Desert Runner

Listener Reviews

1. 5.0(1)

   The trials of an NPC in a Mad Max MMO

   I'm a big fan of Dawn Chapman's THE SECRET KING and am anxiously awaiting her to release the audiobook for its sequel rather than just novellas. However, I was interested in her doing a LIT-RPG story which stars a woman who exists in a Mad Max MMO as an NPC. Apparently, everyone is an A.I. in there and they're aware of it to an extent but not much can be done about it. Kind of horrifying in a Westworld sort of way. The protagonist is remarkably cheerful, though, and does her best to survive despite the fact she's trapped in a cycle of dealing with neverending hordes of monsters and fetch quests. Maddie is a likeable heroine, more the brides than Furiosa and eventually the book becomes a love story when she meets up with a player who is interested in her more than a bunch of pixels on a screen. Thankfully, this world seems to work on virtual reality. The story is a bit on the short side but there's a lot of drama and it's interesting to see the view of the people in a World of Warcraft-esque world from the perspective of the starting dungeon. I think the author could have done a bit more joking around on the fact it is a video game but I really was interested in how the world worked. Andrea Parsneau does an excellent job narrating and captures the protagonist's trials and tribulations. In conclusion, this is a great little book and enjoyable popcorn fiction to listen to.

   Cori Chen · January 26, 2018

2. 5.0(1)

   Quite intense.

   Andrea Parsneau brings extra punch to an emotionally gripping story. I liked the voicing of both the main character and several male characters. By the end of this I was caught by where's the next part as I can tell even with all the characters have faced getting here, the real adventure is just starting. Congrats to both the author and narrator. I think this is a great match.

   Maritza Rodriquez · January 20, 2018