Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of the audiobook for my impressions.
I’m a little behind in my posting of reviews, but I wanted to go ahead to recommend to other LitRPG readers out there that they should read (or in my case listen) to this book.
The titular character Jack is a silver mine mapper who isn’t much of a team player. Going against all the advice given to him of what he should not do, he goes off on his own and gets dropped into a game-like world with an equally odd hero class. After meeting some of the locals and as well as meeting the entity that brought him there as well, he begins his “quest” to beat the tower, save the town and ostensibly get the girl.
Now, this being the first book, not everything will be wrapped up, but it does set a strong foundation for the books which came afterward. I enjoyed the fact that the MC, while having some power and things he could do, he was by no means overpowered and getting through each fight without effort. In fact, for some parts of the book, I was wondering if he was going to be killed by the mobs he ran into.
And the mobs… Wow, there were all sorts of different levels in the book that keep things interesting. And the floor bosses were fun to read as well (the giant cat head was one of my favorites). Every time they went up a floor, I was always curious to see what the author came up with.
I also like the character relationships, especially between the MC and his love interest. They didn’t just fall into bed with each other, there was a progression, and some bumps along the way, that made it feel natural and a more realistic relationship. Jack had to grow as a person to really win her heart, and it was nice to see him become more mature than the self-centered brat he was earlier in the book.
As far as the audiobook performance went, the folks at Soundbooth Theater excelled once again, and I had a blast listening to Justin, Jeff, and Andrea breathe life into this great book.
If there is one negative I can point out is the somewhat hackneyed mechanic of “the MC can think of strategies that the virtual people cannot” thing. When I heard it mentioned during the book, I groaned for a moment, but the author ensured it wasn’t too unbalancing in the grand scheme of the book. It did give the MC something unique to offer without getting into Mary Sue territory.
Overall, I highly recommend the book, especially the audiobook version, and you will find yourself enjoying this great begining to what is sure to be a great series.