Are you tired of books where the main characters overtake a world, game, or entire civilization just because they have a modern enlightened world view? Are you sick of straw-man villains and over the top cliche evil empires that are tailored to offend the conscience? Are you getting sick of MC’s who have garnered some special attention from a game AI or maybe a worn out sarcastic interface trope? There is none of that here.
I have read or listened to almost every series in this Genre. There are books that are better in a lot of ways in the sub genre. There are better books in the Sci-fi & Fantasy at large. Notwithstanding, there is something about this book that is just amazing. This has become the series that I look to when I’m judging how an author handles scale. It has worldbuilding. It has growth and development. It has believable, flawed, and sometimes tropey characters. The author has avoided every pitfall that has bothered me in every series in the genre.
If there is one thing many authors fail to do well consistently it’s scale. Whether it’s power creep or passage of time, I have found myself frustrated time and again with inconsistencies or a complete lack of consideration on the scope and impact of time of people and places. Hooper manages this so well.
The story is Great. It is consistent and rational. Just do it. Worth a credit? Yes. Worth cash? Yes. Did I go out and buy a hard copy after this? Yes.
The performances are excellent. Distinct characters. Well delivered. Some other audiobooks I find my attention wandering and the book fades into the background. Not here. I’m listening a third time as I write this and I have to pause the book to focus on writing.
I can’t recommend this enough.