Extropia: Mind Game

by Robin Bootle

An act of sabotage leaves Edward’s father trapped inside a virtual reality game, Extropia. In a bid to save him, Edward follows, entering a world he knows he might never leave. A world of artificially intelligent beings, subjected to a life of misery and fear in the name of entertainment.
Now one of them has learned of the real world, and is determined to have his revenge…

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Dystopia, Young Adult Science Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2017

About the author

Robin was born in Athens, not long before the 1981 earthquake. As a boy he lived in Chennai (India) and Hampshire (UK) before moving to Mauritius at the age of nine, the paradise island to which he still returns every year. He has since lived in New Zealand & France, and is now settled in Crouch End, London, with his wife, Kate.
Like many of us, he is intrigued to see how the world will change over the coming years with the evolution of artificial intelligence and virtual reality, and as a fan of fantasy RPGs such as Skyrim and The Witcher 3, he has combined his interests to inform his story.
“Extropia,” explains Robin, “is essentially the convergence of some of my favourite stories: The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, with some of the biggest role playing games ever created: Skyrim and The Witcher 3". Extropia: Mind Game explores what might happen if artificial intelligence becomes so advanced that the emotions of the characters in these games become indecipherable from those of a human.
Extropia: Mind Game is his debut novel. The rest of the Extropia series has already been plotted and is being written.

Reviews

[Khurram · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book. I wanted to give it 4.5 if the pace of the book was a little faster. Robin Bootle did a great job of both real and virtual world. This book has one if the best description of the digital soul in it. Yes the characters are lines of programming code, that is all their histories and suffering are, but it is real to them. On top of that could the character become even more.

Edward thought he lost everything over a year ago, with the last members of his family. Not he is literally drawn into their last invention Extropia, the most advanced virtual world ever created.

Being a former gamer I love the levelling up and learning new skills. However what is done really well is the parts after you learn new skills you have to practice them, building up their stamina.

There is good character development with Edward as well he start off as an angry at the world teenager, lasting out at every. Living with regret over thing he said and did not get a chance to say. Over the course of the book I saw him mature, and shows determination, bravery, empathy, and leadership skills. Building him into a great leader and hero. I hope to see more of the side character in the next book, I thought they were great as well. Just a slightly faster pace and this would have been perfect. Highly recommended.

[Dannii Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very-near future of our world is envisioned in this explosion of a science fiction novel!

It’s the year 2031 and virtual reality is about to be taken to the next level. Edward’s father and brother, James, are the driving duo behind this new invention that allows the player to experience total mind and body immersion into their newly created virtual terrain: Extropia.

The money behind this world-altering creation comes from ruthless tycoon Vandermeer and his wish for a quick return to his expenditure causes the new technology to be rushed in its conception and testing. His rash decisions lead to a break in the mechanics of this advanced and not yet fully understood technology that leaves Edward without a family. His father and brother’s bodies are entombed in the sensory gel that provides them with the oxygen and nutrients to survive but their minds are completely fixed in Extropia. With no way to free themselves and return to their vegetative bodies, it is up to Edward to enter the perilous virtual terrain he so disdains, in search of a way to save his family. But it seems that some of his brother and father’s creations have ideas of their own.

I didn’t immediately click with the third person narration but a few, tense pages in and this initial reservation was forgotten. As immediately immersive as the virtual reality this focuses on, this book drew me into the action with a beating heart and dry mouth before I even knew anything about the characters I was seriously emoting for.

Edward initially came off as a little pensive and petulant. It was wonderful to see this central character progress so quickly, and arc into becoming the strong individual the book closes with. This played out alongside the virtual Edward levelling up as new in-game skills were acquired and the interplay between the two was cleverly deployed.

The virtual characters were also created with as much supremacy as the human ones. Extropia’s creations were nothing more than lines of programming code, but their history, their surroundings and their suffering was real to them. Bootle allowed it to also become real for the reader. I forgot that every experience inside this technology was a conjured one, and I was carried away by this illusion due to the author’s skill at the creation of his dual worlds.

The family dynamic added an element of poignancy to a very action-orientated plot and the instances of brief reprieve from the surrounding momentum allowed the reader to experience the full breadth of emotions, whilst reading this.

The vast and fascinating terrain allowed the reader extensive exploration and the virtual nature of it allowed the author to exceed every blockade to his imagination that could occur in a real-world setting. I look forward to journeying with this author, again, and seeing where else his imagination can take us.

[✨ jami ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

In Extropia: Mind Game, we follow our MC Edward, who's father and brother have become trapped inside a virtual world they created called Extropia. Edward has always believed his parents died on the night they catastrophically tried to launch Extropia - so when he finds out this isn't the case, and his family are trapped rather then dead, he decides to enter the Vitual World created by his brother and Dad in order to rescue them.

I was really excited to start this, I've traditionally enjoyed books set in Vitual Worlds or involving that sort of premise so I truly thought I'd really enjoy this. I don't think this book is bad by any means, and judging from other reviews it may be a bit of a case of it's me not you. For me the elements of this book just didn't really come together in a satisfying way.

To start with the positives: as expected I really enjoyed the setting and opening sequences of this book. The majority of this book is set in Extropia and I really liked that setting. The world was quite vast, but it was explained and described quite well and I liked the elements of the design and how they related to Edwards personal family history. I thought that was a super sweet touch and something kind of realistic? Everyone takes a little inspiration from their own lives. Plus it was sweet for Edward to see all the things he knew were from his actual life.

I also really liked the plot that came along with the Extropia and some of the consequences of creating it - the characters having emotions and feelings and anger that their suffering has been cultivated as entertainment. I liked that the characters undermined and subverted the roles they were supposed to fill. I also liked the backstory of the world, it's complication and plot and how Edward and the other characters fit into that.

For me where this really fell down was the female representation and romance elements. First off, there is only one female character in this whole book .. none of the characters/people they meet in Extropia are women? There are so many male characters from both inside of and outside of Extropia and only one female and that for me was pretty disappointing.

Elizabeth isn't the worst female character ever but she's not particularly inspiring either. I appreciated that she wasn't completely helpless and was part of the action scenes, and I really liked her big role at the end. But I was really urggh about plot sections in which Elizabeth had to be rescued - it's 2017 and I am so over the damsel in distress situation. I also just think she existed without much agency, she barely has any backstory or story outside of helping Edward, and to me it really just felt like the was functioning as a love interest and not with any agency as a woman or female character.

And speaking of the romance, I personally found it really unnecessary and undeveloped. It really just like out of nowhere Edward was -- ha I'm into Elizabeth. It felt to me such a "he was a boy, she was a girl" plot. Just because they're a girl and a boy they obviously have to get together. I just thought the romance was really tacked on at the end and didn't progress the story or the characters development arcs but it was just sort of there and it didn't do anything for me. Fortunately it wasn't a book overwhelmingly coated in romance so it wasn't that awful but I still thought it let this story down alot. I also thought Elizabeth and Edward together felt a little incongruent because I was under this assumption she was a bit older then him - he's in school but she works for a government agency?

The final element for me which really didn't work was the characterisation. I felt like the characters were really underdeveloped and I wasn't particularly invested in any of them. The characters aren't completely flat by any means but they didn't feel rich or lifelike to me. I wish the side characters and Elizabeth had been more developed and even the villains too. The central villain could have been a really sympathetic villain but his monologue was a little too "stock villain" for me to really see him as anything other then a caricature.

SOME OTHER NOTES

None of these thoughts are really developed enough to have a paragraph so the rest is just going in dot points.

- The magic element of this book was a little confusing to me. Edward is a mage but after a little experimentation entirely abandons that? I'm not sure if that will play into the sequels but it felt like a bit of an incomplete plot point to me.
- There are soo many characters all with some pretty "high fantasy" type names so you definitely have to be on your toes to remember who is who. I got a little confused between who is who at some points.
- I liked the sprinkling of influences in the game. Skyrim, Lord of the Rings, even a little Harry Potter reference.
- For me, this felt like it was going past so slowly, which I don't really understand because every chapter something new is happening and the plot is moving along. I don't know why I found myself so unmotivated to pick it up and read. What I'm saying is, I'm sure other people would find this really exciting because there isn't any particular reason it shouldn't be. Maybe it was just because I'm a character driven reader.
- Okay I was actually genuinely shook by one of the plot twists the betrayal one because I just expected Hasgard to be a good guy and I didn't see that coming wow
- I liked the stuff about the AI / characters having feelings and the kind of ethics discussions behind what they'd created. I liked that the upsides of Extropia were contrasted with it's downsides and that was probably the most engaging and interesting aspect of the plot to me.
- it's not very diverse with no explicit lgbt/poc characters and I'm so used to reading diverse books now I was like yo what
- in fairness it probably didn't help I read a good chunk of this after seeing wonderwoman. Damsel in distress is OUT women fighting one thousand dudes and saving the day is IN

IN CONCLUSION For me this was just an average read, I didn't hate it but I wasn't particularly invested or moved by it either. If you're a fan of virtual reality plots though, you should consider picking it up. It gives me Ready Player One vibes but set in Middle Earth. The fun setting, for me, didn't make up for the lacking characterisation and annoying romance elements but there were some good plot twists and interesting discussions about artificial gaming and the ethics behind creating it which I liked.

Actual rating: 2.5*

[Mayim de Vries · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a “Gandalf meets Dumbledore, they mesh Frodo and Harry together and then they go and play Baldur’s Gate” type of book. Essentially, a fantasy tale in a science-fiction wrapping with a YA feel to it.

Our protagonist is called Edward Founder, a schoolboy with a tragic past (also an IT genius.) Edward’s father created a virtual reality environment called Extropia, but things went awry in the final stages of beta testing and suddenly Edward finds himself in a foster family, believing both his father and his older brother James, dead. Additionally, he is forced to hide his true identity because of the slander spread by the very person who financed his father’s work, one Vanderboom (also a billionaire). But because our protagonist cannot spend his life in eternal misery, Edward soon discovers that there is a hound on his heels whose unknown, yet undeniably sinister motives prompt the boy into rather unwilling cooperation with cyber police. More importantly, Edward learns that while his father and brother are lost, they are not dead as he had believed, and can be saved from the danger if he is brave enough to enter his father’s creation - the Extropia game.

extropy - the prediction that human intelligence and technology will enable life to expand in an orderly way throughout the entire universe

You do not need to be genius to surmise what follows. However, the predictability of the book is not rooted in crude design, rather in the fact that it meshes together several canonical tropes, and while it juggles them quite skilfully, it still does not venture outside the beaten track. That is number one. And then, number two, it is a YA so while we have a self-discovery and a process of development of the main character (a bit in a temper-tantrum-trout-pout phase), the book reads more like philosophy for dummies than something more profound. It is a pity because the question of a sentient AI is so interesting! Ask my friend Carol., she will tell you what good books on this are out there. Extropia has action, and suspense, a bit of insta-love, and the prose is rich and fluid, but… but I usually look for something more in my books. And whatever it is, Extropia doesn’t have it.

You may say: But it is just a fun story, May, don’t be a bore. Not everything has to be Socrates in disguise, some books are for fun you know! Like Indiana Jones in the cyber space.

OK. If you like sci-fi stories, and do not mind my objections, please be aware that I stumbled upon several hows? and how comes?! The opening quote is dated 2033, in not so near future and yet nothing of the technology from the book is explained. I tend to avoid sci-fi, but when I do sci-fi, I like to understand the rudimentary issues and not just be expected to take it all for granted.

If I was someone else, I could enjoy Extropia more probably, but not because it was poorly written but because I am not precisely the target group. The blurb says that Extropia is a book for those who miss Maze Runner. Taking into consideration what I felt about Maze Runner, I thought the author is very brave to send his novel to me. Thankfully, the only book Extropia reminded me of was Incarceron.

Overall, it has been a pleasant read, but I expect that my children would appreciate it better.

I wanted to thank the author for the complimentary copy of the book.

[Grant Leishman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extropia by Robin Bootle caught me just a little by surprise, but not in a nasty way. I was expecting a science fiction story, but what I got was much more than that. Extropia is a compelling Young Adult story revolving around a virtual reality game. What would happen to you if you could enter a virtual reality game and all the characters were real, had feelings, and could suffer pain? To make matters worse, anything that happened to you, inside the game (injuries, death etc), also would occur to your body, in suspended animation, out in the real world.
This was the basic premise of Extropia and I found it both exciting and hard to put down. It was an action-packed story with characters that were believable and easy to identify with and empathise with, even the baddies (at times).
Edwards is a teenager, whose father and brother supposedly was killed whilst experimenting with this exciting new game they were working on inventing (Extropia). A year later Edward discovers that his father and brother may in fact still be alive, trapped inside the game, although his brother James is near death. Time is of the essence and Edward plus agents from the CyberCrime unit must try to rescue his parents and defeat a crazy millionaire who has his own plans for Extropia. Throw in a bit of a teenage love crush between Edward and the young Cybercrime agent and you have a compelling young adult story.
My only negative with the story and it is a minor one at that was I felt sometimes things just seemed to happen as little conveniently at times, but hell, it's a video game at the end of the day, so why not!
This is an excellent premise, a good story well told and ensured that I'll be a starter to read the next installment of this saga, with book two. Good job to the author and I recommend this to not just young adults, but anyone who likes a bit of sci-fi or has an interest in gaming. Very enjoyable.

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating: 4.35

This was an enjoyable read. The story was intriguing and relatable. The characters were really likable and engaging. I felt bad for Edward, but I think his thought process was intriguing. I thought the book was fast-paced and it was interesting take on a virtual reality world. I really liked the ending. I can't wait for the next book. Overall, a great read.

[Amy Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was intriguing: what happens when AI gets too realistic? What makes us human?

In Extropia, Edward is a teenage boy, whose father and older brother have developed an immersive virtual reality (with floating in a pillar of gel to maintain bodily functions and interface with the system). When presenting the system to an investor, Vanderboom, something goes horribly wrong - and Edward is accused of murdering his family after the investor flees the scene.

A year later, Edward has managed to change his identity, be assigned a foster family, when on the day of the investor announcing a very similar virtual reality, something goes wonky in the systems used by schools made by Vanderboom's company. Static and then a voice calling out to Edward starts him on a strange journey.

Government agents, men in vans trying to kidnap him, and learning his family is not exactly dead all lead to Edward entering the virtual world created by his father and brother, in the hope of saving them.

Magic, violence, and an evil overlord swirl around a landscape of medieval fantasy countryside, which has features reminiscent of the holiday home the family used to visit.

I found this interesting to read, particularly as I’ve idly thought in the past about how I would fare if I found myself actually in Skyrim (or any part of Tamriel, as I’ve been playing more of Elder Scrolls Online for the past year and a bit). The question of morality has been in the back of my mind a few times: I tend to favor playing thief /rogue type characters, where I run amuck sneaking into places and stealing things. A real life break-in (and theft of our laptops) made me question for a bit my preference in game roles, and my targets in game after having experienced​the sense of violation and despair on having a useful (or in my case, essential for mental health) possession taken. Despite knowing that in game, the thefts have little residual meaning, especially when items respawn, I still felt guilty, that I was visiting that despair onto another being. Which honestly, was ridiculous in that context, given the simplicity of the AI.

While currently, AI in games doesn't think or feel on its own, we may not be that far out from a point where a character we wrong can reflect on that - and act upon it in meaningful ways.

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars

I enjoyed the story line. Similar to a few other books I've read, but there are very few that aren't. I may even read the next book in the series.

[Shrilaxmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the author.

I finished reading this book in a day. The premise is really interesting - man traded in an alternate reality, his son venturing in to rescue him. The first half of this book was incredible. I literally couldn't stop reading. But after that, the story got a little slow and predictable - I even saw the impending plot twist coming. The great thing about a book about a game is that the deus ex machina solutions to any problem can just be written into the game. Makes for a fun read but I did feel that it happened too often. The only thing I hated about this story is Elizabeth and Edward falling in love. It was a slightly annoying and meaningless subplot. It made me cringe a few times too.
Overall this was a pretty good read. It even reminded me of Ready Player One - one of the best books I've read this year.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extropia is an absolutely amazing book and is one of the most gripping book's I have read so far!

Extropia is about how a boy's father gets trapped inside a virtual reality game and how he must follow him into that world in hopes of saving him. One of the AI, in the game, learns about the real world and wants to seek revenge because of there cruel treatment in the name of entertainment.

In my opinion you should definitely read this!

[Schildy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sin duda creo que le habría dado 5 si lo hubiera leido en español, porque al ser el primero que leía en inglés sí que me ha costado mucho acostumbrarme por el lenguaje y por todo, pero lo he disfrutado un montón y me encantaría que se publicase en españa traducido

[Lozzi Counsell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the sort where there's so many twists and turns that you can't put it down. Yesterday I was going out for dinner with my partner and I promised 'just one more chapter' and had to admit to him that I might have accidentally read three instead, because there was no way I could go out not knowing what was going to happen next. my favourite character is actually Ivandell - I think there is such amazing development behind him and what's more is that I didn't like him at first, but he grew on me so quickly. I can't wait to read the next book; I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Hound and learning more about him, as there is A LOT more to him than meets the eye.

[TheFaerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book...

It was a book about a boy who entered a virtual game. However, somehow, the characters managed to change their thoughts and feelings about everything around them. This book questions what it means to be "real". Are the characters fake just because they were man-made? Or, are they more than that?

I like how not everything was going how it was "supposed" to happen. However, if this book's pace was a little faster, it would be better. I had nearly stopped reading during all the not-in-virtual-world-yet part. I'm glad I didn't.

[Jolly Per · Rating 2 out of 5]

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Virtual game? Dystopian type? Looking for something/someone? A survival game? Sounds familiar? You bet!
So, why don't we add this book here?

Okay. Here's the truth; not that it's a bad book or it's not an original story. There's no such thing as an original idea anymore. It's just that all the time I was reading it, I really felt like I was reading Ready Player One. If you read that virtual reality game set in the future, I swear you would understand. Or maybe I was just being too critical? Because I really want to love this book, but I cannot think of any reason whyyyy.

The whole story for me was a pretty meh. The world creation wasn't unique and is done better in other places. The characters didn't really seem to manifest the traits that they were supposedly exemplars of. Unlike the Ready Player One, the nerd references and the humor was lacking. The ending didn't feel like a "twist" so much as an easy way to create a conflict for the second book.

I hated the writing style and felt we needed a better a introduction of the characters. To be perfectly honest, I don't remember much of this book...then again, I didn't remember half of it the day after I read it, anyway. Not that it matters.

Ugh.

I don't know if I will continue this series or not. I'll see if I ever get in the mood for it again in the future or not.

[Wolf (Alpha) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in return for an honest review.
Wow, I feel so bad for Edward when the vacation is canceled. I didn’t like how his brother decided to stick with their dad and agree with him. I hate how his dad and brother was killed. I really didn’t like how the last thing he got to say to them was a mean statement. I honestly feel really bad for Edward. Being kidnapped/taken by people, who understood him would have been frightening. I can’t believe that his brother and dad are still alive. I’m glad that he decided to go into Virtua World and get the password to break in. I’m glad he figured out the password and got into Extropia. I don’t know whether to like Elizabeth or not. I like how she went into Extropia with Edward, but I didn’t like how she tried to make him stop before. I like how Edward uses magic to escape out of the prison cell. I’m glad that Ivandell came to them when he did. I’m glad that Elizabeth didn’t kill him when she found him. I feel bad for Edward, since he is so confused and has no idea what is the right decision. I like how Ivandell is a big help and how he doesn’t betray them. I really hate Vanderboom. I hate what he did to Edward and his family. Captain Wescamott keeps surprising me when he is always hiding in the shadows and then somehow finding Edward. I like how in the end, they were able to save James. I like Edward’s attitude and how he was so determined to save his father and James. I respect Elizabeth and how determined she was. I definitely rate this a 5 star book.

[Diana Iozzia · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Extropia: Mind Game”
Written by Robin Bootle
Review written by Diana Iozzia

As a fanatic of science fiction and video games, I love to see well-presented combinations of the two. In this story, a teenager named Edward finds out that his father and brother are trapped in a video game that they created, with Edward and a few friends trying to save them.
I really enjoyed this book, because it used all of the fun video game tropes and science fiction tropes in a very meta book. Edward and the other characters embody certain characteristics that video game characters would. The descriptions are very realistic of that a game similar to games of “The Elder Scrolls” franchise. I also enjoyed this book, because my boyfriend lives in Cumbria, England, and many of the places mentioned in the book were based off certain places in Cumbria, so it was an interesting journey to watch the characters make.
I think this book reminds me of a combination of films and books. It’s like if Hiro from “Big Hero 6” went to find his family, but found his way in Wonderland, with lots of fun “The Matrix” style science fiction, with a sprinkle of “Lord of the Rings” and “Skyrim”. The side characters are very Harry Potter-y, which is actually referenced to in the book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Naturally, you have a really interesting villain with interesting motives as well, which always proves for good suspense.

I received this book as a complementary review copy from the author.

[Ömer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.1/5

First of all, I want to thank the author for sending an electronic copy of the Extropia. I really like reading about virtual reality things and artificial intelligence. So, it was a pleasure to read this book :)

Yorumu için: http://kronikokur.blogspot.com.tr/201...

[ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the mix of sci fi and fantasy. The writing was engaging and witty and the plot was obviously well thought out but still easy to follow. The plot twist at the end got me good and was written really well. If you enjoyed this book then I suggest watching the anime, Sword Art Online as it is also a story of being trapped in a virtual reality game-once again, advanced technology becomes terrifying. Overall v v good and I can't wait for the next one :)

[Nikki B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read! I liked that the video game characters became more than just programs and Edward realized they have emotions too, which in turn made you feel emotions for them. The whole concept of the game was interesting which helped keep the story going.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed this novel and I look forward to the sequel!

[Gris Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a really great book, you get hooked from the first chapters, with a very interesting plot, it's one of my favorites about virtual reality

[Jamie Croteau · Rating 5 out of 5]

wickedly fun and absolutely captivating. I couldn't put this book down! It is an adventure worth taking and I can't wait to read the next one.

[Marvi A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written, more like a roller coaster ride into the sci-fi world!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author introduces readers into a thrilling AI world, with great imagination of its future and potential possibilities. Extremely well written, recommended for everyone, especially for sci fi and fantasy lovers.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This one has blown me away. It sadly took me ages to read it, because at first I just couldn't get to it, but then, when I actually started really reading it, it literally swallowed me in. Like the author says: it's a combination of The Hunger Games and other huge book names, but it definitely deserves it's own space under the sun. Can't wait to read the 2nd book, cause I'm dying to know more. :)

[Tom Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting read

Couldn't put it down, read it in one sitting. Enjoyed the fast pace and the puzzle of the new virtual world, with a few moral dilemmas thrown in. Some suspension of disbelief required but the story carries you through. Lots of fun.

[Omkar Vechalekar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best part about the book is that you can relate to the characters, and actually live the story. Brought out a whole lot of emotions while reading, definitely worth a read. The description is so clear and simple, you can see it as a movie at the back of your mind.

[EJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked Ready Player One and The Hunger Games, this book is for you.

[Maxwellandlovelace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the premiss of this book; trapped in a VR game is a trope I've never heard of before and I think the author executed it well. I had a little trouble really getting into the story, but that's probably because I'm not a gamer myself.

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The characters and setting were fantastic.