I really like the main story line of this series and as a reader/listener I am rooting for Jason and his friends.
However, Jason truly is the main character. If you want to make his friend Riley carry her own book, then you’d better make it one hell of a story line. Which, imho, this novel fails to offer, unfortunately.
I really wanted to like this book enough to give it at least four stars, but the story is simply too shallow for that. To me, the main factor causing this feeling is that the novel tries to make me believe the heavy emotional gravitas around Riley’s interactions with in-game non-player characters (NPCs). But it does not succeed, it requires too much suspension of disbelief on my part. I mean I can imagine enjoying some banter, the suggestion of friendship or battle comradery with NPCs, but I don’t think I would ever actually feel hate or resentment or genuine sadness if one NPC treats another unjustly or hurts them or some such.
I just can’t do it. I mean, I could feel disappointment or even resentment about the fact that some fun NPC was killed off by the game, but that emotion would concern the game, or its programmers. Not another NPC who did the killing off or hurting.
So this entire emotional-about-NPCs trip for Riley just didn’t do it for me.
Also, the plot develops far too slowly for my taste, the sidekicks were not interesting enough and there are not enough action sequences. Especially in comparison to the main story in the other books.
Was everything bad? No, fortunately it still had some of the characteristics the main story line introduced us to: the mysterious influence of the game on players’ bodies, character growth and general states of mind, for instance. I really liked the IRL part of the story’s climax. I like the world building this side quest brings to the overall story. I like the narration. I like where Riley’s in-game avatar ends up in the sense of character type. And last but not least, I like the way this novel ends, offering us the perfect re-entry into the main story.
All in all, in hindsight I would not spend the credit unless you’re extremely completist. Wait for a daily deal or try getting a review copy, if you’re only curious about this story.
I will be listening to the next novel in the main story line though, and have already spent the credit as a pre-order. All of which to say that I still believe this will continue to be an awesome series overall.
Just skip this side quest…