ‌literally‌ ‌listen‌ ‌to‌ ‌her‌ ‌read‌ ‌the‌ ‌phone‌ ‌book‌ ‌to‌ ‌me.‌ ‌Jeff‌ ‌hays‌ ‌leaps‌ ‌in‌ ‌and‌ ‌plays‌ ‌ a‌ ‌few‌ ‌minor‌ ‌NPC‌ ‌roles,‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌like‌ ‌that‌ ‌he‌ ‌manages‌ ‌to‌ ‌keep‌ ‌a‌ ‌hand‌ ‌in‌ ‌each‌ ‌production‌ ‌of‌ ‌ Soundbooth.‌ ‌Hays,‌ ‌as‌ ‌I‌ ‌repeatedly‌ ‌state‌ ‌is‌ ‌my‌ ‌favorite‌ ‌narrator‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌am‌ ‌always‌ ‌overjoyed‌ ‌to‌ ‌get‌ ‌ to‌ ‌hear‌ ‌his‌ ‌voice‌ ‌however‌ ‌limited‌ ‌an‌ ‌engagement‌ ‌it‌ ‌is.‌ ‌ ‌ Like‌ ‌I‌ ‌said,‌ ‌this‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌sad‌ ‌thing‌ ‌to‌ ‌see‌ ‌end,‌ ‌but‌ ‌it‌ ‌well‌ ‌worth‌ ‌the‌ ‌journey.‌ ‌Final‌ ‌Score‌ ‌8.4‌ ‌stars.‌ ‌I‌ ‌ will‌ ‌really‌ ‌miss‌ ‌this‌ ‌book.‌ ‌ ------------------------- Thanks oh so very much for watching everyone, I do appreciate you taking the time to watch or listen to the show. If you want to support us, you can like the LitRPG Podcast facebook page or the YouTube Page, or just share and like the video. I’m going to ask for more suggestions for the ‘Is it LIT’ segment, I’ve got a good one for next time, but will always need ideas. Please leave comments or suggestions in the comments below, and feel free to tell me whatever you like. I enjoy the feedback. For LitRPG Audiobook Podcast, I’m Ray. Keep listening!!! This podcast is sponsored by Soundbooth Theater, makers of great audiobooks. You can follow us on Facebook: Twitter: YouTube: Patreon: Our Webpage: Some other LitRPG facebook pages: If you enjoy the podcast and want... /episode/index/show/litrpgaudiobookpodcast/id/13401422

LitRPGAudiobook056.mp3 02/18/2020

LitRPGAudiobook056.mp3 LitRPG Audiobook Podcast 056 - Eight-Bit Bastards, The Crafter: Legacy, Equalize, Endless Fantasy Online, Life Reset 3 You can read the full reviews and show notes if you visit us at: “Hello everyone. Welcome to the LitRPG Audiobook Podcast. I’m Ray. I’ll be reviewing some recent and classic LitRPG Audiobooks for you. I’ll begin with: ” (01:23) Score: 8.0 out of 10 (16:43) Score: 8.4 out of 10 (28:19) Score: 8.3 out of 10 (41:32) Score: 7.8 out of 10 Soundbooth Spotlight (01:04:33) Score: 8.2 out of 10 ---------------------- Eight-Bit Bastards: Levels One and Two By: Joshua Mason Narrated by: Michael Norman Johnson Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins Pause Joshua Mason returns more powerful than ever in his new series 8-Bit bastards. Personally, I look forward to the next books in his series including sixty-four bit SonsofBitches, eleven megabyte mother fu (Shut your mouth). Mmmmhmmm. Seriously, I enjoyed Mason’s Steam Alley book, but this one is where he seems to find his stride. He has substantive strife between his party members based on past actions, as well as the very subject of that strife being a reason for them to come together, that being the MC’s libido. The premise is fairly simple, like an 8 bit game, People enter a virtual world where they will live out eternity; the game fills up and is shut down to any more entrants. There are multiple worlds and levels in the gameverse, but even that is not enough to keep the inhabitants from having seen it and done it all. All except for one eight bit game level that the players cannot game in because it drives them nuts. The game AI just so happens to shunt anyone caught trying to break into the game into that level and keeping them locked up there, don’t worry they can hack it have been indoctrinated to it before any other game worlds, but they are permanently trapped. Bad news for our heroes because one of their descendants has just gotten himself exiled there and they have to go off to free him. That’s the premise, and the audio is comprised of two books in the series. They are fun jaunts and funny as hell in some spots. I really liked Nessler, the goofy boatman who calls everyone homeskillet and fires fingerguns at them. The story moves along well, and does a little spotlight on each character as they get their new classes in the 8 bit realm. I enjoyed the book(s) a lot and think that this is a cool world to visit, and I appreciated that we started the entire book already in game and didn’t have to wallow through going into the FIVER/Diver stuff or watch the characters muddle around picking their classes. Heck they were even skilled enough that they worked as a team pretty efficiently. This made the story move quicker, felt distilled (as if nothing extraneous was involved), and that we were able to get down to brass tacks rather than playing jacks waiting for events to unfold. There is also some intrigue and behind the scenes machinations going on that keeps things interesting. The only question that really through me off is that there is a player who takes copious notes throughout the book, and gets upset when his notes are ruined or lost, and yet everyone there has a photographic memory of anything that happened to them after they arrived, so there is no need to get upset over ruined notes as you could literally rewrite them line for line. Otherwise, I think it all worked well. Michael Norman Johnson does his job. Like I said there are some honestly funny parts in this book ,and Johnson is half the reason they work. He could have seriously stubbed his toe trying to get Nessler right, but he nails the guy’s personality in just his voice, the same with the note taking party member. I enjoyed his pacing and his inflections, which gave the nice subtle hints as to what the characters were thinking. Mason made a good choice with Johnson. And here’s a disclaimer, as Forrest Gump once said, “No, we are not relations, sir.” So he earned the good word all on his own. And I totally need a Nessler Plushie now!! Final score, 8 stars. I had fun with the book, which was mason’s intention all along, or else why would he call it 8-bit bastards? You’ll enjoy this too. ---------------- The Crafter: Legacy By: Outspan Foster Narrated by: Ramon De Ocampo Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins Pause Outspan Foster has been diligently working to better his craft in every way. Any time I’ve seen him on social media he’s talked about new techniques he’s picked up or lessons he’s learned from other writers. Hell, he gave me great advice on characters and their agency in a story, and now it is something I notice all the time. Do they have agency or are they just along for the ride? He’s even got a good partnership going with Blaise Corvin and had cranked out some great stuff from their pairing. I actually expect a Veilverse book from him soon. The point is, he’s grown tremendously as a writer and I tell you now that Crafter has just, in my eyes put him in the upper echelon of the writers in the LITRPG field. He has just become one hell of a heavy hitter. Legacy deals with a young kid named Wick, good name choice because you just know this kid is going to kick ass (Leeroy Jenkins). Wick makes a sacrifice that grants him advantages that few people ever have and . . . .here is the best part, he uses these new advantages to slowly and methodically destroy the people that hurt him or his own people as he also made himself stronger over time. I love treacherous characters, and Wick is one of these guys that spent years waiting for his plans to come to fruition and he sets out to make everyone pay. How awesome is that? So, Wick may be a little OP but if he is it is because of choices that he made and the manner in which he handles the fate he is dealt. The story holds your attention completely. It has some great powers and abilities as well as amazing characters ranging from the people that support Wick to the ones that try to destroy him. His underlings and friends are just as interesting as wick, and I also appreciate the time spanning qualities that Wick’s revenge takes to unfold. I mean, if you’re going to crush somebody take the time to do it right. I think that my favorite scene was where Wick goes to confront the head of the thieves guild in his city and unexpectedly gets hit with a Spanish Inquisition!!!! that leads to unexpected results. It was fascinating in watching the real brains play with and parry one another as they circled on another in a sort of game to determine who had the stronger will. Like I say, even in a scene where no real fighting takes place, Foster manages to keep you on tenderhooks. Masterfully done. My real surprise came in checking out Ramon De Ocampo as the narrator. I knew him from the D&D novel The Stone of Tymora, and I realized as I listened to him that he had also done the Level Up Series and I have to say as much as I liked him there, he has really gotten better and just nails it here. Each character was distinctive and easily stood out from the other voices so that I always knew who was speaking. He was dramatic and serious, and added fun and humor so I think that he has only proven that he was the perfect choice for Foster to use. My final score? Considering that I’d put this up against Dean, Hunter, Corvin, Krout, and Willmarth (just to name a few) I can’t low-ball this. Great revenge tale, amazing characters and magic system as well. 8.4 stars. Welcome to the big league OF! -------------------------- Equalize: A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG: Ether Collapse, Book 1 By: Ryan DeBruyn Narrated by: Luke Daniels Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins Pause What can’t I say that isn’t good about this book? Not much. I really enjoyed I a lot and think it is comparable to Shadow Sun and System Apocalypse for end of the world styled fun. It has a unique and yet familiar system, an enjoyable MC, the seeds of a budding romance/love interest, a cool monster companion, and best of all people die. Yep, DeBruyn doesn’t keep things cuddly in his end of the world scenario and it seems like no one is safe. There was only one bit that sort of threw me off, and that was a POV change as we shifted from the MC to another character just so we could get an update on happenings elsewhere. The story starts up in the great white north, in the area of the Algonquin park. Rocky, the MC, goes on an annual trips sans his partner (his dad) who has just died. While there the ancient earth goddess Gaia awakens and reboots the world to the way it used to be before she took a long nap. Suddenly everyone gets HUDS and can level up, on the flip side monsters appear and start wiping everyone out so it sort of equals out. Rocky just wants to get home and find his family and that of course is when everything starts getting in his way. The writing is tight, fast paced, and energetic. The characters are well fleshed out, and thankfully not everyone is a likable cuss. There are some A-holes, and as I said, not everyone makes it so seeing well developed characters bite it is a nice jolt to the system. The concept that buildings and kayaks can suddenly animate into huge golems is pretty cool, and considering that you have to consider what places like New York City or Chicago would look like after all this mess. You would have some monsters that made King Kong look like an organ grinding monkey. While the story is a slice of life it doesn’t feel like one. Rocky has a goal that he struggles to meet, he just gets ambushed a lot along the way due to circumstances. Overall, this is an apocalypse book that like the others I mentioned earlier, isn’t what I consider to be postapocalyptic. I see barren wastelands and Mad Max scenerios when I think end of the world. Shadow Sun, System Apocalypse, and Equalize are all world resets where things change instantly from normal to gamey in the span of seconds., so I’m thinking these are Apocalit books. The only thing I have to ask is why everyone had to get knocked out to have the change take place. I would have liked Gaia just make an announcement about the way things are going to be from that moment on. My only real issue in the book is the MC’s non-use of cuss words/swearing/vulgarities. Now I know that I often tout family friendly fair, but I am a man who loves to paint the air with obscene words in new and unusual ways and it drives me crazy when someone wants to swear and cuss but uses stuff like rubber baby buggy bumpers in their stead. Shut the front door, go fork yourself, they pain me to hear, and the only thing I have to console myself with is the fact that there is an explanation in book 2, so I better get it to see what’s up. Final score? I really liked this book. I gave us a new progression system, it kills off characters like an exterminator huffing a can of raid, and was fun from the first page to the last. 8.3 stars. I look forward to bigger and better things. --------------------------- Endless Fantasy Online: The Phoenix Kingdom By: Devin Auspland Narrated by: David Neilsen Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins Pause First timer Devin Auspland dives into the Litrpg genre and makes a decent first impression, but does make me wonder about a few things. So here’s the synopsis, While acting as a game tester, Luke Patterson gets stuck inside the game along with every other player by some outside hackers. It’s a familiar event in Litrpg, and so I think if you are going to go a well traveled path you really need to stand out compared to the other books in the genre that do the same things. I think Auspland walks a tight line but he creates an interesting story. The first thing I’m going to say is that this is a family friendly book, this is something anyone of any age can pick up and dig into and it in no way talks down to the reader. I’m just saying that my kids could listen to and enjoy it as much as I, a grown man can, and not feel like I’m missing out on some cooler things in lieu of getting a wider audience. I really wish that some writers would realize that it doesn’t hurt to bring in younger readers, as they will be the people to carry on once the first guard fades away. The only way the book seemed to be more PG than PG-13 was in the very black and white contrast of the characters. The bad guys were completely bad, and the good guys were entirely white knights. There really didn’t even seem to be a shade of gray in the players. One thing that really struck me as odd was the way Luke is inundated with information about how hard it is to learn magic, and just the fact that he has magic and has unlocked his affinities basically gives him a free ride into the guild. What’s weird is that when it comes time to choose his class he opts to become a hybrid ranger beast master type, after all he’s handy with a bow and he impressed the guy selling pets so that’s what he opts to do. Huh? Why make such a big deal of the rarity of magic and then go that route? I was expecting some Elminster/Gandalf type of stuff and wound up with Legolas. Not that it affected my enjoyment of the story, but it was definitely a WTF type moment when a magic class was overlooked. Granted, he still had magic but wha-huh on that. The story is well paced and has good characterizations and it holds your interest without a doubt. It also has a good cast of characters aside from Luke, and it was nice to see characters do “the right thing” just because it was the right thing even if it was a hopeless situation for them to succeed. David Neilsen does an OK job on the audio, there were some slight things that I picked up on, but my real beef came in the reuse of certain voices for different characters. I don’t ask for a lot, but having the same voice for multiple characters can be confusing. Kind of like how Luke Daniels really only has one or two female voices. Neilson give his all, and I respect that effort. Final score 7.8 it is a fun family friendly book and I would happily listen to book two. I think you would too. ------------------------- Soundbooth Spotlight Life Reset: Hobnobbing New Era Online Book 3 By: Shemer Kuznits Narrated by: Jeff Hays, Laurie Catherine Winkel, Annie Ellicott Length: 15 hrs and 23 mins Pause I must say that I was slightly surprised that this book ended the series. I literally had no idea going in that this would be the last novel, and while I am glad that I got some closure I am sad to see it end. This is a damn good series and I am going to miss it. Want to know what shocked me was how long the first two books are in comparison to the wrap up. Thankfully, this does not feel truncated, and it doesn’t end all in a flowery garden. In fact, I kept thinking that there was more to come as the book went on. IN fact, I wondered several times how anything was going to be resolved since the other books were over 24 hours in length. Needless to say, Kuznits pulls it off plausibly and entertainingly. Sadly, aside from some liberties taken with a certain shadow, no torture takes place in this book. The story is set, for the most part in a Hobgoblin city that isn’t too kind to non-hobs and outsiders are treated with less than a modicum of respect. Oren and his team need to establish a trade route in order to help his village survive the upcoming storm of players and along the way we get arena fights, backstabbed deals, some new friends, and a conclusion to the Guy vs the world saga that has been going on since book one. I won’t say who wins. I have to say that I like that the series did not end on a super happy note and that there were still some questions that needed answered, as it does leave a door open for further novels in the future. The ending, for what happens with the MC is pretty realistic, and in a gritty series where he kept pushing boundaries I’m surprised he didn’t end up pushing daisies instead. My only complaint is that this book seems like it was rushed to the finish line. Honestly, I was expecting something along the line of maybe 7 books, and that for some reason about midway through Shemer decided he’d had enough and just started wrapping up plot points. Aside from that the book is pretty good. 8.2 stars for a strong finale, coulda been more but there were several things that we readers wanted to know, but never got the answers to. -------------------------- Thanks oh so very much for watching everyone, I do appreciate you taking the time to watch or listen to the show. If you want to support us, you can like the LitRPG Podcast facebook page or the YouTube Page, or just share and like the video. I’m going to ask for more suggestions for the Is it LIT segment, I’ve got a good one for next time, but will always need ideas. Please leave comments or suggestions in the comments below, and feel free to tell me whatever you like. I enjoy the feedback. For LitRPG Audiobook Podcast, I’m Ray. Keep listening!!! This podcast is sponsored by Soundbooth Theater, makers of great audiobooks. You can follow us on Facebook: Twitter: YouTube: Patreon: Our Webpage: Some other LitRPG facebook pages: If you enjoy the podcast and want to support us you can also find all the other ways to support the podcast at /episode/index/show/litrpgaudiobookpodcast/id/13192805

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