Midnight Multiplayer

by Paul Christou

Get ready to play the game of your life.

Charlie is a 27-year-old gamer stuck in a life that feels like a loading screen. He’s deep in debt, his boss is a jerk, he barely speaks to his family, and his relationship is glitching beyond repair.

But none of that matters this weekend.

BattleTheatre, a new game Charlie and his crew have been waiting years to get their hands on, is finally releasing. And they’ve signed up for a video game tournament with a chance to win twenty thousand dollars—more than enough money to help Charlie turn everything around. All he has to do is log in on Saturday at midnight.

Nothing can stop him from gaming glory… or can it?

As the weekend unfolds, the thrill of competition and the heart of real life collide in a funny, feel-good gaming story about friendship, love, and the unexpected boss battles life throws your way. Full of twists and turns, it's perfect for fans of Ready Player One, Dungeon Crawler Carl, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, as it explores the power of relationships and the discomfort of facing your true self.

343 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 14, 2025

About the author

Paul's journey began on a wood-paneled console hooked up to a 12-inch black-and-white TV. Since then, he’s played thousands of video games in preparation to write the video game novel of his dreams: Midnight Multiplayer.

Originally from Chicago, he now lives in Florida with his wife, but he still remains obsessed with Italian beef, tavern-style pizza cut into squares, and the Chicago Bears.

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a cute idea. Definitely helps if you are or have been a gamer. Especially in the section where they are actually playing the Midnight gaming challenge, as this is a long section of detailed gaming. There are character arcs, and character development. I have a feeling the personal challenges and issues, especially of the male characters, reflect what a lot of young guys are going through at this stage of life. Having to outgrow a bit of self centeredness and decide to grow up or not. The book should speak to a certain demographic.

[Louise Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a gamer, you will get an extra level of enjoyment from this book as there are so many terrific references to trigger memories and understanding, I really enjoyed the story itself, too, and found myself really engaged with the main character and his often unusual decisions.