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nakedsteve's review
5.0
This is the second book in Williams' stories of Dagmar Shaw, game designer.
I've got to admit to a love of game designer protagonists, for sure, as that's where my own career started... Dagmar Shaw designs experiences known as Augmented Reality Games (ARGs), where the "game" contacts players through real-world systems (like email and phones, realistic looking websites, and even things like billboards for those in the know).
Williams conjectures that such a game will cause a kind of "group mind" to form, as people gather online to discuss methods of solving the various puzzles a game presents them with.
The first book of this series, "This is Not a Game," had this group mind work to solve a real murder mystery (without them even knowing that's what they were doing); in this sequel, the group mind has been transformed into anti-junta reactionaries in Turkey, being organized using the same technology, into an effective force for change.
So that's the general background. The book itself follows Dagmar through her adventures in this environment, with plenty of twists and turns.
Williams does a great job with his presentation, for sure. This is the second of his novels that's been hard to put down and quick to read. I'm really loving Dagmar as a character, and am actually eagerly looking forward to reading the third book in this series.
I should mention that while this is the second book of the series, reading the first is certainly not necessary to enjoy this one. Events are referred to, but not in any great depth, and the books both stand on their own just fine.
5 of 5 stars.
I've got to admit to a love of game designer protagonists, for sure, as that's where my own career started... Dagmar Shaw designs experiences known as Augmented Reality Games (ARGs), where the "game" contacts players through real-world systems (like email and phones, realistic looking websites, and even things like billboards for those in the know).
Williams conjectures that such a game will cause a kind of "group mind" to form, as people gather online to discuss methods of solving the various puzzles a game presents them with.
The first book of this series, "This is Not a Game," had this group mind work to solve a real murder mystery (without them even knowing that's what they were doing); in this sequel, the group mind has been transformed into anti-junta reactionaries in Turkey, being organized using the same technology, into an effective force for change.
So that's the general background. The book itself follows Dagmar through her adventures in this environment, with plenty of twists and turns.
Williams does a great job with his presentation, for sure. This is the second of his novels that's been hard to put down and quick to read. I'm really loving Dagmar as a character, and am actually eagerly looking forward to reading the third book in this series.
I should mention that while this is the second book of the series, reading the first is certainly not necessary to enjoy this one. Events are referred to, but not in any great depth, and the books both stand on their own just fine.
5 of 5 stars.
wonderturtle's review
3.0
I didn't enjoy it as much as This Is Not a Game. I think it was a good sequel. I don't think I liked that it got more "real" than the first one. I still want to get to know Dagmar better and see what happens to her.
Not sure if it was intentional, but I felt a lot more paranoid while reading this. It kept me on my toes trying to think about who Dagmar could and should trust and what things and people were actually not what they seemed. I felt kind of creeped out... but in a good way... I think.
Not sure if it was intentional, but I felt a lot more paranoid while reading this. It kept me on my toes trying to think about who Dagmar could and should trust and what things and people were actually not what they seemed. I felt kind of creeped out... but in a good way... I think.
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