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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
A good premise can get you far, but poor writing and plotting are going to catch up with you eventually. This was an unpleasant reading experience right from the start, with only the hope of a fun story keeping me going. By the time I got to the halfway mark, I knew I had wasted my time, but since I have a thing about finishing books, I ploughed on through to the inevitable disappointment of an ending.
To say that the story was a shitshow, would be an understatement. It started off well enough with a bunch of stupid teenagers doing what their stereotyped brethren tend to do. As they continued doing more stupid and incriminating acts at the titular game's insistence, the story devolved into a series of increasingly ridiculous events that stretched my suspension of disbelief to its limits. When we eventually got to the climax, however, it was almost impossible to care about the convoluted plot or its moronic characters.
If the story wasn't bad enough, you still had to deal with the awful writing. Constant head-hopping between not only the main characters but even into characters that had literally a single scene. Inconsistent characterizations along with melodramatic dialogue only aggravated my dislike for the characters that felt so far removed from plausibility to border on the comical. If all that wasn't enough, there was all the edgy content to deal with. It seriously felt like reading a book written by a 16-year-old trying too hard to sound cool, especially with the sprinkling of philosophy and theology towards the end that induced a wave of eye-rolls.
I'd normally talk a bit about the characters, but they were such a mess of cliches and tropes that I'm struggling to nail down a cohesive picture of their personalities. They kept changing so much between scenes that it felt like you're dealing with a new character each time you see them. I'm sure some might argue that shows how complex they are, but with no definable sense of character for anyone, they just came across as a disjointed mess.
Luckily, I managed to keep my brain turned off for the most part. If I had allowed myself to think critically about the various events, I'd probably have brain damage from hitting my head against a wall so much. I'm amazed this book was published in the state that it is. Maybe the target audience, whoever they may be, like this sort of stuff? I'm struggling to think of who might enjoy this kind of drivel. Maybe the YA crowd that want something darker at the expense of likeable characters? If that sounds like something you might like, go for it. As for me, I'm still struggling to think of any redeeming qualities other than the promising premise.
To say that the story was a shitshow, would be an understatement. It started off well enough with a bunch of stupid teenagers doing what their stereotyped brethren tend to do. As they continued doing more stupid and incriminating acts at the titular game's insistence, the story devolved into a series of increasingly ridiculous events that stretched my suspension of disbelief to its limits. When we eventually got to the climax, however, it was almost impossible to care about the convoluted plot or its moronic characters.
If the story wasn't bad enough, you still had to deal with the awful writing. Constant head-hopping between not only the main characters but even into characters that had literally a single scene. Inconsistent characterizations along with melodramatic dialogue only aggravated my dislike for the characters that felt so far removed from plausibility to border on the comical. If all that wasn't enough, there was all the edgy content to deal with. It seriously felt like reading a book written by a 16-year-old trying too hard to sound cool, especially with the sprinkling of philosophy and theology towards the end that induced a wave of eye-rolls.
I'd normally talk a bit about the characters, but they were such a mess of cliches and tropes that I'm struggling to nail down a cohesive picture of their personalities. They kept changing so much between scenes that it felt like you're dealing with a new character each time you see them. I'm sure some might argue that shows how complex they are, but with no definable sense of character for anyone, they just came across as a disjointed mess.
Luckily, I managed to keep my brain turned off for the most part. If I had allowed myself to think critically about the various events, I'd probably have brain damage from hitting my head against a wall so much. I'm amazed this book was published in the state that it is. Maybe the target audience, whoever they may be, like this sort of stuff? I'm struggling to think of who might enjoy this kind of drivel. Maybe the YA crowd that want something darker at the expense of likeable characters? If that sounds like something you might like, go for it. As for me, I'm still struggling to think of any redeeming qualities other than the promising premise.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5, rounding up.
If you were invited to play a game in which, if you win, all your dreams come true? But if you lose, you die. Would you still play?
That’s the opening premise of The God Game. And Charlie and his friends decide they want to play. The missions they are tasked with start small and are fairly harmless, even if morally or ethically questionable. Over time, the choices they are presented with become more difficult to make.
As this story follows a group of five friends, the plot was complex, with several subplots that twisted together. In providing resolution for all of these subplots, it wound up being pretty long. It didn’t drag, though. With plenty of the action and intrigue, this was fast paced and compelling for most of the story. As it began to come to a close, I was disappointed in the way the ending appeared to be going until the final chapter brought a chilling conclusion that knocked me for a loop.
The God Game has a definite point of view, and certain moments were heavy handed. It deals with morality on multiple levels, from that of the individual to that of the crowd through examining the various relationships. And it makes some interesting points. However, they may have been stronger without some of the subplots, leaving more space to develop the core characters and their relationships further.
This book won’t be for everyone but there is certainly a market for it. The God Game reminded me of the 2016 movie Nerve and a strong comparison can be made to Black Mirror. It also has a cinematic quality, and I can easily see this being adapted for the screen. If this sounds like your kind of book, definitely give it a shot.
*Thanks to the publisher for providing an arc of this edition via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you were invited to play a game in which, if you win, all your dreams come true? But if you lose, you die. Would you still play?
That’s the opening premise of The God Game. And Charlie and his friends decide they want to play. The missions they are tasked with start small and are fairly harmless, even if morally or ethically questionable. Over time, the choices they are presented with become more difficult to make.
As this story follows a group of five friends, the plot was complex, with several subplots that twisted together. In providing resolution for all of these subplots, it wound up being pretty long. It didn’t drag, though. With plenty of the action and intrigue, this was fast paced and compelling for most of the story. As it began to come to a close, I was disappointed in the way the ending appeared to be going until the final chapter brought a chilling conclusion that knocked me for a loop.
The God Game has a definite point of view, and certain moments were heavy handed. It deals with morality on multiple levels, from that of the individual to that of the crowd through examining the various relationships. And it makes some interesting points. However, they may have been stronger without some of the subplots, leaving more space to develop the core characters and their relationships further.
This book won’t be for everyone but there is certainly a market for it. The God Game reminded me of the 2016 movie Nerve and a strong comparison can be made to Black Mirror. It also has a cinematic quality, and I can easily see this being adapted for the screen. If this sounds like your kind of book, definitely give it a shot.
*Thanks to the publisher for providing an arc of this edition via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This wasn't my cup of tea. Loved the cover, the concept was interesting but I'm not really into this type of story...I guess. I tried really hard but I struggled to finish it.
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!
A group of outsiders start playing a game in which a mysterious AI who believes it's God rewards them for completing missions. What could possibly go wrong with this you might ask yourself. Exactly what you would expect. Blackmail, naturally. And God is always watching.
Well that was a lot darker than I thought it was going to be. A thriller? Oh for sure. I lost many hours of sleep staying up to find out what happens. My first impression was this is like Sword Art Online and Black Mirrors love child. The plot and overall story definitely intriguing to the very last page.
But. Always a but.
My problem lies with the characters. They all felt very cliche and stereotypical. I did not bond to a single character within 449 pages. I ended up not rooting or caring if anyone succeeded at the end.
Overall I would recommend this book if you:
1. like dark YA thrillers
2. fantasy tech is your thing
3. ever played Pokemon Go
4. if you like shiny covers (guilty)
A group of outsiders start playing a game in which a mysterious AI who believes it's God rewards them for completing missions. What could possibly go wrong with this you might ask yourself. Exactly what you would expect. Blackmail, naturally. And God is always watching.
Well that was a lot darker than I thought it was going to be. A thriller? Oh for sure. I lost many hours of sleep staying up to find out what happens. My first impression was this is like Sword Art Online and Black Mirrors love child. The plot and overall story definitely intriguing to the very last page.
But. Always a but.
My problem lies with the characters. They all felt very cliche and stereotypical. I did not bond to a single character within 449 pages. I ended up not rooting or caring if anyone succeeded at the end.
Overall I would recommend this book if you:
1. like dark YA thrillers
2. fantasy tech is your thing
3. ever played Pokemon Go
4. if you like shiny covers (guilty)
3.5/4 stars. A mix of Ready Player One and An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, with a dark side. Fast paced, with a interesting concept, impressing on just how much our lives are monitored and controlled. Technology that has the power to move us forward or bring us to our knees. Reads less “geeky” than RPO, with less references to 80s video games and history, but similar in experience, much like a witness to an early snapshot view of the OASIS from RPO, but more mysterious of origins like in An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.
I did not expect to be sucked into this book as much as I was! What a ride. The G.O.D. game if you play you are promised all your dreams come true but if you lose, you die. The catch is that this is a virtual reality game that merges the real lives of a group of techie high school kids with a game they have been drawn into as a group. The teens discover an internet game that is based on the input from all the religious texts out there as well as the philosophies of the World. This is then the AI version of GOD and answers as GOD would be expected to answer given these bases of knowledge. They decide to play as a group but the stakes are high. It becomes very reminiscent of "Ready Player One" or "Black Mirror" in the back and forth between the real and virtual worlds. The story highlights the highs and lows of each of the main characters lives and how these facts influence their decision making within the game.
An interesting aside is the occasional introspection of a character to reflect on subjects such as morality or what it really means to "be saved". I found these sections to be a nice addition to the rest of the story, adding depth to the group's story.
I was never bored. The story is compelling and weaves many different tales into a whole thread that leaves you truly invested.
Really well done and highly recommended.
#TheGodGame #Netgalley ##DannyTobey #StMartinsPress
An interesting aside is the occasional introspection of a character to reflect on subjects such as morality or what it really means to "be saved". I found these sections to be a nice addition to the rest of the story, adding depth to the group's story.
I was never bored. The story is compelling and weaves many different tales into a whole thread that leaves you truly invested.
Really well done and highly recommended.
#TheGodGame #Netgalley ##DannyTobey #StMartinsPress
This book was so intriguing! I wanted to read every chance I got. I felt as though there was so much depth and detail. Everything spun together perfectly and was mind blowing once revealed. I enjoyed this book. But the ending made me mad. There were so many ways this could have ended. It did, however, leave way for a possible sequel. I do recommend reading this as it was good. My rating is 3 stars solely because I wanted something more in the ending. But after everything that happened, the ending made sense.
This book was interesting. For how it was advertised, I honestly thought it would move a faster clip than what it did. Or maybe the pacing was solid, but the characters never felt so deep that I felt totally invested in their journeys. It was that weird kind of not-deep though-- one where all of the characters had all of these traits and hobbies yet still did not feel entirely human (if that makes sense).
There was also a weird disconnect between the style and the content of this novel. While the protagonists were high schoolers and the writing style was rather simplistic, the content itself could be very graphic. Like, there were moments where I got caught up in the words because there were so many simple sentences back-to-back, yet there didn't seem to be any overarching moral message here. In fact, the message of this book was downright bleak. I don't need an uplifting message, but I just wasn't sure what I was supposed to get out of it.
Finally, for the game supposedly being so fun, I never felt like anyone was having that much fun. All of the 'coolness' of the game was represented through the characters saying that it was cool rather than it actually seeming cool to me.
There was also a weird disconnect between the style and the content of this novel. While the protagonists were high schoolers and the writing style was rather simplistic, the content itself could be very graphic. Like, there were moments where I got caught up in the words because there were so many simple sentences back-to-back, yet there didn't seem to be any overarching moral message here. In fact, the message of this book was downright bleak. I don't need an uplifting message, but I just wasn't sure what I was supposed to get out of it.
Finally, for the game supposedly being so fun, I never felt like anyone was having that much fun. All of the 'coolness' of the game was represented through the characters saying that it was cool rather than it actually seeming cool to me.
Thanks to St Martin's Press for the free copy in exchange for my honest review
This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I wouldn’t consider myself a huge science fiction fan, but when it’s within the thriller genre, I tend to gives those a try. I’m so happy I picked up THE GOD GAME by Danny Tobey because I could not put it down. Once I started I didn’t want to stop – those short chapters are just the worst for my “one more chapter” mentality when it comes to reading.
We are introduced to Charlie, a high school senior that is struggling both at school and outside of it. With the death of his mother, his grades and extracurriculars took a nose dive, as did his relationship with his dad. The part he looks forward to most is his time in the computer labs with his group of friends, they call themselves The Vindicators. A group of five that consider themselves more outcasts and found friendship in each other and their shared love of computers and coding.
Peter shows Charlie a chatbot that calls itself God. Its origins are unknown but it is said to have been uploaded with all religious texts and more to where the AI now acts and believes it is God. After talking with it, Charlie receives a text from an unknown number that they believe to be this AI – and so begins the God Game. I loved this concept. It’s no secret that the advancements of AI are incredible, so this doesn’t feel entirely outside the realm of possibility, which is all kinds of scary to me.
I loved the characters and their development, I loved the short chapters, the writing was addictive, and I flew through this almost 500 page book. If you like science fiction thrillers and stuff that has to do with AI, then I would highly recommend this one for your early 2020 TBR.
This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I wouldn’t consider myself a huge science fiction fan, but when it’s within the thriller genre, I tend to gives those a try. I’m so happy I picked up THE GOD GAME by Danny Tobey because I could not put it down. Once I started I didn’t want to stop – those short chapters are just the worst for my “one more chapter” mentality when it comes to reading.
We are introduced to Charlie, a high school senior that is struggling both at school and outside of it. With the death of his mother, his grades and extracurriculars took a nose dive, as did his relationship with his dad. The part he looks forward to most is his time in the computer labs with his group of friends, they call themselves The Vindicators. A group of five that consider themselves more outcasts and found friendship in each other and their shared love of computers and coding.
Peter shows Charlie a chatbot that calls itself God. Its origins are unknown but it is said to have been uploaded with all religious texts and more to where the AI now acts and believes it is God. After talking with it, Charlie receives a text from an unknown number that they believe to be this AI – and so begins the God Game. I loved this concept. It’s no secret that the advancements of AI are incredible, so this doesn’t feel entirely outside the realm of possibility, which is all kinds of scary to me.
I loved the characters and their development, I loved the short chapters, the writing was addictive, and I flew through this almost 500 page book. If you like science fiction thrillers and stuff that has to do with AI, then I would highly recommend this one for your early 2020 TBR.