Epic cover art

Epic

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Epic

By: Conor Kostick
Narrated by: Samuel E. Hoke
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About this listen

Welcome to a society governed through computer games!

On New Earth, society is governed and conflicts are resolved in the arena of a fantasy computer game, Epic. If you win, you have the chance to fulfill your dreams; if you lose, your life both in and out of the game is worth nothing. When teenage Erik dares to subvert the rules of Epic, he and his friends must face the Committee. If Erik and his friends win, they may have the key to destroying the Committee's tyranny. But if they lose....

©2004 Conor Kostick (P)2018 Conor Kostick
Dystopian Fiction Science Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Game

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All stars
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Rather than throw you into mindless fantasy that just assumes you are prepared to believe in it, Epic almost explains why a future could be lived through the fantasy roll play rather than having to face cold realities of life. Pretty complex story superbly narrated and executed throughout, I found my walks clouded with visions I have not had before. A good book and well worth the time devoted to respect it. Jim

My first role-play book I really enjoyed

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A solid story with good narration.

The writing is good, well paced and with characters with plenty of personality. The in game parts are easy to understand and does not go in to too much detail about the systems in game. Letting it be more about the action, conflicts and characters.

The narration is easy to listen to and clear. Each character is enhanced with unique voices and plenty of emotion. I would happily listen to more books with this narrator.

In a world where everything is controlled by those who have the most powerful characters in a game it can be hard to get by if you have work to do instead of being able to dedicate yourself to improving your character. It is an intresting lesson about what can happen if keeping power becomes more important than using it wisely.

This was an intresting listen and I can recommend it.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Interesting.

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Centuries before the time sitting of this story, a game was created to while away boredom, an entertainment for the travellers to New World, an inclusive multiplayer computer game called Epic, where people could work off their aggressions and have fun. But, over time, this psychological release became all pervasive, ruling life both in and out of reality. In order to succeed in real life, players - and that is everyone - had to succeed in the virtual world, building credits even to further their education and to select the levels in society in which they will be placed. There are many losers, chosen to do the hard work of provisioning New World, and only a few winners who rule both the game itself as rich members of Central Allocatons and decide the life placements of everyone else.

Eric is a talented player but, with the Graduation Ceremony fast approaching, he is destined to fail as he keeps being killed in the game. He can no longer afford to re-equip new characters to acquire the desired monies to to fight, defend himself and so claw his way upward. So he changes his usual player character to that of a girl he names Cindella with the attributes of the long forgotten Swahbuckler, and invests all he has left in beauty. Then he sets about the task of raising his financial profile and trying to rescue his parents fallen victim to the harsh reassignment regulations and, in the process of changing the world itself.

The story concept is a good one, but, although there are flashes of excitement and some excellent descriptive passages, for this reader the book never really comes alive. The characters themselves are the main reason as they remain stoically two dimensional without ever engaging a feeling of empathy which would have increased a feeling of excitement. Changes in plot directions, and too easily won battles, compound the overall lack of involvement.

Narrator Samuel E.Hoke has a pleasant, deep timbred voice. His reading is clear and steady with a good single pace throughout which adds to the fairytale unreality of the story, further compounded by a lack of emotional imput even when the tensions are rising. His voicings of the characters other than the main protagonist are also minimal even if clearly defined. In many ways his input is excellent, matching the text itself, but it also has the effect of making the whole seem overlong and, to be perfectly honest, tedious apart from the central portion of the book.

Epic is very much a Dungeons and Dragons type story which, if rewritten now would probably be far more thrilling set in the full LitRPG world. A clever idea but not one I would recommend, even to game players unless very young and really into their gameing. My thanks, however, to the rights holder who, at my request, freely gifted me a complimentary copy of Epic, via Audiobook Boom.

All the marshmallows you can eat.

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Listener received this title free

Epic does what a lot of LitRPGs have failed to do - make in-game actions matter to the lives of the protagonists. There are very real stakes at every step of the way along this character's journey and I love this book for that.

One thing that is lacking in this book compared to others in the genre are explicit stats and game mechanics. While levels are in fact referenced in passing, and used to demonstrate which characters are more powerful others, it doesn't break down fight scenes into "So and so takes X damage." This doesn't bother me. In fact I think it's easier to focus on the story due to the lack of these announcements.

Overall, this is an engaging read with a strong emotional component that is sorely lacking in the genre. It is recommended for people who prefer more 'creamy' GameLit as opposed to hard crunchy numbers.

A Really Good Listen

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This book is claimed as being one of the forerunners to the increasingly growing LitRPG genre and it is easy to see why.
This book has a wonderful premise, a society that has done away with violence and uses VR instead to deal with conflict and give an outlet for humanities savage urges.
The book deals with topics in its stride such as Sociology of a populace that uses a RPG game to determine all facets of its society. Politics whereby various opinions and anti government sentiments are presented and explored. A possible precursor to how society might use technology like VR to hold public forums and meet as a group through the use of this technology.

There are some wonderful twists at various points throughout the story that give depth and texture to the story. Some of these come out of left field and you don't see them coming, others are a little easier to see.

The narration is without a doubt on the money, the vast array of characters have their own distinct sound and this helps draws you further into the characters. Samuel Hoke has given life to these characters and in my opinion has delivered the essence of the book.

In summation this book is without a doubt a must read for anyone that enjoys the LitRPG genre or is even a casual fan of RPG games.
I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys fantasy with a little science fiction.
I will definitely be placing the two follow up books on my to read list.

"A true progenitor of LitRPG. Amazing & Immersive!

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