First off, yes, I know it’s been in audio before. But let’s be honest, this is the first time the narration lived up to the story.
I first picked up Forging Zero for the Kindle in 2013, the year it was released. Back then the indie market was a lot different. I won’t say everything was a gem, but without KU the offerings tended to be a higher quality. This was about the time when big names like Chris Nuttall, Even Currie, and B.V. Larson were beginning to define the indie Mil-Scifi space. It was a great time to be a reader.
And then came Forging Zero.
It was and is an absolute stand out in the field. A hefty size, too, nearly twice the size of your average entry in the genre. And that’s a good thing, because that full size is jam packed with an amazing story. Pacing is tight. There aren’t any points where the plot takes a back seat to prose. Exposition is well delivered as needed, but never too much at once and Sara King is a master of “Show, don’t tell.”
Is Forging Zero perfect? No. The sharp eared listener will notice some inconsistencies and a continuity issues. But they’re minor, nowhere distracting from the overall story. There’s a good reason this book is maintaining a 5 star average at the time of this writing, and that’s because at its core Forging Zero is a well executed story in a detailed universe with a diverse cast of characters and an excellent plot.
Oh, and obligatory shout out for Jeff Hays blowing the narration out of the park, but that’s par for the course with him.