Shadow Sun Survival

Shadow Sun, Book 1

By: Dave Willmarth

Narrated by: Will M. Watt, Jeff Hays, Andrea Parsneau, Annie Ellicott

Length: 15 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

How well would you fare if the apocalypse fell upon you? Could you survive more than a few days? Would you be able to feed yourself? Find clean water? Safe shelter? Heal your wounds?

Allistor is a gamer geek who has spent most of his life indoors, playing virtual reality MMORPGS and reading classic LitRPG books. But when Earth is seized by an ancient race wielding incredibly advanced tech, who transport the entire planet to a new location with twin suns, he finds himself fighting to survive in real life. The human race is declared a contaminant, and the new overlords decree that 90 percent of us will be exterminated. Creatures out of myth and legend are sent to do the killing. Dragons, titans, alien creatures, big and small, all with a hunger for human flesh. Humans who survive the first year will be rewarded.

After seeing his family killed in the first week, Allistor leads a small group of survivors in their struggle to stay alive. Not satisfied with simple survival, he strives to make himself and his people stronger. The new "magic" RPG system that now governs the planet is something he can work with, and teach others to exploit. Thrust into a leadership position, and with vengeance in his heart, Allistor aims to establish a stronghold, then take the fight to the monsters who seek to enslave his people.

©2019 Dave Willmarth (P)2019 Dave Willmarth

Another great book from Dave Willmarth...

...And a questionable production by the normally fantastic Soundbooth Theater.

First, this book falls into the sub-genre of post-apocalyptic RPG GameLit where after an outside force hijacks the planet, seeds it with horrible monsters and introduces an RPG style interface/stat system, the remaining humans must level up to survive.

So yes, this does have quite a few similarities to The System Apocalypse by Tao Wong among others. That said, though the circumstances might be similar, the characters are totally different. And Willmarth is telling such a compelling story that the similarities fall by the wayside. I think it would be shortsighted and petty to lower the number of stars given just because this book’s setup shares some of its primary features with another book that came before it.

Now on to the production. As I said up top, Soundbooth Theater has generally produced great audiobooks in my experience. There have been a few titles here and there that didn’t rock my world, but on the whole they’re great.

Here, for some unknown reason, they decided to add a bunch of totally unnecessary sound effects and tension building drums to all of the action sequences. I found it jarring, ham-handed, and lacking in any kind of subtlety. Worst of all, it repeatedly pulled me out of the story. I could compare it to watching a movie and every 20 minutes or so your TV would shoot out a cloud of the smell of whatever is happening...

Though it didn’t ruin the book, I didn’t ever get to the point where the sound effects and drums were ever more than a distraction. When the narrator tells you that a character shoots his rifle, you really don’t need to hear a canned sound effect of a gunshot two seconds later in order to understand that the rifle has been fired and what that shot sounds like.

In essence what Soundbooth Theater has done here is decided that our imaginations are not competent to recreate these things in our minds eye and therefore has decided to help us out by making a crunching noise every time one of the characters breaks a bone. What’s next... will they start including accompanying video files and flashing a picture of the car that the characters are driving every time it’s mentioned that they entered an automobile?

Though I applaud their enthusiasm and efforts to bring the art of the audiobook to a new level, the way they are going about it is just misguided.

That said, the narrator and most of the character voices were superb as usual. Regardless of the problems with the sound effects, this book is still a no-brainer when it comes to spending your credits.

Great book

Similar to many litrpg books but mostly the best parts of those books. Reminds me of 10 realms or apocalypse gates before it became total shit. This book has no weird sex scenes, to be clear. Hope there are follow ups soon, I’m halfway through so hopefully it keeps going strong.

Decent but painful characters

Decent story that can be slow at times and the MC is painfully incompetent in battle and seems incapable of learning and keeps making really dumb mistakes he is also and odd mix of assertive at times and a total beta at others.

pleasantly surprised

saw alot of negative reviews about the story and sound booth performance both were amazing and coming from someone whos been reading and listening to litrpg novels for many years this is an excellent addition to the genre.

Nice one

Very good start. Nice reading with multiple readers. Maybe Let Hays Narrate major read and use other guy switch with him. The book however, was a very good Book all the way around.
thanks for the en ht entertainment.

Krop CIRCLE. LLC

Wow, wasn’t sure of it at first but damn

Great book, it was too hard to stop listening. Actually found myself getting pissed at people for calling me and interrupting the story.

On ti book two...

A great story but..

A Solid novel, but nothing new that makes you go say" I have never heard that one before" it kinda reminded me of some other post apocalyptic novels out there, but I guess you can't really get a completely clean slate now days.

The narration was a bit to much with all the sound effect and voice actors, a bit overdone so to speak. Other that that they do a good job with showing emotions while reading their part.


I Am a Advocate against early romance types, specifically in this novel were there literally build up to the moment just a cheap "I woke up and she is beside me" kinda thing. It really felt a bit like the author went down the check list and he just had to but it in there just because and the flirting and the interactions are a bit to stiff themselves as if they have never done such a thing before .


I guess you could call it a trope by now "I am somewhat a good gamer there for I am the best, kinda" were the authors write in a way were a gamer with semi good intelligence (as shown in this novel it is just that) is somehow able to do stuff and figure out thing no one has ever done,
Thought this is the type of steering the story were author is giving Mc the "right" stuff at the "right" time And he is also somehow the only one to get the attention were those "higher beings" mention him specifically, like the mc is the only smart enough with wits to navigate a rpg system in a world were Immersive VR is a thing.This is why I cant give full 5 stars there is way to much things that only spin around MC for it to feel like a world that is alive.

Awsome theatrics and great sound

Awsome theatrics and great sound story was great when I read it but different narrators and back ground sounds were a fantastic addition. sometimes a little too loud. Will have to listen to others like this.

Excellent

Well written and read. Can't wait for the next one! Excellent plot, characters and magic system.

Better Than Other LitRPG I’ve Read

I don’t usually read the LitRPG anymore, they’re basically all the same and exhausting in their repetitive stat counting sections. This one had a good mix tho, maybe they’re all getting a lil better? I liked the story a lot; it had good action, the kind that I was 5min late for work cause I had to finish a chapter lol. Dislike: Almost all the characters are tools. All so....I like u, u like me, let’s be friends and sing together kind. I’m pretty sure Allistor is a psychopath. He’s disgustingly nice and has perfect pretty boy morals until he doesn’t like someone’s opinion. Then he tells his bear to eat their face off and says “I wish he died slower”. Then he feels ‘remorse’ cause he had to kill someone and justifies it to everyone like he’s trying to convince himself. His justification speeches always sound like lectures about the ‘new rules’ and his system given titles (that he didn’t want, but “oh well”) There’s always a hidden, or direct, threat in them. So he’s perfect in like a fanatical religious nut, make you puke kinda way but then he 180’s and tortures people he doesn’t like, tells his unwanted minions to behave or else, then tells them no taxes and democratic society....later. Make up ur mind much Al? He’s either a very good politician or a tyrannical psychopath...or both. Wait, is there a difference? Anyway, good story and overall read if u can stomach all the ‘Barney’ hugs n stuff. Oh, and why is everyone so prude? Is that like another crazy-persons religion thing? But then they turn around and hook up like swingers (some only a few weeks after spouse/other deaths). The overall character development seems very.....undecided(?), hurried(?), lacking scrutiny(?) I don’t know, something. I couldn’t decide if it was meant for children or adults for most the book. But again, good story and good mix of reading and stat-checking. I wanna play Sky*** again!