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In Real Life
Fifteen-year-old math prodigy Seth Gordon knows exactly what he wants to do with his life—play video games. Every spare minute is devoted to honing his skills at Starfare, the world's most popular computer game. His goal: South Korea, where the top pros are rich and famous. But the best players train all day, while Seth has school and a job and divorced parents who agree on only one thing: "Get off that damn computer." Plus there's a new distraction named Hannah, an aspiring photographer who actually seems to understand his obsession.
While Seth mopes about his tournament results and mixed signals from Hannah, Team Anaconda, one of the leading Korean pro squads, sees something special. Before he knows it, it's goodbye Kansas, goodbye Hannah, and hello to the strange new world of Korea. But the reality is more complicated than the fantasy, as he faces cultural shock, disgruntled teammates, and giant pots of sour-smelling kimchi.
What happens next surprises Seth. Slowly, he comes to make new friends, and discovers what might be a breakthrough, mathematical solution to the challenges of Starcraft. Delving deeper into the formulas takes him in an unexpected direction, one that might just give him a new focus—and reunite him with Hannah.
While Seth mopes about his tournament results and mixed signals from Hannah, Team Anaconda, one of the leading Korean pro squads, sees something special. Before he knows it, it's goodbye Kansas, goodbye Hannah, and hello to the strange new world of Korea. But the reality is more complicated than the fantasy, as he faces cultural shock, disgruntled teammates, and giant pots of sour-smelling kimchi.
What happens next surprises Seth. Slowly, he comes to make new friends, and discovers what might be a breakthrough, mathematical solution to the challenges of Starcraft. Delving deeper into the formulas takes him in an unexpected direction, one that might just give him a new focus—and reunite him with Hannah.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2014
14 people are currently reading
599 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Tabak
3 books15 followersLawrence Tabak has been writing for publication since his student days at The University of Iowa where his early work appeared in The Des Moines Register, The Iowan, The Cedar Rapids Gazette and World Tennis Magazine. He has written for numerous regional and national publications including Salon.com, themillions.com, Fast Company, the in-flight magazines for American and United, Forbes.com, The New York Times, Tennis Magazine, Delacorte Review, and The Atlantic Monthly. His Foxconned book began as a series of investigative stories for Belt Magazine, The American Prospect and Madison's Capital Times. The Belt stories received a "Best of 2017" recognition from Longreads.com His 2014 novel IN REAL LIFE told the story of a young computer gaming prodigy and his journey into professional esports. He is the father of two sons. He and his wife Diane live in Madison, Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
July 10, 2014
In a world dominated by YA books on and about girls, In Real Life stands out. My son, who is 12, mostly only wants to read Rick Riordan and Graphic Novels; finding books he is interested in outside of fantasy is difficult. The main character Seth is an avid gamer (much like my son) to the dismay of his parents (I try to grit my teeth and bear it). Even though he's a math genius, all he cares about is gaming, and becoming a pro Egamer. From Kansas to Korea, Seth follows his dream...and I don't want to spoil the rest.
I was thrilled to be given this advance copy via net galley, and can not wait for it to be published to give to him! This is also good for girls, as this has a strong female character (and it gives insight into what is going on in heads of gamers).
I was thrilled to be given this advance copy via net galley, and can not wait for it to be published to give to him! This is also good for girls, as this has a strong female character (and it gives insight into what is going on in heads of gamers).
November 5, 2014
This is a trimmed down version of my review, to view the full review visit The Book Ramble.
I received a copy of this book from Tuttle Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Seth is a high school student turned pro-gamer who moves to South Korea to pursue his dreams of gaming stardom. He leave behind his family and a brand new girlfriend in hopes of becoming a pro-gamer. The book deals with Seth's pre-move challenges of breaking into the industry and what faces him when he arrives in Korea. The book is divided into two parts: Kansas and Korea.
This book had a lot of potential, I just don't think that it lived up to the potential. I found it often times confusing, dull, and poorly written. The concept of this book is really intriguing because professional gaming isn't something you see a lot of books about, and you don't see a lot of gamer characters portrayed as cool or on the level of professionals. I thought this book would correct this trend, it really didn't.
Seth wasn't a particularly likeable character to me. He is something of a Mary Sue type character, whiny about not getting girls, gets a girl, only thinks about sex, and then whines about not being good at anything. But is pro-level at gaming and is in university math classes in high school. None of which really made sense. There wasn't any depth to his character at all and he was very one dimensional. The fact is I found most of the characters very one dimensional in this book which was a huge disappointment.
One of the big things that really bothered me about Seth was that he's always looking down on professional gamers, even though he is one. He refers to other gamers pretty frequently in terms similar to "losers" which really seemed inconsistent with his own desire to be recognized by his parents as pursuing a realistic and worthwhile career in the gaming industry. I think this was one of the many situations in which Tabak relied pretty heavily on stereotype rather than reality. This made Seth even more unlikeable to me, and left a bad taste in my mouth.
There's a lot of contemplation (whining is a little more accurate) on Seth's part about the fact that Korean's don't understand American culture. He doesn't seem to care that he doesn't try to understand Korean culture at all. Sure his reception isn't great when he arrives in Korea but the way he looks at everyone in Korea is like they're below him and like they think they're so superior but he's still better than them. His whole attitude was just annoying to me because it just feeds into his whiny Mary Sue personality.
I found the representation of Korea and Koreans rather questionable and inconsistent with my own experiences. Perhaps it's because I was fresh off my own trip to Korea that this was something I paid so much attention to, but it really bothered me. The Korean characters are all more or less caricatures of the stereotypical "Asian". They didn't speak English, didn't like foreigners, wanted to know all about "American girls", or seemed like weasley business men. Not good.
The writing in this book was subpar in my opinion. I found the voice really lacking. It sounded like it was written by a middle aged man trying too hard to sound young and hip. The slang used is dated and awkward. This led to a lot of awkward dialogue choices and confusing phrasing throughout the book.
Further to this, the pacing of the book and the cause-and-effect timeline in the book didn't really make sense to me. Seth's parents, who are very hesitant to let him go and meet the team initially, simply let him fly off to Korea without much discussion. This just seemed too convenient and suggests some laziness on the part of the writer to me. This really stood out to me as a huge inconsistency in the characters as had been established previously in the book and bothered me for quite a while. I also found the book made these grand leaps in action, take for example his climb to fame, he is famous very suddenly, very quickly, and it just seems rather nonsensical to me personally. There's no growth or development everything is just leaps from place to place at a really rapid pace.
To sort of round this all up I want to discuss the ending of this book. I don't want to include any spoilers, but it wasn't good. I found it kind of summed up the whole book badly. It reinforced the overall xenophobic attitude of the book and the representation of Koreans as xenophobic too. It was just...bad.
I think I could go on for ages about the things I didn't like about this book. I've already done more than enough of that though. There are limited pros in this book for me. The concept is good, though as I've mentioned poorly delivered. The book is an easy read, very lighthearted. It was, for me, not a quick read because there was so much about it that annoyed me, but it was easy to read when I wasn't annoyed. I think a lot of the things that annoyed me about the book would be easily overlooked by most readers, so it might be a faster read for those people. I cannot recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book from Tuttle Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Seth is a high school student turned pro-gamer who moves to South Korea to pursue his dreams of gaming stardom. He leave behind his family and a brand new girlfriend in hopes of becoming a pro-gamer. The book deals with Seth's pre-move challenges of breaking into the industry and what faces him when he arrives in Korea. The book is divided into two parts: Kansas and Korea.
This book had a lot of potential, I just don't think that it lived up to the potential. I found it often times confusing, dull, and poorly written. The concept of this book is really intriguing because professional gaming isn't something you see a lot of books about, and you don't see a lot of gamer characters portrayed as cool or on the level of professionals. I thought this book would correct this trend, it really didn't.
Seth wasn't a particularly likeable character to me. He is something of a Mary Sue type character, whiny about not getting girls, gets a girl, only thinks about sex, and then whines about not being good at anything. But is pro-level at gaming and is in university math classes in high school. None of which really made sense. There wasn't any depth to his character at all and he was very one dimensional. The fact is I found most of the characters very one dimensional in this book which was a huge disappointment.
One of the big things that really bothered me about Seth was that he's always looking down on professional gamers, even though he is one. He refers to other gamers pretty frequently in terms similar to "losers" which really seemed inconsistent with his own desire to be recognized by his parents as pursuing a realistic and worthwhile career in the gaming industry. I think this was one of the many situations in which Tabak relied pretty heavily on stereotype rather than reality. This made Seth even more unlikeable to me, and left a bad taste in my mouth.
There's a lot of contemplation (whining is a little more accurate) on Seth's part about the fact that Korean's don't understand American culture. He doesn't seem to care that he doesn't try to understand Korean culture at all. Sure his reception isn't great when he arrives in Korea but the way he looks at everyone in Korea is like they're below him and like they think they're so superior but he's still better than them. His whole attitude was just annoying to me because it just feeds into his whiny Mary Sue personality.
I found the representation of Korea and Koreans rather questionable and inconsistent with my own experiences. Perhaps it's because I was fresh off my own trip to Korea that this was something I paid so much attention to, but it really bothered me. The Korean characters are all more or less caricatures of the stereotypical "Asian". They didn't speak English, didn't like foreigners, wanted to know all about "American girls", or seemed like weasley business men. Not good.
The writing in this book was subpar in my opinion. I found the voice really lacking. It sounded like it was written by a middle aged man trying too hard to sound young and hip. The slang used is dated and awkward. This led to a lot of awkward dialogue choices and confusing phrasing throughout the book.
Further to this, the pacing of the book and the cause-and-effect timeline in the book didn't really make sense to me. Seth's parents, who are very hesitant to let him go and meet the team initially, simply let him fly off to Korea without much discussion. This just seemed too convenient and suggests some laziness on the part of the writer to me. This really stood out to me as a huge inconsistency in the characters as had been established previously in the book and bothered me for quite a while. I also found the book made these grand leaps in action, take for example his climb to fame, he is famous very suddenly, very quickly, and it just seems rather nonsensical to me personally. There's no growth or development everything is just leaps from place to place at a really rapid pace.
To sort of round this all up I want to discuss the ending of this book. I don't want to include any spoilers, but it wasn't good. I found it kind of summed up the whole book badly. It reinforced the overall xenophobic attitude of the book and the representation of Koreans as xenophobic too. It was just...bad.
I think I could go on for ages about the things I didn't like about this book. I've already done more than enough of that though. There are limited pros in this book for me. The concept is good, though as I've mentioned poorly delivered. The book is an easy read, very lighthearted. It was, for me, not a quick read because there was so much about it that annoyed me, but it was easy to read when I wasn't annoyed. I think a lot of the things that annoyed me about the book would be easily overlooked by most readers, so it might be a faster read for those people. I cannot recommend this book.
July 24, 2014
In Real Life
Lawrence Tabak
Copyright 2014
Seth is a sophomore in highschool who happens to be a math prodigy and loves gaming.
Seth lives for gaming. He was written up in a magazine because of his gaming skills.
Soon a girl named Hannah starts taking interest in Seths gaming skills. Soon Seth finds himself competing with some of the top gamers in the world.
Seth finds himself competing in tournaments in Korea which means he has to travel away from his family, his friends even Hannah.
Being part of Team Anaconda seemed like a big deal at first but before long Seth feels even more lonely, more alienated thsn he had felt at home. He misses his family and Hannah of course.
I give this YA novel five out of five stars
Lawrence Tabak
Copyright 2014
Seth is a sophomore in highschool who happens to be a math prodigy and loves gaming.
Seth lives for gaming. He was written up in a magazine because of his gaming skills.
Soon a girl named Hannah starts taking interest in Seths gaming skills. Soon Seth finds himself competing with some of the top gamers in the world.
Seth finds himself competing in tournaments in Korea which means he has to travel away from his family, his friends even Hannah.
Being part of Team Anaconda seemed like a big deal at first but before long Seth feels even more lonely, more alienated thsn he had felt at home. He misses his family and Hannah of course.
I give this YA novel five out of five stars
April 22, 2015
I really enjoyed reading this book! There really is not enough 'boy' YA. I read this while on an airplane and om a car trip, so I finished it pretty quickly and got it done in just a couple sittings.
The books was fantastic. Seth, the main character was amazing in the way that we was quiet and shy like a normal teenager, not witty and sarcastic, just a teenager. He enjoyed a subject in school that WASNT literature or art, which is rare, but he also enjoyed a common hobby outside of school, gaming.
What really made me like this was at the end. As a practicing adult this made me smile. Seth learned to do what he really ENJOYED doing, after a trial and error of what he thought he enjoyed. This happens in real life! Sometimes we change our minds and decide that our dream wasn't really what we had planned and that we now dream of something different. This is REAL. This HAPPENS. And it really isn't portrayed enough in modern YA, usually the character gets what they wanted all along.
The only negative thing that I have about this novel is the amount of writing errors in it. It was an extreme amount, not just every do often but every couple of pages. I'd have to read a sentence a few times to figure out what it was meant to say. That was a bit out of control.
but...
***SPOILER SECTION***
And another very good thing the author does when closing the story is how he leaves Seth with the character Hannah. I think this had a lot to do with the fact that is was a book written for guys, but I appreciates it a lot as well. The story between the two didn't wrap up. It was left hanging where things usually do. Because Hannah was a big part of the story, but she wasnt the main line, the author didn't want to keel going with something that could get really boring and really wasn't necessary. He left Seth and Hannah at an uncertain spot, where young love usually is when it's heading off to college. It wasn't this amazing fireworks kiss, it was just relief that they were together again after six months. There was a cutoff because the future was uncertain amd it takes a long time to sort those things out, to sort out feeling and reactions, and the writing could get boring.
***END OF SPOILER ZONE***
So, thank you, Lawrence Tabak, for a truly wonderful book, I enjoyed it and I'm glad it was you book that was with me for my trip!
The books was fantastic. Seth, the main character was amazing in the way that we was quiet and shy like a normal teenager, not witty and sarcastic, just a teenager. He enjoyed a subject in school that WASNT literature or art, which is rare, but he also enjoyed a common hobby outside of school, gaming.
What really made me like this was at the end. As a practicing adult this made me smile. Seth learned to do what he really ENJOYED doing, after a trial and error of what he thought he enjoyed. This happens in real life! Sometimes we change our minds and decide that our dream wasn't really what we had planned and that we now dream of something different. This is REAL. This HAPPENS. And it really isn't portrayed enough in modern YA, usually the character gets what they wanted all along.
The only negative thing that I have about this novel is the amount of writing errors in it. It was an extreme amount, not just every do often but every couple of pages. I'd have to read a sentence a few times to figure out what it was meant to say. That was a bit out of control.
but...
***SPOILER SECTION***
And another very good thing the author does when closing the story is how he leaves Seth with the character Hannah. I think this had a lot to do with the fact that is was a book written for guys, but I appreciates it a lot as well. The story between the two didn't wrap up. It was left hanging where things usually do. Because Hannah was a big part of the story, but she wasnt the main line, the author didn't want to keel going with something that could get really boring and really wasn't necessary. He left Seth and Hannah at an uncertain spot, where young love usually is when it's heading off to college. It wasn't this amazing fireworks kiss, it was just relief that they were together again after six months. There was a cutoff because the future was uncertain amd it takes a long time to sort those things out, to sort out feeling and reactions, and the writing could get boring.
***END OF SPOILER ZONE***
So, thank you, Lawrence Tabak, for a truly wonderful book, I enjoyed it and I'm glad it was you book that was with me for my trip!
November 18, 2017
Disclosure: This book was provided to me by NetGalley free of charge in return for an honest and unbiased review. This book is scheduled to be released on November 11, 2014 by Tuttle Publishing.
I consider myself to be a "gamer". Having played endless games of River Raid and Keystone Capers on my Atari 2600 and more games of Super Mario Bros. in my youth than I can even count, it's a hobby that has just stuck with me throughout the years. When I spotted Tabak's "In Real Life" on NetGalley, I was excited.
A male protagonist?
Gaming?
A serious lack of vampires, witches, fairies, or any of the other usual suspects that plague YA Fiction these days?
Cool! I'm there.
What strikes me most about this book is that it feels authentic. I don't know the first thing about professional gaming and somehow I don't think that watching "The Wizard" at least a thousand times as a kid qualifies me as an expert. Lawrence Tabak, it appears, has done his research. Everything about this book comes across as real and believable.
Main character Seth Gordon is a math prodigy with one goal, to become a pro Starfare player and join up with one of the top teams in South Korea. In this modern coming of age tale, however, Seth soon comes to realize that the reality of going pro doesn't exactly mesh with the idealized fantasies he's been clinging to.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's got a great cover (yes, covers count for something), refreshing characters and an honest feel. One of the minor criticisms I have with the book is that I wish there were a few more obstacles for Seth in his road to success and with his relationship with Hannah. Furthermore, I wish that Tabak had delved a little more into Hannah's past. She is such an interesting character, I would almost love to see a spin-off book that revolves around her. Finally, without spoilers, I felt as if there needed to be more of a sacrifice on Seth's part at the conclusion of the book. Overall, things just seems to work out too well for him and with ease.
These are minor issues, though, and should not deter you from reading this wonderful debut.
I consider myself to be a "gamer". Having played endless games of River Raid and Keystone Capers on my Atari 2600 and more games of Super Mario Bros. in my youth than I can even count, it's a hobby that has just stuck with me throughout the years. When I spotted Tabak's "In Real Life" on NetGalley, I was excited.
A male protagonist?
Gaming?
A serious lack of vampires, witches, fairies, or any of the other usual suspects that plague YA Fiction these days?
Cool! I'm there.
What strikes me most about this book is that it feels authentic. I don't know the first thing about professional gaming and somehow I don't think that watching "The Wizard" at least a thousand times as a kid qualifies me as an expert. Lawrence Tabak, it appears, has done his research. Everything about this book comes across as real and believable.
Main character Seth Gordon is a math prodigy with one goal, to become a pro Starfare player and join up with one of the top teams in South Korea. In this modern coming of age tale, however, Seth soon comes to realize that the reality of going pro doesn't exactly mesh with the idealized fantasies he's been clinging to.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's got a great cover (yes, covers count for something), refreshing characters and an honest feel. One of the minor criticisms I have with the book is that I wish there were a few more obstacles for Seth in his road to success and with his relationship with Hannah. Furthermore, I wish that Tabak had delved a little more into Hannah's past. She is such an interesting character, I would almost love to see a spin-off book that revolves around her. Finally, without spoilers, I felt as if there needed to be more of a sacrifice on Seth's part at the conclusion of the book. Overall, things just seems to work out too well for him and with ease.
These are minor issues, though, and should not deter you from reading this wonderful debut.
November 8, 2014
Take two subjects about which I know little and have zero interest, and make an interesting story I really enjoy, with relatable characters, an awesome protagonist, and the dreaded first-person narrative? I wouldn't have thought even the genius Victor Frankenstein could do that! Nevertheless, it 's been done, and the author's name is not--wait for it--Dr. Frankenstein, but Lawrence Tabak, who has written a story which ought to be a blockbuster in the YA genre. I think it has appeal to adolescents and to middle school readers as well; and the plotting and characterization will capture adult readers too. Can't wait to see Mr. Tabak' s next offering.
(PS: Mathematics and Online Gaming)
(PS: Mathematics and Online Gaming)
September 10, 2015
Full Review on RowReads
CAN I GIVE MORE THAN 5 STARS???
When I first saw this on NetGalley i knew I had to try and request this and after reading a couple of chapters I went out to get the physical book (since it was already out) as its THAT GOOD!Gaming, realistic and relatable teen along with a hint of romance and a hella lotta teen awkwardness.
15 year old Seth is a math genius and an avid gamer, is one of the best Starfare (i believe its a parody to StarCraft) gamer in the US. Like many teenagers he has a lot of commitments like school, a part time job, hobbies, chores, and maybe even a girlfriend? For Seth gaming is not just a hobby but a passion. He always dream of getting signed by the top teams in South Korea and train with the pro. However things aren’t as what it seems when he learns the true reality being a pro gamer with sponsors and endorsement, competitive team mates, the large pay checks and even the fame. Through the book follow him as he juggles all his commitments and parents’expectation while trying to get drafted by Team Anaconda as a professional eSport player in Korea.
I was hooked on this book from page one and its one of the few books that I went out and got a physical copy after getting a review from NetGalley as it was a book I had to own on my shelve. I enjoy the cast of characters, the pacing of the story and even the reality of both the eSport and Asian entertainment industry.
I like how the story was paced out and how things weren't a bed of roses but a rose bush of thrones. The writing was realistic, fun and light hearted while hitting some serious issues like the rise to fame and even one of the most realistic teenage lives I’ve ever read in a book.
I rarely find a YA even in the contemporary genre where it shows a teen with a lot of commitment as from my life as a teen and a student we have a heck loads of commitment from doing well in school to extra curriculum, chores and maybe even a part time job. In fact Seth’s literally a guy version of me as a teen as like Seth had to juggle a long list commitment in high school leaving me with little time for leisure including gaming (which my parents till this day cringe and grit their teeth with disapproval).
Speaking of gaming while I'm not an avid fan of the genre of games Seth plays (not to mention I'll probably suck at it) I really enjoy how the book touch on eSport which is a really big thing Korea taking out football size arenas for tournament. I do wish we get more of how the game plays but then it might just get confusing and let's face it, this is a book not a Starfare 101 manual.
While this is a coming of age story about Seth realizing his true passion might not be gaming or that dreams aren't what it seems, I do enjoy the the hint of romance and dare I say it gives the story some fluff that will make me smile and awe at the cuteness. Seth's friendship and budding romance with Hannah was sweet and well pace out and I love watching as he slowly but surely falls for her.
Also I enjoy how the author portrayed the Korean/Asian culture in a way where he didn't over stereotype it as well as did his research.
I also love the sibling relationship between Seth and his brother Garret and the only flaw of the story I can think of was the parents where the book did the ‘typical YA thing’ which was to write off the parents saying that one’s in a secluded location where you can’t contact with a mobile phone or that the other is away on a business trip so is rarely at home... well at least there is a decent reason why they are out of the story . Even so there are some good adult figures in the game like Song who mentors Seth, helps build his other interest that is math and is like his adopted father figure while in Korea. In fact the Math element here was really cool, reminding me a bit of An Abundance of Katherine without the crazy amount of footnotes.
Lastly this book tackles a topic I wish more books tackle that was Seth being thrown into the 'suddenly forced to grown up world' and be an adult. While yes this is a topic that is more of you need to experience it instead of read it but seeing from Seth POV of him forced to mature and be independent is both refreshing and something touch close to home for me making me wish I read this years ago before I left home to come to Australia.
Seth character and narration was what made the book for me. I love his snark yet smart alec comments and all the crazy yet random fantasy he dreams of that is NOT in a SICK sexual way but like in a cute and maybe impossible even for reality way like what he'll do when he get his first paycheck or how he'll surprise Hannah. Long story short, this boy has one crazy head and to compare it its like reading a little brother's diary that you lost temptation to. Also he is highly intelligent and quick thinking not to mention down to earth kid who don't let fame get to his head. Seriously the best thing about Seth is his character development where he handles situation like being troll/ bullied by competitors, rude team mates and all his commitments maturely. Mostly what I like was that when he realize that things aren't as great as it seems, he's at least honest with himself and moves on.
Overall this is definitely a book I'll recommend if you are a gamer, if you are not a gamer, if you are interested in/ like the idea of gaming or if you want a realistic and refreshing male POV narration. A great coming of age story with a hint of romance and a heck lotta gaming. Also if you're looking for a book to recommend/gift to a guy friend/ brother to check.
This is one of the best and more underrated books I've read and I'm looking forward to reading more of Lawrence Tabak writing.
CAN I GIVE MORE THAN 5 STARS???
When I first saw this on NetGalley i knew I had to try and request this and after reading a couple of chapters I went out to get the physical book (since it was already out) as its THAT GOOD!Gaming, realistic and relatable teen along with a hint of romance and a hella lotta teen awkwardness.
15 year old Seth is a math genius and an avid gamer, is one of the best Starfare (i believe its a parody to StarCraft) gamer in the US. Like many teenagers he has a lot of commitments like school, a part time job, hobbies, chores, and maybe even a girlfriend? For Seth gaming is not just a hobby but a passion. He always dream of getting signed by the top teams in South Korea and train with the pro. However things aren’t as what it seems when he learns the true reality being a pro gamer with sponsors and endorsement, competitive team mates, the large pay checks and even the fame. Through the book follow him as he juggles all his commitments and parents’expectation while trying to get drafted by Team Anaconda as a professional eSport player in Korea.
I was hooked on this book from page one and its one of the few books that I went out and got a physical copy after getting a review from NetGalley as it was a book I had to own on my shelve. I enjoy the cast of characters, the pacing of the story and even the reality of both the eSport and Asian entertainment industry.
I like how the story was paced out and how things weren't a bed of roses but a rose bush of thrones. The writing was realistic, fun and light hearted while hitting some serious issues like the rise to fame and even one of the most realistic teenage lives I’ve ever read in a book.
I rarely find a YA even in the contemporary genre where it shows a teen with a lot of commitment as from my life as a teen and a student we have a heck loads of commitment from doing well in school to extra curriculum, chores and maybe even a part time job. In fact Seth’s literally a guy version of me as a teen as like Seth had to juggle a long list commitment in high school leaving me with little time for leisure including gaming (which my parents till this day cringe and grit their teeth with disapproval).
Speaking of gaming while I'm not an avid fan of the genre of games Seth plays (not to mention I'll probably suck at it) I really enjoy how the book touch on eSport which is a really big thing Korea taking out football size arenas for tournament. I do wish we get more of how the game plays but then it might just get confusing and let's face it, this is a book not a Starfare 101 manual.
While this is a coming of age story about Seth realizing his true passion might not be gaming or that dreams aren't what it seems, I do enjoy the the hint of romance and dare I say it gives the story some fluff that will make me smile and awe at the cuteness. Seth's friendship and budding romance with Hannah was sweet and well pace out and I love watching as he slowly but surely falls for her.
Also I enjoy how the author portrayed the Korean/Asian culture in a way where he didn't over stereotype it as well as did his research.
I also love the sibling relationship between Seth and his brother Garret and the only flaw of the story I can think of was the parents where the book did the ‘typical YA thing’ which was to write off the parents saying that one’s in a secluded location where you can’t contact with a mobile phone or that the other is away on a business trip so is rarely at home... well at least there is a decent reason why they are out of the story . Even so there are some good adult figures in the game like Song who mentors Seth, helps build his other interest that is math and is like his adopted father figure while in Korea. In fact the Math element here was really cool, reminding me a bit of An Abundance of Katherine without the crazy amount of footnotes.
Lastly this book tackles a topic I wish more books tackle that was Seth being thrown into the 'suddenly forced to grown up world' and be an adult. While yes this is a topic that is more of you need to experience it instead of read it but seeing from Seth POV of him forced to mature and be independent is both refreshing and something touch close to home for me making me wish I read this years ago before I left home to come to Australia.
Seth character and narration was what made the book for me. I love his snark yet smart alec comments and all the crazy yet random fantasy he dreams of that is NOT in a SICK sexual way but like in a cute and maybe impossible even for reality way like what he'll do when he get his first paycheck or how he'll surprise Hannah. Long story short, this boy has one crazy head and to compare it its like reading a little brother's diary that you lost temptation to. Also he is highly intelligent and quick thinking not to mention down to earth kid who don't let fame get to his head. Seriously the best thing about Seth is his character development where he handles situation like being troll/ bullied by competitors, rude team mates and all his commitments maturely. Mostly what I like was that when he realize that things aren't as great as it seems, he's at least honest with himself and moves on.
Overall this is definitely a book I'll recommend if you are a gamer, if you are not a gamer, if you are interested in/ like the idea of gaming or if you want a realistic and refreshing male POV narration. A great coming of age story with a hint of romance and a heck lotta gaming. Also if you're looking for a book to recommend/gift to a guy friend/ brother to check.
This is one of the best and more underrated books I've read and I'm looking forward to reading more of Lawrence Tabak writing.
November 18, 2014
Appeals:
Characters
Plot Elements
Love Interest
Mannnnn, where was this book around when I was growing up? My parents definitely thought video games rotted out your brain, and it was great to see video games portrayed in a serious light. I’ve done a ton of research on video games (my master research thesis was on advocating if video game collections should be added to libraries), if only to prove my parents (and brother) it was okay to grow up enjoying video games. This book follows Seth as he rises to be a professional gamer and the aftermath of achieving that dream. Tabak did an amazing take on having Seth balance school, parents, and a whole spectrum of relationships.
If anything, Seth learned that getting to live the ultimate dream has its downfalls:
Ahahaha. Seriously, the thing that was great about this novel was the lack of insta-love. Hannah and Seth flourish over a period of time, and it’s awesome seeing a realistic portrayal friends becoming more and a weird tentative (albeit somewhat teenage awkward) long distance relationship. I liked how they developed their passions and each went about encouraging each other to achieve their dreams. I loved the fact that you go on this journey with Seth and watch him blossom into having some depth about life and his own personal development. I like the ending of beginnings, and the fact that you aren’t really sure where this novel is headed. Again, this book did great job on Seth’s character development. Watching him mature through his gaming profession, working with his crazy mom, and supportive brother, as well as, maintaining friendships was fascinating. The math element in the game was awesome as well! I went into this book not having any expectations and came out pleasantly surprised with how well I enjoyed this book.
On the other hand, it was interesting to learn about the Korean culture perceptions on gaming. I did have a few “I-dunno” because I wasn’t sure if was an authentic portrayal. I’m not saying, it wasn’t, but I wasn’t sure it was...
If not, that’s okay! Tabak is a great writer, and I look forward to reading more works by him.
July 21, 2014
I kind of want to be a Korean gamer now…
After reading In Real Life, I now want to learn everything I can about the Korean gaming community.
If you do any sort of gaming, even if it's just some occasional rpg, you should find this fascinating. Seth is a gamer and he's extremely good at what he does. His parents don't understand. They think he's wasting his life in front of a screen. However, when Seth has the opportunity to win a place on a Korean gaming team, life takes some unexpected turns. Vaulted into gaming superstardom, Seth has to determine what he really wants out of life.
While I knew there was a subculture to gaming, I didn't realize how extreme it is. Huge cash prizes. Fame. Endorsements. And highly, highly competitive.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of a brilliant American teen who gets thrust into that sort of stardom. The book is simply fun - it's like a gaming Cinderella dream come true.
While I would have liked a little more detail about Starfire (the game he plays) and just the tiniest bit less in the way of teen angst, the book was a delight. Aside from gaming culture, I learned about Korean culture and now would love to take a Korean vacation.
Highly enjoyable YA.
*ARC Provided by Netgalley for review purposes.
After reading In Real Life, I now want to learn everything I can about the Korean gaming community.
If you do any sort of gaming, even if it's just some occasional rpg, you should find this fascinating. Seth is a gamer and he's extremely good at what he does. His parents don't understand. They think he's wasting his life in front of a screen. However, when Seth has the opportunity to win a place on a Korean gaming team, life takes some unexpected turns. Vaulted into gaming superstardom, Seth has to determine what he really wants out of life.
While I knew there was a subculture to gaming, I didn't realize how extreme it is. Huge cash prizes. Fame. Endorsements. And highly, highly competitive.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of a brilliant American teen who gets thrust into that sort of stardom. The book is simply fun - it's like a gaming Cinderella dream come true.
While I would have liked a little more detail about Starfire (the game he plays) and just the tiniest bit less in the way of teen angst, the book was a delight. Aside from gaming culture, I learned about Korean culture and now would love to take a Korean vacation.
Highly enjoyable YA.
*ARC Provided by Netgalley for review purposes.
June 21, 2015
I'm fairly sure I'm the very first one to have read my library's copy of this book, because it was deflightfully stiff and shiny when I picked it up. (I've defiled it. I defiled the book). However, totally worth it. Quoted as reading like Cory Doctorow, and it absolutely does a little bit. I'm in no way a gamer myself, but I love novels about them. This one was great. Not only was it super cool with a really realistic and clever narrator, it was also a nice take on the whole life dreams aspect. It's nice to see an accurate representation of ambitions changing, especially for teenagers. Seth gets what he wants, but when he realises it's not so great, it's okay for him to want to change his plans -- something teenagers should definitely know is an okay thing to do.
finished
July 18, 2014 ARC from Publisher
August 21, 2015
[See the full review at thoughts and afterthoughts.]
Rating: 2.5/5
Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr spoiler-less review:
- Presented like a character case-study on the average gamer hoping to turn a dream into reality.
- The less you know about the gaming community or the eSports industry, the more enjoyment you may find with this read.
- Protagonist is presented like a Marty Stu (the male version of a Mary Sue character; basically flawless) and there is limited consequence to his actions that propel him to achieve [almost] everything on his road map.
- Relationship with the primary love interest is fleshed out over time despite the possibility of it actually being instalove.
- Discrepancy in experienced culture shock considering Seth's willingness and assumed knowledge of the environment prior to endeavoring into the Korean environment versus a regular Westerner venturing into the unknown. Also utilizes stereotypes to sell some narrative elements without making social commentary to change the way of thinking.
Initial Thoughts:
I was so stoked to read this book because of the nature of content this story delves into is near and dear to me. That being said, I’ve been sitting on writing this review for a while because the wording was difficult to get right—and I’m not even sure I even scratched the surface with some of these discussions I’ve made below (despite it being almost 3k words too long lololol).
Full disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of In Real Life through Netgalley for an honest review. I extend thanks to Tuttle Publishing for providing me the opportunity to review this book.
Disclaimer: Potential spoilers inherent to this review from here onward.
Rating: 2.5/5
Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr spoiler-less review:
- Presented like a character case-study on the average gamer hoping to turn a dream into reality.
- The less you know about the gaming community or the eSports industry, the more enjoyment you may find with this read.
- Protagonist is presented like a Marty Stu (the male version of a Mary Sue character; basically flawless) and there is limited consequence to his actions that propel him to achieve [almost] everything on his road map.
- Relationship with the primary love interest is fleshed out over time despite the possibility of it actually being instalove.
- Discrepancy in experienced culture shock considering Seth's willingness and assumed knowledge of the environment prior to endeavoring into the Korean environment versus a regular Westerner venturing into the unknown. Also utilizes stereotypes to sell some narrative elements without making social commentary to change the way of thinking.
Initial Thoughts:
I was so stoked to read this book because of the nature of content this story delves into is near and dear to me. That being said, I’ve been sitting on writing this review for a while because the wording was difficult to get right—and I’m not even sure I even scratched the surface with some of these discussions I’ve made below (despite it being almost 3k words too long lololol).
Full disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of In Real Life through Netgalley for an honest review. I extend thanks to Tuttle Publishing for providing me the opportunity to review this book.
Disclaimer: Potential spoilers inherent to this review from here onward.
November 21, 2014
I would like to thank Tuttle Publishing & NetGalley for granting me a copy of this e-book to read in exchange for an honest review. Though I received this e-book for free that in no way impacts my review.
Goodreads Teaser:
An entertaining read, this book nails the challenges and complexities of life as a teenager. Even if it is an extraordinary life. Seth, a.k.a. ActionSeth, is a hugely popular Starfare player in the US, ranked in the top ten of US players. At sixteen that's quite an accomplishment, yet he's not satisfied. He really, really wants to play on a top Korean team. But they start really young, train day and night, and generally burn-out before they hit their early twenties. Still, it's been Seth's dream for as long as he can remember. Or it was until he met Hannah, an East Coast transplant. Once he meets Hannah his dreams gets a bit blurry every time he's with her, and even a while after.
Both Seth and Hannah are well portrayed characters, though as the story is told from Seth's point of view we get the best sense of who he is. And he is a complicated young man, maybe more so than your average teen. He's always been super smart, taking college courses while still in high school, and graduating at sixteen. Yet he's got all the same insecurities as your average sixteen-year-old, unsure how to read the signals from his crush, not sure what he wants to do with his life beyond Starfare, the normal confusion that comes with hormones and lack of life experience that can only be gained over time.
Hannah, having been uprooted from everyone and everything she's known, is forced to spend her senior year of high school at a new school. She learns first hand what happens to friendships, and relationships, when people are separated by geographical locations. So when Seth gets the chance of a lifetime to move to Korea and play on Team Anaconda, one of their top teams, Hannah starts to pull away from Seth. She explains it to him, but he never really gives up hope. Maybe that's because most of his friends are online, other Starfare players around the country.
Seth packs up and heads to Korea. His experiences there are so well described. It's clear that Tabak must have spent time in a foreign country, because he nails so many of the little things that make moving to another country such a challenge, especially when you don't speak the language. The feelings of isolation, loss, excitement, loneliness, longing to hear your language, being homesick. . . And for Seth it's all compounded as he's been made into a celebrity. He's getting endorsement deals, doing talk shows, and generally being treated like a prize heifer - trotted out for publicity and then put back into his stall to train in Starfare for between eight and ten hours a day.
Seth soon discovers that his passion for Starfare isn't what it once was. Sure, his game has improved, but things with his team aren't what he'd hoped. In fact his only friend on the team is going to quit. It seems that it was his father that dreamed of having a champion Starfare player, while Sung Gi dreamed of something altogether different. But since his father is a high ranking executive at Team Anaconda's sponsoring company, he got a spot on the team, regardless of his ability. But his decision to quit, along with other news he shared, got Seth thinking. Talking things out with the few English-speaking friends he'd made helped Seth see things more clearly, including his path forward.
This story was nicely developed, being split into two parts. The first portion of the story sets things up with Seth's history, his obsession with Starfare, and then bringing Hannah into Seth's orbit. The slow, sweet unfurling of things between Seth and Hannah was lovely to watch, including Seth's confusion about how to talk to her, let alone when he should try to do more than talk. The brief interludes when Seth asks his older brother Garrett for advice are entertaining, and fairly predictable, as Garrett seems to think that one thing will solve all Seth's problems - regardless of the problem. It actually shows Garrett to be more immature than Seth in certain ways. And Garrett is a great example of what Seth's life could be down the line, if he sticks to his current path, though that is left to the reader to discover the correlations between the two situations.
Hannah's role throughout the story remains much the same, for she is a solid character who knows what she wants to do with her life. And so many things fall into place for her while Seth is in Korea. Will she still be interested in seeing him if he gives it all up and comes home? Or has she found someone else already? Although Seth is fixated on Hannah, he is sweetly oblivious to certain things near the end. Things that let the end remain a mystery, allowing the reader to decide how things will fall out. It's not a cliffhanger ending, because there is a clear end, yet at the same time it hints at a future path for both Hannah and Seth. The question is, will their paths end up bringing them together or sending them forever apart?
As much as I liked the title, for it really does describe the story, I was surprised that it wasn't written as IRL, the computer and texting shortcut for In Real Life, seeing as so much of the focus was on computer gaming, online texting, chatting, and even Skyping. Maybe Tabak thought it was too tongue in cheek? The title aside, this is a fun read, and worth the time. It touches on some interesting topics, and handles the character development extremely well. The pacing of the story is smooth, and flows well with what is happening in the minds and lives of the characters. A good read for middle school and up.
Goodreads Teaser:
Fifteen-year-old math prodigy Seth Gordon knows exactly what he wants to do with his life—play video games. Every spare minute is devoted to honing his skills at Starfare, the world's most popular computer game. His goal: South Korea, where the top pros are rich and famous. But the best players train all day, while Seth has school and a job and divorced parents who agree on only one thing: "Get off that damn computer." Plus there's a new distraction named Hannah, an aspiring photographer who actually seems to understand his obsession.
While Seth mopes about his tournament results and mixed signals from Hannah, Team Anaconda, one of the leading Korean pro squads, sees something special. Before he knows it, it's goodbye Kansas, goodbye Hannah, and hello to the strange new world of Korea. But the reality is more complicated than the fantasy, as he faces cultural shock, disgruntled teammates, and giant pots of sour-smelling kimchi.
What happens next surprises Seth. Slowly, he comes to make new friends, and discovers what might be a breakthrough, mathematical solution to the challenges of Starcraft. Delving deeper into the formulas takes him in an unexpected direction, one that might just give him a new focus—and reunite him with Hannah.
An entertaining read, this book nails the challenges and complexities of life as a teenager. Even if it is an extraordinary life. Seth, a.k.a. ActionSeth, is a hugely popular Starfare player in the US, ranked in the top ten of US players. At sixteen that's quite an accomplishment, yet he's not satisfied. He really, really wants to play on a top Korean team. But they start really young, train day and night, and generally burn-out before they hit their early twenties. Still, it's been Seth's dream for as long as he can remember. Or it was until he met Hannah, an East Coast transplant. Once he meets Hannah his dreams gets a bit blurry every time he's with her, and even a while after.
Both Seth and Hannah are well portrayed characters, though as the story is told from Seth's point of view we get the best sense of who he is. And he is a complicated young man, maybe more so than your average teen. He's always been super smart, taking college courses while still in high school, and graduating at sixteen. Yet he's got all the same insecurities as your average sixteen-year-old, unsure how to read the signals from his crush, not sure what he wants to do with his life beyond Starfare, the normal confusion that comes with hormones and lack of life experience that can only be gained over time.
Hannah, having been uprooted from everyone and everything she's known, is forced to spend her senior year of high school at a new school. She learns first hand what happens to friendships, and relationships, when people are separated by geographical locations. So when Seth gets the chance of a lifetime to move to Korea and play on Team Anaconda, one of their top teams, Hannah starts to pull away from Seth. She explains it to him, but he never really gives up hope. Maybe that's because most of his friends are online, other Starfare players around the country.
Seth packs up and heads to Korea. His experiences there are so well described. It's clear that Tabak must have spent time in a foreign country, because he nails so many of the little things that make moving to another country such a challenge, especially when you don't speak the language. The feelings of isolation, loss, excitement, loneliness, longing to hear your language, being homesick. . . And for Seth it's all compounded as he's been made into a celebrity. He's getting endorsement deals, doing talk shows, and generally being treated like a prize heifer - trotted out for publicity and then put back into his stall to train in Starfare for between eight and ten hours a day.
Seth soon discovers that his passion for Starfare isn't what it once was. Sure, his game has improved, but things with his team aren't what he'd hoped. In fact his only friend on the team is going to quit. It seems that it was his father that dreamed of having a champion Starfare player, while Sung Gi dreamed of something altogether different. But since his father is a high ranking executive at Team Anaconda's sponsoring company, he got a spot on the team, regardless of his ability. But his decision to quit, along with other news he shared, got Seth thinking. Talking things out with the few English-speaking friends he'd made helped Seth see things more clearly, including his path forward.
This story was nicely developed, being split into two parts. The first portion of the story sets things up with Seth's history, his obsession with Starfare, and then bringing Hannah into Seth's orbit. The slow, sweet unfurling of things between Seth and Hannah was lovely to watch, including Seth's confusion about how to talk to her, let alone when he should try to do more than talk. The brief interludes when Seth asks his older brother Garrett for advice are entertaining, and fairly predictable, as Garrett seems to think that one thing will solve all Seth's problems - regardless of the problem. It actually shows Garrett to be more immature than Seth in certain ways. And Garrett is a great example of what Seth's life could be down the line, if he sticks to his current path, though that is left to the reader to discover the correlations between the two situations.
Hannah's role throughout the story remains much the same, for she is a solid character who knows what she wants to do with her life. And so many things fall into place for her while Seth is in Korea. Will she still be interested in seeing him if he gives it all up and comes home? Or has she found someone else already? Although Seth is fixated on Hannah, he is sweetly oblivious to certain things near the end. Things that let the end remain a mystery, allowing the reader to decide how things will fall out. It's not a cliffhanger ending, because there is a clear end, yet at the same time it hints at a future path for both Hannah and Seth. The question is, will their paths end up bringing them together or sending them forever apart?
As much as I liked the title, for it really does describe the story, I was surprised that it wasn't written as IRL, the computer and texting shortcut for In Real Life, seeing as so much of the focus was on computer gaming, online texting, chatting, and even Skyping. Maybe Tabak thought it was too tongue in cheek? The title aside, this is a fun read, and worth the time. It touches on some interesting topics, and handles the character development extremely well. The pacing of the story is smooth, and flows well with what is happening in the minds and lives of the characters. A good read for middle school and up.
November 10, 2015
This review is also posted on my blog.
I received a copy free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2014
So I was just browsing through NetGalley one day when this cover demanded my attention. Why, you ask? Well, the thing is…I sort of have a thing for video games. A lot of people don’t know this about me. When I tell someone I plan to spend the day playing Skyrim or Uncharted or The Last of Us, they are shocked. So I was immediately intrigued by the guy on the cover holding a game controller.
I will preface my thoughts by saying that I don’t know much at all about the professional gaming scene, other than that it exists, it’s getting bigger all the time, and it usually focuses on MMORPG type games. What I do know is that it’s really rare to find books that address the role video games play in the lives of kids and young adults. I mean, I spend plenty of time playing on a weekly basis, and I’m 24. It’s a big deal in my life, so I know it’s a huge deal for teens who play. But books simply don’t focus on that aspect of life very often. So that’s the first plus for this novel, because it’s all about the gaming.
The story focuses on Seth, a 16-year-old boy who dreams of going pro. He plays an online strategy game called Starfare and is one of the top players in America. After being written up in a magazine and placing in the American Nationals Tournament, his dream comes true. He moves to Korea to join Team Anaconda, one of the best teams in the world. But as pressure to succeed mounts, he begins to question his love for the game.
I think Tabak did an admirable job of capturing the pressure that a teen feels from all sides. Pressure from parents, friends, school, jobs, the future. In this way, the book reminded me a little bit of Carrie Mesrobian’s newest release, Perfectly Good White Boy. He also captured the intensity of a great gaming session. I’m nowhere near as good at gaming as Seth is – I play strictly for fun – but when I get in the zone, time flies and I can play for hours without realizing it.
I did wonder a little bit at the plausibility of the story. Seth’s road to success seems fairly easy. He has natural talent, spends time in practice, and rises up the ranks to become one of the best. Then he goes pro. Does it really happen that way for anyone? I’m sure it does, but I almost didn’t see any obstacles to his success.
Regardless, if you are a gamer, know any gamers, or just want to understand the world of professional gaming a little better, this is a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I will preface my thoughts by saying that I don’t know much at all about the professional gaming scene, other than that it exists, it’s getting bigger all the time, and it usually focuses on MMORPG type games. What I do know is that it’s really rare to find books that address the role video games play in the lives of kids and young adults. I mean, I spend plenty of time playing on a weekly basis, and I’m 24. It’s a big deal in my life, so I know it’s a huge deal for teens who play. But books simply don’t focus on that aspect of life very often. So that’s the first plus for this novel, because it’s all about the gaming.
The story focuses on Seth, a 16-year-old boy who dreams of going pro. He plays an online strategy game called Starfare and is one of the top players in America. After being written up in a magazine and placing in the American Nationals Tournament, his dream comes true. He moves to Korea to join Team Anaconda, one of the best teams in the world. But as pressure to succeed mounts, he begins to question his love for the game.
I think Tabak did an admirable job of capturing the pressure that a teen feels from all sides. Pressure from parents, friends, school, jobs, the future. In this way, the book reminded me a little bit of Carrie Mesrobian’s newest release, Perfectly Good White Boy. He also captured the intensity of a great gaming session. I’m nowhere near as good at gaming as Seth is – I play strictly for fun – but when I get in the zone, time flies and I can play for hours without realizing it.
I did wonder a little bit at the plausibility of the story. Seth’s road to success seems fairly easy. He has natural talent, spends time in practice, and rises up the ranks to become one of the best. Then he goes pro. Does it really happen that way for anyone? I’m sure it does, but I almost didn’t see any obstacles to his success.
Regardless, if you are a gamer, know any gamers, or just want to understand the world of professional gaming a little better, this is a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
September 4, 2014
Net-Galley ARC Review
Lawrence Tabak's In Real Life portrays a coming-of-age story revolved around e-sports and its rapidly growing popularity. We see a 15 year old named Seth Gordon who is obviously quite intelligent but prefers to spend his time thinking about the next time he will get to play Starfare. Which he is also quite talented at and one of the top players in America. With a dream of becoming pro, we see the work needed and steps taken by Seth to get a chance at the infamous Korean pro players and the pro circuit.
As a big fan of e-sports and all the tournaments surrounding games, I must say I felt a connection instantly with this book. I feel Tabak does a great job showing the lifestyle of a professional gamer and the work needed to be the best. We see the stages of how a hobby can turn into a job and how that can ruin the excitement you used to get by just sitting down and enjoying a game.
Lastly, the reason I gave In Real Life 5 stars was because it was more then a story about gaming. We see great character development and background into Seth Gordon as the story evolves. We gain a picture of who he is and the feelings of a young teenager being thrust into a world mean't to exploit him and spit him out by the time he is 20, while on top of that dealing with homesickness and unresolved relationships back home.
Overall, I felt this greatly deserved it's 5 stars and Tabak did an amazing job turning a gaming coming-of-age story into something more that everyone can relate too in a way. I look forward to more of Lawrence Tabak's stories in the future.
Lawrence Tabak's In Real Life portrays a coming-of-age story revolved around e-sports and its rapidly growing popularity. We see a 15 year old named Seth Gordon who is obviously quite intelligent but prefers to spend his time thinking about the next time he will get to play Starfare. Which he is also quite talented at and one of the top players in America. With a dream of becoming pro, we see the work needed and steps taken by Seth to get a chance at the infamous Korean pro players and the pro circuit.
As a big fan of e-sports and all the tournaments surrounding games, I must say I felt a connection instantly with this book. I feel Tabak does a great job showing the lifestyle of a professional gamer and the work needed to be the best. We see the stages of how a hobby can turn into a job and how that can ruin the excitement you used to get by just sitting down and enjoying a game.
Lastly, the reason I gave In Real Life 5 stars was because it was more then a story about gaming. We see great character development and background into Seth Gordon as the story evolves. We gain a picture of who he is and the feelings of a young teenager being thrust into a world mean't to exploit him and spit him out by the time he is 20, while on top of that dealing with homesickness and unresolved relationships back home.
Overall, I felt this greatly deserved it's 5 stars and Tabak did an amazing job turning a gaming coming-of-age story into something more that everyone can relate too in a way. I look forward to more of Lawrence Tabak's stories in the future.
April 23, 2015
Set in Kansas City, Kansas. Seth Gordon is a fifteen year old math prodigy, but all he really wants to do is play video games (STARFARE) and go pro on the e-game circuit in Korea. His parents are divorced, his brother is off at college, his mom moves to California, and his dad travels often for work; which leaves him home alone to hone his STARFARE skills. He qualifies for the STARFARE nationals, but in order to go he has to strike a deal with his parents, if he loses he has to give up on the gaming for good. He accepts the deal and heads off to the tournament. He plays well at the tournament, but gets shaken up on the second day when the officials make a change. He is disappointed in himself because he doesn't place as high as he thought he would.
When he gets home, he finds out that if he wants to continue to live with his dad, he has get a job for the summer or move to California to live with his mom. He finds a job at a pizza parlor, which is where he meets Hannah. Hannah is a photographer who has just moved to the area from the East Coast. Seth and Hannah start hanging out and he loses focus on his gaming. She's the only person that seems to get his love of gaming and he understands her love of photography. He gets invited to join the Korean gaming team, The Anacondas, which is MEGA AWESOME!
After he moves to Korea, he realizes that all his dreams have come true. He becomes lonely, not having anyone to talk to because of the language barrier, and he really misses Hannah. Is having everything he's ever wanted enough to keep him playing in Korea, or is there more to life than STARFARE?
This is a great book for anyone who loves playing video games!
When he gets home, he finds out that if he wants to continue to live with his dad, he has get a job for the summer or move to California to live with his mom. He finds a job at a pizza parlor, which is where he meets Hannah. Hannah is a photographer who has just moved to the area from the East Coast. Seth and Hannah start hanging out and he loses focus on his gaming. She's the only person that seems to get his love of gaming and he understands her love of photography. He gets invited to join the Korean gaming team, The Anacondas, which is MEGA AWESOME!
After he moves to Korea, he realizes that all his dreams have come true. He becomes lonely, not having anyone to talk to because of the language barrier, and he really misses Hannah. Is having everything he's ever wanted enough to keep him playing in Korea, or is there more to life than STARFARE?
This is a great book for anyone who loves playing video games!
July 18, 2014
Seth would love to spend his entire life playing online games - he's the 10th best player in the United States in Starfare - and he dreams of a career in South Korea where the champions play. As Seth muddles along in his life, he pays little attention to school and doesn't get the best grades - not because he's unintelligent but because he doesn't see the point in school when a career awaits. After playing well in a national Starfare tournament, Seth gains the attention of South Korea gaming sponsors who want a token American on their team. When team Anaconda offers Seth the chance to live out his dream, he is thrilled for a while. But he slowly begins to realize that gaming is not all there is to life and that he would like go back home and see his friends. The gaming jargon will appeal to a lot of male readers and make this book a hit.
June 16, 2015
3 Platypires for In Real Life by Lawrence Tabak
I enjoyed this book and liked learning more about the gaming world and life in Korea. I found that to be new and different. Open my eyes to a whole other world. While I did like Seth as the MC, I just wished he had more personality. I get that most gamer nerds are socially awkward but even gamers have real life friends. I just felt bad for him because he was kinda lonely. Also felt he missed great opportunities while he was in traveling. Overall, I did enjoy the story but their were a few moments of boredom. I would only recommend this book to those with some gaming knowledge.
I enjoyed this book and liked learning more about the gaming world and life in Korea. I found that to be new and different. Open my eyes to a whole other world. While I did like Seth as the MC, I just wished he had more personality. I get that most gamer nerds are socially awkward but even gamers have real life friends. I just felt bad for him because he was kinda lonely. Also felt he missed great opportunities while he was in traveling. Overall, I did enjoy the story but their were a few moments of boredom. I would only recommend this book to those with some gaming knowledge.
July 27, 2014
I really enjoyed this book and was appreciative of being able to check out an ARC copy through NetGalley. This book is one that would be enjoyed by many of my male and female students. I loved that it took a subject that so many of my students enjoy and made it into a believable and enjoyable story. The characters were well developed and the reader could connect with them. It was fun to find a story with a male lead that was realistic fiction with a slight bit of romance thrown in. I know many kids that would be envious of Seth's experience.
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September 22, 2015Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Duuuude...
Drinking Buddy: Aw, Dude!
Testosterone Level: Dude! DUDE!
Talky Talk: Dude.
Bonus Factor: Playing Video Games for God Damn Money
Bromance Status: Dude?
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Duuuude...
Drinking Buddy: Aw, Dude!
Testosterone Level: Dude! DUDE!
Talky Talk: Dude.
Bonus Factor: Playing Video Games for God Damn Money
Bromance Status: Dude?
Read the full book report here.
August 14, 2017
I thought this book perfectly captured the feeling of what it's like to aspire to become a professional gamer. While I personally never became heavily invested in video games, I did play Magic: the Gathering, and a number of my friends and I would try to become eligible to compete at a Pro Tour Tournament (alas, the closest I came was 2nd place at a qualifying tournament). I thought the author did a superb job conveying the mindset of a competitive gamer, and the grind of trying to go pro; even when they're not actively playing the game, they're often thinking about it, and about different strategies they can use to improve.
I didn't so much like the second half of the book when Seth goes to South Korea, as I'd like to think his teammates would be more welcoming, and want to collaborate more so they all become better. However, I can also understand their mindset, as they think an unworthy player got on the team over a better player just because he's American and is more promotable. I don't think many people would be happy working with a co-worker they think is unqualified and unfit for their job. Not only that, but he's getting special accommodations (his own room), plus is tapped to play in competitions when he's not one of the best players on the team. So yeah, I can see where the resentment would come from.
So overall, a very good, realistic book that I think any gamer would enjoy reading.
One minor gripe: While I know the author doesn't have any say over what's on the cover, and I think the cover is great for appealing to gamers and standing out, I think it's actually a horrible cover. First of all, Seth is a computer gamer, not a console gamer as shown on the cover. A bigger issue for me is that the cover spoils 1/2 the story. Just from looking at the cover, we know that he will become a top US player that makes the Korean eSports team, and that he and Hannah become an item. Doesn't leave much suspense for reading the book.
Other thoughts and quotes as I was reading:
p. 41: Ha! Found a typo: 'Give-me' should be gimme. ("...The tiebreak goes to minutes played which would be a give-me, with all the quick games I played on day one.)
p. 41: Hmm, pretty shady to tell the other player he's in the cut for top-8 with an intentional draw to split the victory points, when you don't have a clue what his tiebreakers are like. Speaking of drawing, how do you naturally get a draw in this game? (I'm assuming this game is similar to Starcraft. Edit: I looked it up; apparently there are some scenarios where it can happen naturally without doing an intentional draw.)
p. 66: Good quote: "...very few people have what it takes to be great at any particular thing. And if you find that thing and don't go for it, that would be the ultimate fail."
p. 76: Found another typo: 'ricer boy' should be 'racer boy'. ("...What makes it worse is I get stuck working again with ricer boy, who keeps bugging me to come out on break and look at his new wing. (on his car))
p. 100: Ok, are they really saying the initialism STFU out loud? I think they did that once earlier too.
I didn't so much like the second half of the book when Seth goes to South Korea, as I'd like to think his teammates would be more welcoming, and want to collaborate more so they all become better. However, I can also understand their mindset, as they think an unworthy player got on the team over a better player just because he's American and is more promotable. I don't think many people would be happy working with a co-worker they think is unqualified and unfit for their job. Not only that, but he's getting special accommodations (his own room), plus is tapped to play in competitions when he's not one of the best players on the team. So yeah, I can see where the resentment would come from.
So overall, a very good, realistic book that I think any gamer would enjoy reading.
One minor gripe: While I know the author doesn't have any say over what's on the cover, and I think the cover is great for appealing to gamers and standing out, I think it's actually a horrible cover. First of all, Seth is a computer gamer, not a console gamer as shown on the cover. A bigger issue for me is that the cover spoils 1/2 the story. Just from looking at the cover, we know that he will become a top US player that makes the Korean eSports team, and that he and Hannah become an item. Doesn't leave much suspense for reading the book.
Other thoughts and quotes as I was reading:
p. 41: Ha! Found a typo: 'Give-me' should be gimme. ("...The tiebreak goes to minutes played which would be a give-me, with all the quick games I played on day one.)
p. 41: Hmm, pretty shady to tell the other player he's in the cut for top-8 with an intentional draw to split the victory points, when you don't have a clue what his tiebreakers are like. Speaking of drawing, how do you naturally get a draw in this game? (I'm assuming this game is similar to Starcraft. Edit: I looked it up; apparently there are some scenarios where it can happen naturally without doing an intentional draw.)
p. 66: Good quote: "...very few people have what it takes to be great at any particular thing. And if you find that thing and don't go for it, that would be the ultimate fail."
p. 76: Found another typo: 'ricer boy' should be 'racer boy'. ("...What makes it worse is I get stuck working again with ricer boy, who keeps bugging me to come out on break and look at his new wing. (on his car))
p. 100: Ok, are they really saying the initialism STFU out loud? I think they did that once earlier too.
January 6, 2017
This book was unique in my reading experience: I loved it so much, yet I skimmed probably 25% of it. There were two plots in the story, but they both got nearly equal time, so I can't really label one a subplot. One part of the story was about a kid, a gifted math student, who was also gifted at playing an online game (Starfare in the book, based on Starcraft in real life). This teen was one of the best players in the US, and eventually one of the Korean professional teams recruits him. While this book was fiction, the author had two sons play in pro eGames, so it felt very, very realistic and accurate.
Even though I'm a gamer, going into this book I thought I might not enjoy it. These professional eSports, I just don't get them. It always seemed a little silly to me to try to make a videogame into a sport. But wow, this book showed me how serious places like Korea take it. Plus I got an interesting view of Korea from an outsider's perspective, and a look at some interesting math stuff, and other new-to-me things.
If the book had been about the gaming alone, I would say this was the best book I had read in a long, long time. Unfortunately the other plot didn't work for me. Romance. Yawn. While I fully believed start and growth of the relationship the main character had with his girlfriend, it bored me. I just do not care about a teenage boyfriend/girlfriend situation, the worries they have, having to deal with their families, all that. I can't fault the author for including that plot in the book (it's a YA book, so I'm not the target audience), it just completely and totally did not work for me.
I was worried at how the story would end, because there was only one way I could see him ending it. See, this kid loved the game he was so good at; no matter what else he was doing (school, work), he was counting the minutes until he could get home and log on. However, when the Korean professional team recruited him and he was required to play 12+ hours a day, six days a week, the fun went out of it for him (100% accurate, that happens to me even on short vacations when I do nothing but play all day). Plus there were serious issues with the team not wanting to accept him (for perfectly valid reasons -- as a blond American, he was getting a lot more publicity than even the more skilled players). So basically, the kid's dream of going off to play for a professional team was crushed by the reality of that. I was really, really worried the author would crap on gamers -- that he would end the book with something like "So Main Characters gets back together with Girlfriend and realizes that his life is better without Starfare," but luckily he didn't. The story ended with a completely open ending, not touching on the game at all. The reader can fill in for themselves if the kid ever played again or how he felt about the game going forward. I'm really thankful for that. It felt like the author was being both true to the story and respectful to gamers.
Even with the romance plot, I really enjoyed this book. It's very, very rare for me want to reread a book, but I would happily reread this one.
Even though I'm a gamer, going into this book I thought I might not enjoy it. These professional eSports, I just don't get them. It always seemed a little silly to me to try to make a videogame into a sport. But wow, this book showed me how serious places like Korea take it. Plus I got an interesting view of Korea from an outsider's perspective, and a look at some interesting math stuff, and other new-to-me things.
If the book had been about the gaming alone, I would say this was the best book I had read in a long, long time. Unfortunately the other plot didn't work for me. Romance. Yawn. While I fully believed start and growth of the relationship the main character had with his girlfriend, it bored me. I just do not care about a teenage boyfriend/girlfriend situation, the worries they have, having to deal with their families, all that. I can't fault the author for including that plot in the book (it's a YA book, so I'm not the target audience), it just completely and totally did not work for me.
I was worried at how the story would end, because there was only one way I could see him ending it. See, this kid loved the game he was so good at; no matter what else he was doing (school, work), he was counting the minutes until he could get home and log on. However, when the Korean professional team recruited him and he was required to play 12+ hours a day, six days a week, the fun went out of it for him (100% accurate, that happens to me even on short vacations when I do nothing but play all day). Plus there were serious issues with the team not wanting to accept him (for perfectly valid reasons -- as a blond American, he was getting a lot more publicity than even the more skilled players). So basically, the kid's dream of going off to play for a professional team was crushed by the reality of that. I was really, really worried the author would crap on gamers -- that he would end the book with something like "So Main Characters gets back together with Girlfriend and realizes that his life is better without Starfare," but luckily he didn't. The story ended with a completely open ending, not touching on the game at all. The reader can fill in for themselves if the kid ever played again or how he felt about the game going forward. I'm really thankful for that. It felt like the author was being both true to the story and respectful to gamers.
Even with the romance plot, I really enjoyed this book. It's very, very rare for me want to reread a book, but I would happily reread this one.
September 16, 2015
Cover Thoughts: Interesting and makes you stop for a second and see what it’s about. HOWEVER, the cover is definitely broken. The story focuses on a teen who plays computer video games, not console video games. Soooo the kid is definitely holding the wrong sort of controller in his hands, he should be at a computer desk.
Librarian Musings:
I was incredibly excited when I saw this book come through one of our ordering carts at work. It’s been said in so many places that there aren’t enough boy-centric books, it’s also been said in so many places that boys will most certainly read books where the main character is a girl; if we get beyond that, the main reason I was excited was because the main character wants to be paid to play computer games. He genuinely wants to be a professional gamer. If you’ve heard of kids and teens that want to play sports for a living, you should also know that there are a good number of gamers that want to play games for a living.
This is the book that you hand to those teens. If they would much rather sit in their room for hours on end playing computer games and video games, this is their book. We start the book off with Seth winning a chance to play in a national tournament for the computer game that he plays. Sadly, while Seth is certain that he will dominate at the tournament he only breaks into the top 8. So not only does he just get a $2,000 check, he also isn’t high enough to be a professional gamer, plus he loses out to some punk who keeps messing with him throughout the game.
Coming home from the tournament, Seth gets a job at a local pizza place and this is where he meets Hannah. So Seth spends the bulk of his time at school (although we transition from Sophomore year -->summer-->Junior year) at work, and playing Starfare. But then he starts spending more and more time with Hannah who is a photographer and way above his league. It’s right around 100 pages in that Seth starts getting scouted by one of the Korean teams (for those of you that don’t know, the South Koreans pretty much dominate e-sports [http://na.lolesports.com/articles/sur...]). They fly him out to one their recruitment events that they’re holding throughout the United States. Some time goes by, school is about to start up again, Seth starts classes at the local college (because he’s a math genius, sorry forgot to mention that), and then the Koreans tell him they want him on the team. The next 3ish months go by in a flurry of pages, Seth meets with school counselor and it turns out he can get by with the current semester he’s in and then take an online class while he’s in Korea and he’ll be done with school. Hannah starts to pull away because Seth will now be living in South Korea and obviously a long distance relationship is impossible, especially amongst high schoolers.
Then all of a sudden (page 173) Seth’s in Korea! And he hates it. He misses Hannah like crazy, he’s not as good as the other guys on his team, they don’t talk to him, they’re mad that he’s getting all of these sponsorships when he’s not the best player, and he hates the food. He starts regretting his entire decision, but then he makes friends with a couple of locals that speak English (more on that under Rachael’s thoughts) and he begins to realize that he wants to go to college and get a degree in mathematics. So after being in Korea for 6 months or so he drops out of professional gaming and gets accepted to Brown University. The End.
Sooo, the book covers a lot in a really small amount of pages, 287. There are plenty of YA books that cover a short time window in twice as many pages. So that could be a plus or negative depending on who you’re handing the book to. The book fills a hole in YA contemporary fiction as there really just aren’t any books that seem to cover this particular subject.
Rachael’s Thoughts
So fair warning on this one, I live with someone who has spent a crazy amount of time in front of a computer screen playing video games very similar to Starfare and has most certainly watched professional gamers run commentary on their game play, as well as watch the national and world championships go down.
Some of the elements felt spot on: Seth constantly feeling the urge to play the game, making friends (and some enemies) through the game, the domination of South Korean teams, and the celebrity of top players within the community.
Honestly the biggest issue that I had with the book came from all of the interactions that we see between Seth and the Koreans on his team. The stilted English dialogue from the Koreans came across as very racist. So I definitely was not a fan of that. On the flip side, Seth’s goal was to become a professional gamer and to ultimately join a Korean team, yet not once did he try to learn Korean. That really pissed me off. Even when he knew that he was most certainly going to Korea he didn’t try.
I actually kind of liked the relationship between Hannah and Seth, it seemed pretty natural. Seemed to have all of the right reactions given each situation. The end result was pretty nice, I would imagine a lot of readers being satisfied with it.
Librarian Musings:
I was incredibly excited when I saw this book come through one of our ordering carts at work. It’s been said in so many places that there aren’t enough boy-centric books, it’s also been said in so many places that boys will most certainly read books where the main character is a girl; if we get beyond that, the main reason I was excited was because the main character wants to be paid to play computer games. He genuinely wants to be a professional gamer. If you’ve heard of kids and teens that want to play sports for a living, you should also know that there are a good number of gamers that want to play games for a living.
This is the book that you hand to those teens. If they would much rather sit in their room for hours on end playing computer games and video games, this is their book. We start the book off with Seth winning a chance to play in a national tournament for the computer game that he plays. Sadly, while Seth is certain that he will dominate at the tournament he only breaks into the top 8. So not only does he just get a $2,000 check, he also isn’t high enough to be a professional gamer, plus he loses out to some punk who keeps messing with him throughout the game.
Coming home from the tournament, Seth gets a job at a local pizza place and this is where he meets Hannah. So Seth spends the bulk of his time at school (although we transition from Sophomore year -->summer-->Junior year) at work, and playing Starfare. But then he starts spending more and more time with Hannah who is a photographer and way above his league. It’s right around 100 pages in that Seth starts getting scouted by one of the Korean teams (for those of you that don’t know, the South Koreans pretty much dominate e-sports [http://na.lolesports.com/articles/sur...]). They fly him out to one their recruitment events that they’re holding throughout the United States. Some time goes by, school is about to start up again, Seth starts classes at the local college (because he’s a math genius, sorry forgot to mention that), and then the Koreans tell him they want him on the team. The next 3ish months go by in a flurry of pages, Seth meets with school counselor and it turns out he can get by with the current semester he’s in and then take an online class while he’s in Korea and he’ll be done with school. Hannah starts to pull away because Seth will now be living in South Korea and obviously a long distance relationship is impossible, especially amongst high schoolers.
Then all of a sudden (page 173) Seth’s in Korea! And he hates it. He misses Hannah like crazy, he’s not as good as the other guys on his team, they don’t talk to him, they’re mad that he’s getting all of these sponsorships when he’s not the best player, and he hates the food. He starts regretting his entire decision, but then he makes friends with a couple of locals that speak English (more on that under Rachael’s thoughts) and he begins to realize that he wants to go to college and get a degree in mathematics. So after being in Korea for 6 months or so he drops out of professional gaming and gets accepted to Brown University. The End.
Sooo, the book covers a lot in a really small amount of pages, 287. There are plenty of YA books that cover a short time window in twice as many pages. So that could be a plus or negative depending on who you’re handing the book to. The book fills a hole in YA contemporary fiction as there really just aren’t any books that seem to cover this particular subject.
Rachael’s Thoughts
So fair warning on this one, I live with someone who has spent a crazy amount of time in front of a computer screen playing video games very similar to Starfare and has most certainly watched professional gamers run commentary on their game play, as well as watch the national and world championships go down.
Some of the elements felt spot on: Seth constantly feeling the urge to play the game, making friends (and some enemies) through the game, the domination of South Korean teams, and the celebrity of top players within the community.
Honestly the biggest issue that I had with the book came from all of the interactions that we see between Seth and the Koreans on his team. The stilted English dialogue from the Koreans came across as very racist. So I definitely was not a fan of that. On the flip side, Seth’s goal was to become a professional gamer and to ultimately join a Korean team, yet not once did he try to learn Korean. That really pissed me off. Even when he knew that he was most certainly going to Korea he didn’t try.
I actually kind of liked the relationship between Hannah and Seth, it seemed pretty natural. Seemed to have all of the right reactions given each situation. The end result was pretty nice, I would imagine a lot of readers being satisfied with it.
Read
September 28, 2019It started out promising, but then got tedious and repetitive.
January 1, 2021
3.8/5.0
September 27, 2014
This review originally appeared on She's Got the Book.com:
I have quite a few hobbies, but two of my favorites are reading and playing online with friends on the Xbox, so I eagerly requested this book about gaming. I was also really excited to read a YA novel that actually promised to tell a story from a young male's viewpoint, as opposed to the million and one stories out there based on 16-year-old girls.
Seth Gordon is obsessed with Starfare, an online game that he spends all of his time playing. He wants to play in South Korea some day, where the best gamers there are basically like athletes: there's training, sponsors, money, and fame. He's shocked when he actually does get invited to go to Korea to train with Team Anaconda. Although he's excited for the opportunity, he's sad to leave his family and the girl he's falling for, Hannah. Once he's in Korea though, he realizes that what he's been dreaming about doesn't live up to his expectations whatsoever.
I have to say that the second half of this book read much faster than the first. The first half dragged quite a bit, and the author spent many pages on needless small talk and pointless actions, i.e., Seth walked home. Then he opened the door. Then he made a bowl of cereal and put his bowl in the sink. He walked upstairs, and turned on his computer. He thought about things, and so on (obviously I'm giving an example of the style of writing and not quoting an actual passage). Anyway, I feel like this book would have moved along much faster if things like that could be summed up in a sort of "After getting home and eating some cereal, Seth started a Starfare match" way. I started this book in late August and didn't finish it until late September because the first half of the book read so slowly for me.
I definitely thought the book picked up once Seth got to Korea - the writing was good, the dialogue was better, and the plot got a lot more interesting. I also like the character of Hannah, the artsy, free-spirited girl Seth worked with and fell for. I really enjoyed the gaming sections of the book as well - the intense match scenes were some of my favorites.
This was a 3-star read for me - I loved reading about a young male for a change and I definitely liked the gaming aspect; if the book had been a little shorter and a lot more succinct, it would have been a 4-star read for me.
Let me know if you've read the book or have any interest in do so. Happy reading (and gaming)!
I have quite a few hobbies, but two of my favorites are reading and playing online with friends on the Xbox, so I eagerly requested this book about gaming. I was also really excited to read a YA novel that actually promised to tell a story from a young male's viewpoint, as opposed to the million and one stories out there based on 16-year-old girls.
Seth Gordon is obsessed with Starfare, an online game that he spends all of his time playing. He wants to play in South Korea some day, where the best gamers there are basically like athletes: there's training, sponsors, money, and fame. He's shocked when he actually does get invited to go to Korea to train with Team Anaconda. Although he's excited for the opportunity, he's sad to leave his family and the girl he's falling for, Hannah. Once he's in Korea though, he realizes that what he's been dreaming about doesn't live up to his expectations whatsoever.
I have to say that the second half of this book read much faster than the first. The first half dragged quite a bit, and the author spent many pages on needless small talk and pointless actions, i.e., Seth walked home. Then he opened the door. Then he made a bowl of cereal and put his bowl in the sink. He walked upstairs, and turned on his computer. He thought about things, and so on (obviously I'm giving an example of the style of writing and not quoting an actual passage). Anyway, I feel like this book would have moved along much faster if things like that could be summed up in a sort of "After getting home and eating some cereal, Seth started a Starfare match" way. I started this book in late August and didn't finish it until late September because the first half of the book read so slowly for me.
I definitely thought the book picked up once Seth got to Korea - the writing was good, the dialogue was better, and the plot got a lot more interesting. I also like the character of Hannah, the artsy, free-spirited girl Seth worked with and fell for. I really enjoyed the gaming sections of the book as well - the intense match scenes were some of my favorites.
This was a 3-star read for me - I loved reading about a young male for a change and I definitely liked the gaming aspect; if the book had been a little shorter and a lot more succinct, it would have been a 4-star read for me.
Let me know if you've read the book or have any interest in do so. Happy reading (and gaming)!
December 22, 2015
This book might have caught my interest when I realized that it's about GAMING. And I loooove games, and everything that's got to do with it. But I have to admit that reading this book was not comfortable, and I think it was because I am not used to reading a YA book from a guy's POV. The narration throughout the whole book was a teeeny bit monotonous and I could totally imagine my brother reading this book aloud to me. I honestly thought I was going to have a problem with it, but I didn't. I definitely love this book!
The story line hooked me in since reading the blurb. A geeky boy whose whole life is playing video games, and finally he has the chance to go Korea and PLAY ALONGSIDE WORLD FAMOUS PEOPLE?! That is like me wanting to play Destiny with Pewdiepie and his friends, UGH. I was pretty much jealous of the MC HAHA.
This book deals with tons of issues, that ranged from romance, to insecurities, to knowing when a hobby can ever be turn into a job. The romance part was unique, in my opinion. It didn't immediately fall into the topic of Hannah and Seth, but instead touched on other girls first, which I find refreshing. We always read books about how there's only that one girl/guy for that person, so seeing Seth go gaga over another girl before Hannah WAS REALLY REFRESHING. And hearing Seth's thoughts, that made the relationship much more unsteady. It's like, he's Seth, the ultimate geek. And she's Hannah, the uber hot artsy girl. We definitely come face to face with Seth's insecurities and his interpretation of whether Hannah likes him, or not. There were funny scenes pretty much most of the times, especially when Seth gets into one of his daydreaming mode.
This book was divided into two sections - Home and Korea. (At least I think it was called home?) So, it was sort of like a before, after situation, in which we get to see him at two very different time zones. The emotions in this book were pretty high, and the book swept me with it, in all the excitement, the adrenaline. I was bouncing on my seat, while reading this book, trying as hard to devour EVERYTHING.
ALSO, THIS KID IS A GENIUS. And that was what made me love this book more. Have you read it? Because you should, especially if you love gaming. It's like living a dream.
The story line hooked me in since reading the blurb. A geeky boy whose whole life is playing video games, and finally he has the chance to go Korea and PLAY ALONGSIDE WORLD FAMOUS PEOPLE?! That is like me wanting to play Destiny with Pewdiepie and his friends, UGH. I was pretty much jealous of the MC HAHA.
This book deals with tons of issues, that ranged from romance, to insecurities, to knowing when a hobby can ever be turn into a job. The romance part was unique, in my opinion. It didn't immediately fall into the topic of Hannah and Seth, but instead touched on other girls first, which I find refreshing. We always read books about how there's only that one girl/guy for that person, so seeing Seth go gaga over another girl before Hannah WAS REALLY REFRESHING. And hearing Seth's thoughts, that made the relationship much more unsteady. It's like, he's Seth, the ultimate geek. And she's Hannah, the uber hot artsy girl. We definitely come face to face with Seth's insecurities and his interpretation of whether Hannah likes him, or not. There were funny scenes pretty much most of the times, especially when Seth gets into one of his daydreaming mode.
This book was divided into two sections - Home and Korea. (At least I think it was called home?) So, it was sort of like a before, after situation, in which we get to see him at two very different time zones. The emotions in this book were pretty high, and the book swept me with it, in all the excitement, the adrenaline. I was bouncing on my seat, while reading this book, trying as hard to devour EVERYTHING.
ALSO, THIS KID IS A GENIUS. And that was what made me love this book more. Have you read it? Because you should, especially if you love gaming. It's like living a dream.
November 27, 2014
In this enthralling look into the Korean competitive eSports culture, fifteen year old Seth Gordon makes for an excellent narrator and guide. Seth is an online gaming obsessed teen, often blowing off classes or doing the bare minimum just to get by in order to devote all his free time to playing Starfare. And he’s so good (ranked 5th in the US) that he gains the attention of one of the best Korean teams, the Anacondas. Seth is drafted and becomes Korea’s first American player. Convincing his distracted and somewhat absentee parents that this is the opportunity of a lifetime, Seth moves to Seoul to become a professional gamer. Seemingly living the dream, Seth soon realizes that practicing and training for Starfare competitions eight hours a day, six days a week sucks the joy out of the game. His inability to speak Korean prevents him from bonding with his teammates who are none too pleased to share the limelight with an American. Despite his celebrity status in Seoul, loneliness is a natural side-effect and Seth spends his precious little free time thinking about Hannah, the girl back home he met a few weeks before moving to Korea. If only he could know whether she is interested in him as well. Seth does meet some English-speaking friends who help fill the emptiness. One of these friends, Song, works with Seth on advanced mathematics, the one other passion that Seth has. Realizing how gifted Seth is, Song helps him apply to Brown University to study math. Seth realizes that his Starfare career is not as fulfilling as he had hoped and is greatly relieved to have a new plan. Going home and becoming a regular teenager has tremendous appeal and there is the added bonus of being able to see Hannah again. Despite a somewhat fairy tale ending, readers will enjoy this story and wonder if a sequel is in the making.
Grades 8 and up. Some sexual references and foul language, though far far less than most YA novels.
Grades 8 and up. Some sexual references and foul language, though far far less than most YA novels.
September 11, 2014
Actual rating: 3.5. Seth (screen name, ActionSeth) is an expert at the online, PVP, strategy game called Starfare. Like, he's one of the best players in the country. Gets invited to play at Nationals (he doesn't win, but plays well and earns respect and $2000). His dream is to play on a team like they have in Korea, where gaming can be a career and gamers are nationwide superstars. Seth finds himself in a situation where his dream becomes reality. But does he really want it? At home, he finally has a girlfriend; does he really want to leave her? He's 16 and taking an advanced Calc class on a college campus because he's taken every math class at his high school and he loves it. Math might be his new passion; does he really want to give that up? But who can resist the opportunity to play video games as a career, make great money, and be a celebrity? Can ActionSeth have it all? Gaming teens, both readers and non-readers, are going to eat this one up. I'll definitely buy it for my library. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
As for Gateway, I'm not sure. The appeal is definitely there, but I have some problems with the writing. The first part of the book reads more like a summary than a story. Although this makes for quick reading, it lacks emotion. Many situations lack believability - Mom and Dad are divorced and Dad is almost always out of state on business. Mom moved to California to practice yoga (or something). Big bro is away at college. This leaves Seth home alone almost all of the time. He doesn't even see his mom for over a year (and she's supposedly a super-involved mom; I don't buy it). The ending is way too tidy and rushed. The entire resolution and ending is less than 20 pages. The ending almost gives the impression that there could be a sequel (there's not) so it's not completely satisfying.
As for Gateway, I'm not sure. The appeal is definitely there, but I have some problems with the writing. The first part of the book reads more like a summary than a story. Although this makes for quick reading, it lacks emotion. Many situations lack believability - Mom and Dad are divorced and Dad is almost always out of state on business. Mom moved to California to practice yoga (or something). Big bro is away at college. This leaves Seth home alone almost all of the time. He doesn't even see his mom for over a year (and she's supposedly a super-involved mom; I don't buy it). The ending is way too tidy and rushed. The entire resolution and ending is less than 20 pages. The ending almost gives the impression that there could be a sequel (there's not) so it's not completely satisfying.
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