Stealth Series #2, Swords, Split the Party: Spells

Split the Party is pretty entertaining, though it took a bit to get into it. Which is a matter of pacing, I think. This book started our five heroes further from the plot than the first volume, and Mr. Hayes isn't good at the quiet before the storm.
The only other negative was minor proofreading errors, especially in the last third of the tale.

Overall, a fine addition to the series. Solid characters, mysteries, schemes, villains, sacrifice, and challenge fill the pages.

Enjoy it. I enjoyed the first one more.

The highly anticipated sequel to Hayes’s unique, role-playing-game-inspired NPCs sees the return of everyone’s favorite non-player characters. Exiled and on the run, the gang ventures into new territory, both physically, as they cross the border into a new kingdom, and figuratively. While still infused with all the charm of the original, fans of Hayes’s work will also quickly notice a distinct shift in the overall feel of the narrative, moving into slightly darker arenas and taking on heavier, almost somber undertones. Hayes’s signature humor is still present, of course, but the backbone of the story feels more serious and deals with themes that resonate more deeply on an emotional level than the first book did.

The pacing of this one is quite a bit different as well, sauntering at a slower, more controlled clip, and the scope of the world the NPCs explore is smaller this time, hovering around a single location instead of sprawling across a massive kingdom. But where a certain video game franchise attempted something similar and failed, Hayes succeeded, taking the opportunity to more fully flesh out the characters and overall mythos of the world.

The one thing I was perhaps a tad disappointed with was the lack of interaction between the real world and the adventurers. That was part of what made the first one so brilliant, in my opinion, and this one doesn’t really have that same aspect. Yet. It’s obviously coming in future installments though.

In a way, Split the Party almost feels like the start of the series rather than a sequel, as it was very episodic in nature, less sprawling, and felt like the base for something much larger. Even though there were a lot of obvious references to the first installment, it still felt a bit more like a side-step than a step forward in terms of answering the questions we were left with at the end of NPCs.

That said, the plot of this one is definitely self-sufficient, and while my questions might not have answers yet, I was left feeling satisfied and looking forward to the next one. So I suppose the best analogy would be that it was like watching an episode of my favorite show in the middle of the season, rather than the season finale.

Anyway, take that for what its worth. I’m still a huge fan of this series, and all I can say is, “MORE PLEASE!” :)

**Disclaimer: I was hired to proofread Split the Party, but the opinions expressed below are entirely my own and were not impacted by the author’s ability to use commas.**

Another well-done entry in the world of Spells, Swords, & Stealth. Like its predecessor, Split the Party focuses on our party of NPCs-turned-adventurers, with the addition of Timuscor, the player character-turned-NPC from the first book. This entry spends a lot more time developing the world around our characters, while simultaneously engaging in further character development, particularly for Gabrielle and Grumph.

Hayes continues his trademark style of humor that pokes fun at the numerous tropes of TTRPGs, while still being an enjoyable read for just about anyone. And while the addition of the "real world" players in NPCs seemed unnecessary, it is clear in this book that Hayes has broader plans for Russell and his players, and their inclusion didn't feel nearly as forced.

After finishing the first I was very interested in seeing what would happen next so got stuck into the second right away.

If you enjoyed the first book I'm sure you'll like the second as well. The characters have gone from pretending to be adventurers to accepting that's what they've become and this results in a lot more character progression. It's a good, well paced, story that, similar to the first, bookends the main story with a parallel story set in the 'real world'.

While I very much enjoyed the main story not much is done to advance the link between RPG world and our world, hopefully that isn't going to be a connection that's strung along indefinitely.

I'll certainly read the 3rd book if it comes out, hopefully that'll get stuck in to the worlds being linked a lot more.

SPLIT THE PARTY is a fantastic sequel by Drew Hayes, as usual. Hayes manages to include fantastical plot lines, detailed world-building, fleshed-out characters that are FAR from cliched and hilarious humor throughout this adventure book. There's never a dull moment and he always manages to make me laugh out loud! Can't wait for more.

Been on a LitRPG binge lately, mostly looking for Tabletop instead of MMO, and this book fit the bill to a T!
Excellent characters, a fun twist on the usual tropes, and a growing mystery as to what is really going on.
Highly recommended, and very enjoyable.

This series is fun, clever, and witty. I love the main characters (and love to hate some others). The plot is twisty and believable in the world Drew created. I highly recommend this for people who like D&D and/or fantasy.

I can't give real literary reviews like the others so I'll just say this. The first one was free, the second one I paid for and if there is third, I'll pay for that one too.
But not $13.99. 5 or 6 bucks, yeah sure, no problem.

A book well worth reading. Better than the first book, especially as the worlds complexities grow.
Adds depth to characters introduced in NPC and shows the possible twists coming in future books.
Looking forward to seeing how the story progresses.

The looks you get when you start chuckling uncontrollably in the train and really just can't explain the hillariousnessof Mr. Pepper to the other passengers ....
A great sequel to an already great first book with ONE problem: now I'm sitiing here, waiting for the next book in the series ! Damn you Drew, why do you do that to me ?!!

Drew Hayes once again spectacularly fails at failure and produces yet another captivating work. A fantastic sequel to NPCs, Split the Party has readers once again anticipating each turn of the page as they follow our unlikely adventurers on "an impossible quest, facing unknown enemies and certain death."

Having read a lot of Drew Hayes books, including the prequel, I expected to enjoy this one. I would say to begin with that this book, like all of Mr Hayes others, is well written, with no annoying grammatical gaffes. Even beyond that however, this book was a delight for me. The plot was well conceived and moved forward of its own volition, carrying me right along. The interactions of the characters were the best part of all as I was constantly amused and interested in how they would win through their trials. The ending left me both delighted and anxious, awaiting the next book in what has proven to be my favorite series.

Excellent use of swords and sorcery tropes, meaningful character progression, plot pacing and well-placed humor kept the pages turning, and... MR. PEPPERS! Chekhov's gun is better as bacon. I look forward to book three of NPCs!

I was actually not horribly excited to read this book originally. I was never a fan of D&D, mostly due to my lack of imagination. But since I really love Drew Hayes as an author, I decided to give the book a shot and I am happy I did. I still will never play D&D though now I am jealous of those who do and who can actually build that kind of world to play and without feeling silly. The characters in the book were easy to care about and the plot was very interesting. Even if you don't like D&D, give the book a shot, you forgot its D&D most the time anyways

Hayes gives us another truly enchanting tale. Our new adventurers continue to face powerful magics and battle powerful monsters. The characters are wonderful and their new allies add to the fun and mayhem. I look forward to starting book three.