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Status The Game
The Game Too Dangerous To Stop Playing!
If you enjoy suspense, thrilling action and high stakes drama, then you will enjoy reading "Status The Game!" Author Vincent Robert Annunziato seamlessly guides readers through a landscape where virtual reality trumps real life and popularity is the only thing worth living for.
"A must read for every high schooler in America."
*Click NOW and get in the Game!
If you enjoy suspense, thrilling action and high stakes drama, then you will enjoy reading "Status The Game!" Author Vincent Robert Annunziato seamlessly guides readers through a landscape where virtual reality trumps real life and popularity is the only thing worth living for.
Bob Brooks is down on his luck. He ekes out a living as a substitute teacher and grabs odd jobs to make ends meet. It's never enough though and desperation sets in. Partly his fault, Bob is an overgrown kid at heart, dreaming of the day he can dedicate his life to full time gaming. It's selfish, but games are a calling.... And teaching? Just a bridge to something else. Life goes from bad to worse until Bob reads about a new internet game called Status. The internet sensation promises money, prizes and popularity to players who succeed. Bob marvels at the prospects and perfects a plan. Teach students about the internet while playing Status and have students build up his points in the game. With a never-ending supply of incoming, naïve teenagers, it's perfect. Madison High is perfect too. Affluent, hi tech and filled with students who have money and time. Even better? The Principal thinks he's cute and loves his proposal on Status. Once Bob debuts at Madison, though, he finds out that great plans aren't always so great. Especially once he learns his students are already playing Status and they are better at it than him.
Everyone is suspect in this thrilling adventure of social battles that pits brains versus brawn and haves versus have nots. Find out who wins! Oh and by the way, obtaining enough status might just make you the next big star of the internet. With fame and fortune just a rumor away, who wouldn't want to play... "Status?"
Stay Strong! Stay Loyal!
If you enjoy suspense, thrilling action and high stakes drama, then you will enjoy reading "Status The Game!" Author Vincent Robert Annunziato seamlessly guides readers through a landscape where virtual reality trumps real life and popularity is the only thing worth living for.
"A must read for every high schooler in America."
*Click NOW and get in the Game!
If you enjoy suspense, thrilling action and high stakes drama, then you will enjoy reading "Status The Game!" Author Vincent Robert Annunziato seamlessly guides readers through a landscape where virtual reality trumps real life and popularity is the only thing worth living for.
Bob Brooks is down on his luck. He ekes out a living as a substitute teacher and grabs odd jobs to make ends meet. It's never enough though and desperation sets in. Partly his fault, Bob is an overgrown kid at heart, dreaming of the day he can dedicate his life to full time gaming. It's selfish, but games are a calling.... And teaching? Just a bridge to something else. Life goes from bad to worse until Bob reads about a new internet game called Status. The internet sensation promises money, prizes and popularity to players who succeed. Bob marvels at the prospects and perfects a plan. Teach students about the internet while playing Status and have students build up his points in the game. With a never-ending supply of incoming, naïve teenagers, it's perfect. Madison High is perfect too. Affluent, hi tech and filled with students who have money and time. Even better? The Principal thinks he's cute and loves his proposal on Status. Once Bob debuts at Madison, though, he finds out that great plans aren't always so great. Especially once he learns his students are already playing Status and they are better at it than him.
Everyone is suspect in this thrilling adventure of social battles that pits brains versus brawn and haves versus have nots. Find out who wins! Oh and by the way, obtaining enough status might just make you the next big star of the internet. With fame and fortune just a rumor away, who wouldn't want to play... "Status?"
Stay Strong! Stay Loyal!
- GenresRomance
362 pages, Paperback
First published February 27, 2014
2 people are currently reading
625 people want to read
About the author
Vincent Robert Annunziato
9 books50 followersWhen I was in my 20's I dreamed of being a big time Hollywood Director and Writer. Believe it or not I almost hit it big a couple of times. Sony studios called me in for a writer's interview and Charles Dutton's company with Fox almost signed me for a screenplay called Season of Seed. But alas somehow, someway I just never made it even with an agent.
I fell in love, got married and had three kids and realized I needed to get a job to support my family. So I gave up my dreams for practicality. Now I work for the government, modernizing their computer systems. I have no regrets on my decisions, life just worked out that way. But now that I have returned to writing, I can tell you I have done it with a vengeance! LOL
Here's to hoping the dream can still come true!
Stay Strong! Stay Loyal!
Vincent Robert Annunziato
Author
I fell in love, got married and had three kids and realized I needed to get a job to support my family. So I gave up my dreams for practicality. Now I work for the government, modernizing their computer systems. I have no regrets on my decisions, life just worked out that way. But now that I have returned to writing, I can tell you I have done it with a vengeance! LOL
Here's to hoping the dream can still come true!
Stay Strong! Stay Loyal!
Vincent Robert Annunziato
Author
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 19, 2014
One of the most uncomfortable books I’ve ever read; it was BRILLIANT.
Status: The Game is the story of a young school teacher who plans to use a social-networking computer game to teach his high school class, and make a fortune at the same time. Little does he know, his students are already playing. When Bob steps foot in his classroom he is actually stepping into the middle of a battlefield where the stakes are deadly.
From almost the first page I despised the main character. Bob was shallow, selfish and lacked any semblance of self-control. It took me a few chapters to realize that his insecurities made him the perfect character to get sucked into a game like Status. The author did a brilliant job creating Bob. There were moments between him and Charlotte that I was so uncomfortable I actually had to put the book down! It takes a brave author to write a main character who is so pathetic and easily manipulated, but Vincent Annunziato nailed it.
I have rarely read a book that developed secondary characters so well. While Bob was obsessing over Timmy and Charlotte, I was falling in love with Jenny, Donny and John. I could easily relate to them and how easy it would be to let a fun game slip through your fingers and turn into something deadly. Timmy’s role as the mastermind surprised and impressed me, and the identity of his investor surprised me even more. Every single character in this book played an essential role in the development of the plot and I was sucked into every individual story.
My absolute favorite part of this book was the football scene against the badgers. I cannot think of any other book where so many individual stories wove together so perfectly at one pivotal moment. The climax was suspenseful and brilliantly satisfying.
Vincent did a fabulous job creating the game. It was well described, I could picture it in my head. The conflict between the characters wove seamlessly between the game and real life. The characters were well developed, each with compelling stories and agendas. And the book overall showed a painfully realistic picture of the hierarchy of teenage politics. I would recommend that every high school student be required to read this book. It shows the danger of being constantly connected through social media and the danger of placing too much weight in popularity and consumerism.
I did have a few small complaints. I wasn’t sure what the intended age group was, it felt too old for young adult but too young for adults. There was a bit too much exposition and backstory as the book opened up. There were a handful of spelling errors that were a little distracting. And Bob was naive enough that at times it was a bit unbelievable. But none of these were problem-enough to detract from the overall quality of the book.
A must-read for every high school student. Well done Vincent, you brought me nightmares of high school all over again!
-Lindsay Hiller, from The Kindle Book Review
Author of bestselling Young Adult novel, Reaper
“The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.”
Status: The Game is the story of a young school teacher who plans to use a social-networking computer game to teach his high school class, and make a fortune at the same time. Little does he know, his students are already playing. When Bob steps foot in his classroom he is actually stepping into the middle of a battlefield where the stakes are deadly.
From almost the first page I despised the main character. Bob was shallow, selfish and lacked any semblance of self-control. It took me a few chapters to realize that his insecurities made him the perfect character to get sucked into a game like Status. The author did a brilliant job creating Bob. There were moments between him and Charlotte that I was so uncomfortable I actually had to put the book down! It takes a brave author to write a main character who is so pathetic and easily manipulated, but Vincent Annunziato nailed it.
I have rarely read a book that developed secondary characters so well. While Bob was obsessing over Timmy and Charlotte, I was falling in love with Jenny, Donny and John. I could easily relate to them and how easy it would be to let a fun game slip through your fingers and turn into something deadly. Timmy’s role as the mastermind surprised and impressed me, and the identity of his investor surprised me even more. Every single character in this book played an essential role in the development of the plot and I was sucked into every individual story.
My absolute favorite part of this book was the football scene against the badgers. I cannot think of any other book where so many individual stories wove together so perfectly at one pivotal moment. The climax was suspenseful and brilliantly satisfying.
Vincent did a fabulous job creating the game. It was well described, I could picture it in my head. The conflict between the characters wove seamlessly between the game and real life. The characters were well developed, each with compelling stories and agendas. And the book overall showed a painfully realistic picture of the hierarchy of teenage politics. I would recommend that every high school student be required to read this book. It shows the danger of being constantly connected through social media and the danger of placing too much weight in popularity and consumerism.
I did have a few small complaints. I wasn’t sure what the intended age group was, it felt too old for young adult but too young for adults. There was a bit too much exposition and backstory as the book opened up. There were a handful of spelling errors that were a little distracting. And Bob was naive enough that at times it was a bit unbelievable. But none of these were problem-enough to detract from the overall quality of the book.
A must-read for every high school student. Well done Vincent, you brought me nightmares of high school all over again!
-Lindsay Hiller, from The Kindle Book Review
Author of bestselling Young Adult novel, Reaper
“The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.”
November 10, 2014
Okay so this book took me so long to read it! Usually thats a negative for me when reading fiction. I can usually fly through a book and have a book this size done before the day is over. However , I spent so much time just thinking about this book and was putting it down every few minutes and try to guess what would happen. The game Status was so realistic and terrifying because it was so real.
Status would be a perfect book for any gamer . The development of the game and the inclusion of the rules for the game brought it to life.I am a big fan of RPG games and I think all gamers have thought about their favorite game meshing with their “real” life. After reading Status I think everyone will rethink wanting that for sure. Status and the concept of a game that can dictate your life was such a unique concept. We as a group of people are so connected to each other through the internet and the privacy of the past is so gone now that something like Status is so possible and that it scary.
Bob who is our main character was kinda hard to connect with. Through most of the book i had a hard time caring about him and what was happening to him. The other characters and their perspective was a lot more action packed and intriguing to me. The further we got into the story I started to like Bob more but I never fully felt committed towards him like I did the other characters. He felt more like a tool to get us into the world.
I love the secondary characters in this book. They were so well developed and their stories took over the book for me! I was really drawn in and my sympathy and feelings shifted back and forth and it was great. It was just one big mystery . You didn’t know who was playing Status and where their alliances really stood. I had so much fun coming up with theories and plot twists in my head and trying to figure out how this was going to end. P.S. I was completely wrong.
I don’t think I have read a book that involves so many story lines that intertwined as well as this one. Everything just wrapped up nicely at the end and it was really impressive. My only complaint is towards the end. I was unsure how Bob helped at the end. He was suppose to do something major and I am not quite sure what he did or how he did it and I am pretty curious about that!
The way the book ended was really interesting. It was really mysterious and left it in a very interesting way setting up a future book really nicely and I am excited to see how the world of Status and the players will be when this series continues.
I would for sure recommend this book to everyone it ended up being a lot of fun and exciting. I would really recommend it especially to teens and lovers of YA.
Status would be a perfect book for any gamer . The development of the game and the inclusion of the rules for the game brought it to life.I am a big fan of RPG games and I think all gamers have thought about their favorite game meshing with their “real” life. After reading Status I think everyone will rethink wanting that for sure. Status and the concept of a game that can dictate your life was such a unique concept. We as a group of people are so connected to each other through the internet and the privacy of the past is so gone now that something like Status is so possible and that it scary.
Bob who is our main character was kinda hard to connect with. Through most of the book i had a hard time caring about him and what was happening to him. The other characters and their perspective was a lot more action packed and intriguing to me. The further we got into the story I started to like Bob more but I never fully felt committed towards him like I did the other characters. He felt more like a tool to get us into the world.
I love the secondary characters in this book. They were so well developed and their stories took over the book for me! I was really drawn in and my sympathy and feelings shifted back and forth and it was great. It was just one big mystery . You didn’t know who was playing Status and where their alliances really stood. I had so much fun coming up with theories and plot twists in my head and trying to figure out how this was going to end. P.S. I was completely wrong.
I don’t think I have read a book that involves so many story lines that intertwined as well as this one. Everything just wrapped up nicely at the end and it was really impressive. My only complaint is towards the end. I was unsure how Bob helped at the end. He was suppose to do something major and I am not quite sure what he did or how he did it and I am pretty curious about that!
The way the book ended was really interesting. It was really mysterious and left it in a very interesting way setting up a future book really nicely and I am excited to see how the world of Status and the players will be when this series continues.
I would for sure recommend this book to everyone it ended up being a lot of fun and exciting. I would really recommend it especially to teens and lovers of YA.
January 10, 2015
Thank you to the author, Vincent Robert Annunziato, for gifting me a copy of Status The Game in exchange for an honest review!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I've never really read a book about video games before (except Who R U Really?) so it was intriguing to get inside the head of a gamer and find out what exactly they think. I'm not sure Bob was the right person for the job. Well, maybe he was, but the entirety of my discontent centers around him and his attitude. So let's break down Bob shall we?
Bob is your average gamer who thinks he has what it takes to get into the big leagues. Unfortunately, he's a little misguided which was made painfully real in this book. It was actually one of my favorite parts of the book, when Bob goes into the school and realizes how much more advanced kids half his age are at the game. I think more could have been done with the education aspect. We never really get to see Bob actually teach even though that's his job description.
Bob is also seemingly attracted to every female he encounters. That was also quite humorous to me. I think that being the case, something more could have been done with his 'final' romance to make it evident that she is different.
Now the good aspects! I loved how intricate the loyalties were. It almost reminded me of an Agatha Christie book - how you never really knew everyone until the final chapters. In general, I love reading those kinds of books and this one is no exception! Going along with that, the last plot point really brought home the idea that the game infiltrated these kids' lives and that it's more than a game. Those last few sentences just completely blew my mind.
I also really liked the interview portion. Every chapter, it'd open with rules from Status and part of an interview with Bob after the fact. Initially, the interview could have been introduced better but once I understood the structure, it was fascinating to see how differently Bob's thinking was after the entire Status mess. That really made the book for me, along with the loyalties.
The Final Verdict:
Bob was quite the questionable character but the plot really made up for where he was lacking. The intricacies of the game and how people played was fascinating to me. Also, the interview portions of the chapter and the final scenes were brilliantly done!
4 stars
Quotes:
Again, my kindle must have wiped all my quotes... I'll have them up in a few days!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I've never really read a book about video games before (except Who R U Really?) so it was intriguing to get inside the head of a gamer and find out what exactly they think. I'm not sure Bob was the right person for the job. Well, maybe he was, but the entirety of my discontent centers around him and his attitude. So let's break down Bob shall we?
Bob is your average gamer who thinks he has what it takes to get into the big leagues. Unfortunately, he's a little misguided which was made painfully real in this book. It was actually one of my favorite parts of the book, when Bob goes into the school and realizes how much more advanced kids half his age are at the game. I think more could have been done with the education aspect. We never really get to see Bob actually teach even though that's his job description.
Bob is also seemingly attracted to every female he encounters. That was also quite humorous to me. I think that being the case, something more could have been done with his 'final' romance to make it evident that she is different.
Now the good aspects! I loved how intricate the loyalties were. It almost reminded me of an Agatha Christie book - how you never really knew everyone until the final chapters. In general, I love reading those kinds of books and this one is no exception! Going along with that, the last plot point really brought home the idea that the game infiltrated these kids' lives and that it's more than a game. Those last few sentences just completely blew my mind.
I also really liked the interview portion. Every chapter, it'd open with rules from Status and part of an interview with Bob after the fact. Initially, the interview could have been introduced better but once I understood the structure, it was fascinating to see how differently Bob's thinking was after the entire Status mess. That really made the book for me, along with the loyalties.
The Final Verdict:
Bob was quite the questionable character but the plot really made up for where he was lacking. The intricacies of the game and how people played was fascinating to me. Also, the interview portions of the chapter and the final scenes were brilliantly done!
4 stars
Quotes:
Again, my kindle must have wiped all my quotes... I'll have them up in a few days!
January 8, 2015
I have also posted this review over on my blog A Blonde Librarian
Stay Strong. Stay Loyal.
I don't usually accept review requests from indie/self-published authors, but like I always say - there are exceptions to every rule, and if something grabs my attention I will read it regardless of who wrote it or where it was published. It was my pleasure to get speaking to Vincent Robert Annunziato on Goodreads about his debut novel Status: The Game, and decided that I REALLY wanted to read it.....so I did :) Infact, I was so keen to read this that I actually borrowed a Kindle to download the ebook version - and ANYONE who knows me will know how much I despise ebooks!!
The story focuses on a guy named Bob. Bob works in temporary teaching positions, his income is not steady, love-life non-existent, finances not promising...he's basically just winging his miserable way through life. Bob is a keen gamer, so is obviously interested when he comes across a new MMORPG called 'Status'. The aim of the game is to link all of your social media profiles and by navigating the online world with your avatar you gain Status points, which eventually lead to bonuses, upgrades and the possibility of real-life fortunes if you do well within the game. Everything you do, everything you say, everything you buy, the people you speak to, the places you go - all of these things can generate and destroy Status points...and within the game, points are EVERYTHING.
Bob decides to maximise this opportunity and combine it with his newest teaching job at a well-established and high-achieving high school. His plan is simple, teach the kids how to play Status, get them to help him gain points, and ultimately result in lots of money and power falling his way. Little does he know - the kids are already playing Status...and they are SO much better at it than him. But things are going too far. The students are taking Status WAY beyond the game. In the already-ruthless social environment that is high-school, people are being pubically humiliated, manipulated and lives are being destroyed - all in the name of points....all in the name of Status.
Bob, with high hopes of a bright future based on Status, unwittingly stumbles into a dangerous and complicated world that could just ruin his life forever.
I loved the idea of Status. The game is so interesting and unique. I enjoyed all of the little aspects to the game, such as if you buy something for your avatar in Status, you receive the same product in real-life too. There are lots of tiny little details that make up the bigger picture and I loved throwing myself into that. The idea is almost dystopian...but based within our own world. Society as we have it now, is massively influenced by social media and a situation like the one presented in this book is actually not that far from becoming reality. That is what is so unnerving about the entire concept.
The writing was great. Each chapter starts with a different rule from the game, which ties in nicely with the following scenes. This helps you learn about how Status works without bombarding you with TMI all at once. We also begin each chapter with some afterthoughts from Bob, which provide eerie foreshadowing that this is not going to end well.
I will say that the book started off quite slowly, it takes a while to get going. Even though it's not the most action-packed of narratives - something....just something grips you, and keeps you turning the pages desperate to see what happens next. The tension builds slowly and Vincent does a fantastic job of drawing you into this dangerous world that Bob so naively stumbled into. And just lemme tell you guys - you will NEVER be so excited and anxious during a football game as you are during the pivotal one which begins the climax of this book (that's all I'm saying on that...)
I adored how well the characters were developed in this story. Backstories can sometimes become frustrating when you just want to push forward with the action, but through these we get to learn so much about what motivates each character to act the way that they do.
Let's talk about Bob for a second shall we? I didn't relate to him or like him much right from the start. His motivations appear selfish, immature, naive and idealistic - he has his head in the clouds. Bob is a dreamer. I was worried that I couldn't connect with Bob. How was I supposed to follow a story with him if I didn't like him? I had no need for concern though.....this book becomes about so much MORE than Bob. He is just the entryway into the crazy, crazy world that we become a part of. You will fall in love with Donny, Jenny and Hauser, be wary and intimidated by Timmy and Charlotte, freaked out and baffled by Reed, and the abundance of other characters add even more delicious and complicated richness to the fold. You never know who is playing Status and you WILL become suspicious of everyone's actions and motives.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I feel as though I haven't said enough in this review, but I honestly can't say too much because I don't want to spoil anything for you. Right from the tense start, the dangerous build-up and the amazing football game, through to the tragic yet almost inevitable ending....this has been a book that I struggled to put down and it left me feeling very unsettled and full of life ponderings long after I finished it.
Status: The Game shows the true impact that popularity and status, mixed with the vast online world of gaming and social media can have on our society if taken into the wrong hands. It acts as a cautionary tale of sorts, whilst being a very good read along the way. I 100% recommend this book. It's definitely worth picking up. Because of how much I was drawn into the story, and how it made me feel...I can't give it anything other than full marks.
Stay Strong. Stay Loyal.
I don't usually accept review requests from indie/self-published authors, but like I always say - there are exceptions to every rule, and if something grabs my attention I will read it regardless of who wrote it or where it was published. It was my pleasure to get speaking to Vincent Robert Annunziato on Goodreads about his debut novel Status: The Game, and decided that I REALLY wanted to read it.....so I did :) Infact, I was so keen to read this that I actually borrowed a Kindle to download the ebook version - and ANYONE who knows me will know how much I despise ebooks!!
The story focuses on a guy named Bob. Bob works in temporary teaching positions, his income is not steady, love-life non-existent, finances not promising...he's basically just winging his miserable way through life. Bob is a keen gamer, so is obviously interested when he comes across a new MMORPG called 'Status'. The aim of the game is to link all of your social media profiles and by navigating the online world with your avatar you gain Status points, which eventually lead to bonuses, upgrades and the possibility of real-life fortunes if you do well within the game. Everything you do, everything you say, everything you buy, the people you speak to, the places you go - all of these things can generate and destroy Status points...and within the game, points are EVERYTHING.
Bob decides to maximise this opportunity and combine it with his newest teaching job at a well-established and high-achieving high school. His plan is simple, teach the kids how to play Status, get them to help him gain points, and ultimately result in lots of money and power falling his way. Little does he know - the kids are already playing Status...and they are SO much better at it than him. But things are going too far. The students are taking Status WAY beyond the game. In the already-ruthless social environment that is high-school, people are being pubically humiliated, manipulated and lives are being destroyed - all in the name of points....all in the name of Status.
Bob, with high hopes of a bright future based on Status, unwittingly stumbles into a dangerous and complicated world that could just ruin his life forever.
I loved the idea of Status. The game is so interesting and unique. I enjoyed all of the little aspects to the game, such as if you buy something for your avatar in Status, you receive the same product in real-life too. There are lots of tiny little details that make up the bigger picture and I loved throwing myself into that. The idea is almost dystopian...but based within our own world. Society as we have it now, is massively influenced by social media and a situation like the one presented in this book is actually not that far from becoming reality. That is what is so unnerving about the entire concept.
The writing was great. Each chapter starts with a different rule from the game, which ties in nicely with the following scenes. This helps you learn about how Status works without bombarding you with TMI all at once. We also begin each chapter with some afterthoughts from Bob, which provide eerie foreshadowing that this is not going to end well.
I will say that the book started off quite slowly, it takes a while to get going. Even though it's not the most action-packed of narratives - something....just something grips you, and keeps you turning the pages desperate to see what happens next. The tension builds slowly and Vincent does a fantastic job of drawing you into this dangerous world that Bob so naively stumbled into. And just lemme tell you guys - you will NEVER be so excited and anxious during a football game as you are during the pivotal one which begins the climax of this book (that's all I'm saying on that...)
I adored how well the characters were developed in this story. Backstories can sometimes become frustrating when you just want to push forward with the action, but through these we get to learn so much about what motivates each character to act the way that they do.
Let's talk about Bob for a second shall we? I didn't relate to him or like him much right from the start. His motivations appear selfish, immature, naive and idealistic - he has his head in the clouds. Bob is a dreamer. I was worried that I couldn't connect with Bob. How was I supposed to follow a story with him if I didn't like him? I had no need for concern though.....this book becomes about so much MORE than Bob. He is just the entryway into the crazy, crazy world that we become a part of. You will fall in love with Donny, Jenny and Hauser, be wary and intimidated by Timmy and Charlotte, freaked out and baffled by Reed, and the abundance of other characters add even more delicious and complicated richness to the fold. You never know who is playing Status and you WILL become suspicious of everyone's actions and motives.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I feel as though I haven't said enough in this review, but I honestly can't say too much because I don't want to spoil anything for you. Right from the tense start, the dangerous build-up and the amazing football game, through to the tragic yet almost inevitable ending....this has been a book that I struggled to put down and it left me feeling very unsettled and full of life ponderings long after I finished it.
Status: The Game shows the true impact that popularity and status, mixed with the vast online world of gaming and social media can have on our society if taken into the wrong hands. It acts as a cautionary tale of sorts, whilst being a very good read along the way. I 100% recommend this book. It's definitely worth picking up. Because of how much I was drawn into the story, and how it made me feel...I can't give it anything other than full marks.
April 25, 2015
This book was a delight to read. And by delight I mean I was on the edge of my seat, slightly uncomfortable, and could not stop reading. I haven’t read anything like it and was amazed by the creativity of Annunziato. The premise of Status the Game is awesome. I loved how players became addicted to it like a drug and they would keep going no matter the consequences. It is scary how portending of our future the whole concept is (if we aren’t careful). The details Annunziato shares about the game are quite elaborate, well thought out, and really bring you into that virtual world. The characters were colorful and interesting, and I especially loved the Principal Reed character. The setting of high school worked well for the story because HS is such a time of angst and social challenges. These things are magnified by the fact that everyone is playing Status. It is a game that allows humans to be the worst and most materialistic versions of themselves in this anonymous (but not so anonymous) way. Every one is leading a double life and the line between real life and virtual life in the game is blurred.
I liked the underlying theme of evolution in the book where the concept of survival of the fittest has been totally redefined by Status. I also love how the book is structured with most of it being told through Bob, the protagonist, but interspersed with mysterious inner thought from him in the future, and also with the rules of the Game, which made it all the more real.
This is a unique story, a fast and exciting read, and a book that really makes you think. I highly recommend. Can’t wait to read the next one!
I liked the underlying theme of evolution in the book where the concept of survival of the fittest has been totally redefined by Status. I also love how the book is structured with most of it being told through Bob, the protagonist, but interspersed with mysterious inner thought from him in the future, and also with the rules of the Game, which made it all the more real.
This is a unique story, a fast and exciting read, and a book that really makes you think. I highly recommend. Can’t wait to read the next one!
February 8, 2015
I'm a gamer, so the premise of this book appealed to me greatly. A game that integrates into your life and gives you points for actions you take IRL? Cool!
Bob is a tech teacher looking for a way to get rich. His plan is to use a new online game called Status to make it happen. He'll farm kids and turn them into a whopping payday for himself. Except it doesn't really work out that way. He's behind from the moment he steps into the classroom and it takes a surprisingly long time for him to realize that he is being played more than he's playing.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. However, the main character, Bob, was really not that likable. Not only was he rather dull-witted, he just wasn't a nice person and really had no redeemable qualities. I wasn't that unhappy about him being trumped by students in various tasks and felt little triumph when he had gains.
The other thing that was a little annoying was the constant switching between characters. While told in third person, there are frequent jumps from one character to the next, which is very confusing as they are marked with nothing but a bold capital letter at the beginning of the paragraph.
While obviously I wouldn't want to play Status in real life, it sounds kind of fun! I think this book would translate extremely well to movie format.
Disclaimer: I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Bob is a tech teacher looking for a way to get rich. His plan is to use a new online game called Status to make it happen. He'll farm kids and turn them into a whopping payday for himself. Except it doesn't really work out that way. He's behind from the moment he steps into the classroom and it takes a surprisingly long time for him to realize that he is being played more than he's playing.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. However, the main character, Bob, was really not that likable. Not only was he rather dull-witted, he just wasn't a nice person and really had no redeemable qualities. I wasn't that unhappy about him being trumped by students in various tasks and felt little triumph when he had gains.
The other thing that was a little annoying was the constant switching between characters. While told in third person, there are frequent jumps from one character to the next, which is very confusing as they are marked with nothing but a bold capital letter at the beginning of the paragraph.
While obviously I wouldn't want to play Status in real life, it sounds kind of fun! I think this book would translate extremely well to movie format.
Disclaimer: I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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April 14, 2015I won this from a Goodreads giveaway, and I thank the author for the giveaway. I really wanted to like this book. The premise is interesting, and the format of rule #, followed by a page of a diary-like entry in first person from the main character was okay. However, unfortunately, the chapters were written in omniscient point of view, which, for me, is not enjoyable. After three chapters, I had to put the book down, and I won't be finishing it.
This in no way attributes to the quality of the writing or story. I didn't read enough of the story to provide a review of the content. I will donate the book to a local library which I know will shelve the book and not put it in a sale, and I wish the author the best of luck.
This in no way attributes to the quality of the writing or story. I didn't read enough of the story to provide a review of the content. I will donate the book to a local library which I know will shelve the book and not put it in a sale, and I wish the author the best of luck.
June 9, 2014
In this day and age, the lines between our real lives and our online lives have blurred, and the pace continues to accelerate. The new generation has grown up with technology but has failed to fully realize the hazards of the online world, and the amount of harm it can do in real life. Status gives us a glimpse into what is to come, and what may already be here. A fabulous read and a fabulous lesson for all of us.
September 14, 2024
How refreshing to read something out of the ordinary yet so current. It grabs you and makes you a part of its world. Great character development. It would be great to hear what students think about the ideas of the book becoming a reality. I would imagine it'd be very relatable.
Hope there's a sequel!
Hope there's a sequel!
January 2, 2015
Bob discovers a new, soon to be released online game called Status, and devises a plan to quickly master the game ... The human side of achieving status comes across subtly, then draws the reader in. Full of action and suspense...
Read our full review here: http://www.moonrisebookblog.com/2014/...
Read our full review here: http://www.moonrisebookblog.com/2014/...
April 15, 2015
I totally enjoyed reading Status. When a MMORPG begins to enter the real world, things can get very dicey. When Bob finally gets a full time teaching job, it is because he wants to teach students to play Status as a way of teaching business. It turns out is class is much more advanced in the game than he is. A great read; highly recommended.
May 10, 2015
a bit bizarre really
April 12, 2015
I was
October 22, 2020
This book was truly uncomfortable, but so POIGNANT. I never knew what to expect. The story made me sad and hopeful all at once.
March 6, 2016
This story moves like one of those big loop de loop roller coasters. Starts out a little slow as it begins, but before you know it you're in the middle of something crazy and then wham, you're done and have to take a minute to figure out what just happened. The plot and storyline are genius and perfect for our modern era of gaming and technology taking over the lives of the newer generations. It asks the question of how far will online games and social media push the limits until our youth arw severely affected in the real world. A great read for teenagers on up
May 2, 2017
The best thing about this book: The author went to the same high school I did.
At first I thought the story had an interesting idea: Take the very worst parts about social media (needing to get attention, needing to be popular) and make a game about that. To reach higher levels, the players had to get followers, attention, popularity. Very very quickly I realized I did not want to read this story. It was like taking high school and making it into a game... and for some reason everyone in the world wanted to play it. Not me. DNF
At first I thought the story had an interesting idea: Take the very worst parts about social media (needing to get attention, needing to be popular) and make a game about that. To reach higher levels, the players had to get followers, attention, popularity. Very very quickly I realized I did not want to read this story. It was like taking high school and making it into a game... and for some reason everyone in the world wanted to play it. Not me. DNF
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