Charlie and Peter, high school seniors entranced by computer
technology, are chatting and smoking when a prompt comes up saying “I
am God” and beckons them to play a game. Charlie isn’t eager, but
Peter answers, and they and their friends are caught up in playing the
God Game.
The game is a
sophisticated AI program that promises rewards if tasks are completed
and punishment if they’re not. The problem is the final punishment
could be death. At first the challenges are easy and the rewards,
rich. However, as the game progresses, the tasks become darker and
the punishments more severe. The teens are caught in something larger
than they are and the question becomes how to get out.
The book is aimed at
a YA audience, but it can easily be enjoyed by anyone. The background
of AI and the religious underpinnings are designed to raise questions
and make you think. I enjoyed this part of the book very much.
Another aspect of the book that makes you think is the extent to
which virtual reality can affect the real world. It’s something
that can have frightening implications.
The teenagers
experience problems appropriate to their age: getting into college,
bullying, and sexuality. However, I though the characters were rather
superficial. Perhaps because the story moves at such a rapid pace the
author had no time for more in depth character development.
If you enjoy science
fiction and fantasy, this is a good read although it is very dark
through most of the book.
I received this book
from St. Martin’s Press for this review.
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