I didnt recognize the author or I would have skipped this even though it was “free”, but for the most part it was fine.
This listen was kind of slippery for me, as in my mind kept wandering off and I had to keep rewindng to relisten to chapters. Mostly I thought the story was ok, but then it became obvious that the people doing the “wager” didn’t really think things through and could have easily headed off the eventual issue with a simple paragraph about the players, but they didn’t.
The last series I started with this author it was similar, as in it starts decent but then it becomes obvious just how dumb things are and how the MC is going to just allow himself to be taken advantage of. The last series had me actually get angry at the entire thing so I wont be giving this one that chance and I am stoping while apathetic. That I got to the end apathetic tells me nothing here, including the characters, captured my interest in any case.
Anyway.
Characters: MC is fine if bland. Side characters were unimportant so no one to get attached to except a far worse version of House (if you know you know).
Narration: It was fine
Story: I haven’t listened to a lot of space litrpgs so was trying to get into it but the system wasn’t that great. The wager that puts the story in action could have been decent but is made moot so not even sure why there needs to be a followup book. One more chapter and you could have ended the “main story”. There are a couple more books in the series for those who liked this game system, it just wasn’t for me.
Conclusion: If it’s free for you then I guess give it a try….waste a few hours mildly entertained if nothing else. If you like this Authors other work you may even like it enough to finish the series. I did not like it and will not continue.