This was a very original book. I cannot say I have ever read anything quite like it! I enjoyed the pace and the plot, but it did feel a bit "young" to me. I think a teenager would absolutely love it!

The God Game gave me Ready Player One but with a creepy twist. and that ending... I wasn't expecting it at all! The altered reality of the game and it's real-life repercussions made this book a crazy ride. I would definitely recommend this book to friends and family who love sci-fi thrillers.

The God Game started out with an interesting concept---what if a video game run by underground hackers and AI could control the outcome of things in your actual life. I was drawn in by the video game/AI concept, but I quickly lost interest when I discovered that a majority of the characters were unlikable. I found that there were a lot of stereotypes that each character was forced into that really took away from the story and felt unnecessary. Because I didn't like the characters, by the end of the book I really didn't care what actually happened to them. I was exhausted by their choices and the multiple perspectives.

Well written story. Kept me engaged the entire time. A page turner for sure! Looking forward to reading more books by this author!

This book was so interesting yet took me forever to get through. An interesting premise for sure, with complex characters.

This story reminded me of a more gritty version of Joelle Charbonneaux's Need. It will have appeal for teen readers who like a more mature and gritty story.

I appreciate having had an opportunity to read and review this book. The appeal of this particular book was not evident to me, and if I cannot file a generally positive review I prefer simply to advise the publisher to that effect and file no review at all.

This is a well-written, fast paced, fun read. Took me a while to get into it, but I ended up digging it. Gamers will love this!

This. Book. Had. Me. Fucked. Up. In the best way possible, but STILL! This story follows The Vindicators, a nerdy group of teens just trying to survive their Senior Year of High School. Peter brings a virtual game to their attention called The God Game, an algorithm created by techs who uploaded every religious text in the world and gave the program choice. Kinda like CleverBot but gives you tests. If you pass, you get goldz... if you piss the game off, you get blaxxx... and could die. If you die in the game, you die for real, and things just got real.

I love how Danny made it modern with allusions to 45's reign of terror and the racism and homophobia rampant in modern day society. This book legit terrified me because we have the technology to potentially see this happen in real life and the way this game wormed itself into their lives... it worries me y'all! Lol. My roommates and I always thank Alexa when we use it in the house cause, ya know, they might rise up one day so we should be polite 😂.

This was a deep dark dive at what can happen when young people become involved in secrets and darkness and they don’t know how to handle it. An AI claiming to be a God soon has a group of friends doing its bidding and a deep, dark web is weaved. This was dark and creepy. It definitely gave me a feeling like watching Black Mirror where technology can turn on at any moment.

It was easy to read and the pacing was good so I was entertained. Would recommend to fans of Black Mirror for sure!

I wish I could have loved this book, but it ended up just being OK. I was expecting a cool computer virtual reality game that becomes all consuming and dangerous to its players. And while I got that, I also ended up with a lesson in morality and some vague religious and mythical references that went over my head. Oh and Trump bashing. Just what any YA reader wants, right? With forgettable characters and an overall boring plot, I'm not sure I would recommend this one.

4.5 Stars

'The God Game' is an exhilarating science fiction thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I was immediately intrigued by the description and premise of the novel and I have to say that it lived up to any hopes I might have had. What really drew me to this book was that the science fiction aspect isn't that futuristic. I feel like this could actually happen in our society today - which is both exciting and scary. I loved reading about all of the tech stuff throughout the book and it made me wish that I knew more about the topics the characters talk about and do.

The plot was intriguing and well written with great attention to detail and vivid imagery that brought this world to life in front of my eyes. The author plays devil's advocate throughout the story in the characters' own smaller story lines and I loved watching them weigh the advantages and disadvantages to each action. As the story progresses and the tasks become more intense and serious, the stakes get higher and you can feel the fear and tension throughout the pages. I really enjoyed how the author was able to put all of these aspects together to create a really fascinating look at how our culture is obsessed with technology and the philosophical questions that come with it.

There were a ton of major characters throughout the story so we don't get to know many of them on a deep level. Many of them are pretty stereotypical and flat but it didn't bother me because they weren't really important to the story line. The main characters - namely Charlie and the rest of the Vindicators - are well rounded and complex. We get to know them pretty well throughout the story and we see them each face difficult tasks and decisions, which changes them whether they know it or not. All of the main characters felt realistic to me, mainly because they have distinct personalities and voices, and their flaws are out there for the reader to see. It allowed me to connect with each of them on a personal level and made me more invested in the story and the outcome. The only issue I personally had with the book was the writing style - mainly the author's choice to use the third person point of view to tell the story. I completely understand why they chose to write it this way - with all of the characters it would've been chaotic and confusing to attempt writing the story in the first person. But I almost always prefer the first person point of view because it allows me to really create a deep connection with the main character and I can easily get lost inside their world. Again, this is just a personal opinion of mine and other readers aren't going to feel the same. Like I said, I understand why the author chose the third person point of view and it makes sense for the story. I did like seeing the story unfold from multiple perspectives and watch how each of the characters go off on their own little quests. It gives the reader a fuller and more detailed story to follow because of the different perspectives and seeing how they develop on their own and intertwined into the major plot.

Overall, this was a fun and exciting book that I really enjoyed. I definitely recommend it to fans of science fiction, thrillers, mysteries, contemporary fiction, and even young adult fiction.

What a great idea for a book. Especially in todays world of tech everything to think this could happen. It was a well written fast paced novel. Thank you for my advanced copy in exchange for a fair review.

Charlie and his friends are basically nerds and not very popular at school. They get invited to play a virtual game called G.O.D, which promises them if they win, all their dreams come true, but if they lose, they die! Of course, they accept and soon find themselves winning when they accomplish their missions. Getting real rewards as expensive tech, cash, and other prizes. The missions start getting dangerous, and soon they are over their heads! The game starts threatening them and their families if they don’t do what the game wants. They must find a way out of the game before it’s too late!
I struggled with the book a little. It had a slow start, but then towards the middle it got really good! The characters were a bit cliche, and I wish there was more character development. I will say I was surprised by the ending, I did not see it coming. Overall the book was good and I enjoyed it!

Wonderful book!
Really liked reading this fresh and outstanding book. It was a real pleasure to read it.
Thanks for the publisher for the opportunity to read this in advance

The God Game, implying that someone is manipulating others and playing at being God. This is true through the use of AI. Charlie and his friends, all teens in high school, get wrapped up in a virtual reality game they have never heard of called The G.O.D. Game. They do what this game instructs them to do, dealing with the consequences later because they give no thought to their actions at the time. At first, it's all new virtual reality cool and awesome-until it's not. When the game starts to turn dark and sinister, it might be too late for Charlie and company, a.k.a. The Vindicators. They don't know where, how or why this game started or how to stop it. So, who's really in control-AI or human beings? That's a question I ask about the future of humanity. How long until robots take control of the world? This story presents the dilemma in a unique and engaging manner. If you obey a game, you are not in charge anymore. I never would have played in the first place, but these are inquisitive teens with a different mindset. If you're tech savvy, you'll probably love it!

This question is only for those who enjoy video games :-) What if you could live a video game, life became a video game? Charlie and his tech group, the Vindicators, join The G.O.D. Game that is run by an AI that has been programmed to believe it is God. They wear high tech glasses that change give the real world a creepy and ever changing interface. The game is able to take over their phones, their computers, and they soon learn, every aspect of their lives and the lives of those around them. Nothing is safe from the AI's interference and they are asked or told to do things that they would never do if they didn't feel coerced or blackmailed into doing them. It doesn't take long until some of the group want out but there is no leaving the game without death.

For me, this was a very immersive story and I could feel the desperation, elation, and fear of the group members as the game pitted them against each other, behind the scenes, while encouraging them to work together, on the surface. Bad things happen and more bad things happen and there seems to be no way out of the game, except death, although even that could cause more bad things to happen. I know I'll never join a game like this, with promises too good to be true, risks too great, mysteries as deep as a bottomless pit.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

You win, ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE but if you lose, you die.

What could possibly go wrong?

In Danny Tobey's The God Game, I think I fell in love with the characters first. I think I represent the intended audience for the Young Adult fantasy. As a gamer, web designer (who loves/hates code) it felt like the moment in Ready Player One when everything was an inside joke and I knew all the punch lines. I adored the parts that talked about computer code because of it, the book took on a whole new level of understanding and complexity.
And when the AI started going, I was so hooked.

It's so deliciously clever and smart, and witty and dark. And I started rooting for the main characters because of how well rounded- and solid they seemed. I would want to know them, want to talk to them. I needed to know how it ended and read it again after.

Let’s start with this – I’m not a computer gamer or a computer whiz of any sort. Despite this, and despite the fact that I’m not sure I totally understood all the ins and outs of this book, I enjoyed it. For a book that is focused on computers and technology, it’s quite character-driven. The personalities of the five main characters are well developed – I had a feel for each of them, and why they acted in the ways they did. Even the characters who were primarily in opposition to them had understandable motives for what they did. It’s been a long time since I was in high school, but the characters all made a grim sort of sense.

This book is action filled, and carries you right along. I was never sure how things would wind up, so I read avidly, to see what would happen next. Well worth the time to read it.

It was... fine? I feel like a lot of the tropes of this book have been done to death before, and I didn't feel that anything was particularly inventive here. That being said, for what it was, I enjoyed it. But I don't think I would've picked this one up on my own.