What do you think?
Rate this book
Arcade Rat: A Dystopian Techno-Thriller
"When Ricky Kaine walked into the arcade, time stood still. People lined up behind the battered machines and ran to mob their king. Rat-moustached teens lowered their eyes as he passed, deferential despite the rebellious t-shirts and the headphones about their neck blaring hair metal. The darkness punctuated by neon was his throne-room, a place where he held court."
In this futuristic VR nightmare-world, Kaine's only chance to rise above his decrepit surroundings is the suicide cabinet filled with ASCII, Roguelike.
Check out the story readers are Is Ready Player One for readers ready for something more hardcore.
In this futuristic VR nightmare-world, Kaine's only chance to rise above his decrepit surroundings is the suicide cabinet filled with ASCII, Roguelike.
Check out the story readers are Is Ready Player One for readers ready for something more hardcore.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 10, 2018
About the author
Nicholas Morine
10 books14 followersI am a professional novelist and writer, born in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. I currently reside in St. John's, Newfoundland.
My inspirations in the trade are: Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Jack London, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, William Gibson, Philip K. Dick, and others.
I write action-packed genre fiction with a keen literary edge. Cyberpunk, science fiction, fantasy, horror, post-apocalyptic western. You name it, I write it.
HIGH CONCEPT / LOW ART is my credo.
Readers looking for aggressive, no-hold-barred fiction will find none better.
My inspirations in the trade are: Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Jack London, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, William Gibson, Philip K. Dick, and others.
I write action-packed genre fiction with a keen literary edge. Cyberpunk, science fiction, fantasy, horror, post-apocalyptic western. You name it, I write it.
HIGH CONCEPT / LOW ART is my credo.
Readers looking for aggressive, no-hold-barred fiction will find none better.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 20, 2019
Arcade Rat is a lean, dark ride that doesn't so much lean into dystopian cyberpunk tropes as it does shoulder tackle them and run past. Nicholas Morine writes for the lost tech children of the 1980s without all the *wink,wink* cleverness or tongue-in-cheek posturing of someone like Earnest Cline, while channeling the likes of Philip K Dick or Harlan Ellison.
Arcade Rat doesn't stick around long, it can be torn through in a matter of hours, but it's well worth the effort if you're familiar with terms like Roguelike or ASCII.
Arcade Rat doesn't stick around long, it can be torn through in a matter of hours, but it's well worth the effort if you're familiar with terms like Roguelike or ASCII.
April 29, 2020
Tolkien was the godfather of fantasy writing - but that doesn't mean that every other fantasy-themed book should be removed from consideration or acclaim. Arcade Rat has echoes of Ready Player One, but it's darker and dirtier. Nicholas manages to weave in beautiful analogies that leave you shivering in the bleak narrative and great references that, if you were there in the 80's, hammering those buttons or reading the Fighting Fantasy books of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, brings a smile to the face. Brilliant read.
October 7, 2018
A wonderfully descriptive story that is a fun read. It was a bit slower on the start for me but after the first bit I was sucked into the world. The characters are relatable and the world is immersive. Definitly worth the read.
September 20, 2020
This arcade dystopian tale has glowing neon and gritty darkness, hitting all the right bleeps and bloops. Morine is an exciting author to watch!
December 6, 2023
Arcade Rat is a short but sweet tale based in a dystopian future, where playing online video games competitively can wind up in the player’s death if they fail to score high enough to stay out of the bottom bracket - how’s that sound for incentive to play your best?
Morine weaves a dark tale filled with twists that will make the reader feel a range of emotions whilst staying hooked on the protagonist’s next move, always curious as to the fate of the risk-taking adrenaline junkie, obsessed with gambling, alcohol and other bad decisions.
Make the right moves, and wind up with a windfall of cash; make too many of the wrong ones, and find your life extinguished by an automated mechanical system, effectively rendering the player unable to ever play again. Essentially, every individual is playing for their own life - talk about steep competition!
Yet with the main focus on the gambling and gaming taking place in the distant future, Morine still manages to add a sense of fullness to the story by including descriptions of the protagonist’s past, his present problems with this family and his struggle with addictions and depression.
Arcade Rat vividly details the concept of living in a apocalyptic future where survival of the fittest is the theme, and the winner takes all; but the loser loses everything! Another exciting and satisfying read from Morine that deserves to be enjoyed in its entirety, which shouldn’t be an issue for the reader who’ll surely be kept on the edge of their seat from beginning to end!
Morine weaves a dark tale filled with twists that will make the reader feel a range of emotions whilst staying hooked on the protagonist’s next move, always curious as to the fate of the risk-taking adrenaline junkie, obsessed with gambling, alcohol and other bad decisions.
Make the right moves, and wind up with a windfall of cash; make too many of the wrong ones, and find your life extinguished by an automated mechanical system, effectively rendering the player unable to ever play again. Essentially, every individual is playing for their own life - talk about steep competition!
Yet with the main focus on the gambling and gaming taking place in the distant future, Morine still manages to add a sense of fullness to the story by including descriptions of the protagonist’s past, his present problems with this family and his struggle with addictions and depression.
Arcade Rat vividly details the concept of living in a apocalyptic future where survival of the fittest is the theme, and the winner takes all; but the loser loses everything! Another exciting and satisfying read from Morine that deserves to be enjoyed in its entirety, which shouldn’t be an issue for the reader who’ll surely be kept on the edge of their seat from beginning to end!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews