LitRPG Audiobook Podcast 067 - The Dungeon Fairy, Grim Beginnings, Realm Walker: Blade and Shield

“Hello everyone. Welcome to the LitRPG Audiobook Podcast. I’m Ray. I’ll be reviewing some recent and classic LitRPG Audiobooks for you. I’ll begin with: ”

The Dungeon Fairy: A Dungeon Core Escapade

The Hapless Dungeon Fairy Series, Book 1 (02:44)

Score: 8.3 out of 10

https://amzn.to/3mAMLoe

Grim Beginnings (09:48)

The Ashen Plane, A LitRPG Series, Book 1

Score: 7.6 out of 10

https://amzn.to/2JhJ8VJ

Realm Walker: Blade and Shield, Book One

A Monster Girl Harem Fantasy Adventure (18:04)

Score: 7.8 out of 10

https://amzn.to/35XFNmi

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The Dungeon Fairy: A Dungeon Core Escapade

The Hapless Dungeon Fairy Series, Book 1

By: Jonathan Brooks

Narrated by: Miles Meili

Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins

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This is probably the best book Brooks has done thus far. I mean that it is original and fun and is Brooks at his writiest best. The story, without giving away too much, is about a dungeon helper who ends up running a dungeon on her own. The dungeon fairy is quite likable, and her struggle to convert from being a helper to actually operating a dungeon on her own. The fairy starts off under the auspices of being unlucky and proceeds to prove the beliefs correct by inadvertently playing Doctor Kevorkian to a number of dungeons before getting a dungeon of her own.

The fairy is tossed in over her head and left on her own and suddenly finds that her powers as a helper did not go away when she takes over her dungeon, but there are struggles that occur that cause her to have to figure out how to balance the experience requirements that both roles have.

Miles does his consistent best, which is as always amazing, narration. It is not often that I will say that a man can portray a female lead very well, but Miles knocks this out of the park. Miles is one of my absolute favorite narrators.

The book is original, well-paced, and keeps your attention and is a great new concept for the dungeon genre. 8.3 stars

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Grim Beginnings

The Ashen Plane, A LitRPG Series, Book 1

By: Maxwell Farmer

Narrated by: Armen Taylor

Series: The Ashen Plane, Book 1

Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins

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Ok, gonna start off by talking about Armen Taylor. The man is a narrating beast, and he does some of my favorite voices, like Erat from Chris Carney’s series, and Cutter from James Hunter’s stuff. He always seems to elevate whatever he’s working on, and he does that here.

Grim Beginnings, ironically, has a bit of a rough start that is just something that you have to push through. Not horrible by any stretch, but somehow wonky or more like a stretch. The book does improve as it goes on, but I have to say that it was an easier pill for me to swallow since Taylor narrated. That’s what he does, takes stories and makes them better.

Farmer’s work isn’t bad by any stretch, and it clearly improves as you go along. One thing I liked is how the MC is played like an average person. By that I mean that he isn’t all knowing or all powerful, and does things that I would do if I were in his place. For example, there is a magic system in place, but the MC sort of overlooks that he has magical possibilities. That would be me. I would strong arm my way through most stuff.

The book itself isn’t revelatory or bringing some out of the blue concept to the genre, but I enjoyed it, not everything can be original or go nuclear; sometimes it is fun to just enjoy the story and the setting for what it is and I did. I do want to see how this turns out, and there is a second book coming soon. I will want to check that out. Like I said, it is fun and after the initial start up it paces itself well.

Worth a look, so check it out. 7.6 stars

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Realm Walker: Blade and Shield, Book One

A Monster Girl Harem Fantasy Adventure

By: Erik Weir

Narrated by: Jane Tate

Series: Realm Walker, Book 1

Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins

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Here’s a book that I need to extend an apology for. I got this a while ago and thought I had posted it, but just saw it was in my folder of reviews, and had to check that I hadn’t done the review that I thought I had. So, Erik, I apologize.

So first, let me say that if you are looking for some spicy erotic stuff then look no further. There are sex scenes aplenty and they go from mild to spicy to Holy Sh**! The premise is sort of fun and weird, a dead goddess is looking to get resurrected and needs lots of sex to return. I tried that line on my wife, but no dice. She, the dead goddess not my wife, picks Victor Hobbs, aka “the Blade”, to be her champion; which means he has a whole lot of thrusting to do. Along the way he picks up a nice little harem and has a nice little adventure in between sharing his all beef patty with his gals.

The story sort of bounces back and forth between different types of thrusting and grinding, and the nice thing is that the MC isn’t all powerful as he has moments where his gals pull his rear out of the fire.

Just a couple of things to note. The first is comment my wife made to me, Vic refers to himself as the Blade a lot. A lot. She noted that it could become a drinking game. I didn’t think it was that much but as someone who only heard things sporadically it must have stood out. Secondly, a lot of the secondary characters, even those in the harem, don’t feel as fleshed out, no pun intended, as they could have been. Otherwise, if you are looking for a book that practically smolders in your hands check this out.

The narration by Jane Tate didn’t take my breath away, but she can certainly read a sex scene with flair. She did the Lewd Kingdom by Eden Redd books, so if you liked her there you will love her here. I may need to listen to her a few more times to really get a feel for her.

Final score, a decent book that has a lot of sizzle and hardly any fizzle. Final score 7.8 stars.

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Thanks oh so very much for watching everyone, I do appreciate you taking the time to watch or listen to the show. If you want to support us, you can like the LitRPG Podcast facebook page or the YouTube Page, or just share and like the video. I’m going to ask for more suggestions for the ‘Is it LIT’ segment, I’ve got a good one for next time, but will always need ideas. Please leave comments or suggestions in the comments below, and feel free to tell me whatever you like. I enjoy the feedback.

Check out Ray Johnson’s new book The Nightmare Game, out Nov. 3rd, 2020.

https://amzn.to/3mJCy8U

For LitRPG Audiobook Podcast, I’m Ray. Keep listening!!!

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