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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
You win and all your dreams come true, if you lose....you DIE.
I don't usually read Science Fiction or Fanstasy, its just not the genre that I am drawn too and enjoy. But! St. Martin's Press sent me this ARC in exchange for a unbiased review. So get your drink and your snack and get ready for an intense ride.
Charlie and his group of friends (The Vindicators) are the social outcast. They all experince coding and all have different views of religion and they each have their own dark secrets to protect.
Then they are thrust into playing THE GAME, which slowly takes over their whole lives. They can no longer tell what is realspace and what is gamespace. Choices in THE GAME has real life consequences that affect everyone around them.
Do you love your dad? Y/N
Depending on how you answer that question your dad could have his biggest dream come true or he could die, maybe even watch you die. Makes that a harder question to answer doesn't it? Add in the fact that your mother suffered the slow death of cancer and your dad left you to care for her in her final days. How would you answer?
These are just a few issues touched on in the god game.
This book reminded me so much of Ready Player One. I enjoyed the switching between realspace and gamespace and how the characters grew throughout the book.
Charlie was so lost after his mother died and was sruggling to come back from that but by the end of the book he had grew and rediscovered his self and his relationship with his friends and family.
Each of the characters are struggling with life and growing up. This book made me laugh it made me smile. It kept me gripped from the word go. Which I was so thankful for because it wasn't a book that I would buy for myself.
I will be recommending this book to all my gamer friends.
I don't usually read Science Fiction or Fanstasy, its just not the genre that I am drawn too and enjoy. But! St. Martin's Press sent me this ARC in exchange for a unbiased review. So get your drink and your snack and get ready for an intense ride.
Charlie and his group of friends (The Vindicators) are the social outcast. They all experince coding and all have different views of religion and they each have their own dark secrets to protect.
Then they are thrust into playing THE GAME, which slowly takes over their whole lives. They can no longer tell what is realspace and what is gamespace. Choices in THE GAME has real life consequences that affect everyone around them.
Do you love your dad? Y/N
Depending on how you answer that question your dad could have his biggest dream come true or he could die, maybe even watch you die. Makes that a harder question to answer doesn't it? Add in the fact that your mother suffered the slow death of cancer and your dad left you to care for her in her final days. How would you answer?
These are just a few issues touched on in the god game.
This book reminded me so much of Ready Player One. I enjoyed the switching between realspace and gamespace and how the characters grew throughout the book.
Charlie was so lost after his mother died and was sruggling to come back from that but by the end of the book he had grew and rediscovered his self and his relationship with his friends and family.
Each of the characters are struggling with life and growing up. This book made me laugh it made me smile. It kept me gripped from the word go. Which I was so thankful for because it wasn't a book that I would buy for myself.
I will be recommending this book to all my gamer friends.
Outcast teenagers, technology, religion, and power all play huge parts in this book where reality and virtual reality mix. I will admit that several times the religious references went over my head. I will admit that several times the technological references went over my head. But, Mr. Tobey does an excellent job of placing them all in context so that the reader still gets the full picture of what is going on in the story and in the characters' heads. You don't need to be a computer programmer or have a masters in religion to understand the points being made. Which is good, because stopping to google every reference I didn't get would have slowed my reading down quite a bit! And I needed to know what was going to happen! I did feel the book dragged on just a little. Maybe too many story lines to keep current? Maybe too many wicked ideas in Mr. Tobey's brain that he had to include? Either way, I think it would have been a bit better with about 50 pages fewer. Thankfully it isn't my job to try and figure out what to cut.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
This is the type of book that is so good you needed to talk about it as soon as you finish!
I already had a feeling that this book would be something I would love, I was just unprepared for how much.
From the first page, the book drew me in. Based on the synopsis I already knew that people were comparing this to Ready Player One and Nerve, but it was so much darker in the best way. My heart was pounding as Charlie and his friends navigated the game... I yelled at their choices and rooted for them and cried with them. And I did not see the end coming.
The game itself was supposed to be all-consuming - and it really was. I felt like I was playing. It is one of my most favorite ways that interactive gaming has been described.
I was on the edge of my seat, I am hoping that there is a sequel, and I cannot recommend this book enough!
I already had a feeling that this book would be something I would love, I was just unprepared for how much.
From the first page, the book drew me in. Based on the synopsis I already knew that people were comparing this to Ready Player One and Nerve, but it was so much darker in the best way. My heart was pounding as Charlie and his friends navigated the game... I yelled at their choices and rooted for them and cried with them. And I did not see the end coming.
The game itself was supposed to be all-consuming - and it really was. I felt like I was playing. It is one of my most favorite ways that interactive gaming has been described.
I was on the edge of my seat, I am hoping that there is a sequel, and I cannot recommend this book enough!
It's genuinely such a shame when a book that you anticipated so strongly lets you down, especially when the premise is this great! The plot alone had me thinking The God Game had to be at least halfway successful for me, and in the beginning of the book, I still held strongly to those convictions, but the further into this story I got, the lower I felt my rating dropping.
My first complaint is perhaps my fault (though I don't think so, honestly): I was expecting a more immersive "game" than this. I went into this thinking these characters were going to be thrown into a legitimate game-esque world, and while they do see some things through augmented reality that aren't solidly in the physical realm with them, for the most part, we're left simply following around a bunch of teens as they receive ominous text messages. While I could certainly see how this would work for some readers as it makes it feel more like something that could actually happen, it felt lackluster to me and left me constantly wanting just a little bit more than I was given.
Secondly, in a book this high-risk, where characters are constantly being forced to do awful things and are placed in tough situations, it's hard to feel the weight of those ultimatums when it's impossible to root for anyone involved. The story primarily follows the Vindicators, a friend group of five teens brought together by their loves of coding and their general "outcast" vibes (aside from one, sort of). With these five, plus a slew of side characters we periodically get insight into, it quickly became "too much"; I don't feel that the writing in this story was able to carry such a large cast, so it left everyone feeling a bit one-dimensional and bland. On top of that, you know going into the story that tough decisions will be made, but at their cores, each of these teens just feel so unlikable, whether it's Charlie's cruel interactions with his grieving father, or Alex's sociopathic tendencies, or Peter's conniving, arrogant attitude.
I also think it's worth mentiong that, while I think the author wanted to do something positive by including a variety of characters (Kenny is black, Vanhi is Indian and a lesbian, and Alex is Asian-American), it's not done well. Most notably, Alex's entire family dynamic bothered me. We've all seen examples of the tired, outdated stereotype where Asian characters are held to higher standards by their parents: Alex's father is horribly abusive and every ounce of it revolves around high expectations re: Alex's grades, athleticism, etc. Every POV we're given from Alex's father highlights his background as an immigrant and refugee who "just wants better" for his kid — yeah, yeah, we get it. It feels like it's beaten into the reader's head that all of Alex's father's abusive tendencies come from a place of love, which is bullshit on so many levels, and frankly, the entire depiction of the abusive relationship in and of itself felt weird and unrealistic. There's also some dreadful utilization of the "homophobic bully turns out to be a repressed gay kid" trope, and don't get me wrong, I know that's something that happens in the real world from time to time, but it felt like it was done for cheap shock value and, on top of everything else (and the unapologetic slur usage), I was so unsurprised and over it by the time it rolled around.
There's also the writing to consider, which is the one thing I will say I felt bittersweet about: while I can't say I thought it was very well-done, it was definitely quick-moving and action-packed enough to make the story go by quickly. If it hadn't been for the fact that something is constantly happening and there's no real filler material (which is admittedly an impressive feat for almost 500 pages), I probably wouldn't have even finished it, but it was just engaging enough to keep me reading. Unfortunately, that didn't pay off in the end, between the low overall rating I settled on and the fact that the ending went so thoroughly off the rails that I found myself skimming the last few chapters just to hurry up and be done with the whole thing.
When I started writing this review, I thought I would give The God Game 2 stars because despite all of this, I still think it was a cool premise at its core, but after getting my thoughts out in words, I've realized I really don't have anything good to say about the execution here. I'm sure this book will be beloved by many readers but I am clearly not one of them and don't believe I'll be picking up anything else from this author in the future.
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for providing me with this finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
Content warnings for:
—————
blog | booktube | twitter | bookstagram
My first complaint is perhaps my fault (though I don't think so, honestly): I was expecting a more immersive "game" than this. I went into this thinking these characters were going to be thrown into a legitimate game-esque world, and while they do see some things through augmented reality that aren't solidly in the physical realm with them, for the most part, we're left simply following around a bunch of teens as they receive ominous text messages. While I could certainly see how this would work for some readers as it makes it feel more like something that could actually happen, it felt lackluster to me and left me constantly wanting just a little bit more than I was given.
Secondly, in a book this high-risk, where characters are constantly being forced to do awful things and are placed in tough situations, it's hard to feel the weight of those ultimatums when it's impossible to root for anyone involved. The story primarily follows the Vindicators, a friend group of five teens brought together by their loves of coding and their general "outcast" vibes (aside from one, sort of). With these five, plus a slew of side characters we periodically get insight into, it quickly became "too much"; I don't feel that the writing in this story was able to carry such a large cast, so it left everyone feeling a bit one-dimensional and bland. On top of that, you know going into the story that tough decisions will be made, but at their cores, each of these teens just feel so unlikable, whether it's Charlie's cruel interactions with his grieving father, or Alex's sociopathic tendencies, or Peter's conniving, arrogant attitude.
I also think it's worth mentiong that, while I think the author wanted to do something positive by including a variety of characters (Kenny is black, Vanhi is Indian and a lesbian, and Alex is Asian-American), it's not done well. Most notably, Alex's entire family dynamic bothered me. We've all seen examples of the tired, outdated stereotype where Asian characters are held to higher standards by their parents: Alex's father is horribly abusive and every ounce of it revolves around high expectations re: Alex's grades, athleticism, etc. Every POV we're given from Alex's father highlights his background as an immigrant and refugee who "just wants better" for his kid — yeah, yeah, we get it. It feels like it's beaten into the reader's head that all of Alex's father's abusive tendencies come from a place of love, which is bullshit on so many levels, and frankly, the entire depiction of the abusive relationship in and of itself felt weird and unrealistic. There's also some dreadful utilization of the "homophobic bully turns out to be a repressed gay kid" trope, and don't get me wrong, I know that's something that happens in the real world from time to time, but it felt like it was done for cheap shock value and, on top of everything else (and the unapologetic slur usage), I was so unsurprised and over it by the time it rolled around.
There's also the writing to consider, which is the one thing I will say I felt bittersweet about: while I can't say I thought it was very well-done, it was definitely quick-moving and action-packed enough to make the story go by quickly. If it hadn't been for the fact that something is constantly happening and there's no real filler material (which is admittedly an impressive feat for almost 500 pages), I probably wouldn't have even finished it, but it was just engaging enough to keep me reading. Unfortunately, that didn't pay off in the end, between the low overall rating I settled on and the fact that the ending went so thoroughly off the rails that I found myself skimming the last few chapters just to hurry up and be done with the whole thing.
When I started writing this review, I thought I would give The God Game 2 stars because despite all of this, I still think it was a cool premise at its core, but after getting my thoughts out in words, I've realized I really don't have anything good to say about the execution here. I'm sure this book will be beloved by many readers but I am clearly not one of them and don't believe I'll be picking up anything else from this author in the future.
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for providing me with this finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
Content warnings for:
Spoiler
violence, death, grief of a family member, abuse, drug usage, suicidal ideation, self-harm, ableist slurs, homophobic slurs, fat-shaming, misogyny—————
blog | booktube | twitter | bookstagram
I'm a big fan of scifi fantasy when it comes to stories such as Ready Player One, Warcross and Otherworld. The God Game is a similar concept, only this game is a secret.
The Vindicators are a group of teens who stumble across an augmented reality game played via phone, computer or tech glasses named 'Aziteks'. They can earn goldz for good deeds in exchange for various life benefits but they earn blaxx for bad deeds resulting in perilous events.
Sounds simple, except only God can decide what constitutes good and bad. And God must be obeyed...
The characters amount to the usual stereotypes I've come to expect in groups of students. I don't often fault this as they are true of my own life experience, however they are a little predictable. Each have their own woes and obstacles to overcome, some more important than others.
I found The God Game to be more plot driven as the time period covered didn't demand much character development.
The story was a fun ride. Reading it was much like playing the game myself and with so many questions, (What is in the packages? Who created the game?) I had to keep turning the pages! The stakes ramp up faster and faster as we reach the final showdown against 'God'.
The Vindicators are a group of teens who stumble across an augmented reality game played via phone, computer or tech glasses named 'Aziteks'. They can earn goldz for good deeds in exchange for various life benefits but they earn blaxx for bad deeds resulting in perilous events.
Sounds simple, except only God can decide what constitutes good and bad. And God must be obeyed...
The characters amount to the usual stereotypes I've come to expect in groups of students. I don't often fault this as they are true of my own life experience, however they are a little predictable. Each have their own woes and obstacles to overcome, some more important than others.
I found The God Game to be more plot driven as the time period covered didn't demand much character development.
The story was a fun ride. Reading it was much like playing the game myself and with so many questions, (What is in the packages? Who created the game?) I had to keep turning the pages! The stakes ramp up faster and faster as we reach the final showdown against 'God'.
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The God Game may be one of the strangest books that I've ever read. Not because it was confusing or had a complex world, but because it is absolute nonsense. Every single character or event is a plot device, meant to move a story with no story along, and eventually off a cliff. The plot becomes progressively ridiculous, until it reaches a ridiculous climax. The book is also at least 100 pages longer than it needs to be.
Also, the writing is just bad. This emotionless style of writing might have worked better in a book that wasn't YA, but Tobey continually tries to get us to care for these characters. Each of the main characters is no more than a stereotype: the cool one, the angsty one, the girl one. My favourite (least favourite) part was when the girl one says something like "we need more female coders" and then is immediately excluded from the story for the last 50 pages. Also this line. He had a panicked though. What if the computers were so old they didn't even have a USB port? But they did. Why bother including that at all? There's no tension build! Either put the beginning line earlier, or cut it all together.
The selling point of this story is the concept of the game, but the game is so nonsensical that even that falls apart.
Destiny's review really sums up my thoughts on this book a lot more eloquently than I can.
However, this book has some pros. There is constantly something happening, and it went by a lot faster than a 450 page book normally would. Also the cover. Pictures don't do this real life cover justice. It's reflective and changes in the light. Someone give whoever did that a promotion. But whoever agreed that publishing this book was a good idea, demote them.
Also, the writing is just bad. This emotionless style of writing might have worked better in a book that wasn't YA, but Tobey continually tries to get us to care for these characters. Each of the main characters is no more than a stereotype: the cool one, the angsty one, the girl one. My favourite (least favourite) part was when the girl one says something like "we need more female coders" and then is immediately excluded from the story for the last 50 pages. Also this line. He had a panicked though. What if the computers were so old they didn't even have a USB port? But they did. Why bother including that at all? There's no tension build! Either put the beginning line earlier, or cut it all together.
The selling point of this story is the concept of the game, but the game is so nonsensical that even that falls apart.
Destiny's review really sums up my thoughts on this book a lot more eloquently than I can.
However, this book has some pros. There is constantly something happening, and it went by a lot faster than a 450 page book normally would. Also the cover. Pictures don't do this real life cover justice. It's reflective and changes in the light. Someone give whoever did that a promotion. But whoever agreed that publishing this book was a good idea, demote them.
This book felt like a sinister Ready Player One. It was fast paced and interesting for the first 3/4 but the final quarter dragged and lost a star.
“You are invited! Come inside and play with G.O.D. Bring your friends! It’s fun! But remember the rules. Win and all your dreams come true. Lose, you die!”
Charlie and his friends, collectively known as The Vindicators, are busy with their senior year of high school, going to class, applying to college, and hanging out in the school’s tech lab. Their bonds and friendships are put to the test, however, when they accept an invitation to play a seemingly harmless video game, soon discovering just how far they are willing to go when virtual reality and reality collide.
The God Game is an intense, fast-paced thriller that is part Stranger Things, part Ready Player One, with a little of Kings’s Needful Things thrown in. The characters are relatable and likable, and sometimes quite surprising. The short chapters that comprise the story greatly appealed to me; they really keep the pace of the story going, but aren’t so short that they prevent you from getting into and immersed within the story. The story grabbed me from the beginning and refused to loosen its hold on me.
The God Game by Danny Tobey begins January 7th!
Thank you St Martin’s Press for an ARC of The God Game, given in exchange for an honest review.
Charlie and his friends, collectively known as The Vindicators, are busy with their senior year of high school, going to class, applying to college, and hanging out in the school’s tech lab. Their bonds and friendships are put to the test, however, when they accept an invitation to play a seemingly harmless video game, soon discovering just how far they are willing to go when virtual reality and reality collide.
The God Game is an intense, fast-paced thriller that is part Stranger Things, part Ready Player One, with a little of Kings’s Needful Things thrown in. The characters are relatable and likable, and sometimes quite surprising. The short chapters that comprise the story greatly appealed to me; they really keep the pace of the story going, but aren’t so short that they prevent you from getting into and immersed within the story. The story grabbed me from the beginning and refused to loosen its hold on me.
The God Game by Danny Tobey begins January 7th!
Thank you St Martin’s Press for an ARC of The God Game, given in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an advance copy for honest review!
The God Game is timely, dark, and fast-paced, and if you've been waiting for a worthy successor to Ready Player One, this might be just the ticket. It's mostly told from the perspective of Charlie, a teenager who feels he's got very little to lose, but also features the perspectives of the friends who join The God Game with him. Despite being told from the perspective of teens, it definitely doesn't read as a YA book, and they are called to make very adult decisions as they play the game. At times I felt like I don't know enough about religion, games, or AI to fully understand parts of the story, but the thriller aspects kept this story moving at a breakneck pace. Readers know from the beginning that the stakes are really high- we're told that if you die in the game, you die in real life, and this tension is always present. This story was out of my usual wheelhouse, but it was a good challenge to start the year with!
The God Game is timely, dark, and fast-paced, and if you've been waiting for a worthy successor to Ready Player One, this might be just the ticket. It's mostly told from the perspective of Charlie, a teenager who feels he's got very little to lose, but also features the perspectives of the friends who join The God Game with him. Despite being told from the perspective of teens, it definitely doesn't read as a YA book, and they are called to make very adult decisions as they play the game. At times I felt like I don't know enough about religion, games, or AI to fully understand parts of the story, but the thriller aspects kept this story moving at a breakneck pace. Readers know from the beginning that the stakes are really high- we're told that if you die in the game, you die in real life, and this tension is always present. This story was out of my usual wheelhouse, but it was a good challenge to start the year with!