Full disclosure: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
This book has shot up to be one my all time favorite books. This book just does nearly everything right, with my only critique being I wished the book was longer.
Warning, the review below may have SPOILERS.
The premise: The setting is in the future and people have chips installed into their brains so that they are always connected and can google anything at anytime. An illegal app is available for download, but only if you can get access to a code; the app is called Monster Hunt. When installed, you get 2 hunters to help you. The hunters choose you, not the other way around. The hunters help fight monsters found in the real world. When the monsters are weakened, they can be captured; Pokemon inspiration here. The catch? The monsters and hunters can only be seen in the real world by people that have the app installed. To compound the issue, the monsters and hunters speak, but only the people with the Monster Hunt app installed can hear them. The hunters helped weaken the monster so they can be caught. Once caught, the monsters enter the user’s dojo. The dojo is where the monsters live and can be managed or sold. The catch being here is that there is limited space in the dojo that can be expanded with money.
Why is the game illegal then? Pokemon Go! caused quite the craze when it was introduced with lot of stories about people doing stupid things to catch Pokemon. This would be similar, with some differences. Monsters can be seen in an augmented reality through their own eyes without having to look through the phone, as was the case with Pokemon Go!. The monsters would look more realistic and they are intelligent. They can have conversations and they have their own personalities. The monsters can only be interacted with in the dojo or during battles. The hunters are with the user whenever the app is on and have interesting personalities, at least the two the story focuses on. People could potentially fall in love with their hunters. The dojo can also be upgraded with in game money or real life money. This would cause a problem as people would take out loans to pay for their digital dojo. This could also cause a nuisance to others as only users of the app can see and hear the monsters and hunters. Monsters can be found in different locations throughout the city and as the title suggests, the story takes place in NYC. So, just like Pokemon Go! people will venture to unsafe areas to capture their monsters. Throw in the concept that captured monsters can be converted to real life money, and things can get even more hectic.
Why is the book so amazing? Several reasons.
* Music. There is music throughout the book. Even when the narrators are narrating, there is music in the background. The music is artfully done and adds to the listening experience vs. being tacked on and detracting from the experience.
* Songs. There are songs peppered throughout the book and done well. Each song is utilized in a tasteful manner that fit the situation and added to the story. I especially enjoyed the original and impromptu songs. I was hoping to hear more songs after I heard the first one.
* Voice Acting. The voice acting is superb. Jeff does a great job narrating the male voices and the voices were different and fit the characters. Annie did an amazing job giving life to the female characters in the book. Each voice was different and allowed me to love the characters more and more.
* Writing. Harmon did an excellent job writing this book. I wasn’t sure what to think of it when I first started listening to it, but as I continued to listen, I enjoyed the book more and more. The characters were fleshed out and each had their own distinct personalities. I would have finished the book in one setting if I didn’t have to take a break and happen to look up at the clock. Rushing home and completing the book was the foremost thought on my mind the next day.
* Battles. The battles were very interesting and detailed. Each monster and hunter have their own unique skills, so battles will differ between the different opponents and the same opponent. There is also variety in the battles. People can challenge each other or fight in tournaments. Tournaments consist of two teams, with two hunters and 5 monsters per team squaring off against each other. The owner of the app dictating what the actions their hunters and monsters take. Individual challenges can vary the number of monsters participating, but the 2 hunters are always included.
* Dojo. One concept that is popular in RPGs is owning your own home and being able to customize it. The dojo is a place to store monsters, but it isn’t just a place to store them, they live their with their own living space. When their living space is improved, they can perform better and can even gain new abilities. The dojo has hundreds of thousands of customization options.
* Quality. The attention to detail enhanced the audiobook experience. The audio is amazing, with well placed sound effects and songs, and the narrators having the right sense of urgency during fights, just blew me away with this performance.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this audiobook. If you like anything described above, try the book out. I am highly anticipating the second and third books in the series. I also plan on purchasing Harmon Cooper’s other books, especially with Jeff Hays and Annie Ellicott narrating.