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Strange Flesh
THIS IS A STORY ABOUT SEX AND GAMES.
"The only clue we have to our brother's whereabouts is this place that doesn't really exist."
Ten years ago, Blythe Randall broke James Pryce's heart. Now she needs his help. Her enigmatic appeal lures the elite hacker into his most tantalizing, and most personal, assignment yet.
A Harvard dropout employed by Manhattan-based RedRook Security, James makes a living finding people who don't want to be found, pursuing their digital tracks around the globe, flushing out criminals, and exacting creative high-tech revenge on behalf of his clients. But this time he's following his target (billionaire multimedia artist Billy Randall) into an exotic and treacherous world: a virtual one.
Capping off an erratic, increasingly violent series of stunts meant to plague his family's media empire, black sheep Billy sends a video of his own suicide to his older siblings, aristocratic twins Blythe and Blake. In it, Billy jacks out, reanimating onscreen as an avatar in a decadent online world called NOD. The performance is pure Billy: he has always been obsessed with the Bleed: the moment when real and virtual selves intersect, where actions in one life breed consequences in another.
Blythe uses her influence to install James at GAME, a downtown media collective and one of Billy's recent haunts. Posing as a documentarian, James gains access to a small band of artists and programmers, contemporaries, and in some cases enemies, of Billy Randall, whose top secret project represents the holy grail of virtual reality. Meanwhile, James learns that as part of his most recent scheme, Billy himself has designed a lavish alternate reality game, an escalating, high-stakes virtual landscape of strange flesh.
In order to find him, James must play along.
"The only clue we have to our brother's whereabouts is this place that doesn't really exist."
Ten years ago, Blythe Randall broke James Pryce's heart. Now she needs his help. Her enigmatic appeal lures the elite hacker into his most tantalizing, and most personal, assignment yet.
A Harvard dropout employed by Manhattan-based RedRook Security, James makes a living finding people who don't want to be found, pursuing their digital tracks around the globe, flushing out criminals, and exacting creative high-tech revenge on behalf of his clients. But this time he's following his target (billionaire multimedia artist Billy Randall) into an exotic and treacherous world: a virtual one.
Capping off an erratic, increasingly violent series of stunts meant to plague his family's media empire, black sheep Billy sends a video of his own suicide to his older siblings, aristocratic twins Blythe and Blake. In it, Billy jacks out, reanimating onscreen as an avatar in a decadent online world called NOD. The performance is pure Billy: he has always been obsessed with the Bleed: the moment when real and virtual selves intersect, where actions in one life breed consequences in another.
Blythe uses her influence to install James at GAME, a downtown media collective and one of Billy's recent haunts. Posing as a documentarian, James gains access to a small band of artists and programmers, contemporaries, and in some cases enemies, of Billy Randall, whose top secret project represents the holy grail of virtual reality. Meanwhile, James learns that as part of his most recent scheme, Billy himself has designed a lavish alternate reality game, an escalating, high-stakes virtual landscape of strange flesh.
In order to find him, James must play along.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
19 people are currently reading
1893 people want to read
About the author
Michael Olson
1 book18 followersMichael Olson, a Harvard graduate, worked in investment banking and software engineering before taking a master’s degree from NYU’s Interactive Technology Program, where he designed a locomotion interface for virtual environments.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
February 23, 2021
It's and weird book but not the entertaining kind. This wasn't a book for me unfortunately but the premise and tagline sounded cool but I feelt rather meh about it. Will forget about it pretty soon I'm sure
April 2, 2012
I got to read an advance copy of Strange Flesh and loved it! Full of larger-than-life characters and gorgeously written, this novel kept me entertained from beginning to end. I'm still thinking about the high-powered twins Blake and Blythe, their out-of-control half brother Billy, the salacious Olya, the tortured Gina, and most of all, James Pryce, the gifted but flawed hacker who narrates the story. As James hunts down Billy, we travel with him through an underground world of avatars, sex and dangerous games -- through wild virtual and physical realities that most of us aren't crazy enough to ever want to experience firsthand. James's worship of and self-consciousness around women, coupled with his ability to make funny, spot-on observations about himself and the surprising situations he finds himself in, help break the story's escalating tension. Don't get spooked by the shocking first couple of pages -- the rest of the book isn't as heavy as that scene might make you think. I read Strange Flesh every day on my commute to and from work and was always sad when my stop approached and I had to put it down. I highly recommend it and can't wait for Olson's next!
January 17, 2012
I was lucky enough to read an advance copy of this book and it is tremendous. This is the next big break out book. Think Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but so much more, and much more deeply felt. Instead of introducing a world of coffee drinking and streets with strange names, Strange Flesh takes us deep into the world of virtual reality with real and compelling characters whose romances, sex, crimes, and inhibitions are all utterly realistic and gripping. I was fascinated and provoked but this is also a great mystery that opens the door to a new world while exploring life in the working world of NYC and how we try to find our place in the present as we deal with the ghosts of the past. I hope you read it and enjoy it as much as I did, but be prepared to stay up very late. There are moments so familiar and then too strange new worlds -- both done with equally compelling flair and style.
May 28, 2012
Couldn't finish this book. There were too many awkward, trying hard to be clever acronyms and portmanteaus.
The blurb of this book somewhere says it's a mix of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo but with a main protagonist, and Ready Player One. That's partly true. There's some mystery involved and plenty of deviant sexual behavior, but the book revels in it for the shock factor, except I wasn't shocked. I was just mildly bored that the author had to resort to that to make the story interesting. And it's like Ready Player One in that it's not very well written, but in the same "I'm going to stick in a lot of cultural icons like iPhones and WoW and a bunch of techno-mumbo-jumbo" way.
In the end, I wanted to know What Happened, but not enough to read through the whole book.
The blurb of this book somewhere says it's a mix of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo but with a main protagonist, and Ready Player One. That's partly true. There's some mystery involved and plenty of deviant sexual behavior, but the book revels in it for the shock factor, except I wasn't shocked. I was just mildly bored that the author had to resort to that to make the story interesting. And it's like Ready Player One in that it's not very well written, but in the same "I'm going to stick in a lot of cultural icons like iPhones and WoW and a bunch of techno-mumbo-jumbo" way.
In the end, I wanted to know What Happened, but not enough to read through the whole book.
June 3, 2012
Edit: I'm now finished.
Ummmm..... OK. Not entirely sure how I'm gonna review this. I guess I'll start with the obvious. This book is twisted, dark, and if you're unfamiliar with the darkness of humankind very, very scary. I was rather unsure of what to rate this and decided in the end to rate it the same way as I did with Lolita, lowering the score due to my reaction with the content (this is in no way defined by how good - or bad - the writing is). The sex is not as graphic as some while definitely more hardcore than others, and perhaps for different readers either the point that hooks them onto the story, or totally turns them off. So now that I'm done addressing the sex, I guess I need to get to reviewing the story.
From this description you could be forgiven for thinking that this is about following Billy into a VR (virtual reality). It's not. What is really happening is that Billy is desingning a game, one that is more like an Easter egg hunt with clues online, and the objects exist in the real world. Enough about that because any more and I will run into spoilers. Also it's because there was not much more to the story than that. One hint though; If you are familiar with the way mystery writers work, you'll see the culprit long before the reveal, as Olsen is a tad contrived about the whole pro/antagonist thing. My biggest problem with "Strange Flesh" is the technology makes very litte sense. You have practical VR's right along side your average PC. We're talking about tech that is right from this time period, and beside it is something that doesn't yet exist. I see from some reviews here on goodreads that people don't understand some of the tech references, but for me it's the attempt to marry the tech of now and the tech of tomorrow seamlessly. It doesn't work. Finally the main character James Pryce bothers me. I could never properly place him. First he started of as a hacker, kinda geeky but good with computers (the geeky part is rather stereotypical, but anyway...), then he shows himself to be a people person. Fine so far. Halfway through the book however, the author decideds that he must also be good in a fight, and have a gun. I could not define at any point through the book who Pryce was, so I could never truly connect with him. The one thing I will give Michael Olsen is that despite all these flaws, I still finished the book and was not frustrated while reading it (at least not any more than when reading other books.) So to finish off:
2 stars for content. 2 stars for writing. 3 stars because I still enjoyed it, for an average of 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars.
May 3, 2014
This hovered between two and three stars for me. With a title as evocative as Strange Flesh, and a promising first forty pages, I was ultimately disappointed by what turned out to be a rather pedestrian noir tale that was a roller coaster ride but in all the wrong ways. The comparisons to Ready Player One are rather apt in that this is a book filled with references - Olson casually tosses them out and alludes to a fair number of works from the Marquis de Sade to Urotsukidoji but ultimately it feels rather empty; he could have cut the number of allusions by half as much and I think it would have come out as a much stronger work. Peppering the novel with as many references to other works as possible just served to confuse the whole outing and removed some of the magic and mystery from his central plot.
This had some great scenes which then lead to some real clunkers which made me wince when reading them because it felt so out of place in a book that could have been great in the hands of someone with a bit more of a literary ear. The enigmatic Randall twins to me never really felt like the Gods they were supposed to be, and I think that comes with the writing. Less time with the allusions and more time fleshing out these characters to give us more of an understanding of what's driving their actions would have brought a lot more pathos to the tale.
I'm a huge fan of body horror a la David Cronenberg and I started this expecting something dreamlike and nightmarish like Videodrome - this to me, ended up feeling more like Hostel . I was looking for something elevated and ended up with pedestrian instead. Unfortunate, because I think the plot was decent, this just needed a little bit of finesse.
This had some great scenes which then lead to some real clunkers which made me wince when reading them because it felt so out of place in a book that could have been great in the hands of someone with a bit more of a literary ear. The enigmatic Randall twins to me never really felt like the Gods they were supposed to be, and I think that comes with the writing. Less time with the allusions and more time fleshing out these characters to give us more of an understanding of what's driving their actions would have brought a lot more pathos to the tale.
I'm a huge fan of body horror a la David Cronenberg and I started this expecting something dreamlike and nightmarish like Videodrome - this to me, ended up feeling more like Hostel . I was looking for something elevated and ended up with pedestrian instead. Unfortunate, because I think the plot was decent, this just needed a little bit of finesse.
May 3, 2012
James has a niche for finding people. His talent as a skilled hacker helps. That is why when his ex, Blythe Randall has come to James. She needs the best. Her brother Billy has gone missing. Billy is also a genius. He has created a virtual gaming world known as NOD. It seems that Billy has literally taken this new world too serious as he has disappeared within it.
I picked up this book with no expectances of whether I would like this book or not. The concept of it was intriguing. A virtual game world filled with sex, revenge and another alterative virtual world within a virtual world.
I was not prepared for what awaited me between the front and back cover of this book. James had the brain smarts. He would pick up on hidden clues fairly quickly. I tried several times to figure out where Billy was located at the same time that James would figure out clues but I finally gave up and just went with the flow.
For me what really drew mw in was the virtual world…NOD. This is not like the Sims. No in this world, you make one fatal move and you could end up dead. The videos of the deaths were like something I would see in the Saw movies. This book also had elements of the movie Lawnmower Man. The gory moments were far and few between and short. So for those with a weak stomach, don’t worry as you could still get through this book with out having to run to the bathroom. Strange Flesh is spellbounding, twisted, evil, and intriguing!
I picked up this book with no expectances of whether I would like this book or not. The concept of it was intriguing. A virtual game world filled with sex, revenge and another alterative virtual world within a virtual world.
I was not prepared for what awaited me between the front and back cover of this book. James had the brain smarts. He would pick up on hidden clues fairly quickly. I tried several times to figure out where Billy was located at the same time that James would figure out clues but I finally gave up and just went with the flow.
For me what really drew mw in was the virtual world…NOD. This is not like the Sims. No in this world, you make one fatal move and you could end up dead. The videos of the deaths were like something I would see in the Saw movies. This book also had elements of the movie Lawnmower Man. The gory moments were far and few between and short. So for those with a weak stomach, don’t worry as you could still get through this book with out having to run to the bathroom. Strange Flesh is spellbounding, twisted, evil, and intriguing!
April 21, 2013
On "Movers & Shakers" list; comparisons to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Ready Player One (both 5 stars). Okay, you've got my attention.
15% read - Ugh! What am I doing? Such an obvious first novel. Michael Olson assumes he has to provide a definition of all technological and sexual terms? Exactly where is this guy planning on finding an audience that knows nothing about either? Very old nuns? Okay, maybe, but people that understand neither and want to read this book? Where are those people?
25% read - How is this book not like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo? Well, the main character is not terribly likeable, sure he's clever and horny, but that doesn't make him likeable. We're supposed to admire this hero, right? So far I'm just neutral. Also, the women in this book are completely objectified. I'm guessing this is going to be the definitive work on objectification. Berger is always respected; there's no Berger or liberal journalists here to offer balance to nastiness.
35% read - The inclusion of sex in this storyline seems totally gratuitous. Yes, the plot acts like it needs the sex to move forward, but really, it doesn't. Any book could have been used for Billy's game platform, any product could have been under the iTeams' development - the sexualization of these seems cheap. Yes, sex sells but this seems like a used car salesman's pitch. Ready Player One creates a fantastic online-game fiction without all these cheap shots. I can't believe I suggested this as a group read.
Speaking of Ready Player One, should we expect that future literature is going to be based on online adventures? Don't get me wrong, Ready Player One did it so right; but watching someone else surf the net seems like a waste of life. Is that what we' re going to have to read about from now on?
43% read - Mwah hah ha! Dick in a Box! The sexual inferences so far have done nothing to turn me on, but at least this is funny.
50% read - Okay, I'm interested enough in this book to want to keep reading. I'm convinced that Michael Olson is clever enough to deliver a mysteriously complex plot. I'm cutting the tape that secures the dust jacket from my public library edition so no one in the doctor's office sees what crap I'm reading while in the waiting room.
56% read - The editor's at Black Lace have it right; men cannot write erotica for women. I'm sure this part is supposed to sexy, and I hope and presume for the author that it is to men, but it's filler to me.
65% read - The problem here is my expectations - the whole invocation of
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo on the back of the hardcover made me think I was going to be reading something intelligent. If this had been an unknown, spine-crushed mass-market paperback touting itself as a macho thriller that I found on the take-a-book-leave-a-book shelf at a campground; my expectations would have been on par with the plot and I'd be happy with this.
90% read - Good use of sex toys as weapons. Is this the end? No wait, there's more.... and more....
100% read - This wasn't intended as a bestselling paperback; Michael Olson had Hollywood in his sites. It could happen, too. It won't be groundbreaking blockbuster, just shlock approved by committee before rolling into theatres and making it's way to DVD. All the plot twists are there. Are all the female characters Bond caricatures? Yeah, but the men aren't really well-developed characters, either. I'm not anywhere near "flushed, breathless and begging for more" as stated on the dustjacket, but I'm thinking this may have generated a lot of discussion as a group /book club read afterall.
15% read - Ugh! What am I doing? Such an obvious first novel. Michael Olson assumes he has to provide a definition of all technological and sexual terms? Exactly where is this guy planning on finding an audience that knows nothing about either? Very old nuns? Okay, maybe, but people that understand neither and want to read this book? Where are those people?
25% read - How is this book not like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo? Well, the main character is not terribly likeable, sure he's clever and horny, but that doesn't make him likeable. We're supposed to admire this hero, right? So far I'm just neutral. Also, the women in this book are completely objectified. I'm guessing this is going to be the definitive work on objectification. Berger is always respected; there's no Berger or liberal journalists here to offer balance to nastiness.
35% read - The inclusion of sex in this storyline seems totally gratuitous. Yes, the plot acts like it needs the sex to move forward, but really, it doesn't. Any book could have been used for Billy's game platform, any product could have been under the iTeams' development - the sexualization of these seems cheap. Yes, sex sells but this seems like a used car salesman's pitch. Ready Player One creates a fantastic online-game fiction without all these cheap shots. I can't believe I suggested this as a group read.
Speaking of Ready Player One, should we expect that future literature is going to be based on online adventures? Don't get me wrong, Ready Player One did it so right; but watching someone else surf the net seems like a waste of life. Is that what we' re going to have to read about from now on?
43% read - Mwah hah ha! Dick in a Box! The sexual inferences so far have done nothing to turn me on, but at least this is funny.
50% read - Okay, I'm interested enough in this book to want to keep reading. I'm convinced that Michael Olson is clever enough to deliver a mysteriously complex plot. I'm cutting the tape that secures the dust jacket from my public library edition so no one in the doctor's office sees what crap I'm reading while in the waiting room.
56% read - The editor's at Black Lace have it right; men cannot write erotica for women. I'm sure this part is supposed to sexy, and I hope and presume for the author that it is to men, but it's filler to me.
65% read - The problem here is my expectations - the whole invocation of
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo on the back of the hardcover made me think I was going to be reading something intelligent. If this had been an unknown, spine-crushed mass-market paperback touting itself as a macho thriller that I found on the take-a-book-leave-a-book shelf at a campground; my expectations would have been on par with the plot and I'd be happy with this.
90% read - Good use of sex toys as weapons. Is this the end? No wait, there's more.... and more....
100% read - This wasn't intended as a bestselling paperback; Michael Olson had Hollywood in his sites. It could happen, too. It won't be groundbreaking blockbuster, just shlock approved by committee before rolling into theatres and making it's way to DVD. All the plot twists are there. Are all the female characters Bond caricatures? Yeah, but the men aren't really well-developed characters, either. I'm not anywhere near "flushed, breathless and begging for more" as stated on the dustjacket, but I'm thinking this may have generated a lot of discussion as a group /book club read afterall.
June 20, 2012
I remember joking once with a friend that the next logical step in the world of motion controls and haptic feedback was porn. In a world of Real Dolls and Japanese robots it becomes increasingly obvious, and likely disturbing to many people, the direction in which the sex toy industry will go. Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One, along with films like Tron or The Matrix, touch upon the nature of artificial reality and its impact in society in a very straightforward manner. Rare is the mainstream novel that examines the more primal corners of these emergent technologies. Enter Michael Olsen’s debut novel Strange Flesh.
Strange Flesh follows a white hat hacker (maybe gray hat is more accurate) named James Pryce as he tasked with investigating the disappearance of an old flame’s black sheep younger brother Billy Randall. His investigation sees him undercover at an arts/media conglomerate called GAME where he discovers the twisted game left be behind by Billy; one modeled after the works of the Marquis de Sade. James’ investigation leads him on often meandering path down strange avenues at the intersection between the real and the virtual.
In terms of language and tone something about Strange Flesh called to mind the languid prose of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. Maybe it was the ivy league flashbacks James so often indulges in but the posh ivy league inner circle of James’ youth, one helmed by the Randall Twins Blythe and Blake, calls to mind the circle in Tartt’s novel. Strange Flesh, particularly as it moves towards the latter two thirds, slowly begins to move towards the darker underbelly of internet culture and technological development. As Billy’s game is revealed and the virtual game based off of de Sade’s work impinges on the real world the novel asks some interesting questions about the impact of the virtual on the realistic.
But for all its near future science Strange Flesh isn’t truly a science fiction novel. The questions seem incidental to the plot and as James becomes increasingly involved in Billy’s game there is a corresponding reliance on sex and fetish to drive the plot forward. Truth be told as the novel progressed it felt like the more sexual aspects of the novel began to obscure the mystery that the novel sets forth at its outset. This obfuscation lends the novel a ponderous air that forces the novel to drag.
Spoiler ahead, you’ve been warned!
One aspect of the novel involves the creation of a fully immersive and interactive sex focused virtual reality interface. While this part of the novel does tie into Billy and his game there is a bit too much focus spent on this aspect of the novel. Indeed it is these sections of the novel that felt the most like erotica and pulled attention away from the novel’s mystery. Much like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’s hundred page introduction to Swedish economics (which never seemed to intersect with the later plot of the novel) Strange Flesh’s interludes do not always seem to play an integral role in advancing the plot nor do they offer much of anything to the story as a whole.
As a debut novel Strange Flesh is a particularly impressive work that while flawed shows great promise. For all its meandering Strange Flesh is still a consistently compelling work with a mystery full of twists and turns down often dark and disturbing paths. This isn’t a novel for the squeamish or easily offended. Strange Flesh falls more into the mystery or psychological thriller category than it does science fiction and in truth the somewhat listless examination of the blending between virtual reality and actual reality left me hungry for something a bit more in depth.
Strange Flesh follows a white hat hacker (maybe gray hat is more accurate) named James Pryce as he tasked with investigating the disappearance of an old flame’s black sheep younger brother Billy Randall. His investigation sees him undercover at an arts/media conglomerate called GAME where he discovers the twisted game left be behind by Billy; one modeled after the works of the Marquis de Sade. James’ investigation leads him on often meandering path down strange avenues at the intersection between the real and the virtual.
In terms of language and tone something about Strange Flesh called to mind the languid prose of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. Maybe it was the ivy league flashbacks James so often indulges in but the posh ivy league inner circle of James’ youth, one helmed by the Randall Twins Blythe and Blake, calls to mind the circle in Tartt’s novel. Strange Flesh, particularly as it moves towards the latter two thirds, slowly begins to move towards the darker underbelly of internet culture and technological development. As Billy’s game is revealed and the virtual game based off of de Sade’s work impinges on the real world the novel asks some interesting questions about the impact of the virtual on the realistic.
But for all its near future science Strange Flesh isn’t truly a science fiction novel. The questions seem incidental to the plot and as James becomes increasingly involved in Billy’s game there is a corresponding reliance on sex and fetish to drive the plot forward. Truth be told as the novel progressed it felt like the more sexual aspects of the novel began to obscure the mystery that the novel sets forth at its outset. This obfuscation lends the novel a ponderous air that forces the novel to drag.
Spoiler ahead, you’ve been warned!
One aspect of the novel involves the creation of a fully immersive and interactive sex focused virtual reality interface. While this part of the novel does tie into Billy and his game there is a bit too much focus spent on this aspect of the novel. Indeed it is these sections of the novel that felt the most like erotica and pulled attention away from the novel’s mystery. Much like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’s hundred page introduction to Swedish economics (which never seemed to intersect with the later plot of the novel) Strange Flesh’s interludes do not always seem to play an integral role in advancing the plot nor do they offer much of anything to the story as a whole.
As a debut novel Strange Flesh is a particularly impressive work that while flawed shows great promise. For all its meandering Strange Flesh is still a consistently compelling work with a mystery full of twists and turns down often dark and disturbing paths. This isn’t a novel for the squeamish or easily offended. Strange Flesh falls more into the mystery or psychological thriller category than it does science fiction and in truth the somewhat listless examination of the blending between virtual reality and actual reality left me hungry for something a bit more in depth.
March 28, 2012
Heartache and a passion for hacking have comprised James Pryce's post-college years. Unsurprisingly, when he's offered the chance to work for his lost love, Blythe Randall, James quickly takes the job. She and her brother, Blake, need his cyber-spy services to track down their wily half-brother, Billy, who's sworn to destroy Blake, and has the cash to back up his threats. James's investigation launches him from a lifestyle of casual sex with strangers into a virtual reality of deviant sexual behaviour. But his involvement in this online world of depravity and his cover as a video journalist start to bleed into his real life when he becomes involved in a project to develop virtual reality sex toys. By the time he realizes the truth, it may be too late for him to escape his carnal new reality.
My experience with thrillers consists of Hannibal by Thomas Harris and Cujo by Stephen King. I found the former dry and the latter enthralling. I suppose Strange Flesh falls somewhere in the middle; the book certainly held my attention when I was reading it; I was drawn in by the libertine world of online sex, a voyeur amoung voyeurs. But, it wasn't too hard to set down at the end of my lunch, or when I got off the train. Except the end. When my lunchbreak ended, leaving me with only ten pages to go, I surreptitiously finished the book at my desk.
As far as characterization is concerned, James is a pretty conventional protagonist. The book is carried by the cast of secondary characters: the delicate Blythe, her twin brother Blake, the devious Billy, and Olya the Russian vixen. Michael Olson does a good job of navigating James through his encounters with these characters within and without the online world of NOD. I think making James a run-of-the-mill, everyman kind of computer nerd makes it easier for the average reader to relate to him. While there's a large real-life population of people getting off in the online world, readers of this book are unlikely to be among them. So, it's necessary to create an average-guy lens for readers to view the story through.
That being said, I didn't find the book overly erotic or explicit. Olson treated any sex scenes with a detached, analytic voice (reminiscent of the experience for online sex participants?). This book is a mystery-thriller not a lewd sexual drama. For that reason, I suggest it to anyone who enjoys the genre. Let Strange Flesh draw you into a titillating near-future world.
To read more of my reviews, please visit my blog, StarLit.
My experience with thrillers consists of Hannibal by Thomas Harris and Cujo by Stephen King. I found the former dry and the latter enthralling. I suppose Strange Flesh falls somewhere in the middle; the book certainly held my attention when I was reading it; I was drawn in by the libertine world of online sex, a voyeur amoung voyeurs. But, it wasn't too hard to set down at the end of my lunch, or when I got off the train. Except the end. When my lunchbreak ended, leaving me with only ten pages to go, I surreptitiously finished the book at my desk.
As far as characterization is concerned, James is a pretty conventional protagonist. The book is carried by the cast of secondary characters: the delicate Blythe, her twin brother Blake, the devious Billy, and Olya the Russian vixen. Michael Olson does a good job of navigating James through his encounters with these characters within and without the online world of NOD. I think making James a run-of-the-mill, everyman kind of computer nerd makes it easier for the average reader to relate to him. While there's a large real-life population of people getting off in the online world, readers of this book are unlikely to be among them. So, it's necessary to create an average-guy lens for readers to view the story through.
That being said, I didn't find the book overly erotic or explicit. Olson treated any sex scenes with a detached, analytic voice (reminiscent of the experience for online sex participants?). This book is a mystery-thriller not a lewd sexual drama. For that reason, I suggest it to anyone who enjoys the genre. Let Strange Flesh draw you into a titillating near-future world.
To read more of my reviews, please visit my blog, StarLit.
June 10, 2012
Review:
When I started hearing about Strange Flesh from other reviewers, I knew that I wanted to get my hands on a copy, and Simon and Schuster was kind enough to send me an ARC. Others were equating it to 120 Days of Sodom, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network, and Ready Player One, books I had thoroughly enjoyed; so I was definitely interested. Unfortunately, I felt that Strange Flesh was lacking many of the components the aforementioned books contained. Yes, the main character was hard to decipher, and technology (virtual reality, the internet, smartphones...) took a prominent role, but where was all the action? I find that most of the story is lost behind unnecessary definition and technical rigmarole; I do not know why Michael Olsen thinks it is obligatory to describe acts and processes that most people able to read the book would already understand, (sex, tech, etc...). I was not a fan of the characters either, they fell flat and evoked close to 0% sympathy from me. A character that started out with potential, James, just became a twisted mass of multiple personalities; from hacker to gunslinger within 200 pages. Do not even get me started on the female characters, because they were all stereo-typically objectified - there was not a strong female in the bunch - just women, sex, and games; the book's noted premise. Speaking of, why does every situation have to be laced with cheap twisted sex scenes? Most people expect a little well-developed heat in a book like this one, especially looking at the cover, but the graphic sexual content felt more prostrate and depraved than sexy and gratifying, most times wanton. Parts of the plot had redeeming qualities, but a book that takes 200+ pages to capture the readers attention will not excite readers. Maybe this book would be better as a hyped-up film, but it is definitely not bestselling novel material. I am not sure that I am comfortable recommending this book to others.
Rating: DNR (2/5)
*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
When I started hearing about Strange Flesh from other reviewers, I knew that I wanted to get my hands on a copy, and Simon and Schuster was kind enough to send me an ARC. Others were equating it to 120 Days of Sodom, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network, and Ready Player One, books I had thoroughly enjoyed; so I was definitely interested. Unfortunately, I felt that Strange Flesh was lacking many of the components the aforementioned books contained. Yes, the main character was hard to decipher, and technology (virtual reality, the internet, smartphones...) took a prominent role, but where was all the action? I find that most of the story is lost behind unnecessary definition and technical rigmarole; I do not know why Michael Olsen thinks it is obligatory to describe acts and processes that most people able to read the book would already understand, (sex, tech, etc...). I was not a fan of the characters either, they fell flat and evoked close to 0% sympathy from me. A character that started out with potential, James, just became a twisted mass of multiple personalities; from hacker to gunslinger within 200 pages. Do not even get me started on the female characters, because they were all stereo-typically objectified - there was not a strong female in the bunch - just women, sex, and games; the book's noted premise. Speaking of, why does every situation have to be laced with cheap twisted sex scenes? Most people expect a little well-developed heat in a book like this one, especially looking at the cover, but the graphic sexual content felt more prostrate and depraved than sexy and gratifying, most times wanton. Parts of the plot had redeeming qualities, but a book that takes 200+ pages to capture the readers attention will not excite readers. Maybe this book would be better as a hyped-up film, but it is definitely not bestselling novel material. I am not sure that I am comfortable recommending this book to others.
Rating: DNR (2/5)
*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
June 13, 2012
Strange Flesh, the first effort from Michael Olson is a distinctive foray into the digital world of sex and games and the harsh instrusion of reality in the form of bloody murder and suicide.
Harvard dropout and geek extraordinaire, James Pryce is a marvel at finding anyone and about anything in the virtual world when he is hired by his long lost love and her brother, Blythe and Blake Randall to find their estranged broher Billy. In the midst of doing so he meets a collection of characters and their sex robots which are touted to be the next big thing in the virtual sex world. Billy meanwhile does not want to be found and launches an all out attack upon his siblings in sadistic and maddenning ways that he prefers to think of as art.
Strange Flesh is a journey into a world that can only be inhabited by those who simply choose not to inhabit the one around them.
It is geeks on steriods with a Russain sex pot model thrown in just to keep the scenery interesting. And interesting it is. The novel flows very well and there is enough action in between the efforts of creating plausibility for all the assorted gadgets and computer wizardry to keep the story steeped in blood and sex.
Very enjoyable and more than a little disturbing upon occasion.
Harvard dropout and geek extraordinaire, James Pryce is a marvel at finding anyone and about anything in the virtual world when he is hired by his long lost love and her brother, Blythe and Blake Randall to find their estranged broher Billy. In the midst of doing so he meets a collection of characters and their sex robots which are touted to be the next big thing in the virtual sex world. Billy meanwhile does not want to be found and launches an all out attack upon his siblings in sadistic and maddenning ways that he prefers to think of as art.
Strange Flesh is a journey into a world that can only be inhabited by those who simply choose not to inhabit the one around them.
It is geeks on steriods with a Russain sex pot model thrown in just to keep the scenery interesting. And interesting it is. The novel flows very well and there is enough action in between the efforts of creating plausibility for all the assorted gadgets and computer wizardry to keep the story steeped in blood and sex.
Very enjoyable and more than a little disturbing upon occasion.
February 27, 2012
I was lucky enough to be given an advanced copy of the book. I was fully engrossed from the first page and relented in reading only when the final page was turned. The characters were captivating and believable, and while the protagonist was loaded with personality flaws, he remained a "prince" to the end. As a software engineer/gamer the books main themes resonated home with many issues I have dealt with over the years. I feel anyone raised in today's age technologically driven age will find a way of connecting with the book.
Also, if you like sex and games, this books is for you.
Also, if you like sex and games, this books is for you.
January 31, 2012
This book was so compelling. Once I got into it, I couldn't stop myself. It's twisted and fascinating, and I never saw the end coming. I loved it.
March 2, 2019
3.5* It's part programming nerd, part D&D nerd, and part dirty, dirty sex nerd.
January 8, 2024
A good mystery wrapped in some very sexual overtones. If you are prudish, steer clear.
May 4, 2025
libro un po' strampalato, poteva essere scritto meglio. ma a chi piacciono libri thriller con un mix di tecnologia coinvolta, sicuramente lo può apprezzare.
June 5, 2020
A book of more than 570 pages—in the hard-cover version—that gets intriguing only after page 540 can't be called a success.
I must say that up to page 500, or so, the plot is confusing, overcharged, and it all seems to be nothing more than fluff put around a core of cyber-onanism.
The protagonists appear a host of dark people, living an even more sinister, underground life, where lovemaking with a flesh-and-bone person is the oddest event. Surely more than committing suicide in some splatter setting, in a deep cave, and in front of a cam broadcasting the whole scene over the WWW.
Despite my passion for hard-boiled subjects and my degree in computer science, I couldn't sympathize with any character. I just felt different degrees of distaste for each one.
On the other hand, I've found the Acknowledgements' page really moving.
A plus of the read is that it gives an idea of the most popular apps available for hacking around 2012.
Well, to the author's discharge, this is his debut book. He can and must improve a lot.
I must say that up to page 500, or so, the plot is confusing, overcharged, and it all seems to be nothing more than fluff put around a core of cyber-onanism.
The protagonists appear a host of dark people, living an even more sinister, underground life, where lovemaking with a flesh-and-bone person is the oddest event. Surely more than committing suicide in some splatter setting, in a deep cave, and in front of a cam broadcasting the whole scene over the WWW.
Despite my passion for hard-boiled subjects and my degree in computer science, I couldn't sympathize with any character. I just felt different degrees of distaste for each one.
On the other hand, I've found the Acknowledgements' page really moving.
A plus of the read is that it gives an idea of the most popular apps available for hacking around 2012.
Well, to the author's discharge, this is his debut book. He can and must improve a lot.
June 22, 2018
I was thoroughly entertained by this book. It is very well written in first person. The author has a mastery of the language. It is a much better book than the title and the sleazy cover art might lead you to think. I noticed that in the Italian edition, they changed the title to The Game (good move). The protagonist harbors a strong crush for a woman he knew in college. Wanting to know how that turned out kept me turning pages. There is action, IT, and geek culture. My only quibble with this book is that some plot turns were a little too convenient. That being said, I recommend it, especially if you are interested in hacking, computer science, virtual worlds, beautiful blondes, teledildonics, or Harvard.
March 31, 2020
book 19
July 20, 2015
Vita reale o... virtuale?
3 stelle e mezzo
Sono abbastanza onnivora in fatto di libri, ma ammetto di non aver letto moltissimi thriller. Questo, tuttavia, mi ha in qualche modo catturato. Il tema principale, possiamo dire anche lo sfondo della vicenda, è molto attuale e centrato su problematiche sociali riguardanti il boom di nuove tecnologie di questi ultimi anni; infatti, la vita virtuale sta lentamente diventando quella più… reale?
Non ci sono limiti, regole… ogni desiderio può essere realizzato, anche il più scabroso. Ho frequentato chat 3D e posso dire che i valori morali stanno scemando sempre di più. In “The Game” non si sviluppa solo questo argomento. La maggior parte è incentrato sulle questioni del “sesso virtuale” e delle nuove “arti”.
Per quanto riguarda l’arte, devo dire che non è stato del tutto evasivo come argomento, ma per quanto riguarda Fred e Ginger… Beh, anche quello è sempre un lavoro che può far guadagnare un sacco di soldi. Tanto c’è chi comprerebbe quei robot “erotici” senza nemmeno guardarne il prezzo. In più, per buona parte del romanzo, viene citato “Le 120 giornate di Sodoma”. Non ho letto quel libro, ma da quello che ho potuto capire non è certo un genere soft… come se “The Game” lo fosse XD
Ad ogni modo non posso dire che mi sia piaciuto moltissimo. In primo luogo, è molto dispersivo: 600 pagine e il più delle volte la trama va per i fatti propri. Poi i personaggi sono molto ambigui, per non dire quasi tirati all’estremo, e mi chiedo se esiste qualcuno che il protagonista non si sia portato a letto… In più, c’è un punto che è sia a favore che contro.
Il libro è ben articolato sotto il punto di vista tecnico. Lo scrittore sa il fatto suo e non mancano dei piccoli paragrafetti codici, metodi di pirateria informatica ecc… ma per una come me, che di computer non ci capisce una cippa, tutto questo risulta superfluo e confusionario… forse dovrei prendermi uno di quei manuali tipo “informatica per idioti”.
Infine, è un libro che consiglio a chi vuole una lettura diversa dal solito, specialmente se non è perbenista o malizioso.
3 stelle e mezzo
Sono abbastanza onnivora in fatto di libri, ma ammetto di non aver letto moltissimi thriller. Questo, tuttavia, mi ha in qualche modo catturato. Il tema principale, possiamo dire anche lo sfondo della vicenda, è molto attuale e centrato su problematiche sociali riguardanti il boom di nuove tecnologie di questi ultimi anni; infatti, la vita virtuale sta lentamente diventando quella più… reale?
Non ci sono limiti, regole… ogni desiderio può essere realizzato, anche il più scabroso. Ho frequentato chat 3D e posso dire che i valori morali stanno scemando sempre di più. In “The Game” non si sviluppa solo questo argomento. La maggior parte è incentrato sulle questioni del “sesso virtuale” e delle nuove “arti”.
Per quanto riguarda l’arte, devo dire che non è stato del tutto evasivo come argomento, ma per quanto riguarda Fred e Ginger… Beh, anche quello è sempre un lavoro che può far guadagnare un sacco di soldi. Tanto c’è chi comprerebbe quei robot “erotici” senza nemmeno guardarne il prezzo. In più, per buona parte del romanzo, viene citato “Le 120 giornate di Sodoma”. Non ho letto quel libro, ma da quello che ho potuto capire non è certo un genere soft… come se “The Game” lo fosse XD
Ad ogni modo non posso dire che mi sia piaciuto moltissimo. In primo luogo, è molto dispersivo: 600 pagine e il più delle volte la trama va per i fatti propri. Poi i personaggi sono molto ambigui, per non dire quasi tirati all’estremo, e mi chiedo se esiste qualcuno che il protagonista non si sia portato a letto… In più, c’è un punto che è sia a favore che contro.
Il libro è ben articolato sotto il punto di vista tecnico. Lo scrittore sa il fatto suo e non mancano dei piccoli paragrafetti codici, metodi di pirateria informatica ecc… ma per una come me, che di computer non ci capisce una cippa, tutto questo risulta superfluo e confusionario… forse dovrei prendermi uno di quei manuali tipo “informatica per idioti”.
Infine, è un libro che consiglio a chi vuole una lettura diversa dal solito, specialmente se non è perbenista o malizioso.
October 24, 2012
Per questo libro non avevo grandi aspettative e devo dire che alla fine non mi ha ne delusa ne entusiasmato!
Le premesse erano decisamente stuzzicanti: omicidi, tradimenti e cybersex, ma in realtà ho avuto difficoltà ad entrare nella storia fin dall’inizio, molto probabilmente per gli inutili termini tecnici e le lunghe descrizioni, che a parer mio fanno perdere un po’ il filo del discorso, e per quel mondo virtuale lontano anni luce dal mio modo di essere.
Solo continuando a leggere ho cominciato ad appassionarmi un po’ di più, ma sono dovuta arrivare alla metà del libro su un totale di circa 600 pagine! Ed a essere sincera ad un altro libro non avrei dato tutta questa possibilità…lo avrei chiuso, senza finirlo, molto prima!
James è un protagonista piuttosto convenzionale, quasi banale, poco caratterizzato e non mi è risultato per nulla simpatico, anche se sicuramente molto intelligente, un po’ più particolari i personaggi secondari anche se in generale devo dire che risultano tutti un po’ delle “macchiette” poco scavati psicologicamente.
L’utilizzo del sesso, mi è sembrato un po’ gratuito, quasi uno stratagemma per vendere copie in più e le scene sono raccontate con freddo distacco, senza nessuna passione.
Il modo di scrivere dell’autore come ho già detto l’ho trovato molto dispersivo, con lunghe descrizioni tecniche e tante parole sbrodolate su così tante pagine. La critica che posso fare è proprio questa, non riuscire a catturare il lettore fin dalle prime pagine è già una brutta presentazione, se poi ce ne vogliono 300 per riuscire ad entrare nella storia, per me sono veramente troppe!
Voglio consigliare questo libro agli amanti del genere perché “The Game” ci descrive un inquietante futuro neanche poi così tanto lontano.
Le premesse erano decisamente stuzzicanti: omicidi, tradimenti e cybersex, ma in realtà ho avuto difficoltà ad entrare nella storia fin dall’inizio, molto probabilmente per gli inutili termini tecnici e le lunghe descrizioni, che a parer mio fanno perdere un po’ il filo del discorso, e per quel mondo virtuale lontano anni luce dal mio modo di essere.
Solo continuando a leggere ho cominciato ad appassionarmi un po’ di più, ma sono dovuta arrivare alla metà del libro su un totale di circa 600 pagine! Ed a essere sincera ad un altro libro non avrei dato tutta questa possibilità…lo avrei chiuso, senza finirlo, molto prima!
James è un protagonista piuttosto convenzionale, quasi banale, poco caratterizzato e non mi è risultato per nulla simpatico, anche se sicuramente molto intelligente, un po’ più particolari i personaggi secondari anche se in generale devo dire che risultano tutti un po’ delle “macchiette” poco scavati psicologicamente.
L’utilizzo del sesso, mi è sembrato un po’ gratuito, quasi uno stratagemma per vendere copie in più e le scene sono raccontate con freddo distacco, senza nessuna passione.
Il modo di scrivere dell’autore come ho già detto l’ho trovato molto dispersivo, con lunghe descrizioni tecniche e tante parole sbrodolate su così tante pagine. La critica che posso fare è proprio questa, non riuscire a catturare il lettore fin dalle prime pagine è già una brutta presentazione, se poi ce ne vogliono 300 per riuscire ad entrare nella storia, per me sono veramente troppe!
Voglio consigliare questo libro agli amanti del genere perché “The Game” ci descrive un inquietante futuro neanche poi così tanto lontano.
October 1, 2013
Such a weird book! I don't even know where to begin.
It was very much an adult Ready Player One if Ron Jeremy was co-author, and instead of solving riddles, the character was searching for how to make the perfect sexbot. It kinda made me uncomfortable, but the mystery was interesting, and the...Unmasking well-deserved.
Nobody was likable here, and I like that. It does happen in real life, so why it bothers people in books I have no idea. Everyone was either shady, manipulative, or sociopathic, and it made for some uncomfortable reading. I've never read Marquis de Sade, and this book assures me I probably don't want to.
So, I guess my opinion about the book is this: if you like a good mystery, and can handle awkward sex stuff that borders on...well, it involves sex with robots, you'll be fine. If you have kids, there's a brief mention of kiddie porn (which disgusts our MC, so points there at least. Nothing descriptive.). If anything too sexual bothers you, avoid. You won't be missing anything, and I'd recommend you read The Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galbraith. No descriptive sex, and likable, interesting characters.
I'll read another book by Olson, but I'll be wary. All the computer jargon in this had me wondering what he was talking about one second, and hoping it didn't exist the next. This book isn't exactly my cup of tea, but it had enough interesting bits to make me not avoid the author. The best thing about this book was the case involving the siblings, Blake, Blythe, and Billy, and just how screwed-up the family was. Olson earns points for that, definitely.
It was very much an adult Ready Player One if Ron Jeremy was co-author, and instead of solving riddles, the character was searching for how to make the perfect sexbot. It kinda made me uncomfortable, but the mystery was interesting, and the...Unmasking well-deserved.
Nobody was likable here, and I like that. It does happen in real life, so why it bothers people in books I have no idea. Everyone was either shady, manipulative, or sociopathic, and it made for some uncomfortable reading. I've never read Marquis de Sade, and this book assures me I probably don't want to.
So, I guess my opinion about the book is this: if you like a good mystery, and can handle awkward sex stuff that borders on...well, it involves sex with robots, you'll be fine. If you have kids, there's a brief mention of kiddie porn (which disgusts our MC, so points there at least. Nothing descriptive.). If anything too sexual bothers you, avoid. You won't be missing anything, and I'd recommend you read The Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galbraith. No descriptive sex, and likable, interesting characters.
I'll read another book by Olson, but I'll be wary. All the computer jargon in this had me wondering what he was talking about one second, and hoping it didn't exist the next. This book isn't exactly my cup of tea, but it had enough interesting bits to make me not avoid the author. The best thing about this book was the case involving the siblings, Blake, Blythe, and Billy, and just how screwed-up the family was. Olson earns points for that, definitely.
November 16, 2012
The tone of this book is young heterosexual male fantasy set in a world of computer hacking and online game development. On this background is told a tale of sibling rivalry and revenge. Twins Blythe and Blake Randall are recently graduated from Harvard and now running the family business, which strongly resembles Comcast. Their estranged half brother, Billy, has taken his share of the family fortune to the online gaming sector. Billy is convinced his siblings caused the death of his girlfriend, Gina, whose alleged suicide is horrifically depicted in the first two pages of the book. Billy works toward revenge on his siblings through his online game based on the The 120 Days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade. Because Billy has disappeared into the online world, the sometime friend of the Randall twins, James, a clever computer hacker and security expert, is employed to search for him. James goes undercover at GAME, the computer game development company where Billy last worked. There, James infiltrates the secret virtual sex game development group and you can imagine what research and development is like there. Lots of action ensues and it is generally a pretty exciting story.
I can't imagine recommending this book to anyone I know. It would most likely appeal to the young male computer hacker, a class that is probably underrepresented in the readers of modern fiction.
I can't imagine recommending this book to anyone I know. It would most likely appeal to the young male computer hacker, a class that is probably underrepresented in the readers of modern fiction.
July 14, 2012
I'm kind of kicking myself that I actually bought this one. Ugh. I read the starred reviews in PW and Booklist, and I decided I needed to read it. Uh-oh. Expectations. Having finished it, I have to say I'm rather shocked at the praise. They describe it as a "headspinning literary thriller"-- it did have a lot of big words (allowing me to make use of my kindle dictionary-- woo!), but my takeaway tended toward "pretentious cyber-hipster melodrama." I found it difficult to read as I really disliked all of the main players (the narrator in particular), and the supporting cast was so thinly drawn they may as well not have been there at all. The mystery/thriller aspect of the book was undercut by the obnoxious characters, and I found myself not caring all that much. I did find the technology interesting-- the virtual worlds, the hackery, the exploration of online identity and anonymity-- but it was not enough to make me engage with the book the way I wanted. Part of me actually wonders a little bit though-- am I just getting old? Is this a generational thing? Is this a reflection of how 20-somethings really think these days? And then I shake that off and pretty much just feel underwhelmed.
April 12, 2013
It's taking a lot for me to not write "not my genre, not my genre" over and over, but I think it's just that this was not that good.
The story revolves around a mysterious suicide, which then brings our hero into a corporate underworld of sorts where people are inventing virtual reality sex robots. So there's plenty of virtual reality robot sex, plenty of reality reality non-robot sex, and a murder mystery that plays second fiddle to all the virtual sex being had and discussed in the book.
It's really a total bait-and-switch. What could have been a fun cyberpunk murder mystery devolved very quickly into less-than-compelling romp through faux-online communities and fetish sexuality, none of any of the prime points quite good enough to hold my interest. And my hopes for a suitable ending, by the time I was too far in to give up, were dashed by an incredibly drawn out final arc, which matched extremely well with how long it took to get to the meat of the story to begin with.
I may be judging this more harshly than I should, since mainstream murder mysteries have never been anything that piqued my interest, but this is unfortunately fatally flawed from the first page to the last, and I don't know how I could recommend it to anyone in good faith.
The story revolves around a mysterious suicide, which then brings our hero into a corporate underworld of sorts where people are inventing virtual reality sex robots. So there's plenty of virtual reality robot sex, plenty of reality reality non-robot sex, and a murder mystery that plays second fiddle to all the virtual sex being had and discussed in the book.
It's really a total bait-and-switch. What could have been a fun cyberpunk murder mystery devolved very quickly into less-than-compelling romp through faux-online communities and fetish sexuality, none of any of the prime points quite good enough to hold my interest. And my hopes for a suitable ending, by the time I was too far in to give up, were dashed by an incredibly drawn out final arc, which matched extremely well with how long it took to get to the meat of the story to begin with.
I may be judging this more harshly than I should, since mainstream murder mysteries have never been anything that piqued my interest, but this is unfortunately fatally flawed from the first page to the last, and I don't know how I could recommend it to anyone in good faith.
September 17, 2012
**I received this book through a First Reads Giveaway.
I really liked this book!! This is a totally different genre from what I normally read, but I was interested in the "online fantasy world" aspect mixed with a plot involving sibling rivalry and unrequited love. The tagline alone pulled me in: This is a story about sex and games. And it surely delivered!
Virtual games...
Money games...
Sex games...
Love games...
Evil games...
Deadly games...
Amidst the many games and pawns in play, I actually learned a lot about the age of virtual reality in addition to a great story. Please tell me that there is a sequel already in the works. I can totally see one that gives us some resolution between the remaining players in this high stakes digital game: James, Blythe, and of course Olya! So many games, but who really won?
SN: Love, LOVE the writing style and vocabulary! A very intelligent read as well as entertaining!
I really liked this book!! This is a totally different genre from what I normally read, but I was interested in the "online fantasy world" aspect mixed with a plot involving sibling rivalry and unrequited love. The tagline alone pulled me in: This is a story about sex and games. And it surely delivered!
Virtual games...
Money games...
Sex games...
Love games...
Evil games...
Deadly games...
Amidst the many games and pawns in play, I actually learned a lot about the age of virtual reality in addition to a great story. Please tell me that there is a sequel already in the works. I can totally see one that gives us some resolution between the remaining players in this high stakes digital game: James, Blythe, and of course Olya! So many games, but who really won?
SN: Love, LOVE the writing style and vocabulary! A very intelligent read as well as entertaining!
March 22, 2012
I haven't received my copy yet, just received notice I had won. 2/6/12
Received my copy last night, and hope to start soon. Have 4 more plus current read in front. 2/22/12
Started yesterday 3/18/12
James is a hacker. He works at a security firm that specializes in finding people that don't want to be found. The Randall twins need his help finding their half brother. While still at Harvard, Blythe Randall broke James' heart and now she is asking for his help. Billy, the half brother, is actually hiding from them, not missing, and the only clues are through the virtual world of NOD.
This book is pretty fast paced, and while disturbing in parts, casts a reality of not everyone is who they seem. The people that join the sadistic game in NOD are normal everyday people. The brother/sister relationships are way messed up. The "friends" may or may not actually be friends. I figured out parts way to early, but it was still a fun engaging read.
Received my copy last night, and hope to start soon. Have 4 more plus current read in front. 2/22/12
Started yesterday 3/18/12
James is a hacker. He works at a security firm that specializes in finding people that don't want to be found. The Randall twins need his help finding their half brother. While still at Harvard, Blythe Randall broke James' heart and now she is asking for his help. Billy, the half brother, is actually hiding from them, not missing, and the only clues are through the virtual world of NOD.
This book is pretty fast paced, and while disturbing in parts, casts a reality of not everyone is who they seem. The people that join the sadistic game in NOD are normal everyday people. The brother/sister relationships are way messed up. The "friends" may or may not actually be friends. I figured out parts way to early, but it was still a fun engaging read.
May 25, 2012
I really wanted to love this book being a long time user of some of the places mentioned in this book namely second life and imvu and definately have been linked to some of the seedier sides. However, I found that this book was so difficult to get into that it took me well over 300 pages before I could find myself getting interested in the characters. I started to suspect the answers to the mystery early on but found the book difficult to read with too much unnecessary technical gibberish which was not authentic. For example readings which were not real. I found myself wanting to research some of the books cited and was disappointed to find they did not exist (at least at barnes and noble). Although I enjoyed the premise of this title and like how dark it went I doubt I would read another of Mr. Olson's books, preferring instead the easy to read style of writers like Norm Applebates.
January 20, 2012
Sterlingcindysu lent me this ARC. This is a very good thriller that takes one into a virtual world most of us would rather not know about but touch with every day on our computers. The story has to do with dragging that virtual world into the tangible one we touch and feel. You feel less secure with our "communities" (even this one). I see young men caught up in the gaming world; a Second Life, literally and figuratively, and this book shows where this could go at the extremes. Virtual sex, Sade, and porn become life. How close are we to that. Yipes. Makes one glad to have grown up playing with books and toys and not a keyboard.
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