Clara’s Verdict
The Chrysalis series by RinoZ has one of the most improbable premises in LitRPG fiction – a human reincarnated as an ant who must evolve, fight, form alliances and think his way up the food chain of a ruthless, multi-layered subterranean world – and yet it works, and works brilliantly. Enemy A(n)t the Gates is the fifth instalment, and it demonstrates unambiguously that the series has not run out of steam. Anthony is still funny, still growing (in both senses – literal biomass and metaphorical capability), still committed to the Colony with an earnestness that the novels play both for laughs and for genuine emotional warmth. Jeff Hays narrates with his characteristic multicast energy, making twenty hours feel like half that. If you have not started this series, start at book one. If you are already here, this is precisely what you have been waiting for.
About the Audiobook
Anthony returns from his previous adventure with unlikely companions – the monstrous bear Sarah and the devious worm Jim – and the Colony, which has been growing, developing and evolving in his absence, faces its greatest challenge yet. The Legionem Abyssi, commanded by Commander Titus, is an organised military force of terrifying scale and discipline, and Anthony must find a way to repel it while managing the Colony’s expanding ideals, his own still-developing abilities, and the increasingly complex politics of a world that has begun to take serious notice of how powerful the Colony has become.
What distinguishes Chrysalis from comparable LitRPG series is the richness of the world-building beneath the world-building. The subterranean civilisations Anthony encounters are genuinely inventive, with their own histories, cultures and motivations rather than serving merely as obstacle providers. The Colony itself – with its developing social structures, its collectively-arrived-at values, its growing identity as something new in the world – has become one of the more interesting constructs in the genre. RinoZ is equally comfortable with large-scale combat set pieces and quieter character moments; the humour (there is a great deal of it, including in the middle of battles) never undercuts the genuine stakes. This instalment draws on the series’ enormous Royal Road fanbase – nearly thirty million views – while remaining fully accessible as polished audio fiction. Published June 2024 by Aethon Audio and Soundbooth Theater, running just under twenty-one hours.
The Narration
Jeff Hays brings his trademark full-cast approach, voicing multiple characters distinctly and with full commitment to each. Anthony’s internal monologue – snarky, self-aware, occasionally heroic, frequently horrified at himself – is delivered with exactly the right mix of deadpan and warmth. Hays is one of the most experienced narrators in genre audio and one of the most distinctive; his work here is polished, energetic and completely assured. The extended runtime flies past.
What Readers Say
UK listeners give this a 4.8 out of 5 from reviews. “Keeps a really good series going and brings us a marvellous story with characters with actual personalities to them, with depth,” wrote one listener. “Very funny, had me in stitches at many points.” Another called it “one of the best stories I have read in a very long time – you really feel like you’re involved in the story.” A more measured reviewer awarded four stars and noted that “the pacing feels off at times, but that’s offset by the depth of world-building, action, humour and everything in between.” The series’ devoted readership is consistently grateful for each new instalment, consistently vocal about their anticipation for the next, and the reviews uniformly reflect genuine affection for Anthony and the Colony he is building.
Who Should Listen?
LitRPG readers who like their game mechanics embedded in genuine world-building and their protagonists genuinely funny will love this series. Begin at book one – Chrysalis – before coming here. The series is also accessible to newcomers to LitRPG who enjoy fantasy adventure with a strong comedic sensibility; the premise is sufficiently absurd that the genre mechanics feel like part of the joke rather than a barrier to entry for the uninitiated. Fans of Dungeon Crawler Carl or He Who Fights With Monsters will find a comparable sensibility and comparable quality. Listen to Enemy A(n)t the Gates on Audible UK – book 5 of the Chrysalis series.
One note for potential newcomers: the pacing in the early books of the Chrysalis series is more deliberate than in this instalment, as Oswald establishes his rules and world carefully. Listeners who give the first book patience are consistently rewarded. The series has a dedicated and vocal community online, and the Royal Road chapters – which preceded the audiobook production – show a writer who actively engages with reader response and refines accordingly.
