Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman
Publication Date: February 10th 2026 by Berkley & Penguin Audio
Pages: 448
Audio Book Length: 10hrs 48min
Narrator: Travis Baldree & Jeff Hays
Source: Publishers
Rating: ★★★★½
My
Thoughts:
Love the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, so I was excited to
read Operation Bounce House! It’s definitely different but it has
Dinniman’s signature humor, characters you bond with and root for as they fight
and try to survive! I enjoyed every minute and blazed through the story in one
day!
Oliver Lewis and his sister Lulu are farmers in New Sonora,
a planet colonized by his grandfather who has since passed. Oliver is happy in his
life figuring out crops, bickering with his girlfriend, and playing drums in his
ragtag band, the Rhythm Mafia.
But everything changes when Roger, the farm’s agricultural
bot, reports that a scout unit has vanished after chasing down a mysterious
radio signal. What Oliver uncovers is far worse than a malfunction: New Sonora
is about to be invaded by machines remotely piloted by gamers on Earth. It’s
all part of an Apex Corporation “eviction” program, “Operation Bounce House” fully
sanctioned by Earth’s government.
Now Oliver, his friends and the agriculture bots must band
together to fight off these attackers to his home.
I adored Roger, a sort of stand in robot uncle to Oliver and
Lulu. I had to laugh at antics with Betty Sue, one of the “magic chickens” and
the giant pig, Cindy! Plus: “A Pig Plus Some Chickens”!!
A definite recommend!
I alternated between the audiobook and the e‑copy and can
easily recommend either format. Travis Baldree was a new‑to‑me narrator, and he
impressed me. His performance as Oliver, and his range of Southern, Hispanic,
and even techno‑tinged accents for the supporting cast, fit the story
perfectly. And Jeff Hays makes an appearance, too, which was a fun bonus.
4.5 Stars
Book Description:
A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl.
All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do is run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family’s aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. As a fan of Earth television and culture, he figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there’s a complication.
Even though the settlers were promised they’d be left in peace, Earth’s government now has other plans. The colossal Apex Corporation is hired to commence an “eviction action.” But maximizing profits will always be Apex’s number one priority. Why spend money printing and deploying their own AI soldiers when they can turn it into a game? Why not charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines and remotely pilot them from the comfort of their own homes?
The game is called Operation Bounce House.
Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against machines piloted by gamers who’ve paid a premium for the privilege. With the help of an old book from his grandfather and a bucket of rusty parts, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he’s ever known.
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