This easily is one of the books that shows why you might prefer an audiobook to just reading. The cast and production truly elevate the material. To be honest I found it a little slow to truly find its’ footing, but about 2/3 of the way through the book I was already checking to see if there were more to the series ready.
Pop culture references can be a turn off for me honestly and they are definitely plentiful here. The MC starts off annoying as well, but he does mature as the book goes on. It feels logical that he was in a state of arrested adolescence as well given his prior life. These would usually be turned off, but I do feel that the story of eventually overcomes them without completely abandoning the foundation.
The production also is truly top notch. A story of a bard that just says “he played an amazing tune” doesn’t hit the same. Looking forward to seeing where this goes in the future.