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Fun and Games #1
It's All Fun and Games
When Allison's best friend, TJ, convinces her to come along for an epic game of LARP (live-action role-playing), she reluctantly agrees despite her reservations about the geeky pastime. TJ's weekends are filled with powerful wizardry, mystical creatures, and intense battles with his LARP group. Each adventure is full of surprises, but the goal is always the same: to defeat the monsters and find the treasure.
Not long after their quest begins, the friends discover that something has gone wrong. The fantasy world they've built has transformed, and the battle they're in the midst of is no longer make-believe.
Now they must fight for survival against brigands, kobolds, and other deadly mythical creatures that come to life. Fortunately, the group's once-fictional magical powers have also become real - including Allison's newly acquired gifts as a healer. They'll need everything in their arsenal if they hope to make it home alive.
Not long after their quest begins, the friends discover that something has gone wrong. The fantasy world they've built has transformed, and the battle they're in the midst of is no longer make-believe.
Now they must fight for survival against brigands, kobolds, and other deadly mythical creatures that come to life. Fortunately, the group's once-fictional magical powers have also become real - including Allison's newly acquired gifts as a healer. They'll need everything in their arsenal if they hope to make it home alive.
220 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2016
20 people are currently reading
1732 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
February 4, 2018
2/4/18 $.99 for Kindle.
* Review copy provided by Netgalley *
From the time I discovered The Chronicles of Narnia as a kid I was drawn to stories about young people transported to a magical place. Whenever I ran across a book with that premise I’d snatch it up and give it a try.
So, of course I had to read “It’s All Fun And Games”.
I’ve never done any live action or table top role playing, although I think it sounds fun and would have if I’d had the opportunity. I’ve done my share of adventure gaming with computer games.
So the premise of this story really appealed to me.
I liked the use of a newbie, Allison, to whom the basic rules are explained, so a reader unfamiliar with this kind of gaming is giving the basics in a way that seems natural to the story. I think enough information was given to inform the reader, but not so much it seemed artificial or dragged the story down.
As the story begins we’re introduced to TJ, the regular LARPer, and his friend Allison who he convinces, reluctantly, to join in a game one weekend. The fact that TJ seems to have a bit of a crush on Allison and tempts her to come along with the information that a guy she has a crush on will be there was such a classic young person ploy it made me chuckle.
We’re soon introduced to the rest of TJ’s group, Chuck, Simon, Jimmy, and Stu, and we’re given the mission,
“Word has reached us that a mighty wizard has arisen from the squabbles of Arcanum in Estervary.”
“One stands supreme amid the ruins of his rivals and is able to act unchecked – at least for now. He has turned his eyes westward, with thoughts of war and conquest.”
“Or shall we ride forth to meet him, to turn him aside before he comes within a hundred leagues? For myself, and for our people, I choose the later.”
The adventure game starts off normally enough, but soon the group finds itself in a situation where things have obviously changed. Arrows from adversaries are suddenly deadly real. TJ and his group suddenly find that their weapons also are suddenly real, as are the abilities, knowledge and even some memories, of their characters.
At first they don’t have much time to think about this as they’re in the middle of being attacked. But afterward they seem to accept it rather quickly and with minimal thought or question, which seems strange. In part this makes some sense perhaps, because although they maintain their own memories and thoughts, they now additionally have memories and thoughts of the characters they’ve created and been playing. As if they are still themselves, but also now actually their character as well.
I thought that was an interesting aspect, this duality of memories and knowledge. It also meant they conveniently had information, as well as abilities, to assist them along the way.
I enjoyed this story, but also was a bit disappointed. Early on an event occurred that should have had more emotional impact than it did, but we’re just not given enough to be very invested in the characters. I found them all likable enough, but would have liked to have had more in the way of characterization and interaction so that we really felt for these young people. Possibly the fact that they were not overly distressed or confused by their situation lessened the impact for us as well.
Due to the fact that knowledge and ability needed was usually conveniently there, and the fact that I wasn’t too emotionally invested in the characters, the tension and suspense in risky or dangerous situations wasn’t what it could have been.
We’re not ever given any explanation on how they magically came to be in this place, with their characters and the game story suddenly real. I was fine with that though, although some hint would have been nice.
Overall I’d give the first half of this story a solid 3, “I liked it”, and I do think the second half of the story was better. So I’m giving this a 3 ½, rounding up to 4 because I do think this is an enjoyable read plus extra points for a book that will appeal to guys – those are often so hard to find.
I received a free, expiring, copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
* Review copy provided by Netgalley *
From the time I discovered The Chronicles of Narnia as a kid I was drawn to stories about young people transported to a magical place. Whenever I ran across a book with that premise I’d snatch it up and give it a try.
So, of course I had to read “It’s All Fun And Games”.
I’ve never done any live action or table top role playing, although I think it sounds fun and would have if I’d had the opportunity. I’ve done my share of adventure gaming with computer games.
So the premise of this story really appealed to me.
I liked the use of a newbie, Allison, to whom the basic rules are explained, so a reader unfamiliar with this kind of gaming is giving the basics in a way that seems natural to the story. I think enough information was given to inform the reader, but not so much it seemed artificial or dragged the story down.
As the story begins we’re introduced to TJ, the regular LARPer, and his friend Allison who he convinces, reluctantly, to join in a game one weekend. The fact that TJ seems to have a bit of a crush on Allison and tempts her to come along with the information that a guy she has a crush on will be there was such a classic young person ploy it made me chuckle.
We’re soon introduced to the rest of TJ’s group, Chuck, Simon, Jimmy, and Stu, and we’re given the mission,
“Word has reached us that a mighty wizard has arisen from the squabbles of Arcanum in Estervary.”
“One stands supreme amid the ruins of his rivals and is able to act unchecked – at least for now. He has turned his eyes westward, with thoughts of war and conquest.”
“Or shall we ride forth to meet him, to turn him aside before he comes within a hundred leagues? For myself, and for our people, I choose the later.”
The adventure game starts off normally enough, but soon the group finds itself in a situation where things have obviously changed. Arrows from adversaries are suddenly deadly real. TJ and his group suddenly find that their weapons also are suddenly real, as are the abilities, knowledge and even some memories, of their characters.
At first they don’t have much time to think about this as they’re in the middle of being attacked. But afterward they seem to accept it rather quickly and with minimal thought or question, which seems strange. In part this makes some sense perhaps, because although they maintain their own memories and thoughts, they now additionally have memories and thoughts of the characters they’ve created and been playing. As if they are still themselves, but also now actually their character as well.
I thought that was an interesting aspect, this duality of memories and knowledge. It also meant they conveniently had information, as well as abilities, to assist them along the way.
I enjoyed this story, but also was a bit disappointed. Early on an event occurred that should have had more emotional impact than it did, but we’re just not given enough to be very invested in the characters. I found them all likable enough, but would have liked to have had more in the way of characterization and interaction so that we really felt for these young people. Possibly the fact that they were not overly distressed or confused by their situation lessened the impact for us as well.
Due to the fact that knowledge and ability needed was usually conveniently there, and the fact that I wasn’t too emotionally invested in the characters, the tension and suspense in risky or dangerous situations wasn’t what it could have been.
We’re not ever given any explanation on how they magically came to be in this place, with their characters and the game story suddenly real. I was fine with that though, although some hint would have been nice.
Overall I’d give the first half of this story a solid 3, “I liked it”, and I do think the second half of the story was better. So I’m giving this a 3 ½, rounding up to 4 because I do think this is an enjoyable read plus extra points for a book that will appeal to guys – those are often so hard to find.
I received a free, expiring, copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2017
What happens when an innocent weekend of LARPing turns real? That’s what a group of teens face when they meet in the woods. Suddenly they actually become their characters and face a JRR Tolkien world.
This book is exciting and I can’t wait to read the next in the series. 😊
This book is exciting and I can’t wait to read the next in the series. 😊
July 3, 2016
I received a free copy of this ARC read for review ebook request from Netgalley, Nerdist publishing, and the author in exchange for an honest review.
TJ invites his friend Allison for a weekend of Live Action role-playing. She accepts and joins his friends Jimmy, Stu, Chuck and her friend Nathan who goes to school with him in their pretend mission set to save the world from an evil wizard and other fantasy creatures. Now with one of their friends murdered and far from home, Allison and friends must continue their quest to survive this strange land. Will they ever be able to return home? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good fantasy novel and my first read from author Dave Barrett. It was action-packed and had a great storyline with characters. It is also the first of the series and I look forward to see what happens next to our heroes. I enjoyed checking this out. Look for this book when it comes out in August in bookstores and wherever books are sold.
TJ invites his friend Allison for a weekend of Live Action role-playing. She accepts and joins his friends Jimmy, Stu, Chuck and her friend Nathan who goes to school with him in their pretend mission set to save the world from an evil wizard and other fantasy creatures. Now with one of their friends murdered and far from home, Allison and friends must continue their quest to survive this strange land. Will they ever be able to return home? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good fantasy novel and my first read from author Dave Barrett. It was action-packed and had a great storyline with characters. It is also the first of the series and I look forward to see what happens next to our heroes. I enjoyed checking this out. Look for this book when it comes out in August in bookstores and wherever books are sold.
March 17, 2016
Well of course I rated it 5 stars. It's my book! :D
July 28, 2016
The dedication of the book gave me hope: "To Lloyd Alexander, whose Chronicles of Prydain taught me that worlds of magic and adventure exist; and to Gary Gygax, who taught me how to play in them." Lloyd Alexander is one of my heroes, and EGG (because his name is actually
E.
Gary Gygax) was responsible for some fun times when I was a kid. Also, this book "was selected as a winner of the inaugural Nerdist Collection Contest", which should have meant it was chock full of geeky goodness. Don't get me wrong – it certainly wasn't a terrible book. But it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
In the 80's, at the peak of the first Dungeons and Dragons wave, Joel Rosenberg began a series of novels (The Guardians of the Flame) about a group of college kids who suddenly find themselves in their characters' bodies in the world of the game they've been playing. It's been 33 years since that first book came out, so maybe now is a good time to try the idea out again. The biggest difference is that these kids are LARPers, actually putting on garb (they're NOT costumes) and going out into an organized park to hike through the woods and interacting with actors to pursue a quest.
The other biggest difference … The Guardians of the Flame series had an advantage on this book, I felt, because – I suppose because the target audience skewed older – the gamers were college students instead of young high schoolers. That opened up the story in a completely different way, and made for a stronger story.
The problem is, basically, that Dave Barrett is no Joel Rosenberg (who is in a way another one of my heroes). There were some nice bits ("A darkness has risen in the East.” TJ chuckled. “It’s always the East, isn’t it? Sauron, Arawn, the Yankees…" Kudos for name-checking Arawn, and yes, the Yankees are evil.) But a line like "First, he doesn’t carry a sword. He carries a sword"… I'm sure there were supposed to be italics there. But there weren't italics there.
I just failed to suspend disbelief for big chunks of the story. Example: Shortly after the group is blinked into the fantasy role, they come upon a group of huts – too small for a village, I think, described as "half a dozen ramshackle cottages clumped together along one side of the path. Between several of the buildings were makeshift roofs, under which some scrawny-looking goats had taken shelter." The kids trek in, and attempt to engage the inhabitants in the kind of exchange that they've been having with the other actors they've encountered, and are puzzled by the reactions they get. Spoiler alert... the reason they get some strange responses is that these aren't actors anymore: at some point in their cross-woods hike they crossed some kind of threshold into the world in which their game takes place. But despite the fact that this is a clump of hovels, with goats, the kids don't notice anything unusual – and wouldn't there be a noticeable smell?
Another small example: the thief character carries with him a string of bells to be put up around a campsite to act as an alarm in case of intruders. How does he carry it silently? It's not impossible – but I would have liked it acknowledged that a thief, who is required to move without noise as part of his job, has to have a way to schlep bells around. (Are they jingle-bells-type bells? Or clapper-type bells? And let me just say I had to go on a brief rabbit-hole odyssey to find out if jingle bells have clappers (no); say what you will about Wikipedia, but that's where I got an answer.)
And one more: the big hero-type guy refers to the less combat-ready members of the group as the "squishier" members. And then a little while later comes a line like "whom he referred to as the “squishier” members of the group", as if it was the first time the little joke had been trotted out. I think in fact it happens a few times – eliciting the reaction "Yes. I know. You told me." I really do hate that.
What kept distracting me throughout was that – well, two things, or one two-part thing. None of the kids ever thinks about the consequences of their disappearance – they don't think about the people running the LARP, who will eventually realize that they have lost half a dozen teenagers, and there's going to have to be a massive search, and possibly – no, probably – lawsuits. The other part of that, of course, is that their families are going to be losing their minds with worry. But not a single one of the main characters ever says, or in the point of view scenes thinks "I'll never see my mother again…" until way too far in. (I made a note at "location 1492".) These are kids. They all live at home, whatever their home lives might be like. I found it very hard to buy that none of them ever stepped back and had to process the idea that their whole lives, from hot showers to microwave popcorn to their music to their families and pets, might be out of their reach forever.
It also kept bothering me that … these were kids. I suppose this might be something that the author expects to be waved away because if the target audience is the same age they probably won't care. But … that's not the way it should work. I don't care if a book is aimed for a ten-year-old or a fifty-year-old, I expect it to be intelligent and well thought out. (I know. I know. I expect a lot.) A young adult book does not get to be dumb just because it's a young adult book. And it just doesn't work for me that teenagers, who are still getting used to the new ways their bodies work, are suddenly faced with possessing the bodies of their characters … and never so much as mention it. Instead of fairly ordinary kids they are now a mage, a thief, a fighter (who, if I recall correctly, is not human), a cleric, and so on, and one assumes that the characters are adult. In The Sleeping Dragon, the college kids realize immediately that things are not as they were: the fighter has to become used to being basically himself but bigger and stronger. The girl who had been playing and now was inhabiting a mage is physically much the same, but needs to learn the ins and outs of her power. And one young man who is a paraplegic in this world finds himself in possession of a fully functional and agile body. The realizations and forced adaptations are immediate. And then very soon they find out that the magic is real and the swords are sharp, and it is absolutely tragic.
I will give Dave Barrett some credit for how the kids' first battle is handled. But not all the credit – it could have been more convincing. The kids experience sharp swords and real magic, and death, and I didn't entirely believe in how they coped.
It's also a little odd that they talk about their situation in front of indigenous folks, and not a goblin among them ever says "what the heck are you talking about?" or wonders if they're mad.
I also wasn't thrilled that the book ended – spoiler alert – without much storyline resolution at all. I suppose that means the author expects a second book. So I guess I'll never know.
One last note: I made a note at 96% on my Kindle edition: "if I wasnt at 96% I would rage quit". A goblin makes a moronic joke in Yoda fashion – well, here. I kind of wish this had been earlier in the book; it would have saved me a bit of time. "Within is where all his business our chief does. Well, his official business. For the other kind, the latrine he uses." I skimmed the rest, muttering annoyedly under my breath.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
In the 80's, at the peak of the first Dungeons and Dragons wave, Joel Rosenberg began a series of novels (The Guardians of the Flame) about a group of college kids who suddenly find themselves in their characters' bodies in the world of the game they've been playing. It's been 33 years since that first book came out, so maybe now is a good time to try the idea out again. The biggest difference is that these kids are LARPers, actually putting on garb (they're NOT costumes) and going out into an organized park to hike through the woods and interacting with actors to pursue a quest.
The other biggest difference … The Guardians of the Flame series had an advantage on this book, I felt, because – I suppose because the target audience skewed older – the gamers were college students instead of young high schoolers. That opened up the story in a completely different way, and made for a stronger story.
The problem is, basically, that Dave Barrett is no Joel Rosenberg (who is in a way another one of my heroes). There were some nice bits ("A darkness has risen in the East.” TJ chuckled. “It’s always the East, isn’t it? Sauron, Arawn, the Yankees…" Kudos for name-checking Arawn, and yes, the Yankees are evil.) But a line like "First, he doesn’t carry a sword. He carries a sword"… I'm sure there were supposed to be italics there. But there weren't italics there.
I just failed to suspend disbelief for big chunks of the story. Example: Shortly after the group is blinked into the fantasy role, they come upon a group of huts – too small for a village, I think, described as "half a dozen ramshackle cottages clumped together along one side of the path. Between several of the buildings were makeshift roofs, under which some scrawny-looking goats had taken shelter." The kids trek in, and attempt to engage the inhabitants in the kind of exchange that they've been having with the other actors they've encountered, and are puzzled by the reactions they get. Spoiler alert... the reason they get some strange responses is that these aren't actors anymore: at some point in their cross-woods hike they crossed some kind of threshold into the world in which their game takes place. But despite the fact that this is a clump of hovels, with goats, the kids don't notice anything unusual – and wouldn't there be a noticeable smell?
Another small example: the thief character carries with him a string of bells to be put up around a campsite to act as an alarm in case of intruders. How does he carry it silently? It's not impossible – but I would have liked it acknowledged that a thief, who is required to move without noise as part of his job, has to have a way to schlep bells around. (Are they jingle-bells-type bells? Or clapper-type bells? And let me just say I had to go on a brief rabbit-hole odyssey to find out if jingle bells have clappers (no); say what you will about Wikipedia, but that's where I got an answer.)
And one more: the big hero-type guy refers to the less combat-ready members of the group as the "squishier" members. And then a little while later comes a line like "whom he referred to as the “squishier” members of the group", as if it was the first time the little joke had been trotted out. I think in fact it happens a few times – eliciting the reaction "Yes. I know. You told me." I really do hate that.
What kept distracting me throughout was that – well, two things, or one two-part thing. None of the kids ever thinks about the consequences of their disappearance – they don't think about the people running the LARP, who will eventually realize that they have lost half a dozen teenagers, and there's going to have to be a massive search, and possibly – no, probably – lawsuits. The other part of that, of course, is that their families are going to be losing their minds with worry. But not a single one of the main characters ever says, or in the point of view scenes thinks "I'll never see my mother again…" until way too far in. (I made a note at "location 1492".) These are kids. They all live at home, whatever their home lives might be like. I found it very hard to buy that none of them ever stepped back and had to process the idea that their whole lives, from hot showers to microwave popcorn to their music to their families and pets, might be out of their reach forever.
It also kept bothering me that … these were kids. I suppose this might be something that the author expects to be waved away because if the target audience is the same age they probably won't care. But … that's not the way it should work. I don't care if a book is aimed for a ten-year-old or a fifty-year-old, I expect it to be intelligent and well thought out. (I know. I know. I expect a lot.) A young adult book does not get to be dumb just because it's a young adult book. And it just doesn't work for me that teenagers, who are still getting used to the new ways their bodies work, are suddenly faced with possessing the bodies of their characters … and never so much as mention it. Instead of fairly ordinary kids they are now a mage, a thief, a fighter (who, if I recall correctly, is not human), a cleric, and so on, and one assumes that the characters are adult. In The Sleeping Dragon, the college kids realize immediately that things are not as they were: the fighter has to become used to being basically himself but bigger and stronger. The girl who had been playing and now was inhabiting a mage is physically much the same, but needs to learn the ins and outs of her power. And one young man who is a paraplegic in this world finds himself in possession of a fully functional and agile body. The realizations and forced adaptations are immediate. And then very soon they find out that the magic is real and the swords are sharp, and it is absolutely tragic.
I will give Dave Barrett some credit for how the kids' first battle is handled. But not all the credit – it could have been more convincing. The kids experience sharp swords and real magic, and death, and I didn't entirely believe in how they coped.
It's also a little odd that they talk about their situation in front of indigenous folks, and not a goblin among them ever says "what the heck are you talking about?" or wonders if they're mad.
I also wasn't thrilled that the book ended – spoiler alert – without much storyline resolution at all. I suppose that means the author expects a second book. So I guess I'll never know.
One last note: I made a note at 96% on my Kindle edition: "if I wasnt at 96% I would rage quit". A goblin makes a moronic joke in Yoda fashion – well, here. I kind of wish this had been earlier in the book; it would have saved me a bit of time. "Within is where all his business our chief does. Well, his official business. For the other kind, the latrine he uses." I skimmed the rest, muttering annoyedly under my breath.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
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May 22, 2017Allison is your typical every day teenager and one day agrees to accompany her best friend, TJ, to a weekend of LARP. It’s not her normal idea of fun but it’s something to do and THE boy at highschool is going to be there. Upon meeting her fellow questers and learning some rules (don’t hit people in the upstairs or downstairs) and choosing her character class sets out with the rest of her group as a healer looking to just embrace the experience for what it is. However a fatal encounter, the manifestation of some incredible powers and the unfolding of a genuine quest make this a weekend that is anything but ordinary.
TJ is a wizard and casts spells, though his beanbags are soon replaced by fire and lighting coming out his palms, Jimmy is the beserker beast whose eight foot long pvc pipe becomes a long sword of mythical proportions and properties, Simon is the being from an alien race, Stu is the archer and finds himself with special arrows and Chucky is the thief.
One of the most interesting elements of the book was the merging of characters and the conflicts this created. As time passes with them in their fantasy form the memories of their own backstory start to become their own. The beserker in Jimmy wants to charge into battle despite the boy knowing that his friends will need him, Allison finds her status as a mystical healer with a magical artifact lends her a regency and diplomacy she never knew she had, but perhaps most intriguing is Chucky. He is the thief with a very dark backstory involving assassination and torture and has devoted every earned skill point to detecting traps, finding treasure and picking him locks but left his offence and defence almost untouched. He finds his nature and choices constantly judged by the others as his unwillingness to throw himself head first into a fight is at odds with the rest of the group’s style of play which gives him a little bit more depth in a novel that is otherwise fairly light on characterisation. We spend a bit of solo time with Chucky which I was hoping for but his scenes don’t really compare if you are using characters like Jimmy the Hand of Locke Lamora for comparison, which if you’ve read them you cannot help but do.
The title really does describe this book well. It is a short light-hearted romp that enjoys itself and never takes itself too seriously. It’s all fun and games will appeal to D&D players, fantasy readers and fans of writers like Ernie Cline. A good effort for a first book and particularly one that younger readers will enjoy.
TJ is a wizard and casts spells, though his beanbags are soon replaced by fire and lighting coming out his palms, Jimmy is the beserker beast whose eight foot long pvc pipe becomes a long sword of mythical proportions and properties, Simon is the being from an alien race, Stu is the archer and finds himself with special arrows and Chucky is the thief.
One of the most interesting elements of the book was the merging of characters and the conflicts this created. As time passes with them in their fantasy form the memories of their own backstory start to become their own. The beserker in Jimmy wants to charge into battle despite the boy knowing that his friends will need him, Allison finds her status as a mystical healer with a magical artifact lends her a regency and diplomacy she never knew she had, but perhaps most intriguing is Chucky. He is the thief with a very dark backstory involving assassination and torture and has devoted every earned skill point to detecting traps, finding treasure and picking him locks but left his offence and defence almost untouched. He finds his nature and choices constantly judged by the others as his unwillingness to throw himself head first into a fight is at odds with the rest of the group’s style of play which gives him a little bit more depth in a novel that is otherwise fairly light on characterisation. We spend a bit of solo time with Chucky which I was hoping for but his scenes don’t really compare if you are using characters like Jimmy the Hand of Locke Lamora for comparison, which if you’ve read them you cannot help but do.
The title really does describe this book well. It is a short light-hearted romp that enjoys itself and never takes itself too seriously. It’s all fun and games will appeal to D&D players, fantasy readers and fans of writers like Ernie Cline. A good effort for a first book and particularly one that younger readers will enjoy.
May 16, 2017
Read this review and more at Book Geeks Uncompromised!
2.5 stars.
In It’s All Fun and Games, a group of friends head out for a weekend adventure of LARP’ing (Live Action Role Play). Soon after their adventure begins, they are transported to an actual fantasy world where the dangers are real and life is not counted in hit points.
The story takes on a rather typical “kill the evil guy to save the kingdom” story starring ogres, kobolds, goblins, and the like. I felt like this was really fitting for the story though. The story should focus more on the characters and their dealing with being transported to a different world so a simple quest-like plot pairs well. Unfortunately, the story was kind of lacking in the character department.
It is naturally really common in fantasy books for a more “mundane” character to encounter magic and be introduced to a magical world. It’s All Fun and Games differs a little in that its characters are already pretending they are in a world with magic when they realize that the abilities that they imagined come to life.
These characters though had a complete lack of shock and wonder upon realizing they were in a different, more dangerous world. They completely take it in stride and this made the transition from real world to “game world” feel a little rough to me. There is no moment of “holy hell where the fuck are we?!”
I could even buy their ability to take it in stride given that most of the characters, barring Allison, have spent a lot of time LARP’ing and probably have spent much more time imagining and fantasizing about what it would be like to be in a real fantasy story so it is mostly just really fracking cool when it becomes reality. But none of this is articulated in the book.
The first thing that is said about being in an alternate world is:
Well this isn’t really the sort of place where we have to worry about the police coming and arresting us…”
And that is pretty much the attitude we get from everyone. It just seems that every character took the realization that they are not in Kansas anymore like it was something that happened all the time. Even Allison, on her first LARP adventure, did not seem shocked about where they ended up.
That said, I did like the touch that each person’s character backstory warred in their mind with their real history. We see this most distinctly in Chuck, the rogue. While I can see how his differing personalities would be the most at war with each other, I really wish this had been explored more in the other characters as well because it has a lot of potential and actually led to me feeling more connected with Chuck than any other character.
This may be a little bit of nitpicking but I was not crazy about how some of the more experienced players treated Allison in the section prior to the adventure beginning. A few of them, namely TJ, were pretty condescending. He basically tells her she is going to be a healer (which they did need so that makes sense) but then him and the registration guy give each other “sympathetic looks” and sigh a lot when she wants to pick her own spells. The registration guy actually looks to TJ rather than her for setting up her own abilities like she’s not even there. I get it, she’s new and you just want to help, but you playing for her will ruin all the fun. Trust me, I’ve been there. I felt like giving her a high five when she did stand up for herself and got that Smite spell!
Overall, I did like the book as it was a really fun concept but I don't know if I will continue to read the series. A little more focus on the characters would go a long way in future books.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book!
2.5 stars.
In It’s All Fun and Games, a group of friends head out for a weekend adventure of LARP’ing (Live Action Role Play). Soon after their adventure begins, they are transported to an actual fantasy world where the dangers are real and life is not counted in hit points.
The story takes on a rather typical “kill the evil guy to save the kingdom” story starring ogres, kobolds, goblins, and the like. I felt like this was really fitting for the story though. The story should focus more on the characters and their dealing with being transported to a different world so a simple quest-like plot pairs well. Unfortunately, the story was kind of lacking in the character department.
It is naturally really common in fantasy books for a more “mundane” character to encounter magic and be introduced to a magical world. It’s All Fun and Games differs a little in that its characters are already pretending they are in a world with magic when they realize that the abilities that they imagined come to life.
These characters though had a complete lack of shock and wonder upon realizing they were in a different, more dangerous world. They completely take it in stride and this made the transition from real world to “game world” feel a little rough to me. There is no moment of “holy hell where the fuck are we?!”
I could even buy their ability to take it in stride given that most of the characters, barring Allison, have spent a lot of time LARP’ing and probably have spent much more time imagining and fantasizing about what it would be like to be in a real fantasy story so it is mostly just really fracking cool when it becomes reality. But none of this is articulated in the book.
The first thing that is said about being in an alternate world is:
Well this isn’t really the sort of place where we have to worry about the police coming and arresting us…”
And that is pretty much the attitude we get from everyone. It just seems that every character took the realization that they are not in Kansas anymore like it was something that happened all the time. Even Allison, on her first LARP adventure, did not seem shocked about where they ended up.
That said, I did like the touch that each person’s character backstory warred in their mind with their real history. We see this most distinctly in Chuck, the rogue. While I can see how his differing personalities would be the most at war with each other, I really wish this had been explored more in the other characters as well because it has a lot of potential and actually led to me feeling more connected with Chuck than any other character.
This may be a little bit of nitpicking but I was not crazy about how some of the more experienced players treated Allison in the section prior to the adventure beginning. A few of them, namely TJ, were pretty condescending. He basically tells her she is going to be a healer (which they did need so that makes sense) but then him and the registration guy give each other “sympathetic looks” and sigh a lot when she wants to pick her own spells. The registration guy actually looks to TJ rather than her for setting up her own abilities like she’s not even there. I get it, she’s new and you just want to help, but you playing for her will ruin all the fun. Trust me, I’ve been there. I felt like giving her a high five when she did stand up for herself and got that Smite spell!
Overall, I did like the book as it was a really fun concept but I don't know if I will continue to read the series. A little more focus on the characters would go a long way in future books.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book!
November 4, 2017
I got this book from Netgalley for an honest review. After I read the premise I just knew I had to read this book. At first I thought it was about kids getting pulled into some kind of video game and having to fight for their lives but this is even better. I was hooked from the prologue.
The story is about a bunch of people who go to a wild life reserve to role play as their character (archer, thief, healer, berserker, wizard, etc) in a imaginary world where they must battle monsters and find the treasure to complete their quest.
The game turns all too real when their make believe monsters come to life and people start dying. All the while the players get their characters abilities which might just keep them alive long enough to complete their quest and make it home.
I wasnt all that familiar with live action role playing (LARP) when I picked this up but I didnt need to know much. The book explained it well without feeling like the author was info dumping. This was definitely more of a plot driven book which I love. It was quick, easy and full of action. Also the dialogue was excuted wonderfully.
I think the characters should have freaked out a bit more when they figured out they were dying for real. They didnt seem as worried as they should have been. I liked how they got their characters memories and abilities. I enjoyed how their real personality started warring with their characters personality.
You know when you force yourself through a book and think oh no I might be in a book slump? Well after the last book I read thats how I felt and this book kicked that to the curb. This book was so addictive, I couldnt stop reading it. I need more books from this author. I cant wait for the sequel.
The story is about a bunch of people who go to a wild life reserve to role play as their character (archer, thief, healer, berserker, wizard, etc) in a imaginary world where they must battle monsters and find the treasure to complete their quest.
The game turns all too real when their make believe monsters come to life and people start dying. All the while the players get their characters abilities which might just keep them alive long enough to complete their quest and make it home.
I wasnt all that familiar with live action role playing (LARP) when I picked this up but I didnt need to know much. The book explained it well without feeling like the author was info dumping. This was definitely more of a plot driven book which I love. It was quick, easy and full of action. Also the dialogue was excuted wonderfully.
I think the characters should have freaked out a bit more when they figured out they were dying for real. They didnt seem as worried as they should have been. I liked how they got their characters memories and abilities. I enjoyed how their real personality started warring with their characters personality.
You know when you force yourself through a book and think oh no I might be in a book slump? Well after the last book I read thats how I felt and this book kicked that to the curb. This book was so addictive, I couldnt stop reading it. I need more books from this author. I cant wait for the sequel.
October 12, 2016
Very good young adult novel involving high school kids on a weekend LARP, who are somehow transported to a magical realm, where they assume the identities of their game counterparts. The best book in this subgenre was Quag Keep by Andre Norton, but this novel has a lot of good points.
The characters do not know they have left the real world behind until they get into a real confrontation where life and death decisions have to be made.
Plenty of action, magic and fighting.
The characters do not know they have left the real world behind until they get into a real confrontation where life and death decisions have to be made.
Plenty of action, magic and fighting.
March 26, 2019
If I wanted to read about gamers being gatekeepery douches, telling the female lead how to play her character, telling her which class she has to play, which spells she has to know, and then cracking the shits when she tries to make a decision for herself, I'd read the #gamergate hashtag on Twitter.
If it turns out that something interesting happens after page 27--and by 'interesting' I mean 'Allison and Leslie, the only other named female character thus far, run off together and leave the literal unwashed teenage boys to fend for themselves'--let me know and I... wait, I flicked ahead and that doesn't happen. Never mind.
If it turns out that something interesting happens after page 27--and by 'interesting' I mean 'Allison and Leslie, the only other named female character thus far, run off together and leave the literal unwashed teenage boys to fend for themselves'--let me know and I... wait, I flicked ahead and that doesn't happen. Never mind.
October 5, 2017
It's All Fun and Games is a book which does not live up to its title. Before I start, this book was the winner of the Nerdist book contest on Inkshares and I could see why it won. The concept is that a group of live action roleplayer's (LARP's) suddenly discover that their imaginary roleplay world has become dangerously real.
Sounds like a great idea doesn’t it? Too bad the book fails to deliver on its promise.
Let's start with our heroes. The characters are a group of friends who get together on someone’s property and engage in LARP. TJ introduces his friend Allison to their LARP group and so our adventure begins with a girl newbie joining her geeky friends. The list of characters is quite long and honestly, they were all forgettable. I only mentioned TJ and Allison because their names were the only ones I could remember. There’s another kid named Chuck and . . . I got nothing. Rather than waste brain juice trying to remember their names, I will address their characters by the class they played. TJ was the mage, Allison the healer, and everyone else was warrior, rogue, ranger, and who was the other guy? I don't even remember.
And that's where we run into our first problem. The author tells us these kids are teenagers but they don’t speak like any teenagers I’ve met, even the nerdiest of nerds. Their dialogue doesn't even sound like what an eight year old would say. The dialogue is bad at the best of times and horrendously corny at the worst. I dug out my paperback copy of the book so I could show you what I’m talking about.
“Well, you know how my uncle has that amateur theater company over on Jefferson Street? I gave him a call last night and this is what he dropped off. I think I look smashing!”
“He said that I need to make sure that I don’t get it dirty, but I’m sure these robes can be dry cleaned if it comes to that.”
“Oh no,” he replied hurriedly. “I just have the wizard robe and hat. I’ll toss them on when we get there.”
“And once again, Ford Prefect’s assessment of humanity’s ability to cheerfully state the obvious proves true!” Allison looked at him blankly. “C’mon. Ford Prefect? Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?” She blinked. He glanced at TJ. “Where did you find her? Man, she needs some serious edumacation. Learn you a book.”
Am I an a-hole for thinking this dialogue is atrocious? I know I’ve been out of high school for a while but I’m pretty sure modern teenagers don’t talk like this, or adults, or children, or anyone. The dialogue reads like writer dialogue. Written for the express purpose to give exposition to the reader or force a really unfunny joke. It is not written how people would speak.
Had this book been published in the 60’s, the dialogue would have been more appropriate . . . in a bad Marvel comic.
The pacing, structure, and emotional content is wildly inconsistent. When the group encounters their first (real) battle, one of the friends die. Does the group cry like scared teens would? No. Do they desperately fall into a panic and wish they could go home? No. They bury him, look forlorn, and then proceed to have laughs as they eat dried jerky. Granted the person who died wasn't a main character (who is a main character in this book anyway?) But watching someone die from an arrow striking their chest would be a fairly traumatic experience.
One could make the argument that the characters were slowly becoming their DnD characters, so they might not react the way they normally do. I don't buy that, not for a second. Panic rolls do exist in some Dungeons and Dragons games but ignoring that, this is a REAL PERSON who died. It wasn’t a Non Player Character or some random stranger, he was their friend. No matter how hard the veteran, only a machine could ignore the death of a friend. Point is, the kids should have panicked.
The lack of emotional awareness reveals that this book didn't go through any proper developmental edits of any sort. Any editor worth their salt would have immediately picked up on the fact that this book was tone deaf and horrifically boring. Combined with corny dialogue, prose that tells rather than shows, a bland fantasy world, and a soulless plot, this relatively short book becomes a thousand page chore.
The book takes a turn for the worst when the group gets captured and the POV switches over to the rogue. We're taken through an unnecessarily long sequence where the rogue is exploring tunnels and passages while disarming traps and stealing loot. Sounds interesting, except his friends have been kidnapped and there's a real chance of them getting killed, but rather than express urgency in saving them the rogue is busy taking his sweet ol' time collecting loot and exploring passages.
You know how Tom Clancy loved submarines? The rogue section is the equivalent of that. Rambling and devoid of plot.
But it's not even the lack of urgency that's frustrating, it's the fact that this section is completely dull. There is nothing in this book to carry you forward. I personally, as a reader, was looking for two things. 1.) How did they suddenly get transported into this world? 2.) How are the characters reacting to this change?
Question number one never gets an answer, which is fine since apparently there's two more books planned for this series (definitely going to pass on those). But question number two gets an answer that fails to satisfy. Rather than "He's dead, oh my God how do we get home?" It's "He's dead. Oh well, let's see if we can find some loot."
Tone . . . deaf.
Anyway, there was at least one good part. Emphasis on one. The action scenes, in my opinion, were well written. They were engaging, easy to visualize, and flowed well. The descriptions of casting spells, clobbering kobolds with a giant sword, and loosing arrows were lovely and exciting. If only this much effort had been put into everything else, maybe It’s All Fun and Games would have actually been fun.
Two out of Five stars.
Sounds like a great idea doesn’t it? Too bad the book fails to deliver on its promise.
Let's start with our heroes. The characters are a group of friends who get together on someone’s property and engage in LARP. TJ introduces his friend Allison to their LARP group and so our adventure begins with a girl newbie joining her geeky friends. The list of characters is quite long and honestly, they were all forgettable. I only mentioned TJ and Allison because their names were the only ones I could remember. There’s another kid named Chuck and . . . I got nothing. Rather than waste brain juice trying to remember their names, I will address their characters by the class they played. TJ was the mage, Allison the healer, and everyone else was warrior, rogue, ranger, and who was the other guy? I don't even remember.
And that's where we run into our first problem. The author tells us these kids are teenagers but they don’t speak like any teenagers I’ve met, even the nerdiest of nerds. Their dialogue doesn't even sound like what an eight year old would say. The dialogue is bad at the best of times and horrendously corny at the worst. I dug out my paperback copy of the book so I could show you what I’m talking about.
“Well, you know how my uncle has that amateur theater company over on Jefferson Street? I gave him a call last night and this is what he dropped off. I think I look smashing!”
“He said that I need to make sure that I don’t get it dirty, but I’m sure these robes can be dry cleaned if it comes to that.”
“Oh no,” he replied hurriedly. “I just have the wizard robe and hat. I’ll toss them on when we get there.”
“And once again, Ford Prefect’s assessment of humanity’s ability to cheerfully state the obvious proves true!” Allison looked at him blankly. “C’mon. Ford Prefect? Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?” She blinked. He glanced at TJ. “Where did you find her? Man, she needs some serious edumacation. Learn you a book.”
Am I an a-hole for thinking this dialogue is atrocious? I know I’ve been out of high school for a while but I’m pretty sure modern teenagers don’t talk like this, or adults, or children, or anyone. The dialogue reads like writer dialogue. Written for the express purpose to give exposition to the reader or force a really unfunny joke. It is not written how people would speak.
Had this book been published in the 60’s, the dialogue would have been more appropriate . . . in a bad Marvel comic.
The pacing, structure, and emotional content is wildly inconsistent. When the group encounters their first (real) battle, one of the friends die. Does the group cry like scared teens would? No. Do they desperately fall into a panic and wish they could go home? No. They bury him, look forlorn, and then proceed to have laughs as they eat dried jerky. Granted the person who died wasn't a main character (who is a main character in this book anyway?) But watching someone die from an arrow striking their chest would be a fairly traumatic experience.
One could make the argument that the characters were slowly becoming their DnD characters, so they might not react the way they normally do. I don't buy that, not for a second. Panic rolls do exist in some Dungeons and Dragons games but ignoring that, this is a REAL PERSON who died. It wasn’t a Non Player Character or some random stranger, he was their friend. No matter how hard the veteran, only a machine could ignore the death of a friend. Point is, the kids should have panicked.
The lack of emotional awareness reveals that this book didn't go through any proper developmental edits of any sort. Any editor worth their salt would have immediately picked up on the fact that this book was tone deaf and horrifically boring. Combined with corny dialogue, prose that tells rather than shows, a bland fantasy world, and a soulless plot, this relatively short book becomes a thousand page chore.
The book takes a turn for the worst when the group gets captured and the POV switches over to the rogue. We're taken through an unnecessarily long sequence where the rogue is exploring tunnels and passages while disarming traps and stealing loot. Sounds interesting, except his friends have been kidnapped and there's a real chance of them getting killed, but rather than express urgency in saving them the rogue is busy taking his sweet ol' time collecting loot and exploring passages.
You know how Tom Clancy loved submarines? The rogue section is the equivalent of that. Rambling and devoid of plot.
But it's not even the lack of urgency that's frustrating, it's the fact that this section is completely dull. There is nothing in this book to carry you forward. I personally, as a reader, was looking for two things. 1.) How did they suddenly get transported into this world? 2.) How are the characters reacting to this change?
Question number one never gets an answer, which is fine since apparently there's two more books planned for this series (definitely going to pass on those). But question number two gets an answer that fails to satisfy. Rather than "He's dead, oh my God how do we get home?" It's "He's dead. Oh well, let's see if we can find some loot."
Tone . . . deaf.
Anyway, there was at least one good part. Emphasis on one. The action scenes, in my opinion, were well written. They were engaging, easy to visualize, and flowed well. The descriptions of casting spells, clobbering kobolds with a giant sword, and loosing arrows were lovely and exciting. If only this much effort had been put into everything else, maybe It’s All Fun and Games would have actually been fun.
Two out of Five stars.
July 12, 2016
I was fortunate enough to read an early copy of this book when it was in it's manuscript stages, so I'm able to leave a review a little earlier than most.
It's all fun and games appeals and strikes a visceral gamer fantasy: What happens if you become your characters. If you've ever enjoyed any type of role-playing game, or fantasized even about having the powers and stats of your video game characters, then this book will be perfect for you.
It's easy to read, short, and flows naturally as you follow a cast of characters through a low-level adventure. Barrett pays special attention to the often overlooked rogueish type characters bringing an added depth to having a shady bastard at your back.
So, pick this book up, enjoy a nice afternoon, and enjoy some fun and games.
Where people die.
It's all fun and games appeals and strikes a visceral gamer fantasy: What happens if you become your characters. If you've ever enjoyed any type of role-playing game, or fantasized even about having the powers and stats of your video game characters, then this book will be perfect for you.
It's easy to read, short, and flows naturally as you follow a cast of characters through a low-level adventure. Barrett pays special attention to the often overlooked rogueish type characters bringing an added depth to having a shady bastard at your back.
So, pick this book up, enjoy a nice afternoon, and enjoy some fun and games.
Where people die.
May 9, 2019
NetGalley Review
My biggest issue with this book was the fact that all of the characters didn't even react to the fact that they'd just transported into another world- a world with orcs, goblins, and stereotypical villains. A few quick sentences and dialogue mentioned that they were no longer in our world. If you zoned out in that spot, either you'd be completely confused or believe the characters have very active and imaginative imaginations. Since the story was following the 'outsider enters a new and magical world' cliche, you'd think you'd get a better reaction of out them. Nope.
Another issue I had was the constant skip from character to character. The main reason behind that was because there really was no character development.
The concept is interesting, but I don't think this book is for me.
My biggest issue with this book was the fact that all of the characters didn't even react to the fact that they'd just transported into another world- a world with orcs, goblins, and stereotypical villains. A few quick sentences and dialogue mentioned that they were no longer in our world. If you zoned out in that spot, either you'd be completely confused or believe the characters have very active and imaginative imaginations. Since the story was following the 'outsider enters a new and magical world' cliche, you'd think you'd get a better reaction of out them. Nope.
Another issue I had was the constant skip from character to character. The main reason behind that was because there really was no character development.
The concept is interesting, but I don't think this book is for me.
August 16, 2016
I really really liked this book. I was able to get an advanced copy through NetGalley, and I haven't been able to stop reading it for the last several days. I am a little concerned about the fact that one person of their adventuring party died, and barely anyone reacted to it. Plus the fact that they left their world and crossed over to the world their LARP adventure was set in barely registered any emotional reaction. If that had been me, at the age the main characters are when they start the novel, I would have lost my mind.
However, if this becomes a book series, I am so looking forward to reading it, just to get more of this unique world!
However, if this becomes a book series, I am so looking forward to reading it, just to get more of this unique world!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2018
Good enough book for me. Easy to read, quick to get through and with enough action to keep me interested in the development. There's enough characters to work with, all of which have the potential to grow some more, and there is more story to develop as they work their way to defeat the wizard from the East and also get back home. Considering it was an Inkshares book, and the first one for the author, I think he did a pretty good job at setting the stage for more.
The story is a very simple and straightforward fantasy adventure, the characters are the very typical amongst a quest party, much like in Dungeons and Dragons, which is part of the charm as that is what they are supposed to be. Monsters are also very normal, ranging from evil bandits to proper scary ogres. And even the situations in which the characters enter are pretty common. You have your regular battles in the fields. A tense situation as they get captured, a rather big boss as a final mini battle for this adventure. It's got all the elements of every single fantasy book I've ever read, so there were actually no surprises and nothing that I didn't see coming. A tad boring on that side, but hey, it's just book one, so there may be some surprises as the story grows.
For me it was a regular 3 stars book. Good for a couple of lazy afternoons reading. The only thing I didn't like was the transition from one world to the next. The crossing over was done very well, but the reaction of the characters to it just didn't seem believable. They seriously weren't freaked out enough. It wasn't believable for me, they seemed to have adapted way too quickly and that's just not normal.
The story is a very simple and straightforward fantasy adventure, the characters are the very typical amongst a quest party, much like in Dungeons and Dragons, which is part of the charm as that is what they are supposed to be. Monsters are also very normal, ranging from evil bandits to proper scary ogres. And even the situations in which the characters enter are pretty common. You have your regular battles in the fields. A tense situation as they get captured, a rather big boss as a final mini battle for this adventure. It's got all the elements of every single fantasy book I've ever read, so there were actually no surprises and nothing that I didn't see coming. A tad boring on that side, but hey, it's just book one, so there may be some surprises as the story grows.
For me it was a regular 3 stars book. Good for a couple of lazy afternoons reading. The only thing I didn't like was the transition from one world to the next. The crossing over was done very well, but the reaction of the characters to it just didn't seem believable. They seriously weren't freaked out enough. It wasn't believable for me, they seemed to have adapted way too quickly and that's just not normal.
February 23, 2018
I won a print copy of It's All Fun And Games by Dave Barrett in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
This book is so much fun! The premise is not new here, a fantasy role play game becomes real. But as someone who played D&D often in the 1980's, I know this particular fantasy has been indulged by many players, me included. The reader does not need to be an experienced gamer to enjoy this story, but it doesn't hurt either.
Although the book does not specify whether it is the beginning of a series, it certainly lends itself to becoming one (I seriously hope it does).
Fortunately, our band of questing teens catch on quickly and do hold well to their character histories and descriptions. The adventure is at times brutal and graphic, then humorous and fun, overall very entertaining. Sword and sorcery fantasy at its best.
It's All Fun And Games is well developed escapist middle grade to YA fantasy that older fantasy role players will enjoy. No language issues, no sex, violence (not particularly gruesome), and like the games it is based on, the characters need to think, not just react.
Great start to what I hope will be a fun, escapist series. I recommend It's All Fun And Games by Dave Barrett. Enjoy!
Mike
This book is so much fun! The premise is not new here, a fantasy role play game becomes real. But as someone who played D&D often in the 1980's, I know this particular fantasy has been indulged by many players, me included. The reader does not need to be an experienced gamer to enjoy this story, but it doesn't hurt either.
Although the book does not specify whether it is the beginning of a series, it certainly lends itself to becoming one (I seriously hope it does).
Fortunately, our band of questing teens catch on quickly and do hold well to their character histories and descriptions. The adventure is at times brutal and graphic, then humorous and fun, overall very entertaining. Sword and sorcery fantasy at its best.
It's All Fun And Games is well developed escapist middle grade to YA fantasy that older fantasy role players will enjoy. No language issues, no sex, violence (not particularly gruesome), and like the games it is based on, the characters need to think, not just react.
Great start to what I hope will be a fun, escapist series. I recommend It's All Fun And Games by Dave Barrett. Enjoy!
Mike
October 7, 2020
Meh, It was ok. I thought the pacing was inconsistent and the overly dramatic 'fantasy speak' tiresome. But I also acknowledge that the whole book is a parody of a DnD game and in my limited experience inconsistent pacing, as side quest drag on interminably, and over-over-wrought dialogue are par for the course. So, it is what it is and that's ok. But I only somewhat enjoyed it.
July 11, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley and Nerdist publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
TJ is a rabid fan on LARPing and finally convinces his best friend (and secret crush?) Allison to join him and his friends, Jimmy, Stu, Chuck and their school friend Nathan, for a weekend of live action role playing. This adventure is in Arcanum where a wizard has enlisted the aid of a goblin clan to help him take over the fantasy world. It's all fun and games until they cross over into a real Arcanum with real arrows and real monsters.
I loved the first 50% of the book. It was well setup story wise and I bought into the premise. I really liked TJ and Allison and was looking forward to reading the actual adventure from their POV. The plot was strong and it was specific enough that I felt like I had tagged along on a LARPing adventure of my own. I really enjoyed that. I liked how experienced some of the teenagers were, how Nathan hadn't played in a while and how Ali was a total newbie. I liked how the steps of LARPing weren't glossed over but we experienced it as if we, like Ali, were here for the first time.
The first "game" battle was cool and I bought into them getting the special ring. The transition between the real world and the fantasy world was smooth and believable to me. I felt like we were in the characters POV and not an omniscient POV and that fact was wasted in the second half of the book. Events up to this point were well developed with their own special moments along the way. The second battle was shocking and spot on.
I really enjoyed the explanation as to what was happening to them. They hadn't felt when they moved into the fantasy world but they did notice changes in themselves:
So the premise rocked it and it was well setup. The second half of the book was not quite up to par. This was a 5 star book up until the setup was done. Then in wasn't as well executed, it was hurried and not as well thought out (3 stars). The problem lies in keeping the page numbers under control with such a high concept premise as this one. What happened was we were thrown into Chuck, the thief's POV, and stuck there for a predominant amount of the second half of the book (25%). What we needed was to go into each of the kid's POVs and see there internal struggle with their real memories and the world's memories. We especially needed this in Ali's POV since she had the least backstory. She should have been the one most effected.
This was a perfect opportunity to see the teenager warring with the adult mindset. We could have gone from glossed over teen characters to "real" fantasy characters that we can root for but also not really want to return home and to that "regular teen" characters that they started from. This would have worked well with the limited character POV we were in, otherwise an omniscient POV would have been better where it was more about the concept than the characters.
Too much time was spent following the goblins step by step. Where that technique worked with the LARPing it didn't with the goblins. I understand that the author didn't have enough page space to do this correctly, not and keep it at 220 pages. Really the book needed double the pages, at least. I didn't mind the large chunk with Chuck but equally large chunks were needed with the other characters. A little more wrestle with the situation in their memories would have also made the story richer and the characters the focus.
I enjoyed how they beat the goblins in the end and how a perceived enemy turned into an ally. The simple plot was well developed to be able to show these unique characters in their most intriguing light. I liked the fantasy adventure format where the next step of the journey would reveal a little more of their overarching problem: how do we get home before we lose all of who we were? I'll read the next book for sure, but I hope some of these issues are addressed! This seems to be Dave Barrett's debut and for a first effort it's dynamite!
BOTTOM LINE: LARPing Adventure Conundrum.
TJ is a rabid fan on LARPing and finally convinces his best friend (and secret crush?) Allison to join him and his friends, Jimmy, Stu, Chuck and their school friend Nathan, for a weekend of live action role playing. This adventure is in Arcanum where a wizard has enlisted the aid of a goblin clan to help him take over the fantasy world. It's all fun and games until they cross over into a real Arcanum with real arrows and real monsters.
I loved the first 50% of the book. It was well setup story wise and I bought into the premise. I really liked TJ and Allison and was looking forward to reading the actual adventure from their POV. The plot was strong and it was specific enough that I felt like I had tagged along on a LARPing adventure of my own. I really enjoyed that. I liked how experienced some of the teenagers were, how Nathan hadn't played in a while and how Ali was a total newbie. I liked how the steps of LARPing weren't glossed over but we experienced it as if we, like Ali, were here for the first time.
The first "game" battle was cool and I bought into them getting the special ring. The transition between the real world and the fantasy world was smooth and believable to me. I felt like we were in the characters POV and not an omniscient POV and that fact was wasted in the second half of the book. Events up to this point were well developed with their own special moments along the way. The second battle was shocking and spot on.
I really enjoyed the explanation as to what was happening to them. They hadn't felt when they moved into the fantasy world but they did notice changes in themselves:
"We have become our characters. Tell me, how well do you remember high school? Or driving your truck? Or precalculus?”
“Well, the fact that I can’t remember any math isn’t a shock. Precalc wasn’t really my thing. But yeah, I know what you mean. Those memories aren’t fading away, per se. They’re just becoming less vivid. And new memories are taking their place."
So the premise rocked it and it was well setup. The second half of the book was not quite up to par. This was a 5 star book up until the setup was done. Then in wasn't as well executed, it was hurried and not as well thought out (3 stars). The problem lies in keeping the page numbers under control with such a high concept premise as this one. What happened was we were thrown into Chuck, the thief's POV, and stuck there for a predominant amount of the second half of the book (25%). What we needed was to go into each of the kid's POVs and see there internal struggle with their real memories and the world's memories. We especially needed this in Ali's POV since she had the least backstory. She should have been the one most effected.
This was a perfect opportunity to see the teenager warring with the adult mindset. We could have gone from glossed over teen characters to "real" fantasy characters that we can root for but also not really want to return home and to that "regular teen" characters that they started from. This would have worked well with the limited character POV we were in, otherwise an omniscient POV would have been better where it was more about the concept than the characters.
Too much time was spent following the goblins step by step. Where that technique worked with the LARPing it didn't with the goblins. I understand that the author didn't have enough page space to do this correctly, not and keep it at 220 pages. Really the book needed double the pages, at least. I didn't mind the large chunk with Chuck but equally large chunks were needed with the other characters. A little more wrestle with the situation in their memories would have also made the story richer and the characters the focus.
I enjoyed how they beat the goblins in the end and how a perceived enemy turned into an ally. The simple plot was well developed to be able to show these unique characters in their most intriguing light. I liked the fantasy adventure format where the next step of the journey would reveal a little more of their overarching problem: how do we get home before we lose all of who we were? I'll read the next book for sure, but I hope some of these issues are addressed! This seems to be Dave Barrett's debut and for a first effort it's dynamite!
BOTTOM LINE: LARPing Adventure Conundrum.
July 14, 2016
I really wanted to like this. I really did. It had everything comic-con genre nerds love. Knights, fantasy, magic, action, and, of course, LARPing. I mean it's a book about live action roleplaying and the characters suddenly being transported to a magical land where the shit suddenly gets real. Sadly, I got halfway through, got bored, and skimmed right on to the end, still not impressed by the story.
Basically, a group of LARPers (again live action role playing) for those that are unfamiliar with the term suddenly find themselves no longer playing a game simulation but battling for their lives against real enemies and monsters in a fantasy world. Author Dave Barrett had all the right elements to start off this series but something just didn't seem to work with me as a reader. I think there are some elements like trying to explain what kobolds and sentry spells are to readers who are not part of the LARPing fantasy community could have been better executed in defining these terms and a longer more concise story could be better utilized especially when you're setting up a universe and introducing it to your audience. Somehow, it didn't quite mesh together.
Also, I think what made me lose interest was the fact I've seen this type of concept already used before from the cheesy psychological drama tv movie Mazes and Monsters from the 80's (with a young Tom Hanks) to the cartoon Dungeons and Dragons (remember Venger?) and to finally the more recent Knights of Badassdom (which was about LARPing with a horror comedy element). *Yawn!* Been there. Done that.
Sorry, this book didn't do it for me. Great idea. Nice potential but fell flat from the very beginning. I suggest skipping it.
Basically, a group of LARPers (again live action role playing) for those that are unfamiliar with the term suddenly find themselves no longer playing a game simulation but battling for their lives against real enemies and monsters in a fantasy world. Author Dave Barrett had all the right elements to start off this series but something just didn't seem to work with me as a reader. I think there are some elements like trying to explain what kobolds and sentry spells are to readers who are not part of the LARPing fantasy community could have been better executed in defining these terms and a longer more concise story could be better utilized especially when you're setting up a universe and introducing it to your audience. Somehow, it didn't quite mesh together.
Also, I think what made me lose interest was the fact I've seen this type of concept already used before from the cheesy psychological drama tv movie Mazes and Monsters from the 80's (with a young Tom Hanks) to the cartoon Dungeons and Dragons (remember Venger?) and to finally the more recent Knights of Badassdom (which was about LARPing with a horror comedy element). *Yawn!* Been there. Done that.
Sorry, this book didn't do it for me. Great idea. Nice potential but fell flat from the very beginning. I suggest skipping it.
May 27, 2016
Confession: I am not a geek. Well, ok, maybe I am a marginal geek -- I like Star Trek and Dr. Who and Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes. But when a friend suggested that I read a book about LARP, I asked him what sports team from California he was talking about. I admit this so that you know I went into this book knowing nothing about live action role playing games and figuring that (a) I'd find it boring and (b) I'd probably understand half of the jargon it probably used.
Wrong on both counts. The book walks that fine line between pleasing those who are actively interested in LARP and pleasing those who have never heard anything about it. There's enough information so that a newbie like me could catch on, but not so much that it was explaining every dimension of the phenomenon. I was engaged in the story quickly and felt far more comfortable than I expected. It didn't take long for me to care about the characters and become interested in what would happen to them. And the plot did not disappoint, including enough action to keep things exciting but also taking the time to develop characters that felt real and dynamic.
I would recommend It's All Fun and Games to anyone with even a hint of interest in the fantasy genre. While it may not make me go out and join an actual LARP, I finished the book understanding why many people feel so passionate about them and looking forward to finding out what happens next.
Wrong on both counts. The book walks that fine line between pleasing those who are actively interested in LARP and pleasing those who have never heard anything about it. There's enough information so that a newbie like me could catch on, but not so much that it was explaining every dimension of the phenomenon. I was engaged in the story quickly and felt far more comfortable than I expected. It didn't take long for me to care about the characters and become interested in what would happen to them. And the plot did not disappoint, including enough action to keep things exciting but also taking the time to develop characters that felt real and dynamic.
I would recommend It's All Fun and Games to anyone with even a hint of interest in the fantasy genre. While it may not make me go out and join an actual LARP, I finished the book understanding why many people feel so passionate about them and looking forward to finding out what happens next.
August 15, 2016
This book has a great premise, when some teenage LARPers are magically transported into a real fantasy world, where they take on the traits of their characters and have to battle real monsters to save the day.
The cast was fun, TJ was great at getting his best friend (and no doubt secret crush) Allison introduced to the world of LARPing, and the other characters: Jimmy, Chuck, Stew and Simon, were all varied and interesting. However, the characters didn't seem to really be dealing with the fact that they have been transported into an actual magical world that is full of danger, and when certain plot events occur, you would think they would be a bit more impacted.
Also, I didn't love how we leave TJ and Allison's POVs for huge portions of the book, to journey with Chuck. Chuck, who had been playing a rogue, was an interesting character, grappling with the fact that he wants to help his friends, with his character's natural inclination to protect himself and get the heck out of there. But it just split the book into two sections that felt somewhat disjointed.
Overall, this is a fun book, an easy quick read, and pretty lighthearted. It is definitely the first of a series, as there is much that remains outstanding at the end of the book. I would recommend it for younger readers, lovers of LARPing and anyone who as a teenager longed to find a more magical world.
The cast was fun, TJ was great at getting his best friend (and no doubt secret crush) Allison introduced to the world of LARPing, and the other characters: Jimmy, Chuck, Stew and Simon, were all varied and interesting. However, the characters didn't seem to really be dealing with the fact that they have been transported into an actual magical world that is full of danger, and when certain plot events occur, you would think they would be a bit more impacted.
Also, I didn't love how we leave TJ and Allison's POVs for huge portions of the book, to journey with Chuck. Chuck, who had been playing a rogue, was an interesting character, grappling with the fact that he wants to help his friends, with his character's natural inclination to protect himself and get the heck out of there. But it just split the book into two sections that felt somewhat disjointed.
Overall, this is a fun book, an easy quick read, and pretty lighthearted. It is definitely the first of a series, as there is much that remains outstanding at the end of the book. I would recommend it for younger readers, lovers of LARPing and anyone who as a teenager longed to find a more magical world.
March 14, 2017
I picked up this book hoping for a light, easy read, and I got it; along with a fairly amusing story.
Personally, I found It's All Fun and Games to be an entertaining and enjoyable book- a little juvenile, but not bad. While I hesitate to give it 3 stars, I did have fun with it. As it stands, though, it wasn't amazing, and I'm stuck with a rating of 2.5 stars.
Roped into a weekend of LARP, by her friend TJ, Allison goes solely in the hopes of catching the eye of Simon, her secret crush. They team up with other friends, and soon they're on their way.
What starts out as a typical Role-Playing game, soon turns far more dangerous, as the world they were make-believing comes alive around them.
Now the real adventure can begin.
As they battle brigands, kobolds, and ogres, these teens are experiencing new memories and personalities, built around their LARP characters, coupled with the powers and skills they've acquired- all while trying to figure out how to get back home.
Add an evil wizard, who wants to rule the world, and you've got the perfect setting for a heroic tale.
If/when there's a sequel, I'll probably find myself reading it.
Personally, I found It's All Fun and Games to be an entertaining and enjoyable book- a little juvenile, but not bad. While I hesitate to give it 3 stars, I did have fun with it. As it stands, though, it wasn't amazing, and I'm stuck with a rating of 2.5 stars.
Roped into a weekend of LARP, by her friend TJ, Allison goes solely in the hopes of catching the eye of Simon, her secret crush. They team up with other friends, and soon they're on their way.
What starts out as a typical Role-Playing game, soon turns far more dangerous, as the world they were make-believing comes alive around them.
Now the real adventure can begin.
As they battle brigands, kobolds, and ogres, these teens are experiencing new memories and personalities, built around their LARP characters, coupled with the powers and skills they've acquired- all while trying to figure out how to get back home.
Add an evil wizard, who wants to rule the world, and you've got the perfect setting for a heroic tale.
If/when there's a sequel, I'll probably find myself reading it.
May 29, 2016
Five teens setting out for a weekend of LARPing fun suddenly find that they aren't role-playing anymore, but rather are living the game for real. They have taken on the traits of their made-up characters and the storyline for the weekend is actually happening. When four of the teens are captured by kobolds, the fifth must rely on his skills as a thief and assassin to free them. And it will take all of them to get away from the giant Kobold Who wants to eat them.
I appreciate the detail to LARPING and gaming this book devotes, but found the characters not completely believable. They took the whole alternate reality strangely in stride, killing without remorse or second thought. Their new abilities, histories, and innate desires didn't phase them in the least. Add to that a goblin who talked like Yoda, and the story just didn't resonate with me as much as I had hoped. Saying that, I think young adult readers will enjoy the action, quick pacing, and gaming element of the story.
I appreciate the detail to LARPING and gaming this book devotes, but found the characters not completely believable. They took the whole alternate reality strangely in stride, killing without remorse or second thought. Their new abilities, histories, and innate desires didn't phase them in the least. Add to that a goblin who talked like Yoda, and the story just didn't resonate with me as much as I had hoped. Saying that, I think young adult readers will enjoy the action, quick pacing, and gaming element of the story.
January 11, 2017
I haven't read a fantasy book in a long time, and I have to say that I really enjoyed this one! I knew of LARPing from pop culture, but that was about it. I appreciated the background provided by the author, while not bogging us down with too many details. The writing was simple in that sense--easy to read and flowed nicely.
The whole idea of this book is great! I guess I misunderstood at first, because I wondered how these kids wouldn't get clobbered the moment they switched into the other world, but the fact that everything about them changed to match their characters was so awesome. I'll admit that I was concerned by their lack of distress from going back in time, but it made more sense when I realized that their personalities and memories had changed as well.
Lastly, I had to give kudos to Inkshares for taking the editing seriously. I read books by bestselling authors and am always finding typos. I can't say I found any in this book. It was refreshing!
I hope we see more from Dave in the future!
The whole idea of this book is great! I guess I misunderstood at first, because I wondered how these kids wouldn't get clobbered the moment they switched into the other world, but the fact that everything about them changed to match their characters was so awesome. I'll admit that I was concerned by their lack of distress from going back in time, but it made more sense when I realized that their personalities and memories had changed as well.
Lastly, I had to give kudos to Inkshares for taking the editing seriously. I read books by bestselling authors and am always finding typos. I can't say I found any in this book. It was refreshing!
I hope we see more from Dave in the future!
January 4, 2018
I honestly expected more.
I started reading this book pumped, the beginning caught my interest pretty fast. However, it all went slowly downhill as I approached the end. I got to the 85% mark and I thought "Wait, this is it?" because I was expecting so much more.
I didn't like the characters, except for Chuck. Why? Because they don't have a personality. Because they are too accepting of the whole thing. Because they don't feel real. If I was Allison I would be in denial, I would be mad at TJ for bringing me here. Man Jimmy's berserker nature would be nothing compared to me.
I feel the thing with Simon happened too soon and could have been used better. Like, a shot to reality. I guess this was the author's intention, but it didn't had that feeling. The fact that they all came to terms so easily felt so wrong to me.
They make little progress towards the main story, they discover basically nothing about what's going on with Magnus. It was a disappointment.
August 22, 2016
Who doesn't imagine what it would be like to go on an adventure with your friends to fight evil with your own created persona? Action packed, funny and suspenseful this book will hook lovers of Fablehaven, The Stonekeeper's Curse, and The Hobbit. The story is driven with humor, survival and adventure that readers of all ages can enjoy.
May 8, 2016
The concept was interesting but the pacing and plot seemed very forced and the violence is overdone and the emotional ramifications were never explored so you never really connected with any of the characters. I'm not saying that it was a bad book, I just found it rather boring and without an interesting story.This review was originally posted on Books In Brogan
July 21, 2016
Barrett crafts a fantasy kingdom full of goblins, kobolds, and wizardry that will pull the reader in just as quickly as it did the main characters.
It is easy to see the time spent developing the kingdom's history, as well as the strength and weaknesses of the beings within. The reader will turn the last page wondering what happens next in these characters' journey, and hoping for their overall success.
It is easy to see the time spent developing the kingdom's history, as well as the strength and weaknesses of the beings within. The reader will turn the last page wondering what happens next in these characters' journey, and hoping for their overall success.
October 26, 2017
Very easy to get into this book. I really enjoyed it. I am hoping for a sequel before too long.
If you're looking for a profound storyline or major character development, this isn't it. But there is decent development, especially with one character, and still a good storyline. This is definitely YA so it reads quickly. Can't wait to see what will happen next.
*I received this book for free from a Goodreads giveaway.*
If you're looking for a profound storyline or major character development, this isn't it. But there is decent development, especially with one character, and still a good storyline. This is definitely YA so it reads quickly. Can't wait to see what will happen next.
*I received this book for free from a Goodreads giveaway.*
September 14, 2018
I enjoyed this book a lot although the untimely death of Simon was tragic and I was hoping somehow they’d find some magical artifact to bring him back or that Alison would be able to heal him,.....But as soon as he was buried it was obvious that he was gone,The rest of the book though was a really fun read and it was filled with mystical creatures and encounters that all table top role players and L.A.R.P players can relate to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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