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Worlds at War Saga #1
The Replicant War
Game On!
It's Battlefield meets MechWarrior in this fast-paced, action-packed LitRPG novel from the author of the Four Horsemen Universe.
Billed as “the most realistic game ever,” Worlds at War was a video game unlike any other—one that promised a virtual reality experience that rivaled operating a giant mecha in combat. People flocked to the game in anticipation.
For some, the game lived up to and far exceeded their expectations—the level of graphics was indeed, “just like being there.” The game didn’t provide the experience many others had hoped for, though; for a large number of players, the game was “too real to be fun.”
For video game design majors Ryan Johnson and Noah Bowden, the game play was incredible. It made them feel like they actually were saving a foreign world from horrific enemies, and they rapidly moved up on the leaderboard of the game’s best players.
But then fatal accidents began happening to the gamers at the top of the leaderboard, including many at which men in black were seen. When Ryan sees those same men at his dorm, he realizes there is more going on in the shadows of Worlds at War than he has been led to believe…but can he determine what’s going on before a fatal accident happens to him, too?
It's Battlefield meets MechWarrior in this fast-paced, action-packed LitRPG novel from the author of the Four Horsemen Universe.
Billed as “the most realistic game ever,” Worlds at War was a video game unlike any other—one that promised a virtual reality experience that rivaled operating a giant mecha in combat. People flocked to the game in anticipation.
For some, the game lived up to and far exceeded their expectations—the level of graphics was indeed, “just like being there.” The game didn’t provide the experience many others had hoped for, though; for a large number of players, the game was “too real to be fun.”
For video game design majors Ryan Johnson and Noah Bowden, the game play was incredible. It made them feel like they actually were saving a foreign world from horrific enemies, and they rapidly moved up on the leaderboard of the game’s best players.
But then fatal accidents began happening to the gamers at the top of the leaderboard, including many at which men in black were seen. When Ryan sees those same men at his dorm, he realizes there is more going on in the shadows of Worlds at War than he has been led to believe…but can he determine what’s going on before a fatal accident happens to him, too?
- GenresScience Fiction
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 24, 2018
62 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Chris Kennedy
138 books163 followersA Webster Award winner and three-time Dragon Award finalist, Chris Kennedy is a Science Fiction/Fantasy author, speaker, and small-press publisher who has written over 50 books and published more than 400 others. Get his free book, “Shattered Crucible,” at his website, https://chriskennedypublishing.com.
Called “fantastic” and “a great speaker,” he has coached hundreds of beginning authors and budding novelists on how to self-publish their stories at a variety of conferences, conventions, and writing guild presentations. He is the author of the award-winning #1 bestseller, “Self-Publishing for Profit: How to Get Your Book Out of Your Head and Into the Stores.”
Chris lives in Coinjock, North Carolina, with his wife. Follow Chris on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ckpublishing/.
Called “fantastic” and “a great speaker,” he has coached hundreds of beginning authors and budding novelists on how to self-publish their stories at a variety of conferences, conventions, and writing guild presentations. He is the author of the award-winning #1 bestseller, “Self-Publishing for Profit: How to Get Your Book Out of Your Head and Into the Stores.”
Chris lives in Coinjock, North Carolina, with his wife. Follow Chris on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ckpublishing/.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 31, 2020
An extended and expanded version of this review is available on my blog post, Papa Pat Rambles.
Brenda Mihalko and Ricky Ryan are responsible for the cover art; fans of the 4HU will recognize the look and feel of their work. Nicely detailed scary things, etc.
Although we aren't given dates, I think we can assume from other clues that this takes place in the not-too-distant future. The only tech advances I could find is that hardware providing for a completely immersive gamer experience is available to the players, and they are only mildly astonished by the system's tech.
Our protagonist is one Ryan Johnson, a senior majoring in Game Design at the fictional Oliver Wolcott University in Washington, DC. We meet him as he is prepping to enter the gamer for the first time, something he has been looking forward to ever since rumors of the game's release hit the internet.
Apart from the immersive experience, he follows a path familiar to anyone who has ever played a game of any kind. Certainly, his early experience is an exact match for a computer-based game, but I couldn't help but be reminded of the time my dad taught me how to play solitaire when I was in kindergarten.
With all the similarities, however, there are enough differences that Ryan begins to suspect that there is more to the game than meets the eye. He's right.
And the review STOPS RIGHT THERE, almost, because spoilers, and I ain't gonna.
Almost: There is nothing about this that would cause a responsible parent from keeping it from their teenager. The language is PG-13; not too gory, no sexual content at all.
Almost: While the story DOES include lots of technology, and much of it gets blown to smithereens, it's the decisions made by the characters that drive the story.
Almost: The Amazon description refers to "The Replicant War" as a "...fast-paced, action-packed LitRPG novel..." LitRPG is not a classification I was familiar with before last year, when I reviewed a book with that classification. That work was awful! It seemed to be nothing but screenshots of a game being played online. THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS! This is a real, true story, and requires nothing beyond what's in the package to make it work.
Brenda Mihalko and Ricky Ryan are responsible for the cover art; fans of the 4HU will recognize the look and feel of their work. Nicely detailed scary things, etc.
Although we aren't given dates, I think we can assume from other clues that this takes place in the not-too-distant future. The only tech advances I could find is that hardware providing for a completely immersive gamer experience is available to the players, and they are only mildly astonished by the system's tech.
Our protagonist is one Ryan Johnson, a senior majoring in Game Design at the fictional Oliver Wolcott University in Washington, DC. We meet him as he is prepping to enter the gamer for the first time, something he has been looking forward to ever since rumors of the game's release hit the internet.
Apart from the immersive experience, he follows a path familiar to anyone who has ever played a game of any kind. Certainly, his early experience is an exact match for a computer-based game, but I couldn't help but be reminded of the time my dad taught me how to play solitaire when I was in kindergarten.
With all the similarities, however, there are enough differences that Ryan begins to suspect that there is more to the game than meets the eye. He's right.
And the review STOPS RIGHT THERE, almost, because spoilers, and I ain't gonna.
Almost: There is nothing about this that would cause a responsible parent from keeping it from their teenager. The language is PG-13; not too gory, no sexual content at all.
Almost: While the story DOES include lots of technology, and much of it gets blown to smithereens, it's the decisions made by the characters that drive the story.
Almost: The Amazon description refers to "The Replicant War" as a "...fast-paced, action-packed LitRPG novel..." LitRPG is not a classification I was familiar with before last year, when I reviewed a book with that classification. That work was awful! It seemed to be nothing but screenshots of a game being played online. THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS! This is a real, true story, and requires nothing beyond what's in the package to make it work.
August 6, 2018
Good story but not litrpg
Honestly I normally leave a star rating with no comments but had to call this one out. I rather enjoyed the story but this was not a litrpg. The book started with a premise in a game and ditched said premise instantly. Don't claim something when it doesn't need to be claimed, the book stands alone on it's own merits.
Honestly I normally leave a star rating with no comments but had to call this one out. I rather enjoyed the story but this was not a litrpg. The book started with a premise in a game and ditched said premise instantly. Don't claim something when it doesn't need to be claimed, the book stands alone on it's own merits.
August 7, 2018
Suited for readers under age 16
This was not written for adults, it comes across as pre-teen fiction. I could not get through the book as the MC acted like a 13 year old. I do not recommend this unless you like to read pre-teen thought processes. The only reason that I tried this one out is because of the high ratings which are very misleading. I am very disappointed.
This was not written for adults, it comes across as pre-teen fiction. I could not get through the book as the MC acted like a 13 year old. I do not recommend this unless you like to read pre-teen thought processes. The only reason that I tried this one out is because of the high ratings which are very misleading. I am very disappointed.
August 4, 2018
Addictive
Wasnt too sure about this book after a couple of chapters, it seemed just a bit too simplistic in its style, i stuck with it snd found myself warming to it. The book is at its best in the last third when the action takes place on Earth.
Will read the next one.
Wasnt too sure about this book after a couple of chapters, it seemed just a bit too simplistic in its style, i stuck with it snd found myself warming to it. The book is at its best in the last third when the action takes place on Earth.
Will read the next one.
July 18, 2020
Taking VR mech-based wargames to the next level.
June 17, 2019
This book is a fun, simple read. It's been done before, in both anime like .Hack and books like Corruptor by Jason Cordova (one of my favourite books)
Basically, it's the story of two college friends who start playing a new online game Worlds of War, where they get to fight in giant Mechs against giant 10foot tall "snakes". They think it's just a cool game, until someone kidnaps them and takes them to an Army base where they learn the truth. The "game" is real, and they've been actually fighting the "snakes" for real on an alien planet, using robot controlled Mechs.
The problem is now the "snakes" have managed to find a gateway to Earth, and unless the gamers and a team of Navy SEALs can find a way to stop them on the alien planet, they will attack Earth. Oh, and the "snakes" have human allies.
The gamers and SEALs make it to the planet, get caught, escape thanks to some quick thinking by the main character, manage to destroy the AI controlling the "snakes", and then have to get to Earth to prevent an attack on Congress and the White House.
It's a good read, full of action, but something (and I can't really pick what it is) is stopping me from giving it five stars. I look forward to a sequel.
Basically, it's the story of two college friends who start playing a new online game Worlds of War, where they get to fight in giant Mechs against giant 10foot tall "snakes". They think it's just a cool game, until someone kidnaps them and takes them to an Army base where they learn the truth. The "game" is real, and they've been actually fighting the "snakes" for real on an alien planet, using robot controlled Mechs.
The problem is now the "snakes" have managed to find a gateway to Earth, and unless the gamers and a team of Navy SEALs can find a way to stop them on the alien planet, they will attack Earth. Oh, and the "snakes" have human allies.
The gamers and SEALs make it to the planet, get caught, escape thanks to some quick thinking by the main character, manage to destroy the AI controlling the "snakes", and then have to get to Earth to prevent an attack on Congress and the White House.
It's a good read, full of action, but something (and I can't really pick what it is) is stopping me from giving it five stars. I look forward to a sequel.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews