What do you think?
Rate this book
Armored Souls #1
Dead Mech Walking
100 tons of walking steel. One human heart.
Sgt. Reggie King wakes up from a battlefield injury to find himself physically intact. But the hospital staff insist he’s not fit to return to duty. As part of his psychological recovery, they introduce him to a game.
Armored Souls is a tank game on steroids. Giant, walking mechs called juggernauts engage in interplanetary wars as noble houses and mercenary factions wage endless battles for supremacy. For the pilots of these juggernauts, the rewards are glory, cash, and XP.
As a tanker in real life, Reggie has a leg up on tactics and leadership, but he’s got a lot to learn in the game world. Saddled with trigger-happy commanding officers, slacker teammates, and bafflingly incompetent NPC underlings, Reggie will have to struggle to make headway.
Meanwhile, a sinister player decides to make Reggie’s life hell after their two factions clash. Reggie is forced to find a solution to his griefer problems while battling the real life demons that chased him into the game in the first place.
…and they won’t let him quit.
Sgt. Reggie King wakes up from a battlefield injury to find himself physically intact. But the hospital staff insist he’s not fit to return to duty. As part of his psychological recovery, they introduce him to a game.
Armored Souls is a tank game on steroids. Giant, walking mechs called juggernauts engage in interplanetary wars as noble houses and mercenary factions wage endless battles for supremacy. For the pilots of these juggernauts, the rewards are glory, cash, and XP.
As a tanker in real life, Reggie has a leg up on tactics and leadership, but he’s got a lot to learn in the game world. Saddled with trigger-happy commanding officers, slacker teammates, and bafflingly incompetent NPC underlings, Reggie will have to struggle to make headway.
Meanwhile, a sinister player decides to make Reggie’s life hell after their two factions clash. Reggie is forced to find a solution to his griefer problems while battling the real life demons that chased him into the game in the first place.
…and they won’t let him quit.
- GenresScience Fiction
438 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 6, 2017
98 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 12, 2024
I received a review copy of this book.
Dead Mech Walking is a really good tale about a wounded soldier who is put into a computer generated world so he can heal better/faster/what have you. The story follows his campaign in the game, and how he progresses on his path to recovery, and to be fair, the ending was only partially predicted by myself, there was still some segments I didn't guess. A very well done story, and one of the few that makes reading mech stories very enjoyable.
I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy scifi, and especially if you like space battles, or mech battles.
Dead Mech Walking is a really good tale about a wounded soldier who is put into a computer generated world so he can heal better/faster/what have you. The story follows his campaign in the game, and how he progresses on his path to recovery, and to be fair, the ending was only partially predicted by myself, there was still some segments I didn't guess. A very well done story, and one of the few that makes reading mech stories very enjoyable.
I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy scifi, and especially if you like space battles, or mech battles.
August 20, 2018
Man oh man!
Read it.
Read it.
August 22, 2017
The twist is a kicker
I read this in a single sitting. It made me miss two meals and four cups of coffee went cold.
The foreshadowing is done with a deft and delicate hand. The twist comes unexpectedly. A very e enjoyable read for this old mechwarrior. I do wish this game and associated tech existed.
I read this in a single sitting. It made me miss two meals and four cups of coffee went cold.
The foreshadowing is done with a deft and delicate hand. The twist comes unexpectedly. A very e enjoyable read for this old mechwarrior. I do wish this game and associated tech existed.
October 25, 2017
Lock and Load!
This is a great read if your a fan of Battletech! Giant armoured bots blasting away at each other but the real gem is the story of Sgt King and his rehabilitation! Though I had already figured out the twist early on but still a cracking read! Now where do I log in?
This is a great read if your a fan of Battletech! Giant armoured bots blasting away at each other but the real gem is the story of Sgt King and his rehabilitation! Though I had already figured out the twist early on but still a cracking read! Now where do I log in?
May 18, 2023
A wounded tank commander, Sergeant Reggie King, is asked to try a new kind of therapy... gaming.
Reggie enters a total-immersion gaming environment where he is the sole owner, driver, etc. of a house-sized mechanised battle-robot (a Mech).
Reggie starts off in a clan and gains some initial experience but the trauma from his past comes back to haunt him so, after a short mercenary stint, he buys a small asteroid and teams up with NPCs for the credits and the XP.
Reggie is cyber-bullied by The Mecheomancer, a PVPer who can control his enemies damaged mechs against them.
Eventually, Reggie puts a team together, of real people,and goes after The Mechromancer.
I really, REALLY, hated the constant use of 'bleep' in the game environment instead of normal language. Became annoying halfway through and stayed annoying throughout. Yes, I know it was all part of the story arc but I still hated it.
There were some spelling and grammar errors but nothing too major here (rare for the genre).
Was interesting to read LitRPG based on mechs rather than the medieval fantasy realm for a change. The story was engrossing and the levelling system did make some sense too. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading book #2.
Loved it - 4 stars
Reggie enters a total-immersion gaming environment where he is the sole owner, driver, etc. of a house-sized mechanised battle-robot (a Mech).
Reggie starts off in a clan and gains some initial experience but the trauma from his past comes back to haunt him so, after a short mercenary stint, he buys a small asteroid and teams up with NPCs for the credits and the XP.
Reggie is cyber-bullied by The Mecheomancer, a PVPer who can control his enemies damaged mechs against them.
Eventually, Reggie puts a team together, of real people,and goes after The Mechromancer.
I really, REALLY, hated the constant use of 'bleep' in the game environment instead of normal language. Became annoying halfway through and stayed annoying throughout. Yes, I know it was all part of the story arc but I still hated it.
There were some spelling and grammar errors but nothing too major here (rare for the genre).
Was interesting to read LitRPG based on mechs rather than the medieval fantasy realm for a change. The story was engrossing and the levelling system did make some sense too. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading book #2.
Loved it - 4 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2023
Following a wounded soldiers rehab in a virutal Mech-World.
While i liked the main story and I like Mech-stories what i disliked was that the game felt like a game the whole time. Immersion but not into the storyline of that world.
The different clans and their battles are meaningless. The Mech-pilots are just going for mission after mission for credits and XP but not because they take a side in a conflict. That took a lot of meaning out of the battles.
Else it was a nice book.
While i liked the main story and I like Mech-stories what i disliked was that the game felt like a game the whole time. Immersion but not into the storyline of that world.
The different clans and their battles are meaningless. The Mech-pilots are just going for mission after mission for credits and XP but not because they take a side in a conflict. That took a lot of meaning out of the battles.
Else it was a nice book.
March 19, 2024
Surprisingly good.
Sympathetic protagonist with very good character development, though the military elements are a bit hand-waved. Very good action scenes (clearly based on Battletech). Interesting world/game design that doesn't spend too much time on the game elements. And a plot that works well with the characters and has excellent twists.
Recommended.
Sympathetic protagonist with very good character development, though the military elements are a bit hand-waved. Very good action scenes (clearly based on Battletech). Interesting world/game design that doesn't spend too much time on the game elements. And a plot that works well with the characters and has excellent twists.
Recommended.
April 9, 2024
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I'm not really a gamer and military themed books usually are too battle and weapon focused for my interest to hold. Although I felt some of those elements, the story moved quickly and had a few tiny twists to keep me thinking as the characters started to develop. Looking forward to hopefully more character development and growth as this world grows.
August 9, 2024
Really fun universe
This sounds like a fun universe to live in. The vr rigs sound amazing, though with that comes people…and there are good and bad ones of those in every universe and story. Granted without that mix, the stories would be PVE vs PVP and PVE but still. I enjoyed this book and am glad it is part of a series. I recommend this book.
This sounds like a fun universe to live in. The vr rigs sound amazing, though with that comes people…and there are good and bad ones of those in every universe and story. Granted without that mix, the stories would be PVE vs PVP and PVE but still. I enjoyed this book and am glad it is part of a series. I recommend this book.
August 17, 2017
Intriguing premise, strong characters.
XP Hunter has created a dynamic crew while assembling an interesting lead character. The story moves along nicely and resolves it's questions by the end.
XP Hunter has created a dynamic crew while assembling an interesting lead character. The story moves along nicely and resolves it's questions by the end.
August 25, 2017
Interesting twist
New take on what is becoming increasingly overpopulated genera. Well written with some good twists. Addresses both kinds of veteran walking wounded when most people only recognize one.
New take on what is becoming increasingly overpopulated genera. Well written with some good twists. Addresses both kinds of veteran walking wounded when most people only recognize one.
August 30, 2017
Worth the read
Very well done storyline in a setting authors are only now exploring. Every point in the plot came together splendidly, and there wasn't a time that I lost interest. One of the more fleshed out books in the LitRPG genre'
Very well done storyline in a setting authors are only now exploring. Every point in the plot came together splendidly, and there wasn't a time that I lost interest. One of the more fleshed out books in the LitRPG genre'
April 15, 2023
Only got to page 50.
Lots of gamer references, add some military terminology and the fact that the 70 pages I read are not set in the real world, but in the video space............... Yeah/Nah, I lost interest at page 70 :(
Lots of gamer references, add some military terminology and the fact that the 70 pages I read are not set in the real world, but in the video space............... Yeah/Nah, I lost interest at page 70 :(
September 23, 2024
DNF. Just could not continue going. It tries to dangle some twists on the story, but you can see them a mile away but of course it will take like half the book to get to that point. The game they play is so boring that even playing it would die from boredom, even more trying to listen to it.
August 10, 2017
Wow
It so a very interesting read and a totally new twist on a LitRPG. Can't wait for his next book
It so a very interesting read and a totally new twist on a LitRPG. Can't wait for his next book
August 26, 2017
Liked it a lot.
I really liked this book. It was a different take on the LitRPG genre. I can't wait for the next one. If there is one.
I really liked this book. It was a different take on the LitRPG genre. I can't wait for the next one. If there is one.
August 29, 2017
Great read
Strikes an interesting balance between military fiction and LitRPG, definitely worth the read if you are a fan of either or both like myself.
Strikes an interesting balance between military fiction and LitRPG, definitely worth the read if you are a fan of either or both like myself.
August 31, 2017
I love it!
A unique read, Dead Mech Walking brings a fresh outlook to the LitRPG genre. Excited to see the story continue
A unique read, Dead Mech Walking brings a fresh outlook to the LitRPG genre. Excited to see the story continue
September 1, 2017
I loved this book. I love the idea of combat vets being healed in immersive tech.
October 18, 2017
An interesting read
An interesting read a few parts seamed forced and the ending wasn't that much of a surprise but a soild read, and I hope there is more in the universe
An interesting read a few parts seamed forced and the ending wasn't that much of a surprise but a soild read, and I hope there is more in the universe
November 27, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The tech makes you want to live in a world where this is reality. I can't wait to read more of this series.
April 24, 2018
Mevh fantasy done right!
This was fantastically written with a solid irl story to propel the novel forward. I liked it quite a bit and would recommend with no hesitation.
This was fantastically written with a solid irl story to propel the novel forward. I liked it quite a bit and would recommend with no hesitation.
February 15, 2024
That was a quality story with some solid ups and downs for our MC, and a very nice reveal at the end. 👍🏽👍🏽
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews