Player vs Player by Amelia C. Gormley

Nov 30, 2014 Julio Genao marked it as to-read

of the presumably queer men mentioned in the blurb:

40 percent are in the closet
40 percent are related to one another
20 percent are described as "clingy"

*long, slow, calculating side-eye* ...more

flag 23 likes · Like · see review

Aug 24, 2014 Adam rated it liked it

Shelves: mysteries-thrillers-crime-etc, wrote-a-review, read-for-review, zzzzzs-were-made, police-officers-federal-agents-etc, mm-sports-acting-music-arts-etc, dnf-or-try-again-later, oldflames-formerlovers-secretlove

DNF at 45% and 3 stars. Yeah, I know that's weird.
description

I was really excited to read this book. There was going to be angst, a mystery, a hot cop, and best of all there were going to be serious discussions about issues like misogyny, racism and homophobia. And all of these things are definitely there, but I overlooked one key point: there was also going to be a whole lot of gamer stuff. Now you might shake your head and point out that the blurb, the title and the cover make it pretty clear that this i DNF at 45% and 3 stars. Yeah, I know that's weird.
description

I was really excited to read this book. There was going to be angst, a mystery, a hot cop, and best of all there were going to be serious discussions about issues like misogyny, racism and homophobia. And all of these things are definitely there, but I overlooked one key point: there was also going to be a whole lot of gamer stuff. Now you might shake your head and point out that the blurb, the title and the cover make it pretty clear that this is gamer-centric, but I honestly didn't think that the technical/technological aspects of the gaming industry would be so prominent. Not being a gamer myself, and having a very basic understanding of computers and technology, these parts of the book just confused me to no end.

But it was more than just the technology-talk that convinced me to DNF it. In fact, it was the relationship aspect of this book that really convinced me to put it down. The 'former lovers' theme is usually either a hit or miss for me. And unfortunately, I could see that Niles' and Tim's relationship was going down a path that I wasn't going to enjoy. It reminded me a lot of another book about re-uniting lovers that I 1-starred a couple of months ago.

And there was also the fact that there was another ex that seemed to be turning in to the psycho-ex trope, and a third potential love interest who I actually liked more than I liked Tim. There were just way too many balls up in the air (hah, balls..er, back to the review). I could tell it wasn't going to be fun for me, so I quit while I could still say that the book was "okay."

Now why did I give this an extra star? Simple: this book is political, and I loved that. 'Player vs Player' doesn't address serious issues like systemic misogyny and systemic racism in a politically correct manner. Amelia C. Gromley is upfront about her opinions on these matters; opinions that I share. She acknowledges that systemic racism is not something that can be experienced by all people (i.e. the white majority), it is a decidedly minority- and POC-experience. She acknowledges that systemic sexism does not victimize men, and opposition to feminism is simply misogyny and male chauvinism.

To sum up, the author recognized that when people call out forms of discrimination, they are not only reacting to individual incidents. Whether POC complain about racism, or women complain about sexism, or queer folks complain about homo/trans-phobia, the problem is societal. They are calling in to question a culture and systems that excuse or promote these forms of discrimination.

So that's why I gave this book an extra star. For being politically incorrect and acknowledging the truth of the society we live in. And for also giving me a lot to think about regarding sexism and racism in the gay community. I can say unequivocally that these are significant problems in the LGBQT community. Just ask lesbian women, trans men and women, or POC queers how they feel regarding these issues. More likely than not, they'll have quite a bit to say.

I would recommend this book to those who have an interest in the gaming industry, and in socio-political issues, particularly misogyny and sexism. ...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Dec 18, 2014 Jonetta rated it liked it

Shelves: m-m-romance, netgalley-arc

I thought this was going to be romantic suspense with a m/m romance and that combination sounded great. It turned out to have a different focus.

The video gaming industry is front and center with a lens on discrimination practices by players and developers. The main character, Niles River, has just introduced a game that flies in the face of the stereotypes for women, people of color and LGBTQ characters. The haters come out in force spewing vitriol through social media and other outlets. When f ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Mar 04, 2015 Wart Hill marked it as gave-up

Shelves: arc2014, netgalley, riptide

Nope.

DNF at 14%

I feel like someone engraved all of the problems with gamer culture on the head of a sledgehammer and started beating me over the head with it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for making a point.

But this book is way too heavy handed.

And when one of the protagonists makes a not even remotely funny joke about trans men? Yeah.

Not a book for me.

I received a free ARC via NetGalley ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Sep 21, 2014 The FountainPenDiva, Old school geek chick and lover of teddy bears rated it liked it

Shelves: books-on-kindle, e-books-purchased, sexcontent-vanilla, characters-black-heroines, characters-geek-chicks, theme-racism, characters-latina-heroines, characters-lesbian-heroines, wtf-face-palm-moments, omg-provocative

Update: I was contacted by author Amelia Gormley who'd read my intial review. We had the best discussion about what I considered erasure of PoC cosplayers in this book and she explained why she went the route she did in regards to the character in question and it was a very thoughtful and nuanced response. I still had my reservations and still believe that geeks of colour are woefully underrepresented, but I appreciate an author who respects their readers and who know how to behave professionall ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Oct 01, 2014 Tina rated it it was amazing

Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. I LOVE Amelia C. Gormley’s brain! Niles River and his twin brother Jordan River work together at Third Wave Studios, where they create first person player video games. Stop for a moment and re-read the first eight words of the previous sentence. I’ll wait. I KNOW, right? The twins were conceived while their parents, volunteering for Doctors Without Borders were volunteering and they believed the babies should me named to commemorate the trip on which they were conceive Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. I LOVE Amelia C. Gormley’s brain! Niles River and his twin brother Jordan River work together at Third Wave Studios, where they create first person player video games. Stop for a moment and re-read the first eight words of the previous sentence. I’ll wait. I KNOW, right? The twins were conceived while their parents, volunteering for Doctors Without Borders were volunteering and they believed the babies should me named to commemorate the trip on which they were conceived.
Third Wave is owned by a Latina woman (who is also Niles’s best friend) whose mission is to make games more representative of the changing face of society. Until now gamers have been mostly white cis heterosexual men. Anyone who didn’t fit into that mold was shunned, bullied or worse. So if a woman or a gay man wanted to play in the interactive games, she or he needed to pretend to be something they weren’t. Rosie’s goal is to include characters in her games that are strong, independent women, gay men involved in relationships, as well as people with brown and black and yellow skin. While playing the games, the player character makes different choices which determine where they game will take them and the characters created by Third Wave.
Suffice to say that Third Wave has had more than its share of hate mail and threats of violence, rape, and even death. When at a con, Niles and Rosie witness the physical harassment the cosplayers dressed as some of their more controversial characters suffer. It makes them both sick to think that they play even a small part in the suffering these people are going through. It also makes them more determined than ever to make their games as inclusive as possible.
While the Third Wave team is used to on-line and e-mail harassment, a line is crossed when a threatening letter is hand-delivered to Niles’s house. When Rosie & Jordan convince him to take the letter to the police, the detective he ends up with is his closeted college lover; Tim Wyatt, who broke his heart ten years ago and whom he hasn’t seen since. Once Tim sees the letter and the texts on Niles’s personal cell phone, he decides to open a case.
Soon, the Homicides that Tim and his partner are working take them to the offices of Third Wave and it becomes apparent that someone or a group of people is acting out the worst-case scenarios of the game. The terrible end that would come to the Third Wave characters if the player character made all the wrong choices throughout the game. In order to know what these outcomes are, the murderer has to have access to inside information about parts of the game that haven’t been released yet.
Player vs Player is a love story, wrapped in a murder mystery, wrapped in a social statement. Ms. Gormley has written another masterpiece. The range she shows from one book to the next is just awesome. Her in depth knowledge of gaming and police procedure show a dedication to in-depth research before writing, and personal political and social beliefs are intelligently and clearly stated as those held by Rosie. All this comes together while she takes the reader on a curvy, twisty thrill-ride that has everything you could want: hot cops, geeks, twins with that telepathy thing they do, a hot lesbian (?) Latina boss, smart, witty dialogue, and a surprise around every corner. This is a really well written and intelligent book. I freakin’ loved it. Just don’t start it unless you have all day, ‘cause it kept me up until three a.m.
...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Dec 09, 2014 Lila added it

Shelves: mm

Gamer vs Reader

description

I am a gamer and a reader and I am struggling with how to rate this book.

As a gamer I approve that this is even done.
I think 2014. was the year when lack of diversity in video games issue generated the highest number of discussions, essays, creative pieces and initiatives in media. It's not a problem tickled just recently, but Anita Sarkeesian and GG clusterfuck definitely made it mainstream and Colbert..well, he just sealed the deal.

Reader in me found this book...shoddy.
I didn't ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Dec 14, 2014 Teri rated it liked it · review of another edition

Interesting characters, though I was suspicious of everyone, but that's just my nature. I don't really know much about the topic, but I wanted to see where the story went and how things were resolved. I wish there hadn't been quite so much death and the hate mail..ugh...terrible.
I appreciate Rosie and Niles's dedication, but there were a few times when I felt I was being more than just lectured to.
I wish there had been a little more emotionally development in our romance. I don't mind when the ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Dec 13, 2014 La*La rated it it was ok

Shelves: m-m, 2014, contemporary-romance, mystery, disappointed, law-enforcement

2.5 stars.

Well, this book was a downer.

It was stressful to read, it tackled too many issues..it made my head spin. The game-talk, the mystery, and the rather heavy focus on bullying/homophobia/misogyny/racism - all made for a dry and rather depressing read. Kudos to the author for being so passionate about all those socio-political problems, but the was it was expressed in the book was heavy-handed and preachy. To top it all, the romance plot-line was so thin it was practically non-existent. ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Dec 01, 2014 ♣ Irish Smurfétté ♣ rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed, arc, pba, amelia-gormley

3.5 Star Review on Prism Book Alliance

As I started reading, I had that settling in feeling I usually get from Gormley’s writing. It feels like an invitation to engage no matter the setting or subject matter.

I’m not a gamer, don’t do cosplay, and the last time I was really into comics, it was all about Star Wars and GI Joe. In other words, the detail about the world of gaming was sufficient without reaching a level at which I couldn’t understand what was going on. Context was used well in making ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jan 04, 2015 Tim Spohn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: gay-fiction, thriller

Let me start with: Player vs Player is not a romance novel. There is some romance, but it's a tiny part of the story.
This is first and foremost a great and suspenseful LGBTQ mystery/thriller about some intriguing poltical topics.

I'm a huge geek. Naturally I also enjoy videogames (though I barely have the time to actually play anymore). And the gaming subculture - as the Gamergate controvery last year showed - is still plagued by misogynie, homophobia and racist tendencies.
Try entering an online- ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Nov 02, 2014 Shelumiel Delos Santos rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, thriller, contemporary, earc

I want to start off by pointing out that this book deals heavily on bullying—both cyber and otherwise. It is ugly; there’s no way to tone it down. And that’s exactly how the author handled it.

It is timely. This year has been an important year for an important issue in the bookish community, namely, Diversity in Literature. In the book, the main characters are harassed left right center for pushing social change in the form of non-sexualized women, queer and people-of-color characters in video ga ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Dec 06, 2014 Keziah rated it really liked it

Shelves: genre-crime-fiction, genre-contemporary-romance, protagonist-glbtq, blog-post

This was an interesting read, it's about time I got to read something which dealt with the white het-cis male gamer crap. Most of my friends are white het-cis male gamers and while they don't act like the dicks in this book, often they can't understand the difference between people bullying them while gaming and having people casually threaten to rape you for expressing an opinion which makes them certain you are either a "girl" or a "fag". I like that now I feel I have some better ways to expla ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 22, 2014 Leigh rated it it was amazing

This book is well worth a read for the truth it states. Props to the author for writing about the issues.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Dec 07, 2014 T.M. Smith rated it really liked it

Niles River is a Video Game Designer with a vision to create more diverse games that don’t put woman, gays or people of color into a tiny, one sided view box. While he and his twin brother are happy to bring this new face to the gaming world, they are also aware there are people out there that won’t be happy about their approach. Niles and Jordie have to deal with bullying, cyber bullying, a not so open crush and an ex-boyfriend that didn’t get the memo on the ex part.

While Niles is passionate Niles River is a Video Game Designer with a vision to create more diverse games that don’t put woman, gays or people of color into a tiny, one sided view box. While he and his twin brother are happy to bring this new face to the gaming world, they are also aware there are people out there that won’t be happy about their approach. Niles and Jordie have to deal with bullying, cyber bullying, a not so open crush and an ex-boyfriend that didn’t get the memo on the ex part.

While Niles is passionate about his work and following through with his vision, can he justify his cause when people are dying as a result of the changes he is trying to make. Somewhere in the middle of all the madness and mayhem, Niles gets a second chance with the one that got away. But will he survive the insanity and actually get that chance?

This was a suspenseful and powerful story. Bullying, cyber bullying, hate and vengeance are a norm of society today, sadly. And if there is one thing that Gormley does well it is take real life situations and circumstance that are twisted and hateful and write about them realistically, yet tastefully. I was on the edge of my seat throughout this entire story, wondering what lurked around the next corner and who would drop next.

Loved the way the relationship between the twin brothers was written, and that almost juicy little tidbit at the end, that was just mean to dangle that carrot and then jerk it away. How rude! And anyone that follows my reviews knows I do LOVE me a bitch on wheels, enter Rosie. Strong, fierce and she ain’t taking no shit off of nobody, I just loved her! It wouldn’t be a true Gormley novel without at least one twisted SOB though, now would It? I give you Patrick.

My only issue here was the conversations and back and forth between characters. I got lost a few times and had to go back to be sure I was hearing the correct voice in the story. Aside from that I was just completely engrossed in this story and was seriously upset when I reached the end, I wasn’t ready for it to be over.

The subject matter is series and the content is definitely not for the faint of heart, but the story is so well written and conveyed that I have to tell you this one is a must read. If you like strong characters and storylines steeped in reality from an Author that is not afraid to tackle the darkness of our world and society today, this one is a must read I assure you.

* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 30, 2014 Becky rated it really liked it

I'm still a bit split about this book and this pretty much reflects how I feel about every aspect of it. I was really looking forward to reading this and enjoyed the sample - but when I began to read it in full, I wasn't massively keen on the first half of the book. It was a bit take-it-or-leave-it, but the second half picked up the pace and then some. Whilst I truly applaud the author in bringing to light the issues of societal inequity which was done in a very non-pushy way, it felt like there ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2014 Jordan Brock rated it really liked it

My experience in the gaming world is about six years out of date, but even back then, there was an overwhelming 'white maleness' of the culture. If you weren't one of these privileged elites, you were sidelined, mocked, and told to go play Bejeweled and leave the real games to real gamers. Both years I attended E3, a major gaming convention, I was overwhelmed by half-naked booth babes, beefy white male gaming avatars, and an absolute lack of diversity and acceptance.

Fast-forward six years, and I ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 10, 2014 James M. Shimabukuro rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Well written mystery not a romance.

This is a ripped from the headlines mystery. I'm not a gamer but my daughter is. I have read a lot about gamergate because of that. What I've read has shocked and worried me. This is a subject the author obviously feels passionate about and was inspired by. I know some readers of her other work will expect certain things in this book and be disappointed but I liked it. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 18, 2014 Helen Shaw rated it it was amazing

I was able to buy this at GRL yesterday. Read it in one sitting. Omg! It is excellent. Heart wrenching and scary in its realism. Adored all the main characters. And the resolution was thoroughly satisfying.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 11, 2014 Calila rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: zzzzz-read-in-2017, ebook, m-m, m-m-artist-photo-writer, romance, m-m-science-tech, standalone, m-m-cop-fbi-pi, borrowed-kindle, zzzzz-gb-q4-2017-picked

Good plot in between lectures.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 14, 2014 Michele rated it it was amazing

Best gaming-related book I have ever read, but not an easy one as it was inspired by real hate acts against females in the gaming industry.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 21, 2014 Love Bytes Reviews rated it it was amazing

5 star rview by Vicki

Wow. This is how you write a complex plot!

This book centers around a video game company called Third Wave that focuses on creating games that include characters who are generally NOT included in mainstream gaming. People of color, women, and LGBTQ characters. The company is owned by Rosena (Rosie), a woman who falls in to several of those catagories herself. Twin brothers Niles and Jordan Rivers work for Rosie, Niles writing storylines and Jordan in marketing. The gaming ind 5 star rview by Vicki

Wow. This is how you write a complex plot!

This book centers around a video game company called Third Wave that focuses on creating games that include characters who are generally NOT included in mainstream gaming. People of color, women, and LGBTQ characters. The company is owned by Rosena (Rosie), a woman who falls in to several of those catagories herself. Twin brothers Niles and Jordan Rivers work for Rosie, Niles writing storylines and Jordan in marketing. The gaming industry is very white male dominated, and Rosie and Niles are trying to fight from the inside, by giving reasonable, responsible storylines to characters who don’t fit the norm. They have been subjected to repeated threatening messages, Rosie has been forced to move from her house in to a condo when her home address was revealed, and there are protests outside of the company. These threats are coming from gamers who don’t like having their “perfect” games ruined by female or gay characters and players, as well as protests from relegious groups accusing Third Wave of pushing a gay agenda.

I am having such a hard time writing anything about this plot without giving it all away! Geez… why is this so hard?

Niles and Rosie live with this hate and negativity, knowing that it is all online vitriol, and no one would really make it physical. Until it starts to happen. Niles receives a threatening letter at his home, and Jordan and Rosie encourage him to go to the police, just in case. He does, and runs in to his college boyfriend, outside the police station. Tim Wyatt was the man that broke Niles’ heart in college, refusing to come out of the closet, returning to his home town to get married, ten years ago. Niles has long since moved on, but is quite surprised to see Tim. They go to lunch, and talk about what is happening with Niles and Rosie and their issues. Tim assures Niles that it’s probably nothing, but files a police report to make sure. Of course it does turn out to be something, and we get a very nasty plot…

So we follow two sides of this story, looking down from above, knowing what the other side doesn’t know. We see Niles, Rosie, and Jordan as they struggle to understand what is happening to their world. We see Tim and his partner Angela, as they try to determine why two woman dressed in weird costumes have been killed. We see things go wrong, we see them miss obvious things, we see the threat from afar and can’t help. We also see them all making the connections and gettig it all together, but not always in time. I thought I knew who the bad guy was, then I was sure it was someone else, then back again. I loved it, it was a very unique and interesting plot, I learned something bad about the world, I have to say. I knew this was an issue in gaming, but not to this extreme.

As this is a romance, you can guess that Niles and Tim reconnect after ten years apart. I really liked them together as a couple, and as individuals. Niles is almost niave, or innocent, or… I can’t get the right word. Idealistic maybe works better. He wants so bad to change the world, and is so surprised when he can’t. Tim wants to protect Niles from the big bad world, but can’t. I liked that he isn’t the knight in shining armor, he tries to be, but isn’t actually there at the critical moments. I don’t want to say how the confrontations played out, but it was perfect. So they connect, they work well together, they have great sex, and we get a happy ending. Their story was great.

There are lots of other characters in this book that enhanced the story. Niles and Jordan are very tightly bound twins, Jordan denying any mental or emotional connection, yet it is there, we see it. I loved Jordan on his own, he is so caring of his brother, and Rosie as well. I wanted to see some happiness for him, he seems lonely. Rosie was just bad-ass. I loved her too! Shes strong, stubborn, and smart. There were moments with her that worked so well, her and Niles, also with Jordan. The three are so closely tied together with this company. Tim’s partner Angela was cool, and her friendship that developes with Rosie. Rosie’s friend/attorney/former lover whose name I can’t remember (dammit!) was a nice little addition. The game that plays such a big part had characters, and the girls that paid too high of a price. Patrick the intern who just wanted to be liked. Anthony the creepy stalker exboyfriend of Niles had his place as well. Daniel, a reporter that Niles connects with, I really liked him. Anyway, lots of additional characters that rounded out the plot beautifully.

I was concerned starting it that since I am not a gamer at all, I would be lost in the acronyms and lingo, but for the most part I was fine. It’s not a world I live in, but I understand the passion it engenders, both love and hate.

This is a very good book. The plot, the details, the characters, the bad shit, the love, it just all worked so well! It was dark at times but that only made the good parts better. I’ve read a few books by Amelia C. Gormley, and I’ve liked them just fine, but this one was fantastic. Well written, well researched, a very detailed plot, deep and developed characters, and a perfect ending.

A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways! ...more

flag Like · see review

Dec 28, 2014 Tracy rated it really liked it

Shelves: gay-fiction, contemporary, suspense

Murder suspense set within gaming culture and fandom make an interesting combination that works pretty well. Niles works for a gaming company as a writer for games that push boundaries with their focus on diversity. Plus, he is gay, and his boss is a confident woman of color. He (and his boss) get a lot of hate mail and harassment, but, this time, things go beyond harassment and get personal with murders that grossly parody their games.

I noticed reviews complaining the book was too political. It Murder suspense set within gaming culture and fandom make an interesting combination that works pretty well. Niles works for a gaming company as a writer for games that push boundaries with their focus on diversity. Plus, he is gay, and his boss is a confident woman of color. He (and his boss) get a lot of hate mail and harassment, but, this time, things go beyond harassment and get personal with murders that grossly parody their games.

I noticed reviews complaining the book was too political. It definitely did have a strong stand on issues of diversity, but I did not find it heavy-handed. It is not clearly good vs evil, and even the eventual culprits' mindset is explored and considered. Things are complicated, and there are unpleasant revelations. Believe me, I've read other books that were diatribes loosely connected by an attempt at a story and no character development, just mouthpieces for the author's opinions. This one took serious issues, explored it from different perspectives (like having characters who were non-fans trying to understand, or the business end of things when the murders lead to bad press for the main characters and their company and, by extension, their parent company), had sympathetic characters with strong interactions, and a good story. Sometimes, the characters got a little long-winded. I appreciate how the issues and political views were incorporated into the story, how it illustrated online harassment being ignored due to its anonymous nature and that there is a valid issue with prejudice in gaming culture.

I have a casual interest in anime, scifi/fantasy, and gaming and can see the issues illustrated here. I actually learned more about general gaming from reading this story, and it matches what I have seen so far myself. I found it pretty well-researched, or maybe drawn from some personal experience. It's great to share passion and enthusiasm for something with other like-minded people, and my introduction to anime was just like that, but there's a uglier side to fandom which I experienced with other "fans" that soured my views on fandom and kept my interest casual. I didn't see the prejudice (then, due to bad experience with those "fans," my interest never grew into cosplay and online connections), but I saw the snobbery, exclusivity, and elitism fans had and the refusal to accept others who did not see things the same way they did and were not "good enough" and just dismissed. It's not just gaming culture that sees prejudice and diversity issues. I follow several authors blogs (including women and people of color) ,and they speak openly about the lack of diversity and awareness in worldbuilding in the stories of the scifi/fantasy genre, and their harassment experiences and the lack of support from their niche community, also made up of primarily white straight men.

I do not usually read mystery or suspense, but the gaming part of the premise intrigued me. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think this is a murder mystery because the protagonists are not investigators or sleuths, not even amateur ones, actively trying to solve the murders. I read other reviews before reading this that complained that Niles and the other characters were likeable and all but were too much the victim. I actually found that the story was more believable for that. These are regular people who love gaming, want to share their love, and they are being targeted for being different, and their reactions, of denial/disbelief and fear, seem pretty understandable. They try to keep moving on with their lives like usual and life happens. There is some romance, but it is not as prominent and does not take over the story (and the sex is not very explicit). They cooperate with the police when they can offer insight that the non-fan police can use. They don't suddenly start sleuthing to get to the bottom of it, nor are they action heroes with secret mad fighting skills. I'm not sure if it's typical police procedure that they're working so closely with the police as consultants and providing insight into gaming culture and the mindset of gamers. That said and without getting into spoilers, I thought the ending was tied up in a believable way. There was no wish fulfillment type of fantasy happy ending with unrealistic changes/developments where society suddenly understands how wrong things are. Everything doesn't end up perfect or close to what they were before, the issues with diversity and fandom prejudice have not disappeared, but the characters are dealing with it and moving on as positively as they can.

I read this as an ARC through Netgalley. ...more

flag Like · see review

Dec 10, 2014 Pansy rated it really liked it

My daughter is a gamer. I sometimes think she spends way too much time on the computer playing her games. Seems all her friends are there. She doesn’t seem to have many “real world” friends. But, she tells me, it is her coping mechanism and since I spend just as much time buried in my make believe world of books, who am I to say otherwise? So I sit, glassy eyed, as she goes on and on and on and on about what is happening in the guild or with her character when we are together. Consequently, when My daughter is a gamer. I sometimes think she spends way too much time on the computer playing her games. Seems all her friends are there. She doesn’t seem to have many “real world” friends. But, she tells me, it is her coping mechanism and since I spend just as much time buried in my make believe world of books, who am I to say otherwise? So I sit, glassy eyed, as she goes on and on and on and on about what is happening in the guild or with her character when we are together. Consequently, when I saw this, I thought why not. It might give me a different perspective and insight.

I even discussed the book with my daughter, but the conversation didn’t go quite the way I thought it might. According to her, the bigotry and harassment discussed in this book is ten years old. She doesn’t see it much anymore, in the games. However, what we know about the “glass ceiling,” and general bigotry and intolerance in the real world, we could see the events in this story happening.

In reading this book, I do have a better understanding of the gaming culture. For instance, I didn’t know I was an unusual parent in that, not only did/do I know about her gaming and the characters she plays, but I know the names of her “friends” and guild mates – by both their player name and, sometimes their real world name – in spite of the fact I am in no way a gamer. I was appalled to read that the parents of the victims in this story had no idea what their kids did on the computer. Was that poetic license on the part of the author, or real world? Considering that the author spent time letting us know that some of the things discussed in this book was based on real world events, I am left wondering.

Now all this personal stuff aside, as you can see, the book did spark some thoughts, in my mind, to think about, as well as being a rather good murder mystery. It further discussed the whole video/computer games have undue influence on today’s youth controversy. The pros and the cons. I do have my own thoughts on that, but this is not the forum to discuss that. Suffice it to say, I was impressed with how this author incorporated such controversial hot buttons into a gripping and entertaining story.

This story had murder, stalking, betrayal, good friends – old and new, romance, hot twins, hot cops, all the elements of a good story. I really didn’t want to put it down for things like sleep, but couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. In some spots the soap box took over a bit too much, but not enough to throw me from the story. There was gaming, suspense, action, multiple visits to the hospital, angst, excitement, hot sex, and cuddles all done with good pacing.

In my humble opinion, like Rose, Niles, Jordan, and all the staff of Third Wave gaming studios, participate – read the book. Everyone! It just might influence some change, acceptance and tolerance. Okay, I need to step off my soap box.

This is an entertaining read with a wonderful story. Give it a try!

I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 17, 2015 Devan Huff rated it really liked it

I received one copy of this book at no charge from the publisher to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own. Review first written on Nautical Star Books.

There aren’t many fictional books that truly leave me feeling smarter when I finish reading them. I am not a gamer at all. Mario Brothers is about as close as I come to a video game and even that is rare. To read in such detail about the design, marketing and culture that surrounds the gaming community was truly fascinating.

Niles and his t I received one copy of this book at no charge from the publisher to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own. Review first written on Nautical Star Books.

There aren’t many fictional books that truly leave me feeling smarter when I finish reading them. I am not a gamer at all. Mario Brothers is about as close as I come to a video game and even that is rare. To read in such detail about the design, marketing and culture that surrounds the gaming community was truly fascinating.

Niles and his twin brother Jordan work for a company called Third Wave. Rosie, a strong and vibrant Latina woman, owns Third Wave and also happens to be best friends with Nile. The video games that they produce are designed to NOT fit the stereotypical heterosexual male gamer. The role playing games they create include smart, kick butt women (rather than busty airheads you often find in games) as well as LGBTQ characters. Their forward thinking game creation pisses off a lot of fringe groups and dead bodies start piling up around them.

Player vs Player is told from several different characters points of view. Throughout the story you learn a lot about each character by seeing the story play out in their voice. You can just feel how intense Jordan is about protecting his brother. You understand Rosie’s passion for the mission behind Third Wave. And you really connect with Niles and the guilt he feels for creating story lines that are getting people killed.

The mystery in this story is very well thought out. And once you come to the ‘conclusion’ of the mystery you still have about 50 pages left because it isn’t quite as done as you thought it was. Not giving any spoilers here, though!

Now, I will say that Player vs Player is not for the faint of heart or those looking for an easy, breezy book to flip through. There is a lot of gamer speak and explanation of gamer culture and protocol. I found it very interesting and not at all difficult to understand. You will LEARN something and I, for one, really enjoyed that aspect of it. Player vs Player is also a bit on the gory side at times. There is death and violence and bloodshed and it isn’t all glossed over and hinted at. Also, if you are looking for sex and romance, it isn’t really heavy on that either. The book is about half way through before any real ‘romance’ is initiated and sex is hinted at but not written. There is heat and teasing and kissing and then we cut to the next scene. I think this book would be classified more as a mystery rather than a romance. However, it is still an amazing book…I just like a little bit more smut with my mystery!

I loved Player vs Player and it was one of those ‘can’t put it down til it’s finished’ kind of stories. I highly recommend it if you are looking for an intense mystery that really makes you think.

One final note to the author: That last scene was just mean. I really wanted it to play out in full and graphic detail! And please tell me that Jordie gets his own book very soon! ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 09, 2014 Stephanie (the nerdy princess) rated it liked it

Shelves: to-read-on-my-kindle, first-reads, arc, netgalley, thriller

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book looked very promising and the summery look like a book I would really want to read, except I forgot about one thing….GAMING…. I know nothing about gaming which in turned left me feeling a little retarded throughout this book.

Niles River and his twin brother Jordan River work together at Third Wave Studios, where they create first person player video games

Third Wave is owned by a Latina woman (who is als I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book looked very promising and the summery look like a book I would really want to read, except I forgot about one thing….GAMING…. I know nothing about gaming which in turned left me feeling a little retarded throughout this book.

Niles River and his twin brother Jordan River work together at Third Wave Studios, where they create first person player video games

Third Wave is owned by a Latina woman (who is also Niles’s best friend) whose mission is to make games more representative of the changing face of society. Until now gamers have been mostly white cis heterosexual men. Anyone who didn’t fit into that mold was shunned, bullied or worse. So if a woman or a gay man wanted to play in the interactive games, she or he needed to pretend to be something they weren’t. Rosie’s goal is to include characters in her games that are strong, independent women, gay men involved in relationships, as well as people with brown and black and yellow skin. While playing the games, the player character makes different choices which determine where they game will take them and the characters created by Third Wave.

Suffice to say that Third Wave has had more than its share of hate mail and threats of violence, rape, and even death. When at a con, Niles and Rosie witness the physical harassment the cosplayers dressed as some of their more controversial characters suffer. It makes them both sick to think that they play even a small part in the suffering these people are going through. It also makes them more determined than ever to make their games as inclusive as possible.

While the Third Wave team is used to on-line and e-mail harassment, a line is crossed when a threatening letter is hand-delivered to Niles’s house. When Rosie & Jordan convince him to take the letter to the police, the detective he ends up with is his closeted college lover; Tim Wyatt, who broke his heart ten years ago and whom he hasn’t seen since. Once Tim sees the letter and the texts on Niles’s personal cell phone, he decides to open a case.

Soon, the Homicides that Tim and his partner are working take them to the offices of Third Wave and it becomes apparent that someone or a group of people is acting out the worst-case scenarios of the game. The terrible end that would come to the Third Wave characters if the player character made all the wrong choices throughout the game. In order to know what these outcomes are, the murderer has to have access to inside information about parts of the game that haven’t been released yet.

...more

flag Like · see review

Dec 08, 2014 Lara rated it liked it

Shelves: arc-netgalley, gay-fiction, read-2014

Review also @JustOneMoreBlogAboutBooks

*ARC courtesy of NetGalley*

Player vs Player is quite difficult to review for me: it has a non-fiction vibe - and that's not a genre I read often - since the romance or the mystery storylines are, in order of importance, way beyond the socio-political one.
As it was pointed out by other readers, I often got the impression reading this story of being lectured by the author and, while I get the importance of showing the wrongness about sexism, misogyny and homop ...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 07, 2015 Joyfully Jay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kris

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.5 stars

There aren’t enough stories portraying geeks in a positive light. This story was more murder mystery than romance, but it was written incredibly well, and I didn’t have an inkling as to who was behind it until just before the characters did.

A big part of this book is highlighting the misogynistic world of video games in general. It’s definitely something we all should be aware of, and it’s also fantastic to think of a gaming company that would be stretching its ro ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 25, 2015 Veronica rated it really liked it

I reviewed my personal copy of this book for Wicked Reads.

People connected to Niles and the gaming company he works for, Third Wave, start dying and Tim, the former love of his life, is investigating. Niles is sweet, trusting and sees the good in everyone. Tim who was formerly in the closest in now out and has grown up.

The story is told from multiple points of view but is centred around Niles. Part of the story is told from the point of view of Rosie, Niles' best friend. She is intelligent, str ...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 22, 2015 Melissa rated it it was amazing

This is an action-packed mystery with some romantic themes. While this book is a departure from the normal sweet and sexy romances in the m/m genre it is still worth reading. This story will grab onto you from the very beginning and doesn’t let go until the end. I loved the characters Ms. Gormley created and I would love to read another book with these characters.

This book revolves around Niles River, the head writer for a video game development company. However, we are given insight into not o ...more

flag Like · see review