Adult/ YA Fantasy. Man is an alcoholic, ends up in computer generated fantasy game and becomes paladin. Relapses. Possibly something to do with unicorns? Read 1995-2010.

[Robert]

Fantasy. - Guy is an alcoholic ends up in computer generated fantasy game. Becomes paladin. Relapses. Possibly becomes a unicorn rider? Read 1995-1996 or 2008-2010 but bought from charity shop

That's about it really...

[Kris]

Robert, is this book for adults or teens?

Can you tell us more about the guy (e.g., age, job, marital status, hobbies)?

[Robert]

I'd say the implict reader was adult but could easily be a "transitional" type book for someone wanting to move from young adult to adult fiction.

He's an adult (I'd guess mid-thirties to mid-forties). Other than that I can't remember anything about him. The fact that the world transition is achieved by a computer game makes me wonder whether he was some sort of software engineer but I'd not bet on it.

And it didn't have the feel of the contemporary GameLit genre -- once he's in the world it's just the world of the novel there are no menus or game commands he can access. No gaining levels.

[Robert]

Bump

[Kris]

A long shot - The Cunningham Equations (1986) by G.C. Edmondson?

Google Books has a snippet search. You might get lucky searching for keywords: https://books.google.com/books?id=6z1...

Search using WorldCat.org -
https://www.worldcat.org/advancedsear...
Keyword: alcoholic game | Subject: science fiction | 1970-2012 | Not juvenile | Fiction | Book | English

[Robert]

Thanks Kris. Not the Cunningham Equations.

Giving Google Books a go. Nothing so far. I have a horrible feeling that him being an alcoholic was relevant to me but to no cataloguer ever!

Of course, given the disputes in the cataloguing community about subject headings in fiction, it's entirely possible that nothing (other than "Fiction in English" and (possibly) "Science fiction" was ever indexed!

[SBC]

Can we rule out the Landover series by Terry Brooks (Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold)?

[Robert]

Yes. Definitely something other than that.

[SBC]

Ok, cool. Is there a special name for the sub-genre of books that have people going into computer/video games? I feel like there should be a list on Listopia, but I couldn't find one!

[Kris]

SBC wrote: "Ok, cool. Is there a special name for the sub-genre of books that have people going into computer/video games? I feel like there should be a list on Listopia, but I couldn't find one!"

Scrolling down the page for Ready Player One, I notice these Goodreads lists:

- Books About Video Games and Virtual Reality

- LitRPG: the books set in virtual reality online MMORPG games

[Robert]

Thanks both. I've looked through those lists and nothing's seeming right. Not definitive, but I'm reasonably confident.

I'll keep trying similar lists...

[Robert]

Nothing coming up so far.

Any other suggestions?

[Robert]

*bump*

[Robert]

*bump*

[Kris]

Can we eliminate Stalking The Unicorn by Mike Resnick?

Amazon's preview (sample): https://www.amazon.com/Stalking-Unico...
There are different cover images.

[Robert]

'Fraid so. Definitely not that.

Setting was more "woods, lakes, and fields" than urban.

[Robert]

*Bump*