Kiosk Kingdom

Read Time: 3 Minutes

I could have really used a recap going into this one.

There is a callback early on to the HOA boss from the end of the previous book, and I realised pretty quickly that I had forgotten more than I thought. Not a deal breaker, but definitely one of those series where a quick refresher would have helped.

That aside, it does not take long to get back into the chaos.

Dan, Croc, and the rest of the crew are pushing deeper into the Backrooms, this time working toward taking down the Franchiser on level 99. Along the way they take on an embodiment of Uncle Sam complete with a fireworks display that feels about as safe as you would expect, and that pretty much sets the tone.

Dan’s growth continues more or less unchecked. He is constantly picking up new relics, forging gear, and stacking abilities in a way that makes him feel wildly overpowered compared to most of the side characters. At the same time, the enemies scale up fast enough that fights still feel dangerous, which keeps things from getting too one sided.

The structure this time leans less into shop building and more into progression, crafting, and combat. There is still a bit of everything, but the focus has definitely shifted toward relic forging and runesmithing as Dan gears up for bigger threats.

Some of the individual sections are a lot of fun. A Christmas themed floor introduces Krampus and a collection of twisted holiday creatures, along with one particularly memorable intergalactic horror that does not feel even slightly festive. There is also a run through a very familiar “Hundred Acre” style setting, using newly public domain characters in a way that is more creative than the usual “make it dark and violent” approach.

We also finally start getting some real answers about the Backrooms themselves. The history and purpose behind them are layered in naturally, without stopping everything for a big exposition dump, which made those moments land a bit better.

One of the more bizarre running elements, the little cleaner creatures, are still around. Worshipping Dan, doing his laundry, and turning that into a kind of Thunderdome race situation. It makes about as much sense as anything else in this series, which is to say not much, but it fits.

On the narration side, Steve Campbell continues to do a solid job. The overall audio quality felt a bit cleaner compared to the first book, and his delivery matches the tone well. There were a couple of moments where the usual system voice effect was missing, which stood out slightly, but nothing major.

Overall, this is another entertaining entry in the series. It leans more into action and progression than shop management, but the constant stream of ideas, enemies, and bizarre scenarios keeps it moving.

I somehow managed to skip reviewing book two, which probably explains why I felt a bit lost at the start, but I am still very much on board. Looking forward to seeing where book four goes next.

One last thing… do not look too closely at Croc on the cover art. You have been warned.

Back from looking? Told you so! 💙

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