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The Game Trilogy #3
Bubble
The stunning conclusion to the groundbreaking Scandinavian crime trilogy featuring a deadly game that blurs reality and fiction in a world obsessed with social media. It’s the middle of summer and Stockholm is preparing for the wedding of a beloved Swedish princess. Trying to move on with his life after the end of The Game, HP is still struggling to find his way when he receives an anonymous text message asking if he’d like back in. HP knows his participation has already put himself and his sister in danger and he’d like to ignore the text, but he also realizes he doesn’t know who to trust. HP tried to stay hidden and on the run, but he can’t escape the Game Master. Hoping to uncover the truth behind The Game and free himself from the Game Master’s control forever, HP decides to accept one more assignment.
Rebecca’s life has changed dramatically as a result of her brother’s involvement in The Game and she, too, is trying to move on and find the truth. And now she’s determined to uncover the connection between her late father’s past and her brother’s current predicament. But will Rebecca’s investigation into the past cost her the future? Taking action, HP hunts down a man he believes might be the Game Master himself. With a band of fellow former Game players, they infiltrate the Fortress in order to collect information that could be the Game’s undoing. But is he strong enough to take down The Game? And can he trust his fellow gamers?
A fast-paced, technological thriller that concludes the story that began in Game and Buzz, Bubble will have readers gasping for breath during the final showdown between HP and the Game Master.
Rebecca’s life has changed dramatically as a result of her brother’s involvement in The Game and she, too, is trying to move on and find the truth. And now she’s determined to uncover the connection between her late father’s past and her brother’s current predicament. But will Rebecca’s investigation into the past cost her the future? Taking action, HP hunts down a man he believes might be the Game Master himself. With a band of fellow former Game players, they infiltrate the Fortress in order to collect information that could be the Game’s undoing. But is he strong enough to take down The Game? And can he trust his fellow gamers?
A fast-paced, technological thriller that concludes the story that began in Game and Buzz, Bubble will have readers gasping for breath during the final showdown between HP and the Game Master.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
40 people are currently reading
1169 people want to read
About the author
Anders de la Motte
40 books561 followersAnders de la Motte, a former police officer, made his debut in 2010 with the award-winning thriller Game and has since then been one of Sweden’s most beloved and popular crime writers. He is the author of several acclaimed and bestselling crime fiction series, among them the suspenseful Skåne Quartet. Published in 2022, The Mountain King is the first bestselling installment in his new Leo Asker series.
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
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November 11, 2024
Στη "Φυσαλίδα", το τρίτο και τελευταίο μέρος αυτής της ανατρεπτικής τριλογίας, ο Χένρικ βρίσκεται κυνηγημένος αλλά την ίδια ώρα, αποφασισμένος ν' ανακαλύψει την αφετηρία του "Παιχνιδιού", έτσι ώστε να μπορέσει να το τερματίσει μία και καλή. Αλλά κάθε φορά που φαίνεται πως πλησιάζει στο στόχο του, όλο και πιο μακριά βρίσκεται, με την αλήθεια να μοιάζει να ξεκινάει πολλές δεκαετίες πίσω. Μαζί με μια ομάδα αντίστασης παλιών παικτών, θα δώσει αγώνα για να πάρει και πάλι τη ζωή του στα χέρια του, έστω κι αν οι πιθανότητες δεν φαντάζουν υπέρ του. Την ίδια στιγμή, η Ρεμπέκα έχει επιλέξει ν' απομακρυνθεί προσωρινά από το αστυνομικό σώμα, βρίσκοντας δουλειάς ως προσωπικό ασφαλείας σε μία ιδιωτική εταιρεία, κάτι που δεν θα εξελιχθεί καλά αφού θα απολυθεί σύντομα. Τότε είναι που έρχεται στα χέρια της το κλειδί μιας θυρίδας, μέσα στην οποία βρίσκονται χρήματα, ένα όπλο, αλλά και δεκάδες διαβατήρια άλλων κρατών, που όλα φαίνεται να ανήκουν στον πατέρα της. Με τη βοήθεια ενός παλιού φίλου και πρώην συνεργάτη του, η Ρεμπέκα θα προσπαθήσει ν' ανακαλύψει τι πραγματικά συμβαίνει, κάνοντας ένα ταξίδι στο χρόνο, βυθιζόμενη σε έναν κόσμο κατασκοπίας και βίας με δεκάδες μυστικά.
Η "Φυσαλίδα", με τον άκρως ευρηματικό τίτλο -πράγμα που καταλαβαίνει κανείς αφού ολοκληρώσει την ανάγνωσή της-, ολοκληρώνει αυτό το τεχνολογικό, δραματουργικό θρίλερ χαρακτήρων και καταστάσεων, με τον πλέον καλύτερο δυνατό τρόπο. Ο συγγραφέας, ούτε για μια στιγμή δεν έχασε τον στόχο του, με την δράση να παραμένει καταιγιστική από την πρώτη μέχρι και την τελευταία στιγμή, με τις πληροφορίες να φτάνουν σε μας, τους αναγνώστες, όταν έπρεπε και στις δόσεις που έπρεπε, κάνοντάς μας όχι απλά παρατηρητές αυτής της περιπέτειας, αλλά ενεργά μέλη της δράσης των εξελίξεων. Άλλωστε, η τριλογία αυτή, αφορά έναν γρίφο που αναζητά λύση. Μια λύση που στην πραγματικότητα, μπορεί να βρίσκεται πολύ πιο κοντά μας απ' όσο θέλουμε να πιστεύουμε. Γιατί μπορεί η τριλογία αυτή ν' αποτελεί προϊόν μυθοπλασίας, όμως στην πραγματικότητα, εμπεριέχει αλήθειες της σύγχρονης πραγματικότητας που είναι άκρως τρομακτικές. Μπορεί να διανύουμε την εποχή της δραματικής ανάπτυξης της τεχνολογίας, όμως πόσο ελεύθεροι μπορούμε να είμαστε όταν το κάθε μας βήμα, η κάθε μας κίνηση, ακόμα και η κάθε μας σκέψη, αποτελεί πηγή πληροφοριών στην συλλογή κάποιων που μπορούν να τις αξιοποιήσουν όπως θέλουν; Και άραγε, πόσο σίγουροι είμαστε ότι δεν έχουμε πρόβλημα με αυτό; Τροφή για σκέψη; Σίγουρα! Μια απολαυστική περιπέτεια; Ακόμα περισσότερο!
Η "Φυσαλίδα", με τον άκρως ευρηματικό τίτλο -πράγμα που καταλαβαίνει κανείς αφού ολοκληρώσει την ανάγνωσή της-, ολοκληρώνει αυτό το τεχνολογικό, δραματουργικό θρίλερ χαρακτήρων και καταστάσεων, με τον πλέον καλύτερο δυνατό τρόπο. Ο συγγραφέας, ούτε για μια στιγμή δεν έχασε τον στόχο του, με την δράση να παραμένει καταιγιστική από την πρώτη μέχρι και την τελευταία στιγμή, με τις πληροφορίες να φτάνουν σε μας, τους αναγνώστες, όταν έπρεπε και στις δόσεις που έπρεπε, κάνοντάς μας όχι απλά παρατηρητές αυτής της περιπέτειας, αλλά ενεργά μέλη της δράσης των εξελίξεων. Άλλωστε, η τριλογία αυτή, αφορά έναν γρίφο που αναζητά λύση. Μια λύση που στην πραγματικότητα, μπορεί να βρίσκεται πολύ πιο κοντά μας απ' όσο θέλουμε να πιστεύουμε. Γιατί μπορεί η τριλογία αυτή ν' αποτελεί προϊόν μυθοπλασίας, όμως στην πραγματικότητα, εμπεριέχει αλήθειες της σύγχρονης πραγματικότητας που είναι άκρως τρομακτικές. Μπορεί να διανύουμε την εποχή της δραματικής ανάπτυξης της τεχνολογίας, όμως πόσο ελεύθεροι μπορούμε να είμαστε όταν το κάθε μας βήμα, η κάθε μας κίνηση, ακόμα και η κάθε μας σκέψη, αποτελεί πηγή πληροφοριών στην συλλογή κάποιων που μπορούν να τις αξιοποιήσουν όπως θέλουν; Και άραγε, πόσο σίγουροι είμαστε ότι δεν έχουμε πρόβλημα με αυτό; Τροφή για σκέψη; Σίγουρα! Μια απολαυστική περιπέτεια; Ακόμα περισσότερο!
April 6, 2014
Oh, Bubble... You Didn't Even Burst. You Just Kind of Leaked. As opposed to Game and Buzz, I did not receive Bubble as an uncorrected-proof ebook. Allegedly, after having submitted reviews for the first two, I was to receive the third from the publisher, but that never happened. There might have been a secret deadline that I failed to meet. Regardless, my NOT having received a free copy of this book has NOT prevented me from providing an honest review here. (I borrowed this book from my library. Libraries ROCK.)
I found Bubble frustrating. It felt as though there was plenty of action, yet nothing was happening. No, that's not it exactly. Stuff was happening, but much of it felt like filler and stalling, the kind that tend to crop up in the middle book of a trilogy.
One of the things that bothered me was that HP and Rebecca don't talk to each other, or otherwise communicate, for the entire narrative. There are missed calls and dodged calls, but not a single conversation. This was a plot contrivance, and an irksome one, at that.
At the end of Game, there was a cliffhanger suggesting that a secondary character was involved in the game. That secondary character proceeds to stay off-screen all through Buzz, and then the payoff, such as it is, of that cliffhanger doesn't happen until this third book. This character ultimately delivers the "twist" at the very end of the final book, and I can't say that I like it.
I think that Anders de la Motte had interesting ideas with the trilogy, but his execution wasn't the best. And I know it's unfair, but I'll say it. He's not Stieg Larsson, nor Larsson's heir apparent. Though in Buzz, he does make a reference to "Stieg Larsson tourists." Plus, de la Motte's Swedes drink coffee almost as compulsively as Larsson's do. In Sweden, I would never sleep!
I often felt that the pop-culture references were too self-conscious. Sprinkle in some Matrix here, Bourne series there. And I cannot even tell you how tired I got of chain-smoking HP's constant need for yet another cigarette.
I found Bubble frustrating. It felt as though there was plenty of action, yet nothing was happening. No, that's not it exactly. Stuff was happening, but much of it felt like filler and stalling, the kind that tend to crop up in the middle book of a trilogy.
One of the things that bothered me was that HP and Rebecca don't talk to each other, or otherwise communicate, for the entire narrative. There are missed calls and dodged calls, but not a single conversation. This was a plot contrivance, and an irksome one, at that.
At the end of Game, there was a cliffhanger suggesting that a secondary character was involved in the game. That secondary character proceeds to stay off-screen all through Buzz, and then the payoff, such as it is, of that cliffhanger doesn't happen until this third book. This character ultimately delivers the "twist" at the very end of the final book, and I can't say that I like it.
I think that Anders de la Motte had interesting ideas with the trilogy, but his execution wasn't the best. And I know it's unfair, but I'll say it. He's not Stieg Larsson, nor Larsson's heir apparent. Though in Buzz, he does make a reference to "Stieg Larsson tourists." Plus, de la Motte's Swedes drink coffee almost as compulsively as Larsson's do. In Sweden, I would never sleep!
I often felt that the pop-culture references were too self-conscious. Sprinkle in some Matrix here, Bourne series there. And I cannot even tell you how tired I got of chain-smoking HP's constant need for yet another cigarette.
August 3, 2015
I sort of enjoyed Bubble in much the same way I enjoy a leave your brain at the door, dumb blockbuster movie with someone like Bruce Willis and a load of explosions. The writing isn't great but it had me turning the pages.
But oh dear oh dear The plot is a mess, the writing dips to almost Dan Brown levels of bad, Rebecca continues to be 'a male character with tits'. HP has ludicrous abilities, he chain smokes (and it appears it's important to know they are Marlboros) eats bad food (mostly gorby pies it seems), and he slobs about playing computer games and wanking. However when called for can run at incredible speed for long periods of time. When I smoked I could hardly run for a bus. He also appears to be immortal I thought the Kergan would show up and lop off his head
The 'twists' were signposted and obvious and ultimately not very satisfying.
But oh dear oh dear The plot is a mess, the writing dips to almost Dan Brown levels of bad, Rebecca continues to be 'a male character with tits'. HP has ludicrous abilities, he chain smokes (and it appears it's important to know they are Marlboros) eats bad food (mostly gorby pies it seems), and he slobs about playing computer games and wanking. However when called for can run at incredible speed for long periods of time. When I smoked I could hardly run for a bus. He also appears to be immortal I thought the Kergan would show up and lop off his head
The 'twists' were signposted and obvious and ultimately not very satisfying.
November 22, 2013
The Bubble Bursts with a Bang
Welcome to Bubble the third and final book in the Game Trilogy by Anders De La Motte and oh boy all I can say is wow! Usually when you have a trilogy one of the books will be weaker than the others, it just happens sometimes, but something went wrong in this trilogy as this was even better than Game and Buzz. This really is Swedish thriller writing at its best, and I certainly hope that we hear more from De La Motte.
The story opens a few months after HP’s rescue from the hands of ArgosEye and he is rarely leaving the flat afraid of the Game and the Game Master. Paranoia has taken a hold of HP and all his thinking and it does not help when the Police break his door down and accuse him of being a terrorist and planning attack on Swedish soil. He quite frankly has not got a clue what is going on and his life is spinning out of control and to make matters worse it looks like his sister is involved somehow working for PayTag and the Game Master.
Becca takes, after all the excitement, a sabbatical from the Security Police to help set up a personal security firm that will have PayTag and its chairman as the client. Everything is going very well until an attempted assassination of the PayTag boss and from their Becca’s life seems to spin out of control as Uncle Tag takes control of guiding her life. As more she digs into her own life and that of her father’s the more she seems to be dependent up Uncle Tag.
There are two massive events coming up and they need all the hands on the pump, HP has been declared a wanted terrorist whose life is in the hands of former Game players and possibly the Game Master and Manga. There is a Royal Wedding that could be a target or the opening of a massive server farm which would mean that PayTag would control the future as much as they could manipulate the past. Both come in to play as HP and his new friends must make an attempt to cause maximum damage to PayTag and see if they could escape. At the same time is the Royal Wedding could this be the scene of the terrorist attack who knows?
With Bubble you feel as if you are as paranoid as HP as the pace of the book really picks up and with all the twists and turns you really cannot see what is coming especially the Grande Finale and you can really ask yourself the King is dead, long live the King! This is a brilliant, exciting fast paced trilogy the really does reach a crescendo in Bubble and you will have to read it yourself to find out if the Bubble really does burst!
Welcome to Bubble the third and final book in the Game Trilogy by Anders De La Motte and oh boy all I can say is wow! Usually when you have a trilogy one of the books will be weaker than the others, it just happens sometimes, but something went wrong in this trilogy as this was even better than Game and Buzz. This really is Swedish thriller writing at its best, and I certainly hope that we hear more from De La Motte.
The story opens a few months after HP’s rescue from the hands of ArgosEye and he is rarely leaving the flat afraid of the Game and the Game Master. Paranoia has taken a hold of HP and all his thinking and it does not help when the Police break his door down and accuse him of being a terrorist and planning attack on Swedish soil. He quite frankly has not got a clue what is going on and his life is spinning out of control and to make matters worse it looks like his sister is involved somehow working for PayTag and the Game Master.
Becca takes, after all the excitement, a sabbatical from the Security Police to help set up a personal security firm that will have PayTag and its chairman as the client. Everything is going very well until an attempted assassination of the PayTag boss and from their Becca’s life seems to spin out of control as Uncle Tag takes control of guiding her life. As more she digs into her own life and that of her father’s the more she seems to be dependent up Uncle Tag.
There are two massive events coming up and they need all the hands on the pump, HP has been declared a wanted terrorist whose life is in the hands of former Game players and possibly the Game Master and Manga. There is a Royal Wedding that could be a target or the opening of a massive server farm which would mean that PayTag would control the future as much as they could manipulate the past. Both come in to play as HP and his new friends must make an attempt to cause maximum damage to PayTag and see if they could escape. At the same time is the Royal Wedding could this be the scene of the terrorist attack who knows?
With Bubble you feel as if you are as paranoid as HP as the pace of the book really picks up and with all the twists and turns you really cannot see what is coming especially the Grande Finale and you can really ask yourself the King is dead, long live the King! This is a brilliant, exciting fast paced trilogy the really does reach a crescendo in Bubble and you will have to read it yourself to find out if the Bubble really does burst!
December 3, 2018
Το τελευταίο βιβλίο της σειράς και το καλύτερο από όλα!!!
Χαχα, πλάκα κάνω...
Άλλο ένα ανεκδιήγητο βιβλίο, το οποίο στα πρώτα 4/5 του αναλώνεται σε αχρείαστες περιγραφές και παίζει 'κατενάτσιο', μέχρι να οδηγηθεί στην τελική ευθεία του, στην οποία - επιτέλους - η ιστορία αποκτά λίγο ενδιαφέρον και κάμποση ταχύτητα στην εξέλιξή της.
Ωστόσο, μπορώ να πω ότι απαντήσεις δεν δόθηκαν, πολλές παράλληλες ιστορίες δεν ολοκληρώθηκαν ή δεν μάθαμε ποτέ ποιός ο λόγος ύπαρξής τους, ενώ και η όποια εξήγηση τελικά δόθηκε δεν ήταν πειστική.
Συμπερασματικά, μετά από τις 1.500 περίπου σελίδες της τριλογίας, τελικά δεν κατάλαβα τι στο καλό ήταν αυτό το 'Παιχνίδι' και που αποσκοπούσε. Από την άλλη, αμφιβάλλω αν ακόμα και ο συγγραφέας είχε κατασταλάξει στο τι ήθελε να πει...
Επειδή οι εποχές είναι δύσκολες, κρίμα να σπαταλήσετε πολύτιμο χρήμα και χρόνο σε αυτήν τη σαχλαμάρα, όταν κυκλοφορεί πληθώρα ωραίων βιβλίων εκεί έξω... (5/10)
Χαχα, πλάκα κάνω...
Άλλο ένα ανεκδιήγητο βιβλίο, το οποίο στα πρώτα 4/5 του αναλώνεται σε αχρείαστες περιγραφές και παίζει 'κατενάτσιο', μέχρι να οδηγηθεί στην τελική ευθεία του, στην οποία - επιτέλους - η ιστορία αποκτά λίγο ενδιαφέρον και κάμποση ταχύτητα στην εξέλιξή της.
Ωστόσο, μπορώ να πω ότι απαντήσεις δεν δόθηκαν, πολλές παράλληλες ιστορίες δεν ολοκληρώθηκαν ή δεν μάθαμε ποτέ ποιός ο λόγος ύπαρξής τους, ενώ και η όποια εξήγηση τελικά δόθηκε δεν ήταν πειστική.
Συμπερασματικά, μετά από τις 1.500 περίπου σελίδες της τριλογίας, τελικά δεν κατάλαβα τι στο καλό ήταν αυτό το 'Παιχνίδι' και που αποσκοπούσε. Από την άλλη, αμφιβάλλω αν ακόμα και ο συγγραφέας είχε κατασταλάξει στο τι ήθελε να πει...
Επειδή οι εποχές είναι δύσκολες, κρίμα να σπαταλήσετε πολύτιμο χρήμα και χρόνο σε αυτήν τη σαχλαμάρα, όταν κυκλοφορεί πληθώρα ωραίων βιβλίων εκεί έξω... (5/10)
August 2, 2014
27/7 - Due to some hasty hold placing at the library I somehow ended up with this book (#3) borrowed before the previous book (#2). Then I did it again with Richelle Mead's Blood Promise and Shadow Kiss, somehow mistaking Blood Promise for the third book in the series, when it's actually the fourth. So I had to quickly get a hold of the next books in both series and read them, so I could get to this and Blood Promise before they were due at the library (they're obviously popular as they immediately had further holds on them). Didn't quite get all that? Don't worry, it's a bit strange and complicated and comes from placing a hold through the library's computer without access to GR to check the true series order (no, I don't have an iPad or phone with internet access), instead of doing it at home with GR open in another tab, as I usually do.
Oh well, it looks like it's going to work out fine in the end. I have until the 4/8 before this and Blood Promise are due back and while this is a decent sized book, I managed to read Buzz (which is only slightly shorter than Bubble) in just two days earlier this month, so I think I can get all three books finished before I have to start paying fines for them. Plus, I'm really pumped for the big ending, how everything's going to be wrapped up.
Will HP finally manage to kick his fame addiction (or any of the others)? What's going to happen to Rebecca when she starts working for the company that runs The Game? Will they beat The Game? Or will the ending be like those horror movies where you think the final characters have managed to kill the unkillable bad guy, only to have him prove he truly is unkillable (think Jason Voorhies) by popping back up again to chop off one more head before disappearing back into the forest. I think I sped through my last book Whisky Charlie Foxtrot so fast because I knew that this was next on my internal list and I could not wait to get started.
Although, now that I could be seconds away from doing just that (depending on how fast I type) I'm nervous it won't be as good as the first two, that it'll be a let down after all the tension of The Game and Buzz. I guess there are only two ways to find out, read the GR reviews (obviously not going to do that because not only will I ruin any plot twists, but I also still won't have a definitive answer because what one person one stars another five stars) or read the book. I'm going to read the book and try to forget the fact that I happened to catch a glimpse of the average rating for the book. 3.65 is a good book, just good, not great or fantastic or amazing, but I'm not going to think about that I'm just going to trust that my opinion is usually the opposite (or at least different) of a lot of others and read with an open mind. To be continued...
28/7 - As I exhibited with my pre-review ramble last night, I was a little bit excited and nervous about starting the possibly climatic, or possibly disappointing, final book in this fast-paced series. Now I don't know if it was a symptom of that mix of excitement and nerves, but I didn't really notice or become annoyed by the quick POV changes that I felt a little plagued by in Buzz and Game. I wonder whether, now that I've gotten over those first date jitters, the lightning fast changes will become more apparent and irritating. I'll be back tomorrow to talk about it.
Oh, before I go I just want to mention that I just realised that with 400 pages to go in Bubble, approx. 450 in Shadow Kiss and a little over 500 in Blood Promise that I've got about 1300 pges to read in six days and a few hours. With a little rounding off that works out to around 200 pages a day, which doesn't sound too hard, until you know that you're reading to a timetable and know that if you only manage 100 pages on one day that means you'll have to make it up somewhere in the remaining days, either with pages added to every day or just a chunk to one day. All that mathematising could lead to stressful, rushed reading. I think, if it comes down to enjoying my reading or paying a small fine (and at only 50c a book per day it would be small), I'll pay the fine and finish the book happily rather than hurriedly skimming it in the car outside the library (my 'I have to return this book today' last chance reading spot).
Later - How bloody stupid can HP be? Imagining that, after being bitten by a rattlesnake and passing out (supposedly due to the effects of the venom, not sure how fast rattlesnake venom would take to kill you, but that's another discussion) he would be able to successfully inject himself with multiple syringes of antivenin, then collect all his breaking and entering tools and a loaded gun and get back to his apartment before once again passing out. It certainly seems crystal clear to me that the bad guys came back, fixed him up and deposited him back on his own bed, all for some nefarious ulterior motive. Possibly so he can be setup as their patsy in whatever terroristic act they're planning. I really shake my head at HP's stupidity, stunningly bad decision-making and blindness to what's really going on around him. I was very pleased when I read that he hadn't smoked marijuana since it got him in so much trouble in Dubai, over six months ago, because really, look at the trouble he gets himself into when he's not high. To be continued...
30/7 - I feel like HP, with no idea of who to trust, whose story, or how much of it, to believe, constantly jumping from theory to theory about what's really going on and who's behind it all.
Was Uncle Tage telling Rebecca the truth and he's being set up by de la Motte to appear sinister? Or has he cleverly revealed just enough of the truth that his story will sound plausible to Rebecca, encouraging her to help him 'help' HP. Also Nora and Jeff... they don't seem all that innocent and straight forward. Some of their answers, like how they found HP so easily, give me suspicions that they're actually working for the Game and have been tracking him for days, or even weeks. How do we know that they're not the next door neighbours and aren't guiding HP towards their intended target for assassination/detonation, all ready for him to be the fall guy? Everything about them is just too convenient for my suspicious mind. To be continued...
31/7 - Well, it looks like I've jinxed myself with all that talk of needing to read 200 pages a day for six days. I am down to two days and a few hours (this is being written at approx. the same time as my update on the 28th) and I haven't even finished the first book - AAARRRRGGGGHHHH READING STRESS!!!!!!!!!!!
In regards to the book itself - exciting, tense, complicated, keeping me guessing at all times. Also the quick-fire POV changes seem to have mysteriously disappeared (or I'm so involved in the story that I haven't noticed them, not sure which), for which I'm grateful. Manga has returned and I'm not sure I believe what he's saying anymore than I believe Uncle Tage's spiel. I'm getting paranoid over fictional character's true motives and I can't stop wondering about who the real Game master is - not knowing is making me a bit insane, also as I read back what I've just wrote I realise that I'm repeating myself, sorry about that. To be continued...
2/7 - The last 10 pages I spent the whole time going "No! This can't be the way it all ends." I was so disappointed thinking that it was going to end the way those annoying horror movies do, with the bad guy rising back up and escaping only to live another day in the next movie, or book, only we know that this is the last in the series and then we would have ended up with a very unsatisfactory ending. Fortunately, that wasn't exactly how things went - the 'bad' guy did rise up to fight another day, but he also died. Eventually, it all made sense, but it's still very complicated, especially HP and Rebecca's father and Sammer's involvement during the 60s. I now have over 900 pages to read in 1.5 days. AAARRGGHH MORE READING STRESS!!
Oh well, it looks like it's going to work out fine in the end. I have until the 4/8 before this and Blood Promise are due back and while this is a decent sized book, I managed to read Buzz (which is only slightly shorter than Bubble) in just two days earlier this month, so I think I can get all three books finished before I have to start paying fines for them. Plus, I'm really pumped for the big ending, how everything's going to be wrapped up.
Will HP finally manage to kick his fame addiction (or any of the others)? What's going to happen to Rebecca when she starts working for the company that runs The Game? Will they beat The Game? Or will the ending be like those horror movies where you think the final characters have managed to kill the unkillable bad guy, only to have him prove he truly is unkillable (think Jason Voorhies) by popping back up again to chop off one more head before disappearing back into the forest. I think I sped through my last book Whisky Charlie Foxtrot so fast because I knew that this was next on my internal list and I could not wait to get started.
Although, now that I could be seconds away from doing just that (depending on how fast I type) I'm nervous it won't be as good as the first two, that it'll be a let down after all the tension of The Game and Buzz. I guess there are only two ways to find out, read the GR reviews (obviously not going to do that because not only will I ruin any plot twists, but I also still won't have a definitive answer because what one person one stars another five stars) or read the book. I'm going to read the book and try to forget the fact that I happened to catch a glimpse of the average rating for the book. 3.65 is a good book, just good, not great or fantastic or amazing, but I'm not going to think about that I'm just going to trust that my opinion is usually the opposite (or at least different) of a lot of others and read with an open mind. To be continued...
28/7 - As I exhibited with my pre-review ramble last night, I was a little bit excited and nervous about starting the possibly climatic, or possibly disappointing, final book in this fast-paced series. Now I don't know if it was a symptom of that mix of excitement and nerves, but I didn't really notice or become annoyed by the quick POV changes that I felt a little plagued by in Buzz and Game. I wonder whether, now that I've gotten over those first date jitters, the lightning fast changes will become more apparent and irritating. I'll be back tomorrow to talk about it.
Oh, before I go I just want to mention that I just realised that with 400 pages to go in Bubble, approx. 450 in Shadow Kiss and a little over 500 in Blood Promise that I've got about 1300 pges to read in six days and a few hours. With a little rounding off that works out to around 200 pages a day, which doesn't sound too hard, until you know that you're reading to a timetable and know that if you only manage 100 pages on one day that means you'll have to make it up somewhere in the remaining days, either with pages added to every day or just a chunk to one day. All that mathematising could lead to stressful, rushed reading. I think, if it comes down to enjoying my reading or paying a small fine (and at only 50c a book per day it would be small), I'll pay the fine and finish the book happily rather than hurriedly skimming it in the car outside the library (my 'I have to return this book today' last chance reading spot).
Later - How bloody stupid can HP be? Imagining that, after being bitten by a rattlesnake and passing out (supposedly due to the effects of the venom, not sure how fast rattlesnake venom would take to kill you, but that's another discussion) he would be able to successfully inject himself with multiple syringes of antivenin, then collect all his breaking and entering tools and a loaded gun and get back to his apartment before once again passing out. It certainly seems crystal clear to me that the bad guys came back, fixed him up and deposited him back on his own bed, all for some nefarious ulterior motive. Possibly so he can be setup as their patsy in whatever terroristic act they're planning. I really shake my head at HP's stupidity, stunningly bad decision-making and blindness to what's really going on around him. I was very pleased when I read that he hadn't smoked marijuana since it got him in so much trouble in Dubai, over six months ago, because really, look at the trouble he gets himself into when he's not high. To be continued...
30/7 - I feel like HP, with no idea of who to trust, whose story, or how much of it, to believe, constantly jumping from theory to theory about what's really going on and who's behind it all.
Was Uncle Tage telling Rebecca the truth and he's being set up by de la Motte to appear sinister? Or has he cleverly revealed just enough of the truth that his story will sound plausible to Rebecca, encouraging her to help him 'help' HP. Also Nora and Jeff... they don't seem all that innocent and straight forward. Some of their answers, like how they found HP so easily, give me suspicions that they're actually working for the Game and have been tracking him for days, or even weeks. How do we know that they're not the next door neighbours and aren't guiding HP towards their intended target for assassination/detonation, all ready for him to be the fall guy? Everything about them is just too convenient for my suspicious mind. To be continued...
31/7 - Well, it looks like I've jinxed myself with all that talk of needing to read 200 pages a day for six days. I am down to two days and a few hours (this is being written at approx. the same time as my update on the 28th) and I haven't even finished the first book - AAARRRRGGGGHHHH READING STRESS!!!!!!!!!!!
In regards to the book itself - exciting, tense, complicated, keeping me guessing at all times. Also the quick-fire POV changes seem to have mysteriously disappeared (or I'm so involved in the story that I haven't noticed them, not sure which), for which I'm grateful. Manga has returned and I'm not sure I believe what he's saying anymore than I believe Uncle Tage's spiel. I'm getting paranoid over fictional character's true motives and I can't stop wondering about who the real Game master is - not knowing is making me a bit insane, also as I read back what I've just wrote I realise that I'm repeating myself, sorry about that. To be continued...
2/7 - The last 10 pages I spent the whole time going "No! This can't be the way it all ends." I was so disappointed thinking that it was going to end the way those annoying horror movies do, with the bad guy rising back up and escaping only to live another day in the next movie, or book, only we know that this is the last in the series and then we would have ended up with a very unsatisfactory ending. Fortunately, that wasn't exactly how things went - the 'bad' guy did rise up to fight another day, but he also died. Eventually, it all made sense, but it's still very complicated, especially HP and Rebecca's father and Sammer's involvement during the 60s. I now have over 900 pages to read in 1.5 days. AAARRGGHH MORE READING STRESS!!
September 21, 2014
anders de la motte je proste moje krevni skupina. Protoze uz od prvniho dilu to byla bombasticka jizda! A tendle dil? Solidní mindfuck... aspoň já teda nevím, kde mi hlava stojí/leží, nebo co vlastně dělá... Hlavně ten konec je silně schizofrení. Nakonec jsou stejnak všichni proti všem a všichni všechny sledují... :D
Jinak, HP v tomhle dílu pomerne velkou cast stravil v ruznych telnich tekutinach... Jo a Becca mi pije krev pořád stejně. To bych za sestru teda nechtěla.
Plus téhle knihy je, že člověka přinutí zauvažovat nad tim, co jedno male kliknutí muze znamenat a co vsechno o nem prozradí. Myslím, že spousta lidi si to ani v nejmenším neuvědomuje.
Jinak, HP v tomhle dílu pomerne velkou cast stravil v ruznych telnich tekutinach... Jo a Becca mi pije krev pořád stejně. To bych za sestru teda nechtěla.
Plus téhle knihy je, že člověka přinutí zauvažovat nad tim, co jedno male kliknutí muze znamenat a co vsechno o nem prozradí. Myslím, že spousta lidi si to ani v nejmenším neuvědomuje.
June 11, 2016
Foi um bom desfecho, mas não me prendeu tanto como a Vibração. No geral é uma optima trilogia com uma escrita bem masculina principalmente nas descrições da personagem HP, o que tornou esta personagem bastante credível e não o típico herói perfeito em que tudo lhe corre bem. Gostei mesmo muito do HP. Já a Rebecca foi crescendo ao longo dos livros. No primeiro achei-a uma chata e neste ultima demonstrou ser, sem duvida, uma grande mulher.
August 1, 2015
Unbelievably bad ... literally. The writing, which has always been a little ... over the top ... in this series, just got completely out of control, along with the "plot." From HP quoting Bruce Willis' "Yippee ki-ay, motherfucker" to stacking
Words!
On top!!
OF WORDS!!!
de la Motte used up all his tricks early on and then just keeps reusing them. It's like watching a bad comedian with one sort-of-funny joke he just keeps retelling, hoping for a second laugh. The worst of the tricks is the constant switching of points of view between HP, Rebecca and occasionally a third party. It can be an effective tool for a better writer but de la Motte clearly doesn't have the chops.
"Plot" is in parentheses because by the end of the second book of the series it was already unbelievable, but then the author added a whole new layer of "da-DA!" surprises on top of the last ones, so the bad guy who turned out to be a good guy in the last book ("da-DA!") turned out to be a bad guy after all. And in some cases ("da-DA-DAAA!!) a good guy. And so on, ad nauseum.
Think Wallace Shawn as Vizzini trying to outsmart Cary Elwes over a glass of wine from the movie version of The Princess Bride, only they were playing that for laughs. Here, it's supposed to be realistic, or at least suspenseful. It ends up stupid.
The problem with having a super-secret omnipotent cabal like The Game as the villain of the piece is that the author has given himself a get-out-of-jail-free card for having to write anything credible because he can just give the Game Master even more super-duper-extra-secret ultra omnipotent powers to solve the unsolvable. Ultimately, de la Motte can't even be bothered to do that .
By the time I was halfway through this one, I was sorry I had ever picked up the series. I skim-read the "exciting" conclusion just so I can assure you it's not worth the time. .
It's a bad sign when a book starts with a dictionary definition.
It's a worse sign when the author can't be arsed to decide on one definition; in this case 10 definitions of the word "bubble."
In homage, I present nine more descriptions of the book, besides "unbelievably bad":
Putrid
Soulless
Fetid
Overwrought
Charmless
Stupid
Lazy
Condescending
and ultimately, Boring.
Words!
On top!!
OF WORDS!!!
de la Motte used up all his tricks early on and then just keeps reusing them. It's like watching a bad comedian with one sort-of-funny joke he just keeps retelling, hoping for a second laugh. The worst of the tricks is the constant switching of points of view between HP, Rebecca and occasionally a third party. It can be an effective tool for a better writer but de la Motte clearly doesn't have the chops.
"Plot" is in parentheses because by the end of the second book of the series it was already unbelievable, but then the author added a whole new layer of "da-DA!" surprises on top of the last ones, so the bad guy who turned out to be a good guy in the last book ("da-DA!") turned out to be a bad guy after all. And in some cases ("da-DA-DAAA!!) a good guy. And so on, ad nauseum.
Think Wallace Shawn as Vizzini trying to outsmart Cary Elwes over a glass of wine from the movie version of The Princess Bride, only they were playing that for laughs. Here, it's supposed to be realistic, or at least suspenseful. It ends up stupid.
The problem with having a super-secret omnipotent cabal like The Game as the villain of the piece is that the author has given himself a get-out-of-jail-free card for having to write anything credible because he can just give the Game Master even more super-duper-extra-secret ultra omnipotent powers to solve the unsolvable. Ultimately, de la Motte can't even be bothered to do that .
By the time I was halfway through this one, I was sorry I had ever picked up the series. I skim-read the "exciting" conclusion just so I can assure you it's not worth the time. .
It's a bad sign when a book starts with a dictionary definition.
It's a worse sign when the author can't be arsed to decide on one definition; in this case 10 definitions of the word "bubble."
In homage, I present nine more descriptions of the book, besides "unbelievably bad":
Putrid
Soulless
Fetid
Overwrought
Charmless
Stupid
Lazy
Condescending
and ultimately, Boring.
December 2, 2013
“Bubble” by Anders De La Motte, published by Emily Bestler Books.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – February 04, 2014
“Bubble” is the third book in this trilogy. The first book is “Game” and the second is “Buzz”. If you have been reading my reviews you will know that Henrik Pettersson, known as HP, has become involved in a deadly “Game” that is controlled by the Game Master. What started out as a game involving innocent pranks that paid off in much needed monetary rewards has become a “Game” involving murder.
Henrik tries to leave the “Game” but finds that not only is it difficult but he becomes involved with others that are trying to bring the Game Master down and a highly technical and long reaching organization.
In this final chapter, HP accepts one more assignment that puts not only himself but his sister in danger. HP and a group of gamers try to infiltrate the headquarters of the suspected Game Master in an attempt to bring down the organization. The organization seems to be prepared for them leading them to believe that there is a traitor among them. However, they are too far into the attempt that they must continue their assault.
The author has succeeded in all three books to keep the identity of the Game Master not only hidden but gives the reader several possibilities as to his identity. Not only does he keep the Game Master hidden but throughout the three books it is almost impossible to tell the good guys from the bad guys. This leads to an exciting conclusion and unpredictable ending.
Although this is labeled a trilogy, Anders De La Motte does leave the door open for another book.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – February 04, 2014
“Bubble” is the third book in this trilogy. The first book is “Game” and the second is “Buzz”. If you have been reading my reviews you will know that Henrik Pettersson, known as HP, has become involved in a deadly “Game” that is controlled by the Game Master. What started out as a game involving innocent pranks that paid off in much needed monetary rewards has become a “Game” involving murder.
Henrik tries to leave the “Game” but finds that not only is it difficult but he becomes involved with others that are trying to bring the Game Master down and a highly technical and long reaching organization.
In this final chapter, HP accepts one more assignment that puts not only himself but his sister in danger. HP and a group of gamers try to infiltrate the headquarters of the suspected Game Master in an attempt to bring down the organization. The organization seems to be prepared for them leading them to believe that there is a traitor among them. However, they are too far into the attempt that they must continue their assault.
The author has succeeded in all three books to keep the identity of the Game Master not only hidden but gives the reader several possibilities as to his identity. Not only does he keep the Game Master hidden but throughout the three books it is almost impossible to tell the good guys from the bad guys. This leads to an exciting conclusion and unpredictable ending.
Although this is labeled a trilogy, Anders De La Motte does leave the door open for another book.
January 25, 2014
A disappointing final part. The overuse of exclamation marks became something of a running joke, not to mention the typos and errors in the text. The story has become a case of HP being chased, or ending up unconscious and every single time he's fine, regardless of how seriously he's injured. I was disappointed with the fact that he 'died' but just as disappointed with the fact that he lived. The final book was more a case of who is screwing over who and are they really, or is it the other way around? I enjoyed the first book but it feels like the whole series lost its way after that and I was very disappointed. I reached a point where I just didn't care what was going to happen anymore, which is probably why I didn't finish the book as quickly as I could have done. And not to mention the ridiculous portrayal of mental health issues, I do not understand how or why Rebecca was supposedly depressed/anxiety. I've suffered depression (one of the milder forms) and that was definitely not depression. I've enjoyed the characters (aside from the startling issues with some of them), I was even jumping on the Henrik/Nora bandwagon until she screwed him over, and whilst the conversational tone of the writing isn't necessarily the most technically well written, it was still an enjoyable way to experience a story. I just wish that the first books arc had been the full story and the conspiracy theory didn't have another conspiracy theory on top of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2016
Екшън до дупка във финала на трилогията
(Цялото ревю е тук: https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...)
Малко неща могат да увличат в една книга, а трилогията на Андерш де ла Моте използва доста начини, за да докаже, че в модерния свят винаги е интересно и се случват неща, които могат да превземат ума, оставяйки тялото да се движи по инерция или в доста случаи да бъде управлявано от вещ кукловод. Нещата вече са толкова сложни, че на човек му иде да захвърли всичко и да се нанесе в неоткриваема къщичка в гората. След „Играта“ (https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...) и „Тръпката“ (https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...), де ла Моте спринтира, за да постави точка на екшън историята си по добър и запомнящ се начин. „Измамата“ („Сиела“, 2015, с превод на Любомир Гиздов) обаче поставя и доста въпроси, на които не може лесно да се отговори дори на 1400 страници. (Продължава в блога: https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...)
(Цялото ревю е тук: https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...)
Малко неща могат да увличат в една книга, а трилогията на Андерш де ла Моте използва доста начини, за да докаже, че в модерния свят винаги е интересно и се случват неща, които могат да превземат ума, оставяйки тялото да се движи по инерция или в доста случаи да бъде управлявано от вещ кукловод. Нещата вече са толкова сложни, че на човек му иде да захвърли всичко и да се нанесе в неоткриваема къщичка в гората. След „Играта“ (https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...) и „Тръпката“ (https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...), де ла Моте спринтира, за да постави точка на екшън историята си по добър и запомнящ се начин. „Измамата“ („Сиела“, 2015, с превод на Любомир Гиздов) обаче поставя и доста въпроси, на които не може лесно да се отговори дори на 1400 страници. (Продължава в блога: https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...)
June 20, 2020
След малко неубедителната първа част и приятната изненада,която се криеше във втората, "Измамата" е достоен финал на тази трилогия.
Последната част ми хареса най-вече заради добре изградените образи, заплетените известни и неизвестни фактори, постоянните разтърсващи обрати, нелошия опит да се предаде усещане за истинност с уместни препратки към известни места и събития, разтягането на времевия прозорец, в който се случват важни за развръзката събития,динамиката характерна за най-добрите представители на този жанр.
Не на последно място трилогията поставя съвсем актуални за обществото ни въпроси. Послания като: който притежава миналото ще управлява бъдещето...информацията е новата валута...манипулацията зарежда информацията...да си антиситемен е приемлив начин да останеш нормален... може и да са малко клиширани, но пък са реалността на нашето време. Екшън и тръпка от първата до последната страница.
Последната част ми хареса най-вече заради добре изградените образи, заплетените известни и неизвестни фактори, постоянните разтърсващи обрати, нелошия опит да се предаде усещане за истинност с уместни препратки към известни места и събития, разтягането на времевия прозорец, в който се случват важни за развръзката събития,динамиката характерна за най-добрите представители на този жанр.
Не на последно място трилогията поставя съвсем актуални за обществото ни въпроси. Послания като: който притежава миналото ще управлява бъдещето...информацията е новата валута...манипулацията зарежда информацията...да си антиситемен е приемлив начин да останеш нормален... може и да са малко клиширани, но пък са реалността на нашето време. Екшън и тръпка от първата до последната страница.
January 21, 2014
I'm not entirely sure what to think about the end of the Game trilogy. I'm relieved that it is over, and I think I mostly enjoyed it, but there was still a lot that bothered me. I was never sold on the conspiracy theory side; if it had had longer to develop, then maybe the plot of Bubble would have felt far more satisfying. It felt like the character of Rebecca fell apart at the seams. The representation of anxiety and depression, and especially the sheer disdain for it, felt offensive and forced. Henrik and his 'magic' abilities became increasingly unbelievable. Food poisoning, being shot at repeatedly, drugged with horse tranquilizers and still managing to outrun the police? I enjoy a bit of fantasy, but this wasn't a fantasy. That being said, the book doesn't let up for a minute; there's always something happening and as a consequence, that makes it something of a page-turner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2016
In the final book in this thriller trilogy the pace changes some with back-story being introduced featuring the Cold War, which brought to mind aspects of the The Millennium Trilogy. Again, the narrative moves between HP and his sister Rebecca with clever use of language linking the siblings' stories.
It was a thrilling ride with plenty of twists and turns along the way. My heart was certainly pounding for the final few chapters and I applauded de la Motte as I closed the book as I felt he'd done a sterling job in bringing the tale to a satisfactory conclusion. I would recommend the trilogy to folk who enjoy dark, complex plots with the social and economic foundation so often found in Nordic crime and thrillers.
I own a copy of the Audible Audio edition and listened to parts of this, though not the entire novel. I did read the entire library print edition.
February 8, 2014
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this trilogy and did not want to see it end! The story that began with The Game is finally wrapped up in this exciting techno-thriller. The plot is advanced, just as in the last two books, with the action going back and forth between HP and his sister, who is in law enforcement. They finally get to the bottom of who is pulling their strings and it was definitely not who or what I thought! The suspense kept me reading late into the night, needing to see what would happen next! Get ready for an action packed edge of your seat ride from Sweden. I highly recommend it, but do suggest you start with Game first! I am keeping my fingers crossed that this one makes it to the big screen! Excellent trilogy!
I loved this trilogy and did not want to see it end! The story that began with The Game is finally wrapped up in this exciting techno-thriller. The plot is advanced, just as in the last two books, with the action going back and forth between HP and his sister, who is in law enforcement. They finally get to the bottom of who is pulling their strings and it was definitely not who or what I thought! The suspense kept me reading late into the night, needing to see what would happen next! Get ready for an action packed edge of your seat ride from Sweden. I highly recommend it, but do suggest you start with Game first! I am keeping my fingers crossed that this one makes it to the big screen! Excellent trilogy!
July 30, 2015
(..)
Apesar deste ritmo louco ser interessante e nos prender do início ao fim, pelo menos a mim leva-me a perder certos factos, a confundir um pouco o que se passava e onde, porque diversos acontecimentos estavam a ocorrer em simultâneo. A certas alturas já não sabia quem era a pessoa x de quem todos estavam a falar e já não me lembrava de certos pormenores que haviam sido descritos anteriormente. Pode ser de mim e não acontecer a muitos leitores, mas no meu caso a velocidade da narrativa fez-me confundir muitos acontecimentos.
Um livro que para os amantes do género sem dúvida que será um delícia. No meu caso, deu para passar um bom bocado, mas não achei nada de especial.
Opinião em http://blocodedevaneios.blogspot.pt/2...
Apesar deste ritmo louco ser interessante e nos prender do início ao fim, pelo menos a mim leva-me a perder certos factos, a confundir um pouco o que se passava e onde, porque diversos acontecimentos estavam a ocorrer em simultâneo. A certas alturas já não sabia quem era a pessoa x de quem todos estavam a falar e já não me lembrava de certos pormenores que haviam sido descritos anteriormente. Pode ser de mim e não acontecer a muitos leitores, mas no meu caso a velocidade da narrativa fez-me confundir muitos acontecimentos.
Um livro que para os amantes do género sem dúvida que será um delícia. No meu caso, deu para passar um bom bocado, mas não achei nada de especial.
Opinião em http://blocodedevaneios.blogspot.pt/2...
March 25, 2014
This all turned out to be a bit much, with too many characters and too many things going on to keep track of what's going on. And that's not even mentioning the confusing nature of the book to begin with. There is not a likable character to be found in these books. HP in particular is completely unlikable. And somehow he manages to survive anything that happens to him, and get out of any scrape he's in. He's like a superhero, except there's no reason why he should be. It's just that's the way things needed to go for the author to advance his story. It was all way too out there to be believable in the slightest.
October 21, 2015
Jag har ju alltid gillat konspirationsteorier och teknik (specifikt IT) är ett av mina största intressen. Två saker som verkligen tillgodoses med hela den här serien, i vilken [bubble] är den tredje och sista. Min största undran när jag började läsa var om jag skulle få svar på alla frågor jag samlat på mig under vägen. Läs mer på http://bokslut.blogspot.se/2015/10/bu...
April 30, 2013
This is one of the best thrillers I've read recently. I wouldn't have thought it possible for Mr de la Motte actually to improve over his first two novels, but in my opinion with "bubble" he has done just that. His best yet.
December 11, 2015
Noo, na taki obrót spraw, to nie byłem przygotowany... ;) niezłe zakończenie trylogii
July 2, 2020
Denna triologi gillade jag, vilket var oväntat :)
April 20, 2019
Τελειώνοντας την τριλογία, ένα έχω να πω... What???
Απίστευτα γρήγορο. Η μία ανατροπή μετά την άλλη. Ο ορισμός του ''τίποτα δεν είναι αυτό που φαίνεται''. Εκεί που είσαι σίγουρος ότι έχεις καταλήξει σωστά εκεί στα τινάζει όλα στον αέρα. Κυριολεκτικά. Δυστοπικό θρίλερ που κάλλιστα μπορεί να συμβαίνει σήμερα.
Τα βιβλία τα πήρα κινούμενη από την περίληψη του πρώτου μέρους που μου θύμισε μια σχετική ταινία που είχα δει. 13 sins (13 αμαρτίες κατά το ελληνικότερον). Την οποία, προσωπικά, την βρήκα εκπληκτική κυρίως ως ιδέα. Και την απόλαυσα. Ε... Τα βιβλία το απογείωσαν το θέμα. Μια τριλογία που την διάβασα χωρίς ανάσα.
Απίστευτα γρήγορο. Η μία ανατροπή μετά την άλλη. Ο ορισμός του ''τίποτα δεν είναι αυτό που φαίνεται''. Εκεί που είσαι σίγουρος ότι έχεις καταλήξει σωστά εκεί στα τινάζει όλα στον αέρα. Κυριολεκτικά. Δυστοπικό θρίλερ που κάλλιστα μπορεί να συμβαίνει σήμερα.
Τα βιβλία τα πήρα κινούμενη από την περίληψη του πρώτου μέρους που μου θύμισε μια σχετική ταινία που είχα δει. 13 sins (13 αμαρτίες κατά το ελληνικότερον). Την οποία, προσωπικά, την βρήκα εκπληκτική κυρίως ως ιδέα. Και την απόλαυσα. Ε... Τα βιβλία το απογείωσαν το θέμα. Μια τριλογία που την διάβασα χωρίς ανάσα.
January 9, 2018
Pirmās 200 lapaspuses diezgan garlaicīgas. Tomēr beigas ņipras. Ja visa grāmata būtu tik dinamiska, būtu “uz ūsiņu”.
February 28, 2019
βασικα 4,5* .πολυ καλο και το τριτο βιβλιο...δραση που δεν σταματαει ποτε ανατροπες ...γενικα ενα θριλερ συνομωσιας που δεν σε αφηνει σε ησυχια...
February 12, 2016
„[geim]” – tak, „[buzz]” – tak, „[bubble]” – nie-eee.
To, co w poprzednich częściach trylogii można było ścierpieć, tu zostało już wyeksponowane do granic mojej wytrzymałości. HP jaki jest – każdy wie. Raczej ciężko pomylić go z członkiem Mensy. Wydaje mi się jednak, że po tych wszystkich przeżyciach z poprzednich części mógłby chociaż minimalnie…. hm.. dojrzeć? Tymczasem rzuca fakami na prawo i lewo, wciąż zachowując się jak rozpieszczony nastolatek.
Przy okazji warto wspomnieć o nadmiarze fraz w języku angielskim. Tytuły rozdziałów – ok. Zwroty, które w języku angielskim brzmią „fajniej” niż w polskim – ok. Ale w tekście aż roi się od zdań czy wyrażeń, dla których spokojnie można byłoby znaleźć chwytliwe odpowiedniki w języku polskim.
Absurdalny wydał mi się początek. HP pisze maila opisującego zdarzenia z dwóch poprzednich części do osoby, która o tym wszystkim wie, a nawet pomagała mu w „[buzzie]”. Rozumiem, trzeba było przybliżyć nowym odbiorcom zarys fabuły, a fanom serii przypomnieć, co się działo wcześniej… Ale, hej – my tak na serio? Naprawdę nie można było wymyślić nic innego?
Poza tym jest całkiem w porządku. Powieść jest wciągająca, autor nie marnuje czasu na zbędne opisy, a każdy kolejny akapit popycha fabułę do przodu, porywając za sobą czytelnika. Część zdarzeń da się przewidzieć (chociażby na podstawie wcześniejszych części), inne to totalny odjazd. Autora poniosła ułańska fantazja, ale im dalej w las, tym ciekawiej splata ze sobą wątki. W zasadzie ostatnich 200 stron ratuje całą powieść. Klimatycznie są żywcem wyjęte z „[geima]”i „[buzza]”, co powitałam z niemałą ulgą. Nie wystarczy to jednak, żeby zatrzeć niesmak z początku książki – a szkoda, bo zakończenie jest rewelacyjne.
Jestem trochę rozczarowana, że tak nierówną pozycją autor kończy świetną, wciągającą i oryginalną serię. Pomysł był dobry, tylko nie zatrybiło wykonanie. Nie chcę wierzyć w to, że panu de la Motte uderzyła sodówa i stał się łasy na sławę, sławę i jeszcze raz pieniądze. Wystarczyłoby poświęcić powieści trochę więcej czasu i bardziej ją dopracować, a nie robić sobie fotki w okularach przeciwsłonecznych na tylną okładkę (yup, jednak sodówa). Apeluję więc – jeśli jest to Wasze pierwsze spotkanie z trylogią, odłóżcie grzecznie „[bubble]” na półkę i niech czeka na swoją kolej. Warto czytać cykl chronologicznie, nie tylko ze względu na fabułę, ale też i na poziom tekstu. Tylko jedno kryterium może przemawiać na korzyść „[bubble]” – okładka, która prezentuje się dużo lepiej niż w przypadku dwóch pierwszych części.
To, co w poprzednich częściach trylogii można było ścierpieć, tu zostało już wyeksponowane do granic mojej wytrzymałości. HP jaki jest – każdy wie. Raczej ciężko pomylić go z członkiem Mensy. Wydaje mi się jednak, że po tych wszystkich przeżyciach z poprzednich części mógłby chociaż minimalnie…. hm.. dojrzeć? Tymczasem rzuca fakami na prawo i lewo, wciąż zachowując się jak rozpieszczony nastolatek.
Przy okazji warto wspomnieć o nadmiarze fraz w języku angielskim. Tytuły rozdziałów – ok. Zwroty, które w języku angielskim brzmią „fajniej” niż w polskim – ok. Ale w tekście aż roi się od zdań czy wyrażeń, dla których spokojnie można byłoby znaleźć chwytliwe odpowiedniki w języku polskim.
Absurdalny wydał mi się początek. HP pisze maila opisującego zdarzenia z dwóch poprzednich części do osoby, która o tym wszystkim wie, a nawet pomagała mu w „[buzzie]”. Rozumiem, trzeba było przybliżyć nowym odbiorcom zarys fabuły, a fanom serii przypomnieć, co się działo wcześniej… Ale, hej – my tak na serio? Naprawdę nie można było wymyślić nic innego?
Poza tym jest całkiem w porządku. Powieść jest wciągająca, autor nie marnuje czasu na zbędne opisy, a każdy kolejny akapit popycha fabułę do przodu, porywając za sobą czytelnika. Część zdarzeń da się przewidzieć (chociażby na podstawie wcześniejszych części), inne to totalny odjazd. Autora poniosła ułańska fantazja, ale im dalej w las, tym ciekawiej splata ze sobą wątki. W zasadzie ostatnich 200 stron ratuje całą powieść. Klimatycznie są żywcem wyjęte z „[geima]”i „[buzza]”, co powitałam z niemałą ulgą. Nie wystarczy to jednak, żeby zatrzeć niesmak z początku książki – a szkoda, bo zakończenie jest rewelacyjne.
Jestem trochę rozczarowana, że tak nierówną pozycją autor kończy świetną, wciągającą i oryginalną serię. Pomysł był dobry, tylko nie zatrybiło wykonanie. Nie chcę wierzyć w to, że panu de la Motte uderzyła sodówa i stał się łasy na sławę, sławę i jeszcze raz pieniądze. Wystarczyłoby poświęcić powieści trochę więcej czasu i bardziej ją dopracować, a nie robić sobie fotki w okularach przeciwsłonecznych na tylną okładkę (yup, jednak sodówa). Apeluję więc – jeśli jest to Wasze pierwsze spotkanie z trylogią, odłóżcie grzecznie „[bubble]” na półkę i niech czeka na swoją kolej. Warto czytać cykl chronologicznie, nie tylko ze względu na fabułę, ale też i na poziom tekstu. Tylko jedno kryterium może przemawiać na korzyść „[bubble]” – okładka, która prezentuje się dużo lepiej niż w przypadku dwóch pierwszych części.
July 18, 2016
An average end to an average series that I only stuck with out of sheer curiosity.
Ok, it wasn't all bad. Towards the final part of the book there was genuine mystique of who was telling the truth and who was being played. Sadly this kind of intrigue was few and far between as the plot twists felt so obvious at times that they might as well have had footnotes attached stating *WHAT I'M SUGGESTING HERE ISN'T REALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING!!!
The dialogue between the characters in this one deteriorated dramatically as well. I got so sick and tired of everyone being stunned into a stutter by a shocking question of revelation. Seriously, if you made a drinking game out of it you'd need a new liver in no time.
A negative for me but if you enjoy reading about the Cold War I'm sure you'll really enjoy this as large sections of the book are dedicated to it.
The ending wasn't exactly the revelation it should have been. Yes we found out who the Game Master was and his overall plans but the part played by the main character's father felt almost glazed over. There was also room left for a forth book. Personally I hope it doesn't come to pass but if it did I wouldn't read it.
I read a review here stating this is Swedish thriller writing at its best. If that's the case it leaves a lot of room for improvement. It felt like the author had seen Jason Bourne way too many times and was inspired to give it a go writing an espionage thriller
Ok, it wasn't all bad. Towards the final part of the book there was genuine mystique of who was telling the truth and who was being played. Sadly this kind of intrigue was few and far between as the plot twists felt so obvious at times that they might as well have had footnotes attached stating *WHAT I'M SUGGESTING HERE ISN'T REALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING!!!
The dialogue between the characters in this one deteriorated dramatically as well. I got so sick and tired of everyone being stunned into a stutter by a shocking question of revelation. Seriously, if you made a drinking game out of it you'd need a new liver in no time.
A negative for me but if you enjoy reading about the Cold War I'm sure you'll really enjoy this as large sections of the book are dedicated to it.
The ending wasn't exactly the revelation it should have been. Yes we found out who the Game Master was and his overall plans but the part played by the main character's father felt almost glazed over. There was also room left for a forth book. Personally I hope it doesn't come to pass but if it did I wouldn't read it.
I read a review here stating this is Swedish thriller writing at its best. If that's the case it leaves a lot of room for improvement. It felt like the author had seen Jason Bourne way too many times and was inspired to give it a go writing an espionage thriller
May 7, 2014
So this is the third and final book in this Swedish thrill-ogy. It ties up everything that has been introduced in the first two books and definitely keeps you guessing. It's always pretty clear who the bad guy is, but you aren't really sure why or what is really going on.
One interesting thing I learned from this book is that in 1986, the PM of Sweden was assassinated, and they still haven't solved the case. It comes up as a plot point in this book, kind of. I think there were certainly references to Swedish culture and geography that I didn't "get," but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
One interesting thing I learned from this book is that in 1986, the PM of Sweden was assassinated, and they still haven't solved the case. It comes up as a plot point in this book, kind of. I think there were certainly references to Swedish culture and geography that I didn't "get," but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
January 12, 2014
I can see how this book might appeal to some readers, but it didn't really work for me. It took a while for me to get into the story (granted, I wasn't able to read the first two books). The storyline was too gritty, and the main leads were downright unpalatable more times than not. Also, the plotting wasn't as tight as this concept needed. I admit the ending had some good suspense.
I can only give this 2.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine for the February 2014 issue: http://affairedecoeur.com.
I can only give this 2.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine for the February 2014 issue: http://affairedecoeur.com.
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