I am a HUGE fan of Soundbooth Theatre, particularly (and to no one’s surprise) Dungeon Crawler Carl. While eagerly awaiting the next in that series, I searched for more of Jeff Hays’ narrations. Dungeon Lord caught my attention just enough to give it a go. Recently, I’ve had trouble getting into some LitRPG series, even though I am a fan of the genre. More often than not, I’ll grind through the first book and give the rest a miss. I admit, I struggled a bit with the opening chapter of DL, only because one character our protagonist, Edward, has to deal with is so insufferably annoying and hateful. Thankfully, his appearance is mercifully brief and he gets what’s coming to him. I’m pretty sure he was merely a device to get Edward to the plot.
The premise of Dungeon Lord is sound, without falling into predictable cliches … at least not too predictable. There are just enough twists to keep the reader guessing, while avoiding subversion of expectations simply for its own sake (a trope that has turned most modern story telling in both books and cinema into complete trash). What’s more, the characters were relatable and likeable; my favourite being Lavy the Witch. All have their flaws and we see growth in each.
What really sells it for me is Jeff Hays’ stellar narration. There are many capable voice actors out there, but I’ve never heard anyone as versatile. The talented Annie Ellicott also appears, though in just two characters. This released about three years before Dungeon Crawler Carl, so you can definitely hear the evolution of his skills, which were already fantastic in DL, plus some voices he would later use in DCC. Ed sounds similar, though not exactly like Carl. A female ranger with a small role has definite signs of what would become the voice of Donut the Cat. Charon undoubtedly served as inspiration for Mordecai. And there is no mistaking Jeff used Lavy’s voice for Samantha the sex doll head, which I absolutely loved.
One Side Note: This is not a book for younger or sensitive readers. There is copious profanity, some sex (though it avoids going overboard on the details), with a lot of graphic violence, including some that’s quite uncomfortable. In most LitRPG, even those with overt violence, innocents like children are almost always spared. That is not that case here. In this realm, no one is safe, which does add a gritty / realistic edge to a fantasy story.
Overall, the story kept this a proverbial page-turner, enhanced by Jeff and Annie’s talents, plus the always top-notch production from Soundbooth Theatre. I see there are currently five books out, so I hope this series keeps its momentum. Now, on to Book Two!