Scan barcode
sboots89's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
nenya_kanadka's review
5.0
Loved this one. Thought it was even better than the first book in the series. The themes of intergalactic politics on one hand and Rafi's development of his psi talents (especially his terror of becoming like his abusive, mindcontrolling father) on the other were both fascinating and played well against each other. And the cultures and worldbuilding for Punartham and Ntshune were great--planets we'd only heard of in the background in the first book. Plus we hear a little more about how Terra/Earth fits into this universe, and the scene with Sadira and the Ainya scientist at the end (think: Romulan scientist and Vulcan diplomat after the destruction of Vulcan by the Romulans) was both painful and amazing. Mostly, I loved the humanity and kindness in this book, as everyone has their own agenda but most of them are trying to do what's right. And I wonder about those twins...
emnii's review
2.0
Does every book need to follow the typical story structure? Protagonist vs antagonist. A hook, building action, climax, resolution. Some sort of conflict or struggle that ultimately ends in growth or death. These are the types of things I expect in genre fiction. Don't expect any of these going into The Galaxy Game.
The Galaxy Game is about three friends: Rafi, Ntenman, and Serendipity. They all live at the Lyceum, a sort of boarding school for the psi-gifted, and they are all aliens. Or maybe they're human, but certainly from different planetary backgrounds. Rafi is Cygnian (sort of generic sapient being), Ntenman is Ntshune (social networkers, fast-talkers, gossips), and Serendipity is Sadiri (calm, reserved). Rafi is a psi talent, but something's wrong with him so the Lyceum wants to hold him down with a "cap". Ntenman isn't so gifted, and somehow well-traveled for his age. Serendipity isn't a student of the Lyceum, and both boys are attracted to her, despite her indifference.
The Game of The Galaxy Game is some sort of competitive rock climbing with a team, a team leader who guides the players, and a wall of differing pockets of gravity. Ntenman puts Rafi up to playing it and he just kind of sucks. Then Rafi runs away (or just kind of casually strolls off, because no one in particular seems to care except for Ntenman) to escape the Lyceum and ends up on another planet with Ntenman. This planet is ruled by social networks. Rafi makes friends through playing The Game as a team leader, Ntenman makes friends in black market trading. This is 3/4ths into the book, by the way. Eventually they grow as people. Kind of.
Something bad happens, but it's more or less out of nowhere, and doesn't come across as particularly devastating. Rafi, Ntenman, and, to a lesser extent, Serendipity are around to help pick up the pieces. And that's it. I feel comfortable saying these things without risk of spoiling the story because it's hard to spoil. Not much happens. Or maybe a lot happens but there's no gravity to it (that's a space pun).
That's the problem with The Galaxy Game. It's either too long or too short. The pacing is entirely off for the whole book. I spent most of my time with it wondering both where it was going and when it would get moving. The surrounding universe in which it takes place is described with a lot of proper nouns, but nothing particularly descriptive. The three main characters (really, the two main characters) travel to alien planets and do things, but what they do is either too alien to properly describe, or I'm too dumb to have gotten a clear picture.
Rafi is so boring as to be non-existent. He spends almost the entire book as a fish out of water, which is great for us readers because it means everything has to be explained to us, but I can't describe who Rafi is. He just falls into everything that happens around him. Ntenman is the talker with something of a personality, but he doesn't do anything besides lead Rafi around. He makes some friends with Zhinuvians, who might be bad guys but not all of them. Even the Ain, a race who destroyed a planet far before the story begins, are non-existent in the big picture and redeemed in the end. The rest of the characters are too aloof to even begin to connect to.
It all feels like the book is a framework for more to come but, from the story told here, I don't feel the desire to keep going. It's all world-building, with no action or intrigue. It's names without faces and everyone is adjusting in their seat, and no one's position is challenged. When Rafi is (more or less) threatened with planetary deportation, it's from a friend of his aunt who is a space cop but won't do it for some reason. It's Star Trek's Federation of Planets without any Klingons, or Romulans, or schemes, or disasters. It's extremely hard to recommend, because it feels like I learned a lot about a world without stories.
The Galaxy Game is about three friends: Rafi, Ntenman, and Serendipity. They all live at the Lyceum, a sort of boarding school for the psi-gifted, and they are all aliens. Or maybe they're human, but certainly from different planetary backgrounds. Rafi is Cygnian (sort of generic sapient being), Ntenman is Ntshune (social networkers, fast-talkers, gossips), and Serendipity is Sadiri (calm, reserved). Rafi is a psi talent, but something's wrong with him so the Lyceum wants to hold him down with a "cap". Ntenman isn't so gifted, and somehow well-traveled for his age. Serendipity isn't a student of the Lyceum, and both boys are attracted to her, despite her indifference.
The Game of The Galaxy Game is some sort of competitive rock climbing with a team, a team leader who guides the players, and a wall of differing pockets of gravity. Ntenman puts Rafi up to playing it and he just kind of sucks. Then Rafi runs away (or just kind of casually strolls off, because no one in particular seems to care except for Ntenman) to escape the Lyceum and ends up on another planet with Ntenman. This planet is ruled by social networks. Rafi makes friends through playing The Game as a team leader, Ntenman makes friends in black market trading. This is 3/4ths into the book, by the way. Eventually they grow as people. Kind of.
Something bad happens, but it's more or less out of nowhere, and doesn't come across as particularly devastating. Rafi, Ntenman, and, to a lesser extent, Serendipity are around to help pick up the pieces. And that's it. I feel comfortable saying these things without risk of spoiling the story because it's hard to spoil. Not much happens. Or maybe a lot happens but there's no gravity to it (that's a space pun).
That's the problem with The Galaxy Game. It's either too long or too short. The pacing is entirely off for the whole book. I spent most of my time with it wondering both where it was going and when it would get moving. The surrounding universe in which it takes place is described with a lot of proper nouns, but nothing particularly descriptive. The three main characters (really, the two main characters) travel to alien planets and do things, but what they do is either too alien to properly describe, or I'm too dumb to have gotten a clear picture.
Rafi is so boring as to be non-existent. He spends almost the entire book as a fish out of water, which is great for us readers because it means everything has to be explained to us, but I can't describe who Rafi is. He just falls into everything that happens around him. Ntenman is the talker with something of a personality, but he doesn't do anything besides lead Rafi around. He makes some friends with Zhinuvians, who might be bad guys but not all of them. Even the Ain, a race who destroyed a planet far before the story begins, are non-existent in the big picture and redeemed in the end. The rest of the characters are too aloof to even begin to connect to.
It all feels like the book is a framework for more to come but, from the story told here, I don't feel the desire to keep going. It's all world-building, with no action or intrigue. It's names without faces and everyone is adjusting in their seat, and no one's position is challenged. When Rafi is (more or less) threatened with planetary deportation, it's from a friend of his aunt who is a space cop but won't do it for some reason. It's Star Trek's Federation of Planets without any Klingons, or Romulans, or schemes, or disasters. It's extremely hard to recommend, because it feels like I learned a lot about a world without stories.
ianl1963's review
3.0
Free with audible membership.
Another 2.5 rounded up.
Not enough engagement with characters or plot to continue.
Well read but just no hook to the book.
Another 2.5 rounded up.
Not enough engagement with characters or plot to continue.
Well read but just no hook to the book.
mikime's review
4.0
This is the sequel or at least connected to The Best of All Possible Worlds. Some old characters show up, but the protagonist is a young boy who has special abilities that are not appreciated in his homeplace but are precious in a different world. He will learn what he can do and will be involved in a galactic conflict. Lots of characters and of interplanetary politics made this audiobook a bit confusing to me, but I also loved it exactly because of the multiple threads and points of view.
lilacashes's review
4.0
This is a damn good book and I can't wait to read more by Karen Lord.
It is not easy to read though. Karen Lord is so deeply immersed in her own world that it's often hard to figure out what the hell is going on. Many things about her universe only become clear after you have read the book mostly through. This is not a bad thing in itself but I found myself losing the plot for sheer lack of understanding. I should reread the book right after I finish it, and I would, if there weren't so many other books waiting to be read...
A point of criticism is that even though the book is fresh and full of new ideas it ticks off a lot of tropes that really don't make sense (as listed by Charles Stross in http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2016/03/towards-a-taxonomy-of-cliches-.html). Does the galactic civilization really consist of only about half a dozen planets? Does each of these planets have a single culture only? Is there really only one dominant game to entertain galactic citizens? And so on.
It is not easy to read though. Karen Lord is so deeply immersed in her own world that it's often hard to figure out what the hell is going on. Many things about her universe only become clear after you have read the book mostly through. This is not a bad thing in itself but I found myself losing the plot for sheer lack of understanding. I should reread the book right after I finish it, and I would, if there weren't so many other books waiting to be read...
A point of criticism is that even though the book is fresh and full of new ideas it ticks off a lot of tropes that really don't make sense (as listed by Charles Stross in http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2016/03/towards-a-taxonomy-of-cliches-.html). Does the galactic civilization really consist of only about half a dozen planets? Does each of these planets have a single culture only? Is there really only one dominant game to entertain galactic citizens? And so on.
ninsiana0's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
pkledgrape's review
I was really looking forward to this one because I've loved all the other Karen Lord I've read! but I'm just not in a place where I can focus enough to keep track of this many names this early on in a text right now. It's possible I will return to this at some other point later in my mental health journey and adore it, it's not Galaxy Game it's me
bridgett's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
jlwilson's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5