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Shifting Meta
256 pages, Paperback
Published July 4, 2023
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 26, 2024
This book was really cute! It's the first thing I've read by Rye Fields and I picked it up from the intersection of interests (furry, TCG's, romance) that seemed to be designed to hook me specifically. Zach is a fun character and I found the struggle he has with his internal dialogue after his big breakup is something most folks can relate to. Reeve the python was a good foil for Zach throughout the story as well. The book shifts perspectives between Zach and Reeve, though the majority of the book is told from Zach's point of view.
I was a little disappointed that the card game that the characters play in the book, Adamant, is essentially just a reskinned version of Magic: The Gathering. It's a lot to ask an author to create a whole card game system for their book, so I understand why Rye went the way he did. I'd say that even if you're not familiar with card game mechanics or common terms that the book does a good job of onboarding and explaining them in the moment. I've been playing TCG's for years, so a lot of it was old hat to me.
Adamant becomes the glue that helps to hold Zach's life together as he rebuilds his friend groups and relationships around their common interest. It's what helps him to socialize and break out of his shell a bit more. Romance can blossom, even on the (proverbial) battlefield, as Zach uses Adamant as an excuse to spend more time with Reeve. Reeve's struggles are quite different from Zach's but I felt very connected to his struggles to keep working at the career he loves. There are a few sex scenes and they are kept cute and casual. I appreciated that Rye understands that one facet of card games of coming from different backgrounds but being united in their love of the game that manages to bring them all together. The Adamant and pizza parties that Noah, Zach's roommate, host in the book remind me of great memories with friends having game nights. A place and a space to forget our troubles and catch up on each other's lives.
My biggest criticism with the book is that it ends without resolving a good chunk of things I was under the impression it was going to address. There's nothing wrong with that per se, but the last chapter felt a bit anti-climatic to me and just kind of ends out of nowhere. I maintain that if you're a fan of trading card games and furry fiction that you should give it a try. I had a lot of fun with it and it gave me what I was looking for, which was a story that focused on the lives of the people who play the card games. Plus, having a bunch of gay flirting and banter while playing a game is something I'll always be down to see more of in books.
I was a little disappointed that the card game that the characters play in the book, Adamant, is essentially just a reskinned version of Magic: The Gathering. It's a lot to ask an author to create a whole card game system for their book, so I understand why Rye went the way he did. I'd say that even if you're not familiar with card game mechanics or common terms that the book does a good job of onboarding and explaining them in the moment. I've been playing TCG's for years, so a lot of it was old hat to me.
Adamant becomes the glue that helps to hold Zach's life together as he rebuilds his friend groups and relationships around their common interest. It's what helps him to socialize and break out of his shell a bit more. Romance can blossom, even on the (proverbial) battlefield, as Zach uses Adamant as an excuse to spend more time with Reeve. Reeve's struggles are quite different from Zach's but I felt very connected to his struggles to keep working at the career he loves. There are a few sex scenes and they are kept cute and casual. I appreciated that Rye understands that one facet of card games of coming from different backgrounds but being united in their love of the game that manages to bring them all together. The Adamant and pizza parties that Noah, Zach's roommate, host in the book remind me of great memories with friends having game nights. A place and a space to forget our troubles and catch up on each other's lives.
My biggest criticism with the book is that it ends without resolving a good chunk of things I was under the impression it was going to address. There's nothing wrong with that per se, but the last chapter felt a bit anti-climatic to me and just kind of ends out of nowhere. I maintain that if you're a fan of trading card games and furry fiction that you should give it a try. I had a lot of fun with it and it gave me what I was looking for, which was a story that focused on the lives of the people who play the card games. Plus, having a bunch of gay flirting and banter while playing a game is something I'll always be down to see more of in books.
September 25, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! It was a fun way to merge the worlds of furry and TCGs. It’s clear that the author is very knowledgeable of the world of competitive TCGs. The characters are all very likable and fun to read about. Big recommend!
-Schande T.
-Schande T.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews