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Hellion: Awaken Online, Book 8 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Travis Bagwell (Author), David Stifel (Narrator), STAB Publishing, LLC (Publisher)
4.9 out of 5 stars 4,081 ratings

Jason's back! And he's ready for some revenge!

Roughly a month has passed in-game since Thorn's attack on the Twilight Throne. In that time, the dark city has managed to recover and rebuild - growing the ranks of Original Sin at the same time.

Which is good, because that brief respite is over. The Avatar of Flame has risen within the depths of the northern desert and has thrown down a digital gauntlet to Jason - with a gate piece hanging in the balance. Even worse? His opponent is none other than Finn Harris, the "father of modern AI". The same man who may have been behind Thorn's attack on the Twilight Throne.

And in the wake of recent events - the committee hearing back in the real world and the attack on his people - Jason is no longer content to just react; to wallow in the safety of his kingdom. If he's to be painted the villain...well, then it's long past time he fully embraced that role.

Because now it's personal.

And there'll be no holding back....

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  1. Listening Length
    29 hours and 59 minutes
  2. Author
    Travis Bagwell
  3. Narrator
    David Stifel
  4. Audible release date
    July 1, 2021
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    STAB Publishing, LLC
  7. ASIN
    B096KWVDS3
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length 29 hours and 59 minutes
Author Travis Bagwell
Narrator David Stifel
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date July 01, 2021
Publisher STAB Publishing, LLC
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B096KWVDS3
Best Sellers Rank #22,744 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#110 in Cyberpunk Science Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)
#248 in Cyberpunk Science Fiction (Books)
#1,452 in Epic Fantasy (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
4,081 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise this book's compelling story that advances multiple plot lines, with lots of twists and turns that keep readers engaged. The writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer highlighting the well-executed interview scenes, while others appreciate the great world-building and good mix of character development. Customers describe it as a non-stop thrill ride that's worth the wait, with one review noting how the narrative keeps readers on edge throughout.

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287 customers mention "Story quality"287 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's compelling and epic narrative, particularly appreciating how it advances multiple storylines and introduces layers of plot development.

"...Riveting read. This is my favorite book series...." Read more

"...Lots of plots within plots within plots. No sentence in the story was unnecessary or left me asking "why do I need to be told this?"..." Read more

"...Incredible plot, character development, epic battles, personal struggle, moral quandaries, philosophical questions and thought provoking questions..." Read more

"...The story feels refreshing despite the story not needing a refresher. A fantastic book with fantastic writing resulting in a fantastic read." Read more

142 customers mention "Action content"138 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the action content of the book, praising its intricate plot structure with multiple layers and twists, while one customer notes that the drama and action remain consistently engaging without becoming predictable.

"...Lots of plots within plots within plots. No sentence in the story was unnecessary or left me asking "why do I need to be told this?"..." Read more

"...Incredible plot, character development, epic battles, personal struggle, moral quandaries, philosophical questions and thought provoking questions..." Read more

"...with all the pieces falling nicely in place while still being both unexpected and exciting...." Read more

"...presents puzzles and puzzling situations and then he delivers a completely believable and unique solution through the characters...." Read more

91 customers mention "Character development"91 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting a good mix of main characters and those from the tarots, with one customer highlighting how the cast expands throughout the story.

"...The characters are all deep, believable and show an intense level of believability...." Read more

"...Incredible plot, character development, epic battles, personal struggle, moral quandaries, philosophical questions and thought provoking questions..." Read more

"...His stories are consistently excellent and I love the metacognition glimpses into his characters. Write on, good sir, write ON." Read more

"...The payoff is completely worth it. I love that the author built up these two characters and then pitted them against each other so I didn't know who..." Read more

58 customers mention "Readability"58 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as an incredible installment that was worth the wait.

"...It is very evident that a lot of time, thought, and care went into every stage of development. This addition is a prime example...." Read more

"...I loved every second of this book. It’s was a blast. It sparked my emotions, it was a rollercoaster every second of the way...." Read more

"...The payoff is completely worth it...." Read more

"So let me start by saying I really really loved this book. Jason is a great character, and this book just builds on that...." Read more

56 customers mention "Creativity"56 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the creativity of the book, particularly its great world building, with one customer noting how it makes the story more impactful.

"Everything from Finn's trilogy helped make this book more impactful...." Read more

"As per usual, Travis has written a stellar story and upped the stakes. Lots of plots within plots within plots...." Read more

"...epic battles, personal struggle, moral quandaries, philosophical questions and thought provoking questions about technology and how far it could go..." Read more

"...It is very evident that a lot of time, thought, and care went into every stage of development. This addition is a prime example...." Read more

51 customers mention "Writing style"51 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it impressive and very readable, with one customer noting that the interview scenes are surprisingly competently written.

"...The court, hearing and interview scenes are surprisingly competently written as well, displaying a level of depth and insight almost never present..." Read more

"One thing that stands out for Awaken Online to me is the fantastic editing despite being an indie author...." Read more

"...know, Travis Bagwell is not only a top author in LitRPG, he is a top author period. This is much more than an OP hero bashing baddies...." Read more

"...Well written, well done" Read more

35 customers mention "Fun to read"35 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very entertaining, describing it as a non-stop thrill ride and amazing journey.

"...Which means an incredibly wild ride that will keep you guessing from the very first page...." Read more

"...It’s was a blast. It sparked my emotions, it was a rollercoaster every second of the way...." Read more

"This book is amazingly tense and well put together. It was such a genuine thrill to see the author tie Jason's and Finn's stories together...." Read more

"Boy, what a super fun, well-written book. The author has gotten better with every book it seems, not that the first one was bad in any way!..." Read more

26 customers mention "Pacing"21 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pacing, noting that it keeps them on edge throughout and maintains a quick narrative pace.

"...Jason's amazing EQ and IQ blasting through real-time strategies that required truly out of the box thinking...." Read more

"...Well written, plenty of surprises, and a great pace to the story. If only authors could write as fast as I can read...." Read more

"...The story is fast paced but also told a bit differently than previous volumes. I loved the turn which gives the story an almost heist movie quality...." Read more

"...Thank you for cramming so much into this book, gotta be the fastest 700+ page book I’ve ever read and it felt like I just started when it ended." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Beybrain78
    5.0 out of 5 stars Freaking awesome! However I found a flaw in Jason's logic:
    Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Everything from Finn's trilogy helped make this book more impactful. I felt conflicted during the fight between Jason and Finn about who'd win in the end, with either one facing dire consequences. Riveting read. This is my favorite book series. Though there's one point that was brought up in a reddit post that I think needs addressed.

    Westley isn't cut out for his role and Jason's logic doesn't make sense in regards to justifying his actions and viewpoints with NPCs.

    I've just begun reading Hellion and I'm a bit let down/confused on the dynamic and discussion between Westley and Jason. I'm only on chapter 8 though, so if the nature of their characters and logic changes later in the story, I'll happily stand corrected. That being said...

    1.) When it comes to Westley I'm initially disappointed. Perhaps this is by design and he's simply a foil for Jason to explain his views and beliefs to the reader, but I feel like we've really missed a chance at subversion of expectations (so far anyway). If the CPSC and Vermillion were going to pick an impartial third party to psychoanalyze Jason, you think they would have picked someone familiar with games, teens, or any relevant mental illnesses (like dissociative identity disorder or schizophrenia) that could flare up from being fully immersed in a VR world.

    Westley is completely clueless to even the most rudimentary aspects of video games, making him a poor fit to analyze Jason. I was hoping we'd receive a psychiatrist/therapist/social worker who can actually challenge Jason and undercut his logic and reasoning. Someone who would push back with effective arguments and have a mature understanding of morality and ethics in relation to video games. Instead Jason has so far just walked all over Westley like an actual, too smart for you, verbose villain. It's disappointing.

    2.) I feel that there's a gaping hole in Jason's logic that Westley is too inept to exploit (though I'm holding out hope for it to be called out later). Jason first defends his torture of Thorn by stating that the man isn't real. He states that Thorn isn't a "person" because he has no flesh and blood and is simply code. Plus he did "what was necessary" to protect those he cares for. This is incredibly flimsy reasoning in justifying the inhumane and cruel treatment of a sentient being. Just because it had to be done (which arguably it didn't) doesn't make it right to do it.

    Now fast forward to the discussion of Frank's feelings surrounding Silver and suddenly we're waxing on about how NPCs are real. How they've all passed the Turing test with flying colors and how they're indistinguishable from flesh and blood humans. He ends with the mic drop of "how do you know whether these npcs qualify as real or not?".

    Jason's reasoning and thoughts regarding Thorn and Frank are completely at odds with each other. He justifies his torture on the basis of Thorn not being a real person, but then turns around and justifies Frank's feelings on the basis that NPCs are real people, or at least so well programmed that they can classify them as such.

    So either Jason is a murdering sociopath who uses the Greater Good ™ as an excuse for war crimes because he's killing or torturing real people... Or Frank is mentally ill and attracted to anthropomorphized furry code. Using Jason's logic you cannot reconcile the two.

    If this is called out or subverted or changed later I will happily eat my words, but as of chapter 8 this seems like a huge psychological plot hole to me.

    Lastly, shouldn't Jason not have mentioned him torturing Thorn in-game? He should've taken advantage of Westley's ignorance of video games and play off the AI as being not real and it was just a way to release his frustrations with no consequences. Either that or just keep his mouth shut. He's already walking a fine line between a normal life and prison, so the fact that he's mentioning everything he did in-game to someone who's supposed to solve the issue of if the game made him evil or not by interviewing him feels like he's digging his own grave.
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  • SaltySpecula
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing. Worth the wait.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    As per usual, Travis has written a stellar story and upped the stakes. Lots of plots within plots within plots. No sentence in the story was unnecessary or left me asking "why do I need to be told this?" The characters are all deep, believable and show an intense level of believability. The court, hearing and interview scenes are surprisingly competently written as well, displaying a level of depth and insight almost never present in most books.

    The only downside is I now have to wait for the next book to be published. Good work Travis.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Grant H.
    5.0 out of 5 stars The most EPIC adventure
    Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    You.
    Yes you.
    Stop looking for your new book (series), because you just found it.
    Buy this book and read it. Better yet, buy the first one in the series, then read it and all of the rest of them, in order.

    All hell breaks loose in Hellion, as the name implies. Which means an incredibly wild ride that will keep you guessing from the very first page. I have loved every book that the author has written and I love this one at least twice as much as the others. Incredible plot, character development, epic battles, personal struggle, moral quandaries, philosophical questions and thought provoking questions about technology and how far it could go. Stop reading this review and buy it right now.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Jonas
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic writing, development, and read
    Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    One thing that stands out for Awaken Online to me is the fantastic editing despite being an indie author. It is very evident that a lot of time, thought, and care went into every stage of development. This addition is a prime example. The set up for this has been well in the works, with all the pieces falling nicely in place while still being both unexpected and exciting. This book really feels like a turning point, a culmination of events that serve as a lunch pad for future installments. Let's be honest, if you've read the other books you're going to read this one. The story feels refreshing despite the story not needing a refresher. A fantastic book with fantastic writing resulting in a fantastic read.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Eve Jarvis
    5.0 out of 5 stars What are you waiting for?
    Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    For those of you who don't know, Travis Bagwell is not only a top author in LitRPG, he is a top author period. This is much more than an OP hero bashing baddies. Mr. Bagwell presents puzzles and puzzling situations and then he delivers a completely believable and unique solution through the characters. If you're new to the series, WOW, are you going to be blown away. Follow the order in the forward and ENJOY.

    Mr. Bagwell is one of the few authors who does not disappoint. While others get bogged down or abandon the overly complex worlds they have created, Mr. Bagwell seamlessly integrated real world drama and in-game challenges.

    His stories are consistently excellent and I love the metacognition glimpses into his characters.

    Write on, good sir, write ON.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Slow but good
    Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The beginning is very slow as the author ties in his side stories back into the fold. Eventually causing myself to drop the book for a bit especially because of already knowing the result of the first confrontation due to a flash forward. Now having come back and finished it its really interesting especially with the new stakes in the real world. I get the idea of why the author told the story the way he did but think it would have been better if he sped some parts up, or maybe introduced them later. Not entirely sure if it would have helped. In the end is was still a good read.
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  • Red Lite
    5.0 out of 5 stars skeletons, revivification!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Reanimus,revivified, and enjoy! The story builds nicely and everyone gets time in the books to grow. Well written, well done
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Carlos the costumer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in Mexico on May 21, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The best book in the series. You can tell how much Travis’ writing has improved and the story keeps throwing curves balls at you. Such a great book.
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  • Matthias B
    5.0 out of 5 stars this series gets better over time
    Reviewed in Germany on June 5, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Really enjoyed the next installment which brings together a whole bunch of characters from side quests and throws them all together into one giant throwdown. The overall plot doesn't move quite as much as I would have liked, but the character interactions (and fights) were wildly entertaining, the author's imagination about how the main characters set up plots within plots to get ahead is quite something. The deus ex machina parts could have been better set up - but overall I couldn't put it down as it's just non-stop action.

    btw I did not read every side story - only the ones covering Finn and Frank, both of which I can recommend too. But even if you don't know any of them, the book should work for everyone.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars OH. MY. GOD.
    Reviewed in India on May 6, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Travis really blew it out of the ball park with this one. Hell, he nuked it and used the destruction to better this book! This book was AMAZING. It started off a bit slow, but ended with a huge bang. I can't wait for the next one!
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  • BeastlyMuLLeR
    5.0 out of 5 stars This series is getting bettermwith every book.
    Reviewed in Spain on January 9, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This novel was simply epic, finally developing many of the events set in Jason's previous novels, as well as on Finn's Tarot subseries... And the day came when the titans finally clashed together!
    Happy, focusing on the Air avatar, will certainly be interesting, but I can't wait for the next core installment!
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  • T-Barr
    5.0 out of 5 stars This series just keeps getting better!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    After what feels like a lifetime since the last "Jason" book, I couldn't be more primed for this. Expectations were unreasonably high, so surely the book couldn't live up to it, right??

    Obviously I'm not going to give anything away, but please make sure you reason the "Flame" trilogy beforehand, if you have no done so already. The events in this book are a culmination of both Jason & Finn's story to date.

    What I will say is that this book is a masterpiece. As I hit the last quarter of the story, I absolutely could not put it down. That's not even a figure of speech either. I got to the 70% mark at 10pm and stayed up until 3am to finish the story. It is so unbelievably brilliant! The climax had me genuinely giggling with excitement as the story escalated beyond all expectations!

    Thank you Travis Bagwell for creating this amazing world. This book is truly incredible!
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