Game of Universe

by Eric S. Nylund

Book Overview

One of thirteen people challenged to find the Holy Grail and be rewarded with a planetary system, Germain, an assassin, can absorb the consciousness of his victims, giving him an advantage in the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380785412
• ISBN13: 9780380785414
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 355 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.5" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

With A Little Bit of Everything, Nylund's Work Continues to Shine!

A Game of Universe is the first work of Nylund's I've ever read. Having picked it up in FLorida on a whim several years ago, I've used my copy so much that it's literally worn out! This is the only book I've given out to several of my friends and co-workers (even my mother!) and every single one of them have loved it. All of us are now trying to hunt down a copy in better condition than mine! Germain is a complex and hilarious character, with very real-to-life thoughts and actions. His various "personas" and his innner struggles have thrilled everyone I've known who has read this amazing work. The romance between Virgina and Germain was just enough to please the girl in me but not overly so so that I wanted to strangle them both. Virgina was a lovable female lead, easily identifable to and a strong female. Lilian, however, was not my favorite character at all and was rather grating on the nerves. Stebos was an amazing concept and Quilp was annoying, but quite brilliant. The theories introduced were interesting but not overly confusing. All of Germain's personas made the story quirky and adoringly eccentric. This sotry has a bit of everything in it, satisfying even the pickiest reader. Romance, action, history, adventure, science fiction, betrayal, psychology, even gambling! This futuristic Grail adventure (featuring an ultimate but unseen battle between Heaven and Hell) is satsfying down to the very last sentence! Nylund's writing is addictive, yet not at all hard to follow. However, the details involved are sparkling! I HIGHLY recommend this work, as it is an easy, interesting read and worth every cent you spend. Eric S. Nylund's A Game of Universe makes everyone want to go on their own personal quest for the Grail and be involved in the battle between Heaven and Hell. It's a shame it's out of print!

new author

This book was the first I read by Eric Nylund, and it had me searching all of the used book stores for more. I was enthralled from page one, and never put it down. I'm frankly not that much into sci-fi any more, but this was a rare find and a fun read.

Utterly fantastic mix of SF and Fantasy! Wow!

Usually, most literature which tries to mix technology and magic doesn't work for me at all (e.g. the "Shadowrun" stuff), badly executed and stitched together. Not so this time. One of the all-time best books to read, this novel offers the inside view of a split-personality corporate assassin/sorceror in a future where powerful magic dwells between sophisticated ultratechnology and time-bending psionic powers. It artfully splices together the stuff of ancient legends and high-tech thriller. While certain ideas in this book are not entirely new, I would nevertheless rate it 6 stars, if I could, due to it's beautiful style, in-depth characterization, fast pace and intricately wrought background. I think this book is even better than "Signal to Noise", and just wish the very promising Mr. Nylund would produce more novels in this setting. Very highly recommended.

A very imaginative novel

An excellent and surprising read. Mr. Nylund impresses me as an author who spends the amount of time and mental energy to create a work of art. I realize that most people don't consider novels to be art in the classical sense, but this novel is indeed a true work of art. Sentences are crafted like brushstrokes on a canvas. He uses ideas as others use color. They are woven through the story with symmetry and pleasing form. My compliments to the author for creating a truly worthwhile book in an era that seems to breed hacks of little merit. I highly recommend this one, as it is also fun and chock-full of ideas!

A future spin on a familiar legend...

The Holy Grail. The image of it at a certain King's table in England caused one of the greatest adventures in history...or legend. In Mr. Nylund's book, 13 champions, of Good, Evil, and Other, gather to begin a new quest for the Grail, one that must end in the death of 12 of them. Garnered from the great heroes and villains of the day, the new questors must contend with each other, magic, a multitude of planets, FTL travel, and a time limit in order to achieve the goal. I truly enjoy Mr. Nylund's approach to an old legend. His protagonist is a corporate assassin, a magician with multiple personalities. As we follow the "hero", Germaine, we encounter many interesting denizens of this strange future universe, most of whom try to kill him, or, at the very least, hurt him enough to slow him down. The Grail has a new look in this future, and it's worth is measured not in human terms, but in heavenly terms. In other words, it's the highest scoring game in the contest between Good and Evil. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mythology and SF/F. Both in one book, what could be better?