I loved it! Final Video Game is current, exciting, funny, serious, and so well put together that I couldn't put it down.
Final Video Game is an exciting fiction novel in which Oliver, Logan, and Sparky (they are part of an army of teenagers) take on a rogue AI to save the human race. To beat the AI, Oliver and his friends have to take the fight to Razer (AI in a video game). The army has organised combat like never before; for the kids, it is the fight of their lives; they must play this virtual reality game that can knock them out in real life, the so-called "Gamer Coma".
Considering the uncertainty of our future with Artificial Intelligence, the events in this book may scare the droppings out of you.
This book review was first published on Reedsy Discovery.
The protagonist, Oliver, is a teenager who has been through a lot: he was bullied in school, and after losing his father, he moved to a new area where he had to start making friends all over again. He is not the most confident boy, but his bravery shines through when push comes to shove. And when the stakes are high, his friendly disposition makes all the difference. He is a great role model, and I'm sure many readers will be rooting for the underdog that they can see themselves in.
I think Craig Speakes did a fantastic job; Final Video Game is current, exciting, funny, serious, and so well put together that I couldn't put it down. From the first page, my interest was piqued – news channels are saying that more kids are in a state of coma every second because of playing a game, Razer – and the events that followed, an intense battle included, kept intrigue high.
I particularly loved the banter between the characters, especially between Oliver and Sparky; it was laugh-out-loud funny, and I probably had a smile on my face most of the time.
If my five stars weren't clear enough, I recommend this book. I believe anyone from age ten will thoroughly enjoy this read; yes, that includes adults.
You can find Final Video Game here.
