What do you think?
Rate this book
Multiplayer
"A riveting modern thriller." -- Midwest Book Review
Hector’s father is dead. Killed fighting in Iraq. So his mother moved the family back to her boring hometown where Hector can’t connect. Worse, his new next door neighbors, the Zahedis, are from Iran, and the son, Sanjar is Hector’s age. But Sanjar is the last person Hector is interested in hanging out with. Trapped in a world of rules and reality, he escapes into the largest online game the world has ever seen – Omega Wars. As an Omega Wars vanguard Hector can be himself and not worry about things like algebra and death.
Vanguards, balancing weaponry and stealth, are the spec-ops of the Omega Wars universe. Mercs wear hulking powered suits and wield chainguns and plasmaces. Smugglers lurk in shadows and collect information while cybertechs build everything from drones to weapons to powered armor to vehicles from the ruins of post-apocalyptic earth. The revolutionary new character type, Empaths, uses a brain-wave sensing headset that allows them to discover and master telepathic powers such as levitate, sight, and pulse.
It isn’t long before Hector has built a clan, the Spartans, intent on carving out their own empire on a map as large as Earth itself in a virtual world that never sleeps. Fortunately, it’s all harmless. Until the Spartans stumble on a new clan that doesn’t seem to be gaming. In fact, they remind Hector of the online training his father’s special warfare unit used to conduct before a mission. It is only after people start dying in real life that Hector realizes this new clan isn’t interested in the virtual world at all but might be the same people who killed his father, training for their next mission. And that impossibly, the Zahedis may be involved.
Michael Crichton meets Stephen Spielberg in this thriller that explores the virtual world like never before, bringing you face to face with where our society is headed at breakneck speed. It will leave you looking at our digital frontier with a new set of digital eyes.
Hector’s father is dead. Killed fighting in Iraq. So his mother moved the family back to her boring hometown where Hector can’t connect. Worse, his new next door neighbors, the Zahedis, are from Iran, and the son, Sanjar is Hector’s age. But Sanjar is the last person Hector is interested in hanging out with. Trapped in a world of rules and reality, he escapes into the largest online game the world has ever seen – Omega Wars. As an Omega Wars vanguard Hector can be himself and not worry about things like algebra and death.
Vanguards, balancing weaponry and stealth, are the spec-ops of the Omega Wars universe. Mercs wear hulking powered suits and wield chainguns and plasmaces. Smugglers lurk in shadows and collect information while cybertechs build everything from drones to weapons to powered armor to vehicles from the ruins of post-apocalyptic earth. The revolutionary new character type, Empaths, uses a brain-wave sensing headset that allows them to discover and master telepathic powers such as levitate, sight, and pulse.
It isn’t long before Hector has built a clan, the Spartans, intent on carving out their own empire on a map as large as Earth itself in a virtual world that never sleeps. Fortunately, it’s all harmless. Until the Spartans stumble on a new clan that doesn’t seem to be gaming. In fact, they remind Hector of the online training his father’s special warfare unit used to conduct before a mission. It is only after people start dying in real life that Hector realizes this new clan isn’t interested in the virtual world at all but might be the same people who killed his father, training for their next mission. And that impossibly, the Zahedis may be involved.
Michael Crichton meets Stephen Spielberg in this thriller that explores the virtual world like never before, bringing you face to face with where our society is headed at breakneck speed. It will leave you looking at our digital frontier with a new set of digital eyes.
- GenresScience Fiction
406 pages, Paperback
First published December 19, 2011
7 people are currently reading
393 people want to read
About the author
John C. Brewer
5 books15 followersJohn C. Brewer was born in Argentia, Newfoundland, Canada but moved constantly since his father was in the Navy. John grew up in New Mexico, Washington St., Virginia, and Florida and then went to Auburn University for college where he studied physics and aerospace engineering. Eventually he moved to Huntsville, Alabama where he worked as a rocket scientist.
A reader all his life, John writes novels for the YA and adult markets. He still lives in Huntsville with his wife April and three sons, when they are not away at college themselves. John's a passionate writer with a love of motorcycles and the outdoors, a lifelong soccer player when his knee allows, and prefers writing wherever he can find a quiet spot.
As a writer his strength lies in plotting, and he enjoys helping other writers work out the knots in their own work. If you like twisty plots with multiple lines of tension, try one of his books. If you need some help building one, give him a shout.
A reader all his life, John writes novels for the YA and adult markets. He still lives in Huntsville with his wife April and three sons, when they are not away at college themselves. John's a passionate writer with a love of motorcycles and the outdoors, a lifelong soccer player when his knee allows, and prefers writing wherever he can find a quiet spot.
As a writer his strength lies in plotting, and he enjoys helping other writers work out the knots in their own work. If you like twisty plots with multiple lines of tension, try one of his books. If you need some help building one, give him a shout.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 22, 2012
Wow. All I can say is wow.
I got a Kindle for Christmas. We were going on vacation right after that, and I decided to throw a book or two on it to keep my little brother busy. Multiplayer popped up and seemed like it'd be his thing and, for under five bucks, I figured I couldn't go wrong. My brother DEVOURED it (I didn't SEE my Kindle for three days) and then wouldn't leave me alone until I read it, too. I was pretty skeptical. I'm not into the whole video game thing, and the plot summary he was giving sounded iffy. But, I got tired of him bugging me, so I grabbed some tea and hunkered down.
This book ROCKS. Let me repeat that: This. Book. Rocks.
Characters: I loved them. Hector, especially, is complex. Mr. Brewer has succeeded in doing what few authors manage: making an unlikable character likable. Hector is abrasive, but you still find yourself caring more and more about him, and the more you read, the more you understand. It reminded me a lot of Cathy and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, or Bathsheba from The Mill on the Floss. It is a level of complexity that few writers are able to pull off, but Mr. Brewer rocks it.
I was pretty worried about the game thing. My brother is really into them but they've never been my thing. The author made it really accessible for people who aren't gamers. The game itself is really interesting, allowing characters to build anything that obeys the laws of physics. I read Mr. Brewers bio after reading the book, and this is where it's really obvious that he's a rocket scientist. He doesn't just stick to the hum-drum things that we physically have now. He thinks up things that are impractical to currently build in real life, but still stay within the bounds of physical laws. He really challenges the reader's intellectual and creative mind. I also liked the social set-up of the game. The clan set-up allowed for in-game conflicts beyond the basic plot, and really deepened the overall experience.
So, plot. I was pretty concerned about this part, too. My brother described it to me and, frankly it sounded kind of cheesy. NOT so. Mr. Brewer takes a plot that could have easily fallen into the realm of cliche and far-fetched, and makes it into something real. After discovering a terror cell using the game to train and plot, Hector finds himself in a position that so many young people do: no one believes him, and they discredit him as a young boy in mourning, seeing things that aren't there in the face of his father's death. Mr. Brewer captures this time of life flawlessly. I think that's one of the reasons my brother loved the book so much. He knows exactly how Hector feels, and it makes Hector a very sympathetic character. The plot deepens and Mr. Brewer addresses most of the questions that arose while I was reading, like wouldn't the FBI have gotten flagged by something like this. Without spoiling anything, the book concludes in an appropriately epic and satisfying way, while still leaving the door open for more books in the future.
Mr. Brewer has written an incredible book that challenges an audience that isn't usually challenged. My brother is fourteen and the few books that are written for guys like him are dribble. But this one is incredible. Not only is it a great book on a surface level, but it is creative, engaging, and has deeper underlying themes: war, prejudice, grief, and an overall commentary on our society. This book might not be for absolutely everyone. I can see it going over the heads of some younger gamers. But if you have a tween or early teen guy in your life who's smart and needs a book that won't bore him, definitely pick this one up. And, honestly? Even if you don't... still pick this up! I'm a twenty-year-old girl, and I INHALED this. I can't wait for the next one!
I got a Kindle for Christmas. We were going on vacation right after that, and I decided to throw a book or two on it to keep my little brother busy. Multiplayer popped up and seemed like it'd be his thing and, for under five bucks, I figured I couldn't go wrong. My brother DEVOURED it (I didn't SEE my Kindle for three days) and then wouldn't leave me alone until I read it, too. I was pretty skeptical. I'm not into the whole video game thing, and the plot summary he was giving sounded iffy. But, I got tired of him bugging me, so I grabbed some tea and hunkered down.
This book ROCKS. Let me repeat that: This. Book. Rocks.
Characters: I loved them. Hector, especially, is complex. Mr. Brewer has succeeded in doing what few authors manage: making an unlikable character likable. Hector is abrasive, but you still find yourself caring more and more about him, and the more you read, the more you understand. It reminded me a lot of Cathy and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, or Bathsheba from The Mill on the Floss. It is a level of complexity that few writers are able to pull off, but Mr. Brewer rocks it.
I was pretty worried about the game thing. My brother is really into them but they've never been my thing. The author made it really accessible for people who aren't gamers. The game itself is really interesting, allowing characters to build anything that obeys the laws of physics. I read Mr. Brewers bio after reading the book, and this is where it's really obvious that he's a rocket scientist. He doesn't just stick to the hum-drum things that we physically have now. He thinks up things that are impractical to currently build in real life, but still stay within the bounds of physical laws. He really challenges the reader's intellectual and creative mind. I also liked the social set-up of the game. The clan set-up allowed for in-game conflicts beyond the basic plot, and really deepened the overall experience.
So, plot. I was pretty concerned about this part, too. My brother described it to me and, frankly it sounded kind of cheesy. NOT so. Mr. Brewer takes a plot that could have easily fallen into the realm of cliche and far-fetched, and makes it into something real. After discovering a terror cell using the game to train and plot, Hector finds himself in a position that so many young people do: no one believes him, and they discredit him as a young boy in mourning, seeing things that aren't there in the face of his father's death. Mr. Brewer captures this time of life flawlessly. I think that's one of the reasons my brother loved the book so much. He knows exactly how Hector feels, and it makes Hector a very sympathetic character. The plot deepens and Mr. Brewer addresses most of the questions that arose while I was reading, like wouldn't the FBI have gotten flagged by something like this. Without spoiling anything, the book concludes in an appropriately epic and satisfying way, while still leaving the door open for more books in the future.
Mr. Brewer has written an incredible book that challenges an audience that isn't usually challenged. My brother is fourteen and the few books that are written for guys like him are dribble. But this one is incredible. Not only is it a great book on a surface level, but it is creative, engaging, and has deeper underlying themes: war, prejudice, grief, and an overall commentary on our society. This book might not be for absolutely everyone. I can see it going over the heads of some younger gamers. But if you have a tween or early teen guy in your life who's smart and needs a book that won't bore him, definitely pick this one up. And, honestly? Even if you don't... still pick this up! I'm a twenty-year-old girl, and I INHALED this. I can't wait for the next one!
January 27, 2012
Multiplayer starts out with a decent premise, that terrorists are using an MMORPG to train for real world attacks, fair enough. Then the book becomes an entire mess.
1. Hector West, the main character, is an unlikable fuckwad who deserves to be beaten senseless for his borderline criminal actions, which usually get explained away as "his dad got killed" or "Hector's right all along!"
2. The MMORPG in question, Omega Wars is absurb. Its supposed to be a class-based post apocalyptic PVP-style game, but by the end of the book, its some second life like sci-fi mumbo-jumbo. The book even trots out the "The game is more real than real life" line at one point. HAH
The terrorists create a real-scale recreation of their target scenario, right down the street signs. If the terrorists can do it, why haven't the players recreated the entire world too? Then there's this class, called the empath in which the game via this special headset, reads you brainwaves and uses it activate powers... I'm serious. Oh and the game requires anything you build to follow to real world physics principals, except there's this giant floating battle stations, mechs and you never get tried unless you sprint... right. Also strange is the developers are a mysteriously absent party. You'd think they'd be concerned about the uses of their game... nothing.
3. The entire plot breaks down at the end as the "main villain" Mal-X seeming to be able to play the game and hunt the players at the exact same time. It is never explained how he's able to pinpoint player's locations. Did he hack the game? Were there complicit developers? And a few FBI agents also play the game and know whats going on, but explain away getting the devs help as "they're not a US company," like the FBI hasn't ever had to gain foreign assistance on an issue, and so the fate of the entire free world rests on the back of unlikable whiny retard and his bratty clan-mates.
No matter where and when you set a novel it has to be consistent. If you're going to ground the novel in real world politics and issues as the book does, then the MMO in question better not be some scifi-ish otherworld thingy that doesn't make a lick of sense with a plot that stretches the bounds of plausibility(with a main character who is not likable in the least).
The book might be enjoyable if one doesn't use a single brain cell trying to comprehend it. Otherwise, steer clear from this teenage-fantasy garbage.
1. Hector West, the main character, is an unlikable fuckwad who deserves to be beaten senseless for his borderline criminal actions, which usually get explained away as "his dad got killed" or "Hector's right all along!"
2. The MMORPG in question, Omega Wars is absurb. Its supposed to be a class-based post apocalyptic PVP-style game, but by the end of the book, its some second life like sci-fi mumbo-jumbo. The book even trots out the "The game is more real than real life" line at one point. HAH
The terrorists create a real-scale recreation of their target scenario, right down the street signs. If the terrorists can do it, why haven't the players recreated the entire world too? Then there's this class, called the empath in which the game via this special headset, reads you brainwaves and uses it activate powers... I'm serious. Oh and the game requires anything you build to follow to real world physics principals, except there's this giant floating battle stations, mechs and you never get tried unless you sprint... right. Also strange is the developers are a mysteriously absent party. You'd think they'd be concerned about the uses of their game... nothing.
3. The entire plot breaks down at the end as the "main villain" Mal-X seeming to be able to play the game and hunt the players at the exact same time. It is never explained how he's able to pinpoint player's locations. Did he hack the game? Were there complicit developers? And a few FBI agents also play the game and know whats going on, but explain away getting the devs help as "they're not a US company," like the FBI hasn't ever had to gain foreign assistance on an issue, and so the fate of the entire free world rests on the back of unlikable whiny retard and his bratty clan-mates.
No matter where and when you set a novel it has to be consistent. If you're going to ground the novel in real world politics and issues as the book does, then the MMO in question better not be some scifi-ish otherworld thingy that doesn't make a lick of sense with a plot that stretches the bounds of plausibility(with a main character who is not likable in the least).
The book might be enjoyable if one doesn't use a single brain cell trying to comprehend it. Otherwise, steer clear from this teenage-fantasy garbage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2013
Gamers, unite!
John Brewer immerses readers into the world where gaming and terrorism leach into the real world. The characters are high schoolers that find respite in the alternative reality of Omega Wars, not unlike some of the today's kids. The characters deal with real life issues: death, dysfunction and parents. He brings the story into modern day, introducing the issue of Muslim prejudice in the wake of 911 and the result of losing loved-ones serving in the military.
Brewer's gaming knowledge is convincing and authentic. It's hard to imagine he is not a gamer in spare time. But this is far from Pacman. The hardcore gaming characters uncover a plot that is using the gaming world to threaten the real world, ending in a high-speed, adrenaline fueled finale.
For readers with a penchant for handling PS3, this story will connect!
John Brewer immerses readers into the world where gaming and terrorism leach into the real world. The characters are high schoolers that find respite in the alternative reality of Omega Wars, not unlike some of the today's kids. The characters deal with real life issues: death, dysfunction and parents. He brings the story into modern day, introducing the issue of Muslim prejudice in the wake of 911 and the result of losing loved-ones serving in the military.
Brewer's gaming knowledge is convincing and authentic. It's hard to imagine he is not a gamer in spare time. But this is far from Pacman. The hardcore gaming characters uncover a plot that is using the gaming world to threaten the real world, ending in a high-speed, adrenaline fueled finale.
For readers with a penchant for handling PS3, this story will connect!
January 22, 2012
This is a really good book. I enjoyed it thoroughly, though some parts of it do reflect the younger audience that it is intended for.
February 11, 2012
I loved the main character! I have a soft spot for the unreliable narrator, and for this reason I could have done without the prologue, but that might just be me. All the characters in this book were very well-written.
My other favorite part of the novel is how the online game becomes a second setting. This was done very deftly and with amazing detail. I read one review by someone who complained about that, all I can think is he must not read much. It's beautifully done. Part of reading or watching a play or movie or playing a game like Omega Wars is being willing to enter a state of willing disbelief. Hecter is in the game, the game is a real place to him and the other kids in this book because they want it to be so badly.
I'm curious to see how a sequel to this book will work, but I look forward to finding out!
My other favorite part of the novel is how the online game becomes a second setting. This was done very deftly and with amazing detail. I read one review by someone who complained about that, all I can think is he must not read much. It's beautifully done. Part of reading or watching a play or movie or playing a game like Omega Wars is being willing to enter a state of willing disbelief. Hecter is in the game, the game is a real place to him and the other kids in this book because they want it to be so badly.
I'm curious to see how a sequel to this book will work, but I look forward to finding out!
May 23, 2012
I really liked Multiplayer by John Brewer. It's not the normal genre I read (Mystery or any teen book my daughter recommends) but after all the good things I heard about Ready Player One, I thought I'd give Multiplayer a try. As a mom of a teen boy who games, I really enjoyed a glimpse into what goes on in the mind of gamers. But the book is much more than that dealing with current social issues. I think the premise is very creative as well (but I won't spoil it for you; read it and see if you agree).
October 26, 2012
The reason I read this book because it's about video games; something I'm interested in.I think this book is great for me.It has vocabulary I can understand and great dialouge I can relate too.
November 20, 2012
Recommended for young adult males & others who enjoy video gaming & political thrillers! First part of a trilogy.
January 6, 2017
"Are you trying to tell me that Osama bin Laden is alive and playing video games?"
Yes, yes the book is.
For a book about gaming, this story started in a very odd way: A bunch of ISIS terrorists sitting around in a cave, trying to figure out how they can train when every time they leave the cave, US drones/forces find them and kill them. The one American convert has an idea: Use MMORPGs -- massively multiplayer online role-playing games.
Then the story moves right to a teenage boy who plays a MMO. Can you guess where this story is headed? The kid's father was in the military, but an ISIS roadside bomb killed him, now the kid hates all Muslims. (Usually when I use the low star rating for a book, it's based on the quality of the writing. If this story had been wonderfully written and fully believable, I still would have given it a dislike. It was so very unpleasant to spend eight hours of reading time in the head of someone so rabidly racist.)
Why did I keep reading this book? I loved the MMO and how the author handled the whole gaming part of the plot. Whenever the main character played the game, the author treated it like the kid was really in the game world (as his character). It was such a natural way to handle it, I didn't even realize the author was doing it until a few chapters in. It was so realistic, a perfect reflection of how you can get lost in a game.
I'd really love to play that MMO, too (even if it wasn't really believable as a real game). The game is a duplicate of the entire planet -- if it exists on Earth, it's in the game, however it's all post-apocalyptic. But the idea of players being able to help make the world real is such a great one -- want to see your childhood home in the MMO? Submit photos and details to the dev team, and in a day or two a realistic copy of the building will exist in the game. (Like I said, not realistic at all, but still cool.)
Unfortunately I spent the whole book struggling with if the adult characters were believable or not. I kept thinking no, not at all... but so much stuff happened, maybe I couldn't be a fair judge of it. (The woman's husband was blown to bits and she was dealing with a racist son -- was it fair for her to scream at him at the drop of a hat? Maybe... But it kept feeling like one of those "all adults suck and exist only as challenges for the teenage main characters" YA books.)
The end of the book decided the whole "believable adults or not" issue for me. (Spoiler: Not.)
Even the kids were unbelievable at times. The bad guy caught the teens and was doing the usual "I'm going to talk at you a while before killing you thing... TOTALLY NOT TO GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO COME RESCUE YOU!" thing, and the main character reacted:
"If you're going to kill us, just shut up and do it!" blurted Hector. "This is the worst monologue I ever heard! Do it!"
As if those weren't issues enough, I saw in advance every single twist and "surprise" in the book. I'm horrible at guessing what's coming, it's so rare for me to be right about it (I don't want to guess! I like being surprised!). And that this was a YA book is no excuse for that -- many YA books do surprise me with their twists.
I skimmed the last 20% of the book. As much as I liked the story's MMO, I really wish I had given up on it sooner.
Yes, yes the book is.
For a book about gaming, this story started in a very odd way: A bunch of ISIS terrorists sitting around in a cave, trying to figure out how they can train when every time they leave the cave, US drones/forces find them and kill them. The one American convert has an idea: Use MMORPGs -- massively multiplayer online role-playing games.
Then the story moves right to a teenage boy who plays a MMO. Can you guess where this story is headed? The kid's father was in the military, but an ISIS roadside bomb killed him, now the kid hates all Muslims. (Usually when I use the low star rating for a book, it's based on the quality of the writing. If this story had been wonderfully written and fully believable, I still would have given it a dislike. It was so very unpleasant to spend eight hours of reading time in the head of someone so rabidly racist.)
Why did I keep reading this book? I loved the MMO and how the author handled the whole gaming part of the plot. Whenever the main character played the game, the author treated it like the kid was really in the game world (as his character). It was such a natural way to handle it, I didn't even realize the author was doing it until a few chapters in. It was so realistic, a perfect reflection of how you can get lost in a game.
I'd really love to play that MMO, too (even if it wasn't really believable as a real game). The game is a duplicate of the entire planet -- if it exists on Earth, it's in the game, however it's all post-apocalyptic. But the idea of players being able to help make the world real is such a great one -- want to see your childhood home in the MMO? Submit photos and details to the dev team, and in a day or two a realistic copy of the building will exist in the game. (Like I said, not realistic at all, but still cool.)
Unfortunately I spent the whole book struggling with if the adult characters were believable or not. I kept thinking no, not at all... but so much stuff happened, maybe I couldn't be a fair judge of it. (The woman's husband was blown to bits and she was dealing with a racist son -- was it fair for her to scream at him at the drop of a hat? Maybe... But it kept feeling like one of those "all adults suck and exist only as challenges for the teenage main characters" YA books.)
The end of the book decided the whole "believable adults or not" issue for me. (Spoiler: Not.)
Even the kids were unbelievable at times. The bad guy caught the teens and was doing the usual "I'm going to talk at you a while before killing you thing... TOTALLY NOT TO GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO COME RESCUE YOU!" thing, and the main character reacted:
"If you're going to kill us, just shut up and do it!" blurted Hector. "This is the worst monologue I ever heard! Do it!"
As if those weren't issues enough, I saw in advance every single twist and "surprise" in the book. I'm horrible at guessing what's coming, it's so rare for me to be right about it (I don't want to guess! I like being surprised!). And that this was a YA book is no excuse for that -- many YA books do surprise me with their twists.
I skimmed the last 20% of the book. As much as I liked the story's MMO, I really wish I had given up on it sooner.
April 4, 2017
Multiplayer by John C. Brewer is a pretty standard adventure novel with a twist... much of the action takes place in a video game. It would be a good book for a mid-teen male reader, but came off a little young for me. I won this book as a giveaway on Goodreads.
**** Spoilers Below ***
The book is based around the life of a young man who has just lost his father to the war in Afghanistan and is quite bitter about it. The young man in question experiences some growth in the book, but in painting the original character, Brewer spends (in my opinion) too much time repeating how the boy cannot like anyone from the middle east because of his father. While he was trying to show what was going on inside the mind of the boy, it came off as repetitive; especially as the boys behavior was already driving the point home.
The epilogue of the book (which sets-up this book as the first of a series), is a little difficult to believe. It does, however make me wonder if the later books might grow into an adventure series on the lines of James Rollins.
**** Spoilers Below ***
The book is based around the life of a young man who has just lost his father to the war in Afghanistan and is quite bitter about it. The young man in question experiences some growth in the book, but in painting the original character, Brewer spends (in my opinion) too much time repeating how the boy cannot like anyone from the middle east because of his father. While he was trying to show what was going on inside the mind of the boy, it came off as repetitive; especially as the boys behavior was already driving the point home.
The epilogue of the book (which sets-up this book as the first of a series), is a little difficult to believe. It does, however make me wonder if the later books might grow into an adventure series on the lines of James Rollins.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2012
John C. Brewer’s Multiplayer immerses the reader into the life of Hector West, a teen struggling to deal with his father’s death in Iraq, and into the online video game world of Omega Wars where Hector retreats. This book is fast paced, dealing equally with the trials of being a teen in our modern society, prejudices that are both understandable and abhorrent, and learning to be responsible for yourself and the world around you. I am a nut for well-crafted characters and the primary characters in this novel come alive – they are real. But the most intriguing part of this book is how seamlessly the author moves the reader in an out of the online video game world. Both worlds are coherent and completely accepted by the reader. This is the kind of book I wish they’d use in schools rather than ones that turn kids off of reading. An excellent read for anyone from age 12 to 92. I am waiting for the next in the series.
May 1, 2013
I love playing video games, so it was fun entering a video game world. I liked the gaming lingo sprinkled throughout. I don't play MMOs so a few were unfamiliar. So looking up their meaning was educational and good for future online gaming use.
One of the plots of this novel is Hector coming to terms with his father's death and moving on. However, his hatred of the Middle East, while to a point understandable, was overdone. His repetitious, adamant statements of hate-filled prejudice dragged on for 3/4 of the book. He was unreasonable. Had his father been murdered in the streets of the USA, would he have hated every American? I doubt it. I wish he would have grown as a character sooner. It just showed the depth of his immaturity and ignorance.
Yet it's not to say that Hector is a bad kid. He shows that deep down he has a good heart - by discussing what plans he had before his dad died, by displaying guilt (albeit briefly) after he did or said things he knew were actually wrong. Also in how he responded when his first impressions of the other characters in his class proved wrong. He befriended them, realizing they were so much more than his perceived stereotype. He's just blinded by hate and heartache, so it took him a long time to get there. Maybe too long...
In this regard, he came across kind of young, especially when he stuck his tongue out at his sister, or when his mother kissed his forehead and cleaned his wounds. He also wasn't very bright for all his second-hand military knowledge. I put the puzzle pieces together long before he did.
There were some spelling errors, and at times, overuse of the word "pwn." The writing was not as descriptive as it could have been. Most of it was surface description, weapon and tech babble. Yet the locale of the story was different and interesting. There were bits of suspense and intrigue, in the real world as well as the world of Omega Wars. In addition to the main plot, the book highlighted math's importance and usefulness quite frequently, so that it seemed like a subplot. The climax (especially one of the villains) as well as the actual ending was very Hollywood and quite ridiculous.
Yet Multiplayer, despite its flaws, was a fun read.
I received a free copy from the author for a fair and honest review.
One of the plots of this novel is Hector coming to terms with his father's death and moving on. However, his hatred of the Middle East, while to a point understandable, was overdone. His repetitious, adamant statements of hate-filled prejudice dragged on for 3/4 of the book. He was unreasonable. Had his father been murdered in the streets of the USA, would he have hated every American? I doubt it. I wish he would have grown as a character sooner. It just showed the depth of his immaturity and ignorance.
Yet it's not to say that Hector is a bad kid. He shows that deep down he has a good heart - by discussing what plans he had before his dad died, by displaying guilt (albeit briefly) after he did or said things he knew were actually wrong. Also in how he responded when his first impressions of the other characters in his class proved wrong. He befriended them, realizing they were so much more than his perceived stereotype. He's just blinded by hate and heartache, so it took him a long time to get there. Maybe too long...
In this regard, he came across kind of young, especially when he stuck his tongue out at his sister, or when his mother kissed his forehead and cleaned his wounds. He also wasn't very bright for all his second-hand military knowledge. I put the puzzle pieces together long before he did.
There were some spelling errors, and at times, overuse of the word "pwn." The writing was not as descriptive as it could have been. Most of it was surface description, weapon and tech babble. Yet the locale of the story was different and interesting. There were bits of suspense and intrigue, in the real world as well as the world of Omega Wars. In addition to the main plot, the book highlighted math's importance and usefulness quite frequently, so that it seemed like a subplot. The climax (especially one of the villains) as well as the actual ending was very Hollywood and quite ridiculous.
Yet Multiplayer, despite its flaws, was a fun read.
I received a free copy from the author for a fair and honest review.
Want to read
December 11, 2013I want to read this because I am a gamer and this is the only book about gamers that sounds interesting. Plus the whole Spartan thing reminds me of Halo. I get a Call of Duty/Halo/Mass Effect/Starhawk/Resistance/Assassin's Creed mashup vibe from this book's synopsis about its game world. Hopefully this will be a smooth read and that I can read it.
February 18, 2014
i actually give this 3.5 stars
It had a very interesting view of obsession with video games and delving into media to escape real problems in your life. A few predictable twists at the end, especially about a well known terrorist haha.
Way to many grammar mistakes for a novel, one is to many to begin with, get a better editor!
But over all a good read
It had a very interesting view of obsession with video games and delving into media to escape real problems in your life. A few predictable twists at the end, especially about a well known terrorist haha.
Way to many grammar mistakes for a novel, one is to many to begin with, get a better editor!
But over all a good read
September 28, 2013
This book was great from start to finish. A page burner that didn't disappoint.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews