4.5 ⭐ Great start to a new LitRPG series

In “Grim Guys” by Eric Ugland we follow two best friends that are presented with a choice: Either choose certain death by tornado or go to a different realm and be recruited to fight monsters. Of course they agree and embark on an adventure full of leveling, funny banter and discovering their new powers.

As a gamer and Dungeons & Dragons fan I have to say this was perfect for me! The story is intriguing and has many elements that leave you wondering how they will play out. The worldbuilding was excellent and made the realm feel vast and full of adventure. I also liked the way the spells and leveling mechanics were implemented. I’m really looking forward to exploring the word further in later books.

My favorite part of this book were the two protagonists and their friendship. It felt like they went way back. It was light hearted, funny and kind of wholesome to watch them have this tight bond. It reminded me of going on an epic quest with my best buddy in my favorite video game.

I listened to this book as an audiobook and the narration was magnificent. The narrator Neil Hellegers had a way to read the characters that really resonated with me. I could tell who was speaking at all times and there were no silly intonations.

The only thing that made me hesitate to give this a full five star rating is the ending. Compared to the rest of the book and the way the author took his time with explaining the game mechanics the ending felt rushed. Especially the climax of the book was rather short and I would have loved a longer fight.

I thoroughly enjoyed Eric Uglands writing style and I’m eager to pick up more of his books.

A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Tantor Audio for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.