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seathegoll's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
3.75
Fun
perilous1's review against another edition
3.0
Dungeons and Dragons meets Disneyland...somewhere in the mid 21st century.
For the most part, this is a speculative murder-mystery, too clean to really be considered 'noir.' While there's plenty of gamer frolicking, there's nothing too graphic...particularly by today's standards 25+ years after this book was initially written. (I've decided the emphasis on an earthquake having destroyed much of California in the mid 1980's can best be explained away by considering this story to be set in an alternate future reality.)
The prose is solid and the chosen metaphors are consistently vivid--as are the general descriptive details of the holograms and gaming 'area'. For me, the downside was that I generally would prefer to participate in a role play game rather than to read about one taking place. There were a large number of characters to keep track of, matters being complicated slightly by out-of-character personalities and their in-character versions. It was difficult for me to connect to any of them, or even feel particularly concerned about their fate —- in-game or out. The one shining exception being the dwarf woman, Mary-Martha (Mary-em). Her characterization was full-bodied and somehow managed to sidestep the cliché.
While not stunning, it was an entertaining read with plenty of timeless gamer relatability.
For the most part, this is a speculative murder-mystery, too clean to really be considered 'noir.' While there's plenty of gamer frolicking, there's nothing too graphic...particularly by today's standards 25+ years after this book was initially written. (I've decided the emphasis on an earthquake having destroyed much of California in the mid 1980's can best be explained away by considering this story to be set in an alternate future reality.)
The prose is solid and the chosen metaphors are consistently vivid--as are the general descriptive details of the holograms and gaming 'area'. For me, the downside was that I generally would prefer to participate in a role play game rather than to read about one taking place. There were a large number of characters to keep track of, matters being complicated slightly by out-of-character personalities and their in-character versions. It was difficult for me to connect to any of them, or even feel particularly concerned about their fate —- in-game or out. The one shining exception being the dwarf woman, Mary-Martha (Mary-em). Her characterization was full-bodied and somehow managed to sidestep the cliché.
While not stunning, it was an entertaining read with plenty of timeless gamer relatability.
dave_white's review against another edition
3.0
As I'm trying to find any good words for this book while poison myself with chocolate puff cereal, I can't really find any. Bad ones either.
The story follows the live action role playing game in futuristic game park. As game picks up, murder is discovered and plot obtains certain "who-done-it" undertone.
So it is mix-match of genres and this is where most of it's problems comes from. None of the genres are felt hard enough. It introduces few neat ideas but by middle of the book it just started feeling lackluster.
On the other hand it has unusual setting for a fantasy game and is easy to read.
The story follows the live action role playing game in futuristic game park. As game picks up, murder is discovered and plot obtains certain "who-done-it" undertone.
So it is mix-match of genres and this is where most of it's problems comes from. None of the genres are felt hard enough. It introduces few neat ideas but by middle of the book it just started feeling lackluster.
On the other hand it has unusual setting for a fantasy game and is easy to read.
mschlat's review against another edition
3.0
This is the 1981 mass market paperback, which I probably bought shortly after it was released. And I've read it so many times that it's no surprise that this rereading took just a day and a half; this book is the equivalent of science fiction comfort food to me.
The concept is pretty straightforward. It's 2051, and Dream Park is an amusement park where live role playing games can take place in a fully immersive environment, with gigantic sets and practical effects assisted by holograms. We follow one particularly high stakes Game (yes, it's capitalized) where a Game Master (think DM) takes on a Lore Master (think party leader) in a grudge match. However, during the Game, a security guard is murdered, and Dream Park's head of security has to enter the proceedings as a player to find the killer. So, nothing too advanced in terms of science fiction, but a great setting for an adventure novel.
As a kid already interested in D&D, science fiction, and gaming in general, I ate this up. As an adult, it's fun with some caveats. I do really appreciate the variety of characters; Niven and Barnes do a lot to explain why some people might Game and do a great job differentiating the various classes of players. And the action rocks in a very tight (about four days) timespan.
The biggest caveat is the Game's setting. Niven and Barnes did a ton of research (which shows) to place the Game in a New Guinea culture based around a cargo cult. And I do appreciate a role playing setting that is not typical dwarves and orcs. However, most of the South Seas residents are portrayed as mystical primitives, with our party serving as the band of Europeans that will come and save them. I found it unsettling on a regular basis. There's also one use of the f-word for a bisexual man and some troubling (to me) sexual dynamics among the main characters.
I'm not sure who to recommend this to. Certainly, if you've liked other more mainstream Niven writing (like his work with [a:Jerry Pournelle|39099|Jerry Pournelle|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596428568p2/39099.jpg]), you will probably like this. But, if you're not into the nostalgia for 70's and 80's science fiction, I don't think there a lot of other appeal factors.
The concept is pretty straightforward. It's 2051, and Dream Park is an amusement park where live role playing games can take place in a fully immersive environment, with gigantic sets and practical effects assisted by holograms. We follow one particularly high stakes Game (yes, it's capitalized) where a Game Master (think DM) takes on a Lore Master (think party leader) in a grudge match. However, during the Game, a security guard is murdered, and Dream Park's head of security has to enter the proceedings as a player to find the killer. So, nothing too advanced in terms of science fiction, but a great setting for an adventure novel.
As a kid already interested in D&D, science fiction, and gaming in general, I ate this up. As an adult, it's fun with some caveats. I do really appreciate the variety of characters; Niven and Barnes do a lot to explain why some people might Game and do a great job differentiating the various classes of players. And the action rocks in a very tight (about four days) timespan.
The biggest caveat is the Game's setting. Niven and Barnes did a ton of research (which shows) to place the Game in a New Guinea culture based around a cargo cult. And I do appreciate a role playing setting that is not typical dwarves and orcs. However, most of the South Seas residents are portrayed as mystical primitives, with our party serving as the band of Europeans that will come and save them. I found it unsettling on a regular basis. There's also one use of the f-word for a bisexual man and some troubling (to me) sexual dynamics among the main characters.
I'm not sure who to recommend this to. Certainly, if you've liked other more mainstream Niven writing (like his work with [a:Jerry Pournelle|39099|Jerry Pournelle|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596428568p2/39099.jpg]), you will probably like this. But, if you're not into the nostalgia for 70's and 80's science fiction, I don't think there a lot of other appeal factors.
readerxxx's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book. I read it the first time right after it was first released in 1982 and I think I have read it about every five years since. I want this place to exist. It's what I want Disney to be but that always falls way short. I would kill to play in Dream Park!
wetdryvac's review against another edition
5.0
Perhaps the only book so far I've seen capture both science and gaming in the same go effectively. Exceptionally well thought out from novel, science, myth, and game perspectives.
danielmbensen's review against another edition
4.0
I really like the Dream Park books. There’s industrial espionage, interpersonal drama, a pretty good science-fantasy quest, and a basis in well-researched mythology (in this case, of New Guinea). Tons of fun!
alexismachine's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
lotiel's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't good. At least it moved better than previous books by Larry Niven I've read, but it was at least 100 pages too long. Pretty fat phobic, possibly racist and far too many characters (you can't have a *fifteen* person gaming party. You just can't).
There was one highlight though: the character of Mary-em. Older, short, stocky, strong, severely badass and taking absolutely zero bullshit.
The book also tries to be a murder mystery, but very half-heartedly. More like an excuse to get into the adventure of the game, and keep the main main character from being like those weirdo gamers. And that's the book's main problem: the game. There's no internal consistency, the players are hardly ever in character, and the whole adversarial game system is just unnecessary. The authors note in the afterword that they've extensively researched Melanesian culture, but it's clear they've never been to a LARP (to be fair, neither have I, but I think I know more about them anyway).
If they'd started this book on page 169 and cut about seven characters, it might have been readable.
There was one highlight though: the character of Mary-em. Older, short, stocky, strong, severely badass and taking absolutely zero bullshit.
The book also tries to be a murder mystery, but very half-heartedly. More like an excuse to get into the adventure of the game, and keep the main main character from being like those weirdo gamers. And that's the book's main problem: the game. There's no internal consistency, the players are hardly ever in character, and the whole adversarial game system is just unnecessary. The authors note in the afterword that they've extensively researched Melanesian culture, but it's clear they've never been to a LARP (to be fair, neither have I, but I think I know more about them anyway).
If they'd started this book on page 169 and cut about seven characters, it might have been readable.