Aced: The First Set

Aced, Book 1

By: Jonathan Smidt

Narrated by: Ryan H. Reid, Annie Ellicott, Jeff Hays

Like many teenagers, there's a lot about Daniel Meadows' life that's out of his control. For example, having to start in a new school district for his freshman year of high school thanks to his dad's new job. Inside the realm of his control, however, is the decision to try a brand-new sport purely to impress a girl.

But the day of tennis tryouts proves far more fateful than Dan ever could have imagined, when a failed attempt by Truck-kun and the powers that be to kill him and transport his consciousness to a fantasy realm leaves him on Earth with miraculous abilities instead.

Stuck on his boring home planet with magical powers to harness and learn, Dan finds himself in a unique situation. Will he use his powers for greatness? Will he abuse them? Or will he simply use them to become the greatest tennis player ever just to chase the girl of his dreams?

Who knows? After all, its freshman year and he's got a long way to go. This slice-of-life tennis LitRPG serves up progression, sports, and fun in one hilarious series.

©2024 Portal Books (P)2024 Soundbooth Theater

tennis videogame?

onlything i dislike is the 2nd isn't out yet. an amazing book and I want more

Litrpg Tennis

The best litrpg about a guy failing to get isekai’ed and playing tennis on Earth with superpowers I’ve ever read. Granted I’ve only read the one and if I read another and had a nickel for each I’d have 2 nickels, which isn’t a lot but it would be weird that it happened twice. The story and characters were interesting and I learned more about tennis than I ever wanted to without feeling like there were many info dumps.

Surprisingly Heartfelt and Delightfully Funny

I knew some of the author’s work, so I was excited to give this one a try. The concept at first gave me a mix of wary and intrigued feelings. But MAN did it deliver! I’m SO glad I gave it a try. Jeff Hays as the voice in the main character’s head is, of course, hilarious and spot on. The main narrator, Ryan H. Reid, gives a performance unlike I’ve heard from him before. He gives the MC such a relatable voice, which has to be hard as the kid is 14 and going through all the changes that life serves up (pun intended) during that time. The combo of the writing with Ryan’s narration even made me tear up at parts. Wonderful all around. Looking forward to the next one!

A cannonball of a novel

Aced is a grand slam of a debut novel that serves up a winning combination of humor, heart, and heroism. With a narrative that's both witty and wise, Jonathan masterfully volleys a story that's equal parts entertaining and inspiring. The characters are richly narrated and relatable, with Ryan, Jeff and Annie making it easy to become invested in their journeys. The writing is crisp and engaging, with a pace that's both swift and satisfying, like a well-placed ace. Whether you're a fan of coming-of-age stories, sports, or just great storytelling in general, Aced is a must-read. It's a faultless book that will leave you feeling uplifted and eager for the next installment.

Great story and new take on litrpg

I loved that it was different than the normal doomsday or fantasy litrpg stories. Had great character development. For me it was nostalgic and reminded me of when I played tennis as a kid