Summary: This was funny and gripping, but the ending was a let down and the social commentary wasn't profound or subtle. 88 Names is at its best in the depths of the online world, especially at the periphery of the games, the characters interacting and sounding each other out in a virtual world that allows them considerably more flexibility than real-world face-to-face interactions do. If, like me, you sometimes check in to goodreads to see if a stalled novel will pick up, be forewarned. Tad William's Otherland series is one of those for me. John Chu works as a Sherpa (guide for newbies who can afford to pay) in virtual reality computer games, with a tight crew who work for him. I definitely need to read more of Matt Ruff’s stuff, because I loved Lovecraft Country and liked 88 Names. He gets more than he bargained for when he is approached -- online, of course -- by a Mr.Smith, on behalf of a Mr.Jones, who wants to take a guided deep-dive into the world of MMORPGs: © 2020 the complete review The real-world name he goes by is John Chu, though even that's not his actual name (his legal name is Conway, rather than Chu). There are great ideas here, and it's obvious he wanted to make it its own unique animal and not a ripoff of "Ready Player One." I was born in New York City in 1965. John has a crew he works with, three other people whom he has never met in person and only knows online. I can’t give it a one-star rating, since it was too blah to even infuriate me. I decided I wanted to be a fiction writer when I was five years old and spent my childhood and adolescence learning how to tell stories. Exciting without being too action-packed. Through a combination of timely foreign rights sales, the generous support of family and friends, occasional grant money, and a slowly accumulating back list, I’ve managed to make novel-writing my primary occupation ever since. 88 Names by Matt Ruff The critically acclaimed author of LOVECRAFT COUNTRY returns with a thrilling and immersive virtual reality epic --- part cyberthriller, part twisted romantic comedy --- that transports you to a world where identity is fluid and nothing can be taken at face value. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. We all understand this when someone else tries to tell us what we can and can’t do, but conveniently forget it when it’s our turn to give orders. Tackles the MMORPG genre while dropping a handful of pop culture reference. Amazing book. 88 Names: A Novel by Matt Ruff HarperCollins March 17, 2020 ISBN-10: 0062854674 ISBN-13: 978-0062854674 ASIN: B07T6938D1 302 pages Contact: Rachel Elinsky, Director of Publicity 212-207-7178 rachel.elinsky@harpercollins.com Paranormal and urban fantasy, Science fiction adventures, Technothrillers “I find this book quite entertaining. Long boring sections of info-dumps. It was a fun read as well, I enjoyed the plot line that the main character is being paid to show a person that he believes to be Kim Jong Un around the world of the game. I like that about him - you never know what you'll get. I’ve seen some reviews state that it’s sort of like Ready Player One, which is definitely enticing to me, and considering how this takes place inside of an MMORPG I definitely see that. The references are far less ham-fisted than Ready Player One (with a far more likable protagonist), but does not blow open the genre like Ruff's Lovecraft Country. See our, Read a limited number of articles each month, You consent to the use of cookies and tracking by us and third parties to provide you with personalized ads, Unlimited access to washingtonpost.com on any device, Unlimited access to all Washington Post apps, No on-site advertising or third-party ad tracking. 88 Names is set in the near future (or maybe not so near: it's been at least eight years since a woman became president of the United States), with most of the activity taking place online. I’ve seen some reviews state that it’s sort of like Ready Player One, which is definitely enticing to me, and considering how this takes place inside of an MMORPG I definitely see that. Be the first to ask a question about 88 Names. PRAISE FOR 88 NAMES “Matt Ruff is one of science fiction and fantasy’s most consistently brilliant and innovative authors… In his new novel, 88 Names, Ruff adds to the canon of MMORPG heist novels (Charlie Stross’s Rule 34, Neal Stephenson’s Reamde, and my For the Win, to name three) with a unique take that he dubbed ‘Snow Crash meets The King and I. He's been able to piece together a bit more about two of them: Anja is a former gymnast in Argentina who is paralyzed, while Jolene is an IT specialist for a law firm in Colorado. I'm not ready to give up on Ruff though and I'll try some of his other works. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published I certainly enjoyed reading this book, and was engaged right up until the end with the story. It’s a page turner and entertaining and a pretty good way to while away a few hours. This is 2020’s Ready Player One, without a doubt. In the novel's opening chapter he loses two of his many, many online aliases -- leaving him with the 88 names of the title. Refresh and try again. John's Sherpa, Inc. specializes in Call to Wizardry, "the most successful MMORPG in history", and a recent profile of him as: "John Chu, Sherpa to the Stars" in People means that business is pretty good and he is attracting a high-paying clientele. The ending was a little convoluted, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed 88 NAMES. "Lovecraft Country" is one of my all time favorite books (as is "Ready Player One") so this was a huge let down. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. This was my first Matt Ruff and just wow. I know nothing about them and easily followed this novel. So while I can't tell if all of the gaming stuff was accurate it was a fun story. 88 Names by Matt Ruff. I applaud Matt Ruff for his creativity and for the compelling concept, and I intend to give his work another chance. John is sherpa who guides his paying clients through MMORPGs so that they can enjoy the good stuff without doing the grinding for leveling up a character or figuring out the right strategy for boss fights. And, for a while, he had someone else working for him, the very independent-minded and risk-loving Darla, but he pissed her off, badly, and she cut him off, some two and a half months earlier. I really enjoyed it! takes his shot at a near-future gaming world that’s more grounded than most virtual-reality universes but also more complex. Luckily, he has a badass family to help. This content is currently not available in your region. general information | review summaries | our review | links | about the author. We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. This virtual reality thriller felt like an unenjoyable, complete waste of time. After a series of jobs gone wrong that might be the fault of a disgruntled ex-employee/girlfriend, John is approached by an anonymous wealthy client offering an outrageous sum, and making a set of outrageous demands. "88 Names" is a poor man's "Ready Player One." When I finished the book, I felt almost like I was tricked into reading it, I suppose, analogous to the mc being tricked throughout. Fun, and quick. I’ve seen some reviews state that it’s sort of like Ready Player One, which is definitely enticing to me, and considering how this takes place inside of an MMORPG I definitely see that.
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