J. Caulfield

I expected to be drawn in more.

Revisado: 03-24-25

The book is exactly what the title says. This was an exploration for me. Not my usual book. I think this type of work needs to remember to draw in the reader fresh for each story and make sure the payoff is also there at the end, because it isn’t like a novel where things build. So maybe a faster buildup.

I sampled some of her other stuff, and I think if you enjoy her generally you will like this and if you don’t you won’t suddenly grow to like her.

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Missing on all fronts

Revisado: 03-15-25

This is very weak. Pacing is horrible. The first 7 chapters are about crying. There really are no RPG elements to speak of. Just an afterthought put in by marketing to let them add the label.

Socially dysfunctional MCs who are physically threatened and then forgiven. Poor portrayal of MCs with actual mental illness.

No MC agency. All reaction at best. This mammoth book is all setup for you to buy more books.

And it’s boring. It feels like an AI project.

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Great ending!

Revisado: 01-26-25

Well done. Excellent writing as always. Performance was outstanding.

Spoilers…. (Let’s be clear if you are reading this review you already know the main stories, so this is really a love note to the author and fellow fans.)

I am not generally a fan of reset the character tropes. I acknowledge this was necessary for plot reasons and because the author had moved from writing batman (street) conflicts to superman (world) conflicts. Writing for superman is hard, and reading superman can be boring. So, not only was this a good development choice, it was executed very well. My compliments.

One nitpick. In my prior reviews I have noted the dialogue is well done. It still is in this book. However, the stupid back and forth, going nowhere, pretending to not understand each other, and simply being snarky is dull, frustrating, and boring. The biggest example of this is the opening scene. It is clear that the author recognizes it, but decides not to “kill his baby”. The book is lesser because if this choice. The author is a master of dialogue. Please, when you realize you have made a poor chapter, rework it.

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Good Ending to a side quest

Revisado: 01-24-25

If you are reading this novel then you know the author has sent the MC and some of the ensemble off on a side quest from the main storyline. While this can be frustrating (I am looking at you Expeditionary Force.) in this case it is not.

The seeds of the quest were planted early, and this book diversifies the cast.
This is good because it opens up tue world to the reader through character interactions rather than exposition. I am a big fan of this mature writing style. Also, some less prominent characters, such as the mimic get a chance to become more than window dressing. This also forces the MC to engage more and shows off his abilities and means of thinking. The explanation from a patron offers the reader insight into the author’s thoughts as well. Nicely done.

A minor detraction is that this book is both a journey story, and a side quest to the side quest. While well written, excellently paced, and filled with memorable characters and the expected fantastic dialogue; it show the author’s a little bit distracted by shiny bits of glass. This is not a problem per se. I want authors to write about stories they think are fun, as it creates better results for everyone. That said, it appears the author is never planning on finishing either main storyline for the good or bad guys. That is frustrating.

Performance, as always is OUTSTANDING!

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Still not a fan of shock endings

Revisado: 01-22-25

Look, if you are getting ready to read this, then you know what you are getting. Great writing, snappy dialogue, good plot, and excellent pacing. There are quibbles with character actions and choices and so forth, but it’s a great book.

And then the author hangs you out at the end. I don’t know if it’s the author’s choice or their publisher, but it’s a bad one. It leaves me feeling like I lent you $20 and it took you a year to remember to pay me back. I will keep reading, but you have dropped in my esteem.

Performance was amazing as always! Great narration, voice acting, and tone setting the mood. Well played.

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Wonderful litrpg with deep story

Revisado: 01-22-25

If you enjoyed the Good Guys, you will enjoy this. Litrpg elements are solid if not very crunchy. I like that, but YMMV. Much more akin to 1st ed. D&D than 3rd.

Better still, great writing. Fun, snappy banter, action, and grand adventure. This is a fun book to engage with. Lots of good in the writing, but I want to really appreciate the dialogue. Well done for slang from multiple cultures and worlds.

Finally, the presentation was wonderful. A true performance, and quickly rising into one of my favorites. I now have begun looking at his titles for future reads. Well played.

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One star because of ending

Revisado: 01-22-25

If you like this series or the good guys you will like this book. However, the ending is a failure of the author in betraying the reader. I am sure he thought it was clever. Much like breaking a single book into multiple movies it is not clever, it is a money grab. Disappointing.

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Another wonderful short

Revisado: 01-11-25

Mr. Scalzi has a superpower: He quickly and gently brings together a new reality for the reader to inhabit, while entertaining at the same time. Short stories without a precursor universe are hard. If you have read Mr. Scalzi then you know he is a master at this challenging form of art. If you haven’t read more of him, you should try it, It’s delicious!

That said, I personally show up for the dialogue. I always get a fun new catch phrase for the office or my D&D group. From this work, “I sense your mockery.”

Ms. Benson is outstanding. Certainly one of the Audible SciFi 10. Not only is she a great performer here: multiple voices, distinct characters you recognize without the “Jensen said”, and emotive tones; she also manages to do multiple genders fluidly and effectively. I will now be looking at her list for future “reads”.

Thank you Audible for making this happen.

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If you enjoy Drew Hayes, you will enjoy this series.

Revisado: 01-09-25

This is the second in a series, so you should know what you are getting. Hayes is an excellent writer with a knack for a good story, excellent pacing, and solid dialogue.

Landon is excellent. Solid 5 star performance.

This is an excellent world-building and expansion installment. As a result there are some mysteries dangled and unresolved, as well as some plot items that are unsatisfying. That does not reduce the enjoyment for me, but if you need completion to be happy…. Well then life is probably very hard for you.

This series continues to explore rue character development arcs of supers, as opposed to taking my action figures and smashing them together. That said, Hayes is an excellent action author.

In this installment there are a number of fun (if already presented) tropes explored. Responsibility, two houses set against each other and the relationships that emerge, power discrepancies, the parts we play in the different roles we have in life. All well done without being derivative of other media and creators. My greatest admiration is the point of view being a female protagonist anti-hero without being stereotypical. Well done.

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Went from a fun adventure to office meetings…

Revisado: 11-17-24

So this book quickly takes all the fun of the first book and turns it into a boring office meeting where we watch someone else fiddle with the dials of sim city.

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