Fractures

Second Skin, Book 1

By: M. Damon Baker

Narrated by: Sarah L. Colton

Length: 13 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

A computer-generated fantasy gone wrong...

In one final attempt to salvage the wreckage of my life, I stepped into a virtual reality chamber, searching for something, anything, that might make me want to live again. But when I emerged inside the virtual world of Second Skin, I immediately discovered that things had gone wrong - terribly wrong.

I was suddenly trapped in a strange place where nothing was what it seemed - unable to determine what was real...unsure of anything, including myself.

Hunted and alone in this harsh land, how will I survive?

And even more importantly, who the hell am I?

Reader advisory: This audiobook contains scenes of graphic violence and deals with mature themes.

©2018 Marc D. Baker (P)2019 Marc D. Baker

Great book

First book I’ve read by this author. I enjoyed it. It’s not my normal genre but I will look up more like this.

Solid LitRPG

Like most books in the LitRPG genre, takes a little bit of suspension of disbelief to get into it. However, it's very well done and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and following the plot as it unwound. I liked how the author went slightly against type with some of the characters (for example, making the male elf a tank and the male dwarf a knife-thrower). He was a little inconsistent with some of his math on point accumulation, which is really important from this genre, but mostly was good on it. The narrator was a bit weak but if, for example, I saw that she did the sequel, it would not deter me from still listening to it.

Overall, a solid book and I'd like to see where the series goes next.

Very different

I thought this was just another mmorpg . Granted it is BUT! the twist take it to another lvl. I was high impressed.

An intriguing adventure into the world of LitRPG

Like many SciFi and Fantasy authors, I grew up playing RPG video games. Skyrim, Mass Effect, Boulders Gate, KOTOR, you name it, I’ve probably played it.

So when I heard about the growing LitRPG genre, I was intrigued! Stories set inside RPG-like worlds? Wow!

And thus, my first foray into the genre occurred with “Second Skin” by M Damon Baker.

M Damon Baker builds an intriguing premise. A man’s mind, trapped in a woman’s body, inside a supposedly virtual world. I don’t want to spoil the initial twist, but let’s say fairly early on, Baker throws in a fun hook which makes the story more than just a dude playing an RPG.

I can see the promise in the genre. The story. The creative ways “game mechanics” can interplay with narrative.

Unfortunately, I quickly learned the LitRPG genre is not for me.

That preference isn’t a knock on Baker’s writing; it’s superb. Second Skin’s audience simply doesn’t include me. I value the opportunity to listen to Second Skin on Audible, though, to learn whether I enjoy the LitRPG genre. As much as I love playing games, I don’t think I’m one to read them being played.

All that being said, I hundred percent think this book WILL hit home with other readers. It’s got the chops to hook people intrigued by the characters, setting, plot, and premise of LitRPG.

I won’t be doing a full score breakdown of Second Skin: Fractures. Instead, I’ll be giving it three stars. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but that speaks more about me than the book.