I was approved to receive an e-Galley ARC of Rabbits, authored by Terry Miles, from the publisher Del Rey, and NetGalley, for review consideration. What follows below is my honest review, freely given.

I rated this novel 5 stars. ‘Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean people are not out to get you’, is a saying that feels right at home with a story like this; anything is possible and everything can have meaning. Deja vu, the Mandela effect, every dance down the rabbit hole of internet conspiracy theory may have a place within an iteration of Rabbits.

The first rule of Rabbits is that you are not supposed to talk about Rabbits, not by its name, not to directly to draw attention to yourself. It’s basically full on bonkers from the get go and I loved it. You’re riding shoulder of the MC, who knows enough about Rabbits to get into trouble while waiting for the next round to happen. It’s a dense read, but in the best way because the author tucked everything up nice and neat for us readers by the end; just magic and sorrow, hollowed chests and static minds. I got to the end and wanted to the throw my Kindle, a first for me. Not in anger, but just the build up of emotion from the story, and how it all played out… I cannot put spoilers, I will not put spoilers… but this story grows and becomes more than just about a game, obviously. The end, man, the whole novel is this wonderful, gorgeous story that makes you think; it’s a person-changing story. Maybe not for everyone, but for some people, this is going to hit you by surprise. I’m going to get this in hardcover, I’m going to have to own a physical copy.

There is a lot to admire about this novel if you are in the right frame of mind. It is a quick-paced puzzle story that follows a path outlined by patterns that lead, basically, to nowhere. If you can bring yourself to care about that, I'm pretty sure that this book is amazing. If, like me, it was just a huge data dump leading to circles, then you will be as disappointed as I was.

If you've been looking for a trippy, thought-provoking sci-fi novel, then Rabbits is going to be the book for you. Reading Rabbits is an unpredictable experience full of twists where you truly never know exactly where the story will take you next.

Rabbits is one of those books that is going to make you question a lot. This book actually made me feel pretty justified for having the most bizarre coincidences occur in my life. Have you ever heard of the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon? It's basically where something that you recently learned or discovered suddenly seems to start popping up everywhere, and that's sort of what happens in my daily life, except it's not something new and there's no way it's things that I'm just noticing more. It's things like it being June 7th, and then I read my book and some major plot point happens on June 7th, and then I'm watching TV later and the date is June 7th. I don't care how you try to justify it, that's just weird. Anyway, to end my rambling–this book is sort of all about coincidences like that and finding connections between things, and doing so means you just might be playing the game Rabbits. Rabbits is an alternate reality game that is completely underground, not meant to be talked about in public, and has some serious legends and myths going around about it and its players–and the drastic measures they'll take to win.

In Rabbits, we follow K, a young man who has been obsessed with Rabbits for years and finds himself suddenly thrown into the game after an unexpected chance encounter with an alleged previous winner of the game who states that something is "wrong" with the game. This is where things in K's life start to get crazy and he ends up teaming up with his good friend Chloe to try to figure out what's going on with the game and why things seem to be going wrong. K was a really fun character to follow and a strong narrator who really never left any stone unturned when it came to explaining things. This was both a positive and a negative, as I really loved getting explanations about what certain references and past events referred to, as well as gaining a look into K's past, but I also found myself a bit annoyed sometimes when K would constantly interrupt the story to ramble on about something else. Regardless of the narrative style, I found K a pretty competent and enjoyable figure, and his friendship with Chloe worked well with the story. I felt that they had good chemistry with one another and actually used common sense when trying to figure out certain things that were happening, which can sometimes be missing in stories with crazy things happening.

The game of Rabbits itself was easily (and probably predictably) a major highlight for me, and I couldn't get enough of learning about it and its past. I love mysterious games like this that a mix of reality and legend, so slowly learning more about it and uncovering just what and how this game worked was a really enjoyable adventure for me. I did think that some of the more, uh, remarkable and mind-blowing revelations that happens near the latter half of the book were a little difficult to fully wrap my head around and took away a little bit of the fun away, but outside of that I thought it was really well put together and had a lot of unique and exciting elements to it. I also really enjoyed the Seattle setting of this book, and I felt that Miles did a great job of bringing the area to life and really immersing us in the book and world, almost how the characters become immersed in the game without realizing it.

The pacing of Rabbits was the area that I had the biggest issue with. As I mentioned when discussing K, the narrative had a lot of interruptions where K would dive into a multi-page explanation of why something had a certain name, or a story from when he was a kid that explains now why he does a certain thing. While I didn't mind the information that we received from these interruptions, I did mind how much they broke up the story and left things feeling a bit choppy. It's not the most linear narration, and for this book I think that made things a little confusing and unclear at times when I wasn't sure exactly what time period or setting we were in. That sort of fits with the theme of the book and how Rabbits works, but as a reader it just didn't work as well for me.

Overall, Rabbits is an exciting and inventive book and an equally compelling game. I've given it four stars! I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Terry Miles in the future, and I would recommend this one if you think the idea of a mysterious alternate reality game sounds like something fun to explore.

*I received a copy of Rabbits courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Nothing is as it seems. What if the déjà vu you experience wasn’t just a strange feeling? What if coincidences aren’t just random accidents? And the patterns you experience actually mean something?

K has been obsessed with a mysterious, underground alternate reality game that goes by the nickname of Rabbits. Since the start in 1959, ten iterations of the gave have appeared worldwide. It’s been said the winners, who remain unknown, get recruited by NSA, become incredibly wealthy, and are even immortal.
Rabbits is dangerous. Players following the codes and clues often end up dead or missing. But this isn’t enough to deter K away from figuring out the game, how he is connected to it, and how to save it from ending the world as we know it.

I’m a big fan of the podcast that shares the same title and was stoked when approved an eARC copy of this spin-off novel (Thanks @delreybooks @netgalley)

If you’re also a fan of the podcast, this book is riddled with easter eggs from it and it was fun to have those “ah-ha” moments. While addictive in some parts, there was a lot that I wasn’t really fond of. Some places felt slow, some felt a little bit too sporadic. But the mysteries and trying to put together clues along with the characters kept me going.

If you love a good suspenseful, thrilling Sci-Fi then I recommend you check this one out. Especially if you love things like the Mandela effect, multiverses, and weird cyber things I do not understand 😂

I liked this a lot, though I suspect I may have enjoyed it even more if I had listened to the podcast that this is either based on or in the same world in. I love puzzle-y narratives, and this has ARG-y elements that make this feel like the _Real Genius_ to Ready Player One's _Revenge of the Nerds_ - unlike that book, the pop-culture references feel earned and wide-ranging, and there's actual character development! Much like those two movies, you can't really compare this and RPO because the plot focus is completely different - this is much more conspiracy-theory-run-amok with some fun multiverse things happening at the same time, and was a fun ride across greater Seattle. Weirdly, this wrapped up a little too quickly for me - I half-expected this to set up a sequel with how fast it was tidying things up, and was surprised when it was over.

This book is Ready Player One meets The Matrix, with a little Michio Kaku thrown in. I appreciated the pop culture and literary references sprinkled throughout, and how the reader is assumed to either understand the references or be capable/interested enough to look them up. This became part of the fun of reading the book. I also appreciated that although the action in the story moved pretty quickly, the main characters were relatable. The stress of the game and the effects it had on people felt very real. The characters themselves often checked in with themselves and each other about how admittedly crazy the game was; the game bled into real life and made them question what was the game, what was real, and what was, perhaps, them losing their minds. This is something we should all keep a handle on when trafficking in conspiracy theories! Also, while reading, I often thought "This would make a great movie" so I was not surprised to learn that the author is also a filmmaker. I would definitely go see a film version of this book. Thank you to Del Ray and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Rabbits.

I really wanted to love everything about this novel but some area's fell a little flat for me. The concept was excellent (people play a game that may have more sinister outcomes) so it should have been an easy 5 stars for me. The characters were likeable and you wanted them to accomplish their goal. The pacing was ok, some spots seemed to drag a bit and others just felt repetitive.

I would recommend this book to those that like the thought of playing a game where it could have dire consequences. I look forward to reading more from this author.

'The Door is Open.' For gamers, this is the invitation to start the mysterious game Rabbits--an obscure underground alternate reality game. You have to follow coincidences and find a pattern. It is rumored that thousands of people have died while playing the game over the years, maybe as far back as 1959 or even earlier. Who knows? And now version eleven seems to be starting...and it may be the end of the world as we know it.

Set in Seattle, Washington (where else??), the main character who goes by the letter K, has lived practically his whole life immersed in the game, one way or another. After a recent talk on the game at the Arcade, he is approached by a man who may be the winner of a past iteration of the game, who warns him that 'something is wrong with the game and if we don't fix it before the next iteration begins, we're all well and truly f---ed.'

So begins a crazy odyssey for K and his friends that occasionally crosses over into other dimensions or realities. K is warned, 'There are facts, lines, patterns, and laws beneath the world you recognize.'

I wanted to like this story much more than I did but as I read, it began to feel pretty repetitive--like teens on a scavenger hunt with a little woo-woo spookiness thrown in. I don't know, maybe I just wasn't the right receptive audience. After all, I stopped playing games with Tetris.

I received an arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate the opportunity.

“Win the game, save the world.”

There’s something you should know before reading this review. I was already bias before I started reading Rabbits by Terry Miles. Why you ask? Because I am already a huge fan of his podcasts: The Black Tapes, Tanis, The Last Movie, Faerie and….Rabbits. Rabbits the podcast is based in the same world as Rabbits the book, but is a different story.

So what exactly is Rabbits: Rabbits is a game. The game board is real life. There have been ten previous iterations of the game, the first starting in 1959. Although, it’s rumoured that Rabbits has been around for longer than we can imagine. What do you win? Maybe a job at the CIA or wealth or immortality, perhaps the secrets of the universe itself. Whatever the reward, the game is shrouded in mystery and danger, not everyone who plays the game survives.

You play, you never tell.

Find the doors, portals, points and wells.

The wardens watch and guard us well.

You play and pray you never tell.

We enter the story at the eleventh iteration of the game, only, this game is different. A disproportionate number of players are going missing and being killed. And, for K, reality seems to be falling apart. Famous monuments have changed small but significant ways, films he knows he’s watched no longer exist, friends no longer recognise him…and some people are disappearing entirely. There is something terribly wrong with Rabbits. And, if K doesn’t fix it somehow then the consequences will destroy reality.

As I said, I am already a fan of the Rabbits podcast, so I went into the book with a good understanding of the Rabbits game. And, after spending ages trying to write a blurb that can sufficiently explain what it is without spoiling the book…I can attest to the fact that it’s a difficult concept to get across. Would I have been a little lost without having listened to the podcast first? Yes, I think I might have been. The podcast covers the ninth iteration of Rabbits and we follow along with a character who is as new to the world of Rabbits as we are. As that’s the case, I would actually recommend you listen to the podcast before picking up this book. Not that the book is impenetrable; however, the concept is complex and having the foundation from the podcast would be beneficial.

We follow K as he tries to unravel the game as his own life and mental health deteriorates. Is the game making him hallucinate and have strange feelings and dreams? Or is it a consequence of Rabbits malfunctioning and effecting reality? It was such an intriguing story and I really enjoyed hitchhiking in K’s brain as more and more is revealed.

The pacing of the story was great, aided with short chapters and clues that led to more mysteries keeping you furiously turning pages so you can finally find out what the hell is happening. However, it did fall into that age old thriller/mystery trap of explaining 80% of everything in the last 10% of the book. It didn’t necessarily detract from my enjoyment, it just meant there was a lot of long monologues at the end as everything is laid out for K aka you the reader.

This isn’t the type of book we usually review on the blog there isn’t really any romance – although there’s a little bit going on, so you will get some kissing! However, it’s hard to fit it into an exact genre, I have it on my speculative-fiction shelf on Goodreads, but pfft, genres are just a human construct. If you want to try something with a heap of intrigue, game culture, fantasy, mystery, science and straight up weirdness, this is for you.

p.s. if you are a fan of Miles’ podcasts, look out for some Tanis nods!

Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey, and the author for a chance to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I'll admit, I had never heard of the eponymous podcast, but the premise sounded terrific. Technothriller? Conspiracies? Deadly underground alternate reality game? Sure! Sign me up! From the synopsis and some early reviews I was sort of expecting a Ready-Player-One sort of book.

Welllllll. Yeah. Sort of. This book is like the KING of genre mashups. We've got a little Ready Player One, a little National Treasure (esp the conspiracy part), a little comic-conning, and a LOT of Stranger Things. Am I the only one? I got such Stranger Things vibes from this book I can't even. It started off a little slow but once the ball really got rolling, I was completely into it and reading the book at literally every opportunity to find out what was next.

The characterization was a little brief but I think it's supposed to be. "K" is a relatively unexplored character because K could be you, or me. I guess I assumed K is male based on contextual clues but then again I could be completely wrong. Thinking it over, there is nothing to say K couldn't be any gender. K is also of indeterminate age, and race - while mentioned for other characters - is not an aspect of K's character at all. The side characters are good foils for K: developed enough to make them interesting but not so much as to make them rivals for K in the story at large or in the game itself.

The Easter Eggs are legion, especially if you're an ubergeek (which I'm not, although I still appreciate them), and the "science", while completely conceptual, is decently plausible. The suspense level is surprisingly steady, especially as K closes in on the answers he/she/they increasingly urgently seek(s).

A couple semantical things bothered me in the story: little things that kept sticking in my brain. For one thing, K is a sometime daytrader, but only once in the story do(es) he/she/they allude to doing any actual work. Another thing is this: K never goes to get groceries. And yet K cooks several times (mostly variations of spaghetti noodles, at least at night) and is opening bottles of wine left and right. I realize mundanities would distract from the story, but honestly, it was a little distracting for me to keep wondering (a) how K could afford to pursue this game day in and day out and (b) if/when K was ever planning to go to the store. Lastly, I realize this entire book is about discrepancies and (non)coincidences, but seriously, what are the odds that EVERY SINGLE CLUE and person you need to meet is in Seattle? Players from other countries are mentioned but I don't know how they would realistically have any chance at the game (even those from other states in the US), if it's so heavily rigged in favor of those physically in the city of Seattle.

Anywho. Overall, this book was a lot of fun, and I would recommend it, especially to those readers who like puzzles, serious "nerd" stuff, and Stranger Things.

Rabbits is the debut novel from Terry Miles. The plot of the book centers around the main character named “K” as he investigates and participates in the latest iteration of a game. The game, named Rabbits, is shrouded in mystery as are the previous winners.

As the story progresses we see him go up against unknown forces, both human and otherworldly (maybe).

I had a hard time getting into this book. The first 30% were kind of rough as I felt the plot became repetitive. It then thankfully picked up.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

r U playing?

I first encountered the Pacific Northwest Stories with the Black Tapes podcast, and then many years of Tanis. They were fun stories, and I continue to look forward to hearing more of Nick and MK in Tanis and/or The Last Movie.
When Rabbits podcast came out, it was different. It had a different set of voice actors, for example. It was based around obscure mysteries in video games. It was fun. At the time, I remember thinking that I wished that either Rabbits or Tanis would be written into a book.

Sometimes writing a review gets you really tired, you just need to take a break and relax in your Bombas socks. Bombas socks are the most comfortable...

This book was great. The characters were fun and the mystery was weird. Without giving away anything, this book could explain everything that has happened in Rabbits, The Last Movie, The Black Tapes, and Tanis...

If you enjoy good stories, and you feel pretty sure that I wrote Black Taps above... that you were absolutely certain it had a typo the first time you read that sentence.... This book is for you.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an arc for an advance to the game. The door is open.

4 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2021/06/06/rabbits-by-terry-miles-review/

<i>Jeff Goldblum does not belong in this world.</i>

Rabbits is the debut novel by Terry Miles. Based in the universe of a 10-part podcast by the same name, Rabbits (the book) is a standalone adventure that can be enjoyed without prior knowledge of the game. The game is everything here—not that it makes any sense. At least, not at first.

Enter K.

K is our tour guide to the world of Rabbits—a world that he’s somewhat obsessed with. Ever since the eighth iteration of the game, K’s been trying to find a way in. But with the tenth recently ended, his wait may be over.

Enter Alan Scarpio. The reclusive billionaire—also known as Californiac, winner of the 6th iteration of the game—is in Seattle, looking specifically for him. He needs K to help him fix Rabbits before the 11th iteration begins, or else the entire world may pay the price.

Only a few days after their first meeting, Scarpio disappears. And shortly after that, the 11th iteration of Rabbits begins. But something is undeniably different. Within days several experienced players have gone missing, and something begins to lash out at causality. But is it the game, or is it the universe itself that is broken? And even if K can win the game that’s not a game—will it matter?

But, as they say: Win the game, save the world.

Rabbits, above all else, is utterly addictive, entirely readable, totally immersive, and borderline nonsensical. Honestly, I’ve read few things like it. Books that I needed to keep reading—without fully understanding what the hell was going on.

At the center of this stands Rabbits (the game). It’s basically a series of incredibly unlikely events or concurrences occurring in a pattern, a pattern that leads its players down a particular path that—if they’re good enough—will lead them to something impossible. And this impossibility will do two things: first, provide them with another clue that will allow them to progress in the game; and second, make certain that they will never turn their back on Rabbits again. As I said—Rabbits is utterly addictive. No more so than to its players.

My first impression of Rabbits is that it’s like The Matrix crossed with the God Game, combined with a heavy dose of Fringe. Shortly after finishing Rabbits, I did two things. One—I started rewatching Fringe (if you haven’t seen it I can’t recommend this enough). And two—I watched the Matrix. If you haven’t seen Fringe, that’s bad enough, but if you haven’t seen the Matrix, you’ve been wasting your life. Right. Anyway. Here’s an example.

Enter the Matrix.

About six and a half minutes in, the following iconic scene begins.

<i>Wake up, Neo…</i>

<i>The Matrix has you…</i>

<i>Follow the white rabbit.</i>

You know what happens next. But let’s say it doesn’t. Instead of following the rabbit to a club playing Rob Zombie, let’s say he follows it to a Blockbuster. There, after losing sight of her, a display of an original copy of Michael Collins catches his eye. Of course, he buys the VHS of Michael Collins because lead man Liam Neeson once played the lead in another period piece—Rob Roy, about the folk hero, Rob Roy MacGregor. “MacGregor” being the Scottish spelling for “McGregor”. As in “Mr. McGregor”. Neo takes home the movie and watches it, but instead of Michael Collins, the tape turns out to be a copy of Looney Tunes episode “Haredevil Hare”, the cartoon which famously introduces Marvin Martian. From there, everything proceeds as you’d expect. Or does it? For after watching Haredevil Hare for the 3rd time, Neo notices a disparity between the episode he remembers and what he sees. You see, in the mockup of the Daily Snooze, the fictional newspaper which once proclaimed “Heroic Rabbit Volunteers as First Passenger”, Neo instead sees the headline “Seattle Bar Reopens After 16 years as a Mime studio”, which he uses to go to a bar, order a Harvey Wallbanger, go home with a redhead girl named Jessica, and find the “Night of the Lepus” poster she has in her flat. A movie also known as “Rabbits”. Upon removing the poster from the wall, Neo is confronted by a strange phrase, scratched into the wallpaper: “The Door is Open.” (After which, presumably he takes the blue pill, falls asleep, wakes up, and then the regular movie begins.)

And that’s a crash course on how to play Rabbits. You follow seemingly random yet somewhat connected clues around the city, until they lead you to another clue, an impossibility, or a mention of the word “Rabbits”. The phrase “The Door is Open” is also popular, so that’s there too. And on and on the rabbit-hole goes until eventually you either win, die, go insane, or crash from lack of sleep, malnutrition, scurvy, and whatever else.

But with the uncertainty here regarding the improbability of patterns and events, just how sure can you be that you’re playing the game? Well… you can’t. At all. And while the patterns and clues and chase makes Rabbits an intoxicating read, the uncertainty and obscurity makes it incredibly frustrating.

For the longest time, I had no idea what exactly was going on in Rabbits. I had absolutely no trouble reading on, because I wanted to figure out where it was all leading. The good news is that as the story progresses, you’ll eventually get a better sense of how Rabbits works. Once you do, it’s a pretty thrilling adventure.

That is, until the conclusion, which goes a bit strange. Well, stranger. Think the Matrix: Revolutions crossed with the later seasons of Fringe strange. Yeah—it’s that bad. Don’t get me wrong, the ending is good. But the conclusion is nuts.

Other than the story (which I think I’ve covered quite enough), the characters are what makes a book great. The characters of Rabbits are… pretty good, actually. K is the only POV, and he’s a pretty good one. I actually came to care a good bit about K and what happened to him. The supporting cast is… a mixed bag. Mainly it’s Chloe, who is equally strong. I would’ve liked a little bit more backstory on her, but she has more than enough depth and development that I cared about her right alongside K. Otherwise, nobody else really stands out. I mean, most of the supporting cast is made up of hipsters—so “depth” might be asking too much. Or it could be that no one other than those two is around long enough to make a lasting impression. Not that they die or anything; they just fade in and out.

TL;DR

While at times a bit complex and convoluted, Rabbits is an immersive and entertaining thriller set in a near-present Earth. Though it only really features two main characters (and one POV), both are written and fleshed out quite nicely. Even after it’s over, Rabbits leaves a lasting desire for more—so much so that I immediately watched the Matrix, and then started bingeing Fringe (two of the outlets that it most reminded me of). The reason to read Rabbits, however, lies in its story. A story surrounding a game that’s so exclusive, so obscure, that it’s difficult to even know for sure that you’re playing it. But once you figure out the game that’s not a game (which you will, if you stick with it), Rabbits provides a fast, intoxicating chase down the narrow alleys and rain-slick Seattle streets. A thirst for adventure mingles with the sense of impending doom. If you fail, you might just die. But if you win—win the game, save the world.

Twists and turns is all I can say about this book. Truly a great mix of sci-fi and fantasy that I did not want to put down. Have already recommended to friends and am excited to read more by this author.

Rabbits is a mysterious alternative reality game, which may be so vast that it uses actual reality as its canvas. Since the game first started in 1959, ten iterations have appeared and nine winners have been declared. They are known only by their gaming pseudonyms, but some of them are thought to be famous people: businessmen, billionaires, and such. No one knows exactly what the winnings are, either, but they are rumored to be life-changing fame and fortune (or whatever the winner most desires).

K is a Rabbits obsessive who has been trying to enter the game his entire life, especially after experiencing a traumatic event related to it in his youth. The eleventh round is about to begin when he is approached by billionaire Alan Scarpio, the alleged winner of the sixth iteration. Scarpio says that something has gone wrong with the game and that K needs to fix it before Eleven starts or the whole world will pay the price.

The rumor is that players have died playing the game, and K soon loses a friend under mysterious circumstances. While pursuing leads he experiences alterations in reality, and a childhood friend tells him that there is a multiverse--not only that, but they were married before he went into another reality to change the game and fix existence as we know it. Together they retrace the path they took before, arriving at some kind of climax.

K awakes to find that he has won the game. Here Miles waffles a bit: after setting up many proofs of the multiverse, K becomes convinced that there are natural explanations for his experiences while playing Rabbits. I suppose all's well that ends well, because he is reunited with his lover Chloe, and another friend they thought dead has survived the game. And the game is about to begin again...

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance proof.

Rabbits is a mysterious, underground game that spans the globe. You play it by finding discrepancies or patterns and following the clues. However, in the most recent iteration of the game, something’s seriously off. Players are dying, and K must find a way to fix the game or else the entire universe is at stake.

Rabbits by Terry Miles is a surreal, trippy fever dream of a sci-fi novel. It’s weird. It’s really weird (in the best possible way). It takes you down a rabbit hole of conspiracies—involving the Mandela effect, quantum mechanics, and Jeff Goldblum.

As a Redditor, I really enjoyed this book. It's a big ol’ nerdfest filled with pop culture references, and it’s equal parts disturbing and hilarious. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve had this much fun with a sci-fi thriller since Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an advanced copy of this fun science fiction(?) novel.

Conspiracies and conspiracy theory have real consequences as any time watching real television, or surfing the Twitter-verse information superhighway will show. COVID origins, fake or real election results, Dead Kennedys faking their deaths to safe us from child predators, conspiracies are entertainment now, the dumber, the crazier the Q-est the more people seem to believe them and the more they seem to want to act on them.
That's why Rabbits by Terry Miles is so much fun. The book harkens back to a better time, a more innocent time, maybe a better dimension than our own where a game played in secret, by players unknown to each other, but with the ability to change their lives and maybe history. Imagine Ready Player One, but much better, with the borrowed nostalgia being conspiracies, ley lines, Berenstain bears, dark web, quantum physics. There is a lot going on in this book. The characters are interesting, maybe a little removed in some spots. Danger doesn't seem to occur to them, returning to homes, and jobs when it has been shown that there are legit threats to their existence out there. That is all quibbles. Each page is an Internet search with facts and ideas that move the story along, and make you want to read along.

I understand there are podcasts and more to the story, which is good. The ideas like I said are fascinating and I would like to know more. A really fun book that was hard to put down.

This is a wild, confusing book that I think I would have enjoyed more if I had been a listener of the podcast beforehand. It's a book about a game that no one can speak of and that makes the very nature of the story twisty and interesting. It's set in Seattle, where I once lived, so I connected to all those aspects. Loved the pop culture aspect of it too...not nearly as heavy-handed as Ready Player One, which I appreciated. The book rockets the reader through this secretive, decades old game in a way that will keep the pages turning.

I tried, I really tried but I just couldn't 't get into this. It's certainly got an interesting premise but I got lost in that very thing. Regret I did not finish but I suspect that others will greatly enjoy it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This book is a pretty close approximation to what you would get if Franz Kafka took a break from writing <i>The Trial</i> and tried to rip off <i>Ready Player One</i> (with way fewer 80’s pop culture references) but then got bored and abruptly ended it.

The plot centers around a nebulous “game” (informally known as rabbits) played in the real world. No one is supposed to talk about the game. No one is sure what the prize is, who runs it, or if they are actually even playing it. Oh, and just for good measure, people sometimes die or disappear while playing. Playing involves spotting seeming coincidences and subtle links that lead you to clues in a process which repeats until ????!

Our hero, a less than mentally and emotionally well-adjusted individual known simply as K, become involved in trying to fix the most recent iteration of the game, and it’s hard to say much more without spoilers. It’s all pretty trippy as ideas thrown around include the Mandela effect, the multiverse, quantum computing, mental and emotional trauma, and much more.

If the author had managed a halfway satisfactory ending I probably would have given the book 4 stars. I rather enjoyed the weirdness of it all (in spite of fairly flat unappealing characters and an F-bomb every couple pages), but the ending felt completely rushed. It explained very little and left myriad loose ends. It’s probably supposed to feel “mysterious” and “open ended,” but to me it just felt incomplete (and possibly a bit lazy on the author’s part). Obviously, your experience may vary, so don’t let me discourage you if this sounds like your sort of weirdness.