⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers for Riftside, a LitRPG novel by Cassius Lange and Henrik Saetre. Proceed with caution if you haven’t listened yet. ⚠️
Audiobook Review – Riftside
Written by Cassius Lange & Henrik Saetre
Narrated by Justin Thomas James, Jessica Threet, and Jeff Hays
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Riftside is a standout addition to the LitRPG genre, delivering a fast-paced, immersive experience backed by an impressively executed multi-narrator performance. The story is written with a great balance of game mechanics, character development, and high-stakes action. Whether you’re new to the genre or a seasoned fan, the plot flows well with tight pacing, solid worldbuilding, and characters that hold your interest all the way through.
Narration-wise, it’s top-tier. Justin Thomas James, Jessica Threet, and Jeff Hays are all seasoned professionals, and it shows. Each voice actor brings their respective characters to life with emotional depth and clear differentiation, making this a seamless and engaging audio experience.
That said, there is one significant production-related caveat that I feel compelled to mention—the volume balance during Hammer’s scenes, particularly when his bloodlust kicks in. Hammer’s voice acting—growls, screaming, rage—is well performed and absolutely fits the tone of the character. Jeff Hays gives it everything, and it works from a storytelling standpoint. However, the issue isn’t the performance. It’s the volume.
During these scenes, the audio noticeably jumps in intensity—enough to make you wince or scramble for the volume controls. The problem is, when you lower the volume to protect your ears, the rest of the narration becomes too quiet. It turns into a distracting loop of turning the volume up and down repeatedly. It’s jarring, and over longer listening sessions, even physically uncomfortable—headache-inducing, at times.
This seems like something that could have been addressed with a little finesse in post-production—just a few decibels lower during Hammer’s rage would maintain the same intensity without blowing out your eardrums. Again, the performance is great—it’s the mixing that creates the issue.
Despite that, Riftside is absolutely worth your time. It’s well-written, exceptionally narrated, and packed with gripping, bloody adventure. Hopefully, future entries in the series can balance the audio a bit better to ensure a smoother listening experience.
Final Verdict:
🌟🌟🌟🌟⭐ (4.5/5)
Amazing book, top-tier narration, but the uneven audio levels in Hammer’s scenes hold it back slightly. Still highly recommended for LitRPG fans.