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  • Challenge

  • Unbound Deathlord, Book 1
  • Written by: Edward Castle
  • Narrated by: Jeff Hays
  • Length: 17 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (143 ratings)

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Challenge cover art

Challenge

Written by: Edward Castle
Narrated by: Jeff Hays
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Publisher's Summary

When virtual reality becomes real enough that people feel as if they're being transported to another world, Valia Online arrives.

A man running from his past joins the game to forget it all. Calling himself Jack Thorn, he chooses an undead race, Deathlord.

A mage by choice, and a swordsman by necessity, he soon finds out that he'll need to use much more than magic and steel to survive; strategy, creativity, and carefully chosen words can often accomplish what simple attacks can't.

As the game becomes too real and touches a part of him that he'd rather leave buried, he is faced with two questions: Who is he, really? And who should he become?

Challenge is book one of the Unbound Deathlord series, a LitRPG saga.

©2016 Edward Castle (P)2017 Podium Publishing

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What listeners say about Challenge

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terrible world

world full of douche bags that has u gritting your teeth more then half the book. while the other half is flashbacks of more worthless human beings why write this garbage like this. story has potential just ruined with a massively negative world.

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3 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

I'd like my time and money back...

I've finished the book hoping for something akin a redemption arc for, well, all characters. No luck here. As previously mentioned by an other reviewer, everyone is mean and unpleasant. It a game where toxic behaviours seem encouraged.

The voice acting for female characters is pretty bad.

I would not recommend that book at all.

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2 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

sounds promising but is not.

just read the manga pr watch the show overlord it is a much better story.
presentation is bland story is bland. with all the good things to steal from these days it's hard to believe this got published

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

A long and painful lesson

A long and painful lesson, I thought the story concept had potential however after listening to the end I realize that none of this potential would be really reached in this book. The performances and characters are laughable. Perhaps this author has never met her real woman before. They use a literary device in this audiobook. They repeatedly read a stat sheet back to you at the beginning of every chapter.

I would like my time and money back!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love it

I loved the story and cant wait to listen to more!! Please keep this series going

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Low stakes until the end.

Narration was excellent as Jeff Hays always is. I struggled to get through the story though. Many other litRPGs have a hook that draws me in; a fundamental high stakes aspect that involves me in the story well beyond watching some guy play a video game. For most of this book however watching some guy play a video game is precisely what I was doing and I was bored for HOURS! When plot points began to come together at the end I found myself trying to care about it. I should be so invested in the characters that I should be on the edge of my seat, but instead I was kind of mad that book 2 will ultimately be responsible for driving the story along.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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can't remember when I listened to a book this good

simply incredibly well made, recommend to anyone, fan of video games or not, the book will explain any detail non gamers won't understand

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

good except for

the character sheet between chapters became annoying fast. its the type of thing you usually just glance at and move on.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

fan of the narrator

found this story, cause I like the narrator. just like how he tells the story, story is good, could use less character sheet updates, there too many, I few here and there is good.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome just awesome

I hope you continue with this series and continue with haste and awesomeness if any other books from this author and voice actor

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