I felt that this book compares favorably to the movie Nerve. Both of them were a fun, wild ride. This reads like a cautionary tale of too much technology. When your life has been infiltrated by so much tech, it becomes hard to distinguish what information is true or false. The great God Tech becomes the gatekeeper for the information you receive.

I liked the character Charlie. He was a reluctant participant in the game. He seemed the most fully fleshed of the characters. This is fast paced and exciting.

I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Publisher’s description:
You are invited!
Come inside and play with G.O.D.
Bring your friends!
It’s fun!
But remember the rules. Win and ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE.™ Lose, you die!

With those words, Charlie and his friends enter the G.O.D. Game, a video game run by underground hackers and controlled by a mysterious AI that believes it’s God. Through their phone-screens and high-tech glasses, the teens’ realities blur with a virtual world of creeping vines, smoldering torches, runes, glyphs, gods, and mythical creatures. When they accomplish a mission, the game rewards them with expensive tech, revenge on high-school tormentors, and cash flowing from ATMs. Slaying a hydra and drawing a bloody pentagram as payment to a Greek god seem harmless at first. Fun even.

But then the threatening messages start. Worship me. Obey me. Complete a mission, however cruel, or the game reveals their secrets and crushes their dreams. Tasks that seemed harmless at first take on deadly consequences. Mysterious packages show up at their homes. Shadowy figures start following them, appearing around corners, attacking them in parking garages. Who else is playing this game, and how far will they go to win?

And what of the game’s first promise: win, win big, lose, you die? Dying in a virtual world doesn’t really mean death in real life—does it?

As Charlie and his friends try to find a way out of the game, they realize they’ve been manipulated into a bigger web they can’t escape: an AI that learned its cruelty from watching us.

God is always watching, and He says when the game is done.

************
As a long-time player and lover of The Sims, where you CAN actually play God to a world of people you create, I was immediately pulled in by the premise of Danny Tobey’s “The God Game.” The online gaming industry is enormous, and this story plays on people’s fears about the capability and reach of artificial intelligence. In a world where we constantly hear about personal data being hacked, stolen, spoofed, this is actually a futuristic horror novel in the making.

Nevertheless, I had to knock it down to 3 stars because I had a hard time suspending disbelief enough. I think hard-core gamers and coders will appreciate this, but the layperson will find it difficult to follow some of the more advanced coding references. I consider myself relatively tech-savvy, and I had a hard time understanding some of it.

Additionally, the sheer number of people who had to be playing the God Game to make some of the things in the story happen is hard to imagine. I know there are people who game for a living, but the main characters here are high school students who are going to school by day and gaming at night. They seemingly never sleep, and no one seems to notice. Same goes for the other people playing. Does no one in this town work for a living?

As I said, hard-core gamers will likely enjoy this. For me, it was a hard...maybe.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This title is scheduled for release on January 7, 2020.

The God Game was intriguing from page one and every well written. However it was hard to really sink into because it felt the whole time like it was very heavy handed, self important leading to a big reveal that just... never happened. They sheer amount of drama (domestic violence, murder, drunk driving, cheating on marriages, cheating in school, college drama, family abuse, racism both contrived and real (contrived by the game) on and on) it just never stopped. It all felt a little much and kept me from connecting with any of the characters in a real way. I have no issue connecting with flawed or even evil characters, it wasn’t because of the things they’d done. It was just too heavy and weighty and too much to dig through to get to anything real.

Wow! The premise is what really got me and inspired me to request this book. I was worried it wouldn't love up to the hype, but it did. This was a super quick read for me because I couldn't wait to see what would happen. The scariest part for me is that it could really happen, even if on a smaller scale. We are all so connected today and have our technology with us at all times, it can be keeping track of us as well.
It really teaches a practical lesson as well. Everything online is forever. Even if you delete it someone out there has access to it. This is something I have been trying to teach my kids before they get older. It is a totally different age we live in now and we need to be cautious.
I found the characters interesting and full of depth, and so flawed. This made them so much more real to me! I was rooting for them even when they made poor decisions. The plot moved along well and the twists were superb. I actually hope they make a sequel!!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ebook and physical copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The God Game starts with a cool premise and totally delivers. A group of high school nerds receive an invitation to play a game with an AI chat bot that purports to be God. They're quickly sucked into this action-packed virtual reality game, where they get points in the game for doing things in real life. But are the friends playing on the same team, and is God in control, or are the other players? And who else is playing?
I was sucked in from the first page, and loved all the action and high school drama blended with philosophical and religious musings.

An interesting premise in a world that is increasingly reliant on computers. Is it possible that computers will at some point become so intelligent that they could control the actions of the human race? It was a wise choice to have the main characters be high school age teens. This allows older teen and YA readers to identify with the issues of social acceptance and personal responsibility. As an adult past the afore mentioned ages, I found myself thinking about the world before computers became common place. It was impossible to make decisions that had such far reaching consequences.

The book is well written with relevant subjects.. I have mixed feelings about rating THE GOD game and finally decided that a three star rating is appropriate for this good but not great book.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from St Martin's Press through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are completely my own.
#TheGodGame #NetGalley

A new game comes up on your screen. Win and you have everything your heart desires, lose and you die. How can you resist? A group of teens called the Vindicators decide to join as a group. At first things are going great, do an assignment for the game and earn Goldz but if you don't do it you earn Blatzz, then something bad happens to you. The game knows everything and soon the Vindicators are in over their heads and there is no way out.

This was a very engrossing book that puts you on the edge of your seat. You have to keep reading to see what will happen next to the cast of characters who you will love and hate in turns. You keep asking yourself, what would I do? Very well done book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this exciting book.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.

I'm sorry to say this was a DNF for me....

I struggled with making any kind of connection with the characters, and was unsure while reading if this was a YA novel. Perhaps my age is keeping me from enjoying the story as I'm tech challenged and did not understand most of the technology terms. After 1/2 way in and still being confused, I've opted to set it aside. I'm sure that this story would appeal to others, but sad to say, not this reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Calling themselves the Vindicators, a small group of clever, computer-literate high school students band together. Like most teens, they lead angst-filled lives and struggle to understand how to accomplish what they believe they want for their futures.

Then the G.O.D. Game comes into their lives. They soon learn that an artificial intelligence runs the game. An artificial intelligence that believes itself to be god and seems to be both omniscient and omnipotent.

And nothing can ever be the same again.

Despite the well-defined characters, readers are likely to find it difficult to care about any of the characters in this tale filled with fear, hacking, morality, and the pitfalls of friendship. Throughout the story, the actions the players take in response to the demands of the game have consequences, but they don’t necessarily follow logically; readers will find the unfolding story both predictable and frustrating.

It’s an ingenious premise, and the story itself is well-written. Readers are certain to find it difficult to set the book aside and the ever-present tension created by the unpredictableness of the game keeps the pages turning. But the underlying theme of the story seems to be one of selfishness and deliberate cruelty. And when it’s all said and done, all that remains for the reader is a sense of hopelessness.

There’s no place for mean-spirited stereotyping and the use of words such as “retard” to refer to people, even fictional ones. Ultimately, this thoughtlessness combined with the extensive overuse of a particularly offensive expletive and the unnecessary political commentary lowered the rating for this book.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#TheGodGame #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this one - it served up a perfect blend of conspiracy, techno-thriller, and action. The story felt fresh and relevant and shined a light on a lot of the pressures that face kids on the cusp of adulthood in the modern world. The characters were compelling and well crafted and offered a melange of personality traits and foibles. The action was consistent and the drama and tragedy felt genuine and believable and even though it was centered on high school kids, it was very relatable to me as both an adult and a step-parent to teenagers. There was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming (although in hindsight maybe should have) and I really enjoyed the way things wound up - it was open-ended enough to keep me guessing about what would happen next, but resolved itself enough to not leave me feeling cheated out of an ending. This was a great find and I'd definitely pick up a book by Tobey again!

Holy crap, this was a really creepy, twisted book that is excellently written and grabs you immediately in it's clutches. Hard to put down, but I do have to work, sleep and eat, although I've mastered eating and reading, sort of.
The story presents around a group of misfit, highly intelligent high school kids that call themselves "the Vindicators." Each of them has a harsh experience that the God Game dials into. But what IS the "God Game?" These kids are gamers as most kids are these days. One of their gang tricks them into playing the game, but they can't get out and can't decline what is asked of them. Initially it feels like just a video game, but it grows and evolves as it exposes its true nature to them. The reality of it is frightening and enticing at the same time. Only the main character, Charlie, keeps to his pure nature and attempts to resist. It's a hard thing to do though: The Goldz is pretty fantastic...but what about the Blaxx? It can be fatal...
Superb book on AI. Or is it really God?

Smart, propulsive and engrossing, The God Game is a preview of the power and danger of AI. Worth the read!

This was quite a page turner of a novel. I found myself really enjoying book and understanding how we could be not too far off from this becoming a reality.

The GOD Game is well fleshed out, rewarding characters in the real world for successful completions of in game challenges... And punishing them when they do not follow through. As we learn more about the AR/AI game, a deeper web of intricacy is woven as we head to the pulse pounding thrills of the final third of the book.

The pace is excellent and the characters are mostly well established. Each character has a solid motivation for participating in the game and has numerous levels of deception to manage. The book definitely had WarGames and Ready, Player One vibes to it, which is an added bonus.

I only had two gripes. I had a hard time sometimes keeping the three main boys, Alex, Charlie, and Peter, straight because they had such generic male names and had similar issues to deal with. The ending felt a little rushed, but it may be to set up a sequel without being obviously baiting.

Definitely recommended for fans of realistic sci fi thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read and review this book.

The God Game is a work of fiction by Danny Tobey. To me this story falls into the Young Adult category. At times I found this book slower than I would have liked it. For this reason I would give it 3 and 1/2 stars. Because this is impossible I am upping it to 4 stars. I want to thank St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for an early copy to review.

When Charlie and his friends are invited to play a new online game, they’re excited. The God Game seems like a really cool deal, and one that no one outside their circle knows about.

At first the challenges are simple, but G.O.D. soon ups the demands and the moral challenge. The AI controlling the game sees all and knows all — and threatens to reveal their secrets if they don’t complete the tasks it gives them.

The author is inside the heads of today’s teens, with all their problems, hopes, and dreams, making the characters true to life, and the storyline compelling. Recommended for both mature YA and adult readers.

An exciting addition to the thriller universe.

This was a book that was hard to put down. With an eye catching cover and a storyline filled with action and unease, I was hooked.

Five high school friends, kind of the nerdy outcasts, get caught up in this game that no one really understands. It's the GOD game, and at one point it's call G.O.D. . At times, it seems like a really smart, all knowing (evil) AI, other points it almost sounds like talking to a teenager. And the group of friends start keeping secrets from one another, when they should be banding together.

You know those books that leave you feeling unsettled and uncomfortable? This is one. No clear good guy, no clear happy ending, and it definitely had twists and mean surprises. I haven't read anything like it before.

Five friends decide to accept an invitation to play the G.O.D. game. The game is amazing, and they are completely enthralled as they see an entirely different world through their phones, and later through special glasses, called Aztecs, where they can see the world of the game, overlaid over the real world they live in. Initially, it is all kinds of fun, but then, they are asked to do particular things -- nothing major at first, things like delivering a package. All harmless. Well, maybe not.... but they do not know what the game is leading to. They do not know how quickly they can get wound up in the game, or what they may be willing to do, to keep themselves safe.

I devoured this book in 5 days, reading it every chance I had, as I was completely caught up in the story. The characters were interesting... the plot was gripping, and I was able to suspend my disbelief in favor of the next page of the story, the next piece of the action, wanting to know where it all led. It led to places I did not expect, to a conclusion that was unexpected. Tobey's The God Game is was extremely creative... unlike any other book I have read thus far.

If you life Y.A., have enjoyed books like Ready Player One, have an interest in technology, gaming or the choices people make under the most wild circumstances.... then this book is for you. Just make sure you clear the next few days, as you won't be able to put it down.

Thank you Net Galley and the publishers for the advanced reading copy. I really wanted to love this book. The idea behind it is brilliant. A bunch of teens begin playing a computer game run by hackers and A.I. that thinks its God. The game and real life blend is twisted ways. For example you get enough good points and suddenly an A.T.M spits money at you. However if you get enough bad points you could be physically attacked. The then game starts asking you to do shady things, even dangerous things. It was an interesting book, perhaps I am just too old to really enjoy it. There was a lot of hacking and coding vocabulary that I just don't understand. To a person who loves coding and computers this would be a great read. The pace was fast and kept me turning the pages.

When Charlie gets an invitation to the G.O.D. Game, his friend Peter accepts for him. And soon their little band of misfits and computer hackers are all playing. 

At first, things seem all right. G.O.D. is saying all the right things. But from the beginning, Charlie is suspicious and not really wanting to play along. When the game begins commanding they do bad things, they all want out, except one. But remember the only way out is death. But does it have to be their own death?

At first, I thought this was going to be like the television show, God Friended Me. It was not. It's not like Stranger Things, or any other show it's currently being compared to.

There were some good undercurrents going on. The AI believed it was God. The chaos with the Trump controversy. Can one person make the entire world bend to his will? Are we only in it for ourselves? Under the story, there were good pieces you could pick out underscoring our lack of compassion and lack of any moral compass. If the AI got all of its knowledge from watching us, we are in for a sad state of affairs.

I think this would be better as a YA book. It wasn't my favorite.

NetGalley/ January 7th, 2020 by St. Martin's Press