Owen Samuel and the Juggernaut

By: Mike Simmons

Narrated by: Michael Kramer

Take the leap into a tale that listeners are calling unforgettable. Step into a world where danger and destiny collide, and discover why people can't stop listening.

The world was dying, and Owen Samuel wanted nothing more than to be left behind. But when the infection came for everything he once loved, Owen, a man long buried in grief and guilt, was forced to awaken the monstrous power he swore he would never use again. Now, carrying scars both seen and unseen, Owen must lead three unlikely survivors across a world collapsing into ruin. Battling Wretches, Overlords, and the endless hunger of the Parasite King itself, they must face not only the nightmare twisting the land but the darkness buried deep within themselves.

In a fight where strength alone isn't enough, trust becomes their only weapon. Hope, their only shield. And sacrifice... their inevitable price. Even if they shatter the King’s throne, some seeds are never truly destroyed.

©2025 Michael W Simmons (P)2025 Michael W Simmons

Cringe-Inducing

No spoilers...
More often than not, the dialogue between characters feels corny and unnatural, frequently to the point of being cringe-inducing.
The author is also far more descriptive than necessary, lingering on details so long that it becomes difficult not to wonder when something is actually going to happen.
This may simply reflect the era we’re living in, but I couldn’t help wondering multiple times whether portions of the novel were generated by AI. The wording often feels unnatural and inconsistent, as though different people were involved in writing the book.
The only reason I stuck with the story was the concept of the Juggernaut, which intrigued me from the very beginning and compelled me to see where the story was headed and how it ultimately concluded.
The narration is excellent (as expected from Michael Kramer), but unfortunately, it isn’t enough to save this audiobook overall.

A fantastic journey!

Simmons has a great way of bringing you into the world with the characters with the details and descriptions of the world and situations they find themselves in. Vivid and engaging epic tale of good vs evil, complemented with the skills of Kramer bringing the story to life, the inflection of the audio brings out the emotions excellently and leads to a story that is addictive and hard to hit pause on.

Too much darkest

The characters were good, the story line was good. Narrator like always good. The darkest until the very end was sometimes really hard to take.
Will buy the next book the series, but if it too dark, I will stop listening to the series.

Epic fight scenes

Not my normal style of reading but a fun adventure style book. Fight scenes were epic and very engaging. Reminds me of a LOTR style journey. Great job Mike Simmons

What a ride! Great story

Love the detail that went into the world building. Lots of little things that stood out to me throughout the story. The world felt alive and full. Great story!
I love the idea of the Juggernaut - Huge power held in check only by the morals and ideals of the one wielding it. Definitely makes you consider how you might handle it yourself.
I could definitely see myself in all the characters. Mike did a great job of making them human and relateable! I can't quite decide on which character I liked the most. There were things I liked about each of them.
There is a sense of pressure that never really lets up the entire story. Even when there is downtime for the cast, you can feel the looming dread weighing down on all of them.
As always, Kramer does a fantastic job narrating the story! Great choice!
I can't wait for the next book!