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Pixeldust
Maria Elena thought she’d sworn off gaming forever. But she hates her new internship, so her brother Balt convinces her to play Heroes of Avonell, a cutting-edge virtual-reality video game with such complex programming that it’s like the non-player characters are self-aware.
Disappointed with the usual cliché job class offerings, Maria Elena’s character Quinny stumbles through a glitch in the game and ends up in Caed Dhraos, a strange city populated with friendly monsters. Quinny decides to work for the resident dark lord as part of his magic personnel, but she can’t tell anybody she’s playing in off-limits areas of the game—not even Balt. Soon Quinny finds herself getting to the bottom of a mystery surrounding an ancient demon and why Caed Dhraos is suffering from the Blight.
But the artificial intelligences in the game really are self-aware, and some of Avonell’s so-called “heroes” have decided they don’t like humanity very much. The game has gone out of control, and Maria Elena and her new friends have to find a way to set things right. Can she save Avonell – and Earth – while juggling her real job and trying to salvage her crumbling relationship with her brother?
Disappointed with the usual cliché job class offerings, Maria Elena’s character Quinny stumbles through a glitch in the game and ends up in Caed Dhraos, a strange city populated with friendly monsters. Quinny decides to work for the resident dark lord as part of his magic personnel, but she can’t tell anybody she’s playing in off-limits areas of the game—not even Balt. Soon Quinny finds herself getting to the bottom of a mystery surrounding an ancient demon and why Caed Dhraos is suffering from the Blight.
But the artificial intelligences in the game really are self-aware, and some of Avonell’s so-called “heroes” have decided they don’t like humanity very much. The game has gone out of control, and Maria Elena and her new friends have to find a way to set things right. Can she save Avonell – and Earth – while juggling her real job and trying to salvage her crumbling relationship with her brother?
297 pages, Paperback
First published July 20, 2020
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
T.K. Arispe
8 books17 followersT. K. Arispe is a small-time sci-fi/fantasy writer who aims to create quality, intelligent media that everyone can enjoy.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 8, 2021
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
T.K. Arispe gives a fresh perspective on the typical RPG tropes, in a sci-fi/fantasy adventure that gamers – especially fans of The Elder Scrolls or World of Warcraft – will enjoy and identify with.
The story follows Maria Elena as she re-enters the addictive world of online gaming and finds herself drawn more to the virtual world she uncovers than her own day-to-day drudgery. Any gamer will recognise her insistence that clocking in to work her daily magic practicing and herb collecting tasks is much more appealing that the spreadsheets and team meetings of the average office job! But Maria’s fantasy world presents her – via her avatar, Quinny – with some very real dilemmas. What if the bad guys want to be good? What makes someone a ‘real’ person, as opposed to a line of code or a bag of cells? With everyone keeping secrets, trying to do the right thing is getting harder and harder, and Maria is starting to realise that this particular game could hurt more than feelings and stats.
There is no graphic violence here and no romance, so it is perfectly suitable for middle-grade to teen upwards, even though the main character is a young/new adult. Maria actually comes across as quite young in outlook and experience, despite her job and living situation, and her close-but-still-bickery relationship with her younger brother Balt, reinforces that feeling of innocence. This plays well as she brings her open mind and heart to a world set up with inherent prejudices and planned storylines, and is able to see a different way to play things.
I absolutely love the concept of sentient NPCs, and reading this story made me long for my own favourite RPG series (The Elder Scrolls) to have this sort of complexity, in spite of – or perhaps because of – the problems it brings to Avonell! Imagine being free to change sides or play against the set storyline, seeing the whole world from the other side of the screen. It is the same sort of reason I adored Pratchett’s Only You Can Save Mankind, but with a setting that appeals to my adult aesthetic more (swords and sorcery, instead of space invaders).
Fellow gamers will enjoy this virtual adventure into morality and magic, and will definitely identify with Maria’s urge to sack off the day job to go questing online. In fact, I’m off now to save Vvardenfall from the Blight, again, but maybe I’ll play as an orc this time!
'As soaring music played, the camera swept over a massive white castle, mysterious woodlands, and craggy valleys, all rendered with exquisite artistry. Their colorful landscapes seemed worlds removed from rainy old Settle. Then the scene cut to monstrous-looking troops marching on a medieval-style town, their armor and weapons glistening threateningly in the sun.
In back of the troops, a grizzled, battle-scarred orc shouted orders as the creatures laid waste to the town. Black-robed magicians shot fire spells at buildings before holding up mechanical devices that seemed to vacuum up sparkles from the air, storing the shiny stuff in glass containers.
A world threatened by darkness, the trailer said. Warriors who must band together to protect their homeland. The trailer showed a bunch of quick cuts of fight scenes against these dark forces. An elf unleashed a flurry of impossible martial arts moves. A catlike creature shot glowing arrows that exploded into a tangle of vines. And a human wearing heavy armor let out a shout as she swung an ornate sword, her cape billowing behind her. Will you be one of them? Avonell needs heroes!'
– T.K. Arispe, Pixeldust
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
T.K. Arispe gives a fresh perspective on the typical RPG tropes, in a sci-fi/fantasy adventure that gamers – especially fans of The Elder Scrolls or World of Warcraft – will enjoy and identify with.
The story follows Maria Elena as she re-enters the addictive world of online gaming and finds herself drawn more to the virtual world she uncovers than her own day-to-day drudgery. Any gamer will recognise her insistence that clocking in to work her daily magic practicing and herb collecting tasks is much more appealing that the spreadsheets and team meetings of the average office job! But Maria’s fantasy world presents her – via her avatar, Quinny – with some very real dilemmas. What if the bad guys want to be good? What makes someone a ‘real’ person, as opposed to a line of code or a bag of cells? With everyone keeping secrets, trying to do the right thing is getting harder and harder, and Maria is starting to realise that this particular game could hurt more than feelings and stats.
There is no graphic violence here and no romance, so it is perfectly suitable for middle-grade to teen upwards, even though the main character is a young/new adult. Maria actually comes across as quite young in outlook and experience, despite her job and living situation, and her close-but-still-bickery relationship with her younger brother Balt, reinforces that feeling of innocence. This plays well as she brings her open mind and heart to a world set up with inherent prejudices and planned storylines, and is able to see a different way to play things.
I absolutely love the concept of sentient NPCs, and reading this story made me long for my own favourite RPG series (The Elder Scrolls) to have this sort of complexity, in spite of – or perhaps because of – the problems it brings to Avonell! Imagine being free to change sides or play against the set storyline, seeing the whole world from the other side of the screen. It is the same sort of reason I adored Pratchett’s Only You Can Save Mankind, but with a setting that appeals to my adult aesthetic more (swords and sorcery, instead of space invaders).
Fellow gamers will enjoy this virtual adventure into morality and magic, and will definitely identify with Maria’s urge to sack off the day job to go questing online. In fact, I’m off now to save Vvardenfall from the Blight, again, but maybe I’ll play as an orc this time!
'As soaring music played, the camera swept over a massive white castle, mysterious woodlands, and craggy valleys, all rendered with exquisite artistry. Their colorful landscapes seemed worlds removed from rainy old Settle. Then the scene cut to monstrous-looking troops marching on a medieval-style town, their armor and weapons glistening threateningly in the sun.
In back of the troops, a grizzled, battle-scarred orc shouted orders as the creatures laid waste to the town. Black-robed magicians shot fire spells at buildings before holding up mechanical devices that seemed to vacuum up sparkles from the air, storing the shiny stuff in glass containers.
A world threatened by darkness, the trailer said. Warriors who must band together to protect their homeland. The trailer showed a bunch of quick cuts of fight scenes against these dark forces. An elf unleashed a flurry of impossible martial arts moves. A catlike creature shot glowing arrows that exploded into a tangle of vines. And a human wearing heavy armor let out a shout as she swung an ornate sword, her cape billowing behind her. Will you be one of them? Avonell needs heroes!'
– T.K. Arispe, Pixeldust
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
March 9, 2021
Thank you to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for asking me to take part in the book tour for Pixeldust and giving me a free copy in return for an honest review.
Maria Elena Gutierrez is a recovered RPG addict, who is persuaded to try Heroes of Avonell by her brother, Balt. She’s working in Seattle as an accounting intern, and feels very isolated from her family and friends back in Texas. Heroes of Avonell is a brand new online MMO that’s played using a VR headset and where all of the NPCs have advanced AI. Conversations with them happen naturally, as though you’re having a conversation with a real person. But what happens when the players then tell the NPCs that they aren’t real and they are actually lines of code in a server?
As a gamer, and a big fan of RPGs and the Elder Scrolls franchise, I was very excited by the premise of Pixeldust! The story is a lot of fun and I really liked all of the characters. It felt fresh and unique, and not something I’ve read about before. I could tell that T K Arispe is a gamer too and I think that really makes the story more engaging.
Maria Elena is a fantastic main character. I could really relate to her as someone who can easily find games taking over my life. Her struggles are really relatable too — the stress of moving to a brand new place, starting a new job and trying to fit in with her co-workers. Her thoughts as she initially joins the game and complains about how cliché the characters and storyline are also echoed my own!
It was also very refreshing to have a main character who is Latina — I haven’t read many books that have had bilingual characters. She comments on how her and her brother alternate between Spanish and English, sometimes mid-sentence, using the word or phrase that they feel works or fits best. This fits with experiences bilingual friends of mine have told me about so it gave an extra layer of authenticity to the story and the characters!
Avonell and its surroundings are such a fun and immersive world! Everything is described very vividly and it made me want to visit myself. The NPCs are great characters too. I especially liked Marlowe, who ends up questioning her ethics and beliefs after Maria Elena’s comments. I love the idea of being able to choose which side you’re on without restrictions, too. World of Warcraft has opposing factions, for example, but you are still forced into a set path.
The story in Pixeldust is quite fast-paced, and there’s no romance or graphic violence. I think because of this it would also work for slightly younger readers too. I really enjoyed the story and it was incredibly fun and original. It made me long for more advanced technology (despite the problems it causes!) and RPGs with similar immersiveness. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys RPGs or online gaming — you’ll feel right at home here!
Maria Elena Gutierrez is a recovered RPG addict, who is persuaded to try Heroes of Avonell by her brother, Balt. She’s working in Seattle as an accounting intern, and feels very isolated from her family and friends back in Texas. Heroes of Avonell is a brand new online MMO that’s played using a VR headset and where all of the NPCs have advanced AI. Conversations with them happen naturally, as though you’re having a conversation with a real person. But what happens when the players then tell the NPCs that they aren’t real and they are actually lines of code in a server?
As a gamer, and a big fan of RPGs and the Elder Scrolls franchise, I was very excited by the premise of Pixeldust! The story is a lot of fun and I really liked all of the characters. It felt fresh and unique, and not something I’ve read about before. I could tell that T K Arispe is a gamer too and I think that really makes the story more engaging.
Maria Elena is a fantastic main character. I could really relate to her as someone who can easily find games taking over my life. Her struggles are really relatable too — the stress of moving to a brand new place, starting a new job and trying to fit in with her co-workers. Her thoughts as she initially joins the game and complains about how cliché the characters and storyline are also echoed my own!
It was also very refreshing to have a main character who is Latina — I haven’t read many books that have had bilingual characters. She comments on how her and her brother alternate between Spanish and English, sometimes mid-sentence, using the word or phrase that they feel works or fits best. This fits with experiences bilingual friends of mine have told me about so it gave an extra layer of authenticity to the story and the characters!
Avonell and its surroundings are such a fun and immersive world! Everything is described very vividly and it made me want to visit myself. The NPCs are great characters too. I especially liked Marlowe, who ends up questioning her ethics and beliefs after Maria Elena’s comments. I love the idea of being able to choose which side you’re on without restrictions, too. World of Warcraft has opposing factions, for example, but you are still forced into a set path.
The story in Pixeldust is quite fast-paced, and there’s no romance or graphic violence. I think because of this it would also work for slightly younger readers too. I really enjoyed the story and it was incredibly fun and original. It made me long for more advanced technology (despite the problems it causes!) and RPGs with similar immersiveness. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys RPGs or online gaming — you’ll feel right at home here!
March 11, 2021
Pixeldust is the coolest book I’ve read in 2021, so far. T.K. Arispe takes us on a journey that gamers who enjoy RPG Fantasy and Scifi games, will absolutely love. The only types of games I enjoy are RPG, so this was just so fun to read.
Maria Elena is a relatable character. She has a job, but she loves her online gaming world much more satisfying. I think that’s typical for anyone. She’s a bit naive, however, she has a wonderful heart and an open mind, and I enjoy the journey she takes.
The plotline is very unique, and as I said, this is such a cool book. It’s an intriguing look at good vs evil and how, sometimes, not everything is as it seems. I absolutely love the ideas presented here.
I think fantasy/scifi readers will enjoy, but readers who are also gamers will absolutely inhale this book.
Highly recommended!
*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
Maria Elena is a relatable character. She has a job, but she loves her online gaming world much more satisfying. I think that’s typical for anyone. She’s a bit naive, however, she has a wonderful heart and an open mind, and I enjoy the journey she takes.
The plotline is very unique, and as I said, this is such a cool book. It’s an intriguing look at good vs evil and how, sometimes, not everything is as it seems. I absolutely love the ideas presented here.
I think fantasy/scifi readers will enjoy, but readers who are also gamers will absolutely inhale this book.
Highly recommended!
*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
March 9, 2021
Well, anyone that knows me and reads this blurb can tell you that this book is right up my avenue. This book is a clean, fun, magical adventure through the fantasy world of Avonell, the homeland of a new Virtual Reality game, Heroes of Avonell. It follows the main character, Maria Elena, a gamer by heart as she tries to get by in the real world and leave her gaming passion in the past. Well, she tries. Her brother Balt is obsessed with the new game and convinces her to at least give it a shot, to try and relive the good old days. Plus he misses her and the bond they had built through their characters.
So Maria Elena caves and decides to give gaming one more shot. One more go to see if it sparks anything, if there is even a slither of joy left to be found. That is where Quinny comes in. Upon entering the game, she chooses a dwarf character, someone she can relate to. Unknown to her, her small character will make the biggest difference in the game.
I loved this book, it gave me vibes of what would happen if Elder Scrolls met Swortart Online. It certainly made me want to redo my Skyrim character and start it all over again. The world of Avonell, though scripted to be prejudiced against the more beastly races, was fascinating and full of vibrant characters. Especially Caed Dhraos, an area of the game that isnt actually live yet which our Quinny finds through a glitch. But I am going to let you meet these characters, because they do the same for monsters as Shrek does and prove that even monster have layers, not just code.
So, let me round up and give you some bookish thoughts.
*The book takes you to a bright and colourful world where magic is fulled by pixie dust. It is a clean fantasy perfect for those who want a break from Graphic fantasy scenes or younger readers.
*The book is full of a unique cast of characters, a cast system that is perfect for any video game and stereotypical gameplay scenarios made readable in a fun and interesting manner. You really do bond with these AI’s just like Quinny. They aren’t just characters in a game anymore. And you may even want to be a rogue too.
*The writing style was easy to get along with and fast paced. The scenes flowed really well and the transitions between reality and Avonell were well written and easy to make out.
*The cover is pretty, whimsical and matches the story perfectly. It brings a brightness to the cover that make you want to read the blurb. It definitely stopped me in my tracks. Doesn’t Quinny look adorable as a dwarf!
*This read was a 4* for me, mainly because I found the ending a little too rushed and would have certainly enjoyed more pages. The end boss battle was explosive and I felt it deserved a few more pages to wind down in style. But I still really enjoyed it.
This is definitely an author I am going to be looking more into as I definitely needed this fun read this month to get over my current bookish hangover. I am so glad to have had the chance to read this and really hope you give it a go too!
So Maria Elena caves and decides to give gaming one more shot. One more go to see if it sparks anything, if there is even a slither of joy left to be found. That is where Quinny comes in. Upon entering the game, she chooses a dwarf character, someone she can relate to. Unknown to her, her small character will make the biggest difference in the game.
I loved this book, it gave me vibes of what would happen if Elder Scrolls met Swortart Online. It certainly made me want to redo my Skyrim character and start it all over again. The world of Avonell, though scripted to be prejudiced against the more beastly races, was fascinating and full of vibrant characters. Especially Caed Dhraos, an area of the game that isnt actually live yet which our Quinny finds through a glitch. But I am going to let you meet these characters, because they do the same for monsters as Shrek does and prove that even monster have layers, not just code.
So, let me round up and give you some bookish thoughts.
*The book takes you to a bright and colourful world where magic is fulled by pixie dust. It is a clean fantasy perfect for those who want a break from Graphic fantasy scenes or younger readers.
*The book is full of a unique cast of characters, a cast system that is perfect for any video game and stereotypical gameplay scenarios made readable in a fun and interesting manner. You really do bond with these AI’s just like Quinny. They aren’t just characters in a game anymore. And you may even want to be a rogue too.
*The writing style was easy to get along with and fast paced. The scenes flowed really well and the transitions between reality and Avonell were well written and easy to make out.
*The cover is pretty, whimsical and matches the story perfectly. It brings a brightness to the cover that make you want to read the blurb. It definitely stopped me in my tracks. Doesn’t Quinny look adorable as a dwarf!
*This read was a 4* for me, mainly because I found the ending a little too rushed and would have certainly enjoyed more pages. The end boss battle was explosive and I felt it deserved a few more pages to wind down in style. But I still really enjoyed it.
This is definitely an author I am going to be looking more into as I definitely needed this fun read this month to get over my current bookish hangover. I am so glad to have had the chance to read this and really hope you give it a go too!
March 15, 2021
With a cover that I feel is designed more with children in mind, a main character (Marina Elena known in Avonell as Quinny) who despite holding down a job comes across as really young in outlook, no graphic violence and no romance (let alone sexual content) I suspect that Pixeldust will appeal to the children/grand children of my friends and especially those with girls who inform me that there aren't that many books in the Urban Fantasy genre that feature female characters quite as prominently or, more importantly, as positively.
A book that took me to a fantastical world, fuelled by what else but of course, pixie dust; that some of the characters, the monsters she encounters in Avonell are threatening to break through to our world and wreak havoc, that I loved the exploration of Maria Elena and her brother, Balt's relationship ... so far, so good.
That some of these characters are NPCs (non-playable characters) ... Hmm! Its just as well the author explained this and several other terms (a credit that they did so in such an unobtrusive way).
I so much wanted to really like this book and like it I did. Totally aware that this says more about me than the author or their writing, seemingly whilst I can invest in fictional characters it would seem I can't so much virtual fictional characters.
Copyright ... Felicity Grace Terry @ Pen and Paper
Disclaimer ... One of twenty five bloggers who over five days participated in this Mini Blog Blitz, no financial compensation was asked for nor given
A book that took me to a fantastical world, fuelled by what else but of course, pixie dust; that some of the characters, the monsters she encounters in Avonell are threatening to break through to our world and wreak havoc, that I loved the exploration of Maria Elena and her brother, Balt's relationship ... so far, so good.
That some of these characters are NPCs (non-playable characters) ... Hmm! Its just as well the author explained this and several other terms (a credit that they did so in such an unobtrusive way).
I so much wanted to really like this book and like it I did. Totally aware that this says more about me than the author or their writing, seemingly whilst I can invest in fictional characters it would seem I can't so much virtual fictional characters.
Copyright ... Felicity Grace Terry @ Pen and Paper
Disclaimer ... One of twenty five bloggers who over five days participated in this Mini Blog Blitz, no financial compensation was asked for nor given
March 9, 2021
This is a fizzy, exciting triumph of a book. Yes, we're faced with the ethical dilemmas of AI and personhood, but it's clothed in parlance that any RPG (role-playing game) player would recognise and Maria Elena's impatience with the old cliches will ring true for anyone who's picked up a game but wished for more innovative storytelling. I could easily see similar criticisms popping up if tech ever advanced to make Heroes of Avonell a reality, though I'm still unsure how an overarching quest works in a MMO (massive multiplayer online) where you adventure alongside players from around the world. Still, the worldbuilding is fun and I especially enjoyed a sympathetic look at the usual 'villain' races.
The high fantasy of the game and the accompanying moral quandaries are anchored by Maria Elena's relationship with her brother. He's the one who invited her to play in the first place, but Quinny's adventures in an off-limits game area drives a wedge between them, proving that actions in Avonell can have real-life consequences.
While the ending was satisfying, I can't help but feel it wrapped up too quickly as it has huge implications for Maria Elena's life and our world in general. I would love to read more about Avonell and its people.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own
The high fantasy of the game and the accompanying moral quandaries are anchored by Maria Elena's relationship with her brother. He's the one who invited her to play in the first place, but Quinny's adventures in an off-limits game area drives a wedge between them, proving that actions in Avonell can have real-life consequences.
While the ending was satisfying, I can't help but feel it wrapped up too quickly as it has huge implications for Maria Elena's life and our world in general. I would love to read more about Avonell and its people.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own
March 12, 2021
This was a very quick, exciting read. I've never read anything like this before, so I was really looking forward to this blog tour. It was fast-paced and fresh. It was the perfect book to read during the week after reading some darker books!
I loved the characters in this one. All of them were interesting. I wanted to know more about them, and I enjoyed watching them deal with things and form bonds. It was really intriguing to read about NPC's actually being self-aware; it was a concept I'd never heard of before.
If you're into gaming, especially role-playing games, I highly suggest reading this one! Even if you aren't into gaming, like me, it was easy to keep up with everything going on. I wasn't aware of some of the terms used, but it was still understandable and entertaining.
Disclaimer: I received a gifted copy of this book via Rachel's Random Resources. This did not influence my opinion in any way.
I loved the characters in this one. All of them were interesting. I wanted to know more about them, and I enjoyed watching them deal with things and form bonds. It was really intriguing to read about NPC's actually being self-aware; it was a concept I'd never heard of before.
If you're into gaming, especially role-playing games, I highly suggest reading this one! Even if you aren't into gaming, like me, it was easy to keep up with everything going on. I wasn't aware of some of the terms used, but it was still understandable and entertaining.
Disclaimer: I received a gifted copy of this book via Rachel's Random Resources. This did not influence my opinion in any way.
March 30, 2021
As soon as Maria Elena’s avatar Quinny chooses to step through a glitch in Avonell, her journey begins. This story is an examination of the lengths we’ll go to in order to escape a draining reality, and a look at what makes a villain a villain, and a hero a hero.
It’s an ingenious concept: a virtual-reality game where the game begins to affect reality. Though the game of Avonell is Dungeons and Dragons-esque, full of cookie cutter medieval fantasy tropes, the AI that powers the in-game characters is so advanced that they learn, respond, and grow as people just as a human would.
Maria Elena’s life outside the game falls by the wayside as she (Quinny) discovers the world past the glitch; the residents of Caed Dhraos need help and as the only one with access to their realm, Quinny has to be the one to provide it. But as she uses the glitch to make her own rules to the game, the AI characters are doing the same -- affecting the reality outside the game as a result.
Maria Elena’s brother, Balt, plays a key role in both; their sibling relationship is a main pillar of her story. Without his coaxing, she never would have discovered the game, let alone the true adventure it has to offer. But Caed Dhraos is a secret Quinny swore to keep, and her constant white lies and evasion begin to wear and tear on Balt, the constant glitches in the game leading him to believe she’s hacking the game -- a betrayal of the gamer’s code if there ever was one.
Their relationship really fell flat for me; truly built upon nothing but stereotypes and uninformed choices. The conflict between the two of them was overblown and unrealistic; even though this is fiction, I still expect to be given characters that are believable. We the readers are told they’re changing and growing and learning without ever witnessing that on the page.
And the dialogue could really use an editor.
The 3rd person POV is most often subjective, the world as seen through Maria Elena’s eyes, but also includes the random moment of commentary from an omniscient narrator. A twist and turn here and there offer the element of surprise to a well-planned, if unoriginal and wholly predictable, series of events. You could say the author took the rules of crafting a video game and applied them in novel form -- a clever choice for a genre-bender but requiring a much higher level of execution than is displayed here.
The book takes advantage of readers’ suspension of disbelief as the rules of reality begin to break down. I can definitely see this story resonating with younger audiences -- Maria Elena is supposedly post-college grad age and yet has the impulse control and vocabulary of a just-turned-teen.
The story’s end leaves the door wide open for a sequel; there’s simply so much more story that can be told. If written with a more deft hand, I could have read a couple more hundred pages if only for more depth on all counts. I’d be very interested in a deeper exploration of the magic system; it’s never really explained and complicated spells are mastered by characters with little to no effort. I’d be curious to find out what happens if there was a follow-up installment; but then again, the little things might pull me out of the story as they did here.
Honestly, a good editor could have fixed all my qualms with ease.
3 stars for creativity and potential. But I wouldn’t say I liked it.
Find out more about this book over on my blog!
It’s an ingenious concept: a virtual-reality game where the game begins to affect reality. Though the game of Avonell is Dungeons and Dragons-esque, full of cookie cutter medieval fantasy tropes, the AI that powers the in-game characters is so advanced that they learn, respond, and grow as people just as a human would.
Maria Elena’s life outside the game falls by the wayside as she (Quinny) discovers the world past the glitch; the residents of Caed Dhraos need help and as the only one with access to their realm, Quinny has to be the one to provide it. But as she uses the glitch to make her own rules to the game, the AI characters are doing the same -- affecting the reality outside the game as a result.
Maria Elena’s brother, Balt, plays a key role in both; their sibling relationship is a main pillar of her story. Without his coaxing, she never would have discovered the game, let alone the true adventure it has to offer. But Caed Dhraos is a secret Quinny swore to keep, and her constant white lies and evasion begin to wear and tear on Balt, the constant glitches in the game leading him to believe she’s hacking the game -- a betrayal of the gamer’s code if there ever was one.
Their relationship really fell flat for me; truly built upon nothing but stereotypes and uninformed choices. The conflict between the two of them was overblown and unrealistic; even though this is fiction, I still expect to be given characters that are believable. We the readers are told they’re changing and growing and learning without ever witnessing that on the page.
And the dialogue could really use an editor.
The 3rd person POV is most often subjective, the world as seen through Maria Elena’s eyes, but also includes the random moment of commentary from an omniscient narrator. A twist and turn here and there offer the element of surprise to a well-planned, if unoriginal and wholly predictable, series of events. You could say the author took the rules of crafting a video game and applied them in novel form -- a clever choice for a genre-bender but requiring a much higher level of execution than is displayed here.
The book takes advantage of readers’ suspension of disbelief as the rules of reality begin to break down. I can definitely see this story resonating with younger audiences -- Maria Elena is supposedly post-college grad age and yet has the impulse control and vocabulary of a just-turned-teen.
The story’s end leaves the door wide open for a sequel; there’s simply so much more story that can be told. If written with a more deft hand, I could have read a couple more hundred pages if only for more depth on all counts. I’d be very interested in a deeper exploration of the magic system; it’s never really explained and complicated spells are mastered by characters with little to no effort. I’d be curious to find out what happens if there was a follow-up installment; but then again, the little things might pull me out of the story as they did here.
Honestly, a good editor could have fixed all my qualms with ease.
3 stars for creativity and potential. But I wouldn’t say I liked it.
Find out more about this book over on my blog!
March 12, 2021
How do you do fellow gamers?
Similar in premise to Sword Art Online, I would absolutely recommend this read to gaming and anime fans alike. A fun fantasy adventure that you can hold in your hands isn’t one to be missed.
We firstly start off with a guide to name and location pronunciations which is very appreciated thank you T.K! Maria Elena had sworn off gaming, until her brother Balt introduces her to Heroes of Avonell. A virtual reality game with NPCs that seem far more self-aware than is normal.
With a fresh take on the typical tropes of an RPG, Maria Elena, character name Quinny, slips through a glitch in the games walls to end up in Caed Dhraos. She ends up making friends with the “bad guys” and the game starts to bleed over into real life.
There’s a wide cast of interesting characters and I wish I could be a sneaky rogue with my merry band of friends. I also couldn’t help but think of No Face when reading descriptions of Shargothi (hello ancient demon) and her dark tendrils. Intentional or not, I’m here for it!
I really enjoyed this read and would love to dive into the story a million times over! If you fancy going on an adventure, I would suggest picking up Pixeldust.
Read thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources book tour.
Similar in premise to Sword Art Online, I would absolutely recommend this read to gaming and anime fans alike. A fun fantasy adventure that you can hold in your hands isn’t one to be missed.
We firstly start off with a guide to name and location pronunciations which is very appreciated thank you T.K! Maria Elena had sworn off gaming, until her brother Balt introduces her to Heroes of Avonell. A virtual reality game with NPCs that seem far more self-aware than is normal.
With a fresh take on the typical tropes of an RPG, Maria Elena, character name Quinny, slips through a glitch in the games walls to end up in Caed Dhraos. She ends up making friends with the “bad guys” and the game starts to bleed over into real life.
There’s a wide cast of interesting characters and I wish I could be a sneaky rogue with my merry band of friends. I also couldn’t help but think of No Face when reading descriptions of Shargothi (hello ancient demon) and her dark tendrils. Intentional or not, I’m here for it!
I really enjoyed this read and would love to dive into the story a million times over! If you fancy going on an adventure, I would suggest picking up Pixeldust.
Read thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources book tour.
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