What do you think?
World of Shawn
This is the story of a lonely kid who develops a computer game, using what little of quantum physics that he has read, that renders game levels from maps of any format; the result is just a little too realistic. When he tries to combine this "World of Shawn" with a favorite game of his childhood, "World of One," he soon finds Worlds colliding, to the detriment of his friends. Shawn must step up and rectify things, rescue the princess and save the World.
The interaction and constant dialogue between the characters in this story, as well as the humor and action intertwined, have drawn comparison to that in such works as "The Lord of the Rings," "Harry Potter," and "Narnia," so if a reader has an interest in any of those, as well as an interest in video games, either in the past or the present, it would be a safe bet that they would enjoy getting to know Shawn and his World!
~~
"My wife bought this book for me and thought as a gamer that I might like it! Man was she right! Very exciting, non stop thrill ride. Very well thought out and constructed. Plot lines all make sense, and all are reoccurring thought the entire book. The book flowed really nicely and ends with some really good sequences tying the whole experience to a thrilling conclusion!!! Overall great read!!! Can't wait for this to become a summer blockbuster movie!!"
-- 5 stars "GREAT READ FOR ANYONE WHO READS SIFI, OR HAS EVER PLAYED A VIDEO GAME :O)" By photonut
"You'll be able to thoroughly enjoy this imaginative tale...I think it'll be liked, and possibly loved."
-- 5 stars "you'll be able to thoroughly enjoy this imaginative tale" By kholoblicin "R.w.Foster"
"Awesome...I found this book very well written....I think it was done a little bit too well,but I don't think blowing minds is illegal."
-- 4 stars "Awesome" By Michael Johnson
The interaction and constant dialogue between the characters in this story, as well as the humor and action intertwined, have drawn comparison to that in such works as "The Lord of the Rings," "Harry Potter," and "Narnia," so if a reader has an interest in any of those, as well as an interest in video games, either in the past or the present, it would be a safe bet that they would enjoy getting to know Shawn and his World!
~~
"My wife bought this book for me and thought as a gamer that I might like it! Man was she right! Very exciting, non stop thrill ride. Very well thought out and constructed. Plot lines all make sense, and all are reoccurring thought the entire book. The book flowed really nicely and ends with some really good sequences tying the whole experience to a thrilling conclusion!!! Overall great read!!! Can't wait for this to become a summer blockbuster movie!!"
-- 5 stars "GREAT READ FOR ANYONE WHO READS SIFI, OR HAS EVER PLAYED A VIDEO GAME :O)" By photonut
"You'll be able to thoroughly enjoy this imaginative tale...I think it'll be liked, and possibly loved."
-- 5 stars "you'll be able to thoroughly enjoy this imaginative tale" By kholoblicin "R.w.Foster"
"Awesome...I found this book very well written....I think it was done a little bit too well,but I don't think blowing minds is illegal."
-- 4 stars "Awesome" By Michael Johnson
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2013
About the author
Jordan M. Ehrlich
2 books1 followerI am a software developer in Wichita, KS, and have my Master's in Computer Science from the University of Kansas. I am divergent, as I have both a mathematical, computer-driven side, as well as a verbal, literature-driven side. I enjoy humor immensely, as well as history and, most of all, my faith in Jesus Christ is extremely important to me. "World of Shawn," my first Young Adult novel, is my attempt to combine all of these into one story.
I am a big fan of "Harry Potter," "LOTR," "Narnia," and "The Hunger Games," as well as classic TV such as "The Three Stooges," Don Knotts, and "Laurel & Hardy"; their influences are apparent in my work.
I am a big fan of "Harry Potter," "LOTR," "Narnia," and "The Hunger Games," as well as classic TV such as "The Three Stooges," Don Knotts, and "Laurel & Hardy"; their influences are apparent in my work.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 18, 2015
I received this title as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaways.
Two Sentence Synopsis:
Shawn’s attempts to create a fantasy sandbox game using a map-rendering program go disastrously wrong when he discovers that the program seems to be creating its own reality. With his two good friends by his side, Shawn must go into the game to try to tame the beast he’s created.
Muster Up the Motivation because:
This is a nicely original take on the whole “falling into a parallel universe” tale with a definite skew toward the young adult gamer community. I found the plot to be reasonably tricky to follow at some points as multiple versions of characters are spawned from the malfunctioning program, but overall the story is a fun read, featuring all the banter and humour one would expect from young lads attempting to kill the (virtual) dragon and win the heart of the princess. The author does take some pains to explain various bits of the programming to the uninitiated (ie: me), which I appreciated, but if you are into that sort of thing to begin with, this book should provide a light, non-digital diversion from the gamersphere.
Two Sentence Synopsis:
Shawn’s attempts to create a fantasy sandbox game using a map-rendering program go disastrously wrong when he discovers that the program seems to be creating its own reality. With his two good friends by his side, Shawn must go into the game to try to tame the beast he’s created.
Muster Up the Motivation because:
This is a nicely original take on the whole “falling into a parallel universe” tale with a definite skew toward the young adult gamer community. I found the plot to be reasonably tricky to follow at some points as multiple versions of characters are spawned from the malfunctioning program, but overall the story is a fun read, featuring all the banter and humour one would expect from young lads attempting to kill the (virtual) dragon and win the heart of the princess. The author does take some pains to explain various bits of the programming to the uninitiated (ie: me), which I appreciated, but if you are into that sort of thing to begin with, this book should provide a light, non-digital diversion from the gamersphere.
December 16, 2015
I won this as a e-book from a site called library thing. The author recommended that I put a review on this site. I found that the author had a good imagination for this book. I also liked the variety of characters in this book. I hope to read more books by this author.
February 11, 2016
I received a copy of this book from the author and Library Thing. This is a book about a boy who develops a video game that literally comes to life! I thought this was a well-written, action packed story and I look forward to more books by Jordan M. Ehrlich!
June 19, 2017
One review said that this is a nice original take on parallel universe. I do agree. A parallel universe where the characters in your favorite video game come to life and become part of your reality. I think it would be nice if a handsome prince or hero comes to life and becomes your hero. But what if it's dragons and evil villains wrecking havoc? Doesn't sound fun, does it?
If you are into game developing and online gaming, you would definitely like or have a blast with this book. Me? I was not so keen. I admit, the idea is great. Very unique. But I was just not so sold on it. One reason is that it was a bit hard to keep up or it gets confusing when you are dealing with multiple clones of the fictional video game character. There were times that I was lost on who was being referred to--the real life Shawn or the video game character. The distinction was not so clear so it was easy to get lost and not follow the movement of the characters. I wish the writing was a little smoother so the confusion could have been avoided. I did get the gist of the whole story but I wished it was more. It just did not allow me to get involved.
I give this 2/5 computer monitors. I guess, this story is just not for me. I was not drawn into this parallel universe and I was not moved to participate. I guess, being unable to clearly and thoroughly picture out the scenes in this story contributed to it.
Thanks again, Library Thing for the review copy.
Quantum physics, especially quantum computing, is much an unknown branch of science. It turns existing physics and science on its head; the possibilities are exciting--extremely efficient computing...teleportation, even time travel; we really don't know what all this can or can't do.
- Jordan M. Elrich, World of Shawn -
If you are into game developing and online gaming, you would definitely like or have a blast with this book. Me? I was not so keen. I admit, the idea is great. Very unique. But I was just not so sold on it. One reason is that it was a bit hard to keep up or it gets confusing when you are dealing with multiple clones of the fictional video game character. There were times that I was lost on who was being referred to--the real life Shawn or the video game character. The distinction was not so clear so it was easy to get lost and not follow the movement of the characters. I wish the writing was a little smoother so the confusion could have been avoided. I did get the gist of the whole story but I wished it was more. It just did not allow me to get involved.
I give this 2/5 computer monitors. I guess, this story is just not for me. I was not drawn into this parallel universe and I was not moved to participate. I guess, being unable to clearly and thoroughly picture out the scenes in this story contributed to it.
Thanks again, Library Thing for the review copy.
Quantum physics, especially quantum computing, is much an unknown branch of science. It turns existing physics and science on its head; the possibilities are exciting--extremely efficient computing...teleportation, even time travel; we really don't know what all this can or can't do.
- Jordan M. Elrich, World of Shawn -
April 1, 2017
This was a unique story. The author used his knowledge of computer programming in the story to make it a better read. Don't skip past this one. buy it. you will enjoy it.
November 25, 2016
World of Shawn was a fun and fascinating read. I was intrigued by the comparison to LOTR, Narnia, and Harry Potter, some of my favorite books, and found Ehrlich’s offer of a new world too good an offer to pass up. He succeeded brilliantly. I loved how he found a way to import maps into his game, making it possible for future users to shape the game to their own specifications. Even more than that, I loved the connection between the video game worlds and the real world, making the video game maps accessible in the real world and the real world a part of the game, simultaneously. Well done.
I also enjoyed the interaction between the two boys, Shawn and Victor. Their geek-out moments were what I would expect from my brother and other friends who are better at in-game interactions than navigating the outside world. Both the dialogues and pranks were convincing. Another aspect I thought was well written was the way Sarah quoted scripture as she battled Abaddon. It was surprising to see him quoting it back at her as well. I have only seen John Bunyan and Madeleine L’Engle do this as seamlessly. I wish there was a better explanation (perhaps to Sarah) of who Abaddon was and why scripture mattered in this scenario.
I do have several critiques, however. I agree with many of the other reviewers that there was too much technical language for those of us who do not understand computer programming or quantum physics. Perhaps this could be explained a little more thoroughly or some details omitted. I was not convinced by how quickly Sarah was able to forgive the offenses against her or how easily she was able to believe her boyfriend was actually the bad guy. I’m sure every guy wishes girls were so simple and reasonable, but I find this highly unlikely. I think she would have stayed ticked off much longer and needed both time and additional explanation to accept that the world was so different than she had known it to be. Similarly, the way Steven was written out of the story was a little too convenient, and also unclear. It sounded like initially Shawn didn’t know what had happened to him, but then later he was afraid to tell Sarah. Details like that need to be clear and consistent, and a little more complicated. Why did the dog come back, but not Steven? Finally, chapter 18 and the epilogue didn’t really fit with the rest of the story and made the ending hard to follow and slightly awkward. This would have been great to introduce as book 2, stretching out the telling of this part of the story, and leaving the book with Chapter 17 as the happy ending.
I genuinely hope Ehrlich continues writing and am looking forward to reading more of his imaginative stories in the future.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I also enjoyed the interaction between the two boys, Shawn and Victor. Their geek-out moments were what I would expect from my brother and other friends who are better at in-game interactions than navigating the outside world. Both the dialogues and pranks were convincing. Another aspect I thought was well written was the way Sarah quoted scripture as she battled Abaddon. It was surprising to see him quoting it back at her as well. I have only seen John Bunyan and Madeleine L’Engle do this as seamlessly. I wish there was a better explanation (perhaps to Sarah) of who Abaddon was and why scripture mattered in this scenario.
I do have several critiques, however. I agree with many of the other reviewers that there was too much technical language for those of us who do not understand computer programming or quantum physics. Perhaps this could be explained a little more thoroughly or some details omitted. I was not convinced by how quickly Sarah was able to forgive the offenses against her or how easily she was able to believe her boyfriend was actually the bad guy. I’m sure every guy wishes girls were so simple and reasonable, but I find this highly unlikely. I think she would have stayed ticked off much longer and needed both time and additional explanation to accept that the world was so different than she had known it to be. Similarly, the way Steven was written out of the story was a little too convenient, and also unclear. It sounded like initially Shawn didn’t know what had happened to him, but then later he was afraid to tell Sarah. Details like that need to be clear and consistent, and a little more complicated. Why did the dog come back, but not Steven? Finally, chapter 18 and the epilogue didn’t really fit with the rest of the story and made the ending hard to follow and slightly awkward. This would have been great to introduce as book 2, stretching out the telling of this part of the story, and leaving the book with Chapter 17 as the happy ending.
I genuinely hope Ehrlich continues writing and am looking forward to reading more of his imaginative stories in the future.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2015
I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for a review.
The plot of this book was the first thing that spiked my attention. Any book that involves gaming has my good favour even before I start reading.
In short this book is about a boy who creates a video game that mirrors ( with the addition of some high-fantasy elements) & affects real life. In this game he has to save his crush, princess sarah and save his friends.
It started off to be a good easy read that was just about intriguing enough for me but then the further along in the "game" we went the more difficult it became to keep track of everything. Because of the jumbled timelines everything became very confusing and less coherent.
I rated this book 3 stars because the subject and overall feel of this book was totally up my ally.
The plot of this book was the first thing that spiked my attention. Any book that involves gaming has my good favour even before I start reading.
In short this book is about a boy who creates a video game that mirrors ( with the addition of some high-fantasy elements) & affects real life. In this game he has to save his crush, princess sarah and save his friends.
It started off to be a good easy read that was just about intriguing enough for me but then the further along in the "game" we went the more difficult it became to keep track of everything. Because of the jumbled timelines everything became very confusing and less coherent.
I rated this book 3 stars because the subject and overall feel of this book was totally up my ally.
January 7, 2015
In this story, a geek is writing a computer program using quantum physics as you do (yeah, let's just handwave the science; I personally found it unbelievable, but I'm no expert) and discovers that the virtual world not only mirrors real life but that it affects real life as well.
Through a series of adventures, Shawn saves the princess, gets the girl and ends up, mostly, happily ever after. However, the timeline of how this happens is all messed up, due to "bugs" in his software, the possible intercession of God, and the ineptness of the author in notifying us when the timeline changes, what it changed and why it changed.
Still, an enjoyable read, if a bit thin.
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Through a series of adventures, Shawn saves the princess, gets the girl and ends up, mostly, happily ever after. However, the timeline of how this happens is all messed up, due to "bugs" in his software, the possible intercession of God, and the ineptness of the author in notifying us when the timeline changes, what it changed and why it changed.
Still, an enjoyable read, if a bit thin.
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2017
Not available on KU so probably got it from freebie site or even a couple that get books to read for possible review now and then hmmm LibraryThing maybe will check.
Suppose it's a LitRPG type story, so could be for even teens, didn't seem to be anything 'bad' and/or graphic, but nice entertaining story.Bit strange story with even stranger ending, but again entertaining. Like reading this type thing, hate trying to figure out what to say for no spoiler review.
Date is wrong, for some reason when pulled up review to fix it, it blanked the date.
Suppose it's a LitRPG type story, so could be for even teens, didn't seem to be anything 'bad' and/or graphic, but nice entertaining story.Bit strange story with even stranger ending, but again entertaining. Like reading this type thing, hate trying to figure out what to say for no spoiler review.
Date is wrong, for some reason when pulled up review to fix it, it blanked the date.
August 18, 2016
A must-read for video game lovers! I got this book free, in exchange for an honest review, and I couldn't be happier! Shawn is a delightfully nerdy character dabbling in game design and quantum physics. His scarcity of friends and lack of "coolness" make him an instantly likable protagonist. Kids aged middle-school and up with any interest in gaming will feel an affinity for Shawn and his best friend, Victor. I can't wait for my 7th grade son to read this! Buying him a copy today!
April 20, 2016
Interesting read. I won this as an early reviewer on LibraryThing. First off I'm a dinosaur when it comes to tech things but this was done in a way that even made some sense to me. Very creative combining real life with a computer game! Cute characters and nice plot.
January 2, 2016
I feel bad for giving this a 1 start but I just didn't get it.
I'm a nerd and it just was so boring and wasn't interesting at all sadly.
I'm a nerd and it just was so boring and wasn't interesting at all sadly.
August 18, 2016
Pretty good read nice plot and story. Glad I had an opportunity to enjoy it
June 13, 2017
This is one of the newer genre RPGlit which I like very much. This particular story was interesting and well developed but it has a very convoluted plot with multiple re-spawned characters. Plus there is technical issues involving Quantum Physics which was a little confusing to me. I enjoyed the story and it was still possible for my non-tech self to understand what was happening even though I didn't follow how. Of course it is fiction and none of it could actually happen (I hope). I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author along with a request for an honest review.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author along with a request for an honest review.
March 2, 2024
I've started this book several times over the years but never make it past chapter 5. Shawn, a middle schooler, comes up with a realistic computer game called World of Shawn. Unfortunately, this book just didn't speak to me. I had been hoping to like it, as I received it for free in exchange for a review from LibraryThing.
September 17, 2016
I liked the book about a whizkid who is an outcast at school.
The parts about how he creates new code in a computergame were too difficult for me.
The game itself is quite bloody.
His not-yet girlfriend could be a bit less sweet.
I quite enjoyed the book, even though the writer lost me at the end of the book.
I liked his password for the game.
The book seems to be for adolescent boys, age 13-17. Finally a book with boys' talk. I do not mind so very much that I did not understand everything, as long as the boy readers do.
The parts about how he creates new code in a computergame were too difficult for me.
The game itself is quite bloody.
His not-yet girlfriend could be a bit less sweet.
I quite enjoyed the book, even though the writer lost me at the end of the book.
I liked his password for the game.
The book seems to be for adolescent boys, age 13-17. Finally a book with boys' talk. I do not mind so very much that I did not understand everything, as long as the boy readers do.
March 20, 2016
World of Shawn by Jordan M Ehrlich is a fun sci-fi book that seems to be more for teens but adults will like it too. It blends "real" world and "game" world together so those gamers out there will really like this one! It had a bullied geek writing quantum physic game design code for a video game. It got confusing and unbelievable, but yeah, it is sci-fi! It was entertaining! Cute, short book, worth the read. I won this on LibraryThing and I am glad I had the chance to read it.
November 26, 2013
Hi guys, I just wanted to share this thread that I've started explaining the Epilogue, because it's intentionally mysterious, and I want to make sure that everyone gets full enjoyment out of my book. Thanks! :
******* SPOILER ALERT!!! ********
http://www.amazon.com/Epilogue-Explan...
******* SPOILER ALERT!!! ********
http://www.amazon.com/Epilogue-Explan...
July 20, 2016
I enjoyed this book ... really liked the characters and plot. It does need some reviewing though, to make it read smoother. Toward the end, I was a bit confused about the why's and how's of the events. But a quick, entertaining read.
NOTE: I received a free copy of the book from Library Thing.
NOTE: I received a free copy of the book from Library Thing.
December 1, 2016
I liked the first half of this book, but reading the last 30 pages,i got really lost. I felt like i missed a few chapters and it got really confusing.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews