Author: Kyle Kirrin | Narrator: Travis Baldree
Runtime: 17h 41m | Genre: LitRPG, GameLit, VRMMO, Fantasy, Comedy, Adventure
A reclusive billionaire buys early-access exclusivity to the world’s biggest full-dive VRMMO, saddling himself with an enormous guild target on his back and a talking, moon-hating divine axe named Frank.
Shadeslinger by Kyle Kirrin solves one of the oldest dilemmas in VRMMO LitRPG: how to make a virtual game feel high-stakes, witty, and emotionally engaging without resorting to dark, dystopian death-game tropes. Ned Altimer is a wealthy, reclusive corporate burnout who decides to spend his fortune buying out every single early-access beacon for Earthblood Online, the world’s most anticipated full-dive virtual reality game. By entering the world three full days before anyone else, Ned gains exclusive titles, map knowledge, and a head start—while inadvertently making himself public enemy number one for every powerful guild and streamer on Earth the moment servers open.
The genius of Shadeslinger is that Ned’s special legendary weapon is Frank—an ancient, sentient axe who possesses immense magical power, a hilariously pompous attitude, and an unhinged, deep-seated hatred for the moon. The running dialogue between Ned (trying desperately to keep a low profile) and Frank (insulting everyone in sight and giving terrible tactical advice) makes this 17-hour and 41-minute recording one of the most laugh-out-loud funny listens on Audible. As major guilds organize coordinated manhunts to claim Ned’s bounty, the book delivers thrilling PvP battles and clever puzzle dungeons. Listeners who love the buddy-comedy dynamic of Dungeon Crawler Carl will find Frank and Ned immediately addictive.
As a standout entry in our LitRPG & GameLit showcase, Shadeslinger offers eighteen hours of pure, unadulterated entertainment for a single credit. It is lighthearted, brilliantly paced, and perfectly produced—claim the unabridged recording through the buttons on this page to see why Frank has become an audio legend.
Travis Baldree turns in one of his most celebrated comedic vocal performances. His voice for Frank the Axe—a wheezy, melodramatic, self-important rasp—is an absolute showstopper that steals every single scene. Baldree balances Frank’s chaotic antics with Ned’s grounded, dry exasperation, while keeping rapid-fire game notifications smooth and unobtrusive.