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easolinas 's review for:
Minecraft: The Island
by Max Brooks
Small warning: I have never played Minecraft, so any in-jokes or highly specific references are going to go straight over my head.
But the name "Max Brooks" was enough to get me interested in "Minecraft: The Island," the first official novel based on the popular sandbox video game. This book literally feels like what would happen if a hapless human being -- who is kept something of a blank slate -- was transported into the world of Minecraft and had to fumble his way through surviving there. It's not a spectacular story on its own, having not much of a plot, but Brooks' nimble writing and sense of humor keep it light and fun.
A nameless protagonist wakes up in the middle of the ocean, and manages to find his way to a nearby island... only to discover that the sun is now a square, the clouds are rectangles, and he himself has become a blocky humanoid without proper hands. Unsurprisingly, he completely freaks out. But the necessity of survival arises, and the protagonist begins learning how this strange pixelated world works -- how to get food, interact with animals, craft different items, and keep himself safe from zombies. Oh yes, did I mention there are zombies?
And those are only the beginnings of his woes -- he has to deal with strange Creeper creatures that nearly blow him up, giant spiders, skeleton archers, and more zombies attacking every night. And at the same time, he has to accomplish all of what human beings have created throughout the ages (weaponry, agriculture, fire, mining, etc) in his ongoing efforts to keep himself sane, safe, fed and comfortable. But new perils keep cropping up all the time, and Minecraft Protagonist may not be able to handle them all...
This is not a book to get if you are a Minecraft virgin, as I discovered when I had to do some research on Wikipedia to understand what the creeper was. Rather, this a fantasy for Minecraft players about actually LIVING as your character for a time as you build your little world. It doesn't have much of a central plot besides that -- it's just about living on a weird deserted island full of monsters and farm animals, and learning the rules that will allow you to survive there (like building a workbench).
As such, Minecraft Protagonist is kind of a blank slate -- we and he do not know how old he is, where he comes from, what his name was, or anything else about him. All we know about Minecraft Protagonist is that he's highly excitable, kind by nature and a fast learner ("’Cause thanks to my new method, the Way of the Five P’s, I’ve just kicked the Stone Age into the Iron Age!”). Plus his best friend is a cow named Moo. There's just something highly endearing about his earnest, enthusiastic survival methods.
A lot of that endearing quality is due to Brooks' writing. Since there's little plot and the main character is a blank slate, it falls to Brooks to keep the reader invested -- and he doesn't shy away from any aspect of the story, including the fact that everything is in blocks and cubes ("If you have two cubes of water and you put them three blocks apart..."), or the oddly disturbing scene where Minecraft Protagonist kills a bunch of chickens. His writing is nimble and funny, with a lot of Minecraft Protagonist talking to himself or other creatures ("Get back here and get in my furnace!”), but he knows how to yank on those heartstrings at times (Minecraft Protagonist trying to save his animals from lava).
"Minecraft: The Island" is a wispy idea for a book, and it doesn't have much plot, but Max Brooks' energetic, quirky writing style is more than enough to keep readers glued to the page. If nothing else, read it for his writing.
But the name "Max Brooks" was enough to get me interested in "Minecraft: The Island," the first official novel based on the popular sandbox video game. This book literally feels like what would happen if a hapless human being -- who is kept something of a blank slate -- was transported into the world of Minecraft and had to fumble his way through surviving there. It's not a spectacular story on its own, having not much of a plot, but Brooks' nimble writing and sense of humor keep it light and fun.
A nameless protagonist wakes up in the middle of the ocean, and manages to find his way to a nearby island... only to discover that the sun is now a square, the clouds are rectangles, and he himself has become a blocky humanoid without proper hands. Unsurprisingly, he completely freaks out. But the necessity of survival arises, and the protagonist begins learning how this strange pixelated world works -- how to get food, interact with animals, craft different items, and keep himself safe from zombies. Oh yes, did I mention there are zombies?
And those are only the beginnings of his woes -- he has to deal with strange Creeper creatures that nearly blow him up, giant spiders, skeleton archers, and more zombies attacking every night. And at the same time, he has to accomplish all of what human beings have created throughout the ages (weaponry, agriculture, fire, mining, etc) in his ongoing efforts to keep himself sane, safe, fed and comfortable. But new perils keep cropping up all the time, and Minecraft Protagonist may not be able to handle them all...
This is not a book to get if you are a Minecraft virgin, as I discovered when I had to do some research on Wikipedia to understand what the creeper was. Rather, this a fantasy for Minecraft players about actually LIVING as your character for a time as you build your little world. It doesn't have much of a central plot besides that -- it's just about living on a weird deserted island full of monsters and farm animals, and learning the rules that will allow you to survive there (like building a workbench).
As such, Minecraft Protagonist is kind of a blank slate -- we and he do not know how old he is, where he comes from, what his name was, or anything else about him. All we know about Minecraft Protagonist is that he's highly excitable, kind by nature and a fast learner ("’Cause thanks to my new method, the Way of the Five P’s, I’ve just kicked the Stone Age into the Iron Age!”). Plus his best friend is a cow named Moo. There's just something highly endearing about his earnest, enthusiastic survival methods.
A lot of that endearing quality is due to Brooks' writing. Since there's little plot and the main character is a blank slate, it falls to Brooks to keep the reader invested -- and he doesn't shy away from any aspect of the story, including the fact that everything is in blocks and cubes ("If you have two cubes of water and you put them three blocks apart..."), or the oddly disturbing scene where Minecraft Protagonist kills a bunch of chickens. His writing is nimble and funny, with a lot of Minecraft Protagonist talking to himself or other creatures ("Get back here and get in my furnace!”), but he knows how to yank on those heartstrings at times (Minecraft Protagonist trying to save his animals from lava).
"Minecraft: The Island" is a wispy idea for a book, and it doesn't have much plot, but Max Brooks' energetic, quirky writing style is more than enough to keep readers glued to the page. If nothing else, read it for his writing.