Category LitRPG

Feb 26 2017

AudioBook Review – Paragons

Sometimes you know a review gets stuck in the weird thing that is audible limbo! and this one was there for a week or more. But here it is – finally! I think there was one more! haah will go route it out.

 

Sigil Online: Paragons | [Jeff Sproul]
Sigil Online: Paragons
UNABRIDGED
Reviewed: 15/02/17

“Good listen, but needed a bit more…”

I’m still pretty new to LitRPG and this is mostly brought on by facebook and the fact I’m a huge Jeff fan, so taking that into account, I’ll post my review.

Jeff did a really great performance with this, some really good female characters as usual, Brenda and Laura for sure. Even with Chace and Aaron, and then Riley as well. I don’t know how they put it all together, but with a Voice actor like Jeff there’s something worth listening to in all the stories he’s done.

So, a little bit of feedback on story. I enjoyed the story don’t get me wrong, but there were some things that just left me feeling a little cold, and miffed. I get that the MC – Riley as Radiance was an ass and being knocked down a peg or two really was tough. But as a character, he didn’t really seem to grow so much and there were many times throughout the story that I wondered why he never thought about certain things, why other characters never got a mention until it seemed it was past late. Some small parts of seeding in his thoughts here and there would have really benefited the story, no matter how much of an ass he was, no one just doesn’t think about certain life events for so long or more so people, things like that play on your mind no matter who you are, or what you’re doing.

Having said all that, and no spoilers for anyone else. There were some things I personally guessed really early on, maybe that’s just my film background, I’m not sure, so I did think that was a little bit of a letdown, not too sure what the writer might have done to aid that. Building their characters up some more, inside the game and out of it might have helped. I understand that maybe LitRPG’s just want to be inside the game but for a real story to take place, there are things we do, on a day in day out basis that are interesting. That needs to be said and done.

Not a bad length, but I think it could have been longer, with better set up and story building. There’s so much potential I’m still interested to see where this one goes, and what they do with the next ‘game upgrade’ so I’m not lost on it, like I have been with others. I’ll be looking out for more, and will poke about to see any ebooks 🙂 thanks for the entertainment.

Jan 11 2017

AudioBook Review – Delverrs LLC

Following Jeff, I picked this up while spending most of my credits this month! haha

Excellent AudioBook – Well worth a listen, especially if you’re fond of the LitRPG genre. This happened to be my first, it won’t be my last.

Delvers LLC: Welcome to Ludus | [Blaise Corvin]
Delvers LLC: Welcome to Ludus
UNABRIDGED
Reviewed: 11/01/17

“First LitRPG listen”

When you like a narrator you do tend to find books and genre’s you’ve never listened to before, so this was a first for me. I did used to game a lot when I was younger but I’m a bit out of touch now.

The story had a great sense of humour from the get go. Our two Mc’s are transported to another world and meet the God – Dolos. Who through his intentions brings out the sarcastic unbelievability of our human nature. He doesn’t appear much, but he has a good role. There were some POV shifts that didn’t gel with me at first, but once I got used to it, it was much easier to follow, it could well be that this is an audiobook and not me reading it where the confusion lies…

I hadn’t known what to expect from the plot, and I hoped that it would entertain, yes it did. There were some really great points and then some low ones. I did find that although the Mc’s were almost 30 and older, that their mindsets were that of much younger guys, for me in their 20’s either that or their teenage male hormones just kick in at stupid times and especially around the women of the planet. I would like to think guys a little more mature didn’t act like these two in some situations. Their reactions in most situations are quite normal, even if they’re accepting to their new situation a little too easy, but as explained theres reasons for that.

In relation to the two ‘ladies’ they come across, I think that both of them ending up in a relationship with the two Mc’s is a little too good to be true and feels a little more like hero worship and entrapment of some kind, at least to me.

Of course, I can’t fault the performance, Jeff really brings the best to the table and he’s always going to make something amazing. As an audiobook I listened til just before Chapter 15 before I the writing actually pulled me out the story. As I’m new to the genre, I’m not 100% sure on how switching POV’s so late in the story is acceptable, but I guess it is.

Marine’s pov here didn’t do anything for me, and I have to be honest. As a script writer and juggler of multiple POV’s they’re important for me to be early on in a story. I can only think that and the same goes for the other POV’s that sneak in now and then.

There were two pretty important big battles in here, and the most important for me is the fight against Thod obviously, and this is a really great scene. Almost wanted the book to end soon after, I honestly am not sure that the dungeon scene later measures up to it.

Overall, I had some fun, laughed and routed for the Mc’s in their quest. I know I’m not quite the target market, and that shows in the way I perceived some of the plot points. I do think this is a good book and that people of all generations and those who love both Fantasy, Scifi and this newer genre will enjoy.

I look forward to more from Jeff and Blaise. Thanks for the entertainment. 🙂