I listened to this story free due to it being included in my Audible membership. It is a pretty good story, and the supporting characters are pretty good. The MC is a bit inconsistent, but is at least decently likable.

The setting is a bit generic Mega Corp owned world where the Government and Countries are defunct. (I have already read about 10 dystopia Litrpgs and 20 non litrpgs with a very similar premise, so not really original) The start I suppose is similar to Way of the Shaman, though there are many other convict paying off debt stories and it doesn’t really differentiate all that much besides usually they aren’t guilty, our MC is.)

None of the above is bad. My main issue is the game itself. Even 3/4 Through the book I do not know the true death penalty. Some characters seem like death and respawn are no big deal, but listening to Mika who seemed to have to reroll a character from level 0 every time she died, and the Clerics Wife who couldn’t log back in because apparently if you die you have to pay to reconnect. If you really have to refill after death, I mean it’s a terrible game. I appreciate LITRPG elements as well, but every time he pulls up his stats having to read all his stats, all his skills, all his quests, all of his inventory, and all of his equipment is a bit annoying. (Maybe have separate specialized)

The fact you can “red screen” and die in real life from stimulus in the game…is a bit of a stretch as well I feel is just used as a tool to bring out emotions…which it doesn’t really do from the MC or the reader. I mean 15 mins later they forget her. And the inconsolable brother is all of a sudden fine despite seeing the perps.. I expected him to charge off in a rage.

For me, I dislike dumb strategies in games so their flawed reasoning for staying and waiting for the QuillBear when they had plenty of time to retreat and hide, really made no sense to me. Yeah they explained, but the explanation also made no sense. The Bear only even attacked them because they waited out in the open. Then the Strategy for assaulting the keep wasn’t bad, but then for some odd reason when they climb up on a rope and see that the thing holding the rope is bending…they just hope it doesn’t break instead of the 4 people already up trying to you know grab the rope and hold it well…I returned the book after that part.