In a world ruled by chance, one rash decision could bring down the house, one roll of the dice could bring untold wealth, or the end of everything.The players have gathered around the table, each to tell their story—often dark, always compelling. Within you will find tales of the players and the played, lives governed by games deadly, weird, or downright bizarre.Bringing together tales of the weird and the macabre, Dangerous Games is a diverse collection of voices, featuring incredible new fiction by Chuck Wendig, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Lavie Tidhar, Benjanun Sriduangkaew, Paul Kearney, Libby McGugan, Yoon Ha Lee, Gary Northfield, Melanie Tem, Hillary Monahan, Tade Thompson, Rebecca Levene, Ivo Stourton, Gary McMahon, Robert Shearman, Nik Vincent, Helen Marshall, and Pat Cadigan. - from NetGalley.com
I received a free ebook copy for review from the publisher, Rebellion, through Netgalley.com.
This was a bit of a different compilation of stories I thought I would enjoy immensely. Though, I admit it was more because Chuck Wendig had a story in it, than anything else. However, after reading the stories from these other authors I had not heard of before, I realized I liked some of the stories better than even the author I knew I liked.
Without ruining any particular story, each seemed to be based around a particular game, and even a couple that seemed to include more than one. I expected a bit more dreary stories centered around card games, or maybe some sort of hunting theme, but was pleasantly surprised at the imagination brought into the story off some basic game.
I enjoyed the collection of stories and would recommend to family/friends.
New York City: home to world-renowned museums, theater, restaurants, iconic sports franchises. Central Park. Wall Street. And an infamous serial killer who’s terrorized the Big Apple for decades.The year is 1995 and the NYPD has just graduated a promising new patrol officer named Karen Vail. The rookie’s first day on the job is anything but easy when she finds herself at the crime scene of a young woman murdered in an unusual manner. Vail is unsure of what she’s looking at or what it means—but it’s a case that will weigh on her mind for nearly twenty years.As the years pass, Vail’s career takes unexpected twists and turns—as does the case that’s come to be known as Hades. Now a skilled FBI profiler, will Vail be in a better position to catch the killer? Or will Hades prove to be Karen Vail’s hell on earth?The character who has captivated readers worldwide—and who won the praise of literary giants Michael Connelly, James Patterson, and Nelson DeMille—returns in a story that captures the experiences that shaped the revered profiler and made her the top cop she is today.m - from NetGalley.com
I received a free ebook copy from the publisher (Open Road Media) through NetGalley.com in exchange for a review.
I had previously read a few of the Karen Vail novels from Jacobson, and enjoyed them, so when I saw this one available, I immediately requested it. Needless to say, Jacobson did not disappoint. Learning a bit about Vail's earlier days and reasons why she reacts to certain things, was a nice insight to the character I had not seen before, and it made for a good read.
The plot twists and jumps in time kept my interest in reading more of the story, though at times I felt a bit stalled. Characters were a bit less detailed as what I recall in the other novels I read, but that could be my memory, not an actual detail. The Autism issue addressed in the story was a nice surprise, and the description of the spectrum was good. I admit I sort of felt like the author had jumped on the Autism bandwagon, but understand that with it being more in public awareness, how does one NOT include it sooner or later.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, and would recommend to friends/family.
