Pangea Online takes place in post war America. The poor people live in “boxes” sponsored by the owners of the game, mining data in the single world available for them to log into. Esil’s luck changes when he finds a developer’s chest with a pass allowing him unlimited access to the game’s many worlds, just in time for a new tournament with a prize he desperately needs.
This is a solid LitRPG with many elements taken from Ready Player One and Harry Potter. It felt familiar, yet still unique. I especially enjoyed Esil’s character, who is a steady guy you can’t help but like. I prefer my LitRPG light on the stats and heavy on the character development and world building, and I really enjoyed some of the worlds Esil visited in game. If you’re looking for an introduction to the genre, or a book for a young teen, this would be a good choice.
The narration was well done, with a separate female narrator for the female characters which was seamless. The main narrator had a great range of voices and his voice for Esil was spot on. I requested a copy of the audiobook, and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.