Hard Reset DEALS
When I discovered the LitRPG genre, I instantly fell in love with it. Being a gamer for years, this is a genre that is quick, punchy, and feels just like home for anyone who has enjoyed playing games (or still does) in the past.
With authors like Seth Ring and Jonathan Yanez, the LitRPG genre is thriving and expanding into newer dimensions. After reading Advent last year, I was more than excited to receive an ARC of Hard Reset.
Hard Reset by Jonathan Yanez wastes no time, pulling you into a high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled world where survival means more than just staying alive. Right from the second chapter, we’re thrown into a gritty sci-fi story packed with action and just the right amount of mystery.
Whether you’re new to Yanez’s work or a longtime fan, this one hits hard and fast, balancing futuristic tech and raw human emotion in a way that kept me reading everywhere I went.
Big thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing us with the ARC for review!
RelatedReview: This Is Why Advent By Seth Ring Will Be Your Next LitRPG Binge
Hard Reset Summary
Set in a dystopian world, the Tanus Corporation has set out to save humanity from a world-ending disaster that only they know is coming. However, their methods are ambitious, morally questionable, and outright crazy…
Tanus Corporation has set up a video game and is recruiting people (sometimes involuntarily) to find the perfect candidate who will help take the rest of humanity off-world to distant planets to create a new world. This is where Tom comes in.
Tom wakes up in a coffin in a desert, and everything seems off. Tom has been captured by Sara, the second in command at the Tanus Corporation, led by the mysterious Chairman, and has to survive this game along with thousands of other players.
The problem is that, even though it’s a game and dying is not a problem, since you just respawn, you come back with less and less of your cognitive abilities, until you are a shell of a human… This is something that Tanus Corporation found out after launching the experiment and decided that it was acceptable for the good of the human race (see morally questionable).
Tom joins forces with Bishop, another player in the game, to try to finish the main mission. The premise seems pretty simple, but there is a lot more to it…
If Tom is to survive and get out of the game world, he still has to contend with this mysterious corporation that is abducting people to use as guinea pigs in their crazy experiments!
Hard Reset is a story of survival, discovering who you really are, and how far will you go to do the right thing. This novel is only the first book of what I believe will be a series based on Jonathan Yanez’s previous writing.
Oh come on, Gamer […] You’ve restarted this level before. No one gets to Athera without dying at least once.
What Worked For Me (Strengths)
Pacing
In Hard Reset, you are in the shoes of Tom, the main hero. You experience everything that happens to him, and a lot of things happen to him, fast! This is only one of the aspects that I loved about Hard Reset.
Jonathan Yanez’s writing does not wait around; you are thrown directly into the belly of the beast and are expected to survive. The pacing of Hard Reset is impeccable, hard-hitting, and straight to the point.
Right from the get-go, the adventure starts, and you are fully sucked into a violent and mysterious world without mercy. As the story develops, you find out from different characters what is actually happening to Tom and where all of this is leading. Hard Reset does not have downtime; it keeps going, and you’d better keep up.
RelatedNicholas Sansbury Smith’s Top Picks For Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Fans
Characters
Hard Reset has a few important characters, which you get to discover throughout the chapters that are written from their point of view. The characters are compelling, nuanced, and each has their own goals. This is part of the novel that keeps the story intriguing and mysterious.
Each of the main characters is different enough and provides value to the unfolding story. Hard Reset has a perfect way of balancing emotional impact with light moments and serious action.
One of the characters I loved the most was Gary, the in-game AI that helps each of the players. He is hilarious and gives some of the best references to movies and videogames. I wish there were more of Gary in the book.
“Awww, a thinking man, I like it, I like it” Gary answered. “I don’t have sleeves-or a spleen.”
Plot
While the premise might seem simple, the whole story is nothing but. The plot of Hard Reset leaves so much room for expansion and development of the story that I am more than excited to continue the (possible) series.
Hard Reset‘s story happens in a video game, it happens in the real world that is only a few years away from total collapse, and it happens with a potential future on a completely different planet. On top of that, there is this mysterious corporation led by a mysterious man with seemingly infinite resources.
All of this culminates into a plot that is interesting, captivating, and keeps you wanting more.
Gary shouted insults at the mayor, trying to get into his head […] “May you step barefoot on Legos forever!”
Writing Style
I absolutely loved Jonathan Yanez’s writing style. It is just the right amount of sarcastic, snappy, and immersive. The dialogue cracks with energy and edge, and the world-building is immersive as you do not notice the writing; you just fall into it.
Probably the best way to describe it is if you take the expanse of Red Dead Redemption, add a pinch of Mass Effect, and throw in a good amount of Borderlands craziness. If you know what I am talking about, you will love this book.
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Weakness
It is hard for me to find the weakness of Hard Reset… I loved the book so…
I would say some things that I would have loved to see more of is Gary. He is a hilarious side-character that I hope makes a bigger appearance in the future novels.
Additionally, some parts of the story I would have loved to have known more about are the mysterious Tanus Corporation and a bigger sci-fi aspect of the world. I love sci-fi and am looking to know more about the world and how the author embeds sci-fi elements into the story.
Verdict
Hard Reset is LitRPG at its most ruthless and addictive. Jonathan Yanez blends fast-paced storytelling, sharp writing, and just enough chaos to keep your fingers glued to the page.
Whether you’re here for the gritty survival, the dark humor, or the game-within-a-game mayhem, this book has it all! If you’ve ever raged at a loading screen or teared up over a pixelated companion, this one’s for you.
*Disclosure: We only recommend books that we love and would read ourselves. This post contains affiliate links, as we are part of the Amazon Services LCC Associate Program and others, which may earn us a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
The Review
Hard Reset
Hard Reset is LitRPG at its most ruthless and addictive. Jonathan Yanez blends fast-paced storytelling, sharp writing, and just enough chaos to keep your fingers glued to the page.
PROS
- Fast paced
- Characters
- Intriguing story
- Witty
CONS
- Some parts underdeveloped
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