Puatera Online Box Set - Books 1 through 3 - Desert Runner, Desert Born, and Desert Storm

By: Dawn Chapman

Narrated by: Andrea Parsneau

Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Contains all three books of The Desert Sequence: Desert Runner, Desert Born, and Desert Storm.

Follow NPC Maddie on her journey of self-discovery, which takes her through the deadly desert plains to the inner programming that makes her who she is.

©2018 Dawn Chapman (P)2018 Dawn Chapman

This NPC Is a lot more, so is the story

These are the third to fifth books I’ve read/listened to by this author and I can’t wait to listen to another. I first listened to Jessica’s Challenge then Dahlia’s Shadow.
All the books in the series are ones I would listen to again.

Maddie is a self-aware NPC. Although she has a difficult time going against her programming, it is possible. Throughout these books, Maddie learns a lot about the truth about herself (one of which I found awkward at first, but then it started to make sense) and the world of Puatera. These books have a story thread separate from the other Puatera books, until near the end when we gets hints how they will merge.

Book 1: Desert Runner
Maddie is a Desert Runner. She accepts high risk retrieval jobs for pay. She’s getting paid well for this job, but soon learns why all other desert runners before her declined this job. Constantly in pain from an old trauma, she has little choice now but to take her unwanted passenger with her, across dangerous Tromal breeding grounds, to his destination to complete this job.

Book 2: Desert Storm
Maddie and Alex learn the food supply usually given to the Tromal is not enough to get them through the birthing season. The local people’s lives are now at risk. After learning more about the Tromal, Maddie gathers the other desert runners in an attempt to gather enough food for them. To add to the troubles, they find a stolen Tromal egg and there is a herd of zombie cattle.

Book 3: Desert Born
Maddie finds out that, after she’s safely delivered Alex to his destination, he’s been beaten up and not completed his quest. Feeling compelled to help, she assisted him on his quest. They soon learn there is little choice but to go back to the desert and search out the Tromal or everything they know shall be threatened.

These are the first to third books I’ve listened to by this narrator ( Andrea Parsneau ) and I would listen to another. She does a great voice for Maddie. In fact, she does all the voices really well. Her narration brings the characters and story to life. The books are great, but her narration is also why I could hardly stop listening until the books were done.

There are no explicit sex scenes, excessive violence or swearing.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review.
Please feel free to comment on whether you found my review helpful.

VERY COOL!!

I'm reviewing the Box Set (Books 1-3) (as a whole).
I'm very new to this genre, so I can't necessarily comment or review that aspect of the story, but as an audiobook loved the story, very well done and I loved the narration, really liked it! I loved the virtual reality world created, and it was super fascinating. I think any fan of the genre would love this. Lots of action, I was interested from beginning to end :)
I thought this was very well done, and now I"m on to listen to #4!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

A nice alternative perspective

This is 3 short books rolled into one normal sized book. The main character is essentially a self aware npc in an MMORPG, supposedly high level, which is a nice alternative perspective to see things from the other side. This takes place on sort of desert/mad max/borderlands type of world with monsters and small settlements (not so much with the crazy though). The main character is compelling, with a great performance by the VO. She is supposed to one of the only self aware npcs, but the other npcs don't seem to be ridged by comparison. There is a lot of danger to be had in this world, as people don't really seem to heal up or have anything like a normal healer or good working healing potions.

LitRPG for the win!

This was the first LitRPG book I listened to. For anyone unfamiliar with the acronym, it stands for Literary Role Playing Game. I was glad my husband plays RPGs and that I had I watched the excellent Felicia Day series "The Guild" because otherwise, I might have been a bit lost.

This was a 3 book series and the books end leading directly into the next - in other words, not EXACTLY cliff hangers but I was very glad I had a 3 book package.

The characters were very interesting, the book is well-written, and the narrator was engaging. In fact, the narrator was excellent. I particularly admired how she could voice the Tremoil characters slightly differently but maintain character distinctiveness when they were in/out of body. Very well done.

Interesting take on a virtual world

I thought this was a pretty interesting take on this genre. I feel like the first 2/3 fit together pretty well but part 3 felt really different. This is where it started getting into some really interesting aspects of the world.. but then it was over. I understand why this was the case as our knowledge of the world grows with Maddie's but it felt quite jarring to me.

Personally, I think I would have enjoyed the story more if the first 2/3 was condensed and the last part was expanded on. I thought that Maddie's character building was important but things she learns towards the end of part 2 / start of part 3 and things that happen in part 3 were much more interesting and I wanted to know more! Unfortunately how things end (though they do tie up many loose ends) leaves you hanging. I wouldn't say it leaves as a cliffhanger but there is definitely unresolved story. Hopefully there will be a continuation of this series. If so, I will definitely check it out.

Excellent narration by Andrea Parsneau! I have no complaints here. I would not have a problem listening to more works narrated by Andrea.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Puatera Box Set Box 1-3

“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”

As a new reader/listener to this genre, I loved the storyline. Virtual Reality seems fascinating to me and I would think that if you are already a fan of the genre, you would love these books.
I actually started this series with book 6 as a free copy and the author was gracious enough to provide me with the beginning! I can't thank her enough! I decided to wait with reviewing #6 until I've read the others.
I know someone who will love these books & I will be passing this author's name along.
Now on to book 4!

Fun listen

This series is so unique, the only litrpg that I've ever listened to with the leading character as a badass woman. Every time I think I know where the story is going to go it ends up in a way different place.

interesting book ruined by a minor detail

I received this book free in exchange for a fair review. I enjoyed the book write a bit and the narration is top notch. The story and characters are all interesting and the progression of the book is a nice surprise, as it initially seems a very simple story and develops in an interesting way.
The criticism that I have is that there is about 30 minutes missing at the end of book 2, so for me, book 3 started without any of the details of what happened at the end of book 2. I struggled to get back into the book after this, feeling somewhat lost. When checking the single books' times, there does seem to be a list haal an hour or so in the boxed set. Thankfully this is probably fixable.

great series!

Solid and engaging story, and nerration that brings the characters to life!

It is a breath of fresh air to have a protagonist that is down to earth without whining all the time like a little girl with a skinned knee.

Great story - worth a credit - buy it you won't regret it.

Wow!!! What a rush!!

The main character in this series is absolutely incredible. She is brave and bold and everything that you could hope a heroine to be. This series takes you on so many twists and turns that you don't know where you truly end up at but you don't really care because you're having sooooooo much fun!!! I am really looking forward to seeing what adventures she has next!!!