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The Masterpiece

Reviewed: 07-21-23

This is my favorite Jack McDevitt book, I love the rest of the series and the Academy series, but this one is the best.

Let me just start by saying the way to spot a good book is when the main complaint is the narrator. Learn to adjust the play speed, this fixes almost all narration problems.

This book has such a unique pace and mystery. Is it wholly consistent with the rest of the series? No, the narrative point of view changes to Chase, and the available tech also changes (no headbands, for example). I like Chase's narration. She gets to play Watson to Alex's Sherlock, but I also really miss hearing the stories from his perspective. He is my favorite character. I can't recommend the series and specifically, this book, enough.

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Dungeon Crawler Carl, but also not

Reviewed: 06-23-23

Lots of comparisons to Dungeon Crawler Carl, and I get it, the stories have a similar tone, but if that is your expectation, you will be disappointed. The story is good in its own right. The narrator isn't as good as Jeff Hays, but he is okay at 1.3 speed. The main character isn't as compelling as Carl, but besides some minor plot armor doesn't have a major flaw. However, the story (as crazy as the buymort system is) is actually better than the dungeon Crawler story (at face value, it remains to be seen if the author can build the word beyond the initial introduction). Assuming the story doesn't fall flat in book 2, this is worth a read.

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3 people found this helpful

Worst one in the Series

Reviewed: 06-11-23

There wasn't nearly enough Eithen in this one for my taste. Also, and this really can't be overstated, wherever shall I get tips on proper haircare without new Cradle books? By the time we get another book in this universe (iteration?) I will be a completely unkempt barbarian ostracized from society for my appearance.

I loved it! What a great way to say goodbye (hopefully just for now). Will did amazing. Travis did amazing. Just amazing.

Only one criticism (spoiler, technically), how did we not see Lirin get named? I can see the dialogue so clearly. Lindon and Yerin are talking names (Tim, Adomous, Niyan, Grace, etc.), then Dross is like "it's not fair you are going to name the baby without the rest of me, never fear I have summoned the mortal vessels of my other selves". Then everyone shows up and gives more input, orthos wants them to name it after one of his ancestors. Mercy thinks it should be named after a virtue, like Resolve. Finally, Eithen shows up and is all like "you know, I haven't gotten a turn to name anything else. I wasn't consulted on the cloud fortress, the spear, or even the pocket world" Linden says something like you weren't around for the pocket world and Yerin chimes in with a witty repose, but finally Eithen drops the "this could be a great way for you all to repay me" to which everyone finally agrees. Then he says, well I can't believe you didn't think of this already, but you two are Linden and Yerin, so naturally your offspring should be called Lirin. The wintersage chimes in from the corner, I like it.

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The book is fine

Reviewed: 01-06-23

The book is fine...just fine, it isn't bad, but it also didn't really scratch the itch. The plot is veiled in obscurity, which is fine (lots of these books keep the main plot obscure, it adds mystery), but there was literally no progress on what is actually going on. We got some opening villan monolougue, but the actual objectives, stakes, and even the form of the challenge are left completely undefined. The MC and company are all just reacting to each prompt they are given. We don't know anything about each floor of the tower until the MC arrives. It just isn't compelling story telling. Maybe things get better in book 2 now that things are more established, but I kind of doubt it.

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A really good 3/4 of a book

Reviewed: 12-11-22

The first 1/2 to 3/4 of the book were almost perfect. There was a great dynamic with the main character and the plot, the main character was competent and smart, and the supporting characters were fun. Then the mc engages with Tethis. No worries I won't spoil anything if you decide to give it a read, but the dynamic with Tethis is so stupid and so unrealistic. The longer the book goes on the harder it is to reconcile the mc decisions with the character we were introduced with. The cliches really mount up in the last third of the book. This book easily could have been split into two (with a little more work) and I wouldn't have known the plot just absolutely collapses. Although if it was split, the discontinuity might not have been so sharp and I might have went along my merry way. As is all of the characters seem to be pretty unstable and I don't really care about them anymore (I probably won't be investing in book 2). There is like an hour left in the audio book and I honestly don't know if I can finish it.

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1 person found this helpful

A Pretty Good Book

Reviewed: 12-06-22

This is a good book, with good characters, and good world building. The action is a little front loaded, which is a little frustrating, but it has an exciting start full of excellent world building (without contrived exposition) and the second half of the book has a lot of character development (relationship building).

It would have been nice if the author used some of the action occurring back in the home country (instead of staying focused on the main character at his school), but as long as the second book doesn't neglect that part of the story the series will have been built on a strong foundation.

The narrator is one of the best in the world, but the spell sound effects are a little disjointed.

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Good plot, poor execution

Reviewed: 08-21-22

This book is okay (the plot is actually better than okay and so are the characters). The problem is all the little things that add up to make the book just barely worth the listen.

For start, there are to many stats (I always roll my eyes when I see that in a review, but this book is just next level). There are some chapters that end with a 10 min stat review (which includes descriptions of skills) and then the next chapter starts with a general stat update. The narration is okay, but suffers from exotic name syndrome - I can't care about characters I don't remember. Finally the backstory of the world is so contrived, I think the plot functions okay within the bounds, but the backstory is an albatross hanging over the head of the story. The backstory is going to drive the series to absurd extent, it almost doesn't matter what the MC does and that makes all the interpersonal/character growth frustrating.

If you are a fan of litrpg this probably isn't a bad pick, but also there are definitely better series out there.

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Start Series Here

Reviewed: 02-11-22

I typically hate prequels, but this one is absolutely required. If I started the series at book 1 I would have stopped there (because I would hate the MC). With this book I still hate the MCs, but I'm going to listen to book 2 to give them a chance. Hate is a strong word, but really I want to see the characters get some kind of comeuppance for the events of books 1. With the prequel though I know the characters are at least capable of doing some investigating and have some redeeming qualities. Anyway, this was a good start to the series and a solid story.

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what the what?!?! Great Story and the Worst MC

Reviewed: 02-11-22

So I am not going to do any spoilers, but what the what...usually you root for the detectives in a mystery novel, but that is not the case here. Honestly without the prequel I would not be giving this series any further consideration. If I hadn't been introduced to these characters before I would 100% hate them. As it is I still kind of hate them. There is always some police angst in mystery books (broken people doing there best, etc...). Gosh no spoilers, but I feel like I need to vent. The only investigating done was not by the detectives they actively hindered justice (and when they did investigate they sucked at it - like obvious questions were never asked, even without reader privileged knowledge they failed to pursue obvious leads). This was more like a horrifying look at American policing (but in no way was it meant to be, I think you are supposed to like the detectives). The story/plot was fine (heck fantastic actually), but wow just wow. I hate these detectives. If the book was only from the perspective of the main suspect this would be a way way way better book. Like just wow, I don't think I have ever hated a protagonist more. It's not that they are terrible people, they are trying their best, it is the complete lack of remorse. Like the end scene there is an "oh we are sorry" scene, but what a freaking joke.

I think I will continue to listen and if it seems worth further listening I will update this review (a big struggle with mystery novels is allowing characters to grow, so heck maybe this will be a great starting point).

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Beyond pointless cliff hanger (no spoilers)

Reviewed: 08-21-21

This is a good litrpg. There is traveling and the quest is kind of nonlinear (but I consider that a positive, not a negative). Character development is decent. The reason this is not a five ⭐ is two fold. 1) The real world balance is unraveling (they spent at least a week - probably more - in game - 24 hrs real world and only came out if the pod once that I recall). 2) The ending, it isn't so much a cliff hanger as an obvious setup for the next story with absolutely zero resolution. For me it kind of ruined this book and the next book (because the entire episode is unnecessary).

I won't get into spoilers, but I will say it wasn't necessary. The author has been setting it up, so perhaps it had to happen for him to take the story a certain direction, but the resolution was so dumb. You are probably safe to skip from the end of this book to book 4 when it comes out.

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