NPC

By: Jeremy Robinson

Narrated by: R.C. Bray, Jeffrey Kafer

Is your life real or is the world you live in a simulation? Are the people you call friends and neighbors living beings with inalienable rights, or are they NPCs - Non-Player Characters - whose soulless path through life is predetermined?

Samael Crane, a brilliant scientist, believes NPCs are all around us. And he can prove it.

When a body is discovered in the bay off Essex, Massachusetts, small town pastor and former Marine plagued by doubts, Ezekiel Ford finds himself called in to identify the deceased. His history is unknown. His full name is a mystery. No one knows where he came from. In fact, Ezekiel seems to be the only person in town who ever really noticed him, living on the fringe of reality, and sometimes in the homeless shelter supported by his church.

Ezekiel’s involvement in the case doesn’t go unnoticed by Samael, who has set out to prove - through deadly means - that NPCs exist, that reality is simulated, and that ‘God’ is a coder with a grudge. The two men’s missions become inextricably entwined, leading them down a path through the gray area between good and evil, science and religion, and reality and simulation, barreling toward a truth that will change the world and humankind’s place in it forever.

New York Times and number one Audible.com best-selling author Jeremy Robinson takes listeners on a journey that is not only action-packed, but full of scientific and philosophical intrigue. In his most mind-bending story since Infinite and Alter, Robinson blends genres, belief systems, and bold prose into an unputdownable tale exploring the nature of reality.

In the audiobook edition he is joined by number one Audible.com best-selling narrators, R.C. Bray and Jeffrey Kafer, creating a truly one-of-a-kind listening experience.

©2020 Jeremy Robinson (P)2020 Jeremy Robinson

Getting deep with J Rob!

Let me first say, -3 stars for RC Bray not saying Bardarbunga. Nevermind, I'll give the stars back and just make a compilation of all the times he says it, then loop it.

But for real, Bray and Jeffrey Kafer have fit the stories of Robinson so well, that when this book was first teased I went insane with anticipation. and it did not disappoint. their narration is the bar I set for others. They do the voices and accents perfectly, so that they are clear when different characters are speaking, and the emotion needed, but nothing over the top or worse, Enders Game 20th anniversary (sounded like Barry White reading for a preteen character. spent the first 2 hours of the story trying to find the equalizer to lower the bass.)

Robinson/Bray/Kafer is a friggin dream team.

Now for the story.
This one is a treat. Space Force was a treat for the opposite reasons this is a treat. had to turn my mind on for this one. Still haven't been able to turn it off. I would probably call myself a Jeremy Robinson super fan. I have loved every book I've read by him. some inspiring, some suspenseful and full of twists, some action packed spectacles, Space Force. This is the first time I would analyze events while listening. the first time I had to really pause and think about what happened (literally pause between chapters). And although the end sorts things out (in a sense), after I finished, I spent time (still doing it) imagining the world in the story was this world, and how I would cope.

and honestly I was slightly terrified of the implications. And also sorta hopeful. Then dubious and doubtful. But then.... Simulation Theory. Fffffuuuuuuu@k. My mind keeps pulling on threads I don't know if I was meant to or not. Could someone eventually accumulate enough processing power to tap into the code? Perhaps the architect is too intelligent. but for the full expanding universe, no being anywhere can attain that intelligence? or at least near enough, to uncover the source code? If the architect is that advanced, what connection could a mind like that ever feel to the simpler minds? How could it relate to a human with their base emotions and what has to be painfully slow brain processes? But does that mean contact With man inevitably leads to man rising to the level of the Architect? just some of the thoughts I've had.

Oddly enough it brings me always back to Mirrorworld. How was that not more popular? Crazy deserved better.

An epic techno-romp with compelling characters and an excellent balance of action, story, development and even some philosophy!

I always enjoy Jeremy Robinson’s book, and NPC is just the latest in a long line of home runs! Both Samael and Ezekiel are robust, interesting, and sympathetic characters that are impossible to ignore. I loved the dual narration of both RC Bray and Jeffrey Kafer, they are 2 of the best in the business and they breathe their own uniqueness into Sam and Zeke. I was hoping that this book would finally buck the trend of having a single narrator read the other character’s voice when they finally interact, but it follows the standard format of reading by chapter. This does not hinder the performance in the slightest, as both narrators can speak for the other character without pulling you from the illusion of the story.

Speaking of the story - what a fun concept to explore, especially in the capable hands of JR! I enjoyed the overall implications of a potential simulated world, and I liked how both religion and technology were not only explored individually, but actually bounced off each other as potential partners in a singular world that can be seen through multiple lenses. I also enjoyed the humor and the little call outs to things in the modern day zeitgeist - hooray for the Orville joke!

All in all, this story is a fantastic listen that will keep you on your toes and saying “just one more chapter!” until you finally reach the end, hopefully with all of your original questions answered, yet also with an entire new set tingling your brain into deeper thought and reflection.

Sequal

You really need to flesh out this great premise with a sequel or series. Would also make an excellent tv mini series. Thanks for such an interesting/entertaining read. Well narrated!

Mind Bender Amazing Master Piece

Wow i just finished this absolutely amazing book. Another master piece. I was drawn in by the Syfy Story and that R.C Bray and Jeffrey Kafer we both readon this amazing literature by Jeremy Robinson. Well done man!

perfection

I loved it. amazing caterer plots. it is a genius' idea. can't wait to read more books.

Good book/audio

The book explores the idea of simulation theory and posits (I feel) some subsequent questions and alternate interpretations that were interesting to explore and think about. Some of which I had not thought about until the author presented them. There is a religious element however 1) it's not preachy, it's the character struggling with his own beliefs and is enough to incorporate the religious perspective without it dominating or controlling the narrative of the overall story. the author isn't trying to convert anyone and it doesn't come off that way to me.

overall it's a good book and i enjoyed it. it starts off a little slow but by the time i hit the middle I was listening to it whenever i got the chance. that carried through to the end. I would reccomend.

Ambitious Story

I had mixed feelings about this story until about half way thru, because I found the mad scientist's personality so toxic. The pastor was just the opposite, I found him to be complex and interesting. He was the reason I finished it, along with the detective. The mix of Christianity and middle-aged cyberpunk was intriguing, but a bit muddled at times. Still it is worth reading.

interesting premise

Still not sure if I really liked this book, and that's ok. The premise was intriguing and the author did a fine job of navigating through various viewpoints. The book definitely kept my interest, but I found the use of two narrators distracting. One consistently good narrator would have made the book flow better. If you like books that make you wonder why things are the way they are, or question what's real and what's not, this book is for you.

Fantastic as ALWAYS

I read everything that this author writes, he is by far my favorite. this book doesn't disappoint

Weird and wonderful

I really like these books. The performances where great as usual. This one really bends your expectations of who maybe right or wrong a hero/villain. Very cool and also wacky as fuck. Thanks again for another great listen. 👍👍