This is a gritty and semi dark story but WELL written and kept me entertained the full 19 hours. The main character gains power quickly but is not OP – just barely keeping pace with the challenges he faces. I felt the author was very clever in how he introduced game mechanics and fantasy tropes into what is actually more of hard science fiction. If that doesn’t seem to be possible, you’ll have to listen to understand. I was surprised that the other reviews were lukewarm. I found this to be a fantastic story and well worth the credit. Enough so that I decided to write this review so you wouldn’t miss out on a new author that will go far. As a note, I’m one of those people that almost never leaves reviews but I’m also brutal about what I spend my almost 10 credits a month on (yes, I have a job that gives me lots of time to listen to books and am somewhat addicted). Anyway, if I don’t like a story I’ll happily return it and this book is definitely staying in my library. If you value your credit and are constantly looking for that next great listen, give this one a chance.