I found this book was slow in some places and very quick paced and a lot happening in others. It was hard to feel satisfied reading this book.

I lucked out when I was approved for a copy of Pendulum Heroes, the first YA fantasy adventure book in a new series, by James Beamon. It's my second LitRPG novel (my first was Radioactive Evolution by Richard Hummel) and this one is a lot of fun. In this story, a group of friends playing an RPG when they get sucked into a fantasy world as their game characters and the only way they can get home is by saving their new world. The novel is very fast-paced and it's a lot of fun. If you're a fan of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, The Legend of Drizzt series by R.A. Salvatore, and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle I have a feeling you'll enjoy this series opener. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more from this author in the future.

I don't generally read LitRPG, which this arguably is (it's the old "D&D players drawn into the world of the game" premise, which goes back almost as far as the game itself). I decided to give this one a shot, though, because the blurb intrigued me - particularly the teenage boy stuck as a warrior princess in a chainmail bikini - and I recognised the author's name from a writers' forum we both belong to. (I don't think we've ever directly interacted there, and I don't believe this connection influenced my rating.)

It's capably done, not just your standard campaign transcript or thud-and-blunder pulp, but with enough extra depth to make it more interesting and thought-provoking. In particular, it highlights the shallowness of teen boys who delight in death and destruction without empathy, or are thoughtless in their attitudes to women. It's not preachy, though; it shows rather than tells.

The plot is standard enough, a travelling quest in which the party faces multiple and varied challenges, but it's kept moving well and enjoyably executed. The characters are distinct, and have a bit of depth to them, particularly Rich, Melvin, and Melvin's older veteran brother Mike. There's a lightly sketched romantic triangle to provide extra tension.

I enjoyed it, and I would read a sequel.

I received a pre-release copy from Netgalley for review.

I've started this and one of the things I'm enjoying the most is the humour. I hope the characters will be developed well throughout the novel, as a 4-character cast is not always handled well by many authors.

I will be updating this review very soon.