Running With the Wolves

Survival, magic and the unbreakable desire to save a spouse, make this into an action packed read full of heart.

Kiuno wakes up to find herself in the real life version of her favorite game. While the rumors and theories about how everyone was transported to this game are terrifying all on their own, this problem is shoved to the back of the line thanks to the basic need to first survive and win the game...if that's even possible. With a few new found friends, she starts the search for her husband, hoping he's survived not only the game's threats, but the unknown ones as well. When the run-in with a traveling group not only brings more information, but also reveals her ability to wield magic, things take a difficult turn. Kiuno not only show more has to head for the 'front line' of fighters, who are trying to win the game to save everyone caught inside, but she wears the stone, which identifies her as the mysterious magic wielder, who has the ability to save them all or destroy everything.

I'd read a novella, which belongs to this series, first but was left confused. After diving into the real first book, however, I'm now a fan. Kiuno is a thirty-something woman, who loves her husband and seems to be a pretty normal person, who simply enjoys gaming. She has a good head on her shoulders, knows basic survival skills thanks to a few camping trips, and is capable of learning. She's kind, listens, loyal and will give anything to protect those she cares for. And it's the later of these, which draws so many people to her side. She's a power-girl, who doesn't start out that way and is thrust into the position thanks to fate...and embraces it as well as she can. Which isn't always perfect, and that's what makes her a great heroine.

Kiuno has a knack for drawing others, especially men, to her side, and while she allows strong friendships to form, it never crosses the line into anything else. Her loyalty to her husband was inspiring and simply nice to see. And it doesn't hurt the story in any way.

Action is ever present because this is a dangerous world. It builds slowly as the levels in a game would, starting with a gentle realm and growing more deadly every step up. Creatures aren't the only threat as the author displays the ugly side of human nature and the desire to survive as well. Still, friendship is key and gives tons of hope. We get character depth, inspiration, a story that keeps the reader at the edge of their seat, and heroes/heroines who are easy to connect with and root for.

I'm giving this one two-thumbs up and looking forward to diving into the next book in the series. I received a complimentary copy and read this one in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. show less

I heard about this book a while back and could not wait to dig in. I was not disappointed, finding it difficult to put it down. One reviewer called Running With the Wolves (The Chronopoint Chronicles Book 1) by J.E. Reed, Ready Player One/Hunger Game’s love child. I’d add to that characterization that it could have been nannied by the Maze Runner.

Kiuno is what I call a likely hero thrown into a world she’s apparently destined to come out on top in. The thrill ride is in getting there. Kiuno is not your run-of-the-mill wishy-washy heroine, she’s a true girl on fire, and some, that knows what she wants. Straightway, Reed successfully throws Kiuno and the reader into the game, only spattering in backstory through dialogue when show more needed. This one starts out fast and finishes even faster. Reed gets it all right from world-building (loved the escalation of scary creatures and increasingly elaborate structures), to imagery/description (I often times felt like I was watching a movie) to fast-paced action and fight scenes (brutal comes to mind. Watch out kiddies. PG-13 for sure).

Reed’s pacing is also on point. Kiuno has a lofty goal early on in the novel. She’s on a quest of sorts. Her search leads to a satisfying resolution in a big way and at a costly price. I love the characters and their development through their actions. They were both complex and contrasting. Get the names; Kikyo, Scorpios, Elite, Blade, and my favorite, Palindrome, just to name a few. The biggest bomb drops halfway through the novel when Reed makes a daring move (can’t say ‘cause that would be a spoiler) that’s she executes brilliantly, and it plays out well in the end. Five easy stars for Running With the Wolves and impatiently, eagerly awaiting Book 2 of the Chronopoint series. Monster debut. Well done, J.E. Reed. show less

Running with the Wolves caught my attention from the first page. I am incredibly picky about introductions and J. E. Reed blew my mind. Her writing style is captivating and mesmerizing in a way I have never experienced. Her characterization captures the uniqueness of each person she introduces and you can see each one of them develop as time passes. The plot is unpredictable and will leave you wide eyed and in shock. This book reminds me of a combination of Maze Runner, Hunger Games and Ready Player One. If you're looking for an action packed adventure and an escape into a whole new world, this is the book for you. I'm ready to read the sequal and dive deeper into Kiuno's world!

Overall I enjoyed this book and it was a lot of fun, although it had a frustrating hiccough in the middle. Based on the idea of becoming trapped in a fantasy computer game it could have been completely derivative, but it managed to partially avoid this. One thing that I found confusing was the age of the main character - was referred to as a girl but was also married, so that made it difficult for me to create a good image of her in my mind.

One of the better indie books I've read. Also the first lit-rpg I've read. I quite enjoyed it. The characters were all good, the story flowed very well, as did the prose. Lots of action and adventure and some tragedy as well. An excellent first novel.

Engaging, interesting and unusual plot and characters. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if I'd ever played Final Fantasy video game. Since I'm not a gamer it took me a while to get into it; I enjoyed the characters and I didn't like what the author did half way through. Now the setting and characters are established, I'm sure this series will go from strength to strength and I am intrigued to read the next one in the series.

People swept up from around the world who had only a game in common, thrust into a live recreation, fighting for their lives. Fast mostly entertaining read. I liked the different types of magic and how they manifested and the storyline was interesting. Didn't really engage with most of the characters. No cliffhanger but plenty to resolve in the next book.