A Relentless, Emotional Entry That Keeps the Series Charging Forward
Valley of the Dead, the fifth installment in the Ruins of the Earth series by Christopher Hopper and J.N. Chaney, delivers exactly what fans have come to expect from this saga: nonstop roller-coaster momentum, high-stakes survival, and those punchy emotional spikes that keep the action from feeling hollow.
Picking up immediately where the last book left off, Wic and Phantom Team find themselves stranded on Karkin Four—cut off from Earth with no clear path home. From there, Hopper and Chaney keep the throttle pinned. The story rarely takes its foot off the gas, stacking intense encounters and escalating dangers in a way that makes “just one more chapter” feel inevitable.
The Audiobook Elephant in the Room: A Narrator Change
Let’s address the big shift for audiobook listeners. Unlike the earlier entries, R.C. Bray is not narrating this time. Instead, the narration is handled by Christopher Ryan Grant.
Grant’s performance is solid from the start. The real hurdle is on the listener’s end: after multiple books of Bray defining the rhythm, tone, and “default voices” for these characters, your brain naturally resists the change at first. Early on, it can feel like something is “off,” even when the narration itself is objectively strong. If you stick with it and allow yourself a little time to recalibrate, the transition becomes much smoother—and once that adjustment clicks, the story’s momentum takes over the way it always has.
High-Octane Action With Real Emotional Weight
As expected, Valley of the Dead delivers the series’ signature high-octane action—one intense shootout after another, with the squad constantly operating under pressure. But what really makes this entry stand out is the emotional weight layered into the chaos. This may be one of the most emotionally resonant books in the series so far.
Through everything, Phantom Team’s bond remains the beating heart of the story, and two characters in particular grow even closer in a way that feels earned. Those moments of loyalty, sacrifice, and connection are what keep the series from being “action for action’s sake.”
Final Thoughts
With only one book left to go, Valley of the Dead feels like we’re entering the beginning of the end—and I have no problem admitting I’ll be a little sad when it’s over. The characters, their relationships, and their hard-won victories have really grown on me over the course of the series.
If you’ve been following Ruins of the Earth, this is an essential listen/read. The finale is right around the corner, and I’m all-in on seeing how Hopper and Chaney wrap it up.
Want more Ruins of the Earth content? Check out our review of Book 4 in the series!
