Proving Grounds Audiobook By Tom Elliot cover art

Proving Grounds

Annals of the Runeguard, Book 1 (The Annals of the Runeguard)

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Proving Grounds

By: Tom Elliot
Narrated by: Giancarlo Herrera, Hannah Schooner
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A heroic epic of one man and his fight for survival.

Dace Tolman’s life has been overturned. One moment he was in his apartment and the next, he and the rest of humanity find themselves in a strange world of monsters and magic.

A new world.

There is nothing benign about mankind’s new home. The Proving Grounds is a world seemingly designed to enhance those worthy of its gifts—and to kill off the rest. Every day is a struggle against the System and its creatures. Can Dace survive its challenges?

Endless opportunities for advancement and power.

Join Dace on his epic journey as he is forced to deal not only with the System, but humanity’s own internal conflicts.

The start of an exciting new epic portal fantasy!

This is a story not only of monsters and dungeons, but also of factional struggles, guild politics, and human foibles.

©2024 Tom Elliot (P)2025 Royal Guard Publishing LLC Action & Adventure Dragons & Mythical Creatures Epic Fantasy Survival
Compelling Character Growth • Excellent Litrpg Standards • Knight-like Personality • Impressive Storytelling
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Everytime the system speaks you have to turn down the volume to avoid blowing out your eardrums

a unique take of how the system took over earth

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Overall pretty good. Likable mc, good side chars, interesting world. I’m not a fan of the female narrators voice, but it’s not terrible except for the system voice

Female system voice is too loud and obnoxious

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Everything i like from the grand game and more. A really good start to a series, looking foward to seeing how the series goes from here.

Very impressive book.

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if you liked The Grand Game, also by Tom, then you should also enjoy this series. This novel basically entirely takes place in the "noobie zone" and is a good introduction to this new system. MC can be a little overly aloof and frustrating but I can already tell he's going to be a beast

interesting first entry

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Combat was good. Having a male and female voice was great for dynamic as well. Definitely a great mission faction is on.

Group interactions

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Interesting enough to try next book. And hope the MC character class become a bit more interesting.

Will try next book

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Story was very mediocre in every sense the only really bad thing is the author falls into the trap of making the main guy unable to put 1 and 1 together

Meh

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I really love the grand game, and this has a similar feel. The different narrators do the story justice and I actually look forward to the rest of the story when normally I’m hesitant to read other stories from a writer until they finish the ones that catch my attention. I’m glad this is an exception.

Great Start

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I didn’t care for his dependence on others specifically that asshole guild leader i assumed he would be a soloist given class. If ur going to make him have to party with a guild why not the moral one that was trying to help improve the lives of the townspeople instead of the selfish asshole guild leader?Any still good listen and I would recommend

Very good story

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By the standards I have for litrpg this book is excellent. If you really care about pacing or proper world building, this isn’t for you.

Great for Litrpg

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