So I got to read the pre release excerpt of Endgame: the Calling. It’s a fascinating idea – a book with a competition built into it. The competition prize is a life changing amount of gold. That made you sit up, didn’t it? Read a book, win a competition, change your life.
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I remember Masquerade, the previous competition book mentioned in the foreword – it appears I’m the same age as the author. (I don’t remember being interested by it though.) And while I think the aim of this book is fascinating, I don’t know how well the concept is going to translate to the present day.
The story opens strongly, and somewhat brutally, with thousands of people dying around the world to set up the backstory to the Endgame. The Players that we meet are largely unsympathetic characters, and much is made of the fact that they’ve all gone around killing people as part of their training since an early age. There’s little pondering on whether any of them found this emotionally or morally difficult, which makes them a little difficult to warm to.
Reviewing on an eArc can be challenging when part of the finished book relies on artwork, and for obvious reasons, the artwork is missing from the sampler I saw. This also makes it difficult to get an idea of how the puzzles within the book will work, so that isn’t a part of my review. Interesting though to discover that the Players have active social profiles on twitter, with a following of people already eager to decipher the puzzle.
I think for me, while I’m intrigued enough to want to read the rest of the story, I can’t see that I’d be particularly hooked on the puzzle. The odds, in this case, do not feel as if they are in my favour 😉 I think this is a book aimed solidly at the teenage demographic, and I can see it appealing highly to them, and on that level, I think this is going to be big.
So, if you’d like the chance to read the book and find out for yourself, why not enter my giveaway? A hardback copy of Endgame: the calling is up for grabs. (And if you win the life changing amount of gold, do take a moment to pop back and let me know?)
I’m trialling Gleam as I’ve had problems with Rafflecopter recently. This is my first attempt though, so be gentle with me. Competition open to adults 18 and over with a UK mailing address, and first time commenters are moderated so don’t panic if it doesn’t show up immediately.
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