Kubrick's Game in Evolved Publishing

Feb 09, 2017 Timothy Ward rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, mystery, evolved-publishing, 2017

Two thoughts stood out as I finished this exceptional new story from Derek Taylor Kent and a Evolved Publishing:

1) That has to be the smartest mystery story I've ever experienced.
2) Am I really considering that Kubrick's Game was BETTER than Ready Player One by Ernest Cline?

It's been two days since I finished, and I've yet to discredit either of those lofty claims. First off, the story centers on some geeky film students, one who had a form of autism, and has become an unrecognized expert on all Two thoughts stood out as I finished this exceptional new story from Derek Taylor Kent and a Evolved Publishing:

1) That has to be the smartest mystery story I've ever experienced.
2) Am I really considering that Kubrick's Game was BETTER than Ready Player One by Ernest Cline?

It's been two days since I finished, and I've yet to discredit either of those lofty claims. First off, the story centers on some geeky film students, one who had a form of autism, and has become an unrecognized expert on all things Stanley Kubrick. His best friend is studying to be a director after his acting career stagnated and left him with a cheesy catch phrase as his legacy. Both characters are fun and very likable.

Their story begins with an invitation to solve a scavenger hunt engineered by Kubrick before his death fifteen years ago. I wasn't sure what to think coming into this book with only a minimal grasp on Kubrick's biography and films. I'm glad to say that Kent wrote a mystery that was both highly knowledgeable of Kubrick's work, creating an intricate puzzle that is both brilliantly woven and accessible to readers who know or don't know anything about Kubrick. Seriously, this puzzle is amazing in how it kept me guessing and how the pieces tied together in ways that made me question how in the world Lent had fit them together so perfectly. This perfect match of seemingly abstract and unrelated pieces to the puzzle enhances the chance that Kubrick really created this game.

I'm tempted to go on, but I won't spoil anything. Needless to say, I'm excited to read more, and I can't wait to not only rewatch Kubrick's movies,but also check out Derek's website where he has an additional real life The Game.

I listened to the audiobook, which has top notch narrators. Not too many audiobooks have the narrators faces on the cover, having become famous for their television or movies. Listening to this book, it felt like I was being treated by actors at the top of their craft. I had a few small critiques of the audio production. There was a bad habit of the main narrator fading out between spoken dialogue. I wish the producer would have leveled out the volume a little better in those places, as well as a brief part in chapter 54 when there is an obvious break in the text. I tried to sync my kindle version to see how much I missed, but couldn't...I don't think it was much.

In searching my kindle version I found that they have images of the movies in the text, which would have been awesome to see as I read. Whichever format you use, this needs to be on your reading list. Evolved Publishing shows once again how they put out some of the most solid and enjoyable stories you can find. ...more

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Nov 21, 2017 Gregg Sapp rated it really liked it

On the very day that I sat down to write this review of “Kubrick’s Game” by Derek Taylor Kent, a Fox News article flashed across the news feed on my internet browser with the headline, “Apollo Moon Landing Was Faked, Conspiracy Theorists Claim with New Photo.” I thought that was a felicitous coincidence, since this book addresses the theory that the brilliant director Stanley Kubrick surreptitiously filmed Neil Armstrong’s famous “one small step for man” in an Arizona studio. I suppose that it i On the very day that I sat down to write this review of “Kubrick’s Game” by Derek Taylor Kent, a Fox News article flashed across the news feed on my internet browser with the headline, “Apollo Moon Landing Was Faked, Conspiracy Theorists Claim with New Photo.” I thought that was a felicitous coincidence, since this book addresses the theory that the brilliant director Stanley Kubrick surreptitiously filmed Neil Armstrong’s famous “one small step for man” in an Arizona studio. I suppose that it is testimony to Kubrick’s genius that he should occupy a central role in an enduring conspiracy theory. Nobody ever accused Sam Peckinpah of faking the moon landing.

Although long since dead, Stanley Kubrick is the most fascinating character in Kent’s entertaining, fast-paced novel. With the simultaneous receipt of a posthumous package from Kubrick, several competing teams form to solve the quirky, complex puzzles contained therein, hoping for a payoff that will “change the course of human history.” No hyperbole there.

The home team is led by Shawn Hagan, a massively geeky UCLA film student with functional autism, who is as knowledgeable of film lore as he is clueless in social niceties. Competing against them is another cadre of film students from rival USC, and also a nefarious gang of evil-doers. Throughout the novel, Shawn is challenged as much to manage his relationships with his teammates, whom he knows that he needs to solve the mystery, as he is to decipher the clues. This dynamic allows for impressive character growth.

Following the clues takes some truly convoluted leaps of logic. Each and every one of Kubrick’s films is deconstructed to the nth degree. Consider the following passage, as just one example. Sean is speaking:

“It’s becoming clear that when Kubrick referenced a previous film, he was likely doing it for an important reason, not just to be cute. Following the previous patterns, the serum number 114 shot in ‘Clockwork Orange’ now appears to be our newest doubling marker, like the two paintings of ‘Lolita’ and the dual chessboard of ‘2001.’ Kubrick was telling us that CRM-114 must be investigated. The only problem is, I just watched ‘Eyes Wide Shut,’ and there is not a single reference to CRM-114 anywhere that I can see. So we have to figure out what Kubrick meant by ‘HAL will solve CRM-114 for seven, thirteen, and nine.’ I know this may sound crazy, but I think HAL from 2001 is supposed to help us find where CRM-114 is in ‘Eyes Wide Shut.’”

You got that, right?

It is fun to follow Shawn’s logic, even if sometimes strains one's credulity. Nevertheless, the arcane bits of film folklore would be empty if not for Kent’s vivid and likable characters, offset by equally scurrilous villains. As an added bonus, Malcolm McDowell and Stephen Spielberg make cameo appearances. In the end, you will likely be inspired to go back and rent DVDs of Kubrick’s entire opus… or at least to watch ‘The Shining’ once more.
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