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The Game
Victor Black, leader of the Gray Team, is tall, dark-haired, green-eyed and can shatter solid metal with no more than a thought. He is a man accustomed to getting what he wants, because in the end, he can simply take it.
And what he wants, more than anything else in the world, is Victoria Red, leader of the Red Team.
However, Maxwell Blood wants her too, and as captain of the Red Team, he is in a position to get closer to her than Victor can. Blood is not all that he seems – and he is not without considerable power of his own.
Their story starts with Black’s dark proposal, Victoria’s refusal, and Max’s anger. A hard, unfair seduction follows, and wages a battle between three powerful players in an endless, remorseless Game.
And what he wants, more than anything else in the world, is Victoria Red, leader of the Red Team.
However, Maxwell Blood wants her too, and as captain of the Red Team, he is in a position to get closer to her than Victor can. Blood is not all that he seems – and he is not without considerable power of his own.
Their story starts with Black’s dark proposal, Victoria’s refusal, and Max’s anger. A hard, unfair seduction follows, and wages a battle between three powerful players in an endless, remorseless Game.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2010
56 people are currently reading
658 people want to read
About the author
Heather Killough-Walden
61 books2,188 followersHeather Killough-Walden is a California native currently living in Texas with her husband and child. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Big Bad Wolf series. Heather’s educational background includes religious studies, archeology, and law. She has traveled all over the world but hopes to one day live in a town with a world-class hockey team. (Let’s Go Pens!) Visit Heather’s website at www.killough-walden.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter. Also, be sure to keep in touch with her and other fans through her Facebook fan page and through Twitter (killoughwalden)!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
December 13, 2012
4.5 stars !!!
OMG OMG OMG !!!!!
This book was sooo fuckin good !!
Different , exciting , hot .......
Forgive me, he thought. He begged the universe for forgiveness – because he knew what he was about to do to this woman. Nothing in the world would have been able to stop him – not even the gods.
Victor Black .... Man are you simply delish !!!
EDIT : 13/12/2012
How should I go about describing this book ??? Was it a dystopian ? Or was it just a beautifully sketched stretched out imagination ... ?? I'd like to think its both .
The world this book talks about is unheard of , and the blurb leaves a whole lot to imagination . Because this book is sooo much much more than just Victor and Victoria's little wager . Although , I have to admit that wager is most definitely a base for the root foundation of this book !!!! All I can say right now is absolutely
Lot of the reviews written for this book , don't really give a lot of insight as to what can be expected from this where world building is concerned . So I thought I'd like to give a little detail about what you would be getting into . Will try and keep it spoiler free for sure !
So , there is this place . Its called 'The field' .
This field is encased or surrounded by four walls . People who leave inside this field are called The Gamers . These people are divided into two groups , the ' LIGHTS' and the 'DARKS' . Lights are people with positive traits and the darks - yup you guessed it - are people with negative traits . Dont get them wrong , they aren't the bad guys or anything . They are just really cunning , quite deceitful and obviously know how to get work done through hook or crook . Both these gamers are monitored by the 'Game Control' .. Gamers within this field have to constantly battle each other out . Always , Lights v/s darks . And they must never stop . Legend has it that if the gamers were to stop , bad things would start happening to people both inside and outside the wall .
So for years now Gamers have been playing inside the field , trying to keep the world from crumbling .
So were does Victor Black and Victoria Red come into play you ask ???
Well that's where the story of this book begins . The Match - Reds(light) v/s Gray(dark) . Victor Black is the leader of the Gray's .. Been around for hundreds of years , the man is known and feared by all . He has this air of power and dominance around him that just makes people quiver with uneasiness and fear . His eyes are set on Victoria and Victoria alone . Ever since she's been around . Like a wolf waiting to make his move on his prey , Victor grabs a chance to lay out his wager for Victoria .
Victoria , well lets just say Victor makes it impossible for her to say NO! .. Its a complete different thing that she trying to make it see that she doesn't want it .
But what they did not see coming was that this little game between them will be a initiation and discovery to a whole lot of things . Things that would question the mere existence of this world and the game !
I would highly recommend this book to if you are looking for a 'out-of-the-box' kind of a story . Written and told in a fast paced style , it is a perfect blend of mythology and modernism ! The romance in this book is pretty subtle , but there is this one particular scene that manages to set the screen on fire for sure . Victor , Victoria and their sexual tension definitely manages to crackle up the atmosphere with 'lust' charged electrons !
This one's a must read for sure !!
OMG OMG OMG !!!!!
This book was sooo fuckin good !!
Different , exciting , hot .......
Forgive me, he thought. He begged the universe for forgiveness – because he knew what he was about to do to this woman. Nothing in the world would have been able to stop him – not even the gods.
Victor Black .... Man are you simply delish !!!
EDIT : 13/12/2012
How should I go about describing this book ??? Was it a dystopian ? Or was it just a beautifully sketched stretched out imagination ... ?? I'd like to think its both .
The world this book talks about is unheard of , and the blurb leaves a whole lot to imagination . Because this book is sooo much much more than just Victor and Victoria's little wager . Although , I have to admit that wager is most definitely a base for the root foundation of this book !!!! All I can say right now is absolutely
Lot of the reviews written for this book , don't really give a lot of insight as to what can be expected from this where world building is concerned . So I thought I'd like to give a little detail about what you would be getting into . Will try and keep it spoiler free for sure !
So , there is this place . Its called 'The field' .
This field is encased or surrounded by four walls . People who leave inside this field are called The Gamers . These people are divided into two groups , the ' LIGHTS' and the 'DARKS' . Lights are people with positive traits and the darks - yup you guessed it - are people with negative traits . Dont get them wrong , they aren't the bad guys or anything . They are just really cunning , quite deceitful and obviously know how to get work done through hook or crook . Both these gamers are monitored by the 'Game Control' .. Gamers within this field have to constantly battle each other out . Always , Lights v/s darks . And they must never stop . Legend has it that if the gamers were to stop , bad things would start happening to people both inside and outside the wall .
So for years now Gamers have been playing inside the field , trying to keep the world from crumbling .
So were does Victor Black and Victoria Red come into play you ask ???
Well that's where the story of this book begins . The Match - Reds(light) v/s Gray(dark) . Victor Black is the leader of the Gray's .. Been around for hundreds of years , the man is known and feared by all . He has this air of power and dominance around him that just makes people quiver with uneasiness and fear . His eyes are set on Victoria and Victoria alone . Ever since she's been around . Like a wolf waiting to make his move on his prey , Victor grabs a chance to lay out his wager for Victoria .
Victoria , well lets just say Victor makes it impossible for her to say NO! .. Its a complete different thing that she trying to make it see that she doesn't want it .
But what they did not see coming was that this little game between them will be a initiation and discovery to a whole lot of things . Things that would question the mere existence of this world and the game !
I would highly recommend this book to if you are looking for a 'out-of-the-box' kind of a story . Written and told in a fast paced style , it is a perfect blend of mythology and modernism ! The romance in this book is pretty subtle , but there is this one particular scene that manages to set the screen on fire for sure . Victor , Victoria and their sexual tension definitely manages to crackle up the atmosphere with 'lust' charged electrons !
This one's a must read for sure !!
November 23, 2012
Wow!!! I was blown away by this story. It pulls you in and doesn’t let you go until you have read the final page. This story is well written and filled with passion from the author.
Victor is determined to get Victoria to surrender and possibly be the top leaders as they would be unstoppable. He’s started cheating in the game and what more could Victoria do but accept his challenge and play his game? The stakes are high if he wins, but if she wins, is it all going to be worth it? They both are thrown into a world they never expected and have characters you will learn to love and hate along the way.
This story should be on the top of any to be read list as it keeps you in suspense and pulls at many emotions that might be hidden in your mind. You will find yourself rooting for many, and wishing bad luck on others. This is definitely a great read.
Victor is determined to get Victoria to surrender and possibly be the top leaders as they would be unstoppable. He’s started cheating in the game and what more could Victoria do but accept his challenge and play his game? The stakes are high if he wins, but if she wins, is it all going to be worth it? They both are thrown into a world they never expected and have characters you will learn to love and hate along the way.
This story should be on the top of any to be read list as it keeps you in suspense and pulls at many emotions that might be hidden in your mind. You will find yourself rooting for many, and wishing bad luck on others. This is definitely a great read.
December 4, 2012
Omg!! I love this story! In this book Heather Killough-Walden give us another strong woman, not a scare little princess that need a prince to rescue her. I love the plot, always keep you guessing, but never what you think, ;-) When you think it couldn't get better BAM! It does. I couldn't put it down until I finished the book and what an ending! I personally love all of her books, they are unique, they suck you in to the own world, which all of them are different. I totally recommended this book or any of her books for that matter, you will love it
November 23, 2012
What a fantastic book. I had no idea what to expect when I started reading it. I'm not even sure why I decided to read this as it's not the kind of book I typically read. Whatever the reason, who cares! I absolutely loved this novel. What an action-filled, sexy roller-coaster of a ride filled with twists and turns - and hot, hot men. I highly recommend this novel. You will not be disappointed. It's currently listed for $2.99 on Amazon, a total steal.
November 20, 2012
I was lucky enough to win one of the review copies for this book and I hadn't realized until I had started reading it that I had read the original (long ago), but it had been so long ago that I was still surprised. I had no clue where the book was going even with a past reading and I loved that, who doesn't like being surprised at how events turn out? ;)
The Game, is almost literally like it sounds... the Game is where team leaders take each other down in quadrants and fight to be the best/win.
Victoria Red is the leader of the Red Team (Light powers etc). Victor Black is the leader of the Gray Team (Dark powers etc). Victor has been playing for over 400 years and Victoria is the first one in a long time that can hold her own against him and guess how his cunning mind really works. Victoria is loved, not by just her teammates but everyone as she is charismatic etc... while Victor is feared (for good reason too).
The Game is controlled by the Game Controllers and there is downtime in between games for players to rest/rejuvenate before the next game takes place.
People are collected from surrounding areas if they show an aptitude for powers and are taken from their homes to train for the games. The Games played are supposed to keep the wall up and its for their "safety". No one really knows the true history because when a person is taken from their home, their memories are wiped clean and they start out with a new name.
Victoria has been there since she was 15 years old and I believe she's 25 so she's been there the last 10 years. In order for the game to continue there can only be brief rests in between games and the balance must be kept (light and dark).
Victor has wanted Victoria since the first time he's seen her and he proposes a personal game between the two of them, if she refuses he'll go after her team captain Max so Victoria has no choice but to play the game. Victoria has some powers which include fire/telekinesis and is warm while Victor can cause some serious pain ripping people open with lesions with just a thought and his power is cold.
I don't want to say too much but the book is really yin and yang... light and dark, fire and ice, opposites attract. The book follows their journey as Victoria accepts Victors challenge and if you like Paranormal books there are some other beings (not telling what) in there that make up the paranormal, along with their various powers.
If you like mystery, puzzles, paranormal, romance and sexy alpha men and strong independent women, you'll love Victor and Victoria ;) <3
The Game, is almost literally like it sounds... the Game is where team leaders take each other down in quadrants and fight to be the best/win.
Victoria Red is the leader of the Red Team (Light powers etc). Victor Black is the leader of the Gray Team (Dark powers etc). Victor has been playing for over 400 years and Victoria is the first one in a long time that can hold her own against him and guess how his cunning mind really works. Victoria is loved, not by just her teammates but everyone as she is charismatic etc... while Victor is feared (for good reason too).
The Game is controlled by the Game Controllers and there is downtime in between games for players to rest/rejuvenate before the next game takes place.
People are collected from surrounding areas if they show an aptitude for powers and are taken from their homes to train for the games. The Games played are supposed to keep the wall up and its for their "safety". No one really knows the true history because when a person is taken from their home, their memories are wiped clean and they start out with a new name.
Victoria has been there since she was 15 years old and I believe she's 25 so she's been there the last 10 years. In order for the game to continue there can only be brief rests in between games and the balance must be kept (light and dark).
Victor has wanted Victoria since the first time he's seen her and he proposes a personal game between the two of them, if she refuses he'll go after her team captain Max so Victoria has no choice but to play the game. Victoria has some powers which include fire/telekinesis and is warm while Victor can cause some serious pain ripping people open with lesions with just a thought and his power is cold.
I don't want to say too much but the book is really yin and yang... light and dark, fire and ice, opposites attract. The book follows their journey as Victoria accepts Victors challenge and if you like Paranormal books there are some other beings (not telling what) in there that make up the paranormal, along with their various powers.
If you like mystery, puzzles, paranormal, romance and sexy alpha men and strong independent women, you'll love Victor and Victoria ;) <3
November 6, 2012
I was one of the lucky ones who won a review copy of 'A Sinister Game' by Heather Killough-Walden.
I received the book in the middle of the night and that was that - no more sleep for me last night!!!
I had read & heard loads of great things about the original story but nothing could have prepared me for the new updated version!!! It knocked my socks off - I just could not put it down. Absolutely loved everything about it.
The characters of Victor Black & Victoria Red were fab - I really enjoyed how they (and their feelings/emotions) grew throughout the story as the Game developed... The supporting characters were really great. The plot was interesting, gripping and fast paced. There were some very unexpected twists and turns, a fair bit of duplicity, some upset & a number of laugh out load moments. I went through just about every emotion possible while reading it.....
I think this is one of the best books HKW has written - that's saying something as I just adore all of her work (I can't wait for Death's Angel to come out next month!! - Lost Angels - now there's a fantastic series :D )
What are you waiting for? Get your hands on a copy of 'A Sinister Game' now - you won't be disappointed - I'll bet it'll be one of the best books you've read in a while!!!!
I received the book in the middle of the night and that was that - no more sleep for me last night!!!
I had read & heard loads of great things about the original story but nothing could have prepared me for the new updated version!!! It knocked my socks off - I just could not put it down. Absolutely loved everything about it.
The characters of Victor Black & Victoria Red were fab - I really enjoyed how they (and their feelings/emotions) grew throughout the story as the Game developed... The supporting characters were really great. The plot was interesting, gripping and fast paced. There were some very unexpected twists and turns, a fair bit of duplicity, some upset & a number of laugh out load moments. I went through just about every emotion possible while reading it.....
I think this is one of the best books HKW has written - that's saying something as I just adore all of her work (I can't wait for Death's Angel to come out next month!! - Lost Angels - now there's a fantastic series :D )
What are you waiting for? Get your hands on a copy of 'A Sinister Game' now - you won't be disappointed - I'll bet it'll be one of the best books you've read in a while!!!!
November 22, 2012
I have to admit I am huge fan of this author, I have read nearly all her other books and series but the original book did escape my notice. Luckily for me Heather re-released it so I had the pleasure of being able to review it now. A Sinister Game kind of reminded me of those old movies like Tron and Rollerball where games won or lost determined a person's standing in the community. The gamers inside the wall were so conditioned to that life having no memory of their past that they never even questioned the idea that there had to be more than just the game, all except Victor Black. After playing and winning the game for over four hundred years Victor longed for something more. Victoria on the other hand was a worth competitor but a mere fledgling and she thrived on the challenges of the game. Enemies would become allies, allies are secretly the enemy and I must admit I wondered about Victor's true motives at times. Some steamy moments and that dream sequence was something else. I didn't see the real villain till the end so a big surprise there and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing.
December 1, 2012
One more great book by the wonderful Heather Killough-Walden. Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review this one. I look forward to reading it again, there is so much happening that it deserves another read!! Very few books warrant my reading twice, and those are the ones I rate 5 stars. As you can see, this is one of those.
First, I was so surprised to read a Syfy/Paranormal/action/suspense novel by Ms. Walden. Not usually my genre of choice, but after reading A Sinister Game, I might reconsider reading from this area as well. What a refreshing and exciting change of pace for me. This book is certainly a stand alone, becuase it ends so well, but I would not get my feelings hurt if I get to revisit characters such as these in another book or three :) One thing I'd really like to read about is exactly how the GAME works, how this guy fellow managed to get people to conform to playing, etc. Some great history (maybe a pre-quel??) LOL. If not, no matter, the book was great, the characters were wonderfully surprising at every turn. What more can I say?! Don't ask, cause I can go on and on, just ask my DH ;)
First, I was so surprised to read a Syfy/Paranormal/action/suspense novel by Ms. Walden. Not usually my genre of choice, but after reading A Sinister Game, I might reconsider reading from this area as well. What a refreshing and exciting change of pace for me. This book is certainly a stand alone, becuase it ends so well, but I would not get my feelings hurt if I get to revisit characters such as these in another book or three :) One thing I'd really like to read about is exactly how the GAME works, how this guy fellow managed to get people to conform to playing, etc. Some great history (maybe a pre-quel??) LOL. If not, no matter, the book was great, the characters were wonderfully surprising at every turn. What more can I say?! Don't ask, cause I can go on and on, just ask my DH ;)
December 1, 2012
Holy Crap! I am a HUGE fan of this author and have read all of her BBW and Sam series. A Sinister Game is a completely different type of story but as I expected, is as brilliant as the rest:)
There are so many layers to this book that at times I was not sure who was on which side - LOVED IT!!! Victor Black, "sigh" , pause for reaction......... and Victoria was a total badass heroine.
The creativity of the backstory was amazing and I really did not see it coming - just when I think I have figured out Heather's genre she throws another curve ball - pick this book up - you will not be sorry!!!
There are so many layers to this book that at times I was not sure who was on which side - LOVED IT!!! Victor Black, "sigh" , pause for reaction......... and Victoria was a total badass heroine.
The creativity of the backstory was amazing and I really did not see it coming - just when I think I have figured out Heather's genre she throws another curve ball - pick this book up - you will not be sorry!!!
November 28, 2012
Now, how to review a book without giving anything away? This is a must read! Done... LOL
Guess I have to give you more than that, huh? Well, I really didn't know what this story was about when I started reading it, and I'm so glad I went in to it with no preconceived ideas, because that made it all that much better. The story takes us through a journey of discovery, with some results I never expected. The main characters Victor and Victoria are well defined and their journey is believable in the context of the story. I fell in love with these characters.
Guess I have to give you more than that, huh? Well, I really didn't know what this story was about when I started reading it, and I'm so glad I went in to it with no preconceived ideas, because that made it all that much better. The story takes us through a journey of discovery, with some results I never expected. The main characters Victor and Victoria are well defined and their journey is believable in the context of the story. I fell in love with these characters.
December 5, 2012
This book was fantastic. The characters are vividly written. The storyline is fast paced, thrilling and suspenseful all at the same time. LOVED IT.
Update: Reread this and YUP still 5 stars
Update: Reread this and YUP still 5 stars
November 26, 2012
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I was given an ARC of this book. It was hard at first to wrap my head around all the “gamer” references because I automatically associated that term with Xbox. However, there is nothing Xbox’ish about this book! While it is about a game that is being played and the key players are being watched by the Game Lord and the Gods it mustn’t be confused with video games. At least that was my perception of the story. It’s the future meets ancient times with magic everywhere you read and it’s amazing. I love a world where anything is possible and good will always overcome evil.
My only two concerns with the book: I love the push and pull between the main characters but there wasn’t enough romance. Don’t get me wrong, the attraction was there but I wanted more of it. Also, the ending seemed a little anticlimactic. It was such an intense build-up and so emotional that the ending happened to quickly and neatly.
More about the Gamers that are specifically Victoria and Victor, one plays for the light side and one plays for the dark side. They are either light or dark based on the abilities that were given to them and those particular abilities are magical in their own right.
The plot starts off with a very seductive proposition by Victor Black to Victoria Red (dontcha just love those names). She doesn’t need any convincing to accept his proposition and that’s when the excitement begins. Just when I thought I knew who the players were, I didn’t have a clue. The good guys that I thought were trusted friends weren’t. The bad guys, who I thought were sketchy characters, weren’t.
This book is fast paced with a lot of excitement and mystery. It’s a little hard to keep up with all the characters but it’s worth it to keep flipping back a page or two to make sure you’ve got it straight. The writing style is excellent and the dialogue flows naturally without a hiccup.
Are you looking for a book that has a unique storyline, a little sexiness and mystery…then this is the book for you! If you can suspend your disbelief you will enjoy this book as much as I did!
My final two cents: This is my first book by Heather Killough-Walden and it won’t be my last. :)
My only two concerns with the book: I love the push and pull between the main characters but there wasn’t enough romance. Don’t get me wrong, the attraction was there but I wanted more of it. Also, the ending seemed a little anticlimactic. It was such an intense build-up and so emotional that the ending happened to quickly and neatly.
More about the Gamers that are specifically Victoria and Victor, one plays for the light side and one plays for the dark side. They are either light or dark based on the abilities that were given to them and those particular abilities are magical in their own right.
The plot starts off with a very seductive proposition by Victor Black to Victoria Red (dontcha just love those names). She doesn’t need any convincing to accept his proposition and that’s when the excitement begins. Just when I thought I knew who the players were, I didn’t have a clue. The good guys that I thought were trusted friends weren’t. The bad guys, who I thought were sketchy characters, weren’t.
This book is fast paced with a lot of excitement and mystery. It’s a little hard to keep up with all the characters but it’s worth it to keep flipping back a page or two to make sure you’ve got it straight. The writing style is excellent and the dialogue flows naturally without a hiccup.
Are you looking for a book that has a unique storyline, a little sexiness and mystery…then this is the book for you! If you can suspend your disbelief you will enjoy this book as much as I did!
My final two cents: This is my first book by Heather Killough-Walden and it won’t be my last. :)
November 23, 2012
*First off: Thank you Heather Killough-Walden for releasing this again so that people like me, that didn't get the chance to read it the first time around, could enjoy it now.
**Second: No would ever use the word "teiting". That word is for 14 year olds while they look at their boyfriend in the couch after he has said something bad about her hair.If anyone needs some good tips on bad Norwegian words, I'm your girl.
For me this book was like eating chocolate chip ice cream topped with vanilla cupcakes and cotton candy. I love them all but not together. In this book, the ice cream, cupcakes and the cotton candy are all the
I wish I could give this book 5 stars, but I can't.
It's important to say though, that I know many will LOVE this book and I understand why. So if you don't know if you are to read it or not and you read this review: read it. It just wasn't _my_ cup of tea.
The main reason is that I didn't feel the magnetic,erotic and whatnot pull between V&V. I also hoped this book would have more of a cat&mouse chase.
If HKW somehow, magically ever reads this, know that I love the characters you have created and one of your characters are in my "OMGIWOULDKILLTOGETONENIGHTWITHHIM"-list and that list is actually very short (even if many would doubt my words about that..)
"Everything nice and fluffy and sparkly always was idea."
**Second: No would ever use the word "teiting". That word is for 14 year olds while they look at their boyfriend in the couch after he has said something bad about her hair.If anyone needs some good tips on bad Norwegian words, I'm your girl.
For me this book was like eating chocolate chip ice cream topped with vanilla cupcakes and cotton candy. I love them all but not together. In this book, the ice cream, cupcakes and the cotton candy are all the
I wish I could give this book 5 stars, but I can't.
It's important to say though, that I know many will LOVE this book and I understand why. So if you don't know if you are to read it or not and you read this review: read it. It just wasn't _my_ cup of tea.
The main reason is that I didn't feel the magnetic,erotic and whatnot pull between V&V. I also hoped this book would have more of a cat&mouse chase.
If HKW somehow, magically ever reads this, know that I love the characters you have created and one of your characters are in my "OMGIWOULDKILLTOGETONENIGHTWITHHIM"-list and that list is actually very short (even if many would doubt my words about that..)
"Everything nice and fluffy and sparkly always was idea."
November 24, 2012
I was extremely lucky to win this book and even had I not, I would have bought it in a heartbeat!
Where do I even start...Fantastic! Drawn in from the very beginning. Absolutely in love with Victoria, her edge and her innocence. I wanted to love Victor too for all his bad boy ways. Every girl knows that bad boys are inherently sexy.
There were parts of me that thought Hunger Games but it went above and beyond in story, plot, character build, suspense, and everything else. I loved the battles between good & evil/dark & light! The actual physical battles between teams and the inner turmoil battles of the individual leaders, captains, and players.
The twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat. Had my children not been out of school for Thanksgiving break this would easily have been a one day read. It pained me to put it down.
A strongly suggested read for everyone I know.
Where do I even start...Fantastic! Drawn in from the very beginning. Absolutely in love with Victoria, her edge and her innocence. I wanted to love Victor too for all his bad boy ways. Every girl knows that bad boys are inherently sexy.
There were parts of me that thought Hunger Games but it went above and beyond in story, plot, character build, suspense, and everything else. I loved the battles between good & evil/dark & light! The actual physical battles between teams and the inner turmoil battles of the individual leaders, captains, and players.
The twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat. Had my children not been out of school for Thanksgiving break this would easily have been a one day read. It pained me to put it down.
A strongly suggested read for everyone I know.
March 26, 2013
This story was a truly original adventure, with a world that at first looked like a dystopia but turned out to be different, creative dialog, action-packed it kept surprising me chapter after chapter. The author indicated in the book that this was one of her first releases and that she unpublished it to later edit it, but decided to preserve many parts of the original manuscript, which explains the 'first book' feeling about it. The story had holes, and I had to suspend disbelief a few times, but I’ll remember this love story for a long time.
HERO has been the Leader of the Gray Team for a few centuries, winner of most of the battles played since, and in the last decade has been facing the leader of the Red Team, a young, beautiful woman who’s not only a worthy rival but a woman he’s very attracted to.
SCENES/CONTENT: one/hot
GENRE/TONE: fantasy/action
LENGTH: 202 pages
HERO has been the Leader of the Gray Team for a few centuries, winner of most of the battles played since, and in the last decade has been facing the leader of the Red Team, a young, beautiful woman who’s not only a worthy rival but a woman he’s very attracted to.
SCENES/CONTENT: one/hot
GENRE/TONE: fantasy/action
LENGTH: 202 pages
July 19, 2010
This book was full of suprises and kept you guessing till the end. It was hard to tell who was friend and who was foe. One minute you thinks that Bloody Max and Victoria Red should be together and the next you think she should be with Victor Black. Overall this was a great book at a great price.
December 8, 2012
The book was fantastic. Lots of twists and turns where the book left you guessing til the end.
August 23, 2015
DNF at 30%.
October 1, 2023
Been on my kindle for years and year. Finally decided to actually read it. Really not what I expected at all. Enjoyed the first half and I would have liked it to have continued in the same manner, a ‘catch me’ game between two hot people. The whole ‘paranormal’ god thing was a bit strange. But still, it was quite enjoyable and happy to have finally read it.
February 5, 2012
I’m not really sure how I feel about this book; or to be more precise, the characters in this book. This book held a promise, which faded towards the end. *sighs*
The whole concept of the game and the wall and the energy being drained from the Gods could have been put up in a better way. The Gods using the “fuck” work so freely was funny yet somehow derogatory and a lil blasphemous, if you ask me. I didn’t really mind it a lot though. I don’t think I like Victor. I had problem deciding if he was the actual hero in the book. Max turned out to be the bad guy yet ended up being the good guy after sacrificing his own life, oh, just the regular clichés. I don’t know how I feel about Victoria. She was clearly having sexual thoughts about both Max and Victor; Victor tipping the scale towards his end though. Also she clearly flirted with Anders who just happened to be Loki, whose champion she turned out to be. The whole idea of Arthur 0 or the Game Lord building a wall to drain the Gods and then use it to become immortal by draining other mortals was far-fetched and wasn’t able to make me comprehend the reality of that world and why the others never even tried to rebel against it for the past, ermmm, just you know, three thousand years. I think the author tried to build a new world and the idea was new and interesting, yet it lacked a lot of thinking. The writing style wasn’t all too impressive but at the same time it captured your attention. I think there was no character that I felt a connection to or even a shred of liking. Victoria or Rose was just too perfect and too powerful and every fucking character in this book with a dick wanted her. The same was the case with Victor who was your dark dangerous yet sexy as hell, oh-I-want-him-so-bad-yet-fear-him-to-the-extent-that-I-wanna-run-away-from-him kind of character. I did not like his demanding nature or his obsession towards Rose/Victoria since she was fifteen. You can call it the doing of the Gods or the fact that they were meant to be together, but his proposal of the game that he set up for her was just creepy and slap-worthy. Obviously he was the Ice God and everyone feared him and he was so damn powerful that she couldn’t actually slap him, yet I still would have thrown some profanities at him if I were her. Nevertheless, Victoria has a “thing” for him that she doesn’t understand and so she tries to hide that from him but fails because the Dark leader can read his mind. Oh did I fail to mention that? Victor is the dark leader and Victoria the Light leader. Surprise Surprise! Another cliché!! The two people who are supposed to be enemies on the Field are actually lusting over one another.
Even after every flaw in this book, it was still not a bad read. I found it okay. So it’s more like a 2.5 star for me.
The whole concept of the game and the wall and the energy being drained from the Gods could have been put up in a better way. The Gods using the “fuck” work so freely was funny yet somehow derogatory and a lil blasphemous, if you ask me. I didn’t really mind it a lot though. I don’t think I like Victor. I had problem deciding if he was the actual hero in the book. Max turned out to be the bad guy yet ended up being the good guy after sacrificing his own life, oh, just the regular clichés. I don’t know how I feel about Victoria. She was clearly having sexual thoughts about both Max and Victor; Victor tipping the scale towards his end though. Also she clearly flirted with Anders who just happened to be Loki, whose champion she turned out to be. The whole idea of Arthur 0 or the Game Lord building a wall to drain the Gods and then use it to become immortal by draining other mortals was far-fetched and wasn’t able to make me comprehend the reality of that world and why the others never even tried to rebel against it for the past, ermmm, just you know, three thousand years. I think the author tried to build a new world and the idea was new and interesting, yet it lacked a lot of thinking. The writing style wasn’t all too impressive but at the same time it captured your attention. I think there was no character that I felt a connection to or even a shred of liking. Victoria or Rose was just too perfect and too powerful and every fucking character in this book with a dick wanted her. The same was the case with Victor who was your dark dangerous yet sexy as hell, oh-I-want-him-so-bad-yet-fear-him-to-the-extent-that-I-wanna-run-away-from-him kind of character. I did not like his demanding nature or his obsession towards Rose/Victoria since she was fifteen. You can call it the doing of the Gods or the fact that they were meant to be together, but his proposal of the game that he set up for her was just creepy and slap-worthy. Obviously he was the Ice God and everyone feared him and he was so damn powerful that she couldn’t actually slap him, yet I still would have thrown some profanities at him if I were her. Nevertheless, Victoria has a “thing” for him that she doesn’t understand and so she tries to hide that from him but fails because the Dark leader can read his mind. Oh did I fail to mention that? Victor is the dark leader and Victoria the Light leader. Surprise Surprise! Another cliché!! The two people who are supposed to be enemies on the Field are actually lusting over one another.
Even after every flaw in this book, it was still not a bad read. I found it okay. So it’s more like a 2.5 star for me.
September 2, 2010
Don't believe the propaganda the book tries to sell you on about the heroine being some sort of genius strategist and super powerful mentalist. All she does throughout the entire book is run away. And while I give her some leeway for being in a state of panic (almost all the time it turns out) - how does the master strategist not think to bring some basic things with her when she makes her escape? How about just some food and water? How about even just an extra pair of underwear...anything. I kept waiting for her to finally turn around, take a stand, and kick some ass with those awesome abilities we've been hearing about, but (spoiler here) she never does. Fortunately for her there are two ridiculously powerful alpha males around to feed, clothe, and save her when they aren't busy fighting over her.
Two things that I did like, because they made me laugh - one, she keeps speedrunning away from her pursuer, leaving her friend Max behind without another thought. Second, the characters' names: Victor Black and Victoria Red. Victor and Vickie? Vick and Vick? Harharsnort.
Two things that I did like, because they made me laugh - one, she keeps speedrunning away from her pursuer, leaving her friend Max behind without another thought. Second, the characters' names: Victor Black and Victoria Red. Victor and Vickie? Vick and Vick? Harharsnort.
September 25, 2010
I got this book because it was tagged as sci-fi on Amazon and cost $1 for the Kindle version. Of all the genres this book tries to be--fantasy, sci-fi, mythological fanfic, romance, dystopian, thriller, adventure--by about the 3rd chapter it settles squarely on one: plot-be-damned romance.
This was a rough read--it feels hastily written with no professional editing. The story itself is interesting and had promise, but was recklessly abandoned too many times in efforts to play up the romance. I kept reading just to see how horrible it could get and in that aspect it really doesn't disappoint. Of all the gaping plot holes, typos, formatting errors, grammar mistakes, and loose ends, the worst part was the message the author chooses to send about love and relationships.
The lead female character is (small, but extremely obvious spoiler) repeatedly abused, violated, and harassed by a man who admits he does it because he loves her. In some horrendous way this makes him attractive to her. THAT'S what you want to say about love?
This was a rough read--it feels hastily written with no professional editing. The story itself is interesting and had promise, but was recklessly abandoned too many times in efforts to play up the romance. I kept reading just to see how horrible it could get and in that aspect it really doesn't disappoint. Of all the gaping plot holes, typos, formatting errors, grammar mistakes, and loose ends, the worst part was the message the author chooses to send about love and relationships.
The lead female character is (small, but extremely obvious spoiler) repeatedly abused, violated, and harassed by a man who admits he does it because he loves her. In some horrendous way this makes him attractive to her. THAT'S what you want to say about love?
November 27, 2012
So I started reading this and into the first few chapters I was trying to picture where this takes place, trying to get a feel for my scene and characters. It was difficult at first because of the teasers the author released but let me tell you.....WOW!!! This totally threw me for a loop. In a good way of course. At first I was thinking this wasn't going to be my kind of sci-fi book but Heather did it again. She got my attention and the book just took off. I love, love the characters (and because she said don't give anything away I wont). I wished there was a little more detail given to the editing but I am really glad she re-released this.
November 10, 2010
Ms. Walden is an absolutely exquisite story teller. I've read her other books and absolutely LOVE them (especially "The Third Kiss"). Unfortunately, I'm not much of a futuristic/science fiction fan and that's what "The Game" turned out to be (there is no hint to that in the book's synopsis.) While everything that makes the author addictive is still there, the subject matter just isn't my cup of tea.
November 23, 2012
I loved this book. The story was exciting, fast paced and suspenseful. Right from the beginning of the book I was sucked into the world that the author created. I felt like I was running right alongside of Victoria as well as chasing with Victor. I lost several hours of sleep while reading this book. I just had to keep going to see what happened next with the characters. I recommend this book to anyone that is ready for an adventure.
March 29, 2010
At the beginning of the book I was tiring of the Alpha male desires beautiful younger woman who is intrigued yet afraid of him theme, but once again the author amazes me with her style and ability to tell a riveting story. Somehow she manages to tell a Sci-Fi story with Odin and Thor in it. Amazing. I am in awe.
September 26, 2011
I liked this book. It never really got slow, it was a little tough to figure out in the beginning, and even once explanations started coming in, things still remained a little fuzzy. But all in all an enjoyable read. On to the next book by this author :)
November 21, 2012
This book was wonderful. The world building and details really pull you in and take you along for the ride. I highly recommend this book and anything Heather wrights. She is an amazing author and one of my favorites!
May 27, 2013
This was a differcult book to read in the beginning but if you hang in there it is an awesome book and story well worth the time and the effort.
I have read it again since first reading it and it was better on second reading.
I have read it again since first reading it and it was better on second reading.
February 22, 2011
I liked this book, it was kind of like an adult version of the Hunger Games.
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