2 out of 4 stars
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The book “Island Games: Mystery of the four Quadrants” by Caleb J. Boyer is about two teenage boys who get sucked into a virtual reality game world, where they wake up with slight amnesia, needing to figure out the basics of surviving on an abandoned island.
The story is told from the viewpoint of a teenager using colloquialisms, language and descriptions which are familiar to that age group, all the while creating a sense of intimacy with the reader, who is drawn into the character's world.
In surviving all the challenges faced, the boys have a chance to reflect on life lessons and find out that friendship and supporting one another are the things that matter in life more than the material things. They realise that in facing life's challenges, it is not the challenges which are important, but rather the manner in which they are dealt with.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars (fair). Due to the book’s use of the repetitive descriptive phrases displaying a limited vocabulary. The story is well told however when taken from the perspective of a teenage boy telling a story and it is this manner of communication which I believe will appeal to younger viewers. The story itself is well thought out, however the intensity of the action could have been enhanced through more varied and descriptive writing.
I also had a sense throughout the book that the depth of the story could have been enriched by more research or experience into “survivor” type living as one could gain from the boy scouts or other such organisations. This could include more knowledge about deserted islands, finding food in the wild and the location of a river mouth. This kind of knowledge being built into the story would have made the story more credible as well as providing readers with educational information. What I did get the sense of though was that the boys, as well as the author are avid game players with limited experience in nature, and what knowledge of nature they possess is probably from documentaries etc.
I do however believe that for the teenage target market, the story itself will be appreciated as most are unlikely to have the kind of in-depth knowledge I have just referenced.
One constant positive aspect about the book was the use of humour throughout and the continual banter between the two friends. What was also appreciated was the insightfulness and learning aspect of the book, the attempt to teach the reader a lesson. This is something which I feel will be beneficial to the target market of this book.
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Island Games
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