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Dawn Chapman
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Desert Runner (Puatera Online Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Dawn Chapman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 148 ratings
Maddie is the NPC with attitude!

Plagued by old injuries that won't heal, she's enticed into accepting a deadly escort mission.

Of course, it's to cross the damned desert... and in the middle of Tromoal breeding season, no less. But the lure of enough cash to fix herself up and help out a close friend, too...? That's a siren's song she can't ignore.

Puatera Online is a harsh world, even for the people who have to live there.

Good thing Maddie is tougher than cured leather, because she may have just bitten off more than she can chew.
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  1. Book 1 of 10
    Puatera Online
  2. Print length
    109 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    October 4, 2017
  5. File size
    3.5 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0756BNGHD
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dawn Chapman (October 4, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 4, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.5 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 109 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 148 ratings

About the author

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Dawn Chapman

Dawn Chapman

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Dawn Chapman has been creating sci-fi and fantasy stories for thirty years. Until 2005 when her life and attention turned to scripts, and she started work on The Secret King, a 13-episode Sci-Fi TV series, with a great passion for this medium.

In 2015, Dawn returned to her first love of prose where she revelled in the world of The Secret King, Letháo and First Contact, as an epic prose space journey over three generations.

This year her experience of working with others expanded. From Drama, Sci-Fi, Action, to LitRPG/Gamelit. Dawn’s built a portfolio of writing, consulting, publishing and audio proofing.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
148 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the book's multiple storylines and strong plot, with one review highlighting its well-thought-out plot and word choices. They appreciate the wonderful characters, with one noting the strong female main character, and find it easy to read and entertaining. The book receives positive feedback for its writing quality, and customers find it fun to read. One customer mentions the book is too short.

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23 customers mention "Story quality"23 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's interesting premise and multiple storylines, with one customer noting how the plot develops throughout the narrative.

"...The characters are well-done, the story moves at a nice pace that keeps you reading, and there is lots of futuristic stuff to plant you firmly into..." Read more

"...However, that sensation also meant that though there were snatches of fascinating sights and interesting "side quests" hinted at in the "playthrough"..." Read more

"...However, there is some good sci-fi speculation about what it would be like to be an NPC in a game world and know you’re an NPC...." Read more

"...Dawn Chapman delivers an action packed story that gives you the feel of a gaming experience or a fan-fiction about your favorite gaming character..." Read more

13 customers mention "Character development"13 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one customer highlighting the strong female main character and another noting how the characters grow into real people.

"...The characters are well-done, the story moves at a nice pace that keeps you reading, and there is lots of futuristic stuff to plant you firmly into..." Read more

"...Here's this great bad-ass character with a kick-ass vehicle that you can bum a ride from...." Read more

"...The narration was good. The author did a good job with the characters. I look forward to reading more books in this series...." Read more

"I loved the main character. She was well written and shows significant development as the story progresses...." Read more

13 customers mention "Readability"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a great read that's worth giving a try.

"...The characters are well-done, the story moves at a nice pace that keeps you reading, and there is lots of futuristic stuff to plant you firmly into..." Read more

"...Maddie is a part of, then this series is definitely going to be worth your while!" Read more

"I liked it! Although the story was quick, it didn't lack entertainment. The narration was good. The author did a good job with the characters...." Read more

"...Just a great read and I’m excited to continue the series!" Read more

13 customers mention "Writing quality"13 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it well written and easy to read.

"I love Desert Runner, and Dawn Chapman is a fantastic writer! I think the cover is great and portrays just what kind of book you're going to get...." Read more

"...Although the story was quick, it didn't lack entertainment. The narration was good. The author did a good job with the characters...." Read more

"...One thing that stood out is how well written the author is...." Read more

"I loved the main character. She was well written and shows significant development as the story progresses...." Read more

3 customers mention "Fun to read"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fun to read.

"...backstory, adding some intrigue with the previous injury, and having some fun quirks...." Read more

"This is such a fun and fast read! Fast both in the sense that it's short, but also because it's punchy and impossible to put down...." Read more

"I had a lot of fun reading this book. Normally I don't pick up anything this short, but something about the cover caught my eye...." Read more

3 customers mention "Length"0 positive3 negative

Customers find the book too short.

"...My only complaint is that it was too short!..." Read more

"...I can definitely recommend this. The length of the book is fairly small, but sometimes shorter stories can pack more of an impact." Read more

"The book is on the short side but a very enjoyable read. Some unique takes on the GameLit genre and well written with a strong plot and characters...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Very Sherry Terry
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love Desert Runner, and Dawn Chapman is a fantastic writer! I think the cover is great and portrays just what kind of book you're going to get. A strong female main character takes center stage on the cover and in the story. The writing is very strong and well done, and Dawn has a way with a pen that sucks you into the story, wishing for more at the end.
    Sci-fi isn't normally something I pick up, but I'm glad I stumbled onto this book. The characters are well-done, the story moves at a nice pace that keeps you reading, and there is lots of futuristic stuff to plant you firmly into the story.
    I love the main character, Maddie. She's a self-sufficient badass who gets the job done despite her physical pain from past injuries. The story has just the right touches to really bring out the sci-fi elements, making me feel like I was in the future.
    This book did it for me, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to read sci-fi with a Mad Max feel. Actually, I recommend this book to everyone. You will fall in love with this author and her writing.
    One person found this helpful
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  • TeacherDena
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Glimpse Into An Amazing "Game" World!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Really, really good.
    Chapman takes the tack of focusing the story on a character who is a "non-playable character"--they are the ones programmed along a campaign to give The Player stuff, to get The Player from one place to another, to dispense information, or just to "provide atmosphere" with repetitive, scripted responses that don't change tone, don't vary at all--a series of sound bytes that cycle through as long as The Player is within a certain proximity.
    Maddie, though, is more than just an NPC--she's self-aware, and dissatisfied with just saying the same things, going the same places, and suffering the same fate every time she interacts with a Player. She recognizes that she has independent thoughts and desires, and she yearns to pursue them. The mission she takes has a chance of giving her just such an opportunity--if she survives it.

    Reading the story actually felt like watching someone play through a campaign of a video game--which is a pastime I enjoy, far more than actually playing it myself! However, that sensation also meant that though there were snatches of fascinating sights and interesting "side quests" hinted at in the "playthrough"... those could not be explored to my satisfaction, because I wasn't the "player" in this "game." I did love those descriptions--the breadth and depth of the world, the descriptions and the uniqueness. The "monsters" of the world, the Tromoals, provided sufficient peril while also being a fascinating concept in their own right. I was pleased to find that, as much as Maddie was "supposed" to be a character who would be an easy love interest for The Player and not much good else, her self-awareness allowed her to actually carry feelings for another NPC, and fight against the programmed urge to entangle herself with the Player character--which meant the underlying romantic subplot was suitably mitigated.

    I did enjoy this first taste of Puatera Online--but a "taste" is all I got. I could have used a whole lot more! I'd definitely be interested in reading more of the series--a quick search online reveals that there is a "box set" of the first three books in the series all together, so if they're all as short as this one, then it would probably be in your best interest to get them that way, so that you can experience the full "campaign" arc! Chapman is a talented world-builder, and if you enjoy video games like the one Maddie is a part of, then this series is definitely going to be worth your while!
    One person found this helpful
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  • LitRPGPodcast
    3.0 out of 5 stars A journey through the desert
    Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    There’s a not much in the way of action in the novel. This is a journey story. Maddie is an NPC that’s aware that she’s programed to fall in love with the Visitors or PC players that come to her town. When she gets a quest to take a package across the desert she accepts because she needs the money to buy a healing potion for herself. Yet, when she gets the package, she finds that it’s a Visitor.

    The journey across the desert is as much about facing dangerous obstacles as it is about Maddie struggling against her programing. Their both journeys.

    Game mechanic wise, the story is set in some kind of VR game, but for all story purposes it is an independant world. The game mechanics in the story are almost entirely informational. Health %, item descriptions, etc. That doesn’t mean it’s not LitRPG but the story’s focus is definitely not the game itself, it’s more of a place that the story happens to take place. This will appeal to some readers and not others.

    Overall, the story is well told, it just wasn’t engaging for me. The big quest is an escort mission after all. However, there is some good sci-fi speculation about what it would be like to be an NPC in a game world and know you’re an NPC.

    Score: 6 out of 10
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars great read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 19, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Interesting characters, fast moving and well plotted. Kept me gripped to the end.
    Report
  • M.Q. Kajack
    5.0 out of 5 stars Buy them all, a great series really worth your time.
    Reviewed in Spain on October 29, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I read many litRPG books, many of them feel the same with minor changes or different stuff. Desert Runner caught me by surprise first because it was the first litRPG I read where the MC was a girl, and second by the amazing POV.

    It's really interesting and fun, full of action yet with slight moments for Maddie to catch her breath. After all being the MC is hard enough. The book ending was good it made me rush and buy the other books.
    Report
  • Just one more chapter!
    5.0 out of 5 stars Read It Straight Through, Couldn't Put It Down!
    Reviewed in Canada on October 11, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I'm a Dawn Chapman fan and pre-ordered this book. The main character Maddie is different from any character I've encountered before. She's rough around the edges but has a good heart and strong determination. I read it straight through, without being able to put it down. Can't wait to read the next book in this series!
    Report
  • Elara
    4.0 out of 5 stars Imagine if you lived in an MMORPG...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    'I glanced at my health bar. HEALTH – 65% Due to my past injuries, it had been steadily dropping over the last week.'

    Maddie lives in a pre-programmed world where she needs to complete quests to get the means to survive. But she knows what she is and fights against it. She is one of the elite of her kind as she has Hog - a vehicle that can outrun any horse, so she gets the best quests.

    Maddie is really desperate when she is offered a run across the desert at the worst time of year. But when she finds it involves a visitor (those who call the locals NPCs) she is suddenly not so keen.

    'That’s when my life changed forever. I’d tried to retreat but couldn’t. Then all I could do was defend myself, but I couldn’t.'

    This is a very tightly written novella. The characters are well fleshed out and the story line is taut. The world building is a bit confusing at times and I think if anyone was not a gamer of some sort they would be rather lost at points. The story flows well and kept me reading all the way through in one sitting.

    There were a few things that had me flummoxed. For example, we are told Maddie is highly sought after for doing quests, yet somehow she is also desperate enough to take any one offered even though she really does not want to. She is broke but somehow has enough to equip herself for the quest. Little things like this nagged at me but might not trouble anyone else.

    I enjoyed the book and if you like the concept of a story about a character in a game world, this is a really good one.
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  • Pandora Caitiff
    4.0 out of 5 stars The NPC is the star of the show
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 21, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    It took me a while to get into the flow of this novel, but when I did I enjoyed the ride. It's cool to see a character who would be an extra, or a chunk of code, in another GameLit novel get to be the centre of attention. The story isn't overly complex, but the world is deep, and so is Maddie our protagonist. She's also aware of her role in "life", her programmed character traits, and how both work against her when compared to players. It's a little short, but it didn't outstay it's welcome. And I'm intrigued as to where the story goes next
    Report

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