The Broken World
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Product Description
Review
Phenomenal. Quite scary in its originality, ingenuity and significance. Bound to become a cult book, and in serious danger of being a world-wide best-seller. Steers a dizzying path between science fiction and the existential thriller, with writing that is kinetic, street-smart and supremely fertile ... Quite unique. Contemporary fiction should watch out: it's about to be ambushed. The Broken World is, in short, a page-turner, combining originality with readability ... One of our most stimulating writers. Etchells beguiles the reader in a number of sophisticated ways ... a humane and heartfelt book, with a proper emotional core wrapped up in a giddying fantasia. Scotland on Sunday One of the first books that truly examines how computer games and fiction can be intertwined ... a genuinely new development in literary fiction Literary Review an ingeniously original approach Arena The vicissitudes of loserdom are described with wit and self-awareness ... The narrative voice is funny, likeable and impressively consistent, though Etchells has come up with an ingenious way of showhorning in a few literary effects when he wants them. London Review of Books [an] ingenious novel ... A beguiling piece of ventriloquism Time Out
Book Description
An extremely original, off-beat novel about life and love and happiness, not just in the real world, but in the on-line one too.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
*Synopsis*
This is a longish book structured as an unedited walkthrough for fiendishly complicated adventure game, written by a heavy-metal-loving 20-something slacker with a short attention span, sketchy language skills and - literally - a malfunctioning Caps Lock key. He writes in a stream-of-consciousness style, incorporating glimpses of his life, sometimes attempting to draw parallels with the game in a bid to illuminate one or the other.
*Review*
From the central conceit, I expected it to be an artfully post-modern blurring of the boundaries between game and reality, or unreadably horrible. In fact it's neither, just a sweet book that reads very much like it's from the Young Adult section. There are no SF elements (except for some aspects of the game) and not much in the way of action (even the in-game fights are mostly described obliquely). It's a challenge to review, because although I actually rather liked it, I find it hard to explain why it wasn't as tooth-grindingly ghastly as it sounds. I'd certainly recommend that you read a few pages before purchasing, in case your tolerance is differently calibrated. I can at least reassure you that it is mercifully free from 1337 or txt spk, and the plausibly patchy grammar and spelling didn't set my pedant sense tingling, perhaps because they're clearly to establish character. If I haven't put you off yet, you should probably give it a try...
This is a longish book structured as an unedited walkthrough for fiendishly complicated adventure game, written by a heavy-metal-loving 20-something slacker with a short attention span, sketchy language skills and - literally - a malfunctioning Caps Lock key. He writes in a stream-of-consciousness style, incorporating glimpses of his life, sometimes attempting to draw parallels with the game in a bid to illuminate one or the other.
*Review*
From the central conceit, I expected it to be an artfully post-modern blurring of the boundaries between game and reality, or unreadably horrible. In fact it's neither, just a sweet book that reads very much like it's from the Young Adult section. There are no SF elements (except for some aspects of the game) and not much in the way of action (even the in-game fights are mostly described obliquely). It's a challenge to review, because although I actually rather liked it, I find it hard to explain why it wasn't as tooth-grindingly ghastly as it sounds. I'd certainly recommend that you read a few pages before purchasing, in case your tolerance is differently calibrated. I can at least reassure you that it is mercifully free from 1337 or txt spk, and the plausibly patchy grammar and spelling didn't set my pedant sense tingling, perhaps because they're clearly to establish character. If I haven't put you off yet, you should probably give it a try...
Format:Paperback
As others have said, the story here is pretty light - the likeable main character has a few problems with his girlfriend but it's all OK in the end.
The story is enjoyable enough then, but what I really liked was the game world described. The Broken World is a game that you really wish existed, I found myself always looking forward to the next bit of walkthrough so I could learn more about the game.
So what I say is if you are a gamer you should certainly read this - The Broken World game makes this a standout book.
The story is enjoyable enough then, but what I really liked was the game world described. The Broken World is a game that you really wish existed, I found myself always looking forward to the next bit of walkthrough so I could learn more about the game.
So what I say is if you are a gamer you should certainly read this - The Broken World game makes this a standout book.
Format:Paperback
I picked this up on a whim, because the basic premise that Etchells has is an intriguing one - and had the potential to be some kind of Phil Dick-esque mind-bender of a novel. To be frank, I was expecting a much more interesting ride...
What we have instead is a not-especially-interesting piece of young adult fiction, glued onto a walkthrough for the in-novel game called 'The Broken World' (natch) which the protagonist is writing whilst his real-life crumbles. And here is one of the two main problems that the novel suffers - reading large swathes of it is as exciting and interesting as reading a real walkthrough for a game you've never seen, heard of or played, and never will. Gripping it ain't. Check out any walkthrough on the net, and you'll get a good idea of what I mean - we're definately not talking 'well written' here.
The other problem is simply one of character. That is to say, it'd be nice to have someone who you identified with, or were more than stock characters in the first place (there are a few exceptions, I freely admit, but not many).
Overall, a definate two-star book. Nothing in it so offensive to make you give up or hurl the book across the room, but nothing in it that stands out enough to make me want to recommend it to friends.
What we have instead is a not-especially-interesting piece of young adult fiction, glued onto a walkthrough for the in-novel game called 'The Broken World' (natch) which the protagonist is writing whilst his real-life crumbles. And here is one of the two main problems that the novel suffers - reading large swathes of it is as exciting and interesting as reading a real walkthrough for a game you've never seen, heard of or played, and never will. Gripping it ain't. Check out any walkthrough on the net, and you'll get a good idea of what I mean - we're definately not talking 'well written' here.
The other problem is simply one of character. That is to say, it'd be nice to have someone who you identified with, or were more than stock characters in the first place (there are a few exceptions, I freely admit, but not many).
Overall, a definate two-star book. Nothing in it so offensive to make you give up or hurl the book across the room, but nothing in it that stands out enough to make me want to recommend it to friends.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
an excellent and thought provoking read
In short a novel that is both hugely readable and thought provoking
A simple and direct writing style that engages
Well worth a read F!
A simple and direct writing style that engages
Well worth a read F!
Published on 3 Nov 2009 by Mr. Paul Hemingway
Gamers Paradise
If you enjoy playing strategic games, and ever wondered how fun it would be to create the most naturalistic and complicated one ever, stop, because Tim Etchells just has. Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2008 by AndyMetro MA
Very Boring...
Sorry to be really nagative about this book, but it was so boring :( nothing happend! If you were expecting an intense sci-fi thriller with twists taking you between the real world... Read more
Published on 4 Nov 2008 by Gareth Mills
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