The Lost City: An Epic LitRPG Adventure Audiobook – The Realms Series, Book 2

Last weekend, as Portland’s autumn rain tapped gently against my window, I curled up in a favorite chair with “The Lost City: An Epic LitRPG Adventure” streaming through my headphones. Sometimes, the best way to escape the gray is to plunge into another world altogether—and C.M. Carney’s creation whisked me away so thoroughly that even my cat seemed startled by how often I gasped or laughed out loud.

From its first moments, this audiobook throws you into a city where high fantasy collides headlong with sci-fi—a place teetering on the edge of invasion and filled with danger at every turn. As someone who grew up both devouring classic quest stories and sneaking in marathon RPG sessions after school, I felt instantly at home (and also deliciously unsettled) by Carney’s vision of elves fending off what feels like an alien apocalypse straight out of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” The blend is bold, but it works; it injects real urgency and stakes into the genre’s usual mechanics.

What impressed me most was how much richer and more emotionally textured this installment felt compared to Book 1. Where Barrow King sometimes kept characters at arm’s length in favor of fast plot beats, here there are genuine bonds formed and risks taken that made me care deeply for everyone—from old favorites finding new courage to side characters blossoming beyond their archetypes. There were moments when decisions had actual emotional weight; I found myself rooting not just for victory but for survival—for hope itself.

Nick Podehl’s narration deserves special applause. His ability to switch effortlessly between sly humor during party banter and taut tension during battle scenes makes this production shine. Podehl never overdoes it—his performance is measured but evocative—and he nails each character voice without distraction or caricature. That balance really let me sink into Carney’s intricately built universe without ever being yanked back out by awkward delivery.

I also loved that despite plenty of “crunchy” RPG stats peppered throughout (which always makes my inner gamer geek smile), Carney avoids bogging down momentum with endless explanation dumps. Instead, we get a story that moves swiftly—sometimes almost too swiftly! If I had one quibble, it’s that certain climactic confrontations could have lingered longer before rushing onward; occasionally I wished for just another beat to breathe or absorb a major twist before leaping ahead.

But pacing aside, The Lost City does what all good adventure audiobooks should: it sweeps you along for hours until you forget about time entirely (my Saturday errands never stood a chance). It reminds me why LitRPGs can be uniquely cathartic—they invite us not only to imagine other worlds but also other selves: braver versions willing to make hard choices when everything hangs in the balance.

In short? If your heart belongs equally to epic fantasy and immersive gaming—and if you crave an audiobook narrator who brings both wit and warmth—you’ll want The Lost City queued up next on your playlist. Just don’t blame me if you lose track of time!