author: Walter Jon Williams
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2009/07/14
date added: 2009/07/14
shelves: fiction, sci-fi
review:
I’ve never been into fiction about ARGs (alternative reality games) or indeed the games themselves. I blame Michael Douglas, my least favorite actor ever.
But I’ve liked Williams’ other books, particularly Metropolitan, so I gave it a shot. C read it before I did, and was quite enthusiastic, too.
Having just finished, I find myself melancholy. The story ends on that sort of note, and as with the whole book, I found myself carried along the emotions of the narrative.
As a longtime MetaFilter member, I love the enthusiasm of the game group’s "hive mind", and it feels realistic to the genuine article. He doesn’t glorify or mock the game players.
The twists & turns are delightfully twisty and turny, but not so much that the final twist feels forced. In fact, it has that delightful (?!) sense of "getting it" just before the protagonist figures everything out.
I loved it. Even stayed up too late AND went over on my lunch break because I got completely and totally absorbed. If I had more thumbs, they’d all be up.