Sides

by Bradley Caffee

Everyone plays Sides. Everyone except Tyler Simmons. The online predator versus prey game has taken the nation by storm, but the gameplay is not the reason for the intrigue. The clock in the game is counting down, and no one knows why. Nearing the end, the country holds its collective breath for the moment that has become known as Zero Hour. School is cancelled. Times Square is full like it’s New Years. A celebrity wedding is even planned. Tyler can’t wait for the moment to pass, so he can get his girlfriend’s attention to ask her to homecoming.

Zero Hour comes and goes. And nothing happens, until people inexplicably begin to flee the scene. The coming days reveal that players are becoming their avatars. Predators begin to hunt prey. Chaos erupts.

Discovering his sister Carley had secretly disobeyed their father and started playing only days before Zero Hour, Tyler must run to protect her. Their only hope? To find Zack Albright, the creator of Sides, and get him to shut the simulation down. With the help Brooklyn Harris, a tough-as-nails teenage survivor, the trio races to locate the reclusive programmer and avoid the predators eager to hunt them down.

331 pages, Paperback

Published June 25, 2023

Reviews

[Gwen DeMott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met the author at a writing conference this year, and learned that he writes a lot of Hunger Games-esque novels, but cleaner, which intrigued me. I grabbed Sides cause it sounded the most interesting, and I gotta say, I was at the edge of my seat the entire time I read this book.

The book is fast-paced, and squeaky clean, I think there's only one kiss, and violence is not heavily described. It is full of tension (which I loved) and I finished it in a little over a day, I was so hooked!

A handful of typos, and little mistakes, I also found the one nickname an older character had for a younger character a little annoying. (I was able to ignore these mistakes though, because the plot was so gripping)
The story is really good, and I enjoyed it. Would recommend to those who like novels like The Hunger Games, or other "chase-y hunt-y" type novels. Great book, would read more by the author, I actually want to try his new one, Captive!

[Alyssa Roat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please do take this as a formal endorsement: Bradley Caffee is a master of high-stakes, wild ride, un-put-downable dystopian fiction that will keep teens glued to their seats and adults feeling like teens again!

[Maris McCrory · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING

This is such a good book!! I read it in a day and a half! I hope that Bradley Caffee will continue with this series! He is such a talented author. Best book ever

[Erin Dydek · Rating 4 out of 5]

A popular phone app game becomes a living nightmare when the clock hits “zero-hour.” Sides are chosen as predators rally against prey, and Non-players are lost in the confusion. As violence rises, Tyler must find a way to protect his younger sister and shut down the game for good. But without the developer’s help, his mission may be impossible, despite the unique talents of his prey character ally.

A modern-day version of Lord of the Flies meets Jurassic Park in this action packed adventure where the best of intentions turns into a worst case scenario that explores the baser nature of humanity when forced into a crisis situation. It’s human vs human as people take sides in the fight for survival.

I loved the pacing and the plot in this novel. It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t wait to see how things turned out! It was fascinating to see the prey and predator traits playing out in our human society and discovering the effects these behaviors would have on communities across the nation. Even though the book was a bit dark at times (the nature of the game’s effects causes everyday ordinary people to kill other people) the conclusion was satisfying and raised some interesting question to think about. This was my first time reading a book by Bradley Caffee and I look forward to reading more!

[Shanna Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready to read one of the best books you will find. I can't decide if I want to count it as dystopian, suspense, action, or what! All I know is be prepared because if this book doesn't become a movie one day, I will be so surprised. It has so much depth and angles to it that you never have even one second to get bored. It's constant one thing to the next that keeps you hooked and flipping pages. It's unique, fascinating and such a wonderfully mind blowing storyline that not only will you be immersed in the book, you'll become immersed in the world, characters, and even feeling like you are there and waiting for what happens next. I truly hope there will be more books after this because that ending was....wow amazing. Do NOT start this book if you don't have a good supply of snacks, drinks, and a cozy spot because you will NOT want to leave until it's done and then maybe an hour or so after to recover back into the real world. It has been so long since a book of this type got me sucked in so quick, even my husband had a hard time getting my attention haha.

[Olivia Weyant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you predator, prey, or have no clue cause you don’t play?

Sides will hook you right from the beginning. Bradley Caffee has this ease about his writing that draws you into the characters and each fast paced chapter has you wanting more. Loved the premise of this theme that is very relevant to today. Could not put this book down from the moment I started. Check it out for YA adults and adults alike. You won’t regret reading Sides.

[ENIGMASEDGE · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are Predators and there are Prey. In the game of Sides, you choose a side to play. What would you do if the game you thought was just for fun suddenly changed? A Purge-esque thrill ride. Bradley Caffee does an excellent job taking you on the roller coaster that you expect when reading a book like this.

[Kelly Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book's fantastic premise was executed in a way that will surprise you with its multiple plot twists. It had characters you can root for and very high stakes, keeping you on the edge of your seat. It's perfect for anyone (but especially teenage boys) who loves dystopian reads in the style of the Maze Runner or Ready Player One.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sides by Bradley Caffee keeps the pages turning with high stakes and high action. The divided world of Prey and Predators is fascinating, and the characters are easy to cheer for. This is a book that is both fun to read and keeps you thinking after turning the last page.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast paced read with an interesting plot - video game world brought to life. I like how the author weaved the importance of family throughout the whole thing. I'm positive my 15 year old son will enjoy it!

[Angela R. Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced, heartfelt novel perfect for YA dystopian lovers!

I had the honor of being an editor for this novel, and let me tell you, I was hooked! The characters are so fun, and the plot is incredible. It sort of reminds me of a litRPG but easier to follow, haha!

Don't miss this one!

[Tenna Chatman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frightenly possible

In a world of ever evolving tech, the unthinkable happens. Great concept and very well delivered. This is one of those "can't put down" books. Clean read but be warned, there is violence. Loved the cover.

[Angie Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the whole thing. I've never read anything similar and there were plenty of surprises. The characters were believable and the story flowed really well.

[Kath Deans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an arc copy of this book. Work and sleep kept me away from reading it - I just didn’t want to put it down.
So easy to see how something like this could happen- a warning to us all

[Jesica Smithey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

Action packed, great story line, interesting characters. I'm waiting to see what happens next! There are some intense moments, but they are handled very well.

[Adrienne Organa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I was not expecting this book to surprise me so much. Have a couple plot hole quibbles but other than that it was pretty solid in a brutal hunger games way.

[Winston Crutchfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was easy to read and engaging. The world was interesting and the end-of-the-world scenario hit uncomfortably close to home. The action moved along nicely, and the pacing of mystery and reveal kept me interested throughout the book. Tyler's plight of being tasked with saving the world in time to ask his girl to Homecoming grounded the otherwise gruesome nature of the crisis in a reminder that the target is a young adult audience. I liked Tyler as a character quite a lot. He felt very relatable and he was easy to empathize with.

A video game app goes online and the world comes crashing to an end. In an instant, the entire population of the world is transformed into either a predator - or their prey. Everyone who plays the game, that is. As a non-player, Tyler has to navigate this semi-surreal sort-of post-apocalyptic landscape. We get a road trip. We get a glimpse at post-Zero Hour society. It's a bit dizzying in a world where not that long ago, people were getting into serious accidents because they couldn't stop playing Pokemon Go!

Underlying the change is a mystery and a lurking moral question. What caused the change? Have people been changed into something new, or just become what they always were to begin with? If this is something that has been done to them, are they still responsible for the moral implications of their actions? The reader comes to all of these questions long before Tyler does, and Tyler himself spends basically no time wrestling with them. The focus of the story is on the action, not on the implications.

By the time the mystery is fully revealed, Tyler has been through some heavy emotional changes and some questions about morality and humanity have been raised. I wanted the reveal to carry more spiritual weight, either by being supernatural in nature or by being personalized to the characters. The subject of the moral implications of peoples' actions is asked but not answered. The author simply leaves the reader to work through the moral implications of the situation on their own.

Overall, I was quite happy with the story, and it makes me want to read other stories by the same author. It was a satisfying read from an author whose style is engaging and approachable. This story was easy to read, enjoyable throughout, and had a satisfying conclusion.