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Dangerous Games #2
How to Cheat
Welcome Back, Gamers!
Every August, the greatest tabletop gamers in the world converge on Indianapolis to gather for Gen Con, the largest such gaming convention in America. After a momentous first year in which he solved the murder of a world-famous game designer, Liam Parker is back to debut his first game design ever. Unfortunately, Tollak Spielmacher, the mastermind he failed to put behind bars, has returned too.
When Tollak’s employees start turning up dead at the show, Liam has a disaster on his hands once again. As Gen Con’s new police liaison, he knows that Tollak’s at the heart of this problem — but is he the killer or the ultimate victim?
It’s up to Liam to figure out who’s gunning for Tollak’s people and why, but if he’s not careful, he’ll find himself in the killers’ crosshairs next. It won’t matter who’s cheating who if he can’t cheat death too.
How to Cheat is the second novel in the Dangerous Games series.
Every August, the greatest tabletop gamers in the world converge on Indianapolis to gather for Gen Con, the largest such gaming convention in America. After a momentous first year in which he solved the murder of a world-famous game designer, Liam Parker is back to debut his first game design ever. Unfortunately, Tollak Spielmacher, the mastermind he failed to put behind bars, has returned too.
When Tollak’s employees start turning up dead at the show, Liam has a disaster on his hands once again. As Gen Con’s new police liaison, he knows that Tollak’s at the heart of this problem — but is he the killer or the ultimate victim?
It’s up to Liam to figure out who’s gunning for Tollak’s people and why, but if he’s not careful, he’ll find himself in the killers’ crosshairs next. It won’t matter who’s cheating who if he can’t cheat death too.
How to Cheat is the second novel in the Dangerous Games series.
- GenresFiction
198 pages, ebook
First published July 1, 2013
1 person is currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Matt Forbeck
212 books313 followersI'm an award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author and game designer and happily married father of five, including a set of quadruplets. For more on my work, see Forbeck.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 14, 2013
It's a but odd to read Matt Forbeck's excellent novels about killing friends of mine at an event I love attending, but somehow, it all works out.
Matt's 30 years of attendance make him the only person who could possibly write this series, and he does it with STYLE! From the late night drink politics to the workings of the event floor and convention office, Matt peels back the curtain without fully showing the wizard's faults, and we're all entertained as a result.
I have one complaint about this series, in that friends of mine have somewhat inconsistent lines coming out of their mouths to serve the needs of the plot. While I am in no way advocating the killings of game design professionals to provide a more accurate baseline (and after he reads this review, I'm more than likely next on the chopping block) It did pull me out of an otherwise fantastic tale. If I'd never met the particulars and the victims, this book would get full marks all around.
If you've ever thought about attending GenCon, but just couldn't find the time, you can do a lot worse than having Matt Forbeck as your fictional tour guide. Just don't expect to live through the experience...
Matt's 30 years of attendance make him the only person who could possibly write this series, and he does it with STYLE! From the late night drink politics to the workings of the event floor and convention office, Matt peels back the curtain without fully showing the wizard's faults, and we're all entertained as a result.
I have one complaint about this series, in that friends of mine have somewhat inconsistent lines coming out of their mouths to serve the needs of the plot. While I am in no way advocating the killings of game design professionals to provide a more accurate baseline (and after he reads this review, I'm more than likely next on the chopping block) It did pull me out of an otherwise fantastic tale. If I'd never met the particulars and the victims, this book would get full marks all around.
If you've ever thought about attending GenCon, but just couldn't find the time, you can do a lot worse than having Matt Forbeck as your fictional tour guide. Just don't expect to live through the experience...
July 3, 2013
I would actually give this a 4+ star review. Hard to say much about it without spoilers, but will try. This is an entertaining crime thriller set at Gen Con. As an aside Gen con sounds totally amazing. The novel has an interesting mix of real people within the fiction. I am really glad that I backed this title on Kickstarter.
August 12, 2013
You can read the full review over at The Founding Fields:
http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/08/...
Shadowhawk reviews the second novel in Matt Forbeck’s self-published Dangerous Games trilogy.
“All I can say is that my search for a less-than-stellar Matt Forbeck novel continues.” ~Shadowhawk, The Founding Fields
That pull quote might sound extremely odd, but it is true. I keep reading all these different novels that Matt Forbeck keeps putting out, and I just can’t get enough of his writing. Its starting to make me wonder if he *can* write what I’d call a bad book. Is this how the ardent fans of George R. R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, Iain M. Banks, and others feel like? An author who puts out top-quality fiction again and again without any dip in quality? Because, that’s what the name Matt Forbeck has come to mean for me. In consideration, I’m sure that his earlier novels, from when he was just starting out on this whole writing gig thing, are not as good as his current crop of novels. I haven’t read anything that old from him so I can’t really say, but in today’s age of the “big names of SFF”, Matt deserves to be at the top of the list among all the others. He may not be writing about dark and violent fantasy, or a science fiction vision that is supremely grand and mind-blowing, but he is writing fiction that is pretty much perfect for the non-AA list audience.
The first novel of this trilogy, How To Play, was fantastic. The second one is just as good, for all the right reasons and is another top-of-the-mark offering from the man that I, and others, affectionately call the “Wordinator”, owing to his writing speed and the quantity of fiction he turns out. I mean, you have to have some serious wordsmithing skills to finish like seven novels (varying length) and ten comics in a single year. Right?
So let’s do a check-list here of all the things that Matt gets right here.
Liam Parker returns for a grand old adventure? Check.
A great murder mystery? Check.
Loads of GenCon goodness? Check.
Instills a desire to attend GenCon? Double Check.
Fantastic characters? Check.
Good pacing? Check.
Competent antagonist? Check.
Mojo Poker launch party? Triple Check!
Kickstarter goodness? Check.
Industry cameos? Check.
Geeky romance? Check.
Commentary on the industry? Check.
All around fun and awesomeness? Check, check, check, check.
Does that about cover it? Because I’m really not sure what else to say really. Compared to all of the other novels that Matt has put out in the last 2 years or so, How To Cheat definitely stands out because how different it is to the rest of it, barring How To Play of course. It continues to amaze, despite the constant exposure, that Matt can write in so many different genres so well and that his books are always a blast to read.
http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/08/...
Shadowhawk reviews the second novel in Matt Forbeck’s self-published Dangerous Games trilogy.
“All I can say is that my search for a less-than-stellar Matt Forbeck novel continues.” ~Shadowhawk, The Founding Fields
That pull quote might sound extremely odd, but it is true. I keep reading all these different novels that Matt Forbeck keeps putting out, and I just can’t get enough of his writing. Its starting to make me wonder if he *can* write what I’d call a bad book. Is this how the ardent fans of George R. R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, Iain M. Banks, and others feel like? An author who puts out top-quality fiction again and again without any dip in quality? Because, that’s what the name Matt Forbeck has come to mean for me. In consideration, I’m sure that his earlier novels, from when he was just starting out on this whole writing gig thing, are not as good as his current crop of novels. I haven’t read anything that old from him so I can’t really say, but in today’s age of the “big names of SFF”, Matt deserves to be at the top of the list among all the others. He may not be writing about dark and violent fantasy, or a science fiction vision that is supremely grand and mind-blowing, but he is writing fiction that is pretty much perfect for the non-AA list audience.
The first novel of this trilogy, How To Play, was fantastic. The second one is just as good, for all the right reasons and is another top-of-the-mark offering from the man that I, and others, affectionately call the “Wordinator”, owing to his writing speed and the quantity of fiction he turns out. I mean, you have to have some serious wordsmithing skills to finish like seven novels (varying length) and ten comics in a single year. Right?
So let’s do a check-list here of all the things that Matt gets right here.
Liam Parker returns for a grand old adventure? Check.
A great murder mystery? Check.
Loads of GenCon goodness? Check.
Instills a desire to attend GenCon? Double Check.
Fantastic characters? Check.
Good pacing? Check.
Competent antagonist? Check.
Mojo Poker launch party? Triple Check!
Kickstarter goodness? Check.
Industry cameos? Check.
Geeky romance? Check.
Commentary on the industry? Check.
All around fun and awesomeness? Check, check, check, check.
Does that about cover it? Because I’m really not sure what else to say really. Compared to all of the other novels that Matt has put out in the last 2 years or so, How To Cheat definitely stands out because how different it is to the rest of it, barring How To Play of course. It continues to amaze, despite the constant exposure, that Matt can write in so many different genres so well and that his books are always a blast to read.
July 2, 2013
This is the second book in the Dangerous Games trilogy by Matt Forbeck as part of his ambitious 12 for 12 Kickstarter Campaign. In Dangerous Games: How to Play we are introduced to Liam Parker, a recent graduate of the Detroit Police Academy on his first trip to Gen Con, where hopes to break into the gaming industry. He is quickly swept up in a string of gristly murders and asked to help investigate by the Convention Management. Liam eventually foils the murder and discovers that they were trying to cover-up a plot involving a game publisher by the name of Tollach Spielmacher to smuggle drugs using copies of his new game.
In How to Cheat it is Gen Con a year later and Liam is back to launch his first game, Mojo Poker. He finds himself back at the Diana Jones Awards ceremony where he is somewhat of a celebrity due to his actions last year. But his mood turns sour when he finds out that Tollach Spielmacher has not only managed to avoid going to jail but is the winner of the Award for Excellence in Gaming. Tollach has hired three new manages Phil Lacefield Jr, Sean Patrick Fannon, and Anthony Gallela to help try and keep his company afloat after last years scandal. After exchanging a few heated words with Tollach the three try to make peace with Liam but he can't see past his dislike of Tollach. The next morning Liam is informed that there has been another murder. This time it is Phil Lancefiled Jr who was executed in the hallway of his hotel. Once again he is called on by the GenCon staff to liaison with the Indianapolis Police Department and help prevent more people from being targeted.
So I know what your thinking, “Isn't this the same story from the last book?” Sure it is, in the same way that every Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolf, Miss Marple, Poirot, Colombo, etc story is the same. In this book we see the tone shift from mystery story to suspense story. The final act is straight out of an 80's action film complete with a Rocky style reunion between the hero and his lady. Sometimes it is just fun to sit back and go along for the ride. This book was a quick, fun, read just like book one. I think even more now it has the feel of an old-time serial mystery series. I can't wait to read book three and find out what happens in the final act.
In How to Cheat it is Gen Con a year later and Liam is back to launch his first game, Mojo Poker. He finds himself back at the Diana Jones Awards ceremony where he is somewhat of a celebrity due to his actions last year. But his mood turns sour when he finds out that Tollach Spielmacher has not only managed to avoid going to jail but is the winner of the Award for Excellence in Gaming. Tollach has hired three new manages Phil Lacefield Jr, Sean Patrick Fannon, and Anthony Gallela to help try and keep his company afloat after last years scandal. After exchanging a few heated words with Tollach the three try to make peace with Liam but he can't see past his dislike of Tollach. The next morning Liam is informed that there has been another murder. This time it is Phil Lancefiled Jr who was executed in the hallway of his hotel. Once again he is called on by the GenCon staff to liaison with the Indianapolis Police Department and help prevent more people from being targeted.
So I know what your thinking, “Isn't this the same story from the last book?” Sure it is, in the same way that every Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolf, Miss Marple, Poirot, Colombo, etc story is the same. In this book we see the tone shift from mystery story to suspense story. The final act is straight out of an 80's action film complete with a Rocky style reunion between the hero and his lady. Sometimes it is just fun to sit back and go along for the ride. This book was a quick, fun, read just like book one. I think even more now it has the feel of an old-time serial mystery series. I can't wait to read book three and find out what happens in the final act.
September 16, 2014
After reading the first book Dangerous Games: How to Play I was looking forward to reading the second book in the series. It was an enjoyable book, unfortunately it does not quite capture the spirit of the first book.
The plot picks up a year after the events of the first book, at the next GenCon. This time Liam Parker is there to promote his game, when a series of deaths occur that somehow are linked to the owner of a company involved in the first book.
How Matt Forbeck writes, makes it an easy read. The descriptions are quick and give enough information for you to imagine the events that are going on. Because characters are returning from the first book, it feels as if you are meeting friends again.
For the plot, I thought who was involved was not much of a mystery. However, this is offset by how he writes the book from two perspectives. By writing from both the first and third person perspectives this allows you to see events differently. You get to see how Liam is trying to work things out, while seeing how the crimes evolves.
The shortcoming of the book is the freshness of taking place at GenCon. In the first book it was creative and brought the experience of GenCon to life. This expanded the world in the book. While reading the second book, it felt as if Matt was trying to get more references to people placed in. This detracted from the experience of the book taking place at GenCon
With that being said, I still enjoyed the book. It was still very enjoyable and light read. If you want a distraction, this would be a good one to read. This rating is 3.5, but rounded up to 4 stars.
The plot picks up a year after the events of the first book, at the next GenCon. This time Liam Parker is there to promote his game, when a series of deaths occur that somehow are linked to the owner of a company involved in the first book.
How Matt Forbeck writes, makes it an easy read. The descriptions are quick and give enough information for you to imagine the events that are going on. Because characters are returning from the first book, it feels as if you are meeting friends again.
For the plot, I thought who was involved was not much of a mystery. However, this is offset by how he writes the book from two perspectives. By writing from both the first and third person perspectives this allows you to see events differently. You get to see how Liam is trying to work things out, while seeing how the crimes evolves.
The shortcoming of the book is the freshness of taking place at GenCon. In the first book it was creative and brought the experience of GenCon to life. This expanded the world in the book. While reading the second book, it felt as if Matt was trying to get more references to people placed in. This detracted from the experience of the book taking place at GenCon
With that being said, I still enjoyed the book. It was still very enjoyable and light read. If you want a distraction, this would be a good one to read. This rating is 3.5, but rounded up to 4 stars.
July 25, 2020
Forbeck’s second book in the Dangerous Games trilogy returns to the formula that worked so well in the first - a crime procedural set to the backdrop of The Greatest Four Days in Gaming. As before, this book does a good job of tying the two together, and this particular installment gets a nod for peeking a little more closely behind the curtain at what it’s like to be a fledgling game designer getting your game published - the spontaneous (if temporary) celebrity status that being published bestows, and the remarkably small world of published designers.
Unfortunately this story fails to make the reader care about anything happening beyond “killing people is bad” - it is never made clear why the people being killed is regarded as significant by the intended recipient of the “message” beyond a very fundamental basis of self-preservation, and aggressive desperation seems to set in spontaneously rather than be provoked to the degree demonstrated.
The editing at least seemed to get its act together this time around, so I appreciate that - and I recognize the added effort to make the protagonist more of a complete person, having flaws that aren’t just “glassy-eyed newbie” and companions that aren’t just name dropped celebrities that conveniently allow the reader to self-insert and feel like they’re rubbing elbows with industry giants.
Unfortunately this story fails to make the reader care about anything happening beyond “killing people is bad” - it is never made clear why the people being killed is regarded as significant by the intended recipient of the “message” beyond a very fundamental basis of self-preservation, and aggressive desperation seems to set in spontaneously rather than be provoked to the degree demonstrated.
The editing at least seemed to get its act together this time around, so I appreciate that - and I recognize the added effort to make the protagonist more of a complete person, having flaws that aren’t just “glassy-eyed newbie” and companions that aren’t just name dropped celebrities that conveniently allow the reader to self-insert and feel like they’re rubbing elbows with industry giants.
October 12, 2021
This is the Empire of the trilogy. Less 'splaining and more action. Here comes part 3.
July 24, 2024
Liam Parker returns to GenCon to launch his new game and is once again hired as the convention's police liaison. He is hoping that the job will be honorary, but fate, it seems, has other plans. Once again, he faces off against ruthless killers, and has to struggle to come out of it at all.
With Dangerous Games: How to Cheat, Matt Forbeck again shows us that he has the art of short novel writing down pat. Immediately dropping us right into the action, he sets a relentless pace worthy of masters of the trade.
With Dangerous Games: How to Cheat, Matt Forbeck again shows us that he has the art of short novel writing down pat. Immediately dropping us right into the action, he sets a relentless pace worthy of masters of the trade.
November 6, 2013
This was a really good book. So good in fact I stayed up until almost 3AM to finish it. The story was fun. There were a few unexpected twists that had me going "WHAT?". Overall a good book, highly recommended.
September 9, 2013
Nice sequel. So meta!
September 11, 2013
Again, Mr. Forbeck hits all the right notes for me. I've attended GenCon the past two years and I love reading about all my gaming heroes. Quick read and well worth my time.
January 8, 2018
If you enjoy Gencon
you will love this book. So many things I have seen at Gen Con the past few years are all in the book. And a fun story to boot!
you will love this book. So many things I have seen at Gen Con the past few years are all in the book. And a fun story to boot!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews