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Voluntary Eradicators #1
Endgame
Volera Magray is a Player: she engages with the tourists who come to play the VR games for which her district is so famous. She makes her living being pitted against other Players in terrifyingly real virtual reality games, fought for the gratification of a hedonistic audience.
Fighting is all she knows.
By day, she is a normal denizen of the oppressive Regency, but by night, she is wracked by terrible nightmares that hint at a past she can no longer remember. She suspects she might have killed someone—and she's afraid that she might do it again.
At the same time, the games she's playing are growing steadily more violent. Someone is hacking into the system and creating bootlegged games. Dangerous games. Deadly games. Games that tell a story of profound corruption and massive-scale government conspiracies, warping the lines between fact and fiction.
The only clue she has comes in the form of an exceedingly frustrating and potentially dangerous man named Catan Vareth. But, like everything else in her world, his help will cost her...
Cover design by Louisa.
Fighting is all she knows.
By day, she is a normal denizen of the oppressive Regency, but by night, she is wracked by terrible nightmares that hint at a past she can no longer remember. She suspects she might have killed someone—and she's afraid that she might do it again.
At the same time, the games she's playing are growing steadily more violent. Someone is hacking into the system and creating bootlegged games. Dangerous games. Deadly games. Games that tell a story of profound corruption and massive-scale government conspiracies, warping the lines between fact and fiction.
The only clue she has comes in the form of an exceedingly frustrating and potentially dangerous man named Catan Vareth. But, like everything else in her world, his help will cost her...
Cover design by Louisa.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2012
9 people are currently reading
699 people want to read
About the author
Nenia Campbell
60 books20.8k followersNenia Campbell is a dark romance author who lives in San Francisco, California. When she's not writing, or reading, she can be found roaming the city or curled up with her void cat. She collects romance novels older than she is and loves a villain with flair.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 62 reviews
August 6, 2016
3.5 stars
For a good while now, I have been following GR author, Nenia Campbell, around the site (and yes in a bit stalk-ish way, lol!) because of her honest, democratic, much insightful reviews and I have always been curious about the books she wrote. It turned out I did have a good reason to be curious. She is undoubtedly a talented writer.
This is my first time reading a novel about a protagonist who does gaming for a living. She actually gets paid to play games! How awesome is that?! Not as awesome as I thought though because the games, though via virtual simulations have the tendencies to become so dangerous, they could inflict real pain, wounds and worse, death upon the gamers. (Thank you, plain ol’ office job.^^) What makes things worse is that our heroine, Volera or simply Vol has lost a huge chunk of her memories but what makes things even “worse-r” than worse, Evil Superman lookalike (Brandon Routh version) called Catan, keeps stalking her even inside the sims. (Why so lucky, Vol?^^)
The world building although both a bit too much (because of information overload about the worlds and their names that are difficult to pronounce) and somehow also a little insufficient (because of the limited background introduction) is still creative and the plot is something unexpected. It may have hurt and confused my head more than once and the conclusion was certainly mindboggling but in a good way.
Recommended for anyone looking for a short, unique and intriguing dystopian novel.
Thanks to Kat’s awesome review that further motivated me to read the book.^^
September 2, 2015
Every once in a while, I wake up and have to puzzle out whether the events that just transpired in my head were memory or dream. On occasion, a dream is so vivid, so real, that it seems wholly probable that it actually happened. For me, these dreams tend to be of a mundane nature—a meeting at work, spending time with a friend, masticating a kumquat. So trivial are these types of dreams that I don’t even need to spend time dwelling on whether they actually happened or not—it’s not that important, really.
Of course, I’ve never dreamed that I went on a genocidal killing spree.
Unfortunately for Volera, our heroine in Endgame, she not only has to confront that dream, but the frightening possibility that it’s far more than just the vivid imaginings of a sleeping brain. Set in a dystopian environment where professional game players help non-pros navigate a series of harsh virtual scenarios, Endgame is a quick read that manages to pack more action and revelation into the final 20 pages than happens in the rest of the book.
And, aye, there’s the rub, as our old friend the Danish prince once said. Campbell is clearly a talented storyteller with a head full of intriguing ideas that are clamoring to get out of her mind palace and frolic across the page. There are intriguing nuggets of story all over the place—the way the virtual gaming world works, the mysterious backstory, the increasingly terrifying truths that are hinted at—all of which propel the reader forward.
Unfortunately, there’s a disconcerting disconnect between the parts where I wanted more detail—more about the world and the characteristics of its people, more about where these games fit into the social hierarchy, more about the supporting characters (or even the major characters)—and the parts where detail comes in such a confusing rush that it’s hard to figure out what’s going on, even though it seems like it’s intriguing stuff (case in point: the aforementioned 20 pages).
I also didn’t feel overly invested in Vol or her tormentor/man candy/savior Catan, and I tend to struggle a bit when I’m reading something where I don’t really connect with the characters. That might be more of a personal thing, though—just because I didn’t fall in love with these characters doesn’t mean others will feel the same (I mean, I like Egon more than I like Venkman, so what does that say about me?).
I don’t think I’ll continue with this series, but I’d certainly be open to reading more of Campbell’s work. Whether you connect with the characters or find the pacing of the story to your liking, dear readers…well, that’s for you to decide. As for me, I have kumquats that need masticating. (Or did I just dream that…?)
(Thanks to the fabulous Jessasaurus Rexerrific for the buddy read! This was inspired by Karlington's Authors Who Rock idea and by Jess's indie August.)
Of course, I’ve never dreamed that I went on a genocidal killing spree.
Unfortunately for Volera, our heroine in Endgame, she not only has to confront that dream, but the frightening possibility that it’s far more than just the vivid imaginings of a sleeping brain. Set in a dystopian environment where professional game players help non-pros navigate a series of harsh virtual scenarios, Endgame is a quick read that manages to pack more action and revelation into the final 20 pages than happens in the rest of the book.
And, aye, there’s the rub, as our old friend the Danish prince once said. Campbell is clearly a talented storyteller with a head full of intriguing ideas that are clamoring to get out of her mind palace and frolic across the page. There are intriguing nuggets of story all over the place—the way the virtual gaming world works, the mysterious backstory, the increasingly terrifying truths that are hinted at—all of which propel the reader forward.
Unfortunately, there’s a disconcerting disconnect between the parts where I wanted more detail—more about the world and the characteristics of its people, more about where these games fit into the social hierarchy, more about the supporting characters (or even the major characters)—and the parts where detail comes in such a confusing rush that it’s hard to figure out what’s going on, even though it seems like it’s intriguing stuff (case in point: the aforementioned 20 pages).
I also didn’t feel overly invested in Vol or her tormentor/man candy/savior Catan, and I tend to struggle a bit when I’m reading something where I don’t really connect with the characters. That might be more of a personal thing, though—just because I didn’t fall in love with these characters doesn’t mean others will feel the same (I mean, I like Egon more than I like Venkman, so what does that say about me?).
I don’t think I’ll continue with this series, but I’d certainly be open to reading more of Campbell’s work. Whether you connect with the characters or find the pacing of the story to your liking, dear readers…well, that’s for you to decide. As for me, I have kumquats that need masticating. (Or did I just dream that…?)
(Thanks to the fabulous Jessasaurus Rexerrific for the buddy read! This was inspired by Karlington's Authors Who Rock idea and by Jess's indie August.)
August 26, 2015
Karly's Authors Who Rock Challenge
Full disclosure: Yes, I am friends with Nenia Campbell here on Goodreads and no, that isn’t going to affect my review of this story in any way. If you think it would (or should) back away…. back away VERY quickly.
3.5 Stars
Endgame read quite a bit like a dystopian Rapunzel re-telling to me - now I think this may just be a me thing, I do not think Campbell had that comparison in mind whilst writing it. I could not help but notice similarities between that classic tale and this here story, though. Our MC is a girl named Volera (with the, much to my amusement, nickname ‘Vol’) who lives in the Tower and she basically has what I would call past-life amnesia. And a ‘prince’ rides in tosave her from a wicked witch, okay no there is no ‘wicked witch’ (unless you are feeling particularly unkind to Kira) and the very confusing male lead exudes more stalker and bestial traits than princely ones…
“I'm saying that I'm only as evil as you make me, darling.”
He’s really a very sexy bastard, this guy, for which he has reasons. And Vol has her own reasons believing her ‘saviour’ is out to get her, and may even be her curse more than anything. Game mods that make no sense, his presence whenever mishaps occur within game, etc.
“That isn't being cruel.” His hand shoots out and grabs her before she can pull away. “This is.” And with a sharp tug, she's on the bed beside him,and he pushes her back against the mattress and brushes his lips against hers so lightly that it's hardly a kiss at all before hissing into her ear, “You come here, in the middle of the night, expecting me to be awake. And you ask me — no, demand — to give you things that belong to me as much as they belong to you.”
Vol remembers nothing of her life prior to being a Player in the virtual reality games she now makes her meager coin at. (Now I know what you’re thinking: ‘playing games for a living? How the hell is that a dystopia?’ and you would be right, at the outset I had a hard time thinking this would be anything but awesome.) However, Vol’s situation is a bit more slave-driver than funtimes and as we travel through her games and her dreams we learn that there is A LOT going on in her head that shouldn’t be.
This is a really absorbing and fun story, I will definitely be checking out the next in this series. A marked improvement over my lackluster feelings when reading Campbell’s Bound to Accept last year. However there are SEVERAL notable editing and grammatical errors within this story and the ending, while good and illuminating, at times veered into massive info-dump territory.
Category: A Book Written by an Author Under 30
Full disclosure: Yes, I am friends with Nenia Campbell here on Goodreads and no, that isn’t going to affect my review of this story in any way. If you think it would (or should) back away…. back away VERY quickly.
3.5 Stars
Endgame read quite a bit like a dystopian Rapunzel re-telling to me - now I think this may just be a me thing, I do not think Campbell had that comparison in mind whilst writing it. I could not help but notice similarities between that classic tale and this here story, though. Our MC is a girl named Volera (with the, much to my amusement, nickname ‘Vol’) who lives in the Tower and she basically has what I would call past-life amnesia. And a ‘prince’ rides in to
“I'm saying that I'm only as evil as you make me, darling.”
He’s really a very sexy bastard, this guy, for which he has reasons. And Vol has her own reasons believing her ‘saviour’ is out to get her, and may even be her curse more than anything. Game mods that make no sense, his presence whenever mishaps occur within game, etc.
“That isn't being cruel.” His hand shoots out and grabs her before she can pull away. “This is.” And with a sharp tug, she's on the bed beside him,and he pushes her back against the mattress and brushes his lips against hers so lightly that it's hardly a kiss at all before hissing into her ear, “You come here, in the middle of the night, expecting me to be awake. And you ask me — no, demand — to give you things that belong to me as much as they belong to you.”
Vol remembers nothing of her life prior to being a Player in the virtual reality games she now makes her meager coin at. (Now I know what you’re thinking: ‘playing games for a living? How the hell is that a dystopia?’ and you would be right, at the outset I had a hard time thinking this would be anything but awesome.) However, Vol’s situation is a bit more slave-driver than funtimes and as we travel through her games and her dreams we learn that there is A LOT going on in her head that shouldn’t be.
This is a really absorbing and fun story, I will definitely be checking out the next in this series. A marked improvement over my lackluster feelings when reading Campbell’s Bound to Accept last year. However there are SEVERAL notable editing and grammatical errors within this story and the ending, while good and illuminating, at times veered into massive info-dump territory.
Category: A Book Written by an Author Under 30
September 2, 2015
I have been sitting on this for a few days, trying to sort out my feelings and I'm still a big ball of I don’t know what the hell just happened?
This story focuses on Volera, a young woman who is living in a dystopian world and is paid to play this world's version of video games. These games are fully immersive and interactive and you are connected to electrodes and all sorts of weird other things while you play. Sounds like a dream, right? Well why does Vol keep blacking out? Who is the mysterious new Moderator of play and why does he seem so interested in her? What is going on?
Does anyone remember the movie Existenz? That is the vibe I got from this book from the very beginning.
First things first, I have had this book on my to-read list for ages, and although I was doing my Indie August Challenge, this book completely slipped my mind and I jumped into Fearscape as my pick of Nenia's for this challenge. But when Seanilicious added this and I realized I could fit another book into my challenge, I did exactly that. But I am sad to say that unlike my love of Fearscape (and Gavin, especially Gavin) this was not a hit for me.
Let's make a shit sandwich shall we?
The bottom slice of bread:
Catan. Oh Catan! Yep. I'll have one of him please. Nenia, you write such wonderfully mysterious, dick-ish and yet loveable male leads.
Vol and Catan's interactions were often hilarious and had me laughing out loud. Vol's wit is fantastic and she uses it to her advantage.
The filling of the sandwich:
This had many spelling, grammar and editing errors that slipped through the cracks. I can let some slide, but these were numerous enough to annoy me.
I found that the beginnings of the game play sequences were a little long winded. Sure, when playing a game you will be taking a look around and checking out your surroundings, but most of the time I thought the descriptions were a little excessive.
There was also a bit of... what I will call Maze Runner-itis. There were several words that were used to describe characters without us having anything to reference them against. It's all well and good to say things about a Selmerian character, but what does a Selmerian look like, and what traits does a Meridian have that a Bastani does not? I had trouble actually picturing the characters in my head because of this.
The top slice of bread:
Nenia is an excellent writer of tension. The foreboding feeling of this really gave me a sense of urgency to get to the end to figure out what was happening. It kept me turning the pages and engaged.
BUT – That ending. Nope. Nope. Nope. Information overload. Too much, too late. Nope. Did not enjoy. It didn't feel finished.
Overall, this was interesting and engaging but it had its flaws. I won’t be continuing this series, I’ll stick to the Horrorscape series instead, because that is much more my style.
3 break-my-heart-Catan Stars
Thanks for the buddy read Seanilicious A.K.A The Wizard Of Schnoz!
I’m friends with Nenia on Goodreads, this has in no way affected my rating.
This story focuses on Volera, a young woman who is living in a dystopian world and is paid to play this world's version of video games. These games are fully immersive and interactive and you are connected to electrodes and all sorts of weird other things while you play. Sounds like a dream, right? Well why does Vol keep blacking out? Who is the mysterious new Moderator of play and why does he seem so interested in her? What is going on?
Does anyone remember the movie Existenz? That is the vibe I got from this book from the very beginning.
First things first, I have had this book on my to-read list for ages, and although I was doing my Indie August Challenge, this book completely slipped my mind and I jumped into Fearscape as my pick of Nenia's for this challenge. But when Seanilicious added this and I realized I could fit another book into my challenge, I did exactly that. But I am sad to say that unlike my love of Fearscape (and Gavin, especially Gavin) this was not a hit for me.
Let's make a shit sandwich shall we?
The bottom slice of bread:
Catan. Oh Catan! Yep. I'll have one of him please. Nenia, you write such wonderfully mysterious, dick-ish and yet loveable male leads.
"Since you are so intent on not engaging me in our world, I'm going to pursue you in yours."
Vol and Catan's interactions were often hilarious and had me laughing out loud. Vol's wit is fantastic and she uses it to her advantage.
"You wouldn't say that if you knew who I am"
"Trust me, I've seen an asshole before."
The filling of the sandwich:
This had many spelling, grammar and editing errors that slipped through the cracks. I can let some slide, but these were numerous enough to annoy me.
I found that the beginnings of the game play sequences were a little long winded. Sure, when playing a game you will be taking a look around and checking out your surroundings, but most of the time I thought the descriptions were a little excessive.
There was also a bit of... what I will call Maze Runner-itis. There were several words that were used to describe characters without us having anything to reference them against. It's all well and good to say things about a Selmerian character, but what does a Selmerian look like, and what traits does a Meridian have that a Bastani does not? I had trouble actually picturing the characters in my head because of this.
The top slice of bread:
Nenia is an excellent writer of tension. The foreboding feeling of this really gave me a sense of urgency to get to the end to figure out what was happening. It kept me turning the pages and engaged.
BUT – That ending. Nope. Nope. Nope. Information overload. Too much, too late. Nope. Did not enjoy. It didn't feel finished.
Overall, this was interesting and engaging but it had its flaws. I won’t be continuing this series, I’ll stick to the Horrorscape series instead, because that is much more my style.
3 break-my-heart-Catan Stars
"I'm giving you until I finish my drink to change your mind."
"And then?"
"We see if your heart can stand to be broken a little more."
Thanks for the buddy read Seanilicious A.K.A The Wizard Of Schnoz!
I’m friends with Nenia on Goodreads, this has in no way affected my rating.
December 27, 2015
“That's life. Life is the ultimate game, and its rules were made to be broken”
Wow! The plot was very different and unique for me. I've never read a book in which a character plays games and gets paid for it.And as cool as that sounds,the games were pretty dangerous. Vol lived in a dystopian world where the games were much more interesting and the players could feel everything when they are playing the game . As if these dangerous games weren't enough,Vol also didn't remember her past and had nightmares in which she used to get flashbacks of her life which she had forgotten.
The story started off in a very interesting way.I liked Vol's character from the beginning;she was strong and had an amazing personality.The games kept getting more violent and dangerous,with that Vol was getting more curious about her past which she couldn't remember.There was also a love interest,and even though it wasn't the main part of the story,I really enjoyed it. I was intrigued by Catan's character since the first time he appeared.Not only he was a stalker and had that creepy look all the time,he also knew something about Vol's past. It's my second book by Nenia Campbell,and I love her books for having strong characters and mysterious plot.I truly enjoyed this book.And apart from the games,it also had a lot of information about the world and how it worked.It was a short read and I loved it!
It wasn't until the end that I realized it is a series! The last few chapters were the best part of the book,and now I can't wait to read the next book after that Cliffhanger!
Wow! The plot was very different and unique for me. I've never read a book in which a character plays games and gets paid for it.And as cool as that sounds,the games were pretty dangerous. Vol lived in a dystopian world where the games were much more interesting and the players could feel everything when they are playing the game . As if these dangerous games weren't enough,Vol also didn't remember her past and had nightmares in which she used to get flashbacks of her life which she had forgotten.
The story started off in a very interesting way.I liked Vol's character from the beginning;she was strong and had an amazing personality.The games kept getting more violent and dangerous,with that Vol was getting more curious about her past which she couldn't remember.There was also a love interest,and even though it wasn't the main part of the story,I really enjoyed it. I was intrigued by Catan's character since the first time he appeared.Not only he was a stalker and had that creepy look all the time,he also knew something about Vol's past. It's my second book by Nenia Campbell,and I love her books for having strong characters and mysterious plot.I truly enjoyed this book.And apart from the games,it also had a lot of information about the world and how it worked.It was a short read and I loved it!
It wasn't until the end that I realized it is a series! The last few chapters were the best part of the book,and now I can't wait to read the next book after that Cliffhanger!
January 23, 2013
Umm, I think I may be suffering from cliffhanger shock.
Because there is no way that is the end of this book.
I mean *hyperventilating* who would end a book like that?!
Who would TORTURE their readers in such a way?!
Nenia. Of course. :D
Taking readers on a mental - and emotional - adventure, with enough kick-ass-ery to make a COD (Call of Duty) fan happy, Nenia Campbell has created a world unlike any other. With more twists than Inception (i.e. ALOT) Vol's story will make you laugh, wince, tear up and fan yourself repeatedly (Catan is one serious rogue, ladies!). It will resonate with you. It will have you wanting more.
It will have you trapped in a deviant game of your own making as you struggle to tell the difference between sanity and insanity, bravery and stupidity, right and wrong and real and not real.
This book made me wish that people like Nenia were in charge of running the world.
Can you imagine getting to 'physically' be inside a game? Mario Kart would be wicked. I would be blue-bombing the shit out of everyone and breaking the speed limit three times over!!
But I'm becoming silly. And hyped up. So moving on...
Another perk of this book: Nenia is not stingy with her vocab!
Because, everyone, the English language is a beautiful, beautiful thing. Use it. Stop using 'like', 'whatever' and 'YOLO'.
Use words like 'moniker'.
Do you know what that word means?
It means: 'a name'
That's right.
I know. I'm speechless too.
Nenia is a vocab goddess.
She makes me want to pursue a career in professional gaming.
So use 'moniker' in a sentence today: BOOKNUT CHALLENGE!!
(Just not at the table. During meals. In case someone chokes. And dies.)
Conclusion to my errant rambling: Please read mentioned book ^ (a.k.a 'Endgame' by Nenia Campbell) because it is awesome, you will like it and if you don't like it for the plot, heroine or vocab, just read it for Catan. :D
Because there is no way that is the end of this book.
I mean *hyperventilating* who would end a book like that?!
Who would TORTURE their readers in such a way?!
Nenia. Of course. :D
Taking readers on a mental - and emotional - adventure, with enough kick-ass-ery to make a COD (Call of Duty) fan happy, Nenia Campbell has created a world unlike any other. With more twists than Inception (i.e. ALOT) Vol's story will make you laugh, wince, tear up and fan yourself repeatedly (Catan is one serious rogue, ladies!). It will resonate with you. It will have you wanting more.
It will have you trapped in a deviant game of your own making as you struggle to tell the difference between sanity and insanity, bravery and stupidity, right and wrong and real and not real.
This book made me wish that people like Nenia were in charge of running the world.
Can you imagine getting to 'physically' be inside a game? Mario Kart would be wicked. I would be blue-bombing the shit out of everyone and breaking the speed limit three times over!!
But I'm becoming silly. And hyped up. So moving on...
Another perk of this book: Nenia is not stingy with her vocab!
Because, everyone, the English language is a beautiful, beautiful thing. Use it. Stop using 'like', 'whatever' and 'YOLO'.
Use words like 'moniker'.
Do you know what that word means?
It means: 'a name'
That's right.
I know. I'm speechless too.
Nenia is a vocab goddess.
She makes me want to pursue a career in professional gaming.
So use 'moniker' in a sentence today: BOOKNUT CHALLENGE!!
(Just not at the table. During meals. In case someone chokes. And dies.)
Conclusion to my errant rambling: Please read mentioned book ^ (a.k.a 'Endgame' by Nenia Campbell) because it is awesome, you will like it and if you don't like it for the plot, heroine or vocab, just read it for Catan. :D
November 18, 2012
(I'm literally breathless now. It's all your fault, Nens. See what I did here?)
I have never been so proud and humbled of a graphic/cover I made in my life (yes, I am responsible for the eerie futuristic eye!). It in no way rises to the level of awesome of the actual book. I have also never wanted to never play any kind of virtual reality game this much EVER. I am the furthest thing from a gamer--my immediate family is made up of solely females, besides my dad, and video games are something I just watch my best guy friends battle each other at. Let's just say I didn't need gaming experience to picture anything. Insert freaked shudder.
Endgame is both almost clinical and chilling in its telling of Volera's so-called double life as a Player of VR games and a girl who loses whole blocks of time to fugue states. The world-building is a little sparse at points, but lush. Nens integrates both the VR and real life settings extremely well. The simulated forest game reminded me a little of The Hunger Games, actually, as did the omnipotent Regent.
Nothing is ever in your face. You just kind of read along and suddenly, bam! You wonder how Vol isn't catatonic in a ball in a corner. I will admit to having sped through the past 60 pages or so in a breathless haze, alternately cringing and weeping a little inside.
The pacing fit the overall plot--very action-y, yet allowing us to understand Volera's fears and thoughts. One particular line made me think she would've been a hilarious heroine if it wasn't for her issues:
Nens, why you gotta be so dirtayyy? <3
Oh, and Catan. CATAN. Yo, Nens, if you turn him into another GM I will kick you in the butt. I WILL!
I guess I've extolled enough virtues. I will stop before I forget to take a shower and become a smelly cat lady. But in case you're wondering if my friendship with the author somehow biased me: it didn't. It might not be a book for everyone, but it surely is a book worthy of non-self-publication.
(I'm expecting the ARC of the sequel tomorrow! :D)
I have never been so proud and humbled of a graphic/cover I made in my life (yes, I am responsible for the eerie futuristic eye!). It in no way rises to the level of awesome of the actual book. I have also never wanted to never play any kind of virtual reality game this much EVER. I am the furthest thing from a gamer--my immediate family is made up of solely females, besides my dad, and video games are something I just watch my best guy friends battle each other at. Let's just say I didn't need gaming experience to picture anything. Insert freaked shudder.
Endgame is both almost clinical and chilling in its telling of Volera's so-called double life as a Player of VR games and a girl who loses whole blocks of time to fugue states. The world-building is a little sparse at points, but lush. Nens integrates both the VR and real life settings extremely well. The simulated forest game reminded me a little of The Hunger Games, actually, as did the omnipotent Regent.
Nothing is ever in your face. You just kind of read along and suddenly, bam! You wonder how Vol isn't catatonic in a ball in a corner. I will admit to having sped through the past 60 pages or so in a breathless haze, alternately cringing and weeping a little inside.
The pacing fit the overall plot--very action-y, yet allowing us to understand Volera's fears and thoughts. One particular line made me think she would've been a hilarious heroine if it wasn't for her issues:
Several of the women are eying him with undisguised interest, and a few are even adjusting their clothing so that their features are displayed to their best advantage.
Breast advantage, Vol thinks, and giggles.
Nens, why you gotta be so dirtayyy? <3
Oh, and Catan. CATAN. Yo, Nens, if you turn him into another GM I will kick you in the butt. I WILL!
I guess I've extolled enough virtues. I will stop before I forget to take a shower and become a smelly cat lady. But in case you're wondering if my friendship with the author somehow biased me: it didn't. It might not be a book for everyone, but it surely is a book worthy of non-self-publication.
(I'm expecting the ARC of the sequel tomorrow! :D)
August 4, 2015
This is a tough book to rate.
Although I appreciate being flung into a world with no infodumping, I wish there had been more info dispersed throughout the beginning, instead of a big block of it at the end. However, I wasn't confused about anything, really, and was just happy to go along, figuring things out on the way. Though the cliffhanger was a good one, well done, the book fell apart for me a little at the end.
The world/setting was interesting, but I wish there had been more descriptions of the city or buildings or something. I did like this:
But I wanted more of that!
As for the romance, most of the time I didn't care for how Catan treated Volera, though admittedly he's practically a prince compared to some of the other men Campbell has written.
I actually enjoyed this, though. The writing was really good, almost on par with Wishing Stars, which I think is Campbell's best-written work. Third person present just might be more tolerable than first person present. Hard to say.
I think I'll settle on 3.5 stars. I do want to see where the series goes. Mostly because of this:
I don't know why, but that sounds hot, especially when a sexy guy with "resinous gold" skin and "silvery black" hair and a "hawkish" face is wearing it. Yeah. I guess I'm shallow. Whatever.
Although I appreciate being flung into a world with no infodumping, I wish there had been more info dispersed throughout the beginning, instead of a big block of it at the end. However, I wasn't confused about anything, really, and was just happy to go along, figuring things out on the way. Though the cliffhanger was a good one, well done, the book fell apart for me a little at the end.
The world/setting was interesting, but I wish there had been more descriptions of the city or buildings or something. I did like this:
Once her eyes adjust she catches glimpses of the black velvet sky peeking through the blinding glare—starless, of course, and singed with browns and oranges. It gets her every single time.
But I wanted more of that!
As for the romance, most of the time I didn't care for how Catan treated Volera, though admittedly he's practically a prince compared to some of the other men Campbell has written.
I actually enjoyed this, though. The writing was really good, almost on par with Wishing Stars, which I think is Campbell's best-written work. Third person present just might be more tolerable than first person present. Hard to say.
I think I'll settle on 3.5 stars. I do want to see where the series goes. Mostly because of this:
He looks absolute terrifying—black leather, a cybernetic eye, and some kind of gas mask.
I don't know why, but that sounds hot, especially when a sexy guy with "resinous gold" skin and "silvery black" hair and a "hawkish" face is wearing it. Yeah. I guess I'm shallow. Whatever.
July 24, 2013
Volera is a Player; she helps provide entertainment for the virtual reality games that are hugely popular. But she can't remember her past, and strange occurrences, nightmares, and blackouts make her think that a particular guy has an unhealthy interest in her.
Trying to define my feelings towards this book is tough. The first half is so dense, so confusing, so slow. It really is pure world-building. I'll admit, more than once I grew frustrated at this book. "I want to like you!" I would yell at it. "Why are you being so confusing to me?! Why can't you just give some answers?!"
But this book reminds me of "Dune" in that regard: you're reading it and wondering, "WTF is going on?!" When suddenly, the clouds part and it JUST MAKES SENSE. It takes a long time, but when you get to that point, the light bulb turns on and the book pages fly by.
And that is my experience with this book. I got past that 50% mark and suddenly, I got it. I got the characters. I got the story. Even the cultures and society which had been a stumbling block were making sense. That is what picked this up from a 3 star to a 4 star.
This book won't be for everyone, but if you like cyber punk and don't want drippy heroines, this is your book.
Trying to define my feelings towards this book is tough. The first half is so dense, so confusing, so slow. It really is pure world-building. I'll admit, more than once I grew frustrated at this book. "I want to like you!" I would yell at it. "Why are you being so confusing to me?! Why can't you just give some answers?!"
But this book reminds me of "Dune" in that regard: you're reading it and wondering, "WTF is going on?!" When suddenly, the clouds part and it JUST MAKES SENSE. It takes a long time, but when you get to that point, the light bulb turns on and the book pages fly by.
And that is my experience with this book. I got past that 50% mark and suddenly, I got it. I got the characters. I got the story. Even the cultures and society which had been a stumbling block were making sense. That is what picked this up from a 3 star to a 4 star.
This book won't be for everyone, but if you like cyber punk and don't want drippy heroines, this is your book.
downloaded-freebie
July 29, 2016***Special thanks to the author for offering this book for free to her fans on Valentines Day 2014!***
October 6, 2013
Imagine a distant future...
a dystopian world...
a city that never sleeps...
That's Volera Magray aka Vol world.
She is a Player. She plays VR games against other players. Games that are increasingly getting more realistic, where she have to fight for her life.
Vol lives for game after game, it all she does, the only life she knows! She doesn't have any recall of her past before she reached the city.
That means no family, no friends, not a place to call home.
She only knows her district was obliterated by the regime and is plagued by haunting dreams, that seem more like distant memories...
"Each morning she wakes feeling as if her life's story is but a word on the tip of the tongue, capable of being recalled at any given moment.
Each morning, she awakes disappointed "
Meanwhile the game are getting more brutal and those new games are from unknown source, someone is hacking the system...and the danger behind it keeps increasing in each new game.
And then Catan Vareth enters in Vol's life...
She is not certain where to look.
He has the sinful mouth and deadly eyes of a cobra, magnetic, repellent, and beautiful.
When his teeth close down lightly on his full lower lip, Vol flushes as if she has just caught him pleasuring himself.
He is infuriating, dominant and think he can own everyone. But still Vol can't explain the pull she feels towards him or why he feels so familiar.
The line between reality and fiction will become even more blurry... games become deadlier...Who is behind it all?
********
THIS IS THE BEST!!!!
I can't praise Nenia Campbell enough!
Damn,she can write! I caught myself highlighting really big chunks of text.
I must admit, that I was never a gamer but I was caught up in this world of VR games. And mixing it up, with sci-fi/dystopian elements? WIN,WIN,WIN!
I loved Vol! She is such a kick ass heroine but at the same time so vulnerable. She is trying to figure out who she is and at the same time afraid of what she may had done.
And Catan?
I freakin LOVE him!!
Huge crush you guys, HUGE!!
At first,I wanted to slap myself and say "Don't fall for the bastard" BUT through the whole story you get to know him and the way he is with Vol...and well, you'll love him!
"I remember something."
"Yes?"
"You told me once that you were going to break my heart."
He rolls over to face her, "Yes,"he says. "I may once have said something like that."
"What happened?"
His beautiful eyes are even more hypnotic up close.
"You broke mine."
SEE??
And can we talk of the sexual tension?
That glorious sexual tension?
That scorching hot chemistry?
Yep! *nods approvingly *
The end was a bit rushed and intense but I'm happy that will get a 2nd book! Hopefully we will get more answers and more input in the whole dystopian universe.
a dystopian world...
a city that never sleeps...
That's Volera Magray aka Vol world.
She is a Player. She plays VR games against other players. Games that are increasingly getting more realistic, where she have to fight for her life.
Vol lives for game after game, it all she does, the only life she knows! She doesn't have any recall of her past before she reached the city.
That means no family, no friends, not a place to call home.
She only knows her district was obliterated by the regime and is plagued by haunting dreams, that seem more like distant memories...
"Each morning she wakes feeling as if her life's story is but a word on the tip of the tongue, capable of being recalled at any given moment.
Each morning, she awakes disappointed "
Meanwhile the game are getting more brutal and those new games are from unknown source, someone is hacking the system...and the danger behind it keeps increasing in each new game.
And then Catan Vareth enters in Vol's life...
She is not certain where to look.
He has the sinful mouth and deadly eyes of a cobra, magnetic, repellent, and beautiful.
When his teeth close down lightly on his full lower lip, Vol flushes as if she has just caught him pleasuring himself.
He is infuriating, dominant and think he can own everyone. But still Vol can't explain the pull she feels towards him or why he feels so familiar.
The line between reality and fiction will become even more blurry... games become deadlier...Who is behind it all?
********
THIS IS THE BEST!!!!
I can't praise Nenia Campbell enough!
Damn,she can write! I caught myself highlighting really big chunks of text.
I must admit, that I was never a gamer but I was caught up in this world of VR games. And mixing it up, with sci-fi/dystopian elements? WIN,WIN,WIN!
I loved Vol! She is such a kick ass heroine but at the same time so vulnerable. She is trying to figure out who she is and at the same time afraid of what she may had done.
And Catan?
I freakin LOVE him!!
Huge crush you guys, HUGE!!
At first,I wanted to slap myself and say "Don't fall for the bastard" BUT through the whole story you get to know him and the way he is with Vol...and well, you'll love him!
"I remember something."
"Yes?"
"You told me once that you were going to break my heart."
He rolls over to face her, "Yes,"he says. "I may once have said something like that."
"What happened?"
His beautiful eyes are even more hypnotic up close.
"You broke mine."
SEE??
And can we talk of the sexual tension?
That glorious sexual tension?
That scorching hot chemistry?
Yep! *nods approvingly *
The end was a bit rushed and intense but I'm happy that will get a 2nd book! Hopefully we will get more answers and more input in the whole dystopian universe.
January 24, 2013
Maybe more like 3.25 Stars
Endgame was a crafty novel - we can literally see the author's mind turning, creating this hauntingly new futuristic world. The plot, at first, sounds like some sci-fi/dystopian novel we might have read before, maybe a movie we had watched? We have a heroine, her past shrouded in mystery, with a bloodthirsty edge to her battles in the virtual yet realistic games. A hero who seems to hold the key to said heroine's past but his own is an enigma. The bickering relationship with a hint of deja vu on the heroine's part (as we are inside her head mostly). Throw in a conspiracy making the games more dangerous than before and the only person she can go for answers is the aforementioned hero. Sounds cliche, right?
Nope.
If there is one thing Endgame is not, that is cliche. Refreshingly original with a gripping plot Endgame is a book that will keep you guessing. And you will probably be wrongas I was but in a completely good way.
Despite the cleverly disguised info-dump in the first few chapters I was confused for the majority of book about the world and the way it was supposed to work. I think it took me solid 40 pages to get 'into' the story - which given the length is almost a third of it but once I did - I. WAS. BLOWN. AWAY. Literally.
The premise - Holy SHIT - was so interesting I didn't even blink until I got to the end. The plot - alternating between real world and the VR games - was AhMaZiNg. I was still thrown off from time to time and my mental timeline for everything was kinda screwed up (*winks*) but I was totally sucked in. And the characters - Volera and Catan were definitely interesting and mysterious and the third person narration helped build this sort of separation of the reader from the person and trying to figure them out as we read the book. Needless to say - that really worked for me.
I did feel a few of the secondary characters were not that well defined and insta-friendship, though less painful than insta-luurrve, still grated on my nerves. Sometimes it felt the plot was moving too fast, sometimes too slow. I did enjoy the buildup of tension between Volera and Catan. The brownie points, though, go to the game scenes. The action scenes - Campbell definitely knew what she was doing. Apart from few wayward typos here and there I didn't have much problem with the overall writing in the book.
The ENDING though - That Was BEYOND WORDS. Just imagine me, sitting up on my bed, Kindle in hand, 3 AM in the morning (night?) chanting a slew of expletives that could still not explain the outbursts of emotions in me. Yeah, it was - THAT GOOD.
I am definitely keeping my eyes, ears, brain, Kindle, heart everything open for the sequel. I can't wait to see where this goes next.
Endgame was a crafty novel - we can literally see the author's mind turning, creating this hauntingly new futuristic world. The plot, at first, sounds like some sci-fi/dystopian novel we might have read before, maybe a movie we had watched? We have a heroine, her past shrouded in mystery, with a bloodthirsty edge to her battles in the virtual yet realistic games. A hero who seems to hold the key to said heroine's past but his own is an enigma. The bickering relationship with a hint of deja vu on the heroine's part (as we are inside her head mostly). Throw in a conspiracy making the games more dangerous than before and the only person she can go for answers is the aforementioned hero. Sounds cliche, right?
Nope.
If there is one thing Endgame is not, that is cliche. Refreshingly original with a gripping plot Endgame is a book that will keep you guessing. And you will probably be wrong
Despite the cleverly disguised info-dump in the first few chapters I was confused for the majority of book about the world and the way it was supposed to work. I think it took me solid 40 pages to get 'into' the story - which given the length is almost a third of it but once I did - I. WAS. BLOWN. AWAY. Literally.
The premise - Holy SHIT - was so interesting I didn't even blink until I got to the end. The plot - alternating between real world and the VR games - was AhMaZiNg. I was still thrown off from time to time and my mental timeline for everything was kinda screwed up (*winks*) but I was totally sucked in. And the characters - Volera and Catan were definitely interesting and mysterious and the third person narration helped build this sort of separation of the reader from the person and trying to figure them out as we read the book. Needless to say - that really worked for me.
I did feel a few of the secondary characters were not that well defined and insta-friendship, though less painful than insta-luurrve, still grated on my nerves. Sometimes it felt the plot was moving too fast, sometimes too slow. I did enjoy the buildup of tension between Volera and Catan. The brownie points, though, go to the game scenes. The action scenes - Campbell definitely knew what she was doing. Apart from few wayward typos here and there I didn't have much problem with the overall writing in the book.
The ENDING though - That Was BEYOND WORDS. Just imagine me, sitting up on my bed, Kindle in hand, 3 AM in the morning (night?) chanting a slew of expletives that could still not explain the outbursts of emotions in me. Yeah, it was - THAT GOOD.
I am definitely keeping my eyes, ears, brain, Kindle, heart everything open for the sequel. I can't wait to see where this goes next.
January 27, 2013
Honestly, I haven’t heard of this writer or seen one of her books in stores or even caught a feed from one of my GR friends who wanted to read her work. Then one day I decided to browse GR and saw a post to all readers written by Nenia Campbell. It touched me to say the least that someone would give acknowledgments to everyone who deserved it on GR. On a whim, I checked her profile and clicked around and found a few books I might read. It was almost heartbreaking to see that Campbell’s books were only available on Kindle. My ereader is an iPad. Because I was determined to read this book today, I borrowed a Kindle and bought the book. It was tough considering all my friends don’t read but I was determined. And when I’m determined nothing can stop me until I reach my goal.
“Everyone wishes that they could reinvent themselves at least once. In Karagh, all that — and more— is possible.”
Volera Magray lives in a world where people can travel into games. As such she makes her money by being the regular player who is pitted against someone. People travel to her district to experience this virtual reality. Up until then, Vol has never questioned her role. She fights and makes money, that’s it. The thing is she can’t remember her past. A shady and dangerous past that she’s afraid of. That’s not the only thing she’s afraid of these days. For one thing, there’s a stranger hacking into the games. Creating levels that never existed before. There’s a story that is untold and the answers lie with Catan.
I have to say that the plot was ingenious. It was creative, exceptional and enthralling - the three things that are rare in most books. Another thing I loved is the unusual name...Volera...spunky and beautiful...I LOVE IT!
And when I found out the whole mystery behind the name “Volera”, I thought -Campbell you’re a genius. I definitely did not see that.
There are few things I appreciate in life, good books and good music are at the very top of them. This is definitely a good book.
One thing I realized once I got to page twenty is that I was going to have to be more alert and take my time to read the book if I was going to grasp the concept of it. Albeit even still it was a bit difficult but I think that was more to the fact of the setting being unusual than the writer’a lack of elaboration. Even though I took my time reading this book, I felt it was too damn short. That is saying something because I despise books that are ongoing. I like to get to the ending quicker. But I found myself wanting to get lost in Volera’s world.
Endgame is simply riveting. I’m not a sci-fi sorta person but I think I’ve just become one thanks to Campbell.
The prose, the characters, the plot…..it was amazing. Simple freaking mind blowing!!!
That ending….I cannot wait to read the next book.
“Everyone wishes that they could reinvent themselves at least once. In Karagh, all that — and more— is possible.”
Volera Magray lives in a world where people can travel into games. As such she makes her money by being the regular player who is pitted against someone. People travel to her district to experience this virtual reality. Up until then, Vol has never questioned her role. She fights and makes money, that’s it. The thing is she can’t remember her past. A shady and dangerous past that she’s afraid of. That’s not the only thing she’s afraid of these days. For one thing, there’s a stranger hacking into the games. Creating levels that never existed before. There’s a story that is untold and the answers lie with Catan.
I have to say that the plot was ingenious. It was creative, exceptional and enthralling - the three things that are rare in most books. Another thing I loved is the unusual name...Volera...spunky and beautiful...I LOVE IT!
And when I found out the whole mystery behind the name “Volera”, I thought -Campbell you’re a genius. I definitely did not see that.
There are few things I appreciate in life, good books and good music are at the very top of them. This is definitely a good book.
One thing I realized once I got to page twenty is that I was going to have to be more alert and take my time to read the book if I was going to grasp the concept of it. Albeit even still it was a bit difficult but I think that was more to the fact of the setting being unusual than the writer’a lack of elaboration. Even though I took my time reading this book, I felt it was too damn short. That is saying something because I despise books that are ongoing. I like to get to the ending quicker. But I found myself wanting to get lost in Volera’s world.
Endgame is simply riveting. I’m not a sci-fi sorta person but I think I’ve just become one thanks to Campbell.
The prose, the characters, the plot…..it was amazing. Simple freaking mind blowing!!!
That ending….I cannot wait to read the next book.
November 13, 2013
I'm not much of a sci-fi reader, so I don't really get this. Most of the scene involving the VR is too much for me to handle. I don't even play any game whatsoever.
Our heroine Volera is a Player and she seems to be suffering some kind of memory loss. Bits and pieces of her past came creeping to her in the forms of dreams/nightmare.
Then there is Catan, a man who seems to know her, but she can't bring herself to remember. He serves as an interesting love interest, but considering the short page count and most were dedicated to the VR game, there isn't as much interaction between them as I wish.
Well, although I'm not enjoying this book as much as Nenia's IMA series, is surprise to find out she can write one hell of a scifi book too. I wonder is she an hardcore gamer of some sort.
Our heroine Volera is a Player and she seems to be suffering some kind of memory loss. Bits and pieces of her past came creeping to her in the forms of dreams/nightmare.
Then there is Catan, a man who seems to know her, but she can't bring herself to remember. He serves as an interesting love interest, but considering the short page count and most were dedicated to the VR game, there isn't as much interaction between them as I wish.
Well, although I'm not enjoying this book as much as Nenia's IMA series, is surprise to find out she can write one hell of a scifi book too. I wonder is she an hardcore gamer of some sort.
April 24, 2013
CAUTION: minor spoiler
The book boasted ingredients for a fantastic thriller. The ingredients included virtual reality, hacking, corruption, and conspiracy. However, to my great disappointment, the book turned out to be one of those cases where just because the ingredients were awesome it doesn’t necessary mean the result would be awesome too.
+ the plot
A fine line demarcates between cryptic and confusing; the book treaded on the latter territory. The dream sequences/flashbacks were too many and too long for my liking. Instead of cluing me in or building up suspense like the scenes were supposed to do, they befuddled me, bored me, and disengaged me from the story. The flashbacks bogged the already sluggish pacing. The plot didn’t seem to go anywhere. How could it when the heroine reacted to problems as they occurred and did little to prevent them.
+ the characters
Vol was a passive heroine, which is why I didn’t care for her. Well, I did pity her to an extent but only about a centimeter. Vol did show some spunkiness but it was offset by moments of TSTL-ness. For example, she decided to meet her sexually harassing stalker alone, unarmed, and at the time he dictated in a place she was not familiar with. TSTL, Vol. TSTL!
I would haven’t minded it much if she at least showed me that she was capable of handling danger, but she didn’t. In all the virtual reality video game sessions, Vol got her ass kicked. It happened so many times that I didn’t understand why she was hired in the first place or why she hadn't been fired because the girl seriously stunk.
Vol also made the poor choice to take a love interest in Catan. Almost every time they met, he sexually harassed her. I eventually learned why he acted that way and understood where he was coming from, but it didn’t fully excuse his distasteful behavior. At the very least, he needed a good bitch slap, at least five bitch slaps.
It wasn’t just Catan who needed to be bitch slapped; about all the dudes in the story needed to be bitch slapped. Douchebags the lot of them. I did not care for the misandric undertone whatsoever. I also did not care for the casual sexual violence, either, even if it was simply verbal. I felt it was edgy in a very shallow, contemptible way and essentially lazy writing.
Spoiler ahead.
Frankly, the only character I liked was Tash. Tash was fierce and friendly. Out of all the characters, she alone made a strong positive impression on me. Of course, the story went and off-ed her at the end because we can’t have nice things can we.
+ the ending
It was not till end of the book, around the climax, that the book finally began to deliver a simulacrum of the things the blurb boasted. Answers were finally given, fucking better late than never. Still, ennui had settled in; it was way too late to save the book. Worse, the book had the disgrace to end openly on a horror note with a stupid twist.
Imagine a ship sinking and suddenly fire erupts because, hey, why not.
+ the writing
I love the video game theme, but the book could have done better at explaining the lingo. It took me a long time before I finally understood what “Marks” meant. I understood the word in the general sense (I watch TV), but I didn’t understand the context behind the word. Vol wasn’t a con artist or thief or anything similar, and the VR tourists weren’t being ripped off. So why did Vol hold such high contempt for them? I was unable to discern an answer.
Though I can make an educated guess, I still don’t really understand what Weavers and Spinners are. In short, a glossary at the end of the book would have done some good.
In Conclusion
I rate Endgame 2-stars for it was okay. The book boasted braggadocio. Thankfully, it was a relatively quick and easy read, and the splash of befuddlement was tolerable.
The book boasted ingredients for a fantastic thriller. The ingredients included virtual reality, hacking, corruption, and conspiracy. However, to my great disappointment, the book turned out to be one of those cases where just because the ingredients were awesome it doesn’t necessary mean the result would be awesome too.
+ the plot
A fine line demarcates between cryptic and confusing; the book treaded on the latter territory. The dream sequences/flashbacks were too many and too long for my liking. Instead of cluing me in or building up suspense like the scenes were supposed to do, they befuddled me, bored me, and disengaged me from the story. The flashbacks bogged the already sluggish pacing. The plot didn’t seem to go anywhere. How could it when the heroine reacted to problems as they occurred and did little to prevent them.
+ the characters
Vol was a passive heroine, which is why I didn’t care for her. Well, I did pity her to an extent but only about a centimeter. Vol did show some spunkiness but it was offset by moments of TSTL-ness. For example, she decided to meet her sexually harassing stalker alone, unarmed, and at the time he dictated in a place she was not familiar with. TSTL, Vol. TSTL!
I would haven’t minded it much if she at least showed me that she was capable of handling danger, but she didn’t. In all the virtual reality video game sessions, Vol got her ass kicked. It happened so many times that I didn’t understand why she was hired in the first place or why she hadn't been fired because the girl seriously stunk.
Vol also made the poor choice to take a love interest in Catan. Almost every time they met, he sexually harassed her. I eventually learned why he acted that way and understood where he was coming from, but it didn’t fully excuse his distasteful behavior. At the very least, he needed a good bitch slap, at least five bitch slaps.
It wasn’t just Catan who needed to be bitch slapped; about all the dudes in the story needed to be bitch slapped. Douchebags the lot of them. I did not care for the misandric undertone whatsoever. I also did not care for the casual sexual violence, either, even if it was simply verbal. I felt it was edgy in a very shallow, contemptible way and essentially lazy writing.
Spoiler ahead.
Frankly, the only character I liked was Tash. Tash was fierce and friendly. Out of all the characters, she alone made a strong positive impression on me. Of course, the story went and off-ed her at the end because we can’t have nice things can we.
+ the ending
It was not till end of the book, around the climax, that the book finally began to deliver a simulacrum of the things the blurb boasted. Answers were finally given, fucking better late than never. Still, ennui had settled in; it was way too late to save the book. Worse, the book had the disgrace to end openly on a horror note with a stupid twist.
Imagine a ship sinking and suddenly fire erupts because, hey, why not.
+ the writing
I love the video game theme, but the book could have done better at explaining the lingo. It took me a long time before I finally understood what “Marks” meant. I understood the word in the general sense (I watch TV), but I didn’t understand the context behind the word. Vol wasn’t a con artist or thief or anything similar, and the VR tourists weren’t being ripped off. So why did Vol hold such high contempt for them? I was unable to discern an answer.
Though I can make an educated guess, I still don’t really understand what Weavers and Spinners are. In short, a glossary at the end of the book would have done some good.
In Conclusion
I rate Endgame 2-stars for it was okay. The book boasted braggadocio. Thankfully, it was a relatively quick and easy read, and the splash of befuddlement was tolerable.
March 1, 2015
Endgame: very interesting plot, not so great execution.
Meet Volera (Vol) our protagonist. She's feisty, fairly snarky and a lil bit kickass too, but I didn't like her. Why? Well, it seemed too much. Something was off about her from the first word.
Things seemed to be perfectly placed in the story to tease us about a bigger plot twist, but it'd dart temptingly close then disappear again. This shows Nenia's ability to write, but it didn't impact on the characters as it should have. Their reactions felt wrong.
The world building in this book is vast and quite creative. I'd have liked a little more in each Virtual Reality (VR), but it was a good base to start with.
Our love interest/s, well, I'm all for the silent, brooding type, or the slightly creepy asshole type, or even the mentally deranged. But what I don't like is all of them smooshed into one person. That one person surrounded by a bevy of other 'prissy' boys that seem too pretty to possibly be of interest to Vol. Eugh! Pass me a bucket, I'm going to be sick!
The story was a little confusing at times, like it felt that some of the scene changes weren't obvious. One minute we're talking with a character, the next we're in a game, the next we're dreaming... it was quite confusing in parts. Not the whole thing, just a couple of important parts. I think a little clearing up of scene changes would help that a lot.
As part of a series, you don't really get any sort of closure at the end of this one. I don't like that. It also needs a serious edit. There's a lot of superfluous words that can be cut, clunky wording and of course, typos. I've listed the typos I found, but there's probably a few I missed.
If you like gaming, you'll enjoy the world this is set in. If you're a sci-fi fan, you'll probably enjoy this. If you're neither, don't go near it with a 50ft pole.
11% - ...throwing of(f) dazzling diamonds...
21% - ...foot hits something stuff (either stop at something or change stuff to stiff or solid).
22% - ...cold win(d) nips at her...
28% - ...slams the doors hut (door shut)
33% - I bet (beg) to differ...
...in his face For (for) tricking her...
37% - The creatures (delete the s) approaches her...
42% - ...and the sun's days (rays) skewer...
47% - ...ground beneath t he (the) building...
80% - ...would be aloud (a loud) silence;
95% - ...in two worlds as (at) once.
96% - Not(-)Vol's nails...
Meet Volera (Vol) our protagonist. She's feisty, fairly snarky and a lil bit kickass too, but I didn't like her. Why? Well, it seemed too much. Something was off about her from the first word.
Things seemed to be perfectly placed in the story to tease us about a bigger plot twist, but it'd dart temptingly close then disappear again. This shows Nenia's ability to write, but it didn't impact on the characters as it should have. Their reactions felt wrong.
The world building in this book is vast and quite creative. I'd have liked a little more in each Virtual Reality (VR), but it was a good base to start with.
Our love interest/s, well, I'm all for the silent, brooding type, or the slightly creepy asshole type, or even the mentally deranged. But what I don't like is all of them smooshed into one person. That one person surrounded by a bevy of other 'prissy' boys that seem too pretty to possibly be of interest to Vol. Eugh! Pass me a bucket, I'm going to be sick!
The story was a little confusing at times, like it felt that some of the scene changes weren't obvious. One minute we're talking with a character, the next we're in a game, the next we're dreaming... it was quite confusing in parts. Not the whole thing, just a couple of important parts. I think a little clearing up of scene changes would help that a lot.
As part of a series, you don't really get any sort of closure at the end of this one. I don't like that. It also needs a serious edit. There's a lot of superfluous words that can be cut, clunky wording and of course, typos. I've listed the typos I found, but there's probably a few I missed.
If you like gaming, you'll enjoy the world this is set in. If you're a sci-fi fan, you'll probably enjoy this. If you're neither, don't go near it with a 50ft pole.
11% - ...throwing of(f) dazzling diamonds...
21% - ...foot hits something stuff (either stop at something or change stuff to stiff or solid).
22% - ...cold win(d) nips at her...
28% - ...slams the doors hut (door shut)
33% - I bet (beg) to differ...
...in his face For (for) tricking her...
37% - The creatures (delete the s) approaches her...
42% - ...and the sun's days (rays) skewer...
47% - ...ground beneath t he (the) building...
80% - ...would be aloud (a loud) silence;
95% - ...in two worlds as (at) once.
96% - Not(-)Vol's nails...
April 17, 2014
“Everyone needs to escape sometimes, and retreating into somebody else's fantasy isn't nearly as satisfying as slipping into your own.”
3.5 stars.
Dang, why did all the best stuff have to happen so close to the end??? It was finally getting to the good parts!!! *grumbles, grumbles* And this was SOOO close to getting 4 stars (or more) if it had been longer and didn't wait so long for the unveiling, HOWEVER I really liked this approach, despite the slow pacing. I think I'll certainly enjoy the next book vastly, because this is basically the groundwork for the next impending instalment.
The prose here is rather whimsically ingrained in the futuristic element that the story presents. I, myself, have been a gamer ever since I was 7 years old, or at least that's when I got my first major gaming console system(s) and handheld(s). At the heart of this, it is about discovering yourself through experiences, whether it's virtual or dream-sequence. While I did become confuse at times and wasn't sure what to expect until near the end, I was pleasantly surprised although I think it could have used something more. What that is, I'm not exactly certain. But I remain hopeful that the next instalment has it, in fact it owes that much lol. (no pressure Nenia!)
All in all, I really wish I too, could become a part of this world and play video games for a living. It would be so awesome and rad. But I would not just stop there, I would also design my own if I ever had the chance to bring my own stories to life.
So thanks Nenia for opening my mind that stories can become a reality whether it's real or not, it's up to us whether it becomes a reality or not. ;)
Can't wait for Webmaster!! o:
“That's life. Life is the ultimate game, and its rules were made to be broken.”
3.5 stars.
Dang, why did all the best stuff have to happen so close to the end??? It was finally getting to the good parts!!! *grumbles, grumbles* And this was SOOO close to getting 4 stars (or more) if it had been longer and didn't wait so long for the unveiling, HOWEVER I really liked this approach, despite the slow pacing. I think I'll certainly enjoy the next book vastly, because this is basically the groundwork for the next impending instalment.
The prose here is rather whimsically ingrained in the futuristic element that the story presents. I, myself, have been a gamer ever since I was 7 years old, or at least that's when I got my first major gaming console system(s) and handheld(s). At the heart of this, it is about discovering yourself through experiences, whether it's virtual or dream-sequence. While I did become confuse at times and wasn't sure what to expect until near the end, I was pleasantly surprised although I think it could have used something more. What that is, I'm not exactly certain. But I remain hopeful that the next instalment has it, in fact it owes that much lol. (no pressure Nenia!)
All in all, I really wish I too, could become a part of this world and play video games for a living. It would be so awesome and rad. But I would not just stop there, I would also design my own if I ever had the chance to bring my own stories to life.
So thanks Nenia for opening my mind that stories can become a reality whether it's real or not, it's up to us whether it becomes a reality or not. ;)
Can't wait for Webmaster!! o:
“That's life. Life is the ultimate game, and its rules were made to be broken.”
September 3, 2013
Cool and original, the book kept me gripped. It was one of those one-breath kind of reads where you don't even stop for a drink of water. I found the futuristic world here interesting if slightly undeveloped. I applaud the lack of info dumping, but a little more exposition would have been helpful. I was quite confused for at least a third of the novel. I also found Vol to be a little passive; she didn't seem to be a good gamer, so I wasn't sure why that was her job and why she looked down on the Marks so much? Some of the plot lines made sense only at the end, which was most definitely jaw-dropping. Thanks, Nenia, for a fun read!
December 31, 2012
Interesting story with some good plot twists (especially toward the end) and well-written characters I easily connected with. I liked Vol's "voice" and Catan was HOT. Looking forward to the next one :)
August 3, 2014
Full review on my blog, the Snark Theater.
I will start by mentioning that I follow the author, Nenia Campbell, right here on Goodreads (and would totally accept a friend request from herLOVE ME). I'd like to think seeing her cool reviews of books and interacting with her every one in a while when I managed to be social enough has not affected my judgment of this book.
To be honest, I'd say this book deserves 3.5 stars, but hey, discrete rating system, you gotta draw a line somewhere, and my priorities are what they are, so it's rounded up for once. It's a fairly short book, but even in that span, the world building was pretty spot-on. I have no idea why fictional worlds seem to be restricted to the medieval-fantasy genre, and this book decides to break the pattern by making a fictional world the setting of a dystopian novel (I think it counts as dystopian, at least; argue with me if you want). I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that this world features sexism and homophobia just like ours, but hey, it is a dystopia, and they're both portrayed realistically and with consequences (albeit minor ones), so I can't really say it bothered me like other books recently did (*coughCityOfGlasscough*).
The cast was pretty solid. I'll start with the secondary cast, because I like diversity and the world building really shone in there too, even for the characters who have a small role. And their interactions feel very natural too, even when it's between people who don't like each other very much. They're still colleagues in a dystopia; they can't afford to hate each other, that would be ridiculous, and here, they don't. I like that; moderation is good.
This leaves us with the main cast, though, and this is where it gets a little trickier. I'm not sure whether Tash counts as main cast or not, but hey, badass lesbian of color, gotta mention her, especially since she's pretty cool. But then we have the actual protagonists, Volera andcreepy-dude-whose-name-I-forgot-again Catan. Volera's cool, which is a good thing since she's our PoV character. Catan… not so much. I mean, sure, a lot of his behavior makes sense in hindsight, but… Even without that, I'm not convinced by him as romantic lead. Yes, their interactions are hot, but… that's it. There could have been a little more time for romance.
Which gets me to the major flaw of this book: "there could have been more time". Basically most of the reveals happen too late, and as a result, are rushed. Hell, a good chunk of the major reveals are done via infodumps in the last couple of chapters. There's foreshadowing beforehand, but there could have been a better way to do this. And the ending itself is a little abrupt, even if it fits the overall tone of the story.
Still… the plot was engaging, and those twists were "good" by my classification (namely, they shouldn't come out of nowhere any more than they should be too predictable), so it's not like it's all bad; it's more like part of the execution could have been done better. Either way, I'd love to read the sequel whenever it comes out.
I will start by mentioning that I follow the author, Nenia Campbell, right here on Goodreads (and would totally accept a friend request from her
To be honest, I'd say this book deserves 3.5 stars, but hey, discrete rating system, you gotta draw a line somewhere, and my priorities are what they are, so it's rounded up for once. It's a fairly short book, but even in that span, the world building was pretty spot-on. I have no idea why fictional worlds seem to be restricted to the medieval-fantasy genre, and this book decides to break the pattern by making a fictional world the setting of a dystopian novel (I think it counts as dystopian, at least; argue with me if you want). I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that this world features sexism and homophobia just like ours, but hey, it is a dystopia, and they're both portrayed realistically and with consequences (albeit minor ones), so I can't really say it bothered me like other books recently did (*coughCityOfGlasscough*).
The cast was pretty solid. I'll start with the secondary cast, because I like diversity and the world building really shone in there too, even for the characters who have a small role. And their interactions feel very natural too, even when it's between people who don't like each other very much. They're still colleagues in a dystopia; they can't afford to hate each other, that would be ridiculous, and here, they don't. I like that; moderation is good.
This leaves us with the main cast, though, and this is where it gets a little trickier. I'm not sure whether Tash counts as main cast or not, but hey, badass lesbian of color, gotta mention her, especially since she's pretty cool. But then we have the actual protagonists, Volera and
Which gets me to the major flaw of this book: "there could have been more time". Basically most of the reveals happen too late, and as a result, are rushed. Hell, a good chunk of the major reveals are done via infodumps in the last couple of chapters. There's foreshadowing beforehand, but there could have been a better way to do this. And the ending itself is a little abrupt, even if it fits the overall tone of the story.
Still… the plot was engaging, and those twists were "good" by my classification (namely, they shouldn't come out of nowhere any more than they should be too predictable), so it's not like it's all bad; it's more like part of the execution could have been done better. Either way, I'd love to read the sequel whenever it comes out.
July 3, 2013
I'm to lazy to find a gif of someone waving their fist in the air because that is what I want to do right now to Nenia!
Really!?
REALLY?!
That's how we are ending it!
(starts to ugly cry)
Just when I was feeling smart, that I kind of sort of figured out about 1/4 of it before I got to the last 99% of the book, and then WHAM! Just kidding its OVER!
I'm gonna pout. For about a week its gonna take me to get over this. I think we might actually have a male antihero that isn't, I daresay, crazy????
Or are you gonna twist us all up in knots?
I like knots, they are fun, and they make you breath a little harder, and bite your nails fearing you will never escape.
If I am being perfectly honest, this was another great book. I hate info dumping world building that makes the first book in a new series sound like a manual to "This is how we build our sci-fi world 101." It was smooth, it sort of layered itself out. I think the characters were created in a way to sort of explain what is really going on, without explaining it. If they were too three dimensional you would get more upset.
Can you tell I'm trying not to spoiler?
This was a gratifying read that made me laugh my butt off when I got to the end and realized no matter how much I pushed the next page button on my kindle, it wasn't going to magically turn to the next page.
I feel bad for Vol, I feel bad for Catan--and I even cried a little. Yes, yes, it is true. In those last few pages my heart was tugged and slashed at and I felt so horribly bad that it made the story even better.
So, if you are a follower of my reviews, and you haven't read any of Nenia's books yet, you will notice I gave them all five stars. That means they are awesome--and you should read them!
Really!?
REALLY?!
That's how we are ending it!
(starts to ugly cry)
Just when I was feeling smart, that I kind of sort of figured out about 1/4 of it before I got to the last 99% of the book, and then WHAM! Just kidding its OVER!
I'm gonna pout. For about a week its gonna take me to get over this. I think we might actually have a male antihero that isn't, I daresay, crazy????
Or are you gonna twist us all up in knots?
I like knots, they are fun, and they make you breath a little harder, and bite your nails fearing you will never escape.
If I am being perfectly honest, this was another great book. I hate info dumping world building that makes the first book in a new series sound like a manual to "This is how we build our sci-fi world 101." It was smooth, it sort of layered itself out. I think the characters were created in a way to sort of explain what is really going on, without explaining it. If they were too three dimensional you would get more upset.
Can you tell I'm trying not to spoiler?
This was a gratifying read that made me laugh my butt off when I got to the end and realized no matter how much I pushed the next page button on my kindle, it wasn't going to magically turn to the next page.
I feel bad for Vol, I feel bad for Catan--and I even cried a little. Yes, yes, it is true. In those last few pages my heart was tugged and slashed at and I felt so horribly bad that it made the story even better.
So, if you are a follower of my reviews, and you haven't read any of Nenia's books yet, you will notice I gave them all five stars. That means they are awesome--and you should read them!
February 2, 2013
3.5*
Really good novella and refreshingly original. I would be very interested in playing video games the way they do in this book!
The reason(s) why I haven't given this a full four star rating is this:
1. There were a few spelling errors throughout which kind of threw me of my reading stride, such as an 'an' instead of 'a', and plural used instead of the singular ('voices' instead of 'voice'). Other than these little mistakes and a few more similar, the writing is excellent so please don't let those put you off.
2. Campbell sets the story up extremely well. The world-building is exceptional, especially for such a short book, and her characterisations were great and very informative. What bothered me however was how quickly the plot moved. Normally this would not bother me in the slightest, in fact I welcome it in most books, but in this one I wanted to savour the story and it felt like the big revelation our protagonist discovers was just too quick. I would have much preferred for this to be more slowly revealed and, in turn, be a longer read so Campbell could explore more avenues within the story. That was my little niggle anyway.
Overall, great book with an original plot and great world-building. Just a bit too short for my liking (I sincerely hope Campbell writes more within this world) which I feel pushed the plot forward too quickly.
Really good novella and refreshingly original. I would be very interested in playing video games the way they do in this book!
The reason(s) why I haven't given this a full four star rating is this:
1. There were a few spelling errors throughout which kind of threw me of my reading stride, such as an 'an' instead of 'a', and plural used instead of the singular ('voices' instead of 'voice'). Other than these little mistakes and a few more similar, the writing is excellent so please don't let those put you off.
2. Campbell sets the story up extremely well. The world-building is exceptional, especially for such a short book, and her characterisations were great and very informative. What bothered me however was how quickly the plot moved. Normally this would not bother me in the slightest, in fact I welcome it in most books, but in this one I wanted to savour the story and it felt like the big revelation our protagonist discovers was just too quick. I would have much preferred for this to be more slowly revealed and, in turn, be a longer read so Campbell could explore more avenues within the story. That was my little niggle anyway.
Overall, great book with an original plot and great world-building. Just a bit too short for my liking (I sincerely hope Campbell writes more within this world) which I feel pushed the plot forward too quickly.
February 16, 2013
I came to an interesting realisation before, during, and after reading this novel. Outside of a few Philip K. Dick-esque and Terry Pratchett novels; a couple of short story collections here and there, I don't, in fact, read as nearly as much of the sc-fi and fantasy genre as I thought I did.
Not that it matters in this instance as I found the world that Campbell created to be very accessible and it didn't fall into the wrong side of techno-babble at any point during the story, which was a major plus point in my book.
The main characters were well-rounded and interesting enough to keep me guessing throughout. Although I did feel that a couple of the secondary characters were a bit less defined, but that didn't matter that much as the characters of Volera and Catan were intriguing enough without the extra padding as it were.
The fight scenes were excellent, and the story was compelling.
Overall, a nice start to a series and I probably will be checking out the sequel.
Not that it matters in this instance as I found the world that Campbell created to be very accessible and it didn't fall into the wrong side of techno-babble at any point during the story, which was a major plus point in my book.
The main characters were well-rounded and interesting enough to keep me guessing throughout. Although I did feel that a couple of the secondary characters were a bit less defined, but that didn't matter that much as the characters of Volera and Catan were intriguing enough without the extra padding as it were.
The fight scenes were excellent, and the story was compelling.
Overall, a nice start to a series and I probably will be checking out the sequel.
July 30, 2013
All throughout I felt disconnected from the plot and characters. I found myself confused often which only made it harder to try and connect with the story. I think the novel has some good ideas but the world building could have used a bit more detail. I understand that the reader is supposed to stay in the dark on many aspects of the novel because we are viewing it from Vol's POV but I think it could have been done better. I did like Catan at times, & I wish the romance would have had a bigger role. Overall this isnt a book that I enjoyed all that much and I dont think I'll continue the series :/ it had a lot of errors too, and I dont usually pay much attention to this but at times that was a bit annoying. Just saying.
January 31, 2013
It was a little hard for me to follow at times, and I'm not sure I completely understand the ending, I had to read it over a few times and I'm still like
But I quite enjoyed it, especially toward the end. It's a very unique, interesting idea. The lead up to the climax and the actual climax was great. I'm eager to continue this series. I definitely recommend the read!
But I quite enjoyed it, especially toward the end. It's a very unique, interesting idea. The lead up to the climax and the actual climax was great. I'm eager to continue this series. I definitely recommend the read!
May 3, 2013
I had never heard of this author before until her name started popping up all over my Good Reads page. I enjoyed her wit and her rants and pretty much everything she ever posted so I thought I'd give her writing a try! This isn't my usual genre but I found myself quickly involved in the story and read in over the course of a couple hours in one day. When it was over, I wanted more of these characters. I also thought the whole idea of being in video games for entertainment purposes was rather intriguing. Can't wait to read more!!
March 13, 2016
Actual rating: 2,5 stars
That moment when I thought this was a standalone andI realize that it's not. FML.
Okay, so this wasn't exactly bad, but I have some problems with it. Being the info dump at some parts, being that ending that felt rushed out, being the little information we get about the world where Vol lives in. I think the world building lacked development, which combined with the way the book ended left me all WTF.
I'm not sure I'll continue with this series. I'm a little curious, but I don't know if that's enough to keep up with it.
That moment when I thought this was a standalone andI realize that it's not. FML.
Okay, so this wasn't exactly bad, but I have some problems with it. Being the info dump at some parts, being that ending that felt rushed out, being the little information we get about the world where Vol lives in. I think the world building lacked development, which combined with the way the book ended left me all WTF.
I'm not sure I'll continue with this series. I'm a little curious, but I don't know if that's enough to keep up with it.
Want to read
September 15, 2013Its written by Nenia Campbell. Enough said!
maybe
April 3, 2015Part of my 2015 Special 50 Book challenge- A Book Written by Someone Under 30
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