The Feedback Loop, Book 1
By: Harmon Cooper
Narrated by: Jeff Hays
I loved this book! It was like he was trapped in a game but was he?...exciting twist and turns..It was fun trying to figure things out with him! Lots of action, great fight scenes, suspense, and real fun mixed with humor.
Narration was perfect since it has Jeff Hays! No need to say more!!!
Great book! I have had this for a long time and I am mad at myself for waiting to listen to it! ( )

This is RPGlit, the first I'd ever read and I quite liked it. The characters were well drafted and the story engaging. ( )

Initially, I was drawn into this world that Quantum is trapped in. Every day starts off with yet one more attempt to kill him. He’s got it down to a T now because he’s stuck in this cybergame on some kind of loop. Life holds no more mysteries for him, except for the big one: why is he trapped here and how can he get out? This story definitely has elements of the movie Groundhog Day (which I always found boring) but luckily this story gives us just a taste of Quantum’s repetitive life before something new happens.
Frances Euphoria walks in, boobs first. Yep, her physical attributes are the first things we learn about and her skills only come on display later. In fact, all the ladies in this story (including a voluptuous waitress) are described first by their looks and perhaps, maybe, later by some important skill they have. After I finished rolling my eyes at this, I really liked what Euphoria brought to the table: A possible way out! Quantum will do nearly anything at this point to escape this personal hell.
The plot thickens as Quantum tries harder and harder to escape. He had slipped into a kind of complacency but now as he pushes back against the Loop, more and more deadly things and characters are set against him. There is also an unexpected ally.
Just as I was getting sucked into this tale, we neared the end. Things felt a little rushed towards the end and I wanted more out of Euphoria. While Quantum was surprised by who was behind his imprisonment, it wasn’t a surprise to me. 3.5/5 stars.
The Narration: Jeff Hays never disappoints. All of his character voices were distinct and his female voices are excellent. Also, his enthusiasm for this story came through in his performance. I liked his grumbly voice for Quantum and his ticked off voice for Euphoria. 5/5 stars.
I won a free copy of this book. My opinions are solely my own. ( )

My original The Feedback Loop audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

In an ever-crowded literary RPG (LitRPG) genre, “The Feedback Loop” stands out as unique, entertaining, and imaginative. Take many of the components from Groundhog Day, The Matrix, and The Fifth Element, blend them up into a cyberpunk noir storyline and you get a good idea of what you can expect in The Feedback Loop. It is the first in a series of three books available in all your favorite formats. The book is splendidly written by Harmon Cooper and the audiobook narration is performed exceptionally well by none other than the master of audiobook narration; Jeff Hays. The book is a bit shorter then I would have expected for the first volume in a series, however it does finish up at a good point and the book contains very little fluff used simply to expend the page count. I will say I wanted more when it ended and was happy to be able to jump right into the second book in the series providing my needed fix. No need to wait for other books in the series to be released as they are currently all available in audiobook format at the time of this review.

The story itself is nothing revolutionary to those familiar with the genre. A person is trapped in a virtual world and needs to save his life by finding a means of escape. However, the way this story is told along with its flow, humor, and technology makes it feel new and exciting. Unlike with most in the LitRPG genre, this one is not a fantasy world but instead a gritty and grimy cyberpunk environment. Think of being virtually immersed in a game of Shadowrun, yet you are living the same day’s events over and over for what appears to be years; the Groundhog Day experience. Then, one day, things appear to change from the normal routine. This is where the story hooks you and you will not want to put it down. The expert writing along with Jeff’s superb narration makes you feel you are a part of the story he whole way through.

I enjoyed the use of humor in the book as it helped to alleviate the tension and gritty feel of the world the characters were a part of. At times, I had to laugh out loud when the main character took specific actions trying to make his mundane situation a bit more entertaining for him. There may seem like a limited number of ways someone can kill another in this world, but our hero keeps finding new and interesting ways. When you have a continuous daily loop memorized because it has been experienced over and over, one needs to spice things up a bit, and he succeeds doing it. One of his favorite activities was summed up when he was speaking to another character and told them that violence is always the answer to anything in the game, and it shows.

The game and the cyberpunk story world were very well setup and executed within the book. Afterwards you may feel like taking a shower to clean off all the dirt and grime. Although the characters were overall deep and likable, I would have enjoyed having a bit more detail on their backgrounds, histories, and reasons for being in the situations they were. I can only assume this information will be revealed more and more as we dive into the other books of the series. The story includes some aspects of relationships and their importance when attempting to not only survive in the world but also escape this looping world of events. There is love, joy, action, and sadness as the tale unfolds and we begin to learn more about not only our main character, but the world he has become a part of. I liked the standard stereotypical weapons found in a cyberpunk world such as shotguns and laser pistols, but also a myriad of other fun and interesting weapons to choose from that the author included.

Jeff Hays takes any piece of fiction, or non-fiction, and make it better with his ability to flawlessly narrate just about anything. However, when he is given a great piece of work to narrate, it comes out like a symphony where all the parts blend together to make beautiful music. It may seem a bit strong using this analogy, but it really is the best way I can describe the impact and ability of his narration skills. I have listened to a number of books he has narrated, and I have never been disappointed; and this book is no exception. When I write audiobook reviews, Jeff is the standard by which I rate everything else. He puts his heart and passion into his work and it shows every time. He is one of the only male narrators who pulls off narrating female characters in a believable way. Many of his characters have very unique and distinguishable voices, not only in this book, but in all his narrated works. Jeff is also able to weave into his reviews some subtle recording extras and never over uses them; for example, the muffled voice of someone talking over a telephone, etc. The audio is professionally produced and it does not contain any noticeable audio artifacts.

For parents or young readers, this book is set in a futuristic world having a dark and shadier feel to the environment. The author does use vulgar language at times, there are scenes involving and discussing sex, alcohol, and drug usage. There are times of intense violence, some of it humorous or light-hearted, but others not. I do not feel it is overly used, but take note if any of the above offends you or you are wondering if this book would be good for a younger reader.

In summary, if you like the LitRPG genre and are looking for an exceptionally well-presented cyberpunk environment, I recommend you pick up “Feedback Loop”. The story telling along with the book’s narration make it an immersive world that when you are done, you just want to jump right back in. Even if you are not a fan of the genre, I recommend you give this book a try as you may find something new and exciting that you never knew existed.

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator. ( )

*I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.

Quantum Hughes has been stuck in The Loop of a virtual game for nearly two years. Reliving the same day, over and over killing the assassins who come for him. Until one day he receives a message from Frances Euphoria claiming to have returned for him. Things change in the world, the way they interact with him and more.

Jeff is one of the amazing narrators I know I love listening to. He adds entertainment to the stories by voicing them all completely different. Each character has their own voice and personality. I love it! You can feel the moments in them, like when sarcastic along with humor and more. The different voices, for male and female, makes it tremendously easy to quickly differentiate the characters and get a feel for the story.

Sometimes the books of being stuck in a virtual game or video game are boring for me. I just feel as they are the same read written by a different person. This one, however, felt more alive to me. Quantum felt to be connected to his world he was stuck in. Even though it repeated he was use to a pattern and it became something he relied on. When it all changes, Quantum tries to slip back to what he knows best even though he doesn't want to be here any longer. This book was strong character wise.

The world in which Quantum lives has a 1950's feel with a dark dreariness to the places Quantum visits. There is danger with a higher tech feel as it's a virtual game setting he's stuck in that combines the elements. It's neat because we get small phrases from the time frame. Yet it's a fantasy setting as well with assassins.

What do you do to not get bored repeating the same day for nearly two years? Quantum tries changing up the weapon he kills the assassins coming after him with. This I found humorous at times. He does different things and goes different places, but you can only do so much after 544 days have passed.

I enjoyed the humor in some of Quantum's quick clips and comments. This was entertaining to listen to. I had a feel of a few different blends in this creation. Fantasy, 1950's, Matrix, and more. I enjoyed this story to the end and look forward to seeing Quantum get stronger and venture in the virtual world again to help more people.

I see there are many more books in this series and hope they will be narrated because I'd love to listen to them! ( )